On the Wings of Valkyrie

Chapter LV

"You sure you're up for this?" Ahsoka asked, studying her partner warily as they finalized the last few plans for their upcoming mission. "We can probably have them send another team. It isn't all that complicated."

"There's no need for that. Why would you suggest it?" Luna asked, covering a yawn.

"....I may not know a lot of things about your species, but I do know what the circles under your eyes mean. You're exhausted."

"Nothing the Force won't fix when the time comes."

"Luna, you've been running on Force energy the past week! When's the last time you actually slept?"

"Last night," for about thirty minutes. Meditated the rest of it. "I'm fine."

"No, you aren't! Luna, what's going on?"

"It's nothing, Ahsoka. Just some bad dreams," Luna grumbled, trying to—and failing—hold back a yawn.

"For some reason, I don't think their 'just dreams'. You are aware we can get visions—"

"Of the future, yes, I know," the once Shadow huffed, her patience rather thin. "If I see something, I'll say something, alright? But for now they're just bad dreams, got it?"

"As your friend, I'm just concerned," Ahsoka responded in a gentle voice, as though she was trying to placate a wild creature. "You're running yourself down to the brink of exhaustion. What if you make a mistake and get hurt again? Or killed? You aren't invincible, Luna."

"....I know. It's just.... If I stop fighting, I'll start thinking," Luna began, "And if I start thinking, I start panicking, and if I start panicking—"

"And what is there to panic about?"

Everything. "....It's complicated. Too complicated."

"....Why don't we take a break," Ahsoka suggested after a few moments of silence. Luna looked up, stunned. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting a bit tired of the non-stop back-to-back missions."

"Sorry."

"Just saying. I wouldn't mind one, and I think it would do you some good. The Rebellion can survive without Valkyrie for a week or two."

"I don't—" Luna began, only to cut herself off. No. Maybe she could use this. She had been considering a pilgrimage after all.... "Actually, there has been something I've been wanting to do. I'd like to go alone though....and it would take a few days."

"That's fine. I was hoping to regroup with some old friends in the fleet myself—knowing you, you wouldn't like to join me," Ahsoka responded. "So, it's decided then?"

"Yes. We'll take a break. After this mission."

~*~

"Ha! I finally escaped!" Luke shouted jubilantly as he exited lightspeed.

"Yeah, for how long, kid?" Han's skeptic voice asked over the comm channel as the Millennium Falcon came up on his flank.

"Long enough to get some training done with Father." Even as Luke spoke, a recognizable Nabooian ship exited lightspeed in front of them. "With luck, Leia and Padmé will be able to cover for as long as you're gone."

"Yeah, well, he's here and I covered your escape. I'm off. We'll rendezvous as planned unless something comes up."

"Have fun losing the Alliance's credits."

"For your information, my earnings will be triple what they gave me."

"What are the two of you going on about?" Vader asked—having joined the channel at an unknown point.

"Rebel stuff," Han answered.

"Hey, remember the backup plan if you lose everything," Luke commented with a laugh.

"Very funny, Kid."

"I'm just saying, it'd probably be a hell lot more than triple and you'd beat Lando in that bet the two of you made—"

"I'm not going to turn you in for your bounty and break you out all over again. Too much work."

"....What?" Vader's voice boomed.

"It was his—" Han began just as Luke started, "It was my—"

"Idea," they finished.

"Once as a joke," the Smuggler clarified.

"I was only half joking. That was a lot of money you lost," the Jedi countered.

"And we made it up."

"Would have been quicker my way."

"Yes, and then I would have had to help you escape from an Imperial prison. I somehow don't see that going well."

"....When did this even happen?" Vader asked, sounding somewhat confused.

"Few years ago," Luke answered.

"Just after the Vrogas Vas business. Aphra was still in prison," Han clarified. "It was before Luke's bounty could buy a planet and then some."

"Wow. Thanks."

"And why is this a standard back up plan?" Vader questioned, sounding rather exasperated.

"....Ask the Kid, I'm outta here," Han responded, sensing a quick exit would be a wise one. Half a second later, the Falcon shot into hyperspace leaving the red X-Wing and mirror like J-Type in the empty darkness of space.