There was a chill in Leia's bones as they entered the pub, a chill that she knew would never settle unless she could escape from the Chancellor. Something about him, whether it was the fact that he had been in office since who knows when, or simply his unwanted presence bugged her. It wasn't like her feelings toward Han, more a mild case of irritation that occasionally gave way. The thought of Palpatine in comparison to the rather handsome pilot sent further shivers down her spine. Han would win, hands down.

But no, it was something more than that. "Would you like anything to drink, dear?" The old man's voice sounded kind to the normal ear, but to Leia it was shrill and uninviting. She also remembered what it'd been like when Luke had drunk before. She wasn't keen on the idea of revealing personal secrets to the Chancellor.

"No thanks," she declined. Palpatine smiled.

"A wise decision, my dear," he said, and Leia felt sick. She was beginning to wonder whether her brother and parents knew where she was. What about Han, she thought, did he know? More importantly, did he care? "I'll skip the small talk," the politician's voice cut into her thoughts, "as we have more important matters to discuss. Leia, you are a highly advanced Jedi, and it is high time that you were made a knight."

"Listen," she pleaded. "My fa- the people I'm travelling with, they don't know where I am, and if you're just talking promotions, I really don't-"

"Your father and brother are fine." Leia was nonplussed: since when did anyone know about her family? "As is the Captain Solo, who, forgive me if I am mistaken, you are currently in love with. However, your mother was in a speeder accident earlier today. If all went as planned, she's beyond recovery."

Leia could hardly believe her ears. "What do you mean, if all went as planned? I would assume that you were telling me that you sabotaged my mother's craft and attempted to kill her," she said, panic rising along with bile in her throat. "Chancellor, a man of your status…why?"

"All will be revealed in time," he replied, arms outstretched. "Your mother is beyond recovery, but all limits can be broken, if the right power is used. Come, we will discuss this further at my home."

"No!" Leia shouted. "I will not go anywhere with you. I refuse-"

The man struck before she could finish. Instantly, the poison entered Leia's blood, fogging her mind and weakening her limbs. She fell to the ground, unconscious. Palpatine snickered; the venom wasn't potent enough to kill, but it could render most life forms defenseless for up to a week. Throwing the Jedi onto his shoulder, he tipped the barman a few credits for keeping quiet about the attack. He dragged Leia to a speeder out back, got on, and headed off.

Han Solo was just leaving the speeder rental when Palpatine and Leia were reaching the old warehouse the Chancellor had recently acquired. He swore under his breath, remembering the look on the man's face when he demanded that he tell him who gave him the speeder. Some bloody politician, he thought. Of all the lame deals he'd gotten in his life, this was the worst.

He was cut off from the exit as two Jedi male blondes ran directly into him. "Luke! Anakin!" Han stuttered. "Man, I am so glad to see you guys! I guess you heard about Padme, huh? I got a few answers as to where that speeder came from. Some Palpatine guy bought a couple…"

All he got in response were two blank stares. "Padme?" Master Skywalker said anxiously. "What happened to her? Is she all right? We're looking for Leia." With that sentence, worry replaced the annoyance on Han's face.

"Leia's gone missing?" He swore again. "I'll bet this has something to do with Padme's speeder malfunctioning. She's okay, but it was pretty close. If she weren't so brave I don't know what would've happened."

"There were two speeders taken?" Master Skywalker said calmly.

"Yeah," Han said tensely. "Both taken by this Chancellor Palpatine. One of them was Padme's, and from the sound of things it was set to detonate, and take its occupant with it. Luckily, it takes more than a hunk of junk like that to bring her down. I think that Palpatine programmed it. Wait," he paused. "You aren't thinkin' that Palpatine's makin' his getaway on this thing, are ya?"

"That would make sense," Luke replied, the first thing he'd said since his sister's disappearance. "And I think that perhaps, if Palpatine is behind the speeder incident, he might also be behind Leia's disappearance. Han, do you know how to track his vehicle?"

"Are you kidding? All I gotta do is get the tracking hardware from the broken one and-" The smuggler was cut off as Luke dragged him toward the speeder shop. There were a few lying around in the open lot. Han cut one of the chains with Luke's lightsaber, and they all got on. The shopkeeper came out, swearing at them in some other language. "We'll return it!" Han yelled as they left the lot.

Leia had finally woken up. She was in the warehouse, with no idea where she was or how she'd gotten there. As her senses came back to her along with her memories, she regained a valuable ally: the Force had come back to her, and she could sense that her brother, father and Han were coming towards her, no doubt to save her. Leia groaned despite the prospect of help. So much for Han thinking she was brave.

She suddenly became aware of another presence, but this was not comforting. In fact, the fact that someone with the knowledge of the Force was here with her was quite unnerving. She wanted desperately to reach her weapon, but she felt chained, trapped in this room. Looking at her hands, she saw no form of bondage.

"An old Sith trick," Palpatine's voice echoed in the empty factory. "There is no chain. You are perfectly capable of breaking free, if your mind is strong enough. Ordinarily, it would not have worked on one so powerful in the Force as you, but your mind was weakened by the poison."

Leia struggled and found she was able to break free. Her lightsaber was still on her belt. Why would Palpatine or more correctly, this Sith want to leave her with any weapon? He must have thought that it would be useless, what with the Force still on her side, she thought. "Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want from me?"

"For years, Leia, I have watched you," he replied, a slight tone of admiration in his voice. "You and your twin brother alike were both highly in tune with the Force, even at a young age. It was no surprise that you would be trained as your father had been. I'll admit, the real surprise was that Anakin raised you.

"He allowed himself to know you and love you, despite the harsh truth that the Jedi order would eventually tear you away from him. Anakin led two lives and played two roles, acting as both a mentor and father to you.

"There was a time when I thought that Anakin could be turned to the Dark Side of the Force. He was young, reckless, and in love with a senator. I seized the opportunity, and plagued his sleep with troubling nightmares of his Padme, dying in childbirth. I thought he was weak-minded. I thought grief would overcome him. I thought he would be swallowed in darkness." He paused to clear his throat.

"This will hurt you, Leia, but your father killed. He killed an innocent man, one who told him there was no way to save his wife. Padme found him, weeping in frustration beside the slain body. Her love saved him and pulled him back to the light. But this did not satisfy me. I had brought a decent man to kill, and I had turned a human to a monster. But I had no heir, no apprentice, no Padawan to train in the ways of the Sith. There was nothing for me, except for the child.

"Or as we now know, children. I watched you and your brother. Luke is as competent a Jedi as any, but he lacks the patience that both sides of the Force, Dark or Light require to be used skillfully. And there was another thing," he added with a twisted smile.

"Hatred," he purred, and Leia winced at the sound. "You were always the angry one, eh? Always fighting with your brother, arguing with Solo, that was the key. I knew at once that you were the one I sought after, the one I must take as my Padawan and take under my wing. So I sent out messengers. I told the burglars how to reach the Skywalker apartment. I tipped off Boba Fett and the other bounty hunters that Solo was aboard your ship. I rigged your dear mother's speeder to crash. The only thing I didn't do was make you and Solo fall in love, which, in the end, worked out for the best."

"No," she moaned. "I don't want to believe it. This isn't true. You're not Palpatine. Who are you?" she asked again. The cold was filling her up, and she longed for a source, any source of warmth and care.

"I am Darth Sideous," he declared. "Lord of the Sith. But you, you shall refer to me always as Master."

"Why should I?" she shot back. Her head was held high, her eyes remained free of all tears, but inside she was drowning, sinking into the blackness. "You need me. You said so yourself, without an heir you could never rule. You couldn't sway my father, and you cannot sway me. What could you give me? What is it I would receive?"

"Endless power is usually enough," the Sith barked. "But that is not what you seek. There was something else in you, Leia, something besides your overwhelming ability to hate. It was your ability to love, and with all your heart." Leia was sinking, falling into a hole, but his words were so sweet…he could save her, if she let him…

"Join me, Leia," he pleaded. "Slay your brother, he was never worthy of you. Destroy your weak father. He could never keep the Jedi code, and you would follow soon after if you remained with the order. Disown your mother. Cast off your family. Destroy the Jedi, break the Republic apart, and we would rule the new galaxy. The Empire, Leia, a world run by Sith. Do all of this, and I will give you Solo."

"W-what?" gasped Leia. She wasn't sure if she had understood him, but his words were slowly penetrating the darkness…he could make it go away…she could have the one she loved…

"You could spend eternity with him. I could always use more heirs, and as a Sith I would allow you to marry. Think of it, Leia, giving birth to his children, who would be raised as Sith Padawans. You and Han would rule after my death. You want him, Leia. So be it. Join me."

Leia was drowning. Solo…he would give her Solo…Han would be hers…strike Luke down…destroy Anakin…disown Padme…it was all so impossible, yet so tempting, she thought, remembering the kiss…

Leia fell to her knees before Darth Sideous. "Yes," she choked. "Yes…my Master…"

She was bowing before him; bowing to the cackling Sith who had declared her his Padawan, when there came a scream of anguish from the doorway. He was standing there, terror on his face, contorted beyond recognition by pain. Tears were falling from his eyes and onto his tan skin as he cried out, "LEIA!"

Darth Sideous' Padawan raised her head. "Han?"