Dreams of the Dead

By Adien



Chapter One

The words echoed in Diana's mind, haunting her every thought. She tried to get those words out of her mind, but the harder she tried to push them away the more the pushed back. "You will be a Jedi Knight"  

          "Diana, what's the matter?" Leia asked her niece.

"Stop it!" Diana snapped at her accidentally. "Sorry..."

She sighed and plopped down on a deep ruby couch. "I wasn't talking to you."

          "Then who?" her aunt said. Her eyes were filled with worry for Diana.

 "No one really, I met someone at the canteen and what they said is bothering me. I keep on hearing them in my mind. I didn't mean to snap." Diana rubbed her forehead.

"It's ok." Leia said her eyes still showed traces of worry. "Who was this person?"

"Luke Skywalker. He was the man who I bumped into this morning. I was talking to him there and he was telling me about the Jedi. Before I left he told me that I was to be a Jedi Knight."

"And this bothers you?" Leia asked her face never changing at the sound of Luke's name.

"Not really, I think it scared me more. He looked so serious. And the look in his eyes…" Diana said, shuddering slightly.

"Well, don't think about it to much. Who knows what he was driving at?" Leia said, lying. She knew fully well why Luke had said that to her niece. She was to become one. It was her destiny. 

"I'll try…" Diana said breaking her aunt's thoughts. "I think I'm going to go to my room to rest."

Getting up off of the couch Diana walked to her room. With a sigh Leia watched her close her door then she got up quickly and headed to the kitchen. She had a guest coming and there was lots of food to prepare. As she was puling out vegetables, to be cut, Han walked into the kitchen.

"Why aren't you making the droids so this work? A senator like you shouldn't have to do the work of what a heap of metal can do." He said.

"I happen to like cooking, thank you, and the "heaps of metal" are setting the table and cleaning for me. Why don't you help me instead?" Leia said handing her husband a knife and a blue Guyanda. It was bitter tasting vegetable, but when cooked right it was better than the sweetest candy known to the galaxy.

Leia started to dice the vegetables, thoughts swarming in her mind. She could feel that Han knew. "I'm worried about Diana."

"What's wrong?" Han asked even though he was worried with his own problems.

"I'm not sure if she's ready to be a Jedi. If giving her back to Luke is right."

"What do you mean right? Of course. Leia," Han said setting down the knife and put his hands on her shoulders. "Luke is a trained Jedi Knight. He knows what he's doing. He said that it was her destiny. You know this."

Leia sighed, she knew. She was scared about leaving Diana; ever since she came to live with them she became a daughter to Leia. "What if she hates him for what he did? For what happened? What if she doesn't accept it?"

"Don't say that." Han said hugging his wife. "Everything will work out for the good."

Leia smiled weakly. The worries were hard to get rid of. Closing her eyes she quickly did some of the Jedi calming skills that Luke had taught her. Letting go of Han she began to poor the diced vegetables into a bowl and began to mix the ingredients.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"  Han yelled throwing the knife down. Blue juice ran from his eye. Trying to wipe it away he made it sting more.

 Leia gasping at the shout and grabbed a wet rag.

"AHH. Careful!! It stings. Don't put that on me it makes it worse!!" Han shouted despite his attempts to bat it away Leia cleaned his eye.  Han's face grew red as Leia laughed at him.

"You baby. Don't stick your face in it, silly. What were you thinking?" she said teasing. 

"What do you mean, 'baby?'" Han said, glaring at Leia. His anger was gone and he began to tease his wife back. "I nearly lost my eye!"

"Lost your eye?!" Leia asked laughing.

"Here." She said kissing Han on the lips. "Better?"

"Nope." Han said smiling.

Leia kissed Han passionately then playfully popped a piece of the bitter Guyanda in his still open mouth.

"Hey!" Han said.

Laughing Leia got back to work making the evening meal. She had an hour left to complete it.

"Watch the cake in the oven."  She asked Han as she began to dress the chicken with various herbs and sauces. She smiled as her husband moved to comply, rubbing his eye and grumbling.

          Hanlei sat in his room, his eyes closed. In his mind he began talking to his master. "Master, my cousin is becoming suspicious of me. I can feel it. What should I do about this?"

"Yes, I feel it as well. We shall wait my son. Until the time is right when you are ready to reveal yourself. I have trained you well ad your time draws near."  The dark voice said.

"Master, I know I am ready. I only wait patiently for you command. I feel my strength grow everyday. You have taught me well and for that I am thankfully."

"You can thank me by fulfilling my orders."  The voice said to Hanlei. "Now until that time you must work on your fighting skills. Go practice then come to me after you have completed."

"Yes my master." Hanlei said opening his eyes. He stood as his eyes adjusted to the uneven lighting in his room.

Stretching out his hand toward a round sliver ball on his shelf, he began to move it towards him.  With the smallest flick of his hand the ball obeyed the motion it had moved in. He made it travel around the room moving it up and down as it when. After bringing it in front of him he stared at it deeply. All of his thoughts clear he stared into the ball.

          The ball itself began to spin rapidly. Going faster and faster until it became a silver blur. Bring his hands together Hanlei closed his eyes and the ball disappeared. Opening his eyes back up the ball appeared in front of him again. Smiling slightly Hanlei slowly closed his eyes. The ball disappeared and began to move arose the room. Deep in thought Hanlei made it move underneath chairs and his bed. Flying up to the top of the ceiling then plummeting toward the ground.

As Hanlei visualized the ball's movement he began to make the ball change shape. What was then the ball had become a golden cube. Resting on top of Hanlei's desk, he opened eyes. There the cube sat visible to all. Quietly, almost muttering, Hanlei began to talk. The golden cube began to quiver as he spoke. His words getting stronger and louder the harder the cube began to quake. And as it shook it began to rise rapidly, till it had reached the ceiling. At the top of his lungs Hanlei yelled something unrecognizable. At the sound of Hanlei's shout the cube busted into a huge jolt of Blue and white energy. 

Lighting up the room Hanlei closed his eyes again he could feel the energy in the room. Calling out he caused the bolts to form a golden cube once again. It softly floated back down to the desk. There Hanlei picked it up and put it back on the shelf, his hands still tingling from the energy. Turning to his table he thrust his hand toward a potted plant, a burst of bright white energy came from his hand and burned the plant turning it to a blackened ash. Laughing he sat back down in the middle of his room and started to meditate, while the sent of burnt vegetation still lingered.

Sniffing the air Diana lay on her bed. Holding a plush deep purple pillow on her chest she tightened her grip on it as the words traveled in her head again. She had tried sleeping but she kept on having strange nightmares. Rolling over she faced the opened balcony. She watched the different air speeders fly by. The clouds were rolling in thick and billowy. They showed traces of rain but with no promise of drizzling.

Inhaling deeply she cringed at the smell of brunt plants and fresh air. Burrowing her head into her blanket she quietly screamed. The worry and annoyance from the voice in her head were getting too much.

"You will be a Jedi Knight."

"SHUT UP!!!!" She screamed to herself. But the voice never stopped. But Diana never noticed it because she had finally fallen to sleep. And soon the smell of burn feathers was covered up from the smell of Leia's cooking. Restlessly turning over she began to dream……

The wind was blowing over the place softly causing the grass to ripple like calm ocean waves.  White daises dappled the velvety canvas and shone in the warm mid-spring sun. Nothing could be seen from miles around only specks of white surrounded by a peaceful green. Diana sat there among the white daises and let the sun wash over her. She was wearing a soft white dress that stretched to the ground. Her sandy blonde hair was woven beautifully with tiny Baby's Breath in it. The longer parts blew in her face, moving them away from her sparkling deep blue eyes she scanned the serene plane. Her mind was at peace no thoughts ran through. Only the sound of the wind meeting grass.

Picking a single daisy she began to softly pick the petals, letting each one fly into the wind in hope of finding a new home. She murmured something but it was lost in the wind. Turing she saw a man standing behind her. Standing, she stared into his equally deep blue eyes, a small smile crossed her soft crimson lips. He was wearing a black tunic with a matching robe to cover it. The robe softly moved in the light wind. His short medium blonde hair was slightly ruffled.  He smiled back at her; his eyes were filled with love.

"You look like a goddess." He told her.

Diana smiled and took his hand. They walked to a part of the plane where only the white daises could be seen. They sat amongst them, Diana picking them to make a chain and the man placing them along side of the Baby's Breath in Diana's hair.  It was very peaceful there; Diana leaned against his chest as he quietly talked to her.

"I have missed you." He said.

"I have to." She said to him." I wish that you never had to leave."

"Ah, so do I. But now I am back. I have longed to see your face and feel your touch. And now that you are here with me I am truly happy." He said as he stroked Diana's hair. "Look into my eyes once more."

Turning to face him, Diana looked lovingly into his eyes, his hands held her face as he lifted his head he kissed Diana softly on the forehead.

Resting his head back on the ground he looked up into the sky and said, "You're eyes shine like the suns and hold all the stars in them. I am at peace when I am with you."

Diana smiled and put her head back on his chest and listened to his heart beat softly, as he continued to stroke her hair.

The clouds above them moved toward the east and the sun cast its warm beams around them. They stayed there looking to the sky for what it seemed like forever…..

Opening her eyes slowly Diana saw a dark outside with the blur of airspeeders' lights fly by. Turning over she realized that it was all a dream. She was still in her bed. She was still wearing her black skirt with a tight matching shirt. She was about to have dinner with her aunt, uncle, and Luke.

Luke! Her eyes widened that was the man in her dream. The one who kissed her… Luke. He had kissed her… But it wasn't what Diana had imagined a kiss from a lover, no, far from it. It was more like…

Diania sighed. Luke… The very man who scared her a couple hours before. Diana wasn't sure to make of the dream and what it meant. She couldn't figure out the feelings that she had felt in it ether. 

Getting out of bed she dressed into a white dress that went to the ground. It hung at her shoulders with beaded pearls along it. She brushed her hair straight so it hung long then braided part of it as if it was a cascading waterfall of golden blonde. Around her neck she placed a small oval shaped locket hung by a black leather cord. Inside the locket was a picture of her aunt and uncle, a gift given by them when she was only 3. She treasured the locket dearly and always kept it in a safe place. Slipping on her white boots she walked the living room. As she entered the room Han leaned back slightly in the presence of Diana.

"Wow," was all he could say.

Diana pulled a face at her uncle and then turned to her aunt. "Does it look ok? Not too much?"

"Oh no. You look wonderful and jugging by the way Han's eyes are popping out I'd say he likes it too." Leia said smiling at her niece. "I see you're wearing your necklace."

"I love it. You know that. I always wear it when we're not traveling." Diana said her hand brushed against it gently. "When's Luke going to get here?"

"Soon I hope, I'm getting hungry." Han said. "Where's Hanlei?"

"Right here." Hanlei said sitting down in a chair closest to the door. His eyes were almost bloodshot.

"Hanlei! What's wrong with your eyes?" Leia said worried.

"Nothing. I didn't get much sleep." Hanlei said flatly. He was clearly in no mood to chat. 

Leia looked at Han; he shrugged and got up to the door which was now knocking.  It was Luke; he was dressed much like in Diana's dream only he wore a brown robe than black. He looked at Diana eyes wide and full of amazement and pride.  "You look wonderful." He said.

Diana smiled at the approval and graciously said thank you. They all sat while Leia went to finish the last touches on dinner. Diana noticed that Luke would look at her in mid-conversation with Han.

After awhile dinner was finally ready they all walked to the dinning room. Luke insisted on escorting her to the table. Only Hanlei notices Diana slightly blush when Luke did so. Sitting down to the table the droids began to serve the first course.

"Diana tells me that you two talked earlier today." Leia said turning her attention away from the droids and to Luke.

"Yes we did. She happened to be in the canteen the same time I was. We sat and talked for awhile." Luke said taking a sip of water. "She seemed to be interested in my lightsaber."

"I see." Was all Leia could say.

Diana scowled, she didn't like the way her aunt was acting to their guest. It was as if there was something else going on that she didn't know about. Looking at her aunt Diana saw that her expression kept changing as if she was having a silent conversation. She looked over to her uncle he sat there staring blankly into his soup. Hanlei seemed to be silently eating his soup as if he didn't want to be noticed by anyone.

"Aunt Leia, are you alright?" Diana finally asked breaking the silence.

Leia looked up at her niece. "Yes of course." She could tell that Diana didn't believe her. Biting her lip she asked Luke, "How do you like you soup?"

"Oh it very nice." Luke said. He absentmindedly took a sip of his wine. 

The silence continued through out the meal, Diana was surprised how the mood had suddenly changed. Even though Han spoke up some of the meal, it seemed to Diana that only Leia and Luke were having a conversation. 'How' was beyond her. Weird things were happening and she did not like it.

After was seemed a lifetime of quietness the meal was finally over and they all walked back out to the living room. Diana excused herself saying that she was tired and she wanted sleep. Soon after Hanlei went to his quarters as well.

Diana slipped out of her white dress and put a black satin nightgown. After letting her hair down she found herself very thirsty. She slipped into a silver bathrobe, and exited her room to walk down the hallway towards the kitchen. She could hear her aunt and uncle talking to Luke very seriously.

"I don't know about this Luke, I've been having bad thoughts about this all day. I don't think Diana's ready for all this."

Diana stopped as Leia said her name.

"She is ready. I can feel it in the Force. She is ready to become a Jedi Knight."

Diana gasped quietly as she head Luke continue.

"Everything will be fine; tomorrow I will tell her and take her to Tatooine. Ben's old hut is still there and I think that's the best place to train her there."

"I just can't believe you came so soon!"

Diana sensed the anger in her voice.

"Don't get angry now. We knew what would happen when she came, you know that." Han's voice was very tired and heavy. "It's no use to fight about it now. Luke knows what he doing."

 "Yes I know, but if she hates us.... For what we all did... The lies we built for her. What if it all comes back to slap us in the face?" Leia looked at her husband trying to prove her point.

"What lies?"

Leia snapped her head toward the voice, Diana stood there looking at them, her hair slightly covering her eyes.

"What lies have you been telling me? What did you do?" Diana asked them again. She could tell that neither Han nor Leia knew what to say. She looked at Luke and asked him, "Who are you?"

Looking back at Diana Luke smiled slightly and said, "I am Luke Skywalker a Jedi Knight, and as one I will train you to be come one Diana Skywalker."

Diana froze her eyes transfixed on Luke. He stood and helped her to a chair next to him. "Skywalker?" she said quietly. Diana began to shake slightly. Luke put his hand on her arm and said, "Yes."

"You mean…. You…you're my, my father?" Diana struggled to say. Her mind was blank with shock except for that one simple concept.

"Yes, I am…" Luke's shone into Diana's. He looked at her with compassion only a father could give to his daughter.

"Why didn't I stay with you? Why did I live with Aunt Leia and Uncle Han?"  She said looking up at him. "Where did you go?" Questions suddenly came flooding out of places in her mind she didn't even knew she had.

"There was a lot going on at the time. You were very important to me and the enemy. I wanted to do what was best for you so I gave you to my sister. Leia took you into her family and made you one of her own. I am very grateful for her doing it. I told Leia and Han that I'd be back for you when it was time to see if you were to become a Jedi. You aunt has been watching you at nights. Outside the window, you by the tree, I watched you too. You have mastered that orb very well. We knew it was time for me to come. That's why I am here."

"And that's why you said that I would become a Jedi Knight…" Diana said quietly still shocked. All her aunt told her about her family that they had both died in a fierce battle by the enemy. It never occurred to Diana that she had the makings of a Jedi Knight. "So…I will be going tomorrow?"

"Yes, we'll pack tomorrow." Leia said. Getting up she touched Han's knee and he got up with her. "We'll leave you two to talk." 

They left leaving Diana with Luke, her father.

Thoughts began to swarm in her mind. Thoughts of the dream she had came to mind…

"What was it about?" she asked Luke without saying what she was talking about.

"I'm not sure…" he said, somehow knowing what she was referring to. " I had it too, I can't explain it."

"I truly have missed you," Diana said tears coming to her eyes. "I thought you were dead. That you would never come back,"

Tears began to fall from her eyes; she put her head on his lap, quietly tears slipped. Smiling Luke felt his own eyes become watery. He stroked his daughter's long golden hair and thought back to when he had left her…

"Be careful with her, she's only a baby." Luke said to Leia. He stood in the early morning darkness at the door to the dirt bubble house that Leia and Han we're living on in Tatooine.

"Luke, she's five." Han said.

"Still, she still so young… Just be careful. If they ever found out where she was…."

"Luke, she will be safe here, we will protect her." Han said putting a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I will teach her to be a great mechanic, almost better than me."

Smiling, Luke handed the sleeping girl in his arms to Han. Leia hugged her brother, "She will be a daughter to me. I will protect her. No one will find out."

Luke squeezed Leia, "I know you will.  I will come back for her when she is ready to become a Jedi and when it's safe."

Han nodded as Leia let Luke go. "Better get going; the sun will be rising soon."

Luke agreed kissed his daughter on the forehead one last time and whispered to her, "Good bye my Diana, daddy will come for you soon."

He placed a hand on her head and closed his eyes, erasing all the memories of him in the little five-year-old's mind, leaving only but a small trace of her family.

         

As he turned towards his X-Wing he wiped a tear away from his eye. He climbed into the cockpit and looked at the dirt house. Leia and Han had gone in with Diana. He saw the small head of Leia's son, Hanlei, he was only six. Turning away from him he began to take off. 

         

"I know R2, I know…" he said responding to the droids drills and beeps telling him to pay attention to the commands that were now flashing on the computer screen.  Taking off he left the planet and flew off into Hyperspace never seeing his daughter until several, several years later.

Luke looked at his daughter. She had stopped crying and had drifted into a light sleep. Smiling to himself he picked her up and carried her to her room.

Placing Diana in her bed Luke slipped off her bathrobe and covered her with the white and red silk blankets.

He bent over and kissed her on her forehead, just like in Diana's dream, just like when he had left her.

"I love you my Diana, daddy has come for you now." He whispered.

Diana smiled in her sleep and turned over facing the other way and went into a deep sleep. Luke quietly walked out of the room and headed to his own quarters. As he past Hanlei's room he felt a great presence of the Dark Force around his room. Frowning he ignored the presence and walked to his own room. Ignored, but he did not forget; at last he had been reunited with his daughter.

To Be Continued…