Disclaimer: I do not own SW or any of the characters therein. They are the sole property of George Lucas and Lucasfilmsltd.
"Today should be a good day to do it." Han remarked, trying to be as casual about it as possible. "We will have all of our family close together." For emotional support in case this does not go the way we hope it does. The last was unspoken though it was on everyone's minds.
"Six o'clock." Luke agreed, toying with the fork sitting in front of him. "I will get some more time in the archives then, before we begin."
Leia nodded. "I will just have gotten out of a senate meeting." She subconsciously began to play with her white senatorial garb. She had joined Han and Luke for dinner at the Senate cafeteria.
"What will you be doing after our torture session?" Garm asked, pulling up a seat.
"Well, as you might have heard, Artoo has memories of our mother. We were going to start from the last and watch as many of them as he has." Leia said, explaining.
Garm's expression got guarded. "Enjoy." He said.
"You knew." Luke breathed. "You knew this entire time who our mother was and her story and you did not tell us."
Everyone at the table flinched a bit, it was unlike Luke to get this emotional.
Garm got up, his expression guarded but sympathetic. "Watch the holograms from Artoo. Give me a call if you want to talk. I will be in."
"Would you like to watch with us."
Garm hesitated. "I will come when you are done."
Luke and Leia sensed a deep sorrow from the man which made Luke sorry for his outburst.
Luke and Leia shared a look. Luke grabbed Leia's hand for comfort before they parted. Garm's reaction made them even more worried about what they would discover when they watched Artoo's holos.
Han looked at the clock. He could tell that the wait and suspense was killing Leia. "Come on." He muttered under his breath.
The announciator announced Lando in, he was one of the few people
"Lando is here. We can begin." Han said.
Luke nodded to Artoo.
He displayed a scene that was obviously in an apartment. Leia and Luke saw a group of people sitting on couches and C-3PO passing out drinks to a bunch of people in Senatorial garb.
"The petition has been a failure. The chancellor has no intention of following through and we cannot allow these abuses." A stately woman wearing a triangle shaped garment said. Leia noted that she had gotten up.
"To hide her pregnancy." Luke surmised.
"Padme." A man that Leia recognized immediately as Bail Organa, said with a pang. "Padme. You said it yourself, we cannot risk another war. We already have lost too many people in the galaxy."
The man sitting next to Bail snorted. "Then how pray, Bail, do you expect to restore democracy."
"There are other ways other than fighting all the time, General." The man Luke recognized immediately as Obi-Wan said.
"Well then, Master General Kenobi, Jedi us a way out of this then." The man emphasized general to indicate that Kenobi himself had fought much.
Obi-Wan was silent, responding instead by getting up and looking out the viewport.
"What we need is a dual solution. We are not yet strong enough to fight. I will not be party to anything that will result in much and unnecessary civilian suffering." Padme said, pacing.
"We all would like to avoid that, but the point of doing this was that the abuses are becoming intolerable." The man said, it was now that Leia noticed that his face was lined with stress and her heart went out to him. This was why they fought the Rebellion after all.
"becoming?" Garm snorted.
Bail and Padme exchanged an amused look. Leia realized that that was the first time she had seen her mother smile.
Padme gestured at a droid who pressed a drink into Garm's hands.
"We need a dual strategy." Padme reiterated. "Political and military. Politically, we all pretend to support Palpatine, or at least cower before him. Militarily, we begin arming. A guerilla strategy will be the most effective, both militarily and in terms of limiting civilian casualties."
"We need to cultivate allies. Surely but quietly." Bail said.
"Bail. You need to be the quietest and the most hidden. Alderaan is an excellent place to hide dissidents and perhaps even some elements of the fleet." Padme said. "So we need Palpatine to not have a reason to look at Alderaan too closely.
Bail nodded. "I will be the least visible member of the resistance. I will ingratiate myself to Palpatine. Make it appear like I support Palpatine and his rule and that I would like to extend it."
"Palpatine is a Sith lord." Obi-Wan cautioned. "Do not underestimate him or his abilities to sense what is in your mind. So at the very least veneer what you are doing. Make it plausible, in case he senses your disdain that you oppose him morally and internally but have decided that supporting him wholeheartedly is the expedient course of action. Also, at the time when you think you cannot maintain this illusion, make sure to drop it completely so he does not realize that there was a plan and a determined course of action."
Padme nodded. "Thank you for your insight, Master Kenobi."
Luke noted that it was only Padme's comments that got most of the others to even listen to Obi-Wan's comments. The Anti-Jedi sentiment must have already started to take hold, he surmised.
"Going to the logistics of membership building. Our most obvious allies are the other members of the petition of 2000. However, most of them are jailed or too frightened to join a rebellion."
Padme gave Garm and the man who had been speaking a lot a stern look as they had snorted or been about to snort at the thought of people too scared to join a rebellion.
Garm changed tactics and said, "You are protected due to your popularity and the fact that, frankly, many would notice if you were gone."
Padme nodded. The guilt at escaping the fate of her fellows evident on her face. "The other non-jailed members may join us if they see that we are succeeding and that there have been no reprisals."
Bail nodded. "But again, that brings us back to our military and overall strategy of caution. This will be hardest on you, Garm."
Garm nodded reluctantly. Everyone knew that Garm was a man of action.
"Wait." Obi-Wan said, slowly. "it will be too suspicious if all the opposition disappears. We need a public face of dissent so that Palpatine does not seek further."
"Me." Padme said.
"No." Obi-Wan said immediately. He appeared to gesture at her stomach slightly. "Plus, Padme, you are the most protected of us all. You can walk a fine line and show your disapproval, but you cannot be the rebellion's face. Another reason." Obi-Wan rushed his words as if trying not to draw too much attention to this first point, "you are respected within the Senate and without. If you evolve from moderation to rebellion that might bring more people into the rebellion."
Padme nodded and winced. It was obvious she was tiring. "Is everything alright." Bail inquired as Padme sat down, obviously in some pain.
Padme looked at Obi-Wan inquiringly. He sighed, obviously relenting.
"What Padme is about to share must remain within us. Just us. Master Yoda and a few of the other Jedi masters know, and that is it." Obi-Wan cautioned.
"I am pregnant." Padme said, simply. "The father of my children, my-my husband, has decided to join the Empire."
"these children are our only hope of destroying the emperor." Obi-Wan said. "Palpatine is strong, but master yoda has foreseen that these children are stronger. I am omitting some key facts, but they must remain omitted."
Obi-Wan paused. "Guard this secret with your life. Bury it in your mind. Especially when around the emperor or any other force sensitive being. I told you because it is an important point in planning strategy and, as Padme's closest friends, you deserve to know."
Obi-Wan, strangely, looked slightly sadly at Garm as he spoke.
The recording fizzed there.
Luke and Leia's eyes were misty. A few minutes later Han, who had not left Leia's side nor let go of her hand wisecracked. "I guess we know where Luke and Leia got there lack of self-preservation from as well as there affinity to the rebellion."
A knock came in the door, but no one got up as the door had been programmed to let Garm in.
"Wait." Leia said. "I served in the senate with a Ryoo Naberrie from the planet of Naboo, she said that she was the niece of a Senator and Queen Padme Amidala."
"It broke my heart to see you and your cousin so close together and not know." Garm said, coming in. "At least you became friendly and shared some happy moments. Then you two found each other." Garm gestured at Luke and Leia. "Everything was all right again. My conscience gave me a rest."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Leia asked.
"well, initially I thought it was Bail's decision to make. Then it just became awkward. I didn't know how to tell you. Oh you have a twin brother. Oh I knew your mother. It had been so long and there was so much there." Bel Iblis was, as usual, blunt.
"So, tell me more about my mother." Luke said, eyes misting.
Han offered Garm caffe or whisky. He chose whisky. He described Padme then, his voice hilting. Telling them about the trade federation battle, and the first time he met her through a meeting… and then the last time he met her, when she was hiding in Alderaan. "Somehow Palpatine realized that Padme was a threat to him. So she went into hiding. Soon after that, you two were born. Your mother was the happiest that I had ever seen her. For awhile it was hard to get her to concentrate on anything but spending time with you." His face fell. "But then Obi-Wan started to sense disturbances in the force. We had close calls with Palpatine and Vader. He realized… you two were not safe together and with your mom. That was the last time I ever saw her. We had just sent Luke with Obi-Wan and Leia and Padme to Alderaan with Bail. She was so sad….. the next thing I knew Bail had called me. She had taken on a reckless mission and been killed." His voice broke.
"We truly appreciate your time." Leia said, a bit later.
Leia passed around some pastries. Just as they finished a knock came on the door. "Mon Mothma." The door announciator said.
Garm Bel Iblis and Han exchanged looks, while Luke and Leia hastened to greet the Chief of State.
"I heard that you have discovered that Senator Amidala was your mother. I hope you forgive my intrusion. I thought I would contribute my thoughts."
"Please." Leia said. "That would be wonderful."
When Mon wasn't looked she glared at Han until he offered Mon Mothma some caffe and pastries.
"Thank you." Mon said, taking a pastry and some caffe.
Mon Mothma described a wonderful woman, courageous, who loved freedom and peace.
Han, with his sharp peoples' eye, caught Garm's wince.
"Thank you so much." Leia said, when Mon got up to go, citing a meeting.
Luke, Leia, Han, and Garm each shook Mon's hand and walked her to the door.
"General, join us for dinner?"
Garm, looking exhausted, said. "Thank you for the invitation. I think I will take a rain check."
Luke, Han, and Leia walked Bel Iblis to the door. "Thank you so much." Leia said, her sincerity showing through.
Han shook her hand.
Luke caught Bel Iblis's eye and his look told Garm Bel Iblis that Luke understood what he had not been able to say all night. Something he had been carrying with him for years.
"I am sure she appreciated your friendship and support." Luke said, quietly.
"Now we can get some real stories about baby Luke and Leia." Han said.
"Not until we get stories about you." Leia said, firmly.