A/N: dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn we're getting down to the final chapters! I'm so excited!
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"You know this girl?" Leia asked incredulously. She eyed the girl with extreme dislike.
"We go way back." Luke said grimly. "I haven't seen her in years."
Mara Jade snarled like a feral wildcat, and reached for a blaster that was pinned to her side. But in one fluid moment Luke had her pinned against the wall, his hand firmly around her wrist. "Drop it, Jade." He said softly. "Don't make me snap your wrist. I don't want to hurt you."
Reluctantly, she dropped her blaster. Luke turned back to the others. "She is the Emperor's Hand. His personal assassin."
"And of far more use to him than you ever were, Farmboy." She hissed.
"But then why have I never met her?" Leia demanded.
"Because she lives a life of almost complete seclusion except when she goes on missions. Considering that you never go on missions…"
Despite the hatred that flowed from Jade, Leia knew her brother better than he realized, and she could sense the feelings he had for her. Leia was amazed. Was it possible that her brother was able to feel love for somebody? "So what do we do with her now?" Leia asked.
"She'll have to come with us." Luke said. "We can't let her go now. She could go straight to Palpatine and tell him we're here."
Han looked uneasy. "I don't know, having an Imperial assassin with us doesn't exactly make me feel safe."
"Well, would you rather her run on the loose where you don't know where she is?" Luke pointed out.
Chewbacca woofed his opinion. Han scowled. "Fine. Now, can we go already?"
Leia suddenly stopped. "Something's wrong. Father's in trouble."
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"Master, I don't understand."
"You can stop calling me 'Master' Anakin." Palpatine snarled. "You are nothing more than a liar. I should never have trusted you, and now you're going to die."
Dodonna stepped forward. His eyes were lined with red. Anakin stepped back unconsciously as Dodonna extended his hand. "Behold me new apprentice." Palpatine announced. Force-lightning shot out of Dodonna's hand and enveloped the former Sith. The chamber grew eerily quiet, except for the unrelenting sound of Anakin's screams.
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"We have to find him! He's dying, I can feel it!" Leia cried.
"Good." Jade smirked.
"Mara! This isn't a good time to be mad at me!" Luke snapped.
"Why do I get the feeling these two knew each other better than they're admitting?" Han muttered.
"Look. Father contacted me and told me to get you out." Luke said. "So we're going."
"NO!" Leia screamed. "I'm not leaving him here! I can't! You can go if you want but I'm going to save him!"
"Sorry, Your Sithness, but I'm with her." Han jerked his head in Leia's direction. "Come on, Chewie."
The three turned and ran into the opposite direction. Mara looked at Luke. "So what now, Farmboy? Surely you aren't going to leave your only sister to face the Emperor alone like you left me?"
Luke hesitated. The good he'd always felt in Leia, the warmth that he'd always wanted, but could never admit it…was he going to turn away from her now?
No.
"Mara, I'm sorry about what happened all those years ago. I never meant to hurt you." He hesitated. "Even though I chose being a Sith, I guess that there's a part of me that still regrets that choice."
"Luke…I'm sorry about everything." Mara whispered. "I guess I've just been…jealous that you were chosen to be the apprentice over me."
Luke enveloped Mara into a tight embrace. "Now, let's go."
"Like I really have a choice?"
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It didn't seem possible for the bolts to increase in intensity, but they did. Anakin twisted and writhed on the floor, but even the Force seemed lost to him. He was truly helpless. Suddenly though, the electricity stopped and the Emperor's voice floated into Anakin's barely conscious mind. "How does it feel, Anakin? To know that you have been replaced?"
"You're making…a mistake." Anakin managed to gasp.
"How?" Palpatine laughed. "I seem to be the one still standing on my feet."
"Yes." Anakin agreed. "But there are…five standing…behind you."
The Emperor whirled around. Dodonna even looked up to see Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and yes, Luke and Mara Jade standing at the entrance to the turbolift.
"Let him go, Palpatine." Luke called. "And prepare to die."
"Very well. Then let the games begin."
