Look at me updating in (about) a week, just like I said I would! I know, I know, I don't get a pat on the back for doing the thing I should be doing all the time anyway but I'm proud anyway damn it lol. Anyway, I won't keep you guys long, just wanna thank people and then you can get on with it. So a big thanks to DewieDTT, NinjaKitty8020, zombiexogirl, you guys are awesome and pushed me to get back on track with this beast of a story. Now onto the chapter!

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Recuperation

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Luke's face remained impassive as she relayed everything she'd seen, the words spilling out of her at a rapid pace. She didn't know if she was making any sense, jumping from description to fact to emotionally charged babbling as she raced to keep up with her panicked mind, but as she slowly fell silent, she could see the information filtering into her mentor's mind.

"And you're sure, it was him." Luke asked, though it sounded more like a statement than a question. He could feel her fear, her conviction, he knew she was right, or at least she believed she was. She tried to speak, but her mind refused to form her chaotic thoughts into words. Her nod was like the whisper of a blade through the air, setting Luke's mind to spinning as he tried to calculate the outcome of this precarious situation.

"Luke?" Leia's voice called softly from the other side of the door, alerting them both to the presence of the world outside their little room. He knew he would have to explain it all to his sister, she deserved to know, she needed to know. But he didn't want to accept it yet. He didn't want to be thrown back into this conflict, to drag anyone else in after him.

"Come in Leia." His voice was softer than he'd intended, switching automatically into the introspective tone he'd learned from Obi-Wan. He felt the air shift as she opened the door, felt her worry and fear as she settled down onto the floor beside him. He hated that he had to put this on her shoulders, that he had to once again be the bearer of bad news, but it couldn't be helped. He opened his mouth to speak, trying to formulate exactly what he would say, but to his surprise, another voice beat him to it.

"I'm bad with being gentle so I'll just say it. The Emperor has returned." Ori felt like a bitch for being so blunt, but she'd never been one to beat around the bush, and this was hardly the time for her to start trying. "I know it's hard to believe, what with him being dropped down a reactor shaft and all, but apparently he had a back up." She watched as Leia moved rapidly through the five stages, her expression changing so quickly that it would've been comical, if not for the circumstances.

"You're sure?" She asked, her eyes turning to catch her brother's. It stung a little to have her information second guessed, but she couldn't deny the logic in getting a second, more trusted, opinion. Luke nodded, saving Ori from rehashing what she'd been through by explaining it himself.

Silence settled over them all as he finished speaking, each one turning to their own fears and worries as the situation settled in their minds. Ori knew she should be concerned about the Emperor, knew that Palpatine was a seriously dangerous man, no matter how fucked up and wounded he'd appeared, but all she could think about, all that her mind would focus on, was Suzie, strung up and suffering in that pyramid. Had she been real? Was she alive? Had he simply reached into her mind and used Suzie's face to get her close? She had so many questions.

"We have to investigate what you saw." Luke said, sounding as if it was the last thing in the world he wanted to do. He'd faced the wizened sith lord once already, and nearly lost. But now, he wasn't alone in the fight. He caught the thought before it could take root in his mind. He wasn't going to use Ori as a weapon. He wasn't going to pull her into this conflict. It wasn't her fight and he wasn't about to make her a target for that old man's vindictive mind.

"I was gonna say the same thing." Ori said, sounding far more confident than she felt. "If Suzie is alive, she's suffering. I have to help her if I can." She could see the argument forming in Luke's eyes, knew what he was going to say, and a large part of her was inclined to agree, but she wasn't about to sit on the sidelines. Palpatine had started something he wasn't ready for, he'd made it personal, and she was gonna make sure he felt it.

"Oria, I don't think you should go." Leia said, her eyes hard. She could feel the apprehension passing between the two, knew exactly where it was going to lead if left unaddressed, and she wasn't about to let her friend blunder into something she wasn't ready to face.

"Neither of you do. I'm not stupid, or blind. You two telegraph your emotions more than anyone I've ever met, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm going. He has my friend, or he made me think he has my friend as a way to hurt me and rile me up. Well I'm riled." She felt a familiar trickle of confidence bleed slowly into the miasma of fear and worry that had been clouding her mind since she got here, steeling her resolve and bringing a hard edge to her expression.

"Ori, please, it isn't safe, especially for you. I've faced him once already, I know how he thinks. Let me do this. If your friend is there, I'll bring her back." Luke said, his voice almost pleading. He could feel her anger, her fear for her friend, and knew that Palpatine would use them to force her right into his hands, just like he'd almost done to Luke himself. He couldn't watch her fall, couldn't stop her if she did turn, and didn't want to have to see her suffer as he had.

"Luke, stop. I know what you're thinking. She's angry and upset and scared and Palpatine is gonna play her like a fiddle till she's arking lightning with the best of um. But I'm not gonna do that. I know I haven't made the best show of it so far, but I am a champ at controlling myself. I need to do this. Remember Dagobah? What Yoda told you when you raced off to save Han and Leia? This is that. So no more telling me to stay, I'm not a dog, and I'm not going to listen." Ori stood, feeling her old self slowly suffuse her battered and weary soul. It felt good to be assertive again. "Now are we gonna go out or not." She held a hand out to him, catching his eye with intent. This was the test. If she could do this, she could do anything.

Luke waited a beat, his mind racing to catch up to everything she'd said before she held a hand out to him, the gesture so laden with meaning he almost couldn't move. She was trying to prove something, he knew, but exactly what it was, he still didn't quite understand. Was it that she could conquer her fear, command her emotions and actions beyond what he'd already seen? Whatever it was, he felt a thrill of pride at how relaxed she was as he gripped her hand tight and pulled himself up.

"Going out sounds good. Fresh air to clear the mind." He said, his tone a mixture of joking and mockingly philosophical. Ori felt a smile creep onto her face. It was hard to believe that not even a half hour ago, she was a weeping mess on the floor. She laughed internally at herself, of course now would be when she found herself again. It always seemed to take someone reaching out and slapping her to get her moving after a trauma, it was a problem, but then, it had taken her this far, so maybe it wasn't so bad.

"They just opened a new bar not far from here. I've heard some of the off world officials talking about it. It's supposed to be really nice." Leia said, standing up and brushing herself down. It was a nervous habit Ori had first noticed on the Falcon. Whenever Leia was in a situation where she felt out of place or out of sorts, like she didn't have a firm grip on things, she would smooth down her clothes, or sweep away imaginary specks of dust. Ori flashed her a small smile as Luke's face slowly melted into a relaxed grin.

"Well then I guess we should all get ready." He looked meaningfully at Leia before excusing himself, his shout to Han and Chewie the last either heard of him as the door swung shut.

"I think he was telling you to make me presentable." Ori said, gesturing to her generally disheveled appearance. She'd been through several layers of hell within a twenty four hour period, and she looked it. Dolling up wasn't something she was looking forward to, hardly having the stamina to stand up right after everything she'd experienced, but she'd be damned if she was going to bring the rest of the group down.

"I think I can manage that." Leia said, falling into the role of girl friend easily enough. It made Ori wonder what her childhood had been like. Had she had friends and peers her own age as she grew up? Did she have lavish sleep overs in Organa's large house? It was odd for her to realize that there was still so much about the twins and their lives that she didn't know despite having had a window into their young adulthood.

"I am your canvas, make me beautiful Senator." Ori said, holding her arms dramatically out to her sides, feeling her spirit slowly heal at the laughter she received. She still felt battered and bruised inside, still had all the same sadness and fears that had kept her shut in since she'd arrived here, but she was done letting it rule her. She was going to pull herself up by what few threads of strength she had left and make a life for herself, just like she'd always done when life kicked her in the teeth and left her for dead.

The bar, if you could really call it that, was packed when they arrived. When Leia had mentioned it, Ori had thought of all the bars she'd ever seen on or around military bases, tiny holes in the wall that served cold beer and had good music on an old jukebox, not a multistory neon bright palace of a building that made her think of one of the ritzier hotels in Vegas. But as she walked through the doors, Luke holding tight to her arm, she felt the energy of the place wash over her and couldn't repress the smile that spread across her face. While the name of the place may be misleading, the atmosphere certainly wasn't.

Music blared from speakers mounted high on the walls, the words in a language she would never be able to understand, but the beat so familiar it almost hurt. Aliens and humans, all in varying states of fine dress, sipped cocktails, pulled shots, formed small groups of dancers in all the corners, and generally let themselves unwind after what had to have been a very long and stressful day. She laughed softly as Lando, resplendent in his roguish uniform, came up and attempted to sweep Leia clean out of Han's grip, only to have her shove him playfully at Chewie, who snapped him close under an arm and steered him toward an uncrowded section of the bar.

"Now this I understand." Ori said, watching as Lando waved down the bartender, making a familiar circular hand gesture that, in her world, signaled the buying of a round of shots. Perhaps she could do this after all.

"You have something like this in your world?" Luke asked, turning a slightly shocked expression to his student. He didn't know why, but he'd been imagining her world to be a strange mixture of the peaceful and chaotic. For some reason, he just couldn't see her pounding back liquor and dancing around like a mad woman, but as a grin spread across her face, he began to understand that he'd imagined wrong.

"Luke, some of the clubs on my world would make your head spin. Have you ever heard of a bubble rave?" She asked, sliding over to allow him space as they all sat themselves down in a large booth. She caught eyes with Leia from across Han's chest and winked softly.

"A what?" He asked, turning his full attention to her. He'd been trying for days to get her to open up about her world and her past, perhaps this was his chance to learn more about her.

"A bubble rave. It's a dance party where they play heavy techno music, kind of like what's playing now, and cover the floor in a good few feet of soap bubbles and foam. Then they start up a flashing light show and turn off the main club lights and just let people go crazy. It's fantastic, especially if you're drunk." She said, a large smile plastered on her face as she remembered the times she'd let Suzie drag her to the old warehouse just outside the town where they'd both attended University. It had been some of the best experiences of her life, what little of it she could remember.

"That sounds insane, and very fun. I wonder if they'd let us do that here." He said, sitting up in the booth and looking around for the nearest employee. He would call in every favor he'd ever collected over the war if it meant getting to see Ori dancing through several feet worth of bubbles and foam.

"Let us do what?" Lando asked, setting a tray laden with dark amber shots down on the table, sliding into the far edge of the booth beside Luke while Chewie pressed himself in beside Leia.

"Have a bubble rave. It's a specific kind of party from Ori's world." He said, watching as Lando's eyes left his face and trailed over to Ori, taking in her whole form before returning to her face.

"I'm sure we can make it happen." He said, his best charming grin in place. Ori felt her stomach flip as her face colored up. She'd always liked Lando, drawn to his roguish nature the same as she'd been drawn to Han, but it felt oddly predatory.

"It's really not a big deal guys, this is more than enough for me to have fun." She said, gesturing to the tray of shots. "Now, who's up for a game?" She asked, looking between all the seated faces.

"Can't we just drink?" Han asked, looking between the grinning faces that surrounded him. He was already unhappy with their choice of bar, and all he wanted to do was get pleasantly drunk, go back to their suite, and make up for lost time with his wife, but from the look on her face and the way she was staring Ori down, he knew it was going to be a very long, and complicated night.

"Okay, so Han is a chicken, anyone else wanna back out?" Ori said, looking up to Chewie and down to Lando, seeing twin faces of almost morbid curiosity.

"Hey! I never said I wasn't gonna play." Han said, his face assuming the wounded expression that had always made her laugh. "I'm an expert at drinking games, just ask Chewie." He said, his face morphing from upset to cocky in a split second. Ori looked over to the seated wookie and had to bite back a laugh as he subtly shook his head. This was gonna be fun.

"Okay, so everyone is in, good. The name of the game is never have I ever, and the rules are simple. When its your turn you say "never have I ever" and then sayething you've never done. If someone at the table has done the thing you name, they have to take a shot, and then it moves on to the next person in the line. Got it?" She asked, looking to each face in turn, getting a solid nod before she pulled the tray a little closer. "Excellent, let's get started. Never have I ever fought the Empire." She laughed at the chorus of groans, and one guttural growl, as everyone took hold of a shot, swallowing it down and glaring at her.

"Cheap shot genius." Han said, pausing as he thought over what he would say, an evil grin spreading across his face as he turned to face Luke. "Never have I ever kissed my sister." He said, laughing out loud as Luke pulled a face and reached for a shot, grumbling something under his breath as he threw back the dark liquor.

"You're gonna pay for that one smuggler." He said, dropping the shot glass rim down in front of him. Han just grinned, turning his playful gaze to Leia who was trying very hard to stifle her own laughter.

"Okay, well I'm not gonna be mean." She said, letting the statement hang in the air for a moment, a grin spreading across her face. "Never have I ever been in a men's refresher." She said, all the men grumbling at the perceived cheap shot, Ori reaching behind Han's head to high five the woman who was rapidly becoming a close friend.

Chewie let out a string of growls and trilling yowls that Han translated to "Never have I ever been bald" and everyone shared a good laugh at his rather polite cheap shot, each one downing another small tumbler of liquor. Han muttered something about "fixing that" but couldn't repress his own laughter, Chewie reaching over Leia's head to punch his friend lightly on the shoulder.

"I can't believe no one has done this yet, but never have I ever been to another universe." Lando said, turning a grin to Ori's shocked face. The rest of the group laughed, though it sounded forced and nervous, but Ori simply reached forward and downed a shot with exaggerated slowness.

"I'm gonna get you back for that." She said, turning the shot glass over slowly and setting in in front of her. Lando merely arched an eyebrow and nodded, a grin cemented on his face. The rest of the group let out a collective breath as they saw that Ori genuinely wasn't upset and the turn moved on to Luke.

"Never have I ever been furry." He said, laughing at whatever Chewie said in response. The Wookie down his shot quickly, his eyes trained on Luke the whole time while the rest of the group enjoyed the show, and then it passed to Ori.

"Never have I ever made a deal with the Empire." She said, looking side long at Lando who let out a surprised squawk of laughter and downed a shot. "I told you." She said, watching as his face relaxed and he nodded, shrugging good naturedly and setting the glass in front of him.

"That you did, and fair play to you." He said, gesturing for Han to take his turn, and so it continued, each turn getting meaner and meaner until each comment was going for the throat. It wasn't until Chewie pointed out the tray was empty that any of them realized how long they'd been playing.

"Oh damn." Ori said, looking at the small pyramid of shot glasses piled in front of her. "You people are evil." She said, comparing her pile to the rest of the people at the table. "How did I lose? I'm from a different universe." She looked between Luke and Han, the second and third losers, and then to Leia, who sat with just three shot glasses in front of her.

"Don't feel bad, we never win when she plays." Luke said, slouching back against the cushion of the booth and laughing softly. "She cheats." He whispered, loud enough for everyone at the table to hear, winking at her and grinning as his sister let out an indignant squeak.

"I do not." She said, leaning forward to catch his eye. "I just know you all better than you think." Leia said, relaxing into Han's side as his arm rested around her shoulders. "You're just a sore loser." She said, sticking her tongue out at him, earning a loud laugh from Ori.

"You two are so cute, it's disgusting." She said, rolling her eyes and miming a gag, earning her own loud laughter from Lando. "I don't suppose cigarettes are a thing in this universe." She said, sighing and frowning down at the mountain of shot glasses. She'd kicked the habit of smoking daily years ago, but she always got the craving when she drank, it was one of the reasons she kept her alcohol intake so low.

"What's a cigarette?" Luke asked, looking down at her, finding it difficult to resist pulling her against him the way Han had done with Leia.

"Um...well...they're like...damn." Ori huffed out a breath, her drink fogged mind struggling to come up with a good way to explain them to someone who'd never seen one before. "Oh, I know!" She grabbed his hand and placed the palm flat on her forehead, nearly stabbing his little finger into her eye before he got the gist of what she was suggesting.

He pushed her hand gently away from his wrist, repositioning his fingers against her scalp, earning a pleased purr from her as her thick tresses parted to make room. He closed his eyes finding their Force connection with ease and following the glowing strands of her thoughts to the image of a small paper tube, filled with dried leaves that were meant to be lit and smoked.

"That can't be good for you." He commented, taking the opportunity to have a look around her mind. It was odd to see it in such a state of calm, though the disarray was still present, it seemed to be sedated, each thought moving sluggishly through her brain as the alcohol seemed to gum up the works.

"It's really not." She said, leaning her head further into his hand, enjoying the feel of his fingers in her curls. She'd always loved it when people played with her hair. "But it's an addictive habit that I was stupid enough to fall into when I was younger, and now every time I drink, I crave them." She was so distracted by how good it felt to have him touching her, that she didn't realize he was still in her mind. She let thoughts of what she'd really like to be doing with him at this moment float through her mind, missing the subtle sense of shock that echoed down their link from his end.

He felt a grin cross his face, his mask of calm remaining perfectly in place as he let himself peruse the thoughts she was serving up for him. He knew it was wrong, knew that had he been sober, he never would've done it, but he wasn't, and he couldn't bring himself to care as he watched her body writhe under him. It was a very good show, but he'd overstayed his welcome already.

He pulled his hand away from her temple, chuckling softly as her body leaned forward to follow it, pushing her slowly back until she was leaning against the cushion of the booth. She looked so different now than the panicked mess she'd been in that room. It made him feel indescribably happy to see her smiling and relaxed, genuinely enjoying herself for the first time since she'd gotten to his world.

"Well then I am pleased to say that I have no idea what they are or if they exist here, and I won't be helping you find out." He said, grinning at her indignant squawk, Han's hand coming to cover her mouth as she let out a string of swear words that would've made Chewie blush.

"I think she's had enough." Han said, pushing her back toward Luke who was kind enough to catch her before she tilted over into the table. She glared over her shoulder at him, though there was no real fire in it, and mumbled something he couldn't quite make out. "Go to bed." He said, enunciating each word slowly. She just rolled her eyes and motioned for Luke and Lando to move so she could get out of the booth.

"I'm going back to the suite, not because he told me to." She said, gesturing toward Han, leaning heavily on the table as her world began to spin. She knew she was in for a hell of a hangover the next morning, but it was absolutely worth it for have seen Han gape like a fish when Lando dropped the Carbonite card.

"Can you make it back alone?" Leia asked, genuine concern on her face. She knew how hard it was to find your way around this base stone cold sober. Ori paused for a moment, her mind chugging slowly to life as she tried to remember the path they'd taken to get there, only to have her answer drowned out by a loud growl from Chewie. He rose, wrapping one massive hand, paw, thing, around her arm, guiding her slowly to the door as Leia called a loud "thank you" after him.

"You're awesome." Ori said, leaning against his furry side, earning a warm sounding hoot, his hand moving from her arm to wrap around her shoulder, holding her close. It served a dual purpose, her scientific mind said stumbling to life. She was easier to steer this way, and he could keep her from falling into anything on their way back. She smiled up at him. "You were always one of my favorite characters ya know. You're just so...cool, and the fact that you can rip an arm clean off doesn't hurt either." She mumbled, smiling at the faint laughter that sounded above her.

The rest of the trip back passed in a haze of giggling mumblings and sluggish half thoughts that would've been no doubt hilarious to anyone sober that over heard them. Lucky for her, the base seemed to be deserted outside the bustling downtown area, leaving her alone with her fuzzy protector until he pushed her gently onto her bed, removing her shoes and tossing the heavy blanket over her before retreating into the main room to wait for the others.

Ori couldn't help the giggle fit that over came her as she allowed herself to analyze the situation from an outside perspective. She'd just spent the last few hours getting ridiculously drunk with Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Lando Calrisian, and Han Solo. The mighty Chewbacca had walked her back from said drinking binge and just taken off her shoes and tucked her into bed. Her last thought as sleep claimed her was of how perfect it would've been if Suzie had been there.

Light flashed momentarily outside, illuminating the room around the now sleeping Ori, a single figure was standing at the foot of her bed, a sadistic smile painted across their face.

Alright then, hope you guys enjoyed that! Things are gonna start heating up soon, in more ways than one, so I hope you guys are strapped in! Anyway, thanks in advance for any faves/follows/reviews, I really do appreciate them, and I'll see you guys in the next one!