Chapter Nine

Lunch with the Lords of the Sith

Thirty minutes into the championship game of the Cloud City sabacc tournament, Han Solo knew he'd lost to old Ben and Ambassador Leia. And Lando knew it too, giving Han a smug smile from the first row of spectators, the audience surrounding the four players silent except for the occasional cough or whisper.

Han glanced directly across from him to his Gran partner, Utem. Han could see Utem's eyestocks quiver, a sign Han knew, from the past few days of playing with him, meant trouble. But Han already knew they were in trouble. There was no way to regain the lead now.

Arriving earlier for the event, Han felt an unusual amount of anxiety over this final hand, which surprised him. He usually handled his gambling as he did everything else in his life, with a casual air of cockiness. But Lando's comments about him falling for Leia, and now playing Leia herself, threw him off balance.

Once Leia and Ben arrived and the game began, he focused on the cards, and soon, it was like he wasn't playing with a woman he felt a deep attraction for, but just another player. Unfortunately, while Leia herself proved to be an above average sabacc player, her partner Ben was exceptional. In fact, the man could not seem to lose, and Han noticed Leia herself seemed surprised by a couple of hands. Calm and focused, Ben seemed to know exactly what would come next, making the right bets at exactly the right time. And despite him beating Han and Utem, demolishing them really, his kind blue eyes and warm smile put Han at ease. Sitting between this old man who radiated peace and the beautiful Leia who Han hoped to be kissing later, this game of sabacc turned out to be the most delightful loss Han ever experienced.

The game ended suddenly, as all good sabacc matches do, and Han rose with the rest of the players, shaking their hands, lingering on Leia's to run his finger across her wrist, rewarded with a blush and an intense, longing look.

"Excellent game, my friend," Ben said as he shook Han's hand, Han noticing the hand to be ice cold, Ben himself looking a little pale as Lando brought up the lights in the casino, dimmed earlier to bring the spotlight on the final round.

Ben and Leia turned to Lando, who began making some speech about Ben's prowess and Leia's beauty and their skills as a team and the amenities of Cloud City. Goodness, that man loved to hear himself talk, mused Han.

"I must say, Pilot Solo," said Utem, coming up beside Han. "We lost terribly, but I just don't feel so bad about it." He shrugged. "I'm usually bitter but…I'm…just…not." Turning to Han directly, Utem opened his arms to embrace the human. "Well, I am off. Enjoy your final day with your lady. You head out on a job tomorrow, right? Corporate Sector? I am out that way myself often. Perhaps we will meet again."

Utem disappeared into the crowd, and Han felt a sudden lump in his throat. He'd almost forgotten about the next job. These were really his last hours with Leia.

He turned to find Leia standing right in front of him.

"Ben is collecting the credits," Leia said. "You're not angry you lost?"

"No," Han said honestly. "That Ben is a great player. How does he know what comes next? I'd swear he was some sort of seer."

He saw Leia bite her lip, averting her eyes.

"Well, um, wanna go to the dance hall again?" she asked.

"Anywhere with you, sweetheart."

Just before he left the casino, his arm draped over Leia, Han turned to give a triumphant smirk at the scowling Lando.

Back on Coruscant, marching down the halls of the Imperial Palace towards the Emperor's private rooms, Darth Vader attempted to get his emotions under control. He'd returned the previous evening from Ryloth to an empty apartment, a message from Luke blinking on the house comm stating he'd been sent on a mission by Uncle Sheev.

No Leia. No Luke. Nothing but the usual service droids, although he would need to replace the second floor housekeeping unit as he'd crushed the one the Skywalkers owned for years in his anger.

Uncle Sheev…sending Luke on a mission. Leia receiving a posting. Both these events occurring during his absence, after he proclaimed to his children the desire to begin training them in the ways of the Sith.

Suspicious indeed. Could his master know his desire to take over as the lead Sith, the ruler of the galaxy, the keeper of the Rule of Two? Yes, very possible. Sidious embodied the Force in a way Vader never saw in another being, not even during his time as a Jedi. Sidious simply seemed to be everywhere.

His master requested lunch, so now Vader found himself at the entrance of the private banquet room, a servant opening the door for him, averting her gaze. Vader found Sidious at the large windows, surveying the Imperial City as numerous servants set an elaborate table for two.

Sidious turned and grinned broadly at his apprentice.

"Ah, Lord Vader, so glad to have you back," Sidious said jovially.

Vader fought the urge to pick the older man up with the Force and throw him across the room. He needed to be covert, keep his feelings suppressed, something he'd never done well, but knew this was important for a Sith ascending to power. He'd seen as much with Darth Sidious, a man who never seemed to reveal his true self.

"I am glad to be back, master," Vader replied, joining Sidious at the window. "But I come back to an empty home. Both my children…"

"Yes, yes," Sidious said as if expecting this conversation first. "I sense great power in Luke. He's on a secret mission for me, gathering Sith artifacts."

Vader studied the cityscape without really seeing it. Sith artifacts? Perhaps this might not be so bad. Luke would return with more knowledge of the Dark Side.

"And Leia…Bespin for her. Emergency transfer. She will return when we have a more permanent arrangement," Sidious said, brushing off the conversation with a wave of his hand. He looked toward the table. "Ohhh…lunch. We have an award-winning chef in the palace now and…"

Sidious rambled on about some new cook and a competition holoshow, but Vader began to reflect. Bespin…yes, he'd go there and fetch Leia immediately and…

Darth Vader refocused his attention on Sidious as the two sat down, and he almost gasped aloud. Sidious looked remarkable, as if years disappeared from his face, from his body, even from his Force signature which Vader now knew well. His face, normally lined with deep crevices, appeared smoother. His hair, which had receded greatly over the years to exist in just a few white wisps in the back appeared fuller, with the reddish hue Vader remembered on the man when he first met him decades ago.

Sidious looked younger, and this unsettled Vader greatly.

The first course arrived, a selection of vegetables drenched in a creamy sauce, quite flavorful, and Vader found himself famished. When had he last eaten? He often forgot when he got sidetracked by his plots and schemes.

"Tell me about Ryloth, my friend," Sidious said.

Vader explained about the attack on the planet, the arrival of the delayed Death Star, not revealing his displeasure. The servants removed the first course, bringing in the main dish, a nerf steak, cooked to perfection. Vader glanced at Sidious' vegetable plate as it left the table, noticing the man hardly ate, and as Vader downed his steak, he watched Sidious pick at his, taking the occasional small bite.

So it wasn't diet and exercise making his master's youth reappear, mused Vader. Sith sorcery could be the only answer, and not a good one as far as Vader was concerned.

Sidious began to laugh, and even his voice sounded stronger, less raspy.

"Well, you certainly angered Wilhuff," Sidious said, putting down his utensils after eating only a quarter of his steak. "Thank you for that, Lord Vader. An angry Wilhuff is always amusing." Sidious took a moment to sip his wine. "Now tell me, my apprentice. What is next for you now that the Rebellion is gone? That has been your sole focus since our dear Padmé's death."

Our dear Padmé? Vader could feel bile in the back of his throat. But he suppressed his feelings, using almost all his will to do so.

"I'm not sure," he lied, knowing full well his next project sat before him at this moment. "Perhaps visit Leia on Bespin."

"You must be quite proud of your two children," Sidious said, waving to the servants to remove the main course.

Vader considered this. He did not know his children well enough to feel pride in them. He knew them both to be accomplished individuals, Leia with her work in the embassy, Luke at the academy, but beyond that…No, he'd only thought of them as possible tools in his impending war against Sidious. And keeping them alive, for Padmé's sake. She did die for them, after all.

A momentary memory flashed through his mind, holding the body of his beloved wife, the lake estate, as well as the lake itself, aflame around him. He could feel the Dark Side of the Force rising within him, boiling his blood. Not now. Play smart.

Caf and cake arrived, and Vader again watched Sidious pick at this dessert as Vader himself plunged in, the confection truly delicious. The older man regained his strength somehow, through some arcane Force knowledge unknown to Vader. Perhaps he should not wait to train his little army of Skywalker Sith. Urgency filled Vader suddenly.

"Perhaps you can continue your search for your old Jedi masters," Sidious said, the suggestion startling Vader. The two Sith had not spoken of the Jedi in ages.

"Yoda and Obi-Wan?" Vader said, the two names feeling like sand on his tongue. "They are most likely dead."

"Perhaps not," said Sidious. "Particularly Yoda. He's a sturdy fellow." The tone of Sidious' voice caught Vader's attention.

"Have you heard something new?" Vader asked.

Sidious hesitated for a moment, enough time to puzzle Vader further.

"No…just remembering that evening…the little wretch slipping away," Sidious hissed, his eyes darkening momentarily, but then he smiled again. "But Bespin, to see Leia. I'm sure she would love to show her father her work."

Vader just nodded, sipping his caf. Sidious plotted, just like Vader himself. And Vader needed to get a head start on his plan to take over the galaxy.

Upon returning home, Vader logged onto his private comm channel, triple-checking that no surveillance could be found, that his personal firewalls covered his tracks. Dialing in a number he'd only used a few times before in dealing with some of the leaders of the Rebellion, he waited a full minute for the call to go through before a familiar face filled the screen.

"My lord?" the man inquired.

Darth Vader smiled. Yes, just the man for the job.

Light years away, back on Cloud City, Leia found herself once again walking up to the door of her suite, holding hands with Han. Despite her and Ben winning the tournament, she and Han spent a marvelous day together, both seeming to know this would be the end of their little fling.

He would be leaving the next day, off to another job, trying to pay his debts. Leia felt a twinge of remorse; she should have persuaded Ben to throw the game, although she knew the older man needed the funds as well.

They arrived at Leia's door, and she turned to Han, looking up into his handsome face. Her heart began to race. This might be their only night together…

"Would you like to come in?" she asked without thinking, but she knew instantly that is what she wanted.

She watched him swallow hard and lick his lips, two actions which sent a wave of heat through her.

"Yes," he said simply.

She turned and unlocked the door with her keycard, entering the suite as all the lights came on for her. Han followed close behind.

He whistled in amazement. "Wow, so this is what Lando has squared away for the better half," he said.

Leia just smiled, feeling nervous, but those nerves soon dissipated as Han wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close, and kissed her deeply. Time seemed to stop, and Leia allowed herself to get lost in the kiss, the feel of his hands running along her back. They both separated to catch their breath, and Leia giggled.

"What?" Han asked.

"It's just…this is so…crazy…I mean…I've never…and…" she felt flustered and turned toward the small kitchen. "I'll get us some wine. You have a seat." She pointed to the sofa in the living space.

"Sounds good, sweetheart," Han said with a wink.

Leia pulled out two wine glasses with shaking hands, feeling a little giddy. Her whole body felt alight for Han and…

Suddenly, a pressure in her head made her dizzy, and she doubled over, dropping both glasses. She heard them shatter to the floor as if from a great distance.

"Help me, Leia Skywalker," a man's voice, very familiar, filled her brain. "You're my only hope."

Ben.

"Leia! Leia!" Han shouted at her as she kneeled on the floor of the kitchen, both palms pressed to the sides of her head. "Honey, what's wrong?"

The pressure was gone, but the urgency of Ben's tone remained. Leia leapt to her feet.

"It's Ben!" she said, grabbing Han and pulling him toward the door. "He needs help."

"How do…"

But Leia didn't listen. Still clutching Han's hand, she ran down the corridor to the lift. She knew Ben's room number from having to comm him, but she never visited him there. Yet, she could feel the Force guiding her to exactly where she needed to be. She needed to help her friend. Something was dreadfully wrong. She flashed back to the first evening she met Ben, him clutching his chest in pain. Could he be ill?

Ten floors and three corridors later, Leia found the room, the door slightly ajar. Pushing her way in, she gasped. Ben lie on his back on the floor near the door, wearing only his trousers. He seemed unconscious, but he soon opened his eyes groggily at her arrival.

"Leia?" he murmured weakly.

But Leia's attention was drawn to his chest, in which a mechanism sat in the place where the heart should be.

"He's got a mechanical heart," said Han as he and Leia sat beside Ben.

"Yes," Ben said, barely above a whisper. He winced. "And something is wrong. I need to return to Epione…she…she…" He groaned loudly, his hand coming up and pressing on the heart machine.

"Lando's buddy Lobot is an expert on implants and …" Han began.

"I don't know, Han," Leia said, looking closer at the bionic device. "This doesn't look like anything I've ever seen, not even on a holodoc…"

"Epione…Epio…" Ben whispered and then lost consciousness.

"Do you know who this Epione is?" Han asked.

Leia shook her head. "He never spoke too much about his life." She leaned her face closer to Ben's. "Ben. Please tell me how I can help."

The older man's eyes fluttered and flew open, their brilliant blue shining up at her despite his weariness. "Epione. Medical station. A couple systems over. She…she can help. Please…please take me…Leia." He tried to sit up, then gasped in pain.

"Whoa, old man. Take it easy," Han said, grabbing Ben's shoulders and gently guiding him back to the ground. "I've got a ship. I can take you. I just need to know the way."

"Data pad. Contact one," Ben said, then let out a pained, sudden scream. He curled up in the fetal position, moaning, tears streaming from his closed eyes.

"Okay. Okay," Leia said, trying to remain calm. But seeing Ben, her friend and mentor over the past several days in such deep pain, made Leia herself want to curl up and cry. Her gaze met Han's.

"Leia, it's okay. I'm going to comm Chewie to meet us here, help Ben to the Falcon. I can take him and…"

"I need to come too. I need to make sure he's okay," Leia said. She could not let Ben go without her. She handed Han the information on the data pad, which he regarded quickly with a nod.

"Not too far," he said. "A couple of short jumps. Listen, go tell your cronies…um, staff…you'll be back in a few days. And pack a few things. Meet me here in a couple minutes. Chewie will come soon." He turned to Ben. "We're going to take care of you, pal. Promise."

Ben nodded weakly.

Leia dashed from the room, comming her staff to meet her at her suite.

Fifteen minutes later, Leia returned to Ben's floor with a hastily packed bag and a data pad filled with contact information for her staff, who seemed rather indifferent of her leaving. She stopped short at seeing both Han and Chewie walking toward her, Ben cradled in the Wookie's arms, looking small and weak. Leia felt relieved to see Han gathered Ben's things, got a robe and boots on the older man. Still, Ben seemed completely unconscious. She reached out and brushed him with the Force, but recoiled, feeling only pain.

They moved to the hanger where Han parked his ship, the Millennium Falcon, days before. Upon approaching the freighter, Leia stopped short.

"That…bucket of bolts…that is your ship?" she asked, uncertain about the safety of getting on such a vehicle.

"Hey, she'd got it where it counts," Han said defensively, the line well-rehearsed. He'd heard such criticism before.

She hesitated only a moment before following Han, Chewie, and Ben up the ramp and onto the Falcon.

Author's Note: Next time, Luke and Mara arrive at Korriban, the Sith world, and Darth Vader hatches a plot to destroy Sidious.

Thank you for reading. Hope everyone is enjoying a lovely summer.