Chapter 21

Rebel Base- Hoth System

"How did it go with Obi-Wan?" Leia asked her mother as they met up once again.

"He's insufferable," Padmé replied with a frown. "He feels completely justified in telling Luke that hateful lie."

"I know he does," Leia replied. "He told me that he was just trying to protect Luke."

"Yes, he said that to me too," she replied. "But he had no right in saying such a thing," she went on, "and I told him so."
Leia had to smile at her mother's spirit. "I bet he didn't like that too much," she replied.

"No, I'm sure he didn't," she agreed. "But I'm sure it's going to be very difficult to tell him, Leia. I'm not even sure how to do it without utterly devastating him."

"I know, but…"

"Command personnel report to command centre."

Leia looked up at the announcement, knowing that meant her. She looked back to her mother. "I have to go," she told her. "Do you want to come with me?"

"I'm not sure I ought to," Padmé replied as they both stood up. "Your comrades don't know me at all."

Leia frowned. "But I do," she replied, even though she barely knew her mother at all at this point. "Come on, you need to meet the other commanders," she said, taking Padmé's hand. "It'll be okay, I promise."

Padmé decided to trust her daughter's judgment and went with her. The two headed towards the command centre, but on the way they passed the stables where Luke had just arrived.

"It's Luke," Leia told her mother. Padmé didn't need to be told, however, for as soon as Luke had removed his hat she could see the resemblance to Anakin as clear as day. She stood back and watched as Leia ran over to him.

"Luke!" Leia called as he climbed off of his tauntaun's back. "You're just getting back now? It's nearly dark out there," she said. "What kept you out so long?"

"I found something," Luke replied, pulling his coat off. "I brought part of it back with me," he told her, withdrawing the pieces from the saddle bag.

"What is it?" she asked, looking at the pieces in her brother's hands.

"It was a droid of some kind," he replied. "General Rieekan told me to destroy it, so I did," he explained. "Think someone could tell us what kind of a droid it was from this?"

Padmé walked over to the twins, her eyes on the pieces of metal that Luke had produced. She had a sinking feeling inside of her, for she knew what they were.

"I think I know," she said. She looked up into her son's eyes, as he looked at her with curiosity.

"Luke, this is Padmé Amidala," Leia said, deciding to leave the rest for later. "She's a friend of the Rebellion," she added.

"Nice to meet you, Padmé," Luke said giving her a smile. Padmé smiled, her son's smile reminding her so much of Anakin's.

"It's wonderful to meet you too, Luke," she replied. She looked back at the metal shards. "I think we need to get these to your commander," she said.

Luke nodded in agreement. "Let's go check them out now," he said.

The pieces were examined by the Alliance's engineers, and they confirmed what Padmé had suspected.

"It's definitely Imperial technology," one of them told the gathered command team. "No doubt of it."

"An Imperial probe droid," Padmé spoke up.

Rieekan looked at her and nodded. "My feelings exactly," he said.

"It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here," Luke commented.

Leia and Padmé exchanged a look of concern. "We'd better start the evacuation," Obi-Wan suggested.

People moved quickly and with a sense of purpose. Padmé was impressed by the organized fashion with which things were run, and understood why the Empire had been challenged in their efforts to find the rebel base. It seemed that things were moving so quickly that any opportunity for Padmé to talk to her son was slipping away. Leia felt the same way, and decided to take things in hand.

"Luke, wait," Leia said as Luke started to leave. "I need to talk to you," she said. "We need to talk to you," she amended, looking at Padmé.

Luke was surprised, for Leia was usually business first, personal life second. "Okay," he said, looking at Padmé. He'd had a peculiar feeling of familiarity ever since he first met her, and didn't know why. And yet, somehow he felt sure that she was the very reason Leia wanted to talk to him.

"Let's go to my quarters," Leia suggested. "We can talk there without being interrupted."

Luke simply nodded, and walked along with Leia and Padmé, his curiosity growing with each step.

"What's going on?" Luke finally asked once they reached Leia's small suite and sat down.

Leia and Padmé looked at each other, not quite sure where to begin. Finally Padmé spoke up.

"Luke, there's a great deal that you don't know about your family," she began. "A lot has been hidden from you, and it's time that we set you straight."

Luke frowned, and looked at Leia. "If this is about how Darth Vader helped you escape the Death Star," he began, "you know how I feel about that," he added. Leia nodded. Luke had made no bones about stating emphatically how he believed Vader had only helped her for purely selfish, purely insidious reasons and that had she not fled with Han Solo, she would no doubt have learned his real motivations. Leia had not told him the truth about Vader, and had begun to wonder how she ever would.

"It's not about Darth Vader," Padmé spoke up, seeing how much her son hated him. "It's about your mother," she said.

Luke looked at her, her words surprising her. "My mother?" he asked.

"Our mother," Leia put in. "Luke, you and I are twins," she said, feeling a great rush of emotion saying the words. "And Padmé is our mother."

Luke sat dumbfounded for what felt like hours to Padmé. He looked at her, sensing that she was being completely truthful. And then he looked at Leia, with who he'd always felt a strong connection. Now he knew why.

"Please say something," Padmé said, growing anxious. "I know this must be a huge shock, but…"

"They told me you were dead," Luke cut in. "My uncle and aunt," he went on. "Why did they lie?"

Padmé sighed. "Everyone believed that I was dead, Luke," she explained. "I disappeared after you and Leia were born, and was assumed dead."

"Disappeared? Where? Why did you disappear?" Luke asked, peppering her with questions. `

Padmé proceeded to tell her son the long story; the difficulty she'd had giving birth to he and Leia, the arrangements made by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa, her subsequent capture and incarceration by Palpatine, and finally her escape thanks to her new ally, Urru. Luke listened in astonishment to his mother's sad tale, his emotions running the gamut from shock to horror to outrage. But underlying all of this was joy; joy that he'd found one of his parents, a parent he'd thought dead all his life. What was more; he had a sister, a twin sister, with whom he'd already established a strong friendship.

"I…I don't know what to say," Luke said finally, once Padmé had finished. "It's all so sad, so unfair," he added.

"I know it is," Padmé agreed. "But we're together now," she added. "And nothing will keep us apart now, not ever."

Luke nodded, a slow smile growing on his face. "I only wish…my father was still alive too," he said wistfully. "That would make everything just perfect."

Leia and Padmé exchanged a quick glance, both of them thinking the same thing: it will break his heart when he finds out the truth.

"About your father, Luke," Padmé said. "There's something you need to know. He…"

"All pilots report to hangar bay alpha."

Luke looked up at the announcement, and then back at his mother, wanting to hear the rest of her sentence, but knowing his duties had to come first. "I guess I'd better go," he said, standing up.

Padmé stood up too, looking up at her son. "Of course," she replied. "We'll continue this conversation later." They looked at one another for a moment, and then Padmé embraced her son tentatively. But when Luke returned her hug, Padmé held him tighter. "I've missed you," she whispered tearfully. "I've missed you both so much!"

Leia watched for a moment, and then joined their embrace.

The Alliance worked quickly to pack up their equipment and plan their escape. They were certain that the Empire would be arriving soon, and they needed to be ready. The Imperial navy packed a powerful punch, and the rebel fleet needed to be crafty if they were to evade them. Not only that, they fully expected a ground assault, so their infantry needed to prepare a defensive strategy.

Amidst all the organized chaos, Han Solo had come to a decision. He planned on taking advantage of the Rebels' relocation to finally get his debt paid off to Jabba the Hutt. He would hang around long enough to make sure Leia was off the planet safely, and then he would make his move. Of course, he had to tell Leia his plans. Part of him hoped she would be okay with it- part of him hoped she wasn't. Now that Leia's mother was in the picture, he hadn't spent as much time with her as he'd wanted. It was still hard to believe that Luke and Leia's mother was still alive after all this time, and Han had to wonder what would happen should Darth Vader find out she was alive. Would he even care? Han couldn't imagine how someone like Darth Vader could ever love another person, even his own wife. From what he'd seen, it was hard for Han to imagine a woman like Padmé with Vader, though he reasoned the dark lord had, at one time, been a human being. He'd fathered her children, after all.

Han headed to the command centre, deciding he needed to let General Rieekan know what his intentions were. Leia was there, along with Padmé, both of them busy making evacuation checklists. Leia looked up when she saw Han, and gave him a smile. Han nodded in her direction, and then headed to where General Rieekan studying his battle plans. Rieekan he looked up when Han approached him.

"Solo?" he asked.

"Just wanted to let you know that I'll be heading to Tatooine, sir," Han told him, glancing in Leia's direction quickly. "Once the fleet has cleared the planet, I'll be on my way."

Rieekan nodded. "I seem to recall having a similar conversation with you before," he commented.

Han chuckled. "Yeah, well hopefully this time things will work out better," he replied.

Rieekan smiled. "I'm sure they will," he replied. "Good luck Solo," he added, extending a friendly hand to Han. "All the best."

"Thanks, General," Han replied. He looked over at Leia, whose face was unreadable. Typical, Han thought.

"Afternoon ladies," he said.

"Hello Han," Padmé replied with a smile.

"Han," Leia said rather coolly, and then returned to her task.

Han frowned. "Guess you heard me tell General Rieekan my plans," he commented.

"Sure did," Leia replied, not looking up at him.

Han grew more infuriated. "Well it's been nice knowing you, Princess," he said sarcastically. "See you around." With that he stormed out of the command centre.

Padmé watched him leave and then turned to Leia. "You need to go after him," she told her.

Leia looked up at her mother. "Why should I?" she asked. "You heard him. He's leaving. And he didn't even have the courage to tell me to my face."

Padmé frowned. "Clearly the two of you have feelings for each other," she remarked. "Do you really want him to leave with this bitterness between you?"

Leia frowned, reminding Padmé very much of Anakin in her stubbornness. "If he had any feelings for me he wouldn't leave," she said quietly.

"You told me he has a death mark," Padmé pointed out. "That's not something anyone can live with for long. He's doing the responsible thing, Leia. Don't punish him for it."

Leia looked at her mother, knowing that she was right. But she hated to admit it.

"Okay, okay," Leia said. "I'll talk to him."

Padmé watched her daughter leave, reflecting on just how much she was like her father.

Han had already reached the south corridor by the time Leia caught up with him.

"Han!" Leia called as she caught sight of him.

Han took a few steps more, and then stopped and turned to face her. "Yes, Your Highnessness?" he asked in a clipped tone Leia knew all too well.
"I thought you decided to stay," she said, doing her best to remain detached and calm.
"Well, the bounty is still on my head," he told her. "And it isn't going anywhere until I.."

"Han, we need you!" Leia interjected.

"We?" Han asked.

"Yes," Leia replied simply.

"Oh, what about you need?" he challenged.

Leia did her best to appear confused. "I need? I don't know what you're talking about," she declared.

Han shook his head, frustrated with her response. "Forget it," he said. "You probably don't," he told her, turning and walking off again.

But Leia was far too stubborn to be put off. "And what precisely am I supposed to know?" she challenged, running behind him.

"Come on!" Han said, not stopping. "You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me."

"Yes!" Leia agreed, still following him. "You're a great help to us. You're a natural leader..."

Han stopped finally and turned to face her. "No! That's not it," he stated emphatically. "Come on. Stop playing games!"
Leia stared at him, still refusing to be the first to admit that there was something going on between them. "You're imagining things," she told him. Han nearly lost it at this point.

"Am I?" he challenged. "Then why are you following me? Afraid I was going to leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?"

Leia was shocked by his boldness. "I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee!" she informed him hotly.

"I can arrange that," Han countered. "You could use a good kiss!" he called as he strode away down the corridor. Leia felt her face grow warm and looked around to see in anyone had heard. There were a few people who simply looked at her in surprise, making her face grow even hotter.

Leia turned in a huff and walked away in the opposite direction, determined not to let Han Solo get the better of her.