Chapter 10
The next day they decided to look around the city. Luna, who was a history buff, wanted to see the wreckage of the Dowager Queen. As they walked around the old ship, they found a crowd of younglings on a field trip. They were overly excited and chattered loudly, jumping on their toes to see over the barriers that had been set up around the base. Their teacher and a few chaperones began rounding them up into a group and soon a tour guide joined them and began giving a lesson about the crash and the first settlers of Mos Eisley.
Luna watched wistfully. What had become of her class and her coworkers? Did her friends ever think of her? It was a lonely feeling knowing that everyone she had ever known thought she was dead.
"You miss it, don't you?"
"Yes. I love younglings. Being able to show them new things and introduce them to the galaxy never gets old."
"Do you wish you could go back?"
"I don't know." She paused for a moment thinking carefully. "No, not the way things are now. I don't think I would have been able to continue teaching anyway even if this hadn't happened to me. Following all the new requirements made me feel like I was lying to my class. I probably would have finished the year and then handed in my resignation." She gazed thoughtfully at the students who were now following the tour guide around the side of the ship.
"Do you suppose things will ever go back to the way they were before the Empire?" She asked.
"No. Even if the Empire were destroyed today too many things have changed for us to just go back. But, I believe that if we trust in the Force all things will eventually turn out as they should. Although sometimes that happens in ways we aren't expecting."
She nodded. Yes, that was true.
Later that morning as they walked through the Old Quarter, they noticed a junk shop and went in to look around. They were hoping to find something to discourage any more visits from the Sand People. Luna poked through the piles of used and broken machinery with interest. A holoprojector caught her eye. Maybe, just maybe…she had an idea. She looked around for Obi-Wan and found him watching a breaking news report on a refurbished holovision that was for sale.
"Ben, take a look at this, I…" He was so engrossed he didn't respond.
"The following is a special report from Toola in the Kaelta system. A sought after member of the disbanded Jedi Order was discovered today after an intensive search of the planet. He was the former Curator of Records at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant who disappeared immediately before the rise of the glorious Empire. In addition to being an enemy of the state, the curator was accused of stealing sensitive information from the Temple and was killed in the attempt to apprehend him. Members of the famed 501st legion carried out the mission led by their commander Darth Vader. We now go to our reporter live on the scene…" The picture changed to show the exterior of a small cave. A large bonfire burned near the entrance and storm troopers were shown carrying out armloads of books which they threw onto the fire. Suddenly a menacing creature clad all in black stalked through the background, a blood red lightsaber in his hand. He turned and looked directly into the camera. Even though it was impossible, Luna felt as if he were looking straight at them and fear shot through her heart.
She quietly glanced at Obi-Wan. All the color had drained from his face and he looked ill. She could feel his anguish and guilt though the Force and it was heartbreaking. Without a moments hesitation, she silently reached out and took his hand. He turned to her with a dazed look in his eyes.
"Come on, Ben. Let's go."
She took him back to the hotel and ran him a bath. He sat on the bed waiting for the tub to fill. When Luna came out of the refresher he still looked miserable.
"Lie down for me." He gave her a questioning look, but lay back and rolled onto his stomach. She knelt on the bed beside him and set to work massaging the knotted muscles in his neck and shoulders.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing that for?" he asked, his voice muffled by the blankets.
"My mother used to do this for me when I was upset. It always helped me calm down."
"Mmm…it's a wonderful idea." He sighed, resting his head on his arms. "It's just so hard to believe this is happening. The Curator! Anakin and I visited him many times over the years and he was always so helpful. I knew he had escaped. Yoda and I noticed before we left the Temple that he wasn't among the dead and that several things were missing from the archives. Somehow he managed to save those records and now all that information is lost. Hundreds of years of information on the Jedi Order gone!"
She kneaded his back a little harder. He was very tense. "You do know this isn't your fault, right?"
"I know. Qui-Gon said it was the will of the Force and nothing could have stopped it."
"But?"
"But knowing something with your head and knowing something with your heart are two different things."
She sat for a moment making lazy circles on his back with the palms of her hands. If only she could say something that would ease his burden! "Well, I know in my heart that you did the best you possibly could for your friend. That's the kind of person you are. Anakin was a full grown man and a Jedi knight. He wasn't your student any longer. The choices he made and the things he has done are his responsibility. I know it looks bleak right now, and I know you feel terrible but you said yourself that if we trust in the Force things will eventually turn out the way they should. Maybe this is one of those times when that will happened in a way we aren't expecting." She kissed him on the cheek. "Come on, I think your bath is ready. Go soak for a while. I'm going to take a nap."
….
The hot water, along with Luna's massage, was finally helping to loosen the tense muscles in his back. As he lay there he tried to let go of the feelings of guilt and sadness and focused instead on the present. As far as hiding places went, Tatooine was ideal. He had made sure to keep a low profile and was certain that Luke was safe for now. However, he was almost a year old, and with the amount of Force potential the boy had, it was only a matter of time before it started to manifest itself in visible ways. It would be hard to avoid suspicion if that happened. A trip to the Lars farm would have to be made. He decided to visit as soon as they returned from their trip.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and finally relaxed. After months of nothing but sonic showers, the steamy bath felt almost decadent. He held his breath and sank under the surface enjoying the feel of his hair floating in the water. Luna had added some fresh smelling bath oil that made his skin feel wonderful after the dry desert air. She thought of everything. Sweet Luna! She was improving his life in ways he never imagined. Never in his entire adult life had anyone ever run him a bath because he was feeling discouraged or baked him cookies just to make him happy. The acts themselves were insignificant, but knowing that she cared enough to make the effort warmed his battered heart.
His thoughts returned to the events of the night before. What an experience! The way she looked when she climaxed flashed through his mind and he immediately began to harden. Force she was beautiful! His life had certainly taken a gloriously unexpected turn for the better.
Before long, the water began to cool and he decided to get out. He was feeling much better. A stack of fluffy white towels sat on the counter next to the sink. He grabbed one and dried off, wrapping it around his waist as he exited the refresher in search of some clothes. Luna was still napping. As he reached into the closet for a clean shirt, he suddenly felt something gently pulling on his towel. He caught it just in time, and turned to see Luna still seemingly asleep in bed. Had she just…? No, maybe he was imagining things. He turned back towards the closet, and immediately the tugging began again. He grinned, then put on his sternest Jedi Master expression.
"You can stop pretending you're asleep. I know what you're doing and that is NOT an approved use of the Force."
Luna peeked over the edge of the covers, her eyes twinkling. "Well, you did tell me I needed to practice my telekinesis. I was only following instructions."
"What am I going to do with you?" He walked over to the bed and sat next to her. She wriggled out from under the covers and smiled at him.
"Feeling better?"
"Much. Thank you for the bath. And the massage. And…well everything." He looked down, suddenly very interested in a small piece of fuzz sticking to the blanket.
"You're welcome. I just wish I could do more."
"You've done more than you'll ever know." Their eyes met and suddenly the rest of the galaxy disappeared. He drew her to him and kissed her gently, before the playful mood between them returned.
His eyes raked over her. She was still wearing some leggings and a sleeveless tunic. "I can't help but notice you are wearing far too many clothes."
"So just what do you plan to do about that?" She asked, her head to one side.
"This." He looked at the buttons on the front of her tunic and slowly they began unbuttoning one by one.
"Isn't that an unnecessary use of the Force?" One eyebrow raised in mock indignation.
"Well, you started it!" They laughed and kissed and touched, the rest of her clothing and his towel quickly discarded. Before long things became very heated.
She was on top of him, her gorgeous breasts softly pressing into his chest as she kissed his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. He could feel the slick heat of her sex sliding against his leg as she ground herself against him wantonly. She kissed him hard and looked directly into his eyes.
"I want you inside me."
The words went straight to his cock which was caught between them, hard against his stomach. A primitive urge that had been building inside of him took over. He flipped her over and pressed her back against the mattress, her hair splayed over the pillow, her eyes glistening with desire. She was so beautiful. Balancing on his arms, he slowly entered her. She was hot, and wet, and so very tight. He stopped, eyes closed, gasping for breath trying to still his racing heart.
He felt her fingers slowly stroking the sides of his face.
"Look at me" She whispered, softly kissing him. He opened his eyes, overcome with the intensity of what he was feeling. She smiled reassuringly and rolled her hips towards him. Pleasure rippled through his body like water. He automatically responded and they moved together as one building quickly to a fierce climax.
"Luna!" He cried desperately, releasing deep within her.
She arched against him pulling him deeper, as she fluttered around him. "Oh, Ben!"
They collapsed onto the pillows, breathless. Soon she curled onto her side resting her head on his shoulder. He pulled her close and used the force to pull a blanket over their rapidly cooling bodies.
He had to know. "Is it always like that?"
"Not always. Only if you really care about the person you are with. This was…amazing."
He glowed with pleasure at her words. "You care about me?"
She smiled against his chest, snuggling closer. "Of course I care about you!"
He couldn't stop grinning. "Amazing?"
"Yes, amazing." She giggled. "Now go to sleep hot shot!"