Chapter One

Five years after the Battle of Endor. Coruscant.

Leia practiced sparring with her twin. Their father watched along with Han Solo from a neighboring balcony.

"She's good," Han whispered. Anakin Skywalker nodded his head as they watched the session progressed. Luke raised his yellow blade up to block his sister's strike then jumped up over and prepared to strike at her arm. She smiled as she swiftly parried his strike and landed a kick squarely in his chest sending him flying backwards into a heap on the floor. She aimed the blade at him and his extinguished his as he laughed.

"Let me help you up," she said as her brother got to his feet.

"Looks like we've got an audience Leia." She turned and smiled as her husband and their father came down the stairs.

"You sure that's good for the twins sweetheart?" Han asked as he kissed Leia's cheek. Leia smiled and gave a smug retort to her husband.

"If there are strong in the Force as the two of us are, I think they'll be just fine." Han Solo cleared his voice. It seemed like he had something else on his mind. "So you weren't just watching us spar for nothing?"

"Afraid not." Leia put on her jacket as Luke clipped his saber onto his belt. Their father spoke up.

"Republic intelligence is reporting on increased Imperial activity near Wild Space. By all accounts, it's highly organized and methodical. They engaged several small Republican fleets…we sustained heavy losses." Leia's eyes widened.

"You're sure about this Dad?"

"I may not be in politics in any official capacity, but I never got out of the intelligence work I was involved with…I saw the reports myself. This seems real." He paused for a moment. "Mon is worried. We're all worried." Luke chimed in.

"Sounds like this is Jedi business…don't you think master?" Leia rolled her eyes as Luke smiled.

"She needs to stay out of this one Luke," said Han. "Remember, the kids?" Leia grabbed Han's hand as she faced Luke and her father. "Besides, Leia and I have to go do some diplomatic greeting."

"Seriously?"

"Afraid so, kid. The New Republic needs her expertise with living on a dustbowl to negotiate with traders in the Outer Rim." Now it was Luke's turned to roll his eyes.

"Right." He looked away. "Well…someone has to go check this activity out near Wild Space. Dad, let the Chancellor know that I'm volunteering for this mission. I'll take Artoo and and X-Wing, be back in no time."

"All right." Han, Leia, and Luke made their way out as Anakin hung back. Luke trned to his father.

"You coming?"

"I need some air, I'll be back with you guys soon enough."

Anakin Skywalker fiddled with his blaster as he took in the familiar sight of the towers on Coruscant.

"We really need you now Pad…" He spoke to the air. He hadn't seen his wife in nearly five years. Nor had he told his children that she had survived the explosion of the Second Death Star. Though her surmised that the children's Force-sensitivity had clued them in to the fact that their mother was still alive. He shouted out. "Padmé, I can't do this alone anymore." He sighed. There was no one there of course. He had scoured the galaxy for her. Naboo seemed like a logical choice, but she was nowhere to be found. Anakin had even traversed Tatooine multiple times but had come up empty handed. If Padmé was there, she certainly didn't want to be found by anyone.

The last five years had been an exciting time for the Skywalkers. They had consolidated their gains and helped to rebuild the galaxy. The New Republic rose from the ashes after some initial setbacks—they had some close calls at the small outpost of Bakura and at a final battle on a desert planet called Jakku. But they had it made it this far together. Anakin Skywalker had seen his only daughter married to the man of her dreams and as a Jedi Knight no less. It warmed his heart to see how far things had come.

But Padmé wasn't there to see it. He was lost in his thoughts now. Why do you hide? What possible good could you be doing right now?

He let his frustrations go before finally uttering the name that he had withheld from his children and from Han Solo. "Thrawn," it came out as a whisper. "Padmé…Wherever you are…if you can hear me…Thrawn is the man in charge of the Imperial Navy now…you know him better than anyone…he is ruthless…" He paused for a moment. "And you are the only one who can stop him…"

Tatooine. The Jundland Wastes. Ben Kenobi's home.

She was asleep. In the interceding years since her battle with Darth Sidious, Padmé Skywalker had kept a low profile, but she had also abandoned everything she could of her mechanized body. She had contacts with the bounty hunters and rogue scientists she could run into in various cantinas and hovels. She had traveled to Kamino and to Naboo…searching for answers…always managing to stay a few steps ahead of her husband who was bent on finding her. She didn't want him in pain again.

Her natural hair had long since grown back, and the only mechanical appendage left was her right arm. The rest had taken a full year to heal. The Kaminoans had gladly helped her lungs recuperate and heal. She was almost the way she was before. But then again, she would never be the way she truly was…that woman had died in the fires of Mustafar—had been hobbled and humbled by the Dark Side.

Thrawn. The name echoed through her head and brought her instantly out of her slumber. Who had said that voice? Wherever you are…if you can hear me….Thrawn… The words echoed through her mind. Words that her husband was uttering almost like a prayer. She stood up slowly and made her way outside of Ben Kenobi's house. She had come here to atone for her master's death. She had come here to start fresh.

But the demons of her past were never far behind. If Thrawn were in charge of the Imperial Navy, that meant that the fledgling New Republic…to say nothing for her children…what was left of the Jedi Order…all of it was in peril. Suddenly, she felt another disturbance in the Force. Someone had woken up, and by the feelings she was experiencing, it was Thrawn's doing.

She closed her eyes, tying herself deeply with the Force. A cloned Jedi? They had cloned so many people before, why couldn't they clone a Jedi? It all made sense to her now. She could see part of Thrawn's meticulous designs. There was no choice now. Padmé Skywalker would have to reenter the fray, no matter the cost.