"Ezra, please do me a favor," Luke asked with a serious tone in his voice.
"What is the favor?" Ezra replied curiously.
"Please do not tell Leia about the radiation from the Polis Masso attack. She has enough on her plate, with trying to get the Senate to declare war. I will tell Padme and the rest of the Jedi to do the same."
"But shouldn't she know?"
"Just promise me you won't say anything to her. I need to see this war through. Leia will try to stop me if she finds out. No one else should know about my pending demise except for you, me and Padme."
"I promise. But I still think you should tell her."
"Also, please keep an eye on Padme after I'm gone. I know you will be busy, training Caleb Syndulla."
"I am not worthy of training the boy," Ezra stated solemnly. "He wants to be a Jedi, and I..."
"The Jedi of old will gone in a year. You can train Caleb and others to be the new Jedi. To follow the will of the Force rather than be bound by traditions."
"I can't, Luke. When Kanan needed me the most, I ran like a coward, and it cost him his life!"
"That is not true. He told you the same thing his master, Depa Billaba, told him," Luke told him, getting the revelation through the Force.
"Your friend Sabine has accepted her destiny as the leader of the Mandalorians," he added, as he prepared to leave. "You should do the same." Luke walked away, leaving Ezra to meditate on what he said.
Kylo waited for Padme to fall asleep. She came rushing into his arms. Neither of them said anything for a few moments. They sat on the ground. Kylo put Padme on his lap, and stroked her hair. She was beautiful, and he considered himself lucky that she was with him.
"Ben, I'm going to keep my promise," she whispered to him. She stroked his dark hair. He was so handsome, he could have any girl in the galaxy. But he chose to be with her.
"Your promise?" he uttered curiously.
"Remember you asked me to tell you everything about Mandalore. But then the First Order came, Polis Masso and Mandalore were fired upon..."
Kylo had no words to say. He could only listen to Padme, as she talked about the domed cities, Sundari and the paintings she saw at the royal palace. By the time she was done, he was in tears.
Padme leaned in and began to kiss his tears away. She softly caressed his arms. She continued to kiss him, and Kylo felt the desire rise in him. She began to nibble on his ear.
"Ben," she moaned, as she nibbled on his other ear.
"Padme, we can't..." Kylo gasped, not really wanting her to stop.
"Please. Let me take your pain away." She brushed her lips against his. Their kisses were long and deep. Padme then moved her lips to Kylo's neck. A moaned escaped his lips.
"You want me, Ben," Padme told him, as she traced his chest.
"I do," he replied, before he gave her a passionate kiss. His lips found her neck, and she trembled in pleasure. He pressed her body close to his. She could feel his private area, and her chest leaned against his.
"I want you, too," she groaned as he moved his hands up and down her back. She felt a warm sensation between her legs. She moved her hand to his pants and unbuttoned them.
"Make love to me," Padme said to Kylo, her eyes meeting his. The words she said snapped him back to reality.
"No," he told her, breaking the embrace. "Not until we are together. Padme, please go!"
"But Ben, I thought you wanted this! What did I do wrong?" Padme cried.
Kylo placed his hand on Padme's cheek. She thought she did something to displease him. His heart ached for her.
"You did nothing wrong. It's just not our time yet," Kylo explained to her. "You need to defeat the Order from the outside, and I need to defeat it from within."
Padme was sad, but Ben was right. Being intimate with each other would have to wait until the war was over. She kissed him on the cheek and rose to her feet.
"I am heading with Ezra, Sabine and Luke to Hosnian Prime. We are going to testify before the Senate about Polis Masso and Mandalore," she said to him.
"Hux is sending troops to attack the base on Lothal," Kylo told her, as he stood up. "I am not sure if I want Lothal to fight against the Order, after what happened to Mandalore."
"The people there will do the right thing. Even if it cost them their lives."
"I need to find the weakness in this weapon, before Hux uses it again."
"You will find it, Ben. And when you do, tell me. I will make sure this monstrosity is destroyed."
They kissed one last time before parting. It was time for Padme to leave with Luke and Ezra, and Kylo had to go attend another meeting with Hux.
The crew of the Ghost picked up Sabine. This time, it was Ezra and his old friend that embraced each other for a long time.
"I thought I lost you," Ezra admitted, holding Sabine's hands. "When I found out Hux was there with you..."
"Ssh. I am here now," Sabine replied, pressing her finger against his lips. They walked away from Luke and Padme.
"Do you think they have feelings for each other?" Padme asked.
"Maybe, but you are not to play matchmaker," her uncle warned her.
"I know."
"Padme, when we get to Hosnian Prime, do not tell anyone the severity of the Polis Masso attack. It was bad enough the entire galaxy saw Mandalore blow up. I do not want your parents to worry."
"But they would want to know..."
"They would try to take care of me, and not do what they have to do. If I am going to die, I will die fighting the Order."
"I won't say anything. But I think you should. If they find out..."
"They won't find out. There is another matter we need to discuss. If you are going to continue to heal the soldiers, you are going to have to wear a disguise. General Hux now knows what you look like. I would try to convince you to stay with your parents, but I know you will not listen."
"I will wear the disguise," Padme promised. She had an idea of something she could do to help the cause. But she didn't tell Luke, he would forbid her to do it. But she needed to know if her idea would work. Padme vowed to try it out the next time a battle occurred.
Finally, the four of them reached Hosnian Prime. They landed early in the morning, so as to not attract attention. Ezra and Sabine disembarked first, and greeted Han and Leia. After they left, Padme ran straight to her parents. Both of them embraced her. Luke smiled at the scene. He hugged them as well. It tore him apart that this could be one of last times they would be together. He pushed that thought to the side. They were together now, and that was what mattered.
After bringing Luke and Padme to their private quarters, Leia asked about what happened at Polis Masso.
"Just an explosion," Luke lied. "There were no causalities except one." He glanced over at Han.
"What do you mean?" Has asked.
"Han, I'm sorry. The explosion blew up the Falcon." Han was horrified. His ship was gone!
"At least you are okay. Isn't that right, Han?" Leia interjected.
"Yes, of course," he replied, still in shock that the Falcon was no more.
Padme tried to be calm. Luke was not okay, but he didn't not want her parents to know.
"I am so glad the both of you are safe," Leia said to them. "Hearing about Polis Masso, then the destruction of Mandalore..." She hung her head, remembering how Alderaan was blown up years ago.
Trying to change the subject, so that Leia would not be said, Han turned to his daughter and asked,
"How's your Force bond buddy?" Padme blushed. Her father did not know that she and Ben were more than just friends.
"He's good," she replied, not wanting to say anything personal about Ben.
"Han, don't even bother. I've been asking her a year about this guy, and she refuses to say anything about him," Luke explained.
"When you tell me about your student that killed the Jedi and turned to the Dark side, then I will tell you about him," Padme argued. Han cleared his throat.
"Some guy. Doesn't even have the guts to come and meet the girls' parents!" he grunted in disgust. Padme gave him a confused look, then glanced over at Luke.
"You told them, didn't you?" she asked in disbelief. "You told them how I feel about him!"
"Padme, your parents are concerned, and so I am..." Luke started to say.
"There is nothing to be concerned about. Everyone in this room has their secrets. Well, so do I!" Turning to her father, she snapped,
"Don't judge him. You don't know the whole story!" With her fists clenched in anger, she stormed away from them, and ran up to her bedroom. She slammed the door, so that they would know how angry she was.
