Chapter 9- Meeting Obi-Wan, History, and the Force
A/N: Lena's lightsaber color comes out in this. I was gonna have it at the bar, but now is a good time.
Luke and Lena were up early the next morning in Luke's speeder. This was one of those times that Lena found technology acceptable as it was the only way to find Artoo. Even Talon would have said that this kind of technology was permissible. Lena managed to drive and Luke looked at the scanner as they entered what Luke called the Jundlund Wastes.
"Lookit, there's a droid on the scanner. Dead ahead. It might be our little R2 unit. Hit the accelerator!" Luke ordered. Lena sped up and R2's little domed body came into view. Lena stopped the speeder as Artoo stopped rolling on his treads. Lena felt a danger alarm through the Force, but was unable to see what could have given her the feeling. Something violent and dangerous was all she could say if asked.
"Hey! Whoa! Where do you think you're going?" Luke asked as they joined Artoo, who gave off a shrill beep.
"Master Luke is your rightful owner now. We'll have no more of this Obi-Wan Kenobi gibberish," Threepio said irritably and Artoo beeped. "And don't talk to me of your mission either. You're fortunate that he doesn't blast you into a million pieces right here!" Threepio said threateningly.
"No, it's all right, but I think we'd better go," Luke said. Artoo beeped and gyrated wildly. The beeps sounded like insistant warnings, much like the warning sensations Lena was getting through the Force. "What's wrong with him now?" Luke asked, looking at Threepio.
"There are several creatures approaching from the southeast," Threepio said, looking toward that direction.
"Sand People, or worse. Come on. Let's go have a look," Luke said, grabbing a long rifle from the speeder. Lena wondered what could have been worse. Even as far as Alderaan, Lena had heard of the Tusken Raiders on Tatooine. Lena moved her hand down to her ankle where she had hidden her lightsaber in her boot. If they were attacked she would need her lightsaber. The Sand People might be so primitive that they would be frightened by the flashing Jedi weapon.
Lena gripped her lightsaber tightly and followed Luke to a ledge overlooking the canyon, followed by Threepio. Luke whipped out his microbinoculars and focused them on some large animals. "Well, there are two banthas down there, but I don't see any- Wait a second. They're Sand People, all right. I can see one of them now," Luke said as a creatue with a mask and a stick got in front of them and screamed gutturally.
Taking a deep Jedi breath, Lena thumbed on her lightsaber as the creature knocked Luke unconscious and Was joined by another Tusken Raider. Lena removed one of the creatures arms with her lightsaber and it screamed in pain before the other creature hit her in the head dazing her slightly. Lena felt herself being dragged along the desert floor and she and Luke were dropped next to the speeder. Lena held her lightsaber tightly, disengaging the blue blade when the Tuskens didn't notice, and pretending unconsciousness.
Lena heard Artoo whistle and through half-closed lashes saw him in a small niche. A loud howl echoed through the canyon and Lena sat up as a figure in a brown robe meandered down the canyon. The howl was one of a Krayt Dragon; an animal known to Tatooine. Lena took a deep breath, thumbing on her lightsaber again as the Sand People ran. The figure came over to Luke and placed his old hand on his head.
"Who are you?" Lena asked.
"The question, youngling, is who are you?" a strong voice came from the hooded figure.
"Lena. Lena Organa of Alderaan," Lena said, not quite sure why she was saying this much to a total stranger. Artoo then beeped. The figure removed his hood, revealing a bearded old man with kind-looking eyes. He smiled briefly.
"Hello, there. Come here, my little friend. Don't be afraid," the man said, motioning to Artoo to come to him.
"Is Luke going to be all right?" Lena asked.
"Oh, don't worry, Lena Skywalker. He'll be all right," the man said congenially.
"You know who I am?" Lena asked confused.
"Of course. I was there the day you and Luke were born. And you look so much like your mother, Padme, I'd know you anywhere. But you have your father's eyes," the man said as Luke came to. "Rest easy, Son. You've had a busy day. You're fortunate to be all in one piece," the man said, helping Luke sit up. Luke looked at him and blinked.
"Ben? Ben Kenobi? Boy, am I glad to see you!" Luke exclaimed.
"The Jundlund Wastes are not to be traveled lightly. Tell me, young Luke, what brings you and your sister out this far?" Ben asked, leading Luke to a flat rock so he could sit.
"This little droid. I think he's searching for his former master, but I've never seen such devotion in a droid before. Uh, he claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?" Luke asked. Only Lena could see how Ben's face then changed. The calm demeanor changed to that of one who had heard something he hadn't heard in a long time.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi? Obi-Wan. Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time," Ben said, half to himself than to Luke and Lena.
"I think my uncle knows him. He said he was dead," Luke said.
"Oh, he's not dead. Not yet," Ben said.
"Oh, you know him?" Lena said.
"Well, of course I know him. He's me. I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since, oh, around the time the two of you were born," Ben, correction Obi-Wan said.
"Well, then, the droid does belong to you," Luke said, indicating Artoo.
"I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid. Very interesting," Obi-Wan said in a musing voice. Lena knew what Obi-Wan meant. If he was the Jedi her father had told her about, he wouldn't own a droid. Droids were used by Jedi Knights, but owning one as property wasn't the Jedi way. Even though Lena grew up with droids herself, her father had encouraged her to do things for herself. To not let the droids do everything. A loud growl filled the canyon. Lena pulled out her lightsaber almost without thinking. Obi-Wan looked off in the direction it was coming from. "I think we better get indoors. The Sand People are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers," Obi-Wan said as he and Lena helped Luke off the ground. A sudden thought occurred to Lena. Artoo then beeped.
"Luke, Threepio!" Lena exclaimed, touching her brother's arm.
They ran over the canyon floor and Luke picked up Threepio's arm which had been removed from it's socket. Threepio wasn't too far away from it. Lena made her way to the droid's side and gently eased him up. "Where am I? Oh, Your Highness, I must have taken a bad step," Threepio said, apparently deciding on his own to call Lena by her royal title. But Obi-Wan had to have known that Lena was a princess and now was a good time to tell Luke.
"Can you stand? We've got to get out of here before the Sand People return," Lena said.
"I don't think I can make it. You go on, Master Luke, Princess Lena. There's no sense in you risking yourselves on my account. I'm done for," Threepio said, a bit overdramatically. Lena had to refrain from rolling her eyes. Artoo cooed dejectedly.
"No, you're not. What kind of talk is that?" Luke asked.
"Quickly. They're on the move," Obi-Wan said and they made their way to Luke's speeder and hurried to Obi-Wan's hut.
"So, you see, I couldn't tell anyone that I was a princess and I'm with the Rebel Alliance," Lena said as Luke attached Threepio's arm and she explained what Threepio meant when he called her "Princess."
"You were very shrewd to hide it, Lena. When I met your mother, she did the same thing. And your father did also the same sort of thing when he fought in the Clone Wars," Obi-Wan said as he handed Lena some water.
"No, our father didn't fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter," Luke said in disagreement.
"No, that's not true, brother," Lena said.
"She's right. That is what your uncle told you. He didn't hold with your father's ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved," Obi-Wan said dryly.
"You fought in the Clone Wars?" Luke asked.
"Did he fight in the Clone wars? My father used to tell me stories of you and Anakin Skywalker fighting the Separatists. He said stories of you, Yoda, Mace Windue, and my father's master, Plo Koon was legend in the Jedi Temple," Lena said. Obi-Wan smiled at her.
"She's right. Yes. I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father," Obi-Wan said.
"Master Kenobi, then I am honored to meet you. Ever since I became a Jedi I have wanted to meet you," Lena said
"Yes. Talon Orran was a brave Jedi Knight. I have the feeling that he always thought of himself as a coward because he didn't save his friends at the temple, but he trained you. Anakin would have wanted it that way," Obi-Wan said.
"I wish I'd known him," Luke said, meaning Anakin.
"He was the best starpilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior. Lena, you have your father's Jedi skills and your mother's diplomatic skills. Luke, I understand you've become quite a good pilot yourself. And your father was a good friend," Obi-Wan said, a far away look in his eyes. It didn't take a Jedi to see that Obi-Wan was thinking back to the time before the Jedi fell. Talon had often gotten that look on his face when he talked of being a Padawan in the Jedi Order.
"Which reminds me, I have something here for you. I don't need to give one to Lena as it seems she already has one. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some fool idealistic crusade like your father did," Obi Wan said, opening a trunk and pulling out what appeared to be a lightsaber.
"Sir, if you and the princess'll not be needing me, I'll close down for awhile," Threepio said as Luke finished fixing the droid's arm.
"Sure. Go ahead," Luke said.
"What is it?" Luke asked as he and Lena walked over to Obi-Wan.
"It's your father's lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age," Obi-Wan said as Luke activated the blade.
"Looks almost like mine," Lena said, activating her own lightsaber.
"How long have you had a lightsaber, Lena?" Obi-Wan asked as they sat.
"Almost ten seasons. Papa took me to Jedha to find my crystal and I made it myself. Father told me that making my own lightsaber is the true sign that I am strong in the Force and a powerful Jedi Knight. You see, Luke, for over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic, before the dark times, before the Empire," Lena said as Luke moved the blade around.
"How did our father die?" Luke asked, deactivating the blade and sitting down.
Obi-Wan swallowed hard as if it was a difficult question to answer. "A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father. Now the Jedi are all but extinct, with the exceptions of Yoda, Talon Orran, myself, and Lena. Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force," Obi-Wan said.
"The Force?" Luke asked.
"The Force is what gives a Jedi his or her power, Luke. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together," Lena said. Luke nodded as Artoo beeped loudly.
"Now, let's see if we can't figure out what you are, my little friend, and where you come from," Obi-Wan said, tapping Artoo's domed head with his hand. Leia's image then popped out of the viewport.
"Me and Lena saw part of a message he was-" Luke started to say.
"I seem to have found it," Obi-Wan interrupted as Leia stood from where she was kneeling.
"Yes. That is my cousin. She's also a princess," Lena said.
"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father and Uncle Cail in the Clone Wars. Now they beg you to help them in their struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person. But my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. And my cousin, Lena Organa, has decided to accompany the droid to you. She, my father, and my uncle will know how to retrieve the information. You must see this droid safely delivered to my father and uncle on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope," Leia said and the message ended.
"Well, what is your answer, General? You heard my cousin. We need help and we need to get the droid to my father Talon Orran and Uncle Bail," Lena said as Obi-Wan stroked his beard.
"Indeed, young one. You must learn the ways of the Force if you're to come with me to Alderaan," Obi-Wan said to Luke.
"Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to get home. It's late. I'm in for it as it is," Luke said with a laugh as he got to his feet.
"I need your help, Luke. She and Lena need your help. I'm getting too old for this sort of thing," Obi-Wan said. A pregnant pause filled the air.
"Listen, I can't get involved. I've got work to do. It's not that I like the Empire. I hate it, but there's nothing I can do about it right now. It's all such a long way from here," Luke said dismally.
"That sounds like your uncle talking, Luke," Lena said with a dry laugh.
"My uncle. How am I ever gonna explain this?" Luke asked as if it suddenly struck him how upset Owen was going to be.
"Learn about the Force, Luke," Obi-Wan said.
"Look, I can take you and Lena as far as Anchorhead. You both can get a transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going," Luke said. Lena nodded her head.
"You must do what you feel is right, of course. But if you are waiting for the right time to leave, I think it's now. You uncle can't keep you here forever. Even my father learned that when me and Leia went on diplomatic missions. He found out that the tighter he holds the more I'll try to break away," Lena said as she clipped her lightsaber back on her belt and put on her Jedi cloak.