we all fall down

The cold walls of the Cloud City prison cell pressed in like silent sentinels, watching as Ivy paced near the entrance. The overhead lights flickered, casting long shadows across the room where Chewbacca hunched over the disassembled body of C-3PO. A high-pitched whistle screeched through the air, causing the Wookiee to let out a frustrated growl. Ivy winced at the sound, rubbing her temples. "How do you not have a headache from that?" she muttered, glancing at Chewie. The Wookiee rumbled in response, his large hands fiddling with C-3PO's exposed circuits. Ivy watched in fascination as Threepio's golden eyes flickered weakly before his sluggish voice filled the room.

"Oh, my," the droid groaned, his words slow and almost slurred. "Uh, I—uh—take this off! I—uh—don't mean to intrude here—" Chewie growled in frustration, adjusting more wires. Ivy crouched beside him, her fingers lightly brushing the cold metal of Threepio's arm.

"Here, let me," she said, using the Force to carefully align the droid's circuits. With a final adjustment, Threepio's voice snapped back to its normal, flustered tone.

"Stormtroopers? Here? We're in danger! I must tell the others! Oh, no! I've been shot!"

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Welcome back, drama king." Chewie let out a deep sigh before suddenly perking up. His nostrils flared as he caught the scent of something familiar—something unsettling. A second later, the door hissed open, and two stormtroopers shoved a ragged figure inside. Han Solo stumbled forward, his face pale, his clothes disheveled. Chewbacca let out a mournful growl and rushed to his friend, enveloping him in a tight embrace. Ivy's stomach clenched as she took in Han's condition.

Han managed a weak smile. "Chewie, buddy... take it easy." The Wookiee loosened his grip just as the door opened again. Leia was pushed inside, her face tight with worry. As soon as she saw Han, she rushed to him, kneeling beside him on the metal platform. Ivy took a step closer, her heart heavy.

"Why are they doing this?" Leia murmured, brushing Han's hair back.

Han exhaled slowly. "They never even asked me any questions." Before Ivy could process his words, the door slid open once more. Lando Calrissian entered, his expression a mix of guilt and urgency, flanked by two of his guards.

"Lando," Leia said sharply.

Han's eyes darkened. "Get out of here, Lando."

Lando ignored him, stepping further inside. "Shut up and listen. Vader has agreed to turn Leia and Chewie over to me."

Ivy's brows furrowed. "Wait—what?"

Han struggled to sit up. "Over to you?"

"They'll have to stay here, but at least they'll be safe," Lando continued.

Leia's eyes narrowed. "What about Han?"

Ivy crossed her arms. "And me?"

Lando hesitated for a fraction of a second before sighing. "Vader's giving Han to the bounty hunter."

Leia's breath caught. "Vader wants us all dead."

Lando shook his head. "He doesn't want you at all. He's after somebody called Skywalker."

Ivy's heart skipped. "Luke," she whispered.

Han's gaze snapped to Lando. "Luke?"

Lando nodded grimly. "Lord Vader has set a trap for him."

Leia's eyes flickered with understanding. "And we're the bait."

Lando hesitated before admitting, "Well... he's on his way."

Han's anger erupted. He pushed himself off the platform, his hands clenched into fists. "Perfect. You fixed us all pretty good, didn't you?" His voice dripped with venom. "My friend." Before anyone could react, Han swung at Lando, landing a solid punch to his jaw. The room exploded into chaos. The guards lunged forward, striking Han with their rifle butts. He staggered backward, pain flashing across his face. Chewie roared and lunged, but the stormtroopers leveled their blasters at him. Ivy tensed, her fingers twitching as she resisted the urge to ignite her lightsaber. Her mind raced, knowing that drawing her weapon now could make things worse.

Lando held up a hand, stopping the guards. "Stop! I've done all I can. I'm sorry I couldn't do better, but I have my own problems."

Han wiped blood from his lip. "Yeah, you're a real hero." With one last regretful glance, Lando turned and left, his guards following. The door slid shut behind them, locking the group back into their grim reality.

Leia knelt beside Han, gently dabbing at the fresh cut on his face. "You certainly have a way with people."

Ivy let out a breath, her fists still clenched at her sides. "We need to find a way out of here."

Han gave her a weak smirk. "Got any bright ideas, kid?"

Ivy's jaw tightened. She wasn't a kid—she was a Jedi. And she wasn't going to let them win.

Darth Vader stood at the edge of the freezing pit, the steam from the machinery swirling around him like a living shadow. Lando was beside him, his face tense with unease. The bounty hunter Boba Fett loomed nearby, arms crossed as he observed the chamber. "This facility is crude," Vader intoned, "but it should be adequate to freeze Skywalker for his journey to the Emperor."

An Imperial soldier entered, bowing. "Lord Vader, ship approaching. X-wing class."

Vader's helmet tilted slightly. "Good. Monitor Skywalker and allow him to land."

Lando shifted, clearing his throat. "Lord Vader, we only use this facility for carbon freezing. If you put him in there, it might kill him."

Vader turned his masked gaze toward him. "I do not want the Emperor's prize damaged. We will test it... on Captain Solo." Lando's face paled. His lips pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing. In the prison cell, Ivy's stomach churned with dread. She didn't need the Force to know something terrible was coming. And she had to stop it.