Star Crossed

II

"You stupid, insolent girl!" Jo squeezed her eyes shut as tears streamed down her face, tears for her people. "My family gave you everything. You swore to protect us- how could you betray me?" Jo's voice cracked as she opened her eyes to look at Leia. Despite the utter destruction she just faced, she still had a job to do. "Traitor-" She spat with all the malice she could muster up. "You pathetic traitor-" Leia's eyes shined brightly as she gave Jo a terrified look. There was a second when Jo realized Leia didn't know her plan, she didn't know her words were supposed to paint her as the Princess. Leia truly believed Jo was angry with her.

Good. That would help her situation.

"Governor Tarkin, it seems we've discovered our Princess." Darth Vader spoke evenly as his grip on Jo tightened. She winced slightly before she paled. Her plan worked exactly as she expected it to, but now she wasn't sure what happened next... to either of them. "Commander, escort the Decoy back to her cell, we will deal with her later." His orders were executed immediately as several Imperial officers grabbed Leia and pulled her away from Jo, Vader and Governor Tarkin.

Jo looked back at Leia desperately. The girl was still shaken up from witnessing the death of her planet and the betrayal from her friend, which left her momentarily speechless.

As the door closed with Leia on the other side of it, Jo could breathe slightly better. At least for now, she was safe from execution.

"Now, Ambassador, why don't we have a little chat?" Jo turned to stare into the cool eyes of Governor Tarkin.

"You'd sooner cut my throat open then get me to speak against the Rebel Alliance." Jo spat with as much saturated hatred she could rise.

Lord Vader's breath grew in volume as he stepped up beside Jo. His gloved hand gripped her upper arm tightly, forcing a wince from her. "There's a lot of hatred in this one." The low hum of his breathing did little to soothe her. "She won't speak, but the death of an Ambassador... that will speak volumes." Jo's breathing caught in her throat at the thought.

A public execution... her death will be broadcasted across the galaxy... but at least the right people will know that the real princess still lives.

"Return her to her cell, tomorrow will be her last day." Governor Tarkin seemed pleased with the order as he gave Jo a satisfied smirk.

"Do enjoy it, I will be first to see you tomorrow." He bowed to Jo before he walked out of the vast comm room.

Jo gulped and couldn't think of a witty reply before his departure. Even when he was gone no thought came to her mind, nothing other than her untimely death.

"You think my death will be anything other than a beacon for the Rebel Alliance? They will use my death to preach their cause. I will be a martyr-" The words left Jo's mouth without her consent. It seemed in times of great distress, she finally figured out how to sound like a true Politician- but it was more than that... she sounded like a Rebel General. "You will not win this, no matter how many public figures you execute- there will always be more light to fight the dark. You will not disrupt the balance-"

"The Jedi use to believe that the balance would never be destroyed... now there are no more Jedi Knights, and the Sith rule over the Galaxy." Vader leaned forward, barely making a dent in his seven foot stature. "Take her away."

Jo didn't say anything as she let the Imperial Officers pull her away.

Their tight grip on her arms was nothing compared to the previous torture, or the internal turmoil she felt just thinking about what was to come tomorrow.

How would they do it? Quick with a Lightsaber? Or slow to drag it out for all to see?

The thoughts plagued Jo's mind the entire walk back to her cell. She didn't even put up a fight as they opened the door and threw her in. As she landed on her knees, she stayed bent over as the door closed behind her. When she was alone she let the fearful tears fall.