Blaster fire erupted almost instantly as we charged into the detention block. The guards, already on high alert from the alarms, wasted no time in opening fire. Red bolts of energy streaked through the air, ricocheting off the walls and consoles in a deadly display of chaos.
Diving behind a nearby terminal, I instinctively raised my hand, calling upon the Force to deflect an incoming blast. It veered off course, striking a security panel and showering sparks into the air. Han and Chewbacca were already retaliating, their shots precise as they worked to suppress the guards.
"Luke! Get to the controls!" I shouted over the blaster fire, knowing that if we didn't disable the security measures fast, we'd be overrun within minutes.
Luke sprinted toward the main console, ducking as a bolt sizzled past his head. He slammed his hands onto the interface, eyes scanning frantically for the cell number we needed. "Leia's in cell 2187!" he called out. "I'm unlocking it now!"
Han let out a sharp laugh between shots. "Of course, it's 2187. This keeps getting better and better."
The door to Leia's cell slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing a petite figure clad in white. Her sharp, calculating eyes met ours in an instant. "Aren't you a little—" She began before pausing, taking in the sight of Luke in stormtrooper armour and me in my regular clothes.
"We're here to rescue you," Luke said breathlessly, stepping into the cell. "Come on, we don't have much time! Kenobi is with us, but we need to hurry!"
Leia didn't hesitate. Grabbing a discarded blaster from the cell's security station, she emerged with determination. "Then let's move before the reinforcements arrive."
A fresh wave of stormtroopers stormed into the detention block, their weapons raised. Han ducked behind cover, letting out a frustrated groan. "I hate being right! We're in for a world of trouble."
"We need an exit!" I yelled, deflecting another bolt that nearly caught Luke.
Leia's eyes darted to a vent near the back of the block. "That leads to the garbage chute. Not ideal, but it's an escape."
Han made a face. "You've got to be kidding me."
"It's either that or get shot!" Leia snapped back.
Blaster fire intensified, forcing our decision. One by one, we scrambled into the chute, plunging into the unknown—straight into whatever awaited us below.
We landed with a series of heavy thuds, the stench hitting us before we even had time to react. The walls of the garbage compactor loomed around us, damp and coated with filth. I barely had time to get my bearings before a deep, guttural groan echoed through the chamber.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Han muttered, shaking grime off his hands.
A ripple disturbed the surface of the murky water pooling at our feet. Then another. My pulse quickened. Something was moving beneath us.
Leia tensed. "What was that?"
Before anyone could answer, the water erupted as a massive, serpentine tentacle shot out, wrapping around my leg. The force of it yanked me off my feet, dragging me toward the darkness beneath the sludge.
"Kai!" Luke shouted, lunging after me.
I fought to keep my head above water, reaching out with the Force to break the creature's grip. Pressure tightened around my leg as the creature pulled me deeper. Panic flared for an instant before I focused, sending a sharp burst of energy through the connection. The tentacle spasmed and released me just enough for me to twist free.
I broke the surface, gasping. Han and Chewbacca fired blindly into the water, their blaster bolts hissing as they struck the surface.
"Move!" Leia shouted, scrambling onto a floating piece of debris. "We need to find a way out before that thing grabs someone else!"
Luke helped me to my feet just as the walls of the compactor shuddered with a low mechanical whine.
"Uh… that doesn't sound good," Han said warily.
The walls began to close in.
"Great! Just great!" I shouted. "Now what?!"
Leia was already at the compactor's control panel, slamming her fists against the unresponsive buttons. "We need to stop the mechanism!"
Luke grabbed his comlink. "Threepio! Come in! Shut down the garbage compactor on Detention Level AA-23!"
The walls crept closer, the space tightening with every agonizing second. My heart pounded as I pushed against the durasteel with everything I had, the Force trembling under the weight of the massive pressure.
Static crackled through Luke's comlink. Then—
"You're all going to be a lot thinner!" Threepio's panicked voice finally cut through. "Oh! Oh! Stand by! Shutting down the compactor!"
With a final shudder, the walls halted mere inches from crushing us.
Han exhaled heavily. "Remind me to never take a shortcut through an Imperial detention center again."
Leia smirked. "Let's get out of here before you get another chance."
Chewbacca growled and pointed toward a maintenance hatch near the ceiling. With the walls no longer pressing in, it was accessible now. "That might lead us back into the main corridors," I said, shaking off the last remnants of the compactor's grime.
"Better than staying here," Luke agreed. "We have to regroup with Kenobi."
Han climbed up first, prying the hatch open. A gust of stale, recycled air rushed down at us. One by one, we pulled ourselves through, emerging into a narrow service tunnel. The sounds of distant blaster fire echoed around us—Kenobi was still out there, but an ominous presence lingered in the air, sending a chill down my spine.
Leia turned to me, her expression set with determination. "We have to find him before it's too late."
I nodded, already sensing the storm brewing ahead. "Let's move."
Quick question
Longer Chapters but less of them
OR
Current Length (1000 words)