No. 27 PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
Muffled Screams | Stumbling | Magical Exhaustion
I had plans to make this longer, but the bot on Discord told me to end it like this and I am glad to have one of these fics finish under 1k for once XD So it was a fun quick concept to beat out. Hope you enjoy!
"Continue with the operation, you may fire when ready."
"What?"
"You're far too trusting." Tarkin's smile, when he turns back to her, is loathsome. She glares at him like she could make him combust, like she is able to do anything with the force of her fury when Vader has his durasteel grip on her shoulder and Tarkin has stormtroopers all around the bridge. "Dantooine is too remote for an effective demonstration but don't worry—we will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough."
They wouldn't, they wouldn't because she'd lied, and she'd been afraid that when they realised she'd lied they would threaten Alderaan again, but she was just buying time, she had needed time to think, and—
This had been the question all along, hadn't it? Alderaan or the Rebellion. Every time she had brought it up with her parents, when she'd found out what they were doing when she was sixteen and had confronted them on it, her father had turned away. Her mother, stronger in spirit, had pursed her lips.
What else can we do, Leia? she always asked sadly. Alderaan is not free. The galaxy is not free. The only thing we could do is stand by and allow this—but we know that we cannot do that. And it would not protect Alderaan even if we did. We would die for our people, and we are powerless but to risk it all.
The Death Star was humming. She could feel it, through the metal at her feet, through the bones in her chest, through the heart that thumped erratically there.
"No," she murmured, a cry rising on her lips. She lunged forwards, but Vader's hand fastened around her shoulder ever tighter, and she was yanked back. "No!"
The vibrations ceased, and light punched out, too green to be real. Leia watched it surge. The light soared over the room, gleaming against the plasteel of Vader's mask and highlighting Tarkin's bony face with deep, sharp shadows, but she did not tear her eyes away from Alderaan.
How long had they been orbiting the planet? Her parents must have noticed their presence by now. Must have noticed the moon that suddenly flashed into existence, wreaking havoc on tides that had never experienced such a pull. Was Queen Breha standing in the palace, staring up at them? Could she see her own death, the planet killer they had fought so hard to defeat?
What else can we do, Leia?
She could hear her voice, as loud and vivid in her head as if the monster holding her was one of her parents.
We would die for our people, and we are powerless but to risk it all.
Leia had never, ever been powerless. That was her privilege. That was the knife edge she had walked since she had been born.
When that green light touched the atmosphere of Alderaan, the oxygen ignited. That explosion barrelled in on the heels of the light itself as it punched further, plummeting into the soft earth, and shockwaves rent the planet in two. Her people hardly had the chance to scream—
But scream they did, as Leia reached out, seized that energy inside herself, and pulled it back.
The shattered earth stilled, robbed of its energy. She yanked it back together; gravity failed her people, so she replaced it. Where their world crumbled, she packed it back together like sand. Deaths still grated on her consciousness. Alderaan convulsed and boomed and writhed. But it remained in one piece.
She was panting. She was hanging out of Vader's grip now, shuddering, stumbling, unable to stay on her feet. But Tarkin had hardly noticed: he still watched the show with narrowed eyes, baffled at the slow demise, but enjoying it all the same.
Leia glared at him with all of her hatred, and the power she was holding in her chest exploded.
Alderaan slammed back together like a puzzle piece. That green light flashed, reversed, and shot straight for them. Tarkin's hand finally fell from its considering perch on his chin.
"What—" he began.
Leia crumpled. Vader did not bother catching her as she collapsed onto the floor, staring at the light streaming right back towards them.
"You may fire when ready, Tarkin," she spat. She reached a shaking arm out towards her home. There was nothing left in her—nothing left to give. She wrapped herself around Alderaan and let herself black out before the green light washed away the galaxy.
She was Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. She would die for her people and do it with a smile.