Star Wars: Lightforce

Chapter 41

"Han. Put me on the ground!" He turned sharply and stared at Leia.

"What?" he exclaimed, not understanding her request in the slightest. She pointed to the lights that were the peacekeepers.

"They'll be killed if that group of stormtroopers gets to them, and Luke's already struggling. They need another leader in the field." He was momentarily speechless. He couldn't think of a more ridiculous idea.

"I can just fly over and let off another cluster missile. I have one," he offered his alternative. She shook her head.

"You can't let one of those off there, the blast would incapacitate our own men. I can see what's going on. I need to be down there," she insisted. He turned away from her.

"There's no way I'm setting you down in the middle of that lot. There's nowhere to land anyway." It was only partially true, but he was grasping at straws for a reasonable excuse not to follow her instruction.

Leia huffed loudly.

"I'll use the cargo lift then, and you won't have to land. You can do a quick drop and then you'll be out of the line of fire." Damn, why did she have to be so smart.

"Forget it, Sweetheart. I won't do it." Chewbacca barked his agreement with Han. Leia's tone of voice changed to one he'd heard on countless occasions, the one she used when she wanted her own way, the one that earned her the fierce reputation. He winced, still refusing to meet her gaze, knowing all emotion would have gone from her face.

"Put me on the ground. Right now, Captain!" She unbuckled herself and got up from her seat. "Don't make me find another way off this ship," she warned. She would probably be able to do that too, he realised.

He turned to look at her.

"This is a stupid idea."

"Han, I'm not asking. Trust me and let me do my job," she softened. Marginally.

"They'll kill you." His expression showed his defeat. There was no arguing with her when she was like this, but everything inside him went against the idea. She laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I trust you to do your job as my husband and make sure they don't kill me." He smiled thinly at her reference as she turned to exit the cockpit. "Drop me as close to the peacekeepers as possible," she ordered.

"Leia," he called after her. She looked back, reading the look in his eyes.

"I know," she smiled, her warmth returning.

She ran for the cargo lift, opening the hatch and stepping in. She hit her earpiece comm. "Blake, I'm going down with Luke. Passing command back to you."

"You're going in the field?" Blake's voice paused. "OK." She sounded hesitant. "We'll co-ordinate from here. The peacekeepers are waiting for your orders."

"Good. Let them know I'll be with them in a few minutes. We have some friends to take care of - Alderaanian style." Leia drew her blaster in readiness and held onto some strapping hanging down in the lift compartment.

"They'll be pleased your leading them ma'am," Blake added.

"Don't encourage her, Blake," Han's voice chipped in over the comm. "She's gone completely mad."

"I know what I'm doing," Leia assured him. "Just let me know when we're in position." She took a deep breath, feeling the Falcon coming down lower and becoming still.

"In position. Go now," Han confirmed. "Watch yourself," he added. She smiled to herself at his concern and hit the button to lower the lift. It jerked into life, lowering her roughly through the Falcon's bulkhead and out into the open air. The Falcon hovered smoothly about twenty feet from the ground, the wind from it's downward thrusters blasting her hair and clothes, covering her in the debris it was kicking up, and forcing her to shield her eyes with her free arm. As the cargo lift neared the ground, she jumped the last couple of feet, keeping her body low as she ran for cover.