Author's Note: Hey Everyone! Be sure to reread this chapter! I changed some things and expanded on it. Thanks to those who supported this prequel!
Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.
It had been some time since the beginning of the trip, one that seemed to last a great deal longer than either had expected. It all had started shortly after the Tano girls had arrived, making life complicated for the two passengers about the small, rickety vessel that was trudging onward towards the further expanses of the Galaxy. To wild space.
Yet why were they on this trip?
After all, wild space was hardly a place for anyone not interested in the republic's pay for charting out new systems or finding new resources for wealthy companies to exploit. Save for chasing down a criminal, the law itself would not venture forth into the unknown. Yet here these two were, traveling along with an adventurer well versed in this mysterious domain.
It was simple, really, someone had told them they knew a great source of new Force users for the Jedi. And so the strong form of a particularly mangy looking Zygerrian male waltzed into the home of the infamous Jedi warriors, demanding he speak with a specific Jedi Master that lived there. Demanding he speak with none other than Luke Skywalker. Only he would suffice.
Deliberations about these demands had lasted two days with the high council, each wondering what this Zygerrian had to gain by tricking their greatest warrior. It was eventually permitted that he follow up on this crazed story about another world filled with Force users, so long as he did not travel alone. And his choice companion was not the one the Zygerrian was looking forward to.
The woman that came with Skywalker was practically his opposite in every way. Her hair was dark to his light. Her eyes brown to his blue. Her figure slight to his muscular frame. Her demeanor strict to his calm. Were it not for these facts, Pi-Rali might have thought Leia S. Organa was beautiful.
She made him nervous, the way her brown eyes stared at him, her eyes daring him to make one wrong move towards the light haired master that sat behind her. Said master was lost in meditation, floating a few feet of the ground as he convened with the universe, likely sniffing out any traps that may or may not be awaiting them. Though the man was known for being the more powerful, he was not the one that kept the Zygerrian on edge.
The only break from her cruel stare was the sounds of Skywalker coming to from his meditation and the scratching of the poor Zygerrian, Pi-Rali, on one of his infected ears. "Something wrong?" She asked of him, her voice strong enough to challenge the queen of his home world.
He shrugged and admitted, "Ear's infected... got something real nasty in it when I fell into a pool on a planet I was exploring." She nodded, accepting that answer but offering no condolences to his pain. No, Master Skywalker was the one to offer him that kindness.
"Have you seen a doctor?" He inquired, seating himself in one of the chairs as he stretched his arms from sitting still for so long. Touched by his kindness, as few were openly friendly with the Zygerrian, Pi-Rali nodded with a smile and then returned to his steering. Now, in the depths of wild space, things were getting more difficult to predict. He was off the hyperspace bypass and had to rely on his personal maps and memory to get them to the correct location.
It seemed that the silence was uncomfortable to Organa, "So how did you happen upon this place?" she wondered aloud at him, her voice still hard like he saw on the HoloNet. It grated on his ears.
"Truth be told..." He admitted sheepishly, "I wasn't the first one to find this planet. My grandmother had stumbled on it while transporting a Jedi out of a battle zone near the bypass. I just retraced her steps, interested in what her diaries had commented on."
Organa looked carefully to Skywalker, who sat forward intently. "Your grandmother is Pi-Lippa, isn't she?"Pi-Rali nodded to him, "I thought I recognized the family name." The man added with a smile. "According to my uncle, Pi-Lippa planned to free my grandmother, who was her slave, but her final wish was not granted after her passing, and she was sold to the Hutts." Pi-Rali's jaw dropped in hearing that, and his eyes were once again downcast.
"I'm afraid that isn't the story my grandmother told me of yours." he informed them sadly, "Though I realize it would be easier to believe your version, seeming as my kind have been slavers for centuries, believe me when I say that Pi-Lippa never owned a soul. She was a proud adventurer who did not believe in sentient bondage."
"But your mother was all for it." Organa suddenly added, her face unamused, "Especially as princess of Chisordrek." Pi-Rali frowned.
"Pi-Nanali is an embarrassment to all my grandmother and I stand for." Pi-Rali nearly growled, "That I was her ticket to a cushy lifestyle haunts me to this very day. She was well suited for Prince Delak, and I am glad she was his cast-away mistress, even if I was mistreated for it. She deserved every off comment thrown her way." His conviction in his feelings radiated in the Force, bringing a smile to Skywalker's face.
"You are a credit to your people." Skywalker suddenly told him. Were he able to flush, Pi-Rali's face would have lit up red like a super-nova. He turned to see that Organa was also smiling at him.
A test!He realized with wide eyes, And I've passed it!
Leaning forward, Organa inquired of him, "If our grandmother was not Pi-Lippa's slave..." she wondered aloud, "Then how did they know one another?"
Pi-Rali smiled and sat back, suddenly comfortable in his own ship once more. He crossed his arms over his coveralls and took a deep breath to prepare himself. This story was going to shock his passengers and he wanted to be ready for it. He was so eager, he missed the pronoun that would spell out his situation entirely. "She was her friend." He began carefully, "Your grandmother, Shmi Skywalker, helped my grandmother when she was in need, and in return Pi-Lippa helped her."
"Helped her to what?" Organa inquired, her brown eyes now wide like a child's. Skywalker sat beside her, his face also filled with curiosity.
"Helped her to escape from captivity."
They turned to one another, each surprised by the story. In fact, the twist even left Luke Skywalker chuckling in amazement, "I knew our grandma was made of tough stuff... but wow." This time Pi-Rali heard it.
"Our grandma?" he inquired with furrowed brows. Skywalker and Organa grinned at him mischievously, appearing to have their own conversation in their eyes. Eventually, Organa was the one to admit to him the truth.
"Yes, our grandma." She told him, "We're twin brother and sister." Her red lips grinned at the astounded expression on the Zygerrian's face, "It's not something we advertise, as our connection can cause some trouble during voting. I've been accused before of siding with my brother for the sake that he is my brother, and I'm not a fan of it." Pi-Rali nodded slowly, smiling slightly as he processed this.
"So I presume then that neither of you are fully acquainted with your past?" He inquired slowly, unsure if he was treading on thin ice now that he'd established some sort of camaraderie with these two Force-giants. Luke shrugged and nodded a little bit.
"I'd heard many things from my uncle mostly, seeming as he was the one who spent the most time with her when she was willing to talk about her past. I understand that prior to that, she'd been very quiet. We uncovered some other stuff recently, but nothing that amounted to anything more than headaches." Luke admitted, his eyes cast to the floor, "But the truth is, we know so little about who our family is that it feels like I'm caught in a vacuum. Were we always slaves? Were we athletes? Inventors even?"
Leia chuckled, "I could see inventors." Luke nodded to that, grinning a little before she returned to Pi-Rali, "Why?"
Smiling, Pi-Rali offered, "Well, I suppose you could say I found those answers for you."
The twins were frozen for a moment, and then turned to each other with many unspoken questions. Pi-Rali understood, however, that as Force-users, they often talked to one another in their minds. He suspected that was what they were doing just now.
"Are you saying that..." Skywalker attempted to voice. When it failed him, and Organa proved incapable for words, Pi-Rali could only smile to himself and nod.
"Yes." He told them, "I'm saying that I've found what you've been searching for. I've found the world your grandmother comes from."
Lilina smiled to herself a great smile as she stared up to the ruins that were once her home. Though now worn and ragged, Castle Stavo was still as magnificent now as it had been so many years ago. Long before a cunning warrior burned it to the ground.
Carefully, she leaned back in her chair, smelling the flowers as memories of fire and ashes filled her mind. Those were terrible times, she reminded herself. It wasn't hard to feel the pain of that memory, the year when half of her beloved sons perished. The year when her ever-loyal family was turned against itself by a witch if there ever was one.
She opened her eyes to brush a tear away from them, her stare still fixed on that ruin of a castle. The town around it seemed to be thriving, though it was no longer the bustling city it once was. No, Old Stavo had been long abandoned as a capital city, the northerly Brida was now home to all royalty and commerce in the tribe. Brida. She growled inside.
Yes, she realized as she sensed something in the distance. A wave of light ricocheting through the Aura of the world, your days are numbered.
As if to verify her forecast, the clouds above broke apart from the force of a small vessel dropping down from the skies. She did not recognize the craft, but she was certain she knew who was on board it. Pi-Rali's presence was very apparent in the world Aura. Pulling her worn bones to her feet, she grabbed her walking stick and cloak and headed home. Home to where she was certain Pi-Rali would bring her much anticipated guests.
Luke was still in shock from Pi-Rali's declaration nearly a day ago. Having scoured many star charts after unearthing the name of the planet, he was certain that the world had faded away into non-existence.
And yet here he was! On Advorosia. His true homeworld. In this world, Pi-Rali had told him the day before, I met several by the name of Skywalker, including one who not only knew your grandmother, but knew my grandmother was responsible for her disappearance. She wants to meet you! Luke swallowed at the thought.
When the ship landed and it was time for them to disembark, Luke found himself not wanting to leave the ship. He stared down the ramp hesitantly for what seemed like hours before Leia took his hand in hers, her smile up at him filling him with strength he did not know he had.
With a smile on his face to reassure her that he would be all right, Luke turned back to the ramp and took his first step with his sister towards their place of origin. Well, half their identity's origin, anyway.
And what they saw took their breath away. All around them were gray and green mountains. Snow-caps topped some and villages others. They could not believe the sights they saw. Green fields of tall grasses lining small towns that punctuated the river in the valley. A terrific gray ruin that overlooked the whole area. It was gorgeous!
"It's like Alderaan!" Leia decreed, stepping before her brother with a smile to study the trees in the distance... all coniferous and healthy. "I never imaged our grandmother came from a world like this!" Luke smiled as he followed his sister down the game trail.
"Neither did I." He admitted, "I always thought of her on Tatooine."
"In the desert and sand?" Leia inquired with a smile.
Luke nodded, "Yeah."
Pi-Rali watched them both with a smile, proud to be a part of this peculiar family reunion. Not many in the galaxy hailed from a primitive planet in such a way, after all. He stepped forward, reminding them and their glee of his presence.
"Shall we get going then?" He asked the eager twins, who nodded with wide grins.
They proceeded down the path, Pi-Rali leading the way, towards a picturesque town that lined the river. It was small, quaint, and primitive. The buildings themselves were all made of cut stone, likely from the mountains surrounding them, and the roofs were all a combination of cut wood and field-grass. Several small chimneys spat out gray smoke, all while a water wheel spun contentedly in the babbling brook that joined the river.
As they approached this town, an old man with a missing arm stepped out with a walking stick. He hobbled down his front walk into the street just as Luke, Leia and Pi-Rali arrived. "Hello again!" Pi-Rali waved to the long bearded man, "Good to see you again Mr. Uthias!"
Uthias stopped and looked up at them, a smile on his face at first. "Pi-Rali!" he called as he meandered closer to them, he waved at them with his stick after every third step, making Luke and Leia smile at his eager friendliness, "Good to see you again my friend!"
Pi-Rali nodded to him, "You as well!"
By then, Uthias had joined them, his smile wider still as he looked from Pi-Rali to Luke and then Leia. But as he looked, the twins could not help but notice something odd about him; though he walked easily and missed every obstacle, he was blind.
"So!" Uthias inquired, "You've brought friends this time."
"At Lady Lilina's request." Pi-Rali informed him, "She was most particular about meeting these two." Uthias nodded with a grin.
"Yes, my mother gets that way." He admitted before holding his hand out to the nearest of the twins, Leia, "Uthias Skywalker." he introduced himself happily.
Luke stepped to the side to regard the man with an amazed grin while Leia collected herself to respond, "Leia Or-Skywalker." She caught herself, wanting desperately to be identified as family if she could be. Uthias frowned a moment, his eyes shrinking with uncertainty as the twins suddenly felt a new and mysterious presence in the Force.
"So you are." He told them with a grin, his eyes turning to Luke. "And what is your name, my boy?" Frozen for a minute in awe, Luke shook his head free of his musings and smiled.
"Luke Skywalker." He told him as he took the man's hand in his own. "We are Shmi Skywalker's grandchildren." He added with a friendly voice. He wasn't expecting the reaction he received.
"Sh-" the man stuttered as he stepped forward and ran his hand down Luke's cheek, feeling his face and building a picture in his mind, "Shmi?" Luke nodded, but Leia was the one to add in.
"We understand she originated from these parts." She told him, hoping to keep the conversation light and friendly, despite the man's apparent awe.
Uthias nodded, his face solemn, "She did. But she was banished long ago." he paused a moment and sighed, "She was... she..." It was clear he wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say, "She was a beautiful, loving soul... and greatly missed." Luke and Leia could sense his sorrow, and attempted to help the ancient by adding their kindness and sympathy into the Force. Uthias was clearly surprised by their control, as he jumped when he felt their gentle touch on his Aura.
"You are gifted!" He realized with a grin, "Stupendous!"
Luke and Leia nodded, chuckling to themselves, "Well." Luke replied as they fell into formation behind Pi-Rali, Uthias in between them, "I suppose you could call us gifted." Uthias chuckled in hearing that, recognizing a familiar tone in Luke's voice. He ignored his suspicions, however, and continued onwards down the lane.
"Well, whatever you are," he told the twins, "You are welcome! It's been a long time since any family has visited this town, and, frankly, I'm miffed that my brother's great-grandchildren would arrive long before my own... but whatever."
"Your brother?" Leia asked as they approached the rest of the town. Though she was engaged in the conversation, she could not believe what she was seeing. The entire community was filled with the elderly. Many were without limbs or showed signs of severe disease. Even more acted as though it didn't affect them. And most had clearly lost their sight.
Around them, the shoddiest droids sped about, trying to keep up with the community and assist where they could. Several were broken down in the streets, becoming new obstacles for those that roamed about. It took Leia a while to notice that, though elements of technology were present, the town itself was clearly primitive when compared with the rest of the galaxy.
"Yes, Shmi was my niece..." He paused, "A punishment for offending the queen." Uthias informed her, sensing her curiosity at his eyes. "She takes the sight of those who cannot see her vision. All except mother, of course."
Leia scoffed, "That's barbaric!" Luke nodded in agreement, and attempted to hide his frown as he waved to a kindly old woman that waved to them.
"Dalili Wallcarver." Uthias introduced Luke, "Her father used to be the master stonemason of the land... but that was before King Sarantis took the throne." Luke sighed.
"What did she do to lose her sight?" Luke wondered as Pi-Rali stopped and knocked on one particular door. Uthias sighed, his whole body rising and falling as he did.
"She was his lover." He told Luke, "The king's... before he was married too... but most Cloudrunner women are jealous, and she was punished for having so much as a history with Sarantis. It didn't matter that she was married with children... and those rotten snots went and abandoned her here too."
"Where is here exactly?" Leia inquired as Pi-Rali knocked again, his face more concerned now than it had been.
Uthias sighed once more, "This place is called Stavasi, but most call it the town of the decrepit." The twins both glanced to one another, concern and horror in their eyes as they heard this. Then, as their guide began to curse and search the windows, Leia chanced the question that had been plaguing the twins since he first mentioned the queen.
"Why did you lose your sight?"
Uthias turned to her and smiled, "Well... I told the queen that I wished Shmi were still here so she could kick her ass." Both twin's eyes were wide in horror, "Then I spat at the bitch and turned to leave. I lost my sight before I made it out the door." he then paused and added, "Save for with mother, I think it would be best that you don't tell anyone you are Shmi's grandchildren... you might stir up trouble with that."
"Our grandmother caused quite the commotion, I'm guessing." Leia commented as Luke turned to Pi-Rali, who came back around the house with a smile. Uthias merely nodded as the Zygerrian approached.
"She was taking a nap." he told the twins with a grin.
Uthias chuckled, "Well, you try being 116 years old sometime... it ain't easy."
Luke and Leia looked at one another in shock before turning to Uthias. Neither were certain if they should voice their question, but a clearly Force-sensitive Uthias must have caught their wonderings, as he answered them. "I am a respectable 92 years of age." The door then opened, revealing an even more haggard woman with bright green eyes, green as Uthias's must have been before he'd been blinded.
She smiled at them kindly, her eyes drifting from one member of their party to the next. "Pi-Rali." She greeted first, "So good of you to visit." She then paused and stepped out of the doorway, allowing her guests into her home.
The four of them entered her abode, marveling at how charming it was. Paintings and pictures of all sorts lined the walls, showing faces of many children and adults. They were surprised to even see some HoloImages tucked in here and there. The amount of detail that went into the artwork amazed the twins far more than the sputtering tech, who stopped to regard several images while Pi-Rali led the way to the seating area.
"Lady Lilina." He smiled at her, "I have brought your great-great-grandchildren, as you've requested."
"So they really are Shmi's descendents." Uthias noted as he seated himself next to Lilina. He reached down carefully and picked up a cup of tea with a smile under his whiskers. "Unbelievable. I'm amazed her family was able to survive the hunts all this time... where they must have gone to hide!"
Luke smiled at the old man a moment and then to his great-great-grandmother before his eyes caught sight of a small picture on Lilina's wall. It was a painting of a warrior, based on the armor he wore. He had a crooked grin on his face, with the same features he and his father donned, the same jaw, the same nose. Even his wild hair was a wheat blond, and his eyes a dark blue. Much like Anakin Skywalker's had been. "Are all these pictures of your family, Lady Lilina?" He asked.
With a grin, Lilina replied hautily, "I'm your goddamned great-great-grandmother boy! You'd best identify me as such." He chuckled and rolled his eyes a moment, bringing an all knowing grin to Lilina's face, "And yes, they are all my family. That one there is one of my sons. You resemble him greatly, in my opinion." Luke smiled back at her, his eyes falling back on the painting a moment before he noticed that Uthias had stopped himself mid-way to reaching his teacup. His face seemed both puzzled and horrified all at once.
"Is he my great-grandfather then?" Luke inquired as he moved towards the sitting area, his eyes falling on Uthias as he did. He seemed to relax after hearing that, setting his cup down as Leia seated herself next to him.
Lilina smiled and looked down to her hands, "No." She told him, "No he is not."
Suddenly, Uthias stood up, as though he were uncomfortable with the topic of his own brother. "Well, I'd best be off." He told them all, "Mother, great seeing you. Luke." he turned to him and then to Leia, "Leia. It was nice to meet you."
"Thank you." Leia told him with a grin, "It was nice to meet you as well, uncle." Uthias paused a moment, his smile hesitant before he nodded and dashed out the door. It didn't matter to him that he'd forgotten to say good-bye to his good friend Pi-Rali. But Pi-Rali didn't care. He was already passed out in his chair from exhaustion in navigating through the wild space.
Disturbed by their great-uncle's sudden dismissal, the twins turned to Lilina with curiosity and worry in their eyes. Through the Force, they sensed she was also somewhat disturbed. "What was that about, grandmother?" Luke inquired carefully, his brow furrowed in a way that brought many memories back to Lilina.
She shook her head, bringing an end to the topic. Then, she leaned forward and grabbed a tea cup, "Cralli Grass Tea." She told them, "The best for nerves." The twins smiled and gathered their own glasses, turning to each other in confusion for a slight moment.
Lilina continued to sip at her tea a moment, her eyes falling on both Luke and Leia continuously. Eventually, she had to add, "Child." She smiled at Leia, "You look so much like Shmi, it actually hurts. She was my oldest grandchild... and my pride and joy." Leia flushed a moment.
"Do you have many grandchildren?" She wondered. Lilina set her tea cup down and nodded.
"Total, I've had the privilege of seeing thirty-seven grandchildren into this world." She then grinned at the twins, "Which isn't bad considering I had eight children in all." The twins chuckled before she asked, "Are you all of Shmi's grandchildren?" They nodded.
"Our father was her only child." Luke told her. Lilina nodded and leaned back into her chair.
"What was his name?" She inquired with a smile.
Luke and Leia glanced at one another a moment before replying, "Anakin." Luke said proudly, "His name was Anakin Skywalker." Lilina sighed in hearing that name.
"I see." Was all she said, surprising the twins. "Anakin."
She then paused a moment, picking her delicate tea cup up once more. It seemed a great while of uncomfortable silence before she finally faced the twins, "You must be wondering why I called you to this backwater world."
The twins both shook their heads, with Leia inserting, "If you're our great-great-grandmother, it really is no wonder." Lilina chuckled some.
"I suppose so." She realized, "But, though it does my heart good to see you both," She paused, setting her cup down, "I'm afraid I called you here on less selfish pretenses." Both twins stared at her curiously, with sky blue and chocolate brown eyes. "I need your help."
Luke set his cup down and leaned forward on his knees, taking their grandmother's plea very seriously, "With what?"
Lilina sighed and sat back in her chair, Luke's position and expression bringing many memories, both painful and pleasurable, back into her mind. "In short, I need you to fulfill a prophecy I forecasted many years ago." Both twins glanced at one another in surprise.
"A prophecy?" Leia wondered, now setting down her teacup.
Lilina nodded, "Yes, you see... I foresaw that this world would be united through Shmi and that an era of peace would prevail for centuries to come."
"United?" Leia asked incredulously, her eyes now turning to Luke. She can't mean she wants us to fight a war here, can she?
Before Luke could answer her, however, Lilina did. "Unfortunately... yes."
Both twins sighed and turned to one another, not sure how to handle this particular situation. "Grandmother..." Luke attempted to begin, but was silenced by the rising hand of Lady Lilina.
"Before you turn me away," She told him, "I need to tell you something. I need to tell you the story of why your grandmother was banished... only then will you understand why I need you to do this for me." Again the twins turned to one another, even more unsure of what to do. Eventually, they nodded.
And Lilina smiled, "Well then... it all started the day my youngest child was born..."
Author's Note: Sadly, my original chapter did not get restored when my computer crashed... it was so awful to lose all that data! Apparently OpenOffice files do not get rescued by computers. I did my best to reconstruct the whole chapter, but it has been almost a year since I wrote it. I also tried to keep the ambiguity of Promise alive. Hopefully you all enjoy it!
Please don't forget to review!