Hello again.

Fred, the friendly Plot bunny/Muse strikes again! He showed me why I didn't like the ending, it was dragging out far too long and didn't include half of what I wanted there. So, I've cut this short and I'm going to save the rest for the sequal. I'm sorry this is so short and I'm sorry for ending it with such a horrible line. My only defense is "Fred told me to." and, of course, as always, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." At least this one does have an ending and the sequal is already half written. I've got tons of cool scenes written, I just have to string them together...

It has been so great hearing from all of you and chatting with you. Relyan, By the way, if you liked my Luke and Leia interaction, you might try reading "Isn't anyone going to say anything?" Everyone is way OC, but I did a lot of the brother/sister stuff starting in the second chapter. I hope we continue E-mailing each other, if not, I hope you at least read the sequal when I start posting it! I've really enjoyed talking to you. Lena Breeze, (by the way, that is a very neat name) I'm glad you've enjoyed this so far and I hope the ending is to your liking. I am flattered you consider my drivel good enough to put it on your favorites list. Solo23, thanks for your review, I hope you enjoy this and watch for the sequal which I may start posting any time now. To all of you lurkers, (I know you're out there) please tell me what you thought, even if you haven't reviewed before. Make it annonymous if you feel you need to.

Please, my request to everyone, tell me what you liked most, what you didn't like. What parts you thought were way off and what you thought was right on the money. Be harsh, I really don't mind. I live for feedback, even flames.

Alright, now, on with the show...

History's Keeper

Part four: Good Timing

When they reached the upper levels of the city they found a public comm station and called Han who met them with a speeder and a contingent of security guards. Neri led them back to the room they had been held in but there was no sign of their captor. Luke and Leia were taken straight to the Medi Center where Leia was treated for psycoactive drugs. Neri joined Luke in the waiting room a few hours later.

"So, did you find him?" Luke asked her.

The girl shook her head slowly. "Not a trace. They searched two floors above and two floors below where we were held and there was not a sign of anyone else. The air vent was definitely how we were brought into that room, but the kidnapper could have gone anywhere. The team leader said there was no point in searching farther. How's Leia?"

"She'll be fine. She should be coherant by morning. You should be checked out too. However we were dosed, you probably were too." His concern was clearly read on his face and she set his mind at ease.

"I was already tested. They found trace amounts, but nothing my body cant get rid of."

For several moments, the two of them sat there in comfortable silence.

"You know, you were quite impressive back there." Neri said quietly, looking at the jedi sideways.

Luke started. "I was impressive?"

"Yeah. You kept your head even with that collar on. No Jedi I ever met before stayed that calm when he was cut off like that. Torture they can handle, but a force-dampening collar turns them all into children."

Luke considered that for a moment. "I suppose that's because the Jedi you knew had been using the Force their entire lives. I've only been using it for a few years so I don't rely on it as much?"

"I suppose so. It's still impressive." Luke shugged dissmisively but Neri could tell he was sitting just a little straighter despite the weighty collar that still hung around his neck. "What did they say about that?" She asked, pointing to it.

"Not much. They can find no evidence of explosives or toxins so its just a matter of figuring out how to get it off."

"I could cut it off for you."

"No thank you." Luke fingered the device in question thoughtfully. "I'd like it intact if at all possible. I would like to see how it works and maybe test some things with it. I'm sure Han can get it off when we get back to his and Leia's apartment."

Neri looked at him oddly. "Han probably won't be available for several days, at least not until Leia is out of the Medi center."

Now it was Luke's turn to grin at her. "I spent the first eighteen years of my life not even knowing the Force existed, I can manage a few days without it."

"Well I should hope so Kid." Han said, walking into the waiting room. "You know what got me? Finding out the girl was the one who led the pair of you out. No offence there Neri."

"None taken. That's a Jedi for you. In fact, that's what I was just saying. Put a collar on a Jedi and they're helpless."

"Hey, I'll have you know I was a rebel before I was a Jedi. I made it through the battle of Yavin, the battle on Hoth, that Ord Mantell thing, all before I had any training as a Jedi."

Neri frowned comically. "Hrrmph, wars not make one Great."

Han broke out laughing at the look on his friend's face when Luke heard that particular quote. Han leaned toward Neri and told her, "Now I haven't seen the Kid blush like that in years. You're going to have to tell me how you do that."

"Its easy. Take any Jedi and quote their master to them when they say something stupid. They all react like that. Every time."

Recovering, Luke responded, "I guess its a good thing you never met Master Yoda then."

Han frowned. "Thats okay, Han." Neri said. "I have recordings of some of his most famous lectures. I'd be happy to make you copies."

Han considered this for a moment. "Nah, thats okay. I would like to see them though. I always wondered about the guy. It seems everyone has met him but me."

"Consider yourself lucky." Luke confided. "Master Yoda hits."

"Hits?"

Neri giggled. "Yep. He carries around this stick and he tends to hit people with it to get their attention."

"And when he wants to make a point," Luke continued.

"And when hes feeling mischevious," Neri said.

"And anytime there's someone in range." They both finished together.

It turned out, Han was able to remove the force dampening collar that very night. Neri was surprised to find out that they had been missing for over twenty four hours when they finally escaped, though that did solve the mystery of how their captor got them into that room and got away clean in just a few hours. The three of them remained in the Medi center the rest of that night and most of the next day, until Leia could go home with them.

When the Chief of State awoke the morning after their escape, it was to find herself tied to a bed. She tried and failed to reach the call button for the nurse and discovered it is very difficult to use the force when your head hurts. She settled for yelling "Hello! Can anyone hear me?" until Luke showed up.

"Good morning." He said softly.

"Good morning." Leia responded automatically. With an amazing degree of control, she said, "Luke, why am I tied to a bed?"

"You dont know? Whats' the last thing you remember?"

Leia scrunched up her face, "Training with you and Anakin."

"That was three days ago."

"Oh. Can you untie me?"

Luke reached for the straps and said, "You must still be groggy, you haven't yelled at me yet."

Rubbing her eyes with a newly freed hand, Leia said, "What, you can't tell how I am through the force?"

"I'm trying to resist looking. Neri said that in her day most Jedi were so dependent on the force that they could barely function without it. After last night, I don't want that to happen to me."

Leia looked at him in confusion, then back at the straps on the bed. She was pretty sure one of them wasn't making much sense. "I wasnt drinking last night, was I?"

Though she was still terribly confused, Leia was heartened to hear her brothers hearty laugh. "No, Leia. Though, if Neri hadn't been looking out for us, we'd probably still be trapped."

"Where is Neri?"

"She and Han went for breakfast. We went in shifts so one of us would be nearby when you woke up. In fact, they should be back any minute."

Leia got up and dressed while they waited for Han and Neri. In the closet, she found her standard travel bag and a few changes of clothing. The evening gown she'd worn to dinner was hanging from the rack, the parts that weren't in tatters were completely covered in dust and dirt. "Oh, no, its ruined," She moaned, much to Luke's amusement. "How did this happen?"

"What's so funny?" She demanded. When he didn't respond right away, she said, "What, exactly, happened while I was out?"

Luke didn't get the chance to answer that one because neri ran up and wrapped Leia in a tight hug. "I was so worried about you. I'm glad you're all right. It was scarey to have the two of you acting so strange."

"I'm glad we're all okay, Neri. It seems we've all had quite an ordeal." Leia looked helplessly from her husband to her brother, trying to soothe the girl but not entirely sure what had happened. Han just shrugged and pointed to Luke who was too buisy laughing to answer her.

Neri let go and stepped back, suddenly remembering that she was fourteen years old and she shouldn't act like a baby. She looked up at Leia. "Guess what? They found out why all this happened. Today, the local security forces got an anonymous call telling them where to find our bodies. They traced your comm signals and found the guys who kidnapped us."

"That's great." Leia said, glaring at her brother.

Luke got that scorch mark on the floor feeling and worked esperately to stop laughing. He knew he'd get it later if he didn't. He continued for Neri. "They found a group of thugs, the four of them admitted to being paid to kidnap the two of us. They denied having tried to kill us, though. They said they just gassed us and turned us over to someone else."

"What about he drugs?" Han asked.

"They found an vaporizor in the shuttle's air system but they couldn't trace the parts. It was apparently installed when the shuttle was maintenanced just before we left to get Neri. The mechanic who was listed as having done the work was off planet at the time. Another dead end." Luke told them dejectedly. "We may never find out who tried to kill us."

"Oh, I think we will." Neri said matter-of-factly. "This guy failed. He will try again. This kind of crazy doesn't just go away, he'll keep trying until he gets us or we get him."

"In the mean time, we do what we always do," Han said.

Neri turned to him and asked, "What's that?"

The three of them chorused, "Make it up as we go along!"