Chapter 4:
Leia did not know what to think of her surroundings. Wherever she was, it looked and felt almost surreal; but it did not feel like a dream. Looking around, she did not recognize the room she was in, but it was hard to see much of anything beyond the others in the room with her.
She did now know who they were either, but they seemed to know her. "Am I dreaming?"
One of her companions, an older, long-haired man, came closer and regarded her with a look of wonder on his face. "You must be; this is extraordinary."
Leia frowned and looked around the room. Her surroundings were becoming clearer. She appeared to be in a room overlooking Coruscant. She could see the ever-present Imperial palace. "This doesn't feel like a dream."
The old man smiled and glanced over to his companion. "You must have reached her."
The other one was younger and very sullen looking. For reasons Leia could not completely grasp, something about the younger man's presence seemed familiar somehow.
He shook his head and spoke, but his eyes remained steadily focused on Leia. "I didn't, I could never get through."
Leia could not place where she had met this man before; but she knew she had. The puzzle of his identity was gnawing at her. "Who are you?"
The older man bowed formally, "I am Qui-Gon Jinn, this is..."
"Just a friend," the other one interrupted with much urgency, "someone who wants to help you."
The princess frowned, "What do you mean that you 'reached' me?"
Qui-Gon briefly glanced at his companion with an odd expression on his face before returning his attention to Leia. "We have been trying to get in contact with you since Luke was killed."
"You knew Luke?"
He smiled, "We were once Jedi, like your brother."
"Once?"
Qui-Gon's mysterious companion spoke up, "We've passed to the Force."
Leia could not believe what she was hearing, "You're dead? How am I speaking to you then?"
"I am not completely certain, I do not think that you've transcended, but maybe some kind of link has been forged." The older man stopped and smiled again, "I must admit, I am perplexed."
"Why were you trying to get in contact with me?"
"To help you, you are in grave danger."
Leia noted the vast differences in the two men before her. The one who identified himself as Qui-Gon Jinn seemed to be wrapped in peace and tranquility. She felt comfortable in his presence. On the other hand, his companion was something else entirely. He appeared to be nervous and restless. She still could not shake the feeling that she knew him. Every second with him in this strange place confirmed that fact.
"I always am; why is that the business of two dead Jedi?"
The younger man shook his head in frustration, and for the first time, approached the princess. Before, he seemed to want to keep as much distance as he could from her. As she saw him up close, Leia saw that while his face appeared young, his eyes appeared to be that of a much older man.
"Please, listen to us. You need to learn about the Force; that is the only way that you are going to have any hope of surviving what is to come."
Luke's words to her before he left on his mission to the Death Star came rushing back to her. He told her that she could learn to use the Force and that she was the only hope for the Alliance. She did not believe it then; and she especially did not want to believe it now that she knew the identity of her biological father.
"The Emperor is no mere man; he has power beyond anything that you have ever imagined."
Leia scoffed, "I can imagine a great deal from him."
"I know that most beings in the galaxy, including the rebellion, believe that the Emperor is half senile and the galaxy is run by the Moffs and the military commanders." The younger man shook his head sadly. "Believe me when I say, that is a lie. The rebellion underestimates him...even now."
"How do you know this?" The princess had the distinct feeling that she did not want to know the answer to her question.
He looked away, "I know, trust me on this."
"Why should I trust you; you won't even give me your name."
"What does it matter?" He threw up his hands in frustration.
"Why do I have the feeling that I've met you before?"
He reached as if he were going to take her hands in his, but hesitated. "Please Leia, we don't have time for this; I'm trying to save you from a fate far worse than death."
"You will tell me who you are!" She was tired of all the riddles.
Qui-Gon spoke up and addressed his companion, "You have no choice, my friend."
"I can't tell her!"
"She's close to discovering it."
Suddenly, the knowledge that had before eluded her came to her suddenly. It was perfectly clear who this man was; the man with the determined expression and the haunted eyes. Leia did not know how she had figured it out; but she wished she had not.
"No, no! This can't be happening. This is a dream...only a dream."
"Leia..."
He reached out for her and momentarily touched her hand. She reacted as if she was burned. "Don't you dare touch me!"
"I am not going to hurt you."
"You already have; get away from me!"
"Please, I am your father."
Leia nearly cried in relief when she awoke to find herself in Han's bed on the Falcon. Of all the nightmares that she had endured since Luke's death, this one was the worst. Feeling an arm tighten around her, the princess tried to take comfort in Han's presence, but she could not be consoled.
Leia felt as if she were being drowned--drowned by grief, drowned by responsibility, and drowned by the omnipresent feeling that things were going to get much worse but there was nothing she could do about it.
She told herself that what she had just experienced was only a dream--only a product of her uneasy mind. However, something very deep inside her was screaming that it could not, and should not, be dismissed so easily.
Knowing that sleep would not come again that night, the princess carefully extracted herself from Han's arms. Before she stood, Leia felt something grasp her hand.
"Where are you going?"
Sighing, the princess turned to see her lover wide awake, watching her with a concerned expression. "I can't sleep."
"Another nightmare?"
Leia shook her head, "I suppose."
"Suppose?"
"I don't want to talk about it." In truth, the princess did not want to fathom the possibility that what she experienced was somehow more than a simple dream.
"You're going to have to stop running away from this; for your own sake. Whatever it is, I can help you."
After his heartfelt promise, Leia was nearly overcome with emotion. Han pulled her down and drew her into his arms once again. Hearing his whispered words of love and comfort, the princess allowed herself to cry.
It had been a long time since the Emperor had been involved in detailed military planning. During his reign, he had left such things to Darth Vader and the military commanders. He gave his apprentice a broad outline of what needed to be done and left him to hammer out the details.
It was a system that worked for over twenty years, but things had changed drastically. For the first time, Darth Sidious was to be intimately involved in war strategy. What he was planning against the rebellion was much too important to allow lower men to plan.
He felt a presence approach and pressed the button to open the massive doors of his throne room. On the other side of the door was Jestrin E'besk, the newly appointed Moff of the Kuat Sector.
From all reports, this man was gleefully following in his family's tradition of sycophancy and naked ambition. His mind was laughingly easy to penetrate with the Force; Sidious could feel the young man's fear and awe. This one would be easy to control.
"Your Excellency, I am honored that you would be so gracious to invite me to your magnificent presence. I am your humble servant."
The Emperor knew a well-practiced lie when he heard one; it amused him that the man would think that he was somehow being manipulative. Many in the Imperial court believed the Emperor to be almost senile; but the wise among them knew that nothing was further from the truth. Jestrin E'besk was not wise.
From his throne's high perch, the Emperor looked down at the kneeling man and sneered. "Your loyalty is yet to be proven, governor."
"How may I do that, Your Excellency? I am yours to command."
"It is good that you already understand your place." Sidious motioned for the man to rise, "We have much to discuss. Tell me about the Kuati shipyards' security measures."
"The entire system is well guarded; what is left of the rebels will not be able to mount any serious offence."
Sidious raised an eyebrow, "You are certain of this?"
The man stumbled over his words, trying to discern what the right answer to the question was. "Yes, Your Excellency."
The Emperor smiled, "Very good, then you will not object to the military presence in the system being pulled back."
E'besk's eyes immediately filled with shock. "I..I don't understand. We would become an immediate target."
"I thought the Rebellion was not able to mount a serious offense?"
In an attempt to calm his rapidly increasing panic, the governor closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes, I did say that; however, we must remain ever vigilant."
"And we will, that is why I have decided to re-allocate the troop resources to more advanced shipyards that are being built as we speak."
Sidious did not hide his grin when he felt the governor's surge of fear and outrage. His family had become members of the hyper-wealthy class solely because of those shipyards. If his world lost the Imperial contract, the credits that financed their lavish lifestyle would dry up almost immediately.
"I do not understand. The Kuati yards have supplied the Empire since the beginning; we even supplied the old Republic." There was desperation in the governor's voice, "have you somehow been displeased by our work?"
"No, but it is believed by many in my government that the facilities surrounding your world are outdated."
"We can upgrade!"
The Emperor's eyes narrowed, "Do not forget who you are speaking to."
E'besk bowed, "I apologize. I just do not understand why this decision has been made."
"It was not something decided easily; but after much discussion, Luskan was determined to be the best planet to build the new facilities."
As expected, the reaction from E'besk was immediate, "That world was decimated years ago!"
Luskan was one of the Republic's many casualties during the Clone War. The population was almost completely wiped out in a bombing campaign led by General Grievous, but orchestrated by Lord Sidious himself. Its destruction allowed him to gain even more emergency powers.
"Yes, the fact that there is no population to support makes it ideal for military purposes."
Knowing that there was nothing he could do now, he bowed again, "I accept your greater wisdom, Your Excellency. May I ask how long it will be before the contract is terminated?"
"The base is nearing completion; three months at the most."
He nodded, trying to appear to be resigned to his world's sudden change in status. However, the Dark Lord could see right through him; he knew the cauldron that was boiling just under the surface.
The Emperor then gave his most grandfatherly expression, "I know this is a shock; and I appreciate your world's service; but Kuat will need to now serve me in other ways."
"We are ever your servants." E'besk said dispassionately.
"Yes, you are; do not forget that."
Pressing a button next to him, Sidious opened the massive doors indicating that this conversation was finished.
The governor appeared lost and confused as he exited the throne room; he nearly stumbled on the way. After he was gone, the Sith mused over his plans and how they would all fit into place. The greedy politician that just left his presence would see to it.
The Rebellion would be destroyed; and Vader's other child would be in his service very soon. He had foreseen it.
Leia was sick of going to meetings. The Alliance leadership seemed to schedule them every day, but nothing was ever decided. It seemed all they did was blame each other for their sudden change in fortunes. The princess had dealt with it all by remaining stubbornly silent until the meeting was dismissed. She did not have the energy to argue with them.
She did not feel comfortable anywhere on Home One. The ship was a constant reminder that the cause that she had given her life to was running instead of fighting. Leia wondered if they would ever stop. No planet would take them; even worlds that supported the Alliance since nearly the beginning were not willing to take the risk.
They were galactic orphans doomed to wander the galaxy; at least until they decided to face the reality that the Rebel Alliance was dead.
The only place on the massive ship that the princess felt the least bit comfortable was in a small smuggler's transport that was docked in the hanger bay. On the Millennium Falcon Leia did not have to be a source of leadership and inspiration for terrified troops; here she could be herself.
"You know, you might as well go ahead and move your things into the Falcon, it might make things easier."
Of course, being able to be herself came at a price; she could never get away from the ship's sometimes overbearing owner. While he still sometimes got on her nerves, Han's presence was the only thing that seemed to keep her together.
Leia tried not to smile as he sat down next to her in the cockpit, but she lost the battle. "You'd like that, wouldn't you."
"I can't say that I'd object."
"You're such a scoundrel."
Han laughed, "Didn't we have this conversation already? I thought we determined that you like scoundrels."
Leia grinned wickedly, "Not all scoundrels; if that were the case, I would be sleeping in Lando's bed."
Han's smile instantly disappeared, "Don't even joke about something like that!"
"Why not? The man does know how to dress to impress."
"All right, that's enough of that. Don't talk about Lando on my ship."
Leia laughed, she felt good to be lighthearted again, even if it was only for a moment. The couple sat together in silence as Han worked beside her.
As she stared out the window of the cockpit, the princess could see crewmembers working in the landing bay. It struck her how young many members of the Alliance were. The ones she was viewing at that moment appeared to be no older than sixteen or seventeen.
The aching in Leia's heart returned as she pondered what their future held. They had no business being in a war, they should have been home with their families; but most of them had nowhere to go. So many had died; and before it is all over, many more would be lost. Leia wondered if all the death and destruction was worth it to fight a losing battle.
Sensing her immediate change in mood, Han looked over at the princess. "Are you all right?"
"Fine." She was tired of getting asked that question. In truth, she was far from fine.
"I don't believe you; you have the look."
"The look?"
"The same look you always have when something is bothering you...lips closed tightly and eyebrows knitted together. I know you well, Your Worshipfulness."
Leia sighed in annoyance, "It's nothing."
"For a former politician, you are a really bad liar. I know you didn't come up to the cockpit to enjoy the view. Are you going to make me beg you to tell me what this is about?" Han reached over and took her hand, "Is it the dreams?"
The princess was disturbed that Han knew this much about her. She wondered if she was really that transparent. "It's everything—the Empire, the Alliance…and the dreams."
"Are they about Luke?"
"Luke, the Emperor, Vader. I think I'm going insane." She wished that it was that simple. She wanted nothing more for the encounter she had the night before to be only a product of insanity. In a way, it would be almost comforting; much more comforting than the thought of Vader haunting her from beyond the grave.
"You're grieving."
The princess shook her head, "It's more than that. Han, these dreams...I've never had anything like them."
"You've been through a lot."
Leia wished that she could explain what she had experienced, but she could not form the words. She wanted to share her burden, but she knew that Han would not be able to understand.
The pair became silent again; each lost in their own thoughts. Knowing that she needed some space, Han backed off and began working on the ship again.
After a few moments, Leia asked the question that had been on her mind for weeks. "Does it bother you that Darth Vader was my biological father?"
For seemingly the first time in his life, Han Solo chose his words carefully. "To be honest, I'm not sure if I believe it."
"It's true." Leia wished with all of her heart that it was not; but wishing would not change anything.
"If it is, that doesn't change the way I feel about you. If that is what you're asking."
"He was once a Jedi, but he betrayed them. What if betrayal is genetic?"
With intensity that she had never seen from him before, Han took her by the shoulders, "Don't you dare even think such a thing! I don't care who your father is, I know who you are; and I know that you are nothing like Vader."
"I hope you're right."
"Leia, good you've finally arrived."
The princess had been called to an emergency meeting in the middle of the night. Even though he was annoyed at the interruption, Han had gone with her. His opinion of the Alliance leadership had dropped significantly since Mon Mothma had begun blaming Leia for their failure at Endor; he was not about to let his princess face them alone.
Han met Mon Mothma's glare with his most sarcastic smile. The former senator from Chandrila had made it abundantly clear that she did not approve of him being involved in high-level planning, but Leia had stubbornly refused to bow to her colleague's wishes.
"What is this about? You said it was urgent."
General Madine nodded and switched on the holo viewer. "We have just received word that the Empire is in the process of moving their main shipyards."
Han sat down but Leia, like always, slowly paced the room. "Moving from Kuat? That's unprecedented."
Mon answered, "Yes, it seems that these new shipyards will be much more advanced, when they are complete."
Leia frowned, "How close are they to completion?"
"According to the information we've received, about three months."
Han suddenly felt like he was trapped in a feedback loop. What they were discussing sounded eerily similar to the Endor operation.
Leia, it seemed, felt just as uneasy. "Where did you get this information?"
Admiral Ackbar answered, "The Bothan spy network."
The princess shook her head in frustration and disgust, "I can't believe what I'm hearing!" She turned her cold gaze to Mothma, "Tell me, how many Bothans died to bring us this little tidbit? Am I the only one who thinks this is just a little too much like last time?"
"No," Han spoke up as he stood, "you're not the only one."
Mothma glared at him before returning her attention to Leia, "I understand your misgivings, but we shouldn't discount this. It may be our only way to strike a blow to the Empire."
"If we go after it, we'll be walking into a trap."
"That may be so," Madine acknowledged, "but this is the best intelligence we've had in a long while. If it isn't a trap, we would have missed a great opportunity to beat back the Imperial machine."
Leia closed her eyes as she attempted to calm herself. "The Emperor let us have this information, he's not really going to move ship operations. He'll be expecting us to attack the new facility. Because of that, troops will be moved to meet us there." The princess then smiled as an idea came to her, "What if we hit Kuat instead? He won't be expecting it."
It took all of Han's self control to not tell Leia that she was completely insane for even suggesting such a thing; but the more he thought about it, the more he understood the logic behind it; but the idea was still crazy.
Mon Mothma was less reserved in her objection, "And if you're wrong?"
"Then we're damned," the princess answered with little emotion. "If your plan fails, we're also damned."
Ackbar, who had largely remained silent during the entire meeting spoke up, "We must vote on this now."
To Han's no real surprise, the vote went in favor of Leia's plan. For the next several hours, a bold, and possibly suicidal, attack was planned. Despite his strong self-preservation instincts, the Corellian heard himself volunteer the Falcon as one of the lead ships.
He had no choice really, Leia insisted on leading the mission from the field and Han would not leave her side for anything.
There was much that needed to be done before the assault; plans had to be finalized, troops had to be assigned, and Han Solo had one very personal mission of his own.
To Be Continued...