Where Am I Going To?
Part Two
Chapter Six
"I think we've got something, sir. The report is only a fragment from a probe droid in the Hoth system, but it's the best lead we've had."
Vader was irritated by the sound of the stuffy, stupid Admiral Ozzel arguing with Captain Piett. The why did not escape him – Captain Piett was surprisingly clever, and could possibly be a threat. Vader couldn't stand Ozzel. He made his nerves stand on edge. The Dark Lord of the Sith was just waiting for him to screw up for an excuse to get rid of him.
Finally, the pointless bickering, which seemed to confuse poor Captain Piett, who'd actually done a pretty good job, became to much for the Sith Lord. Sweeping his cape behind him, he stalked menacingly over to where Ozzel and the young, powerfully built General Veers had stopped.
"You found something?"
Ozzel and Veers fell back trembling, and Piett swallowed hard. However, he managed, "Yes, my Lord," and indicated the screen where a large power generator peeked out of the endless flows of snow. Vader did not need showing twice. Only Ozzel could be fool enough to deny that that was the Rebel base, and what with his son being, "the Hero of Yavin IV," (shame to the Sith at Yavin IV was so much more correct) that could only mean one thing.
"That's it! The Rebel base is there, and my son is with them." Odd, he didn't think he really considered Luke his son. Not after his shameless display on the Death Star trying to save Kenobi, and the terrorist act of blowing up said Death Star just a week later. Old affections die hard and you hold them in your hands long after they have turned to dust.
"My Lord, there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers, it could be-"
Ozzel didn't get a chance to continue as Vader had wheeled on the surprised Veers. "General Veers, prepare your men." To Piett, he added, "Set a course for the Hoth system."
…
"What is it with you and worrying me sick?"
"It's my newest game," Luke teased, grinning. "Maybe eventually you'll get worried enough to say something rash."
"Like, 'I love you?'" Leia was not impressed, and he grinned sheepishly at her from the hospital bed.
"Well, you know, something."
She shook her head. "You are impossible."
He might have said something else had Han not walked in, trailed by the Wookie and the droids. Luke's grin only widened, if entirely unconsciously. Han smirked back, giving him a wink.
"Well, look at you kid! You don't look so bad. In fact, I'd say you look strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark." Han knelt down next to the medical ward bed, affectionately tussling Luke's messy blond hair, making his grin spread all the wider.
"Thanks to you."
"That's two you owe me, junior."
"Han! Stop calling me that! I'm twenty!"
Han shrugged. "Sheesh, when'd you get to be so old? Oh well, you still act like a kid."
"I do not! Leia, tell Han I don't act like a kid."
She shook her head. "I'm not saying anything."
Han looked at Leia like he'd just noticed her, and Luke felt a curious twinge go through him. It passed in a moment. He wasn't jealous. There was nothing to be jealous about.
"Well, Your Highness, it seems you've been able to keep me around a little longer."
Luke blinked, and shot Leia a questioning look, who had stiffened up. "I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave until the deflector shield is fully operational."
"That's a good story," Solo shrugged smoothly. "I think you just can't let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight."
Luke snorted, and Leia shook her head. "I don't know where you get your delusions from, laser brain."
Chewbacca laughed good naturedly, and Luke smiled. Captain Solo, however, was not so happy. "Laugh it up, fuzz ball. But you didn't see us in the south passage. She expressed her true feelings for me."
Luke sparked to this, sitting up, glancing warily at the pirate. Oh, he had so better not be serious.
"My…why you stuck up, half witted, scruffy looking nerf herder!"
Luke grinned, confirming the smuggler's fib.
"Who's scruffy looking?"
Jeeze, Han, focus.
Han playfully punched Luke in the shoulder, which did hurt a little as he was still pretty banged up. "I must have hit her pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh, kid?"
"Han, stop calling me kid."
But this was not a point to be argued, as Leia had suddenly risen, looking furious. She glided smoothly over to Luke's sick bed, and he was momentarily frightened of her; she looked too innocent to be trusted. "Well, I guess you don't know everything about women yet, do you?"
Before he had the slightest idea as to what was happening, she'd grabbed his head – which was still sore – and was passionately kissing him. Too stunned to do anything, he remained frozen even after she released him to glide right out the room again. Solo was staring slack jawed from Luke to the door she'd left by. Luke blinked, thought, and finally….
"Whoo hoo! Yes! Alright! Did you see that? Did you see that! She kissed me! She kissed me! Whooo hoo!"
Captain Solo awkwardly patted his shoulder. "Will you excuse us for a second?" He went chasing down the hall after her, followed by Chewie and the droids, not the Luke cared in the slightest. He was still over joyed.
"This is so awesome! Hahahahah!"
…
"Chewie, take care of yourself, alright?"
Luke affectionately scratched a place behind the Wookie's neck, and Chewbacca lovingly drew Luke in for a massive hug. Chocking slightly, he winced and reminded, "Chewie…Chewie! Still kinda beat up, pal."
Whimpering, the large Wookie released him, and Luke instead went on to say his goodbyes to Han.
Solo was working anxiously on the severely beat up Millennium Falcon, talking with a repair droid, when he suddenly cut the droid off in mid, "beep," to say, "Hi, kid!"
"Han, stop calling m-"
Captain Solo cut Luke off as well, saying to the droid, "There's got to be a reason for it, check it at the other end. Hold on a second." He then turned worriedly back to Luke, who'd been about to walk off. "You alright?"
Luke managed a small smile and said, "Yeah." There was a moment of patient silence between them while Luke tried to say something and the pirate tried to encourage the question. Luke wanted so badly to just ask, "Are you in love with Leia? Is she in love with you?" but he didn't.
Instead, the smuggler said, "Be careful." He meant it sincerely, and Luke smiled again.
"You too."
That was all they could manage.
…
Luke watched the Millennium Falcon race away from the base at break neck speed, and he briefly extended his thoughts towards the ship. Leia was there, and Luke couldn't repress a twinge of jealousy. Not that there was anything to be jealous about. She wasn't in love with Han – he was the one she'd kissed, after all – but so long as she was with Solo she was safe, and that was all that mattered.
He might have dwelt on it a bit more had he not heard anxious whistles from R2D2 and the adrenaline filled call of, "Luke!" from Wedge. Grinning, Luke turned to the more favorable sight of the remainder of the flush faced Rogue Squadron – his squadron, now and forever. His men eternal, and he theirs. His best friends.
There was a lot of praise and smiles, and some cries to each other of, "See you at the rendezvous!" Wedge clapped him on the shoulder and wished him a sunny, "Good luck!" Luke might have stopped to talk with his buddies were not Artoo beeping and booping out of his wits.
"Alright, Artoo, we're going, we're going!" He slid into the cockpit of his X-Wing, feeling strangely at home – such a foreign feeling generally.
And, of course, once out into space, he was met with such unbridled freedom as to make his heart swell. That was something that never changed. He was born to fly. It completed him.
Something inside of him reminded that it was his father that had taught him all the tricks he knew, and Luke quickly pushed the thought away.
Now came decision time. He had a duty to the Rebellion – to Leia – to meet up with the others. He was Rogue Squadron commander, he was essential! However….Had Master Obi-Wan truly been a vision, or a figment of a dying man's final imagination. Was his beloved mentor truly telling him to go the Dagobah? Had it all been a dream?
There's only one way to find out.
He set the coordinates into the computer and continued to fly casual, even though his astro-droid was now beside himself again.
"There's nothing wrong, Artoo. I'm just setting a new course. We're not going to regroup with the others….."
We're going to the Dagobah system.
To Be Continued…
Okay, people, I haven't been getting a lot of reviews lately, so, you know, I'm sad…. REVIEW!
Stephanie C: Ah, your review made me smile so much
xInuyashaxangelx: I considered it way back when they'd first had their little tryst, but I thought, "Nah, she'd be obviously pregnant by that point." So it could never work. But it was such a tempting idea, that I just had to go with it….
PrincessSkywalkerOrgana: On to Dagobah! That's going to be fuuuuun….
Schnickledooger: Yeah, don't really care about Harry Potter anymore. I stopped caring after the fourth book. I wasn't even going to buy the fifth book, but my aunt insisted on getting it for me. But my friend did tell me what happens in the end, and I was like "O.O! Woah!" Moving on.
-giggle- Oh, I have so many evil things in store for Luke, one of which is finding out he's a daddy. Yup. It is going to be such fun, I am sooo evil! MUAHAHAHAH!
doreenthatshot: Thanks!
Shi Feng Huang: I considered trying to squeeze Mara in a again, but it really just didn't work. It works out better for all of her trials over two years to be explained at the end. That way the reader gets the unadulterated version the same way Luke gets it. Just another connection with the main charrie.
Not much for the man in black planned until Cloud City. For a long while about the only perspective is from Luke's point of view while on Dagobah. Tons of soul searching going on. It should be very interesting, so stay tuned!