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Chapter Text

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….

The Clone Wars has come to an end. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who had been controlling both sides, has found a new Sith apprentice in the young Jedi Anakin Skywalker. The Republic has reshaped into the Galactic Empire, with Palpatine as it's Emperor. The clones who fought the war on the behalf of the Republic have been instructed to betray and kill all Jedi.

What the Emperor doesn't know is that Skywalker remains loyal to the Jedi, instructed by his former masters to gain the Sith's trust to later assassinate him, when the time is right. The former Jedi is to walk the line between the light and dark side of the Force, not allowing Palpatine to suspect any disobedience. The stakes are made even higher when Padmé Amidala, Skywalker's wife, gave birth to his twin children, the future of the Jedi.

Nineteen years after the end of the Clone Wars, Skywalker is now closer to the Emperor than ever. Meanwhile, his children continue to train to become Jedi, getting ready to take action and rebel against the Empire….

Chapter 1

Luke ran his hands through his hair, pacing his lavish sleeping quarters inside the Imperial Palace. It was his nineteenth birthday— he was supposed to be happy. Instead, he was a bundle of nerves, trying to fight off a panic attack.

He looked at the wrapped box on his bed, a birthday present from his twin sister, Leia. He already knew what was inside. After all, she had been hinting at getting him a new jacket for months, constantly disapproving of Luke’s simpler, more basic style in contrast to her own lavish clothing. She got her taste in fashion after their mother. In return, Luke had gotten her a necklace with a kyber crystal pendant.

He had considered talking to Leia about his nerves. He could sense through the Force that she was currently just as anxious as him as she waited down the hall in her own quarters. How could they not be? They were expected to attend a birthday dinner with the Emperor within the hour.

But they hated the Emperor.

Luke and Leia had heard the stories many times growing up about how the Republic fell. Their father, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, was groomed from age nine by Palpatine, becoming the Jedi’s father figure of a sort. Then, the Clone Wars started, which allowed the at-the-time Supreme Chancellor to gain even more power.

Towards the end of the war, Palpatine revealed himself to be a Sith Lord and offered Anakin an apprenticeship. Instead of accepting, the loyal Jedi went to the Jedi High Council for guidance, where they came up with a long-term plan. He would become a mole, becoming Palpatine’s apprentice, while staying loyal to the Jedi. He would use the dark side, but not turn completely. So, when the time was right, Anakin could kill Palpatine.

The plan had a rocky start, to say the least. Nobody had anticipated Order 66, where the clone army turned against the Jedi, killing them and forcing the survivors into hiding. The Jedi Order fell along with the Republic. The only hope left was for Anakin to kill Palpatine. Nineteen years later, that has yet to happen.

There was also a concern about their father falling to the dark side. There had never been a Jedi who had dabbled in the dark without falling completely. But if there was one person who could do it, it would be the Chosen One.

Luke had always disliked the plan devised before his birth, which he had first heard about as a child. Late at night, when no one could hear, he and Leia would often come up with alternate plans, better plans. Ones that would be quicker and more straight forward. Ones that would prevent their father from turning to the dark side completely and permanently, which was their worst fear.

As Luke open his present and slipped on his new jacket made from dark bantha leather, there was a knock on his door. He knew before answering it that it was his sister.

“Hey,” she gave a half-smile. She was wearing a shimmery white dress, her new kyber crystal necklace around her neck. “You look nice. Are you ready?”

“I’m not, no,” Luke frowned. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“We’ve had many dinners with the Emperor before, this is nothing new.” Leia tries to reassure her twin brother.

“Yeah, but this time, something’s different. I just… know.”

Leia took Luke’s hand. “We’ll be okay. We always are.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Leia immediately felt a wave of nausea as they entered the Emperor’s banquet hall, her nerves starting to get to her. She heard Luke’s voice in her mind as he telepathically spoke to her, sensing her anxiety.

Try to relax. Remember our training. He sent memories into her mind of their father teaching them about different meditative techniques to control their emotions.

Easier said than done, Leia thought back to him.

The twins both stare at the ground as they take their seats across the table from each other, with Luke sitting next to their mother and Leia next to their father. Their parents gave them both kind smiles and wished them a happy birthday.

Anakin leaned in and talked with a hushed voice. “When the Emperor comes in, don’t speak unless spoken to. And don’t offer any information he doesn’t already know.”

Leia knew what her father meant: Make no hint towards her family’s true intentions to betray Palpatine. Make no mention of her disdain for the Empire. "We know, father."

Her mother, Padmé, quickly added, “And remember to be polite!” Of course. After all, being impolite to the Emperor could result in death.

Then, the large double doors opened, and a hooded figure dressed in a dark robe walked in. The four Skywalkers rose to their feet and took a quick bow, only sitting down after the figure had taken his place at the head of the table.

Leia tried to ignore the putrid feeling of the dark side that had filled the room the moment Palpatine entered. There was always a hint of it while around her father, but it was much, much worse around the Emperor. She tried to keep her face blank of any emotion except a small, polite smile. She felt Luke touch her mind with the Force to comfort her, but she was too angry to respond to him. It was anger towards the Emperor, towards what he did to her father, her family, and the galaxy as a whole.

If the Emperor felt Leia’s anger through the Force, he didn’t show it. Instead, his pale, deformed face curled into a wicked smile, as he looked at her and her brother. “You two are nineteen now, correct? Yet. you two have hardly advanced in your training.” His yellow eyes looked at Anakin. “Have you been continuing to train your offspring in the ways of the dark side, Lord Vader?”

Anakin nodded, showing no emotion. “I have, my Master. Both my children are very powerful in the ways of the Force.”

“And yet they are hardly as powerful as you were at that age!” Palpatine snapped. “Even under the training of those pitiful Jedi, you were still powerful when you were nineteen, even taking on an apprentice of your own not long after. Your children should both be powerful Sith by now!”

Even with the Emperor shouting, Leia kept her face stoic, not daring to show any emotion. “Forgive us, your highness. Unlike our father growing up, my brother and I have not been focusing solely on our training with the Force. I have been following in my mother’s footsteps with my interest in politics, while my brother focuses on his piloting skills. Though when the time comes for one or both of us to take our father’s place, we will be ready.” Even she was surprised at the confidence in her own voice.

Palpatine nodded, not at all detecting Leia’s half-lie. Anakin had been training his children, yes, but in the ways of the Jedi, not the Sith. This included the ability to mask their true intentions in the presence of the Emperor.

"I've heard of your interests in politics, my child. Perhaps then you'd consider shadowing me with my work. As you know, I have a plethora of political experience." The Emperor gave another wicked smile.

"No," Leia said too quickly. "I mean, I appreciate the offer, but I think my mother is a great teacher, and I've already been shadowing her work as a senator."

"But there is only so much I can teach you, dear," Padmé interjected. "Maybe shadowing the Emperor would be beneficial for you."

Leia had to fight against giving her mother a dirty look. What was she thinking?

It's a chance to get closer to Palpatine, Luke's voice entered Leia's mind as he gave her a sorry look. This offer means that he has a great trust in us, and in you. We can use that to our advantage.

She bit the inside of her cheek, though she understood his perspective. The galaxy was descending more and more into darkness with each year under its fascist ruler. The best chance they had of changing that was to get closer to Palpatine. Even Anakin was unable to be truly close to him anymore, due to his near constant missions off-planet.

"I'll accept your offer. Thank you for this opportunity, Your Highness," Leia said, offering the Emperor a polite smile.

The rest of dinner was mostly filled with meaningless small talk and the Emperor gloating about how great the galaxy was doing under Imperial rule, which Luke had to turn away to roll his eyes at. Oddly, Anakin hardly spoke at all, quietly brooding to himself. It's only towards the end of the night that Palpatine brought up the twins' future once more.

"Until one or both of you are ready to take Lord Vader's place as my apprentice, there are other ways you can be a part of the Empire. For example, Luke, I can see you being a great Imperial officer." He ponders for a moment. "Or, perhaps you're interested in becoming one of my Hands."

"Master…" Anakin warned, obvious disapproval in his voice. It was the first time he had spoke up since the beginning of dinner.

His father's objection only made Luke curious. Though he loved Anakin, Luke was sometimes too willing to disobey him. "What do you mean, Your Highness?"

Palpatine was clearly pleased at the young man's curiosity, leaning in closer. "There are many Emperor's Hands, though I do have my favorites. They are my own elite covert operatives, ranking above everyone else in the Empire, excluding me and Vader, of course." He brought a comlink to his lips. "Mara, you are needed in the banquet hall."

After a few moments, a young woman entered the hall. She was around the twins' age, maybe a little younger, with red gold hair and emerald eyes. Black armor covered her shoulders and torso, making her seem a bit broader than she actually was, though there was no mistaking how muscular her bare arms was. Despite her young age, she looked as tough as nails, showing no emotion on her face whatsoever. "Yes, Master?"

"This is Mara Jade, one of my most distinguished agents," The Emperor motioned to the young woman. "She does work for me that needs to remain a secret, such as spy work and assassinations, often involving Rebels or even corrupt Imperials. Anyone who I need to be dealt with, really. Like you, she was trained with the Force from a young age, though her training also included many other areas of expertise."

Both Luke and Leia stared at the young woman, realizing there were still parts of the Empire they have yet to know about. Meanwhile, their parents both stared down at their laps. It's clear that their was something about the Emperor's Hand that they disapproved of.

I don't like this. Luke heard Leia telepathically tell him. They both felt a shiver go down their spines as Mara Jade's steely gaze remained on them. Performing secret operations of the Emperor, himself? I'm aware we must make sacrifices for the good and future of the Jedi, but I feel like that's taking it too far.

I know, Luke thought back at his sister. But we must keep him pleased and unassuming, even if it means doing some very bad things. Our mission as Jedi rely on it, Leia.

Late that night, Luke and Leia whispered to each other under the blanket of Leia's bed. Neither of them had listening devices in their living quarters, but they preferred to remain extra cautious.

"Something has been off about Father," Leia said. "He has been acting more serious lately, and there's more darkness coming from him through the Force."

"I agree," Luke nodded, though he didn't seem as worried. "But you must remember, he does need to use the dark side, just as much as he uses the light. He's like a gray Jedi, I suppose."

"Being a Gray Jedi isn't possible," Leia said bitterly, slightly annoyed Luke was brushing off her concerns. Her thumb pressed against a sharp point on her necklace until it stung. "There's a reason why one has never existed before. Using the dark side automatically corrupts the Force user. I fear it's only a matter of time before Father passes the point of no return. Maybe we should call Obi-Wan."

Luke didn't know what to say at first. He had the same worries, himself. "We just need to trust he knows what he's doing, Leia. There's no need to bother Obi-Wan about this. I'm sure father keeps him updated."

There's a few minutes of silence before one of them speak again.

"I'm considering going on a mission with an Emperor's Hand," he said, not making eye contact with his sister. "I know it sound crazy, but I think I could do something to lesson the damage caused by the Empire, under the radar, of course. I already talked to him about it after dinner, and he said he could keep me on Coruscant for the mission."

Leia pursed her lips. She knew she'd be a hypocrite for turning down his idea, considering she already agreed to shadow Palpatine's political work. "Would you be working with that Mara Jade woman?"

"I guess I would. She is supposedly the perfect example of the role, after all. Who better to learn from than her?"

"I don't trust that woman one bit, Luke," she frowned. "I mean, I don't trust any Imperial, but especially her.

"I don't either, but it's a necessary evil to work with her. I'm sick of waiting around and doing nothing but training in secret, Leia! Our whole lives we were told by our parents that we're destined for great things, and that we'll save the galaxy one day. I'm kriffing tired of waiting! I'm ready, we're ready!"

Leia let out a sigh. She felt the same way, though she wasn't nearly as reckless about it. Taking her twin's hand, she used the Force to try to calm his mind. "I know we're ready. Just be careful, especially with that Emperor's Hand woman. She was trained by Palpatine, himself, after all."

"I'll be careful," Luke promised. Already, he felt anxiety bubbling inside him from just thinking about what laid ahead. "As long as you'll be careful working with Palpatine."

"I can handle that old man, don't worry," Leia teasingly rolled her brown eyes as she laid down in bed, pulling Luke down with her. They used to sleep in the same bed as children whenever they were afraid of the galaxy around them, so the situation felt nostalgic. "Can you handle working with a pretty girl?"

He snorted. "I have way more to worry about Mara than her being pretty. She seems like the type who likes to kill people for fun."

"She seems like the type of person who would keep the heads of her victims as trophies."

They both laughed, the light banter being enough to ease some of their anxieties. Feeling safe next to each other, they quickly fall asleep.

Chapter Text

Leia tried to remain cool and collected as she walked to the Emperor's throne room for her first day of shadowing him. Her eyes couldn't help but search the walls for any hint that the Imperial Palace used to be the Jedi Temple, but found none. The Empire did all they could to scrub the galaxy of the Jedi, and as far as Palpatine knew, it was successful.

But Leia and her family knew the truth. Her, her brother, and her father were Jedi. Anakin's old master, Obi-Wan Kenobi was out there somewhere, as well as Master Yoda, both watching from the shadows. And they were almost certain more Jedi had survived Order 66.

The Emperor's throne room was dark and chilling, probably a lot like Palpatine's own soul. Various Sith artifacts decorated the space, along with some plant life that somehow stayed alive in the lightless space. "Welcome, my child," the old man's croaking voice came from the shadow under his hood. He motioned to a small chair next to his throne. "Take a seat."

After giving a shallow bow, Leia did as she was told. Just being this close to the Emperor filled her with disgust.

Pressing a button on his arm rest, Palpatine activated a holoprojector, the blue hologram filling much of the open space in front of them. Several reminders and notes were displayed, along with recent news updates from different worlds. A small part of Leia was horrified when she saw a list of Imperial officers recently killed by Darth Vader. Sometimes, she couldn't help but question her father's true motives.

"Usually, I have advisers to update me on the state of the galaxy. But recently, they became inefficient, leading to their… termination," Palpatine explains, smiling at the memory of killing his own advisers.

As he began to explain the more mundane tasks of being Emperor, Leia had a difficult time keeping her attention from wandering. Normally, she'd hyper focus and learn anything she could about politics. However, her hatred of Palpatine came before anything, getting in the way of anything she'd might learn. She wanted to be a politician so she could help people, not further harm them.

Her eyes wandered to a dark corner of the room, where she could barely make out a humanoid figure. Panic began to overtake her when she realized that it was a small girl. What would a child be doing in the Emperor's throne room? Did she sneak in?

Palpatine stopped talking when he realized Leia's attention was elsewhere. "Is there something else more important for you to take mind of?" There was a hint of a threat in his voice.

"No, of course not," Leia said quickly. "My apologies, Your Highness." She didn't want to call attention to the child, not wanting to put her in any more danger. But knowing Palpatine's abilities with the Force, he had likely sensed her presence already.

The silence was almost violently loud as the Emperor turned his own attention to the child. To Leia's surprise, he did not kill her on the spot, instead motioning for her to come closer.

The little girl obeyed, walking closer and standing in front of the Emperor. In the light, it was clear she was even younger than Leia thought, only five or six years of age. She was wearing well-fitted black clothing, which made her pale, freckled skin and hazel eyes stand out. The girl showed no visible fear in front of the Emperor as younglings often did, her young voice steady as she bowed. "Yes, Your Highness?"

"Isn't she wonderful?" Palpatine grinned at Leia in his usual menacing way. "She doesn't look like much now, but she's very important to the future of the Empire. She's going through the same training as my Hands, only with more focus on the dark side and being the leader." He nodded to the little girl, causing her to go descend back into the shadows.

"I see," Leia said, her voice slightly shaky. She wants to ask more about the girl, like where she came from and why she was important. "Does she have a name?"

"She needs no name." Palpatine replied sharply. "Sometimes I regret letting my Hands have names. It gives them a sense of individuality, which makes them tend to be more disobedient. I'm not making that mistake again with the child."

The Emperor didn't bring up the little girl again for the rest of the day, but she was all Leia could think about, her eyes frequently flickering to the dark corner where the child sat, not at all seeming distressed in any way. It's clear that Palpatine didn't see her as human, rather as a tool for himself, which made Leia want to vomit. How could this man be any more evil? However, the youngling didn't seem to mind. Was it too late for her? Had the dark side tainted her young soul already?

Luke felt tiny as he roamed the shipyard behind the Imperial Palace, docked Star Destroyers, shuttles, and personal crafts stretching for as far as he could see. To keep himself from becoming too overwhelmed, he focused on finding Bay 77, where he was supposed to meet the Emperor's Hand for their mission.

He'd already talked himself out of and back in to this mission several times that morning. It was important to see just what the Empire does for their secret operations and to do damage control where he can. But this was his first mission without Leia by his side, and he was significantly less confident in his abilities without her.

Bay 77 turned out to be occupied by a yacht, a SoroSuub PLY 3000, which makes him initially think this is the wrong ship. But upon closer inspection, he notices the yacht is heavily modified with an advanced weaponry system, as well as flames painted on the sides.

Hesitantly, he climbed onto the ship and finds the cockpit, He knew he's in the right place when he saw the young woman from yesterday's dinner in the pilot's seat. "Sit," Mara commanded without looking at him.

Quickly nodding, Luke sat in the co-pilot seat. "So, we're taking out a corrupt governor. What's the plan?"

"Shut up." The younger woman said harshly, flying the ship off the ground. "You don't need to know anything. Your job is to be the lookout and stay out of my way."

"I don't think that's what the Emperor had in mind when he assigned me this mission-"

"I don't care what the Emperor had in mind!" Mara turned and glared at Luke, her teeth clenched. "I am perfectly capable of working on my own, for it's what I've been doing since I was twelve. I've been doing research for this mission for the past month. The last thing I need is an inexperienced nepotism brat getting in my way!"

Luke tensed up as she raised her voice, already not liking where this conversation was going. But he refused to back down. "I'm not inexperienced," he said firmly. "I have been on countless missions. I've worked my ass off for every single one. I don't have everything handed to me just because my father is Darth Vader."

Mara simply rolled her eyes. "Just because you have apparently proven yourself to the Emperor, which I don't even believe, doesn't mean you've proven yourself to me. You can either be my lookout, or I'm dropping you off at the nearest shuttle station. Which will it be?"

"I'll… be your lookout," Luke resigned. It wasn't worth getting in a fight with his mission partner over. Disappointing the Emperor could mean putting his family and their secrets in danger, which he didn't need.

As the ship weaved through the Coruscant skyscrapers, he couldn't help but be rubbed the wrong way about Mara's impression of him. He had trained his butt off since he was a youngling, just like her. He poured hours of research into every assignment, just so he can find ways to minimize the damage of the Empire, this mission included.

He looked back over at Mara with defiance in his blue gaze. "The governor we're going to take out, Ryder Azadi from Lothal, is only on Coruscant for a single day, which is why the Emperor told us to act swiftly. He's here visiting his mother, who's in prison for protesting the Tarkin Doctrine."

"Congratulations," she replied flatly. "You know how to do basic searches on the HoloNet. That's not the level of research I was referring to."

Luke continued, "I also talked to the Emperor about why he wants Azadi killed, and he said the governor is working with the Rebel Alliance, which he is embezzling Imperial credits to. That's why Palpatine wants us to interrogate him before we kill him."

"He did not inform me that we are to interrogate Azadi," Mara frowned, her eyebrows furrowed together. "Why would he give you the instruction and not me? He knows I'm skilled in interrogation."

"Maybe it was a test to see if we'd actually work together," Luke shrugged. Pulling a datapad from his pocket, he brought up maps and documents on the screen. "I also was able to get the map of the hotel Azadi's in, his room number, and a live feed from a spy droid in his room."

Mara pulled the ship over, briefly landing on a platform so she can look as the datapad. For once, she actually looked impressed. "Wow, Skywalker, you're already several steps ahead of me." A hint of a smirk formed on her lips. "Maybe you are competent enough for this job."

They spent a few minutes in a more comfortable silence. "Just so you know, I don't want to become an Emperor's Hand," Luke said, fidgeting with the blond ends of his hair as the ship lifted off again. The governor's hotel was in view now. "I… just wanted to learn more about the inner workings of the Empire. I am going to take my father's place one day, and I don't want to be totally clueless when I do so."

"I see. Well, I guess it's nice to know that you're not coming for my job." Mara lowered her ship on to the hotel's landing platform. "Now, are you ready to help me kill some Rebel scum?"

"You've been pacing for the past half and hour," Padmé frowned at her husband, putting down the book in her hands. "You know I hate it when you shut me out."

Anakin stopped pacing, turning to stare out the window at the sky traffic outside. "I'm not trying to shut you out. I'm just stressed about the kids being off on their own."

"Our children are more than capable, Ani," she pointed out. "But I understand. Even though I don't trust the Emperor, I trust Leia to handle herself around him. Luke and that Emperor Hand on the other hand…" She shook her head, not needing to finish her thought. "But it's important for them to be a part of the Empire to lessen its damage. Especially with the Imperial Senate potentially being disbanded soon."

"What?" Anakin whipped his head around to look at Padmé. "How could the senate be disbanded? It's existence is written in the Imperial Charter."

"Palpatine only cares about his own constitution when it directly benefits him. Half the executive orders he makes are technically illegal. Of course some senators speak up, but it doesn't matter. The Imperial Senate is really just for show at this point."

There was an obvious tension in the silence that followed. When Padmé spoke again, her voice was full of sadness and anger. "I never knew things could get this bad. We need to seriously consider executing the end goal of our plan. You need to kill the Emperor."

Anakin's body turned ridged, his expression darkening. "It's not the right time."

"Then what is the right time!?" The senator got to her feet and crossed her arms. "You're closer to him than anyone at this point. If he dies, then you're in charge of the Empire, and we can finally restore the Republic!"

"It's not that simple! Do you really think Palpatine would trust me with the Empire, anyway!?" He shouted, not caring enough to keep his voice low. "He doesn't trust us as much as everyone thinks. I have a feeling he even has a new apprentice, a child that he can groom to be loyal. It's only a matter of time before he discards us!"

Padmé automatically flinched when her husband raised his voice. He rarely ever hurt her, when he did it was because he was under the influence of the dark side, which had been way more often in the past months.

"This whole almost decades long plan was based around you being next in the Imperial line of succession," she said, sitting back down. "We should talk to Obi-Wan and see what he thinks we should do. He might be able to ask our allies for help."

Anakin doubted that their allies, even the surviving members of the Jedi, could help. If Palpatine was going to be taken down, it would have to be someone from the inside Empire. He needed to prove himself to his master, not deal with the Jedi. And he most certainly did not want to deal with Obi-Wan right now. At the same time, he knew Padmé wouldn't back down about this. "I'll tell Obi-Wan to meet us at the safe house in a few days time."

Luke dripped with sweat as he scaled the exterior wall of the Lothal governor's hotel, his hands trembling around the grappling hook's cord. It wasn't the physical exertion that was getting to him, but the stress from figuring out how to stop Mara from killing the governor.

He couldn't let Azadi be killed because of suspected Rebel activity. The Empire frequently used that as an excuse to imprison or execute anyone they wanted to. And even if Azadi really was a Rebel, Luke would be happy to help the Rebellion get one of their men back.

The Rebellion had always been a subject his parents tiptoe around. His father hated the group, thinking they're causing more harm than good for the galaxy. However, Luke had suspicions that Padmé sometimes aided in Rebel activity, especially politically and financially. She was also close friends with other Senators like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, who were both openly very critical of the Empire.

Luke wished he could join the Rebellion. But for now, he had to help in small ways, like rescuing Azadi.

"When we get to the balcony, you are to wait outside," Mara said, having a much easier time scaling the hotel than Luke. "If I call for help, you are to get back to the ship and call for backup."

"What if I were the one to interrogate and kill Azadi?" Luke asked. "It would be a good idea to hover the ship right under the balcony to make for a quicker escape. And I know you don't want me piloting your ship."

"No," Mara said immediately. "I'm not trusting an important job like this to anyone else. I'll be the one doing the assassinating here."

"But he's an easy target! It would be an easy kill. And I bet I could make a lowly Outer Rim talk easily." He tried to keep the desperation out of his voice. "And we'd be calling far less attention than if we keep your ship landed where it is. There are already people checking it out."

Mara looked down at her ship on the ground below where some people were gathered, then back up at the balcony above them. "Fine," she huffed. "As soon as you get up there, use your lightsaber to break into the hotel room, and then cut of a few limbs if he doesn't talk. And be sure to bring back some proof that he's dead. If you fail, I'll put my lightsaber through your heart."

As she climbed back to the ground and boarded her ship, Luke reached the balcony, quickly cutting through the door with his red lightsaber. While he hated the weapon, for it was a weapon of the Sith, he couldn't deny how useful such a powerful tool could be. He just hoped he had a chance build a Jedi lightsaber one day.

He was met with Azadi pointing a blaster at his head. "I don't know where you got that weapon from, boy, but you better put it down before I put you down."

Luke nodded, deactivating his lightsaber and hanging on his belt to ease the govenor's worries. "Governor Azadi, I can explain. My name is Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you. I am an unwilling soldier of the Emperor, and he ordered me to interrogate and assassinate you because of Rebel activity that you have supposedly engaged in. But I am going to let you run free as long as you flee Coruscant immediately and go into hiding. If you really are a Rebel, then go back and join the fight."

Azadi stares at the young Imperial in disbelief, his blaster hand dropping to his side. "You're a Rebel mole, then?"

The answer is no, that Luke had never even talked to a Rebel until now, as far as he was aware of. But he needed Azadi to trust him. "Yes, I'm a part of the Rebellion. Please, Governor, my mission partner is waiting for me outside, and she will kill you if you don't escape!"

"Okay, relax, boy. I understand, I'm leaving now. Assuming this isn't some kind of trick, that it."

"Wait," Luke said before Azadi could start to gather his things. "I just need one thing from you, and you're not going to like it."

Luke jumped from the balcony onto the ground, then ran to Mara's ship, sliding into the open hatch as the ship flew off. "Well?" she asked as he took his seat in the cockpit.

He held up Azadi's severed arm, still silently impressed the governor didn't even scream when he let Luke cut it off with his lightsaber. "He's dead."

Mara laughed, taking and inspecting the limb as she set the ship to autopilot. "I really did underestimate you, Skywalker. Great work, I'm sure the Emperor will be pleased. Did you learn anything?"

Luke pretended to be disappointed. "No, I didn't. He was tougher than I thought."

Inwardly, he was proud of himself, even though he knew pride was not the Jedi way. But he couldn't help it— he had just saved a Rebel! He couldn't wait to tell Leia about it.

The Emperor's Hand regarded him in silence as thew flew. "If you don't want to be a Hand but still want to be involved, then why not just enroll in the Academy? With your family connections, there's no way you wouldn't be accepted."

The Imperial Academy was something Luke had genuinely considered before. Not because he liked the Empire, but because he'd get a chance to become a pilot and escape the pressure his parents put him under. More than anything (except maybe becoming a Jedi), he wanted to be a pilot and explore the galaxy, helping people. "I've brought it up with my father a few times, but he said I can't enroll. He said that the Academy is below me, and I can learn everything from him."

"Vader is controlling even when it comes to his own son? I guess that's no surprise," Mara snorted. "Sometimes I think he's colder than the Emperor. At least Palpatine has a cruel sense of humor."

Luke smiled and realized that he was actually starting to like Mara Jade, even though he really shouldn't. Other than Leia, she was one of the only people his age he has ever really interacted with. But he quickly pushed that thought away. She still enthusiastically worked for the Emperor and had killed numerous innocent people. She wouldn't hesitate killing him. It wasn't a wise decision to start thinking of Mara as a friend. She was an Imperial, through and through.

He didn't get back to his family's living quarters until late that night. When he walked inside, he was greeted by Leia hugging him.

Smiling, he embraced her in return, tightly like she would disappear at any moment. "Sis! How was your first day shadowing Palpatine?"

"It was awful, but I expected it to be. How was your mission with that girl?" Leia asked, obvious dissaproval in her voice. She didn't want Luke to go on that mission, and was still annoyed that he didn't listen to her intuition. Even though he was technically older by several minutes, she still felt like an older, protective sister.

Shrugging, Luke let go of her. "It went pretty well." I think I saved a member of the Rebel Alliance! he added internally.

"You think?" Leia rolled her eyes. "Luke, you wouldn't recognize a Rebel if they landed an X-Wing right in front of you. I told you that you need to be careful." Her expression darkened. "Listen, we're going off planet, tomorrow. We're going to the safe house to meet with Obi-Wan. Everything has changed, and it's not for the better."

Chapter Text

The Skywalker's safe house was hidden inside a mountain on Alderaan. The underground shelter was gifted to them a while ago by the planet's senator, Bail Organa, one of the few people who knew of the plan to eventually assassinate the Emperor. On an Imperial-critical planet ruled by allies, it was as safe as a safe house could be. Still, it was a surprise to Luke that the senator decided to join in on their meeting with Obi-Wan.

"Let me get this straight," Bail said, his eyebrows furrowed at Anakin. "If the Emperor died, you wouldn't be next in line to rule? Are you not his second in command?"

"That's correct. And until recently, I was under the same assumption as you," Anakin sighed, staring down at the floor. "However, it was a few months ago that I heard about a secret project, so secret that even I'm not supposed to know about it, called Project Necromancer." His expression darkened. "The goal is to make a perfect clone of Palpatine for him to transfer himself into when he dies, in a way, making him immortal. Though the project hasn't been successful, it's only a matter of time."

Luke felt himself freeze up as everyone else stared at his father in silent shock. What Palpatine was doing directly went against the will of the Force. Life was meant to come and go, with no one person meant to live forever. Suddenly, Luke's stomach threatened to empty itself, as he looked to his mother, then sister, then to Obi-Wan for support.

Obi-Wan, the only one of them who didn't look utterly astonished, was the first person to speak again. "He has long had access to the Kaminoan cloning facility, so we can only assume the project is far along."

Anakin nodded, looking relieved that his master had such a calm demeanor. "The only thing that's been continuously unsuccessful is making a clone that retains Palpatine's Force sensitivity. All the Force sensitive clones that have been successfully produced have been unable to contain such power, and decomposes while still alive."

"So what can we do at this point?" Leia asked, starting to pace the room. "If we kill the Emperor, he just comes back. Is it even possible to have any hope for a better future at this point?"

"There's always hope to be had," Padmé gently told her daughter, hiding her fear well. "The moment we lose hope is the moment we lose this fight."

Anakin gave a pessimistic laugh. "Well, there is actually something else I learned recently when I had a meeting with Orson Krennic, the Director of Weapons Research. The Empire has been building a space station that has the capability of turning entire planets to dust. It's supposed to be finished within the week. Its official name is Project Stardust, but people have been calling it the Death Star."

Once again, everyone stared at him in shock. "Is a weapon that powerful even possible?" Luke asked, hardly believing the situation was getting even worse.

Before Anakin could answer, Obi-Wan interrupted. "It is with Kyber crystals. The Empire has practically destroyed Jedha from mining all the Kyber from its ground. That must be what they're being used for."

"And you know there's been talks of the Emperor disbanding the Imperial Senate. I guess that's how he will going to rule the galaxy once it gets rid of the Imperial Senate," Padmé said, holding her head in her hands. "Through fear."

"Not if we can find a way to destroy this space station," Leia said, standing still once more. "If we can find the blueprints, maybe we can find some kind of weakness. Do you know where it currently is, Father?"

"I don't, no," Anakin shook his head. "But the blueprints aren't kept on the Death Star, anyway. I believe they're kept in the Imperial base on Scarif. I've been trying to find an excuse to go and retrieve the plans, but the Emperor keeps ordering on other missions to keep me away. He doesn't have much faith in me." His expression darkened, clearly angry to not have the trust of his master. Even if Palpatine was evil, he was still the closest thing he had to a father.

"The Alliance can arrange a mission to steal the blueprints," Bail said. "We have many soldiers who are familiar with the system."

Anakin's expression darkened at the senator's suggestion. "That won't be necessary. Luke and Leia can go to Scarif with Obi-Wan."

"Unfortunately, I have other matters to attend to," Obi-Wan frowned. "I depart for a mission with the Hidden Path in less than a week. It's crucial that we gather the remaining Jedi if we have a chance against the Empire."

Luke's eyes widened at the mention of the Hidden Path. It was a secret network of people that helped keep Jedi and Force sensitives safe. Ever since he heard of the network many years ago when the Inquisitorius was still active, he had wanted to help out with it. However, he had always been told his place was with his family.

His thoughts were interrupted by his sister. "I can't go, either," Leia said. "I have to shadow Palpatine. And Father, if his trust in you is dwindling like you said, then it's even more important to get him to trust me. His trust keeps our family safe."

"Anakin, the Alliance is stronger than you think," Padmé chided, placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Let them retrieve the blueprints."

"What do you know of the Rebellion!?" Anakin shouted. The Force radiating from him grows darker. "Trust me, I've read every report of Rebel activity. They're nothing but trouble. They don't really want peace, they want chaos!"

"That isn't true!" Padmé instinctively took a step away. "Ani, listen to yourself. It's clear that's the Emperor talking. Don't let his lies influence you like that."

"What, do you think I have no thoughts of my own!? We don't need the Rebel's help!"

As his father argued, Luke felt the dark side around him growing stronger, almost suffocating him. He started to step forward to intervene, but Leia places a hand on his arm to stop him.

Thankfully, Obi-Wan stepped in. "Calm down, Anakin! Do you hear yourself right now? You are being influenced by the dark side right now." Once his former apprentice nods and takes a few deep breaths, he continued. "I have total trust in the Alliance. They can handle getting these Death Star plans."

"I'll initiate a mission to retrieve them within a week," Bail said, carefully eyeing Anakin.

"I'll help," Luke said, already feeling his excitement rising. Ever since he saved the governor of Lothal from the Emperor's Hand, he'd been looking for opportunities to help the Rebellion.

"You will do no such thing," Anakin said sternly. Luke could have sworn he saw a hint of yellow in his father's otherwise blue eyes. He looked to his mother, hoping for her approval instead.

But Padmé only agreed with her husband. "It's too risky, Luke. If Palpatine notices you are gone for a long time for a mission he did not assign you, he would get suspicious."

"If our old plan to overthrow Palpatine is null, then why do we even need to pretend to be loyal to him in the first place?" Leia asked, having read Luke's thoughts. "I understand wanting to minimize the damage the Empire causes from the inside, but at what point does just joining the Rebellion make more sense?"

The yellow hint in Anakin's eyes only spread as he glared at his daughter. He didn't say anything, but he doesn't have to. Luke can feel the darkness through the Force as if he were standing next to the Emperor, himself. Instinctively, he grabbed Leia and pulled her back. Don't provoke him, he thought at her. He could feel his twin's fear, yet it wasn't nearly as strong as his own.

"This family will have nothing to do with terrorists," Anakin stated firmly, stepping towards his children. Obi-Wan tried to stop him, but he shrugged the older man off. "The Rebellion is just as bad as the Emperor, if not worse. At least the Empire has brought stability to the galaxy. You weren't alive during the Clone Wars. If you were, you'd be grateful that we now have a strong government. If you join the Rebellion, then I will treat you like any other Rebel." He tapped the lightsaber hanging on his belt.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan and Padmé exclaimed at once, both pulling him away from his children. But it was no use. He tore himself away from them, turning around and looking at everyone in the safe house.

"You all rather let violent anarchists take over the galaxy, rather than fixing the Empire, which is flawed at worst! The Emperor was right; you don't want what's best for the galaxy after all!"

"Stop it!" Padmé grabbed at her husband, but before she could reach him or say anything else, he used the Force to lift her in the air and cut off her airway. She gasped for air, whimpering for him to stop.

This isn't happening, Luke thought while his body trembled, the scene in front of him feeling more like a dream than reality. But deep down, he knew the truth. The man in front of him was no longer Anakin Skywalker; it was Darth Vader.

"Let her go, Anakin!" Obi-Wan commanded, his hand going to his own lightsaber, though he doesn't ignite it just yet. "How far gone are you to harm the one person you claim to love more than anything?"

That was enough to make Vader drop Padmé to the ground. Weak from lack of air, she coughed, her hand going to her throat. Luke and Leia run to her, helping her up. Luke tried to keep the tears from escaping his eyes.

"If you want to join the Rebellion, than go right ahead," Vader said through gritted teeth, looking at his family. "But if you do, don't expect to come home without repercussions. As I said, I would treat you like I would any other Rebel, with extermination." And with that, the man who was once Anakin Skywalker walked out of the safe house, not another look back at the people he loved.

The first time Leia saw her father use the dark side, she was ten years old. In order for Anakin to walk the line between light and dark and trick Palpatine into thinking he was a true Sith, he had to use the dark side from time to time. Usually, it was away from his family. But on that particular day, he had come home in a violent rage, crushing furniture with his mind as if they were tin cans. She didn't know why he had come home so angry, but as soon as he saw her watching, he calmed down and apologized.

That day had left a lasting effect on her, yet is in no way comparable to what she just saw now. "What…" she began to say, but she suddenly found herself unable to speak against her own wishes.

"Master Yoda was afraid of this happening," Obi-Wan said, stroking his beard. Though his expression was stoic, his sorrow and pain radiated through the Force, the only outward sign of it the hint of wetness in his eyes. "I kept telling him if anyone could handle using the dark side without turning, it would be Anakin." He looked to Bail. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, Senator Organa."

"It's alright," Bail said. "I'm quite used to the Empire bringing out the worse in everyone." He looked at the three Skywalkers left in the room. "Are you to come back with me to the Rebellion, then?"

None of them responded right away.

"I will," Padmé said. "But Luke and Leia are old enough to make their own decisions on this. I won't speak for them."

Leia wanted to say yes. She was sick of pretending to be loyal to an evil man.

I need to stay, Luke then telepathically said to her. The Alliance can use people on the inside. And I know Father isn't truly turned. I can bring him back to the light.

She wasn't surprised by Luke's optimism. He had always tried to see the good in everyone, even those who didn't deserve it. So of course he'd want to stay. It's too dangerous to stay with the Empire. Don't you think Father will reveal all our secrets to the Emperor?

He probably won't, no. Giving up most of the family's secrets would incriminate him, too.

Even though Leia knew he was technically right, she didn't want to back down. It doesn't matter. It's still dangerous to stay.

"I'm staying," Luke said aloud. His icy gaze narrowed, wanting her to know how serious he was. Even their mother was surprised at the firmness in his voice.

While Leia wanted to leave the Emperor, she knew that Luke was just as stubborn as she was, and wouldn't change his mind. She also knew that she couldn't leave him; just the thought of being a galaxy apart of each other was unthinkable.

"Fine! We'll stay in the Empire," she said angrily, her emotions continuing to rise. "The Rebellion could use moles, right?"

Padmé gave her children a sad, but proud smile. "Just promise you'll be careful, alright?"

"And take these." Obi-Wan handed each of the twins a comlink. "They're encrypted, so if you have to contact either me or the Rebellion, you can do it safely."

"Your mother will probably go to the Rebel Base in the Outer Rim for her safety, but I'll go back to Coruscant until the Senate is officially disbanded, then stay on Alderaan after that. So if you need anything, feel free to contact me," Bail added. "Welcome to the Rebellion."

As soon as Luke and Leia arrived to their quarters in the Imperial Palace, tears started to run down Luke's cheeks. The motion did help his emotions seem a little more bearable. "I always thought I'd be happy when I finally joined the Rebellion."

Inside voices, Leia thought at him. With her words came a wave of sadness. I don't know if Father is home, but we can't risk him overhearing us. We can't trust him anymore. But I agree. This isn't what I had in mind when I wanted to be a Rebel.

I know I can get Father to turn back to the light. He can't keep choosing Palpatine over us.

You think too highly of him, brother. She let some of her anger slip into his mind, wanting him to know how unhappy she was about his decision still.

Before they could continue, Darth Vader walked through the door, his eyes still yellow instead of blue, the dark side with surrounding him like a thick fog. When he saw his children, he pulled out his lightsaber, not yet igniting it. "Why are you here?"

Both twins did their best to display confidence, both externally and through the Force. "We thought about what you said about how the Empire has brought peace throughout the galaxy, and we agree," Luke said. "We were wrong all along, Father. The Emperor is doing what is best for the galaxy."

"We are truly eager to serve him," Leia added.

Vader stared at his children, clearly trying to determine if they were telling the truth. "Be ready to prove yourselves. And if you're lying, don't think you'll be spared." He scowled at Luke. "And stop doing that with your hands. You are a grown man, so act like one."

"Yes, Father," Luke nodded and stilled his hands, then inwardly spoke to Leia. I need air.

He retreated out the door, finding himself wandering the halls of the palace. He focuses on walking, his pace quickening. It felt like his whole world was falling apart, and for once, it was hard to remain hopeful.

He was so consumed by his own grief, he nearly ran straight into Mara Jade.

"Skywalker?" she asked, not totally displeased to see him. "I'm surprised to see you running around this late, especially so unaware of your own surroundings."

Luke forced himself to give her a kind smile. "My apologies, I have a lot on my mind."

"I'm sure," Mara nodded. "But I am actually pleased to see you for once. The Emperor was most satisfied with the great success of our mission, even if we didn't gain any information on the Rebels. He said he's considering paring us up again."

Luke's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Would you be on board with working with me again?"

She shrugged. "You know I prefer to work alone. Teaming up with you was definitely out of my comfort zone, but it did end up being somewhat enjoyable, less lonely than I usually am on missions. But I told him that if he were to pair us up again, then it had to be on a big mission, one I couldn't complete on my own."

"In that case, I'll see you again when the opportunity arises," he said, swallowing a lump in his throat."

Deep into the night, Darth Vader bowed before the Emperor, the old man's face a tinted blue hologram. "Forgive me, my master, but what I have to you is most urgent."

"It better be, Lord Vader." Palpatine was clearly unhappy about being woken up.

The young Sith had already planned out exactly what he needed to say without revealing his own past disloyalty. "Padmé Amidala has betrayed us. She has ran off to join the Rebel Alliance with the help of Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Before she left, she revealed that Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila is a Rebel, as well. She begged me to come with her, as if she honestly believed I would ever turn against the Empire."

The Emperor nods as he took in the information. "I can't say I am surprised about your wife's betrayal. Are your feelings towards her conflicted, Lord Vader?"

"Not at all, Master. I will not hesitate to punish her for her actions if I see her again."

"And what of your children? Where do their loyalties lie?"

Vader used the Force to sense the twins' emotions, though their minds were too guarded to find out anything. So he lied to protect his children. "They both claim loyalty to you and the Empire."

"I hope to see that loyalty in action, for all of your sakes," Palpatine smiles. "You have done well, Lord Vader."

Chapter Text

Leia's back ached from being hunched over for so many hours on end, her eyes tired from staring at holograms and datapads. Already, after her her first week of working, Emperor had assigned her to do administrative tasks for him, such as scheduling appointments and relaying relevant messages, as well as overseeing the preparation for the yearly Imperial Fair that's rapidly coming up. Glancing at the chrono, she groaned. She still had a few hours until she could go home.

It had been five days since Padmé left to join the Rebellion; a dark void has gnawing at Leia's heat ever since. Knowing that she can't go home to her mother only makes the days go by even slower.

She worked in the corner of the throne room, where the Emperor could keep an eye on her. Yet, the corner was still secluded enough that he wouldn't be staring at her screens or holograms. Most of the Empire's computer systems she didn't have clearance for, but she knows that if she gained Palpatine's trust, she might be able to earn more clearance.

Or, she could just work on splicing into the computer system. She could save the galaxy by giving the Alliance the information needed to get rid of the Death Star problem. Sure, her splicing skills were rusty, but she was a fast learner.

Every so often, Leia could see something, or rather someone, running in her peripheral vision. It's only after a few occurrences that she realizes it's the child she saw from the day before. The nameless girl in line to take Vader's place, moving from shadow to shadow as she… Leia didn't even know what. The girl had no toys or datapad to keep busy with, so her sneaking around was the way she kept herself amused.

Palpatine very rarely even acknowledged the girl's existence. So far that day, he had only interacted with her once, after she took a tumble down the stairs and interrupting a meeting between the Emperor and Grand Moff Tarkin. Instead of making sure the girl was alright, Palpatine pulled her into the hallway, and when they emerged again she had a bruised cheek bone and had tears running down her face.

It was obvious that Palpatine abused the girl, which Leia couldn't say she was surprised about. The worst man alive turning out to be a child abuser was hardly news. But she would be damned if she didn't do something to try to help.

Her opportunity came later that week when the Emperor left to go down the hall to yet another meeting. "Hey, little girl?" she carefully called out, her eyes searching the shadows. While she couldn't see the girl, she could feel her strong presence with the Force.

Getting up, Leia let the Force lead her to one of the large planted trees that towered by the doorway. Squinting her eyes, she could barely see an outline of the girl sitting in the branches, obscured by both leaves and darkness. "You must be an adept climber to get up that high."

When the girl doesn't respond, Leia climbed up the tree, stopping to perch on a branch when she was only two meters away from the girl. She offered a kind smile, trying to show that she wasn't threatening. "I take it you live here in the palace. When do you get to go home to your own quarters?"

The girl didn't speak at first. Eventually, her answer came in the form of a tiny, shy voice, spoken with a posh sounding Coruscanti accent, "I don't have my own quarters, I just have a closet. I go home when the Emperor does."

Having to bite the inside of her cheek so she didn't say something that could be seen as disloyal, Leia nodded. While Palpatine making a child, even one he thought highly of, live in a closet disgusted her, she wasn't surprised at the lack of kindness towards the girl. "Have you always lived in this closet?"

"For as long as I've lived on Coruscant. Three years, I think," the girl replied, swinging her legs off the side of her branch. "I like my closet. It has a comfy mattress and a big chest for my clothes. And the Emperor said if I behave at the Imperial Fair, he might give me an actual room."

"How kind of him," Leia rolled her eyes. The Imperial Fair was a huge deal, with people from all over the galaxy coming to attend. It's meant to be a showcase of the great work the Empire was doing, with a mix of new technology and fresh Imperial propaganda being on display for citizens to see for the first time. It made sense that Palpatine wanted to show off his child soldier for everyone to see. "And you really don't have a name?"

"I do, but the Emperor told me I'm not allowed to use it yet, that I haven't earned it. He said that I get to start using it at the fair-" the girl started, but before she could finish, the Emperor's menacing presence washed over them both. He was returning from his meeting.

Leia jumped down from the tree and ran to her desk, sitting down just as the doors opened. Pretending to perform her duties, she opened the Empire's database and began to work on breaking into what she wasn't supposed to read.

For the first time in days, Luke had a smile in his face. He practically skipped down the corridors to his family's quarters, several Stormtroopers and other Imperials staring at him but not daring say anything to the son of Vader.

He had just received an encrypted message from his mother. The Rebellion had managed to retrieve the Death Star plans and were forming a plan to proceed in taking down the space station. It gave him a spark of hope.

On top of that, he had also just spent the afternoon with Mara. They had to co-write a report on their mission. While talking it through and to Mara's dismay, Luke thoughts started to wander and he started to ramble, mostly about ships. It just happened to be a topic she also was passionate about, and she started to open up to him. He could sense her loneliness she tried hard to hide, and the impenetrable walls in her mind that kept him from reading her started to crack. Even though he couldn't talk to her most things, too scared he'd reveal one of his family's many secrets, it still felt nice to talk to someone his own age besides Leia.

Maybe he was all that Mara had to talk to, too. She never mentioned any other friends, and she had been kidnapped from whatever family she had. Though he wouldn't describe her in their time together as nice per se, it was a much different side to her than the cold Emperor's Hand he had seen before.

When he arrived home, Luke's smile immediately disappeared once he saw his father sitting and waiting for him. "Sit."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Luke sat down on the sofa, sitting straighter than he naturally would. Ever since his father truly turned to the dark side, Vader had barely spoke to his children. It was preferable to whatever this was.

The Sith Lord looked over Luke, his face expressionless. "The Emperor has an assignment for you. You are to be a part of his personal security detail at the Imperial Fair in a few days."

Luke nodded, his eyes locked on the floor. "I understand, but may I ask why did the Emperor personally not talk to me about this assignment?"

Vader stood up, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. He moved closer, towering over his son. "Because you are my child and my apprentice. If you kriff this assignment up, it will negatively effect our who family, which I absolutely will not stand for. I am trying to please the Emperor, not disappoint him like you always seemingly are!"

"Yes, Father," Luke said, not letting his stoic expression waver. He refused to let his anger or fear show. "Is that all?"

The Sith Lord didn't say anything at first, not until his expression softened and the gold hue in his eyes slightly faded. "Listen, I don't mean to be so harsh on you, Luke. I know your feelings towards the Emperor and I'm not asking you change them. I just ask that you hide your hate towards him a little better. Is that clear?"

"Y-yes, Father," Luke repeated, though slightly confused. Though Vader's words weren't kind, they're still the kindest thing he had said to Luke since he fell to the dark side. Maybe he wasn't truly gone, after all.

When Vader nodded once and left to go to the kitchen, Luke slumped down and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. His heart ached, missing not only the noble Jedi his father used to be, but also his mother. He was tempted to use his encrypted comlink to call her, but decided against it. He didn't want to distract her from any important Rebel work she may be doing.

Too anxious to stay doing nothing, he got up and went to his family's garage, where two TIE fighters and a TIE Advanced x1 were landed. He hurried to his own TIE, needing to fly like he needed air to breathe. However, to Luke's dismay, the ship didn't start. "Kriff!" he shouted, banging his fist on the yoke.

Jumping out of the ship, he opened the mechanics hatch, his hands shaking. An anxiety attack was starting to take hold of him, with even some deep breaths not calming him down. He knew deep down that he should use the Force to ease his anxiety, but his mind was so agitated that he couldn't focus enough to do that.

Fortunately, he saw what was wrong with the starfighter almost immediately. A few wires to the ionization reactor had been fried, probably in battle. Thankfully, it was an easy fix.

He opened up the large closet where they keep spare parts and tool, easily finding a few replacement wires. But something else caught his eye— a deactivated, blue and white astromech droid. Nostalgia washed over him as he smiled at memories of playing with the astromech as a child. The droid was shut off just a few years ago, after being caught cursing at some stormtroopers. Anakin had rather it be stored away than the Emperor finding out and telling him to get rid of it.

Luke unplugged the droid from the wall and powered it on. Within seconds of being awake, Artoo-Deetoo started beeping frantically and spinning his dome-shaped head.

"It's nice to see you too, old buddy," Luke laughed, wiping some dust off the astromech. "It's been a while. So long in fact, we were considering getting another droid to replace you."

Artoo angrily swore at Luke in binary, even if he knew his master was kidding. Then, he beeped a question.

"Can you stay awake?" Luke frowned, considering the possibility. When his mother left for the Rebellion, she had taken the family protocol droid, See-Threepio, with her. It was surprisingly lonely to no longer have a droid around, even one as annoying as Threepio. "Of course you can, buddy."

He grabbed some wires and got to work fixing his ship, Artoo happily helping by welding the new wires to the ionization reactor. "How about we take her for a joy ride?" he asked, about to jump in. There was no astromech socket, but he was sure he could squeeze the droid into the cockpit somewhere.

Before he and Artoo could get in, the door to the garage opened and Vader strode inside. He walked straight to his TIE Advanced x1, ignoring Luke at first, until he saw the droid watching him.

"I thought he could be helpful, especially for keeping an eye on everyone at the Imperial fair," Luke explained to his father quickly, putting a protective hand on Artoo's dome. "It's a big, and the Rebels might try something. We need all the help we can get."

Vader's yellow eyes looked at his son, then the astromech, then back at his son. "Fine, as long as he doesn't cause too much trouble." A pause. "It's… nice to see you again, Artoo."

For the second time that day while the Sith Lord talked to his former companion, Luke could see a glimpse of Anakin Skywalker, not the cruel Sith Lord. It gave him hope. However, he was quickly snapped from his thoughts as Artoo sadly beeps a question, the droid's photoreceptor trained on the blast doors where Vader and his ship have disappeared through.

"Yes," Luke confirms, though he didn't let the confirmation sadden him. Instead, he chose to have hope. "He has fully turned to the dark side, Artoo."

When the Emperor relieved Leia of her duties for the day, she didn't go back home immediately. Instead, she found herself roaming the Coruscant walkways, needing the fresh air to clear her head. Her mind was a maelstrom of emotions— anxiety for the upcoming fair, fear for the little girl that Palpatine is grooming to be his heir, longing for her mother.

She found herself in the Federal district, where senators filed out of the Senate building. It only made her miss her mother even more, memories of attending senate meetings with Padmé filling her head. During those times, it was much easier to have hope for the galaxy.

Leia was quickly pulled from her thoughts as someone called her name, giving a small bow and a fake smile as Bail Organa approached her. "Senator, it's nice to see you."

Bail held up a hand, shaking his head. "No need for that title anymore. The last meeting of the Imperial Senate just took place. The Emperor has now officially dissolved it, just like we expected."

Clenching her fists at her sides, Leia had to fight the urge to lash out, not at Bail, but at their situation in general. "Palpatine doesn't even try to hide his corruption, anymore," she whispered, knowing there were Imperial loyalists all around these parts.

"Welcome to the Empire," Bail sighed, motioning for Leia to walk with him. "I've gotten notification recently that I'm being investigated for Rebel activity, and they are trying to force me to openly support the Emperor. He refuses to have anyone opposing him in any way. But at this point, dissolving the Senate was just a formality. It hasn't had any actual power in a long time. If anything, it will now give me more time to devote to… other causes."

Leia nodded, knowing he was referring to the Rebellion. "I know, but I'm still sad and frustrated all the same. My mother used to tell my brother and I about all she had accomplished in her time as Queen of Naboo, and then in the Republic Senate. It's what made me want to go into politics, even from a young age. I wanted to use the power to help people."

"You would have made a wonderful senator, Leia, as your mother was," Bail gave her a sad smile. "And don't give up hope, you still might. Things may seem bleak now, but they will get better. And when they do, we will need someone with a heart as kind as yours to lead."

"Thank you," Leia said, giving a genuine smile this time. She felt giddy from the praise from someone she respected so much. "Have you heard from my mother lately?"

"I've talked to her briefly, yes. She has been very busy with the mission to retrieve the plans for the space station, which have thankfully been a success." His voice lowered further as he leaned in closer to her. "And while no date has been set as of yet, the attack on the Death Star will be soon."

Leia let out a sigh of relief. "That's great news, Senator."

"Please, call me Bail. But if you excuse me, I need to get back to my ship. I'm going home to Alderaan for the time being."

Bail started to walk towards the spaceport, but Leia called out to them. "Wait, Sena- Bail?" He turned around. "Thank you for what you said about needing politicians like me. It means a lot. And I hope I can visit your planet again soon; it's such a beautiful planet."

"It was only the truth, my dear," Bail replied earnestly, before turning back and starting his journey home to Alderaan.

"The time for our attack has come," Mon Mothma said to the room of Rebels. A hologram of the Death Star blueprints filled the wall "The Death Star Plans have been analyzed, and we were able to find a weakness. There is an uncovered, two meters wide thermal exhaust port that leads straight to the main reactor of the station. We will send squadrons to shoot proton torpedoes into the exhaust port, which will set off a chain reaction and destroy the station."

Padmé listened closely to the Rebel leader, who she had gained much respect for in her short time with the Rebellion. As senators, Mon and Padmé had common goals and a political alliance with each other and other progressive senators, but still often didn't see eye to eye on many issues. But now, Padmé looked up to the other woman, admiring the way Mon led the Rebel Alliance.

"Did you say the exhaust port is two meters wide?!" A young pilot with a mustache and an outer rim accent asks. Padmé searched her mind for his name, but came up blank. "That shot is one-in-a-million!"

"For you, maybe," another pilot, Wedge Antilles, smirked. "But it's not like we have much of a choice. We can't let the Empire blow up planets left and right."

Mon held up a hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet. "I have seen the squadrons in action and have faith that you can complete this mission. Our biggest problem right now is locating this Death Star. The Empire has continued to keep its whereabouts a secret, and I would prefer not to wait until it destroys a planet to discover where it is."

As the room became silent in thought, Padmé's mind went to a conversation with Anakin which felt like a lifetime ago. They were discussing the Emperor's plans for an event to show off the Empire's success across the galaxy.

"The Imperial Fair," she said, breaking the silence and causing the room to look at her. Even though she was used to public speaking due to her many years in politics, talking in front of this close-knit group of Rebels felt wrong to her, like she was an outsider trying to impersonate them. But she continued anyway. "I get the feeling the Emperor will want to show it off during the fair on Coruscant. It's the perfect opportunity to scare the galaxy into obedience."

Mon nodded her head. "I agree. We should plan our attack the first morning of the fair, just in case the Emperor plans on demonstrating the weapon's power during the peak of the event. That will give us twenty hours to plan before having to leave for Coruscant."

Chapter Text

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" The Emperor asked as he looked over Monument Plaza where dozens of hovering platforms were being set up, all attached by a bridge system so people could get around. Even though the sun wouldn't rise over Coruscant for another three hours, tall hairy beings worked as fast as they can to set up exhibitions and booths to display the power and the glory of the Empire. Star Destroyers loomed in the sky, including the new Executor-class Star Dreadnought, which would serve as Darth Vader's flagship.

"The fair will be a success," Vader nodded from beside his master, his eyes focused on his new ship.

Palpatine frowned. "Of course it will be a success, but that's not what I asked, Lord Vader." He turned around to look at Luke and Leia. "What do you think, my children?"

"It is quite beautiful," Leia smiled, though her stomach felt like it was twisted into knots. Her and Luke had just received a message that the Rebels would attack the Death Star during the fair, expecting it to be present. However, the space station was nowhere to be seen.

Luke's eyes narrow as he tried to better see the people setting up that fair. "They're all Wookiees," he eventually said to himself.

"The beasts are valuable workers," The Emperor replied. "That's all they're good for. When they were free, they were causing too much disruption to the Empire. It was either enslave them or wipe out the species. It's best to pay them no mind; it's not like their mind's are as advance as those of humans', anyway."

Both Luke and Leia had to keep actively fight to keep their anger at bay. While they were used to the xenophobia that the Emperor spewed and acted on, it was rare that they saw the effects this up close. So many species had been forced into slavery, while others, such as the Lasats, had experienced genocide.

Tears stung Luke's eyes as he felt the Wookiee's pain through the Force before he blinked them away. "What are our orders for once the fair starts, Your Highness?"

Palpatine didn't seem to care about the sudden change in subject. "Luke, you are to be stationed on the rooftops right above me, watching out for trouble. You are my own personal bodyguard, remember, so my safety while I'm out with the public is your main priority. Leia, you are to stay inside the Palace, watching the Holonet and comm frequencies for any trouble. We are expecting some kind of Rebel attack, considering the importance of today. Both of you are to alert me immediately if you find anything amiss. Is that clear?" When the twin's wordlessly nodded, he continued. "Good. Now, wait inside until the fair begins."

Once Luke and Leia had left, the Emperor turned back to Vader, who now watched the Wookiees work. "Lately, I've been sensing a new darkness within you, my apprentice. One that hasn't been there before. It seems like your Rebel scum wife leaving you has done you some good."

Vader's jaw clenched at the way Palpatine talked about Padmé, but he didn't dare speak up about it. "Yes, Master."

"You must hate her for what she did. She betrayed you and your children." Palpatine dramatically sighed. "Most likely, she was using you to gain information to give to the Rebels. Her leaving was certainly the plan all along. You were just too blinded by love to see it."

"That's not true." Vader quickly turned to face his master. "Padmé lost faith in the Empire, that's all. She was doing what she thought was best for her and our children. Don't act like she had some big plan to betray me all along." He was careful with his words, not wanting to accidentally reveal that he previously was planning on betraying Palpatine.

"Is that so? Before recently, she never showed any interest in any Rebels, suspected or confirmed? What about her frequent trips to Alderaan and Chandrila, both planets who are suspected of being Rebel sanctuaries?" When Vader didn't respond, the Emperor continued. "You made a mistake trusting her, Lord Vader."

Did I make a mistake trusting her, or did I make a mistake ever trusting you? Vader asked himself, already knowing the answer.

It had always been hard for him to question Palpatine's teachings. He had always been supportive and even acted as a father figure to Anakin from a young age. Vader thought finally falling completely to he dark side would help him understand the Emperor's worldview and understand his cruelty. Stars, was he wrong.

"Where the hell is it!?" Leia huffed as she went straight to the computer station. Thankfully, no other Imperials were around to hear her.

"Please calm down, sister." Luke frowned as he followed her, Artoo trailing closely behind. "There is a very good possibility the Death Star is going to make some grand entrance later in the day. It is supposed to be a surprise after all."

Leia shook her head as she stared at the screen. "No, I definitely sense something's wrong. My efforts to splice into the restricted parts of the system have been unsuccessful, so I can't even-"

She was interrupted by Artoo beeping wildly and rolling up next to her. "Really? You think you can get in, Artoo?"

Tweeting a yes, the astromech extended his data probe and plugged into the computer. After some searching, he excitedly started to ramble.

"Hold on, buddy," Luke said, placing a hand the droid. "The Death Star's new destination has just been updated?"

After a beep of confirmation, Artoo made a sad whistle. The space station was headed towards the Alderaan system, where it would destroy the planet.

"No…" Leia's eyes widened. She began to search her pockets for her encrypted comlink that Bail Organa gave her. "Alderaan is a peaceful planet, I don't understand why the Empire would even attempt to destroy it!"

"They want to show that no one is safe," Luke answered quietly, trying his hardest to stay calm.

Hands shaking, she brought the comlink to her mouth. "This is Leia Skywalker. I have urgent information regarding the Death Star's whereabouts today and the Emperor's plans for it," she said, her voice shaking. Thoughts flew through her head faster then she could comprehend them. "Is anyone there?"

"Leia?" Padmé's voice came through the comm.

"Mom! The Death Star is on it's way to Alderaan. The Emperor is planning on destroying the planet at oh-fifteen hundred, Galactic Standard Time." Tears fell from Leia's eyes. Even when Luke wrapped an arm around her for comfort, the gesture did little to calm her fear. "Senator Organa is on Alderaan, Mom. Can you get through to him?"

There's a pause before Padmé spoke again, panic in her voice. "I can't, no. The Emperor must be blocking all communications to the system. And the fleets are almost at Coruscant, but I'll send them to Alderaan immediately. And, Leia? Please be careful, and tell Luke the same."

"I will, Mom," Leia said to the comlink even though the call had already been disconnected.

"Even in hyperspace, Coruscant to Alderaan isn't a quick trip." Luke bit his lip as he did the math in his head. "If the fleets can manage to get their in time, they'll be cutting it close. I think—"

He cut himself off when the Force gently told him that a new presence has arrived. "I feel like we're being watched."

Her eyes quickly scanning the room, Leia sighed when she saw the little girl she had come to be acquaintances with, standing in the shadows. "It's that youngling I told you about. The Emperor's little pet, remember?"

"I vaguely remember you saying something about that," Luke nodded, taking a step towards the girl. "We know you're there, kid. Come on out, I don't bite. My name is Luke; I'm Leia's brother."

The girl approached them and took Leia's hand, any shyness she had before now gone. "The Emperor said that today is a big day for me. He said it's the day that I earn my identity. And he's going to let me meet people at the fair. Can you be there with me?" She bounced on her feet as she spoke, her hazel eyes brightening.

"I wish I could," Leia said, crouching down to be at eye level with the child, hoping her anxiety and sadness isn't obvious. Despite her own wishes to stay detached, she couldn't help but care for the adorable little girl. "I have to stay in here and watch over the comms. But Luke will be watching over you."

The youngling looked from twin to twin, eventually nodding. "Okay, I trust you. You are the only people nice to me here."

Rising once more, Leia took and squeezed her brother's hand, worry in her expression. "Please be careful. I'll comm you if I get any updates from Mom."

Just before the fair officially began, Luke climbed to his post on the roof of the Imperial Palace, a blaster rifle swung over his shoulder and his lightsaber on his belt. He had the perfect view of Palpatine, who stood on the balcony below, preparing for his opening speech.

"Mara?" His eyebrows creased as he saw the Emperor's Hand kneeling on the edge of the roof, a rifle identical to his in her hands. "I'm assuming you're guarding the Emperor, too?"

"You assume correctly," Mara replied coldly, but Luke could sense some warmness from her through the Force. He was beginning to become better at reading her, despite the strong walls she had up in her mind.

He knelt down next to her as horns blared, announcing the start of the 18th Imperial Fair. The Emperor started to speak to the dense crowds, holocams capturing everything he said to broadcast across the galaxy. "So, what do you think about all this fair sithspit?"

"I think it's a waste of taxpayer dollars, though I understand the reasoning behind it," she said, looking over to him. "Patriotism can be a really powerful thing, especially with Rebel attacks ramping up. I can't even scroll on the Holonet anymore without seeing Rebel propaganda."

Luke inwardly cringed, but he held his tongue. "Do you think they'll take the opportunity to attack today?"

"You tell me," Mara studied Luke's expression. "You're the one whose mother betrayed you and joined the Rebellion. Have you heard anything from her?"

"Of course not." Luke feigned shock and sadness. "She is practically dead to my family and I."

She gave him a hint of a sympathetic look. "Would you believe me if I told you I understand how you feel? Palpatine took me from my parents when I was only five, but I still vaguely remember what they were like. I know they loved me and didn't want to give me up. And even if I haven't seen them in over a decade, I still miss… well, maybe not them, but the concept of them. I miss having a family. Palpatine is similar to a father figure to me, but it's not the same. But even if my parents were still alive, its just the same to me as if they were dead."

Luke knew vaguely of Mara's past, but was still surprised to hear her talk about it. She was such a closed off person, even when she decided to be kind to him. Was she actually starting to like him? "Do you ever resent the Emperor for taking you from your parents?" He asked carefully.

Mara's expression hardened in an instant. "No, of course not. He helped me reach my full potential, made me who I am. I'm more powerful than anyone else in the Empire, besides Palpatine and Vader. Well, and maybe you and your sister. But I owe him everything."

"You never doubt him, even a just little bit? No hesitations about what he tells you?" He went to put a hand on her shoulder, but paused just an inch away from touching her. "Mara, you're smarter than to automatically accept his word as truth like that. Nobody's perfect, and he's the furthest thing from it. Please, think for yourself."

Her jade eyes narrowed at him, her hands twitching towards her rifle. "You've been consuming too much of that Rebel propaganda, Skywalker. Now shut up, I'm trying to hear this."

The Emperor's voice catches Luke's attention as he reached the climax of his speech. "And now, I have something great to announce. As you know, though I plan on being your Emperor for many more years, I won't be around forever. But worry not, dear citizens of the Empire, for it is time to meet your new Imperial princess and future Empress, Rey Palpatine!"

The small girl who Leia had befriended, who Luke had just met a few hours ago, stepped out onto the balcony, looking visibly uncomfortable. Palpatine grabbed the girl by the shoulder and yanked her to where everyone could see her.

"Have you ever heard about this girl before?" Mara's voice broke Luke's concentration on the girl, Rey. She was just as confused as he was. "I absolutely would have noticed if the Emperor had a granddaughter, or any family for that matter."

He nodded. "Leia has known her for a few weeks, but neither of us even knew her name, let alone what her roll would be. We had no idea how important she was." But this didn't make sense to him. If the Emperor planned to make himself extend his life indefinitely, then why did he need an heir?

As the speech finally came to a close with a 'long live the Empire!', thundering applause, and the Emperor and youngling started to go inside, Leia's voice came from the comlink on Luke's belt. "Luke, can you get down here? I found out something important!"

Leia half listened to the Emperor's speech, which she played on a holoprojector on the wall in front of her. However, she was more focused on her computer, which she had just finished successfully splicing. Her attention was only broken when she saw a familiar little youngling step out onto the balcony with Palaptine.

"But worry not, dear citizens of the Empire, for it is time to meet your new Imperial princess and future Empress, Rey Palpatine!"

Rey… Palpatine? Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she finally learned the little girl's name. Could someone so innocent and sweet be part of such a horrible bloodline? Then, an even more disturbing question crossed through in her head: Does Palpatine have sex?

Leia quickly searched the girl's name in the Imperial database, her stomach twisting when she read what came up. Quickly, she commed her brother, her eyes going back to the holoprojector. "Luke, can you get down here? I found out something important!"

Luke arrived from his own post only a few moments later, followed by Mara Jade. She didn't even try to hide her annoyance and gave the Hand a sour look. "Why the kriff is she—" she paused, taking a deep breath. There wasn't time to start arguments.

Instead, she tilted her screen towards Luke."This is what I put together about the girl, Rey. She is the genuine granddaughter of Palpatine, her father being a failed clone of the Emperor. The clone was failed due to it not being Force sensitive, but still was compatible for life, so he was kept alive for breeding purposes."

"It was a clone from Project Necromancer?" Luke crossed his arms. "I don't understand, why would he need an heir if he just plans on—"

"Hold on, shut up for a minute," Mara cut Luke off. "None of what you're saying makes any sense. What is Project Necromancer? And why would Palpatine be cloning himself?"

The two twins gave each other an uncertain look. We can trust her, Luke whispered in Leia's mind at the same time she whispered to his. We can't trust her.

She's not a bad person, Leia! The Emperor just has her brainwashed. Telling her this could be good for her. He looked back at Mara. "Project Necromancer is a research program to make a perfect clone of Palpatine so he that can transfer his soul into it when he dies and retain all his power. His goal is to be immortal."

Mara stared at Luke, her eyes like green lasers. "Do you really think I'm a fool, Skywalker? I could report you for spreading conspiracy theories, especially ones about the Emperor, himself."

"It's not a conspiracy, it's the truth!" he quickly shot back. For some reason, Mara not believing him hurt. Did he really care that much of what she thought of him?

"Our father told us about it," Leia said, looking through encrypted Imperial records, slicing through any lock she came across. She was actually becoming a decent slicer, even when Artoo wasn't around to help. "Look here. It's from the Advance Science Division records. Doctor Royce Hemlock worked for years on Kamino, before moving his work to Wayland. According to his flight records, he still makes trips to meet with Kaminoan scientists, the same ones that helped build the clone army for the Republic."

Both Luke and Mara looked down at the screen, the latter growing very pale. "That doesn't mean anything," she said, but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself of her words. "The Kaminoans shut down all cloning when the Clone Wars ended."

"But that doesn't mean this Hemlock can't be using their knowledge," Luke pointed out.

"It still doesn't make sense!" Mara started to shout. "Palpatine taught me that the Force maintained the unity between life and death. To escape death and become immortal would go directly against the will of the Living Force!"

Leia gave a short, stale, sarcastic laugh. "Since when has Palpatine ever cared about maintaining balance and unity? Are you really this blind to your master's corruption?"

"He would have told me he was working on this!" Mara took a step too close to Leia as Luke got ready to break up the fight that would surely break out. "My whole job is too help him with the secret stuff like this! He tells me everything!"

Luke placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder, though she quickly shrugged it off. "Just like how he told you that the governor of Lothal had to interrogated on our last mission together? Or like how he told you that he has a secret granddaughter who is meant to be his heir? Mara, you have to see that you are not at close to him as you think you are. He sees you as a tool, not a person. He's not the man that you think he is."

"This again?" Mara scoffed. "I already told you, Skywalker, I owe everything to him. So if not questioning what he chooses to tell me is what it takes to be a good Hand," her voice broke slightly, "Then that's what I'll do."

"He really does have you brainwashed, doesn't he?" Leia asked, half listening as she stared down at the computer screen.

"Says the ones spewing Rebel garbage!" Mara snapped. Before either Skywalker could respond, she charged out the door to return to her post.

"Should we go after her?" Leia hesitantly asked, knowing that Luke would stop the Emperor's Hand if he felt like she was putting them in danger. "She might actually report us."

Luke shook his head. "I don't think she will. She would only report us if she didn't have any suspicions that we are telling the truth, which she certainly does. I have to be back up at my post with her soon anyway, so I'll be able to keep an eye on her."

"You trust way too easily, but I hope you're right." Leia paused, her expression turning guilty. "I know I've been irritable with you for the past few days, and I'm sorry. I know you just try to see the good in everyone, but I'm much more cynical. I'm just trying to protect you, you know."

"I know you are," he said, looking at the ground, then back up at her, sadness and frustration in his eyes. "And I appreciate you caring, but I can take care of myself."

"I know you think you can," Leia conceded, pulling Luke into a hug so her voice could drop to a whisper. "But you think too much with your heart and it's going to get you killed one day. I don't know what's going to happen with the Rebels and the Death Star later, but I need you to promise me you won't do anything stupid. No noble sacrifices, you hear? I'd never forgive myself if I let you die."

He hugged her back. "No noble sacrifices. And I know I can be emotional with my decision making, but I need you to trust me. I'm not asking you to trust our father, or Mara, or anyone else. Just trust me."

The Imperial Fair continued uneventfully as citizens filled the platforms hovering over Monument Plaza. The Force was full of joy from people having fun, but also a hint of sadness and pain from the Wookiee slaves nearby, working behind the scenes to keep things running. It was only half an hour before the Death Star was set to destroy Alderaan, yet there were no reports of either the space station or the Rebellion fleets being near the planet. Leia constantly thought about messaging her mother for an update, but knew she had to just be patient and have hope.

She did her job like a good Imperial, watching both comlink frequencies and the Holonet for any security threats, occasionally checking the news coming from Alderaan. Every few minutes she had to use the Force to focus and bury her anxiety and fear.

At half an hour until oh' fifteen fifteen hundred, a message was broadcast to her screen: The Death Star had dropped out of hyperspace next to Alderaan.

After switching her comm to the main channel so she could hear any instructions for the station and bringing up a live feed of Alderaan, Leia whispered into her encrypted comlink. "Mom? Please tell me the fleets are almost there!"

Before Padmé could respond, the live feed of Alderaan and the Death Star was suddenly filled with X-Wings and Y-Wings— The Rebellion had arrived. Leia clamped her hands over her mouth to hide her smile. Instead of yelling out with glee like she wanted to, she thought out to her brother. Both the Death Star and the fleets have reached Alderaan.

Luke's relief flooded her mind, though he didn't respond to her. Instead, they both listened to Imperial comm channel, where an officer was reporting the Rebel ambush.

"We will proceed with the demonstration immediately," Palpatine's voice responded as TIE fighters joined the fight around the Death Star.

Screens lit up all over Monument Plaza, all showing a live broadcast of Alderaan, the Death Star looming over it. Once everyone was paying attention, Palpatine took his place outside the palace, cam droids quickly gathering around him. He needed everyone in the galaxy to see what was about to happen.

"What now?" Mara mumbled to herself, but was still loud enough for Luke to hear. It's the first time she has said anything since they took their rooftop positions once more.

Luke looked at the balcony below where the Emperor stood as the screens started displaying the live battle over Alderaan. Of course, the focus was on the Death Star.

Mara muttered to herself again. "What the kriff is that thing?"

"It's a space station that can blow up entire planets," Luke told her, immediately being met by a dirty look.

"Stop talking out of your ass, Skywalker." Mara said quickly. "That thing can't be any bigger than a moon. How could it destroy an entire planet?"

Artoo-Deetoo, who sat behind them, let out beeps of disbelief. It wasn't worth responding to her, not when the Emperor was announcing a new level of tyranny to the galaxy.

Luke rose from the crouch he was in, almost tossing his rifle on the ground. "I can't watch this. Artoo, can you remotely start my ship?"

Glaring at him, Mara scoffed. "You're abandoning your post?"

"My skills are much more needed up here than down here. I need to go help."

"To go help who?" She asked, getting to her feet. "We're winning. More than half of the Rebel ships have already been destroyed. Not to mention the battle will be long over by the time you get to Alderaan." She took a menacing step closer. "So who exactly do you need to help?"

Knowing Mara had a point and Luke couldn't currently help the Rebellion, not without revealing himself, he sighed and sat back down on the edge of the roof.

Inside the palace, Leia's eyes were also locked on the battle shown on the holoprojector. She was also the sole member of the Empire to be able to hear the Rebellion's comm channels. Dozens of Rebel ships were being shot down, though they were taking a decent number of TIE fighters down with them.

Outside, the Emperor's voice continued on. "May I present, the Empire's new battle station, the Death Star!" People cheered, even when something with that name couldn't have meant anything good.

"I'm also at the exhaust port-" a voice started to say from Leia's own comm, but was quickly cut off, the pilot killed before they could make the shot.

There were plenty of ships flying off of Alderaan, no doubt not wanting to find what the Empire plans on doing to the planet, but none of the ships were starfighters. Alderaan was a peaceful planet with no military. The Empire purposely chose a planet that couldn't fight back, TIE fighters shooting down any ship trying to escape.

"This is Red Three; I'm going in," another voice said over comlink.

"Good luck, Wedge," Mon Mothma replied.

Leia watched a lone X-Wing fly down the equator of the spherical space station as Palpatine finally got to the point of his speech. "And now, fine citizens of the Empire, you will get too witness the full power of this battle station. Alderaan and its government are traitors who have been helping the Rebellion, with its own former senator, Bail Organa, being a Rebel, himself. The next time any one of you considers stepping out of line or engaging in Rebel activity, remember this moment!"

"I'm firing now!" Wedge's strained voice announced, the live feed capturing a pair of proton torpedoes flying from his starship and down the Death Star's thermal exhaust port, the pilot quickly flying away to not get caught in the explosion.

Everyone waited…

…and waited…

…and nothing happened. The proton torpedoes never made it to space station's core.

Instead, the large crater in the Death Stars surface started to glow. "All Rebels retreat!" Padmé's voiced shouted on the comm.

Mere moments later, a green laser shot out of the crater and into Alderaan's surface The planet immediately was replaced by a large fireball, and then nothing. Millions of lives cried out through the Force and then are abruptly cut off.

Leia stared at the Death Star, her mouth agape as she was frozen in shock. A planet of millions of innocent people were just slaughtered. The senator who showed her and her family so much kindness is dead. Her body trembled as she gasped out a silent sob.

She only snapped back to reality when the security cam feed of the fair crowd caught her attention: People were starting to riot.

Palpatine laughed when he saw the angry reaction of the crowd, not at all caring that he was in danger as long as he was out in the open. Many people carried blasters and it was only a matter of time before someone took a shot.

Mara jumped down to the balcony, Luke following behind. "Master, you must get inside," she said, pulling on the Emperor's dark robe sleeve.

"They're taking to the skies," Luke pointed to where several ships were taking off, starting to shoot at the Imperial Palace. He changed his comlink to the Empire's main frequency. "I need TIE fighters in the air! Bring in anyone who's trying to harm others!" The last thing they needed was more innocent people getting hurt because of rioters.

The three Imperials go inside the palace, locking the doors behind them. "They are mad now, but will quickly fall in line. That is, if they want to avoid the same fate as Alderaan." Palpatine cackled. "The Stormtroopers will handle the rioters, but I want you two to stay on alert and to be prepared if you need to step in."

Once the Emperor left, Luke let out a shaky breath as he sat on the hallway floor. Nothing felt real. Even though he previously knew of the Death Star's capabilities, it did nothing to prepare him for the shock of seeing an entire planet destroyed. He still felt the empty space in the Force where millions of Alderaanian lives had just been.

"You knew about that thing," Mara said, looking down at him. "Before it even shot that laser, you knew what it could do. How?"

"I'm not talking to you about this right now," Luke muttered, resting his forehead on his folded knees.

"Yes, you are!" Mara shouted. "I want to know if the Emperor told you about this Death Star, and why he didn't tell me!"

Wiping any tears in his eyes, he picked his head up and gave her an annoyed look. "I learned about it from my father, not Palpatine. Why, are you really jealous that the Emperor might have a favorite pet that isn't you?"

"I'm not his pet," she hissed. "I'm just confused as to why there has been so much he hasn't been telling me. First there was his secret granddaughter, then it was the whole Project Necromancer thing, and now this! Not to mention, I'm supposed to be the one who investigates Rebel activity, yet he never once sent me to Alderaan to investigate it. What if he was wrong about there being Rebel-related activity there, and he just destroyed a planet of innocent people?"

"He did just destroy a planet of innocent people! There's no way every single Alderaanian was a Rebel, or even Rebel-adjacent. He doesn't care if he kills innocent people, he only cares about power." Luke lowered his head again. "As to why he doesn't tell you everything, it's like I told you before. You're only a tool to him. He only tells you what you absolutely need to know for your missions."

Without defending herself or Palpatine, Mara sank to the floor next to Luke, resting the back of her head against the stone wall. When she spoke again, her voice was surprisingly emotional, though her face didn't show it. "All those people on Alderaan crying out in the Force before they were wiped out… it was intense. It was awful. I'm rarely ever effected by the emotions of others since I can't be in my work, but… It was so loud."

"Yeah," Luke sighed. "It was pretty horrible. Palpatine probably loved sensing all those people's deaths."

She quickly shook her head. "He's not a monster like that. He's just a man who wants the best for the galaxy."

"Sometimes men, people, are the worst monsters. And after everything you've learned and witnessed, do you really believe Palpatine cares about anyone but himself?" Luke whispered, tears steadily falling into his lap.

Mara didn't answer. Instead, she rested her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around her body.

Even though riots were springing up around the galaxy with the closest being right outside the door, Leia sat frozen in her seat. She didn't care about reporting to the Emperor about the obvious security threats. She hoped the rioters found and killed him. She was done pretending to be loyal to such evil.

All of the sudden, she started to sob. She sobbed for Alderaan and for Bail Organa. She sobbed for her own fractured family and her mother, who was half a galaxy away. She sobbed for everyone who had their lives ruined or ended by this regime.

I'm so scared, she thought to Luke through the Force.

She felt him probe her mind for any injuries before responding. I am too. Are you safe?

I am, yes. Can I meet you somewhere? At the family's living quarters, perhaps?

Yes! Leia sprung from her seat. I'll see you in a few minutes.

Alarms went off on her computer, warning her that rioters have broken into the palace and the building would be going into lock down mode, but she turned them off. She had a blaster, a lightsaber, and personal codes that could get her through any locked doors. As long as she was careful, she would be fine.

Dashing through the halls of the Imperial Palace, she saw just how much damage the rioter's have already caused. Banners had been ripped and the long carpet on the tiled ground had been smeared with various substances, all probably gross. Graffiti of a starbird had been sprayed on the wall, which Leia immediately recognized as a symbol of the Rebel Alliance.

A door suddenly opened behind her, a swarm of people pouring in. Leia ran up a nearby staircase as fast as her legs could carry her.

The Skywalker family's quarters, as well as most other Imperial officer living quarters, were on the tenth floor. Leia only made it to the fifth floor when was forced to stop, hearing the roar of rioters on the stairs above her. She turned to go back down, but found crowds had already arrived down where she came from.

She was trapped.

Grabbing her comlink, she tried to call for help, only to find all the channels are down. Even the encrypted Rebel channel didn't work.

With no other choice, she ran down the halls to look for a way out. It was obvious where the rioters have already been, not only because of the ruined decorations of the palace, but because of the dead Stormtroopers and officers on the ground. At first she felt sorry for them, but that sorrow quickly vanished when she remembered all the innocent lives that were lost on Alderaan.

"Wait!"

Leia stopped running when she heard the young voice, the speaker's presence becoming noticeable through the Force. Though she didn't see anything at first, a pair of hazel eyes soon peaked out at her from behind a shredded curtain.

"Little girl?" Leia asked cautiously, then remembered that she finally knew the girl's name now. "Rey?"

Rey stepped out from behind the curtain with a blaster in one of her hands, looking comically large compared to her small form. She wore a Stormtroopers utility belt as a sash, which explained where she got the blaster from. "I'm trying to get back to the Emperor, but there are bad people everywhere. Can you help me?"

The last thing that Leia wanted to do was deal with Palpatine. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep her composure around him anymore and would try to kill him. But she also know she couldn't leave Rey on her own.

"Of course I'll help you." Leia took and squeezed Rey's hand. "You seem surprisingly calm right now. You're not hurt, right?"

Rey shook her head. "The Emperor always said the Force would protect me. Are we going to fight through the bad people?"

"No, no, that won't work. I'll get you to the Emperor later, for now we need to get out of the palace," Leia said, though she didn't know how they'd get out. That is, until she spotted a grappling hook on Rey's stolen belt. "Hey, can I see that?"

With Rey's hand in one of her own and the grappling hook in the other, Leia made her way to a window on the side of the palace opposite from the fair. Only Stormtroopers were on the ground below.

After securing the hook to the window ledge, she turned back to the child. "I need you to get on my back and hold on tight, okay?"

Leia thought the climb down would have been easy, and it might have been if not for Rey on her back. The girl trembled as her fear finally got to her. By the time the two reached the ground, Leia was drenched in sweat, her palms covered in welts from the grappling hook.

She knew that there was no way she could get back to her family's quarters and be reunited with Luke. Even though she was well aware that he could take care of himself, she hated the thought of leaving him.

I'm not going to be able to get to you. Too many protesters. She sent her thoughts to him. After not a moment of consideration, she added I'm leaving Coruscant and joining the Rebellion.

Both Luke's surprise and understanding entered Leia's mind. I wish I could come with you, but I don't want to leave Father here. Please be safe, I love you so, so much. Give Mom a hug for me when you see her.

"Why are you crying?" Rey's asked, looking up at Leia.

"I was just saying goodbye to my brother." Leia quickly wiped the tears she didn't realize were there. "Come on, lets find us a ship."

"Leia's not coming. She had to flee the palace," Luke said to Mara. They both sat on a sofa in the Skywalkers' quarters, after having a better time making it up than Leia did. It was a lot easier to maneuver the palace when they had Artoo scanning where rioters were the whole time.

"She's smarter than we are," Mara said without any sarcasm in her voice. "We should have left and hid with Palpatine in his bunker. Him and Vader will be safe, while the rest of us have to hide and hope the crowd won't make it this far into the palace."

"Vader's not in the bunker with Palpatine." Luke gestured to a closed door that lead to his parents sleeping quarters. "He's in there. You don't feel him?"

Her brow creasing in concentration, Mara reached out with the Force. "That's him in there? He doesn't feel very… I don't know, Darth Vader-y? I sense some darkness, yes, but not like I usually do from him."

Luke nodded, sensing the same thing as her. For the first time since his father truly turned to the dark side, he didn't feel pure anger and hate from Vader. Instead, he sensed sadness and regret. "I'll be right back."

He didn't know if he should knock or not, doubting Vader would let him in if he did. So instead, he just cracked the door open.

Vader was sitting on the edge of his bed, his head bowed. A holoprojector was clutched in his mechanical hand, a still, blue projection of Padmé sitting in his palm. When he heard the door open, he quickly shut the holoprojector off. "Why are you here, Luke?"

Luke opened the door the rest of the way and crossed him arms, a scowl on his face. "I'm sorry if I wanted to check in on my father, even if he is an evil kriffing bastard who doesn't deserve it. In case you hadn't noticed, people are pissed about Alderaan being destroyed. Rioters have broken into the palace."

"I know." Vader's even tone did not at all match Luke's angry one. "They have every right to be angry. What happened to Alderaan was a tragedy."

Shutting the door so Mara couldn't hear, Luke started to raise his voice. "That's real kriffing rich, coming from you. You know what the Emperor did was wrong! You know that something like the Death Star shouldn't exist, yet you did nothing to stop it!"

Vader finally picked up his head to look at his son. "You're right, I didn't do anything to stop it. I honestly believed I didn't have to. As much as I don't like the Rebellion, I thought they would interfere in time and Alderaan would be saved."

"Well, that didn't happen! You could've stood up to Palpatine, yet you didn't!" Luke shouted, tears burning his eyes. "And now millions of people are dead! Bail Organa, who risked his life to help our family, is dead! And stop pretending like you care! I thought you hated the Rebels, so why were you rooting for them? You're a Sith now, remember?"

"How could I have forgotten?" Vader said, getting to his feet. "Maybe I could have done more to stop the Death Star. But you don't understand; I can't just stand up to the Emperor and ask him to stop. He's finally gaining his trust in me and I can't ruin that!"

"So you rather lose the trust of your family, instead?!" Luke shot back. "Because that seems to be your goal! And now Mom is gone because of you," and so is Leia, he almost added, but decided against it. He wanted to give his sister the chance to get far away from Coruscant just in case Vader went after her.

But he didn't have to mention Leia. His father could sense where his thoughts were. "Leia left to join the Rebellion, didn't she?" Vader asked, his eyes darkening.

Hesitantly, Luke nodded. "She left right as the fair was starting. She's long gone by now," he lied.

If Vader sensed the lie, he didn't mention it. Instead, he places his hands on Luke's shoulders. "Maybe it's for the best. We do need all the help we can get. For a while, I was blinded by my master's words. I somehow forgot how evil Palpatine truly is. But what happened on Alderaan can't happen again."

"That's… not a very Sith-like thing to say, Father."

"Well, maybe I was never meant to be a Sith. I lost my way and forgot what was important, what we are fighting for in the first place." Vader, or maybe Anakin, said. "If I ever do start to fall again, I need you to catch me. You're the only one left here who can."

"I will, Father," Luke's voice cracked slightly. "But won't the Emperor sense that you're not using the dark side?"

Anakin nodded. "If I stay around him, probably. But he is planning on staying on the Death Star, while I'll be on my new flagship, the Executer."

"And where will I be?"

"You'll be on my ship. I'll give you an officer position, just as a formality so you have some actual political power. Of course, that's only when you're not off on missions." He gave his son a smile. "But for now, stay home. You'll well protected from the rioters in this part of the palace, and it won't be long before things start to calm down."

"I will," Luke said before leaving his father alone.

In the sitting room, Mara read a news report on her datapad. "The galaxy is already reacting very poorly to the Death Star, no surprise there. How's Vader?"

"He's good. Better than he has been in a while, actually." Luke said, before sending a thought to Leia, wherever she was. I think our Father is back.

I think our Father is back. Leia heard Luke's voice in her mind, along with some of his happiness, though she didn't respond. She was too busy wandering through an underworld cantina with a child under her arm.

After fleeing to Coruscant's lower layers, she and Rey found some old, shabby robes to blend in with, hoods pulled over their heads. People weren't fond of the Empire down here, especially not now, and Leia didn't want being Imperials to harm their chances of finding a ride off planet.

She scanned the cantina, trying to let the Force guide her to an independent pilot or smuggler, maybe one looking for easy credits. After some consideration and a lot of hoping that the Force wouldn't let her down, she approached a shaggy human male with an even shaggier Wookiee sitting at his side.

Chapter Text

"It stinks in here," Rey said, crinkling her nose. "It smells like a dirty dog."

"That is the smell of Wookiee. I'm sure you'll get used to it." Leia smirked, though she couldn't help but silently agree.

The two of them sat alone in the main hold of a YT freighter while the human and the Wookiee they met, Han Solo and Chewbacca, launched the ship into hyperspace. It didn't matter how much the ship smelled like a Wookiee, Leia just wanted to get to Yavin IV as soon as possible. She had even agreed to pay the smuggler extra for no questions asked.

To say she was weary of the Millennium Falcon at first was an understatement. While she had always admired the beauty of Corellian ships, including the YT series, this particular ship had so many modifications without the consideration of appearance, it now looked like it was built using parts from a junkyard.

But Han, the pilot, claimed the ship was reliable and fast, using some line about a Kessel Run to back up his claim. Now, as the starlines of hyperspace flew past the viewport, Leia was starting to believe him. Maybe the ship was more impressive than she originally thought.

Rey rested her head on the backrest behind her. "I don't feel good. My shoulder hurts."

Leia looked at the shoulder Rey gestured to, gently pulling up the girl's sleeve. The otherwise pale skin on her shoulder was dark with blotches of blue and purple, the joint swollen to almost twice its usual size.

"It looks like it was dislocated recently," Leia said, her eyes wide. She carefully pushed on the shoulder, making sure the joint was back in its socket. "Do you remember when you hurt it? Was it when we escaped the palace?"

"No," Rey pushed her sleeve back down, a spike in anxiety radiating from her. "It was before that, I think."

"Before that?" Leia thought for a moment. Her next guess would have been Rey somehow getting hurt by the rioters, but if that were the case, she'd have way more injuries than a dislocated shoulder. "Did Palpatine do this?"

Looking into her lap, Rey gave a small nod. "I told him that I didn't want to be some Imperial princess. I told him I don't want to use the dark side. He… got mad."

Instinctively, Leia rested her hand on the girl's head. She had to keep herself from shaking from her anger towards the Emperor. "When we get to the Rebel Base, we'll have someone make sure your shoulder is okay. For now, close your eyes for a little while. You've had a long day and probably need the rest."

As soon as the girl closed her eyes and rested her head on the table, Han and Chewbacca emerged from the cockpit and sat across from Leia, who was starting to think the bad smell came from the human rather than the Wookiee.

"We should be arriving at the Yavin system in three days," Han said, crossing a leg over his knee. "Not that I have any damn clue why you'd want to go there. The system isn't exactly known for having any civilizations." As he spoke, his hazel eyes flickered to the sleeping girl, clearly wanting to ask a question he wasn't supposed to.

Leia noticed how he looked at Rey. "If you even think about hurting her, I will cut off your hands."

"Oh, don't get cranky, sweetheart." Han scoffed, though he still had a lopsided grin on his face. "I just happened to notice that the kid looks a whole lot like that granddaughter of the Emperor. You know, the one that was just paraded around a fair for spectacle."

"You don't seem like the kind of person to be in the crowds of the Imperial Fair."

"Trust me, I'm not. Politics aren't really my thing." Han motioned to Chewbacca. "But Chewie here knew that a bunch of enslaved Wookiees would be at the fair, so we swung by to try to free some of them."

Looking at the Wookiee, Leia's expression softened as she felt sympathetic towards him. "Were you successful?"

Chewie let out a sad roar. Even if Leia didn't understand Shyriiwook, it was easy to guess his answer.

"I'm sorry," she said to him. "The Empire's treatment of Wookiees has been abhorrent."

"You are traveling with an Imperial princess," Han pointed out. "Are you not an Imperial, yourself?"

"No!" Leia said quickly. "I mean, technically I am, but only because I am the child of Darth Vader. As you may have noticed, I'm trying to escape the Empire."

Han just stared at her for several seconds, his mouth hanging ajar. He decided to move past the bombshell she just dropped on him. "So you're kidnapping the kid?"

Leia pressed her lips into a straight line. Was she kidnapping Rey? It's not like the girl hadn't come with her willingly. "I am getting her to safety. I've seen how the Emperor treats her, and it's not pretty. He doesn't really care about her. And what happened to no questions asked? It's what I'm paying you an extra five thousand credits for."

Han shrugged. "You can't blame a guy for being curious. I've been doing this smuggling thing for a while and you hear a lot of rumors in the business. Some of them involve a Rebel base on one of the Yavin moons, which happens to be where your heading."

Shaking his head, Chewie gave a short roar to his partner.

"Hey, I'm not accusing anyone of anything!" Han laughed. "And even if I was, it's not like I have any love for the Empire. Who am I to care if someone is a Rebel?"

Leia couldn't figure out how much she could trust Han. She didn't like how he called her 'sweetheart', or the way he occasionally stared at her body. His attitude was too cocky for her liking and she could practically hear her mother's voice in her head, warning her to stay away from him. But he couldn't have been all bad, could he? Despite clearly being attracted to her, he kept his hands to himself, which she couldn't say for a lot of men. He also could've turned them in to the Empire and probably get a far bigger reward than what she was going to pay him for the trip.

"Right, because all smugglers care about is credits," she responded. "You really don't care at all about the war that's going on or the atrocities the Empire has committed?"

Han shook his head. "I don't pay attention to the war or politics as a whole. I only care about what affects me and my work, which does include the increase in surveillance, and the oppression of non-humans. I was an Imperial cadet for a few years before defecting, so I'm far from oblivious to how bad the Empire can be. But I also think the Rebellion is crazy for thinking they could take it down."

"You just said that you were only on Coruscant to free enslaved Wookiees," Leia said. She refused to back down. "It may be only one mission to you that makes only a small impact, but that's exactly what the Rebellion does. They just focus on one mission at a time. Yes, the end goal is to defeat the Empire entirely, but they also think it's just as important to save whatever lives they can, especially now that the Death Star is threatening the galaxy."

"Thanks for reminding me about that thing," Han muttered, his expression quickly darkening. It was clear the destruction of Alderaan was a shock, even to someone 'apolitical' like him. "If anything, the Rebels attacking a planet killing machine only proves how foolish they are."

Rolling her eyes, Leia leaned her head against the back of the seat, suddenly aware of how exhausted she felt. The past few days had pushed her to her mental limit, and the effects were catching up to her. "I rather die a fool trying to save people, than live and be ignorant or compliant to such evil, wouldn't you?"

On the bridge of the Executor, Stormtroopers and other subordinates saluted to Luke as he walked by. It made him feel weird, especially knowing he did nothing to earn his new title. He officially was a commander, though didn't have the same duties as others of his rank. There was no single fleet he was in command of, though everyone on the ship was recommended to listen to him, knowing who he was the son of. He also had the freedom to leave the Super Star Destroyer whenever he liked, mostly to go on missions assigned by either his father or the Emperor.

Anakin stood in front of a viewport on the far end of the bridge, watching TIE fighters return from a mission to scout the area where Alderaan used to be, searching for any survivors. He had just gotten the reports that they found no one.

If the Emperor knew of this mission, he would most certainly disapprove. But thankfully he was on the Death Star, lightyears away. Anakin was as free as he could be in his position.

Even though they've only been off of Coruscant for a couple of days, Luke had already noticed a change in his father. Anakin's mood was much better and he seemed more relaxed. Part of it was the fact he wasn't using the dark side anymore, but a lot of it was also being away from Palpatine. All of Luke's life, he had been aware that Anakin had a reputation among other Imperials to be moody and intimidating. Now, he jokes around with his subordinates (much to their initial confusion), and praises them frequently. Already, the crew of the Executer had started to respect him more.

"You wanted to speak to me, Father?" Luke asked in a quiet voice, keenly aware of how out in the open they were.

"I have a mission for you," Anakin nodded. "Have you ever heard of the planet Tanalorr?"

"I think so. It's in the Outer Rim, right?"

"Correct. You are to go there and search for any signs of Rebel activity, letting the Force guide you to where you're needed most. There is no hurry, so be sure to take your time and stay there for as long as you need. You are to report to me and only me." He nudged his son with his elbow. "Do you think you can handle it?"

Luke crinkled his nose in confusion, trying to read between the lines. He guessed Anakin wanted more than for him to just search for signs of Rebels. "Tanalorr is inside a nebula, right? It will be hard to get there; can I take someone with me?"

"No," Anakin said firmly. "It's important that you go alone. You're a good pilot, Luke; I know you can handle yourself. Like I said, just let the Force guide you."

"I understand, Father," Luke said, even though he did not really understand. Still, he would do as he was told and trust in the Force.

"Good." Anakin's expression turned to one of a mix of sadness and concern. "Have you heard from your mother or sister at all?"

"I have. Leia's almost at her destination." Luke mumbles his answer so the other Imperials nearby couldn't hear if they tried. "She should be arriving tomorrow. I haven't heard from Mom since the day of the fair."

"Before you leave for your mission, I need you to contact Leia and tell her to stay hidden with the Rebellion. When she left, she took the Emperor's granddaughter with her, which was caught by several cam droids around Monument Plaza. The Emperor thinks she's kidnapping the kid for the Rebels, so if she's caught, she'll surely be executed."

Luke's eyes widened. "She kidnapped the girl?!"

"I did not kidnap Rey!" Leia exclaimed into her comlink, squeezing the device hard enough for her knuckles to turn white. "I was saving her from the riots and she came with me willingly."

"I'm just telling you what Palpatine believes," Luke responded calmly, though she could still tell that her brother was anxious for her. "Father said you and Rey should stay hidden with the Rebels, just to be safe."

Leia scowled. "And why would I listen to him?"

"I already told you, he turned back to the light and isn't using the dark side at all anymore. I think what happened to Alderaan, combined with all of the Emperor's secrets and distrust in him, made him turn back." He paused. "I still sense distrust in you."

"No kriffing kidding!" She didn't try to conceal her anger towards not just her father, but her brother for being too trusting. "I mean, forgive me for not wanting to move on from the fact that he tried to kill our mother. He's been tainted by the dark side once, so it's not unlikely for him to fall again. I will keep Rey and I in hiding, but because I think it's the best thing to do, not because he told me so."

"I understand," Luke sighed. "Listen, I'm going on a solo mission to Tanalorr soon, so you might not hear from me for a while."

"Tanalorr? Wait, you're going alone?" Leia frowned. "Luke, Tanalorr is inside a Nebula; you shouldn't be going without someone else, preferably another skilled pilot."

"Father insisted I go alone. I'll consider taking someone with me, just to be safe anyway, but no promises," Luke said. "Listen, I need to arrange things for my departure. Stay safe, okay? And may the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you," Leia said back before ending the transmission.

She looked down at Rey, who was still asleep, curled up on the bench. The girl looked so peaceful, but Leia wanted to talk to her while their company was away in the cockpit. "Hey, kiddo. It's time to wake up."

Rey's eyes slowly fluttered open and she sat up, groaning from the pain of her healing shoulder. "Are we there yet?"

"No, not yet. We still have a few hours, but we need to talk." Leia carefully considered how she'd phrase her question without upsetting the girl. "How badly do you want to go back to the Emperor?"

"I have to," Rey frowned. "I'm supposed to lead the Empire one day."

"I know that's what he told you, but you already told me that you don't want to lead the Empire." Leia looked at Rey's cheek, where a hint of a yellow bruise remained from Palpatine laying a hand on her. "I know he hurts you, and I'm not just talking about him dislocating your shoulder. You're a smart kid, smart enough to know he doesn't really care about you. Where are your parents, do you know?"

"They're dead." Rey wrapped her arms around her folded legs, rocking back and forth. "They died protecting me from a bounty hunter the Emperor hired to take me. I have no where to go but back to my grandfather."

Leia wrapped her arms around the distressed child. "That's not true. You can stay with me and the Rebellion. I'll make sure you never have to see that piece of bantha poodoo ever again."

Rey stopped rocking just long enough to let out a giggle. "You said a bad word."

All of the sudden there was a loud crash, the ship shaking. "Stay here, Rey!" Leia quickly jumped to her feet and ran to the cockpit.

Han scowled upon seeing her, though his eyes remained on the space in front of them, currently occupied by a Star Destroyer. "Chewie, tell our female company that we don't need her expert opinion right now."

Chewbacca was smart enough to tell Leia no such thing.

"What do they want?" She asked, not knowing why the ship would be wandering the Mid Rim in the first place.

"They want to poke their noses in our business," Han responded, before pushing the button to talk to the Star Destroyer. "Relentless, this is the Millennium Falcon. We were just going to continue on the Hydian Way, before you decided to pull us out of hyperspace."

The Star Destroyer, The Relentless, responded immediately. "We need to do some routine checks, Millennium Falcon; Rebels have been swarming this area recently. What's your cargo and destination?"

"Can't you tell them something to get them to kriff off?" Han said, looking back at Leia.

She shrugged. "What happened to not needing my expert opinion? And no, I can't. I just got word that the Empire has footage of me leaving the Imperial Palace with Rey, and thinks I'm kidnapping her on behalf of the Rebellion. I'm officially an enemy of the Empire."

"Great, just great. Chewie, get ready to make a break for it." Han mumbled, turning on the comlink again. "My cargo is just four passengers, that's all. I'm taking the family out on a vacation to the Imynusph system." The lie came easily to him.

The Relentless took several minutes to respond. "We're going to have to board your ship, just to make-"

Before the Imperial could even finish their sentence, Han made the Falcon bolt the other way. Several TIE fighters emerged from the Star Destroyer, following and shooting at them.

"Can you shoot a canon?" Han asked Leia. But before she even had a chance to nod, he waved her away. "The ladder to the belly cannon is right around the corner. Get to it."

Leia quickly made her way to the belly turret, trying to ignore how claustrophobic the small turret felt, even if she was surrounded by transparisteel. After taking a few seconds to learn how to maneuver the cannon, she started shooting at TIEs.

The Falcon flipped through space, dodging every shot taken at them. Leia was able to take down a few TIEs, trying not to think about how she had been on the same side as those pilots just days before.

"Han, there's more coming!" Leia yelled out when she saw more TIEs replacing the ones she shot down. "We need to get our of here!"

"They won't give us time to jump to hyperspace!" Han shouted back.

Biting her lip in concentration, Leia continued to shoot at the fighters. So many ships flew at her at once, she became afraid that one might crash into the Falcon. Most of her field of vision was shiny black metal and green canon lasers. But she kept shooting, the seat underneath her growing hotter and hotter.

Then, her canon stopped shooting. She scrambled back up to the main part of the ship and into the cockpit. "The canon overheated. Unless you want to die, I suggest thinking of a new plan besides shooting and running."

"What other options do we have!?" Han clenched the yoke hard enough for the material to groan in protest.

Suddenly, the TIEs ambushing them start to explode one by one. X-Wings suddenly surrounded the Falcon while they dealt with the Empire. "Red Three to the Millennium Falcon. Do you need help with these Imps?"

Leia leaned forward over Han's shoulder to talk into the ship's comm. "Red Three, this is Leia Skywalker. I'm trying to defect from the Empire and could definitely use some help."

"So you're the Leia Skywalker we all keep hearing about. I thought you'd be making your way to our part of the galaxy soon," Red Three, which Leia remembered as Wedge Antilles, responded with a smile in his voice. "You're mother will be happy to see you again, that's for sure. My squadron and I will fly alongside you the rest of the way to base, just in case any more pesky Imps decide to show up."

"We don't need-" Han started to say, but Leia clamped a hand over his mouth.

"That would be great, Wedge. Thank you."

Luke sat on his bed in his new room, staring at the comlink sitting in front of him. The officer quarters on the Executer were smaller than what he was used to on Coruscant, but he found that he didn't really mind. He appreciated the coziness of his new space, especially aboard such a huge Star Destroyer.

Artoo beeped out a question as he watched his master.

"I don't know if I should call her," Luke said, still staring at the comm. "Father said I need to go on this mission alone, but I've never been on a solo mission before, and one where I have to fly through a dangerous nebula is not the best start."

The astromech gave a doubting response, knowing full well that's not the reason why Luke is afraid to make the call.

"I'm not afraid," Luke rolled him eyes, though he couldn't help but smile at the droid's sass. "But she might be on another mission, or just busy, or maybe she doesn't want to see me at all, or- hey!"

Artoo used his retractable arm to snatch the comlink and pull it into his cylindrical body, already dialing in the right private frequency.

After a few moments, Mara's muffled voice came from the device inside the droid's shell. "Hello?"

Shooting Artoo a dirty look, Luke stumbled over his words. "Hi, Mara. I- um, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. I didn't mean to call you, my droid made me, but, um…"

"Well maybe you should let your droid speak, since he clearly has a better functioning brain than you do right now," Mara snickered. "Spit it out, Skywalker."

Luke's cheeks turned pink. "Sorry. Vader just gave me my first solo mission, but I think it would be foolish for me to go alone. I'm supposed to search for Rebel-like activity on Tanalorr. The mission, itself is going to be easy. It's the getting there that might be dangerous."

"I've heard about Tanalorr, and about the graveyard it's in. Even the best pilots get their ships pulled apart by the Koboh Abyss. You're right, you shouldn't try to navigate it alone."

"So you'll help me?"

"Maybe," Mara said, though it was clear by her tone that she had already made up her mind. "Only if you pay for any damages to my ship from that nebula. And you'll definitely be owing me a huge favor, Luke."

"I'd expect nothing less," Luke said, dwelling on the fact that she'd just used his given name for the first time.

The rest of the trip to Yavin IV was surprisingly uneventful.

"Everything's so green!" Rey smiled, looking out the cockpit at the endless stretch of forest as they landed. "I didn't know there was this much green in the entire galaxy!"

Chewbacca softly chuckled before roaring out a short question, which Han translated. "What, have you never been anywhere Coruscant before?"

"Before Coruscant I lived on Jakku, but that was a desert planet." The girl turned and looked up at Leia, who was pacing the cockpit, itching to get out and stand on solid land. "I live here now?"

"For the time being," Leia responded as the Falcon landed in a ship hanger, deep inside one of stone temples the the Rebels used as a base. "Come on, lets go meet everyone."

There was no big welcome party outside of the ship. Instead, one lone protocol droid excitedly approached them. "Mistress Leia, how good it is to see you again! Come quick, everyone has been waiting for you."

Leia was surprised at how revealed she was to see the family protocol droid. Threepio practically helped raised her and Luke, and the past weeks had been too quiet without him around. Taking Rey's hand, she followed the droid with Han and Chewie following behind her.

See-Threepio was not exaggerating when he said 'everyone' was waiting for her. When she walked into the debriefing room with at least a hundred other people inside, everyone broke into a loud cheer, happy that she has arrived safely.

But Leia didn't care about any of them. She only cared about her mother, who she immediately ran to and embraced. "Mom!"

Padmé hugged her daughter tightly in return. "I heard you ran into some trouble on the way here. Good thing Red Squadron was around to help out."

"They were a huge help," Leia nodded. Realizing everyone was watching, she let go of her mother and motioned to the girl. "This is Rey."

"The Emperor's granddaughter," a Mon Calamari in a General's uniform interjected. "The Holonet won't stop talking about how the daughter of Vader kidnapped the heir to the Empire."

"She came with me of her own accord."

"You still brought evil here!" Someone else shouted from the back of the room.

"She is not evil." Leia shot back. She took a step aside so everyone could take a good look at the little girl. "She is a six year old child who did not ask to be born, and especially did not ask to be a Palpatine. Do you see that faint bruise on her face? The Emperor did that. He is as cruel to her as he is to everyone else. And while she doesn't have an evil bone in her body, she is extremely powerful in the Force, even if she can't control it yet. And I much rather a Jedi teach her to control it then a Sith."

The room fell silent. Eventually Mon Mothma stepped forward. "Nobody is doubting you did what you thought was right, Leia. We are all just worried the added tension this ordeal has brought on. But personally, I am happy you brought her here. As Rebels, we protect those who are vulnerable to the Empire. Whose more vulnerable than a child the Emperor, himself is trying to groom?"

After Mon dismissed the meeting, people slowly started to clear out as Padmé pulled Rey aside to speak to her. Leia was about to leave when she saw Han by the door, leaning against the wall.

"Why are you still here? Didn't the Alliance pay you and give you clearance to leave?"

"They did," Han shrugged. "But someone from that Red Squadron took note of my flying and put in a good word for me, and now the Alliance wants to recruit me. They honestly think they can keep someone like me tied down."

"How foolish of them," Leia said sarcastically. "The Alliance could use your flying skills, but could never afford to keep paying you, and stars forbid you'd work for free. So why are you still here, Han?"

"The Falcon's shields are shot and the hyperdrive is on the fritz. Chewie's working on them right now, but who knows how long it would be. Besides, it doesn't hurt to stick around for a few days and make sure you and the kid settle in okay."

Leia raised her eyebrows, trying not to smile. It was clear by his unsure that Han cared a lot more than he let on. "I'll see you around then, Solo."

Chapter Text

"I don't care if it's purely cosmetic, either. Even if the paint is scratched, you're paying to fix it," Mara said, talking with her left hand, her right stabilizing the Jade's Fire's yoke as they dropped out of hyperspace. "The Emperor doesn't give me nearly as big of an allowance for ship maintenance than he used to."

"I already told you that I'd pay for any damages," Luke said, shifting his weight in the copilot seat. He'd been jittery the whole flight, his nerves surrounding this mission finally getting to him.

Other than the vague directive from his father to 'search for Rebel activity', which could have meant anything, he had no idea why he needed to go to Tanalorr. Anakin said the Force would guide Luke once he was there, but that didn't help him prepare in the present. He could only guess that this mission had something to do with either his Jedi training or helping the Rebellion, or else Anakin would have been more specific in his instructions.

Thankfully, Mara hadn't asked too many questions about the mission. If he was going to Tanalorr for Jedi or Rebel stuff, then he needed to keep her far away from all of it. Despite the many holes forming in her loyalty to the Empire, he didn't believe she could be trusted with the truth about his family and where their own loyalties lied.

"If you're so worried about your ship, then why'd you volunteer to come with me?" Luke asked.

"Because of that thing." Mara nodded her head to the clouds of blues and oranges that the ship was flying towards. "The Koboh Abyss is known for being a graveyard. You need either a special compass or the Force and a damn good ship to get through. You may have the Force, but you'd be lost without the Fire's navigation system."

"And to think this was supposed to be my first solo mission," Luke sighed, crossing his arms. He wished Artoo was there to help them. He wanted to take the droid, but Artoo was busy updating himself so he was capable of more dangerous missions in the future.

"Which also makes me suspicious, if not of Vader himself, then of his parenting abilities." Mara turned in her seat to fully face Luke. "This would be a dangerous mission for any seasoned pilots, even if they were Force sensitive. So why the hell would Darth Vader send his nineteen year old son out, especially when this mission is supposed to be just a simple sweep for Rebels? Unless you are keeping something from me, this doesn't add up."

Luke shrugged. "I told you my exact instructions. And while I do often doubt my father's parenting abilities, I do think he sent me here for a good reason. I just have to trust the Force to find out what that reason is."

"Well, we're about to do a lot of trusting in the Force," Mara said, guiding the ship into the first clouds of the nebula, wisps of blue starting to cloud the viewport.

Besides their vision being disrupted, there was no other initial signs that they were in the Kobah Abyss. Once through the outermost cloud of gas, everything around them turned a light pink. It's like they flew into an infinitely large room made of pastel clouds, with an occasional bolt of light stabbing through space in the distance.

Luke found himself leaning forward in his seat, his eyes huge. "It's beautiful," he muttered.

But he spoke too soon. A bolt of lightening struck too close to the Jade's Fire, setting off several alarms, all yelling at them to go back.

"Beautiful as a rancor's nest," Mara said, working quickly to stabilize her ship while steering through the nebula. The wreckage from fallen ships were getting to be denser and were becoming a major obstacle. "Keep the ship stabilized, Skywalker, I need to focus on navigating."

Luke nodded, quieting down alarms as they started to sound. Meanwhile, Mara closed her eyes, relying on only the Force for guide her through the wreckage, lightning, and dangerous masses of gas. The ship lurched and jerked around, its course seemingly random. But Luke trusted his friend on getting them through it.

The Fire hit a large chunk of metal, making a loud clang and almost throwing its passengers from their seats. More alarms went off, warning that the ship can't take much more. The metal hull creaked from the unstable gravity outside.

"Mara, I think we should abort," Luke said, giving her a pleading look.

"I—" Mara started to say. Her teeth were clenched as sweat dripped down her face. When she opened her eyes, Luke saw no fear in them, only determination. "I can do this!"

Another piece of debris hit the ship, sending Luke to the floor. He wasn't even aware of his head hitting the dashboard at first, even when spots filled his vision.

Their was a muffled voice yelling at him, then a hand yanking him up by the shoulder.

"W-What?" He mumbled, wiping at the blood dripping down his face.

"I said get up!" Mara said again, her voice clear this time. With one hand still on the yoke, she helped him back into his seat. "Listen, we're in big trouble. That last hit knocked out our shields and our life support. The nebula's gravity is trying to rip the ship apart, and even if it doesn't, we have less than an hour until we're out of air."

Luke saw the various warnings on the dimly lit screens in front of him, confirming what Mara said. The cockpit was only lit by red emergency lights and random flashes of lightening, so it was hard to even see his companion. So it could have his imagination when he saw the fear on Mara's face, something he didn't know she was capable of feeling.

"We could try jumping to hyperspace," he finally said, blinking the spots out of his vision. "Then we don't have to deal with the lightening or the debris, and we'll be at Tanalorr in minutes."

"Oh, I know you've lost it now, Skywalker," Mara shook her head. "We can't just jump into hyperspace blind! And even if we could, the ship won't make it in one piece!"

"We're not jumping blind," Luke said. "We have the Force."

He did a quick test, using the Force to pull the external walls of the ship inwards. They made a loud creak to object, but it was enough to keep the ship a stable for a short amount of time.

"I'll keep the ship together while you make a quick jump in and out of hyperspace. We should be able to make it," Luke said, not sure of his own words.

"Fine," Mara sighed, knowing they were out of options. She closed her eyes again, her hand hovering over the hyperspace switch, focusing only on the Force.

"I'm one with the Force, the Force is with me," Luke whispered to himself. It was an old mantra his father taught him long ago, but he still found himself relying on it to focus in times like this. The ship around them screamed from its damages, but stayed in one piece due to Luke holding it together. "I'm one with the Force, and the Force is with me."

"I'm one with the Force, and the Force is with me," Mara repeated a few times, then pulled the switch. The ship shot into hyperspace.

They were in only in hyperspace for all of three minutes, but it was longest three minutes of Luke's life. His body ached as he used all of his energy to keep the cockpit sealed with the Force. He was so focused on his own task, he didn't notice at first when Mara dropped out of hyperspace into the eye of the nebula.

"You can let go, Luke," Mara said. The center of the donut-shaped Koboh Abyss was a still pocket of space, no more dangerous than anywhere else in the galaxy. The erratic gravity of the nebula is no longer their to tear the ship apart.

Luke slumped in his seat when he let go, letting out a sigh of relief. "So that's it," He nodded to the lone planet in front of them. "Tanalorr."

"Hopefully I can find a junkyard down there," Mara said, looking equally relieved as she carefully flew to the planet. "I don't know if the spare parts I keep in my on-board will be enough."

"We'll see if comms work once we land, so we know if we can all for help," Luke replied. "Good job, back there, by the way. That was some flying."

Mara shrugged. "That was nothing. I should be applauding you for being able to keep us alive long enough to get here." She paused. "That saying you were repeating, 'I'm one with the Force, the Force is with me', where did you hear it?"

Luke had to think for a moment. "It was a saying my father taught me and Leia when we were young. It's something that has always helped me with my connection to the Force."

"It's a Jedi saying," she said, raising her eyebrows at him. "Or it was, until the Emperor wiped out them and their history. I only ever heard of it while looking through an old Jedi book I was supposed to destroy."

"Jedi book?" Luke tried to act nonchalant. "I mean, I guess that explains why my father knew about it. But why were you reading a Jedi book?"

"I found it on a mission. Like I said, I was supposed to destroy the book without even opening it, but it was a boring trip home." Mara looked at Luke in silence for a while, waiting for a better explanation from him. "Why would a Sith be teaching his children to use a Jedi proverb?"

"It's really not a big deal. It's just an old phrase to help me focus, that's all," Luke said sternly. "Now, can we drop it? We need to figure out how to land."

"Fine. We'll drop it, for now," Mara said. "And we are going to land the old fashioned way from before ships had landing gears— by crashing."

And crash they did.

As they half flew, half fell into Tanalorr's atmosphere, Luke felt how strong the Force was on the planet. He knew some places served a hot spot in the Force, but didn't realize that this was one of them.

The ship crashed into an ocean shore as gracefully as it could, thanks to Mara's flying. Water quickly covered the cockpit floor and rose at an alarming pace.

"Take only what you need!" Luke said, springing up out of his seat. He grabbed his lightsaber utility belt, a bag of rations, and Mara's arm, then climbed out of the ship, swimming the short distance to the shore.

"I love starting missions soaking wet," He said sarcastically, looking around. Tanalorr was a stunning terrestrial world decorated with pink and purple flora. Right around them was rocky, but he could spot grassy fields in the distance. The whole planet was seemingly untouched by civilization, if not for the towering temple in the distance.

Mara didn't respond. She was busy looking towards the water, where what was left of the Jade's Fire was sinking, hugging herself and rocking on her feet.

"Hey, it will be okay," Luke wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'll get you a new ship when we're done with the mission."

"I don't want a new ship, I want that ship!" Mara snapped. "The Jade's Fire was my home! In a job where I'm running around the galaxy and no day is the same, that was my only sense of stability. It's the only thing or person that has ever made me feel safe!"

Not wanting to say the wrong thing, Luke just nodded. He had nothing to say that would comfort her, he always had his family to make him feel safe. But now, he was on a strange planet, far away from any of his family. Despite being on a planet that looked like a peaceful paradise, they both felt far from safe. So all her could do was wrap him arms around her as she mourned.

Leia sat on the edge of a hovering medical bed, separated by the medical bay's other patients by only a curtain. She didn't expect the Rebel Alliance to have much of the latest in medical technology inside their Yavin IV base, but was pleasantly surprised. When she took Rey in to get the child's injured shoulder checked out, an Emdee droid took good care of her immediately.

"It's still sore," Rey complained, swinging the bandaged arm around.

"It was dislocated," Leia said, stilling the girl's arm. "It's going to be sore, especially if you don't rest it."

"I know." Rey hopped out of bed and opened the curtain. She walked quickly past the patients, Leia following behind her, and out of the medbay. "There's so many aliens in the Alliance."

"There's a lot of aliens in the galaxy," Leia corrected, giving an awkward smile to a Bith who happened to be walking by. "You're just not used to seeing them."

"Because my grandfather is bad to them," Rey said. "I don't know why he doesn't like aliens. All the ones I met have been nice, like Chewbacca!"

"Palpatine believes that humans are inherently better than non-humans," Leia explained. "Even though there is no truth in what he thinks, that bigotry is what a lot of the Empire's laws are built around. Some species, like Chewbacca's, are targeted specifically and are forced into slavery."

"I don't get it." Rey stopped walking. "The Force makes me feel people. It makes me feel when people are in pain, as if I were in pain. If the Emperor can feel people's pain through the Force, how does he keep hurting people?"

"Because pain fuels the dark side. People's pain is what gives him power," Leia said, guiding the girl through the halls of the barracks. "And he's just an evil person to begin with."

Tears formed in the girl's eyes. "I don't want to be evil like him."

"Don't worry, you won't be."

Leia opened the door to a tiny bunk room where both of their belongings were waiting for them. "Here's where we will be staying. It's not much, but I'm sure it's getter than your closet back home. I hope you don't mind sharing a room with me." It was either that, or have Rey room with a complete stranger, which Leia absolutely wasn't comfortable with.

"A bunk bed!" Rey beamed and ran inside, immediately climbing to the top bunk. "I love it!"

"Don't get settled in quite yet," Leia said, unable to stop herself from smiling at the child. "We have to talk to someone very important first."

A few minutes later Padmé walked in and sat down in the single chair across from the bunk bed, offering her daughter a small smile.

In the short time Leia had been with the Alliance, she had been able to tell how different her mother seemed. Even in a high stress environment like the base, Padmé seemed happier and lighter. She smiled more and didn't act like she was being held hostage, which was how she often felt as the wife of Darth Vader.

"Hi Rey," Padmé smiled at the little girl. "I've heard a lot about you. The people in charge here won't stop talking about you."

"Are you going to send me back to the Emperor?" Rey asked.

When Padmé didn't immediately respond, Leia did instead, jumping on the top bunk and wrapping her arm around the girl. "No, of course not."

"Most likely, no," Padmé finally said. "I'm doing everything I can to convince everyone that you should stay, I really am. It's just that you being here brings a lot of unnecessary risks and raises some ethical questions about if this is really kidnapping. There's also a few people who are worried about you being directly related to someone so dangerous."

"But none of that should matter!" Leia said, squeezing the girl just a little tighter. "His granddaughter or not, being raised by Palpatine is something no child should have to go through. He abuses her, Mom. Her being here is risky, but it's not only saving her, but saving the galaxy from whatever Palpatine wants to make out of her."

"I want to be a good person," Rey quietly added. "Please, don't make me go back."

Padmé sighed, her expression softening when she saw just how much Leia cared for Rey. "I'm going to try to convince everyone to let you stay. It just might take a little while. Leia, can I talk to you alone for a moment?"

Nodding, Leia slid off the bunk and followed her mother outside the bunk room. "Whatever you say won't change my mind. That girl is staying here."

"And I'm not trying to convince you otherwise. This has to do with our family," Padmé said. "I think we should cut ties with the Empire, all together."

"By 'we', you mean Father and Luke."

"They're the only two left," Padmé shrugged. "I know by cutting the act we lose any ability to get information and change things from the inside. But at this point, I think it's worth it. We can all make a lot more of a difference here rather than with the Empire. And I don't want to risk your father falling to the dark side again."

Leia didn't even pretend to think about her mother's words. She was ready to cut ties with the Empire since she was a child. "How do we convince them to leave?"

"I'm pretty sure the mission Luke is on will definitely sway him. It's Anakin that I'm not too sure about." Padmé sighed. "It's not that easy to call a family meeting to talk about this sort of thing, anymore."

"I do miss everyone being in one place," Leia nodded. "But I'll talk to Luke when he completes his mission. I think if there is one person who could convince Father to leave that shriveled up scrotum of an Emperor, it's him."

Padmé laughed lightly. "Thank you, Leia. And while your waiting to talk to him, that handsome, rugged pilot of yours has been looking for you."

Leia huffed. "Just great. What does he want now?"

"I don't think there is a single Rebel on this planet," Mara said, threading her fingers through the sandy ground. They were both laying on the beach, waiting for the sun in the purple sky to dry them off before start exploring. "But if we had to choose a place to start looking, then I'd start with the Jedi temple over there."

Luke looked behind them at the temple. It was on an island in the middle of the body of water they crashed it, taking up the entirety of the small area of land. "How do you know it's a Jedi temple?" He played dumb. It was obvious from the way the light side of the Force swirled around the building that it used to serve the Jedi.

"I did research about this place before we came here. It was a Jedi who discovered this planet in the first place. The temple remained active for years, until it was attacked by the Nihil, who were an anarchist active during the High Republic."

"So I guess we'll be finding a lot of skeletons in there," Luke said, barely paying attention to what Mara was saying. He was already fully planning on exploring the Jedi temple, but was going to tell Mara to stay with the ship, just in case the mission required him outing himself as a Jedi or Rebel. Now, there was no ship for her to wait with.

His eyes landed on her again, not being able to help notice the way her red hair was illuminated by the sun, or how rosy her face looked against the purple landscape. She truly was one of the most beautiful woman he'd ever met, not that he could ever tell her that.

"Luke Skywalker?" They heard a voice behind them, causing them both to jump up to their feet and get their weapons out. They were both so tired already, so neither initially sensed the man who approached them.

"Who are you?" Luke asked, both his and Mara's lightsabers ignited. "How do you know my name?"

The man held up both hands in a surrendering gesture, taking a step backwards. He was Luke's senior by about a decade and looked oddly put together given he was on an abandoned planet. His clothes, mostly hidden beneath a beige poncho, looked old but in good condition and his red hair looked like it was recently trimmed. A two-legged BD explorer droid was perched atop his shoulder, beeping cautiously at the strangers.

"Don't mind him," the man nodded at the small droid. "Beedee One gets nervous around new people, even if I already told him you would be here." He eyed Mara. "Though I was informed that only one Luke Skywalker, and maybe an astromech droid, would be coming."

"The astromech had better things to do," Luke said, moving in front of Mara. "And it was too risky to get through the nebula alone, so I brought a plus one. This is Mara Jade."

"I'm the Emperor's Hand," Mara added quickly, her eyes narrowing at the stranger. "Our mission is to hunt down any Rebels here, so I'd go and mind your own business if I were you.

"Right, the Skywalkers are posing as Imperials. I heard about that," the man frowned. "Well, we all do what we have to in order to survive, I guess." He looked at Luke. "And I'm guessing your father didn't explain to you the real reason why you're here?"

"No, he hasn't. But you still haven't told us who you are," Luke said, lowering his lightsaber. Mara kept her own blade raised in front of her.

"My name is Cal Kestis and I'm a Jedi, just like you." As if to prove himself, the man lifted his poncho just enough to reveal the double-bladed lightsaber on his belt. "I'm supposed to bring you to the Jedi temple. I have a boat we can take."

"You're… a Jedi? Really?" Luke asked. He thought he knew all of the small handful of Jedi that remained. Then he realized exactly what Cal said in front of Mara. "I mean, I don't know what you're talking about. What makes you think I'm a Jedi? I'm a Sith apprentice."

Cal smirked. "Trust me, I wouldn't be here to help you if you really were a Sith."

"No, no, I'm not-" Luke started, but Mara cut him off.

"Skywalker, cut the crap," She rolled her eyes. "The poncho man didn't accidentally reveal your secret identity. I know you're a Jedi and I know you help the Rebel Alliance."

"You what!?" Luke almost dropped his lightsaber as he turned to gawk at Mara, his heart starting to pound. He had been careful with everything he told her, so how did she know? And if she knew…

"Relax, the Emperor doesn't know," Mara said, as if reading his mind. "I figured it out myself. And I don't plan reporting or killing you, if that's what you're worried about."

Luke pressed his lips together in a thin line, not knowing what to say. Regardless of Mara's reassurance, if you could call it that, anxiety was still bubbling up in his throat. Despite considering her a friend, he wasn't completely sure that she'd keep this secret, especially when it went against everything she stood for as the Emperor's Hand.

"We're not discussing this now," he eventually said, trying to keep his emotions from seeping out into his voice. He looked back at Cal. "You said you have a boat?"

"I do, follow me," Cal said, happily steering away from the awkward conversation.

He led Luke and Mara down the shore of the beach, the soft sand slowly turning to rough stone, the lapping waves being the only sound besides their footsteps. Luke couldn't help but be fascinated by the planet around them, not just because of how beautiful the landscape was, but because of how loud the Force was. It was easy to not even notice the presence of others, which seemed like a whisper to him at the moment.

They eventually reached a small skimmer, big enough for only two seats, one behind the other.

"I'm sorry. Like I said, I was only expecting to have to transport one other person," Cal frowned. "Otherwise, I would've brought something bigger."

"It's fine; Mara can stay behind." Luke said, thinking he finally had a reason to separate from Mara. Especially now that he knew that his real mission related to the Rebellion or Jedi, he really didn't want her come with him.

"Think again. I'm coming with you, like it or not," Mara said in a no-nonsense tone. "I'll just have to sit in someone's lap, and it sure as hell won't be Poncho's."

"Like I already said, my name is Cal—"

"Shut up, Poncho," Mara cut Cal off. "Let's get going. It's getting to be night and I don't want to be sailing once it's dark out."

Everyone climbed into the skimmer, first Cal and Beedee One in the front seat, then Luke in the back and Mara in his lap.

Luke kept his hands gripping the arm rest, not knowing where else to put them without touching Mara. He had never had anyone sit in his lap before and hoped it would be a short ride. Not that Mara was particularly heavy, and she did lean forward to not have her back against his front, but he was so out of his element and didn't know the proper etiquette for having someone this close.

As soon as the skimmer glided into the water and started bobbing with the waves, they both quickly realized that Mara couldn't keep her balance in Luke's lap without leaning backwards.

"It's okay," he said after quickly grabbing her arms so she wouldn't fall off the boat. "You can lean back. I won't mind."

"But I do," Mara muttered, but still leaned back against Luke's chest. "I'm not used to touching people this much."

"Especially Rebel scum, I'm guessing," Luke couldn't help but tease.

"No, especially not Rebel scum." Mara had to fight a small smile from forming on her face. It wasn't so bad to be in Luke's lap, especially considering how respectful he was about where his hands were. "I can't believe I'm in a tiny boat with two Jedi and I'm not even trying to kill them."

"So why are you two working together if you know Luke is a Jedi?" Cal called back from the front.

Mara thought for a brief moment, clearly not too sure, herself. "By the time I realized his true affiliations, I had gotten… well acquainted with him. I didn't want to lose the only friend I had ever managed to make."

"I'm you're only friend?" Luke asked. When she didn't reply, he continued. "How did you find out about me?"

"It was a mix of things." As Mara talked, she subconsciously leaned back more and more against Luke. "You always talking about the Emperor in a way no actual Imperial would. Half your family running off the Rebellion and you not seeming upset about it. A bunch of things, really. And now that I've gotten to know you, it seems laughable that you could ever be a loyal Imperial, and especially not a Sith. You're too nice. Even your Force signature is full of light and goodness."

Luke nodded along, though he still was thinking about how she said he was his only friend. Not that he hadn't suspected that, but the way she said it made it seem she appreciated their camaraderie more than he thought. "Then why not turn me in to the Emperor?"

He could feel Mara tense up slightly at the question. "I don't know. I guess… maybe that there's some truth to the things you told me, like about Palpatine not really caring about me. I've always known he's never been the kindest person, but then Alderaan happened and… I don't know." She looked down at her lap, hugging herself like she always did when upset. "I'm so confused. I'm kriffing scared that you're right, okay? Because if you're right, it means that my whole life has been a lie."

"I understand. I've been living a lie for the past nineteen years."

Mara craned her neck so she could look at Luke. "I know you have. Just give me more time to think, okay? And I won't tell anyone your secret of you don't tell anyone any of this, okay?"

"I wouldn't tell anyone, anyway," Luke said softly, his arms circling her waist. Surprisingly, she didn't move away, not even when he rested his chin on her shoulder. "You're secret is safe with me." You're safe with me, he almost added.

"So, Poncho," Mara looked forwards at the back of Cal's head. "You're a Jedi too, huh? I've never heard of you. Were you trained before or after the Republic fell?"

"Both, actually," Cal responded. "I was a Padawan under Master Jaro Tapal, who died during Order 66. I went into hiding for five years on the planet Bracca, where I eventually met another Jedi, Cere Junda. She took me on as an apprentice and completed my training."

"I sense sadness when you speak of her," Luke observed. "Has she become one with the Force?"

"She's dead, yeah." Cal's voice broke slightly. Even Beedee One let out a sorrowful whistle. "She was killed by an Inquisitor right before we came to Tanalorr."

Luke scowled at the mention of Imquisitors. Active for many years, the Inquisitorius were made up of former Jedi who were persuaded over to the dark side. They hunted down other Jedi who survived Order 66 on behalf of the Empire. Due to so few Jedi being left in the past few years, the Inquisitorius was disbanded, believing they had complete their mission in exterminating what was left of the order. If only they knew a Jedi was secretly second-in-command of the Empire all along.

"I'm sorry about that," Luke said. "Why did you come to this planet?"

"Oh, you'll see once we get to the temple, don't worry."

Leia found Han sitting alone in the mess hall, stacking a dozen credit coins into neat piles on the table in front of him. While she didn't expect him to leave immediately after he got paid, she didn't expect him to want to talk to her, either.

"I heard you wanted to speak with me," she said, sitting down across from him. "Have you reconsidered joining the Alliance?"

She was met with a snort and an eye-roll. "Yeah, right. I enjoy my freedom, thank you very much." Han's expression turned to a grimace. It was clear he didn't like whatever he needed to tell her. "Chewie got a message from his family on Kashyyyk this morning. They needed his help and he wanted to go alone. Something to have to do with flame beetle infestation. But he took the Falcon."

"So you are stuck with us?" Leia couldn't help but smirk.

"For… the time being," Han admitted. "My problem is, the Falcon is my home. Without it here, I have no where to sleep. I asked one of the generals for a temporary room in the barracks, but it seems this base of yours is at its limit when it comes to residents."

Leia had a feeling where this conversation was going. "You can't sleep with me," she said quickly, before realizing her wording. "I mean, you can't stay in my room for the time being. Not that I don't trust you or anything, but I'm in a room with Rey and it will be harder for her to adjust with an additional guest. But there is a common room that you can sleep in. You'll have to sleep on a sofa, but it's better than nothing."

"Thanks," Han mumbled, looking down at the table. It was a rare moment where Leia realized that he may not be as cocky as he tried to appear. "Do I get a blanket at least?"

"I think I can manage to find something for you."

That night, Leia woke from her slumber covered in sweat. She hadn't had a nightmare, nor was it hot in the small bunk room. Her sweat came from the uneasy feeling that felt like her organs twisting into knots. Something was definitely wrong.

She immediately jumped from her bed, almost hitting her head on the top bunk in the process. "Rey?" She looked up to the top bunk, her heart sinking when she saw it was empty, save for a pillow and blanket. "Rey!?"

Running out the bunk room and down the halls of the barracks, she used the Force to try to sense the girl's whereabouts. She didn't know exactly what time in was, the base's walls were bare of any chronos, but it was late enough for everyone to be asleep in their own rooms. With no one else awake, the base seemed almost abandoned and like something out of a holothriller. Even if her fear wasn't actually warranted, it just made her more worried for Rey.

The Force led Leia to the common room, where Han was supposed to be sleeping. Instead, he was awake and sitting upright, a crying Rey in his arms.

"What happened?" Leia took a cautious step forwards and sat down on the sofa, next to Han.

"She had a nightmare and was sleepwalking. I found her just outside in the hall," he explained, his voice soft and caring. It was weird to see a the hardened smuggler being so gentle.

Rey wiggled out of Han's arms and into Leia's lap, her tears starting to slow down. "I had a dream that I was back on Coruscant with my grandfather. He was forcing me to be bad like him and kill good people who did nothing wrong."

Leia frowned, pushing the hair from the girl's wet face. "Do you have them often?"

The girl nodded. "I always sleepwalk when I have them. Back in the Imperial Palace, my closet door had to be locked at night so I couldn't wander around."

"Maybe after your brain realizes you're safe here, you'll have a more sound sleep," Leia said, though she didn't completely believe her own words. If these nightmares are caused by trauma, Rey might need some kind of professional help to truly ease her mind. "Are you ready to go back to sleep?"

"I guess," Rey said as she slid to her feet. "Are you coming, too?"

Leia shook her head. "Not yet, but I'll be back in in a little while. Go on, you need the rest."

Once Rey left the common room, Leia looked back at Han. "Thank you for helping her. I know children are probably not your forte."

"Ain't that the truth," Han smirked. "But she's a loud crier. I'm a deep sleeper and she still woke me up. It was either help her or prolong my suffering."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic." Leia rolled her eyes, trying her hardest not to smile. It was obvious Han was just trying to put on his tough guy act again. "You would've helped her even if you were already awake."

"Tell anyone and I'll only deny it."

"Tell anyone what? That you're really a good person, deep down? That you like helping other people?" Her eyes met his, and for a quick moment she felt like she was going to melt. She quickly stood up to leave. "You care, I know you do. And it would do you a lot of good to admit it, at least to yourself."

The skimmer hit the rocky shore with a thump, which was the one way to tell they've reached the island. There was no moon to light Tanalorr at night, it being impossible to see even just a meter ahead.

"The old Jedi during the High Republic used to call this place Verdant Gardens," Cal explained as he, Luke, and Mara lit their lightsabers to use as a light source. "It's really beautiful during the daytime, actually."

"I'll take your word for it," Luke said, squinting up at the Jedi temple in front of him. The stone temple was massive, at least a hundred meters tall. The only other frame of reference he had for Jedi temples was the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, which used to be the main Jedi temple for the Order before the Republic fell. This temple was far simpler in design than the one on Coruscant, but no less impressive. "So, are you going to tell me why I was supposed to come here?"

"I'll show you," Cal said, leading Luke and Mara through the entrance archway.

Once inside, they extinguished their lightsabers, the temple's interior being lit by torches on the wall. The cold stone floors had been covered by some carpets and tapestries have been hung on the walls. It's clear that someone had been trying to make the ancient place seem warmer and friendlier.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to get here," a new voice said. Obi-Wan Kenobi stepped into the hall, a smile on his bearded face. He tightly embraced Luke. "Was it an easy trip?"

"Other than almost being ripped apart from that nebula," Luke said, smiling at his father's old master. "Father didn't tell me I'd be meeting you hear."

"There's some things that are best unsaid, just in case the Empire is listening." Obi-Wan turned to Mara. There was recognition in his expression, clearly having at least heard about the infamous Emperor's Hand, but didn't comment on her allegiance. "I didn't realize you'd be bringing company."

"Without me, Skywalker would be dead," Mara said.

"That may be true," Obi-Wan frowned, "but doesn't explain why you decided to help him. Clearly you have figured out his disloyalty to the Empire."

Not wanting things to escalate, Luke quickly stepped in. "I trust Mara. If she were to betray me, she would have done so by now."

Obi-Wan pursed his lips, looking from Luke to Mara. "Very well then; she's outnumbered, anyway. Follow me."

He led the small group through the seemingly endless halls of the temple, eventually reaching a large room with walls of datapads and datacards. It was clearly trying to imitate a library. "We are trying to rebuild the Jedi archives," he explained, waving to the shelves of glowing blue.

"Is that why I'm here?" Luke asked. "To help rebuild a library?"

That was when he saw another Jedi sitting in the middle of the cavernous room— a short green non-human which he instantly recognized as Yoda, the Grand Master of the old Jedi Order. Luke hadn't seen the old Jedi since he was shorter than Yoda, himself.

"I wouldn't have had Anakin send you here just to rebuild a library, Luke." Obi-Wan smiled. "You are here to continue your Jedi training."

Chapter Text

Rain beat down on the Yavin IV Rebel Base. It was the first storm they've had since Leia and Rey arrived on the moon, which was severe enough to keep everyone inside the Massassi temple. The land outside was already flooded so nobody could walk around without sinking into half a meter of mud.

Inside, everyone tried to keep in good spirits. The common room was packed with people playing sabacc or watching the live Holonet news that was projected onto the stone wall. The energy was high and for a rare moment, everyone could forget the stress of the war.

"How do I play?" Rey asked, looking over the sabacc table.

Han, who was on a winning streak, laughed. "Really? You want to play? I don't know, kid, I'm not sure if you should be gambling so young."

Chewbacca, who had just returned from Kashyyyk that morning, let out a judgmental roar, knowing that Han had started gambling around the same age.

"I don't have to bet any credits. I just want to learn how to play," the girl insisted. She stuck out her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes. "Please?"

"Okay, okay," Han sighed. "Take a seat." He pulled up a chair for Rey to sit at the table.

"She really has the who Rebellion wrapped around her finger," Leia observed as she and Padmé watched the girl with amusement from across the room. "Was I similar at that age?"

Padmé nodded, smiling at old memories. "You definitely fought to get what you wanted, and you'd fight for your brother, too. But everyone who met you found you delightful, even some hardened Imperial officers."

"I vaguely remember standing up for Luke a lot. His persistent kindness allowed people to walk all over him." Leia sighed, playing with the ends of her braid. "Even though he was born first, sometimes I felt like an older sister to him."

"You matured quicker, that's for sure," Padmé said. "But I think caring so much for your brother strengthened your maternal instinct. It's probably why you're so good at taking care of Rey."

Suddenly, there was a four note jingle that played on the Holonet News, one reserved for when there's about to be an important announcement from the Empire, getting everyone's attention. The projection cut to the Emperor, his black hood obscuring the top half of his face. The common room quieted down all at once, everyone grimly looking at the broadcast.

"Citizens of the Empire," Palpatine began. "I'm afraid I have terrible news. My granddaughter, the heir to my throne, has been kidnapped by none other than Leia Skywalker, the daughter of Darth Vader and now member of the Rebel Alliance. We have evidence of the Rebel swiping the princess during the Imperial Fair, days ago."

The broadcast cut to cam droid footage of Leia leading Rey away from the Imperial Palace, and then cut back to the Emperor. "I know the Rebellion is watching this, so I need them to pay close attention. You are to return my granddaughter to me, alive and unharmed, immediately. Otherwise, the Death Star will destroy one planet for every day that she is gone. And to the loyal members of the Empire— anyone who finds her and brings her back to Coruscant will receive an award of ten million credits. This is a dark time for the Empire, but if we work together, we can bring our princess home."

As the broadcast went back to the regular Holonet news, the room was silent, everyone looking at Rey. Han was eventually the first to speak. "Ten million credits…"

Leia jumped to her feet. "Don't you even think about it, Han!"

"I'm not, I'm not!" Han said quickly, patting Rey on the top of her head. "I'm just saying that that is life changing money. That's retiring young type of money. A whole lot of people are going to be going after the kid, especially bounty hunters."

"Forget about the money," Padmé cut in. "If we don't do something fast, the galaxy will have one less planet in twenty-four hours."

"Are you suggesting we turn her in?" Leia asked, looking at her mother in shock.

Suddenly, the room erupted into people yelling out their opinions. It seemed half the Rebels wanted to keep and protect Rey, while the other half was in favor of turning her in.

"Enough!" A voice commanded from the doorway, Mon Mothma walking into the room. Her presence was enough to quiet everyone down. "We are not throwing a six year old girl back to the Emperor because we are being threatened. Rey is one of us, now; we're going to keep her safe. Our problem continues to be the Death Star. The Emperor was going to continue to use it regardless of us having the girl or not."

As Mon spoke, Leia noticed Padmé typing on her datapad, only half paying attention. "Mom, what are you doing?" She whispered, but her mother only shushed her.

"Commander, we have less than a day until the damn thing destroys another planet, killing who knows how many people!" Another Rebel shouted out from the back of the room. "We don't have to make plans on destroying it, especially when we don't even know where it is or what its next target is!"

"Their next target is Chandrilla," Padmé said, looking up from her datapad. When everyone stared at her, waiting for an explanation on how she knew this, she continued. "I just got a message from my husband saying so."

"At least Dad is good for something." Leia muttered to herself.

Mon looked at Padmé in disbelief, obvious fear in her eyes for her home planet. "I'll send a transmission there to evacuate immediately. We don't have many pilots left, but we'll send who we can."

"I'll go too," Leia quickly said, getting to her feet.

"No," Padmé said, pulling her daughter back down. "If the Empire catches you, they'll kill you. You must stay here and protect Rey." Before Leia could object, she doubled down. "That is an order."

Leia crossed her arms and chewed the inside of her cheek, not daring argue with her mother about this. It would be easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, anyway.

Standing in the Tanalorr Jedi temple, Luke looked at Yoda and then back at Obi-Wan. "I don't understand. My father has been training me, so why did he bother to send me here?"

"Received word from him we did," Yoda said, leaning against his gimer stick cane. "Your father no longer trusts himself to train you, not since his struggle with the dark side. Asked us for help, he has."

If he was being honest with himself, Luke hadn't been focused on his training at all, lately. It wasn't like he no longer wanted to be a Jedi, he knew it was his calling in life, but the threat of the Empire took priority.

Mara was the one who pulled him from his thoughts. "You're Yoda, right? I thought the Emperor killed you."

"Is that what he told you, hm?" Yoda chuckled, not at all put off by the Emperor's Hand. "Lied, he did. As is often the case with old Palpatine. In hiding I have been, assisting with the Hidden Path."

"This place is part of the Hidden Path?" Luke's eyes widened.

"It's the end of the Path, actually," Cal said. "I discovered it just a few years ago. The nebula surrounding the planet protects the most vulnerable of the Jedi."

"But Masters," Luke sighed, looking from Yoda to Obi-Wan. "I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you, but I can't stay here and train. The war is taking a turn for the most, and I can't just take a bunch of time off like that. And I especially can't leave the Empire without my father."

The two older Jedi gave each other a knowing look. "Told you I did," Yoda said to Obi-Wan. "He's just like his father."

"I know," Obi-Wan said, then looked back to Luke. "Stay here for three lessons. That's all we ask. Then you can make the decision to leave or not."

Luke thought about it for a moment. "Fine. As long as Mara receives the lessons as well."

"What?" Mara glared at him. "Why the hell would I want Jedi training?"

"Because I know you need it," he said, taking her hands in his. "You have lost your faith in the Emperor, but you have nothing else to turn to. I want to show you that you have something to leave the Empire to, if you so choose."

She pulled her hands away. "You can be so infuriating, sometimes. Whatever. It's not like there is much else to do on this planet. Just don't expect me to like it."

"Everyone can benefit from Jedi teachings in one way or another," Obi-Wan said. "Your first lesson is at dawn."

When Obi-Wan said dawn, he meant it. Luke was still rubbing sleep from his eyes as the sun barely lit the field behind the Jedi temple. He and Mara sat on a log as Obi-Wan stood in front of them, Yoda watching from the sidelines.

"What, did Poncho not want to join the lesson?" Mara asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Cal left during the night. He said he had some business on Dathomir. We might call this place the end of the Hidden Path, but it's honestly pretty rare for a Jedi to stay here for too long. The Force always calls them elsewhere."

"To help people, in a Jedi's nature it is, not hide away," Yoda said from behind them.

"Maybe that's why there's barely any of you left," Mara smirked. "You rather run around helping people than lay low. You don't know what's good for you."

"What's good for an individual Jedi may not be what's good for the galaxy," Obi-Wan pointed out. "And it is a Jedi's duty to serve, after all. Now, I want you two to face each other and hold hands. Then close your eyes. I'm going to teach you how to raise and lower the walls of your minds."

Hesitantly, Luke and Mara followed Obi-Wan's instructions. They had casually held hands before, but it never felt as intimate as this.

"Now, I want you two to try to read each other's thoughts, while keeping the other out. Imagine the other's efforts like a tidal wave, and you must create a dam to keep your mind from being vulnerable."

Luke already knew Mara had strong walls in her mind, but didn't realize just how offensive those walls could be. As soon as he reached out through the Force and tried to pry, he was immediately ejected from her head. At the same time, she threatened to push through his own, weaker minds. He struggled to keep his thoughts his own.

"You're better than I thought, Skywalker," Mara smirked, her hands tightening on his.

Luke smiled at the praise, even if he didn't really agree with it. "It is one of the things my father pushed most on us. We couldn't risk Palpatine reading our thoughts."

"Good," Obi-Wan nodded. "Now, it is just as important to be able to read and empathize with others, as it is to protect one's own thoughts. I want you two to let your mind's walls fall let each other in."

"I think I'm going to skip that part," Mara said quickly, pulling her hands back.

Luke frowned. "I thought you trusted me."

"About trust, it is not," Yoda observed, clearly reading Mara, despite her protest. "Scared she is, to show you her truest self."

"I'm no scared of anything," Mara shot back. "Maybe I'm just trying to protect Skywalker. I don't want to traumatize him with my inner demons."

"I think I can take care of myself," Luke said. He took her hands again and ran his thumbs over her knuckles. "Please let me in. I'm not afraid of whoever the real you might be."

She scowled down at their hands. "I am promising you that you won't like what you see."

"Nothing I see will make me like you any less," Luke insisted. "And you promised me you would try to do this. Please? For me?"

Mara clearly wasn't happy with this exercise, but there was a part of her that didn't want to disappoint Luke. "…Fine," she muttered, willing the walls in her mind to lower.

It felt odd at first for Luke to experience someone else's thoughts and emotions, especially someone as different from him as Mara. Even with her walls down, there was a lot she was still hiding, not just from him, but from herself. She had trauma buried deep down, memories of her childhood and being raised by Palpatine buried with it. He tried to prod at the memories, but couldn't actually reach them.

The sensation of being in her mind also made him feel close to her. It made him want to pull her close and protect her from the trauma that she had.

He could sense her annoyance towards this whole exercise and her distrust towards Obi-Wan and Yoda, yet she still seemed intrigued and curious about what she could learn as a Force user. She felt an itching desire to always be on the move and seeking out adventure, gathering knowledge along the way.

There was also another emotion, one that Luke had a hard time recognizing. It felt like warmth and safety, and only came up in memories where she was with him. Her memories around him were the only ones where she felt not just happy, but happiness mixed with—

"Okay, that's enough," Mara suddenly said, pulling her hands from Luke's and slamming her walls back up. Her mind was ripped out of his, leaving him feel cold and alone.

He frowned. "Did I do something wrong? I barely got to see anything."

She gave Luke a skeptical look, making him think she saw way more of his mind than he saw of hers. "I think you saw enough," she said, then looked at Obi-Wan. "I'm taking a break."

"Wait—" Luke tried to grab her hand as she got up, but she pushed past him, retreating back inside the temple.

"It was a good try, Luke." Obi-Wan said, putting a hand on Luke's shoulder. "She actually lasted longer than I thought. For someone like her to open up, even that little bit, is a lot."

"Trust you she does," Yoda said, walking closer. "More than she trusts herself, even."

The hanger inside of the Rebel base was empty, save for a couple of Y-wings, an X-wing and the Millennium Falcon. The squadrons had just cleared out not even an hour ago, on their way to save Chandrilla from the Death Star.

Leia had to be quick. The noise of the X-wing might alert someone that she was trying to leave, though the sound of the rain outside could help mask the noise. She was able to slip on a flight suit and get to the starfighters ladder before she heard a voice.

"Going somewhere?" Han asked, sticking his head out from behind the Falcon.

"Nowhere of your concern," she said, opening the X-wing's cockpit and climbing in. "Keep your mouth shut about this until I get back."

Han rolled his eyes. "You mean if you get back. How many of your pilots died the last time you all tried destroying the Death Star?"

Leia scowled. "Half. That's why I need to go— we need all the help we can get. Just be thankful I'm not making you go with me."

"Gee, thanks," Han rolled his eyes. "Just try not to die. You have a little girl here who needs you."

"That's exactly why I'm going. It's either get rid of the Death Star or send her back to the wolves," Leia said, shutting her cockpit's hatch.

Lesson two involved Luke and Mara following Yoda to the bottom of a large cliff, to a large opening to a cave. Despite the sun not setting for another hour, this part of Tanalorr seemed permanently shrouded in shade.

"The Force feels different here," Luke observed, eyeing the mouth to the cave.

"It feels like the dark side," Mara said.

Yoda nodded. "Some places serve as a nexus to the dark side. A particularly strong one, this is. Its power awaits you."

"Wait," Luke frowned at the Jedi Master. "You want us to go in there?"

"You must face your fears to become a Jedi," Yoda said. "The cave will show you glimpses of the past or future. The darkness will try to make you afraid so it can feed on your fear, but confront it you must."

"Sounds easy enough," Mara shrugged.

"Then I guess you won't mind going first," Luke said, gesturing for her to go in.

"Not at all," Mara gave him a teasing smile and walked inside, Luke hesitantly following her. Once inside the dark cave, he had to walk with his hands out in front of him so he didn't walk into anything. "I wish we brought our lightsabers so we could see."

When he heard no reply, he called out. "Mara? Mara, are you there?" Still, nothing.

Luke turned around to look towards the mouth of the cave, but couldn't even see where he had come in. He was alone and lost.

"I'm okay," he whispered, continuing to carefully walk. "It's just the cave playing tricks on me."

He continued forwards again even slower than before, trying to ignore the fear he felt. The sound of his footsteps echoed off the cave walls, becoming louder and louder. Soon the sound morphed from the sound of rubber on rock to the screech of a starship engine and the shooting of a blaster canon.

"It's not real," he whispered again, walking faster.

In the dark, Luke's eyes began to see things. He could barely make out the spherical shape of the Death Star, both Alliance and Imperial ships flying around it. He focused on an X-wing, clearly making it out, as if the starship was flying around in the cave. Somehow, he knew Leia was on the ship.

He could hear his sister's voice, but couldn't make out what she was saying. Her X-wing flew close to the Death Star, alone the trench around its equator. She was going to try to destroy the space station. But right as she was about to take the shot, a TIE shot down her ship, and a pain exploded in Luke's chest, screaming at him that his sister was dead.

"No!" Luke screamed, dropping to his knees. He had felt Leia's death as if it were real. It was like a part of his own soul had been ripped out of him. "No, no, no…" he cried, knowing what he had just seen. It was the future, and even if it wasn't real yet, it would be soon.

Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, Luke felt something grab his shoulders. He was about to use the Force to push whatever it was away when he heard a voice. "Calm down, Skywalker. It's me."

"Mara?" He sobbed out, reaching to where he thought she was.

She helped him up to his feet. "I'm really here, don't worry. Let's get you out of here. It's been an hour since you came in; even Yoda is worried."

"An hour," he asked, clinging to her as they walked. He put see the entrance of the cave only a few meters away, as if it had been there the whole time. "I swear, I've only been in here a few minutes!"

The two of them stumbled out of the cave, having the shield their eyes as they adjusted to the light. "Have fun, did you?" Yoda asked, chuckling to himself.

"No, I did not have fun!" Luke shouted at the short Jedi, still clinging to Mara. "I need to get off this kriffing planet! I just had a vision of Leia being dying; I need to go save her!"

"So certain are you? Yes, you saw a future, but did you see the future?" Yoda pointed his cane at Luke. "Are you so ready to abandon your training for only a possibility?"

"I know what I saw, Master!" Luke started towards the Jedi temple, leaving Yoda behind. Real or not, he was not going to risk the chance of something happening to Leia.

Mara kept pace right behind him. "That's it? You're really leaving? You do know we don't have a ship anymore, right?"

"I'm going to ask Obi-Wan if I can use his ship," he said, taking a look at her. "You seem calm. Did you not have any visions of the future in there?"

"Not of the future, no." Her voice lowered. "I saw the past. I saw Palpatine taking me from my parents when I was a child. He always told me that my parents just handed me over willingly, and I… I never even questioned it."

Luke stopped walking. "He killed your parents? Is that what you saw?"

Before Mara could answer, he pulled her into a tight hug, resting his cheek on the top of her head. As she stood stiff, his tears soaked into her hair.

Obi-Wan didn't seem surprised when Luke told him that they were leaving. Instead, he offered his shuttle, and even a special compass to guide them back through the Koboh Abyss without being torn apart. In return, Luke had to promise he'd complete his Jedi training as soon as the war against the Empire allowed it. He made the promise, even if he knew it would be a long time before he could fulfill it.

"I'm sorry that we had to leave so soon," Luke said as they flew out of the nebula. "I just need to make sure Leia's going to be okay."

"No need to apologize," Mara said. "When I was in your mind, I could tell just how much you had been itching to leave ever since we arrived. Besides, you know I'm not a fan of the Jedi."

"So you keep saying." Luke's thoughts went back to their first lesson, when they had to explore each other's thoughts and memories. "Mara, I need to ask you something. Do you… like me?"

She rolled her eyes. "When I say I don't like Jedi, I obviously don't mean you."

He frowned, knowing getting this out of her was going to be like pulling teeth. "That's not what I'm asking. I mean, do you like me as more than a friend?"

"No." Mara's answer was immediate.

"No? Are you sure?" Luke asked, raising an eyebrow. "When I was inside your mind, I felt how you feel about me. And I know you know that I feel the same way."

"I don't know what I feel!" She snapped, glaring at him. "You make me confused! I recently realized Palpatine has been feeding me lies my whole life, Luke! I don't know who I am or what is real or not. Right now, my whole life is flipped upside down, and I sure as hell am not going to deal with my messy feelings towards you on top of it!"

Luke was quiet, understanding where she was coming from. He silently scolded himself for pressing the matter. "I'm sorry. If you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here, okay?"

"I know," Mara looked down into her lap. "I appreciate it. I just… need some time to figure some things out."

"Tried to get him to stay, you did not," Yoda commented as he and Obi-Wan watched Tanalorr's sun set, casting shadows in the Jedi temple.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "If I recall, you didn't either. I understand Anakin not trusting himself enough to train Luke anymore, but it's just not the right time for him to step away from everything long enough to finish his training. He knew that from the moment he realized his real reason for coming to Tanalorr. Not to mention he was supposed to come alone. That Imperial woman being here only complicated things."

"Yet it was beneficial for her to be here. Young Skywalker would have never made it here alive without her, and it never hurts to show other Force users the ways of the Jedi. Trust in the Emperor, she does not. She could be an ally in the future." Yoda tapped a long fingernail on his cane as he thought. "There are so few of us left, and getting younger we are not. One of the Skywalker children need to be trained, to carry on the Jedi Order. The girl would have been netter to train. More patience, she has."

"Leia won't abandon her duties either, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said, getting frustrated. "She's just as headstrong as Luke is, so there's no way she would agree to come here just to train."

"But she has been ordered to stay on Yavin IV, away from the Empire. A lot of free time, she has," Yoda pointed out. "Go to the Rebellion and train her. It is the best thing you can do for the Jedi, Obi-Wan."

The Death Star was already above Chandrilla when Leia arrived, waiting until the Emperor's promised twenty-four hours were up. Many ships were trying to escape the planet, with TIE fighters doing there best to shoot them down while fighting the Rebellion's ships.

Each time Leia tried to fly close to the space station, a TIE would chase her away. Like with Alderaan, the Rebels were outnumbered. But this time was different— this time they had her.

"Wedge?" She spoke into the communication channel. "I'm going to try to take the shot. With the Force, I think I can do it."

"I hear you loud and clear," Wedge, who had been promoted to Red leader, said. "Red squadron, keep the TIEs away from Leia. I want two ships on either side of her at all times."

Everyone knew Leia wasn't supposed to be there, that she was supposed to be on Yavin IV. They also knew that they needed as many pilots as they could to help. She started towards the Death Star again, the two ships at her flanks keeping away any TIE fighters. Gripping the yoke tightly, she descended down the trench, her goal of the exhaust port popping up on her computer.

An explosion rocked her ship, making her fight to keep it on path. The X-wing to the right of her was no longer there. Soon, the X-wing on her left had the same fate.

"I don't have any cover," she said. "But I'm almost at the exhaust port, I think I can make it."

"Leia, pull out! There's three TIEs on your ass!" Wedge's static-filled voice said.

Leia could see that the exhaust port was the same distance away as the three TIEs. She knew she couldn't give up now. Her finger hovered over proton torpedo launch button. Just few more seconds and she'd be in range.

But before she could make the shot, a there was a deafening crash and she felt the heat of fire close by. Flames flicked in her peripheral.

"Leia, eject!" Wedge cried out. "You're left wing is hit!"

Leia didn't even have time to attach the life support system to her flight helmet, let alone eject from the cockpit. Her ship started to spin uncontrollably, then crashed nose-first into the Death Star's surface.