Princess of Darkness

Chapter 9

"You're telling me you don't have a single other dress."

"I didn't realize I would be joining a Rebellion and then going to an awards ceremony."

"I've probably got something. Come on." Lily followed Ava. The princess had been in shock when she learned Lily doing have anything but the clothes on her back. In her room, Ava was forcing her into dress after dress.

"No. No. No." She kept repeating. "Ooh, maybe this!"

The dress she held up was shimmering gold. "Try this."

It was perfect.
***

The ceremony started. Luke and Han had Lily in the center if the boys, and Chewie followed behind. They walked to the stage area, where Ava was waiting.

They walked, Lily in the center, Luke and Solo on either side, and Chewie slightly behind. They bowed at the stage, or in Lily's case, curtsied. Ava took the first medal and placedbit on Luke's lowered head. She did the same with her and Han, and they turned around. There was applause, and Lily caught Eli's eye. He winked.

The ceremony was followed by a party, with foods neither Luke or Lily knew the name of, punch, and a ridiculous amount of handshakes. Like, lots of handshakes, chats and conversations, and introductions. It got late, but there was no way Lily could sleep. She slipped away, and Eli found her.

"Hey. " He sat next to her. "What's up?"

"There were people on that station, Eli. Lots of people. It feels wrong, celebrating their death."

"They're going to have a party for exploding Alderaan and double it as a funeral ceremony. If that makes you feel better." He tried to joke. Lily shot him a look. He sighed. "Sweetheart, they blew up a planet. With more people on it than could fit on their Death Star."

"Eye for an eye, huh? Is that really right? Revenge... It just hurts more people."

"If we hadn't everyone here would be dead. More planets could have gone up in flames. Yes, we took out people. But if we hadn't, it could've ended so much worse."

"Still." Eli smiled.

"You're so innocent." Lily raised her eyebrow. "Ok, not innocent, but idealistic." Lily put her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back. "Come on. Let's get you into bed. We need to change locations, bright and early." She was already asleep. He chuckled and lifted her up.
***
Lily groaned at the alarm she set. How had she even gotten to bed? She changed into her regular clothes. She'd definitely need to go shopping or something soon. Eli had mentioned something about moving before she passed out. She opened the door. Ava was there.

"What time do you even get up in the morning?" Lily grumbled. Ava rolled her eyes and handed her a folder. "What's this?"

"Basically our moving plan. We hadn't counted of Han staying, so you, me, Luke, and Eli with be going with him and Chewie. I can't find them so I'm giving the information to you. There's a meeting in fifteen minutes." She left.

"Ookayy? Looks like she's in a hurry." Lily couldn't blame her. It seemed like she ran half the base and probably had a hundred and one messages to deliver.
***

The meeting was brief and was over quickly. Everyone needed to get all the stuff loaded and secured, in ships and out of there within a half an hour.  Lily had done her part and was trying to find the boys, or Chewie, or Ava, or anyone she knew. 

She practically ran into Eli.

"Finally! I've been looking all over for you! Have you seen Luke or-" He cut her off.

"Everyone else is at the ship. I came to find you." 

"Oh. Well, uh, I have the... thing. Folder." Eli raised an eyebrow.

"Are you-?"

"I don't know. Yes? Maybe? I think I'm coming off of my adrenaline high." He chuckled at her. 

"Okay then. We should get back to that brother of yours before he explodes." 

"I don't know, that might be entertaining." She joked.  He sighed. 

"Come on, you weirdo. We have five minutes to get out of here." They walked off. Eli looked at her with awe, just hoping she wouldn't notice.

She didn't.
***

They boarded the ship and Lily sat by a window. She had always been fascinated by the stars she would travel one day. Now she got to do just that and help people. The Falcon took off. 

After the battle the previous day, the emptiness filled with little dots of light and planets was calming. They leapt into lightspeed. She stayed in the same spot. Last time she had been busy, and didn't really see the blue with white streaks, the whole feeling of moving faster than the brain could begin to comprehend. Luke came down and sat next to her.

"It's beautiful in a way, isn't it?" 

"Yeah. It's not something we've ever really seen is it? It doesn't even seem like this is real, but... It is." Luke looked at his sister. 

"You've been thinking about that too much." He finally said.

"I really have."
***

Leia rolled her eyes at the sheer stupidity of the officers in the room. They were stuttering fools who feared her and her father. 

"We lost many on that Death Star that all of you said the Rebellion could not defeat. How do explain that?" His voice boomed.

"M'Lord-" He was cut of by Leia choking him.

"No excuses." She snarled and released him. "Any of you." A smug, recently promoted admiral stood.

"M'Lord, M'Lady, I have a plausible reason for the sabotage."

"We're listening." Leia deadpanned.

  "The scientist and traitor Galen Erso planted a flaw, so small it is invisible unless you have the blueprints the Rebels got their filthy hands on. The exhaust port had no shields, and had a straight shot to the main reactor. One shot was plenty to-"

"Yes, we all saw the rest. Thank you for your opinion." Vader cut him off. He bowed and sat. Vader turned to the architects. "I want only the most loyal scientists working on the new one. The Emperor wants it to display the full power of the Empire. Make sure it does not disappoint. If it does, and it is destroyed as this one was, you can be assured that it will be your last project."

The Sith left with a turn of the cape.

The air around the officers was cold as the last threat hung in the balance.

A/N Hey I did it! Sorry it took so long, I had major writers block, I have a job that I've been busy with and I did a total reconstruction of the chapter. Like seriously.