High Heavens (Star Wars - Luke Skywalker)

XVI - Two Kinds of Battles

After a few moments, the two girls took a moment to assess each other, wiping away tears until they both agreed they no longer looked as distressed as they felt. Making her way back into the lounge with Leia at her side, Mara looked up as Han came running in from the cockpit, looking them over. 

"Come on, kids, we're not out of this yet."

Mara glanced across the lounge, to the radar panels. Three blips across the screen we're coming towards them. TIE-fighters. 

Part of Mara was relieved. Losing her planet? Sith Lords? Death? She couldn't process those things right now. But a battle? That was something she understood better than anything. 

Like second nature, she was belting out orders before anyone could say something more: "Luke and I've got gunner positions!"

"Hey, wait a minute, kid-" Han said, but Mara interrupted him as if he hadn't even spoke in the first place.

"Han, get back in the cockpit with Chewie. Leia, you're our navigator. Get those calculations made on the double. We shouldn't stick around here for long."

Han stared at Mara in disbelief as Leia ran to the cockpit. "Listen here, Mar'-"

Mara rounded on him. "You listen to me, Han. Right now, I'm the captain, and you're the smuggler." She stared at him coldly, no trace of friendship in her eyes; nothing but the lifeless flare of a Rebel who had seen too much for her age. "So get to your position."

Without another word, she whirled around, leaving Han dumbstruck behind her as she headed off to the gunner pits. Luke tailed behind her (subconsciously keeping a safe distance, as he had  seen the look in her eyes when she'd spoken to Han). He slid down the ladder as Mara climbed up, both of them slipping into the gunner chairs. 

"You in, Luke?" she asked after slipping on a white headset, powering on the target computer in front of her.

"Yeah, I'm in," came Luke's voice from the other end.

"Alright, get ready."

The computer blinked to life, lines appearing to form a grid with an oval in the center. The seat she was on swiveled to the left as she pointed the cannon in the same direction to test it.

"Here they come," said Leia, presumably from the cockpit.

"Four of 'em," Han added. "on all sides. Good luck."

No sooner after Han said this did the Falcon shake violently, a few lights flickering out briefly. A TIE-fighter passed right by Mara's gun, swooping around her shots with annoying ease. 

"They're coming in too fast!" Luke exclaimed.

Mara grit her teeth in frustration. She didn't want to admit it, but he was right. TIEs were built to be quick and agile - it was like trying to hit a fly from the Falcon.

Another bombing run from the Imperial fighters caused another shudder, Leia informing them,

"We've lost the lateral controls!"

"Don't worry, she'll hold together," Han promised the others, but Mara could hear him mumble, "Hear me, baby? Hold together."

The howl of the TIE-fighters surrounded them from every direction, as they swarmed in and out of range like insects. Mara followed the path of one fighter, finally slamming down the trigger to fire. Red blasts shot out in front of her, finally colliding with the TIE in a short but massive explosion. She let out a triumphant shout, signaling to the others of her success.