Chapter 1
Disclaimer: Like I said, I do not own Star Wars. If I did, the movies would have been completed in a normal, chronological order.
Summary: Laurelstar escapes the Empire-controlled City in the Clouds, and takes her father's ship to join the rebel fleet.
A/N: Here's the first chapter I promised you. I do not promise that the next chapter will be up soon; my plot bunny is going on vacation.
~^~
The night was pitch black in City-in-the-Clouds; it would have been impossible to see anyone unless they wanted to be seen. At least until the patrol ships came out, and that small window of time was precisely what Laurelstar was counting on.
She looked about the hectic mess of her apartment, knowing she had to gather everything quickly, before the patrols came out. She would have packed sooner, but Storm Troopers often searched apartments of people they suspected to have rebel loyalties. They always searched her apartment.
Laurelstar checked her pack one last time, mumbling to herself all the things she needed to bring with her. ".Spare clothes, disrupter rifle, books, star charts.Now what did I do with Luke's old light-saber?" Spying it half hidden underneath an armchair, she walked over and picked it up. Just for fun, she took a few passes with it before strapping it to her waist, in a last memory to her uncle. She had always preferred the range a disrupter rifle allowed her, but the light-saber had brought her uncle luck, maybe it would do the same for her.
"I guess that's all I need," she thought to herself, but at the last moment tossed in a photograph of her parents and her identification papers. After all, one could never know when you would need proof of who you are.
Stealthily, Laurelstar crept out of her apartment and into the hallway. For the last time, she closed the door behind her. Then, being careful not to make a sound and alert her neighbors, she snuck down the hallway, and out into the night.
It was even darker than she had originally realized; she could not see anything, even the buildings. Taking a deep breath, Laurelstar concentrated hard. In her mind's eye, she could see the layout of the city before her.
Trusting in the force, she walked silently through the city. For a time, she went unnoticed in the dark of night. Her confidence was growing; she believed she would make it to the hanger before the patrols came out. She should have known better.
The patrol ships appeared without any warning, and began to sweep the ground below with powerful search-beams, looking for anyone foolish enough to count on the darkness to hide their actions. Snapped out of her reverie, Laurelstar dashed into a dark corner of the nearest building, where the beams could not reach.
She stayed there for some time, and gradually was able to predict their movements. Once more, she dashed out onto the street and began to move her way along it, all the while evading the beams.
This made the trip much longer to complete, but finally she reached the hanger. Into the keypad on the doorway, she typed a clearance code. The door yielded to her, and she slipped inside.
There it stood before her, looking almost exactly as it had years before. It had been her father's ship, his legacy. Though the Millennium Falcon did not look like much, it had, in its time, been one of the fastest ships in the galaxy.
Slowly, Laurelstar walked forward, toward the entrance ramp. She opened it up and walked inside. It had been years since she had come here with her father, and after his death, it just had not felt right. Yet she knew she could not avoid the ship any longer. It was a part of her destiny.
Laurelstar went into the cockpit and sat down in the pilot's seat. "I know what I have to do, but I am afraid to do it," she murmured to herself. Digging deep into herself, she pulled upon the power of the force to drive the fear out of her mind.
For a moment, she sat in the pilot's chair, contemplating where she would go. There had been talk on the underground that the rebel base was located in the Brunali system. More specifically, on the planet Jetwoui, a harsh desert-like planet with winds that pushed sand so hard it stung your face. Definitely not a pleasant place, but then again, it was a perfect place to hide. Hoping the rumors were true, she decided that that was where she would go.
Laurelstar methodically flipped switches and skillfully, she lifted the Millennium Falcon into the air. Hitting a few controls, she opened the launch doors and, hovering for a moment, steered out into the night sky.
Almost immediately, imperial patrol ships detected her and began to pursue. Laurelstar activated her deflector shields and swiftly brought herself out into open space. As she prepared to make the jump to hyperspace, the patrols swiftly began to close in. For a moment, she feared that they would catch her, but just as it seemed that all was lost, she was able to make the jump. The patrols, unable to travel at hyperspeed, could no longer pursue.
The stars transformed from pinpricks of light to ribbons stretching out as she picked up speed. The familiar feeling of excitement and peacefulness washed over her. She had been born to be a pilot; she was truly her father's daughter.
***
"She poses too great a risk, we must end that threat now."
"If we move too quickly, she will sense the danger. The force is strong with her."
"We must act before she grows too powerful."
"Very well, you may take her out."
"So it's settled then, we'll ambush her as soon as possible."
"Very well, but do not fail again. You left her alive last time; that is a mistake I will not allow you to repeat."
Disclaimer: Like I said, I do not own Star Wars. If I did, the movies would have been completed in a normal, chronological order.
Summary: Laurelstar escapes the Empire-controlled City in the Clouds, and takes her father's ship to join the rebel fleet.
A/N: Here's the first chapter I promised you. I do not promise that the next chapter will be up soon; my plot bunny is going on vacation.
~^~
The night was pitch black in City-in-the-Clouds; it would have been impossible to see anyone unless they wanted to be seen. At least until the patrol ships came out, and that small window of time was precisely what Laurelstar was counting on.
She looked about the hectic mess of her apartment, knowing she had to gather everything quickly, before the patrols came out. She would have packed sooner, but Storm Troopers often searched apartments of people they suspected to have rebel loyalties. They always searched her apartment.
Laurelstar checked her pack one last time, mumbling to herself all the things she needed to bring with her. ".Spare clothes, disrupter rifle, books, star charts.Now what did I do with Luke's old light-saber?" Spying it half hidden underneath an armchair, she walked over and picked it up. Just for fun, she took a few passes with it before strapping it to her waist, in a last memory to her uncle. She had always preferred the range a disrupter rifle allowed her, but the light-saber had brought her uncle luck, maybe it would do the same for her.
"I guess that's all I need," she thought to herself, but at the last moment tossed in a photograph of her parents and her identification papers. After all, one could never know when you would need proof of who you are.
Stealthily, Laurelstar crept out of her apartment and into the hallway. For the last time, she closed the door behind her. Then, being careful not to make a sound and alert her neighbors, she snuck down the hallway, and out into the night.
It was even darker than she had originally realized; she could not see anything, even the buildings. Taking a deep breath, Laurelstar concentrated hard. In her mind's eye, she could see the layout of the city before her.
Trusting in the force, she walked silently through the city. For a time, she went unnoticed in the dark of night. Her confidence was growing; she believed she would make it to the hanger before the patrols came out. She should have known better.
The patrol ships appeared without any warning, and began to sweep the ground below with powerful search-beams, looking for anyone foolish enough to count on the darkness to hide their actions. Snapped out of her reverie, Laurelstar dashed into a dark corner of the nearest building, where the beams could not reach.
She stayed there for some time, and gradually was able to predict their movements. Once more, she dashed out onto the street and began to move her way along it, all the while evading the beams.
This made the trip much longer to complete, but finally she reached the hanger. Into the keypad on the doorway, she typed a clearance code. The door yielded to her, and she slipped inside.
There it stood before her, looking almost exactly as it had years before. It had been her father's ship, his legacy. Though the Millennium Falcon did not look like much, it had, in its time, been one of the fastest ships in the galaxy.
Slowly, Laurelstar walked forward, toward the entrance ramp. She opened it up and walked inside. It had been years since she had come here with her father, and after his death, it just had not felt right. Yet she knew she could not avoid the ship any longer. It was a part of her destiny.
Laurelstar went into the cockpit and sat down in the pilot's seat. "I know what I have to do, but I am afraid to do it," she murmured to herself. Digging deep into herself, she pulled upon the power of the force to drive the fear out of her mind.
For a moment, she sat in the pilot's chair, contemplating where she would go. There had been talk on the underground that the rebel base was located in the Brunali system. More specifically, on the planet Jetwoui, a harsh desert-like planet with winds that pushed sand so hard it stung your face. Definitely not a pleasant place, but then again, it was a perfect place to hide. Hoping the rumors were true, she decided that that was where she would go.
Laurelstar methodically flipped switches and skillfully, she lifted the Millennium Falcon into the air. Hitting a few controls, she opened the launch doors and, hovering for a moment, steered out into the night sky.
Almost immediately, imperial patrol ships detected her and began to pursue. Laurelstar activated her deflector shields and swiftly brought herself out into open space. As she prepared to make the jump to hyperspace, the patrols swiftly began to close in. For a moment, she feared that they would catch her, but just as it seemed that all was lost, she was able to make the jump. The patrols, unable to travel at hyperspeed, could no longer pursue.
The stars transformed from pinpricks of light to ribbons stretching out as she picked up speed. The familiar feeling of excitement and peacefulness washed over her. She had been born to be a pilot; she was truly her father's daughter.
***
"She poses too great a risk, we must end that threat now."
"If we move too quickly, she will sense the danger. The force is strong with her."
"We must act before she grows too powerful."
"Very well, you may take her out."
"So it's settled then, we'll ambush her as soon as possible."
"Very well, but do not fail again. You left her alive last time; that is a mistake I will not allow you to repeat."