Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts: Chapter Five

Leia Organa-Solo stands off to the side, dressed in her usual flowing white robes, watching calmly as her husband works off his frustration. Han Solo is pacing in front of Luke’s desk, an angry scowl clouding his face, contorting his features subtly out of shape.

Of more interest to her is the stillness between Luke and Mara. A strained tension which hums in the room like an exposed power conduit.

Mara notices her stare and Leia quirks an eyebrow at her, her eyes flickering to Luke for a second. An implied question. Mara gives her head a brief shake, sadness flashing over her features for a moment before her face once more settles into the stillness of a Jedi Master.

Han stops pacing, deciding instead to confront the problem he came here for head on. Han slaps his hand on the desk in front of Luke and says, “He’s interning people, Luke. It’s something the Empire did. Shoving folks into jail just because of what planet they’re from. He killed someone while interrogating her.”

Luke shrugs, the only hint of emotion on his face except a slight gathering of his eyebrows. “I don’t know what you expect me to do Han. He’s performing his duties as leader of the Guard.”

Han gives his head a shake of frustration. “I want you to fix it. He’s a Jedi and you’re the head of the Order.”

“My hands are tied here.”

“Don’t you get it? He killed someone while interrogating her. Just like Vader’s troops did to your aunt and uncle.”

Luke sucks in a breath of air, and Leia knows that Han just hit a sore spot. Luke stands up, placing his fist on his desk and leans towards Han. A gesture Leia has seen him use to intimidate Jedi trainees in the past.

“There is nothing we can do here Han. Let it drop.”

Of course Han doesn’t intimidate easily. “This is because he’s training Ben isn’t it.”

Leia shakes her head, putting her hand over her eyes hoping that her husband doesn't say something to fully fracture his friendship with her brother. Han just continues talking. “You’re so worried over making sure Ben knows how to use the Force that you refuse to do what’s right and smack down Jacen for his misbehaving. But tell me this Luke, just what is my son teaching yours these days?”

Without another word, Han turns and storms out of the room. Leia watches him leave, and then turns back towards Luke and Mara, noticing Luke settle into his seat with a sigh. He looks up and sees his sister still standing there.

“What’s your opinion on this, Leia?”

Leia hesitates. She knows what he’s asking. What he is wondering. The question is deeper, more important, than just what she thinks of Jacen’s recent actions. It is a fundamental question of where she stands, on who she stands with.

Luke or Han.

She knows siding with Han now may be damaging to her career as a Jedi. It will hurt her relationship with Luke, Mara, Jacen and probably even Jaina.

But ultimately she knows that Han is right. Jacen is powerful, dangerous, willing to kill and getting more and more out of control with every day that passes.

Knowing that no matter how it may shatter her family, she has to do what she believes is right.

“I think Han’s right. You need to deal with Jacen, before he turns.”

Then she turns and starts to walks away pausing at the door. She stands there for a moment, her back to her brother, her hand over the door release. She bows her head, her heart breaking with what she is about to admit. “If it’s not too late already.”

Then she steps through the doorway, following Han’s path out of the office area. She catches up to Han as he is leaving the Temple, she grabs his hand, and they begin to walk calmly through the landscaped grounds around which are setup around the training facility on Ossus, finally happening upon an open field were the students will do martial arts training.

They step out onto the field, and notice a pair of girls, performing an intricate series of katas with long Gaderfii. The pair’s blonde hair spins around their respective body, each of them dressed in the loose robes of a Jedi, neither wearing shoes, though Leia does see a pair off to the side, out of the way.

She nudges Han. “That’s Tahiri.”

Han grunts slightly. “She’s grown.”

Leia looks at him from the corner of her eye, and sees his trademark grin flicker across his face. Finally with dual thuds, the performance ends, and Leia looks forward to see both of them in matching poses, the club end of the Gaffi Stick embedded in the ground.

Tahiri looks up at them, a wide grin splitting her face. She touches the younger girl’s shoulder, and starts forward. They stop a short distance from them, and Leia can’t help but look back and forth between the two of them.

A blush flickers to life on Tahiri’s face, as she glances at the younger girl. “Leia? Is there something wrong?”

Han ignores the exchange and goes forward and wraps his arms around Tahiri giving her a tight hug. He lets her go, as Leia steps forward for a hug.

Leia releases her, and shakes her head slightly. “No, nothing is wrong. It’s just that you two could be sisters.”

Startled, Tahiri glances over at the younger girl. “Oh. I guess you’re right, we do look a lot alike. Han, Leia, this is my apprentice, Noelani Darklighter. Noelani these are Anakin’s parents, Han and Leia Solo.”

Noelani bows to them, and Leia lifts an eyebrow. “A pleasure to meet you, Noelani. Darklighter? Are you related to Gavin?”

Noelani grins. “He’s my cousin. Well not really, I’m adopted. Gavin’s uncle, Huff, is my father. I grew up on Tatooine just like Tahiri, though I wasn’t raised by the Tuskens.”

Leia notices Tahiri raising her hand gently, and laughs, recognizing the gesture as one which Tionne would give Tahiri when Tahiri was a student on Yavin IV.

Noelani tilts her head, a blush cropping up on her cheeks. “Sorry.”

Tahiri smiles indulgently at her apprentice. “It’s perfectly fine, Noelani.”

Han barks a laugh. “Turn about’s fair play, eh kid?”

Leia and Tahiri both glower at Han, while Noelani gives him a confused look. “I don’t understand Mr. Solo?”

Han smiles lopsidedly. “Call me Han, kid. As for what I’m talking about, your Master here used to talk more than you do. You could barely get a word in edgewise. You know that little hand gesture she gave you, you ought to ask her how many times she got it when she was your age.”

Noelani turns her wide-eyes onto Tahiri, while Leia turns on Han. “That’s not helping Tahiri keep the respect of her apprentice.”

Han laughs again, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Ah, the kid’s crazy about her Master. Besides, what’s Luke going to do to me? Exile me to Dagobah?”

Before Leia can open her mouth to chastise him further, both hers and Tahiri’s comlinks begin to chirp. Leia pulls hers out, reading the message on it, and sighs. “We got a mission.”

Tahiri nods her head. “Us too. Come on Nelani, grab your shoes and let’s get to the meeting room.