Chapter 4:

Universe 2 – 0 BBY

Leia Skywalker yawned as she followed Kenobi and Malcolm to a corner booth in the Mos Eisley cantina. They had wasted too much time already. First, she fought with the bartender who demanded that the droids leave the cantina. Then, Kenobi took forever to find a decent spaceship pilot. Finally, Malcolm almost lost his fingers when he insulted the nice Wookie who offered to help. Leia almost cheered the Wookie on, but she decided the situation was tense enough.

The threesome stopped at a corner booth where the Wookie sat with a handsome man. Leia adored his high cheekbones and bronze hair. His hazel eyes flickered between them before landing on her.

"Sweet. Chewie didn't mention one of our potential passengers was such a beauty."

Leia raised her eyebrows. She doubted that she was that beautiful with her home-cut, sand-covered hair and her hunching shoulders. "Is that cringy, unimaginative line the best you can come up with?"

The man laughed. "Give me some time and I'll fine something that leaves you breathless, sweetheart."

"Mr. Solo," Kenobi interrupted. "Chewbacca here said you had a ship that can take us to Alderaan."

Back and forth they went, discussing the arrangement. Leia soon learned that his first name was Han. Such a simple, boring name.

Unlike his name, he was an interesting fellow. He gasped in mock annoyance when he discovered that neither Leia nor Kenobi heard of his ship, a Millennium Falcon, before.

He gave a thrilled grin when Malcolm mentioned, "My friend, Tank, told me about it when he was dealing with some smugglers. Apparently, it completed a smuggling route in less amount of distance than usual."

"Twelve parsecs to be exact!" Solo raised his glass towards Malcolm. "Glad the kid knows his ships."

"You talked to Tank?" Leia asked Malcolm. He was one of her childhood friends who left Tatooine to join the Imperial Army a few years prior. She had not heard from him since.

Malcolm nodded. "We holo-chat a few times."

Leia frowned. Why did Tank not contact her? Sure, she complained about the Empire often, and had yelled at him before he left about joining a group that massacred millions. Even before today, Leia had hated the Empire from the stories she heard about its leaders' use of force to control and surveil their enemies. But Leia had told Tank before he left that she wanted to stay friends and that she understood his need to leave the planet. Maybe, he decided that it was better to stay away because Uncle Owen horded their communicator and never liked the boy.

"Leia?" Malcolm asked tentatively.

Leia's eyes widened when she noticed that all the men and the Wookie were looking at her now. "What?"

"I agreed to fly you all for a whooping 17,000 credits," Solo shared, his eyes beaming.

Oh, she must have missed the negotiating. "Great." Leia nodded. "Should we head to your ship?"

"As I said before, I got some business to do." Solo sighed, his voice became cold. "I'll meet you three by the ship. Don't be late."

What was he scared about? That had to be fear that she was feeling. Leia almost tripped when she realized why as she walked past a group of customers fighting over a glass of whiskey. He was a criminal. Just like all the people within this bar.

Maybe he worked for a Hutt. Leia shivered at the thought. One day, while she was shopping in Anchorhead with Aunt Beru, they notice a big green slug argue loudly with a short man before widening his jaw and swallowing the man whole. She later learned that huge slug was a Hutt and that Hutts where a type of gastropods that liked to keep slaves and controlled the criminal underworld in Tatooine and other Outer-Rim planets.

Once they reached the droids outside the cantina, Threepio chattered enthusiastically. "Thank goodness. I thought we were going to become scrap mental. I'm ready to get out of this rotten place." He went on and on about the problems he and R2 experienced while they were in the cantina. Like the woman who tried to pour excess oil over them and the children who turned Threepio into a musical prop.

"I'm sorry the bartender was so rude," Leia said when Threepio finished blabbering, right as they reached a large spaceship. Solo's ship looked like two round saucers glued together and looked as old as her family's moisture vaporator. "He should never have forced you two to leave."

"Don't worry, Mistress Leia. We were glad to leave that disgusting place. It would have ruined my golden covering."

Leia nodded, still feeling guilty. She should have stayed outside with the droids. She was useless in the cantina, thinking more about past friendships than helping Kenobi negotiate for a fair price with the probable Hutt employee.

They waited for several minutes for Solo to return. As Kenobi and Malcom chattered about something, Leia thought about her last real conversation with Aunt Beru. It was not the one she had the night before when she argued with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru about the proposal and her desire to leave Tatooine. No, it was several hours before she bought the droids, right when Leia was fixing their broken vaporator.

As Leia fiddled with various wires, her elbow leaning against the vaporator's door, Aunt Beru had asked Leia about her latest exploration.

"Nothing much," Leia had said angrily. "I just wandered around the sand aimlessly. Don't worry, there were no run-ins Tuskan Raiders. Just boring because all my friends are gone."

"I know you miss them." Aunt Beru had given a half-smile. "But you're not alone, you have me, and you Uncle and I heard your childhood friend, Wormie, is still around."

"We're not friends anymore." Leia had sighed before noticing that one of the wires had loosened. "Can you help me hold this red wire in? It refuses to stay put."

As Aunt Beru helped, she had said, "Your uncle is planning to get more droids. Maybe you should be the one to fix them up."

"I'll like that." Leia had grinned eagerly. "I'm ready for any new project. Especially one where I can get my hands dirty."

Her aunt might have known about Malcolm and Uncle's plan for marriage, but she had focused on giving Leia something new she enjoyed doing. Aunt Beru had known exactly what to say and do when Leia was upset. Who did she have now? No one.

"We need to go!" Malcolm's voice brought Leia back to the present.

Solo was running towards them, with the Wookie at his heels. Kenobi was pushing off some Stormtroopers who had arrived while Leia was reminiscing about the past.

"What happened?" Leia asked right as Solo and the Wookie reached them.

"You didn't notice? What's going on with you today?" Malcolm sounded exasperated.

"My family just died," Leia snapped. "I can't act all happy and content like you. I guess your parents didn't matter to you much."

Malcolm's face tensed into a scowl. "Just get on the ship."

Solo had opened the ship's door and had brought down its ramp as they talked. They raced up the ramp and into the ship. She turned to find Kenobi following them up the ramp while throwing some of the Stormtroopers into the air.

The next few minutes was a mass of frantic panic as Solo and the Wookie jumpstarted the engine and the ship flew into the air. From the window, Leia could see Stormtroopers shooting at the Millennium Falcon. Despite several bullets clanking underneath the ship, the ship stayed together. Soon, they were in outer space.

It was beautiful. All bright stars, colorful planets, and black, endless space. Everything Leia ever wanted to see. If only, Aunt Beru could be with her now.

After sleeping in one of the ship's cramp rooms, Leia decided to talk to Kenobi about learning to use the Force. Now that she was well-rested, Leia was prepared to badger Kenobi until he relented.

As Leia walked through a narrow hallway, she gazed in appreciation at the many pieces of metal that were expertly molded together. If that was any indication, Solo did a good job at keeping this old ship stable.

For a moment, Leia imagined becoming his ship-hand and having the opportunity to work alongside him with renovating the ship. It would be fun to spend the rest of her days flying through space while still getting the chance to use her mechanical skills.

But that was not for her. Not with a man who so openly worked for some sort of criminal. Leia had too many bad memories of witnessing Hutts, bounty hunters and slavers attack children and other people in Tatooine. She hated how she did nothing to help them, choosing to leave and follow her Aunt and Uncle back home to safety. She was just as guilty as the criminals. But maybe, with the Force, she would never have to remain a bystander ever again. She would have a way to fight.

When she reached the cockpit, Leia found R-2 and the Wookie playing a game while Threepio complained and Solo sat in the captain's seat.

"Sleep well, gorgeous?" Solo asked, swinging his seat to face her, with his arm and hands under his head.

"Well enough, criminal," Leia replied. "How much longer until we reach Alderaan?"

"Couple of hours, give or take." Solo smiled. "If you want to, we could enjoy some fun, private time together."

"I'll pass," Leia said shortly. "Have you seen Kenobi? I was hoping to find him here."

Solo shrugged, bemused. "You're hot for old men? I would never guess."

Leia scowled. "No. He's a family friend."

"It's fine if you are. I'm cool with it." Solo smirked. "He is quite good-looking for his age."

"Leave you're fantasies to your own mind." He was so infuriating. "Anyways, I'm not the one who works for a Hutt. I think that trumps any rumored interest in far older men."

"So, you do like him?" Apparently, Solo had a one-track mind.

"No! Just, shut up. Where is Kenobi staying? And before you asked, I want to see him so we can train. Not to live up to your naughty fantasies."

Solo stayed silent.

"Well. Where is he?"

Solo remained silent for several more moments before laughing. "I thought you wanted me to shut up."

"Never mind. I'll find him myself." Leia stomped away. How hard could it be to find him?

"He's in the second hanger." Solo called out. "Third room to the right."

He was likely lying, but she would try out his directions anyways. Just in case.

Despite her doubts, Leia did find Kenobi in the room Solo directed her to. She walked in to find Kenobi's shoulders hunched over and his legs situated in a pretzel-like shape.

"What you doing?" Leia asked harshly. "You could ruin your back sitting like this." Aunt Beru had told her about the horrors of slouched shoulders.

Kenobi opened his eyes slowly and beckoned her to sit alongside him. After she did, Kenobi said, "It's called meditation."

"Oh." Leia sighed. She waited for Kenobi to reply, but he continued to gaze at her for what felt like forever. Typical hermit, always forcing her to talk first.

"So, I want to learn how to use the Force," Leia said quickly. "I know you have you doubts and all, but I don't want to learn simply for myself. I want to learn to be able to fight the Empire and defend people harmed by it like my family was."

Kenobi nodded. "I see. There's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. And you're right. You might need to use the Force in the coming days."

"So, you'll teach me." Leia felt hopeful for the first time all day.

"Leia. I…" Kenobi paused. "I'll teach you slowly. I still have my reservations, but I do think it is important for you to understand how to use it properly."

"What should we do first? Lift some tools, splatter some grub? Oh, fling Solo up and down the hallway!"

Kenobi smiled and shook his head. "With mediation."

"What? How does that involve flying things around?"

Instead of answering, Kenobi said a stern monologue, "I can feel a wide-range of emotions coming of you in the Force. Anger, fear, sadness, apprehension. Meditation will help you understand those emotions within yourself. Hopefully, with understanding, I can hope that you would be able to free yourself from all the emotions. Freeing yourself from emotion is the first step to safely wielding the Force."

"Just say what you mean. That is a load of womp rat shit."

Kenobi stared and remain completely serene. How did he stay so emotionless? Oh right, with something called meditation.

"Fine." Leia said after thinking it over. If this was what she needed to do to convince Kenobi to teach her about the Force, then she shall. "What do you need to do?"

Kenobi guided her through the process. Soon, she mimicked Kenobi's sitting position. It was extremely uncomfortable; she could feel her warm socks sweat up her calves. "Can't we just do this on a chair?" Leia complained.

"No. To mediate, one must be sitting with their body at peace."

"Or one with the floor." Leia joked.

Kenobi gave a gruff laugh. "Yes. One must be settled on the floor to better feel the Force beneath them."

Leia then followed Kenobi's directions to close her eyes and concentrate on a single word. Leia selected the word 'freedom.' Someday she will achieve that dream; freedom to make her own choices and to live her life without someone else interfering.

Leia tried to concentrate on the word. Freedom, freedom, freedom. But her mind soon drifted as she remembered everyday meals with her family and …

Freedom. Was she free right now? She was following Kenobi's directions to focus on only one word and, in that way, he was trying to control what she thought about. That was not a state of freedom.

"Leia." Kenobi's soft voice interrupted her thoughts. "I can feel your apprehension and anger rushing off you. You need to let those emotions go and continue focusing on the word."

"I can't." Leia shot upwards. "This isn't working. Can't they're be another way to teach me the Force? Like actually using it."

"Leia, to use the Force is to calm one's emotions." Kenobi placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "Let's try this again, but in a different way. Ok?"

Leia nodded and sat back down in the proper position. She would give him one more chance before she gave up. She could figure out the Force by herself if meditation failed.

"Close your eyes and listen to the world around you. Take in what you hear and smell." Hmm, Kenobi's annoying voice and the smells of sweat and sand. "Now listen to your own feelings and accept them." Annoyance. She already accepted that feeling. "Reach out to the energy surrounding you, do you recognize it?"

"What do you mean by energy? There's nothing there." Leia snapped and opened her eyes.

Instead of answering, Kenobi closed his eyes and she felt something trying to slam against her. There was nothing near her. Was that the energy she was supposed to feel?

Kenobi's eyes widened in realization. "Your walls. They're remarkably strong."

"What?" Couldn't he say what he means, just for once?

Kenobi explained. "All Force sensitive people build shields to protect themselves from invasion from other Force users. Usually, it takes years of practice to make someone's shields difficult to penetrate. Even you're father, one of the strongest and most powerful Jedi, had trouble keeping his walls up."

"What do the shields protect me from?" Now she was more curious than annoyed.

"After training, you should be able to connect to another's memories and talk to other Force sensitive individuals through the mind. The shields prevent the Sith or other enemies strong in the Force from invading your mind."

"Nice! So if I meet a Sith, I won't have to worry about them reading my mind?"

"Not entirely true. They could still read your mind, but you're more naturally protected from sharing information that you do not want someone to learn."

After an hour of silent mediation (well mostly silent. Leia had many questions), Leia and Kenobi decided to check on the rest of the group.

They found Malcolm and Solo talking amicably. R-2 and the Wookie were still playing the same game.

This time Threepio was rambling off facts about the game. "Dejarik was created base on some long-forgotten game called chess. Ghhhk are great because they can heal a team-piece next to it and Ng'ok can attack other pieces more than once."

"Stop yammering, Golden Rod." Solo snapped. "Nobody wants to hear you talk."

"Go to another room if he bothers you so much." Leia yelled at Solo. "He can talk if he wants to."

Solo smirked and walked towards Leia and Kenobi. "You too have fun?"

"We did some meditation, Captain Solo. Are we nearing Alderaan?"

"Ah, a few more minutes. Soon we should be seeing cloudy skies and mountains. How soon 'til I get the rest of my credits?"

"Soon after we arrive." Kenobi said shortly before standing beside Malcolm by the window.

Leia took a passenger's chair near Threepio. She preferred to limit her interactions with Malcolm. Unfortunately, the man who was slowly become another bane of her existence decided to take the chair across from her.

"So, what's the deal between you and the kid?" Solo asked. "You seem to hate him."

Leia sighed. "I just can't stand Wormie right now."

"Wormie, where did you get that name from?"

"When we were kids, he used to make worm sandwiches mixed with peanut butter and give them to kids he disliked."

Solo laughed. "Where you one of them?"

"No. We were friends back then. We usually made themselves and gave them to the most obnoxious group of girls."

"What changed?"

"He's a coward who rather save his own hide." Leia looked away from Solo's curious face. "I don't feel like talking about him anymore."

Solo nodded. "I get that. What I learned is that it's better to save yourself than count on others. They'll always disappoint you in the end." The Wookie howled. "Well, except for a good friend like Chewie."

"Chewie," Leia smiled at the Wookie who rumbled in greeting. "Cute name."

Solo raised his eyebrows. "Cute. It's not meant to be cute. He's no house-pet. He's a …"

"I didn't say that to belittle you. I think it's a perfect nickname. Really unique."

Solo snorted. "Just playing with you, girlie. Call him cute all you want."

"Oh, I will." Leia laughed. Maybe, he was not so bad.

Solo turned to answer something Chewie growled. As the two friends talked, Leia gazed towards the window where Kenobi and Malcolm were now looking frantic.

Malcolm called out to Solo. "Han. Can you help us out? We reached a meteor shower."

"Be right there. Come on, Chewie." Solo joined them at the window while Chewie sat at the co-pilot seat.

Chewie hollered something and Solo shoot his head in confusion. "We should be at Alderaan right now."

Kenobi said sadly. "I felt a disturbance in the Force earlier. I hoped it wasn't something this terrible."

"What happened?" Leia asked. Her voice echoed in the momentarily silent room.

"Alderaan was destroyed."

"How is that possible?" Either Malcolm or Solo asked.

Leia walked towards the window to see meteors flying in every direction. She asked a more practical question. "What do we do with the plans then?"

Kenobi shook his head. For once, he did not have an answer.

It turned out that did not matter at the moment. The ship moved on its own towards a large moon-shaped spaceship. Soon they were all unwilling passengers to a likely Empire-controlled spaceship.

Leia felt her heart thumping as she sat in one of Solo's hidden compartments. Her shoulders started shaking. She needed to escape.

Between the sounds of footsteps above them and sitting alone in the darkness with Malcolm, Leia felt more alone than ever before. If only Aunt Beru could be with her right now, telling her to relax, that this will all be over soon.

Meditate. Kenobi's voice spoke in her head. She recognized his calm, optimistic tone. How could he feel so relax? Close your eyes. Feel the air around you.

That's not going to work.

Try.

Fine. I'll try.

She closed her eyes. This really wasn't going to work. Her mind stayed in the here and now. Her shaking grew worse as all she felt was coldness and Malcolm staring at her. Her shoulders banged against frigid metal. The footsteps from above grew louder, and the wall banged against her forehead.

After several minutes of serve failure, she decided to open her eyes. Once she did, she gasped. Blue and yellow sand flutter in front of her. She reached out and the sand suddenly banged over her face, burning her eyes. It was like she was in the middle of a sandstorm, with herself drifting into pieces of blue and yellow sand.

She walked through and was surprised to see the older woman from her dreams.

The woman's brown eyes widened, looking at her sternly, and very entitled to boss Leia around like she was her own child.

"What? What do you want?" Leia shouted. "Why are you haunting me?"

A doorway flickered in existence behind the woman who continued to stare at Leia. The woman's stern eyes also appearing so lost and sad. A jolt of realization banged against the forefront of Leia's rattled mind. The woman's brown eyes were just like hers. "Are you my mother? Is the boy in my dreams, my brother?"

"Luke." The woman said softly.

"Luke?" Leia stared at her. "I thought his name was Brian- no, not that, - something with a B."

The woman smiled. "Ben, that is my son's name."

Leia nodded. "And I'm…" Before she could finish, the sand pushed her away into the doorway.

The last thing she heard was the woman shouting, "I'm also Leia. You're…"