Hi :)

As I've promised to those of you who are enjoying this latest story of mine,
here is part 4. As always, I hope that you will have as much fun reading it
as I've had fun writing it :)

Previously: Luke has been introduced to the Emperor, and is now faced with
the challenge to satisfy his unreasonable demands if he wants to stay with
his father who has defied Palpatine to keep him from the despot's dubious
custody.

Characters: Luke, Vader, the Emperor, Mara


Disclaimers: None of those characters belong to me. See my
front page for more details. (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/3702)

Note about the story's copyrights: All the rights related to the basic idea
of
Vader finding Luke as a child at his school, protecting him from any bad
things and the Emperor, as well as the Emperor's scheme concerning Luke
belong to
Jessica (MoonAr-@aol.com). Thanks for your suggestion, my friend ; this
story wouldn't have come to be without it.

Also, special thanks to my shy, secret beta-reader and best friend,
Adrianne,
for her help with the final editing of my new stories. (Eh, I have no choice
but to mention you, my friend ; your secret is still safe though ;) Thanks
for
giving us some of your precious time, my friend :)
____________________
Part 4: the Little Wonder

Seven months and a half later, Vader knew that the Emperor's test was not
completely impossible... but it exhausted his son.
Every day, Luke woke up in the wee hours of the morning, completed his
physical tests, then, after a quick breakfast, literally attacked his
lessons of the day.
Even though the subjects were complex, his young son always managed to
succeed his exams, but only because he spent countless hours studying, doing
exercises and asking him numerous questions.
And as if 'this' wasn't enough for a day, Vader also had to push his boy's
Force skills to their limits, which were practically non-existent.
Whatever could be envisioned with the Force, his son could do it.
At first, it had slightly scared the Emperor, but as the boy's results had
continued to please him on all aspects, or rather ruin his 'plan' concerning
his custody, he had raised the level of his demands.

Vader knew that since he hadn't won their private competition yet, their
master had decided to take everything that he could get from his defeat by
exploiting his new, young servant to the fullest.
It wasn't very surprising, Vader reminded himself. After all, he had
demanded a very similar sacrifice out of him in the first place: total
devotion, no life of any kind...
He knew that he was planning the same kind of future for his boy ; he didn't
even need the Force to know it to be a fact. He wished that he could do
something to prevent it though. If he could, he would save his boy from such
a life, but he was a servant, was already pushing the limits as he was... he
couldn't risk angering the Emperor and being killed in front of Luke.
If it ever happened, he reminded himself, he would truly be unable to
protect his son from the ruler, and then, who knew what the Emperor would do
to his lovable boy.
He checked his flagship's overall status one last time, then left his
meditation room and retired inside his secret quarters.
As he walked nearby his son's room, he discreetly reached out to check on
his presence.
It didn't surprise him to not find him in bed... but already asleep.
Sighing in slight annoyance, he came back on his steps and entered his son's
room to properly put him to bed.
The first times that he had found him asleep at his desk, he had gently
awakened him and helped him over to his bed, but the more time had passed,
and the more it had become a routine until his son had stopped waking up at
all.
Just one more testimony, he muttered to himself, that the boy was exhausted,
spent of any kind of energy that he might possess. Not even the Force
could---
he wasn't at his desk, he suddenly realized ; he immediately searched his
quarters--- and stopped short in shock when he understood just where his son
had fallen asleep this time.
In his shower.
For a brief moment, Vader wasn't sure if he had better let him awake on his
own or intervene, then he decided on the latest option. Judging from his
actual state, Luke might just spend the whole night there, which would be
dangerous if he slipped.
The dark lord stepped inside his son's fresher and took hold of a towel
while he turned off the shower's water with the Force.
His son didn't react.
"Wake up, Son," he said out loud, accompanying his words with a very slight
jolt of adrenaline in his boy's nervous system. "you can't sleep in there."
he informed him.
"Huh?" the youngster groaned, barely awake, "what?? Is it morning yet?" he
mumbled.
Vader shook his head as he chuckled lightly. "No, but if you want to make
the best out of your night, you had better go to bed." he advised him gently
while he threw the towel over the lip of the stall's door.
It slowly disappeared inside, indicating that the boy was moving slowly, as
if in a daze.
He wasn't completely awakened yet.
"Hmm, thanks Father." he half-whispered, indicating that sleep was about
ready to claim him once again.
"Luke, hold on just a little longer." he roused him once again.
"Huh?" came the inarticulate answer.
"Come now, step out of there." his father instructed him, opening the door
as he did so. "It'll take you that much closer to your bed."
The towel-wrapped waist and left thigh of his son appeared slowly through
the opening, then the rest of his dead-to-the-world body. He tried to find
support behind himself.
Faster than light, Vader caught him before he had stumbled backward.
"Woah, there, be careful." he lightly scolded while he wrapped his other arm
around his boy's slim waist and pulled him out of the shower stall.
As he offered his son the support he needed to stay upright, he reflected
that it felt strange for him to be this close to another being without
threatening him ; it was one of the first time that he was using his
closeness to help someone instead of bullying him, but it was a change that
he liked to adapt to, he reflected lightly.
He refocused on his boy who was already falling asleep again. His hair were
still drenched, something which had to be taken care of before he brought
him to bed.
While he used his free hand to support his half-asleep son, he used his
other hand to grab another towel, then proceeded to dry the young Jedi's
hair.
Luke groaned slightly, as if in complaint, but he mostly slept through it
all.
'Must be thinking that he's dreaming.', Vader surmised silently.
Once the hair was only damp, he hefted his son's strong yet light body in
his arms and proceeded to carry him to his bed.
It still surprised him how easy it was to abandon any pretense of emotional
strength whenever his son was concerned. Before he had met the boy, he
wouldn't have even considered possible to cradle someone in his arms, but
now, well... he had become a caring dark lord.
There was just no other word for it.
Even though his son wasn't a little boy, far from it in fact, he never even
hesitated to carry him when he had to help him like at the moment.
Right now, Luke was fast asleep once again, and he knew that he would never
reach his mattress without his support, and he would be cursed if he was
going to let his son sleep on the floor, at his desk, or in a standing
position.
He had it rough enough as it was, he reflected as he laid him under his
blankets.
His sleeping son seemed to agree with him since he groaned as he rolled on
his side, hugging his pillow to himself.
Vader stood up and meant to leave, then stopped and spontaneously disabled
his son's alarm clock.
He was supposed to train his blasters' skills tomorrow morning... but, he
decided, the youth needed to rest before he collapsed during such a
dangerous exercise. He could feel that such a thing would soon happen if he
didn't find a way to help his son.
If only the Force trances could help him to go through days without sleep,
but they weren't meant for that, only for respite after a strenuous
exercise... a respite that his boy simply didn't have time to afford.
But not tomorrow, he resolved. He was going to have a day-off.
*Sleep tight, my son.* he sent to him through the Force before leaving him
alone once again, satisfied with his decision.

******

At first, not a sound could be heard in the room of the sleeping
pre-teenager, then the quiet sound of skin against fabric began to be heard
until it reached his ears.
Next, he slowly became aware of the breathy silence which was around him,
the soft mattress that was supporting him, and finally, of his closed eyes.
He rolled over and tried to recover his state of deep sleep, yearning for
the rest it provided him with.
For a long, warm, wonderful moment, he focused on that sole task, but the
more he tried to return to 'NeverLand', the less he managed to do so until
he groaned slightly and accepted that he was awake.
He sighed, rolled back on his back and stretched lazily before he opened his
eyes.
Hmm, he hadn't slept this well for a long---
His eyes fell on the clock that was near his bed.
16:27?????
He snapped awake with a rush adrenaline, sat bolt upright and looked around
himself to find some explanation as to why he hadn't wakened up 12 hours
earlier.
He made a disparaging sound of unhappiness when he discovered that he hadn't
turned his alarm on the previous night.
"Great," he muttered, "now I've really got some catching up to do."
He jumped out of bed--- and stopped short.
He never went to bed without at least some boxers on...
He looked around himself once more, this time really intent on finding an
explanation about his strange wakening circumstances.
With his now rather well-trained observation skills, he almost immediately
spotted the damp towel that was resting on the foot of his bed ; he relaxed.
He had probably made his way to his bed in an half-asleep state, he
realized, unaware that he hadn't been wearing anything under his towel... He
admitted that that was quite a feat considering how dead-to-the-world he had
been feeling last night.
In fact, he thought as he proceeded to put on in record time his discarded
clothes, he had been afraid to fall asleep while showering, but he had had
no other choice since he had been drenched with sweat.
He finished to button his trousers, then decided to screw the shoes for
today. They were nowhere in sight and he couldn't spare a single second to
find them.
Opting for a shortcut, he stepped onto his undone bed, then down on the
other side and, with a long, run-like step, was through his door.
He ran toward his 'classroom', already thinking about how he could catch up
with his planned schedule--- when he ran smack dab in the door when it
didn't open upon his approach. He lost his balance upon impact and fell on
his ass.
"Oww," he grunted as he rubbed his aching forehead and face, then jumped
back to his feet. "What the?.."
He checked the pad beside the door ; it was locked.
For a good two seconds, he gaped at it in disbelief, then scowled unhappily.
He tried to break through the lock.
No success.
He was beginning to loose his patience when he heard his father enter their
secret quarters.
"What do you think you're doing?" his father asked him seriously as he
walked closer.
"It's locked." he explained, worried to have upset his father with his
waking up late. "I've somehow slept in, I'm sorry--- darn lock!" he
exclaimed, hitting the wall that was beside the pad with his fist.
His father's reaction to this caught him completely off-guard.
Instead of saying that he would take care of it, he said: "Let it be for
today, Son."
Luke turned bewildered eyes toward him, unable to believe that he had heard
him right.
"What? But I can't! I have to---"
His father's hands came to rest on his right shoulder and gently steered him
away from his duty.
"What you have to do," Vader gently scolded him, "is to take the rest of
your day off to relax and recharge your batteries."
Luke couldn't help but stop in his tracks and ask: "What day off?"
"This day off." his father explained, turning around to face him. "You were
almost unconscious with tiredness yesterday." he seriously reminded him.
"I was not." the boy defended defiantly.
"You fell asleep while you were standing under your shower." his father said
matter-of-factly.
Luke's eyes bulged in disbelief. "You don't mean that???" he gaped at him.
"Yes," his father nodded, then continued: "I've turned off your alarm and
locked the classroom. You need rest, Son, you deserve it."
The young Jedi couldn't answer anything to that.
So he had fallen asleep after all... but still, he couldn't risk delaying
anything.
It was hard enough as it was, not to mention barely doable, he thought
worriedly.
He meant to remind that to his well-intentioned father, but before he could
voice a single word, his father's middle finger touched his lips, gently
shushing him.
"It will be easier for you to catch up on your delay if you are healthy and
well-rested than if you're wounded." he said wisely.
Right, Luke remembered as he locked his gaze with his father. He would have
begun his day with his self-defense training against droids... then his
blaster drills...
He wouldn't have managed them without being wounded... not in the state he
had been in last night.
He cast down his eyes, shut them and fought against his tears.
It was so difficult to please the Emperor, it demanded so much out of him...
His father's fingers delicately took hold of his small chin and raised his
head.
Luke tried to hide his tears, but it was too late ; they were already
running down his cheeks.
His lower lip trembled as he met his father's gaze once more, then he
couldn't be strong anymore.
He buried himself in his father's arms, letting go of his fears to fail, to
be forced away from his only family.
Vader's arms wrapped around his back, holding him tightly against himself.
"Shhh, it's okay, Luke." he cooed from somewhere near his head.
"Will it ever end?" the boy asked, his voice muffled by his father's
uniform.
For a moment, only silence answered him, which meant that the answer was no.
He had known that of course, but he had needed to ask the question out loud.
He had needed to let go of his worry that it would, in fact, never end.
Thus, his father's answer surprised him yet again.
"Yes, it will." he promised him.
The young Jedi raised his head to look at his father.
"How?" he asked earnestly yet doubtfully.
"I don't know yet," his father admitted, "but we will think of something."
Luke closed his eyes once again as his father's hand touched his cheek,
giving him yet one more proof that he cared about him.
He didn't want to loose him, he reminded himself, and he himself didn't want
to loose his father.
They would find a way to remain together, he resolved with his young
determination.
He could feel it.
He re-opened his eyes and smiled at his father, his sorrow and fear gone as
if they had never been.
"Thanks for the day-off, Father." he said gratefully.
"You're welcome. Now, how about using the rest of it to see what we can do
to improve your routine?" he suggested.
Luke could only nod in agreement.

******

After that day, Luke's curriculum didn't change, but the way he worked on it
did. Instead of having many courses of everything at the same time, he
focused on two or three skills for a certain length of time, then completed
all his tests related to those skills.
He still worked hard, but he could at least spend all the time he needed on
some aspect of his new knowledge to acquire it to perfection.
He could also get a few more hours of sleep per day, which helped him
improve his scores in his physical tests.
After the first three months of trial were accepted by the Emperor, although
reluctantly since it put one more obstacle in his path to take the boy into
custody, he sent them a new curriculum, adapted to this new 'routine'.
It was as demanding as the old one, but not nearly as impossible.
Thus, Luke became a computer whiz, became fluent in many languages, as well
as a professional pilot.
He also became a full-fledged Jedi Knight ; his father refused to
acknowledge him as a Dark Jedi, saying that he could serve the Emperor
without the dark side.
As the time added up to itself, so did Luke's new knowledge and skills.

******

Almost two years had passed now since he and Luke had blasted off from
Coruscant in hope to escape the Emperor's too close scrutiny.
Up to now, Vader had always managed to delay his return 'home', but not
anymore. The Emperor was holding a series of reception to celebrate a new
victory, and he wanted not only him at his side, but his son as well, his
'secret wonder' as he called him.
Every time he used that word, the dark lord could feel his insides bristle
in animosity.
As if, he muttered darkly, he didn't have anything to do with his son's
incredible results. If not for 'his' inhuman curriculum, his boy would be
able to learn things the way any other kid did, not as if he were a little
prodigy.
Of course, Luke 'was' a prodigy in a way since he kept getting very good
results, no matter how complex the test was, but on the other hand, he used
tricks that weren't 'natural' for him.
He discreetly turned his eyes toward the boy, watching him as he ran his
flagship in his place.
He was a good commander, he admitted. He knew how to evaluate what needed to
be done, who had to do it, and how the whole ship reacted to any of his
decision.
The only thing that was missing was the respect from his troops. They didn't
appreciate being run by a barely fourteen-year-old 'kid'.
Not that they dared show it while he himself was present, but he could feel
it all the same, and so did Luke.
As long as they didn't interfere with the results of his tests though,
everything was fine.
Up to now, everything had been fine, but soon, Luke would have to leave with
real troops during real missions, slowly proving his skills starting from a
squad commander and up to an admiral of the fleet and right arm of the
Emperor.
He himself would also have to withdraw from him and let him deal with what
came his way.
It would be his ultimate test, he knew. Despite all the knowledge that Luke
had cumulated, all the skills that he had developed, a failure in that area
would separate them against their wills.
The ship exited hyperspace, coming into view of Coruscant ; it drew Vader
out of his musing.
Right, those tests were in the future. For the moment, they had to survive
their visit 'home'.

******

Luke flew the shuttle in, expertly maneuvering them around the traffic
lanes, the spires of the buildings and up the outside walls of the palace
until he had reached their assigned platform.
The Emperor had ordered them to report to him upon arrival.
As he followed his father down the corridors, Luke prepared himself for this
second encounter with his 'master'.
He was still afraid of him, he conceded. He didn't know him other than for
his lack of emotions about anything and anybody.
The Emperor was selfish, plain and simple. He was even proud of that.
He himself was proud of what he had done during the past two years.
He wasn't the same boy who had met with the Emperor in the first place. He
knew a lot more about the galaxy and the Empire, and he wasn't vulnerable
anymore.
He had the Force as his ally, could wield any kind of weapon he wished with
deadly accuracy, yet he could also fight with little more than his hands and
feet if need be.
Even then though, he hoped that the encounter with the Emperor would not
last for a long time.
He walked straight-backed as he crossed the double doors with his father.
While they climbed the long stairs, he focused on his father's black cape
instead of the throne's occupant who was expecting them, then knelt,
shifting his focus from his father's back to the floor.
"Welcome back, Lord Vader, young Vader." a young voice greeted.
Luke was too surprised to control his reaction ; he swiftly looked up to see
what was going on.
The moment his eyes met the young Emperor's, he knew that he was the same
man than the one he had met two years ago, but he was much younger...
"Rise." he smiled slightly.
Both he and his father obeyed ; they also noticed how his eyes never strayed
away from him.
"I see that you have trained very well indeed, young Vader." he commented,
taking a step closer.
"I try to, Master." Luke said with a slight bow, eager to pull his eyes away
from his master's.
"You are aware of course," the ruler continued, addressing both Vaders this
time, "that the tests aren't over. Even though you have 'practiced' your
extensive knowledge, it is time to use it for real."
"Yes, Master."
"Will he have some tasks to perform while we will be here?" his father
asked, drawing the Emperor's attention away from him.
"No and yes." he answered cryptically.
Luke's eyes darted upward once again, this time in confusion.
"It is time to introduce young prince Vader to my court." he informed them.
"amongst other things." he finished with a devilish smile which made Luke
shudder in uneasiness.
What was he planning now?, he found himself wondering.
The ruler turned toward the dark lord. "Here are the dates and hours of the
receptions. I expect you to be present at everyone of them."
"Yes, Master." the two Vaders bowed in answer.
"Good, dismissed." he clipped coldly
His last look made Luke's skin crawl in fear.


******

That evening, Vader took his boy for his first experience in the Emperor's
court.
Earlier that day, he and Luke had spent a good two hours in front of the
Network access, shopping for appropriate clothing.
They both knew better than to risk upsetting their master.
His mother would have been better advised than him in this matter though,
especially since he himself hadn't had to shop for clothes in fourteen
years, but all in all, the results were okay.
The boy was wearing satiny finished, very dark blue, almost black trousers
and jacket, and a pearl-white, straight collared shirt which added to the
very elegant, well-adjusted cut of his jacket.
There was no denying that Luke was an athletic teenager, and the contrast of
his clothes seemed to bring out his icy blue eyes.
The Emperor should be pleased, he decided, at least, for tonight. Tomorrow
would be another thing, but he would deal with it when it would come.
Beside him, his boy walked silently.
*What are you thinking about?* he asked him through the Force.
The boy's eyes looked up at him, as if startled.
*Oh, uh... about how things will turn out after tonight.* he admitted. *If
he introduces me to his court, then what else is he planning to do?* he
asked him, voicing his haunting question.
A good query, Vader conceded. It was all too clear to them that the Emperor
had worrying plans about Luke.
*Whatever it is, Son,* he sent reassuringly. *I don't think that he will
dare do it as long as you serve him well. He is obviously setting you up for
a public life despite your young age.*
*Yeah, testing my protocol lessons you think?* Luke asked him seriously.
*Quite probably.* he agreed.
They reached the area of the palace where the reception was being held. The
corridors were slightly crowded with richly dressed and jeweled men and
women, military officers in dress uniforms, and servants.
Enter the rabble, Vader thought grimly.

Luke stood taller, forcing himself to meet the others' gaze as he and his
father walked by them.
He evaluated that they were twice his age minimum.
Since he was with his father, they recognized him, but at the same time, it
was obvious through his Force senses that they were curtsying him out of
obligation, not out of respect.
He had a bad feeling about this...
They entered the room proper where many more such people were gathered to
sip green champagne while they ate rare delicacies and gossiped about
nothing and everything.
Their entrance didn't go unnoticed. The moment the man at the door
recognized them, he called for the whole room's attention.
The Emperor dismissed the beautiful women who were surrounding him and stood
from his throne.
"My friends," he called, enhancing his voice with the Force to make sure
that everybody would hear him. "Our guest of honor has just arrived."
Luke swallowed hard as all the eyes of the room turned toward him ; his
father stepped slightly away from him, but not too far away either.
He was on his own now.
"Most of you don't know this young man, but soon, everyone in the galaxy
shall. I present to you prince Luke Vader, future second-in-command of the
Empire." he crowed.
The moment his words were out of his throat, Luke felt a flash of dark
hatred from the left of the crowd.
His father also felt it but didn't move, but he too had spotted the tall
Falleen.
Luke refocused on his master who was beckoning him forward.
He took a deep breath, forced himself to behave like a prince, and regally
stepped down the short stairs. He began his path through the throng of
people which parted for him as if in a miracle.
Then, almost frightfully, he walked up to his master, turned around and
faced the crowd once more. Behind him, the Emperor rested his hands on his
shoulders, thus asserting ownership of his 'little wonder'.
Luke had never stood this close to his master before. He couldn't help but
cringe under the touch, especially when his thumbs tightened their hold on
his shoulder blades.
"From now on," the Emperor explained to his court, a little more seriously
than before, "any order that will be given by young Vader, as well as any
action he might undertake, will be considered as if it comes from myself or
his father. Any questioning of his authority will be severely punished."
Luke knew that this sentence had a double meaning.
With his introduction to the court's members, the Emperor was giving him all
the tools he needed to take his place as a commanding figure, an authority
to respect, but it was up to him to do so now...
*You're quite clever indeed, young one.* his master mentally praised him.
*But you will not always outwit me.* he finished warningly.
Luke didn't hear the cheers that the assembly gave him, didn't notice the
interested looks that he got from some unscrupulous elements.
The only thing that mattered to him now was to get away from his master's
close presence and his visceral need to break his will.
The moment he released him, as if please with that encounter without his
father's reassuring protectiveness, where had he been anyway?, Luke walked
down the throne and joined the rest of the crowd... who immediately gathered
around him in hopes to forge a bond with him.
Krakannas, he realized. They were like Krakannas.
While he did his best to know them better while keeping them away from
himself, he mentally searched for his father.
He was busy monitoring the Falleen, he realized.
The evening slowly grounded onward, barely punctuated by interesting
conversation.
Most of the people he met were arrogant, selfish, and visibly interested to
take advantage of his young age to work their way closer to the Emperor.
The Emperor... who was just waiting for the right moment to claim that he
had failed his part of the deal.
That thought haunted him for the rest of the evening and the night.


******

The next day, and the following one, he met again with the Emperor's court,
sometimes with people who hadn't been invited to the other receptions,
sometimes with annoying dignitaries who weren't leaving him alone.
Days later, Luke surveyed the room once more, slowly filling up his mental
datapad titled: the Court. He noted all the typical behaviors, thoughts and
habits, a must if he wanted to survive in it.
He also reflected that he missed his father.
Normally, he was always at least in the reception room with him, offering
him his quiet support when he had to deal with the Emperor, but not
yesterday, and not today.
Xizor had given them signs that he was becoming dangerous, so the Emperor
had sent Lord Vader to straighten him out... which left him alone to face
the court 'and' the Emperor, once again.
And the older man wasn't relenting in his attempts to make him break to his
will.
Luke had informed his father of the Emperor's mental revelation, but to
their surprise, Vader hadn't even felt it when it had taken place.
It wasn't reassuring him either.
Especially not since he had contacted him more than once ever since, always
without his father realizing it.
No, Luke shook his head to clear it from any such thoughts. He forced
himself to refocus on his surroundings, noticing for the first time that
something seemed different today.
The women's gowns were more revealing than usual, and the ambiance seemed,
well, more relaxed.
When he turned toward the Emperor's sitting place to see if he could get any
clue, he almost felt his jaw drop to the floor.
The ruler was possessively kissing a woman, obviously not caring in the
least if he were being observed or not.
He then happened to look around himself and noticed that the other couples
too were indulging in feverish passion, some more than others.
It was an orgy, Luke realized.
Had his father?----
Luke recoiled in surprise.
The Emperor didn't let him go too far though ; he called for the assembly's
attention.
"My friends," he said in his fake-rich voice. "I have a gift for the young
prince."
Luke's eyes bulged so much that he was sure that they would fall from his
orbits before he could stop them.
The Emperor indicated a side door ; a beautiful, red-head teenage girl of
about his age stepped forward.
Despite his great discomfort, Luke couldn't help but drink in the sight of
her. She was wearing a body-tight gown that left nothing much to his
imagination, her eyes were the greenest green he had ever seen, and her hair
was shining with strings of gold.
Before he had realized what he had done, he had walked toward her to welcome
her, or whatever he was supposed to do, he thought muzzily.
"She was my youngest courtesan, young Vader, but she is yours now to do as
you please with her." he explained.
His? Luke gaped. But he couldn't---
"And now, enough dawdling." he smiled sickly as he pulled his chosen woman's
head back to his.
The rest of the assembly seemed more than eager to abide by his word, but
not Luke.
As the adults around the two youngsters began to really get into gear, and
that the teenage girl slowly approached him to mimic the adults, Luke
reached a decision.
He took hold of the obedient yet obviously uncomfortable girl's hand and
quickly steered her out of the room, ignoring her startled reaction.
*Your loss.* his master sent him.
Luke broke into a flat out run, pulling the bewildered girl along with him.
"What are you doing?" she finally asked him indignantly.
He didn't answer her ; instead, he ran for as long as he hadn't reached an
observation balcony.

Only then did he realize just what he had done.
He let go of the girl's hand.
"I'm sorry." he apologized.
"What do you think you're doing?" the girl asked him, slightly upset, but
not too much, he realized.
"I took you away from those depraved individuals." he said seriously.
"Depraved?!" she glared. "The Emperor is not---" she began.
"I know, but those men wouldn't have hesitated to include you in their games
if I had left you behind." Luke explained.
"So?"
"So?" Luke gaped at her. "It isn't right. You're too young for them." he
pointed out.
Wrong thing to say he realized as he noticed the flash of anger in her eyes.
"I am a royal courtesan, your Highness. I am not too young for anybody." she
defied him, adopting an haughty attitude.
Luke lost some of his temper and glared back at her.
"Well I think that you are, even for me. I did as I wished, which was to
take you away from there. If you want to go back, do so. I'm not keeping
you." he said, not hiding how miffed he was by her attitude.
He turned away from her.
For a long moment, the girl remained silent, then she sighed.
"If I go back," she began, "it will mean that I have not pleased you."
Luke turned back toward her, tilting his head slightly in understanding.
"You mean that the Emperor punishes his concubines just like he punishes his
servants?" he asked her.
She could only nod slightly in answer.
For a moment, Luke considered this new information, then he spoke again.
"I can't do what you are trained to do, I'm sorry," he apologized, "but I
don't want you to be punished because of me."
Her eyes met his, compassion met confusion, then a slight softening.
"Then what can we do?" she asked him uncertainly.
Luke grinned slightly as an idea crossed his mind. "Well, we could always
talk. I'm Luke." he said, offering his hand to her.
The girl hesitated for a fraction of a second before she took it in her own.
"I'm Mara Jade, your Highness."
TBC
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