I tell you. What a weekend! I went three and a half days without internet. So about this chapter... It isn't the one I advertised at the end of the last one and with good reason. Halfway through chapter nine, which is now chapter ten, Luke and Leia were talking and mentioned this adventure and so I thought, why not expound on that... So I'm going to fix the summary at the end of the last one and it will be the summary for the next chapter. Got it? Okay... Read, enjoy, and review!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chapter Eight
Empathy
"What are we here for again?" Leia asked Luke and Han.
"We need to refuel princess, and we need more supplies," Han replied and rolled his eyes. "You should know that. You help run the ship."
"I know that scoundrel," Leia snapped. "But we usually go to some back water planet to do all that. This place is pretty nice."
It had been nearly a three weeks since Luke and Leia invited and Han and Chewbacca with them. They had spent two weeks on Drall, two weeks in which they found out about Han's womanizing tendencies. It was certainly different having a halfway responsible adult with them. Han was ten years older than Luke and Leia and they still hadn't really adjusted to it. Because it was their ship, and they had invited Han for the ride, Luke and Leia naturally wanted to set some ground rules and tell Han how they did things. But Han didn't take too keenly to being bossed and Luke understood that. He wasn't too keen about listening to people who were older than him, let alone younger. But Leia wouldn't have it and therefore, Leia and Han fought all the time over one thing or another. There hadn't been a moment of peace on the ship as long as both were awake. Luke was thankful when they found a planet to refuel on. The two seemed to get along better when they weren't so confined.
Han started to reply to Leia's comment, and Luke had no doubt it was the beginning of another argument. So Luke answered instead.
"Yeah I know. I was doing a little research about this planet. It's far enough from the empire," Luke replied as the waiter brought their food.
"Stang. You kids can really eat," Han said looking at the array of food.
"So what are you planning Han?" Leia asked pulling a burger and fries to her.
"What do you mean?" Han asked eying Leia with an odd expression.
Leia rolled her eyes not noticing how he was looking at her. "You know what we mean. You made it clear you didn't want to stay with us. Where do you want us to drop you and Chewie off?"
"Where ever I go, you all can keep the big guy. I'm not too keen on him following me everywhere I go," Han replied.
Chewie made a stubborn reply and Threepio started to translate, but Han, who had picked up the Wookie language rather quickly, didn't need it.
"I aint saying I don't like you or anything. I'm just saying saving you was no big deal. I would have done the same thing for anyone else, no matter what species it was," Han admitted.
Chewie growled a response, and this time Han couldn't understand it and asked Threepio.
"He says that's the point sir," Threepio said. "The fact that you would have done it for anyone else makes the life debt all the more serious."
Luke looked at Chewie and said," Don't worry. If he doesn't want you to stick around, you can stay with us or we'll take you back to Kashyyyk."
"He still hasn't told us what he's going to do," Leia pointed out.
"Why are you so concerned princess?" Han asked.
"I'm not," Leia said with a careless shrug. "But me and Luke can't have you slowing us down because you're indecisive about you future."
Luke coughed to hide his laugh. Leia was a good liar. That was for sure. But she couldn't hide anything from him, and her lie was obvious through their connection. She didn't realize it quite yet, probably wouldn't until he pointed it out to her, but it seemed she had a small crush on the older man.
Han looked like he was going to make a snide, sarcastic remark in response, but instead he shrugged and said, "Not much I can do without my own ship. Settling down is pretty much out the question since I'm sure the empire is looking for me now."
"In that case," Luke said. "Your best bet is sticking with us for a while. Not only have we been running from the empire for the last two years, but you won't believe the kind of money people pay us to do jobs most sane bounty hunters, smugglers, and assassins won'y touch."
Han laughed. "You know, I used to take you two a lot more seriously before I found out you were two harmless fifteen year olds than kids. It makes me wonder if half the things people said you've done are true."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Leia snapped. "We don't make things up,"
"Not saying you do, but you won't believe some of the wild stories going around about you two in the military," Han pointed out.
Chewie growled his own comment and Threepio said, "According to him, there were many rumors about you two on his home planet as well, including one that you were both ancient spiritual gods trapped in a physical form."
"Why would they say that?" Luke said trying to stop himself from laughing.
"It's obvious Luke," Leia said. "Our force powers. A lot of cultures probably think we're spirits or children of gods."
"Yeah. That one made it into the imperial army rumor mill," Han confirmed. "That along with the one that you two were thirty-something year old escaped convicts with a rare case of dwarfism wrecking havoc on the empire as revenge for wrongly imprisoning you."
"We don't do anything for revenge really. The empire has done nothing to us except they may have killed off our parents for being jedi, but we can't really miss people we didn't know," Leia said now picking on a plate of stir fried vegetables.
Han seemed a little shocked at Leia's careless attitude about the matter. But Luke knew more than anything, she wanted to know more about her mother if only for the fact that the woman had left her the most prized possession she had. However, she hadn't lied when she said she wasn't really angry at the empire about it and Luke couldn't blame her. People had done far worse things to her.
"Wait a minute," Han said thoughtfully. "Your parents were jedi? Jedi didn't have children as far as I know."
"They weren't exactly celibate either according to what we've heard," Luke replied. "We don't really know. Just speculating since we have the same powers the jedi used to have."
"Is that those force powers?" Han said skeptically. "I always thought that was a bunch of magic tricks and showing off. I've seen a lot of strange things, but nothing that made me think that a higher power was giving certain people strange magic abilities kid."
Leia glared now pulling a salad toward her but didn't reply. As she picked up her fork, Han grabbed her hand to stay it in place. Luke immediately put his hand on the girl's shoulder feeling her sudden alertness and panic.
Leia calm down. He's not trying to do anything to you.
Leia stiffly pulled her hand out of Han's grasp and snapped, "What?"
"I been watching you since we got here sister and in the last thirty minutes, you've gobbled down a burger, fries, a plate of vegetables, two sodas, a chip and dip appetizer, and now you're on the salad. Do you always eat that much?"
Luke groaned. And here went Leia's good mood. She was silent as she pushed the salad back, hooked her blaster back on her belt, and stormed out the restaurant.
"What's her problem?" Han asked. "I just asked a question. Nothing wrong with packing down more food than Chewie probably can in one sitting."
Luke glared at Han. "Really Han," he said and left the money for the meal and followed behind Leia.
Han stared after them confused before turning to Chewie and the droids saying, "Those two have mood swings that rival Darth Vader's. I thought that guy was the only one who could have mood swings like that."
Chewie growled a response.
"Nah. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Looks like they have enough problems without adding that one to it," Han replied.
Artoo rolled over to Han beeped a reply.
"Go after them? As far as I can tell, it looks like those two kids rather not have me around. We've really done nothing but argue and rub each other wrong since I got here."
Artoo whistled angrily and Han looked to Threepio for a translation.
"He thinks you should apologize sir and I must agree. Master Luke does seem to like you, but Miss Leia can easily persuade him otherwise if she feels threatened enough by you."
"Apologize?" Han said in disbelief. "But what did I do?"
Chewie growled a response and Han winced.
"Maybe I could try to be a little less sarcastic," Han agreed. "Dang. I've never seen two kids so close before, even siblings."
Luke found Leia sitting in front of a small shop with her arms crossed and a perturbed look in her eyes. Luke sighed.
"Come on Leia. You know he didn't mean anything by it. I'm sure if he knew, he wouldn't have even said anything," Luke pointed out.
"Knew about what?" Leia asked.
"Your past," Luke said staring ahead of him. "Our past."
"I prefer no one besides you did," Leia snapped and Luke rolled his eyes.
"Come on Leia. Be logical about this. Maybe the two of you would get along better if he knew a little bit more. Han is going to be with us for a while by the looks of it and we can't just leave him in the dark the whole time. That'll just be more tension between us. Besides, Han is going to be an important part in our lives one day," Luke said staring ahead.
"What makes you say that?"
"I can feel it," Luke said and then turned to Leia. "And you would too if you weren't so distrustful and wary of people. It clouds your senses."
"Your trust and acceptance of people clouds yours," Leia pointed out.
Luke laughed. "There's no way to do that with Han. He looks like and acts like a scoundrel. That's a red flag."
Leia laughed. "Yeah you're right about that."
"Come on," Luke said standing up. "Let's go find some ice cream. It's your favorite."
Leia shook her head. "I'm kind of glad Han did stop me. I'm not feeling too well all of a sudden."
Leia stood up rubbing her stomach and Luke grinned. "I told you one day all that eating was going to make you-."
Luke cut himself off as he felt a abrupt change in Leia's force presence. He reached out and caught her just before she fell.
"Leia," he asked in panic shaking her to try to wake her up. "Leia."
"Hey kid, princess," Han shouted. "There you are. I've been-. What happened to her?"
"I don't know. She just fell out," Luke said touching her mind with his. "Something's wrong."
"Stop panicking kid. There has to be a hospital or something around here. Let's find it and get her there," Han said as he helped Luke pick her up.
Artoo beeped something and Luke nodded before turning to Han.
"Artoo said according to his scans there's a hospital nearby… North of here. Come on," Luke said and took off running with Leia in his arms.
Han blinked and then took off after him. "Stang. Where did the kid learn to run so kriffing fast? I've never seen anyone run that fast. Kid! Wait up."
Han finally did catch up to Luke at the hospital, where was running ahead of everyone in line to get to the front desk, ignoring or glaring at anyone that got in his way. Han ran ahead with him along with Chewie, Artoo, and a frantic Threepio muttering about how Miss Leia was going to die.
"Hey. Get in the back of the line. We all need care," someone shouted to them. Luke was doing a pretty good job of ignoring them, but the shouts were getting on Han's nerve, and apparently, it was bothering Chewie too because he growled loudly startling everyone into silence.
"Yeah that's right," Han shouted. "Anyone got any complaints talk to the wookie."
Han turned to Chewie and patter him on the back. "That's buddy."
Han turned to where Luke was talking to the nurse, growing more irritated by the second.
"Listen," Luke was saying. "I don't really give bantha pooda about signing some kriffing papers. I'll take care of that later. But my sister just fell out and she needs some help."
"All the people here need some help with one thing or another and they're in line or sitting down waiting and signing the proper forms. Now young man-." the nurse said.
Han stepped in. "Now hold on a minute lady. We aint got no time to sit down. Our friend here just suddenly fell out and I think that warrants some immediate help around her."
"Go sign these," the woman said holding out a clipboard and papers. "And-."
"You listen here sister-." Han stopped in confusion as the woman began to claw at her neck.
"Listen you," Luke was saying holding out his hand like he was gripping someone's neck. "My sister needs help and if you value your life and everyone else's lives in the place, you better admit her and get her a doctor quick or I'll raise so much hell in this place you'll wish Darth Vader had paid you a visit instead."
Luke let go and the woman fell behind the desk gasping for breath.
"And don't even think about pressing that button to call security," Luke added sensing the woman's intention. She glared at him but reached for the com and called for a medical capsule and a doctor asap.
"Now that wasn't so difficult was it," Luke asked.
Han couldn't even remember to walk by the time the medical team came and whisked Leia to the back, and it took Chewie nudging him in the back to remind him to do so. That move was so shockingly familiar it was uncanny. He heard Darth Vader liked to pull stunts like that to get people moving from some of the officers and he could do it without laying a finger on the person, just like Luke. If Han didn't know any better, and to tell the truth he really didn't, he would have thought Luke was somehow related to Darth Vader and what was that thing with his eyes turning yellow?
When the doctor came into Leia's room, he took one look at them and asked that they leave. Han looked to Luke for his cue and when he didn't see the kid leave, he and Chewie decided not to either.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on. You know something and you don't want to tell me," Luke said with his arms crossed impatiently.
"I have to check her first," the Mon calamari doctor said.
"I'm might be a teenager, but I'm not stupid," Luke snapped. "I came in here and your whole lobby is full, not to mention there's a line almost outside in the emergency rooms. People are laying down outside on stretchers because they don't have rooms to be placed in and I doubt my sister would have gotten one if I hadn't taken matters into my own hands. Now what's going on and you better not lie or I'll kill you and find someone who will tell me."
Han reminded himself never to get on Luke's bad side because he never wanted to be on the receiving end of that. Han knew people. And he knew when they weren't playing around. Luke meant every word of what he was saying and Han dearly hoped that the doctor knew it too for his own sake.
The doctor sighed. "There's an epidemic going around. Has been going around for weeks. The whole planet's infested and it's only a matter of time before the who population begins to see the effects of it."
"How did she catch it? We haven't been here long enough for her to catch it from someone," Luke pointed out.
"The virus is airborne and there's no cure for it. We requested help from the empire a few weeks ago. They have a science lab not too far from here and their working as fast as they can to come up with a cure but so far…"
Luke raised his eyebrows. "The empire was already here?"
"Yes."
"For how long?" Luke asked.
"A few months," the doctor said.
"How long has the virus been loose?"
"A few weeks now. It started here, but it's quickly spreading around the planet."
"And when did you request help from the empire?" Luke asked.
"As soon as I discovered the virus. That was a couple of days after the first case," the doctor said. "Why do you want to know all this?"
Luke didn't reply. Instead he began to speak out loud in huttese and pace the room. But Han and the doctor didn't know this. All they knew was that it wasn't in basic.
"I'm sure you're a busy man. We'll take it from here if there's nothing you can do," Han said intending to talk to Luke.
"Hold on a minute," Luke said stopping the doctor from leaving the room. "Has there been any big… I don't know discovery recently. Why did the scientist come here in the first place?"
"They came to study one of our planet's most common precious stones," the doctor said and the pulled something out his pocket. "My daughter is very fond of them. They think it's an undiscovered mineral or something."
Luke took the necklace from him, lined with shiny yellow-orange jewels. As soon as Luke touched them, he could feel the energy pulsing through the jewels with the force… Energy Luke bet could be channeled somehow.
"And just how common are they again?" Luke asked.
"You can find them anywhere on the planet," the doctor replied. "What does this have to so with…"
"That will be all," Luke said handing him the necklace. "You can go about your business now."
The doctor wisely left the room. Han shook his head. He wondered if the kid knew how much he looked like a pensive Darth Vader right then.
"Hey Luk," Han said carefully lest Luke choke him. "Have you ever met Darth Vader or been in his company for a long time?"
"If I had I don't think I'd be here right now," Luke said laughing. "That guy has been searching for me and Leia for years now. We've been wrecking havoc on the empire for a while."
"You sure that's all kid. You all aint secretly related to the guy or something and not telling me?"
Luke laughed. "The likeliness of that happening is about the same as me and Leia being long lost twins that were separated at birth so the emperor wouldn't find us or something just as ridiculous."
"I guess so," Han replied dryly and then realized something. "Wait a minute. You and Leia aren't really related. She's not your sister?"
Luke winced. Sith… He wasn't supposed to say that.
"Come on. We've got to find that imperial laboratory. Something about this too coincidental. After a few weeks, the empire should have come up with a cure and then some," Luke said hoping to steer Han away from his slip up.
"I wasn't born yesterday kid. I know what you're trying to do. We're going to get back to this, but what the kriff do you mean you're going to find that laboratory. Are you nuts? We just escaped from the empire," Han said incredulously.
"Then you should have stayed back on Drall and I'm suddenly wishing you had if this is how you're going to act about it. This is what me and Leia do all the time and the fact that it's gotten Leia sick is just added motivation," Luke said taking Leia's blaster from her belt and a few other weapons including thermal detonators.
"Let's be rational about this kid," Han said.
"Be rational how," Luke challenged looking up at the taller Han not intimidated. In fact, it was the other way around. Han took a step back, just in case Luke decided to choke him into submission too.
"What am I supposed to do? Let her die?" Luke asked.
"I'm not saying that kid," Han said deciding to do damage control.
"Then what did you mean because unless we go find out what's going on, that's what's going to happen. Maybe Leia was right about you. Maybe you are a-."
"Luke,"
Luke immediately stopped his tirade and went to Leia's side. Han let out a long breath. He owed the girl a million times over for that one.
"Leia," Luke said softly to her running his hands through the girl's brown hair.
"What happened? Why am I in a bed?" she asked trying to look around.
"Stop moving. You're just really tired and the doctor wants you to rest."
Leia smiled. "You're lying. We're linked. Remember?"
Luke laughed and kissed her on the forehead. "Well I want you to rest. Everything will be fine. I'll make sure of it. Go back to sleep."
Leia nodded closing her eyes. As Han watched the display, he wondered what kind of relationship Luke and Leia had if they weren't really siblings. Luke turned to him with his arms crossed, and Han rubbed his neck unconsciously.
Luke rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you Han, not so long as you don't get in my way. I don't listen too much to adults. So don't think because you are one you can hang that over my head? You don't have to come with me, but you're not going to stop me either. Stay here with Leia."
With that Luke walked out the room and Han sat there in awe trying to nurse his severely wounded ego. First Leia had told him off when they first met and now Luke. But at least Leia usually stood there and gave him the chance to retort hotly. Luke just brushed him off like he was a flea and walked away.
He cursed under his breath. "Stupid kids. Never seen two people so damn close. Looks like I'm not going to be stopping him."
"Oh please sir," Threepio suddenly said. "You have to go with him. Master Luke has a knack for getting into trouble and impossible situations. You have to go after him."
"That's his own fault," Han said.
Artoo made a series of beeps and whistles to Han before rolling out the door and rushing after Luke.
"Hey where are you going?" Han asked.
Chewie growled something at him, and Han shook his head.
"Hey. Don't pull this guilt trip thing on me. I didn't ask for any of this."
Chewie responded and Han sat down to make his point.
"Nope. Doesn't bother my conscience at all. I'm going to sleep just fine tonight," Han said crossing his legs.
"Where did Luke go?" Leia muttered with her eyes still closed.
Han jumped at her sudden question and then asked, "How do you know he went somewhere princess?"
"I can't feel his presence nearby anymore. Is he coming back?"
Han exchanged a look with Chewie, and then the man stood up cursing obscenely in his head.
"Stay here and watch her," Han said to Chewie and then said to Leia. "I'll go get him right now. I promise he didn't go far."
Han headed out to catch up with Luke. "Damn kids. I should have stayed back with the empire and let then discharge me."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This wasn't right and Darth Vader knew it. He paced about in the control room as he monitored the scientists, who were being held in a cell in the laboratory waiting to be executed.
Vader had done many unspeakable things, but he had never engineered the mass genocide of an entire planet before. However, the emperor ordered it. While the mineral they needed was very common on the planet, it was very rare in the rest of the galaxy. It could only be found on a handful of planets in the empire, many of them near the core. So the emperor saw the perfect opportunity when they discovered on a little known outer rim planet that very abundant in it.
The emperor had ordered that they set up a laboratory and engineer an airborne virus for a massive worldwide genocide. Then they would release the tightly secured cure when it was too late, before working to extract all of the energy mineral they could find on the planet. It was needed to help power the laser fire of the Death star, a monstrosity in Vader's opinion. Trillions of credits wasted when if the emperor had let him perfect the design, they could have saved trillions of dollars and wasted time trying to build something from a flawed design.
He sighed. The virus had been released a few weeks ago, and it was all going according to the emperor's plan. The cure would be released when it was too late and most of the world's population was dead… This was wrong. All the people he had killed in his life was for good reason (in his opinion) and they were far from innocent even the jedi. But to wipe out an entire planet of innocent civilians was something Vader didn't condone. But what could he do? Surely the emperor would know if he released the cure too soon. He would be punished and then the emperor would proceed according to plan.
"Lord Vader," a security officer said. "There are intruders on the premises."
Vader went over to the monitors and saw a brown haired boy scouting the facility along the perimeter along with an older brown haired man. Vader recognized the child immediately. He had been searching for him two years, but curiously, the girl was not with them.
"We'll have them apprehended immediately."
"Wait," Vader said holding out his hand. He could stop this genocide and the backlash that the empire would surely receive when the public found out. The emperor was foolish to think it wouldn't get out. But if he let the child sabotage the facility and find the cure… Yes. That would work. Perhaps the children wrecking havoc for the empire would suit his plans this time.
Vader turned to the officer. "I will handle this."
Vader made his way out, but not before using the force to mess up the monitors. All of them went fussy and the technicians scrambled to solve the problem to no avail. This would buy him and that child some time.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"So tell me again how we're going to get in here?" Han asked holding a blaster as they looked at the tall gates surrounding the facility, that were no doubt set to electrocute anyone who touched the wire.
"I never did tell you," Luke said. "Just follow my lead."
"What lead?" Han asked.
Luke didn't answer but suddenly he was running toward the wire fence as a brown and tan blur. Just when Han thought the boy was going to run right into the fence, he leapt into the air and straight over the fence. Han sat flabbergasted. The fence was at least eight feet tall. No one could jump that high.
Then the storm troopers rushed to Luke. One was suddenly lifted into the air and slammed flung at two of the troopers. Luke then turned to his left and open fired on the others. Han started to shout a warning but Luke reached his hand out behind him and an invisible force threw the troopers back into the electrocuted fence.
With all the troopers down, Luke ran to the control for the gate and opened it to let Han in.
"Come on!" he urged.
Han and Artoo raced through the gate.
"Alright kid. That's it. You're going to tell me exactly what the heck is going on. How did you do that? How-?"
"Duck," Luke said calmly.
"Duck? What the kriff do you mean?"
Artoo knocked Han out the way and Luke ducked. Then with the deadly accuracy of an assassin shot the officer in the watch tower.
"Let's go Han," Luke said running into the facility, Artoo right next to him.
From the top of the building Darth Vader watched and to say he was mildly impressed was an understatement. No wonder he had never been able to fully catch up with the children. That level of skill was the likes of a jedi padawan that had been training for two or three years. But Vader could feel in the force that the child was nowhere near his feel potential and… he hadn't been formally trained.
Vader had underestimated the children.
"Not now Han," Luke said as they leaned on the wall, looked around the corner and then ran down it.
"Sith yes now!" Han explained. "Now you and Leia have done some weird things in the last couple of weeks and I aint asked about it. But you're going to tell me right now or I aint going to shut up about it. How the heck am I supposed to travel with you and I don't know at least part of the story? I was ten years old when the jedi were killed, so I remember a little bit, and you were back there moving like Anakin Skywalker or General Kenobi or something."
Luke sighed. "Fine. Remember when me and Leia were talking about how we thing we may be the children of jedi?"
"Yeah."
"That back there was why. We can't really control it. And it's rare I can pull something off like that," Luke said.
"Then how did you do it?"
"Me and Leia can do those kind of thing when we're feeling strong emotion or panic. As long as we're determined and motivated enough, we can pull off a lot. That's how we've escaped the empire for so long."
"Okay. Now that I know that, why are you and Leia so secretive about your past? You two talk about things and I'm left wondering what the hell you're talking about."
Luke sighed. Leia didn't want anyone to know but he could be vague about it.
"Leia's had a hard life. That's why sometimes things you say or do bother her. The food thing… She can't help it. She used to have to eat what she could get and fast before someone took it from her , not to mention she never knew when her next meal was coming. Sometimes she still thinks like she's in that survival mode. I'm the only one Leia trust. When I met her… I don't know. We just clicked. It was like were meant to find each other," Luke explained.
"And you're on the run because…"
Luke looked down and then said, "We did something… But we had no choice," Luke added quickly. "Leia would have gotten in trouble and I couldn't just abandon her…"
"So you and Leia aren't really related."
"It's our cover. We're just really close," Luke said softly as they ran to the elevator. It needed a code.
"Artoo, open the door."
Artoo plugged into the wall and Han kept talking.
"So you two are in a relationship then?" he asked.
Luke shook his head as he shuffled impatiently and tensely while waiting for Artoo.
"No. We're just friends," Luke replied.
Han gaped at him. "I don't believe you."
"Why not?" Luke said as Artoo got the elevator open.
"Because no one whose not related and not in a relationship are that close. I've seen a bit of the galaxy Luke. I know."
"Well apparently you don't because it's nothing like that," Luke said pressing the down button on the elevator.
"Well-. Hold on a minute. How long have you two known each other?"
"Five years," Luke said irritated. Now Han was starting to get on his nerve.
"And you mean you two have a completely innocent relationship?"
Luke nodded. "Nothing other than Leia's occasional flirting."
"No kisses, no groping, no experimenting with-."
Luke turned his blaster on Han. "Don't even finish that."
"Hey. No need to get all psycho on me kid. But I remember what it's like to be fifteen and if you put me alone on a ship all the time with a girl as pretty as Leia, not to say I think of Leia that way, well… You get my groove."
Luke admired the man's honesty. It had been a while since Luke had spoken to and been able to relax around another male. Usually he was worried about how Leia would feel around them or if they were eying her in a way they shouldn't be. But Luke liked Han. He lightened their situation. It made him not as tense.
"It's not like that with me and Leia. We're close, but… It's not that I've never tossed the thought around in my mind or anything. But it just feels wrong," Luke said shrugging. It felt good to talk about these kinds of things with someone.
"And you're not gay?" Han asked to be certain.
Luke rolled his eyes. "No Han. Neither is Leia."
Han sighed before finally saying, "I can't say I understand how you feel kid, but if that's what you say, I accept it. I aint gone hassle you about it."
Luke grinned. Maybe Han would be alright to have around.
"Now can you tell me why we're in the detention bay?"
"I don't know," Luke said. "A feeling I guess."
"You mean you're acting on feelings here?"
"I always have," Luke replied.
"Me too," Han said. "It's a wonder we aren't dead yet."
Han shot the man guarding the detention area and Luke walked down the tunnels, passing cell after cell until finally he stopped at one. He shot the security pad and then ducked as the shot rocketed through the tunnels.
"Stand kid," Han said. "That was my plan too. Now what?"
Luke sighed. "Overriding these things is usually Leia's thing. But I bet if I messed with the wires…"
Luke took off the panel and then began to reroute the wiring. A few seconds later, the door slid open. Han reminded himself to ask Luke to show him that later. It might be a useful little trick to know.
The door opened to reveal a group of people in lab coats sitting and standing in the room.
"Let me guess," Han started sarcastically. "You're the scientists and the empire is somehow wrapped all into this?" The kid had been right.
"You're supposed to be working on a cure. Why are you in here?" Luke asked confused more than anything now as he pointed his blaster.
"There's already a cure. Please don't hurt us. We didn't know what was happening," a Nemodian scientist said.
"Keep talking," Han said joining Luke in pointing the blaster.
"They only asked us to engineer a devastating virus. We didn't know what it was for. We thought it was experimental. Then we found out they wanted to kill off everyone on the planet to mine the rare Fire jewel."
"It aint so rare doc. I just saw a guy who had a necklace made out of the stuff… We are talking about a yellowish orange stone, aren't we?" Han added.
The doctor nodded.
"Good. Just making sure we're on the same page here," Han said more so to Luke than the scientist.
"Why does the empire want it?" Luke asked.
"We don't know. The stone has some kind of energy inside it, something like electricity but much more powerful. They wanted to use it for some super weapon," the man said.
Luke gasped. "The Death Star," he muttered.
"What?" Han and the doctor asked.
Luke shook his head. "Nothing. So they're going to wipe out the entire planet's population?"
"By the time we found out. It was too late. They took the cure for it, locked it up and released the virus into the air."
"So you did find the cure? Where is it?" Luke asked frantically.
"We don't know. They locked us up and decided to have us executed."
"Stang," Luke muttered and then turned to Artoo. "Go plug up to the computer up there and find out where they're storing the cure for this virus."
"What do we do with them?" Han asked.
Luke shrugged. "Don't really care. They can leave if they want to."
Artoo meanwhile was beeping at them furiously to Luke.
"It's on the last floor. Great," Luke said rushing into the elevator and taking it up to the last floor without waiting for Han and Artoo.
"Wait a minute kid," Han yelled. "You didn't even let Artoo finish telling you where on the last floor."
Artoo beeped something dryly and Han got the basic understanding of what he meant.
"So he's like this all the time when you're on your missions huh? Leia's the more rational one and thinks things through?"
Artoo swirled his dome around and whistled a joking reply.
"She comes up with the game plan but they're hardly rational? How did you ever adjust to this?"
Artoo lowered his one eye and whistled a slow reply.
"You're used to it. Your owner before Luke was like him?" Artoo nodded. "I don't think I'll ever get used to it. Even I'm not that bad."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Luke wished he had waited for Artoo to tell him exactly where the cure was being kept. There were many turns in these hallways and Luke understood why the cure was kept up her. He came to the end of another hall and an empty room. The added fact that there was no security on it meant it was a dead in anyway, but Luke had to check.
"Damn it. I'll never find it before someone realizes I'm here at this rate," Luke said banging his head on the wall. If he weren't so panicky, he could have trusted his feelings to tell him.
"Okay. Calm down," Luke said leaning his forehead on the wall. "I can do this. Just stop for a minute and trust my feelings."
It was as Luke calmed down that he heard a sound that he hadn't been aware of before. As he listened closer, he was sure it hadn't been there at all and it sounded like it was getting closer.
"That's odd. What's that? I feel like I've heard it before…"
Luke suddenly heard footsteps and looked back down the hall where someone was coming his way.
"Oh sith," Luke said, and oh sith was right. Now he remembered that sound. It was breathing, mechanical breathing.
Luke reached for his blaster and held it up as the man who he and Leia had been trying to avoid for the last two years approached him. When he was in full view Luke began to talk.
"Stay right there," he said shakily. "I'll shoot you. I swear. Darth Vader or not."
Vader almost smiled under his mask. The child was definitely brave, very rash… A little like he had been in his youth.
"That's unnecessary child," he said.
"I wish," Luke muttered as Vader came closer. "I warned you," he said and fired off two shots at Vader.
The man raised his hand and the shot stopped in midair, exploding harmlessly.
Luke almost dropped his blaster. So it was really true. Darth Vader was a force user, and by the looks of it, he was more confident in using it than Luke was. This complicated things…
"I don't care about your powers because I have them too," Luke said instead. "Get out of my way."
"Who taught you how to use the force child?" Vader asked curiously. The boy wasn't an expert. He was clumsy in his use of it but still…
"No one. We just experiment and sometimes we just do it," Luke snapped.
Vader crossed his arms. "Like when you're angry or scared or in a hurry?"
Luke glared and said stubbornly, "I don't have to tell you anything."
"Didn't anyone ever tell you to respect your elders?"
"My parents are dead," Luke pointed out. "And my aunt might have mentioned it but I don't think me and my sister would have survived this long by ourselves if we had been keeping that in mind the whole time, and I doubt that would help me fight you."
Darth Vader almost sighed. The child had a retort for everything. It was almost infuriating.
"I don't want to hurt you child."
"Yeah right," Luke said rolling his eyes. "You're not going to stop me from getting that cure. How dare you decide to kill off an entire planet for your benefits, for a stupid weapon to destroy a whole planet?"
"It wasn't my plan child. I don't agree with this. That's why-." The boy's words finally sank in and Vader said, "You know about the Death Star."
"I have known for years and as soon I get the cure for this virus and destroy this place, we're going to find it and get rid of it," Luke declared.
Vader should have arrested the boy on the spot. The child knew too much. If he connected with the right people all the emperor's work would be ruined. As much as Vader disapproved of it, he had a duty to keep order in the empire and letting this child run off to destroy the Death Star would definitely cause chaos. He and his sister were experts at it. Speaking of the girl…
"Where is your sister? I've never known you two not to be together," he pointed out.
Luke was instantly on guard. "Why do you care?"
The boy was doing a good job of shielding his thoughts, but his emotions were out of control. It was a mixture of anger and fierce protectiveness of the girl, but also impatience, worry, and fear…
"She has the virus doesn't she?" Vader asked and before Luke could say anything he added, "I can feel your worry and panic. You don't want her to die. You have a very strong bond with her. You'd do anything for her wouldn't you?"
"If this is your way of trying to bribe me into letting you capture me in return for saving my sister then you can forget it," Luke growled.
Vader had to admit, the thought had crossed his mind. But he knew what it was like to have feelings for someone be taken advantage of all too well. He wouldn't do that to the boy. Besides, he had to stop this genocide.
"To find the cure for the virus, take this hall all the way down. You'll come to two hallways. Go left and the cure is in a room down the hall. You can't miss it. The door is very obvious. There are some controls in the room, and if you turn them on they will vaporize the cure, releasing it into the planet's atmosphere to destroy the virus and stop its spread. Anyone in the early stages of the sickness need only to inhale it in the atmosphere, and they will be cured. Your sister as well…"
Luke started to say something but Vader cut him off.
"However, if you don't want to risk waiting for her to breathe it in, you can give her, along with anyone else in the latter stages of the sickness, the cure directly into the bloodstream. They will suffer no long lasting side effects."
Luke couldn't believe it. Darth Vader was telling him how to stop the empire from killing off an entire planet. The he remembered Leia's chiding of him.
You're too trusting and accepting of people.
"Why should I trust you?"
Vader sighed. "I am many things child. And I have killed many people, but with good reason. I don't believe in senseless killing of innocent people… That and I know the pain of fearing for the life of someone you care about…"
Luke was in disbelief. After this he needed some coffee… No, that wouldn't be strong enough. He would have to ask Han for some of that Corellian whiskey he had brought back from Drall.
"I… Thanks," Luke said.
"Don't get me wrong child. I let you go this time, but I will get my hands on you and your sister and when I do…"
Luke grinned. "In your dreams Vader," he said running down the hall.
Vader stared after the boy and cursed. He had meant to ask the child his name. Maybe it was better he hadn't. He turned to leave the place and head for the hanger. No doubt the child intended to destroy this place and based on his track record there would be a lot of explosives and a big fire… or maybe he would cause a flood again, Vader mused.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"There you are kid. Where have you been? You just ran off?" Han said seeing Luke running for the elevator by the time they got to the last floor.
"I got it!" Luke said showing Han a handful of glass vials in his hands. "And I managed to release it into the air to stop the spread."
"Good work kid," Han patting him on the back. "Now let's get out of here."
"Yeah we better. This place is set to shut down and self destruct in about five minutes," Luke replied closing the elevator.
"Five minutes!" Han yelled.
"Give or take a few seconds," Luke added.
"Holy sith kid. Come on. You know this is cutting it close right?" Han asked.
"It always is," Luke said as they ran out the elevator, down the hall and out the building.
"There's a speeder," Han said leaping into the driver's seat. "And it's got the keys. Lucky us huh?
Luke stopped. "This wasn't here before."
"You can contemplate how it got here later kid. Now come on," Han said.
Luke hoisted Artoo into the speeder and jumped inside. Han barely waited for him to get in before taking off. They were long gone from the building when Luke heard the explosions.
"So do you and Leia do this kind of stuff all the time kid?"
Luke nodded pensively.
"Well at least there's never a dull moment."
Luke didn't reply. Instead he looked into the sky and saw a grey imperial shuttle leaving the planet. Luke shook his head. He wouldn't even tell Leia about meeting Darth Vader. Luke himself felt comatose with disbelief over it. Leia would… well it was hard to say.
"Hey Han?" Luke began.
"Yeah kid?"
"You brought some of that Corellian whiskey didn't you?" Luke asked ignoring Han's baffled expression. Luke didn't care. He needed it after that.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
In the next chapter, with nothing to do a year later, Luke and Leia head to Cloud city with Han and Chewie to visit an old friend named Lando, who they helped win an annual sabacc tournament and win a mining facility. The tournament has come back around again and when Han finds out Lando is putting up for bet exactly the kind of ship he's been looking for. He tries to convince Luke and Leia to put something up for him to enter the tournament with, but Luke and Leia know that a tournament like that is based solely on luck and since Leia doesn't believe in the game anyway, they decide Han's going to have to miss out on that ship. But Han is determined to have the Falcon, even if he has to go behind Luke and Leia's back and risk Leia coming after him with her blaster to do it...
So what did you think of this one?I thought it did good to really get Han settled and the Darth Vader thing I came up with on a whim which is what I named the chapter for. Hope you enjoyed. Review please!