"There's something I've been thinking about," Jorec told Lia in the empty office of Bail Organa. They were supposed to meet the Senator of Alderaan inside of his office thirty minutes ago, but they soon received word that both of his adopted daughters had come down with a nasty case of Alderaanian Measles and needed to see a medical droid. It was estimated that this much-needed delay would only take a half-hour. "I wanted to ask you before I actually planned on going through with it."
"What is it?" Lia asked.
"Ever since meeting Master It'kla, I've realized that an opportunity has arisen. I can complete my training as a Jedi; be better able to protect our baby, you, and myself if the Empire ever finds us again."
"It's fine with me," Lia said after a few seconds of thinking the options over. "If that's what you really want to do. Don't do it just for me."
"It isn't just for you," Jorec replied. "After my capture, I've actually given it a lot of serious thought."
"Speaking of training, what if our child's Force-sensitive?" she asked. "Are you going to want to train him or her?" Yet in her mind was a far different question. If the child was Force-sensitive, what exactly was going to happen? Were Force-sensitive children so hard to raise that parents shipped them off to the Jedi? She mentally reminded herself to ask Master It'kla the next time she saw him.
"It's best we discuss that when we actually learn if he or she has the potential to be trained," Jorec answered her. "And at this point, I really don't know if I want to train him or her. I doubt I'd be the best teacher."
The sound of the door opening ended their conversation. The two of them turned their heads to see Bail Organa enter the room. "Greetings," the Alderaanian senator said as he sat in his seat behind the desk. "It's always nice to see another Jedi that has survived," he began. "Especially after what I saw happen."
"The Temple burning," Jorec began, calling to his mind the images of the "Jedi Rebellion" that he had viewed in numerous history datapads. "It must have been horrible to see when you're actually on the planet."
Bail Organa wished that he didn't have to remember what he had actually seen, and he secretly hoped that the Jedi didn't want to know. He's only 23, Bail Organa thought. Must have been 13 when it happened. "I was actually there," he admitted. "I saw the commotion happen at the Temple, and I had to take a look for myself."
Jorec gritted his teeth, knowing full well of the descriptions that would no doubt await. "Lia, honey, you might want to step out of the room for a while," he cautioned her. "It's going to be disturbing, and I'm not even sure if I want to hear it."
"I can put two and two together, Jorec," she replied with a look of both sadness and horror on her face. "You told me that you were an infant when the Jedi. The Empire killed them, didn't they?" she asked despite already knowing the answer. The only thing that Bail Organa could do was silently nod.
"Are you both okay for me to continue?" Bail asked after a few seconds of silence. "When I landed I was 'greeted' by the forces of the 501st Legion," he began after seeing both of his guests nodding. "They simply told me to leave the premises. That there was a rebellion going on.
"It was then that I figured out that it wasn't what it seemed to be. The clone troopers practically threatened my life unless I left the premises of the Temple immediately. It was then that a survivor made his presence known."
"A survivor?" Jorec asked. "In the Temple?"
"It was a young boy, by the name of Zett Jukassa. Or at least, that's what the Imperial records called him. He almost made it out," Bail continued. "He cut down several Clone Troopers on the way to my speeder; he must have been hiding and found his chance for escape. He was cut down by the troops just a few meters from my speeder. It was then that I decided to help any Jedi I could. Help them survive that massacre."
"Hold on a second," Jorec interrupted. "What was that you said about 'Imperial records?'"
"A few months after the Temple burned, Pestage compiled a list of almost all of the Jedi that were killed and the 'reason' why they were executed. It's complete Imperial propaganda, you should pay no attention to it."
"I have to know," Jorec replied. "What did they say about a Master Merrick Fionst and any Padawan of his?"
"I have it on my computer," Bail Organa answered. "I can have it pulled up almost immediately."
"Can you please do that?"
"Okay, the full Imperial excuse on why they murdered Master Fionst," Bail Organa responded about a minute later.
"General Fionst, Merrick. Assigned to the 135th Legion with CT-4599, also known as Commander Hal. Upon receiving their order to rebel upon the news of the death of Separatist General Grievous, Jedi Fionst and his Padawan (name unknown) proceeded to attempt a terrorist action inside of the Republic base. General Fionst was in the process of planting a Class Five explosive inside of the main barracks. Attempts to talk Fionst out of his action failed, and it was with great sadness that 4599 was forced to execute the general. Two other Jedi were also executed nearby for similar attempt. Fionst's Padawan was accidentally killed while attempting to flee from custody. A hearing was subsequently scheduled.
"Addendum: After a two week long hearing, CT-1990 and CT-0091 were cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of the young Padawan."
"You were right, Senator, complete Imperial propaganda," Jorec responded after hearing the official version of his Master's murder and of his supposed death.
"Why were you so interested?" Bail sat for a second before figuring it out. "That unnamed Padawan is you, isn't it Jorec?"
"It was," Jorec simply replied. "Now, where were you?"
"I believe I was explaining about my initial actions of helping the Jedi. I departed Coruscant in my ship, determined to save as many lives as I could. I found two Jedi that had survived: Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"So two members of the Council were still alive!" Jorec exclaimed. "What about the others? Master Windu, Master Ti, Master Skywalker…" Jorec could sense something wrong with Bail Organa's mental reaction to the name of Skywalker. "Senator, what about Master Skywalker?"
"I shouldn't be telling you this," Bail Organ began to say. "You two do have a right to know, however. It may save your lives in the long run. Anakin Skywalker was the reason why the Jedi were destroyed. According to Masters Kenobi and Yoda, he joined the Sith."
Despite his best attempts otherwise, Jorec's face betrayed the shock he felt upon hearing the announcement. Anakin Skywalker had betrayed the Order. The Chosen One had not destroyed the Sith as was prophesized, but he had destroyed the Jedi.
Lia, however, didn't even make an attempt at hiding her reaction. The Jedi hero she had heard about in the news reports as a child had destroyed the Republic. And in his new form, he was effectively responsible for the violence that had happened when Jorec and she had escaped from Selvernos.
It was then that Jorec remembered someone from the news archives. And as he put his arm around Lia he couldn't help but shudder. "Anakin is Darth Vader, isn't he?"
"As far as I know, yes," Organa replied. "If you somehow get a message from him, don't reply to it. They already attempted to that by having a beacon in the Temple order all Jedi to return to Coruscant."
"You say that Master Kenobi and Yoda survived," Jorec began, quickly putting the shocking news of Vader's identity aside as more pressing matters entered his mind. He would have time to ponder Anakin's betrayal of the Jedi Order later. "What of the others?"
"I'm afraid that most of them are dead, Jorec. Several of my subordinates were able to save about twelve other Jedi, but I don't know of their current locations, or even if they're still alive."
"We need hiding," Jorec said. "The Empire found out about me, and tried to kill both my fiancé and myself on Selvernos. I know that it sounds rude, but I have three people to worry about here, myself included."
"Yes, Master It'kla did tell me about the child you two are expecting. I offer my congratulations."
"Thank you," Lia said. "We really do need a place where this Empire and Darth Vader can't find us. We've come to believe that you can help us. Can you?"
"I've exhausted a lot of my connections in the past ten years," Bail began. "However, it probably is possible. However, living here on Alderaan is out of the question. What with Ylenic already here and that recent fiasco involving a grass painting offending a visiting Palpatine, an additional Jedi presence here could be disastrous. I do, however, have several friendly contacts that could help you. Most of them are senators, although many are somewhat wary of harboring Jedi after what happened on Naboo nine years ago."
"I heard about that on the Holonews when I was a teenager," Lia said. "There was a cover story, however, about the Empire trying to save the queen."
"They were trying to save the Queen, alright. Just like they had to execute Master Fionst for planting a bomb on the base…" Jorec added sarcastically. "Who are these contacts? If I may ask."
Bail Organa slid a datapad towards the two. Jorec picked it up and began to read the names contained on the datapad. The names were of people from various planets: a senator from Chandrila, another senator from Galagos, a security officer from Corellia, and a senator from Brodo Asogi were among the names.
"I'm sure that all of these people are entirely trustworthy?" Jorec asked the Alderaanian senator.
"As far as I know, yes," Bail replied.
"Why can't you help us personally?" Lia asked.
"I am helping you personally," Bail Organa replied. "It's just that those people on the datapad are in a far greater position to help you than I can."
"You're hiding something, that's obvious," Jorec stated. "You're frightened of what the Empire would do if they found out about your harboring Jedi. But it's someone else you're worried about, not yourself. Your daughters, perhaps?"
"Very perceptive," Bail Organa replied to the questions. "Yes, I fear what the Empire would do if they found out about one of my daughters."
"Normally, I'd ask why, but I can see that you're not going to tell me," Jorec said. "Not for my ears, I guess."
"No, that information isn't for you to hear. At least not yet."
"Is the information about Yoda's whereabouts for me to hear?" Jorec asked. "As I was telling Lia before you arrived, I would like to complete my training."
Bail Organa nodded before speaking. "Yes, I know where Master Yoda is hiding. I cannot tell you where inside of this office, but you will find out. Now, I have to go. I have an important meeting with a fellow senator." He showed the two out of the door before returning to his seat. The two of them seemed trustworthy enough; and if the eavesdropping Ylenic had picked up on any signs that they weren't, he would have quickly interrupted the meeting. He smiled. The Empire would one day fall, hopefully by the idea of an all-out rebellion he had been toying around with in his mind since the Empire had begun. A young man like Jorec would certainly be a great asset to any potential rebellion.