Star Wars: Saviors of the Broken

Chapter XXXIII

"What you want isn't always what you need." - Jae Neb, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters

The Black Mariah was in the Unknown Regions now, only a few parsecs from Ilum, and Frank had never felt so miserable in his life. As soon as they made it to their destination, Gerard, the only person he'd ever truly loved, would leave him. He considered turning the ship around, flying back toward the center of the galaxy, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't let Gerard down or break his promise. He had to take him to Ilum, even if it meant that they might never see each other again.

Frank wondered what he'd do after Gerard was gone. There was no one in the galaxy like him, no one with his art skills, his way with words, his creative genius. No one else understood him like Gerard. No one else could love him in the same way Gerard did. Without him, Frank would be lost. After all, what was the point in saving the galaxy if he couldn't be with the boy he loved?

He glanced toward Gerard, who was staring out the window, lost in thought. "Is everything okay?" Frank asked.

"Stop asking me questions," Gerard mumbled. "I'd hate to see you cry."

What Frank didn't tell was that he'd felt like crying ever since Gerard had told him that he wanted to go to Ilum. He tried to stay strong, but most of the time, he just wanted to break down.

All of a sudden, Gerard started to tear up, and Frank felt like all the stars in the sky were falling on him at once.

"I don't want to leave you," Gerard said.

"Then don't," Frank said.

"I have to. I need to."

"Things are better if you stay, Gee. You're the only thing that's keeping me going."

"You'll find someone else, I'm sure."

"I don't want someone else, Gee. I want you."

"I...I'm sorry, Frank. I wish we could have been together for longer. I wish we had a lifetime, an eternity, just you and me."

"Me too."

"Just know that I love you, Frank. Now and always."

"I love you too," Frank said, but it didn't make it any easier. Soon, he and Gerard would go their separate ways. They'd have to say goodbye as soon as they reached Ilum. Knowing that Gerard loved him didn't change any of that.

Gerard pulled out his sketchbook and opened it to the picture Frank had drawn of him, shortly after they'd met. "By the way, I think you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Ray walked into the room. "Frank, could you actually pilot the ship please?" he said. "We're almost to the Ilum system."

Frank sighed, while Gerard said, "Wait a second. Ray, could you take one last picture of us?"

"I guess so," Ray said. Gerard and Frank posed for the camera as Ray snapped photo after photo. As he kissed Gerard for what he feared might be the last time, he thought of how much he'd miss him, how he'd be losing his better half. At least after he left, he'd have the photo to remember him by. He'd have something more than just memories of how he felt lying next to him.

Ray put away his camera, and Frank reluctantly went into the cockpit and steered the Black Mariah into the Ilum system. He went as slowly as he could in a desperate attempt to extend the limited time he had left with Gerard, but when Ray reminded him that they didn't have all day, he had no choice but to pick up the pace. Before he knew it, the Black Mariah was orbiting Ilum.

However, when Frank looked out the window, he saw that something was very wrong. The Empire seemed to have beaten them to the planet - there were Imperial ships everywhere - but it was worse than that.