Chapter XVIII –
Secrets – Part IV
Approximately 1800 (6PM)
“Promise me you’ll be on your best behavior,” Leia
insisted as she and Han Solo rode the turbolift up
to her family’s suite.
“Hey, it’s me, remember?”
Leia smirked and rolled her eyes. “I just hope that
my father doesn’t Force-choke you.”
The turbolift finally stopped near one of the
topmost floors in the duracrete building, the doors
opening with a little hiss, allowing the couple to
step out and into the foyer.
Leia knew where to find her parents as she felt them
through the Force. With Han walking beside her, she
proceeded directly to the main living room.
Without a conscious thought, Leia’s stride abruptly
quickened and Han found himself stretching his own
stride to keep up with her.
“Hey, what’s wrong, sweetheart?” he inquired,
grasping her elbow and trying to get her to slow
down.
“A
tremor in the Force. Something’s wrong! Can’t you
feel it?”
“Uh, no,” Han sheepishly admitted. How can I feel
something I don’t even understand? he silently
groused.
Leia and Han burst into the room and found her
parent’s in a very emotional embrace.
“Doesn’t look like anything’s wrong to me,” Han
quipped.
Leia grimaced at him and then rushed over to Padmé
and Anakin.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Princess…” Anakin took a deep breath and then
continued, “Luke and I have to go on a mission.”
Leia’s confusion was all over her face. She could
sense the elevated emotions but that didn’t explain
anything. Her father and brother were always going
on some mission for the Jedi Council or the New
Republic. What made this one any different? “You
just came home. Why would you have to leave again?”
“Ben and Sakoya need our help and…this won’t be an
ordinary mission.”
Leia didn’t lose her questioning look as she stared
at her father. In the back of her mind she decided
that her own news would have to wait – now was not
the time to announce her engagement. “I don’t
understand,” she uttered as Han came up beside her.
“It will take too long to explain and I need to find
Luke so we can go. Your mother will have to fill you
in.” Anakin let go of Padmé and stepped away from
her. He took hold of Leia’s hands and said, “No
matter what our disagreements may be I have always
had your best interests at heart.”
“Daddy, what are you talking about?” Leia’s eyes
darted from her father to her mother and back again.
“I’m sorry, Princess, I don’t have time.” Anakin let
go of his daughter’s hands and was about to hug her
goodbye when she stepped backward and glared at him.
“No!”
“No? No, what?”
“No, you’re NOT leaving until you give me an
explanation. I remember all too well when you left
to save Luke from the Emperor. Uncle Ben had to tell
me what was going on and that was because of the
dream I had – but not this time!”
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“Dream? Leia –”
Leia folded her arms across her chest, displaying
her defiance to her father.
Anakin shook his head. His headstrong daughter was
as difficult to argue with as her mother, but it was
also clear that his own stubbornness ran through her
veins. “I don’t know about this dream you had,
Obi-Wan never told me.”
Leia interrupted. “He kept my confidence,” she
darkly replied.
Anakin resigned himself to the fact that there was
no easy way out of this argument – Leia was too
determined. “I’ll make this brief, because time is a
luxury we don’t have. There is a danger – I won’t
discount that – but I have to help Obi-Wan and
Sakoya and I’m hoping Luke can get through to
Sakoya’s daughter.”
“Wait – Sakoya’s daughter?” Leia tilted her head to
the side, her curiosity piqued. “She’s dead.”
Anakin quickly glanced at Padmé and then back to his
daughter again.
Padmé finally spoke up and said, “It appears that
that may not be the case. Sakoya’s daughter is not
only alive, she’s also known as the Emperor’s
Hand.”
Han had been a silent bystander throughout the
conversation but upon hearing this news he couldn’t
help speaking up. “Mara Jade!” he asked in surprise.
“That’s your friend’s daughter?”
“You know of her?” Padmé inquired.
“Know of her! The entire galaxy knows of her!” he
retorted. “She has quite a notorious reputation.”
Padmé managed to control the embarrassment she felt.
She had known nothing of this person when Obi-Wan
and Sakoya had first inquired and yet, this smuggler
knew exactly who she was. “I take it you’re
acquainted with her?”
Han shook his head. “No, ma’am, not personally. Only
by reputation.”
Leia’s eyes flickered from one person to another,
trying to gather all the information. “Why Luke?”
she continued her argument.
Anakin let out a small chuckle, sparring with his
daughter had become a routine habit of late. “Well,
he’s a Jedi Knight and this woman’s vendetta is
aimed at us both.”
Leia looked surprised. “What vendetta?”
“Leia, please…”
“Father,” Leia uttered, surprising herself with her
formalities, “you make this sound so dire. I could
probably help – my diplomatic skills –”
Anakin interrupted her with a shake of his head and
said, “Won’t be an asset in this situation.” He
didn’t mean for his words to sting, but by the look
on his daughter’s face they had struck a nerve.
“So because I haven’t honed my Force abilities I
can’t go with you?” she spat.
“Leia!” Anakin felt his ire rise. “This isn’t about
your abilities – diplomatic or the Force. I need to
help Obi-Wan reach Sakoya before it’s too late.
Look, I’m losing precious time. I’m sorry, I have to
go.” Before Leia could resist Anakin fiercely hugged
his daughter and then his wife. “I love you both,”
he calmly said and then walked briskly out of the
room.
“What?” Han was taken aback by the look his fiancée
thrust upon him.
“He’ll need the Falcon,” she replied.
“My ship!” he responded at the audacity of such an
incredible request.
“Yes,” Leia touched his cheek with her hand, “he may
need you and he’ll definitely need your ship.
Besides,” she had a gleam in her eye, “it is
the fastest ship in the galaxy, right?”
Han laughed out loud and commented, “You owe me for
this one, sweetheart.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“I feel…cold.”
“That will pass in
time”, came an answer from the shadowy depths. “Warm
yourself by the fire”.
Sakoya felt instant
warmth as a fire suddenly flickered in front of her.
She held her palms up to the flames and smiled as
the heat penetrated her shivering body.
Unexpectedly another
pair of hands took form across from her, warming
themselves just as she was doing. Sakoya couldn’t
see any part of the mystery person, except for their
hands, until they slowly stepped into the firelight.
She gasped but could hear no sound from her mouth.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Anakin, wait!” Han shouted after the Jedi whose
strides were fast paced like his daughter’s.
The Jedi Master stopped and turned around. “Yesss?”
he asked, dragging out the word.
“You’ll need a fast ship,” Han replied
good-naturedly.
Anakin sized up the pirate, scrutinizing him. “I
have one,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“That can hold more than one person?” Han grinned
and then instantly regretted his smirk when the Jedi
scowled. “Look, it’s not as if we haven’t been in a
battle together before. And you know my ship’s
capabilities – she’s the fastest hunk of junk in the
galaxy.” He thought his last remark would at least
garner a smile from his fiancée’s father.
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“We have…and yes, I know what your ship can do.”
“And I have insight into Mara Jade,” Han added.
“Terrific, she’s in a coma so I’m sure your
information will be most helpful.”
“A
coma?”
“Yes, she’s comatose,” Anakin remarked. He pondered
for a moment and considered the pirate’s offer. Han
could be useful, if only to pilot the ship if things
went awry.
Han scratched his head, finding it hard to believe
that such a spitfire like Mara could be in such a
condition. “How’d it happen?”
“I’ll brief you along the way. Let’s get Luke.”
Anakin turned and began walking again, with Han
right on his heels. “And Han,” he said with a
sideways glance, “don’t think this mission will
garner good graces with me regarding my daughter.”
The smuggler smirked but said nothing as he fell in
line with his future father-in-law’s footsteps.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Han fidgeted inside the Millennium Falcon,
trying to pass the time while he waited for Anakin
and Luke Skywalker to finish their meeting with the
Jedi Council. He and Chewbacca, his Wookiee first
mate, had already gone over the ship, fine tuning
everything from the very basic to the more complex.
The Falcon was ready and Han smiled in
satisfaction. He loved his ship dearly and was proud
of her feats of speed. They had been through a lot
together and he knew there was more adventures ahead
– especially with the Skywalker family involved. A
grin slowly formed, curling his lips upward as his
thoughts drifted to a woman who had laid claim to
his heart. He had traveled all over the galaxy, met
numerous women, and had his share of dalliances over
the years, but none compared to Leia Skywalker. Her
long, dark hair that matched her eyes, her beautiful
face, and her indomitable spirit all attracted Han
and he knew that she was perfect for him. Oh, she
had held him at bay for months, refusing to give in
to their mutual attraction, but she had finally
relented and now they were engaged. Han reminded
himself to thank Chewbacca who pushed the smuggler
to keep trying when Han had thought all was lost
regarding Leia. Admittedly, there were times that he
wondered who was vying for Leia’s attention – him or
the Wookiee.
Meanwhile, inside the Jedi Council chamber…
“Master Skywalker, we are fully assembled, you may
proceed when ready.”
Anakin Skywalker stood in the center of the chamber
facing the council of which he was a member. His
son, Luke, stood passively beside him, his hands
clasped in front of him. “Thank you, Master Moven,”
Anakin replied politely to the Twi’lek Jedi, whose
blue tentacles lay over her shoulders. “As you are
already aware, Jedi Knight Jade-Kenobi is nearly
comatose as a result of trying to administer a
healing to Mara Jade. Additionally, she is trapped
in-between realities and Mara has taken her over to
the dark side.”
Even though the council had already viewed Jedi
Master Kenobi’s last transmission alluding to this
fact it still stirred astonishment on every face
seated in the massive chamber. Master Aêta Neegn, a
Chandrillan, shook her head and asked, “How can this
be?”
Anakin shifted his attention to the platinum haired
Jedi Master, her expressive green eyes drilling into
him for answers. “Darth Sidious,” he calmly
answered.
The mere mention of that name produced looks of
chagrin on every member in the chamber.
“Darth Sidious is dead,” Jedi Master Sir’ei Tir’sa
stated her voice cold and serious as always.
Sir’ei always seemed willing to spar with him. “Yes,
and may I remind you that my son and I brought about
his death,” Anakin smartly replied.
“Noted, Master Skywalker,” Master Aria Syn said with
a nod.
Luke, who had stood silently beside his father until
now elaborated on what Anakin had stated. “According
to Master Kenobi, Sakoya has inadvertently fused
herself in spirit to Mara Jade. This enables Darth
Sidious, who still has control over his apprentice,
to reach out to the Jedi and ensnare her.”
Master Spe’ka looked at Luke dubiously. “And he
gathered this information –”
“From Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn,” Luke stated,
grateful that his father had found and briefed him
thoroughly before their audience with the council.
Master Moven leaned back in her chair and clasped
her hands together with the exception of her
extended forefingers that rested on her chin
reflectively. “What are you proposing?”
Anakin’s gaze went from one member to the next until
he finally said, “Luke and I have procured a ship
that will not only provide passage for us but it has
the capacity to transport Obi-Wan, Sakoya, and Mara
as well. My purpose is to rid us of Darth Sidious
permanently.”
“And you intend to do this how?” Master Spe’ka, a
Kaminoan, asked.
Anakin focused on one Jedi in particular as he
answered the question. “By crossing over to the dark
side.”
Jedi Master Sir’ei Tir’sa’s blue eyes gleamed.
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Alliance Ch16
2
Alliance Ch19
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