Rise of the Teenage Conquerors

Episode 1.11

Leana studied Lucas' grim expression. He seriously believes this. "Lucas, I want to do this," she said. "Really. I want to fly. I've always wanted to fly, Lucas, you know this." In a quieter voice she added, "Lucas, you know me better than anyone. I've always wanted an adventure, and now I've got one. Please, let me have it."

Lucas just looked at Leana for a long moment, an expression that was a mixture of concern and something else on his face, giving his features that strangely "Lucas" look Leana had come to know ever since they became best friends at the age of eight. She'd given up trying to puzzle out its exact meaning at the age of thirteen when she'd asked him what was wrong at the Valentine's Day dance after dancing with Darren Holden and he'd responded with that look.

"What's wrong?" she'd asked him, cocking her head to the side. She distinctly remembered how odd it was that her hair didn't brush against her back as she shifted her head, as instead of being bound back in its regular ponytail, it had been braided into a bun. The only motion she got from her hair was the small wisps waving about her face falling against her ear, tickling it.

Lucas had given Leana the barest hint of a smile, the kind that didn't reach his eyes. She'd seen that look more since then, but this was the first she remembered seeing him with this particular slight smile, not the sheepish one she'd grown used to on him. "Nothing," he'd said, lifting his red plastic cup at her, half filled with a drink. "The soda's flat."

"Well, if it's flat, dance with me," Leana had said then, impetuously, and Lucas had given her one of his signature, real smiles, set his cup down, and taken her hand. He hadn't held it long but Leana would distinctly remember how odd his fingers felt twining with hers for a long while afterward.

"Okay, Leana," Lucas said now, meeting her gaze and lifting his eyebrows slightly. That elusive grin touched his lips, just barely changing their position. "Go ahead, fly the speeder. Live your adventure to the fullest. Just...you know, don't die? Please?"

"I'll try," Leana said, grinning back at him. She felt something strange in her gut, and flashbacked again to that eighth grade dance when she'd asked Lucas to dance with her. But an evacuation was no time to ask Lucas to dance; and no other option for reacting to her gut feeling presented itself.

Luke, meanwhile, was waiting impatiently just on the edge of hearing range. When Leana turned away from Lucas, he tilted her head at her. "Ready?"

"Yep," Leana answered, restraining a grin. "Let's go save the Rebellion."

Luke laughed and they continued over to the far side of the hangar, where Ben was standing, looking around at the other pilots. "I hear you're short on pilots," he observed. "I can fly, if necessary."

Luke nodded. "I'll get you two flight suits and helmets. Come with me."

****

Lucas had found his way back to the Falcon when he felt Lumina's hand on his arm. "Lucas," she said quietly. "You're being requested to join the battle."

Lucas' eyes widened. "What? Really?"

Lumina nodded. "Leia requested you specifically. Apparently, Han gave you a really good review."

It's not like I did much, Lucas thought. I just shot at a probe droid that I already knew would self-destruct. He glanced up at the ship. Or maybe he just recommended me to get rid of me. Yeah, that sounds like Han.

"You need to gear up again," Lumina told him. "Action's about to start."

****

Leana climbed into her speeder, pulling her helmet on over her dark hair. The orange flight suit was baggy around her legs and shoulders, but it was insulated and warm and she knew it would come in handy. Already, the hangar had begun to feel colder than it had before.

"Hey," came a voice behind her, and Leana glanced over her shoulder to see a young man sitting behind her. "I'm Egan Illip, the gunner."

"Leana Ganner, the pilot," Leana introduced. "I'd shake your hand, but I don't think I could twist around to do so."

Egan laughed. "Ready for this?"

"Yep," Leana said.

****

It was everything Ben could do not to crack his fingers while he sat waiting in his speeder. His gunner was as silent as the grave, and hadn't even bothered to give Ben his name.

"Let's do this," Ben muttered, feeling nervous. "Let's win this, let's change this."

A glint caught his eye and he frowned, tilting his head. Wedged by his boot was a silvery, cylindrical object that had most certainly not been there when Ben had climbed into the cockpit. Leaning forward, he picked it up and held it in his hands.

It was a lightsaber.

****

Lumina stood with Leia in the command center, hands clasped behind her back. "Prepare to fire the ion cannon," Rieekan said, peering at a monitor over a controller's shoulder. "All fighters, stand by. Transports, ready for the evacuation."

"Let's show these Imperials what we've got," Lumina murmured.

Leia glanced at her. "They're about to find out exactly what we got."

The two girls shared devious yet anxious smiles before directing their eyes back to the monitor.