The crowd pushed against the guards and the barriers that kept them from the speeders driving by. Most tried vainly to see through the darkened windows into the interiors. The vehicles were forced to slow down as the press of bodies pushed the crowd closer, cutting down the width of available space on the road.

In the second of the three-speeder motorcade, a security guard sat next to the droid driver. His superiors had warned him of the growing number of people gathering along the route from the spaceport to Theed Palace. Until now, as they drew in site of the palace itself, he hadn't seen anything to concern himself about. Granted the crowd was still orderly, but he didn't want to think of what it meant if that changed, not when he was the one guarding the royal party.

“Problem, officer?” The woman in the rear seat spoke up, obviously noticing his concern. He should have realized she would.

“Just watching the crowd, ma'am.” he said.

“You didn't expect anyone?”

Mulling it over, he replied, “We did, but I would rather keep an eye on them. That's all.”

She watched him carefully, her dark eyes searching his expression. She then turned to looking at the crowd herself. “They seem peaceful enough. And you can't blame them for being curious.”

“No, ma'am. You can't.”

The man next to her spoke; they said he was a Jedi. “Tell us what you're thinking.”

“My job, sir, is to get you safely inside the Palace. The crowd's curious all right and I think it could go either way. After all the fighting we've been through… Naboo has changed. We don't assume that everything's peaceful anymore.”

The pairs of dark and light eyes returned to the crowd, gauging the emotion outside. “What do you think?” the woman asked her companion.

He watched through the windows a beat longer, and then shrugged. “I don't think they're hostile. Curious like you said, wondering. Maybe wary.” He watched her measure his words. “You're the expert in these situations. Tell me what you think.”

She returned to the crowd once more and made her decision. “I think we'll give them what they want.”

She reached above her head for the window controls. Before the guard grasped what she was doing, she opened them so the passenger compartment was completely exposed, top and sides, save for the small doors. She heard the crowd start talking excitedly outside and quickly said to the guard, “Inform the rest of our party what's happening.”

Her companion chuckled. “And get ready to hear a lot of cursing.”

She started to sit forward but turned to the man next to her. “Let me go first. I'll motion for you in a second.” A shutter closed over his face but he nodded. “We need to do this my way. Trust me.”

He hesitated but nodded. “I do. Go ahead.”

She couldn't spare time for more than a quick squeeze of his hand. Then she was standing up, letting the crowd see her. And though she had been on planet through the greeting at the spaceport and the trip through Theed's streets, the Naboo marked that moment as the one where Leia Organa, daughter of the late Queen Amidala, came to her mother's homeworld.

Inside the Palace throne room, King Jaron watched the scene displayed in holo form, fed from the newscams outside. Seated in front of him was the Royal Advisory Council, each member riveted to the same sight he was. As Leia stood in the speeder, Jaron turned his gray eyes to Diseks, Governor of Theed. “What do you think?”

Diseks shook her head in admiration, her auburn hair in its severe style catching the sunlight. “She's good. And she's obviously studied the situation. Notice how she keeps Skywalker back as she first greets the crowd. She knows she resembles her mother while he doesn't. And the people want to see Amidala, not someone who reminds them of Vader.”

Pormet, one of the Council to have known Amidala herself, nodded. “She is good, but then so was her mother.”

Diseks said, “I don't know if we can assume Princess Leia has her mother's skill. The late Queen didn't get a chance to train her daughter.”

“No, she didn't,” Pormet agreed. “But this daughter was raised and taught by the Organas. And the Organas knew what they were doing.”

Jaron said quietly, “Yes, they did.” He watched in silence before saying, “I still would like to see the son and how they'll handle the people's reaction to him.”

Semay, seated closest to the King's right, shook her head with renewed surprise from the news announcement released days before. “Twins. Who even knew Amidala had children?”

Pormet, lost in memories, answered softly. “Kenobi obviously and probably the Jedi Master he always spoke so highly of: Yoda, I believe. Of course, Sabé must have known as well as Rabé, Eirtaé, and the other handmaidens. They were too close to the Queen not to know.”

“And never said anything,” Diseks noted.

“Never. What protection they gave to her, they'd give to her children. And the Jedi knew better. Anakin Skywalker's and Queen Amidala's children? Palpatine would have killed them immediately. Or turned them into their father.” He watched Leia Organa grasping the hands held out to her. “It must have devastated the Queen to separate the children right after everything that happened with her husband.”

“Some husband,” Diseks disdainfully noted. But she had children herself and thought of being in the late Queen's place. “Poor woman.” She turned again to King Jaron. “Do we know exactly what happened to her?”

“No,” he answered, eyes still not leaving the close up of Leia and the people reaching out to her, smiling, cheering. “Perhaps it's one of the things this Princess Organa will tell us.” He did not think he had said it with any emphasis but most of the Council turned to him sharply.

Semay, scowling, said, “Surely Princess Organa realizes she has no claim to the throne here. The Naboo elect their rulers.”

Jaron nodded to the scene happening outside. “And who do you think our people would elect at this moment?”

The cheers coming from the crowd were deafening and they pressed so close to the speeder, it was forced to stop. As it did so, Jaron noticed movement within its interior. “Ah, here we are. Finally. Luke Skywalker.”

Immediately after she stood, Leia wasn't so much looking in Luke's direction as in the speeder ahead of her. Han was standing up and she knew exactly what that glare meant. She was out in the open. Security could never cover all the people in the street and the buildings lining the way to the palace. She was exposed to anyone who might want to take a shot at her.

But as she had told Luke, she must do this her way. Too much was at stake for herself and the newly victorious Alliance. And for Luke who was as torn inside as she was at this moment.

The crowd was at a fever pitch. As starved as Leia herself for memories of Amidala, they had latched on to the resemblance, to the regal bearing, and to the image of the royal leader greeting her people. At that moment, she was sure they didn't see Leia at all, but their Queen, somehow returned to them. And gods, it filled her with so much happiness, her heart stretched painfully with it. It was so much like Alderaan.

But the moment was imperfect since Luke deserved it too. She knew it and wanted him to share it. Once he stood, however, his resemblance to Anakin Skywalker brought memories of Vader into the equation.

So she had stalled for this brief moment, allowing herself to submerge herself in the crowd's joy, knowing with every smile she gave them, every touch she responded to, she was creating an atmosphere they couldn't easily abandon.

The cheers somehow grew louder; the people pressed closer. Han and Lando in the first speeder, the guard inside and those surrounding her own car, and Chewbacca in the last vehicle tried to watch everywhere, but at last seemed to trust her judgment, not drawing any weapons. Those in the multitude of bodies that couldn't reach her were starting to touch the brave men and Wookiee. As she enjoyed it all, the diplomat in her gauged with a trained eye for the right moment. Then she reached out a hand for Luke.

She watched. The people closest to the speeders grew quieter; they stopped holding out their hands. They looked him over, taking in the lighter hair and the blue eyes. It didn't matter if they were old enough to have been there themselves; they knew of the towheaded boy who came from Tatooine, who grew into a young man and devoted husband, who turned on Naboo's and everyone's trust to become the Sith Lord. It took less than a second to see it, and Leia had known it would happen.

She looked past the first row of people to the ones further back, those still caught up in trying to reach the speeders, not really able to see her let alone Luke behind her. She reached out to the closest one. The people hesitating while they stared at Luke now had a choice: give up their prime spot for the new push coming behind them, or give up their suspicion and get back in the moment. Leia held her breath for the too long second before someone in the first row reached out for her again.

She still had more to do though. No one wanted contact with Luke.

She signaled the driver to start moving again. Han up ahead and Chewie in the rear saw her and motioned their own drivers. Very slowly, the speeders inched forward.

The crowd pushed again as people were left behind, losing their chance to touch the royal party, and the others ahead finally saw theirs. Leia felt the emotions building once more. She never stopped grasping the outstretched hands, returning the smiles, and reacting to her name being shouted from person to person. She moved from one side of the speeder to the other, and as she squeezed past Luke yet again, she made her next move.

She took Luke's hand in her own so the next person she reached for touched them both. The person, a man, someone who looked the same age as her mother would have been, pulled back, his smile gone. But Leia kept hers firmly in place, locking eyes with him, beaming at him, and Luke, knowing what she needed from him, emanated waves of trust, smiling at the man himself. The speeder kept moving, and Leia reached for the next hands in the crowd, never letting go of Luke.

Again, she forced the crowd to choose; if they wanted her, they had to take Luke. It was a dangerous ploy. If she hadn't built enough trust or belief in the crowd, if they didn't want this last touch of Amidala as much as she thought, they'd never take the deal to accept her brother. It all counted on how well she had done what she wanted. She could feel Luke's tension, but he was still pushing that aside to keep the good faith flowing through the Force.

It took a few people but the deal was struck. People weren't letting them go by without trying to have some physical contact with them. The noise never lessened, the push didn't stop. Leia now kept Luke close but dropped his hand. She reached for the next hand in the crowd and, as it started to take hers, she pushed Luke's into it.

Again, she watched and timed it. The next few in the crowd never knew if they would get her hand or Luke's as she constantly slipped in his grasp for hers. Finally, she made her last move. She stepped beside him first, then finally behind him. She still seized some of the hands herself, but she made them take Luke first. At last, she moved away to the other side of the speeder.

By the time they finished their slow way to the Palace steps, Naboo had welcomed Amidala's son.

Stepping out of the speeder, Luke turned back to view the crowd still lining up to see them. He relaxed ever so slightly. The first move was done; they were at the palace steps with the Naboo accepting him. Well, perhaps that was a bit strong, but they had at least realized he wasn't just Lord Vader's son.

He clamped down on his feeling of resentment. It'd be so much easier if people just believed him when he said Anakin Skywalker had redeemed himself in the end. As it was, he wasn't sure even Leia believed him. No, that wasn't fair. Leia knew he spoke the truth; she just wasn't ready, in her own words, to let one “I'm sorry“ wipe out all of Vader's crimes. And if she wasn't willing… He stared out at the Naboo, seeing in them all the people of the galaxy so hurt by the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Han jumping out of his speeder. “That was a stupid move, Leia!”

She returned his glare, her voice a firm whisper. “Not here, not now.”

Luke exchanged a grin with Lando behind the couple's back. He knew the Corellian was upset with Leia for risking herself as an easy target in the motorcade. The Emperor's death at Endor was only a short while ago, and Naboo had been his homeworld. While the Imperial force here had been removed, it was one thing to believe it was safe here and another for the planet to actually be secure.

Of course, Han didn't think they were safe anywhere but in the Falcon with its shields up. And he was protective because he cared. Leia knew it, but she didn't want to argue any of this, not when the King and his liegemen were now reaching the top of the palace steps.

Han dropped his voice to match her whisper. “Just promise you won't do anything else like that.”

But the cunning look she gave him didn't make him feel any better. “I'm just getting started.”

Behind them, Lando covered his laughter with a bout of fake coughing, fooling no one as he intended. Luke turned his face away to hide his own growing smile even as Han leaned closer to Leia, no doubt giving her an earful. But Leia had gotten them this far and they all knew it.

Luke's smile faded as he remembered his first promise to go along with whatever she planned. A big part of that plan was to combat what Luke saw as a growing fear of him in the galaxy. No, that wasn't quite right; people feared Vader and Palpatine, and they wondered about him. Leia was somewhat more protected having led a much more public life, one that included years of rejecting everything the Empire represented. He was more of an unknown by the galaxy at large who only now were learning of his war record. He hoped his twin wouldn't lose the safety margin she had in an effort to protect him.

Again, he felt irritated for being in this situation and expelled it once more. He saw Leia pause, frown, and then glance over to him concerned. She must be picking up on my frustration, he thought, pleased her skills were already awakening so strongly, but wanting to spare her anything else to worry about. He had faced death at the Emperor's hands, at Vader's hands, in an effort to know his father. He could take this understandable fear from the Naboo in order to know his mother. He smiled at her, letting her feel that he was all right.

She smiled back, then turned to Han as he grabbed her hand and whispered in her ear. “Do what you gotta do,” he said. “Just be careful!”

She heard a murmur from the watching crowd and realized how their pose looked. Surprising Han, she cut off his comments with a beautiful smile and leaned in to kiss him. He leaned back into her, grinning against her lips as he heard the crowd cheer. “Now this,” he spoke softly, “is the kind of move you should be making.”

Pleased, she saw Chewbacca and the droids had now caught up to them. “Ready?” she asked them all. She saw the same expression on each face: watchful. Han was waving Chewie to take a position on the other side of their party, trusting only the Wookiee as much as himself to keep an eye for their safety. Lando was looking ahead, gauging King Jaron and his Council. Having once been a city administrator, he had more of an idea of what she faced than the others did. And Luke was looking… inside himself. Watching out for what? She knew how much it bothered him to be in the lone position of defending their father. Every time someone eyed him suspiciously, it reminded him of the battle he fought. And she knew she hurt him by being unable to join him in that defense. Luke clearly divided their father into two men: Anakin Skywalker, whose memory he embraced, and Darth Vader, a man he felt his father had vanquished. Leia, however, saw the lines much more blurred than her brother, and held the memory of Bail Organa too synonymous with the word father to easily give any part of the title to the Dark Lord. But she was stuck in a deal similar to the one she just pushed on the Naboo: to have Luke as her brother, she had to accept who genetically was her father. Perhaps here, surrounded by Amidala's memories, she could learn more about the man Anakin, if for no other reason than to bring peace between herself and her twin.

This time it was Luke who frowned and looked her way, picking up on her frustration. And she smiled at him, hoping it would work out all right. She shook all of this off as she walked up the steps to King Jaron.

The King watched as her delegation approached. He quickly took in the men's Republic uniforms and Leia Organa's senatorial robes: nothing that spoke of her royal title or the Jedi. As she reached him, she spoke first despite the fact that he should have greeted her as planetary leader meeting galactic leader. She bowed her head in respect. “King Jaron, thank you for meeting us.”

He nodded in return. “The honor is mine. Welcome to our world.” He smiled towards the throng of people still gathered. “As all of Naboo has turned out to show you.”

She beamed. “It's more than I hoped for. May I present the rest of our party?” She nodded to Han and Lando on her left. “General Han Solo of Corellia, General Lando Calrissian of Torbin…“ She now indicated to her right. “…Commander Luke Skywalker of Tatooine and Chewbacca of Kashyyyk.”

Again she presented a Republic front, saying nothing of herself as a member of the Alderaani royal house or her brother as a Jedi Knight. He thought of the earlier conversation with his Council. Yes, the Organas had trained her well.

She also put him in the position of mentioning her royal title first, even as she respectfully showed she had no claims to Naboo's throne. Leia noticed his lips quirk in a small smile and knew he acknowledged what she had done.

“It's an honor, gentlemen, Princess Leia,” he said. “If you'll follow me, my Council is waiting for us in the throne room.” He motioned for Leia to walk with him. As she did so, Han noticed two of the Honor Guard move to the front point, but the rest took their posts at the entrance to the palace. The King's liegemen, on the other hand, took the Guard's position behind the Republic party. What he had heard about the liegemen being not just servants or advisors but bodyguards must be true. As he looked at them, he wondered why they all had the same coloring and build. In fact -- he darted a look at King Jaron -- they were the same as the King: gray eyes, black hair, lean frame. Was that a coincidence?

Leia was doing her own perusal of King Jaron. The man was polite enough; she certainly hadn't sensed anything wrong. However, Palpatine had chosen him for King; rumors circulated that his election wasn't a true one, but more of Palpatine putting him on Naboo's throne. His current political leanings were an unknown.

In contrast to her Republic robes, he dressed only in Nubian attire. Having studied all of Naboo's traditions as she searched for anything she could find about Amidala, she knew the ornate garb was standard for Nubian royalty, speaking of the long years the culture had survived. On his head was an intricate cross between crown and warrior's helmet; it actually took away from his face except for the traditional red strip splitting his lower lip. The scar of remembrance: that's what it was called, Leia remembered. In honor of the blood spilled by the Naboo in their warrior past.

“I'm glad to see you came here yourself,” Jaron was saying. “We expected a Republic delegation, of course. I'm sure it won't surprise you when I say I'm well aware of the unease the galaxy feels for my planet. We are Palpatine's homeworld. It was only a matter of time before the Republic would arrive.”

“We're sending delegations everywhere to transition the galaxy from the Empire to the rebuilt Republic,” Leia said. “Naboo is no different in that respect.” She paused. “However, you are correct. The populace at large wonders how much Naboo might have helped Palpatine achieve being Emperor and kept him there. The populace at large,” she emphasized, “wonders that. The Republic has questions naturally, just as you must have questions about us. But we will not judge all of the Naboo by Palpatine's actions alone.”

He accepted what she said with a nod. “And with the stories now coming to surface of Queen Amidala's escape and her having to hide yourself and Commander Skywalker from your father, the galaxy is now seeing how Naboo was also a victim to the Empire.”

Leia saw Luke stiffen at the words. “As you say, with the facts such as our mother having to hide us from Vader and the Emperor,” she saw Luke relax and felt his gratitude, “people will hopefully be more open minded regarding this world.”

“I feel as if a line has been drawn: on one side, Palpatine and on the other, Amidala,” Jaron said. “And the galaxy checks the Naboo against each column.”

“It's an uncomfortable position,” she agreed. “I understand how it feels.”

“Yes, you must.” He looked back at Luke for the first time. Then abruptly, he stopped and looked directly at her. “If I may ask, how has the Republic scored us?”

She didn't flinch or evade his gaze. She answered him firmly. “I will tell you what I would say to any world I traveled to on behalf of the Republic. We,” she indicated them all without breaking his look, “are here to answer your questions on the Republic and how you fit into it. If we had thought the Naboo remained true to the Empire, we would have brought more of the Fleet with us. If you ask me about your position specifically, I am here neither to replace nor support you. The Naboo govern themselves. The Republic will not determine their judgment.”

He thought over her words then nodded. “Fair enough.” He indicated a turn in the corridor off to his right. “This way, please.”

As he turned, his back was to her for a brief moment. Leia quickly looked at the others. They knew their faces were hidden from the liegemen behind them. Han stared intently back at her, then darted his eyes to the King's back; the man was hiding something, he just knew it. Lando frowned for the same reason. Chewbacca scrunched his face up in his usual indication that something smelled funny about the whole thing, and Luke's impressions silently told her he didn't know. He was uncomfortable, like the others, but didn't really sense anything wrong. She spared a glance at the droids but, of course, could get nothing from them. Threepio had already briefed her fully on Jaron's record and the Imperial situation on Naboo. And despite the small comm unit fitted in her ear that tied her to the protocol droid -- a standard setup for diplomats -- he wouldn't be able to say anything the liegemen wouldn't overhear.

Even more confusing was the way Threepio and Artoo kept looking around. If Artoo wasn't mechanical, he'd be dizzy from the amount of head spinning he was doing. She couldn't blame anyone for gawking at the beauty of Theed's Palace; it was magnificent. She saw that for herself in the quick glances around while walking with King Jaron. The sculptures, the use of the marble and light streaming in from the windows, were art itself. For the first time, she felt gratitude towards Palpatine, grateful that he hadn't, for whatever reason, destroyed this beauty.

She heard Artoo make a soft inquiry to his counterpart which, surprisingly, Threepio didn't answer. If anything, she'd swear Threepio had questions for her but how she felt that, she didn't know.

It was only a few more steps to the throne room. Leia's breath caught in her throat. Luke moved next to her, every nerve as taut as hers, and she clasped his arm tightly.

Their mother's throne room.

So many of the images they found on Amidala had her here: greeting visitors, consulting with the Council, alone with her handmaidens, and looking out the great windows at Theed. Now, as the throne sat empty, the Council in its two lines forming an aisle towards it, even Leia's untrained senses picked up a palpable awareness of the presence here. Mother, it whispered, wife, friend, Queen, woman… Amidala.

Then Jaron was standing before his throne and his liegemen took their places where Sabé, Rabé, and the other handmaidens had once belonged.

The King indicated the men and women standing before him. “May I introduce the Royal Advisory Council to you? Governor Diseks of Theed.”

The tall stately woman bowed. “My pleasure.” She noticed the two Republic generals and Wookiee fan out behind the Princess and Skywalker.

“Councilor Pormet,” the King introduced.

Pormet shook hands with Luke, then held out his hand for Leia's. When she gave it to him, he kissed it gallantly, then held it between his own. “It's a great pleasure to meet you both. I was a great admirer of your mother's. I even had the honor of working with her for a brief time.”

Luke asked, “You knew our mother?”

Pormet smiled. “Not well. I was brand new, fresh out of training, and assigned here in a minor capacity. Mostly, I watched the Queen at work. My big moment came when I handed her some dispatches from the Governor's office. I managed to be a nervous wreck who couldn't get a word out without stammering.”

Both Luke and Leia laughed with him, glad for the one person who had showed them real warmth since leaving the crowd outside.

“Councilors Semay, Marnin, and Itlek.” Han watched as the one woman and two men bowed in their turn, murmuring words of welcome. He especially watched as they looked over each Skywalker twin, weighing them in this first impression against a 'Mother vs. Father' scale. Semay, a heavyset woman with graying hair drawn in a bun, her brown eyes measuring, her full mouth frowning slightly. Itlek, dirty blonde hair, broad shouldered build with a slight, middle age paunch, his eyes open and smiling a bit as he took the Princess's hand. And Marnin, thinning salt and pepper hair, thin nose going to a point and thin lips pressed firmly together in disapproval. He wouldn't take either of the hands offered in friendship.

Han didn't know how Leia and Luke were taking it so calmly. He was ready to tell the whole lot of them they could take their judgments, and shove them so far even Chewie's strength couldn't pull them out.

Lando stepped on his foot. He shot Calrissian an angry glare to which the other mouthed, “What are you doing?” Han realized he was glaring at the Council, dissecting and judging them as badly as they were looking over Luke and Leia. He took slow deep breaths. How many times did I promise I'd do this Leia's way? I musta meant one of them.

He watched the rest of the introductions and settled himself for the duration of these 'pleased to meet you' festivities as he thought of them. He had been through a lot of them in the time he knew Leia. The best part of them, as far as he was concerned, was they gave him time to look around, size up the situation.

He darted looks around the throne room. Sharp looking place. Despite what some people might think of him, he appreciated other places besides smuggler's dives. And how could he not like Theed Palace? It was elegant, beautiful with an old world's charm and strength reflected everywhere. He noticed the statue of a warrior astride an animal -- what kind of creature was that? -- and next to it a scribe? Diplomat? Artist? He wasn't sure. They made him think of the towering figures in front of the palace: men and women warriors guarding the entrance; the figures on the archway they had traveled under, that animal again and a woman reaching out in peace. He liked this place. He liked it because…

…because it fit Leia so well, he suddenly realized. He watched her with Jaron and felt the powerful emotions rush through him all over again. The sort of schoolboy emotions that he swore he should have stopped feeling at twelve mixed with a man's mature passions.

Naboo fit her as he always imagined Alderaan did. Those warrior statues, his rebel leader; the elegant figure of the lady reaching out in peace, his Alderaani princess; the open love pouring from the Naboo people, his Leia.

He watched her trade official rhetoric with Jaron, completely in control of the situation. The kid was more than holding his own too: the edge and confidence that maturity had brought; the control being a Jedi gave him. His head was leaning slightly towards Leia as if he spoke to her, but Han knew Luke hadn't said a word.

Solo frowned. It was one thing for the kid to be a Jedi. Han still wasn't sure how much he believed in all this Force nonsense, but Luke obviously had something about him. That was great; he thought a lot of Luke, and if Skywalker wanted to say he was a Jedi, let him.

But more and more, Leia was showing signs of the same thing, at least where Luke was concerned, and that bothered Han a lot. For some reason he didn't understand, and he wasn't the type to deeply analyze himself, it was okay for Luke to play this game. That made Luke... well, Luke. But ever since Leia had first looked up at the second Death Star's destruction and said she felt Luke alive, Han hated every time she tuned into some silent frequency. That made Leia... a part of Vader. And it scared the hell out of him.

“... General Solo.” Jaron speaking his name snapped Han back to the moment. I wonder what I missed.

“But I'm sure we'll have a chance to talk in the future,” Jaron continued.

Didn't miss much, Han thought. He must have said he was sorry for not including me in the speech making. Now we'll get the official tour.

“Perhaps,” the King offered, “you'd like a tour of the palace?”

Leia and Luke both agreed eagerly even as Han choked back a laugh. Thankfully, the captain of the guard's comm unit beeped for attention. The captain -- what's that guy's name again? -- moved away as to not interrupt the King. Jaron was standing, ready to usher them around the palace, when the captain turned suddenly and whispered in his ear. For the first time, Han saw the King show any emotion: shock caused by whatever news the guard just gave.

“Is something wrong?” Leia asked.

King and Captain exchanged glances, and then Jaron nodded permission. The Captain turned to the princess and her party. The man's tanned face revealed nothing, but his black eyes showed concern. “Someone has just came to the palace asking to see the King.” He paused. “And you.”

Han was sharply alert now. “Who?”

“No one really,” Jaron interceded. “We're taking care of it. Gavit,” the King turned to his captain. The rest of the sentence was in Nubian, which angered Han. If this person was asking for them, they had a right to know what was going on.

Leia was holding her hand to her ear's comm unit. He heard Threepio speaking very softly, obviously translating. Jaron heard the droid as well and wasn't quick enough to hide his anger before saying, “This conversation is private.”

Han's curse was almost across his lips when Lando placed a hand on his arm. “We're sorry, King Jaron, but Han, Chewbacca, and I are responsible for the safety of the Republic party. If this visitor is a problem, we should know about it.”

“Is it someone from the Imperial garrison you had here?” Leia asked.

Jaron eyed them, but he knew he couldn't fight this. He was in a precarious position, and to make too much out of this 'visitor' would put him in a bad light. He couldn't afford it. “The person isn't a threat. It's just impossible that she can be who she says.”

Luke asked the obvious question. “Who does she say she is?”

Captain Gavit again looked to the King for permission. It was only a formality. He had to answer. Personally, he didn't see the big problem even if the woman was whom she said. After Jaron nodded, he said, “She says she's Rabé, one of the late Queen's handmaidens.”

Leia and Luke both perked at that. Luke asked immediately, “Can she really be one of the handmaidens?”

Pormet, as stunned as everyone else at this news, spoke his thoughts out loud. “We never really knew what happened to any of the handmaidens, Rabé included. They scattered when Amidala left. I don't know if they were trying to lead Palpatine away from the Queen...” He suddenly looked up at the twins. “...lead him away from you...”

Something in his voice and eyes made Leia swallow hard.

“... or if they were running for their own safety. No one ever heard anything more except--”

“Except what?” Han yelled. Why did this guy have to be so dramatic?

Pormet suddenly looked very old, the lines in his face standing out, his hair gray and thinning, his brown eyes hooded and sad. And yet, he was younger than Amidala would be. “Palpatine did declare them dead. There were newscam shots of their bodies. Being burned.”

Now Han swallowed. Jaron closed his eyes seeking some peace, and his liegemen shifted in their seats. “Then this woman's lying,” Han said.

“Yes, except--”

Again with except? Han thought. Can someone just tell us something straight out?!

“-- their families, no one here on Naboo, ever identified them. We were never sure.”

Leia finally broke the tense silence. “Your Majesty,” she said respectfully. She wanted to meet this woman, wanted to talk with someone so close to her mother. But even though Jaron's hesitation bothered her, she had to be respectful to get this woman past the guards and to the throne room. “What can it hurt to bring this person in? She must have brought something to prove who she says she is.”

Han hated to agree with Jaron, but if this woman was some lunatic with a fantasy of being a handmaiden, Han didn't want her anywhere near them. “Leia--”

She shot him a look, then turned to Captain Gavit. “Has your guard found any security threat with her? Has that changed?”

Gavit shook his head. She just noticed he wore his hair long and tied in a ponytail under his uniform cap. “No, ma'am. Whoever she is, she's not a threat.”

Lando decided to end this. “Your Majesty? Do you agree we should bring this woman up here?”

King Jaron was very aware of every pair of eyes on him. Once more his inner voice, his survivor's voice, told him he couldn't fight this without making it a bigger issue than it was. He turned to Gavit. “All right. Have her escorted here.”

Gavit gave the order over his comm unit. The liegemen were on their feet, drawing nearer to King Jaron, ready to protect him if necessary.

Everyone waited, tense for different reasons. Luke grasped Leia's hand and she held it tightly. Her eyes went to Han and the hopeful, fearful look summoned him close to her side. Lando and Chewbacca also moved closer even as they all heard the steps approaching.

We shouldn't get our hopes up, Leia thought. The disappointment will be too much if this woman is a fraud.

Surprisingly, Pormet was the one to step in front of the group and, even more surprisingly, the droids moved up behind him.

Finally, two guards ushered the woman in. She wore a cloak of such deep purple, it appeared black until the sunlight struck it. It covered her petite form to the floor. The full hood, drawn around her head, revealed only her mouth and chin; the long sleeves went almost to her fingertips. She was an enigma.

She stopped in front of Pormet. Her lips quirked into a smile. “Councilor?” Then her head jerked back in surprise. “I don't believe it.”

She pulled back the hood, revealing a thin, strongly planed face, dark hair with touches of early graying coiled at her neck, and dark eyes looking not at Pormet, but at the droids. “Artoo Detoo? Threepio? It is you, isn't it? How did you return to Theed?”

Luke took a deep breath. “With us.”

Her head swung over to them, and she caught her own breath. Leia felt the other woman's eyes go through and over her, seeing everything. As the gaze switched to Luke, he drew himself up, and met her look with something needful in his. Go ahead, he seemed to say. Please, find something of my mother in me. I am hers, and not just my father's.

“Rabé,” Pormet breathed.

“Yes,” she answered, but she didn't take her eyes off Leia and Luke. A heartbeat later, she bowed to them, and turned to the Councilor with a smile. “But I hardly think my word is enough to convince everyone of the fact.”

She approached the King, taking in the liegemen. She knew, better than anyone, what was going through their minds. She lifted her arms so her sleeves fell back, showing she had no weapons. Not moving too fast, she handed Captain Gavit the proof of her identity. He slipped it into a reader, and quickly scanned it.

She took the opportunity to look around. She looked to the seat that had been hers for all those years she had been Amidala's handmaiden. Luke saw her smile. Feels good, doesn't it? Being back.

In the next moment, the smile faded, and her eyes echoed sorrow. Leia didn't need to be attuned to the Force to know what Rabé was feeling. The good memories haunt as much as the pain.

Rabé's circuit took her once more to the droids. “Do you remember me?”

Neither droid said anything for a beat -- unexplainable since a memory check would not take that long -- until Threepio hesitantly spoke. “No, I'm afraid we don't, even though I believe we should.” Artoo burst with sound, loud after the quiet moment, and Threepio's answer was much more like himself this time. “I was just explaining that, Artoo! Mistress Rabé…“ He stopped unsure why had he called her that. “Artoo and I are having problems with our memory banks. We've noticed it ever since we landed here. Many things are familiar, but we cannot make the connections as to why they are familiar.” Artoo warbled again, but Threepio only simply translated this time. “Our memory has been wiped, but not completely.”

Rabé gave them a sad smile. “The Queen probably did it on the way to Alderaan.” Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Leia's jaw tighten. Most people wouldn't notice the subtle sign unless they were familiar with the princess -- or her mother. “That would explain the haste, and it being not well done. She might have even keyed the wipe to certain events or keywords. She didn't want to clear your memory. She even considered encrypting a message for you to carry, but the danger… If you were found, if Palpatine or… If they broke the encrypting, they'd find too much.”

They'd find us, Leia thought. Luke and me. Amidala wanted to leave a message, perhaps to her children? And fear of her husband and his Master stopped it.

The silence was awkward, for what was unsaid as well as said. Lando smoothly stepped into the moment, ending it, and earning everyone's eternal gratitude. He held out his hand for Rabé's. “We haven't been introduced. I'm Lando Calrissian, a general with the Republic fleet.” He kissed the back of her hand. “It's my pleasure.”

She smiled at the charm, even if he was deliberately being obvious. “The pleasure is mine.”

They were interrupted as another guard brought in someone new: a young woman, close to Luke and Leia's age. At her abrupt entry, the liegemen, as well as the Republic party, snapped to attention, eyeing the potential threat. Lando, who was closest, could only see her profile. Luke felt a stronger awareness in the Force, his senses heightened and his connection to it more vibrant. He reached out to the visitor, but she was no more aware of the Force around her than anyone else, although he could tell from Leia's expression that she was feeling this too. He pushed out further, searching the room for something that had changed, but couldn't find the source of this new augmented link.

The newcomer had the same dark hair, as well as being petite, as Rabé. She did not wear the enveloping robe the other woman did, although she still dressed semi-formally in a floor length gown, and glanced around the throne room with open, frank curiosity. She didn't see much before Councilor Semay signaled the guard for an explanation. “What's this all about?”

The newcomer answered before her escort could. “I asked to be brought in. I wanted to make sure,” she gestured to Rabé, “she was all right.”

Han was reaching his boiling point. The guard could see it as the Corellian snapped, “You brought her here because she asked?”

The guard was defensive. “We checked for risks.”

“Which are minimal,” the woman answered. She turned to Han, sweeping across Lando. Both men took an appreciative breath. She might be a brunette and her complexion slightly swarthy like the elegant Rabé, but she was a touch more exotic. What struck Solo and Calrissian most, however, were her eyes. They were the most unusual amber and they hit with the full force of the woman's personality.

Amazingly, the whole situation amused her. “I mean look at me.” She gestured at her small frame and lack of weapons with a smile. “I only know basic self defense. I'm no match for the group of guards out there or in here.” The grin turned to a small laugh. “And I did ask them nicely.”

Luke laughed softly. Those incredible eyes left Han and touched on him. A thunderbolt hit him as chemistry jolted every nerve. So caught in the moment was he that he didn't notice Leia's smile as she broke off their mental contact… or Rabé's frown.

Luke saw the woman's eyes widen as she caught his gaze, and her smile became more personal, pleased with his appreciation. He matched her grin, enjoying her returned pleasure.

Then, a shadow covered her expression, her smile faded, and she turned away as she realized who he was. Disappointment struck him, hard.

She turned to Rabé. “You are okay? You've been gone awhile.”

Semay lectured her sternly. “I can understand your concern…“

Rabé supplied the name, that small, secretive smile falling into place. “Faren. My daughter.”

“Daughter!” Pomet exclaimed. “Yes, of course. I had forgotten you were--” He stopped, uncomfortable.

“Pregnant when she left?” Faren finished for him. “It's all right to say it.”

Rabé gently admonished. “I'm sure Councilor Pormet meant no offense. I don't want to create anymore awkwardness, or bring back any more bad memories.”

“But we can't keep leaving things unsaid.” Faren's open smile was a direct contrast to the secrets contained in her mother's. “And I hardly like to think I'm a bad memory.”

King Jaron finally spoke. “No, of course not, my dear. It, unfortunately, has been an awkward day. Perhaps we can end that. Gavit?”

The Captain of the Guard finally looked up from Rabé's credentials. “These look good, Your Majesty.”

Jaron nodded. “We might need further information. Blood tests, something of that nature.”

Rabé nodded herself. “Anything that's necessary, Your Majesty. I'm tired of living in hiding. I want to come home.”

They were all quiet as one of the King's liegemen showed them to their quarters, the day's events having already taken an emotional toll. Each one of them looked forward to getting a private moment to discuss all that had happened, away from everyone else. Here, the liegeman would overhear them, and so would Rabé and Faren who were being shown to their quarters as well.

The liegeman spoke for the first time. “I think you will find your quarters more than satisfactory. They belonged, in fact, to the late Queen.”

All other thoughts were forgotten with that statement. “Did they really?” asked Luke.

The liegeman nodded. “There was… damage done all those years ago when the Queen… left.” The man obviously wished he had never brought the subject up, even without noticing Rabé's wince. “King Jaron uses other quarters, even after the repairs to these were complete. We use them for our most important visitors.”

Leia took pity on the man's discomfort and smile graciously. “We appreciate the gesture--” She frowned. “I apologize, but I don't remember your name.”

“That's quite all right, Your Highness. As a liegeman, I am an extension of the King.” He exchanged a smile with Rabé. “Not being remembered as an individual is part of the job.”

And you still didn't tell us who you are, Leia thought. Similar thoughts ran through Han's and Lando's minds. In fact, Han didn't think he could pick this guy out from other liegemen back in the throne room. Lando was shaking his head slightly; he clearly didn't like it either. The kid didn't seem to care, Han noticed. But then, maybe he could tell the difference between this guy and the others, using that hocus pocus of his. And Chewie, well, Chewie could probably sniff the guy out if he had to.

Behind them, Rabé watched their reactions, a force of habit from her days as a handmaiden. Sooner or later, she knew, they'd figure it out. Her own coloring had been darker than Amidala's. Unlike Sabé-- she pushed the thought away. She didn't want to think of Sabé and her other friends, or the fact that she was the only one to return to Naboo. For a short while more, she wanted to cling to the thought that they were still out there, that they didn't know the Empire was overthrown, that Amidala's children were alive, and that it was time to come home.

And the hope was possible. For a short while more, she could believe it.

She looked over at her daughter who smiled brightly at her. Faren hadn't said anything regarding the liegemen's deliberate conformity. Good. Her daughter hated games, and believed in being straightforward. Despite it, however, she either kept quiet for her mother's sake, or because she saw the necessity for the King's safety. Rabé doubted the latter. Faren never liked that her mother had, in fact, once drawn fire away from Amidala's escape by disguising her coloring and posing as the pregnant Queen. But Faren had learned to resent much from stories of those last days.

The liegeman, thankfully, was opening the double doors to the Republic party's quarters. Rabé took a steadying breath, ready for the wash of memories. As she followed the others in, she couldn't see anything right away, her view blocked by them. Then, instead of the familiar sitting room, a new one greeted her. The splendid dark wood that once trimmed the room was stripped away, and the walls were now covered in a brighter color. The furniture, the draperies, the artwork itself, were all done in whites and creams, very elegant but sterile, she thought. She grimaced. That was unfair. Just because Amidala preferred darker colors, similar to her childhood home in the mountain village, did not mean this was no longer a lovely room. But she remembered so vividly the Queen ordering it changed from colors just like these. “So I have something warmer,” she once confided to the handmaidens. “The whole palace is light and airy. I want something more cozy here, some place where I feel the walls wrapped securely around me.”

Rabé suddenly realized the stillness in everyone else. She looked over towards where they all faced. Oh sweet Mother, how was I so blind not to see that?

Above the mantel of the old fashioned fireplace…

The fireplace. Where we all curled up in a group, the main heating turned low so we'd enjoy the warmth of the flames, all of us laughing and whispering like schoolgirls. And the evenings when Anakin was here, and Amidala sent us away for the night.

… was a tapestry of Amidala herself. Vibrantly alive, the very spark of life smiling in her eyes, her face clear of the royal makeup, and her hair in a coil of curls down her back: she was beautiful. The tapestry hadn't been there before, although Rabé remembered it had once been suggested. “That would be rather conceited of me, wouldn't it?” Amidala had teased in private. “To look at this all the time.”

Leia and Luke were motionless in front of it, and Rabé found herself doing what all the others were: watching them, as still as the twins gazing up at the embroidered portrait. For a moment, they did nothing. Then Luke moved forward, and, hesitating, touched his fingers to the tapestry. His eyes closed, and his face was awash with emotions Rabé couldn't identify. Leia once more slipped a hand into her brother's, putting the other hand on his arm, and leaned into him; then her eyes also closed, and her face mirrored his.

Rabé's vision blurred with tears. Here was Luke, the one she only thought of as belonging to Anakin, and with the same expression Amidala had when kneeling at her parents' graves. And Leia, who looked so much like her mother anyway and now…

Rabé didn't think she had made any sound, but Faren's arm was suddenly around her, and Calrissian turned her way with a look of concern. He quietly offered her a handkerchief which she gratefully accepted.

She looked at Faren who once more stared at the twins. Conflicting emotions crossed her daughter's face: sympathy, sadness, and, abruptly, pain. Faren squeezed her eyes shut, and turned away from the sight.

First Luke, then Leia, opened their eyes. Luke squeezed her hand and steadied himself.

What could have been an uncomfortable moment was saved by the liegeman clearing his throat. “Let me show you the rest of your quarters.” He moved over to the windows, and gestured to the doors on either side of the room. “There's rooms for everyone in your party, the largest being the Queen's.” He indicated the door on his left, the same wall where the tapestry hung. “But you'll find all the rooms comfortable.” He spoke to Threepio and Artoo. “You'll find power bays for the both of you-”

Artoo darted off, finding the astromech bay behind a door that moved obediently at his command. He made a small, content sound, and then squealed to Threepio.

“Thank you, sir,” the protocol droid said. “We seemed to have found them.”

“Definitely a hasty memory wipe,” Rabé noted.

“What's a Queen doing with droid bays in her quarters?” Han asked. “For that matter, why all the rooms? I mean, how many bedrooms does a Queen need?” Leia glared at him, and he backpedaled a bit. “I don't mean anything by it. Just curious.”

The liegeman answered. “Since these droids belonged to Queen Amidala, and --- and her party, she had the bays installed for convenience sake. As for the other rooms, they were for the handmaidens.”

Leia turned quickly to Rabé. “You lived here?”

She nodded. “Not all of us, but those of us closest to the Queen.” She didn't look at the doors covering the hallways that once led to hers, Sabé's, Saché's, Yané's, and Eirtaé's quarters. “I lived here until I married.”

Han asked, “You all lived here? Didn't you ever want somethin', you know, private?”

Rabé knew he misunderstood. Behind each door were not small bedrooms, but full apartments, with separate entrances to the main corridor, and hidden passageways to Amidala's rooms. The entire royal quarters, encompassing the entire palace wing, were much larger than the Falcon, as she well knew from seeing it land today. She was sure Solo didn't wonder about his privacy on his ship, but she didn't see the need to correct him. Instead, she tilted her head back so he could see the laughter in her expression. “As I said, I moved out when I married.”

Calrissian laughed and Solo gave her a wink. Luke's face broke in a huge grin just as Faren was turning, smirking herself. She and Luke once more locked gazes, and Faren's smile faded. Luke wished she'd stop that. He couldn't believe how much it bothered him.

Leia's lips still twitched with humor as she said to Rabé, “You're welcome to stay in your old quarters. They are yours.”

“Yeah,” Han began. “And it's not like I'm going to be slee--” He abruptly cut off with a grimace, then shot a look at Leia. Rabe grinned to herself. Solo may not be used to the rules placed on a royal consort, as Anakin never understood the need for discretion either. Leia did, however, and even though the former handmaiden hadn't seen the princess make any moves, she was sure she knew why Solo suddenly stopped talking.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Rabé said, truly appreciating the offer, but the memories here... “However, I will be more comfortable in other rooms.”

Leia nodded. “I understand.” She hesitated, feeling around the sensitive subject. “I hope we can have some time together during our stay here. There's obviously a great deal you can tell us.”

“Yes.” Her mother's old friend pulled back her hood. “And there's much I would like to ask you.”

“I don't know how much we can answer,” said Luke.

“I think you could try,” Faren said, a sharp edge to her voice. “You owe her that.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Han shot back.

“It means you're not the only ones that this is difficult for.”

“Faren!” Rabé warned.

“No one said -” Lando began, but Faren could no longer keep the pain bottled up.

“You think I don't understand,” she said. Her voice choked; Leia realized -- although she wasn't sure how she knew it; ever since the throneroom, she suddenly seemed so in tune with everything around her -- that Faren was fighting against tears.

“So tell us,” she said softly and Luke, still feeling that heightened tie to the Force, was nodding even as she said it.

“Everyone was so worried about your mother, about making sure she was safe, about keeping the two of you safe while she carried you! Do you know what that really means? It means my mother, while carrying me, was told to be a decoy, to let Palpatine try to kill her while your mother was taken safely away! And my father couldn't come with us. No, he had to stay behind to cover Amidala's retreat. Vader snapped his neck. It's the last time my mother saw him. And I never got a chance to know him. Never.” Her outburst wound down, the fire in her eyes flickered and died. “I have no memories of him.”

Rabé put a steadying hand on her daughter's shoulder. Faren swallowed the sorrow, and, again for her mother's peace, stopped the words spilling out with an effort that ached in every line of her body.

Luke felt like he had been hit. It was the same words he had said to Leia on Endor about their mother. He saw Leia remembered the same thing. And here their father destroyed Faren's, and would have destroyed Rabé, pregnant with her, if he had caught them. He feared he'd never heal the agonies his father caused.

Something must have showed on his face. Faren, who had faced Leia through this whole thing, caught his eye and couldn't look away. First shocked from seeing he understood, she now appeared confused. He wondered if she was finally seeing him for himself. He hoped so.

“I'm sorry, Your Highness,” Rabé spoke. “I knew we'd tell you. But not now, not like this.”

“She might be right,” Luke said. “We owe you--”

“Commander Skywalker,” Rabé said sharply, then thought better of it. “Luke, I know you're unaware of much that happened. I can give you what I know. Some of what I tell you, especially the truth about people like my husband, is going to be difficult for all of us to hear. But before you listen to any more, you must know something, something I tried to tell Faren.” Her daughter snapped around to stare at her, but Rabé cupped her cheek, wiping away at the pain. “I chose to be in Amidala's service. No one forces you to be a handmaiden. I knew what risks that meant and I still chose to serve. What I did that day when Amidala made her escape, I did for my service, for loyalty to my Queen, and out of love for one of my closest friends. My husband made the same choice.”

“You've just been through a war. You know what service means. And yet, for your own reasons, you each chose to serve. So you must understand.”

Lando imagined that man, staying behind, duty making him grab a blaster to fight off the Sith, allowing his wife, carrying their unborn daughter, to wear an invisible target for the invading stormtroopers. Could he have done that?

Chewie, his wife and son on his homeworld so far away while he served in his Life Debt to Han, growled softly in agreement.

Leia, living a life where people swore such service to her, thought of Amidala and how she must have felt: pregnant, her husband turned Dark and coming after her, unable to save her world from the new Empire, and having to send those closest to her out in all directions as bait.

But Han, who served the Alliance initially out of loyalty to Luke and Leia, found himself agreeing with Faren. He would die for any one of the people standing by him now, but he would never, not for anyone in the Republic, leave Leia to be someone's target.

Or would he? His Princess, if she thought it necessary, would certainly stand-in as a target for Mon Mothma. And he would definitely die to keep the enemy away from Leia.

Leia looked out the suite's windows at Naboo and saw the liegeman standing patiently outside their circle, blending into the background in an effort to give some privacy. What's it like for him to hear Rabé's story? Does he have a family? “I am an extension of the King,” he had said. He must have sworn the same oath, at least silently, that Rabé made to Amidala: to serve, to advise, to protect, to even stand as a decoy--

She suddenly focused clearly on him. “Not being remembered as an individual is part of the job.” Decoys… they're all decoys. The liegeman straightened, perhaps defensively, and he lost his bland expression. He became an individual, and Leia knew she'd now be able to recognize him from his compatriots.

He nodded slightly, a bow from one in service, and she silently dipped her head in response.

“I'm sorry,” Faren broke the silence. “I shouldn't have lashed out like that.”

“No, it's okay,” Luke replied. “We understand.”

“How I feel is understandable, but not how I told you,” she replied simply. “It's only all these years, hearing about this place, and finally being able to come here. And seeing the crowd cheering you while my mother had to push her way into her home...”

Rabé smiled at her. “Your mother is uncomfortable with crowds cheering her. I'd much rather come in quietly.”

“I promise,” Leia swore, “there will be recognition for everyone who has sacrificed. I give my word and the Republic's.”

“I ask only for the chance to talk with you,” Rabé replied. Then moving to include Luke, “Both of you.”

Leia felt a wave of fatigue fall over her, and with it, a feeling that she was losing control of the situation. She had done so well with the crowd, but once she entered the throne room, she lost herself to personal emotions. Understandable, as Faren had said, but she was not here on a personal mission. The Republic needed to know if Jaron was some pawn of the Emperor, if Naboo's King held some threat on Palpatine's homeworld.

Maybe she shouldn't have come; maybe someone else should represent the Republic here. But if she and Luke hadn't come, it'd be a rejection of their mother. And with so many watching them for any possible embracing of Vader as their father, she couldn't have stayed away even if she had wanted to.

Irritated, she pushed aside the turmoil of using her mother's memory for political reasons. This whole mission walked too fine a line between her personal and professional lives. And there was no respite: King Jaron told her tomorrow was scheduled with formal presentations in the morning, followed by a visit to her mother's village. Then the Gungans, Naboo's other native race, were asking for them to visit in a couple of days, both because Amidala meant something to them personally, and their need to know if the Republic recognized both of Naboo's races.

If she hadn't been so aggravated and weary, Councilor Marnin's abrupt entrance wouldn't have bothered her. Without any apologies, he handed her a file. “We've added a media conference tomorrow. Nothing large, but have something prepared.”

“I know how to handle a media conference, Councilor,” she replied. “Even one on such short notice.”

Marnin's reply was snide, dripping with contempt. “Be glad the King said it'd be from the village. Whatever doubletalk you come up with will sound a lot better from there.”

“Doubletalk?” Leia repeated, her voice a warning.

“You know they're looking for answers from Vader's twins. I'm sure you'll have a response for them.” Marnin moved out the door before they could counter.

Two pairs of eyes, one blue and one brown, showed hurt. One pair forced control and the other pair blazed with fury.

Han's explosive response died in his throat as he caught sight of Rabé. She was staring at the twins with pure fear.

Luke hadn't inherited Vader's anger. Leia had.

The mountain village drew closer, but Leia didn't even see it. Yesterday's tensions still ached in her, dragging down her spirits. This morning hadn't helped any. Their meeting with King Jaron and his Council went smoothly enough on the surface. Below that, however, were Jaron's suspicions and Marnin's hostility. Even Pormet's open friendliness couldn't balance it out. The rest of the Council fluctuated between each viewpoint.

Again she wondered if she should be the Republic's representative here. Certainly, she needed to come. She hadn't shaken that resolve. She needed to be here, not only for personal reasons, but to show the galaxy that she and her brother would not disregard their mother's memory.

Case in point: here she was, about to see the place where her mother was born, and grew up. How wonderful it was that she and Luke would see it. How wonderful it would be if they could do so privately, but the media was already on its way.

Perhaps she should have brought a third party, neutral to the situation. Yes, Naboo was a small system to have such a large Republic delegation visit it, but she could have justified it since it was Palpatine's homeworld.

She put the whole train of thought away. Second guessing herself took her nowhere. She was here; she had made the initial strong impression she wanted to. Marnin and his kind had to be dealt with; better here where Amidala's memory aided her. And hope her mother would understand the discomfort in treating that memory politically.

Thinking of Marnin only made her think of the situation she was in. All because of Vader. How did Luke ever come to terms with it? How did he ever expect her to? He was a good man, Leia. Our father was buried all these years within Vader. At the end, I got to see him. He wanted me to tell you, I was right!

Her own take on what Vader wanted in those last moments was much different. But she hadn't been there, and Luke had. And I trust Luke, don't I? But how could he ever make peace with this? Does he want a father that badly?

She was the luckier twin, she felt, sometimes guiltily. Not only because of money and position, but also because of her home. Luke had a home and guardians who loved him, but she had parents; it made so much of a difference, especially as her parents made a home she fit in with so easily. She knew Luke's battles with his uncle stemmed from being like his father. Her own parents must have seen her growing to be much like Amidala, but did they see Vader in her too?

And isn't that what she was really afraid of?

Their speeder drew to a stop. Only one speeder today; Chewbacca was driving them himself. Lando had stayed behind to be available to the Council in her place, probably sensing she needed a break. And it doesn't hurt that Rabé and Faren remained at the palace. She grinned.

Of course, why would Rabé come along? Her memories, what she was searching for, were in Theed. And, after all, she wasn't Leia's handmaiden.

Han suddenly took her hand, and she managed a smile for him. The strain must be obvious to him. And to Luke sitting up front next to Chewbacca, just as the tension in every line of his body was blatantly clear to her, even without the increased awareness to everything around her that she experienced yesterday, as abruptly gone as it came.

The speeder doors opened. Directly in front of her, Luke tilted his head, waiting, rigid. Would he have to wait inside again?

She looked out, saw whom must be the village leaders smiling eagerly, the crowd waiting behind them. And no media in site, for now. Enough of this! She smiled softly at her brother. “What are we waiting for?” He was out of the speeder seconds before her.

Meeting the village residents was like meeting Pormet all over again. No suspicious looks, no hostile airs, only people eager to meet them; she wondered how many of them might have traveled to Theed yesterday, or watched the broadcasts from here, their suspicions waylaid by what they saw. Even Luke was greeted warmly, older inhabitants finding physical traits he inherited from Amidala. He beamed, brighter than the sunshine, and Leia's mood lightened a bit.

Sayla, the leader of the village, led them through the welcoming crowd, pointing out details. The small, round woman with graying hair and pale green eyes spoke in husky tones, her words almost a memorized speech like a true tour guide. And perhaps, Leia wondered, she will be. Naboo must be trying to redeem themselves, battling recollections of Palpatine with the late Queen. So I'm not the only one using Mother's memory, Leia thought sharply. She needed to make peace with it.

They came to a small, old fashioned home, solidly built of wood from the surrounding forest. The windows were open to the breezes coming from the meadows. A fresh flower arrangement added bright color to the largest window and the white curtains. It was a friendly house.

Two women stood at the door, a definite resemblance between them, but the second much older than the first. “They live here,” Sayla explained. “The older woman is Tanen, and the younger is her daughter, Caesa. They agreed to open their home to you.”

“Why?” Luke asked.

Sayla looked surprised. “I thought the King told you. This was Amidala's home when she was a child. She lived here until she moved to Theed for her final training. Tanen bought it when Amidala's parents, your grandparents, were... well, were lost.” She smiled sadly in apology, but then brightened as she looked again at the two waiting women. “Tanen has been very eager to meet you.”

Luke just as eagerly walked down the path to Tanen. Leia could now make out something clenched in the older woman's hands. Han tightened next to her, trying to see what it was, as Tanen passed the bundle to Caesa. But Skywalker didn't hesitate at all as Tanen reached out her frail hands, aged by work and time. She had blue eyes, darker than his, and snow white hair piled on top of her head. Even with this topknot, she only reached his chin. She beamed at him, and he beamed in return. Then she let one of his hands go, and reached for one of Leia's. She spoke in a soft voice, but the words were Nubian, and they had left the droids behind, hoping the palace mechanics could recover something from the memory wipes.

Caesa spoke. “My mother says she's very happy to meet you both. She hoped she'd get to see you when they announced Queen Amidala had children.” Tanen spoke again, and her daughter paused to listen. “She remembers your mother as a child, and used to visit this home often when it belonged to your grandparents. She said she wants you to know that it was a very happy home.”

The old woman squeezed their hands. She said something more; Caesa looked a little embarrassed, but when her mother looked back over her shoulder, she dutifully spoke. “She said that's very important. You should remember there are happy memories.” She coughed slightly. “I'm sorry if she's being too personal.”

“No, I'm glad she is,” Luke replied. “Could you thank her for us?” Caesa did so and Tanen reached up to pat his cheek. Leia saw some of the years fall away from her brother, and saw someone she hadn't seen in a long time: the farmboy from Tatooine.

Tanen reached for the bundle now; Caesa began unwrapping it, oblivious to Han and Chewie watching every move carefully. She held out the now visible holoframes to her mother who gave one each to Leia and Luke. “My mama found this image when she moved into the house. She forgot she had it until a few days ago. She insisted you each have one. It's an old fashioned still image, but then this village is still old fashioned, even now.”

Leia activated the image so she could see it, and heard Luke's intake of breath at the same time as her own. A very young Amidala, perhaps five or six, was being held aloft by her father; her mother had her arms wrapped around them both, the young girl happily sandwiched between the adults. All three had the same dark eyes as Leia, but Amidala's mother -- I don't know my grandmother's name, Leia suddenly realized -- had lighter hair, more like Luke's.

Tears splashed on the frame, and Leia didn't care who saw her cry. Han whispered in her ear, “Ah, sweetheart, I'm really sorry.”

Yes, sorry. That's how she felt. The family she could have had and didn't. She caught a hold of herself, and dried the tear marks off the image. But I will know you. We will have that. And today, it's just personal.

Caesa, uncomfortable, felt her mother tug on her arm. “Do you want to see the house?”

But Tanen didn't wait for a reply. With that same maternal smile, she reached up and kissed first Leia's tear streaked cheek, then Luke's. She slipped in between them, tucked a hand into their arms, and pulled them to the house, a happy stream of words following her procession. Caesa rolled her eyes at Han, then started guiltily as her mother yelled something over her shoulder.

Han burst out laughing. “You don't have to translate that one! She said something like 'Why are you standing back there gapin' like idiots?' Right? Come on, Chewie! Grandma's startin' the tour without us!”

They made their way from room to room, Tanen, through Caesa, explaining what was original from Amidala's family. Not knowing the twins knew nothing of their family, she didn't know how much it all meant to them: the smalltalk, the village gossip, the names she threw out so casually -- Winama, their great-grandmother, who preferred the city life in Theed; her son, their grandfather, Ayres, who came here and built a life with Mentí, a village woman like Tanen herself.

Luke soaked it all in. This was a home he could understand! The simple house, the farmer's life -- as much as he could feel his mother in the palace, he understood this life. It made Amidala very much his mother. He looked guiltily at Leia, hoping she hadn't picked up that thought.

She had, but didn't resent it. She understood and was glad for him. But he was also wrong; she understood this life: parents loving their daughter, seeing her potential, making sure she had the training and support she needed to become the leader they foresaw, despite whatever trepidation they may feel. She even had a holoimage of her adopted parents, holding her the way her grandparents were holding her mother in the likeness Tanen had just given her. Luke should remember it; he was there the day someone had sent it to her, having quickly snapped the holo while visiting Alderaan.

The beautiful mood was shattered by the intrusion of loud, demanding voices from outside, carried clearly through the open windows. Someone knocked quickly on the door, then opened it without waiting for permission: Sayla. “I'm sorry. The reporters are here. They said you agreed to a conference? They're asking you to come out now.”

Leia felt sympathy for the other woman. This small village leader had no experience with such large political doings. She was out of her realm. The princess managed a smile for her. “Let them demand whatever they want.” She hated the intrusion, but she had to keep things in reign here.

Sayla nodded, but her hands still moved restlessly. Leia reassured her. “Just a few moments. They're used to it.” She turned back to Caesa and Tanen. The daughter was whispering in her mother's ear, probably telling her what was happening. The old woman looked very trouble. “I can't thank you enough,” Leia said. Tanen clasped her hands, her worried eyes telling her exactly what the next Nubian words were.

Caesa cleared her throat. “She says don't let those people tear at you.” At Han's startled expression, she could only shrug.

“I won't. I know how to handle this.”

Tanen gestured Luke closer, speaking vehemently. “Mama!” Caesa hissed.

“What is it?” Luke insisted.

“My mother is an old fashioned woman, Commander Skywalker. She doesn't understand--”

“What is it?”

Caesa sighed. “She says they shouldn't have come. They should leave you alone in your mother's house.”

Princess Leia, the diplomat, smiled and squeezed the old woman's hands. “Your house which you opened to us. We'll never forget it.”

She walked away, unable to take anymore. It hurt. It was open, and warm, and it hurt! They should have had this, she and Luke! This affectionate grandmother, the snug home, it was supposed to be theirs! She didn't understand her father any better! Coming to Naboo only showed her exactly what she already knew: Vader destroyed everything.

As soon as she crossed the doorway, the journalists were at her. There were representatives from all the major systems; apparently not even the current state of the Republic was as big news as what Vader's twins were doing. She plastered the smile back on her face, and nodded for the questions to begin.

It started off easy. Were they worried about a continued Imperial presence here? Was King Jaron all right to deal with?

Then a little harder: how did they find Naboo? How did the Naboo treat them? Weren't they finding it difficult with everything that happened? But all that was readily answered with yesterday's success.

“Princess Leia! Princess Leia! You must admit--”

Then harder still: wasn't it difficult, getting caught between memories of their mother's deeds and their father's? Stay strong, stay in control. They, she and her brother, were focused on their mother. They thanked everyone who already had come forward, like the people here in the village, to tell them so much about their mother, and they were eager to meet the rest, such as the Gungans, who had even more to tell them.

“Princess Leia! PRINCESS LEIA! Aren't you avoiding--”

Then the blunt, inevitable questions: it's all well and good to say they were discovering so much about the late Queen, but they couldn't hide from what Vader-

Vader destroyed everything!

Luke pushed forward. “Things'd be easier if you and everyone else would stop hammering us over our father. I've told you, more than once, that he redeemed himself! Why don't you start seeing him for what he really was?”

Damage control! Leia's instincts screamed, louder than the media.

“COMMANDER SKYWALKER! COMMANDER SKYWALKER! Are you saying that you feel the galaxy should excuse Vader--”

“No, we don't!” Leia's voice cut through their yelled questions, past Luke's vainly defending himself. “Who can excuse Vader? I ask you to remember he's at least partly responsible for obliterating our homes, killing our families and loved ones, including those not remotely connected to the war. He tortured me, and forced me to watch my homeworld's destruction; he tortured General Solo, and imprisoned him in carbonite hibernation. And by my brother's own admission, Vader used him as a pawn, beating him mentally and physically to the point of maiming him by cutting off his hand. All of this, not out of any perverted sense of a father's love, but in order to convert his son into a tool to destroy Palpatine and put himself on the throne. I will never excuse or forgive Vader for anything he has done to us, or to anyone in this galaxy. The worst torture I've ever endured is finding out I have any connection to him, other than being his enemy. And if he hadn't died on the Death Star, I'd be spearheading the Republic for his trial and execution for his war crimes.”

She turned her back to the rest of the questions, and came up against Luke. To her shocked surprise, he was glaring at her. She knew he wouldn't have said the same words, but this look... In that first instant, she was slammed by his feelings of pain, then hot anger, and mixed with it all was the betrayal that she, of all people, had done this. In all the years she had known him, she had seen Luke this angry a handful of times. In that handful, the number of times that anger was aimed at her was zero. But now she felt it pouring through their link and then, abruptly, he cut her off.

. . . .

Han Solo knew a lot about discretion, despite his almost blurting intimate details of his relationship with Leia back at the palace. And he knew Luke and Leia were going to explode, and here was a bad place for it. Get them away from the media, from the villagers, from everyone. The best place to go was the Falcon, but they couldn't go there. Too many people would ask questions, or take it wrong. So it had to be their palace quarters. As they were escorted to their speeder, both Leia and Luke wound way too tight but no one seeming to notice, Han comsignaled Lando, whispering fast, telling him to get a path to their quarters with no to little audience. Lando knew the tone; he replied only, “It's done.” and signed off.

The ride took forever. For each agonizingly tense moment, no one said a word. When Chewie finally stopped the vehicle, Leia slammed out of the speeder at the same instant Luke did on the opposite side. They both moved for the door and stopped as they started to cross each other's path. Luke opened his mouth to say something, and then clamped his mouth shut, his jaw clenched tight. Leia's face went neutral, betraying nothing; her “Princess mask“ Han always called it. Not a good sign.

Leia swung around, taking in he and Chewie cemented to the spot. The composed facade cracked. “Are we just going to stand here?” she snapped, and smashed through the door. The automatic function didn't have time to close before Luke slammed out. No, not good at all. I'm bad at this, Han thought. Never said I was a peacemaker.

Rabé was one of the few to see them, stopping the stunned Faren from saying anything. For an almost imperceptible moment, both Leia and Luke stopped, their expressions turning quizzical as they again felt that heightened sensitivity to the Force. But as it brought an increased awareness of each other, they shook their heads, and stalked off once more.

They hit the main door to their quarters almost together, and Leia didn't stop. Lando, Chewie, even Han was surprised to see she wasn't going to confront Luke, but was already leaving the sitting room for her private apartment. Even more surprising was Luke storming after her. Han was sure Leia was planning to let this go until they calmed down enough to talk about it -- which was usually Luke's move. And Luke was pushing the issue, insisting on having it out now -- which was usually Leia's move. Solo knew one thing: it was the wrong move. He had seen Leia that mad at him and fighting it out now meant a lot of hurtful things were going to be said. And when Luke was this angry...

Lando started to say something, even took a step after them hoping to smooth things out, when Han grabbed his arm. This argument was a wrong move, but getting in the middle was worse. The best strategy was to weather the storm, and then pick up the pieces -- even if he hated being on the sidelines, watching them hurt each other.

Luke didn't wait for the door to close behind him or for Leia to turn around. “I can't believe you did that!”

Leia shouted back. “What I did? Let's start with what you did!”

“I told the truth!”

“So did I! And the truth is Vader was a murdering bastard. And nothing, nothing, is going to change that truth.”

“No, the truth is you betrayed your father! You said you wished you had a chance to execute him yourself! Think about that, Leia! Is that your expert opinion on how to handle the problem?”

“My expert opinion is that you almost destroyed us by charging out there demanding mercy for Darth Vader!”

“We're his children! Who's going to defend him if we don't?”

“Defend him? Are you insane? You can't keep screaming proudly to the galaxy and expect everyone to cheer for you! You'll destroy us, Luke, and you won't save him! You can't save him!”

“Destroy us?” He had never yelled in Leia's face like this, never had they stood toe to toe and tore at each other with words. But they had started so furiously, there was nowhere else to go. Every small irritating thing that ever bothered them about the other fueled the argument, poured more heat into it. “I'm tired of people ripping my father apart, that's what's destroying me! No one listens to how he saved me, saved this whole damned galaxy, even though it cost him his life! He died, and nobody cares!”

“How can anybody care about him?! He was a monster!”

“He wasn't a monster! He was Anakin Skywalker, a great Jedi--”

“Then where the hell was he all these years, Luke? We could have used a great Jedi to save the galaxy, because what we did have was an Emperor and his Sith Lord killing and torturing us instead!”

“When are you going to listen to me? You're never going to be able to accept yourself if you can't accept him! And if you can't accept him, how is anyone else going to?”

“This again! How many times do we have to go through this? Did it ever occur to you that people might put Vader's crimes behind them if you didn't keep bringing them up all the time when you defend him!”

“I doubt that, Leia! You bring up his crimes to me whenever I try to put them behind us!”

“You don't put them behind us! You try to absolve them! You of all people don't need a list of Vader's crimes! Our mother is dead! Your foster parents, dead! My adopted parents, dead! Kenobi, dead! Biggs, dead! Me, tortured! You, maimed! Han, encased in carbonite! Alderaan, destroyed!”

“That was Tarkin!”

“DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY!”

“Don't tell me who our father was! He saved my life!”

“He took a lot of others! Don't try to tell me what good he's done, like it will wipe out the evil! It's a short list, Luke!”

“He was my father! He was your father!”

“Bail Organa was my father! He'll always be my father!”

“You're turning against me!”

“You're betraying us both for a twisted man's deathbed apology! He can't wipe away everything he did by saying I'm sorry when he's dying!”

The pain went too far. Even as they realized they were like angry children, filled with hurt and not knowing how to express it except by pushing and shoving at each other, they couldn't stop it. They didn't even hear each other. Every pain, from the orphaned children who knew only lies about their parents, to the adults who lost everyone they knew and loved and then finding the other there, spewed forth. Except now, hurt as they were, they wondered if they related better before they knew of their blood tie, when they were bound together out of choice and friendship.

“You said you were my best friend, Leia, and now you're stabbing me in the back!”

“You said you'd always be there for me, and now you're the reason I'm constantly having to defend us to everybody!”

“You're my sister! You're supposed to know me better than anyone does, but you're the one who's doing this to me! How could you say those things when you knew they'd cut right through me?”

“You're my twin! You're the one who's supposed to know what I'm feeling and how deeply I'm feeling it! And you're the one who's sacrificing everything we have for the sake of a man who's harmed us more than anyone! What do you think you're doing to me?”

“STOP HURTING ME, LEIA!”

“STOP HURTING ME, LUKE!”

He couldn't take it anymore. He ran from the room, angry tears blinding him to Han's anxious expression, Lando's stunned look, and Chewbacca calling him; he only saw the door, flung his body through it and the halls of the palace, and into a pounding run on the plains surrounding Theed.

Leia grabbed every item in reach and hurled it at the door, each smashing sound a small cry of pain. Then the chairs and tables toppled into the walls and floor, the louder sounds forming bigger wails, until she could collapse, beating her hands on the hard wood, draining the hurt, falling into exhausted tears.

Outside, Chewie pulled at Han, tugged at Lando, drawing them out of the sitting room and into his apartment, letting the fight empty out of them all.

The dinner event came at the worst time. With Leia and Luke at odds, both shaken by their argument, Lando wished they could have canceled somehow. Naboo was, however, still a Republic mission; that meant not avoiding the business at hand.

He took stock of their party. Leia was dressed expensively; she looked -- Lando made sure Han didn't see him ogling her -- stunning. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant coiffure of curls, spilling over her shoulders. The dress was a rich maroon, cut with a V-neck and back. The chalcedony waves, her symbol of office on Alderaan, framed her neckline. She radiated royalty, strength, and power. However, to those who knew her well, her eyes lacked their usual spark, and her back was straight from rigid control, not confidence.

Lando was surprised Luke was here at all. Leia certainly hadn't talked him into it. But there was nothing in the silent expression to hint at his thoughts. At least he wasn't in the black fatigues he wore frequently; neither was he in Republic uniform or Jedi brown. His tunic and cape were of silver blue, offsetting his lighter hair and sky eyes. He and Leia were deliberately putting Han and Chewbacca between them. Lando doubted they could even see the other around the Wookiee's bulk.

As this was a social event, despite its official standing, neither he nor Han, like Luke, were in Republic uniform. His cream shirt, cut at the waist to meet the black trousers and cummerbund, matched the cape with its gold chord fastening around his neck. Han, unbelievably not in spacer's garb, had a deep red, almost black, waistcoat and cape, contrasting well with the light gray trousers. Perhaps Han was accepting the public persona of royal consort. Or, more likely, he wanted one less worry for Leia.

Not in evidence was the Corellian's familiar blaster rig. Lando bet Solo had a holster smuggled in the small of his back, concealed by the cape, as Lando himself did. Luke's lightsaber was very evident; defiantly, while he didn't want trouble, he was through hiding who he was. Leia had no weapons, which wasn't surprising, being she was Alderaani. Obviously she didn't expect any fighting tonight, or she'd have her blaster or lightsaber. Well, maybe not the saber; it was a gift from Luke, and a reminder of Vader. As defiant as her brother, she was distancing herself from their father.

The Naboo constantly outdid themselves. The banquet hall was of stately beauty with the marble columns draped with colorful, silken banners of blues, reds, and golds. Everyone's elegant dress complimented the stateliness of the room. King Jaron was resplendent in white, completed by the gold helmet/crown, and the scarlet red scar of remembrance. His liegemen were in more severe white uniforms and cloaks, and the Royal Guard were clothed in rich brown. Rabé and Faren were both dressed in a deep blue that must have gold thread running through it, for Faren's amber eyes shone warmly. The Royal Advisory Council, and their spouses, dressed in their old culture grandness. Marnin might actually look good if not for his sour expression; he had no spouse. No big surprise, Lando thought. Some innocent victim was spared that fate.

The official greeter announced their party. Han placed his hand in the small of Leia's back, escorting her in. Her jaw was tight as she passed Luke who still kept the Wookiee between them. Lando caught Han's eye and shook his head. Look how badly things have turned in one day.

The usual introductions followed their entrance, and people gathered to pelt them with questions and opinions. Lando watched the Princess, seeing how she handled the social pressure with the personal pain pushing from inside, but she was smoothly going through the motions. And when he checked on Luke, the younger man was no different, his quiet manner and short answers lending a lot to the mystique surrounding the Jedi.

Thankfully, they moved into dinner. Even if it was the longest part of the evening, they had at least reached this far. The huge table was decorated with lace cloths; silver, old-fashioned candelabrums, complete with lit candles, spilled soft light and shadow. The brilliant china and silverware were emblazoned with Naboo's royal coat of arms. At one time, it was Amidala's crest; Lando could see the exact moment that thought crossed her children's minds.

Someone had put Luke on Leia's right side. Usually, it would make sense for Leia obviously respected her brother's opinion and would want him close. With even a more bizarre twist of fate, Faren was seated on Luke's right. No one else looked at all askance at the seating arrangements, but Lando wondered if the whole evening was cursed.

Jaron toasted them. “Your Highness, Generals, Commander Skywalker, and Chewbacca: you honor all of Naboo by your presence. I hope the next few days will see our cementing the relationship that will make this world a solid partner in the Republic's mission to rebuild our galaxy.”

Amidst the applause, Leia raised her glass in return. “It is we who are honored, Your Majesty, by the welcome we've received here. I know we have the beginnings of strong, long-lasting partnership.”

Everyone echoed “To our partnership“ and drank.

“I know it's been said before,” Pormet said warmly, “but I am so happy you came here yourselves. Seeing you has raised so many spirits. I know it's raised mine.”

Leia smiled at the older man. “You give us more credit than we deserve. Who, in this situation, wouldn't come?”

Pormet smiled. “True, many would, although it's not unusual for adopted children to not seek their blood family.”

Marnin's lips smoothed into a sardonic line. Leia deftly took away his opportunity. “As some obviously do.”

Pormet nodded. “It's been fortunate for you. You found your brother. It's obvious how much that relationship means to you both.”

A stab right in the wound, Lando grimaced. Leia was covering her reaction by sipping from her glass while Luke pointedly stared down at his plate, but Calrissian saw the glances they flicked at each other surreptitiously. What it must be like for them to sense each other, and still have that anger and hurt within themselves. Did sensing each other help or make it worse?

“And I can see how much spending time here on your mother's homeworld has done,” Pormet finished.

“Especially learning personal details from people such as yourself, Rabé, and Tanen in the village today.” Leia knew any talk about today's visit was a trap to discuss Vader. “However, I would be derelict in my duty not to turn our talk to business at some point.”

King Jaron spoke as the next course was brought in. “Yes, of course. I think with today's meeting we've been able to almost solidify our membership application to the Republic.”

Han spoke for the first time. “That'll make the war officially over for Naboo. It's gotta be a relief, even if you guys didn't see any fightin'.”

Calrissian switched his gaze between Solo and the Princess. Han might be smiling, but his words were begging for an argument. Leia, however, was calmly eating. On the Naboo side, Rabé and Pormet, like many at the table, looked stunned, Faren frowned, and Marnin's scowl boded ill. The King, however, merely leaned back from his empty plate, and used a napkin to dab at his lips.

“I don't think I like your tone,” Marnin hissed.

“Sorry,” Han smirked. “No offense meant. Just pointin' out what a relief it's gotta be. No more Palpatine, no more -- whatever he did around here.”

“Wounds aren't always visible on the surface, General Solo.”

“You got that right, Councilor! But they hurt like hell all the same, don't they?” Han was stopping from barely laughing at the guy. Rabé's frown suddenly turned into smiling as comprehension dawned. Faren whispered something in her ear, then she suddenly noticed her mother's lightened humor. Regarding them, Lando abruptly remembered tactics he'd used as Bespin's administrator. Even Luke came out of his shell a bit as if sensing something from the women.

Well, let's all play a game of chess! Lando looked over the bite he was taking in Leia's direction. Send Han in to hammer at their line, then see what stirs up.

“Stop insinuating things, Solo. Either insult me openly--”

Pormet interrupted hastily. “I'm sure the General meant no offense.”

“Exactly!” Han agreed. “No offense! Just making dinner conversation. “

“Good.” Marnin's oily smile didn't go well with his own people let alone the Republic delegation. “Then it's understood that the Naboo had their own suffering despite the fact we didn't have our homes burned down,” Luke's head snapped up, “or had our homeworld completely destroyed--”

Chewbacca's roar cut off the rest of the words. Han slammed his glass down on the table. The delicate stem snapped in two. “Real sensitive, pal.”

“General Solo is correct, Marnin.” Despite the words, Jarnon's voice lost none of its urbanity. He signaled for a servant to replace Han's glass. “My apologies, Princess. I believe the tempers simply lost control.”

Leia's own words, smooth in tone, were shot with steel. “And perhaps having served an Empire for so long, some have lost their professionalism.”

Marnin opened his mouth to argue when Luke, very quietly, very deliberately, set his glass down. His eyes flicked up and down the table. He said nothing, and yet the King and his Councilors moved uneasily in their seats.

Leia let the moment play out. At its peak, she spoke. “I suggest we move on.”

Pormet cleared his throat. His voice was rattled. “I assure you, despite appearances, we've each faced trouble in this war. Not to the extent you have --”

Lando caught Leia's covert glance and played his part smoothly. “We never meant to imply it was a competition.”

“Why the King was almost caught in the First Purge here in Theed. If he had not escape through the northern tunnels--”

Rabé's eating utensils clattered down. “The northern tunnels?”

Jaron shook his head. “Councilor Pormet is mistaken. I went through the eastern exit.”

“My apologies, Your Majesty. My point was the Naboo did not want Palpatine, even if you can no longer see the struggle against him. We did what we could to save our world, and were lucky to be beneath the Emperor's interest.”

Leia slipped her hand over Solo's. “And never knew when you might come again under his scrutiny. I can appreciate the position. And as we have all said here, the important thing is to put any misunderstandings behind us, and move forward with cementing our future.”

The King nodded. “Agreed.”

The rest of the dinner stayed safely formal, and it was a relief to return to their quarters.

. . . .

The flames from the fireplace reflected in Han's eyes. He watched them in the sitting room shared by all their quarters. Chewbacca was sprawled in the one chair large enough for him, and Lando was stretched on the couch. Solo stood directly in front of the fireplace, a drink in one hand, staring at the flames.

“Leia changing?” Lando asked.

Han nodded, and sipped his drink. “She's having Threepio check some things too. She'll be out later.”

“And Luke?”

“Don't know.”

Lando's sigh was emphasized by Chewie's low, worried growl. “Yeah,” Han agreed.

He looked at the tapestry hanging over his head. That smiling woman. . . the first time he saw her, he could only think how much she reminded him of Leia. Now, all he could think was how much she was like him.

“What do you think?”

Han blinked. “About what?”

Lando started to reply, blinked himself, and rubbed his head. “I can't keep track anymore.”

Chewie rumbled deep in his chest. His fur dropped into his eyes, and he constantly flexed his paws as he always did when he was tired. Lando was nodding even as he burrowed his head deeper into the couch pillows. “Hell, yeah, it's been a long day.”

Han held up his drink. “You guys want one?” Both declined, already half asleep. The Corellian himself felt tired, a hard, dragging exhaustion that was pulling at him. The fire helped, and the drink, and the friendly quiet. He looked up again into the dark, smiling eyes in the tapestry. How much did you love him? Did you see him changing, or did it just hit you hard one day?

Lando's voice came again from behind him. “You wondering about her?”

Chewie mumbled something, and Han snorted briefly in cynical laughter. “Yeah, who wouldn't?”

Calrissian quietly watched the tapestry. “I wish I'd met her.” He glanced at Solo as the other man sipped his drink, never taking his eyes off the embroidery above his head. “You can see a lot of her in Leia. And Luke. At least, what I imagine are things they got from her. Their bearing, their sense of duty, their leadership ability. . . It's a shame people can't just leave it like that.”

Han barely heard Chewie making a joke about Luke and Leia inheriting Amidala's height. The Wookiee reached out with his long legs and kicked his partner. “I heard ya, furball. It just wasn't funny.”

No, it wasn't, not as other thoughts came running through his tired head. Vader had leadership skills. Did he ever have a heart? The question was directed again to Amidala, always smiling at him, forever caught in a happy moment. Did he love you? I guess he did. You wouldn't have kids with a guy who didn't. I bet you could have had any guy you wanted, and you picked him. Why? What made him the one? Did you look at him the way Leia looks at me? Better to think of that light being in Amidala's eyes, not Vader's, because if Vader was capable of that kind of love, if Luke was right, then the light in Leia's eyes may not be like Amidala's. And if it was like Vader…

Could you have seen it and stopped it? He swallowed more of his drink. I bet those questions haunted you to the end.

I wish I had met you, lady. You coulda told me. Is Leia like --

He deliberately stopped the thought, but stared into those smiling, dark eyes. You understand, right? You know.

A worried wuffle sounded right next to him. Chewie dropped a massive paw on his shoulders. “I'm okay, pal. Go to bed.” The Wook shook him, long ago learning how to pull his strength so he only gave Han a friendly grip. “Really, go. I'm hangin' around for Leia.” Han jerked his chin at the sleeping Lando. “He definitely needs to get to bed.”

Chewbacca laughed softly and dragged Calrissian to his feet. The man weakly protested that he could get to bed on his own, so Chewie let him go, and Lando fell back on the couch. Laughing even more, the Wookiee grabbed him again, snorting as Lando argued, “You gave me no warning!”

Han pulled the sofa cushions behind his back as he settled on the floor. He put his feet toward the fire, an arm behind his head, and he went back to looking at the tapestry.

Just me and you, lady. And what about you, Solo? You're sittin' here, asking all the questions about Leia. Where are you going?

He wasn't the man he used to be, before the carbon freeze. It wasn't the first time he had to change or be at odds over it. When he had entered the Academy, he knew exactly the man he wanted to be, and had almost become it. Then the whole debacle that destroyed his life happened, leaving him only with a Wookiee claiming Life Debt, and nowhere to go.

So he reformed his idea of what kind of man he was, and he became that instead: the pirate, a killer for hire, and a smuggler running spice and any other drug to make money. No loyalties to anyone but himself and his partner. And it was fine, even during the Rebellion when Luke and Leia pushed him to be more, to be the man they saw in him. He resisted all of it until he woke up from hibernation. Never, not in his wildest dreams, did he think Leia loved him enough to walk into the devil's den to pull him out. Never thought he was such a good friend that Luke would jump in as well to save him, or that Lando would reform, put aside Han's past betrayal, and risk his neck. Chewie, yes, but no one else.

He had to change after that, and hadn't regretted it for an instant. It felt good being the leader of that team on Endor, to be a part of those people, of the whole Rebellion, and fighting for something. It took the best of everything he had been -- that kid with dreams of glory and honor in the Academy and the experienced pilot for hire -- and solidified it into a better man. He was proud of that, damned proud. He knew very few people from the Academy, or the mercs he once thought knew it all, who could change -- grow up, he grinned -- like he had done.

But now, he didn't know what he was anymore. Not that Academy kid, no way, but not the smuggler, and maybe not the general. This whole mission, until dinner tonight anyway, was just being on display, the Princess' escort. He loved Leia, loved watching over her, making sure she was safe, but not even for her could he play glorified bodyguard. If he was going to part of the Republic, it had to be something like Endor, part of something real, something challenging. And being a general didn't look it was going to be that anymore.

He sipped at his drink; it had gone warm, the ice melting and weakening the liquor. He grimaced at it, but even more at his introspection.

Leia's door clicked open, and he sat up on the pillows so she'd see him. She collapsed next to him, computer flimsies filling her hand. He almost shook his head at the sight of them. So, Leia wasn't going to talk about Luke but bury herself in work instead. Typical: when she didn't know what to do about personal problems, she submerged herself in business. Not that Han thought he was anyone to point fingers; he did the exact same thing with his personal problems. Get mad at Leia; go work on the Falcon. Get mad at the kid or the Wook; go work on the Falcon. Don't know what the hell to do with his life; go work on the Falcon.

He thought of pushing the issue now; if he didn't, she never would, and he had no idea if Luke would either. But the tight line in her jaw, the carefully veiled expression that was watching him to see if he would push the issue, all told him that now was not the moment. Later, when she ran out of other things to talk over, but not now. So, he simply pointed at the computer flimsies.

“Get your work done?”

She sighed; he thought part of it was relief. “I don't know. Threepio pulled up every part of Jaron's history. It still reads clear. He was voted to the Royal Council just before the Republic collapsed. One interesting thing: he ran against my mother in her last election.”

“Well, there you go.”

“Not necessarily. Governor Bibbo also ran against my mother, in her first election, and he became one of her most trusted advisors. So the only thing I have is the feeling from dinner that he's hiding something.”

“That thing about the northern tunnels.”

“Right. Rabé was obviously shaken over it.” She rubbed her eyes. “I asked her about it. I told her I knew that Jaron was her King, and if she felt like she was betraying him in any way by answering my questions, I'd understand. She wants the night to think it over.”

“Something's bothering you, sweetheart. What?”

She sifted through the flimsies. “Nothing in the records actually points to it, but I can't shake the feeling that Jaron, despite his show of loyalty, is a merc--” She stopped.

Han grinned. “You can say it. A mercenary.”

“Well, at least let's say self-seeking. He didn't take the first offer to be on the Council. He tried for the Senate, and when that failed, he finally took the Council seat.”

“When it was the only thing left.”

“Exactly. And during his campaign for the throne, he was a big one to play whatever side he thought would get him further. He dropped all his initial supporters when bigger players told him to.” She gave him a look of utter frustration. “But so what? How many people do we know that act exactly the same way?”

Han scratched the beard stubble already growing. “Yeah, but none of them in charge of the Rebellion. Yeah, I know, this ain't the Rebellion. But it became the Rebellion. I mean, everyone here had to choose sides when the Empire took over. And Jaron ended up on the Emperor's side, which is funny because he supposedly escaped with everyone else loyal to your mom.”

Leia smiled to herself. No one had ever called Amidala her 'mom' before. “So it's a bad set of coincidences. Add to it that the Republic is back, and he's trying to be cozy with us. However, since he thinks the Empire could come back, he plays at being the good host, but doesn't show any real friendship, just in case.” She took a deep breath. “It fits, but it doesn't mean anything. Not anything serious. A number of planets are going to act the same way.”

“Any luck with the droids?”

“No. They have patches of memory from working here in the palace, but the parts that are wiped -- and that's a lot of it -- are gone.”

“So what's next?”

She thought for a moment. “I want you, Chewbacca, and Lando to do me another favor.”

“Sounds like more fun. What do we do?”

“Use your general's rank, and Chewie's imposing size, and either charm or push your way into everything you can. Find out if Jaron is hiding something, maybe something for the Emperor. Caches of weapons, or unknown shipyards, something he's hidden from the Imperial stockpile here, anything. As a member of the Republic forces, you have latitude to investigate quite a bit to facilitate Naboo's membership application. But be careful; I might be wrong, and he's not hiding a thing.” She smiled. “Don't get us thrown off the planet.”

“Who, me?”

She tossed the flimsies on the end table, and took his hand. “Thank you for your help tonight. It worked perfectly.”

“Ah, hell, I love being a pain in the ass to a pain in the ass like Marnin. The best part was Pormet being the one that let something slip.”

“Which makes me wonder what Marnin might have revealed if we could have pressed further, which we couldn't without hurting ourselves.”

“Jaron was playing the same game you were, sweetheart. I don't think he got anything, though.”

She shook her head. “No, Marnin overplayed his part. He got angry and went too far.”

“Way too far. I could have laid him flat for that.” Han sat quietly, watching the flames for a bit. Then he kissed the hand clasped in his own. “We make a good team, Princess.”

She drew closer to him. “I think so to.”

“I didn't know you had fun on your job. I usually only hear the boring speeches, but tonight was a good tactical exercise, and a hell of a game of chess. You did good, Your Highness.”

She smiled softly. “Impressed you, did I?”

“Yeah. And I liked being a part of it.”

“Meaning?”

“Nothing, just I liked it.”

She looked at him oddly. “Something's bothering you too.”

He stared again at the tapestry. No, he couldn't tell her that now, maybe never. Maybe he'd have to wait for someone to go head over heels with Luke, and then that person would understand what it was like, to worry if you were in love with the next Vader.

He scowled fiercely. He wasn't going to think that anymore, wasn't going to remember Rabé looking so scared about Leia's temper, which she must have gotten from -- no, he wasn't going to think it.

Leia saw the dark frown and lovingly stroked it away. “That's a terrible look. What's it for?”

He closed his eyes, enjoying the soft fingertips brushing back and forth on his temple. “I got myself all screwed up over where the hell I am.”

“I don't understand. You're here, with me.”

“Yeah, you're the best part. But the rest of it. Am I a general, all medals and paperwork and formalities, or am I just your escort with a flashy title so I have a legit reason to be here?”

Now she frowned. “The whole idea of royal consort bothers you, doesn't it?”

“Maybe, sort of.” He didn't like people just assuming he'd marry Leia someday, and he didn't like being the lover on parade. He kept that to himself too, especially as the real problem was something else. “If that's all that I am, yeah.”

“It's not all you are. How can you think that?”

“Because I'm just trying to figure out which way I'm going. After Jabba, I did a lot of thinking. For the first time, I didn't want to be a mercenary anymore, not after everything all of you did. You and Luke, Chewie, even Lando, hell, even the Rebellion for letting you guys come after me, you deserved that same -- I don't know -- whatever.” Damn, he hated this. He sounded like an idiot. Luckily, Leia wasn't laughing at his floundering; she was listening.

“Commitment,” she said softly.

“Yeah. Commitment. And here's the funny thing. I wanted that commitment, even though making the change was…“

“Scary,” she offered.

“Well, maybe. I was thinking tough. It was tough to make. But now it's not the Alliance, it's the Republic, and I don't know if that choice to be a general is still the good one. But I also know that I'm not a hired gun anymore. Not even for you.” He watched her, wondered if she'd take that wrong. He forced a laugh. “Even though I love the company.”

“The company loves you too.” She went back to stroking his brow, running her fingers through the bangs, and then down the side of his jaw. Her nails rasped against the stubble. “You need a shave.”

“Yeah, yeah. In the morning.”

She lightly scratched the facial hair, turning it into a stroke of his cheek. “Am I allowed to comment?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“I think you're underestimating what Republic generals are. Do you really think they're just figureheads and administrators? Especially now as we try to straighten out all this chaos? You can make the job what you want, Han. We'll talk with Mon Mothma and General Madine, maybe Ackbar. They need good people in a number of areas.”

“I like the idea except…“ He stroked her cheek. “I gotta do this myself. I'll talk to them.”

She leaned into his hand. “Han, if you can't find anything you like, I'll understand.”

He pulled her against his chest, his mouth finding hers for a long moment. He knew what she was offering: to let him go, let him leave the Republic, and live on his own terms, no matter what that might mean to her. No wonder he loved her, loved her so much, nothing was ever going to take him far away. He felt the slight tremble in her lips, and stilled them with his kiss. It was a promise. She didn't have to be afraid anymore. He'd never make those old threats to leave again.

“And who knows?” he whispered. “Maybe some of those jobs include sticking around in present company.”

“Could be.” She nibbled his lips. “If you're lucky.”

His answering chuckle had husky undertones. He played idly with the long, unbound hair that spilled down her back. He put thoughts of his future and the tapestry away, just enjoying having her so near. He no longer cared that he was going to push her to face the argument with the kid; they could talk tomorrow.

“Where's everyone else?” she murmured.

“Gone to bed. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?”

“Luke went to bed too?”

Han bit back a groan. She hadn't heard him; her mind hadn't let go of today's problems yet. “I dunno. But he's a big boy. Wherever he is, he's okay.”

She frowned even as she drew patterns on his chest. Damn, damn, damn, he'd have to push this whole thing with her now. They'd have no peace until this was out in the open. He sighed. “You want to go after him?”

She withdrew her hand. “No, I'm sure he's fine.”

“He didn't seem too fine at dinner.”

She pulled away completely, folding her knees to her chest, and wrapping her arms around them. “Han, it's been a long day. Do we have to do this now?”

Some of the vilest curses Han knew popped into his head. Women! He didn't want to do this now! She was keeping this walled around her, and she was going to blame him? She said she hated it when he did this to her. “You tell me.”

She laid her chin on her knees, watching the flicker of firelight. Finally, she spoke. “Why is he doing this, Han?”

“I guess for the same reason you are, Leia.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Cause he's hurtin'. Over the same thing you are. Your father.”

The firelight shone brightly in her eyes; its reflection kept him from seeing what emotion might be in them. “If he's hurting so much, why did he put us at risk by charging to Vader's rescue in front of everyone today?”

“I shouldn't have said it was the same thing. It's just the same person. Luke keeps saying he doesn't care about Vader. He's upset over your father -- um, Analin.”

“Anakin,” she corrected, her voice hushed.

“Yeah, sorry. Anakin.” He knew the name; he just wanted to make her say it. She must be really bad off to not see that trick. “So getting worked up over Anakin, and seeing that nobody else is, especially you, pushed him too far and he went off.”

She mulled that over before she bit out, “He's not being fair.