Chapter Text
Alarms are blaring and flashing red light. The hallway security cameras record the door to the cabin shared by Wedge Antilles and Luke Skywalker flying open. Wedge Antilles steps into the hallway before turning and addressing someone in the room.
About a minute later, Luke Skywalker can be seen hurriedly exiting the room not bothering to shut the door. He is carrying a small bag and his helmet. He makes it a few steps into the hall before he pauses to adjust the bag. He turns and appears to speak to someone out of view of the cameras. None of the cameras catch his face well enough to read his lips with any certainty and the distant sounds of battle drown out the audio.
He turns and takes two quick steps before his left arm is pulled up and back causing him to jerk to a halt. It almost looked like someone much taller had grabbed his arm but Skywalker was alone. Turning to look behind and above him, the young commander looks annoyed. “Kin, let go! I have to get to my x-wing!”
There is a few-second pause where Skywalker appears to be trying to tug at something that no one else sees. From the way he cocks his head, it almost seems as if he is listening to someone. Desperately lunging backward, his escape attempt is stopped when his arm remains immobile as though held in an unseen grasp. “No, I have to go! I won't abandon my friends! Let me go!”
The boy by this point is frantically kicking and punching at nothing. “Kin, lemme go! They’re going kill me!”
Suddenly, the boy spins around. He is lifted about two feet in the air with his arms pressed against his chest. His legs kick for a second before abruptly going still. His eyes are wide in terror. He continues jerking slightly as though trying to free himself. Several groups of soldiers run past not reacting to the floating twitching bright orange pilot. One soldier trips on his fallen helmet but only curses before racing on.
Abruptly, Skywalker appears to pull his right arm free dropping his bag. He begins to frantically tug at the air again. He lets out an angry shout, “Let go Sleemo! You're going to get me…” His furious yelling abruptly ends when the boy suddenly stiffens with a gasp before going limp. He blinks several times before with a sigh his eyes close. The audio barely picked up a murmured, “No fair". The fear and panic are completely gone as his face relaxes into a peaceful slumber. The sirens continue blaring as the sound of battle draws closer but the youth does not stir.
The pilot turns in midair until it appears that he is being cradled like a sleeping child in someone’s arms with his head against their chest, if there wasn’t for a distinct absence of arms to hold him or a chest to rest his head on. Skywalker’s bag unzips itself and a battered stuffed bantha floats up onto him. A lock of hair moves as though an unseen hand is caressing the pilot's face.
Still suspended in midair and to all appearances sleeping peacefully, Skywalker’s body floats back into his quarters. The door closed behind him. His fallen helmet and now open bag were the only signs of the peculiar events.
Seventeen minutes pass without activity. A squad of stormtroopers from the 501st jog into the camera view as they take up guard positions around the door. One stormtrooper moves the bag and helmet from the middle of the hallway.
For nearly two hours, nothing happens as the distant sounds of blaster fire cease. The guards remain unmoving. Occasionally, Imperials can be seen. A couple bound Rebels are marched past the cameras. There is no sign of Commander Skywalker.
Eventually, General Maximilian Veers arrives accompanied by a squad of stormtroopers with a large box on repulsors. Dismissing the door guards, he opens the door and goes in. While he is inside, the troopers open the box and remove a couple of blankets. At least one more can be seen lining the box. The General returns carrying an unconscious Luke Skywalker who has a stuffed bantha still clutched in his arms. Placing the boy in the box, the extra blankets were tucked around him before his helmet and bag were added. Once the lid was replaced, Veers and his men headed back up the hallway.