1,397AN: Heads up, last chapter I had Oola mention a woman named Junda, that was a typo. I meant to have her say 'Dune', as in Cara Dune. The typo has been fixed, wanted to clear it up for those who read the chapter before the edit.
Shadow of the Force
Chapter 28
-Luke-
Sitting back in the ice cave, Luke silently observed the man who could have been his father had things been different. The man who, maybe, could still become such. He'd seen sparks of it in the man as they talked, little hints of what could be whenever Anakin Skywalker let his guard down. Even if it was only down split seconds before it was hastily slammed back up.
"There's…there's something you should know." Luke came to a decision, something Leia had said she would trust him with when they split up for their separate tasks.
"What is it?" Anakin Skywalker sounded wary, likely noting the change in Luke's tone, the seriousness of what was about to be revealed.
"I'm not Padme Amidala's only child." Luke was careful not to say he was Anakin's only child, not wanting to rock the boat too much, especially with what he was about to reveal "I have a sister. A twin sister."
"A-another?" Anakin looked ready to collapse on himself, the once jedi and once sith staggering back floored "I- Padme, had another child?" the fact that the man had to force himself to just say Padme was, hopefully, a good sign.
"Leia." Luke pressed onward as the man before him looked close to shattering, likely remembering Leia's imprisonment on the Death Star and everything that had occurred.
"And…she choose to not come to Ilum." the mix of pain and resignation that was in those words, feelings the man was clearly trying to hide, resonated in the Force.
"Actually, she found a lead on survivors of Alderan and went to find them." Luke shook his head, "She said that no matter her heritage, she was still the Princess of Alderan and had a duty to her people."
"Hah!" Anakin barked out a laugh, a bit of mirth and life appearing back in the man's eyes "That's just the kind of thing Padme would have done. Her people needed her, and so she'd let nothing stand in her way." the laughter slowly died down, the echoes from the frigid walls fading away, "I see so much of her, in both of you. Her strength, her compassion, everything." Anakin reached out, hesitantly, before seemingly mustering his resolve and placing a tentative hand on Luke's shoulder "She'd be proud of the kind of people you both have become."
Mustering up his own courage, Luke smiled at the man "Thanks da-" before he could finish the word, he was cut off by his communicator blaring.
"Luke, get back to the Citadel now!" Harry's voice was furious.
"Harry, what's happening?" Luke felt a spike of panic at the raw fury in the man's voice.
"I just got word from the ship that Oola and Leia took. They're under attack!"
"What?!" Luke felt his blood run cold even as part of the ice around them cracked, stalagmites of frozen water falling like spears into the lake.
"The Mandalorians I sent with them to Orlais just said that Leia declared war when they found the Alderanians being enslaved, I don't know anything else now move!"
"Right!" Luke hastily tucked away the communicator, silently glancing over at Anakin whose face was thunderous.
"Go, save your sister Luke." Anakin's expression turned into a savage grin, "There's a good chance of the Empire sending reinforcements if they got word of what's happening. I'm fairly sure I know from where they'll come so I think I'll go have a little 'fun'."
-Harry-
Glancing over at Luke and Maris as they portkeyed on to the ship already starting to rise from the icy plateau, Harry gave a silent nod. It was taking everything in him to keep focused, hating knowing his wife was in danger and he wasn't anywhere close to help her.
"Dad is going to try and intercept any Empire heading for Orlais." Luke's eyes showed he was just as angry as Harry was, the man no doubt worried about his sister.
"Does he-?" Harry didn't even need to finish the question as Luke nodded, "That'll get bloody."
"Setting course for Orlais." Juno shouted from the helm, "The report from the Valiant says that the Mandalorian forces moving on the city to start liberating slaves."
"This will definitely draw the Empire's attention." Harry frowned as the Citadel rapidly made the jump to hyper speed, shooting towards the planet where Leia and Oola were waging a war.
"Galen just sent word." Juno strode towards them, the ships computer handling navigation at this speed "A Mandalorian Battalion cruiser is being deployed to help secure the planet and liberate any slaves."
"Thank you, Juno." Harry ran a tired hand through his hair, focusing on his connection to Oola through the force, the bond that still remained strong as he felt his wife's emotions. Her righteous fury as she fought, but nothing that would imply she was close to death or that Leia had fallen.
Now that it just had to stay that way.
-Mara Jade-
"Forward you useless dogs!" Mara Jade snarled, crimson lightsaber standing out against the white snows of Hoth, "FORWARD!" the air was filled with the sound of screaming blasters and cracking sheets of ice as the AT-AT Walkers took slow lumbering strides towards the Rebel Base.
Around her throat she could still feel the weight of her Master's force choke, the Emperor having made sure to do it in such a way to bruise her throat even if his fingers never touched her skin. Ever since she'd left her master's presence, the spark of indignation at how he'd treated her had begun to fester and grow. The frigid wind whipped around her as she stalked across the snow, using her crimson saber to strike away any rebel blaster fire sent her way.
How dare he?! She felt the Dark Side surging through her veins like napalm, her fury keeping her warm as she thrust her hand out, blowing the barricades inward. The screams of the terrified rebels made a cruel smirk appear on her face, relishing in the fear that was almost palpable in the air.
It still wasn't enough to wash away her outrage at being forced to come to this frostbitten disgrace of a planet. Thes rebels didn't even have any Force Users left! The emperor should have left this to his officers and had her go after the Skywalkers. It was a waste of her power, her abilities, to send her here!
Lashing out with rage, Mara shattered the hangar bay doors, the cold winds of Hoth pouring into the base as the rebels tried to run further into the building, as if that would save them from her.
Feeling the twinge in the Force give warning, Mara scoffed as she raised her saber, deflecting a blaster bolt aimed at her head from behind. An officer had stayed behind while his men ran, firing at her in a vain hope to take her life.
And yet "You," Mara purred as she curled her fingers, the Force pulling the officer to her, the man's limbs splayed outward as the Force kept him in place "show…potential." Her voice was a sensual whisper in the man's ear as she delved into his mind. These worms were already determined to fight the Emperor, the Master who would so easily throw her away?
"I'll just have to put you to better use." Mara smirked as she twisted what she had to in the man's mind. This rebel, his mind so weak and vulnerable to one of her gifts, so easily manipulated. But that was alright, this one and others she would take from this planet, rebels who would 'escape', would do her bidding. Pawns moved in the distance to make sure her 'Master' was right where she wanted him to be.
"The Sith and its throne will be mine." Mara's grin grew wider as the now docile rebel left at her command. She had to find more 'candidates' while culling the arrest after all. And if any of the Emperor's precious stormtroopers saw her, then they would die just as easily.
-Marcus-
"Things are just as tense as last year." Susan sighed in frustration as she, Marcus, and Neville walked to their next classes with an escort. The halls and grounds were being patrolled by the security team Uncle Sirius was heading and even the Forbidden Forest was supposedly on high alert through Hagrid's monsters.
"At least this time the Aurors know exactly who they're supposed to go after." Neville shuddered, likely remembering the terror of their second year, of not being able to be sure who was the culprit behind the attacks. From what he'd heard the Fifth and Seventh year Muggleborns alone had emptied Madame Pomphrey's calming draughts for stress relief given the attacks as well as their O. and N.E. .
At least with Susan's aunt as Minister, the hunt for the escaped Death Eaters was being handled competently. Honestly, if Fudge was still in charge, Marcus wouldn't have been surprised if the idiot had done something like send all the Dementors away from Azkaban to scour the country for the escapees, leaving the prison far less secure.
Reaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Marcus nodded to Uncle Sirius who returned it, heading off to do another patrol once everyone was inside the classroom. Inside, he saw Uncle Remus checking a large wardrobe, several of the girls from the Gryffindor Hufflepuff class group giggling and batting their eyes at his Uncle's back.
Thankfully Uncle Remus pointedly ignored how the younger girls were eyeing him, the man having put on massive quantities of muscle ever since getting dominion over his wolf spirit. Susan was far less ignoring of the face Marcus made at seeing his classmates crushing on his Uncle, the redhead snickering at his reactions.
"Good morning class." Uncle Remus finally finished with whatever he was checking on the wardrobe as he turned around, "Today, we'll be going over a useful little spell that deals with a type of creature the Death Eaters were known for using in the war. Many underestimate the boggart but despite their simple nature, they are not to be underestimated!" hastily pulling out his quill, Marcus started taking notes. This year was certainly going to be interesting.