The Jedi Knight

Groggily, Julks opened her eyes.
"Where am I?" she muttered. She touched her hand to her forehead, only to have it covered in something wet and sticky.
Blood?
Her vision, blurry, began to clear up. Broken glass was in front of her and she turned her head to the side. A short woman was sitting in the chair, unconscious. Her long brown was coming out of her hairstyle (one that went went out of style years before, Julks would of added if this had been any other situation.)
"Organa?" Julks whispered.
Events that happened earlier in the day began to come back to her.
She and Leia Organa were headed out to Dathomir, to try to convince the Force trained witches to help the Rebellion. Then she remembered screaming... And then blackness.
Julks tried to work the holovid, still dazed because her head had been hit. The details still didn't fit together to her.
"Urgent, urgent. Paisley ship gone down." she punched in the codes of her location, then tried to wake her friend.
"Julks?" Leia said. She tried to stand, but gave up.
Exhausted, Julks followed her lead and sat down on the copilot chair. "Mon Mothma is going to have my head for this."

~~
Luke Skywalker walked the empty halls of the hospital quietly, trying to ignore the sounds made from the other patients. He still hated hospitals. Just knowing that these people were all sick, some dying, was enough knowledge.
He knocked on the door of his sister's room before entering. Leia smiled a bit when he entered, not trusting herself to open her mouth to speak.
"Feeling better?" Luke asked. He sat down on the chair beside her, trying not to look at the small little cuts on her face.
"Yeah. I had a pretty good record going for awhile. I haven't been in an hospital for a year or so." Luke laughed at that, and was pleased when Leia grinned at her own joke.
"So when do you get out of here?"
Leia stopped smiling. "Oh, I'll be out in a couple days."
"You don't seem so happy about it."
"I've been thinking about what I'm going to do when I get out. I'm not sure if I want to be a politician."
"What do you mean? You've been in politics since you were 16. Just think about it when you get out, maybe you'll change your
mind."
"I don't think so." She sighed wearily. "I've been doing this sort of thing for eight years, Luke. I'm 25. I'm so sick of meetings, I don't care if I ever go to one again. I want to be a Jedi. I want to help you."
"I know I can't change your mind." He stood up, ready to leave. "Leia, I'll teach you how to be a Jedi."
"Thank you, Luke." Leia whispered. She shifted uncomfortably in the small hospital bed.
"Yes, Leia. Han's fine." Luke said, reading her thoughts.
"And Chewie?"
"Yes, he's fine."
"Three-pio?"
"Leia. Everyone is fine.. Okay?" He opened the door to the hallway, leaving his sister with her thoughts.
'Leia Organa = Jedi Knight?' he thought to himself. But the thought didn't give him a calming effect. Instead an overwhelming sense of dread washed over, and that night, he had a vision of a dark Sith.
A Sith with a black mask.

Leia dressed carefully the day she got out of the hospital. She wore a business-like cream colored jacket and a knee length matching skirt. Her hair was pulled back in the same hairstyle she wore at Cloud City all those years before, and the black circles under her eyes and the cuts on her face had disappeared from before.
She hadn't told anyone she had been left out early- not even her brother. 'My brother,' she thought happily. Not even three years of knowing the secret of her family took away some of the excitement.
"Where to, Miss?" 'Miss. Pretty soon it will Ma'am.' Leia thought.
"3rd floor." Leia answered. As she walked down the hallway, her fear surfaced. 'Whatever happened to New Republic bravery?'
"Ms Organa! What a surprise!" Mon Mothma said, and she ushered her inside the spacious apartment.
Leia sat down on a large chair, and was nearly swallowed up. "We need to talk."
"Tea?" Leia waved it away with her hand. "Is something wrong?"
"I am most grateful for the years that I have spent with the Rebellion- er, New Republic, but I'm afraid I must drop from my position."
"Leia! Has something happened?"
Leia allowed herself a small smile. "No. I have decided to join my brother on a trip to Dagobah. To become a Jedi Knight."
"Your brother! All siblings you had on Alderaan are dead." Mon Mothma's hand flew to her throat. "I was not aware any survived." she took Leia's hand in hers. "I know some people don't know about your sisters and brother, but Bail Organa told me, and we were friends for years."
"Bail Organa wasn't my father." she ignored the Cheif-of-State's stare, and continued. "Anakin Skywalker married a young woman before he turned to the Dark Side. The woman then had twins, but was forced to hide them once her husband became a Sith. The little girl was sent to Alderaan to live with Bail and Eloise Organa, and the little boy was sent to Tattooine to live with Owen and Beru Lars. The woman eventually disappeared, and Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. Eighteen years after the twins had gone into hiding, they met up, and four years later discovered their heritage."
"Luke Skwalker is your brother." The statement was short and simple, but it seemed like a life time had passed.
"I know I have just resigned, Mon Mothma, but tell me: Would I of been sent out of the New Republic if I had told you this sooner?"
"Ms Organa, this would of caused quite a stir with other politicians. The media would try to destroy you if you were still in the New Republic." Leia cringed. "I would let you remain in your position."
"Thank you."
"Now, We- I have a meeting in fifteen minutes. Do you want more time to talk?"
"No. I'm just glad I've told someone."
"Does anyone else know?"
"Han Solo. That's it."
Mon Mothma nodded. "If you need someone else to talk to.."
Leia smiled weakly and walked out the door. 'There's no turning back.'

'My suitcases are packed, I've said good-bye to everyone, I've made my announcement to the media... But there is still something nagging me..' Leia thought to herself, watching Luke try to get her ship, Alderaani, working properly. The long silver hull gleamed in the bright light of day, and somehow it made her feel better.
"Let's go!" Luke shouted over the noise of the ship, and she raced inside. The spacious cockpit made her feel like someone else besides them should be there, and it got worse when they jumped lightspeed and were passing the stars quickly. 'Just look
down, just look down...'
"You're really going through this?" Luke asked. "We could go back."
"Luke! You sound like... Like you don't want me come. Is that what you think?"
"I'm glad you want to become a Jedi Knight, I really am. It's just that I had a vision of Vader."
"Oh, not again. He's behind us, Luke."
Vader. So that was what had been bothering her.
"Ready to land." Luke said. Leia glanced up and saw they were landing on a small planet filled with swamp and trees and wildlife.
"This is it!? But- I-" she sputtered, trying to remain calm. "I thought we were going to land on a planet that was less... wet.
Something that would be expected for training. Like Dathomir or Yavin 4. Not a giant swamp."
Luke chuckled. "That was my reaction, too. It won't seem so bad after a while. You'll get used to it."
Walking outside and following her brother to a small house, she doubted she would get used to it.
"What is this place?" she asked.
"Yoda's house. I was here when he died. He just disappeared.. he knew he was going to die."
"Can any Jedi just disappear when they die?"
"Only those that know they're going to die. If it takes them by surprise though.."
"How can a Jedi be taken by surprise?"
"There are limits to what one can do, Leia. People can be taken by surprise in a lightsaber fight, when they get cocky."
She hurried to change the subject. "We should eat something."

Robin watched the footage from the outside cameras with a small, but cruel, smile. Her good looks and beauty had been ruined by the fight last year with Leia Organa last year, but her mental spirit was still the same. The fight itself brought back painful memories- When she had escaped from prison and reclaimed her status with the Empire, many insignificant troopers had teased her of losing a battle by a woman that wasn't even a Jedi Knight yet.
'Well, I'm sure that if I win once and for all my image will be restored.'
She watched the screen showing the secrets the hidden cameras kept, and a plot began to form. Organa and Skywalker crept around the base, searching for a way to get inside. Discouraged after moments of looking, they headed back to where they
came from, making sure to make it was difficult for anyone to follow them.
'Now, how to beat them,' she thought. 'It must be more ingenious than last time. This plan can't fail.'
The images of trees an swamps surrounded her vision as she wandered over to the large, comfortable throne that had been placed there for her.
The knock on the door did little to startle her, neither did the timid voice that called, "Anything you need, Emperor?"

As soon as Leia and Luke had gotten back to Yoda's hut, Leia felt a cold chill. It was haunting, almost, and it nagged her. Her brother watched silently, and when she stood up, he said without looking up, "You have to visit the cave, Leia," and pointed over to the spot where he had been years before.
"What's in there?"
"Only what to take with you. You won't need your lightsaber."
Curiously, she jumped down into the hole where the cave started. It was so dark in there she turned her back to the entrance and stared up at the light at the top of the cave. It seemed as if a light had come on from behind. Turning, she saw the one man who she had hatred for.
Anakin Skywalker.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed. But the man did not answer. It seemed as if he were a holoimage, projected in the light.
'How could Luke do this to me? I'll never be a Jedi if I keep getting haunted by the past!' Angry, she picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at the image, making it shatter. The emotion she felt afterwards hit her, and she knew she had failed the test.
When she had walked back to Luke, she sputtered, "Why did you have to trick me like that?"
"What you saw in the cave was a projection of your fear. You did not pass this test, Leia." Luke replied dully, watching her as she climbed into her small bed.
"I'm going to sleep."
"It's still early."
"I don't care, I'm tired. Wake me up tomorrow morning and we can find out what the base is doing here." Leia replied and flinched as she heard Luke stomp out. She didn't sleep, though. Thoughts of victory had been squashed from her mind, and
depression washed over her. Leia's hands traveled to the bag she had brought with her, and she pulled out a small photograph of her and Han at the beach two years ago. 'If Han was here he'd understand,' she thought bitterly. 'No, if I could become a Jedi, then.. Then what? I can't go back to politics. What will I do?'

The twins barely said a word to each other as they walked through the jungles of Dagobah the next morning. Sweating and out of breath, Leia sat down next to a tall tree. Leaning back, she expected to meet bark, but instead there was a hard substance.
"This isn't a tree, Luke. This is metal."
"What?!" Luke ran his hands against the tree, then tried the others on the row. Sure enough, they were machines. "This must be a wall," Luke said and ushered Leia to follow him. When it ended, Luke pushed against it and fell to the ground when the wall moved. He stared at the sight- There was a large town, full of mechanics and although clearly a poor community, was beautiful.
Streams of light escaped through the hard texture of dirt above the town, and while the town itself was an amazing sight, the people were poor and hunched over.
"Come on. We'll have to find out the deal behind this whole thing," Leia said. She started to walk over to a cantina, but was jerked back. "What are you doing?"
"We'll have to be disguised." Luke rummaged though a small vehicle parked outside the cantina and picked up two outfits for them to change into.
"Are you kidding? Those outfits are filthy."
"Well your clothes aren't that tidy now that you've been though the jungle!"
"Yeah, but my outfit is comfortable and in style." Luke just rolled his eyes and tossed her the costume from behind his back.
When he had turned around, she had changed into the light blue suit.
"I was thinking something in a plaid..." Luke began, and ducked out of the way to avoid the boot thrown at him. "Sorry." He cleared his throat. "It's your walk. Well, you walk like.. A princess. Not a miner. Hunch over. Nah, still too tense. There." He picked up a big clump of dirt.
"What do you think you're doing?" She knocked the dirt and it landed on the ground with a loud thump.
"You're too clean." Luke argued. The princess picked up a little dirt and smeared it over her face, making sure to erase every trace of makeup.
"Good." Luke reached out to tousle her hair, causing the perfect braids she had to come apart. "That's better."
When they had settled down in the booth inside, Leia said, "Just what exactly are we looking for?"
"The question is- What are you not looking for?" a man said. He smirked at Leia's startled expression. "There's too much junk in this town. If you dare call it a town." He had the swagger and confidence of a smuggler.
"Excuse me, but this is a private conversation," Leia said coolly.
"*Excuse me, but this is a private conversation.* I don't need to take that kind of talk from a miner."
"If you think I'm going to sit here and be insulted-" Leia began angrily, but Luke slapped her across the face. Leia's hand flew where she had been hit.
"I always have to slap her down like that when she gets out of line." Luke explained.
The man nodded knowingly, but still had an amused gleam. "Strange- She's a miner, yet her nails are perfectly manicured."
Luke glanced alarmingly at her nails. They looked like they had never seen hard labor. He was for once glad of the years he spent on the moisture farm, for all the work had made his hands tough and covered in calluses.
"Well, she's my servant. A lady servant, because that's all I can afford."
"You know what I believe? I don't believe at all that she's your servant. I know you're not from here."
"Will you keep it down!" Leia said.
"Don't be so uppity, Girl." He sat down next to her. "Besides, I can help you two. It's obvious you won't survive a day around here. Or you'll be put in prison with the Imps, or worse. Why don't you tell me who you really are."
Luke nodded, but hesitated before he got up. "Tell us who you are, first."
He eyed him suspiciously. "Name's Dole Col. Smuggler and pirate."
"For?" Leia prompted.
"Whoever pays the most." he said, grinning. 'He has good looks, I'll admit that,' Leia thought, then caught herself. 'What am I doing? I'm comparing him to Han. He does remind me of him, though.' "Are you all right?" Luke asked. She gave a curt nod.
"Let's go. I can't stand this place any longer." then motioned over to some bartenders that kept glancing their way, using it as an excuse for her mixed-up feelings.
The trio walked along the wall where they had found the entrance, and pushed, avoiding any stormtrooper's attention.
   That night around the tents, Leia walked over to the place where Dole was sitting and sat down next to him. She checked to see if Luke was asleep before whispering, "Why are you here? A smuggler doesn't choose a place like this and stays."
"You don't miss much, do you?" he said sarcastically. "No, I'm not here by choice. I was smuggling goods, and I was captured by the Black Sun. Luckily, I wasn't made a miner. An old man sheltered me and I've been hiding under his roof until now."
"What's he gonna think when he realizes you've gone?"
Dole shrugged. "He'll think I'm dead- or worse." He acted like he didn't care, although Leia could see through it. She had been there herself. "What about you, Girl? What's your story?"
   "My brother's a Jedi, and I quit my job and followed him here. That's about it." Leia said. "Oh, and don't call me Girl- My name is Leia."
   With that said, they went to sleep, contemplating on the friendship that was formed that night.
   The following day Leia kept beside Dole, hoping to find a glimmer of something showing through the seemingly unbreakable mask he had for a face when they came to the machine. Dole grimaced, ever so slightly, as if he was going to face something he dreaded. It was then Leia got her first suspicion....

   The Emperor sat down in the tall, metal silver chair, designed to be a replica of Palpatine's. In fact, the whole chamber room was designed to look exactly like the room on the Death Star II, except the obvious space problem, which cut down on some details. Still, the coldness and unspoken threat hung in the atmosphere. 'Soon I will be the most powerful woman in the
galaxy, and no one will dare defy me. Even if it means the only way to get it is to become the heartless monster Palpatine tried to be. The difference is, I won't lose trying to kill a Skywalker'. Robin thought proudly.
   She stood up restlessly, and out of boredom walked down the hall to the interrogation center. The screams of the reporter
from Coruscant echoed through her mind, ringing, as she door slid open. She sat down across from him, silencing the noise.
   "What are you doing here?" she asked.
   "I told you, I came here on business-"
   "Liar!" her shout echoed. "Why don't you tell us the truth?"
   It was obvious he had been told not to speak, but 10 hours of interrogation can really weaken a person. "All right... Everyone
in the office was suspicious when Organa quit her job, and we knew there had to be a reason behind it. So I had to follow her. I was the best reporter, why was it me.." The last bit he murmured, as if talking to himself.
    Robin nodded. "I know how tough that can be. Unfortunately, at least for you, no one else will be able to hear your ill-fated trip of triumph- At least no one who cares the least bit." she turned her back to him and said to an officer, "Send him on a ship first thing."
    "Where to?"
    "Kessel."
    The reporter's pleas however fell on deaf ears, for Robin turned her back, knowing she had more important things to plan.

Leia separated herself from the guys when they had broken into the ship. Luke hung onto her until for a minute or two when she decided to venture off. 'Just be careful.' He messaged over to her.
   'Hey, you know me.'
   'Yeah, that's why I'm telling you to be careful.'
Even though she was a bit nervous, Leia felt the thrill and excitement of facing the battle that would decide if she was a Jedi or simply.. nothing. Nothing was what she'd be if she came back to Coruscant, with no job, no-
   Crash.
   She scolded herself for not being more careful. Robin had somehow snuck up on her without her knowing it. She'd have to pay closer attention from now on.
   Leia flung out her red lightsaber from her belt, and defended herself, strangely having mixed feelings over the thrill of her first test, and nervousness. Robin must of known it, for she smirked.
   "Knowing you're going to lose, wanna-be?"
   Anger allowed her to strike back with force. "You won't look so smug after you lose," she hissed.
   "How will you manage that?" Robin knocked her down on the ground.
   "Well, I believe things will look up once I do this." Leia swung her legs so her rival was knocked down, and she stood up,
about to strike her lightsaber down to kill, when Robin rolled into the dark.
   "Coward!" Leia said irritably. "Why don't you face me?"
   Luke's voice sounded off, 'Leia, I won't be able to help you now, I'm sorry. The door locked me in, and I don't have my lightsaber with me.' She could tell he was cursing silently because he had refused to bring weapon- It was up to her, he had said.
   Don't worry, this will be easy, she replied, but still felt like it was too early to be cocky.
And she wouldn't felt self-assured at all if she knew what Dole was doing at that moment...

   Dole felt a twinge of regret for betrayance, but only a twinge. Luke and Leia were all right, it was just too bad they weren't Imperials.
Robin's voice came over on the comlink, "Have you done it yet?"
"I'm just about to. In thirty minutes, the alarm will ring for the power overload in the upper levels."
"And with Leia dead thanks to me, Luke will be trapped and destroyed," Robin said, her voice surging with triumph.

    Leia could hear the faint sound of Robin's voice, she knew she was close. When her voice stopped, she calmed her nerves and focused on where she could be. Luckily, she swung around to defend an unfair shot from behind.
"So, do you get anywhere without cheating? Or is that how you've managed to survive until now?" Leia said, her voice taunting. But she knew Robin could tell she was beginning to feel tired and stressed out already.
The lights started to flick, then they went out.
"Idiot, can't even figure out the electricity," Robin was heard to mutter.
Finally, Leia began to figure it all out, and got a boost of adrenaline. 'Why that jerk, Dole... I can't believe that I, that Luke and I could trust him for one second! Why didn't I realize it?'    Her lightsaber swished in front of her challenger's face long enough to give light on Robin's face. It was twisted with fear. Then the light traced down to the woman's arm, which soon
disappeared with a cry of anguish. Robin ran off, too quickly to follow. When the lights were back on, she was gone.
'It's too bad she's not dead. But I'll have to wait, perhaps soon the mission will be completed.' With that thought she ran to where she had last heard from her brother.
"Leia!" Luke exclaimed. He saw no sign of emotion on her face. "What happened back there?"
"I got her arm, but that was it. She ran off too fast, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry, you did your job." He said, trying to hide the slight disappointment in his voice.
"How are you going to get out?" Leia asked, desperate to change the subject. "Back up," and she swung her lightsaber, which went through with success.
"What are we waiting for?"
As they neared the corner, Luke held back his sister. "Someone's coming," he mouthed. Dole and Robin- What a pair. Leia jumped in front Robin, giving her time to accept her challenge, and pull out a weapon. She could feel her brother's eyes on her back, and knew this was her test- If she could defeat her once and for all, she'd be a Jedi.
You may not believe it, but that's what happened.
It was a short time later that Dole was being led forcefully to the control panel.
"You don't understand- I liked you guys, I really did." Dole began.
"Like we care. It's a little too late for apologies. Now, tell us how to create a power overload, nice and slowly. No kidding around," Leia threatened.
"How do you know I won't tell you the wrong thing?" he said tensely.
"Because, A- I have computer skills, and I know enough to get around, and B- Any bad alarms, and bad signs, and you'll be dead immediately."
Wisely, Dole decided to believe her and gave the word.
"Sorry to have to do this to an old friend, but we can't have you following us," Leia said, shoving Dole into a small room. "Let's get out of here."
When they were back at Yoda's hut, there wasn't much conversation until Luke said, "How does it feel, Leia?"
"How does what feel?" Although she knew perfectly well. But this was one thing that would never get old to hear.
"To be a Jedi."