A/N: Sorry for the wait! For those who haven't seen my updates on tumblr ( frozenoj), I have been plagued with hypersomnia the last couple months. This meant sleeping around 18 hours a day! I believe we have found the main cause thankfully, so I can get back to writing. I do also have a lot of other things I have to catch up on so this chapter is fairly short. My husband and I are trying to launch a new business by the end of the month so I don't know if I'll have another update before then, but I'll try!

Luke slid into the co pilot's chair next to Chewbacca and started checking the displays to make sure they were ready to renenter real space. An unknown previous owner had attempted to install a cloaking device while the Falcon was out of their hands. Attempted being the key word. But there was no one left alive who knew the often finicky ship as well as Chewbacca, and improving the ship's stealth had been his main project while on Ahch-To. Nearby a porg fluttered around nervously, was it aware the cloak had never been properly tested?

All at once the elongated strings of stars disappeared to be replaced by the hulking mass of a ship that served as the First Order's mobile headquarters. The porg squawked in fear before burrowing into the fur of Chewbacca's lap. Staring at the Supremacy in front of them, Luke breathed out, "I have a very bad feeling about this…" Chewie huffed his agreement as he changed the ship's course away from Snoke's flagship. R2-D2 beeped in to let them know the escape pod had been released and they were free to pursue the Resistance.

So far their cloak was holding. Three TIE fighters were incoming but it was clear they were after the escape pod and not the Falcon itself. Chewbacca rumbled something in Shyriiwook that could best be translated as, "Those younglings better know what they're doing." (As far as he was concerned, anyone less than 50 years old was still a youngling.)

Luke was about to respond, but was distracted by the lecture Leia was giving him through their own Force bond. Her internal tone was tinged with grief and worry that threatened to overpower her relief at feeling him so near her location.

She ranted about how he had been needed, as a symbol of hope. How that young girl should have never had to face her son alone. How if Luke had been there, maybe Han would still be alive… How he had missed Han's funeral, if it could even be called that. His body was never recovered so Leia would never get to wear his Soul Diamond close to her heart. At that moment she blamed Luke for her husband's death almost as much as the one who had stuck him through.

Darkness had been building within her, but it was washed away by the light of forgiveness. Her brother was home. Home being where your family was, as she learned after the destruction of Alderaan.

Luke felt tears well up in his eyes at the intensity of their shared feelings, but choked them back. He knew they had much more to say to one another but now was not the time. He told Leia as much with a brief apology and then compartmentalized his feelings in a practiced way that showed years of honing. "Where are you? And what can we do to help?"

Leia rolled her eyes at the whole incorrigible Jedi religion. She hoped Rey had not picked up too much of that side of things. Clinging to the light was one thing, but there was no reason emotion could not be present within said light.

The Resistance was in a bad way. The First Order had developed technology to track them through hyperspace leaving them trapped. (Luke knew that much already from speaking to Kylo, but was resolute in not bringing up that part of the trip to Kylo's mother unless absolutely necessary.) Ever since figuring out they were being tracked, the Resistance Fleet had slogged on through real space. What Kylo didn't know to relay to them was that they did have a destination in mind: the mineral planet Crait.

Now it was Luke's turn to roll his eyes, a little emotion slipping through the barriers he placed within his mind. Leia had been somewhat obsessed with the planet, since it was there she discovered the existence of the Rebel Alliance led by her adoptive father Bail Organa. She had even taken Luke, Han, and Chewie to the planet in an ill-fated attempt to turn it into a Rebel base after losing Yavin 4. Luke had thought it a desolate planet then, not knowing what awaited them on Hoth. He hoped to go the rest of his life without hearing another temperature inside of a tauntaun joke.

Crait may not be as cold as Hoth, but it could be just as dangerous. The salt layer covering the surface could be picked up by the wind, resulting in storms that petrified anyone caught within them. There was a reason it was twice failed as a Rebel base. Those two attempts and a mining operation did mean there was some existing infrastructure they could use as a safe haven while signaling allies, however.

It wasn't a bad plan, considering the options.

It was a better plan now that the Millennium Falcon had arrived.

Much faster than the escape transports, it had Luke and Chewbacca planetside in mere minutes. They had barely started taking stock of the facilities meager supplies when there was an explosion above the planet's atmosphere. Without Luke's Force sensitivity they may not have even noticed, inside as they were.

He immediately reached out to his sister, both to make sure she was personally okay and for a general status update. The First Order had noticed their subterfuge and were now attacking the escape transports. Luke flinched as he felt the fear emanating from what was left of the Resistance after a near miss. What could be done? The Falcon was far better equipped than the transports, but it could not take on the First Order single-handedly. Trying would likely get them killed. No, the best place for Luke and Chewie was there on the planet sending out distress calls. Luke was never more glad that his sister had the Force herself, as it provided a modicum of protection intrinsically.

Some of the porgs had been hesitantly disembarking the ship when there was a tinkling sound from the back of the bunker. A fox-like creature with clear crystals covering its white fur had emerged from somewhere deep inside the cave-like facility. Looking up from his work, Chewbacca growled at the canid while lumbering towards the porgs in order to protect them. One of the stout birds flew up near his shoulder and squawked as if challenging the creature, brave now that Chewie had their back. The crystalline animal got the hint and scurried away.

Every once in a while a faint tinkling could be heard letting them know the creature hadn't gone far, even if it remained out of sight.

As Luke and Chewie got the computers and communication systems up and running, additional transports were blasted apart in space above them. What is going on? Luke wondered. He may not have known Rey for long, but it was long enough to know she wouldn't abide by this willingly. Not even for a pair of pretty eyes and adorably oversized ears. What trouble did I allow her to walk in to? Why did I hope he could be redeemed? He could be torturing her this very minute, or worse... Luke focused on his breathing and shoved his guilt down with all the rest of his feelings. Nothing could be done for her now. But there was work to do to ensure the remaining Resistance members had a place to go. He had to give that his full attention.

"Communications are live, anyone in particular you want us to contact?" Luke asked Leia through their bond.

"Send it far and wide, using my personal code. If there are any allies to the Resistance, it's now or never."

There was no point in hiding now. The First Order knew exactly where they were.

A/N: According to Legends sources, it is traditional for Corellians to be cremated and then their ashes compressed into a blue-white gem. Since they sometimes emitted a faint glow, it was believed some of the deceased's soul still resided within.

The info about past attempts to turn Crait into a base is canon compliant. You can read about it in the comic The Storms of Crait.

Thanks for reading, and any favs or comments you deem me worthy! =]