Author's Note: Well, we're in the past... we've met Anakin for the first time and the plot has officially arrived! And it's only chapter 8! Thank you for sticking it out this far, I sure hope the journey has been enjoyable.
Though I did promise shorter author's notes, I realized I needed to make an exception here. In looking through all your wonderful reviews, I noticed a few questions I wanted to answer that won't spoil the plot any.
Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay- You are right, the timeline is a bit distorted. Though I try to stick to the source material as closely as I can, these two events did get moved around a bit for the sake of a few plot points I have in mind. The way I'm trying to convey it, Padme did contract the Blue Shadow Virus at the time of the original timeline, but I have changed one detail, her body was somewhat resistant to the cure, so she has coughing fits occasionally that keep her home. I did this for a reason, and I hope that, when the why is revealed, the change is worth it.
I've also broken the Banking Clan Scandal events apart. The episode does state that an investigation and a change of power have to be enacted during that time, so I am making the (probably safe) assumption that not all events occurred one after another. Usually huge conspiracies like that take months to resolve, and even longer to repair, so I don't think I am stretching this too far. The Old Republic clearly was a bureaucracy. In this way, I am able to pull other episodes out into the in between, as Padme's regular life would still continue while these investigations took place. She would simply come by to review the procedures and findings.
Thank you though for pointing this out. I will try to better lay out my setting more concisely in the future.
Bunnyofthemoon89- Sorry, I posted a response once before but it disappeared...weird... Anyways, you are right. I didn't really explain who Luke and Leia have met thus far. The Jedi talking to Yoda was Mace Windu, but I realize that his personality and description were lacking. Sorry about that. Also, Leia was talking to him in the secret room, but, again, that was not made clear (Which is too bad... imagine his face when Skywalker told him he walked to the Temple from Scipio).
I will do my best to better describe these characters, even if they are merely passing through the scene. Again, thank you for making this known to me. And thank you for electing to read Shmi's Story, thus far you are the first and I appreciate the support... we'll just have to see :).
I really appreciate the feedback I get in your reviews. I do read them all, even if I don't respond to them on a post or PM, and I take them into consideration when I edit out my story. It is especially helpful when you all point out what is missing or overdone in my story. I write so much when I sit down, and edit things as best I can, but I only have two eyes and one overworked brain.
Thank you for your helping me bring you a better story. I can't thank you all enough, honestly. Please keep up with the awesome reviews!
Now... On with the show!
Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.
She'd forgotten what this era felt like, with the torrent of winds clamoring around the upper levels of Coruscant like a typhoon of regret and anguish. The people were living like shadows, torn between fear and cockiness. This elected center of the galaxy had yet to face a confrontation in its own Clone Wars, but it felt the effects of it none-the-less.
Power outages and increased crime, rationing and the black market. Darth Sidious had created the perfect breeding ground for greed and manipulation. He'd constructed his plot well, allowing himself more stately gifts while the dividing lines between wealthy and wasting grew wider. His entourage were merely animals in fancy clothes, each eagerly stealing what they could for themselves.
Even the gleaming buildings, now shining in the sun's setting light, were starting to taint into their gloomier, future counterparts.
Yet still, smiles passed her by, and the eagerness of youth skipped around her. This past was not near as corrupt as the time that followed, when the empire reigned. But the darkness is still enough to feed a Shaetin. She realized.
Pestilis sighed as she surveyed the whole of Coruscant. She knew that the Skywalkers were no longer sleeping easily on the floor of the Temple. Rather, they were now leaving the temple themselves. Her mind's eye saw their beacon like Force-presences as they moved towards the Senatorial District, though, for what reason, she could not fathom.
Despite the confusing move on their part, she still cussed to herself in every language she knew. Her dark words did little upon the harsh winds, but they relieved some of her tension at least. She'd sensed her mistake in educating her buffoon apprentices nearly seconds after she'd finished her exposition.
The boy had been awake.
Knowing that he was apt to study and learn fast, his sister's capacity not far behind his own, Pestilis began debating the many outcomes of this development. Not liking the many options, she then started considering what could be done to distract them for the time being. Something that would pull them into weakness and away from the Jedi women she wanted to badly to hunt.
Fortunately, Anhilis returned from the under-levels of Coruscant. It wasn't her presence that solved any real problem. Even the smile on her face as she appeared with one of Pestilis's many credit stashes did nothing to ease her. No, it was the fact that she turned to address her that the solution appeared. Well, more like her inspiration did at the sight of one particularly well known figure on the HoloCast on a nearby display board.
She smirked wildly, watching from the bridge as speeders raced below the projected image of one very, very important senator.
The mountains really were beautiful. After enough time driving through them, he had to admit that in some way. And, normally, he'd be drinking in the view with his special someone, but they, well, weren't on any good terms right now. As he drove, Anakin glanced over towards the still upset Padme Amidala.
I said I was sorry,he thought to himself as he turned the speeder a little, matching the strong wind current coming his way, but noo, not good enough. His brow furrowed as he fought back his own frustrations. And she was frustrating sometimes.
In the distance, he could see a small set of dots that were likely the windows of Rush Clovis's private estate. Almost instantly, he felt his bitterness begin to boil. He didn't feel unjustified in how he felt either. "Is that it?" he asked Padme, who only moved enough to glance in the general direction they were heading.
"Yes," she told him before crossing her arms once more and continuing to stare into the mountains, "That is it." Anakin sighed and fought the urge to grumble to himself.
But even while perplexed and upset, he still couldn't help admiring just how lovely she looked in the sunlight. "I missed you." He suddenly added, which seemed to soften her up just a bit. She tried to hide it though with a hurrumph and a glance another direction. But even he could see that she was smiling.
Anakin landed the speeder on the small pad attached to Clovis's residence. It was a complex of many disk shaped buildings forged from steel sitting atop the mountain side. The place looked decent on the outside, if your style was snowball. I've always preferred more... he contemplated his words carefully, ship-like abodes. Then he chuckled when he realized he practically lived on a ship.
"Do we have to do this?" he near moaned as they approached the front door, having walked the cold and windy landing that seemed to last forever and a half. Padme merely glared at him a moment before entering the door.
The inside was even less to his liking, as the place had been torn through like it had its own personal tornado. "Nice place." Anakin commented flatly, "Is the maid on strike?"
Padme glanced at him in warning, "Chances are someone's been through here, looking for the same thing we are." Anakin grumbled again, crossing his arms as he watched his wife scour the sides of the living room for signs or clues of where Clovis had hidden her data-transponder.
"Well, let's hope they did, so we can go."
Padme actually stopped and stared at him with her intense brown eyes, her mouth agape. "It's like you think the work I do doesn't matter! Sometimes, Anakin, I swear you are so-"
"-P-Padme?" came the hushed voice of a distraught Rush Clovis. He popped his head out from behind a couch like a lost prairie dog. "Is that you?" She quickly stepped over his direction, a smile of relief on her face.
"Rush?" She asked as she neared him, he standing at his full height nearly half a foot over her head, "Are, are you all right?" Rush sighed and embraced her, not caring that it brought the towering blonde in the room to a boil nearby.
Padme glanced at Anakin in apology, but he did not see it. Nor did he see her push the gentleman away to an arms length. His vision was punctuated. Rush. Red. Hug. Red. Padme and Rush. Red. It was getting hard to think. And then that burning came back near his heart and he had to stop and register that there was more at play than his inhibited perspective.
"If you two have had enough," Anakin almost snarled, "I think we'd better get going." He turned specifically to Clovis with malice in his eyes, as much as in his now burning heart, "The data-transponder, if you will." Clovis eyed him angrily and stepped back, pulling the transponder closer to him.
"I'm not trusting information this valuable to a common pilot!" he decreed, lifting his chest high to show just how much he thought of himself, or so Anakin thought. Padme jumped in.
"Rush please!" she cried out, stepping in between the two men. She was certain there was going to be a fight. Something inside her warned her of that.
"Common pilot!" Anakin retorted loudly, "Try the Jedi-Knight that is saving your ass!"
Rush went nearly nose to nose with him, "Like you did on Cato Nemoido? Because I seem to recall you leaving me there empty handed and ready to die!"
Anakin seethed at the reminder, "You got Padme poisoned!"
"BOYS!" Padme cried out, unable to endure any more of their masculinity bouncing off the walls. She knew exactly what this was: it was a surprise of Anakin's that she'd discovered shortly after their being married. He is a very passionate man. The problem was he was too passionate at times and nearly always overprotective. Territorial was another word for it, and it frustrated her to no end. This wasn't the first former beau of hers to get the stink eye from her beloved husband. And he had one hell of a stink eye. "I think we have more important things to worry about."
If her words didn't snap them out of their masculine brawl, the first few shots fired at them did. Instantly, the two men looked at one another, as though calling a temporary truce for the sake of the woman in the room, and bolted with her towards the speeder. But, as they ran, they soon discovered that there was more to the situation than met the eye.
As Bail Organa entered into his office to attend to his usual day of work, he found himself more restless than usual. Work was rather difficult, as the steel and stone features of his office, decorated to remind him of his precious Alderaan, did little to ease his mind. It was hard to not stare out his wall sized window and dream. Of course, that was to be expected. Breha had just given him the news!
He was to be a father soon! At last, after years of trying!
With a wide grin on his face, he turned towards his work with unbridled energy. Today was a good day. And hopefully, so too would tomorrow.
Instantly, he pressed his intercom and began addressing his assistant with a myriad of queries. She, being the patient woman that she was, took not of each one and began explaining the processes of each of his requests. But that news didn't bother him today, he was in no rush. "Thank you Caria." He wished her off as he cut the feed. Rubbing his hands together in nervous energy, he stopped to admire the view once more.
A view he hoped to show his future son or daughter.
But, as he settled into his work, he did not see the small tube enter his office through the vents. The one that allowed a peculiar cloud of orange to flow silently into the room.
Luke and Leia had just exited the temple and were now donning their lightsabers once more. Rather than strap them out in the open, they took advantage of what their civilian clothes could do for them. Their weapons were locked and hidden inside their coverings. With the way Luke's jacket billowed around his lean body, no one would have guess he had a lightsaber there. And Leia's stylish white shawl did the same.
Confident that they would not be bothered, the two strolled on down the main pedestrian walk towards the Galactic Senate Hall on Senate Square. They weren't sure where to start, and were just following their feet as they brainstormed ideas. Well, Luke was, anyways.
"So where do we start?" Luke wondered aloud, practically in a trance as he walked. Leia shrugged as she grabbed at his arm, to keep them from being separated as the lane narrowed near the larger buildings. It astounded her how many people were out this late. One of almost every sentient the galaxy had to offer strode right on by them, two or three in groups or gaggles at times. More often than not, most failed to notice them or care. Once in a while, a youth would stop and stare, but Leia was certain it had little to do with who they were. After all, no one knew of them in this time. Fame had nothing to do with it here. Stupid genetics.
She turned her attention to the scenery and not the frustrating oglers. All around them, Coruscant seemed to grow taller. This was to be expected as they neared the more important government buildings. Only the main commercial district seemed to tower any higher.
Waiting for his sister to throw an idea out, Luke listed off what he was certain of, "Father is off world, and we can't be certain who our mother is yet." Leia nodded, still silent, "We know our enemies are after mother specifically, but we cannot assume they wont hurt father if they have to." Still no response from his sister.
"We need to get close to father," Luke added as they turned a corner towards the senate hall, not aware that his sister was guiding their footsteps, "But not so much that he can identify us in the future... the question is how."
At last, Leia spoke up, "You can."
Luke gulped; he hated when his sister got like this. "I'm not doing this alone." He outright told her.
"And I'm not going near that monster again."
Alarms ahead of them pulled them out of their argument.
It was then that Luke looked up and realized where their path had taken them. He sighed and turned to a pale faced Leia and shook his head. She wanted to see her father.
Rushing to the scene as fast as they could, Leia arrived in just enough time to push through the crowd and catch a glimpse of her adoptive father being pushed by on a stretcher. He was ghastly pale and had a breathing mask on him. His hair even seemed to be falling out.
"Luke!" She cried out, jumping into his arms to cry. Luke wrapped his flesh arm around her, and attempted to console his sister. "This never happened! Why is-" she sobbed.
Reaching out with the Force, Luke probed the body of the senator as the remainder of the medidroid and doctor team pulled themselves together to go directly to the hospital. The tone of the Force energy was chaotic, filled with fear, hate and even glee. It was hard to sense anything with his senses so tired and so many bystanders around him. He didn't see the peculiar Jedi warrior with dark hair and eyes turn around in just enough time to pick him out of the crowd. Even as he pulled his presence away.
But, despite the effort, Luke was satisfied with what he'd found. "He's fine." He decided. "He's only got a little scarring and his body is already healing." As she heard that, Leia backed up and stared into her brother's eyes incredulously before spinning around and watching the ambulance fly away.
"You're sure?" She wanted to know. Luke nodded.
"His lungs took the most of the effects." He admitted to her carefully, sending her feelings of assurance through the Force, "They are swollen, but that breathing mask his helping. Some of his skin got burned too, but none of it is more than minor burns... He should be fine and fast." Leia sighed and held her brother closely.
"Then we need to move and look after him." She decided suddenly, though not entirely sure how they would get anywhere in Coruscant without credits.
Luke nodded, but then his eyes turned towards a presence that was touching his, probing. Trying to detect sensitivity. "Sister..." Luke warned, asking Leia to pull her own presence in as he hid himself away in the Force . As she did this, the familiar face of the lovely Knight Potkin raised a brow and turned away from them.
Both let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. "Who's that?" Leia asked, knowing Luke had memorized most of the old Jedi Masters.
"Shadday Potkin." Luke told her, "Jedi Master and one of our top candidates."
Leia sighed, "Perhaps that is why they did this..."
Luke nodded, "I get the feeling that witch is behind this as well." Leia frowned and turned her eyes back towards Potkin curiously.
"I don't think that it's her." She told him flat out, turning her dark brown eyes back to his quizzical blue ones, "I remember our mother's presence... she doesn't feel a thing like her. Despite being sad, mother's spirit was much... warmer." Luke's brows raised, but when he felt Leia's certainty in their bond, he nodded.
"I trust you." He assured her, pouring his confidence into her through the Force, "And perhaps we should follow Organa. Another candidate might pop up if we watch over him." Leia smiled and pulled at her brother's arm, headed towards the taxis as they did. While they moved, she caught the suspicious brown eyes of Potkin eyeing her wearily. Apparently Luke did as well, because he turned just a moment before the Jedi walked off.
"So, Luke?" Leia asked as they proceeded closer to the edge of the platform.
"Yeah, Lay?" He replied while glancing about at the myriad of people surrounding them, trying to find the three that he knew attacked Bail Organa. He was among the best Force-trackers in the Order, but that didn't mean he was infallible.
Despite his being distracted, Leia continued with her musings, "So I was thinking-"
"-Did it hurt?" Luke couldn't resist. He turned to his sister with a coy smile, which grew wider when she frowned at him, hands on her hips and all. He smiled at her coyly and inquired "What were you thinking?"
"We need to really have an in depth look at our situation here..." She told him haughtily, "We're flat broke!" Luke rolled his eyes and chuckled, wrapping an arm around his sister as he did this. She was starting to shiver again, which had him worried.
"So, we need to find an ethical means of acquiring credits then."
His sister nodded, sidestepping a wide Twil'ek that was making a statement before a HoloNews cam like a dramatic soap opera star. She glanced at him a moment, certain she knew him, but shrugged off the idea as irrelevant. Even as the reporter inquired, "Senator Oni Free Ta, were you the one who found Senator Organa in such a state?"
Leia rolled her eyes, and moved onward with her thoughts, "I was also thinking that it would probably be best not to use our names here. I mean, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa might draw some unwanted attention: especially since those are high profile last names in this era..." Luke nodded as they made another turn to the right, dodging few droids with a camera crew.
"I think avoiding our first names wouldn't hurt too." Luke added, "Especially since we might influence our parents' choices in our names, if we get unlucky enough to run into them, and I rather like mine.'" Leia looked up at him and chuckled.
"You can be a real dweeb sometimes." She pointed out with a grin. When he looked down at her with raised brows, Leia merely shrugged, "My god's given right as your sister." To that he laughed along with her.
Leia enjoyed moments like these. In some ways, it seemed very natural to be Luke's sister, and in others it was a very strange experience. Especially in being raised as an only child. When their walls came down and they behaved as they imagined they should have, the world got a bit lighter. The missing years started to fill in and they found they had less regrets about their lives.
But, for all the normal being raised as a moisture farmer had instilled in him, Luke was still someone unique. It was as if he'd peeked beyond the curtain and understood the universe a little better than most people. And that knowledge made him very strange to be around sometimes. Even in moments when they laughed with one another, like now.
But after a time, Leia grew glum. So glum that Luke noticed it in their extraordinary bond. Other Force-sensitives were aghast with how interlocked they were in spirit, as though one completed the other in some strange way. Most other Force-masters, like Queen Julia, had never met two twins so tied to one another. When they learned Luke and Leia grew up apart, that only perplexed them more. Queen Julia even joked that it made sense that the twins had mistaken this bond for attraction, as attraction did have as powerful a pull. But their bond drew lines attraction did not, and opened doors that the latter couldn't as well.
"What's the matter?" he inquired gently, bringing her closer to him with his arm as he hailed a cab with his mechanical one.
Leia sighed, "I highly doubt our father had anything to do with naming us."
Drawing in a deep sigh, Luke rubbed at Leia's shoulder, trying to help her through that darkness that filled her when she thought of their father. At his worst, Vader had tortured Leia relentlessly: physically, mentally and emotionally. She still had many difficulties getting past that, despite the fact that she acknowledged he was once a good man. Once upon a time, before Palpatine got his claws in him. She insisted to her brother that the real evil was Palpatine the puppeteer, and that was how she'd continue to view it. Though, most times she didn't follow through.
"Leia." Luke said as they progressed further down the lane to catch a cab that wasn't already claimed by nosy bystanders, "The other masters and I were talking... You've progressed well in your training and are actually ready to face your trial." Leia considered this a while before a wide smile grew upon her face.
"Is this why you were so eager to give me Luci Tano as a Padawan?" She suggested wryly. Luke chuckled at the prospect and nodded.
"Yes." He replied, "But that wasn't the only thing I had to tell you. You see, we'd meditated for hours on what your trial was likely to be... and it wont be easy." Leia chuckled at him, rolling her eyes as she did.
"I thought they weren't supposed to be easy." She decreed, "Ergo the title trial."
Luke nodded and smiled, "My trial was to face father. To confront him and his darkness. To resist the temptation of following in his footsteps. Only then could I become a Jedi." Leia took his flesh hand in hers and turned her eyes up to him in sympathy. She remembered that night well, the one in which he'd revealed their identities as brother and sister and then disappeared to save their father from the darkness.
"And you succeeded." She reminded him. "You did more for him than he ever did for us in that single moment. You redeemed him." Luke smiled at her, his blue eyes still haunted by the experience.
"I'd learned then that resisting the darkness was an eternal battle." He told her, "One linked to all of us, but that I am most susceptible because of our father. The temptation to hate him was there. Easy to access even. And for you..." he paused a moment to choose his words carefully, "It's pungent."
Leia nodded, her face falling into a frown, "I've never denied that." She admitted.
"Which is why it is your trial." Luke told her gently, "Your task is quite simple. You have to accept our father for all that he is. Accept the fact that you come from him as I have." Leia was silent a moment as she contemplated this, chewing on the side of her lip as her brain moved from thought to thought. After a time, her rich brown eyes darted up to her brother's icy blue ones.
"Simple, but not easy." Leia noted with a hint of disdain. Lord Vader was not a favorite topic of hers by any means. But she understood why this was her task. For her to shine as bright as Luke, she would have to accept all of herself, even her father's blood.
"What is?" Luke asked with a slight smirk, pouring his encouragement into the meld, "But... I mention this now because we are presented with an extraordinary opportunity here." Leia glanced at him a moment before rolling her eyes.
"You want me to get to know Vader..." she realized, "Even though it risks both of our identities once he turns?" Luke nodded.
"I think learning who he is from a distance should suffice, if we are fortunate enough to keep such space." He told her earnestly, "But I think that this chance in the past will allow you to reach your true potential, to experience what it means to be a Skywalker. To allow you to own our name as I have. Identity can be everything in the Force. And nothing, for that matter." For a while, Leia said nothing, her spirits sunk and her eyes set straight ahead. So Luke added gently, "I would have told you in our time, but-"
"-But we had to get attacked again." Leia added with a smile.
Luke rolled his eyes time, "You say that like its normal for us." Leia just stared at him.
"I'm not even dignifying that comment with a reply. It's like the law of being a Skywalker, or something, to find trouble." She told him, bringing a wider smile to his face as they rounded another corner. The area soon transformed into the uptown shopping district, laden with fashion, food and entertainment of a civilized sort. But still, despite this, no taxi would dare venture to the twins and pass up the fat purse of the person beside the them.
What would it have been like to grow up here with mom and dad? She wondered internally. Luke shrugged, having heard her thoughts again.
"Coruscanti-Jedi weren't supposed to have families." Luke replied, "If father were a Corelian or Altisian-Jedi, that would have been something else." Leia sighed. Sometimes I want my mind all to myself again... Luke smiled.
You and me both.
They were silent a while as they stared at the old Coruscanti Senate yard, aware of each other's presence, and yet basking in the silence of their minds. After a time, Luke asked. What should we do first then? Leia turned to him, her eyes confused, They've already attacked your father. We need to plant our feet and hold the line against them now.
But convincing them we're from the future seems pretty well impossible. Leia realized as she muddled this over. There were so many things to factor in. So many possibilities of something going wrong. Too many things they were now accountable for.
We need to construct our aliases. Real ones. Leia finally decided, We can't just change our names and expect people to buy that. We need backgrounds. Medical information. Ways to cover for one another if we get hurt. Friends.
Luke sighed as he heard that. Well, good thing we are already going to the hospital.
With wide smiles, despite fierce shivers, Luke and Leia finally found the way to another level. The already lively cityscape of Coruscant soon changed to the more fierce traffic of the upper-middle class levels. Aircars sped by, speeders beside them as the wild traffic bounded across the sky. Above them was the stone colored temple, orange from the now setting sun. And higher still, the Senate hall, long before it was remodeled and renovated. It was a sight to behold, even as outdated models of speeders and droids raced on by. Luke and Leia could only glance on, their jaws dropped wide.
"Wow." Luke said first, his sister echoing him shortly after. "What a view!"
Leia turned to him with brown eyes wide and smiled wider, "Imagine what we could learn while we are here... Jacen." Luke smiled as she said that.
"Jacen?" He asked. His sister nodded, "That is the name I should go by? And what of you?"
"Jaina." She told him, "After Han's mother. Han and I have been talking about starting a family, these names were at the top of our lists." Luke chuckled a moment as he echoed the names, liking both of them instantly.
But then, in his brotherly way, he had to add, "You know, you skipped a letter." To that Leia busted out laughing.
"I said the same thing when I realized it!" She proclaimed and then added, "Well... I picked our first names, so you need to pick the last name."
Luke lowered his face and raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, "Oh, do I now?" Without a word to reply, Leia jumped off the scaffolding that they stood upon and landed safely, thanks to the Force, on the next level below. Her brother followed soon after. For them to find any help, they knew they had to be on the level that they appeared to belong to. Many of their comrades had always said they dressed a little too informal for their actual status. But Leia would sooner die a martyr than portray herself as better than anyone else while out of the senate and Luke grew up a peasant. It was a hard adjustment to ask of either of them.
Now in nearing some of the middle-class levels, they knew they would be able to find some hospitality. They understood that the more of the sun you saw on Coruscant, the more money you had.
"Why me anyways?" Luke suddenly prodded, realizing he was not the best choice for name choosing. "Or is this just some sisterly ploy for revenge regarding the thinking comment? And are we sharing a name? Or do you get your own?" Leia chuckled at how flustered he was getting.
"I think we should share." She told him with a grin, "I mean, we never actually have shared our last name anyways." Luke let out a sigh of relief... at least his work was halved now.
"Perhaps not..." he realized as they stood before some diner belonging to a large Besalisk male by the name of Dex. The energetic, four armed, amphibian looking man stood outside his shop with a cigar in hand, chatting it up with some dangerous looking adventurer. "You were hidden the most so that you could be our last line of defense if I fell to the dark side or died."
Leia sighed and rolled her eyes, "Than my identity needs to be someone clearly not related to you. Plain and simple." Luke sighed, rolled his eyes and hailed a taxi that was speeding nearby.
Even as the speeder landed, Luke found himself distraught at the job before him. He could invent tactical plans for any situation, master any Force task presented to him, but creating cover names was another story. What was worse is he as also locked into the debate about how he was going to pay for this ride with New Republic Credits... "Cripes, sis, I'm no good at this."
Leia chuckled as she got inside. "Just pick one you know no one would recognize... not even Palpatine himself." Luke scooted in next to her as he deliberated, but there were few names he could think of that would suffice. As he considered options, the Trandoshan Cab driver turned to them and hissed for directions.
"The hospital please." Leia attempted, her eyes falling onto the walls of the temple while her brother was distracted. She half expected a plethora of Jedi to come raining down on them, but they hadn't yet so she was counting her blessings.
"Darklighter." Luke decided. When Leia glanced at him, she saw that he was determined with this choice. "Darklighter is the best choice."
Leia smiled when she heard this, going so far as to kiss her brother's cheek, an action she reserved for his moments of brilliance. "So we are Jacen and Jaina Darklighter." To that, Luke smiled back. It had been quite a while since he'd heard his best friend's last name. Not since he'd sold his farm to Bigg's family after the Galactic Civil War.
Their Trandoshan driver clearly had not been listening, for as they turned down the lane towards the Upper Senatoral-General Hospital, he inquired, "So, you two married?"
Glancing over at Leia, Luke thought about that and shuddered a bit. Well, I'd clearly not be related to you with that cover. Leia pointed out.
Luke shrugged as he considered that, Yeah, but... it is an awkward thought, posing as a married couple.
Oh whatever! You were drooling over me when we first met anyways, Leia chided him, And remind me, what percentage of your Rogues thought we were together during the Civil War again? I think we can pull this off by being ourselves. "Newlyweds." He finally replied, to which his sister raised her eyebrows to.
"Really?" The gray, lizard-like creature inquired, "Here on business or honeymoon?"
"Both." Leia replied with a grin. The driver nodded, whistling even, which impressed the 'couple'. The lizard creatures were known more for their clacking jaws and hisses, yet this man seemed able to articulate around his hissing tongue fairly easily.
"Must be exciting!" He replied, "Are you two staying on Corusant long?" The two of them glanced at one another again.
"Actually," Luke replied, recognizing an opening when he saw one, "We sort-of had some banking troubles, so we can't leave till they're resolved." The Trandoshan lifted his brows.
"You able to pay for this ride?" When Luke turned away, he got his answer, "I see..."
Leia glanced down at the news reel in the cab, was struck with an epiphany, and leaned forward, "It's only supposed to be temporary. The news said that Padme Amidala is working with the Banking Clan for our credit as a republic right now, which might be why. So if you give us your car number, we can send you our payment once we can. You can even IOU us or something." The Trandoshan looked at the two of them in his rear view mirror as he pulled into the parking garage.
"Normally I'd just call the cops and cuff your arses." He told them, his yellow eyes very intent on the two of them. He waited a bit long, however, in making up his mind, as Luke was swift as ever to let his eyes close slightly, forcing his good intentions and his will on the lizard man. He was victim to the mind-trick long before he was aware something seemed off in his head. "But there is something about you two I trust, so... sure."
Ever the politician, Leia gleefully replied to him, "Than you Mr.-"
"-Talkus." he filled in for her, "Magmus Talkus." Magmus reached for his card and passed it back to Leia before getting his own datapad out. "I'll need your names and contact for the IOU." Leia smiled before turning to her brother.
"Mr. and Mrs. Jacen Darklighter." She told him with a smirk, amazed as to how their luck was turning out to be... for now, anyways.
Author's Note: In writing this story, I was trying to consider how Luke and Leia would interact with their new environment, or, rather, how they would hide in it. They way I figured, these are two really fricken' smart people. They have been through a lot, and so their worldly knowledge would be extraordinary. They would think of emergency situations, how to best hide who they were, and (especially with Luke) how to keep Leia's lineage as secret as possible since she was the last hope of the galaxy. Them pretending to be married seemed the most logical approach, but it took me a long time to get there, I played with a lot of other scenarios first. Frankly, with all the awkwardness, this seemed the most fun. And... it was an especially humorous call when you consider that their mother and father are pretending NOT to be married.
For those of you who were all WHAT! when you read that, I hope this doesn't turn the story on you.
Please, let me know what you think of this chapter in your review. I value all feedback!