A Jedi's Hope

chapter 3

The steaming hot water flowed down my body as I scrubbed furiously to erase grime that layered me from the 10-day long stint on Tatooine. The job was Horrendous it was a solo mission to observe the Hutt and Empire interactions and assess whether they were hostile to each other or not. Due to the lack of well. Anything! I spent those 10 days in some cave a mile out from Jabbas Palace. Turning off the water and drying myself I shiver in memory of the food. It was slop I wouldn't have eaten while on the streets. Walking out in sleepwear I head to my room and collapsed on my bed Exhausted

But I couldn't sleep. I had an itch at the base of my head, as if the force was trying to tell me something. I sit up into my mediative position and tried to concentrate on the tugging sensation. But Alas, nothing is revealed. Sighing, I get up and change into a clean out fit my red shit and brown pants and boots should do muttering "I'll continue this outside" as I changed. Navigating through the endless corridors of Yavin base I finally exit onto the landing pad. Looking around for a suitable place to meditate I feel my way, following the force. Not paying attention to where I was I finally find the place, I go onto my knees and resume my mediative position and look at where I was. From where I was seated I had a view on the base and watched the rebels mill around completing their tasks, ships taking off and landing, the alliance stopped for no one, not even at a time like this. Closing my eyes, I slip into a deep meditation. Focus on your breathing Ezra Inhale. Hold 1, 2, 3. Exhale. Hold 1, 2, 3. Inhale. Hold 1, 2, 3. Exhale. Hold 1, 2, 3. Inhale. I continued until I could no longer hear the noises of my surroundings, losing all sense of time and bearings, entering a state of utter relaxation. Perfect. I concentrate on the tug from earlier, probing it and sending questions into the force in hope for a reply. As I prod and probe I start to feel sickly, and anxious, if I were to open my eyes I fear that I would see the world spinning, trying to loosen and send my anxiousness into the force I am soon dragged into a force vision.

Random images start to flash around and dance in my mind, unsure if they are of the future or past, voices start to combine with sight. I start to hear voices "you were my brother Anakin", "I hate you!", "no I am your father" the images and voices start coming in waves, faster and faster to the point where I am no longer able to make sense of any of the information I'm receiving. Then it all sopped, everything went into an eternal darkness "help me Obi Wan Kenobi you're my only help" pierced a familiar voice. Leia? And then a searing pain rifles through my head and I can't help but scream out in pain and clutch my head as I come out of my meditation before losing consciousness.

I wake up hearing the steady beeps from an unknown source, opening my eye lids I glance around and see the dull and bland white room of the Med Centre looking down I see I'm hooked up to various devices, I've got an IV line entering my left arm, heart beat monitor attached to my left pinkie and a face mask for oxygen. Using my right arm, I clumsily search for the button to lift up my bed into a more comfortable position, finding the button nothing happens, pressing and holding down. Again, nothing happens "stupid piece of kriffing junk" I mutter to no one in particular. Sighing I give up and lay there for but a few moments before being interrupted by the door opening "ah good I see your awake Mr Bridger" says a newly revealed Med Droid. "yep... ah how long was I out for?" you were in a coma for 6 days while you were missing for 2" seemingly stating to no one as it checked my vitals on the screen nearby, "really? I need to go talk to Kanan" it walked started to walk over and seemingly glared at me "I'm afraid Mr Bridger I can't let you leave" getting up I made my way past it "I don't care I need to go" before It could reply I walk through the door and away from the medical centre heading for Kanan's room.

Knocking multiple times to find no one in his was frustrating. Pinching the bridge of my nose and sighing I head for the ghost thankful that I wasn't put into a medical gown. storming up the ramp and entering the common room I find Hera and Kanan talking, "Ezra!" they both yelled in both surprise and shock, followed by Hera giving a quick hug before mothering me "why are you here? You should be in bed! Who let you out? Why didn't" "Kanan we need to talk" I cut her off before she could ramble any more. "ok kid lets go to my room" he says getting up, as we walk out I take one final glance at Hera and see the worry in her eyes.

"Ok Ezra what is it? Does this have something to do with the incident?" he says while crossing his arms. "yes!" I almost yell "no, I. I don't know" sighing, "Kanan I had a vision, it was the last thing I remembered before waking up in the med centre." "what do you remember", "I'm not really sure, there was a lot, and a lot that merged together, it was mainly bits and pieces, past and future I think" "is there anything you remember clearly" "yeah... I saw Kenobi and Skywalker fighting on some lava planet, and I heard Leia" "Leia!" he yelped in surprise "yeah. Leia, she asked for help from Obi Wan Kenobi." I watched him raise his right and stroke his chin "Kanan I don't really know what to do, what do you think it means?" "Ezra..." he says in a deep yet sympathetic voice. "I think you should go to the Med Centre" "but" "no buts Ezra I'm sure you got the base on panic looking for you" he chuckled. Frowning but accepting I made my way back.

Turning a corner, I bump into someone, "sorry" the feminine voice said, looking down I see the worried face of Leia "oh sith, sorry Leia", looking up she gives me a teary star worthy of Grand Moff Tarkin "Ezra! You kriffing idiot!" she shouted before tackling me into a hug. A few seconds go by before I wrap my arms around her, coming out of the shock of the hug, she's not usually a touchy person. She pulled back and looked up at me and before I knew it I feel the pain from her hand connecting with my face from her slap "I. wha" I managed to stutter before she pulled me into another burying her head into the crock of my neck "you kriffing idiot, you idiot" she repeated at least 7 times, each being said quieter than the last "I was so worried about you" she whispered, feeling a wetness in the crock of my neck I pull back and rest my hands on her shoulders "Leia, what wrong?" giving her a slight smile "you! You idiot" she said while half-heartedly slapped my right arm, "I've got the medical droid saying you woke up and ran off!" she half shouted. Seeing her tears about to burst their banks I try cheering her up "I didn't know you cared about me princess" giving her a half smile. We stand in silence while she stares at me in sad contemplation for what to say, "I, I. Of course, I care about you Ezra" she states lowering her head and stares at the ground. Cupping her check with my left hand she pushes check further into my hand enjoying either the warmth or the closeness coming from my hand as I stroke her check with my thumb. "hey" I whisper, but she doesn't look up, moving my hand down to her chin I lift her head up "hey" I whisper "hey" she croakily whispers back, "Leia, I'm fine, I'm alright." I sigh "I didn't mean to worry or scare you I just had to talk to Kanan, I certainly didn't mean to upset you". Not looking away she pulls me into one final hug as her hands wrap around my neck my arms around her waist. After what seemed like forever, she pulled away and she wipes any remaining tears away and looks up with her confident Princess persona "ok let's go get you back to the medical centre" she says bearing a wide toothy smile. "yes M'lady, show me the way" I smile back, as we walk in comfortable silence she slips her hand into mine, thankful that no one was around to see it