"The things we thought that we should do, we other things have done. But those peculiar industries have never been begun. The lands that we thought we should seek when large enough to run by speculation ceded to Speculations Son."

-Emily Dickinson

Part Two:

Two Weeks Later:

~Mara's POV~

"Ahhhhh! But Saji, I want to go to the Rebel meeting too!" Mara objected with another stomp of her foot to cement her supreme displeasure. Asajj Ventress paid no heed at all to the gesture, unlike many of Mara's nannies, who had all gasped with shock at her impudence and gone on to scold her.

Saji just ignored her however, preparing to head out to the Sith Palace and have a meeting with important people, and she wasn't taking Mara along, a discretion unforgivable in it cruelty.

Mara watched her with fuming eyes. "Are you listening to me?" She demanded.

"You aren't coming, Mara," was the immediate answer, spoken with composure. Ever since that day when they had tried to make pancake batter, Saji had seemed more…Peaceful, was the only word Mara could think of to describe it.

She certainly stopped calling her kid all the time, and had ceased being so grouchy all the time too. It had been nice, until this came along. "Why not? Sidious's goons aren't looking for me anymore!" Mara protested.

"And you think he won't want you if he finds you sitting right there in his Palace? He's given up now that he has Skywalker, but any opportunity will be taken," Asajj told her firmly.

"I'll hide my Force signature! You know I can! Better than you, practically," Mara pouted.

"You can," Asajj admitted, finally stopping her weapons accounting to look at Mara, siting angrily on the couch before her. Her eyes swept Mara up and down.
Mara sat up straighter, making apparent the brown leggings to the black shirt that fit snugly to an undeveloped body, briefly settling upon the small saber at Mara's hip and the utility belt that held it, along with the way her hair was tied back, showing blazing green pupils.

The black cloak settled upon her shoulders was a final touch from a violent past that Mara did not want to think about. She wasn't Tarkin's daughter or Sidious's apprentice.

She was Saji's partner, and she deserved to be at her side.

Mara had made sure to be extra ready today. She had even pulled her hair back so tight tears came to her eyes, and put the spikes in it, and her saber was close at hand at all times. She could fight if she had too, if she wanted too. So what was the big deal?

"No," Asajj said again, to the silent plead in readiness.

"Oh, come on!" Mara cried, storming to her feet. "What am I supposed to do all day here?" She gestured around to the small apartment, where Ventress had deemed she could stay until she returned.

The older woman walked across the room to finally slip a small dagger into her right sleeve. Mara wondered why she needed so very many knives. Ventress didn't torture anyone anymore, she knew.

"Practice using the Force-"

"I don't need the Force!"

"So that I can start taking you on the big missions-"

"You don't go on any big missions!"

"Mara, enough!" Ventress snapped firmly. Mara's closed her mouth fast enough to avoid the strike of fury that crackled within the force. Not that she was afraid Saji would hit her or anything, only that she hated making Saji mad. Her job was to beat up anyone who did that; it would do no good to be guilty of it herself.

"Now," when Saji used that tone of voice it meant that she was running out of patience. Mara didn't care all that much, but she remained silent all the same. "I will not have you anywhere near the Sith Palace, you hear? It's bad enough I'm letting you stay here on your own," here the Sith sighed.

"But I can't sanely have Dex taking care of you at his shop when you're practicing your Force manipulation. I don't really care what you break here, but I can't pay for anything that you break there," she harrumphed.

"Dex wouldn't make you pay!" Mara burst out loyally.

Dex was a good person, and he was funny too. He had all sorts of stories that Mara did not understand, but found fascinating. She wanted to go to every place Dex had been too and say hello to every person he had met.

Mara wanted to have adventures too.

"I'm aware," Saji dryly retorted. "But I'd have too anyway because Force knows he doesn't have enough money to make it up on his own. So, you're staying here. I'll only be gone for a few hours," Mara opened her mouth to argue, but at the look she received, she knew that it would be both futile and unhelpful.

She groaned. "You're a monster, Saji," she mumbled, sinking back down unto the couch.

"Yep," her mentor chirped cheerfully, hand on her saber. A small but surprisingly strong hand grabbed her chin and forced her to look up. Mara allowed Ventress to steer her gaze into soft blue irises that did not lack for warmth.

"Be good," Ventress ordered, seriously. "And practice your Force skills for me. It'll pay off in the end, okay? I promise," that meant little to Mara. Not the promise, of course, but what the practicing could come too. She could get by without the Force.

She could be Saji's partner without it. "Now, stay here, understood?" Mara nodded unhappily. "That's the spirit," with an abrupt screech of heel, Ventress turned away and sauntered out the door without another word.

Mara glared at the door for about ten minutes, stealthily tracking Ventress's force signature. When it had gone far enough away so that it was becoming harder to track, even if she used the bond, Mara stood.

Hand on her saber, chuckling with an Ventress sort of evil, Mara Jade walked straight out the door after her mentor. She was going to the Sith Palace, and that was that.

~Han's POV~

"Ahhhh! But Obs, you need us!"

"Yeah, we've always been at the Rebel Council meetings!"

"You can't leave us behind now!"

"Not when things are getting juicy!"

"Come on, Obsssss!"

This last sentence was spoken in a long whine that usually would have settled the deal in their favor. Obs was just a big softie, after all, and normally he couldn't resist that tone, but this time Obi-wan did not budge. He merely cocked an eyebrow at them above blind pupils.

Han used to think that blindness constituted weakness, after all a blind slave could not do as much as a normal one, but he had grown to discover otherwise. If there was any weakness whatsoever, it was not to be found in Obi-wan.

He had not only found a way to do as much as any normal slave, but more. He was a real man, Obs, more a man than that Skywalker doe-twinkle he used to brag about. Who cared if he was part of some prophecy, anyway? But that was beside the point, which at that moment was that both Han and Lando were being excluded from the Council meeting, but for some reason Chewie got to go?

Han was sure there must have been some mix-up here, because he remembered being the spy, and so did Lando. "I'm sorry boys," Obs said, his crisp accent somehow more mocking than if he had had possessed the grace to have a normal one like a respectable person. "But we're discussing sensitive subjects this time. Not for your ears," he told them firmly.

Lando threw up his hands with a scoff of disgust. "We know where babies come from Obs, its not so dang sensitive anymore! We're thirteen for crying out loud!" he cried. Han agreed wholeheartedly, standing supportively next to his buddy behind The Millennia, where Han knew no one would over hear their conversation.

Obs turned a light shade of pink at the mention of nature's first lesson on life. Han had to smile. Obs was so innocent sometimes. He had known about that since he was five, at the least. Yet Obs still blushed as if he were still getting used to the idea.

"Not that subject, Lando," Obs mumbled after a moment of getting his composure back.

"Good," Lando harrumphed, crossing his arms. "Because we knew about it already," he said.

"What's so important anyway?" Han added, copying Lando's stature. Obs couldn't see them though, so he was not intimidated as he should have been.

"Nava had a vision last night that needs to be discussed," Obs informed them. Lando narrowed his dark eyes at their friend, not because they thought he was lying. Obs never lied to them, Han refused to believe that the man could lie at all.

"What sort of vision?" Lando asked suspiciously. Han left the interrogation up to him. Lando was the gambler, he was the mechanic. He was better at configuring engines than he was trying to get some info out of folks.

"The kind you aren't to be about discussing," Obs replied smoothly.

"It's about Doe-twinkle, isn't it?" Han demanded harshly.

"Jealousy ill-becomes you, Han," Obs scolded in reply. Han snapped his mouth shut and glared. He was not jealous. "Its final. I'm sorry Han, Lando, but you are not coming. Stay here for the moment, and enjoy a day of fixing. That is, if you have no other duties to attend too," he said. Han snorted.

Obs knew good and well that they didn't have anything else to do that day but what they did every day. Only the regularity and interest of the rebel meetings broke up their day into something important. Something big.

Only the rebellion made their lives worth something. Even Lando, who worked longer hours than most of the child slaves, was off the hook, being as how the Sith were content having Doe-twinkle.

"But that's boring," he protested once more, not about to give up the fight for no reason at all.

Obs chuckled softly, smiling kindly. "One day you will wish for those boredom filled days, my young friends. One day. Besides, I recall you promised me a fixed Millennia Falcon one day, Han Solo?" he inquired impishly. Han puffed so hard his bangs flopped against his head.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," he growled peevishly. He just wished that Obs hadn't recalled that.

"I never promised that," Lando put in helpfully.

"Yes. But you did pledge to heed your superiors if you wanted to be part of the Rebellion. Do you remember that promise?" Obi-wan asked innocently.

Lando glowered, but even Han had to admit that they were beat. As usual. They had promised that, though at the time neither had supposed it could lead to this. I wonder what they did to Yavin to make him swear something like that, Han thought, imagining the free-spirited, determined, impermeable Yavin being forced to take any sort of oath that didn't work directly in his favor. It was an interesting picture. Han doubted even Obi-wan could have pulled it off without a lot of arguing.

"No," Lando barked. Obs cocked a brow at them. "But I bet I made it anyway," Lando hurriedly mumbled at the sign of displeasure.

"You did," Obi-wan assured them dryly. He sighed and suddenly stepped forward. Two large hands placed themselves on Han and Lando's shoulders. Han used to pull away, but now he handled the contact with squirming uncomfortable dignity. No one had ever put their hands on his shoulders for the reasons Obs did except for Lando. "I know how hard it is to wait for others to decide upon a fate that includes you, boys," he told them, warmly now.

"Apparently not if you won't let us come!" Han replied angrily. He wanted to be there.

"And why does Chewie get to go?" Lando added. For a moment, this question seemed to stump the older man, but at least he gave a small half shrug.

"Because Chewie is bigger than the rest of us," Obi-wan answered with a wry twist of his mouth.

Han stared at his mentor, aghast. "Is he callin us short?" He screeched to Lando, hardly daring to believe his ears.

"He's callin us short!" Lando hissed.

"Focus, you two," Obi-wan commanded, wrestling their hurt feelings back. Han glared. He hated it when people tried to treat him like some kid. He wasn't a kid anymore. He hadn't been a kid since he had run away from that orphanage years earlier. Since then he had taken care of himself and no one else. Well, except for…But that didn't matter! Pickpockets didn't have friends, they didn't need families, and neither did Han.

"As I was saying, I realize this is difficult, but at the moment this is best for you. You'll understand with time," Obs stepped back and gave them a neat nod of departure "I'll see you later, boys. Be safe," the normal leave-taking words from the Jedi barve.

Han still did not like this, but whatever Obs said he got. "Later Obs," he grunted reluctantly. "Bye," Lando also grunted at his back, but Obi-wan had already left them for his own business.

~Luke's POV~

"Stay here?!"

"But it's a Council meeting!"

"We should be there!"

Their mother smiled a gentle smile. Behind her, Nava also smiled at them, though her eyes were cloudy with unease. Luke and Leia could sense it vibrating off her, along with it being an aura of apprehension around the others. Even Yavin and Ventress were going to be part of this so- called secret adult meeting. And Chewbacca for Force sakes!

So why couldn't they come?

"You aren't Jedi yet, young ones," Nava called over as Padme leaned down to kiss both foreheads with a stern admonition to stay away from the vents. Then why is it we have been forced into a situation in which the greatest Jedi have failed? Luke wondered hotly, but he did not voice this treason. He was, after all, only twelve. And he knew where his barriers laid as far as mouthing off went. And especially with a woman who had been one of the Republic's most renowned senators.

Besides, the Dark Side crept into every doubt and anger, enhancing it. Getting angry for two seconds was dangerous. It was deadly. He had the Force, his mother and Nava did not. He didn't even want to think what he could do if he ever lost control…

"So what are we supposed to do all day, knit?" Leia demanded. He had never been so grateful to his sister for interrupting his thought. Luke wasn't sure, but he was of the opinion that he was a little too young to be going morbid so very soon.

"Knitting is an archaic art, you guys would never be able to pull it off," Padme replied without batting an eye.

"Hey!" Luke cried, outraged at being so under estimated. Leia snorted in agreement though. Luke knew that she had used knitting as an example for the pure reason for that she had seen people knitting and knew for a fact that it was something she herself was not going to do.

"True enough," Leia consented merely. "But it stands to reason that…" Padme interrupted her curtly.

"It stands to reason that you two are not coming to this meeting and that's that," she said, and the look in her eye quelled any insubordination.

Nava chuckled softly once more. Luke received the direct impression that she found their suffering amusing. He gave her his best pouting look that once had softened her heart into negotiations on their behalf. "Look at it this way, this is a chance to kick back and relax," she advised, not falling for the bait.

"Joy," Luke growled as Padme sent them at last suspicious glance over her shoulder, following Nava from the room gracefully.

"Behave yourselves," was the last entreaty from their mother before the door clanged shut behind her and the ray shields could be heard slamming into place.

Sith Spit.

The thought came from Leia, but Luke echoed it in his own mind whole heartedly. At last, he sighed and turned to his sister, who was glaring at the door as if it were the epitome of all evil. Luke eyed it for a moment, wondering if there was anything that they could do to get it to open…

But no, best not to risk it. Still, their mother had warned them to stay away from the vents. She had never said anything about staying out of them.

"Well?" he asked. "We aren't just going to sit in here, are we?" he inquired.

Leia gave him a disbelieving look. "While our father is off trying to get information from a Sith that is possibly torturing him? I think kriffing not," she harrumphed.

"Good," he nodded. "I second the notion. But what are we going to do? Trash the party we weren't invited too?" He demanded critically. Leia gave this suggestion real thought before shaking her head with tangible disappointment.

"No. There are other targets, and besides, the others have enough problems to worry about. We shouldn't add ourselves to the list," this was a dubious point. Luke didn't believe for a second that they weren't already a problem that the Council worried about, but Leia's other points were well taken.

"Fine. Then what are we going to do?" he asked.

"We're going to find Han and Lando. I bet they're excluded from this conversation as well," Leia replied with finality.

"Why are we paying them a visit?" Luke asked curiously. It wasn't as if he did not enjoy stopping by at the mechanics workshop. In fact, he had discovered his own personal model of heaven in the room, however stuffy and busy it may have been. Just him and the machine.

And since Han was unelected leader, whatever he called for or wanted he got without hesitation. Which meant that Luke had access to any tool he needed and he did not even need to stand to get any of it.

Besides, Han was very savvy with machinery, and Luke liked talking to him. Lando was funny, and filled their time with friendly chatter when he was around, not often admittedly, but often enough.

"To get some coordinates," Leia replied calmly. She, too, enjoyed working within the busy atmosphere, though her own reasons were a mystery to Luke.

"Coordinates for what?" Luke wondered, curious as to what his sister had in mind.

"Oh, you'll see," Leia called over her shoulder.

Okay, so I just want this to go on record that these next few chapters are by far my favorite in the entire story, perhaps in the series, succeeded only by some brotherly moments between certain characters later, but this jumble of madness you are about to embark on is a break from the darkness before I shove it you again. Enjoy!

~QueenYoda