Chapter 10: The Price of Failure
"I cannot do it." Ravan said, straining himself to center in the Force. He sat down on the soft carpet of Vader's cabin, legs crossed, eyes closed and trying to immerse himself in the dark side. Vader walked around him slowly, the breaths issuing out of his dark helmet in more controlled intervals so as not to disturb his learning apprentice so much.
"You can." Vader said and it sounded more like a command. "Clear your mind. Let go of everything and walk into the dark side of the Force."
It was a wonder Vader could even summon the encouraging words and instructions on how to meditate sinc.e he himself had not perfected the art. Ever since he was a Padawan learner he never could do it. But then, it seemed to be working, Ravan was completely still now, making no sound other than breathing. He was meditating, Vader inwardly smiled, but then it turned to a frown when Ravan's eyes both shot open.
"Admiral Ozzel is coming. He seems worried."
And then as his apprentice had said Admiral Ozzel burst into Vader's cabin. His face was slightly glistening with sweat and his cap was slightly off balance. He bowed quickly.
"Lord Vader I have… bad news."
"Bad news?" Vader repeated, emphasizing the words with great displeasure.
"Yes, bad news, we released the Tantive IV milord, but before our turbo lasers could fire on it… it well… jumped into hyperspace." Ozzel said fusing the last three words into one so it sounded more like; jumpedinthyperspce.
"The jumped into hyperspace!" Vader asked in fury, every light in the room shattered and sent glass everywhere, letting only the stars of space shining into the windows be the only light source and making Vader a black silhouette against the darkness. Ravan too had now stood up. "You imbecile! Why didn't you release them and put a tractor beam on them? WHO WAS PILOTING IT!"
"B-b-best we can determine droids that were left behind, o-or concealed humans, Corellian Corvettes are commonly used for s-smuggling and it could have had s-secret compartments." Ozzel squeaked.
"I told you every part of that ship needed to be checked!" Vader cried. "You have failed me Admiral for the first and last time."
Vader raised a gloved fist into the air, and Ozzel went up with it, invisible cords wrapping themselves around his neck. He gasped and tried hard to breath air into his lungs, but it was too late. His neck cracked and his body dangled limp. Vader let it fall and pushed it into the gray wall of the hall. He grumbled as he headed to the bring, his apprentice close behind him.
XxX
"Captain Piett!" Vader cried as he arrived on the bridge of the Devastator. Luke stayed by the door and out of Vader's war path. Piett grimaced as his name was called and quickly ran up to Vader. He bowed very abruptly.
"I see Admiral Ozzel has told you about the Tantive." Piett said.
"Indeed!" Vader boomed, with some sarcasm. "What is the meaning of this? How did it happen?"
"Best we can figure milord, as Ozzel probably told you is that either a droid we left aboard it programmed the hyperspace coordinates into it before we released it and jumped, or a human hidden in a secret compartment."
"Calculate all possible hyperspace routes within the ships last known trajectory." Vader ordered. "And Captain Piett, you are in command now. Do not fail me, Admiral Piett."
Piett saluted. "I will not let you down."
"Master?" Ravan asked by the door of the bridge.
"Yes Lord Ravan?" Vader replied.
"Perhaps I should go and interrogate the Princess, she might have information for us on where the ship is headed, or we might get some idea."
"You may go, just be prepared. It will not be easy to extract that information from her."
"I will master."
"You are not authorized for any means of torture Ravan, nothing, you have no experience."
"I understand."
"Then go." Vader turned back to the crew. "Display the entire list of possible destinations on the tactical screen."
XxX
The princess was indeed beautiful, despite the face that her white robes were now spattered with grime from the cells floor, and had stains all over it. Her hair was tied up on each side into cinnamon roll shaped buns that were now slightly loose and strands of her brown hair hung from them. If she was wearing a sleeveless dress Ravan would have noticed a few bruises on her arms from when they had forced her to strip so that they may do a search. She seemed to be around the same age as him too. He walked up to her and bent down, close to her face trying to make his eyes turn yellow like the Emperor's.
"Princess Leia." Ravan stated.
"Yes that is my name." Leia replied to him as though he was a moron. "Can you tell me what yours is."
"Ravan." Ravan said.
"No, the name you had before Vader took you in."
"Luke." Ravan replied. Perhaps if he shared information with her she may start to trust him.
"Luke…?"
"Lars." Ravan replied.
"Luke Lars?" She repeated, a small smile on her face. "Are your parents deaf? Do they know how that sounds? Unless it isn't your real name…."
Darn, she saw right through him, Luke or Ravan had never been good at lying, though he had managed to convince Vader, but that was only because Vader didn't see his eyes when he said it. Being right up to Leia, she could not miss it. He jumped back, a little more abruptly that he had intended.
"What makes you think its not my real name."
"You are a terrible liar."
"Very well," Ravan replied. "Luke Skywalker."
"Good, now I know exactly who you are and I can have you jailed for life when the rebel alliance takes over. My father may even kill you for what you are about to do to me."
"What am I about to do to you?"
"Torture me?"
"Wrong, I just want to ask you a few questions."
"Okay then I'll just tell you everything I know then." Leia said with sarcasm very evident in her voice.
"Cut with the sarcasm, now do you have any idea where your ship might have went?"
"Oh, my ship, I heard it had escaped about twenty minutes ago when the warden was overseeing me shower. It just so happens I do know where it went but I am not going to tell you, Luke."
"Ravan." Ravan corrected. "And you must tell me, we will kill you if you cannot provide information."
"But you see, if I do provide information Vader will kill everyone I know and love so you'll understand if I don't feel like causing the deaths of my friends. You are such a kid."
"Hey, I am as old as you!"
"Yeah, and you are way more naïve." She countered.
Luke was about to retort when the cell door came open and a black uniformed imperial stepped in.
"Lord Ravan, Lord Vader orders you to report to the bridge."
"Alright." Ravan said stepping out of the cell, he turned back to Leia. "We'll talk later."
He didn't give Leia the chance to reply but started down the horizontal shaped cell bay hall hearing the black uniformed man say something to Leia.
Telling Leia his real name was not a realistic as it could be, but it will all work out and besides it was better than some of the other ideas I had.