IN THE HANDS OF TIME
(Part 7)
by Darth Pipes and ami-padme
joesw77@aol.com, ami_padme@yahoo.com

Luke and Leia ran in hot pursuit to the location where the shot had been fired.  They had to do it while avoiding the various rebel soldiers on the base but they found that to be surprisingly easy.  The base was eerily quiet.  Something must have been going on.

Luke and Leia pinpointed the location of the shot.  It had come from the North Tower.  But they knew Mara Jade wouldn't be there.  It didn't take them long to find where she was.  The Deflector Relay Room.

It was a smart place for her to hide.  This is where the Rebels housed the planetary deflector shield that protected the planet.  Without it, the base would have no protection against Star Destroyers or against any kind of aerial bombardment. It was not fully operational now.  Luke and Leia knew they would have to be careful not to destroy anything of importance in there.  They didn't know what effect it would have on the timeline, especially considering the upcoming battle that these Rebels would have against the Empire.

Luke and Leia approached the doors of the room.  They found it opened and unguarded.  There was no doubt Mara Jade was in there now.  Luke and Leia turned to face each other.  They nodded towards one another and ignited their lightsabers.

They began their descent into the room.  As they entered, the door slammed and locked behind them.  The lights came on.  There, in front of them were the bodies of two dead Bothan soldiers.

"We'll split up.  We can cover more area that way," Luke whispered to Leia.  She nodded her head in compliance and headed to the left while Luke head toward the right.

Luke made his way through the facility.  It was a multi-leveled building.  Mara Jade could be anywhere.  Luke made his way towards the shield generator.  If she were anywhere, it would most likely be the room where she could hide the most.  Just as he was about to enter the room, two Bothan soldiers snuck out from behind him and opened fire.

Luke rolled to the side to avoid them and then rose to his feet.  He blocked the blasts fired by the first soldier and used the Force to push him against the wall, rendering him unconscious.  The second soldier tried firing on him again but Luke blocked every blaster bolt.  He then cut the guards' blaster in half with his saber.  The guard dropped what was left of the blaster and threw a punch at Luke.  Luke ducked the punch drove the butt of his lightsaber against the Bothans skull.  The blow sent the Bothan guard straight to the ground.

Luke looked around for more soldiers but found nothing.  The soldiers' attack left him puzzled.  Granted, he was an intruder in their eyes but they had still attacked him without reason or logic.  It was as if...as if someone had been controlling their minds.  Jade.

Just as he thought those words, Mara Jade dropped all the way from the ceiling straight towards him.  She had her lightsaber activated and swung right at Luke.  Luke stepped back and brought up his saber, blocking Mara Jade's slash.

The battle was on and Mara Jade took the offensive.  Her red blade slashed repeatedly at Luke.  Luke blocked the swings and continued to remain on the defensive, waiting for his chance to strike.  He quickly found it.

Jade thrust her blade forward in an attempt to cut Luke down early.  Luke flipped over her and landed behind her. Jade turned around just in time to see Luke's attack.  Luke was now slashing and thrusting at Jade.  She began to back up as Luke pressed forward.

This continued for several moments until their lightsabers became locked and the two fought for position.  Mara delivered a knee to Luke's midsection, doubling over the Jedi long enough for her to once again take the initiative.

She fought quicker and harder then she had the last time, striking at him from every different angle.  Luke managed to defend against her, but was forced to acknowledge that his opponent had been trained well by Palpatine.  She might even have been better trained then he was.

Luke continued to block Mara Jade's swings.  Suddenly, Luke could see Leia storm into the room behind Mara.  She had her blade held high as she was prepared to strike at Jade.  Mara pushed off from Luke to deflect Leia's swing just in time.

Mara and Leia were now locked in battle.  Mara attacked wildly at the inexperienced Leia, pushing her backwards.  Leia managed to hold her own as she defended herself from Mara's attacks.

Leia deflected a shot at her knees by Jade but left her guard down.  Jade responded with a quick spin-kick across Leia's jaw, sending her crashing against the wall.  Before the Emperor's Hand could press her advantage, she saw Luke charging after her, ready to strike her down.  She leapt over Luke just in time and ran towards the shield generator room.

Luke followed her and soon they were both in the massive shield generator room.  The room was cavernous and filled with the noise of heavy machinery.  Catwalks lay above them.  Large machines controlled the shield protecting the planet, sending bolts of high energy against each other.  Luke swung at Mara and the two dueled on the ground for a short time before Mara broke off.  She proceeded to make a sixty-foot leap straight into the air and onto one of the many catwalks above the shield generator.  Luke made the leap as well, and now they continued the battle on the catwalk.  The two battled dangerously close to the energy bolts of the shield generator.

As Luke and Mara continued their duel, Leia stormed into the shield generator room with lightsaber in hand.

She looked up and found Luke and Mara locked in battle above her.  They must have used the Force to get that high up.  Luke had not shown her how to make such incredible leaps yet.  She would have to find another way to get up there.

Looking around, she found a small, doorless elevator that lead to the catwalks above the room.  She could use that to get to Luke.

Running towards it, she entered it and hit the controls.  Slowly, the elevator made it's way to the catwalk.

Hold on Luke!


Luke and Mara continued their duel, neither of them giving an inch.  Luke kept forcing Mara backward to the point that they were both under the deadly energy bolts that were to power the planetary shield when it was completed.  Mara proved resilient, continuing to defend against Luke's moves.

Luke slashed at Mara, attempting to cut her down.  Mara ducked and got behind Luke.  Now she had more room to attack and she did.  But Luke was ready.  He met her strikes and pushed her arms aside.  He then delivered a Force-enhanced kick across Mara's face, sending the Emperor's Hand flying across the catwalk.  Mara slid until she hit the wall with a thud and was left dazed.  Luke stormed after her, looking to take advantage of the situation.

Suddenly, Mara jumped to her feet and made another Force-enhanced jump just as Luke had stormed after her.  She landed forty feet above him to another catwalk.

Luke quickly followed and landed on the catwalk.  Mara attacked, looking to cut Luke down, but Luke beat back her assaults.

Luke was on the offensive now and Jade was weakening.  Stepping back, Luke raised his arms and slammed down his lightsaber at Mara.  She barely blocked it but now Luke was pressing the advantage.  He continued to beat down with his blade, dropping Jade to one knee.

Mara continued to block Luke's blade with her own but now both blades were positioned very close to her head.  She would need something to get her out of this.

Looking up, she saw just that.  A metal beam lay on top, just above Skywalker.  While continuing to block Skywalker's saber, Jade concentrated the dark side of the Force on trying to collapse the beam.  It took a little while but the beam broke off its hinges and headed directly down on Skywalker.

Luke sensed something coming and looked up.  A metal beam was coming down from the ceiling.  He broke off from Jade and rolled out of the way.  The beam managed to clip him on his left shoulder, cutting his flesh.  Luke let out a grimace and he staggered back to his feet.

Mara took advantage of this by seizing the beam with the Force and sending it towards Skywalker.  The beam struck Luke across his body, knocking him to the ground.

Before Mara could move in, she saw a figure below her on the catwalk she had just been on.  Leia Organa.  It was time to eliminate that nuisance.

Jade jumped off the catwalk she was on to the one below her.  She then attacked Organa wildly, slashing at the young Princess.

Although caught off guard, Leia defended herself against Jade's attacks.  Jade was pushing her back now further and further.  Leia nearly lost her balance but managed to stay on.  Leia quickly knew she was not as skilled as Jade was, and knew that if she wanted to avoid being cut down, she would have to think of something fast.

Trust the Force.  That's what Luke had been telling her the last week.  That is what Leia had to do.

As the last Princess of Alderaan barely fought off another attack, she closed her mind and began to call on the Force.  Mara took a swing at her, attempting to behead her.  Leia ducked.  Mara tried again but Leia once again ducked.  Leia then sprung to her feet and swung her lightsaber at Mara Jade's arm, cutting it and opening up an ugly gash.  Mara screamed in pain as she grabbed the arm and backed off the Princess.

Now was the time for Leia to take advantage of the situation.  Giving herself fully to the Force, she launched an attack at Jade.  Her red saber became a blur as she poured it on against Jade.  The injured Jade began to back up, and for the first time against Leia, she was on the defensive.  Leia continued her attack, attacking rapidly at the Emperor's Hand.

Mara Jade was surprised by the ability of the Alderaanian Princess.  She had been unaware that Leia Organa was strong in the Force.  The Emperor had never told her this.  Did he even know?  Was Organa somehow related to Skywalker?

Mara Jade wasn't sure but right now that didn't matter.  All that mattered was to defend herself and try to destroy the Princess.  Although she could sense the Force strongly in Organa, Mara knew that she did not have the experience that Luke Skywalker had.  She could sense it.  She could use that to her advantage.

Mara suddenly dropped her guard down low.  Leia was surprised by this but took the opportunity to cut down Mara Jade.  She thrust her blade at her.  But Mara Jade quickly deflected it and in a matter of moments, knocked the lightsaber out of Leia's hand and onto the floor.

Leia was shocked at how quickly she had been disarmed and began to back up.  Jade was now coming menacingly towards her, lightsaber pointed straight at her.  She was now at the mercy of her enemy.  There was no way out.

Just before Mara could finish off the Princess, she sensed something coming her way.  She looked up and saw Luke Skywalker descending off the catwalk above, coming straight at her, feet first.  She could not move out of the way and Skywalker struck her in the chest, knocking her sixty feet to the ground.  Jade's body slammed her on to the floor and rolled next to the shield power generators.

Luke barely managed to land on the catwalk.  He looked down and found Mara Jade barely on the floor.  She was not moving.  He turned to his right side and saw his sister Leia.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied.

"You fought well.  The Force is strong in you," Luke said.

Leia smiled.

"Come on, we need to get down there and see if she's even still alive," Luke said.

"Luke, I can't make a jump like that," Leia said.  "Not yet anyway."

"All right," Luke said.  "Hold on to me then and I'll make the jump."

Leia walked up to Luke. Luke lifted her up in his arms and jumped off the catwalk.  He landed perfectly to the ground.  He put Leia down and signaled for her lightsaber.  It came to his hand and gave it to her.  In an instant, they both ignited their blades.  They began to make their way to the fallen Mara Jade.

Jade was still not moving.  She lay on her stomach several feet away from Luke and Leia, next to the power generators.  Blood was coming from her mouth due to internal injuries.  Her lightsaber had been knocked into the energy beams, destroying it.  She was completely defenseless.  Or so they thought.

Suddenly, Mara Jade sprang to her feet, surprising the two.  She gave the two a bloody smile as she pulled out a second lightsaber out and ignited it.  It was the same lightsaber that she had taken off of the dead Wookie Jedi.  The purple blade came to life.  Before Luke and Leia could get to her, she took her lightsaber and slashed at one of the power generators.  She then made a Force-enhanced jump backwards as the power generator blew up.

Luke and Leia tried to get out of the way but were caught in the blast.  Luke was knocked straight into the room's wall and hit the ground hard.  Leia was knocked into the air.  With horror, she realized she was heading down one of the generator's energy pits.

If she fell into that, she would be destroyed.  At the last moment, she managed to reach out and grab a pipe, stopping her descent.  Now, she laid hanging from the pipe, more than twenty feet from the top.  She tried to use the Force to make a jump out of the pit but was unable to.

Fear griped Leia.  She hung on as best she could but she couldn't do it forever.  It was only a matter of time before she fell into the pit.

More than ever, she needed someone's help.


Anakin and Obi-Wan heard movements from the other side of the bunker.  It seemed the light trance Anakin had put Amidala in was already wearing off.

"I should have made her sleep," Anakin muttered to himself.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "She wouldn't have allowed that.  I think you better go talk to her, help her to stay calm."

"I don't know if speaking with me is going to help in that regard."

"Maybe not," Obi-Wan agreed.  "But she's got questions for you, and we both know she's not going to rest until she gets the answers."

Anakin nodded, and headed for the back room.  To his surprise, Amidala was still lying in the bed.  She was staring blankly at the ceiling.

Anakin sat on the edge of the bed, but she didn't acknowledge his presence.  Anakin tried to get a read on her thoughts, and was only able to find a vague sense of defeat.  Maybe she had finally had it – there was only so much one person could take, and she had gone well beyond that point in the past few days.

"I haven't lost it, Anakin," she said pointedly.  "It's just that I finally understand what's been going on."

He was taken aback by her response; he made a mental note to stop broadcasting his thoughts so loudly.  It had been quite awhile since anyone had tried to read him, and he needed to adjust to that.

"What do you understand?"

She continued to study the ceiling.  "I've spent the last six months hoping.  Hoping that you had survived the lava pit, hoping that I'd have a chance to go after you, hoping that you could be brought back…Even though everyone told me all those things were impossible, I still believed there was a chance…something told me that I shouldn't give up."  She closed her eyes and whispered, "Now I understand how foolish I've been."

Anakin was thrown by what she said.  "But, Ami…you have brought me back.  Seeing you again –"

She interrupted him with a short laugh.  "Yes, yes, I was feeling pretty good about myself a few hours ago."  Her tone was heavy with sarcasm.  "I was getting through to you, I was really making a difference…"

"Do you doubt that?  After what you witnessed outside?"

She finally looked at him then.  "What I learned outside is that I've 'saved' you twenty years after the fact, Anakin!  I learned that our family remained separated for the twins' entire life.  I learned that you continued to serve Palpatine and commit all of these atrocious crimes for decades.  As you can imagine, that knowledge has diminished my 'achievement' a bit."

A long silence followed.  Anakin wondered which would be worse for her – seeing herself as a failure, or learning that she would die within a few short years and never really have the opportunity to go after him.

Amidala seemed annoyed by his silence.  "If I saved you now, why didn't I save you before?  What happened?"

Anakin shook his head.  "Amidala, this may seem like a senseless precaution now, but I really should not give you specifics on what is to come.  Eventually, the twins and I will have to go back to our time…who knows what will be there if I tell you more than you already know."

Amidala heaved a sigh in total frustration.  "Fine.  Preserve your timeline.  I'll just sit here, happy in the knowledge that the destruction of my family will go unrectified.  Like I said before, at least now I realize how foolish it is to hope otherwise."  Tears sprang to her eyes and she batted at them angrily.

Anakin took both of her hands in one of his, and used the other to tenderly wipe her tears.  "I wish I could change so many things, Amidala."

"Do you really?"

"Of course.  But it's an enormous risk to try to fix things; there are no guarantees that the results will be better, for any of us."

She nodded and stared at him for a long moment.  "Then I shall accept my fate."

Anakin was about to press the point with her – there was no way she was giving up this easily – but he suddenly heard someone calling out to him through the Force…someone who was obviously in a panic…and needed his help…

"Leia?" he whispered.

Amidala snapped to attention.  "What?  Are they in trouble?"

Anakin nodded and stood from the bed.  "I must go find them.  Amidala –"

"Go," she said simply.

Anakin flew out of the room.

Amidala stared at the ceiling again.  This isn't over, she thought to herself.  As far as she was concerned, her future wasn't yet determined…and Anakin certainly wasn't happy with the way things turned out.

Her mind was made up.  She would fix things in this timeline - she had every right to try to save their future.


With his head still ringing, Luke flung his eyes open.  He was lying on his back after being caught in the explosion. He lifted his head up.  He could find no sign of Mara Jade or Leia.

Luke tried to get to his feet but felt a sharp pain in his ribs.  He could feel that he had broken some of them, and likely had some internal bleeding.  Luke managed to struggle to his feet, pain still shooting in him.

He looked around.  Debris was littered everywhere.  Mara Jade had cut through one of the power generators to the deflector shield.  There would be no way for the rebel base to access their deflector shield now, especially with the Empire coming.  The thought suddenly crossed Luke's mind.  Were the rebels supposed to fight the Empire without the deflector shield?  Could this have cause some kind of...

"Luke!" Leia's voice suddenly cried out, breaking his thoughts.  Luke looked around and spotted an energy pit.  That was where the scream had come from.

Ignoring the pain in his ribs, Luke staggered over to the pit and looked down.  There, he saw Leia hanging from a pipe more than twenty feet below him.  The pit led to one of the base's energy generators.  If Leia fell in there, she would be vaporized.

"Luke, help!" she yelled out.  Luke remembered she had not yet learned the Jedi ability of super-leaping.  He silently cursed himself for not showing her how to do that.  Still, that would do no good now.  He would have to find a way to get her out of the pit.

"Hold on, Leia!" Luke yelled.  "I'll find a way to get you out."

Leia nodded, still trying desperately to hold on.  Luke began to look around, trying to find some kind of rope or cable he could lower down so that she could grab it and get out of the pit.

Suddenly, he sensed danger.  He turned around and saw Mara Jade flying straight at him feet first.  She delivered a kick to Luke's jaw that sent him flying across the room.

Mara Jade landed on her feet as Luke hit the ground.  Looking to take advantage of the situation, she moved swiftly towards the fallen form of Luke Skywalker.  He was struggling to get to his feet, trying to ignore the pain of his broken ribs.  She kicked him across the face again, sending him backwards.  Pressing her advantage, she picked him up off the ground and threw him across the room.  His body slammed hard into the cold metal wall.

She charged Luke and attempted to take his head off with another kick.  But Luke was ready.  He sidestepped Mara Jade and her foot struck the wall.  When she turned around, Luke caught her with a vicious backhand with his mechanical hand.  Jade slammed backwards against the wall.

Luke moved in on the Emperor's Hand but she rolled out of the way and kicked him in his wounded chest, grinding the heel straight into it.  The young Jedi screamed out in pain as Mara quickly rose to her feet to attack.

Luke tried to get the jump on her and threw a punch straight at Mara.  Mara barely ducked Luke's punch and landed one of her own, straight at Luke's injured ribs.  She landed three more punches to Luke's ribs and then hit the young Jedi in the stomach with a spin kick, doubling him over.  She then landed a Force-enhanced punch across Luke's jaw, sending him once again flying across the room.

Luke hit the ground with a thud.  He began to cough violently and spit out blood.  He was bleeding internally now and was having a lot of trouble breathing.  If he didn't do something quick, he...and Leia, would not survive their enemy.

Trying to ignore his injuries, Luke once again struggled to his feet and charged Jade.  He narrowly missed her as she sidestepped him but he spun around and caught her with a kick to the stomach, knocking her backwards.  He began to push his attack, throwing several punches.  He connected with one of them, nearly knocking Mara Jade to the ground but now the punches were much slower and predictable.  Luke was beginning to tire and the pain of his injuries was beginning to overwhelm him.

He threw another punch at Mara Jade, but she easily ducked it and delivered a sharp elbow to Luke's chest.  This dropped Luke's guard.  Mara Jade jumped in the air, spun around, and delivered a thunderous kick to Luke's jaw.  Luke crashed to the ground.  There he lied barely conscious as Mara Jade stood triumphantly over him.

Mara Jade smiled as she stood over Luke.  She might have failed her master by not eliminating Skywalker while he was still in the womb of Queen Amidala, but she would still accomplish her goal of destroying the last of the Jedi after all.

She pulled out her lightsaber and ignited it.  The purple blade roared to life, and she raised it above her head triumphantly, prepared to strike the deathblow on Luke Skywalker.  She plunged the blade down.

The blade suddenly stopped in midair, just above Skywalker's skull and was knocked backward straight out of Jade's hand.  Mara was shocked.  She looked up and before her was the cause of the incident.  She stared at it with hate in her eyes, but still managed to give the figure a cold smile.

"Lord Vader."

Mara Jade stood before the imposing figure of the Sith Lord.  Now was just staring at her.

This surprised Mara.  Usually, Vader would have taken the offensive by now, especially considering that he had just disarmed her.  Also, she sensed something...different from him.  Something she had never sensed from him before.  It was so unnatural that she could not identify it.  Still, it didn't matter.  She would destroy him and then finish off his son once and for all.

"What's wrong, Vader?" Mara Jade asked. "Have your injuries finally left you incapable of speaking?"

"My name is Anakin Skywalker," he simply replied.

Mara Jade's eyes went wide.  That's what she sensed from him.  She had sensed the light side of the Force.  Darth Vader was no longer there.  He was Anakin Skywalker...enemy of the Emperor!

Suddenly, she charged Skywalker, prepared to engage him in battle.  Anakin held out his hand and used the Force to push her back straight into the wall.  Mara's body slammed into it and fell to the ground.  There she lay in a dazed state.

Just as Anakin was prepared to go over to his fallen son Luke, he suddenly remembered why he had come here.  He walked over to the energy pit and looked down.  There was Leia Organa...his daughter, hanging for her life from a pipe above the deadly energy.  She looked up with a shocked expression on her face.  She had clearly not expected Anakin to be the one to come to her rescue.

"Hold on...Leia," Anakin said.  He began to look for something that he could give her to help her out of the pit.  He couldn't jump down because there was no place to land.  He had to find something to lower him down.  That was the only way he could help her.

His eyes suddenly turned to Luke and Jade.  He hated having to leave Luke alone with Mara Jade but if he did nothing, then Leia would fall.  He couldn't allow that to happen.  He was confident that Luke could handle the considerable skills of the Emperor's Hand.  He would just have to trust his instincts on this one.

Anakin resumed his search for something to lower him down into the pit.  Suddenly, his eyes fell on something, something that could be just what he needed.


Slowly, Luke managed to force his eyes open.  Looking around, he found Mara Jade struggling to her feet on one side and his father on the other side, near the energy pit where Leia was.  Had he come to help them...he must have.

He knew Jade had been about to cut him down.  But nothing had happened.  Father must have stopped her from killing him.  Now he was trying to help Leia.

Mara Jade staggered to her feet, lightsaber in hand.  Anakin was now concentrating on doing something Luke couldn't see.  Mara made her way slowly towards Luke.  If Mara interfered in this, it might cost Leia her life.  Luke could not allow that to happen.

He tried to get to his feet but he could not.  His body was badly injured.  He had internal injuries and pain racked his entire body.   He was continuing to have problems breathing.  Mara Jade moved closer to him.  He wasn't going to survive this.  Even if his father helped him, he could not protect both of his children.  Luke knew there was no one to protect him then.

My ally is the Force.

The words suddenly came into his mind.  It was what both Obi-Wan and Yoda had taught him.  The Force was all seeing and surrounded him.  If he were to survive, he would have to trust the Force and let it fill him.  If he did, he could survive.

He closed his eyes and began to concentrate.  The Force began to fill his very essence and block out the pain in his body.  His breath began to return to him.  He felt stronger as it consumed him.

He suddenly shot his eyes open.  Mara Jade stood above him, ready to strike her down.  But Luke was also ready.

He kicked the Emperor's Hand in the stomach, doubling her over and sending her backwards.  Turning to his side, Luke signaled for his fallen lightsaber and it sprang to his hand.

He jumped to his feet and ignited the blade.  He charged at Mara Jade, ready to strike her down.  Mara recovered and barely managed to block his swing.

With the power of the Force behind him, Luke launched an attack at Mara, striking and slashing from every direction.  It was unlike any attack he had launched before.  The shocked Emperor's Hand was on the defensive, trying desperately to block Luke's attacks.  She was now beginning to be pushed backwards with the swing of Luke's blade.

Luke was in some kind of trance now.  He was in full command of the Force and had his opponent of the run.

Trying to end it quickly, Mara thrust her blade at Luke's midsection, attempting to cut him down.  But Luke blocked the thrust and kicked Mara across the face, knocking her to the floor.

Mara hit the floor hard.  She quickly managed to sit up.  She couldn't believe the power of Skywalker.  If she continued to fight here, he would destroy her.  She would have to continue this battle elsewhere.

Breaking away from Luke, she made an enhanced jump back to the catwalks above.  A determined Luke quickly followed her.  She made her way to the top catwalk, more than one hundred and fifty feet above the ground and came face to face once again with Luke Skywalker.

No, she would not fight him here, Mara Jade thought.  She turned away from Skywalker and ran to the door at the end of the catwalk.  Skywalker followed her.

They would continue this battle on the top of the facility.


Moving quickly, Anakin wrapped the heavy cable around his waist.  It was hooked up to a nearby wall unit.  Cable such as this was normally used for holding up heavy supplies.  Now Anakin hoped it would hold him long enough for him to enter the energy pit and rescue his daughter.

There was also the matter of Luke.  He had just seen his son get up and fight Mara Jade out of the building.  Luke continued to impress Anakin.  He had grown stronger since...their duel two weeks ago.  He had great faith in his son but he was still concerned.  Mara Jade was a powerful opponent and was a master of trickery.  He just hoped things would be all right as he concentrated on the task ahead.

He moved closer to the energy pit.  Leia was still desperately trying to hang on to the pipe.  Anakin lowered himself into the pit slowly, making sure he didn't extend the cable too much.

He continued to move down, inching closer and closer to Leia.  She looked up at him.  Anakin saw confusion in her eyes, as if she wasn't sure what to expect from him.

Anakin was now just above Leia.  He was hanging from the cable with his feet walking down the side of the pit.  He reached out his hand towards her. She was just in his reach.  In a few seconds, he could grab...

Suddenly, Leia lost her grip and began to once again fall down the pit.

"No!" Anakin yelled out as he watched the drop.  He would not allow this to happen!

Breaking away from the wall, he dove after the falling Leia.  Leia was falling closer and closer down into the pit. She closed her eyes as she prepared to be vaporize by the energy.

Suddenly, she was surprised to find herself stopped.  When she opened her eyes, she was just inches away from the deadly blue energy.  She looked up and found Anakin Skywalker...her father, grabbing onto her ankle, hanging from a cable.  He had just barely managed to save her from falling into the pit.

Moving slowly, Leia reached up and managed to grab Anakin's other hand.  He grabbed her and pulled her closer to him.  Now holding her in his arms, he began to make his way back to the top.

A short while later, both Anakin and Leia climbed over the energy bit and were once again on the floor of the deflector relay room.  They both reached their feet and now looked at one another.  The two stared for a long time, not knowing what to say.  It was very quiet, and all that could be heard was Anakin's mechanical breathing.

What can I possibly say to her? Anakin thought as he looked into the eyes of his daughter, Leia Organa.  Learning he had a son had been a big surprise for Anakin, but now knowing he had a second child, a daughter, was an even bigger shock.

Leia Organa was that daughter.  All that time he had been around her and he never knew.  The fact that she looked so much like her mother had been oblivious to him.  Had he just never noticed...or perhaps he had not wanted to notice?

Leia remained staring at Anakin.  She was face to face with Vader...Anakin, once again.  The last time she had been face to face with him was in Cloud City.  The memories of that burned into her mind.

As he continued to look at his daughter, new emotions flooded Anakin.  Shame, horror, regret.  What he had done to her in the times they were together.  He had brutally tortured her on the Death Star, relentlessly interrogating her for hours at a time.  He could now hear her screams in his head once more.  Forcing her to watch as her homeworld of Alderaan was destroyed.  All he ever did to his daughter was brutalize her and now…now he was once again forced to see the consequences of his actions.

"Thank you," Leia said reluctantly, breaking Anakin' thoughts.  Anakin stared at her again, surprised at what she had just said.  "Thank you for saving me."

Anakin couldn't believe what he had heard.  He didn't even think she would speak to her, let alone thank him.

Perhaps there was a chance for them, for their relationship.

"But if you think that I've forgiven you, then you're wrong," Leia suddenly spat out angrily at Anakin.  "I will never forgive you for what you've done to me...for what you've taken from me.  And what you did to Han..." she said, thinking back to those final moments on Cloud City, when she saw the man she loved being consumed by carbonite.  "I will never ever forget...or forgive!" she said, her body beginning to tremble in rage.

"Leia..." Anakin tried to say.

"You might be my father by some cruel trick of fate, but as far as I'm concerned, you're dead to me.  You died a long time ago and you will never be my father."

Anakin took a step backwards, badly shaken from what Leia had just told him.

Even behind his mask, Leia felt she could see the hurt in Anakin's eyes.  Seeing that told her just had badly he had been hurt by what she just said.  Somehow, this bothered her, more so then she thought possible.  Not wanting to see that look, she turned away from him and looked up to the series of catwalks above the room.

"We have to help Luke," she simply said.

Anakin stood standing behind Leia for a second, before joining her by her side.  He slowly nodded and the two began their way towards where Luke had gone.

Anakin's mind however, was on his daughter.  He had deserved what Leia had said to him, but still he had been hurt by what Leia said, perhaps as hurt as he had ever been.  He now feared that having any kind of positive relationship with his daughter was even out of the hands of the Force.


Luke and Mara fought each other viciously.  They were now on top of the deflector relay room, the rain still beating down on them.

Luke's attacks grew stronger and he continued to take the fight to Jade.  Jade had proven resilient and battled back. Their blades slammed together again and again, neither giving an inch.

Luke pushed Mara Jade against a small wall.  He raised his blade and attempted to cut her down.  Mara moved out of the way and Luke's blade cut through the wall.  Mara swung her purple blade at Luke's head but he deflected it and they quickly resumed their battle.

They fought for a long time, neither one getting an edge.  Finally, Luke applied more pressure, slashing his blade from side to side against the Emperor's Hand.  Mara moved to deflect the attacks, leaving her guard open.  Luke then jumped in the air and delivered a spin kick to Mara's face, knocking her backwards and to the floor.

Mara quickly rose to her feet and remained still for a moment.  Suddenly, a large piece of machinery came flying towards Luke at a dangerous speed.  Mara was directing it straight at him.  Luke brought up his hand to use the Force to stop it.  Mara continued to try to push the machinery at him.

Now the machinery lay in midair, with both Luke and Mara Jade trying to bend it to their will with the Force.  It twisted and bent as Luke and Mara continued to apply pressure.

Mara's power was becoming stronger, as she moved the machinery more towards Luke.  But Luke gritted his teeth and focused his power on the machinery.  He was now beginning to bend it to his will.

Mara Jade struggled to try to stop the machinery but suddenly it came flying back at her.  She ducked as it narrowly missed her and crashed over the ledge of the building.

Mara Jade jumped back up to her feet.  Much to Luke's surprise, she turned off her lightsaber.  She gave him a sly smile.

"Very good Luke Skywalker," she said.  "Looks like I underestimated your abilities.  You are indeed powerful."

Luke just stood there, lightsaber in hand, staring at her.

Mara smiled again.  "Does it have to be this way Skywalker?" Mara asked.  "Fighting to the death?"

"Only if you insist on it, Jade," Luke said.  "I don't want to fight but I will to defend my family."

"Yes, of course," Mara replied, staring at him.  "Still, Skywalker, this doesn't have to be.  You know deep down we are both after the same thing."

"What would that be?" Luke said, looking at her curiously.

"Power," Mara replied.  "Don't fool yourself Skywalker, you know you want it.  A man like you always has.  Look at the Empire now.  It is on the verge of falling.  The Emperor is an old man who has allowed the Rebellion get beyond his control.  Vader...or Skywalker as he now likes to be called, is nothing more than a machine.  He is barely human anymore.  His failures have made him weak.  Both he and the Emperor are ready to fall.

"Luke," Mara continued, "join me, and together we will overthrow the Emperor and Anakin Skywalker.  Together, with our combined strength, we will take control of the Empire and bring the galaxy to a new era of greatness.  We'll have more power than the Emperor ever dreamed possible.

"Luke, you know this is right.  You know this is the way things should be.  I have foreseen this – a future between us.  The two of us, ruling the galaxy side by side.  It is supposed to happen.  Look inside of yourself.  Deep down you know it to be true.  Luke, join me and you will know power greater than you could ever dream possible."

Luke stared at Mara Jade for a long time, considering her words.  Power like that was indeed appealing.  Power beyond his wildest dreams was even more so.  And he could sense a future between himself and Mara, a union of some sorts.  Was it destined to be?  Were he and Mara Jade destined to rule the galaxy?  Luke had to admit the proposal was very enticing.  Perhaps he could...

Suddenly, images popped up in his head.  Leia, Han, Chewie, even the parents he barely knew.  The galaxy itself flashed into mind.  He could not leave this.  Most of all he would not leave this.  Power was always enticing, but he did not want it.  Perhaps he would have at one time, like when Vader had offered it to him, but not now. No, he had moved beyond such things.  He did not want power, and he would not turn to the dark side.  Not even for something like this.

"No, Mara Jade," Luke said.  "I will not join you.  You speak of power, but the only true power comes from inside, within the light of the Force.  I do not want your kind of power.  I will not turn to the dark side.  I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

Mara's face quickly turned cold and deadly as she glared at Luke.

"So be it...Jedi," Mara quietly said.

Suddenly, she ignited her lightsaber and charged Luke, ready for a final attack.  She furiously launched at Luke, bring her purple blade down again and again.  Luke met her attack and battled back furiously, pushing her all the way to the ledge of the building.

The two were now on the ledge of the building, battling each other furiously.  Luke pressed the attack and pushed Mara Jade back so far that she nearly fell.  He swung his blade at Mara, attempting to end it here and now.

She ducked and slashed her lightsaber at Luke's side, where his broken ribs were.  Luke screamed in pain as the blade sheared through his flesh and he began to back up.  Mara responded with a kick to Luke's head, nearly knocking the young Jedi over.  Mara pressed her attack, knocking Luke backwards.  With his hands lowered, Mara raised her blade and prepared to cut Luke down once and for all.

She missed.  She turned around to where Luke was and swung again.  But Luke blocked her and flung her arms away from her.  With the Force as his ally, he ran his lightsaber right through Mara's body.  Mara dropped her lightsaber and stared at Luke in shock as her body suddenly went stiff.  Looking into her eyes, Luke felt something briefly in the Force.  It felt like a loss, as if he had just lost something in the future.  He couldn't explain it but the feeling soon left him.  He pulled his blade out of her and Jade's lifeless body fell off the building and all the way to the ground.

Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand, had been destroyed.

Luke stood wobbly on the roof of the building, badly injured.  The rain had now stopped and the clouds were beginning to part.  The first rays of sunshine were beginning to glisten down on the base.

Suddenly, he heard a cry and turned around.  It was Leia.  She ran to him and hugged him.  As much as it hurt him, he hugged her back.

"Luke..." she began.

"She's dead Leia...it's over," Luke said.

Suddenly Luke looked up at the imposing form of the third person on the roof.  It was his father.  Leia turned around and looked upon the figure of Anakin Skywalker.

Luke looked at his father for a long time, not knowing what to do.  As a child, he always had dreamed of the moment when he would meet his father.  Of course, he had grown up thinking his father had died, but that had never stopped him from dreaming.  Now, that moment, that dream, was coming true, but Luke didn't know what to do.  Was he truly Anakin Skywalker now?

Slowly, Luke walked towards him.  "Is it...is it really you?" Luke asked.

"Yes, my son.  It is really me," Anakin replied.

"Father..." Luke said, continuing to walk towards him.  "You came back..."

Suddenly Luke collapsed straight into Anakin's arms.

"Luke!" Leia yelled and rushed to him.  Anakin laid him to the ground and put his hand on Luke's head.

"What's wrong?" Leia asked.

"He's suffered several injuries," Anakin said. "He should be all right but I'm going to have to get him to the bunker.  I can help him there."

"Is...mother there as well?" Leia asked.

"Yes," Anakin replied.  "She and Obi-Wan are both still..."

Suddenly, alarms rang out all over the base.  Anakin and Leia looked around, and saw people beginning to run out of the bases and into their posts.  It appeared as if they were readying themselves for combat.

Leia stared directly at Anakin and said, "This can only mean one thing."

"The Empire," Anakin said.


Carrying the unconscious body of his son, Anakin carefully made his way through the base along with Leia.  The base was very active, with people running to their assigned post in preparation for the imminent attack by the Empire.  Although he was no longer Darth Vader, Anakin still knew how to hide his presence, and that of his children from the others in the base, particularly to the Jedi.

Anakin briefly looked at his daughter.  They hadn't exchanged a word since the alarms went off and he didn't expect that to change any time soon.  Or perhaps ever, for that matter.

Anakin shook off those thoughts.  There was no time to dwell on this.  He had to get back to the bunker and heal Luke.  He also realized that he and his family were going to have to get off this planet very soon.

A short while later, Anakin and Leia reached the bunker.  Using the Force, Anakin opened the bunker door and he and Leia descended down the steps.  They were greeted at the bottom by Obi-Wan.  Obi-Wan's face was in shock at the sight of Anakin's son in his arms.

"Anakin, what happened?" Obi-Wan asked, moving towards him.

"Luke was injured fighting Jade.  He destroyed her but sustained several injuries.  He should be fine, but I need to help him recover."

"What's going on out there?  I sense a disturbance in the force," Obi-Wan asked.

"It's the Empire.  They're coming.  They will arrive here in one day."

"The Empire," Obi-Wan said.  "They found this base...so, you already know what's going to happen."

Vader was going to say something but could not.  That gave Obi-Wan the answer he needed.

"I'm sorry Obi-Wan but this base isn't going to survive," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath.  "I must tell Master Mundi.  Anakin...will you be all right here?"

"Yes Master," Anakin replied.  "If I need anything, I'll contact you."

Obi-Wan nodded.  Turning around, he sprinted out of the bunker.  Anakin carried Luke to the small room in the back.  He forgot though that this was where he had left Amidala.  When he walked into her room, she gasped as she saw the sight and brought her hands up to her mouth.

"By the Force!" she said, as she looked at the face of her bloodied son.  "Ani...is he..."

"He's alive, Ami," Anakin said.  "But I need to help him immediately."

Amidala got up from her bed, allowing Anakin to place Luke upon it.  He then put his hand on Luke's temple, to better assess his injuries.

Three broken ribs.  A punctured lung.  Internal bleeding.  A lightsaber wound on his side.  Mild concussion.  He was hurt badly but Anakin felt he should be able to use his powers to help his son recover.  He hoped so.

As Amidala watched Anakin helping their son, she could sense a change in his demeanor.  He was very depressed.  Not just about Luke but about something else.  Turning to her side, she saw Leia.  Amidala could tell that that was the source of his depression.

"Ami...Leia," Anakin said, turning to face the two of them.  "There is nothing more you two can do here at this moment.  It would be better for you two to wait outside while I attend to Luke."

"Leave him in your hands?" Leia asked, not convinced.

Anakin looked up at his daughter.  "Leia, I know you don't trust me – " he started to say.

"No, I don't," Leia snapped at him, her anger mounting.  "Why should I trust my brother in your care?  I remember the last time you were alone with him.  If you think I'm going to –"

"Leia," Amidala cut in, putting her hand on her daughter's shoulder.  "Let your father help Luke.  I know you don't trust him but I do.  He is the only one who can help him."

Leia looked into the face of her mother.  She tried to speak, but as she looked into the face of the mother she hadn't seen in over twenty years, she couldn't say anything.  Instead, she turned back to Anakin and said, "Do what you have to."

Leia followed Amidala into the main room, stealing a glance or two back at Luke.  He really was in awful shape, and she couldn't figure out what Vader was trying to do to help.  He had a hand to Luke's forehead, but just seemed to be staring at him.  Her limited training hadn't included anything about healing, so she had no idea what was involved.  Leia sighed anxiously.  I wish Kenobi had stayed.

She realized then that her mother was staring intently at her.  Leia looked back shyly.  For a second, felt very small under that gaze...like a little girl...that loved her mother desperately, and had missed her painfully when she left.  As a rush of memories came back to her, Leia felt the sting of tears in her eyes.

Amidala smiled gently at her, and opened her arms.

Leia collapsed into her embrace, still fighting back tears.  "Mother," she whispered, to overwhelmed to say much else.

Amidala stroked her hair and asked, "Are you all right?  What happened out there?"

Leia pulled back.  "I'm not as skilled a fighter as Luke...and I had a scare.  But I'm fine."

Her mother took her hand and squeezed it tightly.  "I'm glad to hear it.  And I'm glad Luke was able to help you before you were hurt.  Anakin should be able to heal him, don't worry."

Leia had decided not to correct her mother about Luke saving her.  But the mention of "Anakin" helping Luke sent another flash of anger through her that she could barely contain.  "Of course I'm worried.  Who knows what he could do to him?"

"He won't hurt Luke."

"He has hurt Luke!  And me.  And you.  And...many others..." her voice drifted off, as her thoughts turned to Han.  Recent events hadn't left her much time to reflect on losing him; she knew that thinking about him too much would be a distraction to this mission.  But she couldn't escape a dull awareness of the gaping hole left in her heart.

"Leia, I know he's done terrible, dreadful things," Amidala said quietly.  She took a deep breath.  "I'm sorry to know that he's hurt you and Luke.  That's the last thing I wanted.  But I want you to understand that he's changed.  I wouldn't let him touch Luke if I wasn't certain of that."

Leia stared at her in disbelief.  "How can you say that?  Vader comes here and says he changed and you just believe him?  You should be the last person to accept that."  She gently touched her mother's cheek.

"Look at what's happened to you.  You're hiding out in a military bunker, pregnant and alone, and you're going to have to give up Luke...and it's all because of him."

Amidala suddenly looked tired. She went over to a chair and sat down; Leia sat next to her, and waited for her mother to answer.

"Do you want me to hate him, Leia?"

"Don't you?"

Her mother put an arm around Leia's shoulders. "No." Leia was about to protest, but Amidala continued.  "Please don't think I don't understand how you feel, Leia.  But I can tell you with certainty that you can never hate him enough to make up for what he did.  You can try to hurt him now, but you'll never feel that he's hurting as badly as you did.  It's an empty revenge, Leia, and you'll just wind up chasing it endlessly."

Leia laid her head on her mother's shoulder, and remained silent for a long moment.  "I just can't accept that he's my father.  Too much has happened."

"He is your father, Leia.  You can't change that.  I'm not saying that you have to forget what he's done, but you must let the hatred go.  It will always hurt you more than it can hurt him."  Amidala paused, wondering whether to continue.  Finally, she said, "I'm afraid that's a lesson Anakin wasn't able to learn.  He thought his hatred somehow...empowered him.  It wound up destroying him."

Leia sighed thoughtfully.  Deep down, she knew that what her mother was saying made sense.  She just wasn't sure that she would be able to do it, to let all the anger and resentment go.  But she had to admit that knowing her mother was able to do so under such trying circumstances amazed her.  Leia had always known that her mother was a strong and loving person, but she never really realized how much she had lost.

"Mother, I saw the wedding picture in your room.  You looked so happy then."

"I guess...I wasn't that way when you knew me."

"No," she admitted.  "But I understand why now." Leia looked up.  "I don't know if I'm supposed to say this...but I've missed you."

Amidala felt her throat constrict.  She tightened her arm around Leia, and kissed the top of her head.  "What happened?"

"I'm not really sure.  I was so young.  All I know is that you left one day...and never came back...I knew, somehow, that you were –"

"Dead," Amidala finished.  She was only partially surprised.  No wonder Anakin hadn't wanted to tell her about her future.  "Leia, no matter what happens, I will always be with you, and with Luke.  I love you both more than you can know."

"We love you too, Mother." Leia smiled and didn't say another word.  For now, she was perfectly content to be held in her mother's arms again.


"I trust you to carry this out my friends," Ki-Adi-Mundi said as he looked out at members of his resistance in the auditorium.  He had just spent the last fifteen minutes explaining the situation to them.

As the base had been concentrating on finding the Sith warrior, their long-range sensors in the Drayos Sector had picked up a ship.  They had hoped it had been the ship they had sent out earlier, but it had not been.  It was an Imperial Star Destroyer.  It turned out to be four of them, and they were heading straight for Drayos.  They would arrive in less than a day.

This could not be happening at a worse possible time.  Only a handful of their ships were ready for departure.  Many of them were being refitted and refueled.  So that meant they would have to stay and prepare to battle the Imperial forces.

Things got further complicated when it was reported that one of their power regulators in the shield generator room had been destroyed.  Most likely by the Sith.  With the Empire rapidly descending on Drayos, they would not have time to fix it and now they would have to fight without a planetary shield.

The Sith attacker had not been found either.  Obi-Wan had gone to search for him and had not returned.  They had no way of knowing where the Sith or Obi-Wan were.  A bad situation was getting much worse for the entire resistance.  But they had no choice.  They must fight.

"We must be prepared for battle," Mundi continued.  "We have to get all refugees, civilians, and non-essential personnel to the few space-bound ships we have."

"I know this is going to be difficult...frankly we might not survive.  But we must try.  If we are destroyed then the last resistance to the Empire will be gone.  It might take years for another Rebellion to form.  Are you with me?"

The whole auditorium bellowed out in cheers.  Species of all different planets were on their feet standing before him.  Mundi smiled at the crowd.  Yes, were ready.

"Then get to your positions and may the Force be with you...all of you," Mundi said.

The crowd rapidly began to leave the auditorium.  Eventually the only two who remained were Ki-Adi-Mundi and his daughter Sylvn.

Ki-Adi-Mundi looked at his daughter.  She was staring at the auditorium, not moving.  Mundi knew what she was thinking about.  Obi-Wan.

She loved the Jedi, Mundi knew.  He believed she would get hurt because of Kenobi's obligation to the Queen and her unborn children.  The two had fought and still weren't speaking to each other.

Ki-Adi-Mundi walked over to his daughter, who turned to face him.  He smiled at her.  Slowly, she smiled back.

"Are you all right my daughter?" Mundi asked.

"Yes Father, I am fine," Sylvn said.

"There's still no word from Obi-Wan," Mundi said.

"I know," Sylvn said.  She tried to say more but was unable to.

"I'm concerned about him too, Sylvn," Mundi said.  She turned back to her father, somewhat surprised.

"Sylvn, I'm...I'm sorry about what I said to you about Obi-Wan the other day," Mundi said.  "I did not mean to be difficult in this matter.  I...I just wanted to point out to you that this situation might not work out like you want it, not that I don't trust your judgment.  I trust you more than anyone princess, and I wouldn't want you to assume otherwise."

Sylvn smiled. "I know, Father.  And I'm sorry as well for criticizing you.  I know you only warned me about Obi-Wan because you care.  I was just too angry to see it."

"Do you love him Sylvn?" Mundi asked.

Sylvn nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Then I am happy for you," Mundi said and moved to embrace his daughter.  Sylvn hugged him back.

"I love you, Sylvn.  You have always made me proud, even when we were not on the best of terms.  I consider myself very fortunate to still have you still in my life."

"And I you, Father," Sylvn said.  "Always."

Just then, the doors to the auditorium slid open and revealed the presence of Obi-Wan.  Mundi and Sylvn's eyes went up in shock.  Sylvn ran to Obi-Wan and embraced him.  He embraced her back but something was wrong.  Sylvn could sense it.

"Obi-Wan, what is it?" Sylvn said, staring up at him.

Obi-Wan looked at her, and then at Ki-Adi-Mundi.

"There is something I have to tell you both," Obi-Wan said.