Chapter 4

Show Some Manners

The Robinson's robot waited like a statue in the lobby of the provisional government's offices for his family. The 'lobby' was no more than a hallway outside of the elevators, and Will had been reluctant to leave his 'friend' alone. Luke had assured him that it would be safe and that he'd find some companions to keep it company.

The elevator doors slid open and the robot lit up to attention as a golden man shuffled up to him and spoke. "Greetings. I am C3PO, human cyborg relations. I am fluent in over six million forms of communication, and this is my counterpart, R2D2."

The Robinson's robot raised its arm in greeting. "Pleased to meet you! I am a robot."

"Robot? I don't believe that word is in my directory. What is a… robot?"

R2 whistled and beeped his annoyance at 3PO.

"Oh, shut-up you tin can. Of course I can see that he's a droid, but to say that he is 'just like us' is ridiculous. Anyone can see that this – robot – is a primitive form of circuitry compared to our sophisticated…"

The Robinson Robot lifted its bubblehead and turned 180 degrees. "Will Robinson! Penny Robinson! You have returned."

The Blawp fidgeted in Penny's arms and jumped down when she saw R2. Walking up to his dome, she peered into R2's eye and cooed. R2 backed away, extended one arm, and shocked her. Blawp screamed and returned to Penny.

"R2!" Luke arrived just as the domed droid retracted his arm and slammed the tiny door shut. "Apologize to the little Blawp," Luke commanded.

R2 moved his dome from side to side.

"Really, R2! Show some manners to our galactic visitors," 3PO declared.

R2 turned on his heel, extended his third leg and rolled away.

"I'm sorry, Master Luke. I don't know what got into him."

"It's all right, 3PO." Luke reached out and touched the Blawp's shoulder. "I'm sorry. He usually is very friendly."

Penny, rarely at a loss for words, could only shrug. She thought she could stare into his clear blue eyes forever. He smiled and she melted. Pounding footsteps caused all of them to snap their heads around. Penny jumped back as the tall, rather handsome, General Solo rudely strode through their group and waited for the elevator, a dark cloud almost visible over his head.

Luke nodded to him, "Han."

Han grunted. The elevator opened and he disappeared.

It didn't take a Jedi to realize that there was trouble between his sister and the General… again. He knew they'd work it out in their own time. He turned his attention back to the children.

"So, Will, I understand that you made this robot?"

"I only had spare parts to work with, but he came out okay," Will answered.

"My father made 3PO here when he was just about your age."

"Wow! Could I talk to him?"

"I'm afraid my father died a few months ago."

"Oh." Will shifted his feet uncomfortably.

The Robinson women were walking down the hallway with Leia when the elevator came back up and Wedge disembarked. Penny's mouth dropped open. Here was yet another handsome young man for her to admire, and Will couldn't help but notice.

"Stop staring, Penny, or you'll go blind," Will stated, rather loudly.

"MYOB, Will Robinson," Penny retorted.

Luke gave them a questioning look and repeated, "MYOB?"

Maureen translated, "That means, 'Mind your own business' in sibling talk."

"Why does he have to be so annoying?" Penny complained.

"Why does she have to be such a girl?" Will said.

"All right, you two, that's enough. Let's get something to eat. Maybe you'll both be in a better mood then," Maureen suggested.

John Robinson and Major West strode down the hall and joined them. "Did I hear someone mention food?" John asked.

Leia replied, "We have a cafeteria in the building and you're more than welcome to join me for dinner. Then I'll take you to your rooms."

"Leia, don't you have something else to do tonight? I can take care of them," Luke offered.

Leia flatly stated, "No, I don't. I have plenty of free time tonight, and I want to be sure that the Robinsons are comfortable."

"All right." Luke shrugged. 'I know when I shouldn't meddle,' he thought.

"Actually, I am anxious to see your medical facilities. Can we take a tour before dinner?" Judy asked.

"Why don't you wait for Dr. Smith to do that with you, Judy? I'm starving. I'd rather eat first and explore later," her father said.

"Where is Dr. Smith?" Judy wondered.

"He's still being interrogated," Leia answered.

"I can take you on a tour of the med bay," Luke suggested. "Force knows I've been there enough, and Leia can take the rest of your family to dinner."

Judy nodded in agreement, "Okay."

Don's ears perked up. What was going on? Luke volunteered to take Judy on a tour? His jealousy gears started turning… handsome blond haired blue eyed wizard of some sort alone with Judy… his Judy. Don's jealousy gears engaged his 'obnoxious' gears and he couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Going to play doctor, doctor?" he asked Judy.

Judy gave him a derisive stare. "I don't play, major."

"Oh, that's right… you're the 'no time for fun' woman, aren't you?"

Luke, always the peacemaker, intervened. "You're welcome to come with us, Major."

Don kicked himself for his own stupidity. He'd blown it again. "No, thanks."

"In that case, the Rogues would like to buy you a drink at our watering hole down the street," Wedge exclaimed.

Don nodded. "I could use a stiff drink."

And the group went their separate ways.

Penny felt like she had died and gone to heaven. The rebels certainly were a handsome group and she spent more time looking than eating. Will started flipping peas at her from across the table to grab her attention. The Blawp caught the first one and ate it, but the second caught Penny square on the nose.

"Will! Stop acting like a two year old!" Penny shouted.

"Stop acting like a two year old!" Will mimicked.

"Mom!"

Maureen sighed and looked at her husband. He was oblivious to the children's antics since he was engrossed in Leia's description of the Force. That strange feeling welled up in Leia again. Even though Leia could see that their mother was annoyed, she smiled at the sibling's bickering. They were such a close family. She wished that she and Luke could have had a normal upbringing with their parents. She would have enjoyed growing up and teasing Luke. She would have tortured him.

"What special abilities does the Force give people?" John asked.

"Luke would be the one to tell you about that since he's the only Jedi left. In fact he could give you all a demonstration of his light saber talents and his ability to lift objects sometime." Leia replied.

"The only Jedi left? How could he be the only one left if Force ability is inherited? Didn't he have any brothers or sisters?"

Leia shifted uncomfortably in her seat. No one except Han, Chewie and Lando knew that she and Luke were twins. She needed to keep it that way until the provisional government was more firmly established.

"Most of the Jedi were wiped out a generation ago by the same people who destroyed my planet, Alderaan. Luke and I have no family."

"I'm sorry. We escaped our planet because it was dying slowly. I can't imagine having your entire world blown to bits in a matter of moments."

Leia lowered her head. "It is… unimaginable. The pain never goes away."

Maureen placed a kind hand on Leia's shoulder. "We've taken enough of your time tonight. We'll get our things from the Jupiter and settle into our rooms. It will be a luxury for us to take a water shower, and I'm looking forward to a long soak in a tub."

Leia was grateful. She needed Han and she needed him now. "Is Judy also staying in the suite with you?"

"No, she wanted to be near the medical lab. There might be some ideas from the tour of your facilities that she might try to implement on the ship."

"Then I'm sure Luke will take care of her tonight."

Two-One-Bee finally completed its tour of the medical facilities. It discussed every aspect in great detail, much more than Luke wanted to hear, but he could see that his guest was fascinated, and he had to admit that he didn't mind hanging back and watching her in her element. She was certainly a beautiful and intelligent woman.

"What would it take for us to get a bacta tank for the Jupiter?" Judy asked him.

"I don't know. Let me take you to dinner and ask around. I know one or two people who have quite a talent in procuring, uh, 'difficult to get' supplies," Luke responded.

"Really? Is it legal?"

Luke chuckled, "I'm not sure I want to answer that, but I'm sure Han or Lando would be able to accommodate your request."

"Han? As in General Han Solo?"

"And Lando as in General Lando Calrissian. They've both come a long way since their smuggler days. I think I'd even call them respectable now, but don't tell Han I said that."

"Speaking of Han… Are he and the princess a couple?"

"Leia is trying to keep it quiet, but I guess it's pretty obvious. What about you and Major West?"

"Don? Oh, no, please! He's such an arrogant, macho beast. I'm sure he'll have half the base romanced by the end of the week so he can proclaim his 'studliness' to the Rogues."

Luke didn't comment. It reminded him of his sister's complaints about Han not so long ago.