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| The Comfort of Strangers |
The Comfort of Strangers
Luke Skywalker tossed and turned in the narrow bunk, trying to
get comfortable, and trying to clear the thoughts from his head. The Chronometer in the
tiny cabin told him it was still a long way from 'morning', and he couldn't fall asleep.
Too much had happened to him in the last few days and he couldn't stop replaying everything.
Well, he had wanted adventure and now he had found it.
His thoughts flickered to that day's escape from the Death Star.
He sincerely hoped he didn't ever have to see that giant space
station again. Maybe he wouldn't if Han could get them to Yavin in time to put those Death
Star plans to use.
Sounds reverberated in his mind. His ears still rang from the
blaster battles he had engaged in while rescuing the Princess. Voices swirled in his head
too. Especially that of the Princess.
She was as beautiful as she had appeared to be in the hologram
he had watched with Ben. Luke found himself awed by her. She was far different than the
girls he had known on Tatooine.
Luke thought about how he could catch her interest. His
rescue of her from the Death Star didn't seem to impress her. His thoughts stayed on that
for awhile until finally, knowing he would not sleep, he got to his feet. Locating the
clothes Han had lent him, he put them on. Picking up his utility belt, he fastened it
around his slim waist, and checked to be sure the lightsaber was securely attached.
He resisted the urge to turn it on and give the blade a few swings. It was, now, the only
connection he had left to his father... and to Ben. A little respect was in order.
Sighing, Luke went out into the corridor, trying to walk quietly
past the cabin the Princess was in.
"Hey, you're keeping me awake with your tromping," Leia whispered just as Luke passed her door for the third time. "Do you want to come in and talk?"
"Sure," he answered. Leia opened the door wider and reached over to turn on a low light. Luke felt a little nervous. This was a Royal Princess, even if she had invited him in. He left the door slightly ajar.
Luke stood still for a moment letting his eyes adjust to the low light. Then he took a long look at Leia as she turned towards the bunk.
"What are you wearing?" He blurted. Her clothes were dragging on the floor. He watched as the Princess attempted to roll up the pant legs and walk over to the bunk, at the same time.
"Some clothes of Han's." She looked at Luke over her shoulder. "I must look about as good as you do!" She told him ,grinning as she tripped and fell onto the bunk.
Luke looked down at what he had on. OK, so maybe Han's pants were a little long, but at least he wasn't falling over his feet! Leia assumed a more upright regal pose without his help, and began pushing up the sleeves of her shirt. "I was always the shortest person in the room," she said ruefully.
"Well, I'm not that tall myself," Luke pointed out. He flopped down in the chair facing her.
"So, why are you up?" Leia asked him, yawning.
Luke found himself unable to explain that he'd just been through too much for his farmer mentality. He shook his head.
"One minute I was on Tatooine and now I'm on my way to Yavin. I wanted off planet, but this wasn't the way I was going to do it."
"I know what you mean. I was just supposed to deliver the plans to General Kenobi, and now look..." The Princess's voice broke off, but as Luke looked at her closely, he saw her draw a deep breath and take control again.
"How did you hook up with Han, and Chewie anyway?" Leia asked him, changing the subject. "Somehow you don't seem to go together."
Luke smiled as he thought of his first meeting with Han in the Mos Eisley cantina.
"We aren't exactly 'together'." He went on to explain how Ben had hired Han to get them to Alderaan. As he spoke, a look of pain passed over the Princess's features.
Leia didn't answer for a minute then, almost imperceptibly ,she shook her head.
"I've been trying not to think of Alderaan. We've got to get those plans to Yavin! But it all keeps..." She stopped, finding it hard to cast aside her diplomatic training, and reveal too much of herself.
Luke and Leia sat in companionable silence for a moment. Luke felt no great urge to entertain her with stories, or a need to impress her with anything. He was surprised to find that he felt very peaceful
just lounging in the chair.
"Han told me you promised him money for rescuing me," Leia stated.
"I didn't know how else..." Luke fidgeted. "That is, I had to so he would help me."
"It's alright," Leia assured him. "The Alliance has a sort of 'slush fund' for things like this."
"Oh," Luke said, not exactly sure what a 'slush fund' was. "You don't have to pay ME." He certainly didn't want any misconceptions about what his motive had been.
Leia smiled. "My father and I had a special fund, a 'slush fund'. Whenever we'd get fed up with politics in the Senate, we'd take some of the money and go off visiting people.
It was lots of fun traveling around with him, because he knew everybody. He was the most wondeful man in the galaxy," Leia said, a touch of pride in her voice. "Of course, he wasn't my real father,
I don't know who HE was, but it never mattered. Everything I learned about politics and diplomacy, I learned form Bail Organa." She paused a moment, and looked at Luke. "Do you have any relatives?"
Luke shook his head. "I don't know of any. My parents died when I was a baby, and you know how my aunt and uncle were killed by the Empire."
"I guess ,then, we're both orphans. I hate the Empire, Luke," Leia said fiercely. "It's all gone. Everything I ever knew. I can never see Alderaan again." Her voice broke,
and Luke saw her struggle to control the tears.
Here they sat, both of them left orphaned, and homeless, and Luke thought briefly of his dead uncle.
"You have memories of a family. And you had a Father," He spoke wistfully. "I never knew my father at all. I was always told he was a navigator on a spice freighter, until
Ben told me he was a Jedi Knight. Here..." He fumbled with his belt, and held out his lightsaber. "Ben gave me this. It was my father's," he said proudly.
Leia looked at him, with new respect.
"Do you know how to use that?"
"Sure! Well..." He faltered, "Not yet. Ben was going to teach me, but now I don't know."
The fact that Ben was no longer around to help him had been weighing on his mind. Just exactly how was he going to
finish the training he needed to follow in his Father's footsteps?
Luke pretended to examine the lightsaber, turning it round and
round in his hand. "I'd like to become a Jedi Knight, like my father," he told her shyly.
Ben said my father was strong in the Force, and that I am too, but I don't feel any
different than I did before he told me that." Luke merely shrugged.
"What was it like where you grew up?" Leia asked suddenly.
Luke laughed. "Tatooine? Boring, hot, and boring. The same things
happened every day. My uncle was pretty tough, and I really had to toe the line. Most of
my friends have been gone since last year. I guess your life was totally different than
mine," Luke stated, hoping she would take the hint, and he would find out a little more
about this beautiful Princess.
It was Leia's turn to laugh. "I didn't do too much except
public service, and I assisted my father. Then last year, I got involved in the Rebellion."
"Well, there had to be more to do on Alderaan than on Tatooine,"
Luke stated.
"There was, you know... school," she smiled as Luke rolled his
eyes.
Han Solo listened to the chatter a few moments longer before
passing down the corridor to the Falcon's cockpit. He had a bad feeling about all this,
and suddenly he also felt just a little left out. Now just why he should feel disturbed,
he wasn't sure. But, he decided, maybe he would get to know the Princess a little better
before they all arrived at the Rebel base.
Besides, it was sorta fun to get the kid all worked up.
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