STARCROSSED (a star wars story)

3: in our dreams

"Mark! Axel!"

I spot my friends almost right away on beds near the entrance as we enter the next ward. This ward is equally filled with aliens of every imaginable Star Wars species.

My first instinct is to look them over for injuries. Apart from the bandage around Mark's head, they're both clearly conscious and well. In fact, they're sitting on the edge of their beds, chatting, as a blue-skinned Twi'lek medic tends to them.

Ah yes. Twi'leks. I can hardly believe I said that so casually. This is mental.

I shuffle (I'm wearing hospital-issue slip-ons, and getting used to gravity is still tough) as quickly as I can to my friends as they turn around. Their faces split into grins. "Quinn!"

I reach Axel first and pull him into hug, feeling relief sink in. They're alive. They're okay. Even if this really were a dream, I'm perfectly fine with it. A second later, I feel Mark's arms around me and suddenly we're having a group hug. I laugh. "Thank God you guys are okay. I was so worried."

"We're so glad to see you too." Axel pulls back and gives me a once-over. Then he glances over my shoulder. "Where's Ilena?"

I sigh. "The medic I talked to said she's still getting treatment in another ward. I suppose we'll see her soon."

Mark speaks up. "In the mean time...can you believe where we are?"

"We're in Coruscant Medical." I shake my head. "This isn't real, is it?"

Mark shrugs. "It feels real."

Unbelievable. "But Star Wars? Really?"

"Hey, I don't know," He says, smiling. "But this is amazing. We're in the Prequels, Quinn!"

He's right. Jedi cruisers, or the Venator-class star destroyers, existed during the Prequel era. I don't know how I feel about that. It's been a minute since I've seen the films or the shows, but I know this era was rough, what with the Clone Wars and Palpatine. (Oh God. Palpatine.)

"In the middle of the Clone Wars?" Axel asks. He scratches his chin. "When exactly, though?"

I think of Reed and the datapad. "I'll ask someone." I turn and see him talking to the droid at the entrance, so I get his attention and wave him over.

"Who's that?"

"Reed," I explain. "He was checking on me when I woke up."

Mark looks puzzled. "And you understood each other?"

"No, but we wrote in English--High Galactic here." Reed offers the datapad out to me and I write.

What year is it? And how long ago did the Clone Wars begin?

Reed frowns at me, looking confused. I look at my friends. "Did I just mess up the timeline by asking?" They shrug. Reed hands the datapad back.

It is the 980th Year of the Republic. The Clone Wars began about two years ago.

Axel is reading over my shoulder. "980...That makes it 20 BBY, if I'm not wrong."

"Yeah, 20 BBY," Mark agrees.

"Since when do you two know so much about Star Wars?" I ask.

"Who doesn't?" Axel counters. "The Clone Wars show has been around for forty-two years, Quinn. Forty-two." They grin at each other. I shake my head. "You guys aren't allowed to make fun of Dell anymore."

"That's fine by me." Mark leans back. "At least we can finally put all that lore to good use, eh?"

I sigh and pass the datapad back to Reed. He nods, points to me, then starts pointing to the exit. I shake my head. I'm not leaving my friends, not yet. He makes a sound of understanding and leaves with the droid. I take a seat next to Mark.