Chapter 67

Anakin passed a fitful night, his rest compromised by disturbing dreams. He did his best not to disturb his wife as she slept, but eventually his restlessness forced him from his bed. He left the bedroom and walked into the common area. Sitting down on the sofa, he leaned forward, resting his face in his hands. He could feel the tension filling him, drawing every muscle in his body into a series of tight knots.

Part of him wished that there wasn't so much resting on his shoulders. Part of him wished that his destiny was a simpler, more peaceful one. But this is what I was born for, he reflected, running his hands into his thick, tousled hair; this is what I was meant to do.

Anakin turned as he sensed Padmé entering the room. She walked over to him and sat down beside him.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, running her hand across his broad back.

"No," he replied. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't," she told him, running her fingers through his hair. "I couldn't sleep either."

Anakin turned to look at her. "What if they say no?" he asked her. "What if they can't bring themselves to trust me?"

Padmé stroked his hair softly. "They will," she said. "They will see reason, Ani, I just know it."

Anakin sighed. "I hope you're right," he said, wincing as he straightened his back.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Just a bit of muscular strain," he told her. "I'll be okay."

Padmé brought her hands up to his shoulders and massaged them lightly. "You're in knots," she told him with a frown. "No wonder you can't sleep."

Anakin closed his eyes, melting under her touch. "That feels amazing," he purred.

Padmé smiled. "Good," she said as she positioned herself behind him on the sofa and went to work. "I think Obi-Wan's over doing it," she told him. "He's not looking well at all."

"Try to tell him that," Anakin muttered. "He's so damn stubborn he won't listen."

"Hmm, reminds me of someone else I know," she remarked, moving down his spine.

Anakin smiled. "You don't mean me, do you?"

"No, of course not," she replied. "You? Stubborn? Not a chance."

Anakin laughed. "You have very talented hands, milady," he said with a contented sigh.

Padmé leaned forward and kissed his ear. "So do you, my love," she told him, causing Anakin to grin. "So do you."

Anakin laughed. "Solo hasn't arrived yet," he told her. "Leia is upset, even though she's trying to deny it."

"Well, whether you like it or not, Leia cares for the man," Padmé told him. "She's bound to be concerned."

Anakin snorted. "Probably still at the local drinking establishment," he remarked.

"Ani, be nice," she told him.

"I'm nice," he replied, looking back at her with a smile.

Padmé shook her head. "When you want to be," she said in response. She was silent for a moment. "I'm not sure I like the idea of Obi-Wan traveling alone," she said.

"He's not alone, Angel," Anakin assured her. "He has two body guards with him."

"Still," she said, "I'll feel better having him back here with us."

"Me too," Anakin admitted at last.

Planet Tatooine

Han and Chewbacca were pretty certain they knew where Bossk was taking them, but when they were roughly escorted off of the Trandoshan vessel and the twin suns of Tatooine assaulted their eyes, both had a sinking feeling. The Trandoshans had bound the wrists of their prisoners; having dealt with both Solo and his comrade before, they knew better than to underestimate them.

Han squinted up against the brilliant sky. Jabba's gonna be ticked, he reflected as the Trandoshans shoved him and Chewbacca into a waiting transport. How the hell are we gonna get out of this one? He wondered miserably, looking at his friend.

"We have to find a way to contact Luke and Leia," Chewbacca barked. "Or we'll never get out off this planet again."

"Yeah, easier said than done, pal," Han replied.

"Shut up, human scum," one of the aliens hissed, giving Han a rough shove, sending him sprawling onto the filthy deck of the transport. Han winced against the pain that filled him as his body made contact with one of the many pieces of abandoned droid that littered the deck. He didn't want to let his captors know that they had injured him, however; and stood up as quickly as he could, gritting his teeth against the pain.

Chewbacca, however knew better, and moved to help his friend.

"I'm alright," Han grunted, secretly grateful for his friend's assistance. He'd had enough broken bones in his life to know what a cracked rib felt like; right now he was certain he had a few.

"Enjoy the ride, maggots," the same surly alien told them as they found a place to sit amidst the junk piles. He sat down a short distance from them, never taking his yellow reptilian eyes off of them.

Han did his best to get reasonably comfortable, which, he decided, was impossible under the present conditions. He closed his eyes, willing himself to master the pain he felt growing worse with each breath he drew. His thoughts ran straight to Leia, as he realized, despite his best efforts to deny it, that she had somehow become the focal point of his life. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, sweetheart, he thought despondently, but I do love you, Leia…I just hope I get the chance to tell you some day.

Star Destroyer Executor

Leia sat bolt upright in bed, her heart hammering within her chest. It hadn't been a nightmare that had shaken her so abruptly from her sleep; no, it had been a strong feeling of terror, of dread, as though someone close to her was in trouble. Closing her eyes, Leia brought her mind into oneness with the Force, seeking out the meaning of the feelings she had raging through her. Brilliant sunshine, almost blinding in its intensity…sand, as far as the eye can see…a decrepit looking transport, slowly making its way over the dunes, creaking with age as it lumbers along….it is dark inside the transport, and it stinks of oil, sweat, and filth…a fearsome creature with the eyes of a serpent keeps watch over a pair of prisoners…one is a wookiee, and the other…the other is in pain…the other is…is…

"Han!!" Leia gasps at last. Han is in trouble…he is in pain…he needs me…

Leia jumped out of bed and rushed over to the door of her room. She stopped as a hard dose of reality hit her. What am I supposed to do now? She thought anxiously. How can I possibly help him now with all that is going on? Leia clenched her fists with frustration as her mind raced for a way to get to Han. I have to help him, she thought desperately. If I don't…

Leia's thoughts were interrupted by a light knock on her door. She opened it at once, and was not at all surprised to see her brother standing there. She could see at once by the look in his eyes that he had sensed Han's pain as well.

"What are we going to do?" Leia asked anxiously.

"He's on Tatooine," Luke said matter-of-factly. "I recognize it."

Leia frowned. "Why there?" she asked.

"Because that's where Jabba the Hutt is," Luke told her, taking her by the shoulders. "The aliens who have him are bounty hunters, they have to be. They've brought Han and Chewie to Jabba to collect the bounty."

Leia's eyes grew wide with fear as she considered her brother's words. Jabba the Hutt was as notorious as he was greedy. Han had managed to dodge his minions for almost a year now; no doubt his anger with Han would be tremendous.

"What will he do to them?" Leia asked at last, her voice barely a whisper.

Luke frowned. "I don't know," he answered honestly. "But Jabba the Hutt isn't someone to mess with. He's the biggest gangster in the system, Leia. He's very powerful. Han should have paid him off when he had the chance," he said, shaking his head.

"But he stayed with the Alliance to help us," Leia said, guilt filling her for the many times she had coerced Han into staying just a little while longer. He stayed because of me, Leia thought as a cold feeling spread through her. He stayed because I made him feel guilty about wanting to leave…

"We have to help him, Luke," Leia said, her eyes filling with tears at last. "We have to find a way to get him and Chewie out of there!"

Luke nodded, reflecting on how Han would have been debt free had he left when he'd planned too after their arrival at Yavin. But he had remained, and had saved Luke's life in the process. We owe him, he realized solemnly. Many times over, we owe him.

"We will," he said at last, pulling Leia into a hug. "I promise you Leia, we'll find a way to save them both."
"Save who?"

Both twins turned around to see their father standing before them, watching them closely. Luke and Leia looked at one another, wondering how their father would react to what they were planning to do.

"Answer me," Anakin asked, not liking his children's reticence.

"Han and Chewbacca," Luke said at last. "Leia and I both sense that they are in tremendous danger."

Anakin frowned. "What danger?" he asked, looking at Leia.

"Bounty hunters have them," Leia told her father. "Both Luke and I saw them, Dad. He owes Jabba a lot of money and has had a bounty on his head for months now."

"Solo was foolish to tangle with the likes of Jabba the Hutt," Anakin remarked. "The Hutts are ruthless and without mercy."

"Have you had dealings with them yourself?" Luke asked.

"Unfortunately yes," Anakin replied. "My mother and I were owned by the wife of Jabba." He frowned as he remembered the cruelty and brutality he and his mother had suffered while being owned by the vile Gardula the Hutt. He looked at his children. "Solo is in a great deal of danger if he owes them money. There is nothing they love more."

"He needs our help," Leia said. "We can't just let him be enslaved or worse! We have to go to Tatooine and…"

"Have you forgotten about what is happening right now, Leia?" Anakin asked. "The very future of the galaxy is hanging in the balance. I'm sorry to say it, but Han Solo's fate it less important than that of an entire galaxy."

Leia was stung by her father's seemingly callous remark; but she could see his point. "I will go if I have to," she said. "Luke will help me."

"Out of the question!" Anakin retorted hotly. "You two have no idea what sort of villain Jabba is! He would not hesitate to take both of you as prisoners if it meant he could make money from it. Neither of you are ready to face a foe as powerful as he is."

"Well we can't just let Han rot in Jabba's palace," Luke said. "I owe him my life, Dad. If it hadn't been for him I would have died in the trench over the Death Star, I know it. He has been a good friend to both of us, and a valuable member of the Alliance."

Anakin sighed. "I'm not questioning that, Luke," he said, doing his best to remain patient. "But we simply cannot go rushing off to Tatooine right now, not with the fate of the galaxy about to be decided. We are at the center of something huge here," he said, looking from Luke to Leia. "This opportunity must be seized now, for it may never come again."

"I will go, then," Leia said. "I am willing to take the risk if it means saving Han's life."

"Are you mad?" Anakin asked hotly. "Should I tell you of the atrocities that are committed against women in Jabba's custody? There is no way, Leia, simply…"
"I'm an adult," she said, swallowing her fear and standing up to her father. "You can't stop me."

Anakin met his daughter's eyes, seeing that she meant business. He muttered a curse under his breath as he began to see that he had been forced into a corner.

"You realize that this is emotional blackmail," he said at last, folding his arms over his chest.

"Maybe so," Leia admitted, folding her arms as well. "But I will do whatever it takes to help Han. I know you don't like him, but I happen to care a great deal about him."

"Yes, I know," Anakin muttered. He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair as he considered how to handle this most delicate situation. Part of him relished the opportunity to get revenge on Jabba for all that he and his mother had been put through by him and his wife. Revenge is not the Jedi way, a voice inside of him reminded him; but if it just happened to work out that way, was that a bad thing?

Anakin walked over to the comm. station and contacted the bridge. "Piett, this is Skywalker. Plot a course to Tatooine, maximum speed. I want a squadron of clones ready for surface action as soon as we get there." He clicked off the communication and looked up at his children. "Happy now?" he asked.

Leia smiled and came over to him. "Yes," she said, hugging him tightly. "Thanks Dad. You're the best."

"Yeah, yeah," Anakin said, hugging her back. "I just hope Solo is grateful after all this."

"I have a feeling this entire experience will change Han forever," Luke said.

"I certainly hope so," Anakin said. He glanced at the wall chrono. "Well, I'll not get any more sleep tonight," he remarked. "I'm going up to the bridge."

"I'll join you," Leia said. She followed her father half way across the room and then stopped, looking down at her nightgown. "Well, maybe I'll get changed first," she added.

Anakin stopped too. "Yes, maybe I ought to do that too," he said, realizing he was still wearing his sleep pants. "I'll meet you there," he said as he and Leia returned to their respective rooms. Luke merely smiled, and then went back to bed.