Chapter 4: The Asteroid Field
Millennium Falcon"Captain, the warp drive is inoperative; shields are down to sixty percent." Said ensign Vorik. He was in the top gunner seat, Chewie was on the bottom. Both quad cannons had been replaced with dual pulse phaser cannons. Both cannons were pointed aft toward the TIE fighters in pursuit.
"Leia, take the helm keep us in front of them. I'm gonna see if I can get the hyperdrive going."
"Right."
Han headed to the aft of the ship and was working on the hyperdrive when the ship rocked and creaked. "That wasn't a laser blast something hit us."
Han ran back to the cockpit to see Leia dodging asteroids. She turned around "Asteroids." She said as she got out of the pilot's seat. By this time Chewie was back in the copilot's seat.
"Chewie, set two-seven-one."
"What are you doing? You're not actually going into an asteroid field."
"Sir the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately three thousand seven hundred and twenty to one" stated 3PO.
"Never tell me the odd."
Over the comm.
"Sir, you are aware that you're headed into an asteroid field."
"I know ensign, get out of there and try to get that warp drive up."
"Aye sir"
The Falcon flew through the asteroid field at top speed. TIE fighters went in after them. Although the fighters were smaller, they were much more delicate as they didn't have any kind of shielding at all. All five fighters were destroyed as a result of asteroid collisions. After losing the last two the Falcon which was close to a big asteroid, looped over and down into a cavern and landed. Han, Leia, Chewie, Vorik and even 3PO assisted in repairs. The warp drive was repaired but the hyperdrive would need more extensive repairs.
Meanwhile, Luke in his newer X-wing modified with Federation technology, closed on the planet Dagobah.
"Yep, that's it. Dagobah."
R2 beeped in reply.
"I'm not picking up any cities or technology, massive life form reading though…there's something alive down there."
R2 beeped again
"Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids."
The X-wing tried to make a soft landing but ended up in a swamp. Luke got out of the cockpit and started towards shore. After rescuing R2 and setting up camp Luke was surprised by a small green alien speaking backward English.
"I'm looking for someone."
"Looking! Found someone you have I would say hmmm."
After a few moments of strange conversation Luke's patience was wearing thin.
"I'm not looking for a friend; I'm looking for a Jedi Master."
"Ohhh Jedi Master, Yoda. You seek Yoda."
"You know him."
"Yes, yes, take you to him I will, but first must eat. Come."
Back on the asteroid, Vorik reported "Sir, I have the warp drive operational but I can only give you warp 5.5 at most."
"That's good, enough to get us to a safe port somewhere."
Suddenly the ship rocked. "Sir, it's possible this asteroid is not entirely stable."
"NOT ENTIERLY STABLE! I'm glad you're here to tell us these things, Chewie take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive."
The ship rocked again and Leia fell into Han's arms. "Sorry your highness." Han went off to do some more work. Then Leia saw something on the outside of the window. She ran to the back and told Han "There's something out there."
"Where?"
"Outside in the cave"
A loud rumble.
"There it is! Li- listen!" exclaimed 3PO
"I'm going out there."
"Are you crazy?"
"I just got this bucket back together, I'm not gonna let something tear it apart."
Han, Chewie, Vorik and Leia all went outside and investigated the cave. Vorik had his tricorder out. "Sir, I believe I have an explanation."
"Watch out!" Han yelled and shot over Vorik's shoulder. A mynock fell to the ground. "Yea, that's what I thought. Mynocks. Go on inside we'll clean them off if there are any more."
Suddenly more mynocks flew out of the mist. Chewie fired a shot which hit the ceiling. The floor rocked and there was a roar.
"Wait a minute." Han shot the ground. The ground rumbled and there was another roar but this time the rocking kept on. Everyone got back onboard and Han lifted off and flew towards the end.
"The cave is collapsing!" said Leia
"This is no cave!" replied Han
"What?!" Asked Leia
The Falcon flew out of the space worm's mouth and was once again in the asteroid field. Soon after that it was once again under Imperial pursuit. Laser bolt impacted its weakened shields.
"Sir, one more hit on the back quarter and we're done for."
"Turn her around. I said turn her around I'm gonna put all power to the front shield."
"You're going to attack them?"
"Sir, the possibility of surviving a direct assault on an Imperial Star Destroyer-"
"Shutup."
The Falcon turned around and flew back towards the Destroyer.
On the bridge of the Destroyer the Captain recognized the maneuver. "They're moving to attack position. Shield up."
As the laser batteries opened fire some missed and hit the Destroyer itself but the shields easily absorbed those few blasts. The Falcon flashed past the bridge and disappeared.
"Track them. They may come around for another pass." Ordered the Captain
"Captain Needar, the ship no longer appears on our scopes." Said the sensor operator
"Captain, Lord Vader demands an update on the pursuit." Reported another crewmen
The Captain turned to his second in command. "I shall assume full responsibility for losing them and apologize to Lord Vader. Meanwhile continue to scan the area."
With the Falcon safely coupled to the back of the Destroyers command tower, Han Solo observed the Imperial Fleet. "The Fleet's beginning to break up. Vorik, go back to the manual release of the landing claw and standby."
"Yes sir"
"So what do we do?" asked Leia
"Well if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to hyperspace and we just float away."
"With the rest of the garbage." She muttered "Then what?"
"Well we gotta find a safe port around here somewhere."
"Where are we now?"
"The Noad system"
"The Noad system there's not much there."
"Oh, wait. This is interesting Lando."
"Lando system?"
"No it's not a system he's a man. Card player, gambler, and scoundrel you'd like him."
Han looked up again and contacted Vorik "Here we go Vorik, standby…detach."
The Falcon detached from its perch and floated backwards looking like another piece of space junk the Destroyer left behind. The three main engines flared and the Destroyer jumped to hyperspace. The Falcon's main engines roared and Han set a course for Bespin, warp 5.5.
Luke was in the midst of his Jedi training when he had a vision of his friends. "I saw- I saw a city in the clouds. My friends they were in pain. I've got to go to them."
As he readied his X-wing, Obi-Wan appeared as he was closing the cockpit. "Luke! Don't give in to hate. That leads to the dark side."
"Mind what you have learned save you it can!" yelled Yoda
"I will and I'll return, I promise." Replied Luke