****

"Luke!" Beru greeted him with a smile. "You got here so fast. Are you thirsty?" she asked, already grabbing a pitcher and a glass for the boy.

Thanking her, he took a drink. "You lost your new droids? The ones you took in for the harvest? I thought the jawas always used restraining bolts."

"They do," Owen's voice cut through the bubbling noise of his wife's kitchen. The moisture farmer descended the steps, wiping his grease stained hands on a towel. "Had to take them off, damn things were short circuiting the recharge circuits. Those parasites like to sell them barely powered."

"Were they taken or did they just wander off?" Luke asked as he rinsed out his cup.

"Wandered I think. Completely scrambled those two," Owen said, shaking his head in disgust. "I need them up on the south side before noon or they'll be hell to pay. A memory wipe will have to wait till after that."

Luke nodded decisively. "I'll go find them."

There was a hint of relief in Owen's eyes and he smiled brusquely at the young man. "Take the landspeeder and try and have them back before noon," he reminded.

Saying goodbye to Mrs. Beru, Luke hurried up out of the Lars home.

*****

He pulled Owen's landspeeder up sharply and hovered next to the two metallic figures. Hopping out, Luke moved to stand in their way. "Hey, hey now! Where do you think you're going? Don't you belong to Owen Lars?" he asked pointedly.

The squat blue and white droid beeped and squeaked in obvious disappointment of being caught. The golden humanoid droid seemed more relieved than anything else. "Yes sir, I tried to stop him but he keeps babbling on about his mission."

"What mission?"

The golden droid attempted to shrug. "He claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts." The astrometric droid whistled in agreement. "He says he has a message for him."

Luke blinked. "Obi-Wan Kenobi," he repeated.

"I beg your pardon sir, but do you know him?" the prissy voice interrupted politely.

Luke hesitated. Mr. Owen would need his droids back quickly which was why he had lent Luke the landspeeder, but *Obi-Wan Kenobi.* No one outside himself and Owen and Beru Lars knew that name, not on Tatooine. Was this the darkness he sensed? Two runaway droids? No, he realized with a growing apprehension, this was something larger, much larger and not entirely unexpected. "You're early," he heard himself say before he could stop the words. "I'll take you to him."

The little droid began to hop and spin in excitement.

"All right, all right. Calm down! Don't crow at me you rusty pile of scrap! I still think this mission of your is a fried circuit in that archaic logic processor of yours," the golden one muttered.

The astrometric beeped back as Luke settled him onto the speeder.

"Well same to you, you dusty hunk of refuse," came the retort followed by what could only be an obscene whistle. "Artoo, Really! Such language!"

*****

Kenobi was standing in the doorway when the landspeeder pulled up. He was surprised about something-- after so many years Luke could tell --but it never showed in his voice. Maybe his Master knew, felt it too. Things were happening quickly now and Luke wondered if this is what it felt like to be swimming in water, having it pull you along, along and under faster than you could catch your breath.

"You're back early," the Jedi remarked as Luke jumped out and came around to help the protocol droid down. "What have we here?" he asked.

"Owen's droids. The little one insists he belongs to you." Both Jedi set the R2 unit on the sand. "Did you own a droid, Master?" Luke asked curiously.

"I never owned one that I recall, Luke," the older man replied resting one hand on the domed head of the astrometric droid that was for the first time silent. "Come inside, we'll comm Owen after we find out what this is all about."

"Thank you sirs," the gold droid gushed as he shuffled forward. "I am C-3PO and this is my counterpart R2-D2. We are at your service."

As he commed Mrs. Beru Luke watched out of the corner of his eye as his Master fiddled with the short, squat astrometric droid. There was no answer so he left a message and turned his attention to the droid.

Obi-Wan straightened and sat back in his seat. "Now let's see if we can't figure you out my little friend and where you came from."

With a crackle of static a flickering blue image appeared on the table of a woman dressed in white.

"General Kenobi," she began. "Years ago you fought beside my father, Bail Organa, Viceroy and First Chariman of the Alderaan system, in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to come to his aid. My ship has been taken captive by the Empire and I will soon be captured by Imperial agents. Inside this droid are plans vital to the survival of the Rebellion. You must see these safely into my father's hands on Alderaan. On everything does this now depend. This is our most desperate hour. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are my only hope."

With a hiss the projection died, the figure fading from existence.

Obi-Wan looked up and met Luke's blue eyes, carefully watching his Padawan leaned against the wall, arms crossed tight.

Was there recognition? Did Luke know who she was?

"Mr. Owen is not going to get his droids back before noon, is he?" Luke asked at last.

"No, he isn't. We shall be leaving and taking these two," the Jedi gestured at the two droids "with us."

Luke grew wary. "To Alderaan?"

Obi-Wan rose slowly. "We shall be returning to Alderaan, yes. When I told Bail he was to contact me in times of trouble I naturally assumed you would join me, Padawan."

"To Alderaan," Luke muttered turning away and heading down the hall to his room. "What are we going to tell Mr. Owen and Mrs. Beru? They need those droids for harvest."

"I have some small savings. We will compensate them for the droids," Kenobi said from the doorway watching as his apprentice changed his tunic and grabbed his coat and a few other items that might be necessary on the journey.

Luke looked up sharply. "You mean to give them everything," he said. "And how will we obtain passage to get to Alderaan, Master, or do you want me to smuggle us on board?" he asked with a faint grin.

"Don't be impertinent," Obi-Wan said dryly. "I'm sure that we can arrange transport on credit and pay the pilot upon arrival."

Luke clipped his lightsaber to his belt and stared down at his bed. "You mean not to come back," he said softly. "We're leaving for good."

"The Rebellion against the Empire is growing," Obi-Wan explained softly. "We each have our roles to play in the conflict. This is the path set before us. We can only ever go forward." Though you may not always know I'm with you.

But now was not the time to dwell on such nebulous forebodings of the future. The Moment called, focus was needed. "Come. Mos Eisley is a long way off, and we have to stop at Owen's farm to return the landspeeder and explain all of this."

*****

They pulled up silently beside the smoking ruins of the Sandcrawler. Even the droids seemed to have the good sense to be quiet. The two Jedi got out and began to carefully pick their way across the littered bodies of the fallen jawas.

Like picked up a gaffe stick and stared at the dusty, cracked weapon. "It looks like the Sand People did this," he said slowly, brow furrowing in concentration. "But why would they attack jawas? Skirmish yes, but they usually only go after humans like this."

"Look at the blast patterns," Obi-Wan counseled softly. "The tracks in the sand."

"This wasn't Sand People," Luke breathed.

"No," Obi-Wan said sadly. "It wasn't."

"But who would attack jawas? I mean these are the ones that sold Mr. Owen the

droids . . ."

Obi-Wan was suddenly beside him, hand resting on his shoulder. "Luke--"

"They're look for the droids! If they traced them this far that would lead them back

to . . ." He didn't hesitate, he took off for the speeder at a dead run.

"Wait Luke! It's too dangerous!"

"I have to go!" he yelled back frantically, starting the landspeeder. Maybe they were all right. Maybe Mrs. Beru had gone to help Mr. Owen on the South side and the Imperials couldn't find them. Maybe that was why the comm was silent earlier. Maybe they were fine. Maybe, maybe . . .

Smoke was rising from the homestead. Luke jumped out of the landspeeder before it had come to a complete stop and ran towards the entrance, heedless of the heat and noxious fumes. Raising his arm to cover his face he pushed past the derbies blocking the stairwell and tried in vain to descend to the house proper, calling, hoping for some response, anything.

"Mr. Owen? Mrs. Beru? Mr. Owen!?" he yelled hoarsely, using the Force to shove past. "Mrs Ber--?!"

The stench of burning flesh assault him.

"no"

The blackened bones, the gaping skulls, eye sockets hollow, dark, dead--

"no"

The world spun and Luke collapsed into the sand beside them.

"no"

"no"

"no"

******

Obi-Wan waited and watched the horizon, cloak wrapped tight around him as the landspeeder came slowly into view.

His apprentice was covered in ash and soot, his own coat and outer tunic missing, no doubt used as a makeshift burial shroud. He walked head down towards the Jedi Master, looking for all the world as if the weight of the universe had come to rest squarely on his shoulders.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. Platitudes? The Jedi Code? Was there really any comfort he could give? While he and Luke were discussing the fate of the Rebellion, the Empire had come and butchered Owen and Beru Lars. In every future he had see Obi-Wan knew his death was a certainty. But he had not known that the sacrifice of the Lars' would be required.

Catching sight of Luke's scrapped and burned hands he guided the young man back over to the landspeeder and used some of their precious water to clean the wounds. It was a testament to how shocked Luke was that he didn't even shoot his master a disapproving look for "wasting water."

The droids, finished with the funeral rites for the jawas came to join them silently by the landspeeder. There was nothing left for them to do now but head to Mos Eisley. With the jawas and the Lars' farm gone there was nothing left. Their very existence seemed to have been swallowed up by the sands of this planet, as if the two Jedi had never been here at all.

It was time to go.

*****

The cantina was dingy, dirty, and smelled of myriad unwashed alien races. For Luke it was like stepping back into the past: checking out various exits, tagging potential marks, trying to figure out who was here on business and who was here on pleasure, who had money, who was pretending they had money, and who was dangerous.

It was a familiar exercise. It numbed him, helped him focus, push aside the memory of the Lars homestead.

Luke took a place at the bar, watching Obi-Wan's back as the older Jedi began to speak with a Wookiee.

"He doesn't like you!" Someone shouted in his ear above the noise of the band.

Luke glanced over at the two aliens shoving forward to the bar. He ignored them both and took a sip from the drink the bartender put in front of him.

There was a heavy tap on his shoulder. "I don't like you either. I have the death sentence in twelve systems," the alien informed him leeringly.

Luke fought back a growl. He was not in the mood for this. He set down his drink and motioned with his hand. "Perhaps you should visit one of them."

The disfigured alien pulled back. "Perhaps I should visit one of them."

Luke repeated the motion. "And go and brag at the local authorities."

The other nodded in agreement and backed up to leave. "And go and brag at the local authorities."

His tusked, grunting companion obviously didn't like this idea and letting out an enraged bellow grabbing Luke by the collar of his shirt.

"No blasters! No blasters!" yelled the bartender, throwing himself flat behind his bar to avoid the inevitable carnage.

There was a flash of blue, the snap-hiss of a saber, a scream.

Luke stood watchful, lightsaber still drawn, his back to his Master who had not even turned his head to investigate.

The band tentatively started back into their song drowning out the sobs of agony.

Seeing no further threat to their business, Luke deactivated his weapon and returned to his drink at the bar.

Obi-Wan was waiting for him, implacably calm as always. "Chewbacca here," he said gesturing to the massive Wookiee beside him "is first mate on a ship that might suit us."

They followed the Wookiee to a nearby booth where a man, Corellian given the bloodstrip markings on his trousers, sat sprawled, toying with the molding on the wall behind him. At the sight of his potential clients he swung his leg down off the seat and sat up. The Jedi sat, the Wookiee shifted his bulk with unusual grace and slid down next to the Corellian.

"I'm Han Solo," he drawled "Captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie tells me you're looking for a ship."

"If it's a fast ship," Obi-Wan replied.

The man scoffed. "You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Should I have?" he asked calmly.

Solo shared an incredulous glance at his partner. "She's the ship that made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs," he informed them with no little derision at their ignorance. "She's fast enough for you, old man," he finished condescendingly.

That comment drew Luke's attention away from watching the surroundings. He glared at pilot. Solo smirked in return, not at all impressed with the kid who looked from his coloring to have spent most of his life on this dustball planet.

"What's the cargo?" Han asked, all business.

"Myself, the boy," Obi-Wan gestured to Luke "two droids, and no questions asked," he finished with quiet force.

The pilot spared another glance at the teenager. "Local trouble?" he asked with mock concern.

"Lets just say we wish to avoid any Imperial entanglements," Obi-Wan said carefully.

Han leaned back with a sigh. "Ah, well that's the thing. And it's going to cost you. Ten thousand. All up front."

Luke's eyes widened and he fought back interrupting. He was all for giving up the pretense of sullen teenager rebel and using the Force to influence the man to pay them for passage when his Master surprised him. "We'll pay you two thousand now, and another fifteen thousand when we reach Alderaan."

"Seventeen?" Han asked, impressed and failing to keep it out of his voice. "You've got yourself a ship. One hour. Docking Bay 94. You'd best leave now," he advised. "It looks as if junior's little fight drew some unwelcome attention," he said smiling at Luke.

"Good idea," Obi-Wan agreed amicably, still playing the congenial old man part to the hilt. "You'll refrain from causing any more trouble, won't you?" he asked Luke. "I'm not sure I'm up to getting you out of trouble."

Luke mulishly kicked the table leg and stood. "Wasn't my fault," he muttered.

The left the cantina by the back entrance and went to get the droids.

"If his ship is as fast as he's boasting we'll do all right," Obi-Wan said, pulling the hood of his cloak up, hiding his face. Who knew what spies the Imperials had at port? They must know that the droids would be attempted to be smuggled off world.

"Seventeen thousand!" Luke said with a disgusted shake of his head. "Your friends on Alderaan must really have resources and he must really owe someone a lot of money if he'd take us on a promise of two thousand Mast-- Ben." he corrected quickly, casting his eyes around to see if they had an obvious tails.

"Yes," the Jedi Knight agreed thoughtfully. "He seems almost as eager to leave as we are."

"He's still scalping us though," Luke insisted.

Obi-Wan shot his young apprentice an amused glance, suppressing a smile. "Let him think that he's pulled one over on a dim old man and his teenage brat; it will make him far less of an annoyance or obstacle on this trip."

Luke scowled darkly. He knew when he was being teased. "I bet it's a Hutt." he muttered.

"Come, we haven't much time to sell the speeder."

*****

Docking Bay 94.

The Jedi arrived just as a Hutt entourage was leaving. Obi-Wan and Luke stood aside as the massive alien slithered away, followed by thugs and syncopates. Hiding a grin, Luke followed his Master in to see the "famous" Millennium Falcon.

The ship that could make the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs turned out to be a freighter.

A freighter that they were paying seventeen thousand for passage on, Luke thought with a snort.

Luke kept watch as the droids, still bickering, trundled towards the ship. He kept his hand on his saber, noting that his Master kept his back to the ship while he made the first part of their payment to the Corellian. Obi-Wan had felt it too.

It came then as no surprise when Stormtroopers poured into the docking bay, blasters raised.

Not even waiting for their command to halt, Luke shifted so he stood blocking his Master who made his way to the gangplank. Luke drew his lightsaber even as Han opened fire.

A rising anger filled him. These Imperials were from off planet, no doubt sent here to find the droids, to kill all those who stood in their way.

People like the jawas, like Owen and Beru Lars.

Obi-Wan moved up the gangplank, hurrying the droids along. He stopped only for a moment beside his apprentice.

"Jedi do not take revenge," he said softly.

"Chewie, get us out of here!" Solo yelled as he backed his way towards the gangplank. He and Luke hurried up into the ship even as the Falcon rose in the air.

With barely a conscious thought, he deactivated his saber and followed behind the Corellian towards the cock-pit, his Master's words ringing in his ears.

Jedi do not take revenge.

Clenching his hands into fists, Luke fought to release his anger.

If there was no revenge allowed by the Code, then he was no Jedi.

*****

The deck plates lurched beneath his feet. For one instant he wondered if they had been thrown out of hypespace, but then the world seemed to tip sideways and Luke crashed heavily into the bulkhead, scrabbling at the wall, trying to breath--

"Padawan? Luke?"

Obi-Wan was calling, Obi-Wan was here, he could help, he could stop this.

"Ma-Ben what--? What is --?" Luke managed to force out.

With an inhuman effort Luke forced himself to move, to open his eyes, to stand and help his Master back to the hold to sit before his own legs gave out again beneath him. He suddenly found himself kneeling at Obi-Wan's feet, lungs burning in an effort to drag in air. Luke pressed his hand to his chest.

"A-a disturbance?" he forced out, curling in on himself, trying to stop the pain.

"Yes," came the strained reply. "It was as if a thousand voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something dreadful has happened."

"What happened?" Luke asked desperately, looking up at his Master. "What could happen that we feel this but we didn't feel, we didn't know when Mr. Owen and Mrs. Beru--?"

"Shh. Clear your mind."

"But--"

Obi-Wan's face grew still and he place a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "No. No questions. For this there is no answer, there is only the Force. You'd best get started with your exercise."

"Well, you won't have to worry about those Star Destroyers," their captain said as he came into the hold, pulling off his gloves and sprawling beside the computer. "I told you this ship was fast," he said smugly, expression fading as his audience failed to react. "Don't everyone thank me at once," he muttered.

Luke ignored the man and grabbed and activated the remote, removing his lightsaber from his belt.

Han looked watched Luke practice idly for a few minutes, before he couldn't resist on commenting. "You know kid, you're pretty good with that laser sword."

Luke spun the blade behind his back, blocking a stun bolt before whirling around on his heel to face the remote.

"But that sort of weapon is no substitute for a blaster at your side. What are you guys anyway? Mercs? You blow off a client or something?"

"Left foot," Obi-Wan said and Luke shifted his balance accordingly, the saber twisting patterns of blue fire in the air.

"I thought we agreed no questions," Luke snapped back, carefully angling his sword to protect his torso, keeping a watchful eye for the direction of any occasional ricochets to ensure they hit only reflective surfaces and not the other occupants in the hold.

"Yeah, yeah," Solo groused, turning his attention his bellowing copilot who had just lost to the astrometric droid before focusing again on the Jedi. "But I don't think you're going to find Alderaan a good place to hide out or dig up some new business. Peace lovers on that planet. All idyllic paradise and the glory of dead dusty history. Unless you're there on a job. If so, good luck, you'll need it."

"There's no such thing as luck," Obi-Wan said with a laugh.

The timer on the remote beeped at the sphere fell silent. Luke, not even breathing heavily, put away his blade.

Han gave the older Jedi a smug grin. "Yeah, well, good against a remote is one thing. Good against a living, that's another."

*****

With deft hands, Luke set up their bunks for the night. The droids were switched off, settled with power cords humming. He focused intently on what he was doing, focused to the distraction of anything else so he wouldn't have to think, wouldn't have to remember--

"Luke," Obi-Wan's hand barely brushed his shoulder but he jumped.

Ashamed at his inattention, Luke ducked his head. "I am sorry, Master."

Obi-Wan sat with a sigh on the bunk closest to the door of their tiny quarters. "Tell me of your thoughts," he coaxed softly. "Tell me how it feels to be back in space."

Luke fidgeted with the ragged torn edge of his tunic, his mind recalling tearing it to bind the shrouds over Owen and Beru--

"What of the stars, Luke?" Obi-Wan pressed, drawing him back to the here and now. This was a familiar exercise, of calming, of pre-mediation release, of stilling your thoughts. Obi-Wan had taught it to him when they had first arrived on Tatooine. The stars still held their fascination for Luke and the Jedi Master used them as a focus point to teach the boy mediation.

He took a deep breath and from beneath his ever present iron control over his grasp of the Force, Luke reached out with his awareness at the hyperspace around him. "Brilliant, closer somehow. As if we race beside the light."

"And the disturbance?" The Jedi Master asked, directing his attention towards finding the cause behind the agony of earlier.

Luke furrowed his brow, closing his eyes hoping that the Force would tell him something it had not yet revealed to either him or Kenobi. "There's a-a hole, a gap. Something is missing, ripped away." He opened his eyes. "What could have done this, Master?"

"I don't know, Padawan. I fear that the Emperor has done something more horrible and unimaginable than all the darkness he has wrought before."

"Are you to stop it?" Luke asked carefully.

"Me?" Obi-Wan said in surprise. "Don't you mean we?"

He shrugged with forced nonchalance. "You're General Kenobi, hero of the Clone Wars," he offered with a wry smile. "You would have been fighting as part of the Rebellion all these years if you didn't have to take me on as your apprentice."

Obi-Wan sat back. "Didn't have to?" he echoed. "Luke, it wasn't like that."

"So you would have lived on Tatooine as a hermit if I wasn't your charge?"

"Well, no, but that's not the point. The point is my time was not wasted on you, or better spent anywhere else than with you. I trained you. I taught you. A Jedi's duty is to serve yes, but I did not teach you to use you. You are my Padawan, my learner. I only wish we had more time," he said gently.

Luke looked away. "I'm sorry."

*****

"Strap yourselves in, we're coming up on Alderaan," Han informed his passengers over the ship's intercom. "Chewie," he said motioning to the hyperdrive controls. The co-pilot went through the last second adjustments as Kenobi came into the cockpit, the boy at his side.

The swirling of hyperspace faded, stars becoming pinpoints once again, and amid the blackness of space the blue marble that was Alderaan floated serene.

The comm beeped insistently. Han flicked the control and spoke. "Alderaan Control, this is Captain Solo of the Millennium Falcon. Request permission to land."

"This is Alderaan Control," a tiny voice said from the speakers. "What is your destination?"

"Tell them we are bound for the capitol," Obi-Wan commanded.

Han shot Kenobi a look over his shoulder for interrupting him, but upon seeing the impassive face of the Jedi he'd thought nothing more than an eccentric old man he bit his tongue and relayed the message.

"Permission granted. Proceed to drop into orbit over the southern hemisphere and begin descent on our mark. Control out."

"I would like to send another message if I may," Obi-Wan requested. "To ensure your prompt payment upon landing."

Han nodded. "Sure. Knock yourself out."

The Jedi shifted to the comm and tapped in a sequence of numbers and symbols. There was a clicking sound, a hiss of static and then he closed the link.

Han who had been shamelessly watching was a bit disappointed. That was it?

Suddenly the comm beeped again. Surprised, and a bit wary, Han toggled the mike.

"Millennium Falcon this is Alderaan Control."

"Control. Is there a problem?" he responded, shooting a glare at Kenobi wondering just what the hell he'd done.

"Captain Solo, an escort will be joining you once you hit atmosphere to see your . . . cargo to the Royal House of Organa. Welcome to Alderaan. Control out."

Blinking, Han sat back.

"We will go and strap ourselves in for landing, Captain," Obi-Wan informed him, he and the boy exiting the cock-pit.

"A royal escort. Huh." Han whistled lowly. "Just what the hell have we gotten mixed up with this time Chewie?"

The Wookiee merely rolled his eyes, nimble fingers dropping them from orbit where day met night along the planet. If Han didn't recognize honored Jedi when he saw them, Chewbacca certainly wasn't going to enlighten them. Humans had such short memories, he thought with exasperation.

****

Bail Organa, former senator and Viceroy of Alderaan, waited anxiously in the wings by the docking platform, pacing and watching the freighter approach. It was a foolish hope, but he wished it was bringing his daughter home to him as well as his old friend Obi-Wan Kenobi. But his daughter was as good as lost to him, lost to the Rebellion.

The ship landed with surprising skill and Bail, entourage and trusted advisors in tow, walked quickly in the fading afternoon light to greet their arrival.

The gangplank lowered and Bail watched as a brown cloaked figure descended. The man stopped at the bottom and turned slightly to call back into the hold. Bail's breath caught in his throat as the completely unexpected figure of a boy of 18 summers descended.

Clad in dusty white with bleached blond hair, clear blue eyes, and with an achingly familiar weapon clipped to his belt was the boy he'd sent away fifteen years ago.

Leia's brother.

Luke Skywalker.

The Jedi Padawan (for what else could a youth who held himself so be, even without the traditional braid?) stood slightly behind his Master's left shoulder. Obi-Wan pulled back his hood and together the last two Jedi known to exist in the Galaxy bowed in greeting to the clandestine head of the Rebel Alliance.

Bail waived the formalities aside and reached out and clasped hands with his old friend. "In such troubled times and between such friends such things are unnecessary. It is a . . . relief to see you well," he said, choking back unexpected tears. Composing himself, he turned to stare at the boy, unable to tear his eyes away from Luke.

"And this must be your apprentice," he said softly, remembering the tiny, inquisitive child all those years ago that first crawled, then walked, and finally ran wild with his twin around his home, much to his delight. Luke made as if to bow again, but Bail stopped him. "No, no. You are both most welcome, honored Jedi," Bail said stepping back and offering a bow to both of them, his own staff following suit.

Solo who was standing on the gangplank looked gobsmaked. "Jedi?" he exclaimed. He glared at his companion. Chewie tried to look as innocent as a seven foot tall massive hairy alien could.

"We have brought the droids your daughter sent to our care," Obi-Wan said, motioning to Threepio and Artoo who had joined them all on the docking platform. "The information is hidden in the memory core of the R2 unit. Thanks to our captain we made the journey safely. His payment is still lacking."

The Viceroy turned to one of his advisor. "See the droids to the techs personally and then bring them to my quarters. Arrange for Captain Solo to be paid and that he and his crew are lodged in my home for the night. Come. We have much to discuss."

*****

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are my only hope." Princess Leia Organa's holographic image pleaded before fading once again.

Ashen faced, Bail took a gulp of his drink and set the glass down on his desk with a trembling hand. "She's captured, being tortured." He ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath. "Still alive while they tear secrets from her in bits and pieces."

"She is a strong young woman," Obi-Wan said. "She will resist them."

"Of course she will resist," Bail snapped. "But you don't know what they'll do to her, you don't have any idea . . ." He trailed off and shut his eyes. Of course the Jedi knew what the Empire was capable of, the depravities, the cruelties, the merciless destruction and infliction of pain. The Jedi knew better than anyone.

"I'm sorry," he offered. "But they've already managed to . . . She gave up the location of one of our bases, Dantooine. We were in the middle of pulling out of there for our new facility when the Empire caught up with us. She probably hoped the base would be abandoned by now." Bail laughed humorlessly. "We didn't stand a chance. They have this weapon, I don't know what or how, but the planet is gone!"

Obi-Wan's eyes widened and beside him he felt his apprentice stiffen in horror. A whole planet gone. Dantooine gone.

"There were rumors," Bail continued, pacing behind his desk. "Rumors of Senate funding for a battle station several years ago. After Leia took my seat in the Senate I was more free to watch, to follow the money, the leads. Whatever the rumors were, the reality is far worse. The Emperor has a planet killer weapon. Not even the constant bombardment of a fleet of Star Destroyers can match that firepower."

"And how much did the Rebellion loose?" Kenobi asked.

"Hundreds good people when we can't afford to loose one. Ships, supplies. One fifth of our strength gone."

"And does the Princess know the location of your other bases?" Luke asked.

Bail looked taken aback for a moment, for what reason Luke couldn't fathom. "Yes she knows. We can't evacuate the new base. We can barely make arrangements to pass on the information stored in the droid to the new loaction, it's that remote, that secret. Contact is highly limited and there is no where else we can send so many people and so much equipment in a short span of time."

"Then we must get the Princess out of Imperial hands," Luke said slowly.

"A rescue mission?" The Viceroy's astonishment was clear. "We don't even know where she's being held. She could be on Coruscant for all we know."

"No," Luke countered. "She is on the battle station. If it's actual existence up until the destruction of Dantooine was unknown to you, then it means they're maintaining comm silence. There is nowhere else she could be if they tortured the location of the old Rebel base out of her."

"We arrange a rescue mission and a diversion of sorts," Obi-Wan put in. "Ready what ships you have based on the plans. Find a weakness and destroy the battle station before it can destroy you. Such a weapon cannot be allowed to exist. The potential destruction is incalculable."

Bail sat down behind his desk. "If we manage to rescue my daughter, if we manage to destroy this station all eyes will point to Alderaan as the home of the Rebellion. Their retribution will be swift. The Emperor has no mercy and Alderaan has no army, no weapons, no fleet."

"You have always been under suspicion," Obi-Wan said. "With your daughter's capture it was inevitable. But there is still the Senate. Retake your old seat and denounce Leia, sever all ties with the Rebellion not just the ones that can be traced."

"Step down as leader of the Alliance?" Bail responded, incredulous. "Spend every day in ignorance, helpless, while the Rebellion works in the shadows without my knowledge? Do nothing?"

"There is still the Senate to work with," the Jedi assured him.

"The Senate is nothing more than Palpatine's puppet," Bail spat. "There is nothing I can do from the Senate to stop the Empire!"

"There is access to Coruscant, to the Emperor's court," Luke pointed out. "And to the Empire's funds. There are more ways than fighting to undermine the Imperial government."

"Think of your people," Obi-Wan urged.

Organa slowly nodded. "Yes, yes. It must be so. It shall be so," he said with growing confidence in the decision. "You will rescue my daughter?" he asked anxiously. "You will do this and go with her and work with the Rebellion as I cannot? You will protect her?"

"We shall," The Jedi master promised.

Bail stood, weariness in every movement, his age weighing down on him. "Then we shall make the arrangements and may the Force be with us all."

*****

Luke found himself a bit lost in the suite that had been provided for himself and his Master. He'd explored the lavishly furnished rooms before he and his Master cleaned themselves up for the dinner tonight.

After showering, Luke found his old clothes gone. However, tunics and trousers identical to the ripped and dirt stained ones he'd worn on arrival were laid out on the bed, made of the finest cloth, bleached various shades of white. The staff had also left a heavy brown robe like Master's. And Luke realized that this was the closest approximation of a Jedi uniform they could provided for him from their stores.

A bit nervous, he put them on, clipping his lightsaber to his belt.

"You look like a proper Jedi Padawan."

Obi-Wan's voice startled him and he turned around to face his Master. "Well," Kenobi allowed with a smile "except for the hair."

"Is it wise to go to a formal Alderaan function dressed like this?" Luke asked. "All Jedi are still under a death sentence throughout the galaxy."

"Instead of just twelve systems?" Obi-Wan teased. "Perhaps we should go and brag about it to the local authorities."

Luke blushed, taking the gentle rebuke for what it was.

"Bail's guests tonight include his household and those trustworthy. He would not broadcast our presence," the Jedi assured him. "But by being there we are a symbol in these times of our course and our common purpose. We might as well aid in a little moral boosting before we head out again."

"Yes Master," Luke said, fidgeting and fiddling with the edge of his robe sleeve.

"Luke," Obi-Wan said softly placing a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "How much of this is strategy and planning and how much of this is simply fear at being on Alderaan again?"

Luke pulled away. "A Jedi is not afraid. I am not afraid."

"It is not fear that is bad, Padawan, but holding it, hoarding it, letting it fill you instead of the Force. Let it go," he said soothingly. "You are safe." The Jedi lead the young man to the bed and pressed him to sit. "Do you remember anything about this place, this planet? Do you remember anything concrete?"

"No, just . . ." Luke bit his lip. "I remember people, incidents, pain." He shrugged. "But there is something about this place, something that, I don't know, itches at the back of my mind. I don't know what it is but, something is missing here. Something . . ."

Something like a sister, Obi-Wan thought sadly. "We have some time before dinner. Clear your mind. Breathe and let the Force flow through you. I'm here, Luke. I'm here."

*****