Balance and Victory: A Star Wars Alternate Universe [COMPLETED!]

Chapter 17

(Author's Note: There seems to be a glitch that is taking away the picture I add and also taking away the title, making this chapter "Untitled Part 19." Well, it's supposed to be Chapter 17! Hopefully I can get this fixed soon!)

The Rebels returned to Dantooine in low spirits. Padmé felt shaken and numb, and she was sure everyone else did too.

As they landed in the hangar of the base, the medical team started to put the injured people on stretchers and move them away. Padmé, Mon and Bail watched this sadly, and Mon spoke up. "We should recalculate our numbers soon."

"Yes, but not now," Padmé murmured. It was bad enough that she knew they had suffered a great loss; it would be even worse to know exactly how great that loss was.

And Mon, who was always so precise and organized in everything, nodded in agreement. "It can wait," she whispered.

"I think we should all go and get some rest," Bail said, rubbing his forehead. Padmé and Mon nodded and they all went separate ways.

As Padmé had suspected, the child care workers looked quite relieved when she came to pick up Luke, who was a sullen and grumpy mess.

"Why were you gone so long?" Luke moaned. "It was hard to be good that whole time."

"I know, I'm sorry." Padmé crouched down and gave him a gentle hug. "But I'm proud of you for doing your best. Did you get in trouble at all?"

"Two times I had to go sit in the corner."

"You'll do better next time," Padmé said with a smile.

Luke nodded and his eyes took on a dreamy, faraway look. "It's just hard," he whispered, "because I get funny feelings sometimes, and no one listens."

"Really?" Padmé watched his face carefully. "What sort of funny feelings?"

"Like... I know people are in danger."

"Which people?"

"I don't know. Lots of people."

Padmé was certain that these musings came from the Force. Luke wasn't wrong that many people were in danger lately, and it would make sense that no one would listen to him, because they didn't understand the Force.

Luke was old enough now that he was beginning to develop an awareness of the Force, and Padmé knew she was not properly equipped to help him in this way. He needed a mentor, a Jedi teacher, like his father or someone similar.

* * *

The next morning, Padmé got permission from Bail and Mon to go alone to Coruscant. It might be dangerous, potentially a bad idea, to go into the capital of the Empire. But she would be careful; she wouldn't take a ship or any other devices from the Rebel Base. And her friends all agreed that she needed to find Luke a teacher, and Coruscant was the best place to look for clues.

It would be nice to get away from here, anyway. Every empty chair in an office, every bandage on someone's arm, was a painful reminder of the disastrous battle.

After explaining to Luke what she was doing, Padmé drove to the town and rented a ship from a chain that could be found all over the galaxy. Chances were low that the ship would be identified as being from Dantooine.

While the ship was in hyperspace, Padmé turned on some pretty music and tried to relax. But out of nowhere, a voice startled her. "So we're going to Coruscant?"

Padmé gasped in alarm and spun to face none other than Luke! "What are you doing here?" she scolded. "I told you, you were supposed to stay at the base!"