Sunday, January 28, 2018

12:01 AM

"The Resurrection of Han Solo"

by KiraJenLove

7-10-16

SUMMARY: A short scene covering the time between Kylo Ren attacking his father and Luke reuniting with Leia…I am basically rewriting the end of TFA and part of TLJ.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters. They belong to Disney and Lucasfilm, Ltd. This is just a made-up story for fun.

Inside one of the stone beehive huts scattered across the rocky island on the ocean planet of Ahch-To, a grizzled old man in a hooded robe sat silently meditating. He knew things were

changing soon, and that soon someone would be coming to take him home.

It had been a long time coming. Even the spirits of his long-dead mentors, Yoda and Obi-Wan, told him it was time to go back. Time to stop punishing himself for what happened. It was

time to return and face responsibility. His absence had allowed Snoke and Kylo Ren to build the First Order and wreak further havoc. He focused his thoughts on that boy – the son of his

best friend and his own sister.

The boy who had destroyed his Jedi Academy, and killed all his students. Young people with promising futures, who had families who loved and missed them.

As he focused, he could see Kylo Ren standing on a catwalk in the middle of a large, open chamber. He seemed to be having a conversation with someone. Upon closer examination -

Luke suddenly struggled to remain in his meditative state – the man he was speaking with was none other than Ben's own father – Han Solo!

Han! Luke exclaimed in his own mind. Luke hadn't seen his dear friend in what seemed like forever. He had aged quite a bit. He supposed the stresses of recent years after his son

turned to the Dark Side had taken a toll on him.

Luke watched the conversation as Han begged for his son to come home, and Ben seeming to struggle against the Light. He saw Ben unhook his weapon and hand it to his father. Was

he going to do it? Was he really going to give up the Dark Side and go home with his father?

But Luke knew it would never be that easy. He felt a twinge of warning from the Force as he saw that Ben wasn't letting go of the saber.

He watched him carefully, and Han's confusion at Ben's refusal to let go of it, then watched with horror as Ben, now fully Kylo Ren, ignited the saber, running his father through the chest.

If Luke hadn't been in deep meditation, he would have screamed aloud. He trembled in shock and a sheen of sweat covered his face, his breathing increasing. Control, control, he

thought to himself. He watched as Han forgivingly touched his son's face, just before falling over the side into the abyss.

Do something, QUICKLY! Luke shouted to himself. With all the power he could muster, Luke stretched out his arms, his fingers curled into claws, as they trembled with the effort of

catching something very heavy, allowing the Force to flow freely through him. He concentrated to perform a task he had only done once or twice while training with the Aiing-Ti. He prayed it

would work now. Several long moments passed, before a vague form began to materialize before him. A few more moments, and the form gradually solidified into the familiar form of his

old friend, lying supine before him.

Immediately, Luke examined the chest area. The wound was grievous, but the lightsaber had cauterized it, so there was very little blood loss. However, the burn penetrated all the way

through his chest and back, leaving the charred flesh over raw pink flesh underneath typical of severe 3rd-degree burns. The internal damage would be extensive. Because the wound

was in the center of the chest and not to the left side, the heart itself was barely spared, but damage had been done to nearby vessels.

Luke immediately began the Jedi healing techniques he had learned with Cilghal, searching for damage to the most important vessels first. It was of primary importance to keep blood

flowing to Han's brain at all costs. He wasn't quite dead yet, but he was hanging by a thread. The hole went right between the upper lobes of the lungs, so they had been spared. Luke

sped up the healing process for the damaged vessels first, to restore circulation. Han was still breathing. If he could just get the basics going, he could work on the rest of the superficial

damage at a less frantic pace.

Over the next few hours, Luke used the Force to seal up damage done to major veins and arteries, then worked on healing bone, nerve and muscle damage. Han was still unconscious,

but breathing shallowly. Luke could finally rest for a moment. He was extremely tired – he had never had to do so much work before. Even though he had been using the Force, he was

physically exhausted.

As he was about to get up and leave to take some rest, he heard a faint "Who-?" from beneath him. Luke peered at Han and could see his eyes cracked open a bit. All Han could see was

a wizened old man. When the man turned to face him, the heavy beard prevented Han from recognizing him, but he noticed the eyes looked very familiar. Then the man smiled tiredly at

him, betraying the familiar face under all that hair. "Han! You're awake!" Luke exclaimed.

"Luke!" Han recognized the voice for sure. It took every ounce of strength for him to say that one word. Han couldn't speak much, but he was grateful to see his old friend again.

Luke said, "Han, let me explain what has happened to you. You are here with me on the planet Ahch-To. This is where I've been. I saw what your son did to you. Through the Force, I

brought you here and repaired your wounds. But you still need a dip in a Bacta tank. I'll get you back to Leia – I promise."

"Thanks, Luke," he whispered.

Luke gave him a gentle smile. "NOW we're even," he replied.

A light chuckle escaped Han's lips. "I need you to stay here and rest, OK?" said Luke. "I have to go outside for a little while."

Han waved a hand in his direction, and once he was satisfied that Han was stable for the moment, he decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air, and to meditate. The cliff edge had a

beautiful view and always inspired him. He turned toward the ocean and closed his eyes, soaking in the peace and tranquility, still keeping a tendril of thought on Han's status inside.

After he'd been standing there a while, he could hear the voice of Obi-Wan in his head - Someone's behind you. Scowling in confusion, Luke slowly turned to the left, and could see out of

the corner of his eye, from behind the hood – there WAS someone behind him!

It was a girl! She was young – couldn't have been older than 20 or so – dressed in something that Luke himself might have worn on his home planet of Tatooine. She reached into her

bag and pulled out an object and offered it to him. By the stars, what was that? The object was calling to him. It couldn't be! It was his long-lost blue saber, the one he lost over 30 years

ago when Vader cut off his hand...where in the galaxy did she find that?

But the girl, Luke knew exactly who she was and why she was there.

"Rey."

The expression on her face changed from pleading to astonishment.

"How...how do you know my name?"

Luke gestured for her to come closer, and she obeyed. Again, she held out the lightsaber. "I believe this is yours?"

Luke reached out to gently take it from her, turning it over in his hands. He felt a deep ache of loss...loss of his hand, loss of his father, loss of his innocence... he wasn't expecting the

memories and emotions attached to this long-lost saber to be so overwhelming.

"Where...where did you find this? I haven't seen this in ages," he said. "I lost this when I lost this." He flexed his fleshless mechanical hand before her.

"Maz Kenata had it. I don't know where she got it."

"Ah yes, Maz Kenata. I know her through the Force. Very wise woman." He looked down at the lightsaber in his hand, considering it carefully, then handed it back to Rey. "Keep it. It's yours now."

Rey's eyes went wide as she took it reverently. "Oh, thank you!" she bowed her head briefly as she received it. "I am so honored!"

Then her expression changed to a confused scowl.. "But...what about -? Kylo Ren said it belonged to him?"

Luke's face darkened. "It belongs to ME, to give to whomever I wish. And he is permanently off my inheritance list..."

"Thank you," she whispered, then she remembered why she came.

"Please, Master Skywalker, we need your help. Your sister has asked me to bring you home. I came here with Chewbacca and R2-D2 in the Millennium Falcon."

Luke smiled. "I know." He paused. "I will come with you. But first, there is someone I'm sure you'll be glad to see. Follow me." He turned to walk toward the beehive hut, and Rey dutifully followed.

Once her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting inside, she could make out the form of someone lying on the ground. She stepped closer for a better look. Once she was able to identify the

person, she had to slap both hands over her mouth to stifle the scream that tried to force its way out of her throat.

Tears began to well up in her eyes, and the grief was fresh again. Standing high above, watching that monster slash Han through the heart...he was the closest thing to a father she'd

ever known. And here he was, lying on the floor

before her...WHAT?

"I don't understand," she said. "How did you -? I saw him...Starkiller Base exploded!" Luke saw the confusion on her face.

"Never underestimate the power of the Force," replied Luke with a smile.

"Kid," Rey heard a whisper from below and knelt down to listen to Han. "Han!" she exclaimed excitedly. "You're alive!"

It seemed some of Han's strength was returning. Ever the wisecracker, even under stressful situations, he asked her, "How about that job now?"

Rey laughed a little, which then turned into a sob, and she leaned down and carefully wrapped an arm around his neck. He found the strength to raise one arm to pat her on the back

once or twice. "Hey kid, it's OK. It'll take a lot more than that to kill me."

"We need to get him back to Leia right away," Luke said. "He needs medical attention. I can only do so much."

"We need to take him down to the Falcon. Chewie will be so happy to see him alive. How are we going to carry him?'

"We'll use the Force," replied Luke. He lifted a hand, and without effort, Han rose into the air, suspended as if lying on an invisible

stretcher. "Let's go."

Outside, Luke turned to Rey. "You shouldn't have parked the Falcon in that place."

"Why not?"

"Because it floods at high tide."

They continued down the 1000 steps, which were easier to go down than they were coming up. It took awhile, especially with Luke "carrying" Han, but after a while, the Falcon came into

view. However, what greeted their eyes shocked them. High tide HAD come in, and the Falcon was engulfed in water up to its belly, threatening to drown its passengers. Why hadn't

Chewie moved it?

"Chewie! Artoo!" She shouted.

As if on cue, Chewie could be seen walking towards the drowning ship from another path. What, did he go exploring or something? He roared in distress upon seeing the Falcon. He

could no longer access the entrance hatch.

"Don't worry, I've got this," said Luke. Without letting go of Han, Luke closed his eyes and raised an outstretched hand toward the Falcon. Slowly, the Falcon began to rise out of the water,

gallons of it dribbling off the underside. With the ship still dripping, he raised it into the air, and began to move it over to a higher patch of land without even breaking a sweat. Yoda would

have been proud.

Gently, he lowered it onto the dry ground. Chewie, fascinated as to how this could be, looked around, and saw a group of people not far away. Rey was back! He started toward them.

As he got closer, he noticed it wasn't just Rey - they had found Luke! Chewie ran over to him with huge Wookiee arms outstretched, roaring a greeting and welcoming him back. Luke

laughed. "No, Chewie, I don't have more facial hair than you," he joked in reply to Chewie's excited jabbering.

Then Chewie saw who was floating in midair beside Luke, and he let out a grief-laden Wookiee howl.

"Careful, Chewie – he's alive, but seriously wounded. I helped as much as I could, but he needs medical aid. Will you help me get him back to Leia?" Chewie enthusiastically agreed,

holding his friend's hand. "Chewie," Han whispered, a faint smile appearing.

Chewie turned to Luke and barked and growled an important question.

"I'll explain later, Chewie. Let's just get him on the ship right now."

Chewie hit the controls to open the hatch, and they all walked on board. They secured Han in the same area where they had put Luke right after he lost his hand, double-checked his

status, then the three of them returned to the cockpit. Suddenly, a stout little droid approached them, whistling loudly and excitedly upon seeing his master again. "Artoo!" exclaimed Luke,

who knelt down to put his hands on his domed head. "I'm so glad to see you again. I'm so sorry I had to put you through all that..." Artoo whistled his forgiveness. He was just glad things

seemed to be finally getting back on track again.

Luke was surprised to see Rey take the captain's chair, while Chewie took his normal seat. He thought that perhaps the First Mate would have taken over in the absence of the captain,

but obviously Chewie trusted Rey's piloting skills.

"Chewie, back to the Ilenium system. Let's go." They hit all the right switches and the Falcon raised gracefully into the air, sped through Ahch-To's atmosphere, then they hit the hyperdrive

as the stars morphed into lines. Next stop, General Leia Organa...