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| Sweeter Than Heaven or Hell (Part 2) |
Sweeter Than Heaven Or Hell (Part 2)
Outside the Tatooine's twin suns had begun to set, wrapping the desert's barren landscape in a beautifully textured afterglow of rich purple, deep blue, and pink. Soon it would be night and the predators, the creatures of the dark who spent their days in refuge from the glaring day lit sky, would begin their hunt. This was a concern to a great many of the planet's inhabitants, who ritualistically shut down all power sources and locked themselves in come dark. But there were at least two people still existing on the planet's surface to whom this mattered little.
It was pitch black and ominously still inside the small, cramped tunnel space; but there were low soft breaths to be heard, if one listened carefully enough. Those breaths were coming from a rather frightened Princess from Alderaan, who lay silently facing her own private nightmares.
Leia Organa Solo had been unconscious for a good period of time;
at least that's what the grogginess in her head and the stiffness in her muscles told her.
How long she couldn'tbe sure of and, realistically, it no longer mattered.
What did matter was the fact that she had survived, her husband
and children were safe, somewhere far from the mess that she was in, and the mental caress
she'd just received from her brother, though fraught with pain and tinged with confusion,
told her that he was alive too.
When she'd first come to she'd been terrified to reach out with
her senses, fearing that there would be a blankness, a void where her brother's presence
should be.
"Luke?" she called out quietly, for fear that any louder would
bring down more rocks upon them.
"Mmmm..."
"Are you all right?" she asked, knowing already that he was far
from it.
"N-n-no..." he stammered as his consciousness fluctuated weakly.
"There's somethin----" He never finished the sentence, slipping instead into a semi-conscious
state.
"Luke??"
He didn't answer.
Drawing a dusty hand across her eyes, Leia rubbed them hoping
that it would at least add some outlines to the pitch blackness surrounding her. It didn't
help at all and in fact worsened her situation by perpetuating the burning sensation
which had been growing in them.
Rolling onto her side and pulling herself into a half sitting
position, Leia mentally pushed aside all the points in her body that ached and began to
feel around in the darkness for their packs.There was nothing nearby, so she pulled herself
unsteadily to her feet and began to feel her way through the dark.
She'd taken perhaps only a few steps, when her foot hit something
large and solid and she went down hard, smacking her head on the way.
Then Leia Organa-Solo's world went black.
"No, Chani, it's at least another maxameter away!" The young boy said squinting. They'd spent the last three hours searching through the semi darkness for just one of their regular markers. There was so much rubble. It was impossible to make out... "No, see, this is it." Chani Gara pointed her hand torch down a small tunnel. "I'm sure this is where the well is."
"Chani..." Tav Gara pulled his own torch away from the entrance to the small tunnel, and focused it on his sister's face; his voice betraying his tiredness and frustration. "It's not the right one."
"It wouldn't hurt it to check and be sure!!" His sister was adamant.
"Yes. It would hurt... my feet, my back, and every other body part that's sore right now!" Tav ,too ,became adamant. "I'm sure it's the next one. Let's just go there, get the water and return to the group."
"NO!" Chani yelled angrily. "You just don't want to trust my nav abilities because I'm a girl!"
"It has nothing to do with whether you're a girl or not. I just don't want to spend anymore of my time tracing down your mistakes. And besides, mom said you have to listen to me because I'm the oldest," Tav told her, a look of power radiating from his dark eyes.
"Well, mom would agree with me that this is the right place, and if you don't want to 'trace down anymore of my mistakes that's fine! You go on and I'll look for myself," She told him ,stepping past the rubble and beginning to carefully make her way down the debris-strewn corridor.
"Chani." Tav moaned, and followed his sister. His mother would
be really angry if anything were to happen to her, even if it was her own fault. "At least
stop and let me lead," he pleaded.
"Mmmm." The young girl turned, stuck out her tongue, and kept
walking.
"Look." Tav stopped and trained his torch on the rock surface
above his sister's head."It's a nil sign , SEE , I was right! Let's go back."
"No." Chani replied distractedly. Her torch had picked up
something white down near the end of the collapsed corridor, and her curiosity drew her
closer. "Look ! She grabbed her brother's arm as he was about to turn away. "There's
something down there."
"You're imagining things," Tav told Chani, at the same time
pointing his own torch in the same direction in hopes of disqualifying her statement. He
couldn't though, because it really did look like there was something there. "Stay behind
me," he told his sister, stepping past her to take the lead.
"What is it??" Chani asked impatiently, as they moved closer.
"I don't know yet."
"It looks like a human." She pointed to what looked like a slim
arm.
"Will you just wait??" Tav turned to look at her angrily. "We're
almost there."
Moving closer it became apparent to them both that it was a
human. By the time they had arrived at Leia Organa-Solo's unmoving body, they discovered
it was actually two humans.
"Tav, she looks real hurt..." Chani bent down and touched the side
of Leia's head. There was a large open wound decorating it, along with several quickly
ripening bruises. "Are they dead?"
"This one's not," Tav said, shining his light on Luke. A quick
inspection had revealed that the second stranger was breathing.
"Well what about her?" The young girl pointed at the woman near
her feet.
"Lemme see." Tav stepped back across a small mound of rocks, and
took a closer look at Leia. "Well... it looks like she's breathing too." he said, staring
at the slow rise of her back. "But not very much," he added.
"We've got to get help," Chani told her brother, wide eyed.
"Will you stay here, while I go get some??" the young boy asked,
pretty doubtful that she'd agree.
"Sure," Chani replied, without hesitation.
"Are you sure?" Tav asked, uncertain as to whether she actually
realized what she was agreeing to. This was the girl who was afraid to sleep in her room
alone.
"Yes," his sister nodded.
"You won't be afraid?"
"No!" Chani straightened her face, making her look older than her
nine standard years.
"Okay, I'll be back soon." Tav said, and took off down the tunnel
as fast as the rubble would allow.
If colors were used to define one's personality, Dreese's, in all probability, would have been black. Was he evil? Well, that would depend on one's own definition. Was he cold and calculating? Definitely!. Was he accurate? Unerringly. Did he hate those he sought? Well, surprisingly enough he felt no hate. No love. No fear. Nothing, except perhaps ,for the occasional spark of anger or disgust.
And it was disgust that he was feeling at this particular
moment, while staring at the heavily cocooned 'thing' that used to be Kininin's Dalaa.
It had taken up about six feet of cabin space, and was coated
with a really foul smelling and sticky discharge, which had begun to ooze its way across
the floor. If he'd known what the stupid creature had meant when it said that it would be taking
a nap for the two-day trip, he would have dumped it the minute he'd hit dead space. In fact
he'd tried after it had cocooned, but the creature was now protected by a disseminating
force field of some type which appeared to be impenetrable.
So at this particular moment, he stood at the hatchway's locking
mechanism, cursing the fact that his trip had been a complete waste; and that he would have to spend another
two days living with something that looked like what amounted to a boulder with a bucket
of slime poured over it.
"Damn!" He fired off a couple of blasts at the cocoon, knowing before he'd even done it that his actions would be ineffectual. What he didn't expect was the intense greenish glow his last blaster bolt set off within the creature's habitat.
Backing away from the cocoon, Dreese trained his blaster on it
aand waited for its occupant to emerge; hoping the Parthed's prize hadn't transformed into
something more vile than the creature that had entered it.
Growing more vibrant, the glow from within the strange object
now shone through he hair line cracks that covered its blistered and crusted surface.
Abruptly, a loud blast sounded and chunks of the cocoon's hardened shell, and globs of goo,
began to fly around the room.
Ducking quickly behind one of the control room's consoles, Dreese
threw his arms up to cover his head and held that position until the last piece of flying
debris had landed. Then he sucked in his breath and peered around the base of the console.
A blaze of anger ignited inside Dreese's head. His common cabin,
once immaculate in keeping with his preferences, was now an utter disaster. There were
clumps of cocoon scattered about the room- huge globs of clear slime dripping from almost
every surface area- and there, standing in the midst of it all, was a new, but hardly
improved upon, version of Josu.
Now completely overcome by his fury, Dreese let out a round of
obscenities, and burst out from behind his cover. Then with lightning speed the gunman
raised his blaster and began firing endless shots at the frightened Dalaa.
"Noooooo." Josu squealed, threw up his arms in fright, and
skittered backwards.
"Die!!!!" Dreese hollered, as he continued to blast away at the
quivering creature.But it wouldn't, instead Josu just stood there shaking maniacally, trying if at all
possible to blend into the bulkhead.
It took a few macromins for both the shooter and the shootee
to realize that the blaster bolts were having little or no effect.When they did, the room
was left in an awkward silence as a confused gunman checked his weapon and a terrified
Dalaa checked his person.
"Arghhhh." Dreese let out a howl of rage and suddenly threw his
weapon at the creature. This action was impotent at best because, after only making it
half way across the room, the blaster stopped in mid air then fell with a clank onto the
deck.
Both participants looked at each other with surprise.
Smoothing his newly acquired coat of wispy pink fur, Josu
stood there pondering his discovered abilities while Thion stared at him hatefully.
Crossing the room, scooping a handful of goo off his
navi- board, a disquieting calm came over him ;he punched up the warming cycle, at the same time seriously
began plotting the Dalaa's demise.
Following a few minutes of silence, the small Dalaa let out an
anxiety ridden "E-e-e-xcuse m-mee sir..." Josu then ventured a question, after regaining
a small amount of his usually limited composure.
"But may I ask where we're going?"
A scowl crossed the gunman's face, followed closely by what
sounded very much like a Largurian's snarl.
"We're leaving," Dreese said tightly, as he took a seat in front
of the 'puter. He could flush him out an air lock in hyperspace.
"B-b-but why???" the Dalaa asked, trying to force himself to relax
slightly.
"Organa-Solo and Skywalker are dead," Dreese told him, at the same
time hoping that the creature standing in front of him would soon meet the same fate.
"But if I may correct you sir, I have to say that they're not."
"What??" Dreese asked, curiosity setting aside his silent
hostility for the time being.
"They're alive," Josu stated, somewhat confidently.
"And I'm supposed to believe some dull witted, half intelligent
sextipod ---- who looks like a week old Cadorfian meat roll?"
"This is why my Master asked me to accompany you. I can feel their
senses within the Force."
"And how do you know it's them?"
"They are distinct ,unmistakable, and very powerful; especially
when together."
Dreese pondered the Dalaa's words for a few moments and then
pounded the commboard, causing a clump of goo to jump and then land with a splat on the
deck. What if he'd been double-crossed? Astin had certainly seemed jumpy.
"Where are they then??" he asked grudgingly.
"That, I cannot tell you. I do not track."
"Then what good are you?" Dreese asked thumbing the butt of a
second and smaller wrist blaster.
Josu's two hearts leapt, and he began to sweat profusely, causing
his soft fur to cling wetly to his skin.
"I-I can still sense them as long as they're alive, and i-if
I get c-close enough I may be able to tell you if they're in the g-general area." He began
to tremble again, despite the minor comfort his earlier protection should have afforded
him.
Dreese sat silently rubbing his chin for a few moments then
rose to leave.
"S-s-sir" Josu dared ask a question.
"WHAT?" Dreese growled on his way past the timid creature.
"May I ask where you're headed?"
"To see the man who told me they were dead," The gunman replied ,
fishing his blaster up off the deck and fastening it onto his holster.
"Shall I accompany you??"
"No. If they are alive, we won't be able to begin a search 'til
morning anyway." Dreese headed for the hatchway.
"What shall I do while you're gone, sir?" The Dalaa asked, hoping
it wouldn't be anything too strenuous. He was hungry.
Dreese Thion looked around the disaster that used to be his
common room and pointed to the destruction.
"Clean up!!!" He ordered, moving down the ramp. "And do a good job,"
He yelled, turning to throw a final hate filled look at the Dalaa before he raised the
ramp.
A thin smile spread across the small creature's face and his eyes
began to extend slowly. Josu started to relax.
"Hmmmm..." The Dalaa let out a soft purr, bent over ,and scooped
up a small portion of slime covered cocoon. Then he let out a second purr, a little louder
this time, and popped it in his mouth. There would be much for dinner
tonight.
"I think he's comin' round..." Luke could hear a man's age
crusted voice.
"Yup, looks like it." Another man, younger this time.
There was a blinding flash of light, causing Luke to raise his
hand to cover his eyes. "Stop." he moaned.
"He's with us." The younger man again.
"Son..." It was the old man now. "Do ya know where ya are?"
"No," Luke replied rubbing his eyes and hoping he could get them
to focus on the origin of the voice. Had they been captured after all?
"Wadda ya remember?" the old man asked.
"The cave collapsed... Leia?" Luke reached for the blurry form
hovering above his face and caught what felt like an arm. "Who are you? Where's Leia?"
He tried to tighten his grip as the man pulled away but found that his muscles didn't
respond very effectively.
"The name's Till, son, and I'm jus' a farmer." He said turning to
ook at the younger man standing behind him. "He must mean the girl. How's she doin'?"
The younger man shook his head; they weren't expecting her to
live.
"Gimme that." Till pointed to a slim sharp instrument, laying
on a basic medical tray. Then he returned his gaze to Luke. "She's in the other room," He
told him.
Reaching out with his senses Luke felt around blindly for her
presence. At first, unable to feel it, he panicked; his heart racing as he frantically
searched for her. Then he felt it, a glimmer; a very weak and painfully marred sense of
the woman he loved. He had to get to her.
"I'm gonna give you sumthin' to clear up yer eyesite," Till
told Luke, holding the instrument near his temple.
"I-I want to be with Leia." Luke pushed the man's hand away and
tried to sit up.
"She's sick son," The old man replied, dropping the instrument
and gently lowering Luke back onto the bed. "Really badly done for."
"I need to be with her, I can help her." Luke tried to get up
again.
"Not in yer condition, son." Till gently pushed Luke back onto
the cot once more and motioned for the other man to come over. "Hol' him still here, while
I give him this."
"Noooo!" Luke began to struggle.
"Sit on him, Gar!" The old man ordered, huffing from the force
of the struggle.
Doing as his father told him to, Gar threw himself on Luke;
effectively pinning him to the small cot.
"GET OFF ME," Luke yelled still trying to carry on the struggle.
"Jus' a moment boy." Till, still out of breath, managed to place
a forearm over Luke's face in an attempt to stop its mad thrashing. "If ya kin jus' hold
still there;we'll get yer eye site fixed up." With his free hand Till expressed a small
amount of the instrument's fluid, and then inserted its tip under the thin layer of skin
on Luke's temple.
"I've... Leiaaaa!" Luke yelled as something sharp pierced his
temple.
"On the count o' three," Till told his son, emptying the
instrument's contents into the young Jedi's head then patting the spot where he'd stuck Luke.
"One... Two... Three..."The farmer yelled and simultaneously the two men jumped off their
squirming 'patient' and moved a safe distance across the room.
"Oh, gods," Luke groaned from the pain, as the entire left
side of his face went numb."What'd you do?" He asked, fearful they'd given him a sedative.
He had to get to Leia.
"It's just a little sumthin' to help you see better," Till told
him still keeping a safe distance.
"Ahhhhh!!!" Luke hollered, as his eyes began to burn mercilessly.
"It hurts," He yelled, first sitting up, then stumbling to his feet.
"Whoa there, boy." Till moved forward and placed a steadying hand
on Luke's shoulder;his concern for the newcomer shoving aside any concern he had for his
own safety. Besides, he reasoned, the young man, angry as he seemed,didn't pose much of a
threat.
"It's supposed ta burn, for a little bit; but in the end it'll
help," He explained.
"Take me to Leia!" Luke rubbed away the tears from his eyes and
conducted a frantic visual search for the exit. All he could see was a blurry grayness,
no distinguishing outlines to indicate a door.
"Give the stuff a few macromins to work, son," Till told the
young Jedi while still maintaining the grip on his arm. "Sit down , rest ." He said, trying
to ease his patient back to the cot. "Ya know, you ain't overly healthy yourself , and
you're gonna wreck the stitches I put in yer leg."
"I don't care!" Luke angrily shrugged the man off. "I need to see
her. I can help."
He could feel the Force presence diminishing with each second that passed. Reaching out he added his strength to hers, pulling her back a step from the edge and holding tight. Hold on, He told her. I'm coming.
Unwilling to loosen the mental grip he had on her, and not yet
strong enough to maintain that and search the Till's mind for directions to the exit, Luke
made his way haphazardly across the room. He tripped several times over solid yet
unidentifiable objects.
Till turned to the tall, wiry young man who'd moved up beside him
and shrugged as a look of amazement spread across his face. Luke Skywalker, though
obviously unaware of it, should have been experiencing incredible pain. His injuries alone
had indicated a long healing process and here, after several hours of unconsciousness, the
young man was not only back in the land of the living but up and moving about in it.
"Son..." Till moved over to the young Jedi who'd been frantically
feeling his way around the wall, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come, I don't know
what good it'll do, but I'll take ya to 'er."
He grabbed Luke's arm and led him to the door.
"Now watch yer step!" He said ,half lifting Luke over a ridge
in the floor.
They'd traveled what seemed to be only a few steps when they
stopped in front of what appeared to be just more of the gray blur Luke had been seeing
all along. A moment later there was a soft creak, followed by the sound of something
heavy being moved; then Luke was shuffled into another room.
"Over there." Till pointed to a small white blur which appeared
to be floating in mid air at about waist height. "The way's clear," He told Luke, then
turned to the ragged, middle aged woman who had come up beside him. "Get 'im something to
sit on," He mumbled and returned his gaze to Luke, who'd managed to make his way over to
his sister.
"Leia..." The name caught in his throat as the burden of her pain
within his psyche grew more heavy and mingled with his own. Tentatively he reached out a
trembling hand and caressed her face. His sight was returning now, things becoming a
little clearer. Where it had looked as though Leia was floating before, Luke now realized
that she was, in fact, lying on a parapet made out of the same stone that made up the
walls and the floor.
Silently running his hands over her features.He moved from her
face which, despite its battered appearance, was as beautiful to him as always, along
the length of her body feeling for her injuries, mentally and physically.
"What's he doin'?" The middle aged woman asked in a hushed whisper.
Till shrugged. "Dunno... He was awful fired up to get to her
though. Must be consorts." Till eyed the corpse sling she'd dragged into the room; it was
still stained with the blood of the last person who'd occupied it. "What's that for?"
"You said to get him sumthin to sit on."
"Bad choice, woman."
"Only choice, Till," She whispered. "Alla's tryin' to school the
young ones; she's usin' all the seats we got. This ain't the Emperor's palace ya know."
Till scoffed as she dragged the sling up behind Luke and then
hurriedly scampered back to her place at Till's side, almost as though she were afraid to
be near him.
Oblivious to the two people in the room, Luke continued to
make his examination of Leia's body. It wasn't until he reached the other side of her head
that he saw her true injury.
Only partially covered with a makeshift bandage, there was a
large gash behind her right ear where she'd hit her head in the tunnel. It was swollen
and purple and, though obviously a few hours old, still bleeding somewhat profusely.
Closing his eyes, he ran his hands over the area feeling for her pain, opening
himself up to absorb it. Was it concentrated here? He held onto her, mentally. 'Don't
leave me,' He told her.
Suddenly his legs went out from under him and he found himself
lying on the floor. Shocked out of his concentration, Luke raised his hands to wipe his
face and stooped cold. They were red, blood red. Leia's blood... her blood, a part of his
blood. He stared in horror.
"No!!" He yelled. She was slipping away.
Till and the woman, who had started on their way to help him up
paused, looked at one another.
"No! Leia!" Luke yelled again, and reached for her slim hand
which was dangling just above him. He couldn't get up, didn't have the strength to.
Things skewed and the room changed to become twisted and vague,
a dark parody of itself, with no distinct boundaries.
Ahead, in the distance, Luke could see his sister moving, as if
unaware of his presence, towards thickly ominous shadows.
"Leia?" Luke called to her, wondering if all of this - the crash,
the cave, the pain, the blood- was a dream?
She appeared unharmed, walking steadily, as slim
and beautiful as always;but she was moving away from him - into the darkness. A weight of
unknown origin suddenly fogged his mind, making it difficult for him to think. He was so
tired.
Yet there was something in his head .He had to stop her - to call
to her to come back - but he didn't know why. It was so difficult to think.
"Leia!!!!" He called to her again, fighting the desire to
sleep. This time she stopped, glanced back at him;a look of profound curiosity on her face.
She didn't recognize him at all.
"Come." A crooked voice echoed in her head, drawing her back
owards the darkness. She continued her walk towards it, Luke's cry instantly becoming a
distant memory.
Something wasn't right here. Luke pushed back at the weight
and fought to clear his head.There was evil - dark and powerful- drawing from his life
force;it was beckoning seductively to him. It was claiming his sister.
"STOP!!!" He yelled. "It's me... Luke!"
She stopped and finally turned to face him, a spark of
recognition lighting up her face.
Taking the opportunity afforded him, Luke moved a few steps
forward. Achingly slow, his progress was at best minimal.
"I have to go," she told him backing away, instantly eradicating
the few precious steps he'd taken.
"Where?" Luke asked, moving forward again.
"It's my time ." She stole a look back into the darkness. "They're
calling to me."
"Who, Leia?" Luke asked, his senses trying to reach past her ,into
the void. "What are they saying to you?"
"They want me to come."
"They're calling you to your death," He told her, hoping that the
shock of his words might make her less willing to follow.
She smiled a smile that lit up her whole face.
"I know, but it's my time."
Luke shook his head fervently. "No, it's not." He advanced
further towards her, making slow but steady progress .If only she'd stay put.
"They promised if I go with them, they'll spare Han, our children,
they'll spare you." Her eyes grew heavy with sadness. "I hate this war!"
Luke looked at her, baffled by her words.
"The war is over, Leia, the Emperor is dead."
"It's only just begun." She stared wide-eyed, as whole worlds
ended, and mutilations of entire populations flashed before her eyes. Terrified, she spun
and headed back towards the darkness, the words, "I have to go..." trailing behind her.
"They cannot control the future," Luke shouted. "They have no
power over my life or the lives of those you love. If you go to them, it will be you that
gives them their power."
She kept walking.
Desperately fighting to keep up with her, he was losing the battle. It was like t
rying to make his way through a sand slick, the more he fought to move the less distance
he covered.
All was lost. She was moving steadily further away and there was nothing he could
say or do to stop her. Panic tore through the Jedi. He was losing his grip. "No!" he
yelled mentally, and thrust aside the oppressiveness of his thoughts. They were of the
dark side, a blinder, created as a stalling tactic. "A Jedi must be at peace.
Yoda's words drifted through his head.
Relaxing, Luke stretched inwards with the Force, driving away the demons in his
mind. Then, focusing once again on the situation, he called to Leia.
"If you go, I go too." He gripped her mental presence firmly and pressed himself forward.
"You can't." She halted again. "It's not your time."
"I don't care! I... I... love you!" Luke stammered slightly, startled by his own
honesty. "I won't let you leave me - you're a part of me."
She turned and stared at him, the full understanding of his words showing in her
eyes. Taking a step backwards, a mixture of revulsion and fear spread across her face as
a shroud of darkness began to wrap itself around her.
"No!" Luke yelled, as she took another step. "Don't go!"
"I love you, too," She told him, her eyes wide with guilt as she faced the long
buried realization and backed further into the blackness. "Always will - just leave me."
"If you have to go, then it won't be alone," Luke reiterated and took another couple
of steps towards her. The weight seemed to have lifted slightly, he could move a little
faster.
"You can't, they won't let you. " She advanced further into the void.
It was death, Luke was certain; an evil, shadowy death vying for her Force
strength."Who?" Luke repeated his initial question, trying to stall her with
conversation,as he closed the gap between them.
"Them," She pointed ahead of her. "You can't hear them?" She
slowed her pace, a quizzical look pasted on her face.
"Who, Leia?" Luke asked again, moving almost close enough to touch
her. Whoever they were, they were of the dark. He could feel the strength of their
presence now; it was chillingly cold, pressing on him, stifling him with its anger. They
wanted her. If they couldn't have her in life, they would take her in death. He reached
for her.
"NO!" she screamed, doubling over in pain. "You're hurting them,
get back!"
"Not without you." He grabbed her and pulled. "You can't have her!"
He spat into the darkness. "She's mine!!" He blasted his glaring brightness at them,
forming a mental fireball of sorts.
A cascade of shrill wailing sounded from within the void and the
blackness shrank, leaving a foreboding and evil laugh trailing along behind it. The battle
wasn't over yet.
"Help me get 'im onto this, will ya!" Till slipped his two
arms beneath Luke's underarms and laced his fingers across his chest. The sling stood
nearby waiting for its new occupant. "Rana!" he yelled, snapping her out of her daze.
She looked at him with terror in her eyes and backed away. There
was something strange about the young man, and it frightened her.
"Get over 'ere," Till ordered, a scowl of confusion on his face.
Wide eyed, Rana stared at Luke who lay still gripping his sister's
hand and looking every bit as though he belonged in the corpse sling;but he wasn't dead.
There was a vibrancy to his being that even in such a deep state of unconsciousness
illuminated him.It was all at once both comforting and terrifying.
"Rana!!!" Till hollered, his patience already spent. "M'back is
breakin', woman.Gimme a hand 'ere!"
Moving slowly, as if forcing herself, Rana inched her way
forward, and grabbed Luke's ankles.
"Okay, let's do it." Till huffed under the strain but managed,
with his reluctant help, to get the young man in his arms onto the sling.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Till stepped back and let his
eyes fall on the two strangers. They both looked as though they'd been through a war.
"What 'da we do with 'em now?" Rana had moved up beside him, a
strange look on her face.
"We take care of 'em till they die or get better," He told his
long time companion and turned to go.
Rana flinched, her fear almost palpable.
"What is the matter with you, woman?"Till stopped and swung back
towards her. "Yer actin' as though the Dark Lord 'imself is comin' ta supper."
"I dunno Till, I just don't wanna be left alone with 'em."
"Lands sake!" He drew a hand through his hair and scratched
ferociously. "Yer gettin' peculiar on me, Rana."
"It ain't peculiar Till. The boy scares me."
Till, now rapidly approaching anger, took a good long look at the woman's
anxiety-etched face, and thought better of telling her off. She wasn't fooling around -
the young couple obviously frightened her; and though there was nothing tangible to go on
Rana normally had a pretty good knack for predicting trouble.
"Okay, I'll have Scruffy and Deak come sleep in here with ya... Alright?" he asked, hoping
it would ease her discomfort.
"Guess so..." She replied looking only half confident that his solution would help.
"Good," He said over his shoulder and stepped out into the corridor. "I'll have 'em
sent right 'ere," he told her, and headed off down the hallway towards the gathering
chamber.
Alone now, Rana moved as far away from the two strangers as the room would permit and sat on the floor,waiting for the others to arrive. She hoped strongly that it wouldn't be along wait.
Sweat poured down Rekn Astin's face and dripped onto the barrel of the blaster pointed under his chin. The mad man in front of him had been holding him like this for some time now, and Astin's heart was presently beating so fast that he was sure it would soon overload and just stop beating all together.
"You set me up! You little derm!" Dreese nudged the gun a
little deeper into the man's flesh, and spat in his face.
"I-I didn't... I swear," Astin stammered, his life beginning to
flash before his eyes. "Skywalker's dead!" he squeaked.
"He's alive! And you were hoping to capture him on your own and collect their
reward for yourself!" Dreese countered and cocked the piston on his blaster. He was
going to fry the little mudger.
"Wait!" a voice from behind Dreese commanded.
Thion, blaster still at his victim's throat, turned to get a good look at the
person who'd dared to interrupt him and was both shocked and dismayed to see an
enormously life sized, and equally grotesque, hologram of Auruss Kininin lounging
behind him.
"Put the blaster away, Dreese," the Parthed ordered, and popped a squealing Dfobe
lazzard into his mouth.
Reluctant to do so, Dreese jammed the blaster still a little further into Astin's
throat and spat out the words "Why should I??"
"Because I've asked you to..." Kininin replied around the lump of lazzard in his
mouth, and calmly wiped away a trickle of the creature's blood as it ran down his chin.
Dreese was ready to laugh in the man's face when, inexplicably, the hand holding
his blaster began to shake wildly then suddenly went numb. Both amazed and confused, Thion,
unable to control his appendage, watched helplessly as his blaster fell noisily to the
floor.
"Thank you..." Kininin sneered. "Your co-operation is greatly appreciated." He eyed
Thion knowingly.
Rekn Astin, who up until this moment had been too terrified to move,
suddenly burst forward and dropped to his knees in front of the Parthed's image. "Master
Kininin. It is an honor."
"Commisere..." Kininin's holo stared cruelly at the small bald man. "I wish I could
say the same." He let his words sink in for a moment, then continued. "I understand that
your previous report - the one detailing the deaths of Organa-Solo, and Skywalker - was
a little premature?"
"I assure you Master that it was not." Astin trembled nervously, and his knees began
to ache. "Your Commander Tacho and I were there when the outcropping was blown, no
one could have survived!" Astin shot Dreese a toxic glare. "And whom ever has provided
you with any other such information --- is terribly mistaken."
"Ah!" Kininin grinned evilly, his holographic form bending forward ominously. "And
perhaps Commander Tacho was mistaken when he intercepted this coded message to Golfran
on Biterus?" He held up a slim metal disk, in one large swollen hand. "The one which
detailed the entrapment and eventual capture of Organa-Solo, and Skywalker?"
"I---I---I" All Astin could do was stammer.
"And you certainly were not planning on cashing in on the reward
he offers for their lives? And of course you do not have your own Force wielder working as
an aide?" Kininin picked up another lazzard and bit its head off.
Astin's reaction to this was sheer terror. He climbed to his feet and backed up
to the wall, half expecting the Parhted to materialize, and do the same to him.
"And you obviously weren't aware of the tunnels, created by Tatooine's original
inhabitants over Three Hundred years ago? Now were you?" He bit down hard on the
creature's skull, making a chilling popping noise.
"Com --- Commander Tacho was in charge of the whole affair, I only accompanied
him ." Astin managed to sputter, and threw a horrified glance at Dreese who was leaning
against the desk watching the whole scene with fascination.
"Yessss," Kininin hissed. "So then I am to assume that it was just an oversight on
your behalf, that you neglected to mention the tunnels' existence to him, and that there
was also a good chance our two escapees were still alive?" He popped the rest of the
lazzard into his mouth.
"Golfran will certainly kill them anyway." Astin gasped and clasped his hands on
either side of his head.There was a throbbing building inside his skull.
"Leaving a trail straight back to you, which in turn would lead to me!" Kininin spat
out a piece of the lazzard's tail to punctuate his point and then continued. "Tell me,
is your life not worth more than the two million credits Golfran offers?"
Astin's eyes widened; the pressure in his head had grown excruciating, so much so
that all he could do was let out a loud groan of pain in response.
"I guess not." The Parthed smiled as Astin began to shake wildly, his vital functions
seizing in response to the build up of pressure inside his head.
Dreese, comfortable with his vantage point up until now, suddenly straightened up
and moved away as Astin started to bob and blood began spurting from his eyes, ears,
nose and mouth.
Kininin guffawed as a loud crack sounded and the top of Rekn Astin's head blew off,
spraying its contents around the room.
Kininin guffawed as a loud crack sounded and the top of Rekn Astin's head blew off,
spraying its contents around the room.
"Gaaa..." Dreese, a little more pallid than usual, let out a curse of disgust, and
wiped a piece of Astin off his vest.
"Ha!" Kininin's holo image laughed. "A gunman sickened by a small amount of blood?
Perhaps I've overestimated your abilities, Thion."
Small? Dreese scanned the office, now decorated by bits of its late owner, and came
to rest on Astin's lifeless body. There was blood every where.
"Speechless?" Kininin's hologram goaded.
"Hardly," Dreese replied coldly, and stepped over the body to stand and face his
employer.
"Good!" The Parthed's image bent forward as a bolt of intense hatred shot from his
eyes. "Because I hate cowards almost as much as I do traitors," Kininin stated, reaching
outside the confines of the hologram for something that Dreese couldn't see, and a moment
later the door to Astin's office slid open.
"This is Graak." Kininin introduced the slim, almost feminine, young man who
entered. "He was Astin's aide, and will now assist you in your quest for Organa-Solo and
Skywalker."
Dreese rolled his eyes, the last thing he needed was another assistant.
"He is a Force wielder, and will compliment Josu's powers."
"I've told you before, I have no use for the Force or those who use it!" Thion
muttered, and picked his blaster up off of the floor.
"One should never underestimate the power of the Force." Kininin nodded to the body
lying on the floor. "It has an infinite number of uses!"
"If your Force is all powerful, and you are able to use it to do this," He
pointed to what was left of Astin, "Then why don't you just use it to blow Organa-Solo
and Skywalker to bits, and leave me outta this?" Dreese countered, and moved towards the
door.
"Because, I'm a Force Healer," Kininin explained as his hologram turned to maintain
visual contact with the gunman. "Control of the body and all of its functions are the
limits of my power, and against another properly trained Force user, it is ineffectual."
Dreese stopped. "Then I think that it's time we re-negotiate this deal." He smiled
greedily, not put off by the man's demonstration of power.
"Yes." Kininin matched his smile with an evil and threatening one. "Hmm... Let us
see." A huge stubby hand rubbed at one of the folds in his chin. "I know!" His eyes
managed to widen despite the weight of their lids. "Let's say that instead of the Two
Hundred Thousand Credits you were going to receive, I give you your life. In return for
theirs."
Dreese's eyes flashed in anger, but the tension that he had begun to experience in
his head motivated him to remain silent.
"I see we have a deal!" Kininin grinned contortedly, and then nodded towards Graak.
"He has already been briefed. Organa-Solo and Skywalker will probably not be able to make
much headway tonight. You will start your search tomorrow."
Dreese shot a look of loathing at both the room's occupants, and then made his way
over to the door, shoving Graak aside as he passed him.
"Oh." Kininin's holo image called out as the gunman pounded the door's mechanism.
The gunman stopped.
"Just to prevent you from foolishly throwing away your life by trying to take off to
parts unknown, I took the liberty of having your Starcom Navcomputer, and engine
motivators, removed from your ship." Kininin informed him and popped a fuduu ball into
his mouth. "To lose such a fine assassin would be a shame." He looked to Graak for
confirmation.
The young man, overcome by nausea at the sight and smell of his former boss, gave
the appearance of someone who'd rather be anywhere else but there; just nodded dazedly in
agreement.
Thion seethed, but with the object of his anger presently inaccessible he stored
his hostility for future use, recomposed himself, and left the room coolly.
"I want no disappointments," Kininin called out as the door slid shut.
It started as a gentle touch, like a whisper. Softly probing -
questioning --- looking.It's intent seemed harmless, curious, like a child reaching
out to touch another;but it wasn't that innocent, and the deeper it probed the more
apparent its intent became. There were dark motives behind it. It was searching for a
location, trying to get a fix on him; and it was at this moment of realization that Luke
Skywalker slammed his mind closed and sat up, instantly awake.
At first it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the room;
once they did, he immediately recognized it as the room he'd been led to. The one where
his sister had been fighting for her life.
She was safe now. The warm comfort of her hand was still locked in his.
He looked over at her, trying at the same time to balance himself in the unsteadiness
of his cot. He couldn't do it and almost fell out before he decided to get up.
Half rolling and half crawling, he managed to climb to his feet without waking the
three sleeping forms in the room. His leg, though it still hurt a little, for the most
part felt as though it had healed.
Checking Leia's wound Luke was relieved to find that it had also all but disappeared,
except for a small scabbed area along the hairline. Running his fingers along a strand
of hair that had strayed from her usually neat braid, he took it, amazed by its softness,
and let it flow through his fingers.
'Is this what Han does every night after she lets down her hair?' The young Jedi
wondered, a pang of desire tearing at a piece of him.
'You've got to stop this,' He told himself, letting the hair go. 'But she loves you,' A voice secreted deep inside, cried to be heard 'No!' Luke let out an anguished mental yell, begging the voice to stop. But she had admitted it.
Running a hand along the velvet soft skin at the side of her face, Luke Skywalker
realized that he'd never wanted anything more in his life than to be with her. Helpless
to control his feelings, he bent over ready to kiss her, his desires screaming to be
satisfied, but was stopped short by his conscience.
'Why?' He caressed her face, a deep longing egging him on. His mouth was only inches
away from hers, it would be so easy. Why after all of the years were these feelings
resurfacing?? They'd been gone a long time - banished to a place so private that no
one could reach them.
The young Jedi was at a loss for an answer. He didn't know why these feeling were
nagging him again... What he did know was that he couldn't act on them; so he redirected
his movements and whispered into Leia's ear instead.
"Leia..." he called softly placing his hand over her mouth. "Wake
up!"
"Mmmm..." A hushed moan escaped her lips.
"Come on..." He stole a look behind him to see if he'd disturbed any of the others.
They were still sleeping as they had been, wrapped in makeshift blankets on the floor.
Whoever these people were they didn't appear to be Imperials; but that didn't necessarily
make them Allies either... He could sense their fear, and fear often had a way of making
people do strange things. They'd be better off, and probably safer, if left on their own,
Luke thought, now trying to shake his sister awake. "Leia..." he called to her again.
This time her eyes fluttered open, she started to say his name, but stopped when he
laid a finger across her lips. Silently he helped her into a sitting position, and covertly whispered to her.
"We've got to get out of here." He pointed to the three sleeping forms then added:"And quietly."
"Where are we?" she whispered back, at the same time accepting his assistance down
from the stone bed.
"Inside the mountain, I think." He looked her up and down. "You
okay?"
Leia nodded and rubbed the side of her head where she'd hit it.
"Just a little bit of a headache, that's all. How are you?" She
asked, suddenly remembering the crash and then the cave's collapse.
"I'm fine," he assured her.
"You don't look it." A worried look fell across her face. She traced a delicate
finger along the outline of a healing scar, on his forehead, and then pointed to his
blood smeared uniform.
"Don't worry." Her touch made him tingle, exposing his naked emotions, and for a
moment the young Jedi reveled in them, drinking in their purity. Then, remembering her
earlier fear, and revulsion in her eyes, he thrust them back to where they'd come from
with an iron mental fist; his stoic composure falling into place.
They couldn't waste anymore time.Grabbing Leia's arm, Luke had
begun to lead her towards the door, when a loud scraping sounded from behind them that
was then followed up by a booming voice.
"DON'T MOVE! Or I'll blow ya ta bits..."
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