Luke reluctantly left his sister in tears, sensing Han's approach. He wished with all his heart that things could work out differently, rather than his going straight into the gloved hands of Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith and one of the most powerful men in the galaxy, but he reluctantly accepted that it was part of his destiny to return to his father.

What would happen when he got there, he hadn't a clue.

But he would not join his father...

He could not.

Luke traveled to the landing platform that was stationed remotely near the Ewok village that he'd just departed from. Luke's Force senses told him that an anxious Vader was about to land upon it, and he abruptly stopped, almost wanting to lengthen his short time as a free man.

It was dark outside on the forest moon, but soon enough an Imperial walker came upon him, and when he was discovered, it pointed its cannons at him threateningly, and a male voice ordered him to halt. As he complied with the command, a pale gray shuttle landed on the platform, much like the shuttle the commando group had gotten to Endor aboard. Luke could sense that Vader was on it, eagerly waiting to meet his son again.

Luke stayed planted to the spot, despite his misgivings, and three Stormtroopers came and cuffed the young Jedi's hands in front of him. They scanned him and took away his lightsaber, the superior officer giving him a suspicious look at his being lightly armed. Earlier, after a small debate with himself, Luke had decided it best to leave his blaster behind.

Not that he needed one...

The scowling dark-uniformed officer demanded, "Tell me where your fellow Rebels are hiding."

"I am the only one here," Luke lied in a monotonous tone, giving the commanding Imperial a hard stare.

A Stormtrooper pointed a blaster at him angrily, "Answer his question."

"I am the only one here," Luke repeated with a hint of impatience, attempting to use Force persuasion to convince them, but his own frenzied emotions were swirling around too rapidly for him to concentrate on a task that wasn't exactly easy on a good day.

The commander glared malevolently at him, and motioned at the Stormtroopers to move forward.

The Stormtroopers did so, and marched in the rear. The officer led Luke and his guards inside where Vader was waiting for his presence.

"This is a Rebel that surrendered to us. Although he denies it, I believe there may be more of them, and I request permission to conduct a further search of the area," the gray-uniformed officer petitioned the sinister Darth Vader. Vader looked emotionlessly at Luke while the man continued, "He was armed only with this." Luke's lightsaber was held out in his hand offeringly.

Darth Vader took the saber, "Good work, commander. Leave us. Conduct your search and bring his companions to me."

No! Luke wanted to cry out. Was Vader determined to snatch away everything that was dear to him?

His hopes sparked briefly...Many Imperials were incapable of conducting a good search. Perhaps this was one of them...

The officer nodded, and Luke thought he could detect the hint of a taunting grin, "Yes, my lord." He turned and left with the silent, white-armored guards.

Vader started walking, Luke silently brooding at his side. "The Emperor has been expecting you."

Luke looked at him solemnly, and managed to speak, "I know...Father." The last was said with reluctant conviction.

"So, you have finally accepted the truth," the Dark Lord purred. His son was clever to know when he was beaten.

Luke was defiant, not willing to give in yet, "I've accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father."

And you still are! Luke thought desperately.

The fair-headed Jedi knew that to an outsider he would appear to be grasping for straws, but his father still had a glimmer of the Light Side left in him, and both of them knew it.

Vader stopped and gestured at Luke fiercely, "That name," he held the word out, "-no longer has any meaning to me." This boy had better not push him, or he would show him the full-blown power of the Dark Side. Son or not, Darth Vader would only take so much from a Jedi Knight.

"It's the name of your true self, you've only forgotten." It was almost a plea. "I know there's good in you, the Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully." Luke was positive on this matter, and turned around to look outside into the night, thinking about where his friends were, and his sister...

He continued with more confidence than he felt, "That was why you couldn't destroy me...That's why you won't bring me to your Emperor now." It almost sounded like Luke was trying to use the Force to convince Vader, as he had done on the Twi'lek, Bib Fortuna, in Jabba's palace, but it would have been pointless. Vader was too deeply involved with the Dark Side to turn merely with a few words, even if they were from his only son.

Vader turned on Luke's lightsaber, adding a green glow to the room. Luke turned his head slightly, watching out of the corner of his eye. He almost wished Vader would cut him down now with it. But he knew that he needed to stall him and Palpatine, so the Rebellion could finally get rid of the two rulers, as well as much of the Empire, once and for all. Luke would do anything to accomplish this, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

"I see you have constructed a new lightsaber." Vader twisted the saber's handle around in his hands, the lasersword humming almost in anger at being used by someone other than its creator. The metal handle looked much like that weaker man's had, Anakin Skywalker's. How could he have ever been such a pathetic fool?

"Your skills are complete." Vader turned and extinguished the lightsaber. "Indeed you are powerful, as the Emperor has foreseen." Yes, his son, his own flesh and blood, full of power, and even more potential...Potential that Vader could turn to his own advantage.

Possibly even against the Emperor...

Luke turned, he had to try at least one more last-ditch effort. "Come with me!"

Vader faced him, and stated emotionlessly, "Obi-Wan once thought as you do. You don't know the power of the Dark Side. I must obey my Master."

Luke had made his decision, and would not change it for anyone...Or anything. "I will not turn. And you'll be forced to kill me."

"If that is your destiny." Vader didn't want to kill his own son, and would avoid it at all costs.

Luke moved closer to Vader, this was his last chance. "Search your feelings Father, you can't do this. I sense the conflict within you, let go of your hate!"

The door whooshed open, and the guards entered, starting towards them. "It is too late for me, Son. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your Master now." Vader's tone left no room for argument.

Hurt and dejected eyes looked up at his father. "Then my father is truly dead." Luke left that hanging in the air as he exited with the Stormtroopers, a bit downcast.

Vader turned and looked out into the night where he was sure Luke's friends were somewhere in hiding.

If only his son would allow himself to fully understand what was at stake...Then they could easily rule the galaxy together, and both would have more power than a single person could possibly imagine...

The shuttle left early during Endor's morning. Luke was expecting (and privately hoping) to be taken to the Death Star. Instead, they boarded Vader's Super-class Star Destroyer, the Executor, which he found out wasn't even in the same system as the rest of the Imperial fleet.

Luke thought this was peculiar, but he had other things to think about...such as finally meeting the evil Galatic Emperor face to face.

Luke was working diligently on controlling his fear. He was sure that the Emperor would greedily feed off of it.

The young Jedi Knight walked at Vader's side through many long, hallways, and they finally entered a large room where the Emperor sat upon a rather big dark chair which, Luke reflected, he probably boastfully referred to as his "throne".

A small part of Luke's mind wondered if every Imperial ship had such a room, in case the Emperor just happened to visit it.

In the shadows next to the Emperor stood a young woman with fiery red-gold hair, and piercing green eyes that seemed to bore into Luke's soul, sending chills down his spine.

"Welcome, young Skywalker." It was a welcome, but it certainly wasn't a warm one. "I've been expecting you." Palpatine gestured at Luke, "You'll no longer need those." The cuffs came off Luke's hands as if they had a mind of their own, and Luke looked at them in a way that he sincerely hoped was emotionlessly, holding his tongue. "Guards," the Emperor ordered, "-leave us."

To speak was to give the Emperor power, so Luke figured he'd best keep his mouth shut.

The Emperor's Royal Guards obeyed, but their body language signified that they would rather be here to protect their Master from Skywalker, a Jedi Knight, and thus a mortal enemy.

"I'm looking forward to completing your training...In time, you will call me Master," he hissed. "Just like young Mara Jade here." Palpatine gestured towards the girl beside him. "She wisely joined us in using the Dark Side years ago."

"You're gravely mistaken. You will not convert me like you did my Father..." He didn't mention Jade. No reason to.

There was no doubt in Luke's mind now, he would not give in.

He couldn't afford to.

The Emperor stood up and walked up to Luke and Vader, a bit perturbed at being defied by a mere boy. "Oh no, my young Jedi. You will find it is you who are mistaken...About a great many things."

"His lightsaber," Vader held out Luke's saber, with a certain degree of pride. His son had made it, and without an instructor looking protectively over his shoulders.

The Emperor took it, "Ah yes. A Jedi's weapon. Much like your father's...By now you must know your father can never return from the Dark Side. So will it be with you."

Indignantly, Luke spoke, "You're wrong. Soon your Empire will be in shambles, and you will have nothing to turn to to protect your power...Then you shall be destroyed." Luke wished they'd gone aboard the Death Star, wondering yet again what had stopped Vader and the Emperor from taking him there. Didn't the Emperor wish to gloat over his enormous "indestructible" battle station?

As if reading his mind, Mara Jade gave him a venomous glare, eyes glinting.

"Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel fleet..." Luke tried to cover his surprise, and the Emperor continued, "Yes...I can assure you, my Fleet is quite safe from your pitiful little friends." The Emperor turned and started walking back to his chair victoriously.

"Your overconfidence is your weakness," Luke shot, for lack of anything better to say.

The Emperor swirled around threateningly and hissed, "Your faith in your friends is yours." He then continued to his destination, angry at being belittled by a Light Sider.

Luke felt like spitting in the malicious ruler's face, but he knew it would only make matters worse.

Vader looked at Luke, surely he would stop this charade, "It is pointless to resist, my Son."

Palpatine sat down, "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. Your friends on the sanctuary moon are walking into a trap. As is your Rebel fleet..." An evil grin, "It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band." The Emperor sneered, "An entire legion of my best troops await them. Oh, I am afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive..."

The ex-senator turned on a viewscreen, watching it with malicious glee. Mara Jade also studied it from his side, but cooly, and calculating...It reminded Luke of the Falleen that used to head the fallen Black Sun...Prince Xizor. The viewscreen showed the battle taking place above Endor. "Come boy, see for yourself."

Luke walked up to the image of the battle, dreading what he would see.

It was worse than he imagined; the Rebel fleet was slowly being beaten into a very fine, bloody pulp.

"From here, on your father's flagship, you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance, and the end of your insignificant little Rebellion." The Emperor was smiling sinisterly, seeing the inner conflict play across Luke's face. The boy was his.

Luke's right mechanical hand clenched and unclenched. His friends could, and probably would, die. All so that this man, this, this fiend, could have control over the entire galaxy. Anger bubbled up in his chest. He looked at Palpatine, then his lightsaber, sitting unattended next to him. His eyes flickered to the red-head, who gave him a warning look.

"You want this, don't you?" Palpatine touched Luke's lightsaber invitingly. "The hate is swelling in you now. Take your Jedi weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Give in to your anger."

"No." Luke turned back to the viewscreen, feeling helpless. If only he could warn Han and Leia about what was going to happen...If only they were aboard the Death Star instead...

But "if only's" were going to get him nowhere. He would have to reach down deep inside for his inner strength...Or what shreds of it that were remaining after his fear and growing animosity had slashed ruthlessly at it.

"It is unavoidable...It is your destiny. You, like your father, are now, mine." Palpatine gloated. Jade still stood quietly in the shadows.

Why is she here? Luke wondered distantly in the back corners of his turmoiled mind.

Luke continued to watch the battle that was happening a few systems away, his hatred for the inhumane beast beside him building. A thousand words to describe the Emperor, some that would cause his Aunt Beru to roll over in her grave, flashed through his mind.

"As you can see, my young apprentice, your friends have failed. Now, witness the firepower of my fully armed and operational battle station." Palpatine pressed a button, and a few seconds later, a hologram appeared of an Imperial officer. "Fire at will, commander," he ordered, throwing a wicked look over at Anakin Skywalker's son.

Luke tightened his fists again. Surely there was something he could do...He turned and faced Palpatine, his blue eyes flashing with anger.

"Your fleet is lost, and your friends on the Endor moon will not survive. There is no risk, my young apprentice." The Emperor had no humanity left in him, only a lust for power.

Luke looked at Vader, as if pleading for him to do something. Darth Vader was motionless.

"The Alliance will die, as will your friends...Good." He smiled, "...I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon, strike me down with all of your hatred, and your journey towards the Dark Side will be complete."

Luke looked back at the viewscreen, tempted despite his knowledge of the consequences if he took Palpatine's advice...He couldn't give in. He couldn't...

But his friends...

He took in a deep breath, then shot around, and the lightsaber jumped into his hand. He slashed at the Emperor-

-and was blocked by Mara Jade.

The Emperor grinned with a sinister type of joy, "Good, young Jade."

Vader stood by. He understood that the Emperor wished to test both of his apprentices, but he didn't trust that girl as much as his Master did.

Luke's face betrayed his blossoming rage, and he slashed fiercely with his green lightsaber, Mara elegantly blocking them with the blue lightsaber the Emperor had equipped her with. Due to Luke's savageness, as well as the fact that he had nothing to lose, even the talented Emperor's Hand was forced to remain on the defensive.

Blue eyes and green saber sparked brightly, as green eyes and blue saber returned the fiery blows.

Luke's saber was buzzing angrily as he violently thrusted and slashed.

It was all Jade could do to parry his blows.

It was perfectly clear who was the better dueler, and just when it seemed that Luke was about to finish the Imperial agent off, his attacks began to slack off, as he began to slowly realize what his anger had almost cost him. Jade soon gained the upper hand, and smoothly switched gears to offensive.

While he was blocking her feints and thrusts, he used the Force to sense which way she was going to attack to protect himself, while he mulled over something else. Since he had more experience, or was just better at saber dueling, it didn't take too much concentration to split his focus. Luke tried to study the saber's handle, which she tightly held clenched in her hands, amidst all the blows she threw at him. It looked like...no it couldn't be...

But it was.

It was his old lightsaber.

Anakin Skywalker's old lightsaber.

Luke's father...

Vader sensed that, as his son began calming down, something crucial was happening inside Luke's mind, though the Emperor, who was not closely connected to the young Jedi, assumed that Luke was merely getting tired.

Darth Vader walked closer to his son. The Emperor didn't register his move because he was caught up in the heat of the battle between his Hand and prospective apprentice.

Luke sighed, and switched off his lightsaber. He would not use their own methods to fight them. If he fought fire with fire he would be the one to get burned.

Mara slashed at Luke's head-

-and was stopped by Vader, who had turned on his own lightsaber the moment he saw his son conceding defeat.

The red lightsaber buzzed angrily against the blue one. Bad against good. But the irony was, in this case, at least to Luke, the red was good, and the blue was bad.

Mara Jade glared at the helmeted Sith Lord, who sent, in return, a penetrating stare.

The Emperor looked slightly displeased at Darth Vader's intervening and spoiling of his fun. He spoke with a sigh, "Switch off your lightsabers, and bring Skywalker's to me. Mara Jade, you have done well. Vader, take young Skywalker and...convince him.

Vader nodded an affirmative, and went up to his Emperor, bowed, and handed the saber to him.

The Emperor looked at the fiery young woman beside him, who looked like she was just barely keeping her tongue in check. "You may go with him."

Mara Jade bowed her head, "Thank you, Master."

The cuffs floated back to Luke and placed themselves around his hands. He looked down at them, then back up at the Emperor with a stubborn set to his chin, but inwardly, shock was still rolling around at what he had almost done, and the price he would've had to pay if he'd furthered the walk down that dark road.

They swiftly strided down several corridors, Luke beside Vader as usual, and Jade trailed along behind, trying in vain to burn a hole in Luke's back with her eyes.

Vader wished that the Emperor hadn't sent his Hand along, since he had a nagging feeling that she was there primarily to keep an eye on him and his son, but there was nothing he could do about it. If he had protested Palpatine would have gotten suspicious, and his anger would have been aroused...And that would not be a good thing.

The silence as they walked along was almost unbearable to them all, and it was a collective relief to finally arrive at their destination. They were walking inside single-file, but Luke suddenly halted mid-step in the doorframe.

There was a metal adjustable chair at the back of the small room, and a miniature, round black droid to the left, next to a table with several questionable bottles, as well as sharp tools and other curious objects, scattered on it.

It was obvious what this room was used for: interrogations.

On a good day, when the memories weren't too strong and painful, Leia had once given Luke vivid details of her own interrogation on the Death Star.

Remembering caused the hair on the back of Luke's neck to raise.

Mara Jade scowled, and roughly shoved Luke forward. "Move it Skywalker, you're blocking the door."

Luke almost fell to the floor, but caught his balance just in time. He threw an evil glare at her over his shoulder.

"Get in the chair," Vader instructed Luke.

Luke looked at Vader dubiously. The cuffs again slid off his hands, and floated through the air to the table where the droid was. He didn't move, and felt an invisible force push him towards the chair. Luke gave in, and sat down on it, glaring malevolently.

Binders on the chair snaked out from hidden compartments, and fastened Luke's legs, hands, middle, and head into place so that he wouldn't be able to struggle. The chair slowly straightened out so that it was flat, then tilted so he was in a diagonal position.

The droid put its built-in needle inside a bottle and sucked up some green, vile liquid. It held it up to inspect it, and squirted some of it out. The droid came towards Luke, who tried to shy away from it, but he was firmly bolted into place. The droid injected it none-too-gently in Luke's arm.

The effects weren't immediate, but when the drug finally started working Luke first let out a low moan. His whole body felt like it was fuel for a raging fire. He tried to focus and use the Force to suppress the pain, but, in response, Vader used the Force to put a sort of Force-shield over him, like a cold, suffocating blanket. Luke attempted to use the mysterious energy field again, but his body was in too much pain to repel the anti-Force cloak.

The droid prepared his needle again with a different type of drug, and had to use one of its pincer-claws to hold Luke's arm still, because, despite the restraints, his body was twitching wildly. It injected the liquid into Luke, who let out a half-yell. This particular drug made the pain even more concentrated. Luke could now practically count the nerves in his body.

Vader observed coldly. It would not kill his son, but perhaps it would break him.

Mara Jade stood on the other side of Luke, watching with a semi-triumphant smile. He would crack within a day.

A special type of pin came out from the middle of the droid, and it hovered extremely close to Luke. The floating robot then proceeded to use this on all of Luke's pressure points, several of which he didn't know even existed, causing even greater amounts pain to spread throughout his body. Luke groaned, his hurt emanating through the Force so strongly that even Mara Jade had to put a block up.

"This pain will quit Son, if you change your mind and decide to turn to the Dark Side," Vader informed Luke. Give in now, Son.

Luke gritted his teeth, "Never!" A fresh wave of pain came over him, causing him to grimace. He tried to will himself to black out, but Vader would not permit him.

The droid quit, and backed away to let Darth Vader experiment.

Vader tried to enter his mind, but Luke's walls were too high. The Sith Lord rammed against those barriers, but Luke would have to be worn down more before they would crumble.

Vader switched tactics. He used the Force on the area on Luke's arm just before where the mechanical part of his hand began, experimenting, and making him relive the pain losing his limb had caused him, as well as the situation mentally.

Since Vader had also lost his hand before he knew how it felt, so he coupled his previous pain with the pain Luke had also felt at losing his.

Luke did his best to move his fingers to remind himself he still had his hand, but it was as if it had been chopped off by his father's lightsaber once again. He attempted to block the scene from his mind, and tried to grasp his hand to reassure himself, but was held back. He gasped at the terrible sensation of phantom memories resurfacing.

Vader turned on his saber, and lightly skimmed it across the top of Luke's right arm, right above where it'd been lopped off.

Luke hissed in pain, as the skin on his arm turned red and raw. He wanted to surrender, but he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to picture his friends' faces. He would take the pain for them.

The tall Dark Lord then moved his lightsaber, and positioned it right above Luke's navel. He slowly brought it straight up Luke's chest, although not too deeply. It caused parts of Luke's black shirt to shrivel, and burned his skin. Luke groaned as he tried to bite back a scream, the image of Han, Leia, and Chewie fleeing from his mind. Vader finally finished his straight row, and the edges of Luke's shirt peeled back. Vader then proceeded to make a giant X on Luke's chest, adding to the straight red line going down. Luke tried to twist away from the lightsaber, but this just gave Darth Vader more incentive, and he continued burning Luke's flesh.

Mara watched approvingly, but then winced as she saw Luke's skin start to bubble.

Luke let out an inhuman howl, and Vader stopped. He looked at Luke, who had his eyes shut tighter, his face wrenched in pain. "Do you surrender, Son?"

Luke murmered, "No..." and his head started to spin.

Vader looked at Mara, "That shall be enough for today. Take him to his quarters...the one with a ysalamir in it: 8675-309EIN." He gave Jade a warning glare, "He had better still be alive, or it shall be your head." With a whisk of his black cape, Vader strolled out of the room to report to his Master.

Mara Jade looked at Luke Skywalker, who was only semi-conscious, and went over to him, messing with the chair's controls to cause it to return to its original position. She released him from the restraints, and had to practically peel him off the seat. He moaned, and slid to the floor. Mara snarled in frustration, grabbed his arm, pulled him into a semi-upright position, and half-dragged, half-carried him out of the room.

It was a slow process.

Luke wasn't exactly heavy, but he was bigger then Mara was. She had to stop several times to readjust her grip on the moaning farmboy. They finally arrived at their destination, and she entered in the code to open the door, dragging him inside. The red-head dropped him to the floor in the middle of the cell, and went over to the wall to sit down and catch her breath.

Luke moaned, then rolled over to face her, coming to his senses.

Oh, sure. He wakes up now! Mara thought exasperatedly.

She then sneered, having an image to uphold, "You certainly are made of tougher stuff than one would think at first glance."

"At least I'm capable of thinking for myself," Luke snapped back. He had no idea who she was on the Emperor's social ladder, other than that Palpatine claimed she was a Dark Sider and she appeared to be a personal agent of his.

"Oooh, that was below the belt." Mara pursed her lips and glared venomously. Skywalker'd better watch it. She had no qualms about killing Vader's son. Well, as long as you didn't count the Emperor's wrath if she did so.

"I have no intention of being one of the Empire's slaves," Luke shot. He didn't feel like messing with a sarcastic, and, though he hated to admit it, a more than slightly good-looking, female.

His head hurt...His back hurt...His feet hurt...Heck, his whole body ached with pain, stress, and fatigue. He felt like he had been swallowed by a wampa, thoroughly chewed, and then spat back out.

"Better to be a Dark Side servant than a weak-minded Light Side fool," Mara kicked him in the side.

Luke grunted, and rolled away.

"Skywalker, you are impossible," Mara informed him in annoyance, then left, the door closing with a hiss of air behind her.

Luke closed his eyes, trying in vain to dampen the pain, even though he couldn't use the Force, and slipped into unconsciousness.

Disclaimer: You may wonder, 'What else do I have to put in a disclaimer?' Well, most of you probably didn't notice, but the "cell number" 8675-309EIN is similar to a song you might remember? (867-5309...A phone number in a song...) I just wanted to state that I don't own any rights to the song...So now you can't sue me...Or something...

When Luke finally came to, he automatically tried to sit up. Soon enough he found out that that was a bad idea. Pain swiftly blossomed all over his body, overwhelming his senses. He tentatively forced himself to lay back down, then rolled over onto his side, wincing, and was startled to see Mara Jade sitting on the bunk in front of him, her piercing green eyes boring into his brilliant blue ones.

She had been studying him while he was asleep, and couldn't stop thinking about his cute, farmboyish face and soft features. She tried to keep on telling herself that he was a murderous Jedi Knight, but wasn't quite succeeding in believing it.

"So you're finally awake," Mara seemed annoyed. What Luke didn't know was that she was annoyed at herself.

"How long have I been out?" Luke's stomach growled in a reminder that he hadn't had a good meal in quite a while, and he gave Mara a sheepish look.

"Three days," she ignored his vocal belly.

Luke looked impressed, "And you didn't wake me?"

"It's not like I haven't tried." Mara shrugged her shoulders non-committally, "I told them I couldn't wake you, so they decided to let you rest up. I guess they were in one of their very rare generous moods...But you're not to be fed for a few more days." Mara gave an evil grin. It took her mind off of her uncomfortable thoughts concerning her master's right hand's son.

"So they're trying to wear me down physically." It wasn't a question.

"That's their plan...Though it would all stop if you gave up," Mara offered, an inquiring gleam in her eyes.

Luke shook his head, trying to ignore the giant headache he was getting, but he only succeeded in making it worse. "No."

Mara shrugged again, "Suit yourself..." She paused, "I have to admit, your stamina is greater than I anticipated. Especially seeing as how you're just a farmboy from some loser planet in the Outer Rim..." She smirked, "I thought you would break within a day."

Luke gave her a sarcastic look, "Glad your opinion of me was so great."

"It wasn't that...I just didn't expect your stubborness."

Luke gazed at her, amused, and, surprisingly, he was able to control most of the pain, as the drug's effects slowly decided to flood from his system. "Ah, is that what you're calling it?"

"That's what it is...Or maybe that pitiful thing know as the Light Side is holding you back, because it knows you are perfect for it...weak." Mara Jade's eyes sparked.

"Is that a challenge? During our lightsaber battle it seemed my skill outweighed yours tenfold," Luke wasn't about to be outdone by his enemy's "pet".

If looks could kill Luke would be a flaming corpse. If even that much was left of him...

"I haven't had much training in that area, and near the end it looked like I was stomping you flat! I would have finished you off if your father hadn't stepped in to save your helpless little butt." Mara spat another poisonous glare.

"Only because I lost the will to fight."

It was then a battle of looks, and was broken reluctantly by Mara Jade, "I have to go tell them that you're up."

"Go. I'm not stopping you."

Luke noticed, with some satisfaction, that Mara gave an angry hmph as she stormed out.

When she was gone Luke chuckled at her temper, then hissed as he could no longer stop his headache, and it began to painfully grow into a migraine. Since he couldn't use the Force to stop the pain, he tried to remain as still as humanly possible.

Darth Vader was standing quietly by his Master, who was currently in his throne-room still steaming over the fact that the Rebels had recently destroyed most of his almighty Imperial fleet. Mara had been right after all, and though Palpatine thought it fortunate to have her as his servant, since she did help save his life, it didn't help quelch his anger. It was almost as bad as throwing wood on the fire.

The remnants of the Fleet had regrouped with the Executor, far away from the Rebellion, which was stronger than Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader had originally thought.

Mara bowed down in front of her Master.

"Rise, my child."

She rose, looking down at the ground. "Skywalker is no longer asleep."

"Good...Converting Skywalker will not be easy, thus we are going to pull your powers into play." Palpatine gave an evil grin. He was going to enjoy this.

"My...powers, Master?" Mara's head shot up, and she seemed a little bewildered.

"Yes, you are female...and he is only human."

"You, you wish me to seduce him?" Mara tried to hide her horror.

"Unless you are going to refuse..." The Emperor looked at Mara threateningly, eyes flashing dangerously.

"No, Master," she said quickly, "I just wasn't expecting those instructions. I will obey your orders."

"Lord Vader," Palpatine nodded at him pointedly, "-and I have talked over this. He is to seem displeased with you and Skywalker's involvement."

Mara lowered her head, "Yes, Master."

"This is so Skywalker shall not suspect foul play...I'm sure you understand my child." The Emperor gave a sinister smile.

Mara nodded again. She understood. She didn't like it, but she understood.

Palpatine instructed her, "Go now. Tell him that his father is tending to business, and will see him soon enough. Make your peace with Skywalker, but not in a suspicious way."

With a last bow of her head, Mara left her Master and his right hand. When she was out of their eyesight, and felt the Emperor turn his mind to other things, a scowl crossed her face. However, when she arrived in front of Luke's cell, she made her facial expression unreadable, and went quickly inside.

Luke was sitting up, heavily leaning his head back against the wall. The ysalamiri had been removed, and on his face was a look of concentration and intense pain. His sapphire eyes moved to her face curiously when she entered, and he questioned, "Back so soon?" A pause. "I see you're alone...Did your Master change his mind?"

Mara gave him a sarcastic smile, "No, Vader's in a meeting or something, but they will both be here in a little while. Meanwhile, I'm supposed to baby-sit you." How in the worlds am I suppose to go about seducing Skywalker? Mara wondered. She'd led Imperial men astray from business before (something that wasn't that difficult), but never had she done so with a Jedi Knight.

"Look, I appreciate it, really. But it's not necessary. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Luke shifted a bit, and winced at the pain that shot through his body.

Mara gave him a dubious look, "Obviously." She decided to try a different approach. She placed a perturbed look on her face, then sighed in resignation. "Do you need help suppressing the pain? I could serve as an energy source that you could tap into...I know how painful it is when you're not on the Emperor's good side."

Luke looked suspicious, then it fled from his face, and was again replaced by a look of pain, as the hurt became far too great for him to deal with alone without passing out momentarily. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, it's not like you're going to drain me of my life, farmboy, just a little energy."

Luke rolled his eyes, Why not? It isn't going to kill me...Well, hopefully it won't... He reached out with the Force and grudgingly accepted Mara's help. The pain slowly began to fade from his body, eventually leaving behind only a small throbbing feeling. "Thanks," Luke said with genuine gratitude. He felt much better. His stomach rumbled again as if to say 'Food now!' He grinned embarrassedly at Jade.

Mara bit her lip in thought. "I'll be right back." She turned and left the room quickly.

Quizzical, Luke watched her leave, and five minutes later she returned, carrying something that looked vaguely like some type of plastic container.

"Here," she said, holding out some water. Luke grabbed it swiftly, since he was parched, and she explained, "I snatched this out of the kitchen, and was about to get some food, but the cook started coming around the corner so I had to scram. I'm only supposed to eat at designated times."

Luke guzzled down the cool liquid that the container held, "Thanks." It slid smoothly down his throat, moistening his mouth.

Mara smiled, "Don't mention it. Really, don't."

"Don't want your Master to know that you've been a bad girl?"

"Nope."

Luke grinned, "Right."

Mara slowly walked over and sat down by Luke, also leaning against the wall. At Luke's questioning glance she said, "I could be here for a while."

"Well, in that case, I want to know a little about you." Mara looked like she was ready to bolt. Luke laughed, "Nothing that deep...What's your name again, and how old are you?"

Mara seemed to be trying to look dignified, "Mara Jade, and I am almost nineteen."

Not much younger than him..."How did you come into the Emperor's service?" Luke leaned forward and turned his head to look at her.

"That's none of your business," Mara frowned.

"Surely you can tell me. It doesn't look like I'm leaving here anytime soon, much less alive," Luke made a slightly disgusted face.

"Fine. But I want you to know that this is the point of no return. After I tell you, I'll be forced to kill you," Mara teased. "Are you still sure you wanna know?"

Luke pretended to contemplate that for a minute, "So you're planning on bringing the inevitable about sooner?" At the rear corners of his mind, a little voice tugged at him, 'Death wouldn't be such a bad thing...' He shunned it away. Despite how strongly he disliked being in the Empire's hands, he didn't want to die.

"Yes..." Mara back-tracked, "Well, maybe not sooner, but it is unavoidable," Mara gave a sinister smile, something she did all too often.

"I know it's unavoidable...But if you tell me you won't kill me directly afterwards?" the Jedi looked hopeful.

"Probably not." Mara remarked, pursing her lips in mock-thought.

"Of course, if you killed me you'd probably be killed in return..."

"Yeah. That is, if I killed you now, but I'm not. So...Do you wanna know or not?"

Luke nodded, looking at her in a way that made her extremely nervous...Almost as if he could see right through all of her barriers. "I would."

"Alright, but I warned you." Mara said as she moved around to face him. "When I was very young, about three I think, the Emperor kidnapped me from my home, and killed my mother and father, who had tried to prevent him from taking me. He brought me to his palace where I was put under several tests. Then, satisfied with the results, he began to train me. Just little things at first, but the amount and the difficulty of it all slowly began to increase. Now I know about 300 ways to kill you with my bare hands alone, and another 999 ways with the Force." She smiled threateningly. "When I was about 15, he decided I should see what happened to my parents after their death. He showed me a holovid in which your wonderful little Rebellion burned the tomb that my parents were buried in."

"That's a lie! We would never do that. We respect the dead a whole lot more than the Empire does," Luke said with a snort. He neglected to ask why she was still loyal to someone who stole her away from her childhood home, and killed the two people that had taken care of her, sensing that it was a touchy subject.

Mara was about to smash his head into the wall when she remembered the Emperor's words. So she opted instead to lean incredibly close, saying a few words about the Rebellion that she only used in extreme circumstances. This accomplished two things: it added a little tension to the room, as well as helped her attempt to set him straight about her stand on the Rebel Alliance.

Luke attempted to give her a cold glare, but, due to their close proximity, it wouldn't have had any effect. So, muttering a few profanties of his own, he roughly pushed her back onto the floor.

She grabbed his arm at the last moment and pulled him down with her, so that he was now on top of her.

This time succeeding in giving her a cold, hard glare, he tried to remove himself from the uncomfortable position. Unfortunately, she wasn't about to let him go.

"Skywalker, if you ever do that again, I will personally rip your-" Mara started, but was cut off when the door whisked open.

Vader entered, followed by the Emperor and a few of his Royal Guards. He paused, stock-still for a moment, seeing the two entwined. It was something that would make anyone wonder about at first glance. He looked at them questioningly. His eyes, hidden behind his dark helmet, seemed to stare into their souls. What they didn't know was that he was disconcerted at seeing the Emperor's plan working so easily already.

Mara pushed Luke off to the side, and stood at attention, flushed, standing so fast it made her head spin.

Luke gave her a venomous look, and remained on the floor, scooting back against the wall. He looked at Vader and the Emperor defiantly. He wouldn't stand up for them.

"Well, I can see you are busy...And this is not that important," croaked the Emperor maliciously, turning to leave. It looked like it wasn't much of a challenge at all to get what he wanted. Merely a matter of time.

"You only wish!" Luke bit out to Palpatine and Vader's retreating figures. He hadn't expected them to come in when they did.

"Excuse me," Mara said in an attempt to be polite, though the tone of her voice belayed it. She quickly went towards the closed door and entered her code to open it. A few vulgar words escaped her mouth, as she pounded the door in frustration.

"What's wrong? Unable to open a door that any three-year old could with ease?" Skywalker was very irritated.

"My clearance codes aren't working, dimwit, which means I'm stuck in here with you for Sith knows how long." The Emperor's Hand hissed through clenched teeth.

Luke gave a sarcastic smile, "The poor little baby doesn't get to take that hot shower that she wanted?"

"Bite me."

"Where?" Luke challenged. His eyes sparked with a not-quite-hatred, but something lurking on the edge of being just that if she didn't watch her mouth a little more closely.

"Oh, I've got a few ideas in mind." Mara remarked, adding a glare for good measure.

"You would!" Luke retorted.

A few more quips burst out, unbidden. "I just hope you manage not to provoke me into killing you."

"On the contrary, I think you hope that I will anger you just enough for you to be able to go into a mad rage and slice my throat, blaming it on the "fact" that I tried to attack you."

He wasn't that far from the truth. "You never know."

It became another battle of looks, and Mara, remembering her mission, broke it for the second time with a sigh. "Fine. I'm sorry," she grated.

The Jedi slitted his eyes, "I don't think you are."

Mara sighed, "What do I have to do to prove it to you?"

"Behave like a normal human being?" Luke suggested.

Mara pursed her lips, giving yet another venomous glare. "Okay, let's start over. I am Mara Jade, better known as the Emperor's Hand." She held her hand out, reluctantly.

Luke looked at her expressionlessly, ignoring her offered hand and closing his eyes wearily.

Mara bit her lip, "I really am sorry. I'm doing my best to be social..."

Luke opened his eyes. "Fine. Do you know what they are going to do to me next?"

He was trying to get more information out of her, and she didn't like it one bit. "I'm sure they have something special planned for you."

Luke lifted his eyebrows, and spoke dryly, "Oh, joy."

"So, how does it feel to be Darth Vader's son?"

He wasn't quite comfortable with that question, but answered anyway. "When I was first told about it...it was like a lightsaber had sliced a ragged hole through my heart. It felt like everything I knew wasn't true." Luke was distantly mingling in his memories.

Mara Jade shrugged, "Well, at least you grew up with a mother and father figure."

"And lies."

"You're not the only one."

Blue eyes met emerald green ones, both showing hurt and sharing empathy within their depths. Hesitantly, unsure of what in space was getting into him, Luke brought his left hand, callused from many years of farm work, up and cupped her delicate cheek, bringing her face to his. He leaned down, gently placing his lips upon her petal soft ones. The kiss was long, but Luke had to reluctantly break away for breath, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes, drained.

Mara smiled. He had fallen asleep.

Mission accomplished. Well, part of it anyway.

And yet, Mara somehow couldn't quite shake off the feeling that she wasn't just doing this for her Master, but for some personal gain to herself.

Mara pushed the thought into the depths of her brain. She was supposed to serve and obey her Master. She shouldn't be feeling the emotions that she was.

She leaned lightly against him, dozing off herself.

Part 7:

(Here's a little bit of Jedi abuse...Not the type that you see everyday...[Unless you watch the movies everyday...])

The Emperor and Darth Vader entered, startling Luke and Mara awake. Mara scampered to her feet yet again, and bowed. "M-my Master..." she stuttered out.

The Emperor looked suspiciously at her, but beneath his tough exterior was the hint of glee. In a commanding tone, he ordered, "Mara Jade, follow me."

Mara nodded, fear apparent on her face, and obliged.

Darth Vader turned to Luke after they left, his body language signifying clearly that he was angry. "Come with me, Son," he sternly told him. I do not want you to have anything to do with the Emperor's servants, whether he does or not. Today you're going to be subjected to something different than traditional torture...Unless you wish to give in ahead of time?"

"Never," Luke told him, defiantly, reaching inside for the strength that he knew he would need.

"Very well. Come with me," the black-armored Sith Lord boomed, his breath mask hissing ominously.

Vader led his son to a large room, and Luke suppressed the urge to state 'I have a really bad feeling about this'. There was a huge durasteel cage, hidden mostly in shifting shadows. Using the Force, Vader opened the cage's large barred door, and threw Luke unceremoniously inside of it.

His son was stubborn, but hopefully this particular experience would change his mind.

Luke tried shaking the bars, but as soon as he touched them he got an electrical shock. He tried to use the Force to open the door, but Vader prevented him. "You must kill the creature."

Luke didn't want to kill anything, much less some beast. He'd had enough encounters with wampas, dianogas, and rancors. He didn't want to add another monster to the list. Nevertheless, he gulped in anticipation, steeled himself, and then tried to peer into the shadows. He heard a low snoring noise, then a snuffling sound, and two big, luminous red eyes opened. The beast snarled deep inside its throat, and slowly stalked forward.

As it came closer to the light, Luke got a better view of it. It was equine, with a muscular black body, and a white, sharp bristly mane. On the huge creature's forehead were two gray striped and pointed horns, and on the back of its leg, just above its hooves, were sharp spurs. It had two human-like black arms on its barrel, which were waving about in an eerie manner, and its tail was resemblant to a krayt dragon's in that it was perilously spiked.

It whinnied, baring its fangs threateningly. The beast pawed the ground roughly, albeit hesitantly, then after a second of thought it charged purposefully at Luke. After a split second when all remains of self-control fled, he tried to fall and hit the ground for leverage to roll away, but the beast was too swift for him, and Luke got a glancing blow on his shoulder. He fell to the ground, his shoulder burning like a raging flame was within it. Luke grimaced and brought his hand protectively to his shoulder, pressing hard to try to stop the blood flow.

The dangerous animal reared, but came down on thin air. It shook its mane, spying him on its right. It rushed at him, and its horn struck Luke's shoulder again.

The horn, which was long and incredibly sharp, went in very deeply, but, luckily, it didn't quite come out on the other side. Luke screamed in pain, trying to yank his shoulder back. The beast then helped him in that it shook him off its horn.

Next it attempted to trample him as a means of death. It succeeded in slashing his arm with its spurs, and crushing his right foot. The shattered bone of his ankle poked through his skin, and he yelled again, hurting and bleeding badly, and rolled laboriously out of the way. After getting a quick look at his foot he moaned in frustration.

Luke scrambled to get up, remaining unsteadily on his one good foot. The beast growled, and charged. Using the Force, Luke jumped into the air, and managed to get on its back.

This was a new experience for it, and the equine creature went into a mad rage, bucking wildly. Luke held on for his life, in spite of being continuously slapped in the face by the creature's mane's sharp bristles, his face welting up, and his eye swollen shut. He was barely able to maintain his grip, for his hands were being assaulted as well. The beast then tried to remove his legs, which were clasped tightly around its barrel, with its creepy human-like arms.

The creature's tail also lashed up angrily. It kept hitting Luke's back with its sharp spikes, yet somehow he still kept his grip. It started ramming into the side of its cage as a method of getting rid of him. Both the beast and Luke released loud howls of pain as the electrical current coursed through their bodies.

It roared, then neighed, and started bucking harder, and flung Luke off into the side. He hit the floor sickeningly, moaning.

The beast was surprised that it was rid of its burden, and decided it must punish him for the trouble he'd caused, so it reared again. Its forelegs landed on Luke's stomach, hard enough to cause him to vomit, and though it wasn't enough to crush his chest, the spurs dug into his thorax harshly.

Luke managed to crawl weakly out of the way, and the beast's angry red eyes followed him. It whinnied, and he took in a shaky breath. Using the Force, Luke somehow managed to hoist himself up onto the creature's back again. With another roar of rage, it started shaking itself madly to throw him off. Luke concentrated on holding on, and, as the idea came to him, also on slowing the beast's heart. It began to wheeze, and ramble about harder. Then it stood up on its hind legs, causing him to drop down from its back, and then it too fell. It collapsed upon Luke, finally dead.

When Luke had hit the ground it nearly paralyzed his back, and the sheer weight of the beast landing on him was certainly nothing to sneer at either. It weighed several hundred pounds at least, and the dead thing, though its full weight wasn't on him, was slowly crushing his ribcage. It was hard work for Luke to breathe, remain conscious, and use the Force to ease off some of the pressure from the creature's weight. On top of it all, the beast's horn had managed to slash a nasty gash in Luke's cheek when its head jerked as it fell and then became limp. Vader opened the cage's door, and slowly came to Luke's aid. He looked down at his son, "Use the Force to remove it." He hated being so cold, but the Emperor was watching them via surveillance cameras, and saw any warmth as weakness.

"Father...Please..." Luke begged, coughing up blood. He could feel his life draining out of him as it became more difficult to breathe, and his situation became more crucial.

Feeling that perhaps his son had suffered enough for one day and that maybe the Emperor wouldn't be too angry with his interfering, he removed the beast from atop of the boy. He didn't want to hurt his son, but he was given no other choice. Vader asked the inevitable question, "Is this enough to convince you to turn? You can get immediate medical attention, if you do so."

Despite his weakened condition, Luke managed to reply indignantly, "I'll never join you." He spat at his father's feet, "I would rather die a thousand deaths."

"So be it. But you will turn, someday," Vader rumbled, ignoring the saliva on the ground in front of him. "It is your destiny."

Destiny was something Luke had had enough of, and right now all he was worried about was inhaling and exhaling. Vader loomed over him, and ordered him to get to his feet. It was a very slow process, but Luke managed to climb up with a little help from the Force. Darth Vader walked out of the cage, not slowing his pace even a notch for Luke. Luke hobbled after him on his good leg, using the Force yet again to assist him. It would be useless to try to run away, so Luke just followed him to the best of his injured ability.

Vader led his prisoner to his cell, pushing Luke inside with the Force. "Rest well." A timed pause, "You only get an hour to do it," he said, leaving his son alone. Once outside the cell, he brushed Luke with a concealed Force probe, and found that the damage wasn't fatal. He heaved an inward sigh of relief.

Wincing, Luke drug himself over to the wall, leaned back, and concentrated mainly on breathing and healing himself. A few minutes later, Mara entered with a sneer and a sharp reprimand on her lips, but her jaw dropped and the words died unsaid. She stood wide-eyed in the doorframe as she saw his condition. Luke looked up at her through his one good eye for a fraction of a second, then pulled his gaze down down to the floor. "What'd he do to you?!" Mara exclaimed.

Shutting his non-swollen eye tightly, Luke grunted an answer, "Beast."

Mara's eyes widened in understanding, "It must have been one of the Emperor's newest private pets, a Deh'th'tu'thouw." Luke looked at her skeptically, "He thought it was a funny name...So far he's only used them to kill people that greatly angered him. You're the only survivor to date. He has a few breeders, and one recently had a rather large litter...Was it long-haired or short-haired? What color?"

Laboriously, Luke wheezed, "Short. Black 'n' white."

"Ah...That was a larva then."

Luke opened his eye, "Larva? Wasn' nuttin' like a grub."

"I know it's not a very accurate term. But there are three states they go through, the first one, which are very temperamental, as you can tell by the one you were mauled by, one in which they are very well-armored, he refers to that as the cocoon stage, and the last stage, which he calls 'The Final Metamorphis'. Believe me, you never want to battle the final stage..." The Emperor's Hand gave a sly grin, "Of course, you never want to fight any stage, but you know what I mean..." Mara walked over to him, and sat down. She bit her tongue, wondering how to start dressing his wounds. "Do you want me to help with the Force, or just physically?"

Luke answered perhaps too quickly, "Force."

She looked at him quizzically, but reached out to the Force, and concentrated on healing his deeper wounds. "You might want to go into a trance..."

Luke hadn't wanted it to come to that, since healing trances took a while to be effective and he only had an hour available to use, but it was probably the best he could do for now, seeing as how he lacked a bacta tank. Nodding, he brought the Force about him, and soon was lost in that cryptic place one goes when they enter a trance.

Mara delicately brushed the sweaty hair out of Luke's face, after she brought some fresh water from the kitchen to clean his wounds with. She ripped off part of his ragged shirt, and dampened it, gently dabbing it on his wounds to remove dirt. After a little more first aid, there was nothing more she could do with the limited materials at hand. Only several hours in that healing trance, or a long bacta dip, could do him good now. And unfortunately, he could have neither. She kissed his forehead lightly, then left the room. She didn't want to be here when Vader came back. He had never liked her, and the new role he was supposed to play didn't help with matters.

Mara reported to her Master, and, with unease, noted that Vader was standing nearby waiting for orders.

The Emperor spoke, "You will take Mara with you, Lord Vader. Once inside you are to instruct her to rough young Skywalker up a little, to 'try to convince him to turn'. She will seem utterly shocked and apalled by the thought of having to do so. If it does not work, and I'm sure it won't, then she is to 'sneak' back in later, and sincerely apologize and try to regain his affection. Do you understand?"

Mara Jade and Darth Vader nodded in unison, though neither of them liked the plan. They knew better than to argue with Palpatine.

"Good."

Author's Explanation: For those of you who are lazy like me and only rarely sound out names, "Deh'th'tu'thouw" sounds like "death to thou"....Just thought you might wanna know...