CHAPTER 8:
It was not long before Han Solo and Chewbacca were released from incarcination. Lando Calrissian's release was delayed because the some members of the High Command wanted to learn more about him and find out where his loyalties lay. Although Lando had a critical part in rescuing Solo, he had not provided any services for the Alliance, and the High Command knew little about the suave man. However, Admiral Ackbar, a member of the Alliance Supreme Allied Commanders, had interacted with smugglers in the past and was aware of rumors about Lando's prowess behind the helm of a ship. The High Command also took in mind C-3PO's recount of Han Solo's rescue and the droids supposedly-neutral opinion of the man. Lando Calrissian would be a great asset to their cause. Hopefully, the man could be convinced to stay on with the Alliance.
Once freed from the detention center, Han's anger and anxiety began to dissipate—even more so when his captors returned his blaster. He and Chewbacca exited the detention center as quickly as possible.
"Chewie, check over the Falcon. Make sure those techs didn't do any damage to her," Han ordered his co-pilot. "I'm gonna find Leia."
Chewie roared and headed toward the Millennium Falcon, and with his hands on his hips, he surveyed the corridors of the base. Solo figured Leia was with the High Command and was probably in the Command Center, but he had no idea where that was.
When Dodonna exited the detention center, he found Solo standing in his path with a frustrated look on his face. "Captain Solo," he greeted the smuggler.
Han turned around. "General."
"I assume you're looking for the princess."
"You assumed right," Han answered a little tersely.
"She was just here," Dodonna informed him. "She was assigned personal quarters in the left wing of the base, but she headed towards the hangar when we released her." The general frowned. "She was upset when she left."
"No surprise there."
General Dodonna, his face contrite, looked Solo in the eyes. "I'm terribly sorry about your incarceration and how Princess Leia's debriefing went. If it were my choice, things would have gone much differently."
"Hm." Han softened his stance. He knew the General genuinely cared for the princess and his words were sincere, but Dodonna did nothing to stop it. Maybe he did but was rebuffed by other High Command members. "Who debriefed her?"
"Unfortunately, the High Command thought Colonel Gillis would be best."
Han's brow lowered. "Head of Intelligence? They really thought Leia would hide anything from the Alliance?"
"It is standard procedure when a soldier is imprisoned by an enemy."
"She wasn't debriefed by anyone when we returned from the Death Star."
"Circumstances were different then."
"She didn't leave to rescue someone not a member of the Alliance."
"No, we were in a hurry to evacuate the base and attack the Death Star," Dodonna explained. "She was debriefed at a later time but not by Intelligence."
"I take it she's no longer a member of the High Command?"
"I'm afraid so." Dodonna looked away.
"That's gonna kill her," Han muttered. "I'm gonna go find her."
"That's a very good idea."
The General held out his hand to Han. Solo paused and then shook the man's hand before they parted ways. Then Han headed toward the hangar in search of the princess. As he made his way toward the Millennium Falcon, he was greeted by the techs and pilots scattered through the hangar. Rumors of their escape from Jabba had spread through the base like wildfire, and his well-wishers desired details about his escape from Jabba the Hutt. While normally, Han would have taken the time to entertain them with tales of his daring feats, he had only one thing on his mind: Leia.
"Have you seen the princess?"
"I saw her enter the Falcon," Wedge Antilles informed him as he approached Han.
"Wedge," Han shook the Rogue Squadron pilot's hand. "It's good to see you."
"And you." He clapped Solo on the back. "Did Luke come back with you?"
"Nah. He said he had unfinished business to take care of."
Wedge's face slightly fell. "Oh."
"He said he'd return soon."
"Hopefully before the offensive."
"Yeah," Han agreed.
"I'm sure you're anxious to see the princess." Wedge gave the techs and pilots a look, and bidding their see-you-laters, they returned to their previous jobs. Wedge lowered his voice. "I talked with her a bit. She seemed normal, but I got the sense she had something on her mind."
"Thanks Wedge." Han put a hand on the pilot's shoulder.
"I'll catch you later, Han." Wedge said over his shoulder as he walked away. "How about a game of Sabaac or a drink later?"
"Sounds good to me."
Han wasted no more time as he headed toward the Falcon. There, he found Chewbacca on top of the his beloved ship. "Chewie," he shouted. "Any damage?"
The Wookie shook his head and growled.
"Good. Have you checked the interior?"
Chewie gruawared and gruffed.
"Alright, alright." Han held up his hands. "Get to it when you can."
Chewie mumbled something under his breath.
"I heard that!" Han shouted trotted up the Falcon's ramp.
Once inside, Solo hoped that Leia didn't find some unknown nook on the ship as she had been known to do in the past. Anxious to see her, Han was not in the mood to play hide-and-seek. He decided to check the obvious places first. He headed down the corridor leading to the cockpit. There he found Leia sitting in the pilot's seat with her knees pulled up to her chest and her chin resting on top of her fist. She had not noticed his presence.
Han walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Leia immediately jumped out of her seat to face the intruder. Her visage visibly relaxed when she saw that it was Han. He noted that she was not wearing the Alliance uniform.
"You okay?"
"Of course." She smiled as she slowed her respiration. "You just startled me."
"Looks more like I scared you." Han started toward her but halted when he noticed her don't-approach-me stance. "I'm sorry," he said as he stuck his thumbs in the loops of his belt.
Leia shrugged. "I guess I have a lot on my mind."
"You wanna talk about it?"
She bit her bottom lip then softly said, "I'd rather forget about it."
Han hid his disappointment. He held out a hand to her, and she readily stepped forward and took it. To his surprise, she dropped his hand and wrapped her arms around his chest, resting her head on his chest. Han returned her embrace, rested his chin on her head, and traced the coiled braids with his thumb.
"It'll be okay," he whispered.
It'll be okay. He had said that to her before, when the Falcon limped its way to Cloud City. It'll be okay. But it wasn't, not then, perhaps not now.
"General Dodonna told me you're no longer a member of the High Command."
"I'm okay with that."
Han released her, took her head into his hands, and turned her face up to him. He looked into her large brown eyes. "You sure?"
She was silent for a moment as she gazed into her eyes. Was she really okay with that? At the moment Leia did not care. At the moment, she only cared about Han. "Yeah."
Han believed her, but her eyes were still troubled. Whatever was bothering her was something else. "Anything I can help you with?"
She pulled his head to her and kissed his lips. "I don't know," Leia answered honestly.
Leia rolled her lips between her teeth.
"Tell me what you need from me."
She shook her head. "I don't know," she whispered.
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After Darth Vader met the Emperor's shuttle when his Master landed in the partially constructed Death Star's hangar and they parted ways, the Sith Lord stormed to his private quarters as the Imperial soldiers whom he passed scuttled out of his way. It was not until he reached his quarters and he entered his pod did he allow himself to replay his interaction with the Emperor. His pod closed around him, and he removed his mask.
The former Chancellor Palpatine was a powerful Sith Lord, supposedly more powerful than Vader himself, though Vader would be reluctant to admit it. His powers had grown since the Emperor saved him from certain death on Mustafar and turned him into the mechanical monstrosity. Vader had felt the growth of his powers and believed that they almost matched that of the Emperor. With his son, Luke on his side, he could easily overthrow the Emperor.
I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker.
The Emperor had read his mind. Was it because the Emperor, who was growing old, was still strong enough to reach into Vader's well-guarded mind? Or was it Vader's obsession with his son that he could not contain that tipped off the Emperor?
In time he will come to you.
The Dark Lord did not foresee his son willingly seeking him out. Why had he not? While there was a time when Vader could reach into Luke's mind, call to him, he had not been successful in repeating that action. He sensed his son had learned to control his emotions and block out Vader's probes into Luke's mind.
Like the princess had done when the Sith Lord interrogated her on the first Death Star. While her defenses against his mind probes were innate and beyond her conscious control, Luke had consciously blocked him out, which made searching for him over the past six months difficult.
He will come to me?
The Emperor had foreseen this, though it had yet come to pass. Always in motion is the future. Yoda had once told Vader when he was still Anakin Skywalker and the Chosen One. Although the Emperor's visions were mostly accurate—though not very accurate when it came to the first Death Star—Vader did not completely trust in his visions.
In time he will come to you, and when he does, you must bring him to me.
Only together can we turn him to the Dark Side.
Only together… Vader bristled at that thought. The decrepit Emperor, if he was as powerful as Vader once believed him to be, would not need Vader's help to turn Luke to the Dark Side. No, the Emperor was setting the Dark Lord up. There could only be two Sith Lords: the Master and the apprentice. And the apprentice always turns on his Master. The Emperor feared that the time for Vader to fulfill his destiny. He wanted to rid himself of Vader and take Luke as his new apprentice. The Sith Lord's anger flowed through his blood, making him feel powerful. That would not happen. He would turn his son against the Emperor, and together he and his son will rule the galaxy.
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"General Reikken, you wanted to see me?" Princess Leia asked as she entered his office. She paused for a moment when she noticed that Mon Montha was seated in a chair that was pulled up to Reikken's desk. "Hello, Mon Montha."
"Hello, Princess," the older woman greeted her.
"Your Highness, please take a seat," Reikken indicated the chair across from him and Mon Montha with a wave of his hand.
Unsure about the intent of this meeting, the princess hesitated before taking a seat. She sat with her back straight and kept her hands folded on her lap. Were there more "consequences" she would have to face for choosing to save Han over her duties to the rebellion?
"We called you to this meeting to discuss your place in the Alliance," Mon Montha announced.
More consequences, Leia thought. The High Command seemed intent on punishing her to the fullest.
"Your absence during the most critical time in our planning our offense against the Empire was felt by the High Command. You failed to set a good example." Mon Montha folded her hands on the desk. "What if more of our men and women decided to take leave whenever they felt like it?" She did not wait for the princess to answer. "We need all the man-power we have to defeat the Empire. You know that."
The princess's chin dropped a millimeter, but her expression showed no emotion. "Yes, but I could not leave Captain Solo at the mercy of a crime lord after he had risked so much to save my life on more than one occasion."
"Yes, we are thankful for that."
"If you had sent a team to rescue him—"
"You would have gone anyway," Mon Montha interrupted. "What done has been done, and there is no changing the past. We must move on."
Leia pressed her lips together. The older woman was right, and Leia could not deny it. But if her actions were in the past, why was Mon Montha still reprimanding her?
"You absence could have affected the morale of our soldiers. They look to you for inspiration."
The princess fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I am not the face of the rebellion. Each one of our troops has sacrificed, lost loved ones, and gave up their lives to fight for our cause. Just listen to their stories. They are the true faces of the rebellion."
"Yes, well," Mon Montha dismissed her statement. "General Reikken has brought some things to my attention—and I thank you for that, General. And his revelation is why we asked you here."
Reikken nodded his head to Mon Montha. "As it turns out, Princess, your return after your successful mission rescuing Han Solo, you have actually raised the morale of the troops. You showed you're willingness to risk your life for another man the soldiers see as a member of the Alliance since he has fought beside us over the last three years."
"Yes," Mon Montha agreed. "We're expecting Captain Solo will officially join our ranks."
"I cannot speak on behalf of him," Leia answered. She could not see Han making such a commitment that would require him to follow orders. Han Solo was not a military man.
"Mr. Calrissian has also pledged his alligence to the Alliance, which we are quite grateful for," Reikken informed the princess. "As it turns out he is quite the pilot and most of the feats he brags about are true, as Captain Solo has told us. He has natural leadership qualities. His talents are quite useful to the Rebellion."
"That's wonderful," she said though her mind was still on Han.
"Perhaps you could persuade Captain Solo to formally join the Alliance?" Mon Montha stared into the princess's large brown eyes.
"I have pestered him to join over the last three years. His answer was always 'no'." Leia met Mon Montha's steely blue eyes without wavering. "Han is a free spirit. I've learned to accept that. I won't pressure him."
The older woman stared at the princess for a moment longer.
"We understand," Reikken cut in.
"Of course, we do." Mon Montha broke eye contact with the princess. "Very well. The High Command has decided that you are still an asset to the Alliance."
Reikken smiled at Leia. "They have decided to restore some of your duties."
"However, you can no longer be a member of the High Command."
Leia nodded. "I understand."
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It was early afternoon, but from the underground base, it was difficult to tell night from day, and Han Solo had to rely on the sometimes-faulty chronometers aboard the Millennium Falcon. Or on Leia, who regularly wore a chrono-piece on her wrist. But, Leia was not around to ask the time. Lately, instead of tinkering on the Falcon with Han as she did when they first returned, the princess spent her days tending to Alliance business. Although she was no longer a member of the High Command, she still held a high position in the Alliance, ant that kept her almost as busy as she was when she was a member of the High Command.
Han Solo missed her. After the forty days they spent constant time together as the Millennium Falcon limped its way to Bespin and the time they spent together uninterrupted after he was rescued, he wasn't used to her absence. And, from his recent experience, every time he was separated from Leia, something bad happened to one of them.
Han knew his fears were unfounded; the High Command gave Leia back some of her original duties, Chewie and Lando integrated themselves into Alliance life, and some members of the High Command were even glad that he was back. They were all safe—well, as safe as one could be on a rebel base. No one here wished them harm. Still, when the princess was out of sight, he could not help but worry about her.
Solo banged the wrench against the bolt that would not tighten under his ministrations. He sighed and looked up from his work, spotting the princess crossing through the hangar. Leia stopped when she saw him on top of the Falcon and smiled at him, an open unabashed smile which she would have been hesitant to share with him pre-Tatooine.
I love you.
I know.
The knot of concern in his stomach loosened. Han returned her smile and gave her a wave with the wrench still in his hand. She was safe, at least for today.
After the small moment they shared between them, Leia continued on to her destination, and Han's hazel eyes followed her to the far end of the hangar. She wore her Alliance uniform once again, and his lip twitched. After the way they—she—was treated by the High Command when they returned, he did not understand Leia's undying loyalty. Yes, the High Command had given her back some of her original duties, something that greatly pleased Leia—she loved the work she did—and her diligence in completing these duties, it was a constant reminder that her commitment to the Rebellion was just as strong as it was before he was frozen in carbonite. Han frowned at the uniform that fit snuggly on some places of her body and loose on other parts.
Was he jealous? Maybe. He felt like he was battling the Alliance for her attention as he had when he pursued her in the previous three years. Now that he caught her, he thought maybe it would be different. But Han knew how important it was to Leia that they won this war, however unwinnable he thought it was, and that made it important to him, enough so that he never revealed to her how much he missed her.
Han bent down his head and continued working on the Falcon.
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Finished with her work for the day, Leia walked up the ramp of the Millennium Falcon and headed to the lounge where she heard voices. As she came up to the entrance of the open area, she heard Lando ask a question, one she had not once thought about.
"So now that Jabba the Hutt is dead, you're a free man, what are your plans?"
The princess heart stopped and skipped a beat before falling into its normal ribbon. She had just figured that he would stay with the Alliance, stay with her. But Han never believed in the cause that she had spent almost her entire life fighting for. It was not his dream to overthrow the Empire and restore the Republic; it was hers. In fact, he once told her long ago after he rescued her from the Death Star and helped Luke destroy that horrible space station that it did not matter to him who ran the galaxy. It was all the same to him. His choice of occupation was considered illegal under any government, and all governments were corrupt, even if they don't start out that way. It was just the nature of the beast. There would always become corrupt.
Leia had argued with him then, telling him that it did not have to be that way. The government that she would help set up would be devoid of corruption. Han had called her naïve. Leia leaned back against the bulkhead. She remembered how irked she was when he called her that, and she stamped her foot, turned around, and stormed off at the time, effectively ending that unwinnable argument.
The princess's large brown eyes fell to the floor of the Falcon. Despite his beliefs, Han had stayed with the Alliance, but not because of any dream—you're dreamin', Sister—of his. Solo had hid from Jabba and worked for the Alliance to earn the credits he needed to pay off Jabba. And, after their fight on Hoth when he was going to leave, she realized that he had stayed for her. And though Han insisted that he was leaving because of the bounty hunter they ran into on Ord Mantel, Leia knew part of his reason for leaving had to do with her continuous rejection of him over the last three years.
So Leia had assumed he would continue to stay with the Alliance after she abandoned her fears and professed her love for him. She assumed that he would stay her. Was she enough for him to abandon his semi-solitary life free to go where he pleased, free to take jobs that were more lucrative that working for the rebels?
The princess heard Han let out a big sigh. "I never thought about it before." He pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "I figured I woulda suffered a torturous death once I went to pay him off. Jabba was pretty pissed."
"No kiddin'."
"I think after the three years I avoided him, it wasn't about the money anymore. It was about makin' an example outa me."
The image of Han frozen in carbonite hanging on Jabba the Hutt's wall in his palace flashed across her mind. How angry she was; how frightened and pained she felt. It still sent chills down her spine. She loved him more than she had ever loved any man. How much did Han love her?
Not wanting to hear anymore and not wanting to disturb Han's private conversation with Lando, the princess retreated down the corridor, down the ramp, and with arms wrapped around herself, walked briskly to her quarters on the base. The princess felt a pang of guilt for not making her presence known when she was on the Falcon, but after what she heard, she did not think she could hide her precarious emotions.
Leia missed Luke and wished he had returned already. The Alliance was in their final days of launching perhaps their final attack on the Empire, and she worried he would not be back in time.
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The next morning, the princess—followed by Threepio—made her way to the Millennium Falcon, and after hesitating for a moment, palmed the security pad of the ship and walked up the ramp. She went in search for Han whom she found arguing with the three computers housed in the control panel in the lounge.
"Where the hell is Golden Rod when you need 'im!" Han cursed.
"Why Captain Solo, I'm right here." Threepio stepped closer to the smuggler. "Are you in need of my services?" The droid sounded quite thrilled that the man who acted as if he detested him was now in need of the droid's aide. "I am glad to be of help."
Han grimaced at the droid. "Talk to 'em, will ya? Help 'em work out their issues."
"I'd be happy to, Captain Solo." Threepio shuffled to the control panel as Han stepped away and began a conversation with the arguing computers.
Han went over to the princess, took her upper arms, and kissed her. He smiled when he pulled back and found Leia's eyes still closed for a few seconds after.
Han looked down at her hand which held a medium-sized pack. "Are you movin' in?"
"Of course not," she said too fast.
His face fell slightly; Leia kept her quarters assigned to her in the underground base on Sullust, but—save for last night, she had spent her nights with him. Han hid his disappointment by giving her another kiss. "So what's with the bag?"
"Most of the personnel are being moved off base," she explained. "We're being moved to Home One. Lando's going to take an A-Wing over. He's been quite anxious to get into one of our ships."
"Of course he is," Han smiled. Lando had been eager to show off his skills to the rebels since they settled in on Sullust. "When are they making their move on the Empire?"
'They', not we, Leia noted. She rolled her lips between her teeth. "In a couple of days or so."
"It's gettin' close." Han said as he tried to figure out Leia's reserved behavior. His brow furrowed and he took her face in his hands. "You okay?"
"Yeah, of course." She smiled at him and then initiated a short kiss. "We should get going."
She must be worried about the offensive, Han thought. And Luke had not returned yet. He suspected that Leia was worried about him. Han was too. "Go ahead an' put your bags in my cabin," he instructed her.
Leia's lips spread into the slightest of closed-mouth smiles and went to Han's cabin.
"Chewie!" Han yelled, and his best friend's head popped out of the engine hatch. "We're goin' to Home One."
Chewbacca grunted and graerwed.
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Luke Skywalker's mind was more preoccupied with his conversations with Yoda and Ben than on piloting his X-Wing. Their words, the revelations they revealed to him, were almost too much for him to take in. Darth Vader did not lie to him on Cloud City; the Dark Lord was his father. To become a Jedi, Luke would have to kill Vader, his father. If he did not, the task would be put on his sister's—Leia's—shoulders. How would she do that if there was no one left to train her?
Perhaps that task was his responsibility. Luke remembered how Ben told him how the old Jedi took it upon himself to train Anakin Skywalker, and how he had failed and Anakin turned to the Dark Side. Ben was a Jedi Master then. Luke was not even a Jedi yet. What if his effort to train Leia went awry? What if he failed and she turned to the Dark Side?
Of course, he would not leave the responsibility of killing their father to Leia. He would take on the mission, not because it would complete his training as a Jedi, but to spare her from facing her worst enemy. He would do anything to protect her, even if that meant confronting and killing Darth Vader.
But could he do it? Luke inhaled and slowly let his breath out.
I can't kill my own father.
Then the Emperor has already won.
Luke replayed the battle between him and the Dark Lord on Cloud City. His father had the chance to kill him, but Vader did not. Luke searched beneath the fear and confusion and the self-doubt he experienced during that light saber fight. In the calm he felt now, he was certain he felt good deep down inside Vader.
He's more machine now than man, twisted and evil.
Perhaps he was more a machine than man, but that did not necessarily make him twisted and evil. Machines were machines, neither good nor evil; they just did all that they were programmed to do. But his father wasn't a program. Luke knew this to be true. There was still a man beneath that mask, a man who made the choice to turn to the Dark Side. Vader could make the choice to renounce the Dark Side and return to the side of Light.
No, Luke would not kill his own father. He would try to turn Vader back into the Jedi he once was. But what if he failed?
Then he would have to kill the Sith Lord to protect Leia.
R2-D2 beeped and sputtered, pulling Luke out of his musings.
"Sorry," Luke apologized. "Okay ready to make the jump to light speed."