The next morning it was Mara who found the news report on the Holonet. Viceroy Bail Organa, Senator of Alderaan had been arrested for kidnapping, tampering with Imperial records, and treason.
"That's impossible." Leia yelled, but restrained herself from breaking any more of her possessions.
"Well, we have a scheduled session with Vader this morning," Mara offered hesitantly. "Maybe he'll tell us what's going on."
Leia clenched her jaw, nodding tightly. "He'd better."
Vader was impassive when he found them in the practice hall. Leia was trying, very, very hard, to be civil. Even though Vader was the one who had arrested her father, she knew better than to mouth off to him.
"Lord Vader," Leia asked carefully, "I am confused about last night's events."
Vader crossed his arms in front of his chest, staring down at her through his mask. "You are angry, as well you should be, Leia."
Leia crossed her own arms trying to shore up her courage. "Please tell me what is going on, Lord Vader, I beg you."
Vader inclined his helmet, "Bail Organa kidnapped you from Coruscant thirteen years ago. Last night he knew he had been found out. He surrendered and I took him into custody."
Leia swallowed, "I was adopted, not kidnapped."
A burst of anger radiated from Vader, "You were kidnapped. Your biological father thought you had died, but it was a kidnapping none the less."
Leia frowned, "My biological parents are both dead. Aren't they?"
Vader uncrossed his arms, looking down at her in silence only marked by the sounds of his breaths.
"No, Leia. I am your father."
Leia heard Mara gasp from behind her. Leia turned her attention back to Vader, "You expect me to believe that?"
Vader crossed his arms again, "It is true. You were born Leia— Leia Skywalker. Bail Organa spirited you away and raised you as his own. If I had known you lived I never would have let you go, Leia."
Leia felt the truth of Vader's words through the force, he believed what he was saying.
"And what about my biological mother?" She demanded.
"She died." Vader's voice was hollow, abrupt. She sensed a great sadness from him, like a whirlpool descending into the blackest depths of the ocean.
Leia sat down on the mats, trying to think clearly. "What's going to happen to my father?" She asked.
Vader's anger spiked at the words, but he spoke to her with a fragile calm. "Your kidnapper will face the justice of the Empire."
Leia looked up at the man who claimed to be her biological father. "I want to see him."
Vader nodded, "I will permit it, but not today."
Leia looked away, given the situation, Vader was being uncannily reasonable.
"Thank you, Lord Vader." She whispered.
"Get to your feet, Leia." Vader ordered. "Your anger makes you stronger in the Force. Get your weapon and we will spar."
Leia was exhausted. She had put her whole heart into attacking Vader with the practice saber. He hadn't budged, of course, he'd just made the slightest movements to block her attacks. Still, it had felt good to burn out her anger in combat.
She was alone in her rooms now. Well, not completely alone. Mara Jade was in the sitting room, reading a datapad, and giving Leia her space. She appreciated that.
Was Vader really her biological father? Was this all an elaborate ruse? She thought about what she had sensed from Bail Organa, at the dinner last night. Regret, sadness, hatred of Vader, love for her. So much love for her. She wanted to cry. Even if it was all true, Bail Organa was the only father she had ever known and she didn't want to loose him.
Leia slept. It was still daytime when she awoke. She still felt tired. She wandered out into the sitting room. Mara was there, looking at her with sympathy.
"Do you think it's true?" She asked as she sunk into a padded chair.
Mara gave her a helpless look, "I don't know why Vader would say it if it wasn't true."
"He said my name is Skywalker."
"Sounds Outer Rim." Mara commented vaguely.
Leia closed her eyes, wishing this day were over.
They sat in silence for a long time. Mara read her datapad and Leia starred into space, she had no idea what would happen to her. None at all.
The next morning Mara was gone, and Leia was alone, until someone very unexpected showed up at her door.
She stared at Darth Vader then moved to let him in.
She followed him into her sitting room. He looked so tall in the modest space of her apartment, too big to be so close.
"Lord Vader, would you like to sit down?" She offered, because that was how you were supposed to treat guests.
Vader sat, awkwardly on a strait backed chair pulled in from the dining room. "Thank you for seeing me, Leia." Vader rumbled, his voice almost gentle.
Leia sat down in the armchair, pulling her legs up to sit cross legged. "Are you really my biological father?"
"Yes." Vader told her, "Can you not sense it in the Force?"
Leia nodded, "I'm just— really surprised, I guess."
"That." Vader said, "Is understandable. A crime has been committed against both of us."
Leia thought of her adoptive father, where was he now? What would happen to him? Had he known her biological father was alive when he adopted her?
"He knew." Vader spat. Had he read her mind? Could he do that?
"What?" Leia gulped.
"Bail Organa knew what he was doing when he stole you away from me."
Leia thought about that, "If I'm your daughter why did you say my name is Leia Skywalker, shouldn't I be Leia Vader?" She cringed at the words, but the question was already out of her mouth so she stared at Vader expectantly.
"Long ago, I was called Anakin Skywalker. Your mother's name was Padme Amidala Naberrie. Your full name at birth was Leia Amidala Skywalker."
Leia could sense Vader's sadness and anger like a mist surrounding them both. "What happens now?" She asked softly.
Vader tilted his mask. "You belong with me, here on Imperial Center."
Leia bit her lip, unsure what to think, terrified of angering Vader.
Vader spoke again, his tone almost consolatory, "I will never hurt you, Leia. You need not fear me."
Leia wasn't sure she believed that. "Will you continue training me to use the Force?" She wasn't sure why this mattered but she wanted something to hold on to, something to look forward to.
"Of course." Vader replied. Her question had pleased him, she realized. Was he as uncertain about this whole situation as she was?
"Okay." She told him, though she couldn't quite say what she was agreeing to. To give Vader the benefit of the doubt, she supposed. She was confused, she felt like she was being pulled in a hundred directions. Be good, she told herself, in her mind repeating her adoptive father's last words to her. Be good.