Chapter 4: Jedi Attack

It had been a simple distraction, at the time. An idle way to pass some hours until he returned to civilization. Controlling an animal was a specialized and useful skill for any Force user, and it was rare to get the chance to practice on such aggressive creatures as the two gargoyles. But before Vader knew it, the Force was no longer needed to tame these animals, and they appeared to have decided he was their new master.

It appealed to him, on some level. It was only fitting that a Sith Lord should have a pair of monsters as his devoted pets. But he had also discovered that these creatures were somewhat undeserving of their infamous reputation. They were aggressive, certainly, and they were carnivores. But the parent and child displayed a devotion to each other of an intensity he had never seen in a non-sentient animal.

And they weren't mother and child, as he had first assumed, but father and son.

The father was nothing short of doting. He refused to eat anything until he had seen that his son had eaten first. He became flustered and upset if his offspring wasn't in his immediate vicinity and would spend long hours grooming and cleaning his cub, despite his weak condition.

The son was curious and playful, wanting to explore every millimeter of the retreat. Vader discovered him in the strangest of places. In cupboards, under chairs. Even stuck in his ship's engine, on one memorable occasion. The cub was too adventurous for his own good, appearing unaware that his wings were still only buds. It was good that his parent kept a tight rein on him, or it was unlikely he would live to see his first set of fangs.

It wasn't long before the adult had regained partial use of his wing and resumed hunting to provide for both himself and his cub. Vader expected the pair to move on and return to the wild where they belonged. They had other ideas, however. Ideas which involved spending most of their waking hours sleeping in his ship.

Earlier that morning he'd finally relented and given them names. The adult had a greenish sheen to its thick hide, whereas the youngling was a brownish-red. Seeing as the pair were nearly inseparable, the names 'Fode' and 'Beed' seemed to suit, after a two-headed podrace announcer his former self had known in his youth.

The two of them were currently asleep in the back compartment of the ship, near the onboard hyperbaric chamber, while he sat in the pilot's seat and attempted to use the ship's computer to repair a damaged volume of the first resident's logs. Despite himself, he was still curious about what he'd seen in the damaged temple, and he wanted to know more about her fate. The history of the Sith was often one of tragedy and hubris and his own master often warned him to be mindful of the fates that befell their forebears.

His task was interrupted by an urgent beeping coming from the communications array. Behind him, a tail thumped on the deck in annoyance and Fode pricked up his ears and made a squeaking noise. Vader hastily stood up to answer it.

A blue image of his master appeared on the projector, filling the small space.

"Lord Vader. How goes your work on Lygun?"

Vader glanced sideways at the animals, glad they weren't in view of the holo field.

"Well, Master. I have made some interesting discoveries."

"I look forward to hearing about them. But now you must return to Coruscant immediately."

Vader felt the Force tremor at his master's next words.

"It seems we have another Jedi on the loose."

At first, Luke had not regretted his decision to leave IFS without Crix and Val. But it didn't take long to change his mind. He hadn't been prepared for the loneliness he would feel, alone in the vast city without a friend. People pushed past him without giving him so much as a glance. He was hungry, too, and the shelter they used to visit for food appeared to have been closed down by the Empire. He didn't know where to look for another one. He was wary of straying too far into the lower levels, as they were filled with gangs and violence.

If it were up to him, he would find a spaceport and try and stow away on a ship. Any planet had to be more friendly than this place. He'd even prefer Tatooine. But he couldn't leave Crix and Val behind. Not after he'd promised he'd come back that night.

Feeling exhausted after the excitement of his escape, he eventually made his way to an isolated spot on the roof of a lower building and fell asleep on top of a pile of old newsfaxes. Much later that afternoon, he found himself being shaken awake by a gloved hand. His defensive instincts caused him to jump up and raise his arms to fight, but he paused when he found himself staring at a pair of shiny white boots. His only hope with a stormtrooper would be to stall until he let his guard down and then run for his life.

"Luke!"

Luke looked up in surprise. There was only one stormtrooper who knew his name.

"LJ? What ... what are you doing here?"

LJ gestured around. "Seeing the sights. Experiencing the culture. Yourself?"

Luke frowned. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Your friends told me."

"I don't believe you!" Luke said, shaking his head in disbelief. "They would never betray me!"

LJ stepped closer. His blaster remained holstered, but the sentiment was clear enough. Unfortunately, Luke had pressed himself into a three-sided gap to shield himself from the wind, and now the fourth side was blocked by LJ.

"I'm not coming back with you!"

"You want to live here?" LJ gestured around at the permacrete wasteland. "This is no five-star hotel, kid."

"It's no prison, either," Luke countered.

"I'm not going to stand here and argue with you. If you won't come quietly, I'll stun you."

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

"Go ahead, then," Luke said, smirking and folding his arms.

LJ's hand moved to his belt, and for a second, Luke thought he was really going to do it. He raised his hands in protest and then found his left wrist locked in a pair of binders. LJ snapped the other side onto his own wrist, leaving no possibility for Luke's escape.

"You're brave," LJ said. "I'll give you that."

Luke pulled on the binders, but he was no match for LJ's strength.

"Not fair," Luke said, sulking.

"Are you going to bring your stuff?"

Luke bent down to pick up his sack and allowed LJ to pull him away. He dragged him across the vast expanse of the roof, until they reached a small utility speeder, parked along one edge. Luke was made to crawl in across the pilot's seat, so both of them could get in without having to undo the binders.

"You missed some big excitement last night, buddy," LJ said, starting the engine.

Luke wasn't interested in friendly conversation. LJ hadn't bothered to undo the binders, which meant his hand was being uncomfortably pulled around while LJ operated the speeder controls.

"Who cares?"

"I do. I got to report to Lord Vader. The Lord Vader, himself. Me, LJ-151, reporting to the second in command of the Empire."

"Darth Vader was at Family Services?" Luke said, with a smirk. "I'm not that gullible."

LJ lifted the speeder into the air, and they joined one of the main traffic flows.

"That's what happens if you leave," he said. "You miss out on all the action. For your information, he was there—we had a break-in. I was stationed on corridor guard at the time and next thing I look up and there's a guy with a laser sword trying to get into one of the dorms. I tried to shoot him, but the bolt just bounced right off his sword."

"So Darth Vader was there, and a laser sword wielding person attacked Family Services?" Luke said, wondering if LJ had finally gone crazy, or whether this joke had a punchline.

"No, Lord Vader didn't show until much later. The Jedi—although, it may not have been a Jedi—took off. Then we called the city guard for backup and it went all the way to the Emperor and next thing Lord Vader is there, and I had to make a report about what I saw. I'm never going to complain about being assigned to light duty again."

Luke shook his head, still not knowing what to make of this.

"And speaking of Jedi ... did you hear the one about the Jedi who couldn't vacuum his sofa?"

"I don't want to," Luke said.

"He had no attachments, see."

"I don't get it."

"Jedi ... no attachments? And you need attachments on a vacuum to clean your sofa?"

"Is there a point to that, or is it just another of your stupid jokes?" Luke asked.

"Ah, your generation ... you know nothing about Jedi."

"I do so," Luke said. "They used to tell those old stories on Tatooine, too. About people who could move things with their mind and know what was going to happen before it did and ... but my uncle said those were just old stories, and no one could really do all that. Why do you think this person was a Jedi, anyhow?"

"Because of his laser sword. Jedi have laser swords ... at least, they did. Some say the Jedi are all dead now, but maybe there's one or two still out there. Anyway, after he had left, I was going through the dorms making sure no one was hurt or missing. Guess what? Your bed was empty."

"So you told everyone I'd been kidnapped by a Jedi?"

"No. Because your friends explained that you'd left two hours earlier. I had a good rant at them over letting you out here on your own, and I guess they must have taken some of what I said to heart. They told me I might find you here."

"I was doing fine!" Luke insisted.

"Yeah. I guess you might have lasted for another three days."

LJ turned out of the traffic lane, causing Luke to be pulled towards him.

"Ouch!" Luke complained.

"Sorry. I'll let you out of those soon."

"I think I'd have preferred it if you'd stunned me."

"Yeah, but it might have looked a bit heartless, you know? A stormtrooper dragging a stunned kid around ... that's the kind of thing which ends up all over the underground HoloNet."

"Since when did you ever care about looking heartless?" Luke asked. "And can you let me out of them now?" They had touched down on the landing pad.

"Once we get inside," LJ said.

Luke was surprised at how many extra troops were stationed throughout the building. There were two on every corner and teams of them marching around in formation. It seemed LJ had told the truth, after all. But why would someone attack Family Services? Someone with a laser sword ...

The connection hit Luke just as he and LJ entered the wing where IFS was situated.

"LJ!" Luke said, coming to a halt. "I can't go back!"

"Yeah, yeah," LJ mumbled, not pausing.

"No, I mean it!" Luke said, struggling to resist. "I know why that person attacked last night!"

"Sure."

"I'm serious! Was he really thin and dressed in black robes that covered his face? Was his laser sword red?"

"Yes, come to think of it."

"That's the person who murdered my aunt and uncle! He was looking for me!"

LJ stopped, finally giving Luke some attention.

"I can't go back!" Luke said. "Now he knows where I am!"

"Luke, if anyone is trying to kill you, the safest place you could possibly be is in the facility. We've got the place staked out like a fortress right now. And besides, didn't you tell me this planet of yours is in the Outer Rim? How is anyone from there going to find you here?"

"But how many people in the galaxy wear black and carry a red laser sword?"

"Lots. It's probably the newest look. I might look into it myself."

"This isn't funny, LJ. Name one other person."

"Lord Vader."

"He has a red laser sword?" Luke asked, curiously.

"Yes. Besides, the Emperor swore they'd catch this Jedi who attacked us before nightfall. Lord Vader has captured hundreds of Jedi—this one won't get past him."

"I hope you're right," Luke mumbled.

Once they passed through the main doors, Luke saw what LJ meant about turning the place into a fortress. There were droid guards as well as stormtroopers now, and every person entering was being screened for weapons.

LJ released him from the binders and then kept a hand on his shoulder as he guided him through the mass of security personnel and confused visitors. Eventually they came to a stop outside the main offices, and Luke looked up in confusion.

"I thought you were taking me to the decontamination showers."

"I am. I need to get some forms first. The supplies in our barracks have run out."

Luke looked down at his dust-stained clothes. "I'll wait out here."

LJ didn't release him as he walked through the doors. "Nice try, buddy. Don't worry—they've seen worse."

They walked down the length of the cubicles, which were divided up into even squares, four on each side of the room. At the top was the closed door of the administrator's office. Beside it was a rack holding stacks of forms. There were at least a hundred different varieties.

LJ crouched down on one knee as he scanned the rows of forms, occasionally flicking through them.

"What is the name of it?" Luke asked, growing impatient.

"Regulation 45b, subsection 7, clause 89. They used to be pink, but I think she's changed the colors around again. She loves doing that."

"Ask her," Luke said, pointing at the office door.

"Are you kidding? I'm not disturbing the administrator over the color of a form. She'll make me get her coffee."

Luke grumbled under his breath and bent down to help LJ search. Within a minute, they had forms mixed up and scattered all over the floor, and LJ's normally unshakeable good temper was beginning to crack.

"Curse the administrator and all her hellbound forms!"

"Let's just forget it," Luke said, hastily.

"I can't forget it. If I don't file that form, she'll go crazy."

"She's already crazy. You won't notice the difference."

Approaching footsteps caused them both to look up in curiosity. It was BB-675, the protocol droid who worked at the reception desk. He was followed by a man dressed in elaborate robes and holding an official-looking black briefcase.

BB-675 turned his photo-receptors on them, looking about as distasteful as a protocol droid could look.

"You better clean up that mess and get that child out of here," the droid said. "The administrator will not be pleased."

"Shut your trap, droid," LJ said.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't."

The man was watching this exchange with an expression of vague impatience, until he noticed Luke. Luke met his gaze for a moment and then looked down, hastily stacking forms back into the rack. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't like the way the man was looking at him.

Suddenly, the office door opened, and the administrator stepped out, looking like she was suffering from form withdrawal.

"Is there a conference scheduled that I wasn't informed about?" she snapped. "If not, then move away from my office."

BB didn't let her tone affect him.

"Administrator, may I present the right honorable Senator Lerrod."

The senator stepped forward to shake hands, but the administrator didn't accept the offer.

"Did you have an appointment with me, Senator?"

"I do now."

"No, I'm afraid you don't. I have memorized my appointment schedule, and you are not on it."

"Now I am," the senator insisted. "I must speak with you. It's important."

"If it was important, you should have made an appointment three weeks in advance, as per regulation."

"Do you have any idea who I am?" the senator said, now appearing rattled. "I am the newly appointed representative of Coruscant in the Galactic Senate."

"And I am the administrator of the 507th branch of Imperial Family Services. Come back when you've made an appointment."

The administrator made to go back into her office, but the senator stepped forward.

"Wait. Perhaps you would be willing to speak with me if I offered you a little salary bonus. Would three hundred credits be sufficient?"

"Three hundred will get you ... oh, let me think ... three minutes of my time."

"Three minutes is all I need," the senator said, hastily activating a credit tab.

Luke blinked in surprise, wondering whether he was supposed to be watching this. The administrator hadn't appeared to have noticed him and LJ.

"Very well. What do you want?" the administrator said, pocketing the credit tab.

"A child. Just temporarily."

"Uh huh." She leaned against the door frame, folding her arms. "You can collect the forms from the reception desk. First, there will be an evaluation to determine if you are suitable to care for a child ... that will take six months at minimum. Then, if all goes well, you can arrange a time to come in and inspect the children. After you have made a selection, the child will be released into your care after a two week stand down period, while we process the clearance forms."

"Perhaps I should rephrase," the senator said. "I need a child now. I want to take one home with me today."

"Do you think we are some kind of library that lends out children instead of books, Senator?"

"I'll give you six thousand."

"Six thousand might just convince me to allow you to have a look at the children—"

"I don't need to look," the senator said. He pointed a gloved finger at Luke. "That one there is fine."

Luke jumped behind LJ, suddenly frightened. He didn't want to go anywhere with this man.

The administrator glanced at them, finally noticing LJ.

"What are you doing here, Stormtrooper?" she demanded, annoyed.

"Excuse me, I just paid for three minutes of your time," the senator said, holding up a hand between the administrator and LJ. "Now do we have a deal? I'll make it ten thousand in exchange for this child for three months."

Luke looked at the administrator's face, clinging to LJ's arm like it was a lifeline.

"That one is a troublemaker," she said. Her voice sounded slightly less disinterested, though. "He's broken out twice."

"Then let me take him off your hands. This facility has attracted enough controversy without him causing you trouble. I'm sure you have more important things to do than mind delinquent children."

She was cracking. Luke sensed with increasing horror that she was on the verge of saying yes.

"What do you want a child for, anyway?" she asked, finally. "If you are intending to place this child in danger, then—"

"Of course not. I simply require an orphaned child to participate in my political campaign. He'll live with my family and be cared for as if he were my own son."

The administrator took one last glance at Luke.

"Twenty thousand," she said, finally. "And he's yours. For three months."

"Done."

Luke watched the senator write another credit tab, feeling his head begin to spin. A political campaign? What did that mean? Where was he going to be taken?

"Stormtrooper, go and get this boy ready to leave," she said. "I'll complete the paperwork for you, Senator."

LJ saluted and started to pull Luke towards the doors, holding his sack in his other hand. Luke struggled against LJ's hold, looking around desperately for something solid he could latch himself to. Once in the corridor, Luke finally stopped resisting, as it wasn't doing much good.

"LJ, I don't want to go with him," Luke said, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"I know you don't, Luke, but you don't have a choice. Besides, it's only for three months."

"What's a political campaign?"

"I don't know. But he's a senator—that means he'll live in a big house in the middle of Imperial City. You'll like it there."

LJ had that tone adults sometimes used when they knew they were lying through their teeth but were trying to make you feel better about something terrible.

"Now, do you want to come and say goodbye to your friends?"

Luke nodded, feeling like he was in a dream. LJ took him down to the high-security dorm, and as soon as he opened the doors, Crix and Val came running. Val arrived first, and threw her arms around him.

"Luke, you're safe!"

"Did you hear about what happened?" Crix said.

Luke didn't answer, feeling an old echo of his speechless days returning.

"What's happening, Luke?" Crix asked, sounding worried.

"Are you going back into isolation?" Val asked.

Luke shook his head, unable to tell them, for fear of breaking down into tears.

"He's going to stay with a senator for three months," LJ explained.

"Adopted?"

"No. Just for three months."

"Wow, Luke, a senator!" Crix said. "You'll get to see Imperial City."

Luke looked over at his bunk, suddenly wishing he could crawl into it.

"You don't want to go?" Val said, looking at Luke with concern.

"Come on," LJ said. "Say goodbye to your friends now, Luke. You'll see them again."

"Yeah," Crix said, slapping him on the back. "We'll find each other. Somehow."

"I'll miss you," Val said, hugging him.

Luke hugged her back, suddenly realizing how much these two had come to mean to him. Now he might never see them again.

"I'll never forget you," Luke mumbled.

The saddest part came a short time later, when they reached the landing pad where Senator Lerrod and his chauffeur stood waiting by a speeder. The administrator was nowhere to be seen.

"Goodbye, Luke," LJ said, ruffling his hair. "See you in three months."

Luke looked up at his friend, his eyes wet with unshed tears and then suddenly wrapped his arms around the stormtrooper, as far as they could reach. Then the tears began to fall, and LJ bent down to return the embrace as much as his armor could allow.

"I'll m-miss you," Luke sniffed.

"No you won't," LJ said. "You'll be having too much fun living among the rich and famous."

Luke hugged tighter, shaking his head in denial.

The goodbye was brought to an abrupt end when the senator's patience ran out. "Oh, for stars sake, it's just a stormtrooper, kid," he said, pulling Luke away by the back of his tunic. "There's one just like it who guards the overpass outside my home. You can make friends with him." He threw his sack in after him.

Luke didn't stop looking back until they'd left the landing pad far behind.

It was late in the afternoon by the time Vader walked into the Emperor's main office in the spires of the Imperial Palace. Mere hours before the deadline given to the Coruscant security forces to locate this rogue Jedi and bring him or her to immediate justice. His master's casual air as he watched a security holo indicated he wasn't overly concerned.

"Lord Vader," he said, warmly. "You have an update for me?"

"Master, I have flown over the entire region myself and sent messages to all our underworld contacts in the lower levels. All leads have yielded nothing." He struggled to keep his tone even. "The Force is clouded."

"No matter. I have tasked the Grand Vizier with supervising the execution of a stand-in this evening. That will placate the public. This enemy may yet show himself again of his own accord and you can deal with him then. I have been informed that none of the children in the facility were taken."

"No, master. I have ordered a blood test on all the residents to determine if any have potential to be trained in the ways of the Force."

"A good idea," the Emperor said, entwining his fingers as he leaned back. "You should extend the investigation to neighbouring facilities as well. Perhaps there is some illegitimate son or daughter of a Jedi the enemy was attempting to retrieve."

"Perhaps," Vader agreed. "They were foolish to attempt such a thing."

"Continuing a fine tradition for the Jedi," the Emperor said. "Now tell me. How was your time away? Did you find anything of note on Lygun?"

Vader considered his answer. In all truth, he hadn't accomplished anything of note after becoming distracted with the gargoyles, who had not been impressed to be abruptly removed from his ship and abandoned. It was for the best. Life on Mustafar would not have agreed with them. But that was hardly something to tell the Emperor.

"It was a hostile place. The former resident seemed to appreciate her solitude."

"Ah. Like another Sith Lord I know," the Emperor said. "But you must remain here for the time being. I sense turmoil in the Force."

"I have also felt it," Vader said. "This Jedi is to blame."

"Perhaps. But perhaps there is more. You must meditate, my friend. Together, we may learn more about what the future holds."

"Yes, Master."

Vader turned to leave, but the Emperor spoke again.

"And of course I know you will have remembered Empire Day. It will be a good opportunity for you to meet the new acting senator who has been temporarily appointed to fill the vacancy. Lerrod is his name. He was the late senator's closest advisor and protégé. I trust you will make an effort to ensure this one stays alive. Until the next election, at least."

Vader considered suggesting that the new Senator Lerrod take care to stay on his good side, but he doubted the Emperor would sympathize.

"I sense that he will be easy to control," the Emperor continued. "If he proves himself, I will allow him to remain in the position for as long as he manages to stay alive. I've noticed that the job seems to have a high fatality rate."