Chapter 6 – First Encounters

Ashla Fett had been locked in the detention cell for at least a day. She still couldn't get over the fact that she had been so close to completing her mission. She had Han Solo stuck on Hoth, and she could have called Boba Fett by then if she hadn't let herself get captured. In the bounty hunting business, one of the worst mistakes one could make was losing one's prey from right under one's nose. Of course, if that Luke Skywalker really was who Ashla suspected, he would fetch a handsome price from the Empire. She couldn't be sure, however, until she met him face-to-face.

The following morning, someone came to Ashla's cell. She had been expecting the guards who brought her food and drink, so she was surprised when a Gran walked in. More specifically, it was the Gran who had captured her. Now that she looked at him properly, Ashla noticed that he was very thin and tall for his species, he wore a standard Alliance-issued uniform decorated with several medals, and the complexion of his face suggested an approximate age of forty.

The cell door slid shut behind the Gran and he stood with his hands behind his back, suggesting a regal or extravagant air about him. Ashla counted the number of medals on his uniform and deduced that he was a commander. "So," he began in a nasally voice, "you are the Imperial spy who infiltrated Echo Base."

"I am not an Imperial spy," stated Ashla. "I am a bounty hunter. My name is Ashla Fett. Boba Fett is my partner."

"Were you hired by Darth Vader? Or one of the Moffs?"

Ashla shook her head in disgust. As if anyone would want to work for those Imperial sleemos. She didn't relay this thought to the Gran, however. She had a feeling that expressing discontent toward the rebels' enemies would only sound like a lie. "I was hired by Jabba the Hutt to track down Han Solo. Jabba has been waiting for Solo to reimburse him for dumping a spice…"

"We know all about Solo," interrupted the Gran. "He's a petty smuggler who's only allowed to stay because he did two good deeds for the Alliance. But I know what his game is; he's gleaning information to try to sell to his gangster employers, or perhaps to the Empire itself. Then they will come and destroy us, and Solo will be rewarded with all the wealth and power for which his filthy heart lusts. Many times I have voiced my concern to the rest of the Alliance leaders, but they refute me time and time again."

Ashla was interested. From what she had heard from him, the Gran seemed to be pompous, dignified, analytical, and antipathetic. She had seen his type before. He was a being who acted only to fulfill his own interests, disregarding the people around him. Perhaps she could use him to capture Solo or even Skywalker. He would be hard to win over, but the promise of what he wanted most would eventually sway him. "In that case, it seems that we have something in common, Commander…"

"Dain," the Gran finished. "My name is Don Dain. I have served in the Rebel Alliance since its inception. I was awarded these medals for intelligence and bravery. I detest unnecessary fighting, preferring to accomplish my ends by means of a systematic and discrete approach. It is my ultimate goal to see the Empire's downfall and aid in the formation of a new Galactic Republic, stronger and less corrupt than the previous."

Ashla suppressed a grin. His response to her prompt confirmed her suspicions. Dain appeared to be extremely devoted to the rebels' cause, and he was praised for being well-learned in military and diplomatic customs. But Ashla could tell that he didn't care as much about the Rebellion as he did himself. He had his own reasons for joining the Rebellion, and they didn't include restoring freedom to thousands of star systems throughout the galaxy. She could persuade him to help her in her mission if she used the correct words.

"I am well aware of the corruption of the Old Republic," Ashla stated. "That's why I decided to become a bounty hunter. Unfortunately, since the Empire took control of everything, the demand for people of my specialty has been in decline. Jobs are hard to come by these days, and the ones who are hiring the most often work for the Empire. And very few of us would dare to take those jobs. That's why it's so important that we capture Solo. If we take him to Jabba, he won't be able to cause any more trouble for anyone."

If Dain had eyebrows, Ashla was sure he would have raised one. "What exactly do you propose to do about it? If you think that I am just going to release you…"

"That won't even be necessary," said Ashla. "If you simply provided me with a means of communication, I could contact Boba and he could capture Solo. No one would ever have to know that you were involved."

Dain laughed. "And I am supposed to believe that after your friend turns Solo over to the Hutt, Boba won't reveal the location of the rebel base? Or that Solo won't spill his guts to Jabba in exchange for exoneration?"

"I know Boba well. He wouldn't give information to anyone unless they specifically came to him offering a reward for it. Otherwise, they would suspect him of treachery and end his career. And even if Solo does tell Jabba everything he knows, Jabba would still want monetary compensation and punish Solo anyway. He doesn't have any dealings with the Empire because of the illegality of his business. Also, he doesn't employ anyone affiliated with the Empire for fear that he would lose his best customers to fear or arrest. And, as for me, I do not get involved with the Empire either. I am actually wanted by the Empire for associating with its enemies. If I gave information to the Empire, I would be arrested or even executed. I can guarantee that your Rebellion's secrets are safe."

Dain paused for a moment and looked as though he was considering Ashla's proposition. Perhaps she had succeeded. Perhaps he would help her after all. But, to her disappointment, he answered, "As generous as your offer sounds, I have learned long ago not to trust bounty hunters. I'm afraid I will have to pass." Ashla was disappointed, perhaps even angry. She had been so close to completing her mission, and she had failed again. Dain began to pace, deep in thought. After another moment, he pointed out, "You said that you were wanted for associating with its enemies. Who are these enemies?"

For the first time in years, Ashla had been caught off-guard by a question. She wasn't sure whether or not she should answer. She wanted to cooperate under interrogation, but could she trust that Dain wouldn't come to the wrong conclusion if she told him? And if he told the other rebel leaders, would they come to the wrong conclusion as well? She decided that cooperation was her best chance for freedom, so she gave her answer. "Jedi."

Dain's eyes narrowed and his mouth formed what would have been a sneer on a human's face. "Jedi. Of course. Those devils were nothing but trouble. I knew that they would bring the Republic's downfall, and they received their just punishment." Ashla pursed her lips to prevent herself from yelling in outrage to Dain's accusations. "Everyone in the Alliance believes that the Jedi were saviors, and that they were framed for the Emperor's crimes. But I know better. I know the true ambitions of the Jedi. Their peace-loving nonsense was a cloak to hide their inner darkness."

As much as Ashla wanted to deny everything Dain had just said, she was more focused on the new side of him that she had just discovered. He was holding resentment toward the Jedi. For any number of unknown reasons, he hated the Jedi. Ashla wondered if she could use this new development to convince him to help her capture Luke Skywalker. "So, I take it you don't like Luke Skywalker?" Dain froze in mid-step, not even turning to face Ashla. She continued, "I heard him and Solo talking, and they mentioned something about Skywalker being a Jedi."

Dain whirled around to confront Ashla, and he yelled, "That is none of your business! What happens between me and that Skywalker is none of your concern!"

Ashla began, "But if there's no one to train him, how can he be a threat? Do you not like that he said that his father was…"

Dain interrupted her once more. "You dare to question me? On a matter of my own personal feelings? This interrogation is over!" As he walked toward the cell door, he added, "And I don't want to hear you say any more about the Jedi, or Skywalker, or his father!" With those final words, he left the cell fuming, leaving Ashla puzzled.

Why did Dain become so angry at the mention of Luke's name? What did Luke do to him? Then, it occurred to her; maybe it wasn't Luke's name that set him off; maybe it was Anakin's. Did Dain know Anakin? If so, Ashla was almost positive that Luke was Anakin's son. Now she had to decide whether or not she should capture the boy and betray her old friend.

"Are you sure about this, Luke?" asked Leia Organa. "You realize that she was spying on you."

"I know," replied Luke Skywalker. "But I just have this feeling that I should talk to Ashla Fett."

Luke and Leia were walking through the icy hallways of Echo Base. Ever since Ashla Fett had been captured, the rebel base was teeming with worry. The rebels were afraid that she had been sent by the Empire, and that they now knew where the base was. If so, then they were all in danger. It was Leia's responsibility to help calm the rebels and restore order to the base. Leia was especially worried that Ashla had overheard Luke talking about being a Jedi. He was still Imperial Enemy Number One, and if Ashla told the Empire about him, the rebels could be expecting a visit from Darth Vader and the Imperial Army.

Leia continued, "I strongly disagree, Luke. If she knows about you, then I think it would be best that you stay away from her until we figure out what to do."

"She's not going to hurt me. I don't care what Commander Dain says. I don't trust him at all."

"Luke, don't say that. Don Dain has been one of our strongest leaders for years. I realize that he won't tell anyone about his past, and I know that he treats you coldly, but that's the way people are sometimes. You just have to learn to live with them."

Luke wanted to argue further, but he knew that there was no use. Leia trusted Dain, even though Luke did not. Ever since Luke joined the Rebellion, Dain had been doing his best to make Luke feel unwelcome. He frowned whenever they passed each other, he refuted Luke's input at command meetings, and he claimed that Luke had destroyed the Death Star solely out of luck. He never hesitated to point out that Luke was about to have been destroyed by Darth Vader if Han Solo hadn't damaged Vader's TIE fighter. And, on that note, Dain had more than once petitioned to have Han banished from the Alliance.

Luke changed the subject of his conversation with Leia. "Ashla didn't come here looking for me. She came for Han. She was sent by Jabba the Hutt, not the Empire. I just happened to be here also."

Leia asked, "If she's not here for you, then why do you want to talk to her?"

"I told you, I just have a feeling that it's something I have to do."

Before Leia could respond, a laugh prompted them to turn around. Han Solo was standing in the middle of the hallway. "Let me guess; your Force told you so?"

"Well, maybe," answered Luke. "It's not the first time the Force has talked to me."

"Yeah, well, don't listen to it. I think it's pretty obvious that it's trying to get you killed. Because that's what usually happens when people get involved with Ashla Fett. She's the worst of the worst. She holds one of the highest bounty hunting records. She's smart, skilled, devious, and dangerous." Han put his arm around Luke and said, "Take my advice, kid; stay away from her. She's a bad girl."

Luke shrugged Han's arm away and replied, "I don't care. I want to talk to her, no matter what she's done."

Han chuckled and shook his head. "Your funeral."

Leia growled. "Don't you have a ship to fix?"

Han placed his hands on his hips and replied, "As a matter of fact, I do. I need to get out of here before Boba Fett comes. Wherever one Fett is, the other's never far behind." With that, Han strode back toward the hanger.

Once Han was gone, Leia turned to Luke and said, "Alright. If you really want to talk to Ashla, then I'll arrange a meeting."

Luke smiled. "Thank you. Don't worry, if anything happens, the guards will take care of it. Besides, I'll bring my weapons." He began to walk away, glad that he would have this chance. Still, thinking back on what Han and Dain had said, he wondered if it was such a good idea.

The day after her encounter with Don Dain, Ashla was visited by Luke Skywalker. He had come to her, just as she had predicted. She felt a certain chill in her spine, not just because of the cold, but because the moment of truth had arrived. She was about to find out if Luke really was Anakin Skywalker's son. As she surveyed his appearance, Ashla was surprised by how much Luke resembled Anakin. The tousled hair, blue eyes, and even facial expressions were almost identical. "I take it you're Luke Skywalker?" asked Ashla.

Luke nodded. He wasn't smiling, but neither was he frowning. He appeared to be nervous about something. Was it meeting Ashla Fett, a renowned and feared bounty hunter? Or was there something else going on that Ashla didn't know about. He looked over his shoulder to make sure that the two rebel guards were still standing outside of the cell. The white door slid shut, and Luke and Ashla were alone.

Luke knew that the Force had told him to meet with Ashla, but he didn't have any idea why, or even what to say. He started with the simplest question he could think of. "Who are you?" Inwardly, he ridiculed himself for asking that question. He already knew who she was.

Ashla answered anyway. "I'm Ashla Fett, a bounty hunter. Boba Fett is my partner. We were hired by Jabba the Hutt to track down and capture Han Solo."

"How did you track him here?" asked Luke.

Ashla began to recount her tale. "Well, I asked around Mos Eisley and found out he was with the Rebellion. I went to your previous base on Yavin 4 and overheard a recruiter mention this base here on Hoth. So I came here, expecting to find Solo. And I did. I was about to call Boba and tell him to come and help me capture Solo, but…" Ashla trailed off, wondering how to word what happened next. She wanted to find out if Luke was Anakin's son, but she didn't want to give away too much information.

Luke finished for her. "You saw my conversation with him. What did you hear?"

Ashla cleared her throat. "I, uh, I heard Solo say he was mad because you did something to his ship, then you mentioned you could use the Force, and then you talked about a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi and you mentioned that your father was a Jedi. Then I heard Solo mention your name. That's when Commander Dain captured me."

Luke appeared shocked that Ashla had heard so much. He didn't know what to say. As he pondered his next move, he put his hands in his pants pockets. As he did, his jacket shifted slightly. Ashla then noticed something clipped to his belt. It was a grey cylinder, approximately 30 centimeters long, with eight vertical black bars around the base and a rectangular plate protruding from one side near the top. "What is that?" she asked.

Quickly realizing his mistake, Luke pulled his jacket closed and answered, "Nothing."

Suddenly, Ashla lunged at Luke and grabbed the object from his belt. He tried to stop her but she was too fast. Holding the object in her hand, Ashla recognized it as a lightsaber, a weapon commonly used by the Jedi. But it wasn't just any lightsaber; it was Anakin's lightsaber. Ashla pressed the rectangular plate and a blue blade of plasma energy sprang up with a snap-hiss. The blade hummed as Ashla pointed it at the bewildered Luke. "Where did you get this?"

Sternly, Luke commanded, "Give that back. It was given to me by an old friend. It belonged to…"

"Your father?" guessed Ashla. "Anakin Skywalker? He was a Jedi too, wasn't he?"

Luke's mouth hung open in surprise. "How do you know that? Did you know my father?"

Ashla decided not to answer any more personal questions. She had already told Luke too much. All that mattered now was that she had confirmed his identity and knew that he was a Jedi. Now she could call in Boba so they could capture Luke, and possibly Han, together. They could turn Han over to Jabba the Hutt and Luke over to the Empire. They would receive a double bounty, which would be more than enough to build their new life off of. And now that she had Anakin's lightsaber, Ashla had the tool – and the plan – that she needed for her escape. "If you want this back, you will have to let me go."

Luke shook his head. "First, you will answer my questions. Who are you, and how did you know my father?"

"That's no concern of yours. Let me go, or I will hurt you." Even though she meant that last part to be true, Ashla was bluffing. She didn't want to hurt Luke. It would almost be the same as hurting Anakin. And she still wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to capture him. Her instincts told her to do so, but her brain told her that she would be betraying Anakin.

Luke knew that there was no point in trying to change Ashla's mind, so he decided to fight back. He drew his blaster and began firing shots at her. To his surprise however, she twirled Anakin's lightsaber so that it intercepted the path of each bolt. The shots were deflected into the walls, ceiling, and floor, launching bits of snow and ice into the air. In response to hearing the shots being fired, the two rebel guards opened the cell door and prepared to join Luke in firing at Ashla. But she was too quick, and in one stroke, she sheared through the barrels of their blasters. Then, she slashed back and forth across the ceiling, causing snow and ice to rain down on them. While the rebels were distracted, Ashla bolted past them, through the cell door, and into the hallway.

Four more guards rounded a corner and fired their own blasters at Ashla. She flipped the lightsaber in her hand so that she was holding it upside-down and proceeded to deflect the rebels' shots as she ran down the hall. One of the guards activated his comlink and said, "The prisoner is escaping. Set the base on high alert!"

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