THREE.
ESCAPE
HAVING SPENT more than enough time under the close watch of Vader and his men, Wila felt as if she was going insane. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot, forever staring at the wall barely two meters in front of her. She sat on the floor, finding no point in picking herself up from where a couple of storm-troopers had dropped her a little while earlier, because she knew that soon they would be back to collect her for her evening session with the interrogation droid.
Her brain felt like it had been gouged out, and then blended, before being thrown back in with an extra serving of fuck you on top.
At least, she supposed, she had Vrai in the cell next door, muttering over and over to himself.
A small door hissed open from the bottom of the main cell door, barely bigger than the size of a data pad, and a plain black tray slid along the floor towards her, a quarter portion's worth of bread and veg-meat dropped on top of it messily, with a plastic cup of water beside it. Wila stared at the small tray for a second, glowering at it from where it sat at her feet.
"Eat up, commander," The storm-trooper snarked at her, before the small door slid closed again.
Wila sniffed quietly, carelessly using her boot-clad foot to drag the tray towards her, before jabbing a finger into the mushy bread. She had no appetite, and didn't even bother to consider the consequences of being weak from lack of food when she eventually made her escape. With great hesitance, she reached for the cup of water, taking short sips one after the other, knowing she had to be at her strongest for her next interrogation.
She'd rather die than tell Vader where the Rebel base was.
Wila set the plastic cup down on the tray, reaching for the bread, before a loud shout, slightly muffled by the thick cell walls, interrupted her, sending her wobbling to her feet, instead. She grit her teeth as she kicked the heavy bench closer to the wall she shared with Vrai, before clambering on top of it and resting her cheek against the wall to look into the cell through the vent.
Her expression hardened when she spotted two storm-troopers fighting against Vrai to drag him out of the cell. "Get your h- hands off me!" Vrai tried to defend himself meekly, thrashing his legs around as the troopers ignored him, binding his wrists before throwing him out into the doorway.
Wila bit her lip, feeling her eyes burn. "Vrai!" She shouted for him, seeing his head snap up to look at her, before the cell doors hummed shut, separating them again. She cursed, resting her head against the cool wall as she tried to contain the sudden bust of rage she felt crushing against her ribs.
Balling her hand into a fist, and using all her strength, she punched the wall, feeling a sharp pain explode in her knuckles, but leaving no mark at all on the cool stone. A short cry of pain passed her lips, before she forced herself to suppress it when she heard a loud curse from the cell the other side of her, and was suddenly overcome by curiosity.
With a now shaking hand, Wila struggled to move the bench across to the other side of the cell, before clambering on top of it again. Once her eyes focused on the person in the cell next to hers, a choke of amazement spilling passed her lips. "Princess," She managed, leaning closer to the wall as the young girl's head snapped up to look at her.
"Ja'Kaine," Princess Leia exclaimed, rising to her feet quickly, "What— What are you doing here? We thought you were dead!"
Wila widened her eyes. "I managed to land my X-Wing on Korrath. I found a place to stay for the night, but they found us there. What of my team? Are Rikards and Filtyn alright?" She questioned immediately, eyes wide with worry as Leia stared up at her, "How did you get here?"
Leia moved closer to the air vent, lowering her voice. "A team of Rebel spies sent my starship the plans for the Death Star, and I managed to send the plans off with some droids, but it was too late for me," Leia explained quietly, eyebrows knitted together, "I left a message with an R2 unit for Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi master. I'm sure he'll help us. I'm sure of it."
"You are?" Wila asked back, before shaking her head. "Whether or not Kenobi intends to help us, we can't sit around doing nothing until he comes," She continued, fingers clasping around the vent's wires, "I have a plan, but—"
Abruptly the doors of her cell hissed open, surprising Wila and causing her to stumble off of the bench, landing with a rough wobble on her feet. "Ja'Kaine!" Leia shouted through the vent, voice sounding muffled. Wila grit her teeth, but obeyed when two storm-troopers marched in, clamping a pair of cuffs on her wrists, and dragging her out of her cell.
"Your spontaneous visits are really starting to inconvenience me," Wila told them easily, elbowing one of the troopers, whose hand was poking a little too hard against her waist.
For once, the storm-troopers merely ignored her, saying nothing, and so she simply decided to ignore them back. In silence, the three reached their destination. Wila quietly allowed the troopers to shove her into the reclined chair, strapping her limps down tightly so she couldn't move. She chewed on her lip when one of the troopers left the strap around her left wrist far too loose, but said nothing.
The first storm-trooper left without a word, but the second slowly rose to his feet from tying down her legs and stared at her for a long moment. "Have fun," He told her, before following the first trooper out, and leaving her in silence.
She waited for the sound of the door hissing shut, before she tore her left hand out of the loosened strap, and immediately stared working on the strap around her right wrist. With a whoosh, the door opened again, and Vader breezed in, his cape flowing behind him dramatically, followed by an IT-O interrogator. Wila grit her teeth, quickly sliding her left hand back into the strap.
"Commander Ja'Kaine," Vader greeted lowly, his voice just as chilling and robotic as always, "As always, the Rebels continue to be a nuisance to my cause, and if you continue to fail me, I can guarantee you will meet the same fate as your friends," Vader told her, taking in a deep breath through his dark mask.
Wila paused for a moment, lips parting as she lifted her head from where it rested against the back of the reclined chair. She blinked, feeling her eyes burn slightly, before a slightly pained laugh tumbled from her lips. "Vrai's not dead," She told him, shaking her head, "Vrai's .. not dead."
Vader let out a short breath, almost as if he were scoffing at her. "I can assure you, he is," He told her carelessly, adjusting his gloves over his hands. "And if you do not comply, you—" Vader cut himself off, freezing for a moment, before abruptly turning on his heel and storming out of the small room.
Wila's expression quickly morphed into one of confusion as Vader left, taking the IT-O droid with him. The doors whooshed closed, and she was left alone. For a long moment, Wila sat completely still. His abrupt departure made her uncomfortable, and within seconds of her realization, she once again tore her left hand from the leather strap and started working on freeing her right one.
🚀
Her feet collided roughly with the cold floor as she sprinted down the hallway. She didn't bother trying to look subtle; she was very aware that she had a very small window wherein she could break out the Princess, find Vrai, and get both of them out of there, without being caught or killed.
She sped down one of the hallways, slamming her hand down on the button which would call the turbolift, only for the doors to open within seconds, surprising her, especially when two troopers dressed in black stared back at her, looking stunned. Wila's lips parted in slightly shock, before quietly walking in and turning around, pressing her finger down on the button for the detention block. She cleared her throat quietly, slightly turning her head to see the two troopers looking at each other in confusion.
The one to her left opened his mouth to say something, and immediately Wila lifted her arm, elbowing him in the face. He fell backwards in surprise against the wall as Wila turned around, catching the second one's fist as he struck forwards to hit her. Squeezing his fist in her hand, she threw her head forwards, headbutting him roughly before kneeing him in the crotch.
The turbolift doors hissed open as Wila crouched down, wrapping her arms tightly around the second's hunched over frame, before throwing him over her shoulder and out of the lift. With a swift punch to the first's nose, he fell back against the wall again, sliding down it before hitting the ground, unconscious.
Wila took a deep breath, brushing a hand through her hair, before the feeling of blaster being shoved into her lower back made her freeze. A voice spoke, deep and warm, not at all muffled like the storm-troopers' voices were, "Who the hell are you?"
"I could ask you the same question." Wila turned quickly, scooping her left arm under her attacker's gun arm, bending their elbow backwards and using her other hand to snatch the blaster from their grip. She landed a swift kick to the front of their left thigh, before hitting them with the but of the blaster, and in once quick motion, she pushed herself back against the, now closed, doors of the turbo lift. With a blaster now safely in her hands, she raised her eyebrows, "And I will. Who the hell are you?"
The man stood in front of her glowered at her, holding his hand over his mouth, the slightest hint of blood showing from his lip as he clenched his jaw. "What the hell was that for?" He shouted at her incredulously, as if he'd merely smiled at her and she'd hit him in the face.
Wila widened her eyes at him in annoyance, feeling nothing but dislike for the man, despite his warm eyes and chiseled features. He looked like a Grade A asshole. "You pointed a blaster at my back, what'd you want me to do, thank you?" She barked at him, not bothering to lower the blaster.
"I wanted you to tell me your name, that's what I wanted!"
Wila glared at him, looking him up and down in confusion, her frown only deepening when she noticed the Wookiee stood behind the man, growling softly to himself. She glanced between the Wookiee and the man for a few seconds, before waving the blaster at him again. "Who are you? Why're you dressed as a storm-trooper?" She questioned him quickly, "Who sent you?"
The man raised his hands at her in annoyance. "Calm it, sister, nobody sent me!" He barked at her angrily, "My name's Han Solo, I'm a smuggler, a pilot. I'm here with some ol' hermit and his boy to save a Princess!"
Wila slowly lowered the blaster, lips parting in surprise as she suddenly realized that she recognized his name, and she quickly lifted the blaster again. "Han Solo. You work for Jabba the Hutt!" Wila shouted at him, "Why, I should blast you where you stand!"
"Well, why don't you go ahead," Han snapped at her sarcastically, before waving a hand at the Wookiee behind him. "Goddammit, Chewie, disable the lifts! We don't need another trigger-happy teenager waltzing in here an' pointing my own blaster in my face!"
"Like hell this is even yours!"
Han rolled his eyes at her before jabbing a finger in her direction. "Hey, I think it's about time you tell me who you are, beings that I told you already!" He demanded suddenly, narrowing his eyes at Wila, who continued to point the blaster at his head.
"I'm Commander Wila Ja'Kaine, I'm with the resistance!" She snapped back at him, before gesturing with the blaster over at the Wookiee, who still stood growling to himself, "What the hell is that rug doing with a blaster?"
The Wookiee looked up, letting out an offended bark.
"Hey! Watch it, sister!" Han shouted at her, "That rug is my friend! His name's Chewbacca. Keep talking and he'll rip your arm out of its socket!"
"I'd like to see him try."
"Oh, I bet you would," Han shot back sarcastically, swiftly rolling his eyes. He turned, no longer seeing Wila as a threat, and waved a hand her way, "Get away from that door, would you, darling?"
Wila grit her teeth, lowering the blaster in annoyance. "Call me darling and I'll rip your arm out of its socket," She threatened him carefully, a glare on her face.
Han shook his head in annoyance. "Yeah, alright, sweetheart," He grumbled back, looking disgruntled. Wila glared at him, though it soon disappeared when she heard the soft tick of explosive charges about to go off right behind her. Without a second thought, Wila dove forwards, knocking Han backwards and successfully shielding him from the blast.
Han's jaw fell slack, stumbling backwards as half a dozen storm-troopers spilled from the elevator shaft. He gripped Wila's bicep, snatching his blaster off of her, before tugging her backwards. "Get back!" He ordered her, pushing her into the arms of his Wookiee friend as he fired on the storm-troopers.
Wila stumbled for a moment, in a slight daze from the force of the blast hitting her so abruptly, before she quickly retrieved a blaster from one of the unconscious storm-troopers laying on the floor. She immediately pointed it at the troopers, who continued to spill in from the turbolift shaft, firing on them as she shouted at both Han and Chewbacca, "Into the corridor, go, go, go!" She ordered them, pushing in front of Han and forcing him backwards into the hallway.
"Hey!" Han shouted at her, trying to fight to get in front of her. It bruised his ego to have someone else trying to protect him. "I'm not one of your damn cadets, sweetheart!" He shouted at her, watching as she promptly rolled her eyes at him.
"Well, it's all the same to me if you get shot," She barked back, spinning around and pushing past him to get into the tunnel, finding that both Han and the Wookiee immediately followed after her. A sigh of relief passed her lips as she spotted Princess Leia at the end of the hall, accompanied by a young boy dressed as a storm-trooper. "Princess," Wila greeted, her expression rather relieved, in a stoic sort of way, "We can't get out that way. Wise guy here blocked it off with troopers," Wila accused bitterly, tilting her head in Han's direction, who immediately widened his eyes in offense.
Leia narrowed her eyes at Han in annoyance. "Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route," She snarked at him, standing taller when Han turned to glare at her, clenching his jaw.
"Well, maybe you'd like it back in your cell, your highness," Han bit at her, abruptly flinching forwards when a blaster shot hit the wall just above his head, sending all five of them stumbling for cover.
Wila grit her teeth, falling against the wall behind Han as a slightly battered hand trembled against her aching head. She clenched her jaw, brows furrowing as she attempted to shake off the dull ache, which started at her chest and seem to get worse as it moved through her body. A hand clamped down on her bicep, yanking her down just as blaster fire rained down upon the empty wall space she'd been rested against just moments before.
Tumbling further into the small alcove in the wall, Wila raised her head to glare at the person holding her arm. Han beat her to it; eyes narrowed angrily, "Could you at least try not to get yourself killed?" He barked at her, paying little mind to the blond kid, who continued to shout into his comlink transmitter.
Wila attempted to return his pissed off expression, only managing a lazy, sarcastic smile. "Bite me," She told him shortly, choking on the smoke from the blasters. Han rolled his eyes at her, turning his back to her an immediately starting to fire at the troopers at the end of the hall once again. Wila took in a quick breath, feeling herself growing weaker at the seconds ticked on, "Look, we— we can't just stand here waiting for laser-brain here to take out every trooper on the ship," She told them all, "We have to find another way out."
"There isn't another way out!" The blond shouted across the thin hallway, quickly leaning out to see how many storm-troopers were left stood at the end of the corridor, only to almost have his head blown off.
Wila scowled at him. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Look, the commander's right, we can't hold them off forever," Han contributed, adding as much sarcastic emphasis on the commander as humanely possible, just to take away from the fact that he was agreeing with her, "What now?"
Leia rolled her eyes. "This is some rescue," She told them in annoyance, "When you came in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out?"
Han swiftly jabbed a finger at the blond boy, who widened his big blue eyes sheepishly. "He's the brains, princess," He barked. Wila couldn't help but wonder what he contributed to the team. So far, Chewie was obviously the attractive one.
"Well, I thought—" Abruptly, Leia snatched the blond's blaster from his hands, firing on a small grate in the wall just behind Wila, causing her to back up into Han with a slight flinch.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Han demanded, raising his eyebrows as Leia abruptly threw the blaster back at Luke.
"Somebody has to save our skins!" Leia snapped at him, "Into the garbage chute, flyboy!"
Without a hint of hesitation, Leia stormed forwards and dove into the garbage chute, falling head first into whatever mess of trash laid below. Deciding she wasn't there to sit around and get shot at while Han tried to overpower her stubbornness, Wila followed quickly after, gripping onto the top of the grate with her fingers and quickly disappearing feet-first down the narrow pipe.
↓
tried to proofread but failed so oops if theres mistakes
((((INTERNALLY SCREAMING BC HAN IGNORE))))