Chapter 1: Rescue and Masters

Leia

A woman was laying down in her prison cell. Her home planet has just been destroyed, and now all she had was the Rebellion. She had to get these plans to the Rebel Base. Hopefully they were still safe with R2D2, and hopefully they would find Obi-Wan soon.

Darth Vader had tried to torment her for information, and when they received no answers after destroying her home… She was now scheduled to die. She sat in a bleak cell with nowhere to rest, but she laid on the bench. Until a stormtrooper opened the door, and she sat up. She was calm and composed. She would not beg for her life, "Aren't you a little short to be a stormtrooper."

He pointed his finger at her, before pausing and taking of his helmet. He was a scruffy man, but young. "Hey princess, I'm here to rescue you. Let us get a move on it." Leia rolled her eyes, but Obi-Wan peered beyond the man.

She jumped up at once and rushed over to him. "You received my message?!"

"Yes," He said. "We must leave now." She agreed, and followed Obi-Wan, and the man followed behind them muttering something. She did not listen to him though. She needed to get this plan to the Rebel Base. "I have persuaded some of the stormtroopers for sometime… But He is here." He said ominously.

"How are we going to escape," she asked him.

"This young man has us a spaceship we can escape on," Obi-Wan assured her, and she look back at the man behind her. He rolled his eyes at her.

"I expect to be paid," He said to her very clearly. It was her turn to roll her eyes, and she scoffed at his comment.

"Get me out of this place and to the rebel base and you will get paid." She informed him haughtily. The man was about to say something else when he was hushed by Obi-Wan.

"We must go," He urged them as he navigated around. He led them to the bay area where she noticed a rusted-up spaceship, and she knew that it belonged to the man.

"Couldn't you have found someone with a better ship," She complained, and Obi-Wan hushed her again. The man chuckled behind her, and she shot him a deadly look. He had put back on the helmet and the only response was when he held his hands up in surrender. They made their way onto the ship as quickly and quietly as possible.

The man was quick and getting them to take off, and it almost seemed so empty. She did not expect it to go so well, but she was not sure what to expect after getting a trained Jedi to help her escape. She sat down, and now she had time to reflect on her now destroyed planet. She collapsed into herself… and allowed herself to grieve. Her face was buried into her hands when a large hand placed on her shoulders.

She looked up and saw a large creature, and he held something to eat in his... Paws? He barked something to her, but she somehow knew what he meant. He was checking if she was okay and wanted to offer her something to eat.

"Thank you," she cleared her throat and took it from her. Shortly afterwards both Obi-Wan and the man came into the area where she was.

"Now princess, I will agree to your terms, as long as my fees are met," He began, and the creature growled at him at him. It was not aggressive but a way to communicate to him. This time it was not as clear, and Obi-Wan took the free seat next to her. "Oh," he shifted awkwardly on his feet.

"You will get paid," She promised him. He seemed pleased with that, but still awkward now that he realized that she had been crying.

"Good to know," he quickly left them, and the creature left with a bark to her. She smiled at him and watched them leave. Shortly after there was another sort of chatter, and C3PO and R2D2 came around the corner.

"Princess! Oh, princess," C3PO exclaimed, "I am so happy to see you safe and sound." R2D2 came straight up to her beeping that it still had the blueprint, and that gave her hope.

"Princess," He said. "I am sorry for your loss, and I wished there was more that I could do to help you. But, there is something you can do… You can set the balance straight." He said to her. She gave him a look.

"This plan will help set the balance straight," she told him tiredly.

"Your father was a Jedi... You have this ability as well," He said. "I would break this more gently, but we do not have much time right now." She gave him a surprised look, and she was never told about her father. She looked away, as he started to pull something out of his robe. She looked back to his hand, and it had called to her. "I have sent a call out… To someone who can train you." He explained her. "You may not have time to be trained as Padawan like I was when I was a child… But she is skilled."

"What's her name?"

"Ahsoka Tano," He told her. "She has agreed thankfully."

"Why can't you train me?" She asked him curiously.

"I have failed… Not once, but twice." He answered gravely. Remorse echoed in his eyes and voice. She frowned in reply and leaned back against the seat. "When you deliver the blueprints to the Rebel Base… They will have to be left to their own devices. Ahsoka will be there waiting for you."

"What will you do?" She asked him.

"Something that needs to be done. I need to meet my first failure." She shook her head, and she shifted back to face him.

"Wait," she started. He stopped her again, but this time with a smile.

"Han Solo, and Chewy will take care of you," He said to her. "After they paid their debt to Jabba the Hutt. I have a feeling that they will be grateful." She sighed and felt that it was no way she could convince him otherwise. He seemed to stern with his orders, and with his destiny.

Rebel Base

She knew that they had landed on the Base… but she sat there looking at the lightsaber in her hands. Her father was a Jedi?... No one ever talked about her father. Like he was something to be avoided at all cost. She never knew her biological mother, but she loved her adopted mother. She took a deep breathe in and exhaled just before Han came out of the pilot bay.

"You ready princess," He asked. She nodded and let him lead the way out where the Rebels were talking to Obi-Wan and Chewy. Vanden WIllard, an older man spotted her and hurried to pull her into a hug.

"You're safe. When we heard about Alderaan, we feared the worst." She sniffed, and she heard Han shift behind her. She looked back and glared at him. This time he shrugged his shoulders and looked away. She thought for a second that he had cared someone was bringing up a sore topic to her. She smiled at him and turned back to Vanden.

"I have the blueprints," she told him, and he sighed with a smile. "But I can't stay."

"We know." He replied gravely. "The Jedi came just before you and explained everything to us. It is good to know that the Jedi have survived… though we could have used your aid sooner." He directed his comment to Obi-Wan

"We did what we had to do," Obi-Wan replied. "The Empire hunted us… Darth Vader hunted us. There was nothing we could do but go into hiding." Vanden sighed. He placed an assuring hand on Leia's shoulder.

"We all have faith in you," he said to her, and her heart swelled for a moment. She let a breathy exhale. Then Vanden pulled her into a hug. "You will be okay," he said almost willing it to be true. "May the Force be with you." He said as he pulled away from her.

"The Force is already strong with her," a woman's voice replied, and she looked to the source of it. It belonged to a woman who look tired. She was wrapped in a deep brown robe, and despite looking so tired she held her shoulders back with strength, and dignity. "I am Ahsoka Tano."

"I'm Leia Organa," she introduced herself as she offered a hand. Ahsoka paused a moment before grasping her hand in return.

"It's good to meet you," she replied. She then looked at Obi-Wan, "You need to let go of your past, and your failures." She told him, and he looked away.

"I will do what I need to do Ahsoka," he said. "You are better suited to train her." She frowned in reply.

"If you feel like this is the only solution, then I cannot stop you." She replied gravely. Leia was shocked that she would just give up just like that, and filled with rage she stood up to her.

"You can't just let him go through with this," she shouted, and Ahsoka hushed her.

"Let us talk in private," she offered, and together the three of them went to a more private place. "Are you sure that she can be trained," she asked Obi-Wan. "She is too old, and this rage… So much like her father." Her eyes went dark.

"You too, have anger to let go," Obi-Wan answered with a hand on her shoulder. "If I remember correctly, you were pass the age of when we would have started to train Padawans. You survived the order and hid from the Empire." Ahsoka sighed, and she let her anger go with it as well.

"You were a Master before me… If you believe that she will be able to be trained then I will do so," she replied. She looked at Leia, who was becoming more curious about this father she was hearing about now. "I will tell you about your father in time." She added knowingly.

"I do wonder about what you will tell me about it," she replied gratefully. Vanden knocked on the wall to gather attention.

"The young man is wondering about his payment," he replied. Leia sighed. Of course, the smuggler.

Imperial Academy

Week One into Training

Luke was quickly becoming a prized trainee at the Academy. He was capturing the attention of higher ranking officers, and there were talks about him graduating early. Problems with the Rebel base.

He was called in by his superior and was sitting in an office. It seemed so different where he initially grew up. He waited patiently for his superior to speak, and then there was a knock on the door. "Ah," he started. "He's here."

The door opened to reveal a man… He was wearing all black. He had a machinic device connected to his chest, and all looked like armor. He was an imposing figure. He gulped, and almost felt like it was audible enough for either of his superior to hear it.

"This is the trainee," the man said. He was not asking, he knew. "You may leave us." He walked around the desk and stood in front of it. "What is your name?"

"Luke Skywalker, sir," He answered.

"Skywalker," He paused. "I haven't heard that name in what it feels like decades." Luke was sweating in this small room. "I am Darth Vader," He said. "You will be training under me from here on out."

"You were a TIE pilot too?" Luke asked.

"I can fly a TIE jet, but I will be training you in more than just that," he answered. "You will leave with me today. You are free until one of the stormtroopers find you." He walked out of the room and left. In his place, his previous supervisor came back into the room with him. He started on some paperwork.

"You are free to go, Skywalker," He said to him with barely a glance. "Good luck."

Luke left the room in a daze, what would Darth Vader train him to do. He did not even know what he did, but he was higher than anyone on this base. He went to his room which had nothing for him to gather. He was ready to go.

A fellow trainee stopped him as he was leaving.

"Skywalker," He called to catch his attention. "I heard Darth Vader has took you on as a trainee! You sly dog."

"You know about him?"

"Are you kidding me," He asked with a laugh. "Darth Vader is basically directly under Emperor Palpatine. Your skills here must show for something." He shrugged his shoulders. Luke felt a little better, especially considering he grew up on a planet where this type of information didn't come easily.

It was not long before a stormtrooper found him. "Let's go," he told him. Luke nodded, and followed him to the bay. When they arrived, Darth Vader was standing right at the ramp to an impressive ship.

"Nothing to take with you," He asked. Luke felt his face flush with embarrassment. "Do not worry about your past now. Come," he said as he walked on to the ship. Luke followed him, and he felt a change in history. Another ripple, his uncle told him that he was to into his dreams. Too much like his father, like it was a terrible thing.

After a member of the crew told him where his room was, he was free to roam around the ship. He came across Darth Vader in the hall.

"Uh, excuse me Lord Vader." He said awkwardly.

"Have you found your accommodations alright?" He asked him. Luke felt honored that someone so close to the Emperor took a liking to him.

"Yes," He answered. "I never had much back home."

"Come with me," Vader said to him as he started to walk down the hall. Luke followed him. "Skywalker, what do you know about your parents?" He asked.

"My aunt and uncle never really spoke much about them," he started idly. The sigh was audible as they walked to a platform where they saw the universe. It was more than Luke have ever seen in his life.

The stars reflecting in his eyes, "It is beautiful, isn't it?"

"You're probably sick of it," he said dreamingly, and his stomach fell. "Not to presume how you should feel." There was a laugh that helped Luke feel better instantly.

"I was once like you," he said. "I was also from Tatooine, and I was a slave." Luke gave the man a surprised look, and still Darth Vader was still looking on. "What have you been told about the Force, and the Jedis?"

"It's an old religion, and all of the Jedi's were wiped out," Luke answered.

"You have the Force, Luke," he told him suddenly.

"What?" Luke asked startled and took a step back from him. "How?"

"You have gained it from your father," he answered.

"You knew my father," he asked, and he felt his heart swelled with warmth and joy.

"Yes, Luke," he answered. "I knew your father well," he started. "Because, I am your father."