AN: I know I've been all over the map about what I'm doing with this, but here is the first chapter of the new story. I hope this will sate some of you for a little while, at least. (I know I accidentally got a slightly older version of this up when I was supposed to be just posting the character list, but it is fixed now, and all proper)
Thank you to those who did review the "first" chapter, and here is the long awaited third book(well, the first chapter, anyway).
Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Skywalker Central, 39:6:19
Cedric quietly came in behind his mother. "We can start now, Mom, unless you want Master Ti or anyone else here."
"Oh, no, I think we have quite enough Jedi Masters gathered already," she said to him as he sat on the sofa.
He nodded, and he was rather nervous. He knew that something had happened on Bespin with Tann, but he didn't quite know what. He hadn't been able to corner Luke for long enough to find out what.
"I know that there are some scary things going on right now; it seems like the Senate is collapsing, and there is almost inevitably going to be war," his mother started.
"Is it going to be another war with the Sith?" Liz asked.
"I don't know," Luke answered her question.
"What do you mean you don't know?" she asked.
"I think Darth Maul is dead."
"Why do you think that?" their father asked as his eyes snapped open. He was sprawled out on the sofa in a way that he knew his mother disapproved of, with Jaz and Jae to either side of him.
"I've sort of pieced it together from a bunch of different things."
His eyes narrowed as he focused all of his attention on Luke. Cedric was just glad he wasn't the one under scrutiny. "What things?"
"When was the last time anyone saw him?"
"A couple of years ago, but it's been years between confirmed sightings of either of them before," their father said, sitting up, his attention now captured completely.
"You remember about a month ago when we thought that we felt the death of a planet?"
"I remember."
"Well, I imagine, from Maul being absent and that event that he was likely overseeing the construction of that menace."
"That doesn't prove that he's dead, Luke."
"I'm getting there. He sent Immolious to Bespin to take over and supply the place. She even told Lando where the supplies were going."
"Where?" their father asked, his intense curiosity evident.
"Endor."
They both looked rather unhappy at that revelation, as Cedric's attention flitted back and forth between the two of them, "So what then on this wandering path of his death?"
"She did something that makes me really not happy with the future."
Concern suddenly showed on his father's face, and a sense of foreboding settled into Cedric's stomach. "What?"
"She raped Cedric," he said, and the room erupted into chaos.
When everything finally settled back into quiet, their mother asked Cedric, "Did you know about this?"
"No, I didn't," he said quietly, then turned to Luke. "She's pregnant, isn't she?"
Luke nodded, "Yes, how did you know?"
"I've been having dreams about the baby."
Luke sighed. "Do you think it was on purpose?"
"I have no doubt she got herself pregnant on purpose."
Luke nodded again. "That was what I thought, but you confirming it does help me make this theory more solid," he said, and turned his attention back to the question Their father had asked. "She wants the baby, and Maul found out about it. What do you think that would have happened then?"
"She would have either been subjected to some torture until she miscarried the baby, or told to get rid of it herself. The way of the Sith is not a pleasant one," Their father said.
"While we were on Bothawui, something happened to Jasmine, she got really sick from taking in a great deal of dark energy, siphoning it off someone else in order to save that person's life, someone who was family, but we never found out who."
"I remember that," Cedric said. "We both thought at the time that it felt like Tann's energy."
"I think she was using the dark energy to fight Maul. It's the only thing that makes sense, if you try to fit all the pieces together."
"And since the baby is still alive, and she's running about free, the most logical assumption is that Maul is dead," their father said, and satisfied with the explanation, he slumped back down into position between the girls.
"When I was dreaming about the baby, he had scars from the darkness that nearly consumed him." Cedric said, almost too quietly for their mother to hear him.
Luke was quiet for a time. "I don't know if she will continue in this fight. If she does, then we will fight her, and if she does not, then we will not. We have others to worry about, as well, I believe. Do you know of someone named General Grievous?"
Their father sat up, clearly biting back a string of curses. "Where did you hear that name?"
"From Tann."
"Sithspit," he said, and the word sounded like it had burned on his tongue. "That was about the last thing I wanted to hear. I think the actual last thing that I want to hear is that Tarkin is in charge of the Death Star."
"That name sounds familiar," Cedric said quietly.
"How familiar?" their father asked as his attention snapped to his younger son.
He shrugged. "She's interacted with him. I don't know what he's in charge of, but there is something. She doesn't like him."
"I doubt he cares. He isn't in it to be liked. He's a madman, and quite capable of not caring who gets in his way, should he desire something, including entire planets."
Silence fell on the room as the somber mood took hold of the Skywalker clan. Their mother spoke up finally. "The Senate has fallen apart. There will be war."
"What happened?" Cedric asked before anyone else could.
"The vote on the Fair Banking Act failed by one vote. Most of the Senators from the Outer Rim walked out," their mother replied.
"And the Banking Clan, and their cronies, too. There were declarations of war on the floor of the Senate," their father added.
"So are we going to get involved?" Liz asked.
"The Republic is in no condition to get involved at this point. The work that Cedric has been doing to help create a new Constitution will continue, and once that's done, hopefully we can convince the Outer Rim that they will be protected, and are just as important as the Core Worlds. I don't know how long that will take," their mother said.
"It will be done as quickly as possible, but it must be done correctly," Cedric said.
"How long do you think it will take?" Celia asked.
"A few months, at least," he answered her, then turned to their mother, asking, "Do you know if any of the Senators from the Constitutional Committee have gone home?"
"Bail said a few of them have been recalled, but that they aren't leaving."
He nodded. "Do you know when we are going to get started again?"
"Bail has been trying to get everyone together, but it's been hard. I think tomorrow you might be able to get some work done."
"I hope so."
"The Jedi on Dantooine will be embroiled in battle soon. The first battalions of Clone Troopers will be sent there," their father said as he got up, "and I'm about to fall asleep, so I'm going to bed."
Liz was nearly in tears, and Cedric remembered that Fin, Obi-Wan's younger son, was there. "In a couple of days, I'll go out there. Leia should be ready to go by then. I'm taking Luke as well. Liz should come."
Liz sniffed and turned to him, confused. "Why should I go?"
"Because, I think you will be helpful."
"What help am I going to be, Dad? I don't know the first thing about battles."
"I don't know yet. If it goes badly, we will need help in coordinating everyone, getting people off the planet. You are quite good at that."
"I'll go, but I still don't understand why you want me along."
"That's fine. You'll figure it out when the time is right," he said, and headed off to his bedroom.
Cedric thought back to the day he had learned how much his life had changed. And now he realized how much it hadn't. He still got up at dawn every morning. He still went to breakfast at eight. He still went to Senate at nine. He still did homework between everything else, and almost never got home before ten at night. Most nights he still slept at Master Ti's. He sparred occasionally with Jasmine after he got back to the Temple. He was better than she was, but she'd managed to beat him once now, and not with any of the little tricks she pulled in class, either. He knew how to defend against that.
And then there was Tann. He wasn't sure she would keep her promise to stay out of the war, but then again, she might. If she did, that was one less Sith that they would have to deal with. His father along with all of his older siblings, well, all of them except his twin, were headed for Dantooine now. No extras. Master Koon, Han, Mara, and Jasmine were all being left behind. Jasmine had been absolutely against the idea, but it wasn't something that either Luke or their father was going to relent on. She was too vulnerable, too young to risk putting her into battle. But then again, considering some of what had happened on Bespin, she would likely never go into battle.
Bright Hope Ranger, En route to Dantooine, 39:6:19
Luke sat in the common area of the Bright Hope Ranger, facing off against Leia in a game of Dejarik. Liz walked in, unacknowledged by either of them.
"What are you two doing?"
"Playing Dejarik," Luke answered absently.
"Who's flying the ship?"
"We're going to be in hyperspace for the next ten hours, Liz," Leia said, as she moved her Grimtaash to take Luke's Houjix.
"Where's Dad?" she asked.
Luke sighed, advancing his Ng'ok into a more advantageous position, though one he knew Leia wouldn't notice the advantage of until it was too late. "I don't know. He's somewhere on board the ship. I wouldn't go looking for him, though. He's brooding."
"What are you talking about? Daddy doesn't brood."
A look passed between Luke and Leia. "Leave him alone right now, Liz. He's…not himself," Leia said as she moved her Houjix up. If Luke wasn't careful, she would have him in four turns. He could get her in three, though.
"If he's not himself, then who is he?" Liz asked pointedly.
"You don't want to know the answer to that question, sis," Leia told her.
Liz frowned at her older twin siblings. "You look like Grandma Jobal when you do that," Luke commented.
"What aren't you telling me?"
"There are a lot of things we aren't telling you. It's really Dad's story. If he wants you to know, he'll tell you," Luke said, and he felt Liz's frustration rise as he looked at Leia again. A tiny smile crossed her face at the same time as he felt his own lips curl up. How did we ever do what we did when we were her age?
"I'm going to go find Dad, since you two are being obnoxious," she said.
Luke shook his head. "Elizabeth, we weren't trying to be all secretive on you. I'm sorry."
"So what was that amused grin about?"
"How we acted when we were your age. I'm amazed that we didn't kill ourselves," he said, the grin coming back.
"What would you guys have done to do that? I don't remember you being that wild."
Luke shook his head. "It's not important. But leave Dad be. He needs his space for the moment."
"Why? I don't like this; we've always been closer than this. The last few months you two have been like complete strangers," Liz asked.
Luke sighed and concentrated on the board for a moment, deciding finally to take Leia's Grimtaash out with his Kintan Strider. She was far too fond of the piece, and it wasn't going to cost him anything to do it. "You're right, but there ARE reasons we've been distant," he said, with sympathy coloring his voice. "So what are they? For goodness sake Luke you didn't tell Leia about proposing to Mara until I was there, what can't you tell me now?"
"I can't tell you, not without telling you Dad's story, and please don't ask him about it right now," Luke said, and his tone carried the order that they were.
"Why not?"
"He's preparing to go to war, Liz," Luke said, an almost pleading note in his voice for her to drop it.
"So are we, but I don't see either of you brooding about it. It's not like any of us knows what a battle is like."
Luke cut off a retort from Leia with a short move of his hand. "Bespin is battle enough, Liz. And Dad's been in more of them than I care to know about."
"And what do you have to say about it, Leia?"
"I was going to say something angry. It's not important," she said, releasing her anger into the Force, as she'd been trained for many years to do.
"Why are you two giving me the Padawan treatment all of a sudden? I'm not a child anymore," Liz said, finally giving in to her temper.
"That is enough, Elizabeth," their father said from behind her.
She flushed with embarrassment as she turned to him. "Sorry, Daddy. They won't tell me what's going on."
"Really. I wouldn't have thought that either of them would be petty enough to do that to you. They must have a good reason," he said. His force-signature and expression were both flat, void, and empty of the normal excess of emotion that he carried around with him.
"They won't tell me. I was asking about you."
"And what were you asking?"
"Why they think you were brooding."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I imagine that would be because I am," he said, and Luke nearly laughed as her mouth dropped open. "Not that it matters. When have you known your siblings to lie to you?"
"Never, but they were being so evasive."
"For, I am sure that they told you, your own good?"
"No, they said it was a story for you to tell."
"Hmmm…I suppose they are right, and it is for your own good also, but you are devilishly curious, and I know that you won't leave this alone until your curiosity is satisfied."
"Thank you, Daddy," Liz said.
"Don't thank him yet, Liz," Luke said as he took Leia's K'lor'slug finishing the game.
"Why do you say that?" she asked Luke.
"Because, he hasn't told you what you are apparently dying to know. Thank him after he tells you."
She turned to look at their father, but all she got out of him was stony silence. "So what's going on?"
"I'm not the man who raised you, or rather I'm more than the man who raised you," he started.
"What do you mean, Daddy?" Liz sounded scared now and Luke felt her fear through the Force, he instinctively reached out to her with the Force but Anakin spoke up, "No, Luke, she needs to face this on her own."
"Yes, Father," he said flatly, and withdrew, "But her Master won't appreciate that."
"She'll understand," his father said.
"What's going on?" Liz asked.
"Hearing the story I'm about to tell you is your First Trial, and I'm sorry for the pain I'm about to inflict on you…" He launched then into the story of his previous life, leaving nothing out. It took the better part of four hours to go through and by the time he was done his daughter was pale, even the twins were shaken.
"I don't know what to say," she said.
"Definitely a better reaction than I thought you'd have," Anakin said.
"You couldn't have done those things…you're not like that!" Liz said, tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.
"All of us have the capacity for evil, Liz. Given the proper pressure at the right place," Anakin said.
"No! Only a monster could do all you said! If its true you are a monster!"
"I won't disagree with you, I am a monster and I've done horrible things, but you need to understand. I could have gone either way. I was too weak to resist the pressure Palpatine applied. You have to be aware of where you are weakest or you'll succumb just like I did."
"Why tell me? I'd rather not have known this," the tears now flowed freely.
"We are going to be going into battle. The emotions that feed the Dark Side are quick to join you in a fight, and the fact that I spent three years at war I KNOW weakened me further to Palpatine's manipulation. I don't want you leading the troops into combat without being aware of the risks."
Liz trembled at the thought of going into battle. "I'm not ready, Daddy," she said shakily.
"You are ready," he said authoritatively. "But I'm not going to dump you into battle without a little preparation."
"What kind of preparation?"
He waved off her question. "That is enough for today. We will talk about it when we get to Dantooine."
Luke was ready when Liz collapsed into tears as their father left.
Somewhere on Coruscant, 39:6:20
Sev'rance spent a good deal of her time researching the naming of a Chiss, a difficult task, considering she'd never been to Csillia. She had little else to do, since she had promised Cedric that she would not return to battle. She eventually dug up enough information to give her son a proper name: Merkoz'ere'tlekethertono. His father would call him Zeret Skywalker. He would not carry his family name as part of his Chiss name, but it was doubtful he would ever be anywhere that it would matter. Skywalker was a better name than she could give him, more influential, brighter. Among the things she discovered that her proper name was Tann'sev'rance, and she was even listed among the databases of the Chiss Ascendancy. Sev was what she would have been called. She thought again of simply giving herself up to the Jedi. It was something that Cedric had made clear that he wanted, though he hadn't asked her to do it. The Jedi wouldn't kill her, because of the child she was carrying, and she could see Cedric, and he might be able to convince them to let her see him every day if she wished. And she wished.
She sighed. It wasn't going to be that easy, no matter what daydreams she had to the contrary. Cedric didn't have enough power within the ranks of the Jedi to outdo the influence of others, especially those like his father, who would oppose her presence on principle if nothing else.
Bright Hope Ranger, En route to Dantooine, 39:6:20
Leia was somewhat leery of her father's seemingly jovial mood, even though he seemed to be in a genuinely good mood. She and her brother and sister had gathered in the hold again, waiting for his explanation of why they were going to Dantooine.
He looked at the three of them, and she thought she saw steel in his eyes, rather than the soft ocean blue she was used to, "Dantooine is one of the planets that spoke out against the IGBC in Senate. It is the most likely one that they will attack. If that planet can be overrun, then the IGBC has a chance to move the Jedi farther away from the front lines, out of their way." He set a larger holoprojector on the Dejarik table and turned it on. "The planets on the Outer Rim, here, in blue," he said, "Have all been affected by the IGBC's policies. All of them will likely be targets at one time or another."
"Is this what Cedric was working on for you while you were gone?" Luke asked with interest.
"Yes. He is good at this sort of thing. Big picture stuff, and being able to bring that into focus for those of us who are less big picture. It does help me do tactics to have this already done," he said, then returned to his narrative, "If the Temple at Dantooine falls, then the Jedi will either spread out over the whole of the Outer Rim, or retreat to the Temple at Naboo, or a combination of the two. I don't want to have to deal with figuring out which is best, so we will hold the Temple on Dantooine. There should be two squadrons of Clone Troops there when we arrive, and I expect that the Temple on Dantooine will have its own ideas about what is best, which we will do our best to incorporate into our strategy."
"What do you need us to do?" Liz asked. As the youngest and least experienced one of the four of them, she would need to have things laid out more clearly. Unfortunately, as the rest of them all knew, battle plans were subject to change at a moment's notice. Or less.
Their father smiled, though, having already thought about what she needed to be doing. "I wanted you along so that you could learn to coordinate. I know that you will be very good at strategizing, planning and coordinating battles, but you must learn this for yourself, as well as how to apply your skills and trust your instincts. You will not be doing much this time out, but you will be prepared to lead at least some troops into battle the next time the event arises."
Liz was shocked by the entire notion, but not as shocked as she was by the tale he'd told them the day before, but still, when she opened her mouth to try to speak, nothing came out. "I'm amazed, Liz, that the daughter of the Chancellor is at a loss for words," he quipped at her, and her eyes narrowed as she turned his frustration on Luke.
"You knew about this, didn't you?"
"That depends upon what you mean by I 'knew,' my dear sister."
"You knew that he was going to do this. He wants to put me into battle," she said, fear overriding the anger she'd first shown.
"I was not informed of Dad's plans for you, no. But the way that you organize things inside your own head is similar to the way Dad does it. I can see how he thinks that you will be good as a field general. I had my suspicions when he asked you along that this was his intention."
"Now, Elizabeth, if you are quite done with your fear, please rid yourself of it. It is interfering with your lesson," their father said.
Chagrined, she released the negative emotion into the Force, "I'm sorry, Daddy."
"Good. I expect not to have to tell you that again. Your trials have started; you should know better."
"Yes, Daddy," she said, still chagrined, "Why am I having my trials now, so early? I mean, Leia just had hers a week ago."
"We do not question the will of the Force," he said, but she seemed to need more of an explanation. "When Leia was ready for her trials and when you will be are two completely separate events, judged by two different people, about two totally different people. Besides, Leia was judged ready for her trials months before she took them."
"I was?" Leia asked, surprised.
"You were still pregnant when that happened. It was decided that unless something catastrophic happened, you would be allowed to complete your medical leave before your trials. It was unfortunate that your Master never got to tell you," their father said gently.
"Then something catastrophic happened," Leia said glumly.
"Well, unexpected. I wouldn't say it was a complete catastrophe. But enough about that. Back to our strategy for the Battle of Dantooine."
"How do you know that it will be Dantooine that they first hit, Daddy?"
"I don't for sure, so we must be prepared to pick up and move to where the battle will be. Fortunately they will not be particularly well-organized or well-funded. That will help. Unfortunately, they will probably use more battle droids, instead of people, which means that they will commit more quickly to battles that they might have less of a chance to win than if they were actually using people. It will make our task more difficult, but not so difficult as to be insurmountable," he said, and he made a change in what the holoprojector was showing and continued with his explanation.
Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Jade-Skywalker Quarters, 39:6:20
Jasmine walked into her Master's quarters, reminded again that he wasn't home. He was on his way to Dantooine, or already there, and she hadn't been allowed to go. Mara was sitting in the common room when she came in. "Hi, sweetie, how was school?" she asked, not getting up. Not that Jasmine really blamed her. She was nearly as big as her mother, and Ardrya was more active than both the twins put together. Of course, it helped that she had more room.
"Ok, I guess," she replied glumly.
"Just ok? Usually you come in telling me about your exploits in Lightsaber Class. Did you lose again?"
"No, I won," she said, sighing as she flopped back into the cushions of her chair.
"I know you miss Luke, sweetie, but he will be home as quick as he can."
"It's not that. Master Windu promoted Orlin today. He's going to level three advanced Lightsaber class."
"That sounds like something you should be celebrating, not getting depressed over."
"But it means I won't get to see him anymore. And he's such a nerfherder about his technique. There won't be anybody to make him keep his elbows in."
Mara laughed, then said, "Well, maybe you can work really hard and get into L-3 pretty quick, so that you can take care of him."
Jasmine brightened instantly. "That's a really good idea, Mara. I gotta do homework first though. Cedric said he would spar with me later tonight, though, since he's most generally missing class."
Dantooine, just outside the Jedi Temple, Clone Troop encampment, 39:6:20
Anakin had very ambivalent feelings as they landed on Dantooine. The Clones were already there, he could see the ships from the front panel of the Bright Hope Ranger. He sighed, knowing that delaying wouldn't gain him anything. He still felt tired, very tired of war, and certainty that he was getting way too old to be doing this. He got up, headed to the back of the YT-1600, and down the ramp.
He walked over to the camp that was being actively set up as he moved toward them. "Who is in charge of this operation?" he asked curtly.
"Commanders CC-2134 and CC-2224, sir," replied the trooper he had stopped.
The designations sounded slightly familiar to him, but he was sure that he would be sick to death of strings of numbers and letters by the end of them month. He closed his eyes against the phantom pain he knew was going to turn all too real all too soon. "Get one of them for me."
"Yes, sir, may I ask who you are?"
"Anakin Skywalker," he said.
"Very good, sir. Master Wyn said you would be arriving. Let me say that it will be an honor to serve with you in battle."
Anakin waived the clone off, and he left to bring one of the commanders to his attention.
"You ok, Dad?" Luke said from behind him.
"I'm fine. I think I will be incredibly sick of people who are simply designated by numbers very quickly," Anakin said tersely. He was on pins and needles, and he knew he needed to calm down, but he wanted to get a feel for the Clone Commanders he would be working with first.
"Well," a clone said from behind him, "I don't suppose you want to hear my true designation then."
"Not really, no. You are a commander?"
"I am. You can call me Odd Ball if you like. It's what Alpha-17 likes to call me."
Anakin smiled. He liked Odd Ball. Odd Ball had been with him in the Second Battle of Coruscant. "Good. Odd Ball. What is the makeup of the two squadrons that have been sent here?"
"Oh, pretty standard, sir. Squad Seven is the Pilot squad you have. You also have three ground divisions, and two heavy armor squads. Oh, and an Engineering crew."
"Sounds like a good make-up. Did you happen to get particulars on when to expect more troops?"
"Yes, sir. There should be four more divisions this size by the end of the year."
"Good," he said. "You can go back to whatever you were doing. We can expect battle within the next two weeks, I think."
"As you say, sir," Odd Ball said, "Did you have need to go over tactics or strategy, deployment, anything?"
"Later," Anakin said. "I just got off the ship, and I think I need to meditate before I do anything else."
"Yes, sir. Shall I contact you in one standard hour?"
Anakin sighed, focusing for a minute, "No. Contact me in the morning. If you need anything further before then, I'm sure Master Wyn will be able to help you."
"Yes, sir. I will see you in the morning."
Anakin let a ragged breath out and trudged over to the Temple. He hadn't been kidding about the meditation.
Dantooine, Jedi Temple, 39:6:20
Liz walked through the halls of the Temple. It was quiet in the area that she was walking through, almost eerily so, as though it had been a very long time since anyone had traversed the corridors. She wasn't lost, though, because the maze of tunnels that made up the Temple here were laid out on the same pattern as the Temple on Coruscant. The building was mostly underground now, but that only made it feel homier to her. She had wandered into the section that mirrored what some of the other Padawans had dubbed Skywalker Hall. She thought nothing more and nothing less of it. It was simply home to her.
She felt another presence then, and turned to find Fin there. She hadn't seen him in months, practically since he'd been knighted. He had let his hair grow out, and it was turning to the darker red she could vaguely remember Obi-Wan having had before he'd gone grey. He did look a good deal like his father, though he'd finally grown an inch or so taller than Obi-Wan. His hand brushed the side of her face, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked her.
"Have you ever realized that this Temple is built on the same pattern that the Coruscant Temple is?" she asked, wanting anything to talk about so long as it wasn't her trials, her father, or anything having to do with her trip to Dantooine.
"No, but it doesn't surprise me," he said, his blue eyes making her catch her breath, "Now I know you didn't come all the way out to Dantooine to examine the architecture."
She looked down, not wanting to let him see the horror she'd recently experienced through her father's words. "I am here to learn. I have an early day tomorrow, Fin," she said, trying to go, get away, not to break down on him.
He knew her better than that, though. As much as she tried to play the brave girl; to not let him know what was going on, there was still a deep connection that the two of them had shared for years, half of her life, at least. He gathered her into his arms, to comfort her, but there was no comfort that would make this particular pain go away. Tears of sorrow spilled out anyway, and she knew that she didn't have any way of making him understand, but she also realized he didn't need to understand. There would be time for that later. He stroked her hair, holding her, making her feel like she was the only important thing in the entire galaxy. "You're here to learn about battle techniques and strategy, aren't you?"
She nodded into his chest, and he asked, "Why?"
"I don't know. All I want to do is go home, and take care of the crèchelings. I don't want war, or fighting, or anything."
He didn't say anything in response, but just held her, letting her know without words that he would always be there for her. It took a long time for her to be ready to look at him again. "You are strong enough to do this, or else your father wouldn't be trying to push you into it," he said, and she nodded, taking a shaky breath. "And you know Luke wouldn't let anything bad happen to you."
"I think Luke is one of the bad things that's happening to me."
"Oh, don't be like that. Luke has been one of my best friends since the twins were born, practically. I know he has your best interest at heart, and with what I hear from Mom and Dad, he's actually learning to stand up to your dad."
She smiled, really not wanting to get into family business right then, and said, "You're right, neither of them would intentionally bring me to harm. I just don't like this."
"You don't have to like it. I doubt your dad likes it either, but the Council said he was the best strategist we have."
She nodded. "I think he is. I've learned a lot even just on the trip here," she said, sighing.
"You look tired," Fin said, "You should get to bed."
"I'll see you tomorrow, maybe," she said as she moved away from him, heading back to the room that she'd been assigned for the duration of their stay.