A/N: Many thanks to Ghost14lebi for the fabulous review and to zoegrover for beta-reading this story! And thank you for reading! Let your voices be heard for upcoming stories via the poll on my profile, and do enjoy!

Among the Clouds

Sheena Lerann had experienced her fair share of near deaths, but it had never resulted in actually dying. Was this what it was like? If so, it wasn't so bad. She was warm, comfortable, unafraid, and safe. No wonder Ben always seemed so nonchalant about the crises of the galaxy. She even thought she heard someone singing – the low rumbling of a man's voice humming a tune that pondered past days of glory and honor. If she just kept her eyes closed forever, maybe it would never stop.

But suddenly, she realized, she was breathing. A dead person didn't breathe. The singing had stopped at some point, but there was a pressure around her hand – warm, rough, and strong. She shifted under the weight, which tightened in response – not constricting, but reassuring. A voice spoke through the fog.

"I gotcha, sweetheart."

The clouds blanketing Endor's atmosphere were almost hypnotic with their slow swirls, the way the light danced off them, and the wisps of the dissipating outer edges. She certainly hadn't had the time to notice them while escaping an exploding ship in the middle of a space battle. But the battle was over now, at least for her. She had made her choice.

"So, is this something you ever pictured for yourself?"

Sheena turned from the window over her shoulder at the several white-haired clone troopers minding their posts on the bridge of their main vessel, the Tano. He had done it. While tracking down the current whereabouts of his deprogrammed clone buddies had taken him longer than expected – and almost cost him his life – he had actually done it. He found them and brought them to the fight just in time for the final showdown against the Emperor and his minions. There was still work for the Rebel Alliance, obviously, but the evil clutches behind the madness were loosened.

"Not in the least," she mused, pleasantly surprised when a clone smiled at her.

"They know a bit of what you've been going through," Liam Onasi noticed her puzzled expression. "They're old soldiers, remember? They've seen the horrors of war a hundred times over just during the Clone Wars. One of them called it shell shock." Sheena looked down, color rising in her cheeks. "They have quite the settlement on their moon. Now that the Empire's rule is effectively over, I'm sure it will be growing. They said we're welcome though, if we want." He chuckled. "These guys were just itching for an adventure when I crashed on their doorstep, so…"

The former Jedi shook her head with a bemused expression, wrapping her thick grey robe over her dual lightsabers.

"So?"

"The choice is yours."

Sheena took a moment, staring blankly out at the stars. A million thoughts with a million possibilities flooded her imagination, but only one thing mattered: The person who could share it with her. Her lips ticked upward. Here it was: Her second chance. The wartime compatriots could now be free.

"A nice quiet vacation sounds ideal. But I hear the Jaso sector is nice this time of year."

"You heard the lady, Tank."

"Yes, sir! I sent a message to the fleet," the navigation officer called out before noting, "And it looks like we're being hailed."

"Let's say goodbye, shall we?" Liam took a step forward, limping a little from his bad knee. "To what do we owe the pleasure, General?"

"Still sure you don't want to stick around for the cleanup?" came Lando Calrissian's smooth tease.

The Lieutenant chuckled, glancing at his long-time friend with a good-natured twinkle in his eyes.

"The invitation's appreciated, but I think we're all ready for retirement. Consider this my official resignation."

"Your loss. You take good care of that girl of yours, now. She's quite the catch."

"And you're lucky there's a vacuum of space between us for that comment," the older man jested. "Good luck and may the Force be with you."

"Alright, alright! She's all yours! Don't get yourself into too much trouble out there," the General quipped before signing off.

"Coordinates set, Tank?"

"Aye, sir," the clone reported, fingers hovering over the controls.

Liam twitched in surprise as Sheena slipped her hand into his. She trembled with excitement, fear, and a long-sought-after peace that was long overdue.

"We've come full-circle," she whispered. "I once dreamed that you and I would die at the hands of the clones; now, we have all come together as a final refuge."

"And we're all standing." He looked down at his favored leg, apparently injured on his quest for the clones. "Some better than others."

As he turned to give the order for lightspeed, he barely caught his companion's contemplative whisper. Her mind had wandered to some far-off place that he couldn't possibly imagine, but he was used to it by now.

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."

"What's that?"

A sad smile overcame Sheena and her grip tightened on his hand as she returned to reality.

"Just a memory from another life, a long time ago."

The End