Return of Dr Johnson

Title: Return of Dr Johnson

Writer: Callista Loveday

Summary: PART 2. Leia, Han, Luke and Chewie are chosen to go to the moon of Iego. The New Republic wants to restore peace, and on the way to the capital, they run into an unexpected (and unwelcome) visitor.

I am not getting any money off this story, and most of the characters and planets belong to George Lucas, not me. I am writing this for fun. There is a scene in here from the Phantom Menace. See is you recognize it. If you have any comments, e-mail callie_grl@hotmail.com Oh, and keep writing more Han and Leia stories!


Leia Organa had almost sighed with relief when she got a message saying she should meet Han and Luke for lunch.
The last month had been tough. Her senatorial run was almost up, so she had been voted Chancellor. She had desperately hoped to be Chancellor, and even Winter thought she wouldn't have much of a chance because of the old Chancellor.
Luke had been off doing who knows what on whatever planet, and Han had been working in a mission. Another one.
When she practically collapsed in the seat next to Han, Han and Luke could see how exhausted she was. "So how did the mission go?" Leia asked Han.
"Pretty badly. Naboo has turned independant." "Really? But Naboo was always with the Republic even before Queen Amidala."
"Well, Queen Nafitia is in charge. Her son, Kasdan, is no different than she is."
"I can imagine. I met Prince Kasdan once. He came to Alderaan when I was nine, I think. He was so mean and annoying I couldn't stand him."
"How have you been doing, Leia?" Luke asked, concerned.
"Same as always. I've just been going to more meetings, that's all, and it kind of wears me out."
"You know you're not running the Rebellion by yourself." Luke answered.
Leia played with her necklace nervously. "I know, I know. I've been given that speech. More times than I can count." She gave a glance at Han. He had said the same thing. As expected, he shifted uncomfortably. Leia looked at her watch. "There's a meeting an hour. I need to hurry." She didn't catch Han rolling his eyes, and Luke knew it was for the better.
As Luke talked about his different trips from Hoth to Dagobah, Leia tried to listen attentively.
"You know, Leia, when you have time, you should go to Dagobah. The Force is strong there. I can feel it. Remember last year, and you said you would become a Jedi?"
"I'll see what happens at the meeting. You'll both be there, won't you? Thankfully, it's my last one for the week."
"How'd that happen?"
"A Chancellor isn't as important as heads-of-states," she said tensely.
"Why can't we skip the meeting?" Han asked.
"Because I volunteered for something. You'll find out soon enough."
They said their good-bye's and went their seperate ways. When Han wished her good-luck, she knew she would need it.

Luckily, Leia wasn't late at the meeting. She knew she couldn't be late from now on. Councillor Fey'lla was late like always. They had always been rivals for as long as Leia could remember. If one was in a jam, the other would be there; but not for help. They both wanted to be a Cabinet member badly. When Fey'lla did come, Leia waited until he had sat down before talking. "Councillor Fey'lla, please try to be on time from now on." Mon Mothma scolded. Her rival blushed, and Leia was glad she was on the Cheif-of-State's side.
Mon Mothma's tiny, decorative gems in her red hair sparkled in the light. "I come before you with bad news. It has come to my attention that the moon of Iego has gone under attack by the Empire. There are not many people living there on the small planet, but they are distressed. We must send help." She opened a hologram image of the moon. It had a bad climate, and not many chose to live there. Only the space pirates and people in a mess. The animals were tough and fierce, but some talked about beautiful angels that lived there.
"The fleet of Rebels will land in the desert, and travel across one ocean to the capital. Unfortunately, the Iegoian's don't let ships on their soil. The trip will be a week and a half on a hospital ship, and there will enemies and obstacles to overcome. It will be a dangerous mission. But Chancellor Organa has volunteered to lead." There were gasps all over the room, and many feared for Leia's life. She was quick-witted and smart; a definite future canidate for the Cabinet.
When all eyes landed on Leia, she gave a quick nod. "I will do my best to help the people on Iego." Before the meeting ended, Mon Mothma asked for more volunteers.
"I'll go," Han said.
"Me too," Luke added.
Chewie roared his vote.
Leia frowned, but didn't argue. As everyone broke apart, she heard people mutter that she was just sending herself out on a suicide mission. 'Maybe I am,' Leia thought fearfully.
It was too late to turn her back now.

Dr. Johnson smirked as he watched the news bulletin. Leia Organa and the two men that seemed to follow her around everywhere were going to Iego. There was no protection, no police, no one to stop him but a small band of Rebels.
"When will they ever learn? It takes more than a blow to the head to kill me."
He had learned since then. He constructed a lightsaber, he trained, he practiced, and became more powerful every day.
He was pleased by his appearance, too. Right below his left eye, he had blown a blood vessel, a definite sign of a dark Jedi. His eyes glowed a horrible red, and he looked like a younger version of the Emperor. "I WILL travel to Iego, and get rid of that no good Jedi and politician forever!"

"You know, you didn't have to come. All you've been doing is complaining." Leia said to Han dryly.
"I've known you for five years, and I know that you always find trouble. Now guess who has to get you out?"
Her thin face turned into a scowl. "It's hotter than Tatooine here," she replied, trying to change the subject. Han noticed and laughed.
Desert was all around them, and Leia thought of how weird it was to have a desert near the ocean. It streched out for miles, and finally they got to the docks.
Leia gasped as she saw how large the ship was. It must of been 100 times longer than the Millenuim Falcon, and 15 stories tall. It was not what she would of imagined as a hospital ship. It smelled like fresh paint, and only a few of people waved from the top of the ship. They were nurses dressed in simple white dresses with a symbol on them. The Empire insignia. She yanked on Luke's sleeve. "Luke, look at the insignia," she whispered.
"The Empire took over this planet, so of course they would wear that." He softened when he saw her expression. "Don't worry. They're not looking for us." She relaxed a bit.
They boarded the ship quietly, and went into their seperate suites. To Leia's wonder, her suite was far more luxiourious than Han or Luke's. Chewie had decided to wait until everyone had boarded until entering the crowded hallway.
To her relief, dinner was served in her suite, and everyone ate seperately. She didn't know what she could say to women on the ship. The uniforms made her uncomfortable.
Later that night, she walked out to the promanade deck. The air was very chilly, and she hugged herself for warmth.
Leia had always loved looking at the star's. There was a beautiful view at the palace on Alderaan, and she and her father would point out constellations and sometimes make up their own stories to tell. She had been close to her mother, Eloise, but it wasn't the same. Eloise had always been more comfortable around parties and dresses and makeup. She had appeared so glamourous and perfect; her long, curly red hair bounced when she walked, and her blue eyes sparkled. She was happy and carefree, but they never had a lot of mother-daughter moments. She hadn't died on Alderaan. Darth Vader had killed her years before, when Leia refused to become part of the Empire. She shouldn't think about that now.
Then she noticed all the stares she was getting. With a start, she realized she was the only woman with long brown hair. Everyone here had short blond hair or red hair.
Strange.
"Are you an angel?" a little boy asked. His large blue eyes were filled with curiousity.
"Excuse me?"
"An angel. I hear all the space pilots talk about them. They live on this moon, I think."
"You're a funny little boy. How do you know so much?"
listen to all the pilots talk. I'm a pilot, you know."
Really?" she asked, bemused. The boy couldn't of been more than ten.
"Yep. And one day I'm going to fly away from this place. My mom and I used to belong to a Hutt, but she lost us betting on the races."
"You're a slave?"
"I'm a person, and my name is Aaron."
"I'm sorry. I don't fully understand. This is a strange place to me." She was beginning to feel like nothing herself. They were already surrounded by water.
"You don't beleive in slavery?"
"I don't have slaves where I come from." Leia answered. She sat down next to Aaron.
What planet do you live on?"
"Coruscant. It's an exciting planet, with such tall buildings that no one ever touches the ground." Aaron's eyes lit up. "I want to go one day. Someday. When I'm free. But I don't know your name!"
Leia laughed softly. "My name is Leia." She felt like she could trust this boy. He was only a child, anyway. "Leia Organa."
"That's a nice name. Mine is Aaron Johnson."
Johnson.
The memories of the scientist flooded back to her. His harsh, taunting laugh. His glowing eyes. But he was dead... Wasn't he?
Luke had said she was as powerful as he was. She reached out in the Force to find his presence, and found it. Why hadn't she of thought of this before?
"Are you all right, Leia?" Aaron asked.
"Yes, I was just thinking. I'm glad to of met you, Aaron." she said sincerly. She started back towards her suite, and heard Aaron call after her, "I was glad to of met you too!"
His voice rang through her mind as she walked to Luke's suite. "Can I come in? It's Leia." When the door flew open and she was pulled inside, she almost screamed.
Han and Chewie were already there with Luke.
"What's going on?"
"We couldn't find you." Han explained.
"I was just talking on the promanade deck. That's why I came here. I think Dr Johnson is alive."
Luke frowned. "He can't be. We left him, there, dead. We all saw it! Well- except for Chewie."
"Reach out for him using the Force. I can feel his presence."
Luke closed his eyes and concentrated. His eyes flew open. "He's here. On this ship." Leia shuddered as he said it.
"I- I think I'll go back to my room. I'm suddenly really tired." Leia said weakly. The others nodded their agreement.
When she opened the door to her suite, she let out a scream. Dr Johnson was already there. "I'm glad you could of joined me, Your Highness."

With a 32. gun pointed at her head, Leia knew better than to scream. She would of been shot.
"I've asked you this question before. Why? Why are you doing this?" Leia asked fearfully.
The man sighed, and explained as if talking to a three year old. "Because there is no room in the galaxy for Jedi on the Light side of the force. That is why I need you and your friend dead."
Luke.
Poor Luke.
Leia wanted to cry. But she would never let this man see her cry. Not in a thousand years.
"You're too stubborn for your own good, you know that?" the man said. They began to walk down the staircase. Leia made a mental note of which direction they were going, just in case.
Her shoes made a loud clanking noise as they walked down the walkway. The thin metal railings were the only thing that kept them from falling three stories to their death. He locked the door to the exit on the walkway and began to climb down a ladder to the bottom.
Leia put her hand over her face to stop her self from suffering a panic attack. There was a large metal box attached to the side of the ship. The man opened it and looked at the sticks of dynamite inside. They had less than one minute to survive.
To further Leia's disbeleif, Aaron, the hopeful blue-eyed child came in.
"What are you doing here?" Dr Johnson angrily demanded. "You should be on deck."
"I don't care. I know what you're going to do, and I won't let you!"
Aaron noticed Leia standing on the walkway, frightened. "And don't you hurt my friend, either!"
Leia felt an overwelming sense of gratitude that the little boy had stood up for her.
Then the explosion came.
There was a thunderous noise and a blast that sent Leia flying over the railing with a scream. She let the Force flow through her before she landed.
Water poured into the ship quickly from the large hole. The sound of her boots hitting the ground was the only way she knew she still had her hearing. Soon that sound vanished when the freezing water picked her up and made her go against her will into the next room. With a loud noise, she slammed into the wall. Gasping, she found a vent. The gym was there, but she knew she couldn't stay. Taking a deep breath, she dived back under the cold water and tried to find a door.

Han and Luke were talking in the hallway when the alarms went off.

"What is that?" Han demanded.
People began rushing past them to get to the upper deck. "There was an explosion down below. This ship is sinking."
Han's eyes widened. "We have to get Leia." When he pushed his way to her suite door, it was unlocked. He searched desperately inside. Leia wasn't there.
"He has her, Luke. That man has Leia!"
He ran out to the staircase, which gave him a view of the floors below. Luke and Chewie were closely behind him.
With a horrible feeling, he stared at the scene. Water was already coming up.
Han turned to face Luke. He had a far away look in his eyes again.
"What is it, Luke?"
"It's Leia. She wants us to get on the lifeboat. She says she'll be all right." It was obvious Luke didn't want to leave her. He had found her not long ago, and all of his other family had died. What would he do without his twin sister?
"I don't like it either, Luke. But if we don't get up to the decks, we won't get off this ship!"
The stewards on the deck tried to calm the people down.
But before Han leaped into one of the boats, he was sure he saw a flash of panic on one steward's face.

Leia tried to scream as she saw the blast doors in the room begin to close.
She managed to slide in between the narrow space. Water escaped with her. She thought about how many compartments had been filled. It must be five.
The ship would sink.
'I can't think about that now. My skin will be a nice shade of blue by the time I get out.'
If she did get out.
'This water must be 40 degrees ferinheit. I can't stay here.'
She nearly wept with joy when she began to climb the staircase. Her wet dress made her feel heavy, but it kept her warmer. Water closely followed her.
As she walked up the hallway, she realized she was the only person left on the ship.
Then the ship started tilting to the right side. She rushed through the kitchen before the falling plates crashed on top of her.
The cold wind hit her wet face when she stepped outside. Lifeboats were scattered all over the ocean, and one furry tall wookie caught her eye. She started to look for little Aaron, but he wasn't there. He existed only in her memory now.
Lawnchairs and benches tried to callapse on her as she ran to the other side of the ship. She grasped the gold railing tightly in her hands and swung her leg to the other side of the railing. When the ship fell over completely and landed with a loud noise onto the ocean surface, she let go. As expected, she was pulled under for a couple seconds.
She thrashed blindly and held her hand over her head, wanting to break through the water and feel the air. Just when she thought her lungs would burst, she found the surface.
"Leia! Leia!" Han called out.
When her vision cleared, she swam over to the waiting lifeboat. Luke carefully pulled her up. The coat put around her did little do stop her shivering, and Leia felt what was like a thousand knives stabbing her. The cold air stung her, and she couldn't even think.
A voice told her it would be all right. Someone. Luke? Her brother?
"Luke?" she murmered. The faces... they were so blurry.
"You'll be all right, Leia. You'll be all right." Luke said again.
When her vision got better, she looked at the space where the ship once was. Little bits of debris floated nearby.
"What happened?"
Han followed her gaze. "Some lifeboats went into the propeller. Now, what happened to you?"
"Dr Johnson. He's dead." The flashes of what had happened crashed on top of her so suddenly that she moaned. "Aaron. He's dead, too."
"Aaron?" Han asked.
"Yes. The doctor's...helper? I met him." She turned her head to the horizon. "Look, the sun's coming up." The color's looked so beautiful, it almost made everything more bearable.
"Yeah, it's a new day," Han whispered. He looked down at Leia, shivering on the bench. Only her dark brown eyes kept the secrets of what had happened that night.


~~~~~~~~~~~EPILOGUE~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mon Mothma called Leia into her office. Leia's hair was nicely combed, and her long dress looked perfect on her.
"I heard what happened on Iego. I'm sorry." Mon Mothma apologized.
"Everything worked out in the end. Dr Johnson is dead, and Iego was talked into joining the Alliance."
"Is there any way to make it up to you?"
Leia smiled. "Well, there is one thing."
"What is it?" the Cheif-of-State asked suspiciously.
"A vacation trip to New Alderaan for me and Han."
Mon Mothma laughed. "Of course."
The two shook hands.



~END~

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Part 3- Leia's New Threat