Chapter 12
LPOV
"I can't believe I'm doing this", Leia muttered just as the ship descended onto the landing platform.
"Hey this was your idea", Luke said from the pilot's seat next to her. "I can't believe I'm joining you!"
"Is it too late to turn around?" Leia wondered aloud, staring at the city that was opening up in front of her. Cloud City. Because of course it was.
"Yes it is", Mara Jade decided and rolled her eyes. "We're already here. Let's get going!"
The former Inquisitor had been disgustingly smug when Leia approached her about organizing a meeting with Darth Vader. Sadly, Luke had gotten wind of their plans and confronted them just before they were about to leave. Leia had refused to abandon her mission and tried to explain that she needed to do this because of you-know-what. Luke hadn't understood, not really but he'd refused to let her leave alone. Instead of sounding an alarm or something though, he'd decided to tag along instead.
"Why does it have to be here though?" Leia complained. She hadn't realized when Mara gave Luke the coordinates to put into the nav computer that it would bring them to this mining station.
"Cloud City is one of the few neutral places left in the galaxy. No Hutts, no Empire, no Rebellion", Mara explained. "I'm not sure if you've noticed but our Lord has more than half the galaxy against him right now."
"He's not our anything!" Leia hissed.
"I'd agree that it's really not the best place to meet though", Luke said thoughtfully. "Lando Clarissian from Cloud City is a two-faced prick that'll totally sell out anyone who seeks refuge to the Empire."
Leia shot him an incredulous look. How would he even know the name Lando!?
"What?" Luke said defensively. "I still remember that warning you gave me!"
Leia turned her face away, hiding a smile. She couldn't help but feel a kinship to this boy. He reminded her a bit of Bella, actually. She'd miss him when she was back in Forks. It was... nice, to have a brother.
"Let's not stay here longer than absolutely necessary", she decided.
The trio left the ship and was met with the sight of a uniformed man approaching them in a hurry. It was the dockmaster, sporting a smug grin plastered across his face.
"Ah, welcome to our spaceport," the dockmaster greeted Leia, who was walking in front, his voice oily with false charm. "Seems like you've got quite the fine ship there. Now, about those parking fees..."
Leia's expression tightened, her patience wearing thin. She just wanted to get the meeting over with and leave this city as soon as possible. "How much do we owe you?"
The dockmaster's grin widened slightly, sensing Leia's impatience. "That would be 50 credits per day, Miss."
50 credits was outrageous - more than twice the usual price.
"And I suppose you'll have the ship painted a new color for that price?" she scoffed.
"Lee, let's just pay him and go", Luke urged her, using a previously agreed upon nickname to disguise her identity.
But Leia was not in the mood to be played around with. Her resolve hardened as she decided she didn't want to play the dockmaster's game. With a subtle gesture of her hand, she focused her thoughts, channeling the power of persuasion that she had honed during the training with Master Kenobi.
"I'm afraid I don't have time for this nonsense," Leia stated firmly, her voice carrying a quiet authority. "You will waive the fees and allow me to depart without further delay."
The dockmaster's resistance faltered, his mind clouded by Leia's commanding presence. "Yes, of course, Miss," he mumbled, his voice barely audible. "The fees are waived. You can leave whenever you like."
"Excellent. I thought you'd see reason." Leia nodded in satisfaction, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "You won't remember our faces." She pressed against the man's mind a little more, reaching into it, planting her suggestion deeply.
As Leia walked away, leaving the dockmaster muttering to himself in bewilderment, she couldn't help but smile to herself.
"That was much easier than I expected", she muttered as they entered the building beyond.
"No wonder, you only ever practiced with Master Kenobi and me. Weaker minds are much easier to influence", Luke told her. "Just don't let it become a habit. You shouldn't use your powers for something as mundane as not having to pay docking fees."
"You mean bribes", Leia corrected him. "And we have every reason to not want our ships registered in this place."
"She does have a point", Mara agreed.
"On second thought, you're right, I should have more restrain", Leia changed her mind immediately. Agreeing with the former inquisitor about anything didn't sit right with her. Mara just rolled her eyes.
The redhead lead them through the city, taking a much longer way than strictly necessary, Leia was sure. Loosing any possible tails. There really shouldn't be any. Leia of course had told nobody what she planned to do and it made little sense for Vader to send people to shadow her when she was about to willingly come to him. Then again, she'd only relayed a message through Mara that she wanted to meet him. There had been no mention of agreeing to be his prisoner once again. It was entirely possible, even probably that he'd flooded the whole place with his people just to make sure she couldn't escape him again. Leia was walking right into a trap. She knew it, she felt it in her very bones.
"I have a bad feeling about this", Luke muttered next to her, glancing around and Leia cursed him.
"Great, you just jinxed us", she admonished him.
It didn't matter if it was a trap. It was quite possibly her only shot at ever seeing Edward again and she didn't have time to change plans. If it was a trap, she had to spring it.
Leia felt Darth Vader's presence long before Mara opened the door to an awfully familiar white dining room. His power was suppressed, she could tell, having practiced a similar trick together with the Jedi when her own powers started to bloom. If Leia wasn't carefully managing her own power, she would be sending any small object that wasn't nailed down floating into the air whenever she was upset. And she'd been upset basically all the time this past year.
Darth Vader was alone in the room. There was no Lando Clarissian and no food on the table but for a moment Leia still saw them there and heard the roar of a Wookie she'd never met. Dread build in her stomach at the memory of viewing that scene. But her eyes brought her back into the present for Vader - Vader looked different. The last time she'd been near him had been on the Death Star, all hulking black behemoth ready to rip into her mind and uncover all her secrets. A creature right out of your worst nightmares. She'd never actually encountered him on the station, Bella had saved her from that but she'd seen how that encounter would've played out according to the movies. Vader would've tortured her.
This... man... still looked intimidating but if it weren't for that terribly familiar feeling he gave off, Leia might not have recognized him.
He no longer wore a black, flashy cape and bulky armor. Instead he was clad in in a long, dark red, stiff robe with slits at the hips to allow for a greater range of movement, his hands and legs underneath clad in black leather. Around his chest, upper arms and lower legs he retained some strategic plating, glinting metallic and serving as a reminder of his formidable strength and resilience. A few blinking lights and creases were visible in the metal, proving it to be not merely for protection though. The hilt of a silver lightsaber was openly displayed at his hip.
The most striking difference though was his face. You could see it now. Well, part of it - the iconic helmet was gone, replaced with a less restrictive construction covering only his mouth, lower jaw and slotting into a throat were metal tubes merged with synth skin. The mask featured angular lines and ominous vents and still heightened the noise of his every forcefully even breaths loudly, sending shivers down the spines of those who heard it. His eyes, once hidden behind the cold lenses of his helmet, were of a sickly yellow-green hue and burned with intensity as they met Leia's. Scars from battles long past marred his pale complexion, a testament to the trials he had endured and overcome in his relentless pursuit of power. Not a shred of the former handsomeness of the Jedi hero he used to be remained. It was a relief that he hid most of his scarred, bald head underneath the wide hood of his robes, the darkness of its shadows serving as a stark contrast to the pallor of his scarred visage. Despite the hood and mask though, Leia suspected this was much more than anyone aside from his medical staff had seen of Vader's human self in decades.
The sight of Vader so obviously changed - still dark, still intimidating but different - was like a punch to the stomach for Leia. Any last doubts she might've still had about bringing Bella back vanished into thin air. Darth Vader had changed. And it was all thanks to Bella. She did this. She turned a fucking Sith Lord into... Leia didn't know what he was now but considering Vader had been the Height Of All Evil to Leia, anything other than that was better.
Darth Vader was better now.
It was hard to wrap her head around that.
So distracted was she by the sight of Vader that Leia didn't even notice his presence brush against hers until it was almost too late. Hastily she threw up some flimsy shields, one hand grabbing Luke's arm in fright. She turned her eyes away from his. Vader must absolutely not look into her mind! He would immediately notice that something was wrong and she needed him to remain unawares.
"My daughter", Vader said, his footsteps heavy as he approached. His voice still sounded the same, mechanical, cold, lifeless. "You have come back to me."
Leia couldn't look at him. She felt if she did, she might just die.
Her lips trembled, refusing to form the word she knew she must say. She had to. For her sister.
"Father", she returned hollowly, staring at the ground, feeling like a horrible traitor.
Behind her, Mara and Luke were quiet, watching, possibly not breathing at all. Leia could feel Luke being stunned speechless, possibly just as thrown by Vader's new appearance.
Suddenly there was a weight pressing against Leia's chin and Leia felt horrified when Vader used his hand to force it up, forcing her to look at him. The matter of course in which he was touching her was preposterous!
Vader's presence was all around them now, thick like a cloud of smoke, too thick for her to breathe properly. He was not actively pushing against whatever feeble defenses Leia's mind had. Or maybe he was and she couldn't tell. Leia focused all her attention on schooling her thoughts like she had gotten used to do around a certain other mindreader.
The arcs were Vader's brows used to be rose slightly. He almost looked a bit... sad.
"Come. Sit with me", he ordered and thank the Force turned away from her.
Mara Jade muttered a greeting to her Master and Luke shuffled around uneasily.
"Leave us", Vader demanded at the same time that Leia cried out: "No!"
"I mean", she hurried to say, still holding Luke's arm as if it was a lifeline, "I'd prefer it if Biggs stayed."
Vader had sat down at the head of the table, his hands folded under his chin. He scowled at her. Scowled and she could see that.
"Do you think I would hurt you, Leia?" he asked.
Absolutely, yes.
"I'm not leaving her alone", Luke rescued her. "That's the condition on which I let her come here when I caught her sneaking out."
By the Force she could kiss Luke.
Except no, urgh.
"Do as you must", Vader dismissed him.
At the door, Mara hesitated, shifted from one foot to the other, then muttered something about standing guard and left, closing the door behind her. The noise sounded like a cage door snapping shut.
XxX
Darth Vader POV
If there was one thing the monstrosity that was the respirator he was still forced to wear was good for, then it was disguising the sound of his wildly beating heart.
When that door opened and his daughter entered, unhurt, not suffering, it was like the freaking sun rose after a century of darkness. Even after an entire year of stalking his little girl through any means possible - spies, battle reports, hacking into the Rebellion security cams - seeing her with his own eyes, seeing her with his own eyes for the very first time in his life was a different matter entirely.
Leia was alive.
She was not alright, he could see that with a single glance, see the dark bags under her eyes and the little flinches and eyes darting around looking for an escape route. He'd read enough reports to know that she'd spend far more time on active battlefields than he' d have ever allowed, if he had any say in the matter. Some of the security footage he'd seen of her taking apart Imperial forces had been baffling. He knew his little girl was strong, but for her to be so fierce? So powerful? So vicious? He couldn't say that it didn't make him proud but he was also worried about her. It was not like her.
There was no exclamation of joy, no relief on her features when seeing him and no hugs for her father as Vader had dared to imagine in his wilder fantasies of what their reunion would be like. Instead, Leia remained reserved, even fearful. Vader flared his presence almost without realizing it, greeting her the way he used to do every day in what was his equivalent of gently brushing a hand over her head. However, instead of her familiar ironclad mental shields, he found... open doors.
Feeling taken aback, Vader hesitated, wondering if she was really inviting him in. Her presence felt more powerful and he'd viewed her using telekinesis to great effect in combat so he knew she had most likely continued her Jedi training. Had she finally decided to lower her natural shields? Was she just putting up a facade for the Jedi padawan that accompanied her, pretending to be afraid but wanting Vader to know the truth of her thoughts?
But when Vader pushed just a tiny bit further, he found her fear to be real, her thoughts to be frantic. She didn't want him inside. She was just unable to defend her mind at the moment.
Vader retracted his probe immediately and after a short exchange, turned away to take a seat at the table. Guilt was gnawing at him. He blamed himself for not being able to protect her properly. Whatever had happened to Leia back on Dantooine - and Vader still hadn't found out what it was, even after so many months of research and investigation - it must've been deeply traumatizing for her. The entire feel of Leia was completely different. She was just as strong as before and the Force still sang with an unmistakable connection of their fates. But she was not the same sweet young woman that had returned to Vader what he'd thought long lost. The feeling of family.
Leia hesitated, her eyes flitting along the long table as if she could not decide where to sit. In the end she chose a seat at the long side, to Vader's right, though she left two seats empty between them. The Jedi padawan she brought, Biggs Darklighter, though Mara's latest report had said he used several different alias, sat to Leia's right. Vader's gaze focused on him for a moment. There was something about that boy. Something he couldn't quite place, like the feeling of not quite remembering the name to a face you knew you should. It was unnerving. This was the Force telling him that this young man was important somehow, he just knew it. Vader knew he was Kenobi's padawan and the pilot who'd destroyed the Death Star. Evidently, he'd grown close to his daughter too. That was already enough to gain him Vader's attention and yet... And yet, the Force seemed to urge him that he was still missing something. Considering the last person he'd had such a feeling about had turned out to be his long lost daughter, it was a warning he could and should not ignore.
Now that he thought about it, seeing Leia and this boy sitting side by side... Leia had always looked so much like Padmé. With this boy's uncanny resemblance to Vader's younger self, it was a bit like looking at a picture from the past. Vader wondered for one irrational, angry moment if Kenobi had picked out this boy just for his looks, just to torment Vader. Just why had he not taken the chance to put the old man down for good when he last had it!?
Leia cleared her throat, interrupting his musings. The fear surrounding her slowly abated but was replaced by a no less uncomfortable awkwardness.
"You... You look better", she said, surprising him.
"...Thank you", he said, not knowing what else to say. "You look terrible."
Leia glared at him and he felt her anger spike. Confused, he tilted his head a bit, expecting a flippant response or a joke. Instead, she seemed to try her best to throttle him with her gaze. Well, she needed a bit more practice on that one, he mused with a chuckle that didn't quite manage to escape his vocoder.
Leia squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, expelling some of her anger.
"Look, I... I have a problem. I need..." It seemed to cost her considerably to admit it: "...your help."
Vader's stomach churned uncomfortably. He'd always feared that when he saw his little girl again, she might not be as welcoming and nice to him anymore as she'd been while she was his captive. Back then, making him care about her was a necessary survival strategy. Even so, he hadn't expected the meeting to be quite so stiff, for her to be so afraid... of him? Why would she be afraid of him? He thought they had long moved past such things. For her to be so wary of him and yet still request his help must mean she was in big trouble.
"What can I do for you?" he wanted to know.
Leia looked up surprised, for a moment forgetting that she was avoiding his eyes.
"You... You will help me?" she asked.
"If it's within my power to do so", he said naturally. After all, what was family for?
Vader smiled, an expression that nobody could see. He enjoyed a brief moment of lightness. After all, what is family for? It felt so natural to think like that now. Before, blood relation would be nothing but a tool for him to use to raise himself an apprentice he could form. But now, after getting to know his daughter, after finally escaping his former Master's control, he could just be... himself. And he was not ashamed of who he was anymore. Vader wasn't perfect and he'd made horrible mistakes. But he was on a good way. He knew it. He was walking the path she showed him.
Both Leia and her friend stared at him with open mouths and Vader wondered why they were so surprised. Why would they risk coming here if they didn't think he would help?
"I, uhm... I need to go... to the Death Star", Leia said at last.
"The Death Star was destroyed", Vader stated the obvious.
Leia glared at him again. "I know. And that's good, of course, but also... a complication. I need to return there. But it's gone, so... You wouldn't know of any other Death Stars the Empire keeps hidden away, would you?"
Vader stiffened, decades of training in keeping his cool momentarily leaving him as his thoughts whirled. How could Leia possibly know of Sidious' plans to mass produce that monstrosity? Worse, she couldn't possibly want to go to one of those heavily guarded stations?! That would be suicide!
The Jedi padawan - Biggs but that name felt wrong somehow, even in Vader's mind - flinched and leaned forward.
"Wait, that can't be! The Empire didn't build more than one! Did they?"
Leia turned her gaze onto Vader expectantly. It itched him to reach out and probe her mind. He did not, holding himself back but she was basically screaming her thoughts at him. He caught the flash of a memory, the view of a Death Star half-finished, its skeleton hanging in space.
"There were plans to build three of them", he admitted at last.
"Three?!" the Jedi exclaimed, looking horrified. Leia on the other hand... She just looked mildly surprised. The expected disgust and horror about learning that another weapon like the one that almost destroyed her home existed never came. She'd already known.
"As of half a year ago", Vader elaborated, "construction of a second was well underway. They were still collecting kyber for the third though and had barley started on the laser construction."
"Where is it? The second one, where is it stationed?" Leia asked almost eagerly.
"You're not going there", Vader refused, the dread in him building even further. That image he'd seen in her mind told him she'd already viewed it before. She already knew the answer.
"Yes I will", Leia returned determined. "And you'll be taking me there!"
"Leia, slow down", the Jedi protested. "What are you talking about? Why do you need to go to the Death Star!?"
Vader would love to know that as well.
"Because...!" She looked helplessly from the young man at her side to Vader and back again as if trying to silently communicate something.
Something dawned on the Jedi and his eyes widened.
"That's where it happened?" he asked.
Leia nodded miserably. "It's my only chance. I have to go back." Then she turned towards Vader. "I... I can't properly explain it. You probably wouldn't believe it even if I tried. But it's a matter of life and death! I have to go there. And I have to do it before the end of the month! Please... You have to help me." Her shoulders sagged, defeated. "You're my only hope."
The ugly raging monster called fear twisted and rose in Vader's insides.
"What happened on the Death Star?" he demanded to know. "Why do you need to go back and what will happen if you don't?"
Vader vividly remembered his precious girl twisting and turning, thrashing in his arms as he held her, helpless to stop her pain. He remembered the visions, night after night of himself killing her. The visions that had only stopped when he let her go. He couldn't bear the thought of loosing her but going to the Death Star, even together with him, would be dangerous beyond measure.
"If I don't..." Leia swallowed thickly. "If I don't, it's over."
Vader rose to his feet abruptly, his chair clattering to the ground noisily as he slammed his hands on the table and hissed: "What do you mean by that!?"
Leia stared him down, stubborn but desperate. Vader was about to push into her mind, to get his answers by force if he needed to because he would not watch her suffer helplessly a second time-
When the Jedi cut in.
"Leia has a broken Force bond", he said quietly. "It's been eating at her for nearly a year now. Poisoning her. She thinks she can restore it if she replicates the same conditions as the ones it was formed under."
"A bond to whom?" Vader asked immediately, turning towards the more willing source of information.
"T-To Bella", Leia replied instead. "My friend... my sister in all but blood. You met her once, remember?" A single tear escaped Leia's eyes and she hastily wiped it away. "That... thing, when I was in so much pain, it was happening to her, not me. I was just sharing her pain. I don't know what happened to her. Ever since that incident, I haven't been able to contact her via ghosting." She wrapped her arms around herself, avoiding his eyes again. "I first met her on the Death Star. She gave me the strength to survive all that. Literally gave me her strength, even some of her own gifts in the Force leaked through from her to me. But now that bond is broken. I'm weaker now and I'm hurting, all the time, inside..." She balled a fist over her heart. "It's horrible. Like a part of myself is missing. Maybe she's sick or dying or dead and some of that is still leaking through to me. Then I... have to sever the bond completely, or end up like her. Or maybe she's completely fine and recovered and reestablishing the bond properly would have us share each other's strength again and I... I could finally be me again. Either way", and now she did look into his eyes, "I have to go back. There's nothing more important than that. It's not just about me. Fixing this connection will make everything better for everyone. Leaving it like that... will be my ruin. And maybe make me ruin even more things..."
Vader stared at her, furious inside. Even without the Force screaming of deceit and half-truths, all the trembling and avoidance of eye contact easily gave away the lie Leia was telling him. He didn't doubt that her desperation was real. She thought something horrible would happen if she didn't go to the Death Star. Either that... or something horrible had already happened and she was trying to fix it. Yet even now, even after everything, after getting to know him and even in a situation where she asked Vader to risk his life alongside hers, she wouldn't trust him with the truth. In fact it seemed she trusted him even less now than she ever did. If the Force hadn't sung with an unmistakable connection between them, Vader might've thought she was an entirely different person.
It was possible that there was at least some partial truth to her story. Vader himself had never been able to properly build a Force bond of his own to his daughter because of her powerful mental shields. But that had been when they'd been on opposing sides of a war. It was possible that Leia had willingly opened up to this friend of hers. Maybe she even had build a connection strong enough that Bella was able to shield Leia's mind from afar. Her spectre had appeared to shield Leia physically when she'd been attacked after all. It could be possible - if, as Leia had previously told him, she'd build that bond over many years with a childhood friend. That claim had rung false even then though. Now she was saying the bond only formed when she'd been held captive on the Death Star. That was far too little time to form a bond that would affect her to this extent, especially when they had never met in person. Vader had a suspicion about what was really going on but it didn't quite fit with Leia's apparent desperation. She was acting as if she'd die if she didn't go.
Both as a Jedi knight and for the decades he served under Darth Sidious, Darth Vader had tended to think too much, to anxiously view every problem from every possible angle to figure it out. But while there were no doubt complex problems where this way of thinking helped, his daughter had taught him that sometimes, if you just focused on the basics, the answer became obvious and very simple.
There were a few things that Vader was sure of. His daughter was in trouble. She needed his help. And if he denied it, he would be able to do nothing but watch her from afar as she grew more and more destructive, walking farther away from him.
"I will help you", he decided.
"Y-You will?" Leia made incredulously.
Again, Vader didn't know why she was so surprised. Even her Jedi friend looked like he'd expected nothing less.
"You shouldn't have come here if you didn't think I would aid you", Vader said with a scowl. It... hurt that she seemed to have so little trust in him. But he liked it even less that she approached a Sith Lord with a history like his without being one hundred percent sure if he'd be on her side. That was some reckless behavior of his daughter. (Why had he let Bail Organa go again with only some minor trauma?)
"It is too dangerous for us to go alone, of course", Vader said. "But the construction side is as good a military target as any. I already had plans to attack, I merely need a few days to draw together my fleet and accelerate those plans. We will infiltrate the Death Star and the moment something goes wrong - which it will - I'll have them start an attack."
"The second Death Star must not be completed", Luke agreed. "I'm sure the Rebellion will be of the same mind. I'll contact the Council and gather as much backup as possible."
"You don't expect to need to visit a Death Star for a third time, do you?" Vader asked Leia.
His daughter stared at both Vader and her Jedi friend. "Uh, no", she made confused.
"If anyone asks, we'll have to enter the station to disable the superlaser. I doubt they have gotten it to work yet but we should definitely check it if we end up having the time", Vader thought aloud.
"This Death Star won't happen to still have a conveniently placed exhaust vent?" Luke wanted know from Vader.
"It's still under construction. You could probably take an Imperial shuttle directly to its core", Vader replied and crossed his arms in front of him, thinking. "The shielding will be more of a problem. They have the station circling a moon that holds a powerful shield generator. Someone will have to take it down. Too late and the Empire will call for backup to destroy the attack fleet. Too early and the Death Star crew will be alerted to something being wrong and we'll be discovered."
Luke nodded seriously. "I'll take care of that myself. Even if communication breaks down, I'm sure you can send me some kind of signal in the Force. I would've liked to join the two of you but I wasn't there originally, back then, so if the situation has to be as similar as possible, I can't be there."
Vader nodded. "I'll look up what other information I have on the station and-"
"Since when have you two been best friends!?" Leia burst out.
Both Jedi and Sith turned to look at her.
Vader felt an odd twinge in the Force, like... like a sense of synchrony a split second before he and the padawan said at the exact same time:
"That's your fault."
Vader turned to the boy, surprised but the Jedi ignored him and told Leia:
"I just want you to get better. If you feel like this is going to help you, I'll do what I can to see you succeed."
Vader scowled a bit. He didn't like how close those two seemed to be. His little girl was way too young for a boyfriend. If the Jedi ever showed any signs of being more than a friend, Vader would have to murder him. Or at least give him a very stern talking to.
... Why did that boy feel so damn familiar?! Vader had never been with any woman other than his wife and he only had the one daughter with her so why...?
"Well, I suppose there have been occasions in the past when the Rebellion worked together with your forces against the Old Empire", Leia mused. "It would help considerably if we could manage that here again."
"I will send you the coordinates of the station and the details about when to meet up through Mara", Vader told Luke. "It shouldn't take more than a week. Leia and I will meet you there."
"Wait", Leia made panicked. "I can't come with you!"
"Why not?" Vader asked annoyed. "Time is of the essence and we have to keep the cooperation of our forces a secret as long as possible. If we meet up again later, that could draw attention we don't need."
Leia scrambled for an excuse. "Yes but... There's something I have to take care of beforehand."
Vader sighed. "As you wish. Just make sure to keep Mara near."
Again Leia looked surprised. Vader really wondered what else he'd have to do for her to stop viewing him like...like... the Sith Lord he was. Yes, it had probably been stupid to expect anyone to change his view of him in so little time. He'd just thought... He'd just thought she would be different.
Xxx
LPOV
Leia still couldn't believe how smoothly everything had gone when Luke, Mara and her made their way back to their ship. At the very least she'd expected some kind of fight to break out between Luke and Vader but the two had... actually gotten along rather well.
"He's...different from what I expected", Luke said as they entered the ship. He sat down in the pilot's seat and started the pre-flight routine.
"Yes... He's changed. A lot", Leia agreed, still feeling stumped. "His eyes..."
"What about them?" Luke asked when she trailed off.
At first glance, Vader's eyes had been the sickly yellow typical of a dark side user. Yet they were also hued green. And as Leia looked at Luke, who'd inherited the same vibrant blue eyes his father had originally sported, she couldn't help but realize a certain significance. Vader was changing and it wasn't just his outfit.
"Nothing", she said, looking away and straight ahead. "That's just the first time I ever saw them."
The ship lifted off and Luke started to plot a course for their jump.
"I can't believe we didn't get ambushed even once", he muttered.
Behind him, Mara scoffed. "I'm not an amateur, you know? I changed time and place of the meeting five times and always used heavily encrypted channels. Even the Old Empire would have a hard time finding out-"
The ship shook violently all of a sudden and Luke send it into an evasive spiral with a curse when suddenly, three unfamiliar ships drew in triangle formation behind them.
"You were saying?!" he called out, furiously pressing buttons.
"I knew it. You totally jinxed us!" Leia cursed.
"Strap yourself on. This is going to be a bumpy ride..."
XxX
BPOV
Back on Earth, somewhere in the forests of Canada, Mario was trying to teach Bella how to play chess, using a small portable board he'd placed on a tree trunk.
"I miss my books", Bella mused. "And TV. I even miss cooking and I wasn't even good at it. How do vampires live like this, as nomads, for centuries?"
"I don't know. This is the first time I was forced to travel without destination for so long", Mario replied, no more happy with the situation than her. "You tend to not worry about eternity when you're fearing for your life every day."
"Being a vampire sucks. I wish I were human again", Bella complained.
"It's not always going to be like this", Mario tried to cheer her up. "Once you have better control over your thirst, we can go visit a few cities. Or, you know... We could just ditch the mind reader and go now, together. If you just catch a single hiker or two, you won't have to worry about thirst or control for at least three days."
"Thanks", Bella made sarcastic and watched as Mario took down her castle, "but I don't want to start with that. Edward taking care of me and preventing me from following those horrible instincts is about the only good quality he has."
"I can't believe you've ever been together with him", Mario said.
"Yeah", she replied quietly thinking about the novel. "Me neither."
A distant rustle announced Edward's return. Bella and Mario tensed. The third vampire of their little coven emerged from the darkness, his expression tense yet composed. Bella swallowed a lump in her throat, remembering their last conversation before the mind reader had left.
"Edward, where have you been?" Bella's voice wavered with uncertainty as she searched his eyes for any hint of deception. "You… took longer than expected."
Edward's gaze met hers, his expression neutral. "I had to evade the sun, it came out from under the clouds unexpectedly," he explained. Then he opened his backpack, pulling out a new phone for Bella, who'd crushed her last one, still not very used with her new strength, a few articles of clothing and other things.
Bella felt a surge of relief at his words. She wanted to believe him if only for her sister's sake, despite the lingering doubts that gnawed at her mind. But Mario's was more open with his skepticism. He crossed his arms in front of him and regarded Edward with clear suspicion.
Edward looked normal. He hadn't looked this normal ever since Bella had declared her inability to access the Force.
"Edward, I don't believe you," Mario's voice cut through the silence like a blade, his eyes narrowed in distrust. "I've been your errand boy for months and yet you volunteered right after Bella dismissed the idea of asking the Volturi for help?"
Edward's shoulders tensed at Mario's implied accusation, his facade faltering for a moment before he regained his composure. "I don't like what you're implying. I just went to get supplies," he insisted, his voice cold like steel.
Bella hesitated, torn between her loyalty to Edward and her own nagging doubts that echoed in Mario's words. In the end, her heart won out, and she made her decision.
"Let's go back to visit the Cullens," Bella suggested, her voice firm with resolve. "We've been away far too long. I'm sure they worry."
Edward readily agreed. "Yes, that's a good idea," he said, still glaring coldly at Mario.
Mario kept glaring back suspiciously.
"You coming, Mario?" Bella called after him when Edward shouldered the backpack, falling into step next to her.
"This is a mistake", he grumbled but packed together his things and followed them.
The journey to the Cullens' home took three long days, each moment filled with tension and uncertainty. But as they finally arrived at their destination, Bella's heart felt lighter. She kept chatting with Edward, brainstorming ideas. Maybe they could use Alice' visions to get ahead? It would mean revealing their whole dimensional crossing problem but it could work. When Bella finally manged to switch back, Leia could go to Alice to tell her all about how they did it and then Alice could predict that conversation and let them know – or something like that.
As Bella and her companions approached the Cullen house, the moonlight danced off the mostly glass structure, casting a shimmering glow over the surrounding trees. The scent of pine mingled with the crisp night air, but beneath it lingered the unmistakable scent of unfamiliar vampires.
Bella's senses went on high alert, her instincts warning her of potential danger ahead. Three distinct scents wafted towards her, unfamiliar and unsettling. She exchanged a wary glance with Mario, who mirrored her apprehension.
"Did you smell that?" Bella whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.
Edward's gaze wandered over their surroundings. "Perhaps it's just visitors," he suggested, his tone light. "Charlotte and Peter sometimes visit Jasper, after all."
That was not it, Bella knew. She could smell Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmet inside but not Alice and Jasper. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gripped her heart. As they approached the front door, her nerves tingled with anticipation, every fiber of her being on edge.
Upon entering the living room, Bella's suspicions were confirmed. There, standing before them, were Carlisle and Esme Cullen, their expressions welcoming yet tinged with concern. Emmett and Rosalie, their adopted children, stood beside them, their gazes wary and protective.
But Jasper and Alice were nowhere to be seen, a fact that sent a shiver down Bella's spine. Alice, with her ability to see the future, would have surely foreseen their arrival. The absence of her and Jasper raised red flags in Bella's mind, hinting at a a future the two were determined to avoid.
As Bella's eyes swept over the room, her gaze landed on the unwelcome guests who stood amidst the Cullens, their presence casting a shadow over what should've been a happy reunion. All three were wearing the black robes of the Volturi guard.
Alec, she recognized at once. He was almost half the size of the adult vampires and stood apart from the others, his black hair framing his youthful face. The two males with him were harder to place. One was broad-shouldered and menacing yet with an oddly carefree grin, exuded an aura of danger that made Bella's skin crawl. The other had brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. He radiated a predatory energy that sent a shiver down Bella's spine. All three of them had blood red eyes, a stark contrast to the Cullen's amber and honey-colored ones. Even Bella herself was by now proudly starting to display orange eyes.
As the tension in the room thickened, the broad vampire stepped forward, his voice smooth yet tinged with an underlying menace.
"Welcome, Edward, Bella and...," he trailed off, looking expectantly at their third member.
"Mario", he grit out, glaring at the three.
"Mario", the vampire repeated, his tone dismissive. "We're pleased to see you've finally made it."
Bella's jaw clenched as she fought to keep her emotions in check, her wary gaze flickering between the Volturi members.
The leader gestured towards the duo beside him, his voice taking on a formal tone. "Allow me to introduce Alec", he began, indicating the young vampire with a nod. "And Demetri", he continued, gesturing towards the brown-haired vampire. "My name is Felix. We are of the Volturi."
Carlisle's voice broke through the tense atmosphere, his tone apologetic. "I'm sorry, Bella. They arrived just before you did", he whispered, his eyes filled with regret.
Bella's heart sank at Carlisle's words, a mixture of betrayal and anger simmering within her. Her eyes narrowed as she turned her gaze back to Felix, her voice laced with accusation. "And what exactly brings you here, Felix?" she demanded, her tone sharp.
Felix's smirk widened at Bella's accusatory tone, his gaze cold and calculating. "Edward extended us an invitation," he explained casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Mario's curses echoed in the room as he stepped toward Edward, his fists clenched at his sides. "You tricked us," he growled, his voice thick with anger.
Bella's breath caught in her throat at Felix's revelation, her heart sinking. Edward had betrayed them? How could he have invited their enemies into their midst, knowing the danger it posed to them all?
Anger bubbled within her, hot and fierce, as she turned her gaze towards Edward, her eyes blazing.
"Edward, how could you!?" she hissed at him.
"I had to", he returned between gritted teeth. "We've tried everything else!"
"Edward, son. What's going on?" Esme asked worriedly.
Felix's smirk widened as he stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Bella with a calculated intensity. "Edward's message was quite clear," he began, his voice smooth and persuasive. "He wants Alec to use his gift on you, Bella, to help kickstart your memory and help develop your gift."
Bella's eyes narrowed at Felix's words, a sense of dread settling in the pit of her stomach. She was very wary of Alec's gift, knowing its potential to manipulate and control her mind in ways she couldn't even begin to comprehend. It was described as being nearly as bad as Jane's, who literally had a gift of torture. Then of course there was the added complication that in the novels, Alec's gift hadn't worked on Novel-Bella. She might be able to allow him past her shield, but only if she lifted it. If she did that, it would be a proof of concept that she could. Any vampire with a mental ability wanting to manipulate her could henceforth force her to do so.
Edward's expression tensed at the mention of his request, his eyes flickering with a mixture of guilt and regret. "I thought it might help," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
But Bella shook her head, her resolve unwavering. "No, Edward. We can't trust them", she insisted, her tone firm with conviction. The Volturi were the ultimate bad guys in the Twilight saga.
Felix's smirk faltered at Bella's defiance, turning a lot less friendly. "We traveled all the way from Italy over here. It would be incredibly rude to first ask for help and then refuse it. But of course, if you change your mind, that can't be helped. As long as you still fulfill the condition."
"Condition?" Carlisle asked at the same moment that Emmet hissed at his little brother: "Damn Edward, what did you promise them!?"
Felix's smile widened again at the question, his tone dripping with false friendliness. "We extend an invitation to the two of you, Edward and Bella", he declared, his voice echoing through the room. "To join us for the festivities around Christmas—a week of celebration unlike any other."
Bella's stomach churned at Felix's words, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. She knew all too well the kind of "festivities" the Volturi indulged in—bloodshed and slaughter. A massacring of innocents.
"Would that include killing people?" Bella's voice was steady, her eyes locking onto Felix's with a fierce intensity.
Felix's smile widened into a grin, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Naturally," he replied, his tone chillingly casual. "It wouldn't be a proper celebration without a little... excitement, now would it?"
Behind Bella, Mario sacked in relief.
"Great, you two have fun, open a present for me", he said and started to slink away. Edward's hand snapped out though, grabbing him by his collar.
"Let him go", Bella said harshly and Edward turned his surprised gaze onto her.
"He has nothing to do with this."
Reluctantly, Edward did so and Mario promptly turned and vanished into the forest. Bella couldn't find it in herself to care, even if it meant the companion she'd traveled with for the past year was abandoning her. Between Chelsea and Corin, the Volturi had plenty of talents to keep a vampire from leaving them. One week was more than enough time to use them. She couldn't fault Mario for wanting to avoid such a fate as he would himself probably be a welcome addition to the duo. The Volturi didn't know about his gift yet. They would, the moment Aro touched Edward but they had no probable cause to go after him. Not that that would stop them from dragging in a single nomad with no connections. If Mario hurried, he could try and find another coven to protect him before the Volturi learned of his talent.
"As it happens, I already have Christmas plans", Bella lied, careful to keep her tone polite. She'd be damned if she didn't at least try to talk her way out of his. Literally. "Edward... invited me along without my knowledge."
"Do you really want to play this game?" Demetri cut in, scowling at Bella annoyed. "Do you really want to know what will happen if you refuse?"
Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "I haven't done anything wrong. What right do you have to threaten me?"
"Bella", Edward plead, reaching for her shoulder but she shook him off. She'd stared down Darth fucking Vader, she could take a lowly guard.
"Very well", Felix said unconcerned. "We'll do it your way. While you're busy deciding whether or not to accept our offer, we'll find something else to keep busy." He lifted a finger as if he'd just remembered something. "Wasn't there a vampire army rampaging through your town about a year ago? Wasn't it all over the news? I say a proper investigation is in order."
The other Cullens stiffened right away.
"Nothing about that fight was ever connected to our family", Carlisle insisted. "All traces were erased, all witnesses silenced and the media got served an appropriate cover story."
"Even so", Felix said, "I do wonder exactly how you kept it all under wraps. It was a huge mess after all. Even if your clean up was perfect, I'm sure we could all learn something from your methods."
Bella's stomach twisted itself in knots. Though she hadn't been present herself during the short war, she'd been given the rundown by Edward and Mario. The latter one had been the main reason no humans had to be killed to silence the witnesses. She would like to avoid the Volturi getting their hands on a talent like him. It would make them stronger and stronger bad guys were just worse bad guys. And though she wouldn't go so far as to call him a friend, she had traveled with Mario for a year now. He was at least an ally, was just getting used to his new diet and grumbling about it much less frequently. He was changing for the better and Bella didn't want to ruin that. But she couldn't agree to go to Volterra to kill humans. Not even to save Mario.
On the other hand... if it did work, Leia would be back. Leia would know a way out of this. This was her world now. The year that Bella had just wasted away getting used to vampirsm, in the same time Leia could've conquered the entire planet, she was sure of it.
She sighed deeply. "Fine. I will come with Edward to your Christmas party - barring extenuating circumstances preventing me from doing so, like, I don't know, another vampire war. We've fought one and barely avoided another in just two years", she said, leaving herself a convenient loophole that wouldn't make her a liar when she sauntered off to another dimension.
"But only if this experiment works. If Alec's gift can truly restore my memories."
Felix hesitated for just a moment, his eyes flickering towards Edward. The other vampire was looking hopeful again for the first time in ages.
"I suppose that's fair", Felix allowed.
The Cullens (all except Edward, the rat) kept assuring Bella that she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. Bella dreaded both the experience itself and the fallout - but it had been one year and Edward was right, they'd tried everything else.
Bella laid down on the couch, anxious but also a tiny bit hopeful.
"We don't know how long it'll take", Edward said quietly, but not to her, to the Volturi. "I'll be able to tell when it's been successful but it might take hours, maybe the whole night."
"That's okay. I'm used to sitting by and watch people turn", Alec said. It was the first time he'd opened his mouth. "I've bought something to read."
"Thank you. I... I won't forget it", Edward said awkwardly.
"Let's just get it over with", Bella said and glared at them. Then she walked over to the couch, lying don on it. She couldn't wait to leave this stupid planet behind. She really hoped this worked.
Alec kept looking at her with a scowl and Bella focused on her shield. She sensed him knocking at her door. His presence was eerily familiar to Vader's when he was in a really bad mood. Not an angry mood but a depressed one. Actually he felt more like Edward in that sense. Just like Jasper he had a smaller bubble surrounding him but it was filled to the brink with darkness. Everything within Bella rebelled at the mere thought of letting that thing inside. But she had to. For Leia, she had do. So she opened a tiny little hole, first in her outer shield, then her inner one too and the darkness streamed inside like water. Only it wasn't really darkness, in the way she knew it. It was nothingness.
As Alec's penetrating gaze bore into her, Bella felt a subtle shift in the air, a faint ripple that heralded the onset of his power. It was as if a heavy veil descended upon her, smothering her senses one by one in its suffocating embrace.
First came the loss of touch—a numbing sensation that spread like icy tendrils across her skin, robbing her of the ability to feel even the slightest caress. It was as though she had been encased in stone, her body rendered inert and unfeeling.
Next, the world around her began to blur and distort, the sharp clarity of her vision giving way to a murky haze. Colors bled together, shapes dissolved into indistinct shadows, until all that remained was a swirling maelstrom of darkness.
Her sense of smell faltered next, the rich tapestry of scents that once filled her nostrils fading into nothingness. The rich aroma of the forest, the various scents of the nearby kitchen, the scents of the present vampires—all were lost to her now, replaced by an empty void.
And then, the silence descended—a deafening silence that engulfed her in its embrace, drowning out the sounds of the world around her. No whispers of the wind, no rustle of leaves, no faked breaths from vampires playing human—all was eerily still, as if time itself had come to a standstill.
But perhaps the most obvious loss of all was that of her thirst, the primal hunger that had defined her existence as a vampire. It was as though Alec had reached into the very depths of her soul and extinguished the burning desire that had once consumed her, leaving behind only a hollow emptiness.
That's where she'd expected it to stop. But it didn't. Bella hadn't realized how many senses she truly had until she had none. Her sense of gravity went up in smoke. Up was down and left was right and it was so disorientating it made her feel nauseous. Until that too was taken away from her: the sense for her own body. It was different from the sense of touch that just prevented her from feeling the sofa underneath her. She took a breath and couldn't feel the air in her lungs. She couldn't feel her lungs, period, couldn't feel anything traveling through her. There was a brief moment of panic but even panic felt different when you couldn't feel your stomach churn.
Then came her sense of time. Every moment felt simultaneously endless and way too short.
Bella felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss, a bottomless pit of darkness that swallowed her whole. She was adrift in a sea of nothingness, a ghostly specter trapped between worlds, her senses stripped away until all that remained was the hollow shell of her former self. She was trapped. She was trapped and she would be so for hours when she didn't even know what an hour was anymore. She just knew one thing: This was nothing like sleeping.
If anything, this would surely be what death felt like.
XxX
LPOV
Leia had no idea how Bella had done it.
Luke, Mara and herself fled from Cloud City and got chased through an asteroid belt. They hid on said asteroid, were almost eaten by asteriod worms (yes, that happened and Leia only remembered when she saw the mynocks why the ground being squishy was a bad sign).
Leia actually felt like she was part of a Star Wars movie now and she hated it. She was scared, stressed out and felt totally useless in space as she had little to no piloting skills and couldn't be of any use to Luke. Whenever Bella had told her of an adventure like this, she'd done so all excited and happy like it was all one big game and a dream come true. There was nothing fun about being chased by the Empire, by people who wanted to kill you! Yet both Luke and Mara, though they took the situation seriously, also seemed more excited than worried about the whole thing.
Leia just... wasn't hero material. She could rally allies and strategize but she didn't enjoy adventuring as much as the rest of her party did.
Leia really, really just wanted to go home. At least in Twilight, people treated bloody vampire wars with an appropriate seriousness.
Luke brought them to a Rebellion base he was sure the Empire hadn't discovered yet, if only because it was new to Mara as well. It was on Hoth (because of course it was).
So Leia got to freeze her behind off while organizing a holocall with all the Rebellion leaders to gather them for an attack on the second Death Star.
She held an impassioned speech about the need to strike before that monster became operational and to take every advantage they had, even if it meant a temporary alliance with Vader. She thought she'd done rather well. Leia had been schooled in public speaking since she was six. But then everything almost came crumbling down.
"My friends," she began, her tone resolute yet tinged with urgency, "this is not the time to hesitate. Our movement has gained momentum ever since the first Death Star was destroyed. But if we allow another weapon like that to be constructed, we will once against be held captive by the tyranny of the Empire. Any progress we've made so far will be for naught!"
Whispers rippled through the room at the mention of the ominous super weapon, but Leia pressed on, her words cutting through the apprehension like a blade through fog.
"We cannot allow fear to dictate our actions," she continued, her voice rising with conviction. "Yes, Darth Vader is a war criminal, but he was never more than a pawn in the Emperor's twisted game. The true enemy is Palpatine and his insatiable thirst for power."
Leia's eyes swept across the faces of the council members, searching for signs of doubt, but finding only flickers of determination mirrored in their eyes.
"We have a chance to strike a blow against the Empire, to shatter the grip of fear and oppression that has held the galaxy in its grasp for far too long," she declared, her voice ringing with defiance. "And if that means working alongside Vader, then so be it. He may have committed atrocious crimes but ever since he declared independence he's also pointed all that evil away from innocents and towards crime cartels and the Old Empire. Palpatine however is still exploiting worlds even as we speak!"
A hush fell over the chamber as Leia's words sank in, the weight of their significance settling like a heavy cloak upon the shoulders of those gathered.
"We have the opportunity to change the course of history," Leia concluded, her voice softening with emotion. "To fight not just for ourselves, but for generations yet unborn. We must seize this moment, together, and forge a future where freedom and justice prevail. For the Rebellion, for the galaxy, for hope."
Leia's words were met with applause but among the support, one man stood, slamming his hands on the table.
The sudden interruption jolted Leia from her reverie, her gaze snapping to the source of the dissent. It was Garrik Voss, a radical leader whose fervent beliefs often clashed with the more moderate voices within the Rebellion.
"Leia Organa," Garrik spat her name like a curse, his eyes ablaze with righteous indignation. "You stand before us, preaching unity and cooperation with the very man who slaughtered countless people, who destroyed the Jedi. You dare to call yourself a leader of the Rebellion. But what of your own allegiance, Princess Organa?" Garrik continued, his voice dripping with scorn. "Do you deny the whispers that have reached my ears? That you are none other than the spawn of Darth Vader himself, working hand in hand with the enemy to lead us into a trap?"
Leia felt a cold dread coil in the pit of her stomach as Garrik's words cut through the air like a vibroblade. She had hoped to keep her true lineage hidden, to shield herself from the judgment and suspicion that would surely follow if her secret were revealed.
The chamber erupted into chaos, voices raised in disbelief and outrage as Garrik's accusations hung heavy in the air. Leia stood frozen, her mind racing as she struggled to find the words to defend herself.
But try as she might, the truth could not be denied. Her silence spoke volumes, confirming Garrik's suspicions and plunging her into a sea of uncertainty.
She had never wanted this secret to come to light, never imagined the day when her true identity would be laid bare for all to see. And now, faced with the damning revelation of her connection to Vader, Leia found herself powerless to refute the accusations that threatened to tear the Rebellion apart from within.
At that moment, Bail Organa rose from his seat, his expression stern yet resolute. He was not here in person, his form translucent blue through the holo call but the speakers carried his words far. He cast a protective gaze towards Leia, his adopted daughter, his voice carrying the weight of authority and love.
"My fellow leaders," Bail began, his words measured yet firm, "I stand before you not only as a member of this council but as a father. Leia Organa's allegiance has always been to the Rebellion. I raised her as my own, shielded her from the clutches of the Empire, and watched with pride as she fought tirelessly for our cause."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the chamber as Bail continued, his words a beacon of reassurance in the storm of doubt and suspicion.
"True, her blood may be tied to Vader, but her heart belongs to the Rebellion," Bail declared, his voice unwavering. "If there is even a chance that her connection to Vader can be used to sway him to our cause, then we must seize it. Bonds of blood have been used throughout history to forge alliances, to bring enemies together in common purpose. This is no different. It's an opportunity we cannot afford to miss, not a reason to scorn one of our own!"
Garrik opened his mouth to protest, but before he could utter a word, another figure rose from his seat, his presence commanding attention. It was Luke of course. The young Jedi's bravery and skill had become the stuff of legend during the last year as he stepped out of his Master's shadow and made a name for himself.
"As a representative of the Jedi, I stand with Bail Organa," Luke declared, his voice ringing with conviction. "Leia Organa has proven herself time and again on the battlefield, risking her life for the freedom of the galaxy. Her loyalty to the Rebellion is beyond question. I was present myself during the negotiation with Vader. I assure you she participated most reluctantly but kept a level head through it all, as a true leader should."
Luke's words resonated with those gathered, dispelling the shadows of doubt that had threatened to tear them apart. And as Leia met the gaze of her father and the young Jedi who stood beside her, she felt a glimmer of hope ignite within her, a beacon of light amidst the darkness that loomed on the horizon.
"You saved me", Leia told her father, her true father once the gathering dispersed, only the military leaders remaining to discuss the details of the attack.
"No, you saved us", Bail replied, smiling at her sadly. "My little girl is all grown up now. I have to apologize to you. I... I also doubted you, for a time. I thought there was no way there was anything left in Vader from the Jedi knight he used to be. But whatever else is said about him, it's true that he did love your biological mother. You saw a connection, a chance where I only saw danger. You will make a wise ruler one day."
"I don't feel particularly wise", Leia admitted. "I just... It seemed like the most obvious solution to a number of problems."
Bail shook his head and smiled. "Oh Leia. Almost every problem you'll face as a politician has an obvious solution, one that will benefit the most people. It's just that it tends to be the minority holding all the power that opposes it. Doing the right thing is often simple but it's never easy."
"I love you, father. Tell mother too, alright?" Leia said, tears in her eyes. She knew if her plan succeeded, this would be the last time she ever spoke to him.
"I love you too, little girl", Bail said. "Be careful out there."
XxX
For two days after the meeting Leia was sitting on hot coals, expecting a fleet to arrive and a battle to drive them from the base. But nothing if the sort happened. Eventually Mara declared that Vader had sent her details with his part of the attack plan. Leia sat in meeting after meeting as their forces were hurriedly thrown together and people argued over responsibilities.
"The Emperor knows we're coming", Leia told her brother the eve before the attack. "I'm sure of it. My linage leaking at a time like this was no coincidence. If he knew to sent people chasing us in Cloud City, he may have had someone listening in on our meeting there too. Even if he didn't, he'll know who we met and add two and two together."
"You think he'll have placed a trap?" Luke asked. "But even of he knows about the alliance with Vader, he wouldn't know where we'd strike."
"He shouldn't know. Yet somehow, I'm sure he does", Leia returned. "I doubt you'll really only have a skeleton crew to deal with when you attack the shield generator on Endor. It'll be more like an entire legion."
The similarities between current events and the last movie of the original trilogy were too huge for Leia to ignore.
"What do you suggest then? I can't bring too large a team with me or our cover will be blown. We're just supposed to be the crew of a shuttle delivering supplies."
Leia took a deep breath. "Endor is inhabited by a native species called Ewoks. They're a primitive tribe with a possible preference for human meat. But if you can fool them, they might be able to aid you against the stationed troopers. They'll never have met a droid in their life. Take C3PO with you, show off some of your power and they might be convinced to help you."
"I doubt you've ever heard of Endor before this, same as I. Is this another one of your premonitions?" Luke asked.
"Apparently, it runs in the family", Leia said with a humorless smile.
Luke returned the smile. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object.
"I thought you might want to take this with you. For luck, if nothing else." It was a green crystal the size of Leia's thump.
"Is that...?", she asked, eyes wide.
"The kyber crystal you took from Dantooine. Feels like a lifetime ago."
Leia had stashed the crystal somewhere in a drawer months ago and forgotten all about it. It didn't respond to her after all.
"Thank you", she said and took it. Maybe this time around, it would be of help.
There were no bothan spies re-purposing a shuttle this time around. Instead, Vader had ambushed an actual supply convoy consisting of five shuttles heading to the Death Star. The timing was tight as they were on a schedule.
Obi-Wan offered to be part of the mission as well but both Luke and Leia agreed his presence might be more harm than help if they didn't want the truce with Vader to blow up in their faces. So it was just Luke, Mara, C3PO, R2 and a team of ten other Rebellion soldiers that manned the shuttle heading for Endor. Vader and Leia got on another shuttle with a dozen of Vader's stormtroopers as backup and the others were manned by his lieutenants. They would be keeping up the ruse of delivering supplies for as long as possible while Leia and Vader sneaked out. If their cover got blown, they were to secure the hanger and their way out.
Leia had never been so nervous before in her life. She sat in the copilot's seat next to Vader, her hands wet with sweat. When they came out of hyperspace and she saw the giant construction hanging there in space like the maw of a monster full of sharp teeth, her heart skipped a beat and then started racing.
Their shuttle was hailed and one of Vader's men calmly gave the Imperial codes they were asked for. They were granted passage and told where to dock.
"This is too easy", Leia muttered. "It's a trap. It has to be."
"Of course it's a trap. I can feel my former Master's presence", Vader stated calmly.
"What?! The Emperor is here?!" Leia exclaimed.
"You think he would let an opportunity like this slip through his fingers?" Vader scoffed. "All his enemies in one place... We did him a favor."
"But then we have to-" Leia broke off, horrified.
"It's too late to warn the others. Any message we sent now would be caught and Darklighter must not be distracted from his mission. The only thing we could do is break off the attack completely." He turned his head towards her slowly. "And you can't really afford to do that, can you?"
It was true. This was Leia's one and only chance. The plan could still work, it wasn't too different from the movies. Luke's and Leia's roles were merely reversed.
... Which was a huge difference in her mind.
"Not all is lost yet", Vader continued calmly. "It was always a gamble, the stakes are just higher now. If we win, we take out not just the Death Star but the Emperor too. That'll be the end. If the new alliance holds... There could finally be some peace."
"And if we loose", Leia swallowed thickly, "the dark side wins."
For a moment they were quiet.
"He'll try to turn us against each other. That's how he always does it", Vader warned her quietly. "We must stand together."
"I know", Leia said, voice raw.
The fate of the galaxy literally depended on her working together with Darth Vader. She was the last hope.
Except no. She was the wrong person for this.
"There is another..." Leia whispered, words spoken in a movie long ago coming to her mind. She wanted to cry. How had everything become so twisted?
"Another?", Vader echoed. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing."
But Vader wouldn't let it rest.
"Leia", he said, the intense gaze of his eyes turned on her. "If there is anything you want to tell me, about your reason for coming here, what happened to you in the past year, what happened that day... Anything that he could use against us. Now is the time to tell me."
Leia returned his stare with wide, frightened eyes. There were a million things she ought to tell him. But she couldn't. She didn't know how much the Emperor knew and every single one of the secrets she still held had its own potential to ruin everything.
She remembered the advise her father had given her on Hoth.
Leia knew Vader was right. Telling him now, on her own terms, was the obvious, simple solution. But it was anything but easy and she was not convinced that it was the right thing to do. Worst of all, she couldn't even properly contemplate the problem because they both had no time and she had to keep schooling her thoughts so she wouldn't accidentally let too much slip.
"Nothing?" Vader pressed, sounding disappointed when Leia was quiet for too long.
"I'm sorry", she whispered. "They're not my secrets to tell. I'm... the wrong person."
In more than one sense.
Vader turned his head straight ahead again, looking at the Death Star that they were steadily approaching.
"So be it then", he said resigned.
XxX
AN:
Hohoho I love the cliffhangers.
How did you like the interaction between Vader and Leia? Or Vader's attempts to turn his life around for that matter?
It was hard to write the POV of a Vader that has sort of but not entirely yet turned to the light side. I didn't want to make him all guilt-ridden because even as Anakin, he actually shared many of Palpatine's political views and he really had beef with the Jedi. I figured that wouldn't go away even when he's not actively dark side anymore. But Anakin/Vader was and always will be loyal to people rather than principles so if his precious daughter wants the Empire/Emperor gone, he'll make them go away :-)
Except of course now Leia is not the precious daughter he learned to love...
Will Sidious be able to manipulate the two to turn against each other? Will one of them fall back to the dark side? Will we have a tragic death? Find out in the next chapter!
And please, pretty please, tell me what you think about these developments! I'm always so excited to hear/share opinions with my readers.
A little note: I wrote that Sidious started to build 3 death stars. One is the one Luke blew up, one is the second and the third would never be completed but its part be salvaged by what later becomes the First Order to build their own planet killer. Building Death Stars takes a long time so I figured they had to start early with that.
I love to mirror certain situations in my fanfic, referring to the original story. So of course Leia and Vader had to meet in Cloud City and of course there had to be an ambush. Leia calling Vader her only hope, Edward pulling a Lando on Bella and Carlisle dropping an Star Wars citation - it's all repeating, did you notice? ;-)
Also, a little announcement: I'm finally done with this fanfic! There will be 2 more chapters and a 1,5x chapter-long epilogue but I can now officially reassure everyone this project will not be abandoned. I know I kinda have a tendency to run into blocks and leave stuff unfinished. Not this time around though!