Author's Note: Please note my new pen name! I was ready for a change, is all . . . sorry for any confusion! Also, I apologize if any of my movie facts are off. I'm going by the script I found on IMSDB; I haven't actually watched the movies in a while. Now on to the next chapter!

Chapter Two: Misunderstandings

Vader came to me the next morning – or so he claimed; I had no way of knowing what time it was. He was silent as he bound my hands, and I didn't dare attempt to whisper anything to him, to try to find out what was going on. That would only serve to make the two stormtroopers he had with him suspicious.

His gloved hand went to the small of my back, and I moved forward obligingly. He was tense; I could feel it radiating from him, and his hand on my back was as stiff as metal. An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach.

Eventually, we reached the bridge. I immediately latched on to the officer who turned to greet us – it was Tarkin, a monster of a human being if I'd ever met one. I hated the cold, slimy man more than any other being in he galaxy.

"Governor Tarkin," I said waspishly. "I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash."

That little dig was purely revenge for his silence on the way down here. A little warning that I'd have to deal with this snake would have been nice, and I clearly recall mentioning to Vader once, during one of our discussions on Coruscant, just how much I dislike Tarkin.

But if Vader was the least bit insulted, it didn't show. He was as stone-like as ever. I continued, "I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board."

At my back, Vader tensed even more, but somehow I got the odd feeling it was from holding in laughter.

Tarkin wasn't as amused. His hand shot out and gripped my chin. "Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life!"

I jerked my head out of his grip, Vader's presence at my back making me braver. "I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself!"

His lip curled, and for a moment I actually thought he might hit me. Then, he spun away. "Princess Leia," he said, coldly formal, "before your execution, I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station more operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now."

As I tried to fathom exactly what he meant, I felt Vader tense even more, and he shifted. Ironically, it gave me hope. I had never really minded Tarkin's threat of death, because I was certain Vader would protect me. Yet I had believed that he was in agreement with Tarkin on most things. Obviously, I was wrong, and I almost relaxed, sure that Vader would thwart whatever evil scheme Tarkin had up his sleeve.

I smiled mirthlessly up at him, almost smug in my self-assurance. "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."

He was smug right back at me. "Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first."

Destroyed? As in, made uninhabitable? I fervently wished we'd had time to study the plans before the Empire had caught our trail.

Tarkin wasn't done. Unfortunately. "Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan."

An icy fist of fear seized my stomach. "No!" I nearly screeched forgetting about Vader for the moment. "Alderaan is peaceful, we have no weapons, you can't possibly --"

He loomed over me. "You would prefer another target? A military target? Then name the system!"

Once again Vader shifted behind me, and, rather panicky, I wondered what he wanted from me. He'd said he needed the Alliance, so surely he didn't expect me to actually tell the truth! Not that I would, anyway . . .

"I grow tired of asking this," Tarkin snapped at me. "So it'll be the last time. Where is the Rebel base?"

I lowered my head, as if admitting defeat. "Dantooine. They're on Dantooine."

He smirked over my shoulder, and I felt the urge to slap him for dismissing me as soon as I gave him an answer. "You see, Lord Vader, she can be reasonable."

I vaguely recalled Vader's words as he'd entered my cell last night with the droid. So he'd told Tarkin he'd actually interrogated me and I hadn't cooperated. Well, that was okay. I wouldn't have.

Then he turned to another officer. "Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready."

I couldn't believe my ears. "What?!"

"You're far to trusting," Tarkin told be haughtily. "Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry. We will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough."

I lunged for him. "No!"

A strong hand on my shoulder pulled me back. Vader. Right. He'd stop this. We were partners now . . . or something like partners. He couldn't just stand there and let them blow up a planet! My planet!

"Commencing primary ignition," a voice said. I was too dizzy with panic to try and pinpoint it.

And then there was a flash of light, and Alderaan was gone.

Just – gone.

Not dried out, or flooded, or the air stripped of oxygen – actually gone. Blown away.

I couldn't believe it. There was absolutely nothing left.

I'd never get to bury my father.

My knees went weak. "And you call yourselves human," I hissed.


Vader escorted me back to my cell. He was as silent as he'd been on the way to the bridge – I shivered – earlier. But when we arrived at my cell, he hesitated, as if to say something.

I beat him to it. "How could you?" I demanded harshly, near tears as I glared at his unfathomable black mask. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"The Emperor ordered me not to interfere," Vader replied lowly. "He is already displeased that i pushed back your execution; I was under strict orders to do nothing. It would have been treason."

"I thought you wanted to commit treason! You want to kill him!"

"Keep your voice down," Vader told me. "You are becoming rather shrill."

"Of course I'm shrill! You just forced me to watch as my homeworld became space dust! How can you sleep at night, doing things like that every day?"

"I don't," he informed me shortly. "I meditate. I will come see you later."

He left abruptly, and I sat down on the hard bench. So this is how it's going to be.

Pulling my feet up, I curled into a fetal position and cried myself to sleep.