Believe 13

Unfortunately, Han's first jump took him right into the center of an imperial fleet. He calculated a new jump as quickly as he could. While the two Jedi manned the gun turrets to keep the fighters off them. They jumped a few more times than he had originally planned. If he hadn't relocated Sam's coordinates, they would have been overridden by the jumps he was making. Han frowned; he knew he hadn't miscalculated that badly.

He was wondering if somehow the Jedi had done something to the nav computer. He reasoned that it had to be some sort of backup plan to ensure the coordinates got dumped. It irked him that the Jedi would be that ruthless with a child. She only wanted to go home, was that so horrible? He frowned and looked back into the cabin. He caught sight of the children.

They looked bedraggled and kind of pathetic. Sam had found them just in time it seems. Han frowned again at the direction his thoughts were taking. He hated to see the girl being used, but at least it was for a good cause. Maybe he should tell her that this was her doing. Give her a reason to continue helping. Tell her what she was doing, so instead of being used she would be consciously helping. Kam looked towards the cabin and down at Han. Chewie went into the back, with a bark that told him he was checking out one of the systems.

Kam looked like he was going to say something then he seemed to change his mind. "You should tell her you know" said Han "tell her what?" said Kam "that she's doing a good thing, she deserves to know it" said Han "and you feel she would stay if she did know it?" said Kam "probably, don't know enough about her to make a judgment call like that" said Han. Kam looked drawn for a few moments, as Hans words sunk in.

"Perhaps you are right, maybe it will convince her to want to stay," said Kam. Han paused and said what he was thinking. "Yeah, and maybe we won't have to deceive her anymore," said Han. Kam looked at him funny then smiled at him. Han got the impression that he had just impressed the man somehow.

Kam returned to the cabin and took a seat. Corran was still sitting in the gun turret. He was worried that they hadn't escaped the imperial patrols that easily. He became less worried when Han jumped again several times before making the final jump to home. He would refuel and then jump one more time, to leave a false jump point. That way should any imperial stumble across it; he would be led away from the actual base.

Han gave his transponder signal as soon as he entered the base's line of fire. No sense in getting shot down. He landed and unloaded his passengers then headed out again to leave the false trail.

Sam was walking around the base with Luke. He had managed to get her calmed down and was showing her around. His arm draped casually around her waist as he walked. They had entered the flight deck. For some reason there was a lot of Jedi gathered in that area. Sam spotted Qui-Gon's head in the throng as well as Luke's dad. Luke must have spotted them as well, because he started forward through the crowd. Several Jedi saw him coming and mysteriously got out of their way. Some of them looked at Sam funny as she passed among them. She was slightly unnerved by the whispering voices that surrounded her.

Luke seemed oblivious to the looks his fellow Jedi were sending her. Sam moved closer to Luke, for some reason she was nervous. They reached Anakin and Qui-Gon just as Han's ramp lowered. The audience seemed to be holding its breath. Sam wondered why and looked towards the ramp. She couldn't see anything over the Jedi in front of her.

"Dad what's going on?" said Luke "Han has returned from his mission to Tatooine" said Anakin "Why'd he go to Tatooine?" said Luke "to retrieve what Yoda hid there" said Qui -Gon "if he hid it, how'd you know it was there?" said Sam. Qui- Gon looked at her with amounted to a look of awe "because you deciphered his key" said Qui Gon.

Sam blinked in shock, her mouth hung open, and she lost the ability to speak for a second. It was in that moment that Han's passengers came off the ship. Qui Gon turned back to watch the refugees emerge from the ship. His arms crossed impassively over his chest. Several of the waiting Jedi, spotted someone they knew emerging from the ship and rushed forward to meet them.

The cries of daddy or mommy made by those small children cut Qui Gon's heart in two. He bowed his head to conceal the moisture gathering in his eyes. Sam saw them; however, being a great deal shorter than her companions gave her a great vantage point. She touched the man's arm in sympathy.

He had been hoping to see someone he knew emerge from that ship. A small blond girl bounded down Han's ramp and looked through the sea of faces. She spotted the one she was looking for and ran in his direction. With a cry of Daddy, she launched herself through the crowd and right up to Qui Gon.

She wrapped her arms around his legs and hugged tightly. Qui Gon thought he was hearing things until small arms wrapped around his legs. He looked down, and bit back a sob as he scooped the small child into his arms. The child squealed with delight and buried her head in her daddy's hair.

"Elena, I thought I lost you princess," he whispered. "No daddy, Yoda took us to somewhere safe and Vima's been watching over us" said the child. Sam watched as they hugged, and it brought tears to her eyes. She looked around the room and the scene was being repeated all around her. She leaned into Luke's arm, and he pulled her close.

Anakin smiled at her warmly. The scene was touching and not a dry eye was seen in the room. Even grizzled mechanics had moisture in their eyes. The scenes began to slowly break up. The groups moved towards Sam and Luke. Sam watched in shock as one by one the Jedi came up to her and thanked her. Most of the adults had tears in their eyes and a child clinging to their arms. Sam didn't know what to say so she just stammered your welcome to the thank you.

She looked at Luke in confusion and then at Anakin, when he looked just as confused. Anakin smiled a knowing smile at her; she reasoned it would be impolite to ask why they were thanking her. So, she resolved to get her answers from the mysterious general after everyone was gone. Several of the Jedi hugged her as well. Much to Sam's embarrassment and complete awkwardness. She patted their arms or backs gently not too sure what to do while a stranger hugged her. An old woman shuffled up to them a small child clung to her legs. "Vima, good to see you safe and sound" said Anakin. "Thank you master Skywalker" said the old woman

"I would like you to meet someone," said Anakin. Anakin turned towards Sam. "this is Sam the young lady who deciphered Yoda's cryptix" said Anakin. "She deciphered a cryptix? But she isn't a Jedi" said Vima. The woman was apparently in shock. "Ah hi" said Sam The woman blinked back her sense of shock and took Sam's extended hand. She shook it but kept glancing at Anakin.

"Master a word with you" said Vima "later Vima, for now get your charges settled in," said Anakin the woman nodded yes and headed for the exit. Taking three youngsters with her. Sam watched them go. One little boy looked back at her his green eyes were bright against his pale face and dark hair. He smiled at Sam and looked away to follow Vima into the base. Anakin was grinning ear to ear. Qui-Gon was mumbling endearments into his daughter's neck. "All right out with it what was that all about?" said Sam She crossed her arms over her chest and did her best to look severe.

Anakin chuckled at her efforts because she was still grinning as well. "That my dear is the results of what you read on that light saber hilt," said Anakin "light saber hilt?" said Sam in shock. Luke pulled his saber off his side and showed it to Sam. "Oh" she said, "I don't understand," said Sam. Anakin started to open his mouth to explain. "Father, if I may?" said Luke. "Yoda imbedded a secret message in the hilt of his light saber," said Luke "he set it so only a Jedi could read it" said Anakin "yeah, but you guys are Jedi how come you didn't read it?" said Sam "because we could not," said Qui-Gon. "Okay, you're losing me, I thought I failed those tests" said Sam. Qui -Gon started laughing and so did Anakin. Luke was grinning as well. Sam was even more confused by their actions. She had failed, hadn't she?

"Child what makes you think you failed my tests?" said Qui-Gon Sam frowned again and looked confused. "Well, I, um, thought you were shooing me away because I did" said Sam. "actually I was in shock, you had very unusual results my dear" said Qui-Gon "what were her results daddy?" said the girl in his arms. Sam smiled at the kid, she seemed like a sweet child. "They were off the scale sweetheart," he said gently.

"Say what?" said Sam. "you tested the highest midichlorian count since the orders foundation two millennium ago" said Anakin. Luke looked somewhat surprised. "Father you only said she tested high, not that she was higher than you" said Luke "no son, I wanted to be sure before I let the news get out" said Anakin "what news?" said Sam. She was seriously confused and looking at the Jedi like they were crazy.

Luke and his dad both looked at Sam. Qui- Gon hugged his daughter close. "Why the arrival of the one prophesized so long ago, I'm referring to you Sam," said Anakin. Qui-Gon nodded yes to his statement and Sam stared at them both in shock.

Her mind refused to work at first. Then it registered what he said as something hilarious. Sam started to laugh hysterically. "Oh, wow that is so funny, wow, gawd you guys are hilarious really you are" said Sam She saw Han's ship was taking off again and wondered where he was going again. Thinking he just had to hear this; he would find it as funny as she did.

"Child it is not meant as a joke" said Anakin. She kept laughing at them. Tears were forming in her eyes she was laughing so hard. "Sam, please stop we aren't kidding with you" said Luke Sam sat on a cargo container to keep from falling over. Her sides were beginning to ache she was laughing so hard.

"Daddy why does she think it's funny?" said the kid. "I'm not quite sure sweetheart" said Qui-Gon Sam looked at the kid "I'm laughing because it's funny I mean really do I look like a Jedi to you?" said Sam the kid seemed to be seriously considering her question. "yes" said the child. Only she said it serious like she believed what she was saying. It stopped Sam's laughter cold. "Yeah but?" said Sam "you are already a hero, you saved us" said the kid. Sam sat there in shock and tried to work her mind around the child's words.

"She's right you know, you did what no one else was able to do," said Luke. "Yes, but I'm not a Jedi, why was I able to read it?" said Sam. "we have a theory" said Anakin. He looked at Qui-Gon and Qui nodded for him to continue. "Simply that, because you've had no contact with the Sith which makes you effectively untainted, that somehow the cryptic picked up on that" said Anakin "oh!" said Sam