Rescue for a Sith Princess

Chapter 15

A.N. Hello again, another chapter for your delight! Just a couple more chapters to go!

The Emperor now turned his speech towards Leia. "Tochter, you choose. Kill Skywalker, and your love is set free. You can be with him forever. If you fail me...he will die."

Leia thought her legs would give out beneath her as the room spun around her. Choose? How am I supposed to choose? She turned her gaze from the Emperor back to Luke. He was the Light. She was so close to it, could sense its warmth filling her. Luke gave her a compassionate nod, but Leia could detect a hint of panic in his features.

Then Leia brought her eyes to meet Han's. The second they locked eyes, she felt a pain worse than anything she had suffered settle in her heart. Brimming with tears, Han's eyes were so weary. Leia remembered how much they sparkled when he first took off his stormtrooper helmet. Mostly dull now, Leia could only see a hint of a sparkle left. And somehow, she knew that sparkle was for her. It was love.

"Go to the Light, Leia," Han croaked.

Leia's heart plummeted into her gut. "What?"

Han cleared his throat and winced a little at a pain in his side. "Go on, go to the Light Side  with Luke. Don't worry about me."

"No, no Han." Leia's voice choked. "Don't do this to me."

A tear slipped out of Han's eye and rolled down his cheek. "You have to go. It's where you belong."

Leia walked briskly up to the platform where Han knelt. She grabbed his face with both of her hands, brushing stray tendrils of scruffy hair out of his face. "But I love you!" Then she firmly planted her lips on his, feverishly hoping it wouldn't be the last time.

Their foreheads touched now. Leia whispered again, "I love you."

"I know," Han replied tenderly. "And you have to know...you need to go because I love you. So much."

"I've seen enough of this!" The Emperor snapped suddenly. "If you can't make up your mind, let me help you."

The Emperor ripped Leia away from Han, then struck him with several bolts of lightning. Leia screamed and watched Han in horror. He convulsed back and forth on the floor, while his voice became hoarse with raw cries for mercy.

"Now!" The Emperor shouted above the crackling electricity. "Make. Your. Choice!"

Leia's heart beat rapidly in her chest, her eyes darting from Han's face contorted in agony,  to the Emperor's wicked smile, then to Luke. His eyes were closed, blue lightsaber raised upright in front of his body, and his expression solemn. Leia almost became angry at him for his serenity at a time like this, but stopped when she felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over her. Through all of the darkness Luke's voice penetrated her mind, like a ray of sunlight through storm clouds. You know what to do. The Force is with you...always.

Without missing a beat, Leia's lightsaber activated at her side. She spun around from facing Luke and swung an attack towards the Emperor. Having already sensed the disturbance in the Force, the Emperor was prepared for her assault and countered with striking one hand of lightning against Leia's blade. He continued Han's torture with the other hand. 

Leia jolted backwards as a result, not expecting the power that surged through her lightsaber. As she struggled to maintain the hold on her weapon, Luke ran around to attempt a hit at the Emperor from behind. The Emperor was too fast, as he stopped electrocuting Han and threw Luke roughly against the wall with a massive Force push. Luke fell to the floor and lay limp.

The Emperor returned his attention to Leia, now striking her with lightning from both hands. Leia's arms trembled with effort as she attempted to fend him off. She could feel him overpowering her, the Dark Side rolling off of his electricity like waves. Leia's vision became spotty as she started to weaken and lose control. This is how it ends. The Force is with you...always. Leia suddenly remembered saying to Han during their first meeting, I still have this pull to the Light, and I don't know why.

Now I know why.

Leia exhaled a deep breath, closed her eyes, and searched for peace. It had to be there somewhere.

"Leia? You didn't think you could leave without saying goodbye, could you?"

The Princess spun around and her face broke into a wide smile. "Papa!" She ran up to Bail Organa and wrapped her arms around his waist. Bail gathered her up in a large embrace, holding her head to his chest.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked warily.

Leia nodded slowly. "I'm a Rebel. It's my duty to the galaxy."

"Definitely your father's daughter." Her father pressed a light kiss to the top of her head. "You are so brave, Leia. I couldn't be prouder."

Leia separated from their hug. "You'll be prouder when I return with the mission accomplished," she said with a cheeky grin. She stood on her tiptoes and gave Bail a quick peck to the cheek before turning around to board the Tantive IV.

"May the Force be with you," he called out.

"Admit defeat!" The Emperor snarled. "Or meet your fate, Tochter."

Leia's face broke into a huge grin, her eyes lighting up as the Light flooded through her. "I am not Tochter. I am Princess Leia Organa, the Rebel. Like my father before me."

With newfound strength in the Force flowing through her, Leia was stunned as she witnessed her blood red lightsaber transform into radiant white. She lifted her leg up and gave a hard kick to the Emperor's chest, breaking the contact between them. The Emperor somersaulted backwards and landed roughly on the floor. Leia's lightsaber deactivated and shot across the room.

Leia could hear the Emperor wheezing, and she moved to retrieve her weapon. With startling strength, the Emperor grasped Leia's throat in a Force choke and drew her from across the room. He arose and straightened his posture, holding Leia above his head with his tight grip. She clawed at her throat, begging inwardly for air.

"So be it. Rebel." The Emperor spat. He released his hold and tossed her violently to the floor. He drew up his hands with a cruel smile and sent hot bolts of lightning into Leia's body.

The Emperor looked up from Leia and noticed Darth Vader standing in the entry to the throne room.

"Ah yes, you are just in time, Lord Vader. Witness the demise of our enemy, your daughter, Princess Leia Organa."