The Emperor is dead, long live the Emperor

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Leia got into bed and unboxed the bug. She found that she did feel ill, afterall. Kill the Emperor. She shivered. It was a truly seductive thought. All her problems seemed to originate from him. If he was dead, than no one would spy on her, there would be no fear of Teldyr dying 'due to complications' while in the hospital, Mara would be free and, and, she could have the force strength that was her birthright. Her birthright. The one thing she could have which came from her father. In everything else, he told her, she resembled her mother.

But do I want these things enough to help my father kill?, Leia asked herself. It would forever change her view of the world, she knew, to watch her father kill. It would forever change her to kill.

Can I live with myself if I do?, Leia wondered, And can I live with the consequences if I don't?

There was only one person in the world who could help her and Leia got up, resolving to seek her advice.

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Jayelle sat at her dressing table, brushing her hair. Dinner had been a quiet meal, she reflected. Lord Vader hadn't said much, but then he wasn't in the habit of talking. Jayelle sometimes wondered why he joined them for dinner, when he wouldn't talk and couldn't eat. He generally just sat quietly at the head of the table and listened to them talk. She had been intimidated by this habit, when she first began to tutor Leia.

It was Leia's behavior which had been out of character. She had been wan and quiet and while much of it could be concern about Teldyr, Jayelle was sure that wasn't the only thing bothering her darling. She had developed something of a sixth sense where Leia was concerned and it told her something was deeply wrong. Maybe…, Jayelle thought, …maybe this unease was something which told a mother that her child was in danger. Heavens knew, Leia was the closest to a child of her own she would ever have.

There was a knock on her door and Jayelle smiled. "Come in Leia" she called out.

"How did you know it was me?" Leia asked curiously.

"Because you're worried about something" Jayelle said with certainty. She moved to the bed and patted the spot beside her. "Come tell Jayelle all about it"

Leia moved to sit beside Jayelle. She barely remembered her mother and deep down, she hoped she had been like Jayelle.

"Jayelle" she asked quietly "If you could kill the Emperor, would you?"

Jayelle drew away from her and looked at her intently. "This isn't a theoretical question, is it?" she asked in an academic manner.

"No" Leia confessed, looking away.

"Who is going to kill the Emperor?" Jayelle asked, fearing the answer.

"Papa asked for my help" Leia said softly. "I'm confused".

I'll kill him, Jayelle promised herself fiercely, looking at the brown head turned away from her. She hugged Leia protectively. In many ways, she thought, Leia was still just a little girl. Too young, at any rate, for the burden Vader seemed to have imposed on her. "Why you?" she asked, in a voice which she forced to calmness.

"Because I can use the Force" Leia answered., and explained about the Force block.

"I see" Jayelle said, and at that moment she truly did. Vader would not have involved his daughter unless necessary.

I was a rebel, and I thought the Emperor should be removed, she thought, I would kill him myself if I could, regardless of the consequences. But to let Leia kill him? It would damage her, change her, perhaps beyond recognition. But the benefits far outweighed the damage to Leia's soul, from any objective viewpoint.

But I'm not exactly objective anymore, am I? Jayelle thought with a rueful smile. Than, deciding that she could make no decision, Jayelle said "I have no right to choose for you, Leia".  

Leia looked into Jayelle's eyes intently. "Would you do it?" she asked.

Those steely brown eyes demanded honesty and so, reluctantly, Jayelle gave it. "Yes". "But that doesn't mean that you should. If you do this, you will never be the same".

"I know", Leia said heavily, nodding, "I know".

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In the end though, the choice was almost inevitable. Prompted into action by a secret report that Teldyr of Hapes wasn't receiving adequate medical treatment, Leia went to her father and told him she would help in any way necessary.

It was strange, Vader reflected, but he was not as happy as he had thought he would be at getting his own way. He shook off the brief feeling of guilt, reminding himself that he had not manipulated Leia in any way.

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Vader walked into the Emperor's audience chamber, feeling relieved. The Emperor had granted his request for a secret audience. No doubt, the seemingly chance remark he had made near Leia about discovering a vast conspiracy to kill the Emperor had helped. Nevertheless, Palpatine was clearly suspicious.

There were at least ten Imperial guards in the audience chamber. Vader moved toward the dais and knelt. "My master" he intoned.

Leia watched the scene through the surveillance holocams, from a small room in the Imperial palace, marking out the locations of the guards, and hoping the practice she had gotten on the small robotic action figures, with the trickle of the Force she could use was enough.

"Well, Lord Vader" The Emperor demanded querulously. "What was this important thing you had to show me?"

Vader stepped forward and handed the Emperor a data-pad, containing the names of the people involved in the supposed conspiracy. Palpatine almost snatched the card from Vader's hand. Now. Vader tensed. So much could go wrong at just this moment.

Hoping he would have enough time, Vader reached for Leia through the Force, located the Force-Block and destroyed it.

Leia gasped. The pain was like nothing she had ever felt before. Jayelle moved to hold her from behind and Leia relaxed into her arms, practicing pain control techniques and hoping she would have enough time to recover.

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On Tattoine, Obi-Wan Kenobi woke up and rolled out of bed. His handiwork had been destroyed. So, he thought as he rushed to his flitter, Vader had found the Force-Block. The girl was now truly lost. As he started up the ancient flitter's engine, he resolved that he would make sure the boy was out of Vader's reach.

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Surprised by the bright new Force presence, the Emperor gasped. He looked toward Vader, who had drawn his lightsaber. Lightning flashed toward Vader and the guards began rushing toward him.

Now. Leia thought, ignoring the mind numbing pain she felt. Her father was in danger. Leia felt a deep rage, that anyone should dare to threaten her father. Drawing on her anger, she reached out through the blinding pain and began to strangle a guard.

It was different from hurting a robotic toy, Leia realized, wondering why she was surprised. His death agony filled her mind and through her tears she reached out for another one. And another. And another. There were too many, she thought, beginning to panic. And it hurt too much. These are real men, she thought, anguished. The screen was fuzzy through her tears and she looked at her father. He had repelled the Force lightning and reached Palpatine through the strong winds that pushed him away. Maybe she wouldn't have to hurt anyone else, Leia thought with relief. A guard closed on Vader. "Leia" he called

Her father was in danger, she thought again, beginning to panic. Ignoring her blinding headache and moral qualms, Leia swatted the guard away like a fly. He landed at the opposite end of the room.

Then, it was over. The Emperor's bloody body toppled from the throne.

Moving fast, Vader planted a thermal detonator in the room and exited quickly through a passage in the walls.

Leia turned to Jayelle and began to weep as she had never wept in her troubled life.

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A/N: Ding dong the wicked Emperor is dead.

Next chapter—Leia copes with her new Force abilities, Visits her still unconscious friend (Teldyr) and asks her father a very important question: "Who is Luke Skywalker?"

I'd like to thank BlueMoon, Renee, JaniaSkywalker, Teekoness, Amy Lee, Quamzin Kravshera, Ani's Angel and AngelQueen for reviewing the last chapter.

Quamzin: Sorry, but Leia would have to be an angel or a saint to pass up a chance to get rid of Palpatine, and she's not, at least in this universe. Maybe the Leia raised by Bail Organa wouldn't have done it.