Star Wars Alderaan Lives
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Alderaan Lives 3
- - -
Yith Alde, Baroness of the House of Alde, and captain of the War Frigate King's Pass, was a beautiful woman. Most Alderaan nobles were, but Yith was quite a beauty even by that high standard. She was graceful, elegant, with long black hair in a tight ponytail held by rings of precious metal, large crystal blue eyes, a shapely nose, pale flawless skin and a mole underneath her left eye. Many a nobleman had sought her hand in marriage, even as she studied at the University of Aldera, widely regarded as one of the greatest centers of learning in the known galaxy.
Right now though, she was trembling in her quarters, wrapped up in a blanket she'd taken from her home.
Her home on Alderaan.
Which was now an asteroid field.
Her quarters chimed. She sucked in a breath, and raised her voice.
"Who is it?" She called.
"It's Trask. Open up," Trask Ulgo stated. Yith nodded.
"Come in..."
The big, burly Alderaanian entered. Yith relaxed a bit at the sight of her childhood best friend. She scooted over for him on her bunk, and he graciously sat next to her.
"Sorry," she muttered, "I know... I know I've got a crew to handle but..."
"I know," Trask said, his deep baritone voice comforting. Yith shook her head.
"How could you?! You... House Ulgo's always been a warrior house! Alde-We've been scholars and-and scientists for longer than we were rulers of Alderaan! I'm a kriffing doctor of history, not-not a captain! Not a soldier!"
Trask chuckled. Yith glared at him.
"You're named for your house's greatest hero! Who slew a Sith Lord in single combat nearly four thousand years ago! This isn't funny!"
Trask shook his head, and wrapped an arm around Yith's shoulders.
"Yith... Yesterday was the first day I'd ever fired my weapons in anger," he stated. Yith looked up at him, confused.
"You-But you went through the ROTC training-"
"Yeah, and you think I actually shot anyone?" Trask asked wryly, "no, no... I went through the traditional training, all the rituals... But no. Hells, my father did the same thing, and after? He mainly did stock market trading. Not very warrior like, is it?"
Yith looked down at her hands, blushing brightly.
"... I'm being stupid, aren't I?" She muttered.
"Just a bit," Trask said gently, "but it's... A new situation for all of us. Nobody... Nobody wanted to be here. Fighting for our lives... Our world in ashes."
Yith sniffled. Trask squeezed her against him, and she leaned in, taking comfort from his broad, strong frame.
"But we are," she murmured, "and we're not going to change it by wishing it away... Right?"
Trask nodded.
"Right," he said.
Yith licked her lips. She looked up at Trask again, her eyes shyly looking just to the left of his chiseled jaw.
"Er... Trask... You-You know... Um... There is a... Well, our parents... They talked about a marriage, and um..."
Trask squeezed her shoulder again, and kissed the top of her head.
"We'll talk about it later," he promised, "but don't let the end of the world push you into anything... Impulsive."
Yith pushed herself up, and kissed his cheek, her pale face bright red.
"I... I understand," she murmured.
Trask nuzzled her.
"Though... We're definitely going to talk about it," he said.
He hugged her, got up, and headed out the hatchdoorway. Yith watched him go, and sucked in a deep breath.
She got up, and set her blanket carefully on her bunk.
Time to get to work...
- - -
Elana rubbed her temples as she stood on the bridge of the Torhu. The leader of Uvena Prime, a Shistavanen named Hovrak Shriv, had thanked them profusely and even offered them a parade to celebrate the liberation from the Empire.
Elana had shut down the giddy wolfman with the simple fact that, while Uvena Prime was certainly far off from the main Imperial routes, this didn't mean they were safe from being reconquered.
Hovrak then stated that the Golan weapons platforms the Empire had used to hold his world hostage, were now under their control. So Uvena Prime would be a safe place for the Rebellion. At least for a time.
Elana had agreed to that, but the fact was, she was determined to meet up with the main Rebel force. Hovrak had understood, only asking for control of Horusk Station and some aid in slicing the computers to obey only his people. It was a fair bargain, and a few hours of hard work had given the Shistavanen people control over their orbitals.
Having a home base was good... But lingering around it too long might draw Imperial attention. So, the fleet had formed up, and was ready to jump.
"All ships report ready, My Lady," Quinn reported, standing at attention alongside her. She nodded with a smile.
"Then by all means, Lieutenant... Jump!"
The stars streaked to infinity... And they leaped into hyperspace. Elana headed back to the holoplotter table, and looked over the map of the Uvena system. She frowned as she considered the defenses of the world they had just left... Just liberated.
"How likely is it that the Empire will try to reconquer Uvena?" Elana asked. Quinn sighed.
"Uvena isn't the primary logistics hub for the Outer Rim. And with the chaos caused by Alderaan's destruction, and the Death Star's defeat? It may be several months, possibly years, before they mount a determined effort to reclaim it. Control of the orbital weapons platforms means they can hold out for a time... But without support, they will be defeated."
"I suppose that will be on our agenda then," Elana agreed, "the place is too valuable to us to abandon... But staying near it invites attack."
"Agreed," Quinn hummed, "Dac and Lothal have been able to retain their freedom. Mainly by virtue of being so far from the main areas of Imperial control, and being too valuable to Base Delta Zero. I believe if we can get them in contact with Uvena Prime, it will benefit all of us... But we'd need to speak with the Rebellion leaders to ensure any sort of cooperation."
"Do you know anything about them?" Elana asked. Quinn shook his head.
"Only rumors. I was not part of intelligence, My Lady. I worked as a strategic analyst and aide to Admiral Ozzle."
Elana smirked a bit.
"And what was that like?"
Quinn let out a soft sigh.
"... He was an arrogant, foolish, short sighted blowhard," he stated, "to be honest, I jumped at the chance to work as an advisor to you. The man is insufferable. The only good thing about him is that he's our enemy."
"Pray for incompetent enemies and loyal friends," Elana said, "an old Thul saying."
"I'll keep it in mind, My Lady," Quinn said.
It took them only a few hours to reach Yavin. Elana took her place on the command deck, Quinn ever at her side. She had her hands behind her back as she stared into the swirling tunnel of hyperspace.
"I never get tired of watching it," she confessed to Quinn, "hyperspace, I mean."
"There is something hypnotic about it," he said with a nod. He turned to his viceroy.
"How do you intend to handle Princess Leia?"
Elana gave him a wry look.
"I'll handle her as I should: She is my monarch, I am the viceroy. She tells me to war on our enemies, I shall execute her will. It's not that complicated, Quinn."
Quinn nodded quickly.
"Of course, My Lady," he said.
"Do you have concerns?" Elana asked.
"None, My Lady," Quinn said, a little too quickly. Elana raised an eyebrow, but was interrupted by a crewman's announcement.
"Ready to jump back to normal space, My Lady!" The helmsman called. Elana nodded.
"Signal the fleet, transition to normal space on my mark," she called out, "prepare to jump!"
"Jump prep, aye!"
The various stations and ships reported their readiness to transition, and Quinn turned to his viceroy with a smile.
"All ships report ready, My Lady."
"Very well... Jump!"
The huge gas giant Yavin appeared in the viewport as hyperspace faded away. The green and blue moon, Yavin IV, shown out against the huge orange and red like a blue marble in the middle of a red sand painting. The fleet approached, the commscan lieutenant frowning at his readings.
"My Lady, we are detecting a massive amount of debris," he said.
Elana's smile grew a bit.
"That would be the Death Star's remains," she stated in satisfaction. She caught sight of what was left of the monstrous battle station's superlaser array, drifting high above the Wrath of Torhu as she and the rest of the fleet passed by.
The brave pilot who had avenged her world... What was he like? Was he an experienced, smooth, and worldly pilot? A warrior of renown? She found herself desperately wanting to know, now that she saw his handiwork.
No. Calm down, Elana. You're not a rebellious schoolgirl anymore. You can't just take some handsome lad behind the stables anymore...
"We're getting a signal from Yavin IV, My Lady," the communications ensign chirped.
Elana walked to the holotable, Quinn ever at her side.
"Put it through," she ordered.
A moment later, a holographic Princess Leia Organa appeared. She bowed her head deeply.
"Your Highness," she said, "It is so good to see you alive."
"Elana? Elana Thul?" Leia asked, looking astonished. Elana smiled.
"Yes. It's me, Your Highness. The Civil Defense Fleet survived. We are bringing munitions, fuel, and other supplies from a raid on an Imperial station. We uh, liberated a world as well."
Leia smiled, a hint of righteous wrath in her gaze.
"Then you've done very well," she said.
"No less than you have," Elana complimented.
"We are in the middle of preparing to evacuate, the Empire will be onto us soon," Leia said, "but we are having a celebration down here-You are all invited, of course. I'm just so happy to... To meet other survivors of Alderaan."
"We're very happy too, Your Highness, I assure you," Elana said, smiling warmly. Leia returned it.
"Well! Come down. You can help us celebrate, and afterwards? Redeploy. Yavin IV base out!"
The holo transmission ended. Quinn tilted his head curiously.
"I must ask... When was the last time you met Princess Organa?"
Elana hummed.
"Probably when we were twelve... She put a gizka in my dress. I broke her nose, she gave me a black eye. Good times!"
"I suppose things can only improve from there," Quinn muttered. Elana chuckled.
"I suppose so..."
- - -
Shorter this time, but I hope you still enjoyed.
Yith Alde, Baroness of the House of Alde, and captain of the War Frigate King's Pass, was a beautiful woman. Most Alderaan nobles were, but Yith was quite a beauty even by that high standard. She was graceful, elegant, with long black hair in a tight ponytail held by rings of precious metal, large crystal blue eyes, a shapely nose, pale flawless skin and a mole underneath her left eye. Many a nobleman had sought her hand in marriage, even as she studied at the University of Aldera, widely regarded as one of the greatest centers of learning in the known galaxy.
Right now though, she was trembling in her quarters, wrapped up in a blanket she'd taken from her home.
Her home on Alderaan.
Which was now an asteroid field.
Her quarters chimed. She sucked in a breath, and raised her voice.
"Who is it?" She called.
"It's Trask. Open up," Trask Ulgo stated. Yith nodded.
"Come in..."
The big, burly Alderaanian entered. Yith relaxed a bit at the sight of her childhood best friend. She scooted over for him on her bunk, and he graciously sat next to her.
"Sorry," she muttered, "I know... I know I've got a crew to handle but..."
"I know," Trask said, his deep baritone voice comforting. Yith shook her head.
"How could you?! You... House Ulgo's always been a warrior house! Alde-We've been scholars and-and scientists for longer than we were rulers of Alderaan! I'm a kriffing doctor of history, not-not a captain! Not a soldier!"
Trask chuckled. Yith glared at him.
"You're named for your house's greatest hero! Who slew a Sith Lord in single combat nearly four thousand years ago! This isn't funny!"
Trask shook his head, and wrapped an arm around Yith's shoulders.
"Yith... Yesterday was the first day I'd ever fired my weapons in anger," he stated. Yith looked up at him, confused.
"You-But you went through the ROTC training-"
"Yeah, and you think I actually shot anyone?" Trask asked wryly, "no, no... I went through the traditional training, all the rituals... But no. Hells, my father did the same thing, and after? He mainly did stock market trading. Not very warrior like, is it?"
Yith looked down at her hands, blushing brightly.
"... I'm being stupid, aren't I?" She muttered.
"Just a bit," Trask said gently, "but it's... A new situation for all of us. Nobody... Nobody wanted to be here. Fighting for our lives... Our world in ashes."
Yith sniffled. Trask squeezed her against him, and she leaned in, taking comfort from his broad, strong frame.
"But we are," she murmured, "and we're not going to change it by wishing it away... Right?"
Trask nodded.
"Right," he said.
Yith licked her lips. She looked up at Trask again, her eyes shyly looking just to the left of his chiseled jaw.
"Er... Trask... You-You know... Um... There is a... Well, our parents... They talked about a marriage, and um..."
Trask squeezed her shoulder again, and kissed the top of her head.
"We'll talk about it later," he promised, "but don't let the end of the world push you into anything... Impulsive."
Yith pushed herself up, and kissed his cheek, her pale face bright red.
"I... I understand," she murmured.
Trask nuzzled her.
"Though... We're definitely going to talk about it," he said.
He hugged her, got up, and headed out the hatchdoorway. Yith watched him go, and sucked in a deep breath.
She got up, and set her blanket carefully on her bunk.
Time to get to work...
- - -
Elana rubbed her temples as she stood on the bridge of the Torhu. The leader of Uvena Prime, a Shistavanen named Hovrak Shriv, had thanked them profusely and even offered them a parade to celebrate the liberation from the Empire.
Elana had shut down the giddy wolfman with the simple fact that, while Uvena Prime was certainly far off from the main Imperial routes, this didn't mean they were safe from being reconquered.
Hovrak then stated that the Golan weapons platforms the Empire had used to hold his world hostage, were now under their control. So Uvena Prime would be a safe place for the Rebellion. At least for a time.
Elana had agreed to that, but the fact was, she was determined to meet up with the main Rebel force. Hovrak had understood, only asking for control of Horusk Station and some aid in slicing the computers to obey only his people. It was a fair bargain, and a few hours of hard work had given the Shistavanen people control over their orbitals.
Having a home base was good... But lingering around it too long might draw Imperial attention. So, the fleet had formed up, and was ready to jump.
"All ships report ready, My Lady," Quinn reported, standing at attention alongside her. She nodded with a smile.
"Then by all means, Lieutenant... Jump!"
The stars streaked to infinity... And they leaped into hyperspace. Elana headed back to the holoplotter table, and looked over the map of the Uvena system. She frowned as she considered the defenses of the world they had just left... Just liberated.
"How likely is it that the Empire will try to reconquer Uvena?" Elana asked. Quinn sighed.
"Uvena isn't the primary logistics hub for the Outer Rim. And with the chaos caused by Alderaan's destruction, and the Death Star's defeat? It may be several months, possibly years, before they mount a determined effort to reclaim it. Control of the orbital weapons platforms means they can hold out for a time... But without support, they will be defeated."
"I suppose that will be on our agenda then," Elana agreed, "the place is too valuable to us to abandon... But staying near it invites attack."
"Agreed," Quinn hummed, "Dac and Lothal have been able to retain their freedom. Mainly by virtue of being so far from the main areas of Imperial control, and being too valuable to Base Delta Zero. I believe if we can get them in contact with Uvena Prime, it will benefit all of us... But we'd need to speak with the Rebellion leaders to ensure any sort of cooperation."
"Do you know anything about them?" Elana asked. Quinn shook his head.
"Only rumors. I was not part of intelligence, My Lady. I worked as a strategic analyst and aide to Admiral Ozzle."
Elana smirked a bit.
"And what was that like?"
Quinn let out a soft sigh.
"... He was an arrogant, foolish, short sighted blowhard," he stated, "to be honest, I jumped at the chance to work as an advisor to you. The man is insufferable. The only good thing about him is that he's our enemy."
"Pray for incompetent enemies and loyal friends," Elana said, "an old Thul saying."
"I'll keep it in mind, My Lady," Quinn said.
It took them only a few hours to reach Yavin. Elana took her place on the command deck, Quinn ever at her side. She had her hands behind her back as she stared into the swirling tunnel of hyperspace.
"I never get tired of watching it," she confessed to Quinn, "hyperspace, I mean."
"There is something hypnotic about it," he said with a nod. He turned to his viceroy.
"How do you intend to handle Princess Leia?"
Elana gave him a wry look.
"I'll handle her as I should: She is my monarch, I am the viceroy. She tells me to war on our enemies, I shall execute her will. It's not that complicated, Quinn."
Quinn nodded quickly.
"Of course, My Lady," he said.
"Do you have concerns?" Elana asked.
"None, My Lady," Quinn said, a little too quickly. Elana raised an eyebrow, but was interrupted by a crewman's announcement.
"Ready to jump back to normal space, My Lady!" The helmsman called. Elana nodded.
"Signal the fleet, transition to normal space on my mark," she called out, "prepare to jump!"
"Jump prep, aye!"
The various stations and ships reported their readiness to transition, and Quinn turned to his viceroy with a smile.
"All ships report ready, My Lady."
"Very well... Jump!"
The huge gas giant Yavin appeared in the viewport as hyperspace faded away. The green and blue moon, Yavin IV, shown out against the huge orange and red like a blue marble in the middle of a red sand painting. The fleet approached, the commscan lieutenant frowning at his readings.
"My Lady, we are detecting a massive amount of debris," he said.
Elana's smile grew a bit.
"That would be the Death Star's remains," she stated in satisfaction. She caught sight of what was left of the monstrous battle station's superlaser array, drifting high above the Wrath of Torhu as she and the rest of the fleet passed by.
The brave pilot who had avenged her world... What was he like? Was he an experienced, smooth, and worldly pilot? A warrior of renown? She found herself desperately wanting to know, now that she saw his handiwork.
No. Calm down, Elana. You're not a rebellious schoolgirl anymore. You can't just take some handsome lad behind the stables anymore...
"We're getting a signal from Yavin IV, My Lady," the communications ensign chirped.
Elana walked to the holotable, Quinn ever at her side.
"Put it through," she ordered.
A moment later, a holographic Princess Leia Organa appeared. She bowed her head deeply.
"Your Highness," she said, "It is so good to see you alive."
"Elana? Elana Thul?" Leia asked, looking astonished. Elana smiled.
"Yes. It's me, Your Highness. The Civil Defense Fleet survived. We are bringing munitions, fuel, and other supplies from a raid on an Imperial station. We uh, liberated a world as well."
Leia smiled, a hint of righteous wrath in her gaze.
"Then you've done very well," she said.
"No less than you have," Elana complimented.
"We are in the middle of preparing to evacuate, the Empire will be onto us soon," Leia said, "but we are having a celebration down here-You are all invited, of course. I'm just so happy to... To meet other survivors of Alderaan."
"We're very happy too, Your Highness, I assure you," Elana said, smiling warmly. Leia returned it.
"Well! Come down. You can help us celebrate, and afterwards? Redeploy. Yavin IV base out!"
The holo transmission ended. Quinn tilted his head curiously.
"I must ask... When was the last time you met Princess Organa?"
Elana hummed.
"Probably when we were twelve... She put a gizka in my dress. I broke her nose, she gave me a black eye. Good times!"
"I suppose things can only improve from there," Quinn muttered. Elana chuckled.
"I suppose so..."
- - -
Shorter this time, but I hope you still enjoyed.
Nice to see that the Thul-Organa rivalry transcends time LOL
Really enjoyed this, well written and well done. I liked how you are building the characterization! Looking forward to more.
Really enjoyed this, well written and well done. I liked how you are building the characterization! Looking forward to more.
Ash's Boomstick
Well-known member
Ok so this is nuCanon, they might need to keep an eye out for the Alderaan refugee fleet at his point. The Imperials tried to eradicate them on the orders of Darth Vader.
I do wonder how many other ships with Alderranian crew members might jump to the new fleet's side, they could do with at least a few heavy ships or some carriers.
I do wonder how many other ships with Alderranian crew members might jump to the new fleet's side, they could do with at least a few heavy ships or some carriers.
Alderaan Lives 4
- - -
The Mu-class shuttle was the Imperial workhorse shuttlecraft-It had the same internal volume as the larger, more heavily armed Lambda, but none of the frills and a much smaller wingspan. The Imperial Navy had actually be quite generous in donating them to the Alderaanian Civil Defense Fleet: Each of their ships had received at least two, along with several crates of spare parts.
Naturally, Elana had her slicers and mechanics go over every inch of the shuttles. They'd found several tracking devices, all of which they had discarded at the earliest possible moment. Lieutenant Quinn had obeyed the order to dispose of them before the Death Star. Perhaps he'd already had ideas about rebelling before then.
Nevertheless, Elana rode in the back of the shuttle as they made their approach to the Yavin IV base. They were waved in by ground crew, as the base didn't have an automatic landing beacon. Quinn was a very good pilot, so Elana didn't bother him as she stood behind his seat and watched the hanger bay as he skillfully maneuvered them in for a landing.
There were a fair number of X- and Y-wing fighters all over the hanger bay, though a lot fewer than the many empty refueling stations would suggest. There was an eclectic collection of freighters, scouts, and smaller vessels as well-Most prominently, a old, beat up YT-1300 and a heavily modified VCX-100. Quinn used the shuttle's antigravs to skillfully land them nearby both these vessels, as a small repulsorlift cart drew up close.
Elana brushed off her formal dress, as Quinn rose from his seat. She stood by him with a smile.
"Well done, Lieutenant," she said, "would you do me the honor of escorting me?"
Quinn blinked rapidly.
"I... Yes My Lady," he said. He offered his arm, and Elana took it. Earnhart snickered, as Ensign Lorr and a few other officers pretended not to notice his hesitation.
"Well, shall we?" She ordered, making it sound like a question. Elana had always been good at that.
They walked down the ramp of the shuttle, Elana beaming as she saw not only Princess Leia, but General Dodonna waiting for her. Dodonna had worked with her mother and Bail Organa during the Clone Wars-It was good to see the Rebellion was being led by someone with experience.
Elana prepared to kneel before her sovereign, already bowing her head.
"Your Highness, General, I-Ooh!"
Leia outright hugged her tightly. Elana froze, then awkwardly hugged the princess back. Leia pulled back with a happy smile, one that Elana couldn't help returning despite the awkward situation. General Dodonna was smiling with a twinkling look in his eyes-Like an amused grandfather. Earnhart was wearing his fully enclosed helmet again, so no idea what his facial expression was-Though Elana bet that he was grinning.
"I think we can dispense with protocol for the night, Baroness Thul," Leia said with a wink. Elana coughed, all her mother's decorum and manners fighting hard... Before they gave up and Elana let out a matching grin.
"I believe we can, my Queen. And it's Viceroy, I'll have you know."
"Princess, for now please," Leia corrected her, "or Leia."
Elana's grin widened a bit. She could sense Quinn stiffening up a bit in worry. How strange!
"Only if you call me Elana, Your Highness."
"Sounds good to me," Leia said cheerfully, taking Elana's arms in her own and walking her to the cart, "we have much to talk about, and titles make it so dreary, don't you agree?"
"Yes I do," Elana said, just as cheerfully.
- - -
The party was in full swing in one of the many cavernous rooms in the temple complex. Booze was plentiful, as was food. Several of Elana's people soon arrived in other shuttles, and began to mingle amongst the crowd. Elana stayed with Leia, as they walked around the periphery of the dancing and laughing. General Dodonna, Earnhart, and Quinn stayed with them, walking behind the two noble ladies.
"We lost most of our fleet at Scarif," Leia explained, "and most of our fighters taking down the Death Star. We have plenty of GR-75 transports for hauling, but as for warships? Not much is left."
"GR-75s? I wondered where all those went after Gallofree went bankrupt," Elana mused, "I'm guessing your father bought them up?"
"Garm Bel Iblis, but he helped," Leia replied, her face tightening just a bit at the mention of her father. Elana sucked in a breath, then resumed.
"Well, we have twenty nine War Frigates, thirty six War Cruisers, and maybe two dozen Corellian corvettes and gunships. Enough firepower to escort us all out of here. We can handle a few Star Destroyers, but I'm not confident in our ability to deal with what the Empire will probably send after us."
"How is your fighter coverage?" Dodonna asked. Elana looked to Quinn, who promptly answered.
"We have enough Z-95 Mod 77 Headhunters to fill out five squadrons: However, we only have two operational due to lack of trained pilots. We only used one squadron at Uvena-The other remained with the rest of the fleet in case our strike went badly."
"Sensible," Dodonna nodded, "what about your manufacturing? All War Frigates have pretty extensive automated workshops."
"They're fully operational," Quinn reported, "adapting them to create spare parts for non-Alderaanian designs is possible, though it will be slow going."
"That's still good," Leia said, "the Incom defectors will be ecstatic."
She turned to Elana, urgency in her eyes.
"What about Another Chance?" Leia asked. "Have you sent the recall signal for it?"
"The automated hyperbeacons should have sent that in case of planetary disaster," Elana said, glancing back at Quinn, "but we need to input some safe coordinates for it to rendezvous with us."
"We have an idea of where to do that," Dodonna said, "but we'll leave that for later. It is a celebration, after all."
Leia shook her head, even as the crowd hooted and jeered loudly. Elana looked over, and bit her lip to hold in her laugh.
A large caricature of the Emperor himself, in cake with elaborate frosting, was wheeled out into the center of the ballroom. It was being pushed by a tall Wookie, and a handsome if scruffy looking man in a black vest and white undershirt. The swagger of his hips and the well worn blaster hanging against his worn trousers easily identified him as a spacer. The man looked up and grinned across the ballroom right at Leia.
"Your Worshipfulness! Come on! We can't eat it all by ourselves!" He called out.
Leia flushed a bit as all eyes were on her, but she gracious walked up through the parting crowd to the cake. She scowled a bit as Han looked Elana up and down, an action Elana rewarded with a smile.
"And this is?" He asked.
Leia narrowed her eyes.
"Viceroy Elana Thul, this is Captain Han Solo, and his first mate, Chewbacca" she said, "two of the heroes of our recent battle."
"Did you blow up the Death Star, then?" Elana asked, looking Han up and down herself. She could feel Quinn tensing behind her, but she paid it no mind. Han laughed, and shook his head. His Wookie chortled, standing tall.
"Nah, he's coming up-LUKE! COME ON!"
"Just a second, Han!"
Elana looked and stared. The boy... He looked so young. His dirty blonde hair and smooth face only added to it, along with his bright blue eyes. His tanned skin spoke of long hours working outside-Like a farmboy. He was wearing black freighter trousers, a white undershirt, and a yellow jacket. He walked up, a large knife and a small plate in his hands. Several Rebels patted him on the back and shoulders as he passed by, to which he grinned cheerfully.
Han nodded in approval.
"Hurry up and cut that cake, kid! We're dying over here!" Han laughed, "had to keep Chewie from eating it!"
Chewbacca growled something in Shriwook that sounded disparaging, which Han huffed at.
"Well someone ate all the leftover Rebos and I know it wasn't me," Han scoffed.
"Figures you'd save leftover from that greasetrap," Leia shot back, making a face. Han smirked and shrugged.
"Can't all get our meals hand delivered, Your Highness. Come on Luke, cut the first piece! What are you going for?"
Luke, still smiling that cheerful, innocent smile, thrust his knife into the Cake Emperor, and hard. The ballroom went silent for a moment, before riotous laughter filled the air as Luke cut out the crotch area of the Emperor.
He set it on a plate and beamed, still looking innocent, as he looked over at Leia, Han, Elana, Chewie, and Quinn.
"Anyone want this one? Or should I let you choose your own?"
Han whistled.
"Remind me never to make you mad, Kid," Han said.
"I'll be sure to give you fair warning," Luke agreed. He turned in surprise at Elana, "ah, hello, I'm Luke Skywalker. Well-Commander Skywalker, now.'
"Elana Thul, Viceroy of Alderaan," she replied. She took the cake, and, beaming, took a fork from Han. She stuck it into the cake slice, pulled it up, and ate. She beamed.
"Delicious," she said. Luke nodded.
"I'm sorry about Alderaan," he said quietly, as another Rebel took the knife and went to work on the cake. Elana bowed her head to him, and extended her elbow.
"Thank you for avenging us," she said, "so that no one else would suffer the same fate."
Luke nodded, some recent pain in his eyes, as he glanced at her elbow in confusion. With a laugh at his naivete, Elana wrapped her arm around his, and led him away as she held her cake. Quinn continued to shadow her, as Earnhart and Dodonna dug in for some cake of their own.
"So, Luke... Please... Tell me about yourself," she said, leading Luke to a nearby table, "I want to hear all about it."
"Er, there's not much to tell," Luke admitted, looking a bit bashful.
"Then it won't take too much time," Elana said cheerfully, deciding she really liked this young man.
Though she wasn't going to drag him behind the stables. Not that there were any on this planet.
Probably.
- - -
Lieutenant Marcus Quinn did have emotions and strong convictions. He was good at hiding them, to the point he'd gotten the nickname of "The Droid" by some of his unkind classmates at the Academy. It was largely born of jealousy-He had graduated top in his class and gotten a plum assignment in strategic planning. He had almost opted for a squadron posting, but as much as he enjoyed flying, he had wanted to stretch his mind more.
The petty politics and squabbles between men who should have known better had made him long for that squadron posting. Still, his performance had been good enough he had been promoted all the way up to full Lieutenant in less than three years.
He kept his complaints to himself. He had remained the consummate professional. Even now, a rebel and traitor to the Empire, he still kept his calm and professional demeanor about him.
Though he had to admit... He was feeling a bit... Tense when it came to seeing His Lady with another man. Granted, a heroic young man who had destroyed the Death Star, but still...
They were talking, and Elana... His Lady... Was calm. Relaxed. Skywalker was nervous, but was slowly relaxing himself as they talked. He said something that made Elana laugh. Quinn found himself gritting his teeth a bit.
"Your jealousy is showing," Tyra stated. Quinn turned to tell off the ensign who had been dogging him for years in the fleet... But his words caught in his throat. Instead of her prim uniform, Tyra Lorr was wearing a green dress that showed off her exceptional charms. Charms that had been easy to disregard, given her icy demeanor. Quinn sniffed.
"Nothing of the sort," he said, "she's been through quite an ordeal. She is emotionally compromised."
"Are any of us not?" Tyra Lorr asked softly. Quinn looked away. He could feel Lorr's small smirk.
"Hey! You're with the Alderaanian Civil Defense Fleet, right?" One of the Rebel pilots asked Lorr. Quinn looked him over-he was tall, long faced, with short black hair but kind eyes. He was in black pants and a white shirt, with a khaki uniform jacket. Lorr looked him up and down, and nodded.
"Yes," she said, "Ensign Tyra Lorr, formally of the 83rd CommScan Squadron. You?"
"Wedge Antilles, of Red Squadron-Or what's left of it," he said, "you guys liberated Uvena Prime?"
"We did," Tyra said with a nod, "how long it will last is unknown, but I believe coordination with the other freed rebelling worlds will allow it to retain its freedom. You were one of the pilots who attacked the Death Star?"
"One of the only surviving ones, yeah," Wedge said, looking a bit grim, before holding up his drink, "would you join me in a toast to them? The bravest men and women I ever flew with."
"Imperial code 45-7, paragraph E, states that fraternization is not allowed between officers of higher and lower ranks without submission of Form E-67, stating intentions to pursue a romantic relationship without coercion," Tyra stated. Wedge stared at her in disbelief.
"Er... Wha-?"
"However, as I am not an Imperial officer any longer, such regulations no longer apply," Tyra said, taking Wedge's arm, "please buy me a drink, Wedge. I would be honored to share a toast with you to our fallen comrades."
Wedge grinned, and led Tyra away. Quinn scowled a bit.
"Don't let your bad mood ruin tonight," a quiet voice said. Quinn turned, and again, a beautiful woman had managed to sneak up on him. In this case, Princess Leia.
"Your Highness-"
Leia held up a hand, and smiled warmly.
"We need to embrace why we fight, after all," Leia said, "otherwise, what's the point?"
Quinn very slowly nodded. She was right, after all.
"Yes, Your Highness," he said. He put His Lady and Skywalker out of his mind, and headed over to get some cake.
... Though he couldn't help sneaking looks over at them the rest of the night. He was just looking out for her, that's all.
And he didn't drink more heavily when he saw her and Skywalker walking off together. He was just enjoying the starshine the Rebels had distilled out of some local jungle plant.
That was all.
- - -
The Mu-class shuttle was the Imperial workhorse shuttlecraft-It had the same internal volume as the larger, more heavily armed Lambda, but none of the frills and a much smaller wingspan. The Imperial Navy had actually be quite generous in donating them to the Alderaanian Civil Defense Fleet: Each of their ships had received at least two, along with several crates of spare parts.
Naturally, Elana had her slicers and mechanics go over every inch of the shuttles. They'd found several tracking devices, all of which they had discarded at the earliest possible moment. Lieutenant Quinn had obeyed the order to dispose of them before the Death Star. Perhaps he'd already had ideas about rebelling before then.
Nevertheless, Elana rode in the back of the shuttle as they made their approach to the Yavin IV base. They were waved in by ground crew, as the base didn't have an automatic landing beacon. Quinn was a very good pilot, so Elana didn't bother him as she stood behind his seat and watched the hanger bay as he skillfully maneuvered them in for a landing.
There were a fair number of X- and Y-wing fighters all over the hanger bay, though a lot fewer than the many empty refueling stations would suggest. There was an eclectic collection of freighters, scouts, and smaller vessels as well-Most prominently, a old, beat up YT-1300 and a heavily modified VCX-100. Quinn used the shuttle's antigravs to skillfully land them nearby both these vessels, as a small repulsorlift cart drew up close.
Elana brushed off her formal dress, as Quinn rose from his seat. She stood by him with a smile.
"Well done, Lieutenant," she said, "would you do me the honor of escorting me?"
Quinn blinked rapidly.
"I... Yes My Lady," he said. He offered his arm, and Elana took it. Earnhart snickered, as Ensign Lorr and a few other officers pretended not to notice his hesitation.
"Well, shall we?" She ordered, making it sound like a question. Elana had always been good at that.
They walked down the ramp of the shuttle, Elana beaming as she saw not only Princess Leia, but General Dodonna waiting for her. Dodonna had worked with her mother and Bail Organa during the Clone Wars-It was good to see the Rebellion was being led by someone with experience.
Elana prepared to kneel before her sovereign, already bowing her head.
"Your Highness, General, I-Ooh!"
Leia outright hugged her tightly. Elana froze, then awkwardly hugged the princess back. Leia pulled back with a happy smile, one that Elana couldn't help returning despite the awkward situation. General Dodonna was smiling with a twinkling look in his eyes-Like an amused grandfather. Earnhart was wearing his fully enclosed helmet again, so no idea what his facial expression was-Though Elana bet that he was grinning.
"I think we can dispense with protocol for the night, Baroness Thul," Leia said with a wink. Elana coughed, all her mother's decorum and manners fighting hard... Before they gave up and Elana let out a matching grin.
"I believe we can, my Queen. And it's Viceroy, I'll have you know."
"Princess, for now please," Leia corrected her, "or Leia."
Elana's grin widened a bit. She could sense Quinn stiffening up a bit in worry. How strange!
"Only if you call me Elana, Your Highness."
"Sounds good to me," Leia said cheerfully, taking Elana's arms in her own and walking her to the cart, "we have much to talk about, and titles make it so dreary, don't you agree?"
"Yes I do," Elana said, just as cheerfully.
- - -
The party was in full swing in one of the many cavernous rooms in the temple complex. Booze was plentiful, as was food. Several of Elana's people soon arrived in other shuttles, and began to mingle amongst the crowd. Elana stayed with Leia, as they walked around the periphery of the dancing and laughing. General Dodonna, Earnhart, and Quinn stayed with them, walking behind the two noble ladies.
"We lost most of our fleet at Scarif," Leia explained, "and most of our fighters taking down the Death Star. We have plenty of GR-75 transports for hauling, but as for warships? Not much is left."
"GR-75s? I wondered where all those went after Gallofree went bankrupt," Elana mused, "I'm guessing your father bought them up?"
"Garm Bel Iblis, but he helped," Leia replied, her face tightening just a bit at the mention of her father. Elana sucked in a breath, then resumed.
"Well, we have twenty nine War Frigates, thirty six War Cruisers, and maybe two dozen Corellian corvettes and gunships. Enough firepower to escort us all out of here. We can handle a few Star Destroyers, but I'm not confident in our ability to deal with what the Empire will probably send after us."
"How is your fighter coverage?" Dodonna asked. Elana looked to Quinn, who promptly answered.
"We have enough Z-95 Mod 77 Headhunters to fill out five squadrons: However, we only have two operational due to lack of trained pilots. We only used one squadron at Uvena-The other remained with the rest of the fleet in case our strike went badly."
"Sensible," Dodonna nodded, "what about your manufacturing? All War Frigates have pretty extensive automated workshops."
"They're fully operational," Quinn reported, "adapting them to create spare parts for non-Alderaanian designs is possible, though it will be slow going."
"That's still good," Leia said, "the Incom defectors will be ecstatic."
She turned to Elana, urgency in her eyes.
"What about Another Chance?" Leia asked. "Have you sent the recall signal for it?"
"The automated hyperbeacons should have sent that in case of planetary disaster," Elana said, glancing back at Quinn, "but we need to input some safe coordinates for it to rendezvous with us."
"We have an idea of where to do that," Dodonna said, "but we'll leave that for later. It is a celebration, after all."
Leia shook her head, even as the crowd hooted and jeered loudly. Elana looked over, and bit her lip to hold in her laugh.
A large caricature of the Emperor himself, in cake with elaborate frosting, was wheeled out into the center of the ballroom. It was being pushed by a tall Wookie, and a handsome if scruffy looking man in a black vest and white undershirt. The swagger of his hips and the well worn blaster hanging against his worn trousers easily identified him as a spacer. The man looked up and grinned across the ballroom right at Leia.
"Your Worshipfulness! Come on! We can't eat it all by ourselves!" He called out.
Leia flushed a bit as all eyes were on her, but she gracious walked up through the parting crowd to the cake. She scowled a bit as Han looked Elana up and down, an action Elana rewarded with a smile.
"And this is?" He asked.
Leia narrowed her eyes.
"Viceroy Elana Thul, this is Captain Han Solo, and his first mate, Chewbacca" she said, "two of the heroes of our recent battle."
"Did you blow up the Death Star, then?" Elana asked, looking Han up and down herself. She could feel Quinn tensing behind her, but she paid it no mind. Han laughed, and shook his head. His Wookie chortled, standing tall.
"Nah, he's coming up-LUKE! COME ON!"
"Just a second, Han!"
Elana looked and stared. The boy... He looked so young. His dirty blonde hair and smooth face only added to it, along with his bright blue eyes. His tanned skin spoke of long hours working outside-Like a farmboy. He was wearing black freighter trousers, a white undershirt, and a yellow jacket. He walked up, a large knife and a small plate in his hands. Several Rebels patted him on the back and shoulders as he passed by, to which he grinned cheerfully.
Han nodded in approval.
"Hurry up and cut that cake, kid! We're dying over here!" Han laughed, "had to keep Chewie from eating it!"
Chewbacca growled something in Shriwook that sounded disparaging, which Han huffed at.
"Well someone ate all the leftover Rebos and I know it wasn't me," Han scoffed.
"Figures you'd save leftover from that greasetrap," Leia shot back, making a face. Han smirked and shrugged.
"Can't all get our meals hand delivered, Your Highness. Come on Luke, cut the first piece! What are you going for?"
Luke, still smiling that cheerful, innocent smile, thrust his knife into the Cake Emperor, and hard. The ballroom went silent for a moment, before riotous laughter filled the air as Luke cut out the crotch area of the Emperor.
He set it on a plate and beamed, still looking innocent, as he looked over at Leia, Han, Elana, Chewie, and Quinn.
"Anyone want this one? Or should I let you choose your own?"
Han whistled.
"Remind me never to make you mad, Kid," Han said.
"I'll be sure to give you fair warning," Luke agreed. He turned in surprise at Elana, "ah, hello, I'm Luke Skywalker. Well-Commander Skywalker, now.'
"Elana Thul, Viceroy of Alderaan," she replied. She took the cake, and, beaming, took a fork from Han. She stuck it into the cake slice, pulled it up, and ate. She beamed.
"Delicious," she said. Luke nodded.
"I'm sorry about Alderaan," he said quietly, as another Rebel took the knife and went to work on the cake. Elana bowed her head to him, and extended her elbow.
"Thank you for avenging us," she said, "so that no one else would suffer the same fate."
Luke nodded, some recent pain in his eyes, as he glanced at her elbow in confusion. With a laugh at his naivete, Elana wrapped her arm around his, and led him away as she held her cake. Quinn continued to shadow her, as Earnhart and Dodonna dug in for some cake of their own.
"So, Luke... Please... Tell me about yourself," she said, leading Luke to a nearby table, "I want to hear all about it."
"Er, there's not much to tell," Luke admitted, looking a bit bashful.
"Then it won't take too much time," Elana said cheerfully, deciding she really liked this young man.
Though she wasn't going to drag him behind the stables. Not that there were any on this planet.
Probably.
- - -
Lieutenant Marcus Quinn did have emotions and strong convictions. He was good at hiding them, to the point he'd gotten the nickname of "The Droid" by some of his unkind classmates at the Academy. It was largely born of jealousy-He had graduated top in his class and gotten a plum assignment in strategic planning. He had almost opted for a squadron posting, but as much as he enjoyed flying, he had wanted to stretch his mind more.
The petty politics and squabbles between men who should have known better had made him long for that squadron posting. Still, his performance had been good enough he had been promoted all the way up to full Lieutenant in less than three years.
He kept his complaints to himself. He had remained the consummate professional. Even now, a rebel and traitor to the Empire, he still kept his calm and professional demeanor about him.
Though he had to admit... He was feeling a bit... Tense when it came to seeing His Lady with another man. Granted, a heroic young man who had destroyed the Death Star, but still...
They were talking, and Elana... His Lady... Was calm. Relaxed. Skywalker was nervous, but was slowly relaxing himself as they talked. He said something that made Elana laugh. Quinn found himself gritting his teeth a bit.
"Your jealousy is showing," Tyra stated. Quinn turned to tell off the ensign who had been dogging him for years in the fleet... But his words caught in his throat. Instead of her prim uniform, Tyra Lorr was wearing a green dress that showed off her exceptional charms. Charms that had been easy to disregard, given her icy demeanor. Quinn sniffed.
"Nothing of the sort," he said, "she's been through quite an ordeal. She is emotionally compromised."
"Are any of us not?" Tyra Lorr asked softly. Quinn looked away. He could feel Lorr's small smirk.
"Hey! You're with the Alderaanian Civil Defense Fleet, right?" One of the Rebel pilots asked Lorr. Quinn looked him over-he was tall, long faced, with short black hair but kind eyes. He was in black pants and a white shirt, with a khaki uniform jacket. Lorr looked him up and down, and nodded.
"Yes," she said, "Ensign Tyra Lorr, formally of the 83rd CommScan Squadron. You?"
"Wedge Antilles, of Red Squadron-Or what's left of it," he said, "you guys liberated Uvena Prime?"
"We did," Tyra said with a nod, "how long it will last is unknown, but I believe coordination with the other freed rebelling worlds will allow it to retain its freedom. You were one of the pilots who attacked the Death Star?"
"One of the only surviving ones, yeah," Wedge said, looking a bit grim, before holding up his drink, "would you join me in a toast to them? The bravest men and women I ever flew with."
"Imperial code 45-7, paragraph E, states that fraternization is not allowed between officers of higher and lower ranks without submission of Form E-67, stating intentions to pursue a romantic relationship without coercion," Tyra stated. Wedge stared at her in disbelief.
"Er... Wha-?"
"However, as I am not an Imperial officer any longer, such regulations no longer apply," Tyra said, taking Wedge's arm, "please buy me a drink, Wedge. I would be honored to share a toast with you to our fallen comrades."
Wedge grinned, and led Tyra away. Quinn scowled a bit.
"Don't let your bad mood ruin tonight," a quiet voice said. Quinn turned, and again, a beautiful woman had managed to sneak up on him. In this case, Princess Leia.
"Your Highness-"
Leia held up a hand, and smiled warmly.
"We need to embrace why we fight, after all," Leia said, "otherwise, what's the point?"
Quinn very slowly nodded. She was right, after all.
"Yes, Your Highness," he said. He put His Lady and Skywalker out of his mind, and headed over to get some cake.
... Though he couldn't help sneaking looks over at them the rest of the night. He was just looking out for her, that's all.
And he didn't drink more heavily when he saw her and Skywalker walking off together. He was just enjoying the starshine the Rebels had distilled out of some local jungle plant.
That was all.
- - -
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Ash's Boomstick
Well-known member
One minor nitpick, the company name is Gallofree not Galloway 
Other than that, poor Quinn he's got it bad but he won't do anything about it. I have a feeling he's too tradition bound to risk it and so it might be his lady who needs to make the move. I don't think she's interested in Luke in that way, she's just trying to put things out of her mind for a while.
Something to consider, in the old canon there were mentions that Venators were left to rot in space after being abandoned, perhaps the fleet could do with one of them, as a tender for the smaller ships rather than a fighter carrier. I wonder if there is a version of Pash Cracken that might bring a wing of pilots with him that could be used to bulk out the Alderaanian fleet's fighter contingent.
Also the Rebel fleet escape with around ten ships of the fleet still intact if not combat worthy, not enough to protect the transports, but enough to help.
Other than that, poor Quinn he's got it bad but he won't do anything about it. I have a feeling he's too tradition bound to risk it and so it might be his lady who needs to make the move. I don't think she's interested in Luke in that way, she's just trying to put things out of her mind for a while.
Something to consider, in the old canon there were mentions that Venators were left to rot in space after being abandoned, perhaps the fleet could do with one of them, as a tender for the smaller ships rather than a fighter carrier. I wonder if there is a version of Pash Cracken that might bring a wing of pilots with him that could be used to bulk out the Alderaanian fleet's fighter contingent.
Also the Rebel fleet escape with around ten ships of the fleet still intact if not combat worthy, not enough to protect the transports, but enough to help.
Ash's Boomstick
Well-known member
I will admit that this is an idea that I played with before (this has happened a few times now), some kind of Alderaan fleet that would fight the empire, but I could never figure out how to do it. This is a lot better than I could have come up with as well, personally I'd have preferred seeing it in Legends as there's a little more to play with that in the new canon, but the again nothing stopping a little cherry picking is there
I will admit that this is an idea that I played with before (this has happened a few times now), some kind of Alderaan fleet that would fight the empire, but I could never figure out how to do it. This is a lot better than I could have come up with as well, personally I'd have preferred seeing it in Legends as there's a little more to play with that in the new canon, but the again nothing stopping a little cherry picking is there
I'm drawing from Legends and what good is from Disney for this story. You may as well make your own canon now with how bad Disney had screwed things up.
Ash's Boomstick
Well-known member
I have occasionally used from Disney for ideas but really there's little to nothing worth grabbing for the stuff I'm writing. But then again the first chapter which is part of the core of the universe I'm writing uses from every version of the Battle of Endor there is, books, films, games etc.
Knowledgeispower
Ah I love the smell of missile spam in the morning
Well the the Return of the Jedi novelization mentions alderaanian cruisers....so its sort of already canon
I try to keep most of my Star Wars fanfic in line with the movies. Well, the first six ones. And the Thrawn Trilogy.
Ash's Boomstick
Well-known member
Are there many people with a more unluckly love live than Legends canon Luke Skywalker?
Captain Sharpe.Good wives were murdered,bad one take his money.
Unfortunately I haven't found many pictures of Elana's namesake-The fact she's supposed to be killed off in the "canonical" Sith Inquisitor playthrough and is mostly a voice over a holocomm hasn't helped. Which is a shame, given she's supposed to be one of the leading lights of House Thul. You'd think there might be more to her story, especially given she's associated with the Sith Inquisitor-Who is heavily into the politics of the galaxy. But, oh well.
Best I've got for her:
I imagine House Thul are, essentially, Indian in their looks. Yes they were at war with House Organa and the other houses long ago and yes they were supported by the Sith Empire, but that was three thousand years ago and ever since the close of the Great Galactic War, they have been loyal to the ruling house of Alderaan-Mainly Organa, though intermarriage has made that a bit complicated. For instance, Queen Cheha, Leia's adoptive mother, was of House Antilles and married Bail Organa to forge an alliance between Antilles and Organa as an acceptable heir to the Throne.
Wedge Antilles is not actually Alderaanian, it's just a fairly popular surname in the galaxy. House Antilles is unrelated.
So, who are some other original characters from Alderaanian Houses I could use here? Any ideas? Submissions for ideas of your own? House Rist assassins? House Alde scholars? Maybe a survivor of House Panteer, the original ruling house of Alderaan, who supported Organa to rule as they lacked the strength or numbers to remain a noble house?
Best I've got for her:
I imagine House Thul are, essentially, Indian in their looks. Yes they were at war with House Organa and the other houses long ago and yes they were supported by the Sith Empire, but that was three thousand years ago and ever since the close of the Great Galactic War, they have been loyal to the ruling house of Alderaan-Mainly Organa, though intermarriage has made that a bit complicated. For instance, Queen Cheha, Leia's adoptive mother, was of House Antilles and married Bail Organa to forge an alliance between Antilles and Organa as an acceptable heir to the Throne.
Wedge Antilles is not actually Alderaanian, it's just a fairly popular surname in the galaxy. House Antilles is unrelated.
So, who are some other original characters from Alderaanian Houses I could use here? Any ideas? Submissions for ideas of your own? House Rist assassins? House Alde scholars? Maybe a survivor of House Panteer, the original ruling house of Alderaan, who supported Organa to rule as they lacked the strength or numbers to remain a noble house?
Hey, he did eventually get the super hot redhead...
Though she did die... If you accept that as canon. Meh.
Still! Hot redhead!
@AndrewJTalon You have two threadmarks numbered 4 and none numbered 3.
Thanks, I fixed it. My bad.