Star Wars: Cross Paths
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Chapter 48 – The bartender
It was around 2000 hours, Luke already had ate something at the Senate Hospital cantina, and right now he was laying next to Ines, while she was asleep, waiting for the time to meet Han, Chewie and Wedge at the entrance of the place.
Having is eyes close, he had his right hand on her back, and reaching down with the force, he was checking her lungs, sighing in relief to see her lungs were now totally free of any parasites and full recovered, which meant she could be home tomorrow, which he hope so, he was tired of sleeping alone in their bed.
Opening his eyes, he smiled running his right thumb on her left finger, feeling her engagement and wedding ring.
"My wife" he whispered, and running his right hand, he played with a string of her long brown hair, that he loved so much. He remembered the time when they left the trash compactor, and her hair fall down her back when she removed the bonnet from her disguise suit. Smiling he remember clearly her shirt pulled up and revealing her flat belly and he thought how great her body was. The same body that he claimed for himself 4 years later, inside the Rebel Cruiser. She was nervous and scared that night, and he made sure to be gentle with her. Reaching her belly, he rubbed it. It was that night they conceived their baby. Han was right, it was right on target but he wouldn't change it for anything.
He pressed his lips on her forehead. R2 beeped, making Luke looked at the droid, and looking at the little translator he had on his right wrist, he smiled
"Yes R2, she is fully recovered. Her lungs are fine now"
Droid beeped again.
"I hope so too. I also want her at home as soon as possible"
"Well if tomorrow her exams show what I think it will, she can go home right away" the doctor said, making Luke get up right away. "Oh no, you can lay down. I have to say, I have treated many husbands and wives over the years, saw their pain when sadly I can't save their love ones, or the joy when the opposite happens, but I have to say, be able to be your wife doctor and be able to recovered her, had a special place. You must remember I was surprise when you said your last name. I was not fan-girly or anything. It just, I realize I had the wife's life of the responsible for the fall of the emperor in my hands and I had to do whatever I could to save her. And the reason was, my parents were murdered by Darth Vader."
Luke sighed when he heard that name, but the doctor continue.
"They simple didn't want to what they always thought was wrong. They believe in the democracy. So they were always against the Emperor, and they payed with their lives when he discovered they were protecting a young Jedi that survived the purge. Somehow the Emperor discovered and sent his right hand and he killed the poor kid and my parents for refusing to give him away. So when we got the news the Emperor and Darth Vader were dead, and the Empire had fall, I celebrated like everyone else. You, in a way, brought back the freedom we didn't have for 23 years, so it was an honor taking care of your wife and baby"
"Thank you Doctor Lina" Luke nod
"My shift just ended but tomorrow I will make the exam on your wife. I'm sure she is fully recovered. Goodnight Mr. Skywalker"
"Goodnight." Luke said, then he remembered something "Doctor, may I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"That Jedi who survived the purge. Did he tell anything about that?"
"I was very little at the time. I was 6 years old, so if he did was to my parents."
"Not even a date?"
"Well the stories that I've heard that happened right before the Emperor take control of the galaxy: 23 years old ago. I hope it help"
"Yes it did" and with a nod the doctor left. 23 years ago, the year he was born. That shorten the time of search, considerable.
Hours later:
Luke, Han, Chewie and Wedge were outside the bar for hours. They were waiting for the guy who gave Luke's drink, to came out from his turn.
"It is almost midnight" Han sighed. He was getting tired of waiting. Besides it was getting cold. "Tomorrow will rain all day for sure"
In fact was getting cold.
"Look" Wedge pointing at the bar entrance.
"That's him" Luke said.
The guy who gave Luke the drink, just had left the place. Pulling his jacket up, he started to walk away.
The four of them, stood in front of him blocking his path.
"Well, nice to see you again" Han smirked, while Chewie growled
Once he saw Han and Luke he knew exactly why they were there, and turning around he started to run the opposite direction.
"Stop" Wedge yelled
Han grabbed his pistol, but before he could do anything, Luke used the force to throw one of the trash lids on the guys legs, making him trip.
Running towards him, the guy turned around and Luke pulled his lightsaber and pointing at him, while Han had also his pistol out too
"Please don't kill me" he guy begged raising his hands up.
Everyone around whispered at the scene, specially at the sight of a lightsaber. Many of them didn't see one for years in those places.
"Relax, we won't." Luke said turning off his lightsaber.
"Well maybe he won't, but if you don't tell us what we want to know, I can't do anything if this one rip your arms from your sockets" Han informed him, while Chewie growled at him in anger. "So maybe you better talk"
"Not here. Let's go to somewhere else" Luke said and pulling the guy up, they head to small tavern where they sat, with the guy between Wedge and Chewie.
"Start speaking. Who gave you that drink for Luke?" Han started right away.
Luke sensed he was afraid. Looking at him, he notice that he was a kid, not much older than Ines.
"Look I don't blame you or anything. I just want to know who told you to give me that drink. That's all."
The kid looked at him and jumped when Chewie growled.
"I didn't mean to hurt your wife. I didn't know the drink had anything in it"
"How is that possible? You made that drink, didn't you?" Wedge looked at him
"But I did like I did every Peppermint in it. I don't know what happened?" he continue, but Luke knew that was not true.
"Yes you do. You were the one who put those parasites in the drink."
"Kid, you better not lie cause this guy can see that. So spit it out kid. I don't have much time" Han looked at him.
The kid looked at them not knowing what to say.
"The person who told you to make that drink and put those things in it, almost killed my wife and our baby. If you don't say who it was, you will be responsible for attentive of murder and we will have to bring you in. I'm sorry"
"No, please. I have a baby sister. She is 6 and I am the only family she has. If I go to jail, who will take care of her. Please, don't give me in" the kid beg and Luke understood why he was not telling them anything.
"The person threat your sister. That is why you are afraid and not want to tell us anything." Luke said, looking at Han and Wedge "Look, I understand what you are feeling. The emperor threat my son while he is still in my wife's womb. He did that to make me angry, but he failed. Nothing will happen to your younger sister, you have my word. If you tell me who was he, I will hunt him down until we bring him to justice"
The kid look at Luke
"She" he said in a low voice
"What?" Han asked
"It was not a guy, it was woman."
Luke and Han glare at each other.
"How did she look like?" Han asked him
"I didn't see her face. It was covered, maybe to hide the scars."
"Scars" Wedge said
"It looked like she had burn scars. I don't know how she find out we were working at your wedding, but the night before, she approached me, and showed me a hologram of me playing with my sister at a local garden. She told me to make a drink and put some liquid in it and make sure it was for the groom. If I didn't do it, she would make sure my sister would suffer the consequences. I had to do it. I had no choice. I didn't know what was inside that drink. Once the news spread that your wife was closer to dying, I felt bad. Especially knowing she is pregnant"
"Did you see that woman after that?" Luke asked him
"No. That was the only time I ever spoke to her. But I believe she didn't leave."
"She wanted to make sure I was dead. Of course she would be around." Luke nod
"Then she must be angry. You didn't drink that" Wedge said "Her plan failed"
"No it didn't. If she stayed around, she knew it was Ines who took the drink, and how I reacted. When she attacks again, cause she will, I'm no longer her target." Luke said. "After all she doesn't like her either"
Han frown and looked at Wedge while Chewie growled tilting his head
"How do you know she doesn't like Ines?" Han asked
Luke looked at him
"Because I know who this woman is. We all do. After all I thought I had killed her"
"Shira?" Wedge said
"Luke you killed her remember?" Han confirmed
"So I thought. It is her, I'm sure."
"So what we will going to do? And with this one?" Han pointing to the kid
Luke looked at the kid, deep inside he felt sorry for him.
"About her, she will disappear for a while, I'm sure of it. To bad for her that I will be prepare next time. As for him. Let him go. It is not his fault, he was a paw in all of this. After all Ines and the baby are fine" Luke stood up being followed by the others.
"You really going to let me go?" he asked him
"Just take care of your sister. And don't do anything stupid ever again. She needs you"
"Thank you. I wont forget this, I promise" and he left the tavern while the other left right behind it. As they left the lower levels and reach the top levels of the city, a small rain started to fall.
"I told you it would rain" Han said and looking at Luke "You are a good guy Luke"
"You would have done the same thing. Now we know who was behind this and we can be more careful now. I'm going to get some sleep. R2 is with Ines watching her. Tomorrow she will back home for sure. Thanks guys and thank you Wedge"
"Anytime Luke" and with a goodnight, they all went to their respective apartments. Next time Shira appear, I would be ready, Luke thought.
So finally they found out who was behind all of that. Apparently Shira didn't die after all. Will disappear for a while but what she will do when she returns?