"Dodonna, why don't you let her go over the whole plan and then we'll analyze it further?" Mon Mothma suggests. Leia inwardly smiles, Mon Mothma praises efficiency; a word that can't quite describe Dodonna's current attitude.
The man slowly backs out of the argument in which he was engaged in with Lando. Everyone seems relieved.
Leia quietly thanks Mon with a quick nod,"As I was saying, we need to get to Tatooine." Leia didn't even attempt to keep herself from squinting slightly in annoyance, staring right at Dodonna.
"We will use the Millennium Falcon as transportation, all five of us. Once we get to Tatooine, Mos Eisley, to be precise, Luke, Chewbacca and I will stay on the Millennium Falcon, or at least close to it. We will go into the city get supplies that can only be found on Tatooine," Leia pauses when she sees several frantically typing notes away on their data pads"Lando Calrissian and Wedge Antilles will venture out to find a way to acquire jobs at Jabba's Palace, most likely guards; therefore, we will always know what is going on, they will both need simple audio comms, and so would the rest of us."
"May I ask you two exactly how you will get those jobs?" Mon Mothma looks at both Lando and Wedge.
Lando's eyes momentarily widen in panic, he didn't know if his plan would be appropriate,"Well, I happen to know a great deal about Jabba's Palace, especially how the jobs work. Jabba goes through guards like crazy. He constantly needs some new ones, so it isn't too hard to become one. Neither Wedge or I are on bad terms with Jabba, either so-"
Mothma frowns,"Okay, we'll discuss that issue further later, please do continue, Leia."
Leia nods,"Luke, Chewbacca and I will also stay behind, on the Millennium Falcon until Lando and Wedge determine it is a good time for Chewbacca and I to come into play. I will disguised as a bounty hunter when I take Chewbacca into Jabba's Palace, as he is wanted by Jabba. This course of action will allow us to gain access of the palace."
Mon Mothma looks at Chewbacca,"Are you sure you would be willing to put your life in such danger, Chewbacca?"
Chewie roars,"yes, of course. If it means saving Han."
Mon Mothma smiles in admiration with the wookie's loyalty, she had barely struggled to understand the foreign language,"Why of course." Mothma motions for Leia to continue.
"Wes will stay on the Millennium Falcon, so when the time comes, we can get out of there as efficiently and quickly as possible. Luke will also be on standby, in case anything goes wrong, or we just need reinforcement. From there, we will have to improvise, as we aren't sure what condition Han will be in."
One of the lesser known High Command members stands up,"Your Highness, I must say that I, for one, don't think improvising will be appropriate for such a risky mission."
"I am aware of that, Colonel Cor,"Leia looks down, in respect, although the man worked in close quarters to Dodonna, he was at least respectable,"As I earlier stated, we do not know the condition in which Han Han will be when we arrive. We might not find out for a while after getting into the palace even."
"May I add something?" Rieekan asks,"I know that Leia was compelled to improvise on many missions before. I know this may not be solid evidence, but she has fared extremely well most of those missions, maybe even better than those where she had a definite plan."
"No," Dodonna shook his head,"The Death Star? Ord Mantell? Those missions went horribly wrong when Leia was forced to improvise. Yes, it's obvious she survived, but those missions could've gone far smoother had she known what to do in those instances."
"Sir, if you'd-" Cor attempts to calm down Dodonna, but his temper seems to have gotten the best of him.
"No, she got tortured! Probably by Darth Vader himself! You all like to ignore the fact that she never once mentioned what happened on the Death Star, but I saw her face when she got back, I saw it! The girl was traumatized, still is most likely."
Leia went rigid, her breathing intensified. She assumed many had known what had happened to her on the Death Star, and she was content with the fact that no one ever mentioned it. But now that someone had, the memories come washing back like a tsunami. She can't control her emotions, Dodonna is so painfully correct, she has been so traumatized ever since that day she was taken aboard the Death Star.
"And Ord Mantell? We all saw what she looked like when she arrived back on Echo base. She was unconscious and I was barely able to recognize her, I know most of you couldn't either." Dodonna literally shook with anger.
Everyone is too shocked to speak, why is he saying these things, what exactly is he trying to say? A mixture of pure wrath and anguish seizes Leia, but she still can't speak. Terrifying flashbacks ricochet throughout her mind, making it excruciatingly difficult to hold back the tears and sobs that threaten to escape.
"We all know that it was Solo's fault as well, no one seems to mention that either. He said it was a bounty hunter that did that to her, one that was after him the same reason Fett was, those guys are dangerous. So is that Solo! I know for sure that Leia doesn't just want to rescue Han to be friendly, there is definitely something more going on between those two, I don't think you know how dangerous he could be! Don't you all get it? The girl is mentally unstable! I don't understand why you all insist on sending her on all of these missions she obviously is unable to handle. Is it the reasoning all because she is simply a princess?" he looked at Leia as he yelled.
Leia closes her eyes, her mouth opens as if she were about to say something, but nothing comes out. Tears begin to obscure her vision, but the expression on her face is harsh.
"Dodonna," Mon Mothma finally speaks, her voice aghast,"That whole rant of yours was hardly appropriate. Leia is fully capable of executing missions, and why we do is not just because of her title, but because of her superior political talents. We don't just hand out positions in the High Command for the fun of it either now do we? I know just how you feel about her position in the Alliance as well, that she's not deserving of it. I thought you were as well, you, General have done outstanding work for the Alliance; however, I just want you to know that what you have just said was completely unprofessional and simply absurd. Now I believe a wise decision to put this meeting to an end now."
There are a few whispers as mostly everyone begins to withdraw from the meeting room, Mon Mothma, Rieekan, along with Leia and the rest of her group do, however, approaches Leia, her face has since softened after most of Command has left.
"Leia, it was very difficult for me to listen to Dodonna speaking of you in such a repulsive manor. I know the man has had several issues in the past with others; it's not just you." The way Mon speaks to Leia is unlike her, she never stood up for Leia like she had earlier either, but the genuine caringness Mon has expressed to Leia was enough to make her feel a little better.
Leia gave a weak smile in acknowledgment, but the sympathetic looks everyone gave her made her feel uncomfortable,"Thank you, but please I need some time alone… and rest." Leia's voice is quiet.
"Of Course, Leia you deserve it." Rieekan smiled, everyone agreed.
"Yes, but before you all go," Mon addressed everyone," I am going to organize a more suitable group to help me make your mission possible, I believe that you all did a great job at planning it, but there are a few adjustments that I believe will make the mission safer. I will hold another meeting here at the same time tomorrow, I believe I will have enough time for it but if I turn out too busy we will have to reschedule to a later date; I will try my hardest to make it though, I know it would be best to get to Tatooine as soon as possible." most of the group cheered, from the sound of it, their mission is going to happen.
Leia was silent. She knew Mon was mostly doing this out of sympathy for her. It just was further evidence that all that Dodonna said is true, everyone just does things for Leia because she's a princess. But everything he said about Han couldn't be farther from the truth. Dodonna doesn't know a thing about Han, Leia thinks as everyone else around her radiates with pure joy, Dodonna, he will one day pay for whatever he has ever said about Han, good or bad, none of it is true.
Hello! I was a bit too busy to post last week (in case you haven't noticed I like to post every Friday) But anyway I like this chapter and compared to the last one, I really think the quality drastically improved. I also just wanted to say that i'm not exactly sure why but a lot fics I have read in the past have Dodonna portrayed as a kind of just annoying mean guy, I don't know if he is actually like that, I just wanted to create some extra drama... So I hope you enjoyed this chapter and any sort of review and constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated (: