Chapter 49- Return to Tatooine and Delays
6 months later...
Tatooine was as much of a dust ball as Lena remembered. Talon and Lando had called them at the base surrounding the planet Sullust and Luke, Leia, Lena, Cora, and the droids had come and decided to hole up in Obi-Wan's house on the Dune Sea. Chewbacca had taken Threepio and Artoo to Mos Eisley to pick up supplies while everyone else waited and Luke was busy building a lightsaber.
Talon entered the house. Sand had worked its way through his dark brown hair and his skin was slightly sunburned. "Papa, are you all right?" Lena asked after giving her father the customary kiss on his cheek.
"I am fine, Lena. Where is Luke and Leia?" Talon asked, looking around.
"Luke is outside constructing his new lightsaber and Leia is trying to work on her new cover so she can sneak into Jabba's palace to free Han. Do you and Lando have your covers?" Lena asked.
"Yes. Me and Calrissian are going to be two of Jabba's guards. What is Leia going to be?" Talon asked.
"Boushh the bounty hunter. Leia can speak Ubese and that would work to our advantage as Threepio and Artoo are going there and Threepio can speak over six million languages," Lena said.
And what is the plan for you and Luke?" Talon asked.
"We are going to have the droids deliver Jabba a message. If he releases Han, good. If not, it's going to be very unpleasant. Also me and Luke will hide our lightsabers in Artoo," Lena said.
"Well, sounds like a good plan. Does Luke have a kyber crystal for his lightsaber?" Talon asked.
"Yeah. Obi-Wan had a spare. Father, tell me something. Is Darth Vader mine and Luke's father?" Lena asked.
Talon didn't answer for a long moment, "Yes, he is. Did he tell you?" Talon asked, cupping her face gently with his large hand.
"Yes. On Bespin. Papa, what made him betray the Jedi order?" Lena asked as she sat down next to her father and rested her head against his shoulder.
"The emperor was the one who changed him. He seduced him to the dark side. I'm not entirely sure what Palpatine told Anakin, but when he came into the temple, killing all the younglings and your mother died of a broken heart the day you and Luke were born, me, Obi-Wan, and Yoda knew that the goodness in Anakin was gone, even though your mother claimed there was still good in him with her last words," Talon said, stroking her hair gently.
"Has any Sith ever come back from the dark side to the light?" Lena asked.
"Not that I am aware of. Your mother died, hoping that Anakin would come back. As far as I know, it has never happened. Are you mad at me for not telling you?" Talon asked.
"No. Obi-Wan told us Vader killed my father. From what I saw on Bespin, I have to agree with him. The good man who was my father was destroyed," Lena said glumly.
"You have Anakin's sensitivity to the Force; you and Luke both. But you both also have your mother's kind heart. She would have been proud of you both as I am, my dear," Talon said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Thanks, Papa. Do you think having our mother's heart would remind Vader not to try hurting us?" Lena asked, putting her head back against his broad chest.
"I don't know. Vader did cut off Luke's hand. I think he forgot how that feels to lose a limb to a lightsaber. Count Dooku cut from the elbow to his hand at the Battle of Geonosis," Talon said, stroking Lena's hair absently.
"So, do you have your lightsaber?" Lena asked, changing the subject.
"Yes. None of Jabba's guards will know that I carry one just yet. If a battle comes, then I will use it. And what about Cora?" Talon asked.
"Me and Luke have talked to her. Luke asked her to stay here as Jabba's palace is no place for younglings. To hear Chewbacca describe it, Jabba is disgusting and depraved. There is no way I'd allow Cora anywhere near there," Lena said.
"I actually agree with you. When we are done rescuing Han, we can swing by here and pick up Cora," Talon said as Luke stepped into the house, his new lightsaber clipped to his belt. Talon had to admit that Luke looked much older now wearing black. It made Talon feel incredibly old watching all three Skywalker children and his daughter grow right in front of him.
"Welcome back, Uncle. Did Lena explain the plan?" Luke asked.
"Yes. Me and Calrissian will be inside the palace when you arrive," Talon said.
"Good. Lena, we'd better record the message and he and Threepio can get going," Luke said to his sister.
"Okay. Papa, can you call Artoo in here, please? And have him come alone. We don't need Threepio to know our plans. He's a protocol droid. He can reveal everything we are planning," Lena said. Talon came back a few minutes later with the squat little droid, who beeped and chirped at Luke and Lena excitedly.
"We need you to deliver a message to Jabba the Hutt when you go with Threepio, Artoo. Are you ready?" Luke asked. Artoo chirped in what Lena hoped was agreement and turned on his recorder. "Greetings, Exalted One. Allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Luke Skywalker and this is my twin sister, Lena Organa Skywalker, Jedi knights and friends to Captain Solo," Luke said by way of introduction.
"My brother and I know that you are powerful, mighty Jabba, and that your anger with Solo must be equally powerful. We seek an audience with Your Greatness to bargain for Solo's life," Lena said.
"With your wisdom, I'm sure that we can work out an arrangement which will be mutually beneficial and enable us to avoid any unpleasant confrontation. As a token of our goodwill, my sister and I present to you a gift; these two droids. Both are hardworking and will serve you well," Luke said, indicating Artoo to stop the recording.
"Well, I don't think Jabba will buy that, Luke. He doesn't like Jedi and he never liked Anakin. Your father was a slave on this planet and after Master Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan freed him, Jabba still thought he was a slave," Talon said.
"Yeah. I remember Ahsoka telling me that when I was ten or eleven about what happened with Jabba's son, Rotta. He really has no respect for the Jedi order, Father?" Lena asked.
"None whatsoever. He's going to think you and Luke are just kids playing Jedi knight. He just has no idea that I trained both of you," Talon said, with a hint of pride in his voice.
Vader watched with a feeling of disgust as he got his first look at the new battle station. Vader wondered for the millionth time what possessed the emperor to make another Death Star. Vader had been secretly pleased that his son and daughter had been the ones to destroy the first one and Vader was hoping that Luke or Lena would destroy this one too. But the emperor had insisted that he go to stop all delays as the battle station was only half-built and it was a way to stop Vader from searching for his children.
The pilot of his ship stopped inside the hangar bay and Vader felt a rising fear as he left his vessel. Good. Fear is healthy, Vader thought with smugness as he left his ship. Commander Jerjorrod was standing in front of him at attention and the fear was all over his face.
"Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure. We're honored by your presence," Jerjerrod said, apparently not above pretending that he was pleased to see Vader when he really wasn't.
"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule," Vader said, a slight steel in his voice, that also carried a hint of impatience.
"I assure you, Lord Vader, my men are working as fast as they can," Jerjerrod said as they walked past the troops.
"Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them," Vader said, not bothering to disguise the threat in his voice.
"I tell you, this station will be operational, as planned," Jerjerrod said and they stopped walking.
"The emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation," Vader said, wagging his finger in front of the man's face.
"But he asks the impossible. I need more men," Jerjerrod said in a slight whisper.
"Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives," Vader said. The look of absolute fear on Jerjerrod's face was almost laughable if it was possible for Vader to laugh. Vader was frightening, but the emperor scared even him.
"The emperor's coming here?" Jerjerrod asked with a wince.
"That is correct, Commander, and he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress," Vader said.
"We shall double our efforts," Jerjerrod said a little too quickly.
"I hope so, Commander, for your sake. The emperor is not as forgiving as I am," Vader said and with those words stalked away. The words were a really big lie if Vader thought about it long enough. He wasn't really that forgiving, given his history of strangling officers and also the sand people who murdered his mother, but Jerjerrod knew the lie for what it was. Now all Vader had to do was wait for the emperor and then decide what to do about Luke and Lena. Both had gotten stronger in the Force. Vader had felt them at intervals during the last six months; the strongest when they had been on Coruscant to stop the Black Sun syndicate. Their use of the Force was so strong, it nearly staggered their father. Vader had to find them before they went so far into the light side where they could never turn to the dark side.