Clary sits in the cockpit in the seat next to Chewie, staring blankly out into the main hangar. She can see Han and Lando exchanging goodbyes — Han salutes, which Lando returns, and turns, vanishing underneath the shuttle. Lando seems to sense Clary watching and glances up. His eyes meet hers and he smiles, charismatic and level-headed, the same friend the Solos have grown to love and care for. Clary smiles back, small and forced, as she averts her gaze, staring at the controls in front of her.

You're not even a Solo! Cal's words ring in her ears, making her head spin. You're not a Solo. He's not your brother. This is what mom would have wanted for us — it's okay, Clary, I'm here. It'll be okay. I'm here.

Slamming her hands on the dashboard, Clary inhales sharply, trying to forget the insistent echo of Cal's words, the way that they pierce through her heart, all her feelings becoming a blur. Chewbacca lets out a soft roar from next to her, his eyes alight with concern. Clary glances over at him.

"I'm fine, Chewie," she says, rising to her feet. "I'm going to check on Han."

Before she can leave, however, she stops as Luke suddenly stands in her way. He had been working on the back-control panel in attempts to getting the Imperial shuttle running, but at the sound of Clary leaving, he's risen to his feet, preventing her from exiting the pit.

"Clary," he starts. "Something's wrong."

Clary avoids his gaze. "With the shuttle? Could you not get it running?"

Luke sighs as he closes the panel door shut. The shuttle gives off a soft rumble in response, a hum echoing throughout the ship, reverberating against Clary's feet.

"What did Cal do?" he asks. She can feel his gaze burning into her, intoxicating, captivating...everything she's grown to love about him. She wants to tell him, she wants to confide in him, to hold him and never let go, to drown in the warmth and security he gives her, the happiness that never seems to go away. But she knows now isn't the time — she doesn't know if there ever be a time where she can tell him everything.

"Cal didn't do anything," Clary replies shortly. She looks up, but still avoids his eyes, staring past him. "He said some things but...it's not important right now."

She starts to leave but Luke pulls her back. Before she can shake his grasp off, he lifts his hands, holding the sides of her face, forcing her to look at him. His touch wavers, gentle yet secure.

"Clary," he says. "Something's been bothering you ever since we left Jabba's." When Clary doesn't say anything, he adds, "You can tell me. I'm here for you. I'm always here for you."

A sharp pain courses through Clary's heart, making it ache with longing and desire, to break down and tell him everything that's bothered her — the voices, her intangible feelings towards everything light and dark, her true family. She opens her mouth to stop, but cuts off instantly as Han appears, Leia trailing shortly behind him.

"You got her warmed?" he asks, nodding towards the control panel Luke had been working on. He comes to a stop when he notices both Clary and Luke standing, brow narrowed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Clary says quickly, pulling away from Luke. She makes her way towards the front again, standing next to Chewie. "We should be ready to go soon."

Chewbacca glances over at her, moving to see her better, but his head collides with the top of the ship. He lets out a short growl, complaining about the cramped space, shaking his head as he glances between Han and Clary.

"I don't think the Empire had Wookiees in mind when they designed her, Chewie," Han replies. Leia takes the empty seat nearby as Chewie huffs irritably, turning more carefully as he lifts his furry paw, hitting the switches to further start the engine. Han sits down in the empty seat next to Chewie, gaze clouded over as he looks out to the main hangar, the view of the Falcon staring back at him. Clary follows his gaze, and suddenly, a rush of memories come back at her, hitting her like a freight train: all of the smuggling jobs she had with Chewie and Han, growing up on the Falcon, Han teaching her how to fly, meeting Obi-Wan and Luke, rescuing Princess Leia, fighting for the Rebellion, something Clary had never dreamed of doing...so many events that have led up to this moment.

"Are you awake?" Leia asks, but it's not to Clary. She glances behind her to see that Leia has her hand on Han, who doesn't tear his gaze away from the Falcon.

"Yeah," Han says slowly. "I just...got a funny feeling. Like I'm not going to see her again."

A dull ache pierces through Clary's heart again. All her thoughts had been jumbled together, screaming all at once that she had forgotten the mission they were going on. They might never return. The might not even make it out alive.

"Come on, General," Leia says softly, squeezing Han's shoulder reassuringly. "Let's move."

Han blinks, tearing his gaze away from the Falcon. "Right, Chewie, let's see what this piece of junk can do."

Clary turns, trying to find a spot to sit when Leia moves over, gesturing for them to share. Clary sits at the edge of the seat as Han and Chewie fumble with the controls, preparing to fly out of the base. The shuttle turns, starting out of the main docking bay. Clary can hear C-3PO and R2D2 come in from holding area of the ship as they make their way to stand next to the entrance of the cock pit.

"Here we go again," 3PO says. Clary takes a breath, squeezing her hands together in tight fists, the outline of her knuckles turning pale white. The shuttle's wings shift as it lowers into position, nearing the edge of the Headquarters Frigate. Clary hasn't noticed her hands are shaking until Leia rests hers over them, her touch warm and reassuring. Clary glances over at her to see her smiling, eyes brimming with concern.

"You're not alone, Clary," she whispers. "We're here for you."

Red lights flash in Clary's eyes, the familiar hum of the lightsaber echoing loudly in her ears. This is all your potential. A strangled voice, different from the ones before, the ones Cal made to taunt and consume her, whispering feebly, I hope you'll be a fool, Clary.

Clary only nods, tearing her gaze away from the princess, pulling her hand out from under hers, staring at the floor. She'd rather be alone in all of this — she doesn't want anyone else to get hurt. It doesn't matter if she's the only one to feel nothing but pain.

•••

Once the Death Star comes into view, Clary can feel her worries grow. She wrings her hands nervously as they near the star destroyer.

"If they don't go for this," Han instructs, glancing over at Chewbacca. "We're gonna have to get out of here pretty quick."

Chewie nods, growling his agreement. There's a sudden static hiss before a voice can be heard over the radio.

"We have you on our screen now," the controller says. "Please identify."

"Shuttle Tydirium requesting deactivation of the deflector shield," Han says, exchanging a wordless glance over his shoulder to the others.

"Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code for shield passage."

Clary holds her breath, the tension hanging high in the air, her heart racing. Han inputs the code and Leia shifts nervously in her seat.

"Now we find out if that code is worth the price we paid," she says.

Han doesn't glance over at her as he stares at the panel. "It'll work. It'll work."

To Clary, it sounds as if he's trying to convince himself more than anyone. Chewie lets out a sharp whine, glancing between Han and the code. Luke shifts from the seat to Clary's left, and she looks over to see that he's staring straight at the star destroyer looming ahead of them.

"Vader's on that ship," he murmurs.

"Don't get jittery, Luke," Han warns, glancing over his shoulder. "There are a lot of command ships." He looks back at the destroyer as it seems to grow larger and larger. "Keep your distance, though, Chewie, but don't look like you're trying to keep your distance."

Chewbacca turns to stare at him, brow furrowed as he barks. Clary sighs, shaking her head, lifting up a hand to rub at her temples.

"I don't know," Han hisses. "Fly casual."

They wait for a few more moments in silence, waiting for their clearance, as Luke shakes his head.

"I'm endangering the mission," he says. "I shouldn't have come."

"It's your imagination, kid," Han says without looking back at him. "Come on, let's keep a little optimism here."

Clary snorts, rolling her eyes. "That's a lot, coming from you."

Han scowls, turning to look at her. "What are you talking about? I'm very optimistic."

Clary exchanges a glance with Chewbacca, who shakes his head, rumbling under his breath. Han now turns his gaze to Chewie, eyes narrowed pointedly.

"Oh, now that's a lot coming from you, fuzzball," he snaps. Leia lets out an aggravated sigh.

"Is now really the time for this?" At her words, a hushed silence falls over the group. "It'll be fine. We just have to be patient."

Before anyone can say anything else, the static from the commlink sounds again, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Shuttle Tydirium, what is your cargo and destination?"

"Parts and technical crew for the forest moon," Han replies, voice filtered through the speaker. Clary holds her breath again. Leia finds her hand, grasping onto it tightly. Clary notices she's trembling slightly.

There's a heavy silence before the voice speaks once more, giving them their clearance. "Shuttle Tydirium, deactivation of the shield will commence immediately. Follow your present course."

After the commlink shuts off, Clary releases the breath she's been holding. A look of relief also crosses Leia's face, and Chewie barks, shooting Han a pointed look.

"Okay!" he exclaims. "I told you it was going to work. No problem." He leans back in his chair. Clary pulls her hand away from Leia's, turning to look at Luke. His blue eyes glimmer, alight with concern, as he stares ahead blankly. Clary's half-tempted to say something, but she stops herself, sensing the confliction that seems to be racing in Luke's mind.

The shuttle continues forward towards the sanctuary moon, and as they get closer, Clary can see an abundance of green shrouding around them. It slows to a stop as it hovers above a clearing within the forest, hidden between the towering trees that seem to go on for miles and miles. The engines give one last shudder before shutting off. Han sighs, leaning back in his seat, relieved that they've made it this far.

Leia nods to Clary and Clary rises to her feet, stepping aside to let Leia walk through. She gives one last reassuring smile to her before fastening her helmet, exiting the shuttle. Clary hesitates, glancing at Luke, who starts forward. He lets his hand brush against hers before he follows after Leia.

"Stay behind me," Han says suddenly, clasping his hand on Clary's shoulder. She glances over at him before scoffing, adjusting her blaster before starting forward.

"Look who's in the lead now," she smirks as Chewbacca barks humorously. Han rolls his eyes, but his gaze softens as it rests on the two. Clary notices his expression wavering, and she's tempted to question him, but he says nothing as they continue out of the shuttle and into the foliage.

Spotting the group of helmeted rebels up ahead, the group continue forward, crouching as they attempt to blend in with the greenery. Leia and Chewbacca have taken the lead, with Han and Luke trailing close behind. Clary stays back with the droids, glancing over at them. R2 lets out a soft beep, lights flashing as they merge with the rest of the rebels. Clary nods grimly.

"Let's get this over with, Artoo."

Chewbacca's managed to push his way to the front of the group, with Leia next to him. They stop suddenly, crouching as they drop to the ground. Leia looks over her shoulder, motioning for the rest of them to follow suit. Clary drops into a crouch, holding her weapon tightly as she makes sure not to make any sudden movements.

"Oh, I told you it was dangerous here," 3PO says, shaking his head. Clary shushes him, turning to look over at the cleft in the hill that they've reached. Below them, she spots two Imperial scouts wandering through the bushes in the valley below. A little ways near them are two rocket bikes, allowing them escape if needed. Clary moves to stand closer to the group, standing between Han and Luke. Luke glances towards her, his gaze lingering, but Clary continues to peer at the scouts, eyes narrowed.

"Should we try and go around?" Leia whispers.

Han shakes his head. "It'll take time. This whole party'll be for nothing if they see us."

Leia turns to motion with her hand for the rest of the squadron to stay put. They nod, lowering themselves down to the ground. She glances back at Han, exchanging a glance with him before nodding to Luke and Clary, signaling for them to continue forward.

Clary tries her best not to make noise as they start down towards the clearing. The hill is steep, and she finds her feet nearly slipping, but she manages to maintain her balance, her heel nearly getting caught in the dirt and soil, making her stop suddenly. Luke holds out his hand to her, but Clary only smiles mischievously, freeing herself as she catches up to Han, standing next to him as they hide behind a shroud of bushes. Clary kneels down, glancing at her brother.

"Chewie and I will take care of this," he says as Luke and Leia make their way over. He shoots Clary a pointed look when she opens her mouth to retort. "You stay here with Luke and Leia. I'll blast you if you come near us."

Clary refrains from rolling her eyes, knowing that Han only wants to ensure her safety above all others. He starts forward, but Luke stops him, shooting him a pointed look.

"Quietly," he tells him. "There might be more of them out there."

Han grins. "Hey...it's me." Before anyone can say anything else, he turns, with Chewie following closely behind as they maneuver past the trees, nearing the scouts.

Luke sighs, shaking his head, but smiles nonetheless as he exchanges a glance with Leia. Clary shifts nervously, watching Han tentatively as he nears the scouts. Her mind is racing again as thoughts crowd over, distracting her. Although she's been trying her best not to think about it, knowing that the dangers of this mission would only worsen if she were to be distracted, Cal's words still manage echo in her ears, making her head spin.

Your father is the same as mine.

Clary isn't a Solo — all her life, she had been living a lie. Obi-Wan had tried to tell her otherwise, that she is a Solo, despite everything, but Clary can't help the dull ache forming in her chest, the anger boiling at the pit of her stomach. All her life, she thought she only needed her family; Han, Chewbacca, and the stars. But her real family — a woman she doesn't remember, a boy who's whispering to her, changing her, and a man she barely came to know — are so out of reach, Clary can't help but let her rage fester.

A loud snap of a twig, cutting through the quiet of the forest, distracts Clary from her thoughts. Her eyes widen in horror to see Han standing behind an Imperial scout, having stepped on a twig, alerting them of his presence. Han barely has time to react before the scout whirls, slamming his arm into Han's chest, forcing him backwards. Han stumbles, his back hitting the tree behind him, and the scout takes this moment to turn to his partner.

"Go for help, now!"

The second scout jumps on his speeder bike, whizzing past the trees and out of sight. Clary inhales sharply, rising to her feet, but Chewbacca beats her by raising his crossbow, shooting a laser in the direction of the scout. A faint scream sounds from within the foliage before Clary sees a puff of smoke as the scout crashes into a tree up ahead.

"Great," Luke mutters under his breath. He looks at Leia and Clary, nodding to them. "Come on!"

He doesn't bother to wait for them as he starts forward. Leia follows after him quickly, readying her laser pistol as they creep through the bushes. Leia pauses suddenly, resting a hand on Luke's shoulder before pointing towards to other scouts mounted on their speeder bikes, with an empty one parked close by.

"Over there!" she hisses, glancing over at Clary as she makes her way forward, kneeling beside them. "There's two more of them."

"I see them," Luke says, but he's barely finished his sentence before Leia takes off. He watches after her. "Wait, Leia!"

Either Leia doesn't hear him, or chooses to ignore him, Clary can't tell. She continues forward, racing for the remaining speeder bike. She jumps on it with ease, revving it before Luke races after her. Clary starts forward as well but stops at the sound of Han yelling. There's a loud thud and she turns to see him and the scout still scuffling about. Han's managed to pin him against the tree this time, but the scout uses his mask-covered face to hit him in the head, forcing him backwards.

"Han —!" Clary starts, glancing between Luke and Leia on the speeder and the man she once called her brother.

"Go help Han!" Luke exclaims. "We'll be back!"

Clary doesn't have the chance to reply as Leia starts the speeder bike, racing after the two other scouts that have managed to escape into the depths of the forest. Clary inhales sharply, gripping her blaster tightly before turning, rushing back to her brother.

"Well, you sure took your sweet old time!" Han snaps, not bothering to look back at her as he holds the scout in a headlock. The Imperial soldier squirms under his grip, stepping on Han's foot, forcing him to let go. Han curses, stepping backwards as the scout headbutts him, forcing him to the ground. He moves a hand behind his belt, grasping his weapon.

Aiming her blaster, Clary steps forward, preventing the scout from moving. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she says, gaining his attention. He looks over at her, raising his hands warily, stepping backwards, nearing the tree that he had been pinned against moments before. Clary holds the blaster level to his chest, adrenaline pumping in her veins, pulsing deafeningly in her ears.

Make him pay.

A loud voice, so different from the hushed whispers echoing continuously in her mind, suddenly bellows throughout the forest. Alarmed, Clary's blaster falls out of her hands and onto the floor as she steps backwards, frantic. Her heart beats loudly in her chest, the feeling she had felt on Jabba's throne returning, now stronger than ever. Make him pay.