The Chronicles of Cordelia Solo

Chapter 24 - Return of the Jedi

"Han!" Luke calls. 

"Luke!" He replies. 

"Are you all right?" He asks. Cordelia stumbles into the hallway after them, a guard gripping her arm tight enough to leave a bruise.

"Fine. Together again, huh?" Han says. 

Cordelia rolls her eyes at him, stomping on the guard's foot when he pushes her again. The guard is pushed away from her, and another takes his place. She's about to yell at him, but stops, realizing the guard is Lando in disguise. She smiles at him, relieved to have another friend with her.

"Wouldn't miss it." He responds. 

"How are we doing?" He asks.

"Same as always." Luke tells him.

"That bad, huh? Where's Leia?" He asks. 

"I'm here." She says.

"His High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately." 3PO translates to the four prisoners in front of the platform.

"Good. I hate long waits." Han replies. 

"Shut up!" Cordelia hisses, elbowing him the best she can with her wrists bound behind her back.

"You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the Pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc." He continues.

"Doesn't sound so bad." He says. Cordelia elbows him again.

"Every time you say something like that, it gets worse." She scolds.

"In his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over 1,000 years." 3PO finishes. Chewie growls.

"Told you so." She mutters.

"Yeah. On second thought, let's pass on that." Han says.

"You should have bargained." Luke tells Jabba. "That's the last mistake you'll ever make." He says as they're dragged away. Jabba laughs as the gang follows them outside.

***

Cordelia stands behind the three in front of her, trying to shield herself from the wind and cursing Jabba and his gang under her breath for not giving her anything to cover up with.

"I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur." Han says.

"There's nothing to see. I used to live here, you know." Luke replies.

"You're going to die here, you know. Convenient." He tells him. Cordelia pinches his arm, hard enough for him to try and glare in her direction.

"Just stick close to Chewie and Lando. I've taken care of everything." Luke tells the siblings.

"Oh. Great." He says sarcastically. Cordelia pinches him again.

"Shut up and stop being an asshole. It's really not a good look." She scolds.

***

Cordelia watches as two of Jabba's goons nudge Luke near the plank leading to the Sarlacc pit. She shifts closer to Lando, who grabs her arm, both for comfort and to keep up the act. 

"Victims of the almighty Sarlacc, His Excellency hopes that you will die honorably. But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your please." 3PO translates. Cordelia rolls her eyes at the offer.

"3PO, you tell that slimy piece of worm-ridden filth he'll get no such pleasure from us!" Han yells. "Right?" He adds. Chewie growls in agreement.

"Jabba...this is your last chance. Free us or die." Luke calls. The gang on Jabba's sail barge laugh at the threat.

"Move him into position." Jabba orders.

The gang member nearest to Luke pokes him in the back with his weapon and Luke moves to the edge of the plank. He looks at Lando and nods, then looks to R2. He salutes to him before turning around and hopping off the plank, grabbing onto the end and launching himself into the air. He flips back onto the ship and catches his lightsaber.

He activates it and quickly takes out two gang members. Lando removes his helmet and smacks one of the others, knocking him off the ship and into the pit. Luke takes out the final free gang member as Lando wrestles with the other. He cuts Cordelia free before moving towards Chewie and Han.

Cordelia moves and shoves the gang member as one from the other ship fires. The three go over the side of the ship, the gang member falling into the pit as Cordelia and Lando hang from a piece of rope. The two begin yelling for help as Boba flies over and lands on the ship.

Luke slices his blaster in half as the others continue firing. Chewie falls to the ground, taking Han with him.

"Chewie, you're hit? Where is it?" Han asks.

Boba fires his grappling hook, tying Luke up with it. Another blaster fires and Luke deflects it, sending it to Boba. He falls to the ground near where Cordelia and Lando hang.

"Han! Chewie!" Lando and Cordelia yell, still hanging from the rope.

"Lando! Bug!" Han says, turning in the direction of their shouts. Luke jumps onto the other ship and Boba stands, turning to go after him. Chewie growls to warn Han, who has one of the fallen gang members weapons. "Boba Fett? Boba Fett? Where?" He asks.

Han turns, accidentally stabbing Boba's jetpack. It activates and sends him flying off the ship as he screams. He lands in the sand and tumbles down into the Sarlacc pit. Han moves towards the edge of the ship near the two, holding the spear towards them.

"Bug, grab it!" He calls.

"Lower it!" Lando yells back.

"I'm trying!" He replies. The ship is hit again and lurches to the side, knocking Han over the side, too. He dangles over the edge, his ankle tangled up in a pile of rope. "Grab me, Chewie."

"Hurry up! I don't know how much longer I can hold on!" Cordelia cries, trying her hardest to keep her grip on the rope.

"I'm slipping!" Lando calls. The rope slips from his grip and he lands on the sand just under them. Han holds the end of the spear towards him as Chewie holds his legs.

"Grab it! Almost...You almost got it." Han encourages. "Gently, now. All right. Easy, easy. Hold me, Chewie!" The Sarlacc grabs Lando's ankle, and he shrieks, trying to get it off.

"Han, hurry!" Cordelia screams as it starts to drag him down.

"Chewie! Chewie, give me the gun. Don't move, Lando." He says.

"Wait! I thought you were blind!" He yells.

"It's all right! I can see a lot better! Don't move!" He replies.

"A little higher! Just a little higher!" Lando calls. Han fires and the Sarlacc shrieks as it lets go of Lando. He scrambles up towards them and grabs the end of the spear.

"Chewie, pull us up." Han says. Chewie starts pulling them up and gets them both on the ship. The three of them rush towards Cordelia and pull her up, collapsing onto the deck once they're all safely onboard. She pulls the three of them into a hug, relieved that her brothers are with her again.

"Let's go. And don't forget the droids." Luke tells them as he and Leia joins them a few moments later. Lando moves to the controls.

"We're on our way." He says.