Leana's thin tunic clung to her skin, soaked through with sweat from the Jedi training. Dagobah's humid climate didn't help, though – she had been damp since landing on this planet, even without the intense workout.

But Leana loved it. She was used to running the bleachers, doing difficult soccer drills, and taking laps and this new form of training was challenging in a good way. She reveled in the burn of her muscles and the stinging of sweat.

Ahead of her, Luke ran with Yoda sitting in a pack strapped to his back. The old Jedi gripped his cane tightly, which he had used alternately to hit Luke or to swing at birds and big bugs that came too close. He had tried to hit Leana with it, too, but she had managed to duck and avoid it. Luke, on the other hand, hadn't been so lucky.

Several thick vines dangled from a branch up ahead, the Jedi trainees making a beeline for them. Luke grabbed one and climbed up it, hand over hand, as Leana jumped and grasped a second one, hauling herself up it. Her muscles screamed with exertion, sweat dripping down her forehead and back.

"Faster," Yoda chanted. "Faster! Faster! All the way to the top! Go! Go!"

Leana and Luke reached the branch, pulling themselves up onto it. She carefully stood on the branch, balancing on the uneven bark. Then she and Luke both jumped off the branch, grabbing hold of another vine to swing down from.

"Ah!" Yoda screamed, lashing out with his cane. Leana heard a loud squawk and whipped her gaze over to see feathers floating in the air and an angry bird trying to attack Yoda, who kept swinging his cane and yelling. Luke, who couldn't quite see what was going on, looked very confused and stressed out as they both landed on the ground, Leana bending her knees to absorb the landing.

"What are you doing back there?" Luke demanded, spinning around in an attempt to face Yoda but forgetting the pack was attached to his back.

"It was a seagull," Yoda said grumpily, clutching Luke's shoulders tightly. "It had it coming." He looked over at Leana and back to Luke. "Why'd you stop?"

"Because it sounded like someone was dying?" Luke replied, rolling his eyes exasperatedly at Leana. "I thought we were supposed to be training."

"We were," Yoda retorted. "Until you stopped."

"No, we were running your errands until we stopped," Leana corrected. "So far, you've had us pick up your groceries, deliver your dry cleaning, and pay your electricity bill. I didn't even know Dagobah had electricity out here, never mind groceries and dry cleaning! I mean...they didn't look like very good ones, but still. So when do we start actually training?"

"Now!" Yoda yelled. "Go!"

Luke and Leana jolted forward, continuing their run. They leaped over a log easily, Leana reveling in the grace and ease of the jump, and they ran side by side.

"Run!" Yoda cried. "Yes! Run! A Jedi's strength flows from the Force and from sandwiches. But you better beware of the dark side, of hamburgers. Anger, fear, aggression, ketchup. The dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight or tempt you while traveling. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will, twist you it will, till as Obi-Wan Kenobi's former apprentice you become and only hamburgers you eat from then on out."

Luke and Leana skidded to a halt, exchanging glances of confusion. Sandwiches? Burgers? What? I thought we were here to learn about the Force.

"Obi-Wan's former apprentice," Luke panted. "Vader."

"I never pictured Vader as a burger person," Leana commented.

"Master Yoda, is the dark side stronger?" Luke asked.

"No, no, and no," Yoda declared, hitting Luke in the head with his cane for each "no." "Quicker, easier, more seductive, and what it lacks in delicious flavor it makes up for in its juicy patties and fast prep time. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less."

"But how will I know the dark side from the light?" Luke asked. "You know, aside from whether it offers me sandwiches or burgers."

"Easy," Yoda said. "You'll just know. When you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack, and never to find a fast food joint. So when you start to use your anger, stop right there. Calm yourself. Then use the Force and find the local deli. It is harder in the beginning, but in the long run your work will have paid off, just like, in the end, waiting at a deli for a quality sandwich is always better than the quickie fast food hamburger. The light side of the Force is harder in the beginning, but in the end is stronger. It always triumphs over evil. Always."

"Then how come Emperor Palpatine is in charge of the galaxy right now, and you're in exile?" Luke asked.

Yoda hit Luke on the head with his cane, causing the Rebel to wince. "Stop asking embarrassing questions. If you remember one thing, remember this. Put sandwiches before hamburgers, and you will never go wrong."

Leana frowned. "Isn't a hamburger simply a variation on the sandwich?"

"And isn't the dark side simply the light side used wrong?" Yoda flashed back. "Clear your mind of questions, you two. Or else Henry might get that snack I've been promising him. Let's continue." Yoda pointed ahead with his cane. "Mush!"

Luke and Leana walked forward, fog beginning to condense in front of them. They saw the astromech droids up ahead, R2-D2 and R4-14 waiting for them. As they reached the droids, Luke shrugged off the backpack while Yoda was still inside and dropped it to the ground.

Yoda grunted as he hit the ground. "Oof," he grumbled as he freed himself from the fabric of the pack. "All the trouble a guy goes through to teach kids how to be Jedi and this is all the thanks I get!" He stood, kicking away the pack, and faced Luke. "For that, you have to go in there." He gestured grandly to a large, dark hole in the ground.

Luke and Leana both looked down at the hole, Leana's eyes widening. "In there? Really?" Luke asked.

Yoda nodded, looking ominous.

"But, Master Yoda, something's not right here," Luke protested. "I feel cold, death. I feel..."

"The dark side of the Force," Leana finished quietly. She could feel the darkness emanating toward her from the hole, pulsing in the humid air. "It's all around us. I can feel it."

"Yes," Yoda said, his eyes narrowing. "That hole is full of it. It's a domain of evil! No one should ever have to face the horrors that dwell within that pit! Now in you go. One at a time. You have to learn some respect." He shook his head, muttering. "Kids these days."

Luke sighed. "All right, I guess." He walked up to the hole, pulling his lightsaber from his belt, and descended into the hole, disappearing from Leana's sight.

She bit her lip, taking a deep breath. She knew Luke would be okay. It was only a test, after all – albeit one he would fail. Glancing over at Yoda, she decided to ask the question that had been bothering her since meeting him. "Master Yoda, I always thought – well, that the Grand Master of the Jedi Order would be – I don't know...less eccentric?" Or maybe smarter?

"Eccentric is good," Yoda remarked. "It means you have style."

"To an extent, yes," Leana agreed. "But there is a line. Like, the different between being weird in a cool way and weird in a Sheldon Cooper way. And then...then there's you. Eccentric might not be the correct word for it."

Yoda seemed to get her meaning well enough. "You don't think I'm good enough? You don't think I'm smart? Well, you haven't seen me in the Republic. Your mind has been poisoned by the lies of the Empire."

"I've seen you during the Republic," Leana muttered. "And my opinion has not been spoiled by the Emperor's lies."

"Then you must be crazy," Yoda stated.

"I don't think it's me," Leana insisted.

"You think I'm crazy?" Yoda asked. "Well, then I have something to say to you. If crazy equals genius...."

Rustling came from the mouth of the pit, interrupting what sounded like Yoda making a Panic! At the Disco reference, and Luke climbed out, drenched in sweat. He looked shaken by the vision of Vader he had just confronted.

"In you go, Leana," Yoda told her.

Leana walked over to the hole, gripping her lightsaber in her hand. She thought back to the scene in the movie and remembered Yoda telling Luke he wouldn't need his weapons. Taking a deep breath, she tossed her lightsaber to Luke and clambered down into the hole.

The walls were damp and the earthy smell clogged Leana's nostrils as she moved carefully down the tunnel. She could feel the suffocating presence of the dark side, pressing in all around her, seeking to smother her.

What will I see?

Leana brushed aside a dangling root, shuddering as it slid over her skin. She knew this was a test, one that Luke had failed in the movie. And she was determined not to fail.

Then she saw the figure.

The hunched, cloaked figure stood up ahead, as if waiting for her. Leana stopped, wishing she'd brought her lightsaber with her. No, stop it. This is a test. You don't need the weapons. But she still couldn't stop the wish.

"Well, Leana Ganner," the figure said, the same voice as in her dream earlier. "You come to me again."

"I do not," Leana replied steadily. "I reject the dark side."

"That's not what I heard," the figure said smugly. "Your hesitation when offered its power was palpable, young one. I felt it. You will succumb to its call yet."

"Never!" Leana declared, clenching her fists. "I will never fall to the dark side. I've seen the destruction it causes."

"You want to be a Jedi?" the figure asked skeptically. "You've met Master Yoda now. What do you think of the so-called illustrious Jedi? Not so great now, are they? How can they give you what you'd always wanted, Leana Ganner? They can't even make a decent sandwich!" The figure lifted a gnarled hand. "Only the dark side can give you the power you want."

Leana felt a surge in the Force all around her, the darkness oily against her skin. A shiver ran down her spine as she stepped into a defensive position, her fists up, ready for an attack. The figure laughed at her. "How silly, Leana Ganner. You can't fight the dark side with a punch."

Then the figure lifted their hands and blue lightning filled the air.

Leana almost screamed as the electricity coursed through her. She staggered and fell to her knees, the suffocating touch of the dark side stealing away her breath. She wanted to howl in agony but she couldn't even breathe.

The figure cackled with glee as Leana was shocked, over and over again, with the Force lightning. She wondered vaguely if she could die, during this test, and if not, how long it would last. What am I supposed to do? Just take this punishment meekly? What would a Jedi do?

Leana remembered Luke, groaning on the floor of the second Death Star, pleading with Vader to help him. He hadn't done anything, hadn't been able to. She stretched out for the Force but found only darkness. There was nothing there, nothing to save her.

Am I going to die here? Is that really my only option?

Would a Jedi truly let themselves die and not try to do anything to stop this Sith? Would they let their enemy live so they could torture others, others who may not have the ability to resist?

Is that truly the Jedi way?

Leana gritted her teeth against the pain. She couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Reaching out to the Force, she snatched at the power and drew it toward herself.

Only darkness touched her soul, but she didn't let go. She couldn't. A Jedi wouldn't run the risk of letting more innocents die. That was selfish. Selfless was doing what it took to make sure no one else felt this sort of pain. Drawing the Force toward her, Leana prepared to repulse the figure.

Then the pain stopped.

Leana released her mental grip on the Force, stumbling to her feet as the Force lightning ceased, the figure simply looking at her out of the dark depths of their hood. "So you see. All power stems from the dark side. All relief comes from the dark side. You cannot get your power anywhere else, Leana Ganner. You will join us. You will join the dark side. You have not the temperament for anything else."

Leana felt her heart stop. I failed. I knew this was a test, and I failed anyway. What kind of Jedi am I?

The figure didn't answer, just turned and drifted away, into the darkness further down the tunnel. He didn't need to answer; in her heart, Leana already knew it.

****

Ben started to his feet as the door to his cell opened. Like before, Vader stood menacingly in the doorway, glaring at him. "Obi-Wan, your fate has been decided."

Ben forced himself not to wince at the thought of what was coming next. Torture? Death? More torture? If this was Obi-Wan's fate, he would take it with dignity. Ben must not dishonor his name – at least, not dishonor it any further – by being a wimp.

"Took you long enough," he told Vader, trying for his best subtly-British Obi-Wan voice. "What shall it be, then?"

"Come with me," Vader said, and turned and left the cell.

Whatever Ben had been expecting, that had not been it. He stood in astonishment, staring at the back of the disappearing Sith Lord. "What?" he asked, dropping his fake accent.

"Follow me!" Vader snapped, and Ben practically ran out of the cell.

Vader led him to the bridge of the Executor, where Imperial officers and technicians worked in orderly fashion at their computer terminals below the main walkway. Several bounty hunters stood there, waiting for their assignment to capture the Rebels, and Ben felt his eyes widen. He could see Bossk, Boba Fett, Dengar, 4-Lom, Zuckuss, and IG-88, all the hunters from the movie.

"Bounty hunters," he heard Admiral Piett mutter, who was standing down by a computer terminal with a technician. "We don't need that scum."

"Yes, sir," the technician agreed.

"Those Rebels won't escape us," Piett continued. "We've got everything under control."

Bossk, meanwhile, had approached the terminal pit where Piett was standing and crouched down, baring his fangs. When Piett looked up, he jumped at the sight of the Trandoshan watching him.

Vader strode down the bridge walkway, passing behind Bossk. As he did so, he reached out and shoved the reptilian bounty hunter off the walkway into the terminal pit as Piett and the technician jumped back. "For Piett's sake, stop staring." He stopped and turned, seeming to look for someone. "Captain Dan."

A young Imperial officer, dressed in a crisp, dull grey uniform with his cap perched on his bright blonde hair, hurried up to Vader, snapping to attention. He reminded Ben strangely of his older brother, Josh, for some reason. "Yes, Lord Vader? How may I be of career-advancing service?"

"This is Obi-Wan Kenobi, a former Jedi Master," Vader introduced, gesturing to Ben.

"I am still a Jedi Master, Darth," Ben said, trying to sound self-confident despite the fact that he had never been, and probably never would be, a Jedi Master – or a Jedi of any sort. "There is nothing former about it."

Vader cleared his throat, a harsh, raspy sound. "Captain, you are to keep an eye on Kenobi. He is to stay on the bridge to watch the Rebellion's downfall."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Dan said, saluting. "No one will have a better view of the downfall than Kenobi. Except for you, sir, and your plus one, and all others invited to the Downfall Watch Party."

"What?" Vader and Ben asked simultaneously, sounding confused again.

"The Emperor has already planned the watch party for the Rebellion's downfall," Dan explained. "It was in Imperial this week. The invites allow for plus ones." He sounded hopeful. "Kenobi will have a good view, sir."

"Master Kenobi," Ben insisted.

"I believe Lord Vader removed your rank," Dan informed him, lifting an eyebrow archly at him.

"Whatever, Josh," Ben muttered.

"What did you just call me?" Dan demanded.

"I called you Josh," Ben said, crossing his arms and giving him a look, as if to say What are you gonna do about it?

"My name is Captain Dan, and you will address me as such," Dan insisted.

"No, I just removed your name," Ben said. "You're Josh now."

"Lord Vader!" Dan exclaimed, pivoting to appeal to the Sith Lord.

"I don't have time for this," Vader muttered, walking away and leaving Ben and Dan glaring at each other, much like Ben and Josh would do at home after an argument neither could resolve. No wonder he reminds me of Josh.

Vader turned to the rest of the bounty hunters, walking up the line of them in exaggerated fashion. If Ben was seeing this right, it looked like Vader was doing the goosestep.

What?

"I want you to capture the Millennium Falcon," Vader ordered the bounty hunters, his voice booming as he reached the end of the line, where Dengar was standing.

"Consider it done," Dengar said, resting his sniper rifle butt on one of his boots.

Vader paused mid step, bringing his foot back down and looking over at Dengar. "Why? It's not done yet." He pivoted and continued back down the lineup, Dengar furrowing his brow in puzzlement. "I want them alive, no disintegrations."

"Your wish is my command," Zuckuss said, almost fervently.

Again, Vader stopped, looking over at him. "Yeah, I know. That's why I'm saying it, dumbass."

Ben furrowed his brow. Vader curses now? Since when?

Vader continued on down the line of bounty hunters. "Whoever gets the Millennium Falcon first will be rewarded. You are free to use any method you desire, but, I repeat, no disintegrations!" He pointed at Boba Fett as he emphasized the last words, who was busy bobbing his head as if listening to music and turning a detonator on. "Today I drove through the suburbs and pictured I was driving home to you."

"Fett!" Vader snapped.

Boba jumped slightly, glancing up at Vader. "What? Oh, sorry, wasn't paying attention."

IG-88 nodded at Boba Fett. "'Driver's License.' Excellent choice."

"I know, right?" Boba replied.

It took Ben a full second to realize what song the bounty hunter had been singing. Considering Danielle, his sister, listened to the album it belonged to almost nonstop, he should have recognized it sooner. Why is Boba Fett listening to Taylor Swift?

"I said, no disintegrations!" Vader exclaimed.

"Aww, man," Boba said, disappointed, shoving the detonator into his pocket. He stood there for a moment, his shoulders slumped and looking overall like a grumpy teenager, before seeming to realize what he had just done. "Wait a second!"

Reaching into his pocket, Boba quickly pulled out the detonator and hurled it away from him, down into the terminal pit. As the Imperials scattered, the detonator exploded on hitting a navicomputer, resulting in a chorus of angry shouts and curses rising up from the computer nerds.

Vader glared at Boba, who only said "What?"

Exasperated, the Sith Lord sighed.

I'm confused, Ben thought. I'm so, so confused. I thought these bounty hunters were supposed to be...formidable. Not idiots and Swifties.

"Do we all get paid?" 4-Lom asked, his mechanical voice sounding very excited.

"No," Vader said. "Why do you think you all get paid? I'm only paying the guy who brings me the Millennium Falcon. Finders keepers, losers weepers. Emphasis on the weepers part. Got that?"

All the bounty hunters nodded.

"Good," Vader said. "Now scat!"

As the bounty hunters scattered off the bridge, heading out to begin their chase, Dan nodded approvingly. "That's how you tell the scumbags off."

Admiral Piett walked up to Vader. "Lord Vader, we have them."

Oh, no, Ben thought worriedly. Even though he knew the Falcon would ultimately emerge unharmed, he couldn't help being worried for his friends. I hope they can escape the Imperials for real this time.