Title: Ghost of the Past
Author: Spirit White
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by George Lucas, Lucasfilms Ltd. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary: In his youth, Luke Skywalker was killed in a horrible accident. Now, thirteen years after the death of his wife and supposedly his child, Lord Darth Vader must deal with a ghost of the past.
Going out of town. Will update on Tuesday.
Last Chapter:
Yoda straightened, looking at Luke closely.
"Good," he said finally. "Hmph. Later. Teach her, I will. Contact you, I will. Tell her, you must."
"All right," Luke replied.
"Hmph." Yoda said again. "Time for Yoda to eat. Go now, you will."
"All right, sir," Luke said, shifting. "I'll tell Leia."
With that, Luke reached within himself and once more let his surroundings fade.
Chapter Eight: Freedom Fighter
"Entering realspace in five, four, three, two, one. Realspace entered, Alderaan system." The starship's pilot said on the bridge. Leia stood in front of the viewport, watching eagerly as the blue of hyperspace dissolved into the inky black of realspace, the blue and green orb of Alderaan hanging silently in the light of the planet's yellow-orange sun.
The console crackled, and the communications officer flicked the switch. A tinny voice cracked through the speaker.
"This is Alderaan Space-port. State your name and business."
"Captain Antilles," the captain said. "Tantive IV, returning to the Palace. Transmitting security code now."
"Cleared for landing, Tantive IV," the tinny voice said after a moment. "Landing bay eight in the Aldera area. Welcome home, Princess Leia."
"It's good to be home," Leia replied, and the communication crackled away.
"Senator Organa, as well," Luke said with a smile at his sister. "Soon to be Senior Diplomat to the Rebel Alliance."
Leia didn't smile, but her eyes did gleam. She was pleased.
The Tantive IV settled on the specified docking bay, its blocky, uneven shape perching like an ungainly bird upon her landing struts. Leia bent down to gather her bags, but Captain Antilles beat her to it.
"Allow me, Your Highness," the man said, lifting Leia's bags as well as his own with ease.
"Thank you, Captain," Leia replied primly. Luke let his visibility fade but remained behind his sister, invisible to save his strength, which he didn't have much anymore.
Bail Organa waited just off the docking bay, leaning against a bright red airspeeder. Leia left behind her royalty persona and ran towards him with a cry of joy, throwing her arms around him.
"Father!" She said eagerly, looking up at him. "Are they here?"
"They are indeed," Bail replied, smiling down at his daughter. "Hop in. Are you driving?"
"Yes, please," Leia replied, and Captain Antilles loaded her bags into the back of the speeder. Bail moved over to him as Leia got in the driver's seat of the speeder and discussed something in a low voice. Luke moved over to them.
" – so this thing is a war machine?" Bail was asking quietly.
"A battle station," Antilles replied. "Designed to keep planets in line. Be careful, Viceroy," he said intensely. "Keep your dealings quiet."
"I always have, Captain," Bail replied. "But thank you for your update."
"Always a pleasure, Viceroy," Antilles said quietly. "I must get back to the Tantive IV. The cleaning crew often needs encouragement after a long trip. Good luck, Viceroy. Good bye, Princess, and good luck to you as well," the last was directed at Leia, who was giving both of them an intense look.
"Thank you, Captain," Leia replied. "I will see you at 0600 tomorrow morning."
"I look forward to it," Antilles replied, and Bail climbed into the passenger seat of the expensive looking speeder. Antilles turned and began to walk back to the landing bay where the Tantive IV sat, still warm from the long flight, as Leia rested her hands on the controls and started the speeder up.
Luke grinned as he hopped in the back. This was the closest he ever got to feeling the wind, anymore, though it felt more like a strange sort of tingle. He didn't care…just the sight of his surroundings being left behind was enough to slightly calm his craving for speed. He could have easily simply appeared in the Palace, but that was no fun, really.
Leia didn't have Luke's flare for piloting and his instinctive knowledge of everything around him, but she was an accomplished pilot in her own right. When they got to an empty stretch of road, Leia let the speeder loose. Luke whooped with delight, and evidently Leia heard him, because a laugh escaped her lips. The ground rushed by underneath them, and Leia made the speeder shoot up into the air, and then back down again. All too soon, they were at the palace gates, and then through them and to the palace doors.
Leia leaped out hurriedly and quickly patted her hair, making sure it was still tightly braided, and looked down at herself to make sure her white senatorial gown was still pristine and straight. Then she straightened her back and arranged her face into a firm, confident expression, which Luke had seen many times before, and began her calm, unhurried walk up the steps and through the doors. Laughing, Bail grabbed her bags and followed, Luke just behind him.
"They're in the informal lounge, my dear," Bail said with a smile. A servant silently appeared and took Leia's bags. "Will you join me?" Bail asked, offering his arm. Leia smiled and took it.
"Of course," she replied. Luke sighed and followed.
The informal lounge was much more comfortable than its formal counterpart, with less opulence and a quieter setting. Seated comfortably with drinks in their hands and snacks on the table, were two familiar figures. Luke's gaze snapped to the woman, who was dressed in a similar dress as Leia's but with short, auburn hair. Her face was a picture of stately calm. The Force roiled around him, even though he'd never seen her before. His father's deep voice echoed in his head.
"Find the Rebels, especially Mon Mothma. I want her unharmed."
"Mothma is still in the base. Have the docking bays watched and have the rest of the base searched. She is here. Find her."
This had to be Mon Mothma, leader of the Rebel Alliance.
"Princess Leia," Mothma said, standing up. The man beside her stood as well. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I am Mon Mothma and this is my colleague, General Rieekan."
"Pleasure, Your Highness," General Rieekan said to Leia. Luke instantly liked him…much more than Mothma. His voice was calm and mild, and reminded him of Qui-Gon.
"Pleasure is all mine," Leia replied, and Luke was slightly surprised to see her smiling at them.
"Your father has told us of your interest in joining the Alliance," Mothma started, seating herself once more. Leia followed suit in a chair across from them.
"That's right," Leia replied. "I am already on the Imperial Senate, an ideal position to perform mercy missions with diplomatic immunity."
"I agree," General Rieekan said with a nod. "You will have the ability to move past Imperial blockades with no consequences. Such a thing would be a great asset to the Alliance."
"Yes," Mothma said, smiling. "Your father has been a quiet helper to us for many years. I think it is a given that you will do the same. Welcome to the Alliance, Senator Organa."
"Good Morning, Captain," Leia said, moving up the ramp of the Tantive IV with Luke following behind her "How are we doing?"
"Good Morning, Your Highness," came the reply. "Everything is going well. We will be ready to depart in fifteen minutes."
"Excellent," Leia replied. "I will put my things in my quarters. If you need anything, that is where I will be."
"Copy, Princess," Antilles said, already slipping into 'space-speak'. Smiling, Leia strode down the halls in her white ship-suit, feeling as if she were floating. She couldn't see him, but she felt Luke's presence beside her, familiar and calming, and even though she was leaving her beloved planet and her loving father again, she felt that nothing could make her life better at the moment.
Luke remained out in the hallway while his sister changed, and fell into step beside her again when she emerged, dressed in senatorial whites and with her hair in the funny buns on each side of her head. Luke grinned broadly, feeling his sister's euphoria.
They emerged onto the bridge, feeling the growing whine of the engines as the ship lifted, and the thunk as the landing struts retracted. The ship pivoted slowly in the air until it pointed towards the west, and with a shaking whine, the engines sent the ship out over the green countryside of Alderaan, rising swiftly through the planet's atmosphere and emerging within moments into the inky blackness of space on Alderaan's night side. The planet behind them looked like a rounded sliver of blue and green. Leia and Luke, watching as it grew smaller and smaller, both felt the shivering premonition that the planet of Alderaan was in great danger. Luke felt ill, but Leia shook the feeling away, not knowing that there really was something out there that threatened to take her beloved home.