ACROSS THE STARS || STAR WARS AU

Rocketman

Han took an instinctive step back just as he heard Leia cry out to him.

"Han! Run!"

He turned to her, seeing that she had pulled Luke up. Her arm was wrapped around the man's waist as she struggled to support him. The figure had also noticed her, now turning its attention towards her and away from Han.

Realizing that this was his chance to get away, Han used this distraction to run back to the truck. Alarm bells were ringing in his head and panic was setting in. The run shouldn't have been this difficult for him, he was in his prime. But his legs felt like jelly and his boots seemed to be weighing them down, making him trip over himself at several points.

He was never this clumsy, so why now? Why was it such a struggle to keep himself from falling into the dirt?

After what seemed like an eternity, Han's trembling fingers started up the truck and the engine roared to life. Before taking off, he glanced in the rearview mirror and breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Chewie had remained put in the bed.

With a firm grip on the wheel, Han stepped on the gas pedal, heading straight for the figure and the siblings. The figure was continuing to approach them; its gun still pointing at its new target. Yet, it did not seem to be in a big hurry to get to the siblings. In fact, it was ambling towards them as if it had no reason to hurry.

Leia had already pulled out her lightsaber, holding it in front of her and Luke with one hand. But when the truck suddenly came between them and the figure, sending a cloud of dust, debris, and ash over them, she quickly extinguished the blade.

"Hop in!" Han called, signaling to the back of the truck.

They scrambled into the bed, taking their seats beside Chewie as Han sped out of the area, leaving the helmeted figure behind.

"Okay, what- who was that?!" Han glanced back in the mirror.

"A bounty hunter!" Leia yelled through the partially opened rear window. "One of the most dangerous in the galaxy!"

"What?!" Han exclaimed, staring back at Leia.

"I never thought Vader would send him!" She shouted even louder now that the wind whipped against her face. "He's a coward then if he cannot do his own dirty work!"

"Guys..." Luke pointed back to the ranch. "What's that?"

Han looked to where he was pointing, his eyes widening at the incoming rocket. "Shit..."

He was barely able to dodge the blast, having to sharply veer the truck to the left. He heard Luke and Leia yelp in the back followed by the sound of them tumbling down.

"You guys good?" He asked, checking the mirror to see if the three of them were still there.

"Yeah," Luke groaned.

But when he heard the sound of the lightsaber ignite, he knew things were not good. "Leia! What's going on?"

"Just keep driving! I can handle this!" She answered. "Luke, stay down with Chewie!"

Han gritted his teeth, daring to take his eyes off the road for a second to look back. Flying above them in the sky was the bounty hunter, following closely behind. His cape was fluttering back in the wind as he took aim at the truck with his gun.

Han immediately shifted his gaze back to the road, feeling sweat dripping down his forehead and he knew it was not because of the heat.

He had to trust Leia could handle this even though it was easier said than done. He was usually the one in control, the one he could rely on. But this time, he had to hand the reigns over to her.