Luke and Leia - Rebels [2]

28: Lying in Wait

Darth Vader slowly opened his eyes from his mediation and rose. He let out a small breath, tightened his gloves, and strode out into the hall. Two troopers immediately followed behind him as he approached the chamber he'd instructed Calrissian to prepare.

Vader clasped his hands behind his back as he looked down into the carbon-freeze pit. It would work nicely for the Skywalkers, but first he needed to test it. Solo would be perfect.

He slowly paced around the chamber, the orange light below him giving his mask a hellish glow and casting dark shadows above him. He breathed deeply as he thought about the circumstance before him; Leia was here, already in his grasp, but the Emperor also had given him instruction that the boy was preferable. According to his intelligence officers Luke was on his way; Vader only needed to wait awhile longer before the children of the Chosen One were reunited again. And then they would be his.

As of now Leia was Luke's bait, so she was needed inside the city. But, Vader thought carefully, that didn't mean her spirit had to be intact.

The Sith Lord exited the room with plans to talk to the Skywalker daughter before he was approached by one of the troopers hesitantly. "My Lord, the torture chamber is ready."

Vader's only sign of frustration was a noisy exhale, but even that was enough to send the trooper cringing a bit. Given his promise to Fett, Solo was to use it first. But the Skywalker girl would soon follow. "Very well."

It didn't take long to approach the torture chamber, and once he did Vader immediately went inside to see Solo strapped to the rack above the torture device. The smuggler looked up at the Sith Lord with a glare, and Vader almost admired his bravery. Until the rack started tilting and it disappeared, replaced with heavy breathing and bracing for impact.

Vader left the room just as the man shrieked loudly, and based on Calrissian's shifty gaze he definitely didn't enjoy the sound. "Lord Vader." He greeted in a cool tone.

Boba Fett was next to him, and Vader turned to address him instead. "You may take Captain Solo to Jabba the Hutt after I have the Skywalkers."

Another scream filtered through the door and Fett tilted his head slightly. "He's no good to me dead." The bounty hunter rasped lightly.

"He will not be permanently damaged."

"Lord Vader, what about Leia and the Wookiee?"

Vader stopped and looked at the man, realizing he was unaware Leia was one of the Skywalkers. "Leia is mine. The Wookiee must never again leave this city."

Lando bristled slightly. "That was never a condition of our arrangement, nor was giving Han to this bounty hunter!"

"You misunderstand, Calrissian." Vader stepped closer to the man who suddenly regretted his harsh words. "Leia is one of my prizes that we did agree upon."

Lando looked shocked. "But you never said-"

"Perhaps you believe you are being treated... Unfairly?"

He swallowed hard. "No."

"Good." Vader turned and started towards the holding chamber. "It would be unfortunate if I had to leave a garrison here."

He entered the elevator with Fett and walked down into the hall, bidding the bounty hunter farewell for now and heading to the door in front of him.

Leia Skywalker slowly looked up from her bench as the shadow before her slid into the room, nudging the door shut with a flick of his hand. She glared lightly at him but he could tell she was too weak to do much else; the torture by the stormtroopers beforehand had definitely taken its toll.