Revealed Identities

Chapter 11: Jallishka

Vader sat calmly in his medical pod. He relaxed all of his muscles, and allowed the light side to flow through him. How he had forgotten what soothing touch the Force could have! Vader sat in the pod without his armor and had sustained breathing without it for over an hour. He was pleased greatly. The most time he had ever gone without his breathing mask on had been about two minutes. A great improvement.

Relaxing even more into the abyss of the Force, he drew the lightside to him, manipulating it until he felt like warm rays of the twin suns, Tatto I and Tatto II were kissing his pale skin.

Elation hit him as he felt the healing powers of the Force begin to work its magic on him. Darkness hit him with full force as exhaustion took over his muscles. He began wheezing with the effort.

Gasping, he placed the respirator mask over his mouth, and allowed himself to escape into the Force again. This was going to take a lot more time, but he would do it. He wished, not for the first time, and not for the last, that he had more patience.

Jallishka had checked all of the docking bays and ports, and had finally recognized the Millennium Falcon. It was a Rebellion ship that one of Skywalker's friends flew. He had actually seen Skywalker going in and out of the ship, so he knew that he had been lucky.

However, this entire mission had made Jallishka very apprehensive. What Vader was planning to do was complete treason against the Empire. The entire Noghri people had pledged their way of life to the Empire because of what Vader had done for them, and he had even asked that they do so. Why would he just turn on the Empire like this? It had made Jallishka doubt in the Empire's abilities.

All he knew was he needed this boy to go to Lord Vader or else the entire galaxy could fall apart.

Jallishka sighed. He slid over to the Falcon's entrance and slipped into the shadows below it. When the Wookie creature walked out, Jallishka slipped in.

Han and Luke sat at the sabaac table adjacent to Han's cabin. Luke sat tapping his fingers lightly on the table.

"I can't believe we didn't find anything. It's been two days." Luke sighed. He wanted to find the information about where Nekem was. They had followed a lead that Han had gotten from two

Toydarians, but the people that they had mentioned were nowhere to be found. They would have to leave Rempinto, but Luke had insisted that there was something else. It was like something was holding him back, making him want to stay.

"Face it kid: we're gonna have to leave. Tomorrow we're going to check out the information we got from your so called kidnapers." Han reprimanded him firmly.

"I guess you're right." Luke caved in.

"Of course I am." Han gave him a quirky smile. Luke rolled his eyes and laughed.

"What are you two up to?" Leia asked as she came in. She tossed a ration bar to Luke and Han. Luke caught his, but Han's hit him squarely in the face.

"Thanks." Luke said cheerfully as he focused his attention to unwrapping the seal from the ration.

"Thanks." Han grumbled, rubbing his nose.

"You're welcome." Leia smiled. Luke looked up ready to ask Leia something, but stopped at what he saw.

The alien that had attempted to assassin him stood in the door way. Luke stood up, grabbing his light-saber. Leia whirled around, and Han snatched his blaster from his belt. The alien took a good look at Leia, and inhaled sharply. He looked at her a little surprised, but regained his composure quickly.

"May I speak?" The grayish alien hissed.

"Yeah. You can tell us who you are, and what you're doing here." Han demanded. The alien nodded.

"I am Jallishka, clan Mortio. I have a message for Luke, clan Skywalker." Luke looked at him.

"He was the one that tried to kill me." Luke explained to Leia and Han. Han's grip on the blaster tightened.

"May I speak with him alone?" Jallishka asked. Han snorted.

"You tried to kill him. Hell no!" Han said defiantly. "Say what you want to say in front of us."

"I will not kill him. I have done my duty. Everyone thinks you're dead already." Jallishka responded.

"You were the one that announced that I was dead." Luke realized, giving Jallishka a puzzling look.

"No. I told the Emperor that I had succeeded in my mission. I do not serve the Emperor but Lord Vader. He gave me an explicit reprimand for trying to kill you. He praises your abilities at self-defense." Jallishka told him. Luke's body had gone rigid at the mention of Darth Vader.

"What does Vader want with me?" Luke asked hesitantly.

"I wish to speak with you alone." Jallishka repeated.

"I don't think-" Han started but didn't get the chance to finish his sentence. Chewie had snuck up behind Jallishka and grabbed the Noghri around the neck. The alien made sputtering noises as his supply of oxygen dwindled.

"Chewie! Leave him be!" Luke ordered. Chewie growled his confusion and his lack of support of this idea.

"Chewie, just do it." Luke pleaded. Chewie snarled something to Jallishka, and let him go. The alien took in a deep breath, but other than that, showed no other signs of being off-set by Chewie's appearance.

"I will talk with you alone." Luke agreed.

"Are you insane?" Leia asked sharply.

"Maybe. I want to hear what he has to say. I've been able to escape him once. If anything, I'll get a good laugh at hearing the idiotic lies of the Empire." Han, Leia, and Chewie looked at him with utter skepticism.

"Listen, I can take care of myself." They obviously didn't seem to think so, but didn't say anything to dent Luke's pride.

"I would feel a lot better if we knew we won't find you dead when he's done talking with you." Luke slapped his hand to his forehead.

"That's why we put him in restraints!" Luke said.

"Oh...right." Han mumbled, hating to have been told the obvious. "Well, that's okay then." Chewie found a pair of restraints in the cargo hold and placed them on Jallishka. With many protests from Leia, Han, and Chewie, Luke finally convinced them to leave him and Jallishka alone. When they had finally left, Luke turned to look at Jallishka.

"What is the message?" Luke demanded.

"Lord Vader needs your help to destroy the Empire."

Vader smiled as he finally left the pod. He was sure that his crew was beginning to worry, but Vader didn't really care. The few days he had in his pod had healed him enough that he no longer needed the respirator. However, he modified it enough so that it still made the regular breathing noises. He couldn't let anyone know of his accomplishment yet.

Next part...Betrayal and Trust