Thrawn: Part II
The Unknown Regions were so volatile that signals could not be transmitted through it. Crumbled planets, asteroid fields, wild comets, and the like all created territory too dense for communications to penetrate. Not to mention, Leia and her companions were so far away from the Core that it would be extremely difficult, if possible, to send a message from this far away. So in order to even try, they had to go back out of the Unknown Regions.
Thrawn insisted on coming with them this time, in his own ship (thought thankfully not the Chimera), following behind. They would stop once they passed the most dangerous parts of space and try to set up communication with the New Republic. Then, Leia would bring the Senate up to speed and propose Thrawn's request. If Leia could get the Senate to agree, Thrawn would board the Legacy and come with them. If not, his ship would take him back to his fleet until more arrangements could be made. Leia thought it was ridiculous, frankly. Chances of her getting the Senate to agree that quickly were slim; democracy wasn't known for being quick. Thrawn would almost certainly have to go back and wait, which made his trip a waste of time and fuel. She had said this to him (in more polite terms), but he had merely responded that visiting the New Republic's capital at the earliest opportunity was paramount.
Once they made it back to stable space, it took one standard hour to set up a secure connection with Chancellor Mon Mothma. It took forty-five minutes to explain all that had happened and for Anakin to fill in some holes of Thrawn's behavior. When Leia had proposed Thrawn come back with them to Hosnian Prime, Mon had rejected the idea out of hand. It took some heated argument, about another's hour work, to convince her to even pass on the idea to the Senate. While the Senate gathered, a half-hour process, Leia called up as many members as she could to convince them individually of her plight. Three hours of the actual meeting, which involved several senators practically throwing a fit, twenty minutes of that just spent on reestablishing Leia's transmission, which had kept cutting out due to the distance. Six and a half hours.
But they agreed, to Leia's own surprise.
And then she went to sleep. By the time she woke up, the Legacywas already almost there. After taking a long hot shower that she definitely had needed, much better than a sonic that was normally used in starships, she dressed herself up and prepared to go see Thrawn. She had wanted to greet him when he had boarded their ship, but Luke and Anakin had insisted that she sleep and to let them handle it. Hopefully they hadn't accidentally killed him.
She found Thrawn—thankfully alive—in the captain's office. It was technically Anakin's, yet Leia had worked in here a few times over the trip. Thrawn was peering intently at a holo on the desk but politely put it away as Leia entered. Rukh had come too—Leia had guessed he might, the Noghri was extremely defensive of his master. He certainly wouldn't want Thrawn to go on such a trip alone. Anakin was seated behind the desk, tinkering with some droid parts. As always, he beamed when he saw her, and Leia smiled back at him.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn, I apologize for not greeting you when you boarded," she addressed her guest.
"None needed," Thrawn stood up to give her a small bow, a slight bend at the waste. "I should be thanking you for arranging this visitation to the New Republic's capital. I know it must have been difficult on such short notice."
Leia smiled. "You are most welcome. I believe many senators were very interested in meeting you." It wasn't a total lie; some senators were.
But she appreciated Thrawn's gratitude. He, at least, understood how difficult politics could be, unlike Anakin, the one who had actually volunteered Leia to do it. Mentally she shook her head with fond affection; political functions always seemed to be beyond Anakin's understanding. Luke shared that with him.
Speaking of whom, Leia turned to her father. "Where's Luke?"
"On the bridge with Admiral Piett," Anakin said, pride hinting his tone. He was always pleased when Luke's inherited piloting skills showed.
Leia rolled her eyes. She should have guessed. "What is it with you two?" she asked with playful annoyance. "If you're not piloting yourselves, one of you have to be backseat flying. I don't know how Firmus puts up with it."
Anakin looked slightly offended. "Our advice is nothingbut helpful. I'm sure Admiral Piett appreciates it."
Firmus's what-life-choices-brought-me-to-thisface appeared in Leia's mind. He always made that expression when Luke and Anakin came up with something insane and acted like it was perfectly normal. And neither of them ever seemed to notice their own lunacy. Asteroid fields, dangerous stars, narrow routes…they went full-steam ahead.
"I must compliment you on your collection of art, Senator Organa-Solo," Thrawn spoke up. He activated the holo again, showing one of Leia's scanned Alderaanian portraits. Seeing it without warning gave her heart the slightest shock, which Anakin must have sensed in the Force because his eyes hardened. These images hurt her deeply every time she saw them, yet she carried copies everywhere she travelled.
Thrawn eyed her for a moment and she wondered if she had shown any pain on her face. She relaxed her expression to one of mild interest. After a moment, he went on. "Forgive me for browsing without permission—I could not resist requesting to view them."
Leia glanced at her father, who tilted his head at her as if to make sure she was alright with it. She was, perfectly fine with it, and she radiated her ease through the Force. A small tension in Anakin's shoulders relaxed. Obviously he had felt uneasy about handing Thrawn Leia's holo-collection of Alderaanian art, even if it was perfectly harmless.
"It is quite all right, Grand Admiral, there is no need to apologize," Leia said, though she could not keep all the sadness out of her voice as she looked at the holo-painting. It was one of a bouquet of candlewick flowers, her favorite kind. This particular painting had been in an art museum on Alderaan when it had been destroyed. The real, original one was gone, yet the data of the holo had been saved. And although she had paid for the highest-quality holo of the lost art, the image could not capture the precise colors the artist had so carefully selected, or the gentle shading that had captured the precious glow that the candlewick flowers had been known for.
Such blooms had once covered Alderaan, but now they were bordering on extinction. They did not do well in non-Alderaanian soil, so many of them died before they could produce seeds. Leia kept a few in her apartment, tending to them oh-so-carefully. When she was not home, C-3PO took care of them, or she rented a droid to do the job whenever she needed to bring Threepio along. Occasionally, just occasionally, she coaxed enough seeds out of the candlewicks to send a few spare ones to a professional botanist, who tried to grow even more.
She reached out a hand to trace the holo, but felt nothing underneath. No smooth petals of the blossom, not even the texture of paint on canvas. It was just projected light and arranged data. It wasn't real. It was gone. She sighed, breathing out the anguish with the air and forced a smile at Thrawn. "I am glad to see the art appreciated."
Thrawn, still watching her with those sharp red eyes of his, turned the holo back to himself and took another second to admire it. "I never studied the art of Alderaan," Thrawn said conversationally. "I was always interested in more…exoticworlds. The Core's fluent trading, shared information across the holonet, and easy transportation has blended its cultures, making much of its art similar. Subtle differences exist, certainly," he corrected, glancing at her, "but they are all closely related." He shifted to the next one, a sculpture of an ancient historical king from centuries ago, dressed in the traditional Alderaanian garb. His clothing was simple and plain, yet the statue did a good job of capturing his majestic stance and aura.
"Your people extremely very precise," Thrawn said, leaning down to observe how the sculptor had painstakingly carved each long hair on the king's head. "Extraordinarily hard workers; perfectionists." He scrolled to the next one, another painting, this time of a flock of thranta flying over the Isatabith rainforest. It looked more like a picture than a painting, it was so incredibly lifelike. The giant drifting thrantas were frozen mid-glide over the ocean of leaves. For a moment, Leia remembered when she had learned how to ride one, feeling its wings beat underneath her as it carried her across the sky. She heard their mournful cries echo in her ears. These creatures, at least, had survived the destruction of her planet. A flock of them had been relocated to Bespin, and were repopulating quite well.
"They were realistic," Thrawn added thoughtfully, contemplating the latest one. "But hopeful. They draw things that they see around them rather than dream of something else, something fake. They were content, satisfied people." He traced the sun over the rainforest with his finger. The thrantas were angled as if they were following it. "Yet there is a dreamlike quality to even their most normal, basic, or even negative of manifestations. They draw out the beauty in each subject they focus on."
Leia was quiet, rapt by Thrawn's description. Her people were gone, but with how Thrawn was speaking, it was almost like he was getting to know them even if he would never encounter the full culture. There were many survivors of the Destruction of Alderaan who had been off-planet, of course, but it was not the same as visiting the world. Seeing the place they had grown up in, watching them be normal in their home.
Thrawn scrolled up to the listing of Leia's holos and selected a much older painting of the city of Aldera. This one, Leia recognized, had actually survived, and still existed today. It had been in a museum off-world during the destruction. Thankfully someone had smuggled it out of the museum soon after, a wise move, as the Empire had confiscated and destroyed any artifacts of Alderaan after the Death Star had been destroyed. Just like it had been with the Jedi, the Empire had wanted to hide its massacre and kept the populace from remembering that these had been people. That this had been a geocidal slaughter rather than some kind of justice.
Thrawn brought up another, more recent, painting of Aldera and compared it with the older one, putting the two next to each other. They were thousands of years apart from one another, almost appearing as different cities. In the newer one, the palace in the center was larger, the buildings were different, more organized and official. Thranta flew overhead in the older one, while the other had starships.
"Your people were traditional," Thrawn said finally, after surveying it for some time. He traced the way light leaked out of the windows of the homes, how the sun's rays shifted from yellow to blue in the sky, how the perspective allowed the snowy mountains to be seen in the distance. "The techniques are passed down and valued. Altered and adapted, but never abandoned."
Whatever inner sanctum of his mind Thrawn went to when he studied art, he returned from now. He looked up at Leia, and snapped her out of her trance with an expression of concern. Leia realized tears had welled on the edge of her eyes. She lifted a hand to brush them away as an arm gently wrapped around her shoulders. Anakin had moved behind her, and held her securely. She offered him a smile to assure him she was alright, relaxing in his embrace.
She turned back to Thrawn, who watched with rapt interest but also uncertainty, as if he were afraid to step into this delicate moment.
"Thank you," Leia said softly. "You let my people live on through what they left behind."
He nodded his head. "It was my pleasure, Senator."
Leia frowned slightly, not liking the return to formality and titles, but she did not know Thrawn well enough to request first names.
Even years after, it was still hard for Leia to cope with the loss of her planet. Being a princess, raised and trained to lead, was such a huge part of her life. Before the loss of her people, her every act was to represent and benefit her planet. She was to constantly put the needs of her people above herself. To be queen had been her destiny, and her entire life and fate had been wrenched from her in the most horrible way possible. Now, people spoke of Alderaan mournfully. The addressed it as a cautionary tale, one of the horrible losses because of the Empire.
It was all dead.
Yet here was Thrawn, studying it as if he could visit someday. Talking about it as if all the people of Alderaan were still around. Knowingit as if it still existed.
"Calm down, Leia," Anakin murmured into her ear. She hoped her distress was not causing too much of a disturbance in the Force. "I am here," whispered Anakin. She was grateful that he had allowed Thrawn to continue even though he had sensed her distress. Though partly she was crying for the loss of her planet, some of her tears were of happiness. She could almost see the crowds of her people before her, refreshed in her memory by Thrawn's description.
She was too tightly wound from the twists and turns of this mission. Perhaps she would meditate or spar with Luke or Anakin when they got back to the Core. It tended to ease the tension in her.
The door rang suddenly, a small warning before it slid open. Luke awaited on the other side, and his blue eyes immediately fell on Leia. "What's going on?" Luke asked, easily strolling into Anakin's office. Though her brother appeared casual and relaxed, his eyes glanced at Thrawn, just a smidge suspicious.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn was just observing my holos of Alderaanian art," Leia said. She drew herself up, shaking out the nerves. Luke must have sensed her distress in the Force and come to inspect, even leaving the bridge of the ship. His tension vanished when he realized she wasn't in any danger.
"Ah," Luke nodded. He gave her a sympathetic, sad smile. She felt his small, comforting nudge through the Force. But he moved on, knowing she would want to compose herself and not break down further in front of Thrawn and Rukh. "We'll be above Hosnian Prime very soon; we should head to the shuttle."
"Excellent," Anakin said.
"Neither of you are going to pilot it," Leia stated firmly, shifting a glare between Luke and Anakin.
"Of course not," Luke said easily, "because both of uswill."
"Luke—" she growled, but Luke swooped to her side and hooked his arm around hers, starting to lead her to the door.
"So, Father and I got some calls from the Senate on our way," he rambled, turning down the corridors. He was trying to distract her, Leia knew, but she didn't interrupt because she actually needed to know this information. Dang, he knew just what to say to redirect her attention. "With Grand Admiral Thrawn's requests, they've already arranged guides and attendants for him. First he'll meet with Chancellor Mon Mothma, then take a tour of the capital buildings—a short one, just a run through—possibly meet with some senators, depending on how long the tour goes, before he stays at one of the spare senator's apartments. Tomorrow will have a full tour, several individual meetings with senators and the like, probably another meeting with Mon, and eventually, an address to the Senate."
Leia raised her eyebrows. That was a rather thrown-together schedule, but she supposed it was to be expected on such a short notice. Thrawn and Anakin walked behind her and her brother, letting him lead the way to the hanger.
"And they want us to be with him the whole time," Luke added as an afterthought.
Leia had to literally bite her tongue to keep from crying out. Such a rude reaction would be offensive to Thrawn. She tensed her grip on her brother's arm and tried to keep her voice light. "Why? What purpose will we serve?"
Luke glanced her, an apology in his eyes. Of course, he sensed her less-than-pleased reaction in the Force. "I don't know. Probably because we brought him here in the first place."
Leia tried not to look too miserable that she was going to be dragged around on a bunch of tours and meetings. Perhaps this was revenge of the Senate for jumping this meeting so suddenly on them. She missed home, and wanted to get back to Han and Ben.
"Very well," she agreed.
OOO
Leia's objections were completely pointless as Luke and Anakin flew the ship down to Hosnian Prime. She had tried, really tried, but Anakin had strictly told her, "It is foolish to try and ground a Skywalker." As hard as it was to keep them from flying, it was impossible to get them to pass up the opportunity to fly together.
Leia placed a call to Han on the way. He answered almost immediately. "Hey princess, I thought you'd call. I heard about the tizzy you've put the Senate in…again." He looked completely amused by it. Watching a bunch of uppity politicians run around in circles was one of Han's favorite pastimes—her excluded.
"It was a tizzy for me, too," Leia sighed. Han's smiling face became concerned.
"Not working yourself too hard?" he challenged. Unspoken, he implied "as usual?"
"I'm fine," she waved off. He didn't look convinced. She went on, ignoring his doubtful expression. "I have to attend Thrawn during his stay here. So I won't be home probably until late tonight, and then out early tomorrow."
"Leia," Han sighed.
"This is important, Han," she said. "I just called to let you know. We're landing now," she added, glancing out the window as the blackness of space got further and further away and the stars faded, outshined by the light of the cities. She tried to smile at Han, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll see you soon, alright?"
Han's eyes narrowed. He put his hands on his hips and sighed. "Alright, Leia." A thoughtful expression came onto his face. "Perhaps you'll see me sooner than you think."
Now it was Leia's turn to narrow her eyes. "What does that mean, Han?"
"Nothing, Your Worshipfulness," Han said. He gave a mock bow. "You better get ready. See you—I love you."
He cut the transmission before she could wrestle answers out of him. Hoping Han's mystery idea wasn't too crazy, Leia watched the planet get closer and closer below her.
OOO
"Grand Admiral Thrawn," Mon Mothma greeted as they disembarked the shuttle. Thankfully Luke and Anakin hadn't been too eccentric with their fanciful flying. A few of the sharp curves around the skyscrapers could have been slower and easier, but all in all, it hadn't been terrible. "It is a pleasure to meet you—not as enemies, as we once had been."
Mon Mothma was dressed in her Chandrilan white clothes of fleureline weave, a shraa silk mantle, and a round silver hanna pendant. Her hands were folded neatly before her, her red hair was recently combed, and white-and-blue armored guards stood behind her. She was normally a charming and charismatic leader, whose kind smiles and motherly behavior eased and flattered anyone. Yet now she was withdrawn and cold.
"Yes indeed," Thrawn said smoothly, stopping before her. Rukh was but a step behind him. "I had always hoped to encounter you, Chancellor Mothma. I am very glad that it is not on opposite sides of a battlefield. I believe we can accomplish more together than as adversaries."
Mon Mothma did not warm, though Thrawn seemed perfectly comfortable. It was to be expected, although Leia hadn't even thought of it. Thrawn had come close to destroying the Rebellion before it had even begun, striking devastating blows. Leia trusted her old friend to look past that, but Mon didn't look happy about it. Mon rarely showed that she was upset at all—she had to be truly livid on the inside.
Mon half-turned and gestured Thrawn to come to her side. "Walk with me, please." Thrawn fell into position easily as they strolled off the docking platform. "I was quite surprised to learn of your interest of allying with the New Republic. When did you return from the Unknown Regions?"
An interesting use of words, Leia thought. Thrawn had been presumed dead after Lothal, yet a few had claimed he had merely been captured and hyperspaced to an unknown location by purrgils (not many people had believed that story). When he had reappeared, he had made it clear that he had come from the Unknown Regions again. But as that had been where his homeworld was, it was unclear if he'd meantto come back sooner or not. Rather than say 'escape from the Unknown Regions,' Mon was carefully not touching why he had gone in in the first place.
Thrawn gave a thoughtful pause, as if counting in his head. "I returned around eight standard months ago," he said finally. "A year after the end of the Galactic Civil War and Battle of Endor, and I have been communing with old acquaintances since." Imperials, was the unsaid word.
"I see," Mon calmly. Leia heard Mon softly clear her throat. All of them boarded a lift at the edge of the platform that gently carried them higher. The gentle morning lights of Hosnian Prime flickered before them, the edges of sunlight reflecting off ships and towers.
Leia noticed Rukh eying all of the guards, sizing them up. The Noghri was short, but she knew he was deceptively strong and skilled—she of all people should understand that. When coming with Thrawn, most of his weapons had been confiscated from him. The only one remaining was his electrostaff, which had been locked with a restraining bolt that kept it on a nonlethal setting. He had been warned, however, not to draw it on New Republic officers.
"What made you suddenly desire to ally with the New Republic, if I may ask?" Mon said.
"Senator Organa-Solo and her companions were very informative," Thrawn answered, glancing back to her. "I desire to learn more and see if cooperation is the best way to achieve our goals."
"Goals?" Mon repeated, turning her head to him.
"Peace, stability, and prosperity for the Galaxy," Thrawn answered with a wave out to the city of Hosnian Prime. "A stronger force to protect our homes and battle against the evils we will have to face."
Mon folded her hands behind her back. "Evils such as?"
Thrawn said nothing at first. It was very quiet as the lift hummed softly, carrying them higher. The light that came through the glass, viewing out onto the city, flickered nonstop with the movement. "Evils any society face," he began. "Exploitation of the weak, greed of the strong, lawlessness that can come from anywhere." He paused. "But there are also dangers in the Unknown Regions that concern me. I believe that together, we can vanquish them."
Mon's eyes became suspicious. "What do you have to offer against these 'evils'?" Ah, here was a loaded question. Even if this alliance did not come to fruition, knowing exactly how much of a threat Thrawn was would be invaluable. Leia, and everyone else who had been on the Legacy, had seen Thrawn's ships. But he could have even more than that, hidden somewhere else in the Unknown Regions.
"The forces, including ships and weapons, that I have gathered since my reemergence into the known Galaxy," Thrawn said vaguely, no doubt catching Mon's trap. "I am certain that, with persuasion, some of the officers and soldiers may be integrated with New Republic forces." They exited the lift and began heading down the hallways towards Mon's office. Large windows poured sunlight into the grand halls, filled with paintings of great soldiers and battles from the Galactic Civil War. Leia noticed Thrawn eying them for a moment, before, with some visible effort, forcefully drawing his gaze away. He seemed to make a point not to look at them and Leia smiled. Mental note; to distract Thrawn, all one needs is art. "But also, possibly," Thrawn continued after a moment, "the assistance of the Chiss."
Mon stopped. Leia stepped up to Mon's side, there if she needed help. Thrawn and the rest of the entourage stopped as Mon stared at Thrawn as if he were insane. The once-Rebellion leader straightened to her full height, looked at Leia, and when she didn't see surprise in Leia's expression, back towards Luke and Anakin. Both of them looked concerned for Mon, but not surprised. And so she looked back at Thrawn.
"I thought you were exiled from the Chiss," she said in disbelief. "How can you speak for them?"
"The information about my exile was a lie, a caution, that I gave to the Empire," Thrawn said easily.
Mon didn't look convinced. "According to the reports I've read, the Chiss are the only species to have a way to travel through the otherwise impenetrable unknown space." She glanced at Anakin—a look that was difficult to read. Mon knew who Anakin once was. Leia guessed that Vader, who had worked with Thrawn on the highest levels, had probably writtenthose reports about Chiss transportation. "If we were to ally with them," Mon went on, "we would have access to a large part of the Unknown Regions…is that what you are proposing?"
"Indeed," Thrawn nodded his head. "Csilla, my home world, is the most sophisticated and advanced society in the Unknown Regions. Our knowledge and control over the territories around us makes us currently the most knowledgeable people on that area of space. However, my people desire contact with the Galaxy beyond. I can offer you the opportunity to make that contact, Chancellor Mothma."
Mon mulled over this information for some time. "And what of the Imperial forces you have gathered at the edges of space?"
"A warrior does what he must, Chancellor Mothma," Thrawn said gravely. "As my allegiance had been to the Empire, I felt the need to return to them and serve my duty. Yet I have found that their priorities are not the same as before." He looked thoughtful. "Where once many Imperials had sought to bring justice to the Galaxy as I do, now they are bitter and seek revenge and power. Or are still blind to the undeniable truth of their own leader's maliciousness."
He tilted his head at Mon. "I understand that they are enemies of the New Republic by refusing to turn themselves in. Serve your justice."
Leia straightened in surprise. "You would turn them in?" How cold, when they had come to him for leadership.
Those red eyes turned on her. "Not lightly," he said seriously. "But I have heard what they have requested of me; senseless destruction and no thought of the damage they may wreak." This was a lot coming from Thrawn, Leia thought, as the reports she'd read on him said he wasn't afraid of causing causalities either. Not as bad as many Imperials, but not good either. "I have said I desire justice for the Galaxy; stopping them before their rampage is justice."
"Yet you allied with them?" Luke pressed, coming up on Leia's side.
"As their leader, I could keep them from causing devastation," Thrawn granted, "But if I were to truly ally with the New Republic, they would revoke me. I would have no chance of directing them then. So they must be contained before they strike out on the Galaxy." He paused, then said, "On my way here, I checked the Legacy's documents as to what your government has done with Imperials. I believe it is fair."
There were several different procedures to handle captured Imperials; sometimes they could be blended into New Republic forces, sometimes they were forced to retire, and sometimes they had to be imprisoned. And, of course, many other solutions were created for individual cases. But the New Republic tried to be fair to everyone.
Mon took a deep breath and began walking again, now almost to their destination at the end of the corridor. "I believe we should discuss this in length in my office." She opened the door and stood aside for Thrawn to go ahead and he stepped through. But before Mon followed, her gaze fell to Leia, Luke, and Anakin, and her expression softened. "You three are dismissed for now."
Leia raised her eyebrows in surprise, and Thrawn looked back and narrowed his red eyes, his mouth curling down slightly in displeasure. "I thought we were to attend Thrawn for his stay here," Leia said.
"You are," Mon nodded. "But you are not needed for this part, and you must be exhausted. I will call you when we are done. You should probably stay within the Senate building in case I need you," Mon added with an apologetic look, "but I believe you should take a short break while you can."
Not leaving the building meant Leia couldn't go visit her husband and son. But she was grateful for a reprieve nonetheless. "Thank you, Chancellor." Leia noticed Thrawn's own tension ease as well. Apparently he wanted the three of them to stick around, but was willing to let them go at least for a little while.
Mon nodded and followed after Thrawn, as did her guards. The door slid shut. Leia sagged the moment she heard it click.
"What are you so tired for?" Luke asked teasingly. "You slept most of the way back, you only woke up an hour ago!"
Leia glared at her brother. "Sleep does not save one from stress,brother."
"I am certain Luke and I can handle the Grand Admiral if you need to go home, Leia," Anakin said with concern.
"Hang on," Luke objected. "Maybe I want to go home."
Leia ignored him. "No need to fret, Father," she teased, rolling her shoulders to work out the kinks. "I just need to do something to loosen up and relax. Want to spar?"
Luke barked a laugh. "Only you would consider fighting a way to relax." He elbowed her before heading down the halls, she and Anakin following.
OOO
The Senate building was designed to tend to the needs of the various species of senators. Special rooms inside provided unique enjoyments to the species that lived and/or worked there. Leia remembered such areas in the Coruscant senatorial complexes when she was younger. One of her oldest friends, Amylin Holdo, had favored a Gatalentan callisthenic practice called skyfaring, which involved complicated splits, meditation poses, and acrobatics while hanging from colorful scarves. Other cultures had their own facilities for comforts, such as the Mon Calamari saline tanks and the Toydarian wind tunnels for wing exercise. In the stresses of politics, these features eased the senators who missed their homes. It was hard to come to different planets, surrounded by so many other cultures that you didn't understand and that didn't understand you either. As if representing your entire planet to the rest of the Galaxy wasn't hard enough. While some of complexes might seem ridiculous, Leia knew that they were essential to keep the senators at full of energy to work.
One of these centers was the combat gym. Loose clothing fit for many sizes and species was provided, and Leia donned one of these, dropping her elegant senatorial gown for a sturdy jumpsuit. The gym was filled with various nonlethal weapons, but Leia and Luke ignored them entirely. She drew out her lightsaber, the feel of its smooth metal beneath her fingers solid and warm. She kept it on her at all times, but carefully concealed. Not that she actually thought she would need it (though she might), but not having it on her felt like not breathing. The Crystal was like a special bridge to the Force. People would stare at it, though, out of fear or amazement, when they noticed it. That was why she hid it.
Luke took out his own saber and Anakin sat down cross-legged at the edge of the mat to watch them. Leia ignited her blade first, still its pure, cleansing white. The Crystal hummed with excitement from within, eager for use. Her brother's own green blade came out with a snap-hiss, and they crossed the blades between them in an X form, a brief compromise before the duel.
Leia moved first, swinging her saber around Luke's and whacking it aside. He quickly readjusted his stance to brace it, before executing a flurry of swipes to try and press her back. Leia met each one, letting the Force guide her hand, feeling the minuscule tugs on her saber. Yet Luke was too quick and she had to back up as he advanced.
Leia narrowed her eyes while defending against her brother's strikes. He was better trained, had more experience than her. But any foe, no matter how practiced or how strong, could be beaten by clever wit.
Before Luke could corner her on the edge of the mat, Leia disengaged her lightsaber and ducked under one of his swipes, feeling the energy of the saber whoosh above her head. She rolled behind him, but he recovered quickly. The Force sung a warning and Leia twirled her lightsaber over her shoulder, igniting it to guard her back. Without looking, she felt Luke's saber crash against her own.
This was one of their father's favorite tricks. In the eagerness to take the opening and attack someone from behind in battle, the opponent often left themselves vulnerable or overbalanced. But it took some buildup of strength to stably hold the saber one-handed behind the back; the angle of the defense was odd, making it difficult to hold. Anakin had said it was meant to be used with two lightsabers, but could be pulled off with one. He also had reminiscently told them that he had known the Jedi who had invented the move.
Leia parried Luke's attack and swung back around to face him, but he remained on his feet. He gave her a sly grin. "Don't you think I know that trick by now, Leia?"
"Sure you do," she said with a shrug. "But now you'reback against a wall."
She leapt forward and clashed her blade with his. He was larger than her of course, who wasn't, but she summoned the Force to added to her strength, trying to pressure him back into a confined corner. It worked at first, he stumbled back a few steps to the edge of the mat.
But he braced his heel and brought back his smile. "Am I?" he asked.
Now he disengaged his own lightsaber and ducked underneath her swing, just as she had done earlier. She prepared a kick for when he tried to roll past her, but instead he sprang several feet into the air, backflipped over her head, and landed gracefully behind her. She whirled around and brought her guard up, but he didn't strike, merely offered her a pleased smile.
Leia huffed, not impressed at Luke's preening, and Force-pushed him across the mat. All his confidence vanished as he flew across the room and landed roughly with a grunt.
"Hey!" he groaned, pushing himself up.
"You were practically askingfor it, Luke," Leia pointed out. "Besides, you left yourself open for the attack."
"Your sister is correct, my son," Anakin commented from the side.
Luke sighed and then smiled, bringing his lightsaber back up. "You're getting better, Leia."
"I suppose you've improved a little, too."
"A little?"
Leia took advantage of his indignance to run forward and attack. He met her, dancing their blades in vibrant and sparkling light. The green and white of their lightsabers fought like two clashing waves, until Luke gave a firm twirl that slipped Leia's hilt out of her hand and across the room.
"You learn quick, Leia," Luke waved his lightsaber away from her undefended body. "But I've been training much more than you."
"Obviously," she said. She summoned the saber back to her hand. It readily returned to her, where it belonged. She stretched and spread her arms, feeling better. The rapid instincts of lightsaber combat truly tuned her in with the Force, and carried her tension away like washing out muck. It was strange that sparring could be just as relaxing as meditation.
"Perhaps a fairer battle…" Anakin spoke up softly, "…would be the two of you against me."
Both Leia and Luke exchanged looks of alarm before slow grins crawled up on both their faces. Now standing side-by-side, they reignited their blades and faced off their father.
Anakin drew himself up, sweeping his heavy brown cloak behind him and pulling out his own lightsaber hilt. Its blue energy sparked to life, and Anakin turned it up so the blade was standing in line with his body, its light reflected in his pale blue eyes.
Leia and Luke exchanged grins one more time, and charged.
Anakin appeared to brace for Luke's impact but sidestepped him in the last second, sending Luke stumbling past him. Leia expected the same and staggered to a halt, only for Anakin to come right at her. Already unstable, he easily forced her back and swept his leg underneath her. She fell to one knee, and brought up her saber as he struck down on her.
Anakin had to back off, though, as Luke came on his other side. As they clashed, Leia got up and tried to attack. In a blind moment of adrenaline, Anakin was fighting both of them on either side, his lightsaber swinging back and forth at rapid speed.
Then he swerved around and Leia ended up clashing against Luke. She saw the surprise in her brother's eyes, but only for a moment before Anakin descended on them again. Both unprepared as they were preoccupied with each other, they scurried back, barely avoiding Anakin's swing.
OOO
Quite some time later, Leia and Luke both flopped down on the floor. They were breathing heavily, looking up at their father who had not broken a single drop of sweat. Leia glared at his towering frame, and Anakin, sensing the look and probably the annoyance as well, sat down next to them as if he was were tired too. Though it was quite clear that he was, in fact, not.
Luke and Anakin sparred all the time. Leia mostly spared with Luke, occasionally Anakin, but she knew her father was always going easy on her. This was the first time both she and Luke had gone against him, and, she thought, the first time he hadn't treated them like newborn tookas.
When Luke had fought him as Darth Vader, Vader must have been holding back or distracted or something.Perhaps in emotional turmoil. Then again, with the surgeries and repairs done on Anakin after being freed from the suit, perhaps his full potential had been reached.
"Howdo you train with him?" she asked Luke. She tried to slow down her heavy breathing. Not only was she exhausted, but also invigorated. She trained so rarely in the Force that when she fully let it in, it sometimes overwhelmed her.
"You both did very well," Anakin told them with a nod of his head.
Leia glared at him spitefully. "You're just saying that, Father."
"On the contrary, on the few occasions I have witnessed Jedi Skywalker in combat, I have not seen anyone or anything do so well against him."
Leia's head swung up at Thrawn. Rukh was behind him, as well as a few guards, standing by the door. Her spine went rigid and she straightened in surprise. "Grand Admiral," she almost stuttered in alarm, barely managing to keep her voice steady. Luke tensed by her side as well, while Anakin did not look surprised.
She put a hand on the ground, about to stand, but Thrawn waved for her to remain seated. "I apologize for intruding," Thrawn said, strolling closer. "I only arrived a few minutes ago."
"I thought Chancellor Mothma was going to alert us when your meeting was done." Leia glanced at time on the wall—Force, how had over two hours passed so quickly?
"She was," Thrawn nodded his head. "But I thought I would come find you myself."
Luke tilted his head. "Look through the entire senatorial complex, which you've never been in before? How did you find us?"
Thrawn gestured a hand to Rukh, who lingered behind him. "Rukh has exceptional tracking skills. Between that, and my own deductions, we located you quite efficiently." Thrawn's gaze trailed to Anakin. "The secrets of the Jedi, I admit, have always been a perplexity to me. But, like even the most mysterious pieces of art, that does not mean I cannot appreciate and admire them. Your skills are truly remarkable."
Leia blinked, taken off guard by the compliment. She shot a look at Luke, whose eyebrows were creased together.
"Thank you, Grand Admiral," she said finally, unsure of what else she could say.
She stood up, silently cursing her current appearance. She was sweaty, her braids were probably a mess, her clothing was dirty and not even her own. But she lifted her chin and carried herself with pride. She was a princess, a senator, once a leader of the Rebellion, and none of that was based on what she wore. Besides, she was certain Thrawn didn't judge too much on appearances anyway.
"I'm afraid I am not—presentableat the moment," she said to Thrawn. "I will need half an hour before I can attend you on any tour. You can wait, of course, but if you wish to begin the tour yourself—"
"I do not mind waiting," Thrawn interrupted.
Leia tilted her head, wondering why Thrawn wanted to stay close to Leia and her family. But finally, she nodded. "If you'll excuse me, then."
OOO
An hour later, they were well into the tour. One of the guides was a green-skinned Rodian, the other was a droid whose excitement for bland, pointless details could give Threepio a run for his credits. Thrawn kept cool, civil interest, asking many questions from historical events to the structure of buildings to the different specie's actions in the Senate.
As they toured the outside of the complex, many bystanders stopped and stared, and a few news reporters documented from a distance. Leia and the group ignored them while Hosnian authorities made sure the people kept a distance. That, and the two Jedi, half a dozen guards, and Rukh let everyone know to give them space.
Leia and her brother and father kept behind Thrawn, only speaking when Thrawn first spoke to them. The sparring had refreshed Leia and assuaged her tension, but she was still weary and ready to be home. It was only slightly after noon; still an hour or two left in the 'short' tour. She had to keep her shoulders back, spine straight, and head high the whole time, no matter how much her body wanted to slump. She had wolfed down a ration bar while getting ready. Hadn't been the full meal she'd needed, but it would hold her over.
The droid was rolling back and forth on the ball that replaced its legs as it showed Thrawn the place where numerous larger-than-life statues were going to be built. They would show the founders of the Rebel Alliance. Bail and Breha Organa would be one, as would Mon Mothma and Padme Amidala. Anakin kept his eyes averted from the space, though the Amidala statue had not been built yet. Perhaps it was the half-completed Organas that made him look guilty.
Subtly, Leia edged her way over to him and wrapped her arm around his. Anakin had apologized countless times for the destruction of her world, people, and family. Since his redemption, he had helped the survivors, rescued artifacts from selfish collectors, and offered assistance to New Alderaan. He worked so hard, but Leia could tell from the look in his eye whenever he thought about it that he felt it would never be enough, that he could never make amends. But in truth, half of the Alderaanian culture currently left wouldn't exist without him. She tried her best to make him see that. Some days it seemed to encourage him, other days, not at all.
Anakin's arm tightened around her own. She was tuning out the Rodian's descriptions when a beloved voice cried out to her ears.
"Mama!"
Leia whirled around, motherly instincts to hold her child invading every cell in her body, her eyes scanning over the city's elevated pathways for him. She found him, her black-haired beloved son reaching for her all the way across paths. Han was there, holding Ben and grinning at her.
She didn't even think, but her feet moved on their own and she met her family in the middle. Han wrapped his free arm around her and she embraced both him and her son. Ben's little hands reached for her face and played with her stray hair, pulling more of it loose from her braids.
Han shifted Ben to the side to wrap an arm around Leia's waste and kiss her soundly. Leia smiled into it, humming pleasantly. Warmth like a cozy blanket sank into her bones, feeling secure in her husband's arms. She could feel Han's heartbeat through his chest and slipped her fingers behind his head to pull him closer.
Beside them, Ben made a gurgling, fart noise.
A laugh bubbled up Leia's throat and she broke the kiss to let it free. Ben was reaching for her, demanding to be held. Leia wrapped her arms around her son. He was ten months old now, but was growing like a weed and heavy in her arms. Han shifted Ben's weight to her but didn't let her go, backing up only slightly to give her more space.
"How's he been while I've been gone?" Leia hated being away from her son, at all. She had denied numerous off-planet missions that required she leave him behind because of it. Maybe it was the Force, maybe just being a parent, but being away from Ben was like giving up her own heart.
"Just fine," Han said with a too-easy shrug. She gave her husband a sharp look and he amended, "I needed Chewie's help."
She grinned and kissed Ben on the forehead. "Naughty boy."
"I kept him from eating your flowers this time," Han added.
"Good," Leia said with a firm nod. She reached up and tickled Ben's stomach. "No flowers in your tummy this time." Ben squealed with joy and grasped for her hands. He caught them, and tried to lift them to his mouth to suck. She pulled her fingers from his grasp and ruffled his hair. She didn't know why Ben seemed to think candlewick flowers were delicious—maybe it was just the way they glowed. But after he had proudly eaten an entire precious bouquet once, she kept them well out of his reach. She was always careful never to tell that story to anyone who knew the critical condition of candlewicks, as they would certainly be horrified.
"How have you been while you've been gone?" Han shot the question back.
"Fine," she said breezily. She suddenly remembered where she was and what she was doing. She looked at Han sternly. "Han, you know I said I'd be busy today. What are you thinking, coming here now?"
"I'm thinkingyou'd like to see your son."
"Yes, of course—always—but—"
"Mama!" Ben demanded, trying to tug on her braids. His fingers hooked on one and he pulled, yanking her head towards him.
"Ben," she sighed. It didn't hurt, but Ben always found a way to get into trouble. Luke and Anakin proudly declared that a Skywalker trait. She gently tried to unlatch Ben's stubborn fingers from her hair. Han tried to squash his amused grin and helped her pull Ben's hands away. He then brushed her stray hair behind her ear and ran his fingers down her neckline before cupping her chin.
"Ijustbraided this," she mumbled.
"Now it has personality," Han said with a nod. "It's the imperfections that make something beautiful." He gently kissed her forehead. "I like you just like this. Because you're perfect the way you are."
"GRANPA!" Ben screeched with sudden ferocity. He squirmed in Leia's arms and suddenly Anakin was beside her, wrapping his large gloved hands around Ben's face. Just as she came immediately when her son had called, Anakin was always there when his family called. She wondered if he felt the same anxiousness when away from her, like when she was away from Ben. Judging by the way Anakin always kept Luke close and spent almost all of his time off-missions with her, she assumed yes.
Ben had a special love for Anakin, and Leia couldn't blame him as she saw the look of pure joy, adoration, and amazement Anakin gave his grandchild. She relinquished Ben to Anakin's eager arms, which immediately engulfed her son. Ben was big for his age, already a sturdy child, but he looked puny and fragile before Anakin. Her father drew her son in, holding him like delicate glass, like the most precious thing in the galaxy. Anakin's brown cloak swirled around her son as if for an extra layer of protection. The possessivenessin Anakin's grip could not be mistaken, and Leia was always amazed that after the way her father held her son that he could ever let Ben go.
Watching this picture—having seen it many times before—Leia wondered, not for the first time, Anakin if he had been able to keep Leia and Luke from the beginning, when they were babies. It was strange to see the absolute dedication on Anakin's face for Ben and know that it was also hers. His eyes promised protection and love for the rest of his life.
Anakin gave that love to Leia and Luke, if they let him. Sometimes he seemed terrified of rejection, though they tried their best to welcome and encourage him. Ben was different; Ben didn't know the past, Ben had no reason to reject. Anakin had never harmed Ben and didn't have to worry about ever harming him. While Anakin's love for Leia and Luke was boundless, his love for Ben was untainted by guilt.
Ben snuggled into Anakin's embrace, and Anakin gently held Ben to his chest. Luke came up to Anakin's side, smiling at the sight as well. Leia's grin broadened; little made Luke as happy as seeing Anakin happy, and full of love. Han wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him.
"Your husband and son, I presume."
It was like waking up from a dream. Leia blinked and looked at Thrawn, whose eyes were pinned on Anakin and Ben with awed fascination. Rukh watched from behind the Grand Admiral, whose expression looked more confused and skeptical. Behind them were the tour guides, and though the droid did not have an expression to show, the Rodian looked slightly annoyed at the interruption. The guards attending them just looked bored.
"Ah—yes," Leia said, turning in Han's embrace to face Thrawn. How long had they all been watching? Had her slip from the group when Ben first called her gone unnoticed? From Thrawn's inhuman observation skills, she guessed not. "Allow me to introduce my husband, Han Solo, and son, Ben Organa."
Last names had been a difficult topic when it came to Ben—in fact, to their whole family. On Alderaan, boys took the last name of the mothers and girls took the last name of the fathers, unless either parent was royal or noble, in which case theirfamily name dominated the whole household. Leia understood when marrying Han that, as he was not from Alderaan, his culture would be different. She had been open to talk with him about it, but when she had explained, he had waved her off and said he had made up his last name anyway.
Han hadn't entirely been up for losing his last name, though, as he said he considered it a part of him nonetheless. So he had kept it, and Leia had added it to her name as well, but Ben was an Organa (even if New Alderaan was no longer ruled by House Organa, meaning Ben was not a prince).
Ben's middle name, however, was Skywalker. Anakin had never spoken aloud about it, no doubt not wishing to offend Leia on her adoptive parent's behalf, but it was obvious Leia should be named Skywalker by both regular and Alderaanian standards. Ben was the compromise, to carry on the Skywalker name along with Luke. Everyone knew Leia was Anakin Skywalker's daughter, anyway. Having three last names, however, was a little much. Skywalker was probably on some paperwork of hers somewhere, though no one called her that aloud.
Princess Senator General Leia Organa-Skywalker-Solo. Yeah, way too much.
Thrawn's eyes were still locked on Anakin and Ben. Leia glanced cautiously at her father—Anakin, of course, was always very protective and defensive. Anyone with such a gaze he would normally ward off. But Anakin didn't look at all disturbed by Thrawn's stare. He kept smiling at Luke and Ben as if admiring the beauty of stars. Luke leaned into his father's side and Ben snuggled into Anakin's chest.
As wonderful as it was to see Han and Ben again, to hold them close and hear their voices, she couldn't help but curse it all in this moment. Here was the leader of the remainder of the Imperial forces, perhaps the greatest current threat in the Galaxy, in the very center of the New Republic, considering an alliance between them and the Chiss Ascendancy. Each moment had to be held with meticulous precision and perfection. It had all just been uprooted.
Well, Leia was a Skywalker one way or another, and she'd had many plans blow up in her face. It had taught her one of life's most difficult lessons; keep going. Don't give up when things don't go according to plan, when the unexpected comes knocking, when the world turns upside down. Make a new plan, welcome the unexpected like an old friend, or turn yourself upside as well. Find a way. Deal with it.
"They came for a quick visit to see me," Leia explained. Sometimes, if you explained something like it was normal, it seemed normal.
"Pleasure to meet you," Han said awkwardly with a nod. Leia squeezed his hand between them. It wasn't as disrespectful as Han could have been, but it wasn't the elegant words most people would have offered to a Grand Admiral. She was grateful Han was trying as much as he could.
"Likewise," Thrawn said, eyes drawing away from Anakin and Ben to look at Han. He watched Han with the same interest. "An unexpected delight."
Ben had realized again that the world existed beyond him and Anakin, and he looked side to side at all the people suddenly around them. His eyes stopped on Thrawn and Rukh, mouth agape. Leia didn't know why—Ben had seen all kinds of alien species before, he should be used to different appearances. But who was she to understand the mystifying complexities of a baby's mind. He began to babble.
"We can continue with the tour, Grand Admiral," Leia said, hoping to put this encounter back on track.
"No, actually," Thrawn said in a soft, thoughtful voice. His eyebrows creased a little for a moment. He then briskly turned to the tour guides. "I thank you so much for the tour, but after a long journey, I'm afraid I require my rest. I do have much to do tomorrow. I believe we can continue the tour at a later date. Is that satisfactory?"
The droid rolled back a little in shock and the Rodian's eyes widened. "O-Of course," the Rodian began. His starry eyes glanced at the droid. "We understand, sir."
"Thank you, you have been most helpful and informative," Thrawn said with a slight bow. He then turned right back to Leia's family. "If you would all please escort me to where my guard and I shall be staying?"
Leia was a little turned around—and she had thought Han and Ben's appearance had been as unexpected as things would get—but she mutely nodded. Withdrawing her arm away from Han, she called up her ship. Her mind was spinning. She was grateful her long work day had just been cut in half, but Thrawn's understanding of the New Republic was important, essential even. And from what Leia could tell from him, he was completely dedicated to his work. He wouldn't stop simply because he was 'tired.' Did he even gettired?
The ship was slaved, meaning it was programmed to autopilot its way to Leia on her command. In no time it drifted overhead, its engines blowing wind in her face, further tangling her braids and whipping around her dress. An odd silence had surrounded everyone, confused as to the sudden change in Thrawn's direction and unsure as what it could mean.
The ship landed, and Anakin was the first to make a move towards it. "Luke and I will pilot," he said, passing Ben back to Leia, but not before leaving the child with a loving caress. His cloak swirled behind him as he turned back to the ship.
That statement broke Leia through her stupor. She rolled her eyes; it was just a short flight away; they could certainly just program the destination into the ship. But Anakin had to fly himself, and with Luke. Shaking off the shock, Leia secured her grip on Ben and followed Anakin, everyone else not far behind her.
Luke jogged up to her side. He looked worried. Leia gave him a questioning look, and he glanced between their father, Thrawn, Rukh, and her. "Should I…?" he trailed off unsurely.
Should I stay with you?
Ah. It would be a risk to leave Leia with Thrawn and Rukh. Every time until now, Luke or Anakin had been with her while with him. The guards were here, though only two would be able to fit on the ship with them—the others would have to take another ship. Leia knew Rukh could take those two out easily. She could defend herself, and she would have Han, but that wasn't the same. Ben was with her. And everyone in her family got very careful when it came to him. So careful, it was almost like they weren't Skywalkers.
But Anakin didn't seem worried at all, and he had also already volunteered Luke to pilot. It would be an obvious show of mistrust if they insisted Luke stay. Besides, Leia was reasonably certain Thrawn didn't want to harm—or kill—them. He seemed to genuinely likethem, preferring to keep them around all the time. And as if he would try to kill them now, in the very center of the New Republic.
Leia sent the impression of shaking her head through their bond. Luke didn't look supremely confident, but he nodded in understanding and hurried after their father, who had already swept up into the ship and was heading straight for the controls.
Ben mumbled to himself in her arms, still watching Thrawn and Rukh in that baby-is-entranced way. He was hardly ever like this; Ben was a fussy baby and always liked to be the center of attention, at least for his loved ones. Perhaps Leia should discreetly take a holo of Thrawn and Rukh and use it to distract Ben during one of his fits.
Or maybe it wasn't their appearances that fascinated Ben, but Thrawn's sense in the Force. Leia had felt by now Thrawn's strange mind. He felt like a language Leia didn't know, alive and active, but hard to interpret. It was neat and orderly, not a single loud thought or stray emotion (in fact, very little emotion at all). Ben, being a baby, was very open to the Force at this age. Perhaps he felt Thrawn and recognized that the Chiss was different.
Raising a Force-sensitive child was a challenge. Anakin had been a lifesaver, otherwise Leia didn't know what she would have done. With her ignorance, she could have exposed Ben to a plethora of emotions he wasn't ready for, and who knows what that could have done to his head. Turn him to the Dark Side, for all she knew. At this age, his sensitivity hadn't fully developed or strengthened, so it wasn't too bad. Still, Anakin had warned Leia and Han to keep Ben from large crowds and overly emotional people until he was old enough to learn shielding and meditation. That was hard to do in a city-planet, but they managed.
Leia boarded the ship with Han, Thrawn and Rukh a step behind them. Ben cried out when he recognized the structure of a ship and reached for the viewport. Leia stepped closer to it, allowing Ben to gaze out at the passing city below. This boy would be a pilot when he grew up. He had two great flying bloodlines in him, after all.
Han came and wrapped an arm around her again as the ship took off. Ben burbled in awe, slightly drooling. Han took out a small white cloth from his jacket and wiped Ben's mouth.
"Senator Organa-Solo," Thrawn spoke up. Leia turned to him, but careful to angle her body so that Ben could still see out the window. Thrawn's eyes briefly watched the baby before looking back up at her. "I would like to apologize for all the trouble this visit has caused."
Leia put on a smile. "Trouble is the way of things, Grand Admiral," she said. "Anything worth having is worth working for. This is my job; my purpose is here. I'm honored to help build this alliance."
Thrawn nodded. "I would also like to thank you."
"I appreciate that you understand," Leia said. Though, honestly, it almost seemed like Thrawn was considering calling off this alliance just so she wouldn't be overworked. Which, while she was flattered, was completely ridiculous. What else did he want her to do, make funny faces with Ben all day? As wonderful as that sounded, Leia was a workaholic, and she had an important job.
"No," Thrawn shook his head. "While I do appreciate your help and I understand how difficult this all is, that is not what I meant." Thrawn gestured to the cockpit, where Luke and Anakin had gone. "I meant thank you for him."
Leia stared. It was Han who spoke. "For the Kid? Or Anakin?"
"Jedi Anakin Skywalker," Thrawn corrected. He folded his hands behind his back and looked away. "When I first met Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, I was greatly impressed with him. He was a creative and ingenious warrior—" That's one way to describe it, Leia thought, "—determined, and courageous. I was truly saddened to hear of his loss." He hesitated, then said, "even more so when I discovered that his spirit had been crushed." Thrawn's eyes became distant. "Perhaps that is an even worse fate."
Leia froze, realizing in that moment that she had never met anyone who had known Anakin before he had become Darth Vader. Perhaps Mon had encountered him once or twice, and obviously Luke had known Obi-Wan and Yoda. But she imagined, for a moment, what it must be like to see someone change so drastically and unexpectedly.
Han tensed besides her. "You know about…"
Leia realized what Han meant and glanced at him. "Yes, Han, he knew Anakin…and knows about Anakin's past."
Han stared at Thrawn, then let out a long whistle. Thrawn's eyebrows creased at the noise and Rukh tilted his head.
"The Emperor must have liked you a lot to tell you that," Han said.
"He did not tell me," Thrawn said simply. "I uncovered the truth of Lord Vader's identity on my own."
"You figured it out?" Han repeated aghast. "How did you do that?"
"Subtle similarities," Thrawn answered seriously. "His piloting skills, for example, but also his battle tactics."
So Anakin had always had crazy, suicidal plans. Good to know.
"I don't understand what you're thanking me for," Leia said, tilting her head.
"I had accepted Jedi Skywalker's passing," Thrawn said quietly. "I had honored him. I had seen no chance of him coming back. I had accepted that he would not." Thrawn's eyes bore into hers. "You did what I thought impossible."
"Ithought it impossible," Leia admitted, shifting uncomfortably. "Luke was the one who showed me the chance. When I realized that, I…"
She remembered standing before Darth Vader and baring her life to force him to make the change. She came back to herself and met Thrawn's eyes. "I did everything I could."
Thrawn's shoulders seemed to slump, just an inch. Leia was so focused on watching him that she didn't notice the ship land. "And I am truly grateful," Thrawn said. "To you, and to your brother. I shall be sure to thank him as well. But for now, you have my gratitude, Senator Organa-Solo."
"Leia," she corrected without thinking.
In just that moment, Luke and Anakin walked in. Both of them blinked in surprise at Leia's offer of her first name to Thrawn, as did he himself.
But he recovered and bowed his head. "Leia, then."
"What's going on?" Luke spoke up, with skeptical curiosity.
"History," Leia said. Ben squirmed in her arms and she readjusted her hold on him. Both Luke and Anakin were watching her questionably, but she ignored it and headed towards the ramp. One did not bring up the subject of Anakin's past without warning. Some warm nights, he would tell her and Luke stories of the Clone Wars, or on a mission involving old Imperial programs, he would tell them what he knew from his time as Darth Vader. But it was always hard for him, and now wasn't the time.
Still, she wondered what had just shifted between Thrawn, her, and her brother.
Note: About the Alderaan last name system, I don't have an official basis for that. I read it in another fanfiction and I thought it sounded neat, so I wove it in.
Sorry about the delay! I wanted to get the first of these shorts out before Christmas, but I'm also working on a Pokémon Mewtwo Fanfiction, plus another Star Wars fic that (might) be up soon, so I got distracted. Thanks for reading!