Title: The Poisoned Chamber
Author: gauss1
Timeframe: Between ESB and RotJ
Characters: Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine
Genre: Drama/Angst
Summary: Vader is placed in an impossible situation by the Emperor – how will he react?
Notes: This is in response a dare challenge. My challenge was as follows:

I dare you to write a story set between ESB and RotJ in which Vader must choose between capturing Luke alive and "neutralizing" a Rebel base. The Rebels in question have escaped Vader before and the Emperor will be very upset if he fails again.

Disclaimer: This story is not for profit, and Star Wars and all related characters belong to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.

A no-win situation is a possibility every commander may face. -- James T. Kirk, The Wrath of Khan

Darth Vader stood on the bridge of the Executor and concentrated, searching through the Force for the distinctive life signature belonging to Luke Skywalker. Despite his best efforts, he found only a mocking blankness instead - the same frustrating lack of presence he had felt ever since their last encounter on Cloud City. Months of intensive searching throughout the Galaxy and still not a single trace of the would-be Jedi was to be found anywhere. Vader clenched his right hand tightly in irritation, and the slight mechanical noise reminded him again of their violent confrontation. Luke could not hide from his destiny forever; soon, he would accept his birthright and the Skywalkers would rule the Galaxy together as father and son. It was their shared fate, and Vader's most cherished ambition.

However, present circumstances were certainly not conducive to achieving his ultimate goal. Vader recalled with displeasure his last conversation with the Emperor before being sent on his current mission.

"Lord Vader, you seem to be…distracted lately." The silky voice was laced with false solicitousness. "You are not still dwelling on your failure at Cloud City, are you?"

Vader winced at the sharp mental probe from Emperor, feeling the cold tendrils creeping through his mental shields. He knew that his obsession for Skywalker had not gone unnoticed, despite his attempts at concealment. "I only wish to find the son of Skywalker…to destroy him. As you have said, my master, he is too dangerous to be trained."

"That is what we agreed after he escaped your clutches." Sidious' voice took on a sharper tone. "And yet, I sense ambivalence from you. Surely you do not doubt this course of action?"

Vader suddenly perceived the slightest tingles of energy prickling along the entire surface of his body, an ominous reminder of the sheer power of the Sith Lord standing before him. "No, my master."

"Good." And the invisible needles of pain instantly vanished with a benevolent smile. "I have recently received news of the discovery of a secret Rebel base in the Arkanis sector. Our intelligence informs us that this base serves as a staging area for the attacks on our magnetic ore shipments to the Sanctuary Moon."

Vader knew that the construction of the new Death Star was far behind schedule, much to the Emperor's fury. Their inability to secure supply lines had greatly impeded their progress, with the elusive Rebel attackers effectively crippling any substantial progress.

"You will travel to the Arkanis sector and personally oversee the destruction of this Rebel base. I want the ore shipments to resume immediately. Afterwards, you will go directly to Endor and put the construction back on schedule."

The sensation of white-hot electricity flowing over the surface of Vader's body suddenly returned, only more strongly. "Many of these Rebels were also at Hoth. Do not fail me again."

Vader bowed in acquiescence.

The cautious steps of a junior officer behind him brought the Sith Lord out of his momentary reverie.

"My Lord, we have reached the Pii system. Our sensors indicate a settlement on the far side of the fifth planet."

Vader nodded. "Move the ship into position. Prepare your team for an aerial strike."

The message beacon flashed suddenly. "Sir, we are being hailed…" he suddenly paled as the ship was identified, "by the Emperor's personal shuttle."

For several moments an eerie, pregnant silence reigned throughout the bridge, punctuated only by the sounds of harsh mechanical breathing. Then Vader turned and swiftly strode towards the exit, his actions galvanizing the crew. "Have all troops assemble in the main hangar bay. Immediately."

"My friend, I have come to personally deliver some exciting news. I trust I have arrived before the completion of your mission?"

Vader rose from his kneeling position and accompanied his master on their slow journey to the bridge. The Emperor was exceedingly skilled at playing verbal games, ensnaring others with questions to which he already knew the answers. Sensing a trap, Vader responded cautiously, "We have pinpointed the exact location of the Rebel base. I was about to order the attack."

"Good! I have just learned through my network of spies that young Skywalker is among the rebels stationed there." His sharp eyes took in the almost imperceptible stiffening of his companion, the barest hesitation at his words. With a sly smile, Sidious continued, "This is the perfect opportunity to deal the Rebels a serious blow as well as eliminate the threat of Skywalker. Once he is gone and the space station is fully operational, we can crush the Rebellion once and for all."

Vader struggled to conceal his sudden sense of deep panic, tinged with unexpected fury at the Emperor's deliberate callousness.

To destroy the base…to kill my son.

One thing was immediately certain: he would not lose Luke, not like this. The knowledge that his son was so tantalizingly close after months of fruitless searching sparked a deeply buried defiance and determination to find a solution. Ruthlessly curbing his emotional response, Vader focused completely on the logistics of the situation, rapidly calculating all possible responses and scenarios with an analytic mind. Any attempt at this point to convince the Emperor to leave Luke alive would be met with the deepest suspicion; it was simply too risky to display such an overt interest in his son. The extraordinary connection he had experienced with Luke on Cloud City entered his thoughts next - perhaps he could use the Force to alert him to his presence, thus warning him in advance? He dismissed that idea as well. Not only would the Emperor immediately be able to detect his interference, but more importantly, he had been unable to establish any mental bond with Luke since arriving in the sector. With increasing frustration at the dwindling set of possibilities, Vader contemplated various ways to subtly influence the mission without either completely sabotaging the end result or compromising his position. On the surface, it seemed impossible. There has to be a way, he swore. Anything is possible. A fragment of a memory suddenly flashed through his mind:

An ornate fireplace sending flickering shadows over the room…a woman, heartbreakingly beautiful, yet sad… a young man uttering desperate, pleading words, searching for a way…

Dismissing these random images as inconsequential, Vader chose his words with the utmost care; everything depended upon his next argument.

"A long-range airborne assault would be the most efficient, but it would also completely obliterate the base. We would lose any important tactical information the Rebels have obtained."

Sidious appeared to contemplate Vader's words. "I see. And what do you recommend, my apprentice?"

"We send in troops for a surface attack. We capture and kill the Rebels, then confiscate any information in their computer systems."

"A ground assault…like the campaign you led on Hoth?" The Emperor's tone was cutting. "I'm afraid we can't allow the possibility for any of the Rebels to escape this time, especially with Skywalker present." The insinuation, with its underlying threat, was obvious. "No, I'm afraid your solution is unacceptable, my friend. Order the immediate air strike."

And there it was, finally out in the open. An outright command to kill his son, with no chance for misinterpretation.

"Lord Vader, you hesitate. I wonder if your feelings are clear on this matter?"

He was trapped. But even now, there must be a way!

"They are clear, my master," Vader responded carefully.

Sidious coolly appraised him for several uncomfortable minutes.

"Did I ever tell you the parable of the apprentice Sith and the poisoned chamber?" Sidious asked conversationally. Vader instantly tensed at the unexpected query.

"No, my master."

"Well, it's quite an interesting tale. My former master, Darth Plagueis, told me this many years ago, before his most…unfortunate demise." Sickly yellow eyes flashed ominously, belying a gentle smile. "Apparently, there once was a Sith master who took in a very promising, very powerful apprentice. As a young boy, both of the apprentice's parents had been killed in front of him and he was left for dead. The criminal managed to escape the authorities and vanish without a trace. Of course, the understandable rage the boy felt helped him to eventually find his true calling. His anger fueled his desire to achieve total mastery of his dark power, but regrettably, his obsessive need for personal revenge never left him. Eventually, the Master realized that his apprentice's lack of total dedication to the way of the Sith was preventing him from achieving his true potential. And so, he devised a most ingenious test for his wayward apprentice.

"One day, the apprentice was rendered unconscious and woke up in a sealed chamber, not three meters from the very scum who had murdered his parents! One can only imagine how he must have felt. There they stood - the unrepentant killer and the victim who had been plotting his demise for years - separated only by a transparent shield. Then the apprentice heard the voice of his master.

"He was told that a poison gas was being pumped into the chamber that would eventually kill his enemy and fulfill his quest for revenge. Unfortunately, the poisoned air would also permeate the shield and kill him as well. The apprentice was then directed to a control panel on the adjacent wall. If he simply pressed the button, the apprentice would be freed from the chamber and live to become one of the most powerful Sith Lords ever. However, by doing so, the killer would be given a clear route for escape and the means to disappear forever." Sidious paused with an almost theatrical flair, clearly savoring the story.

"If he chose to do nothing, he would certainly avenge his parents, but at the cost of his own life. To die or to let go: such an interesting dilemma, don't you think?" Sidious murmured, watching Vader closely. "My Master and I used to have such lively debates speculating about what the poor apprentice would do! To be placed in a situation where there was no chance of compromise, no way to avoid the decision at hand…how horrible! Of course," he waved his hand negligently, "it's just a story." Sidious' lips thinned into the cruelest smile.

At that moment, Vader finally grasped with sickening clarity the true depths of the Emperor's understanding. Despite his careful defenses and attempts at subterfuge, Sidious had uncovered the secret desire Vader so jealously hoarded in his heart. This…situation…was nothing more than a perverted test of his loyalty. Was he willing to disobey his Master and die, rather than to order the death of his son?

All his life, Vader had refused to accept the impossible. As a boy, he had fought against a hopeless life as a common slave, and won his freedom against immeasurable odds. As a young man, he had defied the strictures of the Jedi that forbade him from being with the one he loved. Later, he had embraced the dark side in order in order to achieve absolute, irrevocable power. So how was it, after all these years, after all of the knowledge he had gained, that he had become ensnared in the simplest of traps? For how long had he been imprisoned in this poisoned chamber, slowly dying inside? His Master already had claimed his soul, but now wanted any hope of his future as well. There was no room for compromise.

Only a Sith deals in absolutes, a faint voice whispered from his past.

Assessing the nightmarish situation one last time, Vader finally understood that there was nothing left to decide – his choice had already been made. It had been made the night he had kneeled in front of Palpatine and pledged himself to the teachings of the Sith. From that moment, he had been irrevocably bound to the will of his Master, forever enslaved by blood-soaked chains of servitude. By severing his allegiance to the Jedi, Vader believed he had achieved true independence; however, he now realized that his freedom was a mere illusion, a cruel self-deception. In his relentless pursuit of power, he had willingly chosen to submit to the darkness, and it was too late to turn back now.

Far too late.

His reality had become a bitter mockery of the Jedi Code he had once so brashly flaunted: There is no rebellion; there is acceptance. There is no choice; there is obedience.

Vader paused briefly in despair. Then he quietly surrendered, offering up his most costly sacrifice."Commander, commence the strike. Fire at will."

The order was given.

Sidious grinned as they both turned to the viewscreen, watching the progress of the stealth attack in silence. Within seconds, brilliant orange and yellow clouds of flame erupted on the screen, completely obliterating any trace of the settlement. Stoically observing the destruction, Vader suddenly recalled standing on the bridge of the first Death Star, forcing a struggling princess to watch her home planet being destroyed. Sick twinges of regret washed over him like poison, the fumes choking him.

It was done.

His master turned from the screen in satisfaction; the scans indicated that there were no survivors.

"Mission accomplished, Lord Vader. I am glad that you made the right decision. Loyalty like yours will be richly rewarded…very soon." Sidious started to walk away. "Oh, I forgot to mention that our intelligence reports regarding young Skywalker weren't very reliable. I'm afraid there is an excellent chance he wasn't at the base after all. Unfortunate, isn't it?" His smile took on a predatory quality as he observed his stunned apprentice. Through the swirling confusion, Vader saw the menace behind Sidious' benign expression, the hint of dark power which checked his automatic fury at being so easily and ruthlessly manipulated. "But perhaps it all worked out for the best. Your foresight serves you well; Skywalker would be a very powerful ally if he could be turned." Strolling towards the lift, he added, "We can discuss our plans when we rendezvous near the Sanctuary Moon."

Vader watched his departure in silence.

Sidious chuckled to himself as he left the bridge. His faithful apprentice had recently become too secretive, too unpredictable for his taste and it had been high time that he relearned a lesson in priorities. Eyes closed, Sidious allowed himself to briefly luxuriate in Vader's rage and turmoil through the Force. Fear and hatred, such an intoxicating combination. He had tested his apprentice's loyalty, and found him willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, albeit with a little prodding. It had been necessary to reinforce his control by manipulating and stimulating Vader's primal emotions, ensuring that he remained off-balance and vulnerable. Only with Vader's help could they lure young Skywalker to the dark side. And then, once young Skywalker has turned, your usefulness will have expired, my old friend. As he boarded his personal shuttle, Sidious regarded the future with the utmost complacency.

Everything is proceeding according to my plan…

The End