CHAPTER 20:

Luke and Chewie lifted the last crate of medical supplies under Han's supervision. Commander Jeleof was right: although the security was tight, the papers Jeleof arranged put them in the clear. Of course, it didn't hurt to have an Imperial Commander in their company.

Han's stealth eyes flitted between the closing cargo hold and the relatively smaller crate next to Jeleof. Han's danger antennas tingled. He, Chewie, and Luke were too far away from Leia's crate if Jeleof decided to pull a fast one. There were too many Imperial security officers, not to mention a handful of stormtroopers, to prevent the rebels from retrieving Leia without losing their lives. Han, Luke, and Chewie could easily reach safety inside the Falcon and take off before anyone could stop them, but Leia had no chance. And she wouldn't even know it.

Han's eyes stopped on the crate next to Jeleof. He wouldn't leave her, and he was sure Luke and Chewie would agree. They all were in danger. As soon as the cargo hold hissed shut, Han took long strides toward Jeleof.

"Thank you for all your help," Han offered his hand to the Imperial.

"Thank the princess," Jeleof inclined his head toward the crate as he shook Han's hand.

Chewbacca growled and picked up the crate with ease. Luke smiled and shook Jelof's hand as well. Then the rebels headed toward the ship's ramp.

Luke put a hand on Han's arm as they reached the base of the ramp, "I have a bad feeling."

Han rolled his eyes, "I hate your bad feelings."

"You there," a muffled voice called out. "Stop where you are."

Chewie grumbled softly, and Han touched his empty holster, "Why do they always show up at the wrong time?"

"Any time they show up is the wrong time," Luke muttered, slipping his light saber into the back of his pants and adjusted his jacket to conceal it.

Han smiled and took a step toward the approaching stormtrooper. He held his hands out, "Can I help you with something?"

"Lord Vader has requested that all freighters be detained until cleared."

"Well, we're in a bit of a hurry," Han grimaced. "We're gonna have to turn down that request. Give Lord Vader my regards."

The stormtrooper raised his blaster rifle, "You will cooperate."

Han glanced at the security checkpoint, looking for a familiar face, but Jeleof was nowhere in sight. He pressed his lips together. It looked like they were on their own, but Han was fine with that. He'd hate to see Jeleof pay for helping them, even if he was an Imperial.

"I suppose we have a few minutes to spare," Han shrugged. Then he looked over his shoulder at Chewbacca, "Why don't you load that crate while we're detained."

"You'll do no such thing," the stormtrooper trained his blaster rifle on Chewie. "Put the crate down, slowly."

Chewie growled but obliged the storm trooper's order. The stormtrooper tilted his head, "Yes, sir." He then turned his attention to the rebels. "Once Lord Vader gives you clearance, you'll be on your way."

"But our papers were cleared by security," Luke's voice rose an octave, causing Han to wince.

"Lord Vader is the only one who can authorize your departure."

At the storm trooper's mere mention of the Dark Lord, Darth Vader swept through the docking bay toward the Millennium Falcon.

"Don't say anything," Han whispered to Luke, waving Luke to stand behind him. "I'll handle this."

Vader stopped in front of Han. His masked orbs grazed over the dilapidated ship before falling on its captain and crew.

"I assume you are the captain of this ship."

"She's a beauty, ain't she?" Han smirked.

"What is the cargo that was loaded on this ship?" Vader once again looked up at the ship.

"Medical supplies. You're security guards already checked."

Without taking his eyes off of the ship, Vader stated, "It will be checked again."

With a small movement of a finger, six stormtroopers came forward, pushed pass Han and his friends, and rushed up the ramp of the Falcon. Han clenched his teeth together. Stormtroopers on his ship was never a good thing, and he wondered if there was any other incriminating items on his ship that might cause them problems.

"Do you have something to hide, Captain?"

Han shifted his weight, "No of course not. We got nothin' to hide."

"Give me the registration and call sign for this ship."

"No problem," Han dug into his pocket and pulled out a couple of flimsies.

Vader took the flimsies from Han and glanced over them, "Captain Regalis?"

"The one and only," Han flashed a lop-sided grin.

"How long have you been in possession of this ship?"

"It doesn't belong to me, but I've been piloting it for the last three standard years."

"The Chelsian Cargo Company," Vader read off of the flimsy. "I haven't heard of it."

"It's small, but it's a job."

The stormtroopers exited the ship, "Medical supplies, Lord Vader."

Han crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin, "See? We're just tryin' to make an honest living."

"What is your destination?"

Han inhaled. This was becoming tedious. All that information was on their papers. "Fuommin. The Imperial Commander who hired us directed us to deliver it to the Imperials who are fighting the locals there."

"Who hired you?" Vader's voice bellowed.

Han tucked his tongue in his cheek, "Commander Jeleof."

Darth Vader's mechanical respiration filled a heavy silence. "I do not recall a Commander Jeleof based here." He turned to the nearest trooper, "Look into this commander."

Han rested his hands on his hips. That was good news. Jeleof wasn't who he claimed to be. Wrinkling up his prosthetic nose, Han had to wonder who was what he seemed to be.

Darth Vader's complete attention fell upon Han, Chewie, and Luke. He sensed something… "You," he pointed at Luke.

"Y-yes?" Luke gulped as he took a step to the side.

"You are fearful and nervous."

Han glanced over at the wide-eyed boy. He waved a hand in the youth's direction, "You're presence inspires such reactions in most people, especially young-uns from backwater planets."

Vader stared at Luke, and Han cursed that he didn't have his blaster. He scanned Luke and thanked all the gods that Luke's saber wasn't in sight. That would be a difficult thing to explain.

"Where are you from, boy?"

"Tatooine," Luke answered, figuring it was better to be truthful.

"Tatooine," Vader repeated.

"A dustbowl of a planet, if you ask me," Han interrupted.

Vader ignored Han, keeping his masked eyes and attention on the fledging Jedi. "What's your name?"

"Mine?" Luke pointed to himself, "Luke."

"Your family name, Luke?"

The back of Luke's neck tingled. "Darklighter," he answered, thinking this time it would be best to lie. After all, Vader might remember that he killed Luke's father. He focused his mind on his dead friend, Biggs Darklighter, imagining that he was a Darklighter.

"Darklighter," Vader repeated and then fell silent. There was something about this boy, something familiar and disturbing.

A flash of Padme's pained face assaulted the Dark Lord, interrupting his mechanical respiration.

Han and Luke exchanged looks.

Vader quickly recovered, and his dark orbs fell upon the crate at Chewbacca's feet. Again, something didn't feel right, but this feeling was blank. He signaled his stormtroopers.

"Open that crate," he ordered.

Once the crate was opened, the stormtroopers began rifling through the artifacts and liquor. One of the troopers held up a piece of art for Vader to see.

"What is this?" Vader's voice bellowed, causing some docking bay staff to look in the rebel's direction.

"Payment," Han quickly answered. "Our employer collects artifacts from primitive cultures. Then we get paid in Imperial credits." Vader continued to stare at the crate, and Han side-stepped to block his view. "None of the items are worth much. That's one of the reasons Commander Jeleof hired us. We come cheap."

"Step aside," Vader ordered. "All of you."

Han, Luke, and Chewie took a few steps back behind the small crate and closer to the ramp of the Falcon. The stormtroopers standing around also took a step away from the crate. Han could feel the drops of sweat slide down his back and underneath the mask he wore. He tried to remain calm. He was certain the evil bastard could sense his emotions like he did Luke's. Luke! He looked over at his young friend. Luke seemed poised and calm, reminding Han of Leia in tense situations like this. Luke's right hand slipped behind his back.

Darth Vader scrutinized the crate before throwing its contents to the side.

"Looking for something in particular?" Han nonchalantly asked.

Vader ignored him as he emptied the crate of the packing material. He stood to his full height and stared at the bottom of the "empty" crate. It felt like a black hole, and although he couldn't pinpoint what he felt, the lack of any sensation made him curious. He lifted his hand and the lid to the false bottom flew off.

Han and Chewie's heart stopped, and Luke reached for his saber. But before anyone could react, Leia sat up and fired Han's blaster, hitting Vader square in his respiration panel on his chest. The unexpected attack knocked the Dark Lord off of his feet. The stunned stormtroopers looked at the rebels before rushing to Vader's side.

Han scooped up the princess and raced up the Falcon's ramp, "Go! Go!"

Vader sat up, "Stop them!"

It didn't take Luke and Chewie long to follow Han up the ramp.

Han pulled Leia by the wrist toward the cockpit as he tore the mask covering his face to pieces.

"Luke! Chewie! Go to the gun turrets!" He looked at Leia, "You're gonna be my co-pilot."

Han fired up the engines before he dropped into the pilot's seat. The Falcon rocked from blaster fire, and Leia switched the full power to the rear deflector shields. Within seconds the Falcon soared into open space.

But the space didn't stay open for long. A flurry of TIE fighters honed in on them, firing from all directions. Luke and Chewbacca continuously fired back in rapid succession, scoring more hits than the TIE pilots did. In the cockpit, Han's hands danced over the console panel, and the Falcon twisted and turned in tune with its captain. His impromptu co-pilot kept up with his intricate moves as if she anticipated what he was thinking. Han stole a side-glance of the girl. Her large dark eyes were tracking his fingers all the while focusing on her own moves. He bit back a smile. Was there anything this girl couldn't do? She was almost as good as Chewie. Almost.

"Star Destroyer coming in from the right," Leia announced.

Han silently cursed himself for losing his own focus. He rubbed his chin and made a few adjustments. "Luke? Chewie? How ya' doin'?"

"It's like there's a never ending supply of TIES," Luke reported, and Chewbacca roared in agreement.

"Okay," Han grimly stared at the Star Destroyer, "Prepare for the jump to lightspeed." Then he turned to Leia, "Set the coordinates."

"Already done," she said. "We better jump before we're in range for that tractor beam that I'm sure that Star Destroyer has already deployed."

"Right," Han placed his hands on the hyperdrive controls. "On three. One, two, three."

In perfect harmony, Leia and Han pushed the Falcon into lightspeed. Han sat back as he watched the stars blur. Leia relaxed as well. Han's hazel eyes attracted Leia's. The pair sat staring at each other as they recovered their breath. Leia's fingers curled around the nozzle of Han's blaster that rested upon her lap. She felt a residual tingling of adrenaline coursing through her nerves, and she could tell from the awed expression that was interrupted by a lop-sided grin on Han's face he felt the same.

Solo's eyes dropped to his blaster in Leia's hands. She, too, gazed upon the blaster which she now cradled in both hands.

"You shot Vader," Han stated.

"Yeah," she smiled. "I supposed I did."

"Was it as good for you as it was for me?" Han winked.

"Even better," she breathed, and a chill ran up Han's spine.

Han's brow knitted. The hidden panel of the crate was supposed to be sound proof. "Could you hear what was going on?"

She shook her head "no" and gazed at the blaster again.

"How did you know it wasn't one of us?"

Leia shrugged, "I just did."

Han mulled over her words before his mind wondered to another subject, "Where'd you learn to pilot like that?"

"From watching you," she winked.

"No wonder you were good," he smugly smiled.

"I'm good at a lot of things, Captain," Leia raised her chin and right eyebrow.

Han's eyes widened and retracted. Who was this woman sitting next to him? He opened his mouth to see how far he could push her, but then Leia's large dark eyes stared into his, and he saw that her mood had changed.

"Do you…" she sighed, "do you think I mortally wounded Vader?"

Han closed his mouth and rested his arm on the back of his chair. He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Leia's ear, "I hope so."

She gazed upon him as sucked on her bottom lip. Then she gave him a sad smile, "I've always dreamt of taking out Vader." She dropped her eyes and shook her head, "I don't think that dream just came true."

Han pressed a finger under her chin and lifted her face so that she had to look at him, "If you didn't take him out, you came close, maybe closer than anyone ever has."

Leia smiled, and Han's heart beat faster at the sight of the mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Maybe."

Leia stood up and twirled Han's blaster on her trigger finger before perfectly stopping it in firing position. She sidled up to Han's side and pressed her thigh up against his. Han uncrossed his leg and stared at her dumbfounded. Leia slowly slid his blaster back into its holster.

"I'm sure you want this back," her voice slithered smooth.

"I dunno," Han tried to retain some sense of décor. "You handle it quite well."

"But you're much better."

"That I am."

Leia rolled her eyes but a playful smile still lit upon her lips. "Thank you for saving my life again."

"Any time, Princess."

Then Leia placed her hand on the top of Han's head. She tipped his head back and leaned over. Han could barely catch up as her lips slipped over his. Her fingers ensnared his hair, and she manipulated his head to her advantage.

Luke and Chewbacca's voices grew louder as they approached the cockpit. Princess Leia lingered in the kiss for a few seconds longer. Then she pulled away and headed out of the cockpit.

"Nice shooting, Chewie," Leia patted the Wookie's arm as they passed each other. "You, too, Luke." Then she disappeared down the corridor.

Chewie tilted his head and whorfled. Han snapped his mouth shut, "Nothing. Nothin' at all." He looked away, leaving Luke and Chewie to wonder about the goofy smile Han wore.