Chapter 69                AN: I'd like to give BIG thank you to everyone who reviewed.  I am amazed and touched that people still are reading this story.  Knowing that keeps my creativity going.  Please continue to read and review!                 To Ari, time seemed to play tricks on her. She was so busy with preparations, that, when she looked at a chrono, she was surprised not more time had passed.  However, the time they did have left seemed to be flying by.  She had been ordered to meet with some of the other commanding officers to decide what would be left behind. There was just not enough time to get everything.                Luke took care of those decisions when it came to the medical supplies, which seemed to be a relief to some of the others.  It was one less thing that they had to worry about.               Leia was also trying to arrange flights, to decide which transport different supplies would be, relaying the message to the others.  Ari soon found herself in charge of transport number three, and what would be left behind, in the medical bay.  This lasted only a short time, since she saw that the others knew where things went.                 She had heard the announcement about needing fighters to protect the transports, along with Rogue Squadron to keep any of the Imperial forces at bay, so that the base could be evacuated.  She had to be there as well.  Some of her squadron would be up there fighting, and she vowed to be fighting alongside them.               On her way to her room to Luke's room, and her old room to collect all her personal belongings and change into her flightsuit, she saw Cal.               "Ari," he greeted her, seeming to be a bit surprised to see her.               "Cal," she responded, tone serious, and the forced smile just seemed to add to the severity of the situation.  "Listen, Cal, I-"               Cal cut her off with a shake of his head.  "Don't."               "Don't?" she asked.  "Don't what?"  She wasn't too sure of what she was going to say.  It wasn't as if she had written a speech and then memorized it, so she knew what to say to him.                 "Don't apologize for what happened, don't try to explain why things happened, and I especially don't want you to say goodbye.  Because we will get through this.  I am flying out with the last squadron, and helping fighting on the ground.  I am also going to help the General get plans made for the snowspeeders. The same snowspeeders I know you will be in. I know how dangerous this is, but we are both going to get through this.  I will see you at the rendezvous point."               Ari was a bit surprised by this.  That had covered anything she might have even considered saying to him.  The silence between them was light, since the other sounds of the evacuation were reaching both of them.  "Well, you take care of yourself then, Cal."                 Cal nodded.  "I will.  May the Force be with you," he added.               While that was the sign that both of them should continue with their duties, they both stood there for another moment until two men approached Cal.                 "Princess Leia, told us that you had some instructions for us," one spoke up.               Taking that as her cue to leave, Ari gave him a small, almost sad half smile before slipping away.  While she didn't glance back, she could hear Cal's first words, which were clear and there was authority in them. He might not have a rank yet, but she knew that he soon would.  If they lived through this.  He would be a good leader.               "Groups seven and ten will stay behind to fly the speeders. As soon as each transport is loaded….."  His voice seemed to fade as Ari quickened her pace to her quarters. There wasn't a moment to lose.                                                                                                                                     Her fighter was soon packed and R4 was in place, ready to take control of the fighter.  They would be waiting until all the transports escaped, and then the pilots would get to their fighters and meet at the rendezvous point.  They would be in snowspeeders until then, in case the Empire got to them before the evacuation was complete. It sounded simple, but Ari knew that some fighters would be taking off pilotless.  While she hated to think like that, she knew that the Empire would more than likely be catching up to them before everyone was able to get off planet.  That meant there would be fighting, and whenever there was fighting, people died.  It was the sad truth to war.  One she would never be able to forget.               Ari had R4 running a systems check before she left, to be sure that everything was fine.  Once it was completed, she had R4 stand by, her comlink was able to reach the droid to give orders. Letting out a deep, tense breath, she quickly climbed down the ladder to get see what else could be done.  She had her flight suit on with her helmet under one arm.  She was thankful to have found a uniform that fit better than the one she had worn on Yavin.               She glanced across the hanger and saw Han working on the outside of the Falcon with Chewie in the cockpit.  As she came closer, sparks turned into flames and smoke as something went horribly wrong with what Han was working on.               "Turn it off! Turn it off! Off!" Han was shouted as Ari reached the Falcon.                 "What is wrong with her?" she called after the flames had been extinguished.               "Lifters," Han answered, not looking up from his work for a moment. He gave a string of curses that would have made other smugglers blush.  Ari turned a slightly crimson color at this, and she saw Chewie in the cockpit laughing at this.               Glancing down at her, Han saw that he had heard.  He just flashed his famous half smirk at her, and then it fell.  "So you are getting ready to go up against the Empire again?"               Ari nodded.  "Are you with us?" she asked, hopeful.               Han shook his head, climbing down so he was on ground, landing with the grace of a cat, and Ari noted he had probably done it countless times.  "Not this time.  I have to take care of that bounty on my head."               Ari couldn't help but feel saddened by this.  "Oh…" was all she said in reply. What else could she say?               Han gave her a half smile.  "Hey, don't worry.  I have a feeling we'll meet up again someday.  My feelings are pretty good about this type of thing," he added with a wink and got a small smile in response.               All of a sudden the girl found herself being lifted in the air by a pair of strong furry arms.  She was able to turn enough to see Chewie.  "I'll miss you too Chewie," she managed, though she felt her air supply cut off. That was quick to pass though as Chewie set her back down.                She was facing Han again and it seemed that neither knew what to do.  "Take care of yourself," Han finally told her and patted her arm.                 Ari was about to return the gesture, but instead gave him a quick hug.  "You too, Han," she answered as she pulled back from the surprised smuggler.                Glancing once more at the two smugglers, she hurried down the hall toward the command center when her comm signal sounded.               "Lieutenant Narabe," she answered.                "This is General Rieekan," the man on the other end spoke up.               "Hello, General," Ari greeted him, though she knew it was not a social call.  "I was just coming to find you to get my orders."               "I am getting Rouge Squadron ready to go out. Commander Skywalker has control and Wedge will be his second in command. However, your squadron will join them. Do you have any problems with this arrangement?"               Ari knew that there was only one answer to this question. She had to say it was fine with her.  While it bothered her slightly, since she had wanted to watch out for her men, she knew why it was like this.  Too many people giving orders could confuse the pilots, and that was not something they could afford.               "No, Sir.  There is no problem at all."