Obi-Wan and Lee Gorsa stared down at the small crate from inside the stall. They had opened it for maybe fifteen seconds before slamming it shut. The both of them stood there and neither spoke nor moved for several seconds.
"We can't take these to him," Lee said.
"And why not?" Obi-Wan said.
"Doesn't it… bother you?"
"Of course it bothers me," Obi-Wan said, "but it's better than the alternative. Her. There. With them."
"So we let them get out onto the black market, I guess." Lee said.
"If anyone is foolish enough to buy a lightsaber on the black market, they have earned their fate. The Empire would have had all the lightsabers they possess destroyed, save for Palpatin and Vader's. Whoever buys these will risk death to own one. Jabba will not want to lose such a commodity. And there's nothing I can do to bring back their owners. I must focus on the future."
The two of them snapped the locks on the crate, and Obi-Wan locked the case back with the two small tools he had used to pick the locks in the first place. The two men left the stall in the dark, heading for their respective vehicles. Lee placed the crate of six lightsabers on the passenger seat beside him, and followed Obi-Wan in the pre-dawn light towards the Dune Sea.
Music, Miri found, was nearly always playing in Jabba the Hutt's palace. Save for the few hours he slept, the throne room was always a throbbing cesspool of dancing, drinking, loud music and the occasional sporting game of throwing a slave into the rancor pit below the throne. Miri had seen one slave girl thrown in for refusing the advances of one of Jabba's goons. It was this that made her hope against all things that Abraxas, the Zabrak who had it in for her, would steer clear.
Her wish had miraculously been granted. He had watched her like a predator waiting for the opportunity to strike, but his orders kept him in check. So long as Lee Gorsa was doing Jabba's bidding, Abraxas could not sully the one thing that was ensuring Jabba got what he wanted. And if Jabba didn't get what he wanted, Abraxas would soon find himself fending off the rancor beneath the throne.
It was mid-morning when Obi-Wan and Miri's father arrived, small box in hand. Miri stood at their arrival, all but straining against the chain at her neck. She was promptly jerked back by Jabba, falling against the pillow that had been intended for her.
Obi-Wan breathed deeply as he handed over the box to the light-skinned Twilek, who brought them immediately in front of Jabba. It pained him greatly to hand over the sacred items, but it pained him even more to think of Miri in the possession of Jabba the Hutt.
"Our deal is done, Jabba. Now hand over my daughter," Lee said, in a far more commanding voice than he had managed the previous day.
"Patience, Gorsa, you'll get your girl back…" Jabba said. The Twilek opened the case for Jabba with a key procured from his robes, showing him the contents. When he found the six lightsabers there, unmolested, he hummed his approval.
Miri rose enough from her position that she rested on her knees, ready to bolt the second her collar was taken off.
"I am very pleased. You did well. It's too bad I can't persuade you to work for me permanently…" Jabba hinted.
Fear flooded Miri's mind, and she desperately tried to calm her thoughts, to find her center, but the prospect of being held further terrified her.
"We had a deal, and it's done, Jabba. Please, now let her go," Lee commanded.
Jabba laughed. "Very well. Let her go," he spoke to Abraxas, who sauntered over to Miri, pulling her up by her arm. Making a show of it, Abraxas languidly ran his hands over Miri's bare back, up to her collar, and unfastening the lock. Before she could bolt, he wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered in her ear.
"Until next time."
Miri shuddered at his touch, and his words that poisoned her ears. She wriggled from his grasp, wishing desperately to have dealt him a blow similar to the last, but knew she had to get out of there without any further confrontation. When she finally was free, she breathed heavily and ran forward into Obi-Wan's arms.
He caught her eagerly, and held her to him, never wishing to be parted from her again. Not wishing to linger in the palace any longer, Obi-Wan turned on his heels, and began to walk Miri out of the throne room. Lee stayed behind momentarily to give a few parting words.
"With respect, Jabba, I think our dealings are over." At that, he followed behind Obi-Wan and Miri, towards the light of the outside world.
Miri felt as if her entire body was humming. She was vaguely aware that she had been trembling since she sat in the hover car, sandwiched between her father and Obi-Wan, her father at the wheel. Obi-Wan had an arm around her waist, clutching her to him, and with his free hand, holding hers. When they reached Mos Eisley, they immediately made for the Gorsas' apartment. Obi-Wan helped her out of the hover car, and held her as she began to finally relax, standing in the alley behind her apartment. She was no longer in the clutches of the Hutts. She was home. Safe.
Her father approached her, and Miri turned to hug him as well.
"Papa, I'm so sorry I went on my own, I just wanted to pay them and be done with it, and I—"
"Shh, hush now. It's done. Let's get you inside." Lee led the way into their home.
Miri walked inside and sat down at the kitchenette table, taking stock of her feelings, wishing to stay put long enough to gain control of her emotions. The two men stood feet from each other, watching Miri.
"Thank you," Miri said, meekly, to both of them. "Ben, papa… I feel so stupid for getting myself into such trouble." She shook her head in shame.
"It's me who got you in this mess in the first place, Miri," Lee said. "I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am. But thanks to Obi-Wan, I have you safely home."
Miri's eyes snapped immediately from the floor to Obi-Wan, full of alarm.
"What? I… Obi-Wan…"
"Your father knows, Miri," Obi-Wan said gravely.
"Knows?" Miri did not know how much, so she treaded lightly, lest she give more away than she should.
"He knows enough. He knows who I am. And… he knows why I've been your tutor these past several weeks."
Miri's eyes filled with dread. A million excuses filled her mind. She couldn't bare the thought of him knowing she had lied.
"Dad, I am sorry, I couldn't tell you… I didn't know how to tell you." She stammered.
Her father sat in the chair next to hers, facing her. He grabbed her hands, wrapping them in his. He was quiet for a moment, staring at their clasped hands. He sighed.
"I… haven't been entirely truthful with you either, I'm afraid."
Miri blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You see… I'm not angry that you lied. I'm not angry for what Obi-Wan and you have been doing. I understand it. And part of me knew that something like this was bound to happen when you were older."
"Something like what?" Miri looked to Obi-Wan for an explanation. All she got was his typical contemplative stance, his arms crossed, hand at his beard, and silence.
"You see," Lee took a deep breath. "Your mother was profoundly gifted. You're smart as a whip, just like her. But she also gave you this ability that Obi-Wan is trying to teach you to use."
"I don't understand." Miri could feel her heart thumping in her chest.
He continued, his voice full of sadness. "Your mother wasn't from Dantooine. Your mother was from Alderaan. But she lived most of her life on Coruscant." Another pause. "She fled the Jedi Temple when she was very young, and in grave danger."
"Obi-Wan?" she looked to him in confusion.
He nodded. "Your mother was the padawan of the great Master Mace Windu. She fled from Palpatin before she became a Jedi Knight. Her name was well known among the Jedi. Until several hours ago, I and the rest of the Jedi Order believed her to have perished on a mission." He waited for her reaction. He could feel her anger and sadness rising. He would have to bring her down eventually, but now was not the time.
She pulled her hands away from her father slowly, and crossed her arms over her still-bare midsection. "You kept this from me." She spoke barely higher than a whisper, but still her words were steeped in disbelief.
"Yes."
"You lied."
"To keep you safe."
"Safe? From whom?"
"The Emperor. He would have used you like he tried to use your mother."
"Every memory I have of her is a lie." Miri's voice wavered at the end, and she fought back the prickle of tears.
"No. Your mother loved you. She left that life back in Coruscant. She made a new one here, with us. That's all that mattered."
Miri stood. Her vision seemed to blur. "All those years. I could have been learning from her. I could have understood why I felt so… different." The tears were close. She spoke calmly, if only to control her own emotions. It disturbed Lee more than he would have liked. He had expected her to yell. Her deadpan responses made it even more painful for him.
"She made her choice. She wanted to spare you from that life."
She remained silent for a moment. Without a word, Miri walked slowly to her room, grabbed a pack, and began stuffing a change of clothing into it. The two men followed, exchanging a knowing glance. They stood at the doorway.
"What are you doing?" Lee asked. He knew this was a likely outcome.
"I need to think. I can't do that here." She looked up at Obi-Wan with a serious look in her eyes. He nodded, silently acknowledging that it was with him that she would be leaving.
She walked past the two of them without a word, and paused at the front entryway. She was waiting for Obi-Wan to follow. Lee walked with Obi-Wan, and addressed his daughter.
"Just know that everything your mother and I did… we did out of love. When you're ready to talk, I'm here." Miri turned and left before she would let her tears fall in front of her father. The moment she stepped out into the sunlight, walking towards Obi-Wan's hover bike, she allowed silent tears to fall.