Categories > Movies > Star Wars > Vengeance
DISCLAIMER: See the Prologue.
SPECIAL DISCLAIMER: See the Prologue.
/IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:/ See the Prologue.
A/N: Once again, here's another infrequent update. Sorry to those of you who were waiting and really like this story.
NOTE: What was Darth Vader in his medical chamber at this point in the book has been changed to show Darth Kain in his personal quarters instead. Otherwise, the other two scenes showing our heroes have been glossed and tweaked. I also skipped over most of the scene with Xizor and Jabba, since that would have been pretty much the same in the book, and I also added some nice father/son interaction between Luke and Vader.
Chapter 5
Darth Kain sat within his own personal quarters, immersing himself within the Dark Side of the Force.
He was testing a theory: Maybe he could use the Dark Side to grow certain limbs of the human body back?
If he could pull this off, he might even be more powerful than his own master, Darth Sidious. The old man was the most powerful being in the galaxy, and he still allowed himself to walk around like some mummified old corpse! (Kain knew that he allowed that years ago to help back up his lie that the Jedi attacked him when he was still the Supreme Chancellor of the Old Republic. Still...)
But then another thought occurred to him: What if Sidious didn't use the Force to improve his looks because he couldn't?
A ray of fear passed through Kain, but he quickly blocked it out. Fear would not help him here.
Looking down at his artificial hand, Kain closed his eyes and focused, calling upon the power of the Dark Side.
He concentrated, imaging that his flesh and bone was growing bit by bit.
About a minute later, he felt some discomfort. It was his artificial hand again.
Stang it! It must have been the usual pain from it! But wait... could it have been because it worked?
Kain opened his eyes again and took a look.
Yes! Kain was sure that it was a millimeter longer than before. It had to be!
However, his positive feelings of happiness and others threw off his concentration of the dark side, and so by now the process had definitely stopped.
Ah well, he thought. I'll try again later...
Kain felt a small trembling in his body, but after a few moments, it stopped. He knew what that meant: He needed another blood transfusion from a Force-strong donor, and soon.
Sighing, he put his glove back on his mechanical hand, and departed from his private quarters.
Luke and Vader both sat in meditation while Leia was napping, Chewie walked around, trying to keep cool, and the droids played some sort of word translation game. At the same time, father and son also conversed with each other through the Force.
How are you faring, Father? Luke asked.
Do not worry, I have healed nicely since what happened on Bespin, Vader responded calmly.
You've been through so many things and gotten injured so many times, it's scary, Luke confessed. Especially from my point of view. For the longest time, I thought you were dead. I don't want to lose you.
Do not fear, Luke. Fear of loss was precisely what led to /my downfall./
Outside their small Force-strong realm, Chewie noticed something, and then spoke.
Threepio turned from the game and said, "Chewbacca says Master Lando has returned."
Luke and Vader calmly brought themselves out of their meditative states and acknowledged them.
A moment later, Lando came in, grinning.
"What are you so happy about?" Luke asked.
"I just got a coded call from Dash Rendar. It turns out that Aurra Sing's ship is on Gall."
The HoloNet was expensive and restricted. In theory, only the Empire could use it. But in practice, anybody with a little primary school education could tap into the net, use a few relays, and make calls easily. On top of that, they could make the Empire pay for it too, just to add insult to injury.
Luke jumped up with his youthful energy. "When can we leave?"
"I've got the Millenium/ Falcon/ ready to go. How long will it take you to get your X-wing operational?"
"As soon as Artoo and I get on board."
Before Lando could ask, Vader added, "It should not take me long to prepare the Desert Angel for departure."
"Wait, what?" Leia asked with a yawn. She stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"It looks like we've found Han," Lando told her.
"I'll meet you in orbit," Luke said, grinning. At last, the wait was over.
Leia responded, "I'll get off a coded call to the Rogues."
Vader looked around, and even through his despised mask, he could see how everyone was eager to rescue their friend.
The meeting with Jabba went shortly and smoothly. Xizor played the role of the gracious host, making small talk and offering some refreshment to the Hutt, and in the end, everything worked out.
Jabba left thinking he was some trusted confidant of Xizor. Besides, it would do the Hutt's reputation no harm if his underlings and enemies thought he had the ear of the leader of Black Sun. Fear was good; fear and greed were better.
Xizor left knowing that he would be informed if Skywalker, Vader, or any of their friends returned to Tatooine, seeing as they had just left that planet.
Xizor's spies had learned that Darth Kain had turned Solo, a small-time smuggler and sometime Alliance pilot, over to the fearsome bounty hunter Aurra Sing on Bespin. Sooner or later, Sing would show up on Tatooine to deliver Solo and collect her credits. But Xizor's spies indicated that Sing's ship, /Steel Nexu/, was not on Tatooine. And so far those spies had not been able to locate the bounty hunter.
Well... after all, it was a large galaxy, and such searches took time.
Xizor was also willing to bet that Skywalker had returned to Tatooine to anticipate Sing's arrival, so then he could rescue his friend. So why had he left the planet? His departure could indicate a number of different things. Maybe he had gotten bored (although Xizor didn't think that likely), maybe had some pressing business to attend to which was completely unrelated to Solo... or maybe he already discovered his friend's whereabouts through the Alliance. After all, the Alliance's contacts were fairly extensive and included much of the famed Bothan spynet.
In which case, he could increase his agents' chances of finding Skywalker instead.
And wherever Skywalker was, Vader was sure to be as well.
Upon reaching his sanctum, he called Guri. She glided in silently.
"Put out the information that those seeking to claim the reward for Skywalker and Vader would be advised to locate the bounty hunter Aurra Sing. Sooner or later, Skywalker and Vader will likely do so, and appropriate plans can be made for that instance."
Guri nodded without speaking.
Xizor smiled.
Leia sat in the Millenium/ Falcon/'s lounge, watching Chewie and Threepio play on the hologame board. Lando was in the galley making, something for dinner which smelled awful, even all the way where she was. Luke sat next to Leia, cleaning the lenses on Artoo's electrophoto receptors. Vader sat off to the side, reading up on recent events within the Rebellion while he had been away, doing... well, whatever he was doing.
Luke's X-wing was locked onto the Falcon's hull - the trip was possible in the fighter, but it was also a long jump to make without sleeping, eating or using the 'fresher. Midnight was piloting the Desert Angel through hyperspace all by herself, although Leia wasn't quite sure how that was decided upon - then again, Midnight was a bit of a pushy droid with a sort of motherly personality.
Leia tried not to think about Han, but she felt like it was nearly impossible. Just being on this jury-rigged ship, Han Solo's pride and joy, made her think of him.
As if Fate noticed her thoughts and feelings, something then happened which helped distract her.
Threepio and Chewie had apparently gotten into an argument over their game. Threepio could be heard well enough: "Well, I'm sorry, but it was a fair move. It's not my fault you didn't see it... /No/, I'm not going to take it back. And I'd advise you not to threaten me, because if you pull my arm off, I won't play with you anymore."
Chewie muttered something before leaning back in his seat and looking at the game board again, wondering what to do now.
Leia smiled at how the Wookiee and the protocol droid squabbled over their game like a couple of children.
Off to the side, Artoo warbled something as Luke continued to work on him. Vader looked up from what he was reading and commented, "No, I don't see any scratches, Artoo. You look fine."
Lando entered the lounge, bearing a tray with several steaming plates and bowls upon it.
"Dinner is served," Lando said with a smile and the air of a professional chef. "Giju stew."
They all glanced at him for a moment before going back to what they were doing.
"Don't all rush at once," Lando said as his smile faded.
To Leia, it looked like something nasty which one would find in a swamp or a garbage dump. It certainly smelled bad enough. Like some sort of cross between melted boot plastic and fertilizer, maybe with some pond scum...
"Come on, I spent an hour in the galley fixing this. Everybody dig in!"
Chewie said something that didn't sound too complimentary.
"Hey, pal, if you don't like it, then you can cook next time."
Chewie rumbled something like "Fine, maybe I will" before turning his attention back to the game.
Luke looked up from his work on Artoo, and made a disgusted face. "Giju stew?" he said. "It looks like some combination of melted boot plastic and fertilizer, with some pond scum mixed in..."
Leia had to stifle her laughter.
"Fine, fine!" Lando said with some exasperation. "I don't mind if you don't eat it, means more for me."
Taking a spoonful, Lando said around it, "See? It tastes great." However, the next moment, he looked horrified and disgusted.
After forcing himself to swallow, he took a heavy breath. "Okay, nevermind. Maybe I used a little too much Boontaspice..."
Luke and Leia laughed at the same time, only to look at each other in amazement the next moment.
Whether to volunteer or just to break up the awkward moment, Vader put his reading material aside, got up and told Lando, "If you want, I can dump this into space..."
Lando shook his head. "Nah, somehow, even I wouldn't take that risk. Who knows what could happen if I did..." Somehow, he managed to sound serious when he said that, probably because he was being serious.
"I believe there are some packets of Nemar noodles stored away somewhere," Vader offered.
"Good thinking," Lando commented before leaving the lounge in search of those.
Privately, Luke telepathically asked his father, Well//, if push came to shove, at least you could have said that you were just recovering from something and couldn't eat it, right?
Vader responded bluntly, Luke, even if my olfactory senses were dull enough to tolerate it and my intake vent could handle it, I /still wouldn't eat it./
To herself, Leia decided that there were a lot worse places she could have been than here with her friends.
A/N: Just another transitional chapter, I know, but I at least tried to make it interesting.
Note about Kain in this chapter: I'm trying to show him as being the crazy Sith that he is. I hope I did it well here...
Note about the thing with Lando's cooking: I took some liberties with that scene to make it different (such as Vader offering to dump the stuff into space). As for the thing with Nemar noodles, I made that up. "Nemar" is "Ramen" spelled backwards.
Next chapter is where the heroes start implementing their plans to rescue Han... -Quillian
SPECIAL DISCLAIMER: See the Prologue.
/IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:/ See the Prologue.
A/N: Once again, here's another infrequent update. Sorry to those of you who were waiting and really like this story.
NOTE: What was Darth Vader in his medical chamber at this point in the book has been changed to show Darth Kain in his personal quarters instead. Otherwise, the other two scenes showing our heroes have been glossed and tweaked. I also skipped over most of the scene with Xizor and Jabba, since that would have been pretty much the same in the book, and I also added some nice father/son interaction between Luke and Vader.
Chapter 5
Darth Kain sat within his own personal quarters, immersing himself within the Dark Side of the Force.
He was testing a theory: Maybe he could use the Dark Side to grow certain limbs of the human body back?
If he could pull this off, he might even be more powerful than his own master, Darth Sidious. The old man was the most powerful being in the galaxy, and he still allowed himself to walk around like some mummified old corpse! (Kain knew that he allowed that years ago to help back up his lie that the Jedi attacked him when he was still the Supreme Chancellor of the Old Republic. Still...)
But then another thought occurred to him: What if Sidious didn't use the Force to improve his looks because he couldn't?
A ray of fear passed through Kain, but he quickly blocked it out. Fear would not help him here.
Looking down at his artificial hand, Kain closed his eyes and focused, calling upon the power of the Dark Side.
He concentrated, imaging that his flesh and bone was growing bit by bit.
About a minute later, he felt some discomfort. It was his artificial hand again.
Stang it! It must have been the usual pain from it! But wait... could it have been because it worked?
Kain opened his eyes again and took a look.
Yes! Kain was sure that it was a millimeter longer than before. It had to be!
However, his positive feelings of happiness and others threw off his concentration of the dark side, and so by now the process had definitely stopped.
Ah well, he thought. I'll try again later...
Kain felt a small trembling in his body, but after a few moments, it stopped. He knew what that meant: He needed another blood transfusion from a Force-strong donor, and soon.
Sighing, he put his glove back on his mechanical hand, and departed from his private quarters.
Luke and Vader both sat in meditation while Leia was napping, Chewie walked around, trying to keep cool, and the droids played some sort of word translation game. At the same time, father and son also conversed with each other through the Force.
How are you faring, Father? Luke asked.
Do not worry, I have healed nicely since what happened on Bespin, Vader responded calmly.
You've been through so many things and gotten injured so many times, it's scary, Luke confessed. Especially from my point of view. For the longest time, I thought you were dead. I don't want to lose you.
Do not fear, Luke. Fear of loss was precisely what led to /my downfall./
Outside their small Force-strong realm, Chewie noticed something, and then spoke.
Threepio turned from the game and said, "Chewbacca says Master Lando has returned."
Luke and Vader calmly brought themselves out of their meditative states and acknowledged them.
A moment later, Lando came in, grinning.
"What are you so happy about?" Luke asked.
"I just got a coded call from Dash Rendar. It turns out that Aurra Sing's ship is on Gall."
The HoloNet was expensive and restricted. In theory, only the Empire could use it. But in practice, anybody with a little primary school education could tap into the net, use a few relays, and make calls easily. On top of that, they could make the Empire pay for it too, just to add insult to injury.
Luke jumped up with his youthful energy. "When can we leave?"
"I've got the Millenium/ Falcon/ ready to go. How long will it take you to get your X-wing operational?"
"As soon as Artoo and I get on board."
Before Lando could ask, Vader added, "It should not take me long to prepare the Desert Angel for departure."
"Wait, what?" Leia asked with a yawn. She stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"It looks like we've found Han," Lando told her.
"I'll meet you in orbit," Luke said, grinning. At last, the wait was over.
Leia responded, "I'll get off a coded call to the Rogues."
Vader looked around, and even through his despised mask, he could see how everyone was eager to rescue their friend.
The meeting with Jabba went shortly and smoothly. Xizor played the role of the gracious host, making small talk and offering some refreshment to the Hutt, and in the end, everything worked out.
Jabba left thinking he was some trusted confidant of Xizor. Besides, it would do the Hutt's reputation no harm if his underlings and enemies thought he had the ear of the leader of Black Sun. Fear was good; fear and greed were better.
Xizor left knowing that he would be informed if Skywalker, Vader, or any of their friends returned to Tatooine, seeing as they had just left that planet.
Xizor's spies had learned that Darth Kain had turned Solo, a small-time smuggler and sometime Alliance pilot, over to the fearsome bounty hunter Aurra Sing on Bespin. Sooner or later, Sing would show up on Tatooine to deliver Solo and collect her credits. But Xizor's spies indicated that Sing's ship, /Steel Nexu/, was not on Tatooine. And so far those spies had not been able to locate the bounty hunter.
Well... after all, it was a large galaxy, and such searches took time.
Xizor was also willing to bet that Skywalker had returned to Tatooine to anticipate Sing's arrival, so then he could rescue his friend. So why had he left the planet? His departure could indicate a number of different things. Maybe he had gotten bored (although Xizor didn't think that likely), maybe had some pressing business to attend to which was completely unrelated to Solo... or maybe he already discovered his friend's whereabouts through the Alliance. After all, the Alliance's contacts were fairly extensive and included much of the famed Bothan spynet.
In which case, he could increase his agents' chances of finding Skywalker instead.
And wherever Skywalker was, Vader was sure to be as well.
Upon reaching his sanctum, he called Guri. She glided in silently.
"Put out the information that those seeking to claim the reward for Skywalker and Vader would be advised to locate the bounty hunter Aurra Sing. Sooner or later, Skywalker and Vader will likely do so, and appropriate plans can be made for that instance."
Guri nodded without speaking.
Xizor smiled.
Leia sat in the Millenium/ Falcon/'s lounge, watching Chewie and Threepio play on the hologame board. Lando was in the galley making, something for dinner which smelled awful, even all the way where she was. Luke sat next to Leia, cleaning the lenses on Artoo's electrophoto receptors. Vader sat off to the side, reading up on recent events within the Rebellion while he had been away, doing... well, whatever he was doing.
Luke's X-wing was locked onto the Falcon's hull - the trip was possible in the fighter, but it was also a long jump to make without sleeping, eating or using the 'fresher. Midnight was piloting the Desert Angel through hyperspace all by herself, although Leia wasn't quite sure how that was decided upon - then again, Midnight was a bit of a pushy droid with a sort of motherly personality.
Leia tried not to think about Han, but she felt like it was nearly impossible. Just being on this jury-rigged ship, Han Solo's pride and joy, made her think of him.
As if Fate noticed her thoughts and feelings, something then happened which helped distract her.
Threepio and Chewie had apparently gotten into an argument over their game. Threepio could be heard well enough: "Well, I'm sorry, but it was a fair move. It's not my fault you didn't see it... /No/, I'm not going to take it back. And I'd advise you not to threaten me, because if you pull my arm off, I won't play with you anymore."
Chewie muttered something before leaning back in his seat and looking at the game board again, wondering what to do now.
Leia smiled at how the Wookiee and the protocol droid squabbled over their game like a couple of children.
Off to the side, Artoo warbled something as Luke continued to work on him. Vader looked up from what he was reading and commented, "No, I don't see any scratches, Artoo. You look fine."
Lando entered the lounge, bearing a tray with several steaming plates and bowls upon it.
"Dinner is served," Lando said with a smile and the air of a professional chef. "Giju stew."
They all glanced at him for a moment before going back to what they were doing.
"Don't all rush at once," Lando said as his smile faded.
To Leia, it looked like something nasty which one would find in a swamp or a garbage dump. It certainly smelled bad enough. Like some sort of cross between melted boot plastic and fertilizer, maybe with some pond scum...
"Come on, I spent an hour in the galley fixing this. Everybody dig in!"
Chewie said something that didn't sound too complimentary.
"Hey, pal, if you don't like it, then you can cook next time."
Chewie rumbled something like "Fine, maybe I will" before turning his attention back to the game.
Luke looked up from his work on Artoo, and made a disgusted face. "Giju stew?" he said. "It looks like some combination of melted boot plastic and fertilizer, with some pond scum mixed in..."
Leia had to stifle her laughter.
"Fine, fine!" Lando said with some exasperation. "I don't mind if you don't eat it, means more for me."
Taking a spoonful, Lando said around it, "See? It tastes great." However, the next moment, he looked horrified and disgusted.
After forcing himself to swallow, he took a heavy breath. "Okay, nevermind. Maybe I used a little too much Boontaspice..."
Luke and Leia laughed at the same time, only to look at each other in amazement the next moment.
Whether to volunteer or just to break up the awkward moment, Vader put his reading material aside, got up and told Lando, "If you want, I can dump this into space..."
Lando shook his head. "Nah, somehow, even I wouldn't take that risk. Who knows what could happen if I did..." Somehow, he managed to sound serious when he said that, probably because he was being serious.
"I believe there are some packets of Nemar noodles stored away somewhere," Vader offered.
"Good thinking," Lando commented before leaving the lounge in search of those.
Privately, Luke telepathically asked his father, Well//, if push came to shove, at least you could have said that you were just recovering from something and couldn't eat it, right?
Vader responded bluntly, Luke, even if my olfactory senses were dull enough to tolerate it and my intake vent could handle it, I /still wouldn't eat it./
To herself, Leia decided that there were a lot worse places she could have been than here with her friends.
A/N: Just another transitional chapter, I know, but I at least tried to make it interesting.
Note about Kain in this chapter: I'm trying to show him as being the crazy Sith that he is. I hope I did it well here...
Note about the thing with Lando's cooking: I took some liberties with that scene to make it different (such as Vader offering to dump the stuff into space). As for the thing with Nemar noodles, I made that up. "Nemar" is "Ramen" spelled backwards.
Next chapter is where the heroes start implementing their plans to rescue Han... -Quillian
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