Chapter 8: Tyloid's Party
Repairing the shuttle turned out to be the most enjoyable punishment Luke had ever endured. Restoring the wreck from the ground up had taught him more about starship mechanics than years of studying text ever could. He took advantage of the process to add a few new modifications too. He'd been sorely tempted to outfit the shuttle with a whole new set of weapons, but having a set of missile launchers delivered to the hangar would have undoubtedly caused a disturbance in the parental force.
Ben often came over to give him a hand, feeling bad over the role he'd played in the whole thing, although Luke had assured him it wasn't his fault. One night, while they were applying sealant to the ship's dorsal panels, Ben had received a call to say he'd been awarded the medical school scholarship, much to his delight. They'd celebrated with pizza and ice cream, and lots of congratulations from Artoo and Threepio. Luke had encouraged him to call his father, but Ben had simply shrugged.
"I might keep this one to myself for now," he said.
Luke nodded, knowing he couldn't fault Ben for that. There was a long list of things he hadn't yet told his own father about.
One of them was the assignment from the Emperor, a task which was far more tedious than even he anticipated. This felt like a real punishment, the consequence of his stupid decision to speak to the ruler of the galaxy in the first place. He figured a good place to start was to locate Quasher on a map and then do some research into some basic facts about the place, like population size, climate, and history. His droids were only too happy to help, and Threepio even found him a good template to use to write up his proposal.
One weekend afternoon, he'd settled himself in the palace library to finally finish this thing, knowing it was only a day until the Quasher party and his deadline to present this to the Emperor. His father was on Mustafar, and he should have been there too, relaxing in his room there or tinkering with the ships. But this wouldn't get done if he was on Mustafar.
He was just trying to figure out what in space a plenipotentiary was, when he heard the main doors open, and the sound of footsteps echoing in the wide-open space. He almost instinctively stood up and walked over to the mezzanine railing, sensing a familiar presence in the Force. He felt a rush of joy when his eyes confirmed what his heart already knew.
"Leia!" he called.
She looked up in surprise. "Luke?"
He smiled in response. "Are you here for a meeting?"
"Yes, I ... " She shook her head in confusion. "Why are you here?"
Luke had to catch himself before he admitted he lived here. "Oh, I … I just needed to do some research for an assignment and this library has the best archive. Uh … my father works here, and I'm friends with the officer who gives out the security passes."
"Sounds like a good friend to have," Leia said. She'd begun to climb the stairs to reach the level he was currently on.
"I can't argue with that," Luke agreed. "So who is your meeting with? Not the Emperor, hopefully."
She smiled, walking along to join him at the railing. "I wouldn't mind. I certainly have some things to tell him. But this meeting is with the Grand Vizier, and I'm supposed to consider it an honor he deems me worthy enough to exist in his presence." She rolled her eyes. "Our meeting was scheduled to start ten minutes ago, but I've been told to wait an hour."
Luke felt a rush of anger at the thought of anyone treating Leia with such rudeness.
"I'm sorry," he said. "You don't deserve that."
She looked at him curiously then. "So what kind of research are you doing? Must be really important if you need this library."
"Oh, it's just for those Senate lessons I told you about," Luke said. "Hey, maybe you can help me. The assignment is to write a proposal for how the Empire should secure mining resources from Quasher."
Leia nodded. "Yes, their current plan isn't going too well, from what I've heard."
"They refused to sign an agreement?"
"Quasher has been pushing for better terms. Their negotiation team has little idea who they're dealing with … they actually imagine they have some leverage here. I'm surprised the Empire hasn't already disposed of the royal family and installed a puppet government. That's their usual procedure in a case like this."
"A puppet government?" Luke said. "I didn't even think about what should happen next. I might have to add another page to this."
She smiled. "Let me read."
She sat down at the table where his work was spread out, and Luke offered her his bowl of cosmo crunchies. She took a handful and munched her way through them in an un-princess-like manner which made Luke smile to himself. Every so often, she frowned slightly, and then she chuckled.
"It's stupid right?" Luke said. "Stars. Why did I ever agree to do this?"
"Oh, Luke." She put the datapad back on a table. "You're adorable. Do you know that?"
Luke's eyebrows shot up. "Uh ... "
She gestured at the datapad. "It's like you live in a more hopeful world where the Empire would actually invest time and resources in ending slave labor on Quasher through a combination of diplomacy and economic pressure."
"Who says they won't," Luke said. "The Empire does a lot of things I don't agree with, but things won't change if no one suggests better ideas."
"I understand," she said. "A few years ago, I felt the same way. But I've seen too much now. I know too much. Until we return to true democratic rule and restore the Republic constitution, there will be no reform."
"Was the old Republic any better though? Thousands of systems left because it was so ineffective. Then there was a galactic war and the Jedi Knights tried to take over. Sounds like it was chaotic and unstable."
"I know that's what the official records say," she said. "But the Empire has suppressed what really happened. My father lived through it all and he knows."
"So what did really happen?" Luke asked, hearing his voice drop to a conspiratorial tone. It felt a little exciting to be talking about such a forbidden subject in the Imperial Palace itself, and he had long suspected there was a lot his father wasn't telling him about the final days of the Old Republic. "They say Count Dooku was a former Jedi and he was in a conspiracy with the Jedi Council to start a war and then help them take control of the Republic. But … I heard stories about the Jedi when I was growing up. The deep-space pilots would tell stories about them protecting the innocent and keeping the peace. They can't all have been bad."
Leia shook her head. "They weren't. Count Dooku was a former Jedi, but at the time of the Clone Wars, he had become a Sith Lord. You know about the Sith?"
Luke smiled. "Too much."
"When fascists take over, they lie about history to make it suit their purposes. Often there's a grain of truth in what they say but they pin their own crimes on others. Count Dooku was in a conspiracy to start a war and take over the government, but he did so in league with another Sith Lord. The Emperor."
Luke's eyes widened. "Really?"
Leia nodded. "Sith Lords were enemies of the Jedi and they sought to take control of the Senate and rule the galaxy. When the Jedi discovered the chancellor was a Sith Lord, they tried to arrest him, but they were murdered in the attempt. Then the Emperor recruited another Sith Lord, Darth Vader, to hunt down and slaughter all the remaining Jedi."
There was so much disgust in her voice when she said his father's Sith name, Luke felt uncomfortable. His father hadn't been exaggerating about her opinion of him.
"So what happened to Count Dooku?" Luke asked. "In school they said he died after he kidnapped the Chancellor."
"That's true," Leia said. "But they leave out the fact that it was Jedi Knights who rescued the Chancellor. My father still has copies of the HoloNet News from that time and it tells a completely different story. Before the Empire began erasing the Jedi from history."
"Huh." Luke leaned back in his chair and then swiveled around towards the nearby archive. "Hey, Artoo? Can you find the HoloNet news archive copy from the day Count Dooku died?"
Artoo made a cheerful series of beeps.
Leia glanced over. "Cute droid."
Luke smiled. "Artoo, meet Princess Leia."
Artoo made a long series of whistles and beeps, and Luke nodded. "He's saying he likes you."
"Really?" Leia said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure he's not saying I'm distracting you from your work?"
"No," Luke said, a little too quickly. "Honestly, I learn a lot more by talking to you than I do in school."
She laughed at that and tossed a cosmo crunchie at him, which he caught before it hit the floor.
"So what are you going to do after you graduate?" she asked. "Join the Apprentice Legislature?"
"I want to be a pilot," Luke said.
"The navy?"
"Yes, or maybe a commercial pilot, I don't know. I just want to fly everywhere and see the galaxy."
"That does sound good," Leia said. "I enjoy flying too. But my parents don't like me flying alone, especially in a small ship."
"You're kidding," Luke said, wondering if parents shared notes about such things. "My father is exactly the same. I think he imagines I'll end up lost in wild space or getting shot down by pirates."
Leia nodded. "Sounds familiar."
"I just wish he'd realize I'm not a kid anymore," Luke said, fidgeting with a lightpen. "I still have a curfew. Can you believe it?"
"A curfew?" Leia said, smiling. "Sounds good to me. At home on Alderaan, I wasn't allowed to leave the palace without an escort. I got so sick of it, I once ran off and spent a week living in the forest."
Luke stared in surprise. "Are you serious? How old were you?"
"Nine."
"I once ran away when I was nine too," Luke said.
Soon, they were happily sharing stories from their respective childhoods, and they had a moment of shared understanding when they realized they had both been adopted as babies.
Luke hung on every word she shared about her humanitarian missions on distant planets. In turn, she was fascinated by his stories of Jawas and Sandpeople and riding a dewback in the wastes.
"I used to dream about a boy on a desert planet," she said, taking another handful of cosmo crunchies.
"Maybe it was me," Luke said, liking the idea. "What was the dream about?"
"I don't remember any details. Just images and feelings. I often dream about places I've never been and people I've never met. I've dreamed about my birth mother."
Luke looked down at the table. "Ever dream about the future?"
"Sometimes I get strange feelings about the future," Leia said.
"Like you know something is going to happen before it does?"
She nodded, and then looked away. "I've never talked about this with anyone before."
"It's okay," Luke said. "I won't tell anyone else. I … recently started having strange dreams." He hesitated and was about to tell Leia more about it when they both turned at the sound of the main doors opening. One of the palace protocol droids entered, looking left and right. Leia hastily stood up.
"Stars, I've been here for hours," she said. "I must have missed that meeting."
"I'm sorry," Luke said.
She raised a hand. "It wasn't your fault."
The droid spotted her then, and said, "Princess Leia, the Grand Vizier has requested your presence."
"I will be right there, thank you," Leia said. She picked up the datapad. "I'm going to take this and make some revisions to it. Make up for me distracting you from your work. What's your address? I'll get a droid to take it back to you."
"Um ... " Luke was momentarily thrown until he thought of giving her Ben's address. An Imperial City apartment was the type of place where someone might live if they were from a former senator's family and went to a private school, but weren't otherwise of any note.
After she'd left the library, he looked at her now empty seat and felt a wave of loneliness that made him bury his face in his arms. Artoo rolled up and nudged him, beeping softly.
"I'm okay," Luke said, reaching out to place his hand on the droid's dome. "I just … I wish I could tell her who I really am. I've never met anyone like her … I feel like I've known her my whole life."
Artoo made a series of chirps, and then rolled back and projected an image from the HoloNet. Luke leaned in closer when he realized it was the front page of the HoloNet News that Leia had described.
"Hey, that's my father."
Artoo beeped in agreement.
"And … that's Leia's father," he said, reading the caption under the image. "She was right." The text clearly mentioned Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi carrying out the rescue. Luke frowned as he caught sight of the date. "This was only a short time before I was born."
His musing was interrupted by the sound of his comlink. It lit up with an image of Ben when he picked it up.
"Oh, stars, I forgot you were coming over," Luke said. "I'll be right down."
Ben smirked. "I've been here for about half an hour."
"Where? In the hangar?"
"No. In the security office. They've been watching you on the screens and gossiping about you and Leia."
Luke covered his face. "There is no privacy around here!"
"I'll meet you in the hangar."
Ben was curious of course, but Luke found he really didn't have anything to tell him, apart from the fact that he needed to watch out for a delivery of a datapad from the Alderaan embassy. He and Leia were friends, and that's all there was to it.
The datapad arrived at Ben's apartment the next day, and his friend brought it over in the late afternoon, catching a ride with his father, who was starting an evening shift. He read through it while Luke worked underneath the Dunesea's engine, reading out various parts of it to Luke. He paused after one paragraph and read one of the sentences again.
"This is really good, Luke," he said. "Are you sure he's going to believe you wrote it?"
"Hey, I wrote most of it," Luke said. "And he said I could get help."
Ben glanced at the time. "Are you supposed to present it to him? Maybe you should practice reading it."
"No way," Luke said. "I'm just going to drop it into the Grand Vizier's office and ask him to give it to the Emperor."
As if on cue, a royal guard entered the hangar from the nearby elevators, and walked directly towards them. Luke glanced up and then hastily shuffled further under the ship.
"Tell him I'm not here," Luke whispered.
Through the narrow gap between the ship and the hangar bay floor, he saw the guard's red robes come into view, and he tried to keep as still as possible.
"Good afternoon, young Mr Jarnet," the guard said.
"Sergeant," Ben said, standing up. "Uh … Luke's not here."
"Then who can I see hiding under the ship?"
Artoo made a chuckling noise, and Luke groaned. Mumbling under his breath about guard helmets with their stupid infrared enhancements, he shuffled out and stood up beside Ben.
"His highness wishes to see you," the guard explained.
"He just wants this," Luke said, taking the datapad from Ben. "Could you please take it to him and tell him you couldn't find me?"
The guard remained silent and didn't take the datapad. Luke sighed.
"All right, all right, I'll come. Ben … send Artoo up if I'm not back soon."
Artoo made a few concerned whistles, but Luke waved a hand. "It's okay, buddy. I'll survive."
But when he joined the guard in the elevator, his stomach began to twist into knots. What if the Emperor was insulted by the lack of effort he'd put into this report? What if he wanted to teach him more about the Force?
The closer he got to the tower where the Emperor had his main office, the more anxious he felt. Every instinct he had was telling him to turn and walk in the other direction, but what choice did he have? His father was far away on Mustafar.
He passed more guards the closer he came to the tower, including Ben's father. He didn't so much as move his head, and Luke felt too ashamed to look at him, for reasons he couldn't explain. He wasn't doing this by choice. Not this time.
The guard beside him accompanied him in the elevator and remained behind him as they walked through the anteroom and into the office main.
"Luke Skywalker, your highness," the guard said after he'd bowed. Luke hastily followed suit, but he couldn't bring himself to look up afterward.
"Thank you, Sergeant," the Emperor said. "Leave us."
There was an awkward silence as the guard made his way back to the elevator. Luke wished he could take a few steps backward. Or at least stand behind one of the chairs. He was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to speak first, but if the Emperor didn't talk soon, he was going to have to say something just to get it over with.
"Hmm."
Luke finally looked up.
"Have you been working on the shuttle, perchance, young Skywalker?"
With a rush of horror, Luke realized he was wearing his engineer's coveralls, complete with a multitool still hanging off his belt. Why hadn't that guard told him to change?
"Uh, yes, your highness," Luke said, running a hand through his hair. Hopefully, there was no engine grease. "Sorry, I should have changed."
"It's no matter. You know, you should have told me the shuttle wasn't entirely destroyed. You could have avoided this."
Luke smiled, feeling himself relax a notch. "I didn't know it had. Thanks for trying to help me anyway."
"Did you finish writing up your plan for Quasher?"
"Oh, yes, it's right here," Luke said, sliding the datapad out of the front pocket. "I, uh … I did get some help with it."
The Emperor raised a hand and the datapad left his hand and traveled across the room to the Emperor's desk.
"Please, sit down."
Luke closed his eyes for a moment, realizing he was going to read it in front of him. This was just embarrassing. He was probably going to get grease on the fancy red chairs as well.
There was silence while the Emperor read through his plan, broken every so often by a chuckle. Luke hunched forward, feeling every bit the naive Tatooine farmboy who had somehow found himself talking to the Emperor of the galaxy.
"You have done well," he said, finally, causing Luke to glance up. "This is a wise plan."
"Thank you, your highness." Luke felt a rush of joy. All going well, the slaves in the Quasher mines would be free within a few months.
"Now, I want you to watch as the Empire carries out my plan for that pitiful planet," he continued. "Then you will tell me what you learn."
"Your plan?" Luke said. "I … um … was there something wrong with my ... ?" He met the Emperor's gaze briefly, and then looked down. "Yes, your highness."
The Emperor did not elaborate further, leaving Luke wondering if this whole exercise had been some kind of mind game he was playing with him. Was he now going to do the exact opposite of what he'd suggested, just to show him who was really in charge? Was he going to ask the Quasher royal family to fill their mines with more slaves?
"Now, tell me," the Emperor said. "Have you been working on your connection to the Force?"
Luke wondered if he should just lie. That sounded like a dangerous idea.
"I've been busy with the shuttle, your highness."
"Ah. Then perhaps we should work on it now."
Luke felt his heart beat faster. Images from his last vision drifted through his mind. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of an excuse to leave.
The Emperor placed the datapad back on his desk.
"Can you take this back?"
Luke stared at it, feeling a little better. Moving things around didn't involve visions of some horrible future. He stretched out a hand, but the datapad didn't move. He closed his eyes, trying to push all of his anxiety away.
"Concentrate," the Emperor said.
After a moment, the datapad began to shuffle on the desk, and then finally he pulled it a few meters. It fell to the floor before it reached him, and he hastily moved to pick it up.
"You need to practice every day," the Emperor said. "Then you will grow strong and powerful. Here." He shifted an empty glass to the edge of the desk. "See if you can break it."
"Break it?"
"Reach out with the Force," the Emperor said.
He'd never tried anything like this before, and he was momentarily at a loss. On his first attempt, all the glass did was move about a centimeter. He tried harder and managed to push it over.
The Emperor put it back upright.
"No, you need to channel your aggressive feelings. I know you have anger within you. Find it."
"Anger?" Luke said. "I'm not angry."
The Emperor met his gaze, and Luke quickly looked away from the yellow eyes.
"You were with your friend. The boy who is the son of one of my guards."
Luke nodded, wondering what this had to do with anything. "Ben."
"Ah, yes, Ben. What if something were to happen to Ben?"
Luke felt a chill run through him. "What do you mean?"
"What if another boy at school were to hit him? And you were too weak to fight back? Because you spent all your time fixing the ship instead of building on your connection to the Force."
It all came back in a rush. That feeling of being small and weak. Too weak to save his aunt and uncle.
"Ah, yes, you know," the Emperor said, in a quiet voice. "That's right. Now, use your anger and reach out and crush the glass."
The result was immediate. The glass exploded into shards, sending sharp pieces scattering all over the desk and tumbling onto the carpet. It had been so easy.
The Emperor clapped his hands together in unrestrained delight. "Excellent! Well done, young Skywalker. Well done indeed. There, you see?"
Luke did see. He didn't believe it, but it was there before his own eyes.
"Now, I sense your father will return soon. You must go and practice this again when he is not here. Am I understood?"
Luke had to swallow before he felt able to answer.
"Yes, your highness."
Ben's expression was all concern when he finally returned to the hangar. He'd had to stop at a refresher on the way down, just needing a moment to recover. His head felt fuzzy.
"What happened?" he asked. "Did he like the plan?"
"I … yes, he said it was good," Luke mumbled, looking aside.
"That's great. So he's going to do it?"
"I don't think so," Luke said. "He said he was going to carry out his own plan." He rubbed his face and then reached for the socket wrench.
"Are you okay? You look—"
"I'm fine," Luke snapped.
Ben's eyes widened, and Luke closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said, immediately. "Let's just … talk about something else. Anything else."
Ben was quiet for a bit, and then he said, "The ship is looking good. I was helping Artoo give it a polish while you were gone."
Luke opened his eyes and looked at the gleaming Dunesea. Artoo came and nudged at his leg, making an encouraging beep.
"It looks amazing," he said, his voice full of emotion.
Ben grinned, standing up beside him. "Only I think it looks a little different than it used to. Did you change the wings?"
"A little," Luke admitted. "I might have made it a little faster. A little more maneuverable."
"Didn't your father want it exactly as it was before?"
Luke shrugged, running a hand along the surface. "You know what would be the best thing ever? After the exams are done, you and I just take this out and explore the galaxy for a few weeks."
Ben grinned. "A hyperspace trip? You're on."
Artoo made a questioning whistle.
"Of course you and Threepio can come," Luke said, resting his hand on the droid's dome.
"You think your father would agree to it? Technically, it is his ship."
"Don't burst my bubble with your reality check."
Right on cue, they both looked up at the sound of a ship coming in too fast. It swung around and came down gently, cockpit already popping open as it did. Ben gasped a string of words that sounded like "gotta-run-see-you-later-bye!", and then he sprinted off towards the elevators. Luke was left staring after him in confusion, until a familiar respiration sound filled his ears. He sighed, wondering when, if ever, his friend would get used to his father.
He turned back, and saw his father closing the distance between them. It was good to see him. His presence filled a gap in his mind that had felt empty ever since Leia had left for her meeting, yesterday afternoon.
"Has your friend taken up sprinting?" his father said, waving a gloved hand towards the elevators.
"Only when you're around," Luke said. "You know, you could be a little nicer to him. He might stick around then."
"I will try harder next time," his father said, sounding amused.
"How was Mustafar? And Vaneé?"
"They both remain unchanged." His father had begun walking around the ship. "You have made good progress with the Dunesea. I believe you have fulfilled the requirements we agreed upon. You are again free to come and go as you wish."
"I'm still putting some finishing touches on the landing struts," Luke said, quickly.
His father glanced at him, and Luke sensed confusion.
"Uh ... I mean, thank you!" Luke said, realizing he was giving the wrong impression.
"I am sure you will find time to complete any further work," his father said, walking back around to join him. "However, there is another reason to end your confinement tonight. You may recall there is a reception at the Senate to celebrate the inauguration of the new Quasher senator."
Luke groaned, cupping his hands over his eyes. Despite his father's words, he had a feeling his punishment was really just beginning. "I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."
"Unlikely, young one. It starts in an hour, so I suggest you go and get ready."
"I don't feel so good," Luke said, rubbing his head. "Maybe it would be better if I didn't go ... I don't want to spread disease."
"Nice try, Son. I am going to IMH for a briefing on a classified military operation about to get underway."
"Oh, of course you would have planned something to get out of it," Luke said, rolling his eyes.
"Are you suggesting you would like me to accompany you?" his father said. "You would find it difficult to continue to deny our relationship to your new friend."
"Wait," Luke said, lighting up. "Leia is going to be there?!" He immediately turned to go and get ready, but then he paused and looked back. "I haven't denied our relationship. I'm just … choosing not to mention it just yet. I want her to get to know me first. Otherwise, she'll make assumptions."
"You are merely delaying the inevitable, son."
"What did you do to make her so mad at you, anyway?" Luke said. "I hope you didn't bomb her planet."
"She has some … disagreements with my operational methods."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "Most people do. But this seems like more."
"I did once suggest that we had more in common than she was willing to admit. I don't believe she appreciated that remark."
Luke smiled. "She is very intense."
"She has impressive leadership skills and holds much influence in the Senate. But I believe her talents are wasted there."
Interesting, Luke thought. Leia may dislike his father, but the feeling clearly wasn't mutual. He could sense genuine admiration behind his father's assessment. Perhaps this was all simply a matter of misunderstanding on Leia's part. Maybe if she knew his father a little better. He could try and test the waters tonight. If it went well, maybe he should get it over with.
Given the general unpleasant nature of Tyloid, Luke had expected the vast majority of party guests to be complete strangers. But when he pulled up on the street-level landing pad, he was surprised to see Ophelia Halifax, wearing a glittering forest green dress and a lot of makeup. She looked about five years older than her actual age, and, as always, made Luke feel underdressed.
"Hi," he said, swinging a leg over the Bloodfin. "I'm late, right?"
Ophelia rolled her eyes. "I wondered who would be crass enough to show up to a Senate reception on a speeder bike."
"Hey, that's a restored classic," Luke said, coming over to join her by the elevators. He glanced over at her nearby bodyguard, and said, "What are you doing down here by yourself?"
"I just needed a moment to bang my head against the wall," she said, gesturing to the elevator attendant droid to press the up button.
"Is the party that bad?" Luke said, wondering if he should turn around.
"It is when you see your friend embarrassing herself by actually pretending to like that gross nerfherder."
"Oh, I forgot to thank you for taking that gross nerfherder off my hands," Luke said, as they entered the elevator. It said a lot that he didn't even need to confirm she was talking about Tyloid. Ophelia's bodyguard joined them, and the droid pressed the button for the main floor. "Wait, one of your friends is here with him?"
Ophelia nodded. "Armith. She's been going out with him and he asked her to accompany him tonight."
"Armith? Seriously?"
She nodded. "It's just embarrassing."
It was often a mystery to Luke why any of his classmates decided to pair off, but this one was especially confusing. Although, he had seen how easily Tyloid could change his tone and put on an act.
"Is there food, at least?" Luke said. "I'm starving."
Ophelia gave him another look of disdain, but then she was nice enough to show him a side entrance which would take him immediately to the buffet table, and avoid having to be 'announced' as a newly arrived guest.
"Thanks, I owe you another one," he said. "Let me know if you ever want to take my bike out for a spin."
He was pretty sure Ophelia didn't even have a license, as she was chauffeured everywhere, or he'd never have made such an offer. She actually smiled at the idea though and waved Luke on.
After filling a large plate with one of everything, and accepting a bloomfruit juice from a drinks droid, Luke looked around for Leia. There were members of the Quasher aristocracy everywhere, mingling with a varied array of senators and other members of the Imperial hierarchy. No sign of his friend everywhere.
Then, he happened to glance up, and he felt a rush of delight. She was up on the mezzanine, all by herself, no staff or parents in sight. Perfect. He kept his eyes on her as he dodged around the guests and climbed the vast staircase as quickly as he could manage without spilling his drink. When she saw him walking towards her, her face lit up with a smile that made the rest of the room disappear.
Her gaze shifted to his plate. "No one needs to tell you to help yourself, do they?"
"I thought you might like to share," he said, balancing the plate on the railing between them. "Thank you so much for fixing my report. I … I submitted it this afternoon and my teacher said it was well thought out."
He looked at his glass briefly, trying not to remember what else had happened.
"You're welcome," Leia said. Her smile had faded though, and there was something heavy in her posture as she looked over the railing. "I'm afraid the future for Quasher will be nothing like your noble vision. I understand the Imperial fleet will launch an invasion in an hour. I'd recommend leaving this party before their royal family realizes they've been duped." She gestured below.
"An invasion?" Luke said, surprised. "But …" He trailed off, thinking back over the Emperor's words. "Oh, stars. Well … hopefully, they'll free all the slaves."
Leia laughed in a hollow way. "By the time they're finished, the entire planet will be the Emperor's newest slave."
Luke raised an eyebrow, and then picked up a long skinny vegetable to chew. "You really don't like the Empire, do you?"
"I'm sorry," Leia said, looking away. "I often speak without thinking."
"I'm not offended!" Luke said, distressed that Leia took his remark that way. "I suppose I'm just confused. I thought being an Imperial senator meant you wanted to serve the Empire."
"I serve the people of Alderaan, Luke. The Empire should be serving us all. Instead, in the Emperor's mind, we all exist only to serve him. Watch what happens with Quasher, and you will understand."
Luke looked down at his plate, feeling his stomach begin to churn. He didn't know how this conversation had become so serious so quickly. "But … but the Empire has so many people working for it, and the Emperor can't control what all of them do all the time."
"Fear and lies are powerful weapons."
"I've met good people who work for the Empire."
"So have I. But the higher up the chain you go, the worse it gets. I have had the misfortune of being in the presence of both the Emperor and Lord Vader, and it is an experience one can never forget."
Luke felt it was worth a try, at least. "You know, I think Lord Vader is misunderstood. There are things I don't agree with, but he does genuinely want to bring peace to the galaxy. Things would be better if he was in charge."
Leia gave him a look that was a mix of sheer disbelief and amusement. "Did you just use the words 'peace' and 'Vader' in the same breath? You must be joking. That murdering, torturing ... he lives for war and violence. If you had met him, you would understand."
Luke looked away. "Maybe we should talk about something other than politics."
"I know this isn't a happy subject, but it's important, Luke. If our generation doesn't wake up and pay attention, then nothing will change. You can't just live in your own sheltered bubble, enjoying the high life on Coruscant while the Empire—"
"I know things aren't perfect," Luke said, trying not to let his annoyance creep into his tone. "But there's nothing I can do about it right now. As soon as I can, I will."
"I'm sorry," Leia said, reaching out to put a hand on his elbow. "Don't mind me." She sighed. "There's a reason why I was up here alone tonight. I'm not fit for company."
"Don't say that," Luke said. "You feel strongly about all this and I only wish I could fix it for you."
She smiled. "Anytime you want to stage a coup and implement sweeping democratic reform, I'll be right behind you."
Just as she said 'right behind you', two arms grabbed Leia in a hug from behind, causing her to cry out in surprise. Luke looked up at the regal-looking man with greying hair and immediately recognized him from the HoloNet news.
"Dad!" Leia said, returning the embrace. "I didn't know you were here!"
"Just arrived half an hour ago. I wanted to surprise you at the embassy, but they told me you were here." He glanced at Luke. As soon as their eyes met, the man let go of Leia and stared at him, looking like he'd seen a ghost.
"Oh, Father, this is Luke. We met at the senate. Luke, this is my father, Viceroy Bail Organa."
Luke offered his hand, and it was gripped with two hands in a firm handshake.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Luke."
"Thank you, sir," Luke said, wondering why he was smiling so warmly. Unless he recognized him ... but from what his father had said, he doubted he'd be any happier about meeting the son of Lord Vader than Leia would. Maybe he was just really polite.
Finally, he released Luke's hand and draped an arm around Leia's shoulders.
"So what are you two doing hiding up here? You should be mingling with the guests."
"I'd rather die than mingle with some of them, you know I would."
"Leia!"
Luke recognized the overly familiar tone of a father about to give a lecture.
"I can see the Countess of Tersali," her father continued, pointing down below. "She always loves to see you."
"She calls me 'love' and 'dear' all the time," Leia complained. "Like I'm seven years old!"
"Then throw a public tantrum and demand that she call you 'your highness'," her father said.
Luke rolled his eyes, wondering if all parents were issued with a guide to sarcasm.
"I'm going," Leia sighed. She walked off gracefully, though. Luke could see himself stomping off if his father made him do something like that.
Now they were alone, Leia's father turned to him, looking very curious. Luke quickly excused himself.
"Um, I better talk to a few people myself," he said. "It was nice to meet you, sir."
"A question before you go," he said, with a slightly bemused expression. "Does Leia know you are Lord Vader's son?"
"Uh ..." Luke was momentarily stumped. He knew. "Um ... I was waiting for the right moment to break it to her."
Surprisingly, he laughed. "Very wise."
"I just want her to get to know me as a person, first. Or else all she'll see is him. She hates my father."
"Yes," Leia's father said, quietly. "Many people cannot see beyond the mask."
Luke wondered what he meant. No one could see past the mask. It wasn't transparent. Perhaps he didn't mean literally ...
"You knew him," Luke realized, piecing the information together. "You knew him when he was a Jedi Knight."
"Yes, I did. Anakin Skywalker was a Clone Wars hero. There are not many among my generation that would not recall his many legendary heroics. As far as history records, however, Anakin Skywalker died in the purge at the Jedi Temple."
"Did you know my mother?" Luke asked.
Bail smiled, warmly. "Oh, yes. She was a colleague and a very dear friend." His expression became serious then. "I have often thought about you. I fear you are in grave danger, now that you have come of age."
Luke's eyes widened. Why was everyone being so serious?
"I'm fine," Luke said, looking away. "My father threatens to put me in the detention center now and then, but I'm pretty sure he's joking."
"Everyone can see how protective your father is. I was referring to the Emperor."
Luke cringed. He didn't want to discuss that with anyone, least of all a stranger. A stranger who knew his parents and whose daughter felt strangely familiar. Maybe he was catching some of his father's weirdness, but it was clear this man knew things that Luke wasn't sure he wanted to know. His life was complicated enough already.
"I need to go," Luke said, feeling suddenly claustrophobic in the large ballroom. He needed to get away from all this.
Bail nodded. "I can help you if you ever need somewhere to hide."
Luke didn't reply. He walked quickly away from Bail and discarded his plate and glass into a nearby pot plant, and then made his way back down to the ballroom floor. The exit was in sight, surrounded by a welcoming glow, when someone stepped in front of him, blocking his escape.
"Are you leaving already?"
Luke sighed. "No, Tyloid. Why would I leave before having the pleasure of a conversation with you?"
"Hey, I wouldn't blame you," Tyloid said. "This party is getting more boring by the second. What say we ditch all these old fossils and show the girls the Coruscant nightlife? You can pilot."
He yanked a girl forward by the arm, and Luke recognized Armith from school. She laughed, but it didn't sound genuine.
"Don't pull her arm like that," Ophelia said, turning away from a conversation with a Nikto senator. "You'll hurt her."
"Are you parked on the VIP landing pad?" Tyloid asked Luke, ignoring Ophelia.
"No, I brought a speeder bike," Luke said. "Besides, I have somewhere else to be."
"Then my chauffeur can take us. You in, Phee?" Tyloid said, finally looking at Ophelia. "It's about time someone taught young Luke here the facts of life."
Luke blushed, both with embarrassment and anger. He was about to shove Tyloid out of the way when Ophelia suddenly grabbed his arm.
"You're absolutely right, Ty," she said, "but give Armith and me a moment."
They disappeared into the crowd. Within a moment, Ophelia returned, grabbed Luke by the arm, and yanked him after her.
They attracted a few stares from the senators as Ophelia dragged him towards the exit. Some people turned to each other and smiled in a knowing way. Luke felt himself turning even redder, and he hoped Leia wasn't seeing this.
When they were finally away from curious gazes, Luke took a deep breath and wrenched his arm back from Ophelia.
"Ophelia, I know we've known each other a long time and all, but I have no interest in—"
"Don't be stupid," Ophelia said, rolling her eyes. She adjusted one of her earrings as she headed for a nearby refresher door. "Stand out here and don't let anyone else come in. Especially Tyloid."
"What am I supposed to say if people really need to go?"
"Threaten them with execution."
She barged on in and shut the door behind her. Luke leaned against the wall, trying to look casual. Hopefully, people would think he was waiting for someone.
Presently, words began to drift into the corridor from within.
"Armith, he's so beneath you, it's an embarrassment. You made me swear that if you ever ended up dating another slimeball, I had to make you see reason."
"But Phee, he's a senator ..."
"So? He's a class A nerfherder, and you can do better. Dump him now, or you're going to be ostracized. Do you really want to win the award on graduation day for having the least friends?"
There was silence for a while, and then Armith spoke again.
"I can't tell him. He'll get angry."
She sounded like she was crying. Luke glanced at the closed door, feeling both sorry for her, and angry with Tyloid.
"Then I'll tell him," Ophelia said, sounding weary. "Go home. I'll tell him it's over and he better not talk to you again, or I'll tell my father about it."
There was no response from Armith. Finally, the doors slid open, and Ophelia stepped out.
"Luke, can you take Armith home?"
She pushed Armith forward, who was dabbing her eyes with a piece of toilet tissue.
"Sure," Luke said. "Um ... are you sure you don't want my help? Telling Tyloid, that is?"
"I can handle it," Ophelia said, walking off in the direction of the party.
Luke glanced at Armith. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," she said, sniffing.
"Come on, I'll take you home. Boring party, anyway."
"Yeah," she agreed.
There was silence as they walked to the elevators. Luke searched his mind to think of something they could talk about, to take Armith's mind off Tyloid. He always had this problem with girls. It was so hard to find something to say. Although, now that he thought about it, he didn't have a problem finding things to talk about with Leia.
Luke had just decided that their upcoming exams might be a safe bet when Armith spoke up.
"Where are we going?"
"I'm parked down on the street level landing pad," Luke said. "Um … wait, this could be a problem. I brought my speeder bike."
"A speeder bike?" She wasn't crying anymore, for which Luke was grateful. "I've never been on a speeder bike. Will I fit?"
"Oh, sure. Ben rides with me all the time. But your dress might get dirty, though ... sometimes there are oil spills on the streets. Maybe we should get an air-taxi."
"I don't mind. I don't really like this dress anyway."
"Why, it looks great on you!" Luke said, glancing back. "Picks up the color of your eyes." She gave him a curious look, and Luke hastily corrected himself. "Not that I'm a dress expert."
She laughed. "Oh, Luke. You're so sweet."
When they reached the Bloodfin, Luke crouched down to retrieve the spare helmet from the storage compartment and checked inside to make sure there were no residual Ben-related hairs. He passed it to Armith, but she was busy admiring the bike from all angles.
"This is so amazing. Where did you buy it?"
"I actually found it at the palace," Luke said. "I spent ages restoring it. It needs a new coat of paint though. I'm still deciding on the color. I don't know, red maybe? Blue?"
"Blue," Armith said. "Baby blue. Like your eyes."
Luke smiled and looked away. Was it his imagination, or did she just flirt with him?
He swung his leg over into the driver's seat, and the Bloodfin hummed healthily when he switched it on. Fuel was fine, syn-oil was fine.
"Jump on," he said, shifting forward to leave as much room as possible for Armith.
She took her time climbing on and then held him by the shoulders. "Okay, I'm ready."
The impatient Skywalker method for getting the speeder bike onto the street involved accelerating to top speed, streaming out to the edge of the landing pad, jumping into mid-air, then using a combination of the repulsors and the thrusters to land gently on the nearest non-inhabited surface.
He briefly wondered if maybe he should forgo the Skywalker method, considering he was carrying Armith as a passenger, but then he decided against it. She was genuinely impressed with the bike and he should show her what it could really do.
"Hold on tight," he said, revving the engine.
She screamed as they jumped off the end of the landing pad, but she sounded thrilled more than frightened. Luke felt her arms slide up under his arms and around his chest.
Concentrate, he thought, watching the ground coming up below. She wouldn't be so impressed if they ended up as pancakes on the ground.
They hit the ground relatively gently, considering the distraction she was providing. Luke took off into a sunken traffic lane and weaved around the other traffic. It wasn't until a few pleasant minutes had passed, that he realized he had no idea where Armith lived.
He began to slow down and then glanced back.
"South-east of the senate, the Securiana building," she said into his ear.
Luke pushed in the throttle, taking them back up to speed.
"I know the place," he mumbled. It wasn't far from Ben's apartment block.
When they arrived at the guest traffic entrance, Luke stopped the Bloodfin in front of the elevators. Armith unbuckled her helmet and then climbed off.
"I should walk you up," Luke said, switching off the Bloodfin's engine.
"No, you better not," she said, handing him the helmet. "My parents will be home, and they'll get the wrong idea."
"Am I that scary?" Luke said, taken aback.
She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Of course not. It's more that your father is that scary."
"Oh. Can't argue with that," Luke said, looking down. "I'll see you at school then."
"Thanks for the ride."
"You're welcome," he said, meeting her gaze again. She really did have pretty eyes. For a moment, he wondered what it might be like to be a normal teenager who didn't have a Sith Lord for a father. Maybe a girl like Armith would want to introduce him to her parents then.
Then he quickly looked away and started the engine. As Uncle Owen used to say, there was no point dreaming for a world that didn't exist instead of working with the one you were living in.
"Okay, what happened?" Ben said, folding his arms.
"What makes you think anything happened?" Luke said, walking past Ben and sinking onto his couch.
"You're supposed to be grounded, but you're here, dressed like you've just been dining with the Emperor, and you're carrying the speeder bike helmet."
"I'm no longer grounded, as of this evening," Luke said. "And you're almost right ... I just came from Tyloid's party at the senate. I thought I'd see if you wanted to join me for a little tunnel racing."
"Your first night of freedom in a month, and you want to squander it by doing something that will probably get you grounded all over again?" Ben said. "That is so typical."
"My father's at IMH," Luke explained. "I have the perfect alibi because so many people saw me at the party. My father will be none the wiser."
"You say that like you believe it," Ben said. "When has your father ever not found out about any of your adventures? He's practically omniscient."
"He is not. And I've kept lots of things from him," Luke said, remembering his secret chats with the Emperor. He felt slightly disturbed for a moment, remembering the sight of the shattered glass, and then he brushed the memory away. "You don't have to come," Luke added.
"Of course I'm in," Ben said, rolling his eyes as if that had been obvious the whole time.
Luke had to slow down to a crawl as they entered the street beside Brock's cantina. There were bikes and speeders of every description parked all down the sides of the narrow road.
"Well, they haven't raced yet," Ben said, standing on a disposal unit to see over the crowds.
Luke swung himself off the Bloodfin, then stepped back to admire it. Despite the need of a paint job, she stood out. Especially compared to the other half-homemade collections of junk, which some people imagined to be speeder bikes. His heart swelled with pride, and Luke placed a hand on the back as he checked to make sure it was locked. "We're going to race tonight, buddy."
"Are you talking to your bike?" Ben asked.
"No," Luke said, shifting away. "Let's go find the Speedsters."
"I can see one of them," Ben said, pointing.
There was a growing crowd gathering in the alleyway on the other side of Brock's. Luke and Ben sidled up beside Fushna, who was hovering at the outskirts, looking somewhat disinterested.
"Hi," Luke said. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," she said. "Just Pike and Naft having a go at each other. Naft's the leader of the Novas."
A few people shuffled aside, and Luke saw Pike fly through the air and smash against the wall. He was up again almost immediately and launched back into a struggle with another racer. Luke recognized the person who had 'introduced' him to Han and Chewie.
"They just like to get each other angry before a race," Fushna explained.
Luke watched, both disgusted and fascinated.
"Isn't someone going to break it up?" Ben asked.
"Are you kidding?" Fushna said, "I hear the odds are seven-three in favor of Naft."
"That reminds me," Luke said. "I want to race tonight. What do I have to do?"
"First ... call all your loved ones and say goodbye. Then buy yourself a coffin."
"And then?" Luke said, smirking.
"Go to Brock's and register at the bar. You need someone to bet on you, or bet on yourself."
"What's the minimum bet?" Ben asked.
"A hundred credits."
Luke fumbled in his pockets, and then pulled out a five-credit chip. He looked at Ben, who shrugged.
"The snack machine at school stole all mine."
Luke looked pleadingly at Fushna, who rolled her eyes. "You've gotta be joking, kid."
The crowd around them suddenly cheered, and Luke glanced back at the fight. This time, it was Naft who had hit the ground.
"Well, looks like you won't be racing tonight," Ben said, sounding far too happy. "Let's go home."
"No," Luke said. "Let's go find Han."
"You think Han has a hundred credits to spare?"
"I only need ninety-five!"
Luke dragged Ben into the bar, looking left and right for any sign of Han. He had to be around here somewhere. Finally, he straightened up and walked confidently up to the bar.
"Hi," he said to the four-eyed bartender, who was cleaning a glass with a dirty rag. "I want to register for the race."
The guy didn't even blink. "Who's your sponsor, kid?"
"Well, that's the thing," Luke said. "He's not here right now. But he's a regular customer of yours—Han Solo. Can you put it on his tab?"
"You think I'd take credit from Han Solo?"
"How about Chewie?" Luke said, hopefully.
"Get out of here!"
"Could you at least tell me where he might be?" Luke said.
"Probably in the docking bay three blocks west. Trying to fix that no good piece of junk of his."
Luke brightened. "Thanks! So when does the race start?"
"Thirty minutes."
Luke's smile faded. He ran towards the door, with Ben right behind him.
"This is crazy, Luke," Ben complained, as they climbed on the Bloodfin.
"You say that all the time," Luke said, buckling up his helmet. "Even when I'm doing something that isn't crazy at all."
Luke pushed in the throttle, sending them shooting through the crowds. People jumped angrily out of the way, hurling abuse after them.
"Why don't you just tell Brock who your father is?" Ben yelled over the engine. "Then I bet he'll let you enter!"
"I'm going to do a three-sixty when you aren't holding on one day!" Luke yelled back.
They reached the right block within seconds, and Luke slowed to a more reasonable speed. They drove around until Ben spotted an entrance to a docking bay. It was just the kind of run-down, discount place Luke could imagine Han storing his ship.
But what he wasn't prepared for was the ship itself. Luke had seen some sorry pieces of scrap metal in his days on Tatooine, but few compared to this. It was a wonder it could fly at all, never mind enter hyperspace. He switched off the speeder bike engine and stared blankly until Ben slapped him on the back.
"The race starts in thirty minutes, remember."
"Oh yeah," Luke said. "I was just ... gaping."
"Yeah, she does that to people," a voice behind them said. They turned to see Han sauntering up, twirling a socket wrench around his finger. "How can I help you, gents?"
"I need you to sponsor me in the race tonight," Luke explained. "Are you in?"
Han laughed, long and loud.
"I'm serious!" Luke said. "Come on, you owe me!"
"No, I don't. What does this look like, a charity? Get out of here."
"I'll fix your ship for you," Luke said, desperately.
"You can't fix it. It needs a hyperdrive motivator."
"I can fix other things," Luke said, pointing. "Like your infrared sensor—it's stuck on backward, for star's sake!"
"So that's why that thing doesn't work," Han said, staring up. "Thanks for the free advice, kid."
"Where's Chewie?" Luke said, frowning.
"Hey, kid, if you can't convince me, what makes you think you have a hope of convincing Chewie?!"
The Wookiee chose that moment to wander out of the Falcon, looking like he'd just been woken up. He roared in greeting at the sight of Luke and draped a paw around his shoulder.
"Hi, Chewie," Luke said, grinning. "Listen ... would you mind doing me a really big favor?"
"I still can't believe you convinced them to bet on you," Ben said, staring up towards the spectator stands. Han and Chewie were standing above the tunnel entrance, between two groups of Rodians.
"Hey, I saved his cousin," Luke said, wiping a smudge of syn-oil from the Bloodfin's fuel tank. "You can't argue with that."
"Han looks like he's watching his chances of ever getting away from here sink into a black hole," Ben said.
"I'll make it up to him," Luke said, standing up and readjusting his helmet. "We've probably got a spare hyperdrive motivator in the hangar at home."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ben said, looking around at the other bikes.
Luke knew what he was thinking. The other bikes were bigger and noisier, but that didn't mean faster. Their riders may look meaner, but he knew he loved racing more than anyone else here. Nothing beat the adrenaline rush when you were traveling too fast to breathe.
"For the last time, yes, Ben. The race is about to start."
"Please don't die. Your father would kill me."
"Is that all you're worried about?"
"At least people could say you died happy. They wouldn't say that about me if your father killed me."
"See you later, Ben," Luke said, firmly.
His friend gave him a thumbs-up and then disappeared into the sideline crowds. Luke stared after him a moment and then climbed onto the Bloodfin. Now that he was really here, his excitement was almost too much to contain. He couldn't wait much longer.
Pike and his friends were lined up in the front left. Luke nudged the throttle until he was idling beside the Speedsters.
"Hurry up and start already!" he complained, watching the signal lights above the tunnel. It still glowed red.
"Hi Luke," Pike said. "Joining us tonight, huh?"
Luke glanced at Pike and then did a double-take. His jaw was bruised, and his jacket was covered in dirt.
"Any last-minute advice?" Luke asked.
"Stay away from the Novas," Pike said. "It gets dirty out there, and Naft is out for blood. I told him his mother is a Hutt."
Luke grinned. "Is there a set track?"
"Nah, take any tunnel you want. It's best to stick to the main ones, though, or you'll get lost ... it's a maze through there. Remember, it's the first out of the exit behind us. Doesn't matter what you have to do to get there, just be first out."
Luke turned around, seeing another service tunnel exit, a hundred meters behind them. The tunnels must loop around in a circle somehow. Maybe he'd be best to follow the Speedsters. They must know the best routes by now.
A sound system whistled and crackled for a moment, then a commentator announced the start of the race. He faded in and out a few times, but Luke thought he heard something about a new race sponsor, Jinko's discount funeral services. Luke considered it for a moment and then decided to conclude it was a joke.
The starting light switched to orange, and around him, the engine revving rose to a deafening crescendo. Luke glanced at a rusty bike next to him, wondering if it was designed for sound or speed. Judging by the fuel leaking out the back, it was on its last race.
The air was sizzling with anticipation as everyone watched for the starting light to turn green. When it did so, everyone took off so quickly, Luke barely had time to realize the race had started. He quickly accelerated hard, entering the wide tunnel mouth and trying to keep up with the Speedsters.
It was going well until he suddenly felt someone on his tail. He glanced around to see a small Rodian, on a bike modified with sharp spikes jutting out the sides, trying to ram him into the wall.
Luke swerved out of the way and hit the accelerator. He stayed ahead for a few meters, then felt the Rodian behind him again. His temper started to rise. He took a swerve left, then a swerve right, and suddenly did a ninety-degree turn into a side tunnel. The Rodian swept past outside, and so did all the other racers. Luke gunned the engine, and continued down the tunnel, trying desperately to keep his sense of direction.
The twitching in his stomach began to get worse as he realized no one else had followed him. This tunnel had to be a dead end. His first race, and he was going to come last! He briefly considered turning back, but it wouldn't make any difference to his position now. All he could do was press on and hope he'd come out into a main tunnel.
Ten minutes later, Luke was convinced he was completely lost. He couldn't even hear the other racers. He was going to be lucky to get out of here before midnight. Ben would be convinced he'd died in here.
Ben ... thoughts of his friend caused him to remember some advice his friend had once given him, about how to complete a difficult level on a hologame. A sure way to get out of a maze was to follow a wall. Luke jammed on the brakes and took the next left. The tunnel was so narrow, it was barely wide enough for his bike. He didn't slow down for a second, relying on his reflexes to avoid a collision.
He took another left, and a new sound filled his ears. The wind. He must be nearing an exit. He took the next right, and the Bloodfin came skidding out into a much larger tunnel. The bike's repulsor lifts shuddered, struggling to compensate for his sudden brake. In the distance, there was a deep hum, and the walls were shaking slightly. The racers? Maybe they weren't too far ahead.
Luke turned the Bloodfin around and began to accelerate in the direction of the sound. He grinned as the noise grew louder. He must be catching up ... maybe he had a chance after all! But his grin disappeared as he came over a rise. Thirty speeders were heading straight for him at 300ks an hour.
Luke swore. He swung the Bloodfin into a three-sixty turn, causing the stabilizers to screech in protest, and then squeezed the accelerator as hard as he could. He closed his eyes, certain that any moment he was going to be rammed by some desperate racer and end up as a smear on the side of the tunnel.
When he opened them, he found himself heading straight for a group of spectators. They screamed and scattered left and right, leaving him traveling straight into a durasteel wall.
"Aaah!" he yelled, hitting the brake as hard as he could. The Bloodfin skidded and slammed into the wall sideways. Luke was thrown off the bike and sprawled into a pile of large rubbish bags. He lay still for a few moments, staring at the sky, and wondering if he was still in one piece.
An even better question ... was the Bloodfin in one piece? He glanced up, seeing his beloved bike was resting a few meters away, with the engine still humming away on idle. The front stabilizer was completely crunched. That would keep him busy for a few weeks.
Someone shouted his name, and Luke shuffled off the rubbish bags. Pike was running towards him, followed closely by Ben. And about half a dozen other people Luke didn't recognize.
"Are you okay?!" Ben asked.
"I ... I think so," Luke said, raising the visor on his helmet. He felt better than he did after ejecting from the Dunesea, but that wasn't saying much. Pike grabbed his arm, yanking him forward.
"Way to go, Luke!" he said, grinning. "Great stuff! Nice finish, too ... I haven't managed to ram the spectators in months!"
"Uh, thanks," Luke said, slightly confused. "Did you beat Naft?"
"No. But you did! You won, Luke!"
"What?" Luke's mouth fell open in disbelief.
The crowd around him had been growing steadily. The rest of the Speedsters had arrived at this point, and Yilu didn't look too pleased.
"How did he manage to win? It's his first time racing."
"He must have cheated!" someone yelled.
"He should be disqualified for crashing!"
Luke stared around, not knowing who to respond to first. Suddenly, he felt blinded by the flash of a holocamera. A media recording device was shoved into his face. There was a Devorian on the other end of it, wearing a media pass.
"What's your name, human?!"
"Luke, let's get out of here!" Ben said, pulling him away.
"Yeah, let's go celebrate at Brock's," Pike said, pushing Luke forward. "You can pick up your prize."
"I'm waiting for the final video analysis," Yilu said, folding his arms.
"Stop being a jerk," Fushna said, rolling her eyes. "You came second, Yilu. The kid won —get over it."
"Yeah, we'll make him a Speedster," Pike said. "Then we can rub his win in the Nova's faces."
"Really? I can be a Speedster?" Luke was ecstatic. "Thanks!"
He was interrupted by the hum of the Bloodfin's engine. Ben had pried it away from the wall and driven it over.
"It's been great," Ben said to the Speedsters. "But Luke and I really have to get going. Come on, Luke!"
He grabbed Luke by the back of his tunic, pushing him onto the back of the Bloodfin. Before Luke could stop him, they'd shot off through the crowd.
"What the—?!" Luke said, utterly confused by this behavior from Ben. "I won! I want to stay and celebrate! Go back!"
They'd reached the outer edge of the spectator crowd now, and Ben pulled the bike over. He turned around to speak to Luke.
"Are you crazy? Didn't you see all those flashes? People were taking pictures!"
"So what?! I won!"
"Luke," Ben said. "Think about it. They're going to analyze those pictures to try and figure out who you are. Did I miss something—did you mention to your father that you'd be spending the night down here?"
"No, but so what. He's not going to find out."
"He will when it's all over the tabloids tomorrow," Ben said. "Exclusive! Lord Vader's son is an underworld speed demon!"
Luke was silent, the taste of victory suddenly going sour. He knew Ben was right.
"Fine. But I'm driving back."
Ben climbed off, swapping places with Luke.
"I don't know," Ben mumbled. "Why am I the only one with any brains?"
Luke was about to drive off when a shout made him pause. The shout was followed by a Wookiee roar. He turned around, seeing Han and Chewie.
"Luke! Kid, I'm rich!"
Chewie pulled Luke off the bike, giving him a very hairy hug.
"I've never had a bet pay off so well. We're out of this concrete junkheap, thanks to you! I owe you one!"
Luke tried to say 'you're welcome', but he couldn't breathe properly. Finally, Chewie released him and roared out something that sounded important.
"Chewie says you're lucky," Han said. "We could use you, kid. Why don't you come with us?"
Luke gazed up at the small patch of visible sky, almost tempted. He could see the galaxy. No more galactic responsibilities, no more creepy Emperor. Just freedom ...
But he'd never see his father again. Han and Chewie weren't the types of friends he could drop by with and introduce.
"I can't," Luke said. "Not that I wouldn't like to."
"Well, if you ever change your mind, kid ... look us up. We're always delivering stuff to this hunk of metal."
Han reached out to shake his hand. Luke took it and found he was holding a datachip.
"That's the Falcon's comm frequency."
"The Falcon has a working comlink?" Luke said, grinning.
"Don't push your luck, kid. You may have got me out of a jam, but no one insults the Falcon."
"Goodbye, Han," Luke said, climbing back on the Bloodfin. He found himself hoping he'd see his new friends again someday.
It was later than he'd intended to come home, and Luke had been hoping his father would still be at IMH. But as soon as he switched off the Bloodfin's engine, he could feel the familiar sense of his overprotective parent, reaching out through the Force to greet him. Luke hastily threw a drop sheet over the damaged bike, and then stripped off his jacket, and tried to straighten his hair.
After a short elevator ride, he began the overly familiar task of sneaking quietly down the corridor, hoping to reach his room without any unwanted questions. No such luck.
Son. Come here.
Luke froze. "Come here" in that tone of voice wasn't what he wanted to hear right now. He could feel his father's presence in the conference room.
It's late, and I have school tomorrow, he tried.
Then I suggest you don't stall.
Luke sighed and reached out to open the doors to the conference room. Better to get it over with. His father was sitting on the other side of the round black table.
"How was the reception?"
"Oh, fine," Luke said, hovering in the doorway.
"Just fine?"
Luke shrugged. "I've endured worse."
His father put a datapad on the table and then used the Force to slide it over to the edge closest to Luke.
"What's that?"
"The Coruscant Society News asked for permission to publish these pictures."
Luke quickly walked forward and picked up the datapad, almost dreading what he'd see. He was already anticipating the start of a full parental interrogation when the screen lit up with a picture of him and Leia.
"Oh," Luke said, grinning. "That's a nice picture."
Leia was smiling in it, clearly amused by something he'd said. He'd have to make a copy of it.
"Keep going."
Luke realized there were more, and pressed the forward button. The next one showed him being dragged off the main floor by Ophelia. His expression wasn't flattering. The last one was of him and Armith, and then they thankfully came to an end. He looked up, wondering if it would actually be better if they'd been pictures of him winning the tunnel race.
"Is there something we need to discuss?" his father asked, in a dry tone.
"No!"
"For instance, how you have gone from general reticence on the subject of romantic relationships, to being photographed with three different young women in one night. I would have appreciated some warning about this development."
Luke groaned and gripped the back of a chair. "Stars, you can't be seen within three meters of a girl without someone thinking you're a couple. Who invited the media, anyhow?"
"The Quasher royal family. I have already made it clear to this tabloid that you remain off-limits."
Luke's eyes widened. "You didn't kill anyone, did you?"
"No. If nothing else, they have proven themselves useful for keeping me informed about your newfound interest in—"
"Not dating anyone!" Luke insisted.
"The assistant who gave this to me said you had spent hours in the library alone with Princess Leia."
Luke let his head sink into his arms, wondering which palace gossip he had to thank for that. Maybe Lev could find out for him.
"She's a friend," he said into his arms.
"Did you admit to your relationship with me?"
"Not yet," Luke said, straightening up and letting his arms drop. "I will. Uh … soon."
"In any case, it is clear that I need to set some new rules. It is not appropriate for you to be alone with a young woman without a chaperone."
Luke just about choked. "A chaperone?! Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Did you have a chaperone when you were my age?"
"No. Which is why I was an expectant father when I was barely out of my teens."
"And look how well that turned out," Luke said, grinning.
His father just continued to study him.
"Okay, okay," Luke said, raising his hands. "Listen, you can stop your worrying right now. I already have a chaperone. It's called 'being the son of a Sith Lord'. Automatically keeps all the girls away every hour of the day, every day of the year."
"One can hope," his father said, pointing at him.
"Goodnight," Luke said, turning to leave. As he did so, he caught sight of a large screen on the wall behind him. One half of it was a ground battle deployment map, and the other showed a satellite view of a city. A bar at the top read 'Deployment Phase Progress' and had various percentage points. He looked down, feeling all the stress return.
"Quasher is being invaded?" Luke asked, quietly.
"We are only deploying a legion to a troublespot. How the operation unfolds from here is entirely up to their leaders."
Luke glanced at the screen again, seeing his own face reflected over the top of the growing number of red dots on the surface.
Imperial Walkers.