The Summer Strikes Back, Part 29

Lance was in the captain's cabin in the Falcon, preparing his pirate costume, when his buddy Nino hurried downstairs. “Phone call for me?” He cocked the tri-corn felt hat with the thick red plume he'd gotten at Atlantic City at a jaunty angle, then followed the small Mexican man upstairs. “Hello, Millennium Falcon, Lance Callahan speaking.”

“Buddy, look. It's Hank.” His friend's voice sounded a little worried. “We were wondering if you'd seen Luke.”

Lance shook his head. “Nope, sorry. We haven't seen anyone since this morning.” He repeated Hank's words in Spanish to Nino, who also shook his head. He looked even more like a pirate than him with his bandanna tied around his head, the big gold hoop earring dangling off one ear, and the flowing white blouse and striped trousers. Lance returned to the phone “Why?” He gave him his big grin. “I know the kid won the contest. Mr. Kenobi called earlier and told us the good news. We'll have to celebrate when we get back. I know people who run a winery on the mainland near North Ocean View who may be willing to give us very good rates on their best vintages.”

“Leia says she's worried Luke may have turned himself in to Vader.” There was a tremor in Hank's voice. “She says she'll give me the whole story tonight. She's scared, pal, and so am I. Luke gets these half-baked ideas sometimes and won't let them go. It worked with Jabba, but this is Vader. He just beat Vader's ass at that surfing contest. I wouldn't put it past Surfing Ugly to get even somehow.”

“We'll keep an eye out for him.” Lance frowned as he heard the purr of a yacht's outboard motor. “Didn't know anyone was leaving for the Pageant this early. They don't start lining up until 7.” He raised an eyebrow as Nino tugged at his sleeve. “Hold on, buddy. Something doesn't seem right here.”

Lance grabbed a pair of binoculars from a table in the wheel house and followed Nino to the starboard side. “Damn it.” He adjusted the lenses to focus on the black lettering on the massive luxury yacht's sleek silver side. “The Death Star. That's Simon Palpatine's yacht. I read about it in GQ. One of the most expensive small yachts in the world.”

Nino nodded, babbling on in his native Spanish. “There's people on-deck?” Nino grabbed the lenses and turned a few dials, peering through them, then handed them back to Lance. “Luke!” Lance could now see the young blond as clearly as if he were right next to them. “And...Vader?” The badly scarred older man was shoving the boy down into the galley as they glided out to the harbor. “What's he doing with the kid?”

“Lance?” Hank's voice was tinny coming out of the big black receiver next to the wheel. “What was it?”

The slender, curly-haired man ducked back in and grabbed the phone. “Hank, Vader has Luke. I saw him with him on Palpatine's yacht.” He winced at some of the more colorful phrases that came out of his friend's mouth, holding the phone away from his ear until Hank got control of his blue vocabulary. “Hang on, old buddy.” He kept his eye on them through the binoculars. “They just made a right turn. I think they're going near the ocean, probably out where they're setting up for the Boat Pageant.” He raised an eyebrow. “Palpatine would enter his own yacht. I'll bet it's insurance, just in case Vader and his dorks lost the contest. They're going to try to win the Pageant and take the kid down at the same time.”

“If they're in the boat pageant, then we'll be able to see them from Maz's pier.” He thought he heard Charlie's deep bark in the background. “Yeah, Lance found him. Vader has him on his boss' yacht. Probably gonna turn him over to Palpatine.” Charlie's bark turned into a loud howl of anger. Leia's howl was even louder. “Tell the Rogues I'm ready for them to come down here when they are, and that they'll have to wait to celebrate their win earlier.”

Lance heard the sound of small, angry feet pattering out the door. “Leia just went next-door to tell them,” Hank started quickly. “Charlie n' I will catch Hera and Kanan and tell them before they pick up Admiral Ackbar and the Ghost at his marina.” His voice got tinny again as Lance started up the engine. “Be careful, buddy. Palpatine didn't get to being the head of one of the largest international corporations in the world by being a nice guy.”

“I know, Hank. I've read all about this guy. I still have my subscription to the Wall Street Journal. I'll see you tonight, after the Pageant.” He grinned. “Keep an eye out for us. We're going to be the best-decorated boat there.”

He could hear the lopsided grin in Hank's voice. “I know, buddy. It's you. See you tonight.”

Nino settled down in the navigator's chair. “Start setting our course for the Pageant.” Lance gave him a smirk of his own. “Old Skin n' Bones Simon won't know what hit him. He tries anything...and he'll get raided by some real Pirates of the Atlantic. And not the corporate kind, either.” His Mexican friend gave him a smirk of his own under his drooping fake mustache.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia leaned on Hank's shoulder as they watched the boats line up for the 31^st annual Ocean View Boat Pageant. The back of the Marine Adventure Pier was crowded two and three deep with people jostling for the perfect view of the festivities. Jyn, Cassian, and Bodhi were on their right, eating chili dogs from Harry's Hot Dog Hamlet. Uncle Ben stood to their left, chatting with Yoda about parades past. Charlie was behind them with Wicket and his family. Little Windy had taken a shine to him and was proudly perched on his beefy shoulders. Poe was on Bodhi's shoulders, eating his own smaller hot dog, his father being busy in his boardwalk surf store.

“Glad we got here early.” Hank chuckled. “We got the best seats in the house, and we needed them. Our whole group probably takes up half the pier as it is.”

Jyn licked her sauce covered fingers. “It's a good thing most of us live within walking distance of the boardwalk. I don't think we'd have a car big enough for everyone who wanted to come.”

“We'd have to rent a bus.” Cassian wiped his fingers fastidiously on a napkin. “Where's Kris, Arturro, and Chip?”

Leia shrugged. “I have no idea what happened to Kris, but Chip and Arturro had to work. Kris is probably keeping them company.”

The boats started across the water in front of boardwalk, each showing off it's theme as the sun went down and the lights went on. The Green Yavin Hotel's entry had Dodonna's old cruiser decorated like a 50's hot rod, while he and his family danced on-deck in poodle skirts and Ocean View High School letter jackets. Carl Rieekian's rented pontoon had a Disney theme, with his daughters dressed as Cinderella and Snow White, two cousins as Mowgli and Pinocchio, and a dalmatian leaning against the fox and hound cut-outs on on the side.

A grumpy Hector Thrawn and elegantly smiling Senator Martha Mothma were on a small yacht festooned with cardboard Victorian houses. She resembled a red-headed Princess Diana in a ruffled blouse and soft yellow skirt, her enormous pale-yellow hat dripping with feathers and flowers and shaded by a frilly gold parasol. He was stiff in a starched dark suit and tall silk hat.

“Look!” Poe pointed to the next boat, one of the few fishing vessels. “There's Miss Hera's boat! And that's Ezra! He's funny!”

Ezra waved wildly from the Ghost's deck in his black t-shirt and jeans, a Return of the Jedi banner behind him on the wheel house. He lit up his green plastic lightsaber and waved it around for the crowd, trying to look like Luke in the movie. Sabine giggled in her red and gold bikini and gold bracelets, a stuffed Ewok under one arm. Hera, who looked quite nice in her white robes and chunky gold necklaces, waved a finger at him for running on the deck. Zeb plucked him back, jumping away before the lightsaber got caught in his fuzzy brown jacket and bandoleer. Admiral Ackbar chuckled under his black cloak. Kanan pulled off his plastic Darth Vader mask, shaking his head at Ezra's antics.

Leia had to chuckle herself. “That was Ezra's idea. He loves those movies, and Return of the Jedi was huge this summer. Hera told me Luke Skywalker is one of his heroes.”

“That guy reminds me of your brother. Same crazy ideas.” Hank's arm snaked around Leia's shoulder. “Now you...you are a princess. There's just something about you that says 'I was raised to rule a planet that exploded.'”

“Gee, thanks.” Leia kept her eyes on the water. “Here comes Empire Industries' entry.”

“Damn.” Hank raised an eyebrow as Palpatine's sleek silver yacht glided into view. It had been draped with tiny white lights that glowed against the polished hull. Two tall palm trees that almost looked real and a mini forest of tropical plants surrounded the main deck. The upper decks had a cabana over the outdoor furniture and recreations of tiki masks lining the wheel house. “That actually looks pretty good.”

“He probably had a professional decorate it.” Cassian made a face. “Vader and his dorks couldn't get that artistic in their dreams.”

Leia caught sight of a familiar, wheezing fishing boat following it well behind. “There's the Falcon. It's coming. Someday, I think.”

Lance and the Rogues waved their plastic and cardboard cutlasses from the deck, every single one grinning wildly. Lance looked more like Adam Ant than a pirate in his long navy coat with its gold braid and brass buttons, thigh-high boots, skin-tight trousers, lace jabot, and tri-corn hat with a bobbing feather. The Rogues had settled on bandannas, black construction paper pirate hats with white skulls pasted on them, thick black belts, and loose trousers and shorts. Wedge was the only Rogue who even bothered with a shirt. They all stood on the railings or held mock duels on-deck while Lance strutted between them. He reminded Leia of a peacock, with the fancy outfit and waving feather.

Hank snorted. “Those guys are idiots. I don't even want to know where Lance found the pirate flag on the mast and all the paper skulls and crossbones.”

“Probably more of his connections.” Leia took his arm. “I think it's time we did what we promised Officer Madine we'd do and patrol the boards. We saw our friends.”

Jyn tossed her empty cardboard hot dog container in the nearest trash barrel. “She's right. Some of us are going back to school later this week, after the holiday's over.”

“This is only the second time I've been able to get to the boardwalk this summer.” Bodhi swallowed the last of his chili dog, having already turned Poe over to Charlie and the Wicket family. “I haven't gone on even half the rides I like yet.”

“We'll ride them later.” Hank had already started towards the back of the pier, near the Star Wars Gravitron ride. “Come on. Let's see what we can find. I don't think the Imperials are just going to take this morning laying down.”

“I don't, either.” Jyn sniffed, wrinkling her nose. “Hey, what's that?”

Cassian shrugged, sniffing along with her. “What's what? I don't smell anything. Well, except for the usual fried food and suntan lotion.”

“No. I smell...” The others followed Jyn beyond the Star Wars ride with its huge Vader mask entrance and the bumper cars to the back of the Kamakazi Star. Far fewer screams than usual drifted down from the summit of the roller coaster's highest loop. Most people were watching the Boat Pageant. “I smell gasoline. And it's pretty strong.”

Hank made a face. “Of course you do. We're near a roller coaster.”

Leia wrinkled her nose. “I smell it, too. The coaster smells like oil, not gas. This is more like the Falcon after it's broken down again.”

Her boyfriend violently shoved his glasses up his nose. “My baby doesn't smell like that when she breaks down!”

Cassian waved them both off. “Shh! I hear voices...and they're not screaming in total terror.”

As they dove under the railings, they noticed a large group of bodies in white, black, and gray gathered around the end of the pier, near where the Kamakazi Star looked out over the sea. “Damn fucking lighter.” Jerrod was playing with a bright red plastic Bic. “They never work when you need 'em to.”

“I got one.” Another Imperial Gang member pulled a black lighter out of his pocket.

“Thanks.” Jerrod was just about to set the pier under the Kamakazi ablaze when Jyn dashed out from behind a trash barrel.

“Stop! You're under arrest!” She lunged for his hand. “What the fuck do you think you're doing?”

“What I was told to do.” He smirked. “What do you think you're doing? You ain't a cop. You can't legally arrest us.”

“We've been deputized for the night.” Hank pulled out the tin star he'd gotten off Madine. “The local police squads are wise to you guys.”

“Well, what do you know?” Bodhi grabbed a can of gasoline that was leaning against the fence on the corner. “I think the police, they call this 'evidence.'”

Jerrod shoved Jyn into the trash can and switched the lighter on. “And I call this something that could burn this whole friggin' pier to the ground. The Big Man won't have so many problems with the old lady after that.”

“Don't you dare! There's people on this pier!” Leia gave him her famous glare. “Kids! Families!” She lunged for Jerrod as he leaned over, his lighter too close to the pool of flammable liquid around the legs of the coaster. One of his men clamped his hand over her mouth. Hank let out his own yell, struggling in the goon's arms.

“Too bad.” Jerrod nodded. One Imperial drove his fist into Cassian's still-tender ribs. The moment he went down, Jyn launched herself at the man, only to be grabbed around the waist and lifted off the ground. The rest held guns at Bodhi and Hank's backs. “Then we're all going down together.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Welcome, my young friend.” Simon Palpatine reclined in the soft ecru couch and crisp blue cushions. It set off his red and gray suit and red print tie very well. The living room of his yacht was all light wood panels, soft velor rugs, and hard-backed furniture. “Sit down. Vader will get us some champagne.”

“No, Palpatine.” Luke remained standing, even as his brother hastened to the bar on the other side of the room to obey his boss. “It's over. The entire town is on to you. Setting City Hall on fire was one blaze too many. Madine is going to catch up with you as soon as you return to land.”

“I think not.” Everything about Palpatine was sleek, from the expensive loafers to the gold tie tack in the center of his crisp prints. His silver hair was slicked back, the fingernails on his withered hand buffed to a hard shine. Even the wrinkles in his face were oddly sharp, as if they'd been cut into white paper. “They still have no evidence against me.”

The corner of Luke's mouth moved up slightly. “They will after tonight.”

Palpatine laughed so hard, he nearly spit out his champagne. “What, your friends up there? Oh, we know what they're up to. Thrawn is a little too ambitious for his own good, but he does have his uses.” His smirk was a razor slash across his pale face. “Vader has several of his boys dealing with Madine's extra help on the pier now. I wouldn't be surprised if they were going up in flames with the roller coaster at that Kantana woman's amusement park.”

The fingers on Luke's good hand curled hard into his palm, leaving half-moon shaped red marks. “So Thrawn is in your pay.”

“He and I have an...agreement. He gives me certain information about events in town, and I pay him the occasional bonus for looking the over way.” The older man watched as Luke went to the wind. A plume of smoke could be seen drifting from the side of the Marine Adventure Pier. “Your friends on the pier are lost, boy. As for the people in the Boat Pageant, we'll take care of them as soon as the two of us have our little chat.”

Luke tried to swallow the anger rising hot and heavy in the back of his throat. “No,” he managed to choke out. “They're innocent. There's old people on that pier. Families. Children.”

“They're not going to burn the pier down.” His shark's grin widened. “Just do enough damage to make that old bat reconsider. If they lose a few people, it'll make her reconsider faster. After all, that pier's not safe. Why take your family outside in the hot sun, on old wooden planks that can burn or rot, when you can have them enjoy a state-of-the-art, air-conditioned, perfectly safe resort? The whole family can spend money in one place and never, ever have to leave.”

“Yeah,” Luke snapped, “spend money at your resort, your shops, your town! What about everyone else? What about all the small business owners, the hotels and shops that are already here? What'll happen to them? And the people and families who can't afford yachts and huge resorts? Not to mention the people who already live here! Their taxes will go through the roof! Taxes are high enough in this state as it is!”

“I like that spark you have, boy. Hate makes one very powerful.” They looked up as Vader came with the drinks. “Thank you, Vader.” The older businessman took his crystal-cut glass of the bubbly golden liquor. Luke refused it, moving to the window instead. “You could do great things for me, boy. You're smart, too smart for the likes of Kenobi and Yamagachi. You could even lead the Imperials yourself someday.”

“You're wrong.” Luke took a small sip of champagne from the other glass on the lacquered glass and wood table. “Soon you'll be dead, and Adam and me with you.”

“You're the one who's wrong, boy. About many things.” As Luke watched the shore, he noticed several men in white and black Imperial jackets standing outside, rifles at the ready. “If any of your friends in the Boat Pageant try to come after you, our group here will be ready for them.”

His grin was demonic now, like something out of The Exorcist. It sent shivers down Luke's spine. “Once we've built our hotel here, we'll start an entire chain of Empire Resorts up and down the Jersey Shore. We'll create thousands of jobs, bring the rich and famous to these humble, worthless little towns.” He sipped his second glass of champagne. “Once we burn a few useless older hotels and get rid of the residents we don't need, of course.”

When Luke turned on him, his breathing had quickened. All he could see was red. His nails were digging so hard into his palm, one was close to cutting it. “No! You'll destroy these towns! Not every town has to be Atlantic City!”

He lunged for Palpatine's neck with a quickness neither the CEO nor his black-garbed protege could have anticipated. Luke's good hand was around the older man's neck in an instant. The angry youth would have squeezed Palpatine until he popped if a leather hand hadn't dragged him away.

“Knock it off, baby bro.” Vader held onto the screaming, kicking boy. “You're makin' a scene.”

“Damn it, Adam!” Luke kicked him hard in the shins. His brother pulled back, clutching his ankle. “Let me at him!”

“Kid, no!” Palpatine cackled like an evil sorcerer as Vader held Luke back. “It ain't worth it!”

All Luke could do was watch the plume of smoke through the window behind the couches, writhing like a snake in his brother's arms.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“What's going on up there?” Hera was watching the smoke at the pier through her binoculars.

“I don't know, but I don't like it.” Kanan turned to Ezra and Sabine, who were waving their lightsaber and stuffed Ewoks for the remaining crowds on Sporty's Midland Pier and the beaches. “Kids, the show's over. We're going back to Ackbar's.”

“Awww!” Ezra looked crestfallen. “But I was having fun! Everyone loves us! I think we have a chance of winning first place!”

“That doesn't matter now, son.” Kanan pulled off his helmet and dropped it on a crab trap. “They need our help up there.”

“Ahoy there, mateys!” Lance Callahan waved from the Falcon, which had pulled up alongside the Ghost. “I guess you caught the festivities on the Pier. Something tells me that's not fireworks. Not this early, anyway.”

“We saw it.” Ackbar threw his cloak onto the crab trap over Kanan's helmet. “We're going back to my marina to see what we can do.”

“Hank and the others will take care of it.” Lance shook his head. “He knows what he's doing.”

Ackbar was turning from salmon pink to the color of uncooked fluke. “It's a trap. It was all along. They waited until people would be paying attention to the Boat Pageant, then set Maz's pier on fire. They've been trying to force her to sell out for months. If she goes up, half the boardwalk could burn to the ground.”

“We have to give Hank more time.” Lance waved his own binoculars at the sleek yacht that was now in front of them. “Besides, I don't trust Palpatine. He's up to something. We need to keep him from getting away with the kid.”

That was when the people on the back deck of the yacht opened fire. Everyone on the boats behind them dropped to the deck. Kanan threw himself over Sabine; Hera grabbed Ezra. Chester knelt down in the wheel house, pulling the blue and white bowl he used for his droid costume further over his head.

“Hey!” Kanan yelled as he peered over the side. “There are children on this boat!”

“Yeah, man!” Wes waved a white flag from the Falcon. “There's adult children on this one!”

Biggs gave him a look. “Speak for yourself, man.”

“This is crazy.” Lance grinned at Nino in the wheel house. “But I know crazy.” He turned to Wedge. “How are you idiots with shooting harpoons and throwing water balloons?”

The surfer with the straight black hair grinned. “I don't know about the harpoons, but dude, we are experts at water balloon fights.”

“Good.” He cracked open a crate and tossed Wedge a balloon filled with a gushy substance. “You can help me with the guns. Hand these around to your boys. We're going to give those Imperials a surprise they'll never forget!”