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

Chapter 29

In just three short months, the Rebel Alliance was even bigger than it had been before the first battle. Everyone who had been sent to the cities on Yavin was back, and they had a small base in the woods. Not only that, but they were also making plans to expand it. It could no longer contain the massive number of new members.

How had that happened? Sometimes Padmé still struggled to find the answer to that question. All she knew was that it had helped to send more people into the cities to try to help families in danger. There were many high-crime areas that the Empire did not bother to control. Padmé vividly recalled going into one particular slum and observing the barefoot children running across the filthy streets, and the houses that were lit at night only by primitive candles, because there was no electricity. The only people who had blasters were gang members who stole weapons; the law-abiding citizens were defenseless. Padmé had never forgotten the pain in those peoples' eyes. They were used to being neglected by their own government, and a simple act of kindness from the Rebels had enough power to change their lives.

This was the difference between the Rebels and the Empire. The Empire did not care about the poor or the oppressed. Their only goal was to create an outwardly-perfect society through censorship of speech and militaristic control. Whereas the Rebels sought to defend the common person and change society from the inside out.

It seemed as though Padmé and the other leaders of the Alliance had simply figured out how to convey this message to the people, and now it was spreading like wildfire.

With more members came more help, both in labor and in finances. The Rebels had a base again, and now it needed expansion. Soon the Rebel Base on Yavin IV would accommodate not hundreds, but thousands, of people.

There was another advantage to this. Padmé had been able to delegate some of her responsibilities so that she had more time to spend with her family. Part of her missed being as involved as Bail and Mon, but it was worth it. She could take care of Luke and Leia every evening and stay up late with Anakin, now that there weren't quite so many meetings and planning sessions.

On one evening like this, the four of them were in their quarters in the Yavin base- this was a series of a couple interconnected rooms, a family-sized apartment, not like the cramped individual quarters of the Dantooine base. Anakin was showing Luke how to assemble some basic fleet formations with the toy ships, but Leia, for whatever reason, seemed to want nothing to do with it. She sat off in a corner and didn't protest when Padmé took out her hairdo and began to brush her hair. Leia was lucky to have thick, shiny hair that went to her waist; Padmé was thankful that no one had ever cut it.

"Why don't you want to build a fleet with Daddy and Luke?" she asked, out of plain curiosity.

Leia shrugged nonchalantly. "I already know those stupid simple formations. Besides, ships aren't the only thing I like."

"Oh? What else do you like to do?"

"I used to play dress-up with my friends at school. We would pretend to be princesses. It was fun." Leia paused, staring thoughtfully off into the distance before continuing, "Except, I would always have to borrow their dresses. I only have one fancy dress. When I asked Daddy to get me more, he said they're too expensive."

"They can be expensive," Padmé agreed. Both she and Anakin had been forced to learn to be more conservative with money, since neither of them were paid by the government anymore. "But here's the good thing, Leia. Now that we're all together again, we have a little money to spare. How would you like it if I took you to get a new dress?"

Leia turned around and stared up at her, eyes wide. "Really? Can we?"

Padmé felt herself smiling at Leia's enthusiasm. Finally, there was another fashion enthusiast in the family! "I think tomorrow would be perfect, after dinner."

Leia threw her arms tightly around Padmé. "Thank you, Mommy!"

It was somewhat a surprise, and quite a relief, to see what Leia opening up like this. Luke, being a very relaxed person, had adapted quickly to Anakin and Leia being around. But Leia hadn't accepted the change so easily. She had been polite to, but never really open to Padmé or Luke. And now, that was beginning to change. Their conversation was interrupted by Padmé's comlink vibrating in her pocket.

Why was someone contacting her at this time of day?

"Hello?" she answered, masking her irritation.

"Padmé, we're so sorry to bother you, but this is quite urgent," said Mon from the other end. "We think we're under attack."

Padmé shuddered and exchanged a meaningful glance with Anakin. Another attack? When the Rebel Alliance had just gotten back on its feet?

"How... how close are they?" she stammered.

"The attack is in space, against our cruiser which is orbiting Dantooine. We don't think they know about this base yet. However, you already know that several of our members live aboard that cruiser. We can't afford to lose it."

At least the Empire had not discovered the Yavin base yet. But there were hundreds of people aboard that cruiser, waiting for the base to expand enough to make room for them. If just one of those people were captured, there would be an immense risk that the Empire would torture that person into revealing the location of the base. It was an awful thought, both logically and emotionally.

"I'll be right there," Padmé said. "Anakin will come with me."

After giving Artoo and Threepio instructions on managing the twins- and sternly telling Luke and Leia to be good for the droids- Anakin and Padmé headed down to the administrative office.

There really wasn't much to talk about. Bail and Mon pulled up the radar scans and video feed from nearby systems, which showed a small but powerful Imperial fleet soaring through hyperspace, heading towards Dantooine.

"How much time do we have until they get there?" Anakin asked.

Bail glanced at the data on the screen. "If we can leave within the half hour, we can get there at the same time they do."

"We'll have to hurry," Padmé mused. The others nodded in agreement.

They decided that the only people going to the battle would be the pilots, and not even all of them. Reinforcements might be needed later.

Padmé didn't have much to do; she wasn't in charge of the fleet. Anakin was. But Padmé still tried to be helpful by counting the people who were leaving and making sure they had enough supplies.

Her stomach churned with dread at the very thought of Anakin leading all of those pilots straight into a battle against the Imperials. He would be the target, more so than anyone else.

And yet, no one was more capable of succeeding at this mission.

She watched with an anxious and heavy heart as he climbed into the cockpit of an X-Wing fighter. He seemed either oblivious or indifferent to the danger he was placing himself in, looking almost cheerful as he warmed up the controls of the powerful little ship.

"Ani..." she whispered, grabbing his hand to temporarily stop it from flying across the control panel. "Promise me.... Don't die. Not today."

He smiled broadly at her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, Padmé. I've gotten pretty good at not dying. We've faced the Imperials before and we will again, but this time, we'll win."

(Author's Note: We get some mother/daughter time with Padmé and Leia, that was fun to write. And now we have yet another attack.... Oh dear! Thank you very much for your reads, votes and comments. Remember, a comment is the most important kind of feedback I receive! A comment is worth much more than a number in the votes or reads so don't forget to let me know what you're thinking! Thanks for reading!)