Far From Home

Chapter 3

Just as Luke moved in to give the homesick Kiya a comforting hug, Ben entered the room and gave his apprentice a suspicious glare. The old Master did not like him getting too close to the unruly lady-Jedi. She was emotional, wild and completely non-traditional. He could not image anyone ever taking her on as their padawan. And frankly, he couldn't even see her as his daughter. She scolded him for Force sake! Weren't children supposed to be raised to obey their parents?

Though, Ben caught a glimpse of Vader on the bed inside the cabin and sighed. Yes, it would be terrible naive of him to make such a statement. Anakin had long been somewhat of a son to him and yet look how obedient he turned out to be. Though, personally Ben was still deeply impressed by her valor. Kidnapping Darth Vader was a bold move. A move he knew the Emperor would never suspect.

"Luke, I have spoken with Princess Leia. We are going to accompany her to the rebel base on Hoth and assemble our allies. I believe we will now have a chance to defeat the Empire since Vader is our prisoner."

Luke replied, "That's great, Ben. I guess once we reach Hoth we can then get some answers from Vader on what the Empire will do next."

Ben nodded his head. "Yes, Luke. Things are looking up. Now, if you'd excuse me, I want to have a word with Miss Kiya. Why don't you go and get something to eat? I'll be along shortly."

The young Jedi then smiled and patted Ben on the back and exited the room. Meanwhile, Ben looked at Kiya and then gazed down at Darth Vader solemnly and with despair. It had been a long time since he'd been this close to his former apprentice. It almost felt like a lifetime had past. There had been so many years wasted and so many lives ruined thanks to the Empire and the Sith. And suddenly, Ben felt very tried. He suddenly felt very old. Ben could not help, but blame himself for his student's downfall. He often wondered what difference he could have made if he had said something or done something which differently to prevent this tragedy.

Yet, unexpectedly Ben felt Kiya lightly touched his hand. He then gently heard her hum. And once again, the old Master felt the Living Force begin to churn around him and consume him whole with feelings of harmony and peace. Though, underneath the rhythmic flow of cosmic energy lived sweet Kiya's emotions. She channeled towards him her feelings of tenderness and longing. There was a desperate need within her for belonging and acceptance, yet somehow she seemed to swirl within the galaxy like a star. Inside her essence was fire and light and strangely Ben felt her feeding him some of the sparks from that blaze. It felt like his very soul was on fire that he had to pull away—he had to let go.

Ben removed his hand from Kiya's touch and it had sent his head spinning. He stumbled back and grabbed hold of a chair and the wall for support while the lady-knight tired to keep him steady on his feet. Yet, Ben did not want her touch. He did not want to feel her emotions. It frightened him how deeply the young woman felt. It was like a madness that had no end.

"Please, do not touch me, Miss Kiya."

"You should sit, Obi-Wan."

Tentatively, the old Master sat down on the chair next to the bed and focused to control his breathing. He had no idea why he was panting, but the emotions were just too much and too great. He had no idea how she could contain it all. He then looked up and noticed that she seemed the very picture of composure. It baffled him how she could be so calm.

"What did you do to me?"

"I channeled the Force and cleared your mind. It's a common form of mediation where I'm from."

"Mediation? It felt like you set my insides on fire. It felt like I was burning alive."

"It was not my intention to harm you."

Annoyed, Ben shouted, "Then, what was your intention?"

Kiya sighed and took in a deep breath before she steeled her blue eyes with the old Master's and said, "I am gifted with the healing touch. I can not only channel the Force, but I can also stimulate grow and regeneration. It was my hope that I would be able to revitalize you, Father."

"I don't require that sort of help, Miss Kiya. When it is my time to join the Force there will be nothing that can be done. I don't wish for you to restore me."

Frustrated, the lady-knight said, "Then, I don't know what to do with you! I told you that I refuse to have you accept death so—so easily like some maggot in the sand. Death should never be an option when life can be had. I understand that you are old and miserable, but it doesn't excuse you from not living. And why can't you understand? It hurts me when you talk about your own demise. You are the parallel of my real father. He is the man who raised me and introduced me to the ways of the Force. I love him and I am his child. He would do anything for me and because he and you are of the same flesh and blood I would do anything for you. Force! You don't know how much I wish that you were him."

"Milady, I can assure you that if your father were here, he would no doubt agree with me that tampering with other people's Life Force is dangerous and foolish."

"Oh! Don't pretend like you know him. Though, I always wonder how my parents were like before they met and I have to say, you really need to find yourself a wife, Obi-Wan."

Dumbstruck, Ben looked up at Kiya amazed. "Believe me, Miss Kiya. Matrimony is not the answer to my problems."

"Hell fire! It is. You, Obi-Wan are miserable. I used to think it was Mother who needed you. That you were her knight in shining armor who came to rescue her, but I've suddenly come to realize that you need her to rescue you too."

Ben sighed. "Believe me, Milady. It isn't only me that needs rescuing. It's the whole galaxy that needs to be saved from the Empire."

"No. There is still hope out there in the universe, Obi-Wan. People still dream of good things and want happy endings. And as long as they still believe—as long as they have faith then the Sith will be weak and they will be strong. But, when I see you, I know that you have already given up."

Kiya then gazed out unseeing into the room and said, "Father used to say that Mother had a fire inside her. He said her spirit was strong—that no pain or suffering would ever break her—that it is was like madness. He said she always inspired him. Oh, how I wish there was somebody like that for you."

With a huff, Ben replied, "Things do not happen as we like, Miss Kiya. Life is how we must except it. And though I appreciate your concern for my well being, I do not have a death wish. I admit that I have feelings of despair and feel the burden of my share of the blame of what happened to the galaxy, but I will try and do what you say. I will try and have more faith."

Kiya smiled and said, "Master Yoda used to say that there is no try. There is only do and don't do."

Ben grinned back and replied, "Yes, I believe he did say that. Alright, Miss Kiya. I will have more faith for now on."

-0-0-0-

Location: Coruscant, a bar

"A toast!" said the woman. "A toast to fallen comrades!"

Bail laughed and clicked his glass against the woman's and smiled. "You sure know how to hold your liquor, Captain."

The lady-Captain laughed. "Perhaps I do, but you're not so bad yourself, my friend."

Bail shook his head and said, "I'm not normally in the mood for celebrating right now since my Leia has gone missing. And I have my sources tell me that she's been taken by Vader's ship for interrogation, but I have to maintain a pretense of ignorance even if it kills me."

Affectionately, the Captain patted Bail's arm. "Do not lose hope, my friend. I know that you're worried about her, but Leia is a strong girl. She will be excused. In fact, I have gotten word through the Rebels that she's already out."

"What!" shouted Bail. "Where is she?"

The security Captain then leaned in close and said, "She's been rescued by non-other than that infamous knight you keep going on about. That Oh-One or something."

Stunned, Ben replied, "Obi-Wan? By the gods! You must go to her Captain Greenfire. You must protect her."

Greenfire frowned. "But, I swore to protect you, Bail. Not your daughter. You were the one who helped me when I needed it, not your pup."

Bail then seized Greenfire by the arm and said, "Please, my friend. I need you to do this for me. I trust you. You're capable of doing this for me. Don't make me beg."

With a groan, the lady-Captain replied, "I will do as you request, Sir. But, first another toast. To the Destiny!"

"To Destiny!"

-0-0-0-

Location: Hoth, Rebel base

"This place is a damn snowball," said Han. "A guy could catch his death out here, Princess."

With smile, Leia replied, "And here I thought you were a big strong man, Mr. Solo."

"Hey, I am strong. I just wasn't born with fur all over my body like Chewie."

The Wookie wailed a leave-me-out-of-this cry and marched towards the Rebel base cafeteria. He was starved. Meanwhile, Han and Leia continued to argue back and forth like cats and dogs. Luke shook his head and saw Ben was ordering some men to get a stretcher to bring Vader to the medical ward. Luke found out that Kiya did some kind of magic on the Sith and made him fall asleep for nearly the entire trip.

Though, unexpected a strange woman approached Leia from behind. She was dressed in a pilot's suit that was dark gray and her long black hair was braided and twisted in a knot. Luke though she was just another Rebel fighter, but when Leia saw her, the Princess practically squealed and hugged the woman like they were long lost friends.

"Oh my god! Captain Greenfire, it's so good to see you. What are you doing here?"

Smiling, she replied, "Lord Bail wanted me to protect his troublesome daughter, Princess."

"But, I thought you were swore in a life debt to my father, not me."

The Captain sighed. "Yes, I know but Bail insisted, so here I am. I'll be your shadow for now on, Leia."

"Well, I don't need a babysitter, Green."

Greenfire frowned and said, "Well, then stop acting like a baby."

Leia was annoyed. How dare Captain Greenfire speak to her like that! Though, to be honest, she didn't mind a familiar face. She just didn't want her father's personal bodyguard tagging along. It made her feel like her father was watching her from afar with the Captain here. Didn't he think she could take care of herself?

Suddenly, Han laughed. "Well, at least somebody can put little Miss High-and-Mighty in her place."

Leia then gave Han a deadly glare and said, "Be care Mr. Solo. Captain Greenfire is a royal guard and is here to kick your ass if you don't stop annoying me."

"Whatever you say, sweetheart."

At that, Leia fumed and stormed away. Though, Greenfire lingered behind and felt a strange vibration sent a chill down her spine. There was something very off, but she wasn't sure what. Meanwhile, just across the hanger, Kiya was experiencing the same sensation. She scanned the space to see what was making her feel on edge and then she saw her. Kiya locked onto Captain Greenfire and froze.

"No! By the stars, it can't be."

Obi-Wan noticed Kiya's strange behavior and looked to see who she was staring at and saw the Captain. He didn't recognize her, but she looked normal enough. He strode next to the lady-knight and asked, "Who is she, Miss Kiya?"

Yet, at first Kiya didn't speak. She was to paralyzed with shock to even move. A million questions were swirling around in her head all at once that she thought she'd pop. For standing right in front of her, only a few feet away was her mother! But it wasn't her real mother. It was her counterpart. It was Lady Thrice from this dimension. A Thrice who never raised her or trained her, a woman who never loved her or even met her. They were complete strangers, yet the thrill of knowing that this Obi-Wan's possible savior and soul mate was so close was nerve racking.

And how tragic was this! Obi-Wan was so old and world-weary while Thrice was so youthful and military. She looked at the aged Jedi and felt so sad for him. How was he ever going to get his lady if he was so worn out?

Kiya said, "Oh, she just looks very familiar that's all. I think she's a friend of Miss Leia. I saw them talking before. They seem very close."

Meanwhile, mentally Kiya felt like screaming. She then mumbled under her breath, "By the seven rings of hell, what a catastrophe."

"I suppose I'll introduce myself. It's only polite."

"What! Oh, I mean—of course. I'm a bit curious about her too."

-0-0-0-

TBC