"Papa . . ."

Anakin Skywalker barely flinched at the tiny voice in his ear. Half-asleep, he figured it was just his drowsy imagination. He rolled over, away from the noise, but felt something tug at the hem of his shirt.

"Papa!"

"Hm?" Anakin mumbled.

Another little voice, this one a bit gentler, whispered, "Papa, Mama says wake up! Papa!"

Despite his feeling about the situation, he was suddenly assaulted by little hands tugging at his fingers and little feet trampling him. Anakin opened his eyes then, seeing the blue of the afternoon sky above him and the faded green of whisper grasses around. And also, a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Hey, what's the deal here?" Anakin protested, sitting up, lifting the boy to sit on his lap. They were seated on a quilt, a wicker basket to one side and a few dishes and cups surrounding it. He brushed loose, wild blonde hair away from his son's eyes, and he smiled up at him.

"I thought I was allowed to nap!"

"Mama says wake up."

Anakin looked out into the meadow around him, the sleepiness wearing off and recollection filtering in. In the sunlight he saw the figures of his wife and daughter sitting by the stream, talking and braiding grasses together.

Yes, Anakin recalled, they had gone on a picnic that morning, to escape the bustle of political duties that had called Padmè Amidala to Naboo in the first place. It wasn't often that the whole family managed to get away from Coruscant together, and they had taken advantage of the opportunity.

They had been so busy ever since the Clone Wars had ended. Padmè had been granted so many duties in the Senate, negotiating peace treatise and restoration campaigns. It had been such a relief when the war had finally finished, and a weight had lifted off of her shoulders. Anakin could see in her eyes that Padmè was like that young woman he had loved on Naboo those years ago, finally at peace.

The Jedi Order had likewise taken a step back after the war. The Defenders of the Republic became once again the figures of peace in the galaxy, returning their missions to civil duties and disputes instead of Sith Lords and Separatist plots. There were no more Sith to battle, no corruption in the Senate or the Force. Things were retuning to the state they had always meant to be.

And then there was their little family. Anakin chuckled to himself, which was a whole other story. Padmè and him had been forced to admit their secrecy, but it came as little surprise to many. Anakin assumed Obi-Wan Kenobi had known from the start, being as clever as he was. The Council had not banished him, much to the dismay of other Jedi, but commanded any of his children were to train at the Temple due to their extraordinarily high midi-chlorian levels, under the tutelage of Master Kenobi. Anakin's punishment was that he would not be granted the title of Jedi Master ever in his lifetime. It was a sacrifice he was willing to live with, for the sake of Padmè and his family. For the sake of the love they shared.

His children were something Anakin had never asked for, but never regretted one bit. They were both their own handful, and blessing, and together it seemed sometimes the father would burst with joy at how much he loved them.

The oldest, Jinn, had just turned four. He was the quieter one, occupied easily by watching speeders pass by or reading or napping. He liked to draw speeders and pictures of his family, Obi-Wan especially. He was afraid of the dark, and many other things, but was brave if he needed to be. His sister, two-year old Cordè, was louder and bubblier. She liked to dance and sing and didn't like to sleep, ever. She loved to play with her mothers hair (and Anakin's if he let her) and had her mother's attitude. She would cry when it rained and when her parents bickered, which wasn't often because of her.

Each little thing made loving them so much more dear, and Padmè seemed to have the capability to love them even more than he could. Together, their little family lived on this infinity loop of love that transferred through each of them in the Force.

At the thought, Anakin reached over and ruffled Jinn's hair gently with a smile, and the boy giggled and ruffled his fathers in return.

"How has your day been?" Anakin asked him, anticipating the reply.

"Good."

"Really good?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to throw the ball around some?"

"No."

Anakin rolled his eyes, "What do you want to do?"

Jinn looked up with a brightness in his eyes, "Can you fly my like a speeder Papa? Please?"

Anakin sighed heavily, but sprung to his feet and lifted the boy up under his arms to sit upon his shoulders. Jinn squeaked in delight as his father began running, in circles and quick spins, sometimes jumping off the ground.

"Anakin! Be careful!"

Padmè called to them, looking worried but still smiling softly. Cordè had stood up, clapping to herself with glee at the sight, pointing and saying, "Mama, mama! Look mama!"

"Red leader, this is blue leader, do you copy?" Anakin shouted, and Jinn giggled and replied.

"Red leader copy!"

"Permission to land, Commander Skywalker?"

"Permission granted!"

Anakin laughed, adoring the way his son still could only pronounce r's as w's, and the phrases came out as "wed leader" and "permission gwanted".

Anakin steered them over to land beside his wife in the tall grasses, setting Jinn down carefully. He nearly leapt into his mother's arms, and Padmè laughed in surprise when he buried his little face in her shoulder.

"Were you a little scared up there my love?" She asked, and Jinn nodded.

Cordè, meanwhile, took to her daddy's side. She was wearing her favourite pink dress, her hair twisted into a small bun. She handed Anakin a few wilted flowers, "Here, papa, here."

"Thank you," Anakin replied, sitting her on his lap. "They're beautiful."

"Like mama?"

Anakin nodded, looking to Padmè then. The little girl must have picked up on how often he told his wife such. Padmè smiled, and Anakin reached over and held her hand.

Quietly, they watched their little ones play. Jinn pretended he was a dewback and his sister rode gleefully on his back. The played chase, and sat together laughing. The sun was lowering in the sky, but there was not a care from any of them.

"Let's just stay like this forever," Padmè suggested, Anakin holding her close to his chest. "Can we?"

Anakin kissed her hair and smiled, "Forever."

He felt Padmè give his hand a squeeze then, and he watched Jinn remove the leather cord around his neck and motion his sister to do the same. He fit the two halves of their japor snippet together and smiled -


". . . Lord Vader?"

Vader kept his eyes closed, though he was startled out of sleep. The dream faded away like sand through his fingers, his surroundings reminding him of his true identity. The white enclosure of his sleeping chamber was cooler than usual, but then again he had been uneasier as usual as well.

Vader felt the presence behind him but made no indication of moving. A gloved hand found his forehead, leather resting upon his fragile, pallid skin, and he spoke sotto voce.

"Yes, commander?"

"I do apologize for the disturbance, my lord, but Lieutenant Fidel has reported his excursion has proven beneficial."

"Meaning?"

"He said he has found, in part, your item my lord."

Vader felt a tug at his heart, memories unwillingly forcing their way to his mind. I made this for you . . .

"When will I receive it?"

"Fidel says he shall have it in entirety to you as soon as time allows."

Vader nodded, flicking his hand to send the man away. Again, the dark lord was left alone with his thoughts.


"Artoo!"

Leia screamed very loudly, sprinting as fast as her little legs could possibly run, down staircase after staircase. She knew where she had told him to hide - the throne room. She hoped very dearly he had not been found.

Leia wiped tears from her eyes, ones of sadness and fear. She clutched her precious necklace tightly, her feelings telling her strongly how things were not right.

Leia hopped down the last marble steps, slinking into the shadows of the house and avoiding the moonlight streams from through tall glass. She wasn't sure if all the Stormtrooper's had left yet. She had been hiding before, only coming out to see if it was safe, and for a long time it wasn't. Out every window she looked she saw Stormtrooper's in the gardens and along the paths. If a ship would come, one from Alderaan of course, they would send it away. Imperial ships, they would let them in - there were al least fifty docked in their private hanger by then. As dangerous as Leia knew it was she had to do her plan; really she was making up her plan as time went by, but it was still a plan.

Leia knew that eventually they would come looking for her when they realized Winter was indeed not her, the Princess. Before then, she had to escape. Artoo would help her find a ship and they would fly away for help. All the guards at the palace lied around, hurt and sleeping. It made Leia sad but she couldn't be sad yet. She knew her Mother and Father and Luke and Winter were all sad and scared. For them, she had to be brave. Only she could save the others, only her. She had to be brave for them.

Leia slowed down and got to her knees as she reached the doorway leading into the kitchen area; through the kitchen was a short cut to the throne room. She closed her eyes and was quiet inside. She used her feelings to feel if there was anyone that wished to find her. The room was very big, but Leia soon was sure there was no one there to harm her. She peeked around the corner just enough so her eyes could see the moonlit dappled darkness on the pots and pans in the sink, the chairs strewn about. On the floor there were bodies. They were very still.

Leia gave her necklace a little kiss before rising and skittering across the slippery tile, jumping through legs and under some chairs. Picking out shadows, Leia made sure she was hidden well should someone see her. With a final step she slid out the door on the other side and began running again toward the throne room.

Leia squeezed her necklace again in thanks, almost smiling. She lifted her dress from her feet and ran faster -

"Princess!"

Leia felt her bones become stiff as stones in fear. Run! she told herself, run! But she could not.

The voice called again, muffled and from behind her. "Princess?"

Leia felt herself tremble then, but somehow the voice was familiar. She turned toward the sound, but was still quiet.

" . . . Leia?"

Only her mother and father were allowed to call her by name. She moved then, toward the darkness from which sound came. She felt compelled to reply.

"Who . . . w-who is there?"

". . . my name is Ben. Ben Kenobi."

Kenobi . . . yes, yes she remembered. The man who brought Luke, with the auburn beard. Maybe it was Luke's daddy. Leia felt that she could trust him.

"You are Luke's papa?"

There was a pause, "Yes. Come closer, young one."

Leia obeyed, tiptoeing quickly until she reached a closet door. Tentatively, she spoke to it. "Mister Kenobi? Are you stuck?"

"Yes, child."

"I'll help you get out." Leia felt her hands along the smooth wood, searching for a handle; she found it and twisted, hearing the lock click. "Locked."

Just as she spoke the words the lock suddenly clicked open, all on its own. Leia was surprised, but smiled as she opened the door. He can unlock things too! Hurriedly, she rushed inside, bumping into a pair of knees in the darkness.

Leia squinted but could not see enough, "Mister Kenobi, it's too dark - "

"My right boot young one, reach into it. Quickly now, the guards who were watching me will soon return."

Leia felt around the gritty floor, finding leather and buckles and the fabric of pants. She reached her hand down into the long shoe and felt something heavy. Sticking out her tongue, she managed to grab the metal object and pull it out.

Leia held the thing - whatever it was - in her hands barely, "What is it?"

"There should be an end with a hole in it, find that first."

Leia did so. "Now?"

"A button, a small round button should be on the side." Mister Kenobi said quickly, "Hold it up perfectly straight now, and press the button. And be very careful, don't let it startle you."

Leia did so, small thumb finding the little button and sliding it up -

Blue light erupted into the darkness, and Leia grinned at the marvel in her grip. It was beautiful, a long laser jutting up from the metal, humming like a beetle and illuminating like the blue of Luke's eyes. Like something she had known in a dream once, distant but then so close to her.

Despite her wonder, the man's voice still instructed her. "Well done, little one. Now, loosen your grip a bit."

Leia didn't question the man, feeling the thing being tugged from her hands almost, and it was lifted by the invisible grip into the air. The Princess gaped. She watched the thing float carefully up and then behind something, a chair. With slow precision it sounded like something was cut, rope, and the voice started again.

"Back up, now."

Leia scooted back, out of the closet and onto the palace floors. She waited and watched the blue laser in darkness of the closet find a true grip inside Mr. Kenobi's hands then, and the man stepped out before her.

Leia stood and smiled up to him, "I can too. I can unlock and lift too."

Mister Kenobi put the laser away and knelt before her, smiling back. His face was cut in several places and down his forehead was a deep bruise, decorated with a streak of blood. He had no beard but the hair was just the same auburn.

"I can do that too." Leia said again, and the man nodded.

"Very good, little one." Mister Kenobi laughed, sadly. His gaze soothed her and his presence felt safe and comforting. Like his laser, he seemed so distantly known. She felt him, with her feelings, sensing peace but heaviness. Leia could see the tears in his blue-grey eyes, suddenly.

"What's happened, Mister Kenobi? Where is my mother and father?"

"I'm not sure, Princess, but do not worry. You must come with me now. We're going to be alright."

"Are you sad, Mister Kenobi?" Leia asked softly.

"No, no young one." Mister Kenobi smiled, looking to his feet and shaking his head, pausing there quietly for a moment, "I am very happy that you are safe. But I worry that Luke is not."

Leia nodded, "Me too . . ."

Just then, she gasped. Her feelings suddenly grew dark, grew cold, and she felt tears come to her eyes. Suddenly, she could not feel that someone she had always felt anymore. They were gone.

The man placed a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes with concern, "Leia? What's wrong?"

"Luke." She whispered, frightened. "Luke . . ."

"Can you feel him?"

"No," Leia said sadly. Mister Kenobi was quiet. He took her in his arms, and they began to run.


Luke was trapped, somewhere dark and cold. Wind rushed all around him, and he shivered -

He was swept off of his feet, cradled in someone's arms then, held close to their warmth. Voices, voices shouting filled his head and Luke wanted to scream to make them silence.

"Leave us!" It was a woman's voice, "You have betrayed me!"

"No, you have betrayed me!"

The other voice was deep and coarse, echoing a rough metallic edge like a droid, but it sounded humanoid. Luke was suddenly staring in the face of the woman who had spoke, brown eyes crying. She touched his face, whispering into the wind, "I am with you, Luke."

And then, the woman screamed, a darkness enveloping her face like a vicious poison; Luke wailed, and felt the darkness take him, heard the voice -

"You are mine!"


They had taken all of Luke's clothes away.

They had cut them off his body, even the boots his aunt had made special; he had worn them inside his formal boots. They had hacked away each strip Aunt Beru had cut and wrapped and left him shivering in a mess of blue and dirtied shreds, naked. Luke had screamed and fought, but one of the armoured Stormtrooper's laser cutters had burned his skin, so he had not continued.

It was over though, by then, as Luke cried to himself, startled awake from another nightmare.

He did not remember much, but he was on a starship. The starship was cold, and the floor was. The room had only walls and floor, and a wide transparasteel window like the ones in Tatooine shops, where they displayed food or merchandise. Except he was inside, trapped, displayed before Stormtrooper's who watched him, three of them. Also, the Empire man.

Luke had retreated to a corner, protectively balling up his legs and hiding his face. They had pricked him, and he had fallen asleep. Nightmares circled in his aching head, and he did not know what they seemed to mean. The voices, the woman.

Luke was frightened, for the Princess - Leia. For Leia. And for Ben, so sorry for Ben. He had not meant to be mean. He had not wanted to leave Leia all alone. But he was most frightened for himself, for his feelings told him so. His feelings were never, ever wrong.

The little boys shivers came in short, violent bursts then, his sobs in hiccups. Deep inside, Luke knew why he could not stop crying, why he was having nightmares, why his feelings were not right. It was because it was gone.

They had found it, they had stolen it. The necklace was gone.

A loud thump made him flinch, and Luke turned slightly to see the door open. Two Stormtrooper's clunked inside, holding the arms of a girl who squealed and kicked and tried to bite them. It was Winter, but it was very hard to tell. Her silver hair was hidden beneath a headdress, and she sounded just like Princess did. Behind them, the Empire man followed. Luke watched him look his way, smirking at him evilly. Luke hid his face.

" . . . now, enough of your tantrums, Your Highness." He barked, giving Winter a kick to her shin, "Where is it? We can strip you just as we did with your playmate here."

Winter looked to Luke, an invisible hope shared in their eyes. She turned with steely gaze back to the man.

"No! Look anywhere, I don't has it!"

The Empire man scowled, shoving the girl down to her bottom. He turned away out the door, mumbling with a sharp intonation to the emphasized word, "Find it," as he slammed out of the room.

Luke heard the sharp buzz of the laser cutter, and the sharpness of Winter's shrieks. He hid again, holding his ears, trying to hide the sound of fabric shredding and skin searing. The girl screamed. He couldn't hide that.

But soon, it died away. Luke didn't look, but listened to the ruffles of clothes and the whimpers of the girl. It was quiet for long moments. The little boy listened when one of the troopers finally spoke up, swearing.

" . . . son of a kriffing bantha . . . is this her?"

"This doesn't match the description . . . "

"No, look . . . no, no wait . . . this isn't - this isn't her, this isn't it!"

Then, Luke looked. The troopers both seemed to study a string, with a square bead hanging lopsided in the middle, heads turned and confused. They ran from the room in distress, and through the transparasteel he heard the Empire man's voice turn from calm to screaming, slamming a hand harshly upon the window.

"Take them away!" The Empire man shouted, and the Stormtrooper's soon flooded the room, each grabbing one of the little children.

Luke resisted, screaming and reaching out to Winter, to hold her hand, but a sharp pain was felt on his neck, and he didn't even see the injection before his eyes slipped shut, one more in a drugged sleep.


Obi-Wan was comforted by the weight of a child on his hip once again. Leia clung to him for dear life as he rushed through the halls of the grand palace, searching desperately for escape. He knew they had little to no time before the guards discovered he had fled, and with the security that he had already determined it would not take long at all for him to be captured again.

Obi-Wan had little recollection on what had happened after the Imperial ships had attached their tractor beam to the royals. His head was still dizzied from the slight concussion it had given him in return, but it wasn't enough to impair him.

The location and condition of the royals was a concern, for as far as the Jedi knew they could already be dead - but no, they wouldn't be. Too large a liability to kill them. The guards holding him hadn't said a word to him; he had been held only because he had been the King and Queen's pilot, and no other reason. Or so he hoped.

But a new sense of urgency had found him, knowing that Luke was in danger as well. And equally so, his sister.

Obi-Wan sped up as he reached the bottom of a flight of stairs that lead down to the ground level of the castle, finding a cluster of shadows near the corner of a hallway and crouching in them, moving Leia to his lap. A group of Stormtroopers passed by just feet away down the hall, but they did not see their presence.

"Mister Kenobi - "

"Shh." Obi-Wan hushed the girl, watching the hall intently.

"But Mister Kenobi . . ."

"Hush, little one."

He felt his cheek being turned toward her by a little hand, and he met her dark eyes.

"I know where Artoo is. He can help us find a ship." Leia whispered.

"Where is he?"

"The Throne Room - "

"That's too far away." Obi-Wan cursed softly, biting his lip, "Does his comlink still function?"

Leia thought quickly, "Yes, I think. My daddy uses it sometimes - "

Obi-Wan set Leia down as he quickly pulled out his comlink, pausing for a moment to remember R2's com frequency. He dialled, and when the comlink beeped softly in a confirmed connection he held it to his ear.

"Artoo?" He whispered.

The other end of the phone erupted in a series of beeps and twirps of excitement. After all the years R2-D2 still recognized his voice.

"I'm happy to hear you too, Artoo." Obi-Wan smiled, and he saw Leia do the same, "We need a way out of the palace; is there a hangar near here?"

R2 droned four times, slowly in as if in contemplation, and beeped.

"Alright, we'll be cautious. Meet us there, Artoo. Leave now and ensure you are not seen."

Footsteps were heard, and that meant they had to move again. Obi-Wan propped the girl back on his hip and ran away from the noises, Leia pointing his towards a door ahead of them. His boots squeaked as he slid to a stop, turning down another hallway. The shadows hid them, and the silence was their shroud. No more troops had graced their path as they raced down three more flights of stairs and into a long hall that lead to the hangar bay.

Obi-Wan carefully peeked out the window, seeing it crawling with Troopers and gridlocked with Imperial ships. He recognized the patterned urgency about the landing pad, and he knew. They're evacuating, he though to himself. But why?

Leia raised her head and pointed, "Mister Kenobi, there are none of our ships."

"That's right. We will fly in an Imperial ship, so we are not spotted."

"Steal one?"

"Yes. They have taken ours, so we must take one of theirs." Obi-Wan said, seeing a break in the formation of troops passing by, and he use the opportunity, entering the hangar. They only managed to make it a few feet out before being forced to hide; the Jedi ducked, crouching behind a near cluster of fuel barrels.

There was no sign of R2-D2 yet, which made Obi-Wan nervous but he did not show it. As he set Leia on the duracrete beside him and reached to comm the little droid again, he heard the girl whisper something.

"What's that?" He said, and Leia looked up at him, her brown eyes wide. Obi-Wan was taken aback suddenly. She looked so much like her mother had when she was younger, that innocent queen of Naboo with the intense gaze that could silence rulers twice her age in mere seconds. The memory was sharp with pain, but he caught attention again and listened as Leia spoke.

"They took Luke away." Leia whispered, eyes tearing, "They said they'd shoot him if I didn't tell."

"Didn't tell what, little one?" Obi-Wan knelt before the girl, and she hid her face in her hands. The Jedi gently moved them away from her face, seeing the tears on her fair cheeks. "It's alright, I won't be upset."

Leia nodded, sniffing as she reached into her shoe and pulled out her half of the japer snippet. Obi-Wan blinked, looking at it and back to the girl. "They wanted this."

"Why did they has to hurt Luke?" Leia cried, "Why did they want my necklace?"

The question seemed simple, but the intent behind it was dark in mystery. Obi-Wan had assumed that whoever was behind this operation had been looking for the Skywalker twins, but . . . it had been their necklace they were after. The dying words of Rabe Sifora still swirled around in his head in confusion. It was a dread-filled thought that began to grow inside of him then, not just of intuition but of his keen senses in the Force. He knew, he knew who was behind this operation. And he knew well enough that they would stop for nothing to get what they wanted.

Little had he realized giving the newborn twins each a fragment of the little japor snippet five years ago that the necklace was not just a piece of jewelry. Leia has shown him, by sensing her brother in the Force, through their necklace, it was a conduit: connecting each one of the children, and possibly their deceased mothers spirit, in the Force. It was a guiding light that kept their midi-chlorians in balance and their emotions in check. Obi-Wan watched the little girl clutch the necklace, almost as if the necklace was a part of her, of her brother, of her parents. The necklace held them together.

Leia's pink lips trembled, eyes wandering in confusion, searching his for consolation. Before Obi-Wan could soothe the girl, in the distance of the hangar, he sensed a few troopers break formation, heading in their direction with as scanner: they had been found.

"Blast," Obi-Wan cursed, and he saw that Leia sensed the distress. Quickly, he used the Force to move a few fuel barrels into a miniature hiding place, setting the girl down where she could barely be seen by the searching eye. Leia cried and reached for him through the barrels, but Obi-Wan hushed her as he whispered quickly.

"Listen little one, you must wait here for Artoo, and fly away from here." He glanced up, seeing the troops nearing slowly, and gave the girl his commlink, "Do not be afraid. Keep your necklace safe."

"Mister Kenobi, take me with you!" Leia exclaimed, fighting out of her hiding place to his side again. "Take me - "

"I cannot - "

"Then I can come back for you!"

"No, young one, you must fly away from here, do not come back for me. Do you understand?"

His whisper was sharp and solemn. Leia hesitated, but nodded.

"Mister Kenobi?" She whimpered, and the Jedi did not have time to reply to the girl before she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. After a moment, Obi-Wan relaxed and hugged her back.

The impulsive tenderness was unavoidable; the girl was frightened and separated from all whom she loved, the least he could do was assure her he cared for her as well.

"I am sorry . . . Force, forgive me, I am sorry . . ." Obi-Wan whispered, and he heard Leia hush him back, gently, like a mother did to her child, laying her head on his shoulder.

The moment lasted only split seconds, for Obi-Wan lifted the girl back into her hiding place again. Leia cried and reached for him through the barrels, but Obi-Wan hushed her terrified sobs; he felt her grip his fingers one last time before the troopers grabbed him, pressing their blasters to his head as they dragged him to his feet.

Leia watched the man until he was out of her sight, once again helpless as she witnessed the Stormtroopers carry someone away from her. She gripped her necklace tightly, but her feelings still were not soothed. A dark thought crept in . . . this was her fault. She had helped Erasmus, she had found Luke when she had been forbidden to. She had stolen her father's journal. She had put everyone in danger.This was her fault.

Mister Kenobi's words repeated in her head, and Leia said them out loud to herself. "Force, forgive me, Force, forgive me . . ." over and over and over.

Maybe the Force would forgive her. Maybe the Force would help her. And maybe, the Force would save her. Maybe it would save them all.