Spring Breeze

Vader?" He pulled her to him, his manner suddenly gentle; abidingly calm. To say it,just to say it, in some basic way released him. "He's my father, Leia." "Your father!?" She couldn't believe it; yet of course it was true. He held her steady, to be a rock for her. "Leia, I've found something else out.It's not going to be easy for you to hear it, but you have to. You have to knownbefore I leave here because I might not be back. And if I don't make it, you're theonly hope for the Alliance." She looked away, she shook her head, she wouldn't look at him. It was terriblydisturbing, what Luke was saying, though she couldn't imagine why. It wasnonsense, of course; that was why. To call her the only hope for the Alliance if heshould die—why, it was absurd. Absurd to think of Luke dying, and to think of herbeing the only hope.