CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The young couple was alone in the small bedroom on the Lady Vader. On the lower bunk opposite the open door Sarré cuddled into Bryon's lap and held him tightly around his broad chest. His parents were in the cockpit and Leia, Danaé, and Jenny were eating lunch in the lounge. Although they weren't bold enough to close the door, she decided it was unlikely anyone would intrude without giving warning. Secretively she ran her hands under the shirt of his black fatigues and began to caress the bare skin of his chest. Facing the doorway he kept his hands on the outside of her red-and-white jumpsuit as he stroked her back.
She decided to test his resolve. As difficult as it was to believe, it had not been even two standard days since his unprompted declaration of love in front of Padmé and Sabé and Leia and Jenny. There had been no time to discuss it with him and to find out why he had done it – or whether perhaps he now regretted saying it publicly. Without stopping her caresses of his wonderful muscles, she leaned in and kissed him. She touched her lips to his gently, but instantly he deepened it very passionately. She moaned quietly in appreciation and let herself fully enjoy his equally pleased reaction.
They lost track of time entirely. Eventually, though, they had to stop to catch their breaths, slow their pounding hearts, and cool their raging desires. Sarré rested her head on his shoulder and cherished the warmth of his embrace. From his contented sigh, she could tell Bryon relished the fact that no one had interrupted them.
Finally she spoke. "Bryon, I have a confession to make."
"What's that?"
"Promise you won't be angry."
"I certainly will not promise that," he chuckled, "until you give me more of a hint of what it's about."
"Fair enough," she giggled. "It's just a silly little thing about your family, nothing major."
"Okay. Then I promise I won't be angry."
"Good," she sighed thankfully. "You know how you've been avoiding telling your parents how we feel about each other? Until the other day, I mean? Well, um… See, the thing is… I guess what I mean…"
His voice took on the slightest inflection of agitation. "Sarré?"
"Um, Bryon? I hate to tell you this, but you were wasting your time."
He smiled warmly. "If you mean that they guessed as much, or my father or Luke or Danaé sensed something in the Force, then I suppose I was." He kissed her tenderly on the forehead.
"No, it's not that," she admitted reluctantly.
"Then what is it?"
"Promise you won't be angry."
"I won't be – unless you ask me to promise again!"
"Sorry." She kissed the side of his neck twice. "Okay, here's the confession. Do you remember three years ago in the Lake Country? The very last night? When I snuck into your room in the middle of the night? And we just held each other and slept? Until I got up at dawn and snuck out?"
"How could I forget?" he marveled. "I've never been so surprised at anything in my entire life! In a good way, of course." He kissed her gently. "I've thought about it every day since then."
For a second she was distracted. "Every day? Really?"
"Well, every night, usually," he laughed.
"Even though all we did was sleep?"
"Because all we did was sleep, I think. It made me realize how much I love you – that just being with you and holding you was all I really needed."
Her heart fluttered. But she pressed ahead. "Anyway, that morning, when I left… Um… See, I didn't sneak out. Your Mom was there. In the hallway. She saw me leaving your room."
The back of his head smacked into the wall when he flinched at the revelation. "Ow! Ow. Ow. Ow." He pulled one hand from her back to rub the impact site. "What did you just say?"
"You promised!"
"I know, I know. Please continue," he sighed.
"Your Mom saw me. So we went to the kitchen and talked." She took a deep breath. "I told her everything."
His eyes suddenly became frightened. "Define everything."
She giggled. "Not everything-everything, silly. Everything important. How we felt. How long we'd known. And that all we'd done that night was sleep." She looked deeply into his brown eyes. "She understood, Bryon. She wasn't upset or angry or anything. The opposite. She was happy for us. I mean, we were only sixteen then and still that was how she felt. Happy!"
The wonderful sparkle in her lavender eyes broke his spirit completely. "I was wasting my time," he said, as if trying to understand by repeating it. "They've known for three years. Because you told them. You. You told them." Then it occurred to him. "And you waited until now to tell me?"
"There's no excuse. I'm sorry," she apologized, her eyes welling up. She sighed sadly. "I cancel the promise. If you want to be angry, go ahead."
He laughed and shook his head. "Thanks anyway. I'm not angry." He kissed her tenderly on the lips again and rubbed her back, making it last long enough to be sure she understood. When he broke the kiss, he stared into her eyes in mock indignation. "But Sarré, you are so lucky I love you as much as I do!"
She laughed too and kissed him. Quickly, though, she pulled her lips away. "I think we should go talk to them."
"Right now?"
"Yeah. Right now. Just walk up to the cockpit and say it straight to their faces and get it over with."
"Sure. Why not?" He realized he really meant it. "Really? Why not? Yes! Let's go."
---
Leia felt a twinge of remorse for leaving Danaé and Jenny behind in the lounge. Threepio was in one of his garrulous moments – one of those that even Artoo or Jaytoo could not successfully halt. Nevertheless, the women had understood her need for a few minutes with her parents and had sent her out insistently.
Absentmindedly she adjusted the fit of her pale green flight suit as she approached the open doorway to the cockpit, trying to figure out what she wanted to say. Her parents would not be expecting her to come to see them now without a reason: the family already had planned to spend several secluded days at the residence when they arrived at Coruscant in about eight hours, and there would be plenty of time to talk then.
Just before she reached the cockpit, she stopped. Although her parents were not prone to being caught in comprising situations, Leia nonetheless had been present for more than one and accordingly decided to announce herself while she still had time to turn around. "Mom? Daddy?"
"Leia!" Her mother's voice was joyful and free.
The visual dampeners were activated, so the viewport was a soothing swath of color instead of the nauseating streaks of lightspeed. Her father was sitting sideways in the pilot's seat, his arm along its back. Her mother sat in the starboard co-pilot's seat, her legs stretched out along the floor and her hands clasped behind her head. Although he wore the typical maroon Jedi flight suit, Leia was surprised to see that her mother wore a simple short-sleeved yellow shirt and a matching skirt that stopped above her knees.
Padmé caught the puzzlement in Leia's eyes. "I decided on something different. Something… normal. Too many flight suits and combat outfits and formal gowns lately."
"Okay," Leia nodded, not really convinced.
As usual Anakin tilted his head and squinted a little, quickly scanning her Force presence. "What is it, darling?"
Leia was so accustomed to her father's habit of beginning conversations by already knowing her mood that she didn't even perceive it happening. "I just came to tell you that I'm okay. We haven't had time to talk since I was rescued and I wanted to let you know that I'm fine."
"Are you sure, dear?" her mother asked gently, lowering her hands to her lap. "They didn't hurt you?"
"It was tolerable. They gave me food and water. I didn't really get to clean up much, but that's pretty trivial really. Doesn't violate the Convention on the Rights of Prisoners of War or anything like that." She crossed her arms over her chest. "And they didn't torture me."
"I'm so relieved," Padmé sighed happily. "I was very worried."
Leia met her father's skeptical gaze. She knew he would have sensed her pain in the Force. "They interrogated me only once. It was two Sith. At least I assume that's what they were. At one point the man hit me with a Force strike – you know, the kind you use against droids?" Her father nodded. "When it knocked me over I hit my tailbone on the floor and my head on the wall."
Her mother gasped and reflexively pulled a hand up to her mouth.
"No, Mom, it's not that big a deal. I've been injured much worse wrestling with Bryon when we were kids!"
"Okay," Padmé sighed reluctantly as she flashed a very subtle glance to Anakin.
Leia watched her father nod almost imperceptibly to indicate she was telling the truth. Then she laughed to herself as her parents grinned at each other, wordlessly sharing memories of rushing one child or another to the infirmary after a friendly skirmish gone amok. She gave them a moment before she cleared her throat and continued. "I was so tired from all the stress, and then the pain was so much… The woman Sith, she used mind tricks on me. And I tried really hard but I just couldn't resist them. It was all too much and… I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to apologize for, sweetheart," Anakin insisted. "You realize, right, that they did all of that to you on purpose? Made you tired, and hungry, and uncomfortable. And then augmented it with the pain. Even some Jedi wouldn't have been strong enough to repel a Sith mind trick at that point, Leia."
"Really?"
"Really. If I truly put my full focus into it, many of the Padawans couldn't resist one from me – under normal conditions. And Sith powers are especially effective at distorting the mind. Any Sith, even an apprentice, probably could perform a mind trick almost as compelling as mine. And I bet you don't remember any of what they asked, do you?" He paused while she shook her head sadly. "That's to be expected. The dark side can do that. Even to Jedi."
"I had no idea," Leia admitted quietly.
"All I'm trying to tell you," her father said gently, "is that you didn't let me down. You didn't let yourself down. You did the best you could and that's all that matters."
Leia nodded. She wasn't quiet sure she had accepted it yet, but she knew in her heart that her father was right. There was no reason to be ashamed or upset about what had happened. It was the Sith's fault, not hers. She straightened her shoulders and smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."
"You're welcome, Leia. You're very welcome."
Just then the sound of scampering feet came up the hallway and seconds later Bryon and Sarré poked their heads through the door.
"Are we interrupting anything?" he asked, an uncharacteristically silly grin on his face.
Quickly Leia gave her parents a little smile. "Nope," she said. When Bryon and Sarré stepped through the doorway holding hands in plain view, Leia surmised their purpose. "Actually, I need to use the refresher," she lied through a laugh. "I'll talk to you more later, okay, Mom?" Leia left as soon as she saw the nod.
Sarré squeezed Bryon's hand tightly. She looked at Padmé and saw a broad smile and a twinkle in her eyes. Anakin had the same contemplative expression as always, but at least he didn't look surprised or disconcerted.
"Mom, Dad," Bryon started slowly, "I have something I need to say."
Padmé continued to smile; Anakin nodded calmly.
"I'm not going pretend that you didn't already know. I love Sarré. She loves me." He seemed to straighten up, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "We're not ready to get married yet, but we will. Probably soon. But not right away." When Padmé leaned forward like she was about to speak, he pressed on doggedly. "But you probably already knew that too. What I need to say is this: I'm sorry I tried to hide it from you. I'm sorry I didn't just tell you what was going on. I'm sorry I didn't handle it very maturely."
Anakin doubled over in laughter, which sent Padmé into a fit of laughing of her own.
"Bryon, son, sometimes you really worry me," Anakin sputtered. He had to pause to wipe his eyes from the tears of mirth. "Love makes people do some pretty crazy things. You don't even want to know some of what I did to impress your mother… On the scale of love-induced stupidity, you're pretty much at the bottom."
"Your father's right," Padmé giggled. "There's nothing to apologize for. Nothing at all."
Sarré managed to suppress her laughing only by releasing his hand and wrapping both of her arms around him, pinning his arms to his sides. "See! I told you!" She looked at both Anakin and Padmé. "I love your son. Even when he doesn't listen to me. I love him!"
Within the blissful grip Bryon leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Leaning back up again, his face revealed his obvious amazement at the unselfconsciousness of what he had just done in front of his parents. He squirmed his arms free and enveloped her in a close hug. "I'm just glad you're not angry – about any of this," he said to his parents.
"We're not," Anakin insisted. "About any of it. We're delighted for you." He caught Sarré's eyes. "For both of you. I truly mean that."
"The only thing that would make me angry, Bryon," Padmé teased, "would be if you eloped and I missed the wedding. Are we clear on that?"
"I'll keep it in mind," Bryon laughed, finally fully enjoying his newfound peace of mind.
Sarré squeezed him tightly and pressed against him even more. "Don't you feel much better now?"
"Yes," he sighed. "Yes, I do."
"Then can we have lunch?" she giggled happily. "Because I'm famished!"
"Go," the Jedi Master chuckled, waving them on with his hand. "Eat."
As soon as Bryon and Sarré were out of sight down the narrow cabin hallway, Anakin watched Padmé slither from her chair and slink the few short paces to stand in front of him. "Do you remember when we were that way, Ani?" she asked deviously.
"Like it was yesterday, angel," he smiled, reaching out in an attempt to take her hands.
Very deliberately she refused his grasp and instead placed her hands firmly on his shoulders. Then she climbed lustily onto the chair with him, her smoldering brown eyes exactly level with his astonished blue ones as her legs straddled his.
"What are you doing?" he gasped. His suddenly rapid heartbeat was thundering in his ears.
"Reliving my youth," she grinned just before she planted a heatedly passionate kiss on his lips.
"There's no door… But angel… What if… Someone could…" It was very difficult to speak with her mouth unrelentingly attached to his.
She let him breathe by lavishing a series of incredibly light kisses down the side of his face and neck. "Well… Master Jedi… if you're really… as powerful… as you claim… I'm confident… you can ensure… there will be no one… to interrupt us… this time."
He resisted no further. "Your wish is my command, Lady Vader."
---
The cockpit of the Millennium Falcon was eerily quiet. Zooming down the Corellian Trade Spine faster than lightspeed, the freighter was returning its crew to Coruscant for an unusually favorable meeting with the High Council of Fleet Admirals and the award of a significant commendation. The events of recent days had left even these men stunned.
Finally Chewie broke the silence with an amused wroofing remark. "Yeah," Lando grinned. "This hasn't exactly been the most relaxing leave of all time."
"Hey, we all agreed," Han snapped.
"Sure. But this wasn't really what I expected." Chewie growled an indignant affirmation.
"Me neither, genius," Han grumbled. "Look, we'll get these days credited. If you want, let's just head out from Coruscant for Corellia or something. We can still have the vacation."
Chewie slapped Han hard on the back and chortled happily. "I agree," Lando winked. "I don't think I can handle any more fun either. Seriously, let's bank the time and try again later."
"Why do I get the feeling that whatever I suggested, you'd want the opposite?"
"Oh, come on! Get over yourself."
Han turned around and shot Lando a piercing stare. Then the trio sat in silence again for several minutes, eyes lost in the brilliant streaks of lightspeed out the front viewport.
Lando stretched out his legs, leaned back in his seat, and clasped his hands on the back of his head. "So, what do you think of her, Han, old buddy?"
Han knew exactly whom he meant. "I'm trying not to."
Lando raised his eyebrows. "Really?"
"No."
"I thought so."
Han chuckled. "She's got a lot of spirit. I don't know, what do you think? Do you think a Galactic Senator and a guy like me…"
"No," Lando interrupted him with a goading laugh, which Chewie joined as he slapped Han on the back again.
Han didn't see the humor in it. "Is it really so hard to imagine?"
"You can't be serious!"
"Why can't I?"
---
To compensate for the considerably slower hyperdrives of their X-Wings, Luke and Mara had departed for Coruscant hours earlier than the Lady Vader so they would arrive at the same time. Obi-Wan was traveling aboard the Order's shuttle with Master Secura and her Padawan, the only survivors of the six Jedi who had come from the Temple to fly in Red Squadron. Luke and Mara had offered to join them and have their starfighters conveyed on a Navy vessel, but Obi-Wan had declined. So they flew alone.
As they had on the anxious flight from Gimna 3 to Sullust less than two weeks earlier, in the Force they maintained a thin link between their minds.
Luke held his eyes closed and sighed deeply. If you want to spar…
No thanks, she sent back, her thoughts filled with resignation. Right now it just seems…
I know, he agreed. Sure puts life in perspective, doesn't it?
Yeah.
He didn't know what else to say, so he sat in silence, mulling over all the issues on his mind: his training, his performance at Xixus and in the battle, his emotions about those events and about the various women in his life, and mostly his own notable lack of serenity at the moment.
What's come over you, Luke? You're starting to worry me. Her tone clearly indicated that she hadn't determined to what she should attribute his profound unease.
That makes a change.
The reply snapped into his mind like the crack of a whip. I thought we resolved this at Xixus.
He flinched at her harsh rebuke. I'm sorry. You're right.
Then what's bothering you?
A lot of things, he sent sadly.
Really, Skywalker, enough with the melodrama. It doesn't suit you.
Luke chuckled. I suppose not. He took a few deliberate breaths and adjusted himself in his seat to get more comfortable. You're ready for the Trials, you know.
A burst of surprise radiated back from Mara through the Force. I appreciate your support, but until you get a vote on the Council, it doesn't do me much good.
Until?
Oh, I'm confident you'll be on the Council eventually. Well after me, of course, but eventually.
Nice, he laughed. But I noticed you didn't deny it.
She laughed too, not concealing very well her amusement that he had not yet called her bluff for failing to return the compliment. Hey, if you're willing to say something like that, I'm not going to interfere.
Very noble of you.
That's what friends are for.
---
From his Force perceptions Anakin knew she would be there when he waved open the refresher door and stepped into the cramped bedroom of the Lady Vader. She was sitting on the upper bunk on the right, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. And her feelings were tremendously unsettled.
"Anakin," Jenny said quietly as she tipped her head toward him with a forced smile on her face.
"Jenny," he reciprocally tipped his head while he strode through the small room. Then he paused in the doorway and turned back. "I don't have anywhere I need to be…" He let his voice trail off as their eyes met.
She shook her head. "This is something I need to figure out on my own."
He nodded understandingly. "If you change your mind, just ask."
"Thanks," she smiled genuinely.
Anakin arrived in the cockpit to find Sarré leaning against the starboard console, her lower back propped against her hands. Immediately he could tell she was waiting for him. Before either of them could speak, however, Jaytoo warbled a happy burst of toodles and whistles from his station. Anakin laughed. "Sure, shut down if you like. I won't need you for the next few hours." Jaytoo whistled and beeped again. "Of course! I'd forgotten you'd won the wager with Artoo. I'll be sure they don't disturb you." Jaytoo blooped again and then quickly deactivated.
Anakin looked to Sarré. "Sorry about that."
"Sure," she shrugged. Her eyes found a particularly interesting spot on the floor.
Anakin paced over to the port co-pilot's chair, sat down, and clasped his hands over his abdomen. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"
Without lifting her eyes, Sarré nodded. "I wanted to thank you."
"For?"
She raised her eyes and met his. "Getting Leia."
He smiled. "You're welcome."
Sarré shivered a little. "I was so scared they… That she wouldn't make it back."
"I know," he nodded, his voice calm and gentle. "We all were."
"How do I… I mean, what can I…" She paused, looking down at the floor again. "I need to get past this, but I'm really having trouble. What should I do?"
"Release your feelings. Acknowledge them. Admit you feel them. And then move on. Leia's here with us. The danger has passed for now. Tell yourself there's no reason to be scared any more, and sooner or later your mind will accept it."
"You make it sound so easy."
He chuckled. "I suppose I have had a lot of experience with these sorts of situations."
She finally laughed lightly too. "Yeah." She pushed off her hands from the console and headed toward the open doorway to the cabin hallway. "Thanks."
"Of course," he smiled. Then he spoke again quickly. "Before you go, let me tell you a secret."
She turned back to face him. "What's that?"
"When I need to clear my feelings, I just think about Padmé," he winked.
Clearly incredulous about how lucky she was, she grinned broadly and didn't even try to fight back the blushing of her cheeks.
---
Happy laughter rose from the four individuals seated around the small table in the lounge of the Lady Vader. Moments earlier Threepio had departed the room with Artoo. The protocol droid was prattling excitedly about some technological wonder or another contained in one of the starship's storage rooms that he was about to demonstrate to the astromech. On his way out Artoo had blooped and whimpered forlornly, which all of them found immensely entertaining.
Danaé translated for the others. "He said he lost a wager with Jaytoo. And if we ever see him doing that again, to give him a complete memory wipe!"
"After all he's done for me, there is no way I'm going to do that," Padmé declared as she laughed even harder, slapping a hand on the table heartily. "He'll just have to learn to control himself."
"Or at least play for less painful stakes," Leia chuckled.
"Or hold out for more favorable odds," Bryon added with great amusement, reaching for his bottle of brightly colored juice. He used the opportunity to take a long, slow drink as a way to regain his composure somewhat, and the others did the same.
He sat in the only chair that faced the open doorway to the cabin hallway. With his intense Special Forces training he was able to monitor the portal without appearing to, and his highly developed patience allowed him to endure the wait with little discomfort. Then, just as he had expected, from the corner of his eye he saw four small fingertips silently wrap themselves around the top edge of the left side of the doorframe; almost as suddenly they immediately disappeared. His finely honed ability to remain cool under pressure, which failed only when he purposely relinquished it, ensured that none of the others – even Danaé – caught the bursting joy inside of him at Sarré's very familiar signal.
Bryon stretched his arms to the sides, then up in the air. "I'm still pretty exhausted," he sighed loudly. "It's been a tough few weeks. I'm going to go take a nap."
"Be quiet when you go in," Padmé reminded him. "Jenny's probably sleeping, or at least trying to."
"Sure," he nodded, rising from his chair and depositing his empty juice bottle in the cleaner unit. On his way out he turned back and smiled. "Have fun."
"What has Jenny so shaken?" asked Leia quietly after he was gone. "Did something happen?"
Padmé wished she knew, but she long ago had learned not to press her friend for details when Jenny was upset; she would have to wait until later to find out more. She only shook her head. "No. She wouldn't tell me much, but it's something personal. Something that's making her very happy and very uncomfortable at the same time."
Danaé laughed. "Isn't it obvious?" Padmé and Leia looked at her quizzically. "She's in love with someone she doesn't want to be in love with."
Padmé tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. It was amazing how sometimes the most obvious explanation was the hardest to see. "I hadn't even thought of that. But it would make sense."
"Okay," Leia agreed with a frown of consternation on her face. "But with whom?"
"I have my guess," Danaé admitted. "And I'm not going to say," she added immediately, very sternly. She paused, meeting the still-confused gazes of her mother and sister. "If you think about the possibilities, there's only one man it could be."
Leia shrugged. Then she looked up toward the open doorway, smiled devilishly, and chuckled. "Bryon sure fooled us, didn't he?"
Now Danaé was the one who looked befuddled. "How?"
"He's not the least bit tired. But he's taking a 'nap' right now with Sarré in the bunks."
Padmé shook her head in bemused agreement – Leia was right. Sarré was long overdue to return from talking to Anakin in the cockpit, and that certainly would explain her son's sudden exit. "I never should have let him join the Special Forces," she sighed in mock indignation. "It's bad enough my two Jedi can shield their feelings from me," she winked at Danaé, who was blushing terribly at Leia's salacious tone, "but I've got a professional politician and a covert ops specialist too. It's a wonder I was able to raise any of you at all!"
Leia nodded. "And I pushed all the limits, didn't I?"
"Yes, dear, you certainly did. Every single one."
"Don't worry, Mom," she smiled. "Someday my children will pay me back two-fold, I'm sure."
"It will be well deserved," Danaé jibed.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to Daddy a little more about something," Leia conspicuously changed the subject. "If you don't mind."
With a gentle wave of her hand Padmé sent her eldest daughter on her way to the cockpit. Then she turned to face the younger one. "Do you have a plan for when you return to the Temple?"
"Not a final one. I'm still thinking about the options," Danaé replied softly, looking down at the toes of her boots and plucking nervously at the folds of her Jedi robes.
"I know how upset you are about Oga," Padmé said tenderly, "but I don't think it's a good idea for you to continue your training like this. You need stability. A schedule and consistency. You have enough on your mind as it is, without having this lack of routine disrupting everything."
"That's true," Danaé nodded, still not meeting her mother's eyes. "But I just don't… None of the possibilities are really…" She sighed deeply and looked up. "I have to make peace with Oga being gone first, is all."
Padmé nodded too as she reached across the small table to take Danaé's hands in hers. "I know. And you have to do that in your own time, or you won't really be accepting of it."
Danaé smiled sadly, pulling one hand away to wipe her eyes. "Thanks, Mom."