We stashed the droids in a rented room before
seeking out one of Mos Eisley's innumberable used
speeder lots. I let Luke do the bargaining dispite his
lack of experience. The only way to learn is to do and
it was his speeder.
"Look at this." He complained displaying a handful
a coins and credit chips. "Ever since the
XP-thirty-eight came out, they just aren't in demand."
"It will be enough." I replied, hurrying him
through the dusty back alleys. My feelings told me we
were being followed, watched. Nothing to do about it
but keep moving and hope to stay a step ahead of our
pursuers.
We collected the droids and headed for docking bay
Ninety-four. Found Chewbacca waiting impatiently just
outside it. It seemed our crew had their own reasons
for being in a hurry. 
I admit I was more than a little taken aback by my
first view of the Millenium Falcon. I reminded myself
of the numerous Jedi aphorisms on the deceptive nature
of appearances and that I was looking a bit old and
battered myself these days.
Luke's reaction was forthright. "What a piece of
junk!"
Han emerged from beneath the ship glaring
defensively. "She'll make point five past lightspeed.
She may not look like much but she's got it where it
counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications
myself."
I sensed his sincerity. Of course self-deception
couldn't be entirely ruled out.
"But we're a little rushed, so if you'll get on
board we'll get out of here."
I wondered what Han and Chewbacca were running
from. Hutt trouble most likely.
We boarded seconds before a detachment of Imperial
troops stormed the docking bay. We heard the whistle
of blaster fire then Han was hurtling past us on his
way to the cockpit shouting, "Chewie, get us out of
here!"
I have experienced smoother take offs but none
faster. We'd cleared the atmosphere by the time Luke
and I'd unstrapped and joined our pilots in the
cockpit.
Unfortunately our troubles weren't over yet. A
glance at the scanners showed no less than two
Imperial Star Destroyers in hot pursuit. I would have
been flattered if I hadn't known it was the droids, or
rather the plans in Artoo they were after. Then the
situation took a turn for the worse.
"Look sharp." Han snapped to his co-pilot, "There
are two more coming in; they're going to try to cut us
off."
"Why don't you outrun them?" Luke demanded. "I
thought you said this thing was fast." The boy has a
lot to learn about diplomacy.
"Watch your mouth, kid, or you're going to find
yourself floating home!" Han snarled. I couldn't blame
him, Luke should know better than to insult a man's
ship. "We'll be safe enough once we make the jump to
hyperspace. Besides I know a few maneuvers. We'll lose
them."

I certainly hoped so. A warning shot whitened the
space outside the ports, rattling the cockpit.
"Here's where the fun begins." Han grinned
sardonically.
"How long before you can make the jump to
lightspeed?" I asked. I wasn't worried about being
blasted into particles, they'd want the droids intact,
but if we were boarded...Well, even in my prime I
couldn't have stood off an entire destroyer crew.
"It'll take a few moments to get the co-ordinates
from the nav. computer." Han answered. His words
punctuated by another shot, this time a hit at half
power.
"Are you kidding? At the rate they're gaining...!"
Luke shrilled.
I gave him a reproving look. Han was more vocal.
"Travelling through hyperspace isn't like dusting
crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly
right through a star or bounce to close to a supernova
and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"
The firing was continuous now, rocking the ship. A
light winked red on the control board.
"What's that flashing?" Luke demanded, near panic.
Han knocked his frantically pointing hand out of
the way. "We're losing deflector shield. Go strap
yourselves in. I'm going to make the jump to
lightspeed."
Of course we were right back in the cockpit the
second the shift was complete. Luke gaped fascinated
at the whiteness outside the ports as I slid into the
seat at the scanner station and recalibrated for
hyperspace. 
"Two of the Imperials are still with us." I
reported. 
"Don't worry," Han replied, lounging in his pilot's
chair. "We'll lose 'em." swivled round to give me a
calculating look. "So what'd you guys do anyway? Steal
the Imperial Treasury?"
I couldn't resist a mischievious grin. "Much
worse."
"Killed an Imperial Governor?" he guessed.
"Not recently." I admitted.
"Then what?"
I beckoned and as he leaned forward whispered in a
conspiratorial undertone. "Would you believe I'm a
Jedi Knight carrying vital information to the Rebel
leadership?"
"No" he whispered back.
I laughed. The answer I'd expected. Sometimes the
truth is much more unbelievable than any lie. 
"Come along, Luke, let's get started."
My new apprentice blinked, jarred out of his day
dreams. "Started?"
"You said you wanted to learn the ways of the
Force." I reminded him.

Han Solo: So I asked the old man what he and the
kid had done to make themselves so interesting to the
Imps. He got this twinkle in his eye, beckoned me
closer and asked if I'd believe he was a Jedi Knight
carrying secret information for the Rebels.
That's when I started to like the old guy. He might
be a crazy old desert rat but he had a sense of humor.
And one a lot like mine. That was just the kind of
smart aleck answer I'd give if somebody got snoopy.
Of course the real joke was the old man'd just told
me the exact truth. Confident I wouldn't believe a
word of it. He was right.

I steered Luke back to the main cabin trying to
decide where to start. Since we were plunging right
into the middle of a war combat skills had best come
first. Besides the sabre discipline is a good basic
exercise.
I set my student in the middle of the floor,
stepped back a pace or so facing him. "Watch me."
I demonstrated a simple draw and the basic grip.
"Hold it *so* so the blade will be at ready position
when ignited."
"Is that how you did that quick draw in the
cantina?" Luke wanted to know.
"Basics first, Luke," I chided mildly. "You must be
patient." I swear I heard Qui-Gon chuckle. Remembeing
a certain young padawan who'd gotten very tired of
those words I had trouble keeping my own face
straight. 
"Yes, sir" my student said reluctantly. Awkwardly
imitated my movements.
"Now stance." I demonstrated. Right foot foreward,
left back and at an angle, both well apart.
Luke rearranged his feet, frowning in
concentration. "Like this?"
"That's fine. Now watch *carefully*." I activated
my lightsabre. "from this stance you can attack -
defend - advance - or withdraw." I moved through
strike, block, thrust and disingage. Deactivated and
watched Luke imitate the movements with fair accuracy.
I had him repeat the exercise until he was comfortable
with draw, grip and stance.
"Now let me show you the basic drill." I reignited
my sabre and ran through the first four figures at
about half speed. Finishing with a full turn strike.
"You see?"
Luke stared at me round eyed. He swallowed. "Uh -
could you do that again, a little slower?"
"I thought that was slow." I repeated the routine
at what felt like a crawl. "Got it?"
"I think so." he said doubtfully.
"Now you try."
"Uh -"
I reminded myself Luke didn't have the years of
training and conditioning behind him that a normal
padawan had, and whose fault was that?
"Here, mirror me."
We went through the drill in unison several times
until Luke's movements smoothed out. Then I started
adding further figures and working on his speed.
"Time for a rest." I said at last.
"I'm not tired." Luke protested, eyes shining.
"But I am," I laughed, "have mercy on your elders,
son!"
He was instantly apologetic. "I'm sorry, Ben, I
wasn't thinking." taking my arm he guided me to a
seat, all solicitude for his aged instructor. "Can I
get you something? A glass of water?"
"That won't be necessary." I assured him, amused
but a little annoyed as well. I may be old but I'm not
quite decrepit! Still it was a pity to waste all that
youthful energy....
"Chewbacca," the Wookiee looked up from the holo
chess game he was playing against Artoo. "Do you have
any seeker remotes on board?"
He growled a response.
Which I interpreted for my student. "That upper
left compartment, Luke. Yes, one of those globes.
Bring it here." I adjusted the settings then tossed
the remote into the air. It hovered waiting.
"I want you to block the stinger beams with your
lightsabre blade." I instructed. 
Luke stared at me in disbelief. "That's
impossible!"
I shook my head. Anakin's son had much to unlearn.
Got up and moved back onto the floor activating my
sabre. The remote oriented itself on me, fired a quick
triple burst. My blade flickered through the air
blocking all three bolts. I deactivated and turned
back to my astounded pupil.
"All things are possible with the Force, Luke."
He closed his mouth and blinked his eyes back into
their sockets but still looked uncertain.
"If I tired old man can do it," I continued
teasingly, "so can you."
"I'll try." he said doubtfully.
"Do or do not!" I snapped, quoting Yoda, "There is
no 'try'."
He took a deep breath. "Okay then, I'll do it."
"That's the spirit." I approved, moved off the
floor.
Luke ignited his lightsabre, settled rather self
consciously into ready stance eyeing the remote warily
as it maneuvered around him.

I stood off to the side watching. Then it hit me. A
disturbance of the Force more powerful than any I'd
ever felt before. Darkness swam before my eyes. I
groped shakily back to my seat.
"Are you all right?" Luke's voice, concerned even
alarmed, reached me from a great distance. "What's
wrong?"
He hadn't felt it then. Just as well, the boy'd had
enough shocks for one day. "I felt a great disturbance
in the Force..." I answered. Struggling to put what
I'd experienced into words. "..as if millions of
voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly
silenced." I'd sensed death before, too many times.
But never on this scale. "I fear something terrible
has happened."
Luke touched my shoulder tentatively, wanting to
help but not knowing how. I made an effort to pull
myself together for the boy's sake. "You'd better get
on with your exercises."
Reluctantly he moved back to the floor, shooting me
a worried look over his shoulder.
I leaned my head on my hand, pushed away my fears.
I would know what had happened soon enough. Forget the
past and future, I told myself quoting Qui-Gon, focus
on the moment. Be mindful of the Living Force.
Han entered smugly pleased with himself for finally
losing the last of our pursuers, and more than a
little disgruntled by our lack of appreciation.
"Don't everybody thank me at once." he grumbled.
"Anyway we should be at Alderaan at about oh-two
hundred hours."
Luke successfully deflected two stinger bolts and
shot me a triumphant look. Then Chewbacca let out a
roar drawing all eyes to the gaming table.
Apparently he'd just lost a piece to Artoo and
wasn't at all happy about it. Wookiees as a rule are
not good losers. As Han was quick to point out. 
"Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a
Wookiee."
"But sir," Threepio protested. "Nobody worries
about upsetting a droid."
"That's because a droid don't pull people's arms
out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are
known to do that."
Threepio flinched. "I see your point, sir." turned
to his counterpart. "I suggest a new strategy, Artoo.
Let the Wookiee win."
The astrodroid vented a loud protest while
Chewbacca preened himself in satisfaction. I pulled my
attention back to my pupil where it belonged.
Luke caught another bolt but he ws tense,
overcontrolling. "Remember," I told him, "a Jedi can
feel the Force flowing through him."
He shot me a quick, nervous glance. "You mean it
controls your actions?" 
"Partially." I admitted. "But it also obeys your
commands." It's difficult to describe a Jedi's
relationship to the Force in a few words, or any words
for that matter. In time Luke would learn for himself
what it meant to be at one with It.
Suddenly the seeker remote feinted then lunged,
zapping Luke on the thigh.
Han laughed. "Hokey religions and ancient weapons
are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
Luke deactivated his sabre. "You don't believe in
the Force do you?" he challenged.
"Kid, I've been from one side of this Galaxy to the
other," Han drawled. "I've seen a lot of strange
stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe
there's one all-powerful force controlling
everything."
He glared at me, sensing my amusement through the
very Force he was denying. "There's no mystical energy
field that controls *my* destiny!" he concluded
defiantly. "It's all a lot of simple tricks and
nonsense."
Poor Han. He was already caught fast in the Force's
toils. Struggle as he might there'd be no avoiding his
destiny now.
I took a helmet down from the bulkhead. "I suggest
you try it again, Luke." carried it over to him and
popped it on his head. "This time let go your
conscious self and act on instinct."
His hand went automatically to the lowered visor.
"But with the blast shield down I can't even see." he
protested. "How am I supposed to fight?"
"Your eyes can decieve you." I told him. "Don't
trust them."
He reactivated his sabre, doubt hanging around him
in an almost tangible cloud. The remote maneuvered,
fired caught him on the arm.
"Owww!"
"Stretch out with your feelings!" I counselled.
And he did. I felt the Force stir, then Luke's
blade flashed up to catch the first stinger bolt a
split second before the remote fired, then a second
and third. He deactivated and pulled off the helmet to
stare at me with a mixture of disbelief and delight.
I smiled at him. "You see, you can do it."
"I call it luck." Han grumbled, impressed but
determined not to show it.
"In my experience there's no such thing as luck." I
fired back over my shoulder.
"Look," he argued, "good against remotes is one
thing. Good against the living? That's something
else."
He was quite right. It's much easier against a
living opponent with a Force presence to read. But of
course that's not what he'd meant.
A warning light flashed. "Looks like we're coming
up on Alderaan." Han and Chewbacca headed for the
cockpit.
Luke came up to me. "You know I did feel
something." he confided. "I could almost see the
remote."
"That's good." I congratulated, clapping him on the
shoulder. "You've taken your first step into a larger
world."
The ship juddered under our feet. "They're shooting
at us again!" Luke cried.
"No," I corrected, listening carefully. "sounds
like asteroids."
I'm not sure Luke heard, he was already charging up
the passage to the cockpit. I followed at a more
measured pace. There weren't any asteroid fields or
other navigational hazards in the Alderaan system. I
had a very bad feeling about this.
"Our position is correct," Han was telling Luke as
I arrived. "except...no Alderaan."
I closed my eyes. No. Oh, no.
"What do you mean?" my student demanded, "Where is
it?"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you, kid. It isn't
there. It's been totally blown away."

Death on a scale I'd never experienced before. An
entire planet. A beautiful, peaceful world with
millions of inhabitants. All gone.
"What? How?" Luke couldn't grasp it.
"Destroyed, by the Empire." I answered.
Anakin...Leia.....
Han disagreed. "The entire starfleet couldn't
destroy the whole planet." he argued. "It'd take a
thousand ships with more firepower than I've -" he was
interupted by the proximity alarm. "There's another
ship coming in."
"Maybe they know what happened." Luke suggested
hopefully.
But I'd seen enough of the scanner readout to say
with certainty. "It's an Imperial fighter."
An explosion of laser fire rocked the cockpit as
the finned, globular shape of a TIE fighter flashed
past.
"It followed us!" Luke exclaimed.
"No." I said, glancing again at the scanners. "It's
a short range fighter."
"There aren't any bases around here." Han pointed
out. "Where'd it come from?"
He was right. I made an effort to pull myself
together, to think. 
"Sure is leaving in a big hurry." Luke observed.
"If they identify us we're in big trouble."
"Not if I can help it!" Han snapped. "Chewie, jam
it's transmissions."
"It would be as well to let it go." I told him,
"It's too far out of range."
"Not for long." he answered, intent on his target.
I shook my head. No point in arguing with him.
Still...the little ship's presence troubled me. "A
fighter that size couldn't get this deep into space on
it's own."
"It must have gotten lost, been part of a convoy or
something." Luke suggested.
Well he ain't going to be around long enough to
tell anybody about us." said Han. I had to give him
full points for focus.
I was feeling decidedly blurry myself, from shock
and barely controlled grief. Aldera, the grasslands,
the university...all gone. It was unbelievable.   
"He's heading for that small moon." Luke said
pointing.
Moon? Alderaan had no moons.
"I think I can get him before he get's there." Han
was saying, "He's almost in range."
There is nothing like imminent danger for
concentrating the mind. Suddenly I *knew*. "That's no
moon! It's a space station." the station that had
destroyed Alderaan.
Han, of course, had to argue. "It's too big to be a
space station."
"I have a very bad feeling about this." Luke said
suddenly, perhaps picking up the same darkness I
sensed eminating from the thing.
"Turn the ship around!" I ordered.
"Yeah," maybe Han was feeling it too. "I think
you're right. Full reverse! Chewie, lock in the
auxillary power."
Too late. The ship shuddered as a tractor beam took
hold. The Wookiee moaned in distress.
"Chewie, lock in the auxillary power!" Han shouted,
then reached over and did it himself as his partner
stared transfixed at the station inexorably growing in
our ports.
It wasn't going to work. No matter how many
'special modifications' Han had made to her the Falcon
couldn't possibly be a match for that colossus.
"Why are we still moving towards it?" Luke
shrilled.
I was going to have to work on that boy's emotional
control. Not that he didn't have every right to be
concerned. 
"We're locked in a tractor beam." Han explained
impatiently. "They're pulling us in."
"There's got to be something you can do!"
Fortunately the full implications of Alderaan's
destruction hadn't registered on Luke yet. I only
hoped I'd be able to cope when it finally did. To lose
his father so soon after learning of his existence and
without ever seeing him....
"There's nothing I can do about it, kid. I'm at
full power. I'm going to have to shut down." Han
reached across to snap off a series of controls. Set
his jaw. "They're not getting me without a fight!"
I approved of his spirit but felt it could be put
to more practical use. "You can't win." I told him,
"but there are alternatives to fighting."
He turned to me, asked grudgingly, "What do you
have in mind?"
"Luke get the droids." I told my student. As he
left I continued to Han. "You are a smuggler aren't
you, Captain Solo? I presume you have shielded holds."
He nodded slowly. "Yeah, that could work." turned
to his co-pilot. "Set the helm on automatic, Chewie."
swung back to me and frowned. "What d'you think you're
doing?"
"Making a few alterations to your log." I replied,
tapping away at the auxillary board. "I hope you don't
have a full compliment of escape pods, Captain."
"The two I got don't work." He snorted. "We lose
the Falcon there's not much point in me and Chewie
outliving her."
"I understand." I finished my modifications and
switched them to a monitor on the captain's console. 
He arched an appreciative eyebrow. "Abandoned ship
right after launch eh? They might buy it."
"At least until they hear from Tatooine." I agreed.
And found myself exchanging a conspiratorial grin with
our captain.
I like the fellow. He reminds me of Ani, and
perhaps a little of myself back when I was young and
reckless.
We found Luke waiting with the droids in the main
corridor.
"Please, sir, what's happening?" Threepio all but
wailed at me.
"A great deal, as usual." I answered.
Han and Chewbacca lifted a floorplate revealing a
cramped cargo space. "Okay, Goldenrod, in you go."
"Sir?" the droid echoed blankly.
Han didn't bother to explain. "Chewie!"
The Wookiee picked Threepio up off his feet and
dropped him unceremoniously into the hold. 
"Ahhhh! Master Luke, help!" he wailed as he swung
up, followed by the crash as he landed and a low
moaned, "Oh dear, oh dear!"
"Now the little one." Han directed.
Artoo bleeped a bit as he was lowered into the
cargo space but characteristically made nothing like
the fuss his counterpart had.
"You next." Han said with a look that added, 'You
deal with the neurotic droid!' 
I climbed in, smiling faintly. It wasn't as if I
hadn't had plenty of practice doing exactly that.
Threepio moaned again as Han and Chewbacca lowered
the floorplate into place, plunging us in darkness.
"Threepio."
"Sir?" he whimpered.
"Quiet." I ordered.
"Yes, sir."
"In fact," I continued on a sudden inspiration. "It
would be best if you both shut down."
"Yes, sir." Threepio said, with some relief. His
yellow eye-glow went out.
Artoo bleeped assent and his sensors dimmed.
I closed my own eyes, tried to relax. Either it
would work or it wouldn't. Either way worrying about
it wouldn't change a thing.
The ship jolted as we passed through the retaining
field and into the docking bay, settled heavily to the
deck. The hatch opened and armoured feet sounded
overhead as stormtroopers conducted a cursory search.
I reached out with the Force to try and read their
reactions and touched the Dark, chill presence of a
Sith. I recoiled into myself, went passive trying to
fade into the flow of the Living Force. Felt the dark
one pass by, groping for but not finding me. 
Not Palpatine, I would have known him at once, and
he me. Another, doubtless his latest apprentice. Yet
there was something elusively familiar about him...
I heard the last of the troopers tramp overhead to
the hatch, waited a moment then stood up. The
floorplate lifted easily from below.
I looked over to see Luke and Han had also emerged.
The latter gave me a harried look. "This is
ridiculous. Even if I could take off I'd never get
past the tractor beam."
I smiled. "Leave that to me."
"Damn fool." he said without heat, hoisting himself
out of the hold. "I knew you'd say that."
"Who's the more foolish," I teased, "the fool, or
the fool who follows him?"
Chewbacca gave his opinion in an unhappy yowl.
Apparently he'd had previous experience of Imperial
hospitality. So had I, and more than shared his
apprehension. Still, there was a certain excitement,
something I hadn't felt for a long time...a long time.
Han patted his partner's head reassuringly. "It'll
be okay, pal."
I climbed out of the hold, with a little help from
Luke, moved towards the hatch in time to catch a drift
of conversation from below, warned, "A scanner crew's
coming aboard." 
Han grinned ferally. "Leave that to me, old timer."
Or rather up to Chewbacca. The Wookiee simply
picked the two men up, knocked their heads together
and dropped them unconscious to the deck as the
scanner box fell from their grasp with a reverberating
crash that made Luke jump.
"Hey down there!" Han called through the hatch.
"Could you give us a hand with this?"
The stormtroopers guarding the companionway
obediently marched in and were briskly downed by two
shots of Han's blaster. He was a fine marksman,
doubtless had had plenty of practice. 
"Now what?" A wide-eyed Luke wanted to know.
"Now you two boys join the Imperial forces." I
answered. "Get into that armor."
"Hold on a minute," Han interupted, "That wasn't
part of the deal!"
I gave him a look. "You'd rather stay here?"
He took my point. Bent to strip the armor off the
nearest stormtrooper grumbling, "The things I do for
money."
Standard issue fit Han well enough but was a bit to
large for Luke. I helped him adjust the helmet.
"There. Can you see now?"
"Kinda." He said dubiously.
It would have to do. "Chewbacca, lift the droids
out please."
"Aww, couldn't we leave them here?" Han complained
as his partner complied.
"No." I answered briefly, bending to rap on
Threepio's bronzed skull and Artoo's dome. Best to
stay together, with a Sith aboard anything could
happen. We might have to abandon the Falcon and steal
an Imperial transport. 
"Are we safe?" Threepio asked upon resuming
consciousness.
"For the moment." I told him. "We're aboard the
Imperial station."
"Oh no!"
The usually phlegmatic Artoo emitted a stream of
agitated bleeps and whistles. I don't understand him
as well as Ani does, but I got the gist.
"Yes I know, Artoo, I'm working on it."
"What do we do now?" Luke asked.
"Head for the gantry office." I replied. "We should
be able to get the technical information we need
there."
"Right." Han agreed. "Chewie and me'll handle the
Imps. Kid, stay here and play sentry. We don't want
them getting suspicious."
Luke looked to me and I nodded confirmation. 
"Let's go." Han headed down the ramp with his
partner at his heels. I followed with the droids.
An open lift took us up to gantry level. "Threepio,
stay close to Artoo." I instructed. "Try and keep him
out of trouble."
The protocol droid sniffed. "That, sir, is beyond
the power of mere gears and circuits! But I will do my
best."
I supressed a grin as Artoo whistled an indignant
retort.
The second the gate opened Han and Chewbacca were
charging down the passage to the office. By the time
the droids and I caught up they'd disposed of both
gantry officers.
Luke arrived a few seconds later, pressed the door
control, pulled off his helmet and snapped, "You know,
between his howling and your blasting everything in
sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know
we're here!"
"Bring 'em on!" Han flared back, "I prefer a
straight fight to all this sneaking around."
I understood his point of view, I'd preferred
action to stealth myself at his age, but a 'straight
fight' under these circumstances was to say the least
inadvisable.
"We found the computer outlet, sir,." Threepio
piped.
"Plug in." I ordered. "He should be able to
interpret the entire Imperial network." Artoo is *not*
your average astro-droid.
He obeyed and in a few moments found the
information I needed and put it on monitor.
"The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in
seven locations." Threepio said, interpreting for
Artoo, "A power loss at any one of the terminals will
allow the ship to leave."
I located the nearest terminal, memorized the route
to it, and came to a decision. "I don't think you boys
can help, I must go alone."
"Whatever you say." Han replied, sprawling into a
chair. "I've done more than I bargained for on this
trip already." 
So he had. And I was going to have to think of some
way to pay his fee. Maybe we could raid the Imperial
treasury...If nothing else I would enjoy watching his
face when I suggested it.
Luke trailed me to the door. "I want to go with
you."
"Be patient, Luke" I soothed, sounding more than
ever like Qui-Gon. "Stay here and watch over the
droids." 
"But he can -" the boy began.
I cut him off. "They must be delivered safely or
other star systems will suffer Alderaan's fate."
Though how we were going to get in touch with the
Rebels now our only contact was gone...I dismissed the
thought. Focus on the moment.
I sensed the possibility this parting might be for
good. If that happened I prayed the Force would guide
and protect him for he'd have no other ally. I put a
hand on his shoulder. "Your destiny lies along a
different path from mine." and as I said it, I knew it
for truth. Luke must not come with me.
 
The door opened. I glanced aside checking the
corridor then turned back to my student. "The Force
will be with you," I promised, "always." 
And with Its help so would I.

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