Saga - OT The Visitor (short)

The Visitor

Warm evening air caressed the face of the young, robed man as he weaved his way through the jumble of mud huts and tents. The burning heat of Jakku's sun had been subdued as the evening arrived, the cooling breeze a relief to the boy. Darkness was broken up by the twinkling of torchlight from inside the domiciles, lighting his way to the largest building amongst them; a central utility space used for gatherings and prayer. He had someone with him; a visitor with a message for one of their elders – a message that the visitor insisted was of some import, otherwise he would not disturb him at his time of solitude.

He led the way through the darkened corridors of the simple structure. It was a tranquil place; a place of peace and, despite its lack of illuminating technology; a place of light. He felt calm here; no worries from his home world, where his family had struggled in poverty and conflict, could bother him here. One day, he wanted to be like the elder he now sought. One day he would reach enlightenment; would be filled with wisdom like his master kneeling at the far end of the chamber he now entered.

The young acolyte approached the elderly man tentatively. He was alone in the darkened shrine, the simplicity of the space and dim glow of the burning torchlight lending well to the desired atmosphere for the man's meditation. The acolyte was hesitant to disturb the elder but his message was important. He stood a little way back from the hooded man and cleared his throat gently. The man's eyes remained closed. The lad cleared his throat again, just a little louder.

“Step forward, Jem,” the old man said softly, his eyes still working through the images in his head behind his eyelids. “You have something you need to say, lad. Out with it.”

The young man released a discreetly relieved breath.

“My apologies Master San Tekka, but you have a visitor.”

Lor San Tekka opened his eyes. No one visited this community. Followers of the Church of the Force were considered eccentric at best these days; madmen to be avoided. The Force and its gifted users were all but legend now; stories people told their children at night and no more. In the many years he had been retired and living in this spiritual retreat, no visitors had come, save for those wishing to join the community, and they were few.

He rose from his kneeling position, his surprise and anticipation contained well from years of practice.

“Show our visitor in, Jem. Don't keep them waiting.” The young man stepped back and turned towards the shadows near the doorway as signal to the visitor to enter.

San Tekka's eyes were not as they were in his youth but, squinting with curiosity, he could just make out the small hooded figure who had been in the shadows all along, waiting for an audience. The figure moved into the light, removing the hood that had hidden the face beneath. San Tekka's kindly, bearded and lined face broke into a smile, and the surprise he had hidden now showed clearly in his expression.

The woman beneath the hood was of similar age to San Tekka himself, her once dark hair, now greying, bundled into a simple bun at the back of her head. Despite the plainness of her attire and the lack of finery of any kind, the woman couldn't hide her augustness.

“It has been many years,” San Tekka acknowledged his visitor. “You do our community a tremendous honour with your visit.”

Leia Organa stepped forward to take his hands. She smiled warmly.

“It has indeed been a long time, Lor. I am glad to find the news of your death to be exaggerated. I feel I bring you nothing but danger by my presence here but, nevertheless, what I have to say is for your ears only and could not be entrusted to a messenger.” Lor took the cue and indicated to the still hovering acolyte to leave with the wave of his hand. Leia nodded her thanks as the young man left them alone.

“You and I have been part of the Rebellion for more years than we care to mention. Neither one of us is a stranger to a little danger,” he replied as Leia raised an eyebrow in agreement. “Here we revere those who are filled with the power of the Force. To be visited by one who is blessed with so much light is worth a little risk.”

Leia moved into the room, the burden of her many troubles weighing heavily on her.

“I am not to be revered, Lor,” she sighed. “And 'blessed' is perhaps a word ill-chosen. I have become nothing but a vessel for darkness. What is more, I have unleashed that darkness upon the galaxy.” Emotional pain deepened the lines on Leia's face. Soon she would be in her sixtieth year, but she felt decades older. Not much longer would she be able to continue like this; swallowing the tragedy, shouldering the responsibility, being the strength everyone expected her to be. Too long had she controlled the rage inside her; the rage at Vader, at Palpatine, at the destruction of Alderaan, the loss of so many good people, the betrayal of her only son, frightened that, should she relax for a moment, it would come pouring out of her like a tempest – destructive and devastating. It hadn't been worth all her discipline; her eschewing of the Jedi lifestyle lest she fall to the dark side. Instead she had birthed her rage in the form of her son, named for a good man, now known by another name – one of pure evil.

“He was not born of darkness,” Lor reassured. “He had the potential for both, as do we all. He was shown light but chose darkness. That is not your doing.”

Leia turned to look deeply into the old master's eyes; a look that was searching and vulnerable but, at the same time, containing more knowledge than he could ever hope to gain in his lifetime.

“I am flawed. Unworthy of my gifts. Many years I thought I could protect him, then I surrendered my responsibility to my brother. My son blames his father; felt his father abandoned him but, in truth, it was I who sent him away. I who hid his seduction from my husband. I was in denial.” She smiled and breathed heavily. “If only the Force were less foggy when it came to looking to the future. Hindsight is a double edged sword, is it not?” Leia walked over to a shelf containing artisanal wooden ornaments, and picked one up, turning it in her fingers.

“How is Captain Solo? Your love for each other must surely be your strength now, in these troubling times.” The years had taught him how much strength love lent to life – how it could change a thing. Leia smiled as she thought of Han.

“Wherever the most difficult deal is to be made, or the most risky cargo to be moved – that is where you will find him. Our love has never been in question but our destinies have taken different paths,” she said with more than a hint of melancholy. “It is clear to me that neither my brother nor I, however much power we had, could ever have saved my son alone. We were always meant to work together. Now I must rectify my mistake.”

She put the ornament back in its place, snapping out of her reflective mood and becoming suddenly focused; more like the formidable Princess Leia San Tekka knew of old. “And so to the reason for my visit. I must find my brother and only you can help me.” Lor frowned.

“I am unsure how I can be of help but anything I have is yours.” Leia took both his hands in hers.

“Luke went to find the first Jedi Temple. Its location is uncharted as you know, but I need you to map it for me.”

Lor took a deep breath. A map to somewhere that had never been mapped. An experienced military man, a rebel fighter and now a member of a spiritual commune, this was a skill set he was unsure he had, but Leia's confidence was unmistakable.

“It is clear you have an idea how I might achieve this.”

“My contacts are far reaching, but even they have limitations. Deep within the belly of the Church of the Force, within the community of those who still protect the ancient relics and artefacts of the Jedi – amongst people like you, who have studied and hidden such things from the Empire for many years, is the information I seek. I believe you can find it. You, who still have faith, who are untainted. You, who helped Luke to discover these things in the first place. Only you can I trust to obtain this information and return it to me. It cannot fall into the hands of my son or Supreme Leader Snoke, or Luke's life and the future of the Jedi will be at risk. I must find him. I can defeat this enemy but only with his help.”

“I have been far and wide in search of Jedi Lore. Perhaps some of my old haunts could contain the information you seek,” Lor mused. Of all the Jedi history he had absorbed in his lifetime, the location of the first temple was probably the most illusive; the most sacred. Leia's friend and kinsman for decades, he had been dedicated to protection of all that was important to the Jedi, including this precious woman and her brother. Whatever she thought he could do for her, he would make every effort to achieve.

“I thought you might start on Arthon, with a visit to the Ottegans. The Ottegans are a superstitious people; they owe the Resistance for protecting them against a First Order attack, and a master of your stature and friend of mine should be given special access to the Great Eye of Kalur,” Leia suggested with conspiratorial eagerness.

“The Eye is mere legend. It is a long shot at best,” Lor cautioned. Leia smiled.

“Since when have we been hesitant to bet on a long shot?” she challenged. “And, as you well know, there is truth in legend.”

Lor looked meaningfully into the eyes of the woman who was once his sovereign, his leader, the bringer of light, and smiled.

“I will leave immediately,” he assured. Leia visibly relaxed. She re-covered her hair with her enveloping hood and moved towards the doorway, turning before she exited.

“I will send my envoy to you when you give me word of your success. His name is Poe. Trust no one else.”

“Poe,” Lor confirmed. “As soon as I have the map, I will send word.”

“Thank you, Lor. Our fate is in your hands.” Leia nodded respectfully, pulled her hood further onto her head until her face was hidden and returned to the shadows.


Lor San Tekka took a deep breath. Retirement had not lasted long. Once more he would enter the world of subterfuge and espionage. Once more for the Princess he had served all his life; the Princess whose fate was forever intertwined with the fate of the galaxy.

 

Gorgeous blend of vulnerability, regret, and resolve from Leia! Beautifully insightful details on Lor's reflections and motives. Terrific discussion on culpability for choices. You can feel the heartache truly in all that has been lost and the wondering, was there a point where this all could have been averted—on the galactic and personal scale?

 

This is a scene that I would have loved to see in the actual movie, because it would have done more than just buying Max van Sydow screen time. It would have given Carrie Fisher some precious moments, too.

Thanks for giving both characters so much dignity here!

 

I knew Lor San Tekka was an Alderaanian from the moment that he said that Leia would always be royalty to him. You've hinted at a great common background for Lor and Leia. They are both adventurous, they both have a deep belief in the Force, but most of all, they both share the common loss of their home world. I liked how she hinted that the Church of the Force itself hid the secret of the location of the first temple.

I second AzureAngel2; this is definitely a scene that I would have loved to have seen in the movie.