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ladyofleithianIn which Lando and co. (minus Han and Sabe) manage to escape, and Mara walks right into the krayt dragon's lair.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: Was originally planning to have Padme, Vader, Terminus and Luke accompany Mara, but I figured I'd cut them off. I am a bit disappointed, especially considering that it presents an opportunity for Vader and Terminus to have to fight Ventress, but at the same time, I think it does definitely raise the jeopardy for Mara, having to face Ventress alone. I think it's one of many reasons Empire Strikes Back did that with Luke when he faced Vader -- just to increase that sense of jeopardy. Especially considering that at this point, Luke is skilled, but he doesn't quite have the skills to defeat Vader (including, of course, the new information he has in Return of the Jedi, where he can sort of plant the seeds of doubt in Vader and try and turn him away from the Emperor's influence). So we worry a bit about him. I think that sense of isolation in fiction, having to go up against the enemy alone definitely increases suspense, especially when the villain is a lot stronger than the hero. In Ventress' case, she's pretty good at lightsaber combat and knows how to get under Mara's skin. In Mara's case, she's skilled, but she's still a fledgling Jedi, not quite in control of her emotions, and the fact she just recently started training at twenty two (according to the canonical Star Wars timeline, Luke was nineteen in A New Hope, twenty two in Empire Strikes Back -- as ESB takes place three years later -- and twenty three in Return of the Jedi -- as ROTJ takes place only a year after ESB. Wasn't even intending it, but Mara's age here matches up pretty well with Luke's in canon) probably makes things more complicated. I guess I can also understand a little better why the Jedi separate kids from their parents as infants (even though I still disagree with it. Call me a bit too soft-hearted for my own good here); from their point of view, it makes the Jedi easier to train in order to get their emotions under control (and considering one aspect of the Sith is getting under a Jedi's skin in order to make them lose, turn them, etc., learning to get their emotions under control is no doubt important for a number of reasons), as well as being able to learn all the skills they need (in contrast to, basically, just taking the accelerated course when the trainee is, say, an adult. Revan's definitely an exception along with Luke, and there were some extenuating circumstances revolving around that. And in the case of the Exile training her crew...well, they weren't exactly conventional Jedi in the first place. So there are exceptions, but probably with some extraordinary circumstances behind all that).
Anyway, my apologies for the rambling (call it something I just realized posting this). Hope you enjoy.
It was later, much later, after the initial hissing of the carbonite chamber like some sort of monster – in the gloom of the carbonite freezing chamber, the machine itself seemed to hiss like some sort of monster – that they retrieved the now-frozen body of Han Solo from the pit. And seeing it, hearing Chewie’s howl, knowing once more that he was the one who helped do this, he was the one who betrayed Han like this, was enough to make Lando’s heart ache for just about everyone involved. Threepio was going on about how Han would no doubt be just fine “if he survived the freezing process”, and if Lando had less self-restraint, he would have told off Threepio (but gently) that talking about the matter of scientific stuff wasn’t –
Though in a way it was. Just to make sure that he hadn’t condemned Han to death. That there was still a way to save him.
“Well, Calrissian,” said Ventress, “Is he alive?”
Lando adjusted the knobs, checking for heat, for vitals, for anything important to make sure that, indeed, Han was all right. Then, “He’s alive. And in perfect hibernation.” Thank the stars. Perhaps in a way there was still a way to get him out of there. It would be hell for Han once he got out – carbonite freezing, especially prolonged periods tended to lead to feelings of nausea, difficulties with vision, and a lot more, but Lando could probably help him out with that – but at least they had a chance.
Perhaps he was vainly clinging to hope after everything that had happened. But even so…
Ventress turned towards Fett. “He’s all yours, bounty hunter,” she said. She turned to Sabe. “Now, Sabe Naris, Queen of Naboo,” and Lando could swear that he heard mockery in her tone, as if she was using Sabe’s former position as Queen of Naboo as an insult, “It’s your turn.”
Sabe didn’t even weep even as she said goodbye to the others, who were protesting, yes, but they seemed more subdued than when Han was originally going to be frozen. As if they had become resigned to this. And Sabe hardly wept – she kept that same stiff upper lip that Lando could only associate with someone who had been a leader for quite some time, and stepped onto the platform. The platform lowered. Again that growing feeling of dread. Again the hissing from the carbon freezing chamber like some sort of monstrous beast. And again, retrieving Sabe’s now-frozen body from the carbon freezing pit, again with help from the Ugnaughts, and making sure that her vitals were all right. In contrast to Han’s carbonite block, Sabe herself looked almost peaceful and serene, as if she could have been carved from marble. Lando didn’t know whether to admire her or be unsettled. Perhaps both? But mostly admiring her, if only for her courage, and her strength.
“She’s alive,” Lando said. “Also in perfect hibernation.”
“Excellent,” Ventress said. “You’ve done your job well, Calrissian. Escort the others to my ship – ’’
“My lady,” Lando said, trying to keep his calm, “With all due respect, you said that they’d be left in the city under my supervision.” And with all due respect, you’re a kriffing lunatic.
“I’m afraid there’s been a chance of plans,” Ventress said. “Now, Calrissian, escort the others to my ship.”
As Lando did so, he turned towards Leia. “I really am – ’’
“Save it,” Leia snapped. “I don’t want to hear your apologies, Calrissian.”
So they continued on, completely silent, towards the Executor. Except, in the back of his mind, Lando was already thinking up a plan. Because he would be damned, he thought, if he turned them over to Ventress and the Emperor. He wasn’t about to let Bespin fall into Ventress’ hands, or any of these people, these fundamentally good, wonderful people.
He’d gotten them into this mess.
Now it was time to get them out.
***
It was once they landed on Bespin that Mara finally saw what had happened. She had already felt something terrible happen to both Han and her mother, something terrible to the point that she was screaming in the transporter, and Padme was trying not to cry, and Terminus – Terminus wasn’t crying, but one could tell just by listening to him that his heart had been ripped out. And Vader had screamed something about wanting to kill whoever did this, before Padme had tried to calm him over the communications system in the transport. Luke, meanwhile, had been confused; he wasn’t a Force user, he didn’t understand. Now, Mara saw for herself, and her heart ached.
Han, along with her mother, had been frozen in carbonite. Her mother was frozen in a sort of serenity, as if she had been carved from marble, but Han himself looked as if he had been clearly in agony, his face almost contorted in pain, hands pressed against the carbonite in some sort of warding off gesture. And Mara watched, shocked, feeling almost as if an airlock had opened in her stomach.
“I’m sorry, Mara,” Padme said. “I’m so sorry.” Luke, meanwhile, looked furious, and Vader just as much. Terminus seemed calm from an outsider’s perspective, but Mara could sense how angry and how grief-stricken he was. For Han, whom he had grown to like a bit, and for his wife.
Mara took a deep breath. They couldn’t just rush after the stormtroopers. That would be foolhardy. But nonetheless, they had to find a way to keep –
Unfortunately, any plans of subtlety were interrupted the moment two stormtroopers came around the corner, shooting at Mara and the others. Mara shot at them, felling them, and they ran around the corner, shooting when they could, trying to negotiate when they could (which usually failed) until finally reaching where Leia and the others were.
Leia turned towards Mara in alarm. “Mara, don’t! It’s a trap!” One of the soldiers pulled her around the corner, but she had plenty of time to lean her head back and scream, “It’s a trap!”
Silence.
“So it is a trap,” Mara said. “But traps can go both ways, can’t they, Padme?”
“They can,” Padme said. “Just be cautious. If you’re not, I can only sense heartbreak for all of us up ahead.”
“Well,” Mara said, “I figured that.”
It was in the anteroom that the first sign of things going wrong showed, because Artoo was cut off. Then, Padme, Terminus and Vader.
And for all Mara tried in vain to get the door open, she couldn’t. Getting the door open was worse than useless, because it had been magnetically sealed off. As the platform took her into what she recognized as a carbon-freezing chamber, and she drew her cloak further around herself to try and ward off the chill, she put her blaster away, looking around at the eerie blue and orange glow of the carbon-freezing chamber, and drew her lightsaber. Because she could sense something. A Force presence, hot to the point it felt almost like the Tatooine suns were bearing down on her…
Then a voice spoke. A voice Mara had heard before, on Mimban, not so long ago. “The Force is indeed with you, Kenobi. But you are not a Jedi yet.”
Ventress, dressed in a black cloak, a menacing figure amidst the hissing mist of the carbon freezing chamber. Her eyes, seeming to glow faintly, almost yellow in nature.
And Mara knew that in this chamber, though she hardly knew the details at the moment, the shape of her future was about to be decided.
She stepped up towards the platform, where Ventress’ face seemed awfully pale in the light of the carbon freezing chamber, if still lovely in a way, and ignited her father’s blue lightsaber. Ventress ignited hers, and the battle began.
***
It was much later, long after Lando had managed to catch the stormtroopers off-guard, and take their weapons and hold them in the security towers, that he moved to undo Chewie’s handcuffs, as well as the others’. He knew that they wouldn’t quite trust them, but he couldn’t say that he was prepared for what happened next, when Chewie’s paws all but clamped around his neck.
One thing you could learn from this, Lando thought, was that Wookiees had one hell of a strong grip. Even as he tried to wheeze out an apology, some sort of apology, Leia’s voice was scornful. “Of course! He had no choice, didn’t he, Chewie? He had no choice!”
“Leia,” Ben said, softly, “What are you doing? Han and Sabe are being taken away. And what are you doing, Chewie? Shouldn’t we be trying to find them?”
Leia turned to look at Ben. “You think we don’t care?”
“Han,” Lando tried to say, but it came out as “Haaaa”. He could already see spots dancing in front of his vision.
“What?” Leia said.
“It sounds like Han,” Threepio said, and Lando doubted he could be more grateful to the protocol droid at the moment. He finally managed to say, “There’s still a chance to save Han…at the East platform…and Sabe…”
“Chewie,” Leia said, and Chewie let him go. Lando massaged his neck. It was fortunate Threepio managed to intervene when he did, Lando thought.
“I’m terribly sorry about all this,” Threepio said. “After all, he’s only a Wookiee.”
“It’s fine,” Lando said. “I’ve known Chewie for quite a while. I know what he’s like. I mean, he was scared for Han.” He grinned weakly. “He does have one hell of a grip, though; didn’t really know that.” He sighed. “All right. Let’s head to – ’’
It was then that Lando saw them coming around the corner. Terminus, for one thing. Wonderful. He raised his blaster, only for the woman in the group, an older woman wearing what looked like a Jedi robe, to say, “Don’t shoot! We’re here to help!”
Silence. Then Ada spoke. “You shouldn’t have come,” she said.
“We had no choice,” the woman said. “When Mara had that vision – ’’
“Wait, Mara’s here?” Lando said. “Stang it…”
“We know,” the woman said. “It’s a trap.” She sighed. “We couldn’t get the door to the carbonite freezing chamber open; it’s magnetically sealed. We were on our way to find you, but…we got separated.”
“I can see that,” Lando said. “My name’s Lando Calrissian, by the way.”
“Padme,” the woman said. “Padme Naberrie. This is Terminus, Kitster, Artoo, and Luke. We’re here to help.” She gestured to each member of the group. Lando had no idea why Terminus of all people was trying to help, but he supposed he could reserve questions for when they were out of here. Besides, he himself still had quite a lot of redeeming himself to do for the part he’d played in getting Han and Sabe into the hands of Jabba the Hutt and the Empire, respectively.
“Nice to know all of you,” Lando said. “Now come on!”
As the astromech droid, Artoo, wheeled along after them, Lando could hear him faintly chatting with Threepio, at least as much as astromechs can possibly do. “Well,” the protocol droid said, “At least you’re still in one piece! Look what’s happened to me!”
They continued on to the East platform, where Fett was currently loading Han’s frozen body up the ramp and into the cargo hold. He wasn’t loading Sabe in; Ventress probably wanted Sabe for herself, in order to take to the Emperor. They got there, only for the ship to close up, and Slave I to blast off into the sky. For all Chewie fired at the ship, for all Ada and Ben and the others fired, it was a no-go. You couldn’t hit something that was increasingly far away.
Lando turned to look at Leia, who looked downright devastated – the Princess was pretty good at not losing her cool completely, but in a way, she didn’t need to. All the shock and devastation and sadness was right there in her eyes, in the way she looked up towards the sky as if wondering how it could have come to this. “I’m sorry, Leia,” he said. “I am so sorry.” He saw Padme place a hand on Leia’s shoulder, trying to comfort her, but Leia herself didn’t seem to notice. She seemed almost completely numb.
And it was then that Threepio managed to jolt them out of all of this. “Oh no! Chewie, they’re behind you.”
More stormtroopers, practically coming out in a flood, heading towards the group. Lando spun around and fired at them, and after a while, the others followed suit, firing at stormtroopers left and right in their attempt to get to the turbolift and hopefully, to the Falcon.
They hadn’t managed to save Han at the East Platform like he’d hoped. But hopefully, they could make it to the Falcon and save him there. Assuming that his men had fixed the hyperdrive like Lando had hoped. But then again, his men had never let him down before. Why would they do so now?
***
Padme had prepared her for many things in terms of their duel, but in truth, Mara couldn’t say that she was quite prepared for Ventress. For one thing, Ventress was quite good in terms of lightsaber combat, enough to make Mara’s moves look almost amateurish in comparison. Compared to Ventress and the sort of grace that she had, Mara’s moves seemed almost like someone playing in their backyard with a fake sword, almost like she and Luke did when they were only kids.
“You are skilled,” Ventress said, in her thickly accented, almost slithering voice, “But it won’t be enough to defeat me, Jedi.”
Mara grinned, trying to look braver than she clearly felt. “You wanna bet, Ventress?”
They continued to fight, Mara trying to at least improvise, avoid Ventress’ blows – Ventress was more of a combat-focused Sith (or Dark Jedi, Padme said. She wasn’t formally a Sith, not like Vader and Terminus. She was more of a Dark Jedi, a Sith who was not quite a Sith yet) so Mara supposed it was fortunate that she had not yet unleashed her Force Powers on Mara. It was near the carbon-freezing pit that Ventress leapt at her, seeming almost like some deranged beast out of hell, and it was then that Mara rolled in.
Stang. The carbonite-freezing chamber was already hissing, making noises that didn’t sound quite natural, Mara thought, that sounded more like some sort of beast hissing than anything else. And Mara knew that if she didn’t get the hell out immediately, the carbonite-freezing chamber would no doubt freeze her. She faintly heard Ventress’ voice, which sounded more like a rancor’s purr, Mara thought. “Disappointing,” Ventress said. “And to think that Padme holds you in high esteem. Would choose you as her pupil. The standards for the Jedi have lowered indeed.”
You wanna bet? Mara shot out of the chamber in time, managing to cling to the pipes. Ventress tilted her head, looking up at Mara, climbing amongst the pipes. She slashed at Mara repeatedly, her lightsaber seeming to almost search for Mara, want to slash her to ribbons, but Mara managed to dodge in time. Finally, when Ventress had all but slashed the pipes to ribbons, Mara landed on the floor of the carbon-freezing chamber. “Not bad for a disappointment, is it?” she said, smirking.
“I suppose they were correct about you,” Ventress said. “Still, you are barely a match for me.”
They dueled with growing ferocity, Ventress clearly enjoying this too much (as if it was the best entertainment she’d had in a long while), Mara needing to get out of there, and defeat Ventress. Finally, she knocked Ventress off the edge of the platform, which was already trembling as it was.
Ventress wasn’t gone, of course. She was far tougher than that, and had survived worse. Still, it meant that at least she could be slowed down, and maybe Mara could get out…
No. Ventress seemed to have blocked off most of the exits. It looked, to Mara, like the only way forward was down.
Careful, Mara, kiddo. If you’re not careful, Ventress might hand your butt to you on a silver platter. She’s not someone to be taken lightly, after all.
It wasn’t like Mara had any choice. But nonetheless, as she headed deeper into the tunnels, she kept her hand tight on her lightsaber, trying to not be unnerved by the tunnels that stretched ahead while wondering where Ventress could possibly be hiding. The shadows seemed to stretch out in length, seeming to conceal Ventress, almost aid her. There was a part of Mara that couldn’t help but play on those worries, the idea that Ventress could be around that corner, or that, and wouldn’t it be great if the Dark Jedi was currently flattened against the ceiling, waiting to strike –
But Ventress was not there. Of course not. Ventress was probably messing with Mara’s head on purpose. Mara took a deep breath. In truth, she was already nervous about all of this, but she wasn’t going to let Ventress mess with her mind.
It was near one of the round windows that Ventress reemerged, cold fury and determination in her face, her eyes, ice blue, blazing with a sort of hatred Mara doubted was possible for just about anyone, and the duel resumed. It wasn’t just the matter of lightsabers anymore; Mara wondered if Ventress was just going easy on her at first before she tossed bits of machinery at Mara. Mara managed to fend them off, though a few of them hit her, no doubt leaving some pretty big bruises (Mara supposed she was lucky that they didn’t break any bones), before a lucky shot hit the window.
The wind blew in, whipping at Ventress’ cape, though the Dark Jedi managed to cling to another bit of machinery. Mara clung as well, with all her might, before the wind tore her away from the machinery, and she fell through the window, threatening to be sucked into whatever hell lay below Cloud City and its machinery.
She clung to the ledge in time, swinging upwards – it was lucky that her lightsaber didn’t fall as well. She took a while to catch her breath. Ventress, for the moment, had slunk back into the shadows, no doubt, and she edged along the side of the ledge as the wind began to die down at least for a moment – it would start up again, this Mara was certain of – ready to get back to dueling her foe.
***
They managed to make it round the corner towards Landing Platform 327, shooting at stormtroopers whenever they could – Ben, of course, setting to STUN, and the others in the group…one good thing about having new people in the group, of course, was the fact that they were damn good shots – only for the door to slam in their face.
“Stang it!” Luke, the blond-haired kid, who seemed probably in his early twenties at least; he definitely looked the part, the sort of fresh-faced kid who’d seen some combat, but not enough to become seriously grizzled. “We were nearly there!”
“Easy there,” Lando said. “I’ll try the door.”
He punched at the door’s control panel. Of course, a no-go. “Looks like Ventress changed the security codes as well,” Lando said. “She’s good. Damn good. I’ll give her that.”
“She wasn’t quite like that before,” Padme said. “She was competent, yes, but we managed to outwit her before. I suppose war’s made her more desperate.”
Threepio chimed in. “Artoo! You can use your abilities to override the security systems!”
That was one of many benefits of having an astromech in the party, Lando thought. When in doubt, override the security systems.
While they held off the wave of stormtroopers that seemed to be coming in constantly, Artoo worked at the control panel. It was later when Lando heard a sudden squeal that he turned to look at Artoo in alarm, who appeared to have stuck his arm in a power socket instead of the terminal as he had obviously been going for and had gotten a nasty shock for his troubles. Padme ran towards him, along with Kitster. “Artoo!” she said. “Are you all right?”
A forlorn dwooo, followed by a series of angry beeps; Lando couldn’t say that he knew what Artoo was saying, but he could only suppose that it was the astromech equivalent of cursing from Padme’s raised eyebrow as well as Threepio’s “Oh my! Artoo-Detoo, where did you pick up such language?” and Kitster clearly trying not to laugh despite how Artoo was smoking badly by now.
Lando sighed and rubbed his temples. “Look,” he said, “We probably got the wrong door. The terminal’s probably across the hall or something. Follow me.”
The others did so, all while Threepio tried to justify to Artoo that it really wasn’t his fault, that he was an interpreter, that he could hardly know a power socket from a computer terminal. They fought off stormtroopers all the way, and when they finally reached the terminal, Lando sighed in relief. They could get the Falcon, and hopefully get everyone off Cloud City as well; now that he had ultimately ended up betraying Ventress and her goons, Ventress would no doubt set Cloud City on fire once she had captured Mara.
Mara. Lando couldn’t say that he was too familiar with the young woman other than her Holonet appearances, usually promoted as the unofficial “mascot” of the Rebel Alliance, but he knew what the Empire did to their prisoners, and it was far from pretty. What he had seen with Han and company was proof enough of that. He didn’t want to think of what would happen to Mara once Ventress had her in her custody, or Sabe for that matter. He couldn’t let that happen. Neither of them.
While Artoo focused on getting the door open, all while Threepio berated him for his perceived incompetence, Lando contacted Lian over the comm system. “Lian,” he said, “Are you there?”
“I am, sir.” Lian herself sounded harried, almost stressed and tense and on edge.
“Get everyone out,” Lando said. “We need to get them off Cloud City before more Imperials arrive.”
“I’m on it, sir,” Lian said. “We’ve managed to get the others on the transports. It’s fortunate.” She sighed. “How are you, Lando?”
“We’re going to have to hijack the Millennium Falcon,” Lando said.
“What?”
“Lian, I know,” Lando said. “But Han and Sabe are going to be taken into custody. I know I shouldn’t ditch you guys in a time of need, but…” He sighed. “Han and Sabe are in danger, and they need us. All of us. I failed to save Han at the East Platform, we all did, but we still have a chance right now and we have to take it.”
Silence.
“I understand, sir,” Lian said. “I don’t like the idea of you being separated from us, but…I understand.”
“You’re in charge of the refugees, along with Lobot and the others, until I get back,” Lando said.
“When?”
“When all of this is over,” Lando said. “I’ll meet you at the rendez-vous point. Good luck, Lian. I’m counting on you.”
“Good luck to you too, sir,” Lian said. “Lian Serra out.”
The transmission ended. Lando turned to look at the others. “Lian’s going to be heading the evacuation of Bespin,” he said.
“Who?” Padme said.
“My medic. She’s young,” Lando said, “But I have faith in her. That and Lobot’s going to be helping her out with things.” He sighed. “It’s only fortunate we managed to get them to the transports.”
“It is,” Padme said. “Come on; Artoo got the door open. We should get going.”
They headed towards the Falcon, shooting at stormtroopers that flooded their path all the way, making their way up the Falcon’s ramp; Leia was shooting at stormtrooopers with a sort of fury that was enough to terrify Lando. She was beautiful in her fury, and impressive, but nonetheless, it was terrifying to witness. Finally, Padme spoke, placing a hand on Leia’s hand clutching the blaster. “Leia!” she said. “It’s all right; you can stop. We need to go.”
Leia merely nodded, the anger seeming to die down, only to be replaced with a sort of reason that seemed stoic in nature, even almost cold. They headed up, Chewie occasionally bumping Threepio against the top of the Falcon as the protocol droid protested, and once they were safely inside, managed to mutter to Artoo about how he thought “that hairy beast” would be the end of him. Lando almost chuckled, but became more serious. They needed to find Han, and more than that, they needed to find Sabe, wherever she was. Ventress would probably want to keep her somewhere safe, maybe on one of her shuttles or so…
Except Ventress hadn’t blasted off yet. She was no doubt still dealing with Mara. Lando could sense a sort of tension in Terminus before the man spoke. “What about Mara?” he said, and though his voice was the same rumbling, impassive sort of sound it just about always was – which only served to make it all more unsettling, in Lando’s opinion – Lando could still sense how anxious he was. But why would he care? He and Mara used to be enemies, after all, and what was he doing on the side of the Rebels anyway?
Lando sighed. “We’re going to come back for her,” he said. “Trust me.”
“I only hope it will not be too late,” said Terminus.
In truth, Lando couldn’t say he knew. But it was one of those things you couldn’t quite say to your new group of friends who you’d taken over as a temporary Captain considering the actual one was encased in carbonite; saying “I don’t know” was not a way to instill confidence in your group when they needed it most. So instead he said, “We won’t be too late. Not on my watch”, all the while hoping that he was right.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: Was originally planning to have Padme, Vader, Terminus and Luke accompany Mara, but I figured I'd cut them off. I am a bit disappointed, especially considering that it presents an opportunity for Vader and Terminus to have to fight Ventress, but at the same time, I think it does definitely raise the jeopardy for Mara, having to face Ventress alone. I think it's one of many reasons Empire Strikes Back did that with Luke when he faced Vader -- just to increase that sense of jeopardy. Especially considering that at this point, Luke is skilled, but he doesn't quite have the skills to defeat Vader (including, of course, the new information he has in Return of the Jedi, where he can sort of plant the seeds of doubt in Vader and try and turn him away from the Emperor's influence). So we worry a bit about him. I think that sense of isolation in fiction, having to go up against the enemy alone definitely increases suspense, especially when the villain is a lot stronger than the hero. In Ventress' case, she's pretty good at lightsaber combat and knows how to get under Mara's skin. In Mara's case, she's skilled, but she's still a fledgling Jedi, not quite in control of her emotions, and the fact she just recently started training at twenty two (according to the canonical Star Wars timeline, Luke was nineteen in A New Hope, twenty two in Empire Strikes Back -- as ESB takes place three years later -- and twenty three in Return of the Jedi -- as ROTJ takes place only a year after ESB. Wasn't even intending it, but Mara's age here matches up pretty well with Luke's in canon) probably makes things more complicated. I guess I can also understand a little better why the Jedi separate kids from their parents as infants (even though I still disagree with it. Call me a bit too soft-hearted for my own good here); from their point of view, it makes the Jedi easier to train in order to get their emotions under control (and considering one aspect of the Sith is getting under a Jedi's skin in order to make them lose, turn them, etc., learning to get their emotions under control is no doubt important for a number of reasons), as well as being able to learn all the skills they need (in contrast to, basically, just taking the accelerated course when the trainee is, say, an adult. Revan's definitely an exception along with Luke, and there were some extenuating circumstances revolving around that. And in the case of the Exile training her crew...well, they weren't exactly conventional Jedi in the first place. So there are exceptions, but probably with some extraordinary circumstances behind all that).
Anyway, my apologies for the rambling (call it something I just realized posting this). Hope you enjoy.
It was later, much later, after the initial hissing of the carbonite chamber like some sort of monster – in the gloom of the carbonite freezing chamber, the machine itself seemed to hiss like some sort of monster – that they retrieved the now-frozen body of Han Solo from the pit. And seeing it, hearing Chewie’s howl, knowing once more that he was the one who helped do this, he was the one who betrayed Han like this, was enough to make Lando’s heart ache for just about everyone involved. Threepio was going on about how Han would no doubt be just fine “if he survived the freezing process”, and if Lando had less self-restraint, he would have told off Threepio (but gently) that talking about the matter of scientific stuff wasn’t –
Though in a way it was. Just to make sure that he hadn’t condemned Han to death. That there was still a way to save him.
“Well, Calrissian,” said Ventress, “Is he alive?”
Lando adjusted the knobs, checking for heat, for vitals, for anything important to make sure that, indeed, Han was all right. Then, “He’s alive. And in perfect hibernation.” Thank the stars. Perhaps in a way there was still a way to get him out of there. It would be hell for Han once he got out – carbonite freezing, especially prolonged periods tended to lead to feelings of nausea, difficulties with vision, and a lot more, but Lando could probably help him out with that – but at least they had a chance.
Perhaps he was vainly clinging to hope after everything that had happened. But even so…
Ventress turned towards Fett. “He’s all yours, bounty hunter,” she said. She turned to Sabe. “Now, Sabe Naris, Queen of Naboo,” and Lando could swear that he heard mockery in her tone, as if she was using Sabe’s former position as Queen of Naboo as an insult, “It’s your turn.”
Sabe didn’t even weep even as she said goodbye to the others, who were protesting, yes, but they seemed more subdued than when Han was originally going to be frozen. As if they had become resigned to this. And Sabe hardly wept – she kept that same stiff upper lip that Lando could only associate with someone who had been a leader for quite some time, and stepped onto the platform. The platform lowered. Again that growing feeling of dread. Again the hissing from the carbon freezing chamber like some sort of monstrous beast. And again, retrieving Sabe’s now-frozen body from the carbon freezing pit, again with help from the Ugnaughts, and making sure that her vitals were all right. In contrast to Han’s carbonite block, Sabe herself looked almost peaceful and serene, as if she could have been carved from marble. Lando didn’t know whether to admire her or be unsettled. Perhaps both? But mostly admiring her, if only for her courage, and her strength.
“She’s alive,” Lando said. “Also in perfect hibernation.”
“Excellent,” Ventress said. “You’ve done your job well, Calrissian. Escort the others to my ship – ’’
“My lady,” Lando said, trying to keep his calm, “With all due respect, you said that they’d be left in the city under my supervision.” And with all due respect, you’re a kriffing lunatic.
“I’m afraid there’s been a chance of plans,” Ventress said. “Now, Calrissian, escort the others to my ship.”
As Lando did so, he turned towards Leia. “I really am – ’’
“Save it,” Leia snapped. “I don’t want to hear your apologies, Calrissian.”
So they continued on, completely silent, towards the Executor. Except, in the back of his mind, Lando was already thinking up a plan. Because he would be damned, he thought, if he turned them over to Ventress and the Emperor. He wasn’t about to let Bespin fall into Ventress’ hands, or any of these people, these fundamentally good, wonderful people.
He’d gotten them into this mess.
Now it was time to get them out.
***
It was once they landed on Bespin that Mara finally saw what had happened. She had already felt something terrible happen to both Han and her mother, something terrible to the point that she was screaming in the transporter, and Padme was trying not to cry, and Terminus – Terminus wasn’t crying, but one could tell just by listening to him that his heart had been ripped out. And Vader had screamed something about wanting to kill whoever did this, before Padme had tried to calm him over the communications system in the transport. Luke, meanwhile, had been confused; he wasn’t a Force user, he didn’t understand. Now, Mara saw for herself, and her heart ached.
Han, along with her mother, had been frozen in carbonite. Her mother was frozen in a sort of serenity, as if she had been carved from marble, but Han himself looked as if he had been clearly in agony, his face almost contorted in pain, hands pressed against the carbonite in some sort of warding off gesture. And Mara watched, shocked, feeling almost as if an airlock had opened in her stomach.
“I’m sorry, Mara,” Padme said. “I’m so sorry.” Luke, meanwhile, looked furious, and Vader just as much. Terminus seemed calm from an outsider’s perspective, but Mara could sense how angry and how grief-stricken he was. For Han, whom he had grown to like a bit, and for his wife.
Mara took a deep breath. They couldn’t just rush after the stormtroopers. That would be foolhardy. But nonetheless, they had to find a way to keep –
Unfortunately, any plans of subtlety were interrupted the moment two stormtroopers came around the corner, shooting at Mara and the others. Mara shot at them, felling them, and they ran around the corner, shooting when they could, trying to negotiate when they could (which usually failed) until finally reaching where Leia and the others were.
Leia turned towards Mara in alarm. “Mara, don’t! It’s a trap!” One of the soldiers pulled her around the corner, but she had plenty of time to lean her head back and scream, “It’s a trap!”
Silence.
“So it is a trap,” Mara said. “But traps can go both ways, can’t they, Padme?”
“They can,” Padme said. “Just be cautious. If you’re not, I can only sense heartbreak for all of us up ahead.”
“Well,” Mara said, “I figured that.”
It was in the anteroom that the first sign of things going wrong showed, because Artoo was cut off. Then, Padme, Terminus and Vader.
And for all Mara tried in vain to get the door open, she couldn’t. Getting the door open was worse than useless, because it had been magnetically sealed off. As the platform took her into what she recognized as a carbon-freezing chamber, and she drew her cloak further around herself to try and ward off the chill, she put her blaster away, looking around at the eerie blue and orange glow of the carbon-freezing chamber, and drew her lightsaber. Because she could sense something. A Force presence, hot to the point it felt almost like the Tatooine suns were bearing down on her…
Then a voice spoke. A voice Mara had heard before, on Mimban, not so long ago. “The Force is indeed with you, Kenobi. But you are not a Jedi yet.”
Ventress, dressed in a black cloak, a menacing figure amidst the hissing mist of the carbon freezing chamber. Her eyes, seeming to glow faintly, almost yellow in nature.
And Mara knew that in this chamber, though she hardly knew the details at the moment, the shape of her future was about to be decided.
She stepped up towards the platform, where Ventress’ face seemed awfully pale in the light of the carbon freezing chamber, if still lovely in a way, and ignited her father’s blue lightsaber. Ventress ignited hers, and the battle began.
***
It was much later, long after Lando had managed to catch the stormtroopers off-guard, and take their weapons and hold them in the security towers, that he moved to undo Chewie’s handcuffs, as well as the others’. He knew that they wouldn’t quite trust them, but he couldn’t say that he was prepared for what happened next, when Chewie’s paws all but clamped around his neck.
One thing you could learn from this, Lando thought, was that Wookiees had one hell of a strong grip. Even as he tried to wheeze out an apology, some sort of apology, Leia’s voice was scornful. “Of course! He had no choice, didn’t he, Chewie? He had no choice!”
“Leia,” Ben said, softly, “What are you doing? Han and Sabe are being taken away. And what are you doing, Chewie? Shouldn’t we be trying to find them?”
Leia turned to look at Ben. “You think we don’t care?”
“Han,” Lando tried to say, but it came out as “Haaaa”. He could already see spots dancing in front of his vision.
“What?” Leia said.
“It sounds like Han,” Threepio said, and Lando doubted he could be more grateful to the protocol droid at the moment. He finally managed to say, “There’s still a chance to save Han…at the East platform…and Sabe…”
“Chewie,” Leia said, and Chewie let him go. Lando massaged his neck. It was fortunate Threepio managed to intervene when he did, Lando thought.
“I’m terribly sorry about all this,” Threepio said. “After all, he’s only a Wookiee.”
“It’s fine,” Lando said. “I’ve known Chewie for quite a while. I know what he’s like. I mean, he was scared for Han.” He grinned weakly. “He does have one hell of a grip, though; didn’t really know that.” He sighed. “All right. Let’s head to – ’’
It was then that Lando saw them coming around the corner. Terminus, for one thing. Wonderful. He raised his blaster, only for the woman in the group, an older woman wearing what looked like a Jedi robe, to say, “Don’t shoot! We’re here to help!”
Silence. Then Ada spoke. “You shouldn’t have come,” she said.
“We had no choice,” the woman said. “When Mara had that vision – ’’
“Wait, Mara’s here?” Lando said. “Stang it…”
“We know,” the woman said. “It’s a trap.” She sighed. “We couldn’t get the door to the carbonite freezing chamber open; it’s magnetically sealed. We were on our way to find you, but…we got separated.”
“I can see that,” Lando said. “My name’s Lando Calrissian, by the way.”
“Padme,” the woman said. “Padme Naberrie. This is Terminus, Kitster, Artoo, and Luke. We’re here to help.” She gestured to each member of the group. Lando had no idea why Terminus of all people was trying to help, but he supposed he could reserve questions for when they were out of here. Besides, he himself still had quite a lot of redeeming himself to do for the part he’d played in getting Han and Sabe into the hands of Jabba the Hutt and the Empire, respectively.
“Nice to know all of you,” Lando said. “Now come on!”
As the astromech droid, Artoo, wheeled along after them, Lando could hear him faintly chatting with Threepio, at least as much as astromechs can possibly do. “Well,” the protocol droid said, “At least you’re still in one piece! Look what’s happened to me!”
They continued on to the East platform, where Fett was currently loading Han’s frozen body up the ramp and into the cargo hold. He wasn’t loading Sabe in; Ventress probably wanted Sabe for herself, in order to take to the Emperor. They got there, only for the ship to close up, and Slave I to blast off into the sky. For all Chewie fired at the ship, for all Ada and Ben and the others fired, it was a no-go. You couldn’t hit something that was increasingly far away.
Lando turned to look at Leia, who looked downright devastated – the Princess was pretty good at not losing her cool completely, but in a way, she didn’t need to. All the shock and devastation and sadness was right there in her eyes, in the way she looked up towards the sky as if wondering how it could have come to this. “I’m sorry, Leia,” he said. “I am so sorry.” He saw Padme place a hand on Leia’s shoulder, trying to comfort her, but Leia herself didn’t seem to notice. She seemed almost completely numb.
And it was then that Threepio managed to jolt them out of all of this. “Oh no! Chewie, they’re behind you.”
More stormtroopers, practically coming out in a flood, heading towards the group. Lando spun around and fired at them, and after a while, the others followed suit, firing at stormtroopers left and right in their attempt to get to the turbolift and hopefully, to the Falcon.
They hadn’t managed to save Han at the East Platform like he’d hoped. But hopefully, they could make it to the Falcon and save him there. Assuming that his men had fixed the hyperdrive like Lando had hoped. But then again, his men had never let him down before. Why would they do so now?
***
Padme had prepared her for many things in terms of their duel, but in truth, Mara couldn’t say that she was quite prepared for Ventress. For one thing, Ventress was quite good in terms of lightsaber combat, enough to make Mara’s moves look almost amateurish in comparison. Compared to Ventress and the sort of grace that she had, Mara’s moves seemed almost like someone playing in their backyard with a fake sword, almost like she and Luke did when they were only kids.
“You are skilled,” Ventress said, in her thickly accented, almost slithering voice, “But it won’t be enough to defeat me, Jedi.”
Mara grinned, trying to look braver than she clearly felt. “You wanna bet, Ventress?”
They continued to fight, Mara trying to at least improvise, avoid Ventress’ blows – Ventress was more of a combat-focused Sith (or Dark Jedi, Padme said. She wasn’t formally a Sith, not like Vader and Terminus. She was more of a Dark Jedi, a Sith who was not quite a Sith yet) so Mara supposed it was fortunate that she had not yet unleashed her Force Powers on Mara. It was near the carbon-freezing pit that Ventress leapt at her, seeming almost like some deranged beast out of hell, and it was then that Mara rolled in.
Stang. The carbonite-freezing chamber was already hissing, making noises that didn’t sound quite natural, Mara thought, that sounded more like some sort of beast hissing than anything else. And Mara knew that if she didn’t get the hell out immediately, the carbonite-freezing chamber would no doubt freeze her. She faintly heard Ventress’ voice, which sounded more like a rancor’s purr, Mara thought. “Disappointing,” Ventress said. “And to think that Padme holds you in high esteem. Would choose you as her pupil. The standards for the Jedi have lowered indeed.”
You wanna bet? Mara shot out of the chamber in time, managing to cling to the pipes. Ventress tilted her head, looking up at Mara, climbing amongst the pipes. She slashed at Mara repeatedly, her lightsaber seeming to almost search for Mara, want to slash her to ribbons, but Mara managed to dodge in time. Finally, when Ventress had all but slashed the pipes to ribbons, Mara landed on the floor of the carbon-freezing chamber. “Not bad for a disappointment, is it?” she said, smirking.
“I suppose they were correct about you,” Ventress said. “Still, you are barely a match for me.”
They dueled with growing ferocity, Ventress clearly enjoying this too much (as if it was the best entertainment she’d had in a long while), Mara needing to get out of there, and defeat Ventress. Finally, she knocked Ventress off the edge of the platform, which was already trembling as it was.
Ventress wasn’t gone, of course. She was far tougher than that, and had survived worse. Still, it meant that at least she could be slowed down, and maybe Mara could get out…
No. Ventress seemed to have blocked off most of the exits. It looked, to Mara, like the only way forward was down.
Careful, Mara, kiddo. If you’re not careful, Ventress might hand your butt to you on a silver platter. She’s not someone to be taken lightly, after all.
It wasn’t like Mara had any choice. But nonetheless, as she headed deeper into the tunnels, she kept her hand tight on her lightsaber, trying to not be unnerved by the tunnels that stretched ahead while wondering where Ventress could possibly be hiding. The shadows seemed to stretch out in length, seeming to conceal Ventress, almost aid her. There was a part of Mara that couldn’t help but play on those worries, the idea that Ventress could be around that corner, or that, and wouldn’t it be great if the Dark Jedi was currently flattened against the ceiling, waiting to strike –
But Ventress was not there. Of course not. Ventress was probably messing with Mara’s head on purpose. Mara took a deep breath. In truth, she was already nervous about all of this, but she wasn’t going to let Ventress mess with her mind.
It was near one of the round windows that Ventress reemerged, cold fury and determination in her face, her eyes, ice blue, blazing with a sort of hatred Mara doubted was possible for just about anyone, and the duel resumed. It wasn’t just the matter of lightsabers anymore; Mara wondered if Ventress was just going easy on her at first before she tossed bits of machinery at Mara. Mara managed to fend them off, though a few of them hit her, no doubt leaving some pretty big bruises (Mara supposed she was lucky that they didn’t break any bones), before a lucky shot hit the window.
The wind blew in, whipping at Ventress’ cape, though the Dark Jedi managed to cling to another bit of machinery. Mara clung as well, with all her might, before the wind tore her away from the machinery, and she fell through the window, threatening to be sucked into whatever hell lay below Cloud City and its machinery.
She clung to the ledge in time, swinging upwards – it was lucky that her lightsaber didn’t fall as well. She took a while to catch her breath. Ventress, for the moment, had slunk back into the shadows, no doubt, and she edged along the side of the ledge as the wind began to die down at least for a moment – it would start up again, this Mara was certain of – ready to get back to dueling her foe.
***
They managed to make it round the corner towards Landing Platform 327, shooting at stormtroopers whenever they could – Ben, of course, setting to STUN, and the others in the group…one good thing about having new people in the group, of course, was the fact that they were damn good shots – only for the door to slam in their face.
“Stang it!” Luke, the blond-haired kid, who seemed probably in his early twenties at least; he definitely looked the part, the sort of fresh-faced kid who’d seen some combat, but not enough to become seriously grizzled. “We were nearly there!”
“Easy there,” Lando said. “I’ll try the door.”
He punched at the door’s control panel. Of course, a no-go. “Looks like Ventress changed the security codes as well,” Lando said. “She’s good. Damn good. I’ll give her that.”
“She wasn’t quite like that before,” Padme said. “She was competent, yes, but we managed to outwit her before. I suppose war’s made her more desperate.”
Threepio chimed in. “Artoo! You can use your abilities to override the security systems!”
That was one of many benefits of having an astromech in the party, Lando thought. When in doubt, override the security systems.
While they held off the wave of stormtroopers that seemed to be coming in constantly, Artoo worked at the control panel. It was later when Lando heard a sudden squeal that he turned to look at Artoo in alarm, who appeared to have stuck his arm in a power socket instead of the terminal as he had obviously been going for and had gotten a nasty shock for his troubles. Padme ran towards him, along with Kitster. “Artoo!” she said. “Are you all right?”
A forlorn dwooo, followed by a series of angry beeps; Lando couldn’t say that he knew what Artoo was saying, but he could only suppose that it was the astromech equivalent of cursing from Padme’s raised eyebrow as well as Threepio’s “Oh my! Artoo-Detoo, where did you pick up such language?” and Kitster clearly trying not to laugh despite how Artoo was smoking badly by now.
Lando sighed and rubbed his temples. “Look,” he said, “We probably got the wrong door. The terminal’s probably across the hall or something. Follow me.”
The others did so, all while Threepio tried to justify to Artoo that it really wasn’t his fault, that he was an interpreter, that he could hardly know a power socket from a computer terminal. They fought off stormtroopers all the way, and when they finally reached the terminal, Lando sighed in relief. They could get the Falcon, and hopefully get everyone off Cloud City as well; now that he had ultimately ended up betraying Ventress and her goons, Ventress would no doubt set Cloud City on fire once she had captured Mara.
Mara. Lando couldn’t say that he was too familiar with the young woman other than her Holonet appearances, usually promoted as the unofficial “mascot” of the Rebel Alliance, but he knew what the Empire did to their prisoners, and it was far from pretty. What he had seen with Han and company was proof enough of that. He didn’t want to think of what would happen to Mara once Ventress had her in her custody, or Sabe for that matter. He couldn’t let that happen. Neither of them.
While Artoo focused on getting the door open, all while Threepio berated him for his perceived incompetence, Lando contacted Lian over the comm system. “Lian,” he said, “Are you there?”
“I am, sir.” Lian herself sounded harried, almost stressed and tense and on edge.
“Get everyone out,” Lando said. “We need to get them off Cloud City before more Imperials arrive.”
“I’m on it, sir,” Lian said. “We’ve managed to get the others on the transports. It’s fortunate.” She sighed. “How are you, Lando?”
“We’re going to have to hijack the Millennium Falcon,” Lando said.
“What?”
“Lian, I know,” Lando said. “But Han and Sabe are going to be taken into custody. I know I shouldn’t ditch you guys in a time of need, but…” He sighed. “Han and Sabe are in danger, and they need us. All of us. I failed to save Han at the East Platform, we all did, but we still have a chance right now and we have to take it.”
Silence.
“I understand, sir,” Lian said. “I don’t like the idea of you being separated from us, but…I understand.”
“You’re in charge of the refugees, along with Lobot and the others, until I get back,” Lando said.
“When?”
“When all of this is over,” Lando said. “I’ll meet you at the rendez-vous point. Good luck, Lian. I’m counting on you.”
“Good luck to you too, sir,” Lian said. “Lian Serra out.”
The transmission ended. Lando turned to look at the others. “Lian’s going to be heading the evacuation of Bespin,” he said.
“Who?” Padme said.
“My medic. She’s young,” Lando said, “But I have faith in her. That and Lobot’s going to be helping her out with things.” He sighed. “It’s only fortunate we managed to get them to the transports.”
“It is,” Padme said. “Come on; Artoo got the door open. We should get going.”
They headed towards the Falcon, shooting at stormtroopers that flooded their path all the way, making their way up the Falcon’s ramp; Leia was shooting at stormtrooopers with a sort of fury that was enough to terrify Lando. She was beautiful in her fury, and impressive, but nonetheless, it was terrifying to witness. Finally, Padme spoke, placing a hand on Leia’s hand clutching the blaster. “Leia!” she said. “It’s all right; you can stop. We need to go.”
Leia merely nodded, the anger seeming to die down, only to be replaced with a sort of reason that seemed stoic in nature, even almost cold. They headed up, Chewie occasionally bumping Threepio against the top of the Falcon as the protocol droid protested, and once they were safely inside, managed to mutter to Artoo about how he thought “that hairy beast” would be the end of him. Lando almost chuckled, but became more serious. They needed to find Han, and more than that, they needed to find Sabe, wherever she was. Ventress would probably want to keep her somewhere safe, maybe on one of her shuttles or so…
Except Ventress hadn’t blasted off yet. She was no doubt still dealing with Mara. Lando could sense a sort of tension in Terminus before the man spoke. “What about Mara?” he said, and though his voice was the same rumbling, impassive sort of sound it just about always was – which only served to make it all more unsettling, in Lando’s opinion – Lando could still sense how anxious he was. But why would he care? He and Mara used to be enemies, after all, and what was he doing on the side of the Rebels anyway?
Lando sighed. “We’re going to come back for her,” he said. “Trust me.”
“I only hope it will not be too late,” said Terminus.
In truth, Lando couldn’t say he knew. But it was one of those things you couldn’t quite say to your new group of friends who you’d taken over as a temporary Captain considering the actual one was encased in carbonite; saying “I don’t know” was not a way to instill confidence in your group when they needed it most. So instead he said, “We won’t be too late. Not on my watch”, all the while hoping that he was right.
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Date: 2014-12-19 05:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-12-19 11:14 pm (UTC)