Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, again. But also, to whichever reviewers it applies, please don't review to ask me if I'm going to "update any time this millennium," to quote one. I know I've mentioned this to certain people, but now I'm going to say it to all: I have a life, and I'm not going to drop everything just to rush out a chapter for you folks. I appreciate your patience with me, and please know that I don't get to write as often as I'd like to. I have priorities. I'm sorry, but writing stories that I'm not getting paid to write simply must take a back burner. And then my computer crashed for two weeks – be grateful I didn't lose the parts of the chapter that I had written along with my outline for the entire story, or it would have taken even longer. And then FF wouldn't let me log in. Plus, chapters like this, with lots of script, are difficult to write. It's not easy trying to make old material feel fresh and new.

Also, my stories will never be abandoned. Ever. It may take a while to get to the finish line, but I will get there. Be patient. It's a virtue, you know.

Not to say that I mind a line like "Can't wait for the next chapter" or "Hope you update soon" or "Don't leave us hanging too long" in a review, but please, no reviews specifically sent in to comment on my lack of speedy updates.

And to everyone else, I apologize for the rant. On with the story.

Chapter Twenty-One: Pain

I wasn't really paying attention to where the troopers were taking us. Now that I knew we would be going with Vader, I was trying to figure out how to convince him to help me rescue Han and to not kill Chewie and Lando . . . well, not Chewie, anyway.

Lando, well . . . best not go there right now.

And then our little group stumbled to a halt, and I jerked myself out of my plots to see Lando's aide and a dozen or so guards pointing weapons at our captors, who were a little less than prepared to meet them.

Well, well, well. Looked like Vader was going to have to step up their training. My lips twisted with irony as Lobot shoved one of their blasters into my hands.

Lando took one from his aide, too. "Well done," he told the group. "Hold them in the security tower – and keep it quiet. Move."

The troopers were marched away without another word. Lando turned to Chewie and began picking at the bindings around the Wookiee's wrists.

"What do you think you're doing?" I snarled at Lando, furious at having my half-formed plans ruined.

"We're getting out of here," he replied.

"I knew it all along," Threepio piped up from Chewie's back. "Had to be a mistake."

And then Chewie was free, and just about as impressed as I was. His large, hand-like paws were around Lando's neck in an instant, forcing him to his knees as he tried to twist free of Chewie's iron grip.

"Do you think that after what you did to Han we're going to trust you?"I hissed, focusing only on one reason for my ire.

"I had no choice . . ." Lando gasped. Chewie barked angrily at him.

"What are you doing?!" Threepio squawked. "Trust him! Trust him!"

I ignored that stupid droid. "Oh, we understand, don't we, Chewie? He had no choice!"

"I'm just trying to help . . ." Lando whined with what little air he had left.

Force, but I hate whiny men. "We don't need any of your help."

"Ha-a-a-a . . ." Lando gasped.

"What?" I snapped impatiently.

"Ha-a-a-a-a-a-a . . ."

"It sounds like Han," Threepio said helpfully.

Chewie eased to pressure on Lando's throat just enough for him to say what he wanted to say. "There's still a chance to save Han . . . I mean, at the East Platform . . ."

"Chewie." I said – and that was all I needed to say. He let Lando go, and we raced down the hall, leaving Lando to breathlessly stagger after us.

"I'm terribly sorry about all this," Threepio told Lando as we ran. "After all, he's only a Wookiee."

I wasn't sure how long we were running for when I saw Artoo. I simply dashed past him, knowing the little droid would follow us. Threepio, however, started yammering to him, and I wished desperately for a short circuit in his verbal systems.

Finally, finally we got to the landing platform –

– but not soon enough. Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched Boba Fett's ship fly away.

"Oh no! They're behind you!" Threepio yelled suddenly. I was about to ignore him, as I had been doing, but a blaster bolt exploded beside me, too close to comfort, and I went into action. Chewie and I covered each other as we shot at the troopers.

The violence overcame me, and I found myself fighting with a ferocity I had never experienced before. Every trooper that fell beneath our fire gave me a grim sort of pleasure. It felt almost like a trance, one that was only broken by Lando's cries about the elevator. We dashed aboard, and the door closed just before the stormtroopers reached us.

Once we were on the level that Han, Chewie and I had entered the city on so long ago, we ran headlong for the Falcon, no longer intent on revenge but on escaping with our lives. However, the door to the landing platform shut in our faces. With troopers behind us, we were effectively trapped.

Chewie returned fire. I glared at Lando, who was frantically fiddling with the control panel.

"The security codes have been changed!" he told me desperately.

"Artoo, you can tell the computer to override the security system," Threepio supplied helpfully, sounding calmer than he had since I couldn't remember when.

Artoo dutifully plugged in while Lando sent out a public announcement to the citizens of the city to warn them of the situation. Brownie points for the moron.

Suddenly Artoo went up in smoke. He shot back from the terminal, wailing and screaming like there was no tomorrow – which there very well might not be, if we didn't get out of here soon. I gave the little droid a glance, but he was still grumbling, which I took to mean he was fine. I knew from experience that astromechs are extraordinarily tough. Artoo and Threepio started arguing again; I ignored them as Lando led us down another hallway.

The now-panicked residents of Cloud City were falling over themselves – and us – in their attempts to leave. We managed to get to the landing platform relatively unscathed, randomly shooting over our shoulders in the general direction of the troopers. We managed to get up the ramp, seal ourselves safely inside the ship, and take off. I sagged into the chair next to Chewie – Han's chair. I watched the sky grow closer –

And then I heard it. I heard him call my name.

Leia.

Leia. Hear me.

I sat up. "Luke . . ." I whirled to Chewie. "We have to go back!"

"What?" Lando exclaimed in disbelief. Chewie growled the same question.

"I know where Luke is," I told Chewie, a hint of pleading and desperation creeping into my voice.

"But what about those fighters?" Lando objected.

"Chewie, just do it," I said, the pleading replaced with demand.

"But what about Vader?" Lando continued.

I nearly laughed in his face, but Chewie saved me by snarling at him.

Lando backed off, and I smirked to myself. Princess one, Idiot zero.

"Go under," I instructed Chewie.

We circled back and dove underneath the city. I was on the edge of my seat, craning my neck trying to see Luke. I didn't understand the pain I was feeling or how I knew Luke was, or how I had managed to hear him over a distance . . . but Luke was Force-sensitive, as was Vader, and I could hear Vader over distances . . . or I thought I could . . . maybe I was just going crazy! But some thing deep inside told me I was saner than ever.

Lando saw him first, much to my chagrin. "Look, someone's up there!" he called out to us, pointing out a side window.

I ran over to look. A single glance told me all I needed to know. "It's Luke. Chewie, slow down. Slow down and we'll get under him. Lando, open the top hatch." As I gave the orders, I never tore my eyes from Luke's form.

Why is he hanging upside down?

"Okay. Easy, Chewie."

The ship slowed until we were hovering on the spot. I gave it a second, then impatiently switched on the ship's comm. "Lando?" I asked anxiously.

"Okay," he replied, the intercom adding a tinny quality to his voice. "Let's go."

We fled away from the city, and then Lando led Luke though the door of the cockpit. I flew at him and pulled him into my arms. He sagged against me, exhausted and trembling.

"Leia," Luke gasped.

I gently started toward the door he had just come in. He needed to lie down.

Out in the hallway of the ship, I paused to readjust my grip on Luke, putting one arm around his waist and grabbing his arm with the other. As soon as I touched it, he jerked his arm away from me.

And then I saw it. His hand.

Or rather, his lack of a hand.

"Oh, Luke . . . what happened?!" I gasped in shock and pity.

He wouldn't look at me. "Vader," he muttered, swaying in my arms.

I couldn't believe it. Vader had . . . had . . . his own son! I blinked rapidly and shook my head, trying to hold back tears and accept the information I'd just heard at the same time.

I let his arm go, and he immediately curled it back up against his chest. I put my newly-free hand on his stomach instead and led him to the bunks. I helped him lie down, then went to get the medical kit, already trying to figure out ways to kill Vader in my head.

I still . . . it was just too much. I knew Vader was evil, and I'd seen him in all his terrifyingly cruel glory before, but this . . . this was beyond cruel. It was beyond human.

I couldn't believe I'd actually started to trust him. How could a person be willing to harm their own child like this? It was . . . I couldn't find the words to describe it. All I had was a sick, sinking feeling in my stomach and a vicious desire to snap Vader's neck with my bare hands.

I wrapped Luke's arm in a protective cuff until we could get him proper medical attention, and ordered Chewie to seek out the closest Alliance medical frigate. I wanted to stay by Luke's side constantly, but I soon had to leave when the constant firing of enemy fighters became even more intense.

"I'll be back," I told him with a soft kiss, and left the room, feeling his gaze on my back as I went. Every step away from him was harder, but I forced my feet forward until I was standing behind Lando and Chewie in the cockpit.

"Star Destroyers," I murmured unnecessarily. They did, after all, have eyes.

"Alright, Chewie," Lando told the Woookiee. "Ready for lightspeed."

I glared at him. "If your people fixed the hyperdrive." A green light on the control panel flashed on. "All the coordinates are set. It's now or never."

Chewie barked, nodding his head vigorously.

"Punch it!" Lando called.

Chewie pulled back the lightspeed throttle and the ion engine began to wind up. And then . . . nothing happened.

Chewie howled. I closed my eyes in exhaustion, too tired to be angry.

"They told me they fixed it!" Lando cried. "I trusted them to fix it! It's not my fault!"

Chewie just snarled and stormed out, his intentions to try to fix the hyperdrive again clear as tools clattered and banged around the engine room. I slid into the empty seat, not so much as looking at Lando.

After a few moments of tense and awkward silence, something in the control panel blew up, showering us with sparks. A wave of despair hit me as we both jumped to attention and desperately searched for the source of the commotion.

"Chewie!" Lando called over the intercom.

And then Luke was there, clutching at the stump of his hand. I went to him immediately and was about to tell him to go lie down again, but he got his mouth open first.

"It's Vader," he said despairingly, swaying on his feet. "Ben . . . why didn't you tell me?"

I wasn't sure what he meant by that question, but the agony in his voice was enough to snap me out of my apathy – mostly because it made me furious with Vader all over again.

All of a sudden, we were thrown around like rag dolls as the ship shot into hyperspace. I sagged into the seat, breathing a sigh of relief; my priority right now was to get Luke as far away from Vader as possible.

One look into Luke's haunted eyes, however, convinced me that the Dark Lord and I would be having a little chat in the near future.

And this time, I would not be letting him walk all over me.

No, my days of listening to Vader were over. A new era had begun.

The age of the Dark Lord of the Sith had ended, and the age of Leia Organa had begun.