Chapter 130

AN: Thank you everyone for being patient and for continuing to read! 

Ari was awoken earlier than she had expected. It felt as if she had just closed her eyes before receiving another comm. Derlin had been correct, it was a busy day.

No sooner had she ended one comm. than she received another. She was glad it was only audio transmission so she did not have to worry about anyone seeing her as she hastily got dressed.

She was kept busy as reports continued to come in through transmissions and by pilots and other Alliance members who were arriving to rejoin them. When not replying to messages or briefing others on what needed to be done, she found herself helping with some of those that had returned injured. The numbers of losses was conflicting, so Ari stopped asking. They would all know soon enough.

It seemed that they were short of everything that morning. Short on resources and short on personnel. It seemed she kept getting reports of low medical supplies, low fuel supplies and other necessary things. At the same time, Ari was shocked by how many people there seemed to be. The bridge became busy quickly and she felt like she was spending most of her time apologizing for bumping into others as well as accepting apologies when others ran into her.

Owww!

A shout of pain caused her to turn and look toward the ground. Taga had just gotten a paw stepped on, then started to make crying sound.

Ari picked him up and shook her head. "What are you doing here? I told you it would be crowded."

I got hungry.

Ari sighed. "I am sorry. I forgot completely about breakfast. She found a bag that had been laid off to the side and dug a ration out of it. She unwrapped it and then offered it to him. "It doesn't taste good, but it should hold you over for a little while. At least until we get a chance to get real food."

Taga took a hesitant bite.

It doesn't taste very good.

"Sorry. That is all I have at the moment. I would send you down to get food, but with all this confusion, you could get stepped on again."

"Narabe!" she heard her name called and saw Derlin motioning for her to come over.

She set Taga on an unoccupied chair with the ration. "Now, just make certain no one sits on you. I'll be right back." She patted Taga's head once before going to Derlin.

"Yes?" she asked, coming up to him.

"I know that there is a lot going on, but I just received word of some trouble that could be occurring near the main hanger. I need you to check it out immediately."

"Why me?" she asked.

"You are good at calming people and you also have enough authority. Besides, I know a lot of those you have trained respect you." He managed a small smile and Ari noticed he looked exhausted. He probably had not slept the night before. It was adrenaline that kept him moving.

"I will get on that immediately."

"Thank you," Derlin sighed.

With a small salute, she started to the entryway, pausing only to pick up Taga, who had finished the ration after all.

Where are we going?

"I have to go down to the main hanger," she explained. "Apparently there is some kind of trouble going on there."

Taga climbed up her arm and perched on her shoulder, though his front paws were on the top of her head.

"What are you doing?" she laughed.

Now you have your hands free.

"Well, thank you for your concern," she told him. "However, you might be a bit distracting up there and I don't think that anyone will take me seriously with you riding on me." Taga slid off her shoulder and into her arms again.

As they neared the hanger, Ari heard some shouts and while she didn't understand the words, she understood the tone. Anger.

"Stay here," she told Taga, setting him on the floor as she rounded the corner and found that a small crowd of beings had formed. They had made a circle around two others, one human and one humanoid. They were circling each other, fists raised, more than ready to take a swing at each other. The crowd seemed to be supporting of that, hearing a few of them urging the two to fight.

The human man took a swing at the humanoid, but the humanoid ducked. There was a cheer from a few of those in the crowd and Ari frowned. She had seen a few fights among other Rebels before, but they often ended before anyone got hurt. This did not seem to be one of those times.

No one had noticed her yet, too intent on the fight. Being a bit shorter than some of the others, she couldn't see too well, but from cheers and what she could see, the fight was worse as the combatants fell to the ground, punching at one another.

As she came up to the crowd, she cleared her throat loudly. Some of those in the crowd looked and their faces fell, seeing her. They looked as if they were children caught doing something they weren't supposed to. They backed up from the fight and Ari strolled forward.

She stopped on the edge of the crowd and more saw her. Their cheers faded, but the fight continued. It was clear that the opponents were not paying attention to their surroundings.

Before Ari could speak up, the human pulled a blaster from his holster and started to raise it. Ari raised her hand and yanked the blaster to her own hand through the Force. This caught the man's attention and he looked at her, shocked. It was clear that others were surprised as well. Most had heard of Ari's ability, but few had seen it.

While the man was distracted, the humanoid reached for his vibroblade. However, before he could lunge forward, it also flew out of his hand, but it didn't come to Ari's. It flew over the heads of the crowd, disappearing behind some beings that were across the circle from Ari. Everyone turned to see who it was and the crowd parted to reveal a figure dressed in all black.

Ari had to stop herself from smiling as she saw the familiar figure there. She caught his eye and she knew that he was happy to see her too, but he also hid it.

Luke's blue eyes moved over the group. "This is not how an Alliance is supposed to be. We have been victorious for less than a week and already there are fights?"

The beings looked ashamed, especially the two fighters.

"There will still be battles," Ari spoke up. "We have won, but a Republic will not be built in a day. We can't turn on each other like this."

"I think all of you are overworked, but if there is any more action like this, this will be brought to the attention of the other officers," Luke added, giving a look at the two fighters who now looked very embarrassed by how they had acted. They both muttered apologies to one another and then started down separate hallways.

With the fight now broken up, the crowds quickly left, especially since they did not want to be noted as being a part of the fight. In mere moments, the hallway was empty, only the sounds of footsteps heard as the last beings left.

Ari glanced back at Luke once they were the only ones left in the hallway. They just looked at one another for a moment. Luke gave her a small smile as he tucked the vibroblade onto his belt, and that was all it took for a large smile to come over her features.

Ari dropped the blaster on the floor and it landed with a clang, but she didn't care. Instead, she dashed over the yards that separated her from Luke and threw her arms around him, hugging him.