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[Once she takes a seat, she opts to ignore the box of pastries and instead focus on his request. It's the comment about talking with Obi-Wan about "some of the events" that does it. Her lips tighten into a thin line, and she gives Qui-Gon a pointed look, because while she's sure there's more he might want to know, talking with Obi-Wan leads her to assume he's interested in one topic in particular. Since, you know, she's not sure what else Obi-Wan knows about the future.]

Do these events happen to go by the name of Darth Vader?

[Welp that sure was a bad way to start off their conversation. Good job, Qui-Gon. Really working that charm, there.]

[He takes Leia's Look in stride and doesn't respond to it outside of making some placid eye contact and keeping a gentle tone to his voice.]

Not directly, no.

But perhaps that is a good place to start.

[Despite his gentle tone and calm demeanor, Leia's posture remains rigid and her expression is guarded and unreadable. Obi-Wan may speak highly of Qui-Gon, but Leia doesn't know him much at all, and this conversation is one she doesn't like having with anyone.]

We can start with what Obi-Wan already told you.

[It's not a promise of actually giving him information, it's more to see what he already knows and where they stand in this conversation.]

[Even without knowing the full gamut of Leia's political career, Qui-Gon can tell just from this brief exchange that she's one hell of a negotiator, just like her mother. He didn't come in expecting a stand-off, but at the same time the information he's after isn't exactly the most pleasant, and he didn't consider just how deep a wound talk about her father could strike Leia.]

[He's getting rusty. No bueno.]

Alright.

I know that Anakin is your father, that your birth was hidden from him, and that you were brought up by the Organa family. I also know that Anakin fell to the Dark Side, your mother died in childbirth, and that you have a twin brother.

[He pauses for a moment to serve them both some of the tea, his eyes catching the way the steam wisps out of his cup before he continues.]

I can elaborate further as necessary, but I'm afraid there isn't much more that I've been made privy to.

[Despite the content of his response, Qui-Gon remains composed and compassionate. He's on Leia's side here, regardless of the part he (unknowingly) played in her suffering.]

[Though Leia glances at the tea as Qui-Gon pours them both a cup, she makes no move to reach for it. Were it a more pleasant conversation, she would, but discussing Darth Vader is about as far from that as it's possible to be. The main reason she decides against reaching for it is because she's unsure what sort of reaction it might have, thanks to Verens' unique environment. Something worth noting, especially since despite Leia's best efforts and though her outward appearance does not change much, the temperature in the room rises a few degrees as soon as Qui-Gon describes Anakin as her father.]

I claim no relation to Anakin Skywalker, and I'd like it if you respected that.

[the tone used to say Anakin's name implies she 100% means that as Darth Vader. She knows she's related to him, of course, as much as she hates it, but she doesn't have to acknowledge it beyond that as far as she's concerned. She would prefer it stay a secret no one else in the galaxy knows, even though by now she knows better.]

The man I consider my father is the man who cared for me and raised me as his own, not the monster who forced me to watch my planet's final moments.

[it's not as if she wants to talk about Alderaan, but since it no doubt will be heading there anyway, it's best to get it out of the way now. She's mostly hoping it has the added effect of ensuring Qui-Gon not call Anakin her father. At least, not where she can hear it anyway.]

[It doesn't take the temperature in the air jumping up a few degrees for Qui-Gon to realize that Leia may have a slight disagreement with being associated with Anakin. He remains calm, empathy seeping into his tone as he responds.]

My apologies. It won't happen again.

[And by that, he means referring to Anakin as her father, not the whole watching her planet's final moments thing... because really that's the kind of thing that only happens once, anyway.]

[It also serves as a grim example that cements just how twisted Anakin will become. The moment Qui-Gon thinks it can't get any worse, it does.]

May I assume 'Darth Vader' is the mantle he dons?

[duh.]

"Darth Vader" is the name he was known as throughout the galaxy.

[which is to say, yes obviously. She says it simply, in a very matter-of-fact way, only partially because she assumed this was something Obi-Wan would have already covered. It wasn't as if the name Darth Vader was something he ever asked about.

Despite his best efforts, Qui-Gon's apology and the empathy with it has little effect on Leia's mood, the temperature remaining where it is. To his credit, though, the temperature doesn't rise any further than it already is. For now.]

Did Obi-Wan not explain how that came about?

[That's good, at least. He'll take whatever small victories he can.]

He told me about Vader's role in destroying the Jedi Temple on Coruscant along with the events that led up to that moment.

[Qui-Gon's tone goes even quieter than its usual tranquility. Thousands of lives lost to Anakin's--Vader's--anger, and that was apparently just the beginning.]

I've heard very little of what occurred after, all of which I've shared with you already.

I don't know how much was shared with him about everything after that. You're welcome to fill him in, if you're so inclined. I doubt he'd want to hear it, though.

[Obi-Wan has to know some of it, either from Luke or someone from Ben's time, but she never asked just how much he knew. As she continues, as with before, her tone is kept as even as possible given the subject matter, but once again, the temperature rises. She may not be talking about what Vader had done to her specifically, but even thinking about him in abstract is enough to bring forward that anger and hate she feels for him.]

Darth Vader was one of the people closest to the Emperor. There was no length he wouldn't go to in order to carry out his missions, though I assume you've already guessed as much.

Whether or not he wants to hear it doesn't change the fact that he may have to.

[He hated putting Obi-Wan through any kind of misery, and if their brief but poignant talk proved anything, it was that the topic of Anakin's fall to the Dark Side was an utmost source of said misery. Hiding from the truth didn't make it any less of a reality, but at the same time, perhaps it didn't need to be Obi-Wan's reality. Not yet, at least.]

[If and when the time comes, Qui-Gon will make that decision at his discretion. Hopefully 'if' wins out over 'when'.]

Palpatine, if I recall correctly.

He was clearly power hungry around the time of the attack on Naboo--he was only a senator, then--but nobody forsaw the lengths he was willing to go to in order to obtain and keep absolute power.

That's correct.

[She hears Qui-Gon's comment about Palpatine's behavior, certainly, but thinks there's little sense in responding to it. There's no point in consoling him for not seeing it. In other situations she would take it upon herself to do that, but not when when Emperor is involved. No, there was no way to know how far he would go, but as far as Leia cares, that absolves no one of the responsibility for his rise to power.]

Obi-Wan has said he was also a Sith Lord, but that's not my area of expertise.

[Not that she feels Qui-Gon needs to know much about the Sith, or at least he doesn't need to hear that from her.]

The fact is the Republic and the Jedi were both destroyed by Darth Vader and Palpatine.

[That's fine. In Qui-Gon's eyes, neither her nor the Order deserve absolution from their inability to uncover the presence of a Sith Lord from as close to under their collective noses as one can get. He won't search or ask for anything close to it.]

What about the Senate? Did it also cease to function?

There was a Senate, but it's not as if it functioned as a proper governing body. Palpatine disbanded it a few years ago, but it's not as if he needed to do it officially.

[since after all, the Senate couldn't do much to reign in Palpatine's power, and largely served mostly to fool the majority of the galaxy that they had some input in the galactic government. The temperature cools slightly as Leia's focus shifts from Vader to the Senate, because while still personal, the Senate isn't as sensitive a subject. Not in the same way Vader is, at least. Her time as a senator feels like an entire lifetime ago, something she feels half detached from at this point.]

[Oh good, it feels and sounds like they’re treading into a slightly more comfortable direction. Qui-Gon continues to move along this path, taking a sip of his tea while he considers Leia’s words further.]

[Palpatine’s movements, heartbreaking and ruthless as they may be, make a certain sort of sense and work as a testament to his almost overwhelming guile. Make the galaxy into a dictatorship one step at a time—anything too sudden would spark more revolt than could be contended with. Not that Qui-Gon doubted any rebellion to Palpatine’s madness. The people of the Republic, such as it is, loved their freedom.]

What about resistance against his takeover?

I'd think that's obvious. Not everyone took his takeover sitting down.

[Many people did, others were already in league with him, and yet others saw the rebels as the ones who were the problem here, not the empire. But that's not what he asked about, as much as she'd be fine with talking more about the rebellion in theory. Specifics, not as much, because that's still something she refuses to talk much about on principle.

Her own tea still goes ignored as she continues, preferring to talk without the false pretense that they're here for a casual chat.]

The Empire did what it could to quash signs of rebellion in some systems, but the Alliance as a whole I doubt they took seriously until the past few years.

[The teacup makes a soft thunk as Qui-Gon places it back on the table, lacing his fingers in thought.]

And what changed to make them take the Alliance seriously?

We destroyed their new weapon, among other things. They were certainly more determined and willing to devote resources to stamping us out after that.

[It's said simply, very nonchalant, as if it's not actually more complex than just destroying the Death Star. The Death Star was a big part of it, yes, but the fallout and increase in defections as a result of Alderaan's destruction was also involved. She knows there's no way for Qui-Gon to know what happened, especially if his only source was Obi-Wan, but she's not sure just how in-depth he wants to get with this explanation.]

[The way Qui-Gon's eyebrows arch shows that he is very much interested in the details. The idea of war is never welcome, especially for a keeper of the peace, but rebellion against an oppressive regime is nothing to discard. It was, however, a crime that it was necessary in the first place.]

[He can't help smiling just a bit, almost as if in congratulations.]

That must have been some weapon.

[Leia doesn't return Qui-Gon's smile, her expression remaining aloof and unreadable instead. It's not that she's not happy the Death Star is gone, because she is, but despite her initial lack of professionalism when the first was destroyed, there's a time and place for celebrating that. A conversation about the future with essentially a stranger is not that place.]

It was a monstrosity that should never have been built in the first place. [you know, like the Empire itself.]

Planetary destruction is something no one should have power over.

You'll find no argument from me.

[Where Leia remains aloof, Qui-Gon allows himself to show the emotion underlying his words. In a normal negotiation, it would be a disarming tactic to make his opponent lower his or her guard. However, he's not in negotiations with Leia despite what the atmosphere (literally) may suggest. He's just here to find out some information and legitimately get to know her better. He doesn't blame her for having her guard up, however. He may as well be a stranger to her, and one who's dredging up some not so great topics at that.]

[It's hard to get mad when he takes that perspective. Thanks, Jedi Code, for helping with that whole refraining from judgment thing.]

What part did you play in the rebellion, if it's all right to ask?

It is.

[Mostly because the way things were now, it's common knowledge throughout the galaxy just how involved in the rebellion she is. Having a death mark and a large imperial bounty on your head tends to do that. Though she does agree to answer his question, it doesn't change her posture or expressions any. She doesn't trust Qui-Gon enough or know him well enough--even with Obi-Wan's praise--to let her guard down and actually relax around him, instead using the well-practiced facade she's worn often in the past.]

My father was one of the founding members of the Rebel Alliance. I assisted in lower-risk missions when I was younger, until I took over his seat in the senate and gathered intelligence for the rebellion. But as things are now, I work with High Command, planning missions and supply runs and providing my input where necessary.

[and also where it's not necessary. She can't help it.]

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