Chewbacca released a gurgling roar of shock. Three beams of light concentrated on where the rope should have been dangling. Instead, the rope lay severed on the floor. The ceiling above was smooth as if the hole was never there.

"Great. Now what?" Han groaned.

"I don't know," Luke conceded helplessly. "You're supposed to be the clever one. You think of something."

Han glared at him. "Shut up. You can't even walk by yourself."

To prove him wrong, Luke straightened and stood unwaveringly on his own feet.

At that moment, R2 twittered and beeped before turning around and began rolling back the way they had come. I came another way. Follow me.

Without hesitation, the four lifeforms ran after the droid. R2-D2 has never failed them before.

Luke focused all his strength in keeping up with his Astromech. The Emperor's attacks were a sharp throb in the back of his mind like a migraine. They stopped being so intense after R2 released him from the Jedi-proof cell and he was reunited with his friends. He didn't know how long the past would be bearable, he only knew Darth Sidious wouldn't let them simply walk out.

Just then, R2 shrieked and rolled back a bit. Five MagnaGuards stepped into view, igniting their purple electrostaffs menacingly.

Immediately, Luke stepped in front of his friends and ignited his green lightsaber.

"Take it easy, kid," Han warned.

"I've fought them before."

"Yes, but you got us to help you this time," Leia added, hoisting her blaster.

Luke smiled at her, then braced himself.

The MagnaGuards attacked first. One of the swiped its staff and caught the unprepared Astromech. R2 screamed as he catapulted through the air. Luke ducked and Chewbacca caught the flying droid with a grunt. They both crashed to the ground.

Hoping to have thrown the Jedi off guard, the five killer droids charged forward. But Luke was ready and caught two pulses with his blade. White sparks sprang from the collision.

Leia and Han squeezed the trigger till their fingers were stiff, but it did little to keep the other three MagnaGuards away.

Han caught the staff as a MagnaGuard trapped him against the wall. His arms shook as he used all the energy he could muster to fight the droid's programed strength.

Chewbacca roared and threw R2 off him none too gently. He quickly blasted the droid looming over him with its staff raised with his powerful bowcaster. The plasma bolt shot the old Separatist droid's rusty head right off its shoulders. He shot it again square in the chest and the headless droid crumpled to the floor.

"Chewie, help Leia!" Han grunted as the faithful Wookiee stepped forward to help him.

Han braced his back against the wall and kicked the MagnaGuard away, giving him the time and space to throw himself free.

Leia was retreating. Every time she shot the droid attacking her, it would deflect it with its staff or off its thick armor. All she could do was step back again and again in order to avoid the lethal electricity.

Aa familiar war cry rang out as Chewbacca tackled the MagnaGuard. Caught unaware, the MagnaGuard couldn't fight off the powerful Wookiee, who ripped the droid's arms off. While Chewie held it down, Leia picked up the discarded electrostaff and plunged it into the droid's face. The MagnaGuard jerked and sparked for a few seconds before it lay still and smoking.

Leia glanced around for her boys. She could hear the humming of her brother's lightsaber, but her eyes stopped at Han. The MagnaGuard he was fighting swung its staff, which caught Han's shoulder.

Han cried out in pain and fell, clutching his scorched shoulder. The bodyguard droid towered triumphantly over its fallen prey and raised its deadly staff over its head to finish him off. Leia felt her heart freeze in her chest.

Without thinking, Leia jumped behind the droid and thrust her electrostaff into its back. She held it there as the MagnaGuard spasmed. It fell to its knees as the red eyes flickered. Then it crashed to the ground unmoving.

She dropped the weapon and rushed to Han's side, ignoring the pain in her knees when they hit the floor hard. Leia raised him up slightly to examine his left shoulder. She couldn't observe much through his clothing, but there was no doubt he was harmed.

"Nice one, Your Worship." Han flashed his usual cocky grin that use to infuriate her. "Looks like I owe you one."

Leia felt her heart beat again. She grabbed his white shirt in her fist and yanked him into a kiss. She felt Han's lips lingering, but she reluctantly pulled away.

"Consider your debt repaid."

Luke was struggling. He was an expert duelist with and without the Force and these MagnaGuards were delayed due to rust and age, but Sidious–like he predicted–was not letting go.

Luke grimaced as another wave of torture filled his mind. His body was clamping up to pain that wasn't his. He was forced onto one knee as the MagnaGuards pressed their attack.

Luke rolled out from underneath their cackling pulses while the image of a Padawan strapped to a torture chair screaming as electricity shocked his body flashed in his mind. It was quickly replaced with another horrific vision as he rose into a stance behind them.

He blocked another strike, but was too slow dodging a metal punch from its partner. It clipped the side of his head. Blood oozed from the scratch above his ear.

"Luke, watch out!" his twin warned.

Out of the corner of his eye, Luke watched with dismay as two more MagnaGuards joined the scene. Their glowing red eyes shifted from him to his friends on the ground. Deciding their brethren had the Jedi under control, they approached Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and R2.

Backed against the wall, Luke was powerless to stop them... almost. Praying to the Force that there was no Force-resistant creatures nearby, Luke thrust his left hand out. Purple electricity launched from his fingertips into the droids. The ionic energy grew stronger, pushing them into the MagnaGuards attempting to attack his friends.

All four of them crashed against the wall, jerking and sparking violently. At last, Luke lowered his hand and the four disabled droids fell into a heap, smoking and twitching.

Instead of feeling drained like the first time, Luke felt stronger. The Emperor's attacks on his mind were silent.

Clipping his lightsaber to his belt, the Jedi approached his friends.

Leia was speechless. "Luke, what–?"

"I don't know. I'll explain when I figure it out." Luke extended a hand to Han and helped him stand.

Chewbacca lifted R2-D2 upright. The droid had harsh words for the Wookiee, which he grumbled aloud as he continued to lead the way.

It wasn't long before they found the exit. Sunlight leaked into the dark tower like the exit from hell into heaven.

"We made it," Han sighed in exhaustion. Luke also felt weary and heavy as the adrenaline wore off.

Laughter echoed off the walls. The Rebels froze and Luke felt alertness return to him.

"Fool. No one escapes the Sith."

They were still far from freedom. The door screeched loudly as it began to close.

"Come on! Hurry!" Leia shouted. The five heroes sprinted towards the narrowing exit.

Unaware of the danger, C-3PO had finally worked up the courage to shuffle into the creepy tower after his much too fearless friend. Sunlight glinted off his gold plating behind him, but he could barely see more than five feet ahead of him. He wasn't built for dark, evil places.

"R2? R2, where are you?" he called. His voice echoed eerily in the shadows. He quaked with terror, but he couldn't will his legs to stop. "Oh, why did Master Luke, Captain Solo and the Princess have to explore this frightful place? Why did R2 have to be so heroic and go after them?" C-3PO paused as his curiosity overcame his fear for a moment. "Why did I follow him in?"

Screech! Startled, C-3PO turned to find the door starting to lower towards the ground.

"Oh my! We'll be trapped. I must find the others at once."

The gap was at the point where Chewbacca had to duck. A glinting figure caught Luke's eye. He recognized him immediately.

"Move, Goldenrod! Get out of here!" Han shouted.

"Oh, Captain Solo, I found you!" 3PO cheered. "Quickly, the door is closing!" Then he promptly turned around and shuffled toward the narrowing exit as fast as he could. The protocol droid had to duck on his way out.

Chewbacca and Leia reached the door first and rolled underneath. R2-D2 zipped past them and nearly tipped over trying to stop. Gathering speed, Luke and Han slid under right before the door shut with a fatal boom.

They couldn't stop to catch their breath and rest. A familiar sounds roared in their ears. Glancing up, the weary team spotted Y-Wing bombers in the sky. The squad dived down toward the tower.

"Run!" Luke yelled. Legs shaking, Luke joined his friends as they boarded the waiting Falcon.

Han and Chewie threw themselves into their respective seats in the cockpit. Without waiting for everyone to strap in, the Millennium Falcon rose into the air and zoomed off just as the Y-Wings dropped their bombs. The ship shook from the force of the explosion.

A familiar voice crackled through the comm. "Han? Luke? Can anyone here me? This is Wedge."

"We're here, Wedge," Han answered breathlessly.

"Sorry for the close call. You guys weren't answering. Why do you sound out of breath? What happened down there?"

"Long story, Wedge," Luke replied, brushing his sweaty bangs out of his eyes. "We'll meet you back at base."

"Affirmative."

Luke collapsed back into his seat. He turned his head to glance at his twin sitting next to him behind Han. Now that they were out of the dark, he noticed the ghostly paleness of her face. He assumed he didn't look much better. He stretched out his hand toward her and she squeezed it.

Are you okay? she asked him.

I will be. You?

Yeah.

Once in space, Han leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his messy hair. "How will we explain all this to command when they ask for our report?"

"It was strange... and personal," Leia admitted.

Luke rubbed his thumb against the back of his sister's hand comfortingly.

I'll tell you later, she promised.

"Let's not think about that right now," instructed Luke. "We're okay, and that's all that matters."

Han turned back and smiled softly. "Yeah, kid. We're okay."

With comforting thought in the air, the pilot slowly pulled back the lever and launched the Millennium Falcon into hyperspace.

The End