Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Obi-Wan Kenobi watched as Padme Amidala passed out on the bed, her life was slowly being sucked out of her. Metaphorically, of course.

In Obi-Wan's arms, he held two small children. Their names were Luke and Leia, and they were the future of the galaxy.

Their mother was now slowly fading from their world. The medics were sedating her, in hope that time will heal her wounds. The twin's father had unknowingly abandoned them. Darth Vader might have left Mustafar virtually unharmed but in every way Anakin Skywalker was dead.

And because of that, Obi-Wan was left with a terrible decision. It was either keep the twins with their mother or separate the babies until Padme was ready to protect them. Obi-Wan despised himself for his decision but in his professional opinion, the Skywalker twins would be safer separated. Their Force signatures were much too strong to be together and sensing their

Bail Organa had volunteered to take Leia until Padme could make her own decisions regarding her children. It would work out for everyone this way. If Padme died or didn't want Leia, then Senator Organa would give Leia a happy childhood. And if Padme wanted to raise her daughter, Organa would give Leia right back.

But Obi-Wan wasn't what to do with Luke. Bail couldn't take both of the twins. Yoda, although he loved children, couldn't take Luke with him into hiding. And Obi-Wan didn't want to leave Padmé.

After much debate, Yoda instructed Obi-Wan to deliver Luke to his Aunt and Uncle. The reasoning being that Vader wouldn't want to visit the planet he was once enslaved on.

The only thing left to do was say 'goodbye' to Padmé. She was still unconscious on a white medical bed. Leia and Luke slept in cribs next to her. Funnily enough, the twins were much happier when near Obi-Wan or their mother.

Luke was wrapped in a white blanket. Obi-Wan reached down and picked up the small boy. The baby's eyes opened and blinked up at Obi-Wan, almost as if he was asking what was going on. The Jedi smiled at Luke, and, with some help from the Force, convinced him to go back to sleep.

"I'm so sorry, Padmé," Obi-Wan said, mournfully to the woman. "You'll have your son back soon."

oOoOo

Everything hurt. Every muscle, every organ, every bone. Her throat ached and her dreams were plagued by nightmares she could hardly comprehend. She didn't recall how she became this way, but she could sense his absence. Her heart seemed shattered. She didn't remember exactly what happened, but she knew she had lost the most important thing in her life.

How long have I been lying here? Padmé asked herself. Hours? Days? Years?

The whole galaxy seemed to have collapsed around her, everything she stood for and cared about had been cruelly taken from her. Padme had only wanted a family. She had only wanted a small house where Anakin could come striding home every day and their children would run up and…

Their children.

Maybe, Padmé wasn't as alone as she had thought. She had twins. Two beautiful children who needed her. The senator wasn't the type of person to abandon innocent people. She wouldn't give up on her children. She couldn't give up on Anakin.

There's good in him. I know there is. Padmé announced in her mind. And with that, the former Queen decided that she would live long enough to see him come back to her.

And with that thought, Padmé Skywalker slipped into a more peaceful sleep.

oOoOo

Darth Vader wasn't sure what he should be doing. In all honesty, he didn't want to do anything. He had work to do, of course, but it seemed pointless now. Everything did. He had escaped Mustafar untouched but he felt more lost than ever.

Padmé was dead, the Republic was gone, the Jedi were so few in numbers that they were no threat, and Vader's child never even got to see the light of day. To Vader, the only true innocent that he had even killed was his child. Even the baby's mother had betrayed him.

His new purpose in life was to serve the Empire as Darth Vader.

Darth Vader was strong and Anakin Skywalker was weak.

Vader was born and Anakin Skywalker died.

He had died the day the Republic fell and the blood of the Jedi was spilled on the Temples steps. And to ensure that no one learned the fate of Anakin Skywalker, Vader was erasing all proof of him. The posters had been destroyed, the news clips deleted, his files had been erased and now the final ties to the Skywalker family would be killed.

Vader had only met the Lars' once but they were still a link to Vader's past. A past that he so desperately wanted to forget. It wouldn't be hard to destroy them. All he had to do was walk up to the house and shoot them. All of the locals would simply say that it was Sand People.

The planet was so hostile, that people didn't blink twice when a neighbor died. He despised the planet and the people. It was unfortunate that he had to return, but his master was pleased when he announced what he planned to do to Skywalker's remaining family.

Vader arrived at the Lars' homestead a little after dusk. It was very quiet, but the lights were still on inside. Vader left his speeder half a mile away, so that they wouldn't hear his arrival. He had walked the rest of the way. It was clear that the Force wanted him to follow through with his plan. The Force had been practically dragging him to the homestead since his boots touched the sand.

Vader slowly approached the small building. The Force flowed around him, calling to him. He paused just outside the door. Something wasn't right. There was something in the house that shouldn't be there. The Force was telling him to stop and feel his surroundings, so that's what he did.

There was a child in the homestead was a few days old. He was incredibly strong in the Force. The child's signature was very similar to his own.

This child was his.

Is it even possible? Vader thought. Did Padmé live long enough to bring their child, their little miracle, into the world?

Vader opened the door and looked at the scene before him.

The occupants had frozen at his arrival. Beru was holding a small bundle, the child. Owen, the fool, had grabbed his blaster and was pointing it at the Sith with a shaky hand. A look of horror was on both adults' faces. But the most remarkable thing in the room was definitely the child.

The boy had been in the middle of a screaming fit, tear tracks covered his chubby cheeks. But at Vader's arrival, he had stopped crying. In fact, he seemed quite pleased with the fact that a Sith Lord was in the house.

"Who is that boy, Beru?" Vader demanded in a quiet voice.

"Don't take another step in my house, Vader!" Owen cried.

Vader ignited his lightsaber and called the pathetic blaster Owen had into his hand. Owen took a step in front of Beru as if to protect her and the child. Beru looked at Vader curiously, tilting her head to see around her husband. Then she spoke.

"The boy's name is Luke, Anakin," Beru said, trying to keep her fear under control, "Now put the lightsaber away so we can talk this over like civilized people." Vader lowered his lightsaber and eventually deactivated it, but he didn't put it away.

"Don't call me that! Anakin Skywalker is dead!" Vader snapped.

"I don't believe that. And you don't either. If Anakin really was dead then you would have killed us all instead of asking questions about a mere child," Beru fired back.

"His name is Luke Skywalker, isn't it?" Vader asked.

"Yes. That is his name. It's funny how you will deny your past until you realize something good has come from it." Beru said, a small smile on her face.

"My past is irrelevant to this moment. Now hand over the child or I will kill all of you!" Vader cried.

Beru looked at the little boy and then back up at Vader. She knew that she might not have much of a choice. Surely Vader would have at least a small part of Anakin that would protect this small child? It was worth a shot.

Beru slowly stood up. She was shaking terribly as she moved past Owen. She carefully handed Vader the boy. Vader held the little bundle in his arms in such a way that it would appear that the evil Sith Lord was afraid of dropping the small boy.

"Now listen here!" Owen cried out, "We were told to protect that boy no matter what. Kenobi said..."

But the Galaxy would never know what Kenobi said, for as soon as Owen started that sentence he began to choke. Beru screamed as Owen collapsed on the ground, dead.

Vader turned on his heel and carried Luke to the speeder. He had a purpose now. He had a son to protect. No one would dare touch him. Luke would never be hurt or subjected to the Jedi's manipulations. Vader vowed to himself, out on that rough desert landscape, that Luke would always be cared for and happy. This was Anakin Skywalker's last chance to make it up to the people he cared about and he was NOT going to mess up this time.

Padmé Amidala might be dead but her son lived on. Vader owed Padme everything and the least he could do was raise her son the way she would want him to be raised.

oOoOo

So, as Luke Skywalker slept in his father's protective arms, his twin, Leia Amidala, rested in her mother's gentle hold. Neither child knew how different their lives could have been. And neither child knew what dawn would bring.

Chapter Text

Every trooper in the Empire feared being assigned guard duty under Darth Vader. It wasn’t that Vader was a difficult person to work under (although he was) and it wasn’t that Vader was demanding (he definitely was). The reason all troopers feared working under Darth Vader was because if anything were to touch his teenage son, Vader would execute the entire squadron.

The Imperial Prince was an enigma to most people in the Empire, but the 501st knew, from first hand experience, that if anyone could get into trouble, it would be him. 

At the moment, Luke genuinely believed he was doing nothing wrong. He was lounging in a small alcove above the engine room, hidden from view, and listening to the vibrating of his father’s ship as it travelled through hyperspace. Luke knew the Devastator like the back of his hand. He knew every hallway, hangar bay, and storage closet. He had grown up on the ship, and his pale complexion only supported the fact that he had spent very little time under any sun. 

Luke…

Luke grimaced at the durasteel ceiling, trying to pretend like he hadn’t heard that voice in his head. 

Do not make me find you.

Luke sighed and rolled off the ledge; landing in a crouch next to a couple of engineers who shouted in surprise. Luke ignored them, heading off in the direction of the bridge, dark boots hitting the ground at a quick pace. It didn’t take long to arrive on the bridge. Vader stood at the end of the bridge, hands clasped behind his back, staring into space. He gave no indication that he had just been nagging his son, but his presence in the Force responded to Luke’s arrival.

“Father,” Luke said, coming to stand at his shoulder, feeling dwarfed by his father in both presence and height. 

“You’ve made yourself scarce today.” The Sith didn’t bother to turn to face Luke. His sickly yellow eyes remained trained on the swirling space.

While his father typically kept his face covered by a cloak while planetside, he just wore his armor on the Devastator. Or on their private fortress on Mustafar. 

“I am always ready when you need me.” It was both a fact and a rebuttal.

“The Emperor has a mission for you.”

Luke kept the surprise from creeping onto his face, but he could tell Vader could sense it. The Sith Lord turned from the window and marched off the bridge, cape fluttering behind him. Luke took the cue and followed him back to their private quarters. The stormtroopers they passed hurried to attention at the sight of them. Some diving out of the way of their commanding officer while trying to salute. Luke’s amusement slipped as the door to their living area slid shut behind them and Vader turned to face him, hands on his hips. 

“The Emperor has a mission for you.”

“You’ve mentioned.” Luke sat stiffly on one of the couches they had in their living quarters. It was an uncomfortable seat. “You don’t sound very happy about that.” Vader never sounded happy about anything, but that was besides the point. 

“May I remind you that the Emperor is not your friend? He must have an alternative motive for sending you.” Vader was pacing in front of him, agitation rolling off him in the Force. 

“Well, what is this mission?”

“He wants you to go to Alderaan and find information that ties them with the Rebel Alliance.” He paused. “With Jade.”

“That isn’t too bad.” Luke was good at breaking into places he shouldn’t be. He could sneak past the guards of the Imperial Palace with no challenge. And if he was caught, he knew how to make the guards regret catching him. His ability was unquestionable, despite how much Vader wanted to baby him. 

 “He’s sending Jade with you,” Vader repeated.

 “So? I like her.”

 “You shouldn’t. She’s loyal to the Emperor and no one else. If she’s on a mission with you there must be a reason.”

 Luke shrugged. “I know exactly where her loyalties lie. And I like her despite it.” He could feel his father’s frustration through the Force. Luke shot him a smile while reclining more onto the stiff couch. 

 “Do not let your emotions cloud your mind.”

 “I won’t. I’ve been trained well.” Luke could tell Vader was barely keeping his frustration in check. He always became angry when the Emperor wanted to use Luke. Especially when Luke refused to acknowledge any potential danger.  

 “Jade will be arriving in a few standard hours. In the meantime, the information surrounding your mission is on this datapad.” Vader handed him the device and Luke took it, standing up at the same time. His father said nothing else, instead marching out the door, leaving Luke standing, clutching the datapad.

 “Hey Kay-O, did you hear that?” The security droid in the corner lit up. Up until that point, he had been nothing more than some strange looking decor. 
“Yes, sir, I did.” K-O52 moved from the corner, limbs silently unfolding from his torso. 

He had been Luke’s companion since he was ten years old and experienced his first assassination attempt. He was larger than Luke, with sleek, black armor. His limbs could mold back into his body in order to function as a small astromech droid, if needed. Luke would never admit it, but Kay-O was almost a security blanket to him. Vader had tricked him out to the point where he wasn’t like any other droid on the market. 

Sometimes it felt like Kay-O was the only real companion Luke had. 

“I’m gonna read over this first, then you can have at it and quiz me on the details.” 

“Very good, sir. Shall I be joining you and Miss Jade on this mission?”

“You’ll be with us on the ship. I don’t know how much hacking I might require to get this information out of the palace.” Luke levitated the datapad in front of him, enjoying the power coursing through his body. “I have no idea what Palpatine wants with this info. We’ve suspected the Organa’s had ties to the Rebels for ages. Why act now?”

“I think that the Emperor thought that that information would not play a vital role in our mission,” Kay-O replied.

oOoOo

 Leia had spent so little time in one place. Her life had been spent on the run; often with her mother but sometimes with Obi-Wan and sometimes with others from the Rebel Alliance. Her life was centered around rebellion. Her school was the war room and field trips were to the battle field. 

 But every once and awhile she got some time off. 

 And that is why she was enjoying a cup of tea in the palace gardens with the Queen of Alderaan. The sun was shining brightly, catching on the water droplets on the plants of the garden; wet after being watered. 

 “It’s such a shame your mother couldn’t make it,” Breha said lightly. She was in a lavender gown, hair done up in a large bun on the top of her head. 

 “She has a lot on her plate these days,” Leia responded. She rolled her shoulders back, wincing as her injury was aggravated. Part of the reason she had been sent to Alderaan was to take a break from any activities that might get her into trouble. Her mother let her get away with a lot, but crossed the line with injuries.

 “I can only imagine. She was never one to sit back and let others take control.”

 “She likes being in charge,” Leia responded. She knew that while Alderaan was not the Imperial Center, it still wasn’t safe from Imperial spies. No one could know that Padme Amidala lived. And no one could know that Leia was her daughter. 

 Breha seemed to pick up on her introspective thoughts. “We must go visit the mountains while you are here. The view from the peaks is magnificent.”

 “I wouldn’t want to distract you from any of your duties.”

 “Oh Leia. That’s why I married a politician. I promise you, if he can handle the Imperial Senate, he can handle Alderaanian politics.”

Leia knew that her mother wanted her to take her mind off of things; to talk about leisure activities and gossip about other important people but Leia didn’t exactly know how to. Her brain was constantly running, thinking about the Empire and the Rebellion. And the real reason her mother sent her to Alderaan. 

Leia had finally learned about her father. 

Obi-Wan had let it slip in one of his arguments with Padme. They had basically been raising her but could barely stand to be around each other for longer than a day. Padme had always said that they had different ideas on how to achieve the same goal. In this particular argument, Obi-Wan was insisting on training Leia in the Force, but Padme flat out refused. When the former senator lashed out, Obi-Wan’s response slipped off his tongue and had been ringing in Leia’s ears ever since.

“It’s the only thing left of her father I can give her.”

Padme had kicked Obi-Wan out after he said that and refused to give Leia anymore details. Leia knew her father had died at the same time the Empire had been founded. She knew that she was Force sensitive. She knew he and her mother had been married and that Obi-Wan had been close to him but anytime she asked questions, Padme wouldn’t respond. 
Leia had to admit that she wasn’t a patient person by nature. She tried to understand her mother; tried to understand the pain that the memory of her father brought up, but as she got older, she ran out of patience for her mother’s excuses. 

“Leia, are you alright, dear?” Breha asked kindly. Leia tried not to seem too startled

.
“I’m fine. Just not used to so much free time.”

“Well, I’m sure I can find you some things to do.” Breha’s eyes sparkled with their own secrets. “Have you met the captain of our guard yet?”

Leia was confused by the question. “No, I don’t believe so.”

Breha stood from the table. “Come on, then. Let’s go find her” Her light gown fluttered behind her as she moved. Leia hurried to follow, trying to move as gracefully, but feeling too restricted in her own gown and heels. 

They travelled through the palace that Leia was finally learning her way around. The tall ceilings, simple furniture, and minimum decorations made the hallways all seem the same. Leia didn’t understand how such an expansive building could still have windows in every room. The scene from each window was equally breathtaking and for a second, Leia imagined what it would be like to live in such a place, with no worries about the future or the Empire. 

They entered a  pair of doors that were opened by the guards on either side. It was a circular room with racks of what looked like weapons on the walls. Dummies and training droids lined one section. The stone walls were tall, with windows that were thin. The light from the room came from almost invisible lighting fixtures on the domed ceiling. 

“Leia, this is my good friend and the captain of our guard, Tsabin.”

Leia blinked in surprise at the woman in front of her. In her curiosity, she hadn’t made note of the person standing in the middle of the room. Tsabin’s hair was cut short and her uniform was clearly of a military style, but for a second, Leia swore she was looking at her mother. She blinked and the image died. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Leia,” Tsabin said, giving a quick bow. Her face remained impassive but her eyes shifted to Breha and Leia had a suspicion that she was the only one not in on a joke. 

“I was hoping you would be able to show our guest some of your sparring abilities. She has expressed an interest in learning some sword fighting.”

“Is that so?” Tsabin said. She was smiling at Leia and suddenly, she understood.

 
“Did my mother put you up to this or did Ben?” She asked, using Obi-Wan’s alias. She wasn’t sure if she should be shocked, suspicious, or excited. 

“Your mother suggested it,” Breha replied. “I think she wants you to be ready, but she doesn’t want you in danger.”

“What does that mean?” Leia asked, not even bothering to hide her frustration. Tsabin seemed to pick up on Leia’s thoughts. 

“You are strong in the Force, Leia,” She said, kindly, “but sometimes that power leads to horrible things. It was lust for power that created the Empire. Your mother is worried by learning the ways of the Jedi, you will be in danger. Not just from the Emperor, but from yourself.”

“Are you a Jedi?” Leia asked. Her mind was struggling to keep up with all that was happening. She couldn’t believe how freely the two women were speaking about illegal topics. 

“No. I am not Force sensitive. But I have been trained in all types of combat and I spent a lot of time with Jedi during the days of the Republic.” 

While that statement was meant to answer her question, it also created more in Leia’s mind. She did not know much about the Jedi or the Republic beyond what had been told to her by Padme and Obi-Wan. The Empire erased any details on the Jedi. The only information about them available to the public was a list of those who were not killed in the Purges. To have someone who was not Force sensitive admit to having had relations with Jedi was unusual, as most people remembered that the Jedi often stuck to themselves. 

“If you change into something easier to move in, we can begin training right now,” Tsabin said, interrupting Leia’s thoughts. “I am afraid I do not have a lightsaber, but I can teach you basic self defense and then some of the forms that the Jedi used.”

“Alright,” Leia said, slowly. She couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Breha and Tsabin were a little mentally unstable. They both seemed very excited at the idea of Leia training in forbidden arts. She started to leave the room to change clothes, but stopped suddenly.

“Did you know my father?” She asked, turning to face Tsabin. “He was a Jedi.”

The grins slipped off both Breha and Tsabin’s faces and they glanced at each other. Breha’s lips pressed tightly together. She could see the silent argument occuring on their faces; unsure if they should admit to Leia what they knew. 

“I knew him,” Tsabin admitted, slowly. “He was a good man. He loved your mother very much.”

“What happened to him?”

 “He died during the Purges, Leia,” Breha said gently. “Darth Vader killed him.”

“Oh.” It was the only sound that could escape her lips. She had known her father was dead since she was a little girl, but hearing about how it happened hurt more than she expected it to.

 “I’m sorry, Leia,” Tsabin said. “I knew your father from the time he first joined the Jedi Order. He was a great Jedi and I know he would’ve done anything for you.”

Leia pursed her lips and nodded. The news shouldn’t have been a surprise, but nonetheless, it hurt. More than she expected. She never met her father, had never seen pictures, had rarely heard stories. But there was a part of her subconscious that couldn’t seem to let go of him.

“What was his name?”

Breha’s eyes widened and she looked sharply at Tsabin, whose mouth was already opening. It was clear that the Queen would have done a great many things to keep her guard quiet at that moment. But Tsabin knew how to deal with angry queens and proceeded to say what she thought had to be said.

“His name was Anakin Skywalker.”

Chapter Text

Luke was tinkering with his TIE fighter when he felt Mara’s ship drop out of hyperspace. They had trained together for years and the only other presence he knew better was his father’s, whose mood always soured when he was around Mara. In fact, Luke could pinpoint the exact moment Vader realized Mara had arrived. He grinned to himself, still lying on his back under the fighter, messing with the wiring.

To his surprise, Vader himself arrived in the private hanger a few moments later. Luke was expecting some kind of prod in the Force to inform him that his father wanted him. Of course, a menacing Sith Lord marching towards him also worked. It just seemed like a lot of effort. 

“Son.”

“Hello father,” Luke said, rolling up from under the TIE. “What brings you here on this fine day?”

“You are a mess,” Vader deadpanned. Luke glanced down at his clothes, noting the oil on his gray tunic. 

“I didn’t know I needed to look nice.” He felt amused by his father’s nagging. 

“Jade is an agent of the Emperor. She will be reporting on your actions as soon as your mission is over. If you want to maintain your position in the Empire, I would advise you to put on a better display.” Despite the vaguely threatening tone, Luke knew his father was concerned. His unease was apparent.

“Has something happened?” Luke asked, suddenly serious. He hadn’t felt anything recently, but he had also been skipping meditation sessions in favor of tuning up Kay-O. 

“I have just received word that construction of the Death Star is not proceeding as planned. On top of that, the Emperor believes that the Rebellion may have learned of its existence.” To say Luke was shocked was an understatement. All of his previous run-ins with the Rebels were jokes. The only reason they hadn’t yet been wiped out was their tendency to flee at the first sign of danger. 

“Does the Emperor want Mara and I to quell a Rebel cell instead of going to Alderaan?” 

“No. The Emperor wants your mission to continue as planned. I will be hunting down the missing plans.”

Luke didn’t respond, just nodded his head. It was common for Vader to leave on missions. And Luke had his own mission on a planet his father certainly wouldn’t be able to hide on. Still, he felt as if something was off. Surely a threat to the Empire’s biggest weapon was more important than finding information on the royal family of Alderaan.

“When you are done on Alderaan, I shall give you the coordinates for the Devastator . You will wait there for further instructions.”

“Yes, Father.” Before Vader could say anything else, Luke’s comm went off. Both men knew who it was without looking at the name and Vader somehow became even more irritated than before. 

“Be careful around Jade. I don’t trust her,” He said, sternly.

“You don’t trust anyone,” Luke pointed out. He closed his tool kit and headed out of the hangar. 

“Change your clothes before you meet with her,” Vader called after him. Luke suppressed a smile. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Vader could be a real hover parent. Just to keep him happy, Luke stopped by his room to pull a jacket on over his stained shirt. 

Mara was waiting for him in an empty conference room that was only used when Vader had important company. She was standing by the porthole in her black, Imperial uniform without any ranking on it. Her red hair was tied in a knot at the base of her neck. She turned when Luke entered, arms crossed across her chest. 

“I assume you read the debriefing?” She rarely greeted Luke, regardless of the situation. 

“I’m ready for the exam, professor,” Luke responded, cheerfully. Mara rolled her eyes. 

“Is our shuttle ready?” Before Luke could respond, the door slid open, revealing Kay-O holding a datapad.

“I am prepared for our mission,” he announced. Mara shot Luke a long-suffering look. She had never been a particular fan of Kay-O’s programming but she appreciated what he was capable of. Luke also believed that that was how Mara felt about him. 

“I don’t believe the Emperor would approve of such a delicate mission being handled by a droid,” she pointed out, making one last desperate attempt to avoid being in close quarters with the droid.

“Well,” Luke shrugged, “If it makes you feel better, you can just think of him as back-up.”

“I am excellent back-up,” Kay-O added. Mara rolled her eyes but chose not to say anything else which meant that she wasn’t really bothered by him. If she truly thought the mission would be put in jeopardy, she would have fought back more. 

“Are we all ready to go then?” Luke asked. Mara nodded while Kay-O beeped an affirmative. “Excellent. The shuttle should be ready by now.”

He and Mara didn’t talk as they made their way to the hangar. Their unmarked, Imperial uniforms paired with Luke’s notoriety was more than enough to clear the hallways. The droid followed behind them, blissfully unaware of the fact that every other trooper and droid dove out of the way of the two people he was with.

Luke knew Mara didn’t think much about it. She lived most of her life alternating between the center of attention and the shadows. Luke could never seem to shake off who he was. Could never quite slip into the shadows the way Mara could. She was a trained assassin. Luke was mini-Vader. Vader 2.0. Vader without as many anger issues.

They boarded the shuttle with minimal fanfare, Luke sliding into the pilot’s seat. Mara knew Luke well enough to know that he could be bullied into a lot; but not to be a copilot. The shuttle was not an Imperial ship, but carried all necessary codes to land at any Imperial hangar in the core worlds. It was a simple design on the exterior, but like most things Luke owned, it had been tricked out to the point where it could be considered a war machine. 

“This shouldn’t be a long mission,” Mara said, “Just park us in Aldera, we find the files the Emperor wants, and we leave.”

“It’s almost insulting,” Luke muttered, starting up the shuttle and easing it out into space. “I thought we were above basic reconnaissance work.” He knew she agreed with him, but she would never speak against the Emperor. 

“Bail Organa has been suspected of harboring Rebel sympathies for years now,” Mara explained. “What we find in the Alderaan Palace could end major funding for the Rebellion and allow the Senate to incarcerate any traitors in our midst.” Luke groaned at the mention of the Senate. 

“You know I hate politics.” Luke could sense Mara scowling beside him, but he let a grin slip on his own face as he launched their ship into hyperspace.

oOoOo

Leia hadn’t known what to expect when Tsabin offered to give her a few training sessions, but her body would not be able to forget them for the rest of the week. Her muscles hurt and she could feel bruises forming from where she took hits from her trainer. 

“You are picking it up very quickly,” Tsabin encouraged as Leia sat down and reached for a drink of water.

“Maybe, but I won’t be a master before I go back home.” 

Home wasn’t really a place for Leia. It was simply wherever the Rebellion made camp. But unless her mother decided to lift her ban on Leia and Obi-Wan interacting, this training would be it for her. 

Tsabin sat down next to her and offered her a smile. 

“You don’t need to be a master. You just need to be willing to keep learning.”

“Do you really believe my mother would let me continue training?” Leia asked. “And even if I did continue, a blunt sword won’t do much against a blaster.” She raised the sword in question in front of her.

“Things will work out, Leia. I know your mother very well and I believe she is coming around when it comes to Obi-Wan.”

“How do you know?” Leia felt like a five year old asking for reassurance.

Tsabin’s eyes had a spark in them. “Because I know more than most do about your family.”

Leia raised a skeptical eyebrow, glancing around to see if anyone else was around. Tsabin caught both gestures. Her face didn’t change from it’s neutral expression. 

“Do not worry. Breha has made sure we can speak freely in here,” She said reassuringly. She shifted on the bench to get more comfortable. “You see, I have been a friend of your mother’s for years now. I was one of her handmaidens while she was Queen. I served by her side before the Clone Wars even began.”

“Oh.” It was the only sound Leia could make as the pieces began falling into place. 

“I’m afraid I didn’t know your father quite as well. I understand you probably have more questions about him than your mother.”

I just don’t know why she won’t talk about him.” Frustration was creeping into her voice. “I didn’t even know he was a Jedi until recently! She even forbids Obi-Wan from telling me about him!”

Leia’s voice broke at the end of her sentence. She swallowed hard, blinking back the tears she hadn’t even realized were welling up inside her. She had spent her whole life trying to envision her father; what he looked like, what he sounded like. The questions had been accumulating inside of her since she was a youngling, unable to properly voice them. For a second, Leia hated her mother for keeping that part of her life so secret.

“I know it’s hard, but you need to know that your mother loved your father very much. Their relationship had to remain a secret at the time because he was a Jedi Knight. He would have been expelled from the Order for having a relationship with her.” Tsabin paused. “Your mother told me he believed you would be a girl from the moment she revealed she was pregnant.”

Leia took a shuddering breath and stood abruptly. “Let’s get back to training.”

“I thought you wanted to learn more about your father.” Tsabin sounded confused.

“I do. But I want my mother to tell me. It’s her story.” Leia stood again, brushing a stray hair out of her eyes and shaking out her arms. 

“Alright,” Tsabin, responded. “But do not be upset when you are sore tomorrow.”

After two hours of sparring, Leia’s arms and legs were on fire, but her mind felt calmer than it had in ages. Walking through the well-lit halls of Alderaan’s palace, she felt more centered, able to admire the beauty around her. 

And Alderaan was beautiful. Bright blue skies, lush green mountains, and white buildings. It had all of the resources and power to keep their planet free from Imperial influence; which Leia saw the side effects of, first-hand. 

Bail and Breha Organa had been a part of the Alliance for as long as Leia could remember, but, as her mother explained many times, they could not afford to be outright supporters because the people of Alderaan would be the ones to suffer.

She made her way into Breha’s office, where the Queen sat behind a desk, brows furrowed as she looked over a datapad.

“More difficult politicians?” Leia asked, making herself known. Breha glanced up at her. 

“Unfortunately. It seems as if all officials must be difficult nowadays.”  She sounded tired. “How was your practice with Tsabin?”
“Excellent. She’s an excellent teacher, but I’m afraid I will not be able to hike up the mountains with you for a few days.”

“That’s alright.” Breha’s voice became tighter, “I have enough her to occupy myself with.” 

Without saying anything else, she slid the datapad across the desk for Leia to see. It was clearly a report and Leia’s suspicions that it was from the Rebellion were affirmed after only a few lines. Rumors of a large, Imperial weapon were circulating and a comment from Mon Mothma implied that it was a serious matter. 

Her brow furrowed even deeper as Saw Guerrera’s name began to pop up, along with words like Jedha and references to Imperial defectors. As she began to skim the rest of it, she felt a weight settling into her stomach. 

“This seems serious.” It was all she could say in the room that had yet to be swept for bugs. 

“Yes, it does. I am hoping to be able to reach out to your mother at the end of your stay and hear what she has to say. She has a different education than I have.”

Translation: This is very serious information and your mother is involved in the situation in the Rebellion. I want to be able to talk to her, as she probably knows more than I do. 

Leia repositioned herself in her chair, wiping her face of any concern. Even in the Alderaanian Palace, they weren’t safe from Imperial spies. She politely asked Breha to send her a copy of the report for her to look over, as a budding scholar of politics and then excused herself back to her room, wishing she could speak to her mother about everything that had occurred. 

Chapter Text

Mara and Luke didn’t talk much on the journey. They didn’t communicate much in general beyond conversations about the Empire or snarky remarks while training. Luke didn’t know how to carry on a conversation with someone his age unless it was a pre-scripted discussion about the glorious Empire, but unfortunately, if he started talking about that, Mara would punch him and tell him to stop lying so obviously. 

Despite all of those challenges, Mara was Luke’s closest friend. They had trained together as soon as they were old enough to hold a lightsaber. Even though she would deny their friendship, Luke knew he was the only person in the galaxy she was capable of relaxing around. He enjoyed her company, even if they weren’t talking to each other and Luke was spending his time fiddling with an old blaster he found in the closet. 

“If that thing fires I will make sure you return to the fleet one limb short,” she had said when Luke first opened the casing of the weapon. Luke had just snorted in amusement. He knew his way around weapons better than anyone.

“According to my calculations,” Kay-O said, “we are due out of hyperspace in five standard minutes.”

“Thanks, Kay,” Luke called back. Maura stood up from her seat, stretching her hands above her head and listening to her joints pop. She shot Luke a look and he closed the blaster, setting it aside.

Remaining in silence, Mara and Luke began to prepare for arrival; slipping weapons into hidden pockets of their clothes, checking identification codes, and restocking any survival necessities they would need, should the mission go wrong. By the time the ship beeped a warning about transition into real space, both were prepared for the worst scenario. 

Luke slid into the pilot seat and Mara took the position next to him, preparing to send the codes to the Alderaanian Air Control. Kay-O was in the back, monitoring transmissions and ensuring that any trouble that showed up was given advanced notice. Luke eased them out of hyperspace and the blue-green planet appeared in front of them. Clouds moved slowly over the planet and he struggled to take his eyes off of it in order to respond to the hail coming from Alderaan’s air control. Mara sent over the codes at the nod of Luke’s head and they entered the atmosphere. 

“I can’t believe the lack of Imperial presence here,” Mara huffed as Luke paid for space in the hangar. “It would be much easier to do this in uniform.”

“I think I look quite good,” Luke shot back. They were in light colored tunics that matched the standard dress on Alderaan. Mara wore a long, flowing white skirt while Luke had on simple, gray pants. There was a conversation on whether or not hair should be dyed before Mara made the decision that it was not necessary.

They made their way out onto the streets of the city, Kay-O remained behind with the ship but his voice guided them through the streets via communication devices hidden in their ears. Luke always felt off balance when submerged in a new population and the droid acted as a security blanket against the overwhelming feeling of life that Aldera was exuding. 

If Luke was any other person in the galaxy, he would’ve been in awe of this planet. The graceful buildings blending seamlessly into the nature around them and the bright blues, greens, and whites made him feel peaceful. The Force sang with the lives of all the people and animals and plants. 

Mara’s presence sang through the Force as well. She was focused. Determined. She had a deep dislike for anyone who crossed the Emperor and the Organas had not been particularly loyal citizens. Luke and most officials on Imperial Center knew they were most definitely a part of the Rebellion but no real proof had appeared that could be brought against the,. The real question was what they knew that could help bring down the rebels. Once they had that information, then Palpatine would most likely dispose of the Organas as a warning to others who might want to challenge him. 

They took a lap around the palace, pretending to be tourists admiring the gardens and architecture. Luke noted all the guards and cameras as well as the potential entrances and exits. He could almost feel Mara developing a plan to sneak both of them in. They didn’t talk except to pass on dull remarks about the weather, saving the real conversation for when they found a private bench in a park a few blocks away.

“Well?” Luke asked. He slouched against the bench, letting the afternoon sun warm his face. His feet were starting to hurt from all the walking around the capitol city all day.

“This would be a lot easier if they employed stormtroopers.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” 

Mara rolled her eyes at him. “I think our best way in is the front door.”

“We go in as tourists? Complete with a guide?” 

“And then our metal friend causes a distraction outside the palace so that we get the opportunity to sneak away and do our own snooping. According to the palace schematics, there are several secret passageways and large crawl spaces for us to use.”

Luke hummed thoughtfully, considering Mara’s plan. He would prefer it if they could get in and out without raising any alarms at all; distraction or not. But it did seem like their best option.

“We can do that, but I think it would be best if we pinned the distraction on someone else. If they think they caught the problem maker, their guards will drop.”

“Did you have anything in mind?”

“Yes, actually,” Luke said, pulling out his comm to send a message to Kay-O

oOoOo

Leia felt very much like a typical university student as she pulled on her comfortable pajamas and climbed into bed to read the report. Her muscles hurt, but the warm bath she had just gotten out of made her feel at peace. The soft lights in her guest room were reflected on the large windows that had yet to be covered by curtains. The lights from the city blinked from below, dwarfed by the darkness of the mountains beyond them. 

The report came from an agent within the Rebellion who had gotten in touch with a spy inside the Empire. High Command had then added their own information in the form of footnotes; commenting on what facts were verified and which ones had to be taken at face value. Most reports that Leia had read did not include much fact checking. Instead, they were cross referenced with other materials by the individuals who read them. But this was different. The information was so far fetched and so terrifying that it took Leia several tries before she could believe what she was reading. 

The Empire was building a super weapon capable of destroying entire planets.

Even after seeing entire towns and cities razed to the ground to ensure Imperial power, Leia genuinely believed they wouldn’t go so far. She had seen stormtroopers carry out terrible orders, but how could so many people be okay with the creation and potential use of a weapon that would destroy billions of people in a heartbeat?

Denial didn’t help. The facts were in front of her. Records of mining done on Jedha. The funnelling of money and resources that had originally been written off as corruption. A recent increase in troop recruitment. New propaganda that encouraged beings across the galaxy to become engineers. 

Her first instinct was to call her mom. But contacting a woman who was supposed to be dead would most definitely raise some suspicions. And there was the fact that she was most likely already aware. Leia wouldn’t be surprised if her mother had instructed Breha to inform her. The Rebel High Command did not always want to keep Leia in the loop, considering how young she was. Padme tried to keep Leia involved as much as possible, but would withhold any information that she thought would make her a target. It was her own way of protecting her daughter even while sending her into danger. 

The only thing Leia could do was shut down the datapad and put it on her nightstand. With a sigh, she slid back onto her bed, sitting on her feet like she used to when listening to her mother tell her stories. She closed her eyes and pushed back the memories of her childhood. Obi-Wan meditated daily and he had shown her several breathing techniques and tricks to calm down her mind. It was the closest thing to Jedi training Padme had allowed. 

She centered in on her breath, feeling the air expanding in her lungs and then being pushed back out. Whenever her focus drifted, she brought it back to the sensation of air moving past her lips. Despite knowing little about the Force, Leia could feel when it opened up to her. It felt like a stream of warm, clean water being poured over her, washing away her physical being. 

Do I know you?

The strange voice echoed through Leia’s mind accompanied by a sense of familiarity. The smooth flow of the Force came to an abrupt stop around the person that had reached out to her. No matter how hard she tried to throw up her mental defenses and back away, she couldn’t leave. The Force kept pulling her back to the voice. Or maybe it was her own curiosity that wouldn’t let her back away. 

I know you , the voice said. It was more confident this time.

A spike of fear shot through Leia. Fear of being discovered the way her mother had worked so hard to prevent. Despite the reassuring tone of the voice, the truth was that she didn’t know who the person was and she couldn’t trust them. She pulled herself out of the Force.

Tumbling out of bed, she rushed to the refresher. Her breaths came in short gasps. She leaned over the sink in an attempt to feel more grounded and after a few minutes she managed to look into the mirror. Her cheeks were wet from tears she didn’t remember crying. She felt empty; as if all of her emotions had been sucked out of her as she had pulled herself from the Force. 

Nothing about this reaction made any sense. She had felt Obi-Wan in the Force before. She’d felt many beings. That’s what happened when you were Force sensitive. But this person had pulled her in so quickly and she had trouble getting away. Did she even want to?

The boy; and she was certain the person was male; had seemed so familiar. Like a memory from childhood that had been buried until someone reminds you of it. And despite her shock and fear, he hadn’t been scary. He sounded confused but also curious. In retrospect, he didn’t seem to understand what was happening either, he just had a different reaction. 

Finally feeling in control of her body, Leia returned to her bed. The datapad that held the report had been knocked to the floor when she had jumped out of bed. Even while holding information vital to the survival of freedom in the galaxy, Leia couldn’t help but feel more interested in the boy she had felt through the Force. Although, in her short life, she had come to learn that there were no such thing as coincidences. The two events were connected somehow. The likelihood that the Alliance discovered information on the Death Star the same time that another Force user appeared on the same planet that Leia was reading a report on the super weapon were slim. 

And as the only Force sensitive on the planet, it was Leia’s responsibility to figure out the connection. 

Chapter Text

“Are you sure everything is alright?” Mara hadn’t stopped interrogating Luke all night. Ever since he came out of his meditation she knew something was up. Luke wasn’t going to tell her about the weird spirit thing he felt in the Force. Mara already suspected he was crazy, he didn’t need to give her proof. And he wasn't even certain himself what had happened. It had been unlike anything he had ever experienced.

“Everything is great. Kay-O said everything is going fine.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

I know , Luke responded through the Force. They were on the streets of the city, stopping to take pictures every few meters so that their cover as tourists seemed plausible. The morning sun made the city even more vibrant than it had been yesterday. The white buildings seemed to magnify the intensity of the sun and the green plants and blue sky were more vibrant than any other planet he had been on. Luke almost felt bad that he had to spend the day indoors. 

Mara’s anxiety about the mission was the only thing putting a damper on his mood. He could sense her frustration with him for not telling her the whole truth and she was desperate to prove herself to the Emperor. Any potential problem or inconvenience immediately made it onto her radar. And while the redhead could put on a persona of patience, Luke knew she couldn’t stand not knowing information. 

“We should check out the art gallery,” Luke said. He watched in amusement as Mara’s irritation grew.

“You promised we could tour the palace today,” she responded. Only Luke could hear the steel in her words; anyone else would assume it had been a gentle reminder.

“I just don’t want to waste an opportunity to experience all Alderaan has to offer.”

Luke, I will personally castrate you if you make us late , Mara responded, silently. Luke’s expression didn’t change, but he did admit defeat.

“But if fulfilling your childhood dream of being a princess will make you happy, then we can go to the palace first.”

If his father were here, Luke would have been lectured on not harassing the Emperor's agents. And then another lecture on taking his job seriously. And then another on why he shouldn’t let his guard down around Mara. Now that he was thinking about it, he probably received more lectures from his father than from his tutors. 

They approached the palace, following the signs that promised tours while dodging sketchy men trying to sell souvenirs. The closer they got, the more at ease Luke became. This is what he had been trained to do. He would complete the mission, leave the planet unnoticed, and make his father proud. Although he would never admit it outloud, that was the reason he accepted these missions so eagerly. It had taken years to convince the Sith Lord he was capable of going out into the galaxy on his own. 

Mara’s focus sharpened in the Force. Her shifted from Luke in order to take in the world around them. He could feel her noting the number of guards, the amount of civilians, and where surveillance was located. Her presence was as familiar to Luke as his father's. And as familiar as the stranger's from last night.

They bypassed security easily. Their lightsabers hidden in secret compartments and their blasters could not be detected by simple metal detectors. As soon as they were in, Luke tapped out a rhythm on his comm, letting Kay-O know they were in position. 

“Hello everyone!” A tour guide said brightly. She was young with light brown hair and green eyes. The smile was far too bright for Luke’s taste. “I hope you are all enjoying your visit to Alderaan’s capitol city! My name is Miria and I will be your guide through the Royal Palace. Please keep in mind that the Palace is still used to house the royal family and that we are only here as guests.”

The woman rattled on about not touching expensive things and not screaming in hallways. Luke zoned out, casually checking the timer on his comm. They would have exactly eleven minutes before Kay-O caused the distraction. By then, they should be in the main entrance hall; a space big enough and busy enough to slip away in. 

Mara and Luke stayed soundly in the middle of the group, but worked to stay out of sight of the tour guide. Mara’s bright red hair was tactfully covered in a scarf in order to avoid anyone being able to identify her with it. Luke was just thankful he wasn’t born with a remarkable face. Mara had told him time and time again that he looked too innocent to be a Sith Lord. 

The tour itself seemed promising. The guide clearly knew her stuff and Alderaan’s architecture was much more beautiful than the utilitarian look of Coruscant. For a second, Luke imagined what it would be like to live on Alderaan or Naboo or any planet that had sunlight unconcealed by buildings. After years of staying in the Imperial Palace or on a Star Destroyer, his skin was pale enough to see his veins. He liked to imagine he would look good in a tan. Maybe Mara would like him tan. 

“You need to pay attention,” the redhead muttered in his year. The annoyance in her tone was obvious even without the Force. 

“I am paying attention,” he insisted, trying to convey sincerity. It wasn’t often he could let his mind wander and while doing so on a mission wasn’t the safest idea, it was still better than doing it near the Emperor. Which Luke had done before but he avoided thinking about what had happened.

Both Mara and Luke straightened subconsciously when they entered the entrance hall. The walls were covered in large windows and the white ceiling had intricate carvings on it depicting the history of Alderaan. The timer on Luke’s comm hit zero while the tourists dispersed to take photos of the area. 

There was no reaction inside the palace, but Luke could feel the change in the Force; the spike of shock and fear from outside. In an instant, Luke shifted from innocent tourist to the Imperial agent he had been trained to be. By the time the alarm went off in the hall, Luke and Mara were already by the hidden passage behind a column and as the tour guide began to usher the civilians out.

“I guess Kay-O pulled things off alright,” Mara muttered as they slipped into the stone passage. There wasn’t any real lighting inside it so they walked with their hands on the wall. 

“Of course he did.” Kay-O’s job had been simple. Hack into a medium sized speeder and drive it into the gate of the palace. The plan, hopefully, didn’t involve any deaths, but would cause enough of an uproar that the palace would have to be cleared out while the person driving the speeder was taken into custody. Simply put, Luke and Mara could break into the palace without any notice and without any suspicion. The plan wasn't perfect, but it was easier than making a forceful entrance or trying to sneak away in the middle of the normal tour.

They moved quickly and silently through the hall, going deeper into the building. The passage was pitch black, but they didn’t need to know their exact location until night fell. All that mattered was to keep moving.

Until they stopped. 

Mara bumped into Luke’s back and sent a spike of annoyance at him through the Force. Luke didn’t say anything, instead motioning to her in the dim lighting to sit near him on the ground. He didn’t know why, but he felt as though they were in the right spot to spend the rest of the afternoon until nightfall when they could resume their mission. 

Mara eventually caught on to his intentions and while she was still annoyed, settled in for the wait. She crossed her legs in front of her and removed the scarf from around her head. Her back was pressed against the wall, posture perfect from all those years in the Imperial court. Without sparing Luke a glance, she shut her eyes and entered into a meditation. Luke wasn’t sure if it was her version of the silent treatment or if she just trusted him enough to keep watch. 

The motivation did not really matter since Luke hadn’t planned on meditating anyway. He was worried that the person he felt in the Force last night would be able to feel him again and even though he wanted to find out who the person was, there was a high chance that they weren’t Imperial and that would mean they wouldn’t take kindly to finding out the son of Darth Vader himself was breaking into the palace to find information that would incriminate the Organas. 

At the end of the day, it didn’t matter what this mysterious voice thought or felt. All that mattered was finishing the mission and making his father proud of him. Succeeding also had the added benefit of not being subjected to Force lightning by the Emperor. Kind of ironic that the one person his father couldn’t move against was the one person determined to hurt Luke the most. 

Of course, all of those thoughts were dangerous to have while sitting next to the Emperor's Hand. Especially while she was opening herself up to the Force. He didn’t really expect Mara to move against him unless given orders to. Or if Luke’s traitorous thoughts became traitorous actions. On the other hand, committing treason would be much more fun if Mara joined in. 

Luke shook himself out of his musings and decided to spend the rest of the afternoon taking his blaster apart using nothing but the Force and then putting it back together again. He enjoyed seeing all the parts floating in front of him; going from innocent bolts and wires to a deadly weapon. It was also a good exercise in control and precision. One false move and the blaster would fall on the ground, go off, or not work at all. 

“How come everytime you’re left to your own devices you end up doing something stupid?” Mara asked. Her quiet voice didn’t hide the slight amusement in her tone. The hours until nightfall must have passed quicker than Luke had thought.

“Maybe you should stop leaving me alone.”

“I’m the Emperor's Hand, not a babysitter.”

“I didn’t know the Emperor had agents that took naps on the job.” 

“I was not napping,” Mara snapped. “I was meditating. You do the same thing.”

“If I recall correctly, you once said I was wasting time by meditating.”

“Totally different situation. You were supposed to be flying.”

Luke didn’t bother responding to that. He could tell Mara wasn’t mad at him; when she was mad, you could tell without the Force. She enjoyed the banter and the arguing as much as Luke did. They didn’t have the chance to talk to anyone else like that. 

“We can discuss the appropriate times for meditation later,” Mara added. “It’s time to go.”

oOoOo

Leia was on edge. Between the training sessions with Tsabin and the strange presence she felt while meditating, her mind hadn’t stopped racing in days. 

All she had was questions. About the Force. About the Jedi. About her father. But there was more to it than that. She wanted to know why her mother changed her mind on Leia receiving Jedi-like training, how Tsabin knew her mother so well, why she felt that person through the Force. Who were they? Why did she have such a connection with them? Most importantly, why did Leia feel like she had so many loving people in her life who couldn’t give her the answers she so desperately wanted?

The question looped through her mind as she paced around her private chambers. Alderaan was supposed to be calming, yet her trip would be ending in three days and she felt more stressed than ever. Which was slightly ironic considering she had been in battle just before arriving on the planet. 

A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts. Tsabin opened the door slightly, poking her head in. 

“Leia?” She called.

“I’m here. Come on in.”

“I’m sorry to intrude,” Tsabin said, moving into the room. “There was an accident at the gates of the palace and Her Majesty asked me to check on you.”

“An accident?” Leia’s eyes flickered to the window, but she couldn’t see anything unusual from where she stood. 

“Yes. A speeder crashed in the security checkpoint. I do not believe anyone was seriously injured, but security fears that this might have been a terrorist attack.”

“That’s terrible,” Leia responded, mouth moving automatically. Her mind, however, had moved into ‘rebel agent’ mode. As far as she knew, targeting a security checkpoint outside of a major building had little to no benefit for the attacker beyond causing fear. There was no motive for it. 

“What about the driver?” Leia asked, surprising Tsabin who had been turning to leave.

“He was taken into custody and is being questioned. He claims that it wasn’t his fault; that the speeder became out of control.”

“Thank you for checking on me.” Tsabin gave a short bow and left the room, door shutting behind her. 

Leia wasn’t a Jedi. But she had the Force. And the Force was pushing her forward to learn more about this crash. Or maybe it was adrenaline pushing her and she so desperately wanted to believe she was a Jedi like her father that she was listening to it. Regardless, she decided to take it upon herself to investigate the incident and come to her own conclusions. 

She pulled on a cloak as she left the room, striding confidently through the halls that she had finally learned her way around. There was a small blaster tucked away in the folds of her skirt which she hoped would not be used but a life of rebellion had taught her not to count on life remaining peaceful. 

The tourist area of the palace sat closest to the city proper. The rooms in the area were only used for ceremonies and important events. The Organas certainly didn’t step foot in them during the average day, which made the attack near them that much more suspicious. The area had a heavy security presence to scare off anyone thinking of doing anything illegal. Between the high risks and the low rewards, Leia was certain there was something else going on. 

The security checkpoint had been emptied of civilians. Palace guards, security officers, and a handful of guards kept onlookers at bay while the investigation was conducted. Leia blended into the crowd of palace employees who had come out to see what the fuss was about. They chatted quietly about the event, trading theories and suggestions while trying to remain respectful of the authorities. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows through the area.

“I heard the man still denies any involvement,” a woman behind Leia said.

“They expect us to believe a native Alderaanian would do this?” An old man grumbled. 

“Damn Imperials getting in the way of the search.”

“Might actually have been an accident. No one has said otherwise.”

Leia pushed through the crowd, making a beeline for the officer closest to the crowd of workers. He wore the traditional palace guard uniform with brown hair cut in a military style. Even though he stood straight and blocked the path, he had an open, welcoming expression. 

“Excuse me, sir,” She called out to him. His eyes found hers in the crowd. 

“Can I help you, miss?”

“Yes, I was hoping you would be able to give me some information regarding the suspect that was just taken into custody.” Leia kept her spine straight and eyes focused on his, trying to display as much confidence as possible. 

“I am afraid that, as an open investigation, I am unable to disclose any information.” 

Leia took a step closer to him. “I understand that sharing information with civilians would be very inappropriate, but I was sent to collect information by my supervisor.”

“Your supervisor?” He sounded unimpressed.

“Yes. Tsabin from the Palace guard. I’m sure you know her?” There was a flicker of uncertainty on his face now. 

“Yes, of course I know her, but certainly she will get the full report later.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Leia said, in false exasperation. “I need to pick up the preliminary report for her.”

“Do you have any identification to confirm your story?” The guard’s eyebrows were raised high on his face. 

“You don’t need to see my identification,” Leia said, pushing as much persuasion into her voice as possible. “I was sent personally by Tsabin. I am her temporary assistant.”

“Are- are you sure?” The guard sounded thoroughly confused and Leia knew she was nearing victory.

“Yes. Now give me the preliminary report.”

To her utter shock, the guard obeyed instantly, walking up to the investigation team to repeat her request. A moment, and several confused glances her way later, he came back with a datapad in hand with the beginnings of the investigation on it. Leia thanked him and quickly hurried back to her room, excitement coursing through her. Finally, she would be able to do something useful while on her vacation. 

Back in the relative safety of the room, she opened up the datapad. Recreating the previous night, she sat cross-legged on her bed and poured over the information in front of her. It did nothing except confirm her own theories. The speeder in question had suffered some kind of malfunction that the investigators believed was related to a signal sent into the navi-computer. The driver did not make for a very good suspect, as he was born and raised on Alderaan, did not resist arrest, and had a track record of attending peace conferences on different Core Worlds. He had no records of reckless flying in his life and had no traces of any substances in his body. 

The most suspicious piece of evidence was the lack of any casualties. Everyone who had been hurt had been sent home from the hospital with a few bacta patches. Not typical in an attack that clearly took time and effort to plan. As a planet near the Core, the Empire wouldn't dare move against Alderaan, but the ties that Organas had to the Rebel Alliance meant that this had been no rebel attack.  

So the real attackers must have something else up their sleeves. 

With that in mind, she slid off her bed and went to find Breha. 

Chapter Text

Padme didn’t expect to be called into battle that day, but when Bail had contacted her, she agreed to fly out to Scarif to support the Rebel assault. Her flying abilities were not the strongest, but she had been in her fair share of dog fights in the past two decades and could hold her own. That, partnered with the Alliance’s scary lack of trained pilots, meant Padme was welcome in battle anytime. 

And this one had been one hell of a battle. 

She had made the jump to hyperspace just after the Death Star had appeared in the system. The image of the giant weapon still burned in her mind. Although her suspicions couldn’t be confirmed until she dropped out of hyperspace, she was certain that the entire ground assault had been destroyed. She just desperately hoped that their sacrifice would not be in vain.

Maybe the entire planet had been destroyed for the actions of a few rebels. 

It was situations like this that reminded the former senator why she was fighting in the first place. There were so many days when all she wanted to do was grab Leia and fly as far away from the danger as she could. But someone needed to take a stand. And if that person fell, there needed to be someone else behind them to continue the fight. So Padme went into each battle knowing that her failures would land more responsibility on Leia, who was too much like her parents to be sidelined during galactic upheaval. She had hoped, during the early days of the Empire that Leia wouldn't have to experience a life under tyranny. That was the only reason Padme was able to leave her daughter behind in the first place.

Her astromech startled her from her thoughts with a chirp. 

“I’m okay R5. Just tired. Let me know when we’re five minutes from arrival.” They were on their way back to Yavin to regroup and figure out what the situation was. She desperately hoped that Ahsoka and Artoo were able to make it out with the plans or else all their work would be for nothing.

Padme had offered to collect the plans herself but both Bail and Ahsoka had refused, insisting that Padme would be too much of a target if she revealed herself to be alive. And any target on her back would be extended to Leia and that wasn’t something Padme was willing to risk. The decision was quickly made to send Ahsoka in to collect them, since she could hold off a Sith lord if it came down to it. 

She understood their response, but watching Ahsoka be pursued by the Devastator was more difficult than she had expected. 

It was Vader’s ship.

Darth Vader was, by all accounts, Palpatine’s strongest weapon. The Alliance instructed new members to flee as soon as he entered the battle. Those that tried to fight never made it back alive. Even Ahsoka hesitated to take him on. The two women had spent nights together pondering how one could take down a man that seemed no more than a shadow. That was the impression he left to the public. A shadow that hunted down and destroyed anyone who dared to stand against the Empire. 

No one was really certain who Darth Vader was. That somehow made everything worse, since no one could place a birth name or a face with the monster. He didn’t make many public appearances and those who ranked high enough in the Empire to actually get a glimpse of him didn’t tend to make many reports. The only information they had were snippets and rumors.

He was covered in scars. He had yellow eyes. He only ever wore armor. He himself had an heir. He was more powerful than Palpatine. He hated politics. He could snap your neck with just a thought. Those were the only facts that the Rebellion had. Everything else boiled down to rumors and tall tales about how he wasn't really human, that he was a demon from the uncharted regions. Leia had once told her that people believed merely speaking his name was enough to summon him to your planet.

Padme personally believed that Palpatine had raised him, much like he had done with Maul; training him to be the perfect apprentice in case his plans for Anakin fell through. And they had.

Padme didn’t usually let herself think of her husband but long flights in a cockpit tended to cause the mind to wander to things it shouldn’t. She didn’t like to think about Anakin’s fall to the dark side or how pained he sounded when he thought she had betrayed him. 

She didn’t like to think about how he had died on Mustafar, thinking she had plotted against him. 

When she had woken up from the medically induced coma, she had expected Obi-Wan to tell her that Anakin was with her. Or at least that he was still alive and serving Palpatine. But the only things he could tell her were the stuff of nightmares. 

Anakin dead. 

The Republic replaced with a tyrant.

Beru and Owen Lars killed by the Empire.

Luke gone. 

“There was good in him,” She whispered vehemently to herself in her quiet Y-wing. “He would have come back to me.”

But now she would never know. 

oOoOo

When Darth Vader finally intercepted the ship, Tantive IV, over Tatooine, he had expected to see Organa or even Mothma. Or perhaps a new member of the Alliance that was replaceable. It was an Alderaanian ship, so whoever was on it should have some sort of connection to the planet itself. Not that he cared much who the ship carried. Vader cared about very few people anymore and none of them would be found on a ship fleeing from the Empire.

Boarding the ship had proved not to be challenging. The crew members had certainly done their best to fight back, but after a few minutes of returning firefight, they finally began surrendering. 

“Find all of the passengers. I want them alive,” Vader ordered the commander of the unit. He didn’t stop to listen to the response, instead moving deeper into the ship, following the carnage. The Force felt like a storm around him, from the suffering, the death, and the feeling that something important was about to happen. Perhaps he would finally be able to recover the plans. Perhaps this would be the last chapter in the obnoxious story that was the Rebel Alliance.

“Lord Vader,” the voice of a stormtrooper cut through his thoughts. “One of the prisoners has surrendered to us.”

He turned around and came face to face with the blue eyes of Ahoska Tano. 

Vader didn’t breathe for a moment, taking in the face of his long lost padawan. She was older, taller. Her face was carefully blank but her eyes were sharp. He had banished all thoughts of her years ago, choosing not to think about how the clones he had given for her to command had turned against her. He had mourned her, moved on from her, and now she was standing in front of him as an enemy. He couldn't breath with her in the room, as he couldn't breath all those years ago when he stood in front of the destroyer, holding her lightsaber.

“Darth Vader,” she said, watching him. His hood still covered his face and it was clear that Ahsoka hadn't figured out who was underneath it. 

“Leave us,” he commanded the stormtroopers. They hurried out of the hall, almost tripping over each other in an attempt to obey, fearful of the harsh tone his voice had taken on. Ahsoka’s confusion echoed through the Force, despite the shielding. Her face, however, revealed nothing and if it wasn't for her bound hands, it would appear as if she was having a conversation with a stranger on the streets.

“Are you planning on finishing me off yourself?” Ashoka asked. “Afraid that someone else would try to take your credit?”

Vader couldn’t bring himself to respond to that. In all honesty, he had no idea what to do. She clearly didn’t recognize him and seemed to have accepted the fact that he would kill her. Palpatine would want him to kill her; she clearly chose to side with the rebels. His silence seemed to put her on edge. She shifted slightly where she stood.

“I am unarmed. If you are as powerful as they say you are, then I should prove no challenge.”

“What else have people told you about me?” He finally asked. 

“I have heard all kinds of things. I am not sure how much I believe.” Her voice was even, betraying no confusion. 

“I heard you were dead,” he said simply. He could feel her confusion heightening. 

“I would be if I didn’t fake it. You would have made sure of that.”

“I would never let anyone hurt you, Ahsoka.” The words slipped out before he could stop them; his mind was still spinning from the revelation of her existence. Ahsoka’s eyes narrowed, then widened, face betraying shock.

“No…” She started shaking her head. “It can’t be.”

Anakin lowered the cloak from his head, revealing his face to her for the first time in almost twenty years. He could feel her eyes taking him in; his short hair, his scars, the yellow eyes and the dark circles underneath them. The whole time she was shaking her head. 

“Anakin?”

“That name means nothing to me now.” He was harsher than he expected and almost felt bad watching her flinch. His emotions were in conflict and he desperately wanted to prevent Ahsoka from figuring that out.

“I thought you were dead.”

“In every way that matters, Anakin Skywalker is gone.”

“That’s a lie! If that were true you never would have revealed yourself. You wouldn’t care about me. I mean nothing to Darth Vader.” Her chest was heaving as she tried to get air in her lungs. She blinked back the tears that had suddenly come to her eyes.

“Where are the Death Star plans?” His attempt to change the subject was pathetic, but seemed to work.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I watched your ship leave Scarif. I know you have them. We do not need to be enemies, Ahsoka.”

“I don’t want to fight against you, Anakin. I never have. But I refuse to stand by as the Empire destroys innocent lives.”

Vader’s spine stiffened and he was painfully reminded of the situation they were in. They were on separate sides of the war this time and he didn’t think there was any way of bridging the gap. Not without risking Luke’s life. If Vader was anything but cruel and forceful with Ahsoka, the Emperor would become suspicious and would threaten to harm his son. 

It wouldn’t be the first time he’d done it. Ever since Luke was a baby he’d been used to keep his father in line. Until he was ten, Luke was kept on Imperial Center where Palpatine had easy access to him and Vader had no choice but to complete his missions with the knowledge that any slip up could cause Luke pain or even death. Vader didn’t always agree with Palpatine, but he would continue to douse himself in the dark side if it meant he could come home to a safe and healthy Luke.

“If you cannot support the Empire then you leave me no choice,” he said, coldly. “Take her away,” he yelled to the stormtroopers he had chased away earlier. Ahsoka’s disappointment and pain rang through the Force. 

“Then my master is truly dead.” She made no move to resist as she was cuffed and marched off to the detention block.  

oOoOo

Obi-Wan Kenobi was tired. And he was tired of being tired. He was tired of war, and fighting, and watching the people he cared about leave him. Hearing the news of Ahsoka’s capture just made him want to pretend like he had never gotten out of bed that day. 

He hadn’t been to Padme’s debriefing, but Mothma had been kind enough to inform him of the developments afterwards, not trusting Padme to do it herself. The whole affair just left Obi-Wan sulking in his tiny quarters on the Yavin base, wishing he had done his whole life differently.

During the Clone Wars, he had always assumed that Anakin was the rash, emotional, and stubborn person between him and Padme. Little did he know that like called to like and Padme was just as rash, emotional, and stubborn as her husband. She had barely spoken to him after he told her that he had failed to save him from Mustafar. They had been friends before and that made her cold looks and long silences hurt more. He would give anything for her to just smile in his direction.

From a certain point of view, she had every right to hate him. He continued to lie to her about Anakin everyday he lived, desperately acting like the monster that was Darth Vader had no connection to Anakin Skywalker. He knew that telling her the truth would have negative consequences both for her personally and for the rebellion because Padme wouldn’t stop trying to bring him back to the light once he knew he was alive. 

Then there was the matter of Luke’s disappearance; an event Padme definitely had the right to blame on him. She had been in a coma and he had taken her child away without her permission and the baby then disappeared under his care. His intentions had been good. He wanted to protect the babies from the Emperor until Padme could do it herself. He had listened to Yoda and didn't stop to think about how Padme would feel about the decision or how she would react if it had been the wrong one. He still had hope that Anakin would come back to the light then. Staring down at the burnt bodies of Beru and Owen Lars changed that. 

Obi-Wan knew that day that Anakin Skywalker was dead. Vader had made sure to destroy the remaining family members and most likely brought little Luke to the Emperor to face judgement for the crime of being Force sensitive. That was the real reason Obi-Wan couldn’t find it in himself to tell Padme who Vader really was. Because it would mean explaining that her husband had most likely killed their child.

And Obi-Wan was tired of being the source of people’s pain.

Chapter Text

The Force was thrumming through Luke’s body, igniting every nerve and focusing his mind. He could feel Mara like she was an extension of himself. He knew where she was and what she was planning on doing. She followed him through the darkened hallways, trusting him to sense any danger that could come their way. 

Kay-O was in Luke’s ear giving directions to the private office of Bail Organa, who was currently off planet. His wife, the Queen, was still around, but the Emperor had reason to believe Bail was the bigger traitor. As soon as they had the information, they would be off planet and the Organas would probably be arrested and executed in order to serve as an example of the Emperor's justice. 

The Force shot a warning, causing Luke to duck into a darkened doorway, gesturing to Mara to do the same. A moment later a pair of armed guards walked by. He could sense Mara reaching out to them, pushing against their minds to make them leave. He didn’t think it was necessary; they didn’t even pause near them, but Mara had always been more thorough than he was.

“We should be clear of patrols for a while,” Luke muttered. 

“I can't decide if I prefer to see my enemies with my own eyes or avoid them all together."

“I would advise against seeking out enemies, Miss Jade,” Kay-O chirped. “His majesty specifically requested this mission be kept under wraps and that you leave no trace.”

“I am aware of that, Kay-O.” Mara didn’t have a lot of patience for the droid. If they hadn’t been in the middle of a mission, Luke would’ve lectured her about being kinder to him. 

Alas, the sacrifices made during war. 

They approached the door of the office, located exactly where the plans had placed them. Two guards were stationed outside of the locked doors, both about Luke’s age, tired from their late night shift. Luke saw Mara nod out of the corner of his eye and then they were moving. 

Luke stretched out a hand, pushing both guards into the wall behind them, forcing the air out of their lungs. Luke’s hand closed into a fist and the guards began choking, grabbing for their throats in fear. Despite the debacle, Mara had all her attention on unlocking the door. She plugged into the locking mechanism and began transmitting the information on the lock to Kay-O. The guards passed out just as the droid began explaining to Mara how to avoid triggering the alarm. 

“Taking a page out of your father’s book I see,” Mara commented, glancing away from her work just long enough to take in the bodies on the floor. 

“You don’t become second in the Empire for nothing.” Mara didn’t respond to that. Her green eyes were focused on the work in front of her. The hallway was dark, even with the lighting fixtures that dimly glowed every few meters. The light made shadows jump out and turned Mara into some kind of supernatural being with a harsh face and bright eyes. Luke idly wondered what he looked like to her: a fascinating creature or just a darkened version of the kid she grew up with. 

“Got it.” Mara’s announcement was paired with the sliding open of the doors in front of her. They dragged the bodies of the two guards into the room, depositing them just inside the door. 

Luke turned the lights on on the lowest setting so they could see around. Mara, who could never seem to stand still long, was already behind the desk, plugging in their datastick to the main computer. The data would transfer immediately to Kay-O, who had instructions to send it to Imperial Center the second anything indicated that Luke and Mara would face complications. 

Luke used the time to explore the rest of the room. Like the rest of Alderaan, it had the air of understated elegance. The dark wooden desk was smoothly polished and matched all the other furniture in the room. Shelves covered one wall and a giant window took up another. He began his search on the shelves, which seemed to be covered in useless trinkets and old fashioned paper books.The few holos that were on them showed pictures of Bail and Breha Organa or Bail with other senators from before the Empire. 

Looking at the holos made Luke uncomfortable, as he and Mara were helping to orchestrate the execution of those in them. He tried to push his weaknesses aside, but every new image brought them back to the forefront of his mind. 

He was grateful when he finished the sweep of the shelves and could turn to the rest of the drawers and closet space that existed. The only sound was the faint thrumming of Mara’s fingers against the desk while she waited for the information to be sent over and copied. She wasn’t as anxious, simply impatient. He felt a rush of appreciation that he never had to do a stake out with her. 

A small nudge from the Force brought his attention back to the window. Luke walked over to it, glancing out onto the snow capped mountain range. He moved to turn away when his eyes caught something on the window sill, almost covered by the sheer curtains. 

A surveillance camera. 

“Mara,” he called out while still watching the camera. “I think we’re in trouble.”

Mara followed his gaze and her own panic spiked in the Force, despite her face remaining in an impassive mask. She straightened from the desk and slowly made her way towards the small piece of technology. Then she knocked it to the ground and unceremoniously stomped on it. 

“Kay-O was supposed to sweep the room for bugs!” She seethed. 

“It doesn’t matter. It’s in the past. We need to get out.” He moved past Mara to remove the datastick from the terminal. He tossed it to her and she slipped it into one over her hidden pockets. “Kay-O, I need you to get ready to move. We’re going to need a quick get away.”

As he spoke, the door to the office slid open.

“I don’t think you will have to worry about that.”

oOoOo

Leia levelled her blaster at the boy in front of her. Tsabin was on her left, weapon pointed at the girl in the office. They seemed shocked to find them there. Their hands had immediately gone to their holsters when the doors opened but they had yet to draw. 

The boy with bright blue eyes stepped forward, hands coming up into the air as a sign of peace. Unfortunately for him, Leia could feel his insincerity. 

“We don’t need to get into a fight,” he said. His eyes bore into Leia’s and his tone was remarkably steady for a person at blaster point. 

“I do not believe you are in any position to bargain,” Tsabin responded. “Breaking and entering is illegal and we do not need to show you mercy.” 

The red head snorted. “We don’t need your mercy. You need us to spare your lives.” 

Leia instantly disliked the girl. She appeared to be the same age as the boy, but had an air of superiority about her. Her face was a carefully constructed mask that hinted at the fact that she believed Leia and Tsabin to be lesser. The red head moved to stand next to her companion, posture relaxed but muscles tense. 

“We have already raised the alarms,” Tsabin said, levelly. “It would be better for you to hand yourselves in now than try to fight a battle you will lose.”

Blue eyes flicked over to make contact with green ones and suddenly both people were moving. The boy charged at Leia at the same time the girl moved to Tsabin. Leia fired her blaster, which was set to stun, but the boy dodged the blue bolts with ease. He kicked a leg and the blaster went flying out of her hands, leaving Leia to stumble backwards into the hall.

Weaponless, with the boy advancing, Leia did something very stupid. She charged. Her body hit his around the middle, bringing both of them to the ground. The boy let out a grunt as he hit the floor, but was immediately wrestling Leia off of him. 

Leia heard more shots going off from Tsabin’s own fight, but didn’t let herself be distracted. She raised her fist and drove it into the intruder’s face twice, relishing in the sight of the blood that began pooling from his nose. 

Just when she felt confident enough to claim victory, she was being pressed into the floor, the boy on top of her, hand on her throat. The face that she had been trying to break moments ago had turned stony, blood still travelling down the chin. Leia kicked, squirmed, and tried to hit back, but the boy grabbed her hands, and applied pressure onto her throat, leaving her struggling to draw a breath. 

“Nice try,” he hissed at her, “but it would take much more than a few punches to keep me down.”

“Ditto,” Leia croaked. His brow furrowed in confusion and then Leia opened herself up the Force and pushed with every cell in her body. The boy flew across the room and hit the wall of the hallway with a sharp crack. He crumpled to the ground. 

She struggled to her feet, breathing hard from the adrenaline. Her hands massaged her throat before moving to the back of her head to search for any bumps. After deducing that she was mostly unharmed, she turned her attention to Tsabin and the girl, who had flown into a rage at the sight of her companion being tossed across the room. Unfortunately for her, the rage only served as a distraction, and a bleeding Tsabin managed to finally land a stun bolt on her stomach. Leia watched, unimpressed, as the girl hit the ground.

“Leia…” Tsabin’s voice cut through the fog of her brain. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m…” Her voice trailed off when she caught sight of Tsabin’s injury. “You’re injured.” She sounded so stupid. 

“It’s okay. Backup is on its way.” The words had barely left her lips when the sound of boots could be heard, marking the appearance of more guards. But Leia’s eyes couldn’t leave the blaster shot that had hit Tsabin just above her right hip, near her stomach. The blood was turning her light colored uniform dark red. 

“Is everything alright?” The guard asked Leia and Tsabin. The others were pulling the intruders upright, putting cuffs on them. 

“Tasbin needs medical attention,” Leia directed, eyes on the boy whose limp form was being treated in a rather careless way. Something glinted at his waist line. “Hold on,” she said to the guards. She moved forward and pulled the hilt of a lightsaber out of the fabric of the tunic. 

If Tsabin’s face had been drained of blood earlier, it was nothing compared to her face when it took in the sight of the weapon. The male guard that had come to help her steadied her while another person approached with a med pack. 

Leia ignited the saber and bright red blade appeared from it, making the crime scene appear even more bloodier. Everyone stopped to stare at the lightsaber, fear spiking in each person. 

“We made a mistake.” Tsabin’s voice was barely more than a whisper. “They wanted to be caught. They already achieved whatever it was they wanted to achieve.”

Leia unignited the lightsaber. “What does all this mean?” None of it made sense in her mind. Why would they go through all the trouble of causing the diversion earlier just to allow themselves to be caught?

Unless their plans had changed after realizing Leia had caught on. 

“We need to speak to Breha. Capitan,” Tsabin turned to the guard, clutching a piece of bacta to her wound. “Please escort the intruders to the holding cells here in the palace. And please be discreet.”

“Ma’am, I am going to have to insist on you having your wound looked at. You’ve lost too much blood.” 

Tsabin’s lips pinched together, but she nodded in agreement. Stuck in her own thoughts, she left the room with the remaining guards, only pausing to tell Leia to hold onto the weapon in her hands. Not that Leia was planning on surrendering it. From the second she had wrapped her hand around it she felt a sense of familiarity. The same familiarity that she had felt in her meditation.

When she ignited the saber the first time, she knew that the boy was the same Force user she had run across. This revelation only added to her confusion, because it was clear from the sneaking, fighting, and red lightsaber, that the boy was an agent of the Emperor. But he didn’t feel dark. Even when his hands wrapped around her throat, she didn’t think that he intended on killing her. The guards that they had taken care of outside the office hadn’t been killed. And both Leia and Tsabin had survived.

Which meant that the agent of Palpatine had been pulling his punches. Or he had accomplished what he had needed to, opting to toy with the Alderaanians in order to buy time to cause another misdirection. 

Chapter Text

Luke woke up to a pounding headache. 

“Serves you right, letting your guard down like that.” Luke turned his head slightly to take in the sight of Mara sitting on a metal slab on the other side of the small room they were in. She looked bruised, but nowhere near as bad as Luke was feeling. 

“I didn’t expect the girl to have the Force,” he grumbled, slowly sitting up. His head hurt and his back felt like a giant bruise. For a second he thought Mara would come over to help him up, but it became clear that she wouldn’t be moving. He bit back the feeling of disappointment.

“They took our lightsabers,” Mara said, seemingly more bothered by that then the fact that her only friend was hurt. “It’s going to be much harder to get out of here.”

“Good. I could use a challenge.” Luke continued stretching, hoping that movement would make his back feel better. 

Their plan had changed the moment Luke had seen the camera. Perhaps it was overconfidence on Mara and Luke’s part, but they hadn’t expected anyone to catch onto their plan at all. The number of times their plans had gone off without a hitch, it was unusual for anyone to catch on. Luke hadn’t understood how anyone had figured it out until the girl had Force-pushed him. Then it all made sense. 

Of course he was still bothered by the fact that someone had gotten the upper hand over him. It was down right embarrassing if he was being honest. He had been trained by Darth kriffing Vader and a young girl threw him across the room. He would have to bribe Mara to ensure that she never told on him. 

The redhead in question had stood up and had begun taking in the cell. Her eyes followed the sharp lines of the cell’s ceiling, paying attention to the edges of the door. The walls were smooth and the only thing on the ceiling was a small vent. The only way in or out would be through the door. 

Not that that was much of a problem. Luke and Mara had been trained on multiple ways to break out of prison cells. That, added with Luke’s experience of sneaking out of his room meant that very few doors could hold them. They also had the added benefit of the fact that they no longer had to be inconspicuous.

“What’re we thinking?” Luke asked Mara. He swung his feet onto the ground, grimacing in pain as his bruised torso moved. Mara noticed the face he made and the corners of her mouth tightened.

“Right now, I think our best bet is to be patient. See what happens.”

“Of course. Patience.” They fell into an uncomfortable silence, not certain if they should be staring at each other or not. Neither one of them were practiced in patience and Luke struggled with not having something in his hands to fiddle with. 

Mara didn’t have that problem, apparently. She slipped back onto her slab and fell into a meditative trance. Luke thought about joining her for a moment before shaking himself back into reality. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her completely defenseless, even if she was comfortable with her plan. 

I can feel you better now .

The mysterious girl’s voice drifted into Luke’s mind. The tone wasn’t angry, simply intrigued. 

That’s because we’ve met in person now. Our bond is stronger.

Our bond?

Yes. Luke wondered who had trained her, because they clearly didn’t cover all their bases. I don’t know why it exists between us. Normally, a bond only forms between a master and an apprentice.

There was a small pause and then: I want to talk to you. In person .

Luke glanced over at Mara, still deep in her meditation. I think my schedule is clear for the day. 

A few moments later, the door to the cell slid open. Luke adjusted his own shields to encompass Mara and keep her from sensing the change in the room. He’d alert her to everything later, but for the moment, he wanted answers and he wasn’t sure he would get them with Mara around.

The girl stood in the doorway with several armed guards just behind her. Dark circles had appeared under brown eyes since he had last seen her. She clearly hadn’t slept. Despite that, she looked very put together with her hair in a bun and fresh clothes on her body. She watched as Luke stepped out of his cell, barely sparing a glance for Mara.

“We can talk in private, as long as you agree to wear cuffs,” she said. A guard came forward and Luke allowed himself to be restrained. All for the sake of answers. He was led down the hall and into a nearby room that seemed to be intended for interrogations. He sat down at the table and the girl sat across from him. The guards stood outside the room, leaving them the privacy that was promised.

They stared at each other for a moment, taking in the other’s face. Luke’s curiosity continued peaking the longer he looked at her. She seemed so achingly familiar. Her bright, brown eyes, her delicate nose, even her eyebrows seemed to remind Luke of someone. Someone important.

“So…” The girl began.

“Yes?”

“I suppose we should start with introductions.” She shifted into a business tone, placing her hands on the table in front of her. “My name is Leia.”

“Just Leia?”

Leia seemed to hesitate for a moment before answering. “Leia Amidala.”

That caught Luke’s attention. “Any relation to Padme Amidala, the senator?” 

“Maybe. What’s your name.”

“Luke.”

“Just Luke?”

“Luke Naberrie.”

“That’s a Nabooian name.”

“Yes it is. And so is Amidala.” Luke tilted his head, watching Leia closely. He had given the name his father used when he didn’t want people to know the relationship between himself and Luke. Despite wanting to gain the girl’s trust, he knew better than to admit to being the son of Darth Vader. Still, it struck him as strange that she had the last name of one of Naboo’s most famous politicians. 

“My mother was from Naboo,” Leia provided. 

“How quaint,” Luke drawled. “My mother was from Naboo as well. She died after I was born, so I’m afraid you wouldn’t have ever met her.”

“Is your father from one of the core planets then?”

“We live on the Imperial Center,” Luke provided, skipping over the part that his father had actually come from Tatooine. 

“I would think that it would be dangerous living there as a Force sensitive,” Leia observed. “Although it makes sense if you’re working for the Empire.” Her eyes suddenly narrowed. “You aren’t related to Palpatine, are you?”

Luke’s mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding me?! Are you actually suggesting that the Emperor has been intimate with someone?!”

Luke shuddered at the thought of being related to Palaptine by blood. At least his father didn’t look like a corpse that was losing its teeth. Thankfully, Leia seemed just as repulsed at the thought of the emperor’s sexual escapades as Luke was.

“That is disgusting!” She snapped. “I’m just trying to figure out who you are. You aren’t giving me a lot to go off of.”

“Neither are you,” Luke retorted. He lifted his chin in defiance.

“You’re the prisoner in this situation!”
“And you’re the one that knows next to nothing about the Force! You won’t be able to figure anything out on your own.”

“I seemed capable of taking you down on my own.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Please. I didn’t even use my lightsaber. If I had actually gone all out against you, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. As it is, I am pretty sure you’re some kind of member of the Rebel Alliance visiting other rebels here on Alderaan. You’re good at fighting, but not great so you’re probably used to being a diplomat of some sort. I’d also bet you are related to Padme Amidala but for some reason, you are trying very hard to hide the connection.”

Leia, for her part, didn’t react to Luke’s assessment. Her brown eye met his and once again, Luke was struck by the feeling of knowing her. It was so overwhelming that his breath caught in his throat. 

“And you,” she said lightly, “are an Imperial of some kind of ranking. You’re an Imperial agent, well trained, probably since birth. Your father clearly is someone of importance and was able to keep a relationship with you despite the Emperor trying to use you. And despite your attempt to tie me to Padme Amidala, you’ve done the same yourself. Naberrie is the last name of her parents and sister.”

oOoOo

Leia watched a mix of emotions pass over Luke’s face. Anger, confusion, uncertainty, and fear before fading into a plain mask. She still wasn’t certain of her connection to Luke, but her heart had stopped a bit when he gave the last name that her own mother had been born with. He didn’t know that Amidala was a Naberrie, but he definitely seemed to have a relationship with the family. Could they be related?

“I don’t understand the relevance of that connection. Naberrie is a common last name on Naboo.”

“Do you know anything about your mother?” Leia asked, her anger disappeared as she took in Luke’s uncomfortable shifting.

“She’s from Naboo and she’s dead.”

“But you don’t have a name besides Naberrie?” Leia pressed.

“No. My father doesn’t talk about her.” The tension in the room increased. It seemed as though she had struck a nerve and she suddenly felt ashamed for pushing the subject.

“My mother doesn’t talk much about my father,” Leia admitted. “But at least I know his name.”

“Was he from Naboo as well?”

“No. Tatooine.”

Luke startled so badly he fell out of his chair. Leia bolted out of her seat to see if he was alright and she couldn’t help but notice his sharp, blue eyes boring into her. He sat on the ground, staring at her in shock. 

“Did you say Tatooine?” He forced out. He sounded choked. 

“Yes. And my mother was from Naboo.”

“My father was from Tatooine and my mother from Naboo.”

The unspoken words hung in the air. Leia shifted uncomfortably at the implication. It simply wasn’t possible. Her mother had never mentioned having another child and Leia certainly would have remembered having a brother. But how likely was it for two Force users to find each other on Alderaan and have parents from the same planet? And for the mother to be linked to the Naberrie family. As far as Leia knew, her mother was the only person in the family to have had a relationship with a man from Tatooine.

“We don’t even look alike,” Luke muttered. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself of it. “You said you knew your father’s name. What was it?”

“Anakin Skywalker.” It came out as a whisper. 

Any remaining color on Luke’s face vanished and for a second, Leia feared that he would faint. His hands shook badly and his eyes kept darting to Leia and then away from her. He had made a connection that she didn’t yet understand. She could feel him through the Force in a way that was unlike anything else she ever experienced. His confusion, his denial, his fear like it was her own. 

“What?” She asked.

“I think,” Luke began. His voice sounded far away. “I think that we might be related.”

“You mentioned that already.”

“Okay, well, then I think we’re siblings.”

Leia stared at him for a second, not sure if she should take him seriously or not. His claim was ridiculous and made no sense, but the Force seemed to indicate otherwise. She opted not to say anything, hoping that Luke would defend the claim without being prompted. Her patience was rewarded.

“Bonds are said to form between people who are blood related, particularly between parents and children or between siblings,” Luke explained. “My father is Anakin Skywalker but I do not know my mother. I do know she was from Naboo. I understand how strange it sounds, but I cannot think of anything else that would explain it.”

“Luke, my father is dead.” It came out harsher than Leia expected. “He was killed during the Purges.”

“And my mother died in childbirth,” Luke retorted. “Clearly neither one of us has the true story. If it makes you feel better, we can take a DNA test, but I know the Force.” He pushed himself up onto his feet. His eyes had developed a strange gleam to them as if there was more going on his head than he was voicing. 

Leia knew she should be asking questions about the Empire and why he had broken into the palace in the first place, but their discussion somehow seemed more important. She didn’t want to admit that she let her guard down, but as Luke said earlier, she knew the Force and it was telling her to trust him. And she had wanted a family for longer than she could remember.

“So who is your accomplice?” She finally asked, deciding that she should at least know that.

“Who? Mara?” 

“I suppose. The girl that is in the same cell as you?”

“Oh yeah. That’s just Mara Jade. We aren’t related, don’t worry.” He gave her a small smile. “No more secret relatives.”

“So she’s a friend?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” He shifted on his feet, looking uncomfortable, as if he had never thought much about his relationship with her.

“Well, I suppose I can order a DNA test for both of you, just to get some answers.” Luke huffed in response, annoyed that the bond from the Force wasn’t enough proof. “I expect you’ll be prosecuted here for breaking and entering and possibly terrorism,” Leia continued, but she could feel Luke losing interest in what she was saying. 

The door to the hallway slid open, revealing the guards anxiously looking in, as if they expected Leia to be dead on the ground. Despite their concern, there was clearly something else on their minds. Leia had told them to wait until she came out and it was unusual for them to disobey direct orders. 

“Is there a problem?” Leia asked.

“No, Miss. Just here to inform you that Tsabin has woken up and is asking for you.” Leia glanced at Luke, but his face closed off the second the guards entered the room. She wanted to stay with him: he could be her brother and he could lead her to more of the answer she was seeking. He could know their father. Of course, he could be lying to her. But the amount of coincidences didn’t add up if that was the case. She would know for certain after a proper DNA test. 

“Thank you,” she told the guards. “Please escort Luke back to his cell and send for a med droid to conduct a DNA test on him and the other prisoner. I will be back shortly.”

oOoOo

Mara was awake and annoyed when Luke returned. Her arms crossed in front of her when he entered and she only scowled in response to his shy smile. She waited for the door to slide shut behind him before saying anything.

“Have a good time?” She asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Things are just a little more complicated than I anticipated.”

“Are you going to be honest with me?”

Luke wasn’t sure how to answer that. Mara didn’t understand family. She never had one and was raised to view them as weak connections that slowed individuals down. But Luke had just discovered that he and his father weren’t as alone as they thought and now all he wanted to do was find out more. The only problem was that Mara would not hesitate to kill him, should his loyalty come into question. And being related to a girl with ties to the Rebel Alliance was a major question.

“I am always honest with you, Mara,” He finally said. “But I can’t tell you what’s going on. Not right here, or right now.”

That satisfied the redhead enough to make her stop glaring. She sighed, letting her arms come down to her sides and Luke found himself wondering if they would be more than friends if they hadn’t been raised on the knowledge that they would have to betray each other one day.

The door to the cell slide open to reveal a medical droid and two armed guards. They glared at Mara and Luke as the droid entered the cell and revealed a needle to draw the blood samples from. The droid was blissfully unaware of the tension in the room and cheerfully explained the process of DNA testing. Neither Mara or Luke had any records in the Imperial system, so they weren’t worried about their identities being revealed, but Luke knew that Leia would compare his DNA to her own.

When the droid finished, the guards moved forward, harshly grabbing Luke’s arms and pinning them behind his back.

“What are you doing?” Mara demanded.

“An Imperial space station just entered the system and we aren’t taking any chances on the two of you escaping. Enough Imps are fleeing the planet already.” The guard finished with Luke’s cuffs and threw him onto the metal floor of the cell in order to restrain Mara.

“Don’t go anywhere!” The other one said, cheerfully as they exited the room. The door locked with a soft click. Luke met Mara’s green eyes and saw his own panic reflected in them. 

“You don’t think...?” She asked softly.

“I can sense my father. If Imperial agents are already withdrawing…” Luke couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence. The idea was ridiculous and terrifying. 

“We need to leave. Now.”
Luke nodded, already working on getting out of the cuffs. His mind raced and his breathing spread up without him noticing. The Emperor couldn’t possibly destroy a planet as important as Alderaan. Especially not with his two greatest agents and heirs to the Empire on it.

Couldn’t he?

Chapter Text

Luke and Mara didn’t talk anymore than they had to, slipping out of the cuffs without much of a problem with the two of them using the Force. They had done drills for years, learning to get out of all kinds of restraints. Despite their ease, the air between them remained tense. The silence spoke more than voicing any of their doubts could. 

The door blew open with one large Force push from Luke. Mara instantly moved to take down the guards, kicking them down and tossing a blaster towards Luke. He caught it and wasted no time shooting the remaining guards running towards them. The blasters had been set to stun. 

“Lightsabers,” Mara said. She didn’t bother to look at him, which made him feel uncomfortable. It was entirely his fault, he was the one keeping secrets, but it felt like they were simply two agents breaking out of prison instead of two people with a complicated past who aren’t supposed to like each other but kind of do breaking out of prison. And Luke always hated it when Mara held a grudge against him.

Guards continued to approach them, blaster drawn, but they weren’t much of a problem. Luke and Mara both dove into the Force, dodging bolts before they were shot. The lightsabers were in an office-like room just outside of the detention block. The crystal from his saber sang to Luke, pulling him closer to it. Mara guarded the door, weapon in hand while Luke found the sabers.

“Imperial scum!” The man in the room shouted. He fired at Luke but Luke dodged, shooting a stun bolt at the same time. The man’s body hit the floor with a thud and Luke began digging through the desk until he located what he was looking for.

He tossed Mara her lightsaber as he exited the room and for the first time in a while, she gave him an approving smile. Her hands wrapped around the hilt, blaster lying forgotten on the floor, and the hallway reflected the purple light of her blade as she ignited it. The next round of guards arrived, but Luke didn’t need to pull his own blade: Mara easily dispatched them with just the sound of her humming weapon.

“That’s better,” she muttered, admiring the bodies on the floor.

“Save some for me next time,” Luke chirped as they headed off. 

“Do we have a way to contact Kay-O?”

“It’ll be faster to just make it to the ship. I’d need to steal a comm and reprogram it.”

“Then let’s move.”

They entered the passages in the walls once again, holding still when groups of people walked past. Not every person was looking for them; many were nervous about the Imperial presence and were taking action about it. Not that any of it would matter, should the Death Star fire, no place on Alderaan would be safe if that happened. Luke came to a sudden stop.

“What is it?” Mara hissed. She was anxious to keep moving.

“I can’t leave.”

“Luke, if they decide to fire…”

“Mara I think I have a sister here.”

That made her stop. Her beautiful green eyes opened in shock, as whatever she suspected was going on with Luke was nothing compared to what actually was happening. Luke could sense her disbelief in the Force, even while he could feel the honesty in him.

“You are your father’s only child,” Mara told him.

“I know, but this girl, I can feel her in the Force in a way unlike anyone else and we both seem to have connections to my mother’s family. I know she is my sister.”

“We can discuss this later once we know that we are safe.”

“Palpatine is going to destroy this planet, Mara!” She glared at him, but said nothing. “You know that, deep down. He’s going to use Alderaan as an example of what happens to people who associate with rebels.”

“You’re wrong. The Emperor wouldn’t have sent us here to find information, to find a way to arrest the Organas if he meant to blow up the entire planet.”

But she didn’t believe what she was saying. There was no conviction in her words and the Force was full of her fear. The idea that they were both expendable to Palpatine destroyed her worldview. She had grown up being told that she was a valuable member of the Empire and that the Emperor had total faith and trust in her. Luke, on the other hand, had been raised waiting for the moment when the man would turn on him and his father.

“Mara, as you said, we can talk about this later, but we need to leave and Kay-O won’t leave without me and I’m not leaving without Leia.”

A silent debate raged in Mara’s mind for a second before a sense of peace swept over her. She gave Luke a curt nod to show that she’d work with him, which was more than he had hoped for. Like with his lightsaber, Leia called to him through the Force and Luke had no problem hunting her down in the palace. 

She was in the medbay, sitting by the bed of her friend that had helped her kick the shit out of them earlier. As usual, Mara and Luke had no problem dismantling the guards that stood outside the door and as they entered, they faced the end of a blaster that Leia had levelled at them.

“Luke? How did you escape?” She asked, in confusion. She relaxed slightly when she realized neither Luke nor Mara were going to attack. Her blaster lowered slightly, and he could feel Leia reaching out to him through the Force, questioning his motives. The woman in the bed seemed much more suspicious than her.

“We have no time. The Death Star had entered the system. Alderaan will be in pieces by the end of the day, if not sooner.”

“The Death Star ?!?!?” Her eyes widened. Luke didn’t bother to ask her how she knew what it was: rebels had a way of finding stuff out that they shouldn’t. If anything, it proved Leia really was related to him. She had the same uncanny ability Luke had to figure out things she shouldn’t.

“I know you don’t trust me,” Luke said, “But I’m not leaving without you.”

“You’re coming with us,” Mara said shortly. Her hands were still on her lightsaber. Leia’s eyes were wide, taking in both Luke and Mara. She turned to her friend on the bed, who looked just as concerned as she did, but much more resolved. 

“You’re Luke?” She asked, quietly. 

“Yes?” 

“Please bring Leia to her mother.” 

Luke glanced at Mara, but her face was closed off. “I’ll do my best,” he answered, and he was surprised to find that he was being honest. 

oOoOo

Leia could safely say that she didn’t know what was going on. She had been sitting with Tsabin, grilling her on everything she knew about her birth and the mysterious brother that just happened to be a trained agent for the Empire. The bodyguard hadn’t known much about Luke; she did admit that Leia had been born a twin but that her brother had died just days after birth.

She still didn’t know what she believed. A part of her thought that the whole situation was a plot by the Emperor. But that would mean that Palpatine knew she existed and that her mother had had twins and she was certain that he didn’t.

It was only her shock and confusion that allowed her to be dragged from Tsabin’s side. Luke’s grip on her wrist was tight and based on the looks Mara kept shooting her, she would happily knock Leia out and drag her from the palace. 

“I can’t leave,” Leia tried, protesting. “Tsabin and Breha are still here. I can’t leave them.”

Luke ignored her but Mara responded harshly. “I don’t remember putting this to a vote.”

Once out of the palace, Leia could see the Death Star hanging ominously over her and she no longer needed Luke’s incessant pulls to keep moving. This weapon could destroy planets. She had seen the files herself. And she could feel the fear radiating off the two agents.

“How’re we getting out of here?” She asked. Her mind drifted to the hangar bay a mile from the palace. 

“We have a shuttle,” Luke said. 

“I don’t know if we’ll make it,” Mara muttered. She was watching Luke carefully and even Leia could see how his jaw tightened. “We need a closer option.”

“Fine.”

The three of them took off, rushing through the panicked citizens of Alderaan. It wasn’t hard to find the docking bay that was used by merchants and businesses as it stood in the middle of the shopping district. Leia kept her hands on her blaster, ready to shoot her way off the planet if necessary. All she could think about was seeing her mother again. 

Mara and Luke continued communicating without words, a fact that frustrated Leia to no end and she had only known the duo for a day. They made decisions instantly and never looked to her for any kind of input or permission which was ironic considering they were prisoners mere hours ago. 

“Is your ship fast?” Luke asked a man standing by a hangar, looking like the picture of innocence. The man had been looking up at the sky, on edge, and Luke’s interruption threw him off. 

“Fastest ship in the galaxy. For a price, mind you.” Leia instantly disliked him and his attitude. Then again, Luke’s first impression from a stranger would be of a polite young man, while in reality, he was a Sith Lord in training. The man’s ship looked like it was one hyperspace jump away from completely falling apart and he didn’t seem to be very well put together himself. 

“I think I have a fair price,” Mara said, “You get us off this planet and we will let you live.”

Leia rolled her eyes as the man began protesting and calling Mara many unpleasant names. Luke, on the other hand, had slipped past him and was now conversing quickly with the Wookie that had just appeared off the ramp of the ship. Despite the captain of the ship telling Mara he would never let such a violent person aboard his ship, Leia was certain Luke had just won over the Wookie.

“Let’s go,” Luke called out to them, making his way inside the junk pile. The captain's protests were drowned out by the Wookie’s roars. Leia couldn’t understand Shyriiwook, but by the way the man’s face paled, she assumed he had just been informed about the purpose of the weapon in the sky. 

Luke was already preparing for take off by the time Leia arrived in the cockpit. She buckled herself into a seat in the back and watched as the harried looking captain stormed in. His eyes bulged when he saw Luke in the pilot’s seat and Mara in the co-pilot’s. 

“Hey! I’m giving you a ride, but no one flies my ship except for me and Chewie!” The Wookie, Chewie apparently, growled a response.

“Fine by me, but if I think you are putting us at risk by poor piloting skills, I will be stepping in,” Luke said. A chill went down Leia’s spine at the tone of voice he used. Despite being imprisoned by her, Luke had never talked to her in such a way. He had always seemed pleasant. 

Mara and Luke removed themselves from the seats and the true owners of the ship skillfully maneuvered off of the planet. Mara and Luke hovered behind them, looking anxious and like they would much rather be in control of the situation. 

“Where to?” The man asked. Luke glanced first at Mara and then at Leia. She could feel the conflict in him as he weighed his choices. 

“Chandrila,” Leia heard herself say. “We can figure things out from there.”

Chewie growled an affirmative growl and began calculating the jump to hyperspace. Luke and Mara, on the other hand, had their eyes glued on the super weapon in front of them. Leia’s stomach twisted as she thought about everyone on the planet below. She didn’t know if Tsabin and Breha would be able to leave fast enough and she didn’t know if she had done something bad by abandoning them. 

A green light distracted Leia and in horror, she watched as several laser beams connected just off the surface of the weapon and shot towards Alderaan. As the planet erupted in a bright light, Leia felt as though her very soul was being pierced by screams. Luke and Mara stiffened next to her and the captain was screaming at Chewie to make the jump to hyperspace. Before Leia could even begin to sort out her thoughts, the stars began to swirl together and they disappeared from the Alderaan System.

Chapter Text

Luke wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Everyone in the Falcon sat silently except for the occasional growl from Chewbacca to the pilot. He didn’t even know the pilot’s name. And he didn’t know if he should be comforting Leia. She was his sister and she just lost her friends and Luke was frozen on the floor, freaking out over the Emperor trying to kill him and his faithful droid being destroyed.

The only thing keeping him from shutting down completely was Mara sitting next to him. 

“What do we do?” He asked her, in a quiet voice. Leia seemed to be in her own private state of shock and barely paid attention to the others on the ship.

“I thought it was obvious,” Mara responded. She didn’t look at him and her emotions were a storm in the Force. He couldn’t get a good read on her and he worried that she wanted to return to the Imperial Center despite knowing Palpatine wanted them dead.

“You might need to spell it out for me.”

“We were betrayed. We can’t go back to the Emperor. Even returning to your father would be too dangerous.”

“So what will you do?”
“We.”

“What?”

“What will we do.” She still wasn’t looking at him and it drove Luke crazy. “You are the only person I can trust at the moment. I have no one else in the galaxy.”

Luke could see how difficult those words were for her to say. Her eyes were glassy, staring straight ahead at the wall of the ship but every breath she drew was even. He believed what she said, but he also knew the betrayal hurt her more than she cared to admit. Palpatine had been the closest thing to family she had.

“What about my father?” The words came out of his mouth as he thought them. 

“Father?” Leia’s question drew Luke and Mara’s attention to her. Clearly, she wasn’t as shocked as Luke thought she was. Or maybe he was also in shock. 

“So I don’t know your names but I get to hear about your family drama?” The captain of the ship entered the room, closely followed by his Wookie friend. He looked annoyed, arms crossed in front of him. 

“We saved your life,” Mara snapped. “You will learn what we want you to learn and be grateful you’re still alive to be upset about it.”

“ I save your lives,” the capitan insisted. Luke rolled his eyes and Leia smirked at him. How strange that just a day ago he was an only child loyal to the Empire. Well, loyal to Darth Vader at least. Perhaps his father shouldn’t have instilled in him a deep loyalty to family. 

“My name is Leia Amidala,” Leia announced to the room, clearly hoping to resolve some of the tension. “I am with the Rebel Alliance and while I will not give you their location at this moment, I do suggest we make the next jump to hyperspace to their base.”

“There is no way you are taking us to the Rebel Alliance.” Mara shot to her feet and for once, Luke was touched. Her hatred of the rebels had roots in fear of what they would do to him.

Leia ignored Mara’s statement. “What is your name?” She addressed the pilot.

“Han Solo. Captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here is my first mate.” Poor Han looked at a complete loss as to what to do with his passengers.

“Well I am Luke Naberrie and the redhead is Mara Jade. Despite what Leia wants, I need to make contact with the Devastator .”

“Now hold on a moment,” Han protested. “It’s one thing to drop off a girl with rebels,  but to contact the Empire’s flag ship? You know I’m a smuggler, right?”

“We guessed,” Mara sneered. Her eyes flickered around the ship, clearly suggesting she wasn’t too impressed with what she saw. 

“Why would you want to make contact with the Empire?” Leia asked, ignoring Mara’s antics. “You just admitted they wanted you dead.”

“I am not making contact with the Empire. Just one person.” Understanding passed over Leia’s face.

“Your father. He’s an officer on the Devastator , isn’t he?”

“I thought you two were supposed to be related,” Mara said. “Wouldn’t that make him your father too?” Luke winced as she said that, fully anticipating Leia’s reaction to discovering who exactly her father was.

“You aren’t answering the question.”

“My- our father isn’t an officer on the Devastator. ” Luke admitted. He could feel even Han’s curiosity grow and Mara’s amusement. Any kind of affection he felt for her earlier disappeared.

“I don’t understand.” Leia’s eyebrows were furrowed and Luke realized that she must take after their mother. He knew what he looked like, of course, and knew his father as well and while he could trace certain features of them on Leia, her hair and eyes must come from their mother. 

“Luke’s father isn’t an officer,” Mara decided to add. “He’s Darth Vader.”

oOoOo

Leia blinked once. Twice. Trying to understand what Mara had said. Luke was staring at the floor and Han muttered a string of fowl language under his breath. She had finally started accepting her relationship to Luke. Her brother. Her twin brother. But she hadn’t expected the news that her father- her Jedi Knight, hero of a father- was Darth Vader.

“That’s impossible,” she said, numbly. 

Mara looked amused at Leia’s reaction. She glanced between the three of them, green eyes sparking as if it was all some kind of game to her. “Who do you think taught him to use a lightsaber? Or use the Force?”

“And who taught you?” Leia shot back, remembering Luke mentioning they were the only siblings.

Mara smirked and leaned back against the wall. “The Emperor.”

Han scoffed. Had she been in a better frame of mind, Leia would have shot a glare at him for how difficult he was being. He was just the pilot afterall, it wasn’t like his life was the one being turned upside down. 

“You expect me to just let you all sit there?” Han asked, leaning back. 

“Huh?” Luke said.

“Why should I not sell you all out right now? The son of Darth Vader ?? The Emperor’s personal agent? A high ranking rebel who happens to be Vader’s secret daughter? Do you know how many credits you all are worth?” The Wookie growled at him in response. 

“We just saved your life,” Mara said. She sounded annoyed but not particularly worried. 

“You are on my ship. I saved your lives.”

“Please.” The redhead rolled her eyes. “You honestly believe you’d be able to hand us over?”

“Sure. It’s my ship and I have my blasters. And I have a Wookie that likes to rip people’s arms off.” 

Chewbacca growled again. 

“Your Wookie happens to like us,” Luke said. “I also like him. You, I’m not too sure about.”

“Hey!” Han stood and made to walk towards Luke but, quick as lightning, Mara stepped between them, green eyes narrowing dangerously at him. Her hand went to the lightsaber hilt at her waist. 

“Don’t touch him,” she snarled. Leia finally decided she’d had enough.

“Get off him, Solo! Mara, stop threatening people! Put your weapons away. No one is turning anyone in. We need to decide what to do.” Surprisingly, everyone listened. She was hyper aware of Luke’s blue eyes watching her as she tried to take control of the situation. 

“I am not letting a second rate smuggler attempt to sell me to the Rebellion.”

“No one will be selling anyone out,” Leia assured her. She then turned to Luke. “Where do you want to go?” Luke looked alarmed to have all the attention on him.

“Um… I don’t know. I think Mara might have some ideas?”
“I don’t care about Mara. I want to know what you want to do. Do you want to come with me to the Rebellion?”

“Why would he want to do that?” Mara asked. 

“Because our mother is there. And Jedi are there. You can train with them and help us take down the Empire that abandoned the both of you.”

“Like they trained you?” Luke asked. Leia didn’t know what to say to that and instead swallowed heavily.

“My mother didn’t want me trained. But I still managed to best you.”

“You bested me when I didn’t have a lightsaber. And with me holding back. I promise you it will never happen again.”

“So where exactly am I taking you all and how much am I getting paid for it?” Han asked. 

“Imperial Center,” Mara said the same time Luke said “The Rebellion.” They paused and looked at each other, a silent argument occurring between them. After a moment, Mara sighed and Luke gave her a slight smile. 

“Rebellion,” Luke repeated. “I want to meet my mother.”

“As long as I don’t have to meet your father, I’m good,” Han muttered.

Chapter Text

Mara didn’t like flying when she wasn’t in control. The Millenium Falcon couldn’t compare to the Imperial ships Mara had grown accustomed to since the Emperor started sending her on missions. 

But she wouldn’t be accepting orders from him anymore. Which apparently meant growing accustomed to riding in other people’s hand me down ships. 

Luke didn’t seem to mind. He stood near the control panels on the ship, trying to sort out the mess of wiring, his fingers twitching with the desire to dive in and fix whatever mess Solo had created. Mara knew this about Luke. She knew him better than anyone else, besides his own father. She knew he wanted to stay busy in order to avoid thinking about the loss of Kay-O and the abandonment of his father.

“Don’t touch my ship!” Solo shouted back from the cockpit. Luke jumped back slightly.

“Your ship could use some work,” Leia shot back. “I can’t believe it can still jump to hyperspace.”

“It’s not my fault you’re used to being flown around in a fancy, royal cruiser doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with my ship. She’s got it where it counts.”

Mara didn’t react to the exchange. Her face stayed blank despite the growing feeling of amusement. The Corellian was growing on her and if it wasn’t for the fact that Luke almost died saving Leia, she would have liked her as well. Mara had been taught her entire life that attachments were weaknesses. They made you abandon your goals and missions and made you vulnerable. She knew Luke’s weakness was Vader and that made sense considering he raised and trained Luke. But having an additional weakness on top of that in the form of a long lost sister and possible a long lost mother was not something that would end well.

Her thoughts came to an end when Luke threw himself down in the chair next to him. He sat so close to her she could smell the faint scent of oil, sweat, and chocolate. A small smile appeared on her lips. Another one of Luke’s weaknesses happened to be hot chocolate. 

“What do you think of sending a message?” Luke asked her, quietly. 

“A symbolic one or a real one?”

“Real. To my father.” Luke stared down at his hands. “He deserves to know where I’m going and the… developments that have occurred.”

“I can manage something. It can’t be too detailed in case it falls into the wrong hands.”

“I know. I just can’t leave him without saying anything.”

Mara was quiet, thinking over everything. “Do you think he’ll defect?'' she asked. Leia’s voice came shouting from the cockpit as she and Solo got into another argument. 

“It’s possible. He hates Palpatine and he knows Palps tried to kill us.”

Mara almost corrected Luke on his lack of respect before she realized that defending the man who tried to kill them wasn’t a great idea. She sat in silence instead, watching as Luke played with his fingers. She had to fight the urge to reach out and take his hands in hers to get him to stop fiddling. 

“I will use one of my imperial contacts that are not on the Emperor’s radar,” she told him. He nodded, not asking anymore questions. He trusted her. 

“Thanks, Mara.”

“You should sleep. You look terrible,” Mara replied. It was true. He still had bruises on his face and dark bags were forming under his eyes. Through the Force, she could feel his pain at losing Kay-O. 

“Someone once told me that sleeping on missions was frowned upon.”

“You aren’t on a mission you nerf.”

“Well, I can’t get comfortable.”

Mara rolled her eyes. “You’ve fallen asleep in caves before.” A smile ghosted Luke’s face when he thought about it. 

“If I remember correctly, I fell asleep on you in that cave and then you slapped me every time I came near you for the rest of the mission.”

“Because I had the worst night sleep of my life trying not to wake you up. My legs still feel stiff when I think about it.”

“Then you should’ve woken me up.”

“Yes, I should’ve, but I prefer you asleep because then you aren’t blabbering.” That was a lie. She liked Luke asleep because then she could stare at him without him noticing. But she would rather shoot herself in the foot than admit to something like that.

“Then you should let me use you as a pillow again.” Mara’s face flushed red. Luke’s naivety was startling, even after all their years together. From anyone else’s mouth, Mara would’ve taken that line as flirting but it was Luke. The same Luke who had bought flowers for a squadron of stormtroopers because he thought that that was an acceptable way of thanking someone. 

“You can use my shoulder. But no drooling.” 

Luke’s grin was worth it as he pushed himself closer to her. He laid his head on her shoulder and pulled his legs up towards his chest. She could hear him breathing. She reached out to him through the Force, trying to encourage him to rest. She suspected Vader had often done the same to him when Luke was a child, as Luke always fell asleep easily when someone he trusted used a Force suggestion on him. 

“I’ll send the message when we’re out of hyperspace,” she promised him. 

“You’re the best,” Luke muttered before falling asleep. 

“I know.”

oOoOo

“Stopping calling me ‘your worshipfulness!’” Leia snapped at Solo. Her hands were on her hips and she could feel her cheeks heating up. The captain seemed to enjoy her being riled up. While she didn’t understand what Chewbacca was saying, she decided to pretend like he was on her side. 

“You’re certainly acting like royalty,” Solo insisted. “You take over my ship with your little Imperial friends and try to tell me what to do. Maybe most of the people you’ve met follow your every order, but I will not.”

“We saved your life, Captain. I’m sorry we didn’t ask permission first.”

“I didn’t ask to be drawn into this mess.”

“Well neither did I!” Leia cried. She shut her mouth forcefully and tried to control her breathing. The past twenty four hours had been a lot to deal with and it didn’t seem like things would be getting easier. How was she supposed to explain everything to her mother?

Han’s expression softened. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said. “It’s just… I got enough going on to worry about without harboring wanted criminals. What do you think Vader will do to me when he finds out his son is onboard?”

“Vader doesn’t know Luke made it off Alderaan.”

“Have you heard the rumors about Vader?” 

“There are many rumors. You will have to be more specific.”
“Rumors of Vader’s son have been circulating for years. Bounties exist on most other kids of Imperials but no one is dumb enough to risk Vader coming after them. A kidnapping attempt occurred a few years back, when only a few people had heard the rumors. Do you know what he did to those involved?”

Leia shook her head.

“He tortured every single one of them. Cut their limbs off, starved them, dehydrated them. Waited until they begged for mercy and then dumped their bodies back at their bosses place and then bombed the whole area.”

“Because of Luke?”

“Yeah. Jabba had to tell all of his smugglers and bounty hunters not to go near the kid.”

“I had never heard that. The Rebellion didn’t know much about Vader to begin with.”

“Sounds like the Rebellion needs more criminals.”

“Maybe we do.” Leia held Han’s gaze for a while, trying not to think about how handsome he was when he kept his mouth shut for a minute. Her mother would definitely not approve.

Han’s eyes flickered into the back room and a grin slowly split across his face. Leia followed his gaze and found Luke and Mara fast asleep on the couch with Luke’s head on Mara’s shoulder and Mara’s on top of his. They both looked so young and relaxed in their sleep. 

“Do you really believe the Rebellion will let them join?”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t kidding when I said they’re both worth a lot. I figure Vader and Palpatine would do anything to get their hands on them. Not to mention they probably know a lot about the Empire. Your rebel buddies might decide they’d be better off prisoners or bargaining chips.”

“They wouldn’t do that.” Leia squashed the doubt rising in her mind. “My mother would never let that happen. Neither would Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“Do you think Vader would treat you the same way if he caught you?” Han asked. He sounded more interested in figuring out Vader’s familial practices than making a point about trust.

“My mother is nothing like Vader.”

“Well apparently they saw something in each other. And from what Luke says, the man is a pretty devoted dad.”
“He’s a Sith Lord. They deal with only negative emotions. I’m sure Luke believes Vader cares for him, but it’s more likely he’s being used and manipulated.”

“Don’t tell the kid that.”

“It will all work out,” Leia said, more to herself than anyone else. Han didn’t reply. He stood to check on the hyperdrive before sitting back down. They sat in silence in the cockpit for a while, Chewie occasionally asking Han questions that he would respond shortly to. 

Despite the lack of entertainment, Leia couldn’t fall asleep. Her eyes were tired, but she continued gazing out into the swirls of hyperspace. She briefly debated meditating, but decided she wasn’t in the frame of mind for it. Her impatience had always been one of her biggest flaws. She suspected it was something that had made her mother hesitate having her trained in the Force. 

“We’ll be coming out of hyperspace soon,” Han said. Leia shook herself and stood from her seat. Her joints popped after sitting in the same position for so long and she took a moment to stretch. 

“I’ll go wake the others,” she said. She left the cockpit and found Luke and Mara had slumped over even more than before. Mara laid across the seat, red hair hanging loosely off of it. Luke was curled up at her side, head on her thighs, legs sprawled out in front of him. It was almost comical. 

Leia knocked on the wall and Mara shot straight up in her seat, knocking Luke off onto the floor. Mara’s green eyes were wide as she glared at Leia but Luke merely pulled himself up, rolling his shoulders back.

“We’ll be coming out of hyperspace in a few minutes.”

“Where is this secret base anyway?” Mara asked. 

“Yavin IV.”

“And you’re certain it’s safe for us to be there?”

“I don’t think I could promise you safety anywhere in the galaxy,” Leia answered honestly. “It’s the best place I can offer for now.” Mara nodded in understanding and her eyes drifted to Luke who was rubbing his head from where it hit the floor.

“What are they planning to do with the Death Star?” Luke asked. 

“Well, I think we’re working on a way to destroy it, but I won’t be certain until after we reach the Alliance and I can speak with my mother.”

“Are there Jedi with the Alliance?” Luke asked. His tone was casual, but his body tense.

“A few. I don’t know all of them, but there’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano. They’re close family friends.”

“And they’ll be okay with us?”
“I think they’ll be thrilled you’re there,” Leia said, with all honesty. 

“We’re coming out of hyperspace!” Han called from the cockpit. The three strapped into seats and felt themselves slamming backwards as the Millenium Falcon appeared in front of Yavin.

oOoOo

Vader had killed four officers and three troopers that day alone. His fury was unending and he didn’t fight it. The alternative to anger was pain and fear and those were such useless emotions. At least with anger, he could achieve things faster, such as discovering the fate of his son.

Either way, he had been played by Palpatine. The man had purposefully sent Luke into a situation he would struggle to survive. The odds were not in Luke’s favor, but overcoming bad odds was what Skywalkers were best at.

Vader couldn’t sense Luke, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was dead. Luke knew how to cloak himself in the Force and if he had gotten away, he certainly wouldn’t have stayed in the system. All of that day’s events was Palpatine’s way of forcing Vader to choose between the Empire and Luke, should Luke still be an option to pick. Which was ironic, considering Vader would destroy the Empire brick by brick if it was responsible for Luke’s death. There never was any choice.

He stalked into the detention center, ignoring how troopers dove out of his way. The door to the cell was opened without even having to ask and Vader stood, staring down at the seated form of Ahsoka. Her legs were crossed and her hands were splayed across her knees in a traditional meditation position. She didn’t move as he stepped in, letting the door shut behind him.

“Have you come to kill me, Anakin?”

“Stop with the dramatics.” He reached into his cloak and tossed her a lightsaber. Ahsoka caught it, eyes opening in surprise as she took in her familiar weapon.

“What happened?”

“Nothing has happened.”

“Is this some attempt to seek reconciliation over Alderaan?”

“Luke was supposed to be on Alderaan,” Vader answered shortly. Her eyes widened as she let that information sink in. She didn’t ask who Luke was and for a moment, Vader was furious that she had known about the birth of his son and tried to help hide him.

“So you’re letting me go?”

“I’m not here to redeem myself in your eyes, Tano. This is purely for selfish reasons. Palpatine tried to kill my son so I will destroy his life's work.”

Ahsoka stood up, igniting the lightsaber and letting the white light flood the chamber. She didn’t mention Vader’s belief that Luke survived, clearly still cautious around him despite his declaration of a change in allegiance.

“Come with me,” she whispered, taking in his face with an intense longing. “Let’s do this together.”

“You’re offering to ally with a Sith Lord? After renouncing me so thoroughly?” Despite his bad mood, Vader almost felt amused at her proposition.

“I’m offering to ally with Anakin Skywalker, the apprentice of Obi-Wan, the father of Luke, and the husband of Padme. You claim my master is dead, but you still see me as your padawan and you say Luke is your son, even though Padme only ever loved Anakin.”

“We aren’t having this debate now. I am second in command of the Empire and I’m giving you a way to leave. Take it or I will kill you.”

“Come with me. Please . There’s nothing left for you here.”

Vader glared at her, but his yellow eyes softened slightly and Ashoka swore she saw a glimpse of blue in them. “Fine. But you do as I say and go where I go.”

“I never do what you say, but I won’t leave you. Not this time.”

Vader didn’t respond to her declaration. He turned and left the cell. Ahsoka quickly exited after him, ready to prove her vow true.