The next day, Leia received alarming news from the Purge Trooper who handed her breakfast.
"Lord Vader will speak with you sometime later today," the Trooper informed her neutrally. Leia swallowed and looked down at the tray. It was more or less the same foods as yesterday, except the main difference was that the rehydrated paste had been replaced with a crusty black bun. "He anticipates being occupied with his work until later this evening. Be sure to prepare yourself."
Before they would let her eat, however, they also pulled out a micro-sonic lancet pen. "What's this?" Leia asked. The Trooper did not respond, just sprayed her arm with some pain-numbing antibacterial spray to sterilize it. Before she could stop them, they pressed the pen to her shoulder and a small blade ejected out of it, pricking her in the arm. "Ouch!" Leia exclaimed. "What was that for?"
"Lord Vader has requested a sample of your blood," the Trooper replied as they collected her blood in a small capillary tube. "Hold still," they ordered, pulling out a small mediscan unit and powering it on. The unit immediately centrifuged the blood sample and conducted a rapid bioscan.
Leia glared up at the Trooper. "Can I eat now?"
The Trooper nodded, standing back.
Leia first reached for the carbonized piece of bread, but it was still scorching hot. She quickly withdrew her hand after nearly being singed by the smoke coming off it. "What is that?" she asked.
Does Vader hate me so much that he decided to feed me a lump of coal?
The Trooper ignored her question and left. Leia nibbled a bit at the steamed vegetables (which were obviously frozen, not fresh) and ignored the bread bun. To her mild alarm, it did not fully cool down and remained smoking hot to the touch. When she was finished, the Stormtrooper took the tray away without another word. She tried to ask them if they had anything else to eat, but there was no response.
Around lunchtime, another Trooper brought Leia a similar-looking tray. This one also had a mysterious steaming black bread roll on it, as well as some more lumpy steamed vegetables.
"I'm not going to eat that," she said petulantly.
The Trooper ignored her and simply stood there, waiting for her to finish. Leia shoved a few of the vegetables in her mouth, chewing as quickly as possible.
Desperate to fill her stomach with something more substantial than reheated vegetables, she used the sleeves of her coat as a napkin and tore the bread roll into pieces. The bread on the inside was faintly sweet and tasted like red beans and cinnamon. It was also the same bright red as the lava that surrounded the Fortress like a sea. Although dry, there was nothing else wrong with it, so she finished the rest of it. Leia ate around the blackened crust and finished, pushing the tray back at the Trooper. They took it without another word, leaving her to sulk alone for another few hours.
The third time they knocked on her door, Leia opened it quickly. She looked at their hands, expecting another tray of lava bread, but they were not holding a tray anymore. Instead, they motioned at her to come to them. Confused, she stood up and walked over.
Had the plans for dinner been changed?
Was Vader releasing her ahead of time?
"Lord Vader is ready to speak with you," the Trooper said. The color drained out of Leia's face.
"No," she shook her head, backing away. "I don't want to see him!"
The Trooper made no response, just grabbed her by the arm and yanked. Leia screamed loudly, and the Trooper pointed their blaster at her head. She froze immediately, terrified. The Trooper reholstered the blaster and tugged her hard, making her follow them.
Leia squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that she had Ben and Ahsoka's powers. If only, then she could reach out using the Force and call for backup, or seize the Trooper's weapons and point it at their head, demanding that they take her to where her friends were being kept. Then, they could board one of Vader's ships, and fly back home.
The Trooper pulled harder on her arm and she continued to follow them down the endless stair steps. Leia panted, trying to keep up behind them with her small legs. Finally, they reached a holding cell with a magnetic barrier blocking the entrance. Leia's eyes widened as she realized where they were.
No, she thought to herself.
The cell door opened, and Leia sprinted in immediately.
"Ben!" She yelled, willing her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cell.
She could hear the Purge Trooper yelling and running behind her, but she didn't care. As she ran into the cell, she saw Ben looking feeble while lying on an auto-med couch. Beside him, a dark figure hovered over his face menacingly, peering at him. Shrieking loudly, she immediately ran over and inserted herself between them, throwing out her arms protectively.
"Leave him ALONE!" She screamed, her face scrunched up and burning bright red. Vader moved back slightly, surprised. "Can't you see he's hurt?" she demanded angrily. Behind her, Ben groaned quietly, as if he was still in pain.
Vader backed up a few steps and stood still, observing her. Leia bit her lip, suddenly feeling nervous under his attention. The two of them locked eyes and stared at each other.
"Get back here!" The Purge Trooper finally ran into the room and grabbed Leia, then realized they were in Vader's presence and bowed to him. "My Lord, you have my deepest apologies-"
"No need," Vader replied emotionlessly.
"I-huh?" The Trooper paused, confused.
"Many thanks for your service. You have completed your mission," Vader said. "Kneel."
Confused, the Trooper let go of Leia and stepped aside, getting down on one knee. Vader raised his lightsaber and placed it near their shoulder. Instead of granting them a title, however, he slashed it straight through their neck and shoulders. The Purge Trooper let out a shaky cry of pain and collapsed onto the floor. Leia covered her mouth with both hands and backed away, horrified.
Vader, on his part, did not seem at all disturbed. "Come," he said, reaching out his hand towards her. She shook her head, recoiling from him. "When I tell you to do something, I expect you to obey me immediately."
"No," Leia said, moving closer to Ben's unconscious body.
Vader beckoned her again. "I won't say it twice. Come with me now."
"No!"
Vader reached out and made a pulling motion with his arm. Against her will, Leia found herself being pushed by an invisible Force towards him, despite her efforts to struggle against it. Once she was close enough he gripped her shoulder with his gloved robotic hand, making her shudder.
"Time to go. We have business elsewhere."
"Ben," Leia said bleakly, looking back at the medbed. Ben's face was unusually pale, and whether he was dead or not, the difference was not particularly great.
Vader did not listen, just continued to pull her along.
She expected him to return her to her original room. However, instead he took her down a different hallway and down several other sets of staircases. At first, Vader walked ahead of her, but he soon realized that she was too short to keep up with him, and so he made her walk in front of him. She tried multiple times to shake off the grip of that awful mechanical hand, but each time she got too far away he would grab her again. Annoyed, she resigned herself to her fate and let him lead her for the rest of the way.
After some time, she found herself standing in a simple room with walls of obsidian that was almost entirely empty. She stared at Vader, wondering if he meant to execute her here.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked brashly.
Vader looked down at her.
"Originally, it was my intention to interrogate Kenobi," he said. "As I am mostly...though not completely...persuaded that you are my daughter. The blood tests indicate that we share a biological connection, but that alone does not prove anything."
"Mostly but not completely?" Leia said drily. "In that case, my father would say that it doesn't count at all."
"Correct," Vader replied. "You are indeed smarter than what I would expect from a child your age."
"I'm not like other children my age," Leia bit back.
"Indeed. I would expect nothing less of my own offspring."
Leia made a face. She did not like where this was going.
Vader made a swiveling motion with his wrist, and there was a loud sound of heavy stone being dragged across the floor. Soon, a marble table and a chair appeared out of the darkness, moving steadily towards them.
"Sit," Vader instructed, motioning at the chair.
"No," Leia said, but Vader simply used the Force to make her sit. Whenever she tried to stand up, she felt some sort of resistance or heavy weight pushing down on her, refusing to let her. Clearly, he wanted her to stay here. "Are you going to keep me prisoner here?" she asked, irritated.
"Not necessarily."
"Well, you better not," Leia said angrily, although some fear seeped into her voice. "I haven't had dinner yet."
Vader stared back at her.
"You are obligated to feed me, you know, according to Protocol 503. All prisoners of war are entitled to rations, even during times of famine," Leia insisted. "Withholding food also violates all legislations that forbid cruel and unusual punishment."
In truth, she did not exactly know if this protocol was Alderaanian or extended to all prisoners of the Empire. However, Vader did not seem angered by her rebelliousness. When he responded, his voice was calm and neutral, nothing like the crazed man she had talked to last night.
"I am not starving you," he said calmly. "It is you who keeps refusing to eat the food that is served to you."
Leia felt her face heat up. She glared at Vader, using all of the strength that she could muster.
"That's because you keep trying to feed me lumps of coal," she said, annoyed.
"I can assure you, there is nothing that could possibly cause any harm to you in the food that I have provided."
"But-!"
Vader raised his hand and she closed her mouth, annoyed.
"If you wish for alternate dietary options, that can easily be arranged. I believe my child should be entitled to only the best that the Galaxy can offer. That is..." Vader paused, looking at her intensely, "If you can prove your relation to me."
Leia stared at him, confused.
Vader did not respond. Instead, he reached into his long black cloak and pulled out a single golden pear, its skin ripe and glossy. Leia stared at it, her mouth watering as she observed the fruit in his gloved hand. She had not had any fresh fruits or vegetables in weeks, and this was the first time she had seen one in a while. She longed to reach for it but she did not dare, not with Vader watching. Swallowing, she clenched her hands into little fists and put them in her lap, willing herself to be still.
After observing her reaction, Vader placed the pear on the table just slightly out of her reach. Leia stared at it hungrily, trying not to drool.
"If you do well, you may have this as a reward," Vader said. "However, you may not use your hands to eat it."
Leia frowned. "How can I eat it if I can't use my hands?" Did he expect her to slice it with a fork and a knife, like some sort of brutish primordial life form? "It's impossible."
"Nothing is impossible for a child of your background."
"Then how am I supposed to do it?"
"You know the answer," he replied coldly.
Leia stared at him, trying to understand what he meant, and finally the realization hit her.
Oh, she thought to herself. No. No. I can't do that.
"Yes, you can," Vader said, sensing her doubt and latching onto it. "It's easy. I already mastered this at your age." He picked up the pear and held it towards her, standing across from her. "Focus your mind. Use your thoughts to take it."
"No," she said, feeling her face burn with embarrassment. "I'm not...I'm not a Jedi."
Vader sneered. "Who said only Jedi could use the Force? You are a Skywalker, the daughter of a Sith Lord. There is nothing you cannot do."
"No, there has to be another way," Leia said weakly, shaking her head.
"There is none."
"But I thought you killed people for using the Force?"
"You are not like other people. You are my heir, my successor. If I am to let you live, I expect you to be able to perform everything that I do, exactly as I do. Now, grab the fruit."
"I can't!"
Vader sneered, towering over her menacingly. "You will do it, and you will do it right here," he hissed. "If you are truly the product of my own flesh and blood, then you should be able to do it without any complications. Either that, or you are a dangerous little liar and accessory to the Rebel Alliance that must be eliminated."
"I'm neither," Leia sobbed, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "I'm just an ordinary human girl, I don't know how to do any of those things-"
"Silence!" Vader snarled, and she flinched in her chair. "You will do as you are told, when I tell you to do something! The fate of your precious Jedi friends rests on it."
"You're horrible," Leia wept, "I can't believe my mother would ever trust you. You must have tricked her somehow, that's the only way I can imagine her agreeing to marry you," she accused.
Vader paused, then his countenance became even colder. "Perhaps I did, perhaps I did not," he sneered. "However, that matters not. Right now, your life depends on your ability to pick up this pear. I suggest you start working on it, if you wish to survive another night under my roof."
"You're a terrible father!" Leia spat. "Fathers don't withhold food from their children like-like some sort of luxury," she exclaimed, "My father would sooner starve than deprive me of anything I needed. You are a monster, that's what you are, and you will ALWAYS be one, even if you take off that horrendous mask that you hide behind!" she yelled.
He froze, and Leia stared up at him.
His aura changed completely. Whereas it had been cold two seconds ago, now it was burning, scorching hot, even hotter than the lava bun she had been served for breakfast. Leia swallowed, tensing up.
Vader snarled furiously.
"Well then, if I am a monster, perhaps I should show you just how much of a monster I can be."
To Leia's horror, he grabbed her wrist roughly in one hand and ignited the same bright red lightsaber that she had witnessed kill someone in the other.
No, she thought to herself. No, no, no. This can't be happening, he said he wouldn't, he said he wasn't going to kill me-
"No!" Leia screamed, frantically trying to wriggle out of his grip. "Stop! Let go of me!"
"What are you afraid of?" Vader growled. "Come, talk to me. Tell me more about what you really think of me."
"No, no!" Leia shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut.
"What's wrong? You don't want to see me anymore? Is it because of this?" he snarled, bringing her wrist up so she could feel the motherboards and circuits attached to his breastplate.
She screamed loudly and wrenched her hand out of his grip. He let go and she scrambled out of the chair, running away. However, the door behind them was sealed shut. She turned around, facing him and watching slowly advance towards her.
"How weak I must have been," he growled, "Allowing Kenobi to deceive me like this. He must truly believe me to be a fool. How ingenious of him, creating this elaborate lie, setting you up against me. Brilliant. I see he hasn't changed at all since the Wars."
Leia backed away, feeling the wall behind her close in on her and trap her. "You're mad," she said, "You've gone completely mad. You've lost your mind."
"Perhaps so," he replied, "But at least I can rest with the knowledge that I was right all along. After I remove you, I will come back for him, and after that I will be conflicted no longer. You will conflict me no longer."
Leia inhaled sharply, panicked. "You can't kill Ben. He's your Master!" she said.
"No more Masters, no more attachments. Everything will be as it should be."
"But you were his Padawan once, why would you ever want to kill him?"
"Because," he sneered, "He tried to kill me first!"
Leia gasped, and Vader seized the opportunity to lunge forward and grab her by the arm again. She lost her balance, and he immediately brought his lightsaber to her neck, the same place where he struck the Purge Trooper.
"Got you."
Leia squeezed her eyes shut, trembling uncontrollably.
"Every night since you have arrived here, I have been tortured by a ghost. She haunts me, even when I am awake. She follows me, even though I am among the living. She demands my attention, yet refuses to let me see her."
She swallowed, trying to stop herself from shaking.
"Just when I was finally able to forget her face, you came and ruined everything."
She sobbed quietly.
"I know that she brought you here, sent you here to torture me. But I refuse to let her manipulate me any longer. When I finally eliminate you, she will no longer have any control over me."
Leia took another shaky breath and glared up at him.
"Killing me won't erase the guilt of killing your wife," she spat bluntly. "You won't be free. You'll just fall even further to the Dark Side."
Vader let out a loud cry, and raised his lightsaber to strike her. Leia shut her eyes, waiting for the blow to land, and felt a rush of air as he slashed it at her. However, the burn of the glowing blade never came. Instead, she heard the sound of something small making contact with what sounded like a steel helmet.
Confused, she opened her eyes, only to find Vader staring at something on the ground beside her. Leia glanced down at her feet, trying to figure out what he was looking at.
All she saw was a plain, slightly smushed pear that was currently dripping juice all over the floor.