❝ i need you to go. ❞

―

CARINA PULLED HER brows together as she stepped into the war room, taking her place beside her daughter before gazing intently at the table that displayed the planet Yavin and it's four moons. A red dot inching closer towards it, which was marked as the death star.

"Stand-by alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time to firing range, fifteen minutes."

The brunette grit her teeth as crossfire began to erupt, the shots could be heard from the transmitter as the pilots had passed through the death stares magnetic field.

"We're starting for the target shaft now."

The mother pressed her clenched fist to her lips as she didn't dare move her gaze from the map before her. Her stress levels rose as the death star continued making it's way closer and closer.

"Heavy fire, boss! Twenty-degrees."

"I see it. Stay low."

Carina chewed her lower lip anxiously as she wished she had hopped onto a star fighter and joined the fight above, but it had been over twenty years since she had piloted such an aircraft. Yet, her merely standing and watching the fight happen wasn't something she ever did.

Leia noticed the woman's distress, reaching a hand to lay on her forearm before speaking, "It's gonna be okay."

Carina gazed into the princess' eyes, find much of herself in them before hesitantly nodding in agreement. Leia turned back towards the table as the brunette worked on calming herself.

"This is Red Five, I'm going in."

Carina's head perked up a bit upon hearing her sons voice, the mother swallowed thickly as she watched the radar.

"Luke pull up!"

Carina clenched her fists at her sides as she parted her lips to let out a small breath, calming her mind a bit.

"Are you all right?"

"I got a little cooked, but I'm okay."

Carina glanced up at 3PO before pushing her chestnut locks behind her shoulders, tapping her foot slightly to which Leia peered back at her, "You're not used to being on the sidelines, are you?"

"No, usually I'm the one being heard about how I almost died over the coms."

A soft smile tugged on Leia's tainted lips, "I don't doubt it. There's no point in stressing over it since all we can do now is watch, we did our part, now they have to do theirs."

Carina closed her eyes for a short moment, taking in her daughters words as acceptance settled in. The brunette slowly nodded, "You're right."

Leia gave her a comforting smile before turning towards the general. Carina softly breathed as her hands rested on the edge of the table.

"Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters coming your way."

Carina pressed her lips firmly together as Luke's voice chimed up not long after, "My scope's negative. I don't see anything."

"Keep up your visual scanning. With all this jamming, they'll be on top of you before your scope can pick them up."

Algora narrowed her eyes slightly as TIE fighters began to close in on the starships. Carina breathed softly as she cleared her mind, thinking solely on her eldest as she ushered, "Trust your instincts."

Carina smiled to herself, having felt Luke's surprise upon hearing her voice.

Carina pursed her lips at the map as more fighters purged the space above them, heading towards the rebel fleet.

"Keep your eyes open for those fighters."

"There's too much interference."

Carina shared a glance with Leia, noticing a glint of worry shine brightly in her daughters eyes. There would always be loss in these types of fights, no matter what.

"Red Five, can you see them from where you are?" Carina turned her attention back towards the transmitter upon hearing her sons call sign.

"No sign of any— wait. Coming in point three five."

The mother crossed her arms over her chest as Wedges voice could be heard over the coms, "Watch your back, Luke. Watch your back! Fighter's above you, coming in!"

Carina clenched her jaw tightly when an awfully familiar presence haunted her mind. The woman swallowed thickly as the feeling of someone reaching for her from her mind began, and she knew exactly who it was.

Algora began to breath heavily as she blocked off her mind from any connection. Carina shifted her gaze towards the concrete ground beneath her, her lips slightly trembling as she processed the familiar sensation.

Luke's voice suddenly snapped Carina out of her thoughts, "I'm hit, but not bad. R2 see what you can do with it."

The brunette licked her chapped lips, training her eyes on the radar as more Tie fighters began to approach.

"Red six, do you see Red five?"

"There's a heavy fire zone on this side. Red Five, where are you?"

Luke's shaky voice could be heard through the coms, "I can't shake him." Carina attempted to remain calm, pushing down the rising fear for her son.

"I'm on him, Luke. Hold on."

Distorted voices purged the room as crossfire could be heard loud and clear. Carina placed a hand on her utility belt as she stepped back slightly.

Luke's relieved voice cut in a few moments later, "Thanks, Wedge."

"Good shooting, Wedge."

Relief filled Carina's eyes, being on the sidelines was much more stressful than actually being in the fight. In her opinion at least.

"Red leader, this is Gold leader. We're starting our attack run."

"I copy Gold leader, move into position."

Carina pressed the palm of her hand over her mouth as she intently listened, no one in the war room uttered a single word as they heard the pilots. "Switch power to front deflector screens. How many guns do you think, Gold Five."

"I'd say about twenty guns. Some on the surface, some on the towers."

Carina looked over at the projected target screen, as red and blue target lights glow. The red target near the center blinks on and off.

"Gold Five to Red Leader, lost Tiree, lost Dutch."

Carina hung her head slightly as she shut her eyes, the fight didn't look promising as it was going.

"They came from behind—" But the sentence was cut short as an explosion went off, the pilots coms going static. Another one down.

"Rendezvous at mark six point one."

"This is Red Two. Flying toward you."

"Red Three, standing by."

Carina looked up to see Dodonna walking around the table before talking into the transmitter, "Red Leader, this is Base One. Keep half your group out of range for the next run."

"Copy, Base One. Luke, take Red Two and Three. Hold up here and wait for my signal to start your run."

Carina pursed her lips, "I don't think I've ever been so stressed before." Leia shook her head slightly before listening to the pilots, "I'm in range, targets coming up. Just hold them off for a few seconds."

"Almost there."

"I can't hold them!"

Carina watched as another starship disappeared from the radar, they were losing pilots too quickly for the brunette's liking.

"It's away!"

Carina's breath caught in her throat as Red Nine's voice came in, "It's a hit."

"Negative. It didn't go in. It just impacted on the surface."

The Algora muttered a curse as her irritation grew. Leia didn't bother hiding her disappointment as she glanced over at the brunette.

Carina ran her hands through her hair, knowing it was now Luke's turn for the attack run.

"Biggs, Wedge, let's close it up. We're going in. We're going in full throttle. That ought to keep those fighters off our back."

"Right with you, boss."

Biggs voice could be heard, his tone laced with concern, "Luke, at that speed will you be able to pull out in time?"

"It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home."

Carina leaned against the table, her eyes roaming over the target screen. It wouldn't be long before the death star reached them.

"We'll stay back far enough to cover you."

"My scope shows the tower, but I can't see the exhaust port! Are you sure the computer can hit it?"

Luke's distorted voice chimed up, "Watch yourself. Increase speed full throttle."

The blondes mother inhaled and exhaled, attempting to contain a composed expression, stressed there was nothing in her power she could do to help her son, and she hated it.

"What about the tower?"

"You worry about those fighters. I'll worry about the tower."

Leia shuffled closer towards Carina's side, swallowing anxiously as she feared for the plan they had created.

"I'm hit. I can't stay with you."

"Get clear, Wedge. You can't do any more good back there."

"Sorry."

Carina breathed softly as more workers crowded around the table, intensely watching the scene unfold before them.

"Hurry up, Luke."

The woman sighed softly as Biggs starship exploded, his line going static as the Tie fighters began to close in on Luke. Carina grit her teeth together, clearing her mind as she focused on her connection with her only son, "Trust yourself, listen to your instincts."

Carina didn't move her gaze away from the radar as Luke's starship picked up its speed, treading through the trenches faster.

Dodonna pulled his brows together, "His computers off." Carina's tense expression faltered slightly as she realized what her son was doing.

"Luke, you switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm all right."

Carina shut her eyes for a small moment before snapping them open at Luke's voice, "I've lost R2." The brunette's breathing picked up slightly as she thought of the droid, gazing over at 3PO who was already watching her.

"The Death Star has cleared the planet."

Carina licked her lips before running her hands over her face, rubbing her eyes as she shook her head. The woman looked back at the radar to see two Tie fighters destroyed.

Confusion was evident in her gaze when an awfully familiar voice spoke through the coms, "You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home."

Relief flushed through the mother as she stumbled back slightly, letting go of all tension in her body. Leia let out a laugh as the death star imploded due to Luke's direct hit.

Cheers erupted through the room as everyone shot up from their seats. Carina's feet began to move as she treaded into the hangar where Luke had just landed. The blonde was treading down the ladder just as Leia ran at the boy, engulfing him in a hug as the two cheered.

Carina smiled softly at the sight of her two children, she imprinted the sight in her memory. Her heart swelled as she remembered a time when all she wanted was to see her twins together.

Leia let go of the blonde and his attention shifted over to Carina. Young Luke ran at the woman, embracing her rather tightly to which he caught the brunette completely off guard.

"Thank you."

Carina returned the hug as she smiled, "It was all you." Luke grinned brightly at her before yells could be heard behind them. Young Skywalker turned to see Han treading towards them, Leia and Luke pulled the male into a group hug as they laughed loudly.

Luke smiled at Solo, "I knew you'd come back! I just knew it." Han smirked at the blonde before playfully shoving him, "Well, I wasn't gonna let you get all the credit and take all the reward."

Leia laughed whilst shaking her head, "Hey, I knew there was more to you than money."

Carina chuckled softly to herself before turning to see workers getting a torn up R2 back to the ground. The brunette's smile was quick to fall as she approached her friend with Luke following behind.

Carina took in his condition and cringed slightly as 3PO gazed at the R2 unit, "You can repair him, can't you?"

The technician kept his attention on the robot, "We'll get to work on him right away." C-3PO gazed at the male, "You must repair him. Sir, if any of my circuits or gears will help, I'll gladly donate them."

Carina turned towards the gold droid, "He's gotten worse hits than that before, he'll be okay 3PO."

Carina turned to see Han smiling with Luke and Leia, the brunette caught his gaze and she nodded slightly before softly whispering, "Thank you."

Han shrugged before sending her a grin as the trio stormed off. Carina let out a heavy breath, that would be the last time she ever stood on the side lines.

―

Carina shuffled in her spot as she stood beside C-3PO up on podium where Leia stood in the center with hundreds of troops lined up in neat rows. The mother's lips tugged upwards as her son came into view at the far end of the room with Han and Chewbacca at his side.

Carina glanced back at Leia to see her smiling at her. The woman grinned at the princess before she turned her attention back to the three treading towards her before marching up the steps.

R2 let out a beep beside her and Algora chuckled softly as she placed a gentle hand upon his head, watching as Leia placed a gold medallion around Han Solo's neck, earning herself a wink from the male.

Carina narrowed her eyes at him before peering over at her son who was smiling at her. The mother's chest tightened upon the sight, a genuine kind smile caressing her tainted lips.

Leia reached for the other medallion before placing it around young Skywalker's neck. Princess Organa gave the two males one last smile before the two turned towards the crowd.

Loud claps erupted in the throne room as smiles decorated everyone's faces. Carina hummed softly, gazing between her twins as she slipped her hands into her coat.

She was where she belonged, with her children.

―

AUTHORS NOTE,
honestly im ready to write carina and vaders confrontation