Luke Skywalker's First Rain

Title: Luke Skywalker’s First Rain
Author: Arwen Skywalker
Rating: G
Summary: Luke feels rain for the first time, and deals with his emotions following the Battle of Yavin.
Disclaimer: I don’t own SW. Duh. ☺
Warning: Does not contain any romance, sorry. (lols)
Author's Note: Going through my fanfic, and I found this. Read it again, changed a few things, and thought I'd offer it up for criticism. The title is sorta dumb, but I can't think of something deep and appropriate. Yeah. I wrote this going on two years ago. *shrugs* And I don't think I've posted this here yet.......I don't think. If you recognize it, go ahead and call me stupid, and give me some crit anyway. :)
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Luke Skywalker, new hero of the rebellion, fledgling Jedi, and farmboy, awoke and stretched. His internal chrono was going off insistently; even though his brain insisted there was no reason to get up since the farm and its chores were light-years away.

Luke sighed. This was only his fourth day away from Tatooine, his second morning waking up in the Great Temple on Yavin 4. It was just after waking that the homesickness hit so badly. Luke was still a boy. A farmboy at that. Yesterday upon waking, he’d cried for an hour as it had really hit home, all that he’d lost. Luke hadn’t really had time to grieve before, too busy rescuing princesses and listening to a Jedi, and blowing up battle stations. And then of course there was the huge celebration after the battle. It hadn’t stopped at nightfall; it had just carried on and on, not stopping until the last drunk reveler keeled over. Luke hadn’t drunk much. It had been his first time touching alcohol, since that kind of thing never crossed the threshold of the farmstead.

Luke was a very alone farmboy. His father and mother had died when he was tiny. His Aunt and Uncle had been brutally slaughtered just yesterday, and that monster Darth Vader had killed the old Jedi Master, Ben. The tears had come, and there just was no stopping them. Luke couldn’t even remember the last time he’d cried, let along cried his heart out. His family wasn’t the only thing he’d lost. He’d found his childhood’s best friend, moments from climbing in his ship, and lost him out in space. Luke cried for Biggs, for all the stories they’d never share. And finally Luke cried for all the people he’d slaughtered yesterday when his torpedoes hit the target. Knowing that all the people around him would otherwise be dead didn’t help in the slightest. He was a murderer, plain and simple, and there was no going back.

Today was a new day, and that was good Luke thought. He was also grateful to whoever decided that he needed his own room. It would have been too embarrassing to have broken down in front of someone yesterday. Leia had known, thought Luke, and she had assigned him this room. His thoughts turned toward the petite princess. She must be grieving too, her whole world was gone, all her friends and family, and she’d had to watch it happen. They were both alone.

Luke sighed again as he remembered what today was. The last day before the rebellion found a new hiding place, and the day of the commemoration and medal services. He’d be receiving a medal, as would Han. He didn’t want it, and he’d tried to explain that to several officials and Leia. Leia had understood why, but insisted he accept it.

“Good for morale,” she’d said.

Luke grimaced and swung himself out of bed, then got dressed and left his room hoping to make it outside without being noticed. Most of the others wouldn’t be stirring for a least a half hour, and he thought that would give him enough time to practice feeling the Force out in the natural air.

The guard on duty at the front door nodded and let Luke pass, after hearing his stated business. Luke stepped out into the gray of the morning, the air was heavy and thick, the sky filled with rain clouds. The wind ruffled his sandy hair as he lifted his face to the sky.

Plop!

Luke opened his eyes.

Plip! Plop! Plip!

Water was dripping on his face.

Faster the drops fell, until it seemed as if the tears from yesterday were covering his face again. Confused for a few minutes, Luke just stood there. Suddenly his face broke into a wide and decidedly goofy smile.

Rain! That’s what it was! It was raining!

Luke Skywalker, new hero of the rebellion, stood in the middle of his first rain shower and laughed. As he had thought he’d probably never laugh again. The rain seemed to cleanse all his tiredness and sorrow away. It smelled and sounded so wonderful! It was so amazing! It was more water then he’d ever seen in his life, and it felt so good. His hair and clothes were soaking wet, but Luke didn’t care. He wanted to stay in this wonderful thing called rain forever.

Luke spun around and around. He caught the rain in his mouth and smiled at the taste. He walked around the Temple, marveling at the way the water ran down the stones and formed little puddles on the ground. He watched water pour off of trees and plants. He smelled the smell of growing things receiving their nutrients.

And then he slipped in his first puddle. He lay where he fell, stunned, and then laughed, and laughed. After getting up, he looked around cautiously, but seeing no one, he jumped. Luke Skywalker jumped in the puddles like any small child would, and had just as much fun.

Time passed, and the rain subsided. Luke trudged the rest of the way back to the Temple entrance, where he again presented himself to the guard, sopping wet and covered in mud. The guard looked at him and laughed.

Luke ginned a bit sheepishly and tried to explain that it was his first rain shower.

“First?” The guard was confused.

“Ever hear of Tatooine?” Luke asked.

“Oh, yeah. Biggest sandbox in the galaxy.”

“That’s where I’ve lived my whole life.”

“Well, that explains it,” the guard chuckled again. “You’d better clean up and get something to eat. Breakfast must be nearly over.”

“I must have been out there a long time,” Luke said in surprise. He headed for his room.

************************

“Did you enjoy it?”

Luke spun around, still dripping. Princess Leia stood at the entrance to another hallway, smiling.

“Yes,” Luke said, ginning awkwardly. “I’ve never seen so much water in my life. It’s amazing.”

“Yes, it is.” Leia’s eyes had tears in them of a sudden. “Come eat as soon as you are dry. The memorial starts in an hour.”

“Yes Princess,” replied Luke, turning to go.

“It’s Leia. Just Leia.” She said, catching his eyes in hers.

“All right” Luke said softly. “See you in a bit, Leia.”

Leia smiled and turned down another hallway, and Luke made it the rest of the way to his quarters. Once inside he was amazed to see he’d been out for over two hours. He changed quickly and made his way to the dining hall.


**********************

Luke thought the memorial service was beautiful. The names of the fallen, (or in this case blown to bits) rebel pilots were read, and their accomplishments made known. Luke was surprised to learn that Biggs had been busy in the rebellion for nearly 6 standard months, and had been heavily involved in several missions, performing admirably in all.

After the reading of the names, followed by several minutes of silence, rebel musicians played a beautiful dirge, to lament and honor the fallen.

The next part of the service commemorated Alderaan. Princess Leia and several other Alderaanian rebels spoke of its natural beauty, the beauty of its art and culture, and the beauty of the Alderaanian people. Their voices trembled and faltered; even the Princess’s, and tears filled the eyes of the room. After the speaking, what were identified to Luke by another rebel as Alderaanian laments were played, and their sadness made Luke want to break down completely again.

Luke kept his eyes on the princess, her eyes full of tears that she refused to let fall. She never looked at him though. Luke glanced at Han, standing a few feet away with his Wookiee. Han’s face was a study, and Luke wondered what the pirate was thinking.

After the last song died away, there was more silence, and then General Dodonna came to the front and spoke of the victims aboard the Death Star, of their family’s loss, and of how many of them were conscripts, there by no fault of their own. He reminded the gathered freedom fighters of what they were fighting for, and to not forget the seriousness of war and its consequences.

Luke kept his eyes fixed firmly on the floor, holding back his tears with all his might. It hurt to think of all those people, dead because of him.

After Dodonna finished, there was again several minutes of silence, and then the rebels were dismissed for lunch and more packing of the base before the medal ceremony.

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The rebels were assembled in the great room again; it was time for the medal ceremony. Luke stood outside the big door with Han and Chewbacca, wishing to be anywhere but waiting to walk through a room packed with beings, all in order to receive a medal he really didn’t think he deserved. Luke glanced over at Han, who was fidgeting next to the still-as-stone Chewbacca. Han caught his eye and broke the silence.

“You aren’t happy about this, are you?”

Luke grimaced. “No.”

“I don’t have much use for ceremonies, especially ones I gotta dress up for,” the smuggler declared.

“I liked the memorial,” Luke said, “but I don’t think I deserve a medal. It was just a lucky shot.”

“Lucky shot?” Han scoffed, “the most amazing lucky shot I’ve ever seen.” He looked more closely at the young man, who was looking at his shoes again. Chewie chuffed his agreement.

“One in a million, right?” Luke raised his head and gave a half grin, and Han grinned back.

“You’ve got it!” Han exclaimed as he looked at the younger man. He had been feeling a bit big brotherish toward the kid ever since the old man had been cut down. He had noticed how much more grown up the kid seemed since the battle, more serious.

Han hesitated a minute, then said what he was thinking. “Hey kid, I’m proud of you, you know that?” He said, complete with the Solo lopsided grin.

Luke looked up, a real smile on his face. “I’m proud of you, too, old man.”

“Hey!”

“If you can call me kid, then I can call you old!”

The Wookiee laughed, and the two men joined in as triumphal music began to play inside the Great Hall.

The door slide open, and Luke began to walk. His last glance at Han showed Han rolling his eyes. Luke smiled again, and marched what seemed the interminable length of the Hall, followed by Han and Chewie. He finally reached the podium, and the princess. She looked gorgeous up close, with her hair out of the buns and in a thick braid down her back. Leia’s face was all seriousness as she took the first medal from the general and placed it around Luke’s neck. Luke swallowed hard and smiled up at her. She smiled back at him as she turned to get Han’s medal. She put it around Han’s neck and he grinned and winked at her. She shook her head slightly, but grinned back.

Luke heard whistles and looked over to see R2 rocking excitedly next to 3PO. He grinned at the little droid, who deserved a medal for all he’d done during the last few days. Leia looked over and grinned at the droid, too and then she motioned to Han and Luke to turn and face the audience. Luke squared his shoulders as he and Han swiveled to face their fellow rebels. The hall erupted into thunderous applause as the two faced front and looked out over the assembly.

Luke smiled again.

He wasn’t alone, not by a long shot. He had new friends, new responsibilities, and something to fight for.

He was ready to face tomorrow as Luke Skywalker, hero of the rebellion, farmboy, and freedom fighter.

It was a good day.