Ascaron landed in lower Coruscant parked his fighter in Lord Vader's private castle. It was cold, dark and foreboding, very little human presence. Lord Vader treasured his privacy above anything else. He managed to disengage the security system and entered the castle without any problems. Ascaron ordered a meal to be brought to him and a beer. Corellian Ale was his most favorite; it had a smooth taste with a bite. After eating his favorite nerf steak and potatoes and finishing his beer, he cracked into the Imperial Network. It was very difficult to find any information on Anne, only that she was the Emperor's slave. He even managed to crack into the Emperor's logs and downloaded the entries. Lord Vader would be most interested in hearing about this. The Emperor enjoyed inflicting agony on the poor child; he even compared it to working his assassin, Mara Jade into the mix. Anne is an obedient, broken slave, who I enjoy inflicting great trauma on a daily basis; however her light in the Force disgusts me, she refuses to allow despair to rule her heart at least on a subconscious level, I can break her in body and mind, but her spirit will always be ensconced in the light, unlike myhand Mara Jade.It truly disgusts me; she must be destroyed before Lord Vader recognizes her as his 'daughter.' Even his son Luke Skywalker brings a bolt of light into my servant, it makes me very angry; which fuels my power in the dark side and which I consequently take out on Anne. The poor pathetic creature tries so hard to please me, as if she ever could."
Ascaron removed the files and quickly covered up his tracks in case he should be discovered, however unlikely. Ascaron left the palace as he found it and leapt into the fighter. After the chef had helped him recover Anne from the trash compactor, he had left the Emperor's service and Ascaron helped him to disappear into the bowels of Nar Shaddaa to setup a diner of his own, Lord Vader helped finance him as long as he continued to serve as a kind of informant; which the chef willingly agreed.
Lord Vader was meditating in his hyperbolic chamber when he felt a beacon come across the galaxy like a bright flash of light, "Luke." The Dark Lord mumbled the single word. Anne was reading quietly when she also recognized the same bright light in the Force. It scared her, she ran to Lord Vader's chamber and even before she could knock the door swung open and she leapt into Lord Vader's lap when the hyperbolic chamber opened up.
"What's wrong? Why are you trembling?"
"The Emperor has found me." Anne began to cry.
"No he hasn't young one. That was Luke he is accessing the Force trying to find the answers it isn't easy for him."
"Why can't you train him, father?"
"Because he doesn't know me and doesn't trust me."
"Why not?"
"He sees me as a monster, young one."
"Emperor Palpatine is a monster, father, not you."
"Yes, I know young one."
"Father? I know that I have no right to ask this, but have you ever tried to heal yourself?"
"Yes, unfortunately it doesn't work; I'm too damaged." Lord Vader noted with great sadness. If only he hadn't leapt at Obi-Wan, if only he had saved his battle for another day. His arrogance was his own downfall as well as fear of losing Padmé which he lost anyway. An incessant chirp had been heard throughout the meditation pod it was the Emperor.
"Remain here, Anne. Do not come out for any reason."
Lord Vader knelt in front of his master and felt his immediate ire.
"We have a new enemy, Lord Vader. The boy who destroyed my Death Star I have no doubt is the son of Anakin Skywalker."
Lord Vader feigned ignorance, "How is that possible?"
"Search your feelings, Lord Vader; you will know it to be true."
"Yes, my master."
"You will destroy him."
"If he could be turned he could be a powerful ally."
"Yes! Can it be done?" So I can replace you.
Lord Vader picked up on his master's thoughts and smiled briefly.
"He will join us or die, Master."
"Consequently, Lord Vader, if you should happen to see a slave of approximately nine years old blonde hair, dark blue eyes, you will destroy her. I had hoped to train her as another Hand, but she holds on to the light too tightly."
Lord Vader replied ominously, "it will be done, my master."
"Mara Jade will be joining you briefly so you can train her a bit more in the Force. I have no time to train such a hot-tempered assassin."
"Yes, my master."
Mara Jade had heard the orders, she became terrified. "No, please Master I will behave, don't send me to Lord Vader. He doesn't like me." Mara Jade cried.
"You will do as I have ordered, Mara Jade. Go pack your bags and get out and do not return until you have fully learned how to be obedient and have grown more powerful in the Force."
Mara Jade was only fifteen and left the only home that she ever knew. After boarding the shuttle it flew to the Executor which was currently looking for the Rebellion in the outer rim territories.
Anne's training continued as she realized that Lord Vader was being very deceitful to his master. He had already informed her that treachery was the way of the Sith. Mara Jade felt great fear as she stepped onto the Executor, Lord Vader's breathing gave her the creeps.
Admiral Piett escorted the young lady to Lord Vader's quarters; though he didn't have any Force ability himself; he could read Mara Jade's emotional state in the way she carried herself and reacted.
"Lord Vader will be with you shortly. Please remain here."
Mara Jade nodded her head. She dropped the bag and stood by the window. Why was her master so cruel to her? Okay so maybe she shouldn't have taken the Imperial speeder and painted it red and raced it illegally. She received one dose of lightning each day for a week. She was also whipped rather brutally in front of his staff. Mara Jade feared Lord Vader even if she had heard that he was lesser of two evils.
Lord Vader was wondering why his master was sending his hand to him; was it really to further hone young Mara Jade's abilities in the Force or was there something more to his scheme?
Mara Jade heard the door open and despite her great fear she stood there stoically until he moved closer. She then knelt, lowering her head in deference. Lord Vader sensed confusion, anger, and fear. Mara Jade was a lovely red-headed child with fierce green eyes, she was weakened. The Emperor apparently had been displeased with his assassin and she paid a penalty and a rather taxing one. Lord Vader swept over her injuries with the Force and he felt her lashes of a cruel whip and the major burns of dark side lightning and it was ironic that she seemed more fearful of Lord Vader than of Emperor Palpatine. Was it because he was an unknown entity to this young hand-maiden of the Emperor? With our master at least she knows what failures would mean that they would exact a price. Mara Jade was uncertain what Lord Vader would do if she defied him, especially since he couldn't wield any lightning and had never raised a whip to any of his men or a servants; force choking and a lightsaber were his tools of persuasion as well as his presence brought great fear to most anyway.
Mara Jade noted that the Dark Lord hadn't said anything yet, not a simple hello had passed his lips. But then she knew that he was a man of few words, she really didn't want to anger him.
"Rise young one." Mara Jade heard the words and was shocked at how quickly he allowed her to get off her knees. The Emperor kept her on the knees sometimes hours at a time.
Lord Vader seemed to catch her thought, "You will find me to be nothing like our master, Mara Jade. You will be taught obedience, discipline, and the Force. If you are obedient you will gain privileges over time."
Lord Vader also heard Mara Jade's stomach growling it had been at least three days since she had a meal. Lord Vader called the kitchen and ordered a large meal complete with blue milk.
"There is someone you will be meeting soon, young Jade. You will treat her nicely, she is still rather sensitive. Do not intentionally hurt her or you will answer to me, do you understand?"
"Yes, Lord Vader." Mara Jade already noted how protective he was of the young girl. It was odd but she wished she could fall under the same protection from the Emperor. She was sickened by him, but she had compressed such thoughts as they were treasonous. If Lord Vader felt her thoughts, he didn't indicate it as his next words were of Anne.
"She cannot speak; the Emperor has crushed her larynx, she can only speak telepathically and through notes. Her name is Anne."
"The Emperor's slave, Anne; how is that possible? I thought she lived in the lower part of the palace."
"She has been freed." Lord Vader replied.
Anne ran into the dining room and after greeting Mara Jade she threw herself into Lord Vader's arms.
Mara Jade felt a flash of jealously go through her, but she quashed it. There was no way that she would ever feel Lord Vader's affection. Anne was told to shower and get ready for dinner. She smiled and went to do as she was told.
Anne wondered about the red-headed girl, she felt her fear and anxiety over the new circumstances of being with Lord Vader, she recognized her from the palace. Mara Jade was the girls name and she was in an honored position as Emperor's hand. Anne had often been told of Mara Jade's training as inducement to change to become his assassin.
But Anne's spirit was tied too tightly with the light that no matter how many beatings she endured, she wouldn't ever change to serve only him. It is in this that in a lot of ways made her stronger than Mara Jade.
Lord Vader was sitting nearby watching as Mara Jade and Anne ate silently. Anne levitated a small basket of rolls to her side plucked one out and spread it with butter. She offered the other half to Mara Jade was very surprised; she wasn't used to eating with another. Even her dinner manners had already been corrected. No elbows on the table, sitting her glass of milk above her plate away from her hands to where she could accidentally knock it over. A napkin in the lap, and properly using table utensils, most of Mara's meals came in a large bowl with a piece of bread.
After eating dinner, Mara Jade was ordered to take a bath and get ready for bed, she started to protest, "Milord it is only nineteen hundred hours, I am normally getting off work at this hour." Mara Jade carefully protested.
"I do not care; you are sleepy and you will need your rest; mornings in the Imperial fleet start early, young one."
Mara Jade sighed deeply sensing that there was no further persuading Lord Vader. After eating dinner, Anne was taken to bed and as the lights were lowered, Anne was tucked into bed.
Mara Jade finished her shower and dressed in a pair of dark purple pajamas and braided her hair. She sighed deeply and realized how tired she truly was, Lord Vader must have picked up on her feelings.
"Mara Jade, come young one." Lord Vader intoned gently as he called her to him.
Mara entered the living room and began to kneel once again before the Dark Lord.
"No, it is unnecessary to kneel before me all the time, Mara Jade. Your demeanor is already one of who understands my authority."
"It matters not, milord; the Emperor expects it."
"You will find me to be far different."
Mara Jade nodded.
"Until other arrangements are made, you will be sharing a room with Anne."
"The sofa will serve, milord."
Lord Vader pulled her away from the leather sofa and escorted her to Anne's bedroom. Mara Jade was taken on the opposite side of the bed and she watched amazingly as Lord Vader pulled back the blankets.
Mara Jade carefully crawled in and felt the blankets shift in around her and Lord Vader placed his hand on her hair and bade her good night.
Author's Note:I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters therein; I hope my readers are pleased with the introduction of Mara Jade. Thanks for all your kind reviews.—Darth Gladiator45 PS (sorry for the delay, Lord Vader assigned me household chores: Ugh! To help me fight against my writer's block)