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Chapter 6: The Force, The Sith, The Emperor

The Emperor's royal throne room was dull and majestic. Its walls were a mixture of gray and black, its floor was tiled black marble and there was a gray plated situation table in the middle, surrounded by six black chairs. Behind the table was a small case of about thirty stairs leading up to a black metal platform, and on the platform was a figure seated in a black chair. He was cloaked from what Luke could tell, all that was visible was the lower part of his face, just below his nose and from what Luke could tell he was either very old or something had melted his skin.

Vader led him up the stairs in front of the chair, he was powerless to resist with electrobinders tying his hands behind his back. When they came in front of the chair the cloaked man stood up, he was not tall compared to Vader, at least a foot or two shorter and his head came just past Luke's own. His chapped lips curled upward into a smile that revealed his rotting teeth.

"This is the one you told me about Lord Vader?" He asked. Of course he knew it was though, and he knew exactly who this was and he could not find a logical explanation that Vader did not know the truth about this boy, perhaps his senses were blind to the fact but Sidious could see their relation as clear as day. This boy was Luke Skywalker and he was the son, not the nephew of Darth Vader, but perhaps Vader just mistook what he sensed to be his nephew.

"Yes master." Vader said over Luke's head.

"Very good my apprentice, the Force is strong in him, leave. Continue your search for the princess."

Vader bowed slightly. "Yes master."

He turned and left Luke alone with the smiling Emperor, who waited until the turbo lift door closed and they were alone. He turned and sat back down his chair. He waved a hand.

"Guards, leave us." He commanded, Luke looked behind him, there were two red robed and helmeted guards he had not noticed before. Each walked around behind the turbo lift shaft, to the back of the throne room and through a archway that must have led their quarters as well as the Emperor's.

"You no longer need those." The Emperor said, his flicked his hand, there was a click, and Luke felt his hands fall away from each other as his electrobinders fell to the ground.

"You have questions, don't you young one? Ask them."

"Where are my… parents? Release them now!"

"Ha, ha, ha! Are you aware that you are a prisoner and are in no position to be making demands? If I wanted I could kill you right now and no one would ever know. Your parents would die and it would be as though you never existed."

"Well will you release them?"

"All in good time, perhaps my boy. But it is my turn for questions." Sidious answered and smiled lightly. "Are you interested in learning the ways of the Force and becoming a Sith?"

"The Force? Sith?"

"Yes the Force, it is where a Sith draws his power from, it surrounds us and lives in everyone, most are to weak to use it, others are strong like you. You are what we call Force sensitive."

"Me? I can use the Force."

"Yes, now I ask you again will you join me and become a Sith Lord?"

"What exactly is a Sith Lord?"

"Sith Lords are the most powerful beings in the galaxy, they control the Force, and use it as a tool for their own will. I am a Sith Lord as is Lord Vader."

"I am not so sure."

"Yes you are. I can feel it within you. The path of the Sith is the path of power. You have always wanted much more, now is your chance. Take it or die."

"Perhaps, I will learn what you can teach me."

"Good, good. You will join me and Lord Vader and together we will rule the galaxy." Sidious said, and pausing for a moment he called out with his thoughts to someone. "We can start the initial training soon, tomorrow."

"But I am tired."

The Emperor frowned.

"Tired?" He repeated softly. He extended two clawed hands as though he was about to stand up and grab Luke's shoulders but he did not move. Instead he sat still and then lightning flew at Luke, slamming into his body and sending waves of pain down his body. He was nearly knocked backwards by the Force of the first dose. On the second he fell to the ground, withering and screaming in pain until the Emperor finally stood up and stopped. "Tired or not your training will begin tomorrow. You must learn and bypass your weaknesses like being tired. Only then will you be all powerful."

"Please…" Luke said from the ground. "No more… don't kill me… I cannot…"

But this seemed to just anger the Emperor more. He extended his hands again and zapped Luke with more lightning.

"Death does not wait, death does not consider!" He cried over the lightning and then he let up, allowing Luke to catch his breath and stand up. "You must defend yourself in the face of death, you cannot beg your opponent not to kill you and show mercy for you will never do the same."

Luke nodded, pain still coursing through his entire body.

"You alright kid?" Asked a female voice from behind him. He turned to see a woman with long red hair, dressed in a tight fitting shirt and pants walking up the steps. From his first look Luke thought he might not see correctly because if he was then this woman was no older than him. Finally he saw he was right, she looked exactly his age.

"Kid? You are as old as me!"

"Maybe, but right now I know a lot more than you do."

"This is Mara Jade." The Emperor said. "This is the boy from the farm on Tatooine Jade, the one who is Force sensitive. Show him to the empty room next to yours."

"Yes milord." Mara bowed, her long red hair slid down over her shoulders, she came back up and it flew behind her head, when she turned to Luke he looked as though he had already recovered from the lightning, and faintly, with the Force power she had she could feel feelings of attraction toward her emanating from him. Sidious was paying no attention. He was back on his chair and in the process of turning it around to gaze out of the giant window.

"Come on farm boy." Mara said. Luke narrowed his eyes.

"Farm boy?"

"That's what I said. Now come on." She motioned for him to come with slow movements as though he were a stupid kid. He shook his head and followed her down off the platform, past the turbo lift and to the archway at the back of the room the guards had exited. They were nowhere in sight.

Luke found himself standing in a long dark hallway. From the arch it went to the left, then to the right.

"Okay listen up farm boy." Mara said as she began walking down the left. "You always go to your room while you stay here. Clear?"

"Yes Miss Jade." Luke said

"Do not call me that."

"Okay Mara."

"Ugh! Can you just refer to me as milady or something respectable?"

"Its hard when you call me farm boy."

"Get used to it."

"Then get used to me calling you Miss Jade."

"That sounds so…."

"Sweet? Annoying? Prissy?"

"Prissy."

"Good, I was hoping for that."

"Okay fine, now listen, only go down the left way and stop." She stopped immediately and he nearly ran into her, which strangely he would have been alright with. She pointed and a black rectangular door in front of her. "This is your room, you only come to the left and you only go to your room. Go to the right and the auto turrets will kill you on sight."

"Auto turrets?"

"Yes, the Emperor is obsessed with security, and by the way you didn't hear it from me, so he keeps auto turrets programmed to target any moving thing accept him."

"Odd."

"Yeah, well." She pointed at the black door next to his. "My room. Don't come in."

And with that she walked up to her door, it slid opened and closed immediately after she stepped in. Luke did the same. The room wasn't exactly a luxury. It was a main living area and kitchen section. It had a sofa facing a HoloNet screen, as well as a holoprojector at the corner of the room for communication. The kitchen area was tiled black, it had a counter, a refrigeration section for food and a small table with two seats. At the end of the living area was a door that led into a sleeping area and adjoining fresher. Luke headed in there to explore his new surroundings and take a long hot shower.