The hangar buzzed with urgency. Echo Base was alive with rushing mechanics, fueling crews, and pilots gearing up for departure. Word had spread fast—the Empire was on its way. There was no time to waste.
Luke stood by the Falcon, arms crossed as Han loaded a few final supplies. Chewbacca groaned, ducking under the freighter's ramp with his usual cargo hauler's grace.
"You really are leaving?" Luke asked, not quite hiding the disappointment in his voice.
Han gave him a look, half-apologetic, half-defensive. "I've got my own problems to deal with. That bounty on my head isn't getting smaller." He threw a satchel up the ramp and turned to Luke. "Don't worry. I'll come back. I always do."
Luke gave him a nod, then stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Han in a quick, firm hug. "Just… take care of yourself."
"You too, kid," Han muttered, patting his back. "And watch out for Kai—he's twice as much trouble as I ever was."
"Hey!" came a voice from behind them.
Kai approached, already in his stained flight suit, helmet tucked under one arm, grease from the X-wing's prep still smudged along one cheek. "If I'm trouble, you're an active disaster."
Chewbacca barked out a laugh as Han rolled his eyes.
"Don't let him get too serious," Han said to Kai, nodding toward Luke. "Or too heroic."
"No promises," Kai said, clapping Han's shoulder. "Now get out of here before Leia talks you into staying again."
Han grumbled something unintelligible and walked up the ramp with Chewbacca close behind. The Falcon's engines began warming up as the ramp closed behind them.
The goodbye was done.
Minutes later, Leia stood on the command platform overlooking the hangar floor. Troopers, pilots, and officers stood at attention, their gear packed and escape routes coordinated.
Her voice rang out over the noise.
"We've practiced this a dozen times. You all know your paths, your responsibilities. We hold the transports until every one is away, and we hold this base until the last man or woman is aboard. Today isn't defeat—it's survival. And we will survive."
Applause echoed across the platform. Leia didn't linger. There was too much to do.
Kai and Luke remained behind as the crowd dispersed.
Luke stepped in to hug her, lingering for a moment. "Stay safe," he whispered.
"You too," she said quietly, her hand resting on his arm just a second longer than necessary.
Kai smirked as Luke stepped back.
Leia turned to him, already expecting trouble.
"What?" she said suspiciously.
Kai gave her a roguish grin. "Just surprised, is all."
"By what?"
"You're not that hard on everyone," he teased. "Just me and Han."
Leia rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitched. "Maybe you two bring it on yourselves."
"Maybe," Kai said, backing away slowly. "But it's kind of endearing."
She stared at him a moment, unsure whether to slap him or laugh.
Kai turned before she could decide, heading toward his X-wing with a spring in his step.
Rogue Squadron gathered near the launch ramps, and Luke took his helmet, nodding to Dak, his young gunner. "Let's go."
As the hangar bay doors opened and the cold Hoth air blasted inside, fighters began to roll out in formation.
Kai climbed into his stained X-wing, patched and rugged, far from pristine—but it had character. And now, it had purpose.
"Time to dance," he murmured, flipping switches.
The storm was coming.
But they were ready to meet it.
The wind howled across the icy plains of Hoth as the Rebel pilots assembled on the launch deck, the doors of Echo Base yawning open like the mouth of a great cave. Outside, the world was a blur of white—snow and wind whipping together under an iron sky. But something heavier than the weather pressed down now.
The Empire was coming.
Luke Skywalker stood beside his snowspeeder, helmet cradled under one arm, the other hand resting lightly on the cold hull of the ship. Dak, his gunner, was already running pre-flight checks, the familiar hum of systems coming online echoing in the open hangar.
Kai adjusted his gloves, then turned toward Luke, walking across the deck with a measured calm. His stained X-wing had been temporarily modified to work with the frigid conditions, but for now, he'd be flying escort above while the speeders handled the surface engagement.
"You ready?" Kai asked, raising his voice slightly over the wailing wind.
Luke nodded, though there was a tension in his expression. "As I'll ever be. They've spotted walkers—big ones. AT-ATs."
Kai frowned. "And we're going at them with tow cables and small arms?"
"It's worked in simulations," Luke said, almost convincing himself.
Kai gave a dry chuckle. "I'm not a huge fan of simulated survival. But hey, you're leading this dance."
Luke glanced sideways at him. "You're going up top, then?"
Kai nodded. "Rogue's got the ground. I've got your back from above. If anything's flying in with those walkers, I'll be your warning."
He paused, his tone shifting slightly.
"You see what you saw again—Obi-Wan, I mean—tell me. Even in the middle of the fight."
Luke hesitated, then nodded. "I will."
The hangar comm crackled overhead, and a controller's voice rang out: "Rogue Squadron, report to launch positions. All fighters: scramble and engage. The first wave is inbound."
The urgency cut through the cold.
Luke took a breath, slipping on his helmet, the familiar hiss-click of the seal giving him momentary comfort. "See you out there."
Kai backed away, grinning faintly. "Don't get crushed by a walker. You'd make a terrible pancake."
Luke chuckled despite himself, then turned and climbed into the speeder. A moment later, the craft lifted off the deck and roared out into the snow.
Kai jogged toward his X-wing, pulling down his helmet and checking his systems. As he climbed into the cockpit, he could already feel the faint ripple in the Force. Like a distant roar rising through the mountains. Violence was near. The Empire's wrath was almost upon them.
He strapped in, flipping switches, feeling the engine rumble to life beneath him. His astromech warbled an update—several Imperial signatures approaching from orbit, likely escort TIEs and bombers trailing behind the walkers.
Kai exhaled slowly, steadying his breath.
This wasn't the first time he'd flown into fire.
But it might be the worst storm yet.
He tapped his communicator, reaching Luke's channel.
"Rogue Leader, this is Kai. I'll be your shadow up there."
Luke's voice came through, calm and confident: "We're glad to have you, Shadow. See you on the other side."
Kai grinned, pulled the throttle, and shot into the blinding white.
The Battle of Hoth had begun.