So if you didn't read the last chapter the skip between this one and chapter five is about 7 years. Padmé is 39 now, Luke and Leia are 15 and Ben is 10. I'm not really going to write a lot about Ben, maybe there'll be a sequel, but I'm not really up on the EU so I don't want to keep going with OCs unless you guys want me to. If there are more characters you want more info on feel free to leave a suggestion in the reviews and I'll try and outline where this story leaves them. We are quickly approaching the end of this fic, thanks for all your support and advice.

Padmé pushed her dark hair back, adjusting the leather strap that kept it in place. "I just don't understand, why build something so large?"

"We've finally got word-and mind you I think this was leaked intentionally, but it's supposed to have the ability to destroy a planet." Mon Mothma announced, looking truly frightened for the first time in her career.

There was an audible gasp from several of the generals, Shaak Ti, the newest jedi to be restored to her proper place, looked worriedly at the room. "We cannot allow this to pass." She said softly.

"I agree." Obi Wan said thoughtfully, putting a hand on Padmé's lower back as he felt concern wash over her. "We have to stop the construction of such a weapon."

"Once the emperor had it, he'll be unstoppable." Someone voiced.

"Then we must assassinate the emperor." Padmé's revelation stopped everyone in their tracks.

"What?" Mon Mothma said softly, "Padmé I know you have a...personal vendetta-"

"This isn't about my personal feelings." Padmé assured them, her voice steady. "This is about killing the project. Only the highest levels will know about it. We just need to blow up what they've started building-that will probably get rid of whoever's leading the design and engineering aspects, kill the emperor and his apprentice, and we'll be home free."

"With all due respect, Senator," Shaak Ti said with a bit of condescending in her voice. "We have tried to assassinate the emperor before. We lost Master Yoda in such an attempt."

"Yoda went alone to coruscant-"

"He had almost a hundred men with him, all incognito."

"But he didn't have any jedi backing him up." Padmé pointed out.

"We don't have any jedi to fight this battle." Shaak Ti let her anger seep into her words, "Are you suggesting we send an army of children."

"But we do have jedi. We have Obi Wan, we have you, and...we have me."

"And he has the chosen one!" Shaak Ti cried out, despair in her voice now.

"Anakin is dead." Padmé ran her fingers through her hair, a nervous habit that wasn't quite as extravagant now that her long locks were gone. "And that thing that's using his body. with the rate that his cells are dying I doubt he has more medichloreans than I do."

"You think that showing up will do us any good? You think he's not going to go after you or your family?" Someone else interjected. "Isn't that what you're so hell-bent on fighting for?"

"I am fighting for us!" She replied, slamming her hand on the table, "Yes for my children, but for yours too. For the ones in that room over there! We let this happen! We stood by and watched while the chancellor gained power little by little for years. Now it's time to finally stop it! And we can. As long as this thing doesn't get made."

"If we grant you permission for this mission," the calm voice of Mon Mothma said quietly, "How will you go about it? And how many jedi will you take with you?"


Luke Skywalker was fifteen years old. But his mother said he was more like twenty, mentally. Well...she said that about Leia, but she was his twin so they had to be on the same level, right? Anyway, fifteen years old is pretty much adulthood in his family. His mom had already been elected queen and ended an invasion by this age, his dad-or Obi Wan-was a jedi padawan and had adventures too numerous to count by fifteen.

And to be honest, Luke needed an adventure. He'd always had Leia to talk to, to be with. Sure they fought, sure she'd always had a tendency to go off about girly things, sure puberty had separated them a bit. But she'd always been there, her presence calming when he was angry, cheering when he was sad, and motivating when he didn't want to do anything. And now things were different.

Han and Leia were always together. Ever since he'd kissed her in the middle of a heated argument last month, the two had been joined at the hip. At first Luke had to meditate six times a day to get away from Leia's intense feelings-and by the way gross! Han was his best friend! Eventually she toned it down, or at least, learned how to keep from inflicting him with those feelings.

But now they were more separate than ever. He'd never felt so alone in his life. Normally he'd go to his mom with this kind of thing, but he'd promised to keep Han and Leia's relationship secret for them. Neither were ready for that conversation. So he was left utterly alone in the universe. Even Ben, who he'd always gotten along with, was distant now that he'd begun a new stage of his Padawan training.

So when he saw his parents pack up, he knew he had to go with them. They were going on a mission, something dangerous. It wasn't just picking up force-sensitive kids anymore. It was something way more dangerous. They didn't need to tell him, he just knew. He also knew he would be on that ship, it was where he was meant to be.

"So will you come with me?" He said, recounting the tale of his feelings to his sister. "This is what we're meant to do, don't you think so? Who we were meant to be."

"Luke this is crazy!" Leia threw her hands in the air, "It's not safe or mom and dad would have let us come."

"Of course it's not safe Leia." Luke huffed, "It's not about safe. It's about destiny. Tell me you don't feel it too."

He had her there, she knew where she was meant to be and it wasn't in the arms of her boyfriend, it wasn't on the rebel base. It was on that ship. "What if we die?" She said quietly, "Who's going to look after Ben...and Han."

"They'll look after each other," Luke counseled. It was hard to leave them, he knew. But this was something they were meant to do. "We can't do this without you...I need you, Leia."

She looked at her twin, her best friend, the person she shared a mind and soul with. Their father had told them that there used to be a rule against attachment. But long ago, when they were younger, master Yoda had told them that attachments would define the new order. Love, and not light, would lead the jedi into the future.

"Okay..." She sighed. "I'll go."