CHAPTER ELEVEN
Alderaan
"I miss you already," Breha said, kissing her husband on the cheek as she helped him into his coat.
"Leia will be here tomorrow, and I'll be back in three days," Bail reassured her, returning her kiss. "After the festival tonight, everything will be back to normal."
"You know that's not what I'm worried about," Breha said in a low voice, glancing at the maid who was finishing putting together Bail's things.
"Mina, would you give us a moment please?" Bail said kindly. The girl nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
"I haven't heard from Leia in two days, something could have happened," Breha said worriedly.
"You know how poor reception is from that side of the galaxy, she'll be fine."
"He's getting more suspicious, I don't know how long we can continue playing both roles, eventually we're going to have to choose."
"And when that day comes, we will know what side we belong to," Bail said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I can't wait for when the three of us are home together, it's been at least a month since that last happened. And I know Leia misses us as much as we miss her, patience my love." Bail Organa embraced his wife, rubbing her back soothingly.
"Bail! Breha!" Mina screamed from outside, slamming the door behind her. Bail and Breha exchanged a look, and Bail grabbed the blaster he kept in the bedroom, tucking it up his sleeve.
"Mina what is it?" he shouted back, Breha following close behind him.
"Oh my...," Breha said in shock, seeing the harsh red light that was growing brighter by the second in the sky.
"Breha, I love you."
"I love you too," Breha said, embracing her husband one last time as the world went white.
Korriban
Leia fell back onto the cold marble floor as she tried to catch her breath, her clothes drenched with sweat. Underneath her robes she was shaking. Those had been her parents final moments, just before Tarkin had-,
"This doesn't make you angry?" Darth Banes cold voice echoed across the marble. "Seeing that doesn't make you want to destroy Darth Sidious?"
"It certainly does, but not with your help," Leia hissed, hoisting herself to her feet.
"Why would you refuse it? Only Sith Apprentices can overthrow their masters when they are powerful enough," Bane chided.
"Are you forgetting what happened to Darth Vader?" Leia growled, beginning to circle the Sith Lord.
"Darth Vader before he was put in the suit would truly be a force to be reckoned with, pardon the pun. Unfortunately Kenobi won both rounds with him, a tragedy truly. But you, in some ways, are stronger than him."
"I would certainly hope so, if I plan to destroy his master."
"Even Vader himself couldn't get inside your mind on the Death Star, and that's certainly no small feet," Bane continued, shivers running down Leia's spine at the mention of that small cell she had been locked in with that monster.
"I thank you for the compliment," Leia said sarcastically, her urge to lob the head off this pretentious Sith Lord growing even stronger. But he was a Force Ghost, wasn't like that would do any good.
Maybe this really is the test, Leia thought, shaking her head.
"Is my presence boring you?" Bane asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
"I wouldn't use that adjective," Leia said, stealing a look out at the planet. Her eyebrows raised in alarm when she saw that it was nearly sundown.
Staying on that dustball an extra night is far better than what you'll encounter in there, Obi-Wan's words echoed.
"You really should have listened," Darth Bane sighed, retreating into the shadows. Leia turned to run out of the Temple, but the heavy, oppressive air now immobilized her. Slowly the crimson marble pillars around her turned into a small, gray cell on the Death Star.
"She's still in the Temple," Obi-Wan said, sensing Leia's distress. Yoda perked up as well, hopping onto the landspeeder.
"Hurry, we must."
The events on board the Death Star came flooding back into Leia's mind, and she Forced open the door to the cell, stepping out into the hallway. Surprisingly, the Death Star seemed to be deserted. Cautiously making her way to the elevator, she used the Force to see if anyone was on the battle station. The only life force she could detect was up in the control center, alone.
Frowning, she pressed the button for the elevator, trying to figure out what was waiting for her up there.
The doors opened, and she saw a figure dressed in black sitting in one of the chairs, it's back to her. Her slow footsteps echoed on the smooth surfaces, the only other sound the hum of her lightsaber.
"Leia, I was wondering when you would make your way up here," the figure said, it's voice a low, raspy tone. "Look at your Alliance, such a swarm they're up against."
Is that? Leia thought, gasping when she saw the withered figure in the chair.
"I'm afraid your rebels are no match for the Imperial starfleet," the Emperor said with mock sympathy, a gleeful tone in his voice. Out the window she could see Home One and the other rebel ships engaging TIE fighters and star destroyers over a green planet, drastically outnumbered. Leia's blood boiled, here was the man who had created planet-killing weapons and ordered their use, and ordered the destruction of countless lives, homes, towns, families that the galaxy would take generations to recover from. And here he was, goading over an impending rebel defeat, if she just lunged forward...
"Go on then, strike me down. I can sense the rage in you, Leia. You must use it if you will be able to defeat me," the Emperor said, rising from his seat. "I am defenseless, and you will be able to mold the galaxy in your image."
All the memories she had of the battle station swirled in her minds eye, witnessing the destruction of Alderaan, being tortured by Darth Vader, all incredibly horrific and brought on by the Empire. The thought of them caused her to shake with anger, his cheeks flushing red as she ran forward swinging her lightsaber in an arc, the few paces between them closing in rapidly as Leia thought of everyone she had lost, her parents, everyone she had ever known on Alderaan, her brother, no Jedi teaching would allow someone as evil as this to go free, not when there was so much carnage in his wake. Only two more paces were left as she thought of all her training with Obi-Wan and Yoda, remembering everything that they had taught her about the Emperor and his tactics. She maintained a careful lookout for any sign of Force lightning, ready to deflect it if necessary, the way his presence corrupted
Leia's lightsaber stopped one inch away from the Emperors neck, breathing heavily, her lightsaber shaking.
Force lightning isn't the Emperor's true power, it's far more insidious than that. His very presence corrupts, all he did to overthrow the Republic was use his words, that was what Obi-Wan had told her when she first started training, and it had unsettled her then as it did now. In a way she did the same thing herself, unconsciously persuading people to vote her way or sway their support.
"We really aren't that different you know," the Emperor said, completely unfazed by the lightsaber. "As my apprentice you could learn so much more, prevent so much needless strife in the galaxy."
"You are the cause of the strife," Leia said firmly. "I don't intend to become another one of you."
"Aren't you already?" the Emperor said smugly. "You see how much Obi-Wan and Yoda are concerned about your temper. And rightfully so, you could be such a formidable opponent, if only you embraced the Dark Side. No one would be able to challenge you, not even Luke, the boy who ran away."
Leia's resolve almost waivered, her lightsaber winding back for another strike in anger at the mention of what Luke had done.
"He had the same reaction too you know, initially he was repulsed by my observations, but he eventually came to see that I was only telling the truth."
"Luke would never turn to the Dark Side," Leia hissed.
"Oh of course not, not at first. All that needs to be done is sew the seed of doubt against the Jedi, which they did well enough on their own. Hiding his parentage, a mistake on their part if I dare say so. But even now, wherever he is in hiding, I have no doubt he will discover the truth as his father did."
His very words corrupt.
"You're wrong. Luke isn't his father, and neither am I."
Sensing the impending lightning strike, Leia swung her lightsaber forward, slicing through the robes of the Emperor.
Yoda and Obi-Wan ran into the Temple, their lightsabers at the ready. Leia lay on the floor only twenty feet from the entrance, and Yoda rushed to her, checking her pulse.
"Stable she is, but move we must," the little green alien said, using the Force to levitate her towards the landspeeder.
"Watch out!" Obi-Wan shouted, hurling a boulder into a terentatek that had jumped out at them. He quickly moved into a defensive position, fending off the wild beasts that hurled themselves at him. They were faster than Obi-Wan remembered them being, and he had to narrowly dodge some of the larger fangs. After he had killed what seemed to be the pack leader, the beasts scattered, crawling into cracks and holes in the Temple walls.
You will only fail the Skywalkers once again, an icy voice whispered, startling Obi-Wan.
"Leave now we must!" Yoda shouted from the speeder, his voice rippling in the Force.
Anakin, Luke, now Leia, the voice continued.
"Now!" Yoda shouted, amplifying loud enough to be heard in the valley.
Shaken from his thoughts, Obi-Wan turned and ran, guiding the speeder back to the safety of the ship.
Shaltin Tunnels, Thanium Sector
"We never would have let a Padawan go alone into a place that dangerous," Obi-Wan said anxiously. Leia hadn't stirred since their departure from Korriban an hour ago, and Obi-Wan was beginning to think they had made a terrible mistake.
"Much more powerful than others, she is. Much more she has accomplished in her training, than either of us could, in such short time. The Dark Side, we did not sense, only the Light. Ready, she is, for what is to come, and what has already passed. But recover for now, she must," Yoda said, hobbling out of the bunkroom.
Obi-Wan sighed and followed the Grandmaster. He was right, but if anything happened to Luke or Leia, he would never forgive himself.
Perlimian Trade Route, near the planet Lianna
Leia slowly sat up, her head pounding. The dreams she had been having were, unusual, to say the least. Flashes of planets, battle stations, things she was sure would pass in the future. None of them made any sense, no matter how she tried to piece them together.
Groaning, she swung her feet to the floor, careful not to bang her head on the overhead bunk. Someone had left a glass of water for her, and she chugged it. Her mouth no longer dry as Tatooine, she called out for one of the Jedi, and was surprised when there was no answer.
"Obi-Wan? Yoda?" she called, looking down the hallway. Still no answer. Leia made her way to the cockpit, certain one of them had to be in there.
The cockpit was deserted as well, and Leia frowned, wondering where they could have gone. The navicomputer had them on the Perlimian Trade Route, the nearest hyperlane, so she had to have been out for at least two hours for them to navigate the uncleared space. The sound of voices came from the other side of the ship, and Leia gingerly made her way there, her muscles still shaking slightly from her ordeal.
What if I failed the trial?
Don't be stupid.
It could be true. Why else would they be avoiding you?
Leia shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She slid open the door to the breakroom, and saw Obi-Wan and Yoda seated around a hologram of Mon Mothma.
"Leia, good to see well, it is!" Yoda exclaimed, hopping down and hobbling over to her. "Feeling, how are you?"
"I feel fine, just a little exhausted," Leia said, giving a weak smile. She felt Obi-Wan's hand on her shoulder, and knew he was proud of what she had done.
"A Jedi Knight you have become, Leia Organa," Yoda said proudly, a smile on his face. "Prepared you are, for the future."
"We are proud of you Leia, you resisted the Dark Side, no easy feat. Please, sit down," Obi-Wan said, noticing she looked a little paler. "Would you like something to eat?"
Leia nodded, greeting Mon Mothma while Obi-Wan went to fetch something.
"Congratulations Leia. Now we will truly be able to take the fight to the Empire," Mon Mothma said.
"What has happened the past few days?" Leia asked, thanking Obi-Wan for the bowl of fruit he gave her.
"Thankfully things haven't been too eventful. We've been using this quiet period for training, and repositioning our troops," Mon Mothma said, alluding to their plan to attack the second Death Star.
"I'm glad to hear," Leia said.
"We have received some intelligence about a new fighter the Empire is developing. It's currently being tested on a Mid Rim world called Lantillies."
"The world with the drydocks," Leia said between bites.
"Yes. I hate to ask this of you so soon after your trial, but we have an informant who is able to get the blue prints for us, and you're the closest operative we can spare. I assure you it will be a quick mission though, the informant plans to meet us in one of the more isolated regions of the planet, to avoid detection."
"Very well. What's my timeline?"
"I'm transmitting it you now. Based on your ships trajectory you should arrive there within 5 standard hours, so I'll leave you to get some rest. May the Force be with you."
"May the Force be with you," Leia echoed as the hologram disappeared.
Thank you everyone for the support for this story! It's one of my earlier ones and I'm glad to see so many people still enjoy it!
Reviews are welcome as always :)