The Imperial Star Destroyers continued to sit in space near the asteroid field, several techs on board still scouring for the Millennium Falcon, the Corellian freighter that had almost magically disappeared off of their top-of-the-line scopes and scanners.

     Lord Vader, his anger high, looked over at Captain Needa as he explained the situation, the man sweating tightly as he looked up at the towering Sith Lord. Once the man finished speaking, ending his explanation with an apology for the umpteenth time, Vader stared at him for a few, long tense seconds, his respirator the only noise in the silent room. The captain's Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he raised his chin high, trying not to tremble where he stood. He had heard the stories of Lord Vader's temper and how he could kill a man without having to get his hands dirty.

     So when his feet began to rise off the ground and his vision began to fuzz around the edges, his trachea closing relentlessly and preventing him the satisfying feeling of oxygen, he panicked. His hands clawed at his throat and terrible rasping sounds let loose almost in time with the respirator noises. Several officers looked away, refusing to witness the murder taking place before them. A sickening snap rang through the hall and Vader lowered the clenched fist that he had raised. A chilling cold settled through the room and Captain Needa fell limp, the oxygen he had wanted seconds before no longer needed for a still corpse.

     The deep, baritone voice echoing from Vader's vocoder startled several officers, an almost sadistically amused tone coming from the Sith despite his fury. "Apology accepted, Captain Needa."

     Swiftly, he gestured two stormtroopers to take the body away, not bothering to properly or even honorably dispose of a person's corpse. Admiral Piett, whom was standing in the corner, quickly moved forward with two pale-faced captains behind him, both of them refusing to look Vader in the eye. The Sith ignored it and faced his more favored Admiral in the fleet.

     Firmus Piett raised his head high and faced the Dark Lord as firmly as he could, refusing to be intimidated. "Lord Vader, our ships have completed their scan of the area and found nothing. If the Millennium Falcon went into light-speed, it'll be on the other side of the galaxy by now."

     Vader growled lowly but took the information calmly. However, he would not give up now, not when that ship was the only link to his...his son. It was such a strange word to think about, the child he and Padmé had created actually surviving through the birthing process. Shoving his thoughts back, he looked back to his officers. "Alert all commands. Calculate every possible destination along their last known trajectory."

     Piett nodded firmly, his gaze never wavering. "Yes, my lord. We'll find them." The young Admiral wasn't exactly sure why Vader was so determined on capturing one Rebel ship when they could be out looking for the rest of the Alliance's fleet, but he was wise enough not to question it.

     "Don't fail me again, Admiral." Vader said callously, brushing quickly past the young man and growling lightly as he felt the man tense.

     A bit more uneasy than he had been before, Firmus Piett turned towards one of the aides, delivering orders as calmly as he could. "Alert all commands. Deploy the fleet."

***

     Han watched outside of the viewport of his ship uneasily, biting his lip and checking his controls yet again to be 100% confident that everything was shut off. Being attached to the side of a Star Destroyer wasn't much of a hiding spot if the scanners caught whirl of them.

     "Captain Solo, this time you have gone too far." Threepio's annoyingly mechanical voice came shouting behind the Corellian, making him groan lightly. Chewie growled at the droid from beside him, making Threepio huff in offense. "No, I will not be quiet, Chewbacca. Why doesn't anyone listen to me?"

     Han rolled his eyes but then noticed the fleet moving around them. He breathed out a sigh of relief and turned towards his co-pilot. "The fleet is beginning to break up. Go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claw."

     Chewie barked his affirmative and clambered past Threepio and Leia, sending another growl at the protocol droid before he left the cockpit. There was silence for a moment before Threepio began his incessant jabbering once more, making both Han and Leia groan loudly.

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

     The cut off of sound made Han whirl around to see Leia flicking off a switch behind Threepio's head, his golden eyes dulling as his power shut off. Leia caught Han looking and smirked.

     "Thank you." Han said simply, allowing himself a moment of reprieve from Threepio's constant worrying. Leia pushed past the silent droid and leaned over Han's shoulder, looking at the readings on the console. Han tensed lightly at her being so close but kept his cool, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. Force knew she could get angry at him for the littlest things.

     "What did you have in mind for your next move?" She asked curiously, her voice soft and almost melodic in his ear.

     Han took a deep breath and began to flick a few switches. "Well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to light-speed. Then we just float away."

     He practically heard Leia smiling in an impressed manner, her obviously believing that a plan of such cunning could never come from a man like Han Solo. "With the rest of the garbage. Then what?" She mused.

     "Then we've got to find a safe port somewhere around here. Got any ideas?" Han asked, looking back at her now and trying not to get lost in her beautiful brown eyes.

     Her brow furrowed in thought and she bit her lip. "No. Where are we?"

     Han pointed at his navi-computer, allowing her to see. "The Anoat system."

     "Anoat system. There's not much there." Leia noted, making Han scoff lightly.

     "No. Well...wait." His eyes zeroed in on one planet he recognized. "This is interesting. Lando."

     Leia blinked, one eyebrow raised. "Lando system?" She slid into Chewie's previous seat and studied the flashing computer.

     Han fought a small smile at the princess's confusion. "Lando's not a system, he's a man. Lando Calrissian. He's a card player, gambler, scoundrel. You'd like him." A small smirk coming over him as he heard the princess groan, his few words reminding her of their bantering argument back when they were hiding on the asteroid cave/worm mouth.

     'Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I'm all right.'

     'Occasionally...when you aren't acting like a scoundrel.'

     'Scoundrel!? Scoundrel? I like the sound of that.'

     "Thanks." She rebutted sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

     Han moved back to his computer, studying the map and delving deep into thought. "Bespin. It's pretty far, but I think we can make it." 

     Leia looked back at the information on the screen as well and blinked in surprise. "A mining colony?"

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

     Leia caught the faint hesitance in Han's voice, his emotions almost radiating in unsure judgement. She frowned, wondering where that had come from. The whole emotion and mind reading thing was Luke's forte, seeing how he was training to be a Jedi and all. She shook her head in ridiculousness and focused back on Han, voicing her concerns. "Can you trust him?"

     Han hesitated. "No...but he has no love for the Empire, I can tell you that."

     Chewie's barking voice came over the intercom and Han quickly changed the readouts on the computer before glancing back outside the viewport. He adjusted his hands firmly on the steering and then called back to his co-pilot, "Here we go, Chewie. Stand by...detach!"

     A loud screech of metal echoed around the silent ship and the crew lurched for a moment before they drifted off of the Star Destroyer, it and the rest of the fleet cutting into hyperspace and oblivious to the Falcon pulling stealthily away. Han leaned back in his chair and smirked at Leia, who just shook her head. She leaned forward and pressed a feather-light kiss to Han's cheek, causing the Corellian to stiffen in surprise.

     Leia was surprised at herself as well, but she definitely didn't miss the heat rise on Han's face and the small hidden smile on his lips. "You do have your moments. Not many, but you have them." She whispered, making Han look at his feet.

     Meanwhile, the junk the Star Destroyer had released moved slowly into space with the Falcon, the ship tumbling away with relative ease. However, unbeknownst to those in the soaring away Falcon, the Mandalorian bounty hunter, Boba Fett, locked on to their coordinates and sped after them in his ship, Slave I.

***

     Padmé watched in curiosity as Luke attempted the same exercise he had been doing previously—standing on his hands and using the Force to move objects. This time however, Yoda remained a safe distance away, not wanting to risk nearly breaking his neck as he balanced on the youth's unstable foot.

     Luke's face was scrunched in concentration and beading with sweat, his well-toned and muscled arms trembling with the effort he was putting forth. Padmé had been going through his training exercises with him despite her protests, figuring she could compromise with the idea that her son would learn only self-defense and to only fight others when absolutely necessary for his or someone else's safety.

     She knew if Luke knew who she actually was, he would be distressed and immediately warily trusting of her. Therefore she had finally discussed thoroughly with Master Yoda about keeping her identity a secret. Luke would know the truth soon, that she would make sure of, but for now her job was making sure her child would be able to protect himself in the times where she couldn't provide.

     Sitting cross-legged in the brush, Padmé smiled as several equipment cases and crates rose gradually into the air. A small giggle escaped her when Artoo began to rise as well, his metallic legs kicking desperately and frantic squeals leaving him as he rose higher and higher away from the safety of the ground. Luke bit his lip and strained further, his concentration much better than that of before.

     "Concentrate...feel the Force flow. Yes. Good. Calm, yes. Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future...the past. Old friends long gone." Yoda monotoned, his eyes closed in thought along with his student. Padmé blinked at the words, her own memories threatening to attack her again but her practice with Force abilities pushing them back.

     A sudden groan left Luke however and her eyes snapped open, the memory of closing them in the first place not in her mind. A distressed look came over Luke's upside down face and he suddenly cried out, shaking violently. "Han! Leia!"

     Padmé didn't recognize the first name, but she definitely knew the second. It was the name that had been decided for her daughter after all...

     She shot to her feet just as all the floating crates fell along with a screeching Artoo, all of them hitting the ground with a crash. Luke fell from his handstand and landed with a half-somersault, his blue eyes wide once he sat up completely.

     He looked up to see Artoo struggling to rise, Yoda shaking his head, and Padmé looking at him in concern. He ran a hand through his sweat-teased blonde hair and tried to stop shaking at the images that had just ravaged through his head.

     Han and Leia had been...screaming...betrayed by...someone he didn't recognize. And then there was clouds...a city...something with carbonite...a torture chamber...Chewie howling in rage and grief...Leia pleading through tears...Han begging for mercy...and Vader...

     "Control." Yoda snapped, startling him out of his morbid thoughts. "You must learn control."

     "I saw...I saw a city in the clouds." Luke said breathlessly, now looking up at Padmé as she stood over him and cast nervous brown eyes all over his petite form.

     "Mmm." Yoda hummed in understanding, knowing very well how to deal with Jedi and visions. "Friends you have there."

     "They were in pain." Luke said, his voice cracking and a few stray tears slipping from his eyes. If his friends were in trouble and he just sat here...

     "It is the future you see." Yoda said simply, lowering his head sadly.

     Luke blinked, not understanding. "Future?" He paused, the images ramming back to him full-force. "Will they die?"

     Yoda shook his head, his eyes closed and his expression tight. "Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."

     Padmé kneeled down beside the boy, grabbing his arm in reassurance. "You can't think on it too much dear. Visions can sometimes be...misleading." She knew that enough from dealing with Anakin's visions of her death...a misconception that had ultimately been false and led to her husband's fall to the dark side.

     "But I've got to go them!" Luke said determinedly, rising shakily to his feet.

     Yoda and Padmé both stepped before him, attempting to stop his sudden irrational thinking based on raw emotions alone. "Decide you must how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."

     Luke stopped cold, his eyes pained. He wiped frustratedly at the collecting tears and nodded sadly, brushing away Padmé's reassuring hand as he walked back to the hut to meditate some more. Padmé sighed and shared a look with Yoda.

     "The visions will continue to taunt him until we can't prevent him from leaving any more." She noted, watching her son's retreating back with a sense of longing. She didn't blame him though...she wanted to go after this mysterious Han and her much alive daughter as well. But she couldn't...

     "Much to learn, he still has." Yoda said exasperatedly, shaking his head and moving back tot he hut as well. Padmé sighed and helped Artoo back up from his collapsed state, smiling wistfully at the droid.

     "Oh Artoo...what are we going to do?" Padmé sighed. The astromech beeped sadly and twirled his domed head around with animated lights and tweets. Padmé smiled lightly and petted the droid, glad to know there was somebody from her past she could still talk to without any heartache...

***

A/N

Ugh, I'm so sorry for the wait! Life is so busy for me right now but I did manage to squeeze in time to write this chapter. :)

Hope you all enjoy!

And thank you all so much for the votes, reads, and comments. Redemption is around 8K away from 100K! AHHH!

*space hugs*

May the Force be with You, 

-lucky_ducky_123