Six
Halfway across the galaxy, Darth Vader reached out to his daughter in the nightly ritual she had designed before he left her. He engaged in this goodnight gesture only to appease her, but he felt disturbed when she didn't respond. She was asleep, and troubled, he felt.
He had been away from Imperial Center long enough, he decided, as he gave the order to have a shuttle prepared. He reached out to mentally brush his sleeping daughter, sending waves of protectivness and even what might be called love.
On Imperial Center, Leia's tossing and turning calmed and she slipped into deep sleep.
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ObiWan
walked into Jayelle's office and paused, taking in the occupants of
the room. Little Leia sat in a chair next to Jayelle, looking white.
Ben was glad to be about to restore Amidala's daughter to the side
she belonged on.
"Ready to go Leia?" he asked
cheerfully.
The child looked at him serenely, seeming much older than nine. "No" she said decidedly. Her voice was calm and resolved and she stood there looking innocent and fragile in a sunny yellow dress.
"What!" he exclaimed, looking at the idiotic girl. What was it with the Naberrie women and their attachment to Anakin.?
"I won't go with you, Ben" she declared in the same inflexible tone her mother had used when addressing the Galactic Senate.
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Obi-Wan had had enough. "Oh yes, you will" he said angrily grabbing Leia. The girl clearly didn't know what was good for her. Leia squirmed and pushed. "Jayelle" she called."Let her go, Jedi Kenobi" Jayelle said, advancing on Obi-Wan.
Ben closed his
eyes for a minute and Jayelle passed out. He was sorry to have done
that, but Leia had clearly been brainwashed. Once she got to Dagobah,
she'd be fine, he reassured himself as he slung her over his
shoulder, keeping her quiet using the Force.
"Father"
Leia screamed, throwing every vestige of the crippled Force talent
she had into that one desperate cry. She had only managed to scream
once before Ben knocked her out.
Ben escaped through the tunnels of Coruscant, Leia a light burden in his arms. She wouldn't have been heavy, even if he hadn't been using the Force. They were in a lower area of the city and the steel corridors were damp and mossy. Vents opened into the corridor, ejecting steam from countless kitchens across the city. In a little while Ben would reach the tunnel that led to the surface and his ship.
The Force warned Ben of pursuit and he sensed mildly Force strong people in the tunnels on either side of him. Red robed guards appeared like smoke. Now that he searched he could sense Vader's presence in space. He cursed under his breath. Bail had told him Lord Vader would be away for some weeks more. No wonder the Imperial Guards could find him, he thought, increasing his speed and running. Vader could keep track of his daughter, by virtue of their blood relationship.
The dank tunnels were illuminated by dazzling red light as a bomb exploded in front of him. There was a loud noise from behind him and with a feeling of defeat Obi-Wan knew that he was surrounded.
The vents which let steam into the surroundings made everything hazy but Obi-Wan could see the Imperial Guards drawing closer to him. They weren't firing at him, maybe so as not to hurt Leia. Ben prepared to jump into the vent above him.
At this very inopportune juncture, Leia woke up. "Help meee!" she shouted and began kicking and screaming. She turned her head and bit Obi-Wan's arm, drawing blood. Taken by surprise, he dropped her. She fell and lay still, unconscious. By now the Imperial guards had formed a circle around him. Ben jumped into the vent. After all, he reasoned, he couldn't escape with the child hindering him. If he'd only had a day's head start, he thought frustratedly, he could have delivered Leia to Dagobah, where Vader couldn't find her. Now, he reflected sadly, the girl was lost to them. Her Force Block would solidify in some years and, as Vader hadn't found it yet, there was little danger that she would become a Sith. She would never be a Jedi either. He had failed Amidala's daughter, just as he had failed Amidala. The thought brought with it an enormous amount of grief and guilt. Now, the girl was lost to them.
Well, Ben vowed, the boy would be a Jedi. And eventually, he would bring down the Empire. Perhaps he would not be too late to redeem his twin.
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When Leia regained consciousness she was in her bed in her father's palace. She could hear the mechanical rasp of her father's breath as his gloved hand gently ran through her hair. An incredible sense of peace stole over her and she asked questioningly "Papa?"
"Yes" Vader answered.
"What happened?" she asked muzzily.
"Obi-Wan tried to abduct you. Your illness is because the clumsy oaf dropped you when you bit his hand." Leia could hear the cold rage in her father's voice, and despite herself she shivered, reminded of all Ben had told her about her father. "So far," Vader continued "he remains uncaptured". Vader continued running his hand through her hair gently. Leia lay still, enjoying the feeling of being close to her father once more. The silence was comfortable; they seldom needed words to communicate. And to think, she thought angrily, that Ben would have taken this from her forever.
After a while her father asked "How did Ben gain access to you?"
Unthinkingly, Leia told him "Jayelle helped him". Then she stiffened, remembering.
"What's wrong?" Vader asked, and she thought his voice was a little hurt.
"Don't hurt her, Papa" Leia said, "I like her".
Vader sighed, a sound which seemed to come from the depths of his heart. "What did Obi-Wan say about me?" he asked flatly.
"Ben said that you hurt people" Leia said, feeling vaguely guilty for repeating the accusation.
Vader shifted on the bed, and said "My duties require force, sometimes"
Leia listened to her father's explanation. She gathered her courage as the dark glove worked through her hair in the same way her mother's hand used to. "Ben said that you didn't love me".
"He was lying" her father said firmly, "precious child"
Leia was slipping into sleep when she remembered one final question. "Why did mother leave you?"
"Obi-Wan" Vader said loathingly "told her I would harm you".
Leia drifted off to sleep, with the beginnings of a throbbing headache, feeling free to hate Ben Kenobi thoroughly. It was a feeling which would remain with her her entire life.
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Jayelle Palmer walked into Castle Vader and shivered. The summons had not come as a surprise, although she was surprised that she had not been arrested. Maybe that would come later. The Imperial guards had said only that Lord Vader requested her presence. Maybe, Jayelle thought dourly, Lord Vader didn't intent to bother with a trial. No one would dare question him if she disappeared.
The interior of the imposing gray palace was surprisingly cheerful. Colorful tapestries on the walls undid the cold look they could have had and potted plants made the atmosphere quite comfortable. Perhaps it was Leia's influence. Jayelle let out a silent prayer for the innocent little girl's safety, wherever she was.
The red robed guards escorted her to Lord Vader's office and directed her to sit down, informing her that Lord Vader would be in shortly. Then, without a word they left, seeming to evaporate in a manner Jayelle found creepy.
She sat and waited in the obsidian office. There was no color in this room and it was furnished exclusively in black. Jayelle tried not to concentrate on her feelings of betrayal. Obi-Wan had assured her that he would not take Leia without her permission. He had lied. Perhaps the cause to which she was about to give her life was not worth dying for, after all.
After she had been waiting a while, Darth Vader stalked in.
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Jayelle saw the Dark Lord and shivered despite herself. The Sith lord seemed to radiate cold fury. She sat in silence, leaving him to open the conversation.
He walked towards her, his cape swirling behind him and circled her. She leaned into her chair, feeling dizzy. Then, as a sharp pain ran through her head, she knew that her mind had been read. Jayelle gagged, feeling violated. Vader sat down on the desk and waited quietly until the worst of her headache subsided. "How dare you?" Jayelle said angrily, as soon as she was capable of speech.
"When a person has helped the Rebellion abduct my daughter" Lord Vader said darkly "I dare quite a lot".
So Leia was still with the Rebellion, Jayelle thought, relaxing in her seat. At least her death would not be entirely in vain.
"Leia has been
recovered," Vader continued, offering her no clues as to
Obi-Wan's fate.
So her efforts had been unsuccessful, Jayelle
thought with a pang of regret. This brute would continue raising that
sensitive child. And she would die, having accomplished nothing. It
was easy to accept that a certain course of action might lead to
execution, Jayelle reflected, and hard to actually face that
execution. She took deep breaths, trying to control her racing heart.
It would be better for her pride if she seized initiative in the
conversation, she decided. "What is my punishment to be?"
she asked, hating the way her voice trembled, despite her best
efforts. I'm too young to die she thought, panicked.
"If I went to the Imperial Courts and denounced you as a member of the Rebellion," Vader said coolly "I have no doubt you would be executed".
"But?" Jayelle asked, wondering what alternate punishment Vader was imposing. I hope it doesn't involve burning oil, she thought with a flash of dark humor.
Vader was silent a moment. He got up and paced the length of the room restlessly. Finally he said "I require a tutor, one who does not indoctrinate Leia about the virtues of the Empire. I want my daughter to be capable of clear thought. If you would be Leia's personal tutor aboard the Executor, I would appreciate it".
Jayelle gasped and stared at Vader in shock. The Emperor's second in command wanted his daughter to think that the Empire was less than perfect. If she accepted Vader's offer, the Rebellion would think her a double agent, and responsible for Obi-Wan's failure.
"I really have no
choice, do I?" Jayelle asked resentfully. It galled her, to know
that everyone would think she had betrayed her ideals, but it was
better than death.
And then after a pause "What are the
terms of my employment?"
"You will share my daughter's quarters on the Executor" Vader said "And educate her as befits her position. You may not mention the Rebellion to her, except in unfavorable terms".
It was better than execution, Jayelle decided, but not by a lot. She would be stuck on the Executor with only Imperial troops for company. Still, she would be able to try to help Leia.
"You have a week to pack your things and terminate your current employment" Vader said.
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She was quite an important part of his plan, Vader mused as he watched the teacher leave. She was angry at his blackmail, but seemed too fair to take it out on Leia. If the Emperor agreed to this arrangement, Leia would be safe for some years more. By the time she was grown, Jayelle would have instilled in her a skepticism of the Empire's motives which would keep her from ever being brainwashed like Mara Jade. But, if the teacher followed instructions, neither would she believe that the Rebellion was perfect. In short, she would be ready to support his bid for the Empire.
