Chapter 98
AN: Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews!
Since the Force had been in their favor for days now, no one was too surprised that the storm soon was upon them. Lando managed to pilot the skiff though the start of the storm, managing to keep the vehicle from tipping and spilling its occupants onto the ground.
While it had been a while since Ari had last experienced a sand storm, she remembered what to do. She tore off part of her skirt as best she could so that she could cover her mouth and nose to keep from getting sand into it. The others quickly did the same thing by raising the collars of their clothes, or tearing off pieces of cloth. Threepio complained about sand getting into his joints, but no one replied.
Soon the wind was so intense, they had no choice but to land the skiff and go the rest of the way on first.
"Artoo, lead us toward the ship!" Luke had to shout even though the droid was next to him. However, Artoo heard him and started to lead the way, Threepio shuffling along beside him.
Ari watched through squinted eyes to see the others in the group. Han, who was still having problems seeing, had one arm around Leia's shoulders as the Princess followed the droids. Luke and Lando each went to one side of Chewie, Luke on his left and Lando on his right. They were helping the injured Wookie to his feet and then to hobble to the relative safety of the ships.
Once she was sure that they were all doing fine, she started walking as well, ending up between the two groups. She kept her head down and even with the cloth, she could taste the gritty sand on her tongue and in her teeth.
Even though they were only a few feet from one another, it was hard for each being to see the other. Everyone was following Leia and Han, who were following the droids. It reminded Ari of Hoth for a moment, when Artoo had almost become frozen as he used his scanners to look for any sign of Luke or Han during that terrible blizzard.
The wind was howling around them like a predatory beast and was just as vicious. Ari could barely keep her eyes open as the sand caused them to water and sting. She would close her eyes for a few moments to rest them before making sure she was still following the others. The Force also helped her keep track of the others, also making sure that Lando, Luke and Chewie were not having problems since she could not see them.
Just when she was wondering how far away they truly were, she saw a large dark shape that took on the form of the Millennium Falcon. Beside it was Luke's X-Wing fighter, as well as Ari's Y-Wing.
Ari heard Leia ask Han something but all she could hear was part of Han's reply, which he had to shout. "…all…lot of sand."
"That's all any of us can see," Leia shouted back before covering her mouth and nose with the cloth again.
"Then I guess I'm getting better," Han remarked and Ari had to shake her head, smiling to herself. Even in the face of more danger, Han managed to make a joke out of it.
Leia and Han stopped near the droids who had found the place best protected from the storm by the Falcon. Ari joined them, followed shortly by the other two humans and the Wookie.
"Is everyone okay?" Luke asked as Threepio pressed a switched that lowered the ships gangplank. While it was supposed to hum, no one could hear it over the wind. From where they were standing, the storm was less intense, but still was not something they should subject themselves to if they could get into the relative safety of their ships.
Everyone gave murmurs of approval and Chewie gave a small bark, though it was clear that his leg was causing him a lot of pain.
They moved to the ramp that offered them even more protection from the elements of Tatooine.
"I've got to hand it to you, kid, you were pretty good out there," Han remarked to Luke.
"I had a lot of help. Think nothing of it," Luke gave a small shrug as if it was not big deal. While they had all helped, they all knew that Luke had very much behaved as a Jedi, saving all of them. Ari silently promised herself to spend more time practicing and training. She had to be ready for whatever might happen next.
"No, I'm thinking a lot about it. That carbon freeze was the closest thing to dead there is. And it wasn't just sleepin'. It was a big wide awake nothing!" Han exclaimed and for a moment the mood was solemn. Even Luke nodded his head. No one else has been in carbonite before, but they could only imagine how horrible it could have been.
To show his appreciation, Chewie ran his large furry paw over Luke hair, making the blonde hair go all different ways. When he moved his paw, Leia and Ari both had to turn to hide their laughter. The usual calm Jedi-in-training's hair looked as if he had just rolled out of bed. As he straightened it back out, even Luke had to smile. For the moment they were safe and together. That was the important thing. Then a look came over Luke's face, one that Ari was seeing more often. It was more than a thoughtful look. It was as if he was almost seeing something, just over their shoulders. The look faded quickly, as it usually did, as Luke turned back to them. "I'll see you back at the fleet."
"Why don't you leave that crate and come with us?" Han suggested.
"I have a promise I have to keep first... to an old friend," Luke replied as he motioned Artoo to come with him toward the ship that was more like a shadow through the twirling sands.
Han's gaze from Luke's retreating form fell on Lando, and a very doubtful look crossed his face for a moment. Ari had heard all about what had happened on Cloud City. How Lando had betrayed Han, Leia and Chewie in hopes to save his city. He found out the hard way, as had the others, that the Empire never keeps the promises they make. "Guess I owe you some thanks, too, Lando," Han spoke, a bit hesitant, as if he didn't know what to say to the dark skinned man.
"Figured if I left you frozen like that you'd just give me bad luck the rest of my life, so I might as well get you unfrozen sooner or later," Lando replied with a good natured smirk, joking like Han had been doing just moments before.
"He means 'You're welcome'," Leia spoke up with a small roll of her eyes, as if to express that she would never understand why smugglers, or ex smugglers at least, acted they way that they did.
"Come on, let's get off this miserable dust ball," Lando announced and started to lead Chewie up the ramp.
"I'll be right there," Ari called and without waiting for a reply, she dashed out into the less protected area that took her the few dozen yards to Luke's fighter.
"Luke!" she called to him and saw that he had just gotten his gear on.
"Ari? What are you doing?" he asked her.
She just looked at him for a moment then hugged him on impulse. Luke was a bit surprised but hugged her back. After a few moments of that, wind whipping at their clothing and skin, they pulled back.
"Are you sure that everything is okay?" Luke asked. While he was only inches away from her, he still had to make his voice loud enough to be heard.
Ari nodded. She had a feeling she knew where he was going. He had mentioned Yoda to her, as well as some of the training he had done. However, there still seemed to be something that he was not telling her when he talked of his time with the Jedi Master. Ari knew better than to ask though. Some things could not be explained.
"I just wanted to say…May the Force be with you," she told him. While she did not smile, since sand would get into her mouth, it showed in her eyes and he returned it in the same fashion.
"I know that the Force is with you," he replied. "Take care of yourself though. I will see you soon," he assured her then leaned over and kissed her forehead.
Ari was surprised by this, so she was unable to say anything as Luke climbed into his X-wing.
As the engines started, she came out of her shock and backed up a few feet. She tried to watch the ship, but with the sand kicked up by the engines and the wind, it was hard to see anything.
Through the sand, she went up the ramp of the Falcon and saw Leia waiting there for her. She wondered briefly if Leia had seen her with Luke, but that realized she probably could not see much past the bottom of the ramp.
"I have some extra clothes aboard, if you want," Leia offered as Ari came aboard. "I personally would like to change before Han can see any better and makes a comment on my outfit."
This caused Ari to smile and she nodded. "Thank you." She heard a beep then and saw R4, who was now fully recharged, and apparently very worried. She went to the droid and patted its domed head. "I am fine. Thank you for your concern." She paused and looked at her fighter. She was tired and knew that while the Falcon was not made for comfort, it would be much better than being in the fighter.
The droid gave a beep, as if it already knew what she would ask and started down the ramp. To be sure the little droid would make it, Ari went with R4. Once at the fighter, she used the Force to get R4 onto the fighter. The droid started the engines and Ari waited for the ship to take off before she headed back to the ship.
Stomping off her feet and shaking some of the sand out of her hair, she returned to where Leia was standing. "Alright, now we can leave."