When Luke finally came to, he saw Mara and Tontay talking in low concerned voices. When they saw he was awake, they abruptly stopped talking.
Tontay smiled at him, "Are you feeling better, Luke?"
"Except for the fact that I feel like a rancor chewed me up and spit me out, I'm all right," came Luke's answer. "Where's Artoo?"
"Vader still has him. He seemed really interested in him." Mara answered, looking at him dubiously, "Are you sure you're okay? You look like something the gornt dragged in."
"Master Yoda said that Vader used to be close to Artoo; I guess he recognized him..." Luke was quiet for a moment before answering her second question. "I feel like something the gornt dragged in...I went out of control. I—I used the Dark Side to try to hurt someone, and I did it without a second thought..." Luke squeezed his eyes shut. "I tried to use their method to beat them. I tried to fight fire with fire, and I was the one who got burned."
For a minute, Luke didn't say anything, but finally he whispered,"I didn't know what I was doing...He tried to hurt Tontay, and I gave into my anger..."
Mara started to say something, but before she could, the doors slid open and Vader and Palpatine walked in.
Vader looked at his son for a moment before speaking. "We have discussed the conditions of our bargain, Son. For the release of your female companion, you and Jade shall be obedient to us and you shall tell us the location of the Rebel fleet. We know that part of the Rebel fleet is hidden far away from Coruscant, but our operatives are unable to find any information about its specific position."
From behind him, a whistling Artoo came forward and went to Luke, sad that the boy he had once knew had turned into a symbol of evil.
Luke shook his head, "All you will get is me. I will turn if you let them go."
Palpatine spoke up, "No, young Skywalker, you are mistaken once again. If you do not cooperate, then she will die." He grinned maliciously and gestured towards Tontay.
Tontay stared at the wall in front of her for a few moments, gathering her composure, then she spoke. "Luke. Do not do it. Don't bend to their will. Do not turn...You will regret it more if thousands of people died due to your turning than if only I die due to your refusal. Please, do this for me."
Luke gave her a helpless look. "Tontay, I can't just—"
Tontay interrupted him. "Luke. Think of the big picture. Do you want the blood of millions on your hands, or of one? You will make the right choice. You know the right decision, deep within your heart."
Luke glanced around at the others in the room. Tontay looked certain; Mara looked uncertain; Palpatine seemed very impatient; and Vader seemed quite patient. He looked deep into Tontay's eyes, and he was about to say something, but Tontay shook her head.
Whispering, she told him, "Things will be better this way. We were never meant to be; it wasn't our destiny. When I am gone, you must continue on as you always have. Don't grieve over my death. This is for the best."
Luke's blue eyes betrayed his confusion, but he finally gave a minute nod. "I will not cooperate—" his voice broke as he struggled not to shed any tears.
Palpatine hissed back, "Then young Jedi, she will die." The powerful blue bolts flew from his fingertips, hitting Tontay and flinging her to the floor.
Mara held onto Luke's arm tightly as he struggled to place himself in front of Palpatine's continuing assault against Tontay. The pittin took a running leap and tried to latch onto Palpatine's hand with her tiny, sharp teeth, but Mara managed to stop her before she reached him.
Finally, with a last twitch of her physical body, Tontay's presence in the Force was gone.
Palpatine smiled evilly and motioned for his guards to restrain Luke. They put cuffs on him and pulled Mara, who was holding Deedah, away.
Luke threw a poisonous glare at Palpatine before he and Mara were escorted out of the room.
The guards brought the quartet to a small cell. They threw Mara and the pittin in the middle of the room, shoved Artoo in, and started taking Luke away. Mara gave Luke a warning glare. "Remember, don't give in to the Dark Side."
Luke nodded, and he was soon whisked away. Vader, standing outside the cell, followed Luke and the guards, while Palpatine lingered in the cell for a moment, staring sadly at his former Hand. "You were such a good girl, Mara. What happened?"
"I realized the truth," Mara stated flatly. "You and Vader are just two old crones who shouldn't be given control of a ship, much less an Empire!"
Palpatine gave a raspy laugh, "You used to be a quick-to-learn teenager. Now you are just a naive adult. No improvement there. Quite a disappointment, Jade." After glancing at her one more time, he left the room.
Mara spat after him, but it was too late to actually hit him. The pittin mewled, then she went over and rubbed against Mara, looking sad. Artoo whistled mournfully.
