OMG look a chapter! Sorry for the long wait guys and I can't promise that the next chapter will be out soon, I just got hit with a sudden wave of inspiration and had to sit down to write this :D
Leia couldn't believe her ears. Reports from the Inferno Squad had been streaming in regularly about what had been going on down at Endor. Turning to the figure in the hologram, she asked "Are you serious Commander Versio? He killed Petna Broxi like that?" "Yes ma'am, and he abandoned most of the men with him." Replied Iden Versio, "My squad made it out fine, but most… most were captured or left for dead." Leia frowned. Her Master's sanity had been questionable five years ago when he found that darn scroll. Now he was becoming less and less stable, doing irrational things, making poor decisions. Much as she hated to, she would have to have a talk with her Master. "Thank you Commander." She said, already lost in thought. "Of course Darth Keeran." Iden said as a way of signing off.
Even with the many lightyears between them, she could read the expression on Iden Versio's face. She did not understand why the one she and her father had sworn their allegiance to years ago was acting the way he was. If Darth Maul wasn't careful, they would lost the Inferno Squad, for the moment her men's lives were put in jeopardy Leia had no doubt that Iden would pull them out of the Dark Forces, which wouldn't do her Master's cause any good as they were one of the few well trained groups they had left, one of the few who were really loyal to her Master. Loyalty could only be stretched so far before it broke.
Leia sighed and decided that once she returned from her mission, she would have a talk with Maul, now she needed to forget about that and focus. Though why she really felt the need to bother with this she did not know. She had been on so many of these missions that had no real point to them in the past few months, that she felt bored with them. Maul was probably just trying to keep her busy, to keep her from stopping to think, he must have sensed her growing confusion whenever she wasn't around him. Why were things, the paths she must take, so clear when he was around but so fuzzy the moment she left his side?
She sighed again and thought "Yeah, that must be why he sends me on these missions, to strengthen my resolve, lest I grow bored and forget our purpose." Suddenly she heard a sound from an alley way. She hadn't realized she had left her ship, so lost in thought she had been. Good things Maul wasn't around, he would have berated her for that. "Look, tell Jabba his money is coming, I swear, I'm just waiting for the funds to clear from last shipment." Came a voice that sounded slightly familiar, though one she had not heard in years.
Leia made her way cautiously to the edge of the alley, peering around it to see what was going on within it. A man with brown hair had his back against the wall, his hands in the air, looking at several, what had to be, bounty hunters. "You can wait for them to clear in his dungeon." Said one with green skin and a yellow flight suit (or at least that's how it looked to Leia). The man sighed and said cockily, "You do know what happened to the last guy who tried to bring me in to Jabba, right?" "Don't think your gonna talk your way out of this one Solo." Said another, though she didn't catch which one said it as her eyes widened in surprise.
Double checking, she knew now why the man looked familiar, it was Han Solo! She hadn't seen him since… before Maul took her. Pulling her lightsaber out, she pulled her hood over her face as she entered the alley and said "I'm sorry gentlemen, but he needs to come with me." At the last word, she ignited her red blade, causing Han to give an oh shoot look and the bounty hunters to share a couple of glances before slowly backing off towards the other side of the alley. Once there they scattered in different directions, their fear filtering through the Force as she turned off her blade.
"Same old Han, always getting yourself in trouble aren't you." She said as she removed her hood. Han's eyes widened as he asked "Leia? Is that you?" "Actually, its Darth Keeran now, but you can call me Leia, I don't really like that other name." "So you're still with Maul?" Han asked as they both started walking out of the alley. She nodded and said "Yes, but I'm worried, he has been acting so odd recently." She looked at him with regret in her face as she said "I probably shouldn't have said that, you probably still fly around the Jedi right?"
"Well if saying yes is going to get me killed, than no." Han replied, earning a chuckle from Leia who responded, "I won't kill you Han, I never could, you are a dear friend to me still." Han gave her a funny look before saying "Well than, yes I still transport around a few of them, but usually just your brother or Obi-Wan, I don't take just anyone after all." She smiled and asked "How is Luke?" "You would know if you hadn't severed the bond Leia, that really hurt him, you left him alone." Han said. Leia turned towards him angrily as she said "He wasn't alone, he has our parents and Obi-Wan and all the rest."
"You know what I mean, you had to have felt it too. I never had a twin or anything, but I can imagine from the way that Luke moped around that you were a constant presence, one that he felt lost without, which means you probably did too." Han said, not put off at all by her tone. Leia sighed and said "Your right Han, but I had no other choice. I did it to protect him, to protect myself." Han could see she wanted to cry and instantly felt bad for being the cause of it.
"Hey, listen, I'm sorry I brought it up. So are you going to drag me back to your ship and lock me up?" he asked. This brought a smile to her face as she said "Tempting, but no. For one, my Master will never know I ran into you, unless those bounty hunters spread the word and even so they can't say for sure it was me. For another, I don't trust my Master or his judgment at the moment. He is keeping things from me and acting oddly and I have no idea what he is going to be doing from one minute to the next." Han looked at her with concern as he asked "Will you be safe around him?"
She gave a bitter laugh before replying, "As safe as I've ever been around him. Honestly, whenever I'm around him things seem clear, my path, my destiny, but the moment he is gone its like this cloud of confusion settles in, like I can almost see through it, but there is always something in the way. I just wish I could figure out what to do about it. That's something else I probably shouldn't be telling you." "Hey, I promise I won't going running to Maul with the info." Leia smiled and said "You're a good friend Han, I've missed you." Han smiled back as he replied "I've missed you too. So what brings you to this rock?"
Leia rolled her eyes and said "Another one of my Master's pointless missions. He's looking for something, what I don't know, but he always has me off looking for clues or whatever to it. I never find anything and its just a waste of my time." Han gave a nervous chuckle as he said "You're not going to kill me because you've said to much are you?" Leia gave him a sly smile as she said "Maybe." With a wink to show she wasn't serious as she continued walking, leaving him to catch up, for he had stopped when she had started answering him in case he needed to run.
Now he hurried up to her and asked "Want some company?" "I won't say no. Its been rather lonely since I made my friend Maketh leave me for her safety." They fell into an easy silence and once again Leia found nothing at the location Maul sent her to. She walked with Han back to his ship and said "It was good seeing you again Han. Be sure to settle things with Jabba so we can do this again sometime." "Yes ma'am." He said with a smart salute before he entered the Falcon. Chewie waved to Leia from the top of the ramp as it started to close, a wave which she returned to him. She headed in the direction of where she had left her ship, feeling lighter and freer than she had in years. Also, was it her imagination, or had Had grown more handsome with time?
Okay, in case you don't know who the Inferno Squad or Iden Versio is, they are from Star Wars Battlefront II. My dad was playing it last night and while I've played with him a few times, I had yet to play or see the story mode until then. I knew I needed to add them to this story and we will be seeing more of them, trust me. Is there anyone else you would like to see? I can't guarantee they will make it in, but you never know :D