The Jon Solo Chronicles Book 3: Return of the Jedi

Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. It belongs to Lucasfilm and Disney. The only characters I do own are Jon Solo and Dr. Revef Edoc. This is a purely fan-made story. It was written just for FUN, NOT PROFIT. No copyright infringement is intended.

It was nighttime in Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tattooine. This night would perhaps be the most important one in Jon Solo's fourteen years of life. Now, after a year, he and his father, Han, were finally about to be reunited. Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, whom over the past year, Jon had come to think of as his mother, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian, were all with him. The droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, were back at the Millennium Falcon, awaiting the group's return.

The Carbonite-encased form of Han Solo hung on a wall in Jabba's throne room. Jon and the others walked up to it. Han's face was frozen in an agonized, silent scream. His hands were held out in front of him. It was just as Jon remembered from Bespin. He reached out to touch Han's face.

"Hey, Dad," said Jon. "It's me, Jon. I promised myself I'd find you. And here I am. We're all here." He gestured to Luke, Leia, Chewie and Lando. "None of us would give up on you, Dad." Jon's voice cracked as he spoke. But whether it was from the emotion of the moment, or his voice having recently changed, Jon couldn't tell.

"Ok, Jon," Leia whispered, her hands on the teenager's shoulders. "Set your father free."

"Sure, Mom," Jon replied with a nod. He quickly pushed a series of buttons on the control panel, which began the melting thawing process. The Carbonite heated up to give Han's body an orange-reddish glow, which was then replaced by a bright white light. Once that subsided, Han's skin and clothing became visible. First his hands, then his face. And more of his body, until he was completely free, only to fall to the floor of Jabba's throne room. The sound echoed around Jon, and he quickly looked around, afraid that the noise would wake Jabba or anyone else. But the coast was clear. Exhaling in relief, Jon rushed over to Han's side. The elder Solo was lying motionless, eyes closed, perhaps in sleep.

"Hey, Dad," Jon said quietly. He began shaking Han's shoulder. "It's time to wake up." Han wasn't stirring. "Get up, Dad. Quit playing around. I know you've been in suspended animation all this time, but you're not that tired. Dad? Dad, come on." He shook Han once more, really starting to get scared now. "You gotta get up. Dad?! We gotta go home!" Again, Han wasn't  moving.

"Mom?" Jon asked nervously as he turned to face Leia and the others. "Luke, Chewie, Lando, Dad's not waking up. Why isn't he getting up? It's not supposed to happen this way." The three adult humans, and the Wookiee, rolled Han over on his back. Not only was he unconscious, he didn't appear to be breathing at all.

"Han, are you all right?" Leia asked urgently. "Can you hear me?" Han didn't answer her. Jon came to his mother's side. They both knelt beside Han. The young man leaned close to his father's mouth, hoping to find a breath, but he didn't. Jon was in full panic mode. He put his hands on the side of Han's neck, felt both his wrists, then finally put his ear to Han's chest, desperately searching for any indication that his father was alive.

"NO! NO! NO!" Jon repeated in exclamation. "Don't leave me, Dad! Not again! Not now, after I've finally found you! Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!" His pleas were punctuated by him pounding on Han's chest, until Leia pulled him away, and he felt Chewie's long, hairy arms envelop him. Leia, Luke and Lando all alternated in giving Han CPR. It wasn't easy, considering that they had neither a med-scanner, or a defibrillator.