Chapter 9
As Leia walks down the empty halls of... whatever this place is, she had tried to search for someone to help her. Her mother and father were nowhere to be found, and it had admittedly terrified the young girl since she had never been introduced to this environment.
Leia never adopted well in new and unfamiliar environments so she tried to stay mainly in environments she is use to.
As she turns around to walk down the halls, she had spotted that young woman again... that woman she hadn't seen for quite some time but where?
Her hair color was brown, her eye color was brown, her skin color was light; yet somehow, despite the fact she had never met this woman before, she felt safe in this woman's presence.
It was her real mother. She hasn't seen her for years in these images, but now as she scanned the woman who was clutching her abdomen affectionately in deep sadness, she could truly see how beautiful she was instead of seeing her in just brief images.
Upon spotting her, she smiled at her, a warm motherly smile that even Breha had never been able to accomplish alone, and her adopted mother had to be one of the kindest women in the world.
For the first time in... well forever, she could see her mother without the strange images, and for whatever reason, sense the hectic emotions that was of happiness, joy, sadness, regret, and remorse. How can she be all of these things at once but not be at all?
'Mom...' she choked out, tears in her eyes as she stares at the beautiful young woman who looks just like her, staring downwards for a few seconds before she looked back up.
To her shock, her mother's expression was different now; now she had a pained expression instead of the warm smile, a lump clearly stuck in her voice as she turns with an ashamed stride in her walk.
She didn't look back. She refused to.
"Mom! Mom! Don't leave me!" She cried after her mother, the woman who she uses to see in her dreams but now she was abandoning her again.
Leia's eyes snapped open and she looked around, only to see she was in her quarters which apparently has grown even darker than the last time she was in them, and it sends a chill down her spine.
She hadn't seen memories of her mother for years, and the last time she had seen her was in a depressing state. That was the first time she had spotted the smile from her.
That... that... that man triggered something in her, something that she had never felt before...
She'd always felt so close to her adopted parents, it was as if they were her real parents. She almost never thought about her real mother - that was until now in which the man's presence made her start. Flashes of memories she had never seen before were rushing through her vision! A man who she didn't recognize nor got a good look at was standing before her mother, and suddenly, her mother was grabbing her throat, trying to escape!
Leia Organa has never been easygoing or left out of the loop, but there was something off about that man, and as she closed her eyes, she saw the man who was running somewhere, and through a gut feeling, she had felt something that just has been created.
Now, she could see... him in a Chambers of sorts, staring out of a window with tears flowing down his eyes before he had turned and walked off.
Leia felt her heart thumbing and actual affection and sadness radiating off of her.
She had been sent to her quarters for some reason and her father has gone so far as to even place a guard at the door which had grated on her nerves.
Luckily, Winter shared her confusion and apparently had agreed with her and have volunteered to remain with Leia.
"Listen, there is something odd about that man, Winter, and we both know father is concealing it. I need your help to spy on father to see." Leia declared, hoping that the closest person she has to a sister won't rat her out.
"I agree, but we should go through the vents to hear what they are saying. Going through the front door and being gone for too long would make the guards too suspicious." Winter agrees, not shocking Leia too much as she had always been as challenging as her, despite their many differences with their personalities.
'Right. Luckily, this place has a vent.'
Winter walked over to the vent that was once locked harshly but the two girls managed to bypass it six years ago and their mother nor father has never found out.
Winter grabbed it softly and lay it down, pausing immediately at the loud echo it was making. The vent was not that complicated to place down, but it still gave a large echo that could place them in danger.
Suddenly, the sounds of footsteps right outside of the door were heard.
"Guard's coming!" Leia warned, causing Winter to immediately place the vent up perfectly against the wall and act like nothing ever happened. Both had always been in awe that Leia was able to sense something coming before it happened, but to Leia, it had felt natural and right in place.
Leia sat down on the bed while Winter rushed up to the makeup kit that she had given to Leia long ago, ravage through her materials, and grabbed the screwdriver and lowered it before lowering herself and acting like the wrench dropped just in time as the Guards entered the room.
Behind the Ensign, two guards were apparently scanning the area before turning back to them along with their Ensign.
"Your highnesses, are you alright?" Ensign Cariso Smadis inquired. "We heard the sound of something dropping."
Leia had to resist the childish urge to glare at him. She had told her father about having them storm in, yet he hadn't apparently addressed the subject with the guards which had grated on her nerves.
Both sisters knew if Leia spoke, it would be in a snappish manner. She was defiant and was firm in her beliefs.
Winter quickly spoke as she approached Ensign. "We are perfectly fine, Ensign, just drop a screwdriver. But please do not enter my sister's chambers again like that. We are not children anymore and we rather not have security guards to charge in our rooms. Next year, Leia is going to join the Imperial Senate and we need our privacy. We understand you are trying to help, but if we need something, we would call for you."
She stood at the security guards' level and begins to ushers them out, secretly taking the keycard that he previously used to enter the room and hiding it behind her back, her hand twitching at a sign of signal, and Leia immediately takes it and hide it while Winter distracts them with forcefully ushering them out.
Thankfully, the guards didn't notice it or they would have seized it. That keycard is the only way to enter these quarters so with it gone, they wouldn't be able to enter the concealed room.
The problem is these quarters can be opened with force, and the train guards surely live up to the challenge.
"Um, yes, I-I apologize. It's just Senator Organa is abundantly clear that Princess Leia is not to leave this room unless she has to go to the refresher or is starving." The security guard apologized, stammering slightly out of embarrassment.
"Apology accepted, but please, the princess will be alright. She's not at any risk when I'm concern." Winter affirmed, a coy smirk on her lips as she ushers them out, closing the door and locking it so they wouldn't be able to get in.
Both sisters sighed in relief.
"Close one," Leia said, releasing another breath before turning to Winter. "We should leave a secondary comlink here," Leia declared, drawing one of her comlinks and placing it under her bed. "At that rate, we can assure they won't attempt to barge in and find out what we are doing."
"Great thinking, sis, now, let's grab a few pillows and position them outside of the tunnel. It would lessen the sound." Winter agreed, giving her a humorous thumbs-up.
At any other time, Leia would have rolled her eyes. She was just too distracted with their primarily objective.
Leia and Winter placed pillows down comfortably and put a few of them on top of them. It was complicated as they hadn't had many pillows in their quarters, but if they go to Winter's quarters to grab a bunch of pillows and any other unusual requirements, it might be a giveaway for the Guards.
Both children placed the vent down softly and luckily, it didn't make much noise. They halted again, but upon seeing the Guards aren't marching to the quarters, both resumed their original task.
Leia climbed in first with Winter following, making sure to place the vent back onto the tunnel entrance.
Thankfully, they have learned to map this place and they knew where their father's office is at. It's just this tunnel makes lots of noise and it had nearly got them caught the first time they had gone into this tunnel.
Considering they are larger than they were as children, one mistake and they would both be caught, and so would their little hideaway.
As quietly as they could, both girls moved in the tunnel vents, stopping ever-so-often as they haven't been here for a while. It's been 4 years actually as they hadn't felt the childish urge to prank the guards after they have mysteriously gone missing or to hide from their father when it was time to do homework after they went to their private school.
Finally, after 5 minutes, the two girls finally arrived at their destination and it was then she had noticed the man's obvious anger.
Though the man wasn't angered directly at her mother, he surely was angry and outraged... with Bail about Leia.
They were talking about Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker. The latter name crossed her mind. She had been aware that Anakin Skywalker was the "Hero With No Fear", Anakin Skywalker was the war hero, the poster boy, Anakin Skywalker was famous, and he had been the best Jedi during the Clone Wars, rarely losing a battle.
Reports have always been spread about Anakin Skywalker, mainly on this planet, though those reporters were usually never heard from again. A few reports stated that Anakin Skywalker died in the Jedi Temple while others stated that Anakin Skywalker stayed loyal to the Galactic Republic and the Jedi assassinated him for it, causing Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine to avenge his death and to supposedly save the galaxy.
Darth Vader... well she didn't know much about him besides the fact that he is the enforcer of the Emperor. A monster who would kill anyone that crosses his path.
Her father said something about a guy named Luke and about Leia being a secret weapon. Leia gasped with pain as she turns to stare at Winter. Both couldn't help but wondered; did her father truly love Leia?
At that moment, the man stood and something was said from the man known as Anakin that made Leia's gut twitched. Those four words from him.
A ringing fills her ears and she begins to feel lightheaded. She starts to think that she's going to pass out. Leia knows that she needs to retreat from this tunnel immediately. She needs to get out of here and try to find a bathroom.
Leia was queasy and sweating, her stomach was hurting and she begins to pale and start swallowing more.
Winter obviously heard it too and she could do little more but to gasp in shock and her eyes to go wide with horror. She thinks she was going to be sick.
"Back up, back up!" Leia urged her sister frantically, and her sister did as commanded, backing up, lest she throws up right then and there.
Winter backed up to the entrance with Leia who was struggling to not vomit, and she immediately kicked the vent off, allowing them to crawl out. Winter place the vent back on and threw the pillows onto the bed so the Guards won't see what happened, but Leia was already far gone, opening the door and dashing straight out with Winter following her from behind, concerned for her sister.
Hot tears scrolled down Leia's eyes as she storms inside of the refresher and up to the toilet and releases a large portion of vomit.
Resisting the urge to throw up herself, Winter tried her best not to look at her sister's vomit and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her sister, leaning into ear level and whispering words of encouragement and comfort.
Both had heard what was said! About how Leia was to be a secret weapon against...!
Bail Organa was the production that was leading her to be apart of the destruction of her... she can't even finish the thought. How can she?! When were they going to tell her the truth?!
Now reflecting, Leia had always thought about how she would feel a strange feeling of unease and familiarity when he was near! He would have never harmed his own children! She wanted to believe everything was a lie, but Bail Organa had wrongfully lied to her and Leia discovered!
If she hadn't sneak to find out, Leia would have never known the truth.
She threw up a second time and she collapsed onto the ground of the bathroom, releasing sobs after sobs, causing Winter to clean her lip that was full of vomit and her face.
Despite how badly she smelled, and despite they would both have to take a shower, Winter wrapped her arms around her sister comfortingly and pull her in more closer, beginning to stroke her back and forth, rubbing her hand on her back.
"Leia, it's okay, everything is going to be alright," Winter reassured again softly. "You are a good person. Don't judge yourself for something that is entirely not your fault."
It was that moment that Winter had held hatred for Bail Organa. How dare he called Leia a secret weapon?!
Did Bail and Breha ever truly loved Leia as they had loved her or did the both of them viewed her as a secret weapon, a weapon that would cause the destruction of her own father?
"I'M JUST A WEAPON, WINTER! I THOUGHT THEY LOVED ME FOR ME, BUT THEY ADOPTED ME TO USE ME! THEY PROBABLY LOATHE ME FOR BEING THE DAUGHTER OF THAT-THAT MADMAN!" Leia roared a sob, her tears becoming violent.
"It's alright, Leia, everything would be alright," she whispers into her ear softly, despite how much she had hated the sound of barf.
It doesn't matter if Bail or Breha never loved Leia, she surely does. But now, poor Leia has discovered her past 17 years have been a fucking lie. Why can't she just stormed into that damn office and throw curses at her father?
She had found herself not hating Breha as much as she hates Bail right now. There was always pained that was held in her eyes whenever she stares at Leia. Both siblings didn't know why their mother would fall into a solemn mood when she's around Leia, but now they both knew the truth and both had heard it and that explained everything.
But Bail, all he did was act unsympathetic and cold. Was his precious Republic that important to him?
At least Bail could have told Leia the truth when she turned 15-year-old which is when she was old enough to accept it and realize what had to be done. What if Leia had killed him somehow and discovered the truth afterwards? What if he killed Leia unknowingly that he was her father and learned the truth afterwards? Would he go through great lengths to destroy his daughter like Bail believes he would or would he become Anakin Skywalker again?
"Leia, listen to me. Bail may not love you as much as he had pretended to or perhaps he did, but either way, you are not to blame. Just because you are the daughter of that monster, that doesn't mean you are a disgrace. Bail should have told you the truth and perhaps he did have good intentions, but calling you a secret weapon like you were a kriffing Star Destroyer was wrong." Winter never cursed.
"Winter, but my father is-"
"Leia, shut up," Winter snapped, her expression sharp, giving her that rare look that always was able to terrified her when she was younger. Suffice to say, Winter use to be popular among the two yet she had fought her friends to defend Leia, but when she said she didn't have to and to just go hang out with her friends and leave her alone, she gave her that glare that shut her up. "I don't care if your father is Emperor Palpatine or Grand Moff Tarkin themselves, you are still my sister, understand?" Winter demanded, her voice stern. If Leia wasn't crying right now, Winter would have already smacked her and give her reasons to cry for assuming she loves her for her heritage.
Leia nods with a whimper before Winter decided to stand her up and walked to the sink, grabbing a soak bottle and was about to clean her sister when Leia grabbed her hand and grabbed the soak bottle and begins to walk back and forth in the bathroom, leaving Winter to sigh sadly as her sister was being frantic.
What reason did she had not to be though? Winter knew Leia was taking it better then she would have if she was placed in her position and if their roles were reverse.
"It's not your fault, Leia. You didn't ask to be born the daughter of that man nor would it lessen my love for you." Winter proclaimed, deciding to call him a man since it wouldn't hurt her more to realize her father is still a man deep down.
"It's all Bail's fault! He's been lying to me for 17 years! He's holding me back!" She threw the soap bottle against the stall angrily, causing it to snap open and explode right then and there in the bathroom, but she had little care. "Why did they not tell me?! They never trusted me! They probably view me as a pitiful scapegoat for their precious Rebellion! Well, guess what, I'm not going to be their fucking tool to bring back the old Republic! I HATE THEM!"
Leia stared at her repeatedly and then down and then back at her for a few moments before she collapsed against the stall, causing Winter to lower down and wrapped her arms around her again. She had known she didn't mean that, but Leia was too angry and her last 17 years have been nothing but a fog.
So many times did she wanted to learn about her biological parents but Bail wouldn't give her much information besides the fact that her parents were war heroes.
"To be angry is to be human," Winter reassured softly, bringing her to her breast so they were touching physically.
All Leia could do is cry, and all Winter can do is attempt to be of comfort to her sister.
Ancient Grandmaster Yoda felt a shift in the Force. He could feel things had change. Whatever has happened would alter the fate of the galaxy, and it was dangerous either way.
Visitors are rare nowadays to this planet so the likelihood of them coming here is low and that means the Force is the only method to communicate with them.
For years, Yoda certainly had visitors; Jorj Cardas went to Dagobah in the hope that Yoda would be able to save his life from a terminal illness, which Yoda did by sending him to the Aing-Tii Monks out in the Kathol Rift, who provided him with a cure and taught him how to teleport objects with his mind somehow, despite the fact that he wasn't even Force-sensitive; then there was also Mammon Hoole and his adopted niece and nephew Zak and Tash Arranda, who crashed on Dagobah at one point and got help from Yoda, along with the feral children of a survey team that had also crashed on Dagobah shortly before the Clone Wars; Ferus Olin visited Yoda as well shortly after the Clone Wars seeking advice on finding other Jedi survivors and gathering them together. All Yoda said that the Jedi's time in the galaxy was over, at least for the moment...
Yoda wasn't completely isolated on Dagobah. He spent a lot of his time helping other people who came to him for it, though the last time anyone came to him was several years ago, leaving him by himself, forcing himself to watch the pain in the galaxy. The suffering of many innocents. But now, the person behind this waver was still slipping past him.
Firstly, when Yoda landed on Dagobah, he spent time building a hut for himself, using materials from the escape pod he flew to the planet on, along with natural materials found from his surroundings. He built his hut close to a nearby lagoon so he had a freshwater supply and spent parts of his days scavenging for food from around the forest.
Aside from that, Yoda spent the vast majority of his time in meditation, in an attempt to strengthen his connection with the Force.
From his studies reading ancient Jedi texts, he focused on the deepest mysteries of the force, with his goal to preserve his consciousness after death and become a force ghost, which he determines to achieves with the help of Qui-Gon Jinn from beyond the grave.
Through the Force, he was also able to communicate with various other surviving Jedi across the galaxy, such as Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Ezra, either as a voice or by physically projecting a copy of himself to their location, and attempted to advise them with their own challenges.
He tried calling for Qui-Gon's Force Signature to seek guidance, but he received no response.
One of the Skywalker's twins has a different destiny, a destiny that shall alter the future itself. He had always claimed the future was always in motion so perhaps the Force has decided a different destiny for one of the twins.
He is still attempting to track down the being that is surrounded by light and darkness to speak with them. Although the light intensified in the being the past year and the light side has grown stronger throughout the galaxy, they are still lacking self-control and perhaps the necessity to assist the Skywalkers in defeating Sidious and Vader.
Unfortunately, Yoda had destroyed the escape pod that he's use coming here, remove the parts beyond repair, and now am practically stranded on this planet.
As Yoda walks to the cave, he closes his eyes as he enters, feeling the Force guiding him in the choice.
Yoda felt the dark side surrounding him, but soon enough, a figure clouded in black approached him, hood raised over their head.
He has seen the Cyborg version of Darth Vader in his meditation, but this is not the version he no longer sees.
This figure was familiar, one of the students who he had failed drastically; Anakin Skywalker.
As Darth Vader grabs his lightsaber from the belt and activates it, not much to his shock, it was not of the blue blade he had recognized, instead, it was of the red one.
Yoda closes his eyes as the Sith Lord raised his lightsaber and swing it down, but the blade never made contact, and all he could do is open them and stare up at the man, who now had a pained look in his blue eyes and begins crashing to his knees and bursting out in sobs.
Somberly and peacefully, Yoda walks out of the cave and now he could see there is a shift in the Force, caused by the Chosen One or better states Ex Chosen One.
What did Darth Vader do?
Or better yet, what did Anakin Skywalker do?
Arthur's note: Oh no, Leia isn't happy. How well do you think that would end now and how do you think the Organas and Skywalker's conversations would play out? And yes, that is still going to happen, but I decided to do POV. Leia is a lot like her mother in not wanting things hidden from her and so her spying on the conversation was high. Do remember this is before Vader destroyed her homeplanet so really she doesn't hate Vader but just despise him for his methods and ways.
I love these little Yoda moments. Now he is close to finding out what's happening.
May the Force be with you all always.