Standard Disclaimer: These characters belong to G. Lucas and T. Zahn. In other words: not mine.
Dedication: To anyone who loves hot chocolate.
Rating: M
Spoilers/Timeline: After The Corellian Trilogy but before "Vision of the Future".
A/N: Do read and review.

Lightheaded
Chapter 20: A Few Good Robes

Luke headed back to the apartment to pack up. He tossed the little that he brought with him into his carryall – comlink, his holostill portable collection, lightsaber, his credit pouch, and two changes of clothing. He shrugged off the robe and dug around in the pockets for Mara's thong, and was dismayed not to find it.

Kriff, must have fallen somewhere while I was showering. He got on his hands and knees and crawled all around his room and 'fresher, checking under the bed and cabinets, but he couldn't find it. He walked out into the living room, retracing his steps that morning, looking everywhere, but he couldn't find it.

I don't have time for this. Having already called a flight plan with the NR spaceport along the way back, he was scheduled to leave at sixteen-hundred hours. It must have either fallen out in her apartment, or along the way, either which would be safe. Argh, I've got to remember to com Artoo to get to the spaceport.

His comlink chirped. "Yes?" His tone slightly frazzled.

"Luke, you still here?" Leia.

"Yes, I am. Wheels up at sixteen-hundred hours."

"Okay, good. Look, I'm not going to be able to see you off, is that alright?"

He smiled at her words, while still scanning the room for Mara's thong. "Of course it is. I know you're busy. Is that official still reading out the agreement?"

Luke could only imagine the face that Leia must be making at that. "No, thank the Maker, we're through with that part of the ceremony. But I will have to stay here the rest of the time until the agreement is signed, which will take about…" Luke heard her sigh. "Until the sun goes down and the moons go up and when everyone's asleep."

"I don't envy you."

"I don't envy me either. I love you Luke."

"I love you too."

"Oh, wait! Almost forgot the reason why I called. Take that set of Jedi robes back to Yavin IV with you, alright? Ask the rest how they feel about having proper dress uniforms for formal occasions. If they like it we can work out something proper, sort of like formal Jedi Order wear."

"Alright," he said, already balling the fine cloth and shoving it into his carryall. "Say goodbye to Han and the kids for me, will you?"

"Oh, I think they should be back before you leave. Don't leave without saying goodbye to them, will you? If they're really late, speak through the Force, please? You should have seen their sad little faces when you left without saying goodbye the last time. I thought that the end of the world had come!" Her merry laughter came over the comlink.

"Alright, but I'm going to leave really soon; it's already thirteen, and I have to get to the spaceport and do pre-flight checks and all."

"They'll make it. Han and Chewy are picking them up from Mirax now."

"I love you, dear sister."

"I love you too. Clear skies, Luke." The comlink clicked off.

-----

The children, Han and Chewy came back fifteen minutes after Leia signed off. Luke managed to take another quick shower and change into his flightsuit, and was in the middle of refolding his clothes so as to be able to close his carryall bag when he felt a tornado of senses through the Force. He grinned. Only one thing could cause such a ruckus in the Force. Or rather, three things. He gave up folding the bulky clothes and shoved them into the carryall, forcing the fasteners to close. And not a moment too soon, as the door burst open, and three children came running in.

Jaina reached him first this time, hugging him around his waist, almost toppling him onto his bed.

"You're leaving!" she whined. "You just came!"

Anakin attached himself to his left leg. "You just came!" he joined in her whining.

"I have to go, I'm sorry, everyone."

Jacen walked into his room with Han's arm slung over his shoulder. "Leaving so soon, kid? Usurped enough of my children's affection this time around already?"

Slightly alarmed at the emphasis on the word, Luke looked up from hugging Jaina and Anakin and looked at Han, who, strangely enough, was looking at Jacen. Jacen was also looking at Han with a grin on his face.

"I don't usurp their affection, Han," he said slowly.

"Huh? Oh," Han looked up from Jacen's face. "Sorry about that. We just learnt a new word today, and Jacen asked me to make a sentence with it just now, and I couldn't. Well," he shrugged. "Not until I saw you, anyway. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Uncle Luke, do you have to go now?" Luke felt that Jacen was struggling with his emotions, the child in him warring with the young man just dying to emerge. He made it easier for him by opening up his arms, and Jacen walked into them as Jaina moved aside.

"I'm sorry, Jacen, I have to welcome the new initiates into the Jedi Academy," he said softly. "I always welcome them in person when they first arrive, and make sure that they know that it's a safe place that they've arrived at." He prised the boy gently away from him, and gathered the children in front of him. "One day, I'll be there to welcome you, as well." He looked into each of their faces. Deciding to lighten the mood a little, he made an exaggerated sad face.

"You will come to my Jedi Academy right? I mean, I know you're all such great knights already, but you'll come to my school right?" He received three smiles for his trouble, hugs and affirmations that yes, they would definitely be going to the Jedi Academy, how could he doubt such a thing, could Dad come along too, how about Winter and Threepio?

He finally managed to extract himself from their embraces, and turned to Han. "I've got to get to the spaceport for pre-flight checks and all, so I'm really going to have to leave now." They embraced, slapping each other on the back. "Where's Chewy?"

"He said he wanted to check on something or other." Han shrugged. "I'll tell him you said goodbye."

Luke nodded. "I've got to go now. I'll see you soon." Turning to the children, he stood at attention and gave them a salute. In a mock solemn voice, he said, "Young Jedis, I bid you farewell, aaand…"

"May the Force be with you!" Three voices shouted in unison, their pleasure at their usual goodbye ritual radiating through their Force senses, making him smile proudly.

He grabbed his carryall, and bent down to give each of the children a kiss on the forehead and a ruffle of their hair. "Goodbye little Jedi. I'll see you soon."

"Clear skies, kid."

And then he left, spaceport-bound, belatedly remembering to com Artoo that he was leaving.

-----

He arrived at the spaceport a little over an hour later, leaving him just slightly under two hours to complete his pre-flight tests. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that most of the routine checks on his X-Wing had already been done – by Artoo, who had apparently spent his morning at the spaceport.

"Why were you here?" he asked the little droid.

/You were supposed to leave two days ago./ Artoo replied.

"Do I detect a note of disapproval, my dear Artoo?"

/You know as well as I do that droids don't have that capacity, Master Luke./

Luke laughed to himself, and rolled his eyes. You may not have that capacity officially, Artoo, but you certainly have developed an algorithm which mimics it perfectly.

"Any cancelled slots that we can usurp, Artoo?" Trying out Jacen's new word.

/None, Master Luke. We leave as scheduled, in one hour and seven minutes' time./

"Right." Wondering what he should do in the meantime, now that everything was properly stowed, locked down, and loaded. Artoo gave another titter of sound, and he turned back to the data screen.

/Might I suggest that you refuel? It will take three days to arrive at our destination, and my memory banks note that while standard issue ration bars sustain the organic body, they do not please the palate./

"Good suggestion, Artoo. I'll be back." He Force hopped out of the X-Wing onto its small mounting ladder, and locked it down. Walking toward the pilot cantina, he hoped to see Wedge or some of the other Rogues were around.

Unfortunately, the cantina was devoid of anyone he knew – in fact, it was devoid of almost anyone. Probably because it's nowhere near a proper mealtime, Luke thought to himself as he dialled a dispenser for a light meal. Finishing his meal quickly, he disposed of his utensils in the recycler, and walked out towards the ship hangar again, taking a more direct path to his X-Wing by walking through the other parked transports.

Ooh. Must be fate. Or providence. Or the New Republic Spaceport administrators. Luke's footsteps slowed, as the Jade's Fire came into view. He slowly circled Mara's craft, noting the silent way that her close-range blasters followed his movements. Fantastic anti-theft system you have, Mara.

Giving up the half-formed notion that he would get in and leave a note for her, he turned to leave. Then smiled, as he had a brainstorm. Hurrying back to his X-Wing, he spoke briefly with Artoo, who ejected something from one of his storage compartments. Luke caught it, and hurried back to the Jade's Fire.

Taking a deep breath, and a look at the hangar chrono, he realised that he hadn't much time. Gotta make this quick, which means it'll look sloppy. Deciding that it couldn't be helped, Luke concentrated and gripped the stylo marker with the Force.

Staying well out of range of the craft's sensors, he moved the stylo marker towards Mara's ship. He managed to only drop it twice before it reached the ship, and once it was there, Luke wasted no time in completing his impromptu mission.

Perspiring from the effort, he finished, and stepped back to admire his handiwork, then glanced at the chrono. Kriff! Got to move! Running towards his X-Wing, which had its engines running thanks to Artoo, he threw the stylo in the cockpit, jammed on his helmet and taxied to his designated runway, Artoo twittering a scolding all the way.

Luke ignored the datascreen with Artoo's scoldings as he exited the hangar. He couldn't help one last glance at his handiwork, though. Emblazoned across the Jade's Fire's transparisteel viewer were the words: "Miss me yet?"

Written backwards too, just for you, Jade, he thought, as he took off. Don't be too mad… the ink's water-soluble.

Grinning, he pulled back the throttle and exited Coruscant atmosphere.

-----

Later on that night, back in the room which Luke had just vacated, Leia picked up a bundle of clothes which she had thrown into the room's hamper.

Good thing I had a couple of those robes made, she thought as she switched off the light.