[Chapter Two]
Prisoners shouted curses at the intruder, and rattled their cages like trapped animals. The dungeons had gone from quiet to frantic at the pull of a trigger.
They starved him. Leia felt her heart sink.
Han Solo seemed to have aged years in the space of weeks. He sported a beard, blood-shot eyes, and wrinkles.
"Who are you?" Han looked from his four stunned cellmates on the floor to the masked humanoid crouched in front of him.
She slid off the helmet and shook loose her hair. "Your favorite princess."
They kissed. Shackles weighed down his hands, but she pulled him close.
"How long have I been out of commission?"
"I'll explain everything when we're clear of this hell. Get up," She helped him to his feet.
"These things have detonators built in. We'll turn to splatter if I get too far from the palace."
"I know. We brought Artoo to disable the devices."
Blaster fire sounded in the distance, followed by an explosion that rattled the flagstones. Han lost his footing and fell onto Leia. She grunted as she pushed him upright.
"That's Lando and Chewie. They created a diversion on the upper floors, so I could slip down here."
On queue, both Lando and Chewie rounded a corner down the corridor. The wookiee supported the smuggler, who stooped forward, a stain on his front.
Leia squeezed the injured man's shoulder. "How bad is it?"
"Did what we could. Dozens headed down here."
"I think she meant the stab wound, pal," Han eyed his comrades despondently.
Leia, however, felt determined as ever. She had strategized for months, and given up vast resources to see this mission accomplished.
"Chewie," She said. "Blast these cells open. Every prisoner is to go free."
She next spoke into her comlink before the others could object to the order. "Threepio. You and Artoo rendezvous with us outside the north-eastern tunnel exit."
Lando grunted. "North-eastern tunnel exit? That's a sewage ---"
"Quiet, Lando. Conserve your energy."
Leia took Han and Lando to a shadowed area, where she bandaged the latter enough to stop his bleeding. Chewie went to work.