Imperial Memories and Forgotten Dreams
I do not own anything Star Wars. Han, Leia, and Luke are all borrowed characters, obviously, with Samantha Heart and Komiak being my own creation.
I wrote this a LONG time ago so please be patient as I "update" it...lol. Enjoy!
Chapter Nine:
Snow
Han does not acknowledge Luke's presence across the clearing but I sense him watching us as Han helps me across to the tent.
Inside a small space heater is set up, a cot already set up. I nearly fall as Han lowers me onto it, and he guides me back onto the cot. He watches me worriedly, and I know I look horrid. The pain in my side blazes despite Komiak's healing, and I can feel the heat radiating from the wound. Han sits on the edge, the cot easily big enough for two people.
"We should turn back." He says quietly, draping the blankets from the foot of the cot over me. I shake my head, staring up at the ceiling of the tent over my head.
"No."
"If you keep going kid, it's going to kill you." He says quietly. I turn my head to look at him. His dark brown eyes meet mine, the sincerity in them stirring.
"Han, do you know much about the force?" He chuckles slightly, running his fingers through his hair.
"No. Never really had a use for that mumbo jumbo."
"Every living thing has a measure of the force, even you. It is all a balance." Han nods.
"I remember the kid saying something like that once."
"The balance within me is off." I say quietly, trying to think of a way to describe it for Han to understand. "If that balance is off, it can be harmful. For me, the dark side within me is much more powerful than the light. Over the last several years, the dark side has gotten stronger." Han is quiet, staring at me.
"So you are going to turn into a dark jedi?" He asks quietly.
"No. I will die. The strain on my body will be to much to withstand. The dark side of the force is acting like a poison in me. Even now my body is starting to fail."
"Then why go? Why push your body to the brink of death just to help us?" He whispers.
"It is what is right. There is nothing I can do to stop my death. But when it does happen, it will not be in vain." Han nods, rising.
He is about to leave when he suddenly stops, turning back.
"Luke..."
"I know Han. I know." I say quietly, reaching a hand out to him. He takes it a moment, then sets my arm back at my side before leaving the tent.
Outside, Han lets the tent flap close before speaking. Luke is standing at the corner of the tent, silent.
"Can't we do anything?" Han says quietly. Luke shakes his head and Han sighs. "She's waiting for you Luke. I'm going to bed." He says, heading toward the other tent a short distance away. Across the clearing Komiak watches the exchange from amid her pack, the entire group bedded down in the small clearing area.
Luke glances at Komiak and the she-wolf nods, almost seeming to smile before lowering her head, her eyes closing.
I feel a touch on my cheek and open my eyes, smiling slightly when I see Luke leaning over me.
"Sorry I woke you." He whispers. I try to reach up to him but my arm never reaches him. He catches my hand, laying the flat of my palm against his cheek. He closes his eyes and I can feel the warmth of him through my gloves.
After a moment he draws away, though he keeps my hand. He too is wearing gloves I notice, his fingers entwining in mine.
"I'm just weak Luke." I whisper, trying to reassure him. He does not look convinced. "I just need to sleep." He nods, releasing my hand and goes to rise but I grip his hand again. He stops, looking down at me. "Don't leave. Please stay with me." I say softly. He nods, removing his jacket before carefully crawling onto the cot with me, covering us both in the blankets. After a brief hesitation he curls up as best he can against me, his fingers toying with my hair.
The next morning when I wake Luke is gone. I hear voices and movement outside the tent and rise slowly, keeping a hand to my side.
Spying movement near my I slide my legs off the cot, turning to face Komiak. She is sitting cross legged near me, watching me with concern in her eyes.
"Are you sure you want to be up now?" She asks quietly. I nod, stretching and moving slightly where I sit.
"I'll be all right." She rises and approaches me, standing over me a long moment before gripping my shoulder.
"Lie back." Knowing it is not a request I shift again, lying on my back on the cot. Komiak kneels beside me, slipping a hand under my shirt. When she finds the wound she hisses slightly through her teeth, glancing up at me. "You should have let me treat this earlier." She says accusingly. I merely shrug, gripping the metal poles of the cot through the fabric.
"Just do it so we can get going." She nods, pulling a leather throng from somewhere behind her and she holds it out, letting me bite down on it before settling her hands over my wound again. She hesitates only a second, taking a deep breath before beginning.
I feel Komiak pause but my grip on the cot does not slacken. Komiak's hands disappear and I hear her panting slightly.
"Skywalker." Looking up with one eye I see Luke standing near the tent entrance. He seems almost ashamed at being caught there, and Komiak motions for him to come forward. "It's all right Skywalker."
"Is there anything I can do?" He asks quietly. Komiak studies him.
"Are you any good at healing through the force?" He nods.
"A student of mine is quite gifted with healing. She trained me a bit before she left the academy."
"No." Both look at me and I shake my head. "Don't Luke." He looks slightly baffled at my demand and looks to Komiak.
"When I am healing her, I can feel all the pain that she is feeling. It is quite difficult to do, to focus and it weakens the healer." Luke studies me a moment then comes forward, kneeling down at the head of the cot. He leans forward, kneeling over my head. I stare up at him, his face hovering over mine. His eyes meet mine and I shake my head slightly. Tears from the pain in my side slide down my face and into my hair as I speak.
"Don't Luke. Please. Just go." He shakes his head, both his hands stroking the sides of my face slowly, like a mother comforting a child.
"I can't control it any more Luke. I can't protect you from the dark side in me anymore." I whisper. Komiak remains where she is, silent.
"Don't." He whispers. "You don't need to protect me. Let me protect you. Let me help you." He asks, pleading. My hands loosen on the bars after a moment, and I reach up with one hand, gripping his wrist. He cups my face in his other hand.
Luke glances up at Komiak, nodding slightly before looking back at me.
Suddenly I feel drawn to him, the white light of his force presence encompassing me, cocooning me as I am pulled into the depths of his eyes, deep into his mind. I feel as if I leave my body behind, I exist solely in the warm embrace of his mind. There is no pain, no sadness, nothing but the warmth of him around me, whispering to me though I cannot understand the words. I drift between waking and dreaming, surrounded by the white warmth of him.
Komiak sits back, her hands dropping to her sides. She stares at the pale skin before her, only the long dark pink line any indication that a wound had been there.
She looks up at Luke, seeing him unmoving, eyes closed. After a moment he shifts, exhaling as if he had been holding his breath before his eyes open. When he looks at her she simply stares at him.
"What did you do to her?" Luke keeps his hands where they are a moment longer before withdrawing.
"M student taught me how to help heal the severely wounded. I pull their consciousness into my mind then block all their pain nerves in their upper spine and brain, blocking out all the pain that they are feeling. Once the healing is finished I return them to their minds. She'll be asleep for a while." Luke rises, somewhat unsteady, and he has to shake himself a bit before heading for the tent door.
"Where are you going?"
"To get Nakita. Han and Leia should already be ready to leave. I'll have them tear down the tent and finish packing. I will ride double with her on Nakita, Han and Leia can ride together. Will you be all right?" Komiak nods.
"I can ride on my mate's back." Luke frowns.
"Mate?" Komiak nods, rising slowly. Her legs tremble and Luke reaches out to catch her, the she-wolf gripping his arm for support.
"I am the lead female of the pack. My mate is the lead male."
"She never said anything about you having a mate." Luke says quietly. Komiak chuckles.
"I've had two. The first was killed by the imperial troops. I have several pups too." She says, Luke catching the change in her voice and expression. He stares at her a second then his eyes widen.
"When Samantha told us about the pup the imperials captured..." Komiak nods, not looking at Luke.
"That was the only daughter from my second litter." Komiak says quietly. Luke suddenly pulls Komiak from the tent. Most of the pack is out, watching as Luke guides Komiak toward the pack.
"Which ones are yours?" She scans them a moment before pointing out three.
"Those two males and that female." She turns, pointing toward a towering gray male near the tree line. He sees her pointing at him and gives a wolf-ish grin, his immense tongue falling from his muzzle. Luke has to stiffle a laugh at the comical expression on the wolf's face. "That is my mate." Luke nods as the male comes forward. Komiak stares at him a long moment before he nods, easily kneeling on the ground. Luke helps Komiak up onto his back and backs away.
"We'll take care of the rest. You rest for now." Luke says quietly. Komiak nods, already starting to drift off as the male wolf rises easily to move to the edge of the woods before dropping onto the ground again.
Turning Luke starts when he sees Nakita directly behind him.
"For being so large, you sure move quietly." He comments aloud and in his mind. Nakita's ears flatten slightly.
Are you saying I'm fat? Luke laughs at Nakita's insulted tone and pats her neck.
"It was a compliment." Her ears perk forward again before she turns toward the tent.
You and I. Luke nods, heading toward the tent, Nakita following.
"Han, start breaking down the tent please." Luke calls to Han a short distance away. The older man scoffs and dusts his hands off on his pants.
"Why should I?" He says indignantly, but his ire dies when Luke emerges from the tent, Samantha in his arms wrapped in the blanket. "Is she all right?" Han asks, studying Samantha's face worriedly.
"She's weak. Komiak healed her wounds. She'll sleep for a while." Han nods, turning without a word to start on the tent. Leia approaches as Nakita settles herself near the wolf pack, the mare settling her weight on the ground before Luke lays Samantha on the ground beside Nakita, propping her up against Nakita's side. Luke and Leia stand over her a moment, then Leia lays a hand on Luke's arm.
"I'll stay with her. You go help Han." Luke nods, smiling thankfully before turning to help Han with the tent.