Chapter 6
Bail Organa smiled kindly down at young Han Solo, as Zett and they approached the Senator's ship, docked on the durasteel floor of the Senatorial quarters underground docking bay, as Han let out an admiring whistle.
"Do you like her, Han? She's brand new, just off the ranks," Bail revealed. "They're a new run of Corellian Corvettes."
Han was transfixed, "She's really great! Does she have a name?" His despair at having to leave his foster mother, was being replaced by subtle curiosity over the Alderaani's flagship.
There were guardsmen and Bail's aides waiting at the base of the ramp, and they all bowed their heads in greeting, as the tall man and two brown-haired boys walked up into the ship.
Organa chuckled, as he lead Han and Zett up towards the boarding ramp. "Yes, she's called the Tantative IV. I'm sure if you boys go up into the cockpit, Captain Raymus Antilles here," Bail placed a friendly hand on the shoulder of the broad featured, kindly looking dark-brown haired man, who came rushing up with other guards to meet the Prince.
"Will let you have a look around."
Han smiled up at the captain, "Thank you!" He exclaimed, then he turned back to Bail, "Where are the other children headed, Senator Organa?" the boy added in practically the same breath.
Organa knelt down to Solo's level. "The younglings are being separated onto shuttles, and other space-craft, en-route to Alderaan so as not to raise any more suspicion then we have to.
"I promised your mother you'd stay with us here, and Zett is more than welcome aboard. I'm sure you will both enjoy the company when us adults get tiresome." Bail smiled. He had heard, from Obi-Wan a few months ago, how Padawan Jukassa was often singled out from the other Trainees.
When Zett's first master had been killed on Genosis, the boy had become withdrawn, and stayed apart from nearly all the Jedi. This current situation, coupled with the loss of his second master, was obviously making Jukassa become more introverted. Some time for Zett would be well spent with the usually lively young Han, who was still looking pale and unhappy, (despite his interest in the ship,) at having to leave his foster mother.
Han beamed up at Zett, who was looking unsure in his patched up face and still draped in Bail's cloak, the younger boy had missed having other kids to play with. "Let's go then." Han suggested.
Zett shrugged, and started to walk along the hallway with Han and the tall captain, the former looking up at Captain Antilles as they all rounded the corner.
"Have you set up the sub-light engines per Alderaani, or per the original Corellian standards?" Han demanded, as the captain stared down at him in surprise.
Bail looked over at his dark haired aide, "We have to set up the com system to alert all off planet Jedi about what has happened. I don't want them just walking into this mess," he said sternly.
Sheltay Retrac nodded, and the Alderaani followed their Prince-consort, who was still shaking his head in disbelief.
-:-:-:-
Han peered over the cockpit console, "What's that?" The boy pointed out of the cockpit window, over at the small shape, out on the horizon, as they came out of hyperspace above Alderaan.
Antilles leaned forward and stared in the direction Solo pointed.
Zett was a huddled, unassuming shape in one of the seats towards the back. While the co-pilot of the Tantative IV had, with slight amusement, given up his seat to the curious foster son of Senator Amidala, so Han could chat to Captain Antilles.
"It looks like a shuttle of some kind, I'll send out a signal to see if they need help," the brown haired captain pressed a couple of buttons on the console, and within a few seconds there was an affirmative signal of response, Raymus furrowed his brow.
"The beacon I picked up at the temple is confirming it's a Jedi signal. I better get the Senator up here, the shuttle's pilot is verifying that he is Master Yoda."
Han looked over at where Jukassa had lifted up his head at the Jedi's name, "Master Yoda? Is he a very important Jedi?" He directed the question to the other boy, who nodded firmly in response, getting up off of his chair to stand next to Han.
"Yes, he is the head of the Jedi Council. He's trained Jedi for over eight hundred years," Zett affirmed, folding his arms. "Thank the Force."
Han raised a sceptical eyebrow as he flopped back into the co-pilot's chair, "Eight hundred years?" He said disbelievingly, Jukassa nodded again and the darker haired boy shrugged.
"Okay. What does he look like? Old? Or really, really, really old?"
Zett ignored Solo, and looked over at where Bail was entering the cockpit, Antilles looked over his shoulder at the tall monarch.
"Your highness, I've just hailed a small shuttle heading towards our location, he claims to be Master Yoda and his response code was that of the Jedi codec."
The dark haired Prince of Alderaan inclined his head, "All right then, Captain Antilles. I'll take a small guard and Padawan Jukassa," Bail looked down at the solemn Jedi Padawan.
"Would you be able to sense if the pilot is Master Yoda, even through the steel doors of the docking bay, Zett?"
Zett nodded firmly, "Yes, your highness." He bowed his head as Senator Organa turned to Han.
"How about you, Han? Are you learning something new here, or would you like to come with us and meet the legendary Master Yoda?"
The former pickpocket shrugged, "I guess meeting someone that's legendary sounds okay. I'll be back later to discuss the rear deflector shields," he informed Captain Antilles, who nodded in all seriousness to the boy, but winked over at Prince Organa, as Han hopped out of the swivel chair.
-:-:-:-
As soon as Zett had confirmed that the disembarking passenger of the shuttle was indeed Master Yoda, Bail ordered the doors open, and the small group entered the docking bay. All eyes looking over at where, amongst other shuttles, the small, oddly shaped one had lowered it's ramp, and a diminutive figure was disembarking.
Han raised his eyebrows. The little alien was a pale green, and had elongated ears that stuck out from either side of his very wrinkled head. The alien's eyes were a bright green and bulbous, staring out at the assembled group with weariness, his claw-like hands resting atop of a carved, wooden walking stick.
Nevertheless, Han wasn't too certain about this simple looking being.
Zett rushed over and knelt before the alien Jedi Master, "Master Yoda, I am so pleased to see you are all right," he greeted. Yoda placed a withered claw on the boy's short cut haired head.
"Happiness I feel also, young Jukassa. Sense did I, that younglings to safety Prince Organa did get," Yoda's head bent back far to look up at Senator Organa. "Eternal thanks and gratitude, have I."
Bail nodded, "I am sorry I could not be there sooner. I do not know what exactly happened," he spread his hands apologetically.
Zett got to his feet and bowed his head. "I do, Master," he admitted.
Yoda's eyes lowered and he looked down at his walking cane. "Sense that I did, but not from you," his green eyes narrowed at the slight figure standing next to Bail, who was trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.
"Young Han Solo's mind to keep quiet he must learn. The Force not strong has he, but his place in the future still very important is."
Han mouth dropped open, "You read my mind and my future?" He almost squeaked, Yoda chuckled at the incredulous expression, Han huffed and darted behind Bail's cloaked form.
"Offended you have I?" Master Yoda was almost jovial. "Knew of you being Senator Amidala's foster son did I, but Anakin Skywalker's foster son as well, I did not," he rubbed his head as Han peered around Bail's waist to stare wide-eyed back at Yoda.
"Information interesting that is. Perhaps a room where Padawan Jukassa, I and Han Solo talk we can? While this do I, contact Master Obi-Wan Kenobi could you? His information should on the shuttle be."
Senator Organa nodded, and motioned to a guard and Sheltay Retrac, Yoda began to hobble away and Zett was not far behind. Han's reluctant shake of his head and trying to hide behind Bail, was put to an end when the tall woman aide pointed to one of the guards, who took little Solo by the wrist and dragged him unwillingly away.
Pulling against the grasp of the guard, Han's legs kicked out as he tried to prevent being escorted to be alone with Yoda and Zett, "I don't want to go! He can read my mind! I'll tell my Mom! She wouldn't let my mind be read!" He shouted out behind him.
Bail put a hand over his mouth to hide a smile as the doors slid shut.
-:-:-:-
Han was practically thrown into the small lounge. Turning around and kicking the door frame stubbornly as the door slid shut, Han then walked quickly over to a soft, swivel chair in the corner of the room and sat down, turning the back of the chair to where Yoda and Zett were already sitting cross-legged on the ground. Han folded his arms and glared down at the carpeted floor.
"Young Solo, over here will you come?" The gravelly voice of Master Yoda invoked.
Han shrugged and fiddled with the Japor snippet around his neck, as he scowled. "Do the letters N and O mean anything to you?"
There was a slight chuckle again, "Come here if promise I do, teach how to guard your thoughts?" Yoda offered.
Han half turned himself around and peered over the top of the chair at the wrinkled Jedi Master, his hazel eyes narrowed, "You promise?" He demanded. "And no more mind reading or future reading?"
Yoda nodded and the boy slid out of the chair, walking slowly to sit beside Zett on the floor, he suspiciously eyed the Jedi Master.
"Look at me like enemy first do not, young Solo. Begin your tale, Padawan Jukassa," the little alien Jedi rested his chin on his claws, as he prepared himself for the awful truth.
-:-:-:-
Obi-Wan disembarked from his fighter, looking down at Bail Organa with relief, as he descended down the ladder. "Thank the Force you arrived when you did. Where is Master Yoda?" He queried in one exhausted breath, as he began to walk across the docking bay.
Bail followed the quick-stepping Jedi Master out the docking bay doors. "He's in a private conference room with Padawan Zett Jukassa and Padmé Amidala's foster son," Organa answered. Obi-Wan looked up at his friend with surprise on his bearded features.
"What is Han doing here?" Kenobi invoked, his eyes narrowed. "Has something happened to Senator Amidala?"
Bail shook his head, "Padmé is fine. She just asked that I take Han to Alderaan with the other younglings, to keep him safe in case of further unrest, Yoda wanted to talk to him and we were already on this detour. I'll take you to them." He motioned down the hall, and the red haired man followed him along the spotlessly white corridors.
They stopped at one of the doors, and Bail swiped a card key over the admittance sensor, and the door swooped across. Obi-Wan peered inside the sparse room and very nearly smiled at the sight of the two boys sitting with Master Yoda. It seemed so strange to see a calm, almost idyllic, scene in the middle of all this chaos and confusion.
Young Han Solo-Naberrie peered over his shoulder at the intruders, as did Padawan Jukassa who halted in the middle of whatever he was talking to Yoda about, as the Jedi Master held up a claw to stop him.
"Master Obi-Wan, good it is to see you safe." The small green alien greeted. Obi-Wan walked over slowly and inclined his head to the venerable Jedi Master.
"You as well, Master Yoda," the red-haired Jedi inclined his head to Zett, "Padawan Jukassa, it is good also to see you safely away from harm," Kenobi looked down at Solo-Naberrie kindly. "Hello there."
Han gave him a small smile, "Hi Master Kenobi," then looked back down at the carpet.
Yoda motioned to Obi-Wan. "Sit, Master Obi-Wan, for this information as to why Clone Troopers on us turned, not easy to hear I think. Commence your tale again, young Padawan," Yoda encouraged the boy, as Kenobi sat beside the other Jedi Master, settling into a cross-legged position and gazing over at the reluctant looking Zett.
Jukassa began again, his eyes downcast and full of shadowy tears, "It was around sundown, I was in the archives helping out Master Nu with reorganising some of the newer regional maps, when suddenly I felt this great wave of pain through the Force." He winced.
"Then I heard blaster-fire outside the doors, and then...Clone Troopers swarmed in from every side and started blasting away, there was smoke everywhere and I caught Master Nu as she was shot through the chest..."
Obi-Wan held a hand to his mouth in horror, "They just swarmed in? Who led them in en masse into the temple without the barriers being raised?" He questioned Yoda, who bowed his head in response.
Zett looked over at Han, who was fiddling with a pendant around his neck, before looking up at Master Kenobi astutely. "I didn't know what to do when I came face to face with the Clone Troopers, and so I grabbed Master Nu's lightsaber, and began to deflect their fire."
"I rushed out of the archives and outside, when I saw that their fire was only set on stun...I deactivated the saber." He narrowed his eyes. "I asked why they weren't trying to kill me, and they said...they said Lord Vader told them to leave the younglings alone."
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows, "Who is Lord Vader?"
Zett started to shiver, "I...asked the same thing, they pointed across to a lower platform and...the figure was hooded but I reached out and...I felt pain, darkness...jealousy and possessiveness," he looked away. "I'm so sorry Master Kenobi, it was Jedi Skywalker."
Kenobi shook his head in disbelief and grasped the fabric of his pant legs, "No, that can't be true," he whispered, looking over at where Senator Amidala's foster son's head was lowered and he was quietly sobbing. "Han?"
Han lifted his head, "He's right, Master Kenobi. Anakin called up my Mom and said that his loyalties were to the Chancellor, and that Palpatine was the one who ordered the attack on the temple," the boy's eyes were misted over with tears as he jumped to his feet.
"And I didn't hear anything else, but I think he told my Mom where he was, because she got really upset."
Obi-Wan lowered his eyes, "Why would he contact Padmé instead of me? I was his Master. I raised him and trained him since he was your age, Han," he knelt in front of the boy with a desperate expression. "Is there anything else?"
Han lowered his eyes, "Not really," he whispered. Obi-Wan lifted up the Japor Snippet pendant around Han's neck in his fingers, seeing the ancient Tatooine symbol of good fortune.
"Is this your mother's?"
Solo-Naberrie nodded, "She said Anakin carved it for her long ago."
Obi-Wan stared down into the hazel eyes of the uncertain nine-year-old. "Han, I will only ask you once and you don't have to answer me," he felt bad deceiving the boy, but he had to know. "Are Anakin and your mother in a relationship?"
Han looked away, Kenobi sensing that the boy was a lot more perceptive then anyone might give him credit for. "You don't have to try to fool me, Obi-Wan. Zett knows already, and Mom said Anakin told her it didn't have to be a secret any more. Mom and Anakin are married."
Yoda's eyes widened, "Forbidden that is! Against code of the Jedi over thousands of years. Attachment leads to jealousy. Twisted by the dark side young Skywalker has become!" He said loudly and gravely, the boys looked over at each other.
"You'd best tell Obi-Wan and Yoda the other thing you told me, Han." Zett encouraged slowly.
Han looked disgruntled and panicked at the expression on Obi-Wan and Yoda's faces. "I'd rather not. Can't they just guess and I'll nod or shake my head?" He queried, Yoda whacked the boy's legs with his cane and Han yelped.
"All right, all right! My Mom's pregnant!"
Obi-Wan's eyes widened, "How could they?" He smacked his forehead. "And to keep it secret...how long have they been married?"
Han scratched his head, "I don't know, really. My Mom just said that it was sometime after the Battle of Genosis."
"Nearly three years? And did you your mother say when the child due to be born?"
"She said the time must be getting close," Han shuffled his feet. "I don't want Anakin to hurt her, but I don't want him to get hurt either Master Kenobi. It's Palpatine that's making him do the bad things. I know Anakin wouldn't hurt anyone."
Kenobi sighed, "The Anakin we know wouldn't, Han, but this Lord Vader...when someone is consumed by the dark side, it is very difficult for them ever to come back to the light," he tried to simplify the concept for the boy, who looked away.
Yoda rubbed his chin, "Hmm, jealousy and possession perhaps has turned young Skywalker. Mentioned he did to me of dreams of pain and death, of his wife perhaps he spoke of," he sighed. "Afraid to lose her and their child."
Obi-Wan looked down at the old Jedi, "But Master Yoda, Padmé Amidala is young and healthy. If there were going to be any complications in childbirth, whatever physician she is seeing would have isolated it," he pointed out, his fellow Jedi Master sighed deeply.
"Perhaps not visions of the future Skywalker was having natural were they. The dark side clouds everything, and can be used to disrupt and deceive," he scowled. "If Palpatine the Sith Lord looking for we were is, possible it is with the amount of the time Skywalker was spending with him, for these lies to plant."
Han bowed his head and walked over to the window, to stare out into space as the Jedi Master discussed what had to be done. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Bail staring back down at him kindly.
"We have to trust Obi-Wan and Master Yoda, Han. They are Jedi Masters, and we will go along with whatever they plan," Bail smiled as the boy shrugged.
"Come on, I'll take you back up to the cockpit."
-:-:-:-
Obi-Wan lent his chin on his fist, his elbow resting on his right thigh, as Palpatine's aide's hologram vanished, after informing Bail that he was needed at a special meeting of the Galactic senate.
"Has there been any contact from the Temple?" Kenobi questioned, looking down at the approaching planet of Coruscant.
Bail looked over his shoulder, he had taken over the co-piloting, and Han was now sitting behind the co-pilot's seat that was occupied by the Prince of Alderaan. "Yes a coded message of retreat. It requests all Jedi to return to the Temple. It says that the war is over—"
Kenobi interrupted, "Well, then we have to get to the temple! If there are other stragglers, they will surely fall into the trap and be killed."
Senator Organa shook his head, "I have clearance, as does Padmé Amidala and Han. But it's too dangerous to return for either of you." He tried to persuade them, but was ignored as Yoda stared him down, and then turned to his younger protégé.
"Suggest dismantling the coded signal, do you?"
"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan confirmed, Han stared at them with narrowed eyes showing that he clearly thought they were insane. "There is too much at stake here, and we need a clearer picture of what has happened."
Yoda nodded his green, wrinkled head, "I agree. In a dark place we find ourselves ..." he pointed at the still sceptical foster son of Senator Amidala. "You, young Solo, lead us into the temple will."
Han's eyes widened, "Are you nuts?! I'm not going back in there, take Zett and put a wig on him, I'm not going back there!" He hopped off his chair, backing slowly towards the exit.
Obi-Wan folded his arms into his cloak and smirked. Twitching his eyebrow ever so slightly, he used the Force to gently pull Han back towards them.
"Hey!" The boy protested, trying to grab a hold of the door-frame, Solo boot heals squeaking across the durasteel floor as he was dragged back to them, "All right already, I'll go with you. But my Mom won't be too happy about this." He folded his arms and nodded at Zett, who was leaning against Obi-Wan's chair.
"They do things like this to you?"
Zett raised his eyebrows, "I've never been game enough to say no twice to a Jedi Master." He replied with a smirk.
Han rolled his eyes and glowered at the chuckling adults.
-:-:-:-
Obi-Wan grabbed Han's hand, as they got out of the taxi-flyer and out onto the front entrance platform of the temple, where throngs of Clone Troopers surrounded the place.
Young Solo swallowed hard at the sight. Han was carrying Yoda hidden in a bag-pack on his back. Zett was carrying a similar bag-pack with detonating supplies, in case of trouble that lightsabers alone couldn't handle.
Kenobi, walking beside Han, was dressed in an Alderaani uniform, and, to Han's amusement, had shaved off his beard, leaving only a thin moustache dyed black, and his hair was likewise dyed black.
Obi-Wan's status as a "poster-boy," (as Kenobi had phrased it,) meant that he would have been too easily recognisable, even to the dim witted Clone Troopers. Han had laughed his head off, when Obi-Wan had finally emerged looking as he did now.
"Oh Bantha fodder!" Han yelped in laughter. "You look like an evil gangster from a Kid Tyral movie!" He hooted and fell over laughing. Zett hid a smile behind his hands and Obi-Wan scowled at them both, adjusting his half-cloak.
"Are you quite done?" Kenobi folded his arms. Han nodded and started to get up off the floor, trying to control his laughing, but failing as soon as he made eye contact with Kenobi, and doubled over with laughter again.
Now Han's mirth over Obi-Wan's current appearance left him as they approached the mass of white armour, one of the leaders stepped forward, "Identified as Han Solo-Vader, Lord Vader's son. What is your business here, Count Solo-Vader?"
Han felt his tongue trip in his mouth, Count?, but he quickly covered it up, "I've been sent by Senator Organa and my mother. We believe there were some younglings that broke off from the main group. We are here to take them away," he said perfectly, as it had been rehearsed.
The Clone Commander eyed him, "All right, proceed with your mission Count Solo-Vader. Would you like a garrison to accompany you and your companions?"
Han shook his head, "No, that is why I have brought along one of the younglings to help track the stragglers, and a guard in case of any other Jedi activity," he said firmly, the commander inclined his helmeted head.
"As you wish, Count Solo-Vader." He stood aside and motioned to the Clone Troopers in front of the door, who stood aside and made a guard of honour for Han and his companions.
Han blinked half in fear and half in stunned disbelief, as Obi-Wan gently nudged him with the Force. And the boy marched forward detachedly, staring straight ahead and trying not to wince under the blank gazes of all the white helmets, suddenly feeling very small and insignificant despite the fact they were all but saluting him.
Once they had entered, Kenobi put a hand on Han's slender shoulder, "Are you all right, Han?"
There was a shake of the shaggy brown haired head, "I didn't like that one bit, was I supposed too? Is that why Anakin made me a Count?" Han's confused naiveté was close to heartbreaking, even to the long suffering Obi-Wan, who shook his head.
"I don't know. I suppose it's a title of respect since he is Lord Vader, and you are technically his son," Obi-Wan looked over at Zett wearily. "We better find the source of the beacon before the Clone's discover this deception." Kenobi patted Han's shoulder, and helped adjust the backpack that had Master Yoda inside.
"You were very brave out there, Han. Even I don't know if I could have done better. You have the talent of a natural born leader."
Han grimaced as they walked along, "Thanks, but I don't know if I ever want to have to put up with that again. General Solo does not have a nice ring, neither does Count Solo-Vader," he shivered. "There's nothing wrong with my name," Han folded his arms and pouted as they turned a corner.
"I don't want to be a stupid Count. And I'm definitely telling Mom about this one!"
Thank you to the guest reviewers and thank you all for reading. The next chapter will be up soon.