"We've got to get out of here." Han said. "Where's Vader?" Han peeped over the corner into the next corridor nervously. "Any minute now, the storm troopers are going to figure out where we are and make us all dead."
"He's here too?" Leia asked. She clutched Han's arm fearfully, looking around.
Luke nodded deftly. He was trying to remember the easiest way out of the detention center without alerting the whole station that they were here. "Come on, this way." Luke pointed down a long hall, just hesitating long enough to think, I hope I'm right!
Luke's commlink suddenly started blinking. He glanced at the others, before ducking out of the corridor back into Leia's cell. "Hello?" He whispered.
"Luke." Vader's voice whispered over the communicator. "I don't have much time. Just listen. Get them all off of the Death Star, and leave me to deal with the Emperor alone."
"But…"
"Listen! I'm in the turbolift to go meet with him now. This is my destiny, yours lies elsewhere. Take them far away, The Empire has lived its' last day. May the Force be with you."
"May…may the Force be with you, Father." Luke managed to say. The commlink went dead. Luke's hand was shaking, the reality of what was happening hit him hard. If his father was killed, there would truly be no way to defeat the Emperor. Luke knew that he was no match for Palpatine. At that moment, he felt as defenseless as a baby Jawa.
He stepped back out of the cell. "Where were you?" Leia asked him.
"Never mind." Luke said harshly. "Come on, we have to move."
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Master, you must believe me." Vader insisted yet again. "I would never betray you. I would rather die."
"Then why," Mused Palpatine. "Did you directly disobey my orders, steal a TIE fighter, and practically run away?"
"Because I knew that my son would be a threat to us." Vader said patiently. "I knew that he would come with me willingly if he believed I had left your service. Once I had him alone, it was easy to overpower him and bring him back. Believe me Master, my intentions have only been good for the Empire."
Vader had been led to the throne room, where Palpatine spent most of his time, gazing out into space. The space that he had conquered. Vader was kneeling on the ground before the Emperor, begging for his life. Vader dared to look up.
"Then tell me what you have learned." The Emperor said coldly. "Surely you came into contact with the rebellion?"
Sensing the Emperor's test, Vader thought quickly, "I did indeed meet with the leaders of the rebellion. They have set their base on the planet of Ryloth, near Tatooine."
"Ryloth is sparsely populated. They should not be easy to find…if you are telling the truth."
"I am, Master."
Palpatine said nothing for a long time. He turned his chair around, so he was facing the endless depths of space, away from Vader. "It is a pity that I cannot believe you."
Vaders' heart grew cold. "What?"
"Behold, my informant." Palpatine's evil laughter radiated through the room as General Dodonna stepped out of the shadows where he'd been hiding. His face was grim.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Come on." Luke called. "As soon as we get across this bridge we'll be in the main hangar, and we can get out of here."
"What about Father?" Leia asked, panting heavily trying to keep up with him. They stopped at a chasm so deep that she couldn't see the bottom.
Luke hesitated. He hadn't told Leia about the message from Vader. "He can take care of himself." He finally said coldly. He punched in a code on the keypad, and the bridge began to expand.
Leia looked at her brother in disbelief. "I was beginning to think you were changing, Brother." She said slowly and sadly. "But I guess that I was wrong."
Luke suddenly paused. Something didn't feel right. He sensed somebody through the Force, someone he hadn't felt in a long time. Leia and Han had reached the bridge. Suddenly, Luke recognized who he sensed. And…something was wrong…
Wait a second…
"Watch out!" Luke yelled. He threw Leia out of the way, deliberately ignoring Han, hoping that the assassin would take care of Han for him. Han had barely enough time to push Chewbacca out of the way and dive away himself before an explosion rocked the ship, detonating the bridge that, if Luke hadn't sensed her, they would have been on. "I know you're here!" He yelled. "Show yourself!"
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Leia, Han, and Chewie looked on fearfully at the Sith standing before the ruined bridge, smoke whirling around his body. Finally, a red haired young woman stepped out from behind a pole, her face a mask of fury. "Luke Skywalker." She hissed. "I should have known."
"Mara Jade. It's been a long time."
