Chapter Four

The ancient art of Jedi healing, Luke had explained between periods of consciousness, left much to be desired. Yoda’s lessons had been sketchy at best and incomplete at most, leaving him to figure things out on his own. It was very much trial and error that his weakened state was making that much more difficult.

He couldn’t sit up for very long before the double vision and dizziness would return. As much as he wanted to begin the process of restarting the Jedi Order, he needed more than ten minutes of being able to stay upright in order to do so.

Luke spent his time between meditation to facilitate the healing process and staring at the medical bay ceiling while Lisa brought him food to keep his strength up and made sure he asked 2-1B for medication if his pain got too much to endure.

Rolling over onto his side, he came nose-to-sensor with R2-D2. The little droid had appointed himself guard if Lisa had to step away, and he took his job very seriously. If Luke even attempted to stand up, he beeped an alarm that had 2-1B rushing into the room and Lisa appearing in an instant, both admonishing him and reminding him that his condition would become chronic if he didn’t rest.

Artoo made a low beep, his sensor eye shifting from red to blue. Luke couldn’t help but grin at his little sentry.

“I’m just getting comfortable,” he said, reaching over to pat the droid’s dome. “I’m not feeling up to facing you, Lisa, or 2-1B’s wrath right now.” He shut his eyes against the headache that was building in his temples.

The droid gave a satisfied beep and rolled backward a few feet so he was no longer in his master’s face. Luke chuckled quietly and settled into the cushion.

He heard the door whoosh open and sensed Lisa’s presence. Brushing her with both the Force and their link, he smiled as he felt her lips press briefly to his cheek.

“How’s our patient, Artoo?” she asked. “Behaving himself?” At the affirmative beep, she said, “Good.” He felt her hand smooth his hair. “Do you need something for that headache?”

“Don’t think so,” he said. “It’s tolerable.”

He sensed her shrugging; he felt the movement in his shoulders. Then she asked, “Hungry?”

He wasn’t, not at the moment, but he knew if he didn’t eat something while he felt even slightly better, then if the pain spiked later, he wouldn’t want to eat at all, and that wouldn’t be good for the healing process.

Opening his eyes, he had to blink a few times before Lisa came into focus. She was holding a tray of rations and a cylinder of water. During his recovery time, he’d gotten good at eating while lying on his side; otherwise Lisa would help feed him, which, while slightly humbling, was better than risking fainting or choking because he was too stubborn to accept help.

Lisa set the ration tray on a rolling table that she’d adjusted to a height so he could reach the food easily and stuck a straw in the water cylinder so he could drink without spilling. Snagging a piece of dried fruit from the tray, she sat at Luke’s bedside and nibbled on it while he ate.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said between mouthfuls.

“Uh oh,” was the immediate reply.

Love you, too, he said with an affectionate smile, chewing his food. After swallowing, he said, “I know I’m in no shape to research that planet I’ve been seeing, but I was hoping, if we worked together, we could at least start?”

Lisa raised her eyebrow, her wings twitching. “I know you’re bored, but are you sure you’re up to it? You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I am!” he insisted, gesturing to his horizontal body. “See, lying down and everything. If you ask 2-1B for a portable screen, we could access the database while I’m here. When I get tired, we’ll stop and I’ll do another round of healing.”

She pressed her lips together while she considered his words. He sipped his water, not wanting to push her. Almost every time he went into his Jedi healing trance, he would have a dream or vision of the beautiful planet where he knew he and Lisa were supposed to have the school where they were to teach the next generation of Jedi and their loved ones. It just made him want to find that planet as soon as he could and meet the real people behind the shadows and blurred figures he’d been seeing. He wasn’t yet sure about the process to find prospective students, but he hoped the Alliance database would at least point them in the right direction of the planet.

Lisa finally sighed and stood up. “Finish your food. I’ll go talk to 2-1B.”

Smiling, Luke reached over to take her hand and kissed her fingers in thanks. She shook her head in fond exasperation.

“You’re napping after you eat, though.” Lisa gave him a look before walking away to find 2-1B.

Luke’s smile widened. “Yes, Lisa.”

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