Luke accompanied Naluma to the lab, bucket in hand. Even though she had not eaten anything in over fourteen hours, her stomach still rebelled at the tiny amount of water trickling down her throat from the ice cubes. Because of the amount of blood the lab med tech withdrew, he required Naluma to drink some saft and eat some bread before leaving.

When they arrived at the examination appointment, Med Tech Budi weighed Naluma, took her vitals, and handed her a towel and a sheet. "Dr. Joloah will perform a complete examination. Later, the image tech will administer an holographic examination."

Dr. Joloah was reading the lab results on his datapad as he entered the examination room. "Master Fau, Master Skywalker, congratulations. You are definitely pregnant."

Luke and Naluma rolled their eyes at each other, thinking in unison, As if we didn't already know that. They both chuckled. Then Naluma grabbed her bucket, the laughter causing her stomach to rebel yet again.

"Nothing too far out of the ordinary, but I do have a few concerns. You're fifteen kilos below the weight you were the last time you were here. Your lab results show that you're dehydrated and anemic as well. How's the nausea?"

"I haven't been able to hold anything down for two weeks—not even water."

"I didn't realize it was this extensive." Dr. Joloah pressed a few buttons on his datapad. A mechanical arm dropped from the ceiling, and Dr. Joloah attached an intravenous drip into Naluma. "This is for the nausea and dehydration. Now, let's find out how it is doing."

"His name is Anakin, doctor," Naluma said as she gulped down the nausea. "I'd prefer you not to refer to our son as an it."

"Have you had an exam already?"

Luke said with a smile, "Jedi powers extend beyond fighting. We can feel him in the Force."

The doctor continued his thorough examination. He continued to make notes on her chart. "Well, almost everything looks normal, but I'm admitting you to be on the safe side."

"Admitting me?"

"Yes, until you can hold food down for twenty-four hours."

Naluma looked at Luke.

"Don't worry. Ben will be here a while longer. I'll just split my time between each wing. When one of you throws me out, I'll just go to the other one." He smirked at her.

Naluma giggled and then heaved again. "Oh, don't make me laugh."

The image tech entered with her equipment.

"Time for the hologram," Dr. Joloah said.

The image tech looked at Naluma, deciding which sleeve to use. "Hmm, you are a tiny one. Take the robe off, dearie. You don't have anything these two haven't seen before," the older woman said.

She wrapped a plastic sheath around Naluma's abdomen and pressed a few buttons on her machine. Instantly a hologram appeared above her device. A tiny baby, no larger than a small pitted fruit, appeared before them. "There's your child."

Besides the large head, no features were prominent so early in the pregnancy, but the pulse of blood flowing to and from their baby assured that life was present. "He's so tiny." Naluma said in wonder, "He's so tiny." She extended her hand toward the image, wishing to touch him.

"He's within range for eight-to-ten weeks," the technician said as she worked with the image again, turning it.

"Master Fau, do you know when you conceived?" the doctor asked.

"No sooner than ten weeks ago. Luke's been gone since them. I missed my first cycle nine weeks ago, so I think ten is about right," Naluma said, struggling to remember what was in her medical file on Zaxyn and what was here on Koda Station. "Maybe we should transfer my records from Zaxyn, too."

"Definitely," Doctor Joloah said. He regarded Naluma, then the slow spinning hologram. "He--looks to be a very healthy baby boy."

The news brought great relief to Naluma.

"But your job over the next few days is to add a few kilos to sustain development. And a healthy diet."

Great, she thought craving a lishi frozen cream, more wilted waha.

After Naluma was admitted to a room in the Birthing Wing, Luke headed to the Emergency Wing to visit Ben. He was in a room on the second floor, by himself. When Luke entered, Ben was resting, but awake.

"Uncle Luke," Ben said wearily, trying to sit up.

"Don't move." Luke waved his hand at Ben. "How are you doing?"

"In pain," Ben moaned while closing his eyes.

"Well, let's get you some more pain meds."

"No, then the nightmares will start again," Ben said. "The pain is better than the nightmares."

Luke understood. The Force-dreams that accompanied high doses of pain meds were unbearable. He remembered when Naluma was on them and the Force-dreams they caused. "What are you dreaming about, Ben?"

"Blackness. A large black room, with a shaft that goes down for miles. Above is a door that is letting in sunlight, the only beam that shines down. And then I ..." Ben trailed off.

"It's okay," Luke said. "Force-dreams can be like that. Don't let it bother you. Be at peace, Ben."

Ben closed his eyes and started his relaxation technique, silently cursing his Knights of Ren who beat him beyond strict necessity. "Uncle Luke?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Can I see my dad?"

"He's on his way. He'll be here in a couple of days."

"Really, he's coming?" Ben asked in unbelief. "My dad's coming?"

"Yes, when I told him about your accident, he left immediately. He'll be here as soon as the Falcon can get him here," Luke said as he grabbed Ben's hand. "Just hang in there."

Han and Chewie arrived on Koda Station two days later, straining the Falcon hyperdrive to its maximum. When they arrived at midday, Han and Chewie hopped a transport to the med center a few clicks away.

Han approached the med tech station and demanded, "Hey, where's my son?"

Med Tech Eras looked up at the man. "Calm down, sir."

"Don't tell me to calm down. Tell me where my son is," Han said, leaning over the counter in threat.

"Sir, if you would just calm d—"

Chewie lifted Eras by his shirt and shook him while roaring in his face.

"Chewie, put him down."

Chewie lowered the med tech to the deck.

"Now, we're going to start this over. Where is my son?"

"Who is your son, sir?" Eras asked, warily looking at Chewie and then Han and then Chewie.

"Ben Solo, Jedi Padawan Ben Solo," Han said with a sheepish look. "I'm Han Solo, his father."

"And who is that?" Eras pointed to the Wookiee who was throwing his arms up and roaring.

"Chewie? Oh, he's his uncle."

Eras looked at the Wookiee again and just nodded his head. "Padawan Solo is on the second floor in Room 2114."

When Han burst into the room, Ben opened his eyes as if Han had woken him up. "Dad," he murmured.

Han grabbed his son by his upper arms, as hugging was out of the question with Ben's back injury and brace. "Ben, you're safe."

"Yeah, Dad, but watch the arm. The back isn't the only thing that hurts."

Han released his arm at once.

Ben scanned his dad's mind, looking for that vital data. He needed to keep him occupied while he searched for the coordinates. "Dad, thanks for coming. It means a lot."

Chewie approached him, wanting to give him a Wookiee hug, but he settled on mussing Ben's hair instead and spoke a few things to him in Shriywook.

Ben, not quite understanding Chewie, answered, "Thanks, Uncle Chewie." He figured that would work for just about anything Chewie would say to him.

Han stared at him, for once at a loss for words.

Ben knew his dad tried to avoid visiting med centers. Ben could feel his discomfort as he prowled in his dad's mind. But discomfort around Ben, yeah, that was normal.

Pulling a chair up, Han asked, "Want to talk about it?"

"The mission?" Ben asked, still probing his father's mind for those coordinates. "That's classified, Dad."

"I'm sure parts of it aren't. You don't have to tell me where you were, just what happened to you," Han said. "Besides, I've got top clearance. I'm a general, you know."

"You used to be."

"Hey, I still am. I haven't resigned yet."

Chewie growled a confirmation.

"All right. No names, though," Ben said with a wary look. "Well, a TIE took out my starboard engine on insertion. I had two choices—punch out or go down in flames. I thought punching out was a better option, but now I'm beginning to reconsider."

Han laughed and then silenced his chuckle when Ben did not join in. "Pain that bad, Son?"

Ben nodded.

"Haven't they given you some pain meds?" Han asked, with a roar from Chewie.

"I'm on some. Any more, and the Force-visions start. I'd rather deal with the pain."

"What happened after you punched out?"

"First Order troops captured me and took me to their base," Ben said without emotion.

"And?"

"They interrogated and tortured me, Dad," Ben cried. Tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. "It was constant. It was horrible."

"How'd you escape?"

"I didn't. Uncle Luke rescued me."

Han took his son's hand in his own.

"Sometimes I wish he didn't. I wish I had died in that cell or even in my X-wing, then I wouldn't have to go through this."

Chewie moaned in agreement.

"I know, Son. Been there."

Ben looked at his father with incredulity.

As Han continued speaking, Ben was able to pry the coordinates out of his father's subconscious. "I know how hard it can be sometimes. Been tortured myself by the Imperials before you were born. Your mom was, too."

"Mom. Oh, Dad, I wish I could see her," Ben said with emotion. "Do you know where she is?"

"I have no idea."

Did you know . . .

● It's taken his son's near-death experience for Han to finally relate to him, but now Ben only uses the connection to take what he wants. And Han's too gullible to think his injured kid would take advantage of him.

Tell me what you think . . .

● How has Han changed since he dropped Ben off at the academy six years earlier?