docs: def _get_connection(self):
          """
          Returns our cached LDAPObject, which may or may not be bound.
          """
          if self._connection is None:
              uri = self.settings.SERVER_URI
              if callable(uri):
                  uri = uri()
  
              self._connection = self.backend.ldap.initialize(uri)
  
              for opt, value in self.settings.CONNECTION_OPTIONS.items():
                  self._connection.set_option(opt, value)
  
              if self.settings.START_TLS:
                  logger.debug("Initiating TLS")
                  self._connection.start_tls_s()
  
          return self._connection