AN: Just enjoy all! And please R&R
All of a sudden, Ari's blaster flew out of her hand, and landed several feet behind her.
Hand hot, feeling almost burnt, she turned and saw the bounty hunter, Bossk again, who was raising his blaster once more. This time, he wouldn't miss.
Giving a cry of alarm, she froze in fear, until, as if by instinct, she grabbed the lightsaber at her side, and ignited it with a snap/hiss, the blue blade standing out clearly.
Surprised, the bounty hunter paused only a moment before firing.
That second was all Ari needed to reach out and used the Force as Luke had taught her, to see where the shot was going.
Moving the saber, she blocked the shot; glad she had been training so much recently.
Amazed and excited that she could do that, she regripped the saber, staring the large reptilian down as he came out into the open.
"Ari!" Han shouted, starting down the ramp to help her, who had been working on the engines, but he had come to investigate the sounds he had heard.
"No! Take off!" Ari ordered, her tone was that was rarely used, almost harsh in quality.
"But-" Han started to protest. At that same moment, Bossk quickly shot as Han, who was an easy target due to his position.
Leaping out, Ari blocked the shot with a quick flick of her lightsaber, though it had been a little sloppier than before. "Just fly low," Ari told Han.
It took that long for Han to understand what Ari was planning, but when he did, he ran to the cockpit and started the engines.
Upset his prey was getting away, Bossk rushed to the Falcon at an amazing speed.
However, the bounty hunter hadn't planned on the girl who still welding a lightsaber. Ari took on the first defensive position.
There was a face off as the engines kicked in completely and the Falcon took off from the ground, ramp still lowered.
Bossk let out an angry hiss, and with lightening fast moves, kicked the lightsaber out of Ari's hand.
Now, a fear ran through Ari's being. Unarmed, she rushed for the now deactivated saber, as did Bossk.
Flinging herself over it, the girl found herself feeling almost crushed as the bounty hunter pounced on her, pinning her arms, black flat against the ground, one leg on her knees to keep her from being able to kick.
Hissing evilly, his hot stale breath made Ari's stomach churn, even as she fought wildly, fingers moving slowly to get into position to ignite that saber she held in a vice like grip
"Get off!" she shouted. 'Almost there, just a few more centimeters.'
Flicking his tongue at her, Bossk just put another clawed hand over her throat.
Panicked, Ari could slowly feel the breath getting less and less as she struggled for air.
'I am going to die here!' she came to realize, fear running through her.
However, in the Flacon, two smugglers weren't going to let that happen. Seeing what had transpired, Han had given Chewie the controls and rushed to the gun turrets.
Jumping into place, he let out a stream of shots, not close enough to hit the struggling duo, afraid of hitting Ari.
The shots did their job. Bossk leapt back, letting go for Ari completely, attention on the ship.
Coughing as she gasped for air, Ari regripped her saber and ignited it.
The blue beam waved to the Flacon, then motioned to signal the ship to go north, the way Han, Chewie and Ari had just come from.
Chewie saw this and relayed the news to Han as he came back into the cockpit.
"What is she doing?" Han asked, to which Chewie only shrugged as they watched the young human run down the path, feeling flying, and an upset bounty hunter hot on her heels.
Quickly, the hunter and the prey were at the conveyer belt, where the bounty hunter's presence had first been revealed.
Uncertain if was fear, adrenaline, or the Force; Ari accepted the energy to push herself hard.
Needing both hands, she deactivated her saber and clipped it back on her belt as she ran.
The timing was perfect as she reached the moving conveyer belt, where, using the momentum from running, she grabbed onto the edge with her fingers, and pulled herself up onto the conveyer belt.
Scrambling to her feet, she ignited her saber once again in time to deflect a number of shots aimed at her, from the now livid reptilian who was about to clamber after her.
The Force was once again with Ari though, as the Falcon once more appeared, about one hundred yards to her left, ramp lowered, and about three feet above the belt itself.
"Ari!" Han called from where he stood on the ramp.
Not pausing, Ari ran with the movement of the conveyer belt, towards the Falcon, Han and safety. Her saber was once again on her belt.
Thanking she was free of the bounty hunter, Ari took the jump onto the ramp of the Falcon, where Han was ready to help.
In mid-jump, a pain ripped through her left side and she cried out, barely landing on the ramp.
Han made sure she was on, and then pulled off his blaster, shooting a dozen rapid shots at the bounty hunter, who was hit in the leg, fell from the conveyer belt and out of sight.
With the immediate danger over, Han shouted. "Get us out of here, Chewie!" As he knelt beside Ari he started to ask questions. "Are you ok? Is it bad? Do you know how insane that was?" He then helped her stand and get inside, closing the ramp behind them
Ari didn't say anything, one hand, pressed against her side. She gratefully collapsed into a seat around the holographic game board, panting.
Han gently moved her hand to see the wound, inspecting it. "It isn't a paper cut, but you won't even need stitches," he told her, getting out one of the med kits.
"Well, it hurts," Ari winced, hand covering it again.
"I can't believe you took on Bossk!" Han exclaimed.
"And lost," Ari muttered.
"Lost? You lived! He is one of the top bounty hunters!" Han told her, sitting beside her, to take care of the wound.
"I would have died if it wasn't for you and Chewie," Ari told him, slowing pulling back her hand to let him work on the shot.
"And Chewie and I would be in trouble if you hadn't pulled that stunt," Han admitted.
"Well, he-" Ari stopped with a hiss as Han rubbed bacta over the shot.
"Shh...this is going to hurt, but it will help. You should be mended completely in a couple days.
"Thank you," Ari offered a small smile at the smuggler, as he handed her some painkillers, which she took with a small sip of water from a canteen. The fight was starting to take its toll on her, the shot becoming a painful throb, while the cuts, scrapes and bruises were beginning to be felt.
"Come on. We have some bunks, clean warm blankets and all," Han gingerly put an arm around her to lead her down the hall.
"You sure?" Ari asked.
"You need some rest," Hand told her kindly and led her to a small, but mostly clean room, aside from some clothes on the floor. There was a small closet and two beds, one on each side; the one closest to the door was longer than the other.
Pulling back the blankets of the smaller one, Han let Ari lay down, tiredly.
"Wake me up soon?" she managed to ask, the painkillers also making her extremely tired.
"Of course. Wait, Ari, where is the new base?" Han questioned.
"Base?" Ari paused then almost laughed. The whole reason she had went to find Han was to ask him about the planet. "It is on the planet, Hoth..." she murmured.
Han paused, letting the name register. "Hoth? Why in blazes would they go to Hoth?"
There was no answer, through. Ari had fallen fast asleep.