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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
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Leia woke, a lingering afterimage from her dream imprinted onto the darkness before her, two interlocked rings glowing in the still silence as if she'd stared too long at their image. She sighed, blinking them away as she glanced about the small berth onboard the battered Rebel freighter Zephyr, indecipherable words of the recurring dream whispering in the shadows.
She'd boarded late that night, travelling part way to her own destination of Kwenn Space Station onboard the Zephyr under the command of General Madine. Madine; Leia sighed and turned over, Han murmuring in his sleep. She envied him his ability to sleep anywhere at any time, whilst she lay awake playing endless scenarios over and over in her head.
Madine; the loose cannon who was running his own ever-escalating little war against the Empire at the same time as Leia was seriously considering the possibility of negotiations.
Even tonight, when she'd boarded, it had become clear that he was in the middle of another unknown mission which he'd never mentioned to the Council, equipment and weapons neatly stacked to the side of the main hold. She'd asked him immediately to explain of course, and he'd suggested a meeting in the morning, intimating that it was of great import. Tired, Leia had allowed the deferral; she was, after all, carrying her own private secrets in her intention to meet again with the Emperor. Who was she to call others for theirs?
Because the truth was that this time it was no longer a harmless meeting. This time she had an agenda and, Force help her, it seemed at least partway in agreement with the Emperor's.
She'd thought long and hard about the Death Star; about Han's claims that Luke – that the Emperor – was trying to give her an indication of his own sincerity on a scale that only an Emperor could do. So here she was, on her way to another clandestine meeting to discuss the possibility of ceasing hostilities, whilst travelling on a ship commanded by the one man who seemed to have made it his mission so stir them up.
Did the Emperor truly want reform for his Empire? Since that first rash of edicts, there had been few others. But the Death Star… oh, that had been a spectacle on a grand scale, and Leia had spent many's a sleepless night listening to Han snore peacefully as she wondered… why just for her?
Because the fact was that by doing so he'd placed her once again in a position where she was the holder of privileged information, and he knew it. Information that if she chose to share it, would damn her as much as it gained her, with the admission that she'd been meeting and negotiating with the Emperor without the Council's knowledge. Why do that? Why give her such key information which she was completely unable to pass on when every day the Alliance polarized more? Why always give her just enough information that she was willing to listen, meybe even to argue his cause, but never sufficient that she could use it as comprehensive proof of his intentions, both to the Alliance and herself?
Why show just her, why not everyone? Why not tell her why she was the sole witness? Why let this go on in such confusion, what did it gain him? Was it on purpose? If he thought he'd widen the split in the Council by persuading Leia to take a more moderate stance against the militant minority then he was wasting his time; there was nothing he could do from the outside that could tear the Alliance apart and he surely knew it. She wouldn't let it happen and she certainly wouldn't do it for him.
And yet… still lurking at the back of her mind was that moment, that incredible moment when the Death Star that she had been so sure would destroy Endor's moon had itself detonated in a fiery blast, an unequivocal rejection of Imperial tyranny, a triumph of reason and rationality, a promise of hope, of potential, of freedom…
And still buzzing in the back of Leia's mind with that same radiant high that had made her heart skip a beat in exhilaration at the time, was that self same thought… Oh, but what if it was true?
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Mara crossed the empty stretch of the exercise bay onboard the Imperial frigate Sol Ecliptic at a fast pace, aware that she was a few minutes late for the one-on-one combat practices she and Luke always held, whether at the Palace or on the SSD Patriot. They were on neither tonight of course, but the Sol Ecliptic was a smaller mid-weight frigate and would attract far less attention when it arrived at Kwenn Station for the impending rendezvous, which was why Luke had chosen it. Which didn't however, exclude combat practice as usual, nor the fact that Mara was late.
Luke stood quietly to the far side of the exercise space, staring out of the narrow viewports into the raging maelstrom of lightspeed, though a half-tilt of his head let Mara know he'd sensed her arrival.
He turned as she closed, and it occurred to her that he wasn't dressed for practice, though he wore no jacket, his flawlessly-fitted linen shirt reflecting the bright lights of distant stars beyond the safety of the ship's shields, their sluggish glow distorted by hyperspace. Without specifically looking, she noted that the top two fasteners of his shirt were undone to give him a casual air which belied the clinical military setting, and knew it would have been a conscious choice, wondering at it.
But then, that had been her permanent state of late.
It had been two weeks since they had shared Mara's vision, and Luke had not once mentioned it since. Knowing his reluctance to feel vulnerable and aware of the intensity of the experience, Mara had kept her silence, but it was becoming harder. She had so many questions about what had happened; about the Force, about her request to be taught more… and at least half of them were about the man who stood before her now, squaring his shoulders as she came to a slow stop before him.
"Here." He seemed almost nervous as he held out a small rectangular box, perhaps twice the length of Mara's hand and covered in dark green tapestry, a delicate clasp to one side.
Mara stared at it suspiciously, "If this is to get you out of combat practice Skywalker, then you're wasting your time."
Luke smiled, as unfazed as ever by her brusque tone, "Just take the damn thing."
Frowning, Mara took the box, immediately surprised by its weight; it was incredibly heavy. She looked to him, uncertain.
"You can actually open it," he said dryly. "It's not wired to explode."
Carefully, Mara slid the small catch and lifted the lid…
Resting within, its polished surface reflecting the pure white vinesilk lining… was a lightsaber.
"I made it for you," he said simply. "You'll have to make your own eventually, but this is good enough for now – it's better than what you have. I thought you deserved something with a little more elegance."
Mara took the lightsaber from the silk-lined box, marveling at its feel in her grip, at the perfectly-balanced weight which fit exactly the palm of her hand, the hilt a mix of dark patinated copper and warm rose gold, but very simple, very understated and refined yet obviously hand crafted. In all the time she'd trained with Palpatine, he had never once given her anything other than the simple metal tube with two inset buttons that she still used, as if he'd never thought her quite deserving enough to warrant a more personal piece, as all trained adepts…
Realization brought her eyes swiftly up to his.
Luke nodded, "We start tonight. I'll teach you all that I remember Master Yoda teaching me – but then it stops. I'll not teach you to turn that ability to Sith doctrines."
Jubilant, Mara launched forward, wrapping her arms around him without thinking, feeling him laugh lightly into her hair. She held him for long seconds, face against the side of his neck, feeling the pulse of his throat against her lips.
"So does that make you my Master?" she murmured playfully at last.
"No, I think it makes me your pushover." Luke said wryly, pulling free.
When she finally stepped back to hold the lightsaber out, studying the controls, Luke shook his head, "No, not with that."
Mara glanced up, uncertain, and Luke tapped at the side of his temple, "We start with this."
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Leia stood in the small Captain's ready-room overlooking the Zephyr's main hold, tired from her sleepless night, watching the busy, organized chaos of a detachment clearly preparing for action as she waited for Madine.
Han was already prepping their small shuttle for takeoff, the trip to Kwenn Space Station less than a day's travel away. Leia too was eager to be gone, but despite her hurry she was damned if she would let Madine get away without telling her just what his Special Ops Unit was doing this time. Overheard remarks suggested that they'd just completed some pick-up in the Inner Rim, close to the branch-off of the Hydian and Perlemian shipping lanes – dangerously within Imperial territory – though she'd heard of no action there.
She was suddenly gripped by an outrageous fear that Madine may be taking the Zephyr close to Kwenn, the planet supporting the Space Station where she was meeting the Emperor. How close was his own mission, for their routes to have intersected like this? What could she do then? How would she avoid discovery?
She would have to cancel the meeting until Madine had left the Relgim Sector, his own operation complete – but then its completion would surely summon Imperial troops into the area in response, and make her own meeting with Luke near impossible. Leia shook her head as she watched the busy hold; no, the chances of them both needing to be in the same sector at the same time were rare enough – his operation would doubtless be light-years away from Kewnn; there was nothing of military relevance in the whole system.
Still, when Madine finally entered, a whirlwind of barely-controlled anticipation and offering his apologies for keeping her, Leia couldn't keep the slightest edge of tension from her stance as she met his eyes. "So tell me Madine, what operation are you running this time, and why exactly did you think it necessary to withhold the details from the Council?"
Madine licked his lips nervously; there was something, some light in his eye today, some tension to his stance that hinted at rare enthusiasm. "Forgive my secrecy Chief, but this mission has been in operation for almost a year and the closer it came to realization, the more I worried about leaks. However, today will see its completion, which means that fear is passed, so I'll be happy to explain the details and answer any questions you have. Honored in fact. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."
Leia waited, arms crossed, and Madine smiled, that same mix of edginess and anticipation in his voice as he continued. "I have an informer, an Imperial mole. He's been passing on information for almost a year now. He's high-ranking – in the Palace, we think – and he's been a source of very useful information. He gives intel on one subject only and that sparingly, but what he gives is always good."
"Go on?"
"He passes information about the Emperor. His actions, his itineraries. And one thing he's told me is that the Emperor's met twice with a Rebel informer – in person."
Leia felt her ribs tense as the air left her lungs in a slow breath. "Who?"
"I don't know. But I do know that both times, he's traveled undercover with minimal security to hide this fact. And I know he's about to do so again… and this time I'm ready for him."
Lea sat slowly on the chair before the desk, her own heart loud in her ears as Madine continued, his voice a distant drone.
"We'll be proceeding to Kwenn Space Station when we drop your shuttle at the planet itself. That's where the operation will take place; that's where the Emperor will meet his contact with minimum security for.."
"It's me." Leia said quietly, coming to a decision.
Madine hesitated; frowned. "I'm sorry?"
"It's me – the contact he's meeting is me."
The silence was terrible, Madine remaining stone-still, just staring at her.
Leia felt her breath leaving her in a slow, trembling sigh, head buzzing. But she couldn't lie to her own Council - she wouldn't let Luke make her. "It's me. It has been both times, and it is today."
Madine dropped back into his own seat, closing his eyes and Leia waited for the explosion which didn't come - in a way, it would have been easier somehow if it had. Instead it was long seconds before he spoke, voice very quiet. "You were meeting with the Emperor?"
"Yes. The Emperor is Ghost."
"The informer?"
"I didn't know that when I went to meet with him. I thought I was meeting with…" she trailed off, no validation seeming worthy. "I didn't know it was him."
"And the second time?"
"The meetings… were a prelude to an armistice, to formal negotiations. so I agreed to return."
"The Emperor was offering negotiations?" Madine's voice was flatly disbelieving.
"Eventually."
"Ah." The tone of the short word spoke volumes.
"It was an opportunity to open a dialogue."
"And so you entered into... negotiations with the man who killed Mon Mothma?"
"I met with the man who can stop civil war, yes. The man who commands a military army and navy of incomparable power. The only man in the galaxy with the power to stop them without another shot being fired. The man who can bring about democracy by simply– "
"Democracy!" Madine practically spit the word, derisive.
"I'm not saying that I believed him," Leia said calmly. "I'm saying I was prepared to listen to what the man capable of bringing all this about, had to say. And he spoke of reconciliation – of negotiation."
"He has no concept of the words!"
"Then why bother to say them?"
"It's a game – it's all a game to him." Madine's voice was rising now. "You're talking about the discussion of talks, Ma'am – not even that! The possibility of the outside chance of a discussing leading into talks. I'm talking about the guaranteed opportunity to remove the Emperor from office. To remove a Sith from power, to even that playing-field."
"... What?"
"We have a chance - a real chance - to capture him on Kwenn Station. This has been a year in preparation, more than that."
"You can't hold him," Leia said emphatically. "Don't you understand, he's Sith. You can't hold Sith against their will!"
"I can." Madine said with absolute confidence.
Leia shook her head, and Madine turned the automemo on his desk about, pushing it toward her. "The plans to the cell that was installed on the Executor. It was built to hold a Sith. Presumably even Palpatine's favourite went a step too far once every so often."
Leia glanced down at the plans. "Built for Vader to hold a Sith – not you."
"This was built to be unbreakable. The walls are two perfect half-spheres, one inside the other with a vacuum between them, each brick angled and interlocked so that if you try to push them apart the linking gets stronger and if you try to pull them inwards, you're pulling against a vacuum. The more you pull, the greater the vacuum. Each brick is precision engineered to fit and constructed from a high-density TSC aggregate. That's a high strength military alloy used in the manufacture of front-line bunkers because its structural integrity makes it bomb-proof. Once its set, no individual brick can be broken."
"By us! By methods we know!"
Madine was unmoved. "I have other tools to keep him put."
"You're going to keep a Sith captive because you have a strongbox? Who's outside the cell, Madine? Who has to hold the key, who feeds him? How do you get that strongbox off Kwenn Station when it's crawling with Imperial stormtroopers because their Emperor is missing? One mind – any mind he can reach and use, that's all he needs."
"They're not as all-powerful as they like us to think. There are ways to reduce them to normal men, to make them just like us. I've seen Imperial intelligence documents that the Alliance would never have had access to. Documents that were made available only to senior Imperial military officers, documents that don't even exist any more. This is years of research, years of raking through old myths and lore and rumors… they all have a basis; there's some small fact hidden in each of them somewhere."
"You can't just stop him being what he is, Madine."
"No I can't… but I can stop him acting on it. I can isolate him in such a way as to…" Madine slowed then fell to silence.
"How?" Leia challenged.
"I can't tell you that. If you go into that meeting to speak with him – if you hold him there long enough for us to act – I can't tell you anything. I've already told you too much. If he reads your mind, he needs to find nothing of value to him. Chief, I guarantee you that I can catch him and I can hold him. All you need to do is draw him in – get him to the meet point that I specify and keep him talking for five minutes so we can move everything into place. That's all I need – I can do the rest."
"No, I can't get involved in this."
"You already are, Ma'am - and it's by the Emperor's hand. You were when he first chose to try to draw you out – when he first contacted you as Ghost. He's been using you for years, and it's time to repay the favor. This is an opportunity to make a near-perfect plan cast-iron. Draw him in and we'll do the rest."
"I won't have the Alliance be responsible for seeding anarchy."
"It won't create anarchy, it will weaken the Empire's hand – considerably. It will certainly put our cause on everyone's lips – prove that we're a force to be reckoned with. If you want to bring them to the table, then do so with a strong arsenal - and without a Sith in power"
"And if the Emperor was the only one who would have brought them to the table? What have we done then?"
Madine shook his head. "With all due respect Ma'am, if he'd ever wanted to further democracy, he could have not returned to the Empire seven years ago. He could have remained here and served the cause of freedom. If he wanted democracy, it was right here, struggling to stay alive. But he left; he returned to Palpatine and took you with him. Think! Think what you're doing – you're actually listening to the man who persuaded you once before that his motives were genuine when they were lies. You're trusting the man who handed you over to Vader and Palpatine!"
Leia wavered, uncertain, and Madine lowered his voice, "Ma'am, he comes to you in secret; no troops, no fleet… does that sound like a man who intends to keep his word? Does that sound like a man who truly wishes to open negotiations leading to the recognition of the Alliance and its tenets? Why not bring others; council, arbitrators… why bring no-one, unless you have no intention of keeping your word.
"And if he genuinely wants this?" Oh, it was weak, even to her ears, but what else could she say? 'I have a gut feeling' – how naïve did that make her sound. "Should we remove him from power even if…"
"You're asking me if we should remove a Sith from power? Yes!"
Leia looked down, torn, and Madine shook his head as if he felt he were being forced to state the glaringly obvious. "You cannot trust him! Remember who he is, who he was. Remember what he did to us – what he did to Mon. And now you think you can trust him? Why?! What's happened in the interim to persuade him to come to the table? Nothing!"
"We can't do this in isolation, Madine. It has to be planned as part of a larger strategy."
"We don't have the luxury of choosing our moment in this, Ma'am. What we do have, for the first and perhaps the only time ever, is a genuine, guaranteed method of accessing him and holding him. We have, for the first time in years, a chance to remove an Emperor who holds the galaxy under oppressive rule. We have, for the first time, a chance to even the score, to level the playing field… that's what we want, isn't it? That's what we need. That's what Mon gave her life for. That's what we've all been fighting for – or am I mistaken?"
"No… no, General, you're not mistaken, but the timing…"
"The timing couldn't be better Ma'am. The timing's perfect. We stop whatever underhand games the Emperor's playing in contacting you, and we use that game against him, to lure him in."
Leia looked up, frowning, and Madine pushed on, thinking on his feet.
"We were going to send out our own man; contact the Emperor on the Rebel frequency we'd been told he uses with his informer, and change the venue to a place of our choosing, one that's been prepared in advance. Now we don't need to rely on that subterfuge to get him into the trap. Now we have the real contact, and what's more she's unquestionably loyal to the Alliance." Madine paused, "You can change the venue – you can lead him in. You want it to go smoothly, safely?" madine nodded decisively. "Then you can make it. You can make it watertight."
Leia looked down again, mind racing… "If we do this…" she looked up to Madine again, voice steel. "If we do this, he stands trial. He stands trial according to recognized Old Republic law, with a judge and jury."
Madine's face hardened slightly. "That would be an extended, time-consuming process which…"
"He stands fair trial."
"I don't know if I can hold him that long."
Leia's eyes narrowed. "Then what had you intended?"
Madine remained silent – and that was all she needed. "He stands trial, Madine. We're not murderers. We're fighting to restore justice… we have no right to put ourselves beyond it."
"These are extenuating circumstances which..."
"No – nothing's beyond the law, especially here. If you're uncomfortable with this, if you feel I'm making a unilateral decision, we can wait and put it to the Council."
They remained silent, eyes locked together… and slowly, jaw grinding, Madine let out a sigh. He knew that despite everything, he had only two supporters in the otherwise moderate Council. No-one else would back him, not in this – and by the time he'd argued his case, the brief window of opportunity would have passed. "That won't be necessary Ma'am. I'm sure that your views represent the Council as a whole."
"Then we put him to trial."
Madine nodded once, prepared to concede this – for now. "We put him to trial."
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The small hologram in the Captains ready-room aboard the Zephyr flared into life in a bright scatter of light, Tag Massa's face appearing. They'd dropped out of lightspeed close to Kwenn Station and Leia had asked for a few moments to comm her old ally, knowing that Tag always fretted when Leia went on such meetings, always comming the Captain of whatever vessel Leia had traveled on just beforehand and several times during such actions.
"Better to be sure," she always said. She'd always looked out for her, Leia knew; always.
Now Tag smiled easily, voice as confident and unshakeable as ever. "Good morning Ma'am. Everything in hand?"
Leia hesitated no more than a second, but it was all that Tag needed. "Something's happened, hasn't it? Something's wrong."
"No… no, nothing's wrong, just… a change of plan – a big change in plan." Why did she feel like she was admitting a mistake – like she was asking absolution?
"I have nothing reported here..." concern flooded Tag's voice, her eyes going down to what must be a screen out of the Holo-recorder's line of sight. "Are you under threat?"
"No, they've… Madine came to me this morning. He has a way to catch the Emperor – a way to hold him."
Tag straightened, eyes widening. "Is he sure?"
"He seems so. He can't tell me the details, because I'm the one who's meeting with Luke to– "
"You?!"
"He knew Tag. He already knew someone was meeting with the Emperor – that's what his whole mission was set around. He just didn't know it was me."
"So you told him?"
"Yes. This has been kept quiet for too long – we don't work like that."
Tag had her hands up, rubbing her face, clearly at her wit's end. "You must know something?"
"I know Madine has some kind of holding cell… that's it. Don't make me think about it, Tag – I have to put it from my mind."
Tag shook her head, face pale. "Don't do it. Don't authorize it and certainly don't become involved."
It wasn't until Tag said it that Leia realized why she had contacted her; she'd wanted to hear someone say that. She'd wanted it so very much… Leia scowled, angry at herself for needing it rather than at Tag for saying it. "I'll be fine."
"Don't do it – not this time. Bring the plans back, let the Council see them, let them be checked and approved. Don't do this now."
"It has to be now, everything's in place. It could be months, even years, before we get another chance."
"What about the talks? You said yourself that he seemed genuine. You're going to throw everything away for another of Madine's schemes – one you have no knowledge of. It may have a hundred holes in it; it may be littered with flaws."
"I very much doubt that with Madine."
"No? Like the fiasco at the Fondor Shipyards was? We still don't even know what it was for!"
""TSC," Leia said. "It was for TSC. It's the military aggregate they needed to construct this holding cell – they had some at Fondor."
Tag blinked, but wouldn't be derailed. "Where has the plan even come from?"
"It's been in preparation for some time, apparently."
Tag was staring off again, obviously at her screen, "I still have no deviations from the Zephyr's pre-arranged agenda listed here; I have it scheduled as on a supply mission in the Inner Rim. This is outrageous – he can't continue to operate under these conditions!" Her eyes whipped to the lens, "Ma'am please reconsider – just a delay. Ask Madine to send a copy of the plan to me here now. Wait until I've looked over it."
"We don't have time anymore."
Tag almost stood now, such was her alarm. "You're talking about kidnapping the Emperor – the Emperor! The response will be incredible! Are you sure this is the right action? Madine has no idea, he has no idea what he's trying to do. If he makes this attempt – if you let him and he fails, what do you think the response will be?"
"And if he succeeds? Think what we've done…"
"I am," Tag said gravely. "Because either way, you will have cast your lot – and therefore the whole of the Alliance's – in with the radicals. There's no coming back from that."
There was a quiet knock at the door to the ready-room and Leia lifted her head. From beyond came the muffled voice of the Second Lieutenant, "Ma'am, we've just picked up a frigate entering orbit – a Corellian DP-20 Gunship – the General think it's our bird. We need to go black."
"I have to go, Tag." Leia said quickly, suddenly torn.
"Leia! Think about what I've said, please – and have the plans sent to me."
"We're going dark."
"Please – have them transmitted before you do."
"I will – I promise." Leia cut the connection, rising to return to the bridge… at the door she paused, Tag's pale, stricken face coming again to her mind; "Don't do it. Don't authorize it and certainly don't become involved."
Was that really why Leia had contacted her – to hear someone say those words, to be given that justification? Because she had wanted to hear someone say it, she knew that now. She'd truly wanted to hear someone say it.
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Madine slowed just slightly in his walk across the hold when he saw Solo leaning against the entry of the shuttle he would be using to take Chief Organa down to the surface, but he didn't stop or change course. The Corellian knew what was happening of course; Madine had heard the raised voices before Organa had bundled him onto the shuttle and closed the entrance hatch, and it was a good half-hour before she came out again, alone.
What exactly had been said Madine didn't know, but Solo had spent the interim period skulking close to the shuttle with a face like thunder, and the Chief had found a hundred and one reasons to stay close to the bridge, restructuring the small group of guards she'd be taking with her so that Solo remained with the shuttle. Clearly he didn't approve, but he also didn't want to leave the Chief behind; a pity – Madine had nursed a private hope that the Chief's complicity might just be too much for Solo and he'd finally storm out of here on that decrepit old freighter of his and not come back.
It didn't matter though; what mattered was that Madine's plan was not only going ahead, but it was now doing so with the collaboration of the Chief of Staff. Everything was go, and as long as Leia Organa stuck to her word, this would go by the numbers. Which she would; Organa was, to Madine's mind, too young and too idealistic to hold the position she did, but she at least had the political savvy to know not to back down without fair warning once she'd given her word… though just in case, Madine had gone out of his way to remain unreachable, and would stay so until Organa was safely off the ship.
To the edge of his vision Madine saw Solo's chin raise, and wasn't surprised when the smuggler spoke, pushing upright.
"A little advice, General."
Madine considered walking past without stopping, but couldn't bring himself to let the Corellian think he'd been intimidated. So he stopped, turning head-on to Solo. "You have something to say, pilot?"
"Just a little friendly advice General – we can all use that from time to time, huh?"
"I hardly think you have anything of value to tell me, Solo."
"I'm hurt – and to think that just the start of this year you were tellin' me how we were so very alike; that is what you said, isn't it?" Solo clicked his fingers in feigned realization, "Oh, but that was when you were tryin' to get details about the cell onboard the Executor, wasn't it?"
Madine ground his jaw but said nothing as Solo continued, pushing himself up to take a few steps forward, the embodiment of casual amity beneath a core of tight antagonism.
"But you know what's weird? I don't think it was that far from the truth – I got some stuff in common even with the likes of you. You see, I can see where you're comin' from in all this." Madine's eyes narrowed, but Solo nodded, pressing on. "Really, I can. I can see where it all fell apart… see, you lost Mothma, and she was your conscience. She kept it all in check; kept the bad stuff back – and I know just what that's like. Except that I still have Leia. I know I'd go crazy if I lost her, that I'd be looking for the same revenge, the same payback as you are right now…"
Solo shook his head slowly, "But not at this cost. See, that's where the resemblance ends; I'd know when I'd crossed the line – I'd know when I was overturning everything she'd ever believed in, everything she'd fought for, just to give me a chance at hurtin' someone."
Madine's lips pressed to a thin line, eyes narrowing. "You didn't know Mon like I did, and if you claim for a single moment otherwise I'll put you down where you stand, Solo."
"No I didn't. But I knew her well enough to know that she'd never have agreed to this."
"She would have put her name to it in a minute for the chance to bring that son of a Sith down."
"Not when there were peace talks in the offing."
"Please! You're not that naïve."
"No I'm not – and I think they're genuine. What does that tell you?"
"Nothing more than I haven't always known." Madine looked Solo up and down as he took a step closer and Solo straightened, both men looking to intimidate the other. "You listen to me – you take one step to interfere with this and you're facing a Court-Martial…"
"Don't worry Madine, I've given my word – to someone who I'd care to keep it with. Though this is the last time... this is it. I'm through with the dirty little games you and your pals play. I'm through with your thinkin' you got carte blanche to just pull anyone into your private little war."
"You know where the door is."
Solo let out a rough laugh, "Seriously?! You seriously think I stay here for you? You think I give a damn about your little club and whether it flies or falls? You think I give a damn about anything you say?"
"Considering I'm your senior officer, you should."
"Yeah well, I don't do too good with authority."
"So I understand… is that what they wrote on your report at Carida?"
Solo tilted his head. "I dunno – is it what they wrote on yours?"
Madine crossed his arms, "They wrote 'Likely to go far'."
"Yeah? They mention which way? Me, I got a hundred places to go, a hundred people who'd help me. Where would you go, Madine? Who'd help you in a crisis? You're here because you have no-where else to go; that's the truth of it. Remember that."
"I'm here because I believe in democracy."
"Really? How many people got to vote on whether your latest little grudge-match went through? Let's see…. you…" Solo rolled his eyes, making a parody of counting on his fingers, frowning now. "Okay that's it, I'm out. I guess basically it was just you."
"And I should be bothered by that?"
"You tell me?"
"Am I bothered that I'm right – that I have the conviction to push my vision forward? No – not surprisingly."
"Oh," Solo tilted his head dryly, "careful Madine; sounding a little… well, like an Imperial there. You know the old maxim; take care that in fighting your enemy, you don't become it."
"I don't think there's any danger of that."
Han clicked his fingers again, "Oh no that's right – you already were."
"I'm not ashamed of my past Solo. It gave me the strength of my convictions today. Gave me the skills to back them up. Gave me the knowledge and the experience to make solid judgments; bold ones." Madine looked Solo up and down, summing him up and dismissing him in the same glance. "I've dealt with people like you my whole life in the Empire; the dregs and the lowlifes who just won't go away; who just gather at the edges of society like scum."
"We're gonna have to go out and find you a new pair of Imperial-issue jackboots to stamp around in soon, handin' out the law."
"Because I know the likes of you for what you are?"
Solo straightened again, resting his hand casually on the butt of his blaster. "I dunno, maybe you're right; I've kicked about with the dregs for a while, lived among 'em. I kinda like it down there."
"Feel right at home?" Madine drawled.
"Pretty much," Solo nodded, unoffended. "Most of 'em are better people than the average Imperial Officer. At least if they're gonna stab you in the back, they have the guts to walk up to your face and show you the vibroblade first. And down there, we don't make a lot of noise and waves. People like me… well, we don't go in for all that. We're just point and click people, you know? Know it don't show it. No threats, just facts."
"Get to the point Solo."
"The point is you're trying my patience. You're putting those I care about at risk and I don't like that. You're stacking them against each-other for your own little war and using guilt trips and power plays to hold 'em there… and I really don't like that."
Madine almost laughed, "Are you threatening me… you?! Some mediocre, backwater smuggler with delusions of his own importance. If it wasn't for Organa, I'd have stood you in front of a firing squad six years ago, for the company you kept."
Solo didn't even blink. "You know what's really sad is, I believe you. But let me give you a little advice – something to think on."
"I don't need your advice, Solo – and believe me, your smartmouthed threats are wasted on me."
The edge of a smile tugged at Han's lips. "You don't want advice that's fine, I can see where you coming from." Solo straightened slowly, body tilting forward in warning. "But believe me when I say that you're on very rocky ground Madine, and listen to me when I say this, because it's the last piece of advice I'll ever give you; don't make me come after you. Not for Leia, not for Skywalker, not for anyone. I don't like what you're doing – I think it's underhand and I think it's dirty and if it were up to me, it wouldn't happen. You are, I promise you, barely on the right side of me toleratin' you and that's a real thin line. That's a hairpin trigger. So my advice is this; don't push your luck puttin' Leia in the line of fire and don't push your luck with Skywalker. If you manage to catch him – and that's a big old if – don't let me hear anything I don't like in his treatment. Don't let anything happen to him that you're not happy about someone else doin' to you, cos believe me, someone will.
"This is the one and only time I'll say it; don't make me an enemy, Madine. Don't make me come after you." Solo turned away, his eyes never leaving Madine, his last remark passed as a low growl as he walked slowly off. "That is, believe me, one of the best pieces of advice you'll ever get."
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