Chapter 3
I wanted to kill her, I was going to kill her. Who did she think she was? I was shaking with anger by the time I got back to my room. I had no need in the end to hide my thoughts from my Master. He had a little surprise when I came back from my assignment with Vader.
A little red headed brat of a surprise. She couldn't be more than 6 or 7 and already I hated her. Okay I was jealous. I never thought I could be jealous over the Emperor before but this time I was. She would have all the opportunities I would never have. Her been taken in at the age of 7 would be trained better than I and would become much more of a valued hand than me.
It crossed my mind if this was how Vader had thought when I first came. A little upstart who would change his position with the Emperor.
I hadn't shown my anger to the Emperor; I just barely kept it in control. Vader was doing his best too also though I don't know why?
I was scared again. I knew what Palatine had done with his old Hands; they had mysteriously disappeared sometimes taken out by his new favourites.
I realised now I was only his experiment. One that didn't quite work out. No matter how much I progressed I was still defective. My age came into play with that also. Most had been much younger than me when they first started training. I think I was in my 16th year. I was 17 now. Close to retirement.
No! I would do my utmost to make sure he would have no wish to dispose of me. Even if that meant taking care of that little vrelt.
--------
I knocked impatiently at Mara's door. That was the name she had been given, Mara Jade. It had a nice ring to it.
I turned one of my best glares on at the Kid as I entered but she wasn't fazed. My lip twitched, my idea of taking care of the kid and Palpatines were completely different. I preferred the dump them in the garbage shoot and see do they survive approach while Palpatine wanted me to teach her. I was to take care of her and give her some basic training. Nothing major just teach her how to blend in. Though with that hair that may prove impossible.
At least I now knew Palpatine wouldn't be getting rid of me anytime soon.
Mara turned clear green eyes on me as I entered. She didn't appear to be the least bit afraid.
"My toe hurts."
Her toe hurts? How was I supposed to deal with that. That was the meds department not mine. I smile threatened to break out when I remembered yesterdays events. Mara had been introduced to Vader and later when he attempted to bring her to her quarters she promptly kicked him in the shin. That was funny however no one laughed. My opinion of her rose slightly but I quickly smothered it. I didn't want to have any misplaced loyalties and anyway, hate was a hard thing to let go off.
-----
"Mara. Put. That. Down." I heavily accented every word. Little children with lightsabres were not a good idea. She could accidentally cut her self, losing a limb in the process. Hmm. Maybe that would teach her...
No! Palpatine would kill me. Slowly and painfully the way he liked it. Right now Mara was insurance.
Carefully I pried the Lightsabre away from her fingers with the force. As I called it to my hand I shut it down. I didn't want to use my own hand either. I had grown quite attached to it.
I had been training Mara for six months now and she was growing stronger. She could be stronger than me but her power was suppressed and sometimes that made me wonder were her abilities totally reliant on Palpatine.
I hoped not.
My training was limited with her; Palpatine taught her usage of the force, Vader her lightsabre skills and I had to teach her how to un-react in situations. Oh yea I was the best person for that. Still with her on my hands it gave me little time to question my origins.
Instead I wondered about Mara's. Jade was not a common surname. But I was obviously not important enough to know about her past.
-----
A change in the atmosphere alerted me that someone had just entered. I turned slowly making sure that there was no more weaponry on Mara's person.
"Lord Vader." I gave him a short nod of my head. Ever since the 'Jedi' incident we had been on cooler terms. I had reverted to the more formal ways of greeting him and speaking to him as he did with me.
Slowly I had retreated into a shell, keeping up a stone front. As long as I kept my mind quiet and my heart as stone I could survive. Utter dependence on no one.
"Lady Ekaterin. Mara's presence is requested."
I indicated for him to take her away. But he didn't. Two stormtroopers took her with them instead.
"You wished to speak with me my Lord?" I kept my tone clipped.
"Ekaterin. Do you wish to live?"
I raised my eyebrows waiting for him to continue. Sometimes I wished to curl up and die. But I had already done that, why bother do it again? *Uisce Ban* A voice whispered to me but I readily dismissed it.
"Of course I do."
"Than be careful of Mara," he paused to look at me, " She will not..." he paused again continuing on uncertainly "always think the same as us."
We thought the same? That was a first to me. What did he know that I didn't?
I opened my mouth to speak but Vader left the room. Raising my finger to my lips I contemplated what he had told me. Mara hurt me? It then occurred to be what exactly he had said, "will not always ". It suggested in the future. Would she turn on me? Had he seen something happening involving the both of us. I knew Mara and I weren't exactly close but we did have a respect for each other. Fragile as it was, it was still there.
He had warned me but what was I going to do? Nothing, I could do nothing. I was her teacher nothing more.
A thought came gliding out of the darkness.
"Ore would have expected more of you. Uisce Ban would not just give up."
I grimaced as I put the name to a face. The boy, the Jedi they were all the same person, Ore. I felt the all familor pain begin to build up and I quickly cleared the thoughts from my mind.
You are not Uisce Ban, I reminded my self firmly. You are the Emperor's hand and servant, nothing more. Never will be anything more.
To be continued...
I wanted to kill her, I was going to kill her. Who did she think she was? I was shaking with anger by the time I got back to my room. I had no need in the end to hide my thoughts from my Master. He had a little surprise when I came back from my assignment with Vader.
A little red headed brat of a surprise. She couldn't be more than 6 or 7 and already I hated her. Okay I was jealous. I never thought I could be jealous over the Emperor before but this time I was. She would have all the opportunities I would never have. Her been taken in at the age of 7 would be trained better than I and would become much more of a valued hand than me.
It crossed my mind if this was how Vader had thought when I first came. A little upstart who would change his position with the Emperor.
I hadn't shown my anger to the Emperor; I just barely kept it in control. Vader was doing his best too also though I don't know why?
I was scared again. I knew what Palatine had done with his old Hands; they had mysteriously disappeared sometimes taken out by his new favourites.
I realised now I was only his experiment. One that didn't quite work out. No matter how much I progressed I was still defective. My age came into play with that also. Most had been much younger than me when they first started training. I think I was in my 16th year. I was 17 now. Close to retirement.
No! I would do my utmost to make sure he would have no wish to dispose of me. Even if that meant taking care of that little vrelt.
--------
I knocked impatiently at Mara's door. That was the name she had been given, Mara Jade. It had a nice ring to it.
I turned one of my best glares on at the Kid as I entered but she wasn't fazed. My lip twitched, my idea of taking care of the kid and Palpatines were completely different. I preferred the dump them in the garbage shoot and see do they survive approach while Palpatine wanted me to teach her. I was to take care of her and give her some basic training. Nothing major just teach her how to blend in. Though with that hair that may prove impossible.
At least I now knew Palpatine wouldn't be getting rid of me anytime soon.
Mara turned clear green eyes on me as I entered. She didn't appear to be the least bit afraid.
"My toe hurts."
Her toe hurts? How was I supposed to deal with that. That was the meds department not mine. I smile threatened to break out when I remembered yesterdays events. Mara had been introduced to Vader and later when he attempted to bring her to her quarters she promptly kicked him in the shin. That was funny however no one laughed. My opinion of her rose slightly but I quickly smothered it. I didn't want to have any misplaced loyalties and anyway, hate was a hard thing to let go off.
-----
"Mara. Put. That. Down." I heavily accented every word. Little children with lightsabres were not a good idea. She could accidentally cut her self, losing a limb in the process. Hmm. Maybe that would teach her...
No! Palpatine would kill me. Slowly and painfully the way he liked it. Right now Mara was insurance.
Carefully I pried the Lightsabre away from her fingers with the force. As I called it to my hand I shut it down. I didn't want to use my own hand either. I had grown quite attached to it.
I had been training Mara for six months now and she was growing stronger. She could be stronger than me but her power was suppressed and sometimes that made me wonder were her abilities totally reliant on Palpatine.
I hoped not.
My training was limited with her; Palpatine taught her usage of the force, Vader her lightsabre skills and I had to teach her how to un-react in situations. Oh yea I was the best person for that. Still with her on my hands it gave me little time to question my origins.
Instead I wondered about Mara's. Jade was not a common surname. But I was obviously not important enough to know about her past.
-----
A change in the atmosphere alerted me that someone had just entered. I turned slowly making sure that there was no more weaponry on Mara's person.
"Lord Vader." I gave him a short nod of my head. Ever since the 'Jedi' incident we had been on cooler terms. I had reverted to the more formal ways of greeting him and speaking to him as he did with me.
Slowly I had retreated into a shell, keeping up a stone front. As long as I kept my mind quiet and my heart as stone I could survive. Utter dependence on no one.
"Lady Ekaterin. Mara's presence is requested."
I indicated for him to take her away. But he didn't. Two stormtroopers took her with them instead.
"You wished to speak with me my Lord?" I kept my tone clipped.
"Ekaterin. Do you wish to live?"
I raised my eyebrows waiting for him to continue. Sometimes I wished to curl up and die. But I had already done that, why bother do it again? *Uisce Ban* A voice whispered to me but I readily dismissed it.
"Of course I do."
"Than be careful of Mara," he paused to look at me, " She will not..." he paused again continuing on uncertainly "always think the same as us."
We thought the same? That was a first to me. What did he know that I didn't?
I opened my mouth to speak but Vader left the room. Raising my finger to my lips I contemplated what he had told me. Mara hurt me? It then occurred to be what exactly he had said, "will not always ". It suggested in the future. Would she turn on me? Had he seen something happening involving the both of us. I knew Mara and I weren't exactly close but we did have a respect for each other. Fragile as it was, it was still there.
He had warned me but what was I going to do? Nothing, I could do nothing. I was her teacher nothing more.
A thought came gliding out of the darkness.
"Ore would have expected more of you. Uisce Ban would not just give up."
I grimaced as I put the name to a face. The boy, the Jedi they were all the same person, Ore. I felt the all familor pain begin to build up and I quickly cleared the thoughts from my mind.
You are not Uisce Ban, I reminded my self firmly. You are the Emperor's hand and servant, nothing more. Never will be anything more.
To be continued...
