Chapter 1

The secret

"Will he live?" A cracked voice resonated in the dark chamber.

Waves of greens and greys danced on barren walls and across the grim features of a woman, small but elegantly dressed in a grey gown and leaning lightly over a cane. She stood before an illuminated, spacious tank filled with bacta, containing the immersed form of an unconscious man. Her brow was furrowed and her melancholy eyes spoke of a restless life.

A man stepped next to her, gazing at her drawn features in concern ."I believe so," he answered, folding his arms in front of his chest and creasing the characteristic white robe of a medical doctor. Well into his middle years, with salt and pepper hair in antithesis to his chocolate skin, he studied the healing wounds on the man's flesh. The room was quiet. Their voices the only source of sound permeating the darkness.

"How about Rey?"

"We had to sedate the Jedi girl," he said with a light shake of his head. "She seemed to be in excruciating pain, even though there didn't seem to be anything physically wrong with her."

The woman blinked and swallowed thickly, bringing her hand up to touch the glass before her with trembling fingertips.

"Leia, you must get some rest yourself. There is nothing more that can be done at the moment. The nanosurgery is complete. We were able to save his leg and mend the severed tissue inside him. His vitals are steady and his blood count is rising. Ben is young and strong. He just needs time to recuperate."

"I know."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"It's been so long since I last saw him. He was just a boy. And now he's…" she trailed off, voice hoarse with emotion.

"You look pale. When was the last time you came in for blood work and diagnostics?" The doctor slid an experienced eye in her direction, but Leia just waved a dismissive hand, too focused on the man before her.

"Not now, Will."

"Leia…"

"Soon. I promise."

Silence stretched between them and the nurse standing in the shadows walked up to the doctor with small hesitant steps, the most recent report on the man's readings blinking on her datapad's screen. She wasn't used to seeing the General in such a vulnerable state. The woman always seemed composed under the most ragged conditions, and came up with the most obvious solutions when nobody else could see them. Practically everyone she had ever met looked up to her and admired her. And to think that this was the daughter of Darth Vader and according to rumors, mother to that monster Kylo Ren…

How does she carry on?

"Do you have his readings?" Dr. Lydham said sternly, hand extended in her direction and an impatient expression on his face. She snapped to attention immediately.

"Yes, sir." The nurse couldn't help herself steeling a glance at the powerful man in the bacta, a shiver of fear running down her spine. He was heavily sedated as well.

Thank the gods.

She glanced towards the General who had her deep intelligent eyes trained on her, making her squirm under their intensity. It was said that she too had that mystical Force, but rarely used it. The way General Organa's eyes were boring into hers, however, stripping her thoughts bare and dissecting them one by one, made her feel that the woman very much knew how to use it with razor sharp precision. A few endless moments passed before the General dragged her attention back to the doctor and the nurse exhaled a breath she hadn't realized was holding.

"Will he be safe here? Or should I have Chewbacca stationed outside the unit?"

The doctor arched an eyebrow in response.

"No need to terrify my staff, Leia." He handed the datapad back to the nurse

with a dismissive nod. "We have the knowledge of his presence contained and that's how it will remain until you decide what to do with him."

The nurse turned around walking silently away from them, but Leia's hushed words drifted to her ears before she exited the room.

"I don't want the Republic to know he's here."

"They won't."

Louise was happy to be out of earshot.

Author's note: This is the continuation of my story "Time". I'd recommend taking a look at it since some of the characters that will be introduced along with a few plot elements are from that story. I do not own anything, sadly, from the Star Wars Universe. I am merely inspired by it. I hope you enjoy where this story will take us!