The Star Destroyer was gaining on the Tantive IV. That was not the worst part. Leia rushed through the white corridors, dodging troopers and droids while Artoo followed behind as quickly as he was able. She could feel a presence. A dark and frigid presence. Leia's hand grasped her lightsaber as the ship was rocked by a violent hit. A trooper broke her fall and asked if she was okay. Leia thanked and reassured him before she moved on. The Tantive IV was caught in a tractor beam. Leia took Artoo into the engine room. "Artoo I need you to do something for me." The little droid whistled enthusiastically. Leia smiled. "It's a big favor." Again Artoo beeped.
Leia knelt by the droid and offered the disk to him. Artoo indicated she put it in his banks for safe keeping. "I'll need to send a message..." Leia inhaled slowly as the ship rocked and screeched against the tractor beam. "Father will want to know what happened to me."
Artoo beeped mournfully, but obliged her and turned on his recording device.
Leia stood up straight and put on a brave face. Whatever happened next she knew she could go peacefully. Her sacrifice would not be for nothing.
"To whom it may concern," Leia began, "I am Senator Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan. My ship has been attacked by Imperials and the likelihood of my escape is slim to none. I've placed into this R2 unit's memory banks a disk with information vital to the Rebel Alliance's cause. Rebellion leadership should know how to retrieve-" something moved out of the corner of her eye. Leia turned towards it, hand on her lightsaber. The sounds of battle were rising. Blaster fire booming outside the engine room. "Artoo get out of here." Leia said, seeing a shadow move.
Suddenly in a flash of pale blue and white revealed a female rebel trooper. "I'm sorry, Princess."
Leia immediately felt herself relax. "What are you doing in here soldier?"
"I was looking for you." The female said softly. "We've been boarded, the stormtroopers are everywhere." She paused and bit her lip hard. "I saw Lord Vader... you must escape before it's too late."
Leia nodded and came closer, reaching out and squeezing the girl's arm. "It's going to be okay. You should go."
"But what about you?"
"I'm going to kill Lord Vader of course." Leia said in forced humor. The soldier was not amused. "I'll be fine. If you get spotted... don't surrender." They all knew Imperials were never above brutally torturing those who opposed them.
The soldier hesitantly nodded.
Leia made her way back to the exit, peering into the hallway. It was littered with dead rebel and imperial troopers. More rebels than stormtroopers. Leia sighed and gingerly stepped over the bodies, deciding it best to make her way towards the conflict. If there was any left.
Sneaking through the Tantive IV was difficult, but not impossible. Leia knew the ship like she knew her lightsaber. Avoiding Imperials was easy. Too easy, Leia now thought in hindsight as she came upon a group of stormtroopers. They surrounded Lord Vader himself. Leia peered around the corner, the Sith had Captain Antilles by his neck, lifting him up effortlessly. Leia swallowed as the captain pleaded innocence. That the ship was on a diplomatic mission. She took a deep breath. No one else was going to die without her doing something. She had to do something, anything. Leia squeezed her lightsaber, a brilliant blue blade hummed to life as she charged into the room. Two stormtroopers fell immediately under her blade. Lord Vader tossed the captain aside and drew his own lightsaber. They clashed and Leia immediately knew she would be overpowered. The strength behind Darth Vader's physical strength was devastating. They traded blows several times, Leia dancing around the Sith and killing any trooper who dared to interfere almost effortlessly.
But in the end it was a useless endeavor. Leia reached too far in an attempt to stab Lord Vader's shoulder. The Sith responded to this by stepping aside. The blue blade sizzled harmlessly against his armor. Leia was not so lucky as his red blade abruptly cut through her flesh, just below her wrist. It was like her arm had caught fire. Burning from her wrist and consuming her whole body and mind. Leia was not conscious of it, but she did scream as she fell to her knees. Her vision came and went in bursts of red and black. She caught a glimpse of her hand on the floo. It still twitched and clutched her lightsaber. Leia thought she'd be sick. Maybe she already was as she clutched her arm to her chest in an attempt to put out the fire. But there was none... the fire was inside her and it burned and ate away at her sanity it seemed. She could not catch her breath nor could she stop shaking. Leia finally forced herself to look up. Pride was a powerfully reckless thing to have. She couldn't speak, her tongue would not work. But she caught the evil Sith's eyes and held it there. Anger and pain and hate. She hoped she conveyed all that and more as she saw him holding her lightsaber now.
Lord Vader's voice rumbled something to her. But the blood in Leia's ears and the fire still consuming her mind did not allow her to hear or much less process whatever he had said.
He repeated himself. Leia only stared back, her breath finally coming under some semblance of control.
Lord Vader spoke again. "Where did you get this?" He shook her lightsaber in her face.
Leia snarled and spat at him. A stormtrooper came at her with the butt of his blaster.
But Lord Vader stopped him. "Take her aboard. Kill the rest."
Darth Vader turned the old lightsaber over in his hand. At one time it would have fit perfectly in his hands. But in the hands of a young woman, especially of Leia Organa's stature, it had been heavily modified to fit her. How long had the senator of Alderaan been a Jedi? How had she come across Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber? Kenobi? Was he still alive after all this time? Darth Vader did not want to believe it. He had left that obsession a long time ago. He had moved on to greater things than his own petty vendetta. Darth Vader set the lightsaber aside and turned to the console. He keyed in a code and waited.
Not two moments later Luke answered his call. The holoscreen showed Luke at his desk, data files in messy stacks. Darth Vader was certain the boy had been a glazed over automated machine right before his call. There was a fresh light and hope behind the boy's yellowed but still strikingly blue eyes.
"Father what's wrong?"
For just a moment Darth Vader found himself amused. "Nothing, Luke. But I have a favor to ask of you."
"It's not paperwork is it?" Luke glanced at the mess around him.
"No." Again Darth Vader found himself amused. "It concerns a Jedi."
"The Jedi you picked up over Tatooine." Luke said immediately.
Darth Vader tilted his head at the little one.
Luke grinned. "I am learning to utilize my resources. Did you really think I wouldn't notice my favorite inquisitor was missing?"
"I had thought you would not mind." Darth Vader admitted.
"I don't. I hear she got the job done and that the Jedi was captured." Luke leaned forward curiously. "I thought we only gave the padawans a chance. From what Second Sister told me this one's older than I am."
"You are correct." Darth Vader said. "But I believe this particular Jedi can lead us to others. To a certain Jedi master that has alluded me."
Luke frowned thoughtfully. "Second Sister said her name was Leia Organa, the Princess of Alderaan. You think she harbors this Jedi there?"
"It is possible. I want you to go to Alderaan and investigate the Organa family. Discreetly."
Luke grinned and nodded. "I will ask the Emperor's permission right away. When will you be back to Coruscant?"
"Very soon." Darth Vader assured. "For now do what you must. I will contact you if the Jedi provides anything of use to us."
"As you wish, Father." Luke bowed his head slightly before cutting the call.
Darth Vader returned his attention to the lightsaber. It was not the only relic from his past that had been reclaimed on Princess Leia's ship.