Reckless • Han Solo

2.11 Denial

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

It was a feeling that told her something was genuinely wrong. Ellia grabbed the sides of her chair, holding onto it for dear life as she drifted out of the windshield to a far away place. Her breathing became manual just as her vision became blurry. There was no doubt in her mind something was wrong. Her instinct was telling her to turn the ship around and forget about the safety of everyone else on the ship. She was troubled and confused, lost in the invisible fog clouding her judgment, someone or something was calling desperately for help.

But it wasn't until when Leia spoke up, that it dawned on Ellia that they forgot someone back on Cloud City, Luke. In her grief and panic to flee the city, she forgot about the blonde haired boy she grew to care so much about and become a mentor to him, it wasn't until that moment in her life, she truly felt as if she was going to lose yet another person she cared oh so much for.

"You feel it?" Leia asked Ellia looking at her curiously.

"Of course I do, it's the Force," Ellia said knowingly, "Do you feel it?"

Leia answered with a short and small nod, causing Ellia to question Leia's true background. To be able to feel or communicate with the Force, you had to be Force Sensitive, but as long as Ellia knew Leia, she was nothing of this sort, only a princess, and Senator of a planet that no longer exist. 

"Turn the ship around Chewie," Ellia said.

Chewbacca growled in surprise, and a little unwilling to go back to the place and people they were running from. It seemed idiotic to the Wookiee. Luke or no Luke, he made a promise to his friend Han, and he was going to keep it. 

"I know where Luke is," Leia spoke up, "We know where he is."

"But what about those fighters?" Lando asked, shocked by Ellia's and Leia's commands.

Chewbacca barked in agreement causing Ellia to send a glare his way. "Chewie, just do it."

"But what about Vader?" Lando gulped.

Chewie turned to Lando, knowing he was on the low ground with Ellia and Leia and sent the newcomer a low ominous growl.

"All right, all right, all right," Lando grumbled throwing his hands up in defeat. 

"If he's a problem, I'll take care of him," Ellia growled.

Chewie turned the Falcon around obeying Ellia's directions with a graceful banking turn, back toward to Cloud City. The Falcon dived to the underside of the floating city as three TIE fighters closed in on the ship. 

"Look, someone's up there," Lando exclaimed pointing out of the cockpit window.

"It's Luke," Leia gushed as she continued to tap Ellia on the shoulder pointing to Luke who was hanging upside down from a pointed vein.

"Chewie, slow down. Slow down and we'll get under him," Ellia commanded before making her exit from the cockpit.

"Where are you going?" Leia questioned the blonde haired girl.

"Someone needs to get him," she responded before the door closed with a swoosh.

The hatch opened with a pop and a hiss of pressure, as the platform raised Ellia out of the Falcon. Luke was battered and on the verge of unconsciousness, not to mention his disembodied hand.

Ellia reached up to help Luke onto the platform, he went limp in her arms as she struggled to keep him supported. He was exhausted physically and mentally from his battle with Vader.