Crossroads

Intrigue

Vader's POV 

By the gods, she's dense.

I had brought many Jedi before my Master in the past few years.  Many of them were angry, scared, terrified even.  Some of them even welcomed death, some put up a fight.  But never, never had one of them boldly stood up to the Emperor.  That took a leve of stupidity I could not even comprehend. 

This one though, she clearly reached a level of stupidity I was sure didn't exist.  Her boldness shocked me, because she didn't want to die.  From what I could read, she wanted to live.  She had fought and hung on for so long, and wanted to continue doing so.  

Seeing her memories was not so differnet than the dozens of Jedi before her.  All of them had been turned on by their Clones, their friends even, and forced into hiding,  A solitary, lonely existence.  Contacting any other Jedi was a death wish, so many embraced their lonley existences and hid out on a remote world. 

Until, the true nature of the Jedi ultimately forced them out of hiding.  Every Jedi wanted to help people; they had a natural urge to help and save everyone.  So, naturally, something would occur to force them out-- a fight, an attack, a child in danger. It was always something, and someone would always rat them out. 

When the Empire first rose, yes, it had been difficult for people to turn on the Jedi.  They saw them as protectors of the peace across the galaxy, so most citizens helped them.  Would give them food, shelter, and a route to a far away planet so that I would be unable to find them.

Fortunately, after a year or two, that friendly sentiment died.  The Emperor's grip descended upon the galaxy, and fear was helpful in keeping systems in line.  Soon, everyone was too scared to help the Jedi, so they turned against them.

Now, when a Jedi does something so incredibly stupid to expose themselves, someone will always point the finger.  Once the Jedi is captured, I am sent to loosen their tongue.  More often than not, I end up ripping out their tongue, but I am still successful-- I get some sort of information regarding the whereabouts of other Jedi, and I snuff out another symbol of the former Republic. 

Win-win. 

But this one was not on my list.  She was not on the list of the remaining Jedi, which has dwindeled to two.  None of the past Jedi had any information on her either-- it was if she didn't exist until someone said they saw what seemed to be a Jedi on Takodana. 

She must have been extremely young when the Empire rose, or else I would have remembered her vaguely.  But there was no familiarity, no notion that I knew or she was, or vice versa. God knows what Palpatine would do if she recognized me. 

I tried my best to hide my appearance, though news of what I had become when the Republic fell did not spread.  The only people who knew were killed by the Clones or by my own hand.  My true identity died years ago. 

So Rayya must have been very young, freshly a Jedi allowed to conduct missions solo with a squadron of Clones. I don't know how someone so young had been able to hold on for so long; fully grown Jedi Knights were hunted down much quicker. 

I didn't exactly know where to take her now; she was a prisoner, but not for much longer.  If she decided to not die, to become my Padawan, a padawan that I have needed for a while.  Wanted, no? Needed, defintely yes. 

I couldn't put her in a cell if she was going to be my apprentice. Palpatine wouldn't know if I put her in a room; besides, hopefully by tomorrow she would come to her senses.  And choose life, not death.  

Palpatine wouldn't hesitate to kill her immediately, especially if she thought too long about wanting or not wanting to join.  

I took her back down the elevator, though it was just the two of us this time.  She was silent, though her thoughts were loud. But they weren't exactly fearful, just loud and curious.

A choice, be a Sith or die? Go against everything I stand for, everything I was raised to do? 

And who is this man? His grip was so tight, but honestly, thank god he was there. I would not want to be alone with the Emperor, at all.

But the way he touched my arm, it made me feel...

At that point, I jumped out of her mind.  That was not something I wanted to hear or feel or anything. 

It wasn't like I had any romantic prospects since... 

Well, since I had become the me I am today.  The monster I am. 

Lack there-of of romantic prospects aside, she was beautiful.  Though she was undeniably thin, and could use some food and training, she was still goregous.  Bright brown eyes that flared with fire and a small, round face, though she was slightly gaunt. 

I needed to get some food into her soon.  Or else she would never be able to train properly with him. 

He took her arm as the elevator doors opened, guiding her slightly towad the exclusive wing.  The wing where the commanders were housed, where his bedroom was as well.  If she was going to train with him, then she needed to be close to him.  

So he could keep an eye on her, and for no other reason. 

"Where are you taking me?" Her voice was gravely, and exhuastion peaked through.  It was clear she was thoroughly exhuasted, but that was something he didn't need to worry about. He just needed to deposit her in her own room and leave. 

Then he needed to take a long shower. 

"To your room." She went rigid beside him.  

"Don't worry, it's your own room. And you need one if you're going to be with me."

The hallway was deserted; it was late and most people were asleep in their rooms.  Our footsteps echoed on the aluminum floor, our bodies casting an eerie shadow in the deserted hallway.  I had always loved that the hallways were dark, void of any type of emotion.  This was life was about work, a little sleep, and a lot of fighting. 

"You're here, across from me." I nodded toward the door on the other side of the hallway, just feet away from us.  She stood, wide-eyed, as I led her into her room.  I flipped on the light, the bright flouresence illuminating the small room. 

It was the same as every other Trooper or worker's here: a bed, a nightstand, a desk, a bathroom, and that was it.  The far side wall was a window that looked into the reaches of the galaxy. Her eyes widened further upon seeing it, and she walked over and pressed her hands against it. 

I watched her, fascinated.  Her thoughts showed she was slightly afraid of me, of all of this, but her body language and actions showed not an ounce of fear.  It was as if she had forgotten I was here, and now it was just her and the galaxy. 

"I'll come get you in the morning," I said quietlt, careful not to break her out her thoughts.

She looked back, her eyes filled with emotion and longing.  It really has been a long time since this girl saw the galaxy; she was trapped on that planet, with no one and nothing. 

"Thank you." She said.

I was so intrigued by her; she wasn't terrified of me.  For the past few years, every Jedi I captured was undoubtedly terrified of me.  Of my eyes, my demeanor, my attitude, just myself. And now this girl was looking at me like a normal person, like I wasn't a monster.  

A feeling foreign to me arose in my stomach, but I pushed it down swiftly. 

I turned and left the room, walking back to my own and welcoming the lonliness that awaited me.