Chapter 34: Family

A cheering, gleeful throng of technicians, mechanics, and other inhabitants of the Alliance headquarters swarmed around each fighter as it touched down and taxied into the temple hanger. Jek Porkins, who had arrived earlier, had already vacated his ship and were waiting to greet the others.

Ben landed the old ARC-170 and waved the technicians away, his concern for Leia forcing him to ignore the celebration. He saw Han carrying Leia into the hanger bay. "MEDIC!" he screamed. "GET ME A MEDIC NOW!" Several medics and assistants rushed over to help Solo with the unconscious Leia. The celebration came to a sobering halt at the sight of them.

Ben came to Leia's side as she was placed on a hover-gurney. Her eyes were still wet with tears. Little Het struggled to get through the crowd, and finally came to her side as well. Han looked at Ben and then Davin Felth as he joined them. "She was unconscious when she left the fighter!" Han said to the medics frantically. "I dont know whats wrong with her!"

"We'll take it from here." the medics said, wheeling the pitifully small form of Leia Skywalker away to the med-center. Ben followed closely, holding Het's hand. "She gonna be ok?" the little jawa asked tentatively. "I hope so." Ben said,trying to reassure the little alien.

On the opposite side of the fighter, the crowd was far smaller and more restrained. It consisted of a couple of technicians, Master It'kla, Luke Organa, his father Bail, and one tall, humanoid droid who watched worriedly as the humans lifted a badly burned metal hulk from its back. "Oh my! Arfive!" Threepio pleaded, bending close to the carbonized droid. "Can you hear me? Say something!" His unwinking gaze turned to Luke. "You can repair him, can't you? I know I've only known him a short time, but please! He is my friend!"

One of the technicians shrugged. "Its only an R5 unit.. we have plenty of them." He turned at an outraged squeal coming from the approaching Artoo Detoo. Luke stepped forward at those words and grabbed the technician by the front of his jacket. "You will move heaven and hell to repair this droid, do you hear me?" the technician nodded quickly. "We'll get on it right away sir!" he assured the Prince.

"You must repair him! Sir, if any of my circuits or gears will help, I'll gladly donate them! Artoo said he would as well!" Threepio pleaded.

Touched by the three droids devotion to each other, Bail looked to the technicians. "Do whatever you can to save that astromech. I think the pilot of its fighter will need all the friendly faces we can find."

There were many rooms in the vast expanse of the temple which had been converted for modern service by the technicians of the Alliance. Even in their desperate need, however, there was something too clean and classically beautiful about the ruins of the ancient chambers for the architects to modify. One chamber in particular used beauty as well as its accompanying equipment to help its occupants.

The medical chamber beeped and chimed as a 2-1B unit kept a close eye on the little Jawa. The little alien had refused to be budged from his silent vigil over Leia Skywalker. They had placed her in a bacta tank for a short time, she was so exhausted. Ben Kenobi, Han Solo, Keyan Farlander, Davin Felth and Wedge Antilles, and even Jek Porkins were all resting in the waiting room. Each one had taken a watch over the sleeping Leia.

-----

It took two days for Leia to finally open her eyes. It was very early in the morning, everyone in the waiting room asleep. Even Luke Organa was there, passed out on a reclining chair. Ben in a cot, Han and Chewie curled up on the floor with a blanket a kind nurse had offered. Jek and Keyan had passed out in the window alcoves. Davin had fallen asleep on one of the medical beds near Leia's side. She blinked as little Het squeezed her hand, dead to the world. At the time, Wedge Antilles had been watching over her and stepped forward slowly. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly. Leia picked up and hugged little Het, who snorted slightly, still dead asleep. Leia didnt say a word.. she only let loose an endless stream of tears.

Wedge nodded, and turned to leave. He stopped when he heard Leia's small voice speak. "Dont go." He turned slowly to look at her. "I... I need someone to talk to."
Wedge pointed a finger to the back room. "Do you want me to get the others?"

Leia shook her head. "Its five in the morning... let them sleep. Tell me... did we do it? Did we destroy the death star?"

Wedge approached the side of her bed and nodded. "Yes... we did it."

Leia started to cry again. "Then it wasn't in vain. He didnt die in vain."

Wedge touched her shoulder softly. "Im... Im so sorry for your loss... he was a good friend to me as well."

Leia leaned over and hugged Wedge, who petted her back comfortingly. Little Het only snuggled Leia between them. "Shhh... its all right." Wedge said over and over agian. "Let it out. I'm here for you."

And so she did.

After she had cried for about an hour, Wedge looked over at the door. "Oh yes.. I have some good news and bad news."

Leia looked at him for a second. "I better hear the bad news first." Wedge looked at her with a small smile. "The bad news is that we didnt have any spare empty R5 bodies for your astromech." Leia looked like she was going to cry again. "Arfive?" But Wedge gestured to the door before that could happen. "All we had was an R6 body."

A little red and white R6 unit rolled into the room, whistling quietly and happily in familiar tones, followed by Artoo and the golden Threepio. Leia's tears came again, only this time she was smiling. Little Het finally awoke, and looked up at her, "Tal'sha'nasa!" He cried, hugging her hard. At that exultation, Davin sat bolt upright. He embraced Leia quickly. "Im so glad your alright!" In the other room, Ben and the others awoke. Han and Chewie rushed in first, hugging Leia, followed by Ben, Keyan and Jek. Then Prince Organa entered. Leia took comfort in her close friends, and for a few moments, she was at peace.

-----

Bail Organa met with Master It'kla and Obi-wan Kenobi the following morning. "The evacuation of Yavin is ahead of schedule." Bail said, reporting on the situation. "We should be ready for our exodus to Raxus Prime in a few more days." Then he paused, and looked over at his old friend Ben. "How is she?" he asked, concerned.

"Recovering." Ben said. "She took the death of Biggs hard... very hard."

Master It'kla looked at Ben. "She is dangerously close to the dark side. We need to do something to bring her back to the light."

Bail nodded. "Perhaps we should send her to Master Yoda? He would know what to do."

Ben thought about it for a few moments, and then agreed. "Very well. I will ask Han Solo to take her to the Dagobah system. Master Yoda will have to continue her training."

Bail looked at Master It'kla. "And my son?" he asked. "Will he also be trained?"

Master It'kla nodded. "Yes. I will now begin training Luke in the ways of the Force. It is time for the Jedi to return."

TO BE CONTINUED IN STAR WARS ASD: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK