Tess watched her feet sway back and forth, hanging lazily off an Ewok-made bridge. She could hear Threepio telling their new friends the stories of their travels across the galaxy in the nearby hut. The Ewoks listened fixedly as the golden droid used his programming to create the exact sounds of exploding ships and clashing lightsabers.

It seemed the Ewoks enjoyed making clothing for human females because even though Han and Luke were much dirtier and sweatier than both girls had been, the short, furry aliens felt compelled to make another dress for Tess. Threepio may have mentioned something about it being typical of Ewok culture to offer gifts to the women of a visiting party, but Tess wasn't really paying attention.

The fifteen-year-old reached out her palm. She dreamily floated her blue-green lightsaber above it, watching the reflection of the night stars play on the cool metal. She slowly guided the device through the air and traced her name with it—a control exercise Luke used to make her do. Once that became tiresome enough, she ignited the lightsaber and started carving her name into a nearby tree.

Sometime during the first couple characters of her last name, Tess' sister emerged from the Ewok hut and sat beside her. Leia just watched and said nothing.

"Getting tired of snuggling your smuggler?" Tess asked.

"Say that ten times fast," Leia joked. "And no Force powers."

Tess couldn't help but laugh.

"Not even the Force is that powerful," the younger sister chuckled. "Assuming it would help at all with tongue-twisters."

Leia shrugged. "I don't know…" she sighed, her shoulders lifting and falling. "That's your department and Luke's. I have no idea what the Force can and can't do."

Tess wondered where this was going, exactly. Sometimes Leia was as clear as day to her younger sister, and sometimes her intensions were so clouded that Tess questioned whether she could read the princess at all.

"So," Leia continued, meeting Tess' eyes. "I think I should get a better understanding of the Force before I decide whether its bad for you or not."

There was a time where hearing that from Leia would have sent Tess jumping out of her boots with joy—but this moment was not like that. Expecting quite the opposite of Tess; simple nod, Leia looked her sister over.

"What's the matter?" she asked with soft concern.

Such a good question. Tess had been asking herself that question all night. The Force was once a link to who she was—not being able to use it was like smothering her very identity. But now that she was a bit older, she saw just how remarkable she was for her age and experience. If Force-sensitives were as common as the natural shipmen and racers in pilot academies, the Empire wouldn't want her and Luke's heads on a stick.

"There's still so much that I don't know," Tess finally responded, exhaling through the words as if relieving some burden. Leia turned to face her.

"About what?" asked the princess.

"Me," Tess blurted, her eyes moving towards Leia's. "What am I?"

Leia froze. Her dark eyes widened like saucers as if caught in a lie, but she tried to hide it. She quickly changed her demeanor from guilty to comforting.

"What do you mean—what are you?" Leia uttered softly, tucking a hair behind Tess' ear. "You're my sister."

Tess gently moved Leia's hand away.

"Am I?" asked the fifteen-year-old with uncertainty, pulling herself to a stand. "You once told me that Padme Naberrie died eight years before I was born. Was that a lie?"

Tess could sense Leia's unease. She always knew that the princess kept secrets, but as this conversation started, Tess could feel that she had hit those confidences right between the eyes.

"No, that was not a lie."

The princess rose to her feet, reaching a height not much taller than Tess. The younger of the two felt tears well up behind her eyes.

"Then which is the lie?" she demanded. "They can't both be true! You can't say that our mother died before I was born and say that we're sisters!"

"Neither of them are lies!" Leia insister. She put a hand on each of Tess' shoulders as an attempt to calm her down. "Tess, there is still quite a bit that you don't know…but what you do know is all true."

"I have a right to know the rest!" Tess insisted angrily. "It's not a coincidence that I'm Force-sensitive, or that I'm your sister, or that Bail Organa kept me locked away close by like some big secret. And some if not all of those coincidences are the reason that the Empire is after me—but there's something else that is connecting all of these and you're not telling me what it is! What is it?!"

Leia just stood there looking down at her sister. She said nothing.

"What is it?!" Tess repeated. "What aren't you telling me?!"

"Tess, I can't—"

"Yes you can!" Tess cried, blue lightening flying from her fingertips and hitting the wood beneath her. The fifteen-year-old looked at the black scorch mark with confusion and fear, and then snapped back up at Leia for an explanation. Her expression softened a little as tears began to fall. "Was I born like this? Was this done to me? Sometimes I just can't control it," she sobbed. "There's this emptiness—almost a darkness, and…it seems like—I don't know…" Her voice trailed off. Tess took several deep breaths before continuing. "Was I born like this, or was it done to me? Did someone make me like this?"

Tess caught Leia in a moment of tensing up during her the last sentence.

"That's it," Tess muttered. "That's…someone made me like this. I can feel it now." Though one would imagine the certainty of an answer she had wanted for so long would be comforting, she dreaded that particular explanation. It all made so much sense now.

"That's not it," Leia interjected. "Not exactly. Please, Tess, just drop it! I won't do this now."

"Then when, Leia?!" Tess exclaimed. "Do I have to find out when Darth Vader drags me kicking and screaming to a torture room?—because he seems to know! And Chid Deltrod knew something—that was for sure! Wouldn't you rather I hear this from my sister?—assuming that wasn't just a lie." She paused, her chest heaving with anger as she caught her breath and stifled her sobs. "Or maybe," she muttered darkly. "You just can't bear to face whatever the hell your picture-perfect daddy got into to get stuck with me. Maybe Bail Organa wasn't so perfect!"

Suddenly, Tess was silenced by a slap to the face.

Just as quick as she gave Tess a hard strike to the cheek, Leia's hand retaliated back and clapped over her mouth in shock. The princess shook her head slowly, tears pouring from her eyes.

"Tess, I'm so—"

"Don't!" Tess screamed. Her chin quivered, absolutely livid. "I know he was perfect for you—but Leia, if he wanted to do what was best for me, he would have explained things a long time ago. You have no idea what its like—not knowing! Where my mind goes…the possibilities… I have no idea who I am or what I'm doing here or why because he didn't tell me!"

Leia's head fell forward with sobs. She attempted to stifle them with her hands. Whether she had a response or not, she was in no position to give one.

"But Leia…" Tess stated more calmly. "You can. Please. I know you have some idea of how and why I am standing here with you right now. Please, Leia, I need the truth. I need to know who I am—why I ended up here with you, Luke, and Han—why the Empire is interested in me…" Tess looked down at her fingers, which glowed blue from residual anger. "…why I can do what I do."

Leia just stared at Tess at first—expressionless. Then, she spun around and began walking towards the hut. Tess grabbed her arm.

"Where are you—?"

"I won't tell you," Leia snapped at her sister. Before the younger could retaliate, the princess held up a finger to pause her.

"I won't tell you," Leia reiterated evenly. "Because I have to show you."