Dynasty: Chunk Nineteen
by Valerie Vancollie and Rebecca Thomson
Garret caught sight of Luke and Anjaleen as he entered the room in his search for Lord Vader, and he stopped to smile.
"He's changed quite a bit since he's arrived, hasn't he?" Garret remarked to Mark.
"He sure has," Mark agreed before he started walking towards the Dark Lord who was talking with the Emperor once more. "My Lord," he said as soon as he saw that he had his master's attention. "Major Ravenell is here to see you about tomorrow."
"Thank you," Vader replied as he dismissed Mark before motioning for Garret to approach. "Major, I'm sure you recognize the Emperor. Your Majesty, Major Ravenell."
"It is an honor, my Emperor," Garret stated as he bowed, extremely honored to be able to meet the Emperor personally.
"Ravenell," Palpatine said knowing who he was, but pretending to sound like he recognized the name but wasn't sure from where. "Ah yes. You're the one who knows the truth about Skywalker and Organa."
"Yes, your Majesty," Garret replied, hoping that there wasn't anything special he had to do or say that he was forgetting.
"There are a few things I need you to see to, Major," Vader said before he gave a slight bow to the Emperor. "If you'll excuse us."
"Sure, sure," Palpatine replied with a wave of his hand as he turned his attention to Vladimir who was standing off to one side.
The courtier walked forward to the Emperor, his mind a whirl. 'Knows the truth about Skywalker and Organa?' What truth? It was known that Organa was being held here, at Vader's Castle, but what about Skywalker? Did Lord Vader's adjunct know one secret about the two of them, or two entirely different things? Vladimir cleared his throat and began to talk to the Emperor about the pleasant party, the Emperor's yellow eyes watching him like a hawk.
Luke twirled Anjaleen around for the last time as the music faded. She was smiling, and the feathers in her hair were sparkling a scarlet red to match his outfit.
Luke spied Mr. Jerklin starting to advance on the two of them. "My dear, it's been wonderful, but your escort is approaching." Anjaleen looked a little guilty while Luke continued, "besides, I think Grand Moff Bel-Zessa needs my help if he ever wants to talk to the Admiral without his daughter hanging around."
Anjaleen laughed as Luke gallantly kissed her hand and then faded into the crowd just as Mr. Jerklin came up.
Grand Moff Bel-Zessa was busy talking to Admiral MacNelly and his daughter. Or more accurately, trying to talk to the both of them, they were obviously wrapped up in each other and very much in love. He didn't mind, the Admiral was a good man and had good prospects for the future, but as a father he needed to talk to MacNelly about his intentions. He had already caught them walking alone in the gardens.
Luke Skywalker came up, smiling and accepting congratulations from his guests. Grand Moff Bel-Zessa nodded at the young man and told him 'Happy Birthday.'
"Thank you, Sir. Now, I don't want to offend anyone," Luke shot the Admiral a mischievous look, "but I'm going to borrow your daughter for a dance if she'll let me."
Nastalia giggled and held out her hand. Luke took it and led her out to the dance floor.
As the music started Luke whispered at Nastalia, "Your father needs to talk to him you know." As she was glancing longingly over his shoulder.
"Oh," she whispered back, "is it that obvious?" The music started, and they began to dance.
"Yes, but it is beautiful. You are very lucky."
They turned again, and Nastalia looked over the crowd and saw her friend Anjaleen with her escort. "Yes, I'm lucky." Nastalia sadly replied. Luke looked at her, and then mentally followed her gaze.
"Ah. Anjaleen. Maybe you should encourage Nathaniel to ask her to dance."
"That's a good idea."
The Grand Moff watched Skywalker led his daughter out onto the dance floor. "Polite man." He said.
"Yes, he is." The Admiral replied, "even if I don't know what to think of him."
"No one does." The Grand Moff motioned for the Admiral to follow him.
Ra'chealla stood off to the side of the dance floor, privately fuming. Skywalker was dancing with other women! But then she calmed herself, remembering that he had to dance with them, he was the host. Besides, her father had been glaring at him enough, maybe he felt he had to back off.
The Grand Moff followed the Admiral through to the men's fresher. The gilded walls and marble statues were set off by fresh flower arrangements. They stopped at the sinks, and washing their hands, turned to the servant who was holding the towels.
Admiral MacNelly patted his hands dry with the silken cloth and handing it back to the servant, looked straight at the very young man and said, "It must be quite a change to have Mr. Skywalker living here, isn't it?"
The servant blinked, and stammered a reply. "I'm s... sorry Sir, but I'm not allowed to answer any questions about Master Luke." He was clearly alarmed at having to speak at all.
The Admiral nodded, and walked out with the Grand Moff. Once out of earshot he whispered, "Master Luke?" They headed back to the dance floor.
"Yes, that is rather surprising, isn't it?" The Grand Moff replied. "It makes you wonder what's really going on here."
"He's practically adopted him, that's what." Nathaniel looked around, "I wonder where our mysterious Skywalker took Nastalia?"
"Ah, here they are." Replied the Grand Moff, gesturing to his right, where Skywalker was escorting her towards them.
"I told you I saw them going this way." Skywalker was saying.
"Hello Father, Nathaniel." Nastalia said.
The Admiral beamed at her while he told Luke, "thank you for looking after her."
"My pleasure, and if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." Skywalker gave them a little bow and walked away. The Grand Moff watched as Skywalker headed straight for the stairs guarded by two Red Guard and four house guard. All six stood at attention and moved aside silently, letting the man pass.
"MacNelly," the elder man said, bringing Nathaniel out of his conversation with his daughter. "Come to dinner tomorrow, I want to talk to you about what you said earlier." The Grand Moff briefly narrowed his eyes- the Red Guard's actions were too respectful towards Skywalker- it was a mystery.
"I'd be delighted."
The two Red Guard at Leia's door were talking on their private com channel, trying to pass the time. They had already talked about the castle, its layout, and the surprising professionalism of the house guard. The topic was moving to Lord Vader and Skywalker.
"Trevor says that the young man is being trained by Lord Vader to be Sith."
"Trevor just says that because he's embarrassed that the man can trounce him." It was common knowledge among the guard that Trevor had helped the master trainer teach Skywalker. It was also known that Skywalker had quickly surpassed Trevor's abilities.
"It's more than that. Trevor says he's too strong for his frame. He says-" Skywalker himself turned the corner and came up to the door. The guard moved aside, and the door swished open and then shut behind Skywalker as he passed through. The guard grumbled, "and he passes through doors without touching the controls."
"You gossip too much." The second argued.
Luke walked into Leia's sitting room. "You're a little frustrated. Want to join the party?"
"You'd never let me down there." Leia shot back, still watching the screens.
"Not tonight, no. But if you want to, you'll be allowed to eventually." Luke answered. "It's fun, and a pretty girl like you would have a lot of admirers."
"I'd rather not be drooled over by a bunch of pig-headed Imperials."
Luke sighed. "Leia, Leia, Leia. We're trying so hard to give you this opportunity. So much is being offered to you. Why are you turning it down?"
"So much? So much? Everything you have has been stolen from the people. So you can sit around and flirt with pretentious empty-headed women and chat with cold-blooded officers of the Imperial Navy."
Luke laughed a little. "Some of them are empty-headed, and others are cold-blooded about killing Rebels. But we have stolen nothing. Every government has taxes, and percentage-wise very little goes to the pleasures of the court. It is a large galaxy."
"I never guessed you were so shallow." Leia sniffed.
"I never guessed you were so stupid." Luke replied, trying to keep his temper.
"Stupid? At least I'm not blind!" Leia finally turned from the screens, glaring at him. She turned back to the screens. "Look at them, plotting and planning. They sit around and scheme. Half of them would kill you rather than eat your food."
"They're jealous."
"That doesn't make it right! Look at them! That one you were dancing with earlier, she obviously hates her escort, but she smiles at him all the same. And her head-dress!"
"What about it? I think it's beautiful." Luke replied, trying to be reasonable.
"Those plumes are from a Mehog bird! It's sacred to those who follow the beliefs of the Ta-shu and it comes from Alderaan. To blatantly have one killed for an evening's outfit is an insult to the people's beliefs and it condones the deaths of millions of innocent people."
"Please." Luke rolled his eyes. "It's just a bird. And she looks better than any silly feathered thing." Luke felt defensive, and didn't know why.
Leia snapped back, "she may look good, but she's just another empty-headed courtier's daughter. They all are."
Luke's anger flashed, and he snarled back, "not as stupid as you. You rather play politics and claim principals when you're just being stubborn. Why-" Luke snapped his mouth shut and swung his head around, looking through the wall.
'Temper.' The Emperor had warned. 'You fuel her anger and lose your reason. Remain in control.' Luke winced, and took a deep breath.
"You can hear him. He's talking to you, isn't he?" Leia breathed.
Luke looked at her. "No."
Leia shook her head. "Yes. You talk to each other, and you talk about me. Lord Vader has gotten into your head, hasn't he? He's controlling you. You're nothing but his puppet."
"I am not." Luke took another breath, Leia was being impossible. "And I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me!"
"Be reasonable."
"No, not until you tell me the truth!"
"Then I will leave, the party's more fun than you anyway." With that, Luke turned to go.
The door swished open, and Skywalker strode out with his face an angry mask. Organa was yelling behind him.
"You filthy Sith! You can hear him, can't you?!?"
Skywalker whirled around, and raising a finger coldly said, "That is none of your concern." The door swished shut, cutting off what suspiciously sounded like a scream.
Skywalker turned again, and menacingly walked down the corridor and out of sight.
"All right, I believe Trevor." One of the Red Guard said over his private channel.
Luke walked down the hall and slipped into a side room to regain his composure. Leia infuriated him. And to imply that Anjaleen was just some stupid empty-headed girl. Why, she was the smartest one here tonight. And the prettiest.
Luke laughed at himself. He should have realized. He went back out into the hallway and down to the dance floor. He was host tonight, and did have duties to perform. But he would have a few moments to himself.
Mr. Jerklin was busy talking to an acquaintance of his as Anjaleen quietly stood beside him, stealing glances around the room. Admiral MacNelly walked up, Nastalia seemed to have disappeared.
"Good evening gentlemen, ladies." The Admiral gave a little bow.
"Good evening, Admiral. I read the report on your mission. Congratulations."
"Not much to congratulate me on, I just held together a bad situation long enough to get back. But it is nice to return to civilization."
"Yes. I don't think I would have enjoyed that long of a trip." Mr. Jerklin replied. The Admiral wondered if that was supposed to be a joke.
The Admiral smiled, faking friendliness. He then turned to Anjaleen. "My dear, Nastalia has told me what good friends you two are."
"Oh, thank you." Anjaleen quietly replied.
"And I was thinking that I ought to introduce myself," the Admiral continued, ignoring the fact that he had met Anjaleen after the debriefing, "and ask you for a dance."
"Why, thank you." Anjaleen said, and quickly stuck out her hand for Nathaniel to lead her onto the dance floor.
Once the music started, Nathaniel whispered to Anjaleen, "Apparently, Skywalker told Nastalia to tell me to get you away from him." The Admiral saw the girl's face remain passive, but her eyes shown with gratitude. "Afterwards, you could run to the ladies room with Nastalia. She's by the columns over there. After all, what's a night at court without secrets and a little conspiracy?"
Anjaleen giggled. "Trust Luke to get involved in secrets."
The moment the dance was over, Anjaleen quickly left the dance floor and made her way to the columns.
"What's going on?" Anjaleen asked, a little excited as she saw Nastalia waiting for her.
"I'll tell you in the fresher," Nastalia replied as she led her friend away, quickly. "We don't want Raphael seeing you now that Nathaniel got you away from him."
"Okay, we're here. What us going on?" Anjaleen inquired as they entered the fresher.
"Luke said that he wants to see you at the fountain in the front garden," Nastalia replied after making sure that there was no one else in the room.
"That's it?" Anjaleen demanded.
"Yes," Nastalia replied with a twinkle in her eyes. "But I think its romantic, you two, alone, outside."
"Nastalia!" Anjaleen said as she blushed red, liking the idea but not entirely sure why.
"Come on, Anjaleen," Nastalia continued. "I really think he likes you. Besides, he's a lot nicer than Raphael."
"Well..." Anjaleen began as she stepped past her friend and moved to smell the flowers next to the sink. "This is quite a party isn't it?" she asked, changing the subject as she found her emotions in a knot. "And to say Vader came from hardly anything."
"What?" Nastalia questioned, instantly curious. "What do you mean, came from nothing?"
"I asked Raphael from where Vader came from and mother said that he simply appeared in court," Anjaleen said. "Similar to the way Luke did."
"And nobody knows from where?"
"Rumors had it that he came from either Naboo or a place with lots of desert," Anjaleen informed her friend. "Now, since the Emperor is from Naboo, people believe that he came from the planet with a lot of desert."
"What?" Nastalia exclaimed as her face flushed with excitement. "No! It can't be!"
"What?" Anjaleen demanded, instantly curious. "What is it? What do you know?"
"Tatooine," Nastalia stated. "It's a planet on the Outer Rim Territories and it is so close to the two suns of the system that the whole planet is nothing but desert."
"So?" Anjaleen inquired, confused. "That doesn't mean he's from there. I mean, there are lots of other planets that have lots of desert."
"Yes, but according to a certain General Hors, Luke comes from Tatooine," Nastalia explained.
"Luke?" Anjaleen gasped. "Are you sure?"
"Well," Nastalia began. "The general told me this when I was on the Star Destroyer Judgment on my way home. Now, after hearing this, I checked up on this general via father's information channels. It seems the general died mysteriously on the same mission they were going to when he told me."
"That's weird."
"Yes," Nastalia agreed. "But it gets better. He was also on the mission to Tatooine, the mission Luke commanded."
"This is strange," Anjaleen stated as she looked at her friend. "Luke did have a tan when he was first spotted walking through the halls, before he appeared at court."
"Not to mention the fact that, from what you said, it seems both Luke and Vader appeared at court under similar circumstances," Nastalia added. "No one knows where they come from and the clues point to the fact that they could possibly come from the same planet. The general also said that Luke was extremely poor before he showed up here."
"If that is true, then he must possess something extremely important for Vader to take him in like this," Anjaleen said as she waved her arm. "And the Emperor is also interested in him."
"I wish I knew what it is," Nastalia admitted. "At least it will give us something to do; look for clues."
"Indeed," Anjaleen agreed. "A little mystery to solve. But we will have to be careful."
"Definitely," Nastalia said. "But you'd better go now."
Anjaleen smiled at her friend before she exited the fresher and made her way to the entrance hall. Making sure that Raphael was no where in sight, she exited the castle through the front door and made her way to the fountain she had seen while coming up the driveway in her hovercar. Reaching the fountain, she looked around only to find that Luke wasn't there yet.
Luke, seeing Anjaleen pass through the entrance hall and out the door, started to make his way towards the door himself.
"Aren't you going to be dancing anymore tonight, Luke?" Elizabeth asked him as he entered the entrance hall.
"I am," Luke replied as he stopped. "But not right now. In fact, could you spread the word to the others that the last dance tonight will be a trade off one. You know, one in which we all change partners until we're back with the one we started."
"Lovely," Elizabeth said. "I'll spread the word."
"Thanks," Luke responded. "I'll see you later than."
"Bye," Elizabeth called after him as he made his way towards the door again.
Upon reaching it, Luke quickly slipped outside, unaware of the pair of eyes watching him.
Ra'chealla had been watching Luke for a while, hoping to get the perfect chance to approach him once more without making it obvious to her father that that was what she was doing. She had just seen her opening when her father had approached her.
"I told you already that I don't want to see you with him anymore," Buchanan whispered sternly. "And what do I see minutes after arriving here? You dancing with him!"
"He asked me," Ra'chealla replied as she kept her eyes glued on Luke, following him as he made his way into the hall. "Do you want me to turn him down when he's the person for whom the party is being held?"
Buchanan opened his mouth to reply, but then shut it again, knowing that Ra'chealla was correct on this one. Perhaps he'd have to have a little talk with Skywalker himself in the coming days. He was definitely not going to stand around and watch while that nobody waltzed around with his daughter and thus made it seem like she was unavailable to the other courtiers whom she should be seeing.
"Stay away from him unless he approaches you," Buchanan finally ordered. "Is that understood?"
"Yes, Father," Ra'chealla stated as she saw Luke exit the castle.
Perhaps now she could see him again. Her father was bound to stay inside and try to speak with the Emperor, which meant that as long as Luke was outside, she could speak with him without her father ever seeing or knowing of it. She smiled as her father moved off to talk with Vladimir. Waiting a little, until she was sure that her father wasn't going to follow her, Ra'chealla made her way to the door through which Skywalker had exited.
Luke smiled when he scanned the area as he approached the fountain and saw that there was no one else around. Reaching the fountain, he stopped and watched Anjaleen who was smelling the purple flowers that grew on the side of the path. (*Click here to see Tina Ye's illustration*)
"I always liked those myself," Luke said as she smiled.
"Luke," Anjaleen replied, startled. "I didn't hear you approach."
"Sorry about that," Luke apologized as he stepped closer to her. "I think one of those flowers would look nice in your hair."
"Would it?" Anjaleen asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes," Luke said as he wondered at his own behavior.
Now that he had identified his feelings for Anjaleen, it made a little more sense, but he still didn't like the way he unconsciously relaxed so completely when he was around her. It could lead to trouble and he knew it. Still, the Force had been trying to pull him towards her from the beginning. Reaching past her, Luke plucked one of the flowers and reached up to place it behind her ear.
"There," Luke said as he took a step back.
The purple flower matched perfectly with the colored jewels in her hair and the once more scarlet feathers. Anjaleen sent him a quizzed look before moving to the fountain to see her reflection in the moonlight that bounced off the water. Seeing her image, she smiled to herself before she turned around as she caught sight of Luke's reflection as well.
"Well?" Luke inquired with a smile.
"I like it," Anjaleen admitted as she returned his smile and their eyes locked.
Luke took a step forward and was already lowering his head before he fully realized what he was about to do. When he did, he hesitated a little, giving her time to move away. When she didn't, Luke reached up and brushed his right hand against her face before he leaned forward and kissed Anjaleen.
Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail Rebecca or me at valeriev84@hotmail.com
