Star Wars: Cross Paths Part 3

Thanks to Anon, Guest, Daisy, LOVEM, Elen, Sue, DirksTalia, RedLigth16, JediLukeSkywalker, yourlocal90simp and Connors for reviewing. And to everyone who took your time to read it. You guys are great. Love you all.

A/N: WARNING spoilers for Obi Wan Kenobi

Chapter 15 – Meeting Tala

Luke was sitting on the stairs that lead to the bathroom of the farm, holding his baby son. His other kids were laughing and playing around the patio with R2. They had just take a nice shower, and as the suns started to set, they were ready for Ines to continue her story.

Ines was in the bathroom. Since they left Ajan, that she noticed she was a few days late, and she was worried that she may be pregnant, something that even him didn't want at the moment. Not only because Luke was still very young, with only 8 months old at the moment, but with everything going on, it was too soon. Even if he didn't mind to have another child. After all Alli kept talking about her baby sister all the time.

So when she told him she was late, he checked on her and try to feel if there was any life from growing inside of her, and he didn't feel anything. But she decided to make sure and found a way to do a pregnancy test, and that was what she was doing right now.

Looking at his baby, who was standing on his little legs, Luke kept talking to him, making the baby look at his father.

"Luke, look at me, say Da da," he said, laughing when his baby just started to bounce on his little legs and tapping his little hands on his father's face.

"You know, you will be a big brother. The question is: it will be now or in the future?"

"Brrrrr," the baby said making Luke laugh even more.

"Is that a good thing or bad?" Luke asked kissing his little son cheeks. "Come on, say da da. Da da."

The baby looked at his father with his big blue eyes and smiling he said:

"Ma ma."

Luke gasped. It was Luke's jr first word.

"Very good baby. Now say dada."

"Ma ma ma ma ma ma."

"Okay I get it, after all she is the one who feeds you with her milk, right?" he laughed.

Feeling his wife coming out of the bathroom, he looked at her, as Ines sat down next to him.

"It is negative." he said.

Ines nod.

"I told you I didn't feel any life growing inside you," he said kissing her cheek. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm relieve but in away sad at the same time," she said looking at him.

"Don't worry, according to our Alli, her baby sister will come," he winking. "Maybe it is for the best that it is not now."

"You are right," she smiled and rest her head on Luke's left shoulder.

"Besides I have a surprise for you."

Looking at him with a frown, Ines wondered what he was talking about.

"Just watch. Luke say da da."

The baby looked at him and smiling, he said right away.

"Ma ma."

Ines gasped.

"Sweetie your first word was Mama?" she smiled and picking him up, she kissed his little cheeks. "You are the first to say mama, since your older siblings decided that their first word would be dada," she frown at her husband, who laughed at that.

Then her older kids approached them.

"Mama, can you tell us the story now?" Alli asked as she got closer to her father and wrapped her arms around his neck, gaining a kiss on the cheek from Luke. He loved his kids so much.

"Okay, let's go to your bedroom and get in bed, while mama, tell the continuation of the story."

Standing up, they head to Luke's old bedroom, where the kids would sleep while they were there.

"Be careful with those stairs," Luke told, while he followed them.

As Ben got under the covers of his bed, and the girls got on their bed, Ines sat near the girls while Luke got closer to his son.

Holding her baby in her arms, who was again focus on his teething toy, Ines looked at them.

"So where was I?"

"You just got saved by that lady who was undercover," Ben said right away.

"Good memory son," Luke said high five his first born.

"Yes, her name was Tala."

"It is closer to our name, mama: Talia," Padmé said holding her toy.

Even R2 beeped agreeing with that.

"Yes it was, that is one of the reasons I never forgot her," Ines said. "But, as you know, she saved us right after we got caught by stormtroopers, and she took us to a small camp or something. There were stormtroopers everywhere, so we needed to be careful.

Flashback

Mapuzo, 9 BBY

The woman was taking Obi Wan and the girls to a hiding place.

"He gave you the right coordinates," she started to explain. "I was on my way when the probes arrived, but you've already gone."

Ines and Leia looked at Ben.

"I hadn't expected anyone to come," he said.

"If you had listen to us, in the first place," Ines replied right away making Ben stare at her.

"The Empire gone into high alert. They've locked everything down."

"Can we still get out?" Ben whispered.

"I can get you to the port. There's a pilot who's agreed to take you, but he not scheduled to leave in a few hours, so we need to lay low. Wait here. Wait here." she said, "I'll make sure it's clear."

And with that she left, leaving them waiting for her.

Ines looked at Leia, who was holding Lola tightly against her chest.

"Are you okay?" she asked her. She knew her friend to well to know she was upset.

"Everything will be alright, Leia. We'll make it out." Ben said to her, trying to comfort her.

"I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't mean to run away," Leia started.

"Leia, it was not your fault. I should have try to stop you and I followed you. So you are not the one to blame," Ines said resting her right arm on her friend's shoulder.

"We used to do it all the time. I just… It was just for fun."

"It wasn't your fault, Leia," he told her and looked at Ines. "And it wasn't your fault either."

"I miss home," Leia said.

"Yeah, me too," Ines sighed.

Looking at the two girls in front of him, Ben sighed.

"You two would be home very soon."

Then standing up, Ben looked to the direction where the woman left. Getting the signal from her, he grabbed the girls hands and crossing the street, they entered inside a place, where a big droid was standing there.

"Droid maintenance. It's all automated. No one ever comes in here," she explained, "Oh it's all right. He's on our side. Designation's NED-B."

The girls smiled at the droid.

"Hi," Ines said to him right away.

"Hi, NED- B," Leia replied too. "This L0-LA59. Lola, say hello," she said, making Lola beeped. Hearing that NED-B looked down and touched it.

"Oh, he is just a loader. They don't allow them to communicate."

Ines looked at NED and then to the woman.

"Why not? That is rude," the 10 years old said. "They sound like your stupid cousin, that thinks that droids are a lower form of life. Asshole."

"But what if he has something to say?" Leia asked, ignoring her friends remark on her cousin.

"Actions speak louder than words," she said smiling.

"True," Ines said. "But I still think it is rude and mean."

Ben could help but smile at that.

Then out of nowhere, NED pressed something and a door opened, revealing a secret room, where they all entered. Before he could close the door, Ines went to him and hugged droid, making him look down at her.

"Thank you NED-B." the girl smiled at him, before she entered inside and NED closed the door.

"What is this place?" Obi Wan asked looking around.

"We have safehouses like this throughout the galaxy. Trying to link systems. Some call it the Path. You are not the first Jedi to come through here."

Ines looked at her.

"There are more?" she asked smiling, making the woman smiled at her.

"Yes. It all lead to Jabiim, and from there, we give them new identities and get them out. There's a lot of good people risking their lives out there."

"See, I told you there not all people are bad," Ines said looking at him. "I may be only 10, but I still believe that there is still good people out there."

"Are they all Jedi?" Leia asked.

"Not all. This days the Empire hunts anyone who's Force Sensitive. Even children," she said.

"Children?" Ines gasped.

"What happens to them?" Leia asked.

"We're not sure. But no one ever see them again."

"Probably they are dead," Ines said sadly.

Ben looked at the messages on the wall.

"Quinlan was here," he said in surprise.

"Yeah, he helps now and again. Smuggling younglings."

"So, some children are safe somewhere," Ines looked at her, who nod smiling.

Looking back at Ben, she smiled.

"See? I know that someday, the Jedi will return. Someone will be able to teach the force to many younglings out there and the Jedi order will be restore," she said, making Ben smiled at her and stroking her face gently, he nod.

Look at the many saying that were written on the wall, he touched it.

"What does it say?" Leia asked.

"Only when the eyes are close, you can truly see."

"See what?" Ines asked.

"The way."

Then they heard someone knock on the door. Getting in position, they waited until they heard stormtroopers outside. After a while, which seemed hours, they left the place, making everyone sighed.

"We've been compromise. We're coming to you right now," she said talking to someone through a comlink.

They heard the pilot on the other hand saying they were not ready, but she didn't care.

Taking off her officer suit, she looked at Ben.

"Someone must have seen us. We're moving up the timeline."

The girls looked at her. That woman didn't know them but she was risking her life for them.

"Is it scary?" Leia asked her. "Having to pretend."

"Yeah, sometimes. But it's worth it if I can help people," she answered them.

"I'm glad that are people like you out there. Maybe if everyone got together, someday the Empire can be defeat," Ines said.

She looked at Ines for a while and then grabbing her holster, she put it on her left side.

"Isn't in the wrong side?" Ines asked.

"I like to wear it on the other side. It gives me a faster draw," she explained to her.

"Can you teach us out to shoot?" Leia asked making Ines nod.

"Yes, please."

"Girls, come and get ready," Ben said approaching them and take them away.

"They'll make good fighters one day," the woman said looking at the girls.

"Yes, I think you might be right," he said looking at them and then he stare at Ines. "At least one of them will be. The other will be more than that."

The woman stare at him and looked at Ines.

"That one is force sensitive, isn't she?"

Ben, didn't say anything but he thought: "They both are. More powerful than you think."

Looking at her, he decided to ask her:

"Why do you do this? Risk everything?"

"I joined up when the Empire stood for something. By the time I realized what they really were, it was too late. I made some mistakes."

"We all did."

"I can't imagine Obi Wan Kenobi doing anything wrong," she replied.

"It's just Ben these days," he answered her.

"Well, Tala. Come on, this will take us out," Tala said and pointing at something, she pressed a button that revealed a tunnel.

But before they could go, Ben started to gasp.

"Ben, are you okay?" Ines said right away. She knew he was feeling something.

Walking towards the door, they all stare outside.

"Why are they scare?" Ines said looking around. Somehow she was not liking. But she heard something and looked up at Ben. "Who is that?"

Looking at the girls, he whispered.

"Let's get back to the room. Go, go. Now," he ordered, making them get inside.

Present Day

"Who was it mama?" Padmé asked, making Ines stare at Luke. He knew right away who was it, but they both knew they couldn't tell the children that at the time, the grandfather they adore so much, was this evil person, choking people and killing innocent kids neck.

"Someone very mean, baby," Ines said.

"He wanted my godfather?"

"Yes he was." Ines nod.

"What happened, baby?" Luke asked her.

"Well, Ben made us go with Tala, while he stayed behind. I'm sure he was giving us time to go reach the pilot and get us out of there, but it didn't go well." she started.

Flashback

The Path, 9BBY

Ben approached the girls.

"Go with Tala. I'll be right behind you," he told them. "Get them to Alderaan, Promise me. Promise me."

"Okay," Tala nod.

"I'll lead them away," he whispered.

Grabbing Leia and Ines hands, Tala entered the tunnel with the girls.

They had be running through this long tunnel for what it seems hours, and somehow Ines knew something was not right.

"You have to help him," Leia told Tala.

"He'll be fine," Tala said.

"No he won't. We can make it on our own from here, right?" she asked looking at Ines.

"Yes. Leia is right."

But Tala didn't listen and they continue to walk, until Ines stopped.

Turning around Tala looked at the girl.

"He needs help," the girl looked at Tala.

"Ines…" Tala started, but the 10 years old continue.

"Please, I know I'm just a kid, but believe me. He needs help, if you don't help him, something bad may happen to him. Don't let that happen."

Tala panted looking down the tunnel and the to the girl. She was force sensitive indeed, and it was because of that, she stood there watching them.

"Go," Leia nod.

"Keep running until you reach the port. A pilot will meet you there," she said to the girls, who hugged her.

"Bring him back," Leia said.

"Please," Ines replied right away.

Nodding, Tala walked back down the tunnel, wile Ines and Leia continue to run the other way.

As they continue to run, all of the sudden Ines stopped again.

"Something is wrong," she said looking the other way. "I think we should go back."

"Come on, we are almost there," Leia said not stopping.

"Trust me. We should go back. Come on…" Ines started but when she looked to Leia, she was already gone. "Leia?" she called but there was no answer. "No," and Ines started to run, but when she reached the end of the tunnel, there was not sign of Leia and all what she saw was a dead person on the floor.

Running, she knew she had to reach Tala and Ben in time. She needed to tell them that Leia was taken, again.

Present

"And we are done for today," Ines said looking down at her baby, who was fast asleep.

"Mama, you can do this to us," Alli said, making Ines looked at Luke who giggled.

"Well I can and I just did. Tomorrow I will tell you how we got aunt Leia back," she said, standing up slowly and put the baby on his crib. He had fall asleep while she was breastfeed him.

Tucking their kids, Luke and Ines gave them a kiss and went downstairs to their own bedroom.

After they got under the covers, Luke pulled her closer to him.

"My father did horrible things to those people, I'm sure of it."

Running her left fingers through his blond hair, Ines sighed.

"He was doing to pull Ben out, so you know he was. We didn't see it, but I heard the screams. It was scary."

Luke sighed.

"But hey, you brought him back, and it is thanks to you, our kids have their grandfather, who visit them and they love him," she smiled kissing him.

"I know," he said. "Come on, let's go to sleep. Today was a big day and I'm exhausted."

Smiling, they both fell asleep in each others arms.

And this is how Ines and Leia met Tala.