Outraged, Palpatine threw out his hand and Luke sensed the pull in the Force, the danger running a cold warning down his spine, Palpatine's fury imbuing incredible focus and power-
There was a grinding, wrenching 'c-rack!' high behind Luke, stone shearing from stone.
Luke didn't turn- instead he focused on the substantial bulk of the incoming missile, one of the massive carved pillarheads, then reached out and took a solid Force-grip of his own, adding his own velocity, catapulting the substantial carved block onward with only the slightest change in its trajectory, crouching low as it surged past overhead so close that its leading edge rustled through his hair as he ducked.
Palpatine realised of course, but the combined momentum of two powerful wills was an incredible power to stop in the space of two strides, so that even as he threw out his hands to stop it, the massive section of marble pillar cannoned into hastily created shields, shattering outward, Luke maintaining that relentless momentum. Bracing, Palpatine was thrown back by the sheer force of the blow as the fighter-sized block of stone impacted his shields, skidding across the smooth floor in a flurry of red and raven robes.
Luke set grimly forward as the column of the missing pillar-head collapsed with ground-wrenching force behind him, the dust sheeting out about him in a wide cloud.
.
.
.
Mara walked with forced calm down the grand, deserted hallways toward the Throne Room, the Force buzzing all about her, grating through the air, slicing through her mind, setting her teeth on edge. This was no argument; no spirited clash or heated dispute- this was Darkness and it rolled through the cavernous hallways like a tidalwave, so that it took all that Mara was to simply walk; to hold her poise and composure, chest tight, muscles taught as she neared the rising storm. And every step closer made her heart beat faster, made her breath burn with adrenaline at the back of her throat.
If Luke had challenged Palpatine outright, there could be only one reaction; it wouldn't be a return to the cells, it wouldn't be chastisement or punishing reprisal- it would be a death sentence.
Her walk quickened pace to a jog, then an open run as desperation cut in, feet slipping on the polished marble floors, footfalls echoing in the empty halls.
When she rounded the final stairwell, taking the wide steps three at a time, the massive concourse was empty - no guards; nothing.
She raced forward to the massive arched entryway... and her heart sank, feet skidding to a halt of their own accord. Her eyes locked on the crumpled forms of the eight Red Guard laying before the closed doors, their bodies slumped against the walls where they fell- and she knew it was Luke. Knew what he intended.
Had he challenged Palpatine already? Was that what this was; a duel between Sith.
But Vader was dead, and she'd sensed no such upheaval then- not like this. Just a single burst, a flare of intense radiance, a release like the shock-wave of a detonation; a momentary rush, then nothing.
Not like this.
She glanced about, afraid that someone had seen the guards, that the alarm had been raised, but Palpatine had cancelled Court and the corridors were deserted, these levels out of bounds when Court was not in session.
Heart pounding, she set forward again at an unsteady walk, her legs trembling, the upheaval hammering at her mind, almost overwhelming at this proximity. Glancing up to the crushed security lens, she took her comlink in her hand and contacted Palace Security, stilling the tremble in her voice as she assured them that all was under control.
"What's happening?" the tight voice asked, and Mara knew that the guards here must have been dead before they even fell; no time to sound the alarm. All Security knew was that they hadn't checked in... now the only thing which was stopping them from sounding a general alert was her own status and security clearance.
"It's an impromptu security assessment at the Emperor's command; that's why the Court was cancelled today- reaction times are being monitored and units tracked. You're not one of those under scrutiny; you need to stand down and not influence the results."
"We have two lenses down in you location..."
"That's for the assessment- you needn't do anything. They'll be back up when we're through. Clearance code is override Jade nine-three-five-nine, terra actual."
It was so easy; so easy to use her reputation and her rank... Of course it was; she was beyond suspicion, absolutely loyal.
Absolutely loyal....
Stand down from any alarm, she'd assured, using override codes the Emperor himself had supplied. Was this treason? Probably. She didn't care; if Palpatine lived to accuse her, it would be because Luke was dead...
.
There was a colossal spike in the Force making her flinch back, then a foreboding rumble of tremendous noise, the floor beneath her feet shuddering ominously.
Mara rushed forward, her hand reaching for the locked release at the centre of the door... and froze, unable to move, loyalties split between her master and her lover.
The outpouring of energy into the Force was a whirlwind now, incredible intensity, power drawn to power, wild and furious and dangerous and determined, all twisted through and bound up in each-other so closely that the individual sense of the two combatants within couldn't be separated, lost in the surge.
And it terrified Mara.
She desperately wanted to enter, to run into the room... but then what - when she was inside, then what? Who would she help and who would she fail? Whose aid would she come to- who would she protect when the blade went to their throat?
What should she do... because she was at a loss- she had no idea; none at all.
A second rumble vibrated through her hands resting on the heavy doors and she felt her legs buckle, collapsing to her knees, her arms up about her head as if she could shut out the roiling turmoil, shut out the pain and the fear and the chaos in her head.
.
.
Just visible to Palpatine through the settling dust, Luke set forward over the scattered remnants of the immense pillarhead, the boulder-sized fragments slowing him as he climbed and jumped over them, intending to push home his advantage whilst it still remained, knowing that even this wouldn't keep the Sith Master down for long.
Palpatine had deflected the massive chunk of stone at the last moment, its weight as it impacted against his shields compressing the air about him, pushing it from his lungs with incredible intensity, leaving him gasping as he fell, winded.
And the boy came forward without hesitation, without conscience; everything that Palpatine had desired of him, everything that he had worked so hard to create- the wolf, smelling blood on the air.
But he'd find no quick victory here- no easy prey; all he did was concentrate Palpatine's resolve. The Sith staggered, trying to stand upright but falling again, Skywalker jumping onto a hip-high chunk fallen masonry, sabre lit-
Without hesitation Palpatine reached out, the Force twisting the boulder beneath his attacker, taking any foothold he had. Skywalker lurched back without loosing his balance, leaping clear to land solidly on the marble floor, steadying himself in seconds, already moving forward again.
Palpatine glanced down, hands to the ground as the boy came forward-
Luke braced, muscles tensing, knowing the Sith wasn't nearly as vulnerable as he'd have Luke believe, searching for the snare-
Without warning, the weighty marble floor beneath his feet erupted up into rubble, the fissure throwing up razor-sharp fragments, following Luke's footsteps as he stumbled back, Palpatine's hand outstretched on the floor.