We're Wizards, Not Warriors: What If, Volume 7

by B.E.A.T.N

We once again tell the story of Sam Skywalker, brother to Luke and Leia. But in this AU, there's a BIG change. Sam was raised Ben Kenobi and given a terrible curse by a mysterious figure. This leads to many adventures with many characters from Star Wars and the Owl House. OC X Verosika Mayday X Oola X Hordak X Prime X Lucifer X Alastor X Adam.

28. Chapter 28

We're Wizards, Not Warriors: What If

Volume 7:

Chapter 28: City In the Sky

Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer moves through space, guarded by its convoy of TIE fighters.

….

Vader stands in the back control area of his ship's bridge with a motley group of men and creatures. Admiral Piett and two controllers stand at the front of the bridge and watch the group with scorn.

Piett said, "Bounty hunters. We don't need that scum."

A controller said, "yes, sir."

Piett said, "those Rebels won't escape us."

A second controller interrupts, "sir, we have a priority signal from the Star Destroyer Avenger."

Piett said, "right."

The group standing before Vader is a bizarre array of galactic fortune hunters.

There is Bossk, a Trandoshan with two huge, bloodshot eyes in a sharp angular face.

Zuckuss, whose armor resembled a deep sea diver.

4-LOM, who looked like a cross between a bug and a droid.

Dengar, a battle-scarred, mangy human.

IG-88, a battered, tarnished chrome assassin droid.

And Boba Fett, son of Jango Fett, garbed in weapon-covered Mandalorian armor.

Vader said, "... there will be a substantial reward for the one who finds the Millennium Falcon. You are free to use any method necessary, but I want them alive and unharmed. No disintegrations."

Boba Fett said, "as you wish."

At that moment, Admiral Piett approaches Vader in a rush of excitement.

He said, "Lord Vader! My lord, we have them."

….

The Millennium Falcon speeds through deep space, closely followed by a firing Imperial Star Destroyer. A large asteroid about the same size as the Falcon tumbles rapidly toward the starship. The tiny Falcon banks to avoid the giant asteroid as smaller rocks pelt its surface. Then the small craft roars under the asteroid which explodes harmlessly on the hull of the vast Star Destroyer.

….

The ship shudders as flak explodes near the cockpit window. C3-P0 checks a tracking scope an the side control panel while Leia watches tensely out the window.

"Oh, thank goodness, we're coming out of the asteroid field", C3-P0 said.

Chewie barks excitedly as the rain of asteroids begins to subside. A bolt from the Star Destroyer sets up a fiery explosion on the back side of the Falcon, causing it to lurch to one side.

The Falcon is hit hard by another bolt from the Star Destroyer which creates a huge explosion near the cockpit of the smaller ship. The Falcon tilts steeply, then rights itself.

Han corrects the angle of his ship.

Han said, "let's get out of here. Ready for light-speed? One…. Two…. Three!"

Han pulls back on the hyperspace throttle and…. Nothing happens. Flak bursts continue to rock the ship.

Han yelled, "it's not fair!"

Chewie is very angry and starts to growl and bark at his friend and captain. Again, Han desperately pulls back on the throttle.

Han said, "the transfer circuits are working. It's not my fault!"

Chewie puts his head in his hands, whining.

Leia said, "no light-speed?"

Eda confirmed, "no light-speed."

Han said, "it's not my fault."

C3-P0 said, "sir, we just lost the main rear deflector shield. One more direct hit on the back quarter and we're done for."

Han pauses for a moment, makes a decision, and pulls back on a lever.

He said, "turn her around."

Chewie barks in puzzlement.

Eda yelled, "say wha-?"

"I said turn her around! I'm going to put all power in the front shield", Han said.

Leia shouted, "you're going to attack them?!"

Padme exclaimed, "are you crazy Han!?"

"Sir, the odds of surviving a direct assault on an Imperial Star Destroyer-", C3-P0 said.

"Shut up", Leia shouted.

The Falcon banks, makes a steep, twisting turn. In the next moment it is racing toward the Star Destroyer, looking very small against the massive surface of the Imperial ship. As it moves across the surface of the Star Destroyer, the Falcon bobs and weaves to avoid the numerous flak bursts.

The tiny Falcon heads directly for the Avenger's bridge. The Imperials stationed there are stunned to see the small spaceship racing low across the hull, headed directly at the huge windows of the bridge area. Alarms go off everywhere. The Destroyer's commander, Captain Needa, can scarcely believe his eyes.

Needa said, "they're moving to attack position! Shields up!"

Needa and his men duck as the Falcon nears the bridge window. At the last minute, the Falcon veers off and out of sight. All is quiet.

Needa said, "track them. They may come around for another pass."

A tracking officer said, "Captain Needa, the ship no longer appears on our scopes."

Needa said, "they can't have disappeared. No ship that small has a cloaking device."

The tracking officer said, "well, there's no trace of them, sir."

A communications officer said, "Captain, Lord Vader demands an update on the pursuit."

Needa said, "get a shuttle ready. I shall assume full responsibility for losing them, and apologize to Lord Vader. Meanwhile, continue to scan the area."

The communications officer said, "yes, Captain Needa."

….

Luke's face is upside-down and showing enormous strain. He stands on his hands, with Yoda perched on his feet. Opposite Luke and Yoda are two rocks the size of bowling balls. Luke stares at the rocks and concentrates. One of the rocks lifts from the ground and floats up to rest on the other.

Yoda said, "use the Force. Yes…."

Yoda taps Luke's leg. Quickly, Luke lifts one hand from the ground. His body wavers, but he maintains his balance. R2, standing nearby, is whistling and beeping frantically.

Sam and Ahsoka stand nearby.

Yoda said, "now…. The stone. Feel it."

Luke concentrates on trying to lift the top rock. It rises a few feet, shaking under the strain. But, distracted by R2's frantic beeping, Luke loses his balance and finally collapses.

Yoda jumps clear as he yells, "concentrate!"

Annoyed at the disturbance, Luke looks over at R2, who is rocking urgently back and forth in front of him.

R2 waddles closer to Luke, chirping wildly, then scoots over the edge of the swamp. Catching on, Luke rushes to the water's edge. The X-Wing fighter has sunk, and only the tip of its nose shows above the lake's surface.

"Oh, no. We'll never get it out now", Luke whined.

Yoda stamps his foot in irritation.

Yoda said, "so certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?"

Luke looks uncertainly at the ship.

He says, "Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different."

Yoda said, "no! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.

Ahsoka said, "it's true. Master Yoda lifted a support beam bigger than an AT-ST once."

Luke said, "alright, I'll give it a try."

Yoda said, "no! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Luke closes his eyes and concentrates on thinking the ship out.

Slowly, the X-Wing's nose begins to rise above the water. It hovers for a moment and then slides back, disappearing once again.

Luke said, "I can't. It's too big."

Yoda said, "size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hm? Mmmm."

Luke shakes his head.

Yoda said, "and well you should not. For my ally in the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we…."

Yoda pinches Luke's shoulder.

Yoda continued on, "... not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you…. Me…. The tree…. The rock…. Your brother…. Everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship!"

"You want the impossible", Luke said.

Quietly Yoda turns toward the X-wing fighter. With his eyes closed and his head bowed, he raises his arm and points at the ship.

Soon, the fighter rises above the water and moves forward as Artoo beeps in terror and scoots away.

The entire X-wing moves majestically, surely, toward the shore. Yoda stands on a tree root and guides the fighter carefully down toward the beach.

Luke stares in astonishment as the fighter settles down onto the shore.

He walks toward Yoda.

Luke said, "I don't…. I don't believe it."

Yoda said, "that…. Is why you fail…."

Luke shakes his head, bewildered.

….

The fleet around Vader's Star Destroyer now includes Needa's Star Destroyer, the Avenger.

….

Vader said, "apology accepted, Captain Needa."

Captain Needa is dumbfounded that Vader has let him live as he briskly takes his leave.

Admiral Piett and two of his captains hurry up to Vader.

He said, "Lord Vader, our ships have completed their scan of the area and found nothing. If the Millennium Falcon went into light-speed, it'll be on the other side of the galaxy by now.

Vader said, "alert all commands. Calculate every possible destination along their last known trajectory."

Piett said, "yes, my lord. We'll find them."

Vader said, "try not to fail me again, Admiral."

Vader exits as the admiral turns to an aide, a little more uneasy than when he arrived.

Piett said, "alert all commands. Deploy the fleet."

….

Vader's ship moves away, flanked by its fleet of smaller ships. the Avenger glides off into space in the opposite direction. No one on that ship or on Vader's is aware that, clinging to the side of the Avenger, is the pirate ship, the Millennium Falcon.

C3-P0 said, "Captain Solo, this time you have gone too far. No, I will not be quiet, Chewbacca. Why doesn't anyone listen to me?"

Chewie growls.

"The fleet is beginning to break up. Go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claw", Han said.

Chewie barks, struggles from his seat, and climbs out of the cabin.

"I really don't see how that is going to help. Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances. The Empire may be gracious enough….", C3-P0 said.

Leia reaches over and shuts off Threepio, mid-sentence.

Han said, "thank you."

Leia said, "what did you have in mind for your next move?

Han said, "well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to light-speed, then we just float away."

Leia said, "with the rest of the garbage."

Eda said, "not the grossest thing I've done."

Leia asked, "then what?"

Han said, "then we've got to find a safe port somewhere around here. Got any ideas?"

Leia said, "no. Where are we?"

Han said, "the Anoat system."

Padme said, "Anoat system. There's not much there."

Han said, "no. Well, wait. This is interesting. Lando."

He points to a computer map screen on the control panel. Leia slips out of her chair and moves next to the handsome pilot. Small light points representing several systems flash by on the computer screen.

Leia then asked, "Lando System?"

"Lando's not a system, he's a man. Lando Calrissian. He's a card player, gambler, and scoundrel. You'd like him", Han said.

"Thanks", Leia said.

"Bespin. It's pretty far, but I think we can make it", Han said.

Leia said, "a mining colony?"

"Yeah, a Tibanna gas mine. Lando conned somebody out of it. We go back a long way, Lando and me", Han said.

Eda asked, "how far back?"

Han said, "back when the Empire was still far more dangerous."

Leia asked, "can you trust him?"

Han said, "no. But he has no love for the Empire, I can tell you that."

Chewie barks over the intercom. Han quickly changes his readouts and stretches to look out the cockpit window.

Han said, "here we go, Chewie. Stand by! Detach!"

Han leans back in his chair and gives Leia an invisible smile. She thinks for a moment, shakes her head; a grin creeps across her face and she gives him a quick kiss.

She says, "you do have your moments. Not many, but you have them."

Padme and Eda smirked.

As the Avenger Star Destroyer moves slowly into space, the hatch on its underbelly opens, sending a trail of junk behind it. Hidden among the refuse, the Falcon tumbles away. In the next moment, the Avenger roars off into hyperspace. The Falcon's engines are ignited, and it races off into the distance. Amidst the slowly drifting junk, Boba Fett's ship appears and moves after the Falcon.

….

Back on Dagobah….

We see Sam alone as he tries to concentrate.

Sam was chanting, "I am one with the force and the force is with me. I am one with the force and the force is with me."

As Sam was chanting…. He slowly raised his hand.

He felt some sort of presence whenever he did this.

Then something was starting to form in Sam's hand.

He felt a sword hilt forming in his hand.

Sam kept his eyes closed as he kept chanting.

"I am one with the force and the force is with me. I am one with the force and the force is with me", Sam chanted.

Then a bright glow formed around the sword hilt…. A blade began to emerge from it.

Sam then opened his eyes. He saw a sword in his hands.

Sam asked, "is this?"

"My sword."

Sam then saw Revan.

He was standing there, looking at the sword.

Sam asked, "this is your sword, uncle Revan?"

Revan nodded.

Sam looked at the sword.

"I can't believe it…. I finally did it", Sam said.

Sam smiled as he looked upon his sword.

The sword hilt had a gray color. The blade had a purple sheen to it.

"Now that you have learned to summon it…. You must learn how to master using the sword", Revan said.

Sam asked, "can you teach me?"

"Of course Sam…. I will teach you", Revan said.

Sam smiled and said, "thank you."

Sam then hugged Revan. Revan happily hugged back.

"I love you Uncle Revan", Sam said.

Revan said, "I love you too, Sam."

Sam smiled as he kept hugging Revan.

He really enjoyed the hug.

"You will be a great Jedi Master Sam…. I know it", Revan said.

Sam said, "thanks."

….

In the clearing behind Yoda's house, Luke again stands upside-down, but his face shows less strain and more concentration than before. Yoda sits on the ground below the young warrior. On the other side of the clearing, two equipment cases slowly rise into the air. Nearby R2 watches, humming to himself, when suddenly he, too, rises into the air. His little legs kick desperately and his head turns frantically, looking for help.

Yoda said, "concentrate…. Feel the Force flow. Yes. Good. Calm, yes. Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future…. The past. Old friends long gone."

Luke suddenly becomes distressed.

He says, "Han…. Mom…. Leia!"

The two packing boxes and Artoo fall to the ground with a crash, then Luke himself tumbles over.

"Hmm. Control, control. You must learn control", Yoda said.

"I saw…. I saw a city in the clouds", Luke said.

"Mmhm…. Friends you have there", Yoda said.

Luke said, "they were in pain."

Yoda said, "it is the future you see."

Luke asked, "the future? Will they die?"

Yoda closes his eyes and lowers his head.

He said, "difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."

Luke said, "I've got to go to them."

Yoda said, "decide you must how to serve

them best. If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."

Luke is stopped cold by Yoda's words. Gloom shrouds him as he nods his head sadly.

….

The powerful pirate starship blasts through space as it heads toward the soft pink planet of Bespin. It is down on the gaseous planet. Huge billowing clouds form a canyon as the ship banks around them, heading toward the system's Cloud City. Suddenly, two twin-pod cloud cars appear and move toward the Falcon. The cloud cars draw up alongside the starship.

One of the cloud cars opens fire on the Falcon, its flak rocking the ship. Chewie barks his concern.

"No, I don't have a landing permit. I'm trying to reach Lando Calrissian", Han said into the transmitter.

More flak bursts outside the cockpit window and rattles the ship's interior. Leia looks worried.

Han said, "whoa! Wait a minute! Let me explain."

A voice on the intercom said, "you will not deviate from your present course."

Eda groaned, "oh screw you, bucko!"

C3-P0 said, "rather touchy, aren't they?"

Leia said, "I thought you knew this person."

Chewie barks and growls at his boss.

Han said, "well, that was a long time ago. I'm sure he's forgotten about that."

Padme asked, "forgot about what?"

Chewie explained as Eda exclaimed, "you won the ship in a game of Sabaq?"

Han groaned as the intercom voice said, "permission granted to land on Platform Three-two-seven."

Han said, "thank you."

Angry, Han snaps off the intercom. Chewie looks at him and grunts. Han turns to the worried princess and her droid.

"There's nothing to worry about. We go way back, Lando and me", Han said.

Leia doesn't look convinced.

Leia asked , "who's worried?"

The clouds part to reveal a full view of the city as it bobs in and out of the cloud surface. The cloud cars and the Falcon head for the gleaming white metropolis.

With the cloud cars still guarding it, the Falcon lands on one of Cloud City's platforms.

Han and Leia stand at the open door, armed. Behind them, Chewie, also armed, surveys the scene warily. Eda carries her staff as she stays close to Padme and Kane.

C3-P0 said, "oh. No one to meet us."

Leia said, "I don't like this."

Padme said, "same here."

Han asked, "well, what would you like?"

C3-P0 said, "well, they did let us land."

Han said, "look, don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. Trust me."

….

Lando Calrissian, a suave, dashing black man in his thirties, leads a group of aides and some Cloud City guards rapidly toward the landing platform.

The group, like the other citizens of the city, is a motley collection of aliens, droids, and humans of all descriptions. Lando has a grim expression on his face as he moves onto the landing platform.

Han said ,"see? my friend. Keep your eyes open okay?"

Chewie growls as Han walks down the ramp. Lando and his men head across the bridge to meet the space pirate.

Lando stops ten feet from Han. The two men eye each other carefully. Lando shakes his head.

"Why, you slimy, double-crossing, no-good swindler! You've got a lot of guts coming here, after what you pulled", Lando said.

Han points to himself innocently, mouthing, "me?"

Lando moves threateningly toward Han.

Suddenly, he throws his arms around his startled, long-lost friend and embraces him.

Lando said with a laugh , "how you doing, you old pirate? So good to see you! I never thought I'd catch up with you again. Where you been?"

The two old friends embrace, laughing and chuckling.

C3-P0 said, "well, he seems very friendly."

Leia said, "yes…. Very friendly."

Lando asked, "what are you doing here?

Han said, "ahh…. Repairs. I thought you could help me out."

Lando said, "what have you done to my ship?"

Han said, "your ship? Hey, remember, you lost her to me fair and square."

Chewie growls a reserved greeting.

Lando then notices Padme and Eda.

He tried to say, "well, hello-"

The two women interrupted, "we're married."

Kane blew a raspberry at Lando.

Lando said, "sorry, my mistake."

Eda said, "I've got a sister though."

Lando said, "Sister? Eh? What's her name?"

Eda said, "Lilith."

Lando now looked interested.

Eda rolled her eyes.

Kane hugged his mother.

Eda chuckled as she patted his head.

Kane babbled in joy.

Padme and Eda chuckled.

"Let's go inside", Lando said.

The group began to head inside.

Lando asked, "what's wrong with the Falcon?"

"Hyperdrive", Han said.

"I'll get my people to work on it", Lando said.

Han said, "good."

Lando turns to Leia.

Lando said, "you know, that ship saved my life quite a few times. She's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy."

….

The group has crossed the narrow bridge and entered the city. They walk down the lovely Art Deco passageway, rounding several corners and passing many small plazas as they go. C3-P0 lags a bit behind.

Han asked , "how's the gas mine? Is it paying off for you?"

Lando said, "oh, not as well as I'd like. We're a small outpost and not very self-sufficient. And I've had supply problems of every kind. I've had labor difficulties…."

Lando catches Han grinning at him.

Lando asked, "what's so funny?"

Han said, "you. Listen to you. You sound like a businessman, a responsible leader. Who'd have thought that, huh?"

Lando is reflective. He looks at Han for a moment.

Lando said, "you know, seeing you sure brings back a few things."

Han said, "yeah."

Lando shakes his head and says, "yeah. I'm responsible these days. It's the price you pay for being successful."

Han and Lando laugh together, and the group moves on through the corridor.

The lagging C3-P0 passes a threepio type silver droid who is coming out of a door.

"Oh nice to see a familiar face", C3-P0 said.

The other droid mumbled, "E chu ta!"

C3-P0 said, "how rude!"

C3-P0 stops, watching the silver droid move away. Then he hears the muffled beeping and whistling of an R2 unit coming from within the room.

Curious, he enters the room.

He says, "that sounds like an R2 unit in there. I wonder if…."

C3-P0 walks through the doorway to the main room. He looks in.

He says, "hello? How interesting. Oh, my."

A voice rings out, "who are you?"

C3-P0 exclaimed "ih, I'm terribly sorry. I…. I didn't mean to intrude. No, no, please don't get up. No!"

A laser bolt to C3-P0's chest sends him flying in twenty directions. Smoldering mechanical arms and legs bounce off the walls as the door whooshes closed behind him.

The group continued down the corridor unaware of C3-P0's dreadful accident. Chewbacca glances around, sniffs the air, but shrugs his shoulders and follows the group.

….

In the bright lights of the fighter, Luke loads a heavy case into the belly of the ship. R2 sits on top of the X-wing, settling down into his cubbyhole. Yoda stands nearby on a log.

Sam stands nearby, his sword on his hip as Ahsoka stands with him.

HK, Hunter, Bendy, Sam's husbands and wife are preparing the Ebon Hawk.

"Luke! Sam! You must complete the training", Yoda said.

Sam said, "I'd like to, but I have to keep Luke out of trouble especially if mom and the others are in danger."

"And I can't keep the vision out of my head. They're my friends. We've got to help them", Luke said.

Yoda, "you must not go!"

Luke said, "but Han and Leia will die if I don't."

"You don't know that."

Luke looks toward the voice in amazement. Ben has materialized as a real, slightly shimmering image near Yoda. The power of his presence stops Luke.

Sam stops and smiles at his father.

"Hello dad", Sam said.

Obi Wan smiled and said, "hello there, Sam."

Obi Wan then turned to look at Luke.

He said, "even Yoda cannot see their fate."

Luke said, "but I can help them! I feel the Force!"

Obi Wan said "but you cannot control it. This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the dark side of the Force."

Yoda said, "yes, yes. To Obi Wan you listen. The cave. Remember your failure at the cave!"

Sam said, "they have a point, Luke."

Luke asked, "whose side are you on?"

"I'm just trying to help", Sam said.

Ahsoka said, "calm down you two."

"Yes Mama Soka", Sam said.

"But I've learned so much since then. Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I've begun. You have my word", Luke said to Yoda.

Yoda looked down solemnly.

Sam and Ahsoka noticed.

Obi Wan said, "it is you and your abilities the Emperor wants. That is why your friends are made to suffer."

Luke said, "and that is why I have to go."

Obi Wan said, "Luke, I don't want to lose you and Sam to the Emperor the way I lost Vader."

"You won't, we promise father", Sam said.

Yoda said, "stopped they must be. On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil."

"Patience", Obi Wan said.

Luke said, "and sacrifice our friends?!"

Sam couldn't believe what his father and Yoda were saying. Neither could Ahsoka.

"This is why a lot of Jedi fell to the darkside", Sam said.

Ahsoka nodded and said, "while I agree Luke needs more training, we can't leave the others to die."

Sam said, "mama Soka is right…. This is why the New Jedi Order needs to have a new code, so the mistakes of the previous Order are not repeated."

Yoda and Obi Wan looked at one another.

Yoda walked forward and said, "correct you are, young Sam…. A decision, I have made."

Sam said in confusion ,"huh?"

Yoda said, "not many years do I have left, young Sam…. A new Grand Master, the order needs…."

Sam then asked, "but who will the new Grand Master be?"

Yoda smiled as he pointed to Sam.

Sam went wide-eyed and asked, "me?"

Yoda nods his head.

Yoda reached into his robes and pulled out his old lightsaber.

"Kneel, Young Sam", Yoda said.

Sam knelt down.

Yoda ignited his saber and said as he performed a few motions with it, "by the right of the council. By the will of the force. Dub thee I do; Grand Master. Leader of the Jedi. Knight's of the Republic."

The others watched in awe.

"Rise, Grand Master Skywalker", Yoda said.

Sam slowly looked up with a look of shock and awe.

"Thank you Master Yoda…. I promise I will teach the future generation of Jedi to become the Peacekeepers we are meant to be", Sam said as he got up.

Yoda smiled and said, "know you will, I do."

Sam smiled. He turned to look at Luke.

"Let's go and save our friends", Sam said.

Luke nodded as Ahsoka smiled.

Obi Wan said, "Luke, don't give in to hate; that leads to the dark side."

Luke nods and climbs into his ship.

Yoda said, "strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can."

Luke said, "I will. And we'll return. I promise."

Sam nodded in agreement as he and Ahsoka went into the Ebon Hawk.

The two ships then took off into the air….

Obi Wan and Yoda stand watching as the roar of the engines and the wind engulf them.

Yoda said, "told you, I did. Reckless Luke he. Now matters are worse."

Obi Wan said, "those boys are our last hope."

Yoda said, "no. There is another…."

The X-Wing and Ebon Hawk rockets away from the green planet of Dagobah and

off into space….

….

Within the quarters assigned to her on Cloud City, Leia paces in agitation. She has changed from her cold-weather pants and jacket to a lovely dress. Her hair is down, tied back with ribbons. She moves from a large, open window and turns to see Han entering through the doorway.

Han said, "the ship is almost finished. Two or Three more things and we're in great shape."

Leia said, "the sooner the better. Something's wrong here. No one has seen or knows anything about Threepio. He's been gone too long to have gotten lost."

Padme walked in with Kane.

Kane whimpered as he looked around for Sam.

Padme said, "he really misses his brothers."

"I can see that", Leia said.

Han asked, "where's Eda?"

"She said she was going to help Chewie with something", Padme said.

Han said, "I'll talk to Lando and see what I can find out."

Leia said, "I don't trust Lando."

Han said, "well, I don't trust him, either. But he is my friend. Besides, we'll soon be gone."

Leia said, "and then you're as good as gone, aren't you?"

Not speaking, Han considers her words and gazes at her troubled face.

….

The room is piled high with broken and discarded machine parts. Four Ugnaughts, small hoglike creatures, separate the junk and throw some pieces onto a conveyor belt which moves briskly toward a pit of molten metal. Pieces of C3-P0's golden body move down the belt. Chewie and Eda enter the room and spot an Ugnaught picking up and inspecting C3-P0's head. The Wookiee barks a command, startling the Ugnaught, then reaches to grab the head. But the Ugnaught tosses it away from him to another Ugnaught. This game of keep-away goes on until C3-P0's head falls from their grip and bounces with a clang onto the ground.

Eda quickly grabbed it and said something very rude in Ugnaught speak.

….

The door opens, Eda and Chewie who was carrying C3-P0's body walk away.

…..

The door zaps open. Chewbacca walks in, carrying a packing case of C3-P0, arms and legs hanging over the edge.

Leia asked, "what happened?"

Chewie sets the case on a table, grunting and groaning an explanation.

Han asked, "where? Found him in a junk pile?"

Leia asked, "oh, what a mess. Chewie, do you think you can repair him?"

The giant Wookiee studies the array of robot parts. He looks at the princess and shrugs sadly.

Han said, "Lando's got people who can fix him."

Leia said, "no, thanks."

There is a buzz and the door slides open, revealing Lando.

Lando asked, "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting anything?"

"Not really", Leia said.

Lando said, "you look absolutely beautiful. You truly belong here with us among the clouds."

Padme and Eda rolled their eyes as Leia said, "thank you."

Lando asked, "will you join me for a little refreshment?"

Han looks at Lando suspiciously, but Chewie barks at the mention of food and licks his lips.

"Everyone's invited, of course", Lando said.

Leia takes Lando's proffered arm, and the group turns to go. Lando spots C3-P0's remains.

He asks, "having trouble with you droid?"

Han and Leia exchange a quick glance.

Han said, "no. No problem. Why?"

Han and Leia move arm-in-arm through the door, followed by Lando, Padme, Eda, Kane and Chewie. The door slides closed behind them.

Leia walks between Han and Lando as Chewie follows a short distance behind. Long shafts of light pour across the corridor between tall, pure-white columns.

"So you see, since we're a small operation, we don't fall into the…. Uh…. Jurisdiction of the Empire", Lando said.

Leia asked, "so you're part of the mining guild then?"

"No, not actually. Our operation is small enough not to be noticed…. Which is advantageous for everybody since our customers are anxious to avoid attracting attention to themselves", Lando explained.

The group walks into another corridor and heads for a huge doorway at the far end.

Han asked ,"aren't you afraid the Empire's going to find out about this little operation and shut you down?"

Lando said, "that's always been a danger looming like a shadow over everything we've built here. But things have developed that will insure security. I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever."

The mighty doors to the dining room slide open and the group enters the dining room. At the far end of a huge banquet table sits Darth Vader. Standing at his side and slightly behind him is Boba Fett.

Faster than the wink of an eye, Han draws his blaster and pops off a couple of shots directly at Vader. Vader quickly raises his hand, deflecting the bolts into one of the side walls, where they explode harmlessly. Just as quickly, Han's weapon zips into Vader's hand.

He gently placed the blaster down and said, "please, sit down."

Han gives Lando a mean look.

"I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry", Lando said.

"I'm sorry too", Han said.

….

Reviews:

SuperSentai199: agreed, still one of the highlights of the film.

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