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A/N: Well…. Egg is on my face, to explain why this chapter got posted twice, I have been fighting parts of the chapter for some time, believe or not the scene where the crew of the Falcon learn what happened to Alderaan refused to be written, I have re written that scene times than I care to admit, I almost just deleted it, but decided it was too important. The rest of the chapter flowed out and has been written for a while. Then I spent several hours making this version of the chapter. A edited version. And I saved it under a different file. To make sure it took. So I have a rough draft and a final copy of my chapters. Guess which one I posted yup, you're right the rough draft. So as I said Egg on my face, yes this chapter is still un-betaed the person I thought may become my beta has some compatibility issues with the format of my text program. What I got back had ALL of the paragraph separations removed The whole thing looked like one endless paragraph. Nothing against the guy what little I have been able to read of what he did nor me was great, but I am having to beta my beta's work. So I am still looking for a beta.

On the Falcon, Luke and Mara were practicing with a remote each; R2 was playing a game of Dejarik with Chewbacca while 3p0 watched, Han Solo was monitoring the auto pilot making sure the ship was still on course, and Obi-wan was distracted he could not shake the feeling that something was happening.

Chewie bellowed suddenly after a move R2 made removed one of his favorite pieces from the board. "I don't see what the problem is he made a fair move yelling about it won't help" 3p0 said, looking at Chewbacca confusion in his voice.

"Never mind best to let him have it, it's not wise to upset a wookie," Han said without turning from his station.

"Pardon me sir but why, no one worries about upsetting a droid." 3p0 quarried

Han turned with a playful smirk and replied, his voice dripping with sarcastic concern, "That's because droids won't rip your arms out of their sockets when they lose, wookies are known to do that"

"I see, R2 I suggest a new strategy, let the wookie win."

Chewbacca growled halfheartedly at that.

Suddenly Luke, Mara and Obi-wan Staggered, the former two getting hit with shots from the remotes as their concentration slipped. Han was about to laugh at them until he noticed the distress on their faces.

"What was that?" Luke asked out of breath, Mara moved to his side and he instinctively reached out to her. He pulled her into his arms and waited for Obi-wan to be able to answer. The old Jedi was pinching the bridge of his nose and was leaning back against a computer board. His countenance filled with sorrow.

"I am not sure I feel as though millions of voices cried out in terror and then were extinguished. I feel something terrible has happened."

Mara's eye filled with tears, "They tested it, oh force they tested on a planet with a population." Mara's voice began to rise with anger.

"Be mindful of your anger padawan; do not let your control slip. Besides we do not know that for certain, we have no way of proving your theory, though at this moment I have nothing better." Obi-wan said softly.

"What are you guys talking about?" Han was old enough to remember the Jedi, barely, and vaguely remembered they had some kind of connection to the galaxy. Not that he truly believed any of that anymore, but it was what he thought he remembered about them. Turning to his console Han pressed a few buttons checking the sensor readings. "I'm not picking up anything on the scanners."

"You wouldn't." Obi-wan began to explain, "What we felt was a tremor in the force, it will not read on your instruments, at least until you try to navigate to through the section of space that was effected, if Mara is right that is."

"The Force, I have flown from one end of the galaxy to the other and I have never seen some all-powerful mystical field binding everything together. There is nothing determining my destiny but skill and a good dose of luck." Han responded with a condescending tone.

"In my experience, there is no such thing as luck." Obi-wan responded mildly.

Luke turned to Han glad for a distraction, "You don't believe in the force? But you saw us practicing with the remotes, surely that…

Han interrupted before Luke could get on a rant, "Good against remotes that's one thing, good against the living, now that's hard." Before anyone could say anything else a light began to flash on Han's board he turned and regarded it, then stood. "Well we are coming up on Alderaan," He turned and walked to the cockpit without another word.

Chewbacca rose and followed as Luke and Mara gathered up their training tools and moved to follow, Obi-wan stopped them for a moment, "Remember to trust the force, and in each other. The both of you did well today, but be mindful of your emotions, a loss of control, even for just a moment, could cause you a lifetime of regret."

They made their way to the cockpit just as the ship reverted to real space, right in the middle of an asteroid field. "What the kriff?" Han said as he began checking the systems, running through the nav-computer, checking their position in the galaxy.

"What's going on, why did you bring us out in an asteroid field?" Luke questioned.

"This is Alderaan or where is supposed to be, must have been some kind of collision, or meteor strike." Han looked up at the view port a feeling of dread began slowly crawling its way out of his belly.

"It was destroyed by the empire, we should leave, now." Obi-wan said calmly.

"That's impossible if they got the entire fleet together they couldn't generate enough firepower to destroy a planet." Han said, but even as he said the words he did not truly believe them, his passengers knew something.

Suddenly a tie fighter came out of nowhere and fired a few grazing hits "Where'd he come from?!" both Luke and Mara cried out.

"It's a short range fighter, no hyper drive, he won't get far." Han said as he pushed the Falcon's throttle lever full forward.

"You'll never catch him he is too fast." Obi-wan said barely paying attention to the fighter, something beyond what he could see was calling to him something was out there.

"This old girl has a few tricks in her yet, Chewie switch over to secondary mains." Han said as he and his co-pilot flipped switches on the control board, the Falcon surged forward, but the fighter continued to move away.

"How did a tie fighter get here all by its self?" Luke asked.

"Maybe, it was part of a convoy and got lost?" Mara said but there was no confidence in her statement.

"Well he won't be around to say he saw us much longer, Chewie Jam his comms" Han was staring determinedly at the fighter.

"He is heading for that small moon…" Luke said, but even as he said it he knew something was wrong with his statement his eyes widened as he sensed the amount of life on that 'moon' in the force.

"That's no moon, it's a space station." Obi-wan said darkly.

"That's impossible; no space station is that big." Han said.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Luke murmured. "Maybe we should get outa here."

"I think your right," Han said quietly his mind still trying to process what his eyes were telling him the 'moon' was now obviously man made. He could make out details that were telling. Large seams in the metal lights from individual windows. He and Chewie had already engaged full reverse thrust but the Falcon was still moving toward it.

"Um you're not turning away, wouldn't getting out of here require not heading toward the space station?" Luke asked more than a little worried.

"I am trying they have us in a tractor beam; Chewie sync in both auxiliary power generators." The Falcon now began to strain trying to turn away but continued toward the station. After a few minutes "I gonna have to shut down the engines are starting to overheat," Han said. The wining strain of the powerful engines silenced as Han and Chewie flipped switches all over the ship. "They aren't taking me without a fight." Han drew his blaster and started to rise.

Obi-wan leaned forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, "You can't win, there are too many of them, but there are alternatives." He turned to Luke and Mara, "Shield yourselves from this moment forward, do not attempt to use the force without my telling you it is alright to do so, it is not yet time for the empire to know of you." Luke and Mara nodded and pulled their force sense inside themselves and made it very small, Mara reached out and took Luke's hand.

(Line Break)

The freighter settled in the middle of the hanger, it was covered on several sides by stormtroopers. Vader stood hands on his hips as he inspected the ship visually and through the force. Something was off, he sensed something was there, but it was elusive. Then it hit him, he felt as though he had taken a blow to the chest it took everything he had not to charge up that ramp; or rip the ship apart with the force to find him. He was here, but one thought stopped him, why, why now after all these years? Surely his old master did not think he could finally end his life, though a small part of him would welcome an end to the torment. So what was Kenobi doing here, he reached out with the force again searching for the reason. The princess he was here for the princess, they would rescue her and then they would take her to the rebel base, all he had to do was follow them, all too easy. He had them now after 15 years of searching he had them; their own loyalty would be there down fall. Finally he would be able to correct the mistake he and the emperor made all those years ago with Starkiller.

Vader turned to one of the officers, "Bring in a sensor team I want every of this ship checked." He strode from the hangar and stopped at a comm station. "General Aton, there are rebels on the station," the man's shock was written all over his face he opened his mouth to ask but Vader continued, "They are here to rescue the princess, they will succeed, place a tracking device on the freighter we just pulled aboard, do you understand General." It took a moment, too long in Vader's opinion, but he saw the man finally grasp his plan.

"Of course Lord Vader I will see to it personally, I will have the majority of the men moved quietly to the lower decks to get them out of harm's way, I will keep a skeleton crew on the decks necessary for them to affect their escape, should I power down the tractor beam or let the rebels do it?" The general responded.

Vader sighed the answer should have been obvious, "Let the rebels do it, do not make their escape to easy, if they are captured, so be it we will find another way to find the rebels." Vader cut the comm and turned heading for Tarkin's office, though he hated it, he had to report his findings to the egotistical man and convince him that his plan would work.

(Line Break)

When Obi-wan felt that the ship was empty he signaled Luke and Mara in the other compartment, they all lifted the hatches and began climbing out. He sighed though he had tried to shield the presence of those on board he had only partially succeeded; then again he had not counted on his wayward apprentice being here. Why was this happening now, and then the answer was before him Anakin's arrogance, Anakin would concoct some complicated plan of allowing them to escape to find the rebels. Though he was kicking himself for not more through scanning the station before their arrival, as it were, to be better prepared for what was happening. He was content with what must be done, Anakin needed to be distracted, he needed to focus on finding him and not paying close attention to the others, which would allow them to anonymously, rescue the princess and escape the station. Though he hoped they would find the tracking device before reaching the rebel base. 'Why am I always the bait?' He wondered as he extricated himself from the smuggling compartment and took a deep breath of fresh air. He was ready.

"Lucky thing you had theses compartments." Luke commented good naturedly as his head appeared.

Solo frowned at him a moment then smiled, "Yeah well, I never thought I'd be smuggling myself."

"There a first time for everything Solo," Mara said as she also pulled herself up, she turned to Obi-wan "Did you feel…"

Obi-wan interrupted her before she could inform Luke though he suspected he already knew that there was at least a force user on board the station he may not yet know the identity of him yet, he hoped. "Yes, continue to shield, do not use the force unless it is absolutely paramount to your survival, and leave your lightsabers behind, anonymity, is your greatest weapon at the moment, we are not yet ready to lose that advantage. That goes double for you Luke, once Vader learns of you he will hound you until he finds you rather you are ready to face him or not, it is not yet time to face him."

Han felt like he was only hearing half of the conversation, there was something major here he was missing, "Well not that it matters but we aren't going anywhere with that tractor beam active, someone is going to need to sneak in and cut its power. Now I…"

"Leave that to me." Obi-wan said cutting him off.

"Old fool, I somehow knew you were gonna say that." Han reach down and patted Chewie on the head as the wookie was finally able to get in a position to stand up.

"Who is the more foolish the fool, or the fool that follows him?" Obi-wan said with a smirk as he pulled himself fully out of the compartment and stood.

Han's response was an impotent glare that had no real fire behind it.

(Line Break)

Getting into the control room for the hangar had been easy, too easy. Mara was nervous something was off, there had been no less than six different spots that they could have been ambushed on the way here, not to mention the cameras the internal sensors, how in the name of the force had they not been spotted. She Luke and Han now wore the armor of an imperial stormtrooper, but how does one disguise a wookie; and what about the droids, Or Kenobi, who if she remember was on several million wanted posters, and was still wear his jedi robes, this made no sense.

R2 was plugged into a terminal and quickly going through the station schematics, he had a separate program comparing them to the copy he already carried making sure the weakness he had found was still there, which if he had a face and arms he would have face palmed over. Really were all humans that silly; an exhaust port for the main reactor with no shielding, while he understood the reasoning for the straight shaft leading directly to the reactor, one which needed to be heavily shielded from the rest of the station so that it did not contaminate the crew. To leave a vital part of the station like that barely defended was either the highest form of stupidity, or the most arrogant thing he had ever seen, and he still remembered his time as Anakin's astromech. Now that he had ensured that it was in fact still there he brought the information up on a view screen showing the humans where they needed to go in order to turn off the tractor beam, he then began hacking files, oh how he loved gathering information, he decided to focus mainly on finding out what they had done with the princess, but also set a couple of search engines to find anything about Mara, she might one day want to know of her origins, and R2 liked to be able to provide answers when his masters asked him questions. Not that they ever did.

Obi-wan pulled Luke aside as he moved toward the door, "Luke I need you stay here and watch over the droids and the others. They are your mission now; they must get to the rebel alliance so no more worlds suffer the fate of Alderaan."

Luke frowned, "let me come with you I could help."

"Your place is with the droids, and Mara, your destiny lies on a different path from mine." Obi-wan turned and opened the door, "Remember the force will be with you." With that Obi-wan turned and walked into the hallway as Luke reached over and shut and locked the door.

"Where did you guys dig up that old fossil?" Han asked not believing what was going on.

Mara turned and scowled at him, "Obi-wan is a good friend, and a great teacher of how to use the force. He is also far wiser and more experienced at this sort of thing than any of us are; I suggest we listen to him."

"Look Red…" But whatever Han was about to say was cut off by R2 beginning to bounce back and forth on his legs and whistling insistently.

Luke moved over to the station, "What is it, what has he found?"

3P0, looked from listening to R2 report what he had found, "He claims to have found the princess she is being held in a nearby detention area," R2 reported more of what he had found, "It seems she has been scheduled for termination, tomorrow."

Luke knew, even without consulting the force, they could not let this happen. Something inside him rebelled at the thought of standing by while she died, were it not for Obi-wan's instructions to not use the force at all Luke would have consulted it to try and understand why, instead he went with his gut feelings.

"Ut-oh, Luke you got that look on your face." Mara moved over to him and touched his arm hoping to stop whatever crazy idea that had planted itself inside his head.

"Mara, you are better a reaching out with the force without detection than I am, I don't know why but we have to save her. Can you not feel that I am right; she is important." Luke said as he touched her face.

She sighed and nodded closing her eyes and subtly reaching out with force she tasted its currents and eddies, much as she did not want it to be so, he was right. It looked like she was about to embark on a rescue mission.

"What are you talking about, save whom? I am not leaving this room until it is to head to the Falcon." Han said moving over to sit in a chair.

Luke looked at Mara and smirked, "But they are gonna kill her not too long ago you were griping about all this sneaking around."

"Busting into a cell block is not what I had in mind."

"She's rich, you'll be rewarded," Chewie began grumbling, as Han began to show interest.

"How much are we talking?"

"I don't know but it will be more than you could ever imagine," Luke had no clue where the words came from but even as he said them he knew they were the truth.

"I don't know I can imagine quite a bit." Han said sounding sold on the idea.

"You'll get it"

"I'd better." Han responded

"You will," Luke exclaimed done with arguing with the smuggler, though he didn't yet know him as well as he would like heading into the situation. He felt Han was someone he could count on.

"So what's your plan?"

Luke Looked around the room a moment then pointed at something behind Han "Hand me those binders." After taking them from Han he moved toward Chewie, "We will need your help Chewie but in order to get you into the cell block it needs to look like we are escorting a prisoner," he held up the binders. "Can I put these on you?" Chewbacca's response was a growl, "How about you put those on him." Luke said handing the binders to Han.

"Don't worry Chewie," Han said standing up taking the binders, and placing binders on Chewie's arms. "I think I know what he has in mind."

Luke, Mara and Han all placed their helmets back on and picked up their blaster rifles, as they were making their way out the door, Mara turned back to 3P0, "Stay here with R2, monitor the comm in case we need we need an assist."

The droid managed to sound worried as he asked a question. "But what are we to do if someone discovers us here?"

"Lock the door" Luke responded as he moved out the door.

Han couldn't help adding a quip, "and hope they don't have blasters."

"That's not very reassuring," 3P0 said R2 made a plaintive beep and 3P0 placed his hand on R2's head.

(Line Break)

Leia lay in her cell she had cried herself to sleep; she could never remember feeling more wretched. She had done everything she could but it was not enough, she had even played up the possibility that they had in fact broken her. But it was not enough; she stood by helpless as nearly everyone she knew was destroyed. Those lucky few who were not on Alderaan were now all that was left of what was once a proud and beautiful civilization. A part of her wanted to succumb to the grief and despair and simply give up accepting her fate tomorrow, she honestly saw no way out of the execution. But everything her father had taught her rebelled against that, she knew what would happen tomorrow they would come for her and she would face her destiny with her head held high. At least she would see her father again soon; in all honesty she had nothing to lose what else could they take from her now?

Then she heard something blaster fire? What was going on? The door to her cell opened and she opened her eyes and looked up. Something was off about the stormtrooper that came into her cell he moved wrong and… "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" Hope, could there be any left for her in the galaxy.

"Huh?" The trooper tilted his head at her a moment then pulled the helmet off, "Oh the uniform, my name is Luke Skywalker, I came with Obi-wan Kenobi, I am here to rescue you." Luke could not help but smile, even to himself that sounded lame.

"What, Obi-wan Kenobi, where is he?" Leia was already on her feet and moving as they heard more blaster fire and explosions down the hall.

"We came with your R2 unit, come on," They moved into the hall way where he found Mara, Han and Chewie engaged in a fire fight.

"Well we are not getting out that way." Han said pointing at the main entrance.

"This is some rescue, you managed to cut off our only means of escape," Leia groused at the older man whom she assumed was in charge.

"Maybe you would like more back in your cell your highness." Han put as much of the sneer on his face into that last word as he could.

"Would you two cool it; Luke is trying to contact the droids to see if there is another way out of here." Mara said as she fired her blaster three times, three troopers fell.

"There's no other way out we will have to fight our way out." Luke said he turn around the out cropping he was hiding behind and fired four times, dropping four troopers, turning to Mara he smirked "Four to three I am ahead again."

Mara smirked back, "I already dropped six of them while you were getting miss congeniality here." Luke frowned while Leia scowled she grabbed Luke's blaster and fired at a grate behind Han causing him to jump.

"Hey what are you doing?" he yelled.

"Someone one has to save our butts, into the garbage chute, Flyboy." Leia tossed Luke's gun back and disappeared down the chute, Chewie went to go next but was reluctant.

"Get in there." Chewie growled disagreement. "I don't care what you smell get there, you big ape." Han kicked Chewie in the butt and the wookie went down the chute.

Mara turned to Luke and kissed his check "Don't keep me waiting Farmboy." With that she dived down the chute.

"Wonderful girl," Han said to Luke referring to the princess, "either I am beginning to like her or I am gonna kill her."

Luke simply smiled and saluted Han then dove down the chute; Han fired a few more times then moved to the middle of the hallway and dove down himself.

Han landed with a splash, "Ahhhh," he stood trying to shake the slime off his hands, "what a wonderful smell you have discovered, I had everything in control until you led us down here." He looked around to take stock and make sure everyone made it Luke was leaning over Mara and seemed to be tending her shoulder. Moving quickly he got to Luke's side, "What happened to her, Kid?"

Luke sighed, "The door is magnetically sealed, I tried to blast it open and she got hit by a ricochet." Luke adjusted the bandage again, "It only grazed her but…"

"Stuff happens, Kid even to the best of us." Han said as he placed a hand on Luke's shoulder.

Leia was silent, as she watched her rescuers interact, perhaps there was a chance they could make it out of here after all they obviously, knew each other well, and had worked together before. But for the life of her she could not remember a person in the command structure named Han, from his Corellian accent, it was possible he was with Bel Iblis' group but she was not sure. Perhaps they were freelancers hired by her father before…

She let that thought die, now was not the time to mourn she would have time later. "So anyone got any idea how we getting outa here?"

"You were happy coming up with ideas up top princess, why not come up with one down here too?" Han snarked

"I am gonna try and get the droids on the comm see if they can help." Luke said

Luke had only tried the comm once when there was a metal clang then a rumble.

"Oh no," Han said looking around, that's when the walls started moving.

(Line Break)

Obi-wan was working his way to where R2 had said the tractor beams connection to the reactor was, he only needed to cut it at just one junction to weaken it enough for the Falcon to escape. He leaned out from the alcove he had hidden himself and watched as a small patrol of stormtroopers moved by, he listened as they talked about a prison break and smiled, Luke was doing exactly as he suspected and caused a distraction for everyone else while Vader focused on finding him closing his eyes he reached out with the force, he knew it would be enough to get Vader's attention. Then he moved stealthily down the hallway, he would be long gone by the time Vader got there, by then he would have reached out again, letting the sith lord know that his target had moved on. It was a game of cat and mouse, one that Obi-wan had every intention of winning.

(Line Break)

R2 and 3P0 had finally made it to the hanger they could see the Falcon but there was no sign of the others. "Where are they, find them R2, maybe they have been captured."

R2 worked for a few moments, letting 3P0 know that all sections had been alerted to their presence, and that there had been a 'locate and detain' order, for their human companions. Finally after a long time R2 told 3P0 to try the comm to see if they could raise the humans

"The comm? Oh I forgot I turned it off." 3P0 flicked the switch on the comm and began trying to raise Master Luke "Master Luke, Master Luke, can you hear me?"

"3P0?"

"We've had some troubles…"

"Will you shut up; shut down all the garbage mashers on the detention level, do you read shut down the garbage masher on the detention level."

"No, no," 3P0 responded to R2's query waving his arms in a panic, "just shut them all down." It took the droid barely a second to issue the command and get the walls stopped, he was certain what he was hearing from the comm was laughter, but watching 3P0 fret was one of his hobbies. "Curse my metal body I wasn't fast enough their dying."

R2 was about to reassure his longtime friend when Master Luke's voice came over the comm. "We're alright get the door open, where are we," 3P0 was stunned and in no condition to speak for a moment so R2 simply listened as Luke relayed the number above the door, then opened it. He then decided to continue his conversation with the stations computer.

(Line Break)

Luke and the others found themselves in a locker room, Mara could no longer function in storm trooper armor so decided to forgo it, what little protection it offered did not make up for how cumbersome it was, and that helmet. Luke decided to take his off as well realizing the ruse was of no use now, besides like Mara he felt he would be better off without it, as he checked her shoulder again, "Looks like it closed up if we had some bacta I could do more. But right now you can't even use a healing trance," He sighed. "This whole thing is my fault I rushed in without a good extraction plan."

Mara touched Luke's cheek, "we are now involved in a war farm boy, we are going to get hurt, it's inevitable, one of us might not even make it to the end of this, both of us could die. I'll tell you this for free, I'll die before I return to him Luke. You know what that means if we get captured don't you? Are you going to be able to handle that? You have a responsibility Luke not just to the galaxy, but to me." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I know Mara, and you have one to me as well, you hold that same responsibility to the galaxy if I fall in battle, and we both promised not to fall…" Luke left unsaid their promise, of six months ago, when Mara after having a nightmare had begged Luke to promise he would not let Palpatine use her as bait to lure him to the dark side. Luke had made the promise without hesitation, and then demanded the same of her.

"I think it's time for introductions," Leia said standing from the bench she had been resting on, despite having been held by imperials for several weeks she had refused to let any of them check her for injuries in truth sliding down that garbage chute, then straining against those walls had cause her back to go into spasms of pain. She had almost mentioned something, but after seeing how Luke pampered the red head, she decided to remain silent. She did not want to appear weak before these strangers. "I am Princess Leia Organa of … formerly of Alderaan." There was a hitch in her voice as she said that last part, but she remain the resolute stateswoman she had been since her early teens.

"I'm Luke as you know, this is Mara my fiancé, that's Han Solo, captain of the ship that brought us here, and the big one is Chewbacca."

Leia nodded, "We best get moving they will figure out where we are soon."

"Who put you in charge?" Han asked indignantly.

"As the ranking Alliance member here, I am now in charge of your mission. We must get the droids to the base near hear quickly all other matters are secondary, in truth you took a great risk by freeing me; an unnecessary one. You have endangered the primary mission; therefore I am taking command to make sure you don't foul it up any worse." With that she began to move down the hallway Chewbacca took point. Luke and Mara scrambling to get moving with the others, as Han strode alongside Leia still arguing with her.

"Look Princess I don't take orders from anyone except me got it?"

"Then it's a wonder you're still alive," She turned and saw that Chewie was in her way and strode around him, "Will someone get this big walking carpet out of my way." With that she took off down the hall leaving her stunned rescuers gaping at her a moment before they began walking again.

Han summed up everyone feelings quite well "No reward is worth this."

"You've got a point there Solo," Mara said, she turned to Luke, "Still think we should have saved her?"

Luke nodded, "She is important, to the future of the galaxy, and is somehow connected to my future as well, there some kind of bond between us, it is not nearly as powerful as ours Mara, don't worry. I believe Leia may be a latent force user or something."

"Whose worried, my fiancé is making force bonds with strange women." Mara said darkly.

Luke chuckled, "Not to say she isn't acting strange," he stopped and turned to her as Han and Chewie move to catch up the Leia, "She is in a lot of pain Mara, and is barely holding on, I was stunned when I walked into her cell, I know her from somewhere, but we have never met in my memory, I believe I have found a piece of the puzzle."

Mara contemplated that, "The chances of that are…"

"According to Obi-wan, perfectly acceptable for a Skywalker." Luke finished.

Mara decided that getting to know Leia was going to be interesting.

(Line Break)

Obi-wan had made it to his first objective, he moved along the towering pylon that traversed what could only be described as a miles deep pit in the station. He marveled at the ridiculousness of the design, but then he knew nothing of space station mechanics. He supposed if this was twenty years ago Anakin could give him a very long lecture about the whys and how comes that this pit was needed. To Obi-wan it just seemed like something a careless person could fall in. Thinking of Anakin made his heart ache a little, it was times like this, though over the last 2 decades there had not been many of these, that he missed his brother most. He made the adjustment to the pylon cutting the power to the tractor beam but making it appear that it was functioning normally. 'This switch goes down, this one goes counter clockwise, and that one goes half way back up.' Obi-wan thought to himself, as he made the needed adjustments. While he was working a patrol left two storm troopers watching the door Obi-wan came in. His work done he made his way around to the opposite side of the pylon from them. Reaching out with the force he convinced them to check the hallway something important was happening there, and they needed to check it out.

By the time they returned to their post he was gone, he made his way back toward the hangar stopping occasionally to send out his force presence to keep Vader on his trail. Little did he realize what was awaiting him up ahead.

(Line Break)

Vader stood at the table as Tarkin took the report from the scout ship he had sent to Dantooine, to check out the princess's story.

"We found and rebel base here as she said but it has been abandoned for some time."

'Of course it has' Vader thought, 'I knew about that base years ago and chased them off that planet personally.' He still had not forgotten his capture at the hands of Starkiller, Juno Eclipse, The Jedi Master Ram Kota, and one day he would find them and make them pay. But for now he had more pressing concerns.

"She lied, she lied to us. Kill her now," Tarkin angrily shouted

Vader could barely contain his contempt for the petty man as he responded, "She may still be of use to us, a rebel strike team has infiltrated the station led by Obi-wan Kenobi, and they are here to rescue her."

"Are you certain, they could be here to sabotage, my… the station." Tarkin asked.

Vader noted the slip to later report to his master, power had defiantly gone to the man's head. The useless destruction of Alderaan, his whole attitude since this monstrosity came online was troubling. Vader feared that Tarkin's actions at Alderaan would have the same effect that his and the emperor's had all those years ago with the Senators that were speaking out against the empire. It had been a calculated risk that failed, and now Vader was certain that Tarkin had given the Rebels exactly what they needed, a rallying point.

"I asked if you could find him Vader, the emperor would not want Kenobi to escape. We will continue with the plan to allow the rebels to escape I am taking a big risk here Vader it had better pay off."

"I will not have to find him he will come to me. I must face him, alone." With that Vader left Tarkin to his own devices. Vader was certain he was missing something, but could not begin to understand what it was, he would reflect on it later to try and decipher it, but for now Obi-wan required all his attention. Even at his advanced age Obi-wan would be a formidable opponent, one Vader was not sure he could beat. He had been over confident before, and it had cost him dearly.

(Line Break)

Obi-wan round a corner, he only had a little further to go to make it to the hanger, he was starting to worry, perhaps he had not done enough to throw Vader off Luke and the others, and he turned from looking behind himself and froze. He stood there before him garbed fully in black. Vader already had his lightsaber ignited and was in a lowered ready position; Obi-wan ignited his own.

They paced about each other for a moment; remembering their duel and its calamitous end, remembering their many sparing sessions. In each of those memories Obi-wan had come out the victor, 'I have to keep him focused on me' Obi-wan thought as he circle Vader so their positions in the room were now reversed. Giving himself fully to the force Obi-wan prepared.

"Hello, my old master. When I left you I was but a learner, now I am the master."

"Only a master of evil Darth, you can't win, if you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you could ever dream."

Obi-wans words gave Vader pause, what had his master learned over the years that would make him say that. Vader lifted his lightsaber taking his now preferred two handed grip. Obi-wan responded by placing his off hand on his lightsaber as well. Vader rushed forward, surprisingly agile for a man as crippled as he and struck, Obi-wan countered, blocking the blow and let it move him backwards, and smiled. "Always so quick to act Anakin never stopping to think," he taunted.

"That name holds no meaning for me any longer any shred of Anakin Skywalker left in me was burned away in the fires of Mustafar." Vader responded.

'Ok, that hurt', Obi-wan winced at the words, "I am sorry for that Anakin I failed you so much that day, I am sorry I could not bring myself to kill you."

"Save you platitudes for those that desire them." Vade Struck again Obi-wan blocked giving himself over to Soresu.

High, low, overhead strike or backhanded, it did not matter how Vader came at Obi-wan he could not penetrate his defenses. Strike, block, strike, counter, they battled down the hallway, Vader trying to wear his opponent down, trying to force the mistake; a mistake that never came. But Obi-wan had accomplished his primary goal; he had Vader's undivided attention. Now how was he to make his escape when the time came that was a question that began bothering him from the moment he saw Vader.

(Line Break)

Han, Luke, and the others rounded a corner into a patrol. Han fired dropping one Luke and Mara fired dropping two more the fourth and final trooper bolted. Han ran after him, Chewie in hot pursuit.

"Wait" Luke called out.

"Get to the ship." Han called back as he rounded a corner.

"Your friend is very brave," Leia commented as she watched him disappear.

"Lot good it does us if he gets himself killed. Come on,"

The three of them made their way further along the hallway, and ran into the patrol that was responding to the blaster fire in the area.

Luke and Mara opened up on them and turned and ran down a different hallway. Left, right, left left right, they took twist and turns trying to head in the direction of the ship "This way" Luke called taking another left, he charged up a ramp and barely stopped before falling in a deep chasm.

Mara turned and closed the door as more troopers appeared behind them and opened fire, Luke returning fire even as the door cut them off. She turned to Luke "There's no lock,"

Luke pulled her away and fired at the controls. "That should hold them," He turned to Mara "Think you can hotwire what's left to get the bridge extended or should I do it."

"Ha, ha, ha, Luke, move." Mara had barely begun to work when suddenly Leia was pressed against her as Luke dodged fire from above, pressing his body as much into the alcove as he could. "Hey"

"Hurry Mara,"

"There's not enough time and not nearly enough room."

Luke looked up and saw something then fired and dropped another trooper. Handing his blaster to Leia who was closest, "Here, take this cover me," he began to pull cord from the liquid rope container on his belt, the one he had stolen from his storm trooper armor, when he thought he had enough, he moved so that Mara could add her deadly fire to the mix, with the two of them covering him he tossed the cable and got a firm hold, handing the rope to Leia he took his blaster and helped Mara quickly clear out the troopers above them. He then grabbed Leia and the rope and prepared to take her across as he turned to her, Leia kissed him on the cheek.

"For Luck" she said

Luke nodded to Mara and swung the two of them across, once there he tied his blaster to the end of the rope and swung it back, Mara grabbed it and swung over just as a new patrol showed up and fired at her missing she landed untied Luke's blaster and they ran into the next hallway.

As they walked Leia was embarrassed by her actions, she had kissed a boy she barely knew, not only that but it was in front of his fiancé. What they must think of her, she turned to Mara. "I am sorry I don't know what came over me I just…"

"We will talk later Leia, but thank you for apologizing, for now let's just say it was the heat of the moment, and know that I understand Luke is very kissable." There was no heat to her words, in fact there was a light teasing tone. Leia couldn't help but smile.

(Line Break)

3P0 watched, and watched, then worried, and then worried some more, he turned to R2 again, "Where could they be? Are you sure they haven't been captured?"

R2 beeped a negative response, and 3P0 turned back to the hangar "Where are they?"

At that moment the troopers in the hanger began to move away from the Falcon, "Come on R2 we are going." The droids moved quickly toward the ship as the troopers in the hangar moved toward something they could not see.

(Line Break)

Luke and the girls beat to the Han to the hanger, they had just enough time to catch their breath when he and Chewie turned the corner and moved beside them. "Didn't we just leave this party?" Han asked

But even as he said the word the troopers began to move away from the ship.

"Now our chance let's go." Everyone moved

(Line Break)

Obi-wan had been fighting Vader for the better part of on hour now; this was the longest any of their duels or sparring sessions had ever lasted. Even as he was fighting for his life he could not help the pride he felt in his student, there had not been a single opening for Obi-wan to press. Vader was very good, better than the last time he had faced him. They had made their way down the hallways and were now standing at the hanger door, a burst of speed and he would be in the Falcon, a warning in the force stopped him. Obi-wan blocked several of Vader's blows and chanced a look the storm troopers guarding the Falcon had all moved to this side of the dock it would now be a chancy thing if he could make it through them without getting shoot. But there was more the others were already on the ship except for Luke and Mara who were staring at him in horror, he saw Mara's mouth form the word no. He smiled at her and turned back to Vader.

(Line Break)

Luke ran with the others into the hanger and chanced a look to where the troopers had vanished, he barely noticed the droids exit a nearby alcove and hurry up the ramp to the ship, Han and Chewie already on board priming the engines.

Luke slowed to a stop, "Obi-wan?"

Mara stopped beside him they watched in horror as the fight progressed it was the most violent thing either had witnessed Vader was holding nothing back, but Obi-wan was holding his own, for now, and there were so many storm troopers between him and the ship, how was he going to, "No," Mara whispered not wanting to believe what she was seeing.

(Line Break)

Obi-wan always listened to the force, it guided him it comforted him; it brought him peace when his emotions threatened to run away with him. He listened two years ago when a feisty red head changed everything, and he was going to listen now. This was not what he wanted, and he hated it, but it felt so right, in this moment it was time, Time to let go, others would take up his cup, it was time to pass on his responsibility. He smiled wanly at his former padawan, "I still love you Anakin" Obi-wan lifted his lightsaber in salute and closed his eyes, giving himself over to the force, he never felt the blow.

Vader swung with all his might as soon as his lightsaber touch his former master, Obi-wan disappeared.

"NOOOOOOOO!" two voices cried out in pain, two force presences slammed into him with equal grief and agony, it staggered him a moment.

With all that just happened he needed moment to collect himself; he stepped on Obi-wans robes as if trying to understand the trick or find where his master had gone. He had never seen a Jedi die in this manor, he looked up in time to see a blonde haired boy that gave him pause, and there was something familiar about that boy. Then the boy turned to look at nothing, then fired on the door mechanism and it closed. He heard the ship take off and leave. He turned away; the time for reflection would come later. He reached down and collected Obi-wans lightsaber and frowned at the robes. Looking up at his personal guard, that had been shadowing him during the duel, "Have those incinerated."

He turned and walked away.

(Line Break)

Luke sat at the gaming table in the hold of the Falcon, his arm around Mara as she cried on his shoulder. 3P0 and R2 looked equally crushed; each of them felt it was their fault. Leia was at a loss for what to say so simply gathered a blanket and placed it on Mara's shoulders also covering Luke, who was the first to speak, "I can't believe he is gone."

Leia was just about to say something when Han appeared, "we aren't out of this yet, Kid I need your help on the turrets." Han turned and climbed up a ladder behind him as Luke climbed down. Mara and Leia went into the cockpit, Mara taking the pilots seat before Leia could protest.

"Alright girl let's see if you are everything Solo brags you are." Chewie gave Mara a sideways glance and cinched his crash webbing, Leia seeing this put on hers and tightened the webbing on her own chair.

Luke's voice came over the comms, "Whose flying?"

"I am, Farmboy," Mara stated distractedly.

"Give 'em hell Firecracker." Luke responded. The two of them did not speak again until the very short battle was over. Luke scored five kills and Han got the remaining three fighters that had been sent to stop them, Mara had piloted the Falcon so well she had barely taken a hit. Han was impressed despite himself.

"Not bad Red, for a farm girl from Tatooine I mean." Han said trying to make light of the situation.

Mara simply stared at him a moment as she left the pilots seat, she stopped at the door, "I didn't always live on Tatooine Solo, you of all people should know better than to judge a book by its cover."

Not much bothered Han Solo; the man had been threatened and shot at by some of the worst the galaxy had to offer. But something in Mara's tone made him take a moment before he responded; there was a hardness there that spoke volumes. "I am sorry about Kenobi, Mara let the kid know, and ask him if he minds helping me out in here a bit Chewie needs a break and has some wounds that need bacta." She nodded and walked away, Han turned to Leia, "Well princess, not a bad bit of rescuing if I say so myself."

"You don't understand, they let us go they are tracking us surely." Leia said as she looked over the ship, from the outside it did not look like much, but from in here its genius showed, and after the way Mara was able to get it to move during that dog fight, she was duly impressed. "It's not over yet."

"Not this ship sister, I am not this for this for your revolution, I am not in this for you I am in it for the money. I expect to be well paid and sent on my way."

"If money is all you care about money is all you will get." With that Leia left the cockpit nearly running over Luke as he stepped in. "Your friend is wonderful, I wonder if he cares about anything," she gave Han a hurt look, "Or anyone."

Luke was so caught off guard he said the first thing that came to his mind, "I care."

But Leia just left, Luke took the co-pilots seat as Han had sat down when Mara left the cockpit. Presumably to put some Bacta on her shoulder, Han smiled at him. "Interesting new passenger we picked up huh, Kid?"

"I guess." Luke responded distractedly.

"Still there's something about her." He said looking over his shoulder, "What do you think a princess, and a guy like me?"

Luke looked up from the console and stared hard at Han, then smiled, "You'll have to clean up your act a bit, it's a little rough around the edges right now."

"Cute, Kid," Han responded good naturedly.

(Line Break)

Han had offered her his own cabin, saying it was the only way to get privacy, Leia stood in the center of the room trying to use the mirror to apply bacta to her back, and it was not going well. Then the door chimed, "just a moment." She pulled her dress back up on her shoulders. "You may enter now."

It was Solo and he was carrying something. "I got the youngsters watching the ship, Red is a good pilot, and the Kid has a good head on his shoulders, I think he is probably just as good as she is if not better. I thought I could lend a hand." He held up a bacta container and motioned to the bed. "I am an ex-imperial officer drummed out because I wouldn't kill a wookie slave, gross insubordination; they called it especially since I free the wook and knocked my CO unconscious."

"I am perfectly…" Leia started.

"This goes no further than us, I don't know why but you don't want the Kid and Red to know, I am already more familiar, than I will ever be comfortable, with imperial questioning tactics." He again motioned to the bed.

Leia starred at him a moment then sat on the bed and let the dress fall from her shoulders she heard Han give a sharp intake of breath, her back along her spinal column was red and inflamed there was bruising at each of her vertebrae, and he could still see some of the toxin they used visibly under her skin. "Force Leia how many times did they stick you?" Han began gently applying the salve to her back the cooling effect was instantaneous. Leia could not repress a soft sigh of relief as the pain began to fade.

"It made three trips up my back, she said with her eyes closed, only to open them and turn when she felt Han freeze in shock.

He was sitting there staring at her with wonder, shock and horror playing across his face; were the situation not so serious she would have thought it comical. "What?" she asked.

"Leia, I have never heard of a human making more than half a trip before passing out, and that's with the adrenals." It was a little known fact that the interrogation droids also injected adrenalin along with the toxin that caused the pain, to keep the subject awake as long as possible so that they could be asked questions. "Force most people break after three injections."

She nodded, "I know but a lot was riding on me, and yet I still failed." Unbidden tears formed in her eyes, "My home everything I knew as a child is gone."

Han was quiet a moment then handed her the container, "Hold that a moment." He moved to a storage locker in the cabin and rifled through it a moment, she watched him curious. Years later, even when asked by Leia herself Han would never be able to explain why he did what he did next. Finding what he was looking for, Han moved back to Leia with a wrapped package. "It's not much but, I want you to have it, no charge." He placed the package in her hand and turned her gently taking the container of bacta back and began diligently working on her back again.

Leia opened the package gently, and stared in wonder. Han was right it was not much, but it was something she would cherish. It was a small bottle of Alderian spice, something one would use when cooking certain meals, it was unopened and still in its original bottle. Leia was transported by more than ten years to the kitchen of her home playing with Winter, her best friend, while the servants prepared a meal. She clutched the bottle to her chest, and whispered, "thank you, for everything."

"You're welcome," nothing else was said nothing else needed to be said, and when he was done treating her back, he held her as she cried.

(Line Break)

On a different planet a Torgruta female stood watching over her small homestead. It was small and peaceful, and it was quiet all the things her life had never been before finding her way here to this remote planet to disappear. Then she felt, a disturbance one she recognized this was the second time she had sense something recently, though unlike last time this one was not on a galactic scale.

"Hello Ahsoka," a voice she recognized said, "I need your help again it seems."

Ahsoka turned to greet the owner of the voice and tell it where exactly where it could go and which orifice he could put his need for her help, but the words died in her throat, she came face to face with what appeared to Obi-wan Kenobi, only he was glowing blue, "Master? How? What?" despite being nearly thirty five years old, have survived the clone wars, the purge, and multiple bounty hunters, seeing her erstwhile master's master made her feel like a youngling again.

"I am dead Ahsoka, but I need you to continue what I started I need you to help train the next jedi for a time."

"If I come out of hiding…" the words again died in her throat, it was the coward's way, a way she had taken for nearly twenty years. She was tired of hiding. "What's his name, or is it her?"

Obi-wan smirked, "It's them actually, and their names are Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker, although I believe by the time you join them it will be Luke and Mara Skywalker."

Ahsoka's jaw dropped, "but, but, but…"

"We have much to discuss and very little time, come young one; we will do this in a more comfortable setting." He motioned toward her hut. Four days later she left her home for what was most likely the last time.

(Line Break)

Juno Looked up as the clone of the man she loved, a man she was learning to love just as fiercely entered their shared room, "You seem troubled, love. What's on your mind?"

"There has been another disturbance in the force, and a ship is bringing the Alderian princess here, with the Death Star on its heels. He will be there, and I am trying to decide what I should do about that."

Juno knew who he was referring to, so skipped to her next question, "What did Master Kota say?"

"He said Vader is no longer my problem it has fallen to someone else, my duty is to the rebellion, and to you."

"I highly doubt he said exactly that."

Smiling Garek, sat on the bed beside her she sat up and let the blanket reveal her lack of clothing, "Well I may have added that last part."

"Come to bed, I can get your mind off old heavy breathing with some of our own."

Garek Laughed "That has to be the least romantic thing I have ever heard," but he joined her, and for a while at least, he forgot.

(Line Break)

Tarkin stood on the command deck of the Death Star staring at the view port which displaying an Eta to the Yavin system, where they had tracked the freighter. Vader came and joined him. "You are sure this will work, suppose that they have jumped into another ship when we arrive, what if this is merely a rendezvous point. I will look like a fool allowing them to escape."

Rather than argue with the man Vader decided to play to his ego, "This will be a glorious day for the empire it has seen the end of Kenobi, soon it will see the end of the rebellion."

Tarkin liked that, and he would be able to take most of the credit.

(Line Break)

A small green being, on an uninhabited planet looked up to the stars, and smiled. "Always in motion the future is, brighter now the future appears, much darkness ahead lie still, weather the storm will they, only time will tell." Yoda, ancient and one time Jedi Grand Master of the old Jedi Order, closed his eyes and began to mediate. The events were beginning to move faster, soon all too soon, his isolation would end.