𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. | a. skywalker

𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

As our cruisers entered the Aleen atmosphere, I all but forgot about my distaste for landings as another feeling washed over me in waves. Though I had become more attune to my emotions as of late, I was slightly unsettled by this unfamiliar one that coursed through my veins as the surface neared.

Seeing the landscape through my eyes was nothing short of nostalgic for me. Though it had been nearly 15 years since I last stepped foot here, the only difference was the collapsed buildings coming into view. The mountains reigned supreme to the west, but from any point of view, there were large, rocky pillars scattered amongst the reddish surface, unsurprisingly, also made of rock.

Where there was rock, there was Aleen, for the planet was nothing without it.

From the view of the vast space, the planet looks luscious, with a green haze illuminating it from the distance, with swirls of grey peeking through, but once the atmosphere is breached, it looks almost inhabitable. Most water sources are entirely underground, save for a few rivers scattered past the mountains.

I was drawn to the muted hues, the cracks and crevices of a weathered surface. I wondered if the air still felt the same, as dry as the deserts on Tatooine, but as cool as the forests of Endor.

I was homesick for a home I never got to call my own.

"Lorelei, we are preparing the landing sequence," Flash announced, freeing me of my inner thoughts.

For now.

"Right on schedule. Thank you, Commander. I'm sure the Aleena are anxiously awaiting our arrival."

Sure enough, the small creatures were jumping with joy as we stepped off the ships. They had lizard like features with large eyes and small, razor sharp teeth, though they always housed a smile. The purple-grey skin would let them blend in easily with their surroundings, if not for the lavish accessories they donned. They were almost cute, though their spiritual customs were always quite strange to me.

"Su faa zee Manchucho! Su faa zee Manchucho!" they cried, hugging the legs of the clones as we began to assess the situation.

Climber turned to me with a puzzled look on his face as the Aleena clung to his armor, poking and pulling it in every direction. "Uhh, Lorelei? What are they saying... and doing?"

I laughed at the sight of them. "They're saying 'welcome to our disaster.' As for what they're doing... well, I warned you that they were strange."

Ardent laughed from inside the ship as the Aleena swarmed Climber. "I see you've made friends!"

"I want to see you out here, shiny," Climber grunted, and I let the two bicker as I searched for the leader of the tribe.

I spotted an Aleena sporting an unusually large red hat, one almost the size of his body, and I knew almost instantly that he was the one I was searching for.

"Hish, riy na," I greeted. "De treepo pan Repabolic. Kaza Lorelei, de Duende, za hota a za Jedi Order."
(Hello, honored one. We are from the Republic. I am Lorelei, from Duende, and now of the Jedi Order.)

"Oh, na Jedi? Zu top pik gee?" he asked.
(Oh, a Jedi? Are you here to save us?)

"Tan. Ping, koso za san koke to mana shey-bui. Ru neeta, pot ya okna det?"
(Yes. Access and repair of your mainframe computers is job one. But tell me, what do you need from us?)

"Kana," he said, his expression falling. "Manchucho friyk zee urshna zu rupos, za zu erudi pan ruutna."
(Food. The disaster destroyed almost all of our crops, and our people are starving.)

"Ghun et mlin," I replied. "Evvest rust za-mi umyl koko to mana, za'l hish potnee kana za awanee."
(We can help. I will have some of my squadron repair your computers, and the others distribute the food and resources.)