Star Wars: Dark Light

Chapter III: Leia's Message

Conveniently located about a hundred meters or so was the droid in question, C3-PO,  toppled in the sand with his mangled metallic exterior and disembodied arm. The two were separated, and a mottled mess of wires laid in the sand next to the unconscious droid. Luke and Koba were the first two to the scene and were therefore responsible for hoisting 3-PO to his feet. After several flicks of one of the droid's switches, he sparked back to life.

"Where am I? I must have taken a bad step..." 

Koba snorted at her old mechanical friend. "You're telling me."

"Oh- Oh my! Miss Kobayashi Thatch. It is good to see you again. My, you haven't aged a day since I last saw you." C3-PO exclaimed in response to finally registering Koba's face. 

"You two know each other?" Luke glanced between them.

"That's a story for a later time. We have to go."

"Right." Luke said. "Can you walk? We have to move before the Sand People come back."

"I don't think I can make it." The droid practically cried out in despair. Koba rolled her eyes, all too familiar with C3-PO's ridiculous melodrama. "You go on, Master Luke. There's no sense in risking yourself on my account. I'm done for."

R2 beeped from beside Obi-Wan, and Koba nodded in agreement to the tiny droid. "Drama queen," she mumbled quietly.

Luke, however, was trying to be encouraging. "Aw come on. What kind of talk is that?" 

"Come on." Growing tired of standing and waiting, and sensing a shift in the air, Obi-Wan spoke up. "They're on the move, we must be leaving."

"Right. Let's get this show on the road, boys." Koba agreed, forcing 3-PO forward and for Luke to assist in doing so.

Obi-Wan headed the group as he lead them all to the two spartan hovels located above the canyon. Into Obi-Wan's they went, pulling C3-PO alongside before depositing him inside and on one of the benches. Luke rose to his feet while Koba exited the hut to enter her own, returning momentarily with a small metal box that she set at C3-PO's feet. She kicked it open, and inside were layers of scattered tools.

"Go ahead and patch him up." She told Luke, then sat across from him near to a window. R2 rolled over to her, beeping fondly. Koba allowed herself to get lost in thought, ignoring the scene as Obi-Wan and Luke began conversing. Her attention focused on the sunlight that filtered through the window and removing any memories of Anakin from her thoughts.

"No, my father didn't fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a freighter." Luke said. This caught Koba's ears, and she tuned into the conversation.

"As told by your uncle. He did not see eye to eye with your father's ideals. Though he should've stayed here instead of getting involved." Obi-Wan replied.

Koba's brow wrinkled. Perhaps that would have actually been best...

"You fought in the Clone Wars?" 

"Yes. I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father." Obi-Wan's eyes flicked to Koba, but she shook her head, answering the unspoken question between the two. The less Luke knew of her past, the better. Besides, she'd rather not remember the Clone Wars.

"I wish I had known him..."

Obi-Wan returned to the sullen boy mending his droid. "Your father was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior. I understand you're quite the skilled pilot yourself. And he was a good friend. Which reminds me..." Obi-Wan trailed off and rose to his feet, walking toward a chest that laid untouched and un-dusted on the ground. As he began unlocking it Luke began finishing up on his repairs with 3-PO. In his hand Luke held the restraining bolt to secure onto the golden droid. After a moment of contemplation, he set it on the table. For a brief second he met Koba's eyes, then Obi-Wan interrupted the brief exchange.