THE EIGHTH [han solo]

[3.04]

[SAND]

The sand storm was vicious, everywhere around them, the wind picked up the sand and threw it at everyone. Octavia hated sand, it got everywhere, and her eyes were itchy. Slowly, one by one, the group appeared from the veil of sand, pressing against the wind. First came Artoo and Threepio, followed by Octavia, with some scrappy fabric around her neck and head, protecting her from the sun. Next to Octavia, Han stood, and on the other side of him was Leia, who was guiding him across the sand. Behind the trio, there was Luke and Lando, who Octavia was refusing to acknowledge. The two boys were each supporting one side of Chewbacca, who was hobbling from his wound. Soon, Octavia could make out two dusty shapes in the sand. It was the Millennium Falcon and, parked beside it, Luke's trusty X-wing and a two-seated Y-wing. There was some shouting, but Octavia can't hear most of it.
"I don't know. All I can see is a lot of blowing sand!" Han yelled.
"That's all any of us can see." Leia retorted, rolling her eyes.
"Then I guess I'm getting better," Han said, grinning. Octavia rolled her eyes, and a jolt of panic went through her, he'd know that it was her as soon as she could see her, which was bad because she had lied.
"I've got to hand it to you, kid, you were pretty good out there," Han said to Luke, who shrugged off the compliment.
"I had a lot of help. Think nothing of it." Luke shrugged it off.
"No, I'm thinking a lot about it. That carbon freeze was the closest thing to death there is. And it wasn't just sleepin'. It was a big wide awake nothing!" Han said, and Octavia felt a shiver go down her spine. Luke nodded, as Chewie growled affectionately at the young Jedi, whereas Leia warmly hugged him.
"I'll see you back at the fleet," Luke said, moving back to his ship.
"Why don't you leave that crate and come with us?" Han asked. Octavia quickly darted into the other ship. It was Lando's, but she could easily return it. Then she remembered her track record with ships, they tended to blow up on her a lot. She grinned. Only one way to know for sure. She thought to herself.
"I have a promise I have to keep first... to an old friend." Luke boarded his own ship, giving a salute to Han, Lando and Leia as he took off in his spacecraft.
"Guess I owe you some thanks, too, Lando," Han said, looking dubiously at Lando.
"Figured if I left you frozen like that you'd just give me bad luck the rest of my life, so I might as well get you unfrozen sooner or later." Lando laughed.
"He means 'You're welcome'."
"Come on, let's get off this miserable dust ball."

[WAR ROOM,
REBEL HEADQUARTERS]

Octavia, supported by a few medics, stumbled through the war room.
"Sorry Captain, she wouldn't stay in the Infirmary." One of the Medics said, trying to stop Octavia without hurting her. She attempted to wriggle out of the Medic's grip, but he was taking none of her nonsense. Octavia looked around, in the centre of the room was a holographic model depicting the half-completed Imperial Death Star, the nearby Moon of Endor, and the protecting deflector shield.
"You wouldn't have kept her for much longer anyway, thank you for trying." Han rolled his eyes at Octavia, who could barely stand. He took her weight off the young medic, allowing him to go back to his job.
"Why are you like this Princess?" He asked, and Octavia closed her eyes, rolling them behind her eyelids.
"I want to see the plans, I'll be better by the time we enact them." She said, and Han was tempted to drop her on her ass.
"You will do no such thing, you need rest Vee, proper rest, not just your half-assed 'I'll lay down for an hour and I'll be good' rest." Han said, finding a chair for Octavia to sit down on, so he didn't have to support her. She winced as she sat down next to Ruby, one of the gunners that she'd fought with once upon a time. Octavia put her feet up on Artoo's head, much to the small dorid's annoyance. Rusty had been by her side since she returned, and beeped at her happily. Thunder curled up on her lap like a hot water bottle. She was reunited. That was when Mon Mothma entered, and everything went quiet. Lando moved towards the group of them that had crowded around Octavia. Han was stood behind Octavia, with Leia next to him and the droids on the floor in front of Octavia. Lando had a badge on his chest, the badge of a general.
"Well, look at you, a general, huh?" Han smiled.
"Ah, well, someone must have told them about my little manoeuvre at the battle of Taanab." Lando said.
"Wasn't me." Octavia deadpanned.
"Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were lookin' for somebody to lead this crazy attack.
"I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it." Lando said, a sly smile on his face.
"Well, who says they didn't. But I ain't crazy. You're the respectable one, remember?" Han laughed. That was when Mon Mothma signalled for attention and the room fell silent.
"The Emperor has made a critical error and the time for our attack has come." She said, her voice carried across the room. This caused a stir. Mon Mothma turned to a holographic model of the Death Star, the Endor moon and the protecting deflector shield in the centre of the room. "The data brought to us by the Bothan spies pinpoints the exact location of the Emperor's new battle station. We also know that the weapon systems of this Death Star are not yet operational. With the Imperial Fleet spread throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But most important of all, we've learned that the Emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star." A volley of spirited chatter erupted from the crowd. Han turned to Leia and Chewie barked his amazement. "Many of us have died to bring us this information. Admiral Ackbar, please." Admiral Ackbar stepped forward and pointed to the Death Star's force field and the Moon of Endor.
"You can see here the Death Star orbiting the forest Moon of Endor. Although the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet operational, the Death Star does have a strong defence mechanism. It is protected by an energy shield, which is generated from the nearby forest Moon of Endor. The shield must be deactivated if any attack is to be attempted. Once the shield is down, our cruisers will create a perimeter, while the fighters fly into the superstructure and attempt to knock out the main reactor." Ackbar explained as a concerned murmur ran through the room. "General Calrissian has volunteered to lead the fighter attack." Han turned to Lando with a look of respect.
"Good luck." Han said, and Lando nodded his thanks.
"You're gonna need it." Octavia muttered.
"General Madine." Ackbar nodded, and Madine moved centre stage.
"We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle. Disguised as a cargo ship, and using a secret Imperial code, a strike team will land on the moon and deactivate the shield generator." The assembly begins to mumble among themselves.
"Sounds dangerous." Threepio said.
"I wonder who they found to pull that off." Leia muttered to Han, and he glanced to Octavia.
"General Solo, is your strike team assembled?" Madine asked. Leia, startled, looked up at Han, surprise changing to admiration.
"Uh, my team's ready. I don't have a command crew for the shuttle." Han replied. Octavia raised her hand and volunteered. Han looked at her.
"Well, it's gonna be rough, Princess. I didn't want to speak for you." Octavia gave him one of her famous looks, the one that meant 'ask-me-if-I'm-okay-again-and-I'll-kill -you' and Chewie laughed. "That's one." Han said. Chewie growled and Han grinned. "Two."
"Uh, General... count me in." Leia said.
"I'm with you, too!" A voice came from behind them all. Everyone turned their heads and looked into the crowd as cheers rattled off the walls. The commanders parted like the red sea, and there at the back stood Luke. Han and Leia looked at each other, and Octavia looked delighted. Leia moves to Luke and embraced him warmly. In that moment, Octavia sensed a change in Luke and looked into his eyes questioningly.
"What is it?" Leia asked.
"Ask me again sometime." Luke replied.
"Luke." Han said.
"Hi, Han, Via... Chewie." Artoo beeped a singsong observation to a worried Threepio.
"'Exciting" is hardly the word I would use."

[MAIN DOCKING BAY,
REBEL HEADQUATERS]

The Millennium Falcon sat beyond the stolen Imperial ship, which stood out like a sore thumb among all the Rebel ships in the vast docking bay. Rebel soldiers and pilots ran around, undertaking their various tasks. Chewie barked a final farewell to Lando and lead Artoo, Rusty and Threepio up into the shuttle which was now crowded by the Rebel Strike Team who were loading weapons and supplies. Lando turned to face Han and Octavia, who was leaning on him for support.
"Look. I want you to take her. I mean it. Take her. You need all the help you can get. She's the fastest ship in the fleet." Han said, and Octavia kept her mouth shut, she didn't want to ruin their moment, especially considering she'd been such a pain in the ass to Han for a while now, and they had yet to have the talk about what went down before carbon freeze. Octavia was convinced that Han couldn't remember the tantalising moments before he was frozen, and Han was convinced that Octavia no longer felt that way and that it would be pointless talking to her about it.
"All right, old buddy. You know, I know what she means to you. I'll take good care of her. She-she won't get a scratch. All right?" Lando replied.
"Right. I got your promise now. Not a scratch." Han threatened.
"Look, would you get going, you pirate." Lando said, acting tougher than he was. The two of them paused, and Octavia stepped in.
"If you hurt The Falcon then you'll have me to deal with."
"Princess, you can barely stand on your own, let alone hurt someone." Han rolled his eyes. Octavia took that as a challenge, and placed all of her weight on Han, and kicked her boots at Lando's shins, seeing them as a weak point. Lando seethed in pain as the toe of the boot connected with his shin, and Octavia smirked.
"...I can't hurt anyone?" She said, with one eyebrow raised. Han sighed to himself.
"Apologise."
"No." Octavia replied, and Han turned to Lando.
"I tried." He said, and Lando laughed it off. The three stood in silence for a little longer.
"Good luck." Lando said.
"You, too." Han replied, supporting Octavia as the two of them made their way up the ramp.

[COCKPIT,
IMPERIAL SHUTTLE]

As Han and Octavia entered, they noticed Luke working on a back control panel. Han lowered Octavia gently into the copilot's seat, and he sat in the pilot's seat. Chewie was sat in the navigator's seat.
"You got her warmed?" Han asked, looking at the controls. Octavia had already got hers figured out.
"Yeah, she's comin' up." Luke replied. Chewie growled a complaint.
"No. I don't think the Empire had Wookiees in mind when they designed her, Chewie." Han rolled his eyes. Octavia turned around as Leia walked in from the hold and took her seat near Luke. She smiled at Leia, and Leia smiled back. Chewie barked again and hit some switches. Octavia nodded and flipped a couple more buttons. She nudged Han, who was meant to fire up the last switch, but his gaze was stuck on the Millennium Falcon. Octavia nudged him again.
"You there, Solo?" She asked.
"Yeah, I just got a funny feeling. Like I'm not gonna see her again." Han said. Octavia nodded with a small sigh.
"I've lost two ships Solo, but never the Falcon, she'll survive." Octavia said.
"Come on, General, let's move." Leia said, and Han snapped back to life.
"Right. Princesses one and two, Chewie, Luke, let's see what this piece of junk can do. Ready?"
"All set." Luke said.
"Here we go again." Threepio sighed.
"All right, hang on." Octavia said, pulling a lever back slowly, starting the engine.

--
my children!! oh man, so much is going on... and the series is coming to a close which is pretty sad, but, as always, vote and comment
love, rainey xo