• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

"Leia?" Han said when she was almost out.

She froze, refusing to look at him. "Yes?"

"That wasn't the worst flying I've ever seen," Han admitted. "And at least the ship's still in one piece."

It was a good thing she had her back to him, because against her will, her lips curved up in a small smile.

"You're welcome."

Luke sat on one side of the freight loading room. Div sat on the other, his wrists tied with makeshift binders.

"Is this really necessary?" Div asked, lifting his bound wrists. "It's not like I can go anywhere, and you can't be worried I'll sabotage the ship. Not while I'm still on it."

"It's a precaution," Luke said.

"I saved your life," Div reminded him. Luke nodded. "I won't forget that."

But not so long ago, he'd met another stranger who'd risked himself to protect the Falcon and its crew. That stranger had been welcomed into the Rebel Alliance, no questions asked. That stranger had betrayed them. Betrayed Luke.

They'd started asking questions.

"I also won't forget that you're only here because someone paid you to kill me," Luke said.

"If I'd wanted you dead, you'd be dead by now," Div pointed out. "I could have let the beast take you. Or the Kaminoan. Or the TIE fighters. Or—"

"I know." Luke felt a twinge of guilt. Div was right. He'd protected Luke, again and again, often at great cost to himself. His ship had nearly been destroyed by the Empire. If the Falcon hadn't shown up when it did, Div would surely be dead by now.

"Look, I have nothing against you," Div said. "It was a job, nothing more. And it's over now. Just drop me off at the nearest planet and you'll never see me again."

Luke shook his head. "We're not done with you yet."

"Hey, don't start with any nonsense about me joining your ridiculous Rebellion," Div said quickly. "We may have teamed up on Kamino, but that was just so we could get off Kamino. It doesn't mean I'm looking for permanent allies. I've learned my lesson about hopeless causes."

Luke was tempted to ask what he meant by that.

But X-7 had pretended that he was done with causes, too. He'd invented a tragic backstory to gain their sympathy. He'd let them convince him to join the Rebellion. They'd nearly begged him to stay, to fight by their side.

Whatever he did to us, it's because we let him, Luke thought, disgusted with himself.

Because I was too blind to see the danger.

Luke had convinced himself that the Force wanted him to trust X-7. But the truth was Luke had wanted to trust him. He'd fooled himself. And for that, he had only himself to blame.

"We'll let you go…as soon as you tell us everything you know about the man who hired you." Luke kept his voice steady and free of emotion. Whatever guilt or hesitation he might be feeling, he wasn't about to let it interfere.

Div met his eyes, his own gaze steely. "Afraid I can't tell you that. Ratting out your employers tends to be bad for business."

"I know who it was," Luke said. "I just need you to tell me where to find him."

"Not going to happen."

Luke stood up. "Then I guess you'll be staying with us for a bit longer."

"You can't keep me here forever," Div said. "And you won't make me talk. You're not the Empire."

"You're going to help me," Luke said as he left the freight room and locked the door behind him. "One way or another."

He hated this. He, Han, and Leia had agreed: They would bring Div back to Yavin 4.

But it still felt wrong to imprison the man. Luke pushed down the guilt. It was surprisingly easy. Maybe because there was another emotion roiling in him, a far stronger one.

Anger.

There was an icy certainty deep in his gut: X-7 was behind this. And X-7 wasn't going to stop until Luke was dead. Div might be their only chance of catching him.

Luke's fingers curled into a tight fist. He ground his knuckles into his palm. Just the thought of X-7 sent a hot flood of fury rushing through him. Enough, he thought. Enough always looking over his shoulder.

Enough of being hunted.

With Div's help, he would track down X-7, whatever it took. Then he would end this, once and for all.