Star Wars: Remix version
Sorry it's been awhile, but I am back and I am planning on hopefully updating once a week.
Chapter Thirty Two: Asteroids
Meanwhile, On Sky's ship, Admiral Piett hesitated in the entryway to Sky's private cubicle. After a moment, he stepped into the room and paused at the surprising sight before him. Dark Sky, his back turned, was silhouetted in the gloom on the far side of the chamber. A black, insectlike droid attended him. Among the various apparatuses surrounding them, a respirator tube now retracted from Sky's uncovered head. The head was bald with a mass of ugly scar tissue covering it. The black droid then lowered the mask and helmet onto Sky's head. When it was in place, the Dark Lord turned to face Piett.
"Yes, Admiral?" Sky enquired.
"Our ships have sighted the Millennium Falcon, lord. But... it has entered an asteroid field and we cannot risk..." Sky cut him off.
"Asteroids do not concern me, Admiral. I want that ship and not excuses" Sky said sternly.
"Yes, lord" Piett replied.
The pirate starship rested in a dark, dripping asteroid cave. It was so dark that the cave's exact dimensions were impossible to determine.
Han and Chewie busily shut down the engine and all electronic systems. Threepio, Padme, Anna and Leia watched worriedly.
"I'm going to shut down everything but the emergency power systems" Han told them.
"Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask, but... does that include shutting me down, too?" Threepio wondered. Chewie barked "yes". But Han thought otherwise.
"No, I need you to talk to the Falcon, find out what's wrong with the hyperdrive" He said. Suddenly, the ship lurched, causing all the loose items in the cockpit to go flying. Chewie howled.
"Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable" Threepio said. Han rolled his eyes.
"Not entirely stable? I'm glad you're here to tell us these things. Chewie, take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive" Han snapped.
"Oh! Sometimes I just don't understand human behavior. After all, I'm only trying to do my job in the most..." The sliding door closed behind the indignant Threepio as Chewie and he moved back to the hold. Suddenly, the ship lurched again, throwing Leia across the cabin into Han's arms. Then, abruptly, the motion stopped as suddenly as it started. With some surprise, Han and Leia realized they were in each other's arms. Leia made no move to get out of Han's arms, she felt safe when he was holding her.
"Are we going to be alright?" She asked. Niether one noticed Padme or Anna slip out of the room.
"Do you trust me?" Han asked.
"Yes" Leia said softly.
"I promise we'll get through this" He said, carressing her cheek. She smiled slightly. Han and Leia stood up and Han gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, before exiting through the door.
Threepio whistled and beeped a strange dialect into the control panel in front of him. The control panel whistled back a few mystifying beeps.
"Oh, where is Artoo when I need him?" Threepio complained. Han entered the hold area and knelt on the floor near the control box.
"Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect. I believe, sir, it says that the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I'm afraid you'll have to replace it" Threepio told the captain.
"Well, of course I'll have to replace it" Han snapped. He handed a wire coil up to Chewie who was working near the ceiling.
"Here! And Chewie..." Chewie brought his head back through the trap door in the ceiling and whined. Han glanced back at Threepio, then spoke quietly to Chewie so only he could hear."... I think we'd better replace the negative power coupling"
Leia finished welding the valves she had been working on and attempted to reengage the system by pulling a lever attached to the valve. It didn't budge. Han entered and noticed her struggle, and moved to help her. She let go of the lever and rubbed her sore hand, expecting him to take over. Instead Han took her hand and started to massage it.
"My hands are dirty" She said, smiling slightly. Han grinned.
"My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?" He asked. Leia looked him straight in the eyes.
"I'm never afraid when I'm with you" She said. He moved to pull her close.
"You're trembling" He pointed out.
"I'm not trembling" She tried to protest, but it was true, she was trembling and she didn't why. Maybe it was because, even though he had kissed her and made certain remarks, he hadn't made it clear his intentions. He kissed her suddenly, with slow, hot lips. He took his time, as though he had forever, bending her body backward. She had never been kissed like this before, and it almost made her faint. When he stopped, she regained her breath and tried to say something, but found it hard to talk. Suddenly, Threepio appeared in the doorway, speaking excitedly.
"Sir, sir! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling" He said. Han turned slowly, icily, from their embrace.
"Thank you. Thank you very much" He snapped. Threepio didn't get it.
"Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir" He said. The moment spoiled, Han marched out after Threepio.
The Imperial fleet moved through the asteroid-filled void, intently seeking its prey.
Asteroids collided, creating a fireworks display outside the bridge window. Dark Sky stood, staring out the window above the control deck. Then slowly turned toward the bridge. Before him were the hologram images of twenty battleship commanders. One of these images, the commander of a ship that had just exploded, was fading away quickly. Another image, in the center and a little apart from the others, was faded and continually disrupted by static. It was the image of Captain Needa, commander of the Star Destroyer most hotly on the tail of the Millennium Falcon. Admiral Piett and an aide stood behind the Dark Lord.
"... and that, Lord Sky, was the last time they appeared in any of our scopes. Considering the amount of damage we've sustained, they must have been destroyed" Needa was saying.
"No, Captain, they're alive. I want every ship available to sweep the asteroid field until they are found" Sky commanded.
The Imperial star captains faded out one by one as Sky turned to Admiral Piett.
"Lord Sky" The admiral said.
"Yes, Admiral, what is it?" The admiral was scared, his face white as a sheet.
"The Emperor commands you make contact with him" Piett said.
"Move the ship out of the asteroid field so that we can send a clear transmission" Sky commanded.
"Yes, my lord" Piett said.
Sky's Imperial Star Destroyer moved against the vast sea of stars away from the rest of the fleet.
The Dark Lord, Darth Sky, was alone in his chamber. A strange sound entered the room and a light began to play across Sky's black figure.
He looked up and bowed quickly.
A twelve-foot hologram of the Galactic Emperor materialized before Sky. The Emperor's dark robes and monk's hood are reminiscent of the cloak worn by Ben Kenobi. His voice is even deeper and more frightening than Sky's.
"What is thy bidding, my master?" Sky asked.
"There is a great disturbance in the Force" The emperor said.
"I have felt it" Sky said, nodding.
"We have a new enemy - Luke Skywalker" The emperor said, staring hard at Sky.
"Yes, my master" Sky replied.
"He could destroy us" The emperor said.
"He's just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him" Sky reminded his master.
"The Force is strong with him. The son of Anakin Skywalker must not become a Jedi" Sky suddenly had an idea, a vengeful idea.
"If he could be turned, he would become a powerful ally" Sky said. He thought of the pain it would cause Padme and grinned inwardly.
"I know your thought Sky. You hope by doing this to get back at the senator who refused you. I do believe he would be a great asset. But can it be done?" The emperor asked.
"He will join us or die, my master" Sky replied. Sky knelt. The supreme Emperor passed a hand over the crouched Lord of the Sith and faded away.