New Star Wars Story Hunter's Moon

[randy_o]

Note to my friends:  This is the very first fanfiction I wrote and had published back in the old fanzine days.  It first saw th light of day back in 1981 in Twin Suns, published by Jani Hicks.  The glorious artwork is by Wanda Lybarger, who passed last December.  I had the honor of her illustrating many of my subsequent stories in both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones fandoms.  Her work deserves to be seen on the net rather than hidden away on old fans' bookshelves.



Hunter’s Moon
Letting the slight breeze off the airfield ruffle his brown hair, Han Solo stood lounging at the foot of the Millennium Falcon’s landing ram, happily enjoying the view. Llandoval Station, on the planet of Demeter, was, to Solo’s mind, one of the prettiest ports in the Galaxy. The spaceport facility itself was nothing to speak of, consisting of little more than a large field with the old style dirt landing pits rather than the more commodious docking bays--and only three of them at that--flanked by a scruffy repair hanger at one end of the field. Nor was the port a busy one. At that moment the Falcon was the only ship on the field. No, it was the setting itself that was so incredibly beautiful. The landing field lay on the only relatively flat section of a narrow valley which nestled in the midst of the vast mountain ranges which covered nearly all of the planet’s dry land areas. Foothills, tall enough to be considered mountains on most of the worlds Han had visited, rose steeply on all sides with their slopes covered in a thick forest of hardwood trees mixed with pines. The mountains themselves, tall and snow-capped, stood off in the distance, their grandeur muted by the haze Demeter’s cool air. At the northern end of the valley, an easy walk from the landing field, the village of Llandoval Station climbed up the hillside, its tall pitched-roof houses clinging precariously to the steep slopes.

Solo had visited the place once before, over ten years past, when the small tramp freighter he and Chewie were crewing on at the time had been forced out of hyperspace in the vicinity by a faulty ion tube and it set down on Demeter for repairs. Han still had some fond memories of the shore leave he had spent there, but he had never chanced to return until he had come back this time on business for the Alliance.

The job was a ridiculously simple one, completely legal for once. Han’s instructions had been to purchase a full ship load of a locally produced oil, made from a bush that grew in abundance in Demeter’s high valleys, which was known for its excellent lubricating properties in the extreme cold. The trick, old man Dodonna had said, was to be discreet and attract no undue attention--as if, Solo thought with indignation, he was ever in anything other than careful in that regard. Guys who shot their mouths off rarely survived long in Han’s line of work.

At any rate, Dodonna’s nervous insistence upon secrecy concerning the nature of the cargo had tipped off Han to something he’d been wanting to find out for a long time. It meant that Hoth, one of several possible sites, had been chosen for the new permanent Alliance base. Solo had been along when Luke Skywalker’s group had scouted the place, and a more godsforsaken icebox he could not imagine. Han sighed, supposing that since he could expect to be freezing his butt off for the foreseeable future, he might as well enjoy Demeter’s good weather and fine scenery while he could.

The deal for the oil had been concluded swiftly and easily, just as Han had expected it would be, and the cargo, which was being brought by in by overland transport from some outlying plantations, was due to come on board the next morning. With his mission accomplished, Han should have felt a sense of satisfaction, but a plopping noise from the bow of this ship reminded him of a minor thorn in his side.



Luke Skywalker sat on the Falcon’s forward Landing claw, morosely scuffing up the dirt with his boot-toe, chucking the loosened pebbles at the side of the landing pit, and watching them roll back down the slope. Han had brightened at the news that his young friend would be coming along on this trip--it would be just like old times, he had thought--but the kid had been in a crummy mood the whole time out and had not been good company to say the least. Han had a pretty good idea as to the reason for Luke’s low spirits.

It had been a little less than half a standard year since the destruction of the Death Star, and Luke’s romance with the Princess had not progressed one iota since that first day. How the hell could it, Solo thought, when Luke hadn’t the courage to do anything more than worship her from afar, silently following her with his big blue helplessly adoring eyes whenever he was in her presence, but saying nothing? Solo, on the other hand, with his greater experience with the opposite sex knew that sort of strategy just didn’t work. You had to get up your courage and let ‘em know how you felt. Sure, sometimes you got your face slapped, but more often than not, Han had discovered, the girls were more than happy to jump down off their pedestals and play with the boys.

It wasn’t the kid’s fault, Han thought. How could he know, growing up like he did in that little jerkwater town where the only girl in a hundred kilometers called him Wormie? Han hadn’t asked, of course, but he would have bet good money that Luke was still a virgin. No wonder he probably still thought that women were some kind of strange, delicate, pure-minded beings rather than the lovely but human creatures Han knew they were.

What the kid really needs, Han thought, is to get l-- No, Solo, let’s not be crude, he told himself . What Luke needed was to get some experience under his belt, the kind that would give him the necessary confidence to get his stalled romance with Princess Leia back in motion. But the chance for such experience was extremely limited at the rebel base, where men still outnumbered women ten to one, and Han knew that Luke would almost certainly balk if he suggested a visit to one of those establishments that were to be found in the recreational sections of almost any spaceport. The kid could be annoyingly prudish at times, an attitude that Han--whose uninhibited amorality concerning matters of the flesh, viewed sex as no more than a pleasant form of exercise downright necessary for good health--found incomprehensible.

The kid had better get his ass in gear, though, or Han had a good mind to step in and show him how it was done. He wouldn’t mind a bit. In fact he’d been noticing lately that Leia was sort of nice at times and… Forget that! he told himself, shaking his head to rid it of the unruly thoughts that were creeping into his mind more and more frequently of late. She’s Luke’s girl, for the God’s sake! He must be either crazy or badly in need of some female companionship himself, Solo decided, to be thinking about Her Worship in that way. Yeah, that had to be the reason.

The cries of a flight of large birds startled Han from his reverie as they flew overhead in a V-formation, headed south through the gray sky. They reminded Han of his previous visit to Demeter. Now, that had been something! Too bad it had been at a different time of year… Or was it? The birds, the color of the leaves in the forest at the edge of the field, the crisp smell of the air; all said autumn to Han’s keen senses. Then he remembered--of course! He’d been told that Demeter’s year lagged just a bit behind Galactic Standard. The seasons should have worked themselves around to a different date since the last time he was here.

Heading swiftly across the landing pit, he passed by Luke, briefly interrupting the stony barrage, and scrambled up the side of the pit, dislodging dirt and pebbles in his haste. He ran across the field and pushed open the door of the small maintenance hanger, pausing for a moment to inhale the distinctive odors hanging in the shop’s air. He sniffed deeply and smiled with appreciation. Han’s first sexual experience had been in the back room of just such a place, and the smell of solvents and metal dust always made him feel a bit nostalgic.

Across the shop a mechanic, a local from the style of his coveralls, was repairing a small sky hopper.

“Hey buddy,“ Han yelled over to him, “can you tell me the date?”

The native slowly raised his head. He looked at Han as if he thought the Corellian was crazy or mentally slow or both, pointed to the far wall, indicating a large brightly colored calendar from which a scantily clad Vinaari beauty beckoned with a sultry smile, and gave Solo the galactic standard date. He returned to his work.

“No, I didn’t mean that,“ Han protested. “I want to know, can you give me the local date. What time of year is it here?”

The man looked up again, this time favoring Han with the knowing and more friendly look. “It’s the thirteenth full moon after the winter solstice, the Hunter’s Moon. Tonight is the festival of Samhain. You’re welcome to come, friend, if you be of good will.”

“Thanks, I wouldn’t think of missing it,“ Han called out as he left the hanger, unable to believe his luck. The feast of Samhain -- what memories he had of it from his last visit to the place! Just what Luke needs, he thought, grinning to himself as he headed back to the Falcon. And it won’t exactly hurt me either!

He found Chewbacca in the main cabin, playing a game of holo-chess against the ship’s computer. Han slid into the acceleration couch next to him and put his arm around the Wookie’s shoulders.

“Chewie, betcha can’t guess what night this is.”

The Wookie couldn’t guess.

“Remember the last time we were here… that harvest festival I told you about? Samhain they called it.”

Chewie turned his attention away from his game and grunted in interest. He had heard all about that night over ten years ago, when is young friend finally stumbled back to the ship the next morning. He had to agree--the celebration sounded like fun.

“Well, it’s tonight. Now, I don’t know if you’ve noticed it, but Luke’s been sort of glum lately. I was thinking this would be just the kind of thing that might cheer him up.”

Catching Han’s drift, the Wookie held up a huge hand, indicating that Han could stop hinting. He growled that he would be happy to stay on board tonight and keep an eye on the ship while the two young men went off to their revels. Since it was highly unlikely that Demeter’s small population would include any females within his sphere of Interest, the Samhain festival had little to offer Chewie anyway.

“Thanks pal, I’ll do the same for you sometime,“ Han yelled back over his shoulder, already on the way out again.

He charged down the boarding ramp and reached the forward landing claw in record time. Han grabbed Luke and hauled the startled young man to his feet. ”C’mon kid, I’ve got something to show you,“ he said, dragging his friend up the side of the landing pit and ignoring Luke’s protests. “ You can just save your breath, because I ain’t gonna take no for an answer.”

“Oh all right,“ Luke said, already slightly winded from keeping up with Han’s longer strides. He had learned during his half-year acquaintance with the mercurial smuggler that it was useless to stand in the way of his older friend’s sudden enthusiasm. “But this had better be worth it.”

“It will be, just wait and see,“ Han said with a wide grin on his face. They were already over halfway to the northern edge of the landing field.

The sun had almost set behind the western mountain peaks is Han and Luke entered the town of Llandoval Station, and darkness was rapidly falling over the valley. Lights were coming on in the houses and shops to either side as Han led Luke along a narrow street which made its way up the steep hillside. Luke’s curiosity deepened in spite of his bad mood as Han uncharacteristically went past a place that was obviously a bar without so much as a passing glance.

Solo made his way through the winding streets of the town, his course leading ever upward and in a northerly direction as he retraced the path he had discovered as a curious young spacer over ten years before. The pavement gave way, first to cobblestone’s--causing Luke to remark that Llandoval Station was even more primitive in places than Anchorhead on Tatooine--and then to hard packed dirt as the houses grew farther and farther apart. Soon, the road became no more than a narrow path through the trees, leading on up the mountainside. From time to time, Han and Luke encountered small groups of people heading in the same direction--locals from the way they were dressed--in bright autumn colors and obviously for some festive occasion. The natives nodded pleasantly at the two young outworlders but were soon left behind, outdistanced by the by Han’s rapid pace.

“Will you slow up for a minute and tell me well where we’re going?” complained Luke breathlessly, sweating from the exertion of the uphill trek in spite of the chill in the night’s air.

“Keep your shirt on, we’re almost there,“ Han replied, so intent on an evening of fun that he barely noticed the long climb. The path had leveled off and was running through a narrow glen, flanked on either side by towering ridges whose sides were covered with the dark forest. Full night had fallen now, but Demeter’s large moon was just peeking over the top of the eastern ridge, its full white disc bathing the woods with a bright light that made it easy to see the trail ahead.

Looking down at his friend huffing along beside him, Han decided to relent and fill Luke in just a little. If he was careful in his choice of words it couldn’t really hurt now anyway. “See kid,“ he began, “I was here once before, about ten years ago. I musta been younger than you are right now… Hadn’t even been on my first Kessel Run yet.” Here Han paused with a faraway look in his eyes. It felt strange to think of himself at Luke’s age. Had he ever been that young, Solo wondered, casting a sidelong glance at the youth? Yes, he decided, he’d been that young--but never quite that innocent. “Anyway,“ he continued, “the ship I was crewing on had to set down here for repairs… Took a whole damn week before we could lift off again, and meanwhile there was nothing for most of us to do. We all got shore leave, but hell, you saw that town. It’s pretty and all, but it’s dead! Only one bar, and that one stopped serving two hours before midnight. Most of the guys gave up on it and stayed back at the ship playing cards, but I was young and curious in those days. One night I was out walking, looking for…, ah, something to do, and I saw some people heading up this way. They’re friendly folks here, and they invited me along… Said they were on their way to some kind of harvest festival.”

Luke groaned. ”You dragged me all the way up here for that? We had a harvest holiday on Tatooine. Big deal!”

“Kid,“ Han said, “I’d bet you as many credits as I have that yours was nothing like this. If I say that this one’s worth coming to, then it’s worth coming to!”

Luke fell in again behind his friend, grumbling that he might be on naïve but at least he had learned enough to know better than to bet against a Corellian. The path was heading upward again, and the two were approaching their destination. Flashes of fire and torch light flickered down through the trees, and Luke could hear vague snatches of music borne upon the night air. A hundred feet on up the path, they crested a small rise, and Luke gazed in interest at the scene which met his eyes.

The clearing in the forest was not quite large enough to be described as a mountain meadow, but it had sufficient area to hold several bonfires and a large number of people. Many of them were dancing to the strains of music coming from a group of three players: one playing a wooden flute, another sawing away at some sort of stringed instrument, and the third using a pair of fingers cymbals. The melody they produced sounded pleasant and cheerful, yet it was underlaid with a haunting quality that stirred Luke’s senses strangely. Others in the crowd congregated around several barrels from which some kind of beverage was being ladled into large mugs. Still others stood watching the dancing, talking and laughing to each other. Occasionally a couple would break away from the crowd and slip, hand-in-hand, through the circle of torches that ringed the clearing, into the darkened forest beyond. There were also several pits over which the carcasses of some sort of large animal turned on spits. The pleasant odor of roasting meat, mixed with the tangy fragrance of wood smoke, drifted over into Luke’s nostrils.

Two locals, a man and a woman, both wearing gray hooded robes, greeted Han and Luke as they passed into the clearing. ”Welcome to the feast of Samhain, friends. You are free to join us if you be of Good Will.”

“We’re of Good Will and damn glad to be here,“ Han replied, his unorthodox response to the customary salutation eliciting a chuckle from the female guardian. He hustled Luke into the circle of light.

“Hey, wait a minute,“ Luke said, digging in his heels and pointing toward one end of the clearing. “What’s going on over there?”

A little further up the slope stood a circle of upright stones. A group of people stood within, dressed in the same gray robes Luke had seen on the couple that had greeted them. The sound of chanting filtered down the hillside, barely audible over the sound of the music.

“Oh, that,“ Han said offhandedly. ”That’s the priests and priestesses. They don’t really concern us. They do their bit up there, and the rest of us do ours down here.”

“What is this, some kind of religious ceremony?” Luke queried, beginning to be intrigued. Han seemed reluctant to answer. “Come on, Han, tell me. I’m really interested. Honest!”

“Well, all right,“ Han replied, searching back through his memory for what he’d learned during his previous visit. If the truth were to be told, he hadn’t exactly been paying too much attention to theology at the time. “Near as I can remember, they told me that Demeter was originally settled by followers of some kind of ancient religion, or something like that.”

“Ancient? You mean as old as the JedI?”

“Older than that, or so they said. It goes back even before the time of the Great Dispersal, and supposedly it was old even then.”

“Come on Han, you don’t believe that do you? Sounds like a fairy tale to me.”

Han gave his young friend a wry look, if to say, look who’s talking about fairy tales. ”See here, kid,“ he continued, “I’m only repeating what they told me. Anyway, this is their autumn festival--to mark the end of the growing season and the harvesting of the crops. It takes place during the nearest full moon to the equinox-- the Hunter’s Moon, they call it,“ he said, gesturing at the pale orb of Demeter’s satellite, which was now well up into the night sky. “So, when the time’s right, they all get together for a celebration. The priests do their praying, the regular people just have fun, and the more fun they have, the better the priests’ magic is.”

“Fun, Han?” Luke said, his gaze intent upon his friend’s face. He know very well just what Han’s idea of fun might be. ”What do you mean by fun?”

“Just fun, kid. You never heard of fun before?”

“Han,“ Luke said, his expression very serious now, have you brought me to some kind of fertility rite?”

Han managed to look affronted; a good act since that was exactly what he had done. ”Luke, “ he said in an injured tone, “Would I lead you astray?”

Luke’s silence was eloquent.

“Damn it all, kid!” Han yelled in exasperation, grabbing Luke firmly around the shoulders and dragging him over to the nearest barrel, “You’ve been a pain in the ass this whole trip. Now, I brought you here to have a good time, and dammit, you’re going to have a good time whether you like it or not!” Han dipped a mug of ale from the from the barrel and handed it to Luke. ”Drink,“ he said sternly. Luke began to protest. Han drew himself up to his full height, making use of his extra inches over his friend to look as menacing as possible. ”I said, drink!”

Luke drank obediently. The stuff didn’t taste bad at all, a strange combination of bitter and sweet, and it warmed his insides. When Luke had drained his first mug, Han took it away and returned with it filled again, this time bringing one for himself too. He held the drink out with a meaningful gesture. The second cup went down even more easily than the first, and Luke felt his black mood of the past week begin to dissipate. The corners of his mouth began to twitch upward as he looked over at Han. Han really did look ridiculous standing there pretending to be fierce, and he reminded Luke of the way his Aunt Beru had looked when she forced him to take zn unpleasant medicine. The thought made Luke giggle out loud, and Han returned the laugh.

“ now that’s more like it, “ Han said, slapping Luke on the back.

They stood together companionably for a while, watching the dancing. As Luke relaxed, he began to move his body unconsciously in time to the wild bead of the music. Han smiled when he noticed Luke starting to tap his foot and sway. The music seemed to have that effect on just about everyone.

“Why don’t you join in?” Han asked. “looks like you want to.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. I don’t know how to dance, and the steps look pretty complicated to me.”

“Bantha crap! All you have to do is watch everyone else and do what they’re doing.”

“If it’s so all fired easy, then why aren’t you dancing? I don’t notice you in a big rush to get out there.”

“Oh yeah? Just watch me!” Han cried, taking up the challenge. He joined the circle of dancers, characteristically picking a spot between the two prettiest girls in the group, and made several circuits without missing a step.

“So there, kid,“ he said, dropping out and coming back to Luke somewhat flushed from the exertion. “If I can do it, then so can you.” At that, Solo grabbed Luke’s elbow and, with a lightning fast slingshot motion, propelled him into the group of dancers. “Use the Force!” he yelled after his young friend.

Finding himself in the middle of things before he could object, Luke had no choice but to do the best he could, and he discovered after the first few minutes that he was actually enjoying himself. As luck, or perhaps Han’s expert navigation would have it, he found himself situated between the two local beauties that Han had selected for his own partners. Han, looking extremely pleased with himself, took time out for another mug of ale and then joined in too.

It was some time later that Han, resting after a hard bout of dancing and now in his sixth cup of ale, saw Luke drop out of the circle in the company of a petite girl with hair the color of corn silk. They talked for a while, then the girl took Luke by the hand and let him toward the darkness of the woods. The kid didn’t look reluctant at all, thought with a self-congratulatory smirk as he watched them disappear into the night.

With his mission accomplished, Han settled back and watched the festivities. Perhaps it was the liquor, perhaps the compelling rhythm of the music, or maybe it was the atmosphere of the place, but he was feeling a definite restlessness, a stirring in his blood. He drew in the night air with a deep breath, flaring his nostrils wide to catch the heady scent of the wood smoke. Seeing Luke go off like that had brought back some old memories.

Solo let his eyes wander over the crowd, wondering if his companion of that night ten years before would be there now. She had been young and sweet, and the night they had spent together in the forest had been a wild one. As Han slowly scanned the crowd, he saw the mechanic from the spaceport, who nodded a greeting to him, but he didn’t find the face he was looking for. Well, she’s probably married by now, got eight kids and wouldn’t be interested anymore-even if she did recognize me after all this time, Han thought sadly, remembering that he too was ten years older.



His thoughts were interrupted by a touch on his elbow. As he looked down, Han’s eyes widened in surprise and pleasure. The woman who stood beside him was, without a doubt, one of the most strikingly beautiful Han had ever seen, and he had seen more than his share. Her hair was long and straight, falling to her waist, and of a black so deep and glossy it reflected the firelight like a mirror. She was dressed all in black as well. That in itself set her off from the rest of the celebrants, who seemed to favor clothing of the brown and orange hues. The only relief to the severe dark color of her costume was provided by a small brooch--a cloudy gray opalescent stone in a simple gold setting--which held her cloak together low on her breast. She was of medium height, and from what Han could tell, her body under the cloak appeared to be slender and supple. Her eyes, however, were her most striking feature. It was difficult to tell their color in the moonlight, but Han guessed that they must be blue, so light a blue that they appeared to have no color at all. Solo blinked and shook his head slightly to clear his vision. For a moment it had looked as if those eyes were reflecting the moon back at him. It must have been the ale playing tricks on his imagination, he decided. The only flaw Han could see in the woman’s appearance was that her skin seemed a trifle pale, contrasting starkly with the jet black of her hair and clothing. However, he didn’t find her pallor unpleasant, and it could have merely been an illusion caused by the moonlight.

“Hello,“ she said, her voice soft and low pitched. “What is your name?”

“Solo,“ Han replied, blessing his incredible Corellian luck. ”Han Solo.”

“Mine is Šárka,“ the dark woman said, laughing. Her speech held just a hint of an accent which Han, even with his familiarity with many languages, found difficult to identify. “I’ve been watching you dance, Han.”

She must have been watching him from the cover of the trees, Han thought, for he hadn’t seen her before, and he sure as hell would have remembered a woman who looked as good as she did. ”Šárka. That’s sort of pretty--I like it.” he said, with a lazy smile spreading over his features. “Say,” he continued, “it’s kind of crowded around here, know what I mean? Why don’t we go somewhere where we can… talk?” He knew that conversation was the last thing on either of their minds.

She smiled her assent. ”Come,“ she said, lightly touching his shoulder and leading him off into the night. He went willingly, and soon they had left the sounds of the festival far behind. Under the glow of Demeter’s moon, Han had no trouble seeing well enough to follow the dark form of his companion as they made their way between the trees. They kept to a small path that wound on up the mountainside, Solo’s boots slipping occasionally on the small rocks siding the narrow trail. The woman made no sound, merely extending a hand to steady him and urge him on. Somewhere off through the trees, Han could hear the thundering roar of a white water mountain stream is it plunged over rocks on its way to the valley below. Soon the path leveled off, and they found themselves in a small clearing no more than a few meters across, thickly carpeted with leaves and pine needles. Overhead, the bright disc of the full moon shone down through the break in the forest’s canopy, flooding the clearing with pale white light.

Slowly she turned to face him. Then, without a word being spoken, they were in each other’s arms, lips pressed together in a passionate kiss. Solo clasped the woman to him, running his hands eagerly over her body and enjoying the feel of her firm flesh under his touch. When he judged the time to be right, he dropped to his knees with her still held tightly in his arms, intending to take her down onto the forest floor. Instead, to his surprise, he found himself being pressed inexorably backward. Either the woman was a lot stronger than she looked or he was a lot drunker than he thought--probably the latter. Han decided. But what the hell? Although Solo usually liked to take the active role in these matters, he was anything but inflexible about it, and if it pleased her to play the part of the lover tonight, it was certainly okay with him. He found that it felt very good just to lie back on his bed of soft leaves, feeling the pleasant pressure of her weight against his chest.

She spread her cloak over them both, and as she leaned forward to kiss him, her hair fell around his face like a black silken curtain, shutting them off into a world all their own. The mood of their lovemaking was less urgent now, as she teased him with her lips, letting her kisses travel from his mouth across his cheek to his ear lobes, then down the angle of his jaw to his throat. Warming to her task, she undid the first two buttons of his shirt, gently moving his collar out of the way. Han wondered just how far down she planned to go, and he shivered in anticipation.

She gently nuzzled the triangle of soft skin at his collarbone. Then, running the tip of her tongue up the side of his neck, tracing the path of the jugular vein, she paused a moment and bit deeply.



Han’s eyes shot open in astonishment at the quick, sharp pain. Then he gasped with pleasure, as a sensation like no other he had ever experienced before flooded over him. He felt as if every blood vessel in his body, from the tips of his toes to the roots of his hair, was resonating under her touch. He groaned in ecstasy and crushed her to him convulsively, unwilling to let her go so long as the feeling lasted. It continued on for a long time, while she drank her fill of him.

At last she drew back reluctantly. She bent to kiss him again, and on her lips Han briefly tasted the salty-iron tang of his own blood. “Ah, yes,“ she said with an enigmatic smile, softly brushing the hair back from his forehead, “there is nothing sweeter than the blood of a young man drunk on the harvest ale.”

A pleasant lassitude was stealing over Solo’s limbs, and he felt more than a little dazed by what had just happened. He had been bitten before in the course of lovemaking, but never like this. “Do that again,“ he sighed.

“No, my love, I’m afraid I cannot,“ she murmured sadly. “I’ve taken all you can give. To take more would only do you harm, and it would be for no good purpose.” She paused for a moment, as if making a decision, and then continued, her voice growing warmer and more intimate. As she spoke she threw back her head, and the moonlight fell upon her face. The paleness had vanished from her skin now. Her lips were full and red, and her cheeks were flushed, giving her an excited, almost animal appearance. “There is another pleasure we can share,“ she said. ”One which would make the joy of what we just had seen poor and weak in comparison. That was just feeding, you see--the filling of a bodily need. But this! This would be the ultimate sharing--the supreme lovemaking of my kind.” Her soft voice seemed to creep its way into Han’s mind, paralyzing his will. “You do want to please me, don’t you Han?”

Han found that he couldn’t answer. Unable to pull his gaze from hers, he seemed to be lost in those strange pale eyes. Like a bird hypnotized by a snake, he felt incapable of fear or flight, and he lay quietly under her touch. Oh yes, he wanted to please her.

She reached down for his knife where it hung at his holster belt. Bringing its sharp tip up to the side of her throat, she made a shallow nick, and a small bright red drop of blood sprang up, hanging suspended against the skin of her neck like a scarlet gemstone, while she replaced the knife in its sheath.

“There,“ she said. “All you need to do is take a little of my blood--just a taste--and you will become like me. Think of it, Han! You will be immortal. You will never grow any older, always staying as young and handsome as you are at this moment. Never again will you have to fear the blaster of an enemy, for our kind cannot easily be harmed. Only the burning of the body to ashes or the severing of the spine can kill us. And you will have supernatural strength --ten times what you have now. I can give you all this--if you will join me.”

Softly, she stroked his forehead, and her eyes never left his. Her voice was a gentle whisper in his ear, low and seductive as it lulled him into a drowsy security. “I saw you once before,“ she murmured, still caressing his face. “It was at the feast of Samhain ten years ago. The time was not right to take you then, you were too young, but I remembered your face, for the Power told me that you would return someday to lie with me under the Hunter’s Moon.”

Her voice droned on, weaving its spell into Solo’s brain. “You are so like him, you see, my first love, the one who made me as I am. He too was strong, and at the same time gentle; and his eyes, like yours, were the color of dark honey seen by firelight. We lost each other long ago, during the chaotic times when Humanity scattered out among the stars and our kind followed after. For many years I searched for him, without success. Perhaps he has died the true death by now--I do not know. I only know that I have never seen him again. In the course of my wanderings I came upon this place, and I stayed; for it reminded me of the mountains and the forests of my birthplace. But it has been lonely, Han, so very lonely. I cannot live openly among these people, nor can I let anyone know me. I dare not, for make no mistake, if they understood what I am I would not be safe. So I come to them at night as they sleep, or at the festival of Samhain. The hunting is best now. I watch from the darkness and make my choice. It is always so simple to get a young man to follow me. I take what I need, no more; and then I look into their eyes and they forget. But this is feeding only. There is no companionship, no sharing. And my kind craves the sharing!” She allowed her lips to brush softly against his throat, causing him to shiver again. “Come,“ she whispered, “take just a little and be my love.”

Something, deep down in the last remaining rational corner of Han’s mind, a small voice screamed out in warning. He had heard the stories--he’d always thought they were tall spacer tales--of creatures who lived on the blood of other beings. Nosferat. Vrykolakas. Undead. The words flashed through his brain, telling him that he was in real trouble. But he felt so safe and warm, lying there in her arms. Han felt an overwhelming sense of peace descend upon him; even the brief moment of sweet oblivion at the climax of lovemaking could not begin to compare with it. Nothing could be wrong while he was with her. Like a tiny match in a high wind, the warning voice in Han’s brain was overpowered, faded, and died away.

The bright droplet of blood at the woman’s throat became the focus of Han’s universe. Just a little, she had said; just a little and they would be together forever. Han wanted that union; he ached for it. He parted his lips and moved toward her neck, just centimeters away.

Suddenly there came a crashing from the forest undergrowth, and a yell split the night. ”Han!” Luke Skywalker stood staring at the moonlit tableau in the clearing uncertainly. “What the--?”



The woman jumped up with an inarticulate snarl, almost a hiss of rage. The effect upon her features was devastating, and as she looked away from her prey the spell was shattered. Shocked from his trance, Han stumbled to his feet and stood swaying drunkenly.

At first, at the end of his headlong flight through the woods, Luke had been embarrassed, thinking that he had been mistaken and had burst upon Han in an ordinary amorous moment. Now he was puzzled, his eyes traveling back and forth from the strange woman with the pin prick of blood at her throat to his dazed friend with the two larger wounds, the blood staining his neck where it had trickled in two thin parallel streams. Slowly the truth dawned upon him, aided by his inherent sense of the Force.

With a choked off oath, Luke grabbed for Han and thrust his friend behind him, still keeping a firm hold on Han’s wrist. “ don’t look at her, Han,“ he cried. “Don’t look at her!”

The dark woman began to advance upon them, but she halted when she caught sight of the lightsabre hanging at Luke’s belt. No doubt she had seen them before and was well aware of the damage they could do her. “Who are you?” she growled.

“His friend,“ came the reply.

“If you are truly his friend then do not interfere.“ She seemed to realize that Luke had recognized her for what she was and she allowed her voice to become more friendly and persuasive. ”I can give your friend eternal life--he will never die. Would you deny him that?”

“He’ll live forever in the Force, whether or not he believes it now.”

“The Force? Ah yes, that is the name the JedI had for the Power,. What makes you think, boy, that I could not continue on in ‘the Force’ as you call it, if I were to meet my end?”

“That’s Impossible! You serve the Dark side of the Force.“

“Light Side, Dark Side, they are all the same,“ she said with a laugh, looking at him with a shrewd and prophetic glance. “But I think you will learn that soon enough.”

She began to pace back and forth in the moonlight, the dry leaves crunching under her feet. “Young man,“ she continued sardonically, “are you so very sure that yours is the only way? I have seen religions born, and I have seen them die--and change almost beyond recognition like those simple-minded folk down there--and each one has thought the same. Even the JedI, with their thousand generations, are newcomers compared with my kind. We have existed alongside you from Humanity’s very beginning. I myself was alive at the time of the Great Dispersal, and even then I was not young. I know the planet of humankind’s origin, for I was born there so long ago that…well,“ she laughed mirthlessly, “so long ago that if I were to tell you how long you would not believe me. I have witnessed so much of human history and know so many things that have been forgotten over the ages. I could share this knowledge with your friend. And I will live to see the future; a future so distant that this time will seem like the dim forgotten past. Han could see that future with me, as young and strong as he is now.”

She turned to face them, her pale eyes alive with an avid hungry light. ”Do you understand what I am offering him? Let him come to me!”

Luke stood firm. “ No. You can’t have him.”

“We will see about that,“ she replied. “ Han, can you speak for yourself?”

Han carefully kept his eyes averted and said nothing. The stillness of the clearing was broken only by the rush of the night wind through the trees as the woman waited for her answer.

“Very well, “ she said at last. “I have never taken anyone against his will, and I will not do so now. But remember this, Han,“ she said, looking past Luke to where he huddled, “Every autumn on Demeter there comes the Feast of Samhain, and I am always here. Remember that. For I will be waiting.” With that, she turned and disappeared into the darkened forest.

Luke stared after her for a time, shaken by the encounter. “Are you all right, Han?” he asked finally. Han nodded wearily. “We’d better get going, then,“ Luke continued, putting his arm around his friend and leading him from the clearing.

As they made their way carefully down the mountainside, Han felt grateful for the gentle pressure of Luke’s arm around his chest, both for the welcome support it provided and for the restraint. The call to head back up the narrow path and join the strange dark woman in the tiny clearing was still very strong, and Han doubted that he could have held out against it without his young friend’s comforting presence.

No sooner had the two men reached the circle of torches that ringed the festival area, than the reaction to the events, coupled with the loss of blood, set in and Han began to tremble violently. Luke took a stronger grip on his friend and quickly steered him over to a large tree just as Han’s legs gave out beneath him entirely. Leaving Han leaning against the giant trunk, Luke hurried off, saying, “ I’ll be right back.” Han slumped forward miserably with his head between his knees, shivering with cold and trying very hard not to be sick.

In the course of his roving life, haunted sampled many strange pleasures and had many exotic experiences, but this one easily surpassed them all. By the God’s, he thought, what what I was about to do! Trouble was, it had seemed so desirable and right, up there on the mountainside, like a dream that makes perfect sense when you’re asleep but collapses into illogic and incoherence when you awaken. Han shook his head in horror at the thought of it. Good thing the kid showed up when he did, he told himself, or I’d have spent the rest of my life dead!

He was managing to smile at the incongruity of that thought, when Luke returned with a large container filled with steaming liquid. Han took a cautious sip. It tasted sweet and quite pleasant.

“It’s hot cider,“ Luke said, “definitely non-alcoholic. I figured that would be the last thing you need in your condition.”

Han smiled in agreement. From the weakness he felt, he could tell that he had lost a great deal of blood, and he knew that one sip of that strong ale would put him under straight away. He drained the vessel and set it aside, feeling much restored by the hot drink.

“Look, kid,“ he began, “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, ‘cause I really am glad you showed up. But how in the hell did you come to be there just at the right time?” He had more or less expected Luke to be occupied with other things.

“I don’t know Han, “ Luke answered. “All of a sudden I had a feeling that you were in terrible danger, and I jumped up and started running--never really paying attention to where I was going--and then there you were. You know the rest.”

For once, Han felt too subdued to make his usual snide comment about his young friend’s unconscious use of the Force. Then he realized just what else Luke had said, and he took a careful look at the young man’s face in the firelight.

“Kid,“ he said quietly, “you’ve got leaves in your hair.“

Luke colored and hastily ran his fingers through his hair to comb out the offending vegetable matter. Just at that moment, the yellow-haired girl Luke had been with earlier in the evening strolled past and favored him with a pointedly disgusted stare, making him shift uncomfortably under her gaze. Then her eyes fell upon Han, and seeing the two of them sitting together under the tree, she raised her eyebrow as if to say ‘well of course, now I understand‘. With a scornful toss of her corn silk head and a haughty swish of her skirts, she flounced off in search of more profitable company.

“Uh, Luke,“ Han said with embarrassment, “I hope this feeling of yours didn’t come at a bad time or anything…”

“It did, Han… It did. But don’t worry about it. It’s okay.”

“Hey Luke, I’m really sorry--”

“I said don’t mention it, Han,“ snapped Luke, in a tone that warned Solo that he’d better shut up about it. Then Luke relaxed a little and patted him on the shoulder. “It really is alright.”

Han shook his head and sighed. The evening’s plans had backfired on him badly, and he would have found it almost funny had it not been for what they had both just gone through. As he sat watching the gaily dressed celebrants moving to and fro amid their harvest bonfires, Han briefly wondered just what they would do if he were to tell them about the strange being whom they unknowingly harbored in their midst. Most likely, he decided, they’d have a good laugh--as he himself would have done no more than an hour ago--or worse, they’d think that he and Luke were lunatics and lock them up safe out of harm’s way. He leaned his head back against the massive tree trunk and closed his eyes. The night seemed to have grown a lot colder, somehow.

“I think it’s time we got back to the ship, “ Luke said after a while.

Yes, Han thought, he wanted to get back to his ship, back into the cold, clean blackness of space where a man could feel the familiar hardness of plasteel decking beneath his boots rather than the alien softness of dirt. Where he could listen to the hum of the ship’s engines instead of the seductive sighing of the wind through the treetops. Where he could breathe in the good aroma of engine grease and solvents, not the earthy odors of wood smoke and rotting leaves. Where he could pretend that the dark thing he had just encountered in Demeter’s forest was nothing more than a tall tale invented by old spacers to amuse each other during the long hours of the night watch. Yes, he would be glad to get back to his own world.

Luke extended a hand to help him to his feet. They attracted no attention as they left the festival, Han leaning on his friend’s shoulder. Two young men, one of whom was made unsteady by too much of the good, strong harvest ale-it was a common enough sight at the feast of Samhain. They had left the sounds of the celebration well behind them and were passing through the section of the trail between the two high ridges, when Han felt the small hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand up. Slowly he turned and saw her standing there silently in the forest watching him, with the moonlight reflecting from her eyes and hair. Ignoring Luke’s tug on his arm, he stopped and returned her gaze, unconsciously bringing his hand up to feel the already drying wounds on his neck. He remembered the pleasure she had given him, the sensation of piercing sweetness and utter peace he had known under her touch. He knew that never, in all his days, would he be able to forget what it had been like to lie with her in the forest under the full moon. Most of all, he remembered her parting words to him. Once a year on Demeter comes the Feast of SamHain. I will be there. I am always waiting.

With a shudder--half at her and what she was, half at that small part deep within himself that would always yearn for him to come back here--Han allowed his friend to lead him down the path to his ship and home.