But it wasn't directed at him; was only some benign order aimed elsewhere, and he breathed again, though he didn't relax.
Mara, he realized--Mara's outside the cell.
The door cycled open and two guards entering in heavy, meaningful strides. It was only when he continued to stare at the door, waiting for Mara to enter, that Luke noticed that the corridor beyond was also dark...and it finally permeated through his tired mind that the dull shade was in his eyes and not the cell.
Strong hands grabbed him beneath his arms and hauled him upright, lighting a bright trail of pain through screaming muscles and making him gasp as his broken ankle grated nauseatingly, bone against bone, his breath misting in the cold air.
He was dropped down onto a second chair, which was scraped across the blood-stained floor to be pushed up against a table opposite Palpatine, who watched with cold, intent eyes.
The guards marched from the cell, leaving the two alone again.
Luke slumped, head weaving slightly as bouts of shivering tensed tired muscles, wanting nothing more than to lay back on the cold, hard floor and sleep. He looked down to the table, to his bruised, bloody hand resting there, gazing for long seconds before realizing that his hands were bound together by a long, thin wire, looped around each wrist and re-fused back into itself.
He stared with faltering concentration at the wire, remembering seeing it before, though he couldn't begin to bring back the memory of when...
.
.
The Emperor sat in watchful silence, waiting for his Jedi to come round.
"You should realize," he said at last, "that what I did to you yesterday, I will do again today."
The boy looked up at that and Palpatine paused, giving him time to consider this before pressing forward. He expected neither reply nor acknowledgement, just understanding, and he saw that in those dull, wary eyes.
"As soon as you defy me, I will deliver retribution. Remember my warning--think very carefully about your actions. You know I will not hesitate."
Though the words spoken were calm and moderate, the threat contained within them clearly pushed a surge of adrenaline through the boy, who widened his eyes, visibly forcing himself awake.
Comfortable that he had the boy's attention now, Palpatine settled back again, eyes never leaving his Jedi.
"We should, I believe, clarify our positions. You see, you are not the first Jedi I have broken..." He grinned. "Though, all things considered, I think we can safely say you will be the last."
He let his smile fall away, leaving that cold, hard, pitiless stare. "But you should know I have broken others just as resolute and just as committed as you. I have never failed. I am very good at this. It is my forte, my fascination, my passion...an indulgence which I allow myself."
He paused for long seconds, eyes shining in the low light, attention focused completely on his captive, sensing the twist of persecuted apprehension tingling down his Jedi's spine. Slowly, contentedly, he let out a lingering breath, his eyes narrowing, his voice settling back into a calm, detached state--though not one whit less dangerous.
"But because of your father--because he has served me well without this necessity, then I am willing to give you one final chance to do the same. His loyalty, and nothing else, has bought you this opportunity. But I want you to understand that this is your final chance. I want you to understand just exactly what is at stake.
"You can either remain here, like this, day on day, to be ground slowly away, broken down one beating after another until all that is left are these walls, my will and your failing, faltering resolve...or you can walk from here now, today. You can end this ill-conceived, delusive, futile opposition and answer the question I am about to ask of you. If you do this, that door will open and you will return to your quarters, obey my commands, explicit and implicit, build for yourself the future for which you were destined...and think yourself very, very fortunate. Those are your choices now--you will obey, or I will make you obey. Either way, you willyield. That is not open to interpretation. It will happen... Do you understand?"
Staring at his own battered hands, head down, expression neutral, the boy said nothing, neither denial nor acceptance.
Palpatine settled back again, giving him time to consider. Then... "I am looking for someone. And only you know where he is..."
Again, he allowed the silence to hang heavy between them, knowing that his Jedi already knew the question he would now ask. It was the absolute test of allegiance, a choice that had to be made. There could be no vacillating, no ambiguity. The boy either answered, or chose not to answer--which was an answer in itself.
"Tell me...where is Master Yoda?"
Skywalker hesitated for a fraction of a second before he shook his head, slowly but very deliberately. But he hesitated, Palpatine saw.
"Are you very sure? Are you surethat this will be your answer? Think carefully--ask yourself why it matters to you. He betrayed you. He lied to you, he manipulated you, and he used you. You are protecting a creature who intended to send you to fight a duel which would result in your unknowingly killing your own father--a creature who considered you tainted before you were even born. Why are you protecting him?"
The boy only stared at his own broken fingers, hooded eyes blinking slowly.
"I ask for just one word. A place--a planet--tell me this, and you need do nothing more. Your involvement is done. No one will ever know outside of this room. I offer this without condition, without dishonor."
Palpatine reached forward to take the fine wire cable which bound his Jedi's hands, pulling it towards himself across the table and bringing the boy's hands with it, his shoulders falling forward without resistance as he pulled in a sharp breath, eyes on his broken wrist.
"I am offering you an opportunity, my friend--the possibility of walking from this cell whilst you are still capable. It will not be offered again, believe me. You are at the very brink of your physical limits, and you know it. Don't sacrifice yourself out of stubbornness or blind, misplaced loyalty. Consider what you are about to do. Consider what I am offering you. Consider the alternative."
Still the boy did not move, body tensed against the offer.
"A single word will buy your freedom from this cell. From this sentence."
Finally Skywalker lifted his head to meet Palpatine's eyes. "And from you?"
The Sith smiled and released his hold on the binders and settled back. When he spoke, his voice was amused and indulgent. "A single word will buy you a great deal, my friend. But not that--not yet. But it will buy trust."
"I don't think you're capable of that."
The Emperor stared at the boy who met his eyes evenly, though Palpatine could see the barely perceptible sway of his head as he fought the dull drag of drugs and injury. Stubborn little creature that he was though, he would not blink under Palpatine's hard gaze.
Foolish--reckless, to defy on such an unimportant thing, when he knew what the repercussions would be.
The Jedi shook his head, adamant against Palpatine's demanding stare. "I won't tell you where he is."
Palpatine's eyes narrowed as he reached out through the Force to read that headstrong mind, knowing that if Yoda was in his thoughts in this moment, then his location must be too. But the boy gathered what control he still had, head tilting slightly at the effort, the barrier effectively blocking entry to hold Palpatine at bay.
They remained locked in silent opposition for several seconds, the air charged in sympathetic resonance...
Abruptly, Palpatine rose, turning away to walk quickly into the shadows of the small room as the boy flinched slightly.
He spoke without turning, his face hidden by the hood of his heavy cloak, so that his disembodied voice came from the shadows within. "Do you truly believe that you can stop me?"