Edited: 2/14/2021 - See note at bottom

Chapter 42 - Visitor

Bail Organa parked his personal freighter on the surface of Tatooine, about a mile from the coordinates Ahsoka gave him, when last they talked. He pulled out a worn coat to wear over the simple garment that he used back home to blend in with the populace, and set off through the streets looking for what he hoped would be an old friend, at the very least. Before he left, his wife had given him the old coat, suggesting that his worn down street clothes would not be enough to disguise him on Tatooine. Now, walking around the place, Bail was starting to think his wife was right. 'Alderaan and Tatooine are such different places.'

As he approached his destination, a brick building in the center of Anchorhead, Bail noticed a group of children playing outside. The game they were playing, all the way out here on Tatooine, seemed very familiar to him. He watched them for several minutes before he realized why the game was so familiar. It originated on Naboo. Smiling, Bail mentally kicked himself. 'Of course it's from Naboo. Padme runs this place.' Bail took time to help a youngling score a goal before he headed inside.

Behind the front desk a young red-head greeted him with a smile. "Hello, can I help you."

"Yes, I'd like to meet with Padme Amidala, please." Bail could've asked for the Jedi Council, but he knew how many bounties the Empire had issued for anything relating to the surviving Jedi, and he wasn't sure how honest they were with the center's employees. Besides, he desperately wanted to talk to his old friend.

"Oh. Uh, do you have an appointment? I don't see one on the schedule." she asked.

"No, my name is Bail Organa. She'll know who I am." Bail answered her with a fond smile.

"Alright, Mr. Organa. I'll have her commed. Did you want to sign up for classes?" she asked.

"No, accademia is not why I am here," Bail said.

"Of course, you must be here for the new life skills class." Bail started to shake his head no, when she continued, "No, don't worry. We're very sensitive here. I'll just put your name down, and the boss can finish your entrance form when she gets here." He rolled his eyes slightly, then nodded. It was the easiest response to give. Arguing against her assumptions would take too much time, and he really wanted to see Padme. The woman behind the desk typed a message into a comlink, then began to chat about something she'd heard from her sister's, friend's, cousin… He wasn't really listening anymore at that point.

As Bail waited, his eyes scanned the office. On a wall there was an article printed out from a local news bulletin. Padme and another founder were being interviewed on their organization. Bail felt proud of Padme. In the article her responses contained such well paced logic, and at the same time, were so full of passion. It was definitely true to Padme's style. He was glad his friend could achieve so much. He didn't doubt her.

On another wall was a collection of holo-images. Pictures of people holding certificates of achievement, or wearing different uniforms. Bail was just starting to scan these photos when the door opened.

"Gretta, I got a message saying I was asked for. Is this something you can handle, I was going to meet Ani..."

"I tried, but he wants to talk to you. Says his name is Bail Organ, something. I started the file on the computer for him. I think he wants the new life skills course…" She lowered her voice to a whisper at the potentially offending words.

Padme gave Gretta a scolding look. "There's nothing wrong with the life skills courses. We offer to teach everyone here, regardless of what abilities they do and do not have."

"That's what I told him." Gretta whispered.

Bail didn't want to let the conversation continue. He spoke up to save the girl from any more scolding. "Senator, Senator Amidala?"

Padme's face turned to awe as she looked at who was in her office. "Bail. Bail it's you!"

Bail and Padme both smiled as they ran to each other and hugged. Gretta watched them with wide eyes for a moment, before she went back to her computer.

"When Ahsoka first told me where you were, I couldn't believe it. But then I told Breha and she was like, 'Of-course she's married to Anakin! Gee Bail, you can be so blind sometimes,'" Bail animatedly mimicked his wife, while Padme giggled.

"It is a wonderful thing to see an old face again. I felt so bad leaving when I did. I left you all with a mighty big mess, didn't I," said Padme.

"Oh, that old thing. No, I'm glad you got out when you did. Palpatine turned over power so quick there was nothing you, or any of us could do. You were safe, and that was what was important. So many weren't…" Bail stifled back a tear.

"Oh…" Padme and Bail were both silent for a moment while they contemplated all that was lost with the rise of the empire. After a moment, she quietly asked him another question, "Do you know anything about what's happened to my parents, or my sister? How have they fared in all of this?"

"I have kept an eye on them. Originally in your honor, as before Ahsoka told me, we had assumed the worst." He paused and Padme looked down in regret. "But as soon as I learned the truth I went and visited them. I told them what I learned and they were even more surprised than I was. But Oh, Ruwee could hardly stay in his seat, he was so happy to hear you had survived. Jobal went to tears when she heard about your children."

"They knew! The empire knew about her babies." Bail remembered Jobal uttering in a stunned whisper.

After a minute, Padme's sister Sola explained, "After Padme went missing, the empire goons were released all over Naboo. They arrested and interrogated all of us, along with anyone else who had ever met a Jedi, it seemed. Only along with their questions pertaining to the surviving Jedi, they also asked a lot about Padme, and oddly enough, her health. Our grandmother said something like 'do you think she's had a baby or something?' and they took her away for further interrogations. Accused her of being uncooperative. She didn't survive." Bail remembered Sola's voice broke at the end there.

Bail didn't think this was the occasion to go into all that with Padme. He didn't want to upset her so soon after their reconnection. Events like this were one of the reasons he hated the empire so much. Instead he explained, "They wanted to get into a ship right away to come see you, but then your sister Sola pointed out that the empire was still watching them. It would be dangerous for them to even know your location, let alone go to see you. They told me to send you their best wishes, and to tell you to give your babies a hug from their grandparents."

"I will," Padme promised.

"Lately," Bail went on, "Your niece Pooja was given the position as Naboo's Senator. Just like her Auntie."

"Oh my!" Padme's smile faded a second later. "But do they still have a senate, with the empire?"

"Yes, It's more a farce, compared to how the old one worked. The senate has no real power, but Palpatine hasn't cut the cord with it yet. I fear the day he does. In a few years I'll be expected to hand over my seat to Mara. She's my daughter, you'd love her, but she's not really a politician. She is more likely to tell it to your face then go around a room gathering votes."

Padme laughed, "How long are you staying for? My kids will love to meet you, especially my Leia. She's seventeen and Political science is her favorite topic, especially the old Republic. I used to be a senator, but somehow that doesn't count."

"Well, you're her Mom," Bail laughed. "Oh, I wish we could reconnect, but unfortunately I came on business. I need to talk to the - the Jedi." He whispered that last word, looking up suspiciously at the desk where the red-head, Gretta still sat.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about her. Most of the locals here love the Jedi. Especially since they helped overthrow Jabba the Hutt. It's only some of the off-worlders who we need to keep quiet around." Gretta took the cue that she was being discussed to look up from her computer to give them an innocent smile and wave. "I will comm Anakin and he'll gather the others. Come with me, I'll take you to the council meeting room."


"Greetings Masters," Bail bowed to his audience and smiled.

'Gee, they feel so much less - less apart from the world than they used to. They feel like they are actually listening to me. A lot sure has changed!' Bail thought, as he addressed the council.

"Our dear friend Ahsoka Tano had important business in the Raioballo Sector, and when this news reached me, I knew it was too urgent to wait." Bail took two steps into the room and placed a device on a table in the center of the room. "This was uncovered by spies on one of the empire's warships." Bail gestured towards his device and a holo recording started to play, projecting from the device on the table.

"Oh- uh, this is all a misunderstanding. I don't know anything about Jedi. I'm just a service droid." came a familiar voice to them all.

"Is that professor Huyang?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, yes. Professor Huyang it is!" confirmed Yoda. The jedi masters studied the other figure on the recording, a dirty man with tattoos under his armor. Clearly this man was a pirate.

"I find that hard to believe." The pirate put his hands on Huyang and manually activated a holo projection containing some of the lightsabers in his memory banks.

"Unhand me, you Brigand! In over 1000 years I haven't seen such a short circuiting Meatbag as you! Shut me down!"

The pirate's deep laughter filled the room. "I'm a hard working man, looking for profit. 400 credits for the unit, or he goes to the dump."

The recording cut off to a close-up of Huyang's shaking form. Bail noticed many of the Jedi had an emotional reaction to the sight. In the old days he would've found it unprecedented, but now... Ahsoka had told him about the changes the Jedi had been trying to make. He just didn't expect to actually see the results.

"The Mark Four Architect Droid is being held by pirates, waiting for the empire to pay their fee. We cannot hope for the squealers to stupidly dismiss the outdated droid as junk. From what I've heard, the report was already forwarded up the chain of command once since our spy came across it. I know you don't want to get involved in the rebellion, but if Palpatine gets his hands on the information in this droid's memory banks…" Bail shook his head for emphasis. "No solid proof yet, but there are rumors of him building a weapon of untold dimensions out of kyber."

Bail got quiet to allow the Jedi to discuss this. He hoped they would see reason.

The Jedi council members all looked at eachother. They were quiet, then Anakin nodded at Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan nodded at Yoda. Several more nods later, and Yoda looked back at Bail. "With the Jedi longer than I, Huyang has served. A part of our order, he is. Protect him, we will."

"Thank you!" Bail exclaimed as he breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned back and smiled as they began to debate strategy.

"Will it be possible to negotiate with the pirates on the fee? If they are only after a profit, they will not care where that profit comes from." Obi-Wan suggested.

"Then it's good we have the negotiator with us." Anakin remarked.

"The rebellion is prepared to pay a portion of what they are requesting. I might be able to get more funds from another contact after I leave here as well," Bail shared.

"Yess, Try this we will. But to free him by force, we must also prepare," Yoda added.

"This is great news. Thank you all for agreeing. I'll leave it to you to discuss the details." Bail bowed to the Jedi before he let himself out.


Hello Everyone,

The idea for this chapter sprung from a conversation I had with AO3 user Evenmoor in the comments. I hope I wrote Huyang well, and that you are pleased. There will be more Huyang in the upcoming chapters. I am even contemplating a Huyang POV section.

The conversation with Padme was inspired by an Fanfiction{dot}com reviewer Multifangirl21 who pointed out that I hadn't officially revealed to Bail that Padme was, indeed, alive. I originally thought to have Bail tell Mara about Padme by showing his daughter an old picture of his old friend, and him assuming she was deceased. Then have Ahsoka go "No, she's alive still. She moved to Tatooine and married Anakin." and Bail would be like all "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL MEE!" only by then the twins would've been in their teen years and it all sounded a little cruel to keep it from him that long, so I went with this solution instead. And the fate of Padme's grandma is on Wookieepedia's Legend's page.

In the next chapter we begin an adventure. There will not be any time gap between chapters this time. Certain Padawans are old enough to go with their masters into the field now, so… My lips are sealed. No more spoilers!

Edit - 2/14/2021 I recieved an unusual review for this chapter from one Dedehbee, an anonymus reviewer. I'd like to reply to your review personally. I find it is brave to speak out against a bully and seeking help is a good idea. Such situations can become dangerous fast. However, eliciting further bullying against the bully is not the solution you need. This is why I have removed your review. Contact the Police, and block them on your social media accounts instead.