I apologize for the delay in the new chapters for this fanfic. Been working a bit on other stuff, plus I have a full-time job that occupies my time. Hopefully, this will begin to make things right.

Star Wars

Twin Suns Early Rise

Chapter 9: Family Conflict Part 2

If things hadn't been bad enough before on the Lars homestead, they certainly were now. Near the end of the day, following a massive fight the night before between Luke and his uncle Owen, a young girl around Luke's age had shown up out of nowhere claiming to not only be Skywalkers twin sister but that their father was a legendary space wizard who fought in the Clone Wars. It was hard to believe and quite frankly Owen wasn't convinced. However, Biggs vouched for her, Luke trusted Biggs, and Beru saw no evidence against any of this, so she was willing to give this girl, Leia, a chance to explain herself.

So they all ended up sitting in the dining room, munching on dinner Beru had already prepared while Leia told her brother what she knew about their father. She described him as a warrior and commanding officer in the Grand Army of the Republic who played a massive role in the Republic's victory over the Confederacy of Independent Systems. This version of his father was far different from that of the story Owen had told Luke of a navigator on a spice freighter and had much more detail about the man who gave him life, which only further infuriated the young Skywalker. More so than he'd already been following his last fight with his uncle.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME MY FATHER FOUGHT IN THE CLONE WARS?!" Luke shouted.

Owen rubbed his head in frustration. "You're seriously gonna believe this girl who you've never even seen before just because your friend brought her here?" he argued. "She could just be a prostitute he got at Mos Eisley."

Leia was taken aback by this. "EXCUSE ME?"

"I would never do something so low," Biggs protested. "I know it seems strange and hard to believe but it's not like there's much info to go by on Anakin Skywalker. Mainly because you never bother to say a word about him."

"You know as much as you need to know about Anakin. All of you. Besides I was not told that my dumbass stepbrother had a daughter."

"We were separated at birth," Leia tried to explain. "We possessed our father's immense force powers and it was believed that if Emperor Palpatine learned about our existence, he would send agents to hunt us down. I wasn't supposed to know about my biological heritage until… the time was right," Leia made sure not to mention anything about her involvement with the rebellion. Despite having finally found her brother, Leia knew she couldn't just reveal all her secrets to him at once. She would, of course, tell him, but only after she'd gotten to know him a bit more.

"So now I have powers too?" Luke gasped.

"Maybe that would explain your exceptionally fast reflexes," Biggs suggested. "Did you also know about this Lars?" he asked his friends' uncle.

"Quiet Biggs," Owen snapped.

"He's just trying to help," Leia said.

"Shut your mouth too girly," Owen snapped again.

"Owen please," Beru said.

"Yeah, that's your niece," Luke stated. He wasn't sure how to explain it, but he felt a connection to this girl despite having just met her a few hours ago; one that he'd never felt with anyone before in his life. He didn't know if it was the twin telepathy thing people claimed that twin siblings had, but somehow he could tell she was speaking the truth.

"Besides I recognize that astromech droid Leia brought," Beru said pointing towards the dome astromech droid standing in the corner of the dining room. "It's the same one who accompanied your brother and his girlfriend when they visited us years ago."

This got Luke and Leia's attention. "Wait really?" both asked simultaneously.

Biggs smirked at this, but Owen wasn't amused. "Yes," Beru answered. "And according to your grandmother, Shmi Skywalker, that same droid had been in the girl's service for years, dating back around the time when she and a man named… Qui-Gu Jann, I think, came to Tatooine and took your father offworld. It certainly matches the droid in terms of its design model and colour scheme."

"Hold on Beru," Owen interrupted. "There are hundreds of R2 units across the cosmos. And colour schemes can be replicated easily."

R2 warbled and beeped in protest. This arguing had gone on for too long and the astromech decided that enough was enough. Moving closer to the table, R2 activated his holoprojector, positioning an image on top of the dining table showing a midwife droid hovering above a beautiful woman in her late twenties, lying on a bed. Beside her stood a bearded man in burnt robes holding her hand while she screamed in pain.

Both Owen and Beru were shocked when they saw the bearded man whom they recognized as a younger version of Obi-Wan Kenobi from around the time when he'd delivered baby Luke to them years ago. They also realized that the woman on the bed was Anakin's girlfriend from before the war. This meant if the recording that the droid was showing was a memory from his mechanical brain, then this further proved Beru's suspicions.

Though neither Lars said a word. Instead, both chose to remain silent while they, along with Luke, Biggs and Leia, watched the holo recording as the woman on the bed's screaming soon stopped but was replaced with that of crying from a newborn baby.

The droid spoke in a language no one in the room understood, yet the woman in the hologram appeared to understand.

"Luke" the woman named weakly with barely enough energy as she lifted a hand to touch her newborn. "Hey little Luke," she cooed.

Luke's widened. Having already recognized both the bearded man and the woman in the holo from his dreams about the mysterious man, combined with seeing the latter calling her infant baby Luke, the young Skywalker now understood who the woman was. Those dreams of his were more than just dreams. They were... well he couldn't think of an exact definition for what they were, just that they weren't mere dreams of coincidence. Plus now that he knew he might have mystical powers, Luke thought perhaps his abilities were behind the dreams, trying to show him something. He just needed to figure out what.

As the recording continued, further things began to make sense while at the same time, more questions arose in everyone's minds. Pretty soon the woman began screaming again, and another baby appeared.

"It's a girl," the man announced.

"Leia," the woman said.

A smile formed on the man's face, but quickly turned to a concerned frown as he looked down at the woman before him. "Padmé you must hold on," the man pleaded. "Your twins need you."

Sadly the man's words weren't enough. "I… I can't…" she said in a weak voice. Combined with the tired look in her strained eyes, as well as the slowly decreasing movements from her body, it was clear to everyone who watched this recording that the woman, this Padmé, didn't have much time left. "Obi-Wan, there's… there's good in him. I know… I know there's… still…"

At that moment Padmé collapsed onto the bed, leaving behind a man who appeared heartbroken, holding two newborn/orphaned twins in his arms.

R2 ended the recording, hoping that was more than enough to convince everyone that Leia was who she claimed to be.

"Was that… was that their mother?" Biggs asked.

It was Beru who nodded her head, confirming what was now obvious. Despite only meeting her once, Beru never forgot a face. "Yes. And the man helping your mother deliver Luke and Leia was-"

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Owen interrupted. "We are not getting him involved."

"Who? Who was he?!" Luke demanded.

"It doesn't' matter," Owen stated. "What matters is that you get yourself to bed right now. Biggs get your ass out of my home. While you're at it, take this girl and her tin can with you."

"Owen Lars," Beru snapped.

"I'm doing what I need to protect Luke. To protect our family. I'm not gonna let him go on some foolish crusade with Kenobi and die fighting for a corrupt order."

"So she's right," Luke said, slamming his fist on the table. "You lied to me. You've been lying to me my entire life!"

"Luke clam down," Owen scolded.

"Calm down? Calm down?! You lied to me about my father. Never said a word about my mother. Kept me in the dark about my powers. Yet you have the nerve to tell me to calm down, right as you're trying to kick your niece out of the house?"

"ENOUGH!" Beru shouted, forcing everyone to quiet down.

"Luke yes we hid the truth from you for too long. But we did it because we love you and wanted to protect you. I know it's hard to accept, but sometimes family members must keep secrets from one another to protect them. Did we like doing it? No. Are we proud of our actions? Of course not. To be honest, I would have preferred to tell you sooner, but our concerns for you made us hesitant around the subject. Though true we messed up, but we took you in and raised you like our own, knowing full to well of the risks because you're family, and family stands together no matter what. I'm not asking you to forgive me or your uncle, just that you try and find somewhere in your heart to accept what we did to protect you."

Dropping his head, Luke suddenly felt embarrassed by his outburst. While he didn't like the lies, he knew deep down that his aunt and even his uncle did love him. To them, he'd always been the son they could never have on their own. Besides, it was obvious that there were things that they didn't know about too, which scared them a lot. It certainly scared Luke. When he raised his head back up, tears were coming from his eyes as he reached across the table and placed a comforting hand on his aunt's. "I'm sorry Aunt Beru," he said before turning his head to face his uncle. "I'm sorry too Uncle Owen. I lost my cool and I shouldn't have. I just... I just wanted to know about my parents so badly that I failed to see how much you cared for me and loved me. I am truly sorry appreciating you guys enough."

Satisfied, Beru smiled with the same level of comfort and warmth she'd always given to the boy she'd raised. "I understand Luke. Your reaction wasn't unexpected, nor unjustified."

Owen, however, was not moved by either his nephew's or his wife's words. Crossing his arms, the old farmer grunted. In response, Beru turned to face her husband, all of sudden becoming mad again.

"And Owen your attitude about all this is insulting. I mean here we are meeting our niece for the first time and you're acting like a whinny Huttlet. Show some damn decency."

Biggs couldn't help snickering, which got him a disapproving look from Leia while Beru continued.

"You can't stop this from happening. Despite all your attempts to make Luke a farmer like you, deep down you knew just as well as me and everyone else that he was meant for the stars. He was born to follow in his father's footsteps. It's time to stop being so stubborn and show him your support. Be the father you always wanted to be for Luke, like your own father was for you. Support his dreams to fly as Cliegg did when you wanted to inherit the family farm."

Owen thought it over a moment, but when he spoke again, his response was neither pleasing, yet unsurprising. "I'm sorry Beru but I can't accept it. I not gonna sit by and let some girl who shows up out of nowhere take my ungrateful nephew on some crazy adventure only to get gutted by a power-hungry emperor over some political nonsense."

"I am grateful. That doesn't mean I have to live your dreams as my own. It's my life and I should be the one to choose how I live it," Luke protested.

At this point, Owen had had enough. All the years he'd spent trying to get Luke's head out of the clouds, and instead, he was so high up he couldn't hear anything beneath. "Okay, fine! If you wanna leave? I won't stop you. But I won't support you one bit. Keep your adventures to yourself, and leave this blasted stuff away from my farm."

Not bothering to finish his dinner, Owen stormed out of the room, leaving the rest of his family and guests in awkward silence. They sat like this for who knows how long until eventually Luke took the initiative and changed the subject.

"So who is this Obi-Wan fellow from the hologram that was helping deliver me and Leia?" he asked.

Happy to see an escape from tensions caused by her husband, Beru responded. "That is old Ben Kenobi. Well back when he was much younger and he went by the name Obi-Wan. He was your father's mentor when he joined the Order. When the war ended and your parents died, he brought you to Tatooine and asked us to raise you."

"My adoptive father told me about a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi like the one in the hologram," Leia spoke up. "He served him faithfully in the Clone Wars. He claimed he was dead, but then again, who knows how many other lies he's told me."

"I'm sure he was simply trying to protect you," Beru suggested. "Remember what I told Luke, sometimes family members hide secrets from one another to protect one another."

Wouldn't have been the first time her parents had done something like that, Leia admitted to herself.

"Perhaps he can help fill in the missing pieces of this puzzle," Biggs suggested, returning the subject to Obi-Wan.

"I think that's the best course of action," Beru agreed. "It's late so we'll go to him in the morning. Until then, why don't we all get some sleep? Leia, you can stay here if you like. After all, you are family."

"I'd like that very much. Thank you, Aunt Beru," Leia said, feeling strange calling this woman aunt despite their relations now being confirmed.

"Mind if I crash here too? Biggs asked. "My father wouldn't want me travelling around when Sand People are most active."

"My pleasure, Biggs," Beru said. "You are always welcome to stay with us. Though we don't have enough rooms for two guests. We only have one guest room and it's too small to hold more than a single person."

"Leia can stay with me," Luke offered.

Luke had insisted that Leia have his bed while he slept on a cot provided by his aunt. The princess had protested this, but in the end, Luke proved to be quite persuasive, and stubborn. Leia had to admit her brother could make a pretty good politician, though she doubted he'd be interested in the idea.

Neither rushed to sleep. All of a sudden it was like something they hadn't realized was missing until now was finally found. They spent a bit of the night telling stories of their lives growing up. Luke recalled his adventures soaring across Tatooine in his skyhopper while Leia revealed how she'd been adopted by the rulers of the prestigious world of Alderaan. Her foster parents were loving people who treated everyone as equals. She mentioned how they'd been close friends of both the Jedi and the twins' mother, which explained why Leia had ended up with them. Along with this, there was also the matter of their father being Darth Vader, which Luke still didn't know about.

He hadn't even known his father was a warrior until Leia came along. She assumed that Master Kenobi knew but had kept the truth hidden from him for the same reason her foster parents hadn't told her about her blood relatives.

"So what else do you know of our father?" Luke asked, which made Leia a little nervous. She didn't want to lie to her brother about their father. He'd just gone through a bad argument with his uncle, the man who raised him, which revolved around the older man lying to him. At the same time, Leia was afraid of the impact of telling her brother that their dad was not only alive but also now the embodiment of evil itself. The thought had been driving Leia crazy ever since she found out that she was Darth Vader's daughter. It made her feel guilty somehow for all the lives Darth Vader had destroyed as the Emperor's enforcer. She didn't want to put her brother through such pain, yet still, she knew she needed to tell him the truth.

"I honestly don't know much," Leia lied, deciding to wait on telling him the truth until they met General Kenobi the next day while promising herself to make it up to her brother. "Though I know a whole lot more about him than I do most Jedi. He was the Republic's top pilot, warrior, and military leader. Won countless victories with few to no defeats. It was said he always led on the front lines of battle and never left a man behind unless necessary. Interestingly enough, he's the only Jedi the Empire hasn't claimed to be a monstrous war criminal despite Palpatine ordering the extermination of the entire order for treason."

"I wonder why that is?" Luke questioned.

Leia had always been curious about that too, even before learning about Anakin being Darth Vader. Whenever she asked her adoptive father about Anakin Skywalker, he'd simply say the young Jedi had been one of the most loyal officers during the Republic's final days, especially to, at the time, Chancellor Palpatine himself, but nothing else. Yet the Jedi Council had led an uprising to assassinate the Supreme Chancellor to overthrow the Senate, and from what Leia had read on Anakin, he'd been on the Council at the time. Why was he pardoned while the entire order, including young apprentices who probably knew nothing of the plot, were all executed for treason?

Even after the revelation of him becoming the Emperor's servant, Leia still didn't quite understand how his past self's name remained untainted. Now that her brother was found, her mind began to think more of her biological parents. What had caused her mother to die after giving birth to her and Luke? Why did her father turn evil? Questions like that poured into her mind, but no answers came to stop the confusion; which only intensified her level of frustration.

"Maybe like Biggs said, old Ben will have the answers behind this mystery," Luke suggested, his response helping to temporarily settle all the questions swarming around inside Leia's head.

"Yeah I guess you're right," she replied, as all of a sudden both her mind and body were feeling the exhaustion from the long journey she'd travelled to get to the Lars Homestead. Guess the adrenaline she'd had from meeting her long-lost brother was finally wearing off. "We should probably get some sleep. Can't be half asleep when we're learning more about our parents."

"Agreed," Luke said while lying down on his cot. "Goodnight sis."

Hearing her brother call her sis, caused Leia to feel a sense of peace inside herself she hadn't felt in, who knows how long. It felt great. "Goodnight brother," she said before lying on her bed too.

What Leia didn't suspect was that her brother was also keeping secrets. Not only had he not mentioned his dreams about the mysterious figure, but in between talking with his sister, Luke had been going over details of those dreams and comparing them to facts he'd learned from Leia and her droid regarding their parents. So far he'd come up with a few potential theories about Anakin Skywalker. However, if these theories were right, then that would mean that his father had... No. Luke couldn't think about it right now. He'd just gotten a loving sister and he didn't want to worry her with theories based around dreams he still couldn't fully understand. Besides, while they talked Leia revealed the fight she'd had with her adoptive father right after learning about their biological parents. It hadn't ended well just as his fight with his uncle hadn't, and Leia would have more problems on the horizon when she went back home. She confessed that it would be a guarantee that when she returned to Alderaan, the Organa's were gonna do more than ground her for a thousand planetary rotations for running off without so much as leaving behind a note. No the last thing she needed was more bantha shit to worry about. In the morning they'd go visit Ben Kenobi who they hoped could provide the remaining pieces to the puzzle that was their family.

Until then, Luke took his sister's advice and did his best to get some sleep just like she was trying to do.

Eventually, both twins succumbed to their exhaustion and fell asleep like Tatooine's suns setting, though only for a short time before rising again.

Well, I hope that was worth the wait. Anyway, I've already gotten a bit done on the next chapter and I hope to get it posted before Christmas. No guarantees I'm afraid. Until then, keep viewing, following, favouriting, and reviewing this fanfic. Let me know what you're thinking.

Also, in case I don't post anything else before the end of 2021, happy holidays and a happy new year: )