Leia awoke in a cold sweat, the images of her brother fading from her troubled mind. Luke Skywalker, rebel hero, Jedi Master. A fresh wave of anguish welled up insider her. Han was sound asleep beside her. She didn't want to wake him, but she needed someone to talk to...
There was a metallic clang in the alley outside the house that made Leia jump. What was it? She got slowly out of bed and stepped cautiously outside.
The air was cool and the sound of a few scattered night creatures drifted to her ears. A shuffling came from the darkness to the left accompanied by the sound of metal on metal. Leia struggled to quiet her fears, hoping it wasn't some lethal animal. Taking a deep breath, she rook a step forward-
"It's just me."
Leia jumped. "Jessi. What are you doing out here?"
"Making something."
Leia strained her eyes in the darkness. "What is it? How do you see out here?"
"I don't need to see."
Leia pondered this for a moment. "Does this mean-"
"Yeah. Back to, well, self-training. Ah, that should do it!"
"So what exactly is it you have been making these past few nights?"
In response she heard a click followed by a soft hum.
"Yes!" Jessi exclaimed softly. "Now, let's see if it works."
With a snap-hiss the blue-green of Jessi's lightsaber lit up the alley walls and reflected off something jagged and spherical. As Jessi brought her lightsaber up it hovered into the air above her head.
"Okay... go!" said Jessi as she dropped into a fighting stance. Leia realized what it was: a remote. Not exactly the traditional idea, but it seemed to work. Her thought was interrupted by a flurry of laser fire from the remote and a startled cry from Jessi. Apparently the laser fire hurt more than Jessi had expected. She swung the lightsaber all over as if swatting pesky super-flies. She pushed herself to the limit of her abilites, but it wasn't anywhere near fast enough. The thing bobbed up and down, back and forth, shooting bolts every direction. After only a few attempts to block the bolts Jessi took off down the all to short alley opposite from Leia, anxiously shouting, "Stop! Er, halt! HALT!" The remote continued going berserk, slowly and jaggedly making it's way after Jessi. It narrowly missed Han, had come out of the house to see what was going on. He shouted angrily and shot at it with his blaster, but it was too small and quick.
Leia grabbed a piece of scrap metal lying close by and threw it to Jessi, who used it to shield the bolts. She took a deep breath and again said, "Halt". This time it stopped and floated gently to the ground. Jessi flicked off her lightsaber and collapsed on the ground, panting from exertion. The blackness lit up with a glowstick Han had brought. It illuminated his amused expression.
"Is that supposed to do that?"
"Oh, I don't believe so," replied a prissy voice from behind Jessi. "I have a diagram of one of the more traditional models in my databank."
Jessi spun around, activating her lightsaber. The light shone on two metallic figures, one tall and one short. Leia recognized them immediately.
"What do you want, droid?" Jessi asked wearily. "If you want trouble..." She waved the lightsaber in front of its face.
"Wait, Jessi! I know these droids."
"Oh! Princess Leia! Thank goodness, I have terrible news and I must speak to Master Luke!" The droid's metallic voice faded into an awkward silence. Han finally spoke.
"Goldenrod, this is Jessi Hamilton. You'll answer to her now. Whatever you need to say you can say to her. You too, R2."
"What?! Who are these droids?"
"I'm afraid I don't understand, sir. R2, whatever is the matter?" R2 whistled a response.
Jessi crossed her arms impatiently. "Come on somebody, who are these droids?" Leia had to smile at Jessi's confusion.
"This tall one is C-3PO-"
"I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations-"
Leia continued. "This here is R2-D2, an R2 unit." R2 beeped worriedly.
Jessi put her hand to her face in mock surprise. "No! You mean to tell me that R2-D2 is an R2 unit? I never would have guessed."
"I am programmed to know over-"
"Shut up, goldenrod." Han turned to Jessi. "Be careful, when you get him started he doesn't stop. What is wrong with this droid!"
"Why, R2 is under the impression that something terrible as happened to Master Luke," 3PO replied. "Please correct him, Princess Leia."
Jessi stared at the ground. "I've been so selfish..."
"Listen, goldenrod, there really isn't anything to correct him about," Han said sternly.
"My goodness, you can't mean-oh dear, oh dear, what a terrible time for me to give this news!"
"What is it?" Jessi asked curiously.
"You must have heard of the Empress-" Han scowled and muttered something "-well, she has ordered all of the Jedi be captured!"
Jessi put her hand out to her sides palm up in a helpless gesture. "Well, here's all of the Jedi."
There was a metallic clang in the alley outside the house that made Leia jump. What was it? She got slowly out of bed and stepped cautiously outside.
The air was cool and the sound of a few scattered night creatures drifted to her ears. A shuffling came from the darkness to the left accompanied by the sound of metal on metal. Leia struggled to quiet her fears, hoping it wasn't some lethal animal. Taking a deep breath, she rook a step forward-
"It's just me."
Leia jumped. "Jessi. What are you doing out here?"
"Making something."
Leia strained her eyes in the darkness. "What is it? How do you see out here?"
"I don't need to see."
Leia pondered this for a moment. "Does this mean-"
"Yeah. Back to, well, self-training. Ah, that should do it!"
"So what exactly is it you have been making these past few nights?"
In response she heard a click followed by a soft hum.
"Yes!" Jessi exclaimed softly. "Now, let's see if it works."
With a snap-hiss the blue-green of Jessi's lightsaber lit up the alley walls and reflected off something jagged and spherical. As Jessi brought her lightsaber up it hovered into the air above her head.
"Okay... go!" said Jessi as she dropped into a fighting stance. Leia realized what it was: a remote. Not exactly the traditional idea, but it seemed to work. Her thought was interrupted by a flurry of laser fire from the remote and a startled cry from Jessi. Apparently the laser fire hurt more than Jessi had expected. She swung the lightsaber all over as if swatting pesky super-flies. She pushed herself to the limit of her abilites, but it wasn't anywhere near fast enough. The thing bobbed up and down, back and forth, shooting bolts every direction. After only a few attempts to block the bolts Jessi took off down the all to short alley opposite from Leia, anxiously shouting, "Stop! Er, halt! HALT!" The remote continued going berserk, slowly and jaggedly making it's way after Jessi. It narrowly missed Han, had come out of the house to see what was going on. He shouted angrily and shot at it with his blaster, but it was too small and quick.
Leia grabbed a piece of scrap metal lying close by and threw it to Jessi, who used it to shield the bolts. She took a deep breath and again said, "Halt". This time it stopped and floated gently to the ground. Jessi flicked off her lightsaber and collapsed on the ground, panting from exertion. The blackness lit up with a glowstick Han had brought. It illuminated his amused expression.
"Is that supposed to do that?"
"Oh, I don't believe so," replied a prissy voice from behind Jessi. "I have a diagram of one of the more traditional models in my databank."
Jessi spun around, activating her lightsaber. The light shone on two metallic figures, one tall and one short. Leia recognized them immediately.
"What do you want, droid?" Jessi asked wearily. "If you want trouble..." She waved the lightsaber in front of its face.
"Wait, Jessi! I know these droids."
"Oh! Princess Leia! Thank goodness, I have terrible news and I must speak to Master Luke!" The droid's metallic voice faded into an awkward silence. Han finally spoke.
"Goldenrod, this is Jessi Hamilton. You'll answer to her now. Whatever you need to say you can say to her. You too, R2."
"What?! Who are these droids?"
"I'm afraid I don't understand, sir. R2, whatever is the matter?" R2 whistled a response.
Jessi crossed her arms impatiently. "Come on somebody, who are these droids?" Leia had to smile at Jessi's confusion.
"This tall one is C-3PO-"
"I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations-"
Leia continued. "This here is R2-D2, an R2 unit." R2 beeped worriedly.
Jessi put her hand to her face in mock surprise. "No! You mean to tell me that R2-D2 is an R2 unit? I never would have guessed."
"I am programmed to know over-"
"Shut up, goldenrod." Han turned to Jessi. "Be careful, when you get him started he doesn't stop. What is wrong with this droid!"
"Why, R2 is under the impression that something terrible as happened to Master Luke," 3PO replied. "Please correct him, Princess Leia."
Jessi stared at the ground. "I've been so selfish..."
"Listen, goldenrod, there really isn't anything to correct him about," Han said sternly.
"My goodness, you can't mean-oh dear, oh dear, what a terrible time for me to give this news!"
"What is it?" Jessi asked curiously.
"You must have heard of the Empress-" Han scowled and muttered something "-well, she has ordered all of the Jedi be captured!"
Jessi put her hand out to her sides palm up in a helpless gesture. "Well, here's all of the Jedi."