Redamancy - Han Solo [3]

Chapter 16: So Are You

You've failed, Tasha.

The words flashed through her skull in a voice she hadn't heard in years. She shook her head, trying to clear it, hoping it was just her brain playing tricks on her again.

Han was looking at her expectantly; he must've said something.

"You alright?" he said, looking concerned. The raven-headed girl just nodded, trying to pull her attention back to the Ewok who had jumped onto one of the troopers' speeder bikes.

"There goes our surprise attack," Han sighed, also trying to focus on the small creature. If something was seriously up, Tasha would tell him. He had to trust her. The scouts shouted as they noticed the little fur ball, just as he hit the right switch to send the bike zooming away from the clearing. How he was able to sit upright on the thing with his small legs and little paws was another mystery entirely. Stormtroopers jumped onto their bikes, speeding off after him, and only leaving behind the one whose bike had been stolen, who himself didn't seem happy about being left alone, waving his fist in the air at his comrades, trying to attract their attention.

"Not bad for a little fur ball, there's only one left," Han commented, looking around again at Tasha, who still seemed far away, "you stay here, we'll take care of this." Tasha just nodded. Okay, something was definitely not right. Han nodded at Chewie, and the two disappeared into the undergrowth.

The Emperor will turn him.

Then why tell me? Her mind snapped back furiously, if we're all so doomed why waste your energy?

The connection shut off, her head ringing slightly like when someone puts the phone down on you, that silence that has a sound. He hadn't expected her to fight back.

Tasha felt like she was sleepwalking through the assault. She hadn't said a word since she'd argued with Han about their plan. She crouched down out of sight behind the bunker, weapon drawn with the rest of the strike team, waiting as Han lured the guard quietly around the corner. That funny buzzing was still ringing through her head.

Why had he made that connection again? why now? Just to unsettle her? Seemed like a lot of effort to got through for that, but then he was always dramatic.

"You awake?" Han asked. The guard was stood in front of them, the plan had worked and Tasha hadn't even noticed. She shook her head again, trying to wake herself up.

"Yeah," she said, voice tight, "have you got the code?" adjusting her blaster in her hand she stood, walking around purposefully. If he was just trying to unsettle her, she wasn't going to let him. She'd let her feeling mess up enough perfectly laid plans.

"Yeah," Han replied, still looking at her unsure, having to almost jog to catch up with her as she stopped in front of the panel, giving him cover as he typed the access codes into a panel on the door. They ran behind the corner, waiting, in case their arrival wasn't as quiet as they'd hope.

The metal split, sliding open soundlessly. Still nothing. Tasha poked her head around, looking, watching. Nothing. She nodded at Han and Leia on the other side, and the group silently entered the control bunker, leaving one member of the squad outside as a lookout, and Threepio and Artoo up on the ridge, hidden by the tree line.

They didn't encounter anyone as they made their way into the main control room, even the doors got out of their way as they stormed in.

Imperial officers and technicians looked shocked as the group entered, raising their arms above their heads in surrender.

"All right! Move!" shouted Han at the technicians near the consoles, and they stood up quickly, scurrying away to join the rest of their group. The officer in charge sneered at Tasha as she took his blaster.

"You'll never get away with this," he snarled at her. Tasha smirked, pointing both weapons at him.

"Looks like we already have," she jerked her head towards the other prisoners, "over there with the others."

"You heard her!" Kes shouted from where he stood watching the other imperials, "over here."

Leia was looking at one of the screens, trying to decipher it.

"What've we got?" Tasha asked, holding both guns at her side to look over Leia's shoulder. The younger girl pointed to a read out on the screen. Tasha nodded even though Leia wasn't looking at her, straightening back up.

"Han!" she shouted, addressing the smuggler, "hurry! The fleet'll be here any moment!"

"Charges!" shouted Han impatiently at one of the strike team, "come on!" he caught the bag full of bombs easily, as if it wasn't full of explosives.

"You're going to blow us all up!" the imperial officer again. Tasha's smirk returned, though this time slightly more bitter.

"No," she looked straight at him, "unlike you, we don't mind taking prisoners."

Time's up.

The words knocked the wind out of her again. she teetered slightly on her feet, taking a step backwards. Han rushed to her, catching her arm as she wobbled.

"You okay?"

"Freeze!" the clipped voice came from behind them, Tasha breaking out of her head enough to turn around with the rest of the group, only to find dozens of imperial weapons trained on them, odds they could never hope to beat in this situation. And they just kept coming, more and more imperial troops entered to already cramped space, roughly seizing the heroes' weapons. Except for the lightsaber Tasha still had hidden (in case of emergencies, you understand).

Han and Tasha exchanged a look, both hoping the other had a way out of this and both being sorely disappointed.

The officer Tasha had been antagonising smirked at her as one of his troops handed him back his blaster. The black-haired girl straightened up slightly as he walked over to her, staring him down, daring him to do something.

"I think you'll find we also take prisoners, miss Ryann," he sneered. Tasha just smirked back at him, which probably wasn't her best move. Next thing she knew, his gloved hand cracked across her face. She heard it more than felt it, her face moving with the force of his slap. A warmth spread across her face, a tingling singeing pain emanating from where he hit her. Tasha looked back up at him, hand touching her face gingerly, but her smirk didn't drop. The rebel troops all shouted, outraged, and Leia looked at the officer like she could strangle him with her bare hands.

"You're going to that wish we'd killed you." The officer spat at her; eyes narrowed with rage.

"Yeah?" replied Tasha, challengingly, "so are you."