Disclaimer: I don't need one, do I? Someone as talentless as me could never create a masterpiece like Star Wars.

Stupid life, keeping me from my fanfic...Nope, I'm not dead and neither is this fic, but I've literally never seen so much work in my entire life. However, one way or another I will finish this. Thank you to those who reviewed; hopefully you haven't given up on me.


Part III

Leia was due back from a negotiation on some far-off world any moment now. Luke sped up his pace – he wanted to be there to greet her when she arrived. He had missed her. He always did…He loved her too much. Their relationship was not a romantic one – it never would be. It was odd, but it felt like she was not the one for him. And her heart belonged to Han. Luke had long since accepted that. But he loved her all the same. It was not a good thing, in times like these - times of war - for any of them could die at any moment. Fortunately, she was still alive and relatively well.

Leia stepped out of the shuttle, looking exhausted, and strange as it seemed his enthusiasm vanished in the blink of an eye and he did not want to see her – not at all. Hell, all he wanted was to be alone. Still, outwardly he smiled.

"Leia…It's nice to see you again. " I wish it was. Leia's pale, wan, washed-out face seemed to brighten and she once again appeared lively as she'd been before…before everything. She threw herself onto him, clinging almost desperately, and all he felt was…awkwardness. As if he did not belong there. Something felt wrong, and inside him was that sinking feeling, weighing down on him like lead in his heart. He felt trapped, like wild animal pacing neurotically in a cramped cage. And he felt undeserving of her love and friendship.

Still, he did not have the heart to break loose of her grasp – she seemed so desperate, hanging on as if her life was at stake. She looked so delicate, so frail, so vulnerable…Oh, how easy it would have been to draw a blaster or blade and end that fragile life of hers. What would it feel like to feel her hot blood trickling through his fingers, to hear her cry out in agony and death, to feel her last breath escape her…

His stomach did a backflip as he caught himself thinking…that. Fear and shock raced through his veins. What? Why was he thinking these things? The thoughts were almost, well…evil. And he could feel them again, rushing toward him like a massive wave.

Kill her. Shoot her…Stab her…Feel her blood flowing out…Feel her life drain…

No! Shut up…shut up!...

kill her…

No…go away…

blood…

SHUT UP!

He broke away, lest he give in and listen. Leia blinked, confused at the suddenness of it.

"Is something wrong?" Concern made its presence known through a gleam in her eyes, and he felt all the guiltier.

"No. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine, really." She did not look too convinced, but she let him go. Oh so protective. It's too bad your concern is misplaced. If only I weren't to be the death of you…No, don't think it. I won't. I won't let myself.

"Tell you what – I'll go change into some fresh clothes and then I'll join for some caf. I'll see you in fifteen minutes, then?" No. Get away from me. I'm too dangerous, don't you see it?

"No." Her eyes narrowed.

"Why, are you busy?" Luke's mind raced. Think…Think fast – think of something, anything!

"Well, no…Look, I'd like some time to myself – I need to be alone for some time." He knew it was unlike him to be antisocial but it was the best he could come up with without giving himself away. And yet again, she worried about him, tearing right through his heart. I wish she would hate me…As I hate her…No! I don't hate her; I love her…Do I?

"Are you sure you're alright?" No. I'm not. Please help me…He wanted to pour out his soul, but he knew he should not. The effect would be damaging for both of them. Nevertheless, it was so hard to keep it all in.

"Yes, positive!" he snapped. Did she always have to be so damn observant? Leia's eyebrow twitched.

"Are you absolutely sure?" This was getting redundant…How in space would he get her off his back?

"For the last time, yes! I wish you'd leave me alone! Just go away…Get out of my sight, will you?" he had not meant to say it – really, he hadn't – the words had leapt out on their own accord. It wasn't his fault… …It was.

Leia's eyes were bright, too bright, and the tears spilled down her pallid cheeks. Force, it hurt to see those tears fall.

"How-How could you b-be so…so cold? It's like…I –I don't knowyou anymore!" I didn't mean it. I swear I didn't mean it…I'm sorry – I can't help it…Leia heard none of it. She turned and stormed away.

Leia wait! That was what he meant to say, but his speech came out garbled.

"I hate you!" That was what forced its way out instead. Too late. She's gone. Driven away by you. Why was he acting this way? What in hell was going on with him? Whatever it was that possessed him, it was making him angry.

Lord Sidious smiled in satisfaction. All was going as planned. In a matter of weeks, Skywalker would be his devoted servant. Forever.

It was deeply unsettling. Never would he have conceived the possibility, but it was greatly disturbing. Darth Vader had sensed it in the earliest hours of the morning – the Sith Lord's body required little sleep and it was more of a chore than anything else, so it's was not uncommon for him to stay awake for extended periods of time.

At first, Vader had not recognized it – it had seemed vaguely familiar, but that had been it. It was darkness flowing in waves, in sudden, intense flares. Darkness alone, even of such a peculiar kind, would not have shaken Vader. He was not afraid of the dark.

However, it was the source that threw him off balance. It was radiating from his son. He should have been content – his goal was more than halfway reached, was it not? No, he decided. Far from it. It was not supposed to happen this way. He found himself horrified at the transformation that was occurring before his very eyes. Maybe he had never wanted it and it had been yet another delusion of his, nothing more. Perhaps he had only been fooling himself, masking his true desires by insisting that all he wanted was what his master wanted. And though he might have denied it, the two were by far not the same.

No living being knew this, of course. In everyone's mind's eye, he was nothing more than an extension of the Emperor's reach – Palpatine's deadly weapon. But he was more than that. People had forgotten that beneath the black metal plating and wires, he was a living, sentient being. He could feel pain, regret, despair, sadness and even love. Nobody knew it, but as much as he projected a contrary image, Darth Vader was just as human as anyone.

He was human, but he was a slave. In a time when he had been someone else, he had broken free of bondage. Having been without control all his life, his former self had embarked in a constant quest for power. He had found it, eventually – someone had showed him the way; opened the door. Little had he known that he had been taken advantage of. Though he had thought the door would lead outside, he found himself locked in a cell. He had thought to have found freedom at last. Instead, he had been enslaved once more.

He had never broken the chains he had forged on that fateful day. He did his master's bidding, though it was a low to his pride each time he obeyed an order. Every time was a reminder of his failures, his shortcomings. Inside, far out of sight, the hatred brewed, seething, frothing, waiting to escape. That state of his – It was the Sidious' doing. Almost everything was Sidious' doing. Vader had no doubt that he was the one responsible this time as well – He could feel the satisfaction, the complacency that oozed from the Sith Lord's mind. Rarely did his master's shields loosen in such a manner.

It was a lightsaber to the gut to know that Sidious had done this – was doing at that very moment, perhaps. Vader hated it. Hated him. He would not stand by and watch. No, he would certainly not. Lord Sidious would pay dearly. Vader would do what he should have done over twenty years ago, and Sidious would meet his death.

Mara Jade hid around a corner in a fork of the hallway. Skywalker was nearby, coming her way. The Emperor had filled her in on why he was not dead – partially, at least. If there was one thing she was bitter about, it was the absolute lack of trust and respect. He always made sure Mara knew the least amount of information possible without compromising her performance. Deep down, she knew she was but a tool of his. One day, she will have worn out her usefulness, and she dreaded that day.

Sometimes Mara wondered why she even bothered. She was just another disposable servant of his – why didn't she just run away? Maybe she ought to. Nonsense. You know he'd kill you before you could blink. She was astonished Palpatine hadn't already gotten rid of her with all those traitorous thoughts of hers. Still, though she hated to admit it, the rebels were a lot nicer than she was used to. In fact, she wasn't so sure about the goodness of the Empire anymore. Some things she'd heard of and often witnessed seemed just plain evil, for lack of a better word. That was truly saying something. Mara was far from the most moral person she knew.

Indeed she was not, and she had a mission to complete, but for that she would have to get closer to Skywalker. Though it should not have sounded remotely appealing, for some odd reason she didn't mind. Though she would have normally rebuked herself for it, Mara was infinitely glad she did not have to ah…terminate him. Frankly, she did not think she would have been up to doing it – again. Last time, although she had not really the man, she had inexplicably regretted it. Yeah? Well it's not like you'll be doing the guy a favor by luring him to the Emperor. He's better off dead.

Skywalker passed her and she stepped out into the hallway, following him. She stopped for a few seconds and, with a small twitch of her wrist, she summoned his comlink. She was somehow amazed he hadn't felt it, but she was lucky he hadn't. For someone who was supposed to be so powerful, he had to be pretty absent-minded. That or she was getting good.

"Skywalker – You dropped your comlink!" Skywalker turned around and strode toward her. He blushed at the sight of her. Honestly, hadn't he talked to women before? Or maybe all men were this way…

"Thanks, er…"

"Jade." Mara said, smirking. Sometimes she loved the versatility of her name. You could never tell if it was her first or last name. He smirked back.

"Do you have a last name, or should I have a grand old time searching the database?" So he was capable of sarcasm. Mara grinned.

"Search the database. Actually, I'm surprised you don't already know my name. I'm replacing the dead guy on your squadron." She saw his face tighten, his eyes harden. Perhaps it had been a little tactless of her…

"You're a pilot?" He asked, quite stupidly, actually.

"Obviously. If I wasn't, would they be crazy enough to place me in any squadron, let alone yours?"

"You never know, " He said. " I'll see you shortly then – see if you're any good, too."

"You'd be surprised, Skywalker. You'd be surprised."


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Don't worry, I swear I'll write faster this time.