"Let me see that arm." Ani said suddenly as we walked away from the
tactical room trailed by his two wingmen.

   "It's all right." I answered. "Just a surface burn. Her Highness dressed
it for me."

   Anakin pivoted to block my path and stopped me in my tracks with two
heavy hands on my shoulders. "Let me see."

   I could have put up a fight of course, but that wouldn't have been very
dignified - or edifying for the two young Jedi watching. "Very well."

   He removed the sling Leia had insisted I wear and rolled back two
thicknesses of sleeve. The burn itself was of course invisible beneath the
hardened med-dressing.

   "You see? Princess Leia is very competent." Like her mother.

   Ani didn't answer. Placed one large hand over the wound and closed his
eyes.

   "Anakin!" my protest was seconds too late. A quick surge of the Force and
he was peeling the dressing off my newly healed arm. "That was completely
unecessary." I scolded. Ani'd *always* been a little too prodigal with his
powers.

   "At least I can do that much." he returned briefly.

   Then I saw it. Stupid of me, I should have realized he'd find the
difference between the Obi-Wan Kenobi he'd known twenty years ago and my
present self - disturbing.

   "I'm old, Ani," I told him gently, "that's all. As old as Master was."
Exactly the wrong thing to say. Damn Yoda's prophecies! "The Emperor killed
Qui-Gon." I reminded him sharply as his face tightened. "And I'm just as
much to blame as you for putting our Master at risk." continued. "And unless
your sabrework has improved spectacularly, you're no threat to me!"

   That wrung a smile out of him. His swordmanship, like my piloting, was an
old joke between us.

   I veered quickly to the subject that had been troubling me. "I apologize
for Luke's lack of training. I put off begining it far too long."

   Ani seemed a little startled. Either he hadn't noticed, or hadn't cared.
"I'm sure you had a good reason." he said as we resumed walking.

   I sighed. "I don't know how good it was. Owen was amenable enough at
first but as he became attached to the boy he started resisting the idea.
Then after your mother died he ordered me in so many words to never come
near Luke again."

   "Or he'd sell you to the Hutts."

   We turned as one to see Luke standing in a doorway.

   "I heard you fighting." he explained to me. "I didn't think anything of
it then - people say stuff like that all the time at home; 'I'd sell you to
the Hutts if they'd give me more than a crummy dekicredit.' that kind of
thing. But he was serious wasn't he?"

   "I don't know." I said quietly. To Anakin. "I couldn't take the chance -
Jabba would have given me to the Emperor and the first thing Palpatine'd ask
himself was why Tatooine and start digging for the answer."

   "After he killed you - if you were lucky." Anakin was visibly shaken. "I
can't believe Owen would do something like that."

   "I'm not sure he would have." I said. "He had the Kenobi temper you know
- would say all kinds of things he didn't mean if he were angry enough."
turned back to Luke. "But he loved you like you were his own son - he'd have
done anything to protect you. Maybe even betray me."

   "Why'd he hate you so?" Luke asked bewildered.

   "He didn't hate me." I answered automatically - and recognized it as the
truth. Not me but what I'd become, and the Jedi for doing it.

   "Owen was my brother, Luke." his eyes widened in shock. I continued
explaining my new, if belated, insight. "Years ago the Jedi took me away,
turned me into a man he couldn't understand with priorities that made no
sense to him. He was afraid of losing you the same way. And terribly afraid
of what could happen to you if you joined your father's war against the
Emperor."

   "But I want to help." he protested. "That's why I'm here. They were
saying in quarters that they've got more ships than pilots, I want to
volunteer."

    Ani folded his arms into the sleeves of his robe and looked thoughtfully
down at his son. "Why?"

   Luke blinked at the unexpected response - struggled to find an answer.
"For Leia." he said at last. "The Empire destroyed her world, tortured her,
were going to kill her -"

   "For revenge then?" Anakin cut in sharply.

   "Maybe a little." Luke gulped, then firmly. "But mostly so nothing like
Alderaan can ever happen again."

   After a long, searching look Anakin nodded. "Good enough." turned to the
young Jedi at his shoulder. "Jazpar, I want you to run Luke through the
combat simulator."

   "I can do it." his son said confidently. "Ben'll tell you how good I am
in a T-16 and these snubfighters of yours aren't much different."

    Ani visibly fought back a grin. "I don't doubt you but Dodonna will want
proof you won't just cost us a ship."

   "Reminds me of a cocky young Padawan I used to know." I murmured as the
two youngsters trotted away.

    Anakin laughted out loud. "Me too. He *is* as good as he says he is?"

   "Oh yes, he's his father's son."

   "I've noticed." his face clouded over. "I'm going to want a word with
Owen though. From what you've said he might do anything when he realizes
Luke's gone -"

   "Owen's dead, Ani." I interupted. "And Beru. Murdered by stormtroopers
looking for the droids."

    His eyes closed - tightly. "I'm sorry. I wish I'd known him better."

    "So do I." I said sadly. Got myself back in hand. No time for grief, not
yet. "Another thing, Ani, Palpatine's latest Apprentice is aboard the Death
Star."

   A Sithlord is never good news but his reaction was stronger than I'd
expected.

   "You saw him?"

   "We fought." I made a face, "I'm rusty. Too old and too slow. Fortunately
he was worse."

   Another tight smile. "He had a poor swordmaster. You didn't recognize
him?"

   I shook my head. "No, I thought I sensed something familiar but -"

   "It's Seig." he interupted bluntly.

   No. Oh no, poor Ani. I had trained two apprentices, and seen both die.
But they were not lost. They'd become one with the Force, when I touched it
I touched them. Anakin had suffered a true loss - the worst that can befall
a Master - to the Dark Side.

   "I was a fool," he was saying savagely, "if anybody should have known the
signs it's me -"

   "Are you so much wiser than our Master?" I snapped. That stopped him.
"Being the Chosen One doesn't make you omniscient, Ani." I continued more
temperately. "The Dark Side is hard to see - for all of us." even more
gently. "I'm sorry, I know how hard it must be." only too well. I'd never
forget the terrible moment when Qui-Gon and I thought we'd lost Anakin.

   "I hope you don't." he said. Took a breath, "I need to talk to Willard."
turned to his Padawan. "Try to see he gets some rest, Ken-Jin." And then he
was off, striding down the hall to the hangers, leaving me alone with my
son.

   I stood looking at him, unable to think of a thing to say.

  It had seemed right to leave him behind twenty years ago. Luke had to be
my main concern which was scarcely fair to my son. And I'd hoped Ken-Jin
would be able to comfort Amidala for the loss of her own children - and
Sabe.

   He was the image of her. The same slim oval face and fine features and
her dark eyes looking gravely back at me.

   "You're very like your mother." I managed at last.

   He smiled. "That's funny. Master's always saying I'm exactly like you."

   Master. He meant Ani. "Exactly how does he mean that?"

   The smile broadened into a grin. "It's not always a compliment." he
admitted.

   I'd bet it wasn't - and felt a smile tug at my own mouth.

   Gently. "Father, I do understand. Taking me to Tatooine would have been
dangerous, a distraction for you."

   I relaxed a little. Comforted by his acceptance. Unlike Owen my son was a
Jedi too, he knew for us duty must come before family - and why.

   "It was not an easy decision, I promise you." I replied.
The hardest of all the hard things I've had to do in my life.

   Suddenly I realized I had yet to hear Luke call Ani 'father'. Ken-Jin
could forgive me for leaving him. But would Luke forgive his father for
sending him away?

   I told Ken-Jin I'd slept on the Falcon and didn't need further rest. My
son gave me his mother's gentle, disbelieving smile but didn't argue. He
showed me the way to the training room. We were waiting outside when Luke
and Jazpar emerged.

   "I got killed twice." my student admitted ruefully. "But Jazpar says
that's not bad."

   "It's extrordinarily good." the young Jedi corrected. "Considering I was
throwing the entire Star Fleet at you. I doubt even Master could do better.
The final decision is General Dodonna's but I'd say you're in."

   Luke grinned relieved. A warning note echoed down the hallway.

   "Flight briefing." Ken-Jin said.


   We entered a long, low ceilinged room crowded with orange suited pilots,
white uniformed ground crewmen and numerous astro-droids, including our own
Artoo Detoo with Threepio beside him as usual.  Luke and I found seats on
the benches while Jazpar and Ken-Jin continued forward to join Anakin,
standing off to the side with Leia.

   Dodonna took his place on a small stage up front, backdropped by the all
to familiar Death Star schematics. I saw Han and Chewbacca slip in quietly
just as the general began.

   "We have analyzed our new information and with the help of General Kenobi
formulated an attack strategy." he bowed in my direction.

   All eyes turned the same way and every face registered disbelief. I did
my best to look grave and dignified as illusions shattered audibly around
me.

   "Please direct your attention to the screen." Dodonna ordered. And
proceeded to briskly outline the problem. "The battle station is heavily
shielded and carries a firepower greater than that of half the Star Fleet."

   Uneasy murmurs from the audience.

   "Its defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small
one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense."

   "Begging your pardon, sir," a huge man, fully Anakin's size, in flight
gear rose from the benches, "but what good are snubfighters going to be
against *that*?"

   "The Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat or
they'd have a tighter defense." Dodonna responded.

    Judging by the faces around me there was general agreement with the
Imperial strategists on this

   "An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a
weakness in the battle station. But the approach will not be easy.

    Now there was an understatement and a half!

    The schematic behind the old general changed, illustrating his words as
he continued. "You are required to maneuver straight down this trench and
skim the surface to this point." tapped the screen with his pointer. "The
target area is only two meter wide."

   More murmurs, this time with an undercurrent of incredulity.

   "It's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft
leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain
reaction that should destroy the station." the schematic blew itself up.
"Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded
so you'll have to use proton torpedoes."

   Polite pandemonium from the pilots.

   "That's impossible!" the youngster next to Luke blurted. "even for a
computer."

   "It's not impossible." my student countered. "I used to bulls-eye womp
rats in my T-sixteen back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."

   "Maybe not for a Jedi." the other conceeded drily. "But us regular types
have to depend on computers, not the Force."

   "Only because you think you do." I put in quietly and garnered and
uncertain look in return.

   "Then man your ships, and may the Force be with you." Dodonna concluded.

    A support tech caught Luke at the door. "Sir? you got yourself a bird.
Let's find you some gear."

    My student threw me a look a bedazzled excitement and allowed himself to
be led away. Seconds later Han materialized out of the thining crowd.

   "Of all the damnfool stunts." he grumbled, gave me a defensive glare. "Me
and Chewie are outta here!"

   "May the Force be with you, Han." I told him. "and thank you for all
you've done."

   I didn't need the Force to sense the conflict in him. It was perfectly
visible on his face. He started to turn away, turned back. "Look, you've
delivered the kid to his Dad and rescued her Royal Worshipfullness. You've
done your bit. We're headed for Tatooine, why not deadhead back with us?"

   I was tempted. I missed the Jundland wastes, I'd never put down roots
before. Jedi are wanderers. The Temple hadn't been a home, just a place to
stay between missions. I'd regretted its loss but never longed for it as I
now did for my cluttered little hermitage. But it couldn't be. My destiny
was out here - as it always had been. I smiled and shook my head.

       ******************************************

   Han Solo: He wanted to say yes, I could feel it. Not because he was
afraid of the Death Star but because he was homesick. Missing that miserable
desert. Hard to believe but I guess you can get attached to a place in
twenty years. Even Tatooine.

       *******************************************

   Han sighed. "Just thought I'd offer."

   "You've been very kind." I told him.

   "Yeah, that's me 'kind'." stuck out his hand, said almost formally; "It's
been an honor to meet you, sir."

   "And a pleasure to meet you, Captain."

   Han and Chewbacca headed hangerward. Ani, Leia, Jazpar and my son joined
me looking after them.

   "He's really going then." Leia said with a bitter combination of
disappointment and disapproval in her voice.

   "Captain Solo must follow his own path." her father chided gently. "No
one can choose it for him."

   "We already owe him our lives." I pointed out.

   She squared her shoulders. "You're right, General, he deserves a civil
good-bye at least." and hurried down the passage after him.

   "Is that what I said?" I asked Anakin.

   "Apparently. Do I sense a more than friendly interest in our Captain?"

   "I think so."

   He shook his head. "I wouldn't have thought he was her type."

   I fought back a grin. "I don't know, kind of reminds me of the brash
pilot type her mother fell for."

   Ani laughed. "If Master hadn't found me I'd have probably ended up a
smuggler too."



   Leia rejoined us by Anakin's ship, color burning high in her cheeks.
Naturally we all pretended not to notice.

   "Good luck, General." she told Ani then, as he smiled down at her,
corrected herself. "I mean may the Force be with you."

    "Better." he laughed. "You're learning, Princess." dropped a kiss on the
top of his daughter's head, as he had once done with her mother. Then turned
to embrace me. "Look after her." spoken quietly, for my ear alone.

   I would have liked to hug my son, but we were still to much strangers. I
settled for the standard blessing. "May the Force be with you."

   "Don't worry about Ken-Jin," Ani teased. "He's a much better pilot than
his father. Got it from Sabe's side of the family no doubt."

   "No doubt." I agreed drily.


   Leia, Commander Willard and I made our way back through the hanger,
encountered a disconsolate looking Luke.

   "What's wrong?" she asked.

   "Oh it's Han!" her brother answered. "I don't know, I really thought he'd
change his mind."

   I knew he would. But Han's self image would force him to fight his nature
a little longer.

   "He's got to follow his own path." Leia consoled. "Nobody can chose it
for him." Gave her brother a quick kiss on the cheek then hurried on,
Willard in attendance.

   I followed Luke as he continued towards his ship. "I'm in Red Squadron,
Red Five." he was telling me when a voice shouted "Luke!"

   I didn't at first recognize the dark, moustached young man who ran up to
grab Luke's arm. "I don't believe it!" he continued excitedly. "How'd you
get here? Are you going out with us?"

   "Biggs! Of course I'll be up there with you! Ben, you remember Biggs
don't you?"

   I smiled, nodded. I had never spoken to the boy as far as I could recall
but I'd often seen him with Luke. He knew me of course. 'Old Ben' was a
widely known local character. His slightly bewildered expression reflected
his confusion. What was I doing on Yavin?

   Then a rugged, confident man, my student's Squadron leader by his
insignia, approached us. Nodded politely to me. "Pardon me, general." to
Luke. "You young Skywalker? Have you been checked out on the Incom
T-sixty-five?"

  "Sir, Luke is the best bush pilot in the outer rim territories." Biggs
assured him.

   "He's been simultested." I put in. "A point oh two rating."

   Red Leader's eyebrows shot up. He grinned, "Guess I should have expected
that from a Skywalker." to Luke. "You'll do all right. If you've got even
half your father's skill you'll do better than all right."

   "Thank you sir, I'll try."

   Yoda's aphorism knocked at my lips but I restrained myself. This wasn't
the time.

   Red Leader bowed to me. "General Kenobi." headed off to his own ship.

   Biggs stared round eyed at the both of us. "General Kenobi? You're
General Skywalker's son?"

   "It's a long story." Luke admitted. And no time to tell it.

   "I've got to get aboard." Biggs said. "Listen, you tell me your story
when we come back, all right?"

   One of the worst parts of being a Jedi General is looking at a youngster
and *knowing* he won't be coming back. I felt it now, not just for Biggs but
most of the pilots around us. This was going to be very bad. Win or lose a
lot of good men were going to die today. For the first time I was grateful
for Luke's lack of training. Glad he was spared this knowledge.

   "I told you I'd make it someday, Biggs." he called cheerfully after his
friend.

   "You did all right." the other shouted back. "It'll be just like old
times, Luke. We're a couple of shooting stars that'll never be stopped!"

   I turned away quickly, to hide my reaction. Saw Threepio standing by a
nearby X-Wing and headed for it.

   A ground crew was hoisting Artoo Detoo into place. "General Skywalker
lent you his personal R2 unit." the Chief called down, "Said you two had
worked together before."

   "You could say that." Luke agreed. "That little droid and I've been
through a lot together." to Artoo as he settled into his socket. "You okay,
Artoo?"

   The astro-droid burbled a cheeful confirmation.

   Luke tuned to me, a mingling of excitement, nerves, gratitude and fear
shaping his expression and charging his voice. "Ben -"

   I put both hands on his shoulders, tried to project calm and confidence.
"Remember, stretch out with your feelings. Don't think, act on instinct." my
hands tightened involuntarily. I made myself let go, step back. "May the
Force be with you."

   He managed a nod. Climbed the ladder to the cockpit.

   I noticed Threepio was all but wringing his hands with anxiety. "Hang on
tight, Artoo," he called up to his counterpart. "you've got to come back -
you wouldn't want my life to get boring would you?"

   Small chance of that as long as he belonged to Anakin Skywalker. Artoo
bleeped down reassurances.

   Red Five levitated a meter or so above the ground and skimmed for the
hanger opening. Heading not to certain death, as all to many of his comrades
were, but into a future so clouded with possibilities as to be opaque to my
sight.