The two sisters went to their room after dinner that night. Anna flopped on the bed and was starting to doze while Elsa paced in the tiny open space of the cubicle. The nervous energy she was radiating finally got to Anna, who pushed herself up on one elbow and groused, "Elsa, can't you relax? You're making me nervous!"
Elsa shot a look of frustration at the younger woman. "Anna. This is serious. We're in a place and a time that is so far from Arendelle that there's no way to measure it; we're stuck in a situation where there's going to be a battle we're almost certain to lose, and even if we win, we have no way of knowing whether we'll be getting back to Arendelle or be trapped here forever. So, no, relaxing isn't an option."
Anna sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed and pouted at her sister. "Elsa, let me point out that YOU are the critical piece of this whole fucking mess." She ignored the disapproving look Elsa sent her way for the language. "Getting all wound up and burning up energy is a really bad idea. Tomorrow night, you're going to need every bit of energy you have, or we WILL all die. So, relax, please? Come to bed, and let's just think happy thoughts until we have to do this."
Elsa's shoulders slumped, and she nodded. Anna had a point. She kicked off her boots and crawled under the blankets with Anna. She was so tense Anna could feel the tautness of her muscles as she embraced Elsa. She tried to tickle some of it out of the older woman, but it wasn't working.
"Elsa, come on. We've been through stuff more dire than this. We'll come through this, too." She kept rubbing Elsa's shoulders and back, trying to sooth her. Finally, Elsa sighed and relaxed, then wrapped her arms around Anna.
"I'm sorry. The whole thing is so overwhelming. How can you just shrug it off?"
"Easy. I'm just pretending we're stuck in a fairy tale, and we'll eventually wake up. You have to admit, if you look at it that way, it's kinda exciting!"
"But if we don't wake up, if we die instead ..."
"Hey, been there, done that." Anna felt Elsa's flinch. "Shush! Stop beating yourself up over that, it's over, long over. Just pretend, okay? We're in someone else's story, just along for the ride." She kissed Elsa tenderly. "We're together; we'll do this together. Live or die, we'll do it together. And we'll win, and that Obi-Wan guy will figure out a way to get us back to Arendelle. Now, sleep. We need you to be strong tomorrow."
Elsa nodded against Anna's shoulder as she hugged her sister. "Okay. Together."
They finally fell into a comfortable sleep, Elsa drawing comfort from Anna as she had so many times before.
The next day, Anna spent more time with Roz and some of the other troopers doing more VR training. Elsa spent it with Derlin, and the others he was using as a staff, to put together the final plans for the assault on the shield generator.
It was just before dinner when they finished. Derlin looked around the room and recapped the discussion. "Okay, we start loading the transport around midnight. It should be loaded and ready to go by 0300. Elsa, you need to start building up the storm about an hour before we start loading. Build it up gradually so it's at it's worst by dawn, which is 0500. We'll start moving out around 0700. They would expect an attack to come right at dawn, so we'll fool them. Two hours should be enough for them to relax again. The attack squad and the sappers should be in position by 0800. Everyone got that so far?" Everyone nodded and he continued.
"Then, the squad with Elsa will attack the Imperial transport. Let her do as much damage as she can with her ice before we start blasting the shit out of them. The plasma fire will tip them off. Ice and snow will just confuse them."
He went on, "The sappers will set the charges and scamper back immediately. We'll hear their signal of 'wampa' when they leave. Fifteen minutes later, the shield generator goes up in flames when the charges fire, so as soon as you hear 'wampa', shoot anything you can see and get the fuck back here as fast as you can. We won't be trying to hide at that point, so speed is critical to get outside the blast radius when the generator blows up. Any questions so far?"
There were none. "We haul ass back to the base, board the transport, and get the fuck off this ice ball. Assuming the sappers did their business and the shield is down." His expression suddenly turned grim. "Just so you all know, the Empire won't be taking any of us prisoners. If we can't get through the shield, Captain Zzhoren will use the dead man self-destruct to give us all a clean death." No one objected, and there was more than one nod of agreement at this statement. Elsa felt a shiver go down her back.
"That's it. Every knows what you have to do, go do it." Derlin dismissed them. When he and Elsa were alone in the room, he looked at her with concern. "Elsa, are you alright? I know this is hard for a civilian..."
She gathered her courage and looked at him fiercely. "I am not a civilian, Major. I am a Queen, and I have seen and done things that may not be as amazing as the things here, but I assure you that I understand duty, and I will do mine!"
Derlin hadn't expected that reaction from her, but he was glad to see it.
"You're the linchpin of this whole operation. I'll assign Roz and her squad to guard you. Later tonight, when you start up the storm, we'll make sure that you have enough food and caf to keep you going. And stim."
"What's stim?" Elsa asked him.
"It's a drug that boosts your metabolism. It burns up your body doing it, though. So don't start using it until you have to. It comes in small bottles, I'll give you about 5 of them. And one of stim-plus. THAT one you don't want to use except at extreme need. For about an hour, you'll have the strength of ten men. Then you crash like a droid with a dead power pack, and we'll have to carry you."
Elsa nodded.
Derlin went on, "So, let's get dinner, I'd eat two meal packs if I were you. Then go to your room and try to get some sleep before you have to start up the storm."
They left for the cafeteria.
Anna was already there, sitting with Roz and a couple of other troopers. Elsa could tell her sister was excited. She needed to remind Major Derlin that Anna was to go onto the transport, and not be put at risk in the attack.
Anna bounced up from her table when she saw Elsa. She said, "See you later!" to Roz and came over to sit with Elsa and the Major.
Elsa started eating one of the two meal packs she had taken. "Did you get more training today?" she asked.
"Yeah, Roz is satisfied I'm good enough to stay with her squad tomorrow. We'll be protecting you, so it's all good."
Elsa chose not to have a painful conversation with Anna in public. They would discuss Anna's role in the privacy of their cubicle.
She finished eating the second meal pack, then said, "Anna, I need to try to sleep as much as I can before I begin raising the storm. You don't need to come along, but try to come in quietly if I'm asleep, okay?"
Anna replied, "If you think I'm going to let you try to sleep as wound up as you are, guess again. I'll come and help you get to sleep, Elsa."
They returned to the cubicle. Elsa decided to have it out with her sister before she tried to sleep.
"Anna, I don't want you on the attack with us tomorrow. I need to know you're safe. You need to be on the transport while we take out the shield ..."
Anna stopped her right there. She had had years of over-protective Elsa, and she had vowed to never let it happen again. "Fuck you and the taun-taun you rode in on, sis! If you think I'm going to be on that transport while you go out and take on the fucking Empire all by yourself, you are sadly deluded!"
She crossed her arms and glared at Elsa. "Elsa, I am going to be right at your side, helping Roz and her squad keep any fucking storm-troopers off your back. What part of 'together' isn't clear to you? How DARE you try to protect me again? I'm not a child, and I'm not going to let you go into this alone. If we die, we die TOGETHER!"
Elsa sat on the bunk and put her face in her hands. "Anna, I love you. Is it wrong that I want to keep you safe?"
Anna sat next to her and put her arm around her sister's shoulder. Now, her voice was tender, not angry as she kissed Elsa gently. "No, it's not wrong. It's what big sisters do, and I love you for it. But little sisters will fight to protect their big sisters, too, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm your strong left hand, remember?" She shook Elsa a little. "Now, lay down, and go to sleep. I'm going to be right here with you, until the end, whatever end this story has."
They got under the covers, and Elsa laid her head so she could hear Anna's heartbeat. Anna was right; they would do this together, the Two Terrible Sisters of Arendelle. She sighed and fell into a dreamless sleep.
Some time later, the women were awakened by a knock on the door. It was Major Derlin, come to get Elsa to start the storm.
"Elsa? It's time." He came in after he had gotten a sleepy, "Come on in, we're awake..."
Elsa was sitting on the side of the bunk, rubbing sleep out of her eyes; Anna was of course burrowed under the pillows muttering "Go 'way, it's not morning," or something similar.
The Queen arose and yawned, "So, how do you want to do this?"
Derlin chuckled as Anna pulled more blankets over her head and burrowed deeper and suggested, "Well, if you need to use the 'fresher, do that. Then let's get you a couple of meal packs and some caf, then go to the med bay."
She simply nodded as she pulled on her boots. "Why the med bay?"
"We have a comfortable chair in the med bay, and we can monitor your vital signs as you work. If we see too many fatigue poisons building up, we can give you an intravenous boost that won't hurt you as much as the stim."
They left the cubicle and went to the 'fresher. After three days here, Elsa was no longer shocked when he followed her in and did his business while she used a booth and then washed up. They went to the cafeteria, where she ate two more meal packs and a couple of mugs of caf, then headed for the med bay.
The only occupant of the med bay was Fixit. 2-1B was nowhere to be seen, and the bacta tank was gone as well. It looked as though almost everything that could be moved had been taken to be loaded on the transport ship. Fixit was standing next to a chair with arm and leg rests, holding some wires. There was one piece of equipment next to the chair, with bright lines and numbers in a language Elsa didn't recognize on a flat piece of glass.
"Have a seat, Elsa. Fixit is going to hook you up to the monitors and put in an IV so we can keep you healthy until it's time to leave."
He helped Elsa sit, then adjusted the chair so she was almost lying down. She had to admit it was comfortable.
"What's … what's he going to do to me?" Elsa tried to keep the quaver out of her voice. She would not show fear in front of Derlin, but she had to use all her concealing skills to keep her external demeanor calm.
Fixit replied, "I need you to roll up your sleeves, and unbutton your jacket, miss. I will attach these leads and they will monitor your bodily functions. I need to insert a small needle into your arm so that if necessary I can inject you with a nutrient solution to offset any fatigue toxins." Elsa managed to suppress a gulp, and began to roll up her jacket sleeves as the droid had asked.
When the IV was in and the leads attached, Derlin leaned over Elsa and asked, "Is there anything you need before we start?"
"Just, bring my sister here after she wakes up and eats. It will help me if she's here until we have to get together with the other troops for the final assault."
Derlin nodded and said, "I'll go find her and send her here. She's probably eating by now." He took one last look at her vital signs, leaned over and whispered, "Thank you for this. May the Force be with you." Then he left.
Elsa took a deep breath to center herself, then began to work her magic. Outside, the wind picked up and snow and sleet began to fall and swirl. She visualized the location of the shield generator, and worked to make the storm big enough to cover all of the territory between Echo Base and the Imperials. Fixit kept a close eye on the monitor. There was no sound but the beeping of the machine monitoring Elsa, and her slow, deep breaths.
Anna was indeed to be found in the cafeteria, making a desultory attempt to eat. The import of the moment was beginning to hit her, and it took away her appetite. Roz, who was sitting across from her, noticed her mood and asked softly, "Pre-battle jitters, freckles?"
Anna jerked out of her reverie, looked at her and said, "Yeah, I guess. I've been able to keep pretending this was just a story, but it's not a story. And I'm worried about Elsa."
Roz knew all about pre-battle jitters. "You know it happens to all of us, right? You know what real courage is? Doing what you gotta do even though you're afraid."
The redhead chuckled. "Yeah, actually, I do know that. This isn't my first time in danger. I wasn't kidding about the one and a half deaths. I'm really more worried about my sister. She's strong, but this is bigger than what she's had to do in the past."
"We'll take care of her, freckles. Don't worry. You got the best damn squad of SMuRFs in the entire fucking Alliance covering her back."
"What's a smurf?" Anna was curious.
"'Space Marines of the Rebel Forces'." Roz chuckled. "Don't EVER call us soldiers! Urra!"
"Ohhhkay. Smurfs it is." Anna finished her meal pack and caf and was getting ready to leave when Derlin came up to her and told her where Elsa was. She hurried to the med bay.
Malcor Disra, Captain of the Imperial Army, was shaken awake by his aide. "Sir, you're wanted on the bridge."
Shaking off his sleep, Disra went to the command center of the transport ship that was parked near the shield generator that plugged the escape route of any rebel scum still left on this frozen hell.
When he got there, he sat in front of a com-console that was blinking red and placed his hand on a pad. As soon as he sat and his hand-print confirmed his identity, the screen cleared and showed the commanding officer of the Star Destroyer in orbit over Hoth.
"Disra, what's going on down there? Our sensors show a huge storm seems to have come up out of nowhere." asked Vilim Karath, Captain of the Imperial Star Destroyer Emperor's Fist.
"Captain Karath, this hellhole of ice can spawn a storm in the space of ten minutes. Storms are not remarkable; it was remarkable that we had a few days with no storms," was Disra's disgruntled response.
He stifled a yawn. Karath was a stickler for protocol. Of course, it's easier to be a stickler when you had a nice warm Star Destroyer to sleep in, and nice hot food at every meal. Disra and his troopers were stuck in this miserable weather, freezing their asses off and living off meal packs. All because some idiot intelligence officer thought that there MIGHT be some rebels left behind after their fleet escaped through the Imperial blockade. Disra wondered what Karath had done to piss off Lord Vader enough to get left behind on this Sith-forsaken ice cube.
"What if this is a precursor of a rebel attack? Are you prepared for such an attack?" Karath insisted.
"Yes, sir, we are prepared. Against a hypothetical attack by hypothetical rebels because I for one am unconvinced that there are any left down here. And if they are, the shield generator will keep them from leaving."
"Captain, if your negligence allows anything to happen to that shield generator, I will not protect you from Lord Vader's wrath! Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir, icy clear. Disra, out." And he slapped the disconnect button on the com-console.
Bah. He turned to his aide, who had heard the entire exchange. "Stettin, tell the sergeant that we need to ensure the patrols are vigilant. If there are any rebels on this ice-ball, they may try to attack under the cover of this storm."
"Yes, sir. You know it's going to be a problem keeping the men out there for longer than an hour or two at a time. The temp is dropping, and that wind is howling, making it feel even colder."
"I know, I know. Rotate the men every hour. I know our sensors suck in this kind of weather, but keep a full watch on in any case. I'm going back to bed. Wake me 30 minutes before dawn, that's the most likely time for them to try something."
"Yes, sir."
Disra went back his quarters, hoping to get a few hours more sleep.
Anna walked quietly into the med bay. Elsa lay on the chair with her eyes closed, Fixit watching her and the monitors.
"Elsa, are you asleep?" Anna asked softly. If she was asleep, she didn't want to wake her.
"No, honey. Just concentrating. I'm glad you're here. Pull up a chair and hold my hand. I'll feel better and will be able to focus better."
Anna did so. She stroked Elsa's hand gently to soothe her.
They sat that way for several hours, interrupted only by Fixit reacting to a blinking red light on the pane of glass. He floated over to Elsa and told her, "I am going to inject some nutrient fluid into your arm. You may feel a slight tingle, it is nothing to worry about."
There was a soft pumping sound, and the red light on the glass changed back to green.
About an hour later, Derlin came in and said, "It's time to form up and go out there. Are you ready?"
Elsa nodded and Fixit began to unhook her from the monitor leads and IV line. Anna helped her stand and refasten her clothing. Derlin was carrying a helmet, goggles, scarf and gloves. He held them out to Elsa, "Here, you'll need these outside, so bundle up."
She took them, all except the gloves. "Don't need those, and they will lessen the effectiveness of my ice power if I need to spike someone or create an ice barrier." She handed the gloves back to him.
Derlin shrugged, then said, "And here is the stim." He handed her five small yellow bottles, and one red one. "The red one is the stim plus. Like I said before, use that one only in an extreme moment. It's good for about an hour, but then you'll drop unconscious and won't wake up for hours."
Anna spoke up, "Can I have one or two of the yellow ones? Just in case..." He handed her a couple and she put them in her jacket pocket.
The three of them left the med bay and walked to the hanger, Elsa and Anna hand in hand.