(I know, I know, its been FOREVER! And my original plan was to have this chapter be SUPER long so you guys would have a lot to come back to after a 6-month hiatus, but I thought I would post what I have now since I know it's been so long! It gives you time to re-read the story if you want, and by the time you get here I might just have this section completed, the big Teyr reveal and all! It's completely mapped out, and it's not like I've stopped working on it, this has literally been 6 months of work in the making! Hold on to your polyweave belts! This big "what happened on Teyr" will be revealed all in good time!)
Princess Leia Organa splashed cool water on her face until the tears went away. She planted her hands at the sides of the sink and looked at herself in the 'fresher mirror. There was still a puffy redness under her eyes—enough to remind herself of what she had been crying about and for the tears to start again.
Leia hated herself, so it was no surprise that Han was starting to hate her, too. She was pushing away the only person who truly had her back, no matter what. Even Luke didn't fall into that category anymore. She knew Han would give his life for her or for Tess, and that he felt horrible about what happened on Teyr, and that he had given up quite a bit to come with them to Dantooine.
But something inside Leia was still stacking up that wall, brick upon brick. The wall that only weakened when she woke up screaming from the horrors of the past. So many nights she had cried in Han's arms, then when he tried to talk to her about it the next morning she completely shut him out.
It was all just too much. Alderaan was enough in itself without the past four years' events on top of it. Leia feared that the slightest acknowledgement—letting herself open up—the emotions would rush in and she wouldn't be able to stop them. When Alderaan was destroyed she did not allow herself to grieve. She instead postponed that time for after she delivered Artoo's information to the rebels. Then until after the Battle of Yavin. Then until she found out who Tess was. And the delay just kept extending.
Han was always the closest to getting Leia to revisit those feelings and try to grieve. She loved and hated him for it.
Leia knew she still loved him. There was no doubt in her mind. But she didn't want to love him. He deserved so much more. Of course that wasn't why she ended things three months ago. Then, it was because she blamed him for what happened on Teyr. But after a couple months Leia realized it really wasn't his fault and she would have landed on the nearest planet despite Luke's warnings too if Tess was the one who got sick. Now Leia kept Han at a distance because she realized that it was too late for her. She would always be building her wall, and Han would always want to break it down. It was an endless battle that could never be won on either side. She could never be the woman he wanted her to be.
Leia dried her face on a towel. This time she didn't let herself face her own reflection again. She hung the towel up and took a deep breath before turning out of the refresher, where she was faced with the barrel of a blaster.
On Teyr
Leia Organa eyed the man guarding the backstage entrance, which was a door to the far left of the platform itself that seemed to go under the stage. Behind the stage was a building that appeared to be three stories tall. On the top floor, through transparent windows the princess could see a few technicians, likely operating the lights, music, and the large screen that descended from atop the building to the level of the first and second floor. Right now the screen was down, playing a feed of previous shows.
Despite her distaste for the Empire and all who associated with them, seeing the fear on the faces of the young men in Imperial uniform made her stomach hurt. The higher-ups were, for the most part, killed in the destruction of the second Death Star. In all likelihood, they had not even worked for the Empire long enough to know what they were a part of.
But Leia could not dwell on that. This Zkab person was after people associated with the Empire, and now that the half-truths of Tess' paternity were all over the Holonet, she was in serious danger. Leia couldn't shake the horrific feeling that Zkab already had her sister.
Tess wasn't crying out—not that Leia could hear, at least. There was just a presence that felt like her sister nearby, but it was static. Almost like the feeling Leia would get when Tess was sleeping dreamlessly in the next room.
Both of the doors on the east and west side of the stage were well-guarded. For a fleeting moment, Leia wondered if she could pull off a Jedi mind trick. Before she could even think up the premise of a plan, a large hand landed on her shoulder.
Leia chose not to grab for her blaster, but even if she wanted to, the missing weight on her hip reminded her that she was unarmed. The princess faced the man behind her. He was nearly twice her height.
"Can I help you?" the princess asked him.
"Princess Leia of Alderaan," he greeted in a deep voice, bowing his head slightly. "As a hero of the Rebellion, Zkab wishes to invite you backstage for a tour."
Leia tried not to show her relief at the convenient offer.
The princess was escorted through long, white-walled halls with black floors that she could see her reflection in. They passed a few doors here and there with black and gold frames. They were numbered rather than labeled, like a company building.
Though the princess couldn't feel Tess any stronger than before, she knew her sister was here. She made up her mind to delay any drastic moves until she had a better idea of where Tess was and how to free her.
Zkab would not be able to fool the public about Leia. Like Bail Organa, she was a leader of the Rebellion and though it wasn't widely publicized somehow everyone seemed to know it. Ever since the Empire destroyed her home planet, she became the very face of Palpatine's opposition. But Tess—with the recent half-truths about her paternity revealed on the HoloNet—stood no chance in an anti-Empire show like this.
Leia was lead into an elevator that brought them to the second floor—marked 'stage level' of Zkab's production building. It was quite a change from the first floor. It looked like an elegant hotel lobby. There was a sitting room with a fireplace to the left, and just past it through open double doors was a dining area with a long rectangular table. A man with purple hair sat at the edge of it, but politely stood when he saw Leia. He smiled, and it was surprisingly charming.
Despite the off-putting purple spikes of hair, Zkab was an attractive man. He was around two metres tall with a lean muscular build, a square jaw, and gray eyes peering through dark lashes. His ears were a little on the large side. His complexion was golden, just a touch away from looking like he was wearing too much of some sort of bronzing ointment. The princess guessed that he was maybe forty years old, though he didn't look it. The way he smiled, the way he carried himself, Leia could already read so much from him. Power—power he knew he had and was very protective of. The confidence of a professional. The poise of a royal. A chill crawled down Leia's spine as a look Zkab gave her almost identically resembled one she had seen on Grand Moff Tarkin.
"Princess," Zkab greeted with a deep bow. "Though I'm sure introductions are unnecessary for both of us, I am Zkab Duetifeur. Would you be so kind as to join me for a little refreshment?"