RPlog:Luke's Response

Luke walks in from the Main Corridor of the ship. Luke has arrived.

Jessalyn is asleep on a bunk near the door, bright red hair tossled over the pillow and her eyes moving restlessly beneath the pale lids. She turns on her side, facing the wall, and pulls the blanket up more tightly around her shoulders.

Luke steps in quietly and looks around. His gaze falling on yet another sleeping form. He moves over and sits on the edge of the bed, wondering if he should disturb her.

A quiet, sleepful murmur as Jessalyn senses movement on the bed. "Leia...?" Her head turns and her eyes open slightly.

"It's me Luke." he says quietly.

Jessalyn's eyes open completely now, and she smiles drowsily. "Luke... I..." She blinks as memory washes over her of the night before, and she instantly pales. After a moment she composes herself and looks at you again. "Good.. morning..."

Luke smiles, "Good morning. Where were you last night? You didn't answer my calls."

Jessalyn evades the implication behind his question. "I was looking for Shenner... she was upset and..." She catches her lower lip between her teeth and searches your eyes. "And then Lady Alora found me."

Luke reaches up to brush a strand of hair out of your eyes, his voice soft and contemplative, "She did.." he murmurs.

Jessalyn swallows hard. "She.. tried to trick me. It was like she knew exactly what to say to make me..." A soft sigh leaves her lips. "She kept lying to me, and I wanted to believe her, but I finally realized I couldn't..."

Luke nods slowly, his expression blank as if he is mulling this over, "I'm sorry you had to go through that." he says. His eyes glimmering with concern.

Jessalyn seems at a loss, and says nothing for a moment. She clutches the blanket up to her chin and lowers her gaze. "I couldn't figure out why she would want me... but then I remembered what you told me."

Luke looks away, voice now distant, "She'll use you to get to me. She's deceptive."

Jessalyn reaches out a hand to touch yours. "I know. I won't let that happen. But... she said..." Jessa gulps audibly. "I could.. learn how to defend myself and that if I did that then you would --" Her eyes close and she has to force herself from saying the rest, looking shocked that she has already said so much.

Luke shakes his head, "There's nothing you could have done Jess.."

Leia stirs quietly from where she lay resting in a bunk over near Han's.

Jessalyn sinks back into the pillow, looking defeated. "She was lying... about that too..." It isn't really a question.

Luke squints faintly, "What exactly did she tell you?"

Jessalyn turns her head, eyes contemplating the wall. "She said I was special. And that I am 'touched by the Force.'" Her voice wavers slightly, as if this was not what she had been about to say.

"Jess. Much of this has to do with your own choices. She can't make you do anything if you know where -you- are. Do you understand?" Luke replies.

Jessalyn furrows her brow and looks back at you. "What do you mean?"

Leia sits up slowly from where she lay, allowing her first glance to fall upon Han's dormant figure where it lingers. She then turns to bring herself into a full sitting position at the edge of the bed, bringing her legs down to rest her feet upon the deck plates and bringing her gaze about the rest of the area.

Luke swallows and glances over to Leia, just now stirring, "You know where your center is.. she can't take that away from you unless you allow it." he peers at her sharply, "That's the defense. Knowing where your own strength lies."

Jessalyn's face tenses slightly as she struggles to understand. "I don't have any strengths," she says flatly. "I'm not you."

Luke smiles awkwardly, "But you do. We all do."

Jessalyn shakes her head. "I know what my one strength is, and I can't ever have that," she says softly and bitterly. "And she knew it too."

Luke frowns, "What do you mean, what did she know?"

Jessalyn clenches her fingers around the blankets beneath her chin and stares at you. Her eyes are wide and her mouth opens and closes as if she is struggling with her next words. "She knew that I..." She turns her head slightly noticing that Leia has awakened, and bites her lip. "That you'll never want me, like I want you," she finishes lamely, and sinks further into the pillows.

Luke's expression changes minimally, as if he detects something in the voice, but he doesn't pursue, "Oh.." he manages. He abruptly changes topic rather clunkily, "Well, if Han is taking the ship for a day or so, we'll have to find a place to hole up." looking now at Leia.

Shenner walks in from the Main Corridor of the ship. Shenner has arrived.

Paul_Nighman walks in from the Main Corridor of the ship. Paul_Nighman has arrived.

Shenner appears at the hatchway, white and shaken.

Paul_Nighman nearly bumps into Shenner and let's out an "Eeep!" sort of noise.

Jessalyn frowns deeply at Luke, looking like she has been stabbed through the chest. She slides off the bunk past him and pads barefoot over to the doorway, then stops, seeing Paul and Shenner.

Shenner backs off out of Paul's way, flicks a rattled look to Jessalyn, then blurts, "A-are you okay?"

Paul_Nighman holds his hands out pleadingly. "Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry!" he gasps out quickly. "I was half asleep!" He looks at Jessa, his expression torn. He gives her the warmest smile he can. "Hey sweetheart, how you doing this morning?"

Leia looks to Luke and sighs slightly at the mention of Han and the ship, giving a faint shrug.

Jessalyn takes a startled step backward from the two in the entryway, and gulps. "I'm fine, just damn fine. Thanks." She peers over her shoulder warily, then shoves her disheveled hair out of her eyes. "I just need some fresh air... or.. something..."

Paul_Nighman regards Jessa gravely. "May I escort you?" he offers.

Shenner's expression crumples, and she says to Jessalyn, tinily, "Please don't run off..."

Jessalyn blinks, and looks like she might snap at Paul. But then her expression softens. "I'd be honored, Paul." She looks down at Shenner, perplexed. "What is it..?"

Luke watches her go, then eyes a spot on the far wall near Leia. He remains silent.

Paul_Nighman shoots a look at Shenner and then his gaze returns to Jessalyn, his face tight and controlled. He offers his arm to Jessa.

Shenner swallows hard, taking in everyone in the room, at least everyone who is awake. The kid then lowers her eyes and mutters something that might be, "All my fault you got in trouble yesterday."

Paul_Nighman looks back to Shenner. "I thought we already discussed this?" He struggles to keep his tone gentle. He tries to dissuade Shen from upsetting Jessalyn any further with his eyes.

Jessalyn starts to take Paul's arm, but then she hesitates, glancing down at her bare feet. With an utterly torn expression, she spots her boots next to the bunk where Luke is sitting. She pats Shenner's shoulder absently, as if that's all it will take to soothe her torment, and hesitantly goes to sit back on the bunk as far away from Luke as she can, pulling on her boots.

Paul_Nighman waits patiently for Jessa to get her shoes, then looks around and spots her jacket and picks it up, holding it for her to put on. "It might be cold." he adds.

Luke blinks a few times, noticing the stranger, "Who are you?" he asks, conciously -not- looking at Jess.

Paul_Nighman looks up somewhat surprised at Luke, having forgotten all but the two red heads. "Oh," her burbles, "I'm terribly sorry. We have met, of a sort, but not been properly introduced." He releases one arm of the jacket so that he may extend a hand to Luke. "Nighman, Paul Nighman."

Shenner, perhaps suspecting the adults will be happier if she just keeps her karking mouth shut, does so. But she does eye the room cautiously.

Paul_Nighman turns back to Jessa after shaking Luke's hand and holds the jacket, giving her a loving smile. "Ready now?"

Jessalyn rises from the bunk again and goes to Paul, taking her jacket from him. "Thanks," she murmurs, and rubs at her eyes drowsily. "Let's go for a walk."

Leia remains quiet as well, glancing over to Jessalyn before returning her gaze to Luke.

Paul_Nighman helps her on with the jacket and giving a brief wave to the others. "Nice to meet you, albiet briefly." He escorts Jessalyn out.

Paul_Nighman walks into the Main Corridor of the ship Paul_Nighman has left.

You walk into the Main Corridor of the ship