#Imperial Probe Droid | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hwalovs · 1 year

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A Smuggler and A Jedi 6/?

CHAPTER SIX: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

Pairing; Luke Skywalker, Reader / Past Lando Calrissian, Reader Warnings; even more pining, even more angst, MENTION OF TORTURE (Not in detail), minor cursing, negative on that kiss captain. Word Count; 21.7k

ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE

Summary; It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy. Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke Skywalker have established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space....

AN; Sorry for the large gap in posts, I lost inspiration to write this for a bit, but here it is! Not a lot of Luke in this chapter, sadly. Hopefully it isn’t a long time before chapter 7. I’m also trying a new method of splitting sections so let me know what you guys think :D thank you for reading! I appreciate each and every one of you and I'm grateful for the support :>>

THIS IS NOT EDITED

It was bright outside when Rogue Two landed in the bay, opening the exit ramp to allow other medical droids and doctors in. Han swatted all their hands away, not answering any of their questions as he pushed down his fur laced hood, sniffling. His nose was bright pink, his cheeks a similar color.

You stood off to the side while Leia ran past, ignoring Han completely to look for Luke.

“Took you long enough,” you jest, scrunching your nose at the wafting smell of dead Tauntaun.

“Got a little caught up-”

“You smell like a dead Tauntaun.”

He stares at you for a moment before scoffing, shrugging his shoulders, “how else were we supposed to survive?”

You groan, pinching your nose, “that's foul, even for you.”

“They’re taking him to the med wing, after spending time in the bacta tank he should be fine,” Leia sighs, smiling softly. Han nods his head.

“What a welcoming party, Princess, glad to know you care about my well-being.”

She shakes her head, glaring towards him before following the med droids that pushed Luke along on a gurney.

Han places a hand onto your shoulder, giving it a squeeze before sniffling again, “he’ll be fine, no need to get your pants in a twist.”

You glare at him, “you both could have died.”

“But we didn’t!”

“You better apologize to Chewie, he was a wreck without you.”

You didn’t stay long while Luke was in the bacta tank. It was hard to watch, with the cuts on his face and chest slowly sewing themselves back together. He only wore weighted shorts to keep him under the gelatinous slime that was bacta, a breathing apparatus strapped to his face while med droids and doctors scurried around him to make sure he didn’t suddenly flatline.

Leaning against the wall, you ignore the presence of Han and Leia to your right, their shoulders lightly brushing against each other. Leia was pressing her fingers to her lips, rubbing the skin as she watched the droids work.

Ever since you woke up yesterday, the days just seemed to get worse and worse. First the Falcon, the ever constant flow of problems from other X-Wings, then the fact Han went after Luke like it was what he’s been preparing for since the day he was born.

When the droids turn in your group's direction to talk about his vitals, you take it as your time to leave while you can. The last thing you wanted was to hear how Luke was close to death if not for Han. Pushing away the worry, you force yourself down the hallway, passing by lingering pilots and other personnel before finally making it back to the hangar where the Falcon was.

Chewie was still perched on the wing, swinging his legs back and forth as he messed with the tools. He almost looked small on the Falcon, but as you grew closer, so did his size.

“Hey, Chewie!” You shout, pausing under his line of sight. He growls, nodding his head in greeting. The hangar was mostly empty, only one or two other pilots visible by their ships. You make your way to the ladder, carefully climbing until you reach the top, stepping over the mess of tools to sit beside him. He hands you a circuit board, waving his hands about as he complains.

“What, it's not working again?” You ask, using your nail to slowly scrape off the soot from flaming wires. It was dated, a few cycles old by now but it was working fine the last time the ship was in the air. Then again, you can’t seem to place where on the ship the part came from.

“Which part is this, again?” You look up at the Wookiee, who throws his hands up in annoyance, jerking to point to the open compartment behind you. You nod, crawling over until you can dive head first into the compartment. You feel Chewie grab your ankle, scared of you getting stuck, but you lightly kick away his hand.

Being in the Falcon gives you a sense of comfort when the galaxy seems against you. It was the best place to be while Han and Leia fought all day, while Luke got himself lost and beaten out in the snowy graveyard they call a planet.

Chewie’s still talking, his voice muffled through the metal while you look over the other circuit boards and wires. Sticking your hand out, you yell at him to hand you specific tools, and he hands them to you, still talking.

“I swear I just fixed this,” grumbling, you try and reweld some wires together, effectively connecting them to the now, hopefully, fixed board.

You don’t leave the Falcon until Han drags you to the medwing. It was a couple hours later, Luke being discharged from the Bacta tank and put into his own room. Han still hasn’t taken a shower, being in a hurry to see Luke before he goes back to sleep. He told you Threepio and R2 were waiting outside his room, while Leia was still talking with the Med-droids.

“Shouldn’t you shower first?” You cringe, putting Chewie in between you both so you didn’t smell the sour stench.

“I think that Tauntaun did my hair justice, It hasn’t looked this good since Lando gave me that cream.”

You roll your eyes, smiling at the memory, “Lando never did you justice- nothing does your hair justice, Han.”

“I’m offended, (Y/n), really- I am,” he gasps, leaning over to slap your shoulder before entering the room.

Luke looks tired, sitting up in the bed while playing with the stray threads of the thin blanket. He wore an oversized shirt, only pink scars remaining on his face.

Threepio doesn't hesitate to move past Han, throwing his hands into the air.

“Master Luke, it's so good to see you fully functional again,” Threepio beams, hands moving about as R2 whistles.

“How ya’ feeling kid?” Han asks, bending down to look over his face, Chewie placing a hand onto his pillow to softly growl and bark his regards, “you don't look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark.”

Luke chuckles, his smile not reaching his eyes, “thanks to you.”

You manage to squeeze in between the two before Han points to the younger, narrowing his eyes, “that's two you owe me, junior.”

Reaching a hand, you place two fingers underneath his chin, lifting his head lightly. His smile softens when looking at you, and you can’t help but mirror it. Your thumb barely touches the skin below one scar, brushing across it lightly.

“It was stupid to go out by yourself,” you say. He painfully smiles, shrugging his shoulders.

“You’re lucky Han was even more stupid to go out after you,” you lightly thumb over the scar under his eye, “but it’ll heal nicely, you’ll be good-to-go in no-time.”

When you pull away to stand, you glare at a smiling Han, who's giving you raised eyebrows and a little shoulder bump. It wasn’t until Leia walked in that Han dropped it, turning to face the Princess.

“Well your worship, looks like you managed to keep us around a little longer!”

She crosses her arms, haughtily saying, “I had nothing to do with it, General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ship to leave the system until we’ve activated the energy shield.”

Settling onto the foot of the bed, you pinch Luke’s leg, smirking at him when he jerks it away. You look between the arguing pair, their attention solely on each other.

“That’s a good story, you just can’t let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight,” Han crosses his arms, leaning against the bed. Luke rolls his eyes, looking at you with raised eyebrows. You shrug, frowning.

Leia finally sighs, “I don’t know where you get your delusions, laser brain.”

Chewie laughs, holding onto the door frame while lightly jabbing Han’s shoulder. He jumps form his spot clearly enjoying himself, “Laugh it up fuzz-ball, you didn’t see us alone in the south passage.”

“South passage?” You snicker softly, smirking at her while she darts her eyes between you and Luke. You could see him frowning, eyebrows furrowed as his arms crossed over his chest.

Han hums, wrapping one arm around Leia’s shoulder while giving a smug smile, “she expressed her true feelings for me.”

Cheeks pink, Leia looks between the three of you before pulling away, stuttering her words, “my-” finally composing herself, she huffs, “why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy looking’- nerf herder!”

“Nerf herder?” You choke, hand covering your mouth to stop yourself from laughing. Han whips around, glaring at her, “who’s scruffy looking’?”

“Han-” you wheeze, almost grabbing his arm but missing as he moves closer to Luke, bending down to his level.

“I must’ve hit pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid?”

You shake your head when you see Leia’s face fall. Her eyes glaze over for just a moment before her shoulders tense, arms dropping to her sides as she marches closer. When you try and grab her arm, she yanks if from your grip harshly, your smile diminishing.

“Well,” she scoffs, looking up at Han with a glare, “I guess you don’t know everything about women yet?”

With that, she leans forwards and grabs Luke’ cheeks, planting her lips on his. It goes silent, Threepio stepping forwards to see, looking at Han, and then you. Mouth parting, you find it hard to breathe all of a sudden, a crushing weight in your chest overtaking the once light hearted feeling.

Han stares with wide eyes, arms still crossed when Leia pulls away, looking directly at him before leaving the room. He stares at Luke, who was still dumbstruck, and when he looks at you his eyes soften. His arms slowly drop to his sides but you can’t stop staring at Luke.

He doesn’t look back, just closes his eyes and proudly puts his hands behind his head, sighing in contentment. Your mind seemed to run miles a minute, while also being oddly silent. Maybe it was the smug look he gave to Han, or the way he completely ignored your presence the moment Leia had kissed him.

You wouldn’t have noticed the pounding in your ears if it wasn’t for the alarm going off in the hall, Han lightly grabbing your arms to pull you along. Luke looks at you, frowning when he sees the glare Han sends him, who lightly pats his chest, “take it easy, kid.”

“Headquarters personnel, report to command center”

“What-” Luke tries to grab your hand, to ask what was wrong, but you’re just out of reach. When he blinks, you’re already gone.

Han and Chewie silently walk beside you towards the control center, your ears still ringing.

“(Y/n)-”

You hold up a hand, glaring over your shoulder, “I don’t want to hear it. It’s fine- I’m fine.”

The walk to the control center didn’t give you enough time to center yourself, trying with all you had to scrub the image from your mind. Rieekan nodded to you both as you walked to the console screen, Chewie peering over your shoulders.

“Princess, we have a visitor,” he says, gesturing for her to come over. You didn’t want to see her, at least for the rest of the day. Rieekan points to the screen another officer was stationed, “we’ve picked up something outside the base in zone twelve, moving east.”

The senior controller looks up, his headphones only covering one ear, “It's metal.”

Leia was already there, arms crossed as she looked down at the console. Stuffing her hands into her back pockets, head tilting to get a good look at the screen, “then it couldn’t be one of those creatures.”

“Could be one of our speeders,” you choke, clearing your throat.

The senior controller shakes his head, “no. Wait- there's something very weak coming through.”

You all lean in slightly to try and make out the garbled text, but Threepio steps forwards, raising a hand.

“Sir, I am fluent in six-million forms of communication. This signal is not used by the Alliance. It could be an Imperial Code.”

The transmission quickly cut off, leaving your small group in silence. Rieekan takes a moment to look between the three of you, Chewie also looking over the group, and you knew he couldn’t help but notice the tension that was slowly building up.

Han huffs, hands on his hips, “well, whatever it is, it isn’t friendly, common, Chewie- (Y/n), let’s check it out.”

“General, send Rouges Ten and Eleven to station three-eight,” Rieekan nods, pushing himself away from the console.

“Remind me, when we get back, to never leave the Falcon,” you strain, trudging through the snow with your thick boots. The fur lining of your jacket gets stuck between your lips, and your blaster is freezing in your hand, even though you had thick gloves on.

“You’re starting to sound like me,” Han jests, crouching behind a snow bank. There was a high-pitched beeping from the other side, and when you peer over, you finally see what was making the garbled transmission.

It was a small probe droid, floating just a few feet above the snow. Its head continued to rotate slowly, and when its antennas slowly raised, it let out piercing signals before moving on. It was fully black, except for the bright red eye on its front. The Empire's sigil painted on its side, almost too small to see.

“Definitely Imperial,” you grumble, shuffling back down the bank as Han looks over his blaster once more. You were just waiting on Chewie now, who was making his way around to create a distraction. Then, you and Han would shoot it down.

Han’s eyebrows were furrowed, grumbling softly under his breath, and it was almost drowned out by the wind, but you managed to catch snippets.

“I’m sure the Princess feels the same way, would you stop drowning yourself over it?”

“Now's not the time for this,” he says. It's silent for a few more moments, then his head snaps in your direction, “how could she, when she kisses another guy in front of me? And what about your pouting about the kid, huh? Doesn’t seem like I’m the only one upset.”

“I’d rather not talk about it right now, Han.”

“You’re the one who brought it up!” He’s teasing you now, the corners of his lips upturning as he reaches out to slap the top of your jacket.

“If you actually talked to Luke like I told you to months ago, we wouldn’t be in this predicament, now would we?”

“There’s nothing for us to talk about,” you snap, glaring over at him. He’s still smiling, and when he raises a finger at you, your head drops back against the snow bank.

“I know that look, you’re not slick like you think you are.”

Chewie finally making a distraction cuts you short, and you both dive back over the snow to fire at the droid. Its attention was fully on Chewie, and it allowed for you to shoot right at its most vulnerable spot. It sharply spins, managing to fire at the bank of snow before Han manages to get a few shots in, the entire droid blowing into pieces. Sending a look to Han, you both make your way over the bank to inspect the destroyed metal. Chewie meets you, bending down to try and touch it, but it is still smoking.

Han sighs, lifting his com, “We’ve got the problem.”

“What is it?” Leia’s voice cuts back not too long after.

“Appears to be a droid of some kind, I didn’t hit it that hard, I must have self-destructed.”

You look back over the snow, wondering how many others were there. Squinting your eyes, you look back towards the base, seeing the closed hanger doors. One one was open, allowing you in and out.

“An Imperial Probe Droid.”

Scoffing, you shake your head, Han shares your look, “No doubt the Empire knows we’re here.”

There's a pause from the other end, and this time it's Rieekan’s voice that cuts through, “Make your way back, we’re starting evacuation.”

“Evac? Already?” You ask, getting no response from Rieekan or Leia. Han gently grabs the fabric of your jacket, pulling you back towards the base.

“I thought you knew nowhere was safe for us at this point, kid.”

The snow crunches under your boots, and the wind now blows harshly against your cheeks.

“Yeah, well. Sorry for thinking we were safe on a snowy-death-planet in the middle of nowhere.”

When you make it back to base, you take off the thick jacket, exchanging it for your more comfortable leather one. You, Han, and Chewie now worked on the remaining broken bits of the Falcon, doing your best to get it in the air as fast as you could. Evacuation was starting slow, people still packing up tools and equipment to store onto the ships.

“Would you please put the helmet on right?!” You groan, watching from the ground as Han only lifted the mask to his face. Chewie was in the cockpit, and Han continued to work on the remaining bits that didn’t allow the Falcon to fly. Han waves a hand in your direction, standing as he drops the mask to his side.

“Alright! Let's try it!”

When Chewie starts the Falcon, however, the whole compartment Han was fixing burst into flame, an alarm going off when the smoke rose. Han, frantic, yells out to Chewie, “Turn it off! Off!”

After turning it off, Chewie leaves the Falcon to tend to one of the landing gears, ruffling your hair as he passes. Han was talking with one of the repair droids, and you continued work on more wiring by the broken landing gear.

Turning to exchange your tools with ones you hoped would work, you heard Luke’s voice again, or rather, his laughter as Chewie growled and barked. When you turn back, you take a deep breath when you see him. The last time was when he just got out of the bacta tank, when Leia kissed him.

Luke doesn’t notice you yet, turning to look up at Han, who stood leaned up against one of the Falcons wings. He wore a flight suit, his helmet in one hand as he spoke to Han. The two didn’t need to say much to get what they wanted to say across.

It wasn’t until he turned to leave did he see you, and he stopped. There's a nervous look in his eyes when he walks to you, and you only tilt your head.

“I don’t think you’re evacuating with everyone else,” you say softly, watching his soft eyes flicker between yours.

“They need me out there,” there's hesitation in his voice, hands fumbling with his helmet before continuing, “About what happened-”

“We’ll talk when you get back, okay?”

He sighs heavily, eyes clenching shut before he reaches forwards, grabbing your hand with his free one.

“It’s important to me, I don’t want-”

“Luke,” you can't help but interrupt, and by the look he has, you were scared at what he was going to say.

Giving a strained smile, you squeeze his hand in comfort, “we’ll talk later.”

He doesn’t say anything else, just nods and begins to pull away. There's still that uncertain look in his eyes, and it makes your heart throb.

“Don’t do anything stupid, blondie.”

Just nodding, Luke turns and makes his way into the hangar. No doubt going to help the others in the Rogue squadron before going anywhere else.

“(Y/n)! I could use some help up here!”

“Yeah, yeah,” you grumble, making your way up the ladder. Han was crouched over one of the landing gear components, and Chewie was bending himself in half to fix the remaining parts of the wing.

“What is it?”

He throws one of the tools your way, and you catch it, crouching down next to him to rework damaged wires.

“Did you tell him?”

You throw him a glare, “did you tell her?”

Chewie barks and you watch as he shakes his head.

“No, Chewie, you need to rework the wires so we can get her back in the air!”

There was an explosion, and Han grabbed your arm, both of you looking to the slowly cracking ceiling.

“Well, that doesn’t look too good,” you grumble, trying to get your cold hands to work faster. After the wing was done, you would be able to evacuate and rendezvous with Leia and the others.

You both work in silence, trying to finish the gear before the Empire bursts through the ceiling. Sweating under your jacket, your shaking hands continue to thread the wires. It wasn’t a beautiful job, but it would hold until you were in a safe place, then you would be able to thoroughly fix it.

“No, Chewie!” Han pushes himself up, throwing the tool down, “that one goes here, that one there, right?”

“Would you stop bickering! We don’t have time for this!” You shout, covering your head when the base is hit once more, snow falling from the ceiling. It smacks against the wings, ice sprinkling over your shoulders.

“Where's the princess?” You ask.

“Probably still in the control room, I’ll get her to the transport, you two keep working.”

“Han!” You throw the tools down, the wires finished, “Hurry, we won't leave without you.”

“I’m always quick!”

You turn back to Chewie, nodding, “come on, let’s close everything up. Hopefully-” you scrunch your eyebrows, patting the ship lightly, “she’ll actually start.”

Chewie barks, waiting until you climb down the ladder. The panels were shut and screwed back into place, the tools discarded in the snow as you rushed onto the ship, turning into the small closet that held the inner workings.

“Alright baby,” you whisper, eyes frantically moving, “let me hear you, yeah?”

Your fingers were freezing, almost having lost feeling. It doesn't stop you from reworking the wires, checking the diagnostic from the panel on the wall. You can faintly hear Chewie bark, yelling out the entry ramp before he rushes onto the falcon.

“Hurry up, goldenrod! Or you’ll be a permanent resident!” Han shouts, going straight to you.

“How’s it looking?”

“I don’t know! In reality she needs to be on for me to actually fix this stuff!”

Chewie shuts the entry ramp, rushing into the cock-pit. There's another explosion in the hangar, the entire ship shaking as ice crashes onto the roof. Han is busy at the control panel, yelling to you in hopes of getting the ship to start.

“How’s this?!” He yells, and suddenly you're being sprayed with smoke. Yelping, you shout at him to turn it off, Chewie barking negatively from the cock-pit. Finally leaving the small closet, you join Han at the panel, looking over the multitude of buttons and switches.

“Try that one,” you say before rushing back. This time, nothing bad happens, and you take it as a win.

“Would it help if I got out and pushed?” Leia asks sarcastically, Han glaring at her, “it might!”

Threepio makes his way over, hand raised, “Captain Solo! Captain Solo! Might I suggest that-”

Han cuts him off, glaring at the droid with deadly eyes and a raised finger.

“It can wait.”

Following Han into the cock-pit, you flip the necessary buttons before sitting down in your chair, spinning to raise the deflector shields.

“This bucket of bolts is never going to get us past that blockade.” Leia hisses, watching Han move around the small space.

“This baby’s got a few surprises left in her, sweetheart.”

Looking out the window, you spot multiple Stormtroopers rushing into the hanger. Looking at Han with wide eyes, you slap his arm, “we need to go! Stormtrooper’s are coming in!”

Swinging back around, you pull down on a small lever by your feet, a turret dropping from under the wing. Aiming it, you shoot towards the Troopers, all of them scrambling around to find cover.

Leia straps in next to you, and Han in his seat. Chewie runs in seconds later, strapping himself in while Han starts the Falcon.

“Come on! Switch over,” he calls to Chewie, “let's hope we don't have a burnout.”

A blaster bolts hits the windshield right by Chewie’s head, the Wookiee yelping as he pulls back on the controls. The engine finally fires and a giant smile crawls onto Hans’ face, his head turning to briefly look at Leia.

“See?”

“Someday you’re going to be wrong, and I hope I’m there to see it.”

“Let's go!” You shout, pulling the turret back into the ship, kicking Han’s seat, “punch it!”

He didn’t need to be told twice, accelerating out of the hangar. Staying close to the ground, Han waits until he’s a bit further away form the base to make his way out of the atmosphere. But of course, the blockade is waiting. The ship wouldn’t be able to survive any of the firepower from the Star destroyers, so he would have to weave his way through.

Chewie lets out a howl, and Han quickly checks over the panel before nodding, “I see them.”

“See what?!” Leia asks, hands gripping onto the seat. You continuously checked the state of the Falcon from what was around you, and it didn’t look good. You can hear, and feel, the oncoming fire from the Tie’s on your tail.

“Two Star Destroyers, coming right at us.”

You can hear Threepio bang and stumble his way into the Falcon, holding onto the door frame for stability.

“Sir! Sir!” He cries, “Might I suggest-”

Han doesn’t let him finish, again, turning sharply to point at Leia, “shut him up or shut him down!” He turns back to Chewie, sweat running down his temple, “check the deflector shields.”

Readjusting an overhead switch, Chewie barks his reply, causing Han to sigh, “Well great, we can still outmaneuver them.”

This catches your attention, leaning out into the small space between the seats, “what did he say?”

“The shields are down-”

“What!?”

“It's fine! You’re flying with the greatest pilot to ever live!”

Suddenly, Han changes course. The Falcon starts to fly in the direction of two Star Destroyers, before taking a steep nose dive. Yelping, you and Leia try to stabilize yourself, grabbing onto whatever you could as Han flies recklessly.

“Kriff! Han! I’m gonna kill you!”

From above, the now three Star Destroyers try to maneuver away from each other, and it almost seems like they collide into each other.

“Prepare to make the jump to light-speed,” Han growls, trying to dodge more of the blaster fire from the oncoming Tie’s.

“But Sir!” Threepio cries, picking himself up from the floor.

Leia pulls herself in between your seats, eyebrows scrunched, “they’re getting closer!”

“Oh yeah?” Han taunts, rolling his shoulders as he grabs the lever for light-speed, “watch this.”

He presses forwards, but nothing happens. The Falcon only produces a soft whine, your stomach sinks, and you watch with wide eyes as Han looks between you and Chewie.

“Watch what?” Leia asks, rocking back into her seat when the ship jerks.

“I think we’re in trouble,” you say softly, and when Han tries it again, the engine stalls.

“Sir,” Threepio says, “If I may say so, I noticed that the hyperdrive motivator has been damaged. It's impossible for us to go to light speed!”

“We’re in trouble.”

Unbuckling your belt, you follow Han into the main hold, “what's your plan now, Han!” You yell, watching him frantically move about the different panels. He falls to his knees, unlocking the floor panel. It was heavy, and he was barely able to lift it.

“No clue! Just get up there and fly this ship before we get shot out of space!”

“Kriffing hell,” you grumble, turning back and running to the cockpit. Chewie meets you in the doorway, lightly grabbing your arms before you fall. He growls, motioning behind you before letting go to join Han.

Falling down into his seat, you glance at Leia as she sits beside you, staring at the radar.

“They’re hot on us,” she says.

Scoffing, you try and maneuver around bolts, but some still manage to hit, “oh really? I thought we lost them!”

The ship shakes once more, “you know how to fly this hunk of junk?”

“I’ve flown it long before Han even knew she existed-” you say, glaring her way before turning sharply, narrowly missing an asteroid. Hissing, you briefly glance at the radar before staring ahead, sighing.

“That doesn't look too good.”

Leia looks like she’s about to say something, but you point out in front, her eyes following. Ahead of the ship was a wide field of asteroids, the belt spanning across the entire windshield of the Falcon.

You don’t see the asteroid that looms next to the falcon, yelping when the ship lurches on impact.

“Get Han up here, “ you stress, looking at her when she doesn’t move, “now!”

“Han!” she calls over the com, “get up here!”

It didn’t take long for Chewie and Han to appear back in the cock-pit, you and Leia both moving out of the way so they could sit. Han whistles slowly, scanning the field before driving into it. He was mad, you thought. Or, he's always been mad and now it's finally showing.

“Chewie, set two-seven-one.”

Standing behind the Wookiee, you grab onto his seat for support.

“You’re not actually going into the asteroid field, right?”

Han only scoffs, “they’d be crazy to follow us, wouldn’t they?”

There's a thump against the hold, and you and Leia both wince. Threepio stands behind Han, his golden head shaking back and forth, “Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately three-thousand, seven hundred and twenty to one!”

“Never tell me the odds!” Han growls

The Falcon turns into the belt, now going against the large, looming rocks. Han bobs and weaves through them, stark silent as he piloted. Threepio keeps yelping when one comes too close, shielding his eyes when two collide into each other, smaller rocks scattering across and Han doesn’t hesitate to fly through it. The ship rocks violently, forcing you and Leia to sit back and buckle yourselves in.

“You said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake; well, this could be it, sweetheart.”

Leia shakes her head, “Well I take it back, we’re going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer.”

“Pulverized?” Threepio echo's softly.

“I should’ve stayed back on Hoth-” you wheeze, clenching your eyes shut when two asteroids collide into each other.

Ignoring you, Han cocks his head, “I’m going in closer to one of the big ones.”

“Closer?!” You exclaim, Leia following.

The large rock floats into view, Han piloting down near the surface until dipping down into a large crater, following it into a small ravine, two Tie’s follow closely.

“We’re going to die,” you wince, shutting your eyes tightly as the end comes closer. Han shakes his head, “no we’re not!”

Sharply jerking the ship, it easily slips through onto its side. The ravine went into another crater, Han pulling the ship out of it without any Tie’s following.

“Oh, this is suicide! There's nowhere to go!” Threepio shouts, hysterical by now.

“There. That looks pretty good,” Han murmurs, pointing to a large hole.

“What looks pretty good?” You ask, pulling yourself back up after undoing your belt, following Han’s finger until you spot it.

“Excuse me, ma'am, where are we going?” Threepio asks, but you don't reply. Watching as the Falcon dives into it.

The cave is almost pitch black, the lights in the cock-pit the only source of light.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Leia says softly, hands grabbing the back of his seat.

“Yeah,” he replies with a frown, “me too.”

There's a small opening off to the side, and Han carefully sets down the Falcon, slouching into his seat before getting up, leaving the cockpit while grumbling profanities under his breath. Looking out the windshield, you can’t tell how big the cave was since it was pitch black. Chewie flicks on the lights, illuminating a wall of fog that rested over the ground.

When Han enters the cockpit once more, he and Chewie make haste by turning off all the electronics. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see the worried look on Leia’s face as she watches him.

“I’m going to shut down everything but the emergency power systems,” Han says, leaning by your side to flip more switches. You give him a side-eye, biting the inside of your cheek. The cave was making your stomach twist uncomfortably, and you didn’t think it was from how dark it was.

“Does that mean shutting me down too?” Threepio asks, raising his hand. Chewie immediately barks, and you chuckle at the enthusiasm behind it. Blinking to get your eyes to adjust when more lights begin to flicker off in the cockpit.

Han sighs, “no, I need you to talk to the Falcon, find out what's wrong with the hyperdrive.”

Suddenly, the ship lurches, causing all loose-items to fall. Leia and Chewie grab onto the chairs, while Han catches Threepio. You clutch onto the steering components, waiting until the ship is stable again before kissing your teeth.

“I think we’re in trouble-”

“Aren’t we always?” Han gripes, worriedly looking out the front towards the fog, glancing down at you with pursed lips.

“Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable.”

You spin around with wide eyes, “oh really? Well aren’t I happy you’re here to tell us these things!”

“(Y/n), why don't you and Chewie take the professor to the back and plug him into the hyperdrive?”

Huffing, you throw your hands up while walking out of the cockpit, hearing Chewie and Threepio following. The droid's voice filling the corridor.

“Oh! Sometimes I just don't understand human behavior. After all, I’m only trying to do my job-” He gets cut off, the Falcon lurching to the side once more, sending you straight into the wall. Chewie barks, rubbing his arms before nodding towards you. Nodding, you rub at your side before continuing.

“Where exactly is the Hyperdrive, Madam?” Threepio asks timidly. Smiling, you glance back at him, leading him to the Control Panel in the Main hold.

You could map out the inside of the Falcon like the palm of your hand. You’ve been with her since her seats were white, since her stereo system worked and when the giant closet in Hans’ room was filled to the brim with different capes.

Flipping more switches, you allow Threepio to look over it, “the Hyperdrive is in the back of the Engine room, under the flooring. It's too small to fit in there with it, so you’ll have to connect to her from out here.”

“I see, thank you, Madam (Y/n).”

After patting his metal arm, you assess the damage in the Main Hold. Chewie opens the ceiling, pulling himself up into the forest of wires while you look over the closet of wires you were in before leaving Hoth. It was worse than before, sparking every second while others hung broken, screws and bolts littering the floor.

“Kriff- I just fixed that, too,” you mumble, kicking away some of the bolts before getting close to the wires, squinting your eyes when some of the sparks land on your cheek.

Threepio begins whistling to the panel, it responding before he sighs, flipping another switch before trying again. Chewie holds a hand out the ceiling panel, barking and growling. You walk over, hands on your hips.

“Oh, where is R2 when I need him?” Threepio huffs.

Han rushes through the hold just then, brushing past you to the small cabinet with various wires and tools.

Threepio turns to him, “Sir, I don’t know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect.”

Looking over your shoulder, you watch as Han stands beside the droid, looking over the screens with him.

“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.

Scoffing, Han shifts the bundled cord in his hands, moving the screen slightly.

“Well, of course I’ll have to replace it.” Han says sarcastically, walking over to hand Chewie the rolled wire from where he was in the ceiling.

“Here!” He calls up. Bumping shoulders with him, you jerk your head back towards Threepio, smiling when Han rolls his eyes and turns back, “and Chewie!”

Han waits until Chewie’s head peers down, lowering his voice so it was only heard between the three of you, “I think we’d better replace that negative power coupling.”

Chuckling, you watch Han turn to leave, seeing Leia struggling with a valve she must have been welding. It seemed to be stuck, and you watched with a small smile as Han went to help her, his body blocking your view.

“Chewie?” you call softly, hearing him whine. “Do you need anything else? I need to get back to the wire closet.”

His head pops back over the side, and he once more points to a tool that was on the floor. Bending you pick it up, hearing Threepio cheering to himself, handing the tool up to him before turning and making your way back to the wires. With a huff, you pat your pockets for your gloves, cursing when you can’t find them.

Turning, you search the floor for them, and sigh when you find one, but not the other. Sliding on the one you found, you return to mending the wires to where they belong, slowly putting the Falcon back together.

“Sir! Sir!” Threepio cheers, wobbling past you, “I’ve isolated the reverse power flux coupling!”

You later find Leia sitting in the cockpit, the only light in the room was from the indicators on the control panel in front of her. She sat in Chewie’s chair, lightly dragging her finger across the steering controls.

Her head spins when the door slides open, lips parting when she sees you. Neither of you had the time to talk since landing. Her and Han seemed to, judging by the way his eyebrows were furrowed and he was drowning himself in repairs.

“Sorry,” you murmur, walking in the grab the rag Han uses to wipe away soot and grease.

Leia leans up, grabbing lightly onto your sleeve. Looking at her, you raise an eyebrow. She seems to be deep in thought, and after clearing her throat, she lets you go.

“I was hoping to talk to you, after what happened-”

Your stomach tightens again, and you lick your lips, “I’d rather not.” You stress, looking anywhere but at her.

She clenches her hand, resting it back in her lap while turning the chair further in your direction. The distant sound of blaster fire hitting the asteroids, it reminds you to get back to repairs.

“Look,” she starts, “I wanted to apologize for kissing Luke, I know-”

“You know what?” You cut her off again, tilting your head. Her mouth shuts, looking back out at the vast darkness while you let your thoughts get the better of you.

Why was she apologizing?

“I thought we were friends, Leia,” you say softly, watching her lips slowly form into a frown. Sighing, you sit in Hans’ chair, looking out at the darkness. You feel her eyes on you, but you refrain from meeting them. Your eyes are hot, and you find that you can’t remember the last time you talked about your feelings with another woman.

“We are friends- It was a mistake, and I regretted it the moment after. Han just makes me so mad that I can’t think straight,” she huffs, rubbing at her cheeks while leaning her elbows onto her knees. Smiling, you bite the inside of your cheek.

You don't know what you’re looking at, but when there’s movement out of the corner of your eye, you decide that this conversation can wait until later. Stilling, you reach over to grab her wrist, stopping her from talking.

“I saw something,” you whisper, intently watching the darkness for any other movement. Leia grips your hand, also watching. Then it happened again, a form scurrying past the windshield and back into the darkness. Both of you lean forwards in your seats, slowly beginning to stand to lean closer, waiting with bated breaths.

Suddenly, whatever creature it was latches onto the thick glass, beady eyes twitching every which way while its thick white saliva coated its teeth. There were spines around its mouth, and it released a high pitched screech before letting go, disappearing just as fast as it appeared.

Leia screams, almost falling back against the floor if it wasn’t for your iron grip on her hand. You're frozen, waiting until the creature disappears before letting Leia drag you from the cockpit.

Both of you were breathing heavily when entering the Main Hold, Threepio was turned towards Han and Chewie, who wore black goggles and were welding parts back into the frame of the Falcon. Leia let go, choosing to step towards Han while you continued looking around, wondering if there were more creatures.

“There's something out there,” she states. Han and Chewie both pull off their goggles, Han furrowing his eyebrows while watching her.

“Where?”

Leia jerks her head towards the Ramp, “outside, in the cave.”

It wasn’t until something started banging on the top of the Falcon that he stood at his full height, fully pulling off the goggles. Chewie barks anxiously and Threepio turns towards you, “there it is! Listen!”

“I’m going out there,” he says, passing by Leia in a rush to grab an oxygen mask on the back of the couch.

“Well, wait for me!” You call, also grabbing a mask. Han sends you a glare, stopping to turn towards you, “you should stay on the ship-”

“And let you have all the fun? Absolutely not.”

“Are you both crazy?” Leia yells, rushing after the both of you, Chewie hot on her tail.

Han throws back, “I just got this bucket back together, I’m not gonna let something tear it apart!”

As the exit ramp lowers, both you and Han make your way down it, stopping at the edge until it settles onto the ground. The mask was uncomfortable on your face, the tube that connected the mask to the oxygen box that was strapped to your belt made it hard to turn in some ways. It was extremely foggy, and it was hard for you to distinguish anything. Squinting, you walk around Han and finally step foot into the fog. The grounded squishes under your boots, making you grimace.

“Gross.”

Leia follows behind Han, both taking tentative steps on the surface before joining you in searching for the strange creature. It looked so familiar to you, but you can’t place your finger on it.

“The ground sure feels strange,” Leia says into the coms, her voice crackling into your ear piece. “It doesn’t feel like rock, at all.”

Han ducks to look under the Falcon, and you can faintly see Chewie go around the other side. Your palm sat against your blaster, which was still sitting in its holster, prepared to shoot at anything hostile.

“There’s an awful lot of moisture in here,” Han comments, turning to look back at you. You still stood by the ramp, staring out into the darkness. It made you uneasy, how dark it was around you. Usually, cave systems would have dripping water, the sound of different creatures that lived in the dark and the reflection of the light from outside giving just a semblance of light. But it was pitch black, and you couldn’t hear anything.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” you wince, turning to follow Han and Leia who were rounding to the front of the ship.

“Yeah, me too.” Han grumbles.

There's a hiss, and both you and Han draw your blasters, pointing towards the sound. Han makes the first shot, shooting down whatever was latched onto the bottom of the Cockpit’s windows.

“Watch out!”

Chewie growls, running from the other side of the Falcon, crossbow in hand, to look over the creature. Grabbing Leia’s elbow, you squint to try and see it, but its body was covered in the thick fog.

“That’s what I thought- Mynocks,” Han sighs, waving towards Chewie, “Chewie, check the rest of the ship, make sure there aren’t any more attached, they’re chewing on the power cords.”

“Mynocks?”

“Annoying creatures that live in asteroids,” you respond, watching Leia’s face contort into disgust.

“They like to eat ships’ power supply-”

“(y/n), go inside with Leia, we’ll see if there's any more on the ship.”

Scoffing, you turn towards the ramp, rolling your eyes, “You just wanna have all the fun!”

“Oh yeah, killing Mynocks is my favorite pastime!”

When stepping towards the ramp, you’re suddenly overcome with multiple Mynocks, all letting their wings brush over the top of your head. Leia brought her arms up in defense, screaming out while you tried to bat them away, then shooting your blaster, hitting one down.

“Han!” Leia screams, running onto the ship while you continue shooting. Han and Chewie begin to as well, and the cave begins to move once more. Almost knocking you off of your feet, your hand grabbing the side of the Falcon. When the cave does move, the Mynocks all disappear, but you can still hear their whistling voices from the darkness.

Han gives you a look, his eyebrows furrowed while his eyes scanned the fog.

“Wait a minute,” he says, looking around once more before shooting into the mushy ground. The cave begins to move once more, throwing you once again off balance. Leia tries to grab onto one of the ramps’ pistons, but she almost falls over. Han rushes to her side, grabbing her waist and pushing her onto the Falcon while reaching out a hand towards you. Grabbing it, you let him drag you inside while you look around for Chewie, who was running to follow.

“Common, Chewie!”

Inside, you all struggle to stay stable in the shuddering Falcon, but Chewie manages to close to hatch and tear off the mask, rushing towards the Cockpit. Han, followed by you and Threepio, runs into the Main Hold to look over the scopes on the Control Panel.

“All right, let's get out of here!”

Chewie growls, and you follow after Han.

“The Empire is still out there! I don’t think it's wise-”

Han interrupts her, running to the cockpit, “There’s no time to discuss this in committee.”

Glancing at Threepio to make sure he’s fine, you follow after, discarding your mask onto the couch while trying not to fall.

“I am not a committee!” Leia growls, following after him. Chewie is already in his seat, starting the Falcon when you all enter. Throwing yourself into your seat, you buckle in and grab onto Leia’s wrist, but she only spares you a glance.

Han makes quick work in pulling back the throttle, the cave just just beginning to settle.

“You can’t make the jump to lightspeed in an asteroid field!”

“Sit down, sweetheart, we’re taking off.”

The shaking finally stops when you’re in the air, and you can hear Threepio entering the Cockpit. Chewie barks, looking at the end of the cave, and you have to lean forwards in your seat to see it.

At the end of the long tunnel, it looks like the cave begins to collapse.

“Maker, that’s definitely not good,” you say, hearing Chewie grumble.

Threepio lifts an arm, “Look! Look!”

“I see it,” Han stresses. Suddenly, a row of jagged white stalagmites and stalactites can be seen surrounding the entrance. And as the Falcon moves forward, the entrance to the cave grows ever smaller. Han pulls hard on the throttle, the ship surging forward.

“We’re doomed!” Threepio cries, and you bite the inside of your cheek.

“The cave is collapsing,” Leia says, leaning down in between Han and Chewie’s seats.

“This isn’t a cave,” you say, watching her head snap to you with wide eyes.

“What?” She asks, looking back at the entrance. The rocks aren’t rocks at all, but teeth, which were quickly closing in on the ship. Chewie howls, and Han curses. He yanks the steering, the ship tilting onto its side to slide past the gaps in the teeth, flying into the asteroid field once more.

It doesn’t take long for The Empire to catch up with you, and soon a large Star Destroyer is hot on your tail, flak hitting the sides of the Falcon, rocking it. Han does his best to correct the angle of the ship, and while Leia watches intently out the front, your eyes are glued to the tracking scope next to you.

“We’re coming out of the field,” you say, Threepio cheering at your side.

“Oh, thank goodness!”

There's another large hit to the Falcon, and you can hear something explode from the back, causing Chewie to bark.

“Let’s get out of here.” Han states, glancing at Chewie, who was beginning to flip switches, “ready for lightspeed? One, two, three!-”

When he pulls back on the hyperspace throttle, nothing happens, Han groans.

“It's not fair!” He sounds frantic. Chewie begins to growl and bark, throwing his hands up after bashing the control panel. Leia groans softly, rubbing her eyes harshly while slouching in her seat.

“What did you do?!” You yell, pushing past Chewie’s arm to frantically look over the controls. Han glares, “Transfer circuits aren’t working, it's not my fault!”

Leia leans over, “no lightspeed?”

Han turns his chair, his eyebrows tight, “it’s not my fault!”

More flak hits the ship, and Han does his best to steer away.

“Sir,” Threepio says from behind you, “we’ve just lost the main rear deflector shield, one more hit on the back quarter and we’re done for.”

There's a moment of silence, Han staring down at the levers before nodding his head once, pulling back and turning towards Chewie.

“Turn her around.”

“What?!” You yell, Chewie barking in puzzlement, both of you staring at him. He gets up from his seat, pointing at the Wookiee, “I said turn her around! I’m going to put all power in the front shield!”

He flips almost switch before sitting back down in his seat.

“You’re going to attack them?” Leia asks, you smacking his arm, “that’s the worst decision by far!”

“Sir, the odds of surviving a direct assault on an Imperial Star Destroyer-”

Both you and Leia interrupt him, “Shut up!”

The Falcon banks, making a steep turn before heading straight towards the Star Destroyer, bobbing and weaving to dodge the flak bursts. The ship narrowly misses the bridge window, before Han turns towards Chewie, pointing to his side.

“Engage the landing claw!”

Chewie does, and the Falcon is now clinging to the Destroyer, Han shutting off all power before freezing, watching the other Destroyers in the area.

“We should be invisible now,” he says softly, glancing at you and Chewie.

There's a few minutes of silence, before Threepio throws his hands up.

“Captain Solo, this time you’ve gone too far!” Chewie cuts him off, but Threepio only waves his way, “no, I will not be quiet, Chewbacca. Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?”

Han points to the Destroyers, “the fleets starting to break up. Go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claw.” Chewie nods, barking. He struggles to stand from his seat, walking out of the Cockpit.

Threepio speaks again, “I really don't see how that is going to help. Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances-”

You’ve stood up by then, sitting Threepio down in your seat before turning to Leia, raising your eyebrows while gesturing towards Threepio. She sighs, reaching forwards to turn him off. Han sighs, nodding his head, “thank you.”

Standing in the doorway, you watch Leia move closer to Han, who was still watching the fleet.

“So what’s the next move?”

Han only glances her way, “well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they’ll dump their grange before going to lightspeed. Then, we’ll just float away.”

You cross your arms, watching the two interact.

“With the rest of the garbage, then what?”

“Then, we’ve got to find a safe port around here, got any ideas?” He finally turns to look at you after turning on the computer map screen, you shake your head.

“No. Where are we?” Leia asks.

“The Anoat system.”

Leia grimaces, “Anoat system. There’s not much there.”

“Well- wait, this is interesting,” he turns to look at you with raised eyebrows, “Lando.”

You chuckle, letting your head fall back against the door frame, groaning softly.

Leia looks between you both for a moment, “Lando system?”

“Lando’s not a system,” you correct her, “he’s a man, Lando Calrissian.” smiling, you look back at her, “he’s a card player, gambler, scoundrel-”

“You’d like him,” Han cuts in with a smile.

“Thanks,” she grumbles.

Han rests his fist against his chin, watching the computer screen.

“Bespin. It’s pretty far, but I’m sure we can make it.”

Nodding, you push away from the door frame, leaning over Leia’s shoulder.

“A mining colony?” She asks, tilting her head to look at you.

“Yeah,” Han confirms, “a Tibanna gas mine. Must have conned somebody out of it, we go back a long way- Lando and us,” he nods towards you.

“Can you trust him?”

You laugh, shaking your head, “absolutely not, but he has no love for The Empire.”

Sitting in Chewie’s seat you watch the garbage slowly start to seep from the Destroyer. Han straightens in his seat, leaning to press into the com.

“Alright Chewie, get ready.” He waits another moment, “detach!”

The falcon detaches from the Destroyer with a lurch, and the ship slowly turns as it floats into the wave of garbage, watching as the Star Destroyer goes off into lightspeed.

“You have your moments, I'll give you that.” Leia says softly, looking over Han for a moment before leaning down, pressing a kiss onto his cheek. Then, she sits down in her seat, avoiding your gaze. Smiling, you watch as Han smiles softly, and Leia blushes.

Powering back on the Falcon, Han steers the ship around and begins making way to Bespin.

You moved back to your seat when Chewie came back and Threepio was turned back on, albeit more calm and quiet after having been turned off for a few hours. You sat in silence, watching the clouds grow in number and the colors shift from black and blue to a dusty orange and pink. this suited Lando, you thought.

There were two cloud cars following the ship from either side, talking to Han through the coms.

“No,” Han says, “I don’t have a landing permit! I’m trying to reach Lando Calrissian!”

Flak hits the side of the ship, and you lean forwards to watch out the window. Leia looks worried, you giving a tight lipped smile.

“Woah! Wait a minute! Let me explain-” Han yells into the transmitter, but the pilot in the Cloud Car cuts him

“You will not deviate from your current flight path.”

“Rather touchy, aren’t they?” Threepio says.

Leia huffs, “I thought you said you knew this person.”

Chewie growls and barks at Han, and you wonder what he said for Han to look so offended.

“Well, that was a long time ago. I’m sure he’s forgotten about that.”

“Permission granted to land on platform three-two-seven.”

Han smiles, seething into the transmitter, “Thank you.”

After saying his thanks, he snaps off the intercom, throwing it to the ground as Chewie grunts.

“Nothing to worry about. We go way back, Lando and me.”

“Who’s worried?” Leia asks, sitting down in her chair.

As the floating city of Bespin comes into view, you silently wonder how Lando came to own this place. You wonder if it was from a game of Sabacc, or if he did another run and got it as a reward. The Cloud Cars escort you to the landing platform, and Han lands with a sigh, standing from his chair and walking out of the Cockpit, you and Chewie hot on his tail. You can hear Leia and Threepio following, and make sure to glance back at her.

Han lowers the ramp, and warily looks around the platform as you exit. You’re expecting to see Lando waiting for you guys, but there wasn’t anybody around.

“Oh. no one to meet us,” Threepio voices, looking around the platform.

Eyebrows furrowed, you place a hand onto your blaster, looking at Han and Chewie. They both have the same looks, hands close to their weapons.

“I don’t like this,” Leia sighs, shaking her head. Han huffs, turning to look at her.

“Well, what would you like?”

“They did let us land,” Threepio states, looking between the two.

Han leans against one of the pistons, “look, don't worry, everything's going to be fine. Trust me.”

The door at the end of the platform hisses, opening vertically to present a group of people, Lando at the front. His dark cape laid over his shoulders as he talked with one of the people from the crowd, pointing towards your group. Han makes his way from the ramp, stopping between you and Chewie.

“Keep your eyes open, yeah?”

Chewie nods his head, growling softly. Han turns to you, smiling, “coming with me?”

You don't reply, but you do follow him when he goes to meet Lando in the middle of the platform. Turning to give Chewie and Leia a two fingered salute.

Han opens his hands, a bright smile on his face, “Hey!”

You can hear Lando’s voice, deeper from what you remember, his cape billowing behind him. He’s grown older, smile lines creasing around his eyes. The only remaining facial hair left on his face was his mustache, his hair remaining almost the same, just a little longer, smoothed back into waves. The group he was talking to follow at a distance, looking over your group with curious eyes.

“Why, you slimy, double-crossing, no-good swindler!” He stops a few feet away, placing his hands on his hips

“You’ve got a lot of guts coming here, after what you’ve pulled.”

Both you and Han freeze, Hans’ hands pointing to his chest. You stare at Lando with narrowed eyes, but he doesn’t seem to acknowledge your presence just yet.

“Me?” Han says softly. Lando takes a few steps forwards, jerking towards Han, making his hands fly up in defense, before laughing and pulling him into a hug. Han stands shocked, before beginning to laugh, hugging him back.

Lando pulls away, smiling brightly, “how you doing, you old pirate! I never thought I’d catch up with you again, where’ve you been? What’re you doing here?”

Han turned to thumb at the Falcon, “ah, repairs, thought you could help.”

Lando replies in mock panic, “what’ve you done to my ship?”

He finally turns to you, his eyes softening, trying to hide a smile as he finally speaks to you, “What’ve you let him do to our ship?”

Han laughs mockingly, looking between you both with wide eyes, “your ship? Hey- remember, you lost her to me fair-and-square.”

Chewie must catch his attention, his eyes flickering to behind you, “and how you doin’, Chewbacca? you still hanging around with this loser?”

Chewie replies in a series of barks and growls, Leia and Threepio appearing from his side. When Lando finally notices her, he smiles, “hello, what do we have here?” Glancing towards Han, he moves closer.

“Welcome. I’m Lando Calrissian, I’m the administrator of this facility. And who might you be?” He tilts his head. Crossing your arms, you narrow your eyes at him. Leia flickers to look at you, before setting her gaze on him again, she looks wary, untrusting. Yet, she smiles, tilting her head.

“Leia.”

Lando sighs, “Welcome, Leia.” He reaches out, grabbing her hand to press a delicate kiss.

Han huffs, moving in to softly grab Leia’s hand from his, shaking his head, “all right, all right, you old smoothie.”

Threepio moves closer, slightly bending down before shaking his hand, “Hello, sir. I am see-Threepio, human-cyborg relations. My facilities are at your-” Lando’s already turning around, eyes finding you again with a smile.

“Finally deciding to work with your real captain, (Y/n)?” he takes your arm in his, leading you into the building. Laughing, you shake your head, looking at him with a smile.

“You haven’t been a captain for how long, Lando?”

He brushes it off with a smirk, “doesn't matter, you worked under me first didn’t you?”

“You don't remember? Why, how inconsiderate of you!” You feign offense, placing your hand over the other, feeling the cape brush the back of your legs.

“I could never forget you! After all we’ve done? It would be a crime!”

Lando turns back to Han, and you let go of his arm, clasping them behind your back as Lando's aid nods his head at you in greeting.

“What’s wrong with the Falcon?”

“Hyperdrive.”

Lando nods, turning to his aid before looking back, “I’ll get my people to work on her.”

“Good.”

Walking backwards, Lando winks at you before looking at Leia, smiling brightly, “you know, that ship saved my life quite a few times. She's the fastest hunk of junk in the sky!”

When walking across a small bridge that leads into the main city, you finally manage to catch a glimpse of it all. The entire city reminded you of Coruscant, with cloud cars flying around, people walking through the streets, and multiple buildings linking together that stretch out as far as you could see.

The interior was just as elegant as you expected. While walls and intricate statues and artwork. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling as your group walked down the skinny set of stairs. The windows on the wall to your left showcased the city lights, and you smile at Leia when you see the sparkle in her eyes return, even if it was for a second.

Han makes busy with talking to Lando, their voices echoing through the hallways, “how's the gas mine? Is it paying off for you?”

Passing a small plaza, you glance at a man working on a power board just behind one of the pillars that held up the ceiling. He didn’t pay you any mind, too engrossed in his work. Another man, who did spare you a glance, was cleaning the walls with a large duster, reaching up as far as he could.

“Oh,” Lando sighs, “not as well as I’d like. We’re a small outpost and not very self sufficient- not to mention the supply problems of every kind. I’ve had labor difficulties-” Lando stops short, Hans laughter billowing over him. Smiling, he tilts his head, “what’s so funny?”

You almost start laughing too at the way Han claps a hand down onto his shoulder, shaking his head.

“You! Listen to you, you sound like a businessman, a responsible leader. Who would’ve thought that, huh?” Han looks back at you, then at Leia for a split second before turning back to the front. Lando stops in front of a large wall of windows, the sun casting an orange glow of her busy city.

“You know, seeing you both here brings back a few things.”

Laughing, you link your arm with his again, smiling.

“It does, doesn’t it?”

Lando chuckles, dragging you along as Han looks back, eyebrows raised and shoulders shrugging.

“Yeah, I’m responsible these days. It's the price you pay for being successful.”

Raising a brow, you look up at him, “didn’t you win this place from gambling?”

“Acquiring this beauty doesn’t matter to me anymore, I think being a successful businessman suits me, no?”

You hiss, leaning away to wince, “I don’t know, seeing you like this is like seeing an imposter.”

“You hurt me, (Y/n). When did you get so mean?”

After assigning both you and Leia rooms, you take the chance to finally get cleaned up. The guest quarters was an oval shaped room, lounging all around the room while one door led into the bedroom.

They provided you with a new set of clothes, perfect to go along with the beautiful city. It was a dark blue jumpsuit, the fabric light enough to be worn with the cape that was folded nicely underneath it. It was white, but had a gold lining and a beautiful design that covered the bottom. The fabric underneath was also gold, the collar wrapping around your shoulders to clasp right in the middle of your chest. You refused to wear the boots they gave, preferring your usual ones instead.

After finally getting out of there, you make your way towards Leia’s room. You knew Han and Chewie were looking over the Falcon’s repairs, and you were hoping you’d be able to spend some time alone with Leia before you’d have to leave. But, when the doors opened, it revealed Han and Leia already sitting alone together, sitting closely as they spoke quietly amongst themselves.

Han stood first, hands on his hips as he looked you over, nodding once as he gestured to the cape and jumpsuit.

“Bespin seems to suit you.”

Looking down, you smooth over the soft fabric, shrugging, “over than it being kind of itchy in some parts, its comfortable.”

“I think you look beautiful,” Leia says, standing as well. She wore a maroon dress, her white cape falling fluidly over her shoulders and down her back. Her hair was down, braids being tied up with ribbons, and the dirt that used to be on her cheeks was washed away. She looked regal, fitting in almost perfectly with the city.

“You do too, Leia.”

“The ships almost done, just a few more things before we can go.”

Leia crosses her arms, stepping closer while promptly ignoring Han, “have you seen Threepio? Nobody has heard anything from or about him!”

“I thought he was with you? When was the last time you saw him?”

Han raises his arms, “I already told her I’d ask Lando!”

“How long has he been gone?” You ask, hands on your hips.

“Too long, there's no chance he would be lost. Something is wrong here, I cannot be the only one feeling like this.”

Leia sits back down on the couch, Han crouching next to her. You cross your arms, leaning against the door frame when the door across from you slides open, Chewie rushing in with a basket full of Threepio parts.

“What happened?” you ask, eyebrows scrunching as you rush over, looking over a broken Threepio. Chewie sets the basket down on the round table in the middle of the room, Leia standing besides you as you begin lifting small parts.

Chewie barks and growls softly, lifting Threepio's arm and foot.

“Where?” Han asks, hand resting on the back of the couch.

Chewie growls again, this time Han scoffs, “found him in a junk pile?”

Leia sighs, tilting her head. “What a mess, Chewie, you think you can repair him?”

Biting your cheek, you push away from the table and look at Han, a perplexed look on his face. Chewie growls, shrugging his shoulders.

“Lando’s got people who can fix him.”

Leia shakes her head, voice cold, “no thanks.”

Sitting back down onto the couch, you cross one leg over the other as you watch Chewie begin repairs. Leia continues to stand, seeming to be deep in thought.

Lando walks in just then, eyes flickering over everyone's face, “sorry, am I interrupting anything?”

“Not really, no.”

You give him a strained smile, and he returns it, before his eyes flicker over to Leia. He smiles, his eyes crinkling before he shakes his head.

“You look absolutely beautiful.”

Leaning back, you look at Han with raised eyebrows while he slowly covers his mouth with his hand, eyes wide as he stares at Lando.

“You truly belong here with us among the clouds,” he says smoothly, hands appearing from his cape.

“Thank you,” Leia returns coolly, She tugs her own cape closed, tilting her shoulders back towards you.

Lando reaches a hand out, his smile bright, eyes smooth, “would you join me for a refreshment?”

Barking almost offendedly, Chewie sets down the leg he was working on. Lando adds, “everyone's invited, of course.”

Standing, you watch Han move in to smoothly take Leia’s arm, pulling her away from Lando’s grasp as he moves towards the door. Lando offers you his arm, and you take it with a small smile.

Finally seeing the parts of Threepio, Lando’s eyebrows scrunch in confusion, “having trouble with your droid?”

“No, no problem. Why?” Han asks from the door frame, waiting for Lando to lead your group.

When the door hisses closed behind you, Han and Leia pause so Lando can actually lead you to where you’re going. There’s more people in the Halls now, all different species filling the corridor as you walk. Light filters in through the windows, being cut by the large white pillars that stand tall.

Lando clears his throat, hand tapping against yours before slightly turning his head to see the others.

“So you see, since we’re a small operation. We don't fall under the, uh, jurisdiction of the Empire.”

You raise your eyebrow, Leia’s voice firm next to you, “so you're part of the mining guild then?”

Leading you down a set of stairs, you turn another corner. Shoulder brushing against Leia’s you look at her, and she meets you with soft eyes.

“No not actually, our operation is small enough to not be noticed.”

Turning left down another corridor, he continues, “It’s advantageous for everybody since our customers are anxious to avoid attracting attention to themselves.”

There's a large set of doors at the end of the hallway, and you walk down another set of stairs, passing by another set of large windows.

“Aren’t you afraid the Empire is going to find you out? Shut you down?” You cut in, looking down at your feet so you wouldn't trip over the many capes that billow behind you. There's barely anyone down this hallway, and Lando begins to slow as you approach the double doors.

“There's always been a danger looming like a shadow over everything we’ve built here. But things have developed that will ensure security. I’ve just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of her forever.”

There's a small red button outside of the door, and when Lando presses down onto it, the door hisses as it opens.

Inside stood Darth Vader, he was at the end of the long table, black suit contrasting against the white interior. Ripping your arm from Lando’s grip, you instinctively reach for your blaster, but it wasn’t there. You had taken it off when putting on the clothes Lando provided you. Han was the only one wearing the clothes he arrived in, quickly grabbing the blaster from his side while pulling Leia behind him from her hand. Chewie growls while grabbing your arm, yanking you into his side.

Shooting at the Lord, Han would’ve hit, if it wasn’t for Darth Vader stopping the blaster bolts with his hand, stopping the blast repeatedly before ripping the gun from Hans’ hand, setting it down onto the table calmly.

“We would be honored, if you would join us.”

His voice was deep, mechanically terrifying as you peer over Han’s shoulder, watching Boba Fett himself walk from behind one of the pillars inside the room, standing beside Vader. Stormtroopers appear from behind you, pointing blasters.

Lando stood to the side, frowning. His eyes were unreadable, but he refused to look at you, only Han.

“I had no choice,” he said coldly, “they arrived right before you did. I’m sorry.”

Han purses his lips, grabbing Leia’s hand, looking at you before glaring at Lando, nodding.

“I'm sorry, too.”

Chewie growls, barking at him before pushing you forwards nex to Leia, who reaches back, grabbing your hand tightly as your group enters the room, the door hissing shut behind you.

You were separated from Han and the others shortly after, being strapped to a chair, they didn’t ask you anything, just stared while you screamed in pain. You barely remember what happened, just the pulsating electricity that waved through your body. They tore off your cape, leaving you in your jumpsuit. Your head hurt, and so did your body. The fresh scars on your side from falling into the Falcon’s wires throbbed again, the skin still sensitive.

They dragged you into another prison chamber after they were done, you pulled against them with the remaining strength you had left before they dropped you to the ground. Han was already laying against a metal bench, Leia brushing his hair back. He looked worse than you, his face pale with dark bags under his eyes.

Chewie rushes over to you, helping you stand. Smiling, you rub his arm before making your way to Leia and Han. Han looked over you with the little strength he had left, but you swatted his hands away.

“Did they ask you anything?” he questions, Leia looking over you with concern as well. He reaches out, touching your cheek softly before retracting.

“No, you?”

“No.”

Leia sighs, leaning down to kiss his forehead. Slouching onto the ground, you close your eyes while rubbing your side. You should’ve listened to Han when he told you to take care of it.

The door hisses open once more, and two cloudian guards walk in, Lando trailing in after. Chewie growls, and Han does his best to sit up with Leia’s help. Pushing off of the ground, you grab onto Chewie’s arm.

“Get out of here, Lando-”

“Shut up and listen!” He barks, face stern. “Vader has agreed to turn Leia, (Y/n), and Chewie over to me.”

Han scoffs, “over to you?”

“They’ll have to stay here, but they’ll be safe.”

Leia doesn’t miss a beat, “what about Han?”

Her hands are still gripping his shoulders, her body supporting him. You clench your jaw, already having an idea as to why Boba Fett would want Han.

“Vader’s giving him to the bounty hunter.”

Leia shakes her head, “Vader wants us all dead-”

“He doesn’t want you at all!” His head is shaking, trying to find the words, “he’s after someone else- someone called Skywalker-”

“Luke?” Your voice almost breaks. There's that feeling in your chest again, that tight twist in your stomach before it simmers away. Lando finally snaps his eyes to you, and you see the pain in them, looking at your pale face and worried, betrayed, eyes.

“Lord Vader has set a trap for him.”

There's a moment of silence, Chewie still growling.

“And we’re the bait-” Leia yells, her voice echoing slightly.

“Yeah, well. He’s on his way.”

Han is heaving now, his jaw offset as he struggles to look at the man in front of him. He pushes himself off the metal bench, wavering in his stance.

“You’ve fixed us all up real good, didn’t you?”

Lando shakes his head, looking away from him. But Han wasn’t done, he took a shaky step forwards, “My friend.” He growls. He rears back his hand, punching Lando in the face. The older falls to the floor, Han following after, the guards hitting him with their guns.

“Han!” You yell, trying to get to him but there's a gun pointed at you before you could move. Chewie is barking again, and at the moment you wish you knew what he was saying. What he was calling Lando. Leia is down by Hans’ side, rubbing his side where the guard hit him.

As he got up, Lando fixed his cape, calling off his guards while looking over your group once more.

“I’ve done all I can,” he says, touching his cheek, “I’m sorry I couldn’t do better but I’ve got my own problems!”

Pushing himself onto his side, Han glares from his place on the floor, “yeah, a real hero.”

Lando leaves after that, his guards following after. You finally fall to your knees besides Han, helping him up. Hes wincing, holding onto his side as Leia pushes herself closer to him. Leaning him up against the wall.

“You certainly have a way with people,” she sighs.

Chuckling, you wipe the blood from Han’s chin, “you should’ve seen him with Jabba, a real people pleaser.”

They both laugh softly, looking at one another before Leia steps over him, Chewie helping her lift him from the floor. They place him back on the metal bench, him softly groaning as his back meets the cold metal.

After everything seemed to calm down, the door hissed again, Boba Fett entering the room. You stand first, Leia staying by Han while Chewie stops his repairs on Threepio.

“What a familiar sight,” you tease, tilting your head at the mandalorian. He doesn’t reply to you, just turns his head and nods towards Han. Six stormtroopers enter the room then, quickly placing handcuffs onto your friends before standing close to Boba Fett, who still had his blaster in hand.

“Let’s go.” Is all he says, his voice mechanical.

“What a party pleaser,” you grumble, letting Han leave the room first. Leia stands by your side, and Chewie straps a still broken Threepio to his back, the stormtroopers trailing after him.

Boba Fett led you through Cloud City in silence, turning corners and going down stairs until you entered a dark room illuminated by a red light. Smoke steamed from different pipes, and the sight of even more stormtroopers had you inch closer to the princess.

Threepio doesn’t seem to be able to read the situation well, his voice carrying throughout the large room frantically, “If only you attached my legs, I wouldn’t be in this ridiculous position. Now, remember, Chewbacca, you have a responsibility to me, so don’t do anything foolish.”

After walking down the final set of stairs, Han stops to stand behind Lando, who was watching the many Ugnaughts working on some kind of machine that stands in the middle of the room.

“Nice to see you, buddy,” Han hisses, his hands shifting in the tight cuffs. There's another set of stairs on the other side of the room, and you can hear Vader’s mechanical breathing from beyond the smoke. You couldn’t see him, but you knew he was there.

“They're putting you into carbon freeze,” Lando whispers over his shoulder, eyes flickering to the Dark Lord that now walks down the stairs. A shiver rolls down your back, and you push Leia further away from him. Boba Fett moves away from your group, standing beside Vader to speak softly to him.

Carbon Freeze? You’ve only heard of it, never actually seeing the machine yourself. You’ve never heard of humans going into it and surviving, and the thought of Han going in there makes your eyes burn. Your chest feels tight, and you finally look at him. He’s looking at Leia with a soft smile, his eyes sad.

“Han?” You whisper, gaining his attention. His brows furrow, and he tries to make his way over to you, but he’s stopped by Vader's voice.

“The Empire will compensate you if he dies, put him in!”

“No!” you cry, Chewie howling right after. Leia grabs your arms, pulling you away from the stormtrooper that rushed forwards with his blaster raised. Chewie begins to push away the guards, throwing them off the suspended platform. It's chaos, Chewie frantic as Hans' voice tries to speak over him.

“Chewie! No! Stop it, Chewie! Do you hear me?!” Han is standing in front of him now, speaking loudly to gain the Wookie's attention while more Stormtroopers place him into cuffs.

“This won’t help me,” Chewie tries to struggle again, “Hey!”

Han’s face is stern, “save your strength. There’ll be another time. The princess, and (Y/n), you have to protect them, take care of them, you hear me?”

Chewie provides a woeful farewell, Leia leaving your side to stand next to him. Han looks down at her, then leans down, pressing his lips against hers. She reaches out, touching his cheek before he pulls away.

You realize your shaking, your vision blurry with unshed tears. Han looks at you with stern eyes, and he reminds you of an older brother.

“Don’t cry, kid.” He whispers, tilting his head. You can’t reply, throat throbbing. But you shake your head, wrapping your arms around his neck, hugging him as tight as you could.

“You gotta keep her safe, okay?”

Nodding, you continue to hold him before letting go, swallowing while taking a shaking breath.

Finally, Han is ripped away by a stormtrooper, and you almost go after him. Leia stops you, grabbing onto your arm firmly, pulling you back towards Chewie. She quickly turns to Han, who was already looking her way, her breathing shaking too.

“I love you,” she says firmly, and Han tries to hide his smile.

“I know.”

The ugnaughts remove his bindings, and the floor slowly begins to lower into the chamber.

There's tears rolling down Leia’s face, her hand clutching onto yours as Han disappears into the floor. Chewie begins to cry, it only gets louder as the machine turns on, cold smoke filling the air. The hissing the machine lets out hurts your ears, and you and Leia both turn to cover your faces.

It only took a few seconds before the large claw above the pit descended, whirring and latching onto something before ascending again. In its jaws, was Han. He was frozen in a sheet of carbon, his face exclaiming in pain while his hands were raised in surrender. Leia gasps, your hand flying to cover your mouth, tears stinging your eyes once more. The Ugnaughts look over it before pushing it down, and Han lands with a thump, the entire floor rattling with the weight.

Threepio continues to try and look around Chewie’s shoulder, only managing to get peeks in.

Lando moves around, crouching beside the Carbon block to look at the statistics on the side, his eyebrows tense.

“Oh, they’ve encased him in carbonite-” you can pick up, but you block him out.

Vader steps forwards, hand clasped onto his belt, “well, Calrissian, did he survive?”

Lando is staring at the frozen block, his hands holding onto the side.

“Yes, he’s alive. And in perfect hibernation.”

Turning back to Boba Fett, Vader says, “He’s all yours, bounty hunter.”

Boba Fett bows before turning to the Ugnaughts, motioning for them to continue with placing Han into a coffin-like box. Vader turns to the other Ugnaughts, “reset the chamber for Skywalker.”

One of the Imperial officers walks down to the platform then, only sparing a glance to the people around him before stopping before Vader, “Skywalker has just landed, my Lord.”

Leia turns your way, the tears dried on your face. Sighing, you speak silently with her. You couldn’t let Luke run into his trap.

Lando moves towards you then, trying to grab your arm but you swat him away, glaring at him. He frowns, Vader’s voice speaks up again.

“Good, see to it that he finds his way here. Calrissian, take the Princess, the Wookiee, and the other one to my ship.”

Lando doesn’t hesitate to protest, “you said they’d stay in the city under my supervision!”

“I’ve altered the deal.” Vader says, his voice cold, “pray I don’t alter it further.”

Lando nods, hand lightly touching his throat before turning to you and the others, pursing his lips.

They place Han onto a floating platform, Boba leading a few stormtroopers and Cloud City workers away with it. Lando, an Imperial Officer, and a few stormtroopers lead you and the others out of the chamber, taking a different hallway to Vader's ship. You only watch the floor as you walk. Everyone was silent, your eyes still burning at the thought of Luke being put into the same chamber as Han. Leia continuously tries to look around, slowing enough to be pushed forwards by a Stormtrooper.

The group slows when the sound of blaster fire echo's down the vacant hallway, it sounded close. You raise your head enough to see Lando look back, his hand reaching from under his cape to press along the watch on his wrist before looking forwards once more, walking alongside the Imperial officer.

Passing an adjacent hallway, the Imperial officer waves Lando forwards, rushing back to grab Leia by the shoulders and drag her towards the door to your right side. The troopers around start to fire down the hallway. Another trooper grabs you, and when trying to wiggle free, he only kicks the back of your knee, tripping you. Gaining your footing again, you can hear Leia yell over the sound of the other troopers’ blaster fire.

“Luke!” She screams, and you snap your head to look down the hallway, the quickest sight of blonde hair disappearing around the corner makes your heart drop. It was true, he was here.

“It's a trap!” She screams again before she’s yanked forcefully through the doorway. Chewie starts yelling, and when you try to yell his name, the trooper holding you kicks the back of your knee again, pulling you through the door.

“Luke, run!” you manage to get out, seeing him peer from behind the wall. When the door shuts behind you, the trooper lets you go, pushing you to keep walking. Leia grabs ahold of your arm, helping you steady yourself. Clenching your jaw, you continue walking. Hoping that Luke heard you, and left as soon as he could.

“I hope he heard us,” Leia whispers, her face looking back at the trooper’s following.

Further down the hallway, you enter an intersection, where multiple of Lando’s guards are waiting, blasters already fixed on the Imperial soldiers and officer. Lando pushes the officer into the hands of one of his guards, and begins to grab the blasters from the Stormtroopers, handing them over to his right hand, who was standing behind the pillar in the middle of the room.

“Well done,” Lando says, taking three more guns from the troopers before turning back to him, “hold them in the security tower, keep it quiet. Move.”

The guards begin to escort the Troopers and officer, handing you and Leia a blaster he took. When he hands one to you, you grab his arm harshly, “just what are you doing, huh?”

Lando gently takes his arm from your grip, moving to Chewie’s bindings, “we’re getting out of here.”

“Oh, I knew it all had to be a mistake!” Threepio cries from Chewie’s back. When the bindings fall from his wrists, he immediately grabs Lando by the throat, choking him.

Leia smirks, “you think after all you’ve done, we’d trust you?”

“You’re stupid to think I won't just kill you right here, right now,” you sneer, blaster pointed at him.

“I had no choice!” He chokes, hands clawing at Chewie’s wrists, trying to free himself.

Chewie barks, almost lifting him from the ground. Threepio starts to protest, his voice frantic.

“Oh, we understand, don’t we, (Y/n)?” Leia says sarcastically, turning to you with raised eyebrows.

“Definitely,” you step forwards, “he just had no choice, right Chewie?”

Lando’s face starts to turn red, “I’m just trying to help-”

“That’s what you said when you let us in, isn’t it? Helping an old friend of yours fix his ship? We don’t want your help anymore, Lando.”

He ignores you, making a garbled sound that neither of you could understand.

“I think he’s trying to say Han!” Threepio cries, his head trying to look over Chewie’s shoulder, who was still choking Lando.

“There’s still a chance- to save Han- The east platform-”

“Chewie, drop him.” Leia says, Chewie letting him fall to the floor. He heaves, rubbing the raw skin of his throat.

“I’m terribly sorry about all this. He’s only a wookiee, after all.”

“Shut it, Threepio.” You growl, turning to start rushing down the corridor. Leia was just behind you, Chewie following her, then a still gasping Lando.

“This way-” Lando wheezes, running to the front of the group to lead you out onto a balcony, the sun setting on the city. You can faintly see Boba Fett’s ship up ahead, and you almost stop when hearing the familiar whistle of another droid. Chewie stops to growl at R2.

“Artoo! Where have you been? Oh- turn around you wooly!”

Running up a set of stairs, Lando skids to a stop to open the hangar door. It hisses, and Leia and Chewie run through first, watching as Boba Fett’s ship flies away. Yelling out, Chewie tries to fire at the ship with the blaster Lando gave him, but it was no use. Standing beside Leia, your shoulders slump. Leia’s eyes well with tears, and you place a hand onto her back.

“Oh no, Chewie, behind you!” Threepio cries, the Wookiee turning around with a cry.

A blaster bolt nearly hits Leia, and you both turn around to see a group of Stormtroopers entering from down the corridor. R2 spins in the hanger doorway, speeding away from the cross fire. Lando takes cover behind the wall, and Leia soon follows. You and Chewie begin to fire at the troopers, Chewie hitting a few before Lando makes a break for the elevator down the hall. More troopers were filling the room, and Leia managed to hit a few before making a break for the elevator as well. Chewie pushes you along, acting as a shield while you peer around him, firing at the troopers before they could shoot Chewie.

Your hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and with each trooper you shot down, it got worse. Feeling the heat in your cheeks, you step around Chewie to take another shot, a blaster bolt landing beside your head before you finally make it to the elevator. Lando shut the doors before any of them could round the corner.

The elevator ride up was quick, and you ran off, almost smiling when seeing the Falcon on the landing pad. Just as quickly the doors slam shut, Lando slamming his hands against the metal door before looking at the door pad on the wall. Shaking his head, he looks at you and Leia.

“The security codes have been changed!”

Chewie howls, grabbing onto the metal door to try and pull it open.

“Artoo!” Threepio cries, the smaller droid beeping in return, “you can tell the computer to override the security system!”

Lando rushes over to the other wall, hooking into the panel's intercom, his voice ringing through the hallways.

Taking off the computer cover, R2 tries to hook into the computer system. Suddenly, his short beep turns into a wild scream. R2’s circuits begin to light up, and his head spins wildly. Smoke erupts from under him, and Chewie promptly pulls him away, blue bolts curling around his little body.

“This is just great,” you grumble, hearing Threepio argue with the little droid before Lando lightly touches your elbow.

“This way.”

Following him, you run against a large crowd of citizens, Chewie firing at Stormtroopers who managed to catch up to you. Lando is quick, running through the halls until coming up to another panel system. This time, there was a port for R2 to connect to, and you rushed him forwards. He whistles, turning his head towards you.

More Stormtroopers begin to crowd, and you join Leia and Chewie in firing towards them, shooting more down while R2 works on the landing door.

“Ah!” Threepio shouts, Chewie barely dodging a blaster bolt. “We’re not interested in the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive! It's fixed! Just open the door, you stupid lump!”

“Leia!” You shout, seeing more troopers enter the hallway, “to your left!”

Beginning to retreat down the corridor, you can faintly hear the triumphant beep of R2, the door sliding open seconds later. Lando pulls Leia away, both passing you before you shoot once more down the hallway, following behind them onto the platform. The exit ramp was already down, a small light emanating from inside.

R2 waits for you to pass before laying cloud fog, blocking the trooper's view before following behind you.

Reaching the Falcon just as the battalion reaches the doors, you and Leia quickly take cover behind one of the legs, shooting towards the troopers while Chewie rushes onto the Falcon, hitting Threepio's head on his way in.

The Falcon rumbles, the engine roaring to life as more stormtroopers begin to flood the platform. Lando turns to you, waving “Leia! (Y/n)! Go!”

Find an opening, you push Leia, both of you running on board. Lando shuts the ramp, following behind you into the cockpit. Passing by the two droids, you sit down in Hans’ seat, flipping on the deflector shields and helping Chewie with preparing the Falcon for hyperspeed.

“Let's get out of here-”

“Wait!” Leia says, sitting in your usual seat, “what about Luke?”

Breathing heavily, you squeeze your eyes shut, “If he heard us, he should be gone by now-”

“We’ve got to go back!” She cuts you off. Turning sharply, you notice the look in her eyes, the fog that she seemed to be in. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her hand reached out to grab your arm.

“I know where Luke is.”

Chewie barks in surprise, Lando leaning forwards in his chair, “what?”

“We have to go back.” She states, still looking at you.”

Breathing deeply, you clench your jaw, staring back at her.

“What about those fighters?” Lando voices. Chewie agreeing.

Shaking your head, you look back to the front, “Chewie, just do it.”

Lando scoffs, looking between the three of you, “but what about Vader?!”

Chewie turns towards him, barking and growling. Lando stands from his chair, hands up in surrender.

The Falcon does a graceful turn, the sight of Cloud City not bringing anymore comfort. The sun cast a golden glow over the clouds, the lights beginning to turn on in the city. Dark shadows began to form, making it hard to see anything.

“You better be right,” You murmur. Leia doesn’t respond, but she does move closer to look out the window.

When getting closer to the city, Leia points to the underside, her eyes sharp, “down there.”

Lando leans down, his face next to yours, squinting to see through the shadows before pointing as well, “There's someone down there.”

Staring, you gasp, seeing the small figure cling to a weather vane.

“Its Luke!”

“Chewie, Slow down and we’ll get under him-” you command, turning towards the other two, “Lando, open the top hatch. Leia, take my spot- I’m gonna go with Lando.”

Standing from the chair, you gently touch Leia’s back as you dash out of the cockpit, following Lando as he makes his way to the top hatch. When he stops to open the sliding door, he looks back, you only waving him off.

“You grab him, I’m gonna get a blanket or something.” When you see him continue to stare, you almost stomp your foot, “Hurry, you idiot!”

There's a small cabinet a little further down the hall, and you open it quickly, looking over the old clothes, finally coming across a brown blanket. Grabbing it, you slam the cabinet closed behind you when the sliding door closes. You can feel the Falcon slow to a halt, the outside hatch hissing as it opens.

Seconds almost feel like hours, and when the sliding door finally opens again to reveal Lando and Luke, you almost choke on the newly forming lump in your throat.

Luke looked terrible, to put it lightly. The skin around his eye was deep purple, the color reaching almost to the side of his jaw. The corner of his top lip was busted, blood almost dripping down his chin. His once blonde hair was darker, soaked and sticking to his forehead from sweat. You quickly throw the blanket over his shoulders, his pretty blue eyes finally looking at you. They screamed exhaustion, his body practically falling into you. Lando speaks, but you can’t hear him over the roaring in your ears as you hold Luke’s frail body closer. One of his arms wraps itself around your waist, using some of his remaining energy to hold you tightly.

“Oh, Luke,” you whimper, pulling away to grab his face.

“(Y/n),” he whispers back. His cheeks were sweaty, and he almost collapsed when you let go. Using your strength you grab his other hand, but stop when he yelps in pain, yanking the arm from your grasp. Confused, you look to see what wound he could have obtained, but you fall short when seeing his hand completely gone. The skin charred, clothes burned away.

The ship rocks violently, causing you to grab hold of Luke again, Lando racing towards the cockpit while you carefully pull Luke towards the small medbay. It was only a single bunk, but it had enough supplies to keep someone stable while reaching somewhere more suitable.

Luke’s breathing starts to become labored when you slowly lower him onto the bunk. You make sure to pull the blanket free from his shoulders, laying it over him while he falls onto the thermal padding. More flak hits the Falcon, the small life support machine shaking. You try your best to attach everything correctly, but you stop when a hand grabs your shoulder.

Leia stands with a frown, her eyes looking over Luke before nodding towards you. Moving, you let her quickly stabilize him, his breathing beginning to level out while she attached a cuff to the arm with his missing hand. Rubbing your nose, you try and wipe away the tears that cloud your vision.

You can hear Lando and Chewie shouting to each other, Leia’s voice louder than the flak that hits the ship.

“Go to the cockpit, help those two idiots.”

Breathing deeply, you look back over, “what about Luke?”

Her lips pursed at the frailness of your voice, sees the slight shake in your hands when you pull them away from your eyes. Your cheeks are pink and splotchy, tears wetting your lashes.

“I’ve got him- you go.”

“But-”

“(Y/n). Go, I’ve got him.”

Nodding, you rush to the cockpit. Briefly, you try to spot the two droids, but their nowhere to be found.

“What’s happening?” You curse your voice for cracking, but the two must pretend they don’t notice.

“Three TIE’s are on our tail.”

“What about hyperspeed? We can outrun them if your people repaired the ship.”

Lando throws a look over his shoulder, “I don’t know where we’re going! How can I punch in coordinates?”

Groaning, you turn towards the Nav computer, trying to think of any place that would work. Your mind is jumbled, thoughts running a million miles per minute. With shaking hands, you try and type in random coordinates, but they keep coming up invalid.

Leia rushes in seconds later, the towel she was holding in her hand discarded to the chair next to you. The once cloudy skies turned to stars, the endless expanse of space welcoming you back.

Pointing, Leia grumbles, “Star Destroyer.”

She turns towards the nav system while Lando steers away from the Star Destroyer. Touching your shoulder to gain your attention. Silent words are exchanged, and you back away, going back to stand between Lando and Chewie. Glancing down, you try to ignore all the muted alarms on the control panel, a new one appearing while Lando fiddles with more buttons and switches. When he switches a wrong one, you click your tongue and reach forwards, slapping his hand away to fix his mistake.

“Just like old time- eh?”

Glaring, you almost slap him, “Shut up.”

Lando sighs, glancing back at Leia, “Ready for hyperspeed?”

“Yeah, if your people actually fixed it.”

A green light flickers to life next to Leia, and she nods, “The coordinates are set, it's now or never.”

“All right, Chewie. Punch it!”

Chewie reluctantly pulls back on the throttle. And you breathe a sigh of relief when you can hear the engine winding up. The relief is suddenly ripped away from you when the same sound of the engine dying fills the cabin, both Leia and Chewie looking at Lando, who sits in shock.

“You’ve got to be kriffing kidding me!” you shout, grabbing Lando by the collar when the ship rattles again.

“You told us you fixed it! What happened, huh?!” You throw him back into his chair, storming out of the cockpit. You can hear Lando yelling, Chewie barking over him.

In the main hold, you briefly glance at the two droids on the floor. R2 was slowly putting Threepio back together. Threepio was holding his own leg, watching you storm past before turning back to Chewie, who was hot on your heels.

The Wookiee pulls the floor grates up, grabbing one of his tools and dropping into the floor.

You stop at the system Threepio was hooked up to for what seemed like ages ago, staring at the blinking lights and switches, trying to think of some solution that would get you out of this.

“Noisy brute, why don’t we just go into lightspeed?” You hear Threepio ask, R2 beeping a reply. Blocking them out, you turn to join Chewie. Dropping down, you shield your face when sparks fly from the panel. Chewie grumbles, and you grab another tool from his belt.

“Tell me about it, yeah?”

The ship rocks, and Lando’s voice crackles over the coms, “Chewie!”

You and Chewie work around each other, trying to find what could be wrong with the Hyperdrive, but you couldn’t find anything. Anger filled your stomach, and when you slammed your wrench against the panel, sparks flew.

“Why does this always happen?!” you yell, Chewie replying with a growl.

Peering out of the trench, you watch R2 speed towards the control panel, beginning to work on a circuit board while Threepio stands off to the side, his leg in hand.

“Artoo, come back here at once! You haven’t finished with me yet! You don’t know how to fix the hyperdrive! Chewbacca and Madam (Y/n) can do it. I’m here in pieces and you’re having delusions of grandeur!”

Shaking your head, you look back down. Suddenly, the hyperdrive engine roars back to life, the Falcon lurching into hyperspace so suddenly it throws you into Chewie, who was already leaning against the panel behind him. R2 screams as he’s thrown across the Main Hold, and Threepio is yelling in joy.

Pulling yourself out, you walk back to the cockpit, stopping when you see Luke laying back in your chair. Leia and Lando continue to look over the control panel, only glancing back to spare a soft smile.

“Luke,” you speak softly, his attention turning to you. Standing, he makes his way over, his wounded arm cradled to his torso while the other reaches to rest on your chin.

“Are you all right?” He asks, eyebrows furrowed while looking you over. Scoffing, you grab his elbow, placing your other onto his bicep.

“I should be asking you that, shouldn’t you be resting? Here, I’ll take you back so you-”

“I’d rather be up here with you guys, I’ll be okay.”

There's a certain look to him you can’t quite place, masked by the tired eyes and slumped shoulders.

“Let’s talk in the Main Hold. Lando, Leia join us when you’re ready.” You slowly help Luke back into the Main Hold, Chewie closing up the floor grate while R2 finishes up Threepio. Settling down next to Luke, you finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“You know,” Luke says softly, his gaze flickering to you, “you said we’d talk- when we saw each other again.”

Laughing softly, you pinch the bridge of your nose before looking at him, tilting your head.

“I’d rather wait until you’re in a medbay, again, being looked after so you don't die.”

Scoffing softly, Luke’s head rests against the cushions, “I’m fine-”

Chewie begins barking and growling, Lando scoffing under his breath as he enters the Main Hold. When you look up, you see Leia perched on the engineering station, looking over you and Luke. Tilting your head, you raise an eyebrow, but she waves you off.

“Han?” Lando’s voice is loud, “Go after Han Solo? We can’t go after him!”

R2 rolls over, bumping into Luke’s leg, but he doesn’t move, just groans softly under his breath while his eyes close.

“Maybe you forgot already, Chewbacca, but Boba Fett has Han.”

Chewie replies, but Lando seems to get more heated. He throws an arm out, eyebrows furrowed as he looks up at the Wookiee.

“Honestly, we’re lucky he got away-”

You scoff, “We’re the lucky ones? What a nice thing to say, Lando.”

“Fett’s flying Slave One- Maybe, maybe we could’ve caught him before he went to lightspeed- I mean, this is the Millennium Falcon.”

He pauses, shrugging his shoulders, “but then what? Blast him out of the sky? Iffy- and even if we pulled it off, that’d be the end of our old buddy Han.”

Growling, Chewie pushes Lando, getting into his face. He seems to understand him, holding his hands in surrender, “okay, okay, your old buddy. He was my friend too, though, back in the day.”

“Key word, ‘was’,” you grumble, crossing your arms. Luke tilts his head, confusion crossing his tired features before looking back at Lando and Chewie.

“We all saw you make your choice, Lando.” Leia says sternly. Lando turns to her, huffing, “so did you, princess. We missed our chance to get Boba Fett because you guys,” he throws a hand your way, “decided to go back to Cloud City for him.”

“Hey! Watch yourself, I’ll make Chewie throw you out the top hatch.”

He ignores you, still facing Leia, “what makes him so important to everyone?”

“His name is Luke Skywalker, Lando. He destroyed the Dead Star.” Her voice is softer, uncrossing her arms to place them on her hips. There's a moment of silence, Lando humming before turning to look at Luke, “Huh. No wonder Darth Vader wanted him so badly.”

“Maker,” you mumble, rubbing your eyes harshly.

“Look,” Lando sighs, “we all lost a lot today. You lost a friend, I lost an entire city. Lotta people I care about back on Bespin, you know.”

Threepio waddles into the room, his arms raised, “I lost my arms and legs! I was blown apart!”

You all look at him, and he looks at each one of you before bowing his head, “well, for a bit anyways.”

“Listen, this isn’t a total disaster, Han is my friend, and we’ll get him back. After all, we can’t catch Boba Fett now, but Chewie and I know where he’s gonna take Han, right?”

There's an unsettling churn to your stomach, making you shift in your seat.

“Oh dear,” Threepio starts, “To Jabba the Hutt? Oh, he will certainly murder Captain Solo the first chance he gets!”

Glaring at Threepio, you almost jump when Luke’s hand touches your arm. His voice is filled with confusion, “Han? Where is Han? What are you guys talking about?”

The lump from before forms in your throat again, and you can’t bring yourself to explain the events that happened. You didn’t want to, not yet, at least. Leia walks over, giving you a sympathetic smile while tucking her knee under her when sitting down next to him. She grabs his arm, just above the cuff.

“Darth Vader used Han to test the carbonite chamber, he wanted to use it on you, Luke,” she lets him take in the information for a second before continuing, “He’s still alive but frozen, suspended. Vader gave him to a bounty hunter. Boba Fett.”

Sitting up, Luke’s hand falls from your arm, gripping the couch tightly, “No, no. I was-” he shakes his head, “I think I saw them, Leia- I was right there-”

His voice slowly becomes more frantic, trying to push himself off the couch, “We have to go after him, Leia, we have to-”

You inch forwards, helping him sit back down.

“We will, Luke,” you say softly, “it won't be easy, but we’ll find Han.”

Leia cuts in, concerned, “what about you? You haven't told us what happened.”

He glances at both of you before looking down at his knees, eyebrows furrowing, “I reached out to bed with the force. He didn’t,” he looks at you, defeated, “He didn’t answer me.”

His hand shakes, moving to grip onto your knee. He rubs the material of your jumpsuit with his fingers, shaking his head. He looked broken, face pale and eyes tired. The blood was cleaned from his face, the bruise slowly fading from the bacta Leia must have applied.

You grab his hand, “He will, Luke.”

“And if he doesn't,” Leia’s voice is soft, smiling small as she looks at him, “you’ll find your own path, You’re strong.”

She says something under her breath, but you can’t hear her.

Standing, she turns back to the others, who were looking over the engineering station.

“Maybe we can’t save Han, not yet.”

“What?” maybe you didn’t hear her right.

“We can save everyone else. Chewie, set a course to return to the Rebel fleet, Artoo will give you the coordinates.”

Whistling, Chewie bends down to pat the top of the droid. Lando, pushing away from the engineering station, stands tall in front of the princess.

“Hey, now. The Empire is looking for this ship, and we know damn well they’re hunting the Rebel fleet too. How about we just find a nice quiet spot and wait for the heat to die down a little? I have places we can go. Gal on Nar Shaddaa owed me a favor.”

Frowning, Leia tilts her head. Finally standing, you let go of Luke's hand, “I'm sure she does, Calrissian. But you’re not the Captain, are you? Last I checked, Han was. I doubt he’d trust you with her now, you’d probably be the last person on that very small list. Don’t forget- you betrayed us to the Empire.”

“Oh, come on. I had Darth Vader breathing down my neck, and I still got you all out of there. I should get some credit for that!”

“Credit? For helping others? Gosh,” you say sarcastically, clapping your hands, “do you want a medal? How about we stop everything and have a whole celebration!”

“I’m commandeering this ship for the Rebel fleet, which means you don’t have a say in where it goes,” Leia says, glaring at Lando. He scoffs, looking between the both of you before holding his hands up in surrender.

“Chewie, (Y/n), I'm sure Mon Mothma and the others are wondering where we are.”

Lando followed as you made your way to the cockpit once more. While Chewie was punching in the codes from R2, you sat in your seat, pulling up the radar and deflector shields. They wouldn’t be online until you dropped from lightspeed, but it was best to have the grids up now. Leia sat in Hans’ chair, lightly touching the arms before flipping switches in preparation for the drop. Lando sat behind her, watching as she checked over the now silent alarms.

Chewie barks, the green light on the nav computer flickering on. Sitting down in his seat, he grabs onto the hyperdrive, slowly lowering it.

The Mid-Rim. Rendezvous point Delta-Three. It was located near a star, right between the Vosch Cluster and the trading worlds of Caldra Prime and Caldra Tertius. The rendezvous point had been discovered, the entire fleet being surrounded by the Empire. Squadrons were being chased by TIE’s, others chasing them. The large capital ships were the closest to the star, furthest from the four Star Destroyers that blocked their way out.

Turning on the radar, you cringe at the amount of bogies, quickly turning on the deflector shields as Chewie steered away from incoming fire.

Leia slides on one of the coms, connecting into the Rebel link, “This is Leia Organa in the Millennium Falcon, how can we help?”

A voice comes through not long after, voice distressed, “Glad to hear your voice, Princess, but the Imperials have us locked up pretty good. They just called away some of the TIEs, but we’re still getting hit hard from the Capital Ships. We can’t get past their blockade to jump to lightspeed.”

“Okay. We’ll find a way to help. Be ready to move the moment you see an opportunity- you’ll want to head to the next fallback point. Don’t give up hope.”

“Acknowledged. I’m not sure what you can do, but- May the Force be with you.”

Sliding off the headset, Leia looks out at the fight.

“Chewie, we have to make a hole in that Cordon big enough to escape.”

Lando scoffs, “Make a hole? We should escape! I count four Star Destroyers out there! You know me, I believe in the cause, but this is suicide! We gotta run, live to fight another day!”

Laughing, you shake your head, “the cause? Oh boy, you’re funny!”

Barking, Chewie steers the Falcon sharply, the radar blaring with multiple TIE’s.

“We’ve got company-”

“How nice, all those TIE fighters, just for us.”

Shaking her head, Leia glares at him, standing from the chair, “stop complaining and help, Lando. I’ll get to the guns.”

She runs from the cockpit, and Lando tries to sit down in her seat, but Chewie growls a warning.

“Chewie, you need to let me pilot. You remember how good I used to be at flying? I’m better now!”

Leaning forwards, you lightly touch his shoulder, “I don’t want him here either, but it's our best chance while I’m on the shields.”

“Just trying to survive here, pal. If I pull anything funny, you can rip my arms off.”

Growling, Chewie points to the chair, Lando smiling briefly before sitting down. He slides on the headset, looking around the controls before nodding.

“How are we even gonna do this?” Lando asks, “if those Rebel Frigates can’t make a dent in the Empire's ships, how are we supposed to?”

Flak hits the ship, and you check the internal damage, “use the missiles, you idiot.”

“Missiles? The Falcon doesn’t have missiles!”

Chewie barks, flipping another switch. Leaning back in the chair, Lando watches him, “whoa, two ST2 launchers? What the hell were you guys doing with my ship that made you install that much firepower?”

“Your ship?” You snap, glaring. He only smiles, “anyways, yeah, eight missiles, that’ll pack a punch. But even if they all land, they won’t take out a Star Destroyer.”

Barking and growling, Chewie doesn't even spare him a glance. You didn't even notice R2 and Threepio enter the cockpit until you heard his voice.

“Master Chewbacca suggests that we don't actually need to destroy an entire vessel, merely the gun emplacements on one of the light cruisers. If this succeeds, the integrity of the Cordon will be reduced, and-”

“I understand Shyriiwook, Goldie. I get the idea, doesn’t mean it ain’t crazy.”

“Don’t talk to him like that! Not everyone is so grandiose like you and can understand Chewie.”

Lando frowns, looking at you and Chewie.

“Spending so much time with Han changed you guys, you used to be so rational-”

The control panel goes up in sparks, alarms beginning to ring as you try and assess the damage. Looking around, you find your com underneath Chewie’s seat, plugging it in, you slide it on.

“That blast almost cooked us, Leia, Fore shields took a huge hit.”

“You guys need to get a little better at shooting down these ties or this big heroic rescue of yours will be over right quick” Lando cuts in.

“Lando, we got it!”

“What do you mean ‘We’” You ask, looking at Lando with furrowed eyebrows. He points to the control panel, a small light indicating both turrets were in use.

“Luke’s on the other gun-”

“Why is he on the other gun?!”

“I'm fine!” Luke's voice cuts in, sounding more energetic, “just hard to do this only one-”

He cuts himself off, and you take off the com, not wanting to hear anything else. Another alarm starts blaring, and you stand from your chair to look over the control panel, flipping another switch to direct more power to the front shields.

“This ain’t good at all.” Lando grumbles, trying to dodge more flak that hits the front.

“I thought everything was amazing,” you say, smiling, “I was just about to say we should dock and get something to drink!”

Chewie barks, and you get back into your seat, turning to look at the radar. When suddenly, the engines of the incoming TIE’s seem to explode, like each pilot was intentionally running into each other.

“What the-”

“What’s to understand, princess?” Lando barks into the com, “take the luck you get! Shoot them!”

“We’re coming up on the Cordon,” You get up form your seat again, looking out. The Cordon was quickly coming closer, its guns already firing at the Falcon. Lando steers closer, hands over the missile release, “Leia, Luke, make sure you’re strapped in down there. We’re making our attack run.”

“Kriff,” you curse, turning to make sure the coordinates to the fallback point were set. Not seeing the input, you turn to find R2 already making his way over. Bending down, you open a small panel connecting to the Nav system, and watch as he connects in. His head spins, and in moments the small green light turns on.

You can feel the missiles fly from the Falcon, and you think you can hear when they hit their target. Chewie roars, pulling back on the steering. Lando turns, “Are we ready for lightspeed?”

“Ready- hit it when you’re ready.”

Lando smiles, “hit it Chewie! I can’t believe this actually worked!”

The backup rendezvous Point Gamma-Nine was located just outside of a milky way. What was left of the fleet at the previous rendezvous point was here. The Falcon was docked on The Redemption, and when you finally stepped foot off of it, Luke was out of your sight. You didn’t know where he went, but R2 was rolling after him. You hoped he was heading towards a medbay, but with the way his eyes were downcast, eyebrows knit tight, and how his shoulders were tense, you knew he was going somewhere to deal with everything that happened.

Leia guided you and the others to the control room, the two leading officers from The Redemption already waiting.

“Chewbacca, for the time being, don't let Lando out of your sight.” The commander says, leaning his elbows onto the center console. His gray hair was slicked back, and he had a long beard. Chewie barks in agreement, and Lando holds his hands out.

“Hey now, I just saved every damn ship here!”

You lean against the wall, rubbing your eyes. Your back was starting to hurt from the day, and your side was beginning to throb again. Fatigue begins to settle in your neck, and you close your eyes, still listening in.

“Only because we didn’t let you run away,” Leia retorts, “you’re a question, Lando Calrissian. And until we know the answer, consider yourself a guest to the Rebellion.”

“There's another question too.” She turns back to the other commanders, “how did the Imperials find you? When the fleet scattered after Hoth, the rally points were top secret.”

The other leader, a man who had dark skin and a goatee, spoke up, “they didn't find us Leia. We initiated our scheduled contact with another cell- Eighth Division, out near Malastare. Not long after, they reported that the Imperials found them too. Nothing since.”

You try to make sense of what they were talking about, but Threepio beat you to it.

“If I may, Princess Leia- the odds of two cells of the Rebel fleet being found simultaneously are approximately fourteen point five billion to one. The much more likely scenario is that the Imperials have somehow found a way to-”

Leia cuts him off, “Break our codes.”

The older leader, with the gray hair and full beard, speaks with a gravelly voice.

“If that’s true, it means the moment any Rebel cell communicates with another, the Imperials can pinpoint the location of both groups.”

He sighs, and you can hear him move around. Finally opening your eyes, you watch as Leia begins tapping her foot.

“Must be what happened to us,” he continued, one hand on his hip, “and it's what happened to eight. And we can’t warn the other cells or tell them to switch codes, because as soon as we do-”

“They’ll get attacked, and so will we,” she finishes.

Pushing off of the wall, you stand beside her, looking down at the unused control panel.

“Hell, for all you know, it's already happened. All those other cells might have sent out their little messages, and the Empire could have swung right in, mopped ‘em up. Hell, for all you know, you might be the only ones left.” Lando sighs.

You shake your head, “this might be the entire Rebellion right here.”

The two leaders leave not long after, and you don’t recall the reason they give. You’re too busy listening to Lando and Leia argue back and forth. You’ve taken your spot back on the wall, leaning your head against it with closed eyes. Your head was starting to pound, and you can’t recall the last time you ate or drank anything.

There's a small touch to your shoulder, and when you turn, Luke is there. He looks more defeated than before, eyes sad and bloodshot. Smirking, you reach up to tap his hand.

“Where’ve you been? Started to make me worried.”

He shrugs, voice hushed “just had to be alone for a little.”

“Everything all right?”

“You can trust me!” Lando shouts, making you and Luke jump.

“Can I?” Leia responds.

“No need to be rude, Leia. I’m trying to do you a favor.” Walking past you, Lando waves her off, “I don't get the hostility. I mean, if I'm trying to pull something- what's my angle? Han’s my friend too, whether you believe it or not. But if you don't want my help- don't want to see your handsome rascal again- fine by me.”

She sighs, turning to face him once more, “Lando. Okay, you can go. Take the Millennium Falcon, we can spare it for a little while. I have to stay here to try to find a way to save the Rebel fleet. But if you think you can learn something from your contacts on Tatooine about whether Boba Fett’s brought Han to Jabba yet-”

“I know I can, Princess. I’ll find out if Jabba has Solo. If he doesn’t, I'll look for leads on Fett. It’ll work. I got friends all over that dust bowl.”

Luke tilts his head, letting go of your shoulder, “you say that like it's a good thing, Calrissian.”

Lando has that smirk on his face again, “oh definitely, Luke. Definitely. I can learn things none of you can. Even Chewbacca. I love the big guy, but he doesn’t speak basic. On Tatooine, communication problems get you killed.”

“I’m aware. I grew up there,” Luke deadpans.

“Well,” Leia cuts back in, “Chewie’s still going with you. He’ll take you to Tatooine, and he’ll bring you right back. Right, Chewie? You’ll keep Lando flying straight? And if he tries anything, you’ll-” Chewie cuts her off with a roar.

Pushing off the wall, you ignore the pain in your back, “I’m going with him.”

They turn to look at you, then Lando laughs, “No, you’re not.”

“You really think I’m going to let you dictate that? I know that hellscape like the back of my hand, I think I know a lot more people than you-”

“That’s exactly why you can’t go, (Y/n),” Leia says softly, eyes shining with regret.

Scoffing, you turn to look at her, eyebrows furrowing, “you’re serious?”

“If both you and Chewbacca go, word might get out that you’re back on the planet. Jabba will try anything to have both you and Solo hanging pretty on his wall-”

“Okay!” you shout, silencing Lando, “so what do you want me to do, sit pretty and wait for you to find him?”

“Yes. You have to trust me, second.”

Glaring, you bite the inside of your cheek. Luke touches your lower back, standing next to you, “If Jabba does have Han, let me know. We can Rendezvous at the Jundt Massif, not far from the palace. I know that region, so I can help.”

Lando shakes his head, “Jabba the Hutt ain’t the Death Star, Luke. He needs a subtle touch. And I hate to be blunt, but you’ve only got one hand.”

“I don’t need two hands Lando, I’ve got The Force,” Luke raises his wounded arm, seemingly glaring at the cuff. Lando nods his head once, not believing him, “Uh-huh. Let’s hope so. Because if Boba Fett’s already sold Han to Jabba, it’ll make a rescue mission just about impossible.”

“Getting him out of that palace alive?” Lando smiles softly, “It’d take a miracle. Come on Chewie, time to fly!”

The two talk back and forth as they leave, and you sigh heavily. Leia’s fingers tap against her chin, and Luke watches Lando and Chewie go as well.

“Can we trust him?” He asks softly, looking at Leia.

She shrugs, “only if we know he’s going after something he wants. That’s why I sent Chewie.”

“He’s not wrong,” you speak up, motioning down to Luke’s arm, “you should get your hand fixed.”

Leia sighs, “there's a medical bay a few decks down-”

“I know, Leia. I already talked to the surgical droid, they can make me a replacement. But, I haven’t been feeling like myself lately, not since Bespin. I’m not sure getting a new hand would help.”

She gently grabs his arm, “don't worry, Luke. No matter what happens, you’ll always be you.”

Leia leaves after that, most likely going to follow up with other officers. You stay behind with Luke for a little while longer. He’s looking down at his missing hand, eyebrows furrowed. Stepping closer, you tilt your head to grab his attention.

“She’s right, you know.”

“About what?” He asks, shoulders slouching. He looks at you with defeated eyes and a broken soul, trying desperately to ground himself back into reality by looking at you. Smiling, you reach out and tap the underside of his chin. The corner of his mouth twitches, but none of it reaches his eyes.

“You’ll always be Luke Skywalker.”

He sighs, “and what about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“What am I to you?”

You take a minute, thinking of what to say. You remember your last conversation on Hoth, how Leia kissed him, how he looked like the happiest man in the world after she fled the room. You also remember the short conversation you had with Leia on the Falcon, and the way Luke was desperate to talk to you in the hangar back on Hoth. You weren’t ready to talk about everything, but you came to understand your feelings when you saw him broken and beaten. When he clung to you and whimpered in pain, how he whispered your name like a prayer only meant for The Force to hear.

You were in love with Luke Skywalker, and for once your heart sings his name without being shunned into silence by your naïve mind.

“You’re a man who always does the right thing, no matter what anybody tells you.”

He breathes deeply, breaking eye contact to look down at his hand again, seemingly falling back into the thoughts that cloud his mind.

“Common,” you clear your throat, stepping away from him, “let's get you to the bed bay, yeah?”

Leia joins you when Luke is out of surgery, right by his bedside while you're standing at the large bay windows that overlook the rest of the fleet, Lando’s voice crackles through the com in his hand.

“Luke, we’re ready for take off.”

“Good luck, Lando.” Luke’s voice is more full of life than it was, the med-droid that was working on his arm worked quickly. Leia, already back in her crisp white dress, hair tied tightly into a low bun, stood next to him, watching over the droids work intently.

“When we find Jabba the Hutt and the bounty hunter, we’ll contact you.”

Threepio and R2 join you at the bay window, silently watching along with you.

“I’ll meet you at the rendezvous point on Tatooine.”

“Princess, (Y/n), we’ll find Han.”

You ignore him, clenching your jaw while crossing your arms. You wanted to go, deep down you knew if you pressed harder, you would be in the Falcon too. You’d find Han faster than Lando, but you knew it would be a big risk going to Tatooine when you were wanted as well. Albeit not as much as Han, you’d still be a prize to Jabba.

“Chewie, I’ll be waiting for your signal.” Luke says, you can hear the faint smile in his voice.

Chewie wails over the com, and Luke laughs, “Take care, you two. May the Force be with you.”

Leia lightly touches your shoulder, smiling when you turn to her. Luke yelps once, the droid mechanically apologizing before you can hear him shuffle on the bed, his body sliding in between yours and Leia’s, his arm resting around your waist. His smile was light, and when he turns to Leia, she returns it. His hand tightens around you, and his other slides around Leia’s shoulders, pulling the both of you closer.

You watch as the Falcon begins to fly off, and you raise your hand, giving it a two finger salute just as it jumps into hyperspace. You would find Han, it would just take more time.

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again, thank you to everyone who stuck around and waited almost a year for this to drop- I appreciate each and every one of you

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kalevalakryze · 2 months

Text

Yhe'na Det Och'sa

Chapter Six: Daark'a Ehtu

Summary: With Shin gone and the threat of facing the consequences of her attachments once again, Ahsoka and co are left battling a ticking clock. It's up to Shin to keep themselves in one piece until rescue comes. Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3| 4 | 5 | 6 AO3 Link: Here! Notes: All amazing artwork posted in the fic done by @somewillwin Warnings!: This chapter will include torture Drowning, skin peeling, bone breaking, psychological torment, and more. Please continue at your own risk. This chapter is imperative to the story we are telling HOWEVER, if you want to skip this update and read only chapter 7 when it comes out, the aftermath will explain the happenings in much less detail than it's written here.

The first thing Shin noticed upon waking up was the extreme restrictions that were suffocating them. It was not just binders on their wrists and ankles, but a suffocation in their very soul. The Force, it seemed, had abandoned them after their failure.

It had all felt like a nightmare, like every cold night on Ibaar alone combined with the feeling of yellowed eyes on the back of her head on Ilum, yet as their eyes began to blink open, they were met with waves of pain in their head and their hand.

Strong bindings kept the pre-teen bound to a table, she couldn’t see the door from where she sat, though there was… something humming in her ear, the sounds of an Imperial probe droid, maybe? Whatever it was, it was just out of eyesight, no matter how they fought to turn their head against the table.

“Finally awake?” The voice was sickly smooth, unchanged by the mask of their helmet this time. Her footsteps were light as she rounded the table, all shining armor and smooth leather. A hand reached out, fingers gentle against bruised flesh as she cradled the child’s face, giving Shin a full view of yellowed eyes and the poison in her veins, inky blackness spreading through sickly pale skin. “Poor thing,” Her bottom lip pouted out; If it were anyone else, Shin may have felt actual sympathy.

Shin tried to wrench their head from her grasp, though they only succeeded in the gentle grip turning harsh, pity melting away into something worse. “Forgive me,” The grip lessened again and Shin’s brows furrowed.

“Your play on niceties or compassion won’t work on me,” the twelve-year-old rasped, eyes narrowing as they forced themselves to meet the Sith’s gaze. “ I know what you are, ”

This enticed warm laughter from the woman, though it sounded wrong , otherworldly, like it was coming from a body that did not exist in the physical realm. The woman’s lip pouted as the raucous laughter died down. “The message didn’t stick . Hit her again,” A dismissive hand was waved, sending panic through aching bones. Again? But what…?

A memory, a flash of something rancid in their veins. “Where is Fulcrum?” Searing pain at constant refusals and sealed lips. It was then that Shin became aware of the pain in their entire body.

“What did you do to me..?” No amount of training could mask the waver in their voice or the involuntary way their body began to tremble. How could she forget? How could her body allow her a reprieve from the agony in her bones? The humming droid from the corner came around the table.

Shin’s heart dropped to her stomach. How long had she been here? How much was her mind refusing to show her in a feeble attempt to protect her? Red lights gleamed on an ultrachrome needle, a separate tube that went up into the IT-O droid drawing a sickly yellow liquid into the cartridge for the needle. “Your dedication to your…” A pause. Those same sickening fingers stroked across the dried and cracking paint on their cheeks. “Master is commendable, Padawan.”

Having to pick between two evils, Shin allowed her head to lean into the cold hand that cusped her cheek, trying to lean as far away from the needle as physically possible as the droid awaited its next command. “I can shut it off,” The Inquisitor promised, thumb stroking across the pre-teen’s cheekbone as yellowed eyes looked from girl to droid pointedly. “If you only tell me where to find Fulcrum, this can all stop.”

“You’ve gotta keep Snips safe for me…” A Jedi Knight had told her, once. She did not know his face, or his name, all she’d been able to recognize was how wrong he was, but… She promised the Jedi that day, all of them , that she would keep Ahsoka safe. If that meant this , then she would do it. For Ahsoka.

With a deep breath, the child wrenched their chin from the woman’s hand once again, leaning themselves closer to the needle. She watched as poisonous eyes tracked the movement, narrowing as she came to see Shin’s decision. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.” The Force shined on her, for just a moment, as their voice steadied and their fear hardened into a steely resolve.

The mask of sympathy and friendliness dropped as quickly as the Inquisitor had donned it. “Liar!” She almost screeched, voice reverberating off the thick walls in the small cell. “Again.” The droid wasted no time in closing the gap between itself and the captive human.

The inquisitor’s fingers wound harshly through their hair and tugged, exposing the column of their throat as the robot’s arm extended out, plunging the needle into their skin. The poison was tepid as it coursed through their veins, igniting a path of white-hot fire as it spread. A gloved thumb brushed over her bottom lip, coaxing the scream they’d been choking back, ringing in their own ears as the Inquisitor listened with something akin to joy.

Meditation had come to Ahsoka easier after the Clone Wars. Sure, she hadn’t been able to reach into the force, not without risking her position and risking her health with the poison that it had become. With Shin, in teaching them to navigate that darkness, she’d come to pick up tips as well. It was always a welcome reprieve, a moment to breathe when the entire galaxy seemed to be crushing in around her.

Now, standing alone in the center of the wrecked cabin of the T-6, meditation was the last thing the Togruta wanted to do. Every time she closed her eyes, the force would echo with the haunting hiss of lightsabers burning in the air, blue and red flashing behind closed eyelids, like she would open her eyes and be there like she should have been in the first place.

It had been a week since Shin had been taken, and she felt no closer to discovering where or why they had taken her. Scouring every network and every lead put her no closer to finding them, and the ship wasn’t getting any closer to repairs without touching down somewhere safe. But where could be safe when their damages had been tagged and the Imperials were searching for her again?

She needed to move. She knew this as a truth, however, she found that her feet were unwilling to obey and that her mind knew just as well as anything else. She could not make decisions out of fear, she needed to let her fear of losing Shin go… She had to face the reality of letting Shin go.

Her montrals twitched at a sharp ring, though she did not move. Huyang’s steps were slow in his approach, a glowing comm tucked safely in his hand of mismatched metals, after they’d repaired him with the random scrap they could find.

“Lady Tano,” Even the droid sounded exhausted, eyes downcast as his arm extended. At least Kaeden had the mind to stay silent until Ahsoka’s eyes had settled on her holographic form.

“I don’t have time,” Forcing her eyes away from Kaeden’s, the Togruta settled a stony glare on Huyang. “ We don’t have time, She doesn’t have time for this,” Reaching out, Ahsoka rested a hand on Huyang’s arm, still warm from wielding leftover durasteel over his components, ready to cover the comm and end the call.

“Fulcrum, you are being ordered to dock with the Rebel fleet for necessary repairs. This is non-negotiable.” Kaeden’s voice was hard, and authoritative, acting far above any rank she held in comparison to Ahsoka’s own.

Tired eyes focused back on the hardened medic. “On who’s order?”

“General Organa. I can transmit the data file with your orders on it if you’d like, but your orders are to dock and wait for necessary repairs to be completed,”

“Kaeden…” Ahsoka’s shoulders sagged, though Kaeden remained unperturbed.

“We will be expecting you in two standard hours, Fulcrum.”

Well… it was time for Ahsoka to practice what they preached during the war; Good soldiers follow orders.

Shin’s weight sagged bonelessly on the table, muscles shocked out and unresponsive to each attempt to even twitch a finger. They’d found a position some point in the - night? Day? Time was impossible to keep track of, the Inquisitor returned at the rarest times, with no schedule to her movements, and all they’d been able to see through bruised eyes was the sight of their own blood splattered on dark durasteel . - it hurt less than every other way they’d positioned themselves, though it dug into the bruised and swelling skin at their wrists uncomfortably.

The scrape of metal against the floor ripped her out of whatever semi-lucid state they’d been floating in, poisons and serums still warming their veins. Purge Troopers were hauling in a giant metal tub, empty and void of any details. Tired eyes watched them work, glad to have some kind of activity to stimulate their senses, with everything else in their world dulled and painful.

Neither trooper spoke a word as they settled the tub in the corner, and Shin was glad for that, too. She’d heard about the people under those buckets, knew where they’d come from, had heard their voices in the echos of visions or on Ahsoka’s datapad that she thought was hidden. Clones, ones who didn’t know The Clone Wars, and only knew to kill Jedi, much like herself… in a very backwards way.

They listened until two sets of footsteps faded into nothingness until a single, loud, purposeful stride echoed off the walls leading to their cell. The Inquisitor. She only walked that loud when she was excited about something… Shin had learned fast that whatever she could be excited about would hurt.

“So,” A strong hand clamped down on around their jaw, bruised and cramping, abused flesh giving under the press of fingertips into bone. “Do you have anything to tell me today, Jedi?”

“I am no Jedi,” Shin rasped. If they’ve said it once, they’ve said it a thousand times. It helped to keep their conviction when the real questions started, and the haze of drugs pushed into their system would have the truth on the tip of their tongue, barely bitten back with each shout as flesh was stripped away, or electricity was shot from the table, or the IT-O droid found something worse to pump into her bloodstream.

The hovering of the droid, however, was notably absent today. The sound of running water filled the room; When did they get a tap? Shin didn’t know, and couldn’t find it in themselves to care. Hell… Maybe the Inquisitor finally believed that they had no idea what was going on, maybe the Inquisitor would let her wash away the blood and the bile, and then release her? It sounded too good to be true, but they wanted it to be reality so bad.

“Truly, I have to respect your devotion to your Master,” There was something like admiration in her tone, though Shin knew by now that it was only a mask, something meant to lure her into a false sense of comfort or accomplishment. “There are not many Padawans who would do the same for their Masters and even fewer Masters who would do so for their Padawans... Tell me, do you think she’s looking for you?”

There was a beat of silence as the Inquisitor pulled the glove from her scarred hand, dipping it into the water to the first knuckle as it filled. Yellowed eyes watched her, inquisitive in nature as she studied the way the pre-teen's face scrunched up.

Was Ahsoka looking for her? How long has it been? Days? Hours? Weeks? Months? Where was she…? “She’ll come for me,” They decided after too long of a silence.

“You think so? That she’d risk herself? Your entire pathetic Rebellion, for you? She’s a Jedi, young one. Jedi don’t come back for you.” This was the first hint of truth that Shin could feel in their words, though she couldn’t afford to pay it any mind, not with the effort it took to keep their face impassive, pretending like those very words weren’t exactly what she was thinking.

“She’s different,” Shin spoke of the conviction of a dead man walking. But… It wouldn’t be safe for her, or the Rebellion. Everything Shin was doing to keep quiet would be for nothing if Ahsoka came for her.

Warm fingers wrapped around Shin’s wrist, sending a flash of pain up their arm through the torn flesh. “You poor thing… I almost feel bad for you.” The bindings were undone quickly, and the Inquisitor allowed Shin to drop bonelessly to the hard ground, body sprawled painfully in every different way at the woman’s feet.

Every scrape, bruise, and overworked muscle cried in agony at the movement, though Shin was too relieved to feel cool metal against their feverish face to offer much more than a quiet grunt. “We’ll make something useful out of you yet,”

That …. Certainly sparked some warning bells in their head. As the woman reached to haul her up by the back of her tunic, Shin found enough energy to swing out. Her nails caught against a smooth cheek, flesh tearing in her swing. The Inquisitor seemed unphased by the attack, even as blood welled up against her cheek and raced down her face. “ That’s the spirit.”

“Huh?” Was their only utterance, before they were given the harsh reality of the heavy tubs placement in the room. Fingers wound through the hair on the back of her head, igniting their scalp with the sharp pain of being pulled on, the water she was dunked into was positively freezing, maybe even colder than Ilum.

Their hands flailed, one still broken and unable to get a grip on the edge of the tub, while the other curled around the rim and tried to push back against the force.

There was a harsh tug at their hair once more, then the sting of cold air against their face; Air was sucked into their lungs in a harsh gasp. Through their eyelashes, Shin could only make out the mirthful stare of the Inquisitor’s haunting eyes. One breath… two- then the freezing sting of water once again.

“Where is Fulcrum?” The voice hissed through water-logged ears, shaking the frail child as if it would clear their mind and make them more complacent.

“Where’s your sanity? ” Shin spat back between shuddering breaths, uninjured hand reaching back to dig blunt nails into the thick glove wound into the sopping brown hair at the base of the skull. “I know where that is just as much as I know wherever this Fulcrum is,” Tightening her lips into a thin line, Shin forced herself to meet venomous eyes, resisting the urge to reel back at the mirth that met her gaze.

“You remind me of myself, you know,” The Inquisitor began, giving a harsh tug to the twelve-year old, forcing them to follow, boots slipping against the smooth floor as they struggled to ease the tension in their hair. The relief of being shoved back into the chair was not lost on Shin, as the Inquisitor’s hand was forced to release their hair so their head could fall back into the stiff rest.

“Young, stupid. Trusting a Jedi to save you… The only one who can save us is ourselves…” It seemed solemn, the way her tone shifted- Shin knew she couldn’t trust it, had learned in... whatever expanse of time that they’d been here, that the dark-sider’s moods shifted faster than Palpatine's upon seeing a planet to plunder.

Again, a gloved had stroked its way across the dried, cracking paint across reddened cheeks, fascinated with the way a human had been accepted so easily into a pack of predators. How easily the Inquisitor could turn this child into a true predator. “You think yourself part of her family, her pack,” The older woman droned, brushing a stray droplet of blood from the corner of their lips. “But family wouldn’t leave you with me, a mother would have come for you, but a Master will leave you to die, will replace you in days without so much a second thought…” Fingers tightened around their jaw at this, hard enough to bruise as they couldn’t pull back from the unrelenting force.

“You’re wrong,” Shin seethed, eyes narrowing as the binders built into the table were secured tight around her wrists. “She will come for me, and for you… I know it,”

Laughter barked past the woman as the lights turned up, bright enough to make them squint. “I will be pleased to watch your hope crumble and die with your remains, Jedi .” The door slid shut behind a sweeping cape, leaving Shin squinting in the light, unable to find solace even as they shut their eyes. This was going to be a long night.

Silence, thick and suffocating, where it should have been filled with the excited stammering of a small human, bugging her over the time they were spending, docked and unmoving to the main ship. “Lady Tano,” Huyang’s voice drew her attention away from her empty concentration on the transparisteel viewport. She hadn’t been keeping track of time; kriff, they could have missed their meeting by days for all she knew, lost in the vastness of open space, searching for a signature that was lost to her.

It was just like the day of the Purge. She couldn’t feel Obi-Wan, she couldn’t feel Anakin, or Master Plo- she was alone … again.

Her montral twitched, catching the sound of human footsteps against the floor, unable to turn around in time before a warm, gentle, well-meaning hand settled on her shoulder, pressing enough to turn the pilots' chair.

Now face to face with Kaeden for the first time in months, Ahsoka felt a selfish relief flood her bones. She wasn’t as alone as she had been before… Rex was out there with the Ghost crew, she could call him to help find Shin, Kaeden would help too… Hope swelled in her chest as she followed the marks of exhaustion across Kaeden’s face, worry clear as day as her free hand moved to cradle the Togruta’s cheek.

“Look at you,” Kaeden’s tone was soft; One that Ahsoka still had to get used to, when it came to that tone and hands that urged to heal more than the physical. Her fingers were gentle as they stroked across her lekku, following the path between her montrals to rub carefully soothing circles into the soft leathery skin.

Despite herself, Ahsoka leaned into the touch, desperate to find a reprieve, no matter how much she’d told herself she’d been made for this life of loss and pain. “Don’t we have a meeting?” She grumbled, voice weighed down by the world pressing down on her shoulders.

“Bail can wait,” Soft hands moved to gently grasp her biceps, squeezing the muscle there to urge Ahsoka to rise. With the Togruta towering over her, Kaeden had to crane her neck to press a kiss to the underside of her jaw. “You need rest,” She pointed out, broaching the topic as carefully as she could,

“I can’t leave her out there, Kaeden.” Ahsoka shut down just as quickly as she allowed herself to open up, already turning her body to stare back out the view port. “Anakin never left me, what kind of Master would that make me,”

“But you’re more than her Master, and you’re more than your Master. I can’t pretend I understand all your-” An almost crude hand gesture was made behind her back. “Jedi hangups. You aren’t Anakin, you aren’t Ashla, you’re Ahsoka, and you’re her mother,” She reminded, reaching to grab the woman’s wrist, thumb pressing between the thin grab between armor and skin, feeling the older woman’s pulse jumping against her wrist.

Ahsoka’s lips parted to speak, though Kaeden pressed on, moving instead to slip into the pilots' seat, urging the Togruta to stand between her legs as she smoothed her hands up and down the expanse of uncovered skin from her elbows to her shoulders. “You need rest if you want to find her, you don’t need to be a Jedi to figure that one out.”

There was a huff of indignance, awarding Kaeden with a small victory as the Force Sensitive typhoon of a woman sunk to her knees, head resting tiredly in her lap, cheek smooshed against the medic's knee as wandering fingers pressed into soft skin, chasing away the mind-numbing headache that had begun days ago.

“What if they ruin her, Kaeden… What kind of mother would that make me?”

“You trained her, ‘soka… You won’t lose her, not today, not anytime soon. We’ll get our girl. And you know… I may have lined up the Rebellion’s greatest pilot to get us there.” Pride swelled in her tone, bringing a scoff of laughter from the nearly dozing Togruta.

“Miara is still flying for Bail?”

“Got promoted to Captain, too. She’s going to lead her own fleet soon. I’m proud of her.” It was almost nice, having somewhat of a normal conversation even if Shin should have been bugging Kaeden about every ship her sister would fly, or what operations they would run, or something another. “Come on, I bet your bunk is gonna be mighty comfy.”

“You haven’t seen it in a while,” Ahsoka countered almost dryly, allowing herself to be guided back to her feet and into the main cabin. Scorch marks still sliced through giant chunks of the ship, forever etched into the metal as Huyang wielded pieces of the tables lowering mechanisms back together. “Huyang… take a break. I’m sure they’ve got an oil bath open if you need one,” Her head shifted towards the doors to the airlock, recently repaired and currently locked into the main ship’s bay.

The droid paused in his repairs, blinking at the two women, Ahsoka almost draped across Kaeden’s shoulders. It wasn’t until he caught Kaeden’s lips moving, mouthing a reassurance, a promise that he should not have been able to feel the meaning behind, that he finally lowered his tools and made the time to give himself a rest.

If Ahsoka curled up tight into her side in that small bunk, making a large, fearsome predator into the smallest ball she could manage, then that was Kaeden’s business. At least she could say that the woman found at least a moment of reprieve against it all.

Water. Chair. Water. Chair. An endless cycle that Shin couldn’t keep track of. When she thought she was in the chair, she would be reminded with a jolt of ice-cold water soaking her skin and when she thought she was clawing for the surface of the tub, she’d be reminded of her place in the chair with the horrible feeling of flesh being torn from its home on her skin, all with the haunting soundtrack of the Inquisitor’s laughter, of insults and threats, promises that they stopped keeping track of, not wanting to remind themselves of what else was planned for them each time the woman delved into detail about her plans to ‘ save’ Shin.

“Have you thought about my offer?” The woman asked for what had to be the seventh time since she stepped in the cell that ‘morning.’

Peering through swollen, bruised lids, Shin managed to spit a gob of blood at the shining armor on her chest. “Suck my dick, dema’golka .”

Tutting, the Inquisitor reached to grab at their face for the umpteenth time. “A child of mine would never use such foul language.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not your kid, isn’t it,” They rasped, unblinking even as a thumb pressed painfully into their chin, force threatening to shatter their jaw as anger flared in the other woman. Maybe, if Shin could just get them mad enough, they’d kill her, and all of this would be over… But she couldn’t truly make herself do that, not when there was a chance Ahsoka would come for her.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, youngling,” A glove was removed, and Shin watched as pale fingers moved to comb through the tangled disaster of limp hair hanging down their face, the woman’s thumb brushed across the Padawan braid in contemplation. “Same hair, same eyes… same face. Makers, you could even be a clone of my very own.”

This train of thought seemed to take over the Sith’s mind, as instead of following through with whatever she’d had planned for them that day, the Inquisitor simply disappeared.

It wasn’t until after the IT-O droid appeared to administer their protein shot for the day that the Inquisitor returned, this time, with another in tow. “Can you see the resemblance, Sister?” The yellowed eyes of another Sith scanned over the pre-teen. The Force rang sharp in Shin’s ears for the first time since she was taken, a warm voice and an older woman laughing as she called for her Padawan Trilla.

“She does bear much of your resemblance, though I’m certain you had more blood here-” Shin shrank back as the newcomer’s thumb brushed across the column of her throat. “Perhaps you are being easy on them on account of them possibly being your kin?” A sharp eyebrow rose as the Second Sister looked between the Inquisitor and her captor, smugness radiating from her posture as her arms crossed.

“I can assure you, Sister, that this Jedi is being dealt with as the Grand Inquisitor has demanded himself. You may want to rethink any plans you may be forming some report on my hospitality .”

“I’m not a Jedi,” Shin needlessly piped up.

“Speak when you’re spoken to, scum,” The Inquisitor hissed sharply, hand extending and wrapping an invisible force around their throat, restricting their breath as she turned back to the Second Sister. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Sister. Some of us have important duties to this Empire. Shouldn’t you be chasing the scrap yard boy?”

With a scoff and a flick of her cape, Trilla stalked from the room, leaving Shin struggling to breathe against an infuriated Inquisitor. “Do you see what you’ve done?” The woman started, replacing her hold on their throat with the force with her still ungloved hand, an inferno against skin that hadn’t been given enough time to dry, cool to the dark touch of fingers curling around her throat, pressing into their windpipe, feeling the struggle of their arms against the table and the way each breath wheezed in their throat.

As black began to dance in her vision, Shin recalled the way the Force had reached out for her with Trilla’s name. Scrambling for that same thread, Shin pulled, mentally exhausting herself just to have a chance to grasp that thread. When she pulled, reality responded in kind. The metal at their wrist twisted and bent as their hand pressed against the restraints, darkness flooded their very being, and floodgates opened wide as they scrambled for that taste of power that brought forth the sudden freedom of their right hand.

The windup wasn’t enough to do enough damage, but they did manage to catch the Inquisitor by surprise when their fist connected firmly to the underside of her jaw. “That’s two,” They called, sagging into the remaining restraints as the power sapped just as quickly as they’d found it, leaving them reeling and only more exhausted than they had before, only a solid punch to show for all the effort it had taken.

“I’ll have your tongue!” The Inquisitor spat as she stumbled back, recovering quickly with a hand pressing into her own face, catching the blood that streamed in rivulets down their chin from a split that formed in her bottom lip.

“Careful not to choke on your ambitions, bachu e’dai. ”

Growling, the Inquisitor wasted no time in hailing the Interrogator droid, earning Shin a prick that felt more like being skewered through the neck as a fiery concoction filled their veins, a quick-acting sedative that had them blinking out of consciousness all too quickly, finding themselves lost in the tornado of the consequences of their display of power, trapped in the nightmares of a metal suit and aching limbs.

Shin’s lightsaber hadn’t left Ahsoka’s side once since she’d picked it up off the ground, hooked onto her belt and nestled close to the shoto that she’d once offered to a too frail human child. If they found Shin whole, would they need to begin again? Even if so, Ahsoka was determined, they were more than worth it, she would teach them everything over again if it meant she could just have them back .

It was dangerous territory, this attachment. Ahsoka knew this wholeheartedly, knew the dangers it inspired in Jedi all over, and knew that even the thought could lead a well-meaning Jedi to the Dark when they couldn’t simply accept their loss. But there was something beyond her personal feelings, her love, and her fear that urged her to fight tooth and nail to get them back like it was woven into the Cosmic Force itself.

Numbness hallowed her chest as she stared across the war table, listening to Rex argue with Kanan over bringing the entirety of the Ghost crew on the rescue mission. Kanan couldn’t understand the need to keep Shin’s existence secret when so much was at stake, and Rex wasn’t about to receive some lecture about having enough boots on the ground, not from a jetti.

“This isn’t helping anyone !” Kaeden finally spoke up, effectively silencing both soldiers as she reclaimed her space beside Ahsoka, nonchalantly pressing a ration bar into her hand as she moved to lean over the table to study the reports of fuel trails. “We know it was an Imperial ship, and we know it was one of those-” Her voice dropped to a whisper as if acknowledging their existence would bring an entire legion of the Sithlings to their airlock. “ Inquisitors that have been chasing your crew… I think the less Force Sensitives we have on this, the better,”

“I’m not sitting back, if that’s what you’re implying,” Ahsoka’s voice was rough as she spoke up, wrapper crinkling as she split the small package of the grainy bar open.

“No, of course not, Fulcrum,” Honeyed brown eyes settled on Kanan. “But this is a big reason why this team needs to remain small, and why you can’t use something like this to train your kid. Ahsoka should be our only Force user on the strike team.”

Kanan huffed indignantly at that order, though he was quickly cowed into obedience with Hera’s hand on his bicep. “We understand this is a sensitive situation, we’re glad to help any way you can use us.”

“Thank you, Captain Syndulla,” Kaeden had the full authority of the room, all eyes on her as she went over the facts once more, and the resources that the Rebellion could spare to their cause.

With someone else taking the reigns, Ahsoka was content to float in the painful limbo between her attachments, chewing on her ration bar only when those sharp eyes would flicker towards her own and soften immediately upon locking gazes.

It wasn’t something she’d have been as comfortable with in any other situation, but with Rex standing at her right side, all blue and white plastoid, she knew she could trust her team, her tribe to take care of her, and Shin. That’s what they were for, after all.

“We have to assume that Shin was taken to the Fortress Inquisitorious,” Hera piped up, cerulean eyes focused on the star map, blinking lights outlining the shuttle’s position at the time of attack. “But if we thought Stygeon Prime was tough, this is going to be impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible with hope, Captain,” Ahsoka reminded her during one of the few times she’d managed to speak during the entire meeting. “And nothing worth doing is ever easy… and they’re worth it,”

“And a heaping of jetti tricks don’t sour our chances either,” Rex added, shoulder lightly bumping into Ahsoka’s as a smirk pulled at his grizzled face, contagious enough to even have the Togruta’s lips twitching towards a smile.

“Let’s bring our girl home,”

With Shin’s ‘chair’ out of service due to broken restraints, they found themselves not in the dim red lighting of their usual cell, but an almost common Imperial holding cell. There was no tub of water in the corner, but an entire refresher setup built into the corner of the cell.

They did not offer themselves time to consider their position as they wrenched themselves from the hard metal cot, chains clinking as they moved, secured to their wrists and waist like something primitive; Certainly not a method of restraint that such a technologically advanced opponent would be forced to resort to…

Shin learned quickly of the meaning of these odd, leash-like restraints as they dragged themselves towards the fresher. The sink, promising cool water and a chance to wipe away the blood and grime, was just in their reach. But only enough so the pre-teen’s fingers could scrape against the rim of the sink’s basin, serving to remind them of just how dehydrated they were. Especially with the sound of the water rushing through pipes and a slow drip from somewhere in the cell that they could not see.

“Please,” They had almost sobbed; It had been so long since she’d had water, making her almost yearn to be dunked again, if not just for the promise of hydration that drowning would bring her. “Please…” They rasped again, shoulders threatening to rip from the sockets as she pulled and strained against her bindings, desperate to reach the tap.

Their efforts were in vain, and eventually, exhaustion pulled them back to the ground, knees scraping against the floor as they still strained to be closer to the running water.

It was then that the same inky, putrid thoughts began to invade, penetrating her mind like a sharpshooter, honing in on the cracks in their defenses from their pull at this limited power before. The pipes could bend to their will, she knew how… she only had to take it, just like she did with the Inquisitor.

The pipes groaned under an experimental pull, not quite ready to break, but still bending to their will. Before more progress could be made in working towards the water source, the ray shield at the cell door was deactivated, and in marched two black armored Purge Troopers.

Again, neither trooper spoke to her, or even truly acknowledged her as her restraints were undone from where they were secured to the wall, and she was all but dragged from their cell and down a twisting hall. They did not bother to blindfold her, though delirium stopped the young Padawan from truly memorizing their paths, focusing only on the burn of their flesh against the floor with each turn.

The room they were brought to was dark, and the metallic smell of iron hung pungent in the air. As the troopers dragged Shin up from the ground to a hard-backed chair, they got their first look at their new accommodations.

The Inquisitor sat across the table, though this time, the standard issue helmet was locked around their head, hiding either the bruising from the hit Shin had managed to land or whatever punishment she’d received for allowing her puny prisoner to get the chance to hit them. Part of Shin hoped that the Empire was evil enough to rip her face off, just like they’d done with the open, gaping, patches of flesh across their arms and legs, burning from their trip across the ground.

“Fire your cleaning guy?” Shin rasped, staring straight into a dark shadowed mask as the Purge Troopers gathered their wrists, using the binders to secure them through a loop on the table, and the long length of chain was finally abandoned, wrapped up and taken with the troopers as they left.

“You must think you’re pretty special,” The Inquisitor’s voice was distorted through the helmet, a vocoder just barely picking up on the woman’s wheeze. “But trust me, you are no different than any other who’s survived this long in our halls. You know it’s your destiny just as much as I do,”

“So you like having me around? I’m going to have to RSVP no to that party inv-” Shin’s quip was halted by the slam of hands against the table, too close to the swollen and bruised hand that they hadn’t been able to fix on their own. They still had no idea how long it had been since that fateful day on the ship, weeks, days, months… Kriff, even years, it felt like. Huyang had given them a lesson on this once when Ahsoka wasn’t around, that a captor keeps you separated from the concept of time, he said it drove humans nuts, but really, all Shin could focus on was the rumbling in their stomach and the genuine desire to find a sonic if the Force was feeling willing.

“You are a lucky one, that I haven’t yet disposed of your childish tongue, youngling!” They hissed, all venom and power where she stood over the child, fingers pressing danger close to their own hands.

“Do it,” Shin snapped at last, though they were unable to rise from their chair to meet her, could only curl their right hand into a fist atop the metal table, chin raised defiantly towards the woman. “You say no one is coming, you tell me I’ll die here. What do I have to lose ?”

The mask on their face slotted itself away, now. Shin could see the mottling of bruises where they danced across her face. The Inquisitor leaned close, her hand clamping down on Shin’s broken bones. “Everything.” She whispered with conviction. A promise, that she would see fulfilled herself.

Instead of slicing her tongue clear from her skull, The Inquisitor let the child’s hands go, finding joy in the shuttered gasp that followed the sudden release of pressure. “You will lose everything, Shin. And I will rebuild you whole again. You will fulfill your destiny, whether you want to or not,”

Indignance was a dangerous thing, and Shin had grown to learn stubbornness from her mother and Huyang, so as they breathed the pain from the front of their mind, the child forced themselves to straighten. “You aspire to take everything because you have nothing. Even your connection to the force is on borrowed time-” Again, Shin found themselves cut off, this time, by the sickening sound of bones snapping under harsh weight. The pain didn’t register at first, not until silver-blue eyes followed the way the artificial lights shined off the metal of the Inquisitor’s saber, not until they saw the way their fingers bent, crushed between the table, now bearing a rather large dent.

When they felt it, it was worse than their skin being torn from their body, worse than the liquid fire pumped through their veins. The pain traveled from the tips of their fingers to the bottom of their elbows, resonating sharply in their ribcage as their vision tunneled and their breathing became haggard.

All snippy remarks were lost as the Inquisitor’s lips pulled into a smile, finally believing herself to be in control once more as shock stalled Shin’s mouth. “Let the droid in, I have important business to attend to… and Shin? I warned you.” She called to the troopers outside, having to wriggle her saber against Shin’s fingers to properly remove it, earning a sound that the child had only barely been able to bite back.

Any bravado Shin had was lost when the droid hovered into the room, and any pain they felt when the Inquisitor had smashed their fingers was yearned for, as a Trooper entered the cell behind the droid, heavy hands clamped onto their shoulders to secure the frail child in place as the droid cycled through its many different attachments, ripping skin, muscle, and tendon alike, and crushing bone like it was nothing more than an obstacle. Screams and cries were torn from the Padawan’s throat, and Shin had lost track of each time they’d lost consciousness.

Soon, they came only to know the Trooper, who they’d mentally nicknamed “Stony Fuck”, the IT-O, lovingly named “Pointy Fuck”, and the Med droid that stopped them from bleeding out on the table, “Fuck fuck”. All lovely names half thought of in delirium.

The hands on her shoulders were ever-present, the prickling at her skin felt like it would bubble its way to her very bones and disintegrate her being, and consciousness became a hard thing to hold on to. They weren’t sure how much time was lost, just that they did not see a human face, or a kind face, since the Inquisitor had abandoned them all that time ago, bringing them to almost yearn for the venomous woman’s attentions once more.

The sound of fighting broke Shin from her hazed stupor. Chair scraping at the way their body jolted with a start. There was blaster fire, and the sound of lightsabers hissing and- was it true? Was it finally time? Ahsoka came for her!

“Meht!” Shin tried to shout, though their voice would not cooperate, vocal chords torn and shot from the screaming, unable to form even the smallest sound to garner the Togruta’s echolocation to easily pick her up in the chaos. And yet, the door slid open. Shin could not turn to see the door to the hall, but the shadow illuminated by a white light was enough to promise her salvation.

“ Tazi Unt,” Ahsoka had called, though her voice began to fade as her footsteps rounded the chair. “I’m right here, you’re safe.”

“Hit her again” Electricity coursed through the very fiber of Shin’s being. The smell of singed hair and skin met them first as consciousness pricked into their bones. Next came the pain, overwhelming as it pulsed in waves, between destroyed hands and the open skin where the droid had grown bored of their hands, and had simply moved on to whatever skin it felt like attacking next.

“She’s back,” The Inquisitor sounded almost relieved by the promise of Shin’s survival as Fuck Fuck rose from its place at Shin’s side, charged paddles tucked back into the slots on its chest where the excess energy was dispelled safely.

“Wh..” They were on the floor, now, though the table was in eyeshot, all blood and glory on display as the Inquisitor and droid knelt at the child’s side. Shin did not acknowledge either of them, instead, their eyes were unfocused. “Meht…” They whispered, glass in their throat and tears in their eyes, wasting what little water they had in their system as the realization of their dream dawned…

Ahsoka wasn’t coming for them. The Inquisitor was right about that, at least.

“You’re going to have to kill me,” Shin stated, devoid of emotion, unable to pick from the brewing storm beneath their skin.

“Still?!” The Inquisitor’s rage mounted any concern she may have had for her captive; All the work she put into turning someone so weak, and it still wasn’t working? She turned back to the troopers at the door, barking orders that had faded into a dull ringing in Shin’s ears as their weight sagged back into the bare space on the floor.

There was something almost beautiful about being submerged, in the way the bubbles would race to the top as the air was wrenched from her lungs. The promise of peace when it was all over, even as their blood stained the water, even as electricity was pumped into the water, forcing their body to contort and writhe as her body became a conduit for each volt.

If they didn’t drown her first, the amperage would be enough to kill her. And while the Force was silent, the child found herself hoping to find the power to force that dial to turn up, to be done with suffering in the face of nothing. She would not talk, and her death would mean nothing for the Rebellion. She would die as she was born on Ibaar, as nothing and no one.

“But you’re more than that. Because I’m more than that.” A voice called out, a person she could not hear, their voice distorted and far away as water pressure pressed against their eardrums. “Inside of you is everything she is, everything that ever has been and ever will be.” And then, clearer now, Ahsoka’s own voice, an echo from their argument before it had all gone wrong. “I just want to keep you there in one piece.”

They might not be in one piece, and may never be that way again, but they could live. If anyone could teach someone how to survive the impossible, it was Ahsoka Tano, and Shin had always been an avid learner.

Broken and bloodied hands scrambled at the lip of the tub she’d been submerged in, feet pressing against the bottom as they struggled against the hand keeping them down. The hilt of the Inquisitor’s saber was smacked into their hands time and time again, ruining their handholds each time they managed to get a grip, further damaging the spindly digits under the force.

It was just as the lack of oxygen began to burn through Shin’s lungs, and their eyes began to slide closed in acceptance, that a faint green glow ignited in the cell, and the weight pressing them down was torn away.

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” A stranger called, pulling Shin’s frail form from the tub. The man was large and warm, his touch was kind and gentle as he saved them from their doom, though Shin did not find immediate solace in her savior’s arms.

“Let go! Let go! ” The child flailed and sobbed, elbows smacking into the stranger’s body, practically bouncing harmlessly from a stubbled face and a heaving chest as they writhed. “ Just let me die!” They wailed; anything but to find herself in another altered dream. She could not trust the warmth of his hands, could not trust the reality of the safety he offered.

The Force prickled; light and unburdened. It felt like coming home, and in the safety that pressed across the Force, Shin found that the fight was leaving her body, allowing the small child to collapse into his broad chest, soaking the rough material of a prison tunic.

“You’re safe, now… We’re safe,” This was said quieter, though he spoke in a way that Shin would have followed anywhere in that moment.

“ Where’s my mom?” Shin rasped into the man’s chest, blinking her eyes open just to close them again as only a slightly dirty towel was dabbed against her eyes, clearing them away where they could not swipe their hands to clear the blockage.

“I don’t know,” He admitted, wrapping the towel around a particularly large gash along their abdomen. “But we will find her. My name is Baylan Skoll,” His voice never once lost that warm edge, even as he hauled his own beaten and abused frame off of the soaking ground, bringing the child up with him.

“Shin… Tano,” The way the man paused was lost on Shin, but he took it in stride; truly, the chips of paint on their face could have revealed that much, and the fact that the Imperials had decided to try and torture basic information from one of Tano’s own had seemed like a memo in the book on ‘how to torture someone Wrong’, yet he could go back in time and prevent her torture just as much as he could prevent his own.

“Do you know your mother’s comm code?” He questioned carefully as he led the way through decimated halls. Leaving the Inquisitor’s corpse behind, unmoving in the cell that had almost been Shin’s tomb.

“I do, but normal comms can't get through, and it isn't safe, and-”

“I understand,” He promised, his own breath short even as he marched their way to one of the small hangars. Dead troopers littered the halls, though Shin could not find it in herself to mourn for their lives when none of them would have done the same for her. “I will deliver you to safety, with a communication device that you can use to call your mother. Rest now, child,”

The command was obeyed without a thought, penetrating the Force itself to soothe them, and as the ache in Shin’s bones allowed her to sink into the arms around them, floating not in the whirlwind of sleep, but a comfortable in-between, Shin was able to listen to another being's heart thumping steadily into their ear as dreamless sleep enveloped them.

To say that she had been willing to tear a hole in the galaxy would have been an understatement; Ahsoka knew there was danger in those thoughts... However it didn't stop their traitorous whispers in the back of her mind the moment Huyang had filled her in on what had happened.

It had been weeks since she'd seen Shin last; the scorch marks where blue and red sabers had clashed and slashed into the ship still smelled, burnt metal filling the cabin with its stench. She tried not to think about the smell of burning iron, the way battlefields had rushed to meet her in the smell of human blood, smoldering the blade of a tortured crystal, but every time she got out of bed, or crossed the cabin, the Force would echo the sounds of the fight, of her kid, fighting a battle that she had failed to prepare them for.

Huyang clanked into the cockpit, loud enough to echo painfully in her montrals as he approached, joining her listless stare into the empty vacuum of space. "She's out there somewhere," He tried to soothe the Togruta, though it had only agitated her more.

"I know she's out there, Huyang," She snipped, muscles in her jaw flexing painfully as she tried once more to reach across the galaxy, into their bond, only to be met with emptiness. " Where is what we need to know. How to get in there, what we're going to find... That's what we need-"

As if on a cue, like the Force had grown weary of Togruta and Droid torturing themselves over this; a light began blinking along the ship's communicator; an unknown link was reaching out to the Fulcrum Network. Ahsoka leaned forward, fingers fumbling for the button. "Do we really have time for this?" Huyang questioned, exasperated that Ahsoka could even think about working.

"Fulcrum?" The voice on the other end was distorted like they'd only just managed to patch through comms, but Ahsoka and Huyang could recognize it anywhere.

"Let them know where you are, I will leave you here once I know you will be safe," A voice sounded off, further away from the small human on the other end. Ahsoka did not recognize it, but... what choice did she have but to trust it?

"I'm on Jes-" Ahsoka could almost picture the furrow of their brows; Galactic Basic was still a struggle for them, they'd picked up on Togruti, Wookie, and even the slivers of Mando'a that Ahsoka had been able to teach them much better than the more complicated planetary names in Aurebesh. "Jestefad," There was a pause as the girl must have been looking towards whoever was with her for confirmation. Huyang was already dropping into the co-pilot's chair, putting in the hyperspace coordinates, and getting their cloaking devices online. "There is a bad electrical storm, it might help shield you, but..." After another pause, Ahsoka was engaging the shields already.

“It might be too dangerous; I don't... If you need to..."

"Don't-" Ahsoka whispered on her end, knowing the distortion for Fulcrum's comms wouldn't allow her words to go through.

"If you need to leave me behind, I understand;"

"We're not far, Daaark grut, You are coming home," Ahsoka promised as the comms grew more distorted, before dropping entirely. She wasn't even sure if Shin had heard her, she just had to hope that she wouldn't resign herself to being left in the Mustafar system, so close to so much darkness. It was with strength offered in her family, with Rex and Kaeden at her side, that Ahsoka was able to swallow her pain, ignore the uncomfortable itch at the man’s voice that had been with Shin, and confirm the new coordinates Huyang had entered into the hyperdrive. Now, it was a matter of getting to Shin before the storms took them out.

Translations: Daark’a Ehtu - Togruti - Dark Mind Meht - Togruti - mom Dema'golka - Mando'a - Monster bachu e’dai - Togruti - Fart Face

#Shin Tano AU #Shin Hati #Ahsoka Tano #Kaeden Larte #captain rex #Hera Syndulla #Kanan Jarrus #Star Wars #Baylan Skoll #Fanfiction #tw blood #tw torture #kaedensoka

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