War and Hate
Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet
When: Way after I promised I would begin this sequel. I'm sorry guys!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Star Wars, at all. Not even a little, tiny bit.
A/N AU. Anakin Didn't Turn fic verse, 19 years post ROTS, the second Galactic Civil War has begun, the Sith rule the galaxy with an iron fist, with only the small Rebel force to stop them from total domination, young heroes question their allegiances, war always leads to hate. This is the sequel to Love and Destruction, and I know it's taken me forever to get this posted, but please continue to review. I've had...a rough couple months, but that's no excuse, I'm also working on my own novel now, so wish me luck:) Please enjoy and review.
Part I- Diplomatic Missions
Rebel commander, and Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker entered the cramped hallway in the Rebellion's new Yavin base.
Though not yet twenty years old, Luke had gained respect from his fellow star fighters, especially from the members of his Rogue Squadron. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of his relationship with the Jedi Council...or what was left of it.
Luke turned as another round of beeps and whistles sounded behind him," Yes Artoo, I am sure it will be perfectly fine! Since when did you become such a worry wort anyway? You're starting to sound like Threepio!"
Artoo whistled indignantly and abruptly started off in the opposite direction. Luke paused in the middle of the busy hallway," Wait Artoo! Where do you think you're going?" The little astromech droid merely beeped something about finding someone else to talk to.
Some of the other rebels gave Luke a weird look, apparently it wasn't custom for someone to have a conversation with their Artoo unit...but Luke only shrugged and ignored them.
"Great," he muttered, running a hand through his longish, dirty-blonde hair, a bad habit he had picked up from his father.
"What trouble have you caused now, Commander Skywalker?"
Luke spun around, grinning when he saw the familiar short blonde Jedi padawan smiling at him, wryly.
Seventeen year old, Ayslyn Kenobi was dressed in her usual white Jedi robes, her blonde hair braided and her gray eyes bright, despite the current situation.
Luke grinned ruefully down at her, which wasn't too difficult considering he was at least a head taller than the young Kenobi.
"Oh you know me, always full of surprises," Luke replied.
Ayslyn chuckled, but the smile soon faded from her face," What do you think this meeting is about, Luke?"
Luke sighed, blue eyes icy," I don't know, but I doubt it's anything good."
Ayslyn nodded," It never is."
The two entered the large briefing room, a dome shaped ceiling covered the massive space. The entire room was bleached white, and filled with the majority of the rebels who were currently stationed at the base. In the center of the room, on a small stage like structure, the leaders of the Alliance were standing, waiting for everyone to quieten down.
Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Leia were standing in the center of the stage, with Masters Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Piell standing back slightly.
"Hey kid, over here!" Luke turned to his left, to see Han Solo leaning against the wall lazily, Chewbacca standing beside him.
"Hey Han," Luke sighed," Do you know what's going on?"
Chewie made an odd sound that reminded Luke of a disbelieving snort. Han rolled his eyes," Beats me ,kid. All I know, is that I'm getting out of here as soon as possible!"
That caused Luke to snort himself," Yeah, you say that every day Han, yet you're still here."
"Well I mean it this time," Han huffed. He was about to continue but was cut off by Mon Mothma.
" First, I would like to thank all of you who have served the Alliance through its rocky beginning. There have been countless missions and relocation's since a little over a year ago, but the time has come to begin amping up our tactics against the Empire."
Leia and Bail nodded in mutual agreement, and Luke felt Ayslyn tense beside him. He looked down at her, trying to look positive, and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Then he heard Ayslyn's voice in his head, via their spacial link, Nice try, Skywalker. I'm not buying it.
Luke smirked, Well it's the thought that counts...
Be quiet laser brain, I can't hear what she's saying.
Luke chuckled inwardly, but took her meaning and became quiet.
" Our Bothan spies have managed to steal the plans to the Empire's new weapon, the Death Star. It is said to be an armored death station, with enough power to destroy an entire system. If we cannot retrieve the plans from the Bothans safely, and destroy the battle station, our cause will be lost," Bail Organa explained, he then motioned to Leia," Senator Skywalker has offered to retrieve the plans from the Bothans, who have been stranded on the small planet of Velmor."
Then Bail turned to Yoda," Master Yoda, do you have any suggestions on a Jedi we could send to ensure the Senator's safety?"
Leia cut in," Do not worry, Bail, I will be fine without a Jedi escort, plus they can hardly spare their numbers right now."
Yoda nodded slowly," Right, Senator Skywalker is, trained she had been in the Jedi arts."
Organa sighed," Very well. Leia, you will be travelling on board the Tantive IV, under the care of Captain Antilles."
Leia nodded in understanding, as Mothma began again," Meanwhile, we plan on sending two Jedi, if and whoever you agree to send, Master Yoda, to the dessert planet of Tatooine, to speak to a group of smugglers representing a smuggler coalition in the outer rim. It is vital to the Rebellion that we send someone who is able to negotiate with them." She glanced pointedly at Obi-Wan as she said the last part, who seemed to smile slightly at her words," Obi-Wan may take with him whomever he chooses, but we intend to send only two."
Yoda nodded," Convene on this, we must."
"Very well," Mothma conceded," Leia, tell Raymus to prepare for take off as soon as possible. Dismissed."
"Knock knock," Leia was standing just outside the door to her brother's room.
Luke looked up from where he was tinkering on Threepio, who had been complaining about his rusted arm mechanism for over a month.
"Hi," Luke replied, before returning to Threepio.
Leia just stood there starring at him for a second. Luke looked eerily like their father, just as Leia looked so much like their mother...something that had always amazed Leia, though now it more worried her.
Finally, Luke looked back at her," What's wrong?"
Leia shook her head," Must something be wrong for me to talk to my own brother?"
Luke eyed her suspiciously," No, but usually there is."
"It's nothing," Leia supplied, sitting down in an uncomfortable chair next to Luke's bed.
Luke put down his tools and gave Leia a slightly annoyed look," I'm your brother, I've lived with you for nineteen years, I know when you're using your political voice."
Leia laughed," Fine. I was thinking...about things."
"Oh. Things." Luke echoed, sounding apathetic," What exactly?"
Leia eyed Luke, warily," We never really talked about...what happened on Mustafar."
Luke shrugged," There was never time, we were both upset over mom, and you were busy creating the Alliance."
" I know. Listen, I know whatever it is you never told me must have been bad, but I would really like to know...how dad bame..." she trailed off," and how you came back as a Knight."
"Well, we really don't have time, you're leaving soon."
Leia nodded, standing up, and moving back to the door," Yes. But when I get back...will you tell me?"
Luke stood also, shifting Threepio aside momentarily, the twins embraced," I will."
Leia smiled," Good, and I'm sorry to take your droids, but I'll need them for the mission."
"They're yours as much as they are mine," Luke reminded her.
Leia nodded, and after one more sad goodbye, she and the droids left to board the Tantive IV.
Luke entered Ayslyn's room quietly, it was adorned much like his own, scarcely.
She was sitting on her standard sized bed, looking at a holo projector, rather sadly.
"Hello Luke," she glanced up at him as he entered.
Luke immediately realized she was upset, another side effect of the mind meld they'd shared a year before.
"What's wrong?" he asked, as he sat next to her, pulling her into his arms gently.
She didn't protest, she merely lay there, not speaking. They stayed like that several minutes before, Ayslyn broke the comfortable silence by pulling away.
" My father is leaving for Tatooine without me," she replied.
"What?" Luke asked, surprised, he had assumed Obi-Wan would choose his daughter and padawan to join him on the assignment to Tatooine.
Ayslyn sighed," The council wanted him to pick me also, but he says that I'm going to be needed here. Although, I don't know for what, I'm a strategist, and I don't see any ground battles coming up in the near future."
Luke shook his head," I have to say, I'm surprised. Who is Obi-Wan taking with him?"
Ayslyn stared up at Luke intently," He's taking you."
"Me?" Luke jumped up," But why?"
There was a muffled cough from the door," I believe I can answer that."
Luke glanced up at Obi-Wan in question, then followed the Jedi master out the door.
Once they were in the hall, Obi-Wan began to speak quietly," Luke, do you regret me picking you for this assignment?"
Luke paused, but then shook his head," Not at all, I was just surprised. You always take Ayslyn with you on assingments."
" Indeed I do," Obi-Wan replied," But I figured that this would be an oppurtunity for you to prove to Master Yoda that your knighting was not a mistake."
Luke scowled," It wasn't. He just doesn't under-"
Obi-Wan put a hand on Luke's shoulder to stop him from finishing," I know, but you have to look at this from his point of view, Luke. You were only eighteen years old, even your father was not that young when he was made a Knight, and you know what happened to him-"
"Yes, I know." Luke snapped.
Obi-Wan sighed," Luke, Yoda thinks Anakin did not train you long enough, that you're not mature enough to be a Knight, but I have chosen you to accompany me, to help you gain his trust. Will you go with me?"
Luke smirked," Of course. I've got nothing better to do." Which earned him a reprimanding yet amused look from Obi-Wan.
"Perhaps this wasn't a good idea," he joked," If I have to put up with your attitude all the way to Tatooine, I might not be too amiable when we arrive to negotiate..."
Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, glared silently at the irritating captain in front of him, it was taking all of his will power not to crush his trachea right then and there.
"Are you telling me, Captain Raja, that the plans to the Emperor's most prized technology...have been...stolen?"
"I, um, y-yes sir, I mean, no sir. We believe they have been, but there is no proof.."
" No proof?!" Vader growled, his ferral yellow eyes sparking red with anger," We do not need proof. You have allowed the plans to be stolen, do you have any idea what will happen if the rebels attain that information?"
Captain Raja took a shaky step backwards," I am sorry, m'lord, I will try harder next time."
Vader chuckled darkly, pulling his black hood over his head," You are right, Captain, because there will be no next time." With a slight pressure from the Force, the former captain was lying limply on the floor, but Vader hardly noticed, he had to find those plans.
His yellow eyes caught sight if personal comm recorder then, causing him to remember the message he had recieved a couple months before...he had many...pressing matters to deal with, starting with the Empire's number one enemy, Luke Skywalker.
A/N I am deeply sorry for the long wait, but please please review. It will mean a lot to know you are still readindg :)