bloodlines • star wars

I

JORDAN FELT FREE as the adrenaline flowed through veins. He manoeuvred, twisting and turning the joystick to avoid the hills and rocks in the earth. He knew this area, he has flown over it many times over the years and knew where each rock jutted, or each hill rose in the land. He spun the craft and cheered as he increased his speed, zooming over the plains until they became a blur of green. There was no one else out there with him. He was flying by himself and he liked it that way. He pulled the joystick closer to him to pull the craft up and away from the plains and into the cloud above. He flew high and higher, flicking switches to adjust his ship to the change in altitude. He maintained his speed as he flew in and out of clouds. This was when Jordan felt most at home, in the clouds, flying. When he was flying, he could forget - forget about everything; his expectations, his family, his duties. Jordan could spend hours out here.

But he knew he couldn't. It was getting dark and curfew was soon - he'd been flying all day. He lowered his ship to the plains and made his way back to his home, the Resistance base. His mood dropping almost instantly and being overcome by dread. He knew that once he'd get home he'd get a lecture from his mother like he was 6 years old and not 26. He was getting close to the base now, small buildings and signal dishes beginning to appear. He started the landing sequence and was able to safely land in one of the bays on the far side of the base. His cockpit opened and his jumped out and onto the edge of the ship before jumping onto the ground, his brown boots hitting the concrete with a thud, stinging his heels. He wasn't dressed in a normal orange flight-suit like regular pilots, but dark pants, a once white but now grey with grime shirt and a navy version of his uncle's leather jacket. He took off his helmet and let his short dark brown hair free. He tucked his helmet under his arm and made his way back to his family's quarters. He nodded to people here and there, before arriving at the door to his home. He stopped and took in a deep breath, knowing what he would be receiving once he walked in. He pressed the button on the keypad to open the door and walked in and immediately met with the smell of dinner. His mom was home.

"Jordan?" Is that you?" His mom called out from the kitchen.

Jordan winced. "Yeah, Mom."

Luna came out from the kitchen, drying her hands on a washcloth. She looked tired. She always did nowadays. Lines on her face, defining her eyes and smile with more on her forehead. Her hair, collarbone length, was beginning to streak with grey. But his mother was beautiful. She always had been.

"How was your day?"

"It was good." Jordan replied. He stayed and looked at his mom, she knew exactly what he had been doing all day. And he was about to get an earful.

"You've been flying all day I see." Luna nodded to the helmet under his arm.

Jordan sighed. "Yes. Yes, Mom, I have been flying all day."

"Jordan..." She started, and Jordan rolled his eyes.

"Please, Mom."

"Jordan, you can't keep neglecting your duties like this! I know you like flying but you're assigned job isn't a pilot. You're supposed to help Luke train the little ones. He's getting too old to do it and you know there's a limited amount of people who can use the Force." Luna lectured.

Jordan looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. He hated this conversation.

"Mom, I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? Jordan, your father is worried about you-"

"Don't bring Dad into this."