To make it to Ryturn, it will take a full day. Azel wasn't sure what to do with herself. She showered and cleaned her clothes. She felt a bit more put together afterwards. When her hair was back in place, albeit still damp, she went to the cockpit and found Ben sitting with his eyes closed.

Azel went back to the kitchen and made them tea absently. He did it for her when they first flew, she might as well return the favor.

When she returned, she gently nudged Ben. He looked up at her as if he wasn't asleep and then looked at the outstretched tea.

"Thank you," he said and took it from her gratefully. Azel sat next to him with her own.

"How will we pass the time?" Azel asked, slightly in fear of going crazy.

"There's the projector," Ben suggested. "And some books in the cupboard."

Azel sighed and left Ben so she could fire up the projector. She browsed the small film collection and found one that she and Arrin use to watch together. Feeling sentimental, she put it on. She sat on her bed to watch it, and tried not to stiffen her neck too much. The screen was at an awkward angle with where her bed sat, and no amount of adjusting her position could fix it. She stayed settled where she was with a sigh, and got lost in the film.

Ben came out eventually, and sat in the booth with a book. Azel suddenly realized that was a much smarter place to sit for the film, but it is a little late now. The film is over, and there's still several hours left. She sulked in her sheets and then looked at Ben.

"How old are you?" She pondered out loud. Might as well pass the time some how.

Ben glanced up at her. "Much older than you are." He stated. "Why?" He stared back down at his book.

Azel shrugged, although he didn't see it. "Have you always lived on Tatooine?"

"No," Ben said. "I've lived all across the Galaxy."

"Where?"

Ben closed his book gently and looked up at her. "Does it matter?" He asked, sincerely curious.

"No," Azel answered honestly. "But considering we will be stuck together for awhile it wouldn't hurt to know each other a little bit." She mumbled. She felt a little bashful for how she's acted towards him, she should have been getting to know him from the beginning. But she didn't. However, she knows better now. She knows she doesn't have to be so careful around him, and that he only has her best interests.

Ben sighed, but didn't answer. She briefly wondered if he was upset with her, but then his face contorted into one of pain and his eyes grew distant. Apparently that was the wrong thing to ask.

Azel took a different approach. "Do you have a favorite planet?"

That pulled Ben from his thoughts, and he even smiled a bit when he looked up. "There is one," he said.

Azel perked up with interest. She got up from her cot and moved over to the curved booth. She sat next to him, and turned her body to face him. "Tell me?" She asked gently. She laid her head against the back of the booth.

In that moment, Obi-Wan could tell she felt comfortable. The girl always looks like she is comfortable no matter where she is, but now she looks comfortable with him. It is a surprising and nice feeling.

"There's this planet," he began, choosing his words wisely. "That had the most beautiful and peaceful location. Being there, it was almost impossible for you to not feel calm. It was a house on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. You could hear the waves as the water washed up on the shore below, and feel the cool mist in the breeze. Just a little further from the cliff is a forest of trees. It wasn't your typical planet mind you, it was a strange mix of oceans, forests, smooth terrain, cities and mountains. This house was surrounded by it all. You could hear the trees rustle and feel the power of the wind--the planet turning. From the patio, the wind chimes blew with the most calming sound. All of it was the sound of life. It was peace, and serenity."

Azel stared at him. His eyes are clouded in his memories, he stared blankly at the table.
Obi-Wan felt like he was there again, feeling the wind on his face and smelling the scent of the ocean and trees.

"Nobody talks like that anymore," Azel mumbled absently. Obi-Wan looked over to her, he could see the contentment on her face and feel the peace radiate in her Force. Her eyes are glazed over from painting the picture in her head. Now she stared at him in awe. Obi-Wan hasn't had someone look at him like that in a very long time...

"Yes well," he began, trying to ignore where his thoughts were drifting. "I haven't been out much, as of late." He stated, referring to his years on Tatooine. He tried for levity but it didn't work.

"Will you take me there?" She asked him. Obi-Wan looked up at her, the hope glistening in her eyes, and a sudden sadness washed through him. He doesn't know what's come of Coruscant since the war. It could be in ashes, it could be an active warzone, it could be taken over by imperial troopers. Obi-Wan isn't sure he wants to know. He wants to remember the planet the way he experienced it, not imagine it burning.

Azel must've taken his silence as confusion, because she continued, "After we find my mother, I mean. Or even if it's on the way to another planet. Could you show me?"

Obi-Wan looked her in the eyes. The hope written there and all over her face hasn't died down with his hesitation.

Azel has a deep desire to visit this place now, but Obi-Wan doesn't know that it's even a place worth describing in such a way anymore. Besides, he can't exactly go there without revealing his history there.

Obi-Wan must've revealed something in his features because immediately Azel dropped her gaze. "Right, it's alright." She said and Obi-Wan felt disappointment and embarrassment radiate off of her, rather than see it on her now hidden features.

Hold on, embarrassment?

Why would she..? Oh.

"I would love to take you there." Obi-Wan clarified, honestly. Azel looked up at him with a frown. "But it does not exist anymore." He said, surprised that his voice stayed as steady as it did.

"Why not?" She asked.

Always the curious one, Obi-Wan thought fondly, can't just take a straight answer.

"I'm afraid I don't know what's come of it since the war. It could be too dangerous now."

"We're going to a dangerous planet right now," she argued smoothly.

"Yes, but this particular planet was a popular one." Obi-Wan stated, he worried that they are now moving into a topic that could reveal too much.

Before she could ask further, he spoke again. "This planet we're going to could very well kill us. It's important you stay close to me, and do not speak to anyone." That last part was more so she wouldn't cause them anymore trouble with the law. He still doesn't know what happened on the last planet.

"I know," she mumbled.

"Do you have your blaster?" He questioned her. She moved her hand to her hip and found it empty, she then remembered what happened to it.

"I gave it to Han." She informed him.

"I should have more in the cupboard near the exit. I'll check our flight progress." Obi-Wan said.

They both moved, Ben disappeared into the cockpit and Azel went to the cupboard. Inside, she found the blasters she needed. She pulled one out and placed it in her holster.

Something caught her eye on the bottom shelf, and suddenly it became very very bright. Not a literal bright, but it radiated a strong, intense energy. She is drawn towards this hypothetical light, and dropped to her knees to examine it. She suddenly realized that this is the same light she was seeing when she first visited Ben.

She didn't know it was a box then, all she knew was that there was something under his cot making her want to run to it and take it. She has the same impulse now. She wants to open it, see what's inside. It wants her to, she wants to, but Ben wouldn't want her to. This is his personal item, it would be invading his personal space.

But why would he take it with him?

Suddenly the ship shook hard, knocking Azel over from her examination of the box. She tried to stand again but the ship jolted once more and an awful sound came from outside the ship.

"Ben?" She called to him, concern echoing in her voice.

"It's alright," he called back to her reassuringly.

Azel shut the door to the cupboard and made her way to the cockpit. Luckily she kept steady as the ship continued to shake. When she reached Bens side, she stumbled over into her chair. She looked outside to find they are in an asteroid field.

"I thought the hyperspace paths are always clear." She said in shock as Ben weaved around a large asteroid, making Azel grab the counsel in front of her.

"Not when you take a short-cut," Ben mumbled weaving around another floating rock.

"How much further until we're out of this?" She asked him nervously, "Look out!" She called as Ben just barely missed another. Azel felt her adrenaline spike. This is a really large field, with asteroids severely close together.

Ben shakily touched the navigation screen to check. Azel remembered their conversation about him hating to fly. She would've been amused if it weren't for the jolt of the ship. Ben turned sharply to avoid another asteroid, causing Azel to slide around in her seat. She grabbed hold of the armrest with a death grip.

"Another thirty-two kilometers." He answered, and weaved them through the rocks.

Azel held on for the remaining thirty-two kilometers. She called out every so often when her nerves got the best of her. The asteroids grew smaller and smaller in their numbers until eventually none could be seen.

Ben sighed in relief, running a hand through his hair. It was smoothly pulled back into a bun, so when he pulled his hand away tendrils of his hair fell loose.

Ben started running diagnostics on the ship. It didn't take long until the results came in that everything is in order. And just like that, Ben put them back into hyperspace. Azel let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Alright," He said. "Just another 8 hours to go. We should probably get some rest before we get there. Force knows we'll need it."

Azel nodded, and went back to the main part of the ship to plop onto her temporary bed. She got herself comfortable and closed her eyes.

Her heart still beat wildly in her chest. The adrenaline from the asteroid belt still rushed through her blood.

She wasn't sure how long it took her to fall asleep, she knows Ben was able to drink his tea and lay down for awhile before she finally felt the grips of slumber pull her in. After that, she slept dreamlessly.

--

Obi-Wan fell in and out of sleep throughout the night. Nightmares came and went, he slept a few hours with no dreams. Which is more sleep than he has gotten in the past week.

Obi-Wan had an alert on the ship to warn him thirty minutes before they arrived to the planet so they could prepare.

Azel was dressed and ready, she ate a muffin with the remainder of time. She's tough, but Obi-Wan couldn't help but worry about walking into war with her. He doesn't want anything to happen to her.

Obi-Wan found some darker clothing in the cupboard, he had a few sets in case of situations like this, where they might need to blend in with the night. He has a female set as well--more for preparations in case Leia ever boarded with him, but now it will be Azel.

"Azel?" He called for her. She had moved to the cockpit to wait the final ten minutes until they enter the system.

She walked out to him and gave him a funny look from head to toe. "What are you wearing?"

"We are going to a war planet when it is dark. It's best if we blend in with the shadows here. I don't know what we will come across." As he spoke he gathered up the female garments and handed them to her. It's thicker material meant for battle, but light weight and comfortable. It's made up into four pieces: pants, shirt, jacket, and belt--all in black.

Azel took the clothes and changed in the bathroom. She came out wearing the dark garments. Her hair seemed much lighter in contrast to the black clothing, and her skin much paler. Her boots clicked as she walked back to him. He tried not to gape at her. Somehow she still looks wonderful. The clothing accents her figure in a more defined manor by hugging her waist, chest and legs. The belt bulged out a little bit but sat on her hips nicely, and the thigh-holster held tightly on her leg as she walked.

"Well?" She asked. He suddenly realized he is staring.

"Perfect," he said without making eye contact, and went to the cockpit. Two minutes.

Obi-Wan absently felt for his weapons again. His blasters are at his hip and leg, and his saber is hooked to the inside of his jacket. He hopes he will not have to use it. It will be a very very last resort, but at least it's a back up.

"Make sure you have a secondary blaster," he said to her when he sensed her walk in.

"Already do," she said, sitting beside him.

Obi-Wan nodded and waited out the last thirty seconds with her.

Their jump in hyperspace is stopped abruptly and everything around them became clear. Three planets sat very closely to one another. Imperial ships sat idle around the planets. There is no sign of rebel forces anywhere. That is not a good thing for them.

The ship pulled them to the second largest planet that sits in the middle. They made it past the imperial ships without problem, but worried about what they will find on the ground. Azel watched at the edge of her seat as they entered the atmosphere.

Once they got further in past the clouds, they found it is raining. Not heavily, but enough to wet their windshield.

Down below, some fires could be seen burning in the distance. Luckily the town they are heading for was not touched yet. Ben landed between two mountains, their ship perfectly hidden in the shadows.

"We will walk from here." He said to her. He got up and headed for the door. Azel sat there staring into the raining darkness of outside. The danger of where they are suddenly hit her like a blast. Fear crept into her mind and paralyzed her body to where she sat. She tried to get herself under control, focused on her breathing, and telling herself that she is overreacting.

Azel grabbed the necklace from under her shirt and held it tightly in one hand, trying to remind herself of the hope. The hope that the shop women had told her about. The hope that everything will balance itself out, everything will be the okay it should be.

"Azel?" Ben said softly behind her. She didn't respond. Her heart is racing in her chest but Bens voiced seemed to help ground her. She felt her shoulders relax slightly, and her breathing became less frantic. He came around so he could face her and crouched down in front of her.

Before he could say anything, Azel found it in her to speak. "I'm not a person who is afraid of much," she said quietly. "But we aren't exactly trained to fight in a war."

Azel mentally kicked herself for sounding so weak. This wouldn't be a problem if she knew how to fight. She may be able to defend herself now and then, but a planet that is nothing but war? She's not ready to die.

"I will protect you," Ben said, and took her free hand in his. "I promise nothing will happen to you." She stared into his eyes and knew without a doubt he is telling the truth. There is a calmness there, and a steady confidence that gave Azel the courage she needs to leave the ship.

She squeezed Bens hand gently, "Okay," she said. She purposely ignored the voice in her head asking, but who is going to protect him?

Outside, it's cold. Much colder than anything Azel is use to. She's glad she has the jacket to warm her but still crossed her arms over her chest. She realized her necklace is still exposed, and tucked it back away in her shirt.

"Stay close," Ben whispered to her, and Azel did just that. She found herself bumping shoulders with him, and eventually took hold of his arm.

They approached a break in the path and Ben peaked around the corner before he led them towards the village. He kept them close to the mountain, and in the shadows. They came around another corner, and Ben quickly pushed back into Azel. She is roughly forced up against the rocks with his body, rendering her breathless. She understood why when a double line of imperial troopers marched past them. Luckily the two went unnoticed.

"Alright?" Ben asked in her ear when they are gone. His breath is warm against her ear.

"Yes," she said in an airy breath, her hands are fisted tightly in the collar of his jacket.

Ben pulled back, Azel released his clothing as he did so. He gave her a single nod and led the way once more. Azel hovered closely behind him.

They made their way up a small hill and into the town, which could be more described as a village. The buildings appear more like shacks built with wood, and theres only a few of them on either side of the path. They're all connected by the awning over the doorways and the wooden path that runs parallel beneath it.

A small amount of people wandered about. As Ben and Azel moved through the village, people watched them. When Azel noticed an old lady in a rocking chair stare at them, she had had enough.

"Why is everyone staring?" Azel whispered to Ben.

"I don't know," He admitted. He is feeling very uneasy about this.

"I have a bad feeling," Azel commented, echoing Obi-Wans exact thoughts. The Force is telling them something bad is going to happen. They need to make this fast.

"Here," Ben said and led them into the local pub. Inside it is a bit more lively, but still with a gloomy atmosphere. It smelt musty with age and bitter with alcohol. Everyone looked when the two of them walked in. After a moment, they looked away.

Azel couldn't help the sudden feeling that washed over her, like everyone on this planet is doomed.

And if her mother is here then she needs to act fast. If this planet is undergoing some mass attack, she needs to make sure her mother isn't apart of it.

"How do we know where he is?" She asked Ben, impatiently.

Obi-Wan didn't respond. He knows all of the slave traders and their most famous hang outs. This happens to be one pub they linger at. Nephard Triton in particular.

And there he is, sitting in the corner of the bar looking very drunk. Ben took Azels hand and pulled her over to him.

"Nephard Triton?" Ben asked as he took a seat next to him. Azel sat beside him but adjusted her chair so she could peer over Bens shoulder. 

The man grunted in response and took another drink. His beard is gray and untrimmed, his head is balding on top but the sides are grown with a color matching his beard. He's old, much older than Azel expected a slave trader to be.

"I'm looking for someone you might have,"

The man didn't acknowledge him.

"I'm willing to buy her from you," he stated bluntly. Huh, that's one way Azel didn't consider in her previous encounter.

"Aye," he muttered. "Ain't no one gettin' anythin' 'ere. I've been out of the trade since years," he said with a foreign accent.

Azel spoke up then. "A woman from Tatooine, dark hair and eyes, tan skin."

The man turned to her then. His light eyes looked like endless pits of hopelessness and agony. "Fools," he spoke. "The end is nye, and ye want to speak of buyin' slaves,"

"What?" Azel muttered out loud in confusion.

The man took a final swig of whiskey and flipped his glass upside down onto the counter. "Yer mad fer showin' up on the next dead planet. Troopers have made head counts, know how many will parish in each city. No one comes in the final months, except for you two."

That explains why everyone is staring. Azel stood up then and stepped closer to the man. "What do you mean parish? Are they planning on slaughtering the entire planet?"

Before he could answer, the pub shook with ceiling-cracking movement. Azel stumbled in her stance but did not fall. She looked up to see dust fall from the ceiling. Outside screams could be heard in the distance, and the ground-shaking force sounded like it is close.

An explosion.

"This is just the beginning," the man said. Azel looked around to see the others in the pub looking unconcerned, like they've accepted their fate. Azel will have none of that.

"Why isn't anyone leaving?" She questioned in a tormented voice.

"Aye miss I told ye, head counts."

The storm troopers won't let them leave, Azel settled on. That means they must know everyone that is on this planet, they must have names.

Azel turned to Ben. He was staring intently at Nephard with a hand on his beard. His blue eyes are calculating.

"That means they would know if my mother is here," Azel said hopeful.

Ben gave her a sideways glance. Nephard was the one to speak. "Ye deaf girl? I said no slave dealings here."

"If not here then where was the last you dealt?" Azel questioned with determination.

There was another explosion, closer this time. Azel could feel it shake her insides. This time she lost her balance and fell forward. She caught herself on the bar counter between Ben and Nephard.

"Best be leavin' before the Troopers add ye to their list." Nephard warned. "The Empire leaves no loose ends."

Ben stood up suddenly, and took hold of Azels arm. "We need to leave."

"But my mother-"

"Isn't here." Ben said sharply. "It's time to go," Ben tried dragging her towards the door but Azel pulled herself free before she could even take a step.

"We can't just leave these people to die!" She exclaimed to him.

"It's too late for them," Ben spoke quietly so only she could hear.

"The Death Star," Nephard spoke from behind her. Azel turned around to face him. He is staring at her with a blank expression. "Is called that for a reason."

"What is it?" She questioned him.

Nephard looked behind her to Ben. Ben looked deathly ill, like he knows what is going on. He looked to Azel then.

"We have to go, now." Ben said, dragging her by the arm towards the door. This time, she let him.

Outside, people ran in the streets. Smoke filled the air, an orange glow could be seen in the near distance from a recent explosion. Stormtroopers ran up and down the pathway. It is no question that they are the reason for the explosions.

"What is the Death Star?" Azel asked Ben as they weaved around the suddenly crowded village. Ben pulled her off to the side to stare at her. His face is gravely. The rain began to fall harder than before. The pellets felt like needles breaking through her skin. Her hair felt cold and heavy on her head. Looking at Ben, his hair is fully dark with rain water and his face has droplets dotting the skin.

"Home base of the Empire," he told her, blinking away the water that fell from his eyebrow. "They have built a weapon that can destroy whole planets."

Whole planets? That means it's not just the villages, that means there is nowhere for people to run. Azel felt sick with the realization.

"Who's they exactly?" She asked him shakily. She knows the answer, but she needs to hear him say it. She needs to know.

"The Emperor," he said darkly. "And his Sith."

Azel swallowed heavily, her stomach growing nauseated. "Come on," he said and pulled her by her hand. Another explosion went off somewhere behind them, shaking the ground. It knocked both Ben and Azel to the ground. Ben was up quickly, pulling Azel with him. They are running now.

They made it down the slippery hill without a problem, but the hope of making it to the ship unnoticed died away quickly.

"Hault!" A voice boomed, making Azel and Ben stop running. Stormtroopers came over to them and pulled them away from one another. They are forced around to face the man behind them. Azel put up a fight, forcing the stormtroopers to hold her by her arms and hair. She could see Ben not struggling whatsoever. In fact, he remained perfectly calm.

How can he be so calm?

"Well well, what do we have here?" The older man questioned, looking at Azel. He is wearing imperial clothing, and approached Azel with his hands behind his back. She could see he is very very old when he got a bit closer. "A Force sensitive girl," he said loudly. Azel struggled even more. That was her secret that she's kept since she was a child. No one was suppose to know about that. "I know someone who would love to get their hands on you," he said deviously. A smirk curled on his thin lips.

"Don't touch her," Ben threatened for her. The man looked over at Ben. His attention now on him.

The old man examined him thoroughly. He turned to the stormtroopers on either side of him.

"Search him," he demanded and they proceeded to search Ben. Azel watched as Ben struggled against them.

"Let go of him," she struggled and suddenly froze with what she saw.

The old man started laughing. "My my, a Jedi. How kismet." The man stated, taking the lightsaber that was found on Ben. Obi-Wan glanced over at Azel, to see her reaction. Her eyes are wide staring at the weapon.

"You're all suppose to be dead." He said to Ben. "I'm sure Lord Vader will be interested to know that not only do we have a very strong Force Sensitive, but also a Jedi Knight."

Ben didn't deny it, or even correct the man. Azel knew without a doubt that it must be true. The realization hit her like a slap to the face. Everything about Ben suddenly makes sense. She never questioned him before about why he lived isolated on Tatooine or what his previous life entailed because she feared the answer. She feared that he was a terrible man and is in hiding.

But the truth of it is, he was hiding because he's a good man.

"So which one are you? I'm sure Vader will like to know who he missed." The old man questioned him.

Ben didn't reply. When he didn't, a stormtrooper punched him in the stomach. Azel jumped, trying to get to that machine that punched him. However, she didn't make it far. The stormtroopers are stronger, and had to force her to her knees with an even tighter grip. Her body ached where they held her, she knew she would have bruises on her arms from them.

Ben coughed and then looked up at the man. "He already knows," he said roughly. 

Azels stomach dropped, and chills went down her spin. So he knows Darth Vader?

The old man smiled, "You're him then," he confirmed darkly.

Suddenly something started coming into view in the sky, it's a massively large object, almost like a planet. It took up the majority of the sky, and blocked the view of the nearby planets. It's still raining, but the night sky is clear in the distance which allowed them to see through the atmosphere.

Directly above them though, the clouds are thick. The rain burned Azels eyes from looking upwards. She had to look away. As she did, she noticed everyone else's attention is drawn to the same point in the sky.

The old man looked pleased. "Ah, perfect timing." He said and then turned to the two of them. "In a few minutes this planet will be nothing, and Vader will have two very powerful beings in his grasp."

"Like hell," Azel said harshly, and angrily. She pushed her right elbow backwards, hitting a stormtroopers in the groin. It doubled over and she had an arm free. She quickly wiped around to the other stormtrooper to fight it. Just as she was going in for the second attack, another explosion went off.

The group was flung backwards and pulled apart. Azel laid face down in the mud, and looked up to see the village they just came from is burning down. She didn't even hear the TIE fighter come and destroy it, but now she can see it flying away from the scene.

Debris from the buildings had fallen around them, and ashes of the burned wood and bodies fell slower than the rain. Azel watched as the village burned orange and red, and then looked away as the black smoke blocked her view of it. It quickly surrounded her making her eyes burn and throat tighten. She coughed as she got to her feet.

She didn't realize her ears were ringing until the noise turned into a foreign hum. She looked behind her to see the smokey figure of Ben. He is holding a blue lightsaber and slicing away at all the stormtroopers with fluidity and grace.

When they are all dead Ben ran over to Azel. The shock is still evident on her face. She stared at the glowing blue blade.

"You're a-"

"No time," Ben interjected and pulled her towards the ship.

"But the man-"

"We will die if we stay any longer," Ben said, pulling her along. Azel wasn't sure how her feet are cooperating, but they are. She glanced back to see the old man was boarding a ship that hovered just above the ground. He must've ran off when Ben started killing the stormtroopers, but now he is in the safety of a ship, and is going back to the Dark Lords to let them know they exist. Kriff.

Ben and Azel made it onto the ship. Ben cut his saber before they boarded and hooked it to his waist, openly. He went to the cockpit and immediately started up the ship. Azel closed the ramp door and ran to sit beside him.

They lifted off just as they saw a green laser beam come from the large planet-ship in the sky, the Death Star. Azel suddenly knows why they call it that. She felt sick to her stomach. As they lifted off, she watched the beam enter the atmosphere and touch down on the planet, she could hear the rumbling as it hit and suddenly the ground nearby was lifting up and growing. The beam is taking out the entire planet.

It is nothing like Azel has ever seen, or could ever imagine.

Ben turned the ship and Azel couldn't see anymore of it. Ben went further into the sky and suddenly they were at the speed of light.

In any other circumstance, Azel would've protested his jump to lightspeed without breaking the planets gravity first, but now is not the time.

All she could focus on are the people currently dying on the planet Ryturn, and she can do nothing about it.