Luke sat inside, thoughtfully rolling his lightsaber between his hands. A truly disheartening image, Obi-Wan decided as he meditated on how best to approach the downtrodden apprentice. However he eventually decided the best way to go about this was to speak from the heart, as hard as that may be for him. But Luke looked like he could use a real talk. So Obi-Wan hobbled over.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.
Luke seemed slightly startled, but nodded immediately, making a bit more room for the old man.
Once comfortably seated, both apprentice and master fell into a comfortable silence. Which eventually led to a more awkward one as time went on, and Obi-Wan felt himself become stumped as to how to handle his padawan and the rut Luke found himself in.
"You know, Luke . . . You remind me of your father." Obi-Wan said, inspired suddenly.
Luke visibly perked up at the mention of his father, of whom they had not spoken of lately.
Obi-Wan smiled and nodded as Luke looked at him with a silent question. "Yes, very much so. You have his determination. But, like him, you can be brought down quite hard. And sometimes, it is from another source entirely than just training."
The boy looked downward again, his fidgeting with his lightsaber stilled as Obi-Wan placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Tell me what is bothering you." He requested.
Several moments of silence passed before Luke inhaled softly, and exhaled in resignation.
"I miss Biggs. A lot." He admitted.
"Perhaps you wanted to visit Tatooine because of him?" Obi-Wan guessed.
Luke nodded. "My friends found out Biggs died. They want to get together and I received a message to meet up." Slowly he shook his head. "But, when I go . . . it just means Biggs is gone. My best friend is really gone. And I can't pretend it didn't happen anymore."
Obi-Wan bit the inside of his cheek, wrapping an arm around Luke's shoulders in a gesture of comfort. "Biggs was a good friend to you. And a great man. Mourn him, Luke. Mourn him in your own way, be with your friends, remember him. And then let him go when you are ready."
Slowly Luke leaned his head against Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I guess that's the only thing I can do."
"It is the best thing you can do when you have lost someone dear to you." Obi-Wan replied softly, forbidding his own losses to well up.
~~~
Leia's fingers gently touched the headstone secured in the tough sand. Luke stood beside her.
"I'm sorry, Luke." Leia said softly, pulling her hand away as she read the roughly carved lettering on the headstone.
"Me too." Luke replied, placing his hand where Leia's had previously been. "But, like Ben said. I have to let them go. They're in a better place." Dropping his hand, Luke headed for the main homestead, Leia quickly following.
"You lived here?" She asked curiously.
Luke hummed an affirmative before pointing into a 'pit'. "That's our courtyard, and see that window? That was my room." Luke then pointed to a large archway. "That's the dining room, which leads into the kitchen. Aunt Beru loved baking." He said fondly.
Leia smiled. "My mom liked baking too. Even though she didn't always get to do it."
The blonde boy smiled as he went to a type of garage, offering his hand for Leia who took it graciously. Like a gentleman of Alderaan he helped her down the damaged flight of stairs before swinging his other arm out to present the shoddy space. "My workplace." He said in feigned pride.
Leia covered her mouth to stifle a laugh as Luke went deeper into the space, rummaging through the old junk. "I'm sure we'll find something in here to fix Ben's speeder."
In order to get to Tosche Station they needed a running speeder. The freighter was too big and noticeable, it was a risk already to have taken it to the Lars homestead. However, the risk was probably worth it as Leia heard Luke grunt in satisfaction.
"Looks like there's some stuff the Imps didn't get to." He said, pushing aside charred metal to reveal a large box. "Leia, could you help me please?"
Leia readily joined Luke and grabbed one side of the box, Luke grabbed the other and together they hauled it out of the garage and into the sunlight with about as much ease as a single jawa carrying an astromech all on its own.
"What is even in here?" Leia exclaimed in exasperation as they stopped for a rest before taking it into the freighter.
"Lots of parts." Luke said between breaths. "Scrap parts mostly, stuff I saved from projects and fixes." Gingerly Luke pried the lid open, revealing a jumble of mechanical parts Leia did not even bother to try and name individually.
"There better be something to fix Obi-Wan's speeder." She said bitterly, though Leia thought she detected an ounce of an impressed tone in her voice as Luke closed the lid, and together they finished the grueling walk up the freighter ramp.
~~~
The evening went by in a flash for Luke, and ended in victory as Ben's old speeder roared to life. "Yes!" Luke whooped, jumping out of the speeder and running into the small hut, a huge smile on his grimy face.
"It works!" He proclaimed, joining his two friends as Leia was setting the table and Obi-Wan just about done with dinner.
Leia smiled in what Luke decided was admiration. "Wonderful!" She exclaimed. "Now we shouldn't have any trouble tomorrow."
Luke nodded enthusiastically as he took his seat at the table. "Let's hope not, it's about as junky as the Falcon. No offense, Ben." He said cheekily.
Obi-Wan merely laughed. "It is a victory in and of itself that you were able to get it to start. Let's focus on that for tonight and eat. You both have a busy daytomorrow." Carefully Obi-Wan set a large bowl of soup, cream of womprat soup to be exact, on the table. Leia ladled it out into three smaller bowls and together they enjoyed a lovely homecooked that rebels were almost never privy to.
~~~
Beaming, Luke slowed the speeder to a stop. Besides some clanking and sputtering, it was in as good a condition as he could hope for as Luke jumped out, came around the vehicle and offered his hand to Leia. Once the Princess was out, Luke pointed to the building they had come upon.
"Welcome to Tosche Station. Best place on the whole planet." Luke said, and clearly thinking so as he led Leia off for the hovelish building.
Inside was still unchanged. There was the low ceiling, the clutter of metal parts and overall dingy atmosphere. Just right according to Luke as he entered, and was greeted with a howl of welcome.
"Luke's back!" Shouted a jolly voice as a burly boy about Luke's age ran right over, arms wide for an embrace.
Luke laughed and happily accepted the hug. "Hey Windy! How's it been?"
Windy chuckled. "Boring without you around, nobody loses at holopool better than you!" With that, the young man took Luke's shoulder and dragged him over to the others. "Look who's finally shown his face again!"
Another burly young man with nearly exact same features as Windy grinned a toothy grin. "Wormie!" He rounded the table to happily punch Luke in the chest, to which Luke laughed and returned the punch cheerfully.
"Hey Deak!"
The burly identical twin chuckled and looked Luke up and down. "You look like you never left!"
Luke shrugged. "Didn't want to stick out like a sore thumb here, what with bounties on my head."
He could feel Leia's suddenly sharp glare on him and he knew he should not have said such a thing. Slip ups could be fatal to their survival... but the shocked looks of his friends boosted up his pride.
"Surely you're joking Luke." Said Camie, Fixer's fiancee. Fixer himself even had paused on his short path to meet Luke, everyone wide eyed and curious, especially since Luke didn't tell tall tales.
Luke grinned and crossed his arms, purposefully mimicking Han's cool and confident stance. "Not joking. It's true. Got a bounty on my head from the Pykes. Swindled them out of a spice shipment on Jabba's order. Don't tell anyone about that though." He said, pressing a finger to his lips.
Everyone looked awe struck now, no longer doubtful. "You better tell us the story then." Camie said enthusiastically, her words echoed by the boys. Luke smirked.
And so he began a tale, quite similar infact to the story Han told about the Kessel Run. He left out the record Han made, but used lots of elements to keep his story straight and realistic. Everyone here knew he was the best pilot after all. They bought it without a single qualm.
"Wow Luke!" Windy said, his words echoed by his twin.
Luke shrugged. "It was nothing really, without Leia I would've been toast! Oh by the way!" Luke grabbed Leia's arm gently and pulled her a few steps forward. "This is Leia, my co-pilot."
The group now turned their gaze to Leia, the twins happily sticking their hands out to shake while Fixer tipped his head forward in greeting. Camie smiled and waved before making her way over, perhaps delighted at having some feminine company for a change.
"Do you have any work on Tatooine while you're here?" Deak asked curiously.
Luke shrugged. "I'm laying low for a day or two, then I'll go look for my next job. Leia and I got ourselves a good little nook to rest." He then sobered. "Besides, I wanted to see you guys and be here for Biggs. He'd want this, all of us together again."
The group nodded quietly. And a moment of silence commenced as they all individually meditated on their good and selfless friend.
Fixer than grabbed a pitcher of lum and poured everyone a clay cup of drink. He raised his cup and said softly. "To our friend gone too soon. To Biggs."
"To Biggs." The others echoed, soft, warm and reminiscent smiles touching their faces, wondering if their cheerful pilot friend might be watching from afar.
