Chapter 24
The fear was instantaneous upon seeing the looming dark figure of Darth Vader towering behind Winter.
"You. Who are you?" a deep dark mechanical voice asked.
The image of Luke, battered and scratched up, grabbing his side of the floor of the Millenium Falcon came to Leia's mind. Her brother's words floated through her mind. "I was no match . . ." Luke said. "He was so powerful. He took the lightsaber right from hand without even touching it. I never stood a chance, Leia. He was about to strike me down! Mom was right. She was right about it all."
She needed to get out of here. She needed to get away from Darth Vader. She pushed off the side of the speeder, turned, and started to run. Yet suddenly she found herself unable to move. Frozen mid-stride.
"No," a booming voice said from behind her. "You will not run from me."
The footsteps crunching in the dirt that were approaching Leia appeared incredibly loud in her ears. Then came the sound of the mechanical breathing. Ksshh-Kooshh. Ksshh-kooshh. Leia strained against the invisible force that was holding her whole body. She pushed every muscle to move. She needed to get away. She had to get away.
She was suddenly spun around. She felt large hands grab her shoulders. When she finally reoriented herself she looked up into the black mask of Darth Vader. She let out a loud gasp, but she didn't intake another breath. She couldn't. Her body started to ache. Breathe, she told herself. She took a quick sharp breath in. It felt painful.
"What is your name, girl?" Darth Vader asked.
No! Leia thought. She couldn't tell him. She had to get away. Despite Vader only holding on to her shoulders, her whole body felt pinned down.
Suddenly she was no longer in smokey barren wasteland. She wasn't sure where she was. It was a featureless space all the same dull grey and brown reminding her of the smoky sky on Vrogas Vas. The space seemed to curve around her. It was an enclosing of some sort. A room. Yet she felt safe here. Somehow this was her space.
Something in the distance, beyond the space, vibrated and shook as if there was an explosion. She looked in the direction it had came. She became aware that the direction was the 'outside.' She glanced the opposite way. That direction was 'further inside.' Again another explosion vibrated the space. This time she became aware that the explosions were breaking something apart.
She tensed. She was safe, right? This was her safe space. Another explosion. Another wall breaking down. This explosion was closer. Then she felt it. A large looming presence beyond this space making its way to her. It stopped, another explosion much closer than before, and continued to move. Whatever it was, and it was breaking through the walls of this space.
Run.
She didn't know if it was her voice or someone else who said the word. Another explosion. Somehow she knew there was only one wall left separating Leia from the dark force. She could feel it approach the last wall.
Run!
This time she did. She ran in the other direction of the explosions and the dark force. As she reached the far wall, a rectangular door opened. She ran through it and sensed that it shut immediately as she passed through it. This room was the same as the last. Featureless dull brown. A curved enclosure. No sign of a door. Another explosion. She wobbled losing her balance briefly.
She felt it, the dark presence. It's anger and rage swirled. It was approaching the wall she had just passed. She turned and ran again, making it to the next wall. Again another door open and shut as she ran through.
You can not run from me, a deep dark voice echoed.
Adrenaline shot through her. She ran faster. She didn't stop. She kept pushing herself forward. Her breathing was labored. Sweat dripped down her back. She went through another. Into another space. Then another door.
For a brief second she became aware of her real body. She felt the heavy fingers digging into her shoulders. Her body tense, hands clenched by her side, and her eyes squeezed shut. The hissing sound of mechanical breathing. Another explosion rocked her back into the dull brown space. Then yet another explosion. The presence was moving faster and catching up to her. She was losing her lead on it.
Leia stumbled through the most recent door. She fell and landed on her knees. The presence was quickly approaching. Her breathing was deep as her body ached for air. She glanced up, but she noticed this room was different. The curved 'wall' ahead was darker. She simply knew this was as deep as the rooms went. There were no more after this.
The wall behind her exploded and the dark presence strode in. Leia looked behind her. It was a swirling mass of blackness in a vague man shape. Anger radiated from it like heat from a fire. Yet she could sense something else. Satisfaction that it had finally caught up to her.
Leia, still sprawled on the ground, attempted to back away. Yet then the presence was simply there. She hadn't seen it move. One moment it was at the opening, the next directly in front of her. It reached down and grabbed her. She felt it dig into her. She let out a scream, and knew that her physical body was also screaming as well.
Tell me who you are, a deep voice said. It reverberated inside of her.
No! She shouted back, surprised at her defiance. It was short lived as pain erupted through her as she felt sharp black tendrils dive into her. The tendrils were digging through her. Pulling her apart. The realization hit her. They were digging through her mind. Her memories. Her thoughts. Images of her life flashed before in quick succession as the tendrils worked their way through her mind.
No! She cried. No! She tried to push the tendrils out. She tried to push the dark presence away. But it was too strong. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Then suddenly it stopped. Leia took several staggered breaths. She was still in the mental space. The dark presence swirled in front of her, still clasping on to her. Part of her knew this was mirroring the physical world as Darth Vader grabbed her shoulders on the battlefield.
Leia, the presence said. But this time the voice was different. It wasn't the deep reverberating voice from before. It was almost like a whisper. Uninvited images of her mother flashed through her. Images of Luke. Of Tatooine. Once again the images stopped. You know who I am, the voice said.
No, she said softly. Tears fell down her face.
You know it to be true, the voice said. You are mine.
Again Leia pushed against the presence, and she was surprised to find that suddenly it was gone. She was quickly snapped back to her real body. Vader had let go of her. Her body went limp as she slid to the dusty ground.
"These are not my soldiers. What is the meaning of this?" Vader said turning away from Leia. "I called for no reinforcements." Vader stepped between Leia, blocking her from the oncoming stormtroopers appearing through the thinning smoke. It was almost seemed like a protective gesture.
"It is not the rebel princess who will be put out of her misery here today," a new voice said. Leia couldn't tell who it was from. Vader's large form and cape were blocking her view. "It's you, you withered old relic," the new voice said.
"Karbin," Darth Vader said darkly.
"Ah, it's all making sense now, isn't it? How your rival set you up and used you to eliminate the rebels on Vrogas Vas." Leia identified the new voice must be this Karbin person. "So I could swoop in and claim the ultimate prize for myself. Go find the boy!" Leia could see the troopers fanning out to either side of Vader. They were starting to circle him. "And take the princess as well. Kill the other Rebel."
"No," Vader said. He brought his hand and suddenly all the troopers flew away from Vader. "You will win no prizes here today, Karbin. Except a quick death." The red beam of Vader's lightsaber shot forth from the hilt in his hand.
"I'm glad you didn't die without knowing it was Karbin who engineered your doom. And who shall rise ascendant from your ashes!" Vader suddenly lurched forward. For the first time Leia was able to make out Karbin. He was a Mon Calamari, but all of his limbs were prosthetics. He had four arms, all of which held a lightsaber. Vader brought his saber down to meet with one of Karbin's. "To the death, then. At last!" Karbin shouted.
Leia felt hands grab her. She violently flinched. Panic surged through her.
"Leia!" Winter cried. Leia blinked realizing the princess crouched beside her. Again Winter grabbed at Leia, and this time Leia let herself be pulled up. "Let's go!" The two ran through the wasteland, yet Leia already felt winded and tired. She glanced back to see the light of the sabers and two dark shadows dancing and clashing together.