Disclaimer: I am not George Lucas or J.K. Rowling.

Enter Ysanne Isard and Nen Yim Marek, a catlike woman with dark hair and green eyes, on Vjun.

Isard catches sight of a Vjun fox and kills it with the dark side.

Isard. [dismissive] Just a fox. I thought perhaps a stormtrooper . . .

Nen Yim continues on her way.

Nen, wait.

Isard hurries after Nen Yim.

Nen . . . Nen Yim. Listen to me.

Nen Yim. Go back, Ysanne.

Isard. You must listen to me.

Nen Yim. I've listened already. I've made my decision. Leave me alone.

Isard and Nen Yim approach Bast Castle.

Isard. [contemptuous] He lives here? In this mundane desert? We must be the first of our kind ever to set foot . . .

Nen Yim moves across the road toward Bast Castle.

Isard hurries after Nen Yim.

Nen. You can't do this. He can't be trusted.

Nen Yim. The Emperor trusts him.

Isard. The Emperor is mistaken. [looks around nervously] In any case, we were told not to speak of the plan to anyone. This is a betrayal of the Emperor's . . .

Nen Yim. [draws her lightsaber] Go away, Ysanne.

Isard. [laughs] Nen. Your own sister? You wouldn't . . .

Nen Yim. There's nothing I wouldn't do anymore.

Nen Yim pushes Isard away with the Force, then moves onward.

Isard. Nen Yim.

Isard runs after Nen Yim, as she approaches the door of Bast Castle and knocks.

Enter Darth Vader.

Vader. Nen Yim. What a pleasant surprise.

Nen Yim. Darth. May I speak to you? It's urgent.

Vader. But of course.

Nen Yim and Isard enter Bast Castle.

Isard. [curt] Vader.

Vader. [smiles] Iceheart.

Vader gestures for Nen Yim to sit down, which she does,

Removing her hood, Isard moves to stand behind Nen Yim.

So, what can I do for you?

Nen Yim. We . . . we are alone, aren't we?

Vader. Yes, of course. Well, Gunray's here. But we're not counting vermin, are we?

Using the Force, Vader activates a secret passage behind his bookcase.

Enter Nute Gunray.

As you have clearly realized, Viceroy, we have guests.

Gunray. Nen Yim. And Ysanne. How charming . . .

Vader. Gunray will get us drinks, if you'd like them. And then he will return to his quarters.

Gunray. [indignant] I am not your servant.

Vader. Really? I was under the impression that the Emperor placed you here to assist me.

Gunray. To assist, yes. But not to make you drinks and . . . and clean your castle.

Vader. I had no idea, Viceroy, that you were craving more dangerous assignments. This can easily be arranged. I shall speak to the Emperor . . .

Gunray. I can speak to him myself if I want to.

Vader. [sneers] Of course you can. But in the meantime, bring us drinks. Some of the Jawa juice will do.

Gunray hesitates, then leaves and returns with three glasses of ardees.

Vader, Isard, and Nen Yim each accept a glass.

All. The Emperor.

The three Sith drink.

Vader. Run along, Viceroy.

Using the Force, Vader throws Gunray out of the room, sealing the passage.

Nen Yim. I . . . I know I ought not to be here. The Emperor himself forbade me to speak of this.

Isard. Then you ought to hold your tongue, particularly in present company.

Vader. [sardonic] Present company? And what am I supposed to understand about that, Iceheart?

Isard. I don't trust you, Vader, as you very well know.

Vader. Nen Yim. I think we ought to hear what Iceheart is bursting to say. It will save tedious interruptions. [to Isard] Well, continue, Iceheart. Why is it that you do not trust me?

Isard. [slams her glass on the table] A hundred reasons. Where to start? Where were you when the Emperor fell? Why did you never make any attempt to find him when he vanished? What have you been doing all these years that you've lived in Yoda's pocket? Why did you stop the Emperor's procuring the Philosopher's Stone? Why did you not return at once when the Emperor was reborn? Where were you a few weeks ago when we battled to retrieve the prophecy for the Emperor? And why, Vader, is Luke Skywalker still alive, when you have had him at your mercy for five years?

Vader. [smiles] Before I answer you . . . [at Isard's reaction] Oh, yes, Iceheart, I am going to answer. You can carry my words back to the others who whisper behind my back and carry false tales of my treachery to the Emperor. Before I answer you, I say, let me ask a question in turn: Do you really think that the Emperor has not asked me each and every one of those questions? And do you really think that, had I not been able to give satisfactory answers, I would be sitting here talking to you?

Isard. I know he believes you. But . . .

Vader. You think he is mistaken? Or that I have somehow hoodwinked him? Fooled the Emperor, the greatest Sith Lord, the most accomplished empath the galaxy has ever seen? [sips from his glass] You ask where I was when the Emperor fell. I was where he had ordered me to be, at the Jedi Temple, because he wished me to spy upon Yoda. You know, I presume, that it was on the Emperor's orders that I took up the post?

Isard nods.

You ask why I did not attempt to find him when he vanished. For the same reason that Doriana, Workan, the Lahs, Fett, Dooku, and many others did not attempt to find him. I believed him finished. I am not proud of it. I was wrong. But there it is. . . . If he had not forgiven we who lost faith at that time, he would have very few followers left.

Isard. He'd have me. I, who spent many years on Kessel for him.

Vader. Yes, indeed. Most admirable. Of course, you weren't a lot of use to him in prison. But the gesture was undoubtedly fine . . .

Isard. [furious] Gesture? While I endured the Tuskens, you remained on Tython, comfortably playing Yoda's familiar.

Vader. Not quite. He wouldn't give me the Defense Against the Dark Side job, you know. He seemed to think it might, ah, bring about a relapse, tempt me into my old ways.

Isard. This was your sacrifice for the Emperor, not to teach your favorite subject? Why did you stay there all that time, Vader? Still spying on Yoda for a Master you believed dead?

Vader. Hardly. Although the Emperor is pleased that I never deserted my post: I had sixteen years of information on Yoda to give him when he returned, a rather more useful welcome-back present than endless reminiscences of how unpleasant Kessel is.

Isard. But you stayed . . .

Vader. Yes, Iceheart. I stayed. I had a comfortable job that I preferred to a stint on Kessel. They were rounding up the Sith, you know. Yoda's protection kept me out of prison. It was most convenient and I used it. I repeat: The Emperor does not complain that I stayed, so I do not see why you do. I think you next wanted to know why I stood between the Emperor and the Philosopher's Stone. That is easily answered. He did not know whether he could trust me. He thought, like you, that I had turned from faithful Sith Lord to Yoda's stooge. He was in a pitiable condition, very weak, sharing the body of a mediocre being. He did not dare reveal himself to a former ally if that ally might turn him over to Yoda or the Republic. I deeply regret that he did not trust me. He would have returned to power three years sooner. As it was, I saw only greedy and unworthy Piett attempting to steal the Stone and, I admit, I did all I could to thwart him.

Isard. But you didn't return when he came back. You didn't fly back to him at once when you felt the Sith'ari burn.

Vader. Correct. I returned two hours later. I returned on Yoda's orders.

Isard. On Yoda's . . .

Vader. Think. Think. By waiting two hours, just two hours, I ensured that I could remain on Tython as a spy. By allowing Yoda to think that I was only returning to the Emperor's side because I was ordered to, I have been able to pass information on Yoda and the Jedi Order ever since. Consider, Iceheart: the Sith'ari had been growing stronger for months. I knew he must be about to return, all the Sith knew. I had plenty of time to think about what I wanted to do, to plan my next move, to escape like Brakiss, didn't I? The Emperor's initial displeasure at my lateness vanished entirely, I assure you, when I explained that I remained faithful, though Yoda thought I was his man. Yes, the Emperor thought I had left him forever. But he was wrong.

Isard. [sneers] But what use have you been? What useful information have we had from you?

Vader. My information has been conveyed directly to the Emperor. If he chooses not to share it with you . . .

Isard. [angry] He shares everything with me. He calls me his loyal, his most faithful . . .

Vader. Does he? Does he still after the fiasco at the Imperial Palace?

Isard. That was not my fault. The Emperor has, in the past, entrusted me with his most precious . . . If Dooku hadn't . . .

Nen Yim. Don't you dare . . . don't you dare blame my husband.

Vader. There is no point apportioning blame. What's done is done.

Isard. But not by you. No, you were once again absent while the rest of us ran dangers, were you not, Vader?

Vader. My orders were to remain behind. Perhaps you disagree with the Emperor? Perhaps you think Yoda would not have noticed if I had joined forces against the Jedi Knights? And, forgive me, you speak of dangers? You were facing six teenagers, were you not?

Isard. They were joined, as you very well know, by half of the Order before long. And, while we are on the subject of the Jedi, you still claim you cannot reveal the whereabouts of their headquarters, don't you?

Vader. I am not the Infinite Spirit. I cannot speak the name of the place. You understand how the technique works, I think? The Emperor is satisfied with the information I have passed to him on the Jedi. It led, as perhaps you have guessed, to the recent capture and murder of Tyria Sarkin. And it certainly helped dispose of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Though I give you full credit for finishing him off.

Isard. You are avoiding my last question, Vader. Luke Skywalker. You could have killed him at any point in the past five years. You have not done it. Why?

Vader. Have you discussed this matter with the Emperor?

Isard. He . . . Lately, we . . . I am asking you, Vader.

Vader. If I had murdered Luke Skywalker, the Emperor could not have used his blood to regenerate, making him invincible . . .

Isard. You claim you foresaw his use of the boy?

Vader. I do not claim it. I had no idea of his plans. I have already confessed that I thought the Emperor dead. I am merely trying to explain why the Emperor is not sorry that Skywalker survived, at least until a year ago. . . .

Isard. But why did you keep him alive?

Vader. Have you not understood me? It was only Yoda's protection that was keeping me out of Kessel. Do you disagree that murdering his favorite student might have turned him against me? But there was more to it than that. I should remind you that when Skywalker first arrived at the Jedi Temple, there were still many stories circulating about him, rumors that he himself was a great Dark Jedi, which was how he had survived the Emperor's attack. Indeed, many of the Emperor's old followers thought Skywalker might be a standard around which we could all rally once more. I was curious, I admit it, and not at all inclined to murder him the moment he set foot in the Temple. Of course, it became apparent to me very quickly that he had no extraordinary talent at all. He has fought his way out of a number of tight corners by a simple combination of sheer luck and more talented friends. He is mediocre to the last degree, though as obnoxious and self-satisfied as was his father before him. I have done my utmost to have him thrown out of the Jedi Temple, where I believe he scarcely belongs, but kill him, or allow him to be killed in front of me? I would have been a fool to risk it with Yoda close at hand.

Isard. And through all this we are supposed to believe Yoda has never suspected you? He has no idea of your true allegiance, he trusts you implicitly still?

Vader. I have played my part well. And you overlook Yoda's greatest weakness: he has to believe the best of sentience. I spun him a tale of deepest remorse when I joined his staff, fresh from my Sith days, and he embraced me with open arms. Though, as I say, never allowing me nearer the dark side than he could help. I am pleased to say, however, that Yoda is growing old. The duel with the Emperor last month shook him. He has since sustained a serious injury because his reactions are slower than they once were. But through all these years, he has never stopped trusting Darth Vader, and therein lies my great value to the Emperor. [to Nen Yim] Now, you came to ask me for help, Nen Yim?

Nen Yim. Yes, Darth. I think you are the only one who can help me. I have nowhere else to turn. Dooku is in prison, and . . . [sobs]

Isard begins studies a Sith Holocron on Vader's mantle.

The Emperor has forbade me to speak of it. He wishes none to know of the plan. It is . . . very secret. But . . .

Vader. If the Emperor has forbidden you, you ought not to speak. [to Isard] Put it down, Iceheart. We mustn't touch what isn't ours.

Isard sets down the Sith Holocron.

[to Nen Yim] As it so happens, I am aware of your situation, Nen Yim.

Isard. You? The Emperor told you?

Vader. Your sister doubts me. Understandable. Over the years, I have played my part well. So well, I have deceived one of the greatest Force adepts of all time.

Isard scoffs.

Yoda is a great Jedi. Only a fool would question it.

Nen Yim. I don't doubt you, Darth.

Isard. [indifferent] You should be honored, Nen, as should Galen.

Nen Yim. He's just a boy. Why, Darth? Why my son? It is too dangerous. This is vengeance for Dooku's mistake. I know it. That's why he's chosen Galen, isn't it? To punish Dooku?

Vader. If Galen succeeds, he will be honored above all others.

Nen Yim. But he won't succeed. How can he, when the Emperor himself . . . ?

Isard gasps.

I only meant that nobody has succeeded. . . . Darth . . . please . . . you are, you have always been, Galen's favorite Master. . . . You are Dooku's old friend. . . . I beg you. . . . You are the Emperor's favorite, his most trusted advisor. . . . Will you speak to him, persuade him?

Vader. I cannot change the Emperor's mind. But it might be possible for me to help Galen.

Isard. Swear to it. Make the Oath of Obedience.

Vader. The Oath of Obedience?

Isard. [to Nen Yim] It's just empty words. He'll give it his best effort. But when it matters most, he'll just slither back into his hole. [to Vader] Coward.

Vader. Take out your lightsaber.

Isard removes her lightsaber, looking astonished.

Nen Yim. Will you, Darth Vader, watch over Galen Marek as he attempts to fulfill the Emperor's wishes?

Vader. I will.

Nen Yim. And will you, to the best of your ability, protect him from harm?

Vader. I will.

Nen Yim. And if Galen should fail, will you yourself carry out the deed the Emperor has ordered Galen to perform?

Vader. [hesitates] I will.

Using the Force, Isard makes the oath between Darth Vader and Nen Yim binding.

Exit all.