Reckless • Han Solo

2.9 Paramount

CHAPTER TWENTY

Silence lay over the corridor like a down-filled duvet over the area, muffling the slightest sound and creating an atmosphere of total tranquility. But the calm hall was terrifying to Ellia. For a place that in normally occupied with attendants, not a single person or creature was seen or heard.

Ellia's black riding boots gripped the white tiled floor as she ran like she was saving her own life, in a sense she was, she was saving Han. Her chrome blaster hung at her side shaking from her nerves, but it was ready to be fired in sight of a Stormtrooper or Imperial. Her blonde curly locks were falling out of the sloppy braid that flew behind her as she ran down the corridors. Her clothes were sodden from the previous torture session with Vader and running. But none of those factors stopped her.

She slowed to a slow jog as a red glowing light appeared from under a door drawing her in. The air-sealed door opened with a swoosh displaying a scene to Ellia that she couldn't form into words. The large circular room was dimly lit, the red orange lights contrasting with the various faces in the room, various wires hung from the ceiling, along with a large crane that was in the middle. The floor was formed from grates, smoking wildly forming at the ankles of the people in the room, but in the middle a hole was cut out, perfect size for the crane.

No one heard her come in, everyone's attention was drawn to the smoking floor. Something was happening.

Ellia slunk her way against the wall, trying to remain invisible to the crowd but once she saw the man in black armor, she knew the gig was up. What puzzled her was, the fact that Vader wasn't doing anything. She knew he could feel her presence in the room, and he knew she was in the room, which puzzled him of why he wasn't doing anything.

Her worrying of being caught by Vader was gone when she caught glimpse of Leia clutching onto Chewbacca, and a dismantled but very active 3PO on the Wookiee's back. Her feeling of worry couldn't rival her next feeling when she realized Han wasn't with them. She scanned the room looking for him but he wasn't anywhere to be found.

Abruptly the crane hanging from the ceiling discharged into the chamber below. Ellia watched enticed, curious of what it was to bring up. It felt like forever until the crane came back up clutching onto a rectangular piece of steaming gray metal. The crane dropped the piece of metal onto the floor, a thud echoing through Ellia's mind.

Something deep down in her told her not to look but, her curiosity got the best of her and she mustered up enough courage to advance to the railing so the hunk of metal could be better inspected. But what she wasn't expecting was the silhouette of Han Solo encased in the metal.

It was like the world was collapsing around her, not a moment elapsed leaving the pain to tear her apart even longer. It felt as is she was beaten and bruised, but the scars would never heal and her heart was being ripped out. It would be her nightmare that would never end causing her to scream until she was dead. Her safety and everything she knew and loved were being crushed and demised, along with Han. It wasn't until that moment she realized how much she needed him, how much she loved him, and nobody would know how much anger she was feeling.

Her mouth finally formed words, "No!" She jumped down to the first level of the room, her blaster already out and ready to be fired. However, by this time everyone's attention was focused on her making her actions much harder.

Ellia lifted her arm to fire, but the Stormtrooper beat her to it. She ducked, finding cover behind the metal steps. She reached her arm out, firing, but her grungy blaster was nothing compared to the reputable blasters shooting at her.

She ran from the cover of the steps, dodging the whizzing lasers being fired at her. Pew. Pew. Pew. She smiled like a mad woman at her own stupidity as she fled toward Leia and Chewbacca. When she glanced toward Vader and the bounty hunter standing beside him, she discovered his daunting blaster pointed right at her.

She dove onto the floor, making her a moving target for all who was shooting at her but stopped when she was in clear range of the bounty hunter, who threatened to take Han away. Her finger was lined up to the trigger, all she had to do was pull and she was ready to do so, but abruptly a pair of robust arms wrapped around her waist pulling her aside to stay away from the shots.

"Stop!" Vader's loud mechanical voice boomed as he pushed the bounty hunter's gun down.

"Let me go!" Ellia screeched, elbowing Lando forcefully in the stomach, the one who pulled her away and possibly saved her life.

Ellia stood up, her blaster still directed at the villains in the room. She glided toward Leia, Chewie, and C-3PO, never putting the blaster down.

"Put the gun down girl," the bounty hunter's raspy voice advised.

"Ellia, please don't do this. You'll only make it worse," Leia pleaded to her friend.

She turned around to face Chewbacca who had an aurora of gray around him. "Chewie?" she asked, her voice came out barely a whisper.

The Wookiee only groaned and wrapped his furry arms around the small girl, making her immobile. Ellia knew everyone had given up and it felt like a punch to her gut. She did no more fighting, only fell limp in Chewbacca's arms allowing him to foothold her weight. The world came to a final crash around her and it was the final straw, for the first time in a long time she broke down, sobbing in distress.

"Well, Calrissian, did he survive?" Vader asked, ignoring the girl's sobs.

Lando after finally recovering from the blow caused by Ellia stood up and trudged toward the carbon-frozen Han Solo. He bent down to adjust the temperature before answering, "Yes, he's alive. And in perfect hibernation."

"He's all yours bounty hunter," Vader communicated, "Rest the chamber for Skywalker."

Ellia looked at him through tear-filled eyes, her anger boiling over. In less than an hour, he would have of officially taken everything from her. The aggressive behavior that she buried deep down in her was at this time very abundant and targeted all at Vader and the bounty hunter.

"Skywalker has just landed, my lord," an Imperial Officer enlightened Vader, "What shall I do with the girl?"

"See to it that he finds his way here," Vader declared, "Calrissian, take the princess, the Wookiee, and the Jedi to my ship."

"You said the princess and the Wookiee would be left in the city under my supervision!" vociferated, obviously enraged at the lies Vader was feeding him.

"I'm altering the deal. Pray, I don't alter it any further," Vader snapped at him before turning around.

"How am I suppose to move the Jedi by myself?" Lando called at him.

Vader made a sharp turn to face them before continuing his path, "If she really cares about Captain Solo, she will go willingly."

Ellia watched disheartened as the trail of people left the room, only leaving her minuscule group of friends, Lando, and the people packaging Han. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."