AN: Again many many thanks to all of you who are taking the time to read, follow, favourite and comment on this story. I am humbled that so many of you seem to enjoy this very long tale.

This is the shortest of the Interludes and it's also being posted without being beta read as Kaz has been spectacularly busy (and also writing own amazing story). This is a filler scene (as most of the Interludes are) that serves to set the scene, give some time scale and carry the story along just a little. It is also based on a scene from The Empire Strikes Back Radio drama written by Brian Daley.

Now Beta read and chapter replaced... :) Thanks to Kazlynh!

Disclaimer: As always Star Wars and the characters and situations belong to Lucasfilm/Disney and I make no profit from my fan fiction.

Losses

General Rieekan wrapped up the Command staff meeting and the personnel broke up, leaving the room in groups of two or three. Leia sat for a moment, poking her finger into the wrist of her glove to scratch absently at an itch.

They were getting desperate, now. Low on food, low on fuel, low on armaments, low on money and she hoped that Mon Mothma was having more luck with her visit to Ithor. They badly needed supplies if they were to establish this base any time soon.

"Your Highness?"

Leia glanced up, found Rieekan hovering over her with a datapad in his hands, his face grave. She didn't need to ask, she knew it was bad.

"We've lost Renegade Flight," Rieekan told her, reading from the screen. "They were intercepted above Derra Four, cut to pieces..."

Leia briefly closed her eyes at the knot of pain that gnarled within. She nodded, slowly taking in the information. "Narra? The supplies?"

Rieekan shut of the datapad and slipped it into his pocket. His voice heavy, his eyes dark. "Lost."

More deaths, more losses.

"I'm going to promote Antilles to Commander," the General continued, sitting down beside her.

Should have been, Luke... Leia couldn't stop her thoughts, couldn't stop the twist of bitter anger. It should have been Luke who was being promoted.

"The Rogues are all we have left here," Rieekan hadn't stopped speaking, "until we can get a comm out to other bases. But, pilots are in short supply all across the Alliance."

Everything was in short supply.

Leia steeled herself, swallowed the rising tide that her thought of Luke had triggered. She struggled to focus her thoughts on what was happening in the here and now and not on the events from ten weeks ago. Grief was a sharp, cutting, emotion… Hell, it wasn't just one emotion. It was a myriad of feelings that rose abruptly without warning or expectation and without welcome. It was rage, it was sorrow, it was weariness, it was regret, distress. It was love.

It was harsh and unforgiving.

"We've lost so many of them," she agreed, horrified that her voice was hoarse, husky with supressed feelings.

Her father: lost on Alderaan.

Alderaan: made an example of by the Empire.

Luke….

Rhovan: listed as missing believed dead after being sent on a mission by Mothma while she, Han and Luke were on Horaarn.

Sergeant Thecla Da'amalan: also missing believed killed.

Luke…

Young Ylanec: who sacrificed himself to fee the Falcon from the grip of a tractor beam.

Narra and Renegade Squad: lost above Derra IV.

The list could go on. The names of the dead just kept growing and still they fought on as the Empire hammered them, relentlessly. Vader never giving up his endless pursuit, dogging them every step of the way.

Luke's death hadn't sated the man. If anything Vader's unremitting hunt had increased; as had his thirst for blood.

Rieekan hesitated, looking at Leia with sympathy and in that moment the Princess hated him for it. She didn't want sympathy, she wanted….

….Luke back.

And that confused her. Why was she grieving more for Luke than for Alderaan? Why had these last few weeks been so much more difficult than the weeks following the loss of her entire planet?

"Because Alderaan was massive, your Highness," Therriman told her, when she had eventually given in and sought him out, recognising that she needed to talk. She needed to tell someone how she felt. "Alderaan was billions. Luke was one person and one person is easier to grieve for. Your mind finds it simpler to grasp and understand the death of one. The death of billions is a much more difficult concept to comprehend."

"But I know it happened, I saw it happen."

"Yes, but were you able to comprehend the magnitude of it?"

She thought she had. She thought she had been able to wrap her mind around the loss of her world... until Luke had died and snatched away her understanding. His death cut a wound so deep it had been like losing a piece of herself.

"Your Highness?"

Leia shook herself, forced a smile. "I'm sorry, General, what were you saying?"

"We've also just discovered that the winds last night took out a section of the base's early warning sensors. We're sending out more riders to replace them," he smiled, and Leia knew him well enough to know that he was doing his best to redirect her thoughts. "Captain Solo has volunteered to go out."

That surprised Leia, jolted her, and pleased her more than she would ever admit. "He's decided to stay?"

"He didn't say as much, but it's a good sign," Rieekan sobered. "We could use more like him."

ooOOoo

To be Continued...