Star Horse: Empire's Sunset

by Neal Wolf

Epilogue

Cray and Sunset strolled casually along one of the wooden walkways that crisscrossed Endor's forest canopy. They had parted company with Lando soon after setting down, opting for some time to themselves before the victory celebration planned by the natives that evening. The pair didn't say much, instead simply enjoying the scenery and each other's company.

"Sunset!" a female voice called from ahead. Quickly approaching the couple was a purple alicorn, about their size, accompanied by an orange earth pony with a short, dark brown mane.

"Twily!" Sunset beamed, embracing the alicorn in a warm hug before turning toward Cray. "This is Captain Mon-Teel Cray of the Shadowdancer, also called Parody. Parody, Princess Twilight Organa, and..." her beaming smile shifted to a sheepish grin, "I think... you're already... acquainted... with her companion..."

If Twilight noticed the uneasy looks exchanged by the two stallions, she didn't let on as she shook Cray's hoof. "Pleasure to meet you, Captain; I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for us."

Cray blushed slightly. "Aw, I didn't do much..."

"No, just rescued Sunset from the Imperial Magistrate, got her safely to us with the data that made this victory possible, and helped pull it off," said Twilight with a smirk. "Not much at all."

"Twi, you gotta tell me what happened down here," Sunset put in. "You guys had us worried!" As the mares began recounting their parts of the battle to each other, the two Corellians continued to eye each other warily.

The other male finally broke the uneasy silence between them. "Cray," he gave a nod.

"Solo," Cray nodded back.

After another awkward silence, Han Solo extended a hoof to the other stallion. "Good work," he said with a small grin.

The tension between them visibly eased as Cray took the offered hoof. "You, too."

Solo's grin grew a bit wider. "Lando told me you were co-piloting the Falcon in the fight..."

Cray immediately became defensive. "The rectenna was all him; it's not my fault..."

Solo just chuckled. "Relax; he told me that, too. I was just wondering... after years of impersonating her, what'dja think of the real thing?"

Cray eased, thinking a moment. "Not bad..." he gave Solo a smirk. "The 'dancer would've gotten out of the Death Star faster..."

"The 'dancer wouldn't have lasted long enough in the fight to go in," Solo countered with a smirk of his own, "or been able to blow the reactor if it did."

"Fair point," Cray conceded. "Still, once everything settles down, we might have to race some time."

Solo laughed. "Careful, Cray; I might take you up on that."

"Sorry to interrupt, colts," Twilight broke in, "but the general and I have a debriefing to report to. We'll see you at the party!"

Sunset chuckled softly, watching the other couple depart. "Twilight and a Corellian smuggler... didn't see that one coming..."

"You got some problem with Corellian smugglers now?" asked Cray with a smirk.

"Of course not," she gave him a playful nudge. "Twi just doesn't seem like the type. I figured that'd be more my thing," she added with a wistful grin toward the other pair. The grin slowly became a smirk as, out of the corner of her eye, she watched Cray's face slowly turn to shock, his head whipping back and forth a few times before he stared at the other pair.

She couldn't hold long, finally gently resting her hoof under his chin and turning him to face her with a giggle. "Wrong Corellian, silly." She then slid her hoof around his neck and kissed him tenderly.

Twilight glanced over her shoulder just as Cray started to happily return Sunset's kiss. "Han, what do you know about this Cray?" her tone was a little worried.

"I read the same report you did," Solo replied with a shrug.

"I mean about HIM," she told him. "It was obvious you two know each other, at least a little..."

Solo thought a moment. "Hmm... smuggler, sneak artist... scoundrel," he smirked at her with the last word.

She sighed, resting her head on his wither as they walked. "A good stallion, then," she said with a smile.

He spared a glance over her head to the kissing couple, a small grin playing at his features. "Yeah... I guess he is..."

Comments

[Dark Feather]

A nice little retelling.
Good work.

[Neal Wolf]

8315416
Glad you enjoyed it