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Saga - OT SHOWDOWN

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Hopefulwriter, Mar 14, 2016.

  1. Hopefulwriter

    Hopefulwriter Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 6, 2016
    Author: Hopeful Writer
    Star Wars Original Trilogy - Story written in 1986
    Adventure
    Characters: Han Solo, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian

    The group go to a cantina for a little relaxation and Han has to confront someone from his past.


    Luke, Leia, Lando Han and Chewbacca shouldered their way through the rowdy crowd which populated the small, dingy, port-city cantina, as they tried to find an out-of-the-way table to accommodate them all. Leia wrinkled her nose in disgust and covered one ear with the palm of her hand to muffle the driving, pirimitive, nearly overpowering drum beat of the bawdy band. With the other, she pushed away the hands and tentacles that reached out to grasp at her as she and the others moved slowly toward a back booth.

    "What an awful place." She commented loudly, throwing a scathing look at Han's back.

    "Yeah." Lando agreed, surveying the room. He'd seen the inside of many disreputable places, but nothing like this. The bar was lined with nearly every conceivable form of life, all obviously intoxicated, but still eagerly downing the various liquids served up by the bartender." Couples huddled in corners and booths while others swayed dance-like to the music. The room was cave-like, dark and hazy. "You sure know how to pick em."

    "No pick to it." Han answered the jibe as he stopped at an empty corner booth and waited while the others scooted into their seats.

    "This is the ONLY place around here to get a drink, and I NEED one. I didn't hear anyone complain when I mention the idea, did I?"

    No one answered. He and Chewbacca seated themselves last, facing each other on the opposite side of the booth; their customary positions in places such as this; always ready, in case trouble
    decided to pay a call.

    "'It's awfully dark in here". Leia said, straining to see through the shadows and smoke.

    Han leaned back, welcoming the cool padding against tension-tired shoulders. "Some of these guys would say it's TOO light for the sort of business they carry on."

    "Like what?" The Princess asked, then quickly ammended, "Never mind, I don't think I want to know". When she saw a wicked smile cross the Corellian's face.

    "This reminds me of the cantina in Mos Eisley, where Ben and I first met you". Luke commented, speaking for the first time since their arrival.

    "That was a long time ago". Han replied. "I'm surprised you remember."

    "Yeah". Skywalker answered wistfully, thinking back.

    A grotesque, barely-dressed and distinctly female humanoid server slithered to their booth.

    "And what will you have?" She asked, eyeing Solo as if he were the only on seated at the table. Brazenly, she slid one hand along Han's shoulders and down across his chest. Catching Leia's shocked and annoyed reaction, he grinned and removed the server's hand and held it away to avoid further 'exploration'. "Just bring us two bottles of Zahmeon and five glasses and we'll do the rest".
    He folded currency into her hand before releasing it.

    She examined it appreciatively, and leaned over, virtually lip-to-lip with him. "You want anything
    else, you know where I am". She turned, then, and slithered to the bar to fill the order.

    "Well". Lando raised his brows and gave a teasing laugh. "No one would ever know you'd never been here before".

    "His reputation preceeds him." Leia spat. Even though their relationship had changed, she still didn't quite know what to make of his dubious past, especially at times like this.

    Han refused to be bated; he knew they were all tired and irritable and apt to snap at each other.
    "Look, I just want to have a drink and unwind. We've been through a lot today, but if you want to go back to the ship, go ahead."

    "And leave you to the likes of HER?" Leia answered. "Not on your life!"

    "I think we should celebrate". Luke interrupted, attempting to raise their sunken morale. "I admit, it wasn't easy getting those supplies, but we did it". Chewbacca woofed in agreement.

    "Who'd've thought we'd still have to work undercoveer for the Alliance?" Lando mused. "After all, Vader and the Emperor are dead -- it should be over". Realizing what he had said, the black man gave Luke a sympathetic glance. "Sorry, kid." Skywalker nodded in understanding.

    "There are still some sections of the galaxy that hate the Rebellion". Leia went on, "and this is one of those places. You have to admit, some areas prospered quite well under the Emperor's rule; Verinaze was one of them. Now, this planet's got to start all over again, and that's hard for anyone to accept. They're bitter. It'll take time to win them over. Until then, we have to move cautiously."

    Han nodded in silent agreement, though the look in his eyes said he was thinking of more than the Alliance or Verinaze; he was remembering, quite clearly, the time he had to start is own life over.

    At the bar, a young man watched intently as the sultry humanoid server took a full tray from the counter and made her way to a back booth. Raising a glass to his lips, he drank eagerly of the firey, bittersweet liquid. He contiuned to watch every movement of the female as she placed the glasses and bottles before the customers. From his own bottle, he refilled his glass and again drank thirstily. As he watched the exchange of conversation between them, recognition slowly penetrated his
    fuzzy mind.

    He KNEW that spacer! Fire surged through his veins as he came to full realization of who that
    spacer was and what he NOW had to do.

    "Another bottle". He rasped at the barkeep. The scruffy man eyed the youth skeptically, but produced a full bottle when currency was laid on the counter. His business was to make money, not to worry about the sobriety of young fools who didn't have the sense to know when to stop.

    The young man's hands shook unsteadily as he downed several more drinks. He wasn't drinking
    to steady his nerves, he reasoned, but to enforce his courage and to numb himself against
    what he HAD to do.

    Realizing that time was passing, perhaps even running out, he finally took a deep breath and squared his shoulders as he slid off the barstool. Walking slowly toward the back booth, he never took his eyes off the spacer. The drumbeat became a pounding pulse within him, growing stronger and stronger until he couldn't distinguish it from his own heartbeat. He burned with a confidence and purpose that was bolstered by the contents of the two bottles he'd downed. Stopping less than a
    meter from the booth, he called out the name he knew the man now went by; "SOLO!"

    All conversation at the table stopped as Han turned and looked at the one who'd called his name. He eyed the young man, quickly, from the slightly unkept brown hair, his handsome features and the common deck clothes. Han particularly noted the presence of a blaster strapped his left thigh. The young man was fingering the leather absently. Dismissing him, Han turned back to his companions.

    'SOLO!!" The persistent young man called again, more loudly. Nearby patrons looked up curiously.

    Han turned again. Luke and Leia glanced at each other while Lando nodded to Chewbacca, who nodded back.

    "Yes?" The Corellian answered, draining his glass and calmly setting it back down on the table.

    "We have some unfinished business.'' The youth flexed his shoulders. A frown knit Calrissian's
    brow. The boy was a good ten or twelve solar years younger than Han; he'd have been a kid
    when Han began making 'deals' and doing business with his likes.

    "I have no business with you." Han told him flatly.

    "I say you do." He insisted. "And I'm calling you out to finish it."

    Solo smiled lazily, a camouflage to cover his alertness. "Use you head kid. You don't want to do this."

    The young man took a deep breath. "You either fight me fair or I'll kill you where you sit. I vowed a long time ago I'd take care of you for what you did to my family."

    Leia looked at Han, concerned. She knew little about Han's past, and her imagination was running wild, hearing the young spacer's words. She hoped someone would stop this before it started; no matter how cranky she'd been feeling, she couldn't bear the thought of possibly losing Han in a senseless baroom brawl. Not after all they'd been through together. "Han?"
    "Stay out of this Leia." He told her gruffly, not wanting her or any of the others to get involved.

    "It's been ten years, Solo." The youth went on. "But I knew I'd find you one day."

    "And you did, so go home, kid, you're drunk."

    'Are you afraid to fight me? You're older now and maybe you're not as good as you used to be. Is that it?"
    "You don't want to find out." Han whispered menacingly, a snear on his face; he made no attempt to move.

    "Frustrated, the young man drew his blaster and aimed it at Leia. Sensing a deadly confrontation.
    the patrons scatterd from their corners and tables.

    "You fight me Solo." He hissed between anger-clenched teeth, "or your pretty girlfriend here will be the first to die for your cowardice."

    Han looked up and into the boy's burning, dark eyes; he could see he meant business. By threatening Leia, he had forced Han's hand, He didn't know if the young man had friends around the cantina backing him up

    "I don't want to do this." The Corellian said, rising slowly.

    The youth laughed sarcastically. "You think you're gonna kill me, Han." He patronized. "I'm good..
    and fast...faster than you ever dreamed of being. You see, I've been practicing every day for the last ten years, just for this very moment. Can you say the same?" He eyed the others at the table. "No,
    it's YOUR friends who'll mourn, Solo, not mine."

    Leia couldn't stand it. "Han!" She cried.

    "Leave him alone." Lando interrupted, placing a restraining hand on Leia's arm to keep her from
    rising. "This is something he can't back down from." The Princess glared at him, but his very serious expression stilled her.

    The lethal blaster still aimed at Leia, the young man began slowly backing into the center of the room, which had been clearned by judicious patrons. Han matched him step for step forward, until they were standing in the middle of the room, each illuminated by the faint light.

    The boy holstered his weapon as Han flipped open the restraining strip on his own. Tension was thick, and every breath could be heard in the dead silence.

    "This is where justice is finally meted out and my family honor restored." The young man declared.
    He spat the last words like a curse from a doomed man's lips. "Good bye..Han Solo, you'll never know what hit you."

    In a split second that stopped eternity, both men drew and fired. Blinding light flashed, lightning the obscenely filthy cantina for one, painful moment. Leia's scream of fear echoed through the room.

    Slowly, the noise of scream and blasters faded along with the light, leaving the lone survivor standing in shadow. Lando and Chewbacca quickly slid from the booth, making their way through the now-crowding patrons, who were like gawkers at a freak show.

    "Han!" Calrissian called as he pushed into the center of the room. Solo stood ridgid, his blaster still aimed.

    "It's all over, buddy." Lando said roughly, rousing Solo from a near trance-like state. "It's over."

    Han mechanically holstered his blaster. "I killed him." He stated flatly.

    "It was a fair fight." Lando insisted. "You had no choice." He knew what his friend was feeling...it was never easy.

    Han walked over to the fallen young spacer and stared at his still form for a long time. Then, kneeling, he ran a rough hand along the curve of the boy's face.

    "These hot-headed young kids are always challenging someone to a fight,." Lando spat,
    watching Han caress the curve of the dead boy's cheek. "They'll never learn you can't win just because you're carrying a grudge". After a few quiet moments, Lando asked, "Did you know him?"

    Han took a deep breath and raised his head. Lando saw deep anguish eched on his friend's tear-stained face.

    "He was my younger brother."
     
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  2. Ewok Poet

    Ewok Poet Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2014
    Kudos for giving Han a dark edge that can be interpreted in so, so many ways.

    That was slightly disturbing! With the way it started, I thought it was going to be some "when I was young" type of an anecdote with that, err, prostitute waiter, but the way it played out, it was like an XVIII-XIX century duel that gave us a good idea of how a certain scene in Return of the Jedi would have been like hadn't there been Luke to stop Han. And on the other hand, this also has something in common with the Greedo scene - sure, Han didn't have to fire, but then he wouldn't have stayed alive.

    The ability to write our favourite characters at their most debatable is a good, good thing - but darn, doesn't it hurt? :(

    And then, the tragic reveal...I...I will be over there in a corner. :(
     
  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Oh, this is beyond poignant and excellent!!!! =D= Oh, wow, I have no words, and that is an accomplishment. Bravo on terrific characterizations & a very moving and arduous situation! =D= @};-
     
  4. Hopefulwriter

    Hopefulwriter Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 6, 2016
    I was disturbed writing it, but I was delving into Han's life story. In my imagination, the younger son who idolized his older brother, would
    want revenge on his 'idol' for disgracing the family. Han (the character) is no choir boy, he's lived and continues to live a life on the 'edge'.
    He thinks he has no life, no home (as I've alluded to in other of my SW stories)..and can't go back to family.

    I'll let you in on a little secret. I always write listening to music, and this story SHOWDOWN..was written ( in 30 minutes ) while I was listening to Michael Jackson's Beat It.
    I like to keep the pertinent action to just at the last of a story.

    Tho I've been writing for over 30 years, I'm still learning. Thank you for your comments. And your time is appreciated to read
    and critique.

    Have a good day. We finally have sunshine here, ha. Lynda V.
     
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  5. Hopefulwriter

    Hopefulwriter Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 6, 2016
    Thank you for taking the time to read SHOWDOWN. it was written many years ago. I was uncomfortable writing it. Didn't know how the killing of the younger
    brother would go over. In my imagination. The younger brother, who idolized, his older brother would want revenge on Han for disgracing his family.
    It is dark and Han definately has a dark side (any different from Vader's dark side? Not for power, but for self preservation-mad at the galaxy sort of attitude.

    I've been writing for over 30 years and I'm still learning. I appreciate the time you take to read and critique my stories. I am not put off by critique or editing,
    that is 'business'....that sometimes makes my stories better than they were.

    Have a nice day. We finally have sunshine here, ha. Lynda V.
     
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