Living with Family and Friends

It's been three years since Katooni began her new life living on Alderaan, and even still she wasn't entirely sure what to think. Being thirteen years of age she's still young in appearance, but due to her experiences she's much more mature than most kids her age.

Ever since starting her life in Alderaan, she's lived with the Royal Family as a surrogate daughter, and also as Princess Leia's caretaker and friend. Bail and Breha both approved of the idea, and Katooni herself is perfectly happy and content with it. Still, she can't seem to shake the horrible memories of that fateful day, three years ago...

*"We can take him!" he declares.*

*He rushes forwards towards the Sith, lightsaber raised determinedly.*

*"Petro!" she exclaim in alarm.*

*"Petro no! Stop!" Jarik cries out.*

*She's forced to watch as Petro is yanked through the air and stabbed by the Sith's blade.*

*"PETRO!" she screams, sobbing.*

It still haunts her, even more so than watching the rest of her clan mates and teacher fall at the hands of the clones. If Jarik wasn't there to save them, she would've met the same fate... and unfortunately he couldn't save Petro.

The door to her room opens, and Katooni looks up with a smile upon seeing Leia entering. The Alderaan Princess was one of the greatest things in life that Katooni cared for, and brought her happiness. Even as a three year old toddler, Leia was still very smart for her age, and capable of walking easily without any trouble whatsoever. She looks up at Katooni with a grin, holding up a piece of paper.

"Look at what I drew Katooni!" she says happily.

Katooni takes it and looks at the drawing. Looking past the obvious messiness of a child's drawing, she smiles softly at the sight of her and little Leia standing together, a crudely drawing Alderaan landscape behind them.

"It looks amazing Leia," she praises.

"Thanks! I want to hang it on a wall like the other family pictures!" she replies happily.

"Have you shown your parents?" Katooni asks.

"Not yet. I wanted to show you first," Leia admits shyly.

Katooni's heart melts, and laying the picture on the desk beside her, she reaches down towards Leia.

"Come here little princess!" she says mischievously.

Leia giggles and squeals happily as Katooni picks her up from the floor to set her in her lap, playfully messing with her hair and tickling her. Leia fights back with a few laughs, shoving Katooni to lay down on the bed, and the former Jedi youngling laughs as well.

Katooni and Leia head towards the dining room, where dinner was about to happen. Bail and Breha were already in there, and looked up at the sight of the young girls entering the room. Leia rushes forwards and holds up her drawing excitedly.

"Mommy, daddy, look what I just drew!" she says.

"Will you look at that," Bail muses.

"It looks wonderful sweetie," Breha replies with a smile.

"Can we hang it up with the other pictures?" she asks hopefully.

"Of course we can Leia," Breha tells her.

"Yay!" she cheers, and the other three in the room all smile at her.

"Well come on, sit," Bail urges. "It's time for dinner."

"Ok!" she replies.

Leia moves forwards and sits in her chair, although she was a little bit short. Katooni moves forwards to compensate by raising the chair's hydraulic a few inches so that it was at a proper level for her, and then sits down beside the princess herself. Bail and Breha both sit at their opposite ends of the table as a couple handmaidens bring out the food.

"Thank you," Bail tells them gratefully once they're finished.

With respectful bows, the handmaidens then leave the room, allowing the family to begin their meal. Katooni bites daintily into her food, while Leia picks at some of her vegetables with a grimace.

"Leia, eat your balks beans. It's good for you," Breha tells her.

"I don't like them," she protests.

"They're healthy, and will hope you grow into a strong woman. Eat up!" Breha urges.

Leia pouts in disagreement, crossing her arms and glaring at the beans, as if they were the cause of all her troubles.

"Leia..." Bail says warningly.

"Do I have to?" she asks.

"Eat them, they're good," Breha says with a nod.

"They're not that bad Leia," Katooni reasons, taking a bean with her fork and chewing on it. "See?"

"Ok..." she says uncertainly.

Leia jabs some of the beans with her fork and brings them to her mouth, biting them off. She chews slowly, making a couple of face before swallowing the beans. She doesn't say much, but then continues to eat some more, much to the parents relief.

"So, how was your day today girls?" Bail asks.

"It was ok," Leia answers. "Mrs. Dolan taught us about shapes."

"Oh really? What kinds of shapes?" he questions.

"We learned about triangles, squares, circles, and even a trapezoid!" she says. "My favorite is the circle."

"Well that's wonderful sweetie," Breha says with a smile. "What about you Katooni? How was your day?"

"It was alright," she shrugs in response. "Nothing much to say. Regular school is weird though compared to my Jedi lessons."

"I can imagine so," Bail replies with a nod.

"All the kids are so... roudy," she states with a disapproving frown.

"What was it when you were growing up?" Leia asks her curiously.

"A lot more quiet, that's for sure," Katooni says.

A knock on the door is then heard, and one of the handmaidens pokes her head into the room.

"Excuse me sir, but you have a visitor," she says uneasily.

"Who is it?" Bail questions.

The handmaiden steps inside and shuffled back a few steps, head bowed as an Imperial Officer steps through the door, flanked by a pair of stormtroopers. Bail, Breha and Katooni all freeze up in alarm, and Leia looks at the Imperial's nervously, glancing between them and her parents.

"Senator Organa, I'm Lieutenant Jaber from the Imperial Security Bureau," the Officer states.

"Lieutenant Jaber," Bail greets with a hard expression, his face neutral. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I just have a few questions for you, in order to set aside any concerns the Empire may have related to your, 'relief groups,'" he says.

Bail looks at him warily for a few moments and then sighs, nodding his head. "Very well. Breha, you and the kids head to the living room."

"Actually, the rest of your family may stay here," the ISB agent interrupts.

"Why?" Bail demands. "I thought your questions were for me."

"It's just a protocol, so that we may have witnesses to attest to whatever happens here today Senator," he states impassively.

Katooni eyes the agent warily, feeling nervous about the situation, worried that the secret of them supporting the rebel groups has been discovered. Bail has a heavy frown on his face in annoyance and disapproval, but relents.

"Fine. Ask away agent."

"We are well aware of your relief effort groups for supporting others who are, 'in need of help.' Yet very often much of your supplies turn up in the hands of criminals," Jaber states.

"Are you suggesting that my husband is delivering our supplies to criminals?" Breha demands heatedly.

It is true of course, but the Empire can't be allowed to know that. Which is why this is so nerveracking.

"No, but your shipments quite often do end up in the hands of dangerous rebels," he replies.

"Such as?" Bail asks.

"There are a few, but known associates do include Jarik Shan, a Jedi," Jaber reveals.

Katooni glances briefly at Leia and Breha, lowering her head for a moment before trying to wipe the nervousness from her face. The mention of Jarik brings up memories.

"I see," Bail says slowly with a nod. "Then this is a problem I must look into."

"The bigger question is how was that allowed in the first place Senator?" Jaber questions.

"My mission with the relief effort ships is to distribute aid, not head into a war zone," he retorts. "Which is why my ships are not very armed."

"Then I would suggest improving the security of your ships Senator," he replies firmly. "The Empire won't tolerate sloppy behavior that allows our enemies to gain strength."

"I assure you, helping criminals of the Empire is not our intention," Bail says.

"Then you must work to assure the Emperor that is the case," Jaber states, raising an eyebrow at him. "We wouldn't want him to intervene with your, 'relief efforts,' would we?"

"No, we would not," Bail growls through his teeth.

Lieutenant Jaber then nods in satisfaction. "Very well then. Good day Senator Organa."

The ISB agent turns to the door and leaves with his two stormtroopers, closing the door behind them. Once the Imperial's leave, Bail lets out a heavy sigh, and Breha looks at him in concern.

"Are you alright honey?" she asks.

"I'm fine," he reassures her. "It's just very difficult."

"Why do they have to be so mean to people?" Leia asks sadly. "It's not fair that they get to bully you!"

"I feel the same way love," Bail replies. "Unfortunately, the Emperor is not the nicest of men, and far to often the officers focus more on themselves then on the people."

"That's not right. Leaders should help people, not bully them," Leia says with a frown.

"Sadly that's the way things are. But we're hoping we can change that soon sweetie," Breha reassures her.

"When I grow up, I want to help people just fluke you daddy!" she declares.

"I'm sure you will," Bail says with a smile. "You are a very sweet girl."

"And Katooni will be with me to, right?" Leia asks hopefully, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"Where else would I be?" she replies jokingly.

All of them laugh with each other, feeling a little better now after the questioning from the Imperial officers. Still, Katooni feels some sense of worry, and now more of it is for Leia. She has no doubt that Leia will grow up to help people, maybe even participate in the Rebellion when the time comes.

And when that happens, Katooni vows to herself that she will protect her, keep her happiness and innocence for as long as possible. She was robbed of such things, and she refuses to let it happen to Leia. Maybe being a future handmaiden for the princess would help out...