Guest review: [keeps grinning] I am glad you need me. Please don't kill me! But you might change your mind in a very near future, because cliffhangers are the way that almost every chapter ends :D


Chapter 156

Laetitia opened her eyes weakly. She didn't even know when she had fallen asleep or passed out. She was shaking from the inside when she thought she was back with Arcann in that horrible cell.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Thexan smiled.

Leah narrowed her eyes to see what was in front of her. She could see a lot of familiar faces. Ahsoka, Rex, Luke, Han, Thexan and someone who looked like a doctor.

She grunted as she tried to get up. Thexan tried to help her, but she refused his hand.

"What happened?" She asked.

"We were hoping you'd tell us." Ahsoka stated, which caused Leah to frown in confusion.

"When we were on the mission, you screamed in pain. On the way back, you fell asleep." Thexan explained. His blue eyes were filled with worry.

Leah exhaled to try and remember what happened. The last thing she remembered was ... She felt like she was back on Mustafar.

"I ... I don't know. I just felt like I was in pain. But I'm fine now, so stop making a big deal out of it." She shrugged it off.

"'Not a big deal'? Princess, you were screaming!" Han stated in shock.

"Well, the scans of your vitals are coming up normal." The doctor said to everyone's worry.

Now, everyone was worried. If she was fine, then what happened?!

"See? I told you. Nothing wrong with me." Leah weakly said.

"Do you remember what happened?" Thexan asked.

Leah only sighed. She really did NOT want to talk about with Luke in the room. To say what their father did to their mother when she was still pregnant with him, what she did to him ...

"I don't know. I just felt like the walls were closing in on me." She half-lied.

"Sounds like you were feeling claustrophobic." Rex said. He had seen a lot of soldiers go through a trauma like that

"I may be claustrophobic, but that room was huge ... And I felt like I was suffocating."

"You used to have episodes like this when you first got your memories back. Maybe it's the same." Han said, which caused Ahsoka and Rex to frown in confusion. They had no idea!

Leah shot Han a death glare. He wasn't supposed to say that! And how did that have anything to do with this?

"That's irrelevant. Not to mention, a long time ago." She coldly said.

Leah stood up. She was on her way out but stopped when she noticed Luke's eyes on her. He was so worried about her.

"What?" She asked in confusion.

"Nothing ... You ... lost your breath and passed out in a mission. It was ... scary." He slowly replied in horror.

Leah sighed in frustration as she rubbed the back of her neck with her cybernetics hand.

"We lost a mission because of me."

"Hey! It went well ... until Darth Psycho showed up and ruined everything." Han muttered.

"It took me 2 hours to get back up after I 'fell asleep' when it should have only taken me 2 seconds. When it shouldn't have happened at all! ... And if any of you gets hurt because I'm broken or too weak to pull myself together, then I'll be losing a lot more than my breath!" Leah snapped at all of them, when she was actually mad at herself.

She sighed when she noticed everyone's eyes on her. They were ... shocked to see her like that.

"I'm fine."

When no one else said anything to protest, Leah just left to be alone. She needed to be.

"She's definitely not 'fine'." Han pointed out the obvious.

Everyone nodded. It was obvious that Leah wasn't fine, as much as she wanted to be. Luke walked slowly to Thexan and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go after her? She talks to you."

Thexan replied with a scoff. How was it possible for Laetitia Skywalker to not be stubborn about her opinion?

"Have you met the woman? No one can talk her out of anything once she's set her mind onto it."

"Your word carries more weight than you give it credit for. And I think part of you already knows that." Rex stated.

Thexan sighed and looked down. Did he really just ask him to use Leah's possible feelings for him to get her to talk to him?


After shrugging everyone off, Laetitia walked to the main hall with PROXY. She needed to blow of some steam and practice. Technically, she hadn't held her lightsaber in this life. That last time she had actually fought someone was 3 years ago, when she had died and was later captured by Arcann.

Leah turned PROXY on and activated the simulation. This time, he was a normal Jedi. She didn't want to push it. She walked away from him, activated her silver lightsabers and was ready to attack ... but she stopped when she saw that PROXY was turned off and Thexan was standing in front of her.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked him with irritation.

Thexan innocently shrugged and smiled.

"Fighting you." He simply said as he rose his shoulders.

"Thexan ..."

"Look, you obviously feel the need to beat up someone to get everything out of your system. I can be that 'someone'. I think PROXY likes not being torn apart by you. Besides, I promise you that I have something that makes me a far better option than anyone else in the Rebellion."

"Oh, yeah? And what might that be, your Highness?"

"Easy! I'm a Palpatine."

Leah let out a chuckle to his simple response. That was true ... But she specifically chose a non-living opponent to get everything out of her system. She didn't want to risk losing control on anyone, Thexan of all people.

"Look, Thexan. I know I'm out of practice, but I was the best duelist of the Jedi Order when it came to Jar'Kai. And I use the dark side. You sure you know what you're signing up for?" She asked.

"If you ask me, I think you're actually scared."

Leah laughed. How the hell did he think that? And why?

"Am I, now?"

"Yes, you are. You're actually scared that I'll win. Why else wouldn't you fight me?" He taunted her.

Leah narrowed her eyes at him. She knew he was baiting her, and it was working. She was never the one to walk away from a fight.

"Okay! Just remember ... you asked for it."

"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."

Leah gave him her fake-smile as she threw her lightsaber across the room. Thexan quickly ducked to avoid it. As her lightsaber was coming back to her, he blocked it and ran to her.

"I forgot how hard you are to fight when you're angry." He sarcastically said between the blows.

"And I forgot how easy you are to beat in any case."

Leah's fighting style was Jar'Kai, while Thexan fought in the Ataru way. They were both effective, speedy and deadly.

Though a complete fighting system in and of itself, Jar'Kai was easily adapted to other styles, which was one of the reasons why Leah used it as her main lightsaber form. She could have easily applied Makashi techniques to her practice of Jar'Kai.

Despite the advantages offered, Jar'Kai was not without its drawbacks. Firstly, as both hands held individual lightsabers, two-handed blows were impossible, and the duelist was unable to put all their weight behind blocks, weakening the defensive capabilities. So, an enemy with a single hilt can easily assault a Jar'Kai practitioners defense with brute force, battering away until the dual-blade duelist's guard gave way.

However, this weakness was hardly absolute, as some duelists possessed the physical strength to block power attacks with only one arm. Leah had a hard time gaining that skill, but since she was a perfectionist, she eventually developed the physical strength necessary to compensate for this weakness, being able to hold up simultaneous blade locks with anyone with any physical strength.

Laetitia mastered the physical strength and defensive forms to withstand strong opponents like Darth Vader or Arcann, two physical powerhouses, and even strength contest in blade locks, locking in a contest of strength, physical and of the Force.

Leah kept attacking Thexan with both her lightsabers. She attacked with one of them and, before he could do anything, she defended herself with the other. She could feel herself getting lost in the dark side of the Force.

Her Master, Qui-gon Jinn, had taught her how to use the dark side without letting it control her, but ever since she was brought back to life, she felt more ... powerful. More angry and filled with rage. It was like every shield she had built up in the past 16 years was gone, and she was like a toddler, just learning to walk when she should have been running.

Leah made Thexan lose balance as she Force-pushed him away. She sat on him and put her lightsabers on his neck, not letting him get back up. Thexan just grunted and tried to get free, but her hold over him was too strong.

"Okay! ... You're still the best." He slowly cracked.

Leah took a deep breath to push away the dark side. She could still feel it in her, but it wasn't that much.


Thexan grunted as Laetitia helped him stand up. It was a tense duel ... to put it lightly.

He just narrowed his eyes at her. He could feel the conflict and struggle within her. It was basically screaming in the Force. That, and the fact that Leah's Force-illusion on her eyes was on and off during the duel. That was the most distracting part.

"What was that?" He finally asked.

"What was what?" Leah panted.

"You know what. I've fought you before, but you ... know less than you did." He pushed it. He was worried about her.

Leah just sighed. If she was honest with herself, she was worried about her, too. She was a complete mess.

"Apparently, resurrection targets your worst fears." She vaguely said, hoping he'd drop it.

"What do you mean? Does this have something to do with what happened in the Assault?"

"I saw my mom. I felt ... like I was back on Mustafar, when my dad was attacking my pregnant mother when I was only 5 years old ... I relieved my last moment there. And being stuck in my own body as I maimed him and he screamed for my help ... Knowing that my life would never be the same again ..." Leah trailed off as she was unable to form words in her head.

"The Force put me back to that damned planet, trapped and alone ... The screams ... His screams were the worst part. I felt completely cut off from everyone and everything I've ever known." She said with tears in her eyes. She felt so weak, and she hated that.

"I don't even know why I'm upset. I mean, doesn't every father-daughter talk end with daughter setting the father on fire?" Leah scoffed ironically. She could never leave her sarcasm behind.

"You don't have to be strong for me." Thexan softly stated.

"I know."

Thexan just stayed there as she finally spoke. He didn't want to interrupt her and risk her go back behind her walls.

"Every time, I had to let go of the people I was supposed to protect. I endured it with clenched teeth. I attempted to subdue my anger to try and forget the pain and sadness I felt. But now, it makes me think all that preserving and enduring was meaningless. I really am … tired. I don't have the strength to be like that anymore." She cried out weakly.

Thexan walked slowly to her and grabbed her hands softly.

"Don't think about any of that anymore. Let go of everything ... Cry if you want to. Even scream, and punch me again if that's what you need. I'll be here watching over you, make sure no one hears you." He softly said.

Leah looked up and smiled weakly to his reassurance. She wanted to believe him so bad, but she knew that everyone would eventually leave her, either die or betray her. She didn't want to open herself up to that vulnerability.

She just uncomfortably let go of his hand and put a clear distance between them.

"This all happened when I heard Darth Vader's voice through the Force." She suddenly said to change the mood.

"What?" Thexan asked in total surprise.

"He knows I'm alive."

He didn't know what to say. That was ... good and bad. He didn't know which one was it.

"You should tell the others." He told her.

"No. If I tell them, they'll just worry. I'm telling you because that monster might come after you, now that he knows I'm alive."

Thexan sighed in giving up.

"Okay."

"I'm gonna head back to my room ... Try another method to calm down." Leah said as she walked away, but Thexan grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Hey ... I'm ... I'm sorry that this is happening. If there is anything ..." He tried to say, but Leah coldly cut him off.

"I'll be fine."

"Okay. Just offering. You know where my room is, and the door is always open for you." He said as he smiled.

Leah just shook her head in appreciation. She was sure she would have gone crazy if Thexan wasn't there for her.

"As for your 'problem' in the Assault, I think you just had a good old panic attack." Thexan bluntly said.

Everyone had thought of it, but no one was brave enough to say it in her face. Leah frowned in offense and shock.

"That's impossible."

"It's really not."

"I'm stronger than that!" Leah defensively said.

Thexan put his hands in the air as a sign of truce.

"Look, things got to your head, okay? Resurrection, trauma sessions with my ass of a brother ... You're living through some serous trauma that would cripple anyone for life. I don't care if you're the strongest person in the Galaxy, which you probably are ... It's an injury, something to work though." He softly tried to encourage her to take care of herself.

"Well, what am I supposed to do? We're in crisis mode. I don't have time to process my emotional state!" Leah cried out in desperation. She didn't like feeling that way. She needed to do something about it.

"That's exactly when you make time, right? You ask for help and let others help you ... It's nothing to be ashamed of." He softly said to calm her down, but it had the opposite effect.

"Don't put words in my mouth. I never said I was ashamed." She snapped at him.

Thexan opened his mouth to say something but they were interrupted by Ahsoka.

"Hey, Tiny Ti ..." Ahsoka stopped when she sensed the tension in the room.

"Am I ... interrupting something?"

"No. Not at all." Laetitia coldly said as she walked out of the room and left them alone.

Done :)