Chapter 14 – Cast in Shadow
"Have the droid deactivated and upload its memory banks to the main computer," Vader ordered. "Place the Jedi into high security, and the other two Rebels in separate cells. I want at least three sentries on duty at all times."
"It will be done, my lord," the officer said, saluting.
"Father," Jyn said, struggling against the two stormtroopers restraining her.
"Don't resist, Jyn," Erso said. "I don't want you getting hurt. There's no need."
Vader felt someone tugging on his cape. He turned to face the girl. His daughter. "You can't do this," she said, eyes shining. "Luke needs medical attention."
"And he will receive it," Vader said, "in his cell."
"But –"
"Take them away," Vader said with a flick of his wrist. The officers relayed the orders and the stormtroopers led the Rebels toward the Prerogative's brig, the unconscious young Jedi dragged along by his armpits.
"He could die!" Leia said
Vader gave her a long look.
"You care for him," he observed.
The girl swallowed visibly. She did not answer.
"Come with me," he said, taking her by the arm. "You too, Erso."
"My lord," Erso said, scurrying after them, "I must object –"
"When your daughter can be trusted," Vader said, "she may be released. But until then…"
"Yes, my lord," Erso said. "I understand."
"In the meantime, we have much to discuss." Vader glanced at the girl by his side. "Much indeed." She looked up to meet his gaze. He could practically see the shiver run through her. She was afraid of him.
It bothered him.
It was the typical reaction which his presence elicited. Abject terror. He was used to it, and indeed relished it. To see pitiful men and women tremble before him, subject to his awesome and brutal power, to his mercurial temper.
But the girl was different. She was a part of him. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. He wanted her respect, her obedience, her…
Love?
Darth Vader hardly knew what that meant.
Someone else did, though. Someone deep within him. Someone long gone. A naïve young man, wild and foolish. He had known love. He had felt it.
It had destroyed him.
Vader would not make the same mistake. He was wiser now.
He looked once more at the girl.
Δ Δ Δ
"You can let me go," Leia said to Vader. "I won't run. I have nowhere to go."
Vader said nothing. His grip on her did not relent as they marched down the sleek hallways of the Imperial Star Destroyer. With his stride much longer than hers, Leia was stumbling over herself trying to keep up. Galen Erso was following them a few lengths behind.
"I might bruise," Leia pointed out.
They approached a set of blast doors leading to the bridge. Vader pressed a button on his chest panel.
"Vader to the bridge," he said.
The blast doors opened. Leia staggered.
"Hey!" she protested. "Are you listening to me?"
"I will not hurt you," Vader said.
"Why not?"
The Dark Lord stopped. He half-turned to her.
"Why not?" Leia asked again. "You hurt everyone else. Luke. Cassian. Val. Why won't you hurt me?"
Nothing she said ever registered across his face, because of course Leia could not see it. She had no idea what it looked like beyond that mask. For all she knew, it was nothing more than circuitry and wires. That was the rumor, after all. That Darth Vader was actually a highly evolved droid, designed to carry out the Emperor's bidding, more brutal than an IG unit, more cunning than an astromech. But Leia knew that wasn't true. While she couldn't see it, she could sense it: Darth Vader was human. Like any human, he had his foibles, and Leia needed to learn how best to take advantage of them.
"You belong to me," Vader said, his grip tightening as he leaned down. "Is that understood?"
"No," Leia said with a grimace. "That hurts. Stop it."
Vader released her.
"I don't understand," Leia said.
"You will," Vader said. "In time."
He swept his cape and stalked off toward the bridge. Leia remained where she was, watching him go.
"Are you all right?" someone asked her. It was Galen, having just caught up.
Leia tried to say "Yes," but she couldn't quite bring herself to do so. She realized she was shaking.
"He's terrible," Galen said, whispering. "But at the same time…" He trailed off.
"What?" Leia said.
"Compassionate," Galen said. He frowned. "Odd, I know. But there's something about him. Something –"
"Human," Leia provided.
"Yes," Galen said. "Human."
They contemplated in silence.
"We should follow him," Galen said. "No point in making him angry."
Leia nodded. She and Galen walked side by side onto the bridge. There they saw Vader conversing with a female officer.
"Commodore Bose," Vader said. "Any word from Scarif?"
"Yes, my lord," Bose said. She seemed uncomfortable. Leia noticed the plaque on her uniform did not match the title by which Vader had addressed her. "The Death Star eliminated the Rebel forces on the planet."
"What?" Leia said, aghast.
Bose looked her way.
"Who is this?" she asked.
"Look at me, Commodore," Vader said ominously. Bose's head snapped back. "What of the Rebel fleet?"
"They fled, my lord, but not after sustaining heavy damage."
"Quantify this damage to me, Commodore."
"Reports are still trickling in, sir. But at least three cruisers and a litany of lesser assault craft were either damaged or destroyed. The Rebel Fleet has been dealt a very great blow today."
"Yes, indeed," Vader said, pensive.
"Will you require anything else, my lord?" Bose asked.
Vader did not answer right away. His gaze drifted toward the forward view port. They were in hyperspace now, and a motley of white and blue swirled in front of them.
"The admiral's chambers," he said. "I assume they are empty?"
"Yes, my lord," Bose said.
"I will retire there. Do not disturb me unless it is urgent."
Vader did not wait for a response. He turned on his heel and strode away. Leia and Galen quickly parted to let him go past.
"Both of you with me," he said.
She traded looks with Galen before hurrying after Vader.
"Lord Vader," Galen said. "May I ask –"
"Silence, Erso," Vader rumbled. "We will speak in private."
Leia didn't know what to make of that comment. Vader was acting awfully secretive. Why would that be? What did he have to hide? And from whom was he hiding it from?
His decision making was baffling. While she was grateful he had not chosen to do so, why hadn't Vader simply killed Jyn and Cassian? Her and Luke, she could understand. Luke was a Jedi, and therefore of great interest to Vader and Leia was… well, he was obsessed with her for some reason. Galen had said as much. But Jyn and Cassian were average Rebels in Vader's eyes. Why let them live? Did he want to extract information from them? But if so, what was he waiting for?
All these questions were permeated by the sneaking suspicion that Vader was up to something. Leia hadn't the faintest idea what it could be, but his behavior suggested it was, if not blatantly treacherous to the Empire, at least tangential to its interests. He was blazing his own path, one independent from his supposed master, the Emperor.
Why?
The admiral's chambers were located several floors below the bridge in the center of the Star Destroyer. They were quite luxuriant, as was to be expected. Intricate tapestries hung on the walls, bronze and marble busts rested atop miniature Doric columns, and a sturdy desk of rich wood stood beneath a large, presently blank tactical display. Amidst the glittering decor, what caught Leia's eye was the rich red and gold carpet on the floor. It had a floral damask pattern dancing about the Imperial crest at the center. It was, to Leia's cultured eye, quite the clash of styles. The fluidity of the former was entirely dissimilar to the rigid, blocky design of the latter. But that was the Empire, after all – a hodgepodge, thrown together without thought or consideration.
"This should be secure," Vader said upon appraising the space.
"Secure from what?" Leia asked.
Vader looked to the door. It sealed shut. "Prying eyes," he said. "Unwanted ears."
Leia waited.
"Erso," Vader said. "Your thoughts."
"On what, my lord?" Galen said.
"What we just heard from the commodore."
Galen's hands fiddled with his collar. "I, well…"
"You may speak freely," Vader said. When Galen did not do so, Vader added, "I know where your loyalties lie, Dr. Erso, and that is not with the Empire. If I were to punish you for your treasonous behavior, I would have already acted."
"Yes, I know," Galen said.
"Then speak."
Galen wiped his forehead. "It's horrible," he said. "Just horrible."
"Yes," Vader said.
"Yes?" Leia echoed.
Vader's gaze turned to her. "Do you not think so?"
Leia was momentarily speechless. "Of course I do," she said. "I'm just surprised you feel the same, that's all."
"And why is that?" Vader asked.
Leia didn't have a response. What was she supposed to say? That she thought he was heartless? Was that even true? From what she heard about him, from the Organas for instance, Darth Vader was a monster. And while he had done plenty to corroborate that assumption, he had also done plenty to complicate it.
"The Death Star is incomprehensibly evil," Galen said. "It must be destroyed."
Vader said nothing. He continued to look at Leia.
"Do you agree?" Leia asked him.
"Perhaps," Vader said. "Perhaps not. I would like to hear what you have to say."
"Me?" Leia said.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
Leia shook her head. "I want an answer," she demanded.
"To what question?" Vader asked.
"Why you're so interested in me."
No response. Vader continued to stare.
"I'm serious!" Leia said, stomping her foot on the carpeted ground.
Vader nodded. To Leia, he seemed almost resigned, although it was difficult to read his body language. "Erso," he said. "Leave us."
"My lord?"
"Wait in the hallway."
Galen's eyes darted to Leia. "Very well," he said, clearly reluctant. He left. The door closed behind him, and Leia felt her throat tighten. She and Vader were alone now.
There was silence for a beat. Then another. And another. The beats, Leia realized, were quite fast – her heart hammering in her chest. Was she scared? Or maybe she was excited. For what?
"What did Kenobi tell you?" Vader asked finally.
Leia thought she must have misheard. What did that have to do with anything?
"About what?" she asked.
"Me."
"You?" Leia frowned. "He told me… well, he told me you killed my father."
Vader's hands balled into fists.
"But I don't believe him," Leia said.
"You don't?"
"Not anymore, at least."
"Why not?"
Leia couldn't put it into words.
"I don't know," she said. "It doesn't feel right."
Vader took a step toward her, and Leia's heart, racing up until now, very nearly stopped.
"Your feelings serve you well," he said.
"What does that mean?" Leia asked.
"Search them, and you will find the truth."
"What truth?"
"About what happened to your father."
Leia, by instinct, looked at the lightsaber on her belt. Vader had surprisingly not taken it from her.
"That belonged to him," Vader said.
"How did you know?" Leia asked.
"May I?" Vader said, hand extended.
Leia shook her head at once. She covered the hilt with her hand. "I don't want you touching it."
"Why not?"
"You'll taint it." Leia winced at herself. Had she really said that to him? Smart idea to make the most dangerous man in the galaxy angry.
Yet Vader did not seem angry. He spoke calmly, with even a hint of solemnity. "It is already tainted. More than you could ever know."
"What do you mean?"
"Give it to me."
Leia had no choice. She unclipped the lightsaber from her belt and handed it to him.
"You respect this weapon," Vader said, turning it over in his hands.
"Yes," Leia said. "It belonged to my father."
"What do you know of him?"
"I know he was a Jedi. That's all, really."
"A Jedi," Vader echoed. He activated the blade. Leia tensed, but nothing about Vader's posture was threatening. The blue of the blade reflected in his red lenses. "They say it is an elegant weapon."
"It is," Leia said.
"No."
"No?"
"A lightsaber is a brutal thing. It cuts through almost anything. Metal, flesh, bone. It contains such a concentrated energy that it instantly cauterizes any wounds it reaps."
Leia swallowed hard.
"This weapon was the tool used for countless crimes," Vader said.
"Are you calling my father a criminal?" Leia asked, bristling with indignation.
"More than that," Vader said. "Your father was a fool. He was a coward. And he was a monster."
"Take that back!" Leia demanded.
"Search your feelings, Leia," Vader said. "You know what I say is true."
"No!" Leia said, screaming almost.
"You defend him," Vader said. "Why?"
"Because he's my father!"
"Do you love him?"
"I, well… yes, of course," Leia said, stumbling slightly.
"But you do not know him."
"I don't need to."
"You say that now. It is easy to say. You do not know what he did. You do not know what he turned into."
"What are you talking about?"
Vader deactivated the lightsaber. He returned the hilt to her.
"Search your feelings," he said again.
This time, she did. The fog of her frustration faded and with her mind now clear, Leia felt something strongly, a sort of warmth. A sense of conviction. It was in her hands, glowing. She looked down at the lightsaber.
The weapon, she had come to learn, was not unlike a living person. She couldn't quite describe it, but it was almost as if the lightsaber had feelings. Leia was attuned to those feelings – quite highly, in fact. Only with Luke could she detect them much clearer. Everyone else was a bit of a jumble, but this lightsaber… it spoke to her, in a way.
It was speaking to her now.
"I don't understand," she said.
"Don't you?" Vader said.
It was too bizarre. Too esoteric. Leia, so eager just a moment ago to have it back in her possession, now wanted to fling the lightsaber across the room. Instead, she wrapped her fingers around the cool metal hilt.
"Familiar," she said.
"What is?" Vader prompted.
"It knows you." Leia looked up at Vader. "It… remembers you."
"Yes," Vader said. "It does."
On a fundamental level, she understood what that meant. But it was too big, too absurd for her to wrap her head around. She stared at Vader, mouth slightly ajar, feeling like a fool.
A light flashed on Vader's chest panel, accompanied by a soft noise. Vader irritably pressed one of the buttons.
"What?" he snapped. He listened. "I understand."
"What is it?" Leia asked.
"I must go."
"Go? Where?"
"My master summons me."
"Your master? You mean the Emperor?"
"Stay here."
He turned to leave. Leia's hand, independent of her brain, darted out to grab him by the wrist. Vader stiffened, his head snapping back to her.
"What are you doing?"
Leia didn't know. A long silence stretched on.
"I will send in Erso," Vader said, pulling himself free from Leia's uncertain grasp.
"How?" Leia asked.
Vader looked at her, silent.
"I just… don't understand."
"Neither do I," said Vader. And then he left. Leia stood alone in the grand room, head spinning. To her right, she heard the whoosh of the door open and close.
"Leia?"
She turned her head to see Galen a few meters away, wringing his hands.
"Are you all right?"
By instinct, she nodded, but her eyes, glistening with unshed tears, told the truth. Galen took a few tentative steps forward.
"I'm afraid," Leia confessed to him.
"Yes," Galen said. "I know. I am too."
That was enough for now. An inkling of compassion was all she needed. Leia clipped the lightsaber, which felt as cold as ice, back to her belt. She released a shaking breath and covered her face with her hands.
She felt so very small.
Vader's shadow loomed overhead.
