New Blood in a New Hope

By Michael Weyer

Teachings in Transitions

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Han was looking over the controls when Chewbacca came into the cockpit. "So what was all that yelling for anyhow?"

The Wookie growled an answer as he sat in the accompying chair.

Han stared at him in surprise. "Huh? How the hell does that kid know those two girls?"

The Wookie just shrugged and adjusted a few knobs on the console. He grunted a few words which made Han shake his head. "I don't believe it. I'm telling you, Chewie, I got a bad feeling about this trip. If it wasn't the money, I'd just let them out."

Chewie smirked and made a comment. Han glared at him. "Just lay in our course, furball."

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Luke and Ben were watching as the three reunited Sunnydalers were talking all at once, regaling with stories of what they had been up to. To Luke, it was total confusion and even Kenobi's experience with language left him unable to full decipher the conversation.

Finally, Willow took a breath to ask. "So, you're…a criminal now?"

"Well, it depends on the definition," Xander was quick to point out. "You can make a case that the Empire isn't much on real justice so skirting a few laws to get by isn't too bad."

Willow frowned. "Well…guess it makes sense." She looked at the tools Xander held. "So, you're a mechanic here?"

"Had to find some way to pull my weight," Xander confirmed. "It's surprisingly easy. Guess I just have a knack for it."

"Finally found your calling then," Buffy jibed good-naturedly.

Xander shrugged. "Been learning to do some piloting too. Maybe not as fancy as the Falcon herself but can handle a snub fighter or two."

"Really?" Buffy asked with surprise. "Been learning myself with Luke's skyhopper." She saw the way Willow and Xander looked at her. "What?"

"Um, Buffy, you never got your driver's license," Xander pointed out.

"That wasn't my fault!" Buffy said. "You know I had to use the car to run down a demon!"

"Excuses, excuses," Xander remarked.

Luke shook his head as he began to unbuckle his belt. "Well, his flying may be wild but at least he got us out this."

"It reminds me of why I hate space travel!" See-Threepio stated. He looked toward Xander. "Your pardon, sir, but is there a place where Artoo and myself may recharge?"

"A good idea," Kenobi noted. "There's no telling when we might get another chance."

"Yeah, unit's right over here," Xander said as he led them to a corner of the bay. Luke was looking around, shaking his head. "Look at this place. Half of these components aren't supposed to be compatible with the other half! Some starship."

"It's not pretty but it's better than you expect," Xander pointed out. "We don't have the funds or the profile to use any high-end maintenance work but we make do well. Han already had this thing working great, I just help out."

"Guess we can look around a little bit," Willow stated.

"You may," Kenobi said. "But as for you, Luke, I think it's time to begin your training."

"What?" The young man was thrown. "Here and now?"

"The training of a Jedi is a lifelong education," Kenobi stated as he rose. "Traditionally, students were taken in almost as infants and raised at the Academy. There, they were taught the ways of the Force as with all other skills."

"Vader was one of them," Luke said, his eyes narrowing. "I want to know about him, Ben. What made him turn? I want to find him, tell him who's son I am…"

"Luke, you cannot let hatred take hold of you."

"But…"

Kenobi held up a hand. "Anger, hatred and yes, fear too…they can allow you to gain power from the Force. But only from the dark side. And in the end, the dark side exacts a terrible price from those whom is seduces. As one of my teachers said 'once you walk the dark path, forever will it consume you."

Luke sighed. "Yes, but I want…"

"Luke, the Force is not always as direct as we would like. The most important thing to have in order to master it is patience."

"I've been short of that," Luke admitted. "I'm sorry, Ben. I don't want to sound ungrateful. I'm honored you've decided to teach me."

Kenobi smiled. "I am the one honored, Luke. Your father was not only my student but also my friend. I would like to think you would have followed him into the Order had the fall of the Jedi not occurred." His smile faded. "Normally, an acolyte would need months of preparation before they were even allowed to handle a lightsaber. But this is a different time with greater urgencies."

He handed Luke the lighsaber he had shown at his home. "Here. Be careful when activating it." Luke hit the button and the beam of blue light emerged. "Good," Kenobi intoned. "Now…watch me closely."

He ignited his own saber and held it up in a ready position. "This is your starting position."

Luke nodded before speaking. "Ben, how did you make that quick move in the cantina? That was-----"

"Patience, Luke," Kenobi calmly interrupted. "Basics. You must…"

"Crawl before I run?" Luke sheepishly asked.

Kenobi chuckled. "Just so." He lit his saber, Luke following. "Now, keep your feet spread out, defensive position." Luke shuffled his feet a bit.

"Further out," Buffy called out from her spot at the table. "Balance yourself more."

Ben looked to her with a wry smile. "Would you prefer to instruct him?"

"Ooooh, you don't want to use that tone with her," Willow said.

Buffy rose up and strode over to where Kenobi stood. She extended her hand. After a brief pause, Ben put the saber in it. Buffy ignited it, taking a moment to adjust the grip and let it take balance in her hands. Looking to Luke, she held it up. "Okay, fencing 101. Basic positions are 1, overhead….2, left side…3, right side…4, block by left leg…5, block by right leg…"

She moved the lightsaber in turn and Luke did his best to emulate it. She made the moves a couple more times, Luke keeping up well. Kenobi hid how impressed he was at how smooth and naturally Buffy moved the saber. "You seem skilled in the ways of a blade," he remarked.

Buffy shrugged. "Let's just say I've had a unique education." She looked to Luke. "Okay…you follow." She went through the motions, Luke managing to catch onto it fast.

"Very good," Kenobi intoned. "If you'll pardon me, the Jedi style is a bit different." He took his lightsaber back as he spoke. "There were several noted technique styles. I was a student of Soresu while your father was a fine Djem-So wielder." He lit the saber once more. "For now, you must learn the basics."

Buffy watched closely as he led Luke through some exercises. It was obvious that the old man was still highly skilled despite his age as he did his best to teach Luke the moves.

Luke sighed as he stumbled at one move. "This is a lot harder than I thought."

"Using a lightsaber is a matter of skill," Kenobi admitted. "For, for one who has never had it before, you handle it quite well."

Luke shook his head. "Maybe I should just stick with a blaster for now."

"There are things a lightsaber can do that a blaster cannot," Kenobi intoned. "But more importantly, using a lighsaber is a discipline for the mind and schooling for your body and spirit."

"It just seems so hard," Luke sighed.

Kenobi stroked his beard. "Hmm…normally, an acolyte would need some time to get used to a lightsaber. But time is something we are not in possession of. Perhaps I can accelerate your training by opening you up to the Force."

"Huh? How?"

"By building your trust in yourself. A Jedi's power is derived from the Force by a firm conviction of trust."

"What do I do?" Luke asked.

"Just clear your mind," Kenobi calmly stated. "Focus on my words. Let your mind go forth. Focus on the spot on the deck where you did your exercises…"

The speech reminded Buffy of the focus exercises Giles had put her through. She could feel herself going with Kenobi's almost hypnotic tones, letting her mind stretch to that point. She could almost feel the way the motions flowed, how that set of exercises worked, how….

She blinked as she realized Luke was now going through the exercises, making each move smooth and easy. He stopped and shook his head. "Wow. It…felt so natural, so easy! It was like the drill just carried me."

"As it should," Kenobi noted. "You have a strong aptitude, Luke. Would you like to do more?"

Luke nodded. "You bet."

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For the better part of an hour, Buffy watched as Kenobi led Luke through a series of drills, the young man following them with growing skill. Buffy inserted a comment now and then on how Luke should improve his stance, which he and Kenobi both listened to.

Watching from the far side, Willow and Xander exchanged a look. "Just like old times," Xander joked. "Watching the big fancy training as we sit on the sidelines."

"It is our lot in life," Willow dryly said. She smiled. "But I do still have the magic."

Xander nodded. "Yeah. And I am turning into a crack shot and pilot."

Willow was surprised. "You are, really? That's impressive." She paused and bit her lip as she leaned in. "Um, Xander….this may sound strange but…have you…ever….killed anyone?"

He paused before speaking. "It's a dangerous job. Sometimes, we get in over our heads and….it's kill or be killed." He shrugged. "I lean toward the former in that case."

Willow looked away. "I…I caused some stormtroopers to get killed. I…" She shivered. "I know Leia has. But…I'm just not…good with it."

Xander smiled as he rubbed her shoulder. "I think it's when you stop feeling guilty that you need to worry."

Willow smiled. "Thanks, Xander. I forgot how good you can cheer me up."

"Nice to know I still have my talents," the young man joked.

Kenobi watched as Luke finished another set of exercises. "That's enough for now, Luke. We'd best take a break for now."

"But I don't feel tired," Luke said. "I feel like I can keep on going for hours."

"Then take pity on your elders, son," Kenobi said as he sat down.

Buffy moved up. "I can help him out if you need a break, old-timer."

Kenobi thought about it and nodded before handing over the lightsaber. Buffy ignited it and moved into the stance. Just as she was about to begin, she heard the sound of large footsteps and looked up to see Chewbacca come in. He looked over to Xander and grunted.

"Sorry, Chewie," Xander said as he knelt by a console. "I have to make sure these power couplings are fixed right."

"What is he asking?" Willow questioned.

"Wants to know if I could play a game of holographic chess," Xander said, nodding to the circular table in the corner. "He knows I'm still trying to figure it out."

Artoo let out a whistle. "Oh, stop bragging, Artoo!" Threepio snapped.

"What's he saying?" Luke asked.

"Well, sir, he claims to have been programmed to play a competent game of chess when he was working at a one-man refueling station in order to provide a diversion for the attendant."

Luke looked to Chewbacca. "Sounds like you have a match, Chewie."

The Wookie and the droid moved over to the board as Luke turned to Kenobi. "How about a practice duel, Ben? If we took it slowly and didn't use…"

"I don't think you're quite ready for that, yet," Kenobi said. "Although I agree you could use more practice." He stroked his beard and rose up. "Excuse me, Xander, was it?"

The young man looked up. "Yeah?"

"I noticed Captain Solo wears his blaster in a quick-draw holster. Does he have a target practice remote?"

"Ah, yeah, he does." Xander moved to a nearby shelf, rummaging before pulling out a metal globe the size of a baseball with odd metallic circles on it. "Here we go."

Ben fiddled with the remote. "I'm setting it to let out a short burst as it hovers. It won't hurt, just a sting. You must try to block it with the saber."

"Oh?" Buffy said as she hefted the saber. "Like this?" She turned to the remote, keeping the blade steady. It hovered before firing a burst of light. In a blur, Buffy blocked it, the burst breaking apart as it hit the blade. She blocked another and then a third.

Kenobi did his best to hide his surprise. He knew Buffy had some sort of fighting skills but the way she handled a lightsaber was amazing. Once again, he wondered just what it was about this woman that made her aura so unique. He opened his mouth to speak…

Willow was watching the holographic game with interest. It appeared to be like chess but with creatures out of a Ray Harryhausen film. She suddenly stiffened as she felt something. It was a chill down her spine, making her shiver all over. It almost felt like a tremor around her with a touch of darkness to it.

Whatever it was, it seemed to effect Kenobi even more. The old man held a hand to his chest as he moved off, almost collapsing into a nearby seat. "Ben?" Luke turned off the saber and moved to him quickly. "Ben, what's wrong?"

The old man took a deep breath and when it looked up, Buffy was struck by the actual fear that showed in his eyes. "I felt a great disturbance in the Force," he gravely said. "As if millions of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. As if an entire world had died in a single instant. I fear something terrible has happened."

He shook his head and waved to Luke. "You…you'd better get back to your exercises."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked.

The elder man nodded, trying to regain his composure. In truth, he was deeply shaken by what had happened. He hadn't felt a shockwave in the Force that great since Order 66. He looked to where Willow was and noted how she seemed to be affected too. Another interesting note to file away.

Luke backed up and turned on the saber to face the hovering remote. Han entered the cabin, calling out. "Well, you can forget your troubles with those Imperial slugs. I told you we'd outrun them."

He sat in a chair and looked around. He saw Luke with the remote, Buffy watching him, Willow leaning on a wall, Kenobi sitting, Xander by a power coupling and Threepio watching Chewbacca and Artoo play their game.

"Don't everyone thank me at once," the smuggler muttered.

"They're waiting to fill out the questionnaire at the end of the trip," Xander quipped.

Solo leaned back to watch Chewbacca make a move on the board. Artoo studied it and his arm in the console turned. Willow watched as one of the creatures moved in, grabbed Chewbacca's piece and hurled it to the board. "Sheesh, even I saw that coming!" Xander remarked.

Chewbacca growled loudly. Threepio was a bit startled but spoke "He made a fair move! Screaming about it won't help!"

"Best to let him have it," Han stated. "You don't want to upset a Wookie."

"But sir," Threepio said. "No one worries about upsetting a droid."

"Yes, but droids don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose," Solo said with a grin. "Wookies are known to do that."

Threepio looked at him, then to Xander, who gave a slow nod. "I see. Well, sir, it would be bad sportsmanship for Artoo to take advantage of an opponent like this." He leaned in to his counterpart. "I suggest a new strategy, Artoo. Let the Wookie win."

Luke was back to his exercises, keeping the saber up as the probe swept around. "Remember," Kenobi said, his voice stronger. "A Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him."

"You mean it controls your actions?" Luke asked.

"Partially," Kenobi responded. "But it can also obey your commands."

"Sounds like a handy tool," Buffy stated.

"Like any tool, it must be handled carefully," Kenobi said. As if on cue, a bolt zipped out to strike Luke in the arm.

Solo chuckled. "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good sidearm, kid!"

Buffy glared at him. "You don't believe in the Force, do you?"

Solo rolled his eyes. "Girl, I have been form one end of this galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange stuff but I've never seen anything to convince me there's some all-powerful Force controlling…everything. There's no mystical field controlling my destiny."

"Than what does?" Kenobi asked.

Solo frowned. "Who cares? Look, all you're teaching him is simple tricks and mumbo-jumbo."

"Don't knock that," Buffy said. "You'd be amazed just how deep mumbo-jumbo goes in the building blocks of the universe."

Kenobi rose up to get something from a nearby table. "I suggest you try again, Luke. But this time, let the Force guide you." He put a pilot's helmet Solo had lying around, its blast shield lowered to cover Luke's eyes.

Buffy looked at Kenobi. "Kind of ruining the whole hand-eye coordination thing, aren't you?"

"Your eyes can deceive you," Kenobi said as he backed up. "Don't trust them."

Luke shrugged as he turned the saber on. He held it carefully as the probe twisted and turned before letting out a burst of light that struck him at the hip. Solo laughed but Buffy glared at him. "Try again, Luke," she stated.

Luke steadied himself. "Reach out with your feelings," Kenobi urged.

Luke held the blade up. The probe swiveled and hovered and let out a series of three quick shots. Without pause, Luke deflected each one off the saber. "Nice one!" Buffy said.

"I call it luck," Solo sardonically mentioned.

"In my experience, there's no such thing as mere luck," Kenobi responded.

"Hey, good against remotes is one thing. Good against the living? That's something else. And don't knock luck, old man. That and money is all you need faith in."

"Ah, yes, money," Kenobi intoned. "I forgot how important that was to you."

"Hey, don't knock greed," Xander stated. "If we weren't so hard up, you wouldn't have been able to hire us."

"Junior's right," Solo said. "You get where you go and we clear our debts. Everyone wins."

Kenobi laughed. "You're quite the paradox, Captain Solo. You prize above everything the cardinal freedom of space travel yet you're held back but something as trivial as money." He paused. "Come to think of it, there are entire worlds in just that same predicament."

Chewbacca growled as he rose from his seat and Solo wasn't happy either. "Oh, so money's trivial, huh?" he snapped as he spun his seat to face Kenobi. "Let's see you go without it!"

"Oh, but I do."

Solo blinked. "Huh?"

Kenobi spread out his hands. "Have you seen a credit come to or leave my hand? I haven't had any…and haven't missed it…for some time now and wanted for nothing."

Solo sputtered. "Yeah…but…Okay, so the kids paid for your fare. But you wouldn't be anywhere if they hadn't gotten the cash!"

Kenobi raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps I'm…lucky?"

Solo heard a snort and turned to see Xander holding a hand to his face. He also saw Luke, Buffy and Willow all grinning. "What am I doing arguing with a desert coot like you? You don't even have the money for a meal!" He heard a beeping from his console and turned to it. "We're coming up on Alderaan. You measure your value in this life in cash, old man. You have enough of it, you can fly as far and as fast as you want."

He turned to head to the cockpit, Chewbacca and Xander falling in behind him. "Captain Solo!"

He stopped to face Kenobi, the Jedi looking at him impassively. "The universe itself is curved, my friend. No matter how far or how fast you fly, you eventually end up…right where you began."

"Now, listen…oh forget it!" Solo stamped off. Luke chuckled as he came up to Kenobi. "Don't listen to him, Ben. All the money in the Empire wouldn't stop me from helping you out and Princess Leia."

"I'm with him on that," Willow said as the group moved to their corner seats.

"You know, I did feel something," Luke said. "It's almost like I could see the remote."

"That's good," Kenobi said, clasping a hand on his shoulder. "You've just taken your first steps into a much broader world."

Buffy snorted. "Yeah but just make sure you keep an eye on where you're going. Trust me, there's always a big fall somewhere down the line."

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"They're getting on my nerves," Solo said as he began to throw switches. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a wide-eyed idealist."

Chewbacca grumbled at him. "Yes, they are that bad!" Han snapped. "They're hot too!"

"I've known that about Buffy for years," Xander remarked from his seat behind the pilot. "Willow will be happy to hear herself described as that."

Han glared at him. "You saw how bad those Imperials wanted them, Junior. Just how well do you know them?"

"Well enough to give you the advice that pissing off Buffy isn't a good idea," Xander noted.

Chewbacca talked again and Han snorted. "Oh, getting soft in your old age? Maybe we oughta quit the smuggling game and open up a soup kitchen."

He adjusted some controls and reached overhead. "All right, stand by the cut the sub-light engines." He pulled on the lever over his head and the blue and white tunnel of lights through the canopy turned into regular space…which was filled with a rather sizeable selection of large rocks.

"The hell?" Xander yelled as the ship was rocked by the debris. Only Han's slightly paranoid assertion to always come out of hyperspace with shields up prevented the Falcon from being crushed. Xander automatically made sure to power up the shields as Han and Chewbacca struggled to keep the ship steady.

"I thought I told you to check the route!" Han yelled.

"I did!" Xander exclaimed as he checked his computer readout. "There aren't supposed to be any asteroid showers or anything this close to Alderaan."

"What's going on?" Luke said as he, Kenobi, Buffy and Willow burst into the cockpit.

"Just stopping by to pick up some gravel," Xander remarked.

Willow frowned as she looked out. "There shouldn't be any disturbances near Alderaan."

"Looks our master Captain flew us off-course," Buffy sardonically noted. "What's the matter, Rand-McNally doesn't publish for this galaxy?"

Han was checking the console. "Our position's correct only…no Alderaan."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked. "Where is it?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, kid, it ain't there." Han kept his eyes on the wild field as he kept flying. "According to my calculations, we should be about one meter over the surface. Judging by all that wild energy and the way things are flying, I'd say it's been blown away. Totally."

"What?!" Willow screamed. "How?"

"Destroyed," Kenobi intoned solemnly. "By the Empire."

A long silence filled the cockpit as everyone took in his words. Willow choked, trying to reconcile the idea that the world she'd lived on for the better part of a year was gone. For the others, it was too much to take. The idea that a human agency could willfully be behind the extermination of an entire planet and all life on it…It was beyond genocide, it was a crime against the universe itself.

"No," Han said, shaking his head in denial. "No way. The entire Imperial Starfleet couldn't destroy the whole planet. It would take a thousand ships with more firepower than------" The rest of his words were cut out by a loud beeping.

"What now?" Buffy asked.

"We've got a ship coming in," Han answered as he checked the radar.

"Maybe it's a survivor," Willow hopefully piped up. "They can tell us what happened."

"No," Kenobi answered. "It's an Imperial fighter."

"How do you-----" Han was interrupted when a fighter flew past the window. It was shaped like an H with large foil wins flanking a small cockpit. "It's a TIE job," Xander confirmed.

"It followed us!" Luke exclaimed.

"No, those things are short-range fighters only," Xander told him.

"It must have wandered away from a convoy or something," Luke speculated. "Look, he's leaving in an awfully big hurry. If he identifies us, we're in big trouble."

"Not if I can help it," Luke said. "Xander, jam his transmissions. Chewie, increase our speed." The two worked quickly as the Falcon zipped clear of the debris to chase the TIE.

"It's best to just let him go," Kenobi said. "It's too far out of range."

"Not for long," Han said. "You may think you know everything, old man, but you've got a lot to find out about the Millennium Falcon." He increased the speed as the ship roared forward. They saw the TIE heading to what appeared to be a growing dot in the distance.

"He's heading to that small moon," Buffy called out.

"The Empire must have a base there," Han noted. "Ah, well, a few seconds and he won't be a problem anymore."

Willow was still wrapping her head with the entire destruction when something clicked in her mind. "Um…Alderaan doesn't have any moons."

Kenobi was the first to see the metallic ball and stiffened. "That's no moon," he said. "That's a space station!"

"What?" Han half-laughed. "You're crazier than I thought! It's too big to…be a…space station…" His voice trailed away as the globe came into view and they could see the metallic edges and the huge circular dish on one side.

"Oh my damn," Buffy whispered.

"I have a very bad feeling about this," Luke intoned.

"You get those too, huh?" Xander lightly remarked.

"Turn the ship around," Kenobi ordered.

"Yeah…yeah, I think you're right." Han's fingers flew over the console. "Full reverse, Chewie, get ready to…"

The entire ship shook and seemed to rumble. "Chewie, lock in auxiliary power," Han ordered. The Wookie did so but then shook his head and growled. "I said lock in auxiliary power!"

"Why are we still moving toward it?" Buffy demanded.

"Harris!" Han called out.

The younger man shook his head. "They've got a tractor beam on us, boss. Bigger than anything I've seen before."

"Engine status?"

"We're going to burn them out if we keep fighting it like this."

Han sighed. "All right, Chewie, cut the reverse and reroute power to the forward shields. Junior, warm up the guns."

"Ah, scuse me," Buffy called out. "We hired you to carry us to Alderaan, not play Butch and Sundance!"

"You can't win," Kenobi agreed.

"No, but I can shorten a few Imperial careers," Han responded.

"This is a smuggling ship," Kenobi said. "Concealment is your specialty so we should take advantage of it."

Han frowned. "How?"

"Whatever it is, make it fast," Buffy noted. "We'll be in their dock in a few minutes."

"Last minute plans to avoid major painful death," Xander announced as he rose form his seat. "Yep, just like old times."