Cold Embrace - A Star Wars Fan Fiction

It Begins

The Falcon had an uninterrupted flight to the designated coordinates above the planet, where it docked swiftly with the Home One, the flagship of famed military leader Admiral Ackbar. Han instructed Chewie to stay with the Falcon to continue repairs, while he and Leia made their way to the bridge. As they moved through the labyrinthine corridors of this graceful and elegant vessel, they could see mechanics, workers and soldiers dashing about, hauling munitions, preparing for whatever evil may be waiting for them. They soon reached the command bridge, where the Mon Calamari war veteran was waiting for them. Just as Han was about to shake the admiral's hand, he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"If it isn't my favourite swindler!" sounded the voice, in a register as smooth as silk.

Han turned round, only to be grabbed in a tight, manly hug by his old friend, Lando Calrissian.

Lando was one of those friends. Yeah, those friends. The kind that keep you on your toes. They may drive you up the wall, but you still can't stand watching them leave, and regardless of what they say, you know that they'll always have your back, always.

"How're you doin' buddy?" he chatted warmly.
"Alright, I guess," Han replied, playing it cool.

Lando then noticed Leia stood behind Han.

"Leia," he greeted, as friendly (and non-flirtatious) as he could muster. "How's that beautiful newborn gettin' along?"

Leia smiled. She could tell that Lando was trying his hardest to make amends for his previous behaviour around her, and she thought it right to reward his effort.

"Ben's doing fine, I've left him with a nanny. Thank you for asking," she said kindly.

"If there's ever anything I can do to help, you let me know," he offered, and Leia smiled gratefully in turn.

They were then interrupted by the grouchy, authoritative voice of Admiral Ackbar.

"If we could get back to the matter at hand," he interjected.

"What have you found, admiral?" Han asked directly, eager to contribute.

"So far, nothing," Ackbar responded. "We've swept the entire system, and no sign of Imperial activity,"

"Are you sure you've checked the outer reaches?" Han questioned.

As the two continued discussing the situation, Leia began to drift into thought. She couldn't help noticing just now eager her husband was to be at the forefront of the conversation, and to make as worthwhile a contribution as possible. She started to wonder why? Was he trying to prove something? Surely the galaxy was well aware of his talents by now, after all it was him who saved her brother at the last second during the Battle of Yavin, allowing him to fire off that fateful torpedo, and it was him who led the Rebel strike team to victory on Endor, causing the destruction of the Death Star shield generator. He was already renowned as a war hero, what did he have to prove? Was it something to do with Ben? Was his role as a father putting a strain on his work? Parenthood was a stressful experience, they both knew that going into it, but Leia was convinced that something else was bothering him.

"Hey, Leia, are you okay?" Lando asked, concerned.

She snapped back into reality.

"Yes yes, I'm fine, thank you," she stuttered.

She clearly wasn't, but right now they had more important matters to deal with.

"Alright," announced Han. "We'll do one last sweep, then we'll return to base,"

"Very good," Ackbar concurred.

It took mere minutes for the Home One to do another full sweep of the sector, but to the people on board, it felt like hours. Hours of staring into a void of darkness, with only an occasional asteroid to make things interesting. Hours of watching a radar spin round and round on a computer screen. Hours of the first officer reading out endless ten-digit numbers off the galactic charts. Hours of awkward, meaningful glances between the crew members. Hours of searching, hours of waiting, hours of nothing.

"Looks like Mon Mothma was right, just a glitch in the system," Han concluded.

"It would appear so," Ackbar observed. "Very well then, you and the Princess may be on your way,"

"Thank you, admiral," Leia said in a civilised manner.

"Well then," Lando cut in. "What say you and I hit the town tonight, Han ol' buddy? You can bring your fuzzball t~"

The ground shuddered, around them they could hear creaking, groaning, as though something was putting stress on the ship.

"What was that?" Leia asked proactively, though clearly concerned.

"Status report!?" Ackbar demanded.

The first officer, a Mon Calamari like Ackbar, though considerably less advanced in years, responded.

"Everything seems fine admiral, must have been a passing asteroid,"

"Very well then. Maintain our present course," Ackbar instructed.

Suddenly the entire room was illuminated with blinding red lights, as the sound of the alarm rung like a death scream over the speakers. The first officer rushed to his monitor.

"CONTACT!" he shouted.

"Move us into atta~"

Before he could even finish the sentence, the ship was rocked again, this time much more violently, shaking the entire room and sending people flying off their feet. The next thing they heard was an ear-piercing bang. Leia sprinted down to the exit, leading into the main bulk of the ship, only to see it lit up with fire. There had been an explosion somewhere on the other side of the ship, and the flames were heading right for them. In a flash, Leia smacked her hand down on the lever controlling the door, and locked it tight, keeping the fire at bay. She hurried back to the command bridge, where every face was filled with shock and confusion.

"We've lost our starboard engines! The hyperdrive has been disabled!!" shouted a voice from the crew.
"HOW?!" Han exclaimed.
"Whatever this ship is, its come out of nowhere! A concentrated barrage right to the engines before we could even respond!" Leia conjectured.

As Leia and Ackbar began frantically discussing their next course of action, the noticed that Han and Lando's attention was elsewhere. They were looking up, out of the window, with expressions of horror. They joined their friends, and saw what they were up against. Hovering directly above them, with its devastating weapons at the ready, was the indisputable, terrifying design, of an Imperial Star Destroyer. All were horrified, but only Leia understood the full ramifications of this.

"They were supposed to all be destroyed!" Han protested.
"Wait," Leia interjected. "Look at the hull,"

Their attention was drawn to the bottom of the imposing ship. Where there would normally be nothing but grey, there was a piece of abstract artwork, elegantly crafted into the very spine of the ship.

"What about it?" Lando asked.
"I know that ship," Leia said, shaking.

Sure enough, she did. She knew the ship, she knew the commander, and she could only begin to imagine what nefarious schemes were being plotted over on its command bridge.

"Dead on target sir," Captain Vixor informed his commanding officer. "Ship immobilised,"

A sadistic smile appeared on Grand Admiral Thrawn's face.

"Then begin," he ordered smugly. "No mercy, no surrender, no survivors,"

With that, the Chimaera opened fire on the disabled Home One. As the blackness of space was lit up with the green light of lasers and the fiery ferocity of explosions, Thrawn looked down on his handiwork, on the destruction that he caused, and he thought it good.