A/N: One more chapter. Sorry if there are any numerous mistakes in here. I did my best to skim through them.


Anakin stared in shock at Starkiller after he had explained what he had in mind. The sheer mechanical genius behind that thought astounding him. Why and how Starkiller had thought of something like that, something that was inconceivable and never once proposed in any kind of schematics before, it was beyond him. He didn't even notice the looks between Luke and Leia or the look on his master's face. His mind was still going over what Starkiller was planning on building. Daftly he heard his name being called before his attention was brought back to the present to see that Obi-Wan was trying to get his attention.

Mentally shaking his head, he looked over at Obi-Wan. "What?" he asked.

Obi-Wan just gave him an exasperated look, rolling his eyes as he did so. "You can go over the details to this building project later," he said. "For now, I have our assigned rotations," he continued and handed him a chip.

Anakin looked down at the chip in hand and grew agitated. "The seventy-ninth district??? No way, here lets trade," he said handing the disc back over. But Obi-Wan just crossed his arms.

"We are not having this argument again, Anakin. The council assigned you with that particular patrol and that is final. Don't forget that you're still skating on thin ice for that stunt you pulled a couple months ago," Obi-Wan told him strictly.

"The council overreacted like they always do, Master," Anakin told him defensively. "Besides, the seventy-ninth district is one of the worst districts to venture out in..."

"Which is why you need to take this week's patrol," Obi-Wan reminded him.

"I'm not doing it," Anakin told him stubbornly.

"Fine, then you can tell Master Windu what had precisely happened to his lightsaber," Obi-Wan told him evenly.

"That wasn't my fault and you know it," Anakin retorted.

"It's never your fault, Anakin," Obi-Wan said tiredly. "I sometimes wonder when you will start taking responsibility for your actions," he said.

Anakin glared at him before he stood up and left, unaware of the eyes on him and of the silent communication going on about him. He had made it to the nearest lift and was about to get in when someone grabbed his attention. Turning around, he noticed with irritation that it was Luke Lars. "What?" he demanded.

"I just want to know what is so horrible about a simple patrol," Luke told him.

"The seventy-ninth district is never a simple patrol," Anakin told him.

"If you knew about the ones that I was on, you wouldn't be so quick to refuse something so simple," Luke told him.

"Then enlighten me," Anakin said dryly.

"Is patrolling the seventy-ninth district something that would risk your life?" Luke asked.

"Not particularly," Anakin answered.

"Then you should feel grateful for that, because where I come from, such a simple act could get a Jedi killed, just for being a Jedi," Luke told him.

Anakin frowned, hearing him sticking to that bantha poodoo that was concocted to cover something up. "I prefer something worth risking my life for," he said flatly, entering the lift before going down to a different floor.

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Luke returned to the dignitary quarters to see his father and Obi-Wan in a discussion. A sight that threw him for a loop for a moment, the image of Vader striking down an older Obi-Wan on board the Death Star entering his mind. He looked over at Leia, recognizing her body posture as a clear indicator that she was bored. It was something that only those closest to Leia, who really knew her well, would notice.

"I wonder where we can find Master Yoda at this time," he said, sitting down next to his sister.

Obi-Wan briefly looked at him. "He's giving a lesson on the force to a clan of younglings on the main level," he informed him.

Luke perked up at the idea. "Come on, Leia, this might be interesting," he said.

"Interesting to whom exactly?" Leia questioned, but stood up to join him nonetheless.

"You never know," Luke replied as the two of them left, leaving Obi-Wan alone with their father.

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"Do you even know where you're going?" Leia asked as she and Luke rounded another corner.

"I'm letting the force guide me," Luke answered. "I can show you how to let the force guide you," he said looking at her.

"Is this why we're seeking Yoda out? For more lessons on the force?" Leia asked.

"Just think about it this way...next time you're forced into another duel with our father, you could take him off guard...that is if you master the force without him knowing," Luke suggested.

This suggestion appealed to Leia though she didn't show it. "So where are you feeling your way to?" she asked.

"A classroom, I think," Luke answered and stopped shortly as they passed a room where children's laughter could be heard.

Leia heard it too and stopped as well. Giving Luke a raised eyebrow, they peered in to see a clan of younglings being entertained by Anakin. It was a sight that took them off guard for a number of reasons, but also for the fact that not too long ago he had sullenly walked off and now he was making younglings laugh.

Leia raised an eyebrow at Luke who just shook his head. "Lets find Master Yoda," he said and was about to continue onward when a youngling ran out of the room to chase after something as small as a marble.

Luke calmly called the object into his hand with the force examining it. "What..."

"It's a star map," the youngling, a small girl with black curls told him.

"Neat," Luke said, rolling the object in question between his fingers.

"Can I have it?" the youngly asked, fixing her dark eyes on him.

Luke smiled, a playful smile. "Well..."

"Just hand it over," Leia told him, half wanting to indulge the playful side to her brother after so long of it being missing, and half not wanting to be accused of stalking.

"As you wish," Luke said, handing the star map to the youngling.

"Thank you," the girl said, clutching the star map tightly and hurrying back into the room she had come from.

"Come on, lets find Yoda," Leia said, linking her arm through Luke's while they walked away, unaware of the fact that they were being watched closely from behind a door.

An hour and a half later.

"Do you think that Yoda knows we're looking for him?" Leia asked after searching all the class rooms and not finding any sign of the diminutive grand master.

"That would make perfect sense," Luke answered.

"What?" Leia demanded, looking at her brother. "How does that make sense?"

"You don't know Master Yoda," Luke told her and stopped, closing his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Leia asked.

"Searching for Master Yoda's force signature," Luke answered before smiling. "I think I've found him," he said, and grabbed Leia's arm, pulling her in the direction where he sensed the force signature. Only they ended up in a maintenance area of the temple which was mostly run by droids. Luke stopped outside a half open door where they heard an unfamiliar voice.

"I've looked this over thirty times already and haven't even found the source of the problem. Even the droids are useless in figuring it out," an older male voice said.

"Well droids lack the ability to think around the problem, that is unless you know how to program them around that rather large set back. Besides, I think that I've found the problem."

Luke and Leia stepped back, upon hearing Anakin's voice. Leia glared at her brother. "I thought that Yoda was in there," she said flatly and quietly.

"I don't understand, I sought out the most powerful force signature," Luke told her, mimicking her need to be quiet.

"Well try again before we're accused of stalking," Leia commanded.

"I'm glad that I came to you, Anakin, I honestly don't know how you find and fix the problems so quickly," the older voice said.

"Just something that I picked up," Anakin's voice answered. "This shouldn't take too long to fix, I'm just going to get the proper tools..."

"Lets go!" Leia ordered quietly, grabbing Luke's arm and pulling him out of sight and around a corner, unaware that someone had spotted them just as they were rounding the corner.

An hour later.

"Why do I get the feeling that we're going on a wild bantha chase?" Leia grumbled when they were still looking for Master Yoda.

"Probably because that's what we're doing," Luke answered.

"Then what's the point?" Leia asked pointedly.

"Knowing Master Yoda, I'd say more training," Luke answered.

"That makes absolutely no sense," Leia told him.

"Master Yoda may seem...well...strange, but everything he does and has you doing has a reason and he doesn't elaborate on it, he wants you to figure it out," Luke told her.

"I see," Leia said as they passed yet another alcove in the room of a thousand fountains. "Sounds to me that he likes to make things difficult," she said.

"Master Yoda said that the life of a Jedi is difficult, which is why he makes things difficult," Luke told her.

"And what about those who can't measure up to this difficult life?" Leia asked.

Luke frowned as he hadn't thought about this. "I don't know," he said and stopped. In the alcove to their right by a fountain, sat Anakin doing what could only be called research as he read from an old book and took notes on a datapad.

"Oh honestly, is he everywhere?" Leia exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"Apparently," Luke replied. "He seems to be pretty busy here."

"Let's continue on," Leia said walking away from the alcove. Luke shook his head before following her unaware that they were noticed.

Two hours later.

"This is pointless," Leia said in frustration as they haven't yet found Master Yoda.

"And it's about time for the afternoon meal," Luke said, agreeing with her. "Come on, I'm hungry," he said and they headed off to the mess hall which seemed to be quite crowded. Wordlessly Luke and Leia got in the serving line where they picked out what seemed appetizing before leaving the line. Neither twin wanted to sit in the mess hall and take the chance of having someone try to talk to them so they left with their food in hand for their assigned quarters before they could be approached by a bald, dark skinned Jedi.

As they entered the dignitary quarters, the found it to be empty. Shrugging to themselves, they sat down and began eating. For a moment they were alone and they could talk freely which pleased them both. While they had their quality times to themselves before during the galactic civil war to build their friendship, they haven't had the opportunity to have those quality times since finding out that they were brother and sister.

"I never thought that this place could be so big," Luke commented.

Leia raised an eyebrow. "It may be big, but it isn't unnecessarily big," she said.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"Well, every room in this temple has a use and is repeatedly in use. A palace for example, has at least a hundred or more rooms that while furnished, have little use other than show and are rarely ever in use," Leia told him.

"What is it with royalty and their need for needless excessiveness?" Luke asked.

"Right of passage, I suppose. I never really understood it myself," Leia answered.

"Not all palaces are like that though, remember, Jabba's palace, every room has a purpose," Luke reminded her as they finished their meal.

"Don't remind me," Leia told him. "I'd just as soon forget that wretched place."

"What wretched place?"

Both Luke and Leia looked up to see Anakin walk in, seemingly more calm than he had left.

"Jabba's palace," Luke answered.

Anakin winced. "When where you in that hell hole?" he asked.

"We were rescuing a friend who was captured and taken there," Luke told him.

"Let me guess, you rescue plan went awry," Anakin suspected by the looked on Leia's face and her posture.

"You can say that," Luke said, glancing at Leia. "Leia got captured while freeing Han," he added.

Anakin looked over at her, knowing exactly what that meant. "How did you escape?" he asked.

"I came for them both as soon as our other friend, Lando, who was disguised as a guard contacted me. That went awry where I ended up fending off a rancor, unarmed, and then where Han, our wookiee friend, Chewie, and I were sentenced to be fed to the sarlacc in the pit of carkoon. Needless to say, we survived," Luke answered.

"And you?" Anakin asked, looking at Leia.

"I strangled Jabba with the chain he put around my neck," Leia told him.

"He did what?" Starkiller demanded dangerously as he and Obi-Wan entered the room gaining everyone's attention.

Luke looked between his sister and father cautiously, feeling the rage that was radiating off of his father. While Obi-Wan and Anakin both narrowed their eyes at the very un-jedi-like emotion.

Leia looked at her father dead in the eye. "You heard me," she said. And then was surprised when he turned around to walk out the door.

"Where are you going?" Luke called out.

"Tatooine," Starkiller answered.

"Why?" Luke pressed on.

"I'm going to kill Jabba the Hutt," Starkiller told him.

To this proclamation, Luke jumped up and quickly made his way to stand in his father way. His father narrowed his eyes at him.

"Get out of my way, Luke," Starkiller ordered.

"Not a chance. I'm not going to let you kill Jabba out of rage," Luke told him adamantly. "If you are so hell bent then you're going to have to get through me," he added with his hand on his lightsaber.

Starkiller eyed him before he began to curse in huttese, not having it in him to strike down his only son. "Obviously you know nothing about the hutts," he said.

"I know that they're not to be trifled with and if you go in there alone, you could be killed," Luke told him.

"You don't know what goes on in a hutt's palace," Starkiller told him, "I do."

"I still fail to see why you feel the need to kill Jabba," Luke told him, "Other he is a crime lord, but that still doesn't justify killing him."

"I can tell you plenty about Jabba the Hutt that would justify his death," Starkiller told him.

"Regardless of why one's death would be justified, It is not the Jedi way to just go and kill someone," Obi-Wan said disdainfully, speaking up.

"If you were any proper Jedi then wouldn't abandon your duties to go on a killing rampage," Anakin said challengingly, silently using this display to prove his suspicions that Aaron Starkiller wasn't what he appeared to be and raised an eyebrow at Obi-Wan who silently narrowed his eyes at his apprentice, telling him to give it up.

Starkiller narrowed his eyes at Anakin, not liking his younger self reprimanding him in the least. "Yes and you're just perfect," he said sarcastically. "It seems as though with the years that has passed by, you have forgotten just how despicable Jabba the Hutt is," he said scathingly making Anakin frown in displeasure.

"Why do you care about this so much?" Leia demanded causing Starkiller to look at her.

"Because Jabba is as vile as they get," Starkiller told her, and then went down the list of just how vile he was, resorting to huttese for the proper terms to describe just how vile he is.

Obi-Wan leaned closer to Anakin. "Do I even want to know what he is saying?" he asked.

Anakin who eyed Starkiller critically answered him, "No Master," and then his eyes widened at some of the new terms that Starkiller was using as he argued with Leia, who equally fired back.

"I take it that he's saying something excruciating vile to earn the shocked expression on your face," Obi-Wan commented, looking at his apprentice.

"Uh, you can say that," Anakin replied, growing uncomfortable. Especially when Luke chimed into the argument, taking the role of mediator. "I'm just going to leave," he said.

"Where are you going?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Dex's and then on patrol," Anakin answered, eager to get out of here.

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Anakin didn't mind going on patrol. It enabled him some time away from the temple to think and to observe. But when it came time to patrol the seventy-ninth district, he grew to dislike it. The streets were dirty and filled with all kinds of scum and villainy and not to mention crowded with prostitutes. It never failed that when he would patrol this district, he would receive all kinds of offers that while may seem interesting but in actuality, it made him uncomfortable. But he didn't dare voice his dislike to the council. He tried that once with Obi-Wan and received a lecture about his duties as a Jedi. That in itself was a long one, that Anakin didn't want to repeat. So when he received this rotation, he didn't say anything, he just glared at his master, making sure that Obi-Wan knew that he wasn't happy and left. Only to be followed by that Luke Lars who wanted to know why he was unhappy about a simple patrol and then decided to inform him that where Luke came from, such an act could get him killed and that Anakin should be grateful that he could go out in public as a Jedi. That was something that Anakin found annoying about the three Jedi that Master Yoda assigned to work with him and Obi-Wan. He didn't believe their story. The very idea of time travel was impossible and completely illogical. But for some reason, Master Yoda believed them. Besides, the very notion that the Jedi die and become hunted down like animals to be exterminated was too much. Such an event would never happen!

Anakin focused his attention on the here and now as he rounded a corner. He braced himself as he spotted five prostitutes in front of him and fruitlessly prayed that they would ignore him like so many others did. But alas, such wasn't his luck and he inwardly groaned when they spotted him. And like predators, they approached him, circling him.

"Hey there, handsome," the first one purred.

"Looking for a little fun?" another asked seductively.

"No," Anakin replied. "I'd rather..."

"Prefer more than a little fun," another said.

"That would cost you extra," another informed him.

"I'd rather skin myself, thank you," Anakin told them tartly.

"We could make it worth your while," another purred in his ear.

Anakin shrugged away from them. "I'm not interested!" he told them, trying to get away. He flinched when he felt a body press itself against him, firmly. Before he heard a familiar voice.

"He's mine," the voice of the body next to him said firmly and possessively.

"This isn't your corner, Hon, so if you don't want any trouble, I suggest you leave," the first prostitute threatened.

Anakin turned to see Leia Solo's jaw clench. "Is that a threat?" she demanded.

"It is what it is," the prostitute said snidely and was backed up by the others.

"Well, Hon, you do not want to fight me," Leia told her aggressively.

The prostitute laughed. "You think that you can take us? A small thing like you is greatly outnumbered," she said.

That's when Leia pulled out a lightsaber and quickly had the lead prostitute on her back with the blade against her throat. "Like I said. You don't want to fight me," she said firmly.

"He's all yours," the prostitute snapped.

Leia put her lightsaber away and released the prostitute. "I would consider a different occupation," she told them as the prostitutes left them alone.

"I could have handled that," Anakin snapped.

"Well you looked like you could have used some help. I don't expect any form of gratitude," Leia told him.

"Don't you have something else to do?" Anakin asked.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" Leia asked.

Yes! "No," Anakin told her, continuing his patrol. "Did Obi-Wan send you?" he asked when she fell into step with him.

"I wanted to see what a patrol was like. This kind of opportunity would be deadly where I come from," Leia told him.

Anakin frowned. But didn't say anything to that. "Well you won't be seeing much. Hardly anything worthwhile ever happens on patrol," he told her.

"What do you call what just happened?" Leia replied.

"A common annoyance," Anakin told her. "You know, any credible Jedi wouldn't use the kind of trick you just used," he said looking at her to see what her reaction would be.

"Well, it worked better that your method," Leia told him simply.

"And what does your master say to your unorthodox methods?" Anakin asked.

"He doesn't say anything, yet. Besides, we haven't known each other very long for him to say anything," Leia told him.

"I see," Anakin said. "If it were me, I'd..."

"You'd what?" Leia asked.

"Nothing," Anakin said quickly.

Leia eyed him closely before she started chuckling at a memory.

"What is so funny?" Anakin asked, thinking it was about him and getting defensive.

"I'm just remembered the last and only other time that I pulled a trick like that," Leia told him.

For some reason this intrigued Anakin. "And?" he questioned.

"Are you curious?" Leia asked.

"No," Anakin answered quickly. He then looked at her. "What was it?" he asked.

"I thought that you weren't curious," Leia reminded him.

"I'm not, you just seem like you want to talk about it and it doesn't seem like you will be leaving me in peace anytime soon, so just say it," Anakin told her.

Leia considered this for a moment, knowing that she was speaking to a very young version of her biological father who just happened to not even realize it. "I used a similar trick to make someone jealous, only I used my brother to help me do it, but at that time we didn't know we were related even though we were best friends," she told him.

"That's cruel," Anakin told her.

"It worked," Leia told him.

"Still, I pity both the poor schmuck you decided to torment and your brother," Anakin told her. "Besides, how can you not know that you are related?" he asked.

"We were separated at birth and weren't given any knowledge of each other," Leia told him.

"Who would do such a thing?" Anakin asked.

"The surviving Jedi thought that they were protecting us. I can see why, now," Leia told him.

"Why was that so important?" Anakin asked.

"Because of the Emperor and because of who our father is. If we were found, the Emperor would have killed us. Luke went to Tatooine to be raised by our aunt and uncle and I was adopted on Alderaan," Leia told him. "It wasn't until recently that we figured things out and were reunited with our father, just before we ended up here," she finished.

Anakin looked at her, sensing the truth in her words and a little hurt and sadness. "Who was your father?" he asked.

"A Jedi, one of the powerful ones," Leia told him, cryptically.

"Have you tried seeking him out since coming here?" Anakin asked.

"Why do you ask?" Leia asked.

"Because that is what I would have done," Anakin told her. "If it were my father, I would..."

"What about your father?" Leia asked.

"I don't have a father," Anakin told her.

"Everyone has one..."

"No, everyone has a mother. Having a father isn't required much," Anakin told her.

"I don't see how that is possible," Leia told him frowning.

"Well I'm a special case," Anakin told her strictly.

"Why?" Leia asked.

"It's complicated," Anakin dismissed.

"It can't be any more complicated than my family," Leia told him.

"Stop trying to weasel information out of me," Anakin snapped.

"I'm not trying anything of the sort," Leia countered.

"Really? Then why else did you follow me out here? You and your friend Luke are constantly following me!" Anakin said pointedly.

"You're being paranoid," Leia told him frowning.

"Am I?" Anakin demanded.

"Obviously. You seem to think that everything is about you," Leia retorted hotly.

Anakin looked at her, seeing in her posture that she was upset. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

Leia looked at him, seeing that he meant it. "Not everything is about you," she told him.

"I don't think that," Anakin told her. "But there are many who think that the fate of the galaxy rests on my shoulders," he finished.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Leia asked.

"No. I'd rather forget about it for the time being," Anakin told her.

"That's fair enough," Leia said agreeably.

"Why are you so interested about me anyway?" Anakin asked.

"It's not you per say, but most importantly the Jedi and you just happen to be closer to my age so I am curious about your perspective," Leia said skillfully, relaying on her political experience.

Anakin looked at her. "Alright, how about a deal. You can ask me questions if I can ask some of you but we have to answer honestly and I reserve the right to decline answering a question," he proposed.

"The same for me," Leia agreed.

"That's fair," Anakin replied.

"You first," Leia said.

Anakin looked at her again. "Is Leia Solo your real name?" he asked.

"Partially. I may take the name Solo in the future," Leia answered.

"Then what is your real name?" Anakin asked.

"It's my turn," Leia reminded him.

"Sorry," Anakin said and motioned for her to go.

"Do you enjoy being a Jedi?" Leia asked.

Anakin grinned. "Yes. It's been something that I wanted to do since before I even knew about the force. It's greatly rewarding," he answered.

Leia looked at him, knowing that he was being truthful. She had a hard time reconciling this with what she knew of what he would later become in just a few short years.

"It's my turn," Anakin said and she nodded. "What is your real name?" he asked.

"My birth initials are L.A.S," Leia answered.

"That doesn't tell me much," Anakin told her.

"And I reserve the right to keep that information to myself for now," Leia reminded him. "What was it like growing up in the temple?" she asked.

"I didn't really grow up in the temple," Anakin answered. "How did you meet your master?" he asked.

"That isn't easy to answer," Leia told him.

"Why not?" Anakin asked.

"Because I met him several times but I didn't really know him until after he saved my brother's life, risking his own in the process," Leia answered.

"You didn't like him until then," Anakin said and it was an observation.

Leia looked away. "Why didn't you grow up in the temple?" she asked.

Anakin watched her closely, sensing her pain and torment. "I was a slave on Tatooine before the Jedi found me," he answered. This caught Leia's attention as she looked at him sharply.

"That must have been terrible," she said masking how much the thought horrified her.

"It was, for a time. It really depends on the owner," Anakin told her. "There are some fairly decent owners and then there are the ones who thrive on cruelty. When I became a Jedi, I instantly thought about going home and freeing all the slaves. I still want to do that, once I earn the rank of master. Until then I'll wait," he finished.

Leia looked at him having a hard time picturing him as the monster that she grew up knowing. "I hope that you get the chance to do so," she said softly.

Anakin looked up at the sky, seeing that dawn was approaching. "Looks like the patrol is over. Once we return to the temple, we'll be allowed time to sleep," he informed her. "Otherwise, we would be getting up around this time for duty," he added.

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When Leia returned to the quarters that were assigned to her, all was quiet so she made a point to make as little noise as possible. However, halfway through the sitting room a light flicked on and she froze. Standing by the window was her father, or rather the man that her brother called father, to her, Bail Organa would always be her father. He brain commanded that she continue on but her feet disobeyed her command.

"I overreacted earlier," Starkiller told her, not turning away from the window.

"Well, now we have that cleared up, I'm going to bed," Leia told him, feeling a little uneasy with being alone with him.

"I was born into slavery, even soled to the hutts. I know what goes on within their confines," he continued.

For some reason, Leia felt compelled to listen, for some reason she could sense that this was something he needed to share, so she stayed for a little longer. "I wasn't in Jabba's palace long before Luke came," she told him, but felt compelled to add, "I wouldn't have been there if you hadn't had Han frozen in carbonite and sent with that bounty hunter to be delivered to Jabba in the first place."

"Perhaps Han Solo should have been wise enough to pay off his debt," Starkiller told her.

Leia narrowed her eyes at his back. "It's a little hard to do when he was serving in the Alliance," she shot back.

"Regardless of how Solo ended up in the hands of the hutts, the point is that he got himself there and you," Starkiller told her. "Which makes me question your judgment," he added.

Leia took offense at this. "My judgment? Well that is just rich coming from you," she retorted.

"Did you know that Han Solo had been dishonorably discharged from the Imperial Navy?" Starkiller asked, turning to face her.

"Yes, he was caught freeing wookiee slaves, I consider that honorable," Leia replied.

"That is the story he told you. He was caught freeing the wookiee slaves six months before he was discharged, he was on probation for freeing the wookiees. He was discharged for embezzlement. I know this because I signed the discharging papers. His life was spared because he freed the wookiees. He was supposed to be sent to the spice mines instead, but he miraculously escaped. The time that he spent between then and when I caught you on Bespin was on the run," Starkiller corrected her.

"What is your point?" Leia demanded.

"My point is that all Han Solo cares about is money," Starkiller told her.

"You don't know Han, he risked quite a lot for both myself and Luke. He's an honorable man, much unlike..."

Starkiller interrupted her. "Unlike me?" he filled in. "Honor is a tricky thing, depending completely on what side you're on. If there is one thing that the Jedi and the Sith have in common, it is honor, granted both sides have different views on what is honorable," he told her. "Now the hutts have no honor and anyone who associates himself with a hutt is anything but honorable," he finished.

"You're basing your judgment on a narrow minded view without any facts," Leia told him. "Quite frankly..."

"I know plenty of facts! I know exactly what kind of kungs associate themselves with the hutts, especially smugglers! It is a smuggling team of brothers who would take turns raping the female slaves. They used to chain me up and force me to watch them rape my mother, repeatedly. That's the kind of scum that works for the hutts," Starkiller told her hotly, interrupting her.

Leia stared at him, horrified and disgusted with that piece of information. Daftly, she sensed that he didn't intend to tell her that, but all she could think about was this one little piece to the puzzle that made him into what he was. But she didn't say anything to that.

"On once instance, I broke free and took one of their vibroblades when it was just one of them, and stabbed him in the throat, I was five when I killed him. In the law of the hutts, if a slave kills either his or her owner or someone his or her owner is associated with, he or she is punished by death. My mother knew this and quickly took the vibroblade and stashed it in a smuggler's bag just before he left. When you're owned by the hutts expected the worst because it will happen, you have no rights and you are not a living being, you're property. And smugglers working for the hutts have the same views," Starkiller told her.

Leia found her voice then, "Han isn't like that," she told him.

"I'll believe that when I see it," Starkiller told her, turning and going into the room he was sleeping in. But before he could enter, Leia spoke again.

"Is there ever a time that it ever bothered you to take a life?" Leia asked, not looking directly at him. But he didn't answer her, he just continued on into the room and closed the door behind him.

Squaring her shoulders, interpreting her answer, Leia retreated to the room she was sharing with Luke. Wondering why Starkiller really cared who she associated with or rather why she was in the palace of Jabba the Hutt.

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Obi-Wan sighed. The peace of the morning was like a breath of fresh air. Anakin was passed out asleep after a night of patrol. Obi-Wan knew that he was not happy with that assignment but went along with it without further protest. That in itself was progress. But now with Anakin asleep, Obi-Wan found himself alone in the mornings peace and quiet. The problem he was facing was that such a thing was uncomfortable, especially with nothing to occupy himself with. After a quiet moment of watching the life on Coruscant, Obi-Wan decided to take a visit to his and Anakin's current partners.

When Obi-Wan arrived at the quarters that housed Jedis Starkiller, Lars and Solo, he found only one occupant awake. Aaron Starkiller stood in a doorway to a bedchamber in silence and watching the occupants inside. Obi-Wan quietly walked up to his side and noticed what or who Starkiller was looking at. Leia Solo too was deep in sleep.

"Shouldn't you wake her for her morning training?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, I'm letting her be," Starkiller answered quietly. He paused before continuing. "I missed so many nights when I could have been doing this," he said regretfully.

Obi-Wan looked at him, seeing the ghost of a smile on his face. "You're attached to her," he said in observation.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, Obi-Wan. You of all people should understand that," Starkiller told him.

There it was again. The feeling of familiarity that passed between them. "What would make you think that?" he asked.

"The code preaches detachment and a Jedi would deny attachment because of it, yet, every Jedi attaches themselves to another. The Master/Padawan bond is an example. You cared very deeply for your master did you not?" Starkiller didn't wait for an answer as he continued. "And you also care very deeply for your padawan. Even if you ask yourself on occasion what you were thinking in taking him on to train him."

Obi-Wan found it unnerving how easily Starkiller read him and that worried him. "And where do you get your information?" he asked.

Starkiller looked at him and for a moment Obi-Wan could see pain in his eyes before it was gone. "You told me," he answered.

"When did I do that?" Obi-Wan asked suspiciously.

"It's not important. The situation that brought that on will not be happening," Starkiller answered looking back at Leia. A smile graced his face. "She is beautiful, like an angel," he said softly.

Obi-Wan had only ever heard that term once before and it had been almost ten years ago. A nagging question prickled at the back of his mind as he thought of the purges that he was told about. "What happens to Anakin in the future?" he asked.

Starkiller looked at him again. "Don't ask any questions that you aren't truly ready to know the answer to," he said hollowly.

Before Obi-Wan could form any kind of response, whether it be mental or spoken, the door opened and Luke walked in carrying several datadiscs and shuffling them in his hand. Starkiller turned his attention towards him then.

"Did Jocasta Nu give you a hard time?" Starkiller asked.

"Is she always that mistrustful?" Luke asked.

"Only to...us," Starkiller answered and Obi-Wan got the impression that the word 'us' was used in place of something else.

Luke nodded. "I had to go to Master Yoda for him to tell her that I have the right access,"he informed them.

Starkiller nodded. "I remember having to do the same on occasion," he said. He stepped away from the doorway and walked over to Luke. He took the datadiscs from Luke's hands and read their labels. At one he raised an eyebrow. "I don't remember requesting this one...or these either," he said holding four datadiscs apart.

"You didn't. I just figured that they would make interesting reading," Luke replied.

"I see," Starkiller said and handed the four datadiscs over. "Have fun," he said.

Luke smiled. "I intend to," he said. "Did you know, Master Yoda granted us access to all the information in the archives. Even the stuff that is strictly for masters on the council," he informed him.

Starkiller raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? I'm going to have to check that out," he said.

"You mean that you haven't done so before?" Luke asked.

"I was on the council prior to the destruction of the order but I wasn't given the rank of master, Luke," Starkiller informed him.

"Curious," Obi-Wan commented. "That is unheard of," he added.

Starkiller looked at him then. "My exact terms for it was that it was insulting," he said. "Here I was risking my life repeatedly in a senseless war, turning loosing battles into winning ones for the Republic. I was training a padawan on top of that and then I am granted a seat on the council but denied the rank of master," he finished.

"It doesn't make sense for the council to appoint you as one of the chairs but not give you the rank of master," Obi-Wan said.

"Is that a break of protocol?" Luke asked.

"It's a dishonor. Think of it, this way in military terms. You spent a decade planning strategic attacks and defenses that has saved many lives, even commanded your own squadron, yet you can't seem to be promoted," Starkiller answered him.

"I see," Luke said, seeing yet another piece of the puzzle. "Well, I'm going to get reading," Luke said, taking a datapad and some datadisks with him into the room he was sleeping in.

Obi-Wan turned to Starkiller. "Have you considered the idea that it maybe your viewpoints that kept the council from granting you the rank of master? My own master was never granted a seat on the council because he was a radical Jedi. However why they would grant you a seat on the council rather give you the rank of master is curious," he asked.

"I was given a seat on the council so that I could spy on the Chancellor, that is the only reason," Starkiller told him.

"And what did you find?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Does it matter?" Starkiller asked.

"To me it does. Anakin is close to the Chancellor, is this friendship dangerous?" Obi-Wan demanded.

Starkiller smiled. "There are many dangers for a Jedi to be friends with a politician, Obi-Wan. They're slippery," he answered. "Now if you excuse me, I have an appointment with Master Yoda," he said, taking his leave. Leaving Obi-Wan to worry about his padawan.