The mechanical whirring and hissing of the breathing apparatus whizzing air in and out of his scorched lungs made me cringe. "Cassiopeia."
The dark Sith Lord towered over me dramatically, intimidatingly. Like a cobra observing his prey before he strikes.
"You know where they are hiding. Tell me, and you may see Skywalker again, my dear."
I grimaced, turning away from Darth Vader. "No. I can't."
If he could have sighed, Vader would, and theatrically so. "I know you love him, so why not tell me where he is? I would allow you to see him, still alive, Commander."
The way he spoke my rank set me off. I stood up, obviously not caring that I had a death wish, getting right up in Vader's face.
"No!" I screamed. "I will not tell you! The second I betrayed Luke, I betray myself as well! And you wouldn't allow me to see him or the others ever again. You would have us all killed!"
There was a very uncomfortable silence between us except the hissing of the machinery pushing air in and out of his damaged lungs.
Vader finally closed the gap between us, if that were even possible.
I started to panic. I was extremely claustrophobic already, but this was stretching my limits of sanity.
"Cassiopeia." Vader began slowly, dangerously.
"If you do not tell me where the rebels are hiding, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands. Seeing that you belong to Skywalker in a..." He paused here, as if searching for the right words.
Vader found them, and continued. "Rather intimate way, I was hoping that you would see reason here and comply with the Empire."
I felt a force unlike anything I've ever experienced before. An unseen grip on my waist was drawing me near him until we were mere inches apart.
I looked down and noticed Vader making motions with his gloved hands. Was HE doing this?
"Please don't hurt me!" I begged.
"I won't." Vader spoke in his deep, intimidating voice. "If you tell me where they are."