Author's Note: Hey readers! This is my very first attempt at a Star Wars fanfiction, which is exciting for me to write something new! I will not pretend to know a lot about this universe, but I have done a lot of research online to hopefully write a decent story. It will eventually be a Luke/OC story, as he definitely needs more lovin'.

The first ten (ish) chapters will be pre-A New Hope, and then it will follow the timeline, through not only the films but also following much of the Expanded Universe, to the best of my ability, with potentially a little bit of AU thrown into the mix. There will of course be more than one fic for each section of Mara's life.

I hope you enjoy! Any reviews will be gratefully appreciated, especially as this is my first Star Wars story, and I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Story One, A New Hope: Reimagined

Chapter One

The Old Republic was the Republic of legend, greater than distance or time. No need to note where it was or whence it came, only to know that … it was the Republic.

Once, under the wise rule of the Senate and the protection of the Jedi Knights, the Republic thrived and grew. But as often happens when wealth and power pass beyond the admirable and attain the awesome, then appear those evil ones who have greed to match.

So it was with the Republic at its height. Like the greatest of trees, able to withstand any external attack, the Republic rotted from within though the danger was not visible from the outside.

Aided and abetted by restless, power-hungry individuals within the government, and the massive organs of commerce, the ambitious Senator Palpatine caused himself to be elected President of the Republic. He promised to reunite the disaffected among the people and to restore the remembered glory of the Republic.

Once secure in office he declared himself Emperor, shutting himself away from the populace. Soon he was controlled by the very assistants and boot-lickers he had appointed to high office, and the cries of the people for justice did not reach his ears.

Having exterminated through treachery and deception the Jedi Knights, guardians of justice in the galaxy, the Imperial governors and bureaucrats prepared to institute a reign of terror among the disheartened worlds of the galaxy. Many used the Imperial forces and the name of the increasingly isolated Emperor to further their own personal ambitions.

But a small number of systems rebelled at these new outrages. Declaring themselves opposed to the New Order they began the great battle to restore the Old Republic.

From the beginning they were vastly outnumbered by the systems held in thrall by the Emperor. In those first dark days it seemed certain the bright flame of resistance would be extinguished before it could cast the light of new truth across the galaxy of oppressed and beaten peoples…

From the First Saga

Journal of the Whills

"You want me to go where?"

Mara Kanos folded her arms, leaning against a small ship that Leia Organa was apparently now giving to her, in their Yavin base. She had not been back all that long from her latest undercover mission but this was a crucial time for the Alliance and there was certainly no slowing down. For the first time in her life the Alliance was giving her a meaningful purpose, and it was here she met her true friends, those who would be willing to even die for you. Leia was the Minister of State in the Cabinet, working under Chief of State Mon Mothma - Mara would happily leave the politics to others, often wondering how Leia was still off the Empire's radar. She was a princess and had taken over her father's role in the Senate, but only so much diplomatic immunity could save her...

"Tatooine," Leia repeated, putting her hands on her hips. "You are one of the greatest under-covers in this Alliance. You helped us learn of the existence of the Death Star and that there will be a convoy in the near future carrying its plans...but that has come at a cost."

"What do you mean?" Mara asked nervously.

"You are now well known to the Empire for being a Rebel spy," Leia informed her. "Admiral Ackbar and Mon Mothma believe you should lay low for a while, stay out of sight for a few months or so."

Mara sighed. "Are you sure that it's what's best?"

Leia nodded. "You have no blood family, so we have no-one to protect but you. You are an essential member of this Alliance and we cannot afford to lose you now. Tatooine is in the Arkanis sector in the Outer Rim Territories, and the Civil War has distracted Imperial forces from those planets. You should not be detected."

"Well I have heard that it is the cesspool of the galaxy," Mara mumbled.

"Nothing you can't handle, I'm sure," Leia said smugly, smiling slightly.

"What am I to do in Tatooine?" Mara asked her.

"You are to establish a base there, in a small town called Anchorhead. You will be its commander. The purpose of this base will be to find and train pilots for the Alliance and to be a staging point for operations to purchase black market weapons."

"Sounds reasonable," Mara said, perking up slightly. She knew Tatooine had no rebel base, one of the very few planets with no Rebel presence at all, only perhaps a few sympathizers. Well, it looked like she was going to change that.

"You will be met by one of our contacts to help you get set up and recruit members," Leia explained. "He wanted to join the Alliance so this will be his first mission, before he leaves Tatooine permanently."

"I guess I am to fly him to you when we are done," Mara guessed.

"Correct. His name is Roger Stern and he will meet you in the spaceport town of Mos Eisley, and I have co-ordinates for there," Leia further explained. "Turland Hack and Merrick Simms will be stationed with you, as their mission is to personally train new pilots."

Mara smiled at this, as Hack and Simms were great pilots and also good friends of hers. She would be glad of some company in Tatooine. "I will not fail you."

"I know," Leia reassured her, smiling.

"What's next for you?" Mara asked her, standing up straight and inspecting her new ship. It was fairly small, but obviously bigger than something like an X-Wing. It would hold about five passengers or so.

"We are waiting to hear about when the Death Star plans will be in flight."

"And then you'll capture them."

"Right. But that could be a while yet. The Empire knows that we have found out about their new weapon, and things are..quiet, to say the least." Leia sighed.

"Commander Kanos!" Mara looked past Leia to see her friend and fellow pilot Wedge Antilles heading towards them, with a smile on his face.

"Wedge," Mara acknowledged. She had a lot of respect for him, having been his leader on many of her undercover missions, but also his fellow team member as a part of the Rebel Air Force. Mara was slightly unusual in that she had piloted under various commanders but was also usually in command when it came to special under-cover missions and the like. It was her forte. She definitely liked the freedom that came with fighting for the Alliance as she could switch various roles.

"We've heard that you will be leaving soon for another under-cover mission," he said, somewhat sadly. "So we've decided to hold a little 'send-off' for you."

"Really?" she asked, shocked. "That's really nice...thank you, Wedge."

"Nah, don't mention it," he said, holding an arm out for her to take. "Come on, everyone's waiting."

"Now?"

"Go, enjoy yourself," Leia instructed, patting Mara's arm. "I'll see you in the morning."

They bade goodbye to the princess and Mara followed Wedge, her arm still in his, to where all of the pilots relax in their downtime. "It's a shame you're leaving," Wedge sighed. "It feels like you've only just got back."

"Yeah, it was a shock, but I think I need this. To get away from everything..." She trailed off, and bit her lip. She hadn't opened up to Wedge as much as she usually would have, as her last mission was hard. Physically and mentally. And there was no getting over it. Not yet.

"Understandable," Wedge said softly. "It sounded brutal, what you went through." Mara nodded. "We were worried about you."

She couldn't help but smile at his concern. "I was one of the lucky ones."

"Maybe," he replied. "Or maybe you're the best at what you do. Whatever it is, you survived. And you came back."

"I lost a lot of people. Under my command."

"I know," he murmured. "But your mission was successful. You did what you had to do, you all did."

"Kill or be killed," Mara sighed. "For weeks it was like that."

They reached the pilots quarters and stopped outside. "It's something you'll probably never get over, Mara," Wedge said, his hands on her arms as he looked at her straight. "And that's OK. God knows we'll all be wrecks by the time this is all over."

She laughed. "True." She lifted a hand up and caressed Wedge's, that was still on her arm.

"I admire you," Wedge admitted. "I admire your loyalty, your calmness under fire, your commitment. Whatever happened out there, you were the best person for the job."

She didn't know what to say to the pilot, as he doesn't just hand out compliments. And he was great himself, and he knew it. Though luckily for them he was usually humble about it. He had gripped Mara's hand in his own, from her arm. They were just standing there, Mara wondering what Wedge wanted to say as it looked like he wanted to say more, but...she wasn't sure how she felt about him, but there was something there. They both probably knew it, but it was unspoken.

The door swung open, and Jek Porkins, Cesi Eirriss (or Doc as they called her) and Jal Te Gniev stood in the doorway. "We thought we heard voices!" said Jal, ushering them inside. Mara's hand dropped from Wedge's, but Porkins and Doc shared a knowing look. But it wouldn't be just Wedge who would miss her, they all would.

And nothing was better than spending her last night with her fellow pilots, playing sabacc and drinking Corellian ale. Mara knew she would miss the camaraderie.

Mara stood by her ship, having packed all of the possessions she owned. Which was not much, seeing as her parents abandoned her when she was very young and she has had to make her own way through life ever since. She had bade goodbye to many friends the previous evening, and also had a briefing from Ackbar and Mothma that morning. Everything was ready.

"I'll see you soon," Mara promised Leia, who had come to see her off, before noticing her friends Nolan Gillmunn, Ananda Dwyce and Talia Reede approaching them.

"I will leave you to say your goodbyes," Leia said, touching her arm tenderly and smiling. "Keep in touch as much as you can."

Mara nodded and turned to look at her fellow Alliance members sadly; the four of them had been together through thick and thin, joining the Alliance at the same time. They had found each other as lost souls wandering the Galaxy. They had other jobs in the Alliance so it was not often they were stationed together. With a bit of luck, Nolan landed in the night.

"Don't look so glum!" Talia said, somewhat optimistically, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You have worked so hard for the Alliance and you deserve this mission, Commander."

"Even so, I shall miss you all terribly," Mara insisted, hugging Talia.

"We'll miss you too," Ananda sighed. "It'll be no fun without you!"

Nolan smiled; he was older than the three women, and Mara would miss his guidance. She was only twenty years old, but loved having an older-brother figure around. "Be safe, Mara. We'll be here when your mission is complete, don't you worry now."

"There's nothing dangerous for us to do now you're going," Ani joked, referring to Mara's past assignments.

She smiled, and turned to look at her new ship. It would be a little lonely, travelling to Tatooine from Yavin 4, but there were worse journeys to make, Mara supposed. She stood there for a few moments, mentally preparing herself for her journey across the stars alone. She felt a comforting hand squeeze her shoulder—it was time.

Mara climbed aboard her little ship and, before she knew it, her friends were nothing more than specs on the ground and the clouds parted, to make way for darkness and stars.

Destination—Tatooine.

It was a vast shining globe and it cast a light of lambent topaz into space - but it was not a sun. Mara suspected that the planet of Tatooine had fooled many men into thinking it was a third sun, until entering close orbit and realising it was a world in a binary system. From this view it looked like no human could ever survive on such a planet. But Tatooine circled the huge G1 and G2 stars far enough out to permit the development of a very hot, and stable, climate. Mara was to later find out that the unusual starlike yellow glow would be down to double sunlight striking sodium-rich sands and flats. She would also learn that it was an old settlers' saying that you could burn your eyes out faster by staring straight and hard at the sun-scorched flatlands than by looking directly at its two huge suns themselves, so powerful was the penetrating glare reflected from those endless wastes.

When Mara arrived in Mos Eisley, landing in a private docking bay as instructed, she thought that the spaceport had exceeded its own expectations. In that it was even worse than she imagined.

Tatooine was a desert planet, and as she stepped off the ship Mara definitely knew she needed new clothes to keep her cool. The heat and the rays of the sunshine was very intense and that was something that she would probably struggle to get used to. Roger Stern was waiting there for her. He was not much taller than Mara herself, with a mess of brown hair and a face which sported a few scars, causing Mara to wonder what had happened to him before joining the Alliance.

Having met with her contact, Mara had the opportunity to look around and saw that Mos Eisley appeared as a haphazard collage of low-grade duracrete, stone, and plastoid structures. A lot of the dwellings consisted of the dome-roofed, adobe building-style. All sorts of species roamed the place as they squeezed past everybody, and Roger briefed her on the Tatooine lifestyle, including the native Tusken Raiders, Jawas, slavery, crime lords, moisture farmers...a small garrison of stormtroopers was stationed in Mos Eisley but paid no heed to the huge crime rate.

"It may take a while for you to settle in, Commander, but there are some of us who don't participate in crime," Roger told her as she looked skeptical over how much success she would have here. "I have made contact with potential Rebel sympathisers and others who I believe would join the cause."

Mara nodded. "It looks like you've been busy. Have you found a location for our base?"

Roger looked pleased with himself. "I have, Commander. I have dug a base into Beggar's Canyon, near Anchorhead. I have also secretly purchased a cafe in Anchorhead itself, as the owner recently passed away, as a small staging point for operations. You are its new owner."

"Not a bad a cover at all. You have done very well, Roger," Mara told him, smiling. He was probably about the same age as she was, obviously dissatisfied with his way of life; she could hardly blame him. His home city was Bestina, the capital of Tatooine, and Roger decided to try and make contact with the Rebellion after stormtroopers took the side of a crime lord, who was successful in capturing and enslaving his entire family. By the time he found them, it was too late. They were dead for resisting enslavement.

That was the Rebellion all over, really. People who were nursing heartbreak, or swearing revenge. Or both.

But there was no time to dwell on the past. Mara was extremely pleased that Roger had everything ready to go; she would certainly report his efforts to her superiors. She held her hand out for him so shake. "Well, Roger, I think you and I will get on just fine."

They were to travel to Anchorhead by landspeeder. Mara left her ship in Roger's hangar, and it was to only be used when she is no longer Commander.

"I understand that you are only stationed here temporarily, is that right?" Roger asked her as she flew them 80 kilometers south. The sand twirled around them, and that was all they could see, aside from mountains in the distance.

"Yes. I do a lot of undercover work but it's believed that the Empire knows my identity, so I have to lay low for a while," Mara explained. "I could endanger the Rebellion, and I guess our most crucial time is approaching."

"I received word that the undercover spies found out about the news of a new super weapon being built by the Empire."

"We did, at the cost of many lives," Mara said sadly. She immediately thought of Wedge Antilles, who had practically thrown himself at her and kissed her, happy with the news that she was one of the very few who made it back. She smiled a little bit, as she definitely had a soft spot for her fellow pilot, something her friends teased her about mercilessly. "But I think that they'll send us word once they propose to steal the plans from the Empire. I would like to know, having been a part of it and all."

"Of course."

They soon reached Anchorhead; Mara parked her ship in an old garage, and Roger filled her in on the surrounding area. "Anchorhead is a part of the Great Chott salt flat region, at the edge of the Jundland Wastes. That area should be treated with extreme caution, Commander, as the nomadic Tusken tribes wander around there. But Anchorhead is mainly an outpost for moisture farmers, you'll be pleased to know, and is governed by the Anchorhead Municipal Council. The atmosphere yields its mositure with reluctance, you see, and it has to be coaxed down out of the hard sky - well, coaxed, forced, yanked down to the surface. That's what the moisture farmers do."

Mara took in this information, and pondered what she would tell people if they ask her where she is from. Roger had said during their trip from Mos Eisley that usually only people who are running away from something settle in Tatooine. She decided on being a distant relation of the dead cafe owner, claiming her inheritance and telling the residents, if they ask, that her stay here is only temporary. That should, hopefully, do the trick.

It was fairly busy, it being the middle of the day. There was a market, a couple of cantinas, many shops. This town was inhabited mainly by humans, and also seemed to be a meeting point for many people Mara's age. She did get a couple of looks wearing an outfit that wasn't quite suitable for the weather: her long boots, and her long-sleeve shirt that was tucked into her skinny trousers, made her stick out as a stranger. As did her duffle bag which she was carrying, and was sure some people eyed her blaster, hanging by her leg, wearlily.

"People will catch on that you'll be trading on the black market," Roger warned as they entered the cafe, which was closed, showing Mara how to lock it back down. "But then, most people dabble with it so it won't be a problem. It's a huge, profitable industry here."

A little while later, Roger left to start work on the Anchorhead base. Mara found some fresh clothes as she had living quarters in the cafe's basement, changing into a basic white tunic, boots and a robe to throw on over the top. Her blaster was tucked underneath it, safely. Looking through the old owner's business papers, she would need to get in touch with his old suppliers, and do a deal with a local moisture farmer for a water supply.

Leaning back in her chair and enjoying respite from the harsh climate, Mara revelled in the silence of the cafe and the gentle hum of people outside. She missed her closest friends, Ani, Talia, Nolan. Leia was a good friend of hers, too, though she rarely embarked on really close friendships with many people. And then there was Wedge. Nothing had actually happened since he had kissed her a few weeks ago, if anything they were acting like it never happened...she didn't know if she wanted anything to happen anyway, but there was something there. He had told her last night when the party had ended that he would miss her, and kissed her cheek tenderly. Mara knew of many people who were romantically involved and members of the Rebellion, probably due to the fact that nobody knew when their last day was going to be, but she had never really met anybody. Sure, men had shown an interest, before she made contact with the Rebellion and afterwards, but nothing had ever gotten serious.

If Tatooine was anything to go by, Mara would certainly not be meeting anybody here, that's for sure. There would be no distractions, not here, apart from meeting potential new allies at her base.

But that was something exciting in itself. She was a Commander. Of a Rebel Base. A lot rested on her shoulders, and she was relieved that Hack and Simms would be joining her tomorrow with pilots who need further Alliance training. Her efforts for the Alliance had definitely paid off, even if she was no longer a part of Operation Skyhook.

But, for now, the Anchorhead base of the planet Tatooine was her new priority. I had best get to work.