A Jedi's Return
Chapter 17
PG
By Maara
Mara woke up feeling a heaviness clouding her mind. She reached up a hand, only to find it shackled to a very large metal loop protruding from the wall. This served to wake her up completely. Sitting up, Mara tugged at her bindings, trying to find a way out of them. It wasn't long before she realized it was going to take quite a while.
She looked around her and saw she was in a very small room. It was four meters wide and deep and about six meters tall on the inside; there was no top on it. It was like being inside a large open box. On closer examination, Mara saw a kind of seam in the wall, and a door across from where she was bound to the wall.
Just then the door to her small cell opened and the Emperor stood there looking down on her. "Prepare yourself, my dear. You will soon be seeing Skywalker."
Mara glared up at him, holding her barriers tight around her mind. "What are you going to do?"
The Emperor laughed sardonically, "I am going to bring him to the Darkside. What else would I do? You will be here to make sure he takes that path."
Mara gritted her teeth. "You will fail! He will never turn to the Darkside. He is much better than you think." Mara's angry stare was directed up at her former master. "You will never win." She added quietly.
The Emperor did not like such disobedience from those under him; he liked it even less from his formerly loyal people. "He will turn and you will be dead. I will make sure your tenure here is very painful indeed." With that said, the Emperor turned on his heel. As he started away, he gave a final order to his guards, "Finish the preparations. Our guest will arrive shortly."
As Mara watched him leave, a flicker of fear touched her heart. She had a feeling that everything was going to happen very fast and very soon. The guard turned and watched her as the door to her cell slid shut. Suddenly, another loud clang was heard and Mara looked up to see a large wall slide over her head closing the box. Once the wall was in place, the entire cell moved. It felt as if it were being pulled out of somewhere. Mara sat up straighter, trying to figure out what to do, but couldn't come up with any ideas. Mara sat there, waiting to see what would happen. Then the cell moved again, only this time, it turned completely on its side so Mara's hands were hanging from the top of the cell. She stood there on her toes, frantically trying to get her hands out of the binders, not able to hear what was going on outside.
A few hours after his surrender, Luke walked by Vader's side on his way to see the Emperor. As the lift doors opened on the throne room, Luke quickly looked around at the layout, spotting the catwalks and a strange looking box shaped structure dangling from the ceiling, a few meters to the left of the throne.
Vader and Luke stepped out of the lift, heading to the steps leading up to the waiting Emperor. As they reached the top steps, the Emperor flicked a hand, undoing his binders. "You no longer need those." Moving his head to look past Luke and Vader, "Guards. Leave us." The Emperor ordered.
As the scene unfolded before him, Luke tried to stay focused and his breathing even. It would be difficult, but he couldn't let the Emperor turn him to the Darkside. It wouldn't be easy, but he would do whatever he had to do to stay in the light and save his father.
And hard the fight was. The Emperor goaded Luke relentlessly, making it harder than Luke had ever thought possible. Then the Emperor changed his way of speaking; a threat in his voice. "There are a great many things you do not know about." His smile became menacing, "I will make sure you join us."
Luke looked up sharply at the Emperor, "What do you mean?"
The Emperor laughed and waved a hand. "I have your incentive right here. But if you don't want her to be killed, you will join us."
Luke looked up to see the sides of the square he had wondered about earlier, slowly slide apart from each other. There hanging from binders was Mara Jade.
Mara was vainly trying to hold onto the ring and release her hands. If she could get loose she could get to the catwalk and down to the floor. She looked down to see Luke looking up at her. "Luke!" Mara continued to struggle, "Don't let him turn you!"
Luke tried to control the feelings of anger coursing through him. "Let her go! She has nothing to do with this."
"Oh, but she does. She is a traitor who will be punished. Especially if you do not join me." The Emperor walked slowly towards him. "All you could ever want is yours if you do join me." The Emperor looked at Luke as he looked up at Mara. "You want her, don't you?"
Luke looked at him, "Not like that I don't. I won't let you force her to do anything."
The Emperor laughed, "You don't understand. If you don't want her, she will be killed."
'No! You can't do that." Luke took a step closer to the Emperor, but Vader stepped in his path.
"That is where you are wrong, young Skywalker. I can do whatever I want." He raised a hand towards Mara.
"No!" Luke yelled, stretching out with the Force and snatching his lightsaber from the Emperor's throne meaning to cut him down.
Vader immediately ignited his blade and stopped Luke's blade from hitting its target. Vader and Luke fought, each trying to disarm the other, without causing serious harm; while Luke frantically tried to come up with something to save her.
Luke blocked Vader's swing and kicked him in the chest sending him flying down the stairs, then turned to face the Emperor. The Emperor turned and quickly waved his hand up and released Mara's binders. Mara for her part was holding the ring, but her hands were sweaty from her effort that she could barely hold onto the smooth surface.
Luke looked up and saw Mara loosing her battle to hold on and jumped up to the catwalk, running as fast as possible to reach the end.
Mara lost her battle for grip, just before Luke reached the end of the catwalk. He knew he would never make it running and jumped towards Mara, his right arm stretching out towards her, his left arm hooking around the catwalk support. His right hand closed around Mara's wrist and brought her to a stop with a jerk.
Luke and Mara locked eyes, and Luke pulled her up to sit by him. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "We have to get you out of here." Luke took her hand and pulled her along to a small opening in the vent shaft. Pulling off the cover, her pushed Mara into it. "Go. Get out of here."
"What about you?" Mara wanted Luke to run with her; to leave now.
"I have unfinished business, Mara." Luke touched her cheek, "I'll be along as soon as I can."
Mara looked at him for a heartbeat, then nodded, knowing she wouldn't change his mind and slipped out, heading towards control room she had entered through earlier. After she had disappeared, Luke turned and looked out among the throne room. Vader was heading his way. Luke began to walk along the catwalk. "I won't fight you, Father."
"You are unwise to lower your defenses." Vader approached where Luke stood on the catwalk.
"You can't do this, I feel the conflict within you, let go of your hate." Luke pleaded.
As Vader advanced his grave voice echoed throughout the throne room. "There is no conflict." The Emperor smiled at Vader's words.
"You couldn't kill me before and I don't believe you'll destroy me now." Luke stated as he walked sideways along the catwalk.
"You underestimate the power of the Darkside. If you will not fight, you will meet your destiny." Vader flung his saber as he finished his statement, directing it to cut through the railings of the catwalk, dropping it, along with Luke to the deck below.
Luke rolled away into the shadows, hiding from his father. If he could just stall them long enough, then maybe the fleet could get in and destroy the Deathstar. And him. He would never be able to see Leia again. His sister. Now, his only family. He had to give them time somehow. Then he heard Vader speaking again. He tried hard to bury his feelings deep down so he wouldn't find out the truth, but in the end he failed.
"Yes, your feelings are strong for your friends. Especially for…sister…so…you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-wan's failure is now complete." Vader turned this way and that, looking for Luke in the shadows. He could feel his churning emotions and knew he was close. "If you will not be turned, then perhaps she will."
"No!!!" Luke cried out in fury. He let his feelings take hold of him, and lunged at Vader, igniting his lightsaber. He wouldn't let him get his hands on Leia. He had to make sure he would never be able to touch her ever again.
Vader jerked around, realizing he had gone way too far. Luke lunged at him with his lightsaber and he barely got out of the way in time and suddenly was being beaten back by his son. He felt the anger inside him and knew just how powerful he was. As Luke drove him back Vader blocked and parried, falling back with each powerful blow from Luke. Then he knocked back Vader's hand and with one final strike, Luke severed jis hand much like his own had been back on Bespin.
Luke stood over Vader's heaving form, his lightsaber pointed at his throat. Suddenly, a malevolent laugh was heard behind him. Luke turned to see the Emperor coming down the stairs towards him. "Good. Good." The Emperor came to a stop a few short meters away. "Your hate has made you powerful. Now fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side."
Luke looked down at Vader, then to where his hand had once been. Seeing all the wires sticking out of the stump of his arms, scorched from Luke blade. Luke then looked at his own artificial hand, flexing it. ~ Take his father's place at the Emperor's side. If I do that I will be just like my father. ~
"No." Luke shook his head
TBC…
Chapter 17
PG
By Maara
Mara woke up feeling a heaviness clouding her mind. She reached up a hand, only to find it shackled to a very large metal loop protruding from the wall. This served to wake her up completely. Sitting up, Mara tugged at her bindings, trying to find a way out of them. It wasn't long before she realized it was going to take quite a while.
She looked around her and saw she was in a very small room. It was four meters wide and deep and about six meters tall on the inside; there was no top on it. It was like being inside a large open box. On closer examination, Mara saw a kind of seam in the wall, and a door across from where she was bound to the wall.
Just then the door to her small cell opened and the Emperor stood there looking down on her. "Prepare yourself, my dear. You will soon be seeing Skywalker."
Mara glared up at him, holding her barriers tight around her mind. "What are you going to do?"
The Emperor laughed sardonically, "I am going to bring him to the Darkside. What else would I do? You will be here to make sure he takes that path."
Mara gritted her teeth. "You will fail! He will never turn to the Darkside. He is much better than you think." Mara's angry stare was directed up at her former master. "You will never win." She added quietly.
The Emperor did not like such disobedience from those under him; he liked it even less from his formerly loyal people. "He will turn and you will be dead. I will make sure your tenure here is very painful indeed." With that said, the Emperor turned on his heel. As he started away, he gave a final order to his guards, "Finish the preparations. Our guest will arrive shortly."
As Mara watched him leave, a flicker of fear touched her heart. She had a feeling that everything was going to happen very fast and very soon. The guard turned and watched her as the door to her cell slid shut. Suddenly, another loud clang was heard and Mara looked up to see a large wall slide over her head closing the box. Once the wall was in place, the entire cell moved. It felt as if it were being pulled out of somewhere. Mara sat up straighter, trying to figure out what to do, but couldn't come up with any ideas. Mara sat there, waiting to see what would happen. Then the cell moved again, only this time, it turned completely on its side so Mara's hands were hanging from the top of the cell. She stood there on her toes, frantically trying to get her hands out of the binders, not able to hear what was going on outside.
A few hours after his surrender, Luke walked by Vader's side on his way to see the Emperor. As the lift doors opened on the throne room, Luke quickly looked around at the layout, spotting the catwalks and a strange looking box shaped structure dangling from the ceiling, a few meters to the left of the throne.
Vader and Luke stepped out of the lift, heading to the steps leading up to the waiting Emperor. As they reached the top steps, the Emperor flicked a hand, undoing his binders. "You no longer need those." Moving his head to look past Luke and Vader, "Guards. Leave us." The Emperor ordered.
As the scene unfolded before him, Luke tried to stay focused and his breathing even. It would be difficult, but he couldn't let the Emperor turn him to the Darkside. It wouldn't be easy, but he would do whatever he had to do to stay in the light and save his father.
And hard the fight was. The Emperor goaded Luke relentlessly, making it harder than Luke had ever thought possible. Then the Emperor changed his way of speaking; a threat in his voice. "There are a great many things you do not know about." His smile became menacing, "I will make sure you join us."
Luke looked up sharply at the Emperor, "What do you mean?"
The Emperor laughed and waved a hand. "I have your incentive right here. But if you don't want her to be killed, you will join us."
Luke looked up to see the sides of the square he had wondered about earlier, slowly slide apart from each other. There hanging from binders was Mara Jade.
Mara was vainly trying to hold onto the ring and release her hands. If she could get loose she could get to the catwalk and down to the floor. She looked down to see Luke looking up at her. "Luke!" Mara continued to struggle, "Don't let him turn you!"
Luke tried to control the feelings of anger coursing through him. "Let her go! She has nothing to do with this."
"Oh, but she does. She is a traitor who will be punished. Especially if you do not join me." The Emperor walked slowly towards him. "All you could ever want is yours if you do join me." The Emperor looked at Luke as he looked up at Mara. "You want her, don't you?"
Luke looked at him, "Not like that I don't. I won't let you force her to do anything."
The Emperor laughed, "You don't understand. If you don't want her, she will be killed."
'No! You can't do that." Luke took a step closer to the Emperor, but Vader stepped in his path.
"That is where you are wrong, young Skywalker. I can do whatever I want." He raised a hand towards Mara.
"No!" Luke yelled, stretching out with the Force and snatching his lightsaber from the Emperor's throne meaning to cut him down.
Vader immediately ignited his blade and stopped Luke's blade from hitting its target. Vader and Luke fought, each trying to disarm the other, without causing serious harm; while Luke frantically tried to come up with something to save her.
Luke blocked Vader's swing and kicked him in the chest sending him flying down the stairs, then turned to face the Emperor. The Emperor turned and quickly waved his hand up and released Mara's binders. Mara for her part was holding the ring, but her hands were sweaty from her effort that she could barely hold onto the smooth surface.
Luke looked up and saw Mara loosing her battle to hold on and jumped up to the catwalk, running as fast as possible to reach the end.
Mara lost her battle for grip, just before Luke reached the end of the catwalk. He knew he would never make it running and jumped towards Mara, his right arm stretching out towards her, his left arm hooking around the catwalk support. His right hand closed around Mara's wrist and brought her to a stop with a jerk.
Luke and Mara locked eyes, and Luke pulled her up to sit by him. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "We have to get you out of here." Luke took her hand and pulled her along to a small opening in the vent shaft. Pulling off the cover, her pushed Mara into it. "Go. Get out of here."
"What about you?" Mara wanted Luke to run with her; to leave now.
"I have unfinished business, Mara." Luke touched her cheek, "I'll be along as soon as I can."
Mara looked at him for a heartbeat, then nodded, knowing she wouldn't change his mind and slipped out, heading towards control room she had entered through earlier. After she had disappeared, Luke turned and looked out among the throne room. Vader was heading his way. Luke began to walk along the catwalk. "I won't fight you, Father."
"You are unwise to lower your defenses." Vader approached where Luke stood on the catwalk.
"You can't do this, I feel the conflict within you, let go of your hate." Luke pleaded.
As Vader advanced his grave voice echoed throughout the throne room. "There is no conflict." The Emperor smiled at Vader's words.
"You couldn't kill me before and I don't believe you'll destroy me now." Luke stated as he walked sideways along the catwalk.
"You underestimate the power of the Darkside. If you will not fight, you will meet your destiny." Vader flung his saber as he finished his statement, directing it to cut through the railings of the catwalk, dropping it, along with Luke to the deck below.
Luke rolled away into the shadows, hiding from his father. If he could just stall them long enough, then maybe the fleet could get in and destroy the Deathstar. And him. He would never be able to see Leia again. His sister. Now, his only family. He had to give them time somehow. Then he heard Vader speaking again. He tried hard to bury his feelings deep down so he wouldn't find out the truth, but in the end he failed.
"Yes, your feelings are strong for your friends. Especially for…sister…so…you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-wan's failure is now complete." Vader turned this way and that, looking for Luke in the shadows. He could feel his churning emotions and knew he was close. "If you will not be turned, then perhaps she will."
"No!!!" Luke cried out in fury. He let his feelings take hold of him, and lunged at Vader, igniting his lightsaber. He wouldn't let him get his hands on Leia. He had to make sure he would never be able to touch her ever again.
Vader jerked around, realizing he had gone way too far. Luke lunged at him with his lightsaber and he barely got out of the way in time and suddenly was being beaten back by his son. He felt the anger inside him and knew just how powerful he was. As Luke drove him back Vader blocked and parried, falling back with each powerful blow from Luke. Then he knocked back Vader's hand and with one final strike, Luke severed jis hand much like his own had been back on Bespin.
Luke stood over Vader's heaving form, his lightsaber pointed at his throat. Suddenly, a malevolent laugh was heard behind him. Luke turned to see the Emperor coming down the stairs towards him. "Good. Good." The Emperor came to a stop a few short meters away. "Your hate has made you powerful. Now fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side."
Luke looked down at Vader, then to where his hand had once been. Seeing all the wires sticking out of the stump of his arms, scorched from Luke blade. Luke then looked at his own artificial hand, flexing it. ~ Take his father's place at the Emperor's side. If I do that I will be just like my father. ~
"No." Luke shook his head
TBC…