DISCLAIMER
Most of these characters and the general plotline are not mine. Only Aislinn, Alana, Alberta, and the Medi Jewel and all that's related to it belong to me. This was only written for fun, not to make any profit.

Rating: PG

All comments at Jess Ka Muroc

PART ONE

Alberta Bowai watched her best friend, the Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, record a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi in a small blue R2 droid named Artoo Detoo. She sighed. The two sixteen year olds were supposed to deliver the message in person, but alas, their ship, the Tantive I, had fallen under attack by the evil Galactic Empire. And Alberta knew why. The girls, who were part of the Rebellion against the Empire, had stolen plans for the Empire's new battle station, the Death Star. Now the Empire wanted them back.

Alberta sighed again. She and Leia, who had been best friends ever since they were seven, had been on a mission to Tatooine, where old Obi-Wan Kenobi, a former general, lived with his daughter Aislinn, whom Alberta knew the Empire wanted as much or more than the plans. But since the Tantive I had fallen under attack, Leia was recording a message for Obi-Wan and placing the plans into the R2 unit.

Leia finished, then whispered "Come on, Alberta," then walked off quickly.
Alberta nodded and followed. If she could have answered, she would have. But Alberta had never been able to talk. She was the victim of a curse from the evil Lord of the Sith Darth Vader-the victim of a curse not meant for her. It had been meant for Aislinn Kenobi only. But there had been confusion, and three girls had had the "luck" of getting the curse put on them-Alberta, Aislinn, and some girl called Alana Something. Alberta had never met either girl, and she knew they had no clue why they couldn't talk.

Leia led Alberta into a small alcove and got out her small laserpistol. Alberta wondered why, then heard the stormtroopers. Stormtroopers were the Empire's first line of defense. They weren't that bright, but could be deadly at times. And they knew how to use guns.

Suddenly, the band of troopers spotted Alberta and Leia. "There's some! Set for stun," he commanded his troops.
But Leia stepped from their hiding place and blasted him with her pistol. She then grabbed Alberta's hand and began to run down the hallway, but a stormtrooper shot.

And everything went black.

A squad of briskly marching stormtroopers led Alberta and Leia down a low-ceilinged hallway. Their hands were bound.

Alberta had no clue what was going to happen to them. Were they going to be killed? Were they going to be taken prisoner-well, Alberta thought ruefully, we already have been taken prisoner.

The troopers stopped the girls in front of the evil lord Darth Vader. A breath mask covered his face. Alberta knew it was because of an accident with lava or something like that-and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Alberta wasn't really sure of the details.

Leia looked coolly up at him. "Darth Vader," she said. "Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this. When they here you've attacked a diplomatic-"

"Don't act so surprised, Your Highness," Vader interrupted her. "You weren't on any mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Leia covered it up well, Alberta noted. "I'm a member of the Imperial Senator on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan."

"You are both"-he looked at Alberta-"part of the Rebel Alliance and traitors. Take them away!" he said to the troopers, who marched them down the hall.

Alberta couldn't help but be nervous. Where were they taking them?

Alberta sighed for the millionth time and leaned against a wall. Leia looked at her from a tiny bench. The girls were in a cell in the Empire's massive Death Star, and were probably going to be executed eventually. But first Vader would try to get information about where the Rebel base was. Alberta knew the Empire's tactics too well. But Alberta also knew that Leia would never tell where the base was-on a planet called Yavin.

Alberta sat down on the tiny little bench next to Leia. She was worried.
Would they ever see their parents again? Or Alderaan? Or-

The electronic door opening cut off Alberta's thoughts. Darth Vader entered the cell. "And now, Your Highness," he began, "we will discuss the location of your hidden Rebel base."

Knew it, thought Alberta, not at all smug.

A black torture robot entered, giving off a steady beeping sound as it approached Leia and Alberta. It extended one of its mechanical arms bearing a large hypodermic needle.

Alberta huddled towards the back of the cell as the robot inched closer… closer…closer…

Alberta and Leia were marched down a hallway going towards a Death Star control room by Vader and two stormtroopers. Alberta hadn't the slightest idea what was going on. She figured it was something bad, considering this was the Empire and all that.

The torture droid hadn't gotten anything out of Leia, as Alberta had known it wouldn't. She knew Leia would never betray the Rebellion, and Alberta wouldn't, either-but it wasn't like she could tell anybody anything, anyway.

Alberta and Leia were escorted into the control room. A man with a sunken face came up to them. Alberta recognized him as Governor Tarkin, a governor (well, that was obvious). He must be an Imperial leader now, Alberta thought with a silent groan. But no one was more of a leader than Emperor Palpatine was. Vader was his right-hand man.

"Governor Tarkin," said Leia. "I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board."

Alberta had to smother back a soundless laugh. This was definitely not a funny situation.

Tarkin gave a funny little smile. "Charming to the last," he said, his voice dripping with false sweetness. "You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life. And Miss Bowai's, as well."

Yes, Alberta knew about this, too. She wasn't thrilled, but she would give her life for the Rebellion. And that was that.

"I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself." Leia mocked Tarkin's tone of voice.

"Princess Leia and Miss Bowai," Tarkin began, "before your execution I would like you to be my guests at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now."

"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin," said Leia, "the more star systems will slip through your fingers."

"Not after we demonstrate the power of this station." Tarkin smiled. "In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that will be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan."

Alberta's mouth dropped open. No! she thought wildly. How could Tarkin be this mean, this cruel?

Leia rushed forward, Vader and Alberta quickly following. "No!" she gasped. "Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You can't possibly-"

"You would prefer another target?" Tarkin cut in. "A military target? Then name the system!"

Alberta watched as Leia looked at Alderaan on a large viewing screen. No, Lei, she thought, you can't tell. You just can't!

Tarkin moved menacingly forward, making Leia back into Vader. "I grow tired of asking this," he said sternly. "So it'll be the last time. Where is the Rebel base?"

Leia lowered her head. Oh, no, Alberta thought. She's going to tell. She's going to tell, and that'll be the end of the Rebellion.

"Dantooine. They're on Dantooine," said Leia softly. Alberta breathed a sigh of relief, trying not to look as relieved as she felt. Dantooine was the place where the Rebels had been before the moved to Yavin, where they were now.

"There." Tarkin looked pleased. "You see, Lord Vader, she can be reasonable." He turned to a man in Imperial uniform. "Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready."

Alberta's mouth dropped open in shock. What? she shrieked silently. No!

Leia was obviously on the same wavelength as Alberta. "What?" she screeched.

"You're far too trusting." Tarkin gave an evil smile. "Dantooine is far too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry. We will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough."

"No!" cried Leia.

Alberta wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't. All she could do was stare in horror as a large green laser beam shot out of the Death Star and into Alderaan. And in one moment, the area had gone from having a planet to nothing but millions of tiny asteroids.

Alberta sighed and leaned against the cold wall in her and Leia's cell. She was sitting on the bench, depressed. Leia was asleep next to her. Poor Leia. She'd gone through so much, Alberta thought woefully. And soon they'd be killed. It was just too, too much.

Just then, the door opened and a lone stormtrooper walked in. Alberta nudged Leia to wake up. She did. Alberta was a little surprised. Usually the Empire sent a whole posse of stormtroopers everywhere.

"Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" Leia asked him. She wasn't afraid of stormtroopers. Neither was Alberta.

"Huh?" asked the stormtrooper. Alberta stared at him. He wasn't really acting like a stormtrooper. "Oh…the uniform," he continued, making Alberta wonder even more. Then, to Alberta's amazement, the trooper took off his helmet! Alberta had never seen a stormtrooper do that before! Underneath the helmet was a young boy with sandy blonde hair. He stepped forward. "I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you."

Alberta's eyes widened in amusement.

"You're who?" asked Leia.

"Me and Han and Alana and Chewie are here to rescue you," the boy-Luke Skywalker-cried. "I've got your R2 unit. I'm here with Ben and Aislinn Kenobi."

Alberta and Leia jumped up at the same time. Alberta was speechless. Aislinn Kenobi was here? Didn't she know how much danger she was in? The Empire would give up their best ships just to have her in their clutches. And now, Alberta thought ruefully, they may not have to go that far.

"Ben Kenobi!" Leia cried. "Where is he?"

"Come on!" cried Luke, leading them outside the cell into the hallway.

They ran into a man, a girl, and a furry alien called a Wookiee. Alberta jumped. But Luke didn't look alarmed, so she figured this must be Han and Alana and Chewie.

"Can't get out that way," commented the man, who was probably Han, considering Chewie was a commonly used Wookiee name, and Alana was a girl's name.

"Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route," said Leia.

"Maybe you'd like it back in your cell, Your Highness," replied Han sarcastically. Then a burst of laserfire made the group huddle into the cell bay entrance alcoves. Luke, Alberta, and Leia were on one side, Han, the Wookiee Chewie, and the girl who was probably Alana on the other, near a garbage chute grate.

Luke began to talk in a small comlink. "See Threepio! See Threepio!"

The name sounded familiar, but Alberta couldn't quite place it.

"Yes, sir?" answered a voice. Alberta recognized it, and gasped. This voice was the voice of a protocol droid who had been on the Tantive I. A droid who had been working with Artoo Detoo, the droid that Leia recorded her message in! Yes, Alberta remembered now. His name was Threepio.

"Are there any others ways out of the cell bay?" Luke called into the comlink. "We've been cut off." There was a brief pause. Threepio must have been saying something, but Alberta couldn't hear it what with the stormtroopers, Alana, and Han all firing.

"What was that? I didn't copy!" cried Luke.

The blasts' sound dimmed just enough for Alberta to hear Threepio say, "I said all systems have been alerted to your presence, sir. The main entrance seems to be the only way in or out; all other information on your level is restricted." "I can't hold them off forever!" yelled Han. "Now what?"

That was a point, but Alberta hardly dwelled on it. She was too busy staring at Alana. Why did she seem so familiar?

"This is some rescue." Leia spoke up. "When you came in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out?"

Han jerked his head towards Luke. "He's the brains, sweetheart."

"Well, I didn't-" Luke began, but was cut off by Leia, who grabbed Luke's gun and fired at a small grate in the wall next to Han and Alana, almost frying them. Alberta raised her eyebrows but didn't do anything. She knew Leia must know what she was doing.

Alberta saw Alana give Leia a glare. Han seemed seemed agitated, too. "What are you doing?" he shrieked.

"Somebody has to save our skins," replied Leia. She moved over to the grate. Alberta followed. "Into the garbage chute, flyboy!" Leia cried before tossing Luke's gun back to him and jumping through the narrow opening. Alberta jumped down right behind her.

Alberta fell onto a pile of garbage. She sighed and picked herself up. This wasn't going to go on her Best Days of My Life list-if she even had one.

Chewie flew down, followed closely by Luke. They picked themselves up. Luke pointed his gun at a small hatchway. "Watch out, everyone," he cautioned before he fired.

The laserbolt richoted around the room. Everyone dived into the garbage until it exploded on itself.

Alberta stood up and wiped bits of garbage from her dress. Luke looked sheepish. "Sorry," he said.

Leia inspected the door. "It's magnetically sealed," she announced. If Alberta could have groaned, she would have. Magnetically sealed doors could only be opened from the control room.

Just then, Alana and Han flew into the garbage room. Neither looked happy.

"The garbage chute was a really wonderful idea," said Han sarcastically to Leia. "What an incredible smell you've discovered." He pulled out his blaster and aimed it at the hatchway, which Chewie had started banging on. "Let's get out of here! Get away from there," Han commanded Chewie.

"No! Wait!" cried Luke, but it was too late. Han fired, and Alberta was forced to dive into the garbage for the second time that day.

The bolt exploded, and everyone climbed out of the garbage. Alberta, crossing her arms, and Leia frowned at each other. This was not good.

Luke was yelling at Han. "Will you forget it?" he shrieked. "I already tried it; it's magnetically sealed."

"Put that thing away; you're going to get us all killed!" Leia added.

Good idea, thought Alberta.

"Absolutely, Your Worship," Han shot back. "Look, I had everything under control until you led us down here. You know, it won't take them long to figure out what happened to us."

True, Alberta thought, but it still didn't give Han the right to act so annoying.

"It could be worse," muttered Leia.

A loud inhuman moan worked its way up from the murky depths. Everyone froze.

"It's worse," said Han.

"There's something alive in here," said Luke worriedly.

Alberta's eyes widened. That was not good.

"Something just moved past my leg!" cried Luke. "Look! Did you see that?"

No, thought Alberta.

"What?" asked Han.

Suddenly, Luke was yanked under the garbage by an unseen force. Alberta gasped.

"Kid!" Han cried, rooting around in the murk. Alana followed him. "Luke!"

Luke suddenly surfaced with a gasp. A tentacle was wrapped around his throat.

"Luke!" screeched Leia. She extended a long pipe towards him. "Luke, Luke, grab hold of this."

"Blast it, will you? My gun's jammed!" Luke cried to Han.

"Where?" asked Han.

"Anywhere!" screamed Luke. Han fired his gun downward, but Luke was pulled back into the muck.

"Luke! Luke!" cried Han.

The walls shuddered.

Oh, no, now what? thought Alberta.

Everything was very quiet-too quiet. Alberta watched for some sign of Luke. There was none. Han and Leia gave each other a worried look.

Suddenly, with a rush of bubbles and muck, Luke bobbed to the surface. Alana fell backwards into the garbage. Alberta watched her scowl and pull herself up. Then Alberta realized it. She had never heard Alana talk this whole time-and she'd had plenty of opportunities to. Alberta felt a little bubble of excitement. Could it be-could this be Alana Something-the Alana who couldn't talk? If only she could find out for sure!

"Help him!" cried Leia, snapping Alberta out of her daydream. Alberta watched as Han took Luke's hand and pulled him up.

"What happened?" Leia asked Luke.

"I don't know," sputtered Luke. "It let go of me and disappeared."

"I got a bad feeling about this," declared Han worriedly.

Just then, to Alberta's horror, the walls began to rumble and edge toward them. If she could have shrieked, she would have.

"The walls are moving!" Luke cried.

"Don't just stand there; try and brace it with something!" cried Leia. She tried to lift a long pipe.

Alberta pushed on a wall. Nothing happened-that was, unless you counted constant advancing something.

Luke began shouting into his comlink.

Everywhere, garbage was snapping and popping. Alberta was trying to push the wall back, but to no avail-it was still advancing steadily. Chewie was shoving on the walls, too, but nothing was happening. Han was trying to get Leia on top of garbage, for some reason Alberta didn't know.

"Get to the top!" cried Han.

"I can't!" cried Leia.

The walls were only feet apart now. "One thing's for sure," Han said. "We're all going to be a lot thinner."

Alberta glared at him. So did Alana, she noted. And then she knew it-she didn't know how she knew; she just knew it-that this was the Alana who couldn't talk. If she could talk, she would have snapped something at Han then.

The walls were so close together, Alberta could hardly move. She held her breath…

And then the walls shuddered and stopped.

Alberta's mouth fell open in shock. She didn't know what had happened, but whatever had, she was glad it did!

Everyone else was shrieking and making a ruckus. Just then, to Alberta's surprise, Alana dashed over and gave Alberta a hug. Alberta hugged her back ecstatically. They grinned at each other like idiots.

"Threepio, we're all right!" crowed Luke happily. Oh, Alberta realized. Threepio did it! "We're all right, you did great. Hey, open the pressure maintenance hatch on unit number…where are we?" Luke looked around.

Han looked at the hatch. "Three-two-six-three-eight-two-seven!" he called. A few moments later the hatch opened, and the group entered a dusty unused hallway.

Han began to speak. "If we can just avoid any more female advice"-he glared at Leia-"we ought to be able to get out of here."

Alana, for some reason unknown to Alberta, grinned.

"Well, let's get moving," said Luke.

There was a moan from the garbage room. Chewie growled and ran away from the hatch.

"Where are you going?" cried Han. He aimed his pistol at the hatch.

"No, wait! They'll here!" cried Leia.

Han fired at the doorway, ignoring Leia; the noise of the blast echoed down the hallway.

Leia sighed.

Luke shook his head.

Alana's grin became a one hundred-kilowatt smile.

Chewie cowered.

Alberta put her head in her hands.

Han turned to Chewie. "Come here, you big coward!" he called.

Chewie shook his head no.

"Chewie, come here!" Han yelled at him.

Leia interrupted him. "Listen," she began. "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but from now on, you do as I tell you? Okay?" With that, Leia began to walk away. Alberta quickly followed.

Everyone else followed as well, Han closest. "Look, Your Worshipfullness, let's get one thing straight," he began. "I take orders from just one person-me!"

Alberta sighed.

Leia turned to him. "It's a wonder you're still alive." Then she looked at Chewie, who was now in front of her. "Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?" She pushed past him.

Alberta, hurrying after Leia, would have giggled if she could have.

"No reward is worth this," Han muttered.

The group walked on for a while, then finally stopped in front of a bay window overlooking a spaceship. Troopers were milling around it. Alberta raised her eyebrows. That thing didn't look like it could go very far.

"There she is," said Han.

Luke took out his comlink. "See-Threepio, do you copy?"

"Yes, sir," Threepio responded.

"Are you safe?" asked Luke.

"For the moment," replied the droid. "We're in the main hangar across from the ship."

"We're right above you," Luke said. "Stand by."

Alberta's thoughts, for no good reason, turned to Aislinn Kenobi. She prayed she hadn't been captured. If she had, then she was in trouble. And if she hadn't, then she was in danger.

You see, Aislinn's father Obi-Wan, or Ben, as some people called him, had made a jewel called the Medi Jewel. It was to be used to unite the Jedi, the former guardians of the Old Republic, and the Mayons, a small family-only force. Once combined, they could destroy the Empire-but only after Obi-Wan died. Then the jewel would go to Aislinn. So the Empire wanted her so she'd never get the jewel-or, if they got her when she had it, she'd never be able to use it.

Leia walked over to Han. "You came in that thing?" she asked him. "You're braver than I thought."

Han gave her a dirty look. "Nice! Come on!" He led the way down the hallway-right into stormtroopers heading in the opposite direction. Both groups stopped in their tracks.

"It's them! Blast them!" cried a trooper.

Han did just that, firing at a trooper. He fell. Then he dashed down the hallway, chasing them. Alana and Chewie followed.

"Get back to the ship!" yelled Han to Luke, Leia, and Alberta.

"Where are you going? Come back!" Luke shouted, Han, Alana, and Chewie were gone.

Leia was looking after them. "He certainly has courage," she mused, almost to herself.

"What good will it do us if he gets himself killed?" Luke said aloud. "Come on." He led the way down the hall, the opposite way the others had been going. Troopers suddenly appeared behind them. Alberta gasped. Luke began firing as they ran.

The three reached the end of the hallway and dashed through an open hatchway-into a dead end. But it wasn't just any dead end. It was a dead end off a retracted bridge. Luke almost ran off the edge, but Leia grabbed his arm just in time.

"I think we took a wrong turn," gasped Luke.

Blasts from the stormtroopers' guns exploded behind them. Luke fired back while Leia reached over and hit a switch that popped the hatch door shut with a resounding boom. Alberta noticed this left them precariously perched on a short piece of bridge overhang. This did not make her happy.

"There's no lock!" exclaimed Leia.

Luke blasted the controls with his laser pistol. "That oughta hold them for a while," he declared.

"Quick, we've got to get across," Leia said urgently. "Find the controls that extend the bridge."

Luke looked sheepish. "Oh, I think I just blasted it."

Alberta sighed. Sometimes Luke didn't seem like the brightest guy on the planet, but he was okay.

"They're coming through!" cried Leia.

Luke looked down at the stormtrooper belt left from the uniform, which he'd ditched a while back at the exact moment laserfire hit the wall behind them. Alberta looked up and saw a stormtrooper perched on a higher bridge overhang. Luke shot back, and the two exchanged fire. Then, Alberta groaned silently. Three more troopers had appeared on another overhang, also firing. A trooper got hit by Luke's laserfire and plummeted down the shaft. The other troopers moved back off the bridge.

"Here, hold this," said Luke, handing his gun to Leia. He pulled a thin nylon cable with a grappler hook on the end from his trooper belt. That must be what he saw before, Alberta thought, a little woozily. She was tired from all this running around.

Just then, a trooper appeared on a bridge overhang and fired. Leia returned the laser fire while Luke fiddled with the rope. Suddenly, Alberta noticed the hatch door open behind them open just enough to reveal the feet of the troops who'd been chasing them.

"Here they come!" cried Leia, who had must also have seen the door open. Then she fired and hit the stormtrooper on the overhang. He fell.

Luke tossed the rope across the gorge, and it wrapped itself around an outcropping pipe. Alberta and Leia grabbed the rope for dear life. Just then, to Alberta's surprise, Leia gave Luke a small kiss on the cheek. "For luck!" she cried.

Does Leia have a crush on him? Alberta wondered, but didn't have much time to ponder her idea, because at that moment Luke pushed off, and they sailed across the gorge to the corresponding hatchway.

The threesome dashed down the hall to where the ship hangar's entrance was. Han, Alana, and Chewie were already there. "What kept you?" asked Han.

"We ran into some old friends," answered Leia.

"Is the ship all right?" asked Luke.

"Seems okay, if we can get to it," replied Han. Alberta looked and saw five stormtroopers in front of the ship. "Just hope the old man got the tractor beam out of commission."

Old man? wondered Alberta before realizing he must mean Obi-Wan.

Just then, to Alberta's amazement, the troopers left the ship! Her eyes widened. What luck!

"Look!" gasped Luke. Alberta did-and saw Obi-Wan and Darth Vader in the middle of a lightsaber duel. A girl, who Alberta knew immediately was Aislinn Kenobi, was crouched against a wall, her eyes on Obi-Wan. She looked a little scared. With good reason, Alberta realized. Aislinn was so close to Vader, he could just take her! She had to get out of there!

"Now's our chance! Go!" whispered Han. The group started for the ship. But Luke paused to watch the fighters.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan looked at them. He then lifted his lightsaber and let Vader cut him in two. Alberta's eyes widened. The body wasn't there…it had disappeared!

"No!" shrieked Luke.

The watching troopers turned towards Luke and began firing. Luke fired back. Aislinn, after grabbing something from Ben's cloak, was running across to them. She paused next to Luke.

Then Alberta got a good look at what Aislinn was clutching. It was the Medi Jewel!

"Come on!" Han shouted to Luke.

"Come on!" Leia joined in. "Come on! Luke, It's too late!"

"Blast the door, kid!" cried Han. Luke did.

Luke and Aislinn, to Alberta's relief, suddenly began to run up the ramp. Alberta and Leia ran into the ship just as it took off into space.

Next: Alberta's story part TWO

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