Chapter Twenty-Five - Leia Finds a Family

After waiting for local midnight, Laurae landed the ship in the Capital Center spaceport on Alderaan. She was very tired, but General Kenobi was in even worse shape. She and Ben, each holding the hand of a sleepy child, exited the hangar and covered the kilometer to the Viceroy's Residence, the droids hurrying behind. Even though it was very early in the morning, Organa's Chief of Military Intelligence was admitted past the security gates.

As a servant ushered them into the library, Ben said quietly to her, "Don't wake the Viceroy now, but please make sure he knows we're here as soon as he rises."

She bowed in response and left the room. Both Ben and Laurae led the children to the sofa, then covered them with a blanket. Kenobi groaned in pain; he was exhausted and nowhere near being fully recovered. For the next five hours, the Jedi succumbed to fatigue and fitful dreams while Laurae paced the floor, weeping in silence.

The sky was brightening to pink when Bail Organa opened the library door to find General Kenobi slumped and snoring in one chair, two children sleeping on the sofa, and a young woman he didn't recognize, standing at attention. Laurae twitched one hand to brush Kenobi's shoulder. His eyes went from sleep to sharp in less than a second, and he rose to his feet in the next. They bowed as Ben greeted Organa and introduced Laurae.

Organa was about to speak when the blanket moved abruptly. Curious, he walked to the sofa and found himself face-to-face with a huge pair of brown eyes. Leia smiled. As though in a trance, Bail Organa reached down and picked the little girl up. She reached her hands out and touched his face, still smiling. Organa smiled back, then looked at Ben. The Jedi said, "Her name is Leia."

It was obvious to Organa whose child this was. Oh, Gods, no. "Why is she here? Where is Senator Amidala?"

Ben didn't want to say it, that would mean it was actually true, and not some yawning, black, hopeless nightmare. "She has died."

Bail looked at Kenobi in shock. He refrained from pressing for details – Ben looked as though he would shatter at any moment. Bail wasn't far from that himself; Padmé had been a good friend and a strong ally when they served in the Senate together.

Ben's voice broke into Organa's memories. "Leia needs a new family, and I know your wife has worked with refugee adoptions. I was hoping that she might place Leia with parents here." It was the truth, though Ben actually believed that the Organas would take her themselves. He knew it wasn't likely, because they had remained childless, but he hoped nonetheless.

The Viceroy nodded. Still holding the girl, he called a servant and whispered a request. Moments later, Salae Organa entered the library. Her husband introduced her to Ben and Laurae, then beckoned her over to him. "My dear, this is Leia. Both of her parents have died. General Kenobi has asked us to find a family to raise her." Bail raised his eyebrows, smiling slightly.

Salae also smiled, though skeptically. She plucked the girl out of Organa's arms and smiled at her, then passed her to Laurae. Leading her husband to the door, she said, "Please excuse us for a moment." Laurae and Ben bowed as Viceroy and Mistress Organa left the room.

Laurae and the Jedi exchanged tired smiles. "You're not using a Jedi mind trick to persuade them, are you?" asked Laurae.

"No. It is unethical to force such a life-altering decision on them; I won't make a choice for them that they'll have to live with for the rest of their lives. They need to decide on their own if they want her."

A thought occurred to Laurae. "Wait. What about Luke?"

"He will be placed with a different family."

She was indignant. "You're going to separate them!"

"If he stays here, he will die," Ben stated. Or worse, he'll be discovered and raised to be just like his father, he added silently.

Laurae flinched. "Where will he go, then?"

"We both have to go somewhere remote," he replied. She knew that it was all the answer she would get. As that moment, the door opened. Bail and Salae Organa walked into the library, smiling.