Rise of the Teenage Conquerors

Episode 1.30

Leana gripped her lightsaber tightly as she and Luke moved through the pristine halls of Cloud City, both R2-D2 and R4-14 trundling along behind them. Her heart was beating quickly within her chest, and Leana felt like it was loud enough for Luke to hear, as well.

It was almost too much to believe.

I wonder if Lucas, Lumina, and Ben are okay.

Leana felt a pang of guilt and fear. She hadn't thought much about her friends since leaving Hoth, hadn't stopped to consider that their lot would have been the asteroid field and imprisonment on Cloud City while she was off training to be a Jedi. She hadn't stopped to consider that they might have been hurt.

Oh, please, don't let them be hurt. Please let them be all right.

Up ahead, a corner loomed and Leana resisted the urge to thumb the switch on her lightsaber. She had positioned it in such a way that her finger wouldn't accidentally turn the blade on before she was ready. Glancing back at Luke, she could see him holding his blaster and found herself wishing for one, too, just in case. No, a Jedi's weapon is the lightsaber. You wanted to be a Jedi, Leana – stick to the lightsaber.

I can only hope all those years pretending will pay off.

Leana glanced around the corner, into the hallway it led into, and then pulled back, exhaling slowly. "What?" Luke asked her in a hushed voice. "What's the matter? Is anyone there?"

"Not yet," Leana murmured. "Or not now, maybe. I don't know if we're early or late."

"Early or late for what?" Luke whispered, sounding confused.

Leana sighed, unsure how much to say about what was coming next. "If no one shows up, we'll move on."

Luke gave her a strange look, but didn't protest. They stood there for a long minute, Leana growing more impatient by the second. She could sense Luke's impatience as well, which did nothing for her own concentration.

Then they heard the footsteps.

Leana's finger hovered over the ignition of her lightsaber hilt as the footsteps neared. That must be Boba Fett and Han Solo, now encased in carbonite. If she and Luke worked quickly, they could save Han from being handed over to Jabba the Hutt.

"One," she counted quietly, glancing at Luke. "Two, three!"

Leana thumbed the switch as she and Luke dashed out into the corridor, her green blade springing to life as he lifted his blaster. Boba Fett spun around toward them, firing quickly. Leana only barely managed to deflect the first laser.

"I just got to the good song!" Boba bellowed as he fired rapidly at Leana and Luke. "Stop bothering me!"

Leana really wanted to stop and just be confused by that sentence, but there was no time. She kept deflecting the fired lasers, Qui-Gon's lightsaber flashing through the air as the stormtroopers opened fire on her and Luke. She heard a screech from one the droids behind her, followed by a concerned whistle. But she had no time to check on them as one laser winged her arm and Leana yelped involuntarily, retreating back.

Three of them, two of us – but we've got the Force. One Jedi is worth a thousand battle droids, so we must be worth at least more than two stormtroopers.

But logic aside, it was hard to concentrate with all the flying lasers. Both she and Luke were forced back into their corridor as Boba and the stormtroopers beat it with the carbon frozen Han. Once there, Leana was saddened to see the smoking head of R4-14, who had been struck by a stray laser.

"Oh, no," she murmured, dropping to one knee. "I'm so sorry, Arfour." Leana glanced over at R2-D2. "Can she be repaired?"

R2-D2 gave a sad whistle, confirming Leana's worst fears.