Chapter 162
It had been a long few weeks. The Empire kept hitting the Rebellion, but at least, now that Laetitia was back, they were able to hit somewhat back. She was just one person, not an army. But she came up with plans that had the least casualties, and she actually encouraged her people to have hope and fight.
The last weeks, Leah's responsibilities had tripled because she was back after 3 years. But thankfully, she had her friends by her side to help her ... and Thexan.
Without him, she had no idea what she would have done. She would still be in her mourning bubble from the pain Arcann put her through, if Thexan hadn't pushed. But he did, and Leah was grateful for that.
Thexan was holding Leah in his arms as they were resting in her bed. She was still asleep, as far as he knew. But he couldn't. He couldn't do anything when he saw her back ... The scars of iron whips that would never heal more than they already were.
His brother had done this to her. He tortured her for 3 years long. He tortured her even more because he knew that Thexan loved Leah and he chose her over him. This was all his fault.
"It's not polite to stare, you know." Laetitia suddenly said.
Thexan sighed in surprise as he looked away. He knew she didn't like being pitied. But when did she even wake up?
"I was actually looking at the tattoo." He half-lied.
The tattoo on the back of her right shoulder was the only thing other than the scars on her back. It was the only thing he could say to lie about what he was actually staring at.
"It's so beautiful. What is it?"
"Oh, really? The Prince of Empire, whose father is from Naboo, doesn't recognize the symbol of his own planet?" Leah challenged him.
Thexan frowned in confusion and took another look at the tattoo. He mentally slapped himself in the head when he did. It was the symbol of the planet Naboo. How did he miss that?!
Of course!
He tried to come up with something to say. He knew Leah knew what he was actually doing, but he didn't want to say it.
"Uh ... I meant what it's about. I mean, you're not exactly one to tattoo her body. Did you have a phase when you were a Smuggler?" He sarcastically said.
Leah laughed and smacked him slightly in the shoulder.
"Very funny!" She mocked him.
"My mom did it. Apparently all the Naboo royalties are supposed to have this symbol as sign of being a Naboo royalty. Her mother has it, her sister has it, she had it, and I have it. I was a Jedi, but she didn't want me to forget the other things I was while being a Jedi." She explained as she trailed off.
The thought of her mother always took her some place in her brain that she didn't usually go. Padme wouldn't have wanted this life for her. She knew being a Jedi was Leah's destiny, but she still didn't want her daughter to live without emotion and love in her life.
That was until she died.
"You know, you can contact them. Your mother's family. You grandparents, your aunt, your uncle, your cousins. They'd be so happy to see you and Luke." Thexan quietly said to get her out of her sad mood.
Leah had considered that a lot. From the second she saw her whole family, besides her mom and dad, in her mom's funeral, she wanted to be a part of them. She wanted to live as Padme's daughter in her family, where she knew she would be loved.
But she couldn't do that, no matter how much she wanted to.
"I'm sure that Sidious and Vader have their place under control, in case I show up ... Besides, I don't wanna bring my baggage with me. If they knew we were alive, I was alive ... they would suffer. Mom wouldn't have wanted that." She quietly said as she sighed.
Thexan didn't say anything and just held her closer. He knew she had a point. When Darth Vader stalked his dead wife's grave for 3 years to find his daughter, he was definitely keeping an eye on her family.
"I'm sorry."
Leah looked up and gazed at his eyes. She knew where he was coming from. His father had ruined everything in her life. He was feeling guilty for something Sidious had done.
"Don't be. I mean, I might not have them, but ... I have you. As long as I have you, I think I'll be alright." She softly said.
Thexan smiled and took a deep breath. How could she forgive him when he was guilty?
"I know everyone in the Rebellion knows about us, but technically, we're still co-workers. So let's just wait for a while before we completely come out." She suddenly said to change the mood.
"HQ problem? Or are you embarrassed that Luke would find out that his big sister is actually an adult?"
"Both ... I just think it's better if we wait before we announce it."
"Technically speaking, you kissed me in front of everyone." He smirked.
"Now, I'm wishing I hadn't. But they don't have to know, right?"
"Right."
"We could let it be our little secret before we're ready to ..." Leah was saying, but she stopped.
Suddenly the door opened and Ahsoka came in without looking up or knocking. When she did, she wished she had.
"... Tell them." Leah finished herself, but there was no point now.
"Oh ...!" Ahsoka breathlessly said.
Leah turned around as she gave her a glare. She was almost, SO, embarrassed. Thexan just hid under the sheets. Neither of them said anything.
"I was looking for both of you." Ahsoka slowly said.
Leah blushed as she held in her breath. She just nodded in a 'well, you found us' way.
"Well, here you are ... And this is me walking. So ..." She awkwardly said as she basically ran out of the room.
Once she was out, Thexan chuckled as he came out of hiding. Leah couldn't help but laugh with him. It was so embarrassing!
"Busted!" He stated.
"Nah. She'll be cool. Maybe too cool, but ... cool."
In the Command Center, Ahsoka was waiting for her friend to arrive and give her everything she had prepared in the last 30 minutes. She knew that Thexan and Laetitia were in a relationship now, but she had no idea that they had taken things to the next level!
Why didn't she tell her? She was expecting details of Leah's first relationship. She never opened up, but now that she did, she was more mature than when Ahsoka first started dating Lux.
Leah entered the room. She noticed Ahsoka's eyes on her, but she avoided her. She just kept looking down and tried to make herself look busy.
"So how was your night?" Ahsoka asked sneakily as she walked to her.
"Ahsoka!" Leah said in embarrassment covered in irritation.
"Hey, don't worry! I'm not gonna tell anyone. Not Luke, Han or Mon Mothma ... But definitely Lux." She said with excitement.
Leah sighed and tried to hide her chuckle. This is exactly what she meant by 'too cool'.
"Can you be cool?" She stated in fake-anger.
"So, it's happening? Is it happening? You two are actually and definitely ...?"
"Be cool!" She ordered her friend.
"Totally cool!"
Ahsoka just laughed as she put her hands up in defeat. Once Leah made sure that Ahsoka wasn't over-excited, she just chuckled slightly.
"So, where is your man? What, was he too embarrassed to even come out and face me?" Ahsoka asked.
"He's left the Base."
"What? Why? Where did he go?"
"I don't know. He just said that he needed to go somewhere and talk to someone."
"That's a bit vague explanation for someone he shares a bed with." Ahsoka stated.
Leah shot her a glare. To be honest, she actually thought about that, too. But she was no one to push, especially when she owed him so much.
"He said he'll explain when he came back ... I trust him, and he has done a lot for me ... A lot. So, if he asks for some time to tell me something, I'll give it to him."
Ahsoka made a weird face as she analyzed her sister.
"Wow. That's ... mature of you."
"I know."
"But you're dying to know, don't you?" She snipped.
"Very!" Leah answered very quickly.
Ahsoka laughed with her. She seemed happier. Her heart was lighter and she was more at peace. Thexan was really changing her. Maybe, she could finally return to the happy kid she was before her father turned to the dark side and ruined her life.
"So, if we're done talking about my personal life ..."
"Can't help it. It's so fun!"
"What's happening with the Mid Rim?" She bluntly asked.
The Battle of Vrogas Vas was exhausting and really tense. The Rebels lost a lot of their own. It was against Darth Vader, after all. Laetitia and Thexan had gone there to help them and they did. When things were alright, they came back and let the other Rebels handle it. But that's when things got worse.
"Leah ..." Ahsoka sighed.
"Don'r make me use my rank on you. As the Leader of the Rebellion, I have a right to know every secret of it. And the Empire is crushing my people. I don't give a damn if Mon Mothma thinks it's too dangerous for 'the Leader of the Rebellion' to go. I wanna know the details." Leah snapped at her.
She didn't like being left behind, especially when lives were at stake. When she heard what was happening in the Mid Rim after she left, she went straight to the Comet to take off, but Mon Mothma and Luke were already there and stopped her. Mothma didn't want to lose the biggest ally of the Rebellion, but Leah didn't care. It was Luke's plead that stopped her.
His blue eyes were filled with tears, asking his sister to stay behind. Leah couldn't resist the similarity between his eyes and their father's. She needed to work on saying 'no' to him.
At the end, with complete frustration, she didn't go and let Mon Mothma handle it. But she did allow Luke, Han, Chewie and Rex to go back. They needed all the help they needed and it was about time that she let Luke take part in missions and battles. He was no longer a kid.
"It's not going good. I was just in contact with them and came to tell you and Thexan ... Han said that they had to retreat." Ahsoka quietly said.
"How many casualties? How bad?"
"It's not good ... We lost most of our Bases and Rebels."
Leah sighed in sadness and anger. She fisted her hands while her eyes were filled with frustrated tears. This was all he fault. She was responsible for the lives of the Rebels she lost. She was their Leader. She was supposed to protect them.
"This is my fault." She muttered as she closed her eyes.
"There was nothing you could've done."
"I could've been there. I should've been there! Instead, I was here while everyone else was fighting." She said with guilty tears in her eyes.
Ahsoka sighed. She couldn't say anything to that.
To be honest, she was surprised Leah didn't disobey her orders and go there anyway. Normally, she would have gotten to the Comet before anyone could stop her, and left for the battle. But this time, she didn't do any of that, and actually listened to what she was told to do.
Maybe it had something to do with Luke. He was the one who begged her to stay back. He was still worried about her.
Suddenly, Laetitia's comlink started beeping. She answered it immediately when she knew it was Han.
"Han, tell me something good." She begged.
"I'm alive!" Han sarcastically said, panting.
"Yay, and boy! Have I lowered my expectations." She sarcastically shot back.
"That hurt! ... Just a second! I'm working on it, so she won't have a heart attack!" He angrily muttered to Chewie's roar.
Leah and Ahsoka looked at each other with alarm. Something was wrong ... Very, very wrong.
"Han, what's going on?" Ahsoka asked suspiciously.
"Uh ... not much." He nervously replied.
"Cut the crap! What the hell happened?!" Leah snapped at him.
She had a feeling something was wrong. What was wrong ... Was she right? Did the worst happen?
"It's Luke ... He's been captured."
Done :)
