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I've never known her, Luke thought, watching Leia greet the admiring crowds. Not really.

Watching her preside over the memorial, watching her now console her subjects, Luke realized that this royal bearing was no act. She was still the same Leia that he'd come to know, but she was more than that: A senator. A princess. For the first time, Luke understood these weren't just titles—they were a part of her.

"Luke, this is Kiro Chen," she said now, introducing him to a young man with dark hair and a timid smile. Like the other survivors, his eyes were hooded and rimmed by red.

Something about him seemed familiar, though Luke was sure they'd never met. They followed her to a secluded area behind the stage. "He's the one I told you about, who's been working with General Rieekan on recruitment efforts. We couldn't have set up tomorrow's meeting without him."

Luke gave him a terse nod. "So did you know?" he asked. "About the warehouses?"

Kiro's eyes widened. "Of course not! Leia just told me and I'm as horrified as the rest of you."

Luke frowned. "But if you've been here all this time—"

"Drop it, Luke. He's been busy trying to help the Alliance," Leia said, in a tone that defied argument. "You can't blame him for believing Var Lyonn's lies, any more than you can blame me."

It was strange to see Leia so obviously comfortable with a stranger. Usually she was guarded, almost icy, in front of people she didn't know. But obviously Leia trusted this man. Maybe it's because they're both from Alderaan, Luke thought. They share a common pain.

Kiro was an ally, and Leia's ready trust in him shouldn't have bothered Luke.

But it did.

"So it's true!" Halle Dray appeared beside them, as if out of nowhere. Beside her was J'er Nahj and Fess Ilee. "You come here claiming to want to help us, but all you really want are more martyrs for your cause."

Leia looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"There are rumors, Your Highness," Nahj said. His voice was gentler, but contained no kindness. "And given that you're here with him—" He glared at Kiro.

"I don't even know you," Kiro said. "Either of you."

"But we know you," Halle said. "And we know what you've been up to."

Nahj looked sorrowfully at Leia. "It's hard to avoid the conclusion that you're recruiting soldiers for your Alliance."

"It's not my Alliance," Leia said, a little of the old fire returning to her voice. "It fights for all of us."

"Not for me," Halle snapped. "The Alderaan of my youth rejected fighting. It outlawed weapons, turned away from violence—until the blood-thirsty Organa family sucked it into a war it could never win."

"That's not how it happened!" Luke protested.

Halle turned the full power of her glare on him. "Stay out of things that don't concern you," she said in a low, dangerous voice. "Especially when you don't know what you're talking about."

"I know—"

"Luke!" Leia quieted him with a look. "It's fine."

"Her Highness only wants what is best for us," Kiro said. "We're all on the same side here. She's not your enemy."

"Alderaan had no enemies before her," Halle hissed. "Now we have no Alderaan. Call it what you want, but that's no coincidence."

Leia stayed silent. It was unlike her, refusing to defend herself in the face of such an attack.

"The Empire is an enemy to all of us, including Alderaan," Kiro argued. "And it's our duty to fight back."

"Yes, I've heard that's your line," Halle sneered. "I've been looking forward to meeting this Kiro Chen I've heard so much about, the one who delights in leading our people to the slaughter. There's something I've been wanting to say to you."

She slapped his face. Then walked away.

Kiro rubbed his hand across his cheek, where Halle's hand had left an angry red mark.

"She's upset," he said, almost to himself. "She doesn't know what she's saying."

"We're all upset," Nahj said. He spoke softly, but his eyes were angry. "When you promised to help us in any way you could, Your Highness, I didn't realize that meant sending us off to die at the hands of the Empire."