Chapter 2:
"Are you sure, kid. I mean, yeah, Marek isn't a common name, but it could be just a coincidence." Han said shaking his head.
"I'm sure it's his daughter, Han." Luke said, trying to convince his friend
"You didn't even see her face. And what about the lack of a Force signature? She must have inherited some of his abilities."
Luke thought about what Han just said. It was true; Luke couldn't sense the Force with her. But it was possible it hadn't manifested itself yet.
"But Leia's didn't manifest until recently. You know that." Luke said
Han almost shot something back, but realizing Luke wouldn't change his mind, he dropped it. He knew his brother-in-law too well.
"Fine. I'm going to bed then. I want to get as much sleep as possible. Night." With that Han shut off his light.
Luke and Han had found a cheap inn to spend the night. Han's bed was near the window while Luke's was closer to the door. Soon Han was snoring. Luke just stared at the ceiling, pondering the day's events. Soon, sleep over took him.
The sky had grown dark, clouds had blocked out the twin suns. Luke looked around, expecting a sandstorm to appear. He only saw a figure on the horizon, lightning surrounding his arms, walking towards the edge of the storm. Luke ran to join the other person, activating his lightsaber, ready for whatever was coming. As the storm got closer, Luke noticed the figure was a young girl. He started to approach the girl.
"Stay back!" she yelled
Luke recognized the voice belonging to Ari. As she said that the storm enveloped her.
"NOOO!" Luke yelled
He saw lightning swirling around in the storm. A bolt of lightning shot right out at Luke, hitting him in the chest.
Luke bolted up and was breathing heavily. Sweat was dripping down his forehead.
"Luke, are you alright?" Han said standing beside his bed, with his blaster in his hand.
"I'm...I'm fine, just a...a dream." Luke said still panting.
"What happened? I've never heard you yell like that." Han said sitting down on his own bed.
"I'm not sure." Luke said.
"Well, we better get moving if we want to be there on time." Han said changing his shirt.
Luke got up and went into the fresher. He looked in the mirror. His forehead was sweating still. He took a towel and dried it off.
When he walked out, he saw Han was already set. Luke quickly changed and they left the room. After checking out, Han and Luke left for The Drunken Dragon.
When they reached the bar, they saw a figure leaning against a speederbike. When Ari walked toward them, Luke finally got a good look at her features. She had a strong stubborn look about her, but her brown eyes showed something else. Luke wasn't sure what it was yet. He saw that she had long brown hair, with a blonde streak, pulled back into a pony tail. She had a scar along the left side of her face. He noticed she was tan, like most people who live on Tatooine. But her features were recognizable. He knew immediately that she was Galen's daughter. From the one holo he had seen of Galen, he knew. He noticed she had a pistol and a vibroblade on her belt. He wondered how she held the blade.
Luke hopped off of his bike to greet Ari. Han followed suit.
"I wondered if you were coming." Ari said in an icy voice.
"I told you we would still come. We need to reach the temple." Luke responded
"Alright. It's about a two day ride to the canyon. About another full day to get to the temple. Ready?" she asked mounting her bike.
"When ever you are." Luke replied
Ari started her bike, which quietly came to life. Flipping the lights on, she took the lead. Luke and Han rode side by side behind Ari. It was about a half hour later when one of the suns peaked out from behind the horizon. Luke looked at the young girl leading them, wondering about many things.
At mid-day they stopped for lunch. Luke decided to ask a few of his many questions.
"How did you get your scar?" Luke asked.
"I got into a fight when I was little with an older kid. He insulted my family so I punched him. He swiped his dagger at me, and I knocked his feet out from under him. He broke his ankle as he fell." Ari said pulling out a nutribar.
"Sounds like a fun experience." Han said sarcastically
She shrugged her shoulders and faced the suns. Luke continued to watch her, trying to figure her out. A question popped into his head.
"Why do you use the Rebel Alliance insignia for the Rouge Riders?"
"Actually, it's my father's family crest. He was the one who formed the alliance."
"But why gold and aqua?" Luke asked
"Why are you asking questions? Ari shot back, in her icy voice
Luke was shocked. She seemed fine a minute ago. Now she was glaring at him. Her brown eyes had gotten darker.
"My life is my own to know about. I don't appreciate strangers to ask about it." She continued.
"I'm sorry. I was just curious." Luke apologized
The rest of lunch went by in silence. After mounting the bikes, the headed off again, only stopping when the first of the two suns had set. After setting up camp, Ari had gone off; making sure the surrounding area was safe. This left some time for Han and Luke to talk.
"Luke, if I were you, I wouldn't ask anymore questions. At least not out loud. Can't you read her thoughts?" Han asked
"No, she's been trained to shield them. I can't pick up on anything. Or else I wouldn't have said anything." Luke responded
"Well, I suggest you drop the questions. If she wanted, she could lead us into a Krayt's nest and leave us for dead. It wouldn't surprise me if she ends up doing just that."
"I don't think she'd d..." Luke stopped in mid sentence, because he saw Ari coming back.
"You don't have to stop talking on my account. It's not like people don't talk about me behind my back." She said walking to her bike.
"What make's you think we were talking about you, kid?" Han asked
"The wind was blowing in my direction. I could hear your voices." She said smugly.
"Well then, what were we saying?" Han retorted
"It wouldn't surprise you if I led you into a Krayt's nest." She said crossing her arms. "And no I wouldn't do that. I don't like many people, but I wouldn't do that to you. Jett and Viper maybe, but not you two. There wouldn't be a point in it seeing that you're Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. A former smuggler and a Jedi."
"You're now just realizing who we are?" Han asked
"No, I knew who it was that walked into the back room yesterday. I figure his best buddy would accompany him here. Not that hard to figure out. I'll take first watch tonight. There's a Tuscan camp just beyond that dune." She pointed to a distant mound of sand "They shouldn't give us any trouble though."
"Fine then, I'll take final watch." Han replied.
The conversation was dropped. Luke knew Han didn't like being away from Leia and his kids. And Han didn't like sand or heat. Luke was used to it though. He looked over at Ari again. She was facing the dune where the Tuscans were on the other side of.
"We should reach the canyon at mid day tomorrow. But we won't go in it until the next day. We will need a full day to get to the temple. I don't want to spend the night in some random cave." Ari said breaking the silence.
"We trust your judgment. You've done this before." Said Luke.
"So you expect us to not do anything tomorrow afternoon. We'll just sit there and wait?" Han said irritated.
"No, there are preparations we, well I, need to make before we enter the canyon. Our bikes won't go with us. The metal smell attracts the dragons. So they'll be put in one of the upper caves, out of harms way." Ari retorted.
"Fine." Was Han's only response
For dinner, they each ate in silence. Ari was adjusting parts on her bike. Luke was meditating and Han was trying to contact Leia. When the second sun set, Han went to bed and Ari took watch, sitting on her speeder, gazing at the stars. Luke, not ready for bed yet, walked over to her.
"Look, I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. I'm not used to people asking about me or my past. It's a touchy subject." Ari said with sincerity
"It's fine." Luke replied
"So, what is it you are looking for in this temple? Is it for the crystal inside?" she asked
"Yes. It supposedly allows the user to control the minds of others. If it falls in the wrong hands, the result would be dangerous." Luke said
"Then why has nobody come after it before."
"Beings have tried, but they couldn't navigate the canyon. They either got lost or killed."
"But the Black Krayts and Rouge Riders have explored the canyon before. We've gotten out alive." Ari countered
"But were you looking for the temple? Or did you stumble upon it by accident?"
"No, I'd never heard of the temp..." Ari stopped and looked around.
"What's goi..." Luke sensed it too. Somebody or something was near.
Ari pulled out her vibrosword while Luke woke Han up.
"Huh, what?" Han said groggy
"Tuscans are around the camp. Be ready for a fight."
Han was wide awake when Luke finished. Tuscans killed many people out in the desert. Soon the three were standing back to back with each other in a circle. Han had his pistol ready, Luke with his lightsaber and Ari had her vibroblade in her hand, holding it backhanded.
A Tuscan attacked Luke first, while another went for Ari. Han Started shooting into the darkness, only knowing he had hit something when a cry of pain was heard. The three had separated so they didn't hurt each other by accident. Ari quickly disposed of the first attacker when another attacked. Luke was keeping his attackers away with ease. Suddenly Han cried out in pain. A Tuscan had snuck up on him and knocked him unconscious with its gaffi stick. Luke rushed to his friend's side, and sliced Han's attacker in two. Ari was surrounded with Tuscans, as was Luke and the unconscious Han. Ari then pushed her attackers back with the Force. Luke stared in shock. She had no trace of the Force within her, but she just pushed away with it. The Tuscans that surrounded Luke turned and ran off into the desert. Ari was struggling to stay up on two legs, leaning against a near by rock for support. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily.
"Are...are you ok?" She asked, not looking.
"I'm fine." Luke said "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I don't think I've ever put that much energy in a push before." She said breathing more regular.
"How did you do that? I can't sense the Force in you and yet you just used it." Luke asked
"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Is Han ok?" Ari asked no standing without the rocks help.
"He seems ok. Just knock out. Do you think they'll come back?" Luke asked
"I doubt it." Ari said confidently
"Ok. I'm going to sleep then. Wake me when it's my turn for watch." Luke said carrying Han into the tent. Ari sat on her bike, watching in the direction the Tuscan ran off.