Someone was tapping a glass and the high-pitched tones of a crystal goblet echoed throughout the large hall. Luke raised his head from his meal and strained to look through the haze above the crowded tables. In the center of the long dais at the front of the room stood the princess. Leia was truly beautiful, he thought. She was majestic in a long white gown adorned with various jewels and bands of gold. It was a fitting visage compared to the way she looked in the prison cell where he first saw her. Still, even in that cell, she took his breath away. He stared for a long moment in hopes she would look his way. She did not.
It was a large gathering in the ancient great temple hall. Created by a culture long since extinct, this temple was the center of the current rebel base. In attendance were the remaining leadership of the rebellion, some dignitaries and the remaining warriors. At their center was Leia. She waited a moment for the noise in the hall to settle. She was so proud to be with them all, and realized this might the last time they would all be together at a dinner like this. In fact, she concluded, it definitely would. Having the entire rebellion in one place meant they all could have been wiped out, and that is a risk they cannot let happen gain.
"I want to thank everyone for their efforts in the past few months, but especially for yesterday," she spoke loudly to the room. "It was a day that will live in story and song for eons. This is the turning point. This is where we stood together and turned the tide. We all thank you." She raised her glass high and the crowd seated raised theirs in return.
"Now we would like to stop for a moment to remember those lost. Those fallen in battle, and especially those poor souls back on my home, Alderaan who-" she had to stop as her voice cracked on the name. An elder gentleman stood up and held her slightly. He continued, "For Alderaan", he spoke solemnly and bowed his head. Those seated did the same, and the hush of silence stifled the room so it seemed to close in, as everyone took a collective breath.
Luke looked down at his food. It was not much of a meal really. These were rations and not much could be spared. It was a grim reminder of the situation he was in. Still, there wasn't any other place he would rather be. His Aunt Beru could certainly have whipped up something better. They never had much back on Tattooine and yet she never made a bad meal. His thoughts wandered to the conversations around the dinner table, the dreams he shared with them, and the hopes both Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen had for him. It pained him to think they would never know of this day, never know of the hit he personally gave back to the same Empire that took their life. Yet, that wasn't enough. It didn't ease the pain. It didn't do much at all, and he still missed them terribly. A general with a long white beard Luke recognized from the mission briefing was the last to speak, and his words were dyer.
"The Empire is on the move. We have word from our furthest allies that most of the Imperial Fleet have been on alert and have been mobilized. We have just hours, perhaps not many. There is little time to rest on our victory. Your commanders have their orders and the rendezvous point. May the force be with us all."
Luke made his way out with the rest of the troops hoping to bump into the princess, but he could tell she went out another way with the rest of the dignitaries. The point hit home that he was not one of them, and now he felt a little out of place with the rest of the soldiers. The only pilot he had known was Biggs, and he was dead now. He had just a few moments with him before the mission. He can't even remember when he saw him before that. Now he was gone, a hero now. But if they ultimately failed, who would remember him? Luke concluded the same could be said of him, of all of them, and he walked on.
Even though it was late and dusk had fallen over the temple grounds, there was a flurry of activity and engine noise. Ships of all sorts were lining up and being packed with supplies. There was one taking off every few minutes. Luke kept on walking. He knew he should report to a commander, get onto the business of the rebellion, yet he couldn't right now. His feet felt like lead as he trudged along, not sure what he was looking for. The excitement of these last three very long days had worn him down and he felt like leaning up against a hull for some sleep, if only for a few moments. The most suitable one appeared just to his right.
The Millennium Falcon had seen better days. Large black laser burns scarred the entire rear of her belly. That was a sure sign that her shields were failing during the battle and she was lucky to make it back here at all. It was one of the happiest sounds Luke had ever heard, Solo in his ear so nonchalantly commanding him to "blow this thing, and go home". Was Han just that lucky? Was he just that crazy? Why did he come back? If he had been in the mission from the start, been part of the planned attack, he would have been shot up just like all the rest. Yet he shows up late and gets the glory anyway. Luke wouldn't have had it any other way.
"Hey kid, you gonna wear that thing the rest of your life?" came the familiar voice from above him.
"Hey, Han- what?" answered Luke.
Han Solo stood on the edge of the Falcon's topside and crouched down. He was wearing his usual clothes, added were some work gloves and a large wrench, which he pointed at Luke's chest.
Luke looked down and didn't remember he had never taken off the large medal that still hung around his neck where Leia had placed it early that morning. Now that he was conscious of it, he was shocked that he never realized how heavy it was.
"You know- I forgot", he said as he picked it up slowly. "Silly, right? I guess everything else is all starting to hit me now and- I don't know. I just forgot."
A large figure emerged from the darkness behind Solo. It was the wookie. Chewbacca grunted emphatically at Solo. He lifted up the welding goggles he was wearing to emphasize whatever point he was trying to make.
"Yeah- I know! Can you give me a second here, it's Luke!" Han replied and turned back to Luke. "Sorry, we took a lot of hits heading back into that mess. It's going to take some work to get us back out again. Why don't you come inside for a bit, take a load off. Looks like you might need it."
Luke didn't turn it down. He walked up the ramp, made his way past the main galley and collapsed onto one of the side bunks. He had been using this same bunk before. It brought a small comfort to think this was the closest thing to home at the moment. By the time Han made his way down to check in on him, Luke was in a deep sleep.
"Long day," he spoke softly to the sleeping Luke. "Don't I know it." He made his way topside again.