Saga - OT Raised in Darkness (OT AU; Canon/EU; Vader versus Sidious; Luke, Leia)

Title: Raised in Darkness
Author: DarthMarly (marly4077 on fanfic.net and Archive of Our Own)
Timeframe: Original Trilogy
Genre: Adventure, Family, Romance, Humor, Drama
Characters: Darth Vader, Darth Sidious, Luke Skywalker, Leia Skywalker, other canon and EU characters

When Padmé decides to join Anakin on his journey to the Dark Side, the Skywalker twins grow up under very different circumstances. Now, twenty years later, Vader begins to make his bid at power against Sidious, and Leia and Luke must decide their places in the galaxy. VaderVersusSidious. Eventual canon/EU friendships and romances. Drama, adventure, romance, humor, and angst.

Chapter One

Padmé’s Choice


Padmé stood across from Anakin as he spoke of his grand plans for the galaxy, the heat from Mustafar’s fiery landscape unnoticed as despair ran through her blood like ice. She couldn’t believe what he said, what he’d done. And yet, here they were, and Padme felt as if she balanced on the edge of a great precipice and making the wrong move would send her, and her unborn child, plummeting to their deaths.

Anakin had gone over to the Dark Side.

And yet, when she considered in the brief moments he stood there, looking at her with his eyes aflame with his new found power, his love for her and their child, she realized she’d always known this was a possibility. In fact in those quiet moments, when she sat reflecting in her office at the Senate or watched the blue waves of hyperspace fly by as she headed out on some diplomatic mission, she felt completely disgusted with herself.

She preached diplomacy, democracy, equality, liberty, and justice, but when Anakin returned that morning on Tatooine after having slaughtered an entire tribe of Sand People, she comforted him, more concerned about his well-being, the sadness he felt over the loss if his mother, than the fact he’d just committed genocide. How short sighted. How shallow. She teased Anakin about love blinding him, yet love blinded her, causing her to go against her very morals. She’d played the hypocrite for years now, every Clone Wars mission she’d gone on, hiding this secret, her brushing those lost lives aside as if they were nothing. What did that say about her?

“We can make things the way we want them to be,” Anakin said, smiling broadly at her.

She met his eyes, and he waited for her response, that hopeful look she’d come to know.

Her child would not grow up without a father. She didn’t abandon Anakin then, that morning on Tatooine. Why leave now? She should embrace the Dark Side with him. And yes, maybe they could exact change in the galaxy.

“Yes, Anakin. I will be by your side,” she said.

But he no longer looked at her. His gaze rose toward her ship behind her, his expression contorting in dangerous rage. She swung around to see Obi-Wan Kenobi standing on the ramp of her ship. Anger filled her as well. He’d snuck aboard! He could ruin everything. She knew Obi-Wan thought Anakin a threat. She knew Obi-Wan could kill Anakin.

“You brought him here to kill me!” Anakin raged at her.

Padmé moved swiftly, with speed she didn’t know she had. Grabbing the small blaster hanging from Anakin’s belt before her husband could react, she aimed and fired at Obi-Wan. The bolt hit him in the chest, causing him to give a momentary look of shock before falling with a thud on the ramp.

“What have I done?” Padmé said weakly, dropping the blaster to the ground, suddenly feeling weak. She swooned, but Anakin caught her.

“Padmé, love. Let’s get you inside and comfortable. I’m leaving my ship here. Let’s return to Coruscant,” Anakin said, his voice sweet again.

“I…I can walk,” Padmé said, wobbling on her feet, Anakin’s arm tightly around her. They moved toward the ship, toward Obi-Wan’s body.

With a small movement of his hand, Anakin used the Force to swipe Obi-Wan’s body from their path, as if the man meant nothing, as if he weren’t Anakin’s teacher, his friend, his brother. The sound the Jedi Master made when he hit the ground of the landing pad made Padmé’s stomach churn. Had she really just killed Obi-Wan? Memories ran through her mind, the first time she met Obi-Wan as a young man, helping his own Master with negotiations. He’d been her friend, risking his life for her more than once. And she’d shot him.

Glancing back just before entering the ship, she gasped. Had the Jedi Master’s leg moved? Could he be still alive? No, impossible. A trick of the eyes caused from the rippling heat through the air. His robes still smoked from the blaster fire. Plus, wouldn’t Anakin feel Obi-Wan in the Force?

Anakin made sure Padmé sat comfortably in the co-pilot’s seat before going to secure the droids. The baby kicked suddenly, violently, and Padmé felt panic. Not yet…she still had another few weeks. She breathed, trying to calm herself, and then Anakin was next to her, readying the ship, reaching over to hold her. His touch calmed her, and Padmé could feel his new power.

“I need to get you home safe. My master will understand. We’ll return to the Senate building, then get you home and comfortable,” Anakin said, his hand on her cheek, love in his eyes. “Thank you, Padmé. We will be so happy. And think of all the change we can bring upon the galaxy, the people we can help.”

Padmé simply nodded. She drifted in and out of sleep the entire way back to the capital.

Twenty Years Later

Luke Skywalker stood in his mother’s former office in the Senate building on Coruscant, now his sister Leia’s work space as she prepared for her internship as an Imperial Ambassador. Watching the movement of the traffic outside the window, he sighed heavily. He’d been trapped on Coruscant for twelve years now, and he wanted desperately to get away, see the galaxy. He needed to find a way, like Leia.

Glancing down to the small decorative table by the window, he focused on the framed holopic of him, Leia, and his mother. This image, taken the day before the awful attack that took their mother’s life, made Luke’s throat clinch with emotion for a moment. He and Leia had been eight-years-old, on a trip to visit relatives on Naboo, when the terrorist attacks occurred. And since that horrible day, they’d been confined, with their father’s insistence, to Coruscant. For their own safety, their father said. Yes, the Skywalker twins were safe, but Luke wasn’t sure if this stifling life would keep him sane.

“Thanks for meeting me,” came Leia’s voice from behind, and Luke turned around to see Leia, wearing her Imperial diplomat garments of red and black, enter the office with an armload of data pads. “I wanted to take you to that new tapcaf.” She put down her work and moved over to embrace her brother. “Gosh, I haven’t seen you in a month! How was the training? I heard the academy…”

Luke laughed, stepping back to regard his sister, her brown hair up in one of her complex braids. “I want to hear about you. You’ve done it, Leia! You might actually be getting off this rock.”

Leia shrugged. “I don’t know. I feel like I sometimes get passed over for appointments. But if I try to throw my last name around I…”

“Mistress Leia. Master Luke,” came a familiar voice from the doorway. The twins turned to see C3PO waiting.

“Hey Threepio,” said Luke, happy to see the stuffy droid again. Yes, he had been gone a long time if he was happy to see C3PO.

“I’m glad you are both together. This saves me time,” said the golden protocol droid. “Your father is on world and wishes to dine with you this evening at your residence.”

The twins both shared a shocked look.

“Dad…home?” Leia stammered.

Luke just stared at Threepio. Their father had not been on Coruscant for nearly six standard months. And even when he was in the capital, they rarely saw him. He distanced himself more and more over the past decade, Luke and Leia raised by a series of nannies and tutors.

“Dine with us?” Luke said.

“Yes, the evening meal,” Threepio said. “Shall I contact my counterpart R2D2, who is currently with Lord Vader, to let him know you will both be there?”

“Um…yes?” said Leia, like Luke not believing what they heard.

“Very good,” said the droid, who left, ambling down the hall, back to his work station.

Leia turned to look at Luke.

“This is strange,” she said.

“Yes,” Luke said, his eye once again drawn to the holopic with his mother. “I wonder what’s going on.”

Author’s Note: Welcome to my new story, an original trilogy AU I’ve wanted to write for a while now. This story will feature familiar characters and locations from both the canon and EU. Despite the angst in this first chapter, you can expect humor, romance, and adventure throughout this tale. I enjoy hearing from readers, and I always respond to comments, so please let me know your thoughts on this story.

Next time, the Skywalker twins dine with their father, and the two most dangerous men in the galaxy begin to make plans.

Thank you for reading. Enjoy the story!

 

Chapter Two

Dinner at the Skywalker’s


Leia Skywalker placed the final pin in her hair, then stepped back to regard her work. An intricate bun atop her head with curls cascading down to her shoulders, her hair looked like a style worn by her mother. Leia smiled as she straightened out her dress, a simple emerald green tunic, but the smile left her face as she thought about dinner, which would begin in an half an hour.

Why did their father want to dine with them? He hadn’t been on-world in months, and even when he was, most of the time he didn’t stop by to even say hello, just sending them a message asking if they needed anything. While she’d never been close with her father, he’d always made sure the twins had everything they needed and wanted, the finest clothing, the latest tech, entry into the finest schools and programs. Leia lived like a princess.

Moving from her ‘fresher into her suite, she sighed heavily. While she appreciated her father’s gestures, making sure his children were well cared for, they did not replace him. But Darth Vader, as he was known throughout the galaxy, was a hero of the Empire, a defected Jedi who saw the treachery of the Jedi Order and annihilated them. Darth Vader, who, following the Naboo terrorist attacks, rampaged throughout the galaxy destroying the forces that rebelled against the Empire. She should feel proud to have such a man for a father, and yet, she felt empty when she thought of him.

“Leia, you ready to go downstairs?” Luke said, standing in her doorway. He wore black slacks and a blue tunic, making his sandy hair look even lighter.

“Just a moment,” she said, glancing around for her scarf. Spotting it on a high shelf near her bed, she waved her arm, using the Force to bring the item to her. She tied it around her waist. “You know, I don’t really know how to act around him.”

Luke shrugged. “Yeah. I know what you mean. He’s just so…”

“Absent?”

“Larger than life?” Luke added. He looked down, hesitant.

“What?” asked Leia, approaching her brother, adjusting his collar.

“I want to ask him if I can request a posting off-world. But I know his answer,” Luke said.

Leia shook her head. “Doesn’t hurt to ask.”

Luke let out a cynical laugh. “Sometimes it does. You’ve seen that look.”

Leia laughed. “Ah yes…the look.”

The twins emerged from Leia’s suite and moved down the hall of the second floor in their three story home in a Coruscant high rise in the Palace District. Luke and Leia’s suites took up the second floor, while their father’s rooms the third. The living spaces, kitchen, and dining room on the first floor, the family’s collection of ships, yachts, and personal transports sat parked in a garage below. While their father’s rooms remained locked and inaccessible most of the time, the twins did have access to his meditation chamber, where they first learned basic Force techniques from him years ago.

“Wanna play dejarik while we wait?” Luke asked as they walked into the living room, the cleaning droid bowing to them before exiting.

The duo sat playing the holographic game, chatting quietly for fifteen minutes before the door opened, causing them both to freeze. Darth Vader walked into the living room, wearing his usual black cloak and cape, lightsaber hooked to his belt. The twins both rose, moving to stand in front of their father, and the three of them stood in silence for several moments.

Goodness, are all families as awkward as ours, Leia thought.

She studied her father, still a handsome man with chiseled features and a full head of light-colored, slightly silvering hair. Still, evidence of his use of the Dark Side showed, particularly in his eyes. They shined gold, a slight intensity about them at all times. But now, the edges of his eyes creased as he gave his children a genuine smile.

“Luke. Leia. Wonderful to see you,” he said.

Leia stepped forward first to embrace him, Luke following behind. The trio then walked into the dining room, where a droid laid out the final plates of food, everything smelling good.

“Ah, it will be so nice to eat a normal meal,” her father said, spooning pasta onto his plate.

A conversation starter! Leia quickly jumped into questioning her father about the food he ate on his missions across the galaxy. She’d been taught by her mentor to use such openings to form camaraderie. And when all else failed, discuss the weather, which was always right on schedule on Coruscant.

“And are they treating my daughter well at the embassy?” he asked.

“Oh yes. And I should receive a posting soon. As an assistant, of course,” Leia said.

“And on Coruscant,” Vader added, taking a sip of his wine.

“Well, actually…both Luke and I were hoping…with our training…me with the embassy and Luke with the military academy…I mean he’s a pilot…and I’m training to be an ambassador and…” she stammered, damning herself. She needed to be confident, an adult, not some whining little girl.

But there it was…the look. Vader’s glance silenced her, and she could only imagine how his enemies felt if only a look stopped her short.

“You feel this way too?” Vader said curtly, his gaze shifting to Luke.

Leia shot her brother a look saying ‘don’t you dare throw me under the Corellian freighter.’ And Luke didn’t.

“Yes, father,” he said meekly. “We…well, all my friends have gone off to join the Empire, serving on star destroyers, piloting TIEs. And I’m a good pilot, the best in my class.”

“We just want to see the galaxy,” Leia added.

Vader brought his fingertips together in a steeple, leaning forward, his elbows on the table. His face lit up, giving Leia a ray of hope.

“And you will…as a Sith!” he said happily. Or as happy as he could sound.

“What?” asked Leia.

“That is why I wanted to dine with you both this evening. I believe it is time to start your training in the Force,” he said, sitting up, obviously excited to be sharing this news with his children.

“But we’ve learned to use the Force and…” Luke began.

“Yes, but just simple things. Meditation techniques. Parlor tricks, really. I want to train you to be a true Sith. Begin your journey to the Dark Side. You both have such strong gifts in the Force,” he said. “I have one more mission, to take out the Ryloth resistance for good, and then I will be on Coruscant for a while, to focus to your education.”

Leia didn’t know how to respond. Yes, she’d always been interested in increasing her Force skills, but her father being home all the time…

“I see it is settled. When I return, we shall begin,” Vader said rising, throwing his napkin onto the table. “I need to go to the palace, then head out in the early morning. In ten days, you will enter the folds of the Dark Side of the Force.”

And with that, he passed through the kitchen and out the front door, leaving his baffled children behind.

Leia swung her head toward Luke as the cleaning droid entered to clear the table.

“I didn’t expect that,” she said.

“Me neither,” Luke said. “Perhaps we should study a bit about the Sith before we train. We have over a standard week. Should impress him.”

Leia considered this. The wider galaxy did not know her father nor the Emperor himself to be Sith Lords. Only the inner circle of friends and acquaintances knew, and even then, they only had a rudimentary understanding. Sith meant the opposite of the Jedi for them, and that definition remained good since it had been the Jedi who brought chaos upon the galaxy during the Clone Wars, sought to destroy the esteemed Emperor himself.

“Where would we find information on the Sith?” she asked. “I only know a few names, the general feel of the Dark Side.”

Luke shrugged. “We can ask Uncle Sheev.”

Leia simply nodded. Truth be told, she wanted to be an ambassador, spreading the creed of the Empire around the galaxy, traveling, seeing new places, meeting interesting people. She longed to be a diplomat, like her mother, whom she knew she placed on an unreasonably high pedestal in her mind, but with their father absent and Luke and Leia fairly isolated, she needed someone to look up to, an inspiration.

She stretched and yawned, rising from the table. “Well, I have an early day tomorrow. ‘Night, Luke.”

Walking up the stairs, she paused at a holoimage on the wall of her parents, not long after the birth of her and Luke. They posed in front of the fountain in the palace gardens, smiling. Leia leaned forward, staring at her mother’s face. Although she smiled, her eyes appeared sad. Yes, Leia remembered, even though she lost her mother at the age of eight, her mother seemed sad most of the time, even when on her father’s arm when they attended the opera as a family or hosting picnics on Naboo near the old estate. Beautiful, yet sad.

Leia looked at her father’s face, full of youth and enthusiasm, his smile broad and real, his eyes lit with determination. Perhaps training to be a Sith would be a better route for Leia, as diplomacy only brought sadness, and eventually death, to her mother.

Conflicted, Leia continued on to her suite for the night.

Departing the transport at the palace landing and entering through the broad, elegant doors, Darth Vader walked with purpose to his meeting with Darth Sidious. Still, he could not keep his strange cheerfulness at bay. He’d enacted the first phase of his plan to remove his master from power, following the tradition of a millennium of Sith before him practicing the Rule of Two. The apprentice destroys the master, then takes an apprentice and so on. But only a worthy opponent could kill his teacher, and in the past few months, Vader felt he’d risen to the point where he was ready to ascend to the role of master, disposing of Sidious permanently, taking the galaxy into his own grasp.

And it certainly wasn’t personal. In fact, he liked Sidious, Sheev Palpatine as known to the rest of the galaxy. They’d shared some good times together, laughed as friends, explored the more arcane aspects of the Force as partners. But a true Sith did not allow bonds such as friendship and family to get in the way of the ultimate quest for power. A smile graced his lips when he remembered the Jedi Code, the forbidding of attachment, one of the factors which led to his distrust and ultimate hatred of the Jedi. The Sith did not forbid attachment. Attachment could be useful. But attachments did need to be cast aside for the gaining of power.

Training Luke and Leia to become Sith warriors by his side would be the first step. Yes, this went against the Rule of Two, but Vader had his own ideas on how the galaxy should be run, thus the need to kill Sidious and take over. The Sith used to be legion, the Sith used to rule the galaxy. Why not start a dynasty of Skywalker Sith to herald in this glorious new age?

Vader quickly shielded these feelings of almost whimsical glee when he saw his master emerging from his private offices, walking down the large corridor toward his apprentice.

“Ah, Lord Vader. What brings you back to Coruscant? You are needed on Ryloth,” Sidious said, now standing in front of Vader, two red-clad Imperial guards on either side. The man never seemed to go anywhere without them. And probably wisely so.

“I came to see my children, master,” he said, falling in to walk beside Sidious.

“Oh yes. Luke and Leia. I see them from time to time. Leia especially since she works around here. They are both turning into fine young people, my friend. Good servants of the Empire,” Sidious said, his usual sinister voice sounding jovial.

“Yes. Following Ryloth, I intend to spend more time with them, here on Corsucant, while also pursuing further studies in Sith philosophy and technique,” Vader said, the statement for the most part true. He dared not think of his plan to usurp Sidious. He knew the Sith Lord had unusually strong perception, which most likely led to his success.

“Good…good,” hummed the Emperor. “I look forward to seeing you more often.”

Vader wondered if this were true. He often got the sense Sidious kept him away, sometimes on fruitless missions, on purpose. Of course, Ryloth certainly would not be fruitless. Upon Padmé’s death, he’d systematically and aggressively annihilated the Rebellion and other resistance movements, his act of revenge. Few remained to challenge the Galactic Empire, Ryloth the final stronghold…and a weak one at that.

“With your leave, my lord,” Vader said, bowing slightly as the two Sith stopped.

“Of course. Good health and journeys to you, my friend. May the Force serve you,” Sidious said, nodding to Vader and turning away.

As Vader walked down the long corridor to gather his captains and other crew, he finally allowed thoughts of his plan to slip back into his mind. Yes, the old man would not rule much longer, Vader felt certain. And most of his visions and feelings of the future came true.

Arriving back to his private offices, closing the door on his guards in order to be alone, Darth Sidious allowed himself a low cackle. Yes, Darth Vader now plotted to overthrow his master, and he planned to build an army to do so, beginning with his children. Despite his best efforts to quell his emotions, Vader wore his heart on his sleeve. He always had, even when he’d been the young and naïve Anakin Skywalker.

He’d been a good apprentice, Sidious mused. He’d been engineered to be, after all. But to be an accomplished Sith master, one needed to be a cerebral warrior, like Sidious. Vader had the warrior part down well…a little too well, as he’d become the most terrifying image of the Empire, striking fear throughout the galaxy with his wrath. This both pleased and baffled Sidious. Vader effectively took care of business, but he also collected the ire and hatred of the greater population of the galaxy. Sidious remained in the shadows, as taught by his own Sith master, happy to let Vader take the blame.

Wisely, and unlike his own master, Sidious did not teach Vader everything he knew. He kept many of the deepest secrets of the Force he’d discovered to himself, the biggest being his studies in immortality, ever the focus of the scientist Sith. He’d discovered techniques to bring health and youth back to his body and mind, and despite his age and looks, he was far less feeble than he showed the public, including Vader.

Yes, Darth Vader served his part well, but he would never be the Sith master. He only played in violence, always on the go, never stopping to consider the deeper mysteries, the subtle uses of the Dark Side which Sidious relished, the practices that led him to the galactic dominance he held today.

While Vader made plans to overthrow Sidious, the Emperor had, for nearly a decade, enacted plans of his own to prevent this, and soon the wheels would begin turning. But first he felt like having a bit of fun, shaming Lord Vader for his arrogance in thinking he could take on Darth Sidious, the greatest Sith of the Banian Age.

Sitting down at his information console, he brought up the profile on Leia Skywalker, then Luke. He’d put a little spin on Vader’s ill-conceived plan right now. Sidious was the master of manipulation, playing people, governments, banks, family dynasties like a game of sabacc and winning…always winning.

“Oh dear, Lord Vader,” Sidious said aloud, making a few clicks on his keypad. “You better start to gather your wits about you. The game begins now.”

Author’s Note: In the next chapter, Leia and Luke both receive exciting news.

Thank you for reading.

 

This looks really interesting! I like this take on what Vader might have turned out like with a different turn of events. He's somewhere in the uncanny valley between the Anakin Skywalker of the prequels and the Vader of the OT. Had to wonder if he was hiding anything much from Palps... which, of course, he wasn't. Subtlety isn't really his strong point, even in an AU. Wondering how Luke and Leia will feel if and when they manage to dig up further information on the Sith. But of course, they think first of beloved Uncle Sheev. Yep, that's gonna end well!

 

Thank you for your comments. Always thought good ol' Sid would make a delightful Uncle Sheev for the Skywalker twins. He's a master manipulator and knows how to play people, unlike Vader who is just so obvious. Of course, Vader has his strengths, and I look forward to exploring their rivalry. Hope you enjoy the next chapter.

 

Chapter Three

Assignments


Darth Vader stood on the bridge of the star destroyer, surveying the crew at work around him. They whisked through the galaxy in hyperspace, headed for Ryloth, and he used the time to think about his plan to usurp Darth Sidious. And he had plenty of time to think…no one ever even attempted small talk with Darth Vader.

He thought back to dinner with his children, their surprised looks as he told them they would begin training as Sith. Both powerful in the Force, Luke and Leia would be excellent students. But how should he begin? He’d had a padawan at the Jedi Temple, but the Jedi employed a foolish philosophy, one he made sure twinkled out of existence the first years of his journey into the Dark Side. No, he would need to…

“Lord Vader?”

Vader started, then looked at the ship’s captain standing before him, a pale, slightly plump man with sweat on his brow and fear in his eyes. Irritated at having his thoughts interrupted, Vader glared down at the man, who instinctively took a step back.

“Yes?”

“We should arrive in the Ryloth system in about an hour,” the captain said meekly.

Vader simply nodded, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.

Defeating the rebel cell on Ryloth should complete his over decade-long crusade to stamp out resistance to the Empire. Yes, there would be uprisings from time to time, but he’d destroyed enough of them, their leaders, their inspirations, to shatter any hope to which they may have clung.

Of course, before his wife’s death in the rebellion’s poorly-planned and desperate attack on Naboo, in which they’d bombed out the country estates of the rich and powerful families in hopes of hitting the Palpatine retreat, Vader felt more inclined to hunt down the remaining Jedi. He might still be focused on those two he’d been obsessed with for years if the rebellion had not forced his gaze and ultimately his hatred upon them.

Yoda.

Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Yoda escaped a battle with Darth Sidious himself, a feat Vader still could not wrap his head around, having seen the Sith Lord in action several times now. And the diminutive green Jedi Master had not been seen nor heard from since.

And Obi-Wan, his former Master, his former friend. The puzzle of Obi-Wan made Vader’s mind prickle in rage. After taking Padmé back to Coruscant, Anakin returned to Mustafar with a platoon to recover data and fetch his ship. Upon arrival, Vader killed his platoon in a rage, having found the body of Obi-Wan missing along with the ship on which he originally arrived on Mustafar.

Using the Force to pitch the bodies of the newly minted Imperial soldiers into the flaming lava, Darth Vader left Mustafar and searched for two days for his missing ship, finally finding it floating, dead in space, on the outskirts of the Rishi system. After bringing it into his Imperial transport’s larger hold, Vader discovered his wayward ship empty, the pilot’s seat drenched in blood, no sign of Obi-Wan anywhere. The man simply vanished.

Why hadn’t he gone back to make sure Obi-Wan died? He’d been concerned about Padmé of course, but if he only took a moment to run his lightsaber through the man’s heart, he would have avoided this twenty-year obsession.

Vader sighed heavily, trying to clear his mind of thoughts of Obi-Wan. The sigh seemed to startle the crew, who had been chatting quietly around him. Now, with nervous glances his way, they fell into complete silence.

Yes, power. He loved the feeling, the sway he held over others, the fear his mere presence could induce. And he would teach this to his children, bring them both over to the Dark Side.

Back at the former Senate offices, Leia sat staring wistfully at a map of the galaxy, her finger tracing the well-used hyperlanes, her mind drifting to places she would never get to see. Well, maybe. After she trained with her father of course.

A slow day at the embassy, Leia used the first hours that morning searching the holonet for information on the Sith. Nothing useful, as she expected. Mere mentions in historical context, nothing of the philosophy. She wanted to be prepared, impress her father. But now, thinking of her father being home, training with him, made her nervous.

Increased movement and noise down the hall brought Leia to her feet, and she walked to the conference room where most of the embassy gathered, many in tears, clinging to one another.

“What happened?” Leia asked the woman nearest to her, a secretary for the Outer Rim offices.

“The embassy on Bespin…you know it’s located in an orbital around the planet,” the woman sniffed. Leia nodded. “Well, something happened…mechanically. Vacuum leaked in. Killed everyone.”

Leia gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. How horrible!

“Twenty people…all good diplomats,” the woman barely got out before breaking down, Leia putting her arm around her in comfort.

Slowly the conference room emptied, people slumping back to their work, the entire mood of the embassy sad. Leia found herself staring out her window in contemplation. Yes, good diplomats, good people serving the Empire…gone.

A knock sounded at her door, and she turned to see Clive, the older man who worked with interns. He seemed to be studying her carefully, his own eyes red, probably from tears over the lost Bespin team.

“Leia…I have…well, an assignment for you,” he said, his tone almost sounding like a question.

Despite the sadness of the day, Leia’s heart leapt in joy. An assignment?

“Really?” she said in disbelief.

Clive smiled good-naturedly and entered, handing her a data pad.

“You heard about the events on Bespin?”

“Yes,” she answered, wondering how that connected with her.

“The embassy orbital needs to be repaired, possibly reconstructed. In the meantime, we need representation on Bespin, especially with the galactic sabacc tournament happening on Cloud City in two standard days. We have offices on Cloud City which have remained empty, mere storage rooms…but we need an interim ambassador. The palace sent your name over…specifically you,” Clive said, letting a bit of puzzlement slip into his voice. Then he smiled warmly at her. “I think you would do well in this assignment, at least for a few weeks until a seasoned ambassador can be appointed. You will be in the company of a small squadron of stormtroopers. Can you be ready to leave in two hours?”

Leia knew her mouth hung open dumbly, astonished by Clive’s words. A posting? Off-world?

Then her father’s words from the night before crept into her mind. He would be back, not two weeks from now. And he wanted her and Luke to remain on Coruscant.

But the palace requested her, specifically. Didn’t the palace have ultimate power, the offices of the Emperor himself? News of her hard work and dedication to the Empire must have climbed the ladder of leadership. She smiled broadly, looking back up at Clive.

“Yes…yes! This is…wonderful,” she hesitated. “I mean, um, terrible about the orbital but…”

Clive smiled sadly and laughed warmly. “I understand, Leia. You’ve been waiting a long time. Go home and pack quickly. I will send the transport to pick you up at your home.” He turned to leave. “Good luck, Ambassador Skywalker.”

Leia grabbed the few things she needed from her office, then dashed down the hall toward the lift.

Luke watched his sister pack, trying the keep his feelings of jealousy at bay. Leia’s excitement filled the room, her voice chattering quickly about the opportunity, how she planned to connect with the people on Cloud City, and perhaps elsewhere on Bespin, spreading the philosophy of the Empire. Luke helped her pack, and soon she was at the door, her luggage already loaded into the transport waiting on the landing pad of the building.

He embraced his sister, a sudden feeling rolling through him from the Force. He would see his sister again in the near future but not here. He couldn’t explain the feeling, but he knew such premonitions to be common with their father. Still, he did not mention this sensation to Leia. Instead, he kissed her cheek.

“Message me when you arrive so I know you’re safe,” he said as she headed out.

“Cover for me with dad, Luke,” she said. “Love you.”

And then she was gone.

Luke slumped over to the living room, flopping down on the sofa and turning on the holoscreen. He began flipping through the channels, discovering nothing on, ending up watching a holocomedy, one from decades ago during the time of the Republic, having been approved by the Empire for current viewing as it did not interfere with Imperial philosophy and policy. The show, stupid but amusing, featured a group stranded on a tropical planet, never able to leave. The characters consisted of the ship’s captain, his first mate, a rich couple, a holostar, some young attractive female simpleton, and a scientist, who absurdly could figure out how to make a radio device from local fruit but not how to repair a starship. Luke watched several episodes of the show before he heard the bell ring, indicating someone at the door.

Opening the front door without peeking out first, Luke’s eyes widened and he tried to stifle a gasp. Emperor Palpatine himself, who told both Luke and Leia several years ago to call him Uncle Sheev, stood outside, flanked by two Imperial Guards in their red helmets and robes. Uncle Sheev wore his robes of deep purple, as he often could be seen in when giving public addresses. Unlike those speeches though, he now had his hood down, Luke able to see his disfigurement. Of course Luke grew used to Uncle Sheev’s scars years ago, hardly noticing them when he had lunch with the man on several occasions.

Yet over the years, the Emperor never visited the Skywalker home. Until now.

“Uncle Sheev!” Luke said, not able to hide the surprise from his voice. “Come in! Want some caf?”

“Certainly, my boy,” Uncle Sheev said, entering, gesturing to the guards to remain outside. The door closed, leaving the two men alone.

The Emperor slid into a seat at the kitchen table as Luke brewed some caf and gathered a plate of cookies. They made small talk for a bit, Uncle Sheev asking about Luke’s training at the academy, his prowess as a pilot. Finally, a silence fell between them.

“I bet you are wondering why I am here,” Uncle Sheev said, smiling.

“Well…yeah,” said Luke. “I mean…it’s nice to see you. We haven’t spoken in a while and…”

The Emperor rose in a graceful movement, seeming to float over to the wall where several holopics of the Skywalker family hung. He regarded them for over a minute, letting the quiet fill the space.

“I have an assignment for you,” he said finally.

“An assignment?”

“Yes. I have a student…an apprentice of sorts who needs to go on a mission. A special secret mission for me. Something which will serve the Empire. She needs a good pilot to take her. I’ve heard of your accomplishments, young Skywalker. I would like to team you up with her, make you part of the mission as well,” Uncle Sheev said.

“Really?! Me…pilot? A mission?!” Luke said excitedly, realizing his voice was a bit higher-pitched than he would have liked.

Uncle Sheev grinned in obvious amusement, and Luke’s embarrassment subsided. He always felt comfortable around the Emperor, the man who had been there for him and Leia after their mother’s death, even more so than their own father.

“Yes, my boy. Please come to my offices in the morning, packed for an extended trip,” Uncle Sheev said moving toward the door. “I will inform your father, so not to worry. The Empire needs you. See you tomorrow.”

Luke waited several seconds after the Emperor’s departure before letting out a loud whoop and dashing upstairs to his suite to pack.

Author’s Note: Next time, Leia arrives on Bespin, and Luke learns the Emperor’s plans for him.
Have a wonderful day!

 

At first I wasn't sure if I even wanted to read this one, but then I thought, "Eh, what the heck?", and boy am I glad I did!

In the beginning, I was a little bit "Eeee......" about the dark place it looked like this was going, but it turned out to be not so much "a dark version" as "a different point of view." The circumstances are different, but Luke and Leia still act like Luke and Leia.

And, Luke watching "Gilligan's Planet"........ *snork!*

 

I wonder how Anakin can deal with the eldest Sith problem that there is:

In fact, he liked Sidious, Sheev Palpatine as known to the rest of the galaxy. They’d shared some good times together, laughed as friends, explored the more arcane aspects of the Force as partners. But a true Sith did not allow bonds such as friendship and family to get in the way of the ultimate quest for power. A smile graced his lips when he remembered the Jedi Code, the forbidding of attachment, one of the factors which led to his distrust and ultimate hatred of the Jedi. The Sith did not forbid attachment. Attachment could be useful. But attachments did need to be cast aside for the gaining of power.


This is why I am going to read this.

Another jolly good reason is that your fanfic proved to be full of fun & surprises in so far (for example the latest assignments for Luke & Leia). And your characters stay true to the original ones (like your version of Sheev).

All in all, this looks promising.

 

Thank you! I'm so glad you are reading. I'm excited to be writing a Luke and Leia story.

 

Thank you so much! Hope you continue to enjoy the story. Honestly, I love writing Darth Sidious, and I cannot wait to get into his Sith games with Vader.

 

I can't wait either. The way you write, I'll bet you can make Sithly machinations hilarious and completely soul-chilling at the same time.

 

For a Han fan you have an extremely big heart for Sith lords, Cowgirl Jedi 1701.

But the awards showed how much sheevy fun one can have with their lot.

 

I didn't plan to fall in love with Darth Vader! It just happened!

 

Oh, you are a Vader lover, too? Good to know. Perhaps I should write my sequel after all...

Anyway, I wonder when DarthMarly opens the box with sithly fun stuff & stunning intrigues...

 

You can't even imagine. Or maybe you can. Can you imagine Vader in a Jacuzzi? With hot slave girls?

Yes, DarthMarly, open the box! *bounces with excitement*

 

Oh dear, feeling the pressure to present an amusing carnival of Sith. I will let my love of Sidious and Vader guide me, and hopefully you will be entertained.

Vader in a Jacuzzi? Hmmmm...

 

Chapter Four

Partners


Luke arrived early to Uncle Sheev’s office the next morning, his bag slung over his shoulder and an eager grin on his face. He couldn’t help wondering about the type of ship he’d fly…fly far away, out of the Coruscant system. And on a secret mission for the Emperor himself!

Wearing his Imperial Academy uniform, crisp and pressed, he approached the Emperor’s office and was immediately admitted. Entering the luxurious suite, he found two people in the room, seated across from one another at a conference table. Uncle Sheev, facing him, smiled upon Luke’s arrival, rising. The other remained seated, Luke only able to see the back of a head with rich red hair.

“Luke, my dear boy, have a seat and meet your partner for the upcoming mission to Yavin 4,” Uncle Sheev said jovially, gesturing for Luke to join them at the conference table.

Luke cast his bag aside and took a seat, a droid immediately coming to fill an empty mug in front of him with caf. Momentarily distracted by the droid, as well as searching his mind for everything he knew about Yavin 4, Luke finally looked up to see the other person at the table. His heart skipped a beat.

A beautiful young woman, looking to be about his age, stared at him with her bright green eyes, her red hair framing her face and cascading over her shoulders. She frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing, and he could feel her judging him in the Force. Yes, he could feel she was powerful in the Force, and the look of ridicule she gave him now left Luke self-conscious.

He swallowed hard, trying to collect himself. “Hi, I’m Luke Skywalker.”

The woman continued to stare, an increasing look of displeasure on her face. “Mara Jade,” she said finally, her words clipped and low. She turned to Uncle Sheev. “I don’t see why I need a pilot. I can fly…”

“Luke is Force-sensitive and may be of use on the mission,” the Emperor said. “Also, you have destroyed the last three ships and…”

“Master, I had no choice! I simply had to…”

But Uncle Sheev raised a hand, his face serious, firm. “My decision is final. You need a partner for this. Luke will fit the bill nicely.” He sat a data chip on the table in front of them, activating the hologram that jumped into view. A globe spun. “This is Yavin 4. You may remember this as the former stronghold of the Rebellion, which Darth Vader annihilated a few years ago.”

“Darth Vader!” Mara exclaimed, looking again at Luke. “Skywalker…you are Vader’s son.” She raised a well-manicured eyebrow, and Luke could not decide whether she was impressed or disappointed.

“Yes,” the Emperor confirmed. “Archeologists studying the ruins recently came across a new underground tomb, and all evidence indicates this belonged to an ancient Sith lord. I immediately shut down the project, as only those trained in the Dark Side should access the artifacts within. I am sending you to do the initial survey, bring back a few items for me to study.”

A Sith lord? Luke felt even more excited. He not only got to pilot a ship out of the system, but he could learn more about the Sith to impress his father.

“All you need to know is on this data chip,” Uncle Sheev said, deactivating the hologram and handing the chip to Mara. He turned to Luke. “Your ship is in spot D94 in the hanger. Safe travels and may the Force serve you.”

Mara stood swiftly and moved from the room, grabbing a duffel bag along the wall. Luke looked at her, startled by her speed.

“You better go, my boy,” laughed Uncle Sheev. “She moves fast.”

Luke trailed behind Mara all the way to the hanger. They found D94 quickly, and Luke’s spirits fell. He expected some sort of new TIE, tricked out like his father’s. Instead, an aging Imperial transport, which didn’t even seem to have a name but a mere set of serial numbers, awaited them.

Mara did not hesitate, but quickly entered, throwing her bag onto one of the three bunks in the hold and moving to the cockpit, slumping down into the co-pilot seat. Luke shut the back of the ship hesitantly, placing his things on the bed opposite Mara’s, surveying the space. Well, it was a ship.

“Move it, Skywalker,” Mara called, her voice stern, demanding.

Luke came into the cockpit, eyeing Mara, who read something on her data pad. Her long legs stretched out, boots up on the dash, her close fitting black trousers and tunic showed off her athletic form well, and Luke could feel himself blushing. No…no…he needed to focus on the mission. And who was he really, she a special trainee of the Emperor himself, he a recent Imperial Academy graduate with very little experience with women?

Settling in behind the controls, Luke immediately felt comfortable, as he always did at the helm of a ship. Concentrating on getting them out of the Coruscant atmosphere, he dared not look at Mara. Finally pushing them into the first hyperspace jump, Luke could not help but grin foolishly, looking over at the unimpressed Mara.

“This is my first time leaving Imperial City in over a decade,” he said excitedly.

“I need to meditate, focus on the mission,” Mara said rising. “Get us to Yavin 4 safely, city boy.”

She moved back to the hold, and Luke could have sworn she’d given him a small smile as she exited.

Darth Sidious watched Luke and Mara’s transport disappear into the sky, a wry smile spreading across his lips. Both Skywalker twins away. Yes, that should delay Vader’s plans, for the moment.

The idea to use Mara Jade in his strategy came easily to Sidious. He’d discovered her as a youth, trained her as an Emperor’s Hand. Like Vader, he withheld some of his more interesting Dark Side knowledge from the girl. No, not girl…woman. Yes, Mara grew up to be a wise and powerful Force-user, and she seemed occasionally like a daughter to Sidious. He could not be more proud of her accomplishments, her willingness to go the distance on missions, no matter how dangerous.

And she was beautiful as well. Dangling an attractive and intelligent woman in front of the elder Skywalker male worked years before. Hopefully Luke could be as blinded by a woman as his father.

Ah yes, Vader. Enough pondering the Skywalker children. Now back to his apprentice.

Sidious walked down the corridors of the palace back to his office, smiling and nodding at passersby in his “friendly old man” guise. As he walked, he wondered who should replace Vader. Perhaps Mara. While she hadn’t been conjured into existence to be his apprentice, like Vader, she had been trained from a young age, and her skills and values resembled his own.

No, he would decide later. He had a lot of choices, others he’d trained without Vader’s knowledge, maybe even the Skywalker twins themselves. Now he needed to focus on Vader. And with the children out of the picture, for the time being, he needed to get other parts of his plan going.

Upon returning to his office, he pulled up his comm, dialing Grand Moff Tarkin.

Leia looked around the Imperial Embassy offices on Cloud City, satisfied with the organization of the space. She arrived the previous evening, spending time making her suite in the upper floors comfortable. Throughout the day she put together the rarely used office space. Sending away the stormtroopers accompanying her hours ago, as they just proved to be in the way, Leia enjoyed working on her own, reveling in her first position.

Sitting at the desk and logging onto her computer to check her messages, Leia looked up after a knock sounded at her open door. A handsome young man entered, his dark skin, hair, and eyes accented by pearly white teeth set in a perfectly dashing smile. He wore black trousers and a blue tunic, complete with an elegant cape. He looked quite dapper indeed, and Leia found herself smiling and rising to greet him.

“Hello, Ambassador,” the man said, his voice smoothly flirtatious. “I am Lando Calrissian, the administrator here on Cloud City.” He took Leia’s hand, bringing it to his lips in a lingering kiss, his eyes twinkling up at her.

Leia kept the girlish giggle she felt bubbling within her at bay, remaining the professional. Her mentors during her internship would be proud.

“I am Leia Sky…Ambassador Leia…you may call me Leia,” she stammered, damning herself for sounding hesitant. But whenever she said her last name, people seemed to flinch, particularly young men who took a fancy to her. These men could not get away fast enough when they discovered her to be Darth Vader’s daughter. Perhaps she’d keep that fact to herself, make friends…maybe more, as she’d never had much of an opportunity to date, and flirting a bit would be nice.

Lando brought Leia out of her thoughts. “My goodness, you are lovely. The Empire sends only the brightest and most beautiful to Bespin.”

Leia smiled coyly. Tall, dark, and handsome…and smooth, that’s for sure.

“We do hope you are enjoying your stay so far,” came a voice behind Lando, and another man, pale with cyborg implants in his skull, entered. “Will you be playing in the sabacc tournament?”

“Lobot here is always business before pleasure,” Lando said, gesturing to the newcomer.

“I was just trying to suggest some entertainment for the new ambassador, as that is our main specialty here on Cloud City,” Lobot said back.

“I am an official of the Empire. Playing in the tournament would be unprofessional and…” Leia began.

“Nonsense. Those folks up in the ruined orbital used to play all the time,” Lando said, raising an eyebrow at her. “And any winnings you can donate to some charity.”

Leia thought for a moment. Yes, a sabacc tournament would be fun. She was a decent player. And this was the main event happening on Bespin. She would get to meet new people. Shouldn’t the ambassador be with the people?

“The game is partners sabacc. You will be assigned a partner to go through the tournament with, only separating in the final round. We do need one more entry to have an even number,” Lobot explained.

The two men looked at Leia expectantly.

“All right,” she said in a dignified voice, her insides twittering with excitement. How marvelous, to be somewhere new, doing something new!

Lando’s face lit up, but Lobot just nodded, turning to his data pad and entering some information.

“Marvelous!” exclaimed Lando. “We look forward to having you. There is a mixer in three hours, in the main night club on the fortieth floor. You will meet your assigned partner, which we will go randomly take care of right now. Until later, Ambassador…”

“Leia. Just Leia,” she answered.

“Leia,” Lando repeated, winking before slipping into the hall, Lobot following close behind.

Leia listened as they walked down the corridor talking.

“Make sure she is not paired with any young handsome men,” she heard Lando say before they left earshot.

The comment made Leia finally let out a laugh, placing the back of her hand on her lips to stop herself, but still grinning.

Three hours later, elegantly but professionally dressed in flowing green gown, Leia approached the desk outside the club, receiving a nametag to pin to her clothing and the name of her partner for the tournament.

“Ben,” said the bored-looking man at the table. “Grey hair, beard. Think he’s at the bar. Next.”

Leia shuffled in, her eyes taking in the room, which moved with loud music, sentients of all sorts dancing, talking, laughing.

Ben…her partner’s name was Ben. Grey hair…looks like Lando got his wish with the older man. But how did he know what Leia liked? She shook her head and smiled to herself at Lando’s arrogance. Still, he was handsome and charming. Getting to know him might be fun.

Leia moved toward the bar slowly, taking in the sights and sounds. So many different sentients. In Imperial City, one rarely saw other beings, but here, in this room, Leia saw more different species than she had in the past year on Coruscant in the Palace District. Watching two Falleen dancing rather seductively together on the main dance floor, Leia ran headlong into a giant brown-furred Wookie.

“I…I am so sorry,” she stammered, looking up, a little frightened.

A Wookie! The Empire usually employed them as laborers. She knew many helped construct Uncle Sheev’s pride and joy, the Death Star.

The Wookie looked down at her, roared a reply, and moved along, leaving the bar now clearly in Leia’s view. Her eyes locked on an older human male with a beard. Ben perhaps?

“Hello,” she said formally, moving into the seat next to him, putting her hand out. “I’m Leia. I think you might be…”

The man turned to her and shook her hand firmly, his hair and beard grey, offset by his bright blue eyes with seemed to twinkle with delight and something else…mischief?

“Ben,” he said, finishing her sentence. “Hello there, Leia. So nice to meet you. What would you like?”

The bartender now stood before her, waiting.

“Wine. Red, please,” she said.

“And another ale for me,” Ben said, and he turned to face Leia fully.

Ben wore brown trousers and a light, sandy tunic, simple but elegant. He seemed pressed and clean, yet Leia sensed a ruggedness about him, a difficult life lived. Perhaps the Force sent these feelings, as was often the case when she met people for the first time.

“Where are you from, Ben?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Here and there. I’m a bit of a spacer these days. But you are far more interesting, I hear. The new ambassador on Bespin.”

“Interim,” she corrected, then sighed. “But hopeful ambassador. Being here,” she gestured to the busy space about them. “Is…is just amazing. I’ve been stuck on Coruscant forever. I want to meet new people, see new things.”

Ben laughed. “And you are. Seems you are eager to take on the galaxy. I used to be like that. But just be careful, my dear. Sometimes the galaxy hits you…can strike you down.” He grew quiet, seeming pensive. “Yes, strikes you down in unexpected ways.”

Leia studied him as their drinks arrived. Ben seemed kind, yet slightly beaten down by life. Yes, the Force told her this.

Then they were chatting and the minutes turned into an hour. She enjoyed talking with him. Something about him seemed familiar, yet she felt certain she’d never met the man. She told him of her work, her life on Coruscant, even about some adventures with her brother, being very careful not to mention her father. No, she did not want to be Darth Vader’s daughter here. It occurred to her that in her position and status with the Empire, she might never have encountered somebody like Ben, a space transient, obviously in the lower classes. How nice to have this opportunity.

She realized she’d mostly been talking about herself, answering Ben’s occasionally placed questions for some time, enchanted by the interest he showed with those piercing, knowing eyes.

“A spacer? Where have you traveled? What do you do for work?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I hop from ship to ship for work. I came here because I like to play sabacc, and I need some extra credits. And speaking of, perhaps we should talk strategy.”

And so they did, for another fifteen minutes, before Leia sensed a sudden tension from him. He stood with a jolting movement, his palm pressed to his chest, his face paling, body hunched.

“Ben,” she said, rising, placing her hand on his shoulder in concern.

“He okay?” asked the bartender.

Ben stood with his eyes closed, his breathing beginning to steady, his back straightening slowly. Finally, he opened his eyes, smiling down at Leia.

“No worries, my dear. Just a medical condition, that’s all,” he said, again with the playful smile. “Until tomorrow. Pleasant dreams.”

And he soon disappeared into the crowd.

Leia mingled a bit more with some of the other players, but by that point in the evening, most were planning with their sabacc partners, giving suspicious looks around the room. She retired to her quarters, deciding to enter her first official log as ambassador before bed. Nothing interesting to report…professionally. But her two new acquaintances, Lando and Ben, proved to be fascinating. She looked forward to the game the next day.

Author’s Note: Next time, we focus on Leia as she begins the sabacc tournament with Ben, running into a handsome scoundrel between games.

Thanks for reading!

 

Mara Jade! Squee! And Lando! And Ben Kenobi! And Chewie! Which means that next chapter's handsome scoundrel can be none other than that stuck up, half witted, scruffy looking, nerf herder, Han Solo! Squee!

 

It was a wonderful update, with a mean old Sheev (Palpatine) playing sithly "Games without Frontier" with everybody, Luke being his sweet self and a little disaster when it comes to impress a woman like Mara Jade & Lando having the sex appeal of a Prince Xixor, making Leia weak.

Seen that Ben is with Chewie, I ask myself where is Han?

And what´s with Ben´s health condition?

You can be damned sure now that I stay put, even tough things in RL are rough for me most of the time.

 

I love this story! I always love the concept of Luke and Leia raised in the dark side, and I love that you haven't made them all dark and brooding; they still feel in character, and I still can't get over "Uncle Sheev", something I never thought I'd read and enjoy immensely. I wasn't expecting Ben in this newest chapter, and I'm quite intrigued to see where this will lead.

 

I do love Han Solo, and I see from your pic I am in good company!

More about Ben to come. You know I always take care of Obi-Wan, but there is a lot he's had to deal with the past twenty years.

Oh, thank you so much! The Emperor always fascinated me, even as a kid watching RotJ, holding my Ewok stuffed toy. He's delightfully diabolical, and I do find the Sith interesting. Plan to explore him more, as well as his relationship with Vader.

 

Chapter Five

Delays


Leia could not help but smile at reading Luke’s message. Sitting in her Bespin office early in the morning, waiting for the sabacc tournament to begin, she took the opportunity to get some work done, as little as there seemed to be for an Imperial ambassador on this world. Just making sure the mining operations paid their taxes, filing the report with Coruscant, and now reading personal messages, the one from Luke catching her eye first.

Looks like luck favored the Skywalkers, Leia mused. Both she and Luke getting to go off world, she in diplomatic pursuits, Luke doing what he loved most, piloting. She wondered where Uncle Sheev sent her brother but knew he could take care of himself. She would know in the Force if something happened to him.

Her father now passed through her mind, worrying Leia. When he returned, he would find both his children gone. Would he be upset? Still, they’d both been sent on missions by the Emperor himself, her father’s good friend…nearly family. No, he would be fine.

Would he?

Leia realized she did not know her father all that well. She knew he had a reputation for being stern, even frightening, to those under his command. She rarely saw him much less communicated with him. No, she didn’t know him at all. In fact, she’d spent more time in the company of Uncle Sheev over the years than her father.

Shaking her head and putting the train of thought aside, she refocused on the events of the day. She would eventually return to Coruscant anyway, Luke as well, and their father would have his wish to train them in the ways of the Sith.

A knock sounded and Leia looked up to see Ben standing at the door. Her eyes widened in surprise. He dressed elegantly, slacks of black, a tunic of deep blue, his mischievous eyes standing out. For a spacer, a self-proclaimed galactic nomad, Ben cleaned up nicely. In fact, his current attire, as well as his speech and overall demeanor the evening before, suggested almost an aristocratic background. Such a puzzle, but a fun one she looked forward to solving over the next couple of days during the tournament.

“Are you ready to hit the sabacc tables, my dear,” he asked warmly, no evidence of his sudden attack from the evening before on his face.

“Yes,” Leia said rising, taking Ben’s arm and allowing him to guide her down the corridors of Cloud City toward the casino.

Engaged in pleasant small talk, the duo arrived at the casino, one of the last pairings to enter. The usher brought them to their first table, their initial game with a Rodian of the upper classes, judging from his attire, and a small, dark-haired human woman dressed plainly and glaring at Leia as she sat down.

“Looks like the Empire now weasels its way into private casinos,” she hissed toxically at Leia.

Taken aback, Leia bit her lip. “I’m simply here for the game. To enjoy myself. Nothing more.”

“Not to spy on us underlings,” the stranger continued, venom in her voice, leaking into the Force toward Leia.

Goodness, did others feel the same about the Empire, Leia pondered briefly, but the thought vanished when Lando, who apparently ran the event personally, appeared at her shoulder.

“You are looking simply beautiful this morning, Leia,” he cooed, giving her his flirtatious smile. He raised her hand to his lips as she stood. “The galaxy, filled with wonders, cannot compare with…”

“Oh turn it off, Lando,” came a jovial voice from behind. “It’s a little too early in the morning to schmooze the ladies.”

Lando’s face contorted in annoyance, and he looked behind him as Leia met eyes with a handsome young man, his floppy brown hair and cocky grin completing the look of a roguish gambler, his old Corellian garb worn but neat.

“Han, get to your table and…”

“Hey buddy, you’re the one that needs to start the show,” the stranger, Han, said. “People are waiting.”

Leia looked around to see most of the large room full of sabacc tables quietly looking at Lando in anticipation. Lando quickly masked his discomfort as Leia seated herself. Han locked eyes with her, his face changing from one of amusement over embarrassing Lando to something else. He seemed to study her intently for a moment, Leia finding herself not breathing as she studied him back. Then Lando’s voice filled the room as he took the small stage in the front, and Han winked a bright hazel eye and walked away, Leia seeing him take a seat across the room at another game.

“Do you know that man?” asked Ben next to her.

“No,” she admitted. “Why?”

Ben simply shrugged, turning his attention to the game, which began swiftly.

About thirty standard minutes into the game, Leia began to detest the human woman. Her side comments toward Leia, chiding her for being of the upper classes, for being an Imperial diplomat, made Leia break concentration many times. In fact, she and Ben were losing.

“You privileged twit,” the woman said, even her Rodian partner looking weary of the goading. “Sitting in your tower on Coruscant, going to court with the bedazzled Emperor, not knowing how the trillions under the…”

“You will shut the kriff up,” Ben said steadily, the lack of anger in his tone not matching the words, his eyes staring intently at the woman over his cards.

The woman seemed to freeze for a brief moment, then said, “I will shut the kriff up.”

And she did.

The woman only spoke when necessary for the game after that, and even the Rodian looked relieved. Leia focused more on the cards, and soon she and Ben’s luck began to change.

Another hour into the tournament, Leia and Ben concentrated on a rather difficult and long hand, the Rodian a skilled player. A yelp from across the room sounded, and Leia looked up to see Han leap from his seat, elated. Obviously he and his partner, an aged Gran, just passed the first round of the tournament, their opponents slinking away, out of the room. Leia watched as the Wookie she encountered the evening before came from the spectator chairs along the perimeter of the room to embrace Han. The sight warmed Leia’s heart. The two appeared to be very close.

Han pulled away from his Wookie companion and again locked eyes with Leia. Blushing, Leia turned back to the game, only to see the Rodian gained ground, Ben giving her a slightly irritated expression. Oh dear…

Giving her partner a look indicating her regrets, Ben’s face lightened and he smiled slyly. He turned to the Rodian.

“Aren’t you tired?” Ben asked.

“No,” the Rodian answered, concentrating on the game.

Ben glanced around, and Leia looked too, seeing other tables beginning to wrap up their games for the day.

“You are tired,” Ben said.

The Rodian looked up, his eyes locking on Ben’s. “I am tired,” he said.

“You will go all in on this hand,” Ben said.

The Rodian nodded, pressing the button on the table to indicate his bet.

The human female began to protest, but Ben turned to her. “You will go all in as well.”

The woman nodded, fumbling with her keypad.

Leia felt a slight shudder through the Force, and she looked at Ben, who smiled back at her as if nothing strange happened.

He was Force-sensitive, Leia realized. And he was using the Force to win the game. She knew about Force suggestion from her limited training, but she’d never seen it used…until now.

Should she make a scene, turn him in? Force-sensitive individuals were reported to Imperial authorities.

But she knew Ben, unlike herself, could use the money, any winnings from the tournament. He’d indicated this the evening before. And then Leia thought of his health. Yes, he used Force suggestion, but she also felt an inherent goodness about him that warmed her heart, like seeing Han with his Wookie friend.

Leia refocused on the human woman who’d been so mean to her when arrived. Yes, let them lose. They…well, the human anyways…deserved it.

The game ended quickly, and the Rodian and the woman left without further word. Ben leaned back in his chair, smiling wistfully after them.

Leia leaned in. “You know the Force.”

Ben looked back at her, no surprise on his face. “As do you.” He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. He rose, offering his arm to her again. “Let us find a place to have lunch.”

Leia and Ben went to the nearby cantina, which also served as a rousing night club in the evenings. The music played now, in the early afternoon, the first round winners celebrating their victories. The duo found an empty booth near the dance floor.

“I would appreciate your discretion on this matter,” Ben said, gesturing to the waiter.

Leia nodded, knowing she would keep this to herself…unless trouble arose. She was an Imperial ambassador after all.

“And of course you would be Force sensitive…Leia Skywalker,” Ben continued.

“Yes…well, I guess it’s not too big of a secret. But that name…well, it’s a heavy name to carry around…and I’m just trying to…”

The sudden scooting of a chair startled both Ben and Leia. Han now sat at the table between them.

“My dear friend Lando warned me to stay away from you,” he said, his lopsided grin making Leia smile. “Which means I definitely should come over. Han.” He said, extending his hand.

“Leia,” she answered, shaking his hand firmly. She turned to her sabacc partner only to find Ben completely gone. Leia blinked in surprise, then turned toward the door to see him saluting her as he exited.

“Dance with me, Leia,” Han said, not a question but a statement. My goodness, he was confident.

Leia allowed Han to pull her to her feet and out onto the dance floor.

Light years away, Darth Vader gritted his teeth as the entire star destroyer shook. They’d been in the Ryloth system for only two standard days, and upon arrival, Vader realized that the Rebellion meant to take their last stand here. In fact, the Rebel fleet contained many ships Vader thought he’d knocked out of commission years ago, repaired, yet not as powerful as his fleet. The Imperils outnumbered the Rebels five to one. Still, the attitude of the Rebels seemed to be the idea of going out in a blaze of glory, throwing everything they had at the Empire.

Vader simply did not have time for this. Fighting the Rebellion almost exclusively since the death of Padmé, he felt exhausted with their efforts. He now had bigger tasks to take on, namely the annihilation of Darth Sidious.

The star destroyer shook again, and alarms began to sound.

“One of their X-Wings crashed into our main loading bay, knocking out a shield,” reported one of the head tactical officers.

“Damage?” the captain asked.

“Vacuum leaking onto deck three…and…fixed. Problem contained.”

Vader rolled his eyes. He felt weary…restless. He needed to return to Coruscant, to Luke and Leia to begin training. His mind began to swim with where he’d begin with them. He recalled his early training in the Force, under the tutelage of Obi-Wan. The fool, Obi-Wan, so certain about the truth of the Light Side when in fact the Dark had been growing in the galaxy for years.

Vader remembered when he began his training with Sidious, learning about the line of Sith since Bane, the line he now belonged to and planned to end when he built his Sith army. How clear everything became when he touched the Dark Side, eventually diving in, filling his veins, his very soul with the darkness. How good it felt. No, he would forsake Obi-Wan’s training, worthless, empty. The Jedi…ignorant, arrogant in their certainty. He would teach Luke and Leia to reach out to the darkness, embrace the beauty of the power of the Force.

Another shake and a series of reports brought Vader out of his thoughts. The bridge bustled with activity, and a cheer erupted as another of the larger Rebel ships ignited as it plummeted haphazardly into Ryloth’s upper atmosphere.

“Enough of this,” Vader said, standing so suddenly, the crew jumped, startled. “I have no time for this charade.”

He marched off the bridge into the nearby communications room, entering a series of codes, then waiting impatiently. What the kriff was taking so long?

Another bridge appeared on the screen, another Imperial captain, this one seeming unpleasantly surprised to see Vader on the other end of the call.

“Um…Lord Vader…I…” the man stopped stammering and bowed.

“What is the location of the Death Star?” asked Vader in a firm, angry tone.

“We are currently in the Unknown Regions, near the asteroid belt discovered last…”

“The Unknown Regions?!” Vader nearly shouted. They would take forever to arrive in the Ryloth system.

“Ah…yes, my lord. Emperor Palpatine ordered us out here a day ago. He wants us to use the laser to mine minerals from…”

“Where is Grand Moff Tarkin?” Vader now shouted, his anger rising. Why would Darth Sidious order the Death Star so far away during a major Rebel engagement?

“In his quarters, my lord,” the captain said, his fear beginning to show.

“Well don’t just stare like a sweating Gamorrean! Patch me through to his cabin!”

The captain disappeared from view, and a moment later, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin’s angular face came into view. Vader was taken aback by the sight. Tarkin, usually pressed and polished, wore only an undershirt, his thinning grey hair sticking up. His eyes narrowed, giving Vader an irritated look.

“What is the meaning of this, Vader,” he hissed.

Darth Vader’s anger flared. Tarkin never seemed to respect him, the only one of the entire Imperial leadership not to cower in his presence. And when Vader mentioned this to Sidious, the Sith Master simply shrugged. And of course Vader could not do away with Tarkin. The man was a favorite of Emperor Palpatine and, Vader had to admit, a shrewd and effective leader.

“Why is the…” but Vader’s words faded away as another person came into view behind Tarkin, a human female. Vader realized he knew her, the only woman to rise to the role of Admiral in the Imperial fleet. Natasi Daala. She wore a blue shimmersilk robe and brushed out her long blonde hair, taking a seat in a plush armchair, completely oblivious to Vader. The Sith quickly put the variables together and raised an eyebrow at Tarkin. The older man’s forehead creased.

“What do you want, Vader? You have intruded upon my leisure time.”

“Leisure time? I am out here on Ryloth being bombarded by the Rebellion and you are playing house on the Death Star, hosting some status-climbing…”

“Careful, boy,” Tarkin said in a low, dangerous voice.

Vader felt thoroughly insulted at this point, and notwithstanding the fact Sidious adored Tarkin, he raised his hand to choke the Moff. Alas, the man was too far away, even for a powerful Sith Lord. Vader took a deep breath.

“Bring the Death Star to Ryloth,” he ordered.

“The Emperor sent us out here yesterday, to use the laser to mine for minerals. When I receive orders from him, I will bring the Death Star to your location,” Tarkin said, his voice condescending, as if speaking to a child. Vader felt his hatred for the man growing.

“I will be…” Vader began, but Tarkin ended the transmission.

His fists clenched in rage, Vader used another code to dial up the Emperor, only to find himself unable to connect with the capital. Resisting the urge to destroy the computer with his lightsaber, he rose, returning swiftly to the bridge.

“I am going out with the next squadron of TIEs,” he announced, then moved toward the lift to take him to his personal ship.

He needed to destroy things. Now.

Author’s Note: So excited to bring Han and Leia together and write them for the first time. They are my favorite SW couple.

Next time, we check in with Luke and Mara on their adventure as well as Darth Sidious, who recalls a fateful meeting with Padmé Skywalker before her death.

Also, check out my new Instagram page, the appropriately named damaskholdings, dedicated to Star Wars, with a focus on the EU and the Sith.


Thank you for reading. Comments welcome and encouraged.

 

Aww! Poor Tarkin! Darth Vader interrupted his nookie time!

And Obi-Wan using the Force to cheat at sabbacc! Priceless!

 

Your first meeting of Han & Leia is indeed something. There is heat & electricity between them the moment they set eyes on each other. One could feel it vibrate through the entire casino scene. The dance later on was a breath taking event, too.

I also liked your Ben, being able to curse like a real space pirate/ smuggler. And his manipulations of the Force were brilliant, too. This former posh Coruscant raised persona would have never done such a thing. This Ben here is a survivor even in the darkest womp rat hole available.

And Tarkin calling Vader "boy!" is like smashing a gauntlet against his helmet and asking him for a vendetta. Cannot wait were this leads to.

 

I love Tarkin, even when I was a kid. And I thought it was cool he got to boss Vader around in ANH. Always gotta use Tarkin in my stories, when appropriate.

Hey, he needs the credits. An exiled Jedi's gotta do what what it takes to survive, even cheating.

 

Chapter Six

The Legacy of Naboo


“Ah, yes Wilhuff, I will make sure to speak with Lord Vader. Alas, transmissions seem to be down between the capital and the Ryloth system,” Darth Sidious said, trying to keep the amused grin from his face. “Still, bring the Death Star to the fight in…oh, let’s say two standard days. I am more interested in the new ore discovered on the asteroid belt at this time than the weakened Rebellion’s last stand.”

“Yes, my lord,” Grand Moff Tarkin bowed his head. “And thank you.”

Darth Sidious finally allowed the smile to break across his face, Tarkin matching the expression, before he ended the transmission.

Alone in his lush office, where just days before he sent his apprentice Mara Jade on a wild bantha chase with Luke Skywalker, Sidious allowed himself a self-indulgent cackle.

What fun, to mess with Darth Vader. Just like old times, really. He’d spent decades manipulating others, getting great pleasure from the fact that he always remained ten steps ahead of his adversaries, which included everyone in the galaxy when one held the position in which he’d worked so hard to gain.

But since becoming Emperor, he’d hadn’t had much of an opportunity to dabble in his usual manipulative fancies. He’d spent years putting infrastructure into place that would allow him the time, once he achieved the Sith Imperative, to enter into more arcane pursuits, namely Sith sorcery. Glancing at his reflection in the ornate mirror across the room, he could see his work was paying off nicely.

While there had been a time when Sidious considered Vader a true apprentice, those days passed as Vader proved his passions often overrode sensibility. So, Sidious kept Vader thinking he was his number one, while training others, dozens in fact, in different aspects of the Dark Side. Still, to the galaxy, Vader seemed to be the second-in-command, Sidious’ enforcer.

Yet, Sidious trained Vader well…in the warrior arts of the Force. A few times he’d brought Vader to the labs, wanting to share some of his work, but not all, as his own master had foolishly done. But Vader’s vengeance against the Jedi, his focus on his wife, kept him from giving over to all the glorious aspects of being a Sith, and Sidious realized that although powerful, Vader would never be his equal. So he simply made other plans.

But now he would focus back on Vader, use the twins as leverage. He’d used Padmé Skywalker as a tipping point against Vader, as well as his home world of Naboo, several times over the decades. But alas, he had to sacrifice one of his loveliest playing pieces for the sake of his regime, to motivate Vader to fully commit himself to the destruction of the Rebellion.

Standing up and moving toward the window, he looked out over the Coruscant skyline, brilliantly bright in the afternoon sun. Studying the direction of one of the off-world spaceports, he again chuckled, remembering the fateful day the Naberries arrived on Coruscant, and he convinced the family to pursue the crown. One of his more brilliant moves, although it had seemed just another play at the time. Yes, Padmé proved useful many times.

Suddenly feeling a little nostalgic, Sidious recalled the final time he saw the woman, Vader’s wife, hatred in her eyes as she confronted him. Too bad she was not Force sensitive; she would have made an interesting Sith.

Twelve Years Ago

Darth Sidious, playing Emperor Palpatine this evening at a gala event for the commissioning of a newly designed star destroyer, stood apart from the crowd, watching people mill around, eat, schmooze, and flirt their ways throughout the grand hall of the palace. He often stood off alone, admiring the view, the world he created, most of these creatures, these sentients of ambition, greatly indebt to him. Flanked only by his red-helmeted Imperial Guards, he preferred the solitude, having killed the only one who he may have considered anywhere close to an equal decades before. Oh yes, the foolish, trusting Muun…

“I remember,” hissed a female voice to his left, surprising him. He turned to see Padmé Skywalker, dressed brilliantly as usual, staring at him with deep disdain.

“Leave us,” he said to the guards, who departed, stationing themselves a few yards away against the wall. He turned his attention fully to the woman. “What do you remember, my dear?”

“Don’t speak to me with your false kindness,” she said, her voice low, threatening. He found her overall demeanor amusing. Yes, to the galaxy she appeared the tough queen, the senator with uncompromising high moral fiber during the Clone Wars. But Sidious knew the truth.

And so did she. She looked far older than she should, her health declining since the birth of her children. The labor had been rough, as the Sith Lord planned, Sidious providing some Force techniques to Vader to help, as he’d promised in order to sway the young Jedi. But Sidious knew her husband’s diving into the Dark Side, as well as her guilt over her transgressions and hypocrisy, ate at her. Was, in fact, killing her. Her caked on make-up did nothing to hide this. And her anger could be felt almost tangibly, diminishing her life force further.

Delightful. How fun to watch a creature self-destruct.

“I remember,” she repeated, moving in close to him, only a foot away. “I was just a girl…barely a teenager. We were at the spaceport here on Coruscant. And you…you were there, talking with my parents and…”

“Of course. Your parents were an upper class family, myself the senator…”

“Shut up,” she said, and Sidious could hear her voice breaking. “You talked to them. And soon I was queen. And the Trade Federation…the vote of no confidence…everything.”

Her lip trembled, and it took all of Sidious’ strong will power to keep from laughing, the look of apologetic understanding plastered on his face like a mask.

“Padmé, the times in which we live, those years on Naboo…”

“Were all orchestrated by you!” she shouted, the area of the room in which they stood silencing. When the sentients realized the argument was with the Emperor himself, they quickly turned a deaf ear and resumed their previous activities.

“Our beloved Naboo was torn apart by greed. Then the galaxy itself was ripped apart by war, Lady Vader,” he said.

“Don’t you dare call me that,” she said, her voice contorting in rage, no longer the pretend beauty. “My husband…myself…we are all just pawns in your game.”

Sidious glanced up to see an abnormally tall Muun enter, one of the heads of the newest bank on Coruscant, investing heavily in the Death Star. His attention shifted to business, and he turned to Padmé.

“Your service to the galaxy, to the greater good, my queen, is most appreciated,” he said, and with that swept by the woman as tears of anger sprang to her eyes.

That would be the final time he ever saw her. Upon returning to his office, a plan formed, one that would rid him of her finally and goad his ever-pliable apprentice into useful action.

Knowing from Lord Vader that Padmé took the children yearly to the Naberrie family estate in the lake country of Naboo for a standard month visit, Sidious placed one call to his contact in the Rebellion. He would be on holiday in the Naboo lake country, in the old Palpatine estate he’d re-acquired upon ascending to power, right across a lovely, pristine lake from the Naberrie’s.

Of course, he’d never gone. He rarely visited his home world, never set foot again in the home of the family he once slaughtered. He simply retreated to his labs for the week, reemerging to discover…oh, the horror…the Rebellion destroyed the lakeside estates in an effort to assassinate him. Padmé was gone, along with numerous others of little consequence.

And just like planned, Vader vowed vengeance against the Rebels, solving another of Sidious’ pesky problems.

Now, twelve years later, Sidious reflected on what a happy accident it had been the Skywalker twins survived, shoved by someone, perhaps their mother, into a cramped underground panic room. Sidious had swooped in to become good ol’ Uncle Sheev, discovering new pawns to use in his game of galactic chess.

And to play these pieces now against Vader! Again, his patience was paying off, as it always had. And this was only the beginning.

Mara Jade awoke, sitting up suddenly in her bunk at the back of the transport in which her and the Skywalker boy traveled to Yavin 4. Except they weren’t traveling. They weren’t even moving. What the kriff?

Mara stood up swiftly, but fell back onto the bunk as the ship lurched forward. What the Force?

Storming to the bridge, she gasped aloud when she saw the view through the front window. They soared over a gigantic orbital, serving as one of the advanced ship yards for the Empire. The Kuat Drive Yards, encircling the wealthy world of Kuat. Not Yavin 4…

“Stang, Skywalker!” Mara yelled, startling Luke at the helm. She moved up beside him and glared down at the young man. “Why are we here?”

“I…well, I just wanted to see the shipyards,” Luke stammered, looking a bit frightened of Mara. Good, she thought.

“We have a mission. Darth Sidious sent us to look at the archeological dig on Yavin 4. Sith artifacts. That should be far more interesting than…”

“I know!” Luke said, a slight whine in his voice. “But…this is the first time I’ve gotten to go anywhere in…forever! And everyone at the academy talks about the Kuat Drive Yards and…when we came out of the first jump, the coordinates were saved in this transport. And…oh look! There’s the hanger where they produce those advanced probe droids, the ones that can survive extreme conditions!”

Luke brought the transport closer to the orbital, and Mara let out an impatient sigh. Then something occurred to her.

“How are we just able to fly around? Where is security?”

“I told them who I was,” he said, looking over and giving her a grin. “The Skywalker name gets you into places and…”

“Idiot!” Mara cried, exasperated. She felt certain now Lord Sidious was testing her in some way, sending her out with this ignorant Coruscant kid. “We are on an undercover mission! I am the Emperor’s Hand and…”

“Is that your official title?” Luke asked, turning to her fully.

“Yes. I am the will of the Emperor,” Mara said proudly.

“So you’ve probably been all around the galaxy,” Luke said.

“Yes. And I keep my mouth shut about it,” Mara said. “Now let’s head to Yavin 4, city boy.”

Luke gave her a grin, his blue eyes lighting up, and Mara felt her mood brighten a bit despite herself.

Pulling out of the system, Luke soon brought them into hyperspace once again. Sitting back, he looked over at Mara.

“So did Uncle Sheev train you personally?” he asked.

“Yes. I’ve been trained in the ways of the Dark Side since I was very young. I never knew my parents,” she said.

“My dad is going to train me,” Luke said, looking back out the front view port.

Mara raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes, when he returns from Ryloth…or I return. Both Leia and I. He wants us to be proper Sith.”

Mara stifled a laugh. Proper Sith? She should probably not mention that Darth Sidious sent her to tail Lord Vader for six standard months three years ago, reporting back on his routines, movements, business dealings, acquisitions, and the like.

“Do you have a lightsaber?” asked Luke.

“Yes. You?”

“No…not yet. I’ve handled one. My dad’s.”

“Your dad has killed a lot of people with that blade,” Mara said, remembering the months she spied on Vader. His ruthlessness sent shivers down her spine, and she a ‘proper Sith.’

“All for the good of the galaxy, in the name of the Empire,” Luke said back, obviously proud of his father.

Mara just nodded. She had her own duties to the Empire, her own pride in her work. Vader served his purpose, Mara her own, all in the service of Darth Sidious.

“What kind of missions have you gone on for Uncle Sheev?” Luke asked.

“Secret missions,” Mara replied curtly.

“Oh, c’mon. You can tell me something. We’ve got time to kill before Yavin 4.”

Mara took a moment to study Luke, so unlike his moody, and admittedly very disturbed, father. He just seemed so upbeat, even through the Force, and Mara felt herself soften.

“I mostly do undercover work, in crime syndicates. People don’t think someone who looks like me could have the powers I wield,” she said, thinking of her last mission undercover in Black Sun, posing as a club dancer. She remembered the leering eyes of those who watched her the few times she had to perform. She shuddered but then remembered with satisfaction their ultimate fates.

“I think you look like you could kick some ass,” Luke said, the enchanting grin back.

Mara actually laughed. “Well, thank you. I can.”

“I mean…you’re beautiful too…not just dangerous…and the Force is strong…and…well, I mean that…oh, never mind,” Luke stammered, and he turned back to the helm, his face almost as red as his father’s lightsaber blade.

Mara bit her lip. Good…he was quiet. And yet, she found she kind of liked talking to the Skywalker boy, was just getting engaged in the conversation.

“Um, thank you…Luke,” she said.

An awkward silence filled the cockpit. Despite all her training in the Dark Side, her hours of combat practice, her time studying Sith sorcery, her vast knowledge of the inner workings of the various crime families throughout the galaxy, she knew social interactions to be one of her weaker points. And while Lord Sidious himself could manipulate a social situation to his ultimate gain, Mara knew she came off as callus and uncouth most of the time. Perhaps she could practice those skills on this mission with Skywalker. He seemed a willing participant.

“Tell me about the Imperial Academy,” Mara said.

Luke looked over, seeming grateful for her filling the silent void, before launching into how he first learned to fly.

Author’s Note: Next time we return to Bespin to see how Leia and Ben are faring in the sabacc tournament, where Leia allows herself to grow closer to Han, much to Lando’s dismay. Also, Vader stews as more roadblocks get in his way.


Have a wonderful day!