I was running. I'm always running when it came to them.

After years of failed plans, I finally had fooled them! All I knew right now it was that I had to run and run and run!

I could feel everything happening around me. My own fear shone like a beacon, covering all of my body from head to toe; I could see gray humanoid shapes through the walls, though I knew they weren't there but in other rooms; the adrenaline of the Stormtroopers, all of them knowing that good fortune awaited for whomever managed to catch me. But the worst of all was the dark presence I couldn't shrug off my back, and I knew I wouldn't until I got away from this damned spaceship.

It was a mix of hatred and guilt, both fighting for dominance. It made my head hurt. He always made my head hurt.

"Prisoner Omega has escaped," droned in the robotic voice from the walls. "Prisoner Omega has escaped."

I ignored that annoying voice and instead ran faster as I could, giving everything I had to survive. It was the only lesson I would take with me if I managed to escape from the Empire.

"SEIZE HER!"

I felt them before the shot rang in the air. I dropped down on the floor, covering my head with my arms and -

Lady Kieran Tano looked up, moving her arms from her head and coughed.

The situation? The Tantive IV was being attacked by the Empire. The reason? A mole from their ranks had been intercepted while he sent to the Alliance the plans of their newest weapon, the Death Star, known through whispers in the undergrounds as the "bringer of death".

As for the plan? Well, she hadn't exactly gone that far.

Kieran clutched her cane to her chest and got up to her feet clumsily. Captain Antilles was barking orders from the small podium in the middle of the room, and at his side, Princess Leia Organa tried to catch his attention.

"Milady! We musn't lose time! Come on!" said Kieran.

It wasn't until the Captain yelled something at her that Princess relented and made her way around the podium. The moment she was at her side, Kieran took hold of her hand led her out of the debris that surrounded them.

"Where to now?" said Kieran, dropping her regal form of speaking and instead, her body took a more tense position. She moved a large piece of ceiling with her cane.

"I have a plan," said Princess Leia, coughing as dust fell from above.

Another explosion shook the ship.

"You don't say – DOWN!" Kieran grabbed the hood of the Princess' white robe and pulled her down. A pipe had flown over their heads and one of the lights was still sparkling from the small explosion that just happened.

"Never a dull moment with you, is there?" said Leia weakly. Although their lives were in danger, Kieran couldn't help but throw a small smirk at her friend. It was more a grimace than a smile.

"You love it," she said simply, and tugged her charge down the opposite way.

Kieran clutched her cane tightly with both hands, and closed her eyes as another explosion from underneath them shook the ship. Knowing that their time was precious, she looked at the astromech droid in the eye and started to speak.

"General Kenobi, years ago you served with my father in the Clone Wars. Now, he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I am afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan," she sighed. With a softer tone, Kieran added, "This is our most desperate hour," she opened her mouth, and hoped, hoped that she didn't sound desperate, even if she certainly was. "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi… you're my only hope."

Suddenly, her head snapped to the side and she knew, she knew they were close. Kieran bent low and pressed a small button on the droid's side.

"R2-D2?"

It was C-3PO. The golden droid was the most equivalent to a human mind, seeing as how he complained like one. It was rather curious how Artoo and he were together. While Threepio was trying to be the most stoic droid in the Alliance, the little astromech was all contrary to him. Even if he didn't talk, Artoo was pretty hilarious, and more so was when the both of them argued.

Still, Leia motioned for her to hide and she did so, Artoo rolling down the small corridor to meet his companion.

"So?" she asked quietly.

The Princess shook her head. "Only you would ask that, but yes," she sighed, "you resumed pretty well our situation."

Kieran nodded.

"At last! Where have you been?" demanded the protocol droid, spotting his small companion. "They're heading in this direction. What are we going to do?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the protocol droid's dramatic antics. It sounded more human than anyone else she had met before, even more so than the Princess' aunts when she decided to cut her hair at one time.

"Wait a minute – where are you going?!"

They watched in silence as the droids disappeared from sight and lowered their hoods, walking away from the dark corridor.

Hiding on the engines' room in one of the alcoves, Kieran crouched down on the left side while Leia prepared herself on the other, a blaster on her hand. Bringing up her own, she sighed deeply and waited, the other hand tightening its hold on the cane.

They didn't have to wait long. Footsteps walked slowly towards where they hid.

A Stormtrooper appeared in front of Kieran, his blaster rifle pointing directly at her forehead. She could feel the waves of satisfaction rolling off from him.

"There's one. Set for st -"

He never finished the sentence. Taking advantage of his distraction, Leia stepped from behind him and shot him right on the head. Kieran could smell the burned skin and blood. Wrinkling her nose, she stepped out and shot to the Stormtrooper that had followed his ally.

Nodding at each other, they jogged down to the darker side of the room, but –

A flash of blue snapped from behind her, with Leia falling on the floor unconscious. Stopping short, Kieran turned and swung her cane down on the soldier's neck. He fell down, already dead. More Stormtroopers appeared and she started to shot madly at however neared her. Two fell, but one standing in the back of the group pointed a larger rifle at her and shot a blue beam of light.

It hit her on the chest, her body froze instantly, and she fell backwards. Her cane rolled away from her limp hand. She was unconscious.

"They'll be alright," said the one who shot her. "Inform Lord Vader we have two prisoners."

As she waited, Kieran wrinkled her nose and her hand twitched. She wished he could smooth her eyebrow, but both hands were tied in front of her with electrical cuffs. Whatever attempt she tried, she knew she would immediately be shocked to death.

Across from her, the Princess couldn't stop glaring at the Imperials. She probably was thinking they were normal civilians, thought Kieran, since clone troopers had been stopped from being made when subject CT-7567 went rogue and joined the Alliance, and the Empire made millions of teenagers join the army as a choice.

They were waiting for the Stormtroopers to made a move. Kieran eyed her cane in on of their hands, a bit satisfied they hadn't found out its real use.

But all of that felt down when she they were heading towards the most dangerous man in the galaxy, the right hand of the Emperor.

As she gazed at him, she couldn't help but shiver. Good thing she didn't have to fake it, otherwise, her cover as a weak diplomat would had flown out of the window. She could only hope he didn't use his abilities.

"Lord Vader, why I am not surprised at all with your interference?" she said, coolly. "The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this! When they hear that you have attacked a diplomatic –"

"Don't act so surprised, Your Highness," Darth Vader rumbled mockingly. Kieran could feel Leia's anger intensify with his presence. "You weren't on any mercy mission this time. You passed directly through a restricted system. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you."

She smiled ruefully.

"I don't know what you are talking about," she told him slowly.

"Sir," said a Stormtrooper. "She had this with her."

He offered the cane to Vader. To Kieran and Leia's surprise, he gave a sharp tug at the handle, and revealed the hidden blade made of silver, one of the most dangerous and scarce elements that existed in the galaxy.

"A hidden weapon," said Lord Vader in something akin to respect, examining it.

"I may be a woman of peace, my Lord, but you cannot expect me to be defenseless."

Before her own eyes, he crushed with one gloved hand. Kieran gritted her teeth.

"You and your companion are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor, the both of you," he snapped, momentarily tilting his head at Leia. "Take them away!"

The two Stormtroopers on the front grabbed her forearms roughly, the two on the back doing the same with the real Princess. However, Leia had something important to say – or rather do. Raising herself on her tiptoes, she spit on the black helmet of second most powerful and feared man on the Galaxy. Vader wiped the offensive matter silently, tilting his helmet in sheer curiosity.

As she was being led away from them, Kieran said, smugly, "I apologize for her behavior," and she too, was hauled by the Stormtroopers.