I wish to thank jedi1952 for the betareading of this fiction. Telling she did a great work is an understatement, because she fixed my poor English and also helped me to improve the scenes and characters, pointing out with precision where problems were. I owe her a lot.
DECLARATION: This fiction is written just for fun and I'm not making money with it. Characters and Star Wars galaxy belong to Lucasfilm and Disney, of course. For original characters and places, I used names taken from the real world, but I chose them just because they sound good in this fiction and so they aren't related to any real person or historical fact: any resemblance is purely coincidental.
CHAPTER 9
Luke sat on a sofa in a sitting-room of the Tantive, the back of his head on the cushion behind as he looked at the ceiling above him. His feet couldn't stay still and they moved tensely on the ground. Since several days, he had been closed in a few rooms of the ship: he was worried and tired of waiting.
He had been informed now he was officially wanted by the Empire. His trail had to be decoded, since his father had even put a wonderful bounty on him alive.
He had no way to receive news from Asha, although he counted on Commander Wright fearing him enough to have taken his threat seriously and protected her in the best possible way.
Leia was nowhere. She wasn't surely on the ship, but she neither contacted them from Alderaan or wherever. Her father didn't even mention her and he had answered very vaguely, when the young Sith had tried to ask. He could just guess what she was doing.
The sliding doors opened, stopping his moody thoughts, and Bail Organa came into the room.
Luke straightened immediately to a more decorous sitting attitude and bowed his head slightly in greeting. Why he cared of such formalities with that man was a mystery to himself.
The Viceroy smiled in response and sat on the sofa in front of him. "I will contact the Alliance again this afternoon."
"They don't trust me, do they?" the Sith stated.
The older man sighed. "Part of them doesn't," he admitted unwillingly. "But the most influential leaders want to help you. We can't forget what you did for us," he tried to reassure.
"So why am I still stuck here?" Luke asked polemically.
Organa was patient. "Even if they all were ready to welcome you, there would be always some security problems to solve. For our security and for your own security."
The young man gave him an inquiring look.
"You would meet several people among the Rebel troops who could wish revenge on you," he explained. "Just a few people of the Alliance command are aware it was you to give us the plans. For other people you are an enemy."
The Sith nodded: of course, that had guaranteed his safety from spies and questionings of captured Rebels. But his problem was pressing now. "If they deny me, I won't know what to do."
"Be patient, we will set something and at the moment you are safe here," the Viceroy said with an encouraging fatherly smile.
Or, at least, what Luke guessed an encouraging fatherly smile would have been, if he had ever seen one. It wasn't the first time the man bestowed such kind of patronizing expressions to him and he didn't know what to think: he felt reassured and annoyed at the same time. Bail Organa was a puzzle to him. He always spoke quietly and never threated anyone. He appeared firm, although he wasn't Force sensitive. His mind was strong and he had surely had an imposing bearing in his youth, yet you couldn't image him harming someone. He never imposed his will, but you listened to him. The young Sith didn't fear him, but he felt compel to respect him. And that was amazing, totally out of his previous experiences. He was used to dealing with Vader and Palpatine and his main feeling was fear. He knew how to behave with authorities who frighten him, but ironically he didn't know how to behave with one who doesn't threaten him. He didn't know how react or what to say in front of a fatherly smile and he blushed, lowering his eyes, because he was confused.
The Viceroy seemed to ponder something, watching him. "We received news I think you must know," he said at last.
The younger man was alarmed by his worried tone and looked back at him in expectation.
"The King of Ujjain had arranged with Palpatine the disavowal of your wedding," Bail explained carefully.
"How can he?" Luke asked in rage.
The old politician was aware how this stuff worked. "I guess he can legally declare the unworthiness of the husband."
The Sith's eyes grew wide. "And then?"
The Viceroy sighed. "They have fixed a new wedding with Grand Moff Lavrans the next month."
Who? What? Lavrans was so old that he could have been her grandfather as well! If he touched just one of her hair,… The young man sprang to his feet and took a few steps. "I won't let them do this," he growled.
Bail stood up, too. "I think it's a trap. If you go to her you will be captured."
"I'll be careful," Luke stated. "But Asha is mine. I won't let anyone else put his hands on her."
"I can't stop you of course," the Viceroy warned. "But you wouldn't be the first man who ruined himself for jealousy, Skywalker. And be sure your father is very aware of that."
The Sith was puzzled at last statement, but he hadn't time to ponder it well: he was resolute to go to Ujjain.
The dark side flowed strongly in Luke during his flight to Avanti System at the idea of that damned Grand Moff taking away his woman and his baby. Asha was the only thing he had and her friendship had made him to dream for a different life. Why, as soon as he glimpsed a hope for a better change, should it be shatter like this? And what was King Mahavira thinking? She had been sent to her father to protect her and he had sold her (again!) for his purposes. Hadn't he understood how unpredictable Palpatine is? He put aside the nagging thought that maybe the King was really helping his daughter, trying to totally cut a bond that had become very dangerous, and he focused on his wish of revenge. When his wife would be safe with him, he would find a way to give everybody a good lesson: he could be wanted by the Empire, but he was still a full trained Sith and people had to fear him accordingly, avoiding crossing him.
He left hyperspace far from Ujjain. The abrupt deceleration in a still safe place gave him the possibility of checking for the Imperial fleet presence. Even before the board computer confirmed the presence in a geostationary orbit of a Super Star Destroyer, he felt a well-known dark presence near the planet: his father was waiting to welcome him and surely he would soon detect his presence.
He sighed, he had been aware Viceroy Organa had probably been right telling it was a trap, but during the flight he had tried to nourish the small hope it wasn't. Now it was gone and he had to plan well his moves.
He knew he couldn't shield himself wholly from Vader: their Force bond was too deep to be misled. But he had to make his presence vague, not giving him the chance to locate him. He could take two precautions to achieve the goal. First of all, he immediately strengthened his mind defenses, covering his powers to an elusive level. Then, of course, he had to stay as far as possible from the Dark Lord, choosing wisely his path.
Luke bet the Executor was orbiting just over the Capital City. He clicked on the panel control to start the reckoning of his exact position. He had to land on the opposite side of the planet and take a new, less distinguishing, transport to reach his destination. He searched the map for a suitable place: a middle town, crowded enough for a new visitor not to be noticed, but not so big to be closely watched by the Army. There were several options and he chose one at random.
He flew around the planet with a very wide orbit in the opposite direction from Executor position and, when he was finally above the town of Ubda, he contacted the local space port for landing. After putting his feet on the ground, he left his ship and ventured into the small city.
Soon he saw his black Sith suit could have been wonderful for night missions, but it was too loud among those people: they all wore colorful clothes like Asha's. So, he ended up stealing a long yellow male tunic from some laundry left to dry under the sun in a backyard. It was large and long for his size and he had no difficulty putting it over his suit.
And his career as thief had just begun! In fact, he had no money to buy a transport. He grinned bitterly at the situation: he had been the heir of an Empire and now he was forced to obtain criminally what he had always taken for granted. But there was no point in dwelling on it. He needed to ponder his two options: directly stealing a local ship or snatching a bag. The second choice would be more unobtrusive and so he positioned under a colonnade of a crowded street. Spotting someone carrying enough money and weak minded wasn't as fast as he had hoped. His first try was a young lady: she was elegant and he supposed she was rich. Unfortunately, while her bag was surely chic and polished, it was almost empty.
He walked ahead to change his position and he saw not far ahead a bank. He watched people entering and exiting. Trying not to lower his shields, he decided to carefully use the Force to understand who had just withdrawn a substantial amount. He sensed a strong feeling of satisfaction, cast by an old guy, who was holding a handbag. The young Sith approached him furtively from behind.
In your bag there's nothing important: it's just a burden to you. Let it drop on the ground, he ordered silently to his mind.
The old men opened his hand and Luke knelt fast to pick up it, before someone among the inattentive crowd could notice. But unexpectedly, as he was rising, the man turned to face him, his mouth opened in bewilderment.
The young Sith bestowed him his best innocent glance and said: "Thank you, I really need it and you must forget about it."
"You really need it," the guy repeated mechanically, "and I forget about it."
Luke turned, smiling, and walked fast away. When he was far enough not to be found anymore, he checked his earnings: enough! He went to look for a ship dealer.
He bought the most widespread model of ship on Ujjain, to be less identifiable, although he thought it was really mediocre: it hadn't weapons, flew slow and he really doubted it would enter hyperspace, in spite of the seller's perjuries. But that wasn't important; he had just to reach the other side of the planet, flying in the low atmosphere. Then, he and Asha would escape using his ship, which he had left in the spaceport.
Given it was full day in Ubda, on the side of the world, where the Capital City was, it was night. So, he decided to start immediately. In an hour, he was able to land in the main spaceport of the planet. Vader's presence was much nearer now: he could feel him above on the Executor like a stifling blanket covering his head. His father was silent in his mind, but the awareness of their proximity marked his consciousness. Luke had better to be fast.
The Royal Palace was out of the main city, but easy to see even in the night because it was wonderfully illuminated and golden decorated. The young Sith could now understand why Asha had been so disappointed by his quarters.
He walked until he reached its walls with the casual look of any tourist, as he tried to figure out how much surveillance there was. He saw just local policemen, but he was prone to think somewhere Imperial troopers were hidden: the Empire didn't surely park its main ship in a place for no reason.
He turned the corner and neared the less watched side wall. It was time to use the Force fully. He reached the few guards' minds and gave a black out to their eyesight for some seconds. He focused and jumped on the border of the high wall. He stopped there just the time to take a glance of the interior: there was a small garden inside, it was full of trees. He immediately jumped down between them. He rapidly discarded the yellow tunic: it had been useful on the golden walls, but in the darkness of the small wood, his usual black suit was better. He checked the Force again to ensure that all was still quiet with the guards. The trick on the guards had worked. He looked for Asha's signature: she was on the second floor. He probed in more detail until he could find the room in which she was sleeping. He walked towards her and reached her window. He climbed the tree next to her bedroom and jumped silently inside.
All too easy! He was surely missing something.
He neared the sleeping form of his wife: she was beautiful in her early pregnancy. He would have stayed there forever watching her, but the constant nagging darkness of his father's mind remembered him to move. He knelt next the bed and softly put his hand on her mouth.
Asha awoke suddenly, trying to yell.
"Shh! It's me: Luke," the young Sith reassured her.
She blinked in the semidarkness of the room and recognized him.
He let go her mouth. "I'm sorry for the abrupt awakening…," he began to say.
But she hugged him immediately, sobbing. "Luke, it wasn't my fault. I didn't want, but they had arranged everything without me!"
He gathered into his arms, holding her back and stroking her hair. "I know. That's why I'm here."
"You shouldn't," she answered. "Your father is on the planet, he came to look for you. I guess he's planning something."
"I'm aware of that, too," Luke tried to calm her down.
"How?" she asked.
"Through the Force," he explained.
She freed herself from his hug and looked at him worried. "Can he feel you back?"
"Yes," he nodded. "Although at the moment he hasn't yet located me exactly. Come with me. I found someone who is hiding me in a safe place."
"All right," Asha stood up, as ready to leave. Yet, she stopped and looked into his eyes, remembering something. "I have a news…"
"You are pregnant," he stated smiling.
She gave him questioning look, "I told no one."
"I sensed it when we were on Coruscant," he explained, touching softly her still flat belly. "The brightness is amazing," he added as afterthought.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were too upset and worried," he answered. "I didn't want to weight your burden." He grabbed her hand and told her, "Now, we must go. I have a ship to fly away in the city spaceport."
She nodded and followed him near the window.
He leant on the ledge and from his belt he rolled out a rope with a hook. With a little help of the Force, he threw it on the branch of the tree in front of them and hooked it, pulling it to check it was safe. Then, he stepped on the ledge and gestured her to hug him. "Come on!"
Asha was scared. "It looks quite dangerous!"
"No," he shook his head and cast a glance down the garden. "It's just the second floor."
But she didn't move.
"Don't worry!" he urged. "You have no idea how many people I abducted in this way. No one has ever fallen."
She looked shocked, unsure if he was serious, and stayed still.
They hadn't time to waste. He leant towards her, put an arm around her waist and practically lifted her on the ledge. "Hug me," he instructed, "close your eyes and in a blink we will be safe on the ground."
She did as he had told, although she was trembling.
"Trust me," he whispered in her ears. "I did a jump of more than forty floors with the Senator of Alderaan."
"Who is he?" she asked, not daring to open her eyes.
"She is the guy you were jealous of," he mocked, pushing himself out.
It was a short jump and in a second they softly touched the ground. He kissed her forehead and said: "See? It's over." He released her and unhooked the rope from the branch.
"So, I was right," she challenged, taking her tone low. "You had a love story with her!"
"What?!" he murmured, turning to her. "I took her in custody, because my father wanted to question her."
"She had to be really scared," she mused seriously. "Didn't you feel guilty?"
A brief flash of pain flickered in his eyes. "It's a long story. It's better we discuss this later."
She nodded, understanding it was a sensitive subject and followed him under the inner wood.
They reached the wall where Luke had come. He looked up, searching where he could hook the rope.
"No more jumps," Asha told him softly: "One was enough!" She turned and walked to the back of the garden. "Come: I know a secret exit."
She led him into the thicker area of the wood. Then she looked around and knelt on the ground, sweeping away the dried foliage with her hands.
He bowed next her and helped her. "What are we looking for?"
"A hidden trapdoor," she whispered, as her hands stopped. "I guess I've just found it," she stated and tried to pull a link. But nothing happened.
He took the object from her hands and jerked it abruptly. The door opened.
She put her feet in the hole on the ground and sat on the edge of it. "Have you a torch?"
"Of course," he answered, unhooking it from his belt and showing her.
"Good." She took it and switched it on carefully to take the light beam inside the hole. Then she suddenly went inside.
"Asha!" Luke called softly.
"It's all right. Come," she urged from below.
He went down to her. "Don't do it again," he scolded affectionately.
She smiled. "Don't worry: I know this place."
He looked around. From the little he could see in the darkness, they were inside a narrow corridor. He examined it with the Force: it continued for several kilometers in both directions. "What is it?" he asked.
"A secret security passage my father made to hollow out when the wars augmented," she explained. "There," she pointed ahead their direction, "we can arrive directly in the spaceport of Capital the opposite direction, there are the hills.
He looked up to the light coming from the upper ground. He jumped enough to grab the inner link of the trapdoor and closed it.
She looked at him a little panicked. "I don't know how the opening works."
He shrugged. "I can always pierce it with my lightsaber, but I hope we will rather exit in the spaceport." He gestured her to give him the torch.
She didn't complain and let him to lead towards the city.
They walked quickly. Luke thought they were quite lucky: that secret passage allowed them to avoid a lot of problems and they will be in the city before the sunrise. Yet a nagging feeling still bothered him, he was sure the Force was warning of something. He extended his sensations more and froze. He stopped abruptly.
Asha almost bumped against him. "What happens?"
"Vader," he answered. "I feel him up ahead this direction." He turned to face her. "We must go back to the hills."
She turned back, too, and they retraced their previous walk almost running.
How hadn't he been able to feel him before? Luke didn't know and hadn't time to ponder it, but he was angry at his own failure: they had lost precious time walking in the wrong direction. They were soon again under the trapdoor in the Royal Palace garden and he stopped the run. He was almost tempted to bring Asha back safe to her room, before running away alone. "What is there on the hills?" he asked, needing more information.
"Woods for several kilometers. Then a small town," she answered.
"With a spaceport?" he pressed.
"I'm not sure, but I guess there is. It's an area of exportation of agricultural goods," she explained.
He looked up at the door just above them.
She understood what he was musing and she shook her head: "I don't go back home: I want to come with you."
He could just glimpse in the feeble light of the torch her resolute look and smiled. "All right. But we must be fast; I can feel him coming here. He has surely detected my position and is going to follow us."
They resumed their escape. Luke wasn't able to establish what length of time they walked nor how many kilometers they walked. They weren't probably so much as they looked like to him. But he was oppressed by the hunting dark presence shadowing him in the Force.
The pair reached a door in front of them. The young Sith tried to open it, but it stayed still. He directed the torch beam to better see it and found a lock without a handle. He hit the mechanism with a fist, but it didn't work. He passed Asha the torch, unhooked his lightsaber and ignited it.
She started in wonder, as the red blade came to life: he had never used it in front of her.
He gestured her to stay back and without effort marked out a hole in the thin iron that fell out.
The sunrise's beams dazzled them.
They both squeezed their eyes to adjust them to the early morning light. In front of them, the hill side descended for some kilometers just to rise again in the next hill. Short trees with twisted white trunks covered the whole surface. It was a delightful landscape.
"Our olive groves," Asha stated proudly.
Luke bestowed a smile in response, before coming back to their pressing problems. "Where's the town?"
"There," she pointed a far settlement on the slope in front of them.
He nodded and switched off his saber, but he didn't hook it back on his belt, and resumed the walk. It was surely a nicer path between the trees compared to the suffocating secret corridor, but the young Sith felt less safe than before.
Vader was just behind him and he could detect an entire platoon with him. The soldiers were walking faster than them.
Luke tried to quicken their pace, but Asha wasn't trained like him of course and began to tire. He took her hand, pulling her. They were now in the valley: they couldn't go back, where the troopers were coming after them. But the rise to the town was still some kilometers ahead. They were exposed to be watched from above, while he himself hadn't any view of the situation being on the lower ground.
Luke, his father called in his mind. There is no escape now.
The younger Sith didn't answer, trying to shield their exact position.
You cannot hide forever, Luke, the Dark Lord warned him again.
He turned back, where he knew Vader was, but he couldn't see him. Yet, he was so close, now.
Stop this foolishness, son.
Luke frowned.
"What is it?" Asha asked unsure of what was happening. She was plainly panting now.
He stopped, turned to her and grabbed her arms. "Asha, we have an Imperial platoon just behind us."
Her eyes flashed back in fright, before looking at him again.
"I will cover your back, but you must run as fast as you can to the town," he instructed.
She shook her head: she was breathless for the effort and she didn't want to leave him.
"Don't give up now," he ordered and kissed her forehead. Then let her go. "Run!"
In spite her previous refusal, she did as he told and went quickly ahead.
He was somehow relieved and turned back to face the first troopers. He ignited his lightsaber and immersed himself in the Force. He felt the laser shot on his left and intercepted it: not a laser, a stunning blow.
He hid behind a tree and waited for the soldier nearest him. As he was inside his range, he took him by surprise and beheaded him. His comrade was just next him and he pierced him in the middle of his breast. He probed in the Force: they were just a little warning; most of the troopers were still behind, the Dark Lord among them. Now they were advancing slower than they could: he was given a little advantage for an unknown reason. What kind of game was his father playing?
He turned towards Asha's path. He couldn't see her anymore. She had to be faster than he had thought. He ran after her, but she seemed to have disappeared. He decided to look for her through the Force. But before he could reach her, he heard her yell to his right. He turned immediately.
Boba Fett had her and pointed a blaster to her temple with the trigger half pulled.
Luke froze in fright. He had his saber still ignited in his hand, but the distance between them was too much. Even if he grabbed his neck with the Force, the hunter had enough time to finish the blow.
The masked man was clever: he had weighted up his adversary's options. "It would be too quick even for a Sith," he confirmed the younger man's reckonings. "If you don't want to see your beloved's brains blown out, you have better to leave your sword."
Without moving any limbs, Luke switched off his lightsaber and let it to fall on the ground. Pain burst immediately in the middle of his back. A stunning shot, he understood. He felt the electrical discharge spread through his nerves. But he couldn't pass out now: Asha needed him! He called the Force for help, trying to fight the painful paralysis that was blocking all his muscles. He fell prone as dead, but he was able to stay conscious, although he couldn't move or speak and everything was dizzy.
"Luke!" he heard her shout.
Then a well-known breathing noise was behind him. "Very good, bounty hunter," the Dark Lord praised. "Now, bring her back safe to her family: the alliance with Ujjain is still useful."
"As you wish, my Lord," Boba Fett answered. The young Sith heard his steps moved away together with his wife's sobs.
Now, Vader focused on him. He felt his dark signature in his mind. "He is still conscious," he stated. "Stubborn as ever, I see. Shoot again!" he ordered to the trooper.
A second blow in the middle of the back sent other discharge in his body. He had no more strength to withstand it and he passed out.
