The Empire's Fall (Pt.3)

Chapter Eleven: Conversations

Most of the Rebels on the planet have headed to other parts of the galaxy to continue doing their part to restore peace and democracy. But since the Ewoks said that we could stay, Luke, Leia, Han, Biggs, Wedge, Lando, Chewie, Callum, and I have stayed on the Endor moon. It's been a couple of days since the celebration and this is the first opportunity I've had to spend fixing Artoo, mostly because people wouldn't leave me alone.

"Oh boy. That explosion did a number on you, buddy. I'm going to have to replace some of your circuits and some wires."

Artoo beeps.

"Don't worry, Artoo. I have all of the parts. You'll be fully fixed before you know it."

I grab the parts I need to fix Artoo and get back to work. First I power him off so that he won't electrocute me while I fix him, I've had enough electrocution to last me a lifetime, thank you very much. Next, I remove the burned out circuits, and busted wires. Once I have all of the messed up parts out, I replace them with the new parts.

After everything is connected and the parts are in the right spots, I power Artoo back up, and he beeps at me.

"Yes," I laugh, "I've finished replacing everything. You're good to go now. I'm still not letting Luke, Han, or Leia borrow you for a mission anytime soon though. Not unless I'm going."

I hear a quiet laugh behind me, and turn around. I see Callum, and smile.

"Can I sit?"

"Sure," I pat the ground beside me, and he comes to sit next to me.

When I look back to where Artoo was, I notice that he's left. I roll my eyes, he hated 'third-wheeling' on our trip to find our crystals. I suppose that's why he left. After Callum sits down, we both just sit in silence.

"So... do you want to talk about the other night?" Callum asks.

"Yeah, yeah I do. Where do you want to start?"

"Well, firstly, I meant what I said. I have thought of you as more than a friend for a while now. It took me a while to realize it, but I realized it a while ago. It wasn't just the thought that you might die that made me say that."

I smile, "I meant it too. I figured that I might die that day, and well, I didn't want to die having never told you. But, having the knowledge that you didn't think of me as a friend, or little sister, it helped me a lot while I was on the Death Star. I didn't realize it until Ashas Ree really. But Tython was when I really acknowledged it."

Callum chuckles a bit. "I guess we got around to it at the same time. I first realized it around the time we were on Ashas Ree. My test on Tython had something to do with it, that's part of why I stayed in the temple to switch my crystals out."

I laugh a little, and then lean over into Callum's side. He wraps his arm around me which provides some much appreciated warmth. Endor is a bit colder than I'd like it to be.

I speak up again, "Maybe we can try something like Han and Leia have. Not really friends, but... well, I don't really know what to call it."

"I don't either. Though, when do we tell your brothers about this? I don't particularly want to die."

"Um, well... I don't know, because Luke and Biggs would probably kill you. And I'm not really keen on you dying either. Maybe... I tell them and say that if they kill you I won't talk to them again. That would probably work."