They sat together on the hard stone roof of Ben Kenobi's house. Brilliant twin suns, glowing red and white, sat low in the sky and cast a gold sheen on Leia's face.
She looked tired, but seemed to still have some energy after the long trip from the most recent location of the fleet to Tatooine. The Falcon had arrived, landing safely a few hours ago, just a short distance from the late Jedi's dusty house.
Chewie was still on the Falcon. He would sleep there tonight, and each night until they were sure the security and cloaking systems were working and the Jawas and sand people were staying away from the ship.
"Tell me what you know about Ben Kenobi," he asked her.
This was something they had talked about after the Death Star was blown up, after the excitement wore down and the stress of war came back hard and fast. Luke and Leia had only talked that one time about Ben - for what help could be gained in the current war from a dead Jedi who had lived as a hermit for so many years on a crime-infested backwater planet?
But now, with the knowledge and training he had, with the odd visions and insights - he wanted to hear it all again. Maybe this time there would be something his more impatient, less experienced self had ignored.
"Well, you know I never met him," Leia started, giving him a look of surprise. "But my father knew Ben. General Kenobi. They first met before the Clone Wars, through Senator Amidala. There had been some attacks on her life, and I think General Kenobi had some involvement in her protection. Later on during the Wars I think General Kenobi came to Alderaan once or twice. I'm not sure. I didn't think my father had any contact with him after those wars, so I was surprised when Father told me we had to find him. We were going to need his help."
"You're my only hope," Luke murmured absently.
He must have watched that recording over and over in his mind a hundred times that fateful day over three years ago. Seeing a beautiful young woman in distress. Longing for a change of scenery. Needing some adventure. And he'd gotten it, all right. More adventure than he could ever have imagined.
Those few days had changed his life forever. He had decided, back on Yavin 4, that the change was for good in spite of the terrible deaths of his aunt and uncle and
Ben's sacrifice. Now that Luke knew of part of his true parentage, part of him wished to be that simple moisture farmer again, nagging his uncle to let him do this or that. That fate - far less exciting and dangerous than his current life - was simple. If the droids had never landed on Tatooine, never been purchased by his uncle, he might never have known about Darth Vader. He'd still have his right hand.
If! If! If! Unpredictable, life is. What would have happened if the droids never came, you will never know. Useless to play "what if", it is. You must focus on the task at hand.
"Come back, Luke. You look like you're a million light years away."
"Sorry." He felt himself flush slightly. "I was just - thinking about what my life might have been like if I'd never encountered C3PO and R2D2."
"It would probably be a lot different than it is right now. I, of course, would be dead."
"Leia-" he tried to interrupt but she, in her usual fashion, rolled right over him.
"I was tagged for death. After I saw Alderaan blown to pieces, I welcomed it. Never did I imagine two crazy moon jockeys and a Wookie would break into the detention area and get me out. If you'd been one standard hour later - there were so many days on Yavin where I wished you three had been too late to rescue me."
"But you never tried to hurt yourself, except for-"Luke broke off, gaping, as he saw the look in Leia's eyes change. "You did? How did - I thought there was only the one time." The time when he'd been with Han and Chewie and they'd found a drunken Leia in her office, her head resting on her desk whispering her father's name over and over. A blaster set to kill hanging limply from her hand. She'd missed their agreement to have dinner and play cards on the Falcon, so they went looking for her. Who knows what she would have done had they not searched every possible location she would be.
"No, Luke. There were several times. Did you ever wonder why you ran into me leaving the Falcon a few times in the morning?"
"Han found you? He never said a word about it. Always made it seem like-" he blushed and stammered. "Well - you know how Han is."
To Luke's surprise, Leia did not respond in kind. "He was always saving me. From myself, mostly," she whispered. "Even with all the fights and the smart remarks. I just didn't recognize it then." A look of fear washed over her face. "Do you really think we can get him out, Luke? I need him. I need Han."
In Leia's face, Luke was reminded of all the times, all the missions the four of them had been on. So many close calls. Too many just in times or almost didn't make its. But they had, the four of them. Each and every time. They had made it.
And that was not all they had on their side this time around.
You must focus on the task at hand.
"Yes, Leia. We can. We can get him out."