"What do you have to say, that cannot wait?" Palpatine asked the kneeling man, his tone indulgent rather than inpatient in light of his Wolf's tenacious, resolute manoeuvring.
Luke kept his head down, eyes low, forcing his breathing to a slow, regular rhythm.
Last chance; make it count.
He knew that his Master preferred to keep him on a short leash, keep him in the Palace, keep him close at hand- and he knew why. But he also knew how much it would mean to Palpatine to see the final fulfilment of his precious prophesy, the vision he had seen only days after they had first faced off against each-other; that the idealistic, naïve boy who had so adamantly refused to give up Master Yoda's location would one day hand it over him willingly.
Palpatine would see this as the ultimate confirmation of his control of Luke. Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn't. Perhaps Luke's readiness to use Master Yoda's death for his own ends meant that Palpatine was right - or possibly his willingness to lie so guiltlessly to the Emperor and manipulate him so readily was proof that Palpatine would never truly own his precious Jedi as he wanted. Luke didn't know, and he'd long since stopped looking for answers.
They were seldom what one desired.
Now, all that he knew was that he finally had the ammunition to force his Master's hand- so the words Luke spoke aloud were as much a surprise to himself as they probably were to the Emperor. "The completion of the SSD Invincible is back on schedule, Master. It will be released from the Bilbringi shipyards in five month's time en route to Coruscant for its official launch."
"I see." Palpatine acknowledged neutrally, continuing to stare at his Jedi. They both knew that this wasn't what he had come to say.
Luke remained in genuflexion on the cold marble floor before the dais, a deep reluctance beginning to creep into his thoughts. Could he do this? Use Master Yoda's death as a ploy to help bring down the leader of a Rebellion which the old Jedi Master had probably helped instigate.
He held silent, eyes down, uneasy qualms tying a knot in his stomach as old memories pulled old principles to the fore...
"Something troubles you." His Master prompted at last, curiosity giving his words an uncharacteristically compassionate tone.
Luke remained still, remained silent, torn between present needs and past loyalties...
Palpatine watched, fascinated, as the boy remained statue-still, jaw clamped against whatever he had come intending to say. What could it be that bit into him like this, leaving him visibly shaken in the presence of the one man before whom he never allowed any show of weakness?
"Rise, my friend." Palpatine said at last, wishing to coax the boy on, fascinated now. "Rise and walk with me."
His fallen Jedi stood and set mechanically forward beside his Master, still lost in this unspoken struggle, caught behind some deep-rooted barrier which left him bound and distracted, unable to proceed. Palpatine walked casually out onto the wide terrace, the late summer sun beating inexorably down on pale marble flags. He disliked intensely the burning heat of Coruscant's summer, but he knew that such things set the boy at ease so was willing to withstand it, such was his curiosity.
He eventually stopped to rest pale, gaunt hands on the intricately-carved terrazzo balustrade, looking absently over the Capital- it held no interest for him; he already owned it completely. That which he desired to command was stood in subdued confusion beside him, eyes to the ground, adrift in his own thoughts, oblivious to the breathtaking view laid out before him.
"What has the power to leave my wolf at such an impasse?" Palpatine invited benevolently, grating voice tempered to wheedling tones.
The boy remained silent, shaking his head just slightly, plagued to distraction.
Did he know how vulnerable he left himself by clinging to these broken fragments of forfeit morals? Looking into the boys face now, Palpatine could see that he did; could sense how much this grated, how desperate he was to shed these final, tattered ties. What held him to so irresolute-a silence then?
Enthralled, Palpatine reached out into the Force, ochre-flecked eyes half-closed in concentration, stretching out a trembling hand to his Jedi's cheek without touching it.
"You are lost, child." He said in empathy, hoping to coax him on, "These are old doubts, long since conquered. Why do they plague you now?"
But his Jedi remained silent so Palpatine stepped back, knowing that if he pushed too hard, the boy would inevitably back off further. Even now, his Jedi resisted every step of the way- just more subtly... opposed his own decisions as much as his Masters, it sometimes seemed.
The Emperor turned again to look over the Capital, though his attention remained centred on the struggle taking place behind the boy's tense, distant expression. Without turning Palpatine spoke again, his voice quiet and calm as if making a casual observation, though his words were anything but.
"How easily your resolve crumbles, my friend. Did I teach you nothing? Are you so weak that you would surrender years of struggle and sacrifice and accomplishments before a moment's jaded conscience - do all of your aspirations and ambitions mean so little?" The Sith Master turned just slightly to deliver his last, "Anything of worth comes at a price, you know that - the first thing that one must be prepared to sacrifice to any true goal is oneself."
The boy remained silent for long seconds then, as if finally realising his Master's words, he stepped back and brought his head up, mismatched eyes the intense blue of the summer sky, the dark twist in his right eye startling in its contrast.
He reeled about and walked quickly from the wide terrace without a word.
Palpatine gave two heartbeats before turning to follow, but such was his Jedi's desperation to leave that by the time the Emperor had entered the cool darkness of the cavernous, opulent hall, the boy had already reached the tall double-doors at the far side-
Luke walked quickly from the balcony and back through the overbearing, ostentatious opulence of the cavernous Audience Chamber, so that he was almost to its exit before he sensed his Master enter the shadowy gloom behind him.
Palpatine did not speak, but simply watched his Jedi leave... and even that held the power to stop Luke in his tracks. Or perhaps it was something within himself because he stood, breathing heavily, eyes on the doors before him, body tensed against the need to act.
But he didn't leave; remained still, struggling against conscience and demons. Silence lay leaden in the gloom of the massive, soulless room-
"Will you give me what I want?" Luke asked at last, eyes still on the doors before him, voice low and quiet.
"And what is that?"
Luke didn't turn; didn't deign to answer. It was Palpatine for once, who broke the silence, "I have made my decision."
"Reconsider."
"In light of what?"
Luke half-turned, pale eyes bright in the low light, "Master Yoda's location."
The Sith's yellow eyes widened as he took two quick steps forward-
And Luke knew that he had him. There would be posturing, details to be argued, ego to be placated... but it was all academic now. He would go - and he knew it.
Palpatine walked slowly to the throne without speaking and Luke turned to face him, waiting for the first volley.
"I do not barter permission and favours, Jedi." The Emperor opened.
Luke bit down his sarcasm at the bare-faced lie. Irrelevant of what was said from now on, he had nothing to prove anymore - he'd won and he knew it. "This is neither, Master. Only acknowledgement of services rendered. You said it yourself- three years of loyalty and obedience."
"I used neither of those words - nor am I in the habit of doing so when it comes to my feral Jedi. You are as much a liability as an advantage."
Luke took a step forward, "You want loyalty? Then let me show it to you - let me hunt down your enemies. Give me this opportunity to prove myself."