Horizons ( Luke Skywalker )

chapter XII

Warning: It gets a bit violent in this chapter as Vader's choking party-trick comes into play...

Luke was having a hard time concentrating on the emperor when Mara was throwing her force sense at him. It was a flood of emotions and thoughts, of warnings. And underneath it all was the undeniable fear. It turned Luke cold, the extent of it. He couldn't make out what she was trying to get across to him. It was all too much. But he knew she was on her way; absolutely nothing was keeping her from getting to him.

Luke's eyes drifted to the emperor who was reclining on his throne but then quickly turned to Vader who stood beside Palpatine. He had stayed quiet the entire time, not uttering a single word, but simply observing the conversation that took place before him. Luke was curious to what Vader's purpose was at that particular moment but he didn't dwell on his curiosity for long. His mind couldn't seem to stay on one thought.

His muscles tensed as Mara grew closer, and he tried to remind himself to concentrate on his surroundings. It was impossible. Why was Mara so afraid for him? Luke could always rely on Mara to be collected and calm, the voice of reason. Now, she was anything but. She was a storm, tearing through everything in her path, her mind raging like the harsh winds on Tatooine.

"I've been told of your fighting skill." Luke hadn't been listening to the emperor but he somehow heard every word. Palpatine was observing him with a knowing eye, and Luke couldn't help but wonder if the emperor was in his head as well.

"I still have much to learn." Luke forced the words out, his concentration still on trying to protect himself mentally from Mara's barrage of emotions. It was taking everything he had to look poised; he felt he would give at any moment. He tried to talk back to her, to ask her to shield the harsher emotions, but she didn't hear anything. It was like a one way connection.

"I'm sure, but how about a little test for you?" Palpatine replied, forcing Luke's attention back on him. His lips turned up in a sour smile; he was a greedy man but he knew why Luke was so unfocused. He knew everything about him and Mara and their mutual feelings for each other. It was amusing to watch them, and Mara's fear for Luke only encouraged Palpatine.

"A test?" Luke asked, suspicion rising. As he began to wonder what Palpatine was truly up to, the double doors behind him flew up. Luke didn't have to look to see who had joined them. Mara's presence lit up the room, a blazing light in his mind's eye. He never turned to face her; he couldn't.

"Ah, Mara Jade," Palpatine called out joyfully. "Right on time!" His right hand marched in with her head held high, looking as untouchable as always. Anyone who wasn't force sensitive wouldn't have been able to tell how out of control her emotions were, just bubbling under the surface, ready to erupt. If anything could be said for Mara, it would be that she had impeccable self restraint.

"We were just informing Luke of his mission," Vader said, speaking up for the first time since Luke had arrived. As always, his voice rumbled through Luke's chest, making him want to cringe at the unnatural sound. He would think of his father as not completely human and then look down at his own synthetic hand. How long would it take before Luke was like Vader, lost completely?

The thought was unbearable. That's what he would be at the end of his mission, just a copy of Vader. A puppet that killed whenever the emperor demanded it. "I can't," Luke snapped, staring at his glove covered hand. He kept his eyes trained on it, as if drawing strength from the constant reminder that he wasn't completely Luke. "I'm not ready yet."

"Did you say you can't?" At the emperor's cold words, Luke looked back up at him, suddenly becoming just as scared as Mara. He could feel her beside him, the heat emanating from her body and warming his, their shoulders just barely touching. The back of her hand brushed his before flying upwards towards her throat.

Luke looked at her, horrified as she began to double over, gasping for breath. The horrid sounds of her choking filled his ears and he reached out, grabbing onto her to keep her from falling to the ground.

"What are you doing?" He asked Vader in a panic. Vader didn't respond, only raised his hand higher, cutting off more of Mara's oxygen. She spluttered in Luke's arms, her legs giving out from under her.

"I'm motivating you," Palpatine told him and watched with cold eyes as his right hand was being suffocated.

"You're going to threaten me with her life?" Luke gripped her tighter. Her fingers clawed at her neck, leaving angry red marks in their wake.

"Will you let me?" The emperor asked, showing no signs of stopping Vader's torture.

What would happen if he called the emperor's bluff? Would Palpatine really go so far that he'd allow Mara's death? In the end, he just wouldn't be able to trust him.

There was nothing else for Luke to do. "Stop it," he pleaded. "Stop it! I'll do what you ask." And with that, his fate was sealed. Giving up Mara's life wasn't worth anything, not even his own. He found he made the decision with no regrets, only anger. He was angry that Palpatine had allowed Mara to be treated in such a way. He was angry that it was all for him. And he was angry because he had been manipulated.

Mara held on tightly to Luke's arms as she leaned against him, still trying to regain her breath. For just a moment, she had been on the brink of passing out. If only she had had a little warning, she might have done better but it was all so sudden. Palpatine had never warned her, never told her about his little plan with tricking Skywalker. Bitterness twisted her gut and burned at her throat. She had been made into a pawn all for the sake of Luke.

"Very good," the emperor said with a smile. His gaze narrowed in on Luke's, who glared up at him with pure, untampered hatred. "Remember your oath to me," he told Luke darkly, forcing the memory of his vow into his mind.

"Remember yours," Luke snarled. The venom in his words would have been enough to stun any man but Palpatine looked quite nonchalant. He sighed as he leaned back, looking almost bored, and turned to Vader.

"Take the boy to his quarters," he commanded with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Discuss plans with him while I converse with Jade."

"Yes, master," Vader replied dutifully. Mara's heart sank as Vader stalked towards Luke. He tore him away from her, pushing him into the direction of the doors. Even as Luke regretfully left her side, their minds stayed connected, comforting each other the only way they could.

Mara still found it difficult to stand on her own; her figure slouched as she struggled for every breath of air that burned through her throat.

"Steady your breathing, Mara," Palpatine gently told her. "I knew Skywalker would give in."

"I know, my lord." But there was no conviction to her words and she wondered if she truly knew anything anymore.