The Empire's Fall (Pt.1)

Chapter Five: Aboard The Millennium Falcon

"Chewie, get us out of here!"

We all strap in for take off.

"Oh, my. I'd forgotten how much I hate space travel," Threepio says.

Han climbs into the pilot's chair next to Chewbacca, who chatters away as he points to something on the radar scope.

The pirateship zooms away from Tatooine into space, as we leave I close my eyes and think, 'This is the last time I'll see this sand plagued planet'.

I shake myself then I see Han frantically typing information into the ship's computer. Little Artoo appears momentarily at the cockpit doorway, beeps a few times and then scurries away.

Luke, Ila, Ben, and I make our way to the cockpit, although it seems as though I am in a daze. I suppose that's because this is the first time that I haven't had something to do, so it hits me. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are dead, the last conversation we had with Uncle Owen was a fight, and the last thing we said to Aunt Beru was that we would see her later, and... we never did.

"Stay sharp! There are two more coming in they're going to try to cut us off."

I shake myself out of my thoughts only to hear Luke say,

"Why don't you outrun them? I thought you said this thing was fast."

"Watch your mouth, kid, or you're going find yourself floating home. We'll be safe enough once we make the jump to hyperspace. Besides, I know a few maneuvers. We'll lose them."

Imperial cruisers fire at the ship. It shudders as an explosion flashes outside the window.

"Here's where the fun begins!"

"You call this fun!" I yell at the same time Ila asks,

"How long before you can make the jump to light speed?"

"It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the navi-computer. And yes, I do call this fun."

"You're insane," I mutter.

The ship begins to rock violently as lasers hit it.

"Are you kidding? At the rate they're gaining..."

"Be quiet, Luke!" I snap.

"Traveling through hyperspace isn't like dusting crops, boy!" Han says at the same time I snap at my brother. Then Han continues, "Without precise calculations we could fly right through a star or bounce too close to a supernova, and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"

The ship is now constantly battered with laserfire as a red warning light begins to flash.

"What's that flashing?" I ask.

"We're losing our deflector shield. Go strap yourselves in. I'm going to make the jump to light speed."

I feel the ship pick up speed, and then that feeling stops, it's almost as if we're no longer moving.

Ben and Ila find a couple of "seeker" robots and turn them on. We practice with our light sabers, trying to deflect the laser beams from the robot. Ben and Ila watch Luke and I practice with the small robot. Then suddenly they both turn away and sit down. They falter, and seem almost faint.

"Are you all right?" Luke asks quickly.

"What's wrong?"

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force..."