The Third Skywalker

Victory At Last

Time ticked by slowly, as if I was counting milliseconds. Ships continued to blink off the radar as they were shot down, one by one. I stared intently at the holoscreen, watching one particular fighter closely. Luke Skywalker's. I had heard his last name some time into my stay at the Rebellion base, and I was the slightest but skeptical about our matching last names being a coincidence. 

He had lived onTatooine with his aunt and uncle. Our aunt and uncle. But they were dead now. The Empire had killed them. He had always seemed so familiar, like a face out of a dream. His presence was soothing, his smile much like my own. I could see myself in him, and him in me. 

I watched his fighter closely. Nothing could happen to him. Nothing would.  He was born with jedi reflexes, the force filling his every thought with foresight and strength. He was born to be a Jedi. I could only hope I would one day be the same. 

Then we were in range. There were two fighters left near the Death Star, Luke's, and a friend's damaged ship. He had pulled out, not being able to complete the offensive flight pattern. I could almost feel the rays heating up, the station preparing to wipe the face of the rebels out of existence. I took a deep breath cautiously, slowly, preparing myself to be no more. 

But I didn't have to. 

Only moments later, Luke's shot hit the main reactor, blowing the entire battle  station to smithereens. Then I felt my father's presence go spiraling off through space, fast and uncontrolled. He must have gone out in a fighter to personally finish the job, I thought slowly. I relaxed sightly, relieved for a moment that he wasn't dead. Then I looked back towards the holoscreen. Three ships were returning, two of the rebellion's fighters, and one Millennium Falcon. I grinned and whooped. Han had decided to come back after all.

He had thoroughly convinced me that while he disagreed with the Empire, that he had no willingness to give up his life fighting for the rebellion. But then again, I guess he couldn't let Luke take all the credit. Not Han. He'd want a reward for this too, I was sure. Perhaps a kiss from the princess. I sniggered, picturing Leia's look of disgust if that was ever to happen. She was much too up front and serious, and Han was more cocky and had the largest smart mouth I had ever seen. Besides myself, of courage. I prided myself in witty comebacks. 

When their ships landed, I raced out of the control room, running to congratulate Luke for his excellent shot, and Han for coming back. I could tell he wasn't thrilled, but he no longer had it in him to walk out on his friends. Not right now. 

Grinning, I enjoyed our small moment of victory. We had destroyed the Death Star. We had put a stop to the Empire's, plans. But only shortly. We had stalled them. They were like a hydra, the more you cut off, the more grew back in its place. This wasn't going g to be their first battle station. Far from it. They would make a new one, bigger, better, stronger. 

But there was nothing we could do about it now. So for the moment, I threw my head back and laughed. I felt like I hadn't done that in years. We had done it.