Chapter 8:
Just as Luke left the room, the doors slammed shut. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Luke remained near the training room trying to get a sense of what was going on.
Mara Jade's eyes narrowed as she sensed Luke attempting to eavesdrop on them instead of going back to his quarters. "We are far from finished here… Lord Vader." She said shortly and then stormed out of the room. As she got close to where Luke was, she used her stealth skills to sneak up on him and grab him forcibly by his cloak and dragged him back to his quarters. "Either your quarters have become a bit more… public, or you really need to do as you are told."
Luke attempted to squirm out of her grasp but only found that her grip tightened, digging her nails into his back causing Luke to gasp. "Now, now… you need your rest, Luke, whether you like it or not." Mara said with a dangerous edge to her tone.
Once they reached Luke's quarters, Mara used the force to lift Luke and dropped him onto his bed. "Rest." She said shortly, moving to take a seat in one of the chairs in the common area of his quarters.
"Um… why are you still here, Jade?" Luke asked, lying on his bed, getting comfy.
"I'm going to make sure you do as you're told. Now, rest."
"Very well, I guess it has been a long day." Luke said, closing his eyes, slowly falling asleep.
Once Luke was in a deep sleep, Mara used the Force to prevent Luke from waking up, and walked over to the holotransmitter on Luke's desk. She keyed in the Emperor's frequency, making sure the transmission was secure, and waited for him to respond. Suddenly, a hologram of Emperor Palpatine formed on the desk. "How is your mission going, Hand?"
"It is going very well, my lord. I am bringing young Skywalker in forcibly; Lord Vader seems more intent on training him without seeking your permission."
The Emperor's eyes narrowed when he heard this. "What?" he asked coldly, anger present in his voice.
"I walked in on Lord Vader teaching Skywalker how to fight with a lightsaber. It seems that he has also constructed his own lightsaber. No doubt, Vader taught him how to."
"Hmm… This might work to our advantage, young Hand. Take your ship, bring Skywalker before me."
"It will be done, my lord."
With that, the transmission ended. Mara walked into Luke's bedroom and used the Force to pick up the sleeping form and made it appear as though she were carrying him. She took him through the ship, until they finally arrived in the hanger and boarded her ship. She put him down on the cold floor and took off, setting a course for Imperial Center.
Darth Vader sensed the unexpected departure of his son and just as he was starting to storm off to the hanger to bring him back, a Imperial officer walked up to him, fearing for his life. "Mi- milord, forgive me, but the Emperor demands that you make contact with him at once."
Ignoring the officer, Vader stormed off to his quarters. Once there, he knelt down on the holoreceiving pad on the floor. An enormous hologram of the Emperor came into view as Vader lowered his head submissively. "What is thy bidding, my master?"
"You have got some nerve to begin training young Skywalker without seeking my permission, my apprentice. Since you disobeyed me and did not bring him to me immediately, like you were ordered to, my hand is bringing him for you." He said with his voice as cold as ever, with a dangerous edge to it.
"For- forgive me, my master. I have however, found out that one of his friends is an Imperial deserter and joined the Rebellion. Currently, he is frozen in carbonite. Perhaps, we could retrieve him and have my son break him to our will, using his other friends in the process."
There was a long, awkward silence as the Emperor thought over this new information. Finally he spoke, "Indeed, it would make him stronger in the dark side of the Force. Go and retrieve him immediately, Lord Vader. Do not fail me, or keep me waiting, my apprentice."
With that, the transmission ended and Darth Vader set out to complete his new task.