The fighting between the Rebellion and the First Order waged on. Sometimes the Order was victorious, other times, the Rebels won. Padme and Kylo kept busy, since they were on opposite sides of the war. They made sure to make time to see each other in their dreams.

Leia, Han and Chewbacca were still in Hosnian Prime, desperately trying to get the Senate to vote for declaring war on the First Order. The Outer Rim planets, with the exception of Mandalore, formed a faction within the Senate. Their plan was to delay any new laws being passed until the Senate took a vote for war. Things were not progressing as quickly as the Rebels hoped for.

As Padme retired for the evening, she marveled at the time. It had been exactly a year since she met and made the Force bond with Ben. She wondered if he would remember, as she drifted off to sleep.

"Hello there, beautiful," Kylo called out to Padme, as he approached her. He kissed her deeply and embraced her tightly.

"Happy anniversary," he whispered in her ear.

"You remembered!" Padme teared up. Kylo gazed at her and said,

"Of course I remember the day I met the most beautiful woman in the galaxy."

"Oh Ben!" Padme sighed sadly. "I wish you were here with me. Sometimes I lie in bed at night, and the loneliness overwhelms me."

"I know. I feel the same way," Kylo confessed, stroking her hair. "I want to be able to touch you for real, not just in a dream.

"One day, my love, we will meet. Then we will never be apart from each other."

"That day cannot come fast enough. Speaking of that day, you never told me what your favorite planet is."

"Naboo," Padme whispered in Kylo's ear. "I want to go to Naboo, and I want you to make love to me there." They began to kiss passionately, but Kylo pulled away.

"This is not Naboo, my love," he reminded her. Padme pouted, but understood. Ben wanted their first time together to be special.

"Grr, I know. But I'm sick of taking cold showers," she confessed. He laughed at her comment. "Oh, don't tell me you don't do the same!"

"You're right, I do. But most of the time, it doesn't work. Because I imagine you in the shower with me," Kylo said in a sexy voice. They kissed for a little while before they had to part.

After the latest victory for the Rebels, Luke and Padme were on the Millennium Falcon when a video call came on the screen. To her delight, it was Padme's parents.

"Hi sweetheart!" both Han and Leia said simultaneously.

"Hi," Padme replied. Although she loved helping fight against the First Order, she did miss her family. "Where's Chewy?"

"He's playing with Caleb," Han said gruffly. "That Wookiee is too soft for his own good!"

"Your father is mad that Chewy's spending more time with Caleb than with him," Leia teased.

"I am not jealous of a little kid!"

"Anyway, we called to update you on the latest news from the Senate. We have all of the Outer Rim, except for Mandalore, willing to fight against the First Order. We are gaining support from the Mid Rim, and even a couple of Core World planets said they would be willing to send troops. But the rest of the Senate refused to consider the motion for declaring war. We need your help," Leia explained.

"How can we help?" Luke asked, sensing where the conversation was going.

"Many of the senators would be more willing to consider the motion if all of the Outer Rim plants were united against the Order," Han interjected.

"So you want us to go to Mandalore?" Padme asked. The planet had issues of its own, without any outside influence.

"We can't," Luke stated. "We have to go to Polis Masso, and meet with the Jedi."

"Please reconsider. We need Mandalore to join the fight," Leia begged, trying to reason with her brother.

"Leia, you do not understand the history and culture of the Mandalorians. They have no love for the Order, but they can't stand the Jedi. Besides, I do not want what happened the last time I was there to occur again." Luke was referring to fleeing with Ben's mother.

"Then I will go to Mandalore," Padme volunteered.

"It is too dangerous for you to go by yourself," her uncle told her. "You do not understand their ways."

"I agree," Han said. "But we figured Luke would not want to go, so..."

"So what? What are you not telling me?"

"So we sent someone to go with Padme to Mandalore," Leia explained. "He is very familiar with the Mandalorian people. In fact, I think he is trying to contact you now."

Padme saw the call light blink on her screen. She put in her earpiece and answered the call.

"Hello?" she said to the person on the other line. She did not want to give away the surprise to Luke. But Padme knew before she picked up the call who the person was.

"Millennium Falcon, this is the Ghost," the kind voice of Ezra Bridger spoke into her ear. She mouthed to Luke that it was Ezra calling.

"Ghost, we hear you loud and clear," Padme responded.

"It's nice to hear your voice again, Padme. Is Luke there, or did he storm away in anger?"

"He is here." Luke put on his head set. The video call was still on.

"Ezra, please tell me this was your idea," Luke grunted, not wanting to yell at his sister for this.

"If I did, you would know I was lying. But it is a good idea. We need Mandalore to join the fight."

Luke looked at the video call, then glanced at Padme. If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself. He had a hard enough time dealing with the guilt of Ben turning to the Dark side.

"Ezra can go alone," Luke replied, wanting to protect his niece.

"No, he can't," Padme argued. "A good soldier does not go into battle alone. Isn't that what you tell the Jedi, Luke?"

Her uncle scowled. Padme used his own words against him. She was too smart for her own good.

"Luke," Leia called out to him, when he did not respond.

"Ezra, do you think you can get the Mandalorians to join us?" Luke finally replied. There were big smiles on the faces of his family members.

"Yes, I believe we can," Ezra said.

"Please be careful then." Luke gazed lovingly at Padme. "You will be taking someone precious to me with you." She reached and squeezed his hand, to reassure him that she would be fine. It didn't make it any easier for Luke to let her go a few hours later.

"May the Force be with both of you," he said to Ezra and Padme, before they boarded the Ghost and flew to Mandalore. Luke headed to Polis Masso, to meet with the Jedi.