Chapter 40:
We get on a tram and I prepare myself mentally. I'm going to be flying again, a fighter. I haven't flown in ages, now is the truthful time. Can I do it? The tram comes to a stop and we hop off. I tighten my hair and sigh. I follow Leia and she hugs an aged man. The man sees me.
"Miss Mara!" he smiles generously. Organa told him about me.
"Hello," I smile.
"Wait a second. You're the Mara Jubilee? I wasn't expecting you to be so young. My father spoke of you all of the time. 'Such a talented woman,' he said," Leia grins.
"I'm flattered," I smile. "We must get started. Before it's too late."
"Indeed," the man says. He leads us to a room and they hook up R2 to a screen. Leia stands in the front. The screen shows a dissected map of the sphere I had in my mind. Men that are in similar uniforms with each other sit around, waiting to go. One is staring at me. I bet if he knew actually how old I am, he wouldn't be staring. They begin to speak about the plan for the defeat of the station.
"Miss, will you be here or out there?" the speaker asks me.
"I'll fly," I reply kindly. Everyone stares at me. "What? Can't a girl fly?" They all turn back slowly.
"Alright. One fighter can destroy the defenses," the speaker continues. I think I can wing it. I've always been good with that. They won't expect me. "A precise hit will trigger a chain reaction and destroy the station. Only a precise hit. They use ray shields so you'll need proton torpedoes."
"But that's impossible," a man next to Luke says.
"No it isn't," I smirk.
"Alright then, man your ships and may the force be with us," the speaker says. I swing my arms and wiggle my shoulders. I put on the helmet I have and I jog to an X-Wing fighter.
"Mara, are you sure about this?" Leia calls to me.
"Of course. Haven't flown in years. Time to get out there again," I smile. I see Luke talking to Han, who is packing to leave. "It's a pity, he's a good pilot," I say about Han. Luke walks angrily away from Han. "Not much of a people person though." They load in the astro-droid to my fighter and it's not R2. I take off my helmet and look at it. It's labeled 'Green-12'. "Let me guess, you had this ready for me to come around and help you?"
"What do you mean?" Leia asks.
"Green's my favorite color," I smile halfheartedly. Leia smiles then sees Luke go to his ship. "Go on," I smile. I climb in my ship as Leia walks to Luke. I slide on my helmet again. I place my hand on the ring around my neck. "I can do this," I whisper. I strap my helmet tight and I see my vision from the goggles turn yellow. "I can do this," I repeat. I tighten my fingerless gloves that I've had forever. My ship starts to make noises of it turning on. "I know I can do this," I try and convince myself. I shut the cockpit door. I focus myself on the controls. Not much of a change. I tap some button and I slowly pull a lever and I feel myself start to hover. I adjust my microphone. "Hey Luke?" I call into it.
"Yeah?" he answers. A smile appears on my face.
"The force will be with you. Always," I say like Obi-Wan said to me. I soar out and get the familiar feeling of leaving an atmosphere. I follow the large group of other fighters and I blend right in.
"All wings report in," a voice says.
"Green 12, standing by," I say into the microphone. Everyone else is red, not surprised due to the fact I'm important and a girl. The rest are random men.
"Red 5, standing by," Luke says. I flip a switch that expands my wings and I see the station. "
"Turn your deflectors on," a voice tells. I flip two switches and I keep myself calm.
"Look at the size of that thing," a man's voice says.
"Big, huh?" I say back. I don't know what it is, but when I'm flying, I get more fun.
"Accelerate to attack speed," someone commands. I press a button.
"This is where the fun starts," I smile. I say the line just like Anakin did a long time ago. I try and see if I can sense Anakin in there. My mind isn't certain, but he's in there. I see shots start to fly.
"This is Red 5, I'm going in," Luke says.
"Be careful," I sigh. He shoots and dives into smoke. "Pull up!" He does so.
"Are you alright Luke?" someone asks.
"I got a little cooked but I'm alright," Luke replies. I target a turrent and I shoot at it. I miss a few times and I pull out of the way.
"There's a lot of fire coming from that deflection side," someone warns.
"I'm on it," Luke says.
"Then I'm going too," I state. I fly following Luke and I hear more people. I shoot at the tower and I feel my ring slide across my chest.
"I have a problem here," someone says.
"Then pull up!" I yell.
"I can handle it," he replies. "I'm al-" I hear blasts and that man's signal disappear.
"I warned him," I roll my eyes.
"Tell him to trust his feelings," Obi-Wan's voice says. Is that in my head?
"Luke, trust your feelings instead," I say.
"What?" he asks.
"Just do it," I whisper.
"Leaders, we found a new signal. Enemy fighter coming your way," a voice says. "
"Alright," I say. I start to sense the fighters. "There you are..."
"I don't see anything!" Luke says.
"Behind us... Six of them. Here they come," I sing.
"You've got one on your tail Green," someone warns. Do what I do best, of course.
"Watch out!" I warn everyone. I do my classic backflip and I trap the fighter in front of me. I hear other shooting.
"I'm hit!" someone shouts. Then, his signal breaks.
"Damn it!" I hiss. "My gosh, if you pick one up, shake them off."
"I can't shake this one!" another shouts. "It's on me tight!"
"I'll be right there," Luke says.
"Luke! No!" I hiss. He goes off anyways. I debate over this for a bit. I decide to follow him. I see him trap a TIE fighter in between them. I see Luke shoot it and it blows up. "Great job," I smile. My heart gets a clenched feeling. Anakin again. I don't know what he's doing or what he's planning, but it can't be good.
"Watch your backs Luke and Mara," someone warns.
"What? Why?" I ask quickly. I sense it now. Fighter on my tail. I can sense the blaster aim at me and I dodge out of the way. It focuses on Luke and it hits him. "Luke!" I panic.
"I'm hit but not bad," Luke says. I let a breath of relief.
"He's not going to leave us alone!" I shout.
"I'm on him!" someone says. Oh good, back up. "
"Where are they?" Luke hisses.
"Calm down, they aren't that smart," I smirk. A person zooms past me and destroys the fighter. "Thank you!" I feel weird. I suck in a large breath.
"Mara. Mara are you alright?" Luke panics. Anakin, he's near, very near. Like right behind us near.
"I-I can't do this," I stammer.
"Yes you can. I know you can," Luke says back.
"They're coming in. Three of them!" a gold team says.
"Oh come on. I think I can find a way to get the enemy communication," I mumble. I start to try and figure out how. I hear and explosion. "Who was that?"
"Gold I think," Luke says in reply.
"I can't maneuver!" a gold member says.
"Stay on target," anther says.
"They're too close!"
"Stay on target." Then, another explosion. "Gold 5 to red leader, we lost Hutch. It came from behind-"
Boom. "Damn it!" I hiss. "Luke," I say calmly.
"Luke take Red 2, 3, and Green 12," base says.
"Got it," I reply. I race down into the place the gold team was supposed to go. I defend myself from the turrents. I don't feel the clench go away. Anakin's out here, but where?
