Poppy stopped by the ship taxi rental. It's a little further from Lake Paonga than she anticipated but that's definitely good news for her, since she doesn't have to walk as far. "Hi there!" Poppy called to the man at the register.
"Oh my, Queen Poppy!" the Troll replied, bowing. "Pleased to actually see you in person! What can I do for you?"
"I just need a lift to Coruscant, if you don't mind," Poppy said, smiling.
"Ah yes, of course, your Majesty," the taxi driver said. "However, I will have to make a stop at Hoth to pick up a part for my ship."
"That's fine, I don't mind," Poppy said.
"Of course," the taxi driver said. "I will have to ask you to pay credits, your Highness. I am running a business after all."
"I understand," Poppy replied. "How much."
"Fifteen credits," the taxi driver replied.
"Fifteen?" Poppy asked. "That's cheaper than I expected!"
"Between you and me, I gave you the royal discount," he whispered. Poppy giggled. "Just hop into the back, your Majesty. I'll be with you in just a moment."
"Of course!" Poppy cheered. "Oh, and if you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"
"Cliff, your Majesty," he said.
"Well, pleased to meet you, Cliff!" Poppy hopped inside the yellow ship, and waited patiently for Cliff to catch up with her. He did eventually come inside, and hopped into the driver's seat. Poppy found seatbelts, thankfully, and was pleased to see them. "Alright, your Majesty, are we all ready to go?"
"Yes, Cliff!" Poppy cheered.
"Hang on!" Cliff replied, saluting Poppy, then lifting the ship off the ground. The ship floated up for a second as Cliff flipped some switches, then pushed a large, red button on the control. The ship took off into hyperdrive.
"I really hope I can do it," Poppy started singing. "'Cause they're all depending on me. I know that I must leave the only home I've ever known, and face the dangers of the space field, saving them before they're eaten. I mean, how hard can that be?"
"Lovely, a song for the road, your Majesty! I appreciate it!" Cliff cheered.
"I'm looking up at the starry sky, so black and full and there's a large moon, oh isn't that a fantastic sign, it's gonna be a fantastic day. I'm flying along, I've got confidence, I'm cooler than a pack of peppermints. And I haven't been this excited since...I can't remember when. I'm off on this remarkable adventure. Just riding on a rainbow, gonna be okay.
"Hey, I'm not giving up today. There's nothing getting in my way. 'Cause if you knock, knock me over, I will get back up again. Oh, and if something goes a little wrong, then you can go ahead and bring it on. 'Cause if you knock, knock me over, I will get back up again.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, get back up again. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-"
Poppy's song was cut short when their taxi ship was shot. "Mayday, your Highness! We're going down!" Cliff cried. The ship's alarms started blaring, turning the interior red, and sounding a very annoying sound. "What happened?" Poppy asked.
"We were shot by enemy forces, your Majesty!" Cliff cried. He flipped a couple of switches to keep the ship steady while they flew towards Hoth. "Hang on!"
The ship's engine steamed, and a trail of smoke followed the ship behind as it spun towards Hoth. They were shot on the other side, and the ship straightened out. "Your Highness, take off your seatbelt!" Cliff cried.
"But we're out of control!" Poppy cried.
"Trust me, your Majesty, it'll be safer that way!" Cliff replied.
As much as Poppy despised taking her seatbelt off, especially in a ship going down, she liked Cliff, and trusted him, so she popped it off. "Are we gonna be okay, Cliff?" Poppy asked.
"I can try, your Majesty," Cliff replied, "but I can make no promises. You see that crate behind you?"
Poppy turned around at the crates and boxes behind her. "Yeah."
"Good," Cliff said. "Inside of the big red marked crate, there is a medical kit. I want you to take it out, and hold onto it."
"What about you?" Poppy asked.
"I want you to use it first, your Majesty," Cliff said. "Only if there is extra, then you can use it on me."
"But, Cliff-" Poppy pleaded.
"Please, your Majesty," Cliff said, a look of thoughtfulness in his eyes. "Please."
Poppy hesitated, then nodded. "It's gonna be a rough landing, your Majesty," Cliff warned. Poppy held onto the walls, then closed her eyes.
The ship hit the ground, shook, then slid across the snow. Poppy heard glass shatter, and the crates in the back flew around them. There were loud cracking sounds, a few electrical zaps, Poppy's hair stood on end, and then they stopped. Well, after they flipped over a couple of times. Poppy used her hair to keep herself steady inside, pushing against the walls to keep still.
When the ship lurched forward, Poppy flew into the snow. She opened her eyes, rubbed her arm, then stood. She turned to see the ship she had been riding in a complete mess.
The wings had fallen off completely and were left in little piles following the trail of snow dragged along. The cargo in the back of the ship had fallen out and was scattered all over the snow covered ground. The window was shattered and the glass was nowhere to be found. The ship is steaming and there are small sparks coming off the ship on the wings, the engine, and other broken places. Cliff was nowhere to be seen.
"Cliff?" Poppy asked. "Cliff? Where are you?"
"I'm...over here, your Majesty," said Cliff's small voice.
"Cliff!" Poppy cried. She saw a chunk of grey-ish blue hair sticking out from under the ship. "Cliff!" Poppy stopped in front of him. "Cliff, are you okay?"
"The ship...I can't move," Cliff replied.
"Here, I'll help," Poppy said. She ran over to the chunk of ship, and extended her hair so it went underneath the ship. She put her hands under as well and began pulling with her hands and hair. The ship lifted up a little bit. "Cliff, I got it up," Poppy said through gritted teeth.
Unfortunately, the ship came back down and trapped Cliff once more. "Here, I'll pull you out," Poppy said desperately.
She grabbed Cliff's wrists and started pulling. "Your Majesty, please," Cliff said. "I can't get out. There's no use in trying."
Poppy tried once more before she stopped. "No, you have to get out!" she cried.
"I'm sorry, your Majesty," Cliff said. "I'm sorry it had to come to this."
"No, I'm sorry!" Poppy cried. She sat on the ground in front of Cliff. "This is my fault we're here anyway."
"No, your Majesty," Cliff said. He reached his hand out to touch Poppy's. "I was going to go to Hoth anyway. I'm just grateful you're here with me so I won't be alone."
They sat in silence for a little bit. "Cliff, I'm really sorry. I'm not sure what else I can do for you," Poppy said, tears forming in her eyes.
"You're okay, your Majesty," Cliff said, smiling. "There wasn't much you could do."
"Here, I can use this medical kit on you-" Poppy started.
"No," Cliff said. "Please don't."
"But, Cliff, you need it more than me," Poppy said.
"Yes, but what will I do once you recover me?" Cliff asked. "I'm stuck, your Majesty. I can't move." A small trickle of blood started coming out of his mouth. "Oh my gosh, Cliff!" Poppy gasped. "You're bleeding."
Cliff smiled at Poppy. "Unfortunately, yes, your Majesty. I'm not going to make it out of here."
"Yes. You are," Poppy said.
She walked back over to the ship on top of Cliff's lower half, and started pulling at it again. She used more force on her hair. "Your Majesty, please don't sprain your hair," Cliff pleaded. "Just leave me."
"No!" Poppy grunted. "I'm not leaving you here like this!" The ship lifted up enough for Cliff to move. However, he didn't. Poppy held the ship up the best she could, which wasn't much, but enough for her to use a piece of her hair and pull Cliff out. Once he was free, Poppy released the ship and it crashed down. Some pieces came off as it hit the ground.
"Your...your Majesty...really. You shouldn't...shouldn't have," Cliff said.
"I couldn't leave you to die like that," Poppy said. "I couldn't bear it. You could at least be comfortable when you die."
"Thank you, your Majesty," Cliff said.
Poppy sat down on the ground next to Cliff. Cliff's breathing slowed down, but he still seemed to be fine for a little bit. Poppy couldn't stand seeing him that way though, so she turned him onto his back and supported his head. "Cliff-"
"No, your...your Majesty," Cliff said. "Thank you. I mean it."
"What do you want me to do?" Poppy asked.
"Remember the...the pickup I had to...to do?" Cliff asked through bated breath.
"Yeah?" Poppy asked.
"He was my friend," Cliff continued. "He lives in the...the big building to the west of here."
"The west?" Poppy asked.
"F-follow the trail from our ship," Cliff said. "I need you to tell...him what happened. His name is...is Basil. And give him this..." Cliff pulled out a picture from the inside of his vest. It has a picture of him, some Troll she assumed had to be Basil, a woman and a child. "That's my wife...M-Mary, and my son...Parsley," Cliff continued.
"Your family is beautiful," Poppy said.
Cliff smiled, chuckled, then winced. "He'll know what to...do with it."
"I will, thank you," Poppy said.
"Thank you, your Majesty," Cliff said. "And...one more thing. Take my pin."
He moved his hand away from his chest to reveal a set of wings. "I...I was going to give them to my son," Cliff said, "on his...eighteenth b-birthday. He loved flying...but I could never teach him. It would mean...everything t-to me if...if you could give it to...to him."
Poppy unpinned the wings from Cliff's vest and closed her hand around them. "I will, Cliff," Poppy continued.
"I have another f-friend. Can you t-tell him what...what happened?" Cliff finished.
"Who?" Poppy asked, tears brimming in her eyes.
"Y-you'll know when you s-see him...your Majesty."
Poppy tried to smile at Cliff. She did manage to make one, but it pained her. She has a lump in her throat and her hands were shaky. And it was hard to keep back her tears. "T-thank you...for being here with me...your Majesty," Cliff whispered. His voice was now so quiet, it was barely audible.
"Please, call me Poppy, Cliff," Poppy replied, keeping her smile.
"P-Poppy..." Cliff whispered. "I like that. T-thank you...for helping me...Poppy..."
Poppy smiled, pained, as she watched Cliff close his eyes. He drew his last breath, his last breath cloud, on Hoth. Poppy frowned. "Oh, Cliff. I'm so sorry." She pulled him closer and touched her forehead to his. "I'm sorry."
Poppy used a pole from the ship and propped it into a small hill a distance away from the crash site. She put Cliff's hat on top of the pole and knelt by the pole. "Don't worry, Cliff. Basil will get your picture. And Parsley will get your wings. I promise."
Poppy brushed her hand against Cliff's hat, dusting snow off of it, then stood. She turned and walked down the hill. She gave one final look to his grave before returning to the crash site and picking back up the medical kit. She didn't need it. She really wished she could've used it on Cliff. She really did. But...there was nothing she could do. Cliff was already too far to rescue. But still, she felt awful.
She followed the ship's tracks, just like Cliff told her. Basil is up ahead in a building nearby, hopefully, if she's going the right way. She can give both the wings and the family picture to Basil. He knows what to do.
Poppy's legs began to feel numb. She couldn't feel her toes anymore. She wasn't prepared for Hoth. Hoth is an endlessly snowy planet. There are certain days when it stops snowing, but that doesn't seem like today. How much further is this building?
Her fingers began to get numb. Her vision started blurring. Her legs gave out on her and she fell to the snow. "Cliff...I'm sorry..." Poppy said. She reached ahead a little, to hopefully start crawling, but her arm shook and gave out. She put her head in the snow, then fainted.
Author's Note
I, uh, accidentally fell in love with Cliff so now I'm upset with myself for doing this. Don't worry, it's important, somewhat, but I'm still upset that I liked Cliff. It wasn't my original intention. I'm sorry!