Who: Leia Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi What: A reunion of sorts Where: Not far from the Hyperion When: Early afternoon Rating: PG at worst Status: incomplete
Leia was not having an easy time with her 'recovery'. She detested confinement, and even though her annoyance was tempered by looking after Luke. But there was little she could do for her brother apart from holding him, and trying to reassure him he was safe when his nightmares woke him. Then, he'd gone limp in her arms, and Leia had nearly started to panic until Mantis had told her what was happening. The best she could work out, between Mantis' broken communication, was that Luke was dreaming, but in a safe dream, with someone else who could talk to him like this.
That knowledge made her feel both better, and worse. Better that someone could reach out to Luke. Worse that it wasn't her.
Taking advantage of the situation (or so she told herself, in an effort to keep from feeling completely useless), Leia showered and dressed, grateful that Han had brought over clothing for her from the Falcon. Wanting to feel more like herself, she dressed in her white senatorial robes, carefully coiling her long hair and pinning it up. And securing a blaster under the folds of her skirt.
Knowing nothing about the Hyperion's security policies, Leia exited the hotel without signing out, though she had taken the time to explain to Mantis that she was going for a walk. Her head had been aching so long now, with the most ghastly images every time she shut her eyes. She wanted to get away from that room and those memories.
Unfortunately, she was hardly a few blocks from the hotel when she saw it. A startling, enormous sign, that sent a chill down her spine as the black mask of Darth Vader looked back at her. Elaine had told her this planet was free of Imperial control. Then what was this? She saw the other faces, the centermost being the more human form of Vader that had been on the Falcon. To his left, a female face that made Leia's heart ache. She could see the resemblance, and her mind pulled up the old, faint memory of her mother. Her mother. The figure on the right seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it. The early TIE fighters. The lightsaber battle. And Palpatine's mocking, laughing face.
Words printed at the bottom of the sign finally caught her attention, but they brought no comfort. Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the SithNOW PLAYING IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE!
A story? A karking holo for people to be entertained by? Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, these were living nightmares for her. All of Leia's frustrations boiled into that one moment, and, in a shattering of safety glass, she was tearing at the poster, ripping it to shreds with her bare (and now bleeding) hands.