Disclaimer: Lucas owns Star Wars, we just experiment with his characters.

A/N Tinuviel Undomiel: Sorry for the delay, my login wouldn't let us post, but we are back.

A/N Nerwen Aldarion: My sister wrote this chap, mine will come later into the story.

Reviews:

Darkness1: Yep, I can see Vader on his knees begging for her to escape.Oh I highly doubt Vader would like being laughed at. Wait till you see what Jan does in this one.

voxenking: Duh, of course Kyle is going to be trained. LOL, glad you like this fic.

Chapter 2: Great Ball of Steel

"Where are you taking us now?" Jan demanded.

Two Stormtroopers were once again locking the two women's hands into binders.

The trooper behind her shook his head, "Do you ever stop asking questions?"

Jan almost laughed. It was the same trooper that had captured her. It was kinda funny, of the thousands of Stormtroopers in the galaxy, this one kept showing up.

"You again," She smirked, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're stalking me."

"Then it's a good thing you know better," He muttered as he gripped her forearm hard, and dragged her out of the cell.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" She hissed.

The Princess remained silent. The bantering between the Stormtrooper and Jan continued without a hitch.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that you have a smart mouth?" He replied in the same tone.

"Plenty of times," Jan said, "I just never listened."

"Well you're gonna wish you had once Lord Vader is through with you," The trooper threatened.

"Speaking of you're brave and powerful leader, if he is so tough then why does he cower under all that armor?" Jan smiled, she had them now.

"I suggest you hold your tongue, woman," The second Stormtrooper warned.

"And I disregard your suggestion, scum," Jan replied.

"One day that mouth of yours is gonna get you in trouble," The trooper behind Jan said, "And I hope I'm there to see it."

"Oooh, I'm shaking," She rolled her eyes.

"Where are you taking us?" Princess Leia inquired.

"The Death Star is awaiting both of you."

"Is that the best you can do?" Jan asked, "I bet I could think up a better name than that."

"I'd like to see you try," The trooper said.

"You know its funny," Jan commented, "You seem to want to see a lot out of me, I hope that doesn't mean anything."

"I'd rather burn in the Nine Hells of Corellia than think of you anything higher than a maggot."

"I'll have to add your charm to the list of how much I hate you."

The two Stormtroopers brought the Princess and Jan onto a Shuttle. For some reason, they weren't placed in the cargo hold, or crammed into the back, as Jan had expected. Instead they were given an unobstructed view of the black of space before them. Jan had nothing really to say for a while, much to the trooper's satisfaction. Another shuttle flew with them, but this one was much larger, and far grander. It didn't take a genius to know that Vader was seated comfortably on that ship.

Actually the shuttle Jan was on wasn't that bad. She had been in a cramped transport once, hoping that it would bring her to the safety of a Rebel base, and not bring her to Kessel or someplace much worse.

A small moon dwindled off in the distance of space. Wait a moon with no planet? Realization hit fast. That wasn't any moon, but a spacestation. Jan saw Leia's face pale at the sight of the Empire's new weapon. It had to be loaded with power, and have a strong defense system. How would the Rebellion beat that thing?

The size of the thing was intimidating, but other than that, Jan was disappointed by its appearance.

"That's the Death Star?" Jan asked, trying to sound unimpressed.

"Yes."

"It's a ball," Jan stated dryly

"It has enough fire power to wipe out your pathetic rebellion," The trooper stated.

"It's a ball," Jan repeated again, "That's the big mumbo jumbo the Empire has been secretly working on, a steel ball."

"Wait until you see its true potential," The Stormtrooper that had been escorting Leia said, "You'll find out exactly what the Death Star can do."

"Gee, I'm trembling already," Jan remarked in a dry tone. It appeared Princess Leia had enjoyed Jan's insight on the Death Star. The gigantic spacestation was still frightening, but it helped to think about it as nothing but a steel ball.

Kyle couldn't wait to put the prisoner into her cell. The smart mouth brunette was seriously starting to get on his nerves. Not only had she insulted Lord Vader by calling him a coward, she had expressed a sarcastic belief that he thought her attractive; and to top it off, she made the largest spacestation in the galaxy look like a child's toy. Why the gods had made such a creature exist, Kyle had no idea.

When the shuttle docked on the Death Star, the prisoners were unloaded. The woman looked around the station with a look of disgust. Battalions of Stormtroopers had filed together to greet Lord Vader. The Dark Lord was standing in the midst of the men in white armor. He walked towards the two prisoners in a powerful stride. The station seemed to be his home, his lair. All those on the Death Star obeyed his every command. None dared to speak out against him, except the prisoner.

"Your Highness I hope that you and your friend enjoy your stay here," Darth Vader said in an arrogant manner.

"You are making a terrible mistake, Darth Vader," The Princess said regally.

"My dear it was you who made the mistake of joining the Alliance," Vader replied. Kyle was certain the Dark Lord was smiling from behind his mask, "As you can see, your Rebellion has no hope of defeating the Empire. Tell us where the hidden base is, and we may forgive you for treason."

"Hmph, I'll bet," The prisoner said under her breath.

The Dark Lord sneered at the girl, "Perhaps you wish to tell us where the base is."

"I don't know where the base is hidden," She responded, "so you'll have to continue your game of Hide and Seek without me."

This girl is on the edge of death, Kyle thought. Behind the mask, Kyle was certain that Darth Vader was giving the prisoner an expression of pure hatred.

It surprised him when he spoke kindly to her, "Your wit is quite endearing."

She smiled, "Thank you."

"Yet it will also bring you trouble," Vader added.

"You mean like being captured by the Empire because they thought the ship you were on had some secret plans?" She asked, continuing to smile.

"Far worse," The Dark Lord stated.

"Bring it on; I'm up for the challenge."

Vader chuckled, "In time, if you refuse to answer our questions, in time you will learn what I can do to you. Then you will wish you had never breathed life."

Her smiled faded quickly. Finally someone had turned her off. Kyle actually found it quite amusing when she insulted Vader. She was the first person insane enough to do it. He still wondered exactly why this woman appeared to have a death wish, yet she was a strong soul. Even if she thought he found her attractive, which he didn't. Just because she had cream colored skin, didn't mean she was pretty. She may have deep blue eyes, and dark brown hair that framed her face…, okay she was kind of good looking.

After more interrogation, Jan and the Princess were put in neighboring cells in the maximum security detention level. The cell walls were completely black, with a make-shift bed (if you could call it that) cut out of the wall. She was seated on the hard bench-of a-bed, examining her hands. What else was there to do? The bad thing about being captured was the incredible boredom.

The door opened suddenly, making her lookup. A man walked into the cell, standing slightly inside the doorway. His sandy brown hair was neatly combed, and brown eyes glittered from a finely chiseled face. Through the Imperial uniform, Jan could see taught muscles. No doubt about it, for an Imp, he was handsome.

"I haven't got anything else to say," Jan commented.

"I'm not here about the Rebel Base," He stated.

She looked up at him, slightly surprised, "You're that trooper that liked to follow me."

He rolled his eyes, "First of all, I wasn't stalking you, my orders were to escort you here."

"Yeah, sure, escort me."

"Listen, I just want to know who you are."

Jan sighed, and turned to face him, "I'm Jan Ors."

"And what is your occupation?"

She wanted to laugh at the sound of that. She would like to have asked Palpatine that one. She could hear his answer now, "My job is to be the galaxies tyrant, and I get a kick out of torturing people, and tearing people to shreds seems to be a healthy past time."

"I'm a pilot," Jan said proudly.

He raised an eyebrow, "A pilot?"

"Yeah, I may be a girl, but I can fly circles around most men."

"Alright, alright I believe you," He held ups his hands in surrender.

"So who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Kyle Katarn."

"And how'd you end up on the wrong side?" Jan asked.

"I don't really believe in either side," Kyle said honestly.

"Then what are doing dressed as an Imp?"

"Look, the Rebellion murdered my father, alright, and I've seen the stuff the Empire can do, and I don't like all of it."

Jan looked at him curiously. Murdered his father? The Rebellion wouldn't do that. "Who was your father?"

Kyle sighed sadly as he thought about his father, "Morgan Katarn."

Jan shook her head, it was all making sense now, "Man do they have you fooled."

He frowned, "What?"

"The Rebellion never killed your father," She explained, "The Empire executed him for treason. He was trying to get people off of Sulon. I'll bet they told you the Rebellion did it to gain your support, obviously it worked."

The man looked completely shocked. Jan almost felt sorry for him, or maybe she did. After all he had been lied to.

"This…this can't be true," Kyle said.

"Hate to break it to you, but it is."

"No…no!" He raised his voice, "Your Rebellion killed him!"

"Look, I'm sorry I'm the one that had to tell you, but the Rebels didn't do anything!" Jan shouted back.

"I…I don't believe you."

"You don't have to believe me," Jan said, "but it's the truth."

"No…no," Kyle said quietly turning away.

"I'm sorry," She said sincerely as he was leaving.

The door locked when he left, and silence remained. Jan sighed, and sat back down onto the bed. She actually felt bad for him. Him! An Imperial! This was bad, when had she begun to fell sympathy for an Imp?

"Was he really the son of Morgan Katarn?"

Jan jumped at the sound of the voice, "Princess, is that you?"

"Yes."

"Uh, how are you able to talk to me, we are in opposite cells?"

"There is a vent over by the wall; it's connected to my cell."

"Oh," Jan said scooting over to the vent.

"Was he really Morgan Katarn's son?" Leia asked again.

"He said he was."

"Can we trust him?"

"I don't know," Jan said, "I feel bad for him, but maybe this is a trick. Vader could be trying to get me to tell him where the base is."

"That is a possibility," Princess Leia admitted.

"I know," Jan agreed. Something told her he wasn't lying. Something inside her told her to trust him.

In his bunk, later that day, Kyle contemplated what he had been told. Was his father killed by the Empire? Was Jan telling the truth? He didn't want to believe it. Yet, he remembered what she had said after she told him, "I'm sorry."

From the day he began working in the Imperial army, no one had ever said that. Even when he was told that his father had been murdered, they hadn't even let him go home for the funeral arrangements. Maybe she was right, maybe… no it just couldn't be. They wouldn't have lied to him. Or maybe they had.

"Commander Katarn?" someone called from the door.

Kyle got up, and opened the door, "Captain Adol?"

"Commander Katarn, it has come to my knowledge that you have spoken to the prisoner."

"Yes sir."

"May I ask why?"

"Uh, yes sir, I just wanted to see what I could learn form her," Kyle answered.

"And did you learn anything?"

"Yes sir, her name is Jan Ors."

Adol smiled, "Ah the notorious pilot we have been hearing about."

"She did say she was a pilot."

"Thank you commander," Adol said, "We are going to interrogate Miss Ors now."

"You mean you're going to tortu…I mean question her?"

"Yes," Adol responded, "Do you wish to observe?"

"Uh, sure," Kyle said, "sure."

A/N: dun dun DUN!!!! Oh, torture time, what will happen next