Where was the line then? Had he crossed it in attacking at all, even when he knew they were already betrayed, or had he simply sought to buy Leia's life with that of those about her, his eye on the greater picture. Acceptable losses. The wrong thing for the right reasons - or was that the other way around?
His fear was no longer whether he could play the game- it had become far more whether he knew when to stop.
The Emperor spoke on, still pushing to find some perceived weakness, and Luke tried to concentrate, to hide gnawing doubts from his Master's searching mind as Palpatine sought to lay subtle traps. "In your opinion, is this the kind of action she would instigate?"
He shrugged, aware that Palpatine was seeking to get a reading of his opinion of Leia, given her convenient escape, but unwilling to supply one. "It's a long time since I last spoke with her. Time changes people."
"Still, you knew her well."
Palpatine paused before the forward viewscreen, looking into the maelstrom of lightspeed without truly seeing. Luke kept his expression and his thoughts guarded, aware that his Master's acute senses were trained on him. Was this an idle discussion; a taunt, no more - a reminder of his former naivety - or was Palpatine aware that something was amiss but unable as yet to chase it down?
Whatever else it was, the conversation certainly wasn't a genuine request for opinions; Palpatine did as he pleased regardless of those around him.
"Based on past experience I'd say that she wouldn't shirk from this kind of action if it were suggested." Luke replied calmly, shaking his head slightly, forcing his mind to focus past the distracting images which burned into his thoughts. "All the beings who advise her at present are military in outlook and experience- I'd say it's inevitable that she would develop a more militaristic attitude."
"Do you think I should remove her?"
"I think you should remove the Rebellion entirely, but that seems to be proving difficult." Luke dodged neatly. Was he failing to see the desert for the dunes? Something bigger was going on here, carefully hidden behind Luke's own smaller, more routine concerns; he was uneasy about Mara and the Rebels, his thoughts distracted. Was this a diversionary tactic? Carefully played along by his Master, was Luke failing to ask the bigger question, which was.... what?
Luke frowned, mind split between his Master's words and the reason for his speaking them. The big question was... Why was Palpatine here at all?
"Perhaps I should place a bounty on her head?" The Emperor pushed.
"I would be very surprised if you hadn't already."
Palpatine let out a small laugh at that before trying another lure. "Heh, perhaps I should send you after her?"
Luke didn't flinch; "Perhaps you should give me sole responsibility for pursuing the Rebellion in its entirety."
Again Palpatine laughed, clearly amused at Luke's single-minded determination. "You've wanted this for a long time."
Luke half-turned, completely drawn in by the conversation now, though he remained silent, knowing when to push and when to allow the Emperor time to feel that a decision had been reached by his own will.
It was, of course true that he wanted responsibility for the insurgents turned over to him. Not for the reasons he allowed his Master to believe, though Luke had to admit that Palpatine's teachings had probably influenced his view on how to deal with this.
As his Master was so fond of saying, knowledge was power, and if he intended to move forward from the status-quo which had existed between Empire and Rebellion for the last two decades then Luke needed, no matter how covertly, to move information both ways through contacts in the Rebellion. It was the only way to contain them- to direct them. He'd always sought to take command of dealing with the Rebellion from his father, knowing that Vader's deeply-set opinion of those he pursued would mean that he'd never allow Luke to establish contact, even to his own ends; that, fearing a split in Luke's loyalties, Vader would do everything in his considerable power to stop him.
Whilst responsibility for the Rebellion rested with Vader, Luke knew he would always be reliant on his father's good will, which was tenuous at best. Notwithstanding their recent cooperation, that facts remained unchanged. Luke still hadn't revealed his ultimate goals to his father nor did he have any intention to do so, because whilst their relationship had settled, Luke had to admit that he didn't for one moment actually trust his father. Couldn't depend on him not to place his own goals before Luke's, as he always had. And whilst that fact remained, Luke still needed to gain control of the anti-insurgency taskforce. It was the only way to guarantee access to the Rebellion.
"I will... consider your request." Palpatine allowed into the extended silence, his eyes turning again to the radiant, mottled splendour of hyperspace. "You will have new duties soon - new responsibilities - and I would not like to see your attention too divided. But perhaps in the long term, these undertakings could be made to integrate... yes, I will consider."
"Thank-you Master." Luke murmured, head down to hide his satisfaction.
Less than a day later, he stood in the same spot beside his Master and the game Palpatine had been playing in coming here had taken on a devastating new twist.
.
.
.
"You disapprove." Palpatine intoned from his position before the viewport, keeping his eyes on the half-constructed battle station which hung like a silvery pearl in the velvet darkness, but growing larger every second - and more unmistakable.
He remained stock still, his senses trained on Skywalker, searching for any telltale sign as the boy stood close by. But there was nothing; he was too accomplished now to allow any chink in his armour, even at this.
"I see no use for it." Skywalker said mildly, hands clasped behind his back as he stood to loose, wary attention, his tone casually dismissive though Palpatine knew his thoughts must be reeling.
They had come out of hyperspace after a nine-day jump, still manoeuvring closer to the massive, partially complete battle station over a verdant green planet whose name Palpatine never could be bothered to remember.
He had walked slowly to the front of the bridge to stand beside his Jedi as helm announced their imminent reversion, wishing to be close when the Patriot came out of hyperspace, the other officers present instinctively withdrawing, leaving them alone.
Now Palpatine turned to his Jedi, watching his jaw tighten as their destination became apparent. Skeletal though it still was, he was sure its familiar shape, the massive dish almost complete, must be firing memories of its predecessor, which Skywalker himself had destroyed over Yavin IV - the act which had first brought him to the Emperor's attention.
"There is always the need to maintain stability." Palpatine said at last, pressing for a reaction.
"Perhaps," his feral Jedi allowed, "But I don't believe it will do that."
"It is a manifestation of my power. Power is stability; one will above all others."
"Too much oppression encourages dissent." The boy was taking care to keep any emotion from his voice or his sense, aware that his Master was looking for a reaction and disinclined to provide one.
"Dissent can be dealt with."
"If you know it exists." Luke said, "And where. This is only a deterrent if you know where to point it. You assume you have a single enemy; they scatter themselves widely for that very reason."
"You will find a target." Palpatine said confidently.
The boy glanced over, realising, and Palpatine brought sharp, yellow-flecked eyes to his Jedi.
"You are charged with the responsibility of completing this project and bringing it online, my friend- it needs a strong hand now to guide it. Your arrival on Coruscant meant that I became remiss in pushing it forward; I had other, more important concerns. But whilst the Rebellion is gone from the Core Systems, it remains very much a presence in the Rim worlds. In retrospect, I believe that perhaps you were right when you claimed that you could do what your father could not."