And Luke had again sensed that crosscurrent, that whisper in the Force about her, hidden completely when she was with the Emperor, smothered by that all-encompassing shroud of Darkness. But here, alone. some barely discernable focus traced the edge of his awareness, so light as to be almost imperceptible.
"What are you?" he'd asked at last, knowing that she'd understand the question.
"Huh, wouldn't you like to know," she'd huffed, lifting her chin.
He'd tried setting his head on one side, expression open. "Yes. You're not a Jedi...or Sith."
"You think that puts me beneath you?" she'd challenged, green eyes ablaze.
"You appear to be the one holding the gun."
"That's right, and don't you forget it."
He'd held her gaze steadily, the slight smile staying on his lips, and she'd glanced away, seeming suddenly embarrassed at the needless threat.
"I'll get your visitor," she'd muttered, leaving Luke to stare at the door as it cycled closed, no longer noticing the stony-faced guards who stood to either side of it.
.
.
.
.
.
It was now mid-afternoon and no one else had been back to the room. And patience wasn't exactly one of Luke's strong suits.
He sat on the arm of the chair gazing out into the distant city, rubbing his temples against the constant headache he'd had for the last three days. At first, he'd tried to dismiss it as Coruscant--that it was simply something about the planet that was causing it, some barometric pressure--but slowly he'd come to recognize that it intensified with proximity to Palpatine, or with his own use of the Force, when the pressure closed in about him like a wavefront, constricting about his mind with massive, focused pressure.
Focused; as a conscious act. A pointed discouragement from the Emperor against using the Force. Or perhaps simply a method of knowing when he did? Though he'd felt no such disturbance from his fath... from Vader.
The truth was he had absolutely no idea...and that was the real problem; neither Ben nor Yoda had ever mentioned it, or anything else of real substance about the Dark side, save to avoid it at all costs, which seemed pretty academic here, Luke reflected wryly. And that left him guessing, in a place where guesswork was a dangerous thing. Left him uncertain, in a situation where he knew that confidence in one's convictions was everything.
He sighed, rubbing his closed eyes so hard he saw sparks in his vision--anything to alleviate the pressure. He felt tired and drawn, having shocked awake in the early hours just before dawn, absolutely sure in that moment that someone had shouted out his name. Wide awake, he'd glanced about the dark shadows of the cavernous, unfamiliar room searching for the source. But of course there'd been nothing there, only the lingering shadows of some intense nightmare, lost to him now.
Unable to settle again, he'd risen and dressed to stand alone in the room for once before the tall thick transparisteel windows and watch the sun rise, desperately hungry.
Meditation was becoming difficult, the jarring pressure weighing down on him dulling mind and senses both and leaving him uneasy and frustrated. Eventually he'd stopped trying, instead laying back on the cold marble floor, its cool against the healing scar on his back comforting through the fine silk of his slate gray shirt, his knees pulled up as he gazed at the distant, heavily carved and coffered ceiling, contemplating how many places there were to hide surveillance lenses up there and wondering if there were any dead-spots in the room. Wondering what his observers were thinking of his bizarre behavior right now.
Wondering how he was going to explain the deal he'd made to his friends. How he was going to explain to Han that he had to remain. Questioning whether he should back out now while he still could, knowing that was what they would tell him to do.
Were they right?
Eventually the doors had cycled open and the redhead had strode in, watching him with raised eyebrows where he lay on the cool floor, clearly thinking him completely insane.
Luke had scrabbled up quickly. "I was... ah, your opinion of me can't get any worse, anyway," he'd reasoned aloud, bringing the slightest hint of an amused smile to her lips a she'd turned away to sit on the chair before the windows.
It was late afternoon when the doors finally grated open with the release of multiple bolts. Eight stormtroopers lock-stepped into the room, the first Luke had seen since arriving here. They about-turned smartly and marched out to leave a bound and wary Han Solo standing alone before the closing doors.
"Han!" Luke launched forward, in that moment so pleased to see his friend that all his guilty misgivings were forgotten.
.
.
"Luke--Kid!" Han practically yelped the words, shocked once by seeing the kid in one piece, and again by his surroundings. He stepped forward, but was forced to stop uneasily as he lifted his still-bound hands before him, the reality of their situation quickly and effectively reminded.
Refusing to be cowed, he glanced around the room. "Wow. Wanna swap? I think my room's about as big as that bed and my bunk consists of a solid ridge coming out of the wall with a 'fresher built into the end of it."
"Nice," the kid said, falling easily back into their familiar banter. "Classy."
"And convenient," Han quipped. "Don't need to go too far in the middle of the night."
Luke nodded, grinning. "Again, a good point."
"I thought so. Could do with...hey, your hand!" Han belatedly realized that Luke was resting his right hand in his left, cradling it subconsciously. The kid looked down, his voice distant.
"Yeah, they...replaced it." He held it up for inspection, moving his fingers awkwardly as Han studied the prosthetic.
He held back from asking the obvious--why had they fixed it--and if the kid knew, he didn't offer. "Feel weird?" he prompted instead, still staring at the hand; it was a perfect replica, minutely detailed--a very expensive piece of kit.
Luke only shrugged uneasily, clearly not wanting to talk about this now.
Taking the hint, Han glanced around again. "I thought I was coming to see Palpatine, considering the setting. Didn't expect to see you here."
The unspoken question made Luke's smile drop. "Maybe he thinks he can buy me..."
Han nodded, glancing about; seemed reasonable--it would probably explain the hand, too. And the kid's clothes, which made even Lando seem poverty-stricken by comparison.
His next question shocked Luke, though he hadn't meant it to. "Can he?"
"No!" Luke upheld, visibly hurt at Han's words.
"Just..." Han paused, not sure why he'd even bothered to ask, aware of how much he'd just hurt the kid. "Sorry. I dunno..."
Luke stared at the floor and Han shifted uneasily a moment before moving the conversation on. "Have you seen Chewie and Leia?"
"No, haven't you?" There was instant concern in Luke's voice.
"No, they split us up. Different cells. Hollered myself hoarse but I think the cells are soundproof."
"They're here somewhere. But I..." Kid paused, suddenly guilty.
Han scowled. "Luke?"
Luke hesitated, his every movement that of someone looking to get something over with. "I...made a deal. With Palpatine. That in return..."
That was as far as he got.
"You made a deal? With Palpatine! What..." Words failed Han for a second--but just for a second. "Kid, he's not gonna stick to any deal."
Luke shook his head, rushing to explain. "He has to fulfill his part of the deal first, or it's null and void. Han, I had to."
"Had to? What the hell does that mean? You just told me he couldn't buy you, and now you're saying..."