Part 16

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He found her in her room, hunched over, crying and losing consciousness. He had never seen her in such a state, she was holding her head and unable to get up. He covered her with a second quilt. Then he sat on the ground and tenderly brushed away the strands of her hair falling on her paper-colored face with a grimace of pain. He waited for Han, to whom he had already let him know that Mona was very unwell, and for the droid from the medical center, whom Leia was to notify. The droid arrived in the room. He gently examined her, looked into her eyes and did a head scan. After a few moments, he pulled out a syringe with some kind of agent and gave her an injection. After which he left. Luke covered her again. Minutes passed. The girl was still as if half asleep, muddled by pain and weakened. She had the feeling that she could not open her eyes, as if her eyelids were made of lead . She realized that she was not alone but it was difficult for her to even move let alone speak, whisper anything . Finally, after several long minutes, she felt a change. The pain was no longer so intense, the throbbing was calming down, which allowed her to breathe more calmly already. She also relaxed her hitherto tense body and her consciousness was coming . She slowly opened her eyes and saw the concerned, helpless face of her friend . Then for the first time she gently smiled through her tears ....

 Then for the first time she gently smiled through her tears

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- I'm sorry... very over...

- Siiii... Lie down... quietly,-  he whispered, - Are you warm? - he asked the question while correcting the pillow under her head.

Mona nodded , and tears again flowed into her eyes. She could not say anything again, the lump in her throat choked her words. She stared and breathed quietly. Luke moved closer to her, sat down on the floor again. She looked frightened, tired and exhausted. Slowly, her colors were returning. But just then, he noticed the beauty in her. Somehow, before, he had only perceived in her a friend. She never particularly emphasized her beauty. She was always natural, girlish, modest, without any inclination to flaunt it. Perhaps it was because her manner and personality were so far from emphasizing sex appeal that they did not see her as the attractive woman she clearly was. Her beauty was contained not only in the fact that she had the face of an angel and a slender figure, but what a heart, soul and mind she had. Of which he had already managed to find out.

*

Mona fell asleep. She was exhausted from the pain. Luke couldn't understand why Han didn't speak. He let him know as soon as he received a message from his sister. He established a connection with the princess and informed her of the situation that Han's communicator was inactive. Leia was worried about her friend, but now that she knew Mona was asleep her anxiety shifted to the lack of contact with Han. The days were long and the sun was still shining. Despite the cold weather, one could take a breather from the snowstorms and the ever-increasing snow. Though this one on Hoth, you'll never run out. As powdery as fluff, it enveloped everything with its quilt, forming heaps over a meter high in very dangerous places. Within the hour, a search was decided.

*

The communicator completely discharged when Han nervously , still having a little strength, fiddled with it. The gap into which Han and his Tauntaun fell was narrow, but deep. About three hours earlier, when he shook the reins hard, the animal gained momentum. They were already a long way from the base when a message came from Luke. Despite the fact that his patrol was not yet over, Han had to return. From what he had learned, Mona needed help. Just a few dozen minutes ago he was sitting in the saddle and turning around. Suddenly, without knowing why, a heap of snow beneath his feet parted and Han soared down the isthmus between the glaciers. He tried to grab onto something but didn't make it. The wall was steep, and there were a couple of small ice shelves at the bottom. Heavily covered with snow. Although the fall ,was not very painful, his pet immediately suffered death. Han lay for a while, on what seemed like a soft cushion of snow, but when he tried to get up he clearly felt the aftermath of the fall from a height. He felt a piercing pain in his back as he tried to rise or change positions. Worse pain, however, he felt at the level of his knee, which was still accompanied, in addition, by a warm feeling. There, blood was oozing from the torn leg. He tried to reach his carry-on bag, which lay perilously on the edge of the shelf. Its strap dangled beyond it. Han saw it out of the corner of his eye, but his back, which also gave out when moving, prevented him from any maneuver. Precious minutes, he spent struggling to move a little, at least a few centimeters, to reach the bag. This posed a challenge for him. The shelf, even though it was covered with a down feather, was actually made of ice, which may have covered a rock somewhere in the middle, but Han had a right to feel bruised, bruised and additionally angry at himself for not paying attention. He was worried about Mona. Admittedly, she was driving him to frustration with the fact that she was sticking up for the princess and could be extremely stubborn, but her health was of no concern to him.

- Wrrrr.....- he growled in pain and helplessness at the same time.

His figure was approaching the ideal level relative to the bag. Still, his hand was unable to reach it. A few more centimeters , bought with pain, and again and again. His fingers were, just, just about to grab the bag. And suddenly two things happened at once. Han heard a distinct crack. Then another, and the shelf began to fall gently at a downward angle. The bag disappeared from sight, as quickly as if by magic. And he slowly ,dangerously began to slide down the slope. The slippery surface did not allow him to make any move except the inevitable one, which he did not allow into his mind in this situation, and yet in a few moments his situation could get dramatically worse. The sky above him was still bright. A gentle down pour had begun to fall. Han thought that, despite the situation, he would use the only option as it was left to him. He had no intention of making his living in this ice coffin. He reached for his blaster and decided to take one and only one shot at the sky. This once . Maybe, someone, will be able to hear him.

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