Mara Jade Volume 1

2.

As soon as we landed in Mustafar, Diego and I walked out of our ship and walked towards a big, red and black castle. Mustafar is a small planet that is located in the Mustafar system, within the Atravis sector of the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories. It was once a garden world nourished by the Bright Star artifact. But then the orbit was shifted when someone named, Lady Corvax, driven by grief, unleashed the energies of the Bright Star in an attempt to return her husband to life. The resulting were awful as a war and duel had began between the gas giants Jestefad and Lefrani over Mustafar heated the planet's core, which had caused transforming the lush world into an imbalanced volcanic hellscape. The people who were born and had a life on their now devastated homeworld, the arthropodal Mustafarians had changed into two distinct subspecies that cooperated to make sure that they have their continued survival. The legends of Corvax's search for immortality had  brought the ancient Sith to Mustafar, seeking the same secrets of eternal life. There, they built a temple over a locus in the dark side of the Force, above the buried ruins of Corvax Fortress.

"I can sense your feelings, Diego," I whispered to him as we walked up the stairs. "I am nervous too but control and hide it as best as you can." I whispered my warning.

"Got it, don't show fear." Diego whispered back.

"Palpatine will punish you if he senses it." I responded.

"Man, I wish I had the force." Diego huffed.

"When we get to Palpatine and Vader," I began to say as we reached the the top of the stairs. "I want you to control your emotions, stay quiet and do as I say."

"Yes, ma'am." Diego said, mockingly as he nodded his head quickly and laughed.

"Diego this is serious." I insisted, glaring at him.

"I know but again, I do not fear them as you clearly do." Diego said.

"Then why are you scared?" I asked. "Remember, I can sense your emotions?"

"We are in a planet full of lava," Diego responded as he shrugged. "Of course I am scared of that."

"That much is true." I agreed, slowy nodding.

"Let's just see what they want," Diego sighed, running his hand through his curly black hair. "The sooner we go see them, the sooner we can leave this creepy lava place."

"Just breathe in and out and let's go." I murmured softly as we looked at large doors that cleatly led to another room.

"We got this." Diego responded and without another word spoken, we walked towards the doors and Diego quickly opened one, letting me walk in the room first.

"Mara, you are here," I heard Palpatine say as I watched him look out the window. "It took you long enough."

"My apologizes," I apologized. "My pilot and I were struggling with where to land our ship." I lied, trying to hide my uneasy feelings as I heard the door close behind me and my eyes darted to Darth Vader. The body suit he wore looked uncomfortable as I heard his mechanic heavy breathing. I wondered how he was still alive when I realized that it kept him alive but at the same time, kept him weak. Why does Palpatine let him survive like this? I thought to myself.

"How odd," Palpatine sighed, making my eyes look at Palpatine once again. "If I had known any better, I would have assumed that you were scared or nervous, judging by my senses." Palpatine finished, turning to face me and Diego.

"You assumed wrong, your highness." Diego snorted.

"Forgive my pilot," I said quickly and looked at Diego, giving him a warning glare. "My pilot tends to speak out of turn." I finished, looking at Palpatine.

"Does he have a bad habit of questioning authority?" Darth Vader's robotic voice hissed. I knew he was glaring at the both of us despite him wearing a mask.

"No, sir." I answered and slowly shook my head, praying Diego would not say another word.

"I am sorry." Diego apologized.

"Consider it your first and only warning boy," Darth Vader warned, pointing his index finger at Diego. "If you dare speak out of turn or question us, I will kill you."

"He understands, I will deal with him." I assured him.

"Anyways," Palpatine huffed. "I asked for you to go on a new mission." Palpatine said, changing the subject.

"What kind of mission?" I asked and furrowed my eyebrows.

"I want you to look for a young boy," Palpatine started to say and walked towards me. "His name is Luke Skywalker."

"Luke Skywalker?" I repeated in a soft whisper in confusion. "You mean as in Anakin Skwalker?" I asked.

"Anakin has a son who survived the clone wars." Darth Vader said.

"But I thought Anakin's wife and child died?" I responded, still confused.

"The wife died after childbirth." Darth Vader said as I sensed a small hint of sadness in his voice as if it was him who lost her.

"But the last remaining Jedis decided to stage the child's death." Palpatine added, chuckling.

"Luke is my son and we want to train him." Darth Vader mentioned.

"But I thought--" I started to say and I quickly realized the truth. Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker. I thought.

"I killed Anakin Skywalker." Darth Vader growled out and I quickly remembered that he could read my thoughts.

"We will give you everything you need." Palpatine said.

"Do I have to kill him?" I asked and crossed my arms.

"No," Darth Vader growled out. "Bring him back alive."

"Hurt him if you must," Palpatine sighed. "But keep him alive."

"And what will I get if I do so?" I asked.

"You will be rewarded with riches." Palpatine answered, grinming from ear to ear.

"But fail and you may not live to regret it." Darth Vader warned.

"I know what must be done," I said, nodding at them both. "It will be done." I assured them both.