SWTFW 22 - "An Unknown Arrival"

PRESS CTRL = (EQUALS) TO INCREASE THE PAGE SIZE AND CTRL 0 (ZERO) TO RESET THE PAGE SIZE THIS PAGE VIEWS BEST IN FIREFOX Want to read this in a different language ? Change the TO field to your own country and click the TRANSLATE button after going HERE THE FORCE WITHIN © September 2017 Written by David Wicker Please do not reprint without permission CHAPTER 22 - "AN UNKNOWN ARRIVAL" [ CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CHAPTER ] * * * This entry is Rated: EVERYONE If there were two things to describe Han Solo, it would be intuitive and resourceful. He turned his Taun-Taun back. He had to warn the base and Leia. Fortunately for Han, they had been climbing a steep hill to get to this magnetic signal. So back it would be much easier. Even Han's Taun-Taun warbled in delight finding the return trip would all be downhill from here. He made record time back, and just as well. Once back inside he saw a silent and flashing and warning red light on a comm panel. The base had picked up the unknown ship. But he was certain the data he collected on it from his binoculars, which also recorded everything they saw. He was certain the video would be of use to Leia. He jumped off his Taun-Taun which headed to the feed stable, as Han met Leia halfway between the gate and her office. "Han ! What are you doing back ?" she cried. "We're in a state of emergency. There is a - " But Han cut her off. "I know, I know. That's why I returned. To bring THIS." and he took the binoculars strap off of his neck to hand to Leia. She gave him a puzzled look. Han responded by reaching over and clicking a switch on the top of the binoculars. She looked inside to see that Han had indeed made a much better video recording of the unknown ship than they could under the blanket of blowing snow. She clicked off the video and spoke, "Let's get this to the main computer to see if we can identify the craft." . . . Back on the Star Destroyer, Smite had finished off his drink. He offered to pay but the bartender had seen how quickly he had disposed of the earlier interlopers and waved his hand away. Smite nodded in gratitude and left the bar. Vader went to his bedroom and took off his gloves to reveal withered and bony hands. Well, one anyways. His other hand was robotic, showing he had clearly lost it in a light sabre battle. Looking at his hands for just a moment, he then carefully removed his dark mask and outer garments. While the front of his face could not be seen from this angle, it was clear from the back of his head that he was little more than "stapled" back together. Putting on a robe, he went to the sink and splashed a little cold water on his face. Dried it with a towel. There was little more he could do today. He was tired. While likely everyone in the base had assumed he wasn't human, in truth he was. Maybe a tired, withered, and hated human, but a human nonetheless. His misshapen head had just hit his pillow when he thought he heard something. Now a normal person would've dismissed it to nerves, but this was a message from the FORCE ! He bolted upright and concentrated deeply. For any messages that were sent through the force could never be private or singular. Any message sent was always public. And this one - yes - he could tell, it was from the dead spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi ! Now usually the dark side of the force and light side of the force could not meet each other very well, but having been an earlier disciple of the light side of the force, Vader, or Anakin as was his real name, could glean what the message was. He concentrated more deeply until the veins stood out on his forehead. Finally he heard it. * * * It was a message for his son from Obi-Wan. His teacher. He winced momentarily. Yes, it was him who had cut down the old man. But Vader was strong with the force. Any emotions or feelings for what he had done were a sure sign of weakness to the dark side of the force. He could make out a word now. "Leia." What about Leia ? Vader concentrated even deeper. His heart slowed and his breathing stopped entirely. "Leia - is - at - " He struggled as the last word was clouded over completely. He was just not going to get that last word. He huffed in anger, ready for sleep after all, but then stopped. Huffed. Hoffed. Hoff. Leia was on the planet Hoth ! No doubt with her rebel friends and army too. Sleep would have to wait. He went back to the sink and tapped a console. An assortment of pills slid out of a hidden drawer. He took two orange ones with a glass of water. Caffeinated, he got dressed back into his sinister black robe, gloves, and mask, and left his quarters. . . . Back with Leia, the computer had correctly identified the incoming craft. It was not from the Empire, no, it was Luke Skywalker in his "appropriated" X-Wing fighter craft. He landed, dismounted, and in seeing Leia running to him he lowered his head in shame. But Leia was not the least bit angry. "I was so worried." she says, raising his head up to look into her bright and shining countenance. Luke shook his head, "But I - " but Leia would not hear of it. "But nothing ! You saved the galaxy, Luke ! Maybe you went off on a bender afterwards, I don't know, but you're back, with us, and safe and ... right now we really need you !" Leia quickly filled Luke in on the details regarding riding with Han to the sinister source of magnetism. She drew up a map. The rebel base was finally starting to get some topography of the area by bouncing signals off the low-lying clouds. "Luke, I want you to go HERE. If there's someone operating the signal, this will cut them off." "Han, I want you HERE. Confront the signal directly. If there are any Empire soldiers, you know what to do." Han patted his side where his trusty blaster was. "Right. Shoot first. And ask question, afterwards. Usual method of interrogation." Luke felt sick. He had been through a lot and was still a little dizzy from the horrid medication that Rebecca had him on earlier. He suddenly lurched to the side to throw up. Han smiled and walked over to where Luke was. He patted Luke on his back as he was hunched over. "Better out than in, kid, I say." A moment later he retreated. "Phew ! What you been eating, Bantha ?" Leia brought a large towel for Luke. "Luke. I need you in this. Go to get washed up if you need to. But I want you both on Taun-Tauns and out the gate within the next hour." Luke nodded and quickly vacated. Leia called the Janitor on her wrist radio to get the floor cleaned. Han took this time to go back to his ship, the Millennium Falcon and spend a little time quickly repairing items that to date never worked properly on board. . . . Back with Vader, things were on the move. He had already convened a meeting to discuss an all-out attack on Hoth. One member of the Cabinet was unwilling to participate, saying this whole thing was conjectured from Vader's sad devotion to that old dead religion, the Force. Vader quickly snapped his neck from 20-feet away in mere seconds and no-one else had any further inquiries or jibes about the Force. Just as Han and Luke would be leaving within the hour, so too would be the fleet of the Empire - for the mightiest of all battles. The Empire versus the Rebels ! (to be continued) END OF CHAPTER 22 Return back HOME You are Earth Visitor #