Leia took a few seconds to process the Admiral's words, glancing at Luke. Space bombs? Heavy rockets? These weren't the usual weapons for tie-fighters. The impact of what the admiral was telling them showed on Luke's face too.

"Wait," he said to her. "I'm going to get more information." He ran back towards the Vohemar. One of the prisoners would have no choice but to give Luke whatever information was in his mind.

"Admiral, can our squadrons stop them before they get to us?" Leia enquired.

"They are on an intercept course but I'm afraid we may have left it too late. I think we underestimated them," the admiral admitted angrily. "We will do what we can from here but you need to prepare," he warned.

"I understand, Admiral."

Leia stood up, handing the pad back to Madine. She began to pace, biting her lower lip and looking at the floor. It was her usual thinking pose and the generals waited for her tactical response. She looked round at the Alliance soldiers and the prisoners. Even if she could get them all out on the ships they had, the inhabitants of Al-Adreen would not be so lucky and their safety had been the point of this whole mission. They had worked too hard today to fail at this point. She turned as Luke returned.

"It's as we originally thought. I questioned one of the officers. He says they intend to destroy Al-Adreen. They have newly modified weapons which means they don't have to use the star destroyer, they can fly right in and effectively wipe out the whole settlement."

Han spoke up from the floor.

"Lando was wondering why they only brought a small craft," he noted.

"It's insignificant and low key. No-one would suspect they could do so much damage." Leia almost admired the tactics. Luke started walking quickly in the direction of the town square.

"Where are you going?" Leia called after him.

"I'm going to do something about it," he answered, raising his hood as he walked. She knew this gesture well. Luke meant business. Jedi business, although what he could do about this completely baffled her. She tried to read his intentions but got nothing. She knelt next to Han. He looked pale from loss of blood. She should at least let the Vohemar take off with him. He looked enquiringly at her.

"I have no idea what he has in mind," she answered his silent question. "I can't read him at all. He's shutting me out."

#

Luke was concentrating; putting himself in the most secluded mental state he could in order to summon as much power as he could. He was going to need it. He had read a great deal about ancient Jedi techniques and the only hope for them all now was to try one. No, not try. Do. He walked into the middle of the square and stopped, folding his hands together under his robe sleeves and slowing his breathing to almost nothing, cutting out all sound around him. He reached out to feel the Force flowing within the vegetation, round the rocks and buildings, up from the ground. He could almost see its energy in his mind, like little streams and rivulets pulsing through everything. He breathed it in, pulling it towards him as if he were sucking life out of the surrounding area. He had been practising this ever since Yoda's teaching, seeing the Force flow through every living thing as Yoda had told him it did. Now he needed to use it, take it from where it was hiding and position it somewhere else.

He pictured the settlement of Al-Adreen, its white residential buildings, its colourful market streets and eating establishments and all its residents, and then tried to picture them under a shield, protecting them from harm. This last part was difficult to do. He knew a Force shield was possible but only the greatest Jedi had ever been able to do it and he was still learning.

He felt his frustration building and he pushed it away. The tie-fighters would be upon them soon. He had no time to waver. He tried again but still nothing happened. It shouldn't be this hard to imagine; he had seen pictures in the archives - a light shield generated by pushing the energy of the Force over the object that needed protecting... Light... Leia. He needed Leia.

Leia. I need your help. He thought to her. He didn't want to lose his grip on the Force energy.

#

Kneeling at Han's side, holding his hand, Leia's eyes glazed as she heard her brother's voice. She whispered his name in response. Han watched her transformation and tried to turn his head to look in Luke's direction. He was standing right out in the open where he was an easy target.

Leia. Please. I can't do this alone. I need you. Leia shook her head.

"I can't help you," she replied out loud. She thought she'd made it clear enough over the last few days that she didn't want anything to do with using any power he believed, but she doubted, she had.

Please Leia. We're running out of time. It's going to take both of us." She shut her eyes against the thought.

"I don't know what to do," she said desperately. "I don't know how I can help."

"You don't need to do anything. I just need you here. Don't think about it. Just trust me." She turned her head to look at him and then looked at Han as if she were asking him to come up with an excuse that could get her out of this.

"Princess. The tie-fighters are approaching our position," Madine informed her as he followed their course on his data pad. She was in a terrible dilemma. She was so afraid to connect with any kind of power, afraid of what it would do to her but, on the other hand, Luke was on his own, trying to save lives and that's what she should be doing. Her face contorted with the stress.

"I'm frightened," she whispered.

"I know, but if you don't help me, I don't think I have enough power and these people will die," Luke stated plainly . Han squeezed her hand and she focused on him.

"Go," he encouraged. "Help Luke."

"But you need me," she insisted. It was a weak excuse under the circumstances and sounded hollow as she said it.

"I 'ain't gonna need ya if we're all blown to hell." There were the typical Han Solo bare facts with no frills. "Your brother's asking for your help, so go help."

Han was getting used to these half conversations now, resigned to the fact he was going to have to in future. Even though he was weak, he gave Leia as strong a push away from him as he could manage. She stood up, looking at him almost apologetically. "Go. It'll be OK," he smiled thinly.

Leia began running towards Luke. She thought she could hear the tell-tale and terrifying whine of the tie-fighter's engines. Putting more effort into it, she covered the ground between them quickly. It was a definite whine.  They would be upon them in a matter of minutes.

Out here in the middle of the square, a sudden strong wind whirled dust round the buildings and blew hard at the tarpaulins of the trade stands. She was sure when she'd stood here earlier the weather was calm. Glancing round and holding strands of hair back from her face that were blowing madly and blocking her eye-line, she stared in astonishment as she noticed that only things inside the perimeter were affected by the wind, everything outside was still, and Luke was the source.

"What do you need me to do?" She raised her voice above the elements. He held out his mechanical hand to call her close to him and wrapped the metal arm around her, pulling her tight into a hug. He reached out with his other hand as she had seen him do many times and she shut her eyes.

As soon as she touched him, it felt as if tingles of electric current were flowing through her, like she'd touched the wrong end of a battery pack. She wrapped her arms round his waist, planted her feet and held on tight, the wind increasing to the velocity of a small tornado and threatening to unbalance her.

#

Leia wrapped her arms round his waist and Luke felt the surge in the Force. He opened his eyes, able to actually see the Force energy flowing towards him now, an amazing and strangely calming sight. He felt at home with the elements around him as the rivulets channelled through Leia and into him. He directed his thoughts to the settlement, stretching his free hand out as if he wanted to touch it, clearly able to imagine it all.

Tell me what to do. Leia thought. He could see the tie-fighters now; five of them in the distance, their whine filling his ears. He felt her trepidation.

Protect them, Leia. Trust me. He thought back. She turned her head in the direction of the fighters as they approached and threw her arm up to shield herself from the inevitable rocket fire.  As soon as she did so, he saw the light shield appear, its power flowing through his sister and out from his own outstretched hand. He heard her cry out as the ties released their rockets and bombs, and roared over their heads and away. The sky was alive with explosions like a huge celebration of ominous fireworks but nothing hit the ground. He waited until he was sure the fighters weren't returning and then lowered his hand, looking down at his sister who had her eyes squeezed shut.

"It's over," he said out loud.

Are we dead? Leia's thoughts weren't meant for him to hear but he laughed anyway, taking her by the shoulders and looking into her face. She opened her eyes.

"No, Leia. We did it. They're all safe."

Leia looked around. Everything was calm as it had been earlier, the sun shining on the buildings, no wind, as if she had dreamt the last hour of her life.

"What happened?" she asked bemused. "I saw the fighters and then shut my eyes." What had happened? She'd heard everything, saw the ties release their deadly payload and couldn't bear to watch the rest. She was sure she hadn't done anything but her body was still buzzing.

"We shielded the settlement. Thank you." Luke smiled broadly at her.

"I didn't do anything. I just wanted them to be safe," she insisted. She hadn't. Had she? She'd just stood, holding onto her brother trying not to be blown away.

"You were a perfect channel. The compassion you have for the people created the shield. Your light force is incredible, I wish you could have seen it. I couldn't have done that without you." There was tremendous love in Luke's eyes as he spoke. She still had her mouth open, not quite understanding what he was saying. She tilted her head back and regarded him, a small frown appearing on her brow. He laughed again. He'd seen this look a thousand times; her superior You are talking like a complete idiot face. "It's true," he defended. "You can't deny it now."

"What if they come back?" she asked, scanning the sky. She was surprised they hadn't already.

"I projected an image of Al-Adreen's destruction. They think their mission was a success. I just hope they don't come back and check." He raised an eyebrow.

Leia nodded, contemplating it all. It was going to take a very long time for her to understand exactly what happened here, but the outcome was good and that's all that really mattered. Now she could turn her attention to getting Han the urgent treatment he needed. She turned on her heel and headed back to the warehouses. Luke took her characteristically determined walk as a sign that the subject was concluded.

"We're still going to talk about this," he called after her, beginning to follow.

"No. We are not," she called back over her shoulder. "You are not to mention this to anyone, little brother." His eyes widened.

"Why am I suddenly your little brother?" he quizzed indignantly.

"Because I'm quite obviously the boss and you have to do what I say," she barked. He was stunned for a few seconds until she turned her head slightly and flashed him a devilish smile. He shook his head and grinned.

"Oh, OK," he resigned.