Star Wars: The Ancient Force

C H A P T E R . 2 4 -- Heard

THE FALCON LAY QUIET in the shipyard of the base. It was dull in the morning light, and becomes dirtier from the gust of another ship landing next to it.

Inside this ship, Leia sits quietly. Calmly. Solemn. No longer was she stricken by sadness and dread, for there is a great connection between her and her twin brother. It is a tremendous flow of the Force's essence across the galaxy. And his essence now is solid warmth.

She had felt him change from ice & fire a day earlier, so she had time to process it. But only now when she exits the ship, coming closer and closer to his location, can she began to feel why.

Han confirms this feeling when he meets her outside and explains what's happened. He himself was bewildered and amazed—granted, only about as much as he could be.

Though Leia remains concerned about the woman, her relief and the warmth she feels prevents dire concern from taking control, especially when she hears about Luke's hand. So as she walks down the halls of the base, her ice and warmth neutralize each other. It keeps her in the Mid yet allows her to have thoughts. She passes by several of the prisoners wandering around for various reasons, but her thoughts stay on her brother, even as she approaches the chatter of many more people.

Entering the cafeteria, she stops when one prisoner almost runs into her to catch a flying shoe. She looks through this one and his friend playing catch, and looks beyond the several others eating and socializing. Then she spots her brother and the woman at the other end.

They sit casually close to each other in a nook that was quiet enough to be alone yet it was where they could still watch everyone, if they weren't facing each other. Leia watches for a moment to get a better impression of them both. In his voiceless gestures, she sees a looseness she hadn't seen in a long time, not since destroying the Death Star. Even when he was mentoring her—when they were happiest together—his laughs were always cut short by something deeper than she could reach. But they aren't now. And his gestures aren't just loose, they're expressive... He's talking, without words. They are.

She watches him welcome the women's hand as she touches his left cheek and nose, possibly talking about his Wampa injury on Hoth. It's this moment that she realizes he doesn't sense her, only the woman. Even in the chatter and the commotion of the room, days ago she would have felt him acknowledge her before she even entered the building. But now...

Now her fear and hatred starts breaking through her Mid. She's afraid of what this woman would do to him, afraid of losing him to this woman she hates. But seeing him laugh again, and feeling its surge of warmth... it eases her Dark emotions, and eases her back into the Mid, allowing her to think without emotional bias.

He's happy, that's the important part... If that means being ignored... I'm willing to make that sacrifice, especially if it means the galaxy is safer with him saved from the Dark Side. Her arms cross and her hands rub them. Her instincts were tugging on her, fighting for her own happiness, and causes her to reconsider, Or... at least share his company.

She stands for a moment longer and Han moseys up beside her to put a hand on her furthest shoulder. She glances at him for a moment and sighs to say, "What do you think? I want to trust Luke's judgment, but I know how he is too."

Han sighs, "Well... the last girl he kissed didn't turn out too bad," tussling her head, smirking extra hard hoping it would partially defuse how riled up she would get.

Appalled and embarrassed, she plops both hands to her hips as an angry chuckle escapes her. She hits his arm only half-playfully. It's the perfect amount for Han, that favorite state he loves to put her in, the state of never taking this terrible world too seriously. So he chuckles and puts his arm around her to show his love.

As they turn to leave, the tossed shoe comes flying again towards Leia's head, but she stops it with the Force. She holds it in midair for a moment before Han grabs it. The two guys—mouths gaping—loudly try to ask her questions and tell their friends, but Han bickers at them and leads Leia with him towards the door.

Luke and Terigo's trance breaks with the new commotion and they both sense Leia. Luke bolts out of his chair and races across the room. With her back now in sight, he stops.

In Leia's mind, she doesn't hear the 'Can you—', only:

—hear me.

Memories of Cloud City seize her, causing her to halt. She whips around. Twenty feet away is her brother, standing strong towards her, his eyes and essence piercing into her soul. Though his smile stays firm, he somehow seems brighter than a moment before. She feels his essence beaming even more, filling the room, sensing that even Han feels it—though he doesn't realize. Then she wonders if this was the reason so many people gathered to this room.

Without realizing what this new skill could do for the galaxy, the last of her worries dissolve completely...

...knowing now that her brother would be alright...

For now at least....

For today...

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