Chapter Two
Bail Organa
Mayli reentered her ship after making the drop in Kuat, eager to get to Alderaan to meet with Senator Bail Organa. After telling Obi-Wan she would be the contact between the two, she felt both fear and excitement. The latter feeling came from the fact that, after hearing Obi-Wan tell stories of his past life, she actually now got to be a part of it, in a way, meeting one of his old friends.
But the fear came from the moment she decoded the message, Mayli felt things were about to change. She enjoyed her life with Obi-Wan immensely; in fact, their comfortable routine was actually what she always wanted, her being able to travel but still have a good man by her side. She had both the independence she craved and the love and support she needed. But what were these plans Organa mentioned? Would they change everything? Would Obi-Wan be snatched away from her to resume his role as General Kenobi?
Leaving the Kuat system, Mayli entered the hyperspace coordinates for Alderaan, wondering what she would encounter when she got there. While she worried about the Imperials, she'd become quite the expert in dodging their attention since beginning work for Jabba, blending in, just another delivery freighter. She actually felt a bit nervous about meeting with a royal. She knew for Obi-Wan meeting with such sentients was no big deal – he'd guarded a Duchess, been friends with a Queen, dealt with the leadership of the galaxy for years. Goodness, as a member of the Jedi counsel, he'd been a part of the leadership of the galaxy. But before working for Jabba, Mayli did deliveries for restaurants and scientists, so she hoped she would behave appropriately. She'd worked out a plan with Obi-Wan on how to get in touch with Senator Organa, but nevertheless, felt a bit out of her league. She'd mentioned this to Obi-Wan who simply gave her his charming smile, calling her the queen of his heart, the princess of his desert palace. Of course his flattering led to him getting special intimate treatment that evening, and Mayli smiled at the memory.
The blue of hyperspace filled her vision, and she sat back, pondering the next few hours. She hoped she would begin to feel a bit better. Since leaving Tatooine three days before, she'd felt increasingly tired, not sleepy, but exhausted. And now, staring at the waves of hyperspace passing her by, she felt a deep wave of nausea overtake her. Leaping up and running from the cockpit, she barely made it to the refresher before she vomited into the toilet.
"Seriously?" she moaned as she sat on the floor. How could she get sick before such an important meeting? She'd be on Alderaan soon, the plan for her to stay no longer than a standard day in order to avoid detection.
And how had she gotten sick? She'd stopped getting space sickness years ago, as her life became living in the hyperlanes. And colds and flues rarely spread on Tatooine, people living so far apart from each other.
Slumping out of the refresher when she felt sure she wasn't going to hurl again, she crawled onto her bed, curling up, willing the nausea to go away, wishing Obi-Wan was there to wrap her in his arms and run his fingers through her hair in his comforting way. After a bit, a chiming sounded announcing the ship would soon be out of hyperspace. Mayli took a moment to clean herself up, make herself look presentable, and headed back to the helm to pilot the Womp Rat One into Alderaan's atmosphere.
Tired of pacing around their small home, nervously waiting for Mayli to return, Obi-Wan decided to head to the nearby oasis town of Water to pace nervously around there. But after visiting the general store and browsing the droids the Jawas in the sandcrawler parked just outside of town were selling, Obi-Wan found little else to do but head into the cantina to order an ale and watch the latest sports news.
About half-way through his bottle, a loud rumbling brought everyone in the sparsely populated bar to their feet, and Obi-Wan followed the others outside. At the end of town, an Imperial military transport parked near the oasis, and ten stormtroopers in their white armor, looking ridiculous in the Tatooine heat, poured out. Having seen stormtroopers several times over the past year in the larger towns on planet, Obi-Wan grew used to the sight of them, the armor a modified design of the clone troopers he worked with so often. Still, their presence in Water, a tiny, insignificant dot on the Tatooine landscape, worried Obi-Wan.
"Why are they here?" asked a familiar voice next to him, and Obi-Wan turned to see Owen Lars, holding a box full of droid parts and gaping at the soldiers.
Obi-Wan shrugged as they both watched the stormtroopers march in formation down the center of the street, each carrying a bulky blaster. The blasters Jabba issued to Mayli and her co-smugglers looked far more elegant and efficient, and Obi-Wan wondered where all the money the Empire took in taxes actually went in terms of military development.
A thought occurred to Obi-Wan, and he grabbed Owen's arm. "Is Luke…"
"Owen!" a woman cried from across the street, and Obi-Wan saw Beru Lars leave the general store, the small, blonde toddler Luke Skywalker holding her hand. Before either Owen or Obi-Wan could move in her direction, one of the stormtroopers approached Beru and Luke.
"Ma'am, have you and your household filled out the forms for the First Imperial Census?" Obi-Wan heard him say as the two men approached.
"Yes, of course," Beru said, pulling Luke behind her, the child smiling up at the trooper.
"We filed everything, all our assets, titles, all of it," Owen said, putting his arm around Beru and pulling her and his nephew away.
"Have all members of your household been registered?" pressed the stormtrooper. He nodded toward Luke. "Even the children. We need a registry for possible drafting purposes."
"Drafting!" gasped Beru, now pulling Luke into her arms.
"Yes, the Emperor seeks to ensure the safety of each citizen, and making sure our military…" he said, but stopped as Obi-Wan approached him.
"This family is already registered," he said slowly.
The trooper nodded. "They are already registered."
"You don't need to bother with them anymore," Obi-Wan continued, gently prodding the mind of the trooper.
"I won't bother you anymore," the soldier said, then turned and joined the others who prowled the streets, looking for those who failed to fill out the census.
Obi-Wan escorted the couple and Luke to their landspeeder, looking back occasionally at the scene, seeing the stormtroopers head back to their transport quickly, most likely moving on to the next little village or homestead. He turned to the family as they loaded their purchases, and Luke, into the vehicle.
"Listen, the Empire is getting stronger, reaching out further," he said in a hushed tone. "I think it would be wise to begin Luke's training soon. Most Jedi would start about his age. First I need to see if he is Force-sensitive, but considering how powerful his father…"
He stopped, feeling a sudden hesitance coming from both Owen and Beru. They shared a glance with one another, Obi-Wan feeling like they silently communicated about something they'd already discussed.
"Ben, we…we need to talk about Luke," Beru said.
"What's happened?" asked Obi-Wan, his voice a little higher than he wanted, but sudden panic filled him. The sole reason he remained on Tatooine sat in the back of the landspeeder before him. If not for Luke, he'd be in the hyperlanes with Mayli.
"We're just not sure about…about him training with you," Beru said.
"That's not a decision for you to make," Obi-Wan said firmly but immediately wishing he hadn't.
Beru glared daggers at the Jedi. "Oh really? You entrusted Anakin's child to us to raise. You are not raising him, caring for him on a daily basis. You stop by every other month to check he's okay. And now you want to make a soldier of him, just like that trooper?"
Obi-Wan could not believe what he was hearing. He had to begin training Luke, been making plans for months, excitedly talking to Mayli over meals. No, Beru would not stop him.
"Beru, I don't think you understand," he began, but Owen interrupted.
"Ben, we're leaving. We're a little shaken up by what just happened, all of us. Let's talk at a later time," Owen said, getting into the landspeeder, nodding for the angry Beru to do the same. "Stop by in a week or two. And bring Mayli to dinner again. We always find her a delight."
And just like that, the landspeeder moved off into the desert, leaving Obi-Wan standing outside Water now worried about the future of the Jedi as well as Mayli and her visit to Alderaan. Feeling anger beginning to build inside him, he returned to the cantina and his ale, trying to stave off his negative emotions by focusing on a story about the newest playboy pod racer about to hit it big. But after watching an interview with the arrogant young man, Obi-Wan felt reminded of Anakin, and he slid off the barstool and out the door, walking toward his own landspeeder. On the way home, he did something he hadn't done in while, something Mayli taught him not long after they first met – he shouted his frustrations into the desert. By the time he arrived back home, he felt more sad than angry, a sense of defeat about how little he held control over. He found solace in talking with Sniff the eopie as the twin suns set.
Mayli felt nauseous again as she approached the palace, certain now nerves added to her illness. But she squared her shoulders and willed the feeling away, approaching the beautiful structure through a small, inelegant door, the offices of Senator Organa. She entered a sparsely decorated office, a couple of comfortable chairs before a desk of dark wood. Seated at the desk, a lone young man looked expectantly at the door. He smiled pleasantly as Mayli entered.
"Welcome to the office of Senator Bail Organa," he said, rising to take Mayli's hand. "Do you have an appointment?"
"Um…well, no," Mayli answered in hesitation. "But I really need to see the senator. He…he would be expecting me."
"I'm sorry, but the senator is a busy man and…"
"He would want to see me," Mayli interrupted, keeping her voice level and cheerful, although she just wanted to push the young man aside and walk into the palace. "Please tell him I come with best wishes from an old friend. An old friend from the Clone Wars, one who also has a fondness for the Hyperspace Dragon."
Organa's secretary stared at her, baffled. Finally, he shrugged and walked into the nearby hall. Mayli heard his voice in the distance call to someone, "C3PO, watch the front while I go get the senator."
A golden protocol droid entered and stood behind the desk.
"Oh, hello," he said in a formal voice.
"Hi."
"Are you waiting to see the senator?"
"Yes," said Mayli, feeling a bit woozy again, not wishing to engage in conversation.
"May I interest you in a beverage?"
"No, thank you," Mayli answered, wringing her hands anxiously. What if Senator Organa did not understand her greeting?
"May I offer you a light snack?" continued the droid.
Ugh, food. "No, I really…"
The young man reentered. "Senator Organa will see you in his office now. Right this way."
Thankful to leave behind the pushy droid, Mayli followed the secretary down the hall. Opening the door at the end, he gestured her into a room before closing the door behind her. Mayli turned to find Senator Bail Organa standing in the center of another simple office, this one a bit larger with a window facing the palace gardens. He looked even more regal in person than on the holonews, tall, dark, and handsome, wearing beautiful fabrics in rich colors.
"Who sent you?" he said, eyeing her up and down, making Mayli feel more nervous and ill, bile rising in her throat. She thought of Obi-Wan and felt a bit better.
Mayli looked around the office, afraid to speak any more. She remembered Obi-Wan's paranoia in the past about listening devices. The subtle elegance of the room, plush carpet, simple but delicately carved desk, made her feel self-conscious, standing before such a galaxy leader in her best, but still rather worn, flight suit.
But the senator seemed to realize what she was thinking.
"This room is safe, no surveillance," he said, sounding a bit kinder. "Please speak freely."
She cleared her throat. "I come from Obi-Wan Kenobi…or Ben, as he's known on Tatooine."
Organa nodded. "Prove to me you know him, that you didn't just intercept my message."
Obi-Wan predicted this and gave Mayli a story to tell. "Several years ago, you were at a fundraising event with several other leaders, and many Jedi were running security. While Obi-Wan stood nearby, you spilled some mustard on your sash. Obi-Wan said you began to panic, as you needed to give a speech in five minutes, and you turned to him, asking for help. He told you to turn the damn thing inside out."
As she told the story, a slow smile spread across the senator's face. He nodded, and extended his hand toward Mayli. "Welcome…?"
"Mayli."
"Mayli," he said, guiding her to a nearby sofa and sitting beside her. "And how do you know Obi-Wan…um, Ben?"
Mayli could feel herself blushing. Did Obi-Wan want others to know about him and Mayli? Would they be disappointed that he broke the Jedi Code? "We're…ah…friends."
But she could tell Senator Organa knew the truth by the way he raised his eyebrows and grinned slyly. As a politician, he could probably read her like a book. "Friends? Well, I'm glad good ol' Kenobi has made a…friend. And such a lovely one as well."
Mayli knew she colored as deeply crimson as that Sith blade with which Obi-Wan occasionally practiced combat stances. Oh well, might as well be honest. "Yes, we've been together for over two years. I work as a pilot for Jabba the Hutt."
Organa's face beamed even brighter. "A pilot?"
"Yes, I worked as a delivery pilot before…well, bad circumstances. I sought refuge on Tatooine, met Ben, and…that's my home…our home now," she said.
Organa's face dropped slightly. "Please Mayli, tell me of Obi-Wan. What's life like for him now? We were friends, you know." He paused, deep sadness overtaking his face. "I lost…well, you have to understand, I lost so many friends that day."
Mayli told him about her and Obi-Wan's life together, how he worked the local farms and she flew contraband, his plans for training Luke, the various adventures they went on throughout their time on the desert world. She told him about the Sith Scholars and her and Obi-Wan destroying the cult, with the exception of one, Jac, who never showed back up on Tatooine. She neglected to reveal about Obi-Wan's brush with the Dark Side and him opening the Sith holocron. She wanted to keep his weaknesses private, knowing he still felt ashamed that even Mayli saw him at his lowest point.
"And Ben…and myself… would love to know about you," she smiled when finished. "I feel I know you from his stories. And Leia? How is she?"
Organa chuckled deeply, a pleasant sound in Mayli's ears. "Leia is…perfect. I go off to Coruscant to the puppet senate, deal with frustrations galore. I'm sure you've seen on the holonews."
Mayli nodded. She and Obi-Wan kept up-to-date, checking the latest whenever they went into town.
"But I come home to my wife and daughter and…" he smiled wistfully. "Sometimes when I'm walking the grounds with them or reading Leia a story, it's like the rest of the galaxy doesn't exist. Oh, and The Hyperspace Dragon is her favorite."
Mayli listened as Organa told more about Leia, his wife, the household, trying to lock each word in her memory to tell an eager Obi-Wan later.
After his story, he suddenly jumped up with a flourish and walked over to his desk, pulling a small square device, no larger than his hand, from the drawer. Returning to the seat, he handed it to Mayli.
"Now I suppose you are wondering about the plan mentioned in the message," he said.
Mayli nodded.
"I know you've seen pockets of rebellion against the Empire, various planets and groups rising up," he said.
"Yes," Mayli said in a whisper, her heart starting to beat quickly.
"But they are dislocated. Small packs of rebels make small impacts, localized to their own systems," he said, excitedly meeting Mayli's eyes. "But if these groups were to communicate with one another, coordinate events…well, then a larger impact against the Empire, an organized rebellion, can begin."
"And this device is…?"
"Communication is the beginning, Mayli," Organa said. "I am working with a couple other senators to start this movement against the Empire, but we have to be discrete. We have some excellent slicers who developed these devices. When set anywhere on a planet's surface, they will communicate with others in neighboring systems. Basically, we want to create a galaxy-wide communications array, right under the nose of the Empire."
Mayli grinned at the tiny device as Organa outlined more of the plan, stating the devices could be destroyed from afar, could not be detected, and worked in a code far deeper and more complex than Hyperspace Dragon.
"Essentially, I would like Obi-Wan to coordinate efforts in distribution of these devices and linking together the various rebel groups in his sector of the galaxy. I understand the importance of him remaining on Tatooine, for Luke and the future of the Jedi Order, but if things turn a different direction, then he would easily be set up to resume the role of General Kenobi," he paused, seeing the look of worry that flashed across Mayli's face, one she tried to hide. "If he wants to, of course." He placed a hand on Mayli's, startling her from her study of the device. "Mayli, I cannot tell you how happy I am to see Obi-Wan found a good life in all this mess. Of all the people I've known, he's made the most sacrifice for the greater good, and he deserves happiness, a full life."
"I can deliver them," she said before thinking things through. But she knew she wanted to, longed to help Obi-Wan push back against the Empire that destroyed nearly everything and everyone he knew.
Organa looked at her for a long time before speaking. "Please stay with us this evening, Mayli. Dine with my wife and daughter. Tomorrow we'll make sure several of these devices are on your ship, and we can begin by starting the link between Alderaan and Tatooine."
Mayli nodded, and they both rose. Dizziness washed over her, and she stumbled, Organa catching her.
Embarrassed, Mayli righted herself, trying to laugh it off. "Sorry. I haven't been feeling too well. I got a bit sick on the way here from Kuat."
"I'll have C3P0 guide you to our medical wing before showing you to a room," Organa said. "Space sickness?"
Mayli just shrugged as Organa guided her to the door.
"You know, Mayli, you are exactly the type of woman I would choose for Obi-Wan," Organa laughed. "I never thought I'd say those words, about Obi-Wan Kenobi. But in all seriousness, you are a good match for him. Brave and intelligent. He is truly lucky."
Mayli felt herself redden again at his comments. "Thank you," she managed, his words making her feel a little better.
After enduring the eager C3PO's speech on the history of the Alderaan palace medical wing on the way to see the physician, Mayli felt grateful when the droid got called away on other business. The main physician, a young, enthusiastic woman who introduced herself as Lena, told Mayli to take a seat on the table.
"Just got a message from the senate office saying one of Bail's pilots is ill," she said. "What's wrong?"
Mayli told her what happened, realizing she had not been to any sort of medical appointment in years. Aside from the occasional cold or stomach ache, she remained in good health.
"All right," Lena said. "Let's just do a quick check up."
Lena did the usual checks of Mayli's different systems, listening to her heart, checking her throat and glands.
Making notes on her data pad, Lena looked puzzled. "Everything seems fine. Hmmm…when was your last menstruation?"
"Let's see, it was…" Mayli began, but froze. She couldn't remember. She hadn't menstruated recently, and in the excitement of Senator Organa's message, hadn't noticed. She should have…
Then, memories came flooding back to Mayli as a sudden realization overtook her. During her first run to Nal Hutta, weeks ago, her data pad alarm reminder to take her monthly birth control supplement chimed. She'd forgotten the medication at home, so she turned off the alarm, knowing she'd remember when she returned to Tatooine. Only…she hadn't. She'd gotten home a couple days later, feeling gross from the swamp world, jumping in the shower, Obi-Wan joining her…
And how many times had they been together since? They'd both been quite frisky lately. Mayli pulled out her data pad and saw the alarm to take the next dose of the supplement would chime tomorrow.
She looked up to the waiting Lena.
"I think…I think I might be pregnant," she said, not believing the words coming out of her mouth.
Lena smiled broadly. "Ohhhh…how wonderful. Let's see."
A quick blood test later, Lena grinned even brighter. "Yes, looks like you are about three weeks along. Makes sense to feel a bit ill. A lot of human women tend to get a bit sick at this point."
Mayli simply stared at the ground, having trouble processing this change of events. She was pregnant, with Obi-Wan's baby. What would he think? Would he be angry? If he had broken the Code before, this had to be shattering it completely. And it was her fault, her negligence.
Lena broke the silence. "Do you have a regular partner?"
Mayli looked up, the sound of the physician's voice seeming to wake her. "Yes…we live together. Have for a while…a couple of years."
"I take it this is not planned," Lena continued, keeping her voice soft. Something they probably trained her to do in medical school, when patients seemed distraught, Mayli thought.
But the feelings of dismay she felt initially now gave way to excitement and joy. She'd been thinking more and more about children, remembered mentioning to Obi-Wan longing to read their child The Hyperspace Dragon. She imagined holding a tiny baby, Obi-Wan's blue eyes looking back at her. And then she saw an image of Obi-Wan himself holding the child, his handsome smile making the baby laugh. And him leading the slightly older child around their homestead on the back of Sniff. The three of them watching the suns set. She considered Obi-Wan and her as a family for years now, and they would be adding to their home in the most wonderful way possible.
Overwhelmed suddenly, Mayli placed her hand over her fast beating heart, tears now falling down her cheeks. She began to laugh hard, uncontrollably. When she regained some composure, she looked up at Lena who smiled back at her.
"Moments like this make my work worth it," Lena said. "But first we need to make sure you are healthy and have the right…"
A young man entered the medical office, looking panicked. "Lena, the palace is going into lockdown."
"What? Why?"
"Another Imperial inspection, unscheduled. Senator Organa wants everyone in their quarters," the man said, terrified. "And…Darth Vader is with them."
Lena gasped, and the young man dashed away.
Mayli stared after him, thoughts of the baby gone and replaced by both fear and curiosity. Darth Vader…Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan's friend and student. Mayli realized she was probably one of the few people in the galaxy who knew Darth Vader's true identity.
Then the fear hit. He was here, in the palace!
Lena grabbed Mayli and the two women dashed from the medical wing.
"I'll take you to the room the senator assigned you. Stay there, do not leave under any circumstances. We can talk after the inspection," Lena said as they moved quickly through the palace, passing other employees looking both afraid and determined. Mayli guessed they'd practiced and used this protocol before.
Soon, Mayli found herself in the wing occupied by the family, in an elegant guest room. But she hardly noticed the refresher with gold fixtures, the canopy bed with the beautiful hand-stitched quilt featuring the Alderaan crest, or the antique, yet comfortable-looking furniture. She walked slowly toward the window, pulling back the curtains to look outside.
Her room faced outside the palace, the view a small landing strip most likely used by the senator and his family for their private transport. But now an Imperial yacht sat parked, the ramp just being lowered and a smattering of stormtroopers emerging. Senator Organa stood in wait, and finally, the black-cloaked figure of Darth Vader came down the ramp. Even from a distance, she saw the familiar hilt of a lightsaber hanging from his side. He stood tall and menacing, half-man, half-machine. Mayli remembered the story of Obi-Wan's battle with Anakin, what happened that required him to be completely encased in metal. But she felt no pity, remembering his crimes, the children he'd killed.
Children! What about Leia? Would he sense her? Obi-Wan told Mayli Jedi could sense those close to them, that Obi-Wan knew Mayli's Force signature by heart. Would Vader be able to sense his daughter?
Instinctively, Mayli placed a hand on her stomach. And what about her child, her and Obi-Wan's, growing inside her? Would the Sith be able to detect that small bit of his former master?
Mayli stared transfixed at the scene, Vader talking with Organa, and she admired how the tall senator, now dwarfed by the frightening Vader, seemed to hold his own. Then Organa began to lead the group into the palace, and while the stormtroopers followed, she saw Vader pause. He then turned, tilted his head up, and looked directly at Mayli. Closing the curtains quickly, Mayli backed away from the window and sat on the bed, feeling as ice cold as a winter's day on Hoth.
Author's Note: In the next chapter, Obi-Wan gets some surprising news.
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