I gaped.“Retire?”
Daaric put a hand on his shoulder. “Sweetheart, you’d sooner die.”
“I almost died today,” Dad pointed out.
General Organa smiled at that. “I think you’re made of sterner stuff, Hansifred Quay. I’ve a better idea. You should look into changing careers. I’ve a few friends who could use an old, reliable ship like theStarfarer, and an old, reliable captain like you. I can’t guarantee exotic locales or safe missions, but we are making a difference. You saw firsthand the terror of what still lurks out there. Something is stirring. We need to be ready.”
My dad scratched his beard. “Erm. I’m not too keen on wars anymore, General. How’s the pay?”
“Abysmal,” she replied.
“Holidays?”
“None.”
“Any perks at all?”
“The safeguarding of our freedoms and Republic. What do you say?” And she reached out her hand.
The captain looked around at his crew. Daaric said, “We follow you, Captain,” and the sentiment was echoed by everyone else.
So my dad turned back to the general and said, “Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?” And he clasped her hand in a firm shake. “You’ve got us.”
General Organa smiled. “Welcome back to the fight, Hansifred.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
TheStarfarer
That evening, Dad decided to throw a party.
If it was the last night he’d be the captain of the touring ship theStarfarer, he wanted to celebrate it. It was decided that the passengers—who were all safe and accounted for—would be taken back to Coruscant on a separate ship, with Lady Sosha’s and General Organa’s help. Everyone was promised refunds, and I knew we didn’t have the creds for that. It would wipe out what little funds we had.
Though I suppose it didn’t really matter. The First Order knew the ship. They knew our faces. General Organa stressed that theStarfarerneeded protection, if nothing else. It couldn’t operate as a civilian vessel any longer, not without a whole host of paranoia. But in the Resistance, my dad could continue flying. He didn’t know anything else. But still, everything that I knew—everything that I’d grown up with—was gone.
Just thinking about it made my stomach churn.
Ironically, no one asked where the Civil War Buffs had gone, but a few lovelorn guests did come around to ask after Valor.
Lady Sosha had sent a rescue party to Alakor to pick him up, but apparently no one was there. No Val.
And no VB-35.
Wherever they were, we couldn’t find them.
That sparked a little hope in my chest. It was an addicting feeling. I could see how entire wars might be won on it.
Dad had ordered Telly to break out all the best casks of wine and wheel out all the food that was about to spoil, and we’d have a party like no party ever before. (Telly had been locked in the galley until they’d reached Alakor and Maz found her. She’d gone down for a caf before her night shift, and when she found that the droids were missing, Val sealed her inside and then locked down the rest of the ship.) A large brilliant bonfire crackled in the middle of the meadow, reflected in soft hues of orange and yellow in theStarfarer’s metal skin. Guests danced and drank and sang while a volunteer spun music that was loud and bright. Entoo didn’t have the heart tonight, and we couldn’t blame them.
At the beginning of the celebration, Dad had—againsteveryone’sbetter judgment—climbed onto a log and cried,“To Veebee-Thirty-Five! A storied life and a storied memory!”
“To Veebee-Thirty-Five!” everyone cheered.
Veebee would’ve hated it.
Beside me, Entoo beeped.
I patted them gently on their dome. “I know, friend. I miss her, too.”
