I like how this chapter turned out. We're getting into the exciting stuff now! I can't wait!
DISCLAIMER: No claim shall be made towards the Wars of the Stars.
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Are you sure we need all this water, Luke?" Leia asked, carrying yet another gallon of water on board the Falcon.
"Definitely," he assured her. "If we get caught in a sandstorm then we can't travel to Anchorhead to purchase some from the local farmers."
"Wouldn't Ben have a Vaporator?" Mara asked, following Leia back down the ramp to retrieve another gallon.
"Theoretically, yes," Luke nodded, walking up the ramp. "But who knows what's happened in the last four years to his property. For all I know, the Raiders have ransacked the place."
"That's the last of it, Luke!" Leia called up the ramp as Luke passed the Gallon to Chewie, who was positioned in the Smuggling Hold.
"Alright!" Luke yelled back. Chewie growled out thankfully and Luke cracked a grin. Mara walked up the ramp to examine the holds and let out a low whistle.
"I am not looking forward to unloading this into Kenobi's hut," she shook her head. Luke wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer, placing a kiss on the side of her head.
"It'll be alright," he said. "This will be the easy part."
"I know," she nodded and leaned her head on his chest. Chewie crawled out of the hold and replaced the floor board. He growled out a question to Luke.
"Yeah, we'll leave in a few minutes," he nodded. "We're just waiting on Leia. She's getting her work in order for while she's gone."
Chewie nodded and headed towards the engine room to do a last minute check up. Always a must with the Falcon.
Leia came jogging up the ramp at that moment, slightly winded with her final satchel secured on her back. She grinned sheepishly at Luke as she passed, headed for the Captain's Cabin with her things. Luke and Mara had the only other crew cabin after Chewie.
"Guess it's showtime," Mara murmured and pulled out of the embrace. She gave a weak smile to Luke and headed for the cockpit to warm up the thrusters. He headed back towards the engine room to alert Chewie when he ran into Leia.
"Are we ready to leave?" she asked, caught slightly off guard by Luke's sudden appearance.
"Yeah, Mara is warming things up now," he answered. Leia bit her lip nervously. "Is everything alright?"
Leia snapped her eyes to his and sighed. "I don't have clearance to leave."
"What? But I thought you said...?"
"I lied. Mon Mothma doesn't want me to go," she admitted. "She pulled the Alderaan card on me to get me to stay."
Luke swelled with slight anger towards the Alliance leader. "She what?"
"It doesn't matter," Leia shook her head. "I just need to get off the ground sooner rather than later. I'd rather not be around when Mon Checks her Datapad and finds my message."
"Saying that you'll be back later regardless of the consequences?"
"The one and only," she sighed. The ship shuddered under them slightly as the engines came to life and Chewie passed them on his way to assist Mara in the cockpit.
"We better head up there," Luke sighed. "Are you sure you want to do this? You could be risking your status in the Alliance."
"I've given up too much for the Rebellion," Leia said firmly. "It's time I gave the Rebellion up for me."
Luke smiled and wrapped an arm around Leia's shoulders. "Glad to hear that, Organa."
She grinned up at Luke and let him lead her to the cockpit of the Falcon. They slid into the back seats, and Leia began imputing the coordinates for Bespin.
"Alright, Chewie," Mara said, "let's get out of here. Luke, contact Flight Control and get them to clear us."
He nodded and opened the comm.
"Flight Control, this is the Falcon, requesting clearance for departure."
"Falcon, this is Flight Control," the operator stated. "Please state the passengers and planned return."
"Passengers?" Mara asked. "That's not standard procedure."
"Oh no," Leia groaned quietly. "I'm not here."
"There are three of us, and two droids," Luke replied. "Mara Jade, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker. Estimated return is within a month."
"Falcon, you are cleared for take off, shields are down."
"Alright, let's hit this," Mara said and Chewie raised the ship up and through the atmospheric barrier and out into space. "Are the coordinates ready?"
"Navi-Computer is set," Leia replied.
"Okay, activating hyperdrive," she said, and pushed up on the lever. The stars in front of them blurred into streaks and a jolt was felt through the ship as it hit light speed. The swirling blue of Hyperspace was visible in the view port and they relaxed against their seats.
"How long 'till we get there?" Luke asked and Leia glanced at the computer.
"About two hours," she said.
"Are we leaving as soon as the ships are secured or are we waiting a day?" Mara asked.
"I vote we leave as soon as possible," Luke said. "Less time on the ground, the less time Vader can track us."
Chewie growled out in agreement.
"Then it's settled," Leia nodded. She stood and left the cabin, and the droids' bickering could be heard briefly in the distance. Chewie growled out that he would be turning in as well and left Luke and Mara alone in the cockpit.
Luke stood and took Chewie's seat and leaned back lazily.
"Just you and me now," he flirted and Mara rolled her eyes.
"You're horrible," she said.
"What? Can't I make friendly conversation?" he asked innocently.
"Luke, every time we're alone, you are always up to something nefarious. And may I remind you that Han might not take too lightly to knowing what you plan to do in his ship."
"Okay, who said we'd ever tell him, and also, who says he wouldn't high five me?" Luke laughed. Mara rolled her eyes again.
"I'm not doing anything with you in this ship. Anyone can hear us, especially in here where anyone can walk in."
"We can lock the door."
"No."
He laughed and sat up. "I honestly wasn't thinking about that to begin with," he shrugged. "You're the one who thought of it first."
"Likely story," she teased, a hint of a smile pulling at her lips. She stood up and started to leave when Luke swiped out an arm and caught her waist, pulling her down on his lap.
"Farmboy!" she squeaked out as she fell. She slapped him on the chest as she regained her barrings. "This is not helping your case! You shouldn't-"
He cut her off with a kiss which she promptly melted into. She moaned slightly against his lips and pressed herself closer to his chest.
"Maybe we could lock the door," she whispered and Luke let out a throaty chuckle.
"I locked it before our conversation started," he told her with a grin.
"What would Master Yoda say about your use of the Force?" she teased and he laughed and kissed her again, his fingers playing with the hem of her shirt.
"Personally, I'd rather not think about Master Yoda right now..."
Leia leaned up against the wall of the compound with her arms crossed as she watched Luke and Mara interrogate the flight deck attendant. The attendant pointed off towards one of the round structures that made up the architecture of Cloud City and Luke nodded and thanked him before turning back towards Chewie, Leia and the droids.
"Okay," he said upon reaching them. "That guy said any ships not moved within a week get impounded and sent to a Hangar a few blocks over. We still might be able to get the ships back, but there will probably be a hefty charge. Imperial Credits only. Apparently the Empire has this place under control now."
"I gathered from the troopers," Leia said dryly. They, with the exception of Chewbacca, were wearing clothes typical of that of Cloud City to blend in better.
"Let's keep moving," Mara suggested, pulling a hood over her head.
"I heartily agree," Threepio commented, following the group quickly with Artoo. They left the buildings and into the humid air that made up the city. The streets were rather empty, many people fleeing the compound upon the arrival of the Empire nearly seven months ago.
"I don't like this," Leia said. "Something is off here."
Luke glanced around, wondering if someone had recognized them or was tailing them.
"I gotta agree with the Princess, Luke," Mara murmured.
"Let's just hurry up," he said. "Chewie, why don't you take the droids back to the Falcon and keep the engine warm, just in case."
Chewie nodded and Threepio and Artoo followed the Wookiee, for once in silence.
Leia tugged at her cream colored hood and pulled it tighter around her face. They were risking a lot by returning. They found the Hangar the Attendant had directed them too and went inside.
"Where is everyone?" She asked aloud. The room was eerily silent with rows of various ships lined along the wall. Everything from freighters to star fighters were displayed, and at the very end laid the two X-Wings.
"Can I help you?" a middle aged man asked, coming in from a door behind a desk and a Holo-Terminal.
"We're looking to pick up the two X-Wings you have down there," Luke said, pulling back the hood of his robes and stepping forward.
The man gave them a slight smirk. "Been waiting for you folks to show up," he nodded. "Was worried you wouldn't return."
"How much are the fees?" Luke asked.
"Well," the man sighed, looking in one of the drawers of his desk. "Lord Vader says you alive." The man stood up abruptly and pointed his blaster at them, holding steady.
Luke, Mara and Leia reacted instantly, pointing their own blasters back at the man.
"You Rebels sure are a tricky bunch," the man laughed. "I called back-up a few moments ago. The Empire will reward me well for turning you three in."
"You won't escape with your life," Leia hissed. "The Empire won't keep you around for long."
"Kept me around so far," he shrugged. At that moment the doors at either end of the Hangar flew open and ten troopers on either side flooded into the room, marching forward.
"Set for Stun," the Commander said. "Lord Vader wants them alive!"
Luke shot off a stun blast of his own and took out the man that betrayed them before turning and throwing a heavy Force Push at the closest squad of troopers and knocking them unconscious. The three Rebels darted towards the ships and hid among them for cover while firing back blaster bolts.
"The ships are at the other end of the Hangar," Luke said. "We need to get down there!"
"Leia, comm Chewie, tell him to bring the Falcon over," Mara said. "We can't take you out in the X-Wings."
"Right," Leia nodded and called Chewie.
"Kriff this," Mara grunted and re-holstered her blaster and pulling out her lightsaber. She ignited the crimson blade and stepped out slightly from their cover, deflecting the blaster bolts perfectly. She took out half the troops in a fraction of the time as before and was able to clear the way for them to move closer.
"Luke, see if you can run up behind them and surprise them," she called back and Luke darted along the backs of the ship. A few moments later she heard a few clones cry out before Luke pushed them out of their own cover and in front of Mara. She rushed forward and with minimal swipes of her blade took out the last troops.
"Chewie's here!" Leia called. "We'll meet you in the Dune Sea!"
"Be careful!" Luke called back and used a small Force enhanced jump up to the wing of his ship. Mara did the same and soon they were powering up their ships. Leia ran out of the hanger and towards the Falcon.
"The Falcon just hit Light speed," Luke said across the comm, feeling Leia's presence disappear.
"Let's join them," she said, and they lifted off, flying out of the Hangar behind one another.
The screeching roar of Twin Ion Engines sounded behind them and Mara cursed.
"TIE's," she hissed.
"I see them," Luke said. "Play bait, I'll see if I can get behind them."
"Roger," she said, pulling away and back towards the planet. Sure enough, two out of the three TIE's that had appeared on their scanners followed her out and with a simple maneuver, Luke took out the TIE following him. He dove down after Mara and hit the first unsuspecting Clone Pilot directly and he exploded into twisted melted shrapnel.
The second one evaded him and Luke only managed to clip it's wing. It spiraled away from Mara before crashing into an air speeder below. He winced at the innocent life lost before focusing back on the present.
"Let's head to Tatooine," he said.
"First time I'll ever be glad to be heading there," Mara joked and led the way out of the atmosphere.
"See you in four hours," Luke said.
"May the Force be with you," she said.
"You too," he said. "Love you."
"Always," she replied simply before pushing up on the lever and lurching her ship into the swirling blue of hyperspace.
Well, that was fun! Little Imperial Entanglement. We'll have a couple of chapters now in Tatooine before we get to Jabba's Palace. This story is winding down, but we still have alot left to cover. Looks like this will take me all the way to the start of school. Kinda fun since I started writing the last week of school...
NEXT CHAPTER: Arrival in the Dune Sea and Ben Kenobi's Hovel...