Once the sun rose, as it was customary, Vader also rose from his personal chamber to prepare for the interrogation he had scheduled.

The timing was entirely arbitrary. He was not required to sleep and thus could theoretically begin at any time. Inquisitors could be summoned at any moment, and the journey between Mustafar and its adjacent moon, Nur, barely took any time. He could travel between Fortress Vader and Fortress Inqusitorius within the hour. If anything, the decision was more motivated by an offhand remark the Grand Inquisitor had made to him as he forcibly escorted her away.

"You will watch over the girl and ensure she does not escape," he had commanded her. "If she is not in there by the time I return, you will be displaced."

Third Sister had scowled, looking rather displeased for someone who had received such a grand promotion. "Well, if you want her to remain in one spot, then perhaps you should consider making it livable," she sneered. "I wouldn't sleep a single night in this creepy fortress either."

Vader had paused, shocked. Firstly, by the brashness she displayed, acting exceedingly rude even knowing that she could be executed any time for the information she had. Secondly, for the implication that the room he had instructed her to keep the child in was not sufficient.

Anakin Skywalker had been a slave since before he had even stopped crawling on all fours. Back then, there had been no rules regarding what was or was not "suitable" for a child.

Livable? Vader sneered. He took immense offense at the implication that his living quarters were anything less than acceptable for his daughter.

And so, he had instructed Third Sister to move her to the largest bedchamber, the one with all of the furniture he had compiled from Padme's apartment back on Naboo.

He had wanted to interview the child immediately afterwards, but Third Sister glared at him and said "I am happy to bring the child, however I am afraid that the little brat is too greedy for her own good. She refuses to talk on an empty stomach."

In retrospect, perhaps this "request" did not actually come from the child herself, considering its unusual nature. However it was true that she was a child first, as well as a Princess. Thus, Vader begrudgingly agreed to her terms. Third Sister was instead sent back to Nur to conduct more interrogations, and a Purge Trooper was ordered to bring the child something to eat. When the Third Sister also reported that the child was complaining because all of the chairs and tables were too tall for her, he also instructed a Purge Trooper to bring special customized fiber-grown furniture that could accommodate a child of her size. Although he had planned to speak with her that day, Vader instead spent the rest of the night in his meditation chamber, reflecting deeply on his next move and how he wished to carry out this interrogation.

Unlike other interrogations, there were several unprecedented factors at play. For one, most interrogations that required his presence were not true interrogations. The general expectation was that those being investigated were predetermined to be executed. However, that was not his intention with the girl. He would first have to discover if this child was being manipulated by Obi-Wan, or if she herself was not aware of his unsupported claims. There was also the issue of reliability, timing, and logistics; if this child was truly the offspring of Padme, then how? And when? And what qualities of Padme...or himself...might she possess? Vader spent several hours ruminating over this last question. He was not sure if he really wanted to know the answer.

Speaking of Obi-Wan, Third Sister had not advocated on his part, but Vader decided to send in some medic droids to tend to him. He had instructed them to ensure that the wound on his amputated leg was fully cauterized and eliminate the risk of him succumbing to blood loss or infection. However, they were not to heal the burns on his backside and neck, and they were forbidden from giving him any prosthetic limbs.

Vader sneered, his mood souring as he thought back to some rather unpleasant memories.

No, he wished for those burns and scars to remain forever, a memory, something that tied Obi-Wan to him just as tightly as his thoughts did.

The anger took over his thoughts for a while, and for some time, he could not think of anything else. The betrayal, the grief, the anxiety. It was not uncommon for him to experience nightmares after falling asleep in such a state, and so he did not sleep.

When Priate, the principle star in the Mustafar system reached its highest point in the sky (the closest that a fiery planet with no weather cycle had to being called a sunrise), Vader finally removed himself from his meditation chamber. When Reva reported to him for her daily tasks, he commanded her to bring the girl breakfast and inform her of his arrival, which would both satisfy her previous request (being allowed to eat before their discussion) and give her sufficient time to get ready for their conversation. Third Sister left to carry out this command without showing any approval or lack thereof, her face entirely empty and tired. Perhaps living with the constant threat of being executed for her knowledge was starting to take a toll on her physical wellbeing. As long as she fulfilled her orders, it was not his concern.

An hour passed. Third Sister did not return with the food tray. Vader frowned and began to grow frustrated. This interrogation was already cutting into time that could be spent fulfilling other responsibilities. Worse, it could incur the suspicion of the Emperor. At the moment, he had not discouraged him from anything, but his response to reporting that he had captured Kenobi was not quite as he desired.

"He is within my grasp, Master. Finally, this pest that has been nothing but a pain in my back will be permanently eliminated," he had told him.

"I see," Lord Sidious had replied, squinting slightly. "That is...well, I should say, congratulations. Your success is most admirable."

Vader frowned, having expected a different reaction. "Is there an issue?" he asked.

"Nothing...only, I fear that your feelings for your old Master may interfere with your capacity to think reasonably. I am not certain that this development will be good for you, my friend."

Vader had gone silent for a while after this statement. Of course, he swore his loyalty to his true Master again, affirming that he was strong in the Dark Side and that he would never again waver. No, not after everything that Obi-Wan...that is to say, Kenobi...had caused him to lose. He would not let his old weaknesses and his attachment to the old man stop him from fulfilling what had to be done. In order to remain strong, he concentrated on that anger from deep within himself and fed on it.

Drawing on that anger was much easier now.

"Where have you been?" he demanded angrily, splaying out his fingers. The tray that Reva had brought back was flung right at her face, and she dodged it instantly, her brows furrowing in annoyance. "I commanded you to return to me immediately once she was finished. Do you think I have all day to waste on trivial matters?"

"My apologies, my Lord," Third Sister replied as she cleaned up root paste from the floor, although her defiant face said otherwise. "The child eats slower than an exogorth."

Vader snarled, but her face did not betray any fear. Yet, this was different from other experiences he had had with people who did not fear them. Often their lack of fear was out of a lack of understanding, and informed by arrogance. Third Sister possessed none of these qualities; if anything, she seemed more tired than anything. It was as if she had hardened herself to him. Although it frustrated him since it meant he could no longer motivate her using the threat of death, it also felt strangely familiar, though he could not place it.

"Take me to her, now," he commanded. "I will not be kept waiting all day."

Third Sister looked as if she wanted to retort with something, but she kept her mouth closed and simply turned around, clearly expecting him to follow her.

He had anticipated some tension as they walked to the child's room. However, the discomfort was exceedingly noticeable. Vader did not speak a word to Third Sister as they made their way up the millions of stair steps that they were forced to walk together, and she likewise did not attempt to initiate any conversation. As they continued to climb step after step, he made a mental note to have an elevator installed.

When they finally reached the door to the child's room, his discomfort increased yet again. Although he had personally purchased the furniture and had it sent to this special room, he had never looked at any of it, not even the highly-valued Tarka-Null sculptures that had been commissioned in Padme's likeness. It made him uncomfortable to think that a child, whose kind were known to destroy and ruin beautiful and delicate things, had been allowed to sleep in the same room and look at it. He sneered, thinking of what punishments he would have to resort to if any of Padme's furniture had been ruined by grubby little hands.

"Move aside," he said coldly, and Third Sister obeyed silently. "I will speak to her now. Leave."

Third Sister bowed, touching her hand to the floor, then rose and walked away without responding. It was uncharacteristic of her to not talk back so much. He felt uneasy again. Steeling himself, Vader turned back towards the white marble door and faced it completely. He raised his arm, intending to open the door slowly so as not to startle the child, but he hesitated.

In Naboo religion, it was customary to burn personal belongings not long after the cremation of the physical body. This was because Naboolians believed that after death, it was necessary to return every trace of life force to the planet's core, and in many cases one's life force could be said to be heavily tied to their earthly possessions. He had never really believed in such superstitions, having come from a more pragmatic background, but in order to please Padme he had informed himself on her culture's beliefs. And so, despite what his teachings and personal beliefs had taught him, he still regarded this room as some sort of manifestation of Padme. Although it did not contain any of the luxurious dresses that she loved to wear, it still contained many of her most precious memories. To let in any impostor who was not of her own blood was not just a violation of her intimacy, but of her honor itself. Vader would not stand to see her dignity ruined.

And so, it was with a hardened heart and a hardened mind that he raised his hand a second time, forcefully opening the door.

The child, who had been waiting for him on the other side, immediately gasped and backed away.

Vader strolled into the room, surprised to find that she had dimmed the wish globes. Without proper lighting, it was somewhat difficult to see her face. He marched inside, impatient to get everything over with. He glanced down at the child, and she immediately took another step back.

Her eyes were wide with bewilderment. Instead of greeting him, as he had expected, she continued to back away from him. He looked down, and she clasped her little droid to her chest, looking terrified. She did not curtsy to perform her respects to him as her father. All she did was stare up at him, unable to speak.

Internally, Vader frowned. Third Sister had reported that the child was rebellious, spoiled, and headstrong. Moreover, he would have expected Bail Organa to instruct his eldest child and heir to the throne in formal etiquette. Where was the tenacious princess he had been awaiting? All he could see was an ordinary, unimpressive child with nothing but fear in their eyes for him.

"Why are you walking away from me?" He asked, and the vocoder distorted his voice, making his tone sound more impatient than he intended. "Come here. Let me get a good look at you."

The child swallowed. The droid in her hands fluttered frantically, shaking with fear.

Vader observed it, silently. He had read somewhere that small children, unsure of how to read others, took signals from their personal droids. It was usually a sign of stunted personal growth, and could lead to unnecessary aggression or bewilderment. He reached out, and used the Force on it. It flew right into his hand, and the girl whimpered. He crushed it between his fingers, deactivating it instantly, and discarded it haphazardly. It fell on the floor with a small clank of metal.

"There," he said. "No more distractions."

The girl bit her lip, and he watched as her big, brown eyes started to water. Vader watched intently, waiting to see her reaction. Her legs trembled, but she forced herself to stay still.

He walked closer to her, stopping when they were only a few feet away from each other.

Now that they were closer to one another, he could see exactly how small she was, why Obi-Wan always treated her like a fragile kitten that needed to be coddled. At almost seven feet tall in his artificial legs and suit, he towered over her. She was as short as the Younglings he had eliminated all those years ago to serve the Empire, smaller even. He began to wonder if Bail Organa was feeding her properly.

"So," he said. "We finally meet." He paused. "You're smaller than I expected."

The girl swallowed, and he watched her face closely. He could not deny that Obi-Wan had found a good match; she really did resemble her, at least a younger version of her. Her baby face was still quite chubby, but she had the same soft brown hair and eyes, even if they lacked the fiery passion that Padme's emanated. However, her round cheeks were quite different. They looked nothing like Padme's.

Vader bent down, and she inhaled sharply. He reached out with a gloved hand and she squeezed her eyes shut, thinking he was about to strangle her. Instead, a black gloved hand grasped her face, squeezing her cheeks roughly. She opened one eye, surprised.

"What is your name?" he asked, leaning in until she could see her own reflection in his black helmet. "Answer honestly. I will know if you lie to me."

Shuddering, the child squeezed her eyes even tighter, refusing to look at him. Vader frowned, displeased. "I said, what is your name?" he asked again.

The child struggled against him, trying to shake her head, but his grip was too strong. Sighing internally, he released her, and she ran a few feet away from him again. Vader stood up, towering above her menacingly.

"I expected more from the successor of Bail Organa. What has your Master been teaching you?"

Suddenly, the child's eyes flew back open, and her expression changed. She narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her face at him, suddenly looking a lot tougher-looking than before. He was somewhat surprised by her quick change in attitude. Glaring angrily at him, she suddenly retorted in a shrill voice that dripped with impertinence and annoyance.

"He's not my teacher, he's my father," she spat. "And that's Senator Organa to you, thank you very much."

Vader raised an eyebrow, and instantly all the bravado leaked out of her little body, leaving her looking terrified again. He took another step towards her and she winced.

"I see," he said. "Senator it is, then. Please excuse my discourtesy."

The child stared at him, as if she could not believe that he was apologizing to her. She was right to be suspicious. Vader seldom apologized genuinely.

"It appears we have not been properly introduced," he said. "Let us not start off on the wrong impression. What is your name?"

The girl looked up at him warily. He looked back at her, his neutral stance betraying no emotion. "What is yours?" she asked him challengingly.

"I have many names. Those who work for me call me by my title," he replied. "Others simply refer to me as Vader."

She made a face. "Do I also have to call you Lord Vader?"

"No," he replied simply. "But that depends. What is your relationship to me?" he asked coldly. "If you were one of my soldiers, I would have you call me your Lord. But, if we were family..." He paused meaningfully. "Then, we could drop the formalities."

The child's lip quivered. She was not sure which possibility would be favorable.

"Now," he said, "I am aware that you are a princess. But what does your father call you?"

The child narrowed her eyes at him.

It appeared Senator Organa had trained her well to not give out her name to just anyone. But she knew that he already knew of her father's identity, and could easily verify her real name if she tried to feed him fake information.

"Leia," she whispered rapidly, as if hoping he would not hear it. Naturally, he was still able to, as enhanced senses was just one of the extensive abilities that the Force had granted him.

"I see," he said quietly. "Leia," he repeated. The girl flinched, as if she did not like hearing him say it.

A few moments passed as he continued to observe her. She looked around, her eyes flickering from point to point nervously. At first, he had intended to check on the status of the furniture before addressing her, but now he found that he could not tear his eyes off of her. It was so strange, seeing someone who looked so similar and yet so different to her. He found that it awakened both anger and some other emotion in him that he could not name, one that had been locked away for so long.

"You are quite close with your father, are you not?" he asked.

Leia looked at him warily. "Yes..." she said, hesitating slightly.

"I see. He must tell you a lot about his duties as Senator." Leia made no response. "Has he ever told you about his other ventures?"

The girl shut her mouth automatically. It seemed she knew exactly what he was trying to do.

Vader crossed his arms, finally impressed. It seemed she was smarter than he gave her credit for.

Too bad he had no time for smartness.

"I asked you a question. Why are you not responding?"

Leia bit her lip, her little legs shaking. Vader's patience began to grow thin.

"It is impolite to keep others waiting. I should think that Senator Organa would have taught you this."

The girl turned her face away, refusing to look at him. That made him finally snap. He marched right up to her and grabbed her arm. She immediately trembled and tried to yank it out of his hand, but it was futile, he was too strong.

"Let go of me!" she shrieked desperately.

"No," he replied coldly, unrelenting. "What do you know about the Rebellion?"

The girl shook immediately, struggling harder than ever. "I don't know anything!"

"Liar," he hissed, tightening his grip until she let out a cry of pain. "What has Organa told you? Did he send you here as part of his plan?"

"No, no!" Leia sobbed. "I don't even know what that is!"

"You do know. You recognize the name."

"I told you, I don't!" she screamed. "Let go of me, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Not until you tell me what his plan is," he sneered.

"Daddy didn't do anything! He doesn't even know I'm here," she sobbed.

"Oh, so then who put you up to this? Obi-Wan?"

"No! Ben didn't do anything either! He was trying to rescue me and bring me home!"

Vader scoffed, unbelieving. "That is just what he told you so you would go along with him. It is an excuse, just like all of his other lies."

"No, it's not! Ben would never lie to me."

"He would!" Vader snarled, and Leia let out a loud whimper as he continued to squeeze her hand tightly. "He has, and he will again," he snarled. "Obi-Wan is a liar, and a criminal. He does not deserve your trust."

"Well, he deserves it more than you!" she spat angrily.

Vader accidentally loosened his grip, surprised, and she immediately yanked her hand away from him. "I don't know who you are," she glared at him, "But I know one thing for sure: You are not my father. My father is not a monster. He could never be like you!"

Vader glowered at her, furious. "Organa is not your father, he is a thief and a criminal."

"He is not!"

"Yes, he is."

"My father would never steal!"

"He stole you away from me. That is an act of dissidence against the Empire. He must be punished for his actions."

"I don't belong to you!" Leia screamed. "I'm not one of your fancy lamps or sculptures, I'm a human girl!"

"Yes, you do," Vader sneered, "Just the same as everything else in this room. Everything that belonged to Padme is now mine. You are too."

Leia shrunk away from him, shaking her head. "No," she said, as he continued to advance towards her. "I'm-I'm not your daughter," she said defiantly. "I don't know who you are talking about."

"My wife," he sneered. "The former elected queen and Senator of Naboo. Your mother."

Leia flinched, closing her eyes. "No," she whispered again.

"Yes," Vader hissed. "Padme Amidala. You've heard of her name, have you not?" The girl continued to back away from him. "What did she tell you about me? Has she turned you against me, too? Or was it Obi-Wan?"

Leia's face paled, until it was almost as white as the walls behind her. "I don't know what you are talking about," she stammered.

"What did she tell you?" Vader demanded again, and the girl backed away. "Did she return to Naboo after fleeing Mustafar? Or did she escape to somewhere else?" He paused, trying to read the girl's reaction. "She sent you, didn't she? Where is she?" he said, his eyes flashing wildly.

He knew it, had known it all along.

Padme was still alive! Obi-Wan had lied to him, trying to keep her away from him out of jealousy. But she had not let that stand the way of their love. She had sent the girl in her stead to observe him, and now she was just waiting for her to report back.

No, she was waiting for him, for her husband to return and take his rightful place by her side. To finally rule the Galaxy together, just as they were meant to.

His heart leaped instantly. He could have her back! He could barely breathe, thinking of holding her in his arms again. Finally, the meaning of his Path was revealing itself to him.

Everything will be just as it was supposed to be again.

Suddenly, his thoughts darkened.

No...something about this was not quite right.

Vader stopped, then turned his eyes back to the girl and narrowed them. His aura changed and became more hostile. He advanced towards her, seething with quiet fury.

"What is that?" He asked angrily.

"What are you talking about?"

"That, hanging around her neck..."

Leia looked down at the japoor snippet he was pointing towards. "It's my necklace," she snapped. "It's not yours."

"Yes it is. Give it to me."

"No! It was a gift from Ben," Leia exclaimed distraughtly.

"You are a thief and a liar," Vader hissed, grabbing at the pendant again. "I won't say it twice. Give it to me."

"No!" Leia said, reaching up and placing her hands over it. "It's mine!"

"GIVE IT TO ME, NOW!"

Leia flinched and unclasped it from around her neck. Vader snatched it away immediately.

"She sent you to mock me, didn't she?" he snarled.

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice...

Leia's eyes widened. "No," she immediately denied, and he snarled, holding his hand out and calling her to him using the Force. Against her will, she was rapidly dragged across the floor towards him. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears flowing from her face. She cried out loud as he gripped her head in both hands, forcing her to look up at him.

"She must think that I am weak, a slave to my own attachments," he hissed, squeezing harder. "Well, I refuse to be made a fool of again. You can go back to her and tell her that I do not care for her treachery," he snarled. "Tell her that I will find her myself, and when I do, I will see to it that she is properly executed this time-"

Leia struggled, trying to pry his fingers off of her. The forceful pressure on her head was so painful that she feared he might actually crush her. "I don't know who you are talking about!" she yelled. "I'm not in contact with your dead wife!"

"Cease the deception! I know that she is trying to hide from me."

"I'm telling you that she is not!" Leia screamed, forcing the words out of her mouth as Vader threatened to break her skull. "If she was, then why would I be here?"

Vader snarled, growing more and more furious. "If she will not come to me herself, then I will make her! I don't care what lies she has told you about me!"

"What don't you understand, you stupid old man?" Leia shrieked angrily, her face almost completely red. "She isn't waiting for you! She's never coming back! She died!"

"She is alive! She has to be!"

"No!" Leia screamed. "She's dead! She's dead because you killed her, you murderer!"

Vader flinched, and Leia took advantage of the opening and bit his finger cruelly. He did not feel pain, however the prosthetic in his arm immediately released her, and she ran away from him. He chased after her, and she kicked one of the fiber-grown chairs at him, causing it to fall apart once it made impact with his durasteel armor. With nowhere else to go, she hid behind one of the statues of Shiraya. He snapped back and tried to reach out towards her, but she glowered at him, her face red with fury.

"I hate you!" she screamed. "Don't touch me!"

Vader froze.

In that moment, he suddenly felt helpless. As if he was back in the past again, reaching out to her, and watching her withdraw from him.

There she was, looking at him as if his touch scared her, disgusted her. He wanted to reach out and take her into her arms, just like Obi-Wan did, but she shrunk from him and trembled, gripping the moon goddess' statue with all of her strength as if hoping it would come to life and protect her.

He wanted to grab the statue and tear it out of hands, to use the Force to fling it away from her so he could come and take her himself, but his legs shook as he stared up at its face. The face of a dead woman, preserved for all eternally.

It was as if she was watching him. Observing him, looking down upon him. Counting his every sin.

He stopped, and took a step back. The child cowered, hiding her face behind the statue. He glanced at her on last time, then turned away, assuming a mask of indifference. He would not get any useful information out of her in this state. As an experience interrogator, his instincts told him the best thing he could do was walk away.

And so, for the first time, Vader turned and left first.

Leia trembled, still gripping the statue for dear life. She watched as Vader inexplicably lost interest and walked out of the room, leaving her alone. She waited until he had left, and then counted off the minutes, her heart pounding uncontrollably. When she could was sure that he had left, she immediately dashed to the bed and hid herself underneath it.

There, she covered her face in her arms and finally let out the cries she had been holding in.

A knock on the door. The sound of impatient shuffling.

Reva always knocked loudly and shouted to announce her presence.

"Lunch," she growled imperiously. "If you don't open this door, I'm going to leave, and I'm not coming back. Then you won't have anything to eat until dinner!"

Leia hesitated. She could hear Reva stomp her boots irritably, but she wasn't worried about that right now. "Is there anyone with you?" she called out fearfully.

There was a pause.

"No," Reva said.

Leia took a deep breath. "Can you...can you come in and just leave the tray behind?" she asked.

The door opened. She watched from beneath the bed as a single pair of boots walked in and closed the door, then the sound of Reva depositing the tray on the table. She expected her to leave, but instead, she remained there. "That's good," Leia said. "You can leave now."

Reva did not budge.

"Why are you hiding?" she asked.

Leia swallowed.

"You can't eat underneath the bed," Reva said. "Come out from under there."

"I can," Leia said stubbornly. "Just slide the tray to me."

"No," Reva said. "Vader will reprimand me if he thinks I am starving you. Get out of there."

"I don't want to!"

"I don't care what you want, you have to eat at the table like everyone else."

"No!"

"Stop being stubborn!" Reva snarled. "Come here, now. I'm not going to tell you twice. Get out, before I drag you myself!"

Leia immediately scrambled out from underneath the bed and Reva gasped at her appearance. Leia blushed, slightly self-conscious. Reva stepped closer and started to wipe at her coat, trying to get some of the dust off of it.

"You're filthy," she observed. "Why is your face so red? Were you crying?"

Leia frowned, scrunching up her face. "No."

"Yes, you were, you liar," Reva said. "Why were you crying? Are you afraid of the dark?"

"No!" Leia yelled, and Reva crossed her arms menacingly. She immediately shut her mouth. "I mean, I'm fine," she said. "I just...got tired."

"Tired?" Reva raised an eyebrow. "But you've been sleeping all day, how can you be tired?"

Leia groaned. Shrugging, Reva walked over to the table and pulled out the flimsy fiber-grown chair for her to sit on. It had somewhat lost its shape after she kicked it at Vader, but it was still usable. Reluctantly, she walked over and sat down, looking at the tray in front of her. More root paste (made from powder, if the taste and texture were anything to go by), some rehydrated vegetables she didn't recognize, and some synthetic protein. It was not easy to come by fresh foods on Mustafar, it would seem.

"I'm not hungry," she said.

"You have to be," Reva said. "You didn't even eat your breakfast."

Leia glared at her. "Because you gave me the same thing!" she yelled. "Why does Vader keep serving me this gross baby mush? Is he trying to starve me?"

"You will eat whatever Vader gives you, and be grateful for it!" Reva snarled. "I fought for you to have that so-called baby mush!"

"Well maybe you should fight harder!" Leia snapped.

Reva snarled, but Leia just glowered back at her. After being backed into a corner by Vader, her anger was back and she was itching for a fight. She waited for Reva to scream at her or slap her again, like she did back on Daiyu when she forced her to talk to Vader through the holoprojector.

But Reva did not do such a thing. Instead, she seemed to calm down. She sighed and reached towards the tray, gripping it with both hands. "Fine," she said. "If you don't want it, you don't have to eat it."

"No," Leia said, grabbing it, and Reva stopped. "I'll eat it," she said hurriedly. "I'm hungry now."

Reva paused and crossed her arms, watching her. Leia picked up the spoon and hurriedly shoveled everything into her mouth, chewing whenever appropriate. One of the vegetables had the same bitter taste as the blue ruica that her father made her finish eating before she could leave to play, insisting that it would make her stronger. She finished her plate within minutes and placed the spoon back down. Reva picked it up, seeming satisfied.

"I will tell Vader that you are eating well," she said. "Enough to warrant sending you some dinner." Leia nodded obediently. "Do you want anything else?"

Leia hesitated.

"Could...could I have some tea?" she asked quietly.

Reva frowned. "What kind of tea?" she asked impatiently.

"Um...um...if there's any...could I have some Mintea?"

Reva raised an eyebrow. "Mintea," she repeated incredulously, and Leia's face grew hotter.

"Or...or Chandrilan tea, either is fine. If, if it's not possible, then don't bother," she said.

Reva shrugged. "I've never heard of it before, that's all. But if it grows on Imperial territory, I'm sure it can be arranged."

"I-I think so," Leia said. "It should. It grows everywhere on Alderaan."

Reva paused, and stared at her. She crouched down slightly, squinting at her. "You're acting funny today," she said. "What's up with you? Are you trying to hide something?"

"N-no," Leia insisted, and Reva narrowed her eyes at her, causing her to squeak fearfully. Reva threw her a suspicious look. "I'm f-fine," she mumbled. "I just...I wasn't ready to talk to Vader."

"Oh." Reva paused. "Did he tell you about your mother? Is she alive?"

"No," Leia said, annoyed.

"Ah, I see."

A few minutes passed.

Reva slowly put her hand on her shoulder. Leia blinked, looking up at her. She waited for the slap that never came.

"I know what it feels like," Reva murmured.

Leia made eye contact with her. "No, you don't."

"I do."

Reva closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She walked over and picked up some of the clothes that Leia had kicked across the floor. "I will leave for a mission tonight," she said. "Another Purge Trooper will bring your dinner. I may be gone tomorrow, as well."

"Will Lord Vader summon me again?"

Reva paused. "If he sees fit."

Leia trembled. "You mean, if he decides to kill me after all?"

Reva looked at her, and for a second, she looked as if she wanted to reassure her otherwise. "Not necessarily."

"I mean, he thinks I'm impersonating his daughter," Leia said bitterly. "That's a crime against the Empire worth being executed for."

"You have not committed any crimes against the Empire. Just be good and eat your meals and you should be fine."

Leia closed her mouth.

Reva withdrew, bending down to pick up something on the floor.

"Did I do well?" Leia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Reva stopped moving. She did not turn around to face her. For a while, they just stayed the same, unmoving. Finally, Leia heard a whisper, so quiet that she might have missed it if she wasn't listening so closely.

"Yes," Reva breathed.

Leia turned away, still conflicted.

Reva finished tidying up. "I'm leaving now," she said. "I will inform Vader of your request. You can take a nap, but don't forget to wake up in time for dinner. Goodbye."

Leia nodded quietly. She watched as Reva walked out and closed the door behind her.

Once she was gone, she walked back over to the bed and reached underneath. She quietly gathered the pieces of LOLA and cradled them close to her chest.

"It's going to be okay, LOLA," she whispered, rocking back and forth. "I'll put you back together, and then we'll find Ben and Ahsoka and get out of here. I promise."

Vader stood back from the door and moved out of the way as Reva came out of the room, holding Leia's dinner tray. He grabbed her by the arm and she stopped.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Probably would be better if you didn't terrorize the living daylights out of her," Reva snapped.

He went silent.

"She's fine," Reva grunted. "Just requested some changes to the dinner menu."

"Changes?"

Reva sent him a pointed look. "Children around her age don't like eating tasteless rehydrated paste," she informed him. "Also, she misses Alderaan. You should try and feed her something that reminds her of home."

Vader stared back at her.

"Well, I'm off to my mission," she said briskly. A Purge Trooper walked by, and she thrust the tray at them imperiously. Confused, they took it from her, not daring to ask any questions in the presence of Vader. "I anticipate being finished sometime tomorrow."

Vader let her go without any further instructions. She hesitated to turn her back on him, expecting some sort of threat, but he did not saying anything. Deciding to take it as a blessing, she immediately headed down the staircase of her choosing as quickly as possible, eager to leave.

Vader headed back to his meditation chamber and locked himself inside, seeking relief in the familiar bacta isolation pod.

He still refused to sleep, although he did let his thoughts drift. He did not want to admit it, but he had been hoping for things to turn out differently. He didn't mean to make her cry.

Why do things always have to end like this?

He reached out, but there was no answer. Frowning, he closed his eyes, trying to stop thinking about it, but no matter what he did, she came back to haunt him. Her smiles. Her laughter. Her sad face. Her long hair, that he used to run through his hands whenever he was anxious or lying in bed next to her.

Why did you say you loved me, if you were only going to leave me? And if you meant to do so from the start, why leave behind a spitting image of yourself?

He still couldn't understand her, not even after ten years. Why did she do it? To pity him? To torture him? Or out of some misguided love for him?

He sneered. No, that couldn't be right. She had never loved him, would never have betrayed him so deeply if she truly loved him.

Yet despite the Dark Side of the Force's attempts to erase his mind, those thoughts persisted. At the end of the day, there was only one person left behind who still remembered what she was like, who had been by her side when she passed away. The only person in the entire Galaxy who could answer his burning questions.

Vader snarled. "Obi-Wan," he hissed angrily, causing the glass of the bacta tank to break.

It seemed his work was not yet finished.

He would have to pay him a visit later.