Saga I, Rebel (Hal Horn survives to join the Rebellion, AU, Author's Note 02/11/07)

Disclaimer: I do not own SW, any recognizeable characters and places are not mine. Also I had to change some history to make this story work with the prequels as well. There's so little done with Hal I've basically taken what I could from a short story I read with him once. And, yes, I do have a thing about doing play offs of I, Jedi.

Summary: OT AU in which Hal Horn joins the Rebellion, plus some other changes that will come out through the story having to do with the Horns...

Thanks: As always to my beta, Rebelmom, and Jesina Dreis for encouraging the bunny, and both her and Myri for Rogue help.

Time Period: ESB merging with ROTJ.

Title: I, Rebel

 

Chapter One

It seemed an anticlimactic end to Wedge Antilles' smuggling and rebel career. I had spent so many years chasing him, in a way I was a little depressed as I answered the call. One of our newest recruits to Corsec, Adson Iving, had broken up a bar brawl downtown, and identified one of the brawlers to be Wedge Antilles. I was skeptical, to say the least. Catching the infamous smuggler and rebel pilot would certainly be one way to start your career with a bang, but I was fairly certain he was jumping the blaster.

Still, any suspicious rebel activity was worth investigating, and no officer knew Wedge Antilles better than me.

The alleged rebels were being held in the Comet's Tail cantina. I entered the Comet carefully, noting upturned tables and piles of glass being cleaned up by maintenance droids. Adson was there to greet me, looking very pleased with himself. "Antilles is being held in the back," he informed me, starting to lead the way. "We're holding his friends as well."

I nodded. "You sure it's him?"

"Of course," Adson replied as we reached the room where they were being held. Two of the cantina's guards stood outside the door, and I cocked an eyebrow at Adson.

"You think you've got Antilles and you've only set two guards?"

Adson snorted. "He's too drunk to get anywhere."

I wanted to hit my head against the wall. "Could very well be an act." I palmed the door open, and immediately began scanning the room. The rebels were all young men, looking to be in their early twenties. One, a baby faced brunette, sporting a black eye and split lip, glared defiantly at me and sat back against the bench, folding his arms. I guessed him to be the instigator, but it wasn't his defiant glare that annoyed me. I turned to Adson. "Looks like he could use an icepack, Iving."

"Sir, he's a rebel," Adson said, sounding surprised.

"Allegedly," I reminded the kid. "And that doesn't make him any less sentient. See if they have any at the bar for him."

The young man glared harder at me, and I turned my attention to the man seated next to him. His companion was blonde, with a dour expression on his face, his eyes rolled up toward the ceiling like he feared it might fall on him.

Before he left for the ice, Adson felt the need to goad Antilles. "Perhaps you remember Captain Hal Horn?" he asked, rather smug.

I looked immediately toward where he was looking, recognizing Antilles instantly. His brown eyes were far too clear to be as drunk as Adson thought, (I fear for the future of Corsec). Still, he clumsily spread his hands and his speech was slurred. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Antilles turned his gaze to me, and what I saw in his eyes caused me to pause. I detected distinct relief there, shadowed only slightly with fear. I wondered if I'd grown soft in my age. Most smugglers were certainly not happy to see me, particularly if I were there to positively identify them. Then another, darker thought crossed my mind. Was he relieved to see me because I was, perhaps, one of the last just men working for Corsec?

Movement next to him caught my eye, as the man sitting next to him shifted his weight on the bench. My blood ran cold. The young man's hair was dyed a deep brown, and though he now had a well trimmed goatee, he was unmistakably my son, Corran. Noticing he had my attention, he snapped his posture upright, and I felt my heart sink in my chest. There had to be a million reasons why my son would be cavorting around with rebels, but all of them would have to lead to one conclusion: he was one of them.

Now you may find my response to be somewhat unprofessional, but I have given up so much for a government that I do not believe in, hoping to at least keep my own home-world safe. My life and well being are worth the cost, but my son's, however, is not.

Miraculously, I managed to find my voice, and raise an eyebrow to Adson. "That's not Antilles."

Adson choked. "What

 

As you know, I love it. Especially this line: "Hey, dad."

Seriously, though, as much as I love how you write Corran, I think I'm liking how you write Hal as well.

 

Lovely start, lune.

 

Yet another story with promise...

 

Interesting start, luney.

 

Yay!!! *claps hands* Another luney story.

Nice start there!!!

 

Nice.

 

Oh, wonderful start! I can't wait to read more. I've always loved the Hal Horn character since reading I, Jedi and it is wonderful to see him in a story!

 

Oooooo, I'm very excited about this fic, the premise is awesome.

Also love the "hey dad."

More soon?

 

Oh, my impatient surrogate daughter. Not even building up a cushion with this one.

 

Jesina_Dreis:

As you know, I love it. Especially this line: "Hey, dad." Tis any awesome line...thanks for giving it to me.

Seriously, though, as much as I love how you write Corran, I think I'm liking how you write Hal as well. Ooh awesome, love to hear that, since I'm a bit nervous about some people disagreeing with my characterization.

Sara_Kenobi:

Lovely start, lune. Thanks

Arin_Atona:

Yet another story with promise... Thanks Glad you'd deign to read First Person for me.

DarthIshtar:

Interesting start, luney. Thanks Ishie!

Caramello-Jedi:

Yay!!! *claps hands* Another luney story.
Wahoo!

Nice start there!!! Thanks!

sdhfs:

Nice. Thanks!

VaderLVR64:

Oh, wonderful start! I can't wait to read more. I've always loved the Hal Horn character since reading I, Jedi and it is wonderful to see him in a story! Awww thanks! I first got attached to him from I, Jedi as well, and then in a short story actually from his POV by Stackpole and Zahn, but what really got me attached was writing a short story about him as Valin Halcyon, and it kind of depressed me that he died before I would really write him again...so I decided to write a story where he didn't. (And had to follow my Jysella stories style... )

SweetPea:

Oooooo, I'm very excited about this fic, the premise is awesome. Oooo thanks

Also love the "hey dad." Hehehehehe I really liked it too.

More soon? Considering the rest of the chapter tongiht since the the start is so short...

RebelMom:

Oh, my impatient surrogate daughter. Not even building up a cushion with this one. Don't know what you're talking about... Guess I won't mention possibly putting up the rest of the chapter tonight...

 

Hmm why not...the start IS short...

Here ends Chapter One!


***

If anyone had told me an hour ago that I would be harboring five rebels in my apartment, I would have laughed in their face. The ride there was mercifully silent, aside from Babyface whispering to Corran if I was really his dad. Despite my mood, I found myself smiling at that. It made me feel like I was escorting home rebellious teenagers, who'd been caught out after curfew or creating general mischief on the streets. If only it were that simple.

I did not question or regret saving my son's life here. What I did regret was the necessity to lie in order to do so. The right thing to do now would be to turn in my resignation as quickly as possible; I'd allowed personal feelings to possibly jeopardize planetary security, and I couldn't be trusted to not do it again.

I keep a three bedroom apartment in downtown Coronet City, much too large for a bachelor like me, but I have high hopes of my son marrying and coming to visit me with his family. Never thought I'd be using it to accommodate my son and his rebel friends. I still wasn't much for talking when I led them inside, and one of the first things I did was pull out a nerf steak for Babyface's eye. The other men seemed to be taking their cue from Antilles, who was regarding me with intense curiosity. Had he really thought I could turn my own son in? Or find a way to pardon Corran, but not them?

Corran joined me in the kitchen as I attempted to prepare snacks and drinks for my ?guests?. When in doubt, always be the gracious host. "You seem to have missed the Imperial Navy, Corran." I'd been admittedly disappointed when I learned that Corran wished to quit Corsec in order to join the navy. But after I'd been shot last year, nearly dying from it, and the perps walked free, he'd lost his faith in the system.

My son winced. "If Corsec is turning corrupt, the navy is worse."

I started chopping a piece of selerae. "So long as good men keep leaving, it will only grow worse."

"They're all joining the rebellion," Corran said softly, his tone defiant. "There's only so much we can do when the central government itself is corrupt. What I'm doing is finally fighting for a cause I can believe in." He gripped my arm. "Father, we can win."

There comes a time in every parent's life where you find yourself searching desperately for the child you raised, only to find them forever replaced by the man standing in front of you. I felt like I hardly knew my son any more, and wondered when he'd started having hostile thoughts toward the Empire. It's not that I support the Empire, I don't. My true father died fighting it, and as a Jedi Knight, I'd fought hard against it. The war though took a turn for the worse, and out of love for my father, Rostek Horn took my mother for his wife, and me for his son, erasing and rewriting every record that existed on Valin Halcyon. It is questionable to this day whether or not I actually existed. In order to protect my new family, I'd had to give up my Jedi heritage, relinquish my use of the Force, join the Empire and offer up my support. Everything I have done for the Empire, I have done for my family.

And now the most important person in my life had turned away from it, and everything I do for the Empire now would hurt him.

It's amazing the kind of predicaments children manage to get their parents in.

Corran was giving me the kind of pleading look that I used to think was cute when he was a child, annoying as a teenager, and now very persuasive as an adult. I cleared my throat. "What do you do for them?"

"I fly for Rogue Squadron," Corran answered, clearly proud, but hurt I hadn't automatically offered to join the rebellion with him. "It's an elite group that takes missions other fighter squadrons can't."

I was proud too. I always loved to see Corran succeed. Somehow, his successes meant more to me than my own, and his failures far more painful. Having noticed how the men seemed to defe

 

I love this fic, Luney!!!

Can't wait to see more!

 

Lune...

You know i'll read anything you write ...and so far this one delivers!

Excellent start. I love how Corran is like...hey, Dad in the beginning. LOL

I also like how its in first person and that Hal Horn knows about Anakin and the past.

All very intriguing.

 

Well, Hal, they are Rebellious, just not teenagers.

 

Hehehe, I'm loving this story, Lunes!! This just doubles my growing love for the Horns.

 

Love his reaction to hearing Luke's name...and I love the end, the little bit of guilt Corran lays on him

Jes

 

wow..tis good.very good

 

Suprised Hal got through the conversation with all his fingers intact

Am interested to see how he gets along with Wedge, seeing his anti-smuggler feelings.

Hehe. Loved the rebellious teenager part.

 

Very interesting; can't wait for more.

 

*giggles* Corran being mistaken for Wedge... now that's pretty funny, or at least to me.

Hmm, interesting turn on events here, luney.

Lovely start so far! Hope to see more soon!

Ooo... just thought of something! If Hal joins the Rebellion... perhaps he can work with his long hidden Jedi powers a bit with Luke or Yoda....

~Jenn

 

one of the first things I did was pull out a nerf steak for Babyface's eye.

A story about my favorite Jedi's dad! Okay, so he's only one of my favorites.

In order to protect my new family, I'd had to give up my Jedi heritage, relinquish my use of the Force, join the Empire and offer up my support. Everything I have done for the Empire, I have done for my family.

Especially loved that part. Can't wait for more!

 

Ah, this is fantastic! I love it!

It is questionable to this day whether or not I actually existed. In order to protect my new family, I'd had to give up my Jedi heritage, relinquish my use of the Force, join the Empire and offer up my support. Everything I have done for the Empire, I have done for my family.

And now the most important person in my life had turned away from it, and everything I do for the Empire now would hurt him.

It's amazing the kind of predicaments children manage to get their parents in.

Very powerful stuff - all of it, but especially this. I'm really enjoying this.

And I must say, I like your Corran a lot better than I like Jes's.

Keep up the great work!

 

I'm helping her!! That makes him my Corran too. *pouts*