"We have to operate quickly if we are to save the babies."
"Babies?" Organa said with some puzzlement, and Ladine sighed, holding her own baby close to her chest. Padme just had to have twins, didn't she?
Ladine wished she could be at Padme's side, but Lu-Jean was being cranky. Obi-Wan finally went in to her. the three of them watched, nervous and tense, as the medical droid worked. The first baby was out…the second one…
Ladine let out a gasp as the droid flatly announced that Padme was dead. She staggered back, her hand to her mouth, and Bail laid an arm around her.
"Dead?" she whispered. Her baby wailed.
After Luke and Leia's homes had been decided upon, Ladine left with Bail –apparently Master Yoda had some Jedi stuff to discuss with Obi-Wan. Her thoughts strayed to the twins, and for a moment she wondered if separating them was the best thing to do. then again, Bail would be a good father to Leia, and from what she'd heard, the Larses were pretty okay too. And with Obi-Wan acting as guardian-in-hiding, there shouldn't be any problems…
But a Sith Lord was ruling the galaxy. Problems were sure to abound. She looked at her now sleeping baby. If Palpatine knew she had a child…
"Are you all right?" Bail asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. She gave him a weak smile. "Rather hard to process, this is," she said, imitating Yoda's manner of speech in an effort to cheer herself–and Bail–up.
Organa didn't need cheering. The prospect of having a baby daughter was more than enough for him. He smiled politely, but the concern in his eyes stayed. "What will you be doing? You can't go back to Kuat as a senator anymore. Palpatine will be looking for you–"
"I'll settle down somewhere remote and lonely. Not Tatooine, obviously," everybody knew her distaste for sand, "but somewhere Palpatine won't think of looking. Not very soon, at least."
"What about a job, a source of income?"
"That's easy enough. Singing. If I hadn't been such an impeccable diplomat, I would've gone to some company and offered my services as a singer. I've got a couple of friends who can help me out. Don't worry, they're loyal," she said, answering Bail's unvoiced question.
The senator still looked skeptical. "Loyal? I wouldn't be too trusting anymore, even of old friends. You're Palpatine's wife–he's sure to scour the galaxy for you. And if he gets even a rumour of his child–"
"The galaxy is a big place, thank the Force. I'll manage."
"I'd much prefer it if you came to Alderaan with me. We'd make sure you were safe and unharmed. You and your baby."
She laughed, even as her heart jumped at the loyalty in Bail's voice. "I couldn't possibly. You know that. Palpatine knows you're not exactly a good and faithful senator, and he'll have his eye on you. You'll have you hands full keeping inquisitive and prying stormtroopers and stuff off your back. I'd just be an added cause for suspicion. "
Bail was sensible enough to not blatantly deny that fact. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."
"But I am not. I won't allow you to. I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself safe, and I have a few contacts, albeit rather disreputable, who will, I'm sure, offer their help."
"Ladine, I–"
"No, listen, Senator." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you mean well, and I am touched by it. I truly am. But you can't take such a huge risk for me. The fate of the whole galaxy is at stake, and you are one of the few people who can restore peace and order to the galaxy. Your loyalty and friendship to a friend mustn't be a stumbling block."
"This isn't just about you." Bail laid a gentle hand on Lu-Jean's cheek, absently caressing it. "You have a baby to look after and protect. What if Palpatine's stormtroopers find you and the baby?"
Ladine looked down at her daughter. As if on cue, Lu-Jean gave a little smile in her sleep. Ladine could well imagine the fate of the child if Palpatine managed to get his hands on her. "They won't. I'll see to that."
Bail must've heard the quiet determination in her voice, the firmness and the confidence. He dipped his head. "At least promise me you will turn to me for help, if you need any."
"Bail–"
"No, Ladine. No buts, no arguments. Just say yes, I will. This I'm going to insist on."
She sighed in defeat, though again the familiar feeling of relief arose within her. "I will. I promise."
Organa nodded, satisfied. "Thank you. Please don't hesitate to ask for aid. My planet will always be open to you, no matter what."
Just then the baby moved, opened her eyes, and howled loud enough to wake the dead. Ladine tried to lull her back to sleep, but to no avail. "Sorry, I think this baby needs food and rest."
Bail grinned. "Parenthood."
"Oh, you've no idea."
"Soon, I will."
She chuckled. "Good luck. If Lu-Jean is a handful, Leia will most certainly be more than a mouthful. She is Padme's and Anakin's daughter, after all."
"Looking forward to it, I am."
"Foolish naivete."
After about an hour of nursing, Lu-Jean fell asleep again. Ladine kept her in her little crib, next to Leia and Luke. She watched the twins as they slept, smiled at Luke when he opened his eyes and stared at her.
"Worried about him? So am I."
Ladine turned, activating the cool Senator smile she'd perfected over the years–it worked even on nervy Jedi Masters. "I'm sure someone with your skills and expertise will be able to keep him safe, even in a sand-infested area."
Obi-Wan didn't even crack a grin. "You know what I mean."
She lost her fake demeanor. "Yes. Well, we have to hope that the twins will be fine, and that one day Palpatine will be dethroned." And Anakin Skywalker be turned or destroyed.
The Jedi seemed to hear the unspoken words, but he didn't comment on them. "Must be hard for you. First your husband, and now Padmé. I'm sorry."
She smiled wearily at the Master's attempt at condolences. "I deserved it. I knew him better than anyone else. I of all people should've known who he was–a Sith Lord, of all people. I should've guessed…" her voice trailed off. Talking of Palpatine that way hurt too much.
Not Palpatine, she reminded herself sternly. Darth Sidious, Emperor of the galaxy…
And my husband, my daughter's father.
"The Jedi, of all people, should have known," he said. "You mustn't blame yourself, Senator."
"Former Senator, Master Kenobi."
He finally gave way to a half-grin. "I apologize. I assume Senator Organa offered to take you to Alderaan, and that you refused?"
"Ah, the all-knowing Jedi."
He ignored her jab. "Where will you go?"
Ladine repeated what she'd told bail, and was comforted when his response was slightly more optimistic. "I wish I could promise to come to your aid if you need me, but I'm–"
"Definitely not going to," she said firmly. "Obi-Wan, you're going undercover now. You can't rush off to anybody's aid except Luke's, unless there's some huge, big emergency, and I certainly don't rank that high in importance. Please don't do anything rash and stupid out of a sense of loyalty, Kenobi. I'd hate to unwittingly bring about your destruction."
"You never did like to mince words, did you? Don't worry, I won't. One of the things a Jedi Master must possess is the ability to analyze a situation carefully. After the Clone Wars, I certainly think I have that bit under control."
"Oh, definitely."
A low moan caught their attention, and they turned to see baby Luke squirming restlessly. "Here's a chance to learn how to calm a baby, Jedi," she remarked, lifting Luke and handing him to Obi-Wan, giving him pointers on how to hold him. He caught on quick, and she nearly giggled at the sight–a Jedi Master perching a baby boy precariously in the crook of his arm.
"They never taught this in Jedi school," he said rather breathlessly.
"Evidently," she replied drily.
He shifted his attention from the baby to her. "Tell me, can you think of any aliases for me?"
She thought for a bit. "Something simple, something easy to tuck in a corner of your mind and forget about…How about Ben?"
He mulled it over. "Ben. Ben Kenobi. Sounds good to me."
She laughed, then grew serious. "May the Force be with you, Ben."
"You too…erm, I don't think I know your name?"
"How about Zalle?"
"Doesn't really suit."
"Finnette?"
"Sounds like a name for a mynock."
"Oh, for–Juliet, then."
"Much better."
"Alwinettar."
"That, on the other hand…"
"Juliet. Case closed."
His blue eyes twinkled for the first time in ages, and she felt an odd sense of déjà vu creeping over her. Please don't die, Obi-Wan, please…
"May the Force be with you, Juliet."
"Thank you, Master Kenobi. I think I'll need it."