Rise of the Teenage Conquerors

Episode 1.15

At last, Leana, Egan, and Luke crested the last bank of snow and saw the hangar with their waiting X-Wings. Leana let out a sigh of relief, her breath clouding the cold air. It was time to leave, to go to Dagobah and learn the ways of the Jedi from Master Yoda.

"Finally," Egan grumbled. "Let's blow this icy hell. See you at the rendezvous point." And without another word or glance, he strode over to his X-Wing, clearly content to leave Leana and Luke behind.

Luke glanced over at Leana. "You ready to head out?"

"Of course," Leana replied, giving him a tired smile. "Dagobah, here we come."

Luke smiled back at her and the two headed for their X-Wings, R2-D2 twittering at them as they approached. A navy blue, almost black, domed astromech droid sat in the X-Wing next to Luke's, swiveling its head toward the approaching Rebels. It gave a beep that sounded like a question.

"What did it say?" Leana asked, furrowing her brow.

"R4-14 wants to know who you are," Luke answered. "Don't worry, there's a readout in the cockpit so you can understand him." He looked at R2-D2. "Get ready for takeoff."

R2-D2 beeped an affirmation and Leana walked around to her X-Wing. "Hello, R4-14. I'm Leana Ganner, the pilot. Prepare for takeoff."

The blue-plated droid whistled and the cockpit canopy opened with a slight hiss. Luke glanced at her as his own canopy opened. "Here, I'll give you a leg up."

He crossed over the snow to her and cupped his hands, bending slightly. Leana placed her boot in his grasp and he propelled her up. Grasping the edge of the cockpit, Leana hauled herself easily into the ship and settled herself into the seat.

"Thanks," she called down to him as he headed back to his cockpit, jumping and climbing up into the cockpit easily. "I could have just done as you did, though." I'm glad he did help.

Luke glanced over at her and gave a shrug. "It was no trouble, Leana."

"See you at the rendezvous, Luke!" a voice called, and both Leana and Luke glanced over at Wedge Antilles, waving at them from the cockpit of his X-Wing. His shock of dark hair stuck out against the snowy backdrop.

"See you, Wedge!" Luke answered, returning the wave.

"Who's the girl?" Wedge asked with a laugh, and then his cockpit canopy closed, preventing Luke from answering. Leana's and Luke's canopies closed as well as Leana scanned the controls, figuring out where everything was located.

"You ready?" Luke's voice came through over the comm, causing Leana to jump.

"Almost," Leana said. "R4-14, is takeoff preparation complete?"

R4-14 beeped and the translation scrolled across one of the screens. Yes. Leana grinned. "Yes, Luke, I'm ready."

Leana took the controls and followed Luke, the X-Wings lifting off from the ground and the landing gear retracting. Exhilaration flooded her veins as she grinned. I'm flying an X-Wing!

Carefully, she directed the starship up into the sky, her grin only growing as she navigated the fighter through the air. They left Hoth's atmosphere behind and Leana breathed out. "Set a course for Dagobah, R4."

"My course is set, Leana," Luke said over the comm. "You ready to slip into hyperspace?"

"Hell yeah," Leana answered. "Let's go see Yoda!"

****

Lucas stood rigidly between Leia's and Lumina's chairs, his boots braced against the floor. His hands gripped the backs of the chairs to either side of him, his eyes fixed on the viewport and the wide expanse of space before him.