Chapter 66
AN: It has been awhile, but here is the next update! And everyone please read and review so I know that people are still interested!
The night was the same as all the nights on Hoth were, long and cold. It was even worse this night, due to the howl of the storm outside. It sounded as if a predatory animal was stalking right at the shield doors, attempting to get in. The ice particles hitting the door were like the claws raking across the strong metal.
To the small group waiting, time had no meaning. The minutes seemed like hours. Each second that ticked by seemed to echo in the emptying hanger as many of the Rebels went to their rooms to sleep.
Not to the group that was situated by some boxes, off to the side. Artoo and Arfour were unusually quiet with only a few beeps to which Threepio would respond with just a few short sentences.
The other three figures consisted for two young women and one large Wookie.
It was certainly an odd assortment, which most would have laughed at, if it hadn't been for the concerned looks that were showing on the humans and Wookie. If it were possible, it seemed as if the droids looked worried as well.
Chewie stood off to the side, keeping his vigil, eyes still on the door, as if he could will the two missing humans to reappear.
The two young women had almost no interaction with each other for nearly an hour. Both were lost in their own thoughts as they sat next to each other on the supply boxes.
Even though worried, Ari found herself growing tired as she pulled the blanket a bit closer. All the stress, worry and physical exhaustion was once again taking its toll on the blonde haired girl.
"You should get some sleep," Leia spoke up, seeing how tired the other girl was.
Ari shook her head, forcing herself to sit up straighter. "No. I'm fine, really," she insisted. "I am."
"There is nothing we can do until tomorrow morning," Leia reminded her, always the voice of logic, even when worried. "We need rest…all of us," she added, looking at Chewie who shook his head stubbornly. No one could order a Wookie to do something. Especially this Wookie.
"I am going to stay up as well. At least for a bit," she added when she noted how Leia had been about to argue with her. Sighing, the dark haired woman became silent again, seeing that arguing wouldn't change their minds.
The minutes continued to tick by slowly and silently, as if time was moving through an early morning fog.
Once again, Ari found her eyelids start to flutter close, her head pounding, as if a million banthas were running through. Her head slowly started to lean closer to a crate, until it was resting against it. It was an uncomfortable pillow, but the warmth from the blanket was inviting. Even as she fought it, she found herself also wishing to escape to where Luke and Han were alive and well.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Ari…Ari, wake up…" a female voice was speaking to her and Ari opened her eyes. She looked around confused at her surroundings. Where was she? After a moment, she realized she was laying on one of the bunks of the Millennium Falcon.
"Leia?" she asked, voice still thick was sleep, so she cleared it a few times before speaking again, sitting up. "Is it morning?" she questioned, voice still sounding a bit strange to her, but she mentally shrugged it aside.
Leia just nodded, and Ari felt herself go cold, as the young Princess was unable to look her in the eye.
"Leia…what happened…did they find Han and Luke?" Ari asked, pulling the blanket closer, as if that would protect her from anything bad that Leia had to say.
"They were found. Han is in the medical bay, but it doesn't look good. They don't think he will last the day. He was just a few hundred yards from Luke. I am sorry, Ari. He didn't make it." Leia moved to put an arm on Ari's shoulder but she pushed it away.
"No!" she shouted, tears coming to her eyes. Luke dead? He couldn't be. She would be able to sense something. He had to be alive. He just had to be.
"Ari, I know this is hard to accept, I cared about him too…"
"Just stop talking!" Ari snapped. "Just stop! You are wrong! He isn't dead!" She was nearly hysterical. Ari was gasping for air, which caused her breathing to become even more erratic, and she caused herself to hyperventilate.
Leia moved her slightly so that the Nubian native's head was bent over, almost to her knees. "Breathe in….and out…" she tried to calm the girl, whose blonde hair was in disarray.
After a few minutes, Ari's breathing was a bit steadier. She looked up at Leia with pained blue eyes. This couldn't be happening. She pushed past Leia, running down the ramp. She was barefoot, but she didn't feel the cold metal under her feet, or the ice floor as she ran through the hanger.
The hanger itself was empty of any activity. All the Rebels seemed to be missing, and no droids were moving around.
Ari continued to run down the corridor to the medical bay, and it seemed to take forever. The halls seemed to stretch out, being even further than they really were. Once again, they were empty as if Ari was the only one left in the entire base. She paused at one point, looking around the hallway. Hadn't she just been through here?
"Hello!" she called. Her voice echoed through the ice tunnel, but there was no answer in response. "Luke! Han! Leia! Chewie!" she called. Their voices echoed back to her, but once the echo had faded; there was only silence once more.
Feeling a bit scared, Ari continued to run. She had to be close to the medical bay. She just had to be.
Finally, after what seemed like years, she reached the medical bay. The lighting was dim, and she couldn't see anyone moving around. "Hello?" she asked hesitantly as she stepped in. There was no response. She looked around and gave a start, seeing Han floating in the bacta tank. However, the bacta didn't seem to be able to help much. She moved a bit closer, then pulled back quickly. He was dead.
Starting to hyperventilate again, she continued to back up, wanting to look away, but unable to.
"Force….Force…Force…" was all she could murmur as she continued stepping back.
When she ran into something, she gave a yelp and turned hands up in fists, as if ready to fight.
Instead of a creature, or some sort of dangerous situation, there was only a cot, which she was certain hadn't been there before. It was like the one she had been on. There was a figure on this bed as well, but Ari couldn't tell who it was. They were covered by a white sheet, which usually meant whoever it was, was dead.
Scared to know who was under the sheet, Ari just looked at it for a moment, before her hand brushed the cool, crisp fabric.
Pinching the cloth between her thumb and forefinger, she slowly pulled it back.
Even after seeing part of the face and knowing who it was, she continued to pull it down to the figure's neck, her fingers shaking horribly.
Luke looked peaceful, as if sleeping. However, his chest was not rising and falling like it should have been. His skin was also pale, almost white. She wasn't used to seeing that, since on Tatooine everyone had tans.
His lips were a light blue color, and Ari had to stand back. She started to cry, unable to stop herself. She flung herself around Luke. He was cold to the touch and he had no pulse or breath. "Wake up…please…Luke…wake up…" she was sobbing now.
However, there was no response, as Ari had expected. That was, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping back, she could see no one behind her. Perplexed, she turned and glanced over one shoulder, then the other. That was when she noticed that Luke's hand had moved. She looked over and saw his eyes were open, staring right at her. "Ari…" she heard his voice.
She backed up, screaming, unable to stop. Then she tripped back, and found herself falling….falling…
Ari sat up, mid scream; heart pounding and she looked around, confused and scared. She was in Luke's room, in her bed. She glanced over at his bed, which was empty.
She was shaking horribly, blankets wrapped around her, showing her unrestful sleep. One hand went to her heart, as if to slow it from its rapid beating.
A dream. It had just been a dream. More like a nightmare. That was all it had been though. Luke and Han were alright. They had to be, she decided, remembering that her last conscious thought had been keeping vigil.
R4, who had been just coming in, beeped in alarm, getting to her side as fast as possible, beeping.
Hand fumbling for her translator, she found it wasn't on the nightstand. Frowning, she paused, and then realized she was still dressed in her clothes from before. She unclipped the translator and saw all of R4's questions.
"I am fine…it was a nightmare," she explained to the droid. "I promise that is all. How did I get here? Did they find Luke and Han?"
She waited, holding her breath as the droid beeped and she read the response. Chewie had carried her back since she had fallen asleep in the hanger. Apparently Leia had as well at some point.
R4 then replied that the Squadron had just left to find Han and Luke. They were going to wake up Ari, but the General had said that Ari would stay to be their communication with base. Truly, Ari knew it was because he was afraid of how she would react if the worst had happened, and like the others, he didn't want her getting sick going out in that weather again.
Ari nodded at this. Not good news, but it wasn't bad either. She quickly stepped into the 'fresher, just to get rid of the perspiration that had accompanied her nightmare. Scant minutes later, she was dressed in clean clothes, walking with purpose to the main communication center, R4 following her.
Everyone looked up as she entered, then turned back to the speakers, where Zev was speaking. "No sign of them yet, and I haven't been able to get in contact with Solo's comm."
"Keep trying. There are a number of frequencies," Ari spoke up, authority in her tone.
"Lieutenant Narabe, glad to hear your voice," the man answered. "We will keep looking for them. I am going to switch frequencies. I will check in shortly." With that, there was a click and the small crowd waited. There were the officers, Leia, Chewie, the droids, Ari and a handful of others.
Then Zev switched back over, obvious excitement in his voice. "Echo Base...I've got something! Not much, but it could be a life form."
Everyone shared looks and the tension was so thick, it could have been cut through with a lightsaber. All attention was on the console as Zev switched over to another frequency.
His voice came back seconds later, obviously relieved and thrilled. "Echo Base...this is Rouge Two. I found them. Repeat, I found them."
The entire group erupted in cheers and shouts. Ari found herself in shock from this news until Chewie pulled her into a hug, lifting her off her feet.
What else could she do but hug him back?
AN: Hope the dream sequence wasn't too creepy for anyone.