Mysteries of the Force
By Jeni

*Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Wish I did, but I don't.

Author's Note: I'd just like to thank everyone for all the reviews… they really encourage me to keep writing, knowing that people are reading my story and want me to continue. Thank you!!*



The corridors were empty. Leia walked through them at a steady pace, hands shoved in her pockets with her gaze fixed on the concrete floor that seemed to fly by. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she tried to force the image of her brother's gruesome death from her mind.

*It's all my fault…*

He had warned her, insisted that Kassik's gift was dangerous. Why hadn't she listened? She had always trusted him before… why was this time any different? And she had ignored Han's warning as well. That wasn't like her, but she had been so certain that the structure was harmless.

Why?

She reached the door to the negotiation room and paused, taking a deep breath. Something was wrong, here, and she intended to find out. There were too many oddities that needed to be solved- there was no way Kassik could've succeeded in his assassination attempt! *But he did,* she reminded herself bleakly. As much as it seemed like a horrible nightmare, it wasn't; it was the bitter, harsh reality.

She gave a brief nod to the sentry as they parted, letting her enter the negotiation room. It had been decided that the structure-which was appropriately being referred to as The Executioner- was to be guarded at all times. Too many people would view the New Republic as weak if they discovered its power, and much of their support would be lost. Treaties would be broken or re-negotiated, faith would be lost in the New Republic's leadership, maybe even allowing the Empire to rise in power again.

Leia knew that could not happen.

She entered the room, only to stop short at the sight of The Executioner greeting her. It was tall, several feet taller than even Chewie, and its dark metal gleamed in the dim light. The door was made of something transparent, but of what substance she didn't know. She couldn't help but thinking that the door was made transparent for the sole purpose of her witnessing Luke's death.

Hot tears trickled down her cheeks. Luke hadn't deserved to die, not like this. He hadn't deserved to be betrayed by his own sister, or to be killed before he had a chance to defend himself. *He won't even get a funeral…* she scrubbed at the tears irritably. This wasn't the time for that now. Just because Luke's death was being kept a secret didn't mean she couldn't-and wouldn't- bring his murderer to justice. Leader Kassik T'klin of the planet Yuotobah would pay for what he had done. He was being held in the most secure prison room the New Republic had at its disposal, heavily guarded. It would be difficult for even a Jedi to escape.

She inhaled deeply, the lingering stench Kassik's alien smell tainting her nostrils. Before Luke's death he had told her The Executioner felt dangerous. She hadn't sensed it then, but could she now?

She closed her eyes, slowing her breathing and trying to ignore the scent of spice that continued to assault her senses. She sent a small tendril of the Force to examine the glittering machine, running along the sides, peering into every crack and crevice she could find, and searching the insides for any sense of danger.

None. In fact, it didn't seem dangerous at all. Why had she thought it was in the first place? She stared at it in confusion. She sent another tendril of the Force, feeling along every inch of the structure like a thief feeling a victim's purse.

There was no danger here. Even the suffocating odor she associated with Kassik no longer bothered her, and The Executioner (why was it called that?) beckoned her, enchanted her, drew her in. It would show her all the secrets of the universe, it seemed, if she would just enter it…

She stepped up to it wonderingly, a child engrossed in a magician's trick. She reached out, and slowly opened the door…


* * * * * * * * * *


Han Solo slammed the console lid back in place. Behind him, the angry yowl of his copilot sounded. "Yeah, I know you don't think it needed fixing!" Han snapped. "But the wires coming loose. I rewired the whole thing so it should be fine now."

Chewie growled, and Han whirled. "Of course I'm upset! Luke's dead because my wife wouldn't listen to his warning!" He paused, breathing heavily in his fury before continuing. "The kid's own sister wouldn't listen to him, even when I told her to! And don't tell me to talk to her, because I won't!"

Chewie shook his furry head sadly. Just one look told Han that the wookie wanted him to talk to Leia, to settle their differences, but how? Sith! Why should he listen to her when she wouldn't listen to him?

He turned away, disgusted and angry and confused. It wasn't like Leia to dismiss either Luke or Hans' intuitions. Her behavior had been nothing sort of strange and terrifying.

Yet he still loved her. He loved her and missed her, wanted to hold her, to help her through this tragedy which seemed to slowly snuff the life from her like a flame in the rain. What's more, he wanted her to hold him as well. Even though a part of him hated her for what she had done.

Chewie bellowed, startling Han and making him jump. He turned back toward the giant fuzzball, his eyes narrow slits. "What is it now?" he demanded through gritted teeth.

Chewie barked, and Han felt his eyes grow wide in stunned horror. "Are you sure?" When Chewie nodded again, he let off a string of curses that would have impressed even Darth Vader. "Tarnsburry root. Damn."

His copilot roared. Han shook his head. "No wonder we didn't suspect Kassik's gift to be dangerous. I *should have known!* Spice and tarnsburry root! *Sith!*"

From his visits to Jabba's palace on Tatooine Han knew that the tarnsburry root was native to that planet. It was a harmless plant when by itself, looking for all the world like a harmless, purple flower with dark green petals. But it was when mixed with spice that it was dangerous. It gave off a strong scent that, when inhaled by any kind of life forms with lungs, they were placed in a sort of dazed state. No wonder Leia hadn't sensed any danger. She had been drugged. But why hadn't Han and Luke been? They'd been in the same room as Leia…

Another thought struck him. The droids. Threepio and Artoo had been in there as well, scanning for any signs abnormalities from the structure(he refused to call it The Executioner), so why had they not picked up any signals? The drug didn't affect droids, and the power of Kassik's gift should have emitted loads of electric pulses.

Something must have happened to the droids. Thinking back, he didn't recall either of them making a comment of any sort-and both Threepio and Artoo were testy, always wanting to be heard. Even when Luke was engulfed in the electric flame they had remained silent, stiff, and unmoving.

Restraining bolts? Seemed unlikely. There was no restraining bolt that wouldn't allow Artoo to voice his opinion. It had to be something else.

Chewie growled, and Han nodded in numbed submission. "Yeah, I'll talk to her," he muttered. He brushed past the wookie and hurried down the ramp of the *Falcon*, wondering how he was going to explain his discovery to Leia. Would she be angry at him, like he had been at her, and blame him for not recognizing the drug? It had been years since he'd come in contact with it, but that was no excuse… was it?

Briefly he wondered why neither Chewie nor he had recognized it sooner. And why they hadn't been affected by it like the others.

He rounded a corner, striding unhurriedly through the hallway which contained the negotiation room, his thoughts traveling back to Chewie's discovery. Once you knew what to look for, you were usually immune to the drug. Was it possible that those already exposed to it were also immune? That would explain why he and Chewie hadn't been affected, but what about Luke? He couldn't recall the young Jedi ever mentioning it, and the flower came from his home planet. Perhaps the Force kept the kid from being affected. Leia wasn't half as strong as Luke, so that would explain why she had been affected when the Jedi was not.

Yes, he nodded to himself, that must be it. He paused at the negotiation room door, hesitating. The kid had died in there. His brother-in-law, the savior of the galaxy, and yet he wasn't even being honored with a funeral.

He understood why, of course. If the New Republic gave Luke a funeral, no matter how secretive, the word would leak out. News would travel rapidly of the kid's death and how he had died. People would loose faith in the government. Negotiations, treaties, all would be thrown into a black hole. Chaos would rule the universe once again, allowing the Empire to take stand and rise in power as it once did so many years ago.

Only five people knew of Luke's death. The others were told he had been sent away on a secret mission somewhere in the far-out regions of space.

One of the guards spoke up. "Going to visit The Executioner?"

Han shrugged. "I might."

The guard grinned. "Must be popular today. The President went in ten minutes ago and hasn't come out yet."

Han started, and not bothering to care what the guards thought, shoved past them and burst through the door in time to see Leia open the door to The Executioner and begin to step inside.



*Okay, so that's it for Chapter Two! Sorry it was so short! I'm hoping the next chapter will be a little longer, and it will be posted as soon as I get it done. I will hurry, but between practice and work I don't have as much time as I would like. For the next chapter I'm planning on having Han and Leia talk (more will be explained about the drug), and then I'll go to Luke so you can see what happened to him. Please review!*