The Lost Ones Part 1

Coruscant.

Leia stood on the landing platform and gazed anxiously at the sky. They should be arriving any minute now. She couldn't wait to see Luke. When they had parted, he had still been recovering from the bysa virus and she wanted to see with her own eyes that he was completely well again. Though she knew their father would not have agreed to their leaving Naboo if Luke were not one hundred percent yet.

She was eager to see her father, too. Now that they were finally able to move beyond the shadows of the past, she was looking forward to becoming closer to him.

"Don't worry. I'm sure they'll be along soon," Lando Calrissian, newly appointed governor of Coruscant, spoke from beside her. "You know with half the spaceport controllers on strike, it's taking a lot longer for traffic to move on and off-planet."

"How are the negotiations coming along?" Leia asked. Lando had taken on a tough job. Under Palpatine's control, Coruscant had become a world where a relatively small group of his lackeys possessed most of the wealth and everyone else barely survived. Now the population expected the New Republic, via Lando, to undo twenty years' worth of damage to the economy overnight. Every day new groups protested and went on strike. Lando's days were filled with meetings with economic advisors, union representatives, and relief-aid committees. His duties had prevented him from vacationing on Naboo, but he had squeezed in a few minutes to welcome Luke and Anakin.

Lando broke into a genuine smile, the first one Leia had seen from him in days. "I think we're close to resolving it. Don't make any announcements, but I'm meeting with their representative tomorrow and we're on the verge of reaching an agreement. By the way, thanks for lending me 3PO. He's been a big help."

"Han will never believe that," Leia remarked. Then she was grinning broadly herself as a gleaming silver ship approached and came to a gentle landing at the end of the platform. "Here they are."

And then Luke and Anakin were among them and they were all laughing and hugging.

"It's good to see you."

"We've missed you."

"Are you all well again?"

"Beeeeep."

Finally they all drew back and looked at one another. Luke noticed some important faces were missing. "Where are Han and Chewie?"

Leia sighed. That was the boo-fly in the ointment these days. Han's position in the New Republic fleet meant that he spent a lot of time away from Coruscant. "They're with the fleet near Gaizarane."

Anakin touched her shoulder sympathetically. "Seems like he has to spend a lot of time away."

Leia nodded, then smiled at him. "Yes, but that'll change soon. After the wedding, he's going to take a new position in the New Republic."

They looked at her curiously.

After a dramatic pause, Leia continued, "Han will be the head instructor at the New Republic Flight Academy."

"Han? He's going to be a teacher?" Luke rather incredulously asked.

"Flight instructor," Leia corrected with a grin. "You should see your face. It's exactly the way Han looked when Admiral Ackbar first suggested the idea. But the more we talked about it, the more we realized it would be great for Han. He's one of our best pilots, a great tactician and innovator, and he knows all about the strengths and weaknesses of various types of ships. He'd get to spend a lot of time flying and best of all, he'd be permanently stationed on Coruscant."

"Personally, I think he'll be a fine instructor," Anakin said reassuringly. "Who could do a better job teaching the young pilots of the New Republic?"

Luke nodded slowly. Now that he thought about it, the idea did have its merits. "How about that? Han, Father, and me all becoming teachers? You'll have to find some proteges, too, Leia. You don't want to be left out."

"It sounds like more fun than drawing up the Intergalactic Constitution," she agreed. "The interim one giving us emergency powers to govern will expire in a few months, and we're working day and night to come up with a new constitution that please the majority of the Senate."

Anakin studied his daughter thoughtfully, searching for signs of exhaustion in her bearing. He had, necessarily, been focused on Luke's health these past weeks, but he didn't want to neglect Leia. However, she seemed perfectly well. Radiant, even. Being engaged obviously gave her great joy. He still felt the need to caution her, though. "Don't work too hard. You don't want to tire yourself out right before the wedding."

"That's one reason I am working so hard," she responded. "No matter what state the government is in, Han and I are getting married in three months and then we're taking a long honeymoon to the Valtra resort. If the Constitution isn't finished by then, someone else will just have to take my place. Still, I'd like to see it completed."

The conversation about the state of the government continued until they reached Irrasyr Towers where Leia's apartment was located. Then Lando told them farewell.

"I'm not the only one working long hours," Leia commented as they entered a turbolift and rode up to the top floor. "Can you believe Lando's turning into a workaholic?"

"Lando? A workaholic?" Luke shook his head. "Never thought I'd hear those words in the same sentence."

Leia had a cozy suite with an eye-catching view. They entered and made themselves comfortable. Leia and R2 served chips and drinks. Then she resumed the conversation. "Actually, Lando's doing a wonderful job. He's a good administrator. He knows how to get things done efficiently and he's really looking out for the ordinary citizens of Coruscant. I think he's the best person we could have for the job."

"I'm glad everything's working out," Luke remarked. "We've all changed a lot, haven't we?"

Leia reached to take her brother's and father's hands. "I think we all bring out the best in each other."

They smiled and sat quietly for a while, just enjoying one another's company. Then, remembering that they had come to Coruscant for a purpose, Anakin spoke up. "Leia, we need access to the old Imperial records."

"To look for information on Betta and Keren Colzin?" Leia asked. As they nodded, she said, "I've had 3PO begin searching for references to them already. He's found a note about some political prisoners from the Mid and Outer Rims in that time frame. It was seventeen years ago, right?"

"Right," Anakin agreed. "Where is he? We need to see those records."

"He's working in Lando's offices now, but he'll be home early," she smiled at R2. "He's looking forward to seeing you again." R2 whistled in reply.

Leia went to her desk, switched on the computer and punched some keys, "I have the notes here, though. I knew you'd want to see them."

They crowded around the computer and studied the records. They mainly seemed to list the species, gender, and age of the prisoners taken from various worlds. The charge against each was treason. No names were given, but there were some from Naboo, including several children.

"How could children commit treason?" Leia muttered angrily.

Anakin felt a terrible pain constrict his chest. How could he ever have believed in an Empire that committed such atrocities? How could he have been so deluded? He himself had not taken children prisoners. Little Keren Colzin was the only exception, and, even as Vader, he had not meant for her to come to any harm. But he had known that Palpatine did many cruel, unjust things and he had simply turned a blind eye to most of them, telling himself they were necessary evils and that once the Empire was in complete control, it could begin to heal the galaxy's wounds. He wondered how he could have been so blind as to think that Palpatine could bring any good to the galaxy.

He felt Luke's hand on his arm and he forced himself to put aside his pain and give the boy a reassuring smile. Luke was so empathetic, to all people, really, but especially towards his family. Anakin did not want to burden his son with his own guilt. Luke didn't deserve that.

"Here we go," Leia had scrolled down to the bottom of the screen. "Destination: Roon."

Anakin shook his head. "Roon? Why did he send them to Roon? Why not just execute them if he wanted them dead? Why waste a ship and crew?"

"This Roon's a pretty bad place?" Leia asked.

"The planet itself is hospitable, according to the rumors I've heard," Luke answered. "But to get there you have to travel through a seething mass of asteroids and gases. It's very difficult, nearly impossible."

Leia's face fell. "So if Betta and Keren were on that transport, they're probably dead."

"I have to know for sure," Anakin said heavily.

"We'll need to take plenty of supplies," Luke remarked. "Roon is on the edge of the Outer Rim. It'll take a couple of weeks to get there."

"Wait a minute," Leia protested. "If going to Roon is so dangerous, I don't want the two of you going. I don't want to lose either of you."

"We'll be all right, daughter," Anakin rested a strong hand on her shoulder. "The Force will guide us through. Don't worry."

"It's hard not to," she sighed. After a moment she said, "But I suppose you have to go."

"Yes," Luke and Anakin spoke in unison. Anakin added, "I can't enjoy being part of a family when I know I'm responsible for the Colzins being apart. If there's any chance at all of reuniting them, I have to take it."

Lando and 3PO came over for dinner that evening, and they had a good time laughing and visiting together. Anakin reflected briefly how different his life was now from the isolated one he had lived as Vader, and he sent his son a wave of gratitude across their mind-link. He owed everything to Luke. He could only hope that the love he felt now could help make up for the years of lonliness and the painful past. After Lando had gone, Anakin walked over to the sofa where Luke and Leia sat side by side and rested his hands gently on their shoulders. "Good night, children. I love you both."

They smiled at him. "Good night, Father."

As Anakin went on to bed and the droids retired to an alcove, conversing in their affectionate, argumentative way, Luke and Leia straightened the room in companionable silence, and then wandered over to the window to gaze at Coruscant's night sky.

"How did Miret's trial go?" Leia asked.

"Better than we expected. He has to work at the Theed University research lab for five years without pay. He'll live in a small apartment near the lab and receive three meals a day. The judge said he could make up for trying to take a life by working to save others," Luke replied.

"What happens in five years?"

"Then he's a free man again. It helped that no one died during any of the attempts, and that Father and I spoke in his defense," Luke told her.

Leia gave her brother a fond smile, even as she shook her head half- disbelievingly. "Defending the man who tried to kill you. Only you would do that, Luke. Although after the way you saved Father, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

"I feel sorry for Miret," Luke said softly. "The Empire treated him terribly. He just let his bitterness take over until revenge was all he could think of. You should see him now, Leia. He's a broken man." Luke thought of the last time he had seen Miret. He and Anakin had gone to Theed University shortly after the trial to tell Miret of their plan to hunt for his missing family and to see if he could give them any more information. Miret had not even been able to look him in the eyes. He had thanked them in a whispery voice with tears running down his cheeks. Before they left, he had taken Luke's hand and begged for his forgiveness. Luke had said gently, "You saved my life. There's nothing to forgive." Miret had not answered aloud, but simply had broken down sobbing.

Now Luke looked at his sister and said firmly, "He deserves a chance to start over."

Slowly Leia nodded. "I suppose so."

Luke and Anakin kept busy the next few days, meeting with Mon Mothma to get official approval for their search, gathering supplies, and spending time with Leia, Lando, and the droids.

Then early one morning the little group gathered on the landing platform once again. Leia had tears in her eyes as she bid her brother and father farewell. They were going on a dangerous journey and she couldn't help worrying.

"Be careful," she said as she hugged them both.

"We will," Luke promised. Anakin kissed her cheek.

Lando gave them a cheery wave. "Don't be strangers."

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Anakin said.

"With Betta and Keren," Leia said, forcing herself to smile.

"With Betta and Keren," Anakin agreed firmly.

3PO and R2 said good-bye, and then the two Jedi boarded the Naboo Angel and took to the sky, heading for Roon.