~How it All Began: Part 5~

  From below, he heard a Stormtrooper call, "The ship is all yours."

Like hell it was.

Two Imperials appeared pushing a dark blue box between them. A scanner.

  "If the scanners pick up anything, report it immediately."

Han quickly shifted to one side of the entrance while Chewbacca waited on the other, his bowcaster at the ready. Luke, Ben, and the reactivated droids stood back. Luke was watching with his nerves visibly on edge. Han sent him a reassuring look as he switched his blaster to stun.

The scanner crew, not knowing the wiser, pushed the scanner up the ramp where they were ambushed by two Wookiee fists.

Pulling the unconscious bodies aside, Han cupped his hands around his mouth and called, "Hey, down there! Could you give us a hand with this?"

Luke shot him a look that screamed what the hell are you doing?! Han smirked back and put a finger to his lips ironically as the two troopers walked up the ramp, relaxed and casual, unaware of who waited for them inside.

Thankfully, Han was the faster draw. Two stunned troopers clattered to the floor before they could raise their blasters against him.

  "Nice shooting," Luke praised, clapping Han on the shoulder.

  "Thanks, kid. Now, which one you want?" He gestured to the two unconscious Stormtroopers.

  "Quickly," Ben warned, keeping lookout as the two boys stripped the armor.

Han wrinkled his nose at the stench of the jumpsuit and heard Luke groan under his helmet for the same reason. Well, when you're sneaking around a secret Imperial space station, you can't be picky.

  Ben Kenobi threw his hood over his head and gestured to the others. "The coast is clear. We must move."

While Han was reluctant to abandon his ship, he knew the old man was right. Kenobi led the way with Chewbacca and the droids following. Han lingered, waiting for the kid to start moving so that he could protect their rear. Luke took two steps, then froze.

  "What?" Han demanded.

  "They're contacting me," Luke whispered, rapping the bucket with his knuckles.

Han hesitated, unsure of what to do. This time, Luke's quick thinking beat him to it.

  "You go on ahead, I'll take care of this."

  "You sure?"

The kid nodded and Han followed the others off the Falcon. Ben was leading them to whatever room was the observation window above the hanger his ship was currently trapped in.

The door opened from the other side. An Imperial tech officer stood in the doorway and jumped back in alarm. Chewbacca roared and punched the guy out. Using the Stormtrooper blaster, Han shot the other Imperial officer dead.

His passengers flooded in behind them, including Luke, who shut and locked the door behind them.

The kid ripped off his helmet and Han followed his suit. He breathed in the fresh oxygen.

  "You know, between his howling and your blasting, it's a wonder the entire station doesn't know we're here!" Luke snapped, angrily slamming the white bucket down.

  "Bring 'em on! I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around," Han shot back.

Meanwhile, R2-D2 plugged himself into a computer outlet and began beeping to his golden friend.

  "He says he's found the main computer to power the tractor beam that's holding the ship. He'll try to make the precise location appear on the monitor," C-3PO translated. True to his word, a complicated diagram appeared on the screen. "The tractor beam is souped to the main reactor in seven locations. "A power loss at one of these terminals will allow the ship to leave."

  Ben studied the map, then glanced at both of them. "I don't think you boys can help. I must go alone."

  Han shrugged. Fine by him. He wasn't looking to be killed so soon. "Whatever you say. You aren't paying me nearly enough for this."

  Luke ignored him and grabbed Ben's arm. "I want to go with you."

There was an obvious look of panic on the kid's face. A fear of loosing the last person in his life who meant something to him. For a brief moment, Han felt slight guilt in dismissing the old man's fate so nonchalantly.

  If we make it out of this and the old man doesn't, Han decided, I'll offer the kid a place on the Falcon.

  Of course, the old man was as calm as ever. "Be patient, Luke. Stay and watch over the droids."

  "Han can–"

  "They must be delivered safely, or other star systems will suffer the same fate as Alderaan. Your destiny lies along a different path than mine. The Force will be with you, always." Then he left, lightsaber in hand. Reluctantly, Luke locked the door behind him.

Chewbacca remarked something in Shyriiwook, which only Han and C-3PO could understand.

  "You said it, Chewie," Han agreed, leaning against his best friend. Luke shot them both a glare, but before he could defend the old fossil's honor, R2 started beeping and whistling excitedly.

  "What is it?" Luke asked curiously.

  "I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure. He says, 'I found her,' and keeps repeating, 'She's here.'"

  "Who?"

  After a pause, the droid translated, "Princess Leia."

  "The princess? She's here?" Luke cried.

  Han blinked. When did his life suddenly become a holovid? "Princess? What's going on?"

  "Where? Where is she?"

  "Level five. Detention black AA-23. I'm afraid she is scheduled to be terminated."

Great. Just what he needed. Luke was too damn selfless and heroic to ignore a damsel in distress.

  "Oh no. We've got to do something. We gotta help her!"

  "What are you talking about?" demanded Han, exasperated because all of his questions were ignored.

  Luke finally acknowledged him. "The droids belong to her. She's the one in the message. We gotta help her!"

Han remembered Luke mentioning the message. Something about information inside the R2 unit that was vital to the Rebellion and needed to be delivered to Alderaan. Oh stars, what did he get himself into?

  "Now, look. Don't get any funny ideas. The old man wants us to wait right here."

   "Well, he didn't know she was here." To the droids, he added, "Can you find a way into the detention block?"

  "I'm not going anywhere," Han announced, sitting himself down for emphasis. He had no choice but to stick around until the old man disabled the tractor beam. After that, he was out of here, with or without the kid.

As soon as he thought it, he dismissed it. No. He wouldn't leave without the kid. Luke would get himself killed. The very idea made him feel sick. When did he become so attached?

  "They're going to execute her. Look, a few minutes ago you said you didn't want to just wait here to be captured. Now all you want to do is stay?"

  Touché. Very smooth, kid.

  "Marching into the detention level is not what I had in mind."

  "But they're gonna kill her!"

  "Better her than me!" Han turned his back and that was the end of it, or so he thought

  Then he heard a tempting mutter by his ear. "She's rich."

Even Chewbacca made a rumble of interest.

  Han's head turned. "Rich?"

  The kid nodded. "Rich, powerful... Look, if you were to rescue her, the reward will be..."

  Han found himself leaning forward. "What?"

  "Well, more reward than you can imagine!"

  "I don't know, I can imagine quite a bit," Han replied doubtfully, but he was warming up to the idea now.

  "You'll get it."

  "I better."

  "You will!" 

Han was beginning to realize that it was hard to say no to those blue puppy dog eyes. The kid was more dangerous than he originally thought.

Luke could dream all he wanted about being a hero, rescuing a princess and saving the galaxy. Han was just a simple man trying make his way in the universe. Casting a worried look at Luke, which the kid failed to notice, Han tried to imagine a scenario where the kid succeeded without his help.

  He broke. "All right, kid. What's your plan?"

Caught off guard, Luke began to search the console for something.

Although he desperately needed money, Han was a bit hurt that Luke thought that was all he cared about. Chewbacca had an excuse; he had a family to support.

  "3PO, hand me those binders."

The golden droid stiffly handed him a pair of cuffs that were coincidently sitting on the tech console. Adjusting the binders experimentally, Luke approached Chewie.

  "Now, I'm going to put these on you..."

Chewbacca threw up his hands out of Luke's reach and roared in protest. Luke stumbled back and handed Han the binders.

  "Okay, Han, you–you put them on..."

  Han grinned as he stood up. "Don't worry, Chewie. I think I know what he has in mind." He knew why Chewbacca hated those things and he gave his friend a sympathetic smile.

  "Master Luke, sir. Pardon me for asking, but what should R2 and I do if we are discovered here?"

  "Lock the door," Luke answered nonchalantly, picking up his helmet.

  "And hope they don't have blasters," Han added.

  "Oh dear..."