Bail Organa's Office
Palace
City of Aldera
Alderaan
3 days later
"But if we begin the evacuation, the Empire will know we are aware of the Death Star's capabilities," Bail Organa argued.
"And an evacuation might well incite a panic, too," Queen Breha added.
Older Luke rose to his full, not very impressive, stature and stared straight into Queen Breha's eyes, "Your Highness, in my timeline, that is exactly the thought pattern of presumably you and many others, including Carlist Rieekan. And Alderaan was destroyed in its entirety. It was lost, and all those on the surface and in near space with it. Don't make the mistakes of my timeline, please."
Bail and Breha exchanged horrified glances and then looked at Kenobi, who was seated nearby, a hand stroking his ancient beard.
"General Kenobi?" Bail asked in a subdued tone. "Given that Winter has, we hoped, escaped with the help of the other Leia, the Death Star may not even come to Alderaan. Do you really think we should begin an evacuation?"
Obi-Wan looked first at the younger Luke, then at the older Luke, then at the Organas, "Our timeline is different, of course, since Palpatine is dead. But as far as we know, the intentions of both Emperor Vader and Governor Tarkin are the same. I agree that you should start the evacuation. Winter was, sadly, captured briefly. That ties Alderaan to the Rebellion and Tarkin, according to our friend from the future, was eager to destroy a planet to show the power of the Death Star."
"We'll never get everyone off," Breha stated in despair.
"You won't have to, I hope," Older Luke said confidently. "As I told my counterpart and Obi-Wan, there is a design flaw in the Death Star. You can see it on the schematics right there that we got off of R2D2. It can be destroyed with an X-Wing, and you have some available. Indeed, I did destroy it, but not until Alderaan was lost. This time, I hope we can obliterate it before we lose a planet, any planet."
Breha frowned, "If the Death Star does arrive soon, it is likely that its TIE squadrons will interfere with the evacuation."
Older Luke sighed and ran a hand down his face, "Yes, and some fleeing refugees will be lost. But if we lose some and distract the Empire from an X-wing destroying the station, I'm afraid we'll have to count that as a win."
"You are sure you can make that shot?" Bail asked skeptically.
"Of course," older Luke said, "but I won't be. Younger Luke will, and I'll cover him."
Younger Luke stared in awe at his older counterpart, "Are you sure that I should do it?"
"Two words, younger self," Older Luke said with a grin. "Womp. Rats."
Younger Luke chuckled softly. "I gotcha. It's that easy?"
"It's an impossible shot without the Force," the other Luke said gravely. "You have to trust it. It isn't easy, but you can do it. I'll be zipping around making sure no TIE's attack you."
"Sounds like a plan," Bail said, taking a deep breath.
Breha nodded, "We'd better start the evacuation."
"And Luke," older Luke said, "the controls of the X-Wing are similar to the X-34 landspeeder, but you still need some practice out there."
/
Darth Ditra's Office
Devastator
In hyperspace en route to Alderaan
Leia watched her guards depart and then focused her attention on the whorls of hyperspace out the transparisteel window.
"Where are we?" she asked Ditra, who was seated at a desk frowning at her datapad.
The other woman looked up and waved a casual hand, causing Leia's manacles to drop to the floor.
"We'll be at Alderaan in about 12 hours," she stated absently.
Leia threw up her mental shields even as she struggled to retain her equanimity.
"What is wrong with you?" Ditra demanded, rising to her feet. "Every time I mention Alderaan, you get weird."
"You'll pardon me if I find it reprehensible that the Empire would destroy a populated planet," Leia bit back even as she fought back tears. In her mind's eye, once again Alderaan burst in a deadly holocaust of light.
"What makes you think the Empire is going to destroy a populated planet?" Ditra asked in what sounded like a genuinely puzzled tone.
Leia stared at her incredulously, "Death Star. We are talking about the same battle station, right? It has the capacity to destroy planets. In my timeline, it did destroy Alderaan."
"Really?" Ditra said with confusion, "but Palpatine lived, right?"
"And Tarkin," Leia added, staring at her counterpart intensely.
Ditra huffed, "Well, Tarkin still lives and indeed commands the Death Star but I assure you he won't blow up Alderaan. The Organas are allied with the Alliance, clearly, so he may destroy the capital city of Aldera, but he won't destroy the whole planet. That would just be stupid!"
Leia took a deep, cleansing breath and reached to the Light Side for calm, "Why would it be stupid?"
"Why?" Darth Ditra demanded, beginning to pace in an agitated manner. "It seems pretty obvious to me. Blow up a planet with millions of non-combatants is a sure fire way to fuel the Rebellion. I'm guessing that happened in your timeline? Recruitment went up for the Rebels?"
Leia blinked at her in surprise, "The answer is yes, but I have to say that your political acumen is indeed worthy of Padme Amidala. The natural consequence to the destruction of an entire planet and its culture did indeed turn many wavering planets against the Empire. What seems obvious to you was clearly not obvious to Tarkin or Palpatine."
"See!?" Ditra responded with a smug smile. "Palpatine was stupid. Father wouldn't do such a thing."
For a brief moment, Leia felt the pressure of Vader's cyborg hands on her shoulder as Alderaan was blown into dust. Again, she struggled to maintain her shields and her calm. It was long ago and a different timeline ...
"You were from Alderaan, weren't you?" Ditra asked softly, stepping close to her othertime twin.
Leia blinked and took a deep breath. She mustn't reveal the names of the Organas, but ...
"Yes," she stated softly. "I grew up on Alderaan and was on board the Death Star when the battle station fired on my homeworld. Tarkin ordered it, most smugly, and Vader allowed it."
Ditra's eyes widened and she shook her head slowly, "Ok, I understand your concern. But really, Father wouldn't. He might well order the destruction of a city ..."
"Which is reprehensible!" Leia interrupted angrily.
Ditra waved an irritable hand, "Collateral damage. But a whole planet? There is no legitimate reason for such a violent act!"
"Why have a planet destroying battle station if you aren't going to use it?" Leia demanded.
The other woman sighed and picked up a random holopad before returning it to her desk, "Look, the Death Star was already half built when Palpatine died and Father ascended the Throne. It couldn't easily be altered in its form and function. And when I said we won't destroy a planet, I meant a populated planet. We plan to blow up barren worlds and moons for mineral extraction."
"Mineral extraction?" Leia inquired with a roll of her eyes. "Really?"
"Yes, really! Think of it. There are numerous planets with cores made of valuable materials – think of how much raw ores could be collected with ease if a planet with large quantities of, say, tydirium ore was blown into easily collected pieces."
Leia stared hard at the younger woman and shook her head slightly. She could tell that Ditra was being honest, but really ...
"It's too dangerous," she said in frustration. "Don't you see? Maybe you're right, maybe Vader wouldn't destroy a populated planet. But Tarkin is a loose laser cannon! Or someone else might take control of it. It shouldn't exist."
"Tarkin wouldn't ...," Ditra began in frustrated, then turned as the door slid open.
The woman who stepped in was taller than both Leias, and wore her long hair piled severely on her head.
"Jade," Ditra stated.
"Mara!" Leia gasped.
The auburn beauty shot a bewildered look at Leia, then bowed a courteous head toward Darth Ditra, "My lady."
"You know her?" Ditra demanded in surprise.
Leia stared at the red head and shook her head a little to clear it, "Er, yes. I'm glad that Mara Jade survived in this timeline."
"Why?" Ditra demanded.
"Because she's my sister-in-law in my timeline," Leia said matter-of-factly.
/
Palace of Aldera
12 hours later
"Since your daughter has proven reluctant to provide the location of the Rebel base, I regrettably will be forced to test this station's destructive force on the planet Alderaan."
Queen Breha Organa felt herself grow pale as she gazed into the skeletal face of Governor Tarkin. The Moff stared back through the holoscreen, his visage smug.
"Alderaan is peaceful," she managed to gasp out, "we have no weapons. You can't possibly ..."
"You would prefer another target, a military target, then name the system!" Tarkin interrupted. "I grow tired of dealing with your family, Queen Breha, so this will be the last time I ask this question. Where is the main Rebel base?"
Breha shot a horrified look at Bail, who nodded slightly.
The Queen turned back, "Dantooine. They're on Dantooine."
The Moff smiled grimly, "There, you see, your Highness? I was sure you could be reasonable. Continue with the operation, Captain, you may fire when ready."
"What?" Breha cried out in dismay.
"You're far too trusting, your Highness. Dantooine is too remote to be an effective demonstration, but you can die knowing that we will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough."
Breha turned horror stricken eyes on her husband, who stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms.
Together, they waited for the end.
/
In the Vital Death Star trench
Luke Skywalker, age 19, took a deep breath, calmed himself with the Force, and waited ...
Waited for the Force to speak.
Above and behind him, another TIE blew up in a fireball, victim of the incredible shooting prowess of his alternate from the other timeline.
Luke squeezed the trigger and two torpedoes tore out of his ship and into the thermal exhaust port.
"Get out of there, Luke!" he heard in his head, and Luke obediently lifted his X-Wing up and away from the doomed station.
/
Queen Breha's Office
Alderaan
"Commence primary ignition."
Breha closed her eyes and huddled closer to her husband. In this moment, at the end of all things, she was thankful that she would die in his arms.
There was a sudden sound and Breha cringed slightly, only to realize a moment later that she was still alive. She turned with a gasp toward the holoterminal, which now showed only static.
"Breha, look out there!" Bail cried out, even as he pulled her toward the balcony door. A moment later, Queen and Viceroy were outside and staring up into the skies, where a brilliant explosion cascaded across the firmament of the heavens.
The Death Star was destroyed.
/
In space
Outside Alderaan
"Great shot, Kid!" Luke heard in his head. "That was one in a million!"
Luke laughed even as he prepared for hyperspace. At that moment, a star destroyer dropped out of hyperspace at vector 15, and his brow narrowed in alarm.
"Who's that?" he demanded of Older Luke.
There was a pause, and the reply was grim, "I'm afraid it's your twin sister, who has my twin sister in custody. I'm going to surrender. You'd better get out of here, Luke. You probably aren't ready to meet her."
"Maybe I should surrender," Luke argued. "Didn't you say Father was willing to change for your sake?"
"I'm not sure now is the time," Older Luke responded worriedly.
The delay in a decision resulted in its own decision. Both X-Wings found themselves in a dogfight and then caught in a tractor beam.
"Ready or not, here I come, twin," Luke thought to himself.
/-
Docking Bay 35
Devastator
In space outside Alderaan
Darth Ditra, accompanied by her Alter, waited impatiently for her troops to push ladders up to the two captured X-wings.
She waited impatiently for the two pilots – surprisingly, both versions of her brother were dark blond with blue eyes – to come down the ladders under the blasters of a legion of troops.
The blasters were set for stun, of course.
She waited for both versions of her brother to be searched and their lightsabers removed. The older version of her brother was manacled as he was clearly a trained Force user, but she wouldn't bother tying up her actual twin.
She waited impatiently for the troops to file out of the hanger at her command.
And then Darth Ditra, Sith Lady, ran forward with a cry of joy and threw her arms around her twin brother.
"Luke!" she cried out excitedly.
The young man's eyes were wide with surprise but after a pause, he threw his arms around his twin sister.
"Leia," he murmured into her dark hair. "My twin."
"They are adorable together," Other Leia commented to Other Luke.
"Indeed they are," Other Luke said aloud, kissing his sister on the cheek.
/