to accompany her off on what she had promised would be a crazy adventure, and now she had to tell him that they were just going to turn around and go right back home…and may not be able to see each other anymore (though she prayed that was not true)

to accompany her off on what she had promised would be a crazy adventure, and now she had to tell him that they were just going to turn around and go right back home…and may not be able to see each other anymore (though she prayed that was not true). She sighed, realizing that in sitting there staring at him the anticipation was only making it worse, and shook him awake.

Cyan looked up at her staring down at him, and immediately saw in her eyes that something was wrong. He gave her a concerned look and then smiled, sitting up and looking into her eyes.

"Hey," he said warmly, and she smiled giddily despite herself.

"Hi," she said, and then looked away sadly, a tear in her eye.

"What's wrong?" He asked, genuinely worried.

"Uh…" She stuttered, really unsure of how to say this. "Yea… I think we're going to have to go back." She said this quickly then got up and walked to the window, staring out of it so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"What?" He asked, unable to believe how quickly she had changed her mind- he had just given up his whole life because she asked him to, and now she wanted to leave again? Going back didn't just mean giving up this adventure, but it meant he'd be in big trouble with his family. Running off was not exactly looked fondly upon in a family as strict and focused as his. "Why?" He said a bit more coldly.

"It seems that um…well, my sister tracked me down," she informed him, knowing this was not exactly the best explanation for why she had given up her fiery passion of running away. "She's out there, she just made me realize that…well, I mean she made me remember that…"
"So you're sister tells you how crazy this idea is and you just go running back, but when I told you you somehow managed to convince me to go with you? And now I've given up my life and I have to just turn around and go back? It's not that simple for me Taryn, your family will welcome you back happily but mine is going to be really angry at me for running off and I'll probably be kept watch over constantly now, they're going to punish me because they don't know who I could've-If they somehow find out I was with you…" He was sounding more and more panicky with every word. "My…my family's political agenda does not exactly look fondly on any kind of interruption of work, not to mention the possibility that I anyone about- I mean, I'm not allowed to leave the planet alone because they know I'm not completely invested, especially if I was with one of you, they're going to kill me, they're going to think I might have told you what we are-"

"Cyan," Taryn cut him off coldly, the Jedi in her having taken over minutes ago as she realized that he was suddenly babbling about something completely new and very, very suspicious. It was as if he had forgotten who he was talking to, but luckily, Taryn had been trained from birth never to do that very thing. "What is your family doing?"
And Cyan realized this had gone from a conversation with his girlfriend to an interrogation by a Jedi, and he realized he had just been a complete idiot to say any of that. He just stared at her, and looked away.

She stood up, and he suddenly realized that despite the fact he was much bigger than her, she was kind of frightening. "Cyan, what is your family doing?"

"What? No, nothing… I'm sorry, I just, I'm just nervous about going back, that's all, they don't like me to run off," He was lying, and it was obvious, and he knew it.

"Look, I believe you that you don't like what they're doing, but you are part of it, and if this is something about my family, or any of the Jedi, or the chancellor, or whatever the hell your family wants because I know your dad used to work with my mom and I know she hates him for some reason, I deserve to know," She said, suddenly aware that he may have manipulated her this entire time. "Are you just trying to get me to turn against them to tell you something about my family? Were you just using me this whole time Cyan?"
"No! No, Taryn, I swear to you, I meant every word I said, I hate them and I like you, that's why I'm so nervous to go back, they'll be so angry…I…"

Taryn could tell he was being sincere, but at this point it was beyond their own relationship, because she could sense in him the utter fear that she should find out what he was talking about.

"Ok, fine. I believe that you truly are a good person. But I still need to know what you are talking about- you may hate them, you may like me, but I can tell you are reluctant to give up the information since it is your family and you were brought up there… and Cyan, the more you try not to tell me the more I realize I need to know. This involves my family. And that's not a question. I can sense that I'm right," She knew she was scaring him, and she felt bad, because she could tell he truly did care about her. But she had suddenly remembered who she was, and she wanted to protect her family.

"Taryn, I…I can't," he said, really sorry for all of this, truly wishing he wasn't a part of his family but also unable, because they were his family, and he did believe in some of what they were doing, to give it away. "I can't. I'm sorry."

"Leia!" Taryn said, not taking her eyes off of him.

"What? Don't…you don't need to bring a fully trained Jedi in here, Taryn, seriously, I mean what I said to you, I care about you, not them, I just…"
"I know. That's why I'm doing this. To help you be freed of it," She said, though she was still a bit menacing. "And don't worry, Leia's not a Jedi anymore."
"Yea right, she may be retired but I know what she's capable of," Cyan said. His family knew a lot about Jedi, especially this family.

"Well then this should be easy," Taryn said.

"What is it?" Leia said.

"Leia, how much do you know about his family?"

"Why?" Leia said, looking from Taryn to Cyan in confusion.

"I think they are planning something," Taryn said, and Leia didn't understand what had just happeend. A moment ago Taryn had seemed to truly care about this boy, and suddenly she was staring at him with a very cold and angry look. And he, well, he just looked like a scared kid.

"What makes you think that?" Leia asked, and Taryn told her exactly what Cyan had said.

"So your father meant what he said today then?" Leia asked, suddenly very concerned.

"What… what did he say?" Cyan asked, wishing he hadn't.

"He said that history would repeat itself. My mother said he was just giving empty threats, but maybe this time he's got something to back it up… so what's going on Cyan?" Leia asked, and Cyan looked petrified. Suddenly, however, he looked from Leia to Taryn, then down at the ground, and back up at Taryn again. And his entire demeanor calemd down.

"Look, I truly do not believe in what my family is doing. I told Taryn I hated them, and I… I hate what they are doing, I hate how I am afraid to be around them because I get in trouble for everything I do, I hate to be enemies of so many people, I hate how radical everything they think is… but they are my family. I do love them, they raised me. I hate them, but I love them. I know it sounds crazy, but I cannot just tell you everything my family has worked on. I can tell you it is a political agenda, however, so you can stop worrying that we are insane murderers or something because we are not going to hurt anybody. And I don't even want to go back to them, I just don't want to betray the only family I have, ok?" He looked pleadingly at Taryn, who looked at him sadly, then back to the ground.

"Look," Leia said angrily, and despite Taryn putting a hand on her sister's arm to try to calm her, Leia knew this entire thing was beyond the comprehension of these two teenagers who were completely uninformed of the situation. Considering what her mother had just told her today, she knew that if Palo was up to something, people were going to get hurt despite what his son might think. "I just called my brother through the force about a minute ago, he should be here soon. They are all waiting by the ship to bring Taryn back, but before we go we will find out what you are planning because I swear to you, if anyone in my family gets hurt by anyone in your family again, the rest of my family may be sworn Jedi incapable of revenge, but I left the order, and I will get it."

The look of terror on Taryn's face at the moment that Leia mentioned her brother told Cyan to be very afraid. He knew he was in way over his head here, and he had no idea what to do.

"Leia, no," Taryn begged, not wanting Luke to be anywhere near Cyan. "Luke does not need to be here, please, this is crazy, he's telling the truth, he's on our side…"
"I know," Leia said. "But he still needs to tell us what's going on. Then, maybe we can trust him. Look Taryn, you have no idea what mom told me today, but if I just give you the icing on the cake it will be enough to make you realize this has to be done- these people are Sith supporters, Taryn. Yea, that's right," she said, as the look of shock on Taryn's face told Leia that her sister had not been expecting that. "So when Palo said history would repeat itself, dad flipped out because he was worried they were bringing another Sith to power. And if that is their political agenda here, then Taryn, people are going to get hurt, and your father, who has already nearly died about a hundred times defeating the Sith, is going to be one of them. So yes, we need Luke."

"Is that true?" Taryn asked coldly, staring at Cyan.

Cyan knew that the one thing that could make him completely lose the trust of any Skywalker, even one who was fed up with her family and who cared about him, who wanted to be with him, was to have anything to do with Sith. The only thing in the universe that that family could not reason about, could not see both sides of, could not negotiate about, were the Sith. They were the enemy, and he knew it was bad to be associated with them among this crowd.

"I…it's… it's true that in the past, my father um… was a supporter of Palpatine," he admitted, looking down shamefully. "But I don't believe in that Taryn! I hate the Sith just as much as you do!"
"No one," yelled Luke, who had just entered the room in a terrifying manner, "hates the Sith as much as we do."

Cyan's face went white, and Taryn looked around worriedly wondering how in the world she had gotten him into this mess, suddenly feeling bad for calling Leia in there at all.

"Luke, please, he isn't really one of them, he means well, I-" She tried to reason with her brother, but he was at that point where a male Skywalker was beyond reason.

"That may be the case, but it does not take away from the fact that I need to know exactly what his family is up to," Luke said, calming a bit from his intentionally frightening entrance but still all business. "Taryn, this is beyond personal relationships. This is a political matter, a Jedi matter. This is work, and I will treat it as such."
"He's sixteen Luke!" Taryn yelled, as Leia just looked around nervously. "Stop it! He doesn't know anything! He wants to stay away from his family!"
"Fine, he can, after he tells us what's going on," Luke said, never steering his gaze away from the look he was giving Cyan. "Cyan Eccetaria, you will tell me what your family is up to. It doesn't have to be difficult, if you just tell me now then we can forget all of this and you can come back with us, you never have to see them again."
"But, they are my… my family….I just can't," Cyan said, despite the hatred, despite the lies he had been brought up with, unable to betray the only family he'd ever known.

Luke suddenly drew his lightsaber and pointed it straight at Cyan's face. "How about now?" He asked menacingly.

"Luke, Stop!" Taryn yelled, suddenly jumping at her brother with her own lightsaber. However, Luke was not playing around, and Taryn, who could often take him in a spar, suddenly realized he had just been messing with her for all that time as he managed to push her completely across the room with such force that she knocked books of the bookshelf she ran into without even moving his lightsaber from Cyan.

"I'm sorry Taryn," he said to her honestly, without turning his gaze from Cyan. "I can't let you interfere. As I said, this is a mission now."

Taryn just stared at him, realizing Luke knew a lot more about the force than she realized. Leia just rushed over to her trying to help her up, but Taryn glared at her and Leia knew it was because she had asked Luke to come in there.

"Leave," Luke ordered them, but Taryn refused and stood etched to the spot. Luke finally turned and glared at her, but she glared right back. Suddenly, she rushed to Cyan's side.

"Cyan, I'm so sorry," she said remorsefully. "I'm so sorry, just… if you just tell us, it doesn't have to be this way. If you truly don't believe in what they are doing, if you think we are right, if you think my mother was a better Chancellor than Palpatine could ever have been, if you believe in liberty, then please, tell us what your family is planning so we can stop it early and no one needs to get hurt. Please," She begged, now kneeling next to where he sat on the bed and staring into his eyes. "I didn't mean for Luke to get involved, I didn't even know he was here…please."

Cyan stared at her, and realized he already cared more about this girl than about any family member he had, as she had shown more caring in that moment than even his mother ever had to him in his life. She kissed him, and Luke protested out loud but when she got up and stood back, Cyan looked up at him and Luke realized that what Taryn had just done was more successful than any Jedi interrogation he could have performed, and he realized that there were some things that were more powerful even than the Force.

"And that's why you haven't ever been able to keep a girlfriend for more than an hour," Leia said to him as she knew, as always, exactly what he was thinking.

Luke looked at her, unamused, and physically pushed her over.

"Well you're on the right track, not using the Force there," she muttered looking at him angrily.

"So you'll tell us then?" Luke asked, now sitting on the bed and looking more kindly at Cyan.

"Yes," Cyan conceded, looking out the window for a moment before turning to them, getting ready to betray his family but fight for the right side for the first time in his life. "You're right. You're right Leia, they are trying to bring a Sith to power, just like they did before I was born, when your father defeated Palpatine…they had been trying to get Palpatine to become Chancellor, as you know, and they are trying the same plan again…"
"But… but how, the Sith are dead, my father killed them…" Luke said, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"No, he killed the two current Sith, which you thought guaranteed that no more could be trained… but just because there is no living Sith to train one, does not mean one cannot be trained…"
"What are you talking about," Luke asked, unable to believe that something like this could have gone completely unnoticed by the Jedi.

"Well it happened once before didn't it? There were no Sith for 1000 years before Palpatine, I mean where did he come from?" Leia asked, wondering why she had never thought about this before.

"Exactley," said Cyan. "Palpatine was trained by a man who has no Force powers of his own, but who believes in the Sith, and who studied them for centuries before stealing a baby from the steps of the Jedi temple and training him in the Sith arts. He did it five times before it worked correctly, as he had to get a feel for how they could use the Force before he knew exactly what to teach them. And that fifth baby was Palpatine. That man is dead, and it is not important who he was. The only point to that story is, you can be trained as a Sith, or a Jedi for that matter, even if your teacher doesn't have Force powers of his own. As long as one understands the nature of the Force, one can explain to a child with powers how to harness them. And that… is what my father did with my half-sister…the child my mother had with Palpatine just before he died."

Leia, Luke, and Taryn stared at him in shock.

"And that's why I was so hesitant to tell you," He said sadly. "Not because I wanted to protect my parents or the rest of my family, because they are horrible and want all of the Jedi and good people of the universe dead or serving them. But because I knew if I told you, you would have to kill the one person in my family who I truly care about, who is an innocent victim of all of this just like any of the rest of us, who is a child brought up to believe things she cannot escape, to be a slave to the powers my father forces her to use, powers that tell her she is doing right because it feels easy, because she has been brought up to see Palpatine as good and the Jedi as evil…" He looked up at them, tears in his eyes. "Is it possible to turn a Sith into a good Jedi…is it… is it possible not to have to kill her?"
Luke and Leia looked at each other skeptically… a Sith was unlikely to change in her ways….unless…

"How old is she?" Luke asked, suddenly realizing that Cyan had called her a child.

"Well, Palpatine realized he needed an heir as soon as your father discovered his camps when you two were four. So Staciana was born about a year after that. She's a year younger than I am. She's fifteen."
Leia and Luke looked at each other, unable to process this information… they either had to kill a fifteen year old girl, or somehow find her, convince their father not to hurt her, and try to turn her from a Sith into a Jedi, something that had never even been tried before.

"Well," Luke said, looking around him in disbelief. "Can you get her to leave them?"

"I can certainly try."