XIX: Call for Help

... I don't know how we're going to be able to keep in touch anymore.... It's as if Nana has some sixth sense that can pick out anything related to you and destroy it. Your comm frequency has been blocked at her estate. Now she's burned your letters before I had the chance to even read them. There's got to be another way..I'm sure of it. Maybe you can come up with something. 

I love you, Daddy. 
B 

Okins slammed his fist down onto the desk in frustration and tossed the letter down. There's got to be some way to get through.... He looked up to see his fellow officers returning to their offices signaling the end of the lunch hour. As he turned back to his computer, the general office secretary came in and set a stack of files onto his desk.

"Your latest reports, sir." she said before turning back to her station out front.

"Thanks," he muttered, grabbing the first file off the stack and opened it. Scanning through the page's contents, he stopped upon reaching a familiar officer's name. He paused, leaning back in his chair, thinking, exchanging glances from the file in his hands to the letter sitting on his desk.

That's it! The admiral stood and moved to the filing cabinet in the corner of his office. He yanked open the top drawer and sorted through the folders until he found the file he was looking for. He flipped through it in his hands, then returned it to the cabinet. Pausing for a moment to correctly gather his thoughts Okins then stepped out of his office to address the secretary.

"Irma, contact the destroyer Exactor. I want Commander Brisard in my office by the end of the week."

XVIII: Letter Lost

Rebecca sat in her room at the window looking down at the grounds below. Everything had been relatively quiet at the house. After the last two weeks, she had practically run out of topics to argue about and the for the first time in week, she and her grandmother had been getting along fairly well.

A figure below caught her eye. The mail carrier was leaving the grounds. Rebecca immediately bolted from her window seat and scurried downstairs hoping to view the stack of envelopes before her guardian. She peered into the parlor where at this time of the afternoon, her grandmother usually sat by the fireplace and sipped her tea. Sure enough, the woman was seated in her usual armchair by the fire, her teacup in her hands. However, Rebecca's gaze focused on the small table beside the chair. There lay the stack of mail, untouched. Rebecca took a deep breath and walked into the room.

"Good afternoon, Nana." she smiled sweetly, walking over to where Elsa was sitting and giving her a small peck on the cheek.

"Rebecca dear," Elsa said, "It's nice to see you out of your room for a change. I missed you at lunch..."

"I'm sorry," she paused, "I wasn't very hungry."

"Not to worry. I had chef save you a platter for later."

"Thanks, Nana." Rebecca said, eying the mail. "Is that today's post?

"It is."

"...anything for me?"

Elsa put down her teacup and looked at her granddaughter. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"For the last two weeks you've come to me every day the post had been delivered asking me the same question."

"I'm just curious..." Rebecca answered, watching her grandmother sort through the stack of envelopes.

"I'm sure you--" Elsa paused, looking at one of the envelopes carefully. "So...this must be what you're so excited about, hmm? A letter from your father. How quaint."

Rebecca swallowed nervously. "May I have it, please?" she asked, quietly.

"No. You can not."

"Why??" she demanded. "You never said I couldn't write to him!"

"I told you I don't want any reference to your father in this household, Rebecca. That includes all correspondence-- including post."

Rebecca said nothing, looking long fully at the envelope in her grandmother's hands.

Elsa sighed. "I can see I'll just have to teach you a lesson the hard way." She said with a mix of calm and cold in her voice. "It's quite apparent my rules haven't sunken in to you yet, my darling. Let this serve as an example for you." She grasped the envelope firmly and tore it into quarters, tossing the pieces into the fire. "This is what will happen to any such letter I find delivered here with his name attached," Elsa stood and headed for the door. In the doorway, she paused and turned back to her granddaughter, "And if I find his letters continue to stream through our post, I will have to put harsher measures into place. Is that understood?"

Rebecca watched the envelope burn at the bottom of the fireplace. "Yes Nana..."

XVII: News from Home

Deroh Okins stepped off the lift at the seventh floor of the Imperial Naval headquarters on Coruscant. Walking past the secretary's station in the center of he main room, he proceeded to his office. The admiral unlocked the door and went inside, removing his coat and scarf and hanging them on a peg behind the door. He then reached over to his desk to switch on his computer. An sealed envelope in the corner of his desk caught his eye. He picked it up and examined it. Once he noticed it came from Corellia, he tore open the envelope and removed the paper inside, unfolding it and quickly scanning the page before reading. There were several small water stains scattered throughout the paper. He sighed, leaned back in his chair and began reading.

Dear Daddy, 

I hope Coruscant is treating you well. I remember when you took us there for my birthday. It's such an exciting place. I wish I could be there with you....somewhere where I'm actually loved.

It's only been one week since you've gone, and it's been the worst week I can ever remember. I feel like a slave here.... Nana's has wasted no time in making me feel worse than I could possibly imagine. The day after you left she rushed me to the courthouse and had my name changed to Everon, and then proceeded to tell me any mentioning of you would get me punished; yet she feels it's alright to go foul-mouthing you right in front of me, and at every possible opportunity. I know she's doing this on purpose. I just don't know how to make her stop without getting myself into trouble.

I miss you, Daddy. I wish we could go back and make sure none of this horror ever happened. I need you back, -- you and Mom. I can't live like this. It hurts too much. Please come back, take me home. 

Love you, Daddy 
B 

XVI: Lost Battles

Rebecca was startled out of her trance by a knocking at the door. "Rebecca darling-- it's time to eat? Won't you come down?" she heard from the other side of the door"

"....coming..." the girl replied. She trudged her way out of her room and followed her grandmother downstairs to the dining room.

"I had chef make your favorite," Elsa said, taking a seat at the head of the table. Rebecca sat towards the other end, far away from her grandmother. Once one of the kitchen staff brought in the food, Elsa immediately began eating. "Mmm, delicious. What do you think, dear?"

Rebecca only took the smallest of bites. "It's terrible."

"What? Why-- this is your favorite dish!"

"It's not how Mom used to make it..." Rebecca replied quietly.

"You'll just have to deal with it," Elsa replied harshly, "In case you haven't caught on yet, your mother isn't coming back."

"Thanks for the reminder." Rebecca said dryly, now picking at her dinner with her fork.

"Oh-- and I almost forgot. I'm taking you to the courthouse tomorrow--"

"Why?" Rebecca interrupted, " so you can take custody over my soul, too?"

"Don't give me that attitude, young lady. I would think you would be grateful for everything I've done for you!"

Rebecca angrily threw her fork down onto her plate, rose from her seat and glared at Elsa. "My mother was killed, and what did you do? You forcefully took me away from the only real family I have left! Why in kriff's name should I be grateful for anything you just did?!"

"I just saved you from being forced to live with a killer!" Elsa shrieked, also rising from her seat. "That man you call your father is a no good swine, incapable of compassion, and unable to properly care for you the way I can!"

"Don't you dare talk about my father! He's a great man! You're the only one too thick-headed to see that!"

"I'll hear no more of this." Elsa hissed. "Regardless of what your twisted sense of the truth is, you are coming with me and getting your surname changed to my own. I'll have no more references to that bastard in this estate-- and any future mentioning of his name from you will get you punished. Is that clear?" She waited for a response. "IS THAT CLEAR?"

Rebecca began to tremble, and unable to keep her emotions in check any longer, she stormed out of the room without a word, and ran back upstairs, slamming her bedroom door as loud as she could behind her.

Elsa slowly sank back into her seat with a wicked smile on her face. "Oh it's clear alright...."

XV: Moving in

Elsa led Rebecca through her large Coronet City villa, upstairs and stopped at one of the doors at the end of a long corridor. She opened it and led her granddaughter inside to a fairly large room.
"Here you are, honey--we fixed this up just for you. I hope it's to your liking."

Rebecca set her bag on a nearby table and looked around. There was a full size bed with far too many decorative pillows piled at the headboard surrounded by night stands on each side, a large antique vase on an end table in the corner next to a chair, two large windows along the back wall decorated with sheer white curtains tied back revealing a view of the grounds out back. The other side of the room had a dresser and mirror placed across from her bed, a small desk on the back wall, two doors at the corner of the room-- the closet, and one to a private fresher. Overall, she felt the room was a bit much for her personal taste, but she turned towards her grandmother. "It's fine, Grandma." She said quietly.

Elsa smiled. "Good. It'll suit you just fine then. Now, would you like any help unpacking?" Rebecca shook her head. "Alright then....I'll let you alone so you can get settled in-- my men will bring up the rest of your luggage." She left the room and closed the door behind her.

Rebecca opened her bag and began pulling out a few of her personal belongings, placing them around the room. One of which, the stuffed ewok she had since childhood, she picked up and went over to the bed and set it down in front of the massive frilly pillow-pile. She then hit the final item in her bag, a small framed holo projector. Returning to her bed, she sat down and pressed the small power button on the side of the frame. A projection of herself and her parents appeared with the imperial palace towering in the background. She placed the frame on her nightstand, lied down and just stared at the image, mesmerized by the love and serenity that it represented, wishing she could have those feelings again.

XIV: Saying Goodbye

At the landing pad at base 658, an imperial shuttle began prepping its engines. Outside at the ramp, Rebecca watched sadly as her father loaded the last of his luggage on board.

"Daddy, do I really have to go with Grandma?"

Deroh nodded, pulling her into a tight hug. "That's what the courts said, honey. I hate this just as much as you do..."

"But why can't I come back with you to Coruscant?"

"They feel I'm unsuitable to look after you because of my schedule. I tried to convince them you were strong enough to live on your own but they wouldn't hear of that either."

"This isn't fair..."Rebecca said quietly, holding back tears. "I'll still get to see you, won't I?"

"Of course. I'll always come home for the holidays and whenever I can. And--" He was interrupted as Elsa walked up and tugged on her granddaughter's arm.

"Come, sweetheart," she said. "Lets go home..."

"But..." Rebecca stammered, "I'm ...I don't want to go yet..."

Deroh glared at his mother-in-law. "Do you mind?"

"I do actually. Your shuttle wants to leave and I'd like to go home before I become ten years older."

 Deroh didn't take his glaring eyes off of Elsa. "Rebecca, could you take a few steps back?" he waited until his daughter was out of earshot before continuing. "You know, if I can take any satisfaction from you winning that custody battle, it's that I never have to see your sorry hide ever again." he growled.

 Elsa smirked. "So, you finally admit defeat. How noble of you."

"How noble of me? ME? That's cute coming from you. Now get the kark off your high horse and listen up. No, I haven't admitted defeat. If there's any loser here, it's you. I don't know how stupid you think I am, but I know you gave some serious shit testimony at that hearing. You think banning Rebecca and other character witnesses for my support from speaking would just slide right by? In any sane court, you would've been thrown out."

Elsa narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you getting at?"

"How is it that the one judge who finally manages to pick up the case happens to be one of your closest friends? And through all that obvious trash you presented, what made you win? I'd say you paid him off ahead of time."

"How dare you!" she hissed.

"You may have fooled the judges, but you didn't get me. You tried to hard and you know-- you only made the situation worse for yourself. YOU'RE the one who's stuck living with a terribly emotional teenage girl who by now probably hates your guts. So congratulations, Elsa." He paused, pointing an accusing finger at her face. "But...if I find out you brought any sort of harm onto my daughter, I will personally make sure you regret it." he turned back towards Rebecca.

"Was that a threat, Deroh?"

"You figure it out." He returned to Rebecca and brushed his finger over her cheek.
"Hey, don't cry cry, Becks." He said quietly, then pulled her into another hug. "I need you to be strong...if not for me then for Mom, alright? She wouldn't want you in tears. If she were here, she'd say make the best of every situation."

Rebecca cried into his shoulder. "If mom were here there wouldn't BE a situation..."

"Touche." He glanced behind him as the pilot beckoned him aboard. "Sweetheart, I have to go now. I'll write to you as soon as I can. Be strong, be well, and piss off Grandma to your heart's content."

Rebecca showed a weak smile. "I'll try, Daddy."

"That's my girl..." He kissed her forehead, gave her one last hug goodbye, then reluctantly retreated aboard the shuttle.

Rebecca took several steps back and watched as the shuttle switched into gear and took off, taking her father away, and feeling the same pain inside as years earlier--except now she felt it alone.

XIII: Funeral Furies

Rebecca, dressed head to toe in black, returned home by herself from her mother's funeral. Moving through the house, she walked out the back door, leaving her shoes on the steps and sat down on one of the swings. She set her hands in her lap and lowered her head, closed her eyes, and let the tears flow down her face, her thoughts full of guilt and shame.

She was pulled from her thoughts some time later when she felt a few drops of water fall. Turning her gaze towards the sky, she outstretched her hand, feeling a few more raindrops come down. The blue sky was being overtaken with dark rainclouds, and Rebecca realized now was the time to retreat back inside. Walking through the kitchen, she made her way to the foyer to go upstairs when she stopped, hearing an argument going on from inside her father's office. Curious, she pressed her ear to the door to hear.

"....You think that speech you gave at my daughter's grave makes up for what you did, that I can just forgive you for what you did to her and move on? Well forget it! You may have fooled everyone else at the service but you can't move me so easily. I--"

"I don't give a bothan's ass what you think, Elsa. Everything I said in that eulogy was true. Everyone at that service knew that-- everyone except you. You're too stuck up in your own ego to realize that.

"You killed her!"

"I LOVED her! What in kark's name would make me want to kill her?!"

"You tell me! You're the one who sent a laser blast through her chest."

"Oh shove off, Elsa. The coroner already debunked your theories. Stop grasping at straws to save your weak arguments.

"You MURDERED my daughter! You shot her in cold blood! I may not be able to convince the authorities of this, but I can assure you-- you'll pay for what you've done to my family!"

"And what, prey tell, do you expect to do? Contact the high command and have me stripped of my rank? That won't get you anywhere."

Tears streamed down Rebecca's cheeks continued to listen from the door, unable to pull away as there was the longest of pauses.

"No, but I'll make sure you don't harm anyone else I love ever again." Her voice then turned from hurt to almost sinister. "You can consider Rebecca under my custody as of tomorrow."

"WHAT?!" He shouted. His tone turned angrier as well. "You leave my daughter out of this."

"She won't be yours much longer, Deroh." She sneered. "I intend to fight over child custody. After what I have to say, you'll be the one grasping at straws."

"The girl is seventeen. In half a year she'll be a full adult--she can live on her own--hell, she can come back to Coruscant with me!"

"Not after what I have to give." she smirked. "Consider this your murder sentence, Admiral. I knew you were scum when I first laid eyes on you. I couldn't convince my sweet Cesera of that eighteen years ago before you got married, but I'll be damned if I let you ruin another of my flesh and blood!"

Rebecca heard a loud bang as her father slammed his fist into his desk. Unable to bear listening anymore, she scampered upstairs to her room, slamming the door and throwing herself onto her bed, crying.

"I'll settle this in court, Elsa. And I be damned if I let your wretched hide take my daughter away from me."

XII: 'Till Death do We Part...

"Don't you see?! You don't have to spend your life miserable here at home waiting. I know you've been reading that journal for face value, seeing my diagrams as mere pictures like a children's book. It doesn't have to be this way. Come with me, let me train you! Rebecca you have so much available talent, so much potential! Don't squander it!" He shifted his stance trying to keep his grip on her, however when he moved, a shiny cylindrical object that was hanging on his belt under his brown robe caught her eye.

"You...you're a Jedi, aren't you!" She yelled, horrified, continuing to struggle against your grip, "That's why you're calling yourself an outcast-- because our armed forces are supposed to be hunting you down. It all makes sense now. Why in kriff's name should I join you?? You're a criminal!"

"Because I can sense the good that you could do for the balance of the Force. There's far too much darkness thanks to the Emperor and his robotic slave! The rest of our kind need you." Desperate, "The Force needs you!"

"LET GO OF HER!" Cesera yelled, running through the snow towards them, aiming her blaster to Korban's chest. "Unhand my daughter!" She stopped a few feet back and held her aim, trying not to have her arms shake with nerves.

Korban looked from Rebecca to Cesera, "My dear lady, I have no intention of hurting your sweet daughter--if she listens to reason, that is."

Cesera glared at him, gathering more courage by the minute, "I'm going to start firing if you don't listen to reason and get away from her."

Korban shook his head then raised his free hand. Using the Force, he ripped the blaster out of Cesera's hands and dropped it in the snow at his feet. "Lady Okins, this affair does not concern you. This is between myself, and your lovely daughter."

"Over my dead body!" Cesera yelled, lunging at the Jedi.


Deroh Okins stepped out of the dry cleaners', saying goodbye to the shopkeeper. "I'll be back for my uniform in about two weeks. No rush, Rehmy'." He grinned. "Happy holidays to you." he buttoned up his coat and headed down the street towards home. The snow continued to fall, making his travel all the more difficult. As he continued down the road, making it past the town outskirts, he happened to glance down at the snow, noticing a set of footprints also aimed towards his house. The kriff? No one else lives out here for miles. Who's do these belong to? He continued closer to home and as if to answer his question, he happened to glance up, frozen in horror at the sight before him. 


Rebecca was pushed into the snow as her mother lunged at Korban. As she got to her knees and watched the sight before her, she couldn't help but think everything was happening so fast. And then things became normal paced again. She got to her feet to see Korban latched onto her mother in a threatening manner.

"Child, don't you see..." he began, his tone no longer sounding like an encouraging mentor but rather a desperate tutor, "...she's trying to hold you back! Now listen to me, child, and listen good. I don't want to hurt your dear sweet mother, but you are leaving me with little to no choice. Now, will you join me or not??" He demanded.

Rebecca shifted her glance helplessly between mother and Korban, unsure what to say or what to do. Before she could give her response however, she noticed a black clothed figure moving closer. She wiped the snow from her face to get a better look, and gave a huge sigh of relief upon identification.

"Daddy!" She exclaimed.

Deroh Okins motioned for his daughter to duck down to the ground and quickly unholstered his blaster from his belt, firing a warning shot straight up in the air to get the Jedi's attention. He turned to Korban and aimed the barrel at the Jedi's head.

Cesera quickly scanned the area and finally caught sight of her husband. "Deroh please..." she cried out to him. "Stop him..."

"Cesera, duck down!" He shouted and waited a few seconds for his wife to lower her head slightly, seeing as she was unable to do much else while in Korban's grip. Without uttering another word, he took careful aim and fired, hitting with precision that the bolt grazed the side of the Jedi's head, leaving a vertical blood mark down the side of his face.


Korban shook his head a few times to regather his bearings, realizing the situation could not be salvaged, turned to Rebecca and said with a cold sneer, "I see that was your decision. For now, at least. You haven't seen the last of me...."

Rebecca stared at him in horror, not missing a single detail as the next few moments seemed to occur as if slow motion:

Korban reaching into his robes. A flash of blue light. A loud humming sound. A bright blue light saber beam puncturing right through her mother's chest. And her mother's lifeless body dropping into the snow.

XI: Dangerous Confrontations

Late in the morning, Rebecca snapped awake. She quickly rolled out of bed and rushed to her calendar. The current date, December 23rd, was circled in bright colors. Getting excited, the seventeen year old got dressed as quickly as she could and practically threw herself downstairs and into the kitchen where her mother was cooking.

"Daddy's coming home today!!" she exclaimed, practically jumping up and down in place, unable to fully contain her excitement.

Cesera smiled, "Yes, love, I know! Now calm down before you hurt yourself!"

"But I can't! When is he supposed to arrive?....Now?"

"No, not yet." Cesera laughed, "in about..." she looked over at the chrono at the oven,"two or so hours from now. He said he had to make some stops on the way in."

Hearing that news calmed Rebecca down ever so slightly, "Oh. I guess that leaves me time to eat something." She said. Walking past her mother, she went over to the bread box for some toast when she happened to look out the window. "It's snowing! YES!" she turned completely around and dashed to the main hall closet. Opening it, she snatched out her scarf, earmuffs, boots and coat, and quickly put them on. Cesera followed her daughter to the front door.

"But Rebecca-- you haven't eaten yet! You can't go outside now."

"Not hungry anymore, Mom!" the girl exclaimed, going out the front door and into the snow. Cesera watched from the front windows. Shaking her head, she turned back and returned to the kitchen.

Rebecca walked through the snow towards the base of their driveway. Moving onto the snow covered grass, she started to form large mounds of snow together, attempting to make a sculpture. Taking a few steps back, she tilted her head, examining her work, making sure she was satisfied with her creation thus far. She then knelt into the snow and rolled enough of it into a ball to form the head.

After she finished her first sculpture, she began making another one of the same size. By now the snowfall was becoming heavier giving her more material to work with.

"That's a nice snowman." Said a strange voice behind her. Rebecca turned. Standing at the gate was a man in old, tattered looking tunic and pants under an even more tattered brown robe. The man's face was buried in the over sized hood yet she could still feel his gaze on her.

Rebecca gave a small smile. "Thank you, sir." She said.

The man nodded. "You're quite talented, Rebecca."

Rebecca stared at him for a minute. "You know my name? Have we met before?"

The man chuckled, shaking his head, "in person face to face...no. However I feel I've known you for years."

"I don't understand. Who are you?" Rebecca asked, "and...can you please take off your hood? I'd feel better if I could see your face."

The man reluctantly lowered his hood and looked back at her. He had brown eyes and short brown hair with tiny spots of grey showing in various places. From first look, he appeared to be in his late twenties to early thirties, however he had a worn down look to him.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Korban." He said.

"And how do you know me...if we've never met before?"

Korban rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a bit of a long story..."

Rebecca looked at him inquisitively. "I've got about two hours to spare."

"It started about nine years ago. There were caves along the Coronet City coastline. Well, I had been living out of one of them for some time. I guess you can say I've been a social outcast for a long time." Korban chose his words carefully, "There were many others like me who lived in some of the other caves and in the woods nearby, who had been...arrested by imperial troops. Their makeshift homes and personal belongings were being destroyed. Well, I've heard these troops were getting closer and closer to my cave...so in order to preserve my way of life, I wrote down everything I knew into a journal. I had planned on burying the book and then returning for it sometime later but fate had other plans...."

Rebecca raised her brow at him, brushing snow out of her face as Korban continued.

"...a little girl with red hair, around eight or nine years of age, happened to wander into my cave as I was looking for a good hiding place for my journal. I had just enough time to conceal myself when this little girl finds my book and starts flipping through it, almost immediately lost in its contents..."

"Little girl...red ha--" she paused, realization hit her, "That was me, wasn't it. The journal I found...was yours?"

Korban nodded, forming a smile. He put his hands on the gate and leaned forward. "I knew once you started reading through it that that book was meant for you...the...Force made it so."

Rebecca blinked, not understanding. "The...Force?"

"Yes. The Force surrounds us. It's in you and me, and everything. It surrounds us, penetrates us, makes things grow. Some individuals have more strength in the Force than others. You for example, are stronger in the Force than others."

Rebecca shook her head, "I don't feel any strength from this so called 'Force'. You're crazy." she said, turning to go back to her house when Korban reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Only because you are untrained. I know you've been reading that journal. I can help you understand the ways of the Force...to use this power the way you've been destined to...."


Cesera put her roast in the oven and checked the chrono. When is that girl coming inside?! She headed to the front door and opened it, "Alright Rebecca, time to come inside an..." She noticed Rebecca all the way at the gate to the driveway with a male figure. She squinted, trying to make out the man's face through the snow. She took a few steps outside to get a better look. Then the man's face came into view. Why does that man look familiar? Where have I seen him before....

Suddenly it struck her, and she ran back inside to the kitchen. She tore through several drawers until she finally found what she was looking for: an old piece of paper. More specifically, a "WANTED" poster dating back nine years. Taking the paper with her, she returned to the front door, and studied man's face again, checking it with the image on the sheet. To her horror and dismay, she realized who she was staring at.

She gasped, barely making out "Oh dear Maker..."Cesera quickly looked around the house for a weapon. She stopped at her husband's office, standing in front of his blaster cabinet. Finding the key hidden in his desk drawer, she unlocked the glass doors and took out the first hand blaster she could get her hands on. She examined it quickly, having never used the weapon before in her life, then ran outside into the snow...

X: First Encounters

The Imperial Palace, the tallest and largest structure on Coruscant shined brightly in the night sky. Tonight, the Emperor was to be hosting one of his elite receptions inside one of the splendid reception halls. Down at the streets and platforms below, speeders and other transports arrived one after another as many of Emperor Palpatine’s closest personal and military advisors arrived with their company for the event.

Among the many guests to arrive, Deroh Okins stepped out of his speeder sporting his official dress uniform. Outstretching his hand, he helped Rebecca out of the vehicle, wearing a dark green halter floor length gown, her wavy red hair half up in a bun. Once out of the speeder, Rebecca looked up in awe at the magnificence of the Imperial Palace.

“This is the Imperial Palace?? It’s so much grander than I had imagined…” Rebecca said.

Deroh smiled, taking his daughter’s arm. “Just wait until you’re inside.” He said, escorting her inside the palace, “When it comes to his personal residence, his Majesty the Emperor spares no expense.”

Rebecca nodded, taking in all of the sights. “How often have you been here?”

“I get called to report in every once in a while.”

“And you’ve never gotten lost through here?” She asked, surprised.

Deroh shook his head. “Not that I recall. Every time I’ve been here I’ve gone straight from a landing platform to the Emperor’s throne room. It’s a pretty direct route.”

As they entered the reception hall, Rebecca stopped to take in the view. The room was packed with dignitaries, politicians, high ranking officers, members of the Emperor’s circle.

“Daddy, do you know all of these people??” She asked.

Deroh scanned the room. “I know a few. Mostly officers.” He led her slowly through the crowd, pointing out several familiar faces. “There’s Admiral Denbur, he shares the naval office with me right now…over there there’s Moff Tarkin chatting with Admiral Daala…”

Rebecca nodded. "Is the Emperor here, too?"

Deroh led his daughter onto the dance floor and began waltzing, occasionally looking through the crowd of dancers and socializers, "It's his gala, I'm sure he's around here som--" he paused, "I think he's over there. Look," he said, pointing over the crowd," See that tall man in black? With the black mask on the other side of the room-- That's Lord Darth Vader, my boss. The Emperor is no doubt walking with him."

"Darth Vader is your BOSS?! You never mentioned that to Mom..." she exclaimed, wide eyed in shock.

"That's because your mother would no doubt have a heart attack due to the news," he replied, twirling her. "And don't tell her about it either."

Rebecca smiled, "I won't. I promise. What's he like for a boss?"

"There's no tougher supervisor in the entire galaxy, lets just put it that way." He said, choosing his words carefully.

"That sounds difficult..." she said as she stopped dancing, the song ending.

Deroh lead her off of the dance floor and back through the crowd, "You have no idea."

Rebecca hesitated, "are you going to introduce me to him? I'd still love to meet your boss, Daddy..."

"No, absolutely not." He replied, shaking his head. "Lord Vader isn't one to be known for his social graces. He's here because of the Emperor--and besides, the man is not someone I want you associating with. He's....always in the foulest of moods-- I don't want you getting yourself hurt."

Rebecca tried not to look upset and quickly scanned the room for the mask moving about high over the crowd. "Alright, Daddy. I understand. She paused, I'm going to wander around...grab a drink. I'll be right back," she smiled.

Deroh smiled, " Alright, sweetheart. Just don't accept any comm frequencies from any of these hot-shots."

"I won't," she laughed, going deep into the crowd and out of sight.



"I sense your discomfort, my friend." Emperor Palpatine said to his apprentice. The two Sith lords walked out of the crowd to the end of the room.

"No, my master."

"You cannot hide it from me, my apprentice. I know you all too well."

Defeated, Vader replied. "I have never enjoyed events such as these, my master. I am better suited in more...commanding locations, overseeing the fleet."

The Emperor shot Vader a dark look, half hidden under his hood. "It is I who will decide where you shall be at all times, Lord Vader. And it matters not to me if you are enjoying your surroundings."

"Yes, my master."

"Good. Now, I must take my leave of this formal function for I have other pressing matters to attend to." The Emperor stated, giving a wicked smile to his servant. "You, my friend, will remain here and oversee this reception. Make sure everything runs...smoothly."

Vader tried his best to hide his displeasure, "As you wish, my master." The Emperor nodded, turned slowly and left the reception hall through a side door. Once the Emperor had gone, Vader turned back towards the crowded room, arms crossed, and began watching the guests chat among themselves. Eventually growing impatient of eavesdropping on the conversations of countless dignitaries and their wives, the Sith lord retreated to the nearby balcony to vent, setting his hands on the railing and settled for looking out at the Coruscant skyline.

"Credit for your thoughts, Lord Vader?" asked a quiet voice behind him. Turning slowly, his gaze set on the young red haired woman standing before him with a wine glass in her hand.

"What do you want of me?" The Sith lord snarled, resting his hands on his belt.

The woman shook her head. "Nothing, my lord," she stuttered, "I--I just noticed you here by yourself and thought...." she paused, lowering her head, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to disturb you."

Vader stared at her for a long moment before responding, the harshness in his tone diminishing a bit, "It is...alright, milady. I can see you have meant no harm."

"Rebecca gave the slightest of smiles, "Do you always attend these parties by yourself?"

"No, milady. If I had my own way, I wouldn't attend these functions at all. My place is aboard my Star Destroyer, not playing babysitter for the Emperor's guests." He said, trying to keep his anger in check.

Rebecca nodded, "I see. This is my first party. My father doesn't usually get invited to one of these events." She said, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.

"Are you not a member of nobility, Milady?" Vader asked, intrigued. "Who is your father?"

"Admiral Okins, Lord Vader." she said, then covered her mouth. "Oh...I'm sorry. I never introduced myself. My name is Rebecca," she curtsied.

"A lovely name," he replied, becoming more engaged in conversation, "I know of your father well, young one. His promotion to admiral was most deserving." He paused, looking back to the reception hall briefly before returning his gaze onto Rebecca. "You are...enjoying yourself? All of the wealth of the Empire is here for you to enjoy tonight."

"I'm trying to. This party is full of strangers. Aside from my father, you seem to be the only other person I feel I know...and I haven't even met you until just now." She said quietly.

"Milady, a woman of your beauty should not fear such an occasion as this." He approached her and gestured to the reception room. "Surely there are others attending this reception that would make better company than myself..."

She shook her head, "Like I said before, my lord. I don't know anyone else. I'm much more comfortable being away from the crowd in this instance," she said, taking a sip of her wine.

Vader stared at her, intrigued that she would rather spend the evening with him rather than inside with the other guests. He was about to comment when Admiral Okins' voice was heard from inside the reception hall.

Rebecca turned to the door quickly, then back to Vader. "I'm sorry, Lord Vader-- I'm afraid I must be going..my father is calling for me."

Darth Vader nodded. "As you wish, milady."

Rebecca gave another curtsy. "It was a pleasure meeting you, my lord." Flashing one last smile, she quickly ducked back into the party.

Vader watched her go intently. "The pleasure, milady, was all mine..."