The Empress, Jedi, and Sith 1: Luke and Leia Discovered
Disclaimer applies too.
AN: Thank you so much for the reviews So, read on! Sorry for keeping in you suspense for about two days. I had a lot of tests and quizzes coming up and the dreaded mid-term test coming up in about two weeks. Yup, that will be my first mid-term test because I'm a freshman in my high school. I just need more time to write a chapter. Thanks for your patience (which I know you are not patient at all!)
DarthGladitor45: You just guessed right! Vader had to rescue them! Whohoo, a cookie for you!
Redleef: That was my intent to make Leia sounds childish, so I can write some funny dialogues later in this story. Hmmmm…writing about Leia is harder than I imagine. How I do keep her childish and mature? Let me know if you guys have an idea. I know Luke would be easier to write about. He will come up soon, in about two or three chapters where Vader visit Tattoine. Yippee!
Jedi X-Man: Really? My story reminds of your story? Thanks!
Summary of Sneaking Out: Leia went to her palace after her coronation was done. Winter and Nadia, her handmaidens and best friends, were to accompany her to sneak out and eat. Winter thought they shouldn't go to some fancy restaurant or they'll be recognized and bring trouble on them. So they went to a restaurant called The House where smugglers and dealers alike do their illegal business in there. But it's a "respectable" place (like the Cantina in Tatooine, but a little better).
Chapter 4: The HouseDarth Vader nearly can't believe his eyes when he saw the young, beautiful empress. She looked so much like his late wife, Padme Amidala; even her career highly resembled Padme's career too.
The memory of his late wife brought an excruciating pain to his heart, but he pushed it away. No need for unwanted emotion now. Despite that, he still feel some nostalgia and longing for his wife whenever he sees Leia's face. She just…. looked so lovely and graceful…. like her…
When Leia went up to her podium, her eyes had met his. Hers was full of warm, chocolate brown…just like her… She looked so innocent, so pure that anything filthy wouldn't mar her.
Darth Vader listened to Leia's first speech as an empress intensely. It doesn't sounds so bad to him, but of course, like Padme, she can make anything sounds great and the audience would be captivated. Whatever issues they don't like, Leia can honey-coat it and make it more appealing to the audience. Then, they would gobble it up. What a gift any politician would love to have. Emperor Palaptine has that gift too.
Finally, the coronation was done. He still watched Leia walk to her shuttle. There was a girl walking and talking with her, probably her handmaiden. When she disappeared from his view, he walked away from the crowd to report to his master. In his private shuttle, Lord Vader began to holocom him.
When Emperor Palaptine's hologram image came into view, he spoke, " Master, I had gone to Empress Organa's coronation as you said. She seems harmless for now. Obviously so, they love her."
"Ah, yes. Leia Organa, the youngest empress in the whole galaxy. Doesn't it remind you of Amidala? Surely you remember her."
Vader froze at his master's mention of Padme and grittily spat out, "Yes. Now I will go to take care other business."
"Go and report back to me later. Send your spies to infiltrate Empress Organa's palace. We can't be sure she will be a traitor like her rebel father," Emperor Palaptine waved his hand at Lord Vader to dismiss him.
He bowed and shut the communicator off. The nerve of that old man! He was just prodding at him, taking in pleasure at his anger. One day, he'll overthrow the emperor and take his place and finally rule the galaxy! But not yet…
The reason Emperor Palaptine sent him to observe Empress Organa's coronation was just one of his cautionary impulses. He wanted to see how good she is in inciting the public and holding them to her will. If there was also a possibility that Empress Organa participated in the Rebel's activities, then she is a traitor to the Empire and will have to be tried. One must never underestimate youth, as his previous experiences taught him so
The shuttle began on its way to a bar called The House. Vader relaxed against his plushy seat. A smuggler said he has information about the rebel base's whereabouts. About a week ago, the smuggler had asked him to meet at him at the bar, because it was the best place to meet and discuss without anybody listening on them. He agreed because he was kind of desperate to get any information on the Rebels. Not that he'll let his master know.
"We're here, sir." A stormtrooper announced, saluted, and left.
Vader nodded at him, and left the shuttle to enter the bar. His lightsaber was safely tucked away under his black cloak. He would have to kill the smuggler if necessary.
He entered the bar, where the room was all in white, but the walls looked old and flaky. There were men sitting on high chairs, drinking alcohol, chatting, and smoking. The atmosphere was kind of smoky and heavy. Many round tables were occupied by people who were eating their meals. On the other side of the room, there was a door that leads into a corridor with many private rooms. It was where smugglers and dealers do their illegal dealings.
He strode to the door to find the room number the smuggler gave to him. On the way, many of women were giving him admiring looks. Darth Vader is certainly a beautiful man, like a Greek god, and he had an aura of confidence and power. He just ignored them; he had no use for them. He will not sullen his wife's memory by taking another woman.
The door leading into the corridor was your typical appearance of motel corridor. The wall was papery white, and some bloodstains could be seen on a wall. Dim lights hung from the ceiling. Vader gave a sound of disgust at the back of his throat.
Finally, the door was found. He opened and a smuggler was sitting across from him. He was smoking a cigarette and drinking the Corellian brandy (No, he is NOT Han Solo, just another smuggler. Han won't come in until much later.)
"Now, tell me what information you have regarding the rebellion."
"A rebel site is found on Tattoine. Right now, they are still active and operating. With that dustball, nobody will ever think they will be found there."
/Tattoine/ Vader looked a little shocked, but concealed it. He hadn't been to that planet for a long time. There were too many memories there. Besides, he hated the sand and hot weather.
"How do I know your information is veritable, and they are still operating now?"
"Here's the proof." The smuggler slid the datapad across the table.
Vader took it and scrutinized at it. After a while looking thorough the data, he knew the information is credible. Then he pocketed it.
"You will be given a reward from the Empire. Contact this number to get your reward. " A small holocard was given to him.
"Thank you, sir. If I have any more information regarding the Rebels, I will contact you immediately."
Vader nodded and quickly eft the room. Suddenly, he heard blaster shots and screams all over the bar. He quickly opened the door leading to the public part of the bar and took out his blood-red lighsaber.
"Winter! Nadia! Wake up!" screamed Leia.
Her friends were lying on the floor. Winter had a blaster wound on her shoulder and Nadia had one on her leg and shoulder. Both of them are unconscious and alive, but Leia doesn't know that.
Vader noticed a man readying to shoot at Leia, and he jumped up and quickly slashed him in two. The shooter is dead now.
While screaming at her friends, her hood came off, revealing Leia's face. Vader was surprised to see Empress Organa in the bar, in the very place! He didn't expect her to be in such place! This is obviously no place for young ladies!
Thorough the whole incident, the bar was noisy at first, and then deathly quiet and the occupiers had scrambled for cover.
"Lady, what are you doing here? This is no place for a young lady like yourself." Lord Vader crouched down beside Leia and surprised her with his question.
Her eyes grew wide when she recognized him. "Sir, can you help me and my friends? I need to take them to a hospital."
"I will, if you tell me the reason why you and your friends are here."
Vader ordered his stormtroopers to pick the girls up and transport them to a local hospital. Then, Leia followed him into his shuttle,
"Oh, thank you, sir. You don't know how grateful I am."
At this, Vader swung around and faced her, "Don't thank me again. I am just doing this because we wouldn't want your people lose their empress when she just barely begun ruling. "
Leia just nodded. Nobody had ever talked to her like this! For her whole life, people just kissed her ass all over, in fear that she will disfavor them when she becomes an empress. As if she would kill them!
Finally, when they reclined in their seats. Lord Vader swiftly came to the point, " A young lady like yourself shouldn't be in that place. You, all of the people, should know that. No empress would act in this such reckless manner. So, why are you in there?"
She blushed furiously when Vader scolded her. "I-I decided to s-sneak out and eat with my friends before I began do my job tomorrow. Um, I just want to uh, have fun."
Usually, Leia would be unruffled in this situation, but the presence of Darth Vader suddenly made her feel like a child and she can't think clearly at all. When he crouched down next to her at the bar, she felt some weird tingling feeling all over her skin. Pretty strange.
Vader nearly can't believe himself that he, all of the people, is scolding her! Her parents should be scolding and lecturing her, not him. But then, her parents are dead.
"I see. Ruling a planet should not be taken lightly, and somebody out here probably would kill you. Imagine that if the whole planet knew what you were doing out here tonight, there'll be an uproar over you. You wouldn't want that tomar your reputation. "
"Yes, sir."
/I swear, I'll never sneak out again! Oh Force, please keep them alive/
"Don't worry, your handmaidens are still alive. Who suggested going to there? If it was you, then you're more reckless than I thought."
/How did he know? Did he just read my mind/
"It was Winter's idea. She said the place was "respectable" and we can eat there if we keep our disguise on. I didn't know anything about this place, so I just go along with my friend. I usually trust her."
"It looks like your handmaiden lost her sense of which place is safe or not." Vader nearly sneered at Leia's friend's senses.
" I will tell her when we wake up, but please don't contact the Alderaanian Security Force or like you said, it will tar my reputation, " Leia nearly begged him.
"I will, but on one condition. Tell me about yourself, not about your political career. I am quite curious about you. Not now, but later when we meet."
Leia thought about the deal, and she thinks it sounds reasonable. Not everybody knows her "other" side. After all, what's the harm in telling him about herself?
" I concede to your condition."
Vader nodded his head. He was still staring at her with his icy cool blue eyes. Leia nearly squirmed under his gaze. She still feels the weird tingling feeling all over her body. She struggled to make her mind blank, because Vader is a Sith lord and probably can read her mind. It was said Sith Lords could do things that ordinary people can't do. (Like mind-reading)
/Hurry up, you shuttle/
"Next time, I suggest that you do not follow your friend's advice wherever she goes. Use your real bodyguards, "quipped the man across her.
It would be a shame if Leia were…assassinated. Deep down, he has an intense curiosity about her. Again, she just looked so…. much like his late wife. Oh yes, Empress Organa is now one of the people to watch out for on his list. After all, he must make contacts with many planets' rulers to ensure they are true to their empire, and she is one of them.
Leia nodded again, "Yes, sir. I will keep your suggestion in my mind."
The shuttle came to a halt, and they got up to exit the shuttle.
Winter and Nadia were lying on their stretcher. Some blood could be seen on them. When Leia saw them, she rushed to her friends' side, " Winter, Nadia, are you okay? Answer me!"
Winter cracked an eyelid open, "Hey Leia, we'll be fine. Just hold on for us. The same thing for Nadia…" Then she closed her eye and went to sleep.
A nurse quickly put an oxygen mask on her friends' mouth, and carried them away to perform an operation.
Leia stared after them until they disappeared behind the doors. She trudged toward the waiting room, and then slumped in a chair. A large amount of guilty was felt and her conscience was screaming at her that if they died, it's all her fault.
Suddenly, tears came past her eyelids. Leia broke down and began to cry. The sound reverberated all over the waiting room. The other occupants looked at her with sympathy.
"Here. They will be fine, I know that." Vader handed her a black silk handkerchief with initials emblazoned on it.
Leia took it without looking and began to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.
"Sir? The operations on the girls were successful, and they are resting now. You may see them, but please don't wake them if they are sleeping," a nurse droid addressed Vader in its monotone voice.
Both of them went up and followed the droid. The droid led them to a room where they were lying in the bed by bed. They were sleeping and looked peaceful. Winter and Nadia had IVs poked in their arms and bacta patches covered their arms and legs.
She stared at them for a moment, feeling relieved that her friends are ok and alive.
She turned to Lord Vader, "Please take me home now or they'll notice that I'm missing. I will collect them later in the day."
Vader then swiftly turned around to go to his shuttle and drop off Leia at her palace. She told him to drop her at the gardens, where it leads to her secret door. Of course, she didn't tell him and he didn't question her.
Before leaving, Leia hesitantly turned to him, "We'll see again in morning." She just remembered that Vader does not like "Thank you", so she did not thank him. But she made that up by referring to their previous agreement, " Come by to my palace anytime and we'll meet in due to our agreement."
Vader said, "Yes, your highness. I will contact you some time in few months."
She nodded, and said " Good-night, sir."
He did not reply, but stared at her with his blue eyes. Leia turned and left the shuttle to go up to her room. In there, she felt exhausted and tired. All the past events, her coronation, the shootings, and talking with Vader made her want to sleep and forget everything. Hunger had left her and she doesn't have any appetite anymore.
Leia went to her refresher to take shower and change into her pajamas. Before she took shower, she noticed that she was holding a crumpled black silk handkerchief. The initials A.S. were emblazoned on it.
/Who is A.S.? Is Vader him?…/
However, Leia was too tired to ponder about it, so she left it on her desk. Then, after showering, she slipped into her large bed and fell asleep once her head hits the pillow. The clock struck at midnight.
AN: Yippe! I finally finished it! Luke is coming up very soon!