~How it All Began: Part 11~

As soon as it flew open, the door slammed shut again. Startled, Luke craned his neck to find two breathless smugglers in his cramped barracks.

"Stars, that crowd is crazy," Han remarked while catching his breath. Luke hummed in agreement, moving his arms from behind his head in order to sit up on his bunk.

Chewbacca growled a cheerful greeting and Luke smiled in return.

Han eyed the younger man up and down. An eyebrow raised skeptically. "That's what you're wearing to the ceremony?"

At the mention of the medal ceremony he and Han were about to partake, Luke's leg started to bounce a mile a minute on the bunk ladder and his fingers twisted together in a nervous habit.

He glanced down at the orange pilot suit he changed back into that morning. "This won't work? I thought since this is the suit I wore when I blew up the Death Star..."

He was interrupted by the door opening and shutting again. Princess Leia, red-faced and panting, turned to face the other occupants in the room. Although delighted to see her, Luke frowned. Does no one knock around here?

"Hiding here, too, Princess?"

"You boys caused quite a crowd." Her brown eyes flickered between the two of them. She frowned. "The ceremony is in over an hour and neither of you have even started getting ready."

Luke's stomach lurched.

"Could say the same for you, Your Worship."

Leia glared at the smuggler. "I was on my way when I ran into your parade of hotshot worshipers outside. Besides, someone needed to make sure you men are doing things right." She turned to Luke, her expression softening. "Luke, don't you have anything nice to wear?"

Luke shook his head. "I never owned anything "nice" in my life. You sure this won't suffice?"

"I have something that might fit you," Han offered, "but it's on the Falcon." He jerked his thumb meaningfully towards the ruckus.

"I'll take care of that." Leia slipped through the door and the boys could hear the Rebel leader shouting orders at the pilots to prepare for the event. There were a few whoops of excitement before the barracks quieted. Leia poked her head into the room, grinning. "You're all clear."

"Thanks, Leia." Luke dropped from the bunk and followed Han and Chewie out.

"I'll see you two moon jockeys at the ceremony," Leia called as she headed the opposite direction.

The three rookies reached the Falcon uneventfully. In his cabin, Han dug through his drawers.

"Here." He handed Luke a stack of neatly folded clothes.

Luke lifted up a black long-sleeve shirt and brown trousers with a yellow Corellian Bloodstripe down the legs. Luke vaguely knew about Corellian Bloodstripes. He noted that Han wore red ones now. He would have to ask how he earned both later.

The trousers fit him quite well. He guessed they were Han's from when he was his age. The black shirt was a bit loose, so he tucked it in.

"These, too." The smuggler passed over a belt and leg holster with a blaster a similar model to Han's DL-44.

"You're expecting trouble?" Luke asked as he put them on.

"Nah. It just looks cool."

After digging around for a bit longer, Han lastly handed him a pair of black boots and a yellow jacket. The boots fit perfectly while the jacket sleeves ended past his wrists. He tugged at them in annoyance and hoped no one would notice.

"Thanks. What about you, Han?"

The Corellian grinned. "I'll just button up the collar." He buttoned up his white shirt then spread out his hands. Luke had to admit that somehow showing less cleavage made Han's apparel fit for an important event.

* * *

"Kid, don't look so nervous."

Luke paused his fidgeting to look up at the confident smuggler. "Aren't you nervous?"

Han shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a medal ceremony."

Chewbacca growled mournfully.

"Oh, be quiet, will you?" Han turned to Luke. "He rather not be a part of this. He even made Leia promise not to make him a medal. Something about how Wookiees don't do medals and how the honor was enough for him or some Bantha fodder like that."

Chewbacca roared and smacked the back of his partner's head.

"Hey!" Han cried indignantly as his rubbed the area. "My hair was the only thing I actually put in effort for this."

The Wookiee chuckled mockingly. Luke and Han exchanged humorous grins.

The organizer of the whole event gave them the go ahead. They turned the corner as a pair of large doors slid open. Trumpets sounded and they were greeted by a crowd of Rebels.

  Here we go, Luke thought as the trio marched forward, Luke and Han side-by-side with Chewbacca humbly in the back.

Waiting for them on the stage were the leaders of the Rebellion, C-3PO, and the vision they recognized as Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. She wore a flowing white dress and cape with her long brown hair woven into thick braids on top of her head and falling down her back. Around her throat rested a silver necklace with a matching belt around her waist.

They climbed the steps and stopped in front of the princess. The three friends failed to keep their expressions neutral as their gazes met.

General Dodonna handed a gold Medal of Bravery to her, which she presented to Han Solo. As the Millennium Falcon's captain raised his head again, he winked at the princess. Instead of annoyance, the corners of Leia's lips quirked into an amused smile.

Next, Leia placed the second Alderaanian medallion around the neck of the boy who destroyed the Death Star. Despite not thinking highly of the medal ceremony, Han felt a surge of pride for the youth.

A fixed and shined R2-D2 rolled up beside his protocol droid friend. He beeped and whistled excitedly, extracting smiles from his human friends.

The heroes of the Rebellion bowed to the princess and turned to face the audience. Chewbacca let loose a triumphant roar, which unleashed a round of long-lasting applause.

As he stood on the step, Luke's thoughts drifted to what brought him to this moment. Looking back, this whole crazy adventure had happened so fast. He had a moment of sorrow for the people he lost along the way: Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, Ben, Biggs, even his father.

As if noticing his somberness,  Han nudged Luke with his elbow subtly just to send the younger man a grin. Luke returned it, suddenly hopeful again. He was part of the Rebellion now. They won; and he had made some lifelong friends along the way.

Luke felt a phantom weight where his father's lightsaber would be. To be the last Jedi all on his own, it was a heavy burden to bear, but it was also one of new hope. He will be a Jedi like his father before him and he had people by his side to help him get there.