1st place: Star Wars Fanfiction Awards
Luke Skywalker is turning 8 in just a few days on Empire Day. Unfortunately, the Empire has ordered a galaxy-wide census on Empire Day. Instead of heading to the pod races, like his Uncle Owen had promised him...
"Shh!" Luke urged inside the dark storage compartment. "They're coming."
"I can't hear them."
"I can feel them." He laid his hands on Leia' shoulders.
She shrugged them off. "What are you doing?!"
"Hiding you from Master Yoda and my dad."
"You can do that?"
"Uh-huh, but I'm not very good at this. I hope it works."
"But—"
"Shh. I can't concentrate with you jabbering."
Leia glared at Luke.
The twins silenced as they heard the others entering the ship. The loading ramp closed with a load clang, and then the turbo lift activated. Luke breathed a sigh of relief.
"So what do we do now?" Leia asked.
He looked around and grinned. "Sit here and wait until we get to wherever we're going, I guess."
She shook her head. "I can't believe you don't have a plan."
"Hey, I'm making it up as I go."
"Laser brains." Leia crossed her arms and turned her back to him. She pulled her feet onto the bench, tucking her knees under her arms.
He did not respond as the engines fired up, deafening both twins. They both put their hands to their ears as the engines vibrated the compartment.
Leia tried to ask him a question, but Luke could not hear a single word. Luke thought, I can't hear you!
Leia's eyes opened wider when she realized she could hear Luke. She tried to respond, "Is it safe—"
Think it. Don't say it! Use the Force.
Leia took a breath and tried to pull in the Force as their compartment shook. As the craft tilted for launch, she fell into the corner of the bench and the bulkhead, and he fell on top of her. Neither could move. Is . . . this . . . safe?
It's a little late to be asking that question, don't you think? Luke asked.
You are such a nerfherder. I can't believe I followed you on this cockamamie adventure. You said we'd have fun. Well, I'm not having any fun, Luke Skywalker.
He wished he could turn her off, block her out of her mind. What have I done?
Eventually, the ship broke the atmosphere and the thruster engines cut out when the hyperdrive cut in.
"See, that wasn't so bad." Luke crawled off the princess as the artificial gravity activated.
"Yeah, I guess not."
He smiled at her with his warm, loving smile that could melt any heart. "And it was kind of fun sneaking around."
She moved her eyes to the right as a small grin crossed her face. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it?"
Both of them laughed.
"Oh, Luke, my life was sooooo booorrring before I met you. Let's be best friends forever." She wrapped her arms around the boy from the back, pulling him back on top of her.
"Yeah, I'd like that." I'm gonna marry you, too.
When Leia heard that thought, she responded with a smile of her own.
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