Leia stared at the minister for internal security, sitting in her chair behind the presidential desk.

"No you listen to me. My brother and the single most important person in the galaxy is missing. You better get your act together and find him, or I will replace you with someone who can!" Leia yelled hysterically. It had barely been a day since the argument with Luke, but she knew something was off. The Emperor's Hand had admitted that much. Rising up as the security chief gulped, Leia bit down her anger, calmly telling the man, "Find him alive."

The man watched in awe as President Leia, dressed in her regal white gown, strode past the door, leaving him dumbfounded in the seat next to the empty presidential desk. As Leia's honour guard left the room, he held his face in his hands. "How am I supposed to find a rogue Jedi?" He said to no one in particular.

As Leia strode patiently, she barked at one of her aides, "Have that Emperor's Hand traced. Let me know if she requests to leave the planet and have her tailed at all times."

The young aide hastily ran off to complete her duties. A displeased President and Princess spelled trouble for the career of anyone who stood in her way. Entering the recording room of the senate, her friend Winter quickly grabbed the director and briefed him as Leia strode into the camera's view. He merely nodded, sweat forming by the second on his brows. Even Winter was uneasy at her childhood friend's temper. Something was really wrong, and Winter was glad that she had been spared the worst of Leia's wrath. At least for now.

Anger and frustration was quickly expelled from Leia's face as the countdown to zero ticked. Producers watched nervously as their president appeared calm and in control, the picture that billions in the galaxy were accustomed to. Anyone who had talked to Leia today knew that she was in fact human, and very capable of a bad temper. But everyone in the studio had no time to think of that. Right now they had to hastily move the cameras into position and the microphones into place. One producer was clumsy enough to knock a microphone into Leia's face, and received a very angry glare before her face once again reverted to a calm if distant stare.

Beings across the galaxy watched amazed as their leader appeared on the screens of the holonet and all the major channels. "People of the galaxy, I regret to inform you that our beloved hero and friend Luke Skywalker is missing. While we do not believe he is in any danger at the moment, his unannounced departure is out of character, leading me to believe that something is wrong. Today, I call upon each and everyone of you to go out and find him. I ask this not only as the president, but as the sister and friend of Luke. He defeated the Empire and led our Rebellion, bringing peace and prosperity across the time has come for you to return the favor."

As screens across the galaxy returned to normal broadcast, people in the New Republic watched amazed as a reward of fifteen thousand credits for any information leading to Luke Skywalker A few bounty hunters were disappointed that any injury to Skywalker voided a claim to the reward and led to an immediate death sentence. One unimpressed red-head scoffed at the measure, wandering ever quicker as New Republic Security continued to struggle to keep up.

Suddenly, Leia's comlink chimed. "Ma'am, Mara Jade has scheduled an immediate departure, destination unspecified. Sending you the hangar coordinates now."

"Listen carefully. Delay her as long as possible, Close roads, have checks on every street corner, anything. And get me a team on the hangar. I want the door to her ship open by the time I arrive," Leia ordered, stowing her comm before the aide had a chance to acknowledge.

Leia knew she couldn't do much more here. Sending a quick message to Han, she ordered her pilot to head quickly for the coordinates. As they landed, Leia swore her pilot to an oath of silence, quietly boarding. The New Republic Security team cleared out double time with the pilot, allowing traffic back into the hangar. They silently prayed that they would be out of there before a certain red-headed individual arrived. They all knew the rumors about the former Emperor's Hand's "persuasive" techniques. The President could be scary but Mara Jade's reputation was another level.

Leia found a seemingly unused closet, opening the door and entering before using the force to push the activation panel, sealing herself in with a hiss. Now she waited.

Within half an hour, Leia could feel the ship take off, no doubt piloted by the former Emperor's Hand. How Leia hated at Luke's insistence she be called Mara Jade. As far as she knew Mara meant instantly and Jade meant cynical. How fitting. Luke always insisted Jade meant beauty and strength. Leia couldn't bring herself to agree, and brother and sister certainly had many heated arguments. Leia had a feeling Mara knew, and in an odd way was glad. If she thought for one second Luke would choose her over Leia, his sister, she was sorely mistaken. All of this hurt Leia, knowing she was relying on this very individual to bring her to Luke.

As she felt the ship jump to hyperspace, Leia put herself in a trance as Luke once taught her, calling to the force to help her find Luke. She tried to clear her mind of the holonews commenting on the Emperor's Hand's disparaging comments on Luke. The nerve of that woman. Leia would break both her legs if she didn't find Luke soon. She might just do it anyways after finding Luke.

Waking from her trance, she reached out with the force timidly, acutely aware that Luke had instructed Mara even more than herself, a fact that made her envious. Sure it was her own fault for rejecting his training on the basis that she had to attend to government issues. It still hurt knowing though. Surprised to find the ship still and empty, Leia cursed herself inwardly for staying in the trance too long. She quickly made her way out of the ship, and was surprised to find herself on Naboo.

Leia donned a discrete Jedi cloak borrowed from Luke, making her way to the exit and staring out at the sun lit and welcoming streets of Naboo. It made sense, Luke's mother was born and raised here. So was the former Emperor. It saddened Leia this was the first time she had come despite the insistence of Luke. In another world the beauty of the Palace of Theed would have brought awe and amazement to Leia. Then there was her mother's mausoleum and Anakin and Padme's secret retreat. It saddened Leia her first time on the beautiful planet was to try and find her lost brother.

Looking around, she decided to comm Han to bring the cavalry. As much as she hated to admit, she was no where near as resourceful as either Luke or that force forsaken Emperor's Hand. If Leia was to stand a chance she needed all the help she could get. Somehow she had a feeling this would not be enough. Leia quickly dismissed this thought, activating her handheld comm and seeing the hologram of a very tired and concerned Han.

"Sweetheart where are you?" Han grumbled.

"Sorry to wake you dear, but I'm on Naboo." Leia replied.

"Naboo? What took you so long to comm me?" Han questioned, the smuggler mind still ingrained within him.

Leia gave him a glare and quietly admitted, "I may have overslept a bit."

It just so happened the smuggler was taking a sip of caf, interrupted from much needed sleep. Coffee flew everywhere as Han stifled a laugh. Leia silently thanked him and he promised, "I'll have a team of NRI with Chewie and Winter there as soon as I can. Stay safe honey."

Leia nodded, noting the implication of Han's last words. He didn't trust Mara any more than Leia, and apart from a bit of banter here and there he generally steered clear of her. A part of him suspected Leia would skin him if he spoke a bit too much with Jade. He'd been given a scowl too many times for simply using the name Jade. In Leia's book, it was always Emperor's Hand. Former Emperor's Hand if she was in a good mood. And if she desperately wanted to please Luke and Mara wasn't there then "That woman". Leia went to her hotel room, unpacking her gear and pondering her next move.

When she found out several hours later that Mara Jade had left the planet, Leia was fuming. Slightly impressed at the Hand's speed, but nevertheless enraged. How would Leia possibly find Luke on her own? This question remained on her mind as Leia traveled to Tatooine with Han, Chewbacca and Winter.

"Fret not cub. You will be with your family again soon," Chewbacca growled softly. Leia barely managed a nod of appreciation, still in anger and confusion over Luke's disappearance. Turning to Han, she asked, "Why do you think he left without telling me?"

Han gave an exasperated sigh, closing his eyes to ponder for a moment. Even though Leia knew she had put him though a lot of stress and work, she was still to troubled to let this go, and motioned to leave. Before she could, Han looked her in the eyes and said truthfully, "Sweetheart, I know this may be hard for you to accept, but if I had to hazard a guess it would be your treatment of Jade. I'm just as angry at that message as you, if not more. I've been through a lot with the kid, and believe me I know how hard he's worked for a reputation. But you could have at least listened to Jade's defense."

Leia begrudgingly accepted Han's words, silently walking to the bunk area. As she left the room, Han let out a sigh of relief, and asked Chewie half jokingly, "Tell me again how I married such a woman." Chewie simply chucked as he shook his large furry head, telling Han to go sleep with his fiancee before they arrived on Tatooine.

Tatooine. A ball of never ending deserts and criminal scucm. Leia had been to the planet once, and once too many in her opinion. Grimacing at the memory of being in a very revealing bikini, finding Han in a block of carbonite, strangling the life out of the Hutt, all of this felt like yesterday, and in an odd way Leia looked at those times fondly. She had been with Luke and Han near constantly during those days. The days before Wayland, where force knows what happened and all the sudden Mara no longer wanted to kill Luke and they became "friends". Leia always told Luke she just wanted to use him. Being proved correct was bitter sweet. At least Luke should be safe now, if Mara truly didn't know where Luke was. But not knowing where her brother was equally pained her, if not more. Not seeing her brother or seeing her brother get emotionally torn time and time again by the Emperor's Hand and her mind games. Leia didn't know which was worse.

As they descended the ramp of the Falcon, they were greeted by a harsh and dry gust of desert sand, knocking into their faces and forcing them to squint. Quickly wrapping towels around their faces and donning goggles, the group left the cool, controlled climate of the Falcon for the desert dunes that stretched on endlessly. Staring into the distance, Leia told them with grim determination, "We need to find Luke's hut.

Nearly a day of speeding through desert sand later, the group found a small, abandoned and inconspicuous hut isolated in the middle of no where. Leia felt the force tugging at here, knowing instantly that this was Luke's hut. She was slightly disappointed that it appeared disused and undisturbed, meaning Luke wasn't here. Leia held on to a sliver of hope this would offer a glimpse of Luke and lead them to his hiding place.

Han wrapped his hand around Leia protectively, clearly understanding her emotional turmoil at the sight. She leaned against him and they entered, followed by Chewbacca and Winter. They split up, each looking around the hut for any clues. Leia entered what appeared to be Luke's former bedroom, and eyes his bed, an unforgiving hard slab of rock. She felt a pang of sympathy for Luke, knowing he had to grow up here for his entire early life when she was in the luxury of a royal palace. She always wondered if he wished their places were reversed.

As she wandered aimlessly around the room, she stumbled slightly, the floor strangely uneven. Leia huffed, kicking at the lump with anger and completely baffled a chunk of yellow flew out, her foot in slight numbness and pain. Ignoring it, Leia scrambled to the block, dusting it off and pleasantly surprised by a brown cover to a very old and disused book. As she opened the page, she immediately recognized Luke's handwriting. It was slightly more neat and cursive, but there was no mistaking it. This was a diary!

Leia paused for a moment, pondering whether she should intrude on Luke's personal life. Luke had always dodged questions on his upbringing, only clamoring praise for his Uncle's strict but fair discipline and Aunt Beru's love. Swallowing down her reservations, Leia told herself this could be the key to finding Luke.

_
Dear Diary,

I will be forever grateful for finding you. A strange voice in my head guided me to the dustbin in the cantina while uncle was drinking with his friends. I don't know what he does, but when he leaves he randomly hits me and it hurts. He usually tells me what I did wrong before he gives me a spanking, but when he leaves the cantina he just grabs my head and throws me around, calling me names I presume to be insults. Then he tells me never to tell Aunt Beru or that he'll disown me. Not like Aunt Beru would care. She never bothers acknowledging me, and dinner is whatever she and uncle leaves behind. I know this nice and strange man called Ben, but uncle doesn't like him, and beats me up every time I see him. At least I have you. If he ever found out he'd probably beat me up again. I'm glad I can tell this to you diary. I wish to get off this dustball. I feel a voice calling to me, that I should be in the stars. Every time I bring up joining the Imperial Academy uncle yells and shouts at me. I guess my place is just here dusting crops. I'm sorry you found me instead of some more exciting owner.

Luke
_

Leia held back tears, setting the diary carefully to her side for a moment. She had always felt sorry that Luke had to meet Darth Vader in such a traumatizing way. Even watching her family die was nothing in comparison to the realization that the man you hated so much and seemed to want to kill you was in fact your father must have caused him so much pain. And to lose his hand and his dignity. Leia was silently thankful she didn't know Vader was her father when she was beside him on the Death Star. She didn't know if she would have had the will to fight on then. It still amazed her how Luke redeemed their father. And to think she at least had a loving family in Bail and Breia Organa. She always assumed Luke had the same comfort. How wrong she had been. Continuing on, she flipped through pages recounting the various beatings Luke received from Uncle Owen and even Aunt Beru, One in particular caught her interest.

Dear Diary,

Today was a sad day. After uncle lost his wrench, he told me to go looking. As I walked around the house, I felt a voice telling me it was underneath the work bench. I went and somehow it was there. When I told Uncle I found it there he accused me of hiding it there, that there was no way it would have gotten there if I hadn't put it there in the first place. The beating was worse than usual because he used a hydrospanner. My head hurt so much and I saw blood in my eye. Stars began to fly before he finally stopped, leaving me on the floor. I don't know how long it was but when he came back he just kicked me and told me it was time to dust the crops. I know I should be grateful they clothe me and feed me, but I don't see how they expect me to work when they keep on hitting my limbs until they are numb. I hear cracks often, and after the beatings I never manage to walk straight, which Uncle calls out and beats me for. It hurts, diary. I can only thank the gods that I somehow managed to find you. You are my sole comfort here. I don't know what I would do without you.

Luke
_

Leia continued flicking through the pages, reading about Luke's "friends" actually being Uncle's goons and constantly bullying him. Leia found new respect that Luke held Biggs Darklighter in such high regard when he died in the attack on the First Death Star. Luke had always called Biggs his best friend from Tatooine, even grieved for his death. Leia couldn't fathom how Skywalker managed to feel care and even responsibility for protecting such people. How he became such a kind and caring person from such a horrible childhood was beyond Leia. Now more than ever she felt a grim determination to find Luke.

Alas the force has other plans, and Leia was back on Coruscant defending Admiral Ackbar from some sort of charge. Leia sat exasperated on the Falcon on the way back to Coruscant. The Admiral himself told Leia not to worry about him, and go find Luke. Leia had brushed his concerns aside. At least she had such loyal friends. Then again she had to deal with creatures such as Fey'lya. As they returned to Coruscant, the mood on the Falcon solemn and grim, Leia found herself reading Luke's diary again, each time more disturbed and angry at the galaxy for treating her brother so badly. She would find him.

Weeks passed by without any progress. It seemed that Luke had picked up a trick or two from his to-be brother in law. Han and Chewbacca traveled the Outer Rim, pulling on their old smuggling contacts for any sliver of information. Back on Coruscant, Leia dragged herself through meetings, slowly losing hope that her brother was alive. She should have sensed his death right?

Leia had little luck with Karrade too. She held suspicions that Karrade wasn't trying his best, protecting his favourite ex-employee. She could only bury herself deeper. Han and Chewbacca were both gone finding Luke. She now only had Winter. Winter was always by Leia's side, since their shared childhood on Alderaan. How Leia envied her, free from the worries.

"Leia, talk to me. You haven't slept in two days. You need to let it go," Winter comforted.

"How could you understand?" Leia screamed with tears flooding her face, as her shrill voice echoed through their apartment. "Sorry," she mumbled before collapsing onto the bed for another restless night.

Winter could only watch her friend helplessly falling into crippling depression. She was in a way proud of Leia as a sister and friend. There was no way Winter could have made it through all the stress. It still amazed her how Leia could continue on. She felt the loss of Luke too: He had been a good friend and saved her more times than she cared to count. He was good looking too, a fact she once had the mistake of stating when a certain Imperial was around. Winter would never forget the chilling looks in her eyes. It was a wonder what Luke saw in that Mara Jade. Leia certainly didn't see anything. Sure she was pretty, more than Winter ever stated in front of Leia, but Luke had legions of women, many equally attractive, pursuing a romantic life with the Jedi. Hero of the rebellion. Formed his squad of elite fighter pilots, blowing up the First Death Star with no training then going on to become the last Master Jedi, singlehandedly revitalizing the Millennia old order. And so humble and kind too! Winter wouldn't mind having Luke herself, but she had a good feeling Leia would skin her, regardless of their friendship. But Mara Jade? Must be a mystery of the force. For his sake she tried to offer a shread of respect for the woman, but she doubted that she hid her disdain well, as Mara barely acknowledged her. Then again she would probably kill the whole galaxy save Luke. It amazed Winter that Mara had stayed with Luke, If anything she could have gone off and married any one of dozens of suitors, wealthy individuals looking for skilled and sassy eye candy. Of course she had rejected them so softly many had been unable to appear again in public without cosmetic surgery. Though none spoke against her or pressed charges, most had a good idea what had happened. But it wasn't this, no. Well not completely. The fact Mara would still interact with such men when she had Luke was bad enough, but her aggressiveness driving away many of Luke's potential suitors, many equally as if not more opportunistic than Mara's suitors but certainly also a fair share of noble individuals truly in love with Luke. Rejecting Luke, as absurd as the concept was for Winter, was at least Mara's choice. Dictating Luke's love life was certainly not.

"If only he saw it too," Leia said, and Winter cringed instinctively, knowing Leia had heard everything she just thought. "You know I wouldn't skin you per say, maybe just break a leg or two."

Winter chuckled, happy that Leia was trying to lighten up. Her friend's ever darkening dimples concerned her greatly. Even Han, through holograms half way across the galaxy, noticed, quietly asking Winter to keep Leia healthy. Easy for the smuggler to say. She could easily be the one finding Luke, hopping system to system for years if need be. Dealing with a grouchy, albeit kind and loving friend, was another level.

Realizing Leia probably heard that, Winter gave a look of apology, which Leia brushed off. "I'm grouchy, believe me I know." Leia had finally finished all of Luke's journals, even shared it with Winter, Han and the gang. They needed to know. Had a right to know. Perhaps a quiet voice tried to reason within Leia, urging her to send this to Mara. No, Emperor's Hand. She didn't deserve a name. A name was for a being. And Mara was not one. Not in Leia's eyes.

"I'm going to sleep now. Get some rest Winter," Leia said softly, removing most traces of her commanding tone. But Leia did not sleep. Instead, she looked towards Luke's journals. Various books held together with string and covered in tanned leather. Leia had secretly scoured Luke's apartment, and to her suprise had discovered her brother's journals. It wasn't easy, given that Luke avoided the use of technology, preventing scanners from detecting it, instead using a force activated lock. Leia had been tempted to blow the thing apart with her blaster back then, but she managed to solve it in the end using the force to guide a key through a maze of paths embedded deep in the wall. And the prize had been well worth it-Luke's journals from his early days in the Rebellion.

Leia had read through the texts over and over again, pouring over every detail that Luke had jotted down in his tiny handwriting. Normally Leia poured over Luke's early journals, reminiscing about the innocent farm boy who announced he was here to rescue her all those years ago. But today, she decided to read through an exerpt she loated.

Dear Diary,

It has been a week since I became stranded on Wayland. I found an unexpected ally in Mara Jade, who in spite of clearly stating her intention to kill me, has agreed in the mean time to work together in order to escape the mess that is somehow my fault. To be fair she is only trying to protect me. Well long enough so Karrade can ransom me off anyways. But I feel there's something she is hiding. Perhaps it's just the isolation messing with my mind, but I feel the force telling me that Jade is something more. Force knows what I'm supposed to do with a vague message. Hopefully I can get out of this mess soon and leave her. Sleeping next to a person holding a blaster to my head is becoming annoying.

Luke

Leia had read through the texts over and over again, pouring over every detail that Luke had jotted down in his tiny handwriting. Normally Leia poured over Luke's early journals, reminiscing about the innocent farm boy who announced he was here to rescue her all those years ago. But today, she decided to read through an exerpt she loated.

Dear Diary,

Finally Han managed to find me with the crew in the Falcon. Karrade was a tad bit upset he was unable to claim the bounty, but the threat of New Republic warrants calmed him down sufficiently. I feel somethign strange though. A small part of me will miss having Jade next to me. Even if it is with a blaster. I wonder what the force is doing with my brain. Even Lando has stayed clear of Mara after she cut of his hair and promised more. Shaving him bald didn't dent the man's ego for long though. I can't place my finger on what it is. It's not her looks, well not all of it anyways. There is no point denying she is pretty, and prettier than the word. But wanting to kill you usually puts a potential date quite far down the list. It's moments like this that make me wonder what the force is doing with me. Callista left me and Shria, well she tried to kill me more times than Mara, and was arguably better at it. At least they are both now doing their own thing somewhere in the unknown regions and beyond. I wish I could tell someone. Leia would probably beat me to a pulp for even thinking of anything but killing Mara, Han probably would tell Leia, and Lando, with Lando the news would be plastered across the holonet within the week. I guess it's just you and me, diary. I have to go now, lest someone finds you. Someone is coming. Goodbye old friend.

Luke

Leia flicked through several more pages of the journal. She hated it. Hated that she hated it. Yet couldn't stop herself from reading on. She could only imagine her father looking with satisfaction that his little girl was proactively reading. Reading her brother's diary, maybe not so much. Snickering, she set aside the book, drifting into an uneasy sleep.

"Leia!"

Leia muttered several incomprehensible grunts as she blinked in frustration. Trying to center herself, she tapped out in the force, immediately feeling a large and warm presence in front of her. "Father!" She exclaimed.

Anakin grinned at his daughter, proud of what she had achieved. "Don't mind me asking, but why in Corellia's hell did you wake me up so early?"

Anakin simply snorted, retorting, "That's not very princess like, sweetheart. Besides, it's eleven in the morning. Don't worry, I've made sure Fey'lya is more than distracted to have forgotten your meeting.

Leia rolled her eyes. A part of her was thankful, not that she would ever tell him that. "I can hear your thoughts you know?" Anakin interjected, recieving a playful glare and arms rossed on Leia's chest.

"Why are you here father?"

"Can I not see my daughter because I want to? Well anyways, you can drop the glare. Unless you don't want to learn what I've heard about Luke that is."

Leia immediately straightened, attentively looking at her father. "Go on," she whispered, desperately clinging on to the hope that she would finally be able to find Luke."

"Alas no. Luke has cut me off from the force. Last I was with him he was on Tatooine outside the Hutt's palace. But he cut me off from there. While I'm here, let me ask you this: Why do you keep on letting girls who want to kill my son become his dates?"

Leia playfully tossed a pillow Anakin's ghost, and much to her horror the pillow smacked into an unsuspecting Han carrying breakfast for Leia. A thud and a clang echoed through the room as spilt coffee and the remains of a carefully crafted breakfast lay on the floor. As Han stared at an amused Anakin and half embarassed, half angry Leia, he simply muttered, "I'll leave you two alone."

As Han quickly retreated from the room, Anakin mearly chirped merrily, "Nice boyfriend you have there. Maybe don't attack him next time hon?"

Anakin's trademark grin widened as Leia eyed another pillow on the bed, half afraid that she might do something stupid again. Anakin tsked and Leia decided to hell with it, sending another pillow across the room. This time it hit a very loud C-3PO, who had come rushing after seeing Han drenched in caf and soup. "Oh my I'm being attacked!" C-3PO wailed as he hurrily scrambled out of the room. Anakin merely shook his head as he returned his focus on Leia. "Daughter, I have forseen a dark presence, Leia. A dark presence. The force clouds me even now. Be careful, my dear." With those ominous words, Anakin's ghost faded away. After a brief moment, Leia scrambled out of bed. She had more problems that her dad appearing again. Han was probably confused and distraught. Leia felt a pang of guilt as she rushed outside, where a giggling Winter sat on the couch and the sounds of the freshner hummed softly.

"Tell me everything," Winter burst out, still laughing as Leia rolled her eyes. Winter's laughs spread throughout the apartment, and Leia could imagine Han's groan of frustration.