Chapter Thirteen

ANSWERS

.:Aargonar:.

Bail looked at the two Jedi Masters with a solemn expression. He, as well as the entire Rebel Alliance, had been thrilled when the Jedi har arrived in their battered old cargo ship. Landing in the vast cave construction, the four Jedi Masters had seemed no worse for wear despite more than twenty years of hiding from the Empire and the Sith. Twenty years of surviving a purge that was killing people they knew like family.

To the older members of the Alliance, the Jedi's arrival had been a welcoming remembrance of old times, and to the younger rebels it had been like meeting legends they thought weren't real. But there they had stood, looking at the members of the Alliance – searching for a specific face in the crowd. Searching, for Luke Skywalker.

Bail had no understanding of the Force, but his many years as a politician had taught him the skill of reading people, and when the Jedi's gazes had fallen upon the young Knight, Bail had seen the recognition in their eyes. They had seen Anakin Skywalker in Luke's sand-colored hair and blue eyes. They had been forced to look upon the face that had no part in the destruction of the Jedi Order, but would always be there as a reminder of it – a reminder of his fallen father.

To Bail the arrival of the Jedi had been more than a rekindling of hope – it had been the chance for answers. And now that he was alone with the two oldest Jedi Masters, he was almost afraid to bring up the message he had received the day before.

Upon seeing his hesitation, Yoda frowned. "A private audience you wanted, Organa. Bother you, something does."

"Yes, Master Yoda. I'm afraid so." Bail reached for the small holo-projector in his pocket. "I was hoping that you could explain why I received this message. Especially since it came with the secret transmission code you shared with me on Polis Massa... twenty-three years ago."

Yoda and Windu shared a silent look - the same thought echoing in their minds. There's only one other who knew that code...

"Replay this message, will you?"

Bail nodded, pressing the button of the holo-projector.

All three watched as the masked form of Darth Vader appeared on the recording. Bail glanced at the Jedi to see their reaction. After all, Vader had once been a young boy they'd both seen grow into a powerful Jedi.

Yoda's features remained as calm and collected as always, but Mace Windu's face showed the merest hint of frown. Then the picture changed, showing the figure of Anakin Skywalker in the midst of whirling sand. The suit and the mask were gone – but his features were still obscured by a hood. When the recording ended, both Jedi Masters exhaled.

"That was..." Windu began, trying to form his overwhelmed thoughts into words. "... interesting. When did you receive this message?"

"Yesterday." Bail said, then quickly continued before he could change his mind. "Is this some kind of trick? I mean, Anakin turned to the dark side, didn't he? He has stood beside the Emperor since the end of the War... he's killed Jedi..."

Yoda met Bail's questioning gaze. "A trick it is not. Sincere the message is."

Bail had feared that. How ironic. "The Alliance thinks him dead. Luke said he died on the Death Star, but he didn't, did he? That second part of the message... it wasn't recorded that long ago."

Yoda lowered his gaze. "Alive he is."

"Then where is he? You do realise that if this information leaks out, the Alliance will stop at nothing to arrest him."

"Then leak out it mustn't."

Surprised, Bail looked at Yoda and then at Windu. Neither one blinked.

The former Senator and Viceroy of Alderaan shook his head. "As one of the founders of this Alliance, I'm not so sure if I can agree to that. The people here have fought a war against the Empire for the past four years."

"Dark times we face, Organa." Yoda said softly, looking up at Bail with his wise green eyes. "Ask I must, that for the time being, speak of this we will not. A chance there is that Master Kenobi help us will."

Bail frowned. "How?"

"Now that..." Windu said, sounding almost like his old self. "Depends on Kenobi."

When Organa had left, the two Jedi Masters remained aboard the ship. They could both feel the magnitude of the situation looming above them like a dark cloud.

"Should we contact Obi-Wan?"

Yoda shook his head. "Trust in the Force we must. Show Obi-Wan the right path it will."

"You do realise that sooner or later we may have to tell him..."

"Yes, but leave that to his old apprentice we must."

"What if... he's changed? What if he can't be controlled? Can he let go of the dark side?"

"The dark side never leave him will..." Yoda said quietly, looking into the distance. "But choose to ignore it he can."

"Did we do the right thing?"

"Right? No. Necessary? Perhaps." Yoda answered with a sigh. "Many paths the Force may show. Only one at the time can we follow..."

"Aye." Mace Windu closed his eyes, surrounding himself with the living Force. He had to believe. He had to have faith.

-0-0-0-

Leia had avoided both Luke and her adoptive father since overhearing Vader's message. She had busied herself with work around the base, using it as an excuse for her lack of social pastime. It had hurt to see Bail's repeatedly disappointed look, but she was too angry to care.

Yes, after the tears, pure anger had surfaced – anger as such she had never felt before. It wasn't the kind of anger and hatred she had felt towards the Empire. In fact, it wasn't hatred at all. It was just anger.

She couldn't understand why? Why had it ended up like this? Why had she been lied to? Why had no one told her? Why did Luke know things she didn't? She had never felt abandoned or alone before, but now she did. Everything she had ever believed in was being pulled from underneath her feet. All the trust, faith and determination. Gone.

Going through a bunch of datafiles (for the hundredth time) in the now finished military control room, Leia was interrupted by a beep from her comlink. Absent-mindedly she took the call, not realising that it was Luke until she's missed most of what he'd said.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

"Where are you? We've been expecting you for an hour..."

Leia blinked. She never forgot or missed an appointment. "Huh?"

There was a pause on the other end. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, I'll be there in a moment."

Leia shut the communicator before Luke could answer and headed off towards the briefing room. However, when she got there the room was empty and she stopped in her tracks.

"Princess Leia, there you are."

Leia turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. "Threepio, where is the council meeting?"

The protocol droid gave her a confused look. "I don't know of a council meeting, my Lady, but Master Luke and the Jedi are waiting for you in his quarters, and..."

"Thank you, Threepio." Leia cut him off and turned around before the droid could finish his sentence. She walked in quick strides in the direction of her brother's quarters and stopped by the open door.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

"Never mind." Luke responded with a smile and motioned for her to come in. It was hard to look at him and not think about their last conversation, but she tried to put up a good face.

She had expected to find Han and Lando there as well, but they weren't. Bail, however, was. As well as the four Jedi Masters. Leia had heard of the arrival of the Jedi, but she hadn't yet had the opportunity to meet them.

"Leia, this is Master Yoda, the Jedi Master I trained with on Dagobah. And these are Masters Mace Windu, Aayla Secura and Plo Koon."

The Jedi bowed their heads in greeting and she nodded to them in return. Master Yoda studied Leia with a curious frown.

"Pleased to meet you… Masters." She said, not entirely sure of how to address a Jedi.

Yoda's face turned into an amused expression. "A pleasure to finally meet you it is, Princess Leia. A long time ago it is since our path's crossed. Not very old you were."

Leia glanced at Luke, but he simply shrugged and mouthed a 'later'. Her mouth tightened at his response, but she let the matter drop and turned towards the others. "What did I miss?"

Maybe it was just her imagination, but Bail still seemed shaken by Vader's message. Maybe he had even talked to the Jedi about it. Maybe Luke knew as well. Whatever the case, everyone seemed hesitant to answer her question. Finally Bail did.

"We've been discussing present matters. You see, the Jedi were all involved in the Clone Wars… and they have knowledge in matters that we don't have."

Leia looked at the four Jedi. Master Yoda was nothing like Luke had described. Somehow she had pictured the old Jedi Master to look really old and tired, but his eyes were alert and his posture no less than that of the other three.

The bald, dark skinned Jedi who had been introduced as Master Windu had the same calm posture as Yoda, but his dark eyes were somehow colder, and Leia got the feeling that he wasn't one to argue with.

Master Plo and Aayla, on the other hand, were both more outward than Yoda and Windu. Plo Koon was a Kel Dor male with a curious tilt to his head and Aayla Secura was a Rutian Twi'lek with big, beautiful eyes and a lean body. Age hadn't touched her and Master Koon as visibly as it had touched the other two Jedi Masters.

However, the one thing that was similar on all four was the metallic weapon hanging by their hip. They all seemed strangely sad as well, as if they had been marred by some shared experience that had left a mark on them. And Leia didn't have to be a Jedi to know what experience that was. The fall of the Republic – the death of thousands of Jedi.

"Leia?" She looked up and met Bail's warm gaze. "What concerns all of us the most, are the recent developments..."

"What developments?" Of course she had an idea of what developments they were referring to, but she decided not to make it known.

Bail looked a bit uncomfortable and glanced at the Jedi questioningly. Leia, however, turned all her attention at Luke, who was trying to avoid her gaze. However, he must have sensed her gaze, because he turned slowly to look at her, his blue eyes meeting her brown ones.

She raised an eyebrow and looked stubbornly at her brother, but it was her question that surprised everyone in the room. "You didn't kill Vader, did you? That's why you were gone after the battle. And that's why the Jedi are here. Right?"

Luke's mouth moved, but no words formed in his throat. Leia's words had taken him by such surprise that he didn't know what to say. What could he even say? The truth yes, but was it enough? After a long moment of silence Yoda stood up, leaning heavily on his old stick.

"Kill him Luke did not." He looked up at Leia with a curious frowned. "Willing to hear this you may not be, but much like your father you are... both of you."

Leia's face paled, but somehow she managed to swallow the words. One look at her brother told her that he was completely fine with the thought. But then again Luke knew their father better than she did. All she knew was the voice and the mask... and the small detail of him possibly having been working against the Emperor from the beginning...

"Leia, I was going to tell you." Luke said and Leia could sense the truth and regret in his voice. "But I didn't know how to. I was so afraid that you or the Alliance would do something irrational. And I don't think you would have understood then..."

Leia's eyes narrowed. "I'm not stupid, Luke. I know who our father is, and I've suspected all along that you weren't telling the whole truth. Ever since you left to confront him, I've had the feeling that you did what you did to give him a second chance."

"And that's why I didn't say anything." Luke said with a brotherly smile. "I knew you didn't fully buy my story. You're far too smart for that."

Leia crossed her arms over her chest. "But why, Luke?"

Luke sighed. "It's complicated."

"And the recent developments?" Leia persisted, refusing to let up. "It's quite apparent that Vader's not here..."

"No, he's not here." Luke said, biting his lip.

Yoda shook his head at Luke's words. "More mindful you should have been, young Luke. Too sure of yourself you were."

"Ben went to find him." Luke told Leia.

"Know his old apprentice he does..." Yoda said with a nod. "Far better than the rest of us. Until hear from him we do, unaware of the developments we will be."

Leia sat down beside her brother. "And what about our mother, Luke? Did you know she was alive as well?"

Luke froze, as did Bail.

"W-what? How?" Luke managed after a moment of shock.

For a moment Leia did actually believe that she had broken the news to him, but then she saw him glance at the others as if looking for an explanation for her knowing.

There was a long moment of silence, which Leia finally broke with four quiet words. "I overheard the message."

Maybe it was just her imagination, but upon hearing her last words, Master Yoda and Master Windu seemed to cringe. Bail didn't look too happy either, and that's when Leia realised that even though Luke seemed to be aware of their mother's survival, he had no idea what message Leia was referring to.

Oh no!

Luke looked at his sister and then at the others. "What message?"