Chapter 45:
Back at their quarters, Vader continued to hold Padmé, tightly, trying to ease her trembling. The experience had shaken her, badly, and he knew it would take time for her to get over it. Right now all he could do was hold her, so she would know he was there. There was a quiet tap on the door, and Vader looked up as Atrox entered. He looked down at his parents, concern evident in his eyes. "Hello, mother. How're you doing?"
Padmé slowly extricated herself from Vader's embrace, and walked up to her son. She hugged him, gently, and whispered, "Th-thank you, for saving me. If- if you hadn't come when you did…"
In a rare show of affection, Atrox wrapped his arms around his mother and held her. "Don't worry, me and my apprentice made sure that he will never harm you… or anyone ever again."
She nodded, feeling comforted somewhat that her son truly did care for her. "Thank you."
Leia was suddenly jolted out of hyperspace. "Oh no, not again!" she groaned. An Interdictor Star Destroyer. She paused as another thought struck her. Perhaps she could make this work anyway…
She felt the tractor beam lock onto the Falcon, and waited for them to bring her onboard. She was waiting for the stormtrooper unit when they came on board, but stood there calmly and allowed them to surround her. She looked their commanding officer in the eye, and said, "You took your time bringing me on board. It is imperative that I get to Imperial Center at once."
The officer looked slightly taken aback. "Aren't you… Leia Organa, one of the leaders of the Rebellion?"
Leia raised an eyebrow at him. "I am Lord Vader's daughter, and I can assure you, he will be most displeased if he finds you have in any way delayed my arrival. On the contrary, I'm certain he'll reward you for bringing me back as soon as possible."
Leia was sure the man couldn't look any more confused than he did at that moment. "Er, Lord Vader's daughter? I'm sorry, but I'll have to clear this with him."
Leia waved a hand impatiently. "Do it, then. And hurry up about it. I seriously doubt he would want to be kept waiting."
The officer and his men insisted upon making the call from the detention block, to make sure she wouldn't escape them, she supposed. She watched as the man nervously entered the code for the Imperial Palace, and mumbled a request to speak with Lord Vader.
The comm officer at the Imperial Palace picked up the transmission, and attempted to relay it to Vader, but couldn't reach him.
Atrox slipped out of his parents' quarters, quietly, when his comlink beeped once. He frowned at it, and saw there was a transmission being relayed to the terminal in his quarters. He turned his steps in that direction, annoyed that someone should be bothering him when he had more important things to be doing. As soon as he entered, he went to the terminal, and activated it, settling into his preferred stance: dark, hooded glare, his arms folded across his chest. "What is it?" He said coldly.
The officer looked even more nervous. "Ah… milord, we picked up a… small… freighter that was pulled out of hyperspace by our interdictor field. It was crewed by one woman, who claims to be… Lord Vader's daughter."
A dark smile formed on Atrox's lips. "Show me. If this is a waste of my time… you will not live to regret it," he said even more coldly.
The officer waved to someone offscreen, and two troopers stepped into view of the transmission, flanking Leia. She held herself with dignity and poise, and met Atrox's gaze levelly. "This is her, milord," the man said, uneasily.
Atrox's smile grew, "Nice try, Leia. Guards, disarm her, see to it that she is placed in a maximum security cell and you may interrogate her if you wish."
She raised an eyebrow at her brother, and tossed her blaster pistol and lightsaber to one of the guards, who caught them, startled. "I didn't come here to try to escape, Luke," she said, quietly, but loud enough for him to hear.
Atrox smirked, "You would do well to remember my name now, rebel. You will accept your true destiny whether or not I have to force you to or you accept it willingly… you will serve the Empire… or I will be the one to end you." He turned back to the officer. "Bring her to Imperial Center at once." With that, Atrox terminated the communication and went back to his father's quarters to report on what had just happened.
Leia and the officer stared at each other, sizing each other up. Finally, the man said, "Take her to the maximum security block. And tell the bridge to set course for Imperial Center."
The troopers saluted, and Leia allowed them to lead her to her cell. As the door closed, she sat down on the floor and surveyed her conditions, thoughtfully. She wondered if they would send someone to try to interrogate her, as her brother had suggested. She allowed herself a tight smile. If so, they were in for a surprise… She began meditating, knowing she still had a ways to go if she was going to survive this encounter with her brother.
Padmé sat with her head pillowed on Vader's shoulder. She was calm, now, and quiet, but inside, she was still trembling from the horror of what had nearly happened to her. Vader's strong arm was around her, holding her close, silently comforting her. She was grateful for his silence, not feeling prepared to talk about it yet, but appreciating his closeness, which she had not felt in so long.
There was a quiet tap on the door, and Atrox entered once more, his expression… difficult to read. "Leia has been captured, father, she is en route back to Imperial Center," Atrox said coolly.
Padmé let out a little gasp. Vader raised an eyebrow, and looked at his son, surprised. "How did this happen?"
"Apparently she was on her way to Imperial Center herself when a Star Destroyer detected her ship and pulled her in," he replied.
Vader's eyes narrowed as he considered the possible motives she might have in coming. "Either she has finally seen reason, or there is something else at work. Could it have something to do with your earlier… interaction?" he asked his son.
Atrox's eyes filled with hate as he answered his father's question. "She is a Jedi… I believe what she intends to do is fairly self evident. The Jedi destroy the Sith, she will attempt to end us, father… she has also been exiled from the Alliance, she has nowhere else to go."
Vader frowned. "If she has nowhere else to go, then she may come here for the same reason you did… because she needs someone, something to belong to. If so… this family may yet be reunited. In any case, we shall know better when she arrives. Would you like to… prepare a place for her to stay?"
Atrox smirked. "You mean you would like me to have a cell prepared for her? Gladly."
Now it was Padmé's turn to frown. "Leia is no more deserving of a cell than you, Luke. Perhaps if you were less harsh towards her, she would be more inclined to listen to what you have to say."
Atrox turned around, facing away from Padmé. "She turned her back on me once. Then when I did tell her the truth… she went further away," he said calmly, the anger burning inside of him. He suddenly spun around. "She betrayed me… betrayed us. You are the only one she trusts… cares for, not myself or father."
Padmé was taken aback by the vehemence with which he spoke. Was it… hurt, that she detected in his stance? She looked at him, sadly. "If she did not care what became of you, she would not have tried to come. She feels betrayed, too, you know. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps neither of you are right? That perhaps there are things wrong with the Empire, but also things which could be good about it?" She took in a deep breath, trying to steady herself, despite the fact that she was close to tears. "One thing I learned through many years of politics is that if you are not willing to compromise, you will never be able to unite a body of people. Families are the same way. Don't you want our family to be together?"
"Me and my master are Sith Lords. She is a Jedi, the only reason she is coming is to try and destroy us. It is all the Jedi care about. She will either join us… or be destroyed," he said as he turned away again, his sister's betrayal causing him to lose control of his emotions.
Padmé rose, slowly, and went to her son, realizing that she had touched upon something that hurt him, far more deeply than she had known. She was afraid to touch him, his anger and pain seemed to roll off him in waves that were tangible even to a non-Force-sensitive. She hesitated, then reached out and touched his shoulder, gently. "I'm sorry," she whispered, not knowing what else she could say.
Vader watched his wife and son, very carefully. Atrox was dangerously close to the breaking point, and there was no telling what he would do if he went over the edge.
Atrox turned his head to look his mother in the eyes and placed his hand on top of hers. Softly, barely beyond the edge of hearing, Atrox muttered, "You will think of me just as Leia does now when my master tells you about my recent accomplishment." He gently rubbed her hand and then slowly walked out of the room and went to search for his apprentice.
Padmé turned to look at her husband, questioningly. Vader paused, considering how it would be best to break the news to her, then finally said, simply, "Lord Atrox was the one behind Mon Mothma's death."
Her eyes widened, incredulously, and she sank into a chair, horrified, burying her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook as her pent-up emotion burst out, and she cried, silently. Vader sat down close beside her, taking her back into his arms, and letting her cry against him, knowing that she could not understand, and that perhaps she never would.
Atrox returned to his quarters and assumed a meditative posture in the middle of his room. He could sense his father telling his mother about what he had done earlier, a feat he was still proud of regardless of what anyone else thought. He sensed his mother's reaction and his thoughts darkened at this. She was supposed to be proud of him for helping destroy the rebels, not… upset.
He felt Mara's presence enter the room. She knelt down beside him, looking up into his face with concern. "Is… something wrong, master? I've felt your…" she fumbled for the appropriate word, "pain."
Atrox looked up into Mara's eyes and somehow… knew that she would come to him... whether to learn or to… be with him. "A Sith must become one with their pain, my apprentice. It makes us stronger, leaves no room for weakness. My… pain will give me strength, a strength that I will teach you," Atrox whispered.
Mara considered his words for a moment. "Y- yes, master." She still didn't see how that made sense, but she trusted that Atrox knew what he was talking about. She caressed his cheek, softly, her eyes never leaving his. She could feel that something still… hurt him, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
Atrox looked into Mara's eyes and could feel her devotion to him. "In a matter of hours, one of the former rebel leaders will be arriving. See that she gets… appropriate accommodations, preferably in a small cell."
"Yes, master." She rose, bowing simply, and left Atrox to brood on his pain. She knew the Imperial Palace well; it had been her home for almost her entire life, as long as she could remember. The cell block in the palace was on one of the underground levels, a sort of bunker Palpatine had buried beneath the palace, for his… personal use. She supposed that it would be requisitioned into her lord's service, so she saw no harm in selecting a cell from among those. Atrox had not mentioned the name of his prisoner, but she knew of nothing else that would put him into a mood like the one he was in. Leia.
She chose a small detention cell, stark in its bareness, and personally reset all the security codes. That finished, she reached out to her master. My lord, the cell you requested is ready for your… guest.
Good. Well done, my apprentice. Come back to my quarters. Atrox replied through his bond with Mara.
I'll be there at once, master. She made her way back up to the normal levels of the palace, lost in her own thoughts. Halfway to Atrox's quarters she realized what she was doing and shook herself out of it. Don't know what's gotten into me, she thought to herself in irritation. She tapped lightly on the door, and entered, almost noiselessly.
"Meditate with me, my apprentice." Atrox commanded as he felt Mara enter the room.
Mara seated herself by her master's side, and closed her eyes. She could feel him so close to her, his mind so open, as he reached out to touch hers. At once she returned the touch, feeling his mental caress as their bond flooded open again, thoughts mingling and becoming one. Mara could no longer tell which feelings were hers, and which were his. His very soul lay open to her, just as she knew hers did for him. She could feel an overpowering ache, and knew it must be his, his pain that none of his family truly understood him, and that they cared more about his actions than they cared for him. She flooded him with her unwavering love and devotion, wanting him to know that she would support him, no matter what.
Atrox sent his own love to her through the joining of their minds as one. He knew she was trying to comfort him, but it did little to assuage the hurt he felt that his mother, his sister, would never understand him.
There was a quiet knock on the door, and both of them were jolted out of their meditation, looking up with near-identical frowns on their faces. Atrox hit the door release using the Force, and it slid open, revealing Padmé standing there, looking nervous, but steady. "May I talk to you?" she asked, softly.
Atrox continued to glare at his mother for several more moments. "Enter." he said coolly.
She came in, and, after a moment's hesitation, sat down on the floor across from her son. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened," she said. "Your… your father told me." She paused, searching for the right thing to say. "Why did you do it?"
Atrox looked at his mother in the eyes, every bit of his determination showing in his expression. "To make my master proud of me, to secure our empire... to give that... Jedi nowhere else to go so she would have to seek us out... then pay for her betrayal of us."
Padmé looked troubled, as she attempted to understand his point of view, his motivations. "It's because you think Leia betrayed you, and you feel like you need revenge?"
"I did it to prove my worth to my master... to prove to the alliance that i have taken my rightful place at my father's side, and nobody will stand in my way from that," he said, his voice growing even colder.
She picked up his tone, immediately, and tried to keep the shock from her face. She looked at him, a pleading note in her voice. "I- I'm sorry. I'm trying to understand, I am, but… this is all so strange to me."
He glared at her, and replied coldly, "It is far too complex for me to explain it, or for you to understand..." He paused, then rose and stood before her, staring into her eyes with his own sickly yellow ones. She met his gaze, trembling a little from the intensity of it, then suddenly let out a gasp as images began flashing before her vision. Luke on Bespin… the revelation that Vader was his father… his capture, and subsequent introduction to the dark side… Mara… Leia… It startled her to see Leia through her son's eyes, colored as they were by feelings of betrayal. The Emperor… 'fixing' Vader… Master Yoda… He kept feeding her memories, through the time that she arrived up to the confrontation with Mon Mothma. It cut into her heart to see her old friend again, dying with the grace and courage she had always had during her life. Finally, Atrox released her, stepping back and allowing her a few moments to reorient herself.
She shook her head, trying to clear it, and opened her eyes. She looked up once more into her son's expectant gaze, as he waited for her reaction. Padmé didn't say anything for a long moment. Finally, she said, in a low voice, "I will always love you, Luke, no matter what you've done."
Atrox looked deep down into his mother's soul and saw that she was not deceiving him. He could only nod in return to her statement. After a short time he said, "I understand, mother."
Leia opened her eyes as the door slid open, and her familiar escort of stormtroopers, accompanied by the officer, who, apparently, had been assigned to her, stood in the doorway. She raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me we're there already."
The officer ignored her question, and at a signal, two troopers came forward to raise her to her feet. Her eyes narrowed, and she erected a barrier around herself, keeping the troopers from touching her. She stood, and walked from the cell, giving the officer a measured look. He refused to meet her eyes, and simply turned in the direction of the docking bays, the troopers surrounding her and falling into step behind him. Finally, the man spoke, issuing orders into a comlink. "Inform Lord Atrox that his prisoner will be arriving shortly."
The holo transmitter chimed softly, from the other room, and Mara went to answer it, knowing her master did not want to be disturbed. She flicked it on, impatiently. "Jade."
The young comm officer looked extremely nervous about having been charged with contacting Lord Vader's son. "Inform Lord Atrox that Leia Organa is being transferred down to the planet as we speak."
"Will do. Jade out." She switched it off, and returned to the main room. "Master, Leia Organa will be arriving at the palace imminently."
Atrox slowly turned and looked his apprentice in the eyes. "Excellent, my apprentice. Go… secure her, do whatever you wish to her, but I want her alive."
Mara gave him a slight nod. "As you command, my master." She departed for the docking bay, determined to make this woman understand just how much she had hurt her brother.
The shuttle landed at the Imperial Palace, and Leia steeled herself for whatever would come next. She half expected her brother to be waiting for her, ready to torture her into submission. But when she disembarked, she found Mara Jade awaiting her. Leia studied the woman, curiously. She knew, from her glimpses into her brother's mind, that this was the woman he so cared about. Leia could sense a great deal of animosity coming from her, as well as a certain determination.
Mara eyed her, briefly, then snapped, "I'll take her from here, Captain. You are dismissed."
The officer handed her Leia's lightsaber, which Mara studied, briefly, before clipping to her belt. He then saluted, and returned to the shuttle, along with the stormtrooper compliment. "Come with me." Mara ordered, flatly, and turned and began walking back towards the palace.
Leia followed, curiously. "You seem very certain I won't try to escape."
Mara shrugged. "If escape was your goal, you would have hijacked the shuttle."
Leia nodded, simply. Mara was nothing if not logical. She was led down into the lower levels of the palace; she had been to the palace before, during her time as a senator, but had never been in this area before. Mara led her down another hallway, and dialed a combination on a door. The door slid open with a click, and Leia found herself shoved forwards into the room.
Mara's eyes flashed dangerously, as she stood over Leia, her wrath blazing up against her prisoner. "Do you have any idea what you've done to him?"
Leia looked confused. "What have I done? To whom?"
She was slammed up against the wall by the force of Mara's fury. "To my lord! You cannot know how he suffers because of your betrayal. The pain that is always present, tormenting him, carving like a blade through his heart. I've felt it!"
Leia's eyes widened as she watch Mara become more and more angry, the fire in her eyes starting to bleed into the yellow of the Sith. "I didn't know…" she murmured, softly.
"YOU DIDN'T CARE!" Mara snapped, using the Force to slam her into another wall of the cell. "All you care about is your vaunted Rebel Alliance, and you're willing to turn against your own family to achieve those ends."
Leia was barely able to brace herself as she hit the wall, hard. "I do care, or I would not have come back!" She could feel Mara's sincerity, it was evident in her anger, but couldn't help but wonder if Atrox really felt that way.
Her body contorted in pain as a blast of Force lightning hit her full in the chest, pinning her to the wall. Mara was trembling with rage and effort, her eyes blazing as she channeled energy through her fingertips. "If it was not for my master's command, I would have killed you where you stood."
Leia didn't try to fight it, simply taking it in and letting Mara vent her fury. "I never wanted to hurt him…" she whispered, and moments later, she passed out.
Mara stood there, shaking, for several moments, as she stared down at Leia's unconscious form. Then she turned and left the room, her steps leading her almost without thinking back to Atrox's apartment. She didn't know what had come over her, she never allowed herself to lose control like that, and yet, control had been slipping from her grasp with greater and greater frequency lately. What in blazes is wrong with me?
She nearly ran straight into Vader as he was on his way to the throne room. Vader looked down at her, half amused, half annoyed. "You seem to have learned your master's lessons well, Jade. Anger can be a powerful tool, when used appropriately."
Mara merely glared at him. "Forgive me, Lord Vader." She tried to push past him, only to find his hand on her shoulder.
"Your thoughts betray you, Mara Jade. Be mindful." He released her, and she stormed off to her master's quarters, once more skirting the edge of control.
Atrox looked up as Mara burst in. She knelt before him, stiffly, her head bowed, and said, "Master. I have done as you commanded."
"I could sense it, my apprentice. You are becoming a very worthy apprentice, you will be rewarded greatly. Lord Vader is right, your anger can be a very powerful tool if you use it correctly."
Mara scowled. "Yes, master."
Vader reflected on his encounter with Mara Jade, thoughtfully. She had been very angry, almost to the point of losing control, which was rare for her. And the cause of such anger…
He stretched out his senses, scanning the area, and paused. The faintest echo of a sense… He probed further. Yes… it was his daughter. He rose, and left the throne room. It was needful to pay a visit to his son. He needed to know what Atrox's… intentions were.
It did not take long for him to arrive at his son's quarters. He could sense that both Atrox and Jade were there, as he knocked on the door and waited to be admitted.
Atrox used the Force to shove the door open. Vader entered, and said, "I sense that your sister has arrived, Lord Atrox."
"My apprentice has just informed me, master. I was about to pay her a… visit." Atrox replied coldly, his mind racing with thoughts about what he would do to his sister when he saw her.
Vader nodded, as if that was to be expected. "Very well. I shall accompany you."
Atrox nodded his head submissively. "Very well, master… I will lead you to the prisoner," he said coolly. Turning towards his apprentice, he said through the Force, Come with us, apprentice.
As you wish, master. Mara followed the two Sith Lords out of the apartment, silently.
Vader, mildly amused, allowed his son to lead the way to the detention bunker. He could sense great rage and hate building within the younger Sith, as he prepared to face his sister in person once again.
Leia felt approaching darkness from within her troubled dreams, and woke with a start. She sensed Atrox, Mara, and Vader approaching, and quickly began clearing her thoughts in preparation. She tensed as the door unlocked with a click, and slid open. Three dark-hooded figures entered the room, fairly dripping with the dark side. The tallest of the three came to stand before her, watching her closely. Atrox stood by his side, behind and a little to the right of him.
At last, Vader spoke. "Why did you choose betrayal, Leia Organa Skywalker? Why—"
Atrox brushed past him and towered above Leia, glaring his hatred. Atrox said nothing; he simply stood there, glaring at his sister with his sickly yellow eyes, gathering the dark side of the Force inside of him.
Leia looked up at him, meeting his gaze steadily, her own presence in the Force shining brightly as a counter to his darkness.
Vader struck out, sharply, using the Force to push Atrox back. You will learn your place, apprentice. I will not have her harmed at this time.
Atrox sneered darkly at his father. "Yes, master." He paused. But she will pay for her betrayal, this I promise you, he added through the Force.
Vader shot his son one more glare before turning his focus back on Leia. "You will answer my question, daughter, or I shall let my apprentice extract the answer from you."
Leia maintained her composure, with a small amount of effort. "I did not betray you. How could I betray you when I was being held prisoner against my will?"
Vader's eyes narrowed, and motioned for his apprentice to take several steps forward but did not order him to attack her yet. "You betrayed us when your brother told you through the Force that you were his sister. You betrayed us when you kept going… when you returned to the Alliance. Mothma got what she deserved… as will the rest of your Alliance." He took a step closer and his voice darkened, "You would be wise to not resist us anymore. I will not let you stand in the way of our Empire. Decide now."
Leia paused, her mind racing as she weighed the costs of her different courses. She tapped into the Force, trying to determine what she should do, and immediately felt an emotional backwash, coming from… Vader, and Atrox. Mara was correct about one thing, anyway… the pain both of them bear is immense. She sighed. Never had she wanted to hurt Luke, but he had pushed her away from him, tortured her, ever since he had sworn allegiance to his father. She took a deep breath, but she knew she had no choice. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm not here to stand in the way of your Empire, nor could I very well do so as a prisoner of yours, but I'll never fall to the dark side."
Vader locked eyes with her, holding her gaze. Almost before she had realized it, he had slipped past her defenses and entered her mind, providing a channel between them. He poured the dark side of the Force into it, making her… feel it, taste it. He felt her shrink away from its touch, but knew she had nonetheless felt its lure, beckoning her. A ripple of his amusement echoed through the Force. "It is sufficient, for the moment."
Atrox turned to face his father, an angry glare evident on his face. "She does not deserve another chance! She betrayed us once, I will not allow her to do so again."
Vader returned his son's glare, all amusement gone from his expression. "This is the second time in a matter of minutes that you have crossed me, Lord Atrox. You are dangerously close to betrayal yourself."
Atrox turned to face his father, an angry glare on his face. His eyes narrowed as he used the Force to lift up several of the guards in the cellblock and slammed them into a wall on the other side of the cellblock at such a speed that the only thing remaining on the wall was splattered remains.
Leia flinched in horror as she felt their brutal deaths through the Force. Vader's expression darkened further at his son's defiance. Without warning, Atrox found himself slammed against the wall by a blast of intense Force lightning, his master holding him there by the sheer force of his anger.
Atrox tried to break free of his father's hold on him while fighting the pain that the lightning was causing him. After several minutes of trying to break free of his master's wrath, he finally stopped resisting him. He looked up and met his master's eyes, glaring at him while his face creased in pain. "B- by your- will, master."
Vader slowly released Atrox, letting him sink to the floor, satisfied with his son's submission. Leia's eyes widened as she watched the interaction between her father and her brother. She sensed that this was not the first time they'd had an altercation of this sort, and that it strained the bond between them.
Vader looked down at her, his glance sharp. "This isn't over," he warned her, before turning back to his son.
Mara had knelt down by his side, her concern for Atrox and resentment of Vader tangible to all of them. Vader bent his gaze on them both, ensuring that they felt his impatience. Mara shot him a glare, and helped Atrox stand, wanting to get him out of the room before the two Sith began fighting each other again. Vader glanced around the room, gave his daughter one last look, and sealed the door behind him before he reset the codes.