Summary (Skip if you remember): Leia and Han found some preparations set up by Obi-wan that sent them into the past, just before the Clone Wars era. They ended up on Tatooine, saved Shmi and then met Ani and Corde, Shmi's Jedi-trained son and the woman he was protecting. In thanks for rescuing Shmi, Ani and Corde offered to take them to Alderaan. While in hyperspace, Leia found out that Ani and Corde were really her parents and freaked out.

xXx

If Leia had been aware of her body (or anything besides the swirling shock in her head), she might have noticed how utterly sick she felt. Her knees shook and her stomach ached in a nauseous, throbbing beat. She felt simultaneously too hot and too cold while her neck and face burned—as if she'd contracted the Schandarian Flu.

Ani was Anakin Skywalker.

Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader.

Ani was Darth Vader.

Ani was a monster.

Except, Ani was...well, Ani. The dichotomy hurt her head and for once, she couldn't quite grasp the revelation.

He was the man who had destroyed the Jedi and helped to create the Empire. He was the man who had turned his back on everything good and become a Sith. The man who had no qualms performing and supporting genocide; who had hunted her down time and time again; who had tortured and drugged her for information; who had held her back as her home planet exploded in front of her eyes—taking with it almost everything she'd ever known and loved; who had frozen Han in carbonite; who had tortured her brother's friends just to lure him into a trap; who had tried (multiple times) to turn her brother to the Dark Side; who had killed so many members of the rebellion—countless friends—just because they dared to disagree with the Empire; and so many more atrocities that she couldn't name them all.

He was the man who had both given her life and tainted her entire family line. The man she tried desperately to not hate while still being unable to let go of her resentment towards him.

He was the man who was now a boy, just coming into his adulthood. The man who fell in love with Padme Amidala and who had defied the Jedi Order's mandates to be with her. The man who had been so concerned with Leia's own well being the previous night, simply because she'd been there with him. The man she'd discussed so many...

Oh, Force, she'd told Darth Vader about her life! Willingly! And Luke! Oh, she'd told him all about Luke!

Just what had she done?! She should have been able to figure it out! All of the clues had been there from the beginning! Right there! In front of their blasted noses! They were so obvious now that she looked at it. The fact that they'd been on Tatooine and that Luke had grown up with his father's brother on Tatooine (he'd told her their names once years and years before, but didn't seem to like to talk about his childhood and didn't mention them often, so at least she couldn't expect herself to know them that way, but still...) because after all, how many Jedi came from Tatooine of all places? And why hadn't she caught on to 'Ani's' name earlier? Really, just how distracted had she been to not see it all?!

And why had she trusted him? Had she grown so soft as to simply confide in the first person they met? The first person to give them a kind word? Or had he somehow tricked them? She wanted to believe the latter...desperately.

It was everything she could do to keep her emotions in check, fearing that if she let go, it would destroy her surroundings—and that was not a light trait. She's always thought such reactions to anger were beneath someone of her standing and education. If something went wrong, she would simply throw herself into fixing it. That was how she dealt with her problems; she worked. She always had. Except nothing she did could fix this. Nothing could begin to even touch this level of pain and for once, she had no release. No contacts she could get ahold of, no brother to rely on, she couldn't practice her Jedi training for fear of giving herself away...Force, she couldn't even distract herself with relevant senatorial problems as she didn't know what half of the 'current' problems consisted of. No Falcon to work on; no nothing.

"Leia!" Han's voice finally broke through her thoughts and she looked up at him, realizing he'd spoken her name multiple times. He'd called her back to herself and she finally managed to take in her surroundings. They stood in the sleeping area of the ship. It had several good-size beds built into the wall, usually for the servants or handmaidens to sleep on, and one larger one in the middle for the dignitary the ship belonged to. Leia had seen many similar ship quarters throughout her lifetime, although few seemed so lavish, even the ones she'd seen on Alderaan. Her home planet had always been a bit more conservative than many other outer core and mid-rim planets.

She'd gone to the far side of the room and now leaned heavily against the wall, arms wrapped around her belly and hands gripping the opposite elbows so tightly she could almost hear the nails ripping into her shirt. It wouldn't tear that easily, but she still felt it wise to consciously force herself to relax somewhat.

Ana—Vader? The Jedi's presence had receded to the other end of the ship and only Han stood in the room with her. From the expression on his face and what emotions she could feel through the Force from him, he was torn between worry for her and shock from the revelation himself. Just seeing him there calmed her raging, conflicting emotions somewhat. The fact that she was not alone in her shock, that Han could at least begin to comprehend what she was going through made things so much easier. His presence with her suddenly felt like such a respite that while it didn't begin to fix the problems

they'd run into, she couldn't help but feel a relief so great her knees gave out.

Something occurred to her at that moment that she'd overlooked before: Ben Kenobi had meant for the message to come to her alone. Only she was supposed to come back in time—no one else, but somehow she'd dragged her husband with her, whether through sheer force of will or the bond they shared that had taken so much damage over the years and come out stronger for it.

The fact that she didn't have to face her parents (her living, breathing parents!) alone somehow made all the difference in the universe. Han was there for her and the overwhelming, smothering sensation she'd felt only moments before lessened at this knowledge, making situation bearable. Especially when he rushed towards her and held her in his arms.

"Oh, Han," she hiccuped as she threw her arms around him. "Why did this happen? Why did we have to run into him? Of all people in the universe..."

"The Force has a pretty nasty sense of humor," he agreed bitterly. "I can't... Leia, I can't see how that kid out there... There's got to be a mistake. They're not the same person."

Leia's laugh was bitter this time. "The Dark Side does that to people," she muttered harshly, "in case you hadn't noticed." Han tensed, but Leia didn't move. She needed his strength. They'd leaned on each other, both physically and emotionally, often enough for her to know that she hadn't crossed any line, although she'd come close.

"Alright," he said finally, although he still sounded reluctant. "So those are your parents out there. What do we do about it?"

Leia clenched her fists tighter. "Why are you asking me? I don't know, Han. I just...I can't..." She couldn't seem to think or talk or do much of anything, really. Apparently she had been out of diplomatic practice for far too long.

Finally, after several seconds, she felt her mouth open.

"I hate him, Han," she said softly.

She didn't have to feel his disapproval in the Force to know he'd frowned. "But Luke said—"

"I know," she cut in, her voice soft and vulnerable. "I know, Han, but I can't help it. That man...he hurt you and Luke, and tortured me and...do you know what mind-probe torture entails? They bring in a droid carrying so many different substances it could very well be a portable cocktail bar. Then they stick a needle as long as my forearm into your neck! Then you have to try and think through the pain they inflict because the drugs not only serve to lesson inhibitions, but they increase your sensitivity to to physical stimuli. After that the only thing that really seems to register is the pain. So you sit there, just hurting and all you want is for it to stop and you can't even think that because your brain can't function."

She took a deep breath. "I won't say that was the worst experience I've ever had in my life," no, that would be losing Jacen to the dark, followed so closely by Anakin's death, "but I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy..." She paused and took a deep breath, suddenly realizing that last statement wasn't true. "With three exceptions." Vader, Palpatine and possibly Vergere. Oh, there had been other people she'd despised throughout her life, but those three had the honor of first, second and third places on her list of people she particularly despised.

Palpatine would always take the top spot, but her personal connection to Vader ensured his placement in her top three. Perhaps it was because of her upbringing or because of the fact that she'd been so helpless for the first few years of her life while the Emperor and his right-hand dragon had ruled with a cruel, durocrete fist. Or both. Either way, her hatred for Vader had been rekindled, and that scared her.

"I thought you had come to terms your... heritage," Han muttered.

"I thought I had, too," she whispered back. But then she'd realized that one of the people she'd truly connected with in this time period, who she'd been willing to trust when she'd gotten up that morning, was destined to be a monster. A monster that would taint his children and grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. A monster that was destined to kill almost everyone he'd come in contact with indiscriminately—including the woman that he was now protecting.

Yes, Leia had to admit that she hated him, and what was worse...she didn't want to fight it. And that...that was dangerous.

But at the same time, she was having the same problem as Han. It was almost impossible for her to associate Anakin Skywalker with Darth Vader now that she knew each of them separately. And yet, she knew her anger and resentment towards Vader would eventually leak over and cloud her feelings for Anakin too. She wasn't sure that was a bad thing.

Suddenly, she realized just what she wanted.

She wanted him gone. Gone so far, far away that Vader's influence would never touch Luke or her children in the first place. The thought had never really crossed her mind before because the thought of her ever meeting her father again was ludicrous to say the least. If the past had stayed in the past, she could have happily continued to live her life without ever knowing or realizing that she actually had not and would probably never really forgive Anakin Skywalker for becoming Darth Vader and all that that transformation entailed.

The only person Leia could ever hate more than him was Palpatine for his being the source of everything that had really gone wrong in the universe (with few exceptions) and maybe Vergere for starting Jacen on the dark path. Because she that had, no matter what anyone else said. Leia was convinced of that.

"Alright," Han said suddenly, "here's what we're going to do. We're going to come up with some sob story to explain this and then we're going to smile and nod and treat them like we have been until we get to Alderaan. Then we can forget we ever met them."

Leia was already shaking her head by the time Han finished. "I don't know what I would do if I walked out there right now, Han. And even though part of me wants to forget," rather desperately, "I can't. Just knowing that we share the same universe with him and Palpatine again..."

Han's sudden swearing had her glancing up at him, some of his previous worry transferring to her. "Han?"

"That slimy old codger's alive right now, isn't he," he muttered as if just realizing this. He looked more than a little green at the thought. Leia couldn't blame him.

Then his expression turned thoughtful...almost mischievous. The change was so sudden, it had Leia blinking in confusions. "Let's change it, then," he said. "We'll change it so the Jedi aren't wiped out, so that Anakin never becomes that monster and we take out Palpatine."

Leia couldn't help but just blink as she stared at him. "And how do you propose we do that?" she asked dryly. "Father...Bail," she had to look down and close her eyes to keep her emotions under control. "The man I will always consider to be my father," she finally amended, "made sure that I studied what really happened before the rise of the Empire. Palpatine came into power and was a very well respected man long before the Clone Wars even started. It had been so long since I'd studied it that I was having a hard time remembering before, but now I'm sure of it. Palpatine has been elected the Supreme Chancellor and he'll use his position to gain power during the Wars."

Han shrugged. "Then we stop the war."

His suggestions seemed to be getting more difficult instead of the other way around. "How?"

At this, her husband smiled roguishly. "I was alive for the Clone Wars, you know. I was young, but I still remember that there were a few people heading the side against the Old Republic. There was an old guy, and a cyborg general...I think."

Leia nodded reluctantly. "Yes, you're right. A man named..." she paused for a moment as she searched her memories for the proper name before she finally came up with it. "Dooku! He used to be a Jedi but left the Order—I never had the interest in him to look further, unfortunately—and Grevious, although he doesn't come in until long after the wars start."

"So we stop this Duke guy and the Cyborg and we're good."

"Dooku was—is a Count," Leia put in, feeling a small smile come to her face despite the situation. He'd probably messed up their names and titles just to get a smile out of her. It was a sweet thought that she greatly appreciated.

"Whatever," Han said, rolling his eyes and dismissing her correction with a wave of his hand. "We just track him down and he'll be history with your lightsaber skills."

Leia frowned again. "Han, I may be able to hold my own, but these are people that have been training for life. And from what I recall, Dooku was one of the best."

"And how many people did you fight who had training like that?" Han asked pointedly.

"Not many," Leia insisted stubbornly. "And I'll never reach any serious level. I'm not like Luke, who can pick up a form well enough within a few years to fight enemies who have been training since birth."

"What about Alema Rar?"

Leia's frown deepened. "That was an exception."

"Or Tahiri?"

"She was just a kid!"

"I know Saba's said that you can stand up to any Jedi Knight and probably most Masters," Han went on.

"She was exaggerating."

"Luke confirmed it."

"He's my brother. Of course he'll say that, Jedi Master or not."

The ex-smuggler sighed. "You're too stubborn for your own good, Princess," he muttered.

That smile found its way back onto her face. "You're one to talk," she returned.

They sat there in a far more comfortable silence for several minutes while each collected their thoughts.

"So," Han finally spoke up, "what are we going to do?"

Leia sighed. "I can't face him right now, Han. I'm too..." emotional? Fragile? Broken? Angry? None of those really fit at the moment, although they came close. She knew Han would understand. He'd been that way after Chewie and Anakin. She needed her space, and he knew it.

"Don't do anything too stupid," he said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "'Cause there's a kid on Corellia right now who will end up being a scoundrel who needs a princess to rescue. He can't do that if that princess is never born."

Leia snorted, half with adoring laughter, half with annoyance. "Alright, I won't kill him. Satisfied?"

He actually seemed a little taken aback, but he gathered his wits quickly and nodded. "And we'll make plans to take out this Dooku guy."

"Palpatine will just find another way to start a war," Leia pointed out cynically.

Han just shrugged. "Then we'll buy ourselves a few months and use that time to figure out how to take out the old codger."

Leia smiled, this time fully and genuinely. With his confidence (arrogance) she'd begun to feel as if they could do this. They could change time—change history by stopping wars, preventing Anakin from making the worst decision of his life, and taking out the leaders of the army bent on creating chaos. They were impossible tasks, but between her Skywalker genes and his Corellian luck, she really had started to believe that it was possible.

For now, though, they just had to deal with Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, hopefully without any deaths and without preventing Leia's future birth.

xXx

Anakin and Padme sat in a tense silence as they stared out into hyperspace.

"Any luck?" Padme asked finally.

"In thinking of a reason for Leia to act like that?" Anakin asked grumpily. "No."

"Me neither," the Senator muttered. It galled her to no end because she normally could read people so well.

Anakin didn't answer, so Padme decided to voice her own thoughts.

"Something about my family's names startled her," she said.

"She looked more scared than startled," Anakin muttered.

Padme conceded the point with a nod and continued. "And from there, she somehow figured out your name. The only connections we have are recent—and supposedly secret—or ten years ago."

"But I never met your family."

"But I did tell them about you," she pointed out.

The Jedi's expression brightened considerably. "You did?"

Padme glanced at him smoothly. "Of course! Everyone wanted to know about the little boy who accidentally saved the world."

"Oh," Anakin's face fell. "Right." Padme grimaced. She hated doing that to him, but she also did not want to encourage him either.

"So if she somehow knows my family, she might have realized who I am. Since you're one of the two Jedi still alive," they both grimaced slightly at that, "that my family knows I've met, she could have somehow figured out your name from there."

"But then why did she seem so upset?" Anakin asked, his voice laced with genuine hurt.

"She wasn't angry with me," Padme said. "She seemed more sad or horrified when she looked at me, like she felt sorry for me. Could it have to do with the Trade Federation blockade after all?"

Anakin snorted. "They don't seem like they'd support something like that."

"It doesn't mean they don't," the former Queen rebutted.

"But you had just as much to do with the fall of the Blockade as I did," Anakin pointed out, his voice sounding frustrated. "More even. Why would they be upset with me about that and not you?"

Padme nodded in puzzled agreement.

"And she wasn't angry at me," Anakin said softly.

"What?" Padme asked confused and a little surprised at his comment.

The Jedi seemed to slump even further in his chair. "She hated me. I could feel it."

Which made no sense at all whatsoever. Leia and Anakin had seemed to get along rather well, after all. Actually, Padme thought they were somewhat alike in many ways. Leia had a sharp wit and a sharper tongue. She also, apparently, had a volatile temper. A very controlled one, but one nonetheless. At first, Leia had seemed like a kindred spirit to Padme, but then Anakin had told Padme about her Force signature and that she was a sensitive—probably untrained, but definitely a sensitive. And some of the things she'd said, her sense of humor (which could be quite witty, but also seemed to have a very cynical, almost morbid streak) somehow reminded her of Anakin. How she moved and her general thought process also held some reminders. Padme had originally chalked it up to their Force senses. She still did, actually, but she also felt like she was missing something.

"Last night," Anakin continued, "I was practicing my katas in the workshop. She came in and we ended up talking. She said I reminded her of her brother. It made her so sad...I'm pretty sure he died or something and his absence in the Force really got to her. She told me about him and I told her about my life at the Temple and... I thought I could trust her."

Padme heard the unspoken 'I thought we were friends.' Anakin was too loyal to not take offense to her sudden change in attitude towards him.

"And then there's Han," Anakin went on, his hands tightening around the chair's arms and making his knuckles white. "At first he was shocked, and then..." He faded off and turned to look apprehensively at the woman sitting next to him. "He was scared of me, Padme. Why would he be scared of me?"

"Well, you are a Jedi," she said calmly. "Many people fear Jedi."

Anakin shook his head and turned to stare blankly at the control panel. "No, this was deeper...more personal. Besides, why wasn't he scared of me before? We never kept the fact that I'm a Jedi secret."

Padme thought for a moment, chewing absently on the inside of her lip, an old habit she had when she was thinking particularly hard on something. "Well, Leia did say her son was named Anakin. She said she named him after her father, who she didn't much care for."

The young Jedi glanced over at his companion. "Why would she name her son after someone she hates?"

The Senator shrugged. "She said she felt it would redeem the name, and it was an effort to forgive her father for something he'd done."

Then something occurred to Padme and she shot a sharp look at Anakin. "Do you think that maybe she was somehow thinking of her father when she looked at you? That she wasn't upset at you at all, but was just recalling bad memories about her family?"

Anakin frowned. "I don't know...it felt directed towards me."

"No, Corde's right," a voice behind them said. Both Padme and Anakin whipped their heads around to see Han standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the door frame. While he seemed like he was back to acting normally, something about his movements and the way he spoke felt distant and wary somehow.

Han shook his head and ran a hand through his graying hair. "Sorry about that. You see, Leia's twin brother's name is Luke. So when you told her about the names you'd picked out...it just kind of drove it home that he's not with us. And while you were on the subject of names, she figured out yours because of our son," he turned to Anakin with a friendly nod, but something in his eyes still screamed apprehension. Even Padme could see it, and she knew Anakin could too.

"Even my last name?" Anakin shot back, his own voice cold and challenging.

Han didn't take the bait. He simply shrugged. "Got that one from your mother."

The room fell into an even more strained silence, the only noise being the strum of the ships engines and other small, rhythmic, mechanical noises.

Finally Anakin spoke up again. "You're hiding something," he accused.

Han glanced at him and scrutinized him for a moment before shrugging. "Everyone has something to hide."

"Are you with the Separatists?" Anakin asked, his tone unchanged.

At this, Han blinked, seemingly taken aback. "What? No!"

"Do you sympathize with them?" Padme asked, her own voice rather cold.

"No," Han insisted, putting a hand up to the bridge of his nose. "Look, things might have gone sour here for a while, but we gave you our word that we'd help if we could. We're not going back on that. Leia just needs some time to come to grips. That's all. When are we going to be arriving?"

Anakin registered the change in subject but decided to allow it for now. After a moment he glanced at the chrono. "A little under a galactic standard hour."

Han nodded. "I'm going to go see if I can calm her down some more. Then we should probably touch base and figure out what we're doing. So, meet us in the common room in half an hour or so. That alright with you two?" It didn't sound like a question, but he did genuinely sound like he wanted to make sure they knew he wasn't trying to force them into anything.

"Yes," Padme said in agreement. "We'll see you then."

The first genuine smile of the conversation appeared on his face as he glanced over at Padme. It still seemed sad, but it was real.

"Alright," he said. Then he glanced over at Anakin, and although his smile vanished, his expression didn't seem hostile or angry. He nodded to the Jedi before turning and leaving.

After a few moments, Padme glanced over at Anakin.

"Do you believe him?" she asked.

Anakin scowled. "There was some truth to his words, but I can still sense that they're hiding something. Something big."

"Are they a threat to our plan to rescue Obi-wan?" she asked warily.

Anakin hadn't seemed to hear her as he was just staring back out and into hyperspace. Just before she opened her mouth to repeat the question, he spoke.

"No. I don't think they are."

Padme studied him for a moment before she sighed. "Then let's just focus on rescuing Obi-wan. We can worry about all of this later."

The Jedi nodded and turned back to the console. "Yeah."

Padme shook her head and sent a silent prayer to the Force or any deity who would listen that whatever Han and Leia were hiding wouldn't get them all killed.

xXx

Han walked calmly back through the ship, his mind in chaos. Now that he had a chance to think on his own, he realized just how convoluted the whole situation was. The entire universe, not to mention all of space and time, and they had to end up riding with the future Darth Vader of all people. Darth Kriffing Vader...who also happened to be his father-in law. He shuddered. It hadn't freaked him out to think of his familial relationship to that monster for years now, but being here and with him...

And the worst part was that Han still liked the kid! He was a good kid, smart, proud, and from the looks of it head-over-heels in love. Yeah, that was a mind screw. Darth Vader in love.

Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker.

Ugh, if this was giving him a headache...well, no wonder Leia had come so unhinged.

Actually, he hadn't ever seen her that upset, and that scared him far more than Darth Vader ever would. 'Cause yeah, Vader could help the Empire blow up planets, he could torture and torment and he could freeze people in carbonite (still not one of his favorite memories), but he hadn't been able to turn Luke to the Dark Side. He could kill and eliminate and hurt, but he couldn't break. At least he couldn't break Luke or Leia or Han.

But when he'd followed Leia earlier, when he'd seen her standing on the other side of the sleeping room with her hands folded in front of her, his recent habit of associating her words and actions with their close friends and family had kicked in, but instead of seeing Jaina or Luke or even Amelia he'd seen Jacen. It hadn't been the stance or the words they'd spoken or anything like that...actually, he didn't know what it was, but seeing her just standing there in the dark (because she hadn't bothered to turn the

lights on)...

That had scared him. Terrified him. Horrified him. Because he couldn't lose anyone else like that. Not again...and especially not Leia. He couldn't think of a worse fate for either of them (and that said so much).

Which was funny because now he just felt sorry for the kid he'd left in the cockpit. And he empathized with Padme (or Corde or whatever her name really was). If she'd seen the man she loved fall, if she'd been there...what must she have gone through? Leia said she remembered her mother being very beautiful but very sad. If what he suspected was true, that would have to be the understatement of the millennia.

He'd heard Luke speak about Jedi never acting out of anger and hatred again and again. He'd seen what just a few simple cracks in one's resolve could do. He knew how dangerous the Dark Side could be...and he would not watch that happen to Leia.

He looked up at the door he'd been standing in front of for several seconds, his resolve hardening. He would be there for her and he would be there to stop her, no matter what. With a firm nod of his head, he opened the door and walked back inside the room.

xXx

It was a subdued and wary lot who met for a final briefing before they came out of hyperspace a half hour later. Leia participated only minimally, although everyone could tell she was indeed listening to everything being said.

At that point, Anakin and Padme explained the basics about the planet they were going to, the political unrest surrounding the situation, and their general idea (sneak in, get Obi-wan, sneak out and try to talk their way out of it if they got caught). If that didn't work, they would stall for time until the Jedi already being sent to Genosis would show up.

It was also generally agreed that unless Anakin and Padme did get caught, Han and Leia would remain on board the ship and not get involved. If they didn't hear from the younger pair after a galactic standard hour or so, then they could break in if they felt they could. Until then, they simply needed to wait.

Han and Leia agreed to the plan and then Anakin had left for the front of the ship so he could bring them out of light speed and Padme had followed, leaving the older couple alone in the main area.

Not twenty minutes later, they had landed and Han and Leia bid the younger pair farewell as they walked down the boarding ramp. Well, Han did. It seemed it was all Leia could do to simply be in their presence.

All in all, neither Padme or Anakin felt it was the best omen for what would come. As they walked into the access portal that would lead to the vents, Padme turned around and gave the couple one final look. It was difficult to see them through some of the fog and smoke from the exhaust vent, but she still felt uneasy about leaving Han and Leia behind. Anakin, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind much at all. He simply walked ahead and never once looked back.

xXx

Han stood by Leia as she watched her future parents disappear into an access way. Han could tell she didn't really know what to feel. It calmed him somewhat that she was undecided, because that meant she'd gotten to where she liked them too (at least marginally) and that was something.

"Artoo!" Leia suddenly called out, startling Han. The little astromech came rolling into the room a few seconds later, Threepio in tow.

"Mistress Leia," Threepio said over Artoo's beeps, "what would you like?"

"Follow them," she said, nodding towards the closing door.

"Excuse me?" Threepio said in a shocked and somewhat horrified voice. Artoo, it seemed, had no such compunction. With an acknowledging beep, he rolled right by them and down the ramp.

"B-but Mistress Leia, I have no idea how I would be of any use to anyone in the situation as I am now and—"

"Fine," Leia said dismissively. "You don't have to go."

"Why send Artoo after them?" Han asked.

Leia didn't answer for several seconds. Then she shook her head. "Premonition," she said. "I do want them to live."

Han blinked down at her. "Then shouldn't we go after them?"

Leia shook her head. "No. We'll stick to the plan."

Her husband didn't seem to happy, but he finally just shook his head and reached over to shut the ramp again. "Alright, Your Worship. If you think that's best."

"I do," she said.

"And the fact that you don't ever want to see Anakin Skywalker again has nothing to do with it, I'm sure," he said sarcastically.

Leia didn't answer. Instead she walked to the ship's cockpit and sat in the copilot's seat. Sighing, Han went to sit in the pilot's chair, but paused.

"You know," he said slowly, "that we're probably going to have to go in after them, right?"

"They survived the first time around," Leia said.

Han raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop. "But...?"

"But...I have a bad feeling."

"Kriff."

"Han," Leia said warningly.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "Alright I'm going to see what I can dig up weapon wise around here."

Leia turned around and watched him for a moment before nodding. "I'll help."

For some reason, Han seemed particularly relieved.

xXx

Okay, so my beta reader has been SUPER busy lately and so I'm looking for someone to take her place for a little while. Here's what I'm looking for in a beta reader:

Someone who will call me on characterization, plot (and plot holes), flow of the story, repeated words, grammar and spelling. I'm not asking for a professional editor necessarily, I'm just looking for someone who can give me an honest opinion and help me with most of the above, someone I can bounce ideas off of if I need to reword something or add to/subtract from a scene.