Disclaimer: All characters belong to Lucas films and Timothy Zahn. I am making no money nor claiming any rights to characters.
Chapter Five: Confrontations and Resignations
The throne chamber was grand in size, but ordinary in appearance. Centered in the room was a raised area fashioned like a stage of sorts. Upon it sat an ominous looking chair that served as a throne. There were no walls around the area, but the frontal edge gave way to a wide staircase leading to the ground level. This served the Emperor in two ways. It gave Palpatine an advantage to be able to see persons wishing an audience long before they were able to see him. This gave him a perverse sense of delight to see their facial expressions long before they could attempt to mask them. Although he could easily read their minds, it always amused him to watch staff and prisoners arrive and see their fear long before they entered the throne chamber. Most importantly, it served as subliminal message of humility. No one was allow on the stairs unless the Emperor granted permission. As one stood in attendance below, he would have to look up to the despot, and thus giving the Emperor an aura of superiority.
Mara Jade stood in the outer most area of the throne room hiding in one of the Emperor's secret passageways. She was using all the force ability she could muster to shield herself from the occupants in the room. The Emperor sat on his throne. To an outsider, he appeared relaxed, calm, almost serene. He looked so weak, so old that one might assume he would be easy to kill. Mara knew that behind that guise lay a savage full of power and malice, waiting for his latest prey to give in to temptation and attack him. She could almost see his anticipation at the prospect of conquering another Skywalker.
Beside the Emperor stood Vader. He appeared calm as well, but all his attention seemed focused on the final member in the room. Luke Skywalker stood behind the throne, facing away, as he watched the battle in space from the large windows that aligned the back of Palpatine's throne. He turned toward Palpatine and eyed the light saber casually lying on the armrest of the throne. Mara was taken back at the appearance of Luke Skywalker. He no longer looked like the boy from the picture she had been given; he had become a man. He was dressed in black and stood with confidence that seemed to give him height. He had a commanding presence about him, and Mara felt instinctively drawn to him.
As Mara continued to watch, it seemed as if Palpatine were taunting Skywalker, encouraging him to take the light saber. No doubt it was Skywalker's friends taking part in the battle outside and the Emperor was playing on those emotions. Skywalker turned toward the window, then abruptly turned back to Palpatine as his light saber flew to his hand instantly igniting. Skywalker brought the green blade quickly toward Palpatine's chest, and for a moment Mara held her breath wishing he would succeed. Suddenly a red blade appeared and blocked the green seconds before it made contact with the despot. Palpatine smiled wickedly, his animosity and malevolence filled the room. As it reached her, Mara felt her knees buckle as bile rose to her throat. She shuddered briefly and pushed back the ill feeling.
She watched mesmerized, as the green and red blades danced around the room in a sadistic union. She wondered why Vader hadn't allowed his son to simply kill the Emperor. The look on Skywalker's face gave her the answer. He seemed enraged as he attacked Vader. Hadn't Vader told Skywalker of their plan, or didn't Skywalker believe him.
Suddenly, Mara realized she had become so engrossed in the battle between father and son, that she had allowed her shields to drop. Palpatine was aware of her presence. She began to walk into the throne room and felt the Emperor's fury ensnare her and she nearly recoiled at the intensity. Never in her life as his servant had that much fury been directed solely at her.
Mara continued to walk determinedly to the base of the stairs, giving no attention to the battle going on beside her. Luke and Vader became aware of her presence. Luke stepped back so he could eye both the newcomer and Vader who were now flanked on either side of him. Vader extinguished his light saber and stepped away from Luke, as if giving pause to their battle as his master addressed the woman.
Keeping his senses on his nemesis, Luke lowered his saber but kept it on and at the ready. He tentatively looked at the woman. She had brilliant red-gold hair pulled back in a gentle braid. Her eyes were the color of his saber. Fierceness and danger seemed to radiate from her, and if he could sum her up in one word, it would have been deadly. She was the most enticing woman Luke had ever seen.
Palpatine's voice took Luke's attention from the woman. "I did not summon you Mara Jade," he stated in a cold voice.
The woman did not flinch, much to Luke's astonishment. She answered in a calm and steady voice, "I have a message for you, Lord Sidious, from Master Yoda."
Luke allowed his light saber to extinguish at the mention of Yoda. He had allowed hi anger to control his actions. His father had not been lying to after all. He looked sorrowfully at his father and felt a gentle brush of warmth and understanding come from him.
Palpatine rose abruptly from his chair as an aura of indignation and anger encircled him. He addressed Mara, barely controlling his rage. "You spoke to Yoda? And what, pray tell, did that insignificant charlatan have to say?"
Mara appeared unmoved and continued, "He asked me to tell you 'the Jedi Council requests your presence.'"
The Emperor did the last thing Luke expected. He began to laugh. The laugh was cruel and hideous, without a trace of warmth. Although he did not raise his voice, it seemed to echo thought out the room. "You stupid, foolish woman! The Jedi Council is long since dead."
"Yes," Mara replied. "And they request your presence----momentarily."
Chapter Five: Confrontations and Resignations
The throne chamber was grand in size, but ordinary in appearance. Centered in the room was a raised area fashioned like a stage of sorts. Upon it sat an ominous looking chair that served as a throne. There were no walls around the area, but the frontal edge gave way to a wide staircase leading to the ground level. This served the Emperor in two ways. It gave Palpatine an advantage to be able to see persons wishing an audience long before they were able to see him. This gave him a perverse sense of delight to see their facial expressions long before they could attempt to mask them. Although he could easily read their minds, it always amused him to watch staff and prisoners arrive and see their fear long before they entered the throne chamber. Most importantly, it served as subliminal message of humility. No one was allow on the stairs unless the Emperor granted permission. As one stood in attendance below, he would have to look up to the despot, and thus giving the Emperor an aura of superiority.
Mara Jade stood in the outer most area of the throne room hiding in one of the Emperor's secret passageways. She was using all the force ability she could muster to shield herself from the occupants in the room. The Emperor sat on his throne. To an outsider, he appeared relaxed, calm, almost serene. He looked so weak, so old that one might assume he would be easy to kill. Mara knew that behind that guise lay a savage full of power and malice, waiting for his latest prey to give in to temptation and attack him. She could almost see his anticipation at the prospect of conquering another Skywalker.
Beside the Emperor stood Vader. He appeared calm as well, but all his attention seemed focused on the final member in the room. Luke Skywalker stood behind the throne, facing away, as he watched the battle in space from the large windows that aligned the back of Palpatine's throne. He turned toward Palpatine and eyed the light saber casually lying on the armrest of the throne. Mara was taken back at the appearance of Luke Skywalker. He no longer looked like the boy from the picture she had been given; he had become a man. He was dressed in black and stood with confidence that seemed to give him height. He had a commanding presence about him, and Mara felt instinctively drawn to him.
As Mara continued to watch, it seemed as if Palpatine were taunting Skywalker, encouraging him to take the light saber. No doubt it was Skywalker's friends taking part in the battle outside and the Emperor was playing on those emotions. Skywalker turned toward the window, then abruptly turned back to Palpatine as his light saber flew to his hand instantly igniting. Skywalker brought the green blade quickly toward Palpatine's chest, and for a moment Mara held her breath wishing he would succeed. Suddenly a red blade appeared and blocked the green seconds before it made contact with the despot. Palpatine smiled wickedly, his animosity and malevolence filled the room. As it reached her, Mara felt her knees buckle as bile rose to her throat. She shuddered briefly and pushed back the ill feeling.
She watched mesmerized, as the green and red blades danced around the room in a sadistic union. She wondered why Vader hadn't allowed his son to simply kill the Emperor. The look on Skywalker's face gave her the answer. He seemed enraged as he attacked Vader. Hadn't Vader told Skywalker of their plan, or didn't Skywalker believe him.
Suddenly, Mara realized she had become so engrossed in the battle between father and son, that she had allowed her shields to drop. Palpatine was aware of her presence. She began to walk into the throne room and felt the Emperor's fury ensnare her and she nearly recoiled at the intensity. Never in her life as his servant had that much fury been directed solely at her.
Mara continued to walk determinedly to the base of the stairs, giving no attention to the battle going on beside her. Luke and Vader became aware of her presence. Luke stepped back so he could eye both the newcomer and Vader who were now flanked on either side of him. Vader extinguished his light saber and stepped away from Luke, as if giving pause to their battle as his master addressed the woman.
Keeping his senses on his nemesis, Luke lowered his saber but kept it on and at the ready. He tentatively looked at the woman. She had brilliant red-gold hair pulled back in a gentle braid. Her eyes were the color of his saber. Fierceness and danger seemed to radiate from her, and if he could sum her up in one word, it would have been deadly. She was the most enticing woman Luke had ever seen.
Palpatine's voice took Luke's attention from the woman. "I did not summon you Mara Jade," he stated in a cold voice.
The woman did not flinch, much to Luke's astonishment. She answered in a calm and steady voice, "I have a message for you, Lord Sidious, from Master Yoda."
Luke allowed his light saber to extinguish at the mention of Yoda. He had allowed hi anger to control his actions. His father had not been lying to after all. He looked sorrowfully at his father and felt a gentle brush of warmth and understanding come from him.
Palpatine rose abruptly from his chair as an aura of indignation and anger encircled him. He addressed Mara, barely controlling his rage. "You spoke to Yoda? And what, pray tell, did that insignificant charlatan have to say?"
Mara appeared unmoved and continued, "He asked me to tell you 'the Jedi Council requests your presence.'"
The Emperor did the last thing Luke expected. He began to laugh. The laugh was cruel and hideous, without a trace of warmth. Although he did not raise his voice, it seemed to echo thought out the room. "You stupid, foolish woman! The Jedi Council is long since dead."
"Yes," Mara replied. "And they request your presence----momentarily."