Some mutually binding contract had to be established, a way to tie Skywalker down with openly agreed terms on both sides. An obligation that his new Jedi, still bound by those high moral principles, would hold to once he had agreed.
Much as he would like to execute the troublesome ex-senator and so lop off one of the Rebellion's heads, this would gain him far more in the long run. But if the boy didn't yield, then yes, he would carry through on his present threat--having made it he couldn't afford not to--and there were other alternatives. Though this was the most advantageous, if all went to plan.
But he needed the boy to agree to this now. And to do that, he needed to stop him looking at the greater picture and instead become mired in the details. "I will let her go. Anywhere she chooses, with my guarantee of safe passage."
"Your guarantee is worth nothing," the Jedi countered. But he didn't refuse the deal.
"My word--as a Sith."
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"That's worth even less." Luke was instantly aware of the insult he had just issued. Tellingly, Palpatine seemed not in the least offended.
"Then what do you suggest, Jedi?"
Luke paused, aware on some level that he was being railroaded, but willing to talk at this point, curious as to what he could achieve. If the deal was good enough, then perhaps he should consider it. Years of trading in the deep desert had taught him to start high and be bartered down.
Aware of this, of the outrageous nature of what he was about to ask--and of the fact that he had nothing to lose at this point--he spoke out. "Let them go now, all of them. Let them all go, and I'll stay. For twelve weeks."
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Palpatine laughed out loud at this--but he kept the negotiation going; established that all-important precedent. "Out of the question. Do I look like a fool?"
It had to seem like the agreement was of the boy's choosing as much as Palpatine's. If it was Skywalker who placed the deal on the table now, then he would only have himself to blame later...
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Luke kept his expression solemn. "I give you my word--as a Jedi."
"And I should take that?" Palpatine said, incredulous. "When you allow me no such recognition?"
"My word," Luke repeated against this.
The Emperor's eyes narrowed and he turned away, his back to Luke now. After long seconds, he spoke out. "I will not give you all four. One must stay."
"Not Leia." Luke's voice was firm.
"The Corellian," Palpatine said with equal resolve.
Luke paused; it still gave Palpatine a lever to control him...but to have the others gone, now--he hadn't hoped to gain even close to this much. "How will I know they're safe?"
"You are a Jedi; of course you will know."
Luke remained silent, eyes wary, and Palpatine shrugged, dismissive. "I am sure you would have no compunction about dissolving the agreement, if you believed it broken."
"What exactly is the agreement?" Luke said, drawn in further in spite of himself, with so much now in the pot.
"I would simply like to continue our talks." The Emperor was casually dismissive, as if he were asking for nothing at all. "And I would like your word--not as a Jedi, not as a soldier, but your word--that you will do the same. That you will remain here for the agreed twelve weeks without contention. Willingly; no attempts to escape, no premeditated disobedience. No obstruction or belligerence. A civilized dialogue...by both parties."
"Just that," Luke said dryly.
"Just that."
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Palpatine watched as the boy fell to silence, and forced himself to do the same, to act as if this were unimportant to him.
"Twelve weeks is a long time."
He could sense the boy considering, weighing up the advantages against the drawbacks.
"To buy three lives? I think it very cheap."
"But clearly you don't, or you would have pushed for more," Skywalker said in a moment of wary clarity.
Uneasy at this, Palpatine only shrugged, unwilling to be forced to validate his offer. "How is it any different than what we are doing right now, Jedi? I have told you, I merely wish to maintain a dialogue. In order to do that, I am willing to offer this truce; a gesture of goodwill."
"I don't believe you'd do anything that wasn't to your advantage. The deal is more than biased in your favor."
"But then I hold all the cards."
"Except the one that matters," the youth held pointedly.
"Even that is in my hands."
"But you don't control it."
Palpatine laughed aloud at that. "No one will control you, Jedi, unless you choose to allow it. I am buying your attention, not your will. And even that only for twelve weeks."
Still the boy hesitated, and Palpatine pushed just a little further. "Have you so little faith in your own resolve, that you think you could be so easily swayed?"
He chose not to answer that. "At the end of that time?"
Palpatine smiled inwardly, knowing he had him! "The agreement is fulfilled; we owe each other nothing more."
Twelve weeks would be more than enough. More than enough to bind the boy to him, to prize open all those weaknesses and exploit them. To gain a Sith.
He stepped close for the first time, towering over the seated youth. "Are you afraid?"
"Not of you." The boy held his gaze, unflinching, though he knew the lie; he would be stupid not to be.
Palpatine leered, wondering if Skywalker realized the depth of the slip in his own words, his gaze never leaving the boy's. In silence, he held out his hand...
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The pressure bearing down on Luke in that moment felt like it was crushing the air from his lungs. Should he do this? It bought him so much...but was the price too high?
Master Yoda had known they would be a weakness. Had warned him even before he left Dagobah to let his friends go. Had actually asked that he sacrifice them to the greater cause. Did he know Luke so little? Luke shook his head slightly in consideration...because he couldn't abandon them then, and he couldn't do it now. Was incapable of it; it was against his very nature to do so. He had lost so much, had so much ripped away from him, had willingly given so much more... But he couldn't do this. He couldn't desert those he held so close.
He knew--knew that this would cost him dear...
The Emperor held his hand steady; pallid, deathly-white, its long, ridged nails curved like claws--and all Luke could see was that hand about Leia's neck, tightening...
And he couldn't hold out against that.
His heart beat hard against his ribs, but he knew he was committed; had been from the moment he left Dagobah, in truth.
Still, when he took the old man's hand in silent agreement he felt an involuntary shiver slice down his spine and he jolted just slightly against the turmoil which shocked through the Force--as if everything had forcibly inverted, twisting about and within itself in a convulsive spasm. Reflex jerked his hand back but the Sith kept a solid, unyielding hold, his relentless grip cold as the grave.
"We have a pact, Jedi," he said gravely, holding Luke firm for long seconds, and releasing him only grudgingly.
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To be continued...
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Chapter 7
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CHAPTER SEVEN
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Luke paced his opulent prison uneasily, hardly aware of the guard at the door anymore, waiting the arrival of his visitor with equal parts trepidation and enthusiasm.
The bad-tempered redhead had spent the morning guarding him today, sitting on one of the chairs at the windows rather than standing by the door, her hard eyes fixing on him every time he so much as moved. Finally she'd ordered a replacement at midday when summoned by Palpatine, returning briefly to tell him that his request of the previous evening--to see his companion--had been allowed by the Emperor.