Hi!
So this chapter is a bit shorter than I expected, but I promise next two will be longer and way better. Now go ahead and read.
Disclaimer: Guess what, George Lucas called me yesterday and gave me all copyrights to Star Wars… Oh wait, no he didn't.
Chapter 6 – Impossible choice
Leia and Han remained as they were for hours. Somewhere in between Han carried Leia to her bunk. Then he sat down by her side, his back against the wall and kept feeling her pulse. They talked. Well Han was the one who talked mostly. He didn't know what he could even talk about. War was out of question since it wasn't really a relaxing topic, and he also couldn't describe her a TIE fighter's engine since he needed her awake. After quick consideration he decided to talk about himself.
He knew he would never forget the expression on Leia's face when he announced his topic with words: ""Well honey, what you are dealing with here is a hundred percent Corellian…"
At first he didn't know how much he should tell her. Not because he was afraid Leia would reveal any of this, but because he didn't know how his memories, intentionally pushed to the background of his mind, would affect him. So he kept a safe distance and skipped his childhood about which he really didn't want to speak of. Han ended up telling Leia about his training at the Imperial academy and about people he met there, friends he made and friends he lost in this war.
"The training really was a rough thing. Physical exercises were hard, no doubt on that. I remember this one guy that was beaten to his death when he couldn't run any more and stopped after several hours of training. But I think the hardest was the humiliation. Commanders and colonels yelled at us for no particular reason. They called us names, they insulted us and we had to go trough this same routine day after day."
"Tell me Commander, do you want me to feel sorry for you?" asked Leia quietly.
"Why on Naboo, would I want that?" asked Han insulted and shocked at the same time.
"Why are you telling me this then?"
"I don't know why… Damn your Highness what kind of question is that. I don't know why. Maybe I just wanted to show you that nothing is just black and white, or wrong and right for that matter." Here we go again, thought Han, it's always about war when we talk.
"Empire is what is wrong." said Leia and pointed out: "And you work for it."
"You worked for it too, your Worshipfulness." Said Han and accusingly pointed finger at her.
"I do it for the people, Commander. I work in the Imperial Senate, to protect the rights they still have."
"Worked" Han corrected her.
"Worked?" asked Leia with a puzzled expression on her face.
"Yes worked. And how do you know I don't work for people to?"
"What do you mean when you use a past tense?"
"You don't know, do ya?" asked Han inspecting Leia's face. He had her full attention now. "Emperor has dissolved Imperial Senate permanently."
"What? That can't be… he couldn't have." spoke Leia not quite believing Han's words. She lifted her body a bit, supporting her weight with elbows and said: "Please Han, tell me this isn't true."
Han only shook his head.
Leia laid back down and gazed at the ceiling above her. The fact the she wasn't a senator anymore or that she had just lost her diplomatic immunity didn't really matter to her. What she really feared was the Emperor. From this day forth he will be able to do anything he wanted and no one could protect his victims. In that moment Leia realized that the last pillar of the Old Republic was ruined.
"This is how liberty dies" she whispered quietly. "Because of your Empire."
"You can't blame me. I don't stand for all its actions." Spoke Han defensively.
"You made your choice when you joined the Empire."
"A choice" snorted Han
"Yes you had a choice, everybody has a choice."
"What if one has no choice?" asked Han. "What if one has to choose between his duty and what is right?"
"I don't know" said Leia and paused. She studied Commander's face for what seemed like eternity. "Then I guess one should do what his duty is and hope it is the right thing to do."
Han was silent. He had been given his orders and these orders had to be completed. It was almost impossible to decide, but he had made his choice.
"You're an Imperial. Surely your superiors must have told you what is right, when you received your brainwashing." spoke Leia with derision.
"Is it really necessary to be unkind? You know, I'm most certainly not one of your servants your High and Mightiness, so don't boss me around like one." said Han angrily.
"You're right. I shouldn't have acted this way."
"Apology accepted."
"I wasn't apologizing"
"Well in that case," said Han "I guess I'll have to go." He stood up and started to go, but stopped and turned back to her.
Even though Leia desperately wanted him to stay she didn't say a word. She was scared, more scared that she was ready to admit, but wouldn't admit that she wanted Han to stay either. She bit her lip and Han noticed that. He raised his eyebrows and waited.
Leia knew that he wanted her to ask him to stay. She feared he would leave, but she didn't know if she could live knowing she had swollen her pride because of that fear.
"Yeah I guess so." she said finally and stared at Han's disappointed face with defiance.
He looked at her. He admired her strong spirit and her rebellious nature. He looked down and tried not to regret his decision more than he already did.
She observed him as he left, wishing him to stop, wishing him to stay. And as the door closed behind him Leia thought with dread who would be the next to enter. What she didn't know was that the man she should fear the most just left her cell.
So as you might or might not have noticed this story basically follows the movie. The difference is that Han is an Imperial which of course causes some changes that might get drastic in later chapters. During the events that I have described in my fanficiton, R2 and 3PO are on their way, etc. All will be described in later chapters.
And now a tip: In next chapter a ship that we always connect with Han Solo will enter our story.
Now don't be lazy and leave a comment.