3 Chapter 003

Han and Chewie both made their way back to the cockpit, but Han already knew what was going to happen next. Alderaan was nothing but an asteroid storm. Why was he going to allow the suction of their ship into the Death Star? Because he plans on taking advantage of this opportunity to meet you know who, Leia...

Frank had a crush on the princess since he was a young boy. He was crushed when the actress who portrayed her, Carrie Fisher, died. Now, he would meet her. But hey, there's a chance that she could not possess the same charm she did in the films. Hell, this is the real fucking deal now. It's not a game. I just plan on taking advantage of this timeline. Some will die, but, that's the way of life.

As the Falcon was a few minutes away from entering the Alderaan system, Han glanced at the controls. Obi-Wan, who left Luke in the training room followed the pair into the cockpit and seized the opportunity to continue his conversation with Han. This smuggler could be crucial in the destruction of the Empire. 

"Your unique approach to the Force is intriguing, Captain," Obi-Wan began. "Not every Force user shares the same philosophy."

Han smirked, a twinkle in his eyes. "Philosophy? That's a big word, old man. I just do what works. No need for fancy speeches or ancient codes. The galaxy's a tough place, and sometimes you've got to play it by ear. Not to put salt on the raging wound, but the Jedi speaking in the past tense General Kenobi, or Ben. Whichever you like nowadays, have learned that lesson."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully, recognizing the truth in Han's words. The galaxy was indeed a tough place, and perhaps the Force manifested in various ways. The Jedi had made mistakes, it's undeniable. But he wouldn't let the mistakes erase the ideology that he believes is the correct path. 

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"Stand by, Chewie, here we go. Cut in the sublight engines," Han barked, pulling back on a control lever. Outside the cockpit window, stars streaked past, seemingly slowing down, and then abruptly stopped. The starship began to shudder and violently shake as asteroids raced toward them, battering the sides of the ship.

What the...? Aw, we've come out of hyperspace into a meteor shower. Some kind of asteroid collision. It's not on any of the charts," Hank exclaimed, observing the chaos outside. Chewbacca calmly flipped off several controls, appearing unfazed by the emergency. Luke made his way into the bouncing cockpit.

"What's going on?" Luke questioned.

"Our position is correct, except... no, Alderaan!" Han declared.

"What do you mean? Where is it?" Luke asked.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, kid. It ain't there. It's been blown away," Han replied with a mixture of fake disbelief and concern.

"Destroyed... by the Empire!" Ben added, who was already in the cockpit. "The entire starfleet couldn't destroy the whole planet. It'd take a thousand ships with more firepower than I've..." Frank's voice trailed off as a signal flashed on the control panel, and a muffled alarm started humming.

"There's another ship coming in," Han announced.

"Maybe they know what happened," Luke suggested.

""It's an Imperial fighter,"" Han and Ben said in union.

Chewbacca barked his concern as a huge explosion burst outside the cockpit window, shaking the ship violently. A tiny, finned Imperial TIE fighter raced past the cockpit window.

"It followed us!" Luke exclaimed.

"No. It's a short-range fighter," Ben clarified.

"There aren't any bases around here. Where did it come from?" Han wondered aloud.

The TIE fighter raced past the Corellian pirate ship in space. Inside the Millennium Falcon's cockpit, tension mounted as the pirate ship gained on the tiny fighter. In the distance, one of the stars became brighter, obvious that the TIE ship was heading for it. Ben stood behind Chewbacca.

"A fighter that size couldn't get this deep into space on its own," Ben noted.

"It must have gotten lost, been part of a convoy or something," Luke theorized.

"Well, he ain't going to be around long enough to tell anyone about us," Han declared confidently.

The TIE fighter was losing ground to the larger pirate ship as they raced toward the distant star. In the cockpit, the star turned out to be a small moon or planet.

"Look at him. He's headed for that small moon," Luke observed.

"I think I can get him before he gets there... he's almost in range," Han said determinedly.

The small moon began to take on the appearance of a monstrous spherical battle station.

"By the way, that's no damn moon! It's a space station," Han declared. The sheer magnitude of it sent chills throughout his entire body. Seeing it in real time gives you a sort of doomed feeling, wow that must be depressing for those incapable of controlling their fate.

"It's too big to be a space station," Luke added.

Han, who tried his hardest to hold in his laugh, Frank stated the famous line. "I have a very bad feeling about this," Han chimed in.

"Full reverse! Chewie, lock in the auxiliary power," Han ordered.

The pirate ship shuddered, and the TIE fighter accelerated away toward the gargantuan battle station.

"Why are we still moving towards it?" Luke asked.

"We're caught in a tractor beam! It's pulling us in!" Han explained.

"But there's gotta be something you can do!" Luke urged.

"There's nothin' I can do about it, kid. I'm in full power. I'm going to have to shut down. But don't worry, we'll be fine. Trust in the force right?" Han declared with a smile and determination in his voice.

Ben put a hand on Frank's shoulder. "Strong words indeed, but you can't win. However, there are alternatives to fighting."

The Millennium Falcon continued its inexorable journey into the unknown, caught in the gravitational pull of the mysterious space station.

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The battered pirate starship was towed closer to the awesome metal moon, the Death Star, whose immense size became staggering. Along the equator of the gigantic sphere ran a mile-high band of huge docking ports, and into these ports, the helpless pirate ship was dragged.

As the Millennium Falcon approached the huge port doors of the Death Star, it was pulled past a docking port control room and massive laser turret cannons. The voice over the Death Star intercom echoed through the corridors.

"Clear Bay twenty-three-seven. We are opening the magnetic field."

In the Death Star's docking bay 2037, the pirate ship came to rest. Thirty stormtroopers stood at attention in a central assembly area.

"To your stations!" an officer barked, directing another officer to accompany him.

In the Death Star's hallway, stormtroopers ran to their posts. In hangar 2037, a line of stormtroopers marched toward the pirate ship, ready to board, while others stood with weapons at the ready.

"Close all outboard shields! Close all outboard shields!" the officer ordered.

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In the Death Star's conference room, Tarkin pushed a button and responded to the intercom buzz.

"Yes."

The voice over the intercom reported, "We've captured a freighter entering the remains of the Alderaan system. Its markings match those of a ship that blasted its way out of Mos Eisley."

"They must be trying to return the stolen plans to the princess. She may yet be of some use to us," Vader commented.

In docking bay 2037, Vader and a commander approached the troops as an officer and several heavily armed troops exited the spacecraft.

"Unlock one-five-seven and nine. Release charges," the voice over the intercom ordered.

"There's no one on board, sir. According to the log, the crew abandoned the ship right after takeoff. It must be a decoy, sir. Several of the escape pods have been jettisoned," the officer reported.

"Did you find any droids?" Vader inquired.

"No, sir. If there were any on board, they must also have jettisoned," the officer replied.

"Send a scanning crew on board. I want every part of this ship checked," Vader commanded.

"Yes, sir," the officer acknowledged.

Vader, feeling three exceptionally strong presences in the force, only took serious notice of one due to its familiar presence, muttering to himself, "I sense something... a presence I haven't felt since..."

Exiting the hangar quickly, Vader ordered, "Get me a scanning crew in here on the double. I want every part of this ship checked!"

The Millennium Falcon, now within the Death Star, faced an uncertain fate. The crew, unaware of the Imperial forces preparing to board, braced themselves for the inevitable encounter.