Chapter II "Catch Her Before She Falls"
Leia went into the sitting room at her mother's apartment. Padme sat down next to her and stroked her hair. "Leia, I'm so proud of you. You'll be a great Jedi." Leia smiled at her mother and nodded.
"I'm gonna protect the 'Public, Mommy. I'm gonna be a Jedi.." Leia whispered until she fell asleep. Padme smiled at her, and Anakin walked in, carrying Luke who was also fast asleep.
He smiled, seeing his sleeping daughter. "Hold on, let me get this one in his bed and then I'll take her." Padme nodded.
Anakin left, leaving Padme to her thoughts. Her children would be excellent Jedi, she thought. But very rarely however, did a little voice in her head tell her that perhaps they should've given the twins a choice. Many people believed that Leia shouldn't have been trained as a Jedi, that the father-daughter bond (such a different protection than the father-son bond!) would make Anakin fall back into the dark, but not just a brush like before, but making him fall entirely into the Dark Side. Forever.
So, Padme, Mon Mothma, Mace and Anakin came up with a little plan to make the public happy or confuse them, whichever. Whenever Leia got older, they would give her the choice of being the Jedi Senator the Senate. She would be the first, so they would have the Chancellor choose. And many of the Senators Padme and Mon would be very amused and pleased to have a Jedi politician in the Senate, and if that certain politician was a Skywalker? Even better.
Anakin came back in silently and picked up Leia, as quiet as he could possibly be. He was quite strange sometimes.
After Anakin came back in, Padme's comm started to buzz. She went up to get it, wondering who was calling. "Senator Amidala." she spoke quietly in her "Politician Voice".
"Padme." the other voice said warmly. Padme automatically recognized the voice as Mon Mothma's. "Please forgive me for calling at such a late hour. But we must speak. Alas, the news is good. For a change."
"I do not mind that you called, Chancellor. I think of you as one of my best friends." Padme replied. "What is your news?"
"Well, for one, as you know, my term is almost up. As you also know, it has been asked to change the Constitution so that I could stay Chancellor for as long as I want to. I will not be agreeing to this. It is time someone else took the duty as Chancellor, and the people need a change in government, I believe this to be the best for the Republic. As I recall, you were once put in the same situation when you were Queen. So, I was wondering if you would allow yourself to be put up for nomination." Mon Mothma finished.
Anakin started laughing. Padme sent a disapproving look at her husband. "I am afraid not, not with Anakin and the twins. At least at the moment, it would create too much scandal."
"Ah, yes. They have been made Padawans, have they not?" Mon Mothma stated. Anakin stopped laughing. Padme started.
"How did you know that?" Anakin stammered.
Mon smirked. "Connections." then she sighed. "Do you at least have any nominees?"
"What about Bail Organa or Alderaan? Or Garm Bel Ibis of Corellia?" Padme said.
Anakin laughed. "Ha. Bail. Rocks. I'd vote for him"
Mon Mothma laughed. Padme rolled her eyes. "Do you see why Anakin wouldn't be a good political advisor?"
Anakin grinned. "Hey Chancellor, is the Chosen One qualified to run for Chancellor?"….
Mace Windu had been invited to Yoda's chambers to talk. One does not refuse Yoda. So, after Leia left, Mace went to Yoda's chambers. He hadn't even knocked when he heard, "Come in, you shall"
Mace rolled his eyes. And he scolded Leia for reading his thoughts. The gnome probably just didn't like that someone could access his thoughts.
He walked in. He bowed, "Yes, Master Yoda"
"Speak, we must." was grunted back to him.
Mace walked and sat crossed-legged on one of Yoda's meditating stools. "About…?"
"Leia Skywalker, your Padawan is. Strong in the Force, she is. Stronger than Luke, she is. Not as strong as her father, not that strong. Gifts, however, she has. Gifts, Anakin possessed never. Will of the Force, this is. Why, I know not." Yoda suddenly looked old and weary as he looked at Mace, sadness etched all over his face. "Fall onto the Dark Side, she will."
Mace blinked. "Leia? Onto the Dark Side? How, what did you see?" Mace asked in disbelief.
"Know, not, entirely. All I see, is Leia in garb of a Sith, glowing red lightsaber, fighting against….you."
Mace blinked again. "She won't fall."
"Know that you do not. Failure, this might not be your own. Her own choice, Leia makes. Judge Leia on what happened to Depa, you will not!" Yoda yelled, banging his Gimer Stick against the floor.
Mace got up. "This isn't about Depa. I will catch her before she falls. She won't fall." Mace left.
He heard Yoda sigh as he left.
Mace spent apart of the night fixing Leia's room. It was simple, yet the Force said it was right. It was a crisp, white and orderly room. He knew Leia would love it. There was already a shelf ready for all of the holos of her family and friends.
Mace waited in his sitting room for the chime to ring. Finally, it did. He got up, and there stood Leia and her family. Leia smiled weakly. Mace said, "Welcome." and motioned for them to come in. Padme shook her head, and got on a knee to look Leia in the eyes. Anakin did the same. "Leia. You have made me and Daddy very, very proud of you already. So, be strong, please baby. I know this will be hard, but you can do it. Goodbye, Leia." Padme chocked back tears, and Anakin nodded. Leia gave her parents a hug and kiss and went into her room with her brother. They were both carrying suitcases, by using the Force.
"I'll take care of her, Senator." Mace said softly. Padme smiled, and two tears fell down her cheek. "I know you will, Mace. It's just never an easy thing to let go of one's children. Catch her, Mace. You have to."
Mace blinked in surprise. "I may not be Force-sensitive, but Leia has a very good chance of falling, I know that. She's had to put up with slander her whole life, slander Anakin and I would've never dreamed of. She's different from Luke."
"Very different. I don't think I could handle Leia as a Padawan, if I saw her go Dark, I probably would go on the Dark Side again. That might also be because she's my baby girl. You are a very good Jedi Master, far better than I could ever be." Anakin smiled slightly.
Luke came out. He bowed to Mace, and then stood a few steps behind his father. "Farewell, Master Windu." Padme said formally, obviously trying to set an example for her son, but Mace saw a smile on her face.
"Yes, goodbye, Mace."
And finally, Luke bowed again and said his goodbyes quite formally.
Mace went into his apartment, and checked on Leia, who sure enough already had holos up. "Using the Force, my young Padawan?" Mace said sternly, but he was amused. The child had inherited her father's, uh, resourcefulness. Leia got a wide-eyed look that reminded Mace of Anakin. "I'm sorry Master Windu!" she said bowing quickly.
Mace laughed, "It is quite alright, Leia"
Leia grinned sheepishly. Mace couldn't believe that this was the little girl that three people, one a non-Jedi, had said she'd fall onto the Dark Side…but Mace knew she wouldn't.
She couldn't.