LOST KINGDOM ─ star wars

XIV. Revealed

Chapter Fourteen
Luke

I'm jumping out of my seat the moment the X-Wing touches the ground outside of the rebel base. I rip my helmet off and turn around to find Holly already making her way down the ladder. I follow after her, getting enveloped in a large hug as soon as my feet hit the ground.

"You were amazing out there! Absolutely incredible!" Holly shouts, clutching onto me tightly, her cheery voice making heat rush to my cheeks.

I try not to stumble over my words, not wanting to ruin the moment by being an incoherent dork. "Y-you were incredible, too. I'm lucky to have you as a co-pilot."

Now her cheeks are the ones to redden, making my smile grow. But she steps aside, allowing Jayce and Han to run up to me and envelop me in their arms. Jayce laughs and clutches onto my shoulders while Han tussles my hair and clasps me on the back. Chewie runs over and wraps his hairy arms around all of us, picking all three of us off the ground and letting out a loud roar.

Leia and her parents make their way over as well. She doesn't immediately go for me through, she launches herself into Jayce's arms and lets out a laugh. Jayce stumbles back in surprise but returns her embrace, spinning her around in his arms. Jayce's face is beet red when he sets her down, but she doesn't have time to notice. She wraps her arms around Han and me at the same time, shouting to us triumphantly; "I knew you could do it! I knew it!"

"So did we," Aiden says, a proud smile on his face, along with something else. He almost looks sad, and after he says this I know why; "Your parents would be so proud of you."

He said before that he and Padmé knew my father...but he never said anything about my mother. I know less about her than my father, like Jayce, I don't even know her name. But I don't dwell on that now, I take what Aiden says to heart. I want to think my parents would be proud of me.

Aiden clasps my shoulder and grins down at me, with Padmé cupping my cheek gently and shouting to the pilots, the warriors, the spies, the rebels surrounding us; "To Luke Skywalker and Holly Addison, the heroes of the rebellion!"

Everyone in the rebellion cheers, but not just to us, but to the victory we achieved today. Today is the day the galaxy saw what the rebellion can do, what hope can do. We have given the galaxy a chance to defeat the Empire, to avenge the people that have suffered and died by their hand. My parents, Jayce's mom, Ben...they will be avenged, their deaths won't have been for nothing.

Near the stone structure, behind all of the cheering rebels, stands a glowing figure. I feel my smile falter, confusion seeping into me as I try to focus my gaze on the figure. My smile returns as I register who it is. It's Ben.

Jayce notices him, too. Tears spring into his eyes, a laugh leaving his lips as he nods to his father. Ben nods back, smiling at the both of us, a father's pride boasting on his face.

I look back down at Jayce, seeing the happiness in his eyes, the joy that has been absent from him since his father died. I never want to see that joy go away again. I know that I want to avenge the deaths of my parents, of the family I lost. But I also want to fight for Jayce, Ben, Han, Chewie, and the other rebels. I want to fight for the family I have now.

-

Vader

In his palace on Mustafar, in the deepest catacombs below the surface, far away from the boiling lava, sits the Emperor, his expression very annoyed.

"How did a small band of rebels manage to blow up the Death Star?" Sidius inquires, his voice cold, quiet. It's much more terrifying than him blowing up in anger, it's unsettling. He must be really angry.

"Perhaps your Death Star wasn't all it was cut out to be. I mean, how effective could it have been if a single X-Wing blew it up." I hear the prime minster say next to me.

I roll my eyes so far back into my skull it hurts. I turn my head slowly to the side to look at him, finding his hologram's arms crossed and his grin wide. I hate him.

Elon Warren was named Prime Minister of Taris after Genevieve died. He was a proud man, filled with wisdom and confidence. He was tolerable, far more tolerable than the son that has taken his place. Elias Warren became Prime Minster of Taris nearly two years ago, after his father died mysteriously in his sleep. His death is still yet to be solved, unless of course you've met his son, then you know it was him. Elias Warren is a handsome face that hides a entitled, petulant man-child.

He acts like he's a real king, like Taris is really his. It makes me angrier than anything else. Many things have changed in the last twenty years, but my feelings about Taris haven't. Seeing this brat makes me glad that Genevieve isn't here to see him on her throne, it makes me glad she isn't here to see what he's done to her planet. It makes me...it makes me glad Fallon isn't here to see what's happened to the planet she fought so hard to defend.

I try to keep my tone as calm as possible as I say; "You have been called here for a reason, Prime Minister. There has been a new development that you and the Emperor will both want to hear."

Warren sighs, waiting rather impatiently. The Emperor sits back and waits as well, gesturing for me to continue. So I do.

"Before the Death Star was destroyed, a small group infiltrated the station to try and break Leia Amidala out of our capture. Among this group was Obi Wan Kenobi."

This gets Sidius's attention. He links his wrinkly fingers together and rests them on his lap, a small smile crossing his mouth. "So he did not die as we had thought. Was he taken care of?"

"Yes, my master," I say, feeling the slightest bit of hesitation before I say; "But something was revealed from this encounter."

"And what was that?"

"When I struck him down, one of his companions saw it. He was a young man, perhaps twenty in age, holding a lightsaber in his hands. He screamed 'dad' when he watched him die."

This wipes the smile right off Sidius's face, and it makes Warren's mouth gape open, his hands slack at his sides.

"You-you don't think—" Warren begins.

"Jayce Daulton lives," Sidius cuts him off, his expression growing cold again, his anger boiling hotter than the lava flowing above us. "The last of the Daulton line lives."

"But-but that's impossible. He died, he died in an explosion." Warren tries to rationalize. I smile to myself, enjoying his entire life collapsing under him.

"Yes, the same explosion that was thought to have killed Obi Wan Kenobi, but that clearly wasn't the case. Jayce Daulton must be taken care of immediately. He has been trained as a Jedi and he is the heir to Taris. He cannot be allowed to live."

"Allow me to hunt him, my lord," Warren asks, determination flooding into his features, anger replacing the shock. "Allow me to kill the last Daulton, the last Jedi."

To my surprise, Sidius nods. "Very well, but don't underestimate him, Prime Minister. Kenobi was one of the most powerful Jedi to ever live and his mother was beloved by all her people."

"They're my people now." Warren says through clenched teeth.

"While the Daulton boy lives, you have no people. If word gets out that he lives, then the people will rally to his side. You must eliminate him before that happens."

Warren bows to the Emperor, that signature pride filled grin on his face. "I won't fail, my lord."

"You better not. You will do well to remember that you are replaceable. If you don't kill Jayce Daulton, I will find someone else who can."

Warren tightens his jaw but bows again, cutting off his hologram transmission. Now that we are alone, the Emperor turns to me with a less cold expression, his sickly yellow eyes glowing brightly. "You, my friend, have a mission as well."

"My lord?"

"You say a single X-Wing pilot took out the Death Star? I want you to find out who this special pilot is." He orders me, his wrinkled face widening in a grin.

I get down onto my knee and bow, my mechanical breathing filling the empty space between us for a moment before I finally say; "As you wish, my master."