"Princess Leia," the Emperor purrs, his rancid breath fanning across her face. He smiles, showing a mouthful of rotten teeth. "How glad I am to see you again."
She stands in the heart of the Imperial palace, in a vast room with fine furnishings centered by a throne in the middle that she now faces. Here, she is being forcefully "presented" to the Emperor, Vader's wretched hand clasping her shoulder even as he did on the Death Star. An hour ago, the very dark lord forced an attendant droid on the Death Star to change her clothes, make up her face, and do her hair. Now, on the outside, she looks as polished as 2V ever could have wished for.
It defies the complete brokenness within. Leia startled to see her reflection—so beautiful, so well made-up. No one would have any reason to suspect anything but a put together princess. Except in the eyes. In the eyes… she saw the death dwelling within her soul.
Emperor Palpatine is a repugnant old toad face-to-face. His heavy purple hood fails to conceal the inhuman paleness of his skin, or the tawny, greedy gleam of his feral gaze.
"I understand," the old Emperor continues relentlessly, "that you have been relatively silent since your capture."
"I have little to say." All she can hope, now, is to remain brave in her final moments. She only wants death to come .
And maybe that is why the Emperor chooses this precise moment to say, "We look forward to having you here as our guest for a long, long time. Why, since you have lost your palace, I consider it my duty as Emperor to welcome you with open arms here…"
Leia laughs. "' Lost'." Like Alderaan suddenly disappeared as if in a magic trick…
("We look forward to having you here as our guest for a long, long time." No. No. No...)
The old man's smile snaps taught. "Yes," he muses. "Lord Vader told me you might be useful… once your defiance is entirely cured. Then, you shall be a cherished ward of these halls."
Leia spits in his face. " Never ."
She'll pay. Oh, how she will pay and she knows it. But at the moment, in the glee of vengeful victory… she doesn't give a damn . But for some reason, the Emperor just begins to laugh—a terrible, chilling laugh that echoes around the cavernous room, dark exultation in its depths.
There is no humor within it. Only promise.
Luke storms through the Millenium Falcon's hatchway and into the cockpit, fire in his sky eyes. His former X-Wing floats away toward Yavin and the Imperial coalition, forever abandoned, no doubt soon to be ash by their lasers. "Why did you do that?"
"You were gonna get yourself shot to the blazes, kid," Han drawls back, not even looking behind him as he and Chewbacca work on the controls, preparing a jump to hyperspace. "Goin' after that TIE convoy was pure idiocy."
"Like fighting here was?"
"Your words, Luke, not mine."
Something in Luke Skywalker's lava-filled brain snaps. "You shut up!" he hurls.
And Han laughs . "Hold on. We're headin' to hyperspace in three… two… one—aaahgh!"
Luke has Han pinned against the cockpit wall. The electric blue swirl of hyperspace spins around them, Chewie having pulled the lever on cue. The Wookie, outraged at his friend's peril and Luke's attack, makes to move to defense—
But stops when Han yells frantically, "Chewie! Don't!" for Luke has the hilt of his lightsaber pressed against the soft flesh of Han's jaw.
"How dare you?" Luke fumes, the lava burning within him in his voice now. "The Rebellion died today— Leia died today—and you want to make jokes—?"
"Kid," says Han, "get off me."
"No," growls Luke. "I won't. I'll make you pay for this. I'll— don't even think about it, Chewie! I'll—"
And then, a voice from the beyond. A specter from beyond. Ben Kenobi shimmers into ghostly form before Luke, severe and warning. "Don't, Luke. This is the temptation of the dark side that you're feeling."
"Ben?!"
" Ben ?" Han says. "You're crazy! You've lost it, kid!"
"Put down the lightsaber, Luke, and listen to me." Sensing Luke's wavering, Ben continues, "You must go train with Yoda. He will show you how to control your anger."
"But—" For the first time, the lava hesitates. "Leia… the Rebels…"
"There is still a hope. But there won't be any if you start down the dark path like Vader did."
Vader . The one who killed Luke's father. That… doesn't help the anger inside him. But oddly enough, it focuses him enough to snap out of this. The lightsaber falls from limp fingers. He steps away from the wide-eyed Han, who has a he's gone mad glint in his honey eyes. He sucks in a shuddering breath, then asks Ben,
"Where do I find Yoda?"
OOO
Author's note: Please review, because would be my first one for this story and would mean so much. Thank you.
