The Children of the Stars

The Princess Leia

Sam Tico never tired of staring into the star-speckled black of the universe. He remembered falling in love with the stars the night that his parents had taken him to an observatory, when he was five years old. His younger sister, Aya, was there and was cranky, as three-year-olds tended to be.

But he remembered his father, the great Resistance hero, putting him up on his shoulders so he could interact with the holograms within the great dome. He clapped his hands around the light, expecting to capture stars. But he never did.

He supposed that flying in them was the next best thing.

"Stargazing again, Tico?"

He turned his head to see Danni Da Dameron approach from the door with a keycard next to it and a sign proclaiming it a restricted area. She crossed her arms, more to keep herself warm than anything else, Sam speculated.

"I like seeing what new constellations we can find in the galaxy," Sam said. "It's not the same in the observatories on Chandrila."

"It isn't, is it?" Danni smiled.

The two of them stood together in silence for a moment, before Sam pierced the silence.

"I heard that the whole reason for this mission is whatever you're working on in the science wing," Sam said. "Not to patrol the border between New Republic and First Order space."

"Not First Order," Danni corrected. "Have you heard what the Empress is calling it now?"

"I don't remember," Sam admitted.

"It's the Imperial Remnant," Danni said. "Not that it makes that much of a different. Still the same imps."

"It's just hard to switch the names," Sam said. "It's all the same thing— I don't see the point in all of the name-changes and pretending that they're something that they're not."

He wasn't just talking about the Empire. He was also thinking of the Empress herself.

"Maybe it's because they have changed." Danni looked back. "For instance, the Empress hasn't attacked New Republic Space. Usually the imps are just itching for war."

"Is that why we aren't helping the Jedi?" Sam asked. That question became one of frustration for him over the past three years. "Because she isn't attacking us?"

"We've given the refugees a place to stay on Chandrila and other Core Worlds," Danni said, a firmness in her voice. "We can't just go against the Remnant without being provoked. If we maintain the terms of the Treaty of Batuu, we could keep the galaxy out of yet another war."

"I guess so." Sam couldn't help his defensive tone. "Still, I wish we could help them more. The Jedi were our friends."

Danni smiled sympathetically. "Believe me, if Dad had more sway on Mom's politics, we would be going to war for Rey's sake. But they're still scattered, and we don't have the technology yet to go against them."

Sam loved the way her eyes lit up when she said 'yet.'

He glanced back at the door. "Is that what you're working on, behind that door?"

Danni glanced up at the ceiling and subtly pointed at a holocamera. "Classified, Tico."

"Oh, right." He blushed at his own stupidity, and ran his hand through his lush curly hair. It was somehow a mix between the textures of his parents'. "What brought you out here, to this corridor?"

"I thought I'd speak with my favorite stargazing pilot," Danni said. "I found your schedule in the network, and saw that you had this hour free."

"Really?" He was never happier that his blush didn't show itself as well on his dark skin. He was grinning like an idiot.