Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. I would like to because typing these freakin' disclaimers gets annoying. (Am I alone?)
Summary: AU—one shot. This is just a different take on the Battle of Hoth. Come on, doesn't it seem like it would have been smarter for Luke to stay in the cave instead of running out into a snowstorm?
* * *
She stood there in a shocked silence. It was like Alderaan all over again. Her world had collapsed beneath her feet. Leia Organa gazed onward at the corpse.
"We couldn't find Commander Skywalker's body, your highness; it would be best to call off the search."
The lieutenant stood before her relaying the words of General Rieekan. She breathed in doing her best to maintain control of her emotions. "It would seem so, Lieutenant, but you seem to forget that Commander Skywalker is the last Jedi. With him goes our only hope." Leia's eyes drove into the lieutenant. "Even if he is dead it would be best if we could show him enough respect to retrieve his body. He has done more than—"
General Rieekan appeared at the door. "Princess, when searching for Commander Skywalker Rogue Squadron came across an Imperial probe droid. I've ordered an evacuation. I am sorry, Princess. I truly am."
The general's voice had been sympathetic, but to Leia it had been a slap in the face. "I can't leave."
"There is little chance that he survived, and if you stay they'll get you. You're too valuable asset to the Alliance to lose."
Leia walked past him into the corridor. No one met her gaze as she strode through the halls, but she could feel their eyes on her. She reached the hanger and saw ships getting ready for departure. The Rogues were preparing for battle. She should be the one prepping them for the inevitable fight. She caught little of the chatter between them. Star Destroyers? Just arrived in-system. She looked at the pilots. Luke should be leading them. Dack, Luke's gunner, was there without a pilot now. It seemed that their numbers were shrinking too fast.
Chewbacca approached her; his growl was mournful. He enveloped her into a tight hug. Leia had to admit she needed a hug, but after a few moments she was struggling for air in Chewbacca's grip. He released her and gave another mournful howl. "Come on, we better get the Falcon prepped. We don't want to be here when the Imperials come scavenging through."
She took off toward the Millennium Falcon flinching as she gazed at the ship, but she did not halt. Her father had always taught her to keep her emotions in check. She would not let her emotions overcome her. A tear fell down her cheek. More tears fell as she trampled up the ramp.
"Mistress Leia, I must inform that the hyperdrive is non-functional. It might be best to leave on another transport." Threepio, who'd already been onboard, quirked his head to the side as she past him. Chewbacca growled shoving the droid aside heading in the general direction of the hyperdrive. Artoo, arriving from the cockpit, followed in tow.
Leia left for the cockpit and saw that Artoo had already preformed the preflight checks. She collapsed in the navigator's seat hearing occasional grumbles from Chewbacca over the ship's internal communications system.
A transport escorted by two X-wings vacated the hanger. Leia felt numb inside as she watched other ships begin to depart as well. Why was it that she was always left in the end? She was prepared for death she thought, but never the loss of those closest to her.
A thought crossed her mind. She really had cared something for Han, hadn't she? More than as a friend as he suggested so bluntly. Her thoughts roamed to all the could-have-beens and futures that had once been lain before her. She wished for one more moment to say good-bye to the people she had lost.
Now, she was to give up on Luke. He had to be alive—he just had to. She couldn't be alone in this universe again—in this way. There was nothing she could do though. She couldn't risk the chance of being captured by Imperials again. Luke would now undoubtedly be left to a snowy grave.
"I could have spoken to the Falcon just as well as you, Artoo." Threepio's voice filled her ears as the droid entered the cockpit. Artoo twiddled a reply. "'Why, you, piece of scrap metal—"
Chewbacca roared informing her that the hyperdrive had been repaired. They left the hanger moments later. Leia now sat in the co-pilots chair as Chewie guided the ship through Hoth's atmosphere. Leia looked down to the battle below. It didn't look like it was going too well. The Walkers were almost on top of the base.
She opened a comm channel to Wedge Antilles, who was now acting as Rogue Leader. "Lead, try using your harpoons and tow cables to bring down the Walkers." Leia doubted Wedge realized who the speaker had been, but it seemed that he and his gunner compiled with her request. He relayed thanks as a burst from the ion cannon at the base temporarily disabled the Star Destroyer allowing the Falcon time to pass.
All remained silent as the Falcon reached its hyperspace vector. Chewbacca pulled back the lever. They were then met with the heavenly star lines. Chewbacca turned to her placing a paw on her shoulder. She forced a smile and patted Chewie's paw. Artoo bleeped mournfully and rolled out the cockpit with Threepio close behind. Chewie growled again—echoing his sorrow; he left her moments later.
Yes, this was just like Alderaan. They had been her entire world. Without them how could she keep going? But she could, she knew—she always would. Her father had told her on many occasions that she was so strong. He said that was a good thing for she would need that strength. She could have never imagined this was why he had said it.
She didn't shed a tear after Alderaan at least she hadn't while she was Imperial custody, but it seemed she felt more pain now than ever before. Why did it seem like her world was ending? Maybe it was because those were the last of her true friends. Maybe it was because she felt they were her future.
Hours later they came out of hyperspace. A feeling of dread washed over her. The words just tumbled from her lips; "I have a bad feeling about this."
* * *
Luke Skywalker opened his eyes. He found himself floating in a pinkish-red liquid. A moment later it clicked—he was in a bacta tank. He shook his head back and forth trying to assess his surroundings. The motion was slowed in the liquid; he probably looked to be in a state of stupor. For all he knew maybe he was.
He tried to recall what had happened. The creature…the cave…He took shelter in the cave after he killed the creature hadn't he? Yes, he remembered that puny fire he had built. He'd given anything for the hot twin suns of Tatooine. He'd grown slightly delusional. He actually thought he'd seen Ben Kenobi. He snorted into his breath mask. Or maybe the Force was trying to tell him something. The more he thought about it the more…
A medic approached the tank—not the Alliance's Too-Onebee droid. He waved Luke upward. Luke kicked his legs propelling himself to the top of the tank. He cleaned the bacta off of him and grabbed for the flight suit that had been laid out for him. He grimaced. It was of Imperial cut.
And there it was: a harsh mechanical sound—breathing. It couldn't be possible. That meant Hoth…
"Now, you will tell us the location of the emergency rendezvous."
A/N: Okay maybe it was better that he ran out into the blizzard like an idiot… ;) Please Review!