Work Text:
The bustling of the hangar bay hums in Anakin’s ears as he wanders through the halls of the Independence, the flagship of the blooming rebel Alliance. R2-D2, his loyal astromech, follows behind him, occasionally beeping out short statements about the diagnostics he ran on different ships in the fleet. The droid is insistent on being heard, but Anakin’s ears are tuned off as he leaves the mess hall for a third time.
Dissatisfied with his findings, Anakin paces down the winding hallways, turning corners into unexpected rooms and passages, imagining he felt the presence of his apprentice but discovering she is nowhere to be found. He briefly pauses in the hall to collect his racing thoughts. R2’s wheels roll to a stop beside him, still hoping for a response from the Jedi General.
Usually, Anakin isn’t this anxious about the absence of his Padawan, since she tends to disappear right before the due date of a history assignment. He can’t blame her. Anakin never liked history either.
“Sir, are you looking for something?” A young mechanics supervisor approaches him after noticing his quizzical expression and agitated state.
“Uh…have you seen Padawan Leia?” Anakin asks.
“The security cameras might be a more accurate source, but I believe she left in your Starfighter about an hour ago,” he replies, “She claimed she was being sent on—“
“WHAT?!” Anakin’s anxiety explodes into a yell. The mechanics supervisor flinches visibly. Anakin recollects himself and continues, “Sorry, you’re a new guy, right?”
“Yes…sir,” he responds, “I’m not sure where Padawan Leia went, but I think you could probably call her back.”
Anakin rubs a finger between his eyes and mutters, “No. She’s as stubborn as bantha.”
The Jedi General takes leave of the supervisor, sprinting back to the hangar in search of a resting starship. He finds both B-Wings being refueled, one still holding a disappointingly low amount of fuel. Anakin unplugs the refueling pumps and flicks on the controls as he climbs into the cockpit, the whirring of the engines vibrating the ship softly. R2 launches himself into the B-Wing’s astromech chamber using his rocket thrusters.
The rebels on ship maintenance duty stare at him as he drives the ship out of the hangar. Thankfully, the scene is not calling the attention of any other high-ranking officials who like to take days to decide whether to send out a search party, a message carrying strict orders, or some nonsensical, politically complicated plan. One would think haste was necessary when dealing with a lost Padawan, especially one who is the daughter of both a Jedi Knight and a senator. Anakin knows this.
He pictures his wife coming back from her diplomatic mission for potential Alliance members as he pilots the ship as far away from the rebel fleet as possible. She would kill him if he lost Leia, but, of course, he loves them both to death.
He scans for traces of his stolen Starfighter across the system where the fleet is being put on hold while smaller knots of the rebellion fan out to carry messages and missions. The Alliance, currently having a blade pointed at their necks by a Sith Lord and his apprentice, will not be able to stay in one system for long.
The sensors on his ship can pick up no trace of the Starfighter being piloted by the renegade Leia Skywalker, and Anakin circles around multiple times but to no avail. He glances back at the fleet still floating aimlessly through space, deciding to deepen his search by swooping into one of the planets.
The ship’s frame rattles as it enters the atmosphere, flying debris blowing with the wind, plowing through the clouds into hurricane-like spirals hanging over the ocean. Anakin avoids the thick storm brewing, shooting over the horizon towards land. The land cuts off at a harsh cliff when the ocean ends, crashing upon the jagged rocks. Grassy highlands swoop up and down, steeper hills leading down forested valleys…but no sign of Leia. He can feel her presence through the Force, but she’s just not there. She’s in danger.
Anakin’s chest tightens with guilt for letting Leia wander without supervision and vanish so suddenly. Danger is no less threatening to his Padawan than to an average child. Eleven years old is eleven years old.
He grits his teeth and continues flying over the green horizon, when his comm-link crackles to life through the interference, a signal struggling to get to him. Anakin groans in frustration but turns it up.
“General Skywalker? Are you there? Do you copy?”
“Yes, I’m here, Admiral. What is it?” Anakin responds. He senses a swell of hope rise within him, and he adds, “Did you find Leia?”
“A fleet of Imperial interceptors flanking a prison carrier just pulled out of hyperspace…and we got a distress signal from your Starfighter.”
Anakin’s heart drops. He grips the fighter’s controls tighter until his knuckles turn white and his fingers are ready to press the trigger. “From where?”
“The last known location is amongst the fleet.” The voice trails off.
“Oh, great,” Anakin mutters, “Can you disable the fleet?”
“We can try…before it jumps away again.”
Anakin exits the planet’s atmosphere, the small Imperial fleet emerging into his view. The size is not to be underestimated. There are two fighter carriers looming overhead guarding the prison ship. But that fleet has his Padawan, his daughter. Anakin has a plan, a dangerous one, but when did he ever have a safe plan?
The Alliance fleet begins its pursuit, a platoon of rebel fighters knocking out the stragglers. Anakin looks for an opening between the interceptors and focuses his attention to the flagship, the prison ship. He can sense them preparing for a jump back into hyperspace. Questions fly through his mind as he dodges laser bolts. How did they know Leia was there with them? Anakin knits his brow in guilt and anger that he failed to keep her existence a secret. She was his responsibility, Luke was Padmé’s…and their separation and secrecy was the only way to keep the fabled Skywalker family safe.
“Artoo, can you find a hatch or something that can get us in that thing?” Anakin asks.
A tie fighter flies straight towards Anakin’s B-Wing, it’s unusual screeching sound getting louder as it reaches the B-Wing’s sensors.
Anakin finds himself locked into a firefight, the tie fighter getting closer and closer before he finally shoots it down, flying his ship smoothly through the resulting explosion. R2 beeps a response with some scan data.
Anakin sorts out the most inconspicuous emergency hatch he can find and sets his plan in motion.
The Alliance fleet is getting closer to the Imperials, and the Imperials are starting to get worried. Their fighters fly in closer proximity to the flagship, as if ready to dock for a jump to hyperspace. They only have one chance to retrieve the stolen Padawan before the Imperial fleet disappears out of their reach and everything gets complicated.
Anakin neatly docks the ship on the side of the prison flagship, dodging any Imperial eyes. R2 slices open the hatch, and the Jedi General confidently walks inside, leaving R2 with the ship to wait for his return.
The clock is ticking, and Anakin doesn’t have much time to find Leia and return to the fleet before the Imperials decide to move or call backup that the rebels can’t handle.
He stalks down the sterile, dark hallways. Menacing hallways, yet with that pestering familiarness, handed to Anakin from all his time commanding flagships in the Republic Army.
He moves his bionic hand to his lightsaber hilt as he continues walking through strangely empty halls. Something is not right.
Anakin senses Leia’s presence on the ship. She’s close, and burning with anger, which tends to make her extra stubborn and possibly dangerous.
He walks down the sterile, gray hallways, seemingly empty, until he finds himself facing a stiff-looking Imperial officer. He stares up and down at Anakin’s menacing pose, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Anakin waves his hand calmly, humming a command under his breath: “There’s a problem downstairs, you need to supervise it.”
The officer blinks, repeating Anakin’s orders in a monotone voice, and follows them without question. The mind trick holds.
Anakin runs to an empty control panel and looks up the prison manifest, searching for his missing Padawan. It lists her as being held in interrogation. The clanking footsteps of stormtroopers resound behind him. He picks up his pace until he finds himself facing the supposed door to the interrogation room, which opens at a click of the button. Too easy.
“Ah, what an unexpected surprise!” a high-pitched voice declares in complete sarcasm, confirming Anakin’s theory of ‘all Imperial officers sound the same’, “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, o fabled General Skywalker!”
Anakin grimaces at the sight of the man in his all-important white uniform, standing in front of a hand-cuffed Leia with pride. Behind them stand two stormtroopers, blasters held at the ready.
Leia stares back at Anakin, trying to smooth her contorted expression of anger. The officer coughs to catch his attention. “General, I think we have met a compromise here. You may turn yourself in, and we don’t kill the girl who is rumored to be one of those Jedi of old like yourself.”
Anakin sighs as he remains standing at the threshold of the door. “Remember, revenge is not the Jedi way.”
“What?” The officer scrunches his nose in bewilderment. “We aren’t Jedi.”
“I was talking to her.” Anakin directs a nod to the fuming Leia.
Before the officer can speak again, Leia kicks the back of his knees. He curses as he collapses on his hands and knees to the floor
The stormtroopers train their blasters on her, but Anakin Force-pulls their blasters out of their hands, leaving them defenseless. They make an attempt to strike at the two Jedi with their fists. A miserable attempt. Anakin cleanly slices their helmeted heads off with his amethyst-bladed lightsaber.
Anakin slices through Leia’s handcuffs and she snatches back her lightsaber hanging from the officer’s belt. He stumbles up, his eyes searching desperately for an escape route. The Padawan kicks him again in spite.
“No compromise, sleemo,” she sneers.
The officer laughs, anxiety still creeping into his voice, “This ship is headed to an Imperial controlled system. You should have watched yourself before you committed to such a reckless endeavor.”
“Let me kill him!” Leia growls, training her saber towards him, the blue light flickering dangerously close to his neck.
“I told you, revenge is not the Jedi way,” Anakin reminds her, “Now let’s get out of this trashy ship…or blow it up.”
They leave the room and lock the door on the disheveled Imperial officer, and Anakin begins running towards the ship’s maintenance levels.
“Where are we going?” Leia calls, tailing after Anakin.
“Reactor conduit.”
“Oh, is someone actually going to get us before we blow this up? We’re in hyperspace!”
“Did I hear a thank you yet?” Anakin glances back at her.
“Thanks for coming to rescue me,” she obliges with a grudging smile.
They turn a corner, a squad of stormtroopers yelling from behind them and running to catch them, their boots clicking on the floor of the gray halls.
“Seriously, do we have an escape plan, not just a flashy explosion plan?” Leia questions.
“Artoo is here, so we’re fine. C’mon, don’t let the bucketheads get ahead of us!” Anakin replies, dashing ahead of her and following the path traced in his mind.
A group of about fifteen stormtroopers and ordinary Imperial soldiers point their blasters at the fugitives as they run towards the door they stand in front of. Leia plows straight through them, swinging her lightsaber into them. Anakin watches her as she looses her anger upon them, quickly diminishing the group of Imperials to merely dead or wounded.
She frowns, desiring to finish them all off, but hesitant before the eyes of her master and father. She steps over their bodies and slams the switch to the door. It opens with a hiss, steam and orange light wafting gently out from the interior.
“Hey, careful, show-off,” Anakin remarks. Leia rolls her eyes and steps inside, the darkness swallowing her up.
Anakin follows after her and watches her mess with a control panel.
“Can I hardwire it to overheat now?” she asks, excitement sparkling in her eyes, her fingertips against the touchscreen.
“Yeah, but remember to give it a good long fuse.” Anakin pulls out his commlink and calls R2-D2, whispering a prayer that he’s still there.
Excited beeps are returned to Anakin’s hail, and R2 announces the B-Wing is still glued to the side of the Imperial prison ship while being dragged along through hyperspace. So…they did make the jump.
Anakin tells the astromech that they’re on their way. A siren blares above them as he cuts off the comm-link.
“What did you do?!”
Leia grins in response. “I rerouted the power and opened the doors to all the cells in the lower levels. That would be enough to keep the Imperials busy, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah, sure, you sneaky little thing,” Anakin chuckles, “Now come on, before they blow it up before us!”
The reactor starts getting upset, screaming out in desperation for staff to perform a manual override to prevent its impending doom. Leia and Anakin charge out of the reactor control room, all while under the danger that their time on the prison ship will fizzle out, hopefully not ending with them floating through space.
Tremors scatter through the ship, preceding a violent shake that nearly knocks Anakin and Leia off their feet.
“R2! You still there?” Anakin yells into his commlink. The astromech responds promptly.
Anakin and Leia run down the halls stained by strobing red lights, turning a corner as the ship shudders again. Heavy footsteps clattering in various floors echo through the ship’s frame, before Anakin lets out a sigh of relief when he catches sight of the hatch being guarded by R2-D2.
He senses a presence pursuing them through space, not on the prison ship, but definitely nearby. A presence that’s too familiar for comfort.
Anakin gives Leia a leg up out through the hatch and into the B-Wing still attached to the side of the prison ship. He jumps up into the B-Wing and is greeted by R2’s excited beeps.
R2 detaches their ship from the Imperials, gears hissing and the engines bursting to escape the coming explosion. Anakin gazes at the space around them. They had been out of hyperspace since the reactor started overheating, and now they find themselves floating in a strange, nearby system.
“Alright, let’s get back to the fleet,” Anakin announces. Leia settles down in a seat, catching her breath.
The prison ship blows up in their view in a magnificent explosion, sparks of flame and space junk scattering out in a blaze of glory. Anakin is grateful they got off in time. Several escape pods made it out, but of course they’re mainly full of Imperials, not prisoners. Nobody risks their lives for prisoners. Anakin wonders how many of them might have been rebels like himself.
He sighs, knowing he and Leia had done the best they could before the scene really went downhill. And yet the nagging feeling of the memory of an old friend pesters him as he sits down in the pilot’s seat of the B-Wing.
The B-Wings sensors pick up another starship, one just behind them. It begins pursuit, and appears to be a strange, heavily modified Imperial ship. Anakin takes the controls, and after vainly attempting to shake the persecuting ship off, he realizes winning this fight will prove too risky.
“Get us back to the fleet.” Anakin lets R2 put in the coordinates for hyperspace, closely observing the angry starship’s movements. It trains its blasters on their B-Wing and begins to start shooting. Anakin dodges the bolts, tempted to counterattack, but something in his mind holds him back. Kenobi. It couldn’t be, Obi-Wan flying that ship? After the incident on Utapau, he was assumed to be dead!
Anakin has no time to complete his train of thought, as the B-Wing launches into hyperspace, leaving the enemy ship behind. Anakin lets out a deep breath as he reminds himself he’s not being chased anymore. Chills run down his back in the wake of the revived memory.
Anakin turns to face Leia, guilt visible on her face as she glances back at him nervously, “I messed up, my friend told me to meet up with him, but turns out he just wanted some money. I was so…angry.”
“And?” Anakin presses sternly.
“I’m sorry for disobeying your orders,” she sighs.
“Yeah, you need to learn to listen to orders and follow through with them. So far you just barely know how to listen. You also need to control your anger.” Leia nods weakly and Anakin softens the exchange with a smile. “I’m glad you’re okay, but you owe me a starfighter.”
“I knew you’d say that.” Leia shoots him a cheeky grin. “That means we can actually build one together now!”
“Woah, woah, woah, you got us in that mess just so you could build a starfighter out of scraps with me?”
Leia bursts into giggles. “It was…part of the plan!”
Anakin stretches back in his seat. He got Leia back. He found his Padawan. She’s stubborn as ever of course, and it reminds him of his younger self. Though the stakes of the war between the Empire and rebel insurgents are getting higher, his family grants him peace. Nonetheless, the encounter with Kenobi has difficulty escaping his mind for many a time to come.