LOST AND FOUND

Luke Skywalker was lonely. Even fighting his way through the crowded city streets of Suhr, he still felt totally alone. The last of the Jedi. Alone. Han and Leia had each other and Lando was off on the other side of the galaxy doing his own thing. Luke had only R2D2 for company; which was nice enough, as far as it went. There's only so much conversation you can have with a droid.

So what was he doing here? Tearus 6 was not a particularly attractive planet. It was identical to a thousand other worlds throughout the galaxy; just a ball of dust and space debris which was home to a variety of life forms.

It felt hopeless. He felt hopeless. Much as he had done since the fall of the Empire and the demise of his father, six months before. He hated himself for falling into this depression but he could not seem to shake it, despite his best attempts at Jedi meditation. Master Yoda would be very disappointed in him, he was sure. He knew that Leia was. Her worried expression every time they spoke, told him that. He could sense her anxiety about him and her disappointment that he was not actively helping her. He had become withdrawn and solitary and he could tell that none of his friends, or his sister, really understood what he was going through. He had no motivation to help build the New Republic, nor to begin Leia's Jedi training. Quite frankly, he did not know where to begin. He was sure Master Yoda would have given him a blistering lecture on how Jedi should not feel self pity. However, he had received no Force contact from Yoda, or indeed his father, Anakin Skywalker, since the Battle of Endor. That was, perhaps, what upset him most of all. There was only a void where the light of the Force should have been. That was until he dreamed of Ben Kenobi.

"Go to Tearus 6," the dream voice of Obi-Wan had told him. "There you will find what you seek."

And what exactly did that mean? Luke thought exasperated. Kenobi wasn't normally so cryptic. Anyway, he was here in Suhr, the Tearutian capital, still not entirely sure what he was seeking, but seeking none the less.

HELP ME!

His rather bleak chain of thought was abruptly interrupted by the panic stricken cry which forced its way into his mind. It had not been spoken aloud, however. Luke wasn't particularly shocked by that revelation. Kenobi's remarks made sense now. He was here on Tearus to find someone else to join himself and Leia in the Jedi ranks.

It wasn't hard to spot the human transmitter, even if he couldn't have sensed her desperation and panic. The objective of his visit to Suhr had just entered the street from an alley directly opposite Luke and she was running hard. She was tall, dark haired and currently dodging blaster fire coming from the four ugly humanoids pursuing her. The chase was causing havoc in the cramped street. Humans, aliens and droids of all shapes and sizes were diving for cover, which was scarce. Some were caught in the crossfire, and, as Luke watched, the woman grabbed an inert C3 droid and took shelter behind its human shaped torso. Confusion reigned, but Luke stayed calm. He reached deep within himself and, for the first time in six months, felt the Force flowing through him. It was like finding cool, fresh air after being submerged underwater for too long. Suddenly, he felt alive once more.

"Stay here," he told Artoo, unhooking his light sabre from his belt.

The squat droid beeped compliance as Luke headed off.

The young lady who was at the centre of all this attention was now returning fire in the direction of her pursuers. She was very accurate. In the time it took Luke to cover the ground between them, she had already taken down two of her assailants. But just as the odds against her began to even up, four more tormentors joined the fray at the opposite end of the street. She was trapped.

And then Luke was there, blocking the blaster fire of the four newcomers with apparent ease. "Take care of those two, I'll deal with the new guys," he ordered tersely.

She blinked in surprise at the arrival of her rescuer, but didn't argue. The fire fight that followed was short, sharp and very embarrassing for the attackers. The woman quickly dispatched the two remaining pursuers and the sight of a Jedi Knight, lightsaber blazing, bearing down on them, was too much for Luke's adversaries. They fled.

"Thanks. Things were getting a little rough there," the young woman said dryly as Luke helped her out from behind the unfortunate droid. "I'm Jianna, "she added, shaking Luke's hand. He was about to reply in kind but Jianna got there first. "I know who you are," she said with a meaningful look at his lightsaber. "That thing doesn't exactly encourage anonymity, you know."

Luke shrugged. "Yeah, I guess not. Why were they chasing you?"

"I'll explain later. We'd better not hang around. You scared them off but they'll be back. Trazer's very determined. Come on." She started off at a run and Luke followed, re-hooking his lightsaber and signalling to Artoo to catch up.

The alley, into which Jianna eventually led them, was dark, damp and depressing. Disused and decaying structures lined either side of the walkway. Jianna stopped beside one of the least shabby looking buildings and approached the door. It was a thick metal security door, firmly locked to bar entry. Luke was about to suggest that Artoo could open it, but Jianna was a step ahead of him. She produced a keypad and several lengths of wire from a pocket deep inside her jacket. "Tools of the trade," she explained to Luke. "Keep watch," she added as she began to override the door's security system.

"Who is this Trazer?" Luke asked, keeping a careful eye on the entrance to the alley.

"Oh, he's a real nice guy. He would turn his own grandmother into Bantha fodder if there was a profit in it. He's the head of the local thieves. Every piece of stolen property and every shady deal has to go through Trazer. He controls it all. Unfortunately, he's also a very bad guy to get on the wrong side of." She gave a grunt of satisfaction as the door slid gently open. "Come on, we should be safe in here for a while."

The room was empty and there were no windows but Jianna produced a small flashlight which cast an eerie, greenish glow around the room.

"How did you get on the wrong side of Trazer?" Luke asked as he closed the door behind Artoo, who helpfully turned on his searchlight to further brighten the dingy room.

"He hired me to do a big job a while back. I fulfilled my side of the deal but when I went to collect the money he owed me, he turned nasty and set his guards on me. Trazer really doesn't like parting with his cash if he can help it. Usually, he just threatens people and they back down, but I stood my ground. That's where you came in and saved my skin. I never figured on being rescued by such a celebrity though. I've heard a lot about you. I've seen all the news holos about you and the Rebellion. Did you really kill the Emperor?"

Luke shook his head. "Sort of, "he replied evasively. "It's a long story." One he didn't intend to start right now. He was more interested in getting to know Jianna. "You're a thief then?" He asked to get the conversation back to her.

"Thief, burglar, pickpocket," she agreed, "I can steal anything." It was more a statement of fact than a boast. "Aren't you feeling a little light around the pockets?" She asked a knowing grin on her face.

"No, I don't think so…." Luke searched his pockets. "Wait a minute, my comlink's gone!" He looked up to see his missing property in her hand. "How did you do that?" Luke hadn't sensed a thing.

"Practice," she replied modestly. "I've never stolen anything from a Jedi before. I wasn't even sure if I could. Here," she said handing him back the comlink, "I never keep anything I steal from people I like." She flashed him that grin again.

"Thanks," He didn't know what else to say. This was the most unlikely looking Jedi candidate he could imagine. Yet he could sense the power of her mind. Maybe, that was why she made such a good thief; she used the Force.

"No hard feelings?" She asked.

"No, of course not," Luke replied, surprised by the question.

"Good. Most people get offended when you pick their pockets for some reason."

Luke had to laugh at that. It was the first time he had laughed in a long time.

"I don't think you should stay around here too long. I advise you and your stubby little friend to get off-planet as soon as possible. Trazer's got a very long memory and an even worse temper and after the stunt you pulled today, you're not exactly going to be his favourite person; Jedi or not."

"What about you? What are you going to do?" Luke was concerned. It was clear that Ben and the Force had led him here to find her. He had to think of a way to persuade her to come with him.

"Don't worry about me. As soon as all the excitement's died down, I'll steal a ship and get as far away from here as possible," she replied.

Here was Luke's opportunity. "Well are you up to a bit of ship stealing right now?" He asked.

"Why do you ask? " She gave him a guarded, suspicious look.

"I want you to come with me." He continued, trying to make that sound as sincere and unthreatening as he could.

"What for?" What do you want with me?"

Luke would have to be very careful. This was not going to be easy, he decided. "Jianna, do you know anything about the Force?"

"Of course I do. It's some kind of energy field you Jedi use to protect yourselves. Do you think I'm stupid or something?" Her reply was defensive.

"No, it's just you don't find people who are able to utilise the Force every day. The rise of the Empire 23 years ago wiped out the Jedi order. As far as I know, I'm the only Jedi left alive in the galaxy and I have to start the order again." He refrained from mentioning Leia. Only a handful of people within the New Republic knew her true heritage. "Force sensitivity is very rare and when I find someone with the potential I can't afford to let them slip away," Luke answered cautiously.

"What are you saying?" she asked breathlessly.

"I came here to Tearus 6 to find someone just like that and," He paused and looked directly into her eyes, watching carefully for her reaction. "I succeeded." She was very beautiful, he noted absently, with fine, delicate features and large, expressive eyes. Her face retained an innocence and naivety, which took him by surprise. She was a thief so he could not imagine that she came from a stable, family background. Her sardonic sense of humour and streetwise demeanour were proof that she relied only on herself. These were traits he was very familiar with due to his friendship with Han Solo. He also knew from experience that it was very difficult to gain the trust of such an individual. How would he persuade Jianna that this was the will of the Force? He expected her to react with shock, fear or disbelief. He supposed these were normal reactions. She remained very calm, however, studying his face intently. Then she simply sighed, as though resigned to the fact.

"You're absolutely sure about this?" She asked. "There is no way you could be mistaken? I mean, I know I can pull a few fast stunts but can you honestly see me as a Jedi?" She asked incredulously.

He smiled. "Yes, as a matter of fact I can,"

She laughed then; a rich, throaty sound that resonated through the empty room. "I'm not exactly the most honest person in the galaxy, you know? I've never heard of a Jedi Knight picking pockets before."

'No, neither have I, but I'm sure we can accommodate you." Luke grinned. "Listen," he continued more seriously. "I was just a farm boy from a backward planet before my old Master found me and took me under his wing. We all have to come from somewhere and I'm sure your life experience would give you a strength and perspective that few others could match as a Jedi."

She considered his words carefully for a few moments. Then she said "Ok, you must really be desperate for new recruits but, ok, I'll come with you. I've got nothing to lose and you intrigue me Skywalker. It's strange, but I feel as if I've known you my whole life." She cleared her throat, suddenly uncomfortable with her emotions. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as you're ready. Do you need time to organise your belongings?" He asked.

She just laughed. "I travel light. In my job you never know when you're going to have to run, so it's best to be prepared. Let's go steal a ship. I've got the feeling it's going to be the last stealing I do for a while, so I intend to make the most of it."

Trazer's men were everywhere, so their passage through the streets of Suhr was cautious, relying on Luke's Jedi senses and Jianna's knowledge of the city to keep them out of trouble. It was late when they finally reached the spaceport. They entered through a disused service tunnel, which only the thieves of Suhr knew about. The docking bays were quiet. "Is it just me or is it too quiet?" Jianna asked suspiciously. Luke nodded his agreement. They had best move fast. He was sure Trazer's men would be keeping watch on the spaceport for any sign of the fugitives.

Apart from Luke's X-Wing, there were only a few single seater craft in the port, the rest were freighters or carriers. It was Luke who spotted their best bet: a rather battered Y-Wing fighter, docked close to Luke's ship. He pointed it out to Jianna.

"Well, I guess we don't have a choice," she sighed, "but that's not really a challenge you know, Luke. That thing probably has a keyhole!"

Luke smiled. "Come on."

They made their way to Luke's X-Wing, alert to any sign of danger. Cautiously, they helped Artoo into his compartment behind the cockpit of the fighter. "Jianna, you'd better hurry. I can sense forty humanoids heading this way," he said urgently.

"I'm gone. Just keep them off my back," she replied as she headed for the Y-Wing.

A low hum began to emanate from Luke's ship as Artoo fired up the converters. Luke popped the hatch and climbed into the cockpit, his senses keeping track of Trazer's men as he did so. He looked across and saw Jianna easing herself into the Y-Wing's cockpit. She started powering up the engines straight away.

The attack, when it came, was fast and decisive. Trazer had no intention of going away empty handed this time. The blaster fire his men aimed at the two fighters was futile, however. It was impossible for it to penetrate the armoured hulls.

Luke sprayed the attackers with his laser cannons making them dive for cover. Suddenly, a jolt of power forced Luke against his battle harness and the systems of his fighter sparked and flickered but did not go off. Artoo let out a scream of outrage. "I know," Luke told him over the comm, "That didn't feel like blaster fire." Luke reached out with the Force and felt two men directly behind the X-Wing firing a portable Ion cannon; a weapon designed to destroy the electrical systems of starships. The next hit would probably knock out the fighter's controls completely. He had to give Jianna more time to warm the ancient Y-Wing's engines completely but he had no time to turn his ship around so that he could use his laser cannons again. Instead, he activated his X-Wing's repulsorlifts and eased the fighter off the ground. He started to back up and when he felt he was as close as he could get to the Ion cannon and its operators, he punched his afterburners for full power. It was messy but effective. The cannon and its gunners were incinerated in the blast. By this time spaceport security police were beginning to appear but they were too late. Jianna gave Luke the signal that she was ready and the two fighters blasted out of the spaceport.

Once clear of Tearus 6's atmosphere, Luke relayed the nav co-ordinates to Jianna's computer for the lightspeed jump. "You certainly know how to liven up a girl's day, Skywalker. That was the most fun I've had in a long time," She said, exhilarated by their escape. "Would you say this has just been an average day for you?"

"Kind of quiet really; normally, there's a few Star Destroyers and a Sith Lord to contend with as well," Luke replied.

"If this is what being a Jedi is all about, I think I'm going to enjoy it. Shall we go?" Jianna asked.

"Why not? See you on Coruscant." Luke responded as the two fighters slipped into hyperspace and the stars streaked by.

Luke Skywalker was no longer alone.