Years later the girl with force potential has grown up and joined the Imperial forces. She has excelled as a pilot rising through the ranks but not without notice. Now in the swamps of Dagobah, Darth Vader has brought her along on a mission to search for hidden Jedi. The true purpose of the mission is soon revealed…
“Who taught you the ways of the Force?”
She glances back at the black cloaked figure following her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.“
“Do not try to deceive me. I have seen you in combat. I have felt the distortions in the Force around you. Now tell me who was your master.” Vader’s normally calm voice raises in volume until he is nearly shouting.
She turns fully to face the Sith Lord, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” She remains calm, in control, despite being deathly afraid of Vader. She has felt his presence in the Force. Anger and rage burns cold through the man nearly constantly. He is a supernova made flesh.
“Your calm betrays you. You are trained in the ways of the Jedi but it will not save you or your master. I will kill you and then your master.”
She can not help but think of her parents for a second. Fear flashes through her but she squashes it. She will die before placing them in danger.
Vader unclips a chrome tube from his belt and thumbs a switch. A red blade of light emerges from the end and a hum fills the air. He holds it in a casually, relaxed way that belies his deadly intent.
She knows that she will soon die but draws her sidearm anyway. She takes a step back unsure if it is enough to stay out of the reach of the Sith Lord. They stare at each other, he into her eyes and her into his unblinking death mask. She fires her blaster and he swings his lightsaber to deflect it. She fires again and again hoping to overwhelm Vader. The red blur stops shot after shot until the battery pack runs dry.
Their stalemate resumes.
“Tell me who your master is.”
“No.”
“Ah, so you admit to being a Jedi and a traitor to the Empire?”
“No. I am loyal to the Empire. I live to serve the Emperor.”
“You speak the truth.” He sounds almost surprised. He reaches into his cloak and pulls out a second lightsaber and tosses it to her.
She plucks it from the air, “What is this?”
Vader begins advancing toward her, “Defend yourself.” He swings his blade at her. She fumbles with the activation switch but gets to blue blade up fast enough to stop his first attack. He swings again and she blocks again. He holds his lightsaber in one hand swinging it almost lazily but each blow rattles her to her feet. At first the blows are slow enough that it’s almost impossible for her to not block. His swings begin to come faster and closer to cutting her.
She’s losing and can do nothing to stop the inevitable. Then everything begins to slow and blur forward through time. She can see where his next swing will come from and block it easily. Their blades become red striking blurs and blue defending blurs. Vader’s strikes become almost constant and then she sees a split second chance and strikes back. He stops it effortlessly but does not renew his attack he stares at her past their locked sabers.
“Enough,” Vader pushes her back and deactivates his lightsaber, “We will return and you will be transferred to my personal squadron. You will become my apprentice.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then I will kill you. The choice is yours.”
She considers her choice carefully, deactivates her borrowed lightsaber, bows and says, “Lord Vader, I would be honored.”