Wow, seven chapters... That's a lot for me. I really do like how this story is turning out. It seems like I pick a plot point and focus on getting there to get me through the more stifiling chapters.
Now, a lot of the dialogue falls just like it did in the movie, and I've only changed minor things. As the chapters progress, we'll pull further and further away from the film. Until then, we have chapter seven.
DISCLAIMER: If I had a beard and wore flannel, I may be George Lucas. But since I have breasts and no facial hair, I'm guessing I'm not.
Chapter Seven
The weeks after Mara's interrogation were rough, but eventually it all passed into, well, the past. Lately, the interference the asteroid field surrounding Hoth was causing had grounded all the ships, save for the supply ships. But even those were running thinner and thinner lately. They brought more food and supplies to compensate, but it was a scary time to be on Hoth. Imperial searches and activity was picking up, and the Alliance wasn't sure what to make of it, other than the Emperor and Vader wanted them gone.
The Rogues were getting restless, having never been out of the skies this long since they'd joined up in the Rebellion, and were forced to take on other tasks within the base. The Rogues took up more TaunTaun duty, since their duty was less due to their needed training in the skies.
Mara spent less time with the Tauns than the rest of the Rogues, instead taking up tedious Command Center duty with Leia, whom she now was on a somewhat friendly basis with. It was hard work, and Mara really didn't mind it all that much. She was required to keep track of who came and left the base on TaunTauns, and was also the command center contact for those individuals as well.
Today was just like any other day in Hoth Base since the grounding of the flights, except a storm was coming that needed to be carefully monitored in case it changed course or came in faster than previously predicted.
Mara watched as Luke and Han's Tauns left the base, and monitored their tracking signals carefully. Leia was talking with General Rieekan regarding the next food transport, and what they would do if they came late. Food supplies were relatively low, and rations were being served round the clock.
It was a dark time for the base indeed.
Luke pulled on the Reins of his TaunTaun, effectively slowing the hulking animal. He glanced at the horizon and saw something crash and hit the snow with a heavy impact, throwing snow up into the air. He pulled out his electronic binoculars and examined the crash site and saw nothing. But that didn't quell his curiosity.
He placed the binoculars back on his belt, and activated the comm unit on his wrist.
"Echo Three to Echo Seven," he said. "Han 'o Buddy, do you read me?"
"Loud and clear, Kid," Han replied. "What's up?"
"Well I finished my circle, I don't pick up any life readings," he replied.
"There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser," Han said. "Sensors are placed, I'm goin' back."
"Alright, I'll see you shortly," Luke said. "There's a meteorite that hit the ground, near here. It won't take long."
As soon as he shut off the comm unit, his TaunTaun began acting up, almost trying to buck him off.
"Steady! Steady girl! Hey, what's the matter? You smell something?" he consoled, but almost to answer his question, a huge creature, much larger than he, emerged from it's hiding spot in the snow with a loud growl. He swiped his paw at Luke, knocking him off the TaunTaun and onto the ground, effectively knocking him out.
Mara logged in Han's return to Echo Base for the records, and wondered idly where Luke was. Curious Farmboy is curious, she thought to herself with a sly smile. She saw Leia stiffen next to her and turn, and Mara followed Leia's eyes. Han was in the command center, talking to General Rieekand. He'd been talking a lot lately about leaving to go pay off his debt to Jabba the Hutt, and every time it came up, he and Leia had an argument about it.
Personally, Mara could see the immediate need to pay off the debt to the slug. She didn't think Leia truly knew the gravity of the situation Han was in for letting this debt slide for so long.
"Solo," Rieekand greeted, immersed in his work.
"No sign of life out there, General," Han said. "Sensors are placed. You'll know if anything comes around."
"Commander Skywalker report back in yet?"
"No, he's checking out a meteorite near here," Han told him.
"With all the meteorite activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to detect approaching ships," the General said, covering his worried tone with an air of dignity.
"General, I gotta leave," Han said, changing the subject. "I can't stay anymore."
Mara chanced a glance at Leia and noted the pained look on her face, before she turned and immersed herself in her work again.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," Rieekand said truthfully.
"Yeah, well, I got a price on my head and if I don't pay off Jabba the Hutt I'm a dead man."
"A death mark's not an easy thing to live with," the General said. "You're a good fighter, Solo, I hate to lose you."
Han and the General shook hands, effectively sealing the deal.
"Thank you, General," Han said, and turned to face Leia. "Well, Your Highness, guess this is it."
Leia nodded coolly. "That's right."
Han gritted his teeth slightly and ignored the stab of pain in his chest her words gave him. "Well... Don't get all mushy on me, so long Princess!" Han waved dismissively and left the command center.
Leia gaped a little at his abrupt leave before Mara elbowed her in the thigh. Leia looked down sharply and Mara nodded to the door.
"Go," she said simply, and Leia took off after Han.
The command center watched her leave, their work slowing as they listened to what they expected to be a loud and slightly terrifying fight.
"Han!" Leia called as she left the room. Her voice became muffled by the closing door, and the command center became utterly silent as they struggled to hear the fight.
Snippets of Leia's voice was heard as she yelled at Han. "...We need you!"
"We need... you need?" they heard Han's muffled but low voice.
"I need? I don't know..."
Han said something in reply but his voice was too low to understand. Leia's high voice broke back in again before fading away.
"And what precisely am I suppos..."
The command center struggled for a few more moments to hear the fight until they gave up and resumed their work .
Mara shook her head and communicated with the TaunTaun holding room about not letting anyone else out because of nightfall. As soon as Luke reported in, they would shut the blast doors.
Leia reentered the Command center and huffed back up to Mara.
"Anything new?" she asked, agitated still from her fight with Han.
"No," Mara said, glancing back at the screen. Luke's homing beacon was finally moving again... But in the wrong direction of the base. "Oh no."
"What?" Leia asked, suddenly concerned. Mara leapt out of her chair and started heading for the door while yelling back to Leia.
"Luke is still out there and heading the wrong way. I don't know what's up! I've got to get a team out there after him!" Mara ran out of the room and towards the Hangar Bay. She spotted the Falcon sitting there, while Han angrily shouted at Chewie.
"I'm trying to get us both out of here and you pull both of these apart!" He yelled and Chewie grumbled and started packing up whatever part he was working on.
"Han!" Mara called as she jogged up to him.
"What, Jade? I'm not in the mood," he said angrily, tossing a hydro spanner into a pile of tools.
"Luke hasn't reported in yet!"
"He's checking out the-" Han began before Mara interrupted him.
"His homing Beacon is going in the wrong direction! He's headed into the storm!"
"What?" Han asked, standing up abruptly. "Why would he do that?"
"I don't know! We need to get a search team out there!" she said, and Han took off for the TaunTauns. They arrived into the room, and Mara winced at the smell.
"Graven!" Han called out, and the officer currently in charge of the TaunTauns looked over. "Skywalker reported in yet?"
"Uh, no sir," Graven said, slightly afraid of Han.
"Damn, he's missing, we need a search team, do we have the speeders ready?" Han asked, glancing about.
"Um, no sir, we were having an issue with acclimating them to the cold," Graven answered.
"We'll have to go out on TaunTauns then," Han said and started heading for his designated Taun.
"Sir! It's too cold!" Graven pleaded. "The temperature is dropping too rapidly!"
"That's right and my friend is out in it!" Han said, pointing at the officer before climbing up his Taun.
"Your TaunTaun will freeze before you hit the first marker!" Graven warned as a last ditch effort.
Han situated himself and glanced at the officer. "Then I'll see you in Hell!" He took off into the snow and Mara glanced about.
"Are you guys sending anyone else?" she asked. Graven looked at her, and shook his head.
"It's too dangerous. It's safer to lose one person than to risk a whole team. That storm is coming in too fast."
"You are a wimp, you know that?" Mara told him. "Call the Command Center and find out what General Rieekand's orders are before you decide not to send anyone else!"
Mara stalked off to a TaunTaun in the corner.
"What are you doing?" Graven asked, alarmed.
"What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" she asked before taking off out of the base herself. She followed Han's Force Signature and caught up with him quickly, since he'd stopped to scan the area.
"Pick anything up?" she called over the wind. Han looked back at her surprised.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"What the hell kind of question is that?"
"I guess I'm not surprised," Han shook his head, before climbing back on his TaunTaun. "I'm not getting anything, is there anything you can do with that weird Force thing?"
"Yeah," she nodded, stretching out to try and pick up Luke's signature. She felt it suddenly, and pointed off in the distance. "That way."
"Alright," Han nodded and the two rode off towards the horizon.
Luke was upside down. How he got there, took him a second, but then he saw the creature that had knocked him out in the corner, eating his TaunTaun.
Guess I should be glad I'm dessert, Luke thought sarcastically. He glanced about for a way to get down and spotted his lightsaber wedged in the snow. He tried reaching for it, but it was too far away. He centered himself in the Force, and reached out again, this time, the lightsaber wiggled in the snow.
A roar sounded and Luke knew he needed to work fast. The lightsaber flew to his hand and he activated it and whacked at the ice by his feet, knockin him down.
That was dumb, you almost just cut your feet off. Luke grimaced at the thought and gained his bearings. The creature swiped at him again and this time Luke cut off the creature's arm. He ran out of the cave and out into the now ferocious storm. He cleared the first snowbank, but then tumbled down the other side of it, before getting up and running off into the snow where he thought the base might be located. If he didn't get inside fast, he was a dead man.
Not much to say about this chapter. Next one is Luke's rescues... And Mara and Han's encampment overnight.
Also! I have a Man Code spin off one-shot for this! You can find it on my profile under 'Man Code'. Just the creation of the code that caused so many laughs last chapter! Kinda want to give a shout out to Future ADA for the idea!
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