Inner Rim
Western Reaches
Planet: Jakku
Luke's X-wing idled in space along with two dozen others, all of them too stunned to move. He stared out the window of his cockpit at Jakku and the hundreds of Imperial ships that sat stationed in its orbit. There was a fleet of Imperial cruisers, hundreds of assault grade ships, thousands of smaller starships, and two massive Star Destroyers. It was as if the Emperor never died, and that his father never sacrificed himself to make it happen. The anger and hurt he felt welling inside him was building, so he closed his eyes and called upon the Force to help him feel through those emotions so he could focus on what needed to be done.
Shara's concerned voice filled his helmet. "General Skywalker. Do you copy?"
Luke's mouth was dry, his throat tight with shock. Somehow, he managed to summon his voice to respond. "Copy, Green Leader."
"What do we do?"
I don't know , he thought. He stared at the two Star Destroyers, one of which was The Inflictor, as they sat looming like giants over the planet. Inside his body he began to feel something other than shock and fear...something he was afraid of feeling, something he worked desperately hard to control...and that was his hate for the Empire.
"General Sky-"
"-I'm here" Luke replied quickly, forcing himself out of the cloud of emotion that had fogged his brain. He'd been catapulted back into the role he had during the War, and the others needed him to make a plan before their lives were put into jeopardy. He just couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe they were here...again.
"Retreat" he told Shara and the others. "We rendezvous back to either Hosnian Prime or Yavin, but we do not stay here. Not without a plan or a fleet."
"Copy that, General. Green Squadron: fall back. Do not approach Jakku."
The X-wings belonging to Shara's squad swerved out of his line of sight, leaving Red Squadron behind. They waited on Luke's orders, as they always had, knowing they were about to do the same but wouldn't until he gave the word.
Luke stared out the cockpit, flashes of his memory blinking back to the unfathomable pain from Palpatine's Force lightning entering his body. He stared at the ships looming over Jakku and felt the electric shockwave that had pummeled every inch of his body down to the individual cells, filling him with a kind of pain that had left worse scars on his mind than they did on his body. The sight of what hovered beyond his cockpit brought the feel of it back to him as though it just happened, leaving his chest heaving beneath the straps of his harness.
"General Skywalker?" came Wedge, who sat in the X-wing floating directly beside Luke's.
Luke took a chance and looked over, meeting the eyes of his squadron member and friend.
"We're still on the winning side, General" Wedge told him.
Luke managed a half-smile. It was the distraction he needed, and he silently thanked Wedge for the opportunity to get out of his own mind.This is not the past, he told himself. This is not the War all over again. We can manage this.
"Fall back, Red Squadron." The sound of his own voice was like gravel. "Retreat to Yavin 4."
Before he turned his X-wing away, Luke gave Jakku one final look. He gave The Inflictor one final look, promising himself that the next time he laid eyes on either, it would be the last time.
Outer Rim
Planet: Yavin 4
Rebel Base One
...4 Days Later...
Silre waited outside the hangar alongside many others when word arrived that both Red and Green Squadrons were about to enter Yavin's orbit. They'd been gone for a little over a week in total, but the revelation that Admiral Rax and his legion of remaining Imperial heads had finally amassed their artillery at Jakku lingered at the forefront of everyone's minds. When the news of this first arrived, the response at the base was initially one of heavy silence. Silre had been in the operations center when Luke's call came in to Leia and the others, listening as he explained what he witnessed outside Jakku. She paid attention to the reactions of everyone who stood there, noting the silent exchanges that passed between all of them. It was her first real experience at seeing what may have been the closest thing to the Rebellion days. The fleeting looks of dread were followed by steeled determination and resolve, which gave Silre hope.
If she and the others were being honest with themselves, it hadn't come as a huge surprise that the Emperor's Contingency Plan was real and was now going into effect. What did come as more of a shock was that the Empire was actually going through with it. It was just foolhardy enough, just arrogant enough, to leave them all speechless. Unfortunately, it all came with the promise of more lost lives, more disruptions to life, and more innocent people enslaved in some way, no matter the outcome. The fact that they were forced to think of this yet again, even after all of their hard work, had been the biggest blow of all.
Now, as Silre stood with her eyes pointed to the sky, she thought of what awaited the pilots who approached the tarmac. She also thought of her and Luke's baby and what might await them as a result of the pending battle. She clung to the hoe that the news of their baby would still bring Luke joy, even with the news of the Empire waiting for them at Jakku. So as he piloted his X-wing down onto the surface and lifted the hatch, Silre approached, her arms hugging around her waist and the baby beneath.
One Luke opened the cockpit hatch, his eyes went straight to Silre. Her lithe figure was a relief to see among all the others gathered there. And while many wore concerned expressions, Silre still wore her usual bright smile; her dark eyes dancing in the sunlight as she gazed up at him.
She gave him a little wave, and Luke returned the gesture, feeling his excitement grow further.
As swiftly as he could, he dumped his helmet and undid the pesky straps that had kept him safely within the ship. He leapt down out of the giant metal body and jogged the rest of the distance towards Silre. She opened her arms to him, and he swept her up into a hug. "Silre."
Silre's emotions were already a mess, so when she got tears just from hugging him, she tried to laugh them away. "It's good to have you back, my love" she uttered against his shoulder.
Luke held her in front of him, seeing the faint amount of water glistening in her large eyes. He found her emotion somewhat startling, but it warmed his heart all the same. "You missed me that much?" he teased.
"My emotions are hard to keep up with anymore, believe me."
"It's understandable, what with everything going on." His eyes lifted, watching the other squadron members as they arrived and de-planed around them. He sighed, but kept it somewhat restrained. "We're all still a bit in shock."
Only Silre knew her emotions had very little to do with the impending battle, even though it was a huge concern of hers. She was doing her very best to compartmentalize everything that required her attention these days, but it was getting more and more difficult. She needed to tell Luke about their baby. She had to get it off her chest. Once that happened, maybe then she could focus on the looming dread that waited in the shadows of her heart.
Turning her attention to the orange flight suit covering Luke's body, Silre gave a loving tug on one of the loosened straps. "Let's get you out of this," she told him. "Then maybe we can talk more?"
Luke noticed the hope in her gaze right away and it made him smile. "If you're referring to the surprise I haven't forgotten about, then yes - please lead the way."
The sound of his excitement pulled at the corners of Silre's mouth. She took Luke's hand and lead him towards the base, his feet swift to follow.
On the way, the couple bypassed many who gave respectful nods to Luke as they passed. But beneath their respect was that simmering doubt he was all too familiar with. Everyone now knew what the remnants of the Empire were doing and what it meant for them as a team, as well as individuals. It was a cruel sort of knowledge; to know they weren't finished - not in the way they thought they'd been when the second Death Star exploded. Luke sympathized with them, though he wish he had more answers than just a nod and smile. In time, he and Leia and the others would come up with a plan, but for now...the lingering doubt in everyone's minds would have to remain.
When they arrived at the apartment, the first thing Luke did was strip out of the confines of his flight suit. He wore his usual black compression layers beneath, which weren't wholly uncomfortable despite how tightly they clung to every inch of his body. Since it was just him and Silre, he stayed in his compression gear while they remained in his apartment. It wasn't lost on him the way she always took notice of how he looked; the quiet mix of admiration and lust brewing in her eyes at the sight. Today however, instead of the usual lust he found in the chocolate of her eyes, he noticed a level of anticipation.
Standing before her, Luke tipped her chin with two fingers so his mouth could finally join with hers. After a week of not feeling her lips anywhere on his body, he craved the reminder of how soft they were; of how in tune she was with him as a whole. A moan escaped him, surprising both of them at the muffled sound. "I've missed you," he breathed.
"I've missed this," Silre answered, her mouth devouring his needfully. Their embrace was lengthy, both of them taking exactly what they needed in that moment. Luke could feel the love in Silre's aura tightening about his own through their bond, and it made him feel whole once more.
When he came up for air, he rested his forehead against Silre's. "Is now a bad time to ask for my surprise?" The corner of his mouth lifted into a half-smirk.
Silre caught the boyishness in it; the way his eyes danced with mischief at whatever she'd promised to reveal. "I'm not sure I can wait any longer anyway," she admitted, feeling the first tingles of excitement flutter across her skin. With a deep inhale, she steadied herself and took a single step back. "Your surprise is right in front of you."
Luke cocked his head, brows narrowing. "What do you mean?"
Reaching for one of his hands, Silre guided his palm over her stomach, placing it directly over belly button. Her heart was racing, her blood thrumming in her ears, as she watched the realization settle in across his face.
Luke stared at the placement of his hand in shocked silence. His gaze lifted slowly, his eyes even wider than before. "Silre..." He looked at her with an unspoken question; a question she answered with a simple nod.
"Yes, Luke." She covered his palm with her own, fingers tightening around his. "I'm pregnant."
The were three times in Luke's life where he could remember when it felt like his whole world had stopped. The moment he watched Old Ben die. The moment Vader revealed he was his father. And the moment he watched his father kill the Emperor.
None of those even came close to what he felt in that moment.
"Pregnant?" he repeated, the word like a dream as it left his mouth. His brain struggled to keep up with his heart, which was beating so hard he thought it would shake his entire body as he stood there.
Silre's smile was a mixture of pride and excitement; of hope and fear. "Yes." Her voice was barely rose above a whisper. "It's the reason why I've been sick."
Luke looked down at their hands over her stomach, eyebrows rising. "We're having a baby..." The words didn't even feel real at they left his tongue. A grin exploded across his face, his hands lifting to cup Silre's face. "This is happening? This is really happening?"
"Yes" she said, her tears flowing happily now.
They stood staring at one another, their disbelief transforming into unending joy. Their happiness was a mirror of one another's, and in their eyes reflected the hope and possibility and love that awaited. In that moment, Luke and Silre shared a look with one another that spoke for the miles they'd crossed, the moments they shared, and the unlikely joining of their once-separate paths that had crossed so many months ago. It had all brought them to this moment. This joyous, unexpected, beautiful moment.
Luke's happiness spilled over the brim; his own eyes now stinging with water. "Then this is the greatest moment of my life, Silre."
Silre exhaled, a relieved but happy laugh choking from her chest. "I love you so much, Luke." Her words came out shakily, trembling with the overflowing emotion she felt.
And then slowly, gently, Luke lowered to one knee in front of her. He kept his eyes focused on the pane of her stomach and placed a tender kiss to where their baby was growing. He reached out through the Force, through his own body and through Silre's body to the child that waited within, and closed his eyes. "I love you" he whispered, his forehead coming to rest against her stomach. "I love you so much."
Above him, Silre sunk her hands into Luke's hair and blinked away the tears. The moment was more tender than she could have ever imagined, and she had to bite her lip to keep it from trembling. She could feel his love pouring into her from his touch, the intensity of his energy field, and through their special bond in the Force. But above all, it was the look in his eyes as he tilted his gaze up to her, that tiny half-smile that had rattled the stars since the first moment she laid eyes on it, and the sheer joy that had overtaken the handsome lines of his face, that left her speechless.
"Our lives are never going to be the same" he said, hope in his eyes.
Silre caressed his cheek tenderly. "I know," she said with a smile. "I know."
Inner Rim
Planet: Jakku
Sinking Fields Imperial Base
Admiral Rax's Headquarters
Admiral Gallius Rax stood alone in his observatory, overlooking the latest brigade of storm troopers being filed into the open room below. He stood calmly with his hands clasped behind his back, eyes studying the agitated troopers in their white and black uniforms. For the time being, his thoughts were under control.
He hadn't expected Skywalker to show up.
Not this early.
Rax ground his teeth; a habit he'd picked up the past year after all the bullshit he'd been put through. When his hopes and dreams had gone up in smoke with the explosion of the second Death Star, his habit of grinding his teeth was the least of his concerns.
Everything since then had fallen to him. Everything had landed on his shoulders. And this is what he was left with: his wasteland of a planet, a child army lead by a less than pleasing female Hutt whose arrogance he'd had to corral far too many times now, and thousands of displaced storm troopers who had spent one too many months on a desert planet, wasting away in the heat, waiting for him to give the order. All the while trying to chase the tail of Luke Skywalker.
Skywalker had shown up on Florrum. Somehow.
Had located their cell there. Somehow.
And now, the kid - Vader's son - arrived on their doorstep weeks ahead of when they had planned to send the New Republic an ultimatum.
How does Skywalker do it?
Rax ground his teeth harder, the muscle along his jaw flexing as his anger rose beneath the collar of his blazer.
He's everywhere, and he's nowhere. Like a fucking phantom.
Rax knew he had to make a decision now that the New Republic was on to them. Their element of surprise was gone. And he still had no idea how they knew.
Skywalker.
That's how.
He cracked his neck irritably. It didn't matter how the New Republic found out; he would continue to hold steady and wait just a little longer. He didn't care if the troops were restless or were second guessing their role in all of this. Yes, they were exhausted. Exhausted of waiting. Exhausted from the relentless heat. Exhausted of one another. If he had told them once, he'd told them a thousand times: their efforts would be rewarded, and Jakku was poised to be forever regaled as the location where the Empire won back the galaxy. That promise had fallen to him, and he would see it through in honor of The Emperor who had bestowed it upon him.
An elevator door slid open behind him.
"Admiral."
Rax remained staring at the troops below his observatory window. "Yes, Commandmant Hux?"
"The Shadow Council is ready for you."
Grinding his jaw, Rax turned on his heels to face Brendol Hux. He stared at the man, waiting for his gaze to waver under the coldness of his stare. As one of his most trusted within his circle, Hux was also one of very few who did not cower in his presence, and Rax respected him for it. "And what of the legion outside the Sinking Fields?"
Hux kept his chin raised. "They are still...restless, Admiral."
"Hmm." Rax exhaled long and slow, his hands tightening behind his back. "They will need to be dealt with."
"With certainty, Admiral."
Rax could sense there was a question somewhere in Brendol's eyes, despite the man doing his absolute best to keep it concealed. Out of the respect he had for him, Rax allowed him the chance to speak. "Is there something else, Commandmant?"
"Yes, Sir." He took half a step forward, his chin still proudly raised. "I thought you should know that the Shadow Council is aware that the Jedi Luke Skywalker has-"
"-You will not mention his name" Rax interjected firmly.
It was all he had to say. Hux took a half a step backward, his chin lowering in a silent plea for forgiveness. "Understood, Admiral."
"I will address the Council shortly." Rax turned his back to him so he could once again focus on the troops below. "Everything will be dealt with in due time, including the Jedi. Until then, I will not be questioned about his presence further. Not by you, and not by anyone else on the Council."
"Understood, Admiral."
"Good. You are dismissed."
Rax listened as Hux turned and summoned the elevator. When the scuff of his boots fell muted behind the closing elevator door, Rax finally allowed the tension in his body to ease, though his anger remained.
We have an entire fleet of war ships amassed in orbit, commanded by the most loyal and most dedicated within the New Empire. We have legions of storm troopers training every day under the harshest conditions. We have a facility built beneath miles of sand to remain hidden from sight by even the best scouts.
And the only thing anyone is worried about...is Luke Skywalker.
Grinding his teeth until a wave of pain traveled the length of his neck, Rax let his hate for Darth Vader's son simmer for a time, bathing in the comfort that hate provided. When he felt he had control of his thoughts once more, Rax finally turned and headed down to brief his Council.
Outer Rim
Planet: Yavin 4
Rebel Base One
Luke sat in the operations area, struggling to listen to the topics being discussed. His mind was running wild, his happiness practically spilling over, and yet he had to contain all of it while he sat and listened to the others discuss the situation on Jakku.
I'm going to be a father .
He caught himself staring off into the distance multiple times, and every time a dumb smile attempted to make itself known on his face, he caught it.
I'm going to be a father.
Someone in the group asked him a question, which helped to pull him quickly out of his thoughts. Luckily, he was skilled enough to never allow his internal thoughts to truly tune out what was going on around him, but so far - it had been damn hard to focus. The butterflies he felt, the excitement that made his chest feel like it would explode if he didn't tell someone, was a constant struggle to control as he sat among the other Generals and Commanders. He was surprised he'd held on as long as he had, especially as the meeting's duration had officially eclipsed its second hour. He and the others had plotted, strategized, and formulated a series of potential outcomes and plans, yet their questions about the fleet hovering in Jakku's orbit remained unanswered. Would they strike Yavin? Hosnian Prime? Some other innocent planet? Or...should the New Republic bring the war to Jakku?
Pinching the bridge of his nose between two gloved fingers, Luke felt the strain of the impending battle taking hold of him. There was no right answer; no correct course of action. They did not want to engage in battle, but they could not allow a battle to occur.
The allegiance of those sitting inside the ops area was not in question. The New Republic was ready to fight to defend what had been won already, and would fight to maintain what amount of peace had been secured in the Empire's initial defeat. The question was: how do they do this, without looking like the catalyst to an unnecessary battle? They were supposed to be instilling confidence in the galaxy and providing relief to planets who had already gone through enough pain and suffering at the hands of the Empire. To engage in another massive battle might appear as though they were abusing their power; that they'd become battle-hungry. Or worse: victory-hungry. There was no clear line drawn in the sand between right and wrong, and Luke was no closer to knowing what to do.
And I have even more to consider now.
I have a child to protect.
He felt his heart jump inside his chest.
A child.
No other title meant more to him than being a father. He was a brother, Jedi, Commander, and General. All came with responsibilities, a great amount of respect, and plenty of ups and downs. He knew the same awaited him with the birth and he and Silre's baby, but they were both committed to their child. Being a father was not something he would take lightly. And while Silre had always wanted to be a mother, it was never even something Luke considered to be possible for him. There were the complications with him being a Jedi, particularly with the old Jedi Code preaching against any sort of attachment.
And yet, his own father had said: " Do not hold yourself to the old ways. Those ways failed the Jedi. They failed us all. Love is never a mistake."
The words of Anakin spoken in the tomb resonated with him more now than ever. Since the moment Silre had told him, Luke had been replaying his father's conversation over and over inside his mind, searching for new meaning in his words. Had Anakin known then? And if so, what more did he know that had not yet been revealed?
"Our only course of action is to initiate contact and find out for ourselves."
Luke glanced up, watching as Kes Dameron stood and addressed those seated before him.
"We go directly to the source and force their hand, one way or another" continued Kes, his dark eyes ablaze with passion. "If we can talk with Rax, get a feel for what their goal is with all of this, then maybe we won't have to tippy toe. It could be the push they need that will allow us to make the right move."
"I agree that we cannot sit here overthinking and overplotting" Leia spoke. "But we have to be extremely careful if we decide to make contact with Rax or any of the others. They've already proved they're willing to infiltrate the New Republic Senate and pose as trustworthy individuals. The Empire may be fractured, but they haven't lost the honey in their speech or their knack for deceitfulness." She paused in consideration before she met the steady gaze of her brother. "What do you say, Luke?"
All eyes turned his direction. Luke weighed the question in his mind for a moment before answering. "I say we wait. They will eventually come to us. It may take weeks, or months, but they will come to us. We are in the position of power and have little to lose now, but the Empire has everything to lose. If they lose this battle, they will lose everything - and they know it." He looked to Kes Dameron and nodded respectfully. "I admire your spirit, Kes. I always have. A year ago, I would have done exactly as you suggest and would have done so without hesitation. But it's different now, because we're on the winning side." A smile punctuated this statement as he looked into the eyes of those seated around him. "We're not used to this, I know. And why I know this is because I'm not used to it, but it's true. We don't have to go after them anymore. They will come to us, because that is what the losing side does."
A light gleamed within the eyes of Kes, his brazen smile turning even prouder. "You're right, Skywalker." He glanced at the others, hands going to his hips. "We have to stop thinking like we used to; like we're the ones who have everything to lose. We will fight, and we will protect the ones we love - but only when they come limping to us."
"You can be certain they will" Luke added, further emphasizing Kes' admirable courage. "They've positioned themselves for whatever plan they're preparing to execute. All that's left is to drop the hammer. And...assuming they saw us in orbit...we just pushed their deadline ahead a bit." He shrugged, though his smirk remained steadfast. "If there's one thing we know the Empire hates, it's waiting. They will initiate contact eventually."
Leia stood up, clasping her hands in front of her. "And when they do, you can bet we'll be waiting and ready." She gave a collective nod to the group. "Once more, I thank you for your attendance, your support, and your unending bravery. We've discussed all we can for now, but I feel better than I did when we first gathered here. You're all dismissed, but only if you all promise to not let what we discussed distract you from your evenings."
The sound of chairs and the ruffle of uniforms and boots were heard as the group disassembled. Some lingered behind to talk briefly with one another, though most went on their separate ways and headed out of the briefing room.
Luke was one of the ones who lingered, if only to ask his sister how she was feeling. For all the distractions he had during the meeting, he could still feel the uneasy vibration within their bond. When he approached her, he could feel her tension even stronger.
When her brown eyes met his, Luke gave her a smile. "Hey."
Leia's smile came easily. "That didn't go as badly as I feared."
There was an uptick in her voice; almost as if a question was hidden somewhere within her words. Luke studied her momentarily, trying to decide if she needed his support. "We're going to be okay" he told her, his hand steady as he placed it on her shoulder. "Everyone here is ready. We've been through it before and we've come out of it. We can do the same this time as well."
"But at what cost?" Leia questioned. There was none of the familiar fire in her voice, but something much closer to fear.
And it wasn't just Leia who felt it. At the sound of his sister's words, a sense of dread spread through Luke's body, beginning at his heart and reaching out through the rest of him like fingers of darkness. It rattled his nerves, throwing his connection to the Force off-kilter for only a second before he got a hold of himself again.
He knew the cost this battle could cause. His life - his future - was no longer just his own. It was now the life and future of the baby he and Silre created.
That was his cost.
Leia hugged her smaller frame, the worry evident in the wrinkles settling in around her eyes. "Do you think we can do this, Luke?"
He swallowed, pushing the last of his fear for his unborn child out of his mind. "Yes. I do." The corner of his mouth lifted subtly. "And I know you do too."
The tension felt within their twin bond eased at the same time Leia let her guard down. Her shoulders relaxed a little, as did the tight line that had been her mouth. Warmth radiated from her once more as she reached out and pulled Luke against her in a hug. "Thank you" she whispered, clutching his shoulders tight.
Luke closed his eyes and smiled. "It's you and me, Leia. To the very end. No matter what."
"No matter what" Leia repeated, tightening her arms about her brother.
Author's Note: Hello my wonderful readers! Thank you for continuing to enjoy the story - it means the world to me. As I write this, I admit that with summer in full force, my writing has been a lot slower. I will continue to publish new chapters whenever I can, but please forgive my slower pace of posting. I love this story and I'm very proud of the direction it's going, and I hope that the climax of this story will be worth it. The end of this tale is still a ways away, but it's coming faster than I'd like. :) Thank you all again! -Winter
