likes_scoundrels | A Galaxy Far, Far Away. The Death Star to Yavin 4.

The escape from the detention cell had involved almost being crushed to death in a trash compactor, fleeing from stormtroopers, and swinging over seemingly bottomless service shaft (after a quick kiss on Luke's cheek for luck). When they'd finally reached the ship, she stopped short when she saw the Falcon. She knew that ship. Family heirloom, Ben had claimed, but she'd gotten the definite impression the ship was closer to her than it was to Ben's father.

Luke hadn't referred to Han by name yet, but when she looked him over, she suddenly saw the resemblance to Jaina and the son she'd named Anakin. Oh, hell no. He couldn't possibly be Han Solo, her future husband. All right, he was very good looking, she'd grudgingly admit that, but...no. Just no.

Then the stormtroopers guarding the ship had moved away, drawn by the sight of Vader dueling Obi-Wan Kenobi. She didn't recognize him at first, accustomed to the younger images she'd seen in the past. And since her father didn't look that much different from the historical holos she'd seen of him, Obi-Wan had been frozen that way in her mind, too. It wasn't until Luke was calling his name that she made the connection, and then it was too late to do anything when Vader struck him down.

They'd fled to the ship and escaped, with just a token show of pursuit. She'd knew they'd be tracking the ship, prepared for an escape, but there wasn't time to change ships. They had to get to Yavin with the plans immediately.

During the trip there (and after an unpleasant encounter with the man who would certainly not be her husband because he was obsessed with money and seemed to possess not a single bit of compassion for those struggling against the Empire), she sat down with Luke and explained to him that yes, he was her twin brother, their father was Anakin Skywalker (he knew that part, but she didn't mention that another universe version of him was alive in Fandom, not yet at least), and their mother was Padme Amidala. She had to wonder about the wisdom of hiding Luke on the planet where their father had grown up and not even changing his last name, but that was hardly something that could be corrected now. Luke informed her that Obi-Wan had told him Vader had been the one to murder their father, which just made her hate him more. She'd spent enough time in Fandom around Jedi that she knew hatred was dangerous, but how could she not hate Vader for that and for torturing her and his part in destroying Alderaan and now murdering Obi-Wan?

Still, she was adept enough at controlling her emotions that she wouldn't let it consume her, much like her grief. There wasn't time for that now.

When they reached the base on Yavin 4, they were greeted by a face familiar to her, Commander Vanden Willard, an old friend of her father's. Later he'd tell her that he'd been speaking to Bail through a secure HoloNet channel when Alderaan was destroyed, crushing any hope Leia had that her father had been off-world when the planet was blown up by the Death Star. But for now he pulled her into a hug. "You're safe," he said. "When we heard about Alderaan, we feared the worst."

"We have no time for ours sorrows, Commander," Leia said, voice sad but controlled. "You must use the information in this R2 unit to plan the attack. It's our only hope. Alderaan and its people are gone. We must see that such does not happen again."

Until then, all they could do was wait.

[Adapted from "Star Wars: A New Hope" the movie and Star Wars: A New Hope the novelization.]