Interrogation
(3 Months ABY)
Night was just falling on Monument Plaza when Serina settled the StarLady down in the main shuttle bay of Vader's castle. Caaroq was already waiting for her when Serina descended the ramp.
"Is Lord Vader back already?" Serina asked the taller woman as they made their way toward her private rooms.
"Yes, but he went up to the Emperor's skyhook about an hour ago. He should return shortly. Will you be able to stay a little bit longer this time?"
Serina shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. All I've been doing for the past few months has been checking on rebel activities all over the galaxy and chasing leads regarding that pilot Vader is so set on catching. I think I've seen more different places in the last three months than in the ten years before the destruction of the Death Star." She allowed herself a deep sigh. "I haven't seen much of Lord Vader either lately. Perhaps now he'll be able to spend some time with me."
But she knew only too well, how unlikely that was. From the time she had left Vader behind to limp to Vaal, up to this very moment, she had barely had time to think. Once back on Imperial Center, she had just started to contact several bounty hunters and other agents to advise them of Vader's newest assignment when the Emperor had summoned her...
"And Mala: contact me immediately once you have a promising lead," she charged the pointed-eared bounty hunter at the other end of the transmission. At the edge of her perception, a red signal started flashing. Without another word, she terminated the connection to Centares and activated the incoming transmission.
A young officer appeared on the screen. "Captain Wanders, the Emperor requests your immediate presence," he informed her and ended the transmission without waiting for her response.
The short shuttle trip to the Imperial Palace didn't provide her with much time to order her thoughts. But there was one piece of information she had to do her best to hide from the exceedingly powerful Sith Lord: the name of the pilot who had destroyed the Death Star. Of course, Palpatine would discover his identity sooner or later, but, if she could delay that moment by just a few more weeks or even months, it would provide additional time for Luke to come to terms with his heritage.
The throne room was empty except for the permanent complement of red-clad Royal Guards. The Emperor had swiveled his chair to gaze out of the large circular window at the sparkling lights of the Imperial City.
Serina made her way to the foot of the elevated platform and got down on one knee. With her head bowed low, she waited for Palpatine to address her.
"Where is he?" The Sith Lord had not bothered to turn to gaze at the young woman. But his evil presence engulfed her, crushing her with the fierceness of his anger.
"His vessel was damaged," she choked out between clenched teeth. "He should be on Vaal by now and will return as quickly as possible." If all went as planned, but when did that ever happen, at least in the last couple of months?
"The Death Star?"
The pressure receded enough to allow her to speak more freely. "It was destroyed. One lucky shot to an unprotected exhaust port. Lord Vader had warned Grand Moff Tarkin that there was a weak spot. But he wouldn't …" She swallowed the rest of her words as the Emperor swiveled his chair around to glare down at her.
"Who?" He didn't need to expound. The meaning was obvious enough.
"A young rebel pilot, from what we found out so far. And…" Serina hesitated for an instant, reluctant to proceed. But if she delivered that small piece of information, he might not dig any deeper. "… from what Lord Vader told me, the pilot was strong in the Force. Otherwise, he would have never been able to hit that target. Measures have already been commenced to uncover his identity."
For long moments, silence encompassed her as Palpatine pondered the information provided. Then the pressure was gone, and he ordered her to rise to her feet. "Inform me as soon as you discover the name." With a wink of his hand, he dismissed the young woman.
Serina turned and headed toward the turbolifts at the far side of the room. But she didn't get far. An invisible grip stopped her dead in her tracks. A searing pain shot through her and set her inside on fire. She crumbled to the floor in a heap, shuddering under the powerful onslaught.
An evil cackle accompanied his final remark. "Tell him, I expect his report. He better not let me wait too long." As the Emperor swiveled his throne away from her to resume his gaze at the magnificent cityscape, he released her out of his mental grip.
With her whole body still aching from the fierceness of his wrath, she struggled to her feet and covered the final meters to the turbolift. As she stepped into the spacious cabin, an unwelcomed thought crossed her mind: whatever punishment the Emperor had in store for his apprentice, she wouldn't want to trade places with her master for anything in the whole galaxy.
Palpatine hadn't wasted any time. Right after she had left, he had passed the information she had provided him with to his staff of advisors, promising advancement to whoever discovered the identity of the rebel pilot and eliminated him. The race had started. And the winner was far from certain.
Back at Vader's castle, it hadn't taken long for the first leads to pop up. By the time her master had finally returned a few days later, his armor slightly damaged and his cape in shreds, the bounty hunters had located a rebel pilot on Centares that had partaken in the battle as well as a rebel deserter who also claimed possession of the high-priced information. Without even reporting personally to the Emperor, Vader had left again within just a few hours after his arrival to fly to Centares while sending her to follow up on some of the other promising leads.
Serina couldn't imagine that Palpatine had been pleased with Vader's blatant disobedience, but at least he hadn't been able to take it out on her. And she had been on the go ever since, first, to discover the pilot's name and, once it had been revealed, to track him down whenever he left the rebel's headquarters.
Once, a few weeks after her departure from Imperial Center, she had been informed of an intercepted transmission from an Imperial Station in the Zoma system and Yavin 4. It had been highly encrypted, and it had taken her several days to find the correct decryption method. She had contacted her master immediately…
"Soresh!" The disgust in Vader's voice was palpable. "Skywalker is on Tatooine?"
"According to X-7. But the transmission took place a few days back." Serina felt the need to clarify.
"How long will it take you?"
The young woman checked her navigational computer. "I will be there by noon tomorrow," she informed her master.
"Make sure that this X-7," he spat out the name, his distaste for the whole Omega-Project wrapped into a single designation, "doesn't get a chance to complete his mission. I will join you shortly. Skywalker will be mine!"
"What about Soresh?" Serina dared to question.
"Never mind that coward. He will get his just reward in due time."
When she had arrived on Tatooine, X-7's attempt to kill Luke had already been foiled by the young rebel's friends and the Millenium Falcon was on its way back to Yavin 4.
In the days that followed, Vader had kept her busy, sending her out to follow diverse leads as to the whereabouts of young Skywalker, while he himself had kept a close tap on Soresh and his renegade assassin.
Then the Imperial garrison on Belazura had been destroyed and X-7, the most promising output of Project Omega, had died. The former Imperial commander had escaped Vader's grasp and had disappeared without a trace. For weeks, she had tried to find a lead, now no longer regarding the young would-be Jedi only, but also as to what Soresh might be up to. That it couldn't be anything good had been clear from the start. But all her efforts had turned into wild bantha chases.
Finally, after nearly two full months, an Imperial informer had passed on a sighting of the former Alderaanian princess at the Royal Palace of Nyemari. And where Leia showed up, Luke wouldn't be far away. Therefore, Serina had hurried to travel halfway across the galaxy from the Arkanis sector in the south-eastern part of the Outer Rim to the Meridian sector way up north.
And again, she had arrived too late. The Millenium Falcon had taken off more than a day prior to her arrival. Her investigation into the rebels' activities had led her to a dusty, disused plaza with a dead Glymphid. His death had born the handwriting of Soresh all over it and she had started to backtrack the non-human's path, hoping it would point her to the former Imperial commander's hide-out. But there might have been a lot of things to be said about Soresh, he might have been crazy and power-hungry, but one thing had certainly not been the case: he had never been careless or sloppy. He had covered his tracks well.
Although Vader would have never shown it, the commander's call several days later had surprised even him. They had traced the transmission to its origin and her master had set a medium-sized fleet in motion to end the problem with Soresh once and for all. She had just been on her way back toward Imperial Center when she had received his call…
"Join me in the Sixela system in the Thuris sector. Contact me when you arrive."
Serina acknowledged the order and terminated the connection to her master. She entered the new destination into her navicomp. Apparently, her latest search for the fugitive former Imperial commander in the Arkanis sector had brought her fairly close to his hiding place just a few sectors away. But now she was on the opposite side of the galaxy and it would take her at least two hours longer than Vader's taskforce to reach her destination. By the time she got there, the action would most likely be over already.
Three days and five orientation-stops later she dropped back to realspace just outside a small star system with six unnamed planets circling a blue giant.
"What in the blazes…?" Serina exclaimed as her display lit up like the sky above Imperial Center on Emperor's day. A fierce fight had commenced just at the edges of the system.
But this was not a fight against Soresh himself. Somehow, he had managed to trick a good portion of the rebel fleet to arrive at about the same time as Vader's taskforce. The whole situation reeked of diligent planning. It was a trap to get rid of both sides and allow Soresh to reclaim his position with the Emperor! The realization hit Serina with uncanny certainty as her gaze was drawn to the energy readings of the system's sun. Something was seriously wrong with the dim blue giant. She raked her brain for a moment as to what the readings indicated. And then she drew in a sharp breath: the sun was going to go supernova! It had to be caused by a weapon of sorts. Suns just didn't go supernova ahead of their natural end of life.
"Get me Lord Vader immediately," she commanded after she had established a connection to the Interdictor Star Destroyer the Dark Lord had commandeered for this mission as his flagship.
"Lord Vader has taken a shuttle to the moon of the third planet. Do you want to speak to Admiral Horic instead?"
Serina shook her head. "No, but tell him that that sun is going to blow in just a few more minutes. Have the fleet prepared to depart as soon as it does!"
The young communications officer glared at her in disbelieve. "You are the second person telling us that. That princess said the same thing a couple of minutes ago."
"And did you check it out?"
The young man shook his head. "The Admiral said, it was only a pathetic rebel trick."
Anger welled up in the young woman. How dense could some officers be? "It was no trick, tell him that. For Edge's sake: check the readings!" she had to reign in her emotions to not yell at him. Then she cut the transmission and accelerated her vessel toward the third planet, giving the ongoing fight a wide birth. Moments later, the sun flared up brightly and started to collapse. Time was running out. At the most, forty more minutes and the whole system and anybody left behind would be swept up in the expanding shock wave. She set the countdown and programmed an emergency jump that would take her to safety. But first, she would have to ensure that her master would be safe as well.
The moon was reddish-brown and mostly dead. Her sensors showed only one small settlement right at the equator. Vader's shuttle had settled down just north of it. The Star Lady assumed a stationary position several clicks above the outpost. As she extended her perception downward toward the cluster of small, fortresslike buildings, she could feel her master's presence as a dark cloud passing through the underground corridors.
But the Dark Lord was not alone down there. Another ripple appeared in the Force. For an instant, Serina felt dismayed at the thought that it might be Luke, but she discarded that notion quickly. No, this presence was much older than young Skywalker, older and much more experienced in using the Force. And yet, she doubted that whoever was down there would have the slightest bit of a chance against her master.
She cast another glance at the timer. Twenty more minutes. Was Vader aware of the impending doom? Several ships lifted off from the settlement and headed toward open space. She quickly checked the status of the fight. But it had ended moments earlier. Blink, blink, blink … vessel after vessel disappeared from her display as they entered hyperspace to flee the dying sun.
Again, she stretched her senses toward the settlement below her. The place was nearly deserted now with just two small ships at the southern entrance. One of them was ready to lift off, but they were obviously waiting for somebody. Serina reached further into the outpost, down toward the corridors where she had felt the presence of her master moments earlier. A fight had erupted. Ripple after ripple tore through the fabric of the Force, as both combatants applied the energies around them to gain the upper hand. Frustration welled up in her. There was nothing she could do but watch and wait.
But she didn't have to wait long. A ripple of pleasure from Vader washed over her as he plunged his lightsaber into his opponent's heart. Then Serina could sense his presence hurrying away through the tunnels toward his shuttle.
A chime interrupted her concentration. A quick glance confirmed that the small freighter had finally taken off. Ten more minutes. They were really cutting it close! Should she try to contact her master? A movement at the edge of her perception diverted her attention. Her display confirmed her immediate hunch: the Millenium Falcon and a small X-wing were approaching the settlement. Again, she turned her mind toward the site of the fight. The presence, she had perceived earlier, was still there, but fading quickly. Then it was over. Whoever had tried to confront the Dark Lord had paid with his life for his insolence.
Serina returned her attention to the physical world. Five more minutes. A quick glance confirmed, that her master had reached his shuttle. Below her, four figures were carrying a body toward the waiting freighter. Serina activated the sublight engines and steered her ship toward open space. In the distance, Vader's shuttle sped toward its jumppoint. When moments later, the shock wave swallowed the third planet with its reddish moon and rolled onward toward the rest of the system's planets, the Star Lady and both rebel ships had escaped with only seconds to spare.
She had rendezvoused with Vader half a sector away. While he had headed back toward Imperial Center, she had been tasked with tracking the rebels' retreat. Once she had confirmed that they had returned to Yavin 4 to regroup, her master had ordered her to return home. Finally! And although it might be quite unlikely that he would find some time for her, it was not forbidden to hope.
Caaroq looked over at her friend. A longing expression had softened Serina's features reminding her of the first time they had met more than twelve years back. As on other occasions before, she became aware of the changes her friend had gone through during that time, developing from a young naive girl to a mature powerful woman, worthy of her place at Lord Vader's side. But time and experiences had also hardened her, and she had gotten quite indifferent toward the fate of others.
Caaroq still didn't fully understand what motivation was driving Serina, but that her quite intimate relationship to the Dark Lord was responsible for much of her behavior, that she was certain of.
Serina had just gotten out of the shower and was getting dressed when Vader ordered her to join him in his private chambers.
The large room was only dimly lit, and the Dark Lord was standing silhouetted against the large viewscreen. When Serina stepped up to his side she marveled at the displayed construction plans. They showed an immense arrowhead-shaped starship, according to the measurements given at least ten times the size of an Imperial Star Destroyer. With a questioning expression on her face, she gazed up at the masked figure beside her.
"My new flagship, a Super-class Star Destroyer. It will be finished in just a few more months. It will spell out the ultimate destruction for the rebellion. I have named it the Executor. What do you think?"
"A befitting name, master," Serina agreed. "It must have taken quite some years to build."
"Yes, it has been in building for a long time already and was just transferred to the shipyards at Fondor a little while ago for the final stages of construction," Vader informed her. "But soon the waiting will be over. The Emperor has even agreed to delay the final attack on Yavin Four until it is finished. Against it, the rebels will not have a chance at all."
"But that will give them even more time to gather further support. And they might manage to move their main base to a different location in that time as well."
"Our blockade has been quite effective so far. And it will remain in place for the next few months. Right now, I have another problem to take care of."
"A problem, master?" Serina's voice reflected her surprise. Could there be anybody in the Empire daring enough to oppose a Dark Lord of the Sith?
"Only a minor one," Vader replied. "Since the destruction of the Death Star I have become aware that there are again some admirals in our Navy jealous of my position with the Emperor."
"Oh," this did not come as a surprise to Serina, "some more like Admiral Motti? Will they ever learn to not underestimate you?"
"Probably not! The time has come to teach them an important lesson. Admiral Griff has proved quite loyal to my cause. I shall use him to set up a trap for the others." Then he proceeded to lay out his plan before her.
"You will return to the shipyards shortly?" Serina had hoped to spend some time with him, perhaps even take a short trip to Vjun. But Vader seemed much too preoccupied with the ongoing rebellion. There would hardly be any time for such pleasures.
Vader perceived her disappointment, although she tried her best to not show it openly. Under his mask, he allowed himself a smile. "You will accompany me to the construction site tomorrow."
"Well, thank you, master." Serina could barely conceal her excitement at this proposition.
The shipyard was bustling with activity when the Devastator arrived the following day. From the bridge of the Imperial Star Destroyer, Darth Vader watched the ongoing construction work. Slowly his new flagship was nearing completion. He did not bother to turn when Serina stepped up to his side.
"Construction appears to be on schedule, master. It will be quite an imposing ship." Serina did not try to hide how much the huge construction project had impressed her.
"Yes, quite imposing indeed. Whole planets will tremble when it approaches. It will become the new symbol of the Empire's power and the means of ending this rebellion and bringing again order to the galaxy."
Serina nodded in agreement. "It will of course also be a symbol of your power." In a low voice, she added, "When will you proceed with your other plan?"
"The Admiral should contact me soon. Get your ship ready to take us over to the Transfer Station."
"Immediately, master." Serina turned and walked briskly toward the turbolift.
A short time later, the StarLady lifted off from the hangar bay and headed toward the central complex of the shipyard. Serina was piloting her sleek craft herself while Vader had settled down in the co-pilot's seat.
"Admiral Griff has informed me that everything is going according to our plan. The Admirals have consented to send a message to the rebel headquarters on Yavin Four. If the rebels take up their offer - and they would be fools not to - there should be a rebel spy heading our way shortly." Vader sounded quite satisfied with the developments. Soon he would be able to eliminate all those in the Imperial Navy contending for his position with the Emperor in one single strike.
Serina was not inclined to feel any compassion for those admirals. Most of them had risen to high positions in the Imperial forces not only by faithful service to the Empire but, more often than not, by intrigue or just because of good connections. Only too well did she still remember her encounter with Admiral Motti on the Death Star.
No, she told herself, these men didn't deserve her compassion. It was their own mistake to meddle with a Dark Lord of the Sith. They, of all the people in the galaxy, should know better. Had they not all experienced the powers Lord Vader commanded? Most of them had, but instead of instilling dread in their hearts they were now moved with contempt for him and with envy. They would have done much better to fear him!
The only person in this whole setup she felt a certain amount of pity for was the rebel spy, whoever it might be. Although only a pawn in Vader's attempt to overthrow the admirals, he would not be able to escape the Dark Lord's questioning and torture.
Although there was much to see at the huge construction facility, Serina was starting to get bored after only a few days. The rebel spy had not shown up yet and everything else was just moving along according to Vader's planning. Though she finally had the opportunity to spend some private time with him in his meditation chamber, he always appeared too preoccupied with other things to allow her to truly enjoy the hours with him.
Therefore, she was quite relieved when Vader ordered her to ready her ship for a trip toward the Outer Rim. "Captain Needa aboard the Star Destroyer Avenger has picked up a rebel fighter pilot who was escorting some supply ships toward the rebel headquarter on Yavin Four. The freighters and escort ships were destroyed but this pilot managed to escape the destruction.
Captain Needa has been interrogating the man thoroughly, but either he doesn't have any valuable information or Needa's methods have just not been effective enough. You will go there and question the man personally. The rebels have had enough time to seek out a new base. If they have found one, we need to know about it. Use whatever methods you see fit."
"As you wish, master, I will stay in contact." Then Serina turned and headed out the door toward the hangar bay. The task Vader had given her was not something she really enjoyed. To retrieve information from a stubborn individual sometimes required quite nasty methods, but she would try to be as easy on the guy as possible. And, she thought to herself, anything is better than just sitting around here and waiting for events to take place.
The Avenger was part of the fleet assigned to monitoring the Yavin system and thus creating an - although not always - effective blockade. Ships managed to get through this enclosure often enough to ensure that the rebel headquarters on Yavin Four could continue its operation. But not all ships were quite that lucky. Oftentimes, freighters were captured or, even worse, destroyed during their attempt to break through the blockade. The small escort fighters, usually X- or Y-Wings, were not enough to protect them against the attack of an Imperial Star Destroyer.
Captain Needa had been successful in preventing several transports from getting through the blockade, but they had yet to discover where the supplies were coming from. Most rebels did not allow themselves to be taken prisoner. The capture of this particular rebel had therefore been quite fortunate, but so far, the information they had forced out of the man was not very satisfactory.
"As you wish, Lord Vader," Captain Needa was not at all pleased at this development but tried his best not to show it. "When will your specialist arrive?"
"Shortly, Captain, I expect you to fully comply with my specialist's wishes." Without another word, the Dark Lord terminated the transmission.
Needa doubted seriously that any kind of specialist would get more information out of the rebel than he already had. But he was quite curious what kind of "specialist" Lord Vader was sending him. After all, his prisoner was not a Jedi, so it would probably not be one of the Inquisitors.
He had just returned to the bridge the following day when he was informed of the arrival of a small starship. "Captain, the StarLady has just left hyperspace and is approaching us now."
"Very well. Inform Lord Vader's specialist that I'll be meeting him down in the main hangar bay and have the prisoner prepared for further questioning."
The unusual sleek form of the black vessel that had just settled down in the hangar increased Captain Needa's curiosity even more. He had expected an Imperial shuttle, not a private yacht. With long strides, he walked over toward the black-robed figure that had just stepped down from the ship's ramp.
"You may close your mouth now, Captain Needa. And I don't think it polite to stare at a lady like this." Serina's annoyance was obvious. She had pushed back the hood of her robe and was glaring at him coldly. "You will take me to the prisoner, now."
The sharp remark caused Needa to recover from his surprise. Why in the world would Lord Vader send a woman? he thought to himself, but out loud he replied, "Welcome aboard, Madam. Please follow me this way." Then he led her toward the detention area.
"Has your last questioning produced any additional results, Captain?"
"Nothing above what we had found out during the first interrogation. We have come to believe that this rebel just doesn't know anything of value. Questioning him any further would be just a waste of time."
"You will leave that up to me to discern. It might very well be that you are correct in your estimation, but some of these rebels have shown a quite high resistance to the standard interrogation methods."
The Captain gave her a curious look. "Do you then suggest other methods to extract further information from him?"
"Let's say it like this, Captain Needa: if he knows anything beyond what you have discovered already, I will glean it from him."
It did not take them long to reach the main detention area of the Star Destroyer. Captain Needa turned to the officer in charge. "Status of the prisoner?"
The officer checked his display. "The prisoner has been transferred to the interrogation chamber as you've ordered, Sir."
"Very well. Madam, this way please." Needa led Serina down the corridor until they arrived at a guarded entrance. The chamber inside was divided into two parts, separated by a one-way mirror. The rebel sat strapped to a chair on the other side of the mirror. "You can study the previous interrogations on this terminal if you wish to," Needa explained to her referring to a small computer screen set into the wall of the chamber beside the mirror. "Do you wish to first observe him, Madam, or do you want to start with the interrogation right away?"
Serina did not even bother to answer the Captain's question. "Thank you, Captain, you may leave now. Should I require any further assistance I will contact you." Without waiting for his reply Serina walked over to the terminal and started scrolling through the protocols of the past few days.
It was almost a miracle that the man in the chair could still sit up straight after all that had been done to him during his short captivity. Captain Needa had been correct, it was very doubtful that the rebel had been able to hide any information from them. Most likely he really didn't know anything of value. But she would have to confirm that with her own methods anyway. She felt a stab of guilt, but she quickly pushed it aside. Her master had given her an order and she would comply.
She turned to the mirror to gaze at the prisoner. Although he was not able to see her, the man seemed to realize that he was being observed. And he hadn't been completely broken yet despite the horrible treatments. With eyes full of hatred and contempt he looked straight at her.
For long moments Serina just stood there. The man had to be in his early forties, yet his hair had already turned to gray at the temples. The deep lines in his face spoke of the hardship he had endured during the past years. And somehow, the longer Serina looked at him, the stronger she got a distinct impression that she knew this man. But where from? She had not met him during the recent years, that she was certain of. Perhaps during her first years with Vader? No, it had to have been even before that time.
With a realization as painful as a slab in the face, Serina suddenly became aware of who the rebel prisoner was. Marc Camon, her one-time teacher, who had been instrumental in preparing her for the Academy, who had lent her a strong arm to lean on when her parents had been killed so many years ago. He had always been kind to her, helpful and supportive. It had been hard on her when the authorities had caught up with him and he had to disappear suddenly, although she had always guessed that he had been in trouble with the Empire.
Of course, the interrogation records showed his true name, the one he had been born with: Maric Camerton. He certainly hadn't used that name in more than eighteen years. And he had never revealed it to her. Thus, she had not made the connection at first.
But would he recognize her? It was doubtful. After all, she had been only a child when he disappeared, barely twelve years old. She had to find a way to save him. But first things first, she called herself to order. She had to go ahead with her interrogation. The rest would have to wait until this task was accomplished.
Pulling the hood of her robe deep down into her face, she stepped into the other portion of the room.
"So, Vader is sending his personal interrogator now," she was greeted by an angry snarl. "Why don't you guys just give it up? You've already found out everything I know."
Serina remained quiet and slowly walked around the prisoner until she stood behind his back. Slowly, she pulled off her gloves and placed her hands on his shoulders. He winced slightly as she touched the bare skin at the base of his neck. Then Serina closed her eyes and reached out for the Force. Concentrating solely on the man in front of her, she projected feelings of calmness and relaxation into his tormented soul.
"I am your friend. I don't want to hurt you. You can trust me." Over and over she whispered the words into his ears, totally engulfing him into an atmosphere of trust and comfort. Hesitantly at first, he responded to the unexpected treatment. Slowly his fears eased, the barriers that had protected his mind started to weaken. Soon it was time for the next step.
"You want to tell me everything because I'm your friend. I can help you to get back to the rebellion, but you must tell me all you know about their plans." Her voice took on a more pleading sound, enticing and promising at the same time. She could feel him slowly opening up to her. Soon his mind would be an open book for her to read. Oh yes, he wanted to get back and he wanted to trust her. He would tell her all he knew, after all, it wasn't really that much. And nobody would blame him if he did. After all, she was his friend.
The right moment had finally come. Before he could rebuild any mental barriers Serina used the Force to reach deeply into his conscience, even down to the levels of his subconscious mind. While she could feel him writhe under her hands, she quickly sifted through an abundance of memories. Most of what she found, she dismissed again immediately. As she had already expected, there was nothing of great importance there, just information they had already obtained through other means. But her own curiosity drove her to delve even deeper into his mind. There it was. Memories of his years on Taanab surfaced, how he had taught those young children, away from the Empire, away from the past that had been haunting him. And one of those children had been very special to him...
With a feeling of deepest shame, Serina abruptly released the prisoner out of her mental grasp and staggered back. What was she doing? How could she violate this man's mind, who had such a high opinion of her, such high hopes for her future?
Without daring to look back at the prisoner, Serina left the room. In the relative safety behind the mirror wall, she glanced back at him. Slowly, still gasping for breath, he was recovering from the excruciating pain her mental attack had caused, trying to gain back his composure.
For long minutes, she just stood there staring at him. What now? She had completed her task to Lord Vader, now she was determined to find a way to save her former teacher from execution which would be his most likely fate.
"Inform Captain Needa that I have concluded my interrogation. I am waiting for him to join me in the interrogation chamber," she commanded the communications officer per intercom, "and then prepare to open a channel to Lord Vader on the Devastator."
A short time later, the outer door opened to allow the Captain to enter. "So, have you completed your interrogation, Madam?" he asked her.
Serina nodded, but she waited with further details until the link to her master had been established. She didn't have to wait long.
"Captain Needa, Serina," Vader greeted them from his meditation chamber. "Have you found anything interesting?"
"I am sorry, Lord Vader. All I have been able to do was to confirm Captain Needa's findings. The prisoner truly hides no valuable information. He has been with the rebellion for quite some time already, but lately, he's been just escorting transport ships from out of the system to Yavin Four. He has some conjectures about where the supplies might be coming from, but none of that is verified information. However, we might get some leads out of his speculations. I will list them for you in a detailed report."
"Very well, Serina." Vader looked at her for a long moment. "Is there anything else?"
"Yes, Lord Vader. I was wondering what should be done with the rebel now." Needa glanced at her in surprise. The man was his prisoner, after all, and the regular procedure of dealing with prisoners was quite clear. What did this woman have in mind? What kind of position was she holding to even dare to make such a request? Vader's answer was even more surprising.
"I leave his disposal in your capable hands, Serina. Captain Needa, you will accommodate Lady Serina's wishes."
"As you wish, Lord Vader."
When the transmission had ended, Serina turned to Captain Needa. "Have the prisoner taken to my ship. Your troops will find means of restraining him in my guest quarters."
"Right away, Lady Serina, however, don't you think it advisable to take at least one guard with you on your trip back to Lord Vader?"
The concerned expression on his face caused a sharp laugh from Serina. "Ha, do you truly think me incapable of handling one tied-down man, who's been through hell during the past few days? I think you should reconsider whom you are talking to, Captain."
"As you say, Lady Serina." Then Needa ordered a security detail to escort the prisoner to the hangar bay. With eyes full of hatred Marc Camon stared at Serina's hooded figure as the troopers walked him past where she was standing at the Captain's side.
The guest quarters on the StarLady were spacious and comfortable. Camon had been quite surprised at the sight of the sleek vessel. He had expected to be terminated shortly, not to be brought on board of a private yacht. After a short discussion, the troopers made him sit down on the floor close to a large viewport and secured his hands and feet to grips that protruded out of the wall. Then they left.
From his awkward position on the floor, Camon could only observe the small portion of the hangar right below the viewport. Soon, he noticed the black-clad interrogator approaching in the company of Captain Needa. For a moment they stopped at the ramp leading into the StarLady. Then the officer turned and left the docking bay.
Just a short time later, the black sleek ship rose and turned toward the opening hangar gates. Once they had reached open space, low vibration permeated the vessel as it prepared for the jump. The stars began to streak by, getting brighter and longer until they vanished when the ship jumped into hyperspace.
Camon had started to nod off when the hatch to the guest quarters swooshed open. Wearily, he gazed up at the hooded figure approaching him. Then the woman bent down and touched the controls of the restraints that tied him to the wall. With a click, they snapped open and fell on the floor beside him.
"Don't even think about attacking me!" Serina warned the older man, who sat up and started rubbing his bruised wrists. "You are far too weak and, believe me, I have sufficient methods of fending you off." She motioned him to sit down on the couch at the far side of the room. Then she turned to the small food dispenser and ordered a nourishing meal and something to drink for him.
With utter surprise in his eyes, Camon looked up at her as she placed the plate and glass in front of him. "Here, eat. It will help you regain some strength," she commanded, and then she sat down in a chair across from him.
Wearily, he eyed the food, but he hadn't had a decent meal in days, so he couldn't resist for long. "Why are you doing this?" he asked her when the plate was nearly empty. "I figured you guys were just going to kill me. After all, I've got to be quite useless for you." Inquiringly he looked at the robed figure across from him, but the hood hid most of her features from his scrutiny.
"If I would have left you on the Avenger, you would be dead by now. But I have a different purpose for you in mind. You really don't know who I am, do you?"
Camon slowly shook his head, his gaze fixed upon his vis-á-vis as she pushed back the hood from her face. For a long moment, he was utterly speechless. After his experience on the Avenger, he would have never expected the sight he now beheld: a young woman, in her mid to late twenties, a pretty face with dark blue eyes, framed by short-cropped dark hair. Yet what amazed him the most was the expression on her face. It spoke of shame and regret about what had happened, about how she had invaded his mind, inflicting unspeakable pain upon him.
For an instant, their eyes met. Then Serina had to look away. How could she face him after what she had just done to him? Would he ever be able to forgive her? She had not noticed any of the hatred she had felt in him on the Avenger, but surely it would return once he overcame his surprise. Abruptly, she got up and stepped up to the viewport, no longer able to remain under his intent gaze.
"No, I don't know you." He hesitated for a moment. "You are somehow familiar, but I truly don't know why. Where should I know you from?"
Serina didn't know what to do. Should she tell him the truth? He had had such a high opinion of her when she had been young. What would he think of her now? Could she even afford to tell him what position she held in the Empire? After all, he was a rebel and therefore her enemy. But he had once been her friend, her teacher, even her confidant. What should she do?
Camon had noticed the inner struggle taking place in the young woman's heart. The hatred he had felt for her after the excruciating interrogation only a brief time prior, was suddenly gone. Without being able to say why he just knew that she hadn't really wanted to hurt him. Quietly, he stepped up to the viewport beside her. "Please, tell me, who are you?"
Serina turned to face the slightly taller man. There was no hatred in his eyes, just puzzlement and - pity? Again, she turned away from him to hide the tears that had begun to collect in the corners of her eyes. Then she started, her voice nearly faltering.
"Do you remember a lovely summer day on a faraway planet on the edge of the Inner Rim? Several classes of young boys and girls taking a trip with their teachers into the mountains? There was a young girl among them, about ten years old, who always stayed very close to one of the men leading the lively group up a wide path toward a small lake. The teacher had put his arm around her, trying to cheer her up, but to no avail. After all, she had just lost her parents. Outside of her aunt and uncle who were taking care of her now, there was only one person she confided in, this young teacher.
But," Serina turned to look up into Camon's eyes, her face wet with tears, her voice now with a bitter edge to it, "one day, he had to leave, while she ended up in an Imperial interrogation chamber. It left the young girl heartbroken. All she had left now were her aunt and uncle and her dreams. And a grim determination to make those dreams come true.
And they did, perhaps not as she had intended them to, but she made it. Got into the Imperial Naval Academy, not directly, but she got there. Graduated there with honors some years later. But by then, the Academy had already become only a secondary issue, only a means to achieve a much higher goal, to serve the Empire in a much different capacity, with abilities she was being taught by the most feared warrior of the Emperor.
Over the years, she often had to use her abilities in ways she didn't like, yes, at times she was even utterly ashamed of what she was doing. But - there is no way to turn back, to stop doing these things." There was resignation in her voice as she continued, "No matter how much I abhor these deeds, I have to continue doing them as long as my master lives, as long as he himself is serving the dark side." She covered her face with her hands, no longer able to meet his gaze.
Camon reached out to her and drew her into a gentle, fatherly embrace. Slowly he stroked her soft hair, thinking back to the young girl he had befriended nearly twenty years back. "It's all right, Serina, it's all right." He led her to the couch and made her sit down.
"Can you ever forgive me for what I did to you? I didn't want to hurt you but ..." Anxiously, she looked up at him.
"But I already have. Don't worry about it anymore." He gently wiped the tears from her face.
For long moments, they just sat there staring at each other.
"I always knew you would end up with the rebellion. But I had hoped to never meet you again until this war is over." Serina had recovered her composure and was now smiling at him weakly. "But those are the ways of the Force. Had I not been sent to interrogate you, you would certainly be dead by now. And I would have never found out about it. I guess it is better this way around."
"I guess it is. But what are you going to do with me now? After all, I'm still your prisoner."
Serina gave him an impish look. "Some prisoner you are! Perhaps you should eliminate me while I'm still all sentimental," she suggested jokingly. Then her seriousness returned. "But you are right: we need to talk about what will happen to you next."
"I assume it wouldn't be an option for me to just capture you instead and to return to Yavin Four with this nice little ship?"
"No, I doubt that would work," Serina confirmed. "At least, my master would never believe it. He knows too well that it takes much more than one weakened man to overcome me. After all, he's been my teacher - and more - for over twelve years now!"
Camon looked at her curiously. "You mentioned this master of yours before. I remember Captain Needa trying to frighten me with telling me about a "specialist directly from the Dark Lord of the Sith himself". And then you came. Are you telling me that this master you are talking about is Lord Vader himself?"
Serina carefully considered her next words. "Yes, he is the master I've been talking about. I was only about sixteen when we met. He noticed that the Force was strong in me and offered to train me. The Jedi were extinct, there was nobody else to teach me. So, I accepted. I've been with him ever since. Please don't think me naive. I knew quite well even at sixteen what he was offering me. I have a basic Jedi training, he has made sure of that, and I have learned to use the dark side as well. But you've found that out the hard way."
"If you know all that, why are you still with him?" He looked at her incredulous, unable to fathom why a young woman like her would stay with this evil creature, this Dark Lord of the Sith.
"I can't tell you that. There are some things about my relationship to Lord Vader only very, very few people know about. It's better for you - and for me - if you don't. Perhaps, one day I'll be able to talk about it, but not right now and not while this conflict lasts. However, let's get back to our other subject. Vader has left your disposal in my - as he called it - capable hands, which means it's really up to me what will happen to you. I've developed a little plan which will accommodate us all." Then she started to lay out her intentions before him.
At first, he was skeptical about it, one portion even made him object fervently. But after discussing the other options available to them, he finally agreed. Serina would drop him off on a planet where she knew of a small rebel outpost. From there he could make his way back toward Yavin Four. Serina's condition for his freedom was that he had to report to her his location on a regular basis and should she decide to call upon him, he would supply her with anything he knew about rebel activities. In order to protect the rebellion, however, he would have to make sure that he didn't know anything of importance.
"I realize, that might not be easy to accomplish," Serina tried to ease his conscience, "but - trust me in this - it will be only a few more years. The patterns in the Force are already emerging. The final confrontation will take place within the next three, four years at the most."
"Do the patterns also show you who will win?" Camon asked curiously.
"Not for certain. But it's my personal conviction, that it will not be the Empire."
"All right. I guess it's the best we can come up with. But what will Vader say about your decision?"
"He'll accept it," Serina assured him. "I'm sure he has sensed already that you were not just an average prisoner for me. As I said, he knows me quite well. Our little deal will not harm the Empire or Lord Vader and that's all that counts in this case."
A sound from the cockpit interrupted their conversation. "Ah, we've arrived at our destination. Do you want to sit up front with me?"
Eagerly, Marc followed her into the cockpit and sat down in the copilot's seat. The stars appeared again as long, bright streaks, then the streaks got shorter and soon a green-brown ball of a planet became visible in front of them.
"Circarpous IV. Have you ever been there before?" Serina asked as she started her landing approach.
"No, never. How come you know about a rebel outpost on this planet?"
"Oh," Serina acted quite secretive about it, "that's a long story. I don't think we'll have enough time for it now."
Procedures were still as lax as she remembered them from her first visit and soon they were on their way out of the central spaceport. When they reached a small cantina on the outskirts of the settlement, Serina gave Camon her final instructions.
"This is where you can always leave a message for me. No matter where I'm at, they will forward it to me." She handed him a small card with a holocom address on it. "When you get into the Cantina, ask for Bixter. If he's not there, wait for him. Tell him, a friend sent you. He will want to know a password. Just say to him: Galen's revenge. He'll take you to their outpost. What you tell them there is up to you. Just make up a good story. Before you'll know it, they'll get you off this planet, back to the Alliance."
"How come you know all that?"
"You shouldn't ask things like that," Serina rebuked him mildly. "It's better if you don't know. I have to leave now."
Camon gave her a last big hug. Then he looked deeply into her blue eyes. "Watch out for yourself. You're treading down a dangerous path. Just be careful."
"I'll watch out, don't worry about me. I can take quite good care of myself. And thanks." After a light kiss on his cheek, she turned and hurried back toward the spaceport without looking behind. For a long moment, Camon just stood there gazing at her retreating form. Would he ever see her again? Then he turned and stepped into the cantina.