>Ch. 21<
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"I'm sure they see you now and are proud."
.
In Alora's eyes, the Galaxy was dark and glum which reflected the Empire's defeat.
Stars twinkled as the fighter flew smoothly past.
A grey planet soon came into view and the X-wing descended into it's misty atmosphere.
"Welcome to dagobah." Luke announced over her com.
Alora peeked out at the earth below, it was covered in brown; Brown water, brown trees and a brown sky.
'So this was the infamous Dagobah?'
To her dismay, it wasn't as appeasing as it sounded.
Luke and R2 beat her out. Both waited patiently on the swampy shore for her.
She was reluctant when climbing out of her seat.
The second the air hit her nose she felt sick to her stomach by the overwhelming stench of mildew filling her senses.
"You'll get used to it." Luke remarked a little too confidently.
Alora ignored him as she focused on her balance down the metal of the fighter.
The farm boy offered a hand while she reached the edge and she took it obligingly.
"When we get to the hut it won't be as bad."
"Uhuh." Alora replied, sounding rather skeptic.
R2 beeped in a way that she took as mockery and she scolded him.
~
The crackling of the fire was music to Alora's ears.
After numerous attempts the two finally managed to create a spark.
While it was still unbearably humid, with the sun completely gone the temptature had dropped massively.
Alora sat comfortably in the path of the fire's warmth whilst Luke looked through the small hut for some old Jedi texts.
It didn't long for him to come out with a big stack of books in his arms.
"Got them."
"That's great, so we can go?!"
You could say Alora was joking with him but in all honesty she was desperate to get off the swamp planet.
Luke laughed in reply. "We've got to get some rest but we'll leave by mid day tomorrow, promise."
Alora jokingly rolled her eyes and let out a groan before letting out a chuckle.
"It's fine, I'll survive."
"I only hope." He retorted. "Don't know how I'll explain to the crew if you didn't."
The two laughed in unison till R2 beeped something that had Luke fall completely silent.
"The hut isn't big but you can sleep in there if you'd like." he proposed.
Alora gave a him a thankful smile "Thanks."
"And I'll sleep out here."
'Beep beep.' R2 computed and then he let out a piercing whistle which made Luke glare.
"Cut it out!" He shouted at the droid.
Alora didn't speak droid but by the sounds of that whistle, she had an idea and she found it funny.
R2D2 was not the average droid. She was beginning to believe he was an actual person trapped inside of that metal shell.
As she laughed, Luke let out a sound of exasperation while R2 just continued to beep him out.
"Sometimes I wish I could strangle you with your wires!"
"Relax he's just messing with you." Alora giggled.
Already her cheeks were starting to hurt yet she enjoyed it.
It'd been awhile since she had a good laugh.
~
After what felt like hours went by, the night went from abrupt laughter to soft whispers.
The fire had began to dim out. The dying flames danced as two silhouettes came together behind its warm glow.
"My uncle was a good man." Luke sighed.
Neither of them noticed but they had drifted so close to eachother, they were almost leaning into one another's shoulders.
Alora listened intently to every word of Luke's story.
She'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy listening to him talk.
"Having died the way they did, it was hard to accept but now I realize what their deaths symbolize as I've told you on Endor."
He glanced down at the gorgeous woman before him and he felt something familiar in his heart.
An image of that night on Endor with the stars creating a halo over the woman's head flashed in his mind and his stomach felt strange.
Drawing in a breath, Luke pushed the image away and continued.
"I sometimes wish they were able to see what I've become."
"I'm sure they see you now and are proud." Alora blurted and it took both of them by surprise.
That was not something Alora ever thought she'd hear herself say, especially not to an enemy.
Catching the sparkle in her eyes, Luke blushed.
"I think you're right."
In that moment, Alora caught a glimpse of that shy farm boy who once blushed down at her as he politely asked her to move.
And she thought of the exchange they had after she embarrassed herself by falling into the sand when trying to get on her speeder. Luke made her feel nervous.
"The suns here are quite mesmerizing, I must admit."
"They are. I remind myself everyday of that but when you've lived on this planet you're whole life it kind of gets old. I do enjoy the sunsets still. I don't meant to complain."
She remembered at that same time wishing he'd just shut up and let her leave yet she also didn't want to leave.
It was crazy to think back and see how fast they both have matured over a few years.
While Luke was this annoying kid, Alora was put to the test in her first mission, a kid herself.
Now they were grown adults, able to control those feelings a lot better than they used to.
Some situations really grew a person.
Alora hadn't realized Luke was gravitating even closer to her.
He was so close she could make out scars on his face she hadn't noticed before.
In her chest she felt her frozen heart come alive, it pounded loudly like it was fighting to come out and her stomach sank.
What was this feeling?
Alora sat like a bantha in the headlights of a speeder unsure of what to do.
Just as his head dipped in, it suddenly jerked back and he began to clear his throat erratically.
Alora immediately got up to quickly tie a knot with her orange jumpsuit sleeves around her waist and fixed her white tank before finally pushing herself to say something.
"Goodnight." Was all she could muster up to say and before Luke could respond she was already in the hut with the door slammed shut.
Closing his eyes Luke held onto the force to balance his feelings out.
This woman was a potential threat yet his attraction towards her was growing stronger to the point it was starting to get in the way of his focus.
Luke stayed up most of the night thinking.
Thinking about Alora, thinking about his losses, his friends, thinking about everything.
~
The next morning the air between them shifted.
Like a silent agreement, the two forgot about what happened that night.
While Alora went to go check on some things in the X-Wing, Luke took his chance to search the hut for clues she might've left behind.
He looked through her blankets but found nothing. He next checked a cabinet beside her blankets and to his lucky surprise he found a hilt much like his own only this one was painted black and it had crescent connected to the base.
It was cold to the touch in his gloved hand. The weight of it heavy from years of pain and sadness that it held within.
It was almost like the weapon was smirking up at him.
Luke clenched his jaw as he realized that Alora was more than a danger.
His thumb ghosted over the button for a moment until finally he pushed it, conforming his suspicions....
[A/N]
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