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After adjusting his servomotors to allow a little more flexibility in his joints, Threepio hunkered down between the twins’ beds. He had already taken care of important details such as providing fresh cups of water for the children and installing small night-lights in the dark corners.

“You two be good for Threepio,” Leia said. “He’ll stay here until you go to sleep. You’ve had exciting things happen today, and we’ll do a lot more tomorrow. I’m so glad to have you back.” Leia flashed a heartfelt smile at them, showing joy even through the weariness on her face.

“I’m certain I can handle this, Mistress Leia,” Threepio said. “I have reviewed most of the available child psychology databases, except for those recommended by the Emperor, of course.”

Leia’s answering look seemed to carry a bit of skepticism, which puzzled Threepio.

“Don’t wanna go sleep,” Jacen said, sitting up in bed.

Leia still smiled. “But you need your rest. Maybe Threepio will tell you a bedtime story if you’re good.” She waved once more, then faded back into the main living area.

The children had indeed had a busy day. After their journey with Winter they had been taken on a quick tour of the Imperial Palace, then shown their new quarters. Even with her duties as Minister of State, Leia had managed to redecorate the twins’ bedchamber in warm, soothing colors. Threepio would have offered his own assistance in the project, but at the time he had been with Lando Calrissian at the blob races. Thinking back, Threepio would have preferred the decorating chores.

Several times during the tour Leia was interrupted by insistent calls, documents that needed to be authorized, brief conversations that could not be delayed. Each time Leia looked guilty, as if realizing this was an indication of things to come.

The twins, though filled with excitement and wonder of the new things around them, grew cranky as they became tired. They had been overwhelmed by too much strangeness in one day, given a new home, and told to sleep in an unfamiliar room. According to the information Threepio had recently uploaded, it was perfectly normal for the children to cause minor difficulties.

“Don’t wanna bedtime story,” Jacen said, crossing his small hands over his chest and looking defiantly at Threepio.

“No story,” Jaina echoed.

“Of course you do,” Threepio insisted. “I have scoured the collected works of children’s literature on thousands of planetary systems. I have selected what I believe will be a truly enjoyable story. It is called The Little Lost Bantha Cub, a classic that has been popular for generations with children of your age.”

He had been looking forward to telling this story, recalling how much he had enjoyed telling the Ewoks of his adventures with Master Luke and Captain Solo. He had even selected some very exciting sound effects for appropriate points in the Bantha Cub story. Threepio had never actually been close to a live bantha during his time on Tatooine, but bantha riders—the Tusken Raiders—had dismantled him during their first attack on Master Luke. He supposed that gave him some small claim to expertise.

“Don’t wanna story!” Jacen repeated. Both children had unruly dark hair, and the deep brown eyes of their mother. Right now the young boy had a determined and stubborn look on his face that Threepio had often seen on Han Solo.

Threepio realized that the issue at hand had very little to do with the actual story. According to his new information on young children, the twins were right now feeling displaced and helpless. With so many things out of their control, they needed to exert their power, to insist on some tiny spot of stability. Jacen needed to see that he could have some effect on his surroundings. Right now the boy was very upset; Jaina, picking up on her brother’s distress, seemed on the verge of tears.

“Very well, young Master Jacen. I will tell you the story some other time.”

Threepio knew just the trick to keep the twins happy and let them drift off to sleep. He was, after all, fluent in over six million forms