Part Six: Midnight in the courtyard of good and evil
"Luke!" Krista jumped up and ran to hug him, turning the table over and throwing her work onto the dusty floor.
"Wow! That isn't the welcome I expected," Luke said, enjoying the embrace.
Krista turned him loose and blushed when she realized what she was doing. "I wasn't mad at you; didn't Ben tell you what happened?" Krista's dander started rising.
"You know Ben, he doesn't talk much," Luke said, wondering why he was suddenly defending his mentor.
"I thought he would at least warn you!" Krista said, looking nervously at Luke's mechanical hand.
"Aah! That's what sent you fleeing into the night." Luke noticed her wary glance at his hand and remembered the circumstances he lost it under. "You discovered my family secret?"
"Yes, I..." Krista blushed. "I wasn't as successful controlling my fear as I would have liked to have been."
"I understand perfectly; I was a little freaked out myself. If it hadn't been for Leia, I might not have made it."
"So, she chose you over Han after all," Krista said, unable to keep the disappointment from her voice.
"No! She is all Han's. She is more like a sister to me," Luke assured her.
Krista gasped, then folded up, laughing hysterically in Luke's arms.
"Once again, not the reaction I was expecting," Luke said as he was forced to catch her or she would have fallen to the floor.
Finally, composing herself, somewhat, Krista gasped, "That would mean misses-goody-two-shoes, misses-I-am-the-rebellion-personified would be his...," Krista saw the look in Luke's eyes and knew she shouldn't say the rest out loud.
Madame Xavier pulled the curtain open and gave a disapproving look inside. "You said this was business!"
Luke returned her scolding glare and said. "Yes, I am ordering a new outfit, I was just discussing the occasion with Krista. As I was about to say, before we were so rudely interrupted, I have an audience with Jabba the Hut. What would you suggest?"
Madame Xavier turned in a huff and returned to her bookkeeping.
"Not going, Jabba is not a kind host." Krista said honestly.
"I have to, Han is frozen in carbonite and hung on Jabba's wall," Luke said, breaking the news to Krista. "Leia went in dressed as a bounty hunter to collect the bounty on Chewie. We also have another man assisting, you haven't met him yet."
"I would suggest something dark and fear inspiring if it weren't for your family history," Krista suggested.
"Dark and fear inspiring sounds good in dealing with the Hutts." Luke saw the worried look on her face. "Just because I dress dark, doesn't mean I have to be dark."
"I know, I just get nervous thinking about him." Krista tried to avoid the subject, not wanting to make it worse. She picked up her work off the floor dusted it off and laid it on the table Luke helped her set up. "I have some black material we just got in from one of the inner planets; that would make an impressive outfit for you." She pulled a bolt off the shelf and held the end up on his shoulder. "I could have it ready for you tomorrow if I work late." She started taking measurements and writing them on her arm.
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Luke watched Krista cut and sew with the same single-mindedness she used when working on ships and wondered how she learned to do both so well in such a short life. He finally dozed off and dreamed of a young man and woman picnicing in a meadow. He rode a strange animal for her amusement but pretended to fall and be injured so she would come to his aid. It was one of several dreams he had about the couple he came to suspect were his parents; unfortunately their faces were always blurred by the mist of the dream.
"Luke, are you okay, you were making a strange noise. I couldn't tell if it was a laugh or a cry." Krista shook him, concerned he might be ill.
"Sorry, I was dreaming," Luke said as he woke. He slowly rubbing his eyes and sat up on the couch in the employee's lounge.
"I have it ready for a fitting, you can dress in there," she pointed to a dressing cubical.
Luke carried the clothes in and started dressing. "Ouch! You forgot a pin." He handed it over the door to an embarrassed Krista.
"Sorry, I was in a hurry and it's well past my bedtime," Krista explained.
"You have a bedtime now?" Luke asked, shocked.
"That's one of the perks of being so far from the empire, nothing but a few run-ins with outlaws happen out this far," Krista replied, trying to stifle a yawn.
"I like it; it feels very... Jedi," Luke said as he walked out and turned to admire her handy work in the mirror.
"Dark Jedi." Krista added. "The cape makes you look... never mind!" She couldn't finish her sentence and knew she didn't have to.
"It works for him!" Luke said. "If I give off the same air maybe it will help get Han out safely."
"Oh! I heard from a customer that Jabba has a new play toy, some woman who tried to rescue Han." Krista watched as Luke's expression changed to anger then calm as he released his anger to the Force.
"I have one request, in case I don't succeed in getting them out, would you try?" Luke said, not looking up at her for fear she would say no.
"I don't know what I could do that you can't, but yes, I'll try." She almost melted when those blue eyes looked at her and he kissed her in appreciation. Luke was as hesitant to leave as she was to let him go, but they both knew the Force wasn't with them getting together.
"Now go before Jabba sullies Leia's honor," Krista pushed him away. Luke turned and left, his cape flowing behind him in a way that caused chills to run up her spine. As the door closed behind him, Krista saw a vision of him sparring with a lovely red-head and him stealing a kiss between parries.