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AN: I used Wookieepidia for information about Galen.
AN:I am soo sorry for the long wait! It was a bad combination of writers block and real life that kept me away for…..5 months :( Sorry….. I promise I wont make the next update that long….Anyway I have a nice and long chapter where there is a lot going on…Thank you again for all of your support!
14 BBY
Life on Kashyyyk for the Wookie's has been a living hell since the Empire took hold of the galaxy. They were enslaved and forced to build a secret weapon, that was rumored to have the capability to destroy an entire planet.
Their once peaceful planet was now a never-ending nightmare for them.
The indigenous creatures had few allies on the planet, but the support was welcome anywhere they could get it. One day, while gathering supplies for their family, Mallie saw what look to be a group of Wookie's trying to defend themselves from a group of Trandoshan slavers.
Being a Jedi at heart, Mallie took out her lightsaber, and joined the fight to defend them. The Wookie's were grateful for the help and continued to fight back.
Sadly, they were no match for the group of slavers. Mallie along with some of the Wookie's had perished in the battle.
The loss of his wife left Kento in the position to raise their powerful son alone.
It was hard for the now widowed Jedi. Telling his son his mother is not going to wake up. Kento not knowing what to do had thrown himself into meditations, and started to train his son.
Kento was paranoid that his son will be killed along with him if he did not learn the ways of the Jedi.
Kento gave Galen the day off from training on his life day. The older force user also gave his son a necklace with the crest of their family. As he put it around his son's neck he was suddenly struck by these feelings of despair and torture.
After that the former Jedi Knight started feeling this fear, and darkness coming from his son.
Not knowing how to approach his son, he saw how Galen was becoming more fearful and withdrawn. Kento took a lesson from his Jedi teachings and started pushed those feelings aside.
But these instances kept coming up with Galen.
They start growing stronger, with meditations, training, and other things just being by his son.
But one night, Kento became truly unsettled.
Galen, is reserved and shy, but he is independent for his age. He usually was able to sleep on his own, even with all these disturbing feelings coming from him the last couple of months.
But this night he needed his dad.
The older Marek was still awake, mediating. He was thinking about his wife. How these unbelievable feelings of grief were starting to take its toll him. Was broken by his son's voice.
"Dad…can I sleep with you?" The little boy asked.
Kento opened his eyes when he heard his son's quiet voice break his meditation. He saw his son's brown eyes peer up at his father.
"What's wrong Galen?" He asked with a look a concern on his face. As hard as he has been on his son the last few months with the training, he still cared very deeply for his son. It pained him to see him frightened like this.
The five-year-old looked at his dad. Trying to hold in the terror he has been seeing.
Galen for the past few months felt this unfamiliar sadness coming from his father. It was ever since his mother went to sleep and never woke up.
This also made his dad go crazy with his Jedi training. Everyday mediations, force exercises, and light saber exercises.
It was helping Galen grow into his powers quickly. But it did not help the things he was feeling and seeing through the force.
Death, destruction, and a modulated voice.
It was starting to frighten the young boy.
After his last nightmare, he was afraid enough to his dad and sleep the rest of the night with him.
"I wanna sleep with you tonight." Galen pleaded with his voice on borderline hysterics.
Alarmed by his son's tone, the former Jedi stepped up from his stance and gave his son a tight hug.
"Of course you can… let me get ready for bed ok?" Kento said.
Galen gave him a nod.
After a few minutes the former Jedi was ready for bed and took his son over to sleeping hammock.
Kento waited till he heard Galen drift off to sleep. Then Kento followed shortly after, completely unprepared for what he was about to see.
o-o-o
The first thing this older Jedi felt this unbearable cold and darkness in the air. Then he heard the buzzing plasm of two light sabers crashing together.
Kento felt his eyes opened and it looked like he was the inside of his hut. But the Jedi felt that these were not his own eyes.
These eyes he was seeing through were looking at the splinters from the door that use to stand where the open space is.
"I sense someone far more powerful than you nearby. Where is your master?!" Shouted a robotic voice. The force from the voice had gotten the attention of the person Kento was seeing this vision through. He moved with it to the window to try to hide and see where the direction of the voice is.
Kento saw himself on the verge of death, hoisted by his neck using the force by a menacing black figure with a red-light saber.
"The dark side has clouded your mind. You killed my master years ago." He heard his voice sounding defeated. The black figure then took his red-light saber and was about to pierce the blade threw the beaten Jedi.
Seeing this, the person Kento was seeing through, called the red-light saber on instinct through the force.
The dark figure turned around to see where his weapon had landed. The older Jedi felt in the vision, the utter shock and astonishment to of the dark figure. That this person had the power to take his weapon.
Kento's own panic began to rise at the sight of the dark figure finally coming into his view.
It was Darth Vader.
The Sith Lord, Master Kenobi had warned the Marek's about when he found them.
Kento then realized that he is seeing this vision through his son's eyes.
At that thought the older Jedi desperately wanted the vision to end…but the force was insistent that he must stay.
As the scene continued to play out, the Jedi Knight through his son's distressed feelings, he noticed that the Sith Lord quickly realized that the boy was the son of the Jedi that he was about to kill.
Kento was powerless to watch his son witness his father's life ending.
He heard his own voice trying to warn Galen to run.
Darth Vader, was as cold as Master Kenobi described him. The Sith Lord closed his fist, then Kento heard the unmistakable crack of his neck in front the hut, and watched as his form crumpled to the ground. All the while the cold mask of Darth Vader had his focus centered on his son.
Kento felt Galen's horror as he watched father's lifeless body fall to the floor. The Sith Lord then cautiously approached him in a careful non-threatening way.
But Kento felt his son back away, frightened by the intimidating Sith Lord.
At that moment, what looked like an Imperial Commander and a squad of storm troopers entered the hut. He felt his son's fear when Darth Vader ordered his troops to execute the him.
Kento still trying to pull out of the vision, was forced to watch as Vader used the Force to reclaim his lightsaber. He felt Galen look into the holes of the mask that represented his eyes, Kento and Galen were trying to figure out what Vader was going to do.
Surprising them both, Vader blocked the blaster shots that were aimed at Galen then cut down the commander and his storm troopers.
Vader then eliminated all the witnesses who saw Galen.
The Sith Lord then approached the frightened orphan, almost like he knew how to approach a child…
What Vader did next surprised Kento, more than his son.
Darth Vader clipped his weapon to his belt, then used both of his hands to open his mask.
It revealed a human face that looked hauntingly familiar to Kento.
He kneeled to be at Galen's level and told him that they had to leave together before more Imperials arrived.
Kento felt the confusion and trauma from his son.
But Galen was disarmed by the seemingly warm smile and eyes. He watched as his son complied with the Sith Lord.
The former Jedi tried to place where he saw that face before, the shorter dark blond hair.
That scar over his right eye…
Kento was lost trying to place where he saw that face before he did not realize that the Sith lord, put his mask back on. Then he felt the grip on his son's hand, and took a shocked Galen to his shuttle.
It was never ending torture to the former Jedi, to feel Galen's fear as he took each reluctant step. Kento was still shocked by the care and gentleness of the Sith Lord...
After a short walk through the forest, Galen reluctantly went up into the shuttle with him.
Then scene started to fade...
Kento again tried to pull out of the vision but it continued…
The older force user felt the air was thick with worry and fear. Again, Kento was looking through his son's eyes. The father felt that his son was older.
But tired.
Galen felt like he had the weight of a thousand souls on his shoulders. Kento saw the almost forgotten lights of hyperspace as they passed through the transparisteel of the shuttle he was on.
He felt him touch something on his neck, as he gazed into the tantalizing lights of hyperspace
"Galen." Kento was pulled out his dazed and looked at the direction of the voice.
Next to him was a Togruta female that had two light sabers clipped to her belt she looked older then him. She was tired and harden looking… like someone who has been fighting for a long time too…
"The lights of hyperspace always helped me clear my thoughts anytime I had an important mission in the Clone Wars."
He felt Galen relax a little as he took a seat nearby. But Kento saw his friend was unconvinced, so she spoke up again.
"I know this is going to be hard for you…." He heard the old Togruta female speak to him. Galen gave her a look that Kento felt. The Togruta's white markings morphed into a look of understanding.
"…Master Kota told me what happen." She said with a tone of sorrow that Kento was starting to grow fearful of.
How old is he here?
Galen held his necklace again. This time Kento was able to see what it was.
The one with their family crest on it.
He then turned over to talk to his partner. "My father gave me this." His father felt his son's grief, but his voice was still level.
"He gave this to me on my fifth life day." Galen took a breath. "He was murdered shortly after." Kento felt a tear fall down his cheek.
"Darth Vader took me in, and raised me as his own along with his son."
"Vader has a son?!" The Jedi next to him shouted. He felt the shock radiating from the female next to him. Kento was just as surprised too.
"He is more human than the galaxy realizes..." Galen said in almost sad voice. "From the time, he captured me till I was about eleven…he was like my father, he cared for me, even at some level he loved me like his own son." He let out a breath then continued.
"He is completely different from the destructive Sith Lord the galaxy is lead to believe." Kento felt the unease and darkness seeping into his son as he continued talking to his Jedi companion.
Kento can just tell by how open her force signature is and the lightsabers she carries.
"When I was eleven, Vader thought it was time for me to be sent off to a Sith temple, to start my training." Kento felt him shake almost fearfully at the memories he was telling her.
"After that Darth Sidious continued my training, he gave me a new name and made me suppress my old one… along with the memories of my family." he let a tear fall. "From the time, I was thirteen I took on the role… of one of Sidious's Hands'… I was another assassin and enforcer. I dispatched problematic individuals throughout the Imperial military and government… and I did it with vicious enthusiasm." Kento felt the grief, the pain, terror, and guilt in full force that his son had to experience. It broke his father's heart.
The female in front of him had the same look of sorrow Kento was feeling listening to this story.
He felt another tear roll down his son's cheek.
"When I was sixteen, I was on mission to Kashyyyk, where Darth Sidious located a small rebel cell and I was to eliminate it…" He looked away and took a pause.
"But it was a trap, I was ambushed by the slavers on the planet, and had nearly lost my life." Kento's heart continued shatter, he felt the pain in his son's soul.
"For almost a year the Wookie's nursed me back to health, I did not know it at the time, but it was one of the Wookie's that was saved by my mother years earlier."
Kento again felt the pain in his heart, Mallie force rest her soul he knows that pain from her loss will never go away…
"Then one day when I was out searching for supplies I stumbled upon the ruins of an old hut." Galen let out an anguished breath.
"It was the ruins of my childhood home when I moved closer to the place, I was pulled into an overwhelming Force vision." Kento felt his son feel happy, full of hope for the first time in this conversation.
"It was my father." Galen said happily. This earns a smile from his Jedi companion and Kento too. "He told me how sorry he was for not protecting me, how I and my mother were the best things in his life. He then told me there were other Jedi in the galaxy and rebellion that would take me in…"
He gripped his necklace.
"I found this in one of the rooms. Ever since that day I chose to accept redemption by embracing my Jedi heritage." Kento felt a surge of pride at his son. He was amazed at the kind of man his son has become, despite the darkness Galen has been through.
"And you know the story from there." He looked at the Togruta Jedi whose white markings on her face curled into a smile.
"You practically became part of our family." She said.
"Which is why we need to save them…" Galen said with a note finality.
Kento after his son's declaration he felt the scene around him fade again…
Kento was pulled into another scene this time Galen was running with the Togruta Jedi. There was a heard of steps following close behind.
"Ahsoka you need to get them out of here." Kento felt the weight of the words as he felt the force buzzing around him.
"No Galen-" She tried to reason with her. Kento felt his son knew something he was not telling Ahsoka.
"Traitor!" He heard a figure shout as he charged down the hallway.
Galen then drew his attention to the figure down the hallway. He saw the figure had a red blade, and Galen felt a flash of familiarity rush through him. Then without hesitation, he clicked open his green lightsaber and charged right at the figure.
"No!" He heard Ahsoka shout as the hallway door slammed behind him.
The figure was wearing all black, he had a strong build and he looked like he was around the age of an older Padawan. The force around this dark figure was powerful and Kento feared that this might be his son's last battle.
The figure swung first, nearly missing Galen's hand he was dueling with. Galen pressed forward in what felt like Form IV Ataru. It was not effective with the small space, his opponent seemed to be having the same problem his aggressive Form V Djem So. Till his opponent, who was emotionally volatile at this betrayal, pushed the pair into a lighted conference room.
Kento through Galen's eyes saw a young man, his face looked like a younger version of the Sith Lord he saw earlier. He was shorter, he had scares along his neck, his stance was not as confidant's as Vader's, but the power from the boy was devastating.
"How could you! You were my brother!" Galen got up, weak from the massive force push through the metal door.
Kento looked into his opponent's eyes and saw the conflict there. His eyes were a dark blue, he looked on the verge of tears.
Kento also felt the conflict inside of his son. Whoever this was Galen had a close relationship with them. And it made it harder for Kento watch this fight.
"The Emperor tried to have me killed!" Galen shouted as stood up and started to circle his opponent.
The young man with his weapon still in hand conveyed a look of shock but was not surprised.
"Why didn't you come back Titmas, my father would have protected you." He says trying to calm his own anger. Still looking for that old friend Galen once was.
Though it had the opposite effect. Kento felt the fury come back to his son at that last statement. He was also frightened at the darkness coming from his son.
Galen then charged with a force push of his own. It had almost overwhelmed his opponent that forced them to fight down the hallway again
"MY NAME IS GALEN MAREK!" Kento felt his son's rage as he changed his form to a more aggressive mode of fighting.
"Your father murdered my father." He started to push forward with tremendous power. "Then pawned me off to the Emperor when he had the chance!" Each word started to break his opponent as he spoke them.
At this point, Galen didn't care, Kento felt his son's pain and anger. At that moment, Galen's father felt every awful moment of his training, and orders he had to carry out in the name of the Empire.
His opponent felt it too, and he started to unleash all of his own furies on Galen.
"My father was right! You've turned your back us! Your family!" Shouted the person with the red blade. They both made it to an unfinished part of what looked to be a hanger bay. Their sabers then locked.
"Your father is wrong! About everything! The Rebels, the Jedi!" Galen and Kento felt hot plasma of the lightsaber pushing toward his chest. "Luke, it's not too late!"
Luke! Is that his son's name? Thought Kento.
As Galen said those words, his father felt Galen relax.
Kento suddenly recognized through the force, that his friends and the other rebels had disappeared into hyperspace.
Luke had felt Galen relax as well, then their sabers unhooked.
Vader's heir backed from his opponent and suddenly realized what happened.
Then charged back into the fight.
"The Jedi, the rebels have brainwashed you! Can't you see it!" Luke shouted as Galen matched him blow for blow.
Kento then felt Galen flip over Luke as he tried again to reason with his friend.
"Luke you are getting used by your father! By the Emperor! Come with me Luke, the rebellion will take you in!" Galen shouted as there was a fatigued desperation in each strike.
The son of Darth Vader was tiring too. "The rebellion has shattered the peace and prosperity the Empire has brought to the galaxy. If you are not with us, you are against us!" He shouted.
Galen with his head held high said something his father will always be proud of. "I am Jedi like my father before me and I stand with the rebellion against the empire!" He shouted. As he blocked another blow from his opponent.
"Then you are lost!" Shouted Luke. Any hope or restraint he had before was gone. Kento saw as his stormy blue eyes from before as they turned into a Sith yellow.
With his free hand Luke used the force to take a sharp tool that was there to finish this part of the hanger bay, and he forced into Galen's shoulder.
Kento felt his son's pain from the blow, and his lost grip on his green blade. The former Jedi felt his son's fear, and at that moment, he knew this Luke was going deliver the killing blow.
But as Luke approached his son, Kento felt his son come to peace with his impending death and felt his son's features soften as the red blade went right through his heart…
o-o-o
Kento's eyes flashed open, as he was jolted out of the vision. He looked down and saw his son awoke with him. The little boy had tears coming out of his eyes.
Still breaking from what he saw, Kento felt the tears coming out of his own eyes and pulled him into a tight hug.
Father and son stayed like this for what felt an eternity. Kento reluctantly peeled off Galen, who was still crying into his dad's chest.
Then the widowed father set Galen down on the floor. It was another five minutes till they both calmed down.
Kento wiped his son's tears and took him into the living space. The two sat next to each other till the silence was finally broken by Kento.
"How long has this been going on Galen?" He asked softly.
Galen had some more tears spring from his eyes. "Since mommy didn't wake up." He felt his father's sadness when he said that.
"You were sad and started my training..." The brown-headed boy hiccupped out.
"I thought it would stop if I trained harder," Galen said as his eyes were down casted and started to spring more tears.
Kento felt a pang of guilt, this was his fault. Pushing his son so hard, so suddenly. His temple life never left him, he thought he was doing right by my son.
The former Jedi's thoughts had started spiral... he could blame the Empire for taking his wife, blame the way he was brought up in the temple, but all Kento could do was blame himself.
He just was so lost without Mallie's guidance. She was the compassionate one. The Jedi who believed in defending the freedom and safety of others. And a few other qualities he fell in love with. She always knew what to do and what to say.
Now, after what he saw, there was no way he could let that happen.
Kento gently grasped his son's chin, and Galen tipped his head to look into his father's serious expression. "None of this is your fault, Galen." He took a deep breath continued "I shouldn't have pushed you so hard." He grazed his son's cheek with his thumb.
"None of this is your fault the galaxy has become a scary place and there are people like the man in the scary mask who want to take you away and use you." He saw his son's eyes downcast at what his father said.
"When you were born your mother and I promised we would do anything protect you…" Kento said. "I just…I thought that training you..." now Kento had downcast his own eyes, with a tear rolling down his cheek.
"Helping you with your gift... Training you like that… I thought it was the best way to do it." Galen gave a frown to that.
"I am so sorry Galen, that I put you through that training, I only wanted to protect you." Kento took a breath. "I love you so much, buddy."
Galen smiled a little at that and pushed himself into his father's chest. "I love you too dad." Kento heard him say as he pulled Galen into a tight hug.
About an hour later Galen went to sleep after Kento made him some tea that would help him sleep. When the former Jedi felt that his son was finally asleep on his sleeping hammock, he pulled out the comlink Master Kenobi gave him years ago.
Pressing the button, he saw the blue image of the battle-worn former Jedi.
"Master Kenobi." Kento greeted in a serious tone.
"Knight Marek… what brings this unexpected call?" Obi-Wan started.
"I have a package you must take; its contents are most important you must see to it personally," Kento said not faltering once. It was something he had come up with when the Jedi master had stumbled upon their hut two years ago.
"I see." Obi-Wan started. "Any other packages that need to be safely delivered?" Obi-Wan was wearing his normal Jedi emotionless mask.
"…No others…You must pick up immediately, time is of the essence." The Ex-Jedi said in a rushed manner.
"I see, expect pick up at 0600 hrs." The hologram of the Jedi Master cut out.
Kento placed the device in his robe and went into his hammock. He pulled his son closer as he went into a dreamless sleep.
Kento needed to end this. And he will do anything to keep his son out of Darth Vader's grasp.
o-o-o
Obi-Wan made the journey to the hut on Kashyyyk. He felt the urgency from the message, and he knew Kento was worried.
When he stumbled upon the Marek's hut two years earlier, both Mallie and Kento told him they wanted to stay with their son on Kashyyyk. They both left their lives as Jedi and the fighting behind. They just wanted to raise their son in peace, unaware how powerful Galen truly is.
Obi-Wan reluctantly agreed to this. Through he still worried about Galen, Obi-Wan was happy the couple took one his comlinks. The Marek's were also aware of the conflict around them, so they had set up a way to get Galen off the planet.
The Auburn Jedi had picked that dialog in case the small family was in trouble.
He was going send Ahsoka, but he felt that the Mareks' would be more comfortable with just Obi-Wan there.
He landed in a clearing that was deserted. Obi-Wan had worked hard to conceal his shuttle from the escalated Empire presence on the forest planet.
After a thirty-minute walk, he made it to the hut that sat in a wroshyr tree-covered forest seaming undisturbed.
He hesitantly reached out to feel the signatures in the hut. He instantly frowned at what he felt.
Sadness, fear and Mallie's lack of presence in the hut.
A tear leaked down his cheek, followed by another.
He thought the Clone Wars with the separatist efforts were devastating. With the villages, worlds, and families that were destroyed. But the Empire was whole other level of devastation.
It was hitting Obi-Wan especially hard to see the people closest to him suffer. Knowing the Empire was responsible for this.
Taking a deep breath, he made his way up the long ramp to the door of the hut that had what looked to be his family crest on it.
The door opened with Kento's figure in the entrance. Obi-Wan did notice the look of overwhelming grief on the former Jedi's face. He felt the fear and sadness coming off his Jedi brother.
The Auburn Jedi was about to open his mouth, till Kento put his index finger at his lips to silence him. He quietly made his way into the hut and followed Kento into his kitchen.
Kento closed the door and motion for the older Jedi to sit down.
"I have a few things of his packed." Kento started. He handed Obi-Wan a necklace. "I want to make sure that he has this." Obi-Wan looked at the necklace and saw their family crest on it.
The pair talked for a couple of minutes about Mallie and about what looked like to be a massive occupation of the Empire on the planet.
Since the vision he saw with Galen, the former Knight felt that Darth Vader was going to be on Kashyyyk soon.
And He knew that needed to get Galen off planet today.
"Dad," Galen said with some tiredness in his voice, interrupting the two men who were talking. Kento quickly got up, took him and guided him to the older man in the room. Galen walking in sync with his father looked up at the greying man. Galen backed into his father a little shy.
"Son, do you remember Obi-Wan Kenobi?" Kento softly asksed his son.
Galen gently nodded his head. The little boy remembered the Jedi that spent the day with them. He was nice and had a bright presence in the force.
Galen reached out to the older man's presence like his father taught him. He noticed that he had this great sadness as his dad has.
Galen reached out his head to the older Jedi and spoke. "You sad like daddy?"
Obi-Wan gave a sad smile to that statement and took the little boy's hand. "Yes I am, but there is no reason that you shouldn't smile…" Galen gave a smile to the mood shift in the older Jedi.
Kento gave a smile for the first time, in a long time. "Son, you and Obi-Wan are going on a trip."
"A trip?" Galen asked with a little excitement. "Where we goin?"
Kento gave a look to Obi-Wan. The older Jedi gave a nod. The young force user was unaware of the serious tone that fell over the room.
"It's a…surprise, you will get a ride in Starfighter and everything!" Kento trying to cover his turmoil brewing inside of him.
"Really!" Galen said with excitement. His brown eyes lit up with excitement. Kento was happy to see his son's eyes light up like that for the first time since he lost his mother. But Kento knew the happiness would not last.
"You comin Daddy?" Asked Galen, unaware of the dampening mood in the kitchen.
Kento sighed. Trying to control his sadness.
"Daddy is not coming," Kento said softly. Galen started to frown at that.
"Don't worry buddy, Obi-Wan is going to take care of you and I promise I will follow closely behind." He softly told his son.
Kento looked at his son, hoping that he would go with Obi-Wan. Kento had to give them a start, and he trusted that Obi-Wan would lead him to safety.
"I think we should get going, we have a long journey ahead of us…" Obi-Wan took Galen's things and held out his hand for Galen to take. He pulled in back when he noticed the child cower back in his father's side.
Galen, felt the sadness creeping back in. He can't go without his dad; it is just not fair.
Kento sensing this kneeled Galen. "Galen remember when I told I would do anything to protect you…" Galen frowned and gently nodded his head. "…I need you to go and be a good boy for Master Kenobi…" A tear fell down his cheek. And a tear fell down Galen's cheek.
Kento then pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. That Galen returned with an equal fever.
Reluctantly they both pulled apart and Galen spoke. "I promise to be a good boy, I love you daddy." Kento let another tear fall and kneeled to place a kiss on his forehead. "I love you too Galen, I love you so much."
Obi-Wan watching the exchange, felt some of the light tears on his at the sight of the exchange.
Galen felt the tears in his eyes as he looked at Obi-Wan who held on to the few things that he had. He gave his father one more tight hug. Then joined the older Jedi as they both made their way out of the hut.
Galen was silent as Obi-Wan quickly made their way to his rebellion fighter. He was amazed by the medium-sized plane. The young boy had never had seen one before.
"You like it." Galen gave a smile and nodded gently. "She is a Headhunter Starfighter." He popped the fighting top open. "She has seen many battles." The latter discharged and the auburn Jedi took Galen's belongings and put them behind the childproof seat he had put in.
Galen started to look at the recessed torpedo launchers and the pair of wingtip laser cannons.
Obi-Wan smiled it was nice to see the young boy admire his Starfighter. Then he instantly thought of another boy who would probably have loved Starfighters.
Like his father…
At that thought, he felt a cold feeling run down his spine… Vader. The attack had to be happening soon.
"Come Galen we must go." He took the brown-haired boy's hand and pushed him up the ladder, he secured the young boy in his seat.
Obi-Wan moved into the pilot seat and automatically started takeoff procedure.
"Hang on buddy I have a feeling it is going to be a bumpy ride!" Obi-Wan shouted over the thrusting of the rockets.
The medium sized fighter shot through the thick forest, breaking through the sky quickly into space.
The quick launch went largely unnoticed to the large Imperial fleet starting to descend on the Wookie planet.
Obi-Wan focused on shielding himself and Galen while trying to navigate his way out of the system. After an hour of navigating out of the system, Obi-Wan made the jump into hyperspace, (he installed after his last mission.) and set a course to Dantooine.
o-o-o
In the Core World, the former senator had arisen early for her morning routine. That consisted of her and Threepio getting Winter and Leia ready for school.
Padmé left Naboo and moved back to Alderaan shortly after her visit to Dantooine. Leia was becoming increasing restless without Bail, Breha, and Winter. Padmé also felt that she needed to get back to the main rebellion. Alderaan was also closer to Dantooine than Naboo was, so it made the most sense for the Skywalker family to move back to the peaceful planet.
The decision though was met with some backlash. Her parents had gotten used to Padmé and Leia being on the same planet as them. It gave them a little more piece of mind over their safety. Obi-Wan had also been furious about the rebel leader's decision.
But Padmé had reassured them both and told them that she would be careful. How she would be kept under wraps when she went out in public. She also stressed that Leia is one of the heirs to the Alderaanian throne, the people, and the Empire would notice her absence.
Once they had gotten both girls ready for school, Padmé saw them off to their speeder. Something she loved to every day they went to school.
After Leia's mother watched the speeder disappear into the peaceful city, she went and got ready for her work-out session in her privet gym, where Ahsoka was waiting for her.
As she was putting her training ware on, she started thinking about her base.
The fighters, pilots, and different farmers were especially helpful with the foundation by the caves. General Bel Iblis has been giving her weekly updates about the progress, and the threats it faces.
So far, they were able to keep it hidden from the Empire.
She instantly frowned at that thought.
The Empire.
The dictatorship that destroyed everything she has work for since she was fourteen. And she then thought of the very dictator took her husband and son away from her. She shed a tear…
No…I will not cry…. I am stronger than this…
She thought as she finished dressing for her training session. She cleared the rest of those melancholy thoughts as she made the ten-minute walk to the lower part of the palace.
Padmé walked in quietly when she noticed Ahsoka in a meditative stance.
She knew that her Togruta friend had to find her center without touching the force. She gave off a pang of sadness as she unconsciously she brushed back her short braid.
After she returned to Alderaan she decided to cut her long hair. She really had no reason to keep it in elaborate hairstyles and the long hair was becoming bothersome every time she had to put on her robe and face covering.
Noticing her friend, the rebel leader went over to put her hand wraps on. She had a lot of pent-up anger from the last news report she saw on the HoloNet.
The bag was going to get the brunt of it.
Ahsoka who was wearing her training attire that looked like Jedi robes opened her eyes and felt (with the small connection she allowed herself) her friend who had this rage that was becoming a common occurrence with Padmé.
"Ready to feel the burn?" Ahsoka said with a sly smile.
"Absolutely," Padmé said with the same enthusiasm.
Ahsoka and Padmé punched the bag, did some cardio and finished up with a sparring session. It was always an intense workout, and Padmé did it almost obsessively every week.
For Ahsoka, it was what she had to do to keep in fighting shape. Padmé had quickly become her favorite sparring partner.
The ex-Jedi enjoyed that she had the same drive as she did in the Senate. Though the force sensitive Togruta felt there was this other feeling driving her friend to train this hard.
Ahsoka was a witness to her grief and anger. She saw how it consumed her some days.
But Ahsoka felt this… this tension was more than her normal than her sorrow. At first, she thought it was her anger at her loss but it started to present its self, more and more in her workouts.
It took Ahsoka having a drink with Padmé that night to realize what that problem was.
"Padmé." the Nubian woman looked up from her wine glass in her hand. The two females were sitting down on armchairs with a table between them, by the window overlooking the lake. It was a calm night, this was the first time in while the two ladies had a moment to relax.
"I know what has been driving you in your workouts, and I expected them to be intense." Ahsoka gave her an awkward look.
Padmé frowned at that not liking where this conversation was going. "I know we have become close over the last couple of years," Ahsoka said a little shyly. Trying to find the right way to bring up this topic she did not have that much experience with herself.
The rebel leader, on the other hand, was starting to worry. Did she know about Luke? She knows that she always laments at that sight of a mother and son, though she is also sure that Ahsoka never was around for that grief. She only saw that grief on Leia's Life day.
"Umm…" Still trying to broach the subject in a good way. "When was the last time…I don't know…you relieved yourself…" Ahsoka trying to say without actually saying it.
Padmé gave her a confused look, what was she getting to relive herself. From what, she is living in the oppressive regime as well, there is no time to feel relief.
"What do mean Soka?" It was something that Leia and now Padmé started calling her.
Ahsoka's white markings on her morphed into one of embarrassment. "I feel this tension around you... and I feel even more when you are working out…" Padmé still confused on what she was asking.
"When was the last time… you know… had... sex…" Ahsoka looked at Padmé. The Tortuga had a look of embarrassment this subject she never had much experience with this and she can feel the shock and embarrassment from her question.
Padmé's face mirrored Ahsokah's. She steadied her almost empty glass wine on the table next to her.
"I don't know… I… Soka I don't think that is any of your business…" The brunette woman said stumbling over her words. Then started to think back to the question.
When was the last time? It was before the twins were born… the night they were conceived. It had been…
Anakin left the next day and she did not see him again for five months. By the time he came back, she was heavily pregnant with the twins (not that she realized.). At the same time, Anakin started his descent to the dark side. He was hardly intimate with her those last months.
Padmé had been so engulfed with her grief, anger, being a mother, and her place in the rebellion to even recognize that she was sourly lacking in that department. Her husband always had the perfect way of satisfying her.
Now like she always, her mind went through all the thing she missed about him. His touch was something that set her entire being on fire. The way his eyes made her feel like he was the center of his galaxy. How his words brought comfort to her soul.
Now she thought how much her libido misses him.
Padmé's thoughts were interrupted though by the other person in the room.
"I know, I know…. I am sorry I even brought it up…" Ahsoka began to apologize. She knows what her friend has gone through. The Ex-Jedi tries not to bring her former master with her because she knows the hollowing pain that Padmé was dealing with.
"No…No it's alright," Padmé reassured her friend. "It just caught me off guard." her face morphed in a calmer expression. "It just shocked me…" Padmé took a short breath. "I have been just so…. consumed by my grief… I just buried it." Padmé said honestly. She looked into Ahsoka's eyes and saw how worried she was. The Nubian woman gave her a reassuring smile.
Ahsoka has been her rock since she came from her squadron. She was maturing well for all the hardship she has gone through and Padmé was so grateful for to have her as a friend.
"And I am not mad that you brought this up." Ahsoka face gave a small smile to that statement. "The truth is I haven't had sex since before Leia was born… and I think this tension been building for a while."
Ahsoka knew that was an understatement. She saw Padmé nearly bite the head off of a computer worker a couple days ago…Today also in her work out she saw the raw power of she was punching the bag with.
"Do you how you are going to…. you know….relive yourself..." Ahsoka said with a little less embarrassment.
Padmé gave small smile to that, feeling more comfortable with this conversation. "I don't know maybe I will find something datapad to help." She said casually.
Ahsoka was about say something, but the beeping of Padmé's comlink interrupted. The former senator pulled out the device and turned on the audio function, unsure of who was calling.
"Ara here..." The rebel leader had worked tirelessly to train herself to respond and answer with that name.
"Ben here…I am on Dantooine…"
"Ben, what time is it over there?" Padmé asked. She was curious he never called this late.
"It is nightfall, I had a bit of a delay…" he replied in an almost hushed tone.
"Is everything alright?" Padmé asked curiously. Ahsoka told her that Obi-Wan left early in the morning for Kashyyyk. It surprised the former senator because after a raid a couple months ago, the older Jedi had badly injured his right leg. He recovered but that was the end for the Jedi fighting in the field. He still answered the call when the Jedi were in trouble, but he usually sent Ahsoka out on those calls.
Now Obi-Wan along with Ahsoka was teaching Leia in her force abilities. While shielding her on Alderaan.
The older Jedi went by the name Ben now. It was a precaution they all had to take. Ahsoka even took on the codename Fulcrum.
"Ben?" Padmé asked again.
"Sorry it has been a long day…" he paused. "I am sure Ahsoka told you where I went." He paused. "I answered an urgent call from a former Jedi." He felt her frown. He then went to tell her about Mallie and Kento Marek, how they fell in love, and how they had a child.
Ahsoka watched as she watched her friend's expression went to curious to disbelief, to shocked. "They have a child!" Padmé nearly shouted.
Ahsoka was shocked too. Another Jedi couple, who broke all the rules for love.
Padmé than heard Obi-Wan sigh sadly in the background.
"What happened?" Padmé asked. She had a feeling that mood was about to turn melancholy.
"Kento called me in the coded message we agreed on." She heard him take a deep breath. To brace himself for the sad news he about to deliver.
"When I arrived at their hut, I felt tremendous grief… followed by Mallie's absence." Padmé frowned and felt a tear go down her cheek. It was sad to hear about another Jedi dying leaving her child motherless.
Ahsoka bowed her head in respect for a fallen comrade.
"I met with Kento, and told me about these visions his son had been having." Padmé's heart went cold. She knew what happened when Anakin had them.
"Kento voiced these concerns to me and I felt the Empire's looming presence on Kashyyyk so I agreed to take his son with me." Padmé felt her heart go cold again. A son, they had a son. The rebel leader has felt what Obi-Wan is going to ask next.
"Is he with you now?" Padmé asked.
"No, he is asleep now, but I am worried for his safety." Padmé knew what was coming. "I am going to stay here for a few days, until it is safer to travel." Obi-Wan let out a tired breath.
"To Alderaan?" Padmé asked bluntly this time. She had a feeling that she was getting a new addition to the family.
"Just until I can find a suitable master for him." Ahsoka looked over at Padmé who was in deep thought, then she heard her speak.
"How old is…he," Padmé muttered out the last part.
The older Jedi on the other side knew what wave of pain he was about to inflict. "He is five, he is almost a year older Leia."
Padmé kept he senatorial mask on for that last statement. Five. Luke would have been five this year. She took a deep breath. "Ok, I am sure Bail would have something arranged. I am just worried, his force potential could be hard to cloak. I am only worried it will give us even more unwanted attention." Padmé lived in fear of that every day. She was never comfortable without being with either Ahsoka or Obi-Wan.
"I have the same concerns as well, our spies have seen new technology that the Empire has been working on with force concealing, and it sounds promising." The Auburn Jedi has been sitting in on these meetings and had been offering different strategies for them. They also keep him in the loop about their findings, that included weapons and technology they were developing.
Padmé took in what he was saying. It eased her worry but she knew that the development of the technology was far off till it was perfected. Then the tiredness started to hit her in full force.
"Ok, I have to get going we can talk in the morning?" Padmé said with tiredness in her voice.
"Ok, good night." Said Obi-Wan.
She clicked the device and tucked it in her pocket. Ahsoka looked over to Padmé who was starting to look tired.
"I am going to head off to bed now," said Ahsoka, sensing that she just wanted to be alone.
"Good night." The former senator said as she continued to stare out into the moonless sky. She finished the rest of her wine and made her way to her room.
Padmé was storming with emotions surrounding her last communication. A little boy she was going to look after.
Who was a little bit older than Leia…
It hurt, and it did feel like a replacement for her son. Her little boy.
No…no she refuses to think like that. Padmé is not that person…she will not become that person. This little boy lost his mother, is probably never going to see his father again, and who knows what life he is going to have on the run with the Jedi.
No, he is going to need love and support. The mother knows in her heart that is what Luke would have wanted, what Anakin would have done too…
She gives a small smile.
What truly keeps her from falling apart, the memory she has for Anakin and Luke.
After silently looking out the window for a little longer, the rebel leader took her glass and made her way back to her room. She got ready for bed and tried to forget what Ahsoka brought up about her lack of sex life.
o-o-o
A week passed till she heard from Obi-Wan again. She knew he was laying low because of the siege that Empire had launched on Kashyyyk. She watched the Empire propaganda on how the brave and just Darth Vader had brought order to the uncivilized world of Kashyyyk. How the brave warrior was able to terminate another rouge Jedi.
That had to be the boy's father.
Obi-Wan had told her, that the boy, his name Galen had felt it. He was sad and lost. Like she had been going through since that man had taken everything from her, the way he had taken everything from these innocents being in this galaxy.
Though, for all the beings and creatures he has slain. The monster somehow has a soft spot for children.
It's something that she had noticed reading the reports and watching the population spike with the children in the Empire's school system. The former senator though had a feeling the Emperor was not too pleased about it.
Obi-Wan told her they were both taking a spice freighter back to Alderaan and they should be at the Palace by nightfall.
Breaking her thoughts as she sat in her office again looking at some of the retrieved data from the spies the rebellion had in the scientific companies that the Empire favored.
Something that Padmé had stressed and championed from the beginning.
It looked like information about the prototype that they had developed for the force suppression device that the former Jedi master had told her about. The notes she also got said they had started the first trials on the device… and it looked promising.
When she felt her stomach rumble, she decided to stop her work for a while and take a break. But for a moment she looked at a holopic on her desk, one of her and her daughter.
It was one day a few weeks ago, as a family they went up to the snowcapped mountains that Leia loves so much. It was canned shot, Padmé was at Leia's level and they were both in matching white snow outfits. The Alderaanian princess had a great smile and so did Padmé. The older woman's hand was wiping a snowflake of Leia's nose. Bail had taken the picture knowing how close it came years earlier that this moment would not have happened.
Smiling at the memory, she got up and went to the kitchen and told her droid companion what she wanted to eat. She was alone and missing her daughter.
She along with Winter went to the beach house for the weekend. They all decided it would be the perfect time to show off the royal family to the galaxy.
After Padmé ate, she continued her work until the sunset. When she was filling out a report, Threepio interrupted her.
"Mistress Padmé." the brunette looked up at the golden droid peaking inside her office.
"Yes," Padmé said with a smile.
"Master Kenobi with a youngling, they are in the dining room waiting for you…would you like me to make refreshments?" The droid asked. He looked like he needed a tune-up.
"I think that would be a good idea," she said as she saved her report on her computer. She got up and made her way to the dining room. The protocol droid went kitchen to make some sandwiches and tea for the new arrivals.
She entered the informal dining room, where the family had most of their dinners and noticed the pair at the table that seated nine. The former queen saw how tired and sad the older Jedi was by the slump of the shoulders. She then saw the little boy who had his shoulders slumped as well.
From the back of his head she could see his messy brown hair, and robes that looked like they were given the farmers who were helping with the base.
Padmé not knowing what to say, opened with "Are you both hungry?"
This got Obi-Wan's attention who was trying to calm the violent storm in his mind and in Galen. The older Jedi is sure the boy felt his father die. Obi-Wan was near to Dantooine when Galen started to sob uncontrollably. It took all of Obi-Wan's strength to make it to the base.
Galen had become withdrawn, almost silent. The old Jedi then told the youngling that he was being moved to Alderaan. Galen nodded his head, still to numb to losing his parents.
"Yes, I think we both could use something to eat." Obi-Wan gave a warm smile to Padmé and then looked down to Galen who was just staring at that wall in front of him.
The former senator sat down and was about to open her mouth, then the golden droid came in with a tray of finger sandwiches and a pot of hot tea with some cups.
"Hello, Master Kenobi." He gently put the tray down and put some small plates down. Then he put the cups down and started to fill each one with the hot liquid. Then he looked at the small boy and stopped what he was doing.
"Who might you be?" Threepio asked the small boy in front of him.
Galen's attention was drawn to the droid and softly said his name "Galen." The senator gave a small smile. She also felt the tension ease a little inside of her.
o-o-o
Two days later, Bail and the girls made their way back from the beach house and their first public outing. Sadly, Bail had to go to straight the spaceport to leave for Coruscant in order to prepare for Empire Day coming up that week.
Padmé was able to get Galen to open up a little that first night.
After the small snack, Padmé took both Obi-Wan and Galen to the room Bail had ready.
Padmé was trying to not fall apart being near him. There was this toxic swarm of anger and sadness at the little boy behind her. How that should be her little boy. Leia's brother. Walking with her to his room.
She turned around when they finally reached the room. Padmé saw child still had a blank look on his face. And a vacant stare.
The same stare she had after she lost both Anakin and Luke.
Then Galen looked up at the rebel leader. Padmé seeing the attention keeled to be at his level. Galen took his hand and wipe the tear that Padmé had not realize had fallen.
"Are you sad?" He asked in his soft voice.
Padmé felt another tear fall at the honesty of the question.
"Yes, I am. And I know you are too." She then saw Galen's tears started to fall too.
She embraced him for a few minutes as his tears fell and felt the tension melt away. The tension and anger at being around a boy who would have been the same age as her son.
He was just a child.
An innocent child who lost his family to the Empire.
"Did that man in the scary mask make you sad?" Galen asked in a small voice.
Padmé looked up at Obi-Wan, who had a pained look, gave her a nod.
"Yes, he made me very sad. He took away two of the most important people in my life." She said solemnly to the little boy in front of her.
"But I know there is a better place, and I know they wouldn't want me being sad all the time." He down cast his eyes then looked back at Padmé's warm expression. "They would not want me to stop being who I am." Galen felt her warmth, and his tears started dry.
"I never met your mother and father but I knew a few Jedi before the Empire..." He continued to feel her words. "… and I know what they loved you more than the galaxy and they would want you to be happy." Galen gave the former senator a big hug.
Obi-Wan looked over the two with guilt knowing that somewhere in the galaxy Luke was missing. And missing the love his mother would be giving him…
Padmé had Galen sleep inside her bed with her. He was thrashing a little during the night, but he settled down into a peaceful sleep.
She knew that she could not get attached. She knew that along with her daughter Galen is going to be instrumental in changing the galaxy.
"MOMMY!" Leia shouted and ran behind the desk to give her mother a big hug.
The Alderaanian Princess was happy to see her mother. She still did not understand why she never came with them to the beach house. The little girl knew her mother loved the beach, she is always happy when she is near the ocean on the Naboo. It was one of the many puzzling things the perceptive four almost-five-year-old is noticing and feeling.
"There is my little Ewok," Padmé said with happiness as she pulled her into a big hug.
She always missed Leia anytime they went to the beach house. Padmé never went because it was too public, and she could not wear her disguise there.
"You miss everything, me and Winter and daddy and mommy got Holopics taken. The little girl went on for another ten minutes about the press and the weekend on the beach. Padmé always admired the way Leia would tell her about the adventures she had. Just like her husband would.
When Leia was finished her long story, Padmé took her hand and walked to the dining room it was lunchtime. Ahsoka was with Galen in the cottage and Padmé told the old force sensitive to come for dinner. She wanted to tell Leia about Galen on her own.
They arrived in the informal dining room where Betha and Winter were already sitting at the table. The gold droid arrived with a warm meal for the hungry people at the table.
They ate in silence for the first ten minutes till Padmé broke the silence.
"I have something I would tell both of you." Betha gave a knowing look with a smile. She had her reservations about having another force sensitive on her planet. The Queen was already unsettled by the Empire's presence on the planet. But Bail along with Obi-Wan told her it was only temporary and Obi-Wan will shield himself along with Leia.
"What is it?" Asked Winter. The little girl was just as much Padmé's daughter as she was Betha's.
"While everyone was at the beach house uncle Ben made it back." This earned a smile from Leia. "And he brought someone back with him." Both girls perked up at this.
"Who?" Leia asked this time.
The rebel leader gave a smile. "A boy who is like you…he can feel the force...and he needed somewhere to go."
"So hes goin to train with uncle Ben and antie Soka?" Leia asked interrupting her mother again. A bad habit she had when she was excited about something.
"Leia," Padmé said crossly. Leia perked down and muttered a sorry. "He is going to stay till he can find a master to protect him, now I expect both of you…" she looked down the two girls in front of her. "…to treat him like he is a member of the family…is that clear?" She asked if she was addressing the fighters in the room.
"Yes." Said Winter
"Yes mommy, where is he now?" Asked the youngest child.
"He is in the mountain college with Ben and Soka. All of them are going to come down for dinner." Both girls gave a smile to that. Both the girls loved the two force sensitives. Though she does see how jealous Winter gets when the three of them use the force around her.
Both Betha and Padmé worry that Winter will get more uncomfortable with Galen there.
The four girls spent the rest of the day watching holomovies and getting ready for the short week of school they are both going to have. After dinner, when everyone almost finished with their desert, the trio everyone has been waiting for finally showed up in the informal dining room.
Everyone at the table looked at the boy with messy brown hair and dressed in Alderaanian robes. He was nervous and tried to hide behind Ahsoka's legs.
"Galen," he looked up, saw Padmé and started feeling better. The former senator made her way with Leia, Winter and Betha following behind. "Ady," was something he started calling her because her name was a mouthful to him.
"These are the people I want you to meet." She gave him a warm smile. She had told him about her family that lived with her and he started telling a little bit about his family.
"This is Betha," the older woman kneeled to shake his hand. "This is Winter," he smiled a little more as he felt the warmth coming off from each of them. It made him feel safe for the first time in a long time. "And this is Leia." He saw the girl with brown hair and reached out with her hand to greet him. When he touched her hand, he felt this blinding force that he had never felt before. His eyes widen as they both pulled away.
Leia had the same smile as her mother had.
Padmé felt the pain along with the joy at all three children meeting. Again, she felt the hope sour at the destruction of the Empire.
AN: I do not have a Bata reader but I am always trying to fix my story so as I updated the earlier chapter might change.
AN: Review, Review, Review! I want to know what you like about the story!