BEFORE (PART 1)

The stormy cliffs of Talimsber were the most rugged, deadly terrain in the entire galaxy. They were beautiful, glittering black and silver stones cut in mystical geometry against the ever-flashing storm, but no living thing should ever set foot on them. At least, that's how Luke felt as he gripped the slippery stone surface for dear life.

"This was a bad idea!" he cried from his little ledge. The hot rain that pelted him felt more like slugs than water.

Leia's fingers ached too, and her quivering was caused by more than sore muscles, but she'd never tell Luke that. "Dad could've done this when he was nine. Don't be a baby, Luke. We're almost there."

"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you."

Anger stirred through Leia's veins; she used it to boost herself up another short distance, placing her on a slim jut-out that rested above Luke's head. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm clearly much better at this."

"At climbing maybe," Luke grunted, lifting himself up another path. "But what about if you fall? You know you aren't as good at sensing things. How will you catch yourself before you hit something?"

Leia opened her mouth but shut it, biting her tongue with a frown. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. "Then you'll have to be the one to catch me," she finally said. She leaned down, offering him a hand and pulling him up. "That's why there's two of us, isn't there? So we can have each other's backs."

Luke's breath came in heavy pants as slicked his hair away from his face, meeting Leia's gaze. Her eyes were fierce despite the harsh rain cascading over her skin. Through her tough exterior, a sly smile slipped through when she looked at him.

Luke smiled back, feeling a renewed determination. "Yeah, we've always got each other."

"LUKE AND LEIA," the angry voice of their mother bellowed from below the cliffs, cutting through the beating storm. "LUKE! LEIA! I TOLD YOU NOT TO RUN OFF!"

Luke's face went pale. He pressed himself even further into the rock's shimmering face, as though he could hide from whatever wrath they'd earned. "I told you this was a bad idea," he hissed to his sister, all camaraderie gone.

"One that you went along with," she hissed back, "so don't even think about blaming this all on me."

"Well, it IS your fault."

"It is not! You wanted to climb above the storm just as much as I did." Leia risked removing one hand from the all to point accusatorially at him.

"I just didn't want you to go alone!" Luke retorted.

"Oh, you are such a liar!"

Luke scowled but didn't say anything back. She was right. He hated it when she was right.

"LEIA? LUKE?" Far below, their mother's cries were fading from anger to worry.

A sharp feeling of guilt pricked the twins' hearts. They looked at each other, wordlessly understanding the emotion that spread through the other.

"We're almost to the top," Luke offered toothlessly. They both knew the next steps they took would be downward, back toward their home.

Leia shook her head. "They must've gotten home sooner than we thought. We can't let Daddy and Mama worry about us senselessly, they'll tear the planet apart looking for us."

Luke snorted. It was barely hyperbole, especially for their dad.

The two began their careful descent, hearts pounding with a mixture of adrenaline and regret. Every so often, Luke would glance at Leia, searching for any sign of fear or hesitation, but her face remained set in a determined frown. He could feel the storm's energy pulsing around them, lightning crackling overhead, illuminating the cliffs in brief, blinding flashes.

As they neared the bottom, Luke felt a shift in the Force—an intense wave of relief and frustration mingled together. Their parents were close, and their emotions were as tumultuous as the storm itself.

"LUKE! LEIA!" Their father's voice, now clearer and louder, echoed up the cliff face. "Stay where you are! I'm coming to get you!"

Leia's grip tightened on the rock, and she turned to Luke with a look of both dread and resolve. "We're in for it now," she muttered.

Luke sighed, nodding. "Yeah, but at least we responded fast this time. No scrubbing out the fireplace."

Their father, Anakin Skywalker, appeared below them, his cloak billowing in the wind, rain streaming off his shoulders. He extended a hand, and the twins felt themselves gently lifted off the rock face, the Force guiding them safely to the ground.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this was?" Their mother, Padmé Amidala, demanded, her brown eyes flashing with both anger and relief. "You could have been killed!"

"We're sorry, mama," Luke said quickly, his voice meek. "We just wanted to see the view from the top."

"We were just training," Leia insisted. "What good will we be against the Jedi if we can't even conquer some rain and rocks?"

Luke facepalmed. Now they were going to have to listen to their dad's stupid lecture.

"You aren't going to fight Jedi," Anakin scolded, right on cue. "That's not what I'm training you for. It's never been why I'm training you, do you understand? We're out here so that they leave us alone."

Leia crossed her arms. "But if they DO come to take us—"

"Then they'll have to go through me," Padmé interjected. "And Ahsoka, and all your uncles, and not least of which your father here." She finished the sentence with a teasing pat on Anakin's back.

"But what if you all are gone? They'll separate us and make it so we can't love each other anymore."

"That's not entirely true," Padmé began softly.

Anakin, at the same time, answered, "Then you cloak yourselves. Shroud yourselves with the force, don't let them sense your connection with it."

"I hate doing that," Luke said with a frown. "It feels yucky."

Leia put an arm around him. "The Force is the Force, Luke. There's no bad way to use it."

Luke nodded, only half agreeing. He felt his father tense—as he always did when Leia spoke like that—but, as usual, he didn't say anything.

"Don't think this conversation has distracted me from the issue at hand," Padmé said, placing her hands on her hips. "You're both still in trouble for trying to climb the cliff."

"Poodoo," Leia grumbled.

Anakin did a poor job of hiding his laugh.

Back in their home, a modest yet sturdy wooden cottage nestled within the cliffs, the twins were drying off and changing into clean clothes. The walls hummed with a faint energy, a protective barrier Anakin had set up to keep them safe from both the harsh elements and any prying eyes. The storm continued to rage outside, but inside, the warmth of the hearth and the comforting presence of their family created a stark contrast.

Anakin and Padmé sat at the kitchen table, their expressions a mix of relief and lingering frustration. The twins entered the room, looking suitably chastened.

"Sit down," Anakin instructed. "We need to talk."

Leia and Luke exchanged glances before taking their seats.

Padmé leaned forward, her eyes intense but not unkind. "Leia, Luke," she began, "I understand your desire to test your limits and train yourselves. But you must understand that there are safer ways to do that. What you did today was reckless."

"We know, Mom," Luke said quietly. "We're sorry."

Padmé sighed, her expression softening. "We just want to keep you safe. We know you're strong and capable, but you're still our children."

Anakin placed a hand on Padmé's. "Your mother is right. And as much as I want you to be prepared for anything, I also want you to understand the importance of caution and responsibility."

Leia looked down, her fingers tracing patterns on the table. "We just... we wanted to prove that we could handle it."

"You don't need to prove anything to us," Padmé said gently. "We already know how amazing you both are."

Anakin nodded. "But we need you to trust us when we say that some things are too dangerous to tackle alone. We're a team, a family. We face challenges together."

There was a moment of silence, the storm outside the only sound filling the room. Finally, Leia looked up, her eyes meeting Anakin's. "We understand," she said. "We'll be more careful."

Luke nodded in agreement. "And we'll tell you before we try something like that again."

Padmé smiled. "That's all we ask."

Anakin stood, his presence commanding yet comforting. "Now, let's put this behind us. We'll find safer ways for you to train and grow stronger. Together."

The children stood as well, but Padmé signaled for them to sit back down. "For now, you two will have to work on training your brains. I'm giving you both an extra hour of school tonight as punishment."

Luke swiftly stood up again, knocking his chair down. "What? That's no fair! That's only a punishment for me!" he protested.

Leia laughed. "It's not my fault I actually like learning how the world works, quark brain."

"We're not learning politics today. We're learning math," Padmé said plainly.

Leia's face fell.

As if to save the twins from their educational fate, the door burst open. Ahsoka charged in, out of breath and with a face like she'd been stabbed.

"Anakin, Padmé," she said with a frantic respect, "Something's happened. It's the Jedi."

"Are they here?" Anakin protectively put his hands on Luke and Leia's shoulders. "My answer is still no."

"They're too old now, anyway," Padmé added.

Anakin responded darkly, "They make exceptions."

"No. I-it's not that. The Jedi, th-the clones. Anakin," Ahsoka shook her head as if she were disagreeing with herself. Luke caught a speckle of tears in her eyes. "The clones have turned on the Jedi. They're gone."