~Late Night Convos on the Falcon With Corellian Whiskey: Part 2~

Luke stood on the ramp, hands shoved deep into his pockets. The air around the Millennium Falcon was still warm from her recent landing. He swayed back and forth, hesitating. He would much rather talk to Leia about this sort of thing, but he hasn't seen Han in a while. And the smuggler has proven to be a good listener.

He made a decision and walked up the ramp.

He almost ran into Han as he was leaving the cockpit, his eyelids sagging and his expression frustrated. He dragged a hand through his messy hair, making it stick out in all the wrong directions. The smuggler looked at his friend and blinked in surprise.

"Welcome back, Han."

"Hey, kid." He clapped Luke wearily on the shoulder.

"Didn't get enough credits?"

"Nope," the pilot called over his shoulder as he moved into the lounge.

"You look like you need some rest. No offense," Luke added, following him. He watched Han open a familiar compartment and remove two glasses and a bottle of amber liquid.

"None taken. I probably do." He relieved his hands with a dramatic clunk. "I want a drink first." Han pointed the bottle neck towards him before popping the cork. "By the looks of it, you could use one, too."

"Is it that obvious?"

Han only grinned as he poured the recommended amount into each glass, thankfully. He gestured to the seat across from him on the crescent sofa. As he sat, the older man slid his glass across the holotable like a bartender, which Luke caught. Then Han eased himself into the other end of the couch, nursing his own drink in his hand. After a sip, the tired smuggler appeared more alert.

"So what's eating you? Something happen?"

"Yeah." The familiar spicy flavor chased away the lingering taste of noodles and vegetable broth in his mouth. "People close to me keep dying."

He smiled grimly, but Han did not return it.

"Someone died?"

"Admiral Ackbar and Leia sent me on a mission to rescue a decoder. They assigned me a partner. Nakari Kelen. We were cornered by bounty hunters and she was killed in action."

"She?"

Luke nodded. He could see Han reading between the lines.

"Just partners, huh?"

"Maybe a little more than that," Luke admitted, taking another sip.

Han awkwardly turned the glass in his hands, emitting a soft scratching noise against the table surface. "I'm sorry, kid," was all he could think to say.

Luke nodded, accepting his condolences. "Remember when I told you that Ben could feel Alderaan's death? And how I wasn't strong enough to feel all those deaths on the Death Star?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't see her die, I felt it." He closed his eyes as he recalled a phantom pain. "I felt a sudden absence where she once was. Her presence just gone. Snuffed out in the Force."

Han released a low whistle. Luke suddenly felt embarrassed.

"I... I know you're out of your depth here. I just don't have anyone to talk to about this. Not since Ben died."

"I'm not sure I'm the right person to talk to about this, kid. Maybe, Leia–"

"Is busy. Everyone is with locating a new system for the new base. Besides, I don't think she understands either." After a pause, he continued, "I don't need anyone to understand. I just want someone to listen and not think I'm crazy. You're the only one who at least has an example of what I'm trying to say."

Han digested his words. Then the smuggler leaned forward and folded his hands on the surface, drink forgotten in favor of giving Luke his full attention. "Tell me about her."

Luke shifted uncomfortably. "Nakari?"

"Yeah. Kid, you're not just confused by this new Force trick and Jedi stuff, you're grieving a friend. Talk about her."

Luke closed his eyes. He never had the time to think so deeply of her with the mission and all. Even after her death, the thought of her was too painful. Now he let himself picture her face, her smile, her laugh, her advice.

"Nakari was very ambitious," Luke began, opening his eyes again. "The Empire had sent her mother to the spice mines of Kessel, which is why she joined the Rebellion. She had a strong sense of justice, but she also had a very sharp and clever sense of humor." A soft smile formed at the memories. "She was able to understand the Force better than myself. She was... good for me." His fragile smile faded. "We were pursued by bounty hunters who were after the decoder. We were forced to make an emergency landing on Omereth. It turned into a firefight and we were separated. I found her body covered in shrapnel."

Han remained silent, listening to his friend just as he had promised. He face expressed no pity, which Luke appreciated.

"Jedi are supposed to protect people," Luke added barely above a whisper, "but everyone who gets close to me dies."

"You can't blame yourself, Luke."

"She was my partner, Han. I could have saved her."

"No." A heavy hand fell on his arm. Luke raised his head to find Han's brown eyes locking onto his blue ones. "It wasn't your fault, Luke. There was no way you could have reached her in time. There will always be casualties in war, and I think you know that better than most. Look, kid, ever since the old man died, you've been carrying the weight of the galaxy on your shoulders. You forget that you're just a kid."

The corners of Luke's eyes stung. Blinking it away, he gave Han a grateful smile.

"Do you believe I'm destined to become a Jedi?"

Han leaned back, once again nursing his drink in his hand. "Destiny is a fickle thing. I believe in taking the cards you're dealt and making your own way." He paused to take a sip before adding, "If any of us is going to take what he's been dealt and make himself a Jedi, it's you."

"Thanks, Han." Then the boy smirked. "Want to see a new trick Nakari helped me learn?"

The smuggler suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Uh, I don't know if..."

Luke scooted back as far as he could to give himself some room. Closing his eyes, he reached out his hand. Slowly, his glass of Corellian whiskey levitated from the table into the air.

He opened his eyes and grinned at Han's startled expression. The surprise then faded to a look of confusion.

"Kid, I've already seen you do this before. With the screwdriver, remember?"

"That was on accident. Nakari showed me that there are some things I can learn myself without a master to teach me." The young Jedi made the glass sway in the air before carefully setting down on the checkered surface.

Han raised his own glass the normal way. A brotherly kind of warmth and pride shone in his eyes. "That's cool, kid. That's very cool."

Author's Note: Based on the Heir to the Jedi novel.