Chapter Nine – Goodbyes
Once he left the meeting, Luke was escorted to a room where they provided him with an orange flight suit just like all the other rebel fighter pilots and was thankful that it fitted him alright, including the black boots that came with it. Carrying his helmet under his arm he and the droids followed the other pilots back to the hangar bay. When they arrived Luke instantly noticed Han and Chewbacca loading small crates onto a speeder. It saddened Luke to see his new friend's departure.
He approached them, determined to change their minds. "So you got your reward and you're just leaving then?"
"That's right, yeah," Han replied as though it didn't matter. "I got some old debts I've got to pay off with this stuff. Even if I didn't, you don't think I'd be fool enough to stick around here, do you?" He stopped what he was doing and faced Luke properly. "Why don't you come with us? You're pretty good in a fight. I could use you."
Luke could not believe Han was even suggesting such a thing. "Come on! Why don't you take a look around? You know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you. You're turning your back on them."
His words seemed to have no effect on the smuggler and he loaded another crate. "What good's a reward if you ain't around to use it? Besides, attacking that battle station ain't my idea of courage. It's more like suicide."
Luke was starting to get annoyed, swallowing hard he made one last attempt to make Han see sense. "Han listen, you saw the Death Star both inside and out with your own eyes and you heard what they said in the meeting. We may not have as strong a weapon as the Empire does. But we can't turn back. Fear is the Empire's greatest defense. I doubt if the actual security there is any greater than it was on Aquilae or Sullust, what there is most likely targeted towards a large-scale assault."
"That's your opinion kid, not mine." And he turned away to load the last crate onto the speeder.
Luke sighed, it was no use trying to push it any further. "All right. Well, take care of yourself, Han. I guess that's what you're best at, isn't it?" he turned and started walking off.
"Hey Luke!"
He turned back at the call of his name and to his surprise Han looked more thoughtful. "May the Force be with you."
His annoyance vanished at Han's kind words and he nodded once by way of a polite goodbye before heading off with his two droid friends.
He hadn't gone far when he saw Princess Leia with Commander Willard. She stepped away and came over to him. "What's wrong, Luke?" she asked.
"Oh, it's Han. I don't know, I really thought he'd change his mind and fight with us."
Leia placed a tender hand on his shoulder. "He's got to follow his own path, Luke. No one can choose it for him. And we have our own paths to follow by our own choices."
Luke knew that she was right. He couldn't force Han to stay, but if things could have been different then maybe this would have been easier to accept. The thought of choices brought back the memory once again.
I am your father.
"Luke? What is it?" Leia asked.
"I…I only wish Ben were here," Luke answered to cover up his true thoughts.
Leia's sympathetic eyes looked deep into his troubled ones, and then she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek which melted the icy dread around his heart.
"You take care out there, Luke."
He put his own hand on her shoulder. "Listen Leia, no matter what happens out there, I just want you to know that this was all worth it for me. I will always be grateful I was able to save you and provide you and the rebels with what you all needed."
Leia gave him a squeeze. "Don't say that, Luke. I believe that you will make it and you must believe in yourself that you will too. Hope and belief got us this far and we mustn't lose it now."
"I won't, don't worry." He leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead and then they parted, heading off in different directions.
Just as Luke was walking underneath a ship a familiar voice called out from behind him. "Luke!"
Once he saw the speaker, Luke's gloomy feelings vanished in an instant as he recognized his childhood best friend hurrying towards him clad in the same orange fighter suit. "Biggs!" he cried. And they rushed forward giving each other quick greeting hugs.
"I don't believe it! How are ya?" Biggs asked.
"Great!" Said Luke, still unable to believe that Biggs Darklighter himself was actually here with the rebellion.
"How'd you get here? Are you going out with us?!"
"Of course, I'll be up there with you Biggs! Listen, have I got some stories to tell you."
"Well I look forward to hearing them."
"Skywalker?" The new voice belonged to an older man who introduced himself as "Red Leader" He gestured towards the X-Wing which was next to them. "Are you sure you can handle this ship?"
"Sir, Luke is the best bush pilot in the outer rim territories," said Biggs.
Red Leader smiled at Luke and didn't seem to need any more reason to doubt. "I met your father once when I was just a boy, he was a great pilot. If you've got half of your father's skill, you'll do better than alright."
"Thank you, sir" Luke replied. It took all his mental strength not to make his true thoughts visible for them both to see. "I'll try."
Biggs gave his shoulder a friendly nudge. "I've gotta get aboard Luke. Listen, we'll hear all your stories when we come back. All right?"
"Hey Biggs! I told you I'd make it someday."
Biggs smiled. "It's going to be like old times, Luke. They'll never stop us."
As the two friends exchanged amused laughs, Biggs donned his helmet and hurried off towards his X-Wing.
Luke turned around to look up at his own ship. In his eyes it was a real beauty and looked perfect for flying into battle. This was everything he had ever dreamed of. With a big smile, he climbed the ladder up to the cockpit. At the top he found two technicians already standing on top of the ship taking hold of Artoo who was being lowered down into the droid socket on the back of the fighter.
"This R2 unit of yours seems a bit beat up. Do you want a new one?" One of them asked.
"Not on your life! That little droid and I have been through a lot together," Luke told them. "You ok, Artoo?" He asked the droid who beeped cheerfully in reply.
"Good," said Luke and he climbed down into the cockpit and pulled on his helmet. Down below he could hear Threepio calling up sounding concerned.
"Hang on tight, Artoo, you've got to come back."
He heard Artoo beep down to his counterpart in agreement.
"You wouldn't want my life to get boring, would you?" Threepio asked.
Again the little droid whistled his agreement.
All around him Luke listened as the ships in the hanger began powering up. He watched as other pilots boarded their ships donning their helmets and technicians made their last checks before removing the fuel hoses. One by one the ships lifted smoothly up off the ground and flew out of the hanger.
Luke made sure with Artoo that everything was in order. Once both of them were sure all was well, Luke ran the start-up sequence and in moments the ship lifted up off the ground and he steered it in the direction to follow the others.
"Luke, the Force will be with you."
He froze for a split second as he heard Ben's voice in his head again just like he'd heard it in the Death Star hangar. It was also the same when he'd heard Vader's voice in his head. But he couldn't let that distract him now. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to clear his mind and continued with flying the ship.
Once the ship had flown outside, Luke followed the single file of X-Wings and Y-Wings and they all flew up higher. Off to his left they passed a lone guard standing on a small pedestal high above the dense green jungle. The higher they went, the more Luke relished the feeling of flying his own ship, as it was a strong reminder of his T-16.
He enjoyed this while he could, for he knew all too well that not everyone would survive this battle. He may easily be killed in the attack, but Luke didn't care if he died in this battle because if he was going to die, he would rather die fighting. One piece of comfort he had was knowing that Artoo was right behind him and that Biggs, his best friend, was out there in his ship too. So at least he would not be alone.
With his eyes fixed straight ahead he flew towards what would either be his destiny or his downfall.
Author's Notes
Hello there my readers! I was very happy when I received all those reviews after I posted the last chapter, So thank you very much!
I know this chapter is short, but I don't know how long the next chapter will take, so I hope you will like this one until I get to starting and completing the next. Because I had this one ready a week ago. So intended to post this one a week after the last chapter upload.
So please keep up your nice reviews and stay tuned for the next chapter, as you must all know is going to be the Battle of Yavin. I must warn you I'm not the best at writing battles, but I will do the best I can.
Thank you to my Beta reader Carrie2sky!
May the force Be With You!
LouisaJane007
