One Year Later
Naboo Bastion aka 'the most luxurious prison in the galaxy'
Leia, despite being indoors, looked up instinctively upon hearing the engines of an Imperial shuttle coming for a landing in the palace's courtyard. She washed her hands in the kitchen sink, having been in the process of preparing an old Alderaan recipe from scratch. "Han, we have company," she called out. When he didn't answer she questioned Kayex. "Is he tinkering with the Falcon again?"
The security droid turned to her. "Yes, Mistress Organa. Shall I get him?" She dried her hands on a kitchen towel while shaking her head. "No, he'll hear the incoming shuttle. It is a little early for Commander Jade's visit, isn't it?"
The matte black droid's body went ridged an indication he was wirelessly communicating with the main computer. After a brief pause, he turned to her and said, "The Emperor is arriving."
"Luke?" she gasped. Although Luke had regularly communicated with her via the holonet transceiver, he had not yet ventured to the planet...until today. She wasn't sure if this was a good sign or not. "Contact Han and tell him Luke's in the shuttle." The droid gave a nod of acknowledgement. Leia ran to her bedroom to put on something more suitable to greet visitors other than her pajamas.
.
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Commander Jade set the shuttle down in the northern courtyard and quickly ran through the shutdown sequence for the engines. He peered out the front viewport and saw Han Solo, garbed in gray long-sleeved coveralls, and standing under the portico of the side entrance. The smuggler gave his usual cocky smile and waved at Victor.
Over the last year the Commander of the Emperor's guard would visit at least monthly to ensure all was well with the couple. He initially intended to stay for only a few hours at a time...mainly because he couldn't think of a reason to remain longer without raising suspicion. He had hoped to develop some type of friendly relationship with his daughter, but it was Solo that always found a reason to spend time with him. Victor suspected Solo missed being able to throw back a few ales while discussing sports, blasters, and spacecrafts with another male.
Their unexpected friendship started with Solo asking for his help with the Falcon. Victor was at first wary that it was some sort of trap. Perhaps the smuggler thought he could overpower and hold him hostage as a bargaining chip for his and Leia's freedom. But that wasn't the case; he simply needed a hand with a heavy replacement part on his ship. He was accustomed to having a large Wookiee to assist him with repairs, but now all he had was Leia. Although Victor's daughter was a fierce fighter, she was petite and unable to lift excessively heavy repair parts at odd angles. Fortunately for Han, Victor could levitate parts allowing the smuggler to bolt them into position with ease. After the first time they worked together Han offered Victor some Corellian whiskey. Having just started to grow his beard, he politely refused. Once his beard had grown out enough to disguise his face, he risked joining the man for a drink. When he removed his crimson helmet he noticed Han and Leia were visibly surprised by his facial hair.
"I thought Imperial officers had to be clean shaven." Leia had commented while scrutinizing his face.
"I am Commander of the Emperor's Guards, but I am not exactly in the military. I do not have a commission, but I do have authority over military personnel. In the absence of the Emperor and Empress, I am considered the Imperial Regent. It's like..." He paused in thought, stopping himself from likening his current rank and status to Darth Vader. He instead compared his position in another way. "It is like the Jedi leading the Army of the Republic. We all had the rank of general, but we were not actually military officers in the true sense of the word." He thought about it. "To be honest, the only reason the Jedi were given the rank of general was to ensure they were surrounded by clone troopers when Order 66 was given—the order to begin the Jedi purge."
Leia's eyes narrowed. "How did you escape the purge?"
Victor straightened his shoulders and answered truthfully. "By killing anyone who opposed me."
"Where were you when the Rebellion was going on?" Leia had asked with an edge in her voice. "We could have used your help."
"Leia," Han murmured under his breath. "I would like Victor's help with the Falcon in the future and that's not going to happen if you interrogate him every time he visits."
She had blew out a breath and apologized. Since that day Leia had been polite with only occasional low-key prying into the Commander's life.
When the shutdown sequence finished, Victor rose out of the pilot seat and entered the back cabin where Luke and Mara were undoing their crash webbing. "I do not wish my true identity to be revealed to Han and Leia," he stressed to his son. They had already agreed that his secret would be kept, but he wanted to reenforce that desire. He had formed a bond—albeit a somewhat formal bond—with his daughter and her consort. He did not wish to lose what little goodwill he shared with the couple. If the truth was revealed Leia would immediately halt any interaction with him. Nothing good would come from her knowing his identity and this was one secret he was willing to take to his grave.
Luke was the first to extract himself from his restraints. "I know father. We won't say a thing about that. As far as Leia and Han know...Darth Vader is dead and buried." He turned and unstrapped the baby seat from the custom webbing. "I just want Leia to know her nephew. It's time I tell her we are siblings. I want little Anakin to have an extended family." He picked up the travel seat up with his one-year-old son sleeping inside and turned to his father. "If your secret is ever to be revealed to Leia...you'll be the person telling her. We won't say a word."
Victor sighed deeply. "I'm surprised they don't know already. I am certain their Artoo unit used to be my astromech. If he doesn't recognize my face, my voice should give me away."
Luke's brow went up in surprise. "Wait, what? Artoo was your droid? How come Artoo never told me that?"
Victor shrugged. "He probably had a memory wipe. But even if he didn't, Artoo units are programed differently from protocol droids. They usually don't volunteer information not related with their primary function or a specific mission." He went to the shuttle locker to retrieve his helmet but then remembered he didn't need it here. He ran a hand over his beard and nodded.
"Let's get this over with." .
.
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Leia, now wearing casual attire, had joined Han by the time Luke walked down the shuttle ramp. Mara followed close behind while cradling the baby in her arms. Victor was the last to exit the ship.
Leia gazed at Luke expectantly. He could feel a nervous anticipation flowing through the Force. They suspected his visit might mean good or bad news. He gave Leia and Han a broad reassuring smile. "I'm sorry that I've taken so long to see you in person." He shuffled his feet as he steeled himself for their upcoming conversation. He turned to Mara and little Anakin. "I wanted you to meet my son."
Up to that point Leia was standing stiffly, but one look at the baby made her smile "He's beautiful. I saw him on the holonet news broadcasts. Anakin Victor...". Her voice trailed off a bit. "You named him after his grandfathers."
He could tell she didn't like his choice in names. "Yes," he said simply.
Leia turned to the bearded guardsman and smiled softly. "I hope he takes after his maternal grandfather."
Victor chuckled and grinned at Luke.
Luke nodded in agreement. "Victor is a good man." He took a deep breath and continued. "Anakin changed at the end of his life. He found redemption."
"Pfft," Leia made a puffing sound of disagreement.
"No, really," Luke continued. "He truly turned from the darkside of the Force. He helped destroy a world of Sith." He purposely left out the part of Palpatine reborn, not wanting it known that soul transference was possible. "He approved governmental reforms. And he deeply regretted hurting you and Han."
Leia folded her arms across her chest and looked away.
"Leia, can we come in?" Mara interrupted as she looked up into the clear sky. "I don't want Anakin to get sunburnt."
"Oh, the baby...yes, of course," Leia said apologetically as she ushered the group into the palace and down to the great room. She gestured toward the large couch. "Please sit." They sat down together with Mara holding the baby on her lap. Victor remained standing while Leia and Han lowered themselves onto an oversized loveseat.
"Leia...Han," Luke began, then stopped to take a calming breath. "I have something to tell you and I'm not sure how you are going to take it."
Han's expression darkened. "I hope you are not going back out on our deal."
"No, no," Luke waved his hand dismissing Han's concern. "Nothing like that." He looked down at the floor and then back to Leia who was obviously becoming anxious and probably thinking of worst-case scenarios. "Leia...my mother had twins. I have a sister. A sister that was taken by the Jedi and given to the Queen of Alderaan."
Her expression clouded with anger. "That's a lie." She rose to her feet. "Vader was not my father!"
Luke sighed deeply. "We could take a DNA test if you like. You are my sister. Reach out with the Force, you will sense the truthfulness of my words."
She shook her head. "I'm not a force-user."
Luke didn't want to argue that point since he was unsure of his sister's Force abilities. "Then trust your gut feelings or your woman's intuition. When we served in the Rebellion there was a closeness between us and not the way you and Han were close. We felt like family."
She gazed at him her anger turning to sadness. "Why are you doing this, Luke? Why are you lying?"
He dropped his head and dragged his fingers through his hair. "It's the truth, Leia. And I'm doing this because I want my son to know his aunt." He gazed up at her. "You can stay in denial all you want, but know this... I believe you are my sister. You are my family...you and Han."
She grimaced. "Is that why you put me and Han in this palace to serve out our sentences?"
He shook his head in frustration. "Yes and no. Leia, when I became Supreme Commander, I didn't know I had a sister...but I pardoned and exiled you anyway. You are my friend and later I discovered you are my family. I couldn't let you languish away in an Imperial prison." He looked to Han and back to her. "I couldn't keep you and Han apart."
Han appeared very confused. He turned to Leia. "You can take a DNA test and put this argument to rest."
"He'll fake the results," she said hotly.
"Why?" Han asked.
She looked at Han. "Why what?"
He put his hands out palms up. "Why would he make up a story that you are his sister?"
"So, he can..." she paused in thought. "I don't know."
"He doesn't gain one thing by saying you are his sister." Han said softly. "If anything, it makes you an unofficial Imperial Princess."
She groaned while shaking her head. "It would also make me the daughter of Darth Vader." She looked deep into Han's eyes. "You may rethink having a family with me then."
Han shook his head adamantly. "No, I would never do that. It's not like the darkside is genetic." His eyes widened as he turned to Luke. "It's not genetic, is it?"
"No." Luke reached over and picked up his son to bounce the child on his knee. The baby squealed in delight as he clapped his hands. "Leia, he's your nephew. I would like him to grow up knowing his aunt and uncle and hopefully some little cousins one day."
When he mentioned cousins, he felt a pang of panic from Leia, and he wasn't sure why his offhand comment caused her such distress. "Leia, if you do have kids, they wouldn't be confined to this palace. We'll plan for them to go to school, field trips..." He was at a loss for words. This wasn't a conversation was prepared to discuss. "I'd like to get you on parole by the ten-year mark. If you have kids in the next five or six years, they may never remember this place." His words didn't help. His sister remained distressed. "What's wrong?"
She closed her eyes prompting tears to roll down her cheeks. "I'm pregnant."
"Ohh...that's wonderful!" Luke said enthusiastically, but his smile dimmed when he noticed Leia was not happy. "You don't want children?"
"It's not that. This wasn't planned." She looked to Han. "We were both on 'repress meds."
"Oh," was all Luke could think of saying.
"Did the medical droid confirm this?" Mara asked.
Leia nodded. "Yes, we're having twins...and if what you say is true...I am going to give birth to Darth Vader's grandchildren." Han put a reassuring arm around her shoulder as a sob escaped her lips.
"Leia," Mara said gently. "You will have Han's children. They will be reflections of their parents...not some grandfather they never met. I know what I'm talking about. I already gave birth to Vader's grandson. I even named him Anakin. I would have never done that if I didn't believe Vader redeemed himself. I spent a lot of time with the man. I knew him when he served Palpatine, and I knew him when he was Emperor. They were two completely different people. The Vader that served Palpatine I feared. He was a dangerous darksider. The man who became Emperor...I learned to love him like a father. He became a man I am proud to name my son after."
Mara paused her speech when Victor cleared his throat and then quickly move to the kitchen. "I need some water."
Mara collected her thoughts and continued. "Leia, we want to be a family. That's all we desire."
Leia wrapped her hands around her still flat belly. "I'll need some time to think about this." She rose out of her seat and walked to her bedroom.
Han stood and moved to follow her, but she waved him off. "Han, you stay and entertain our guests."
He acknowledged her request, moved to the bar, and pulled out a bottle of Corellian whiskey. "I know what Victor likes." He gestured to Luke and Mara. "What can I get you two?" He gave a tight smile. "The Empire is buying."
.
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Naboo Bastion
Leia had hurried to her bedroom not only to ruminate over what Luke told her, but to rush to the 'fresher so she could empty the contents of her stomach in the toilet. She knelt in front of the commode, stomach heaving, until there was nothing left of her breakfast to purge from her system. She closed the lid and flushed before laying down on the cool bathroom tile to sob.
This latest news was just too much for her and she found herself at her breaking point. She endured so much lately to include the death of her friends and family, her torture at the hands of Vader, Luke's betrayal, followed by her capture, trial and the possibility of decades of captivity. She dutifully suffered through the pain and emotional distress because of who she was-Princess Leia, the daughter of Queen Breha Organa and Senator Bail Prestor Organa. She was trained from birth to embody the values of Alderaan and to fight against tyranny. Now, her sense of identity was severely challenged. She always believed she was an adopted war orphan-her biological parents victims of the Empire.
The thought that she was the daughter of the man she hated more than anybody in the galaxy was horrifying and, if true, it meant her unexpected pregnancy was a continuation of the Sith Lord's bloodline. She laid a shaky hand on her belly and, for the first time, wished she wasn't pregnant. She shook her head in disgust, hating herself for having such a horrible thought.
She wanted to believe Luke was lying, but he was right...she always felt a familial bond to him. It was something she never understood until today. She reluctantly had to admit she believed him; she believed they are siblings and therefore Vader fathered her. That realization brought about another round on sobs and a growing anger directed toward Luke.
He was selfish. He wanted an extended family and therefore he decided to dump the burden of her paternity onto her. She would have gladly gone her entire lifetime blissfully ignorant of the truth. What really infuriated her was he didn't need to tell her; she could have had a relationship with Luke's family as a friend. Luke had worked hard to repair their friendship and he had succeeded. Her anger over his betrayal had faded over the past year with every positive political and economic reform he established. He didn't need to tell her, but he did, and now she was gutted.
'Darth Vader is my father.' She shuddered at the thought.
Did her adopted parents know? They probably did. She wanted to be mad at them for lying to her, but that would be hypocritical...after all she was just telling herself that she would rather be blessedly unaware of the horrible truth.
"Damn it, Luke," she muttered under her breath as she curled up into a fetal position.
She wasn't sure how long she remained on the floor softly crying, but eventually she heard a knock on the door.
"Leia?" It was Mara's voice. "Are you okay?"
Leia wiped the tears away from her face as she pulled herself into an upright position. "Yes," she lied.
There was a pause. "Can I come in?"
Leia sighed deeply before answering. "You are the Empress and I a prisoner."
There was another long pause. "Leia, I am asking as a friend."
Leia blew out a frustrated breath before getting to her feet. She opened the door to find Mara standing in the bedroom holding her baby. Leia looked past her and when she didn't see anybody else, she asked, "Where did the men go?"
"They knew you needed some time alone. So, they all grabbed an ale and decided to look at some problem Han is having with his hyperdrive." She rolled her eyes. "Because everybody knows nothing goes better together than alcohol and a highly sensitive propulsion engine."
That comment got a smile out of Leia.
Mara gestured toward the 'fresher. "Morning sickness?"
"No," Leia said miserably. "Paternity sickness."
Mara nodded somberly. "Luke struggled on whether to tell you. He thought you deserved to know the truth."
"Deserved to know the truth," Leia bit out bitterly as she pushed past Mara and walked over to the edge of her bed, sitting down heavily. "That is usually code for 'I don't want to bear the burden of the awful truth alone'".
"That's not true. He has me and Victor to lean on...to talk to," Mara said softly. "Luke really struggled over telling you or not. He knew you would not take the news well...but he also knew you were far stronger and more resilient than he ever was. He got past the shock of his paternity, and he was positive you would also."
Leia shook her head. "I wish he didn't have such confidence in me. This is one truth I could have gone my entire life without knowing. If my brother has any other soul crushing news that he thinks I 'deserve' to know...tell him to keep it to himself. I would have been much happier never knowing the truth."
Mara nodded in understanding. "Now that you do know...do you ever think we can be a family? Your children and my son will be cousins. They could grow up together."
Leia looked down at her hands resting in her lap. "I don't know. I'm very angry at Luke. He wanted his ideal family: wife, son and sister and he didn't care how much the truth destroyed me."
Mara took in a breath and let it out slowly. "Leia, Luke's motive for telling you might be a bit self- indulgent...but I agree with his actions...for very different reasons. What we do as a family in the next few decades might affect everybody in this galaxy."
Leia was confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Leia, Darth Vader reportedly was one of the strongest Jedi in history. Obi-Wan Kenobi thought Anakin Skywalker was the fabled 'Chosen One'. The Jedi who would destroy the Sith and bring peace to the galaxy." She paused to calm her fidgety son in her arms. When little Anakin settled down, she continued. "The bottom line is any children or grandchildren of Darth Vader will probably be strong in the Force. If there remains a rift between you and Luke it is very likely that bitterness will continue throughout the generations. Do you want your offspring to have an ongoing blood feud with Luke's descendants? Or would you rather the cousins grow up as family with all of us working toward bettering this galaxy?"
Leia scoffed. "Is that my only two options?"
Mara put her fussy baby on the ground allowing him to explore before answering Leia. "Maybe not, but it is best for all involved that potentially powerful Force users don't have animosity toward each other. Also, if your children have Force-potential they should be trained to control that power. Luke can give them that training."
She shook her head. "I'm not a Force-user and there is no guarantee my children will have any Force sensitivity. This conversation is premature."
"Perhaps," Mara admitted. "Still, Luke has a dream where our child and your future children could one day grow up together and be a family. Luke was raised as an only child. He told me he always hoped his aunt and uncle might have kids, but they never did. When he discovered you are his sister, he mourned the fact that you two were not allowed to grow up together."
"What are you suggesting?" Leia asked. "That I get paroled and move my family into the Royal Palace? Imperial citizens would never allow that."
Mara shrugged while keeping an eye on Anakin playing on the floor. "The public has a very short memory and, if things are going well with the economy, they are very forgiving. You don't have to live on Coruscant once released. You can go wherever you want. We simply want to retain a good relationship and remain a family. Do you think that's possible?"
Leia mulled over Mara's words. She didn't want strife between the Skywalker and Solo descendants...especially if they all ended up as strong Force users. She nodded her head. "I think it is possible...but I will keep the peace for my own selfish reasons."
Mara cocked an eyebrow. "Which is?"
Leia stood to face her sister-in-law. "If we are a tight-knit family, I will hold some sway over the emperor. I worry about Luke. He is the most powerful person in the galaxy, and everybody knows absolute power corrupts. If Luke starts to stray from the path of righteousness, perhaps I can lead him back to the light.
Mara scoffed. "You won't be alone in that endeavor...I will be right there by your side, but I don't think you need to worry. Deep down he is the same farmboy who rescued you from the first Death Star." Mara smiled warmly. "He's a good man. I'm lucky to have him." Mara bent over and picked up Anakin, cradling the child in her arms. "Are you going to be alright?"
Leia shrugged noncommittally. "I survived the destruction of Alderaan. I suppose I will survive this."
"We could leave." Mara offered. "Give you some time alone to think."
"No, stay." Leia smiled at Mara. "Han enjoys your father's company and now that Luke is here, they have enough people for a decent game of Sabacc." Leia paused in thought. "Mara, you may want to apologize to your father. When you were praising Darth Vader, Victor appeared overcome with emotion. I think you may have hurt his feelings. I don't know your family dynamics, but he told me he is a former Jedi and since they were not allowed to have families, I assume you were not raised by Victor. It may have been painful to hear you say Vader was a father figure to you."
Mara's eyes widened before regaining her composure. "I will talk to him."
Leia nodded. "Thank you.
After a long pause Mara said, "I guess Victor has made a favorable impression on you."
Leia's lips curled up in a soft smile. "He has. He is very professional and polite. He always addresses me as Princess." She chuckled softly. "Han can spend all day talking to Victor."
Mara's brow rose looking incredulous. "Really? What do they talk about?"
Leia shrugged. "They usually talk in the Falcon while making repairs. I don't like to intrude on their time together...male bonding and all...but occasionally I catch a word or two before they break out in boisterous laughter."
Mara's jaw went slack. "Victor was laughing...boisterously?"
Leia was confused by Mara's reaction. "Yes...you haven't heard him laugh?"
Mara made a face before laughing herself. "I've heard him chuckle, but never a belly laugh. I can't believe Han is able to get him to say more than a few sentences."
Leia did a palms-up gesture. "What can I say, Han has a way with people. He's cocky, self-assured, and never fails to speak his mind. So much so, that even the most stoic and introverted person in the galaxy is hard pressed not to call him out on his Bantha crap."
Mara laughed loudly startling Anakin who began to cry. "He's probably hungry. I should feed him." She turned to leave the bedroom but stopped and addressed Leia. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"Yes, go ahead and take care of your baby." Leia watched her leave and after a few moments decided to follow. She was still angry with Luke, but he was family. She might as well get used to the idea.