Han and Chewie entered the cockpit to exit hyperspace a few hours later to find Kyra out cold in the Captain’s chair—‘My chair,’ Han thought—with her legs propped up on the dashboard, and with a large blob of saliva dangling from her chin. “Quietly,” Han whispered, putting a finger to his lips. He leaned awkwardly over her legs and gently pulled back on the lever and exited hyperspace so smoothly that he later bragged, “Not even the testiest baby could’ve felt a thing.”
Chewbacca growled furiously. Han lifted his head to see what was the matter to look upon nearly an entire Imperial Starfleet orbiting the dusty-brown planet of Tatooine. Han lost his balance and collapsed on the sleeping Kyra. She jumped to her feet, fists flying, ready to fight for her life. “Whoa, sister,” Han apologized in his own, strange way, “No need to get wound up. I didn’t mean to fall on you.”
She ignored him and stared horrorstricken at the fleet. “Oh, that,” Han chuckled nervously, “was not part of the plan.”
“You don’t say,” she hissed.
The rusty transmitter crackled to life as a blue hologram of a sickly [mentally and physically] imperial officer was projected onto the floor of Millennium Falcon, “Captain and crew of the YT-class starship 492727ZED,” droned the obviously bored officer, almost as if reading from a script, “there’s word from Nal Hutta that you are housing a rebel fugitive.” Everyone in the cockpit tensed. “If this rumor is true,” sighed the officer, truly regretting his career choice, “please turn her over to me and you’ll avoid other more violent alternatives.”
Han spoke without pausing for a moment, “Well I have no idea about this rebel you’re talkin' ‘bout, but if ya need us we’re just headin’ to Mos Espa for some good ‘ol podracin’. I’ve heard it’s been particularly good this year.”
“Well, then be on your way,” said the officer,“But if any word of this rebel comes your way, please notify the Empire immediately and you’ll be gifted a substantial reward.”
Chewbacca cringed, for money has always been Han’s weak spot.
“Substantial reward, huh?” murmured Han to himself. In Han’s experience, substantial was code for a lot. Han Solo had always been a worker and enjoyed the thrills of his career, but it was hard and dangerous. He wished he could settle down and do something a bit more legal. He flipped off the audio sensor and whooped, “Think of it Chewie, we’ll be rich! We’ll never have to work again and you can have enough money to go back and free your family!”
Kyra was horrified that Han was still wanting to betray her. ‘I guess you really can’t trust anyone,’ she thought bitterly, even though she still foolishly trusted him enough that she didn’t draw her blaster. She just stood there, terrified, wondering how things would unfold.
Even Chewbacca was tempted by Han’s proposal. If he was as handsomely rewarded as Han prophesied, he could put all this smuggling behind him and spend time with his wife, Mallatobuck, and his son, Lumpawaroo. Chewie wished he could free them without smuggling, but to save up money to free them he had to adopt this unsavory career. He hated smuggling because it was a bad example to his young and impressionable son and like all fathers, he wants to protect his family and teach them right and wrong. He didn’t want Lumpawaroo to think that smuggling’s a proper career choice. When he side-glanced at Kyra all those thoughts were made void. If the very reason he is considering to betray her was to protect his family and to become a good role model, he was failing to do so by showing Lumpawaroo that the only way to get ahead was to hurt. Chewbacca didn’t believe that good ends justify wrong actions. He sighed, then scolded Han.
Chewbacca growled furiously. Han lifted his head to see what was the matter to look upon nearly an entire Imperial Starfleet orbiting the dusty-brown planet of Tatooine. Han lost his balance and collapsed on the sleeping Kyra. She jumped to her feet, fists flying, ready to fight for her life. “Whoa, sister,” Han apologized in his own, strange way, “No need to get wound up. I didn’t mean to fall on you.”
She ignored him and stared horrorstricken at the fleet. “Oh, that,” Han chuckled nervously, “was not part of the plan.”
“You don’t say,” she hissed.
The rusty transmitter crackled to life as a blue hologram of a sickly [mentally and physically] imperial officer was projected onto the floor of Millennium Falcon, “Captain and crew of the YT-class starship 492727ZED,” droned the obviously bored officer, almost as if reading from a script, “there’s word from Nal Hutta that you are housing a rebel fugitive.” Everyone in the cockpit tensed. “If this rumor is true,” sighed the officer, truly regretting his career choice, “please turn her over to me and you’ll avoid other more violent alternatives.”
Han spoke without pausing for a moment, “Well I have no idea about this rebel you’re talkin' ‘bout, but if ya need us we’re just headin’ to Mos Espa for some good ‘ol podracin’. I’ve heard it’s been particularly good this year.”
“Well, then be on your way,” said the officer,“But if any word of this rebel comes your way, please notify the Empire immediately and you’ll be gifted a substantial reward.”
Chewbacca cringed, for money has always been Han’s weak spot.
“Substantial reward, huh?” murmured Han to himself. In Han’s experience, substantial was code for a lot. Han Solo had always been a worker and enjoyed the thrills of his career, but it was hard and dangerous. He wished he could settle down and do something a bit more legal. He flipped off the audio sensor and whooped, “Think of it Chewie, we’ll be rich! We’ll never have to work again and you can have enough money to go back and free your family!”
Kyra was horrified that Han was still wanting to betray her. ‘I guess you really can’t trust anyone,’ she thought bitterly, even though she still foolishly trusted him enough that she didn’t draw her blaster. She just stood there, terrified, wondering how things would unfold.
Even Chewbacca was tempted by Han’s proposal. If he was as handsomely rewarded as Han prophesied, he could put all this smuggling behind him and spend time with his wife, Mallatobuck, and his son, Lumpawaroo. Chewie wished he could free them without smuggling, but to save up money to free them he had to adopt this unsavory career. He hated smuggling because it was a bad example to his young and impressionable son and like all fathers, he wants to protect his family and teach them right and wrong. He didn’t want Lumpawaroo to think that smuggling’s a proper career choice. When he side-glanced at Kyra all those thoughts were made void. If the very reason he is considering to betray her was to protect his family and to become a good role model, he was failing to do so by showing Lumpawaroo that the only way to get ahead was to hurt. Chewbacca didn’t believe that good ends justify wrong actions. He sighed, then scolded Han.
Ah, temptation is strong, especially when a reward is concerned. I wonder how this will turn out. Hopefully, Han will make the right choice, but as mentioned, Kyra's bold, so I'm sure she'll figure out what to do if in the worst case scenario possible. This was an awesome chapter though, and as always, I anticipate the next one. :)
ReplyDeleteSPOILER ALERT: Han shot first! :D
DeleteThat's a joke, btw; there's a big Star Wars joke that Han shot first. You probably don't understand it unless you're a nerd of the series
You'll have to wait time tomorrow to see. ;)
DeleteThank you so much!
Haha. In the next chapter, the spoiler is more of Han drew first. XD