For the second time in their lives the twins sat huddled in a holding cell whilst explosions rocked the ship and distant sirens wailed. Again, they imagined in their minds the space battle occurring outside of their prison walls. Again, two stormtroopers stood guard outside like before, and again they had no hope of rescue. But unlike before they had no lightsaber and there was no chance of escape. They were at the mercy of the man all in black, Darth Vader.
Luke sat close to her, shivering slightly. His tanned arms were raised all over with gooseflesh. The twins had no protection from the ship's heating system which seemed to run on cool air and their hunger and exhaustion made it hard for their bodies to generate warmth. Their summer clothes were filthy and tattered, and their slippers had so many holes from traversing Tatooine that they were hanging off the soles of their feet like paupers. Even though they were ravenous, the children were far too frightened to bang on the door and ask the stormtroopers for anything. Leia didn't trust them one bit.
Time went slowly. It seemed like days ago that Darth Vader had brought them from the small prison on his ship to this bigger one. He'd not said a word as he locked the door. No words of what was happening or how long they would be confined before meeting the Emperor - if that was the truth. They had talked about Vader's words, about the elite academy on Arkanis and meeting the Emperor, but they didn't know if they could believe or trust that monster. Surely two children from a small planet on the Outer Rim could never be so special that the ruler of the galaxy would want to meet them… it must be a lie.
Shivering, she leaned back against the metal wall, but it was icy on her arms and she rubbed her hands on her biceps to warm up. She and Luke had been sitting in silence, and though they were frightened, they were also bored to death. Four grey walls surrounded them, pressing in on their minds and spirits. At least in Mos Espa they'd been able to move about and eat cakes.
Leia longed to run, to move freely and play in the warm air of summer with the whole forest and endless meadows to explore before her. Dreamily, her young mind wandered back to their home and their parents. Where were mom and dad now? Were they safe?
There was nothing she wouldn't give in order to be with them again. To be swung high in the air in her dad's arms or to be hugged and kissed by her mom…
"Leia, how much longer?" Luke asked, breaking her wishful daydreams.
"I don't know."
"I'm so hungry," he moaned. In the silence of the chamber, she heard his stomach growling, or was it hers? Her brother looked over to the door then back to her. "Maybe we should ask the stormtroopers for food. Maybe they won't hurt us. Darth Vader did say that we could ask."
"That monster killed Watto, he's evil Luke! We can't trust anything he says."
He was quiet, staring at the door. again. Leia remembered his bravery from before and thought she should tell him.
"By the way, you were really brave in the junk shop fighting Darth Vader like that," she told him earnestly. "Far braver than me."
"Well, I thought we were going to get killed," Luke looked bashful. "I had to do something."
"Dad would be really proud of you."
He smiled at her, then looked at the door again. He squared his shoulders. "I'm going to ask for food."
"Luke no!" she hissed, leaning forward to stop him but it was too late. Luke got up and touched the intercom on the door which relayed a message to the guards outside.
"Excuse me…umm, can we get something to eat please?"
The intercom crackled and they heard the voice of one of the troopers speaking from outside. "Lord Vader has instructed us not to leave our stations during this battle. There will be no food until we are out of conflict," the speaker crackled again and then it was silent.
Luke looked dismayed and her heart sunk, looks like there was no chance of a hot meal now. To her surprise her brother pressed the button again and spoke into the receiver.
"Can we get a blanket for the cold please?"
"I repeat, we are not allowed to leave our stations," the guard replied, irritated.
"Why is there a space battle happening outside?"
"No more questions."
"Are we really being taken to see the Emperor?"
"I said no more questions!" the man banged on the door and they both jumped back.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Leia was glad their conversation with the guards was over. It would take a long time to forget their encounter with the stormtroopers from the first ship. Under the dirt on his face, Luke still carried the bruises.
Sitting back down next to her on the cold metal bench, her brother let out a dejected sigh and they were back to square one. "I'm so hungry I could eat a mountain of pancakes. I'd climb right to the top and eat my way down."
She smiled, imagining it. Maybe they could forget their situation for a while. "Me too, we could eat it together. What syrup would you have?"
"Raspberry, what about you?"
"Namana syrup…" she said dreamily, imagining the taste. "Maybe we can play a game or something so we feel better. We could be here for ages yet."
This perked her brother up, and for the first time since leaving Tatooine some energy returned to his face. "Okay, what shall we play?"
"Well, I don't think we can play tag."
He smiled, his teeth bright against his dirty face. "Yeah, not that one. How about eye spy?"
"Eye spy with my little eye something beginning with…" Leia looked around, brushing her tangled hair out of her face. Luke tried to track where her eyes landed. "W."
"...Wall?"
"Okay maybe not that one either," she laughed, immediately feeling better. Luke laughed too and their mood was lifted. They hadn't laughed in so long. Even though they were in such a bad situation, at least she had her brother. Leia was so glad she was not alone.
"How about would you rather?" he offered.
"Okay, you go first."
"Would you rather…" he pondered his question whilst stroking an invisible beard, making her grin. She waited, excited. Luke always thought of good questions. "Would you rather eat bantha poodoo every day for the rest of your whole life orrr…have your hands and feet eaten off by a nexu?"
"Eat the bantha poodoo!" she cried with glee, wanting to see his reaction.
"Ewww!" he yelled, laughing. "You'd eat it for free anyway, you're so gross!"
She pushed him and he kicked her leg back, hard. Loving play fighting, she kicked him even harder and tried to push him off the seat. Luke grabbed her arm and she yelped as he pulled her off and they fell to the floor with a bump. Laughing, he pounced on her and Leia wrestled him off. She was transported back into the games they often played at home, where they would be the best warriors in the galaxy, fighting to the death in a famous intergalactic tournament watched by millions on the HoloNet. Mother had to break them apart several times because the match had been so fierce. It was so much fun to play after being worried and afraid for so long.
She screamed with glee when Luke tickled her out of her signature choke hold. Squirming and shouting they fought on, but they forgot where they were and the laughter soon died in their throats as the cell door slid open and once more Darth Vader appeared, towering over them, filling up the room with his terrifying presence. They had been so distracted they hadn't heard that the battle outside had gone silent.
Instantly they stopped fighting and sat back on the bench, silent. Leia looked at her tattered slippers and waited for him to speak. His slow breathing sound repeated a few times and it almost felt like this mechanical man didn't know what to say.
He suddenly turned around to the stormtroopers behind him.
"Leave us."
The men left, leaving the three of them alone.
"Luke, Leia… your mother is here."
Leia immediately looked up at Vader, then to Luke as joy filled her heart to the brim and overflowed. After so long, mom was here! Her brother's face reflected her own; hope and happiness shone through his eyes and he took her hand. She squeezed it fiercely and beamed at him.
"You will be able to see her if you follow my strict instructions," he continued. The twins nodded, feeling in their hearts that they would do anything in the world to see her. "We will be going to see my master first. You will be obedient and silent unless he asks you a question. You will refer to him as your majesty or your highness as is befitting for an Emperor. And…there is something else you need to know."
Surprisingly, Darth Vader kneeled before them so that he was on their eye level. Leia could sense through the Force that this action caused him pain in his knee and all the way though his body. For a second, she felt concern, but then she remembered who this man was.
"Luke, Leia. What I say to you now may sound unbelievable. But what I say is the truth. Your father is not the man who has raised you… I am your father."
Confused, Leia furrowed her brow. What was he saying?
"Ben Kayla, or should I say, Obi-Wan Kenobi, for that is his real name, stole your mother away from me nine years ago. All this time, I thought you were dead. Now I have you back, things can be how they should be."
Neither of them formed a reply, not sure what to believe or what to think. Surely, he was saying this to trick them! Leia became instantly defensive of her father, no one could ever be a better dad than him. It was impossible that this half machine monster was her real father.
Darth Vader turned to look at her as she thought this. "Search your feelings Leia. You know this to be true."
She crossed her arms over her chest and said nothing, unnerved by how he had sensed her thoughts. Stubbornly she decided she wouldn't search her feelings. What was the point when he was clearly lying?
"Come, the Emperor is impatient to meet you both," he stood to his towering height and left the room.
Wearily, the two of them jumped from the bench and followed after him, their slippers almost disintegrating from their feet. Leia held Luke's hand tightly and none of them spoke as they trailed the dark figure out of the prison block. They were both lost in their thoughts, unable to discard the seed of doubt that had now been planted. Surely, he must be lying.