Chapter 14
Detained
The droid lay in pieces across the room. His main casing or 'body' sat in a corner, with various gadgets hanging loosely from their sockets. His core processor lay nestled in a hook up socket while his domed head sat on a shelf a few feet away. Luke just shook his head as he took in the sight of his disassembled R2 unit.
The technicians were initially stand-offish when he came in but after they received verification from their commanders that Luke could be there, they chose to mostly ignore him. They had important work to do, so as long as Luke stayed out of their way they didn't much care.
Still online, R2 beeped excitedly when Luke came into view. It boggled the mind to think that the droid could 'talk' while in several pieces but apparently enough of him was still active to do so. The technicians raised their collective brows at this and after a few minutes talking they pulled Luke aside.
"This your droid?" one said.
"I guess so," Luke said. "I've only had him a few days."
"Well it seems to like you," the other said. "Come over here, we need to talk to you."
Confused, but seeing no reason why he shouldn't do as they ask, Luke joined them on the other side of the room where R2 was unlikely to be able to hear them. Both technicians kept glancing over Luke's shoulder, just to make sure the droid couldn't be listening.
"Listen kid, we need you to talk to it. Keep it distracted," one said.
"What? Why?" Luke said.
"Crazy droid has the information we need to retrieve locked deep in its memory core," said the other. "Every time we attempt a data retrieval it finds a way to close us out. Hopefully if it's talking to you it will let its guard down and we can get what we need."
"Well I suppose it couldn't hurt," Luke shrugged. "Especially if it helps get Artoo back in one piece quicker."
Luke left the pair and approached the droid. He activated a small screen directly below R2 that would translate what the droid said into basic. Questions immediately formed in Luke's mind for the droid. He wanted to know how the R2 felt about the rebellion, he wanted to know why the droid had been so determined to find Obi-wan Kenobi, but above all, he wanted to know why R2 attempted to kill Mara.
Paying a quick glance over his shoulder, the technicians appeared too engrossed in their tasks to really eavesdrop. Still, Luke decided it would be best to talk quietly, knowing R2 would pick it up with his audio sensors anyway.
Just before he could ask his question however, the door to the maintenance bay opened up and a pair of stormtroopers marched in; a pair of stormtroopers flanking a shiny golden protocol droid. At first glance, Luke decided it couldn't possibly be C-3PO, the Empire no doubt had scores of protocol droids on this station. Then R2 chimed up behind him, warbling with so much enthusiasm that he looked like he might shake off the shelf.
"Artoo is that you?" C-3PO said. "Artoo Deetoo it is you it is you! And Master Luke! Thank the Maker! Of all the places to find the two of you!"
"Threepio?" Luke said.
"You know this droid?" one of the stormtroopers said.
"Know him?" Luke said, approaching the golden droid. "My Uncle bought him a few days ago back home on Tatooine! How did he get here?"
"Well that is quite the tale!" C-3PO said. "You see-"
"He was aboard a ship we captured," one of the stormtroopers said. "Lord Vader wanted him brought down here for data retrieval on the rebellion."
"But we haven't finished with the last droid you guys sent down here!" a technician said.
"Yeah? Well I suggest you hurry up and do your job then," the stormtrooper said. "We all know how patient Lord Vader is."
With that the stormtroopers left, muttering under their breath about lazy technicians and boring duty shifts. Luke watched as they left, scratching the back of his head at the strange coincidence that just occurred. Only then did he realize that C-3PO had walked past him and engaged R2 in a lively conversation. The technicians had gone back to work, seizing the opportunity to do their job while the droids conversed.
"… an Imperial Assassin! Oh my! That does sound dreadful!" C-3PO said. "Well let that be a lesson to you then! None of it would have happened if you hadn't gone off looking for that Obi-wan Kenobi! Who wasn't even on Tatooine I might add!"
"Wait, what do you mean Obi-wan wasn't on Tatooine?" Luke said. "He attacked me at Beggars Canyon."
"I'm afraid that's impossible sir," C-3PO said.
R2 warbled something, drawing the golden droid's attention. "No, you were wrong you self-important trashcan! Obi-wan Kenobi was on a yacht owned by some sort of collector droid. We found him when we went to Nar Shadda."
"What are you talking?" Luke said. "Threepio, I left you in the desert when I was attacked. I… I expected you to be picked up by jawas and sold again at best! Now you're saying you found Obi-wan Kenobi? You and who else?"
"Princess Leia."
"The Princess!?" Luke said. "How did she escape the rebels?"
"Escape the rebels?" C-3PO said. "Master Luke I'm afraid I don't understand. As you may recall we came into your service precisely because we were with the rebellion. Princess Leia has now found Obi-wan and we were on our way home before we were brought to this dreadful place."
"The Princess is here?" Luke said. His mind reeled at the revelations from the droid. He vaguely remembered the conversation he had with C-3PO back at the homestead, back before he met Mara. Now he had two versions of the same story…
"Where is she?" he looked at the droid.
"She's being brought to the detention level by the bounty hunter," C-3PO said.
Luke didn't respond, he didn't ask any more questions. He paid a quick glance at the technicians, who had been ignoring them, then at the droids before heading out the door. He needed to get to the detention level. Then maybe he could get answers, either Mara was right or the Princess was. He intended to find out.
Leia held her head up high even as the stormtroopers led her down the hall. Without looking, she knew Winter did so as well. Even if there wasn't a plan, they would be doing so. They would never cower before Imperial muscle after all. Of course they would soon find out if they would have to continue to act, or if their performance would become reality.
Her eyes shot over to Fett. This was perhaps, the real test as to whether or not he was true to his word. If he followed the plan, they would be off the Death Star soon and with a new copy of the plans. Or he could just ignore the plan and deliver them to the detention level and collect a tidy reward.
It was a gamble they all agreed upo; to trust an enemy with their lives over something as tenuous as money.
Ahead, the turbolift loomed. Only a few moments left, but no way to back out. She could only put one foot ahead of another and wait to see what would be her fate. She heard Winter's breath catch just a bit when they neared the lift and she felt her wrists strain just slightly against the cuffs.
Mercifully, the lift arrived quickly and the stormtroopers pushed them inside. Leia used the shove to shake her arms, loosening the straps hidden beneath her sleeve. The six troopers boarded the lift, three behind them and three in front. Standard procedure; after all, there was no doubt that on the Death Star, procedure would be followed.
The lift doors began to close and Leia stared at the back of the stormtroopers standing in front of her. As she had done before, she forced thoughts about who this person was out of her mind. She shook wrist again and the lightsaber concealed in the long flowing sleeve of her dress fell out to her hands.
But then it kept falling. Bound as they were, her fingers fumbled the small cylinder and it clattered to the ground. By then Winter should have been using the lightsaber she concealed as well, but a quick glance to her companion revealed nothing but terror. Something was wrong.
The stormtroopers turned around and one bent over to pick up Leia's weapon. Without thinking, knowing that stormtroopers stood directly behind; Leia lurched right into the stormtrooper, pressing him against the wall. Hands and blaster rifles shoved her way as she went down, her hands grasping at the lightsaber.
Then blaster fire went off and Leia clasped her blade. Blue light ignited and she rolled herself around, carving a swath with the weapon against the stormtroopers that attacked her. She felt the lift beneath her slow to a stop and she realized that not only had the lift itself stilled, everything else had as well.
Leia pulled herself up, blade still ignited. It took a moment to extricate herself from the bodies but she finally managed to get upright. Six stormtroopers lay dead at her feet. Fett remained in the back of the lift, blaster barrel smoking while Winter stood off to the side, hands still bound.
"That… that didn't go according to plan," Winter said.
"We would have wound up killing them eventually," Fett said. "Might as well be sooner rather than later."
"And what happens if it's not Darklighter that meet us when the doors open but rather more Imperials?" Leia said as she moved closer to Winter and cut her binders off.
Winter reached into her own sleeve and pulled out the lightsaber she smuggled in as well. She explained that it got stuck earlier, something they knew might happen when they made straps out of torn bits of clothes in a pinch. After having her own binders removed, Leia looked to see Fett aiming his blaster at the ceiling.
Before she could do anything to stop him, the blaster went off and stray sparks rained down. He'd blown the lock off an access hatch. It took a few minutes, but soon he was standing on top of the lift, dangling half his body through the hatch while Leia and Winter worked on lifting the bodies up to him.
Finally they managed to conceal their attack and Fett came back down. And though Leia couldn't see his face, she got the distinct impression that he was quite pleased with himself. She could only sigh and engage the lift again, hoping that things went better for Obi-wan and Biggs.
The lift slowed, reaching its destination and Leia hid her lightsaber again, just in case. Not that it would matter terribly, they still had the blasters they took from the stormtroopers off in the corner if anybody really took a look.
The doors opened and Leia's heart caught in her throat, an imperial officer stood in front of them, but at second look she realized it was Biggs. Just as they planned, just as Obi-wan had said. She felt like she shouldn't have been surprised but the two of them managing to get their end done so quickly still struck her as uncanny.
"Where are the stormtroopers?" Biggs leaned to the side, trying to see more of the lift.
"We hit a… snag," Leia said.
"We took care of it," Fett said. "Now let's go."
"Alright follow me," Biggs said. "Obi-wan and I secured a control room."
The trip was brief and soon they came to a large door, upon opening they found Obi-wan leaning over the console viewing schematics of some kind. Leia had expected him to be standing guard or waiting for them pensively, instead he stared at the screen with a look of concentration and worry.
"Got 'em," Biggs said.
"Good," Obi-wan said over his shoulder. "I do hope you managed to keep things quiet."
"We weren't followed," Fett said. "What's more amazing is that we got this far. You know it's only a matter of time before they notice we didn't arrive at the detention level, or that certain officers aren't at their posts."
"Well as long as I stay here," Biggs shrugged. "I'm at my post. General Kenobi used some sort of Jedi trick to put the officer in charge of this control room asleep."
"Nevertheless," Obi-wan finally swiveled away from the screen. "The bounty hunter is right. We have a very short window in which we can make our escape. I've managed to get enough access to find the location of a power terminal linked to the tractor beam. I should be able to knock it out."
"You?" Fett said. "You've been on ice for the better part of two decades. I'm surprised you even know how to enter a passcode, let alone deactivate a tractor beam."
"Computer interface has hardly changed in the last hundred years, let alone the twenty I've been away," Obi-wan said. "And as far as the tractor beam goes, shortly before the end of the Clone Wars I was instructed on how to deactivate just such a machine on Escarte. I'm certain that knowledge will remain useful here."
"That gets us the ability to leave," Winter said. "What about transport?"
"We borrow as ship Empire and get the hell out of here," Biggs said. "I'm sure they won't miss any."
"There's one in the docking bay below us," Obi-wan said.
"What about Threepio?" Leia said. "Has he made contact yet?"
"Not yet," Obi-wan said. "But I'm certain we will hear from him shortly with news of the Death Star plans."
"I can't believe we're trusting the protocol droid into getting the plans," Biggs shook his head.
"Just be thankful you won't have to listen to him report it once we make contact with the Rebellion," Obi-wan shrugged as he stood up and made for the door. "He's going to have to recite every line of code in order to make a full readout. In the mean time, wait here and don't do anything rash, I will return as soon as I can."
"Wait," Leia moved to intercept him. "You shouldn't go out there alone, let me come with you."
"Be patient Leia, stay and wait for Threepio's signal, unless we get the plans from him other planets will suffer the same fate as Alderaan," Obi-wan said then placed a hand on her shoulder. "And although I am leaving, the Force will be with you always."
That said, the Jedi opened the door and left, firing Leia one last kindly smile before he went. She stood there frowning and trying to shake the odd feeling that he was saying goodbye for the last time. Eventually she turned away from the door to see the others either staring at her or trying to ignore her.
"I'm fine," she said. "And we need to try and break into the database ourselves should Threepio-"
"Hello?" the droid's voice came suddenly from her comlink. "I say, hello? Is anyone there?"
"Threepio," Leia said. "Have you managed to find access to the Death Star network?"
"I'm afraid I haven't my Lady, however you'll never believe who I have found!" the droid's voice came over with enough excitement to practically melt the comlink.
"Threepio we really don't have time for this," Leia said. "You need to try and access the network and read the lay out codes."
"But that's what I'm trying to tell you my lady! I don't have too, Artoo is here! And he still has the plans in his memory core!"
Leia felt her jaw slacken somewhat and her eyes widen as her mind tried to process the news. Her immediate response was to tell the droid that he was mistaken, that it was another R2 unit, but droids could tell the difference between other droids far easier than organics could. If C-3PO thought it was R2, then it was R2.
And if R2 was on the station then that meant.
"Threepio this is Biggs," the rebel pilot took the comlink from the princess. "Is Luke with him?"
"I'm afraid Master Luke just left in a hurry," the droid responded. "I haven't an idea as to where he's got to. But you must listen to me, Artoo has informed me that Viceroy Organa is also here! He's scheduled for execution!"
This time Fett grabbed the comlink even as Leia went for it. "Organa is here? On the detention level? Tell that little droid to connect with the mainframe and send us intel as to which cellblock he's at."
"You mean to rescue him?" Winter narrowed her eyes at the bounty hunter.
"Of course I do," Fett said. "He's my best assurance of getting paid for all of this."
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Biggs said. "Walk down there and demand a bounty on him?"
Leia shook her head, while the two argued. At this point it was about all she could do. Her father alive! R2 there with the Death Star plans! Obi-wan and Qui-gon both spoke about how the Force would guide them, now she felt more and more like they were right.
"What about Luke?" Biggs said. "We have to figure out a way to find him!"
"Now who's not thinking?" Fett said. "We know where Organa is, your pal could be anywhere in this karking station."
"He left after I told him that Princess Leia had been captured," C-3PO voice came. "Perhaps he went to the detention level too?"
"It's as good a place as any to start," Biggs said. "Have Artoo scan the network for any sign of him."
"I will sir but…" the droid said and is voice dropped a bit. "There are imperial technicians working on him. They don't know that he's managed remote access by using a feedback loop. Artoo will be limited in what he can do."
"So the question is then…" Winter said. "… how do we get ourselves down there?"
"The same way the imperials originally intended," Leia said. "We were due to arrive at the detention level, it would be rude to disappoint them."
"Who are you?" the stormtrooper said in a husky slightly, accented voice.
"Uh… Luke Sk… Sunrider," Luke said
"Well then Luke 'Sk-Sunrider'," the stormtrooper said with derision as the other soldiers in the group room chuckled. "Mind if I ask what you think you're doing down here?"
"I was looking for the detention level," Luke said, scratching the back of his head as he stared at all the stormtroopers. "I guess I got lost."
"Yeah?" the trooper said. "Well if you don't give me some proper authorization you might just find yourself staying down there."
Luke looked around, he didn't even have his identification with him. He left that in the clothes he wore when he arrived and hadn't bothered to carry it with him when he changed into the TIE pilot uniform that he still wore. Now he stood in front of a group of stormtroopers in what looked like an… engine room of some sort, having no way to prove he was who he said he was.
The stormtrooper must have grown sick of waiting because before he knew it, the soldier clasped Luke's arm and led him over to a nearby console. Luke tried to protest but the stormtrooper squeezed his arm tighter then activated the comunit.
"Commander Topelli," the stormtrooper said. "I found one of your drones wandering around in Engineering. You wanna explain to me what the hell he's doing down here?"
"TIE pilot?" Topelli said. "What's his operating number?"
"Tell me your number boy," the stormtrooper said.
"I… I don't have one," Luke said.
"Look boy," the stormtrooper growled. "I was trashing clankers back before you were even born in whatever hayseed planet you're from. I'm too old to deal with kids like you playing dumb. Now tell me your number."
"I don't have a number!" Luke said. "I'm not a TIE pilot! Lord Vader sent me to TIE control for testing because he thought I showed promise! Tell the Commander who I am, he can vouch for me!"
The stormtrooper didn't move at first, and Luke adverted his gaze a bit, knowing the soldier's eyes bore down on him behind the helmet. In the back of his mind, Mara's advice about always being cautious around stormtroopers came back. Was this one of the troopers that was 'heavy handed' like Mara said? He sure seemed like it.
"Don't move an inch," the stormtrooper said. It took a few minutes and even though Luke heard Commander Topelli recognize his name immediately, he refused to relax until the stormtrooper conversation began to wind down.
"Be nice if Lord Vader would give us some notice about his pet projects," the stormtrooper finally said to Topelli. "Very well, just make sure you keep your guys in line. This isn't the first pilot we've had down here."
"Keep your guys out of TIE control and we'll talk," Topelli said. "I'm not one of your clones that you get to boss around Commander Cody. Don't give me orders."
The stormtrooper muttered a curse under his breath as the communication ended then he simply turned and looked to Luke for a minute, as though considering what to do with him.
"Looks like it's your lucky day kid," Cody said. "Your story pans out and Lord Vader apparently took a shine to you. So I'm only going to say this once, get back to the area of the station your authorized to be in and don't leave."
"Okay, I will," Luke said. "But like I said, I'm lost, I was on my way to the detention level to visit a prisoner."
The stormtrooper muttered something under his breath then motioned for Luke to follow him to the turbolift.
"I'm not going to be the one to explain to Vader that you fell down a shaft because you were wandering this station without knowing the difference between left and right," Cody said. "Thirty five years of service and I'm reduced to a karking babysitter."
"Where are you taking this… girl," the detention block commander said, his eyes roving over Leia's form. Leia tightened her lips, knowing that telling him off wouldn't do much good at the moment.
"Check your logs," Biggs said, stepping up to the lieutenant, knowing his uniform outranked the other man's. "We were sent to deliver the Princess to her new… accommodations."
"That's the Princess is it?" the lieutenant said, casting another glance her way. "You're late."
"Blame it on her companion," Biggs motioned toward Fett, who had Winter slung over his shoulder. "She tried to run off and we had to stun her. She's feisty for such a tiny little thing, even half stunned she gave us a devil of a time."
"I see," came the reply. "And where is your detachment of stormtroopers? Your companion couldn't have scared them off."
"Didn't need them," Fett said. "Not when I'm here. Now hurry up, I've got to meet with your boss, Darth Vader, once I've delivered these prisoners."
"Very well," the lieutenant said then motioned for his men to take the prisoners. "Just let me confirm that everything is in order."
The men advanced and Leia bit the inside of her cheek. This was where the entire plan either worked or failed miserably. If they didn't go for it, a firefight would erupt right then and there, no telling who would win in that encounter. This was their only chance at keeping things quiet.
"Lord Vader gave me special orders," Biggs said. "He wants the Princess put in with the Viceroy, something of a family reunion to make them consider just exactly what we can take from them if they don't cooperate."
The lieutenant stared at Biggs for a moment but then his eyes strayed to the rank markings on his uniform. For a moment he clearly debated what to do. Clearly this was a by the book sort of guy and this was unusual, but on the other hand, Biggs outranked him.
Finally the man relented and the guards approached Leia, taking her by the arms. It was going to work, this man clearly feared his superiors more than standard protocol. And it made sense, this space station was a monument to the Tarkin Doctrine of rule through fear, so the officers would have to have something to fear as well.
Biggs remained with the officers as the soldiers led Leia down the hexagonal hallway with Fett carting Winter behind them. Leia managed a small look back, Biggs had managed to get close to the console… good. Now he just needed a distraction…
Suddenly Winter threw herself off of Fett's shoulders and made a break for it. The officers closed in around her, including the ones in the control room. Before any of them could fire, Fett lanced his arm out and a cable shot out, wrapping itself around her, bringing her down hard. Leia winced and tried to get to her but the stormtroopers held her fast.
"Told you she was feisty," Biggs said, coming up behind the others after they'd all gathered around.
"We ought to have simply shot her," the lieutenant said.
"Funny," Biggs said, jamming his blaster into the lieutenant's back. "That's what Fett said about you.
The stormtroopers aimed their blasters but Biggs wrapped his arm around the lieutenant's neck and shouted for them all to lower their weapons. They hesitated for a moment, more than enough time for Leia to slip out of her cuffs and ignite her lightsaber drawing it across the neck of the nearest stormtrooper. Similarly Fett released Winter and both of them had their weapons trained on the soldiers.
"What is this?" the lieutenant said.
"Order them to drop their weapons," Biggs said. "Do it!"
Slowly, the lieutenant gave the order and the blasters and thermal detonators clattered to the floor.
"Now the comlinks," Fett said. "Give them to me and the girl."
Winter and Fett collected the comlinks and made sure they were switched off. Then, only then did they open an empty cell and usher the guards and officers in. Leia refrained from smiling just yet, not until she was certain they wouldn't try anything.
"You'll never get away with this," the lieutenant said. "There are cameras on every wall."
"I shut them off when you all ran into the hallway," Biggs said. "By the time someone notices we'll be long gone."
With that, Biggs hit the switch and the door clapped shut, locking in all possible resistance. Leia shut down her lightsaber and let the grin she felt show, just a little. They'd managed it so far. Now they just had to find her father.
"Not bad if I do say so myself," Biggs grinned widely, placing his arm on Winter's shoulders. "Not bad for all of us, I was worried we were going to have to blast our way out."
"Would have been the worst strategy," Fett said. "The alarms would go off and we'd have the entire station breathing down our neck. Only idiots would try it that way."
"Well it won't take them long to send someone down," Leia said then looked to Biggs. "Did you find my Father?"
"2187," Biggs said.
"Got it," Leia said, running down the hallway until she came to the one she needed. She paused in front of the door and took a deep breath, fearing that she might open the door and find the cell empty, or her father already dead.
Fett came up behind her and reached out for the door control switch. She quickly jammed the button before he could, not willing to give him the satisfaction of letting her father out. The door flew up and Leia's fears came crashing down in an instant. Her father, Bail Organa lay there just waking up from what looked like fitful sleep.
"Father!"
"Leia? Either my eyes are fooling me or you're far too pretty to be a stormtrooper!" Bail said getting up just in time for his daughter to throw herself into his arms. Then Fett came in just behind him, holding his blaster casually in front of him.
"What's going on?" Bail said as she pulled away.
"We've come to rescue you!" Leia said. "We've found Obi-wan Kenobi!"
"Obi-wan Kenobi!?" Bail said, rushing out the door past Fett. "Where is he?"
"He's dealing with the tractor beam," Leia ran beside him. "And he's… well… nevermind, let's just say we've had quite the adventure finding him."
"I can't wait to hear about it," Bail said as they reached Winter and Biggs, the former handing him a blaster. "It looks like all my back up plans should you be captured came in handy. Never imagined you'd be the one rescuing me, or that you'd bring the bounty hunter with you."
"You still owe me a lot of money Viceroy," Fett said. "Even more now that I'm busting you out."
"We'll discuss it as soon as we get away," Bail said.
They reached the end of the hallway, Leia kept herself next to her father. Deep down, her heart still mourned for Alderaan, and all the family that she had lost, but she felt nothing but joy at having him by her side after thinking him dead. She wouldn't let him out of her sight.
Just about to enter the control room again, then cross to the turbolifts, the group paused when the light above the lift blinked on and the doors hissed open. Fett's blaster came up first, followed by Winter. Bail, Leia, and Biggs all hesitated, then froze when instead of seeing a squad of stormtroopers coming out to investigate, they were greeted by a single solitary stormtrooper and boy all of them knew except for Bail.
"Luke!"
"Biggs?"