Chapter 1: Memories
Shuttle from Rebel Base 023 to Arlon hideout, 200 days after Battle of Endor, 0500 h
How long had it been since he had seen Han, or any of his friends? He pictured them as he had known them. Han, a rougish lopsided grin on his face, ruffling Luke's hair in a fond, big brotherly way. Chewie, those blue eyes of his shining with compassion and loyalty. Leia, his sister, her hazel brown eyes burning with a determined fervour and Wedge, his old wingmate and buddy, his brandy brown eyes twinkling with mirth as he mercilessly teased Luke. No that was wrong. They were all different now. Han was a General and was no longer as carefree. Leia had changed from a fiery Rebel leader to a polite, calm diplomat. Even Wedge had changed into a somber more responsible person as Commander of Rogue Squadron. And of course Luke himself was no longer that bright-eyed greenhorn from Tatooine or the passionate hotshot rebel pilot. Luke ached to see them all again as they had been.
But he knew that was impossible.
After Endor, the Rebellion, no the Alliance, was slowly changing into a legitmate government. The ragged band of rebels were being unified into leaders. Where before generals had been more sought after and informal military was the rule, smooth talking negotiators and diplomacy now reigned supreme. Long gone were the days of informality.
Suddenly Luke heard a sound behind him and slowly rose, a faint, chagrined smile tugging at his mouth. The Jedi was rarely surprised by people nowadays, indeed he must have been in deep thought to have been so distracted. His smile faltered upon turning around.
He was looking in the barrel of a blaster. He closed his eyes silently berating himself for leaving his lightsaber at the base. Mon Mothma had insisted that he use the utmost diplomacy to court the Arlon network, and that he carry no weapons into their presence. Before, Luke would have refused, but now he had acceded to Mon Mothma's demands and so he would soon be dead. To Luke's surprise, the blaster shot never came. Instead, Luke felt binders close around his arms. A stun blast to his head knocked out the young Jedi.
Chapter 2: Stranger?
Holding cell AA-93, 201 days since B.O.E, 0100 h
He stirred, lying awkwardly on a flat metal table. He tested his restraints and found out that his arms and legs were strapped down by metal cuffs so tight that they had cut his limbs. His blurry vision and lightheadness soon began to clear and he deduced that he had been drugged. Suddenly someone came in from the back and Luke could not see who it was because of the tight restraints placed on his head. Someone placed a hood over his head and he felt a sharp pain as a drug was once again injected. The captive was led away again.
Luke ran the tip over his tongue, licking his dry mouth. The door opened subtlely, startling him even as he was surprised by the lithe figure walking through the door. She had cascading rich brown blond-streaked hair and light sky blue-grey eyes. He looked at her, trying to deduce who she was. Was she someone who had been sent to soften him up before interrogation, or was she just an interrogator? But no, she didn't fit in any of those roles. The way she strode across the room holdin her head high and confidently, suggested that she was someone of importance, perhaps even the mastermind behind his capture. Even as he studied her, Luke could feel her icy blue eyes doing the same.
Who was this man, and why had he been so important to her father? Lyanna Arlon thought as she looked at the lithe man in front of her. His clothes had been taken off and he now wore a pair of combat trousers. At first sight, one could have dismissed him as a physically dimunitive person. Yet when you looked closer, you could see the deep pilot calluses on his hand and when he moved, lean sinewy muscles made you change your opinion. He had startling blue eyes that were bottomless and his hair was a dark, slightly brownish blond. He was surprisingly young. She did not know his real name and would not have recognised him at all if not for the picture she had found in her father's room after his death.
Her father had also kept a journal. The latter part was mainly about the Arlon network and her. But the first few pages were confusing. Her father made several refrences to the Jedi, someone called Anakin and his children. Lyanna had always known that her father was a minor force-sensitive who had changed his identity to hide from the Empire, but he had never told her that he had seeked refuge from the Jedi.
The Arlon network was a information/smuggling network set up by Ray Arlon, her father. It was, like all other smuggling networks, on the nether regions of the law. To find that its leader had once been associateed with the peace-loving, guardians of the Old Republic had shocked Lyanna ... yet, in a way, the Arlon network was not like others. It consisted of smugglers and scorned law but it still followed a strict code of honor.
Then, Lyanna had found a holograph in her father's drawer along with some encrypted files, behind it had been scrawled the words 'Ana.i..n's son' the words had not been clear as the holograph slightly tattered even though it must been taken not more than 10 years ago. From those Lyanna had been able to deduce the the young, twelve-year old in the picture was someone's son, whoever Anakin was that is. It had been a miracle that she had spotted the man on one of the Arlon Network's shuttles.
Yes, the man was different, more matured, his features scarred and sharper from grief and pain, but Lyanna had still been able to recognise him. Suddenly, a sound startled Lyanna. She immediately turned to the prisoner, annoyed that she had drifted off and began questioning him. Suddenly, she heard the same sound again. Before Lyanna knew it, a troop of stormtroopers had burst through the ceiling. Arlon security guards appeared and tried to control the troopers. Lyanna's aide, Carlos pulled her away from the scene.
Chapter 3: A Jedi Knows no Pain
Arlon Base, 205 days since B.O.E, 0700 h
Lyanna Arlon fumed as she paced around her command room. It was impossible. Lyanna refused to believe what had happened. A prisoner had been stolen from right under her nose. After six months she had finally found a clue to her father's past and now it or rather he was gone, taken by the Imperials. Why were the Imperials so interested in him, or perhaps, was he an Imp? No matter, she had to get him back.
Lyanna strode to her father's most trusted advisor, Onios' room. "I'm am leaving tonight Onios. I have to recapture the prisoner".
"Why do you have to go after him alone? If you would just wait, the troops could be gathered!"
"I just have to, this is important to me! If I wait he might die!"
"More important than the Arlon Network and its hundred employees?" Lyanna ignored Onios' question and continued. "I'm leaving you in charge, goodbye", and with that, she strode back to her room to pack her bag.
Imperial World of Taopal, 209 days from B.O.E, Outer Rim territory 1500h
"He's not responding to stimuli any longer" said the probe droid.
"Bring him back to his cell" the interrogator said grimly.
This particular captive was extremely strong-willed. It would take a long time to break his will. Interrogator Taim was unlike his fellow interrogators, a compassionate man. It was only because the Imperials had threatened his family that he worked for the Empire.
He looked sympathetically at the young man in front of him. As Taim looked at the young rebel's relaxed features and realized that the boy was younger then he had judged. At first, from the rebel's words and his strong will, he had guessed him to be around 25 or 26. But now he looked to be barely 23 years old.
The probe droid extended its pincer arm and grabbed the prisoner before transporting him to his cell. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the droid was knocked out. Lyanna dragged the captive to the side. Just then, Taim came out of the room. Lyanna brought her blaster up to target him. "I have no objection to you taking him away."
"Why should I trust you?"
"You have no choice. If you kill me and I don't log in my report within the next few minutes, alarms will be sounded. I am willing to help you if you let me escape too." Lyanna stared hard at him before lowering her blaster.
Finally she nodded. "Very well, help me carry him to hanger 427, my ship is there." The pair made their way to the exit, the unconcious youth between them.
Chapter 4: Rescue
Arlon Base ,218 days from B.O.E, 300h
"Lyanna you have to rest. Depriving yourself of sleep is not going to help the captive in any way!" Onios exclaimed.
"He's right you know" Taim said.
Lyanna glared at them before resuming her pacing outside the operating theatre where Too-Onebees were operating on the rebel. Through the days they had spent together on the voyage back, Lyanna had learnt that the prisoner was actually a rebel. Other then that, Lyanna had also learnt about the Imperial Interrogator himself. She had grown less hostile as she came to know of his sob story.
Suddenly, a shrill sound sounded from the comlink. "Captain Arlon, a group of rebels have come from the Alliance in search of the ambassador they sent you!"
Just moments later, a petite hazel haired woman strode followed by a man and a ferocious Wookie burst through the door. Lyanna studied them. The woman was a diplomat that much was certain from the way she was dressed. The man and the wookie were something of an enigma. For while the man acted like a rebel, he wasn't wearing a rebel uniform. The wookie likewise wore nothing to show his allegiance to the Rebel Alliance.
Suddenly, Lyanna realized who the rebels were. The woman was Princess Organa and the man and his Wookie companion were Han Solo and Chewbacca! The trio along with the Jedi Skywalker had done much for the rebellion.
At that moment fear struck in Lyanna's heart. Could it be... she thought looking dazedly at the blond haired blue-eyed man in the medical ward. Could he be the infamous Luke Skywalker? That would explain why the Imperials had wanted him. How could she have been unable to recognise him? Looking at the anxiety on their faces, Lyanna realized that she would have to tell them the truth.
Chapter 5: Recovery
Arlon Base, 218 days from B.O.E, 1000h
"That's the truth, I did not harm your ambassador intentionally!" The Alderaanian Princess looked at Lyanna, her eyes blazing with rage before she relaxed her shoulders forcefully and sighed. " I believe you but what I decide to do depends on whether my brother recovers", came the calm, slightly icy reply.
Lyanna sighed and gathered the holodisks in front of her, "My aide will take you to see him now". Leia strode off, leaving Solo and Chewbacca behind.
"If anything happens to him..." the Corellian left his words unsaid
"I rather doubt that the Rebellion would wish to start another war so soon after Endor; besides I was under the impression that the rebel leaders were not so foolish that they would start a battle over a single man!" Lyanna retorted back.
"The Alliance's leaders may not want to start a war, missy. But Luke's got a lot of friends and most of them are more then ready to risk their lives for him." Lyanna just kept quiet and stomped out.
Chapter 6: Who am I?
Arlon Base, 220 days from B.O.E, 1300h
Leia watched silently as the med droids removed Luke's seemingly lifeless body from the bacta tank. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She could not accept the fact that her brother might be lost to her so soon after she had discovered him. All that time... all those years he was right there and I never realised... Leia's thoughts trailed off as someone intruded.
"I didn't mean for him.." Lyanna started.
"It's alright, you already told me why, besides i'm sure Luke'll be fine."
"Well, then I better get going. I have some things to take care of."
Leia sighed with relief as Lyanna left. For some reason, a part of her just couldn't help blaming Lyanna for Luke's condition. But, the Alliance needed the Arlon Network's intelligence service and firepower and Leia had learned long ago that the Rebellion had to be put above the welfare of any single person... even a decorated hero who had risked his life time and again..she thought bitterly. Moreover, Lyanna had already explained why she had captured Luke and shown Leia the holograph. Lyanna... the woman was something of a mystery. In many ways, she reminded Leia of her own self. And there was that nagging feeling that she ought to know her...
Suddenly, there was a flurry of activity in Luke's room and Leia rushed inside. "What's wrong?" she demanded at the nearest 2-1B. "Ma'am the patient is awakening, please wait outside until he has been stabilised."
DISCLAIMER: This story is a work of fiction written in appreciation of Star Wars; to promote the Star Wars franchise and to keep it alive. All characters and settings original to the Star Wars movies and/or novelizations are copyright to Lucasfilm, Ltd. The rest is copyright to the story's author. No profit was gained from this story.