"I'm not much of a pilot," Ily broke her silence. They had been in hyperspace for a while. Luke had not prodded her further. Ily picked at her gloves nervously. With the entirety of their journey spent in silence, Ily was unable to gauge just what type of person Luke Skywalker was.

"That's all right," he smiled slightly and glanced over at her. "I'll find a pilot when we reach the Fleet."

Ily scoffed and let her hands fall into her lap. "I'm sorry, I just don't understand what use I could be to you."

"Leia mentioned you were very resourceful and one of her best stealth officers. I must admit, at the time I was only looking for a co-pilot," said Luke nonchalantly. He reached up above him to flip a few gears. It was unnatural to hear the General's real name so casually. "Wedge had been the one to refer you."

'That meddling no good son of a bitch!'

"Sorry?"

Ily's eyes widened and she felt her cheeks warm. She hadn't meant to say the last part out loud! "I mean, of course he did!"

Luke only nodded, but the look of amusement never dwindled.

Ily thought carefully for a moment. "Commander Skywalker,"

"Just Luke," he seemed embarrassed. "Please."

'Fine,' "Er, Luke, I still don't understand why a Jedi would possibly need the help of someone like me."

"Leia worries."

"You defeated Darth Vador. I don't understand what use I could be to you!"

Luke was silent for a moment. Ily wondered if bringing up Darth Vador stirred up old wounds. If she had been the one to defeat Darth Vador, she wouldn't need the help of a lowly soldier. If one could defeat something like Darth Vador, that would make them extremely powerful. Right? Her heart quickened in pace as her thoughts were brought back to the memory of Darth Vador's sleek helmet. Not many had seen him up close and were able to live to tell the tale. His quick breaths forced through the machine in his chest. The whirring and heat of his red lightsaber as he slaughtered a whole platoon of men in front of her. She felt fear and anger stir within her. If someone could defeat Darth Vador, they had to have the same power that he had. Raw and unfiltered anger. The fear of a thousand men before her was now etched into her memories. Ily let out a shuddering breath.

"Ily," Luke's calm voice interrupted her spiral of thoughts. "I think you have a misconception of what a Jedi is supposed to look like."

"Funny," she bit out. "I was thinking the exact same thing about you."

Luke grimaced and turned his attention back to the gears in front of him as a few notifications beeped back at him. "We'll be coming out of hyperspace soon."

It had been a low blow. 'You don't always have to have a response, Ily.'

As the blue swirls of hyperspace came to an abrupt stop, Ily felt even worse as she looked out ahead. The Rebel Fleet Command ship loomed above them. Luke prepared to dock and a muffled voice came through asking for clearance. Ily sank heavily into her seat and ran a hand over her face as Luke communicated back to Command. When he was granted access they were able to dock. Luke flipped a few switches and stood to attach his black cloak around his shoulders that had been draped on the back of the pilot seat. Ily felt sick to her stomach with dread.

"I'm going to go get Artoo, be sure to grab your things. We will not be taking this ship to Vetine," said Luke softly. He passed her by and the ends of his cloak brushed against her boot as he left. She refused to look at him and instead out at the sea of X-Wings and pilots around them. The door to the pilot cabin whooshed open notifying her that he had left. She took a few deep breaths to ready herself. The last time she had been with the Command Fleet had been three months ago and in entirely different circumstances.

She stood and grabbed her backpack. She readjusted her blaster holster and slammed her hand against the datapad to the door. It whooshed open and she scurried down the landing pad to where Luke was kneeling next to his astromech. The blue and white droid beeped up at her.

Luke looked up at her and patted Artoo's side. He stood and clasped his hands in front of him, studying her closely. "It's overwhelming to be back, isn't it?"

"You have no idea," she muttered, not liking how he probably did understand what she was feeling.

Artoo sharply whistled.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Luke answered him. Artoo rolled away from the pair and out into the sea of pilots.

"Where is he going?" Ily asked Luke.

"To find me a pilot," he said. Luke motioned for Ily to follow him. "Now we need to find a ship."

He led her away from the sea of beings and down a stark white corridor. Ily tightened her grip on the backpack straps and kept her eyes downcast. A few pilots had stopped to stare at Luke and Ily. Not all of them had been kind stares and Ily was certain they had been directed at her. At the farthest end of the Hanger was a grey Imperial-class shuttle that Ily had only seen Officers use to handle hostages.

"This is it," Luke stopped. "We'll use this one."

"What if your droid doesn't return with a copilot?" Ily questioned him.

"Lambda-class shuttles aren't too difficult with one pilot," Luke assured her. A series of beeps echoed behind them as Artoo rolled up next to Luke just in time. "Thanks, Artoo. So, the problem with Lambda-class shuttles they fly just fine with one pilot. But it's much easier with a copilot-,"

Luke dropped his hood and turned around. Ily reached for her blaster handle and whipped around to face the newest member of their party. Luke held up a hand to tell Ily to stand down. "Especially through hyperspace. This is just a quick trip to Vetine. In the Merrick Sector. There's something I just need to get. I'm Luke Skywalker, by the way."

The newcomer was a woman a bit older than Ily. Her dark skin complimented her green fighter suit. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose tail. Her brown eyes narrowed slightly as she also took in the sight of Ily. Shara Bey. The steely look disappeared at Luke's introduction. They warmed considerably and Ily could see the utmost respect replace the woman's features.

"I know who you are, Commander Skywalker," recognized Shara. "There's not a pilot in this alliance who doesn't."

They exchanged a few more pleasantries and Ily took the time to route an escape plan if things with Shara went terribly wrong. She knew Shara wasn't likely to trust her after things on Endor. Ily understood, but Shara wasn't capable of the same understanding. Shara was undoubtedly loyal to the Rebellion. Something Ily had proven she was not.

"So what do you say, Lieutenant Bey? Shall we take a flight?" offered Luke.

"I'd be honored, Commander," Shara nodded.

"Good," smiled Luke.

o0o

"Just what are you planning!" Ily was not near as complacent as Shara. When Luke routed the shuttle into hyperspace, he handed Shara a backpack with an Imperial uniform. He had originally offered it to Ily, but Ily had refused. "How dare you even think I would so much as put a shred of that on me?"

Just the sight of the grey flared Ily's memories of ISB officers and the smell of burning flesh of the platoon of men that had seen the first of Darth Vador up close. It had taken Ily several breaths to quell onset nausea. Shara had quietly taken the bag from Ily and went to the cabins to change. She had said nothing of comfort to Ily. In fact, she hardly acknowledged Ily's presence at all since being on the ship.

"I apologize, I did not realize-," Luke surrendered.

"This is becoming a running theme with you, Commander!" spat Ily and she clenched her fists tightly. 'Don't think of Kit. Don't think of Kyle. Don't think of Red. Don't think...'

Shara rejoined and smoothed out the creases in the grey fabric. She seemed mildly uncomfortable, but her display wasn't as erratic as Ily's had been. 'Better her than me.' Shara sat in the copilot seat and readjusted the controls.

"How's it fit?" Luke asked her.

"It's a little snug and wearing it gives me the creeps, honestly," admitted Shara. "You going to tell us why I'm dressed up as an ISB officer?"

"You're actually dressed up as a specific ISB officer. A woman named Alicia Beck," admitted Luke. "You're going to get us into the base on Vetine."

"An Imperial base?" blurted Ily.

"That's correct."

'Oh for kriff's sake! That's why he needed a stealth officer!'

"And why exactly are we doing this?" inquired Shara.

"Because in the lab at the heart of that base, is something the Emperor stole a long time ago. We're taking it back," he explained.

"We're just going to walk in and walk out again?"

"We obtained Commander Beck's clearances during the Raid at the Wretch of Tayron. That should get us through the door. As for the rest," he paused before finishing, "I'm going to trust in the Force."

Ily winced and shot up. "I can't stand another word of this."

She wobbled out of the cockpit and through the corridor. She made it to the armory and sat down on one of the weapon crates. She slid out her blaster and checked the safety. She pulled out a cloth from her backpack and cleaned out the barrel. How dare they put her back right where she started? Solitary wouldn't have been near as torturous. Now here she was, with the likes of a Jedi. Ily heard her approach before she even walked into the armory.

Shara lifted a blaster rifle from the hold and checked the safety. "I remember you."

"Everyone does," said Ily. "I remember you, too."

"Endor," named Shara and she put the rifle back into the hold. She crossed her arms and leaned against another crate. "Kit's platoon."

Ily said nothing and kept her eyes downcast to the blaster.

"They said he has over seventy percent of his body burned. He hardly made it out alive," Shara continued.

Ily froze. "Nobody did."

"You did."

"No. I didn't."

"He tried to save you, is what they said."

Kit. Kit. Kit. Ily grit her teeth at the thought of him.

"They said you were a traitor," Shara recounted.

"What do you think?" Ily glared.

"You don't want to know what I think. You almost had Kess killed that day," Shara pushed off of the crate.

'I hadn't meant to...I didn't mean for any of it.'

"You should have let him go."

"I couldn't."

"It would have been easier for everyone if you had."

"I'm done talking about this. I came here to get away from this!"

"Maybe that's your problem. You keep trying to run from it."

"What would you have done?" Ily shot back, unable to contain her anger.

"Not this," Shara shrugged. "C'mon. We'll be landing soon."

o0o

It had been decided that Luke would be disguised as Shara's bodyguard making the transition of Ily under Luke's care even more confusing. A bodyguard of a bodyguard? Unsound. Since Ily refused to put on an Imperial disguise, Ily was now cloaked. Luke reassured her that nobody would so much as notice her presence.

"Jedi mind tricks," whispered Ily aloud.

Shara and Luke halted their conversation to allow Ily time to share with them her discovery. Ily shook her head and felt her cheeks warm once more in humiliation.

"Stay close to me," Luke told Ily.

He pulled the hood of his black cloak over his head and Ily followed him down the landing pad. Ily pulled at her own hood and studied the awaiting landing party of Imperial guards and stormtroopers ahead. Her hand twitched next to her blaster, but she felt a slight gentle touch at her bicep. Ily glanced up to see Luke shake his head lightly. She almost didn't catch it. He slid away from her and trailed after Shara. His cloak billowing out in the wind.

"Commander Beck, this is unexpected!" called out one of the slender officers with dark black hair cropped close to his ear under his standard grey cap. "Given the current state of Rebel activity, I'd have thought you'd have sent some warning of your plan to visit."

"If you had received word, Commandant, this would hardly qualify as a surprise inspection. I wish to see the security of the labs immediately!" commanded Shara, slipping easily into her act. This was something Ily would have been too nervous to do. She had never been good at disguises. Otherwise, the events on Endor would have gone a bit differently.

"Won't you introduce me to your entourage first?" the Officer's brow rose.

"It's a droid and my Security Officer, Commandant. Their names are irrelevant," answered Shara sharply.

The Officer stared right at Ily and his face faltered a bit. "Hmm, if you'll follow me, Commander Beck."

Ily gaped up at Luke in shock but followed him nonetheless. They entered the base and passed stormtroopers lined on either side of the corridor.

"I admit I'm surprised you're here," the Officer spoke to Shara, skepticism hinted in his voice. "I'd have thought the ISB would be more concerned with destroying the Rebellion especially now."

Ily felt her heart drop into her stomach when she passed each stormtrooper or guard. Surely this was going a little too well. She nearly tripped into Luke a few times as he inched closer to her. She wondered just how far this facade could go. Just what he was actually capable of if he could perform this well. The officer keyed something into the keypad to a large circular door and let them through. Ily took notice of the droid assembly line through windows on either side of the corridor. Ahead Ily caught a glimpse inside of the lab of two small trees. A purple forcefield surrounded them protectively. The limbs intermingled with one another and the greenest leaves Ily had ever seen towered above her.

The Officer stopped to face Shara in mid-conversation as they stepped through the door to the white-walled labs, "Until now, I never understood the need for such precautions to be perfectly honest all of this to study a couple of twigs. Clearly, I was mistaken. You had all the right clearances I'll give you that!"

Ily felt uneasy and this time gripped her blaster under her cloak.

"But you should have done your homework. You see, Commander Beck is missing her left eye. And your Security Officer must really improve on his ability to conceal that!" the Officer nodded at Ily. Ily's face fell and she slipped her blaster quietly from its holster. "So now I must ask, what are they?"

He turned to face Luke. "Clearly you know. What makes these little trees so special that you three Rebels would try to bluff your way in here to steal them?"

Luke stepped forward. "These are all that remain of the tree that grew at the heart of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The Force is with them."

"The Force of meaningless," scoffed the Officer. "And the Jedi are extinct!"

"You couldn't be more wrong, Commandant," in a flurry of movement, Luke raised a hand and the Officer was flung backward startling Ily. The stormtroopers with them toppled after him. Luke's hood fell away and Artoo shot something out of his dome to Luke. He caught it and ignited his lightsaber causing Ily to stumble backward. "Shara! Ily! Get the trees! I'll cover you! Keep them safe!"

A round of blaster red blaster fire was shot around them from the door. Luke whipped around and blocked them with his saber. Shara shoved Ily out of the way just as a shot grazed her shoulder. Shara pointed her blaster and shot the offending stormtrooper through his armor.

"C'mon, Stykron! You know you can do better than that!" shouted Shara over the blasterfire.

"When the field shuts down, they'll fall!" Luke called out to him as he blocked more blasts. In the middle of his battle, he whipped a hand out to forcepush more stormtroopers into one another. "Don't let them drop, they're very fragile!"

Artoo beeped as the forcefield around the trees flickered off. Ily and Shara shared a look before Ily dove to catch one of the small trees.

"Got them!" Ily cried out.

"Good! Stay close," Luke commanded her.

Ily heard more stormtroopers gathering at the end of the corridor. She saw them assembly a heavy cannon. The windows around them burst and shards of glass flew out at the troopers. The droids on the line crashed into the surrounding guards and impaling them. Ily stared up at Luke in shock.

"What the hell!" she exclaimed.

Shara seemed the least bit surprised and shot at the troopers assembling the cannon. "We gotta do something about that cannon! Or else we are going to be cut to pieces!"

Luke ran forward and held his lightsaber at an angle. It sliced through the cannon as he turned sharply and hit one trooper than the other.

Ily's mouth hung open. "Get to the shuttle!" he shouted at her.

Shara took the trees and put them in Artoo's dome. Shara pulled Ily up and jerked her down the corridor with Artoo wheeling close behind.

Ily came to her senses and blasted a few troopers up ahead that surrounded the landing pad of the shuttle. The Officer had regained his footing and was shouting at the troopers to halt their blasterfire. She missed one trooper just as detonators were launched above her head at Luke.

"Luke!" she cried stupidly. "Look out!"

The detonators stopped midair as he lifted a hand. "That," he said cooly, "was probably your last mistake, Commandant."

The detonators flew forward away from the shuttle and at the Officer. They collided with the ground and the blast of the detonation threw Ily back. Shara shielded her eyes as the heat from the blast licked at their cloaks. Ily felt sick as she stared up at Luke as he turned away from the fire. His saber was no longer ignited.

"We're done here," he said quietly. Ily hardly heard him and he made no effort to help her up as he ducked under the belly of the ship to enter up the landing pad. Shara stared after the blast. The two women did not exchange any words as they finally joined him in the cockpit after what felt like many long moments. Ily was sure Shara felt just as empty as she did. Things like this could transport one back to Endor. Ily could hardly stand the sight of him then. She slipped away from the cockpit and into one of the cabin refreshers.

She vomited into the wastebasket and almost climbed into the refresher fully clothed. Instead, she turned the knob and turned it to the coldest setting. She let her hand collect a bit of the water to wash over her face several times. Her head was still back in Endor. There were detonators there, too. There were also lightsabers. Additionally, burning flesh. Ily vomited into the wastebasket again. She let her head slip down to the floor.

1. 2. 3. Kit. Seventy-percent. Kit. Burned. Kit. Traitor.

Ily felt like she had been gone for hours. A knock on the metal door drew her away from her thoughts. She pulled herself up and huddled against the wall. She drew her knees up to her chest. She heard someone key something into the door before it opened with a whoosh!

Shara Bey said nothing to her as she entered the tiny space. She brought a cloth under the water of the refresher and handed it Ily.

"I get like this sometimes," she said finally after Ily took the cloth from her.

"Does it ever stop?" Ily trembled.

Shara shrugged. "Sometimes, you'll learn to live with it."

"I don't want to live this way," Ily felt her eyes burn.

"Nobody ever does, but that doesn't mean we just quit trying," Shara sat down next to her. "You don't think I understand you, but I understand more than you think."

"But you don't understand why I did it," Ily yearned for someone to understand.

"I don't need to," Shara answered her. "It doesn't matter what I would have done in your position either. How you go from here is what you need to decide. You can't just leave it."

"Do you know how many times I've seen Darth Vador up close?" Ily wiped at her eyes furiously. "Twice. Do you know how many people have seen him more than that?"

Shara was silent.

"Him." Ily referred to Luke. "Do you know who else has seen him? Nobody else. Because they're dead."

"Stykron," Shara stood and stretched. "You can't continue this way. You're going to learn that soon just as I did. This isn't the way to go."

"I don't have a choice."

"Then that's nobody's fault but your own." With that, Shara left Ily in her pitiful silence.

o0o

Shara was released from duty on Yavin IV. She said little else to Ily as she dismounted back to her life. Luke had placed the second tree in her care to raise with her family. Ily found out later that Shara and Kess had married. They had a son named Poe. Like Ily, Shara wanted out of the Rebellion but not for the same reasons as she did. Luke and Shara exchanged more kind words as he thanked her for her help. Kess waited nervously outside and wouldn't meet Ily's eyes. As Shara passed her by to reach her husband, she nudged Ily.

"Goodbye, Stykron," she nodded. "May the Force be with you."

Ily didn't answer and looked away.

Shara waved at Luke and joined her husband. Her son was hanging off of his father's shoulders to reach his mother. Shara grinned and let the little boy fall into her open arms. Ily wanted something like that. A family to go home to. Not necessarily with children, but with someone to understand her. As she mourned a life she would never live, Luke cleared his throat.

"We should go," he said. He hadn't spoken much to her since their return to the ship. "Admiral Ackbar wants a debrief and I'm sure he will be looking for this shuttle soon."

"Commander Skywalker," she spoke up. Her eyes never leaving Shara and Kess disappearing through the trees. "Shara mentioned that Kit was burned. Is he alive?"

"Ily," Luke started.

"Is he alive?" she asked once more.

"Yes," he stated.

Ily turned away to enter the ship.

"It does not serve you to dwell on the past, Ily," Luke caught her elbow.

"Wh-what you did back there," Ily didn't meet his eyes. "makes me sick."

She jerked her arm from his grasp and did not turn back as she walked up the landing pad.

She imagined that if Kit had died, she wouldn't be here with Luke. She would be in a place worse than solitary confinement combined.

A/n: this is based on the Shattered Empire 4 comic. It's still one of my favorite canon pieces to date. Slowly but surely I'm getting updates out. I'm on a bit of a Luke kick right now. I'll edit through this later. Chapters will start to get longer as we go.