Her hand, so small and delicate, clung to his large calloused hand. Leia looked at him with those large eyes of hers. Eyes larger than a fawn-ling's, soft and luminous. As Yoda used to say: "Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is." The older Yoda had gotten the more he had appreciated and admired the simplicity of a child's mind. But this child was brilliant, wise beyond her young years. Just because she was 10 that didn't mean she was naïve. Far from it. Finally safe and overjoyed that her new friend hadn't died by fire, Leia knew what she was doing, gripping Obi-Wan's hand, cementing a bond that would last a lifetime.

"Ob-Wan," softly she spoke, nestling closer to the bemused and a bit on the battered side Jedi.

"Yes, Leia," he answered just as thoughtfully. It was happening a lot now, ever since Qui-Gon had strongly insisted that he be mindful of both Skywalker twins needing his attention. Feelings for the young girl moved him. Leia was a force in her own right. Again, Obi-Wan recalled his wise Master's timeless advice:

Don't center on your anxieties, Obi-Wan. Keep your concentration here and now, where it belongs. Yes, Master Yoda is correct. Be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the moment. Be mindful of the living Force, young Padawan…

"How did you get burned?"

Obi-Wan's mind shivered as it plaintively whispered to him…What have you become, Anakin? My long-lost Padawan. An ice-hearted, abominable monster sheathed in sleek obsidian, full of hatred and violence, a pitiful pawn in the manipulative hands of an egregious madman. And I'm the unwitting caretaker of your children.

Just above a whisper, Obi-Wan replied, "I lost my concentration, faltered and fell. Carelessness is the downfall of many, young one."

"But Tala saved you," the pint-sized princess dutifully pointed out with those soulful eyes of hers punching holes in the weathered Jedi Master's heart. Reviving something that he'd denied while straining to reclaim himself on Tatooine. He was relevant despite his having to live on the downlow.

Durith had risked her life to save Leia too. They owed the member of the underground movement responsible for smuggling surviving Jedi to safety a large debt. "We owe her our lives." Again he squeezed the gentle little hand of Breha and Bail's adopted daughter. "Let's think of a way to repay her for her brave, unselfish act." Jiggling her hand, Obi-Wan prodded, "Any ideas?"

Leia's willingness to comply shown plainly on her fair, inquisitive face. "Do you think she'd like to see LOLA do some tricks?"

"I should think she'd love to see her do several. What can she do?" It had given Obi-Wan great satisfaction repairing the LO-LA59 droid, seeing the way Leia's face had lit up when her 'friend' was as good as new once again.

"Oh, she can do lots," Leia boasted, reaching for LOLA just as an unfamiliar red sphere of light appeared within the palm-size droid. Instead of fading, the light got brighter as though Leia's touch energized its manifestation. "Ooh, she's never done that before!" Leia exclaimed casting uncertain looks between LOLA and Obi-Wan.

"Never done what?" he quickly followed up, accepting the droid Leia plopped into his outstretched hand.

"Maybe she's not feeling well because of what happened to her before."

One look at what Leia supposed was wrong with LOLA caused a rush of blood to Obi-Wan's face. "Oh, dear…"

"She's sick again, isn't she?" Leia lamented, looking ready to take LOLA into her hands again to comfort her poor little bodyguard droid. "Do you know what's wrong? Can you fix her like you did? Make her like new?"

"I'd better show her to Tala first before I fix her." Obi-Wan took to his feet and Leia hopped off the carrier's long bench seat too.

"Why do you have to show Tala before you fix her?" Leia demanded, in the kewpie style way she had, scampering right along with Obi-Wan to Tala who happened to be dozing at the moment. Consoling Sully over the loss of Wade hadn't been easy. How could it have been? The loss of a treasured, lifelong friend savages the heart.

Patiently, Obi-Wan told her, "Unlike the last time when I fixed LOLA, Tala will recognize the best way to fix her this time. And before you ask why, suffice it to say an ex-Imperial head is better than my Old Republic noggin to outwit what's been implanted in your loyal, sabotaged droid."

"Huh?" That last bit left Leia speechless.

"Reva and her mob are tracking us, young one."

"She said she'd get me back—make me tell her all about the Network. The Path. Like I know about that. I only know a little. Not everything. My dad and mom say lots of things I don't understand. I'm ten. Not a hundred and ten."

That made Obi-Wan chuckle a little and only for a moment he reveled in the young girl's wit. Should they leave the tracker in LOLA, lead The Inquisitors into a trap? Or…remove the tracker, dispose of it and proceed on to safer space, not giving the galaxy-ruiners a second thought.

As Obi-Wan gently roused Tala, he knew the answer was obvious.