"How the Sith Stole Christmas"

Disclaimer: Last I heard Uncle George hadn't insert my name on is will. So, SW still belongs to him. I'm not hearning any money (dollars, Rands, Euros, Yens, shells, beads, or whatever with this.

Chapter 1

Palpatine was sitting on his throne and he was not a happy Sith. Of course

people usually think that Sith are not happy, but they are really happy

beings in their darkness. If you don't believe, well, just look at how they

are

always smiling and grinning. The Jedi with their controlled emotions were

never happy, just. serene!

But Palpy was not happy. He sat on his dark throne and for once it was not

comfortable. He asked for some Ewoks to be brought so they can serve as

pillows, but even the screams of the creatures as he settled on them didn't

bring him any solace.

He rose and paced around the throne. He kicked the head of the Imperial

Public Affair representative that was lying dead on the ground, and with the

Force, brought it to his fair (sun can kill you, you know?) hands.

- "I WANT LORD VADER HERE NOW!" -  he said.

Some of the guards took the chance to run out of the room. In comparison to

the

emperor, Vader was bloody charming company, well, mainly bloody..

Vader arrived soon. He was bored too. His tulips were growing too bright.

All

he wanted was a perfect black tulip. It infuriated him that all he could

have were perfect pink, yellow and sometimes blue tulips. It was not good

for

his reputation..

Vader knelt in front of the Emperor's throne.

- "Master!"

- "Lord Vader, I can see by your expression that you're not having a good

day

either."

Vader became even angrier. Damn the Sith. He only talked about his

expression to remind him that he wore a mask! And he didn't even have the

courage to say that to his face.

He only said these things when Vader's mask was on!

- "We all have our days Master!"

- "True indeed Lord Vader, true indeed. Well, I called you here because I

was

told that our sympathy levels are too low in the galaxy. People don't

looooove us.."

- "Well, we are dark side. Shouldn't we be happy? Those silly Jedi's were

the

ones wanting to be nice and loved, and all that "Make love not war" after

all.."

The emperor was silent for a moment.

- "Yes, but we still have to do something. I want the rebels to be the bad

guys..."

- "Well, you are the Master. What do you have in mind?"

- "Hmmm, I still have to talk with some marketing advisers, But I have some

ideas."

Vader waited..

The emperor continued.

- "I was thinking that maybe some decorated trees around the palace. Tell

people to follow our example.. With some lights and stuff.."

- "Trees?" The dark lord questioned.

- "Well, yes. We can use the ones that grow on Endor, that way we can make

a few Ewoks homeless."

- "ah. Wonderful. wonderful." Vader replied

- "And maybe we can bring some old myths to our aid. Someone that is born to

save us or something.. We can make a play and all.. With angels." The

emperor said thoughtfully.

- "Angels?"- Said Vader his voice suddenly faint .

- "Yes, angels. I would make a wonderful angel. Don't you think?"

- "Er. well."

- "Yes, of course I would.. And some songs.."

- "Hmmm yes. Well. a pity that I will be too busy."

- "Busy?"

- "Hmm Yes.. The rebels you know."

- "Oh no. we will stop hunting them for a while. That way when they attack

our beautiful party, everyone can see what the right side is.. Besides, I

will need you here."

- "You will?"

- "Yes. I think you wear black too often. How about a red

outfit? And you can distribute some presents at the party."

Despite all the black of his suit, Vader turned white and even his breathing

system stopped functioning.

But Palpatine was far too busy with his thoughts to notice. And reaching out

to

his hand, he send her an order.

<<Came here hand. I need your services.>>

<< Yes Master!>> She replied.

<<Oh! And on your way. Bring me a drink. I'm thirsty!>>

Chapter 2

Mara Jade walked down the corridor that lead to the throne room with an

exotic cocktail in her hand. She would never understand the Sith master's

taste for colorful drinks with fruits and juices, probably, because of that

she would never be a Sith. She hated light cocktails.

She entered the throne room through the main door. She could use her secret

passage, but there were more people there and she didn’t want to give it

way.

- "Master. Here is your drink."

Darth Vader, who was breathing again by now,  took a minute to look at her.

She was dressed like a dancer or a courtesan, but he knew what kind of work

she did. He was one of the few who knew that when she managed to put a guy

in the horizontal position, he was in no shape to take any pleasure from it.

The emperor grabbed his drink and started drinking through it’s yellow and

blue tube.

- "Mara. We are planning a big party! "

- "A party? "

Mara looked to Vader. It was hard to tell what he was thinking with that

mask, but he was more used than her to the emperor moods. She remembered the

talk Vader had with her when she was about 8. About how they had to

understand Palpy. He had experienced a very bad childhood without some

things like toys or candy, that’s why he had that room full of dolls that he

liked to dress up while he ate cotton candy.

But in the present, Lord Vader was as silent as one of his tulips. Just

more...well… dark.

The emperor finished his drink….

- "Well Mara. As you know people don’t like us much…. So, soon, as you know,

it will be the anniversary of the day that I took the power all to me. So I

thought about giving a party, changing some things for the season,

redecorating…."

- "Hmmm, What kind of things Master?" Mara asked.

Vader was finding the floor of the room quite interesting as he didn’t look

at anything else.

- "Well. I was thinking about this. We have that wonderful Death Star that

it’s incomplete yet. That brat destroyed the other."

With this he looked hard at Vader.

- "I already apologized for that….." Vader began, but was interrupted by the

Emperor.

- "Education Lord Vader. Education is the key…."

Vader mumbled, and Mara was confused, the emperor continued….

- "But this is another discussion…. Well, we will grab that wonderful space

station and we will decorate it with lots of blinking lights of lots of

colors. And with some banners. Yes banners. And we will have trees in the

corridors and we will dress the stormtroopers with several colors…. Maybe a

color for each level, what do you think?"

But the emperor didn’t give them any time to answer and continued describing

his idea….

- "And Lord Vader, I want you dressed in red."

Vader looked up to the emperor.

- "Me? In red?"

- "Yes. Red…. And put a white fake beard will you? A big white one….I want

you to have a big bag and inside that bag there will be sweets."

The only reason Mara wasn’t laughing was because she wasn’t believing she

wasn’t having a bad dream…. Vader seemed about to faint, but the emperor was

inspired.

- "Oh, and you Mara…. Well, I want you dressed  all in pink…. With some

wings. And you’ll dance around the place… With a wand in your hand."

- "Hmmm" Mara began, "well, unfortunately I will be busy….."

- "Busy?…" The emperor questioned.

- "Yes, the rebels you know…."

- "As I told Lord Vader we will leave the rebels alone during this party….

When they attack us, the galaxy will see who the real bad ones are…."

Vader started thinking that it was all a plot to blame the rebels for all

the damage and for all the things that people were blaming on the empire,

but still he didn’t like the plan. He sensed something coming from Mara. She

was not pleased either, and she was getting the courage to say it. Vader

smiled inside his mask. If she was the one to say no first, she would be the

one being punished, not him. But the emperor began talking before she did.

- "And I want people to be able to visit us, and each system will have a

party. They’ll have shows and food and they will have the pleasure to built

a little of the Death Star. That way it will be faster and everyone can say

they helped. If the rebels choose to destroy it, they will have to answer

for destroying a public monument.

This time Vader was sure that all was a plot. An evil one. The emperor was

cooking something big and he was only one of the decorations on top of the

cake. That infuriated him! He should be plotting with him, he should know

all the plan. And he would have to wear red! And sweets! Didn’t the Sith

know how much pain it was for him to be near sweets? That mask didn’t allow

him to have none!

Mara was seeing the plot too, and she was not liking it. If the rebels were

to be left alone she would have no fun for a while. And she hated cheap

decorations. And of course there would be cheap decorations, the emperor was

known to be really attached to his money, and with a space station that big

no way he would spend money on proper decoration. And she hated pink! Well,

it was not that bad of a color, but it looked really bad on her, with her

red hair… She had to be sure she was the one to choose the shade. The

emperor had no taste.

-" But Master. Can I make a question?"

- "Of course my dear."

- "Will you be there too? At the parties I mean?"

He grinned. Mara and Vader shuddered.

- "But of course. I’ll be wearing a white toga."

Chap 3

And so the big empire celebration began.

The announcements were made and all systems were persuaded to participate.

The people were not too happy and some ecologist even joined the rebellion

as soon as they heard about the trees that were about to die to serve the

empire, but, the majority thought it was a good idea.

Of course the ones that were part of the court did not think it a very

good idea. Well, they liked their martial look and bright colors do not go

well with that. And of course, the union of the stormtroopers united

didn't like it either. They had been wearing that uniform for such a long

time..

But the union of the independent stormtroopers liked the idea. For years

they

had been struggling to be seen as individuals and not numbers. Unlike the

stormtroopers united they didn't like the fact that they were treated as one

just because they were clones. They had started to have real names and they

had a big team of psychiatrist. The opportunity to wear different colors was

seen as a big

step.

The rebels were quiet. They were a little confused with the news, but their

plans would go on as planned. And so the spies were sent to work and it

would

seem that the emperor's plot would work just fine.

Emperor Palpatine the first (and only, He was a sad man, but very few

people named their children Palpatine, despite the law he made that every

system was to have the first 10 boys born each year named after him. Out of

curiosity. Since that law was approved each year, at the beginning of the

year the rebels would find male babies on their steps..), decided that the

first system to have the honor of their visit should be Endor. They didn't

have many people at the party, but they needed the trees and they were

looking

forward to making some Ewoks homeless..

And so the unfinished Death Star, all lights and banners set course to

Endor.

They arrived to Endor. Strortroopers were sent to the moon to cut down some

trees. And the main decoration began.

Darth Vader was not not happy. He missed his tulips. Some should be blooming

right now and he was on a corner of the Throne room, trying to hide in the

shadows. He was wearing a red suit and the emperor himself had glued a white

beard on his mask. It would be hell to take off all the glue after. He

looked into the red bag he was carrying. Sweets! He would give his soul to

the Sith to taste one. Wait. He already had done that..

He was thinking what could he gave to have one sweet when he heard the noise

of the emperor coming. And from what he could tell he was talking to Mara..

"- No, you have to fly with grace! With grace!"

Mara Jade was dressed with a pink body and a pink tutu. She had little

wings and a wand. The emperor had asked her to dance in a fly around the

corridor using the force. She was not an happy fairy.

But the emperor was what was giving Vader trouble. For once he was really

grateful for his mask, and for the first time in some years he had laughed

alone in his room after an heroic effort not to do so in from of his Master.

Palpatine was wearing a white toga and had some big feathered wings. He even

had forged a halo and was supporting it with the help of the force. He had

a white cane and sandals. Four people died and 5 other were sent to prison

because they laughed to much after seeing him. And for the first time since

she was about 16, Mara Jade made a surprised expression and then tried not

to laugh in her master's face too.

"-Lord Vader. Here you are! Ah! That color really suits you!"

Vader counted to 10 and looked at some stormtroopers dressed in green and

yellow, decorating a tree. Mara Jade looked capable of destroying a planet

without the aid of a Death Star, the emperor grinned.

"- We will have our first guest soon and I need you ready to receive them."

"- Ewoks?"

The hallow above the emperors head started too glow. Mara Jade started to

rise.

"- I'm sick of this. I won't dance for Ewoks! One day I'll fly away!"

"- What? Would you leave me? For what? A husband and kids? Maybe a rebel?

Maybe a jedi? So you can be serene.."

Mara blushed and that only made her even more pink!

"- Of course not! I meant I fly away to greet our guests. Master!"

It was hard to call Master to the old man wearing that outfit.. But he was

waving his cane in front of her.

"- I hope so young lady! You're too old to have a teenage attitude but still

young enough to be punished."

Some stormtroopers stopped decorating the tree and two putting a banner put

it upside down. Vader breathing increased and Mara bit her lip and took

the chance to fly away a little more.

"- Master. What guest were you talking about?"

"- Oh Lord Vader. Some important ones. And you might want to buy a gift for

one of them. I heard you two might have some talking to do, some time to

spend.. "

Vader thought for a while. Mara asked the force to put her closer and a

stormtrooper fell from a chair trying to hear the name of the guests.

"- Well, the rebellion decided to help us with our party. And the first one,

already on his way is Luke Skywalker."

Chapter 4

Hearing the name of the first guest was all it took to make Vader drop his

big red bag. Sweets of all colors were scattered on the floor.

Mara came to the ground with a halt.

“- Mara! Gracefully please!”

“- Yes Master, but isn’t that the rebel that destroyed the first Death Star?

Do you want me to take care of him?” –she looked at Palpatine with hope in

her eyes.

“- You’re not going to do anything to the boy!”

Mara and Palpatine looked to Vader. Usually he was much more controlled when

the emperor was present. Palpatine took his halo in his hands and gently

observed it. Then he grinned and began to speak.

“- Yes Mara. You will leave the rebel alone unless I send you any different

orders. I believe Lord Vader wants to talk with him.”

And this was the time a purple stormtrooper found to walk into the room.

“- Sir. The rebel is coming. And there are several ships arriving here too.”

“- Hmmm Perfect.” The emperor grinned. “I will receive him in the throne

room. I hope the decorations are complete.”

Vader had put the sweets back in the bag using the Force, and Mara was

practicing her graceful flight, wishing the emperor would leave her alone

for the day. The purple stormtooper just stood there  awaiting orders.

“-Lord Vader, I think we have some more time until Luke Skywalker arrives. I

want you to go and see if the room is ready. Go with Mara and please be

discrete.”

Both Vader and Mara were about to protest, but Palpatine put his halo back

on the top of his head and went off giving tips about the decorations.

“- Well Mara, how can we be discrete?”

Mara looked at Vader. She almost felt sorry for him, but then she remembered

how she was dressed and got angry.

“- We can use one of the secret passages. We’ll be above  the throne, just

on top of the fireplace, and we can see without anyone knowing it.”

“- Will I fit there?”

“- Oh I’m sure you will Lord Vader, after all, you haven’t been eating much

of those sweets…”

And she hurried to fly far from Vader’s reach. Vader followed her through a

narrow corridor. And then he stopped to crawl after her as the corridors

became even more narrow. When they reached the passage to the throne room,

Mara let him go first to see.

The passage was high, on top of the fireplace. Down below several Ewoks were

being forced to decorate a tree with lights and other decorations. They were

not very happy, and were making sad sounds. From what Vader and Mara knew

they were saying, they didn’t deserve that kind of punishment because they

have been good little beings all year.

Vader looked around a little more to see the rest of the room, and then,

suddenly, he lost his balance and he fell right next to the fireplace.

His bag opened and sweets were sent in the direction of the Ewoks, who

started jumping around and singing.

Vader tried to rise from the floor, but the Ewoks ran to hug him, and some

took milk and cookies and forced him to accept.

The Ewoks started asking for the name of his savior, as they didn’t

recognize Vader in his red suit with his white beard, but Vader, still

dizzy, mumbled.

 “- Holy Sanctuary... That was close!”

From her hiding place, Mara was confused, as the Ewoks suddenly began

dancing and saying thanks to Santa Clause, that was all they had understood

from what Vader said.

Vader finally got up to his feet and tried to kill some of them, but they

were already running in all directions and eating the sweets with great

content. Still dizzy, he gave a last look at the room, thought that the

emperor would like it, and went off to find Palpatine, and to wait for his

son.

Palpatine was tapping his feet.

“- It took you long enough Vader. And your suit is dirty. Our guest is

almost here. How is my throne room?”

“- I... ummm.... had an accident. And the room is ready!”

“- Good, I’m going there. You stay here and wait for your son. I gave Mara

orders to be here for him too.”

And he went off to wait for Luke Skywalker to be brought to him, grinning

and humming a song.

Luke Skywalker was feeling like a farmboy again. During the entire trip from

Endor Moon to the Death Star he had been looking for a holocamera or

something. He had been greeted by a group of colorful stormtroopers, and the

Death Star was full of color, even at distance, he wished for his helmet.

All those lights were making his eyes hurt.

At the shuttle they had music and they offered him all kinds of food. They

took holos with him and exchanged postcards. And everywhere he saw banners

wishing a "Merry Christmas” or “This Christmas brought to you by the empire”

. Something really strange was happening. He, as all the rebellion, had

heard the rumors, but he was not ready for anything like this.

The shuttle arrived at the incomplete Death Star (he could see several Ewoks

replacing some of the missing parts on his way). Looking around, he tried to

spot his father, or the evil emperor on the happy and colorful spot. But all

he saw was a bearded man in a red suit, more stormtroopers in colorful

outfits, and Ewoks running happily with sweets in their hands, and talking

about a guy named Santa, that had come down from a chimney to reward all

their good behavior.

Suddenly he spotted something pink flying towards him. He couldn’t identify

it at first, but then he saw it was a woman. He looked with more attention.

A fairy? Here? And a pretty one from what he could see. And just as he was

thinking that she would look even better in another color, she came closer

to him. He saw that she was trying to stop, but too late… She bumped into

him, and hit him right in the mouth with her wand. They both ended up on the

ground. He laying there, she on top of him.

“- Damn. Why didn’t you step back?”

“- Now it’s my fault? You should learn to fly first. I think I lost some

teeth.”

“- Well, maybe I want them for a necklace”

“- If you want a tooth necklace I suggest you to rip out your own. I won’t

give mine to you. They’re mine”

“- Why, if you like them so much why don’t you keep them under your pillow

at night?”

“- Well, I might do just that.”

“ -Oh yeah! Maybe I’ll go and take them for you when you’re sleeping”

“- You wouldn’t dare! They are mine! That would be stealing!”

“- Well, don’t worry. I will leave some coins there, for your precious

teeth!”

Vader was listening to all the arguing and became concerned with the well

being of his only son (that was still on the ground with a very pink and

angry Mara Jade on top) he decided to stop the dialog.

“-Stop that, both of you. Mara, let him go!”

Mara looked at Vader, and still angry, she decided she would talk with the

rebel later.

“- Finally you decided to come my son! And in time for Christmas!”

Luke had no time for being glad that the girl in pink was letting him free.

He looked in disbelief to the man in front of him.

“Father?.....Christmas?”*

*This is a reference to the way some of us call Santa. In Portugal we call

him Pai Natal, in Spain, Papa Noel (I think) in France Pére Noel, that

translated into English is “Father Christmas.”

Chapter 5

Luke Skywalker was having a hard time believing that the Force was

not

mocking him. After the surreal trip to the incomplete (but very

decorated)

Death Star, he was now in a room with an impossible fairy and from

what he

could see, his father was dressed all in red with a fake white beard

glued to

the mask and talking about Christmas..

- "I'm glad that you have accepted the fact that I'm your father,

Luke."

- "Well, Anakin Skywalker was my father, you.. Er, are you feeling

alright?"

Vader's heart felt something that it hadn't felt for some years. The

touch

of another being truly concerned with him. Besides that, he was a

little

embarrassed. A meeting dressed like this was not what he had planned

for his

gathering with his son.

- "Yes, my son. I'm okay. And now that you are with me, everything

will be perfect

again."

Luke was about to reply when the pink fairy interrupted him.

- "What in Sith's name are you talking about? Father? Son? Holy

Ghost! I don't

understand anything you are saying!"

She was interrupted by the voice of the emperor in her head telling

her

to send the rebel to him.

She gave Lord Vader an angry look that said it all, and he, for

his turn, signaled Luke so he would follow them.

As they entered the throne room, Luke gasped as he saw an old man,

dressed in

white, sitting in a very dark room decorated with a huge, bright

tree.

- "Welcome young Skywalker," he grinned and paused. "And Merry

Christmas!"

- "Merry what?"

Vader rolled his eyes under his bearded mask as Mara moved to stand

next to

Palpatine.

-"It is so good that you decided to join us. Your presence and

participation will only make our party and our government of the

galaxy,

better and even more efficient. "

- "I have no idea what you're talking about, but you are defeated. I

came

here to take my father back with me and to destroy your empire."

- "Oh! And you plan to do that alone?"

Luke hesitated a little. Palpatine grinned again.

- "If you're referring to your friends, well, they will die, trying

to spoil

our party, and all the galaxy will hate them."

Realisation hit Luke in the face.

-"Oh, so that was your plan all along. But it won't succeed. My

sacrifice will see

to that and..."

Vader interrupted Luke's speech.

- "Luke, you will join us. You will realise that we are the good

side. The

dark side.  It's the only decent and wise choice for a career.

Being Jedi is a

very lousy and insecure job."

- "Career choices? And what about love?"

The emperor, Vader and Mara chuckled. He was so young and idealistic!

- "I will not surrender to your points of view. Here. You can have my

lightsaber!"

The emperor looked surprised, Mara was curious, and Vader felt

proud. His son had

built his own lightsaber. The emperor picked it up with the force,

and observed

it.

- "Wow. Very nice. That way we can cut more trees!"

Luke turned pale.

-"Trees?"

Vader put his bag on the ground and started walking towards Luke.

-"We are using your old lightsaber to cut down some trees."

- "HOW COULD YOU? It was YOUR old lightsaber!"

The emperor grinned.

"Great! You're angry!" He handed Luke the lightsaber "Use this, join

me

and destroy the man that killed your real father."

Luke was becoming more angry as the minutes passed and the cheerful

decorations were only making him feel worse. Vader stared at the

emperor and realised his hidden plot.  He didn't like it one bit. He

felt like crying, only he couldn't do it.

Mara turned pale. She didn't like Vader, but this young man was

worse than

him.

So she jumped and, turning her wand into a lightsaber, she moved

towards him.

Reacting quickly, Luke called his own saber from the emperor's hand

and started

fighting her. She was good. He was better at fighting, but she was

more

flexible. Vader was staring, a little concerned about Luke, but the

emperor

just continued grinning even more.

Suddenly they stopped, lightsabers crossed in the air and anger in

their

eyes. They stood there for a minute until the emperor started

clapping and

cheering.

- "You have to kiss! You have to kiss! You stopped under that bush.

It's

tradition!"

They looked up and there stood a plant. It was an old tradition and

it was

considered very bad luck not to kiss when you found someone there.

But

neither of them cared about it. They were not planning to kiss.

Vader turned to the emperor and said, "He is the lover of Leia

Organa! He won't kiss her!"

- "I'M WHAT? Yuck! I don't want to bed my sister!"  He turned

white!  "Er.. I mean. I like her like a sister! Ok?"

Luke was cursing inside and he wanted to die. What a fool! Now

everything

was lost. Vader was a very proud man and he started thinking that

Anakin was

not that bad after all. The emperor turned serious.

-"Well, you still have to kiss. It's tradition. And if you like, you

can turn

to the dark side and keep her to please you!"

Luke looked to Mara, giving her measuring glance. Maybe the Dark

Side was not so bad after all..

- "She's too pink! And I bet she can't even kiss!"

- "I can't what?" And she kissed him. Luke dropped his lightsaber.

Mara pushed him aside as quickly as she had grabbed him, her chin

high in

the air. Luke was dizzy! He heard the emperor's cackling voice

talking to him in a

sing-song and too sweet voice.

"- So will you turn or not? I'm a busy man, you know?"

"- Hmm . No! You will have to kill me!"

"- So be it!"

The Emperor began attacking Luke with bolts of electricity from his

fingers and

lit Luke more brightly than the decorated tree on the Death Star.

As Luke was being roasted, he began thinking about his father, his

sister,

his friends and then he thought maybe he could have kissed Mara

everyday.

With his eyes closed, he could not see the colour of her clothes.

Maybe he could

have fun after all, undressing her.

But he forgot to block his feeling so Vader and Mara heard what he

was

thinking. Vader felt the remaining part of his heart suddenly soften

a little and

Mara started screaming.

- "You electrifying son of a Sith."

Hearing Mara Jade shouting this to Luke was all it took for Vader to

make his

final decision. He was a Sith, but his son shouldn't be the ones to

pay

for that. He loved him too much. And then he realised that love was

all that

mattered.

And it was full of love that he grabbed a huge Endorian tree and

started

running with it towards the emperor. Vader had planned to catch the

emperor

in his belly, but Palpatine chose that moment to turn around and

grin at Mara

Jade, who was still looking angrily at Luke; and so the tree was

stuck into

the emperors back.  Vader stopped running and put the tree up to see

his final work as a Sith and first work as a Jedi. (Of course, the

Ewoks claim

that it was part of his work as Santa.)  The emperor stuck at the

top of the

tree, an angel grinning with his arms fully open, mortal bolts of

electricity

still leaving his fingers.

Hearing the confusion, some stormtroopers and Ewoks came to the

throne room,

where they saw the biggest tree with an angel on the top, the

electricity

making it look brilliant with light. Nodding approvingly, they

started

clapping.

For one of the first times in her life Mara Jade was confused. She

didn't

know how to feel or what to do. True, Palpatine was her Master, but

she was

still mad at him because of the pink suit, and after everything she

heard in

the last minutes she started to feel trouble and to question some

truths she

thought were eternal.

Through the Force she could tell that her master was trying to send

her some kind

of message, but could not make anything of it.

Meanwhile Vader was still grabbing the tree and Luke took the chance

to put

some of the fireworks on it, and lighting the fuse he sent the tree

into one of the maintenance openings, and there it went, along with

the emperor.

Once in space, it blew up, in a star of hope that all the rebels saw

and that

guided them to the salvation that had just come to the galaxy.

But on his brief trip to oblivion, the emperor had the time to send

one last

order to his Hand. Unfortunately, it didn't come out as he wished,

because he

was in great pain. So, instead of sending "You Will Kill Luke

Skywalker" he

sent her a much different order.

Mara Jade was in agony and as the emperor exploded, she tripped and

only the

proximity of Luke Skywalker's arms prevented her from falling on the

floor.

So she was in his arms when the last command of the emperor came.

Despite the pain, she could not feel anything but wonder as the

command was

imprinted in her mind. She opened her green eyes to see a concerned

pair of

blue ones looking at her.  Inside her mind, she listened to the

order that

would command her life from that moment forward, the last one of the

Master

she had just failed:

"You Will Lick Luke Skywalker".

The End ;)

Alexa

SSB Christmas/ New Year 2004/2005