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| Alternate Reality #357 |
Alternate Reality #357
What if?
The most famous words in fiction. The base of all tales, every narrative; and maybe of more than fiction.
For every time we cross a road, we round a corner-we make a choice.
Every time we are delayed by a passerby asking for directions we miss meeting with others who might be looking large in a potential destiny.
The theory- the legend- says that whatever we do, wherever we go, other realities spring up, living and acting, from every choice. That we do make all the other choices too. In one we go right, in another left, in a third down the center. That, while there's a lie that our life must more or less follow-our destiny- the details change from reality to reality. Sometimes a very small change may make a vast difference. May even undo and change the destiny.
For want of a spaceship, a galaxy may be lost. In one reality.
In another, the spaceship may never have been missing at all.
So let us now look at a certain reality. In it, Luke Skywalker - having lost everything that had been his life - has decided to join Ben Kenobi and deliver the droids to the father of the blindingly beautiful image he saw in his garage; and fight the hated Empire.
We all know what happens after that. They come into Mos Eisely to look for a ship that will take them outsystem. They are stopped by troopers, but Ben manages to confuse them. This takes them about five minutes. They then walk into the Cantina and meet Han Solo; and the Millenium Falcon becomes their option of choice.
Han Solo. He's all potential.
At inception he's just a piratical smuggler. Only as his destiny unfolds does he become the pivot around which the others revolve. The pirate becomes the friend, the amuggler a leader. Becomes sealed in blood to Luke and in passion to Princess Leia. Saves Luke's life countless times and is instrumental in saving the Rebellion. A great destiny.
But what if?
What if they had not been delayed by the Stormtroopers? What if the troopers had missed them and gifted them with five more minutes;
allowing them to meet someone else; someone who would have left the Cantina five minutes later, who would have walked out of the Cantina - out of their lives - leaving the field open for Han Solo?
Let us look at:
PICTURE #1
" Are you going to look for a ship here?" Luke squinted against the light , up the wide road to where a small
detachment of stormtroopers was halting passing vehicles.
" Most of the best pilots come here. Only watch your step; this place can be a little rough."
" I'm ready for anything."
" Are you, Luke?" Ben's voice was soft. He looked at the scene up the street, then: " That was fortunate; that we went through
before they set up their road block. They could have delayed us for quite awhile."
" Yeah." Not to mention, thought Luke, that they mightn't have let us through when they saw the droids. He hitched
up his belt and walked down the steps into the dark; following Ben Kenobi,Threepio and Artoo at his side.
He almost bumped into Ben, though, when that one stopped suddenly on the steps and- putting his hands on his hips- barred the
path of a fat human of about sixty who was just walking out.
" Vic - is that really you?"
The fat man looked as astonished as Ben.
" Cap'n! By the Blue of the Yellow and Green Hell! Haven't seen you in-what-twenty years?" He looked at Luke approvingly. "That your grandson? Sure has grown since the last time I saw him!" He started on a long bellylaugh Ben Kenobi was smiling too.
" Do you still captain a ship?"
" Sure do, Cap'n. The old girl's in full commission. Faithful as always-at your service!"
" Do you know- that might be the right thing to say. I would like to speak to you. Could we find a table?"
" Sure thing. Just follow me."
They walked down into the murk, Luke following more slowly as he had trouble seeing until his eyse adjusted to the dim light. The cantina
was a kettleful of noise, dominated by the rhythmical jizzmusic of the Arlesian combo. Around the long, circular bar-presided over by the human bartender, a sinister specisen if there ever was one- stood the most diverse and unprepossesing samles of some twenty planetss' denziens.
"We don't serve their kind here! " The bartender was waving at Threepio and Artoo. " Your droids! Get them out of here!"
A slow, burning anger rose in Luke. The anger he always felt when meeting bigotry; but this was no time for argument. He took Threepio
aside and told him to wait outside with Artoo.
In spite of Ben's warning, Luke found himself fascinated. It seemed to him that a million different sentients were there, all
speaking at the same time; hissing, grunting, panting and squeeking, and his head whirled at the shapes glimpsed through the smoke. There was no way he was going to miss drinking at the bar. Ben was perfectly capable of starting talks with the fat spaceman on his own.
He got his drink and, leaning on the hard plastic, started to look around and found himself looking into the disfigured face of the ugliest
human drunk he'd ever seen, and his sidekick.
The drunk was trying to pick a fight. Luke's soothing remarks did nothing to calm him down. He found himself facing a blaster.
"This little one's not worth the effort-come, let me get you something." Ben Kenobi was behind him as if by magic, trying to defuse the drunk.who-with a roundhouse-sent Luke into a clattering pile of cans. Jogu whipped out his blaster and fired; too late to prevent a lightsaber blade from cutting off his arm.
There was, for a moment, absolute silence in the cantina. Then, old Ben calmly returned the haft to his belt and
helped Luke up.
" Vic has a ship that might suit us. Let's go back to the table."
" Neat, Cap'n." That one greeted them admiringly. " Very neat; but you were saying you wanted passage to Alderaan. In
trouble are you?"
" Let's just say we're trying to avoid-Imperial entanglements." Kenobi looked significantly at the fat spaceman.
" Aren't we all. You know, Cap'n, you don't really want my ship."
" But she's still spaceworthy and ready?"
" Yesh, that she is; and dependable too;but for speed-forget it. She wasn't fast twenty years ago, and she sure
hasn't improved in the meantime. There's word that a Stardestroyer entered Tatooine's orbit yesterday." He thought for awhile, swigged his drink.
"If you want to escape Imperial craft there's just one ship that might be able to turn the trick. The Millenium Falcon."
Ben Kenobi looked at him questioningly.
" She belongs to a trader called Han Solo. The Falcon's a fifty year old bucket of bolts, but he keeps her
tinkered up to a hair trigger. She's the only ship I know that can make point five past light. The only merchant, that is. She can
outrun the big stardestroyers, if anyone can; and Solo's a crack pilot."
" I'd still rather entrust ourselves - and our droids - to you." Ben Kenobi said dryly.
" And I'd rather you did, Cap'n, believe me! Not to despise an old acquaintance, but mostly I need the money! Word is
that Solo's just made a very good profit delivering cargo to Jabba the Hutt. He doesn't need the fare. I do, but I wouldn't want you to run any
risks just so I can make money!"
" And that sentiment is exactly why I prefer to go with you." Said Kenobi softly, and Luke felt the rightness in his bones.
They were all silent then, milling over the situation, until Kenobi raised his piercing blue eyes; a slight smile on his lips.
" Perhaps we can combine both transportations. Perhaps we can-use the fast to distract from the slow..."
As the two older mens eyes locked, Vic breathed out slowly.
" A decoy. Cap'n, you're a genius!"
" Not a genius, and not a Captain. I was no Captain then, and I'm certainly not one now;but I was once a General."
" Looks like you never forgot how to be one."
Excitement was mounting in Luke at the two mens exchange.
" What are you talking about?"
" We can hire the fast ship to draw the Imperials in one direction, Luke; then we take the slow ship in the opposite one." And, as Luke
sat openmouthed." Once we're in hyperspace, the chances of their noticing us approached zero."
" Let's do it! You sit here while I go look for Solo. " Vic rose. " Don't move around; so these characters won't pick
another fight. You don't need any more attention now!" He disappeared in the smoke-filled murk.
Luke was still trying to digest what he'd heard; and the rest of his experience in the cantina.
" Why does he call you captain; and why does he think I'm your grandson?"
" It's a long story, Luke. Vic was there when you were born. I never disabused him when he thought me your
mother's father; but never mind all that. Vic is really a most dependable man. Responsible and discreet. I've done business
satisfactorily with him before."
They looked up then to see a tall man and an even taller figure standing over them: a Wookiee.
PICTURE #2
Two thousand for doing nothing! Those guys must really be desperate. This could really save my neck; get back to the ship
and get her ready." Han Solo said to Chewbacca.
The Wookiee grunted doubtfully. " Not doing nothing; drawing Imperial fire. That's more dangerous than Jabba the hutt;and two thousand
will never repay Jabba!"
" So we won't. We'll take the two thousand and get the Key of Thalor out of hock; find the treasure and then repay Jaba. As for
the Imperials-there's nothing to it, I tell you!"
Chewie rolled his eyes desparingly. He felt Han was, as always, too optimistic, They would be lucky if, when the Imperial's
caught up with them, they weren't sold into slavery.
At Docking Bay 94 the old man and the kid were waiting. There was something about them; especially
about the kid. He'd really have liked to know him better.
Anyway, they had purposely left a trail for the informere Ben's senses had felt following them. The informer who
would bring Imperial troops to Docking Bay #94. The droids already were in Docking Bay #96-inside the Asteroid Queen, Vic's ship.
Now for the tricky part. Get the old man and the kid up the gangplank, get them inside the ship and out again by the emergency
hatch and-while they slipped out through the passage to Bay 396- give the stormtroopers something to look at, and take off.
But they started shooting, and Han found that he need only slam the doors and go. Once in space,
he could be as fast as he wanted. The longer he drew the Imperials after him, the better he'd fo his job.
" This is where the fun begins." He told Chewie, who grunted a warning as two more stardestroyers appeared starboard.
PICTURE #3
The first of the Imperial officers was furious.
" Don't tell me we've been chasing an empty ship, piloted by a drunk!" He distastefully shrugged off the soggy figure
that kept trying to hug him and offer him a bottle.
" Get the interpreter, the Wookiee looks sober. Let him explain." But the second Imperial already knew
they had drawn a blank.
And so it was. The Wookiee kept repeating that he couldn't control his partner when he got into the
bottle; and the human kept singing one of the bawdiest songs the officer had ever heard.
They sent tracers through the entire ship anyway; but there were no traces of recent droid passage or of anything out
of the ordinary-if one excepted the three cases of Sabyan firewater, which they confiscated to the loud protests of
the drunken captain of the ship.
With the Wookiee soothing him( and restraining him in his enormous arms so he wouldn't swing at the stormtroopers), the Imperial boarding party went into their shuttle and back down to Tatooine to try and take up the trail of the two droids.
" Mission accomplished." Said Han, watching the Imperial shuttle retreat. " How was I, Chewie? Good, eh?" He checked
the coordinated set for Danghart and jumped. " Told you there was nothing to it."
" You sure you didn't swallow any of that stuff? You're not used to drinking." Chewbacca was solicitous.
" Well, maybe a small swallow; and it was damn good stuff. Those bastards stole it!"
He scowled blackly in distaste as he stripped off the clothes he'd soaked for an authentic smell.
" You know something, Chewie? I've got a bad feeling about this; a really bad feeling."
" You got a hangover.
" Yeah, I know; but it still feels like the greatest loss of my life; as if I had the chance at something - something
really great. Something to change my life - can't put my finger on it, maybe meet someone. I just feel it, Chewie; and the funny thing is that
I didn't blow it either, but it's lost anyway."
" You'll feel better after you've slept. Here, have a cup of brew."
Han drank his brew and stared into the nothingness of hyperspace.
On the Asteroid Queen, Luke turned to Ben.
" You know, I really liked that trader, the tall guy. I wish we could have taken him with us."
" He did his job, Luke. Now, I'll show you how to use the lightsaber."
Wonder how this one turned out?
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