Adults only!

"Lady Tarkin." The deep, mechanical voice behind her made her turn quickly and bow, her face, which always looked pale against her black Imperial uniform, turning a distinct shade lighter. She lowered her eyes from the masked face, ashamed.

"Lord Vader, forgive me. I did not sense your approach," Alys Tarkin greeted him with a smile, an attempt at penance.

"Your mind is troubled." The Sith Lord, one of the last of a dying race, fell into step beside her. She glanced over at Vader, who had been her teacher in the Force since her father's return from the outer colonies to greater power.

"A dream, my Master," she admitted.

"What did you see, child?" he asked her. She sighed inwardly-she hated being called "child" and suspected that Vader used the term specifically to irritate her.

"I saw… I saw the destruction of this station, my Lord. I fear we are in danger from the Rebel Alliance." She paused. "I tried to tell my father, but he laughed at me."

"Never underestimate the power of the Dark Side, my young apprentice. Your dream may have some merit to it-perhaps warning us of an impending attack. The Alliance will not be able to destroy this station," Vader stated confidently.

"Are you certain, my Lord?" she asked. He let out a loud breath-his version of a sigh. "Of course I'm certain."

"Then I trust your judgment, my Lord." She bowed. Continuing down the hallway, they soon reached the door to Vader's quarters.

"Come. It is time for your lesson."

"Yes, my Lord." Obediently, she followed him into the darkened room, where the only furniture was the huge pressurized globe that gradually was allowing Vader to breathe without his machinery.

"Open it," Vader commanded her. Closing her eyes, Alys called on the Force and, lifting her finger slightly, easily opened the pressurized dome. She held the cover suspended above them. "Well done. Now close it." This was her daily exercise. She gently lowered the lid back into place and it settled there with hardly a sound.

"Good." Vader was silent a moment, then she heard his voice speaking in her mind, through the Force. *There is a question on the edge of your mind. Ask it. Use the Force.* She looked at him, surprised, for a long moment. Never had he permitted her to question him in any form- and yet, she knew he must know what the question on her mind must be.

*My Lord, it's personal. It's not my place--*

*You may ask me what you wish. I grant you this privilege today.*

*Thank you, my Lord.* she paused and bowed slightly to him. *My Lord… what happened to you? Why must you wear that armor-why can you not breathe?* she asked. Vader was silent for a moment and she could feel anger, rage-and resentment-emanating from him, but it was not directed at her.

*My Lord, if I have upset you--*

*I have told no one,* he interrupted. *No one has ever asked. They have always responded with fear, instead. No one has ever cared enough TO ask. Even your father does not know the whole truth.* Vader's voice in her mind was soft and gentle-human, not mechanical-and full of emotion. He reached out a gloved hand to touch her cheek, and she was stunned at the shiver of excitement that shot through her at even this gloved, brief contact, astonished at her body's reaction to his sudden nearness. She fought to cover it, but he noticed.

"You shivered. I disgust you," he said aloud, withdrawing from her mind and stepping back from her. She immediately missed his presence there, his closeness. Once again there was a chasm between them. He'd been about to open up to her, she was certain of it… and then he had stopped, throwing up the walls around his heart before he could be hurt.

"No, my Lord!" she protested at once. "It was-I'd say as far from disgust as you can get. Scan my memory if you like," she said, lowering all of her shields. He was silent again for a moment and then she felt the slightest, tentative brush against her mind. She reached for his hand, and to her surprise he allowed her to take it. "Please, my Lord. Know the truth. My heart is yours," she told him. Still, he said nothing, but his presence in her mind grew more certain. Then, he withdrew…and drew her roughly to him, his armor pressing against her, but she didn't care. Suddenly her mind flooded with imagery, a lightsaber battle, a lava pit… pain. Pain so intense she couldn't breathe, but always his presence there, ready to pull her out should she fall too deep into his memories. For they were his memories, she was certain. She saw children, a boy, a girl, a woman, beautiful-looking very much like her, Alys realized. She had the same soft brown hair, the same slender build, roughly the same height, the same eyes. And a name, his hatred for this name obvious. Obi-Wan Kenobi. His former master, who had done this to him.

"By the Force," she whispered. "My Lord, I… it's horrible, what he did to you." She was breathless-she could still feel his pain, the incredible, intense pain. He had nearly died, and by the time he had dragged himself out of the molten pit, Obi-Wan was gone.

"Is this what you wanted to know?" he was angry-she could feel his rage within the very depths of her being. "Is this what you wanted to see? Answer me!" He grasped her hair, holding her captive, close to him.

"My Lord… Ani." The name fluttered across her mind, a stray, scattered thought, but she could feel the force of it hitting him like a slap and his grip on her hair tightened, pulling, hurting her.

"Never call me that!" he hissed angrily, and she bowed her head despite his grasp on her hair.

"Forgive me, my Lord." His grip lightened and she fell to her knees before him. "No one should have to go through what you did. I want to help you." She could feel tears coursing down her cheeks, but he remained still, stiff, silent. A statue… except for the rage he was fighting to control. Silently, she gave up on her stumbled attempt at speech and lowered her shields on her mind again, reaching out with her own mind to touch his, communicating without words through the Force what she wanted to say. She laid her heart bare before him, offering herself to him to do with her what he pleased. She let him take whatever memories from her mind he wanted-let him see all of her life… and suddenly, he reached out and grasped her arms, lifting her to her feet. His rage, tightly bottled again and controlled, had faded, replaced by something else, something stronger, which he had kept hidden well over the years he'd been teaching her. Desire.

No more words were necessary between them. Master and Student ceased to exist-they became only man, and woman. Slowly she lifted the cover off of his pressurized dome again, pulling him towards it. He followed willingly, allowing her to lead him. Usually, it was the other way around, and Alys found she liked this change. They entered his dome together, and he sat, as she knelt before him and gently lowered the cover over them. She heard it click softly into place, sealing them in.

Slowly, she reached up and lifted the mask off of Vader's face. She could feel him quieting his mind, enough that he could breath on his own, and suddenly the rage which she had felt was replaced by an elation, an intense feeling of pure joy as he removed the apparatus that allowed him to speak. He didn't need it, not with her. If words were necessary, which they weren't, they could use the Force to speak.

Taking the machine that covered his chest, she gently lifted it off, laying it aside, unclasping his long black cape. Soon, there was no machinery, no clothing between them. His body, scarred horribly but still recognizably human, hers, young and undamaged. Something changed in his Force sense, she realized. The pure joy, the happiness, the elation she felt were of his ability to breathe-and to be with her, with no barriers between them. When he was here… he was of the Light Side, she realized. Here, he was completely Light Jedi, not Dark-and it was drawing her in, too… as his lips covered hers for the first time. The sensation was incredible. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders she gave herself into the sensations, allowing him to worship her body the way she realized now that he'd wanted to from the first time they'd met.

When it was over, she lay in his arms, breathing heavy for a few moments, as he held her silently, tears coursing down his cheeks. She reached up to brush them away, and he cried soundlessly into her shoulder. She held him, without a word, finding herself fighting tears herself. She wondered, idly, how long it had been since he'd last been with a woman.

*More years than I care to think about, my love* he told her through the Force, and they held each other in silence until at last they both slept.

<><><>

She awoke to find herself in Vader's arms, surprised to find herself perfectly at peace. Noticing she was awake, he smiled.

*We must get up. Your father will be expecting our presence,* he said. *Your lesson was scheduled to end two hours ago.* She looked at him, surprised.

*Two hours? How long did I sleep?*

*I'm not certain. I slept as well.* He brushed a finger against her cheek, sending a shiver of excitement through her. *Alys… you've given me back something tonight… something I thought I'd lost… and I don't know how to thank you. You've given me back the ability to love.* His words touched her heart and she drew him close to her, holding him silently for a long moment. At last, reluctantly, he rose and donned his clothes, then his armor and machinery. He became Darth Vader again, instead of Ani, the name that had floated across her mind, the name she had screamed at the height of her pleasure, despite his instructions never to call him that. He was, for those few short moments, Ani. Not Lord Vader. She rose and donned her own clothes, shaking out a few wrinkles in the jacket of her Imperial uniform, which she fastened quickly and he lifted the cover off of the dome. Taking her hand, he led her out of it, into the blackness of his quarters. She quickly combed her hair into some semblance of order, using the light spilling in from the door he'd opened for her. She secured her hair into a tight ponytail with an elastic and nodded in satisfaction at her reflection. Feeling unaccountably happy for the first time in months, Master and Apprentice walked down the hallway to meet Grand Moff Tarkin on the Bridge of the Death Star. They were entering orbit of the Rebel fortress on Yavin 4…

<><><>

Part 2

"Evacuate?" Tarkin roared, his blue eyes sparking fury as he stared incredulously at the officer who dared to call for evacuation. "In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances-now, get out!"

"Yes, Governor." The subdued officer turned and retreated from the room. Alys felt her heart sink as the officer met her eyes apologetically. She was the one who had told him to ready her father's ship and suggest the evacuation-her bad feeling about this still had not receded. She turned and looked at Vader but he was staring silently out the view screen at the approaching Alliance ships. She sighed.

"Papa, I beg you to reconsider. Their plan of attack seems to indicate that the Rebels have found a weakness in the station."

"And we've had our people analyze the blueprints for this station. The only weakness they could exploit would require a suicide run down one of the caverns," Tarkin said. "The Rebels couldn't be so desperate."

"The survival of the Alliance depends on the destruction of this station, Papa. When people are desperate, they do desperate things. Even suicide runs."

"Even if they make the run, the shot is impossible, even for a computer!"

"Not for a Jedi. Skywalker is with them," Vader said softly. "She is right, Tarkin. There is a danger. We must evacuate."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this, from you, of all people!" Tarkin cried incredulously. "Damn it, Vader, the last remnants of the Alliance are--" Tarkin's voice ceased abruptly as Alys used a simple method taught in the Imperial Academy's defense courses to knock him out. Vader glanced at her and she could almost feel his smile.

Vader hit the intercom system and announced the call for evacuation, sounding the station-wide alarm. Alys used the Force to carry her unconscious father to his ship, while Vader quickly boarded his own.

<><><>

Imperial Base Endor Three years later…

Her father had not said a word since he'd learned of the destruction of his precious battle station. Not even the word that plans for a second, more powerful Death Star were in the works and preparing for construction could satisfy him. He sat there, glaring at Alys as though she had betrayed him, and wouldn't say a word to anyone. Concerned but unable to do anything, Alys reluctantly left her father under the care of two Imperial soldiers while she went to meet Vader for her lesson.

They had not continued their relationship, though every so often she could feel his mind against hers, a whisper, a caress… a comfort. There simply had not been the time-even their lessons had ceased. This was the first time they would be able to spend more than five minutes alone together in three years. He was almost never on the base-he spent most of his time in space, on an Imperial Star Destroyer somewhere. He came back occasionally to check on their progress, relaying orders from the Emperor, keeping them on schedule, but other than five minutes here or there she had not been able to see him on his visits.

Alys smiled to herself as she headed down the corridor towards his quarters. She had missed him… especially with her father speaking to no one, she had felt, at times, more alone than she had ever thought she would be. It was at those moments when she felt most alone that she often felt his mind touching hers across the light-years, and he had saved her. More times than she suspected he knew. She reached his quarters and rang the chime impatiently.

"Enter!" she heard from within. The door slid open and she stepped into the darkened room. She couldn't see him, but she could feel his presence there, and as her eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness she could see him, standing by the window, a blacker outline against the blackness of the room. She felt the tentative brush against her mind, the darkness of his presence making the room seem even blacker. She stepped fully into the room and the door slid closed behind her.

"Secure door," he commanded. His voice sent shivers down her spine this time. She crossed the room to him and knelt at his feet.

"My Lord," she said quietly. His presence seemed darker than it had in the past, more intense. He'd been drawn back into the Dark Side, she realized, since his brush with the Light when they were last together. It had been so long since they'd seen each other that she hadn't noticed, the few times their minds had touched, she'd been so glad to feel his presence.

Vader, without a word, took her hand and drew her back to her feet, taking her in his arms. They held each other in silence for a long moment, content to feel, not think, not speak. It was the first physical human contact she'd had since they'd last held each other two months ago, just before the last time he'd left the base, and she found herself fighting tears. He noticed.

*Your father has not responded yet,* Vader realized the reason she was ready to cry, speaking in her mind.

*I don't know how to reach him, Vader. I've done everything I can think of and more. I even tried to use the Force-he will not reply, they have to have him hooked up to a tube because he refuses to eat. I hate seeing him like this!* her eyes filled with tears as she spoke to him through the Force. He held her tighter, and she rested her head against his armored chest. She closed her eyes, feeling exhaustion seep through her. She hadn't slept in weeks, months… maybe even years-not for more than two or three hours a night. She would get up every hour after that to check on her father.

*Sleep, my dear. You need it.* He took her hand and led her down a corridor to a large, decorative room with a huge king-sized bed in it. She'd never seen a room look so welcoming.

*But our lesson…*

*Your mind will not be able to focus on training if you can barely stand up! Sleep, Alys. I'll stay with you, if you like,* he told her. She nodded.

*Please stay,* she returned. He nodded and she climbed into the bed. He lay down next to her, drawing her into his arms. He pulled the blankets over them and she was asleep within minutes.

<><><>

The next day…

"Where is she?!" the shock of hearing her father's voice from down the hallway startled Alys as she returned to her quarters after her shift. Exhausted despite her few hour's sleep next to Vader yesterday, it did not immediately dawn on her whose voice it was. Then the familiar deep, accented voice clicked and she ran the rest of the way to her quarters. "Damn it, don't make excuses, you bumbling idiot, I want my daughter!"

"I'm here, Papa," she called from the doorway as she ran into his room.

"It's about time! Where have you been?"

"On duty, Papa."

"On duty! Where have you taken me? Where are we?" Her father's voice was harsh, his face angry-but at least he was speaking. Alys smiled as she sat down next to her father.

"How are you feeling, Papa?"

"I'm fine! Answer my question."

"We're on an Imperial base, Papa."

"Yes, but where? What Imperial Base? Don't treat me like a dotard old fool. Answer me straight, will you!"

"Endor, Papa," she replied quietly. He looked at her curiously.

"Why in the world are we on an outpost so far out of our territories?" he questioned her, calming suddenly. Something was up, or else his daughter would not have dragged him out here.

"Secrecy, Papa. It is imperative that the Rebel Alliance not know of our activities here."

"What activities?" he questioned, pinning her with that damned Tarkin stare that always set her on edge-one that she often used herself with those below her to send them racing off to do what must be done.

"The construction of the new Death Star," she told him cautiously, afraid that the reminder that his precious battle station had been destroyed might send him back into his previous state. He blinked in surprise.

"How long since… how long have I been…" he couldn't even say it. He studied his daughter's face-she was older, he was certain of it. There were thin strands of gray scattered throughout her hair that had been purely brown. She looked exhausted, too. She smiled gently, trying to reassure him.

"It's been three years, Papa," she said softly. "You haven't spoken since we brought you here," she told him. "Your last spoken word was protest at the thought of evacuating your precious station."

"And you say they're building a new one?" he asked her, staring intently at her face. She nodded.

"Yes, Papa, in orbit of the planet on the far side. As far as we know the Rebels have know knowledge of our presence here." She walked over to a filing cabinet and pulled out a rolled blueprint. She unrolled it before him and studied his face as he looked at it.

"Impressive," he said after a moment. "When can I see it?" he asked. She smiled.

"I have a ship that can take us there now, Papa," she told him. "My troops could do with a surprise inspection." He looked up in surprise at the words "my troops" and was surprised to see that she now bore the rank of Admiral. He smiled and she could see pride in his eyes, though he said nothing.

"Hmm-give me an hour," he said. "I want to take a sonic shower, and I'm so hungry I feel as though I could eat that station," he said, handing her back the blueprint. She smiled.

"Take your shower, Papa. I'll have food brought up for you." The relief she felt was overwhelming. Not only was her father talking after more than three years of silence, but he was hungry and wanted to eat real food for the first time in three years, and the better part of a fourth.

<><><>

Part 3

Alys sat between Vader and her father in the transport headed up to the new Death Star, watching her father's reaction as they approached the station. Though he rode in silence, she knew it was a different kind of silence-one of anticipation, not shock, or whatever had caused him to be silent before. The medic droids weren't telling her a thing, claiming confidentiality despite her attempt to pull rank.

She heard the pilot requesting-and receiving-permission to board the station, and watched her father give a small smile as he saw the size of this new battle station-her battle station. Well, it was the Emperor's battlestation really, but she was the true commander. She closed her eyes for a moment, drawing her focus away from her father to the inspection close at hand, knowing she must be focused on work if she was to complete the inspection with any degree of success, and have the whole thing not be a waste of everyone's time. She reached out with the Force, touching the Dark Side for a moment, and could feel Vader's smile next to her. His hand touched hers almost imperceptibly, careful not to draw her father's attention to it. She hadn't told Tarkin yet and wasn't certain she was going to tell him- at least, not right away.

The transport docked and Alys and Tarkin stood, but waited for Vader to deboard first. He moved swiftly but not so fast that they had difficulty keeping up, stepping off the transport to face the kneeling Admiral, Alys's second in command, before them.

"Lord Vader," the man greeted. "A pleasant surprise, we are honored by your presence."

"We can dispense with the pleasantries, Admiral. The Emperor is concerned about your progress."

"My people are working as fast as they can, Lord Vader. I assure you the construction will be completed on schedule."

"The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation," Vader stated, as Alys watched with some satisfaction the man's already-pale face turning a shade lighter.

Alys smiled to herself as the conversation continued and Vader moved off. The Admiral stayed kneeling before the transport and was surprised when Alys and her father were the next to step off.

"Grand Moff Tarkin!" he exclaimed in surprise before remembering himself, leaping to his feet and saluting stiffly. Tarkin smiled thinly.

"Admiral," he greeted softly. "I have come to check on your progress."

"Everything is on schedule, the station is almost fully operational," the Admiral said quickly. He turned to Alys and bowed slightly, out of respect for her reputation as a student of Vader's as well as her rank. She nodded in response.

"Get on with it, Admiral. As Vader said, the Emperor is concerned with our progress."

"This way, Lady Tarkin," he acknowledged, and motioned with an overdone sweep of his hand. She smiled inwardly and walked beside her second in command, her father following a step behind.

<><><>

Much later that night, Alys saw that her father was comfortable in his quarters and went to see Vader. He had been waiting for her-she was almost half an hour late, but her father had wanted to talk about the station and it was only after he fell asleep that she was able to leave without questions. After all, she could go where she pleased on the station.

"You're late," he greeted her as she stepped into his quarters. He saw the smile she'd been hiding all day finally form on her face and she started laughing.

"I'm sorry, Lord Vader-I'm just so happy that he's finally talking!" she told him, and he could see the relief in her eyes, the pleasure at having her father back. Tarkin indeed had, throughout the day, shown himself to be his old self again, and Vader couldn't help but smile himself at Alys's happiness. There had been many times that he had been grateful that his mask hid the smile he wore, watching Alys and her father banter back and forth. To his surprise Tarkin had even teased his daughter mercilessly, bringing a blush from her. He hadn't thought Tarkin capable of such… humanity. Vader, for his part, was pleased at the reaction her father's recovery had given Alys, for she was fairly glowing with happiness, he could see it even in the dim light of his quarters. She was laughing still as she explained the conversation she and her father had had just before she came here.

*I'm glad to see you so happy, my dear,* he told her through the Force, reaching out to caress her cheek. *I haven't seen such pleasure in you for almost four years.*

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy his touch for the first time, really, in four years. Three and a half years, she reminded herself, but three and a half very long years. She smiled slightly.

*I have my father back, Vader,* she told him. *He's his old self again-I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever be the same, but he is.*

*Much to the chagrin of the Rebel Alliance, I fear,* Vader agreed, and she could feel his smile. She laughed.

*Yes, I imagine they won't be happy to learn Tarkin is alive,* she sent back. *I understand they still believe he died with the first Death Star.*

*Then, my dear, they're in for a surprise. Are you ready for your lesson?" he asked her. She nodded, and he resumed his teaching of the Dark Side and how she was to wield its power.

<><><>

Part 4

Alys smiled as she stood next to Vader on the Bridge of her technological terror, watching with some satisfaction as the test warm-up began.

"Countdown complete, Lady Tarkin," the weapons officer informed her. She glanced over at Vader, who nodded. Behind her and to the right, her father stood watching, silent but proud. Since his recovery two weeks earlier, he had consistently shown the old Tarkin again, picking up where he left off as though nothing had happened, as though he hadn't refused to speak, eat or even move for nearly four years.

"You may fire when ready," she acknowledged, the Tarkin in her evident in her slightly accented voice. She heard the sounds of the weapon warming up, then a beam of light and energy shot out of the bowels of the Death Star and disintegrated the planet on the viewscreen with cold efficiency. Smiling thinly, looking very much like her father in that instant, Admiral Alys Tarkin nodded her immediate approval. She turned to her father, who also nodded.

"Impressive," he stated simply. She turned to Vader.

"I will inform the Emperor that the station is fully operational," was all he said. He turned and strode out. Confused, Alys looked after him for a moment and turned to Piett.

"The station is yours, Admiral."

"Yes, Lady Tarkin," he acknowledged as she followed Vader out and quickly caught up to him. He was waiting for her, standing by the window, staring out at the debris where the planet had once been. He turned as she approached.

"My Lord, are you not pleased?" she asked, barely able to contain her smile as she spoke. Vader remained silent, and she sighed. "My Lord, have I done something wrong?"

*No, my dear. You've done everything right, and that's the problem.* His voice in her mind was anything but calm and she realized with surprise she could feel *fear * emanating from him. There was only one being in the universe with the ability to strike fear into the heart of Darth Vader, she knew-the Emperor Palpatine. She didn't realize he had been reading her thoughts until she saw him give an almost unnoticeable shudder. She blinked in surprise.

"Lord Vader," she questioned softly, "What is it? What has upset you?"

"The Emperor," he answered. "I had almost hoped your test would fail, Alys-for now the Emperor will want to do an inspection." She blanched at his words, her skin turning deathly white.

"The Emperor is coming *here*?" she questioned, her voice shaking slightly for the first time since he'd met her. He nodded.

"I suggest you prepare your troops," he said, then turned and stalked off down the hallway, leaving Alys to plan. So much to do…

"Piett, we need to get ready for an Imperial inspection," she said, walking back onto the bridge. Piett blanched visibly and even Tarkin turned to her in surprise.

"The Emperor is coming here?"

<><><> Kneeling next to Vader and Piett, her father behind them, Alys could feel fear seeping through her at the sight of the black-robed terror standing before them. On either side, ranks of stormtroopers stood at attention unmoving, newly polished armor sparkling in the harsh artificial lighting. Hiding her fear, Alys bowed her head as Vader and the Emperor spoke. The Emperor must have sensed her, as he came up to her and trailed a finger along her jawbone. She could sense Vader stiffen beside her, though he said nothing.

"The Force is strong with you, young Tarkin," the Emperor said softly. "So, you are Vader's apprentice I've heard so much about, hmm?"

"Yes, my Master." How she managed to keep her voice steady to answer him, she would never know.

"I can feel the darkness in you, though it is not complete. Part of you fights the darkness," he told her. She nodded stiffly, saying nothing.

"Yesssss," the Emperor hissed. "The Force *is * strong with you. I wish to give you a lesson in the Force that Vader cannot. Come," he said, taking her hand. She rose, feeling an alarm clanging at the back of her mind. She glanced at Vader, who indicated with a nod that she should go with the Emperor. She stifled a sigh as she followed the Emperor out.

He led her to the Imperial chambers-he'd obviously seen a blueprint of the station and knew where he was going, for he never once asked for directions. The guards who had accompanied them waited outside when they entered. Alys felt her heart sink as the doors closed behind them and felt a cold ball of fear settle into the pit of her stomach.

"I sense you are afraid."

"Yes, my Master," she admitted.

"Good… good. Embrace your fear. Give yourself to the Dark Side, Tarkin. Embrace it. Feel the power I know you desire to wield." Despite herself, Alys closed her eyes, listening to his words, feeling a surge of power flow through her that elated her.

"Yes," he said softly. "Good… Let the power flow through you. Become one with the Force, Alys. Yes," he said softly, hearing her gasp with pleasure as the darkness overcame her. "Yes. Vader is a fool-months of lessons and he never brought you to this point. He never let you let the Darkness become you," he said. He reached out with his mind. She was quivering, on her knees before him now, her body shaking with the pleasure from this new power Vader had never let her wield. She felt a surge of unnatural anger. He had never let her leave the Light Side completely like this, never let her feel the pleasure he did in the evil that filled her now. He had brought her to the verge but never let her go all the way. She allowed a bitter smile, her eyes sparking with rage. She didn't understand what was happening to her, but she loved it. Still shaking, she turned to the Emperor and knelt before him.

"I am your servant, my Master," she told him. He nodded.

"Good…good. You have felt only a part of the Dark side, my dear. I can show you more power than you've ever dreamed of. Touch my mind." Obediently, she reached out to touch the mind of the Emperor, a mind of such blackness she could no longer see. Letting down her shields she let his mind enfold hers, drawing her father into a darkness she never knew existed. She felt his mind caressing hers, darkness beyond description filling her with a sudden desire, craving, need for more. She cried out-and just as suddenly, it was gone. Blinking in dismay in the sudden light, she looked up at the Emperor, her protest plain on her face though she said nothing. He chuckled.

"That'll be all for today. Dismissed." Swallowing a protest she got to her feet and bowed.

"Yes, my Lord." Disappointed, she turned and strode out of the room. Behind her, the Emperor allowed himself a small smile. *I have you now,* he thought with an evil laugh.

<><><>

Outside the Emperor's chambers, Alys nodded to the guards and walked a safe distance down the hallway, where she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, reflecting on what had just happened in Palpatine's chambers. The pleasure she had felt in the blackness that had taken over her had been absolute. She had, in fact, been close to orgasm when the Emperor had pulled her back. Why had he, she wondered? Why pull her back and leave her shaking, craving more? Why was that significant? Shaking her head in confusion, she went to see Vader and, alone with him in his quarters, told him of the experience she'd had. He stared at her incredulously.

"He WHAT?" he demanded. She repeated her story, and he was practically seething with rage.

"I don't understand, Vader, what did he do?" she stared at him in confusion.

"He prepared you for a--a--" his voice broke off. He couldn't even say it.

"A *what,* Vader?" she cried, impatient.

"A *MARRIAGE CEREMONY,* he roared, then stormed out of his quarters. Alys stared after him for a moment, still not sure what was going on, then quickly returned to her own quarters.

<><><>

*Master, may I speak with you?* Vader called through the Force. He stood outside Palpatine's quarters. The only response from within was for the door to slide open. Vader entered and knelt before the shadowy robed figure.

"She told you of her lesson, did she?" Palpatine questioned. Vader nodded.

"My Master, I mean no disrespect… but I told you of my feelings for her. Why do you wish to marry her?" he questioned. There was silence for a moment, and then, to Vader's astonishment, Palpatine began to chuckle. Vader stared at him.

"Master?"

"Vader-it was not the rite of marriage that I used on her. Rather, the step before. She never realized it, Vader, but she chose her life- mate today-and it certainly wasn't me!" the Emperor gave another light chuckle at the thought.

"Master?" Vader questioned again, genuinely confused.

"When I told her to touch my mind, Vader-she inadvertently touched yours. I had nothing to do with the feelings she experienced. She did that on her own… and she chose you. She loves you, Vader, and I suggest that the two of you wed as quickly as possible." Vader almost couldn't believe his ears, but he bowed anyway.

"As you wish, my Master," he said, though now he was smiling.

<><><>

Three Days Later…

The room was completely black except for the candles held by every Imperial trooper and officer in the room. There were thousands of them, stormtroopers and officers alike, as Darth Vader stood at the head of the aisle they formed. Black velvet carpeting had been rolled down the middle of it. Behind Vader and to his left, the Emperor stood before the entire room, disappearing inside his hooded black robes. The door at the end of the aisle opened, the sound deafening in the silence, and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin entered, a black-robed figure on his arm. Her face completely shrouded by the hood of her robes, Alys had to trust her father to guide her, as she couldn't see a thing. Tarkin carried a candle in his other hand, as did Vader. Despite the thousands of people in the room, the silence was absolute. Slightly nervous, Alys took comfort in Vader's presence in the room, and her father's. They reached the base of the Emperor's throne, and Tarkin released Alys's hand. She moved to stand across from Vader, next to the Emperor. She remained shrouded, protected by her hood.

Without a sound, Vader handed his candle to Tarkin, who walked up to a solid gold bowl on a stand before them. Tarkin silently took each candle and poured the melted wax from each into the bowl, where the liquid mixed. Walking back to the base of the throne, he handed Vader's candle to Alys and Alys's to Vader, then walked back to the gold bowl. He lifted the now-solidified wax out of the bowl, noticing in the dim light that it was a solid color now. He nodded and handed the piece of wax to Palpatine, who snapped it in to, keeping one piece as a representative of Vader (in the absence of any family present) and handing the other back to Tarkin as Alys's father. When this was done, Vader walked up to Alys and took her hand. Together, the now-wed couple walked out of the room. Not a sound was heard as the huge chamber emptied, the stormtroopers returned to their posts and Vader and Alys went back to their quarters.

~Finis~