~Prelude~

Two children, born three years apart, into lives on opposite sides of the outer rim.

Each was born a twin, and both were born into lives that would be shaped by powers beyond their own grasps.

Luke grew up on the desert planet of Tatooine under the care of his adoptive parents, Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru Lars. He created mischief with his best friend, Biggs, and longed for adventure more than Tatooine could offer.  He was told very little about his real parents. When he was a small child, he would ask Aunt Beru for stories about them.  Even though his Uncle objected, Beru would insist, "The boy needs to know something about his parents, Owen."  But as Luke got older, Owen’s will won out more frequently.  The stories became fewer, and Uncle Owen became ever more insistent that Luke tend to his responsibilities on the farm before all else.  Luke learned not to draw attention to the strange feeling that sometimes warned him of danger, or the way his instincts usually turned out to be correct.

***

As the years slowly passed, Luke became more and more restless; he knew that he was meant for more than life on his uncle’s farm.  When his best friend, Biggs, left for The Academy, Luke told his Uncle Owen that he was leaving as well – after the next harvest. Owen reluctantly agreed, but that day never came.  Less than two years later, Luke found himself leaving Tatooine in the company of  Ben Kenobi, two droids, and two smugglers – with the Empire breathing down all of their necks.

***

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Lara grew up on the planet Marnia.  It was a quiet moon, often referred to as Myrtle Minor because it followed in the orbit of its larger and more industrious neighbor, the planet Myrtle. Lara started her life with a normal childhood. Her parents made a happy home and she and her twin brother were best friends, inseparable.

So was life until the twins were eight.  That year Lara developed the strange ability to pick up on her twin brother's emotions. Her parents assured their children that there were all sorts of stories about twins having extraordinary connections to one another; this must simply be one of them. But they feared that it was something  far more dangerous: a Force talent. Since the Empire had come to power, and hunted the Jedi Knights to extinction, a Force talent was considered to be a death sentence on many worlds wishing to avoid Imperial entanglements.

***