" if it all goes wrong
darling just hold on "
General Rieekan grimly glances up from a computer screen in front of them, and motions to the group of Rebels just entering the command room. "Princess, we have a visitor."
They crowd around the computer screen. "We've picked up something outside the base in zone twelve, moving east."
"It's metal." The computer operator interjects.
"Then it couldn't be one of those creatures." Leia sighs in relief. Another one of those things was the last thing they needed.
"It could be a speeder, one of ours." Han suggests.
"All of our speeders have been accounted for." Flynn shoots down the suggestion.
"Wait," the operator pauses, "there's a weak signal coming through."
A short robotic transmission broadcasts over their speakers, before ending in static. Threepio overhears the transmission, and wanders over to the General. "Sir, I am fluent in six million forms of communication. This signal is not used by the Alliance. It could be an Imperial code."
Flynn and Elara share a grim look. "We're screwed." She mouths to him.
"It isn't friendly, whatever it is," Han motions for Chewie to follow him, "Come on, Chewie, let's check it out."
"Send Rogues Ten and Eleven to station three-eight," Rieekan instructs Flynn, "and Princess, you and Aldridge stand by on the radios."
"Yes, sir."
•••
"Afraid there's not much left." Han announces over the radio.
"What was it?" Leia inquires.
"Droid of some kind. I didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct."
Oh no.
"An Imperial probe droid." Leia's face drops.
"It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here."
Rieekan stiffens. "We'd better start the evacuation."
Elara activates the evacuation signal, before scurrying off behind Leia to instruct the pilots and other personnel to load their belongings onto the transports.
•••
Elara meets Luke outside of their room, now dressed in his pilot gear. "We got everything?"
"Yes?" He furrows his brows. Is this a trick question?
She pulls a clear bag with three small medicine bottles inside from her jacket pocket. The doctor had given him several prior to his release from the medbay. "You forgot these."
"Oops?"
"You can't forget those, hotshot. They're kinda important," she tossed the bag into his hand, "you left them in the recovery room."
"Sorry, Ellie." He shoves the bag into one of the many pockets on his pilot jumpsuit.
"Thank you, now, c'mon, Leia's briefing the pilots now."
"Ellie, I'm leading the ground assault in the speeders, not escorting the transports." He reminded her.
"Right. Never mind. I'm still walking you over there though," she asserted, motioning for him to follow her, "I'm not letting you out of my sight after that last stunt, Skywalker."
"Ellie, nothings gonna happen between here and the hangar."
"Skywalker, you're the only one who could possibly find a way to get mauled on a planet as desolate as this one, so I'm walking you. End of story." Her voice turned to ice.
"Ellie," he placed a gentle hand on her tense shoulder, stopping her in her tracks, "It's ok. I survived, didn't I?"
She whipped around, staring him down with deep brown eyes clouded by a mixture of anger and love. "It's okay? You almost died, Luke. If I'm being quite honest, I don't know how you're even alive right now. I think I get to be a little protective, don't you think," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "if you die that leaves me to deal with Han and Leia's constant bickering by myself."
"I'm sorry, Ellie."
She ignores him, and continues briskly down the frigid corridor.
She comes to a halt at the Falcon. Han had chosen to leave, and she knew Luke would want to say his goodbyes.
Who knew if they'd ever see the cocky smuggler or his furry copilot again?
"Hey Chewie, take care of yourself, okay?" Luke calls out to the Wookiee. Chewie engulfs him in a suffocating hug.
Han looks down to see the exchange. "Hey kid," he turns back to a droid that was helping fix the Falcon, "There's got to be a reason for it. Check it at the other end. Wait a second."
He turns back to Luke with genuine concern. "You alright?"
"Yeah."
"Be careful," He chuckles, "I won't be there to save you next time."
"Same to you."
"Take care, Solo, Chewie." Elara solemnly called out, continuing towards the speeders.
She stops a few feet from his assigned speeder. "Well, I guess this is it," she loosens up, allowing a smirk to form on her lips, "now, don't you get yourself killed, hotshot."
Something about her demeanor drove him insane. He stifles a laugh, and takes a step closer to her, locking eyes with hers for a quick moment, before planting an interrupted kiss onto her cold lips. "Hey, Luke! You ready to go?
She pulls herself away, and looks back up to him. "I guess you'd better get going then."
He turns away, and wanders off towards a nearby speeder, where a fellow pilot is patiently waiting.
Elara also turns leave, but as she does, she nearly runs into a familiar face, one who was holding a toddler in her arms. "Force, Shara I'm so sorry!"
"It's ok, Ellie," she looks down at her son, "we didn't want to interrupt Auntie, isn't that right Poe?"
The curly headed toddler giggles, and reaches out for his mother's friend. "Ara!"
"Ok, buddy," Shara transfers him into Elara's arms. Immediately, he wraps his arms around her shoulders, and buries his head into her neck in an effort to give a makeshift hug. His dark curls resembled those of his mother, who watched him lovingly cling to her friend. "
"What are you doing little guy," she laughs as he lifts his head, only to fiddle with the hood of her jacket, attempting to flip it up and down over her head, and then turns to Shara, "so are you and Kes evacuating together with this little guy or are you gonna go separately?"
"Kes is gonna be one of the escorts, so I'm taking this dude on the transport by myself. He said he'd meet me at rendezvous."
Elara smiles down at Poe, still playing with her jacket. She playfully taps her shoulder, and he looks up to her with his sparkling brown eyes. "Guess what I heard Poe? You're going on an adventure with mommy! Is that true?"
He begins to giggle uncontrollably, waving his arms up and down with excitement.
Elara glances behind them at the fighters beginning to leave. "Looks you need to head out then," she hands Poe back over to his mother, "I wouldn't want you or the little guy to be in danger by staying during the battle. We don't know what they've got up their sleeves this time."
•••
"Hobbie, I've been hit!" Elara listens to the static filled transmission from Luke's fighter. She slammed her headset down. "Force!"
The command center is in shambles following an Imperial strike. Ice and snow caved in from the ceiling, destroying everything it touched. Leia, Elara, Threepio, Flynn, and few others made the decision to stay. Han came scrambling in, climbing over the debris to get to Leia.
"You all right?"
Leia looks to the pilot, shocked. Wasn't he supposed to be gone already? "Why are you still here?"
"I heard the command center had been hit." He breathed, his eyes frantically scanning her for injuries.
"You got your clearance to leave."
"Don't worry, Princess, I'll leave," he grabbed her arm, "First I'm getting you two to your ship."
"Leia," Elara whispered, "we should leave."
"Your Highness, we must take this last transport. It's our only hope." Threepio panicked.
Leia freed herself from Han's grip, and leaned over Flynn, "Send all troops in sector twelve to the south slope to protect the fighters."
Another blast rocks the command center, knocking Elara off her feet, nearly taking Han Solo with her. He grabs her hand, and hastily pulls her off the ground.
"Imperial troops have entered the base."
"Come on, that's it!" He grabs Leia's arm once again.
"Give the evacuation code signal. And get to your transports!"
Han leads Leia out, followed closely by Elara, Flynn and Threepio.
"Oh, wait for me!"
a/n
hello! I hope you all enjoyed the little surprise this update! also, sorry this was more of a filler chapter, but I promise there will be better to come soon. also. I am sure you all now realize what Oliver was truly like and remember what I said about Flynn being his best friend, while that is true, I assure Flynn is nothing like him. He is my pure innocent boi and I will say he actually never knew what was going on. I am def gonna try to set up that arc of him finding out and stuff because Elara also never told him about it... so stay tuned for that. this is why I am also having him join the Falcon gang and going to cloud city
anyways, don't be a ghost reader, and remember to vote and comments if you enjoyed! this chapter is dedicated to shangchis for the amazing cover she made! def go give her a follow!! she's an amazing writer and graphic designer :)