Obi-wan Kenobi woke, still shackled firmly to the floor of a cargo bay filled with ray emitters. His head ached terribly and recalled, dimly, the gas which had seeped into the chamber and choked him in to unconsciousness. That had been typical Imperial overkill. Why merely subdue a prisoner when you give him the very real sense that he was being executed, only to have him wake again later in exactly the same situation but hungrier and even more exhausted?

The door slid open and he saw that Vader was back to interrogate him again, and for him it felt as though no time had passed. His only waking moments were to be spent with his interrogator. He sat up, waiting calmly for his former apprentice to speak. He tried not to think of countless times they had been shackled together, as the prisoners of mutual enemies.

"Have you been on Alderaan all these years?" Vader asked without preamble.

Obi-wan raised an eyebrow at that, "Tatooine, actually."

Vader merely stood there, breathing. "I see." He said finally. "I am not aware of a significant Rebel infestation on that planet."

Obi-wan bit back a smile, amused to see Vader pretend that Tatooine was not deeply significant to them both. "There wasn't a Rebel presence at all. Just an old man living his days out in the Dune Sea."

"And the battle at Scarif?" Vader prodded.

Obi-wan shrugged under his bindings, "I'll happily take responsibility if you are looking for someone to blame. But, in fact, I was unaware of the event until your old droids appeared at my doorstep."

He sensed confusion emanate from Vader.

"What droids?"

Obi-wan realized, then, that he had made a mistake. Why had those specific droids sought him out on Tatooine? Leia had sent them. Obi-wan had left them with Bail all those years ago and clearly the man had kept on using them, despite knowing who they had belonged to. That had been a risky and nostalgic move. Vader could easily have recognized those droids on any number of occasions. But he'd brought the droids up, and he had to say something….

"Your astromech, Artoo, wasn't it? And Threepio? They came as emissaries of the Alliance to ask for my help."

"You received the plans and went to Alderaan to confer with Organa." Vader summarized.

"Yes." He replied. "Now the plans are in Alliance possession and someday your battle station will fall burning from the sky."

"Perhaps." Vader agreed disinterestedly. "Tell me, which other Jedi are you in contact with?"

Obi-wan smiled at the awkward segue. He was sure Vader's mind was still on his old droids. "I told you, I've been in the Dune Sea. I've had no contact with other Jedi since your empire rose."

"That is a lie." Vader observed coldly. "You cannot lie to me, Kenobi. Not anymore."

Obi-wan raised his shackled hands in something of a shrug. "Is this where you threaten to interrogate me with chemicals? Or torture? Have those methods proven useful to you in your pursuit of my Jedi brothers and sisters?"

"On occasion." Vader bit out. "Though I have found a Jedi's greatest weakness is his compassion. I suspect that will be true in your case."

An icy shard of fear crept into Obi-wan's heart at those words. It bloomed into an alarming suspicion even as Vader strode away and the gas jets opened, making it impossible for him remain conscious.

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The journey off of Alderaan, on the Millennium Falcon had been uneventful. Luke was glad to be back with Han and Chewie, who were, in turn, pleased to have another paying job— ferrying Bail Organa, and his wife Queen Breha Organa, to the Rebellion.

The queen wore plain clothing, and spoke to him with curious affection, as if they were distantly related. "How were things on Tatooine, Luke?" She asked in gentle, refined tones.

Luke shrugged, "Moisture farming is a lot of work for not much pay off. But it kept us fed." He thought of his aunt and uncle's charred remains, but quickly pushed the memory away. "I went to school, and learned to fly atmospheric vehicles. When we get to the Rebellion I'll tell them I want to train as a pilot. Do you think they'll let me?"

"Call it the Alliance, dear, and yes, I'm sure Mon will be delighted to have you as a pilot."

Luke grinned. "I guess I'm also supposed to train as a Jedi, but I can't do that without a teacher."

Breha smiled, "Did Obi-wan teach you while you were on Tatooine?"

Luke frowned. Obi-wan had known Luke's father. He'd known Luke had the Force, and yet he hadn't said anything about it all those years. "No. He only started teaching me once we'd left the planet."

"Hmm." Breha said contemplatively. "What is it like, to be Force-sensitive?"

Luke concentrated and managed to float a stylus above his hand for a moment before catching it. "I don't know how to do much. I wish Obi-wan had come with us."

Breha reached out and cupped his cheek for a moment. "Do you not know where he has gone?"

Luke shook his head, he'd stopped listening once it had become clear that Ben and he were going separate ways.

"He's gone to try to rescue Leia, my daughter. Darth Vader captured her ship, and we believe he must be holding her prisoner even now."

"So Ben, I mean Obi-wan, thought the best way to free her was to surrender to Vader?"

Breha's face became pained. "We had to give Vader someone, and Obi-wan volunteered. If anyone can escape Vader on his own ship, it will be Obi-wan Kenobi."

Luke forced a small smile, "Yeah, I hope so. And I hope he kills Vader."

Breha frowned slightly, "You are young to wish death on anyone."

"He killed my father." Luke informed the older woman stiffly.

Breha sighed, "Yes, I suppose he did. But revenge isn't the way, Luke."

Luke shrugged again, uncomfortable, "I hope Leia is okay. I hope Obi-wan is, too. I wish I could do something to help them."

"You will." Breha said enigmatically. "I'm sure we'll all have our parts to play once we arrive on Home One."

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Vader watched the girl dig into another meal tray ravenously, though it had hardly been more than a day since her last meal. It was soft treatment, compared to the methods he'd used when he'd interrogated her previously, but he understood now why he had been unsuccessful. She was Force-sensitive and she'd managed to use her latent talent to resist him.

Leia Organa looked up at him. "Thank you for the food."

"It is contingent upon your compliance." Vader pointed out.

The girl's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

"As I have said, I intend to train you in the Force." Vader replied.

The girl pushed aside her now empty tray, and began to drink the water packet which had been supplied with it. "What happened to Tarkin was beyond my control."

"Precisely." He replied swiftly. "That is why you must learn to use your skills."

"I'm not a killer." The girl protested.

"The Force is not merely a tool for combat, it is pure power. Those who can sense it must learn to control that power, else it control them."

Leia Organa shook her head dismissively, "I don't know why you think you can argue me into cooperating with you. I don't want to be anything like you."

"Perhaps you are right." Vader conceded coldly. "Your willing cooperation would only make the process easier for you to bear. But it is hardly necessary. You will obey."

The girl had gone pale as he spoke but said nothing. He left her to her thoughts.

Weary of both his prisoners he retreated to his private quarters which were furnished only with a wide data terminal and the hyperbaric chamber in which he could remove his mask. He sat and reviewed the statement he'd had prepared. He deemed it appropriate and signed off on it, knowing that in a matter of hours the death of Leia Organa of Alderaan would be known across the galaxy.

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Luke had been in the mess hall of Home One when he heard the news that the Princess of Alderaan had been executed on the orders of the late Grand Moff Tarkin. This news rippled through Home One not just because Bail Organa and his wife, the Queen of Alderaan were on board, and devastated by the loss, but because Tarkin had held power eclipsed only Vader and the Emperor himself, and his unexplained death would have consequences within the Empire.

Two gatherings were announced. There would be a memorial for Princess Organa, and a quarter of an hour later there would be a community meeting with Mon Mothma and the other members of the Alliance High Command in which they would discuss the opportunities which existed due to the Grand Moff's passing. It was, Luke thought, sad that there wasn't more time to mourn the Alderaanian heir, but it turned out the Alliance, as an organization, was exceedingly practical and there was little time in their schedule for emotional processing.

He went to the quarters which had been assigned the Queen and Viceroy of Alderaan, which were only narrowly larger than his own.

Breha opened his arms to him and held him tightly, her tears falling on his head. "I'm sorry you never got to meet her, Luke." She whispered, as though this were more Luke's loss than her own.

Bail Organa stood brooding, staring out the viewport into hyperspace. "It may not be true." He said rigidly.

Breha kept hugging Luke but shifted to look up at her husband, "If the Empire had Leia alive they would say so, they'd be using her against us already if they could."

Luke said nothing, nearly moved to tears himself by the warm affection Breha Organa offered him.

Bail turned to look squarely at Luke, "How much do you know about your biological parents?"

Breha's arms tightened around Luke but she snapped at her husband, "Honestly, Bail, now is not the time."

Bail did not reply to his wife came and sat on Luke's other side. Luke sat up, looking between the two of them, feeling confused. "I grew up thinking my father was a pilot of a spice freighter who had died. Ben told me he was actually a Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker who was killed by Darth Vader. I don't know who my mother was. My aunt and uncle never spoke of her."

Bail sighed, "I am sorry to hear that, Luke. I knew your mother well. Her name was Padme Amidala."

Luke blinked, feeling suddenly ungrounded. "You knew her?"

"Oh yes." Bail agreed, "She was a senator in the Republic. We worked together frequently."

"And my father?" Luke asked, heart beginning to race.

Bail looked wistful. "Yes, I knew Anakin."

"What were they like?" Luke's chest felt painfully tight.

Bail smiled, "They were both extremely devoted to the Republic. But I had no idea they were a couple, let alone married. They kept it all a secret."

Luke felt a stirring that might be tears start to well up. "Why didn't Obi-wan tell me any of that?"

It was Breha who replied, "I think he would have, given time. But Anakin's death was terribly painful for him. We only saw Obi-wan once, after you were born. Then we had no sign of him for nineteen years."

Luke blinked, it was one revelation after another and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. "Who died first, my mother or my father?"

Bail tensed at his left, "Your mother died in childbirth, Luke. As for your father, I cannot say."

Breha sighed, giving her husband a resigned look. "You were born one of a set of fraternal twins, Luke. We adopted Leia, and Obi-wan took you to Tatooine."

Luke lurched to his feet, pulling himself away from Breha's warmth and spinning to face both the Organas at once. "What?"

"Leia was your twin sister." Bail confirmed, his eyes now glassy. "I'm sorry you never got to know her."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Luke asked, a rush of conflicting emotions running through him like electricity. "If I had a sister, why didn't Ben tell me?"

Bail's face calmed at that, "We didn't tell Leia she had a brother. Obi-wan thought it best that you be raised separately."

"Why?" Luke blurted. "We were orphans. At least we could have had each other!"

Bail nodded slightly, "Yes, in any other circumstance I would have preferred to have you both on Alderaan. But because your father was a Jedi, there was a very good chance at least one of you would be Force-sensitive, and two Force-sensitive children would have drawn a great deal of attention. We couldn't risk that, so I let Obi-wan take you away."

"Was Leia Force-sensitive, too?" Luke asked.

Breha shook her head, "We always avoided having her tested, and she never manifested any sign of the Force."

Luke sighed. "This is a lot to take in. I'm going back to my room."

He left the Organas and stumbled into his own dark room, flinging himself onto the bunk, trying to absorb everything he had heard. He'd had a sister but she'd been killed by the Empire, just in the last few days. It was… terribly sad.

He let his tears flow as he imagined having had a sister.

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Vader had given the order for Kenobi to be woken some fifteen minutes previous. Now his aged master sat, still shackled to the cargo bay floor, looking at him wearily.

He tossed the man a datapad so he could read the announcement himself.

Kenobi read quickly and looked up at Vader in dismay. "Leia Organa is dead?"

"So it would appear." Vader replied.

Kenobi scowled, "That's no answer."

Vader used the Force to toggle the data pad's channel so that Kenobi could see the live-feed of the girl's cell. A tiny image of the girl, curled on the bench sleeping was visible.

"She will be my new acolyte." Vader informed him, hoping his smug tone was evident through the vocoder.

Obi-wan Kenobi stared at the vid image a moment longer then looked up at him, blue eyes looking terribly weary. "You would lure another young one into darkness? After everything it has done to you, Anakin?"

Vader used the Force to pull the datapad from Kenobi's grasp. "I am second in power own to the Emperor. That is what the Dark Side has given me."

"But you are still a slave, Anakin!" Kenobi cried. "After all these years!"

If Vader could have cast Force lightning he would have done so, his anger was so sharp and focused in that moment. As it was he settled for choking his former master into unconsciousness, but no further. He had, unfortunately, not guarded himself against the impact of Kenobi's words and they had penetrated him to the core. He chided himself on letting the man get to him once again.

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Obi-wan Kenobi woke, throat aching, but pleased to find that Darth Vader was not in attendance. Rather, an Imperial medic bent over him with a scanner. The young man lurched back the moment he realized Obi-wan was awake.

"I mean you no harm." Obi-wan tried to say, his swollen throat barely allowing him to make a sound.

The medic was young, perhaps in his early twenties, and scowled as though Obi-wan was inconveniencing him by being awake. "I am treating your injury. Do not speak. If you give me trouble, I'll sedate you."

Obi-wan closed his mouth and settled for watching the medic use his scanners and hyposprays.

Then he remembered what Vader had told him and his heart began to ache. Vader had discovered Leia's Force-sensitivity. It was a disaster.

He'd known, when he'd let himself be taken, that Leia Organa might already be dead, but this situation was far worse. That Vader would unknowingly try to convert his own daughter to the dark side was obscene. Obi-wan would have to try to find a way to prevent that from happening, somehow, in his very few Vader-free moments of consciousness like this one.

He reached out in the Force, searching for and finding a dim Force presence that could only be Leia Organa. He could sense her awake and unhappy, but her signature in the Force was still unfocused and pure.

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Leia felt cold, hungry, and utterly alone. She hated this. The days with no food, and only water to drink were painful and wearying. Absurdly, she found herself hoping for Vader's return, if only because she knew she would be given something to eat. She had no idea if he was monitoring her or if someday he would merely not return and she would starve to death, anonymous in this forgotten corner of an Imperial dreadnought.

She had gone back to the fateful moment when she had killed Tarkin many times and still could not understand how she'd done it. The power that had coursed through her in that moment had been tremendous. Now, though, she could summon nothing like it, no matter how hard she wished she could hurt Darth Vader.

And he said he wanted to train her to use that power. No, he'd told her she would be trained, that she had no choice in the matter. Her only choice was to comply, or to be made to comply.

This was coercion, she understood that well enough, but she wasn't sure how exactly she was meant to resist.