The Legend of the Jedi Queen

68. The Emperor's Message

On the bedside table, the commlink beeped. Groaning, Nellith sat up and jumped when she saw the message. It was from General Mitaka.

My apologies, Princess, but your presence has been requested within the communications office at once.

Curious, Nellith frowned and merely threw on a robe and hurried down to the communications office.

The hallways of the Imperial Palace were eerily silent. Rooms that had once been occupied by other Jedi were empty. While most of the traitors had been forgiven, Kiernan and his council were sitting currently in holding cells in the prison complex on another part of the planet.

Nellith hesitated, stopping by what was once Tallis's room. No one had touched it since they had returned from Artorias without him. The door slid open, revealing the mess that it had been in, a reflection of his mental turmoil of Snoke's ghost haunting him.

She continued onwards towards the communications office, wondering what could possibly involve her.

Only General Mitaka and a few other officers were there, none of the rest of the Imperial Royal Family. It was just her. Mitaka approached her, worried.

"I haven't told your parents yet," Mitaka said. "But this may be a chance to end the war, and I believe you would rather try."

"What is it, Mitaka?" It surprised Nellith, how her voice sounded more commanding, and how it demanded respect and a lack of this tap-dancing nonsense. She folded her arms over her chest to enhance this affect, but also because she felt a cold creeping in from within herself, from that dread in the pit of her stomach that something bad was about to happen.

"We've received a severely encrypted transmission from the Second Order," Mitaka said. "Their emperor has been waiting on the other end of the line quite patiently and requests to speak with you."

"For a chance at peace," Nellith finished breathlessly. As much as she hated herself for it, she wanted to see Tallis again. And if she could maybe somehow convince him to come back. . .

"Patch him through," Nellith ordered. "And no matter the outcome, my parents are not to know about this."

Mitaka nodded eagerly. "My thoughts exactly, Your Highness. Patching him through."

He leaned over the shoulder of one of the few technicians working to flip a switch. A holographic transmission appeared of Tallis sitting on a throne inside a room Nellith didn't recognize. She placed her hand over her mouth to hide at least part of her expression.

Tallis's face softened. "Nellith."

"What do you want?" Nellith's voice came out as hard and cold as the floors of the Imperial Castle.

He frowned. "I wanted to see you again. I want to make a bargain."

"What kind?" Nellith asked.

"Go to the observatory on Jakku, and I will use what power I have to end this war," Tallis promised. "On Jakku, we can end it all."

"How do I know that you aren't lying to me?" Nellith asked, her cheeks turning red as tears started to trickle down them.

"Nellith." His voice was gentle. "When would I ever hurt you?"

Nellith shook her head. "I don't know you anymore. You told me you would've rather died at the Rainbow Palace than do what Abeloth wants. This isn't who you are."

His eyes darted nervously to the side, then back to Nellith, his expression grave.

"If you have ever loved me, promise me you'll show up to the observatory without weapons," Tallis said. "The war will end, and everything will be alright. I promise."

Mitaka looked at her, shaking his head ever so slightly. Nellith took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She knew they would say she didn't have a choice, she couldn't trust him, she couldn't afford whatever sacrifices would come with going with them.

Bur she did have a choice. And it mattered that it was hers.

When her eyes opened, she felt calm, filled with a steely resolve. "I promise, I will be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you," he said. "You won't regret it."

The transmission ended, and Nellith could feel Mitaka's eyes on her. She looked down to her crossed arms over her chest. The technicians swiveled around in their sears to look at her.

"You aren't really going to go through with it, are you?" Mitaka asked.

"I am," Nellith said.

"Then we should alert the Supreme Leader—"

"No." Nellith closed her eyes again. "I have to do this myself. For the galaxy."

Mitaka and the technicians shared a solemn look as they realized that this was in fact the last hope.