1st place: Star Wars Fanfiction Awards
Luke Skywalker is turning 8 in just a few days on Empire Day. Unfortunately, the Empire has ordered a galaxy-wide census on Empire Day. Instead of heading to the pod races, like his Uncle Owen had promised him...
"Follow me." Luke hurried toward the beat-up freighter.
Han and Chewie loped after the small boy. "Chewie, go warm up the engines. If we're heading to Alderaan, let's not waste any time."
Luke screeched to a stop on the tarmac. "No. Don't fire up the engines."
"Huh?"
"You'll kill her if you do that."
Han cocked his head trying to figure out what the kid was saying. "Look, kid—"
"Please, mister." Luke dragged the smuggler by the hand. "She's in there." He pointed to the starboard landing claw well.
"Call me 'Han.' I ain't no mister."
Chehwbacca approached the claw. When he reached his hands inside the well, Leia screamed long and loud in a high-pitched shriek.
The Wookiee roared and hurried from the noise with his hands on his heads, as the high-pitched frequency pierced his sensitive ears.
With his hands on his ears, Han asked Luke, "Can you get her to shut up?"
"Leia!" Luke yelled over her screams. "Leia, it's Luke. Leia!"
The screaming continued for many minutes.
"Leia!" Luke yelled again, but this time he sent the word through the Force. He tried it again. "Leia!"
The scream changed to a whimper. Through her sobs, Leia said, "I want my mommy."
Han took a step toward the landing claw. "Look, little girl, we're gonna take you to her. As soon as we get you out of there, we're heading to Alderaan."
Leia's cries continued. "No, I want my mommy. I want Padmé."
Luke's eyes widened at that name.
"Fine. Let me help you down, and I'll take you to Padmé. Whoever you want."
"Really?"
"Promise." Han took another step closer.
"But I can't get down. It's too far to jump."
"My partner will bring you down. Just let him grab you."
Chewie moaned something.
Leia gasped in fear. "No. Not the Wookiee. You."
Han tilted his head at Chewie before he stepped to the landing claw well. "All right, come on out of there." Soon, a white blur appeared half-way back. "That's it. Easy does it. Don't hit your head on that metal there."
When Leia reached the edge of her hiding spot, Luke breathed a sigh of relief. Her white dress was filthy and torn. Grease smudged her face and her arms. The hair that had escaped her braids matted together with the grease from the well.
The freighter captain extended his arms to the girl. "Jump down, now. I'll catch you."
"I'm afraid."
"Look, Princess, it's just a short hop." Han turned on the charm with his lopsided grin. "Trust me."
Leia looked at the ground and then at the tall man with dark hair. She closed her eyes and jumped, flying into the man's arms. When Han caught her, Leia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.
Not expecting the affection from a little girl, Han smiled in amusement and patted her back.
Luke said as he slapped his cheek, "Oh, brother. Not again."
Leia stuck her tongue out at Luke as Han set her on the tarmac.
"So, where's this Padmé?" Han asked.
Leia pointed toward the foreboding Imperial Palace. "There."
Chewie roared at Han.
"Look, I never agreed to take you to the Imperial Palace. You think I'm crazy?"
Chewie moaned.
The princess whimpered. "You promised." Her whimpers transformed to shrieks.
Luke said with a knowing look, "You'll get a reward."
Chewie moaned a question.
"The reward would be . . ." Luke said.
"What?" Han asked, turning his head toward Luke with a sharp jerk.
"Well, more wealth than you can imagine."
"I don't know. I can imagine quite a bit."
Leia said with her royal authority, "You'll get it."
Han knelt down next to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "All right, but as soon as we find this Padmé, we're out of here. The Empire's got enough reasons—"
Leia interrupted him with another hug and another kiss on the cheek. "I knew I could count on you."
"Just stick close to Chewie and me, kids. We'll get you there," Han said as he pulled out his DL-44 blaster.
Chewie asked Han a question as he rotated his bowcaster into firing position.
"I don't know. I'm making it up as I go along."
Luke rolled his eyes and whispered to Leia, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Leia whispered back with a wistful expression on her face. "I don't. Han's amazing. I'm going to marry him one day."
"Don't be silly. He's twice our age," Luke said trying not to laugh.
"Luke Skywalker, I'm not talking to you anymore." Leia hurried her steps, worming her way between Han and Chewie, leaving Luke to follow in the wake of the party.
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