Fighting for Skywalker ↬ Star Wars

Escape From Alderaan

Leia piloted the Ambriel onto Docking Pad Three on the surface of Alderaan. Luke gasped at the snowy mountains before them. "They look so..." Luke trailed off in amazement. Leia liked seeing him so excited about something. With everything going on in her life, moments like these were hard to come by.

"I know. I was here when I was just a few years younger than you. That was thirty-five years ago," Leia sighed, realizing that it had been so long, and she was getting old.

"Woah," Luke laughed. "Now, come on! There are so many things we need to do!" Luke grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the ramp. Leia was a bit surprised as her son yanked her but the feeling soon passed. She felt elated and hadn't felt like this in so long. Alderaan gleamed, and a light was being reflected from the snow, making it seem even brighter.

"Mom! Look!" Luke pointed at the palace. The palace seemed more elegant than Leia remembered. Now that she was older, she could appreciate the beauty of it all. The spires seemed to pierce the sky, and the silver shone.

"That's where Queen Organa lives. Our family knew her parents, Bail, and Breha, quite well," Leia explained. Luke stretched out 'oh' and nodded. "For the most part, Alderaan is a peaceful planet. They are pacifists. It's a nice way to live, I suppose, but sometimes we have no choice but to fight for what is right," Leia explained to her son. Luke contemplated that for a few moments and then tightened his hold on her hand, leading them further into the city.

"It's been awhile since breakfast, why don't we go find something to eat?" Leia offered, realizing she was hungry and that it was later in the day. Time seemed to have whizzed by her in a blur. "Sure," Luke obliged and let her take the lead. They decided to find some food and then take it outside to eat. The walk wasn't long to a vendor, food never was too far away.

"So mom, you've been here before, then? Why? What was it like?" Luke asked her once they had purchased their food and found a place to eat. Leia nearly choked on the food in her mouth, memories assaulting her relentlessly. That trip had been an important one.

"Uncle Luke and Grandma Padme were elsewhere at the time. It was just Grandpa Anakin, the Jedi and I. It was a pit stop before we arrived on Tatooine, I'm not sure why, though. I was too young to really care and never thought to ask about it later," Leia shrugged, giving him the simple version of the story.

"Oh, come on! There's got to be more than that," Luke urged her to spill what she had kept to herself. Oh, there was definitely more...

"Chewie! Shh!" A boy's voice hissed. More howling came in response. A boy and a tall hairy figure ran into the clearing but froze when they saw the Jedi.

"I have a bad feeling about this.." The boy muttered. "Who're you, you scruffy looking nerf-herder!" She shouted, earning a look from her father. "Who's scruffy lookin'!?" The boy looked offended. Leia rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm Han Solo," the boy said gruffly.

"And this is Chewbacca," the boy said gesturing to the giant fur ball. "I told you who I am, now who're you?" Han looked her over. "Leia Skywalker." She responded, looking Han in the eye despite the height difference.

"Skywalker..ah, kriff..." Han muttered. "And why are you nervous about Skywalker's?" Anakin glanced at Solo skeptically. "Powerful people and...you're Anakin Skywalker aren't you?" Han sighed. Her father nodded.

"Well, I'll be heading back to my ship-" Han and Chewie started to turn, but Anakin stopped them. "Ship? Could we possibly..uh, borrow it?" He asked desperately. "No one pilots the Millennium Falcon but me! No way!" Han shouted.