The Adventures of the Crimson Hawk, Part 28

“Junior!” Henry and Leia watched from the third story as Vader carried the boy up the majestic staircase. “Damn it, Vader has him!”

Leia pointed over his shoulder. “I think we have more things to worry about at the moment.” Coruscant army soldiers in stiff black and white uniforms were coming right at them. She raised an eyebrow as the Crimson Hawk turned his goggles upwards to the ceiling. “Henry, what are you doing?”

“Saving our hides.” His eyes were still focused upwards as the soldiers rushed at them from both sides. “Ok, Sweetheart, on my count. One, two...”

They leaped upwards just in time, grabbing a smaller chandelier over their heads. The soldiers skidded into each other before they could stop. The resulting crash bore a close resemblance to a carriage pile-up, with arms and legs wiggling in a messy hill. Henry landed behind them, nearly falling over onto the rest of the group. Leia landed with a perfect little somersault.

Henry rolled his eyes. “Show off.”

She was about to point out that he was one to talk when she noticed another group of soldiers coming at them from behind him. “Look out!” She whipped out her sword, stopping two of them and slashing at a third's belt, making him stumble and showing off his rather adorable heart-print boxers. “Henry, get out of here. Get Charles, Rusty, and the secret weapons!”

“Charlie went to get them a while ago.” He shot at two more. “Sweetheart, I'm not leaving you.”

Leia shoved him along. “Just go! I'll meet you downstairs.”

He dashed off down the hall, leading the men away from Leia. “I got to give you guys credit,” he yelled. “You're persistent!”

Leia lead another group down the stairs to the second floor. She dove into what appeared to be a bedroom. One tried to get her on the bed, but she kicked him in his sensitive parts. As he doubled over, another man pulled out a sword. She went head-to-head with him, then with another, until she was dueling with three at once!

“I'm sorry, gentlemen.” She bowed before them. “but I can't fall for all of you. I'll let you do that.” Her hands were around the carpet under their feet before they could stop her. The moment it was yanked away, they toppled to the polished floor like bowling pins. The agile Duchess leaped over them and raced down the stairs.

Henry was having less luck. He was being chased by two squadrons at once and getting a little tired of the running around. It was about time for The Crimson Hawk to make his grand exit. “It's been fun, boys,” he chuckled as he climbed onto the railing, “but I've got other places to be, other people I need to rescue. See ya on the other side!” One man attempted to grab at his ankles, but Henry stomped on his hand before making a flying leap into the air.

His fingers just managed to catch hold of the crystal chandelier before gravity took hold. The soldiers tried to shoot at him, but he was swinging too fast. He wanted to swing to the other side, but it was too far, and he just couldn't get up the momentum. Sweaty fingers in leather gloves finally lost their grip on the crystal, leaving him plummeting to the ballroom floor.

All he saw for the next few moments was stars and piano keys. “Henry!” He was still seeing stars and ivory bars when a pair of slender arms in ruffled white silk wrapped around him. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Henry squinted up at the blurry face that glared through emerald green rings. “Huh? How many of there are you?”

“One.” The kiss he received from this vision in white only made his legs even more rubbery. “You dear, silly idiot.” That kiss was followed by a smack across the back of his head. “What were you thinking? It's one thing when we were all doing it together, but landing in the piano? You could have gotten hurt!”

“I did...huh?” Henry was surrounded by wooden splinters, metal wires, and small bars of ebony and ivory. “Oh.”

“Mr. Crimson Hawk!” Cedric hurried over. “That was quite a fall you took, sir.”

Henry winced as Leia and the secretary helped him out of the broken wood. “Oh, I always come into a room like that.”

“We have to get you out of here, before Vader's boys figure out what's going on.” Leia squeezed his sore hip. “The Death Star is about to take off. Anyone who had an invitation has already gone there, or to the windows to watch them leave if they didn't.”

“Stop right there, Solo.” Yet another squadron lined the wide staircase like well-armed ants. Hux lead them, dressed in a similar black and white uniform that was too tight and too short in the trousers, revealing a few inches of pale, hairy leg. “You're not getting away this time!” One of his men shoved Cedric forward. “This impostor is under arrest for impersonating an officer, rather badly, I may add, and being an accessory to criminal acts.”

“I am not impersonating you badly! Ow!” Cedric whined as Hux yanked off his red wig.

“Yeah,” Henry sneered. “He looks a lot better than you do.”

“Quiet, Solo.” The remaining guests gasped as Hux's men surrounded them. “I'm going to execute you right here, in front of all these witnesses! His Majesty King Palpatine might even make me a prince. Especially if I can bring his crown jewels back.” His blue eyes softened as they swung to Leia. “You have one last chance, Your Grace. Marry me, and I might consider letting these two renegades go. Otherwise, you die with them.”

Leia pulled up her goggles, giving Hux the full brunt of her angry glare. She took Henry's arm, partially to keep him from collapsing. “I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man in Naboo!” She continued, more loudly, so everyone could hear. “I'm the White Swan, a member of the League of the Crimson Hawk! I will never, never bow down to a sycophant like you!”

Hux merely sighed. “Very well.” He swished to the bandstand, managing to sashay even without his ever-present cape. “Men, search them for the jewels.” Two of the white-clad guards ran their hands all over Han and Leia. They confiscated both their guns and Leia's sword, but nothing else.

Leia slapped one hand when it wandered into her bosom. “Excuse me, but that's a private place!”

“I'm tellin' ya, we don't have 'em.” Henry smirked. “An' we're not tellin' you where they are, either.”

“Too bad.” He waved his hand at another squadron. “I want you to turn this whole palace upside-down. Don't rest until the Crown Jewels are safely in my hands.”

As he spoke, two of his men bound Henry and Leia together tightly with gold silk rope from one of the curtains in the parlor just off the ballroom as Hux's men gathered the remaining audience. Another bound a protesting Cedric to one of the musicians' chairs on the stage. “Sorry I got you into this mess, Sweetheart.” The taller man squeezed her hand. “I love you.”

His beloved White Swan gave him a small smile. “I know.”

“Now, Crimson Hawk, I'll get what I've wanted from the beginning.” Hux reached for his goggles. “Who is the man behind the mask?” He turned to the remaining crowd, hanging on his every word. “We've all wondered what manner of criminal has been stealing from the nobles and the gentry. Who would be so bold as to release all the Wookie natives from the Royal Regatta and the Death Star Airship? What manner of man would be able to invent the machines that allow them to escape every time?”

“Sir?” One of his men was shaking his arm. “I hear squeaking.”

“Not now, Officer!” Hux pushed him away. “I'm about to reveal the Crimson Hawk to the entire audience! What could be more important than that?”

The officer pointed at the railings. “Uh...them.”

And that was when he heard the heart-stopping, ear-pounding roar of the Wookie natives...and the chatter of a smaller breed of savage. Suddenly, brown blurs dropped from the railings, smashed through the windows, and climbed out of dumbwaiters. Fluffballs and massive giants pushed through guests and leaped over tables.

Henry's cheer was long and loud. “Looks like our secret weapon has arrived!”

Hux was screaming at the top of his lungs. “Well, don't just stand there! Stop them!” He grabbed one man with his good hand. “Oh no. You and I still have to get rid of the meddlesome Crimson Hawk.”

Henry smirked. “Thought you forgot us.”

“I won't.” Hux raised his gun in his left hand. “But history will only remember you as part of a failed rebellion, just another statistic.” His men aimed right for their hearts on either side. “Say good-bye, Crimson Hawk.” Henry clutched Leia's hand and stared right into Hux's eyes, ready to face death head-on.

Henry waited...but all he heard was a klonk and shattering china. When his eyes opened, Hux was on the ground, wailing over the bump on his head. Charles stood over him. Two Wookie natives in white waiter's jackets wrestled the soldiers to the floor.

“Nice work, Chewie.” Henry grinned as Leia's little friend Wicket cut through the rope with a flint knife. “You too, shorty.”

“Here ye go, mate.” Charles tossed Henry his gun and Leia her sword. “Now, let's go stop that Death Star, before they take off with the real King of Naboo.”

Even as Charles spoke, the chandelier rattled and the windows shook. A green light blasted through the oncoming twilight, sizzling the grass below it. “Damn! Damn it!” Henry, Charles, Wicket, and Leia watched through the wide windows as the Death Star II launched into the sky, finally melding into the purple and orange horizon. “They got the kid!”

Leia pulled a box wound with blue bubbling wires and wooden buttons out of her pocket. “Hello? Langdon?”

“Your Grace?” The former mayor's voice was tinny but recognizable. “From the sound of your voice and all the noise, I'm going to guess the party isn't going well.”

“No, it isn't.” Leia moved away from the party as the guards started shooting at the Wookies, who ducked their bullets and started throwing soldiers and guests into tables. “Langdon, tell Wedge Vader and Palpatine escaped...and they have Luke. I'm afraid to ask what they're going to try on him.”

Langdon echoed Henry's sentiment. “Damn it! We'll rescue him, Your Grace. Antilles won't forgive us if we don't. He's really crazy about him.”

“Watch out for the Admiral and Hera and her crew in the water. We'll join you with the Aurora Belle as soon as we have the jewels.” She just noticed three men coming at her in time to shoot down one and dodge another. “I have to go. This ball's getting a little crowded.”

“Good luck, Your Grace,” Langdon said as he signed off. Leia got the box in her pocket as soon as the lights stopped bubbling.

Henry had just punched out three men when Leia rejoined them. “Ready to find those jewels?”

“They're not hard to find.” Leia smirked. “In fact, I hid them in plain sight.”

“Well then, let's move things along.” Charles had Wicket under one arm, squirming away. “Before Hux calls for reinforcements.”

Henry nodded. “Right.” The three ducked upstairs, leaving the Wookies and Ewoks to fling rocks and food, throw spears and punches, and generally cause as much chaos as possible.