Eleven

With a barely audible whisper of releasing pressure, the antique Nubian luxury yacht Margos set down gently in the Alliance High Command's landing bay, eliciting a sigh of satisfaction from the ship's owner. Gently unfolding herself from her favorite chair in the lounge, Mon Mothma brushed invisible wrinkles from her formal blue robes and made her way to the cockpit.

"Another perfect landing, Commander," she said, smiling. "Although by now I shouldn't be amazed by them."

Commander Heclern grinned. "Well, I do try my best, Ma'am."

"Your best makes all my other pilots look like Gamoreans," told him frankly, and then chuckled, heading for the main hatch.

"Lower the hatch ramp, Commander," she ordered in the clear, strong voice she was known for. The ramp extended noiselessly to the ground, and Mon emerged, thanking the merciful side of the Force that the Margos had been able to land out of the rain.

"Leia!" she greeted, spotting the Solos among members of High Command who had come to welcome her. "Han! How have you been?"

"Oh, we've been fine," Leia said with a slight smile. Han snorted with laughter. A hooded, robed humanoid Mon didn't recognize leaned over to the petite, veiled human female beside him and whispered something in her ear. The woman laughed silently, nodding.

"Leia," Mon began curiously. "May I ask who this is?" She pointed, and Leia smiled.

"Oh, him." Then her tone became formal. "Lady Mothma, I am pleased to inform you that a Jedi has joined our ranks."

An excited murmur went through the crowd. "A Jedi!" Mon exclaimed, a smile lighting up her face. "But their kind went extinct during the Purges! The Purges ended because there weren't any left." Mon frowned, her confusion evident. "So how is there one here now?"

"The Jedi are not a 'kind', Lady Mothma," the Knight said, his whole being radiating the legendary Jedi calm, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "We are not of just one species. I am human, and my Master is over 900 years old. As to why I am joining you now, I was Knighted only yesterday by Master Yoda, and he sent me here."

"Master Yoda still lives?" Mon asked, incredulous, staring amazedly at the Jedi. "Where is he?"

"He chose to remain in his exile on the Outer Rim."

"Ah." Mon nodded. "Yes, that sounds like Yoda. Well, Master Jedi? Do you have a name?"

"Allow me, Mon," Leia jumped in, moving from her husband's side to stand with the Jedi.

"Lady Mothma," she announced, formal once again. "I'd like to present my elder twin brother, Jedi Knight and Commander—"

The Jedi threw back his hood.

"Luke Skywalker."

There was absolute silence.

"Luke!" Commander Antilles shouted, running forward from his place with Rogue Squadron and enveloping Skywalker in a Wookiee-hug, accompanied by Janson and Hobbie.

General Rieekan shook his head a smile on his face. "I knew we had a Jedi, but I didn't know it was Skywalker." He crossed to the group surrounding Skywalker and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Good to have you back with us, son."

The smile on Skywalker's face faltered just a little, but was back quickly as more Rogues greeted him. "Thanks very much, General," he said earnestly, but then he turned back to his friends. He suddenly appeared to Mon more like the nineteen-year old farmboy who had destroyed the Death Star than the Jedi Knight he was.

"Enough!" Dodonna snapped, his voice hard. "While I am relieved to see Skywalker alive, I believe there are certain explanations in order." He turned to the crowd.

"Commander Luke Skywalker has been absent with out leave for eight months, leaving Rogue Squadron with out a Leader." Dodonna rounded on Skywalker, eyes flashing. "Do you have anything to say for yourself? Where have you been these eight months, during which our elite Rogue Squadron dissolved into eleven Gamorean nerfherders!"

"Now wait just one minute!" Leia and Antilles said in unison.

"We weren't that bad," Antilles protested, looking hurt. "And besides, Gamoreans don't herd nerfs!"

"We know exactly where Luke went!" Leia exploded, voice icy and eyes burning. "He was getting his Jedi training! He wasn't a Jedi Knight when we were on Hoth!"

"I frankly wouldn't know, Princess," Dodonna returned, voice as cold as Leia's. "I didn't go to Hoth."

"But you were on my debriefing council after we lost Han to Fett! Do you really think Bespin would have turned out the way it did if Luke had been a Jedi Knight?" Leia turned to the crowd of Commanders, Admirals, and Generals, and raised her voice. "Show of hands: how many of you honestly think that a quadruple amputee burn victim with a breathing problem and a respirator suit would be able to beat a twenty-year-old, fully human Jedi Knight?"

Not one hand went up.

"Thank you very much," Leia said, bowing slightly to the onlookers and turning back to Dodonna. "I rest my case."

"Be that as it may," Dodonna conceded, looking harsh. "But how do we know that he is really a Jedi? I have yet to see any physical evidence of his supposed powers—."

"General—" Leia began dangerously, leveling a finger at Dodonna, but Skywalker cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"If it's a demonstration you want, General, you just had to ask." Skywalker turned to Mon. "Lady Mothma, is there anyone aboard your ship?"

"No," Mon replied, shaking her head. "Commander Heclern is right here."

"Good." Skywalker took a deep breath and lidded his eyes, extending his gloved hand toward the Margos. The sleek, polished yacht trembled, groaned, and lifted off the floor. Everyone, from Mon down to absent minded slicer who had been looking for a 'fresher, gasped. Skywalker opened his eyes, grinning and set the Margos down, her landing gear making no noise as they touched the ground. Skywalker turned to Dodonna questioningly.

"Satisfied?" Dodonna nodded mutely, still staring at the now immobile Margos. "Good. Anything else?"

"Yes, actually," Mon piped up, striding over to Leia. "It's about this claim that you and Leia are twins." Mon let out a little chuckle. "Although it was quite impressive, lifting the Margos telepathically doesn't prove your kinship."

Skywalker and Leia laughed. "Actually, we do have proof of that," Leia said, smiling. "Mother?"

The woman Skywalker had been talking with earlier stepped forward. "Mother can vouch for us, Skywalker said quietly. "I think you'll find her easy to trust." He turned to the woman. "Go on, Mother," he urged gently. "Show her who you are."

Looking directly at Mon, the woman slowly raised a hand to her veil, and tore it off.

Mon's mouth opened slightly.

"Padmé?"