THE EIGHTH [han solo]

[3.05]

[COCKPIT,
IMPERIAL SHUTTLE]

Han looked back at Luke and Leia as Chewie flipped several switches. Octavia watched out of the corner of her eye as Han worked silently. There was a very large tension in the room. Through the viewscreen, the group could see the Death Star and the huge Super Star Destroyer, it sent a violent shiver down Octavia's spine.
"If they don't go for this, we're gonna have to get outta here pretty quick, Chewie." Han said, and the Wookie growled in agreement.
"We have you on our screen now. Please identify."
"Shuttle Tydirium requesting deactivation of the deflector shield," Octavia said, using her nicest voice.
"Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code for shield passage."
"Transmission commencing." Octavia said, hands shaking as Han pressed the buttons. Leia and Chewbacca listen tensely as the sound of a high-speed transmission begins.
"Now we find out if that code is worth the price we paid." Leia whispered.
"It'll work. It'll work." Han repeated as Chewie whined nervously. Luke stared at the Huge Super Star Destroyer that loomed ever larger before them.
"Vader's on that ship." Luke said darkly.
"Now don't get jittery, Luke. There are a lot of command ships. Keep your distance though, Princess, but don't look like you're trying to keep your distance."
"Keep your distance, don't look like you're trying to keep your distance." Octavia repeated in her mimicking voice. She rolled her eyes and gave him a pointed look.
"I don't know. Fly casual." He said, shoving her slightly.
"I'm endangering the mission. I shouldn't have come." Luke said.
"It's your imagination, kid." Octavia said quietly. 
"Come on. Let's keep a little optimism here." Han said. Chewie barked his worry as the Super Star Destroyer grew larger out the window. The tension only grew.
"They're not goin' for it, Chewie."
"Shuttle Tydirium, deactivation of the shield will commence immediately. Follow your present course." Everyone breathed out a sigh of relief. Everyone but Luke, who, in Octavia's opinion looked worried. Chewie barked.
"Okay! I told you it was gonna work. No problem."
"Solo, I'm going to kill you if we don't die." Octavia said, no one noticed the fact that their hands had been clutching each other under the dashboard.

The stolen Imperial shuttle sat in a clearing of the moon's dark, primaeval forest, dwarfed by the ancient towering trees. Octavia looked around, in awe of the dark trees, she'd spent most of her days' planet hopping and had only ever seen a planet like this once before. She loved it. On an adjacent hill, the helmeted Rebel Contingent made its way up a steep trail. Octavia and Han walked slightly ahead of Leia, Chewie and Luke. The troops of the strike-team squad followed, with Artoo, Rusty and Threepio bringing up the rear. Artoo beeped. Up ahead, Octavia and Han reached the crest of the hill and dropped suddenly to the ground, signalling the rest of the group to stop. Leia and Luke crawl up to take a look.
"Oh, I told you it was dangerous here." Threepio said. Not far below the group, two Imperial Scouts were wandering through bushes in the valley below. Their two Rocket Bikes are parked nearby.
"Shall we try and go around?" Leia asked, looking at Octavia, she was the best strategist of the five of them.
"It'll take time. This whole party'll be for nothing if they see us." Han said, before Octavia could even open her mouth.

The five of them make their way to the edge of the clearing not far from the two Imperial scouts.
"Chewie and I will take care of this. You stay here." Han said, Octavia rolled her eyes.
"Solo, when are you going to realise I'll never stay out of the action." She said, drawing her blaster.
"Octavia be careful, your wound isn't fully healed and do it quietly, there might be more of them out there." Luke said.
"Hey... it's us." Han smirked. Octavia, Han and Chewie turned around and started creeping through the bushes towards the scouts. Luke and Leia exchanged worried smiles. Han snuck up behind one of the scouts, stepped on a twig and the scout whirled, knocking Han into a tree.
"Go for help! Go!" The first scout said. Octavia hit the barrel of her blaster over the Scout's head, knocking him unconscious. The second scout jumped on his speeder bike and took off, but Chewie managed to get off a fantastic shot on his crossbow, causing the scout to crash into a tree.
"Great. Come on." Luke said sarcastically.
"Over there! Two more of them!" Leia said.
"I see them. Wait, Leia!" Luke protested, and Octavia started to race over to Leo's, who was running to the speeder bike. She started it up and took off as Octavia lunged at Leo's, grabbing on the back of her speedster, clinging onto dear life.
"Quick! Jam their comlink. Center switch!" Luke said, watching Leia as her and Octavia sped off, Octavia's legs flying out from behind her as Leia was oblivious to the second girl on the speedster.
"Hey, wait! Ahhh!" Han said, flipping the last guard to the ground and huffing as he watched the three of them speed off. "Damn it Octavia." He muttered.