Signs of Life

By JalendaviLady

Chapter 2

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Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.

If you recognize any characters, locations, or things in the following story, George Lucas owns them.

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//VADER!?//

He nearly winced as he felt all her mental defenses rise. Oh dear. She's not out to swat flies. She's out to swat dragons in flight. This is going to be bad. //Not exactly,// he offered gently.

//What do you mean, 'not exactly'?// she bit out into the Force. //Not exactly the man who destroyed my homeworld? Not exactly the man who left my mother alone? Not exactly the man who killed so many? Not exactly the most recent Dark Lord of the Sith?//

//Leia, your brother was right.//

Another pause.

//Palpatine tried to kill Luke.//

//WHAT?//

//Force-lightning, he seems okay but he needs a medic—we both need a medic. He cried out for help, I threw Palpatine down the main power shaft, Luke and I got to the shuttle bays, got off the Death Star, and are now somewhere dirtside. I have no clue where. I wasn't conscious when we landed. Luke's been trying to contact you like this, but he doesn't have the experience in Force-communication that I have.//

//But he's okay?//

//He'll live. But he needs to see a medic before any of the injuries become chronic.//

//And you?// she asked tentatively.

//Respirator broken. Depending on the oxygen mask of a medical bunk to survive. Too weak to speak complete sentences at once. Almost too weak to move. If Luke hadn't put me in the bunk, I would be dead now.//

A pause.

A longer pause.

//Anakin?//

He sent her the mental equivalent of a nod.

//Father?//

//If and only if you desire to recognize me as such,// he answered humbly. //I ask only for the chance to try to make up for the mistakes I've made.//

//You can't bring back those you've killed.//

//But I can keep others from dying by helping the Alliance. I know which officers merely follow orders and which actually believed in the New Order. Tell me, if you don't mind, if there is any news of what happened to the Executor?//

//Apparently saw the approaching case of TRD, turned tail, and headed to the edge of the system. Hasn't moved since.//

//'TRD'?//

//Trench Run Disorder. Little X-Wings giving Star Destroyers very bad days.//

//I may be able to talk the officers over to the Alliance. Would take some effort, but it could possibly be done. First priority is getting a medic out here though, since it would appear to not be possible to get your brother to a medic.// Anakin could feel his eyelids drooping. //Speaking of your brother, mind if I try to transfer my end of this to him and take a nap?//

//I don't mind, but I really can only talk for a few more minutes. It's late where I am right now and I think I've been awake and moving since long before this morning. I didn't get much sleep last night.//

//Still, he's the one who knows where we are.//

//One moment. Someone wants me.//

Anakin waited.

//Seems an Imperial shuttle landed maybe half an hour ago. Any chance it might be the one you and Luke grabbed?//

//Could be.// He reached out into the Force. //Clearing near water, I think. If I try hard enough, I can hear barely hear the fish in the Force.//

//Sounds like where Han said Wedge saw the thing land. It'll be a while before any medics can be spared to head out there.//

//So Luke and I are looking at having to hold out on our own here for at least half a day.//

//From the information I've seen. We have some medkits and such here, but I don't see how any of it would help any...//

//Even painkillers would be good... Luke can't look for any here, and I certainly can't.//

//I'll see what I can do.//

//Still want to talk to Luke?//

//Does he even know this conversation is going on?//

//No.// He barely suppressed a yawn.

//We all need sleep. It's been a long day for everyone. I'll talk to him next time. He probably needs to put things together in his mind before he talks to anyone about what happened up there.//

//Too true. Goodnight, Leia.//

...

//Goodnight.// Father. She broke the connection.

Han was looking at her funny. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Nothing really." She pulled her blanket closer around her shoulders as they sat near one of the Ewoks' fires.

"Don't tell me you're picking up that Force stuff too." He grinned at her.

"Han!"

His face turned suddenly serious in the firelight. "You are, aren't you?"

She stared up at the beauty of the stars above, the sky dominated by the huge silvery orb that was the Endorian planet, before nodding.

Han scooted closer over the worn-smooth planks of the village square. "What does it tell you?"

She pondered for a moment. "That the world is far stranger now than it was this morning. That Luke is safe."

"You love him, don't you." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," she answered tentatively. What's this about?

"Two Force-users... you probably want to be together… I'll get out of the way..."

"It's not like that." She almost giggled at the absurdity of her life. "He's my brother. My twin brother, in fact," she whispered to Han.

He moved still closer and held her close. "So was that what the big deal was last night? You were afraid you were going to lose him?"

"That's some of it."

"And the rest....?"

"The world is a very strange place," she whispered with reverence, as if the fact were a sacred mystery. Do I dare tell him? I dare. Come the morning, there will be no secret anymore, no matter what I do. "One can have one nominal goal and fulfill another by breaking it."

"Speak Basic, Princess. You've been around politicians for too long."

"Luke left as a Rebel, with the goal of distracting Vader, keeping him from getting anywhere near the Alliance."

"Right. You told me that this morning."

"Luke also left as a Jedi, seeking to turn one of his kind from evil ways and back to the light."

"So?"

She gazed full into his eyes. "We, the Alliance, have a new ally this day." She swallowed, hard. "My biological father."

Silence.

...