The rain slowed to a drizzle. Luke and Leia huddled under a heavy blanket on a large tree root. A small fire burned before them, on a cluster of roots that had ventured above the water level. Threepio and Artoo stood beside a small tent with room enough for one, their sensors running around in circles to keep track of their environment.
"All this rain can't be good for my internal parts," Threepio said.
Artoo whined dismally, agreeing.
Luke and Leia stared at the fire, eating condensed space rations in the form of a solid bar of… something. "What will you do if we win, if take down the empire?" Luke asked. "What then?"
Leia shrugged. "I don't know," she said, "I've never thought about it. The empire's been here since before I was born. I just want it to end… I never considered the possibility that it might."
"Then why do you risk your life?" Luke asked.
"As long as people's lives and freedoms are at stake I will do something to help. It's my duty as a Princess, as a leader. My father started the rebel alliance, and I will continue it."
"Is he still alive?" Luke asked.
"He was on Alderaan when the Death Star… when Tarkin…" her eyes began to tear as she trailed off, but she maintained her angry countenance.
"I'm sorry, Leia, that was stupid of me to ask."
She shook her head. "Don't be sorry," she said softly, her composure regained. They turned and looked into each other's eyes. The fire danced in her brown eyes, and reflected his blue. The night swallowed them until they were lost. They had not known each other long, but their lives felt destined to join together.
Luke searched his mind for the right thing to say, but stumbled and rearranged and came back with "I will become a Jedi knight like my father… somehow." His solemn and hopeless promise always on his mind, committed to the external realm only for her. He would find a way to do it if it might save her some day.
He turned away quickly to the fire, ashamed. He could not submit to his destiny for her sake alone. His life belonged to his cause, to the oppressed peoples who needed freedom. He would sacrifice his life for the good of the galaxy, and learn the ways of the force to do as it would have him do, to become one with the universe.
