A/N: Very short. I'm sorry. I needed a good place to break before the
next chapter- which (I think) is fairly exciting.
Thanks for hanging in there!
- Chapter Four -
The command center was buzzing when the small group entered; Leia immediately strode forward to address Mon Mothma, "What has happened?"
She glanced over Leia's shoulder, uneasiness in her stance, "We've received a... demand from the Emperor."
*It's about time.*
Luke's eyes rose to regard Anakin, he was getting used to wondering if the man had spoken or not; and why he always seemed to hear his voice in his head.
Mothma gestured to two guards standing by the door, they immediately came forward. "We are ready to play the message now," she spoke softly, as if ashamed of what was about to happen...
And the newly arrived group suddenly realized why, as the guards stepped forward and grabbed Luke, pulling his arms behind his back and binding him.
"What is the meaning of this?" Anakin roared as Luke was manhandled away from his companions; Han, Leia and Lando were also issuing protests. Only Luke was silent. Somehow the proceedings did not surprise him; the actions of the Alliance of the past few days made this new turn in events seem almost... expected.
Mon Mothma held up one hand, a gesture that pleaded for calm, "It is for his safety, I assure you."
"How does slapping binders on him keep 'em safe?" Han demanded.
Leia grabbed his arm, pulling him back as she stepped forward, "Please show us the tape, Mon," she asked softly; her diplomatic training overriding her concern for Luke.
The woman nodded and gestured to the communications officer to play the message.
An image of Emperor Palpatine sprang up in the center of the room, his gleaming yellow eyes seemed to pierce every being in the room. A cruel, mirthless smile parted his lips and he began to speak, "My wayward children, I know this is difficult for you. Your supplies have been cut off and you haven't the force to drive my fleet away and escape. In my love for you, and my hopes that someday you will come under my protective wing once more, I propose conciliation."
"For him or us?" Han asked gruffly.
"I will withdraw completely," Palpatine continued, "And end this siege, if you deliver unto me... The son of Skywalker."
Luke shifted restlessly in the arms of his guards as his friends threw astonished glances at him.
"You have two hours to respond. If you decide not to give him to me, I will collect him myself and lay waste to your pathetic base," the transmission ended abruptly with a burst of static.
Han immediately turned to Mothma, "Why is Luke being held?"
Her chin lifted slightly, she knew very well of what she was being accused, "We are not holding him so that we can turn him over to Palpatine, Captain Solo," she turned her eyes upon Luke and spoke purposefully, both for his benefit and his friends, "We do not want Commander Skywalker to turn himself over."
There was stillness in the room, yet the command center was boiling over with tension. The Empire had them in a vice-grip, but they could not turn over one of their own...
"What would you do to destroy Palpatine once and for all?" Anakin asked softly, his demeanor suggesting a calm that none of the others possessed.
There was a tense silence before Mon Mothma replied with conviction, "Anything."
A small smile played across Anakin's lips that made her very uneasy, but his words were smooth as he replied, "Then you must trust me."
"What do you mean...?" she asked as he moved towards the door.
He looked about the room; his gaze lingered longest on Luke, "I will return shortly, please have patience."
Mon Mothma moved to protest, but the man had already disappeared out the door.
~
Anakin slipped from the command center and immediately started to run towards the landing bay; his run was that of one blessed by the Force. He was nothing more than a blur to those who might have witnessed the trek to his ship.
Once aboard he immediately pulled open the hidden compartment that contained the perfect ingredient to this disaster the Rebels found themselves in.
Thanks for hanging in there!
- Chapter Four -
The command center was buzzing when the small group entered; Leia immediately strode forward to address Mon Mothma, "What has happened?"
She glanced over Leia's shoulder, uneasiness in her stance, "We've received a... demand from the Emperor."
*It's about time.*
Luke's eyes rose to regard Anakin, he was getting used to wondering if the man had spoken or not; and why he always seemed to hear his voice in his head.
Mothma gestured to two guards standing by the door, they immediately came forward. "We are ready to play the message now," she spoke softly, as if ashamed of what was about to happen...
And the newly arrived group suddenly realized why, as the guards stepped forward and grabbed Luke, pulling his arms behind his back and binding him.
"What is the meaning of this?" Anakin roared as Luke was manhandled away from his companions; Han, Leia and Lando were also issuing protests. Only Luke was silent. Somehow the proceedings did not surprise him; the actions of the Alliance of the past few days made this new turn in events seem almost... expected.
Mon Mothma held up one hand, a gesture that pleaded for calm, "It is for his safety, I assure you."
"How does slapping binders on him keep 'em safe?" Han demanded.
Leia grabbed his arm, pulling him back as she stepped forward, "Please show us the tape, Mon," she asked softly; her diplomatic training overriding her concern for Luke.
The woman nodded and gestured to the communications officer to play the message.
An image of Emperor Palpatine sprang up in the center of the room, his gleaming yellow eyes seemed to pierce every being in the room. A cruel, mirthless smile parted his lips and he began to speak, "My wayward children, I know this is difficult for you. Your supplies have been cut off and you haven't the force to drive my fleet away and escape. In my love for you, and my hopes that someday you will come under my protective wing once more, I propose conciliation."
"For him or us?" Han asked gruffly.
"I will withdraw completely," Palpatine continued, "And end this siege, if you deliver unto me... The son of Skywalker."
Luke shifted restlessly in the arms of his guards as his friends threw astonished glances at him.
"You have two hours to respond. If you decide not to give him to me, I will collect him myself and lay waste to your pathetic base," the transmission ended abruptly with a burst of static.
Han immediately turned to Mothma, "Why is Luke being held?"
Her chin lifted slightly, she knew very well of what she was being accused, "We are not holding him so that we can turn him over to Palpatine, Captain Solo," she turned her eyes upon Luke and spoke purposefully, both for his benefit and his friends, "We do not want Commander Skywalker to turn himself over."
There was stillness in the room, yet the command center was boiling over with tension. The Empire had them in a vice-grip, but they could not turn over one of their own...
"What would you do to destroy Palpatine once and for all?" Anakin asked softly, his demeanor suggesting a calm that none of the others possessed.
There was a tense silence before Mon Mothma replied with conviction, "Anything."
A small smile played across Anakin's lips that made her very uneasy, but his words were smooth as he replied, "Then you must trust me."
"What do you mean...?" she asked as he moved towards the door.
He looked about the room; his gaze lingered longest on Luke, "I will return shortly, please have patience."
Mon Mothma moved to protest, but the man had already disappeared out the door.
~
Anakin slipped from the command center and immediately started to run towards the landing bay; his run was that of one blessed by the Force. He was nothing more than a blur to those who might have witnessed the trek to his ship.
Once aboard he immediately pulled open the hidden compartment that contained the perfect ingredient to this disaster the Rebels found themselves in.
