Chapter 53

Obi-Wan Kenobi stood staring out the large viewscreen, arms folded over his chest. He was deep in meditation, his mind focused on his padawan. He still had not forgiven himself, or her, for the easy manner in which she had ditched him back on Hoth. I must be getting old, he thought to himself. Still, she is her father's child.

He could sense that Leia was in danger, but that help was on the way in the form of her father and brother. Still, he felt that he, as her master and guardian, needed to do what he could to help too. But what could he do on the other side of the galaxy from the planet Bespin?

"Still no word from the Princess," General Reikan informed Obi-Wan as he joined him. "It's been almost four days."

Obi-Wan nodded. "She's alive," he told Reikan. "But she's in danger."

Reikan frowned. "With the Empire out there, all of us are," he commented.

Obi-Wan turned to look at the man. "No, I mean personal, serious danger," he said. "And not just because she's a Rebel, because she's a Jedi. The Emperor wants her, General, and will stop at nothing to find her and take her as his apprentice, or destroy her in the process."

Reikan knew little of such matters, but trusted Kenobi enough to know he was telling the truth. "But what can we do to help her?" he asked.

"I must go to her," Obi-Wan said. "As her Jedi Master my place is at her side."

"How will you know how to find….never mind," Reikan said, reasoning the Jedi had abilities far beyond his understanding. "I suppose you'll need a ship then."

Kenobi nodded. "Yes," he said. "As soon as possible."

Bespin-Cloud City

"Ship's almost finished," Han announced as he entered the small suite where he and Leia had been residing. "Two or three more things and we're in great shape."

"The sooner the better," Leia replied with relief. "I know I've said this before, and I know he's your friend, but I don't trust this Lando character. He's hiding something Han, I'm sure of it."

Han sighed as he sat down, watching Leia as she pace about in the small room. "Like what?"

"I don't know," she said. "But I know he is. He's setting us up, Han, I just know it."

"Why would he do that?" Han asked. "He hates the Empire as much as we do, remember?"

Leia shrugged. "That may be," she conceded. "But sometimes people do things for selfish reasons. Lando Calrissian doesn't exactly strike me as the type of person to put himself out on a limb for anyone."

"You're right about that," Han agreed. "But that doesn't mean that…"

His sentence was interrupted by the entrance of Lando Calrissian into the room.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" he asked smoothly.

"Not really," Leia replied coolly, stepping closer to Han.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Lando said with a smile. "You truly belong here with us among the clouds."

Han rolled his eyes and covered his mouth to hide a smirk at his friend's attempt to be charming.

"Thank you," Leia replied, unimpressed by Lando's compliment.

"Would you care to join me for some refreshment?" Lando asked, extending a hand to Leia. "I'm sure you all must be hungry by now."

Leia looked back at Han and then reluctantly took Lando's hand as Han stood up to join them. "Yeah, we are, aren't we sweetheart?" Han said, holding out his arm to Leia.

Leia nodded as she took Han's arm. Chewbacca was already at the door, obviously as hungry as ever, barking with enthusiasm. Leia was hungry too, but that wasn't the most prevailing feeling she was experiencing. This is it, she thought, preparing herself for what she was certain was about to happen.

Han and Lando engaged in meaningless small talk about the gas mine as they walked through the pristine, white hallways of Cloud City. Leia only half listened, for her senses were attuned to the impending danger that she felt was approaching.

"So aren't you afraid the Empire's gonna find out about this little operation and shut you down?" Han asked Lando.

"That's always been a danger that's loomed like a shadow over everything we've built here," Lando replied. "But things have developed that will ensure security," he continued. He stopped in front of a doorway, his expression becoming serious all of a sudden. "I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever."

From down the corridor a group of Imperial officers approached, as a squadron of clones surrounded them. Han's blaster was taken away from him before he had a chance to fire.

"I had no choice," Lando explained lamely. "They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry."

Han shook his head. "You bastard," he spat as he and Chewbacca were bound by their wrists. He looked at Leia. "I should have listened to you," he said, his eyes full of anguish. "I'm sorry, Leia…"

Leia could only stand and watch as he and Chewbacca were lead away, leaving her and Threepio alone with their captors.

"Where are you taking them?" Leia asked, turning her attention back to the imperial officer in charge.

"No need to concern yourself with them, Princess Leia. You shall see them soon enough."

Leia turned to see another figure emerge from the group of clones and officers. He was dressed all in black, and looked at Leia with an expression of undisguised lewdness. Leia suddenly remembered where she had seen him: the hangar bay on Hoth. This is Palpatine's new apprentice…

"Come with me, your highness," Ferreus said as he took Leia by the arm and escorted her away. "We have much to discuss."

Nubian Cruiser-en route to Bespin

Anakin was lost in thought, his mind in turmoil as he focused on his daughter, knowing for certain that at that very moment she was in grave danger. Where are you Kenobi? he thought angrily. And why aren't you there to protect my daughter like you swore to?

"ETA to Bespin is two point two hours," Luke told his father after checking the navi-computer.

"Push it harder," Anakin told his son. "That's too long."

Padmé stood up behind her husband and put her hands on his shoulders. She could feel the tension in his muscles and massaged them to try to alleviate his tension. "Leia has to be alright," Padmé said. "She just has to be."

Anakin did not wish to disclose all that his vision had shown him to his wife; but she knew her husband well enough to realize that when he was this worried, it was for good reason.

"I will make sure of it, Padmé," Anakin told her, squeezing her hand lightly. "I promise you."

Padmé nodded, knowing that Anakin meant what he said, but also knowing that at present Leia's circumstances were beyond even his control.

"I don't understand why Leia is separate from the rest of the Alliance," Padmé said.

"No, neither do I," Luke said. "Even if the Alliance had been forced to evacuate Hoth, which may have been what happened, they would do so en masse."

"Obviously something has happened to separate her from the rest," Anakin pointed out. "As well as from Obi-Wan, for I know she would not be in this danger now if he were with her." He shook his head in frustration. "Can you get any more out of those engines, Luke?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah, R2's managed a little more Dad," he told him. "We should arrive there in a little under an hour now."

Anakin sighed, the frown not leaving his face. "I just hope that's enough time," he said softly.

Cloud City-Bespin

Leia could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as she was lead away by the terrifying Sith. She could sense his evil intentions towards her, and they repulsed her. More than that, they frightened her; for while she had some training as a Jedi, she was certainly no match for a Sith, not yet. And I don't even have a light saber, she reflected grimly.

"Please, sit down," Ferreus said as they entered a small room.

Leia did as she was bade, her eyes never leaving her adversary.

"So, you are the daughter of the famous Anakin Skywalker," he began, sitting down and regarding her appraisingly.

"Who will cut you into bite sized pieces for this outrage," she replied evenly.

Ferreus merely laughed. "I'm not afraid of him," he said smoothly, pushing his cloak over his shoulder and leaning forward to look at her closely. "He's an old crippled man. I, however, am in the prime of my life. He's no match for me."

Leia shook her head, a smile of derision forming on her face. "You really have no clue what you're talking about," she told him. "But I have a feeling that you will find out soon enough."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Ferreus replied, getting annoyed at Leia's refusal to tremble in fear of him.

"You're a Sith, aren't you?" she replied, folding her arms over her chest. "Aren't you supposed to be able to foresee the future? And you replaced my father? Please!"

Ferreus lost his temper and struck her hard across the face. "Enough," he said, standing up and grabbing her roughly by the arm. "You want proof of my power? I'll give you the proof you need, Princess."

With Leia in tow, Ferreus headed down the corridor pulling her along brusquely. They entered a room, and Leia could not help but gasp in horror when she saw what was going on within.

Han had been restrained to a platform at a 45 degree angle away from the floor. Ferreus nodded to the trooper at his side who lowered him to a rather insidious rack of torture devices.

"No don't!" Leia cried, trying to run to Han. Ferreus grabbed her again and held her against the front of his body.

"Just so you won't have any further doubt about me, Princess," he said into her ear, making Leia's blood run cold.

Even as he was being lowered, electric jolts hit Han's body, causing excruciating pain. Though stoic at first, as the intensity of the jolts increase, Han could no longer keep from screaming in agony.

"Please stop!" Leia cried, doing her best to wrench away from her captor. "Please!"

"Carry on," Ferreus said, pulling Leia from the room. Now I have you where I want you, little Princess, he thought with perverse satisfaction. Now we understand one another.

"Perhaps you will no longer question my authority, Princess," Ferreus said as Leia sobbed against the bulkhead. She forced herself to regain her composure, and looked up at Ferreus with utter hatred in her eyes.

"What do you want from me?" she asked at last.

Ferreus merely smiled in response.