Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Or planets. Or anything aside from the plot. Quick and important note: This won't really include any of Jacen and Jaina's friends. It is about the twins, their parents, and their uncle (that'd be Luke). Anyway, please R&R. And keep in mind that I wrote this a while ago, so it's not my greatest writing, but it's fun--and it will be continued. This is not the end.
Jacen Solo looked over at his sister and swallowed nervously.
"Steal the data chips for Uncle Luke's datapad?" he repeated, unsure of whether Jaina was dead serious.
She was. "Jac, it'll be easy. And aren't you worried about how Uncle Luke's been acting recently?"
"Y-yes. But we could get in big trouble."
"If we're caught. And we won't be."
Jaina Solo fixed her twin with a penetrating stare. Her pale brown eyes searched his face and her mind searched his soul. Jacen had no doubts as to whether she could get the data chips. She was a mechanical whiz, dismantling ships, droids, everything. Jacen preferred living things to inanimate objects. He had a whole little zoo of various species that he took care of and studied.
The twin children of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo were not living at home on Coruscant with their little brother Anakin. They were at Luke's Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. The academy was located in an old temple surrounded by woods. The students were free to enter the woods whenever they felt the need, but there was evil there. Not a lot, but enough to get the sense that it was not fully safe.
The datapad Jaina was intent to get was not a normal datapad that everyone carried. It was a Jedi version. Jedi used it to record information that they wanted found by their followers after they became one with the Force.
"Jacen?"
Jacen pulled his mind out of his thoughts and looked back at his sister. "Fine."
Jaina grinned. "What are we waiting for?
The Solo twins crept quietly to Luke's office area. He used the small, bare, windowless room for meditation, and for conferring privately with his trainees.
To the children's delight, Luke was not there. They sneaked in and Jaina found the datapad in its usual corner while Jacen stood guarding the door.
Jaina pried the back off and pushed a jumble of wires away. She pulled out the data chips and connected three wires from her pocket to different sockets. Then she added three new data chips to replace the three she had removed.
"Tionne's coming," Jacen whispered. "She's not within sight yet, but I give it forty-five seconds."
Jaina put the datapad exactly as she had found it and she and her brother hurried off.
Jacen stood looking over his sister's shoulder as Jaina placed the data chips into the computer in the main student computer center. She typed a flurry of commands and the computer brought up a single typewritten message.
Jacen and Jaina, please come to my office.
Jaina gave a quick intake of air, and Jacen knew she was surprised.
"How does he do that?" Jacen asked. She had no answer.
Luke Skywalker sat in the center of the floor in his office, eyes closed. He had changed much since the day he and the old man called Ben met a sarcastic pilot named Han and went off to rescue the beautiful princess Leia. He was a Jedi Master, calm and serene, not impatient and dreamy. His face bore the look of a man who has seen many battles, had many friends die, and learned much.
Despite all this, when Luke smiled, he was transformed once again into a boy, young and wistful. His lean figure had taken on more muscle, but his sandy hair was still shaggy, and his eyes still the purest blue.
But right now, Luke was not smiling. He was frowning. His eyes still closed in meditation, and the frown relaxed, mostly. He waited patiently. He did not have to wait long.
Jacen and Jaina slipped wordlessly into the office, forgoing the knock. They had known he was meditating, and had not wanted to disturb him. They sat, reflecting their uncle's cross-legged position. Luke spoke without opening his eyes.
"Can you define privacy?"
Jacen and Jaina looked at each other.
"Um," Jacen stuttered. "Being left alone? Maintaining a level of secrecy?"
Luke's eyes opened, and he pinned his gaze on each of his sister's children. "Yes. Should privacy be invaded?"
This time, Jaina spoke. "But recently, you've been acting so—different."
"Yes or no, Jaina."
"No, sir." Jacen glanced sideways at his sister, to see if the emphasis placed on the sir had been from disrespect. He couldn't read her face. Uncle Luke chose to ignore it.
"Correct. Can you justify your actions?"
Jacen could've burst out and said it was all Jaina's fault because it was her idea. But he would never do that to his twin sister, and besides, Uncle Luke would point out that he had agreed to help. And he had. No point in arguing that.
"No, sir," Jacen said. "It was wrong. But still, we are worried about you, Uncle Luke. You've been acting so—withdrawn. If you could tell us why…"
"No." Uncle Luke's response came swiftly and sounded almost harsh. Then he shook his head and his voice softened. "I'm sorry. I would tell you if I could. But sometimes not knowing is the best. For your own good."
"If there's anything we can do—" Jacen started.
"No." Luke cut his nephew off. "Please, go to your chambers and meditate on the power of authority. It is all right to question your elders, within reason. Be mindful of the limits, my young Jedi."
The twins nodded and started to the door. Luke reached out with his mind and stopped Jaina. Silently he held out his hand. Jaina dropped the data chips into it and Luke looked into her face.
"Jaina, remember respect. Trust. Have trust in me and I can have trust in you." He said it so quietly, Jaina knew her brother couldn't hear. Jaina pulled away from his mental hold without a word of apology. She knew this was uncalled for, but she was upset. She turned and left Uncle Luke's chambers.
Outside, he could hear Jacen talk to Jaina.
"What'd he say?"
"Nothing."
Luke looked down at the data chips in his right hand and closed the artificial fingers around it. From behind him came a low warble.
"Artoo! Didn't hear you come up."
Artoo-Detoo beeped.
"No, Artoo, I can't tell them. They can't know."
Artoo grumbled.
"I know, Artoo. Curiosity may spawn knowledge, but this knowledge is something that can really hurt them. I can't risk letting the twins near the dark side."
Artoo twittered.
"I do remember C'boath. Maybe I managed to get away, but the kids aren't strong enough. Not yet. Not for anything this big."
The beeps and whirs were almost too fast for Luke, but he caught the main idea.
"Calm down. I can take care of them until they're strong enough. And no! I'm not smothering their childhood! I can't tell them yet. When the timing is right."
