The Legion Renewed
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Leia stirred first, not quite sure what had wakened her. She snuggled against Han, made a comfortable murmured noise, and started to drift back to sleep. Han half-woke at her stir, and slid a hand around her waist. It was their last night-or was it morning now?-together for a while, and they weren't in a hurry to end it.
Then she felt it again, an odd vibration, and this time, they both came fully awake. "What was that?" Han asked.
"I don't know. A malfunction?"
Han threw his the bedclothes off and started pulling on his clothes. "Not on the Falcon. You better get dressed fast. Something's not right."
Han zipped his pants, slapped on the broadcast screen and the intercom in the same motion. "Chewie, wake up. Start warming the Falcon! I think we're under attack."
Leia was incredulous. "What, here?"
"That's what it feels like," Han said and reached for his shirt. The broadcast was still regular programming, but by the time Han had his boots pulled on, there was an emergency interruption. The news reporter had an incredulous look on her face. "Imperial forces are attacking Deraan Two," she said. "Everyone should get underground immediately. Repeat, all above-ground citizens should get below-ground immediately. Report to your emergency evacuation facility. Emergency evacuation procedures are in effect. Repeat, emergency evacuation procedures are in effect."
"'Imperial forces'?" Leia echoed, throwing the top of her pants suit from the day before over head. "But that's…impossible."
"We both know there are Imperial ships unaccounted for. It's not impossible." He left her in the cabin and went to the cockpit. Chewbacca was already there, running through the pre-flight. Han put on his head-piece and contacted flight control.
Leia looked out the window at the closed bay doors. "We can't go anywhere," she pointed out. "Han, the procedure is to wait until all available ships have a full complement of evacuees before they risk opening the doors and-"
Han waved her silent and continued talking to someone in flight control, then turned to face her. "They count four star-cruisers and a destroyer. Even I can't take on that much firepower. The plan is to take on as many passengers as we can, and make a run for it. Once we jump to lightspeed, they won't be able to follow us." He turned to his co-pilot. "Chewie, we need to get rid of all the dead-weight we can. Furniture, clothes, entertainments-anything not vital to the functioning of the ship, except weaponry. We may need that. Strip her bare. Got that?"
Chewbacca woofed and nodded. Han turned back to his wife. "Leia, you help him. Put on a headset. I'm going to stay here and find out everything I can about what's going on." He gave her his lopsided grin. "Sweetheart, this 'vacation' you took me on-next time I pick our destination."