The time for unity has long since been buried in the shadows of the GALACTIC EMPIRE. A civil war has plagued the galaxy, the light and the dark forces pitted against each other in a desperate race to save the people from agony or doom them. The Empire is led by the sinister EMPEROR PALPATINE with his dark lord DARTH VADER by his side, they rule with an iron fist and no compassion in their steel cold hearts.

Threatening the power Palpatine has gained is the REBEL ALLIANCE, formed purely on the basis of hope to bring back order and peace in the galaxy. The Rebels have gained information that may lead them in the direction of abolishing the Empire, plans that would destroy the Empire's sinister weapon- the DEATH STAR.

Aboard the Tantive IV, PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA and ex-senator of Onderon IMOGEN FLORES escape with the plans. They desire to reach the Rebellion on the jungle moon YAVIN IV before Vader can reach their ship.

Over the planet TATOOINE, Lord Vader's Star Destroyer intercepts their escape from Scarif. . .

0 BBY
TANTIVE IV

"I'm trusting you to accompany Leia on her journey to Scarif, Captain Flores," said Bail Organa. His chest was puffed and dark black hair slick back, the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes captured the wise hue of the Viceroy. Although there was panic among the Rebels, trying to prepare for a battle on Scarif- Bail's eyes seemed to make Imogen forget everything that was happening around them. His careful tone made her focus on what was happening between them and what he was asking of her, he was putting his complete trust in her with his daughter. Imogen nodded childishly; she felt incredibly small under Bail's intense gaze.

He placed a firm hand on her shoulder, a thin smile on his lips. "These plans will surely win us the war- or take us close to that." Although his voice was calm his face strained with worry.

Bail had known Imogen Flores' since she was a little girl. His friendship with her mother that predated the Clone Wars. Nadine Flores had been the senator of Onderon after a great struggle between rebels and the monarch at the time, Sanjay Rash. Many people were hesitant to allow her to represent them, fearful that she may share Rash's clouded ideals, she only wanted the best for Onderon. During her mother's time as Senator of Onderon, she met Imogen's father- Sheev; Imogen herself didn't know much of her father because shortly after she was born he was assassinated on his way to the Senate. People of Coruscant mourned his death with heavy hearts and then life returned to normal, Emperor Palpatine wasted no time to look away from his death and focus on his reign again. Shortly after her father's death, Nadine formed the Rebel Alliance with Breha and Bail; successfully hiding it from Imogen and Bail and Breha's daughter, Leia until the girls' tracked them to Crait.

"Don't worry, Viceroy, Leia and I won't fail you." Imogen's voice remained stiff and soldier-like, she wouldn't let her personal feelings affect the task at hand.

Bail gave a small, thin smile. "I knew I could count on you, Imogen. Now hurry along, Tantive will be waiting at the docking bay."

The excitement to finally be embarking on a journey was now absent from Imogen's body as she stared down at the tragedy of Scarif, or what was left of it. The whole planet was decimated in front of every Rebel left, the once beautiful and luminous Scarif was now just an asteroid field in the galaxy. This was the Empire's solution to their leak: to kill every Imperial and every Rebel on the planet to prevent word of the Death Star from getting out. Imogen could only guess the death toll could be in the thousands, a major blow to the Rebel fleet and would be cut back considerably in their resources.

Imogen's chest tightened as though she had felt all the deaths on the planet, her face blank and complexion pale. Cassian and Rogue One, it could only be assumed what they had to experience and what they thought in their final moments as the Death Star demolished the planet and themselves. They must've been horrified. Maybe they accepted that their lives were coming to a close and went with one last bang, showing the Empire that they would never sniff out their hope. No matter how many times they were beaten, they would take one step closer to raising higher than them.

Imogen's head turned toward her best friend, unlike her Leia wasn't afraid to show emotions, she was strong in every sense and was insanely compassionate. Her dark eyebrows drew together and the princess closed her eyes as if she were in pain, her hands tucked into the silk like sleeves of her pure white dress, head dipping. Imogen reached out to comfort her when a resounding scream echoed around the Tantive IV, all heads in the cockpit turned. Something dark loomed at the edge of the small Alderaanian envoy, something that made Imogen want to cower and get this envoy away from the now abandoned Rebellion warship.

"Help! Someone help us!" came another cry and frantic cries of many before they were silenced.

With quite a huge amount of hesitation, Imogen moved forward and opened the door, slowly making her way out as Leia demanded, "Detach now!" The dark haired Onderon native moved swiftly down the passage as men shouldered past her with trepidation in their step. Imogen didn't need to enter the next hallway because she could witness the horror from the entrance, screams and people pulling their injured brothers in arm to the side as the absolute beast tore through every soldier in his way. Darth Vader's red saber impaled various people, his hand reached out and turned claw like to slam some against the walls and ceilings as he deflected blaster shots as if it was done with great ease.

Watching Vader made Imogen's gut clench in anxiety, her eyes widening. The Rebel commander remembered her days on Onderon, her mother having meetings with Vader himself about advancing a Imperial base on the planet. His heavy breathing as he exited the throne room, running into the little girl and for a long time, green staring into the black depths of the heavy mask he wore. It was surprisingly calming for the young girl at the time but now it was nothing more than a burden; a terrible reminder of her past and the treacherous life she was leading.

Vader was stopped as the Tantive detached and Imogen slammed a button to close the door, her eyes never leaving the dark suited man until the envoy lurched into lightspeed. She took a deep breath moving her attention to some of the men that were grasping for some type of comfort on the ground. Yet again Darth Vader had taken from them and would continue in his rampage for the plans that they most definitely retrieved from Scarif. These men might not survive much longer if they didn't get the proper medical attention, holes in their abdomen and long lines on their bodies from the lightsaber's wrath.

Imogen walked back to the cockpit to find Leia clutching a hand sized data chip, something that would bring peace and hope to the Rebellion once more after this horrifying display of power. This was their next big step into a better universe, one where there wasn't any fear of being who you are and none where you were oppressed for your social class. This new galaxy that the Rebellion had dreamt up would be superior to anything they had encountered before, it would allow everyone to be anyone.

Through the deafening silence, Imogen found it best to speak up. "It's scary how calm you are right now,"

"Someone has to keep a level head in the meantime," Leia responded, smiling thinly. It wasn't like her usual smiles, it wasn't kind nor true, it was fake and gave a false pretense to her true feelings. Leia wore a facade for her own safety to keep herself from disappointment.

Imogen's thick brow rose and she tilted her head to the side. "So, is that what I think it is?"

Leia's fingers rubbed circles into the chip in her hands, her voice tumbling from her lips smoothly. "Hope."

Before Imogen could even question what exactly that hope was gonna do, the Tantive gave a shudder as she came out of hyperspace. Right above the desolate planet of Tatooine. She immediately grimaced, she had heard from a few pilots that Tatooine wasn't exactly paradise and was a lot more trouble than anyone bargained for.

"Wish that hope didn't get us over Tatooine," Imogen muttered before she nodded to the pilot. "Try to get a transmission to the base on Dantooine—"

The Tantive gave a sudden and abrupt jolt, one that almost sent Leia tumbling if Imogen hadn't grabbed her. Her hands rested on her hips as they both looked to the Star Destroyer looming over their small convoy. The Devastator, Vader's personal destroyer, had somehow tracked them to Tatooine; it wasn't exactly Corellian science; it just took a quick calculation to guess where they could jump to. Imogen narrowed her deep green eyes and turned. "Go hide,"

"But what about you?" Leia asked, her lips pulled down in a worried frown as the Tantive shook once again.

"Don't worry about me. You're the Rebellion's only hope, Leia."

"Your life isn't any less important as mine!" She snatched Imogen's hand and started to pull her from the cockpit while the pilots attempted to contact the Rebellion. Imgoen struggled in her mind on whether or not she should leave Leia and contact someone who could help them. The pilot voted against it and decided that she was better off protecting Leia the way Bail had wanted her to. She couldn't imagine letting Bail down, to see his brows dip and face emotionless and his sorrow for Leia's injuries; it simply couldn't happen, Imogen couldn't disappoint the only father figure she's had. Well, the only good one.

"I don't need you to hold my hand." Imogen snatched her hand away but still followed Leia through the crowd. Rebels and Alderaanian guards got ready to attack whoever was to board them. Forbidding herself from growing worried over them, she rushed in front of Leia and made their way to the holding area. This was always a lively place now it was nothing more but darkness, something they could use as cover and to remain unknown to the Empire.

"What now?" Leia asked.

"Er, get behind here." Imogen gestured to one of the machines. Leia begrudgingly wiggled between them while Imogen pulled out her blaster, switching from stun to kill. The Commander looked up to meet Leia's confused and curious gaze, she shrugged. "You never know who's gonna turn out."

"Right."

They were so caught up in their own world they didn't notice the little astromech droid that wobbled up behind them. He let out an assortment of binary causing Imogen to turn in shock: "Artoo?" Relief and joy took over the girl's face and she knelt infront of R2-D2. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you, buddy. Where's Threepio?"

R2 let out beeps that almost sounded annoyed, they usually did when it pertained to C-3PO. The golden protocol droid and astromech droid had been in her care ever since she joined Captain Antilles' side; the Captain said it'd teach her responsibility and how'd to deal with ungrateful droids (but his sharp tone was directed towards the droids themselves who let out their own protests at the statement). R2 taught her how to be more laid back while 3PO managed to teach her that not every droid would be patient.

"Wait," Leia spoke up from behind them. The two looked back and she stepped out from behind the machinery. "Is this your astromech droid, Imogen?"

"It's Captain Antilles', Leia."

Leia seemed to be thinking then she took a step forward, eyes gleaming. "We must put the plans into this. . .R2 unit. I know someone who lives on Tatooine, well, I hope he still lives on Tatooine."

"You hope?" Imogen's eyebrows drew together and she now stood. "I don't know if I feel comfortable—"

"The man is Obi-Wan Kenobi, he's a Jedi, he went to Tatooine in exile after the Clone Wars," Leia explained. R2 seemed ecstatic, moving forward in a flourish of binary. Leia glanced at Fay who waved a hand, turning to keep watch. The princess bent slightly and placed the chip into a compartment R2 had. She took a step back and nodded. "Start."

"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars, now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I'm unable to present my father's request to you in person but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed vital information into the memory systems of this R2 unit, my father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan." Leia took a moment then looked to R2 desperately. "This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

"Leia, we've got company!" Imogen pointed her blaster at the entrance of their little hideout.

Leia reached forward and stopped the recording. She placed a hand on the top of R2's dome, her eyes stared deeply into his photoreceptor. "You're a brave little droid, please get this to Obi-Wan." She then stood and shooed him away.

R2 let out a string of binary that sounded oddly to Leia like: "You betcha!" He turned and rolled up to his master. Imogen hesitated, seeming to struggle to let the astromech go but she knelt and placed a hand on his dome. It was a silent agreement between them, they would both come back together and Imogen would tell him all the stories. While R2 complained about 3PO it was simply how their worlds worked.

R2 went to leave, paused, looked back at Imogen and when she gave a wave, he sadly beeped and rushed out of sight.

The Commander joined Leia and pushed her between the machinery. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, holding her blaster to her heart. She had never truly had to leave anyone or anything she cared for behind without knowing if she'd make it back. This was Imogen's first true mission and she had a high chance of not surviving it out.

"Check down this way." Came the unsettling voice of a stormtrooper.

Imogen didn't get much of a say when Leia peaked out, not wanting to give away their position. Unfortunately, she didn't have to say anything. The stormtrooper spotted Leia. In a blink of an eye, Leia was stunned on the ground and Imogen was being detained. Yet again, Imogen Flores had failed.

Leia was slumped over for a while in the stormtroopers' arms. Yet they still dragged her to the bridge while Imogen was almost automatically dragged out of sight. The princess thought about the events that had led up to this. Her arrival to Crait when she was 16, how she begged to be involved in what her parents were leading. Leia had found out a new side of her parents that day, the side that was anonymously leading and constructing a war with the Empire. It was bone-chilling, she wondered how long they had led themselves in this double life. If they knew what they were doing.

Yet here Leia was, slowly regaining her own control while in possession of Rebellion information. She wouldn't let it unnerve her. Leia wouldn't dare let her strength and will to fight be taken from her so fast. Slowly, but surely, Leia started to walk her own steps and by the time she reached Darth Vader, she was walking on her own.

She squinted up at him, anger biting her features. "Lord Vader, I should've known. Only you could be so bold." She addressed him. "The Imperial Senate will not stand for this when they hear you've attacked a diplomatic—"

"Don't play games with me, Your Highness." Vader boomed with finality. "You weren't on a mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies. I want to know what happened to them."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Leia said defiantly, "I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan—"

"You are a traitor and a liar. Take her away!" Vader ordered, waving a hand.

Leia was pulled away, once she was a good distance, she let a smirk take her lips.