Luke stood in the library, carefully avoiding one particular section where there were a lot of Force echoes. He was in a private room, and had pulled out the Jedi holocron his father had given him. He wasn't sure he trusted anything his father gave him, at least, not when it came to matters of the Force, but he was getting desperate. After the moving meditation had failed, he'd finally taken the holocron and retreated to the library. Slowly, he reached out and turned the thing on. "Greetings, young Jedi. I am Master Revan."

Luke bowed slightly to the image of the ancient human master. "Master. My name is Luke Skywalker. I am in need of assistance."

Revan bowed in return. "Of course, Jedi Skywalker. What are you questions?"

Luke sighed and sat down. "First, when was the last time you were accessed, Master?"

Revan paused. "I was last accessed approximately thirty-five years ago. A Knight Kenobi was looking for information on the lightsaber form Soresu and how to modify it."

Luke's eyes widened. Maybe he could trust this holocron. "Then a lot has happened, Master. Do you mind if I give you the history of the past thirty-five years as I know it?"

"More knowledge is always appreciated, Jedi Skywalker."

Luke smiled grimly and began to explain everything he knew about the rise of the Sith and the destruction of the Jedi. After speaking for nearly a quarter of an hour, he sighed and finished his explanation with a confession. "And, Master Revan, I didn't steal your holocron from the Sith, I'm afraid. The Sith Master, Darth Vader, gave it to me. He wants me to join him and my sister, and he's willing to "indulge you in your beliefs in the Light"."

"Why does he want you, young Jedi, if he already has an apprentice in your sister?" Revan asked, looking grim.

"He's my father," Luke admitted quietly. He sighed. "But… I need help, Master. I'm not well trained enough to know the limits of the Light and the Dark. I don't think I could escape now, and I don't… it's my family, Master Revan."

Revan nodded. "I understand, young Jedi," he said gently. "You want to be with them, even as all you've learned tells you that you have to fight them."

Luke nodded. "I also need some sort of shielding technique, Master. I'm being kept in the Imperial Palace, which is the former Jedi Temple. It's where the Jedi Purge happened."

Revan sighed. "And you're feeling the echoes," he said.

"I am. Nightmares, mostly, but sometimes during the day, as well. It's hard to keep it from overwhelming me."

Revan tilted his head. "There are only a few mental shields that would work, and even then, you'd be left vulnerable when sleeping," he said. "The Sith developed a few techniques, but it would be too dangerous for you to use them."

Luke sighed. "I was afraid of that," he admitted.

"And I'm sure you know what fear leads to, Jedi Skywalker," Revan said with a wry grin.

Luke smiled in response. "I do," he replied. "Would you teach me the Jedi techniques that would work during the day? Some relief is better than none at all."

"Of course," Revan said. "Now, the there are three techniques. The easiest to master is normally learned after a Jedi has been in training for over a decade, but before they go out in the field, but as training normally starts in childhood, I'll teach you now."

Luke settled in to learn.

Vader sat back in his throne as the official court session of the day ended. He was pleased with how things were going. More and more systems were falling in line, especially as Leia took over the diplomatic side of things. He was, and probably always would be, a terrible diplomat, but his daughter was definitely an excellent one.

Vader reached out and felt his son's presence. Luke was in the library again, trying to learn some form of mental shielding that would allow him to sleep, without resorting to making a shield out of his emotions.

Vader would have sighed, but he was trying to remember that Skywalkers were stubborn, and so were Naberries. Luke was both. He'd learn, in time.

Vader turned his attention to his daughter. Leia was working on some paperwork, from the mental swearing Vader was picking up from her. There was another, amused, presence with her. Ah. Solo was sitting with her, and apparently, the swearing was not merely mental.

Solo had been quiet the past few days, studying Leia and watching her as she worked. Vader had been respectful of Leia's privacy and had not gone poking in the man's mind, so Vader wasn't sure what the Corellian was thinking. His love for Leia was clear in the Force, however.

Vader was reluctantly impressed with the man. He'd lasted this long, watching and learning how Leia was different now, and he still hadn't tried to run. He hadn't fully committed to the Empire yet, but Vader was becoming more and more sure Solo was only making sure Leia was happy before he did.

Vader cast his mind over the entire planet. The Dark Side shrouded the planet, as it should, but that was no barrier for him. All these beings, working for the Empire, for the Sith, for the Dark Side. It was the way things should be. In time, Luke would understand, and Leia would gain deeper understanding.

Vader was looking forward to it.