Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jayce
"Did my dad have to do this during his training?" I inquire through panted breaths, flipping over another giant root.
"Yes. A Jedi's strength flows through the force, to master it, one must master their body."
"My dad just always made me meditate."
"Only part of it, meditation is. Much to learn you still have."
I huff out a laugh. "So you've been telling me."
I've been running through the swamp for the past half an hour. More specifically, through the long stretch of forest next to Master Yoda's small dwelling. It only has one room and it's only big enough to fit him, or one of us if we crawl on our hands and knees. We slept outside his little hut last night on a bed of blankets he provided. Luke and Holly cuddled in each other's arms the whole night while I was left shivering and alone. I barely got any sleep.
Yoda woke us at dawn and said we needed to run laps with him. Little did we know that meant with him on our backs. Of course I was picked to go first, Luke has been sitting on a log chatting with Holly while I suffer.
Such a bastard.
"Luke's turn it is." Yoda informs me once we make it back to them. I heave in a couple deep breaths and nod to him, unable to reply. I set him down on the ground and grab onto Luke's shoulder, shoving him towards our new master.
"It's your turn to be tortured." I wheeze out.
Luke rolls his eyes. "Bet I can finish the lap faster than you did."
"You say that now." I mumble.
Yoda sighs, rolling his eyes. "Much like your fathers, you are. They too turned missions into trivial competitions and games."
Luke smiles to himself, clearly taking this as a good thing. "Ben told me all the time that I reminded him of my father."
Yoda's expression suddenly turns grave. "For better and for worse, that is true."
The smile is wiped from Luke's face, and though he clearly wants to, he doesn't ask any questions. He picks Yoda up and secures him to his back, then runs in the direction I did, with Yoda already giving him lessons.
I sit down on the log next to Holly and she offers me a canteen of water, which I accept with relief, downing half of it.
"I never thought I'd say this, but I miss simpler times when my dad taught us lightsaber stances and meditating in my backyard on Tatooine."
Holly chuckles, taking the canteen back. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I miss when times were simpler too, when I was back home at the flight academy."
I remember Leia mentioning that Holly went to the flight academy on Naboo, that the two of them met there. Curiosity gets the best of me and I ask: "People going to the flight academy train to become members of the Naboo army, right? How did you end up on the rebellion instead?"
"My father is apart of the royal council of Naboo. He's been advising queens since Queen Jamilla was on the throne. Aiden, after he moved to Naboo with Padmé, served as captain of the royal guard. The two of them became good friends. I was sent to the academy at a young age, and the academy is right next to the Legislative Youth Program Department, which Leia went to. Because our father's were friends, we became friends as well."
I smile at the thought of Leia as a child, learning about politics and practicing senatorial debates. "What was she like back then?"
Holly unexpectedly blushes. "She was just as she is now. Strong, beautiful, intelligent, determined to make the galaxy a better place. I had a really big crush on her back when we were at school, though it was never reciprocated. But anyways, when Aiden and Padmé created the rebellion, I was sent off to Yavin 4 with them by my father. I was the only one from the academy who left to join, and since Leia became busy helping her parents, I was all alone. I barely saw her or anyone I knew for months. Things got easier when I got to know the other rebel pilots, but I learned quickly that getting attached to people in the rebellion isn't a smart move."
"You seem pretty attached to Luke." I point out.
Holly blushes deeper. "After Leia and I drifted apart and I lost so many friends and fellow pilots, I swore not to form bonds with anybody. I thought it would be easier. But I realized very quickly after making that oath that I was making a mistake. If I choose to cut myself off from people, if I choose to look at my life as this constant state of pain and grief, then what exactly am I fighting for? Love and friendship and family are why we do what we do. How can I fight for it if I choose not to believe in it anymore?"
I smirk at her, wiping my sweaty forehead with the sleeve of my shirt. "You were right. Your positive attitude can do wonders."
"Really? What wonder did it do this time?"
My smile gets a little bigger. "Remind me of what I'm fighting for."
I've been so caught up in my worries about becoming king that I've forgotten why I joined this fight in the first place. It's just as she said; love, friendship, and family. That's what I'm fighting for, for me and for everyone else in the galaxy, including my people. Whatever my fears and hesitations are with being king, my goal with this fight is the same as it has always been, and I think I needed that reminder.
Holly gives me one of her signature warm smiles and places her hand over mine, squeezing it tightly. "Glad I could help."
-
Leia
"Are you insane?" I shout over the warning sirens of the Falcon.
"Possibly." Han answers through gritted teeth.
"The odds of getting through an astroid field—"
"Never tell me the odds."
"You're going to get us all killed!"
"If you haven't noticed, a giant star destroyer is right on our tail, as are several TIE fighters. We need to figure out a way to lose them. Wouldn't they be crazy to follow us into an astroid field? They'll pull back, they'll think it's too dangerous."
"Because it is!"
Han heaves a heavy sigh, choosing not to answer me. For several more terrifying minutes we maneuver around asteroids both big and small, and Han turns out to be right. The star destroyer and TIES have pulled back. At least for now. Han shoots me a grin that says 'I told you so' over his shoulder and points to something outside to Chewie: "Look, on that big one. You see that? I think it's a cave. Might be a good place to rest and see what we can do to fix the Falcon."
I roll my eyes, already moving as I say: "I'm going to go check on my parents."
"You do that."
Mom and Dad are strapped into their seats in the passenger area, heaving and cursing and looking as freaked out as I feel. It's not everyday you take a stroll through an astroid field. I swear sometimes Han has a screw loose in his head. What kind of maniac does things like that?
"Han has found a cave, we're going to hide out in it for a while."
Dad and Mom nod, looking a little relieved but still mostly shaken.
"I haven't endured flying like that since—" Dad cuts himself off, suddenly looking sad. Mom does too. It's a look I know all too well, the look of grief. I see it in them whenever they mention a friend from their past, and I see it in the eyes and hearts of pretty much everyone in the rebellion. Like Jayce when his father died—
I shake my head. Nope, can't think about Jayce right now. I need to think of anything else other than Jayce, or what's happening to him, or if he's okay, or if he's even alive...
"Sweetheart, what is it?" Dad asks, his sorrow turning into concern. Mom mirrors this change in expression.
There's no point in lying to my parents, they'll see right through me. "I'm worried about Jayce."
"So are we, but he'll be fine. He's a powerful Jedi and Luke and Holly are with him."
"I know that, but..."
Mom gives me a look of understanding, resting her hand on Dad's shoulder. "It's perfectly normal to worry about the person you love despite any logic," I begin to protest, but Mom continues: "Being in love means thinking illogically."
"I don't have time to be in love." Is what I end up saying.
"I thought the same when I met your father. I had so many excuses; we are at war, I have bigger things to worry about, I'll get distracted, and so many others. But I couldn't deny my feelings for him and I'm glad I didn't. Love makes us stronger, Leia, not weaker. You should talk to Jayce about how you feel, I guarantee he'll say he feels the same."
"I know he will," I say exasperatedly. "But what if things work out between us? What if he's the one for me? He's a king, being with him means becoming queen and I'm not sure I'm fit for that. I'm not Iris."
"You would make a great queen," Dad assures me. "But regardless of that, you need to figure out if Jayce is worth that responsibility, because you're right, him and his kingdom are a package deal. Do you love him enough to help him rule Taris and the Ojoster system by his side?"
I don't have an answer for them yet, or for myself, and as I'm about to say that, Mom's face lights up in a familiar way. It's how her face gets when she's in deep thinking or has an idea.
"What is it, Mom?"
"We need to get the ship fixed and hide out from the Empire, what better place to go to than Naboo? To Iris."
Dad considers this for a moment and nods. "We have to be certain that the Empire isn't on our tail, we don't want them following us. Han? Can you check the scanners and see if there's a path we can take to get out of the astroid field and stay hidden from the Empire?"!
"Chewie! Did you hear that? Go check the scanners!" Han shouts from where he's currently messing with the hyperdrive.
I hear a roar from Chewie who confirms that there aren't any TIES outside and that there is a small path that will take us to the other side and hopefully keep the Empire from seeing us. I look at my parents and see a newfound sense of excitement in them, which despite the circumstances I can't help but share. I haven't seen my sister in nearly a year and a half, neither have our parents. It will be nice to have the whole family together again.
With a smile, Dad squeezes Mom's shoulder and says: "Then lets go home and see our other daughter."
-
Luke
"Do you sense that?" I ask no one in particular.
Jayce, Yoda, and I have been meditating for the past ten minutes, with Holly sitting a few feet away watching us. She looks around as if something is about to pop out and attack us, her hand grabbing for her gun, but it's not like that. I don't sense a person or creature, I don't sense a threat...at least not in the traditional sense.
"I feel cold." Jay replies, nodding to me.
I remember touching the mural on the temple wall on Lothal and feeling this same kind of cold, like being dumped in ice water. Ben used to tell us that that's how the dark side feels; cold and lifeless. The man in the mural, the one I touched, was apparently the beginning of the dark side, it's creation, it's symbol. What I sense now feels very old, but not ancient like what the mural felt like. I can't quite put my finger on it.
"What you sense, a cave it is," Yoda points to the east. "Strong with the dark side, a domain of evil it is. In, you two must go."
Jayce and I both get to our feet, going for our lightsabers. Yoda shakes his head, claiming we won't need them. We ignore his claim and grab them anyways.
"What's in there?" Jay inquires skeptically.
"Only what you carry with you."
Why do Jedi get such a kick out of being so vague and cryptic? Why can't they just tell us what we'll face and prepare us properly?
Jay and I start to head towards the cave, but Hol stops me, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing me in a big hug.
"Be careful." She whispers.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Nothing can stop me," I squeeze her tighter. "If I've learned anything from you it's to keep a positive attitude, yeah?"
Holly nods, pulling away and trying her best to give me a smile, but I can tell she's really worried. She tries to mask it though with a joke. "What you call a positive attitude I call being cocky."
I wink at her. "Whatever works."
With that, Jayce and I make our way towards the cave, having zero trouble finding it. With how strong the dark side is with this place, it might as well have had a brightly lit sign at the mouth of the gaping cave entrance. We have no idea how deep the cave goes or what exactly lives within it, but whatever it is it can't be good.
"Is it crazy that I miss the moisture farm?" I ask.
Jay places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes tightly. "Is it crazy that I do too?"
We stare at the cave's entrance for a long moment, then Jay lets out a deep breath and extends his hand out towards me. "I'll be with you the whole time." He assures me.
I clasp his hand and squeeze, having needed that little boost of assurance before I walk towards the cave, Jay by my side, just as he always is. Together we enter the cave, and doing so feels like walking through Hoth during a storm, the cold is nearly unbearable. I turn to complain about this to Jayce, but he's nowhere in sight. And neither is the cave's exit, everywhere I look, everything I see is just darkness.
"Jay? Jay!" I yell, but no one answers. All I hear is the echo of my own voice bouncing off the walls.
This echo is soon joined by another sound, one that isn't Jayce. It's an odd sound, kind of like a machine, but clearly not one. It sounds like someone or something breathing. The cold increases as the breathing gets louder, and only when I'm at the point of shivering from the temperature does the source of the breathing reveal itself. Cast in a light of crimson is the black mask and suit of Darth Vader, the man who betrayed Ben and murdered my father.
I don't even think, I just activate my lightsaber and lunge for him. Darth Vader meets my strikes with his own lightsaber, but the effort to do so seems to be great. He appears injured. His loud mechanical breathing is jagged and his movements rigid.
Not that I care.
With a single hard swipe, I manage to decapitate the horrid monster, finally providing justice to my father and to the countless others Darth Vader has slaughtered. His head rolls to my feet, the mask having fallen off in the landing. The face that looks back up at me isn't what I expected, in fact it makes a different kind of cold settle in me, as well as a wave of nausea.
The face behind the mask is me.
-
Jayce
"Luke!" I shout again, looking around frantically for my best friend but finding him nowhere in sight. All I see is darkness for what seems like miles, there's not a person or thing in sight—
Wait...there is something here with me. A few feet in front of me is some kind of pedestal, and on top of it is a crown. It's gold, with a sapphire in it's center, and fourteen white gems forming straight vertical lines around the crown. I realize with a catch of my breath that this is the Taris crown, my crown.
I approach the pedestal and stare down at the crown, noticing something in the reflection of the gold. I see people cowering in fear, I see once lush wildlife reduced to ashes, lands torn apart as they're stripped for Irum, homes and families destroyed, people, my people being blown to bits by the bombs the Empire is manufacturing.
Two pairs of hands appear from the darkness and grab onto the crown, lifting it off the pedestal and into the air. Stepping out of the darkness and into the light is Elias Warren, the Prime Minister of Taris. He places it on top of his head and smiles at me, the sight of my people's suffering still visible in the reflection of the crown.
-
Vader
"We lost the Falcon in the astroid field, my master," I explain while kneeling before his hologram. "I do not believe they perished, I believe they escaped, but to an unknown destination."
Darth Sidius doesn't look pleased to hear this news, but he accepts it quickly and moves on into strategizing, just as he always does. "The Millennium Falcon is clearly having hyperdrive issues or they would have jumped to hyperspace by now. And they know we're after them. So where do you think Aiden Parr and Padmé Amidala might take their rebel friends to get repairs and lie low?"
"I do not know, Master."
Darth Sidius smiles coyly. "Set your coarse for Naboo. I think it's time we pay Queen Iris Amidala a visit."