"Move it," yelled one of the stormtroopers, as Zairo started to slow down. The young boy hastened, the thoughts of years before, overthrown by everything happening to him now. Zairo forced himself to look at the distant dockyard, he could see a ship, which he recognised as Bail Organa's. The cold edge of a blaster met his back, he felt it digging into his skin, "I said move it, kid."

Zairo kept walking; there was nothing he could do now, but wait.

As he was marched through the senate building, towards Palpatine's office, a group of senators, who had just exited the congress, walked past. Zairo saw Organa, and they locked eye contact. But it didn't last long, within seconds, the boy was being forced into an elevator. His only hope, gone.

"Breha, I have news, some terrible and other wondrous." Bail looked at his wife, trying to remain happy and calm, for her, "The Senator I work closely with: Padme Amidala, has passed, but after witnessing a loss of life, I decided we need to help some of those suffering from their own losses. You have always said you wanted a daughter, so here I present: Leia, soon to be princess of Alderaan." Bail cradled the baby, kissing her head, and then handed her to his wife.

Breha looked at him, "She's beautiful, and is everything I could've dreamed of as a daughter. She truly is our little princess. I am sorry about your associate, you have spoken dearly of her in the past."

"I have other news, Breha, some may be hard to hear. The Republic has fallen, where it once stood is the Empire. But... the Empire has classified the Jedi as a threat, most have now been killed, a few survived and are now going into hiding. The whole point of our government on this planet is to help those who can't help themselves, and I happened to stumble across a boy, barely seven years of age, who needs our help. The Empire will kill him, i had to offer him somewhere to stay, just until I return back to Coruscant. My dear Breha, the child needs it. We can't just let him die."

Breha hugged him," It is our duty to care for him, he is welcome to stay until then. Where is he now?"

Bail exhaled, in relief," Aboard the Tantive IV still, I asked him to wait until I spoke to you first."

Breha smiled, " I look forward to meeting him."

The elevator doors opened and Zairo was pushed out by the troopers. The golden and red walls,with chiselled pillars, felt out of place now. It was once a place of democracy, but during the end of the war it had turned to a place of conflict. As they walked past paintings of vast gardens full of life, Zairo could only imagine what they looked like now: factories making weapons and ships: things the Empire were never short of. He wished there was something he could do to stop the Empire; he knew of rebellions in the Outer Rim. However all had been destroyed instantly. the Empire was too powerful.

The doors to the Emperor's office opened. Zairo had been in there once before, with Master Skywalker, the only Jedi he could relate to. Both were as Master Kenobi said: "impulsive, reckless and didn't know where to start and when to stop." Zairo guessed that was true, but his recklessness had kept him alive four years more than the other younglings.

He could see the Emperor, he was stood looking out the window, looking at his 'Empire'.

"Emperor, my Lord, we have brought you the Jedi, that the Inquisitor caught," announced the Stormtrooper, which was holding a blaster to Zairo.

"Thank you, trooper, that will be all."

The Stormtrooper kicked Zairo forwards, then exited the room, the doors sliding as he left.

"Zairo Detakal, you didn't think your survival had gone unnoticed, did you?" The Emperor asked, as he turned around to face the him.

Zairo didn't know what to say, how to say it, so he let his impulse decide," Well it did take you four years to find me. And most of that time I was in Coruscant."

The Emperor glared at him, "You may be a Jedi, but you don't act like one."

"Actions don't determine belief, and I believe I'm a Jedi."

The Emperor smirked, amused by what the young boy had said, "I believe you're a fool. But you remind of a boy that once knew."

Zairo stood there, unsure of what to reply with. He reminded the Emperor of something, and he didn't think that was a particularly good thing.

"There was a boy who joined the Jedi Order when he was a few years younger than yourself. The Jedi Masters could sense fear in him. Much like they sensed it in you. Much like I sense it in you.," The Emperor paused, and stepped closer towards Zairo, "You have two choices, boy: you join the Empire, or you die."