A/N: Again, sorry for the delay. Life keeps interfering with what I really want to be doing – writing! This chapter is kind of a fill in – just to catch up on what everyone was doing during all the action in the last chapter. I promise the next one will be loaded with Han and Leia angst, and all kinds of good fun. (Poor, poor Han!)
I'm going to be out of town this weekend, but if I have any free time at all, I'll get the next chapter posted.
Thank you all for your continued encouragement!
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Luke had spent precious time after meeting up with Wedge and Jeffries, finding out why they were there and more importantly, what resources they had brought with them. After a brief consultation with them, he had signaled to Chewie to wait for them. A little more consultation and Luke decided they either needed to fully trust the three teens that had inadvertently been drawn into their problem, or cut them loose. Though privately, Luke was concerned about their safety and had decided that it would be best to send them on their way; he was not surprised to learn that the group of kids had other plans.
"No way," Dannell protested, "we know somethin's goin' on, and you're not dumping us now." His comments were vehemently seconded by both Linder and Janst. "Besides," Linder reasoned, after they had argued with Luke for a few minutes, "you need us to locate your friends."
"And your friends are in trouble, aren't they?" Janst added, when there was a brief lull in the argument. "I mean, come on. You aren't really looking for merchandise, are you? You've got friends that have 'disappeared' and you're tryin' to find them. It isn't like that hasn't happened here before, ya' know."
Dannell chimed in, before Luke could answer Janst, "We're not stupid. You're off worlders, you're looking for someone, and you've got a certain air about you. You're with the rebellion, aren't you? Don't worry, we all know there's a large Imperial presence here, but that doesn't mean we like it. We've seen other people go 'missing' and without help, they don't usually get found in time, or ever. You need us." And with that, the dispute seemed to be settled. Luke and Chewie couldn't disagree that they needed all the help they could get to find their missing friends, especially since Luke's sense of urgency was growing stronger with every passing moment.
Finding out that Wedge and Jeffries had been headed back to the hidden base, after completing a mission to a nearby planet, and had a small, but well outfitted shuttle, complete with medical diagnostic tools and a much better equipped medical bay than the Falcon had, just made Chewie that much more anxious to quickly locate his bond brother, as well as "his" princess, as Chewie, along with so many others, thought of Leia. Wedge confirmed that the alliance had contacted him on his return trip and asked him to check in, and see if he could locate the Princess and her party. Apparently, the concerns Han had voiced to the high command prior to leaving, which he figured had been ignored, had at least gotten someone's attention – and the decision had been made to send help, as long as help was already in the area.
With all of that out of the way, Luke was able to describe to Dannell and the others that he had a vague sense of where Han and Leia might be – and for some reason, none of the teens seemed particularly alarmed that Luke had this uncanny ability to sense his friends. They were more convinced than ever that the building they were headed for was the right one.
"It's an old abandoned prison – hasn't been used in years," Janst confirmed. "My Mom is on the city council, she's been trying to get it torn down for a long time. But there is a lot of opposition, mostly from people who support the Empire's right to be here, and so far nothing has been done about it. I wouldn't be surprised if whoever has your friends took them there."
Linder cast a sidelong glance at Dannell, who nodded slightly, then she added, "And sometimes Dannell and I go there to, um, well, when we need private time. We've found a way in that I don't think anyone else knows about." Linder looked at the others, a little shyly, but Dannell just grinned cheekily at them and nodded, "Yup, we can get you in, and I know the shortest way there from here too. Shouldn't take more than another hour or so, if we hurry."
With that, the little party headed out, stopping only when they heard the occasional voices of people in the distance. Luke kept "sending" to Leia, trying to reassure her that help was on the way, and trying to sense Han as well; but Han remained closed to him. Luke knew that meant the Corellian was undoubtedly deeply asleep or unconscious, probably the latter.
It seemed to Luke that little time had passed when Dannell eased an arm out, calling a silent halt to their progress. Luke eased up beside him, and watched as he pointed. "There," he whispered, "that building – I'm almost sure they're there." Luke reached out with the force, although he needed little reassurance that his friends were indeed, locked somewhere inside the sprawling complex in front of them. He had been able to sense Leia more and more strongly as they approached, and suddenly, he could sense Han again too – the sudden return of his pain was enough for him to know Han was now awake. Luke started to reach out toward Han, when he felt a strong upsurge in fear from both of the captives.
Though Luke could not tell for sure what was happening, he knew it couldn't be anything good, and that they had no time to waste. Quickly, he made decisions on the best way to approach the building and to plan a reconnaissance. First, he had Dannell and Linder show them their secret way into the building. Luke took a moment to pause and appreciate the irony of it – though the front of the building and all obvious entries were secured with pass codes and hand print recognition, one of the simplest things had been missed. Dannell and Linder entered the building by the simple expediency of an unsecured window which barely visible, and only if you knew just where to look, right above what was obviously a basement of sorts. Apparently whoever ran security must have been paid by the hour, and they had obviously not checked anything that wasn't specifically outlined for them to deal with.
Luke took his light saber and widened the area around the window, stationed the three teens to keep watch – Dannell and Linder inside, since they were already familiar with the layout of the building, and Janst on the outside. Chewie passed his comlink to Linder, who agreed to relay any messages back and forth. After that, Luke, Wedge, Jeffries and the now enraged Wookie entered the building – constantly checking for surveillance equipment and pleasantly surprised to find none. They figured that between the fact the building was supposed to be disserted, and all of the pass codes, whoever was using it simply didn't expect anyone to check it.
Luke followed the increasing urgent feelings he was receiving from both Han and Leia. In what seemed to take much too long, but again was only a few minutes, Luke called a halt. He crept forward, and was rewarded with an easy line of sight down a long hallway, where he could see into an open cell.
What he saw took his breath away. Han lay prone on the ground; an unidentified female (that surprised Luke as much as anything!) Imperial med tech seemed to be evaluating Han's condition, and Leia was facing down four Stormtroopers and a few others, including one man who looked to be some kind of a horrible giant. The terror she felt was almost palpable. He could sense Leia was ready to take desperate action. Quickly, Luke sent assurances her way that he was right there, and encouraged her to stall for time.
Backtracking, Luke returned to the group waiting for him. "No time for anything elegant," he said quietly. "We go in now, and we go in shooting." Wedge and Jeffries were well enough trained they simply checked to make sure their blasters were charged, and grimly nodded their readiness. Chewie asked what the odds were, and Luke replied with a wry grin, "Not bad, only four Stormtroopers and an unknown number of other bad guys. Normal, in other words." Chewie took his bowcaster off, checked the settings and said, "The Stormtroopers are mine, the rest of you can handle the others." With that simple "plan" in place, Chewie led the charge, bursting through the door and taking out the Stormtroopers before they had any idea they were even under attack.
That was the last thing that went as planned. Luke was right behind Chewie, and paused for only a few seconds to assess where everyone was. In that instant, he saw two things happen that stopped his very breath. He saw a man point a blaster at Leia and pull the trigger. And even as he leapt forward, intent on blocking the shots with his light saber, while realizing to his horror that he would be seconds too late, he saw the impossible happen right before his eyes. Han suddenly rose from flat on his back and in a maneuver that Luke wouldn't have believed if he hadn't seen it, threw himself in front Leia, taking the shots meant for her.
He heard Leia's screams, saw Han collapse and heard Chewie's cry of anguish and rage, all happening in the blink of an eye. Before he could finish bringing his light saber into position, he saw the man who had shot Han stop in disbelief, then watched his eyes narrow, and saw him point the blaster again at Leia. This time Luke was already half way there, and he released his saber and watched in mute satisfaction as it cleaved the man into two pieces. The stunned look on Trave's face would have been comical if Luke had time to analyze it.
The rest of the operation was more or less clean up from that point on, Wedge and Jeffries quickly disarmed the only other armed combatant, Jimson being only too willing to surrender, after seeing the Stormtroopers and Trave cut down so efficiently. Pix appeared to have fighting on his mind, but Chewbacca put a quick halt to any protests he would have made by simply bashing him across the brow with his bowcaster. Had Chewie known this was the man that had caused his "cub" to suffer so much; he would have torn the man to pieces.
Leia had already gone to her knees beside Han, and laid her head on his chest, praying she would hear a heartbeat. The med tech quickly assessed his condition by more efficient means. After a quick scan of the diagnostic medi-scanner, she looked up and directed her comment to Luke, quickly realizing he must be in charge. "He's alive – barely, and for how long I don't know. But if he doesn't get help right away, he won't be."