CHAPTER ELEVEN
The five starships landed together in the main docking bay of the Invictus. As soon as she could Padmé tore the helmet from her head and scampered down the boarding ladder. While she ran to the rear of the Lady Vader, she untied the braid in her hair and let it fall loosely over her tight lavender flight suit.
Leia was down the ramp before it even finished lowering to the ground. Instantly she burst into her mother's desperate embrace. "I'm home," she whispered.
"I know, sweetie," Padmé said quietly while she tenderly rubbed her daughter's back through her light-blue jumpsuit. Leia's head fell onto her shoulder, and Padmé rested hers on Leia's. "I was so worried about you."
"It was awful," Leia admitted. "But I don't want to talk about it right now."
"Only when you're ready, dear. Only then," her mother said softly, squeezing her tighter.
Leia pulled back and stepped over to her maroon-clad father, who was waiting patiently at her mother's side. "Daddy!" It was all she could manage as she fell into his arms, no longer able to hold back her tears.
"You're safe now," he told her gently. "You're safe."
When she controlled her emotions again she lifted up her face and stood on the tips of her toes without breaking the hug. "It was a trap, Daddy," she said very quietly so her mother couldn't hear. "That's why they took me. They wanted you."
"I knew that was a possibility," he whispered back. "But they didn't get me, did they?"
"No," she smiled. "We beat them."
He looked closely into her eyes as he released her. "We got you out. But it's far from over."
She nodded sadly and turned around. Yards away she saw Mara and Jenny talking to Solo, Calrissian, and Chewbacca, with Obi-Wan and Danaé close together in a deep conversation a few paces to the side. Only a foot away Sarré was waiting expectantly, tears streaming down her cheeks. Just behind her handmaiden she saw Luke nod knowingly – he would wait.
"Come here," Leia said simply, letting her own tears flow again. She held Sarré firmly while they both sobbed. "I'm okay. I promise. I'm okay."
"I was so scared," Sarré confessed through her sniffles. "I was so scared you were going to die."
"I was too," Leia said. "But I didn't." When they calmed down a little, still embracing tightly, Leia knew they both needed a lighter mood. She whispered in her handmaiden's ear. "Mara said you got to spend a few nights with Bryon."
"Uh huh," Sarré smiled happily, pulling her head off Leia's shoulder to look her in the eyes.
Leia grinned mischievously. "Did you try out any of the things we talked about?"
"No," she shook her head shyly. "I just… I don't… We weren't really alone I guess and I got nervous and I guess it didn't seem like the right time I guess."
"You'll know when it is," Leia giggled. "And you're a much stronger woman than me, to have waited this long."
Sarré blushed deeply, giggled too, and nodded. "Talk to Luke."
As Leia moved to her brother she saw Mara, Obi-Wan, and Danaé walking arm-in-arm together toward the exit to the rest of the destroyer, while right behind them Jenny and Solo's friends apparently were laughing at a joke he just had finished telling. Watching Sarré jog to catch up with them, Leia glanced around the docking bay and realized her parents had vanished.
She was not at all surprised. They would reappear in an hour or two like they always did.
Now that the twins were alone Luke walked forward and embraced her. "I'm sorry it took so long."
"It's alright," she sighed. "Mara told me what happened when you came after the frigate, and about the Council's assessment, and all of that. You did the right thing."
"I know that now," he said forlornly. "But I was pretty angry at Dad for a while."
"He'll get over it," Leia laughed. Then her face and voice became profoundly serious. "When you were fighting the Sith… I really thought… I've never been so afraid I might lose you."
Luke's face was somber too. "For a little while there… well… It was pretty close. Let's leave it at that."
"You're too young to die."
"So are you."
She squeezed him tightly again, then stepped back and pointed to the exit. "Somehow I didn't get to see Danaé. And I just need to be around people. I mean, we can talk more later, okay? We should go be social."
"Yes, I suppose we should," he smiled. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she threw an arm around his waist. They laughed happily as they stumbled ungracefully along together, filled with relief and happiness.
---
Luke found Jenny sitting on one of the sofas that faced the broad viewport of the lounge in the destroyer's guest quarters. Neither of them had changed clothes or cleaned up since their arrival. "May I sit with you?" he asked quietly.
"Of course," she smiled gently, scooting a bit to the side to make more room.
He folded his hands in his lap. "I didn't expect to see you out there."
"I didn't expect to be there," she admitted with a light laugh. "But I've never been able to say no to your mother."
"She counts on that sometimes, I think," he chuckled. In the Force he sensed a wave of strange emotions emanating from her, ones he didn't know how to interpret.
"Danaé tells me she actually likes your latest companion in the Temple."
His face contorted in consternation. "Ralli? Yeah, she's fine."
"Only fine?"
"I realized during the mission that I'm not in love with her. I mean, she's a good friend and all. But I can't be with her. Not the way I think she wants." He was very glad Jenny couldn't read his feelings about why.
"Oh."
Luke was even more confused. For a second he actually thought he had sensed jealousy and then relief from Jenny. He decided must be perceiving what he wanted to, rather than what really was there. He tried to lighten the mood. "What about you?"
"There's nothing to tell. Not that I've been making any efforts."
"Really? I'm sure you'll find someone soon."
"You all are my family," she smiled sadly, her eyes becoming watery.
"But you're so great with kids. You deserve to have a family of your own. I mean, I'm sure…"
She cut him off tenderly by putting a hand on his knee. "No, Luke, it's not that simple."
"Sure it is," he persisted, still struggling to read her emotions.
"When I was a slave on Tatooine, sometime back then… we're not really sure when… something happened. The doctors found it as soon as I got to Naboo when your parents freed me. It's partly why they took me in and let me help raise all of you." Tears flowed freely now. "I'll never have any children of my own, okay?"
"I'm so sorry," he apologized, realizing he had made a serious mistake in pushing the issue. "I had no idea." The rest he knew: Jenny's mother had died when she was very young without ever telling her who her father was, and the Jedi sister she never got to know had been killed at Geonosis by Count Dooku. The Skywalkers really were her only family.
"I've never told anyone else besides doctors," she sobbed. "In the whole galaxy only Padmé and Anakin know. Well, and now you."
"I won't tell a soul, I promise," he whispered. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her toward him. She accepted the gesture and snuggled into his lap, her body shaking noticeably against him as she cried.
"I just need a few minutes," she sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Then I'll be fine," she added unconvincingly.
"Take as long as you need," he soothed. "I owe you one. Many more than one, really."
"That's true," she giggled, just a little. "Thanks."
"Of course," he smiled. Through her sorrowful feelings he also sensed in the Force a strong pulse of affection. It probably was simply her familial love for him. But he had been thinking about her a lot since the night she had come to calm him down in his bedroom. He really wanted to kiss her.
He knew he shouldn't. And – with great effort – he didn't.
---
Leia returned to the main docking bay of the Invictus with a slight spring in her step. With Luke's description it wasn't very difficult to locate the starship she was seeking.
"Hello, gentlemen," she smiled warmly.
Lando and Chewie had changed clothes into mechanics' attire and were hard at work with welding torches atop the Falcon. They raised their shielding visors and waved a greeting. Han was beneath the ship just to the side of the lowered boarding ramp, tinkering at something with a pair of wrenches. He banged one against the hull in frustration before he tucked them into his belt, wiped his greasy hands on the rear of his black pants, and walked over to her.
"Hello, Princess," he smirked. Unconsciously he adjusted the black vest he wore over his plain white shirt, for some reason feeling self-consciously underdressed even compared to her plain jumpsuit.
She accepted the apparently permanent moniker with a wink. "I came to thank you again for assisting in the rescue mission. I know you weren't ordered to participate, and that is something I will never forget."
Lando and Chewie acknowledged her gratitude with simple, humble nods. Han's face flushed a little and he looked down at the floor. "It was no big deal."
"So this is your ship?"
"You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?"
Before she could respond, Lando laughed loudly from above them. "Han, old friend, nobody's heard of the Millennium Falcon!"
Han shot him a glare so piercing that Lando and Chewie immediately lowered their visors and returned to their work. "That's not entirely true, actually. She's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs."
"Before you owned her?"
"Um… yeah… of course. Sure! Before we owned her."
She decided not to press him on why three Navy officers would have made the Kessel Run. "I'll admit I certainly wouldn't think she's very fast just from seeing her."
"She'll make point five past lightspeed," he chuckled. "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, Princess. And we've added some special modifications ourselves."
"Really? May I see them?"
Han raised an eyebrow, then offered her his arm. "For you, of course. Follow me on our grand tour, Your Ladyship."
With a bright smile Leia linked her arm through his and walked with him up the boarding ramp.
---
In response to the urgent messages on their respective comlinks the four women gathered in the interior conference room on the bridge for another holographic transmission. Padmé tried in vain to rub the wrinkles out of her flight suit and brushed her hair vigorously. Leia drummed her fingers on the table while staring intensely at some invisible spot on its surface. Jenny wiped her bloodshot eyes and seemed utterly distracted. And Sarré literally sat on her hands to keep from grabbing Leia's to make her stop.
The projector buzzed and the flickering blue image of two heads rose over the table. Padmé's attempt to subtly hide the hairbrush from Sabé was equally ineffective as Sarré's effort at concealing the joy she felt at seeing Bryon.
While Bryon and Sarré shared a tender gaze, Sabé simply shook her head. "If we're interrupting something, Padmé…"
Leia refused to be distracted. "Sabé, I can't thank you enough for filling in for me in the Senate and attending the peace summit as a delegate. You did our people a great service, one for which I will always be grateful."
"Oh, don't be so serious about it, Leia," Sabé smiled. "You don't have to thank me. It was my pleasure to serve again." Then she laughed. "Especially because it was only temporary!"
Leia nodded. "I know you feel that way, but you still have my gratitude."
"Very well." Sabé took a deep breath. "The summit is over. I'm afraid I don't have much favorable to report."
"How bad is it?" asked Padmé reluctantly.
"Pretty bad. It's a complete victory for Argis." Sabé leaned forward in the image. "The New Justice movement made no substantial concessions. They keep all the systems they control. There's no limit on his military buildup, much less a requirement of demilitarization. No prohibition on conscription from captured planets. No agreement to resume participation in the Senate or to comply with the laws of the Republic."
Leia laughed. "Even Luke could have cut a deal better than that, and he's terrible at negotiations!"
Sabé chuckled knowingly. "The Republic even agreed to consider economic assistance packages for the Mid and Outer Rims. The only point Rylla and Breena won – if you can call it that – was that Argis' team pledged to work more aggressively to end piracy against commercial shipping from their territories."
"Which is a joke," Padmé scoffed, "because all the piracy is by Vyhrragian military anyway, not by vigilantes or outlaws." She shook her head in disbelief. "Argis couldn't have wished for this in his wildest dreams. He gets everything he wanted and gives up nothing. It's remarkable. Absolutely remarkable. Complete and utter appeasement of the highest order. It's so obvious, my colleagues in the academy aren't even going to believe it could possibly actually have happened."
"Well, it did," Sabé agreed in dismay. "At least I'll go down in history as having voted against it."
"And Rylla and Breena will be remembered as fools," Leia grinned.
"Although that was the case regardless, I think," Sarré interjected.
"That's probably true," Sabé winked. "Needless to say, the peace faction delegates are insisting that the Accord signed by the parties is a great step forward in resolving the disputes. The Supreme Chancellor's office already released a statement declaring that the agreement will bring… Let me get this right… It's just too good." She looked down to find her notes. "Here it is. 'It will bring peace for our time.' Can you believe it?"
Padmé couldn't keep herself from laughing. "He really said that? Wow. I'm beginning to understand why you were so upset when he won the chancellorship!"
Sabé laughed too. "Yeah. I've never really been his biggest supporter, have I?" She flashed a wink to Padmé when she noticed that Bryon and Sarré were staring at each other again. "Well, that's all there is from here. I'll transmit a copy of the final Accord as soon as I have it. The summit is adjourned now, but we won't be leaving before tomorrow local time."
"I'm sure we'll see you back at Coruscant very soon, then," Leia said. "Thanks again, Sabé."
"Of course," Sabé smiled. "Goodbye, everyone. May the Force be with you."
"And also with you," Padmé smiled back.
Just before Sabé terminated the transmission, Bryon spoke.
"Wait." Everyone looked at him. "Sarré?"
"Yes?" She was very surprised he was willing to speak to her at all in front of the others.
"I miss you. And I can't wait to see you… And I… Well, I mean… What I'm trying to say is… I love you."
Sarré was so stunned by the completely unforeseen public admission that she didn't say anything.
Seeing the look of sheer terror on Bryon's face when she hadn't responded yet, Leia plopped her head on her handmaiden's shoulder and slapped both arms around her. "She loves you too, Bryon. Don't you, Sarré?"
"Um, yes," she mumbled, still in shock, eyes welling up.
"See, now that we've finally got this out in the open we all feel much better," Leia grinned. "You're a very lucky man, Bryon!" With a knowing nod, Sabé terminated the feed from the other end.
Even before they had finished laughing, Padmé took Jenny by the hand and pulled her toward the door. "Come on, let's get some caf," she sputtered. "And you can tell me what's upset you," she whispered in her ear. Jenny nodded weakly and followed her out.
Still seated at the table, Leia held Sarré in a gentle hug until she finally stopped crying.
---
King Argis IV of Vyhrrag slammed his fist violently onto the surface of his dark wooden desk. "How could this happen?" he screamed at the five generals standing fearfully before him. "How was Senator Organa permitted to escape?"
"We are continuing to analyze the situation on Xixus, Your Highness," one of the men said tentatively. "It appears there were at least three Jedi involved and…"
"Jedi!" the monarch exclaimed in indignation. "Jedi, Jedi, Jedi. That is all you ever talk to me about. Are you completely incapable of success if you must oppose Jedi, is that it?"
"No, sir," the man insisted. "I was only trying to…"
"Apparently you are no longer reliable," Argis interrupted again. "The Crusaders have yet to fail me in any task I have given them. I have learned my lesson. Anything important in the future I will give to them. Your assignments will be only those for which I can tolerate failure."
"Your Highness," another of the generals said assertively, "that will not be necessary. We will not let you down again. You have my word."
"A bold claim, General. A very bold claim." Argis rose from his chair and stalked around the desk to tower over the five nervous officers. He stroked his black beard contemplatively. "As it happens I have an operation in mind. It can be your final test."
"Yes, Your Highness. We would be honored," the second general declared.
"It is time we made our presence truly felt. It is time for decisive action." Argis began to pace back and forth in his deep purple royal attire, his black cape billowing behind him. "We will deploy the Victory Squadron of the First Fleet to the Corellian Trade Spine a dozen parsecs Inward from Xixus. We will sever the Spine. No traffic will flow, commercial or otherwise. The more vessels we can board and plunder the better." He spun triumphantly on his heel and pumped a clenched fist. "We will take what is ours!"
"Your Highness, the Victory Squadron? The dreadnought has not yet been combat-tested," the first general noted.
"It has a name, General. The Hand of Justice is our greatest naval glory to date. The Republic has only a handful of battleships that carry a comparable arsenal, and none of them has yet been deployed anywhere near us. The remaining vessels in their fleets will no match for it."
"Your Highness, what about your pledge in the Accord from the summit?" the second general asked reluctantly.
"The summit was merely a delaying tactic, General. I have no intention of honoring the Accord or the meaningless pledge it contains. The Accord's sole purpose is to weaken Supreme Chancellor Trellem. When I do not live up to the agreement, he will be made a fool. And when the Chancellors falls, the Senate will degenerate into petty partisanship and inaction. The Republic will be weakened, and our full plans for invasion and conquest can begin."
"I understand, Your Highness," the general nodded.
"Very well, Generals. Implement the orders immediately. Bring great success to the New Justice movement and to my name." His dark eyes stared coldly into face of each man. "For your own sakes."
"Yes, Your Highness," they all bowed in unison.
"You are dismissed. Do your duty."
---
Darth Barbarus and Darth Delicti did their best to disappear into the dark shadows of the dimly lit room. If they were invisible to their Master, then they were less likely inadvertently to suffer her wrath.
From beneath the hood of her black cloak Darth Vengous viciously berated the small blue holographic image hovering over the desk. "Explain yourself!"
"Lady Savager is dead, my Master," the hooded man replied.
"Do not insult me, Lord Nefarious! I sensed her death in the Force the moment it occurred." She paced back and forth in front of the image in outrage.
"I apologize, my Master," he said uneasily. "From what I have determined from my own perceptions and from the security cameras, it appears she confronted Kenobi. She was on the verge of defeating him when his Padawan broke away from the rescue team and intervened."
"That is a direct contravention of Jedi procedure, and no doubt also of Kenobi's own orders," Vengous stated thoughtfully. "This is an interesting development." Then she exhaled sharply and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yes, my Master. Lady Savager nearly had defeated both of the Jedi when I detected a surge in the Force. The same instant the killing blow was struck."
"By whom?"
"By Luke Skywalker, my Master."
"Fools! You fools!" Vengous slammed her black-gloved palms to the desk and leaned in toward the image. "He was there. The Chosen One was there! The surge you felt was his direction to his son. It is the only explanation for a sudden victory of the kind you describe."
"I am sorry, my Master. We did not sense him."
"That is inexcusable." Vengous began to pace again. "Even if you believed he was not there, why did you not carry out the plan? Had you activated the explosion, you would have killed Kenobi, and the Jedi son, and the Senator daughter. That alone would have been great progress in our plans, Lord Nefarious."
"I have no answer, my Master. Lady Savager carried the detonator trigger, and I do not know why she did not use it. I will do my best to determine why." He paused for a moment. "His apprentice was there as well, my Master. The one called Jade."
"A wise admission, Lord Nefarious. You have spared yourself much by telling me the truth now."
"Yes, my Master."
"I will permit you one opportunity to atone for your errors, Lord Nefarious. Join the fleet in its operation at the Trade Spine. The Skywalkers will be there. I have foreseen it. Slay him and as many of his kin as you can." Vengous stopped in front of the image again. "If you fail me, Lord Nefarious, it will be for the last time."
"Yes, my Master."
"You are dismissed." A wave of her hand terminated the transmission abruptly. Then she spun to face the pair of figures barely visible in the corner. "Lord Barbarus, what does General Tarkin say of the operation?"
"With only this limited time to evaluate it he is neither strongly in favor nor strongly opposed, Master," Darth Barbarus answered, stepping forward confidently. "So long as we are willing to bear the cost of defeat should it occur, then we should proceed."
"Very well. Then we will proceed."
---
With the Invictus already on its way to respond to the sudden and unanticipated Vyhrragian blockade of the Corellian Trade Spine, Obi-Wan called the three apprentices together. While they walked slowly through the gray hallways of the destroyer, he explained the situation to them.
We've only been back a few hours, Danaé sighed to herself. And now it's all started again.
"The Republic is mustering the warships we have in the vicinity," the Jedi Master began. "It seems unlikely our battle group will be as large as theirs, but we must proceed anyway. And we will have one distinct advantage over the Vyhrragians: a squadron of Jedi pilots."
Luke was confused. "Master? Five hardly constitutes a squadron."
"True. But reinforcements are on the way. Master Krint and Master Secura already have departed Coruscant with her Padawan, as well as three other apprentices with an Ace rating who were available."
"How will they reach us in time, Master Kenobi?" Mara wondered. "The hyperdrives on our X-Wings are not powerful enough for such a fast journey."
"Yes, certainly," Obi-Wan agreed. "They are traveling in one of the Order's rapid-response shuttles. They will arrive before the battle group assembles tomorrow. And Admiral Mirkalla already has set aside a complement of Navy X-Wings for them. Perhaps not their customized fighters, but familiar enough."
Luke and Mara nodded, very pleased to have their personal X-Wings on hand.
"I'm glad I got to fly cover at Xixus, then," Danaé said quietly. "It had been a long time since I'd flown in combat. At least now I've had a little bit of practice."
"You'll be fine," her brother reassured her. "You're a very good pilot."
"Thanks," she smiled humbly. "As long as I don't compare myself to you, it's easy to remember that."
"Don't listen to the stories he tells you, Danaé," Mara interjected mischievously. "Most of them are blatantly false. Or substantial exaggerations."
"Hey!" Luke exclaimed indignantly. "Everything I told you was true."
Obi-Wan chuckled and winked at Danaé. "From a certain point of view."
"From a certain point of view?" Luke sputtered in outrage. "I'm the best pilot in the Jedi Order!"
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "Only in your mind, my very young apprentice."
"Yes, Luke," Danaé giggled. "I think Dad might have something to say about that!" Mara burst out laughing and slapped hands in the air with Danaé triumphantly.
"I agree," Obi-Wan grinned. "Speaking of Anakin – has anyone seen him?"
---
She awoke to the loud, persistent beeping of a comlink. Her husband was lying on his back, his arms hidden beneath the long brown hair trailing down her back. She was draped along his side like a garment, her left hand on the side of his neck, the fingers of her right hand buried in his short gray hair. As always when they slept, their heartbeats and breathing were in unison. In the unlit room she tentatively opened her eyes, barely peering out over the edge of the drawn-up bedsheet.
"Ani?"
He continued his peaceful slumber. To outward appearances.
"Ani." Long familiar with the way their sleeping bodies harmonized, she knew full well that if she was awake, he was too. She nuzzled his neck warmly.
He stubbornly kept his eyes closed.
She scratched his scalp and tickled his shoulder. "Ani, cut it out."
He began a patently false snore while simultaneously tickling her back with his fingertips.
She giggled happily and somehow managed to snuggle even tighter against him. "The comlink."
"Not again," Anakin groaned as he finally opened his eyes.
"At least this time we got to sleep a little too," Padmé whispered in his ear, bursting the words lightly against his skin.
"Some consolation," he muttered. "Mine?"
"Yours."
"This had better be important."
Slowly his right hand made its way out from underneath the sheet and extended straight up in the air like a living antenna. On the floor the disorganized heap of maroon and lavender flight suits began to shake and quiver. Seconds later a small comlink flew out from beneath the pile and smacked into his palm. He tapped the side with his thumb to stop the beeping, then held it high a lengthy moment longer before he reluctantly lowered his hand to a suitable distance.
With cheeks pressed tenderly together they read the short text message.
"It's important," Padmé sighed.