Author's Note: Star Wars belong to Lucasfilm/Disney and not me. I make only fond memories from this story and no money.
Only movies 1-6, some cut material from those films, and Rogue One are used as the basis for this story.
Green tinted light gently chased the night's darkness back into the day's shadows. Rustles of the living waking to a new day soothed Luke. He nibbled on the fruit he'd taken on his way out of the mess tent that morning, the soft crunching blending with the morning's song.
Luke leaned back against a tree trunk, and lost himself in a feeling of peace as the sweet juice of the fruit coated his tongue. The smooth skin of the Andeli Jappa was shifting from it's unbitten blue hue, to the yellow shade it turned once the flesh inside met atmosphere. He lifted the fruit close enough for its bright fresh scent fill his senses once more when he heard a what sounded like an unhappy Chewbacca coming near with an argumentative Threepio.
"Hope he remembers how hard it was to put him back together before he rips him apart," Luke muttered to himself as he sprang to his feet and jogged over his friends.
"And I tell you that Master Luke wanted me to attend the meeting on the command cruiser this morning. If I'm not here when they leave, it would be a dereliction of my duty as a protocol droid."
Chewie took a few steps forward as Threepio, very quickly, took a few steps back.
"What do you need, Chewie?" Luke asked as he rushed just to the side of Threepio.
"Oh my, Master Luke. Thank the maker."
Chewie chuffed and barked out an explanation.
Luke looked back at Threepio.
"Chewbacca wishes me to serve as translator for the soldiers and droids loading his vessel for his mission to Kashyyyk. As he could not tell me how long…"
"Wait, Kashyyyk?" Luke asked, turning to look at Chewie.
Chewie growled and huffed an explanation which Threepio quickly translated.
"Chewbacca has been asked by command to serve as an ambassador and liaison to his home world, as well as to begin building a military presence for both protection of his world but also to assist the Alliance in future confrontations with the remnants of the Empire."
"You're leaving?" Luke asked.
Chewie barked out a few words and pulled Luke in for a bone crushing hug.
"He says he will miss you too."
Luke struggled to breathe, but hugged Chewie back just the same.
"When are you leaving?" Luke gasped. Chewie let him go and growled a few words.
"He said," Threepio began.
"Today," Luke finished, the impact hitting him like kick in the gut.
"Does Han know?"
Chewie crossed his arms over his chest, and roared a question at him.
"I'm not sure it would be proper for me to translate that literally. Master Luke's head cannot physically enter that orifice on his or any other human's anatomy in any case so the question is moot."
Luke chuckled. "Of course you've talked to him. I guess I was more wondering if he was okay with that, unless…" Luke stopped as a worry made the knot in his stomach tighten further.
Chewie growled a few words.
"He says Han's staying with you and the princess where he belongs."
Chewie added another set of woofs barks and soft howls.
"Really," huffed Threepio. "I'm sure Master Luke does not need the threat of loss of limb to ensure he will protect General Solo. Though I doubt whether such a task is possible with his reckless proclivities."
Luke chuckled but turned as he saw Han and Leia walking together, Han's arm around her waist.
"You're going to love it," Lando said as he kept pace with his friends. "Managed to get you a replacement from some of the wrecked star destroyers. Really top of the line."
"Yeah, but whose gonna install it?"
Lando looked over at Luke and Chewie, exasperation on his face. "Can you believe this guy? I managed to get him a high quality replacement sensor disc for that hunk of junk the day after I saved everyone's tail by blowing the reactor on the Death Star, and he's still complaining."
"First," Han said, holding up one finger. "You promised me, 'Not a scratch.' Second" he said, raising up another finger, "You didn't have to pay for that. You reprogrammed one of the Alliance pilot retrieval droids to scavenge that disc for you, and."
"If you'll stop with the listing of my many faults, I'll help you install it this afternoon."
"I would have you do it yourself, but we both know who is the better mechanic."
"Would you two please act a bit closer to your age than your shoe size?"
"That's not very diplomatic." Han teased.
Chewie chuffed and barked out a comment that caused Han to turn to his pal and Lando to snicker.
"I would too know diplomatic if it bit me there, and I wouldn't mind a few love bites there if…"
"Stop!" called Luke, waving his hands frantically. "Like a sister, remember?"
"Fine," Han said and then stage whispered to Leia, "We'll talk about it later."
"Keep it up, fly boy, and you may find you've bitten off more than you can chew."
She walked up to Chewie. "When are you leaving?"
He chuffed and whined.
"He says he has to leave in the next few hours. Likely before mid meal," Threepio translated.
Shoulders slumping, Leia, asked,"That soon? I won't be back from my meeting before…" Leia broke off. She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him. He hugged her back, but Luke was relieved to see he tempered his hug's enthusiasm with his sister. Maybe Leia would avoid the bruising Luke could feel marking his goodbye hug from Chewie.
"Final boarding call for flight 12 to Command."
"Oh, dear, Master Luke, we must board, or we will be late for the planning session."
Luke nodded. Leia pulled away. "Take care, Chewie."
Chewie nodded and then ruffled Luke's hair and spoke once more.
Threepio translated.'Chewbacca said, 'May the Force be with you.'"
Luke smiled sadly. "May the Force be with you."
The sound of the hatch beginning to close spurred Luke and Leia to race through a passage of leaf strewn forest floor between several parked ship till they stepped up the moving hatch with Threepio and Artoo just behind them.
"Come on, pal," Han said, poking Chewie's arm. "Let's get you ready for your heroic return to Kashyyyk."
Chewie threw his arms around Lando and Han and lumbered away as Luke and Leia's shuttle streaked across the horizon.
The darkened data hub twinkled in the glow of a miniature galaxy. The glimmer of hand held data pads, and Threepio's orange lit eyes allowed all around to see enough to avoid running into others but little more.
"I am glad both of you are here this morning," Mon said, passing a pad first to Leia then another to Luke and then to Leia.
"Mission briefs for each of the key systems are on the pad. Further details can be accessed as needed. You may sit at the conference table or move from system to system on the maps."
Leia found a quiet corner to begin her study of the briefs.
Luke, skimmed over the notes, but his focus was drawn up again to the map shining around them. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and drew the Force to himself. He allowed himself fall into a deeper meditation as, for a time, he listened to the Force.
After she finished studying the third brief, Leia looked up to see Luke standing, his hands behind his back and his data pad sitting on a nearby server access panel.
Rubbing her temple with one hand, she powered down her own data pad and stood. She walked quietly toward where Luke stared at a section of the map just before the outer rim territories.
Seeing Tatooine near him, Leia asked," Thinking of Home?"
"Yes and no," Luke answered. Luke motioned toward the Naboo system as he continued to explain. "I did a report on Naboo when I was in school. It was weird. My uncle Owen shouted so loudly, . I think it was the first time I heard my Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen fight."
"Did you do that badly?"
"No," he said with a rueful chuckle. "I don't think I've ever worked as hard on a school project before, and know I didn't try that hard after. The teacher said it was the best project in the class."
"What happened?" Leia asked, a hand on Luke's arm, her warm brown eyes meeting his cool blue.
Luke, a slight grimace on his face, explained, "Uncle Owen said that if I spent as much time working around the farm or learning some skill that would actually earn me a living, I'd be better off."
Luke shook his head as if to clear his head, "I think Aunt Beru made him apologize, but I could tell he didn't mean it. I still remember the little display I made showing the traditional garb and makeup of Nubian royalty and the symbolism behind it."
Leia reached out to touch the symbol for the Naboo system. "I don't know why, but I feel drawn to this spot."
"So do I." Luke took Leia's hand and squeezed it gently. "I think it has to do more with nostalgia."
"Ah, Naboo," said Mon sadly, joining the duo. "One could say that this was the world where everything began to fall apart: home of Palpatine, site of one of the first Separatist attacks, and whose Senator Binks called for first of emergency powers that led, ultimately, to the formation of the Empire."
"Senator Amidala of Naboo, a true pacifist if ever I've met one, even found herself a part of the Battle of Geonosis."
"The first battle of the Clone Wars?" asked Luke, his eyebrows disappearing into his bangs.
"Yes," Mon confirmed. "Perhaps it would be a good fit. Leia, I believe you are on friendly terms with Pooja Naberrie, Senator from Naboo before the Empire disbanded the Senate."
"Yes," Leia said with a smile, "She and I often worked together on tricky pieces of legislation."
"It could be difficult bringing the Naboo back into the reformed republic. Many boons were given to their world as a result of the Emperor's favoritism."
"But the Naboo were always compassionate to the rest of the galaxy. Many citizens hated being associated with the evils that occurred under Imperial rule. They never stopped being a refuge for many displaced so there was no way not to see or hear what was going on in the rest of the galaxy. Though fear of Imperial reprisal kept such knowledge to guarded whispers."
"I would like to accompany Leia if she goes to Naboo."
"That would be good." Mon agreed. "The Jedi are still greatly respected there in spite of the Empire's influence.
"Naboo?" Threepio said excitedly. "That is a fascinating planet."
Luke and Leia shared an smile. "Since we're going there, maybe you should fill us in."
"With the greatest pleasure, Master Luke, the world is approximately 84.3 percent water… He began."
"And may the Force be with us. Official departure times for the diplomatic teams will be uploaded to the data pads as well as any additional information we gather that may be relevant to your mission prior to your jump to hyperspace."
A soft murmur rose, and the peace making arm of the alliance filed out in groups of two and three delegates at a time.
Mon approached Luke and Leia as they were heading to the west access point.
"I want to thank you again," Mon said, placing a hand on Luke's arm. "Your help with the Tririba and Laneu system assignments was greatly appreciated."
Luke shrugged. "I wish I could be more specific as to why Onnta Pac Rue was better for Laneu than Peren Stall, or why I think Peren needs to be at Tribia."
"A Jedi's insight is not alway exact, but it was often the difference between victory and defeat in the days of the Old Republic. I am also glad you are choosing to go on one of these missions as well."
"You did say the events on this world were the beginning of the end for the Old Republic. Maybe what happens there can be help truly end the Empire."
"And the beginning of many good things. I hope it to be true. May the Force be with you, both." Mon said.
Leia nodded in acknowledgment, and Luke replied, "May the Force be with you."
Artoo's trill sounded in the distance. "I am most happy to hear it."
The two droids approached the three remaining members of the diplomatic strategy session.
"I don't want to over inflate your already exaggerated opinion of yourself, but, I am looking forward to spending some more time in your company," Threepio said primly.
"Come on, you two," Luke said. "We've got to give our travel plans to our transport."
A happily trilling Artoo rolled out behind Luke and Leia as they headed to the main hanger bay.
"I do believe that you are more excited about this mission to the Naboo System than I am." Threepio nodded to his counterpart.
"Artoo, Threepio," Luke called. He passed Threepio his data pad. "Authorization codes for supplies and hard resources are," Luke tapped a few points on the screen and passed it to Threepio, "Here. Have everything brought over to the Falcon. We want to leave first thing in the morning."
"We will be most happy to arrange it, Master Luke. Come, Artoo."
Luke watched them head toward the supply tents for a moment before turning to Leia. "Do you think Han's alright?"
"I don't know," Leia said. "Han, you know how he is… He put on his I'm-Han-Solo-nothing-bothers-me act, but he was hurting," she added, her voice too low for other's to hear. "I could sense how bad it was."
Luke sighed as his and Leia's footfalls crunched on the leaf scattered ground below. "We'll be there for him. Both of us."
Luke threw his arm over her shoulder. "I'm here for you, little sister," he said, keeping his voice too low to be overheard.
Leia looked at him, though kept their leisurely pace. "Little? If we go by maturity, and lack of suicidal tendencies, you are way more likely to be the youngest."
"We'll have to agree to disagree, then."
Leia chuckled. "I suppose so." For a moment they continued past the small breaks in the canopy that led toward the Falcon's landing site, traveling in an out small slivers of sunlight and larger swaths of shade.
"I always wanted a sister growing up," Luke confided. Leia smiled up at him, before turning her eyes back on the forest path so out of place between the rows and rows of ships and sentients milling around. "I asked Aunt Beru for a sister for my 6th life day. I begged and begged. My friends Hanen, Biggs, and Quae all had sisters. I remember thinking it was the most unfair thing in the galaxy then. Where was my sister?"
Luke returned the smile he saw light her face as she looked back up at him. "I felt the same. I remember being so unhappy when my mother when she said she couldn't give me a brother, adopted mother, but she felt like" Leia corrected.
"I understand," Luke interjected. "Aunt Beru was the only mother I knew. If they love you, enough they become mother to your heart."
"That's surprisingly poetic coming from you."
"I stole it from her," Luke admitted.
Pushing past a few fronds, they came on the small clearing set aside for the Falcon.
"Tell me about her sometime?" Leia asked. Luke nodded. "Do the same for me?" Leia nodded and added, "Looks like we have one topic of conversation for the trip to Naboo planned already.
"Can't wait." Luke grinned.
They stopped by the open hatchway to the ship and hesitated for a moment. A look of concern passed between them before they walked in to find Han.
A banging echoed down the corridor to the aft gun turrets. Following the sound,Luke and Leia found Lando, sleeves of his fine shirt rolled up and cape safely hung on a nearby panel ledge.
"You get any deeper in that panel, you might as well crawl in," Luke suggested.
Lando looked over his shoulder to smile up at Luke and Leia. "Want to give me a hand? I've been working on these connector couplings, but I think I need an extra arm or two to get all of these sensor disc wires hooked up without pulling what I've already connected loose again."
Luke nodded, tugged up his sleeves and and reached beside him to grab some of the loose wires. "Got them. Just tell me where they go."
"Down next to that blinking yellow light panel."
As Luke knelt and began to work, Leia asked, "Where's Han?"
Grimacing and shaking his head, Lando, answered. "He's in his bunk. I brought over the rest of the whiskey from the celebration when I brought over the disc, but as soon as we boarded the Falcon, he grabbed the whiskey and drank his way to the cockpit."
"That bad?" asked Luke.
"Chewie's leaving," Lando started but trailed off for a moment. "He acted like, well, Han but." Lando shook his head. "Didn't say much as we sat in the cockpit together. Just stared ahead and drank."
Luke's frown deepened as he twisted a panel back over the wires he'd just connected.
"How much?" Luke asked.
"All of it," Lando said, motioning for a tool that Luke passed him. "He passed out in the pilot's chair. I dragged him back to his bunk to sleep it off. I'm supposed to go back with a team to take back my mine on Bespin, but if he's like this, I don't want to leave him alone."
"He won't be," Leia assured. "Luke and I will be going on a diplomatic mission to the Naboo system. Han doesn't officially know yet, but he's our pilot." She looked toward Han's bunk. "Luke, I'm going to check on him."
"Got it," Lando said, straightening to reach for a metal plate leaning against the wall. Luke stood back as Lando lined the plate up and it sank back into the wall with a hiss and few sharp clicks.
"Was it supposed to sound like that?" Leia asked.
"It's the, Falcon," Lando said with a shrug. "She has her quirks."
Luke was wiping his hands on a nearby towel. "Leia, I think I'm going to find a quiet place to meditate for a while. Will you be all right here?"
Leia nodded. "I'll fill Han in on the plan when he wakes up."
Lando laid aside his own hand towel and began rolling down his sleeves. "Can you check in with me tomorrow before whichever of us leaves first? I want to know he's alright."
"I will," Leia promised.
Lando threw his cape over his shoulder with a flourish and pressed a kiss to Leia's hand. "Until later then."
Leia nodded. Lando shook Luke's hand and then pulled him into a hug. "You two take care of each other." He added, pulling back. "And him," he said with a nod toward Han's bunk.
"We will," Luke promised, and Leia nodded her agreement.
Lando turned,his cape flowing behind him, disappeared around the beaten maintenance corridor passage.
"I'll be back in the morning," Luke said, pulling Leia in for a hug. "But call me if you need me."
"I'll be fine. But thanks," Leia said, releasing him. With one last nod to Luke, she turned toward Han's bunk.
Luke turned in the opposite direction and headed toward his own exit wondering that day that started with a feeling of hope and excitement could fade so quickly into shadows of melancholy.
Leia tapped the access pad and the bunk door slid open. She stepped over the threshold to see Han curled on his side against the wall. He was snoring lightly, and had kicked off the blanket covering him so that it dangled off a foot.
Leia took the blanket and spread it over him. Then, pulling one corner down, she slid in beside him. His narrow bunk was barely wide enough for the both of them, but she managed, dropping the cover over herself with a grateful sigh.
Though still in deep sleep, Han shifted, pulling Leia close. She snuggled deeper her ear pressed so she could hear his heart beat.
"Love you," he murmured in his sleep.
"I know," she whispered back. For a time she relaxed, contented and calmed, as she listened to his slow breaths. Soon she, too, slept.
Luke climbed the final vine that led to the uppermost terraces in the Ewok village. Pulling himself up and over the edge, he stood and smiled up at the canopy free sky above him.
"No wonder they call this the star bridge." Luke smiled and shook his head at the memory of that conversation between Threepio and the Ewok leaders. Somehow his request for a quiet ledge to meditate on, ended up being translated as Luke being a holy man needing a place to prepare his spirit for a pilgrimage for peace.
"Not quite what I meant, Threepio. Still," he looked up at breathtaking star scape not just above him but seeming to surround him with the occasional flashes of light from the flicker flies zooming around him. "Can't argue with the results."
Luke settled on the center of the raised circle the other out cropped platforms connected in irregular, organic intervals. He crossed his legs in front of him and closed his eyes.
Breathing deeply, he welcomed in the calm that flowed from the Force. He embraced it fully. Releasing his worries and concerns, Luke rested, his spirit stretching languidly, in the flow of life around him. For a time, there was only peace.
Luke turned his mind toward Naboo ever so slightly. He remained calm even as an image came to him of two Jedis leaving a ship within a strange hangar bay. One seemed familiar though he could not say why.
He saw images of the two talking, their voices muffled, as a silver protocol droid led them away—a haze of gas—a flash of light sabers—sneaking aboard droid ships—and reuniting on the surface "You were right, Master. The negotiations were short."
Luke's eye's popped open. That voice! "Ben." It had to be.
"Yes, Luke," Obi Wan Kenobi said, his force ghost sitting across from Luke, his legs crossed in the same meditative stance as Luke's.
Luke shook his head, and chuckled. "Ever been to the Naboo System before?"
"Once or twice," Obi Wan admitted, then wind that only seemed to affect Obi Wan's spirit, his form flickering and blurring until a young man, the same young man in Luke's vision sat smiling before him. "When I was much younger and still a Padawan learner to my Master Qui Gon Jinn."
"Padawan learner?" Luke asked, marveling at how strange and kind of wonderful to see and talk with this younger version of his old mentor.
"It was the rank given to me once I old enough to leave the Jedi temple and start my time of apprenticeship. Technically, the moment you agreed to come with me and learn the ways of the Force, you became my Padawan for the short time we had."
"There are so many things about being a Jedi I don't know," Luke said ruefully. "I guess it's a good thing Leia isn't interested in becoming a Jedi. Maybe I'll have more time to learn what I need to know, before I find a Padawan of my own."
"I wouldn't count your sister out of your plans just yet." Obi Wan said, steeping his fingers together to form an arch and leaning his chin on the fingers, a contemplative look on his face. "I cannot be certain, but I sense that she will not always be as firm in her resolve as she is now."
"I hope you're right," Luke said. He smiled up at his former Master.
"Got any insight as to why both Leia and I felt drawn to this mission on Naboo. I mean, since what I saw from my vision showed how successful yours seemed to be."
Obi Wan laughed at that. "Our rocky start did eventually lead to the rescue of the Queen, and she did see to the freeing of her people, so we did succeed," A sad smile flickered across his face, "From a certain point of view, perhaps."
Luke chuckled and shook his head, but then motioned for Obi Wan to continue.
"But for as for why you two were drawn there, I think it may be a reason less to do with spread of the Alliance, and more to do with something else entirely."
Luke waited for a few moments before asking, "Like what?"
"And ruin the surprise?"
Luke glared at him. "I miss older you. I think you became less of a jerk as you aged."
Obi Wan laughed, "Only less energetic about expressing it."
Luke laughed at that.
"I know some things about Naboo that could have drawn you, but I sense no danger in them, and if I'm wrong telling you could be a distraction from your task there. Better for you to trust in the Force and seek it's guidance."
Luke nodded grimly.
"If I can provide some information helpful to you or do anything to help, Luke, I will. I want you to know that."
"Thank you, Master Obi Wan," Luke said, not knowing why but feeling the need to address his mentor that way.
A look of mixed pride and bemusement crossed Obi Wan's face. "May the Force be with you, my Padawan"
And with those words he faded.
Luke leaned back on his hands for a moment looking up at the stars. A sense of something new beginning stirred within him, a longing that he's not felt so strongly since he stared at another sky ablaze with the setting of two brilliant suns. He laid back, lacing his fingers behind his neck wondering where this new path would lead.
