CHAPTER 16

It had been six months since Leia started training in Soresu and Luke started his formal training. The twins were getting better day by day. Soon they would be ready to face the world. Luke was made an official general of the rebel alliance. Now there were two general Skywalkers. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were proud of them. The rebels were flourishing under the plan of the Skywalkers. They kept on growing stronger. The opinion of the Jedi was being reversed. Six months later the twins would be eighteen. Leia was getting control over her nightmares. Luke's abilities grew stronger. He started getting nightmares. Leia was there besides him all the time. She helped him develop his own abilities. She helped him become the warrior he was. She was helping him and would help him. Luke too helped his sister. He helped her confront her own fears. He helped her become the warrior he saw. The twins had developed a strong bond. The two would wake up early and meditate; calming themselves and developing their bond. This made them stronger every day. Once a month they would speak to their friends. Luke would always be protective whenever Leia spoke to Han. He would be the protective brother and always get in the middle whenever he felt that Han was being too close to his sister. Sometimes the ex-candidates of the imperial academy would speak with Leia. Luke would keep pushing Kane away from Leia. He was being that protective brother to Leia. Leia was irritated by this. She would often push Luke away whenever he would come in between her and Han. She often did the same thing whenever he would come in between her and Kane. The two would often fight on the same topic.

Leia was sitting on top of the hut. It was sunset. She had placed her elbow on top of one knee. She was staring at the twin sunset. It was a beautiful thing. Luke then got out of the hut and called her. She then walked in the hut. The dinner was set. Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen were there too. Leia then sat down in one of the chairs and they started their food. They discussed great many things like the victory of rebels and restoration of democracy. The rebel alliance was winning. The empire kept on trying whatever it could to stop them. In a few cases they were successful. Suddenly Artoo beeped. Leia turned and moved towards the droid. She bent on her knee and checked what was wrong. "There is a call. It's from the rebel base. It's urgent." She announced. Quickly the twins and Ahsoka stood in front of the droid. It projected the image of Senator Mon Mothma. She was disturbed. Something was wrong; the three sensed it. So did Obi-Wan. "General Skywalkers. It is a pleasure to meet you both."

"Senator, the pleasure is ours. You seem to be disturbed."

"Yes General Leia. The rebel spies have found a deadly nightmarish secret of the empire."

"What is it senator?"

"They have built a super weapon called the Death Star. The rebels will need your help."

"That indeed is troubling to hear. Can the rebels escape with the important information regarding this weapon?"

"It is a battle station as the team, Rogue one, has reported. They believe to have found the blue print of the weapon. But.."

"But what senator?"

"They believe Darth Vader is after them."

"Fine I shall go and receive the plans. Please contact Senator Organa and inform him to send my ship; the Tantive IV, to the coordinates of Coruscant. I shall board it from there."

"Leia are you sure?"

"Yes I am. I shall receive the plans and deliver it to the rebel alliance."

"But won't it attract the imperials?"

"They shall follow my ship not me."

"So be it. I trust you."

"Thank you Senator."

"No thank YOU General Skywalker."

Leia nodded as the connection was cut. Luke, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Beru and Owen stared at her. She stood there with the same air her father would have stood in. Her hands were folded and her face was determined. Luke then spoke, "Leia, how?"

"I shall go to Coruscant with Han tomorrow. He is coming to deliver some spice to Jabba the Hutt. I shall go with him and land in the Tantive IV and receive the plans. Then I shall board a fighter and leave to the rebel alliance capital; Yaavin IV."

"Fine. Be careful sister."

"I shall be brother."

Everyone finished their dinner and left. The Lars left to their home while the rest four stayed there. Everybody lay in their bed. Obi-Wan laid there marveling the resemblance Leia had to her father. She might look like her mother but her hair and her behavior was like Anakin. Luke was like his mother though he had few features of Anakin. Ahsoka lay on her bad beaming with pride. Leia was ready to be the leader she saw in her. Luke was under the process. But she knew that he would be a great leader like his mother. Luke lay there thinking. He was worried about his sister. He knew she could face this but still he was afraid. He was afraid and proud about her. He knew her strength. He knew she was ready. Leia was awake in her bed. She knew that everyone thought she was ready but she was afraid. She doubted whether she was ready. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She was surprised that she could do it easily. Soon everyone was asleep.

Leia suddenly got up. She looked around her surroundings; they were different. She was in a room which had a bronze and copper wall. She got up and walked out of the room. Outside the room were people who she didn't know. She kept on walking when she heard someone call her name. She turned and found her brother; he was dressed as Jedi Padawan. "Leia you are up. Come on father is waiting."

"What? Luke wait." She called out. She ran behind him and reached the council chambers. Inside she found her father, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Cal, a Kel-Dorian, Twi'ilek, a tall headed creature, another Togruta, a black man, a lady, another man and a tiny green figure. As soon as she entered her father moved forward. "Leia, my dear. You are awake."

"Father what is going on?"

"Knighted you are being. Hmm." The green figure spoke.

"Who are you? And what is happening?"

"Leia this is grandmaster Yoda." Her father said as a-matter-of-factly.

"What?"

"You are in the council Leia. You are becoming a Jedi knight."

Before Leia could respond a large bomb landed on the Jedi. She fainted. She got up and saw her surroundings; it had changed again. It was pitch black. She ignited her lightsaber. It filled the place with a cyan light. She turned around to be met by the green figure. "Grandmaster Yoda." She said.

"Know me you already do, hmm."

"Well I had a dream or vision whatever it was."

"Your deepest desire it was, hmm."

"How do you know it? And where am I?"

"In your mind we are, hmm."

"I know but how are YOU in my mind?"

"Know you from your birth I do. Know about your life till now I do."

"So will you train me?"

"Train you I can't. Only the force can. Come here to teach you one lesson I have."

"I am listening."

"Father's daughter you are."

"I know."

"A leader you are like your father. Trust yourself you must. No one can help you in that."

"I don't get you."

"Very important of a person a leader is. Inside feel others you can. Identify the person inside. Must learn to understand one's own identity one must. Daughter of a monster not you are. Daughter of a part of the force you are. So is your brother. Strong with the Force your family will be. Start your journey and go you must now."

"Thank you." Leia said before running towards the light which just emerged. She woke up to find herself in the same hut. It was not sunrise yet. She got up and went up the hut. She knew Luke would be waiting for her. She went and sat beside him.

"So you are ready?"

"I think so."

"Leia I am afraid."

"I know you are. But be calm you can do better without me."

"It is not me that I am afraid of. I am afraid of you sister."

"Oh brother, I can fend off for myself."

"Leia I know you can. But I must be there with you all the time. I am your older brother."

"You are older by mere minutes."

"I know." They both hugged each other.

"I know you know."

"Look after the people you lead."

"I shall."

Soon the twins got down to have breakfast. After breakfast Han had landed near the hut. Leia walked towards him with Luke in the tail. She explained him everything. He accepted to take her to Coruscant. Leia then walked in the hut and faced Ahsoka and Obi-Wan.

"Leia I want to let you know. We are proud of you." Ahsoka said. Obi-Wan nodded behind her. He then moved forward and told, "Leia, if you ever feel to, do forgive me. I was wrong about you. You have proven everyone wrong and established your identity. An uncle couldn't ask for anything else."

"Thank you aunt Ahsoka and uncle Obi-Wan."

The three hugged each other. Then they bid each other farewell. Leia gave the lightsaber which belonged to their father to Luke. "You need it." She said as she gave it to him.

"What about you?" he asked as he accepted it.

"I have Ahsoka's old lightsaber."

"Will it suffice?"

"Yes."

"I love you sister."

"I love you too, brother." The two hugged as she moved towards the falcon. On seeing her come, Han teased her. "Hey no hug for me."

"Yeah no hugs for you but I might hug Chewie."

"Yeah that hairy bear gets the hug while the pilot gets nothing."

"Oh come on you get the company."

"Yeah yeah." The two boarded the ship. Han had delivered the goods. Now they were headed to Coruscant. "It will take us three days."

"It's okay."

Leia reached Coruscant safely. She and Han bonded while on their way. Han was slightly hesitant when he landed in the abandoned facility. "Leia." He called out as she readied herself to get down. "Take care."

"I shall friend." She replied as she stood up and left. Chewbacca roared after her, he wished her a good luck. "Same to you my furry friend." Leia replied as she got down the ship. Once she got out she was greeted by a rebel captain.

"General Skywalker, greetings from the rebel alliance."

"Greetings captain."

"General ,as you asked twelve fighters have been boarded."

"With the required modifications?"

"With the required modifications, General. We have a fighter ready for me to take you to the ship."

"Very well captain. I shall fly it while you be the gunner."

"As you say General."

Just like that the two left in the fighter. The Millennium Falcon had also left the planet. Soon Leia and the captain were in the Tantive IV. She awaited the plans. They were to go towards another location. Soon they were there. They had attached the ship to another imperial ship and waited for the rebel soldiers to come in. Leia felt the presence of Vader. She asked them to hurry it up. She felt the pain of the men who died at the hands of him. Soon she felt a few who had boarded the ship. She was relieved. Soon the blueprint was in her hand.

"What is it?" the captain who was panting asked.

"Hope." She replied looking up at his face. "Captain this is our chance to win. You there." She said calling a soldier from the back. "What is your name?"

"Houdini ma'am."

"Houdini, I need you to make twelve copies of this blueprint."

"Yes ma'am." He said as he took the blueprint gingerly and sped off to make copies of it.

The captain then asked, "What is the plan ma'am?"

"We are going to distract them."

"Who ma'am?" as soon as he said it the ship's alarm started bleeping.

"The empire. They shall try catching us. But they don't know what our plan is. We shall make twelve copies. All the copies but one shall be sent away to the rebel capital in Yaavin IV in the fighters. There are twenty men here. All the twenty shall be sent in the fighters with the copies and the original. One shall be given to me. I shall distract them by moving to Alderaan."

"There is one thing you should know General. There are thirty men."

"What? But I was specific."

"The Senator knows you too well. I shall stay with you with nine men. The rest shall leave. The Senator also has sent you another gift." He said as he stepped aside. Behind him a rebel soldier bought a white dress. It was folded neatly. "A room is ready for you."

"Thank you." She said as she accepted it. She went inside the room which the captain showed and dressed herself. She neatly tied her hair in two plaits and rolled them in buns. She then put the hood on her head and walked out. The rebel soldiers awaited her debriefing. The captain looked at her and said, "You do look beautiful General. I have briefed them. They will need a word from you."

"Thank you captain." She said before turning to the soldiers. "Our gunners will hold the imperials of till you can go to Chanderi. There you shall give the blueprints to the rebel leaders. Remember men we ask you to risk your life for liberty of the galaxy. I ask you to help me. If we fight today, tomorrow we can breathe free air. I want all of us to wake up every day and thank the force for our lives not hoping that the empire be more humane. We rebel for one thing; liberty. Now repeat after me; FOR THE REPUBLIC."

"FOR THE REPUBLIC." The men called out as they rushed to board the fighters. The ship was set to Alderaan while the fighters would go to Yaavin IV. Each group had a print. The original was given to the soldier named Houdini. He and his partner boarded a fighter and left. Soon all of them left. Houdini jumped into hyperspace. The imperial tie fighters had bought down a bunch of fighters. But four of them had managed to jump into hyperspace. Leia looked with pride as she felt the imperials attaching her ship to it. She felt the jolt. The stormtroopers got themselves in. They shot down five rebel soldiers. The rest and the captain tried their best to protect Leia. But she refused. She knew; in order to protect the rebellion they had to be caught. She sensed the presence of Vader as she was being dragged by the stormtroopers. She was bought forward in front of him. She had a look at him. She knew her father was behind it.

NOTE- Roses are red, violets are blue,

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