"Step on it Lando, Chewie, we have to get to the Senate building now! Leia needs our help!"
"What about the kids? We can't just leave them here alone. Force only knows what's happening down there".
"Winter is on her way over to look after the twins. Luke and Mara picked up Anakin from the nursery center when it all broke out. We have to leave NOW".
A million thoughts are flying through my mind as I sit here, hell I don't know what to think! The attack on the Senate building is all over the holo and I know Leia is down there in the middle of it. I know she's a tough broad that can handle herself, she's shown that a thousand times over. But I just have this feeling that something is horribly wrong, I can't explain it. All I know is she is my wife and I have to get there.
"Luke told us to stay here Han".
"She's my WIFE Lando".
"Luke has it under control, you have to trust him buddy. He'll bring her back".
I can see the Senate building from the window of our veranda here on Coruscant. Fires all around it, the red bolts of blaster fire in the distance, as well as transport ships swarming around the area. Sith I can't just sit here and do nothing while all this is going on, while the woman I love is in the middle of it. Checking my blaster once again I get up to leave, but the doors suddenly fly open and my wife comes in. I move to embrace her but stop as I see the turmoil of emotions on her face.
"Leia! Thank God you're alright. I was just about to head down there, what in the name of kreth is going on?"
"It's alright Han, everything is okay. The attack is almost over, the troopers are just mopping up now".
"Troopers?"
"Yes Han, there's nothing to worry about. I'm safe, I just came here to check on you and the children".
"They're alright Leia. Just thank the force you're safe now, I panicked when I heard what was going on. Who is this? Who are we being attacked by?"
"Just don't worry about it alright? It's over now and I'm safe with you, the troopers are just establishing order now".
It sounds genuine but something about her is just...off. There's a look of pain in her eyes mixed in with anger, rage and horror. I also notice for the first time that she's dressed in a black robe with a cloak. It just doesn't seem right.
"Leia why are you dressed like that?"
"What this? I just slipped this on to cover my face so I wouldn't be recognized on my way here. We need to leave Han is the Falcon ready?"
"Leave? I thought you said they had everything under control down there?"
"They do but I just don't feel safe here right now".
With that she goes into the nursery room to check on Jacen and Jaina, seeing them asleep. She moves over to wake them up until I stop her.
"Leia it's okay alright? Let them sleep".
"Han where is Anakin?".
"He's alright, Luke and Mara picked him up from the nursery center when the attack broke out. I've been checking with Mara every hour, she said Luke left Anakin with her and went to the Senate chamber. Did you see him down there?"
At the mention of Luke's name a look of extreme anger and rage crosses her face, I also notice a streak of yellow flash briefly across her brown eyes. The odd sense of dread begins to grow and I don't understand why. She's here and I know the kids are safe, but something just feels wrong here.
"Luke is dead Han". She responds with a smile.
A cold chill goes down my spine as I hear this. NOT Luke, NOT my brother, my best friend, NO I will not believe that! Why is she smiling about this? Why is there an amused gleam in her eye?
"WHAT? Leia..." I stop as my voice breaks into a sob and I begin to feel tears well in my eyes, "what happened?".
"He was weak Han, his death is regrettable. But he could have saved himself and chose not to".
Her voice...there is absolutely no emotion in it, no sadness at all. She speaks as if she were telling me about the weather, and not that her twin had died. The tone of her voice is dead and she's still smiling as if she's amused by it. I look over at Lando and Chewie and see they share my look of concern. That nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach just wont go away.
"Leia...what...what are you saying?".
"I killed him Han".
And suddenly it all makes sense. The black cloak she wore, the amusement, the smile she wore on her face, the growing sense of dread. The truth pierces my heart like a daggar and I begin to back away from her in shock and fear. NO...not Leia! Not my wife, the mother of my children.
"No..."
"A new age has dawned in the galaxy. A new order is being established right now with us at the top Han. Luke died because he tried to prevent this, tried to stop us and interfere with our destiny".
I can't believe what I'm hearing...Leia? The one who is leading the massacre in the Senate? Leia...My Princess Leia...leading Imperial armies into the heart of the Republic? My wife betraying everything she and I have fought for and sacrificed for the last decade? Joining those who destroyed her home planet? I'm in a state of shock and denial, yet as I look into her eyes I know it is true. My wife, the woman I swore my life to has become my enemy.
"Leia please...not you, please not you". I know I will shatter if this is true
"The time of the Sith has come again, anyone who does not swear loyalty to the new order will be destroyed...even you Han".
She has just confirmed everything. My darkest fears, the thing I feared the most when I discovered the truth about her father, her heritage. And I feel my life fall apart
"I am taking my children, they will be the heirs to my throne. The ones who will lead the Empire into the future, the ones that will continue my legacy".
"Like hell you are". I move to block her path as she steps towards the nursery, Lando alongside, Chewie as well. I will die before I allow my children to fall into the hands of the Sith. This is not my wife...this is a demon.
"So you have chosen death then".
Suddenly the 3 of us are thrown viciously into the wall with the mere wave of a hand. She uses the force to pin me in place. She then reaches out with it and begins choking the life out of Chewie and Lando forcing me to watch, her eyes turning from brown into solid yellow. I desperately try to move to help my friends but I am helpless, all I can do is watch as my friends are killed by this...creature. They fall to the ground dead, then she looks over at me and bashes my head into the wall, dazing me. An evil grin crosses her face as she looks at her handy work before moving into the nursery and taking Jacen and Jaina. She walks out with them in her arms and the 2 of them are screaming and crying as they are disturbed by the dark energy she emits. She truly is the daughter of Vader.
Suddenly she looks over at me focusing with her dark power as I feel a horrific pain in my head. And I instantly realize what she is doing as I can feel her begin tearing through my thoughts.
WHERE IS ANAKIN
I desperately try to bury that knowledge behind layers of meaningless thoughts and memories trying to throw her off. But she tears through them easily as she continues to violate my mind, reading my memories.
THAT WONT WORK
I try to push her out but nothing works, I am truly helpless now. Finally she finds the information she is seeking and exits my mind.
"Ah she took him to the Jedi temple on Yavin...I'll leave you alive Han...for now. Reconsider my offer for your own sake. If you wont join me then you should hope you never see me again because I will kill you next time".
I barely hear her leave through the daze of pain. The last thing I hear is the Falcon taking off before I fall into unconsciousness.