AUTHOR'S NOTE My writer's block seems to have finally cracked enough for me to finally continue with this. I'm trying to wind it up and I don't think it should break like 15 or 16 chapters.
DISCLAIMER Don't own Luke…*sniff* sadly…Don't own the Care Bears either.
Leia got dressed again after washing in a very cold stream. She continued wandering. Her eyes continually filled with tears no matter how had she tried to stop them.
Every step she took in this world reminded her of her idyllic life on Alderaan. For many years, she'd buried those memories and the pain that went with them, but this planet could very well be Alderaan-reincarnated. There was no way those memories could stay buried here.
Leia was completely lost. She wandered through forests and fields, tears blurring her vision. Finally she gave up and sank down against a tall pine tree.
~~~~~
Luke lay on a stone table. His eyes were closed, his hands folded on his chest. He appeared to be asleep, but was actually in deep meditation. With or without the Force, his mind was still able to go into a deep trance.
The Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins gathered in a circle around him. They joined hands, consolidating their power.
"Care Bears," Tenderheart called softly, "stare!"
"Care Cousins!" Brave Heart called, also softy. "Call!"
Beams of light shone from the symbol of each Care Bear, absorbed by Luke's body. The Cousins all shouted their calls and a stream of blue shimmering light came from Brave Heart. Wispy musical notes seemed to float along until they reached Luke and they too were absorbed.
Luke felt the positive energy hit him, felt the Force open up to him. Using the strength of the Care Bears, Luke's spirit left his body and floated as the Force carried him along.
As he traveled to the faraway planet of Wayland, Luke felt the energy that the Bears and Cousins were spending. He wasn't sure how long they could keep it up. He willed the Force to carry him quickly.
Once on Wayland, his spirit walked like a man again. He saw the glowing crystal. The Force whispered to him, willed him to touch it again.
'I can't get zapped again,' he thought. 'My body's already on Earth.' He reached out to touch the smooth stone again.
A vision came to him when he touched it. Emperor Palpitine grinned coldly at him with yellow eyes. A red and black skinned man with dark fang-like teeth hissed. And a dark red whirlwind with glowing eyes laughed menacingly. Luke realized that they were the crystal. It was made from their essences.
Back on Earth, the Care Bear family grew a little weaker. Luke left he crystal and the cave to see Han, Wedge, and half the Starfleet looking very tired and hopeless. Luke tried to speak, but found that he couldn't. When he walked up to Han, who looked right through him, he figured they couldn't see him either.
He knew he could not draw any more strength from the Care Bears, but he needed to talk to Han. 'Please,' he called silently to True Heart and Noble Heart. 'I just need a little more!'
A surge of energy told him that the parents of the family had joined their power. Luke concentrated on become visible.
"Whoa!" Han yelled. He fell off the rock he was sitting on as Luke's ghost appeared right in front of him. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying to make Luke's image solid. It didn't work.
"Hand, listen to me," Luke said. "I don't have long."
"Uh," Han looked around, but many of the pilots, including Wedge, had fallen asleep.
"Don't ask questions," Luke said. "Just listen. The crystal is a portal between our universe and another. It is built from the essences of defeated Sith Lords."
"That must be why it only works for Force-Sensitives!" Han interrupted.
"What?"
Han grimaced.
"Leia fell through the portal thing."
Luke scowled. "You let my sister touch that crystal?"
Han glared at the apparition. "'Let' is too strong a word. And she only went through to go after you! This one's all your doing, kid."
Luke's scowl melted. Han, unfortunately, was right. "So what do you mean about only Force-Sensitives?"
"I tried it, too." Han laughed dryly. "Nothing happened."
Luke's image flickered. "Han, I have to leave. I'll find Leia and somehow I'll get us back."
With a last flicker, Luke disappeared. After a few seconds, Han realized what had just happened. He shook his head in disbelief. "Jedi."
With speed unmatched by anything earthly, Luke returned to his body and opened his eyes. The Care Bears and Cousins slumped exhaustedly to the ground when they saw him awake.
