The Power Of Love                                           By Nadja Lee 19-06-99

 

English is not my native language, please forgive me my errors. For feedback mail me at neh@post10.tele.dk

Disclaimer: The characters and Star Wars belong to Lucasfilm, Lucas and 20 Century Fox and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money off it. Only the original idea contained within this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any website or archive without permission of the author. Mara and any other characters from the official novels are the probity of their makes. I am only borrowing them for awhile.

 

Summary: Leia falls to the dark side and it is up to Han to not only save the Republic but also save his wife from her greatest enemy: Herself.

Timeline: This story takes place 11 years after Return of the Jedi. This story follows after "Solo's Inheritance" but can be read alone.

Thanks to Naomi for the Beta. You’re the best!

 

Category: Romance/Action

Main character: Han Solo

Supporting characters: Mara and Leia

I rate this story PG-13 because of violence.

 

The power of love

 

You are my everything

My love

My life

Then darkness took you

From my embrace

     

Can I save you?

Can I succeed

Where everyone else failed

Can I bring light into

Your dark world

 

I don't care what they say

I don't care what you are

I will still love you

I will still protect you

I will not leave you

 

My love melted the

Ice around your heart

And I know that as long

As you are beside me

We can survive everything

 

I have seen the greatest

Power of all

I have felt the greatest

Power of all

The power of Love

 

 

He was in a dark room. Somehow he knew that what he was searching for was in the room. He was afraid. He could feel the evil in around him, trying to overpower him. Summoning his strength around him, he went father into the room. A light came on in the middle of the room and he could see it more clearly. There was a kind of rug hanging on one side of the otherwise bare walls. The place seemed familiar to him somehow but he could not remember why. He was, however, sure that he was inside an old castle of sorts.

 

"So, you have come," a very familiar female voice said to him. He quickly turned around, trying to locate the source of the voice but could not find it. He had to succeed, he thought; the whole galaxy depended on it, not to mention Leia’s life.

 

"No more games. Show yourself," he said looking around in the shadowy darkness near the walls. He could feel the evil getting closer and it took all his willpower to remain where he was. As he saw a woman slipping out of the shadows something told him that he would rather had been left in ignorance, as the truth he was about to see would not be pleasant. He held his breath as the woman came closer. Strange as it seemed, it was as if the darkness followed her. Whenever he thought he would see her face the shadows would fall on her again. And then, before he was ready or could do anything, she was in the light. He nearly screamed out loud in denial. There before him stood Leia, only it was not Leia at all. Her eyes held a sickening red gleam and her face was a grimace. He wished he could say that it was all a dream but the dark power he felt around her, the evil glint in her eyes, and the total absence of any warm feelings in her made it all only too real. He licked suddenly dry lips. He had never thought himself a coward but now when he was looking into eyes which had once only held warmth and love for him but now promised instant and painful death, he hesitated. He could not kill her. He just could not do it. He had seen the evidence of her evil only too much but still he could not. As he looked at her again his heart filled with pity and love for the woman, who—even after all what had been said and done—still held his heart in her hands.

 

His hesitation became his undoing as Leia used the dark side to move with supernatural speed to reach him. She activated her lightsaber and, from one heartbeat to another, cut a fatal cut over his chest, just deep enough so he would bleed to death in a few minutes. His eyes held surprise then pain as he buckled over. She deactivated the lightsaber and looked down at him. He looked back at her with eyes glazed with pain.

 

"There was no other way," she said and he could see the regret in her eyes and hear it in her voice. She knelt beside him and took him into her arms. While the life left him he thought about all the people who were going to pay in blood because he had not been able to kill Leia. Because he, like always, had thought of himself first and the others later. Billions of people had depended on him and he had failed them because his love for her had been too strong to break, even by the evil that now lived in Leia. As the pain got worse and his breathing weakened, he sought, as he had many times before, comfort in Leia`s nearness. To his surprise he could see one lonesome tear on her cheek. With his last strength he reached up and wiped it away. She looked seemingly without emotion at him, but he knew better. Or rather he refused to believe that the Leia he knew was completely gone.

 

"I love you. I will always love you," he said weakly to her, smiling sadly at her. Had he not always said that this Jedi thing was going to be his undoing?

 

"Ah, Han. What have I done?" Leia whispered to him and he knew that his love for her had saved her. For now. He knew that when he was gone she would have more reason then ever to dig even deeper into the darkness. But for now he glowed in the knowledge that she was his again. For the last time. Just seeing the love in her eyes again made it all worthwhile. Suddenly he felt as if the sun was shinning at him again and he did not fear death or the darkness anymore.

 

"I got to see you one last time. I couldn’t wish for more," he said hoarsely. Tears fell down his wife’s cheeks as she brought her lips to his. The kiss was indescribably gentle and loving. He tasted salt on his tongue, whether from her tears or his own he did not know.

 

"I can’t imagine a better place to die than in your arms, honey," he said softly. Then he felt his power leave him and his body went limp.

 

 

"No!" Han screamed and bolted upright in bed. "No," he whispered breathlessly as he drew a hand though his damp hair.

 

"Han, what is it?" Leia asked him, deep concern in her voice. She sat up beside him.

 

"Just a dream. Just a dream," he said shakily, and hoped—prayed—that it was just that.

 

But unbidden, Mara`s voice came to him: Well, you defiantly have the gift of insight. The ability to sense danger and see the possible future.

 

He shook his head to clear it. He would have to talk to Mara or Luke about this.

 

"Are you sure? The way you woke up I would say that it could have been an unpleasant vision," she said, one delicately-formed eyebrow raised. God damn it. She had always been to sharp for her own good.

 

"Please. I can’t talk about it now," he said. He thought, Not when the terror of what he had seen was still so alive in his memory; his eyes pleaded with her to let it go.

 

"OK,” she said, not at all at ease with his cryptic answer.

 

 "Come here,” he asked as he opened his arms in invitation. She eagerly went into his embrace. "Please hold me. Tell me you love me,” he asked his voice edged with despair. He needed to forget the dark images from his memory in her sweet embrace. He wanted her to tell him that everything was all right.

 

"I love you,” she said hoarsely, not understanding his despair but wanting to ease it. She drew his face to hers and kissed him passionately. The kiss deepened and a fire was lit in both of them.

 

The next morning:

 

Han stood at one of the private platforms on the Palace on Coruscant. His grandmother's ship The Midnight Pearl had just landed. It had only been one year since he and Mara had discovered the amazing secret that they were brother and sister, and that their grandmother The Empress of the Rusila Empire was still alive. They had not had time to visit her before now. Mara and Han had decided that enough was enough and had torn three months out of the calendar to visit their grandmother and see their birthplace and inheritance.

 

Han would have liked to have Leia and their kids with him, as Mara would’ve liked to have Luke and their kids with her, but the kids had school and Leia was to busy as the President of the New Republic. Recently the racial and undemocratic parties had been gaining a bigger and bigger majority of the votes for the upcoming Presidential Election in five months, where Leia of course would like to be elected again. The people wanted action and not just talk. He could understand that but he did not believe that those kinds of parties could bring anything but destruction. He would of course be home to support Leia the last two months before the election.

 

As an Admiral and Leader of the War Council, many had wanted him to wait with his visit to his grandmother but he had stood firm. He knew that there would always be something to keep him back if he did not insist on going now. Besides it was not like he was going to another galaxy; the War Council could still contact him. He knew that Mara had the same problem. She sat in the Jedi Council as she was a Jedi Master and like him it seemed that things always turned up just when she was on her way. The Jedi Council just had to have her assistance or opinion on something. As Luke was the leader of the Jedi Council he could not go with them. Especially now with the Election coming up.

 

He came back to reality as Leia and Luke came to say good-bye to Mara and him. They had already said good-bye to the children. As Mara and Leia talked Han took Luke aside.

 

"Promise me that you will look after Leia. That you will protect her,” Han asked of his bond brother and brother-in-law. He could not escape the feeling that something was going to happen.  And that Leia was the key to it all.

 

"Of course. You know I will,” Luke said, confused at Han's concern. Then a thought came to him. "Why do you ask? Have you had a vision?" Luke asked, death creeping over him. Han had always had a big potential for visions and almost all of them came true. What if Han had seen Leia`s death? He did not know that he would do if he lost his only sister.

 

"No. No. It is nothing like that,” Han reassured him, having read his thoughts. After a year of practice with Mara he was getting quite good at using the Force for the things he had potential in. But then mind reading with Luke had always come easy to him.

 

"Then what did you see?" Luke asked, happy that Han could read his thoughts and relieved that Leia’s life apparently was not in danger.

 

"I saw—" God damn it. Why was it so hard to say? Luke could explain his vision to him, tell him that it did not mean anything. But still he waited, not wanting to know it if Luke should tell him what he feared most of all and knew deep in his soul but did not want to acknowledge: It had been a vision of the future.

 

Han finally pressed on. "I saw Leia fall to the dark side,” Han said quietly, and saw the shock on Luke's face.

 

"She must have had help. She would never turn if she did not," Luke said, trying to figure it all out. But then again, did he just not want to acknowledge the truth because it was his sister they were talking about?

 

"Maybe,” Han said, not knowing very much of this falling to the dark side thing as it was no threat to him. He could never become a Jedi so for him it did not matter if he used the Force in anger.

 

"Anything else?" Luke asked, hoping they could avoid it if he knew all the facts.

 

"She did a damn good job of the falling thing,” Han looked Luke directly in the eyes, pausing before he continued. "She killed me."

 

"She did what???"

 

"Leia killed me,” Han repeated. Hope glimmered in his eyes as he looked at Luke. "You can prevent all this, right?"

 

"I don't know,” Luke said honestly. Then he saw the despair in Han's eyes, and stated firmly, "But I am going to try. As Master Yoda said: Always in motion, is the future.”

 

Han nodded, drawing hope from Luke's words. "Promise me you’ll call me if anything, anything at all, is indicating when something is about to happen,” Han said as he saw the two women coming towards them.

 

"I promise,” Luke said solemnly. Han smiled his thanks and went over to Leia as Mara went to Luke. He gently stroked Leia on the cheek.

 

"I love you,” he said seriously. "Never forget that,” he added. Then he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately.

 

"I love you, too. Have a good trip,” she said as they drew apart. Han nodded as he saw Mara coming towards him.

 

"Promise me that you will be careful with the Force while I am gone, ok?" he asked softly.

 

"I will,” she promised but he could see that she did not understand his reasoning.

 

"Ready to go?" Mara asked as she came up to her brother and Leia.

 

"Sure thing,” Han said with forced cheer and kissed Leia one last time.

 

"Bye,” he said, and he had the strangest feeling that he was saying good-bye to her forever; never to see her again.

 

Mara and Han walked up the ramp to the ship. The ship’s Captain greeted them at the door.

 

"Your Imperial Highnesses. It is a great honor to assist you in any way," the man said, and knelt before them. Mara and Han looked dumbstruck at each other for a moment.

 

"You may rise,” Mara said in a good imitation of Leia`s best ‘official regal’ voice. Han smiled at her. The man rose and they went inside the ship. It was an impressively big and luscious ship. They went into the living room while the ship lifted off. For a moment Han wished he were in the Captain's chair, flying the massive ship, feeling the power and looking out into space and the star-covered sky. After take off, the captain returned to see if they needed anything.

 

"I should tell you that the Empress would meet you at the Crystal palace in the Capital, Your Imperial Highnesses," the captain told them.

 

Han and Mara looked at one another; the Crystal Palace? "Thank you. That will be all,” Mara said and dismissed the man.

 

"You are getting quite good at this royal thing, hum?" Han asked teasingly.

 

"Well, I was after all born a princess,” she said with a smirk.

 

 

The Crystal Palace; two months later:

 

"And this is a Monace piece, dating back to the earliest days of the Imperial Family and—"  The Adviser, droning on, continued down the impressive gallery, pointing out various pieces of artwork.

 

Since Mara and Han had come to the Palace, Anastasia, their grandmother, had insisted that they learn some things about their heritage and inherence. The lessons had started with Han and Mara having to change clothes. Han from his usual spacer gear with a white shirt and trousers with the Corellian Bloodstripe down its sides and, of course, his gun belt.

 

But now he was dressed in clothes of silk and other fine material. He wore small shoes instead of his boots, very tight pants, an even tighter shirt and jacket and a form of band around his neck. His hair was in a very fancy style that was called wind blown even though it had never even felt a small breeze. He felt uncomfortable in the clothes but it eased a little as he noticed that all the women he went by looked after him and admired his handsome features and fighter figure.

 

He turned his head and looked at Mara. She’d had a jumpsuit on when they had arrived and she had looked very petty in it as it sat very tight on her well-shaped body. Now she wore a beautiful green dress that went well with her green eyes. The dress was made of a fine material and was as painted on the upper part of her body before it curved out by her hips. She had much fine jewelry on. On her ears, around her neck, and on her beautifully arranged hair she had a half-moon formed tiara that reminded him of the one his grandmother wore. She was breathtaking. He could not blame all the men for staring after her as she went past.

 

After the clothes were in order Han and Mara had gotten lessons in history, art, royal behavior (which was the one Han hated the most), politics, diplomacy (also a great irritation to Han), dancing (which he rather enjoyed), riding, fashion, and numerous other things. For him there was also fencing, self-defense, and many similar things. For Mara there had been sowing, cooking, and so on.

 

With admirable patience Mara had tried it for all of two days before she had rebelled and joined Han at his fencing lessons. Han had tried to show her how to cook so their grandmother, who firmly believed in the traditional roles for men and women, did not have a stroke when she heard of Mara`s lacking in the other "female" things. Han was a good cook and he was sure that she could learn it if she wanted to. But she didn't and the kitchen had looked like a battlefield when they were finished.

 

"What do you say we go up to the fencing room and practice instead of listening to this?" Mara asked him conspiritorily, keeping an eye on their instructor as he kept talking happily, not knowing that he had lost his audience.

 

"Why not? I  took this class already, anyway,” Han said as they sneaked away to the training room.

 

"You have already had this art thing? Where?"

 

"At the Academy,” he said as they ran though the corridors. This had to be the biggest palace in the galaxy, Han decided. And one of the most beautiful, too. Everywhere he went he had only seen beauty. The whole palace was kept in a classic design. Suddenly he stopped in one of corridors they were going though. The corridor seemed familiar somehow.

 

"What is it?" Mara asked as she stopped as well. She had hoped that she would be able to remember a little bit more about her life before she came to the Imperial Palace but had not been able to remember anything. Han on the contrary had often stopped as he saw something he felt was familiar. She had often wished she had more memories or even a few as Han had. 

 

"This corridor seems familiar. Like a memory from a dream."

 

"Perhaps you have been here before"

 

"Of course. That's it,” Han said happily. When he saw that Mara was waiting for an explanation he said:

 

"Do you remember the dream I told you about? The one that kept repeating itself, where I was running down a corridor to reach a door at the end?"

 

"Of course. It was that dream, or more like it vision, that finally told you who you were."

 

"It was this corridor I saw,” he said.

 

"Very interesting. That means that you have the ability to not only see the possible future but also see pieces from the past and not just blurred visions,” she said, talking to herself. This was getting to Jedi-like for him so he quickly said: "Come on. Let's go."

 

"Right behind you,” Mara said and lifted up in her long dress to keep up with him. After a while they reached the training room.

 

"Are you sure that you won't just like to watch, my fair lady?" Han said teasingly to her, with a meaningful look on her long dress.

 

"No way,” she said with a laugh. Only Han would ever think of calling her a fair lady and it sure as hell was only Han who could say it and get away with it. She got out of her dress and stood in her under dress.

 

"Don't you dare laugh,” Mara warned him.

 

"It would never occur to me, ma'am,” Han said solemnly but with a gleam in his eyes. Had it not been for her grandmother she would never have worn clothes like this, but it would have broken the old woman’s heart if Mara had refused.

 

"Let's see how cocky you are with a sword in your hand,” she said with a smile as she took a sword and threw one to Han; he easily caught it in the air. The swords were made of Ilivian Crystals, a material only found on that planet. These crystals were the only known materials that a lightsaber could not cut though. There were very few of them and all the crystal mines were own by their grandmother, therefore it was a very little-known and precious material. As they began fencing it was obvious that Mara was way ahead of him and she also won the fight as she used to. But then again she’d also had many years of practice with her lightsaber.

 

"Remember to take your sword with you,” Mara reminded him when they were done practicing. He found a belt and put the sword on. Somehow it made him feel more dressed to have a weapon at hand even though it was a sword that he was still not very good at using.

 

"Practice makes master,” Mara said as she had read his thoughts.

 

"Tell me again why it is I am to wear a sword?" Han asked, having not really paid much attention when he had gotten the explanation the first time.

 

"Well, first of all grandmother wants you to wear it from now on. It was your father's sword as well. Second of all we are going to yet another ball tonight and grandmother wants you to wear it as a symbol of your status,” Mara said, feeling for him because he could not wear a gun like she knew he wanted to. She herself would also love to have her lightsaber, guns, and knives that she normally wore on her. They were on their way to their rooms to change to the ball that started a few hours later as a servant came up to them. He went to his knees before them.

 

"Have I not said that you need not kneel before us, Josvisaw?" Han said as he recognized the servant.

 

"Yes, Your Highness,” the  man answered, but did not rise.

 

Well, tradition is hard to break Han thought. "Well??" Han asked. The man did not even flinch but Mara could see that he obviously did not understand what Han wanted. It seemed he communicated as ineffectually with servants as with droids.

 

"You may rise,” Mara said as she took pity on him. The man rose.

 

"There is a call to you in the Red Room from Coruscant, Your Highnesses,” he said.

 

"Do you know whom it is from?" Han asked, getting a very bad feeling about it all.

 

"It is from the Jedi Master and Leader of the Jedi Council, Luke Skywalker. Your Highness’s brother-in-law and Her Imperial Highness's Consort,” he said.

 

"Very well. Show us the way,” Han said. Something had happened. He was sure of it. He should have stayed home.

 

"Relax. We don't even know what this is about yet,” Mara said reassuringly to him as they went down the hall. But she also had a bad feeling about it all. As they reached the Red Room the servant left them. With a feeling of facing his own death warrant Han went over to the Holo Screen. Luke's serious expression did not look promising.

 

"Hi Luke,” he said.

 

"Han. We—ahm—I—" he began awkwardly.

 

"Spill it out,” Mara said impatiently as she came into the picture.

 

"Very well. We have lost Leia."

 

"What???" Han shouted. Luke looked sadly at him.

 

"I am sorry. I—"

 

"I don't care how sorry you are. Is Leia ok? What do you mean that you lost her?" Han said, his worry for his wife his only concern.

 

"I meant what I said. It looks like she was drugged and then kidnapped."

 

"Someone kidnapped the President and no one can find her?" Han asked in disbelief.

 

"The kidnapper was Force Strong and could shield his presence from me and the rest of the Jedi,” Luke said, sounding a little annoyed over Han's disbelief. Under normal circumstances Han would have thought of Luke and how much he must be hurting since his sister was missing and he could not find her, but right then he was too wrapped up in his own sorrow and concern. As always when he was in pain he lashed out in anger and this was no exception:

 

"You promised you would protect her. And what happened? She is gone,” Han said angrily but Luke could see the hurt in his eyes.

 

"He did what he could. You know that,” Mara said softly and lay a calming arm on Han's shoulder. He turned his head and looked at her. His first thought was to yell at her. To unleash his pain in anger but the love in her eyes made him stop.

 

"I know. I know. I’m sorry,” he said softly.

 

"We are coming home at once,” Mara said to her husband. "How is the Republic holding up without Leia?"

 

"Not good at all. The Human Party, the biggest of the racial parties, is winning more and more votes. If something does not happen they will win theElection,” Luke said sadly.

 

"Who will run in Leia`s place?" Mara asked.

 

"Well, right now it is Mon Mothma Mothma but—"

 

"That’s not smart,” Han said, as he finally seemed to come out of the shock-like trance he had been in. His anger at Leia’s disappearance made him rant. "She stands for all the bureaucracy and so on that people wants to get away from. What we need is a person who has their heart in the right place but who can make decisions fast in a time of crises and who does not hold on to all that political mumbo jumbo that the people don’t understand or care about."

 

"Well, until we find that person Mon Mothma stands. When will you be back?" he asked, looking at Mara.

 

"Uh, in three weeks."

 

"So long?" Luke asked dismayed.

 

"I am afraid so. We will have to say good-bye to our grandmother, hold a going away kind of reception, and tell our people that we are going back before time and therefore have to break the rest of our appointments,” Mara said, thinking.

 

"Very well. I will see if I can hold the flag up until you arrive,” Luke said.

 

"Look, I‘m— I’m truly sorry for what I said before,” Han said, regret in his voice and eyes.

 

Luke smiled. "It is ok. I would do the same had it been Mara who was gone and could be in danger."

 

"No. You would not. But thanks anyway,” Han said sincerely. He went out of the picture and to the back of the room so Mara and Luke could say their farewell in peace.

 

 

Onboard the "The Midnight Pearl":

 

Han twisted and turned in his bed. Pictures of Alderaan being destroyed and other cruelties by the Empire played before his eyes. As he looked down at himself he did not see himself but Leia`s body. She was bound to a chair-like thing in a dark room where the pictures came in front of her on a big screen. She was bound to the chair with strong metal bands and she could not move. Over her was a yormich so she could not use the Force to free herself. She had seen the pictures a long time and her anger grew in her.

 

With a start he was in his own body again and he awoke. His heart pumping and his brow wet with sweat he tried to sort it all out. He had been inside Leia`s body for a short time. Felt what she felt, seen what she saw though her eyes. Something like that had never happened to him before. The anger. Suddenly he remembered the anger he had felt. Ah, my God not that. Anything but that, he begged desperately. I got to help her, he thought.

 

He got out of his bed and sat on the floor next to it. He closed his eyes and reached out with the Force. As he was about to give up he finally reached Leia. His essence was surrounded by darkness but he fanatically searched for a light in her. Any light. Then he saw it. A small light slowly being consumed by the darkness. Suddenly he saw it as is was. Leia stood before him or rather her essence did. Her body shinning with a light glow like a small sun. He himself was there too and he was also shinning only more brightly. They were on what looked like a cliff. The darkness was all around them and it was closing in on Leia.

 

"Help me,” she said.

 

"Hold on. Please hold on,” he said as he ran over to her and grabbed hold of her glowing small hand.  The darkness formed what looked like a small black hole and began sucking Leia into it. Han pulled all he could but she continued to disappear. Now her feet were inside the hole.

 

"Please, Honey. I can’t do this alone. You got to fight the darkness," Han begged as he pulled and pulled.

 

"I can't. It is too strong," she said as her legs disappeared.

 

"No it’s not. Please come back to me. Fight,” he shouted, tears clouding his vision.

 

"I’m sorry, Han. I’m not strong enough,” she said sadly as she disappeared to the waist.

 

"You are. I know you are. Fight, God damn it,” he said desperately, still pulling at her.

 

"I am sorry. Forgive me,” she said as she disappeared though the hole. Only her right arm, the arm that Han was still holding on to, was still out. The pull from the hole became greater and Han saw to his dismay that it was about to swallow him also. Suddenly Mara appeared, shining brighter that any of them. She went over to Han but did not grab hold of him.

 

"You have to let her go. She will pull you down with her,” Mara said as Leia`s hand and Han's arm disappeared. He kept holding on to Leia`s hand which resulted in him being pulled faster and faster down the hole.

 

"I will not let her go,” Han vowed, trying to pull Leia out of there while still coming closer himself.

 

"Please Han. The Republic needs you. I need you. Let her go. To hold on now will only lead you to your own destruction,” Mara said. She was right. Han knew that. With an agonizing sigh he released his hold on Leia’s hand. But he was still being swallowed by the hole.

 

"Help me,” he asked, getting desperate.

 

"This is a journey you have to make yourself. Find the strength within you to break free,” Mara said.

 

"What?? How??" he asked disbelieving. Nothing could stop him from being swallowed like Leia had been.

 

"Use the greatest power of all,” she advised.

 

"What is that?" he thought out loud. A gun, a knife, or what?

 

"Use whatever power you think is the greatest of all. If it the right one, you will come free,” she said.

 

And what power is that, he thought. "You’re a real help, you know that?" he complained as he continued to disappear. Her answering smile filled him with warmth and love. Suddenly he could come a little free. Of course, he thought. Love. Love was the greatest power of all. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to forget where he was. He thought of Leia as he remembered her. Smiling at him, teasing him, kissing him, and giving him the greatest gifts of all: her love and children. He thought of his children. Of Jaina, Jacen, Anakin, Anastasia and Han Solo, Jr. He thought of Mara and the love he felt for his newfound sister. He thought of his good friends: Luke, Kyp, Lando, and many more. When he opened his eyes he stood beside Mara on the cliff. She gave him a hug and he could feel love and support going though him like water to the thirsty.

 

"You did the right thing,” she said quietly.

 

"Then why do I feel like I just lost the only thing in the galaxy that made my life worthwhile?" he asked her sadly as his heart was breaking. She gave him a quick hug then she smiled at him.

 

"Come. Let's go back,” she suggested. He nodded and with Mara`s help he found his way back. When he opened his eyes and looked at his empty room, he felt a sudden fear of being alone and headed for Mara`s room. She rose from the floor as he came in. She’d had the time to put a morning dress over her and Han became aware of the fact that he had gone past the Royal Guards in the hall from his room to hers in only underwear.

 

"Well, I was in a hurry,” Han said, defending himself as he saw Mara`s smile. As quickly as his humor had come as quickly did it disappear.

 

"Tell me that what I just saw was not what I think it was,"  he asked of his sister as he sat on a chair by the table in her room and she sat across from him.

 

"That depends. What do you think you saw?" she asked him quietly.

 

"I think I just saw Leia’s fall to the dark side,” he said and looked her in the eyes. Don't lie to me about this, his eyes said, as he knew that she considered telling a lie to spare his feelings.

 

"You are right. And now there is nothing to do until we reach Coruscant in three days,” she said in anticipation of his next question.

 

"I am sorry,” she said as she saw the hurt in his eyes that looked like oceans of frozen tears.

 

"So am I. So am I,” he said quietly and bowed his head. Then he lifted his head and Mara was monetarily taken back by the strength and determination in his eyes and face.

 

"She is not totally lost to me. I will not lose her! I can not believe that. I will get her back. Somehow I will,” he said strongly.

 

"I think it would be a good idea if I trained you more in the Force. You’re getting strong and you will surely need all the help you can get the day you face Leia,” Mara said, doubtful if Leia even could be turned back. She herself had felt the dark side and knew its strength. Only with help from Luke and Han's love had she been able to break free. "You will need a sword. I could make you a lightsaber."    

 

She saw the denial in Han's eyes.

 

"Now, Han,” Mara said, reasoning with her brother, “we know that Leia had help and I don't think they will just let you take her back.”

 

"Very well. I have brought father's sword with me," Han said.

 

"That will do,” Mara said. "Then we start tomorrow.”

 

"Right. Goodnight,” Han said and left.

 

"Goodnight." she said to the closed door. She knew that Han would not be able to sleep but she understood his need to be alone and try to keep his sorrow at bay. It seemed like a family trait that neither Mara nor Han liked showing weakness of any kind. She felt for him. She reached out with her mind and sent love and warm to him in hopes of comforting him. But she knew that only Leia`s return could comfort and help him.

 

 

Coruscant Palace:

 

"All right. Let the meeting begin,” Han said as he sat in the War Council room. Mara and him had returned home yesterday to a real chaos. Everyone was in a panic as it had become known (through Luke who had also felt his sister's fall) that Leia now was an enemy to the Republic and that there surely was more with her (someone had to have drugged her in the first place). Furthermore, the election was drawing nearer and they still did not have a good candidate for the election. So today all Councils held meetings, trying to find a solution to the problems.

 

"General Enida, will you open the meeting?" Han asked and the small but fighter-built young Livinian woman began to speak:

 

"In the middle of all this bad news I do have one good thing to tell. No wars of importance have started. "

 

Han nodded. He knew that there were always wars going on somewhere and the War Council often tried to solve these local problems, for example by sending peace troops to these planets, but still there was always a war going on. It was as sure as death and taxes.

 

"However, all the systems in the Republic want extra troops to protect them. We naturally do not have enough troops to protect them all so we are going to have to choose. And we are looking at one big diplomatic incident if one of the systems that we declared save is attacked,” she ended.

 

All looked at Han. "Well, I think that it is safe to assume that an attack will come. If I am correct then Leia will avenge Alderaan. That means that all systems that were loyal to Alderaan and the Rebellion from the beginning are safe."

 

"Have can you be so sure that it is what she wants? Maybe she is after Coruscant," Commander Ranulf asked.

 

"First of all that is what the Jedi Council has agreed on. Second of all I know my wife. Her only anger is towards the Empire and her greatest sorrow is the lose of Alderaan. I believe that the person behind all this also knows this. He has simply found a way to get that anger to the surface. Furthermore I know that Leia is not deliberately evil. If she makes destruction she will have to have a reason to do so. And revenge is often a very good reason,” he said with knowledge in his voice. He should know. He had often used revenge as an excuse for his private vendettas. That or honor.

 

"But if someone has another theory?" he asked. No one did. "So we all agree on this?" Han asked. Everyone did. But then he had not expected anything else. They were all military men and women and thought very alike.

 

"Very well,” he continued. “Send the fleet to these systems but leave a few destroyers around Coruscant. One never can tell.”

 

Enida spoke up next. "The last thing to debate is who is to run at the election. We have to find one candidate; the Jedi Council will also find one and the Senate will find one. Then when we all have found a candidate we will all sit together and the candidate with the most votes win and will run for the Presidency. The New Republic needs a leader."

 

"All right. Can we choose whomever we want?” Han asked.

 

"Yes. Also one who is not in this Council."

 

"Then I suggest Mara. She can get things done, will make the right decisions and I believe that she can turn this around,” Han said seriously.

 

"You’re right, Han,” Lando said.

 

"There is just one thing wrong. She has the Force. With already one President turned to the dark side the last thing people want and the last thing we need is the possibility of one more," Wedge observed.

 

"She will never turn,” Han said firmly, sure of that fact.

 

"You may know that but the public does not," Ranulf said.

 

"All right. Then she is not a good choice. And neither are the other Jedi,” Han reluctantly admitted. "And those in the Senate are precisely what we are trying to avoid. So that only leaves this Council. So who do we choose?"

 

Everyone looked at him.

 

"Wait a minute! Me???" he asked in disbelief.

 

"Come on. Admit it. You’re perfect for the job and the public loves you. Not to mention that you know how to act in front of a crowd. Your grandmother most has taught you that," Wedge said.

 

"Well, yes. but—"

 

"And you know Leia. You’re perfect. Now the only question is: Do you want the job or not?" Lando questioned.

 

All looked at him with hope in their eyes as if they expected him to perform a miracle and the threat was over.

 

"All right. I’ll do it,” Han said. There could be an advantage to this job. This way he could make sure that no one harmed Leia.

 

A short time later the two Councils and the Senate sat together.

 

"All right. Who have the War Council chosen?" Mon Mothma asked.

 

"We have chosen: Me,” Han said, feeling a little silly saying that, as he spoke for the Council because he was the President of the Council.

 

"I see. Who has the Jedi Council chosen?" she asked, her voice not betraying if she found that decision wise or not.

 

"We also choose Han,” Luke said, speaking for the Council.

 

"And we, the Senate, choose. Han Solo,” she said. "Then it seems that we all agree. Han will run for the Presidency.”

 

For a moment Han was stunned. Could he handle such a big responsibility? I must if I ever want to see Leia again, he thought. And he would do it well, he promised himself. He could do it. For Leia he would succeed and then bring her back. Back into his arms. And into his heart.

 

 

Coruscant Palace; one year later:

 

Han went though the corridors of Coruscant Palace on his way to a meeting. Not very surprising he had won the election and was now the New Republic's President. He had gotten a mixed reception by the other leaders in the galaxy but he had stood tall. Many had thought him to be incapable to handle the responsibility of leadership even himself had doubted. But the anxiety had so far been for nothing. The New Republic was in need of a strong leader, one who gave orders and expected them to be followed, one who had the strength, knowledge, cunning, wisdom, and courage to make life and death decisions in a minute, one who could talk to the public on their level and did not use all that political mumbo jumbo. Han had been able to provide that.

 

He had simply looked at the New Republic like one big military camp. And military he was good at so he had seen possibilities that no one else had. The Republic had gotten back on its feet now. He knew that there were still racial threats in the public, something like that could not disappear overnight, but at least now they stood together as one big nation and not a divided one. His methods had often been harsh on the way to peace in the New Republic but he knew that with an enemy on the outside they could not afford to be weak on the inside. So he had violated a few beings rights to the racists, so what? He would personally not mind seeing them all dead, as death was all they had ever given their victims. Now he was on his way to discuss their biggest problem: Leia`s continued raids against worlds formerly faithful to the Empire and of course the remains of the Empire it self.

 

One of the problems was that so many people actually supported Leia and could understand her need for revenge. Han even had quite a few in the army who defected and went over to her. Han could also understand her need for revenge, Gods knew that he had lived most of his life on revenge, but enough was enough. Because a leader was evil did not mean that his people were evil. Normally Leia would also understand this but not now when the darkness was in her. Now the only thing he knew and saw was the intelligence reports from the attacked planets. Hundreds of thousands of dead people. Men, women and children. Quite a few of them had been tortured to dearth.

 

He had refused to believe that Leia had ordered that or even anticipated in it but the Jedi Council had said that there was a possibility that she was so lost in her anger that she had done it. Han had always admired Leia`s military abilities and cunning. Now he saw it everyday. He had never thought of how formidable an enemy she could be. Now he knew. Every time he won two battles, he lost three somewhere else. He had became so desperate that he three days earlier ha