Breathing My Last Breath
Chewbacca
I see the debris hit Anakin, I see him fall. My legs carry me toward him as fast as they can in the wind and shaking of a dying planet. Soon, I'm within arms reach of the unconscious boy, but the wind drives me back like it wanted to keep me away. But I fight it with all I have. I owe Han my life; I will not let his son die, not here, not now. Finally, Anakin is in my arms. I swing toward the Falcon, which is struggling to reach us. I can barely move against the gale, the earth beneath me seems to heave like the waves of a Mon Calamari storm. A squall pushes me almost a meter back, threatening to topple me-if that happens, I will never get up. On sheer power of will I put a steady foot onward, then another and another. Han lowers the landing ramp, face contorted with the raw horror of losing his son. Anakin's eyes open and I see the ice-blue that is so familiar. Using all the strength I have left, the Jedi sails through the hurricane into Han's waiting arms. His offspring safe, he turns back to help me. I try to move, but I have nothing left. My own blue eyes look at him fondly one last time before the ramp ascends. The wind turns me to the moon about to end this place, about to end me. Without regret I accept my fate, I know my kin will mourn me but they will understand. Maybe my savior will too. The moon is about to tear the atmosphere off this planet. Breathing my last breath I roar, a roar that says I've lived my life and I face my death with courage and honor. The moon impacts. Time seems to slow down for me, I feel the heat of the blast on my fur. I have died well.
Anakin
My hand drips with blood from the gaping wound in my side as I limp toward my demise. My fear stops me, my fear tells me I can still go back to the team and run away. Then I remember why I'm doing this. I'm not doing this to save the team, I'm not doing this to save this Force-forsaken mission. I'm doing this to save Tahiri. Somehow.I know that if I turn back now I will lose her to this war, just as I lost Chewie. He died to save me and now I'm going to die anyway. Did he die in vain? No, he died so that I can die saving the reason I'm fighting this war. I grab the thermal detonator from my belt. I reach my destiny. I see the warriors plunging to me, I draw my blade for my final battle. I reach to the Force, calling it to me one last time. I feel it course through as it has so many times. But this time I don't let it stop. I feel the full power of the Force in me as the first warrior reaches me. He is dead before he can swing his weapon. I move forward knowing that soon my life will end. I hold nothing back as I strike down warrior after warrior. The power is beginning to leave, there is nothing left to hold it. I see Anor and the precious vials of DNA. The last warrior comes at me. The power is all gone now, and his amphistaff hits my ribs, before I fall my lightsaber catches his neck. My eyes catch Anor taking the Jedi's death away, the detonator leaves my fingers. He tries to kick it away, but I use the last of my strength to move it away and back. He curses and runs away from the explosion sure to come. Breathing my last breath, I say last words none but the dead will hear.
"I love you, Tahiri. I am sorry.", I try to smile, but I've not the strength. She will live.
Chewbacca
I see the debris hit Anakin, I see him fall. My legs carry me toward him as fast as they can in the wind and shaking of a dying planet. Soon, I'm within arms reach of the unconscious boy, but the wind drives me back like it wanted to keep me away. But I fight it with all I have. I owe Han my life; I will not let his son die, not here, not now. Finally, Anakin is in my arms. I swing toward the Falcon, which is struggling to reach us. I can barely move against the gale, the earth beneath me seems to heave like the waves of a Mon Calamari storm. A squall pushes me almost a meter back, threatening to topple me-if that happens, I will never get up. On sheer power of will I put a steady foot onward, then another and another. Han lowers the landing ramp, face contorted with the raw horror of losing his son. Anakin's eyes open and I see the ice-blue that is so familiar. Using all the strength I have left, the Jedi sails through the hurricane into Han's waiting arms. His offspring safe, he turns back to help me. I try to move, but I have nothing left. My own blue eyes look at him fondly one last time before the ramp ascends. The wind turns me to the moon about to end this place, about to end me. Without regret I accept my fate, I know my kin will mourn me but they will understand. Maybe my savior will too. The moon is about to tear the atmosphere off this planet. Breathing my last breath I roar, a roar that says I've lived my life and I face my death with courage and honor. The moon impacts. Time seems to slow down for me, I feel the heat of the blast on my fur. I have died well.
Anakin
My hand drips with blood from the gaping wound in my side as I limp toward my demise. My fear stops me, my fear tells me I can still go back to the team and run away. Then I remember why I'm doing this. I'm not doing this to save the team, I'm not doing this to save this Force-forsaken mission. I'm doing this to save Tahiri. Somehow.I know that if I turn back now I will lose her to this war, just as I lost Chewie. He died to save me and now I'm going to die anyway. Did he die in vain? No, he died so that I can die saving the reason I'm fighting this war. I grab the thermal detonator from my belt. I reach my destiny. I see the warriors plunging to me, I draw my blade for my final battle. I reach to the Force, calling it to me one last time. I feel it course through as it has so many times. But this time I don't let it stop. I feel the full power of the Force in me as the first warrior reaches me. He is dead before he can swing his weapon. I move forward knowing that soon my life will end. I hold nothing back as I strike down warrior after warrior. The power is beginning to leave, there is nothing left to hold it. I see Anor and the precious vials of DNA. The last warrior comes at me. The power is all gone now, and his amphistaff hits my ribs, before I fall my lightsaber catches his neck. My eyes catch Anor taking the Jedi's death away, the detonator leaves my fingers. He tries to kick it away, but I use the last of my strength to move it away and back. He curses and runs away from the explosion sure to come. Breathing my last breath, I say last words none but the dead will hear.
"I love you, Tahiri. I am sorry.", I try to smile, but I've not the strength. She will live.