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There had been time to kill after he left Nola, so he had used it to engage in further reconnaissance. There were so many different types of beings meandering around that it was simple to blend in. He took advantage of this fact to scout out the Imperial presence in the city, which was unfortunately significant. The large Capitol building was swarming with Imperial Officers and another section of the city housed barracks for the soldiers. If he had to guess, the barracks were big enough to hold at least five hundred men. The Empire was deeply entrenched in the city.
He waited until the light began to fade before making his way to his destination. The street behind the merchant stalls were more condensed and harder to get through. Homes, all with a similar sandy color were packed together as tightly as possible. There were young children running around playing games, and droids roamed performing their various functions. Eventually he came to the end of the street and found a speeder with various part scattered around, sitting front of the last house. He parked around the side so that he would be out of the way, and then casually approached the house. The front door was rounded on the top, and a slightly darker tan then the house. Harry held out his hand and knocked the required three times.
He waited a minute before the door finally slid open, revealing a nervous looking Nola. She had thrown a robe over the dress she had been wearing earlier and she had tied her hair back. She stuck her head of the door as if to check for signs of anything out of the ordinary, before she stood aside and waved him in. Harry's first thought on stepping inside was that the place was small and simple, yet still gave off a feeling of warmth. The main room was a combination of a sitting room, dining room and kitchen. There was a table that could seat four, and short couch. There were various electronic odds and ends on the walls and around the room that he lacked any comprehension of. There were three other doors that led off to other rooms, which he could only assume were bedrooms.
"Would you like a drink?" Nola asked, stepping around him after she had secured the door.
"Um, sure," Harry replied, taking a seat on the couch. He watched as the girl moved around the kitchen hitting buttons on machines that he couldn't explain. He had allowed Obi-Wan to take care of food preparation, so he was still utterly lacking in understanding kitchen technology. Nola finished quickly, and returned holding two mugs of steaming liquid. Harry took one of them from her and enjoyed the comforting heat from the cup.
"It's tea," she explained. "We've never been ones for anything fancy."
"This is fine," he assured her, bringing the mug to his lips, and carefully taking a sip. There was a slight bitterness to the drink, and it was unlike any tea that he had ever consumed, but he still found it to be pleasant enough. Just as he was about to take another sip, Nola spoke again.
"Are you a jedi?" The words were whispered as if someone was standing listening in the next room.
"I'm training to be a jedi," Harry responded honestly.
"Well you can't be doing that on your own, can you? That must mean you're in contact with them," Nola reasoned.
Instead of answering out loud, he simply offered a smile.
"You won't tell me about them?"
Harry shook his head. "I won't risk exposing him."
"Does he mean to help, to fight?"
"He is fighting in his own way, by training me. He has a duty that he must fulfill which won't allow him to take a more active role."
"But you would like to take an active role in the rebellion?" Nola questioned. She had taken one of the chairs from the dining table and situated it directly across from him, while holding onto her own mug tightly, as if it was a lifeline.
"I do."
"But why? Has the Empire done something to you personally."
"No," Harry responded. "I can honestly up until a short time ago, I had no knowledge of the Empire, the Republic or the Jedi."
"How could you not know of the Republic or the Jedi? They've been a presence throughout the entire galaxy for thousands of years."
"This galaxy," Harry emphasized. "I never said I was from this galaxy." That drew raised brows from the girl across from him.
"Where are you from?"
"A place that I doubt you have ever heard of. Explaining how I managed to get here would be pointless because I couldn't even if I wanted to."
"You don't know how you ended up on Tatooine?" The look she gave him was beyond skeptical.
"No."
"So, again, why would you be trying to find out about the rebels and how to fight the Empire when you have no vested interest in either? I just don't understand what you want, or why I should trust you."
Harry took sip from his tea, before sitting it down and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He tried to put on the most sincere look he could. "I've seen things in my life that I wish I never had to. I've seen evil in walking, talking form, and I've seen it hurt innocent people, my own family and friends. I've spent my life fighting it. I think I resigned myself a long time ago that it was what my life would be. There's just something in me that says I should help others who stand for what's right, for the rights of others. I have abilities that make me more capable of helping than normal people. I feel like I have an obligation."
"By abilities, you mean the Force?" Nola inquired.
"Partially. I have other abilities that were unique to the some of the people from where I come from-similar in some ways, but different," Harry offered.
"Can you explain it?"
He gave her the most charming grin he could. "We've only really just met. I'd like to preserve some of my secrets if I could."
"I won't press, as long as you explain what you want from me."
"I know it may be difficult for you, but I'd like any knowledge you have of the rebellion. I want to know what happened to your parents." She turned her head, looking away at the request, but not before Harry could see the stricken look in her eyes.
"My Mother was murdered," she told him, voice brimming with emotion. "She was on a transport that was going to Mos Eisley. She was on her way to visit my Aunt who works in a cantina there. Anyway, the Imperials were apparently tipped off that the transport was involved in rebel activities, moving supplies and such. Just as the transport was about to depart, the station swarmed with soldiers, and they blew it up. They killed everyone!" While she had started timid, Nola had finished with simmering anger that Harry could commiserate with. He had lived with that pent up rage for his entire life.
"I'm so sorry for your loss, Nola. My parents were murdered as well," Harry explained.
"They just have no regard for who they hurt," she continued. "My Mother was no rebel conspirator. She was just a hard worker and a mother and wife. They didn't care to check who she was before they destroyed that transport."
"Those are the worst type of criminals," Harry stated. "The ones who are willing to do whatever it takes to maintain power, without regard for the peripheral damage."
"You sound like you speak from experience," she responded, wiping quickly at her eyes.
Harry laughed darkly. "I've spent my whole life trying to avoid the man who murdered my parents while he tried to do the same to me. It was his mission to end my life, and in the process he killed every person who stood in his way to try and protect me. They were all good people, but that didn't stop him."
"Did you stop him?"
"No. I failed to stop him, and I have to live with that knowledge. That guilt won't leave me, no matter how much I try to move past it."
"Is that why you want to help me? Why you want to help the rebels?"
"Probably."
"Guilt isn't a great reason to do things."
Harry shrugged. "It's not really the reason I'm doing this, it just serves as motivation. I want to be better."
"I suppose I can understand that."
"You've told me about your Mother, but what happened to your Father?" Harry asked, wanting to move the conversation along, and away from his past.
She became tense again, but still began her story. "After my Mother was killed, my Father was upset. He started going to the cantina to lose himself, but instead of liquor, he found a means of revenge. He met the bartender who you saw executed. The man was involved with the rebellion. He had a contact on the Imperial ships that are deployed over Tatooine. They control who comes and who goes off of the planet. The bartender was helping rebel operatives get onto and off the planet through his Imperial contact. Unfortunately, one of the transmissions must have been interrupted and you saw the result."
"So where does your Father come into the story?"
"He was smuggling supplies to the rebels on Tatooine. They have a small hidden base located not far from here, and my Father would help them acquire anything they needed."
"And he was found out?" Harry guessed.
Nola nodded. "A few nights back, he had just got back from making a supply run. He must have been careless about his routine or something like that, because they followed him home. They destroyed his speeder, and then beat him and beat him until he was bloody and unconscious. By the time I made it outside, they had him tied up and were dragging him away. I screamed at them, but they just pointed their blasters at me and told me to go back inside."
"Your Father was still alive though?"
"As far as I know," Nola sighed. "Though, I can't help but think that he would be better off dead. I don't even want to imagine the things that they may be doing to him to try and get more information."
"Hey," Harry exclaimed, "as long as he's still alive, there is still a chance we can get him back."
"You don't propose we just sneak into the Capitol Building do you? That would be suicide. The two of us won't be able to do much of anything against all of the Imperial soldiers."
Harry grinned at her. "I told you that I had some different abilities. Some of them are extremely helpful in situations where you don't want to be seen." After the last word left his mouth, Harry focused on his magic, and felt the cooling sensation as the dissolution charm took effect.
"How did you do that?" Nola asked in amazement as Harry's body had suddenly blended in with the blue couch he sat on.
Harry let go of his magic as his body reappeared. "It's one of those secrets I'm going to hold onto for now," he answered.
"For now?"
"For now. Maybe one day I'll explain it to you. How about now we focus on getting your Father back."
"And what do you want in exchange for all of this?" Nola interrogated. "I understand you saying you want to help because you can, but there has to be more to it than that."
"I'm not trying to extort anything from you or your Father, Nola," Harry promised her. "If your Father would help me get in contact with the rebels here on Tatooine, I would appreciate that. It will probably be necessary for the two of you to seek help from them anyway, because once I get your Father out, neither of you will be safe here."
She seemed to deflate at his words. "I hadn't really thought of that. We'll have to leave our home, our business."
"Those things can be replaced," Harry advised.
"You plan to join the war?" Nola asked.
"I do."
"Would you take me with you? If I can't be here, the place I grew up, without the fear of death, then I want to help the rebellion. I want to avenge my Mother," Nola growled.
"I'm not going to make you any promises, because I can't predict what's going to happen or where things will take me. I won't try to stop you, though, if that's what you want. I would be a hypocrite to," he commented. "But let's focus on right now and your Father."
"When will we do it?"
"Not right away," Harry explained. "We can't rush into anything. I need to speak with a friend before I do anything, and we'll need to come up with an escape plan. Hopefully I can get your Father out unnoticed, but let's plan for the case where they will nipping at our heels."
"Is this friend a Jedi?"
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Harry grinned, still not giving her the answer she sought.
"It was worth a shot," she smiled back. "Now what can I do?"
"You can pack the things you need to take with you. I would also ask you to keep your eyes and ears open for anything that may be important. If you can think of anything about the area that you know about that I wouldn't, make a note of it. I'll come back in a couple days and we can start formulating a plan."
"I can do that," she assured him.
Harry stood from his seat and placed his empty mug onto a nearby table. He was about to make his way towards the door, when a hand on his arm stopped him.
"You should stay," Nola stated, hesitantly.
"Why, what's the problem?" Harry inquired, thinking something was wrong.
"I mean it's late. The desert is dangerous enough during the day, and it's more so at night. The sand people prey on travelers. You should just stay until morning, and then head back."
Harry honestly didn't know whether she was actually that concerned for his safety or was just scared of being alone in her family's home for another night. The reality was that he probably could disillusion himself and his ride and be in little to no danger on the journey back. He was sure he could apparate back as well, but he was concerned about the distance and the reality that no one would be able to help him if he splinched himself. However, looking at the anxious and tired look on Nola's face, he would feel bad for leaving after her invitation. Obi-Wan would probably be concerned, but he would return early in the morning to alleviate his fear.
"Thanks, I appreciate the hospitality," Harry stated, turning away from the door.
She smiled again, seemingly thankful, that he agreed to stay. "The couch isn't the best, but I've always found it to be comfortable."
"It'll be fine," Harry said, sitting down again on said couch.
"Let me get you a pillow and a blanket." She disappeared into another room, and then came back quickly with a dark brown blank and pillow. "My room's just over there. Just knock if you need anything."
"I will. Again, thanks for letting me stay."
"You're welcome. Goodnight"
"Goodnight," Harry echoed. He watched as she turned back to her room. She casually pulled at the band holding her hair up, and it fell back over her shoulders. He liked it better down, was the stray thought that popped into his head. He shrugged it off as Nola passed through the archway into her room, hitting a button on the wall that shut the door once she was inside. As soon as she was out of sight, he reached down and pulled off his boots and belt, and then sank down onto the couch. It wasn't luxurious by any means, but it was comfortable enough. He began thinking about how to accomplish the impending rescue mission, but eventually his eyes began to droop and he lost his battle to stay awake.
