0 BBY

Rebel starpilots, navigators, and droids quickly filled the briefing room. General Dodonna stood in front of the display screen on the main wall while Leia and other senators and leaders stood to the side. Han and Chewie were joined in the back by Kal while Wedge slid into a spot between Luke and Hobbie.

Han sent a sideways glance at his bounty hunter friend. "I was wondering where you went," he criticized quietly. "Where'd you and lover boy run off to?"

Even though she was tempted not to let Han get a rise out of her, where she and Wedge had gone meant a lot to Kal. "I was saying goodbye to some friends. You could be a little nicer about this whole situation."

"Look, kid, it's not my fight."

His constant cynicism was growing on Kal's nerves. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the smuggler as she looked passed Chewie. "Then what is?" she asked with a biting tone. "You've never wanted to fight for some good in the galaxy? I used to think along the same lines as you, but I've lost friends to this fight and I'm going to be damn certain that I'll do anything to help."

The room grew quiet as General Dodonna thanked everyone for assembling quickly, leaving Han without the chance to fire back at Kal. "The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet," Dodonna explained as the readouts on the screen showed the Death Star. "Its defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense." Han, after a look from Chewie, simply waved his hand and rolled his eyes.

Jon Vander, who also went by Dutch, was the appointed Gold Leader. The dark-haired human male drew the attention of the general. "Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub fighters going to be against that?" he inquired, jutting a finger at the screen.

General Dodonna took the question in stride. "Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station." The readouts on the screen showed a surface trench on the Death Star. "The approach will not be easy. You are required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point."

The readouts stopped at the end of the trench, displaying two holes. "The target area is only two meters wide." Everyone in the room reacted one way or another. Pilots murmured and glanced at each other. Even Han's eyes widened. "It's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station. Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes."

Wedge, usually optimistic or at least willing to try daring things, wasn't impressed. "That's impossible, even for a computer," he blurted. Thankfully for his ego and reputation, only Luke and Hobbie heard him.

"It's not impossible," Luke countered, trying to be reassuring. "I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than two meters." Neither Hobbie nor Wedge seemed like they believed him nor did they get to retort.

"Man your ships!" Dodonna ordered. "And may the Force be with you." The group of pilots began to disperse. Han and Chewie left as quickly as possible.

Wedge, Hobbie, and Luke got up slowly, Kal going over to meet them. She recognized the determined expression on Luke's face. It was the same she had when she decided to join the rebellion. He needed a pilot's suit.

Hobbie met her gaze first as the three boys turned around. His flirty smirk reemerged as he raked his eyes over Kal. "You know, I can't resist a woman in uniform," he remarked in regards to her usual bounty hunting attire.

While Kal replied to Hobbie's flirting, Wedge glanced over at Luke and mock-puked, making the farmboy chuckle. Kal saw the exchange and rolled her eyes. "Come on, farmboy, we gotta get you outfitted."

Wedge waved his hand. "I can take him. I'm sure you and Hobbie have catching up to do."

Kal blatantly ignored his implication. "I don't trust you with him, flyboy."

"He'll be fine." Wedge didn't let her reply as he clapped Luke on the shoulder and steered him away from Hobbie and Kal. Wedge's smug grin didn't sit well with Kal or Luke. Luke sent a worried glance over his shoulder at the girl but continued to let himself be dragged away by the hotshot pilot.

"You seem to have a thing for blondes, huh?" Hobbie was leaning towards Kal as she watched the farmboy and rebel pilot walk away. Kal rolled her eyes but didn't reply. "Loth-cat got your tongue?"

"Oh, switch off."

Hobbie laughed at her annoyed face. "He's a good looking fella, and I know our thing won't last forever. I won't feel the slightest bit offended."

Kal looked over skeptically at the taller pilot from the corner of her eye. "Didn't know you played for both teams."

Draping an arm over her shoulder as they walked out of the briefing room, Hobbie shook his head. "I don't, but I can recognize and acknowledge when someone looks alright. All I'm saying is you spend so much time having fun without a care in the world that maybe you can let yourself care for once."

Pilots, technicians, and other rebels were rushing about around the two. "He's so annoying though," Kal blurted, her face pinching.

Hobbie sighed and glanced up at the ceiling of the hallway that lead to the main hangar. "I didn't mean with the newbie, I meant in general. I better go help ready the ships though. See you soon." Hobbie gently hipchecked her before jogging off, leaving Kal to walk slowly alone, avoiding getting in other people's way.

As she entered the ship hangar, Kal spotted a newly uniformed Luke Skywalker walking away from the princess and General Dodonna. Kal ran over, meeting him as he headed towards his ship. "Hey, farmboy," she greeted. Luke looked over at her with a small smile as she walked in line with him. "Can't say anyone looks good in the bright orange, but it suits you."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" he asked.

Kal glanced around at the intense hustle and bustle as technicians and mechanics got all the ships ready to fly. "Considering you're about to go risk your life for some strangers? I'd say it's good."

"Luke!" a masculine voice called out, drawing the attention of the bounty hunter and farmboy. Dark-haired, mustached pilot rushed up to them and grabbed Luke's arm with a huge grin donning his face.

The boy from Tatooine immediately beamed brightly. "Biggs!" Kal couldn't help but study the new pilot. Biggs. That was Hobbie's new friend. Wedge hadn't seemed too keen, but he didn't like having too many people around, so Kal didn't hold that against Biggs. It was Hobbie who loved people.

"I don't believe it. How are ya?" the pilot, Biggs, asked. Luke barely answered before Biggs asked the truly important question. "Are you going out with us?"

"I'll be right up there with you," Luke assured. "And have I got stories to tell you."

"Skywalker," another pilot interjected as he passed the three. He was older than the three, and Kal recognized him as Garven Dreis, Red Leader. He sauntered over and gestured to the X-wing. "Are you sure you can handle the ship?"

"Sir," Biggs interjected, "Luke is the best bush pilot in the outer rim territories." Kal's eyes widened at the praise. Biggs sounded completely certain of Luke's abilities, which shouldn't surprise her considering he was Force-sensitive and the son of one of the greatest pilots in the galaxy. Luke smiled bashfully.

Dreis nodded at Biggs' assurance. "You'll do alright."

Luke, ever so humble, replied, "Thank you, sir. I'll try." Dreis nodded at Kal in acknowledgment before hurrying to his own fighter. The two didn't know each other personally, but Red Leader had seen her around often enough to know she was close to the Ghost crew and two of his own pilots, even if Hobbie was still only the standby for Red Six. Plenty of pilots, not enough starfighters.

At Dreis's acknowledgment, Biggs finally realized Luke wasn't alone. "Luke, you gonna introduce me to your lady friend?" Biggs said with a smile.

Kal folded her arms. "I'm sure Hobbie's mentioned me plenty of times." Her specific stress on "plenty" caused his eyes to widen and his eyebrows to shoot up. From her shoulder, Gray beeped in amusement. As Biggs was about to reply, Kal patted Luke on the shoulder. "Good luck out there, farmboy. Make it back in one piece, won't you?" She then strode off in search of Han. She found him at the Falcon as the X-wings and Y-wings took off for the Death Star. The smuggler and the Wookiee were loading the monetary reward onto the ship. Han picked up another case from the amored transport. "So you've decided to leave?"

Han picked his head up, hesitating and resting his hand on the handle of the case of credits. "You know I wasn't gonna stick around. Now you've gotta choose." He glanced over at his furry companion. "We like having you around, kid."

"I'm coming with you." Her voice didn't waver or shake and she looked him straight in the eyes, deadpan.

His eyebrows furrowed together. "Really?" He thought he'd have to try and convince her after what she had said earlier before the attack plan briefing.

Kal shrugged. "I'm a spy for them. I'm more useful not dead or on a base."

"Oh, I guess I just thought-"

"That's a first," she interrupted, grinning smugly.

Han didn't want to show his amusement but it crept in anyway. "Grab a case and let's get going." Kal nodded and lugged a case of credits up the ramp of the Falcon.

Chewie warmed up the ship as Han and Kal made sure the rest of the credits were secure in the central hold onboard before joining the Wookiee in the cockpit. Han sat in the pilot seat while Kal sat in the chair behind Chewie. She couldn't help but shake the bad feeling that was creeping into her as the ship lifted off the platform and into the atmosphere of Yavin 4.

Kal couldn't see the fighters attacking the Death Star, but she could feel some of them dying. She could hear their screams echoing through the Force as they were blasted away or crashing into the surface. Han looked back at her grave expression. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts," he said with a frown as he steered the ship towards a point in which they could enter lightspeed and leave behind the battle and the moon.

"They're dying," she stated simply, staring at the ground as she felt another one become one with the Force.

Han shook his head. "Well, what do you expect? A small group of fighters taking on the Empire? They're not going to win."

Breathing in deeply, Kal raised her gaze to view the stars. "They can." Chewie howled in agreement.

"You, too?" Both of his companions were silently urging him to join the fight. Or at least help with the battle. All it took was one final look to change his mind. With a flick of the wrist, Han turned the ship towards the battle station in the distance. "I'm going to regret this. Get in the gunport."

Kal and Chewie immediately perked up, each with a renewed sense of energy and purpose. Chewie remembered fighting against the Separatists during the time of the Republic. If he hadn't been bound by a life debt to Han, he probably would have joined the rebellion sooner. Kal was glad she finally got Han to openly show that he cared for someone other than himself.

The bounty hunter hurried towards the lower gunport and strapped in, pulling on the headset so she could communicate with Han and Chewie. The Falcon drew closer to the fighting and Kal spotted an X-wing flying away towards the base with a trail of smoke. It could be fixed but was no use to the current fight at hand. It was Wedge. A sense of relief flowed through her knowing that her friend was okay.

Han continued towards the Death Star, drawing in as quickly as he could while patching their communications into the rebels. Kal ready the guns. In the trench was one last X-wing being followed by three TIE fighters moving in. The moment they were in range, Kal fired at the TIEs, hitting the one on the far side.

"Yahoo!" Han cried, his celebration echoing through the headset. Kal started to aim for another TIE but the surprise laser fire spooked the Imperial pilots, causing one to hit the other. One crashed into the wall of the trench while the other was knocked off course, spinning out of control into deep space. "You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home!" Han stayed a healthy distance away before Luke made the torpedo shot at the exhaust port. It made it in. Once Luke was clear of the station, they started towards the base with another remaining X-wing and Y-wing, leaving the battle station behind as it exploded. "Great shot, kid. That was one in a million."

Remember, the Force will be with you, always. Her father's voice echoed through her mind, Luke hearing it as well.

The moment the ships touched down, everyone disembarked. Leaders, navigators, technicians, every rebel that still remained on Yavin 4, rushed into the hangar to congratulate the heroes. The rush of excitement electrified the air around them. Han and Kal ran forward through the crowd, embracing Luke individually.

"I knew you'd come back," Luke said laughing. "I just knew it!"

Han, holding both Kal and Luke close, patted Luke on the back. "Well, I wasn't gonna let you get all the credit and take all the reward."

Kal shook her head with a big grin. "That had nothing to do with it."

Neither Luke nor Leia bought his excuse either. "Hey, I knew there was more to you than money," Leia said as her arm laced around Luke.

Luke grew distracted by the technicians unloading Artoo. "Oh, no," he exclaimed, leaving the embrace of his friends. Artoo was lowered to the ground, fried and blackened from being shot by a TIE.

"Artoo, can you hear me?" Threepio asked, worried for his droid counterpart. "Say something!" He turned to the nearest technician. "You can repair him, can't you?"

"We'll get to work on him right away," the tech assured. Normally, other things might take precedence, but considering Artoo was the droid of the man that blew up the Death Star, they could afford to fix his droid.

"You must repair him." Threepio turned to his master. "Sir, if any of my circuits or gears will help, I'll gladly donate them."

Luke replied in a calming voice. "He'll be alright." Luke and the rest of the group then walked off together, arms slung around each other. It was a time for celebration and continued evacuation, not grieving for those they'd lost. That could wait.

The boys were pulled away the next morning to get ready for a ceremony to honor the heroes of the rebellion. Leia brought Kal to her personal chambers. Leia was already prepared for the ceremony. She was a vision in white and decorated in a ceremonial necklace and bracelet that had belonged to her adopted mother, Breha Organa. The chalcedony star was the last thing she had of House Organa and she would treasure it always.

As Kal entered the princess's room, she gazed in slight disgust at the formal attire laid out on the mattress. "What is this?" the bounty hunter asked.

Leia laughed at Kal's expression. "It's for the Royal Award Ceremony in an hour. You're not going dressed like that." Leia pointed at Kal's bounty hunting uniform, particularly at the durasteel armor that covered her left arm. Leia was at least glad that the droid she always had with her had been left on the Millenium Falcon.

"I doubt most people will care about how I'm dressed."

Her blunt remark nearly made Leia wince, but the princess stood her ground. "Well, I do. Now, pick out a dress, or I will for you."

For almost the full hour, Leia readied the older girl for the presentation of the Medals of Bravery. Kal's hair was pulled back in an elaborate braid and was adorned in a floor-length cyan gown. She only chose it because it matched her lightsaber crystal color. And it reminded Kal of a dress her mom wore in a holorecording her dad had shown her. Cinched waist, draped fabric, high neckline, off-shoulder short sleeves. It was the same greenish-blue as Naboo's seas with matching flats. If her mother had lived, it would've been the same type of dress Kal would have grown up wearing. She hated it. But at least she could fight in it if need be.

Kal grimaced as she fidgeted in the mirror. She barely looked like herself. If anything, she looked like her mom. "Let's get this over with."

"Oh, hush, you look fantastic." Leia hooked her arm around Kal's and guided her out of the room. Kal felt the urge to stab the princess as they passed rebels in the halls that stared at them. She didn't like the staring that Leia was used to. It made her skin crawl. She wanted to climb back into her form-fitting clothing that was perfect for running and fighting. Being honored with a medal was not her idea of a fun time. Leia dropped off Kal outside the main doors of the throne room. "Wait here." The princess then left.

Picking at the seam of the waist, Kal continued to glare at her surroundings. If she had stayed with Boba, she wouldn't have been in a dress. Without realizing, Kal's hand found its way to her collarbone where her mother's kyber crystal necklace rested against the fabric. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she willed the Force to calm her.

"Kal?" the deep voice caused Kal to snap open her eyes and look sharply to the point of origin. Both Han and Luke's eyes were wide at the sight of the young woman in a dress. Han looked just about ready to burst into laughter.

Kal narrowed her eyes at the smuggler and pointed at him sternly. "Not another word, Solo. I don't need a weapon to hurt you." Han lazily threw up his hands but didn't reply, still smirking.

The former moisture farmer did, however. "You-you look beautiful," Luke told her.

Kal held her arms close around her abdomen. "Thanks," she replied sharply, lips pursed and jaw clenched, not noticing the pink tips of his ears. She silently thought of ways to slice off Han's smug smirk. Why were they allowed to dress almost normally, just a little nicer than usual? She had to wear a dress?

Soon enough, after standing in silence, horns started playing. The metal doors slid open and Luke, Han, Kal, and Chewbacca entered the throne room of the main temple. Hundreds of rebel troops were lined up neatly, watching the small group walk down the aisle towards Princess Leia, who stood radiantly in the center of the stage. Since Wookiee culture forbid receiving medals, Kal stood in between Han and Luke as they presented themselves to Leia, and Chewie stood to the side behind them.

Leia smiled brightly at each of them before Dodonna handed her medals and she placed them around their necks. The three bowed to the princess after receiving their Medals of Bravery. A fully fixed Artoo beeped and whistled from his place at Threepio's side. The group then turned to face the rebel troops who erupted into applause.