Padmé and Leia sneaked into the Council Room while Admiral Ackbar detailed their battle strategy for isolating unexpected Imperial ships. Padmé caught Anakin's glance and moved to him and Luke.

Breha stood beside Bail watching intently, her face stiff with worry. Leia nestled in beside her mother, who placed her hand around her daughter's shoulders. She gave her a comforting squeeze and pointed out a few key points to the operation. 

Not long after their arrival, the hatch slid open, admitting a royal messenger. The woman in royal livery approached the queen and whispered in her ear.

Breha interrupted Admiral Ackbar. "I apologize, Admiral, for the interruption. We are receiving a Code Red transmission from our junior senator on Coruscant that I believe you all should hear."

The Queen pressed a few buttons on her console, revealing a young Alderaanian man, with his hair in the traditional long braids of the clansmen from the hill country. The transmission reverted to blue static and then returned for a few seconds. 

"Imperial troops [crackle]—vading the city. The Emperor has declared martial law and has disbanded the Imperial Senate, claiming that some of the highest senators are plotting his demise even as we speak. Two Imperial fleets of star destroyers are sta—" The transmission cut off as two stormtroopers grabbed the senator.

The Council Room broke out in panicked babble. After a few seconds, Mon Mothma called the Alliance back to order, the adrenaline raging through every member.

Rieekan said with a worried frown, "That changes everything. We're going to need a lot more troops."

"And ships," Ackbar said.

Bail leaned on the hologram table. "How did the Emperor find out? Only the people in this room know anything about this."

Master Yoda lifted his gimer stick. "No leak here. The Force is strong with Sidious. Warning it has given him."

"Well, I'm beginning to dislike this Force more and more. What good is it if it's not on our side?" Threepio asked, interpreting Tarfful's Shriywook growls.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms. "The Force is a tool. It is neutral. Those who wield it can use it for either bad or good. Like that blaster over there. I can use it to protect people, but others can use it to attack. The morality does not lie in the tool, but in the wielder."

Mon Mothma nodded slightly. "Admiral, how many more ships will you need?"

"Hmm. Capital ships. Those star destroyers weren't really designed to last long against a frigate. We need to focus on taking out their shield generators, allowing the snub fighters to take out the guns. I expect the TIE fighters to swarm in heavy numbers as well. We will need at least five more heavy ships, with as many snubs as we can get."

"What about the ground forces?" Bail asked. "If we already have platoons of stormtroopers on the ground . . ."

Fulcrum spoke up for the first time all morning. "I can get you five more capital ships with five thousand armed troops, if you don't care where they come from."

"There aren't that many ships left in the Alliance," Ackbar said while wagging his chin tentacles.

The secret agent smirked mischievously. "I never said they would be Alliance ships."

Mon Mothma considered the offer. "We can't accept help if we don't know where it's coming from. What if they're aligned the Imperials?"

"They're not. Neutral system."

Obi-Wan asked, "Then how can you be sure they will join us?"

"I have an inside connection. This system only wants the war to end. If we can promise it will end, they will join us."

Mon Mothma asked, "How long until they can meet us on Coruscant?"

Fulcrum looked up to the ceiling, calculating her transit time and unforeseen circumstances. "Five, maybe six days."

General Rieekan asked, "Can't you even give us a hint who is coming? I don't like placing my trust in an unknown."

Fulcrum shook her head. "If they agree, they will be the most well-trained warriors you have ever encountered. I have worked with them before. The key will be getting them to agree to join us."

"This seems highly unlikely—well-trained warriors on a planet that only wants to seek peace?" Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows.

Fulcrum bent her head and mumbled, "It's a splinter group. Not the official planetary force."

Anakin's sharp ears heard her. "Mercenaries then. How much will it cost us?"

"That is yet to be seen," Fulcrum said.

Master Yoda waved his hand to Obi-Wan. "Master Kenobi, accompany Fulcrum you will. Perhaps negotiation will turn the tide."

Fulcrum bit back a laugh. "Yes, Obi-Wan, I think you might actually help."

Admiral Ackbar said, "Stay in contact with us. When you are ready to leave, we'll coordinate our arrival on Coruscant."

Mon Mothma said, "We need to vote on this first."

Anakin sighed and mumbled under his breath to Padmé, "We won't win this war in a committee."

Padmé folded her hand over his and whispered, "Patience. Political protocol is necessary, or we would just be another arm of the underworld."

Anakin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in frustration.

Without giving the leader even time to propose the vote, the entire council said, "Aye."

Breha looked at Mon Mothma with a conciliatory grin and shook her head at her friend. The Alliance tended to rebel against many conventions.

Obi-Wan asked, "So, how are we getting there, Fulcrum?"

Ahsoka looked at Bail. "Got anything?"

"I have some Delta-7's down on the planetary defense pad. Take a couple of those."

"Are those old things still space worthy?" A sheen of sweat broke out on Obi-Wan's forehead..

Bail grinned at the man. "Of course . . . but you might want to complete a thorough preflight, just in case I'm wrong." He winked at Ahsoka as the two exited the room.

The Wookiee Tarfful growled something, which See-Threepio translated. "Master Tarfful says that if we can disable the Wookiee inhibitor chips, they would join the fight. They have no ships to add to the space battle, however."

"That's always been the problem—those inhibitor chips," Rieekan said. His eyes gleamed at the thought of adding Wookiees to their ground forces.

After a long silence with no suggestions, Rieekan shook his head. "Well, we'll have to wait on that. As much as we could use the Wookiees on this assault, we don't have time to take Kashyyyk first and remove the chips. We need to concentrate on what we can do. How are we going to get past those troopers and get into the Imperial Palace?"

Anakin said, "I can lead in the 501st here, taking out the guards. That will open up a path for the Jedi to get in."

"So, you're just going to march up the steps and expect to see the Emperor?" Rieekan asked.

"He already knows we're coming. Nothing will be a surprise. It will just be a waste of effort to pretend otherwise."  Anakin changed the image to the Imperial Palace.

Master Yoda motioned with his cane. "Waiting for us he is. Traps he has laid here and here and here." Yoda pointed to each area of the old Jedi Temple, which was now the Imperial Palace. "Wait we must for Obi-Wan and Fulcrum to join us. Every Jedi will we need."

Mon Mothma looked at the group, intense faces eager to start this mission. "Gentle Beings, Operation Liberty has begun. May the Force be with you."

The entire council cheered in unison. "May the Force be with you!"

As the company broke up, Bail intercepted Anakin. "How are you planning on getting to your fleet without giving away our location here?"

"The Silver Streak, I suppose."

"Well, if you're going back to your fleet, I'm going with you." Bail glared at the man. "Your troops and fleet are vital to the success of this mission, but one wrong word in the wrong place can destroy us."

Anakin tilted his head. "You still don't trust me, do you?"

"No, I don't."

"Very well. Meet me at the Silver Streak in an hour." Anakin walked a few steps and then turned back to Bail. "And bring a blaster."

As Bail exited, Anakin turned to Padmé and Luke. "Luke, I want you to stay here. Protect your mother. Protect Leia. If this mission fails, the Emperor will look for you both. I will leave orders with the security forces to get you off planet. Return to Tatooine. Hide in Obi-Wan's cave."

"I want to go with you." Luke grabbed his father's hand.

"No, and that's final."

Luke hung his head in agreement.

Padmé's eyes, however, burned with fire. She placed her hand on Luke's shoulder. "Go find Leia and stay with her. Your father and I need to talk."

"Yes, Mother."

As soon as Luke was gone and the rest of the council room had cleared, Padmé said, "I'm going with you, Anakin. I'm not going to lose you again."

"Padmé, no. I may have to do things . . . that you would never want to see. I may not be—"

"No." She took his gigantic hand in her small one. "I'm going with you. Anakin, it was only when you were with Palpatine alone that you were deceived. I'm not going to let that happen again." She stroked his face, pulled his head down toward her, and kissed him softly. "Together we can defeat him, Ani. Apart we will fail." 

He took in a breath, closing his eyes, as he thought through how everything could fail, how she could die so easily at the hands of Sidious. 

"Besides, I know of many places to hide on the Silver Streak. You wouldn't know I was aboard until it was too late. So, would you rather me hide on the ship or be in your bed during transit?"

He tilted his head, smiling. "Obi-Wan has nothing on your negotiation skills. But Luke is staying here."

"I agree. He and Leia will be safer here."

Luke discovered Leia walking down the corridors with her mother. He ran to her and grabbed her by the hand, whispering something in the girl's ear. 

Leia's lips curled, and she lowered her eyes in anticipation. She turned to her mother, her face composed in regal comportment. "Mother, may Luke and I go play in my quarters?"

Breha knelt down to her daughter. "Yes. I think that would be fine. You were very attentive in the council meeting. Enjoy yourself this afternoon."

"Thanks, Mother." Leia kissed her on the cheek and ran off down the corridors, hand-in-hand with Luke.

"Leia, a princess doesn't run." Breha's words were lost underneath the twins' giggles and footsteps.

When they reached Leia's rooms, Luke grabbed a satchel from her closet. "Quick, change into your combat gear while I pack us some food. Are those blasters in the arena any good outside the arena?" 

While Luke rummaged through a cabinet in the bedroom, Leia changed her clothes in the walk-in closet. "Of course, they are. We just have them set to stun in the arena."

"Good. We'll swing by there first."

"Where are we going, Luke?"

"To the Silver Streak. Quickly, Leia. We don't have that much time. We have to get there before the rest do." Luke slung the bag over his back. 

Leia exited the closet, now dressed in her combat suit and boots. She slung another bag over her shoulder and joined Luke in the bedroom.

"What's in that?"

"Clothes. I'm not going to wear the same outfit for an entire week, Luke. Really!"

He rolled his eyes at the girl and led the way down the corridors. The twins worked together, hiding in alcoves, running into empty chambers, evading the adults. 

In one room, Luke found a bowl of fruit on a side table. While Leia kept watch, he emptied the entire bowl into his bag.

The princess looked back just in time to see him bite into one. She laughed when he gagged and spit out the bite.

"What is this?"

"Wax. They're fake. Only for display." Leia giggled at him as he dumped the decorations on the floor.

"It's not funny. These taste horrible." Luke spit on the polished marble.

"Gross!"

When they made it to the arena, the place stood dark and empty. Luke looked at each blaster, choosing one for himself with the highest charge. Leia grabbed her pistol that she usually used and a blaster. After shoving the gear into their bags, they headed to the Silver Streak.

No one was near the Silver Streak except the astromech droid R2-D2. The droid beeped an inquiry at Luke, who ignored him. The droid scolded them as Luke led Leia quickly onto the ship.

The boy found a storage compartment near the top of the ramp in a dark alcove beside the turbo lift. There was a bench molded to the bulkhead, but nothing else.

Leia looked at it and then back at him. The place was cramped and austere. "This is your big plan?"

"Yeah, they'll never find us here."Luke smiled with enthusiasm.

"You're a fool." She pushed past him.

"Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?"

"Stop quoting Master Kenobi, weirdo, and get in here before they find us." Leia pulled his arm. 

Luke pushed the control outside the hatch to shut the unit and jumped in as the door slid down behind him.

Did you know . . .

● Did you really expect the twins to stay back on Alderaan? That would be so out of character for both of them.

Tell me what you think . . .

● Who are Ahsoka's friends?

● Why does Ahsoka believe Obi-Wan can help?