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“Master Luke! Help! Help! Help!”
Luke opened his eyes slowly, blue adjusting as he came back to the surroundings of his new apartment on Coruscant. The stars of the galaxy were blocked out by the lights of the apartments scattered across the eternal city, awake planet-wide. He frowned a little to himself and closed his eyes, focusing.
“Master Luke! Mando! Mando!”
“Djarin,” Luke whispered to himself as he opened his eyes. He pushed himself to his feet, black cloak swirling behind him as he left his home to find the one person who could help him.
The air of Coruscant was crisper than Luke had ever felt it, the chill biting at him through his robes and cloak as he ran. His lightsaber and blaster bounced at his hip as he ran off the main street and into a side street with the highrise apartments. He missed the building, heading towards some of the X-wing hangers through force of habit, and had to circle back to one of the apartments tucked out of the way. He paused by the door before he pressed the chimes, electing to call rather than barge in like he had before. Luke didn’t think he would ever barge in on these two again.
The doors swung open and Luke sprinted up the stairs. Leia was waiting for him, hair loose in deep brown waves, with a white bathrobe over her shoulders. Han yawned as he walked out of their bedroom, shirtless but with his weapons belt on over his trousers. Leia’s brown eyes locked onto Luke’s.
“What’s wrong?” She asked, gesturing to their sofas. Luke sank into the plush pillows, not losing any tension.
“One of my students sent me a distress call through the Force.”
“Who?”
Luke pressed his lips into a line. Leia understood without him saying.
“Want a drink, kid?” Han asked, sleep heavy in his voice. Leia and Han still barely slept well, and Luke almost felt bad for waking them. Almost. This was too important to him to feel that guilty.
“Water, thanks Han.” Luke pressed his hands to his legs, trying to steady himself. He’d returned from Ossus not long ago, and already he was longing for the peace and serenity that was the opposite of the political mess on Coruscant.
“Who?” Leia repeated, eyes never leaving Luke as Han handed her a cup of tea. Han swore it was Alderaani, that he’d scoured the galaxy for it, but both Luke and Leia recognised the name from a variety of Naboo tea. Neither had the heart to tell him.
“I… The message is from Grogu.”
“Grogu…” Leia raised the cup and paused. “You think the Mandalorian is in danger?”
“I think Djarin is, yes.”
“Sorry, Djarin,” Leia nodded. “They call him the Mandalorian in the council meetings. It’s hard to remember that you’re close enough with him to know his name more personally.”
Luke willed away the colour that rose in his cheeks, reminding himself that he came to Leia for one reason only. “So the council knows he’s doing jobs for the New Republic?”
Leia nodded. “Yes. He’s been collecting former Imperial high ranking officials. I believe he was sent after Coin most recently.”
“Who’s Coin?” Han asked gruffly as he sat on her other side, slurping at his kaffe as he looped an arm around her shoulders and played with her hair a little.
“It doesn’t matter,” Leia waved him off. “So you think the Manda–... Djarin is in trouble?”
Luke nodded.
“Well,” Leia looked down into the cup as she thought, “if he was on a job for the New Republic, I might be able to pull some strings.”
“Please,” Luke’s eyes held such a strong, pleading look, that Leia couldn’t help but feel it herself. She nodded and pressed a button on her datapad panel.
“All of High Command, I request an emergency meeting now.”
Multiple messages flooded in, confirming the members would be there. Leia nodded to Luke and stood, wrapping the robe tighter around herself.
“Han, put on a shirt would you?”
“In my own house?”
“Just do it before Mon gets here.”
If Luke hadn’t been so concerned, he would have almost enjoyed seeing the eclectic mix of officials on Leia and Han’s couches. Admiral Ackbar, Admiral Ho’ror’te, General Cracken, General Ria, General Syndulla, General Glachit, General Dodonna, General Madine, and, of course, Mon Mothma herself, were all seated around the table. Leia had Han in charge of beverages as she gestured to Luke.
“Commander Skywalker has information about a contractor that is in danger. I move that we send a squadron of X-wing pilots in to help.”
“Leia,” Mon looked at her with kind eyes that Leia hated, reminding her so much of her aunts on Alderaan, “we cannot base an entire military operation on Commander Skywalker’s Force visions.”
“It isn’t a vision,” Luke interrupted. “It was a direct call from my student to help.”
Leia held up a hand. “Did we send the Mandalorian on a mission for us to capture Coin?”
Jan Dodonna looked at her and tilted his head. “I didn’t think that information about bounty hunter dirty work had made it to your ivory tower, Princess. Although…” His gaze shifted to where Han was moving around in their kitchen area, mercifully with a shirt on. Leia’s eyes narrowed.
“I am concerned about anything that could threaten the legitimacy of the New Republic, General Dodonna. I think you should be concerned about the same, rather than concerned about my relationship.”
Jan flushed a little pink, and Leia sat back. “Did we?”
“We did,” Mon confirmed, “but he provided us with Coin. What happens now, while he’s on a break, actually, is none of our concern.”
“So we’re going to let one of our best assets go because we’ve paid them and we’ve no responsibility?” Leia folded her arms. “Are you serious?”
“Leia–”
“No.” Leia snapped. “I won’t have it. What if General Solo followed that idea at the Battle of Yavin? He’d been paid, so why bother turning around and helping us? We’d all be dead and the Imperial flag would be flying high. The galaxy would still be in Palpatine’s grip.”
“Leia, honey–”
Leia held up a hand, silencing Han. Luke looked around the room as everyone locked eyes with her.
“And if he’d left on Hoth after being paid? I would be dead, buried in the snow, or in Vader’s hands.” Her eyes flashed with something that made Luke’s heart ache. He’d forgiven Anakin Skywalker, but Leia couldn’t forgive Darth Vader. Not that he ever really expected her to.
“I believe General Solo stayed because he was going to be paid in ways more than money–”
Leia threw Luke’s bottle of water at General Madine. Luke almost believed it was guided by the Force with how perfectly it collided with his nose. Han had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing.
“I did not fuck Han Solo and that’s what kept him around, thank you.” Leia said coldly. “You should get your attitude checked.”
“Leia,” Mon said gently, trying to guide the conversation back. “I understand that some of our former contractors have come through for us. But this is the opposite.”
“Exactly. If we have relied on the goodness of others, it is time we repay that. We’ve received a clear distress call, and it is our duty to help. To abandon the Mandalorian would be cold and reckless. It would show the opposite of what we actually fight for. Are we trying to say that those who support the Rebellion and the New Republic will be abandoned as soon as they are not useful to us anymore?”
The silence was heavy, like in the Senate when Leia would snap at Senators twice her age and with half the integrity. Mon eventually broke it with a sigh.
“Leia. I need a reason to authorise this.”
“The reason is that we will lose an incredible asset if we don’t help.” Leia said simply. Luke half wished he could detach from the emotional side of situations as easily as her sometimes, separate from it entirely. “There may be a selfish reason, but we surely cannot overlook the risk. How many former Imperials has the Mandalorian taken out for us?”
“Many,” Mon confirmed. “You’ve persuaded me. All those in favour?”
Hands and claws raised. Leia counted and nodded.
“Majority rule.” Mon rose from her chair. “I will send out the order immediately. But Master Skywalker? You must go with them.”
“Of course,” Luke nodded, rising to his feet.
“Where are they headed anyway? Leia and I can go too,” Han poured himself another cup of kaffe as he gave General Madine a glare. Leia’s throw had left a nice red mark on his cheek.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s Nal Hutta.”
Leia bristled and Han grimaced.
“No thanks,” Leia said, voice much lighter. Han placed a hand on her back.
“Yeah, I’m sure The Twins would love to get hold of me after I never technically paid off Jabba. And the Falcon is too well known.”
“Exactly,” Luke nodded. “I wouldn’t want you two to come anyway. Too dangerous. And, no offense, but you’re both quite reckless.”
“Says you.”
Luke looked at the water bottle lying abandoned on the floor. Leia rolled her eyes fondly.
“Okay, fine, I am.” She hugged Luke and he hugged her in return. “Be safe. May the Force be with you.”
“I will. May the Force be with you too.”
Luke turned and descended the stairs from their home, picking up the water as he went. As a Tatooine boy, he wouldn’t ever let precious water go to waste.
“Luke!”
“Wedge!” Luke grinned as he took off his cloak and loaded it into his old X-wing fighter. Wedge gave him a hug from behind.
“You’re coming with us?”
“Of course,” Luke grinned. “Guess who gave the intelligence?”
“No way! You and your weird psychic-ness.”
“It’s not weird,” Luke protested. “It’s the Force!”
Wedge raised an eyebrow. “So, where are we heading? What are the details?”
“Nal Hutta.”
Wedge frowned. “Oh damn. So no Solo or Organa on this one?”
“No. Han wanted to come, but we decided not to risk it. And Leia… Well, I don’t think they’d take well to Leia Huttslayer Organa. So I told them to stay. It’s just me this time.”
“Just like the Death Star trench run, right? You and me.”
Luke smiled, patting Wedge on the back. “You and me. And my R2 unit of course.”
“Yes yes, you wouldn’t be Luke without R2-D2, would you?”
Luke checked his lightsabre was secure on his belt before he climbed into the X-wing. He secured his helmet and settled into the ship like he’d never left.
Luke. I’m coming too.
Leia, it’s far too dangerous.
Medical backup. I won’t engage in the fighting, and I won’t attempt diplomacy.
Luke shook his head. If you get caught by a Hutt, Han will kill me.
It can be Han’s turn to rescue me from a Hutt.
Luke managed a little smile as he took off, following the other ships out of Coruscant’s atmosphere and into hyperspace.
“Don’t worry Grogu. I’m coming. May the Force be with you.”
The battle above Nal Hutta was intense. Waves of droids and their ships came at them, and Luke engaged in the battle as easily as he had back when he first joined the Rebellion. So much had changed since then, but blasting pieces of metal into smithereens had remained the same. As soon as there was a break, Luke set his X-wing down and jumped out, the medical ship with Leia on landing beside him. Luke ignited his green lightsabre and handed Leia a spare blaster.
“Miss Not-Diplomat, something for aggressive negotiations.”
“I’m here to help the Mandalorian,” she said with a little laugh, “not shoot him. But I suppose I can shoot anyone who might injure him.”
Luke smiled a little to himself before he followed Grogu’s voice. The palace exploded as torpedoes were shot into it, sending layer upon layer of earth rippling. Luke followed the Force and set off running through the swampy mess with Leia hot on his heels. Fleeing remaining droids paid them little mind, and Luke chopped through the branches.
“Djarin! Djarin!”
“Master Luke!”
“Luke?”
Luke’s head snapped up and he almost dropped with relief. There, in the bottom pool near the destroyed palace, was Djarin. Helmet on, Grogu in his arms, that was the Mandalorian that Luke remembered. He secured a rope and tossed it down for him, before he and Grogu together lifted Rotta the Hutt onto the bank. Leia was already checking over Djarin, frowning at the scars given by the dragonsnake.
“Have you had an antidote?” She asked. Djarin nodded.
“Grogu made one.”
Leia nodded and passed him a vial. He turned away and slipped it under his helmet, not wanting the others to see his face as was the Way of the Mandalore. Leia moved to check over Grogu as Luke knelt beside Djarin.
“Grogu called me.” He explained. He could feel Djarin’s smile through the Force, and didn’t need to look under his helmet. “What happened?”
“Sometimes doing what’s right leads to crossing Hutts.”
“Ah,” Luke offered him a hand and helped him stand. “Yeah… Well, my sister and I unfortunately know a thing or two about that.”
“Yeah, why did you bring your sister, Miss Huttslayer herself, to Nal Hutta?”
“Have you ever tried telling Leia Organa no when she’s made up her mind about something?”
Leia was keeping her distance from Rotta, Grogu still in her arms and cooing. Luke rolled his eyes.
“He’s going to get so many snacks from her.”
“We should take Rotta with us,” Djarin said with a nod towards the Hutt. “I promise he isn’t like his father.”
“I think it would be better if Leia flew my X-wing back, and I was with you in the medical team.” Luke decided. He shot Leia a look, and she shot him one back that involved too much eyebrow wiggling for his liking.
“Sounds good Master Skywalker,” Djarin half teased as he took Grogu back from Leia.
The little creature had got her emergency pack of biscuit snacks, and was happily eating all of them. Djarin followed Luke onto the medical ship, with Rotta behind him, and Leia headed back through the forest to Luke’s X-wing. The medical ship took off, and Luke sat in front of Djarin.
“So, Grogu called you? And you answered?”
“I can’t ignore the call when someone is so in need.” Luke explained. “Especially–...”
“Especially…?”
Luke looked down at his hands. “Attachment is meant to be forbidden. But Djarin… Djarin, I would give it all up for you.”
“Luke, I couldn’t ask you to do it.”
“You wouldn’t be asking me. I would choose it.”
“No.” Djarin said. “The galaxy needs a Jedi order. You can’t give it up.”
Luke crossed his legs as he sat in front of Djarin. “I’m rebuilding the order. The old order fell because it was too rigid. I think… I think compassion is fundamental to a Jedi. And I feel compassion for you.”
“You don’t want to love a bounty hunter.” Djarin turned his head away.
“I do want to. And I do.”
Luke could feel Djarin blushing. He stood up and took Djarin’s gloved hand. “It’s entirely your choice–”
Djarin swept Luke into a hug, holding him close. Luke hid his face in the little junction by the bottom of Djarin’s helmet.
“Thank you for saving me, Luke.”
“I didn’t do anything. Grogu had already saved you. I just brought the Rebellion.”
“I didn’t mean now.”
Luke blushed and held him tighter.