Dark Angel
By Serena Kenobi
Author's note: Okay... we're kinda get towards the end of this story, but I'm not sure whether or not to add another sequel. Comments? Feedback? Would you like another sequel? Or should I just end the story in this story? I was planning to split it up into one more story, but I'm not sure.
Okay, another note: PippinBaggins's Darcy aka Spectre will be in this chapter. Pippin, this chapter's dedicated to you!
Chapter Eighteen
"Darth Kier."
The young man bowed low before the Emperor. "What is your bidding, my master?" He asked in a low voice.
The Emperor's hideous face became more so as he scowled. "Go to Alderaan. Kill young Skywalker."
Kier's face betrayed surprise. "But I thought you had instructed me to–"
"I know well what I said," the Emperor snapped. "You have no need to remind me."
"No, master. It is not my place."
"No, it is not. By attacking her forcefully, she will be tempted to use the dark side. You will aid her in that. Bait her. Persuade her that the dark is stronger, and if she does not stand against you, kill her. She will be of no use to me."
Kier nodded. "At once." Bowing once more, he left the room, gripping his lightsaber tightly. Staying close to the shadows, Kier slipped into a secret underground hangar bay and zoomed out into the Coruscanti night in a sleek craft that disappeared.
"I'm sorry to cut this visit so short, Your Majesties," Elena said during breakfast the next morning, "but I'm afraid business calls me back home."
Suffice to say, neither Organa parent looked too sad about it.
"I'm sorry to hear it," Bail said, not really sounding sorry at all. "Do give your father my regards."
Elena nodded stiffly. "Will do," she said. Force, you sound so broken up about it.
Leia muffled a snicker; her father stared at her.
"Leia, you all right?"
Leia patted her chest. "Oh, yes, I'm fine." She shot a mischievous glance to Elena.
"So, Leia, where were you yesterday? We didn't see you until late last evening," Breha said.
Leia froze. Looked at Elena, who stared back. "Uh, well… you know… I was… just… taking a walk."
"But you were gone all day," her mother said, confused.
Leia opened her mouth, but Elena quickly said, "Forgive me, Milady, it was my fault. I asked Leia if she knew how to get to this beautiful lake on the far east of the city, and we decided to take the long way. I take full responsibility."
"Princess Leia has many important things to do," said one of the Terrible Trio – Aunt Rouge, Elena guessed. "She does not have time to go gallivanting across the countryside! She is training to become a member of the Imperial Senate and the heir to the throne of Alderaan!"
Elena's eyes flashed. "Leia is a grown woman and can choose to do whatever she wants. And I'm sure she has time to show one of her oldest friends around her home planet for a few hours."
"Oldest friends?" Rouge echoed, angered.
Bail quickly jumped in, "Now, Rouge, please, let's leave it at that." He glanced at Elena uncomfortably, and both sisters knew that he was afraid of her.
"No, Senator Organa," Elena said coldly, her gaze never leaving Rouge's, "please, let her continue."
Rouge was all too happy to do so. "The day I see my niece become best friends with an Imperial Princess, whose father is merely a lapdog to Emperor Palpatine, is the day that Darth Vader becomes good!"
"That's enough!" Leia shouted, jumping from her seat. "Elena Skywalker is my closest friend in the entire galaxy. I value her opinion over most people I know – I think her of as my own flesh and blood sister!"
Bail and Breha's faces had turned ashen, and Rouge blinked, astonished at her niece's appalling behavior.
"Leia," Elena said quietly.
Leia shook her head. "No," she said firmly. "You don't understand." Her gaze flickered to her adopted family. "None of you do. And I don't think you ever will." She stormed out of the breakfast hall.
Elena sat there in silent contemplation.
"You!" Rouge hissed, her eyes furious, "this is all your doing! You Imperial witch!"
"Rouge!" Bail barked, half-heartedly.
Elena rose from her seat. "I had hoped to find a more welcoming, understanding family. But now I see Leia's right. You don't understand." She turned and left the room, boots tapping on the hard floor.
Bail rubbed his chin. "This is a nightmare," he growled.
"It's all herdoing!" Rouge exclaimed. "It's that spell-caster! That sorceress! She's turning Leia against us!"
"What will we do?" Breha said quietly. "Leia's been growing more distant recently – and now I feel that she's pushing us completely away. It's as if she doesn't want to be our daughter anymore!" She put her head in her hands.
Rouge turned to her brother. "Bail, isn't there something you can–"
"There's nothing I can do!" Bail roared. "That monster… that monster's daughter has the power to do anything – anything she wants. I can't stop her from seeing Leia. I can't stop them from becoming friends."
"What does she see in that witch, anyways?" Rouge glowered.
An eavesdropper, hiding in plain sight, sighed and rushed off to find her sister.
"Leia!"
Leia turned at her sister's voice, and then sighed. "Elena, you know I can't see you when you're invisible unless I become invisible, too."
"Oops. Sorry." Elena became visible again. "Listen, I just heard your family. They think I'm turning you against them."
"No surprise there. I'm not all that sure I really care anymore." Leia sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. Elena frowned and took a seat opposite her. "Elena, ever since I've known we were sisters – and mutants – I've been… distancing myself from my parents. It's getting so difficult to keep this mutant thing a secret – and even if I did tell them, they wouldn't understand. You're lucky. You have a family who understands you."
"You mean I have a father who's a Sith Lord," Elena responded dryly.
"But at least he hasn't turned you over to Palpatine. He's kept this a secret for what, over four years now?"
"Yeah." Elena smiled. "I think he's afraid of me turning into something else. Turning into him, maybe. And I don't think he wants that."
Leia frowned. "But it doesn't make sense. If memory serves me correctly, there are only two Sith. Sidious won't want both you and your father as his apprentices. And Father… Father will want to take over the Empire with you at his side. Right?"
Elena shrugged. "I don't know." Her eyebrows furrowed. "I mean, I've thought about it, especially now that the Emperor's putting more pressure on Dad to turn me into a Sith… I think he wants me and Dad to turn against each other."
"But that won't happen. Unless he tries to turn you," Leia said.
"That's the problem," Elena said grimly. "I can't turn my back on becoming a Jedi. I won't become a Sith. But if he tries to make me become one… I don't know."
"Elena," Leia said, "you're going to have to choose. The Jedi… or your father."
"I know!" Elena shouted. "You don't think I don't know that?" She swore under her breath and raked a hand through her hair.
Leia gazed at her sister and slowly put a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Elena, I know what you're going through. But you have to trust–"
Elena's head shot up, and she tensed visibly. "Something's wrong," she said brusquely.
Leia frowned and looked around. "What – oh!" Her eyes widened as she sensed the same thing her sister was.
"I'll go," Elena said quickly, "I know this one." With that, she disappeared in a blink.
Headstrong, stupid idiot! What's he thinking coming here? Is this a magnet for mutants? Is there a sign that says, "Welcome to Alderaan! All MUTANTS come on in!'? Elena shook her head as she zoomed through Aldera, invisible and flying using Rogue's superhuman powers. It was risky using two powers (sometimes three: she used Shadowcat's phasing powers in case she had to phase through a ship or speeder), but she had to get to the mutant in distress before he managed to get himself killed. Which, by all accounts, would happen in less than ten seconds.
"Blasted mutants and their blasted tendency to get into trouble!" She growled, and suddenly, spotting the mutant falling down below her, sharply soared downwards at an ever increasing rate, reached out as she closed in on him, and quickly snatched the back of his shirt and cloak together.
"Whoa!" He cried, and craned his neck to see what had abruptly jolted him upwards. His face turned ashen as he expected to see something – but nothing was there. He was hanging by an invisible force in the middle of traffic. "What in…"
"Shut up or I'll shut you up!" Elena yelled. "Good grief! What's your dealio, huh?" She suddenly turned and sped towards a building and rested him on the top of it. He stumbled slightly but instantly recovered, turning around to face her, his eyes darting around. His blonde and brown shaggy hair fell in front of his face, and he was skinny and rather tall.
"Who are you?" He demanded.
Elena soared forth and slapped him upside his head. His eyes widened, and he ducked instinctively. "It's me, you dolt! Who d'ya think?" Elena was in no mood for politeness.
The young man frowned, then did a double take as if suddenly recognizing something. "… Elena?" He asked hesitantly.
Elena dropped down to the ground and made herself visible in front of him. For good measure, she slapped him upside the head again. "What does it look like?" She snapped. "Darcy, what were you thinking?"
Darcy swallowed but held her gaze. "What do you mean?"
"What d'you think I mean? Why were you trying to take on that entire group of thugs on your own?"
Darcy's eyes flashed, and his jaw tightened. "What, you don't think I'm strong enough? That I'm a good enough Jedi?"
"Don't throw yourself a pity-party," Elena sneered. "That's not what I meant and you know it. You're a mutant, Darce, a frelling mutant!Do you realize how dangerous it is for you? For us?"
Darcy glared at her. "I know all too well. How else was I to defend myself?"
"Run into an alley and thendisappear. You were on the verge of doing it right in front of them? Not smart!" She punched him in the arm.
He winced and rubbed it. "Geez, you pack a punch, don't you?"
"Indestructible metal skeleton," Elena waved it off, "but listen. You can't be here – out in the city. It's dangerous."
"I've done it before and I can do it again," Darcy shot back.
Elena rubbed her forehead. "And I'm sure you can, but that's not the best choice. Come on, there are some friends I want you to meet." She reached out to take his hand, but he recoiled.
"How do I know you're not–"
"Taking you to Imperial holding?" She narrowed her eyes and slapped him again. "Don't be stupid, Darcy, cause you're not. You know me better than that." She grabbed his hand, turned invisible – he did the same – and together they flew off the building and shot off into the sky.
They soared out of the city until they finally came to the area of the forest that contained the large warehouse. Once spotted, Darcy and Elena alighted on the ground and walked towards the warehouse.
"What's this place?" Darcy asked, slightly nervous.
Elena's face remained impassive. "A warehouse."
"Obviously," Darcy said dryly. "Why'd you take me here?" Did he hear… voices inside?
"I told you, we're going to meet some friends. Come on, they're waiting." She entered inside, and after a second's hesitation, Darcy followed her. Once inside, he stopped, startled.
"Who are you guys?" Darcy asked.
Elena looked around at the small crowd of mutants, most of them unfamiliar, and raised her eyebrows. "I second the question," she said.
Leia stepped forward, and Darcy's eyes widened. "You're Princess Leia!" He blurted out. "But what are you–"
"I'm a mutant, too," Leia said, holding out a hand. "You're Darcy, I know. Elena's told me about you."
Darcy eyed Elena warily. "What's she told you?"
"Nothing that I'm sure isn't true. Come on, there are some friends I think you should meet." She stepped towards the various people in the room and cleared her throat above the noise. Everyone fell silent and turned towards her.
Leia, how DID you get here so fast? Elena wondered.
Left a clone of myself at the palace. No one will suspect a thing.
Elena grinned. Clever.
"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," Leia said loudly, "I'd like to introduce another mutant – this is Darcy."
Darcy blushed, and his eyes darted nervously around for any sign of hostility in the group. He found none, only sheer curiosity.
"And for those of you who haven't met her, this is Elena Skywalker. She'll be leaving us soon to return to Coruscant in case any other mutants felt her sign and went there instead. But don't worry – she's not an Imperial – she's a mutant like us."
Elena nodded and urged Darcy on forward. "What, are you scared?" She whispered.
Darcy glared at her. "No." After a pause, he said, "Okay, yes. But aren't you?"
"Darce, you're among your peers now. No judgment here." Elena patted his back and went forth to meet the newest additions to the party.
Weeell, hope you liked it. Let me know what you think! Flames will be ignored. Pippin, I hope I did Darcy justice.
MtFbwy,
- Serena Kenobi
