The station's corridors were lit by grilled wall
panels creating useful areas of shadow. I melted into
one as a detachment of stormtroopers marched past.
Emerged to continue on my way and caught a sense of
the Sith's presence nearby. Drew my lightsabre before
moving on down the passage. I would have to face him
eventually I knew, but I'd deactivate the tractor beam
first. Whatever happened to me Luke *must* escape. 
Gradually the dark presence faded behind me.
Apparently he was in no hurry for our confrontation
either. I returned my sabre to my belt.
The corridors were practically deserted, connecting
little used technical installations near the outer
hull. Living quarters and control centers would be
located deep inside the station, protected by layers
of outer decks.
Yet I was all but overwhelmed by a presentiment of
incipient disaster. A warning from the Force, or just
nerves? I wasn't used to this kind of thing anymore.
Perhaps I was growing timorous in my old age.
I drew my sabre again, before entering the power
trench, convinced I would meet with some last minute
obstacle. But the walkway was empty and silent except
for the hum of power conduits. 
I stepped off onto the narrow ledge encircling
power terminal. Edged carefully around it, trying to
ignore the yawning gulf below. I've never been fond of
heights.

I found the power switch and closed it. Then edged
on to the next panel to make the necessary
adjustments. I finished them just in time. The sound
of marching armored feet broke the stillness, I just
had time to restore the power beam before a trio of
stormtroopers entered.
"Give me regular reports." the officer told the
other two and left.
The troopers turned to each other. I sensed
confusion, some irritation - and a buried
apprehension.
"Do you know what's going on?"
A shrug. "Maybe it's another drill."
So far I'd had the terminal between me and the
guards but I'd be in plain view the moment I stepped
onto the walkway. They were facing away from me as
they gossiped about some new model fighter but I
insured their continued inattention by projecting an
illusion of sound and movement into the corridor
behind them as I made my escape in the opposit
direction.
The corridors were no longer deserted. I found
myself dodging detachment after detachment of
stormtroopers apparently in hot pursuit of a group of
fugitives. Comlink conversations said something about
a prisoner escaping from the detention cells. I didn't
need the Force to tell me Han and Luke were somehow
involved. 
I had counted on the captain's pragmatic sense of
self-preservation to keep both him and Luke out of
trouble. It seemed I had overestimated, or perhaps
underestimated him. What had those boys gotten
themselves into? And what was I going to do about it?
Nothing it seemed. I slowed, sensing the Sith ahead
blocking the way to the Falcon's hanger. Came into
sight of him and stopped.

This one favored black armor topped by a grotesque
breath mask. Mechanical breathing was clearly audible
in the otherwise silent corridor, blending with the
hum of his activated lightsabre.
"So you are still alive, Obi-Wan." he said.
"It would seem so." I agreed, igniting my own
weapon. There was something familiar about this Dark
Lord but I hadn't the time or the inclination to track
the likeness down.
"But not for long!" he continued.
I raised an eyebrow. Chatty type for a Sith. "We'll
see." 

I had to insure Luke escaped, had to see what was
happening back at the Falcon. I lunged at the Sith.
Our blades locked and relocked, humming and sparking.
Perhaps I haven't mastered patience quite as well as
I'd thought.
I tried a spinning stike to cut through that armor,
he blocked me. Too old and too slow, much too slow.
Happily my opponent was no master either. The armor
limited both his speed and his movements. I wondered
why he bothered with it, effect perhaps?
His attacks were conservative, treating me with a
respect I feared I no longer deserved. Still...I had
killed two of his predecessors, perhaps that alone
justified a certain caution on his part.
I worked my way around him, began backing towards
the hanger knocking his blade out of line as he
followed, lunging, trying to re-engage. 
Finally I reached the hanger's cargo port, holding
the Sith at bay as I tried to assess the situation. 
I saw no sign of Luke, Han and Chewbacca but sensed
them lurking nearby. Stymied perhaps by the presence
of several stormtroopers in the hanger.

Then the Sith launched an attack that required my
full attention to counter. Our blades locked. I
wrestled mine free exchanging places with him. I had
my opponent's measure now. Old and slow as I was I
could hold this fellow off all day. Unfortunately I
didn't have that kind of time. 
I glanced quickly aside, saw the five stormtroopers
who'd been guarding the Falcon running towards us
cutting me off from the ship.
Wonderful. Looked back at my opponent. *Better
think of something fast, General, Ani'll never forgive
you if you get yourself killed and leave Luke all
alone.*
Behind the guards I saw Han, Chewbacca, Luke and
somebody small and sleander in flowing white making
for the ship. Only to falter to an uncertain halt as
they spotted me, locked in combat with the Sithlord
and surrounded by stormtroopers. 
Luke started towards us, ready to take them all on
in my defense. I'd have to do something fast before
the boy got himself killed.
Then it hit me. Sixty years and I'm still making
the same mistake, so much for age bringing wisdom!
What had I just been telling Luke? What had Qui-Gon
told me time and again? I could hear him now: 'Let go
your conscious self and act on instinct!'

I lowered my sabre and stood passive. Not thinking
- feeling, waiting.
I sensed the Sith's uncertainty, his fear and
anger. Saw his decision, his move seconds before he
made it. Turned aside the powerful horizontal strike
and countered wth an uppercut that sliced through his
armored forearm. Hand and sabre both clattered to the
deck as he fell back roaring in pain or rage, sparks
rather than blood spitting from the wound.
I swirled through the hanger portal, striking at
the control panel. Blast doors closed, cutting off the
Sith and an approaching squad of reinforcements. 
Of course there were still the five stormtroopers
to be dealt with. After a stunned moment they opened
fire. 
Luke screamed my name and started shooting too,
then Han in support. 
I deflected the blaster bolts back on the troopers
felled three as the boys shot down the other two.
I'm fairly sure it was a wild shot from Luke that
winged me. Burning up my right forearm. My lightsabre
dropped from suddenly nerveless fingers, extinguishing
itself as it fell. I very nearly followed it, barely
catching myself against the bulkhead with my good
hand.
"Ben!" Luke had covered the distance between us in
record time. "Are you all right?"
"Real dumb question, kid." Han of course. "I'll say
this for you, old man, you can really use that antique
of yours."
"Thank you." I managed. Trying to regain my focus
enough to apply Jedi pain control techniques.
"Chewie." Han ordered.
The Wookiee picked me up, easily as a child,
accidently jarring my wounded arm. I couldn't quite
restrain a gasp of pain.
"Careful!" Luke snapped.
Chewbacca growled an apology.
I concentrated on breathing, on controlling the
pain and rather lost track of things for a few
moments.
"You got some kind of med-kit on this tub?" a
woman's voice demanded. "General Kenobi, can you hear
me?"
I forced heavy lids open and found myself looking
into a pair of lovely, concerned, oddly familiar brown
eyes at very close range. It took my scattered wits
several seconds to realize who this girl with
Amidala's eyes had to be.
"I am very glad to see your Royal Highness alive."
I heard myself say formally and with some
understatement. At least we still had both twins. If
Anakin had died with Alderaan they were our only hope
to defeat the Emperor.
I discovered I was slumped in a chair in the
Falcon's main cabin with both twins hovering over me.
"I owe you my life, General." Leia said, rolling up
the loose oversleeves of robe and tunic and cutting
carefully through the shirt sleeve beneath. "And Luke
too, of course."
I noticed she didn't include Han.
The blaster burn was long and narrow, scoring my
forearm past the elbow. "Not bad." Leia said
judiciously, spraying on a dressing.
Her brother, less experienced with wounds, looked
decidedly green.
"It's just a surface burn." I reassured him, "Ugly
and painful but not dangerous."
Leia held up a hypo, looked at me uncertainly.
"Would you like something for the pain?"
I smiled. "No."
She put it away a little reluctantly. "I thought
you'd say that."
"But -" Luke began,
"It's not necessary." I told him. "Pain is of the
mind, Luke, I have it under control now."
He looked unconvinced.
Han chose that moment to burst into the cabin.
"C'mon, buddy, we're not out of this yet!"
The twins looked at me and I nodded. "Go."
Luke headed for the gunports with Han while Leia
ran to the cockpit to join Chewbacca.
"Oh dear, oh my." Threepio jittered.
"You might want to strap in." I suggested gently.
"Oh dear!" he moaned again. "I don't mean to be a
problem, Master Obi-Wan, but I just wasn't designed
for adventures!"
Nor had he been. Poor Threepio. I must be mellowing
in my old age, now I'm empathizing with Ani's neurotic
droid!
Leia's voice over the com: "Here they come!"
The ship vibrated under the first salvo, lights
dimming briefly as power was channeled to the shields.
I got up and headed for the cockpit steadying myself
against the corridor wall. Ignoring Threepio's
plaintive cry.
"Sir! Master Obi-Wan, where are you going?"
"How many are out there?" I demanded, falling into
the auxillary seat behind Leia. 
"I count four." she replied, eyes glued to the
ports.
Only four fighters out of how many hundreds or even
thousands to pursue a pair of prizes like the Princess
and myself? Luke was even more valuable but they
didn't know about him yet. I was insulted. How stupid
did Palpatine's latest apprentice think I was?
Another hit. "We've lost lateral controls." Leia
warned.
"Don't worry, she'll hold together." Han replied
over the com.
She did, barely.
Luke and Han eliminated a fighter apiece in short
order.
Leia cut into their celebration. "There's still two
more of them out there!" 
Chewbacca growled at her. She looked back
helplessly. Obviously Kashyyk'ka hadn't been part of
her curriculum. 
"He wants the co-ordinates for our destination." I
translated.
"Oh." she swivled around and entered them in the
computer. "Calculating course."
I had caught the first few sets of digits. "Yavin
system?"
She nodded. "Our current base in on Yavin four."
another hit drew our attention back to the dogfight
outside just in time to see the third and fourth TIEs
turn into fireballs.
Han and Luke's hoots and cheers filled the cockpit.
Leia jumped from her seat to hug Chewbacca and plant a
resounding kiss on my cheek. It's been a while since I
was kissed by a princess, twenty years.
Chewbacca punched the button and we jumped to the
temporary safety of hyperspace.
Making my way back to the main cabin I all but fell
over Threepio, entangled in sparking wires and blaming
Artoo for his predicament as usual.
"This is all your fault! Master Obi-Wan, help me!"
I found the cut off switch just as Han and Luke
arrived on the scene.
"What happened to Goldenrod?" the Captain wanted to
know.
"I thought I told you to strap in." I scolded.
"I was endeavoring to assist Artoo in extinguishing
a small fire." Threepio replied with a forlorn attempt
at dignity as Luke hauled him to his feet.
Han looked at the damaged circuitry, raised a brow.
"Hmph, good work. Guess you two are some use after
all." he frowned at me. "Better sit down before you
fall down, old timer." and brushed past to the
cockpit.
I smiled after him. "Captain Solo will never win
prizes for his tact." but there was a good heart
there, better than even he knew.
Luke studied me in concern. "You okay?"
"It's been a long day." I told him. "And I'm not as
young as I used to be."
Chewbacca appeared behind us, growled a remark.
"He wants you to assist Captain Solo in the cockpit
while he checks the ship for damage." I interpreted
for Luke's benefit.
"Sure. Let me help Ben back to the cabin first."
Leia stormed in a few minutes after Luke left. "Oh,
that man!"
"Captain Solo?" I guessed.
"All he thinks about is himself and his reward!"
she fumed.
I studied Anakin's daughter. No Master would ever
have to remind her to keep her focus. If anything she
was a little *too* focused on her mission to the
exclusion of all else. She reminded me of myself at
her age.
"Captain Solo has problems of his own," I told her
quietly. "that only money can solve. I assure you,
Princess, a debt to the Hutts is quite literally a
matter of life and death."
She bit her lip, sighed. "Okay, maybe I wasn't fair
to the man. But he's still insufferable." gave me a
worried look. "He won't believe we're being tracked." 
So she'd seen it too. "Our aim is to destroy the
Death Star." I reminded her. "It will be - convenient
- to have it come to us."
Leia gave a little snort of not quite laughter.
"Convenient!"
"That station can't be very maneuverable." I
continued reasssuringly. "We'll have plenty of time to
prepare."
"I just hope it has a weakness we can exploit." she
worried.
"It will. There's always a weakness, Princess."
At last a smile. "You sound just like General
Skywalker."
"No doubt. We were taught by the same Master." I
didn't want to ask but I had to know. "Was he on
Alderaan?"
She looked at me startled, then appalled. "Oh no,
General! he left for Yavin four the same day I did."
My relief must have showed for she continued
contritely, "I'm sorry, I should have realized you'd
be worried about him." hesitated. "Is Luke -?"
"His son." I finished quietly.
Her eyes widened. "I didn't know he had a son!"
"It's been a closely guarded secret." I explained.
"If the Emperor had found out..." I didn't have to
finish the sentence.
"I understand. he's not a Jedi is he?"
"Not yet. His training's been delayed by
circumstances beyond my control." My own brother for
one.  
The subject of our conversation entered along with
Han. "You know your worshipfullness, you could at
least say thank you before biting my head off." the
latter jibed.
Leia elevated her chin. "I've already thanked
General Kenobi." she replied haughtily. "As for you,
you'll get the payment you've been promised."
He didn't seem to hear the last, he was too busy
staring at me. "*General* Kenobi? Obi-Wan Kenobi?"
I looked back mildly suprised. I wouldn't have
expected my name to mean anything to a man his age.
"You're supposed to be dead." he continued with his
usual tact.
"Not quite yet." I replied. "Though not for lack of
trying on the Empire's part."

Han Solo: I just gaped at him. Of course I'd heard
of Obi-Wan Kenobi, they still teach his Mandalore
campaign at the Academy. Though I didn't believe the
stories about mystical powers, not then, he'd been one
hell of a fighting general and his performance back on
the Death Star made it clear he was still a force to
be reckoned with.
But the old man looked like hell, exhausted,
wounded. Living legend or no he was just to old for
this kind of nonsense. Not to mention having a price
on his head that made the bounty Jabba'd threatened to
pin on me look like chump change. And no, I never even
thought about trying to collect it. I don't touch
blood money. Ever.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" Han turned
furiously on Leia. "Dragging him into your stupid
rebellion, look at him! Are you trying to get him
killed?"
She flushed, angry as he was but guilty too.
I must have been looking fairly pathetic at that.
Still Han's outrage caught me by suprise.
"Princess Leia is the daughter of an old friend." I
said firmly. "She is welcome to whatever help I can
give her."
"Thank you, General," she said stiffly. "The Rebel
cause -"
"Is worth his life?" Han interupted. "Well pardon
me your Princessness but that really stinks!" he
stalked past a gaping Luke back to the cockpit leaving
a slightly stunned silence behind him. 
I looked at Anakin's daughter, staring tight faced
at the hands folded in her lap. I recognized the
expression, I'd seen it on her mother when she was
trying not to cry. Leaned forward to take her chin and
turn her to me. 
"Leia, you haven't dragged me into anything. I
chose this path long before you were born."
She blinked back the tears filming her eyes.
"Captain Solo is the most impossible man I've ever met
in my life."
*And you're quite taken with him.* I thought.
Unsuprising really, she was young and he was handsome,
dashing and completely unlike the men she usually
associated with.
I smiled. "Not if you know Anakin Skywalker he
isn't!"
That made her laugh. "General Skywalker is
difficult in a completely different way."
"You know my father?" Luke finally joined the
conversation.
His sister nodded. "Only since I became involved in
the Rebellion." smiled at her brother. "You look like
him a bit, the same coloring."
"I've never seen him." Luke said flatly.
Leia picked up the emotion behind the words. It
seemed there was already a rapport between them
dispite all the years of seperation. "You'll love him.
He's -" paused searching for words. "He's like a sun,
warm and shining. He - draws people."
I nodded to myself. Yes, that was Ani.
"I'm kind of nervous." Luke confessed.
"I don't blame you." his sister answered. "It must
be strange never to have known your own father." her
voice cracked a little on the word. I knew she was
thinking of Bail.
Luke proved the rapport worked both ways. "I lost
my family and home today too." he told her quietly.
"But at least my world is still there, my friends...I
wish there was something I could do to help,
Princess."
This time she let the tears fall. "You already
have, Luke. You've given me the chance to se it never
happens again. To anybody."

"Ben? We've landed." I opened my eyes to see Luke
bending over me. "Are you feeling better?" He wanted
to know.
"Yes, thank you." and looking a little better too I
hoped. But the concern in his eyes suggested
otherwise.
We joined Leia, Han, Chewbacca and the droids in
the Falcon's airlock. The atmosphere was still
somewhat fraught. I could have cut the tension between
princess and pirate with my lightsabre.
Luke was nervous, so was I a little. I'd have some
explaining to do to his father.
"At last a place of refuge!" Threepio exclaimed as
the hatch opened on the junglescape of Yavin Four.
"You want to break it to him, or should I?" Han
snickered to the Princess.
She ignored him, leading our rag-tag little band
down the companionway to a Rebel welcoming committee
A personnel scooter deposited us in the middle of a
bustling hanger full of fighters, pilots and ground
crew.
"Leia!" my heart skipped a beat at the sound of
that voice.
"General Skywalker!" Leia ran to the arms of a tall
fair haired man in Jedi robes.
Luke gulped. "Is that -?"
"That's him." I confirmed.
"When we heard about Alderaan I feared I'd lost you
too." Anakin was telling his daughter.
She drew away from him, visibly gathering her
composure. "I wasn't on Alderaan. I'd been captured by
the Empire. General Kenobi rescued me."
Ani looked past her, eyes widening as they found
me. He's never been any good at hiding his feelings;
shock, disbelief and, oddly, guilt passed all too
clearly across his face before he swept me into the
familiar bear hug. Do I really look that bad?

Anakin Skywalker: I never would have known him if
not for those eyes and his smile. Obi-Wan, my old
friend, what have I done to you?

When I could breath again I introduced father to
son. "This is Luke. Luke, your father, Anakin
Skywalker."
Ani read his son's tension and knew to go slow.
"Welcome to Yavin Four," he said almost formally, "I'm
sorry this meeting's been delayed so long. Obi-Wan
will have explained why it was necessary."
"I understand." Luke managed, half stifled by
confused emotions.
"I hate to break up this little reunion," Han
interupted, "but according to her Worship the Death
Star's right behind us."
Anakin cocked a mildly interested brow. "Indeed?
That's convenient." turned to his daughter. "Leia?"
"I hid the plans in Artoo."
The little droid whistled triumphantly.
Ani smiled at them both. "Good thinking, Princess.
All right, Artoo, let's see what you've got."
In the briefing room Anakin introduced us to the
Rebel command staff while Artoo communed with the
tactical computer. 
There were two Jedi, both to young to have been
Temple trained and one still wearing the braid. The
tradition was being carried on dispite all obstacles.
And General Jan Dodonna, a man about my age, who
stammered like a boy as he said how honored he was to
meet me. "But I thought you were dead?"
I wish people would stop saying that. I'm begining
to run out of good comebacks. I settled for "Maybe I
was." then quickly introduced my companions. "Captain
Solo and his first mate Chewbacca."
"And this is my son Luke." Ani finished for me.
Dodonna's eyes went even wider. "I didn't know you
had - that is I'm pleased to meet you young man."
"What I don't understand is how you all come to be
together." Anakin continued.
"My father had asked me to find General Kenobi and
try to persuade him to join us." Leia explained. "But
my ship was intercepted as we entered the Tatooine
system. I had just enough time to hide the plans in
Artoo and record a message to the General asking him
to see the droids safely to Alderaan -" her voice
shook on the name and Luke quickly took up the story.
"Somehow they made it down to the surface but were
picked up by Jawas before they could reach Ben."
looked uncertainly at his father. "You remember about
Jawas?"
Anakin nodded, smiling. "Native scavengers," he
explained for the others' benefit. "with a tendency to
pick up anything that's not nailed down."
"It was a terrible experience, Master Anakin,"
Threepio told him. "I thought we were lost for sure.
Thank goodness they took us to Master Luke!"
"We needed some new droids on the farm, so Uncle
Owen bought them." 
"What an incredible coincidence." a Rebel officer
exclaimed.
"There is no coincidence." Ani and I responded in
chorus, quoting our Master. We exchanged smiles and I
continued. "It was the Force that brought the droids
to Luke, and Luke to me."
Dodonna and his staff had obviously heard this kind
of thing before and learned to accept it. Han had not.
I heard him snort his disbelief, turned to him. "We
hired Captain Solo here to take us to Alderaan but
arrived too late, after the planet's destruction."
"Fortunately." Leia said quietly. "Or you would
have died too. Tarkin said it would be an example to
the other worlds....he made me watch."
Anakin put an arm around his daughter and she
leaned against him for comfort. Continued steadily. "I
was to be executed afterwards but Luke got to me
first."
"We'd been pulled in by the Death Star." her
brother explained. "We hid from the Imperials in Han -
Captain Solo's - shielded cargo bays, then Ben went
off alone to disconnect the tractor beam so we could
escape. While we were waiting Artoo found out the
Princess was aboard so we went to get her."
"Just like that?" Dodonna asked, with a hint of a
twinkle in his eye.
Luke blushed. "We had to do something, they were
going to kill her. Han and I were in stormtrooper
armor, we put some binders on Chewie and marched into
the detention block pretending to be a prisoner
transfer.
Dodonna grinned directly at Ani. "He's a Skywalker
all right!"
Luke went even redder. "I couldn't have done it
without Han and Chewie."
"Yes, Captain Solo, we owe you a great deal -"
Dodonna began.
"Fifteen hundred credits to be exact." Han
interupted crisply.
The general blinked. His officers looked shocked,
Luke and Leia dismayed. 
Ani lifted a questioning eyebrow at me. I nodded.
"That was the fee we agreed on. I would say Captain
Solo has more than earned it."
"He certainly has." Anakin concurred.

Han Solo: I know these idealistic types. They'll do
you dirt without a quiver in the name of their
precious cause. Skywalker and the old man were
different, they knew a deal was a deal. General Kenobi
would see I got my money if he had to go out and raid
the Imperial Treasury for it. 
I don't know why that made me feel like such a
heel.

"Yeah, well thanks." Han seemed slightly off
balance for some reason. "If you don't mind I'd like
to be paid and outta here before that planet-killer
arrives."
"Of course." Ani said calmly. "We're short on
credits, will precious metals do?"
"Sure." Han looked even more uncomfortable.
"General -" Dodonna began and was silenced by a
sharp look from Anakin.
"If you're smart you'll be out of here too." Han
burst out. "You got plenty of time to evacuate."
Anakin shook his head. "That would just delay the
inevitable, Captain."
"Yeah, well, death is inevitable but I never heard
that was any reason not to try and avoid it as long as
you can."
It was a good argument. Ani grinned, I could see he
was taking a shine to our Captain Solo. "The odds will
never be better than they are now, we might as well
get it over with." sobered. "We've hidden long enough.
Time to make a stand."
"You're crazy." Han said flatly, proving yet again
diplomacy was not his long suit. 
Dodonna, his officers and the two young Jedi
bristled. But Anakin just laughed. "So I've been
told."
Perhaps fortunately Artoo finished downloading just
then and the Death Star plans appeared on monitor.
Murmurs of dismay came from the Rebel officers
Han looked smugly vindicated, garnering glares from
both twins.
Anakin folded his arms and watched the schematics
flow past. "Defenses are geared towards a large scale
assault." he observed after a moment. "A fighter could
get through."
"And do what?" Han demanded.
"That's what we have to establish." I replied,
adding to Ani. "The exhaust system is our best bet."
After several hours intensive study we found the
weak spot. A torpedo fired up a particular thermal
exhaust port would start a chain reaction that would
destroy the station. But it would take an expert
marksman to do it.
By now the group around the monitor was down to
Anakin, his two students, myself, Dodonna and a couple
of his aids. The other officers had been sent about
their duties. Han'd gone off to inspect his payment,
and the twins to get some much needed rest.
"I could do it." Ani decided.
No doubt he could. But the expressions on the two
young knights' faces made it clear he wouldn't be
doing it alone.
"No." Dodonna's tone brooked no argument. "You are
not taking that behemoth on single handed." Ani's
padawan made to speak, was silenced by a stern glance.
"Or with just your wingmen for back up. You may be the
hottest starpilot in the Galaxy, Skywalker, but the
more fighters the better the odds of somebody getting
through."
And the more would die trying. But Dodonna was
right. No even Anakin could simultaneously fight off a
few hundred TIEs and make the torpedo run. It would
have to be an attack in force.

To Chapter IV