Lucas owns Star Wars, I just like to play hereā¦
Threepio was quite certain that Master Luke would be the end of his long time counterpart. Really, he just couldn't fathom why Artoo insisted on partaking in such dangerous behavior. It wasn't in his programming. The Rebellion had plenty of other astromech droids now and they were sure to be in much better shape than Artoo. Threepio stiffly took a few more steps back as his visual inputs recognized Master Luke's X-wing approaching.
Luke powered down his ion engines and raised the canopy. "Good run, Artoo."
He slid down the ladder in his hurry to get to Threepio. He was sure the droid was sent to greet him by Leia.
"Master Luke, Mistress Leia is requesting your presence at your earliest convenience."
"I'll be to her office as soon as I can. I have a few things to go over with Red Wing."
"I see, Master Luke. I will let her Highness know."
"Thanks, Threepio." Even for droid, he thought, Threepio was stiff.
After Leia's safe return to the base on Yavin IV, Luke had tried to return the droids to her. At first, Leia refused. It was only after he pointed out that farm boy from Tatooine had no need for a protocol droid that she agreed to take Threepio back (the ever-so-proper droid heartily agreed of course. He was thought it was obvious that he was suited for royal service). She insisted that Luke should keep Artoo if he wished; and he did, even though the Alliance offered him a choice of newer, less beat-up and certainy more obedient astromechs.
Not wanting to keep Leia waiting, he briefly summed up his assessment of the training run to his squad and went on his way. He had a talented group of pilots under his command. Red Wing was his responsibility now and in his own mind he had a lot to learn, many of these men had been flying a lot longer than Luke. But it was no secret that Luke had real talent when it came to flying. His one in a million shot that destroyed the Death Star was just the first of many displays of that talent. Talent that came to him naturally.
When Luke first found his way to the Rebellion, he joined because he lost so much like so many other people beaten down by the strong arm of the Empire. Lost his parents, lost Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, the only family had ever known; he lost the life he had. Then he felt guilty; while he missed his Aunt and Uncle, he knew that he didn't miss anything else about his old life on Tatooine. He only wished that they didn't have to perish in order for him to be able to leave. So, he fought for them, he fought for his father, for Ben, and for the Princess, whose loss was infinite.
One of the reasons for his great success, he felt, was directly attributed to the unwavering, unlimited support he received from Princess Leia. Never could he imagine that two people with such enormously different backgrounds could be so... synchronous. It didn't take long for Luke, after the Battle of Yavin, to understand that the unabashed adoration he felt for her was based on something much deeper than he could comprehend. They were...very much... alike. She was his touchstone. She educated him about history, especially the rise of the Empire, the fall of the Jedi and the destruction of the Temple on Coruscant. The Empire had not only eradicated the Jedi, but most of the archives as well. Thousands of Jedi, whose combined service to the Republic lasted thousands of years, over and all but forgotten. She shared with him any information she would come by on her diplomatic missions. She thought it would be of help if Luke was to establish a new archive for the Jedi someday. The more time he spent with her the more he admired her strength and dedication to the cause she lived for and the more determined he became to make sure the Rebellion won. Emphatically explaining to Luke her views about freedom and government, he couldn't help but feel she was right. One could accuse Luke of simply being easily influenced by the former Senator, but he wondered how anyone with a conscience could not subscribe to at least some of these views.
He knew that even his best friend, Han believed the Empire "had to go", and although the circumstances weren't clear, he knew Han was discharged from the Imperial Navy for standing up for his beliefs, and thus, incurring the life-debt of Chewbacca. Han made him promise never to tell "Her Highness". He made a joke about not wanting to ruin his "rep", but Luke knew it was because he wanted to hide from Leia the fact that he was once an "Imp" himself. He tried to convince Han that Leia wouldn't hold it against him, as least not this anyway, but Han wasn't going for it.
Luke sometimes wondered if anything had ever happened between Han and Leia. Until recently, Leia had occasionally joined in for dinner and sometimes a little sabacc on board the Falcon when Chewie and Han would bring back real food on the supply runs. Funny how Han always made sure to bring back some of Leia's favorite things. He never asked Luke what he would like...but then again he wasn't picky and Han could've cared less about impressing him anyway. He knew that sometimes they'd stargaze together and Leia even appeared hung over a time or two when he knew Han had been with her the night before. It used to bother him a little, but he knew the relationship he had with Leia would not be what he once had hoped, but it would still be for a lifetime. In the same way that Han once teasingly played the rival, their roles were now reversed and Luke now did the same. He didn't know how it would turn out for his two dearest friends, but he knew something was bound to happen if it didn't already. Something made it inevitable. If something had happened, he wondered if that was the reason Leia had been avoiding everyone...
He reached to activate Leia's door, but the door slid open before he had a chance to do it himself. He laughed out loud, "You always do that!"
Somehow, Leia always had a feeling when he was just outside.
She hugged him and pulled him in her office. "Come on. Sit down."
He compiled, but wondered what she was up to. She looked a little tired, he noted, but her mood was the best he'd seen in a while...
Leia was really trying to contain her excitement and handle this in a dignified manner. "Luke, as you know, a special "war games" training session is being planned. Ground troops and pilots will be participating."
Where is she going with this? Of course Luke already knew all about it and was looking forward to it. He nodded. "I was hoping we'd be back from Panto system in time."
Suddenly Leia became serious. "You're not going with me."
"Why?" Truly confused, Luke titled his head slightly looking at Leia. He had been assigned to escort Leia to her meeting with a contact from Norvall II. Since the planet's government was under Imperial rule, it was arranged for them to meet on Pantolomin. If all went well, they would have several more highly trained pilots and fighters assimilating into the ranks. He worried that the change of plans were somehow a refection of a perceived shortcoming of his ability.
"Because of a re-organization of the fleet, your priorities have been ...changed." She paused, regained her composure and went on. "We are forming a special division of fighters, to be re-named 'Rogue Squadron'. Twelve of our best pilots and twelve astromech droids will form this special unit. The commander will select the members himself."
Elated, Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Without warning, she reached out for him and embraced him again. "So, who you will chose for your team, Commander?"
Commander? The realization hit hard and it took him a minute, or two, to fully comprehend what just happened. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd live a life like this...
