"Ari…" Luke whispered, touching her shoulder.
"Hmm?" she murmured, stirring, still half asleep.
After a meal, Luke and Ari had been show town rooms. However, Luke's room had two beds and the two friends had each taken one and had slept four hours.
"Arianna…." He tried again in a sing-song voice.
At this, the girl opened her eyes slightly. "Lukey…" she repeated in the same tone with a laugh.
Luke raised an eyebrow at her, then wiggled his fingers close to her, eyes sparkling with laughter, knowing how ticklish she was.
"No…" Ari gave a small squeal and moved away from him.
"Oh, why not?" he asked, leaning a bit closer.
"Because you are the one who woke me up," she answered, then paused. "It isn't time for you go yet, is it?"
Luke paused, then shook his head, smiling fading slightly. "I wanted to give you a short lesson."
"A lesson?" Ari asked, looking at him questioningly
"I have thirty minutes. I wanted to see if you were up to practicing a bit with your lightsaber."
Ari looked at him confused for a moment. "You are going to teach me?" she asked, hand going to the saber she wore at her side.
Luke nodded. "If you want. Just a few little things Ben taught me. The stances. Maybe you can practice while I am gone," he suggested.
"I'll be better than you then," Ari teased, getting to her feet as did Luke.
"Sure Ari, sure," he laughed. "Now, let's get started."
The next half hour flew by. Luke had taken Ari through the seven different stances, doing them and having her do as he did.
"Move your foot just a bit more…there," he instructed. "Okay, now I want to see you do this on your own."
Ari gave him a look as if to ask 'do you think I am ready?'
"You can do it. Just take it one movement at a time. I will count them off. All set?"
Nodding, Ari flexed her fingers, hands tightening on the hilt of the lightsaber, blade humming.
"One," Luke announced and Ari found it almost hard to do it
"Alright, you can do this Ari, use the Force. Two." Ari took a deep breath then stepped into the second stance. Then, it seemed as if something else was controlling her actions and she did the steps as Luke called them out.
It seemed like just moments later, Ari was panting, holding the final stance.
"That was great," Luke smiled, which Ari mirrored as she deactivated her lightsaber, putting it back on her belt.
"You were a great teacher," she praised.
"Well, Ben taught me," he admitted solemnly.
"You miss him," Ari stated, not a question.
"Well yes. He was the last of the Jedi. And he knew my father. He must have known my mother too…" he sighed
"You will be a Jedi, Luke. We both will be. And who knows, maybe we can still found out about your family," she put a hand on his shoulder.
Luke looked up at her gratefully. "Just, I loved my aunt and uncle, but I wish I could have known my parents. I don't even know my mother's name. I just….I feel so along at times," he sighed deeply, sitting down on the edge of the bed, running a hand over his face.
Ari looked at him sadly, clipping her lightsaber to her belt. She sat down beside him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, leaning her head on his shoulders, looking at him.
"You aren't alone though," she told him quietly. "You have everyone else here, and me."
Luke looked over at her and smiled slightly. "You're right."
"I always am," she teased gently.
"I'm glad to have you with me. Though I still think-" he was cut off as the comm. unit in his room beeped. He and Ari both sighed, the former getting up and answering, causing a holo of Dodonna to appear.
"Luke, you and the Princess are to leave as soon as possible. When can you get here?"
"Give me just a minute. Have R2 power up my fighter," he answered. Dodonna nodded and ended the transmition.
Luke turned back to Ari, who was still on the bed, looking down. "Are you alright?" he asked. Ari just nodded, getting to her feet. A moment of uncomfortable silence passed. "Will you come see me off?" he asked.
"Of course," she answered, finally looking up at him as he placed his palm on a panel causing the door to open, allowing her to go first.
"The time will go fast. And Han will still be here with that target droid to practice with, and I am sure they can use you to plan things for the new base and…" Luke trailed off, noticing he was babbling. He didn't want her working on the base or anything but didn't tell her that. He was still worried about her, but he had asked Han to look out for her. When Ari had gotten up for another glass of water, Luke had gotten the smuggler's promise, and was happy that Ari wouldn't know.
"I still miss you…" Ari admitted.
"I'll keep in contact with you still," he assured her. "As much as I can because this is supposed to be a quiet mission."
"Promise?" Ari asked.
"I promise," he smiled, giving her a small hug by wrapping an arm around her shoulders with a small squeeze.
Ari gave him a small smile back as they came upon the hanger bay. Luke's X-wing fighter stood ready with R2-D2, sitting snuggly in place, "talking" with Threepio and Ari's R4 unit.
"Hey, R2, are you ready?" Luke asked the little droid, who beeped an affirmative in response.
"Master Luke, I shall be accompanying Princess Leia in her own transport on your mission," Threepio told him.
"It wouldn't be the same without you," Luke smiled.
"I will be sure the transport is ready to we may leave. General Dodonna is speaking to Princess Leia at this moment," Threepio told him.
"Alright, then we will be ready to go soon," Luke nodded as he saw Leia and Dodonna enter. "I'll be right back," he assured Ari and trotted over to them.
Ari followed him with her eyes until a beep caused her to turn back around. R4 beeped at her again and she looked down at the small droid quizzically.
"I don't understand," she told R4, with a
small apologetic shrug. The droid just beeped at her and held out a small
decide with its retractable claw. "What's this?" Ari
asked, taking the device, looking it over. There were a few small buttons
with a screen that fit comfortably in the palm of her hand.
R4 beeped and the words in Basic appeared on the screen.
"A translator…." Ari smiled, looking at
it. "Where did you get it?"
R4 answered. 'I always have had it. It was given to me by my
creator to help my old Master but he never used it.'
"Well, since I am not too good in droidspeak, thank you," she smiled, patting him on the top of his domed head. Ari was sure if a droid could blush, R4 would be doing so.
"I will keep this with me at all times," she
smiled, clipping it to her belt.
R4 'sang' a few notes of happiness and Ari had to laugh.
"Hey, Ari."
Ari turned as Luke came up to her. "Hey," she smiled back at him though it was it was a sad smile, knowing he was leaving.
"They want us to leave now," he told her. "My bag is on the transport already," he motioned to the ship Leia was boarding.
Ari just nodded, not knowing what to say.
"You take care, okay?" Luke told her.
"You too. Be safe," Ari answered and hugged him tight, which he returned.
"I will," he promised, forcing himself to pull back. He took another look at her then started to climb the ladder into his fighter, grabbing the helmet from where it had been resting near the ladder.
"And Ari?" he called from the top of the ladder, glancing at her over his shoulder.
"Yes?" she called back as the wine of the engines grew.
"May the Force be with you," he smiled and pulled his helmet on, sliding into the cockpit.
R2 gave a beep and shut the cockpit window as the transport led the way out of the hanger bay and the first shield. The double shields were used so that when the ships were coming or going, they would get through the first later, which would close behind them before opening the second shields so that the pressure and oxygen on board would not be lost.
Ari watched sadly as Luke's starship followed Leia's and both quickly got clearance to enter hyperspace.
"May the Force be with you too…." She whispered.
All too soon the ships were ready and both jumped into hyperspace.
Ari stood there for another moment, then sighed deeply, turning back around. She was now alone and it was a scary experience.
AN: Come on guys, Read and review….I want to know what you guys think!