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"Feel your surroundings. Reach out with your senses and detect the distortions in your environment. They will tell you where to move, from where the danger is coming from."

Harry took a calming breath and focused on his surroundings as Obi-Wan instructed. He closed his mind to all thoughts beyond the here and now...the here and now being him being blindfolded in the desert of the Tatooine while a training drone shot bolts of energy at him. It turned out that Obi-Wan hadn't been thrilled about his unilateral agreement to help Nola rescue her Father from the midst of an Imperial stronghold. However, Harry had held his ground, and Obi-Wan had relented, although the Jedi Master had intensified their training to an exhausting degree. The bright side was that Harry finally got his hands on a lightsaber.

The truth of the matter was that the Jedi weapon was just as amazing to hold as it had looked. The saber itself wasn't the real thing, only one of the training sabers that Obi-Wan had brought back from his final trip to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Still, it was an odd thing to hold. The hilt was relatively heavy, but the humming blue blade of the training saber was practically weightless. Now Harry understood why Obi-Wan was so concerned about the potential for self-injury, as it was so hard to tell the precise location of the blade as it moved.

Harry had been skeptical of training without the ability to see, and his concerns had been vindicated early on when he took bolt after bolt of energy from the training drone as it shot at him. He had welts all over his body, but the pain had encouraged him on, and allowed to focus on anticipating the timing of the drone's attacks. He swung the blade up and down, and side to side, deflecting or absorbing the bolts. Eventually, he was able to tell with little trouble where the danger approached from, as he could sense the fast moving ripples around him through the Force.

"That's enough for now," Obi-Wan told him as he deflected one last attack. Harry relaxed and pulled the cloth over his eyes off, squinting as the light invaded his senses. "Next time you can try that without the lightsaber."

"Are you kidding?"

The Jedi Master shook his head. "No. A Jedi should never lose his lightsaber, but speaking from experience, it inevitably happens. The Force can be used to shield against blaster fire, but it requires incredible reflexes and affinity with the Force."

"If we aren't trying that now, then what are we doing?" Harry asked.

In response, Obi-Wan reached to his belt and unhooked his own lightsaber. "Not to worry," Obi-Wan said at Harry's questioning look, "it's another training saber. I think it's time to see if you have any skill."

Harry smirked at the man. "I killed a sixty foot basilisk with a sword when I was twelve. That has to count for something."

"We shall see." Obi-Wan ignited the blade and wasted no time launching the first attack. He grabbed the hilt with both hands above his head and swung down at Harry, who barely had time to step to the side and away from danger. Obi-Wan was relentless and came at Harry again with two quick jabs aimed at Harry's abdomen, which he was able to bat away to the side.

Harry decided to take his chance on the offensive, and swung as hard as he could with a horizontal strike. Obi-Wan seemed to know what was coming though, brought his lightsaber to intercept. The blade fused together with a hiss and spark of light, before both opponents stepped back, facing each other again. Obi-Wan was the first to move again, stepping forward and bringing his blade up high toward the left side of his body. Harry, trying to anticipate the attack, quickly brought his blade

up high. Unfortunately for Harry, instead of continuing his attack from above, Obi-Wan brought his arms down and struck from the side. The Jedi Master's lightsaber was a blur to Harry as the blue light impacted his exposed thigh. Harry grunted in pain and fell backwards as his leg was left tingling.

"You would be without that leg, if these were real," Obi-Wan warned. "It is good to try and anticipate my attacks, but you must not commit yourself too soon. You put yourself in a clear defensive position, which I knew you could not counter from. I had time to alter my attack, knowing that I could do so before you. Your movements should be fluid, able to switch from block to attack in an instant."

"Noted," Harry responded, rubbing at the sting in his leg. Gradually he stood back up, shaking off the remaining discomfort. "Let's go again."

The student and teacher spent the remainder of the day dueling with each other. Obi-Wan had seemed pleased with Harry's progress, having only managed to get two more strikes in against his pupil. Harry for his part started to understand the nuances of fighting with a lightsaber. These were not steel blades that required fierce slices or thrusts to do damage. A simple glancing contact with the Jedi weapon would be enough to cause crippling injury. Thus, he focused on making quick strikes and counters, instead of long, sweeping attacks. His change in strategy had actually put Obi-Wan on the defensive several times.

"The key is practice," Obi-Wan lectured as the walked back towards his home. "Even without an opponent, you can practice your parries and footwork. Your footwork is important. The best fighters are the ones who remain balanced."

"You use the word balance a lot. I'm beginning to think it's important," Harry commented jokingly.

"And it is. You should strive for balance in everything you do. Perhaps it is you who will bring balance to the Force. The Jedi Order lost themselves in their ideals and now the Sith have risen to power. Maybe the solution is someone who fights for noble reasons, but has the will to wield great power without being tempted by the dark side."

"Will I be tempted?" Harry asked, suddenly hit with the memory of casting an unforgivable curse at Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Undoubtedly. We all face it," Obi-Wan explained. "The important thing is to never lose yourself. Have perspective in all things you do. The moment that you feel yourself becoming consumed, remember, that in the end we are all equal...equally important and equally insignificant. In the end, there is only the Force. When we die, we will all become one with it." Harry remained silent after that, because he had no idea how to respond to something that he was sure was the most profound thing he had ever heard. It was something of a combination of philosophical principle and spirituality all rolled into one, but he was genuinely moved by it.

They walked inside and Harry immediately took a seat, exhausted from the day's training. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, almost unconsciously letting himself drift into the Force and feel his surroundings. His concentration was lost when he heard a clanging sound. He opened his eyes and saw Obi-Wan rummaging around in a box, seemingly searching for something. The search continued for another minute before Obi-Wan stopped and pulled out a black cloth bag. Harry was immediately intrigued because the Jedi Master held whatever it was as if it was something sacred.

"I don't expect you to run into any Sith while you undertake your rescue operation in Bestine, but I would still feel better if you were fully prepared," Obi-Wan explained, holding the bag out to Harry, who hesitantly received it. "Also, if things go wrong, you may not have a chance to come back for this. If that is the case, then you will need this in your quest to aid the Jedi and the Republic."

Harry looked down and his hands, and searched for the bag's opening. He could not see inside, but just from the shape he knew what it was. His assumption was proven correct when the bag slipped away and he held onto the lightsaber. This was no training saber. It was heavier and more intricate. There were vertical black stripes and circles of gold that overlaid the chrome hilt. Harry hit the activation switch on the hilt and watched as a violet stream of light extended out.

"That belonged to Jedi Master Mace Windu. He was one of the best to ever wield a lightsaber."

"Where did you get it?" Harry asked, still admiring the weapon.

"When Master Yoda and I returned to Coruscant after the attack on the Jedi Temple, I went to see a friend, an informant who aided the Jedi. Someone found the weapon lying in the street, and my friend managed to retrieve it. He found it odd for a lightsaber to be lying abandoned in the streets of Coruscant, and he returned it to me. I knew what it was as soon I as I laid eyes on it."

"Why give something so meaningful to me? Shouldn't you hold on to it?"

Obi-Wan came over and took a seat across from him. "That weapon's meaning is the reason I am giving it to you. Master Windu was one of the greatest Jedi to ever live, both intelligent and powerful. He saw the danger that was Anakin, felt the plot against our Order. He was the first to be betrayed, and it is only right that a piece of him is there to help restore the Republic. I have faith that you will be the one to do it."

"You had faith in Anakin once as well," Harry countered.

"Qui-Gonn had faith in Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed, his features looking older than normal. "Truthfully, I never believed in Anakin... or rather what he was supposed to be. It was one of those cases where a student was truly too old to start training as a Jedi. He was too aware of himself. He felt more a sense of entitlement than a sense of duty. Some of that was Palpatine whispering from the shadows, but much of it was Anakin."

"I am much older than Anakin was."

"True, but you also have eighteen years of knowledge. You have lived a cruel life, and you have been tested harshly by it. And yet you have not been broken by it either. That is what gives me faith, not a prophecy or high midichlorian count."

"I appreciate your faith," Harry stated, putting away the lightsaber.

"If at all possible, you should only use that as a last resort while you are in the city. Stealth should be your weapon this time. Use your other abilities to your advantage. The moment the Imperials realize that a Jedi is on Tatooine, the planet will be under an invasion led by Darth Vader."

"I'll be sure to be inconspicuous. The last thing I want to do is face an entire squad of stormtroopers on my own," Harry commented.

"Just remember that if they capture you, they will show you no mercy. There will be little I could do for you."

"I understand," Harry nodded, somberly.

"You should probably rest. You will need to be focused tomorrow," Obi-Wan advised, heading towards his own bed

The next morning arrived quickly, and Harry found himself next to his swoop bike, Obi-Wan next to him. He had a pack with extra clothes and supplies stored on his bike that he would leave with Nola while he went to find her Father. In the event that he could not make it back to Obi-Wan, he would have to be prepared to leave Tatooine. He wore a black robe over his normal clothes to conceal the blaster and lightsaber clipped to his belt. The robe was hot, but necessary to not attract attention.

"Well...I guess this is it," Harry started, awkwardly.

"It is. I don't know if we will see each other tomorrow or years from now, but I know we will see each other again Harry," Obi-Wan promised. "I have no where to go, so if you ever are in need of advice or training, this is where you will find me."

"I am sure I will be back for it," Harry said. "I appreciate what you've done for me. I was fortunate that it was you who found me out here in the middle of the desert. I would not have my magic or know of the Force if it wasn't for your help."

"It was the will of the Force," Obi-Wan stated. "It guided you to me, now let it guide you wherever your journey takes you. If I may offer my own advice though, seek out the remaining Jedi. They are still out there, and you will need them to topple the Empire. Practice your meditation. Reach out through the Force and you will find them."

"I will do my best."

"That is all I could ask for." Obi-Wan held out his hand, and Harry gripped it with his own, strongly. "May the Force be with you, Harry Potter."

He had waited for darkness to fall before approaching Nola's home. He did not want arouse any suspicions by approaching her at her stall, since he had been back to see her just two days prior. It was during that visit that Nola had provided him with a piece of invaluable information regarding his mission. She had found a man who had been arrested for insulting an Imperial officer, and had spent time in a holding cell within the Capitol Building. After Nola had bought him a drink, the man had been most willing to provide her with details of the interior of the building. Now they knew that the cells were on the west side of the building on the lower level. The knowledge meant Harry would not have to wander aimlessly around the building checking rooms.

He walked up to the house and knocked, prompting an anxious looking Nola to open the door for him. Harry stepped inside and watched as the girl practically bounced on the balls of her feet.

"You must calm down," Harry informed her. "Everything is going to be fine, but you need to act normally."

"Sorry," Nola apologized. "I'm nervous. I don't even know if my Father is alive. I think it's also just sunk in that we are going to be fugitives in a matter of hours."

Harry walked up to her and gripped her cloaked shoulders. "Don't focus on anything but what you need to do tonight. Have the bikes ready to go for when we get out. We will concern ourselves with the other issues when we have to."

"Okay," she breathed deeply, nodding her head. "Let's do this. Let's get back at the Empire."

"That's the way to think."

Harry helped her grab her things and take them outside. He gave her a moment to herself to say goodbye to her home, and the memories of her family that lingered there. He knew leaving it was painful for her. She had hired someone to fix her father's speeder, and though it still looked beaten, it was apparently functional again. He strapped the packs to her speeder and waited for Nola to join him. Finally she exited, and as she stepped out Harry could see her tucking a blaster underneath her cloak. Obviously she was prepared.

They mounted their respective transports and took off into the night, heading for the meeting spot that they had decided on using. Nola had scouted the area and determined that the stoormtrooper patrols completely bypassed the location. There was an added bonus that the location was almost a straight shot to the city's exit. It took only a matter of minutes, but soon they were dismounting once again, and Harry was mentally preparing himself for what was to come. He looked to the imposing Capitol Building down the street, going over his plan in his head. Once he knew there was no point stalling any longer, he turned to Nola who had approached his side.

"Be prepared to go as soon as you see us," Harry reminded her again needlessly. "If someone becomes suspicious of you, then get yourself out of here. I'll improvise if I have to. That's usually how I operate anyway."

He was taken by surprise when she gripped him by the front of his robe and kissed him briefly, but strongly. "Thank you for doing this," she whispered, her eyes shining. "My Father is all I have left."

"You're welcome," was all Harry could articulate at the moment, still trying to determine if what had just transpired had actually happened. The tingling of his lips told him yes. Shaking off his surprise, he refocused himself, reaching out through the Force as well as to his magic. He focused and felt the telltale coolness of the disillusionment charm take affect, as he suddenly disappeared into the night.