"So, you survived after all."
Joen spun around at the sudden intrusion. Was it an imperial hit man? Had they tracked him to Alderaan? When he found the source of the voice, however, he was relieved, because it was a face all too familiar.
"Well, Bail, I've been waiting for you. I don't remember you having treated your guests so rudely." Senator Bail Organa was a tall man, he had dark skin, with combed over dark hair and a goatee. He had eyes that showed wisdom and bravery, and acted as a window to a mind that held many secrets of the Republic.
"I see you've gotten into my wardrobe. I don't remember you being so rude to your hosts," he retorted, noticing that Joen was wearing almost the same thing as himself.
Joen then noticed what Bail was holding in his arms. It was a small baby. "Forgive me for asking, but I thought your wife couldn't have children."
"She can't, although we have tried for many years. It seems I was lucky enough to adopt this young girl into my family," he coddled the child as he spoke. "Come, let's go to the main family room, we can talk about it there.
They exited the Senators chambers and took another walk down the hall. When they reached the family room they sat on the long white couches that stood in the center of the room. It was an open area, not many walls, just columns marking the borders of the room, and one wall which shielded them from the outside. The walls were still white, along with the furnishings, and the only light source seemed to be from the windows on the wall.
Bail sat across from Joen, cradling the baby in his arms. "Have you heard of the Jedi Anakin Skywalker?" Bail asked.
"Sure, he is, or was, the Chancellor's appointed representative on the Jedi Council. Not to mention the supposed chosen one said to bring balance to the force."
"He's much more than that I'm afraid. He is one of the most powerful Jedi knights in the galaxy." Bail played with the baby while he spoke, waving a finger in front of her.
"So what does all this have to do with him?" Joen was confused, and a bit irritated that Bail could play with a baby at a time like this.
"Well, when faced with the choice between killing a Sith Lord or helping that same Sith Lord try and gain the ability to bring people back from the dead, he chose the latter."
Joen was confused. "But, why?"
"His lover, his wife, Senator Amidala. He had visions that said she would die in child birth."
"And this drove him to do what?"
"He killed Master Mace Windu while he was attempting to arrest, or kill, Chancellor Palpatine, the Sith Lord."
"Wait a second. Palpatine is the Sith Lord we've been looking for? He's the Emperor now!" Joen stood up with alarm.
"Now, now Joen, calm down. The bigger problem is Anakin. He managed to kill everyone in the Jedi Temple. Meanwhile, the clone soldiers betrayed Jedi across the galaxy. As far as we know, there are only three remaining Jedi. Master Obi Wan Kenobi, Master Yoda, and yourself." Bail was calm with his speech, still playing with the baby.
"Where are Master Kenobi and Master Yoda?" Joen asked, taking a seat once again. Bail's calm somehow calmed himself as well.
"I've put them on separate planets, parsecs apart. Master Kenobi has this little girl's twin in his possession as well."
Joen was confused. "Twins? Who's are they?"
"Senator Amidala gave birth to these two just before she died. The Master Jedi and myself thought it wise to hide them, separately, so that Vader would never know of their existence. Young Luke Skywalker has been taken to his home on Tatooine, and little Leia here is to stay with me."
"So he couldn't save her after all. A shame."
"Yes. But even more of a shame that their father be just as dead."
Joen was confused. "Skywalker is dead?"
"Not dead, per say, but in a battle with Obi Wan, he was horribly burned. He lost both his legs and his remaining arm, and was unrecognizable afterwards."
"So he's nothing to worry about." Joen smiled a bit, but soon that smile faded.
"Hardly, in fact, he's now worse than ever. According to my intelligence, he's been rebuilt."
"Rebuilt? As in, robotics?" Joen knew about prosthetics, but he didn't realize that one could replace that much of the body with them.
"Exactly. Half man, half machine. And he's a foot taller as well. They now call him Darth Vader" Bail looked up for the first time, his face showed worry, something Joen didn't normally see in him. "His anger has made him stronger Joen, I'm afraid even Master Yoda would not be able to defeat him."
"So they go into hiding, but why? There's nothing left of the Jedi, there's no way we can put together any sort of resistence."
"On the contrary. There are already plans for a Galactic Rebellion. But you're right, there is no hope for the Jedi." Bail smiled then, giving his attention back to little Leia. "Except for these twins. The Masters believe that they may hold the key to the defeat of Lord Vader."
"Babies? What can they do? Vomit on Skywalker's shoulder?" Joen stood and paced the floor. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Even if they grew up to be something special, that's too long to wait. By then the Sith could find us, destroy us, and the babies as well.
"No. Vader would never kill his children. Despite his dark exterior, there is still a Skywalker beneath the machinery, there is still good in him." Bail motioned for him to sit down. "So, in all this waiting, where are you to go?"
Joen sat, and rubbed his eyes. "I don't know. I thought I would go to Coruscant, see if any surviving Jedi were still on their way to the temple."
Bail looked up again, that same worry in his eyes. "I don't think that's a good idea Joen. If Vader or the clone troops find you at the temple, they'll kill you."
"Well where am I supposed to go? I'm not part of this divine plan from the Jedi Masters. I'm useless. If I go somewhere it might as well be to help my fellow Jedi to survive, and maybe escape Coruscant."
"Then where will you go? The Empire will follow you to the ends of the galaxy. And then you'll be dead." The raised voices startled the little girl, and she began to whine. Bail returned his attention to the baby, calming her. He spoke lightly, "There won't be a place to hide once you're in their sights. They'll hunt you down forever."
Joen was silent for a moment. He realized that Bail was right. He had nowhere to go. Nowhere in the world, nowhere in the galaxy. A billion stars out there and none could become his home, nor his hiding place.
Suddenly footsteps came from the end of the hall. Both men stood up and looked in the direction of the echoing sounds. When the source was finally visible, Bail became struck with worry. Joen steadied himself. He was prepared for battle.
"Bail Organa, we understand that you may know the whereabouts of a few of the remaining Jedi yet to be prosecuted for the rebellion. We'd like to know where they are." The voice was muffled, as if coming from a radio. A dozen men, at least, stood in the room, all wearing white armor that almost camouflaged into the walls. They were clone troopers, looking for Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi.
The clone talking then looked at Joen. "Who're you?" One of the others leaned in towards the clone and whispered something. Suddenly the whirring of blasters powering on filled Joen's ears, and he pulled out his lightsaber.
The blade extended just quick enough to begin deflecting blaster bolts jumping across the room. Joen slowly backed up as he deflected carefully, trying not to hit Bail. "Guess I'm in their sights!" he yelled. Bail covered the baby and ran to the next room.
Once he reached the corner Joen ran, heading to the hangar bay, trying to escape. White blurs covered his vision as he passed them as fast as he could. Making turn after turn, he dodged blaster fire while running for it. Finally he found the hangar, running to his starfighter he yelled, "R3! Prepare for launch!"
He leapt into the cockpit, shut the top, and shot off into the sunlit sky. Following him out of the atmosphere was blaster bolts, nearly missing him far too often. Once he reached orbit, he attached his hyper drive engine and was just a streak in the depths of space.