✧ Fourth Rebellion ✧ [Audio]

[borntorebel]

[After finding the apartment that Padmé and Anakin shared empty of her mother and her father practically catatonic, Leia tries very hard not to panic. She's tried numerous times to get Anakin to respond, but he's done nothing more than blink and just stare through her. She can still feel Luke and a quick search turns up Han in the apartment the three shared. There's no trace of Padmé anywhere and the journal that Leia's grown to associate with the other woman has disappeared as well.

She tries to send a message to her mother, but it's returned, as if....

A deep breath later, Leia knows what it means. She turns on the audio function of her journal. She has an announcement to make, since she'd realized that Obi-Wan left the day before as well.]

For those of you who knew Padmé Amidala and Obi-Wan Kenobi, I regret to inform you that they've returned home.

[She won't think about what that means for Padmé. She can't. Instead, she does what she does the best—work while stressed.]

Also, if you've spoken with John or any of the other original residents of this enclosure, I'd like to speak to you. Please.

Comments

Action

[notsosolo]

[Han's not about to deal with this over a journal. She's just lost her mother all over again. That shouldn't even happen this many times.

He walks up to her and gathers her in his arms.]

Action forever

[borntorebel]

[If it'd been anyone but Han, Leia would've fought with every ounce of strength she possessed. But it is him and she buries her head against his shoulder and she debates crying. They both know what awaits Padmé back home.]

They're gone, Han. And...Anakin is just staring out the window like a statue.

[Would that happen to them if the other went back first? How long would a state like that last?]

She's gone.

[notsosolo]

[He's pretty sure that he'd do much the same, in Anakin's situation. Even without what was going to happen to Padmé. And maybe that thought makes him hold Leia a little tighter than the situation alone required.

He can't even offer the hope of safety. Not when they know.]

Both at once.

[Just for good measure.]

[borntorebel]

[She understands how Anakin feels, really, she does. But she can't let it control her like that. No, it can't.

She needs the solid feel of Han right now, silent and comforting until she can gather herself completely.]

I don't think so. Not that it matters. He's alone with no one he really knows, Han.

[And she doesn't know what to do to help him.]

[notsosolo]

[He doesn't know either. He's just trying to look after Leia, right now. That's what he knows how to do.]

There's no easy answer here.

Audio

[responsibleformyownrisks]

[No.

Force, NO.

For a moment Siri can’t breathe, and despite the fact that she’d suspected it, not being able to sense his familiar presence in the Force at all, even with as much as her abilities with the Force were restricted, she had HOPED… hoped she was wrong. But she’s not, and for a moment she can’t breathe, consumed by sorrow and loss and missing him more than she ever thought possible.]

…Oh.

[She draws on the Force for strength, and continues. When she speaks again she doesn’t sound as bereft as she feels. But the soft, unsteady inhalation that prefaces her words says otherwise.]

We’re certain, then?

[She is. But this is the first time she’s wanted to be wrong quite so… intensely.]

Audio

[borntorebel]

[It takes Leia a long, agonizing minute to respond. When she does, her voice isn't the detached, clinical tone she'd used to announce the loss her family's suffered. No, it's a harsh whisper that barely conceals how sad and angry she feels. This woman was a close friend to Obi-Wan and a Jedi. She deserves the truth.]

Yes, I'm certain.

Audio

[responsibleformyownrisks]

[At the sound of Leia’s voice, Siri’s ability to keep tight control over her emotions, the way she’s been RAISED to, the way she’s supposed to, fractures. It’s been strained since her arrival… her death. And now…

And now.

He’s gone. The one person in Luceti that she knew better than anyone… the most familiar face she could have asked for… is gone. Back to… whatever came of their galaxy after Palpatine got his claws in it.]

Force.

[Her voice is ragged. She hurts. There’s no letting go of this, of what she’s feeling. No matter how awful a Jedi that makes her. She can’t. Not right now.]

Audio

[borntorebel]

[Strange how one word can sum up so much. Leia smiles bitterly, and even though the other woman can't see it, it doesn't make any less of an impact when she replies.]

I would've gone with 'kriff', but I agree.

[Action]

[thefinaljedi]

[Luke doesn't bother with the journal, or answering what he already knows. Leia will just find him in the living room of their apartment, sitting in a chair with his hands wrapped around a glass of liquid. Strong smelling orange liquid at that.

He does look up briefly when she enters, but he says nothing at first. What is there to say, really?]

Re: [Action]

[borntorebel]

[She can tell that her brother knows what's wrong. Even without talking, she's learned much about him through observation.

And if he wants to get drunk because of their recent losses, she sure as hell isn't going to begrudge him it.]

I don't suppose there's more of that, is there?

[As a rule, she doesn't drink anything harder than wine once in a while. Extenuating circumstances in this case.]

[thefinaljedi]

Yeah.

[Luke waves a hand, casually opening the cabinet off to one side and pulling a bottle over with the Force. It's labeled as Krogan Firewine, a drink left to him by one Commander Jane Shepard.]

There's plenty.

[borntorebel]

[She examines the bottle silently before pouring herself a bigger than average and takes a seat near him. The view is of the village and the oddly familiar forests surrounding it.

She's not sure how many times Luke's experienced loss through this place, but it seems cruel on so many levels. She has nothing to offer and instead just sits and silently drinks the strong, burning alcohol.]

I've never heard of this before. It's not horrible.

[silversnowfall]

[Ah. She knew Obi-Wan, once, the first time he chanced into Luceti.]

It isn't ever as easy to see friends go as we would like.

[This woman whom she has never really met has the tone of one trying not to ache too much out loud.]

[borntorebel]

[Someone Leia doesn't know. Good. Strangers will help her remain distant and calm. Which is what she needs.]

It's harder when it's family.

[silversnowfall]

[Hm. Family. Nephry thinks about her blood relative and his past disappearances...and then about her "Luceti Family" and how much that would ache. Has ached, in the past.]

Yes, it is. Were they both family members?

[borntorebel]

[This is the first time for Leia to lose someone in Luceti, but she's not unfamiliar with loss itself.]

In a manner of speaking, yes, I suppose they were. Obi-Wan was close enough to have been an uncle of sorts.

[Voice]

[yourfononsarewhack]

Oh? Are you conducting a survey? [It's a teasing tone.]

[Voice]

[borntorebel]

[A worse time for teasing, Leia can't really think of any, but she bites back a sigh as she replies to this man. It's only polite, after all.]

Not exactly. I merely wish to speak to those who have experience dealing with them.

[Voice]

[yourfononsarewhack]

Is that so? I can't say that I'm the most experienced amongst our number, but I suppose that any amount is better than none.

[Voice]

[borntorebel]

Yes, any sort of run-in with them could shed some light on our situation. Are you willing to assist me?

written

[ahappylie]

[Ah, so that explained why he hadn't seen Padme at her training sessions.]

I see. I'm sorry to hear she has left, but thank you for informing us.

written

[borntorebel]

[Thank goodness that someone's written to her instead of making her speak right now. This allows her to gather her thoughts better before she responds.]

Of course. I know that they had associates that I wasn't privy to, and everyone deserves to know the truth.

written

[ahappylie]

[It's one of the reasons why he wrote.]

She was a good student. Hopefully she will find happiness at home.

written

[borntorebel]

[Well, thank you for being considerate, Souji. You get a gold star!

Except, that message...is full of hope when there is none for her mother and only years of living as a hermit on the galaxy's worst planet for Obi-Wan.]

I'm glad that she had a teacher here who appreciated her. Might I ask what it is that you taught her?