Title: Civil War Author: Cyher
Chapter 2
Once Luke was dressed, he opened his door and trotted down to the Academy Comm Station. Within moments he had keyed in the command that would connect him with his sister's home.
"Hello?" a tired sounding voice said.
"Han!" Luke said, "I didn't wake you did I?"
"Luke!" Han exclaimed wiping the grit out of his eyes. "No, you didn't wake me," he yawned, "What's up?"
"A lot," Luke said, "I need to talk to Leia in person."
"Well kid, you couldn't pick better timing. Leia has a free day today. Absolutely zero diplomatic duties to attend to. You wouldn't believe the fight we had to put up to get this day"
"I'd believe it," Luke said, "So when's a good time to stop by?"
"We're spending all day with the kids. We'd love it if you'd stop by for dinner. They haven't seen you in a awhile. You wouldn't believe how tall they're getting," Han said proudly.
Luke had to chuckle about Han's comments. After all, he could remember the days when the Falcon and the Kessel Run was what Han spent his days bragging about. My how things change.
"Dinner sounds great, I'll see you then," he said.
"Great, it'll probably be around 7" Han said.
The two men said their goodbyes, and Luke went outside. The students would be waking soon, and Luke had planned to lead them in a run around campus and through the forest. Far too often, Luke had seen students rely solely on the Force, and not at all on their own abilities. Luke didn't want them to become too dependent. Idly he wondered if he should plan some activities with ysalimiri. No thoughts stayed with him for long though. He kept drifting back to the joy of seeing Leia, Han, and his niece and nephew.
******Coruscant******
Luke easily put his X-Wing down on the landing pad assigned to him by Coruscant Control, shut down, and got out. The New Republic had offered to assign Luke a newer, roomier ship, but when it came to piloting, Luke preferred the X-Wing.
Quickly Luke and Artoo made their way to Han and Leia's home. Before Luke's finger could even touch the buzzer, the door opened and Chewbacca swooped Luke up into a big bear hug.
"Hey Chewie! It's been a long time," Luke said to his furry friend, "are you staying for dinner?"
Chewie growled an affirmative, just as the whole Solo clan entered the foyer. The kids were on him immediately.
"Uncle Luke!!" they all yelled as they surrounded their beloved uncle.
"Kids!" Luke said as he gave each child a hug. He tried to make his way over to Han and Leia, but couldn't seem to get untangled from the Solo children.
"Alright guys," Han said, "Give Uncle Luke some room here. Why don't you go wait at the table."
The kids ran to the table, fighting over who would get to sit next to Luke. Chewbacca followed to make sure no one hurt themselves, leaving the three humans and one droid standing in the foyer.
"Artoo Detoo, where have you been," C-3PO said as he entered from another room "OH! Master Luke! It's so good to see you again. I was beginning to wonder if I had done something to upset you."
"No Threepio, you didn't do anything to upset me," Luke said as he comforted the golden droid, "Now, I bet you and Artoo have a lot to catch up on."
"Of course we do! Come along Artoo. You know, human children are very difficult to take care of. Every since Mistress Leia and Master Han asked me to nanny.." Threepio said as he and Artoo retreated to another room of the house.
"They certainly are a pair," Leia said.
"Yeah, I can't believe I let you talk me into keeping Goldenrod around. You sure you don't want him back Luke?" Han said playfully.
"Hmm," Luke said, "I.think he's of better use with you."
The three adults laughed and went in to discuss the day's events over dinner
************
Dinner went well. Luke listened as the kids prattled on about the games they'd played, and the things they had found. Jaina told him about an old piece of machinery she and Han discovered in the alley, and Jacen told him about a lizard he saw at the park.
Han and Leia listened to their children with pride.
After dinner, Chewie returned to his apartment, and Han and Leia tucked the kids into bed.
"Well that was fun," Luke said to Han and Leia as they emerged from their children's room.
Yes it was," Leia said, her mind still replaying the joyful day she had had with her family.
"No doubt about it," Han said, "but you wanted to talk to Leia, didn't you Luke?"
"Uh, yes..," Luke said. He had to pick his next words very carefully. "Leia, I'd like to do another mind probe on you.
" A mind probe? Why?" she said
"Well.I've come into some new information about our mother-"
"Oh Luke we've been through this,"
"Now, Leia please, just hear me out. You have memories of our mother. You said so yourself of Endor. Granted, they're just images, but it's more than I have. I had a dream last night. I dreamt our birth. I think I know our mother's name."
"LUKE!" Leia said exasperated, "Why is this so important to you? Why do you want to keep digging up the past?? Just let it go. You had a dream, and that's all it was, a DREAM. We will never know who are mother is, but we'll know who the people that loved us as children are. Isn't that what matters?"
"You don't think our mother loved us," Luke said.
"I don't CARE Luke. If I could help it, my children would never know about Darth Vader or Death Stars or anything like that," Leia said. She was starting to get angry. She still hadn't quite come to terms with the thought that Darth Vader was her father. To her, he was never Anakin Skywalker, he was just an evil man who played a part in destroying her life. She would not bring that down to her children and it angered her that Luke insisted on trying to find out more. Why did he feel the need to ruin her beautiful day with more information about that evil man?
"I want nothing to do with anything about Darth Vader, anything that came from Darth Vader, or-"
"Leia, I came from him and-"
"Then Leave Me Alone!" Leia said, almost shouting as she slammed her drink down on the counter so hard that the liquid shot into the air.
"O-okay," he said as he turned to walk out the back door. Her words stung him like no other. He didn't know what else to say or do. He didn't even have the heart to point out that Leia and her children were also products of the Dark Lord. All he really knew was how he felt inside.
Han, who had been standing there the whole time, didn't have to be a Jedi to sense the hurt that was radiating through his friend's body, "Hey guys," he started.
"Han if you take his side you can follow him right out that door," Leia said coldly.
"It's okay Han, maybe I'll see you tomorrow," Luke said almost inaudibly as he opened the door, stepped into the night air, and walked away.
As Leia watched Luke go, all the thoughts of what Vader had done hit her at once, but the destruction of her Alderaan was in the foremost part of her mind. In her heart of hearts she knew that was Tarkin's doing, but it was so much easier to blame Vader. Her eyes began to fill with tears as her mind raced back to her foster father, Bail Organa. He was the man she would always call father, no matter who Luke chose to dwell on. The thought of all the death in her life brought on even more tears.
From the doorway, Han watched Leia sob into her drink. He wondered what he should do. Her outrage at Luke concerned him and almost made him wonder if the poor kid deserved it. But she was his wife, and he loved her dearly. He comforted himself with the thought that the thing with Luke would work out eventually, and went over to his wife and held her until her tears subsided.
Chapter 2
Once Luke was dressed, he opened his door and trotted down to the Academy Comm Station. Within moments he had keyed in the command that would connect him with his sister's home.
"Hello?" a tired sounding voice said.
"Han!" Luke said, "I didn't wake you did I?"
"Luke!" Han exclaimed wiping the grit out of his eyes. "No, you didn't wake me," he yawned, "What's up?"
"A lot," Luke said, "I need to talk to Leia in person."
"Well kid, you couldn't pick better timing. Leia has a free day today. Absolutely zero diplomatic duties to attend to. You wouldn't believe the fight we had to put up to get this day"
"I'd believe it," Luke said, "So when's a good time to stop by?"
"We're spending all day with the kids. We'd love it if you'd stop by for dinner. They haven't seen you in a awhile. You wouldn't believe how tall they're getting," Han said proudly.
Luke had to chuckle about Han's comments. After all, he could remember the days when the Falcon and the Kessel Run was what Han spent his days bragging about. My how things change.
"Dinner sounds great, I'll see you then," he said.
"Great, it'll probably be around 7" Han said.
The two men said their goodbyes, and Luke went outside. The students would be waking soon, and Luke had planned to lead them in a run around campus and through the forest. Far too often, Luke had seen students rely solely on the Force, and not at all on their own abilities. Luke didn't want them to become too dependent. Idly he wondered if he should plan some activities with ysalimiri. No thoughts stayed with him for long though. He kept drifting back to the joy of seeing Leia, Han, and his niece and nephew.
******Coruscant******
Luke easily put his X-Wing down on the landing pad assigned to him by Coruscant Control, shut down, and got out. The New Republic had offered to assign Luke a newer, roomier ship, but when it came to piloting, Luke preferred the X-Wing.
Quickly Luke and Artoo made their way to Han and Leia's home. Before Luke's finger could even touch the buzzer, the door opened and Chewbacca swooped Luke up into a big bear hug.
"Hey Chewie! It's been a long time," Luke said to his furry friend, "are you staying for dinner?"
Chewie growled an affirmative, just as the whole Solo clan entered the foyer. The kids were on him immediately.
"Uncle Luke!!" they all yelled as they surrounded their beloved uncle.
"Kids!" Luke said as he gave each child a hug. He tried to make his way over to Han and Leia, but couldn't seem to get untangled from the Solo children.
"Alright guys," Han said, "Give Uncle Luke some room here. Why don't you go wait at the table."
The kids ran to the table, fighting over who would get to sit next to Luke. Chewbacca followed to make sure no one hurt themselves, leaving the three humans and one droid standing in the foyer.
"Artoo Detoo, where have you been," C-3PO said as he entered from another room "OH! Master Luke! It's so good to see you again. I was beginning to wonder if I had done something to upset you."
"No Threepio, you didn't do anything to upset me," Luke said as he comforted the golden droid, "Now, I bet you and Artoo have a lot to catch up on."
"Of course we do! Come along Artoo. You know, human children are very difficult to take care of. Every since Mistress Leia and Master Han asked me to nanny.." Threepio said as he and Artoo retreated to another room of the house.
"They certainly are a pair," Leia said.
"Yeah, I can't believe I let you talk me into keeping Goldenrod around. You sure you don't want him back Luke?" Han said playfully.
"Hmm," Luke said, "I.think he's of better use with you."
The three adults laughed and went in to discuss the day's events over dinner
************
Dinner went well. Luke listened as the kids prattled on about the games they'd played, and the things they had found. Jaina told him about an old piece of machinery she and Han discovered in the alley, and Jacen told him about a lizard he saw at the park.
Han and Leia listened to their children with pride.
After dinner, Chewie returned to his apartment, and Han and Leia tucked the kids into bed.
"Well that was fun," Luke said to Han and Leia as they emerged from their children's room.
Yes it was," Leia said, her mind still replaying the joyful day she had had with her family.
"No doubt about it," Han said, "but you wanted to talk to Leia, didn't you Luke?"
"Uh, yes..," Luke said. He had to pick his next words very carefully. "Leia, I'd like to do another mind probe on you.
" A mind probe? Why?" she said
"Well.I've come into some new information about our mother-"
"Oh Luke we've been through this,"
"Now, Leia please, just hear me out. You have memories of our mother. You said so yourself of Endor. Granted, they're just images, but it's more than I have. I had a dream last night. I dreamt our birth. I think I know our mother's name."
"LUKE!" Leia said exasperated, "Why is this so important to you? Why do you want to keep digging up the past?? Just let it go. You had a dream, and that's all it was, a DREAM. We will never know who are mother is, but we'll know who the people that loved us as children are. Isn't that what matters?"
"You don't think our mother loved us," Luke said.
"I don't CARE Luke. If I could help it, my children would never know about Darth Vader or Death Stars or anything like that," Leia said. She was starting to get angry. She still hadn't quite come to terms with the thought that Darth Vader was her father. To her, he was never Anakin Skywalker, he was just an evil man who played a part in destroying her life. She would not bring that down to her children and it angered her that Luke insisted on trying to find out more. Why did he feel the need to ruin her beautiful day with more information about that evil man?
"I want nothing to do with anything about Darth Vader, anything that came from Darth Vader, or-"
"Leia, I came from him and-"
"Then Leave Me Alone!" Leia said, almost shouting as she slammed her drink down on the counter so hard that the liquid shot into the air.
"O-okay," he said as he turned to walk out the back door. Her words stung him like no other. He didn't know what else to say or do. He didn't even have the heart to point out that Leia and her children were also products of the Dark Lord. All he really knew was how he felt inside.
Han, who had been standing there the whole time, didn't have to be a Jedi to sense the hurt that was radiating through his friend's body, "Hey guys," he started.
"Han if you take his side you can follow him right out that door," Leia said coldly.
"It's okay Han, maybe I'll see you tomorrow," Luke said almost inaudibly as he opened the door, stepped into the night air, and walked away.
As Leia watched Luke go, all the thoughts of what Vader had done hit her at once, but the destruction of her Alderaan was in the foremost part of her mind. In her heart of hearts she knew that was Tarkin's doing, but it was so much easier to blame Vader. Her eyes began to fill with tears as her mind raced back to her foster father, Bail Organa. He was the man she would always call father, no matter who Luke chose to dwell on. The thought of all the death in her life brought on even more tears.
From the doorway, Han watched Leia sob into her drink. He wondered what he should do. Her outrage at Luke concerned him and almost made him wonder if the poor kid deserved it. But she was his wife, and he loved her dearly. He comforted himself with the thought that the thing with Luke would work out eventually, and went over to his wife and held her until her tears subsided.