AN: I'm a little angry right now and it's clouding my critical eye so if something got through excuse me. I'm so mad about something I can't even give a proper author's note. Maybe reading some of your reviews later will help.

Read, enjoy, and review!

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Chapter Six

"Han please," Leia said trying to convince the smuggler to take the little girl after she found out Winter had already told him to hide her. "You're our only hope. You have to take her away from here."

"Listen princess, it can't be that bad that the alliance will come after an innocent child," Han said.

"You don't know the whole story. The fate of the galaxy depends on you taking her away. If she gets hurt or the rebellion uses her and our father finds out-."

"Wait a minute princess. Your father?" Han asked. "He's dead and you two aren't even really related."

Chewie barked something to Han and Han looked at him in shock.

"You're serious?" he asked.

"What did he say?" Leia demanded.

"He said you and Luke always did have a scent similar to Shmi's like you shared a parent," Han said crossing his arms. "So start explaining princess."

"If I tell you everything you have to promise you'll leave with Shmi and Threepio," Leia said stubbornly.

"It depends," Han said just as stubborn.

Leia sighed. "Close enough. Our father's not dead Han."

"I kind of figured that out."

"He's Darth Vader."

Han reeled back like he had been punched in the jaw as he stared at Leia in shock.

"You've lost it!"

"I'm not lying! Ahsoka was there when me and Luke were born, after our father turned to the dark side. She tried to take me and Luke to our dad because the Jedi were going to keep us away from him," Leia began.

"And for good reason," Han said dryly.

Leia ignored him and continued. "But she only got me. She and Vader raised me together and I schemed to set them up with each other except it didn't quite work out how I wanted it to. Ahsoka got pregnant with Shmi when I was almost fourteen-."

"Hold it. You mean he's still got those parts under his suit?" Han asked in amazement.

"Han!" Leia asked and any other time she might have been embarrassed but now she was exasperated.

"I'm just saying. I thought he lost all his limbs and was trapped in that suit."

"He had a reconstructive surgery to have it repaired when I was five. He's hiding it from the emperor to protect me and Shmi. Anyway, Vader got into contact with Ahsoka-."

"So she really was in contact with him…"

"And now they think Ahsoka's betrayed the rebellion, but she never told him anything in those calls. He just wanted to check on us. We haven't seen him in almost six years," Leia said as she followed Han to the cockpit. "Han please!"

Han rolled his eyes. "Can it princess. I had already decided after you said Vader was your father."

Leia stopped in confusion.

"What?"

"I can't say I understand what's going on princess, but whatever it is it ain't nothing for a five year old to get in the middle of. I don't know much about the rebellion and I don't know what Ahsoka has gotten herself into, but I do know people. And if they find out who her father is, it ain't gonna be pretty around here," Han said knowingly.

Leia hugged Han. "Thank you so much," she said to him ignoring how stiff he had become.

He patted her on the back and cleared his throat. "Yeah princess. No problem. Now go on and get goldenrod…"

"He's already here," Leia said jumping back.

"Hold it sister. How did you know I was going to do this?"

"I know people Han," Leia said with a smirk and then said, "Where's Shmi?"

"In the back," Han said nodding back.

Leia followed his directions to the girl who was sitting curled up in a ball in obvious fear of what was about to happen.

"Leia!" she said getting up and running to hug her.

"Shmi," Leia said sitting down and pulling the girl in her lap.

"What happened to mama?" Shmi asked immediately. "Han said she was arres… arrested. What's that mean?"

"It means the alliance has taken her and locked her in a room by herself," Leia said softly.

"Why? Did she do something bad?" Shmi asked her.

"No… Well to the alliance it was bad but it really wasn't," Leia said not knowing quite how to explain it.

"I don't like this Leia," Shmi said leaning her head on Leia's chest. "Something's about to happen."

"You're right," Leia said sensing the force disturbance as well, but much clearer than Shmi did. Things were going to get worse before they got better and it would be best to keep Shmi far away from it.

"That's why you're going to be going with Han," Leia said to her.

"Are you coming too?"

Leia sighed. "I can't Shmi. I have to stay here."

Shmi's eyes began to water and her bottom lip trembled as she looked at her sister.

"I'll be by myself?" she asked.

"Never," Leia said. "Han and Chewie are going to take good care of you and Threepio's coming too. I just want you to know that Ahsoka doesn't want to do this and she loves you very much. She just wants to protect you from all of this."

Shmi nodded but still started to cry.

"Don't do that," Leia said wiping her eyes with her thumb. "You have to stay strong. We'll come find you. I promise. Be good for Han and don't give him a hard time."

Shmi nodded and rubbed her wet eyes.

"Here," Leia said unclipping her lightsaber. "Take this with you and practice."

"But it's yours," Shmi said looking at the weapon in her hand.

"I'll just build a new one. And you're probably going to need it," Leia said kissing her forehead.

"Time to go princess," Han said leaning in the doorway.

Leia nodded and gently pried Shmi's arms from around her. "Be safe little one," she said and used a gentle force suggestion to sooth Shmi and make her fall asleep.

Leia turned to Han. "Take care of my sister Han. If you don't I'll murder you."

"Don't worry. I have no doubt that you'll do it. She'll be fine," Han said and then heard Threepio come up behind them.

"Chewie says it's time for takeoff sir."

Han sighed. "Can't say I'll be fine though. Goldenrod is going to drive me crazy…"

Leia laughed and went down the ramp of the ship. It closed behind her and then shortly after, took off into the skies and then into space.

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Ahsoka leveled Mon with a glare that would make a grown man wet his pants. It was a technique she had picked up from Vader. Set your jaw tight, frown, betray no sympathy, no pity, only anger and displeasure. Make them believe that you could end their life just because you looked at them.

"Everything you've told me has been a lie," Mon said to her.

"It was a necessary evil," Ahsoka said calmly.

"Bail knew, didn't he?"

"Of course he knew, but I needed help. We were in danger and he wasn't just going to leave Padmé's child in danger," Ahsoka said.

"Padmé wouldn't have put her child in danger by consorting with Vader," Mon shot back.

"You sure about that?" Ahsoka taunted.

Mon sighed. "You don't have to be difficult Ahsoka. Just tell me the truth."

Ahsoka didn't say anything. She would keep this secret to her grave to protect Leia and Shmi if she had to, not that she thought the alliance was going to kill her. But still there were people in the alliance who didn't think like Mon. They hated the empire sure, but they wouldn't be above threatening anyone close to Vader because Vader had probably killed off their family members. That's what happened when the rebellion accepted ex-imperial convicts…

"If you don't talk we'll have to try you based on the evidence we have," Mon said to her. "Think about Shmi."

"I am thinking about her," Ahsoka said crossing her arms stubbornly. "It's why I'm not telling you anything."

Mon sighed. "Whatever it is, Leia knows too I'm assuming. She doesn't act particularly bothered that her mentor was caught consorting with Vader."

"Leia has nothing to do with this," Ahsoka said simply and in a way it was the truth. Leia hadn't known she had talked to Vader.

Mon sighed and left the room, leaving Ahsoka to her thoughts in her cell. It was only a matter of time before Vader arrived, and he was not going to be happy when he found out that not only did the rebellion lock her up, but that she had also sent Shmi away.

Meanwhile Leia was still arguing with the council to let Ahsoka out her prison, but the High Council remained firm in their decision.

"This isn't fair!" Leia snapped. "You can't try her. There's not enough evidence to try her of anything."

"Think logically Leia. This could be detrimental to the safety of the rebellion," Mon pleaded.

"You don't even know what they talked about."

"I don't need to. Ahsoka hasn't really acted like a Jedi at all since she's been here. Perhaps that's why she suddenly came back. She could have made a backroom deal with Vader," Madine suggested.

Leia rolled her eyes. If only they knew the truth…

Then Rieekan glanced at Leia. "You don't seem particularly bothered by any of this Leia."

"I'm more concerned about Ahsoka's innocence then the rebellion to tell the truth," Leia said shrugging.

Mon sighed. "Now isn't the time to play games Leia. You all have been hiding something since you got here. Bail knew about. The Jedi know. Winter knows, and you're directly involved but there's no evidence against you. You're better off leaving this place and staying out of it."

"Fine. I'll leave. But Ahsoka comes with me," Leia declared.

"We can't risk her reporting back to Vader, Leia," Winter said softly with sympathetic undertones. "We haven't been attacked in the last few days so we're sure Ahsoka hasn't divulged our location but-."

Just then an officer ran into the room.

"What's going on?" Akbar asked.

"Our sensors are picking up a large space craft approaching the planet's orbit," he said urgently.

"Large?" Akbar said. "How large?"

"Star destroyers, at least one super class."

"Executor," Leia muttered and then sensed her father's faint presence in the force become stronger, like he was getting closer.

"I was afraid this would happen," Mon said standing up. "Call for an emergency evacuation of Hoth immediately."

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"You can't be serious. You're going to fight them?" Leia asked. "Dad's up there."

Luke rolled his eyes at Leia. He had to give it to her. She was completely and utterly devoted to her father. If only she could devote herself to the rebellion like that.

"Leia," Luke said rounding on her. "I'm never going to be as close to our father as you are. Maybe if he had raised me it would be different…"

"That's the point. You haven't had the chance to know him," Leia continued.

"And to be honest Leia, I don't know if I want to," Luke admitted flexing his right hand.

Leia looked at it and sighed. "It was an accident. All of us had a bad start if you think about it. Hell, so did Vader and Ahsoka."

Luke laughed. "They still have it bad if you ask me."

"Good thing I'm not."

"Look," Luke said sighing. "I'm going out there. No doubt Vader's going to personally come down."

"But Luke-."

Luke held his hand up to stop her. "Prisoners are always the last ones taken from the base."

"Then that means I can go get her," Leia said thinking the distraction of evacuating the base would leave the detention area unguarded.

"No. At times like these, the detention area is even more protected so none of the prisoners escape. All you have to do is wait for them to escort her out and with a prisoner like her they'll have four escorts which shouldn't be too much for a Jedi in training to handle," Luke said.

"I'm not a Jedi in training. I'm just learning the ways of the force, and Luke you devious little devil. That's brilliant. Pays to have a brother who knows all the inner workings of the rebellion," Leia commented.

"You think you caused trouble when you were younger," Luke said rolling his eyes. "I've done my fair share to this place. I know more about how the rebellion and the people in it work than the High Council to tell the truth. I've used it to my advantage occasionally."

"Guess I'm not the only one with the makings of a Sith," Leia joked.

"That's nothing to joke about," Luke said shaking his head but grinning all the same.

Leia shrugged. "Depends on your point of view. May the force be with you Luke."

"You too Leia," Luke said.

Leia started to leave when she noticed the techs putting an old Arfour unit into Luke's X-wing.

"Wait," she yelled.

"Hello Leia," they said pausing.

Leia turned around, "Artoo!"

The little droid zipped away from the techs trying to lift him into Leia's fighter and over to her.

"Give Luke this unit," Leia said gesturing to Artoo.

"But what about you?"

"It's alright. I won't be needing him. I'm not flying out today," she said patting Artoo on the head. "Be good buddy."

Artoo whistled a dry response and Leia rolled her eyes.

"That's like saying I'm a little angel," she replied and left to go wait on Ahsoka to be escorted out the detention bay, making a quick detour to Ahsoka's room to get the woman's lightsaber as Shmi had hers.

"Leia," Abdul yelled running to her with Lana following close behind.

Leia blinked. "I thought you got away on the transports already."

"And leave you behind? No way," Lana said. "Besides our parent's instruction when they left us here was to stay with you and Ahsoka and that's what we're going to do."

It was good reasoning and even if it wasn't, Lana and Abdul's parents were on missions for Vader doing what they did. It was too dangerous for them with the rebellion as the high council had a record on them which said they had been MIA for years (they did work for the republic prior to the empire of course). They probably would have been arrested on the spot.

"So what's your ridiculous plan to bust Ahsoka out of detention?" Abdul asked in an exasperated tone.

"Actually, it was Luke's idea," Leia said heading for the detention center.

Leia stopped before rounding the corner and backed away.

"What?" Lana asked.

"Mon," Leia replied simply with a bit of disdain in her tone. Leia had a feeling if she had met Mon under different circumstances, they would have gotten along.

The three peaked around the corner as they listened to what she was saying.

"Be prepared for Leia to come here and try to help Ahsoka escape," Mon was saying. "She's smart and manipulative according to some of the things her brother has told me about her. She'll come and practically make you hand Ahsoka over willingly. If she comes here, detain her immediately."

"Yes ma'am," they said.

Leia pulled back around the corner and cursed.

"Damn her," she snapped and then her eyes widened. "She's coming this way."

"Now what?" Abdul asked.

Leia looked back the way they came and said, "There's another way into the detention center. It shouldn't be too hard to find. Wait for the officers there. Now go."

Lana and Abdul nodded taking off down the hall just as Mon came around the corner and bumped into Leia.

"Mon," Leia said as though she were surprised.

"Leia," Mon said cautiously. "Nice to bump into you. I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Now?" Leia said as an explosion rocked the base.

"You don't have anywhere to go do you?" Mon asked looking at her pointedly.

"I have to meet Abdul and Lana at the transports," Leia replied.

"I'm headed that way. I'll go with you," she said.

Leia nodded as Mon led the way through the tunnels.

"I was just wondering where Shmi was," Mon asked.

"I already sent her off," Leia said. It wasn't a lie.

"With who?" Mon asked.

"On a transport."

"Not one of ours. No one's seen her since Ahsoka was detained," Mon pointed out.

"You mean people notice her?" Leia asked dryly.

"It's impossible not to," Mon said wincing at some of the disasters the little girl had caused since she was able to walk. "She's about as bad as Luke was when he was around six or seven."

Leia couldn't help laughing at that.

"Anyway, I can't help but be suspicious about this. If you sent her away before this, it would be very coincidental. A little too coincidental if you ask me," Mon pointed out.

"Why Mon," Leia said in a mock affronted tone. "Are you implying I knew about the impending attack?"

"It's reasonable to assume so," the woman replied bluntly.

Leia almost laughed. This could work out to her favor. Instead, she remained serious and said, "I assure you I knew nothing about this."

"But you knew something didn't you?" Mon asked. "Why else would you send her away?"

"Simple," Leia said. "Ahsoka didn't want Shmi to get caught in the crossfire."

Mon sighed. "The alliance wouldn't hurt a little girl Leia. She's innocent in all this, not to blame for her mother's betrayal."

"You can sometimes act very naïve Mon," Leia said calmly. "You think like that sure, but how many rebels here would love to get revenge on a traitor by hurting their child? I hear how they talk. I sit amongst them when they relax and let down, get drunk and out comes some of the things they wish they could do if they had the chance."

"But Ahsoka is a respected Jedi-."

"With imperial connections Mon," Leia said in almost a sing-song tone.

"So do about half the people on this base," Mon replied.

"Not like Ahsoka. Believe me," Leia said.

Mon looked at Leia in confusion. "What are you trying to say Leia?" she asked.

"Just think about it Mon. If you put the pieces together right, it should click," Leia sang as they arrived in the transport bay.

Mon paused for a moment on the ramp of the transport ship as it dawned on her.

"Are you saying…?"

Leia shrugged, mischief alight in her eyes. "I don't know Mon. What am I saying?"

"But why would you tell me this," she asked.

Leia looked at her with a hard expression. "I didn't tell you anything. But I want you to understand that you can't say a person betrayed you if they were never loyal to you to begin with," she said.

Mon glared at her sternly before saying, "Your mother would have been appalled at your obvious sympathy for the empire."

"No," Leia said shrugging. "That's not it at all. And it wouldn't be wise to talk about things you don't have all the facts on Mon."

"Ma'm, we're ready for takeoff."

Mon turned to look at the officer. "Wait," she said turning her head back to look at Leia but the girl was gone.

Leia ran back to where Abdul and Lana who were stealthily following the guards who had taken Ahsoka. The idea was to wait until they got close enough to the transports to ambush them but it looked like Mon had even warned them to look out when they were escorting Ahsoka away. There were way too many guards…

"There's no way we can take them…" Leia muttered.

"I can't believe that just came out of your mouth," Abdul said.

"I won't let you all get hurt because of this. If anyone's going to risk anything, it's me," Leia said.

"I wish you had said some of that stuff back home," Abdul snapped. "I would have loved if you said something like that when you decided to go to Naboo for your mother's memorial."

"This is different. On the surface there was never any real danger in going to Naboo to see my mother's grave," Leia began.

Lana crossed her arms. "There was no danger in three twelve year olds going to Naboo by themselves?"

"But there's a real danger in taking on a dozen or so guards," Leia continued. "I wouldn't knowingly put you two in danger."

"I'm not sure I believe that," Abdul replied. "Besides, I'm more willing to follow my adult best friend than my kid best friend."

Leia bit her lip and looked at them. "I did get us into a lot of trouble, didn't I?"

Abdul and Lana nodded.

"Now back to how we're going to save Ahsoka," Abdul said pointing to the team that was almost at the transport.

Leia started to say something and then paused.

"There's no need," she finally said.

"And why is that?" Lana asked as another explosion rocked the tunnels but this time the sound of a wall caving in the hanger where the last of the transports were sounded and they hear the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Secure the transports. No one else leaves this base alive," Vader snapped.

"This is the second time in my life I've been relieved to see your dad," Abdul said as Vader's intimidating form stormed the tunnels to meet the imperial officers who were escorting Ahsoka.

Vader only took one look at the scene and saw Ahsoka in the middle amongst them before he made up his mind what to do with them.

He used the force to carelessly fling the three in front aside before the other officers started to fire. Vader was very well capable of taking them on his own, but the troopers were ordered to kill anyone who attacked. Naturally, they open fired.

"No," Leia screamed in conjunction with the force warning. "Don't shoot!"

Hands cuffed and nothing to defend herself with, a bolt found its way to Ahsoka's side. But these were special kind of blasters. Leia knew the time the military was armed with and a bolt to the side would be just as effective as a bolt right in the chest depending on where it connected.

"Ahsoka," Leia yelled as she fell and ran directly into the chaos to get to her fallen guardian.

"Leia," Abdul and Lana said before following her. They had been following her into danger for over a decade so there was no need to stop then.

"Hold your fire," Vader roared as he became aware of what was going on.

The troopers did so, but that didn't mean the alliance officers did. The snap hiss of a lightsaber was heard and in a few swift motions that would have been swifter if Vader's movements were restricted by his suit, he cut down the remaining few guards.

"Ahsoka," Leia said pulling the unconscious woman up in her lap.

"What kind of blaster was that?" Lana asked inspecting the nasty wound

"Special standard issue for the 501st Legion," Abdul said.

"I will deal with their incompetency later," Vader grumbled and lifted Ahsoka in his arms. "We must leave this place. Stay with me or the troopers will kill you on sight."

"Wait," Leia said and Vader turned to look at her in time to see her throw her arms around him.

"Now really isn't the time princess," Vader said a little impatiently.

"I know. But it's been a while since I did that," Leia said letting him go. "Now let's get out of here."

They started off again, but Vader stopped them once more.

"Where's your sister?" he asked. Leia immediately cringed, the expression not going unnoticed by Vader.

"Safe," Leia finally replied.

"Leia," Vader said intending to draw it out of her before they stepped foot outside the base again. He started to compel her to tell him until the force whispered a quick warning and he stepped back as the building shook and the ceiling caved in between them.

"Daddy," Leia yelled from the other side.

"Are you all alright?"

"Yeah except Abdul looks like he's about to pee in his pants," Leia teased.

"Hey!"

"Just find a way to get out of here," Vader said.

"What about you?"

"I'm the head of this mission. You don't have to worry about me. You all just make sure to stay out the way of any imperials," Vader said. "And no recklessly endangering your life Leia."

"As if this isn't suicidal enough," Leia said leading her two friends down the hallways.

"Where are we going?" Lana asked.

"I don't know," Leia replied.

"Do you always make this stuff up as you go?" Abdul asked.

"Mostly," Leia replied.

"What about the Jedi?" Lana asked.

Leia blinked and reached out with her senses, pleased to sense that Yoda, Obi-wan, and Mara were in a nearby hanger preparing to leave.

"This way," Leia said ducking left. They came upon a small rebel ship that the Jedi were now about to evacuate the base on after making sure the rest of the base got away safely.

"There you all are," Mara snapped. "Where'd you go?"

"We had to save Ahsoka," Abdul said simply climbing the ramp onto the ship.

"Then where is she?" Obi-wan asked.

"Dad has her. She was shot," Leia said as the ramp began to close and she sat next to Obi-wan to help him pilot.

"Is she okay?" Obi-wan asked.

"The base is still standing isn't it?" Leia asked sarcastically.

Obi-wan saw her point. Vader would not have reacted well if Ahsoka wasn't fine.

"Can we talk later and get out of here?" Lana asked.

"Calm down young one. Have patience you must," Yoda chided.

Abdul looked at him in disbelief. "Have patience in this situation? Are you insane?"

Yoda hit him in the shins with his cane. "Respect your elders you might keep in mind also."

"Can we please just get off this ice ball?" Mara snapped.

"We're going," Leia said as they took off into space.

"How are we going to get past that blockade?" Lana asked.

"Leave it to me," Leia said as she and Obi-wan switched controls. "Someone put in the hyperspace coordinates."

Leia sped and weaved through the enemy ships surrounding Hoth's orbit tuning out Lana's squeak as they were hit with a laser.

"Leia, I think their gaining on us," Mara replied.

"Concentrate all the shield power toward the back of the ship," Leia replied as she weaved her way through the blockade so they could clear the blockade to make a hyperspace jump.

"Alright," Obi-wan said. "Are we clear?"

"Clear," Leia said. "Make the jump."

Obi-wan pushed the button to activate the hyperdrive. It fired up and then the stars blurred as they raced to their next destination.

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AN: This chapter ended up being longer than intended because of the fact that I took out a chapter and had to tag the rest to this. Now, how many of you have been looking forward to some real interaction between Ahsoka and Vader? Next chapter is the one we've been waiting for and depending on how many reviews I get, I might be inclined to put it up in a few hours… Let's say for an early update so we get to see our favorite couple interact, ten reviews. Otherwise, see you Monday.

Anyway, Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!