Kalon - Han Solo [1]

Chapter 10 : We're All Gonna Be A Lot Thinner

Tasha landed rather ungracefully in the pile of sludge and broken parts at the end of the garbage shoot.

"Are you ok?" asked Luke, helping her stand up in the clunky white suit. She nodded, trying to wipe the stuff off her hand, but they just slid down the legs of the suit. A shout sounded from above them and Tasha practically leapt out of the way as Han slid down the shoot and landed just as she had done. He tried to stand, looking all around him, trying to get his bearings.

"The garbage shoot was a really wonderful idea," he said, his voice still dripping in sarcasm, "what an incredible smell you've discovered." Leia frowned at him and Tasha let a light laugh escape her. Leia's eyes hardened when they landed on her sister, and Tasha's laughter quickly died down at the younger girl's gaze.

"You know it's not gonna take 'em long to figure out what's happened to us," said the smuggler, apparently oblivious to the tension between the siblings.

"It could be worse," Tasha sighed. A loud, groaning sound filled the air, and Tasha rolled her eyes.

"Really? Now you chose to make that noise!" she shouted at the ceiling. Han chuckled slightly, shaking his head at the raven girl as his eyes too roamed the walls. Luke jumped to the side suddenly and Tasha's eyes flickered up to his face.

"Something just moved past my leg." He said, his eyes following something in the water.

"It's just you're imagination, kid," Han replied dismissively. But somehow Tasha didn't think so. Her green eyes followed watched the water sloshing beneath them and spotted something moving.

"Look, there it is," she said, pointing at it. A black, slime covered snake-like thing slid through the water around Luke as Tasha watched.

"Where?" said Han, his eyes searching the water where her finger pointed to no result. She lowered her hand, following the beast as it swam in circles around the farmboy.

"Luke watch-!" she began, but her warning wasn't fast enough as the blonde boy was pulled under the grimy surface of the water.

"Luke!" Han shouted, running towards where Luke had disappeared, his movements hampered by the murky water that surrounded them.

"Luke!" she shouted as well also fighting her way over. Her heart beating fast, she dug around by her feet, trying to find the blonde Skywalker. "Luke!"

A thrashing form broke the surface of the water and Tasha gasped. Around Luke's neck was a huge, slimy tentacle. He seemed to be as lost for breath with the thing wrapped around his neck as Tasha pulled on the slimy thing with no result.

"Blast it will ya, my gun's jammed!" he shouted.

"Where?" Han yelled back. Tasha threw up her arms in exasperation at his stupid question.

"Anywhere!!" Luke shouted, being dragged under again. The water thrashed again where Luke had been, Tasha shouting his name again. She turned on Han.

"What sort of a dumb question is that!" she shouted at him, waving her arms in the air, "where should I blast it, Luke?!!"

"Calm down princess," he shouted, "you weren't any better!" their arguing was interrupted by a great splash right next to them. Tasha whirled around and saw Luke gasping for breath.

"What happened?" she said, pulling him into a sitting position.

"I don't know, it just disappeared!" he replied, still seeming pretty shaken up. Well in all fairness he had just nearly been drowned and strangled by, well, by something that lives in the garbage disposal of the Death Star.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly, squatting down next to him and sitting a reassuring hand onto his shoulder. The blonde boy managed a nod, still sucking in deep breaths. A shuddering sound filled the still air. Tasha and Han glanced at each other nervously, wondering what was gonna happen now. The sound of scratching, creaking metal erupted, the floor shifting under them and the walls moving around them.

"The walls are moving!" Leia screeched. It took everything Tasha had not to come up with a sarcastic reply.

"Well don't just stand there, try and brace it with something!" Tasha yelled at her, grabbing a large metal pole and trying to lift it into the air. It wasn't that it was too heavy; it was that it wasn't balanced. "A little help?" she said sarcastically to Han as he stood watching the girl in action. The pole bent and shuddered under the pressure of the walls as Han helped Tasha prop up the other end. It wasn't working; Tasha could tell it wasn't working. The pole bent in the middle, jutting out towards her, and she jumped back.

"Any more bright ideas, princess?" Han muttered. Tasha shrugged.

"I think it's your turn now, lover boy," she said.

"Get on top of it," Han said, lifting her slightly up onto the pile of garbage. Leia's long dress dragged her down, crushing her between it.

"Leia!" Tasha called, climbing back and gently lifting the younger girl up to where she was a moment before. Leia struggled against Tasha, fighting her.

"I don't need your help!" she spat, and a rather hurt look passed Tasha's face, not that it stopped her. Tasha felt herself get dragged further under the trash.

"Come on princess," said Han, leaning his hand down to her. Tasha took it and he pulled her up, closer to where Leia was.

"Well one thing's for sure we're all gonna be a lot thinner." Han commented, and Tasha laughed, all be it rather hysterically. Luke was shouting over the clanking and scraping of the metal, although Tasha couldn't hear him. Her mind was on more pressing thoughts, as the walls were now less than three metres apart. She clung to the top of the pile of garbage, determined not to get dragged down again. A cacophony of scratching and crushing surrounded them like an orchestra, drowning Tasha's heavy breathing and the fact her heart was beating like it was going to jump out of chest and –

And then it all stopped. The crashing, the crunching. The impending sense of doom that had enveloped Tasha drained out of her like the plug had been pulled out of it. A small breath of relief fell out of her mouth, as well as another hysterical burst of laughter. She wasn't the only one. Han laughed in relief and let out a shout of triumph, an infectious smirk on his face. A smile fought its way onto Tasha's face as Han hugged her. She went to hug Leia, but the girl slipped past her, still cold.

Now to just get out of here.