THE EIGHTH [han solo]

[1.10]

"Is everyone here?" Leia asked.
"Han, Luke, Leia, Rusty, Artoo, Threepio..." Octavia did a quick headcount, nodding at Leia. "Yeah, everyone except for Ben." She said.
"I found Ben." Han said, pointing at the duel going on. Ben was there, as was Vader, their lightsabers meeting in a clash of colour. The Stormtroopers rushed forward to help out their master.
"Now's our chance." Octavia said, pushing Leia forward to run to the ship. "Go, go, go." Octavia encouraged, making sure the droids were across before sending Chewie and Han. Then Luke and her crossed, just as Ben turned to Luke, Vader brought down his lightsaber in a sweeping motion, cutting Ben in half,
"NO!" Yelled Octavia, pain raging though her body. She had no idea how his death affected her, but she was grabbed by Luke, dragging her to the safety of the ship as blaster blots rained down on them. They made it to the ship, closing the door behind them. Luke collapsed into a chair and Octavia made it into the cockpit, sitting in the navigators chair, tears in her eyes. She was confused as to why this old mans death hurt her so much.
"I hope the old man got that tractor beam out if commission, or this is going to be a real short trip. Okay, hit it!" Chewie pulled back on a control, and the ship took off. "We're coming up on the sentry ships. Hold 'em off! Angle the deflector shields while I charge up the main guns!" Han said, and Octavia smiled, finally, something to distract her.
"I don't know why it's affecting me, I mean, I barely knew the man." She said.
"Get up then Princess, it's not over yet, you and me on the guns." He stood up and jogged out to the guns. Han took the top side gun, Octavia the lower one. "You in princess? Stay sharp." Octavia grinned. She lived for moments like these. Dramatic escapes with her crew-no, her friends. Thunder climbed into her lap, and Octavia let out a small chuckle.
"Eyes front Solo."

The computers graphic read-outs appeared on Octavia's screen. She pulled her headphones and mic over her head, brushing a strand of hair out of the way.
"Here they come!" Leia said, she and Luke were in the cockpit with Chewbacca. Thunder purred and Octavia grinned. She swivelled the controls around, following the fast moving targets around. She shot but it managed to dodge it.
"They're too quick!" Octavia yelled in frustration. Han shot one down and whooped in joy. Octavia growled.
"You were saying?"
"Shut it Solo." Octavia threatened. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and concentrated, swirling around, she followed one of the fighters with her gun, and shot it down.
"Got 'im!" Octavia yelled, proud of herself.
"There's still two more out there!" Leia warned.
"Be careful, we've lost lateral controls!" Luke said.
"Don't worry she'll hold together." Han said. "You here me baby, hold together." Han muttered
"Oh don't worry I'm planning on it." Octavia winked up at him, laughing. Just as she said that, Han blew up the third one.
"One more and I win!" He laughed.
"I wasn't aware it was a competition Solo." She said, hissing and concentrating. With not a moment to spare, she hit the last one, sending it up in flames. "I'll see you all in hell." She saluted to the flaming fireball.

[THE COCKPIT
MILLENNIUM FALCON]

Han and Octavia walked in, his arm slung around her shoulder, physical contact from Octavia was rare, as she didn't like being close to people, but today was a good day, they'd escaped deaths clutches. Han flopped into the pilots seat, pulling Octavia onto his lap.
"Solo, release me this instant!" She laughed, glaring at him until he let her go. She slid into the co-pilots seat, smiling up at Leia.
"Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh?" Octavia said, smiling.
"You know, sometimes I even amaze myself." Han added.
"That doesn't sound too hard." Octavia fired back.
"Besides, they let us go. It's the only explanation for the ease of our escape." Leia have a pointed look to both Han and Octavia.
"Easy... you call that easy?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"They're tracking us!" Leia practically hissed
"Not this ship, sister." Han growled back.
"Now now ladies, behave." Octavia put her feet up on the dash.
"At least the information in Artoo is still intact." Leia ignored Octavia.
"What's so important? What's he carrying?" Han asked.
"The technical readouts of that battle station. I only hope that when the data is analysed, a weakness can be found. It's not over yet!" She said, with a flourishing hand movement.
"It is for me, sister! Look, I ain't in this for your revolution, and I'm not in it for you. I expect to be well paid. I'm- we're in it for the money!"
"You needn't worry about your reward. If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive!" Leia said, or rather, spat in Han's face, she stood up, glared at Octavia and left.
"God, what's her problem?" Octavia asked.
"Feet off the dash princess." Han said to her, she pouted and placed her feet flat on the ground. It was at that moment, Han teasing Octavia, and Octavia accepting it, that Luke walked in.
"So... what do you think of her, Han, Octavia?"
"I'm trying not to, kid!"
"Good..." Luke said under his breath.
"Why Blondie?" Octavia said, leaning in over his shoulder. "You jealous?" She whispered in his ear, just loud enough for Han to hear. He set his jaw and rolled his eyes.
"Still, she's got a lot of spirit. I don't know, what do you think? Do you think a princess and a guy like me..." Han threw a look at Octavia to see if he'd got to her.
"No!" Luke said with finality and looked away. It was this side of Han Solo that Octavia couldn't stand, therefore, she stood up, and walked out.

[MASSASSI OUTPOST
FOURTH MOON OF YAVIN]

Octavia stood away from the crowds as Leia was welcomed home. She was encased in a large hug.
"You're safe! We had feared the worst." He released her and stepped back.
"When we heard about Alderaan, we were afraid that you were... lost along with your father."
"We don't have time for our sorrows, Commander. The battle station has surely tracked us here." She sent a pointed look ho Han. "It's the only explanation for the ease of our escape. You must use the information in this R2 unit to plan the attack. It is our only hope." Leia said.
"This is insane." Han looked around.
"Not thinking of enlisting are you Solo?"
"Never." He laughed.

[INTERIOR
MASSASSI OUTPOST]

Octavia sat down at a table in a private room. Leia had given her time to shower and clean up, and some new clothes. She walked out in beige pants, her normal boots, and a blue dress of sorts. It was sleeveless and and a matching cloak, however she politely declined the cloak, much preferring her even darker blue military coat. She buttoned it up and sat patiently as Leia plaited her hair. Leia pulled back the hair that usually got in the way of her face, braiding it into the rest of her hair, making sure none of it would get in the way. Then Leia took a piece of hair slightly lower on her head, plaiting it back, and adding it into the first, she secured it together and let the rest fall down in its natural waves.
"Why are you doing this for me?" Octavia asked, as Leia ran her fingers through her hair.
"You saved me life, it's the least I could do for you."
"You know, I'm just gonna mess it up again."
"Yes, but it's worth it to see the look on Han's face when sees you."
"What are you on about?" Octavia asked, puzzled. Leia just smirked.
"You two really have no idea." She said, shaking her head. "Come on, we have to get to the meeting." She said, standing up, and leading her into the war room. The large room was filled with pilots and generals and all sorts of droids and rebels. Leia forced to Octavia up the front with her. She looked around for a familiar face, and finally spotted Luke in the middle, all dressed up in pilots gear, them Han stood at the back
"The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet. It's defences are designed around a direct large- scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defence." Dodonna explained
"Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub fighters going to be against that?" Gold Leader asked.
"Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defence. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia and her allies has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station. The approach will not be easy. You are required to manoeuvre straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only two meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station." Octavia smirked and a murmur of disbelief ran through the room.
"Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray- shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes."
"That's impossible, even for a computer." Another pilot said, Wedge.
"It's not impossible. I used to bull's- eye womp rats in my T-sixteen back home. They're not much bigger than two meters." Luke said.
"Man your ships! And may the Force be with you!" Dodonna said.