Chapter 50
AN: There are things from the EU talked about. "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" is the book. Also, thank you everyone for your patience. I hope everyone is having a great holiday season! And thank you to all that read and review. Now, enjoy!
"The leaders of the Resistance were so impressed, they promised to back us up. So negotiations were short, so we could come back here. And here we are," Luke finished from where he was half sitting, half lying on his bed, eyes half closed, exhausted.
"You died?!" Ari exclaimed from where she was stretched out next to him on his bed. She had repeated that question at least half a dozen times.
"Not exactly. But don't worry about that. I am here, that is all that matters," Luke told her, taking her hand in his.
Luke had been relating his tales. He and Leia had crashed on the mining colony of Mimban. They had gotten the help of a woman named Halla. She promised to help them get off planet if they promised to help her find the Kaiburr Crystal. After a narrow escape from the Imperials, and with some help of the local beings, the trio of humans, two droids, and two befriended aliens reached the crystal. However, Darth Vader, who was searching for the Crystal as well, killed the two aliens. Not only that, but both Leia and Luke had fought the Dark Lord. Both had been mortally wounded. However, Vader had disappeared down a shaft, his arrogance had made him too certain of his footing, and the ground of the temple made for this Crystal. While holding the Crystal, as he should have been dying, the Force had healed Luke, who in turn had healed Leia with the Crystal. They had gotten a ship, along with Halla, escaped, and still went to their meeting.
"But still…." Ari trailed off.
"Don't dwell on that," Luke told her.
"I would like to show that Vader a thing or two," Ari murmured.
At this, Luke turned to her, clearly upset by that comment. "No, Ari, no. He is still strong. Somehow, he was found alive and he heard about us when we were arrested. He is still alive now and still a threat. But not at this moment."
Ari nodded, snuggling up next to Luke, whose eyes were closing again.
"So what did you have to tell me?" he asked with a yawn.
"Don't worry about it," Ari answered. "We can discuss it later. For now, you need sleep. I need to get started with my day," she told him.
"Come get me for lunch?" Luke asked, fighting to stay awake.
"I will. You just rest," Ari told him, then paused, flinging her arms around him again in a tight hug that Luke returned. "I am so glad you are alright."
"I told you I would be," he gave a small smile. "Now, you go off and do you work Lieutenant," he told her, with a mock salute.
Ari shook her head with a laugh before turning and rushing to do her work. Hopefully, the sooner she got done, the sooner she could come back.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Wishful thinking was just that. Ari no sooner got there before people who were asking about Luke surrounded her. Not just that, but there was even more work today, and it seemed as if chaos had ensued. "One step forward, two steps back," she muttered as she brushed back a strand of her hair from where she was working in the cockpit of one of the snowspeeders.
She did notice a large change among the troops as well. It was as if her rank no longer held as much meaning, as she noted Leia was also giving orders. However, hers were being followed much more than Ari's.
Sighing, the young ex farm girl just continued her work until she heard everyone calling for a break and she and leapt to go find Luke.
"Luke, I…." She stopped short seeing the room she had left him in a few hours ago was empty.
Confused, she just followed a few of the other Rebels to the mess hall.
It didn't take long for her to see what had happened to Luke. He and Leia were sitting at a table, and surrounded by almost all the Rebels in the base, retelling their tale. Even Han and Chewie were nearby. Han was clearly interested, though his posture tried to show him as being nonchalant.
Moving towards the group, Ari tried to catch Luke's eye, but she just seemed unable to, and wasn't about to interrupt his story.
"Ari."
Hearing her name, she turned and found herself face to face with Cal.
"Hey," Ari smiled over at him with a smile, hugging him like she often did when she saw him. This time it was more for support. It stung to feel pushed aside again. It felt like Luke still seemed light years away when he was only a few yards from her.
Sensing that something was amiss, he hugged her back, glancing over her shoulder as he did, seeing Luke. He knew how much she was looking forward to his return. He wondered if they had had any time together.
"Let's get something to eat," he suggested, as he pulled back, taking her hand and giving it a small squeeze.
Ari nodded with a small forced smile as Cal led her through the line for food and they both ate quickly and silent, a short distance away from Luke. Ari was thankful that there was no speaking needed. It was a comfortable silence, which was rare to find in such a place.
"Ready for patrol?" Cal asked, breaking the moment and Ari nodded, seeing the crowd still surrounding Luke. That was another thing she was thankful for. Cal hadn't mentioned Luke even once. In that moment, Ari understood that something had changed between herself and Luke. They had never been apart for so long. Maybe a few days during the harvest but they still made time for short visits. This had been over a month and they had both been on completely different planets. It was strange, to think that she and Luke didn't share something like this.
Sighing, she shrugged it off, as she followed after Cal who was waiting in the doorway for her. She glanced one more time over her shoulder, then followed him towards their waiting tauntums.
However, if she had looked over once more, she would have seen that a familiar pair of blue eyes followed her out the door and out of sight.
Even among all these fellow Rebels, Luke had to admit he felt strangely alone.
* * * * * * * * * * * * The patrol on the frigid weather helped calm Ari down. It also helped her open up to Cal, not a lot, but just enough to comment that she was hurt by Luke ignoring her once he was around others.
Cal listened, not saying much in response. He knew that much but knew that she didn't want advice. She just needed to vent a bit.
When they finally pulled it, it was later than normal, due to the number of sensors now in place, so they had only a few minutes to stretch out their saddle sores before dinner.
Most of the Rebels were there, but Ari quickly noted that neither Luke, nor Leia were there. She didn't mention it though as she once again found herself in line for food.
This time, she and Cal joined a few of the other Rebels, who kept talking about Luke and Leia's mission. While silent, Ari listened intently and quickly could tell even Cal was impressed.
Rolling her eyes as she turned back to her food, she found it strangely not that appetizing.
"I'm done for the night guys, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow," Ari told them, getting up from the table, then glanced at her chrono in surprise. She was ten minutes late for her meeting. "Force…" she muttered and dashed down the hall to meeting room.
She arrived, panting slightly, sliding into the room where all the other officers were already sitting and standing. Leia and Luke were standing up front, Leia the one speaking.
"Where have you been?" one of the men whispered to her.
"What do you mean? Didn't it just start about…five minutes ago?"
"About an hour and five minutes ago. I thought you got the message. We started it an hour early today."
Ari sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead. "I was on patrol with Cal. We got in late. I see I have missed a lot."
"Mostly old business, the issues we have been having for weeks."
"Not enough time, supplies, labor, or sleep?" Ari asked, a faint smile showing, though they were serious concerns.
"Basically, and there were the typical arguments. No new issues to discuss, and the Princess is briefing everyone on the success of the mission she was on with Luke."
Ari nodded, keeping comments to herself and listened to the reports again. She had to admit, it was important to know what the leaders had said, though Leia's report left out a lot of information. Personal information that Luke had shared. That only made sense and Ari felt slight warmth knowing that Luke had told her first. Not only that, but he had told her details that others probably didn't know.
Soon enough the meeting was over, and it was clear that everyone was exhausted, some looking as if they could fall asleep where they were standing.
Ari slipped out of the conference room, and did her rounds of the hanger, giving her helpful advice on the snowspeeders and other problems that the technicians asked for help on. Aside from, she also told them to get some rest and something warm to drink.
After that, Ari stood by the main area, watching the night shift crew come in to take over. It was quieter now and almost soothing after all the running around that had been done. The lights were also dimmed slightly, which helped not only show that it was evening, but it served the practical purpose of helping conserve power during the night, since the heat needed to stay on, as did the other necessary systems.
"You are a hard person to find," a voice spoke up behind her, and Ari smiled slightly without turning.
"Can't be too hard if you found me," she answered.
"Well, this wasn't my first guess," he remarked.
"And where was your first guess?" she asked
"Well, sleeping like most normal people."
"Seems that people from Tatooine just aren't normal then," she smirked at him, finally turning to face Luke.
"Well, I am perfectly normal. You on the other hand…" he trailed off and she hit his arm playfully.
The pair then stood silently for a minute, watching the now quiet hanger.
"You are the talk of the base now," Ari spoke up after a few long moments.
"For a few days. I heard some talk about things happening on Ord Mantell," Luke remarked.
Ari gave a small nervous smile to him at this. "Well, it wasn't anything too big…"
"Why don't you tell me?" he suggested, sitting down so that he was leaning against the bulkhead of a ship, Ari joining him.
"Well…see…" she stammered. "It all started when I went to find Han. I had a question…."
