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Chapter Text

19 BBY

ROYAL PALACE, ALDERAAN

Lord Vader took long strides down the landing ramp of his personal shuttle, a cavalcade of Clone Troopers meeting his every step. House Organa itself was grand, but certainly not by the standards of Coruscant. Perhaps in taste, but never in scale. However, the seething rage contained within the black armor cared little for that. He was fully living up to his reputation as the Emperor’s brutally efficient enforcer as he stared ahead past the landing platform’s staff. Killing them would have only slowed him down.

Bail Organa, no doubt fully aware of the Sith and his inevitable appearance, was waiting for him just inside, surrounded by his meager force of Alderaanian volunteer soldiers. A mere distraction, without a doubt. He made an effort to keep himself open to the infinite possibilities within the Force.

“Lord Vader,” he began with a smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Playing coy will only delay the inevitable,” he said. “Where is the child?”

Organa, ever the politician, gave no physical sign of anything other than friendliness. Even in the Force, Vader had to scrutinize to find his slight panic. “I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific. There are thousands of children in Aldera alone.”

“You seem to misunderstand your importance. Your treasonous behavior has only been allowed in order to root out more traitors to the Empire,” he said, Bail completely unfazed. “Release the child to me and you have my word, my wrath will only extend to yourself…”

“No one here fears you, Vader. We’re all prepared to die. The cause of restoring the Republic, the Jedi, are much too important to cave to you,” Bail declared with great ambition.

He was unamused. These sorts of speeches had been recited to him many times in the months following the dissolution of the Republic. Few lacked the mettle to back them up. Fewer died with anything but primal fear in their eyes. Vader was only surprised Organa was being so overt with his rebellious drivel.

“Does your wife share your convictions?” Vader threatened bluntly.

Organa took a moment to choose a response, clearly shaken. He knew there was to be no standard procedure here. Only death.

“Did yours?”

Something cold crept into his veins.

He didn't care how Organa knew. As Vader raised his clenched fist, so did the throats of every man on the landing platform save for Organa himself. He swiftly snapped their necks by way of the Force and threw them off the edge, uncaring of their allegiance. Only one was to leave here alive. Vader’s menacing breathing was briefly interrupted by the sound of his lightsaber igniting.

Organa seemed to briefly fear for his life, and suddenly the reality of it came crashing onto him. He no doubt knew he was a dead man. The only option he had was to keep digging the hole he was in- like a wounded animal. Vader felt as though this would only get stickier. Best to end him now. He raised his saber high.

Bail Organa began taking a step back for every two of Vader’s. “Would she approve of all this?”

Vader’s approach came to a dead halt. The words that had haunted him for over half a year came crashing to him all at once. “No…” he droned dejectedly. His despair threatened to overcome him before the Dark Side reminded him of his resultant strength. Bail captured his attention once again. “No! I am… unconcerned with the opinions of the dead! You will fully understand all too soon.”

Suddenly, the roaring engines of a CR90 Corellian Corvette activated from nearby. Vader and Bail whipped their heads around, following the ship as it lifted off towards Vader’s Imperial fleet. Briefly, the Sith felt the presence of someone immensely strong in the Force. Like a star, it burned brightly and unashamedly. Foolish, even for a Jedi. Something about it was familiar, which was a useless thing for his senses to pick up on considering just how many Jedi Vader had met in the past. But still...

“Too late, Vader.”

Aforementioned Dark Lord lifted his unoccupied prosthetic hand, clenching it in the direction of the blockade runner. Despite the sheer lifting power of the ship, the Force had stopped it dead in its path, with no small strain to Vader. Perhaps Organa’s remark had given him the power. “Incorrect. The child will be mine after I slay you and the Jedi,” he announced as he raised his lightsaber toward Bail. Such open insubordination was unforgivable in the eyes of the Empire.

Organa raised a blaster and took aim at Vader’s fist. Between his use of the Force to stop the CR90, his emotional pain, and his underestimation of Bail Organa, the bolt struck its target. Vader groaned as his focus slipped and the ship flew away.

The second shot was blocked, sent right back at the blaster, causing Bail to drop it in pain. “Kill me, then! I’ve done my part.”

Vader ignored him, deactivating his saber. “You are insignificant,” he announced simply, pinning Bail painfully to the floor with the Force. Said Senator panted as his body adjusted to essentially what was high gravity. “My priority lies immediately with that child,” he declared, grabbing a communicator from his waist. “She is your adopted daughter, is she not? Perhaps someone with your name will serve the Empire dutifully yet.”

“Your… escort… won’t stop her!”

“It will. I arrived with the possibility of invasion. Even then, nothing escapes the notice of the Empire.”

His comlink beeped, to which Vader immediately answered. “My Lord, we’ve captured the blockade runner attempting to escape the planet in our tractor beam.”

“No!”

“Good,” Vader droned. “Prepare a boarding party and await my arrival.”

“As you command.”

Vader clipped it back to his belt, staring down Organa. “I have sworn to destroy every link to the Jedi, including links to Anakin Skywalker. You are one such link.”

He sensed fear, but not the self preserving type. Bail Organa was afraid for the child. Unnaturally so. It was distinct from the other parents who he had stolen children from in some way he had yet to discern. “You have bested me. Just don’t kill Leia.”

“Her fate lies in my hands. No one else’s,” he grumbled.

Bail smiled in relief. Vader couldn’t place why, and it infuriated him. “Not even your Master’s?”

Vader ignited his lightsaber, driving down with both hands into Organa’s torso. Only when life flickered out of his eyes did he relent. “You politicians talk far too much.”

His breathing hissed as he turned toward the shuttle. He desperately hoped flying the ship himself would distract him from the thoughts of Padmé Amidala. It didn’t. Vader sloppily landed the craft, storming out and toward the Tantive IV. He hoped to simply finish this long day and perhaps distract himself with a new mechanical project. His left hand’s joints seemed to be sticking after the laser blast. Besides, he wasn’t sure if these emotions would empower him. He didn’t feel stronger thinking about Her.

“My Lord?”

Vader was pulled from his distraction, looking at the clone that had called him out. “Yes?”

“The door’s already been cut. We’re ready to board on your command,” he said dutifully, nodding his white helmet.

The Force was his command. He threw his hand forward, igniting his lightsaber. As if an invisible hand had pitched the blast door, it flew down the hallway, crashing against the bulkhead opposite them. Whoever wasn’t struck by the door were struck by blaster bolts, whether they be the clone’s or their own deflected back at them. It all went off like clockwork.

Perhaps the Emperor was right to be unfazed by whispers of rebellion. If these Alderaanians were the best they had, they truly were a pathetic lot. Sensing no more danger, Vader’s saber returned to his waist. “Any passengers aboard are now prisoners of the Empire. Round them up, Commander.”

“Right away, sir,” he said, motioning for his troops to split up. The clones dispersed, leaving him be.

Vader lifted what seemed to be a corpse up with the Force, tearing his blaster away and crushing it with his hand. Gripping the struggling man by the throat, he let his passive intimidation do its work. “Where is the child? Spare me your heroic speeches.”

“Child..?” he gasped. “We’re… delivering… some packages!”

He probed his mind, finding no deception. Vader noted his honesty without a word, gripping his hand tightly, squeezing the life from the soldier until his neck snapped audibly. He released his grip and what was once a man crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap. After that, he headed toward the cargo hold.

There he met two clones rifling through the various crates meticulously. In terms of contents, none of them would be out of place if this were a relief mission. Just medicine, water, and rations of high quality. Perhaps the ship was truly heading on a humanitarian task, second to delivering the Force-sensitive child to safety. He made a mental note to uncover information regarding the destination of the vessel. A surviving Jedi could have been the recipient.

After a few minutes of carefully observed searching, the troopers found nothing. Vader folded his arms, giving the clones a sense of unease. He wasn’t attempting to do so. In reality, he was merely attempting to recall where the hidden compartments on such a vessel were. He cocked his head to the side, spying a slight indentation on the wall.

Approaching it, he placed his hand to it, immediately recoiling. Electricity crackled on the panel. The clones required no command to aim their blasters toward it. Vader stepped back, moving the compartment’s door with the Force. Out came tumbling a white and blue astromech droid, beeping binary curses and prodding wildly with an arc welder.

Vader recognized the droid. Not just because of the paint job or identifying features, but because he had taught the droid the huttese obscenities it was spouting himself. R2-D2 was a relic from his past, and therefore he resigned himself to destroying the droid. Not before recovering intel or attempting to change his loyalties, of course. Droids were at their simplest tools, and easily manipulated in skilled hands. At their most complicated, they could even be allies.

He deactivated it with a wave of his hand, gently setting him down onto the floor. R2 could wait. “Bring that astromech to my quarters,” he ordered, getting rid of the two clones and the droid.

There were bigger fish to fry in the form of a large container within the compartment. It wasn’t until he opened it did he begin to feel the presence of the child within. Something was shielding her. Force-dampeners procured with the Organa fortune, he was certain.

For now, the child wouldn’t stop crying. He tended to have that effect on most weak-willed organics. The swirling and chilling darkness surrounding him was nearly visible to those who were Force-sensitive. Speaking of which, this child was extremely in tune with the Force. He realized that he had mistaken her presence for a fully-trained Jedi back on the landing pad. He was half tempted to kill her, as a Sith suffered no rivals.

Her scrunched up face and screeching were growing quickly on his nerves. He levitated the baby, infiltrating it’s mind in order to coerce sleep. He could dwell upon her later.

Vader’s head split as she retaliated with her familiar presence.

In that moment, he was free of the mask- free of the traumatic experience that was Mustafar. He was a boy on Tatooine meeting a handmaiden from Naboo for the first time. He was back on Coruscant, feeling the cool night air on his skin and holding his beloved close. He was on Mustafar, experiencing the overwhelmingly scorching heat, crushing Padmé’s throat until she died.

When he was back in reality he set the child down in the container, collapsing to his knees, a storm of grief brewing within his mind.

Vader lifted a hand to his face to wipe his tears but was stopped by the mask.

When he looked at the child he just as suddenly came to the realization that she was Padmé’s daughter.

…His daughter.

“How… is this possible?” he asked aloud, almost wishing his… daughter would answer him. He had killed Padmé with his own hand- she had died on the landing platform on Mustafar. He had seen a recording of her funeral where she was pregnant clear as day. That story, however, was beginning to seem exactly like that- a story. The situation stank of deception. He was furious.

Fine details were unimportant to him now. His child was alive! Vader picked her up once again, this time sending soothing waves through the force, finally quieting her temper. He observed her face, and even through the red lenses he recognized miniature features all too familiar. Her parentage was so certain to him that genetic tests weren’t even on his mind. For the first time since becoming Vader, the Dark Lord felt lost.

He had questions, questions he was determined to ask. Vader cursed himself for letting Organa die, but perhaps his spouse could be of use. The Sith stood up, cradling the infant close. With his free hand he took his comlink from his belt. “Admiral, see to it that the Queen is brought into custody.”

“Right away.”

He left the cargo hold, passing clones and caring not for their stares. Vader entered the conference room where it seemed the prisoners were being held. Breha Organa sat in the middle of those who had been rounded up, looking at him with a horrified expression.

“Take everyone but the Queen and leave us,” he ordered. His men and the prisoners cleared out like criminals when a bounty hunter stepped into a bar. No one wanted to be near him.

Queen Breha, ever the strong politician, held a stone cold expression despite her anxiety. “You must know Leia’s true heritage by now.”

“Leia,” he said, testing the name out. Vader didn't know enough to be furious at her in particular. “So it is true then.”

“If you ever harm her, I will make you regret it,” Breha spat.

Darth Vader almost believed her. “You misunderstand your position. I could execute you for treason, let alone taking my child for your own.”

“Then do it,” she said. Vader didn’t do it. She still was of use.

“Not before you give me what I search for. How? Is Padme still alive..?”

“No- she died giving birth, but not before naming her. I only know what Bail told me.”

“I see,” So she had lived long enough to give birth, but died anyway. No doubt due to his actions. He had made many mistakes, had many regrets, but now he had an avenue in which to make even some of them right. Vader had devoted himself to the Dark Side, to Sidious, because he had no other reason to live. Not anymore. He had lost so much, but he had gained a daughter.

It thrilled him- excited him to no end.

“I will not make the same mistakes,” he promised. Although it infuriated him, he fully understood the reasoning behind separating him from his child.

He had ample time to consider his mistakes.

“I don’t believe you. Not for a second.”

“You will come to know the truth,” he said.

Breha raised a brow. “I don’t understand. You aren’t going to kill me?”

He thought someone realizing they were to be spared wouldn’t speak of it so casually.

“Leave this place and never return. You are not responsible for your husband’s treachery.”

‘Not without Leia-”

“Leave!” he shouted, sending Leia into tears. “If you ever come into my sight again, I will not be as merciful.”

“No!” she shot back, surprising the Sith Lord. “You’re just going to turn her over to Palpatine, and look at what he did to you!”

Vader paused, considering this. He felt it was not prudent to inform her that his current form was the fault of Obi-Wan Kenobi. “You have my word, she will not be his. I… cannot allow that. Padme would not want that.”

Breha stood up, lip trembling. “I will come out of exile just to kill you if I discover you’ve lied to me.”

“I will hold you to that,” he said, turning to a crate he sensed was full to the brim with weaponry, levitating a DH-17 into her hands with his free one. “Do not take what I have given lightly.”

She tossed it to the ground and drew a concealed stunner from her boot. “I’m not planning on killing anyone.”

Her determination would be inspiring were it not so foolish. “So be it. I will not aid you again.”

Breha scoffed, leaving through the doorway. He heard two shots go off followed by plastoid hitting durasteel before it closed.

He drew a long mechanical breath, looking once more at the child in his arms. What was he supposed to do? If only she could answer him. He’d have a thousand questions for her. Another two by the time he had worked up the nerve to ask half of the first.

All that mattered now, he supposed, was keeping her safe, secure, and alive. His impulse was to keep her hidden, but Sidious would no doubt discover her anyway. In fact, he probably already knew, and lied to him in order to keep his loyalty. That changed today. His loyalty was first and foremost to Leia.

Vader set out to his quarters, uncaring of the stares he received. It wasn’t as if anyone possessed the backbone to inquire further. He was on autopilot, bumping into the occasional droid or clone. The newfound father eventually made it, entering his meditation room.

The Sith Lord kneeled, sending a communication to his master. Sidious’ gnarled visage almost immediately came into view.

“My young apprentice,” he began, with words that cut deep. By all accounts, Vader was young. Much younger than anyone would have expected him to be. “I trust your mission was successful. Why is the child not with the Nursemaids?”

“Master, the child- she- Leia… I have no doubt she is my own.”

The Emperor didn’t falter for even a moment. “Are you certain, Lord Vader..? The offspring of The Chosen One is an asset we cannot afford to lose…”

“No!” Vader shouted rashly. Sidious’ glare snapped him back into reality. “I have not performed any genetic testing, but I can sense it.”

“And… what of your late wife?”

“Padmé perished, but perhaps not as soon as I was led to believe…”

Sidious frowned. “Jedi trickery, I am sure.”

Vader wasn’t…

“My Master… What is to become of the child?” Vader inquired, a thousand outcomes running through his mind. He was certain his Master’s answer would determine the actions he took throughout the rest of his life.

He took a moment to consider. “Your loyalty is something to be commended, my apprentice. Any other in your position surely would have attempted to hide the child from me. I see your attachments come second to me…”

“Of course, Master,” he lied. Just as Sidious was to him. No doubt she would be allowed to stay by his side so that Sidious could groom her to replace Vader. It worked once before, after all...

“Provided you do not train her in the ways of the Sith, you will be allowed to raise her. Your work thus far has been far too excellent to go unnoticed. Take as long as you need to arrange your affairs, but as soon as you return, I expect the quality of your actions to remain steady. I do not believe the consequences of failure need to be spoken…”

“It will be done. You have my gratitude,” he said, lowering his head.

“Another thing, my apprentice.”

“Master?”

“I would much like to meet this child at your earliest... convenience. She is, in a way, my creation, after all…” he said casually.

Vader lifted his head suddenly. “In… what way?”

Sidious’ mouth crept into a disgustingly smug smirk. “Do not tell me you have forgotten what I told you that night at the opera?”

He shifted uneasily. It was a fact he’d been groomed by Sidious, but for his own creation to be so literal… It made sense. It couldn’t be true... “I have not.”

“Good. All doubts are removed.”

“So it would seem,” Vader said. He stood up when the transmission cut, staring at the wall for a moment, before punching it with all of his strength. Leia’s tears resumed, as they were stifled only by the terrifying presence of Sidious.

He hated the lying. The tiptoeing around politically. He was only being allowed to raise Leia so she could serve as leverage against him before turning her into his apprentice. Vader didn't even know why he brought her to him. Sure, it ended up much better than it possibly could have, but it still didn’t end all that well. He himself had been manipulated, so he considered himself well read when it came to Sidious’ trickery. That came to a crashing halt the moment Sidious had claimed that even his creation was premeditated.

Nothing but falsehoods meant to sow doubt. It hardly mattered in the grand scheme, he told himself. Vader would do everything in his power to give her a happy life, or die trying.

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

Obi-Wan Kenobi was by all accounts, a polite man. Therefore, when he came knocking on the door of the Lars homestead in the middle of the night, he couldn’t help but feel like he had better come back tomorrow. The subject matter dissuaded him.

Owen Lars answered shortly. “Kenobi? What’s the matter? It’s the middle of the night, you could’ve woken up Luke.”

“I’m afraid it’s urgent, and in fact about Luke.”

“You’re not training him in wizardry. He’s not nine months old, and you know how his father ended up.”

Obi-Wan sent his pained memories away through the force. “I understand. This is about his safety. Earlier this afternoon, an agent of the Empire engaged me in Anchorhead. He was unskilled, but a dark Force-user nonetheless.”

“Was?” Owen asked quietly.

“He won’t be pursuing us any further…”

“What does this mean? Was he after you? Or Luke?”

“He was part of a group of Jedi turned dark. They are searching for Force-sensitives to twist to their liking,” Kenobi explained. He didn’t think Owen wanted to know how he knew this. “Being that the Outer Rim was relatively untouched by the Republic, he was hoping to find them here.”

Owen Lars took a moment to consider the implications raised. “Blast. There are more of them?”

“Yes, but they are spread thin across the galaxy. Not many would betray the old ways. I don’t believe we will have much trouble unless it stumbles upon us.”

“Well one of them stumbled to our doorstep not even a year after the Republic died.”

“I believe it is necessary that I protect you all more closely. I can work as your farmhand, free of charge in order to guard you all. Luke will not become a Jedi by my hand, I promise,” Obi-Wan said.

Owen nodded slowly. “That would be the safest option. I’d be a fool not to accept free labor. I’d also be a sleemo. We’ll give you a bed and meals. I can’t imagine it’s too pleasant living like a hermit,” he declared. “But! There’ll be no Force training in my home. Leave your Jedi business at the door or you’ll be thrown out through it fast.”

Kenobi bowed slightly. “You have my word. Thank you, Owen.”

“You may be an idealistic wizard, but you’re a good man. You’re just looking out for his safety, like us,” Owen said, holding out his hand. “Until you prove me wrong, that is. An inkling of it, and you’re out of here.”

Obi-Wan shook it firmly after a pause. “No harm will come to any of you on my watch.”

Owen clapped a hand on his shoulder, ushering him in. “It’s short notice, but I insist you spend the night. It’s getting too cold for you to return, and we’ve got a lot to do in the morning. Moving will have to wait- harvest starts tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

10 BBY

FORTRESS VADER, MUSTAFAR

To say he was unprepared to be a father was an understatement of the highest magnitude. That went double when he and Padmé had been expecting, he now realized. He’d somehow imagined something far more idyllic in nature. Just him, Padmé, and his child living problem-free, far away from anyone who would give them harm.

Something he now knew to be unattainable.

What he hadn’t expected in the early days was the constant screaming, sometimes to alert him of her needs, sometimes for no reason. It pained him to watch her suffer, even if it was to express hunger. Unfortunately there wasn’t a discoverable way to decipher those pleas, so for him, it was a guessing game even at his most certain. The burden was somewhat relieved when he conceded to have assistance- a droid, not a sentient.

When he wasn’t researching the finer details of the Dark Side, he was studying for child rearing. It was a thousand times more complicated than any machine he had ever taken apart. It was, however, infinitely more rewarding. A fine tradeoff in his opinion,

Somehow, he had discovered someone he loved other than Padmé. It used to be unthinkable, but now, it felt so natural. The pure bliss he felt when she smiled or laughed at him- a mechanical monstrosity that the most hardened men had nightmares about- was unparalleled. That sort of jubilation always came crashing down when they were summoned by the Emperor. He was unable to pull away from Sidious’ reach, but more than capable of keeping his influence away. That gave him hope.

All of his meditative and fond reflection came to a halt when he felt someone tampering with his lightsaber’s crystal. He whipped his head up, spying the culprit. Of course, he mentally sighed. Vader wasn’t surprised anymore. His now almost nine-year-old daughter smiled at him before returning her hands to her side. They shared a tense moment of eye contact.

She laughed awkwardly, attempting to play it off. “You aren’t supposed to stop meditating for another five minutes.”

“I would recommend against that,” he said, seeing through her floundering. Vader began buying into the conspiracy that Leia was a droid perfectly crafted to test his patience a long time ago.

“I was just curious.”

Vader returned to the floor, standing up to his full height. With a wave of his hand, the disassembled components of his weapon came together as one, returning to his belt. “I am told that is what killed the Tooka. A lightsaber is-“

“Not a toy, I know,” she sighed.

“And yet you continue to test my patience by treating it as such,” he countered, hands on his hips. She was perhaps the only person who could interrupt him and live with only a scolding. Leia knew of this well.

She fluttered her eyes. “Well how exactly am I supposed to learn how to treat one when I don’t have my own?”

“You are not ready for the responsibility of one,” he lied.

Having her wave around a lightsaber would send the arrangement he had with the Emperor crumbling. A lightsaber was significantly less subtle than telekinesis and shielding techniques, thus more difficult to conceal. It would be foolish to not train her to defend herself, but even more so to sharpen her like a tool for the Emperor to use.

“I’ve kept Artoo in one piece for this long, haven’t I?” she countered, likewise hips on hands.

It was during these moments when she opposed him that he was reminded of Padmé. Vader pointed at her with finality, though she was sure to continue. “You seem to misunderstand your relationship. He is by your side to keep you intact.”

Leia huffed, puffing her chest out. “That’s insulting!”

“Perhaps to you,” he said. She was a prideful little girl sometimes.

“Just give me a chance!” she requested as he began to walk away. “A chance to prove myself responsible. That’s all I’ve been asking for forever!”

Yes, he thought, because there was no greater sign of maturity than a childish desire to prove it. “Very well,” he said.

“Really?!” she exclaimed in disbelief. “I- I mean- Really?” she asked in a more composed fashion.

“If you can obtain a Kyber crystal, I will allow you the means to construct a lightsaber,” he told her, striding toward the door.

She scoffed loudly. “That’s not fair! How am I supposed to find a Jedi lightsaber in this day and age?” she demanded.

He paused in the frame, looking back at her. “You aren’t. Some things are only possible after patience. Master that, and perhaps I will give you a crystal.”

Leia let out an exasperated harrumph, storming after him. Vader immediately turned around, walking through the door again and closing it behind him.

“Wha-“ was all Leia could manage before the door locked. He couldn’t hear her voice, but could certainly make out her knocking on the durasteel.

Vader went to the intercom, pressing the call button. “Go along without me. I will catch up shortly. Perhaps Artoo requires maintenance.”

The banging stopped. Frustration was released through the Force.

Savoring this blissful moment of peace, he approached his workbench, undoing the complex Force lock on the bottom drawer. Such a trick wouldn’t be working on Leia for much longer. He took out one of many modified long range comms, scrambling the frequency and fine tuning it. To top it all off, he altered his voice modulator.

“On Dantooine, the Thune graze peacefully,” he began, rolling his eyes at the code phrase. “Governor Yotuum has discovered the Corellian cell. I would suggest leaving a decoy and relocating,” Vader said, counting down the seconds before a reply.

Garbled static preceded the reply. “Wesk Three acknowledging. Thank you Fulcrum. Relaying information.”

“Fulcrum out,” Vader said, crushing the transceiver in his hand. He reset his voice, floating the scraps of sparking communicator to the garbage chute.

He didn’t consider himself to be a Rebel, but there was no denying he was assisting them. However, he cared little if the cell on Corellia escaped, and even less so for the safety of any. He was merely giving them the instruments with which to undermine his Master. For Leia.

Speaking of Leia, she nearly fell into the room when he reopened the door. Vader caught her by the collar, setting her upright. “If your goal is to lose my favor, you are doing exceptionally.”

Leia adjusted her collar, standing straight. “Someone has to keep you on your toes, right?”

Vader shook his head, walking toward the lift to the bridge. “The fleet is to deploy soon. Attend to your studies.”

“I don’t have any homework- it’s the Life Day break. I can accompany you,” she protested.

“But you won’t. The front lines are no place for you,” he said. “You are to steer clear of the hangars. No arguments will be heard at this time.”

Leia sighed angrily and walked to her room, giving Vader a moment to breathe. She almost made him wonder if he was this difficult at her age. Almost. He continued his way to the hangar, ending his inner monologue.

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

Obi-Wan would have liked to say that he enjoyed sleeping. That it was a long-awaited period of rest after a long day toiling under the suns. Unfortunately, that was not the case. When he was dreaming, letting his thoughts run wild, he was haunted by the ghost of his former apprentice. Tormented by the intense volcanic heat. By the ash stinging his eyes not bothering him until he had been forced to strike Anakin down.

When he was awake, he could control and stave off most of those thoughts. While being a Jedi Master on the council had its perks, it unfortunately meant there were not many people he could turn to for advice. Even less so, current events taken into account. Master Yoda had not been in contact with him for some time, but he had his doubts that meant anything had happened to the old Grandmaster.

In his quarters within the Lars homestead, Obi-Wan mixed small comforts with pain. In the same box he stored his lightsaber was Anakin’s and a rounded Inquisitor’s saber. He performed his daily maintenance on all three, just in case, before going through his daily katas.

Kenobi eventually left for breakfast before the suns had risen, entering the hydroponics garden for his morning workload. He weeded and tended to the plants, earning his keep.

Beru entered shortly. “Good morning, Ben.”

“The harvest looks to be quite exceptional this season,” he said, motioning to a nearly ripe pallie.

She nodded, gently holding it up. “Might have enough to splurge for Luke’s birthday this year.”

Obi-Wan smirked. “Best not to let him hear that. All conversation would center around that new Incom Skyhopper.”

Suddenly the chime of the doorbell rang through the homestead.

“Are we expecting company?” Ben asked with his brow furrowed.

“Not until midday. The Darklighters are coming over, and they’re always late.”

He disliked the paranoid behavior associated with hiding out here, but even something as mundane as a salesman could be an agent of the Empire. “I shall tend to our visitor,” he said, double checking his lightsaber’s concealment.

Obi-Wan was almost relieved to see several common desert thugs at the door. “May I assist you?”

The behemoth of a Nikto rested his DL-18, which was comically small in his hands, on his free hand. “M’Yup. Here for Jabba’s water tax. No reason this’s gotta get ugly.”

He feigned a smile. “Water tax?”

“Don’t play dumb,” the Nikto demanded. “You know enough about it to not pay it. Matter of fact, this farm hasn’t paid it. Never ever,” he said, pointing the weapon at Obi-Wan.

“Well, forgive me. It’s not as if it’s like the property tax, which we can pay remotely,” he said, placing his finger over the barrel and pushing it away.

The blaster was moved under his chin as the man laughed. “That’s why we come to you. Handy, isn’t it?”

Obi-Wan looked hypnotically into the man’s eyes. “Yes. So handy, that you’ve just remembered that we’ve been paying it this whole time through another gang.”

The Nikto’s stare went blank. “I Just remembered that you’ve been paying it this whole time through another gang.”

With a wave, and a little bit of influence with the Force, the gun was holstered. “You’ll fix the records and be on your way back to Jabba.”

“I’ll fix the records,” he parroted, turning back to his comrades. “C’mon boys! Back to the palace!”

Said ruffians shuffled mindlessly to their speeder, sloppily taking off into the desert. Beru came around the corner, putting away her own blaster. “They’re starting to catch on.”

“They started,” he corrected. “The danger is gone, but until the drought ends, they will return eventually. It would be best for me to remain around the homestead for the time being.”

“It’s not like we go into town often as it is. I suppose I can do the trading, if you’ll collect the vaporator mushrooms,” she said.

Obi-Wan nodded. A part wished there was something to be done about the bandits. A Jedi like himself should have been knocking down Jabba’s door and liberating all of the water, and by extension, the farmers. Unfortunately, if Luke were ever to be trained, he needed to stay as mundanely hidden and as far away from the Empire as possible. That meant living as the eccentric farmhand Ben, not crusading in the desert against the Hutts.

Nothing Qui-Gon, or any Jedi had ever taught him anything about this. Inaction stirred him to madness. Then again, he supposed that was why they had been taken so off guard all those years ago.

CORONET CITY, CORELLIA

Vader had no appreciation for Rebels in urban environments. While he was at his core a hunter who enjoyed the chase, his mechanical limbs did not. All of the leaping and evasion required for getting ahead of fleeing enemies in densely populated locations put a strain on him. His style was far more slow and steady.

He arrived at the base, feeling tensions were at their highest. Stormtroopers and CorSec officers had blasters pointed at nearly every square inch of a three story apartment building tucked neatly between a diner and a grocer.

“Ah, Lord Vader! You made it just in time,” the rather rotund governor said. He twirled the end of his meticulously crafted mustache. “We have the Rebels pinned.”

Looking between the seemingly mundane building and all of the effort expended to cover it, he folded his arms. “How long have you been expecting me?”

“Half an hour. We’ve gained the upper hand in about the last three minutes,” he explained enthusiastically.

He probed the building with the Force. Only one presence that refused to stop panicking. “They’re gone. The resistance your forces encountered was a diversion.”

The round governor deflated. “I- oh-“

Vader stared down at him. “Unless, of course, your approach is multifaceted?”

“Not… not by your standards, I’m sure,” he said.

Vader looked to the nearest military officer, a Stormtrooper commander, and pointed at him. “Send several squads into the sewers and adjacent buildings.”

After he motioned to more troopers, the commander was off. It was then that Yotuum regained a kernel of his composure. “Would you like to see blueprints of the building?”

“Perhaps your greatest idea yet,” Vader said, yanking the datapad containing them out of the governor’s hands. “I will forgive your previous failure due to your inexperience. There will not be another warning,” he said.

“A-a— Alright.”

Yes, he had undermined this from the beginning, but Yotuum had made it far too easy for them. Thankfully that covered his tracks rather well. As troopers sweeped the nearby buildings, not a single body was found… Vader had done the Rebels a great service, but the governor’s incompetence had outdone it.

The Dark Lord marched past all of the troops without a word. The miasma of worry he had sensed still refused to dissipate. Sure enough, when he leapt up and crashed through a second-story window to investigate, there was a blaster trained on him the moment the glass hit the floor.

“So you’re the poor fool they left behind,” Vader said, reaching for his saber.

“Don’t move!” the woman cried. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t pull this trigger and do the whole Galaxy a favor.”

“On Dantooine, the Thune graze peacefully,” he said, perhaps the only one in the galaxy able to say such a phrase menacingly. He closed the distance between them.

She looked at him with crazed eyes, shaken to her very core. “No way. You?”

Vader activated his lightsaber, officially ending the cell on Corellia.

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

“Watch your hand!” Owen called out.

Luke obeyed without a word, sheepishly recoiling from the moisture vaporator’s refrigerated condenser.

“That's the second time I’ve told you to pay attention so your palm doesn’t freeze off! Get your head out of the clouds, Luke,” he said, tightening the droplet receptacle. “Hand me that hydrospanner.”

“For what?” Luke asked, handing his uncle the tool as he stood up from his knees.

Owen’s tone was no less gruff as he wiped his forehead’s sweat away. “To fasten the pipe to the collection-“ he said, stopping when he saw the plumbing in place. “Nevermind. If you treated every chore like it saved time for Anchorhead, there wouldn’t be a job left in this system.”

“You promised I could go when this was done,” he said. “The faster it goes, the faster I can.”

His uncle let out a long sigh. “Okay. Fair’s fair. Help me put this stuff away, and you can go get Ben.”

Luke did so in record time, barreling into the homestead before the second sun came up on the horizon. His aunt was there fixing breakfast, Old Ben brewing pungent tea beside her.

“Good morning,” Luke said, not waiting for a response. “Ready to go to Anchorhead, Ben?”

Silence filled the air, and Luke narrowed his brow in confusion. Once again, it seemed everyone in the house was in the loop save for him.

“Er…” The mood within the kitchen changed visibly. Beru stopped mixing in her bowl. Old Ben stroked his beard.

“Ben won’t be taking you anytime soon. It’s not your fault,” Beru said comfortingly.

Ben added to it before Luke could open his mouth to protest. “Thugs sent by Jabba came to collect water from us. There are certain to be more in town, so it would be wise to lay low.”

Luke let out an exasperated sigh before taking a seat at the table. “Jabba,” he said as venomously as a boy could. “I wish someone would just do something about that sleemo!”

“Language, young man, but… You and the rest of the planet,” Beru said.

“If only it were that easy. The Hutt clans and their influence are far-reaching. Another would be quick to replace him,” Ben said.

Luke sighed in defeat, burying his face on the table. “Does everything have to be so complicated? Can’t you just not know anything and be fine with it like me?”

Obi-Wan smirked. “Unfortunately not.”

He went back to his tea, Luke’s frustration doing its own brewing. Instead of his grand plans, he decided to pick at his food a bit before digging in. Some day ahead of him.

Heck, some life ahead of him…

Chapter Text

9 BBY

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

“Did you see it?” Owen said behind him.

Obi-Wan took a rag from his toolkit and wiped his hands free of dirt, setting the rockfruit he was inspecting down next to the rest of their meager harvest. It was enough to fill their bellies for the time being.

“I did, just before it jumped the system,” he said. It would be difficult to not notice anything larger than a freighter engaged in a battle in the lower atmosphere. Tack on the fact that it was before the first sun had risen, and the talk of a town was brewing in record time.

He turned to see the other man shuffling on his feet. “Are we in danger?”

“That remains to be seen. I do not think it is wise to make any sudden movements. That Imperial Cruiser could have simply been chasing pirates,” he offered.

“This is Hutt territory.”

Kenobi stroked his beard. “Perhaps the pirates were unaffiliated?”

“Perhaps,” Owen said emphatically, “There are no pirates, and it’s Stormtroopers who saw you tricking Jabba’s goons.”

He looked the man in the eyes, and they both became aware of the argument they were about to have. “It was Luke, actually. He accidentally used a mind trick on a thug at the market.”

Owen’s eyes went wide. “Mind trick? Like the-” he said, waving his hand. “Y’know, this?” “Not quite as refined as you’ve seen. He told the man to leave a woman alone a little too strongly, and so he did,” Obi-Wan explained. The man traipsed away and nearly plowed through whatever was in the straight line toward his home. He’d have been impressed had it not been so easy for the boy.

Concern was his main takeaway from the display.

Owen narrowed his eyes. “I’m going to trust you didn’t teach him that.” “You have my word, Owen, but…”

“But what? You want to start training him?” he asked.

“It’s becoming necessary at this point, Owen. The boy is too much of a danger to himself untrained,” he said.

“Absolutely not. It’s not safe for people like you in this Galaxy,” Owen said.

He drew a hand over his beard. “You are right, which is why he must have a fighting chance. Owen, you’ve taught him how to defend against various threats, yes? Sandpeople, the desert, and all manner of opportunistic predators.”

“It’s necessary here,” the man grumbled.

“Just as rudimentary Force training would be. As he grows older, Tuskens will be the least of his worry. The Empire will come for him. It’s only a matter of when. I… know what I’ve told you, but I simply do not believe he will survive as he is now,” he admitted.

Owen closed his eyes and grimaced. “Fine! But you aren’t going to be leading him on any crusades! You’ll teach him how to hold his own against the Sith or the Empire or whatever, like I did all those times I took him shooting and that is it. Just enough for him to defend himself without drawing too much of a target on his back. We clear, Kenobi?”

He took a moment to study the man. “Yes, Owen.”

Owen’s lip trembled. “If anything happens to that boy, Ben…”

“I know,” he said, feeling the fear within the man.

He felt it too.

THE DEVASTATOR, SCARIF

Blue illuminated the bulkhead of the room. Reflected in her large brown eyes was a young couple holding each other by the hand, one in Jedi robes, the other, in an elaborate wedding gown. Her eyes weren’t supposed to see this, she was certain. What she wasn’t certain of, were the identities of the two projected by Artoo. She had her suspicions. Only problem was the man wasn’t clad in black armor. Although, she thought she could make out a droid hand of some kind on the man. She crept forward, straining her eyes to observe the details.

That was when her father’s hissing respirator caught her attention as her door opened. “Leia, I must-“

“Good afternoon, father. How are you?” she asked diplomatically, not even attempting to cover the projection. She hoped he wouldn’t notice by some miracle of the Force.

“Fine,” he answered absentmindedly, his attention on the holo. “Would you care to explain the origins of that image?”

He was probably wondering what she had done to Artoo in order to get him to project this. For someone so tough, he was awfully soft on the droid, in his own way. Artoo would probably avoid the smelter again this time.

She paused for a moment before speaking. “Well, I think this is you and mother, but I can’t see the features close enough to tell. For one, the man in the holo isn’t as tall or wearing armor.”

“That is not what I meant.”

She huffed. “Then you should’ve been more specific. I was just… curious about what happened before I came along. The parts you don’t tell me. Artoo felt sorry for me because I couldn’t find anything and showed me this.”

Her father folded his arms as he did when he was measuring his response. She had to be careful sometimes because he spared no answer. Other times, he was a durasteel trap. They stood in silence for a moment before he decided to bare his soul. “Your intuition serves you well. That young Jedi… is me. The woman is your mother.”

Leia feigned a gasp, holding a hand to stifle it. “But you were a Jedi!”

That was one of the few things she knew about her father from before she was born. Not to mention Darth was a Sith title and not a given name.

He shuffled his feet slightly. “I was once young and foolish. I made… many mistakes. However, that day is one I do not regret.”

“What was it like? Getting married?” she asked softly. If holos were to be anything to go by, it was probably one of the best days of his life.

Vader still could not find a good resting position. “We were married on Naboo, in a villa by the Lakes… On the terrace, under the tallest tree, before sunset,” he recalled. “Other than the droids, only one man was present, a local priest. We’d spent a short while at the lakes. Her life was threatened, and I was assigned to be her bodyguard.”

“Was that before the Clone War?” she guessed.

“Immediately after the Separatist Crisis escalated into the Clone Wars, yes,” he reaffirmed. “If only your interest in history extended beyond our family, perhaps your marks would not be suffering as they are now.”

She scoffed. “It’s not my fault I don't care what they’re teaching. Every tutor you bring onto this ship is a big baby who’s more focused on impressing you than teaching me. Dad, not everyone is as used to you as I am.”

That was why he was making the switch to droids, as she understood it. As it turned out, T-Series Tactical Droids were exceptional at teaching mathematics. They made it rather easy to understand. That is, when their pupils were excelling. More than once she had considered tricking it into the trash compactor, but that would only result in some punishment to make her reflect upon consequences like reassembling the thing. Wouldn’t be the first time.

“You may sharpen your diplomacy all you like, but it does not erase your actions. Word of your classroom’s broken holoprojector has made its way back to me…”

Leia blanched. “Who told you that? I’ve done no such thing.”

“No one did. I thought it strange for it to be breaking down as often as it did, so I investigated. Not many people could disassemble the components without opening the access panel,” he said.

Leia was kicking herself. She could have at least made an effort to cover her tracks- maybe blame it on a mouse droid. “Um- Maybe there was a magnet...”

“You are to go two weeks without holonet after fixing the projector. Do not do it again, or the consequences will be most severe. You are not to be parading the Force around as if it were a novelty,” he chastised, shaking a finger at her.

She held her head low. “Yes, father.”

“However, you did it well. Even though you merely scrambled the insides, it is impressive that you would be able to do so without seeing it, at your age. It would be wise to cheer up. Before your punishment is enacted, I have prepared a surprise for you,” he said, moving towards the viewport. He entered a code to open it.

Leia wordlessly looked out at the tropical planet below. She didn’t think this was exactly a vacation spot. It wasn’t obvious until she noticed the eight or so Star Destroyers orbiting a small ring, but the entire planet was shielded- and quite heavily, too. Something very important had to be going on planetside for a shield gate of that size. Not to mention how many ships were there guarding it. “Why do I get the feeling that I'm supposed to be here?”

“You are not. However, I am taking you along with me in order to demonstrate one of the Empire’s greatest follies. The disapproval of anyone will be shouldered solely to me,” he said, beckoning her to follow him.

Leia trotted after her father’s long strides, taking notes of the frenzy aboard the Devastator. Stormtroopers and junior officers ran past them with great purpose: after a short lift ride, they were at the bridge, which was significantly more chaotic than the lower decks.

Vader came up to the main viewport, crossing his arms as he reached the cluster of officers observing the surface. “Admiral Erfik, raise the shields.”

The considerably nervous Admiral turned around at the mention of his name. He briefly raised an eyebrow at Leia’s presence. “Have you sensed an incoming attack?”

“No. There is a possibility that the envoy could have brought debris with it through hyperspace.”

He was gobsmacked, and Leia was too. “What? Project Stardust would have to be massive in order for that to happen. The entirety of Moff Tarkin’s Outer Rim fleet isn’t even large enough to do that.”

“It has a circumference of one hundred fifty kilometers. The possibility cannot be ignored,” Vader declared. “Do it.”

“You’re joking,” Leia exclaimed. The possibility of a reason necessary for such a construct sent her mind racing. “That's the size of a tiny moon!”

The Admiral shared her sentiment. He turned around, gesturing to the pilots. “Order all ships to raise deflectors- and be alert for objects coming out of hyperspace!”

It was no sooner than those words being spoken that nearly every terminal flashed angry red warnings. “Massive object is approaching,” a technician called out.

Vader glanced down at his daughter before turning his attention back to the horizon. She nervously did the same, feeling ever so small. Leia attempted to anchor herself to her father’s calm.

What was presumably Project Stardust appeared out of hyperspace, and despite how far away it was, Leia and everyone else aboard could tell it was massive. It quite easily dwarfed the five Star Destroyers escorting it. They were like fleas on a Bantha.

“Oh my stars…” Leia remarked, taking in the sheer size of it. It was possibly even bigger than her father had described. The space station was enormous to a ridiculous degree, despite the holes poking through. She didn’t think any man-made object in the history of the galaxy had ever come close to its size, and it wasn’t even close to being finished.

“The Sovereign is hailing us, Lord Vader,” one of the officers said, catching Vader’s attention.

Vader moved to answer, beckoning his daughter to follow.

Wilhuff Tarkin was before them, speaking via projection. “Lord Vader. Your presence is required on the Death Star immediately. The Emperor requires your… abilities to smoke out any who might divulge secrets pertaining to this project.”

She wasn’t particularly fond of the man, but he seemed to like her. Or rather, her father and how he had raised her. Talking to Tarkin was like talking to a droid. She wasn’t sure he cared about anything but the Empire. Or the Emperor, for that matter.

“I will arrive presently.”

The transmission cut. Leia whipped around to her father. “The Death Star? That name sounds scary. Is it more than a space station?”

Vader kept his gaze forward, beginning their trip to the shuttle bay. “When fully operational, the Death Star will possess the ability to destroy a planet…”

Leia stopped dead in her tracks, ignoring the Stormtroopers. “What? Is it some sort of radiation weapon to make the surface uninhabitable?”

Her father stopped in turn, looking back at her. “No. It will be able to fire a blast so powerful it detonates a planet’s core. In moments, an entire planet can be erased.”

Her blood froze as she imagined being on the receiving end.

Leia wasn’t stopped during her outburst, so she continued. “What?! What possible need do we have for that?! That’s terrifying!”

“Governor Tarkin believes the threat of it will keep rebellion in check. I disagree. The loss of an entire planet would only inspire more to take up arms against the Empire. The line between fear mongering and a rallying cry is a thin one. The Death Star is a tremendous waste of resources. However, The Emperor does not feel the same way…”

“Well, what was it like before the Empire? Before the Clone Wars? Would this have even been considered?”

Her father chose his words carefully. “The level of corruption was about the same. However, that corruption possesses order now. A project of this nature would not have been accepted. At the very least not until the end.”

“That’s hard to imagine. I do know that mother wouldn’t like this. Artoo has shown me her uncensored speeches, her standpoints. You two were so different.”

Vader was taken aback. “Yes… she… definitely would not approve. No doubt she would be spearheading some form of rebellion…”

She chuckled nervously, unable to resist peeking out every viewscreen for the Death Star. “That’s so weird to imagine.”

“Not for me,” he countered, resuming his long strides with clenched hands.

DUNE SEA, TATOOINE

Old Ben came up slowly over the dune. Ahead of him was a young boy with a blonde head staring at the binary sunset of Tatooine. Lukewarm light bathed them both. The temperature was soon to drop below a comfortable level for humans.

“Luke,” he called out.

He turned around, focusing his bright blue eyes on his friend. “I’ve been waiting for you!”

Kenobi chuckled. “I am sorry, then. My body just doesn’t move as quickly as it used to”

He clipped his rangefinder to his belt, tromping down to meet Ben in the middle. “You’re not that old, Ben… So what did you want to tell me?”

Obi-Wan smiled softly, observing the picturesque horizon. “Nothing too important… Your Aunt and Uncle have merely deemed you mature enough for me to reveal a few truths to you.”

Luke looked at him expectantly, a million possibilities no doubt running through his head.

Ben reached into the folds of his robe, pulling out a cylinder that he held carefully in his cupped hands. “Do you know what this is?”

“Is that… a laser sword?”

Obi-Wan chuckled. “A lightsaber,” he corrected. “Your father’s…”

Luke’s entire world had been shaken. He four times gave Obi-Wan a cautionary glance. “Dad was a Jedi? You were a Jedi?!”

“That’s right. Your father and I were among the final generation of Jedi Knights. We fought together in the Clone Wars, upholding peace and justice in the Galaxy. Anakin Skywalker was my pupil,’ he said. “And a good friend…”

“A- Are you pulling my leg? Did Biggs put you up to this?” he said cautiously.

Obi-Wan levitated the lightsaber to him, destroying any shred of doubt the boy had. Luke accepted it gingerly, as if it were made of glass. After he finished taking in every detail, he looked back up to Ben incredulously.

“You have my apologies. We all hid the truth from you in order to protect you. The Jedi are all but extinct, and are persecuted to this day.”

“Wait a second. Are you saying that…”

“The Force favors you. You are Force-sensitive, just as I am. And as your father was,” he answered, reminiscing of how things used to be.

Luke stood in awe for a moment before steeling himself. He ignited the lightsaber, holding it high before swinging it slowly from side to side. “This is so wizard…”

Obi-Wan smiled fondly. “If you so choose, I can train you to be a Jedi. Your uncle forbade it for the longest time.”

Owen and Beru came up behind them, the former’s arms crossed. “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy. I just… Having Jedi skills would only make your life better, especially on a rough planet like this. Can you really blame my hesitation, Ben?”

Kenobi’s smile turned melancholy. “No. Luke, just as your father wasn’t a navigator on a freighter, he wasn’t killed in a crash.”

“He was killed by the Empire, wasn’t he?” Like guessed, turning off his saber. Beru took his hand as he grew downcast.

Owen and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance. “He was destroyed by my apprentice, Darth Vader. He was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, and assisted the Empire in the extermination of the Jedi.”

Obi-Wan sensed a spike of anger in the force.

“You don’t have to become a Jedi if you don’t want to, Luke,” Beru began. “We can still send you to the academy when you come of age. Consider your options. Even no decision is a decision.”

“The path of a Jedi is not an easy one. You will be marked as an enemy of the Empire,” Obi-Wan explained.

Owen stepped in, thoroughly frustrated. “I’m sorry for dropping this on you, son, but you had to know. You’re old enough. I know you’ll make the right decision, you’re a good boy.”

Luke looked up, blue eyes full of hope. “I’m going to be a Jedi, like my father.”

Obi-Wan was taken aback, surprising even himself. Did he truly wish that the boy would reject his offer? Perhaps some part of him hoped he wouldn’t be responsible for the destruction of another Skywalker... “Are you absolutely-“

“He’s made his decision, Ben. Can’t you see his conviction?” Owen said, his face contorted with begrudging acceptance. “He’d be found out by the Empire as soon as he entered the Academy, just like they found us here. Midi-whatever's in his blood, remember? No matter what he chooses to do with his life, he just isn’t destined for obscurity on this planet.”

“Luke, why do you wish to follow this path?” Obi-Wan asked.

The boy took a moment. Even he was curious. “Well… All the stories I’ve heard about Jedi say that they were great heroes. Mostly... my father, too, I guess.”

His intentions were oversimplified and idealistic, but pure just the same. Ben smiled. “I see. You have much to learn.”

Luke shook the lightsaber slowly, looking at his guardians. “I will learn, and I will become a Jedi.”

“Yes you will,” Obi-Wan said, nodding. Painful memories of Qui-Gon Jinn surfaced. The pact he made regarding Anakin’s training. “I promise.”

THE DEATH STAR, SCARIF

Leia glanced around everywhere as they boarded the Death Star. She just couldn’t help it, the station was too massive to not make note of it. There was no way of telling where they were aboard the station until they took the lift to the conference room.

Some of the highest ranking Imperial officers, bureaucrats, and leaders all sat around a long table. Leia could only recognize a few. General Motti, Moff Tarkin, Colonel Yularen, and Admiral Tagge to name a few. Some blowhard wearing a cape stood up, approaching her and her father.

“Lord Vader, I’m glad you could make it,” he said. “I am the direc-“

“Orson Krennic. I am familiar. Your reputation… precedes you.” Vader interrupted. Everyone could sense the displeasure.

His merry facade crumbled. “I see. I’m afraid I’m not familiar with your… smaller companion. Does she have security clearance?”

Murmurs erupted around the table.

Leia resisted the urge to roll her eyes so far back she could see her thoughts. She gestured vaguely at her dad. “He’s my father.”

Krennic went pale. “My apologies- I was unaware you had a daughter, Lord Vader.”

“I’ll take complaints, not him,” Leia said, turning her “fierce politician” mode on. She only said it because he wouldn’t challenge her- not with her father next to her.

“You’ve my apologies, then. I meant no disrespect.”

“It’s quite alright. I understand my stature paints a picture of… underestimation,” she said, and she could feel her cheeks heating.

“Now that introductions are out of the way…” Tarkin said from across the room. “Lord Vader, I would like to ask you to explain to the room why I’ve called upon your services.”

Vader moves to the head of the table. “Director Krennic has spent too much time patting himself on the back, and not enough selecting trustworthy personnel for this project. He even allowed a child aboard this vessel merely because she is accompanying me…” Vader explained. Krennic sat down defeatedly. “That changes now. Anyone with even a seditious thought will be dealt with swiftly and accordingly. This project depends upon Imperial loyalty.”

“I could not have said it better myself,” Tarkin added. “Would you care to demonstrate the level of mercy the Empire will provide for traitors?”

“As you wish. Leia?”

She had to take a moment to make sure she heard him right.

“Right.” Although she hesitated, Leia stood forward, reaching out through the Force, like she had been taught. One of the particularly slimy looking men was radiating anxiety. “Him,” she pointed. “He’s afraid.”

“Blast!” He stood up suddenly, reaching for a blaster. He fired a wild shot that Leia sidestepped easily. She ripped it from his hands with the Force, pointing it at him.

“I think that’s him,” she said, with much more intensity than expected of someone of her age. In all actuality, she was struggling to keep her cool. It had been a while since she’d been shot at. She didn’t like the attention either, but she despised being underestimated even more.

His hands shot up as two Death Troopers apprehended him. Her father’s attention was glued to them, and the man. “Take him to the detention block to await my arrival…”

That didn’t sound good for the man.

“Admiral Katma…” Tarkin chided. “I had my suspicions about you…”

“You all can go to hell! This project is insane! How can you brand something called the Death Star a peacekeeper?! It’s an enormous- hck!” He said, only stopping when Leia shot him with his own weapon’s stun setting.

“Thank you for your assistance,” Moff Tarkin said, nodding to her. “Take him away,” he ordered. He turned to the Director. “This is not an Empire Day ball. You will gain control of this project, or someone else will…”

Krennic grit his teeth. “It will be done.”

Darth Vader looked away from the door when the troopers left with the Admiral and folded his arms. “I should hope so, Director Krennic. For your sake…”

THE DEVASTATOR, SCARIF

Vader threw the lifeless Admiral to the ground, turning around and exiting the cell. He motioned to the guards who went about cleaning up the mess he had made. Leia was never in any danger, but Vader was certain she didn’t feel that way. It was all his fault, and he had died for it. Good riddance.

It was an uneventful walk back to his and Leia’s quarters. His comm buzzed almost the moment he arrived back. An Inquisitor’s frequency.

“Speak,” he said when he answered it.

“I’ve got eyes on a high priority target,” the hunter said. “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Vader’s sudden shift in mood caused the temperature to plummet. “Where?” was all he said.

“Tatooine, some farm in the Dune Sea.”

He waited for the transmission of coordinates before he went to disconnect. “Leia,” he said, knocking on her door. “Prepare for a field mission. We will leave soon.”

Chapter Text

9 BBY

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

Beru reached for the blue milk, pouring herself another glass. Obi-Wan imagined that the expression on her face signified they were nearly out.

“And that was when your father came to my rescue, slamming his ship into the general’s, saving my hide. Although, I never admitted that fact to him,” Obi-Wan recounted, laughing at his old anecdotes.

Luke sat back in his chair, sighing now that the story was over. “I wish you’d told me the truth sooner, just so I could’ve heard these war stories.”

“Well, then you wouldn’t have been able to enjoy this story now,” he chuckled. He’d been saving these for years. It felt liberating to no longer hide behind the story full of holes known as Ben. Although, the nickname itself had stuck.

Owen rolled his eyes. “Yeah, it’s funny and all, but we’ve got a really busy day ahead of us. Let’s finish eating breakfast so we can start setting up the new vaporators.”

“Aww…” Luke whined. “But Ben and I were going to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters.”

“You can become a Jedi when your chores are finished,” Owen chided, wiping his hands with a napkin. He raised an eyebrow, sighing in a manner reminiscent of a machine’s reboot cycle. “Now let’s get going.”

“You have my apologies. I was not aware the moisture-“ Obi-Wan dropped his cup, spilling milk over the table. He instinctively searched for his lightsaber’s presence.

“What the?” Owen asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

His blue eyes turned icy as wartime instinct ran its course. “I’ve just felt a presence I haven’t felt in a decade. Darth Vader is here.”

Beru and Owen shot up, as prepared as he was to lay down their lives for the boy they’d taken responsibility for all those years ago. “Then we’ve got to do something!”

Obi-Wan stood tall, taking his lightsaber out of his tunic. “There’s no time to run. Hide, while I lure him away.”

“No way!” Luke shouted. “This is what I’ve been training for! I’ll fight him with you.”

Ben shook his head, slightly amused at the boy’s eagerness. Internally he was kicking himself for failing the one job he had in the past decade. A looming dark presence edged ever closer. “You are not ready for this. If he finds you…”

Two Vaders running around sent a chill down his spine.

“He killed my father,” Luke said slowly. “The least I can do is try to fight.”

“No way in hell am I letting you anywhere near him!” Owen shouted, slamming his fist down on the table.

A man dressed in black armor jumped down the steps. If he didn’t have their attention before, his red lightsaber roared to life. “Am I interrupting something?”

Obi-Wan activated his own lightsaber, holding it in a defensive position. “You have made a mistake coming here. An even bigger mistake calling your master.”

Luke turned his on shortly after, holding it much more clumsily. He still hadn’t found that comfortable level between too lightly and too tightly.

The Inquisitor grabbed it from him with the force, spinning it right through Owen’s outstretched hand. The man collapsed to the ground in agony as the Inquisitor casually inspected the weapon. It was almost as if he hadn’t maimed a man.

“This weapon is insanely well put together for someone like you…” he said, recognition in his voice.

Obi-Wan shot forward, taking their visitor by surprise. After a single offensive strike and three parries, he delivered the final blow, slicing through the Inquisitor’s lightsaber and stomach. A deathly gasp came through the filtered helmet.

Luke’s expression changed to that of one who had seen a ghost as Ben gave him back his lightsaber. “Do be careful of losing this weapon again,” he told his young charge.

Beru helped Owen to his feet, who was currently cradling his stump and seething. “So, was that encounter ten years ago anything like this?!”

“Not exactly. I’m afraid we must abandon the farm, as we have discussed,” Obi-Wan said, grabbing the medkit from one of the kitchen drawers.

“Blast,” Owen said spitefully. “Beru, go get the deed. This homestead has been in my family for generations, and I’ll be damned if I’ll be the one to lose it!”

Beru did so quickly before returning, cupping Luke’s cheek with her free hand. “Don’t worry. This is a possibility we prepared for the day we took you in.”

Luke defeatedly nodded before hugging his aunt.

“We should make haste. Vader is nearly here,” he said, moving to the doorway. He stopped, putting a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Should anything happen to the three of us, say nothing of your heritage to Vader.”

The boy nodded once more as they departed to the family garage.

DARTH VADER’S TIE ADVANCED, TATOOINE

As soon as they came out of hyperspace above Tatooine, he was certain. “Obi-Wan Kenobi…”

“So it is true,” Leia asked, fiddling with the lightsaber she had been lent for this mission.

Despite her training with a sword, he was seriously regretting giving her a loaner with how cavalier she was near the activator. He had promised to turn around if she used it unnecessarily, and that usually seemed to work with her.

He sensed no danger in this mission, and so decided to bring Leia along. If this lead was truly solid, then rubbing how uncorrupted Leia was in his face would bring immense satisfaction. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s final mistake in a long list of many...

“I feel a presence down there I haven’t felt since I was put in this suit,” Vader murmured. “It must be Kenobi.”

Leia was acutely aware that it was a duel with Kenobi on Mustafar that made her father who he was today.

He tried his best to spare no details with his daughter, no matter how painful or personal. Obi-Wan and the other Jedi had kept much from him during his career, and the resentment he felt was nothing he wanted Leia to experience even at his own expense.

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

He froze for a moment.

“I do not know…” Vader answered truthfully. “Kill him, maybe. It all depends upon-“

The TIE Advanced rocked as something struck it. “Kenobi…” he muttered as the ship gravitated downward way too quickly for comfort. No doubt the result of the force. The ground was approaching fast, so Vader stood up, shielding his daughter with the force, but mainly his body. They were both knocked unconscious within moments.

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

Obi-Wan shielded his charges with the force, regarding the crash site with displeasure. “I’m afraid that may not occupy him for long.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Owen muttered bitterly.

“Let’s get going!” Luke cried, sliding into the family’s V-35 courier.

“To Anchorhead or…” Kenobi said, sitting idle at the wheel.

“Mos Eisley!” Owen decided. “Less questions. Just step on it!”

OxOxO

Leia awoke suddenly, rubbing her eyes free of blood, only to find it didn’t belong to her. Her father was crouched over her, shrapnel poking through his armored shoulder, causing the steady drip. It was when his mechanically wheezing breath came to her attention that she looked up, staring into his blue eye through a missing shard in his helmet.

His unaugmented voice was somehow familiar. Obviously it was gentler, but also entirely different than the baritone she was familiar with. “Leia... are you alright?”

She briefly checked herself before shifting her focus. “I’m fine. It’s you that isn’t alright!”

“Yes…” he assessed. “The crash has rendered my limbs inactive.”

Leia gingerly held his left hand, which was flattened and sparking, no doubt as a result of the strain of keeping them alive. “That’s not all it’s done.”

“It is best not to dwell on me until your next task is finished. The communications array has been disabled, and unless we repair it or me, we are grounded, the distance between us and Kenobi ever growing,” Vader explained. “I need you to head northeast from here, to a city called Mos Eisley. Rather than bartering for parts to repair our ship or me, obtain a ship or communicator. Go to or contact the fleet. Do not look back until you have fulfilled this mission.”

Her response was immediate. “No, I can’t just leave you here! You’re not going to last.”

“You underestimate the power of the Force, despite having it, Leia. I was raised on this planet, and I know we will not survive if you waste time dragging me behind you. Take the survival kit and funds,” he said, gesturing with his head. “Make haste, but do not exert yourself. Although you are strong, my daughter, this planet is unforgiving.”

Leia bit her lip, eying him up and down. “Okay, I understand.”

“Good,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Change out of those dark clothes, or you will die of heatstroke. Keep your identity as an agent of the Empire a secret. There are not many sympathetic to our cause, not even the Hutts. They would use you as leverage- or worse.”

“Yeah, I know, I understand how the Outer Rim works, father,” she said, rooting through the closet. “I will not fail. I can’t.”

There was too much at stake. As soon as she had pulled on something more comfortable, and by extension a hooded tunic, she set out triumphantly into the scorching twin sunlight. In that instant, all of her bravado was extinguished like a lightsaber. Two steps into the sifting sand took way more effort than she thought it would. She felt a sweat breaking out on her forehead already, and she wished she could at least drag her father along if only for the ambient cold he exuded.

Luckily for her however, it seemed like Kenobi had left a speeder bike in the garage, and her journey would not be on foot.

“I hate sand…” she muttered, bypassing the security, hopping on, and following her compass to the north.

As she reached out with the force, it seemed the barren wastes housed more life forms than she initially believed. Organisms invisible to her wriggled and battled under the sand, and lizards crawled upon the canyon walls. Why, even the rock up ahead possessed some rather strong presences. The presences of...

A gaderffii stick came down on the tip of her speeder, sending Leia careening through the air. In her fall, she managed to right herself and somehow not eat dirt.

Three or so Sandpeople began to holler, raising their weapons and approaching her. She had been told about these savages by her father, and so she immediately activated her lightsaber. The canyon was bathed in red light.

They froze, fear somehow being expressed through their masks.

Leia suddenly became aware of the weight of her weapon, throwing her hand high. The raiders flinched before scurrying off into the desert shrieking.

“I really don’t like this planet…” she said, picking up her sparking speeder. A few minutes of fiddling and it began to hover once more.

Hoping the converters would last, she sped off once more.

MOS EISLEY, TATOOINE

Mos Eisley smelled a lot worse than she had expected. It wasn’t just the poverty, but also a Ronto’s dung, as she nearly discovered with her new boots. She felt a little bit out of her comfort zone, as most everyone was some sort of alien or much taller than her, but that didn’t stop her. After all, she was the daughter of one of the most powerful Sith Lords ever, and she had a lightsaber and a lot of money to her name. There was nothing to be afraid of.

That was, of course, until some Klatooinian started soliciting her from his stall, in a language she didn’t know. She just shook her head, waving away the amphibian he was shoving in her face.

Leia walked away, trying to read the signs that were more often than not in a Huttese script. She severely doubted that anyone here had been loyal to anyone but the Hutts, even during the golden age of the Republic. She truly was on her own, and she didn’t like that.

She walked her bike up to a familiar face. Not someone she knew, but a human. “Excuse me, might I have a moment of your time?”

“Depends if you’ve got a moment of cash, outworlder,” he said, sizing the small girl up.

She steeled her gaze. “I’ve got better than that. This speeder for all my questions, if you can answer them.”

The man looked around shifting. “Is she stolen?”

“No.”

“Why else would you want to part with something like that for so low a price?”

She’d hit her stride. Bartering was exactly like diplomacy, she thought, getting a big head. “I can’t exactly bring it with me. I want off this world.”

“Your best bet for that is Chalmun’s Cantina. Couple of kilometers that way,” he motioned. “My speeder?”

Leia pulled it away from his grasp. “Wait a minute. I would prefer to get off this rock of my own volition but my ship is damaged. I’ve got quite the engineer, but no parts for him to work with. Where can I find a scrap shop?”

He guffawed in her face. “Nowhere. Jabba’s put most of the scrappers out of business. The good ones anyway. Your only way offworld is through a Hutt-sanctioned transport. Whether that be a new ship itself or through one of their pilots is up to your wallet. Either of those options, your first stop should be that Cantina I mentioned.”

Leia sighed, handing over the bike to the man. “Thank you very much for your help. Whether or not you realize it, you’ve done a great service to the Empire.”

“Ugh, you’re an Imperial dog? I almost don’t want to take this from you,” he said disgustedly. “But I will anyway. Pleasure.”

The man took off on his shiny new bike, leaving Leia in the dust.

She looked to her left, down the crowded Mos Eisley street, sauntering off toward her first lead.

CHALMUN’S CANTINA, TATOOINE

As she entered the packed Cantina, the smooth and sad Slitherhorn hit her ears. The presence of the Jeebo Rodanda band almost distracted her from how rough the customers here were. She prided herself on recognizing their music, for having taste way beyond her years. Then she bumped into an Ithorian, and her facade crumbled. He angrily bellowed at her, and she could only back away and apologize.

“Girlie!” The bartender shouted over the music. Gruff as he was, she was glad for his beckoning call. “Look,” he said as she sat down at the bar. “I don’t know what someone as young as you is here for, but I promise you it probably ain’t here.”

“Information,” she said, putting on her tough guy mask. “I need a ship.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, if it’ll get you outta here sooner, I’ll help you.”

“Great!” she beamed.

He brandished a scowl. “But! You gotta buy something. There’s no law against it, but I don’t sell stiff drinks to younglings. What’ll it be?”

She sighed too, slinking into her chair. “Fair enough. Do you have any tea?”

“No. I got water, milk, pallie juice, or maybe some cocktail mixer.”

“Milk from what?”

He scoffed. “Bantha milk. Only milk around here that ain’t from an Askajian.”

“I’ll take that then,” she said, placing some hutt money on the bar. “Keep the change.”

He pocketed it and turned around, placing a glass of blue milk in front of her. “Bottoms up.”

She sipped it carefully, and the barkeep gave her an odd look. “So. A ship?”

“Those two are new to the scene. They could probably use a job,” he said, motioning to a back table where, notably, a Wookiee sat across from a particularly roguish man. “They don’t seem the type to turn away a kid in need. Introduce yourself and hope they accept, I suppose. Most pilots won’t take a job on such short notice, but we get some desperate types here. Come right back here if they can't help you.”

“Thanks,” she said, chugging her milk and moving toward her destination.

The man gave her a lopsided smirk as she came to a stop in front of him. “Is this some kind of joke?”

The Wookiee growled something gently.

She scoffed at the scruffy-looking smuggler. “I don’t think customer service entails insulting your clientele.”

He feigned offense by throwing his hands up. “Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. My friend here wants you to know you’ve got blue on your lip.”

Leia quickly wiped her mouth, cheeks reddening. That must have been there for a while. “Can’t you just hear me out and let me pay you?”

“Look, it ain’t exactly often a kid hires you to move cargo,” he said. “No etiquette for this kind of thing.”

“Well I’m guessing it’s not often some kid has funds like this,” she said venomously, slapping some credits on the table. “I can find some other laser brained jerk anywhere on this planet.”

“Now, hold on a sec,” he said. “What exactly do you need moved?”

These smuggler types were always motivated by money. At least, that’s what the holos said.

“Two passengers. I just need to go pick up my father in the desert and then a ride to Imperial space,” she explained, sitting across from the man, next to the wookiee.

He grimaced. “Imperial space? You some officer’s kid?”

The Wookiee bellowed.

“Yeah, that’d explain the deep pockets.”

She pursed her lips, leaning over the table. “Is that a problem?”

“A little bit. I didn’t exactly leave the Empire on the best terms. Neither did Chewie here.”

No one left the Empire on any terms, really. “I don’t know what you did, but will a… pardon change your tune?”

The man and the wookiee exchanged glances. He growled. “Chewbacca doesn’t want to be double-crossed. How certain is this?”

“Quite.” she said. Her father was wrapped around her finger, after all. “I promise.”

The smuggler raised a brow and looked her up and down. She tried her best to look truthful, but she didn’t know what that looked like in the moment.

He drew a long sigh. “Yeah, you got yourself a deal, kid. Let’s get going,” he said, standing up and stretching. She noticed fully his Corellian garb.

Reaching for the credits, he quickly found himself denied. Leia slid a few to him. “I’m not as naive as you might think. You’ll get the rest when we pick up my father.”

The Wookiee laughed with a bray that almost shook the cantina.

“Oh, and I think I’ll need to use your communicator. I have to contact the Empire.”

“That ain’t happening,” he said when they entered the docking bay. ‘Not until we’ve got that pardon. I’ve got a target on my back as it is.”

There was a quick exchange between the smugglers. She almost felt left out, but resigned to let them deliberate. “Yeah, I can tell she’s a youngling, Chewie! No comms until we’re clean.”

“That’s fair. What-” she said, coming to a stop as the full situation of the ship hit her. It was a Corellian freighter that had obviously seen better days. Traces of blue paint had faded away, there was carbon scoring all across the hull, and the cargo clamps were empty. It was worse than the worst of her father’s most ‘vintage’ ships. “Oh, mother of moons…”

‘Chewie’ snorted, saying something jovially.

“Yeah, yeah, but it’s not exactly like you gotta look presentable in this business!”

“Did you stick this thing together with flimsi?” she said as they boarded. A finger was soon pointed in her direction.

“She’s got it where it counts. Ever heard of the Millennium Falcon?” he asked, determined to get an answer before letting her pass.

She moved his finger out of her face with her own. “I can’t say that I have, captain..?

“Han Solo. Did the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs,” he bragged, a half-smirk gracing his face.

Kessel was an Imperial controlled world. She had a feeling that the ‘run’ he referred to was one relating to theft. That explained why the pardon worked. “So you stole coaxium, then?’

He scowled. “Something like that. Why don’t you go make yourself at home? But don’t get too comfortable.”

Chewie barged past them, going to perform the pre-flight checks. Certainly, this freighter was a far cry from the shiny and new Imperial craft she was used to. However, she was pretty sure anything with a hyperdrive would be sufficient to get to her father and the fleet. Well, anything with a hyperdrive that wouldn’t leave her as space dust as it got them where they needed to go.

“Lead the way, Captain,” she said, following the wookiee.

“First mate! I’m the captain!” he called after her. “This had better be worth it…” he grumbled.

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

“Father!” She cried, seeing that the wreckage was smoldering. She couldn’t have left the ship sooner. It had no doubt exploded, and the moisture farm was burning.

Darth Vader clambered up the steps of the flaming homestead, clutching a leather helmet in his good hand. Raw, untamed sorrow and regret radiated around him like a swirling storm. “You’re back.”

Leia ran up to him, seeing that tears were running from his exposed eye. She grabbed the helmet from him, considering it closely. What exactly about it could have her father crying for the first time in her life? Inside she saw an inscription scrawled in sloppy letters. “Anakin Skywalker? The Clone Wars hero? Did he used to… Is that why Kenobi was hiding here?”

He faltered for a moment. “This is my step-brother’s farm. My mother is buried here.”

Leia was stricken by Vader’s powerful grief almost as soon as the realization did. The helmet clattered to the ground. Vader’s tears welled up in her eyes as the smoky desert air around them turned frigid. She didn’t dare speak of the implications. Her breath caught as a result and she uttered a cough.

Vader was snapped out of his stupor, grabbing her by the back of her tunic. “We’d best move away, little one”

Leia drew her hood and stood next to her father, watching the farm smolder. “That Inquisitor killed them, didn’t he? Our family.”

“I am uncertaIn,” he said.

“I got us a ride,” she said after a pregnant pause.

Vader gently placed a leather bound flimsiplast journal in her hand. “Where are we being extracted?”

“Here.”

OxOxO

Vader turned his head to see their presumable savior come down the loading ramp of a weathered and beat-up ship, gobsmacked. No doubt this pilot had accepted the job to afford repairs for the freighter. He was quite a young man. Perhaps an old teenager.

The human struggled with where to put his hands, before making a short bow that was half curtsy. The Dark Lord was on the verge of amusement. “Uh- It- It’s an honor, your.. Lordship… fulness.”

“We are in your debt,” he replied. “Lord Vader will suffice.”

“Sorry I couldn’t find a better ship,” she said, helping him to the ship. She glared at him. “Or a pilot.”

He forced a smile, clearly refraining from a comeback. “Well, at least it flies. Welcome to the Millennium Falcon.”

“That it does,” Vader agreed, limping aboard. That seemed to match the name of a ship that had, in recent memory, gotten away with a massive load of Imperial Coaxium. “So this is the ship that incited the uprising on Kessel.”

The pilot stopped dead in his tracks. “Uh- could be, maybe. Your uh- daughter said something about a pardon?”

Of course she hadn’t lowballed them… “I will grant you a full record erasure. Are you the one who piloted?”

Solo leaned on the hall now that he considered himself to be out of hot water, pride oozing from his every pore. “Yep. Han Solo.”

“I would like to extend another job to you. I am in need of a new wingman,” he said, slumping down in the common room. He sensed genuine pride, an indication of a lack of deceit.

Leia raised her brow, spluttering. “But he’s a criminal!”

“And a gifted pilot for a boy,” he added. Anyone who had survived The Maw, let alone any gravity well, was competent enough to fly alongside him. The experience and skill required to perform such stunts outweighed any disciplinary issue that could be ironed out. Vader awaited the response patiently.

Solo struggled to maintain his usual smirk. “All due respect, I’m not sure I want to fly for the Empire again.”

Vader nodded, crossing his arms. They didn’t call TIE Pilots coffin jockeys because it was a safe profession. “A destination would be in order. Corellia, as fate would have it. I will give you clearance codes closer to the system.”

Their pilot nodded, giving a small gesture of acknowledgement with his hand before going to the cockpit.

When they were alone, Vader collapsed onto the Dejarik table. “I haven’t been bested like this since Mustafar.”

“Everybody has to lose sometime,” she said, propping him up with an embrace. “Even you.”

He nodded, closing his eyes. The wheezing somewhat subsided.

THE DEVASTATOR, CORELLIA

When Solo delivered them to the fleet at Corellia, he ultimately declined the offer. Her father unflinchingly extended the offer to the future, instructing him to simply climb up the Imperial command chain to find him. Not many were foolish enough to throw around Darth Vader’s name lightly, meaning it would be taken seriously, lest some low-level bureaucrat use their better judgment over fear.

Although the day had been rough, at the least, Leia had confirmation that she had inherited her eye color from her mother. She was staring at herself in her vanity, applying a salve to her sunburn. Her father had always insisted on proper skin care, leading to much speculation on her part. She wasn’t complaining, but it seemed odd that a man who never took off his helmet would care so much about the health of skin. The sliver of pale and withered face she’d seen when his mask had broken cemented why exactly he was the practice’s largest proponent. He entered shortly thereafter.

“There's a chime for a reason,” she said, noticing his suit was already in perfect order. His usual, comforting breathing had returned to its white noise status.

He sat on her bed, an awkward attempt to ease the tension and move to her level. The Wroshyr wood frame creaked under his weight. “I am certain you have questions.”

“Not as many as you’d think,” she said, capping the lotion and turning to him. “How did you stand growing up on that dreadful planet?

“I had no choice. I was a slave,” he said.

“Yeah, you were,” she said, emphasizing the end with a wave of the flimsi notebook. “Now you’re the galaxy’s second in command. Look at you now!”

His presence darkened, and she paused as she determined what she had said that had upset him.

“Um.”

Vader spoke. “Is that book sufficient in quelling your curiosity?”

She flipped through the pages rougher than he was probably comfortable with her doing. “When does the Hero With No Fear show up? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

He averted his gaze. “If you only knew… It is my greatest shame.”

She narrowed her eyes in confusion, not biting on that admission. He was acting weirder than normal. “I think I should get some sleep.”

Vader stood up, dread filling his presence. “I shall leave you to it, then. Good evening.”

Somehow, he had gotten the impression that she was offended. As if.

“I love you, dad,” she said as he marched to the door.

He turned to her, giving a slight nod. “And I, you. More than you could ever know.”

“I do know,” she insisted.

Vader shook his head slightly before leaving. She thought she knew.

Chapter Text

9 BBY

FORTRESS VADER, MUSTAFAR

While her father had spent every second of the last week chasing every lead that could take them to Kenobi, he had no tangible results. Leia had likewise poured all of her time into something less than productive. She had been scouring every word of her grandmother’s journal rather than schoolwork, but her father didn’t seem to mind. Not this time.

The pages after Anakin Skywalker’s birth were not at all like she expected. Somehow she believed her father had been born as tough and serious as he had been, but these pages told a different story. He was a reckless and selfless boy. He was as passionate then as he was wrathful now. It almost played like some sort of holo drama. A mother sending her son away to fall in love and forever change the Galaxy would have made a good story.

Though, the journal died down significantly after he had left for Coruscant. The time between entries only grew the longer the journal went. It was like she wasn’t used to talking about herself, and when her son had left, she had nothing she wished to speak about. Each page described simple pleasures as if they were made of Aurodium.

Vader walked in unannounced. “Come along.”

“How many times have I asked you to knock? Just a simple knock!”

“You have my apologies. My mind is elsewhere. We are going to Naboo. We shall pay our overdue respects.”

She took a few moments to make sure she had heard him right.

“Wait. Seriously?”

“As always,” he replied.

Leia shot up and was packed in seconds.

THEED, NABOO

She was restless the entire trip there. He barely, if ever, even referred to her mother by name, so such a bold idea for a holiday excited her. It only increased when they reached the Chommel sector. Leia tugged at her cloak. “Does mom’s family… know about you? Pre-Vader, I mean.”

A strong wave of sorrow signalling emanated from Vader. One ability the Force possesed, telempathy, was unwanted by her at times like this. She almost had to dodge the strong feelings her father passively exuded.

“Padmé insisted she hadn’t even told her mother about us, but I'm certain they knew Anakin Skywalker to be the father of her child. They… said I was the only suitor she had ever brought home,” he awkwardly explained. His fumfering translated into odd mechanical sounds through the vocabulator. “As for your mother, they know as much as the Galaxy at large, that she was assassinated by the Jedi and you died with her.”

“If we do meet them, we should at least ease them into the idea of… you,”

“As you wish,” Vader said. “In all these years, I’ve never found the courage to visit Padmé. I have found that strength… in you. I have been living in the past, trying to avoid it for too long.”

Leia said nothing. The most feared man in the galaxy was afraid of something so mundane. The rest of the trip was silent, even more so when they approached Theed. The lush green hills were unlike any she had ever seen. Her mother had been born lucky. All she’d ever known were muted walls, lava, and her father’s mechanical breathing, not rolling grass and chirping birds. As they came in to land in the hangar, Leia was focused on the ever audible Virdugo Plunge. The babbles could be heard deep within the hangar.

Something supernaturally chilly came over her for a moment accompanied by the thought of yellow eyes.

The newest in a line of puppet queens came to greet them, but she didn’t care much. She was pretty, but not her mother. They received a tour of the palace, and Leia could still feel the negative emotion radiating off of her father. He’d been here. It only intensified as they passed a stained glass window of a woman in intricate red robes, her hair rounded in an elaborate headdress. Padmé Amidala, immortalized. It intrigued Leia to no end. Even nine or so years after her death, and twenty years since her term as queen, she was celebrated. Every other monument to a monarch within the palace had ruled at least a century ago.

Their business there seemed to have been gone in a flash. Leia just wanted to see her mother’s grave. Not far from the palace, at the bottom of a set of elaborate stairs, was a massive monolith in the image of her mother. They stood in front of it for a moment, admiring the sculpture in silence. When they were done, Darth Vader moved the heavy stone door to the mausoleum with a flick of his hand. It surprised her how cavalier he was despite his apparent apprehension.

It was an eternity before either dared to step within. On the far wall was another immortalizing stained glass depiction of Padmé that let light filter through. On either side were flowers, still alive. Someone had been tending to the grave all these years. Dead center was a stone slab emblazoned with the royal crest of Naboo. Leia placed a hand on the cold sarcophagus containing her mother’s remains.

Vader’s emotions were more reined in than the last time she felt them. There was an underlying sadness, but it was mostly confusion and hatred. His daughter took a wild guess as to why.

“Hard to believe I killed a woman as strong as her,” Leia said, laughing awkwardly.

Vader recoiled, looking at her in disbelief. “You are not responsible for her death,” he said as soon as he regained enough composure to do so. “I am uncertain of what truly led to her death, but of that I am sure.”

He looked away after she sniffled, nodding at him. She wondered what it would have been like to have a mother often. Leia had never met the woman, but she was ever-present in her dreams. At least- her fantasy of what she was like.

There was no room for interpretation between them. Leia took her father’s hand. As she moved closer, he put his hand on her small head.

UNDERCITY, TARIS

Obi-Wan Kenobi softly blew on his tea before taking a sip of the rich earthy drink. He couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face. Sure, they had been on the run for weeks, living hand to mouth, but the tea was great. As he enjoyed the drink, he looked out of the cafe and into the city’s crowd expectantly. His visitor was running late. Some things just refused to change.

Luke stared at his cup as if he’d never seen one before. Luke sighed impatiently, in the same manner Anakin had. “Ben, what are we just waiting around here for?”

Luke no doubt felt exposed out here, as he watched the city folk come and go. He desperately wanted to get back to the hotel where his aunt and uncle were, and take a moment to breathe. He seemed to realize how easily these thoughts were being broadcast and blushed.

“Patience, Luke. Our mission here will be revealed soon,” he said. “Although, I promise you we didn’t come to Taris to sightsee.”

“I wouldn’t mind doing that, though,” he said. It would have been much more interesting than sitting here in one place with a target on their back. “Did you see all the starships as we were coming in? And it’s so green here!” he exclaimed, not seeming to care that what he described were wreckages and overgrown weeds left to those living in poverty. Everyone here was scrounging much as they were.

Kenobi chuckled. “Yes, well, this galaxy has quite a lot to see. When he was your age, your father’s greatest aspiration was to see it all.”

“That’s unrealistic.”

“Maybe so, but in fighting the Clone Wars, I’m sure he came close…”

Luke finally took a sip of his tea, grimacing. “Yuck.”

“It’s certainly an acquired taste, isn’t it?” he chuckled.

Luke nodded, looking around in his boredom. That was when he noticed the tall hooded woman Ben was watching walk towards them. He reached for his saber, keeping his hand at waist level. Obi-Wan stood up and motioned for his charge to do the same. It wouldn’t have been a stretch to say he was unconcerned. She drew her hood, revealing she was a Togruta with orange and white skin. Just the one he had come to see.

A great weight was lifted off his chest, and he couldn’t help himself but smile.

“You’ve grown so much,” he said, taking note of how much taller she was than him, montrals excluded.

The woman said nothing, embracing him tightly. Luke could only watch in confusion. He hadn’t told Luke much of anything in order to protect both him and their interests.

“It’s so good to see you again…”

“Likewise. It’s been far too long,” Obi-Wan said with a sigh. “I do apologize that I was unable to contact you sooner. I… I didn’t-“

The Togruta woman laughed, breaking away from him. “That’s fine. I don’t think either of us have exactly been easy to find these past few years. I thought you were dead, too.”

Obi-Wan nodded, suddenly feeling even older. “I’m sorry you’ve had to survive on your own.”

“That’s just how it is,” she said. “So, who’s this?”

“My name is Luke Skywalker,” he declared.

Her face sobered, her smile running away faster than anything he’d ever seen. “We should probably go somewhere with a little more privacy.”

Obi-Wan was followed by his juniors back to their rented room in a nearby hotel. Owen stood up immediately from the kitchenette table. The two farmers were nothing if not paranoid in these trying times.“Who’s that?”

“A friend,” Obi-Wan said. “You’ve no need for concern. This is Ahsoka Tano. These are Owen and Beru Lars, Anakin’s step-family.”

They exchanged bows before the Force-sensitives left to the spare bedroom in order to talk.

He dreaded what she said next since the day the Republic fell.

“You said Skywalker? You’re Anakin’s son?” she asked. “Is he… really gone?”

Luke nodded. “Since before I was born.”

Ben leaned forward in his chair. Suddenly everything about the cushion was bothering him.“I’m afraid Anakin was lost to the Dark Side, like most of our brothers and sisters. Luke’s mother passed away in childbirth.”

“I just assumed Padmé’s child died with her. That's what they reported… To think I was tricked by the Empire too,” she said, shaking her head in shame.

Obi-Wan raised a brow. “You knew of their relationship?”

Of course, he had too. He’d spent the past decade wondering what would have happened had either he or Anakin discussed the Bantha in the room. Unfortunately he had lost his apprentice’s trust long before his fall. It was odd how they could throw around each other’s lives without a care in the world, but not do something as simple as talk to each other. He’d not made a good enough effort, and Anakin was content bottling his feelings.

“Those two were anything but subtle,” she chuckled. “I had my suspicions, but never any solid confirmation. Until now. I’d have won a few bets back in the day.”

Luke looked at the two impatiently. “I’m glad you two can catch up, but I’m really confused. Who exactly are you?”

“I’m Ahsoka Tano, like Obi-Wan said. I was your father’s apprentice during the Clone Wars,” she explained.

Obi-Wan watched Luke as he considered the Togruta woman. Particularly, he took note of her lightsabers, which were concealed in a similar manner to his and Kenobi’s. “You’re a Jedi?!”

He made no effort to hide his excitement, a smile plastered on his face from ear to ear. Learning every sliver of Jedi lore had become his most recent hobby. Obi-Wan had been sparing with it, lest he start putting inconsistencies together.

“I was,” she said. It left Luke dissatisfied, judging by his face. “There really aren’t any Jedi anymore. The Empire has made sure of that.”

“Well Obi-Wan is, and he’s been training me to be a Jedi for a while now,” Luke said triumphantly. “I’m pretty good.”

Ahsoka smiled hopefully. “You never were able to sit still, Obi-Wan, despite your patience. You’re nothing if not stubborn.”

Patience and restlessness were not mutually exclusive, but he decided against going into that lecture. He had had… enough of that. His track record as a teacher was far from stellar. One Chosen One turned Sith Lord.

“Anakin had to learn it from someone,” Obi-Wan said with a smirk. “Have you been staying safe, my old friend?”

She looked more or less in one piece. Ahsoka’s eyes had hardened, a sure sign of someone always on the lookout for anything wanting to kill her. They were the eyes of someone whose hunches had saved their life on more than one occasion.

“I’ve had more run-ins with Inquisitors than I can count, but who hasn’t these days?” Ahsoka said, smirking. “Not to mention all of my scuffles with Stormtroopers, but I’m still here.”

“To be entangled with Stormtroopers, one must be actively seeking a fight,” Obi-Wan said, a brow raised.

Ahsoka raised hers in turn. “Surely you must know I’m an agent of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. You contacted me on one of their channels.”

Obi-Wan frowned. “Yes. I just wanted you to confirm it. It saddens me to hear that.”

“Why, Obi-Wan?” she asked after a pause.

He flashed his somewhat signature thousand-meter smile. “You've been fighting for half your life.”

“This time, it’s for the right cause. I’m an adult. I can choose my battles,” she told them confidently. “Let’s get down to business. As much as I love to see you and discover all of Anakin’s secrets, surely there’s another reason you reached out to me.”

Luke chuckled. “I don’t know too many of those. Up until a little while ago I thought my father died in a freighter accident.”

Ahsoka scoffed. “Any freighter accident involving Anakin Skywalker was caused by him. I find it hard to believe he died during the Purge. What exactly did it take to kill him? They say he was the last one to fall at the temple.”

Ah yes, he had heard that tale himself. Privately, he wondered who had started it. By then, it had been a few moments too long, so he spoke.

“I’m certain Anakin was lost before the Temple,” Obi-Wan sat back in his chair, feeling somehow even more distant. He was taken back to Mustafar and bristled against the imagined heat. “The Sith Lord’s new apprentice,” he said. “After Dooku,” he added, stroking his beard. He couldn't find a comfortable position to sit.

“That’s a relief,” she said. Kenobi let his confusion be clear on his face. “Never mind,” she said. None of them could do anything but frown. “I shouldn’t have asked or said that. Is your business a more… vibrant subject?”

As Obi-Wan perked up, so did Luke. He was interested, though that didn’t take much for such a hyperactive boy. . “I realize it doesn’t sound like much from a Jedi Council member who both allowed the Sith to rise and wronged you during your trial, but the Force has revealed something to me,'' he said. He paused, mulling over whether or not he should say what he planned to next.

“Don’t keep us in suspense,” Ahsoka said jovially.

“I believe it is in your best interest to take Luke on as your Padawan learner.”

There was a beat. Then two, then three. They sat in silence until Luke broke it.

“Huh?”

“Yeah I have to agree with Luke, there. No offense to you, but I’m just not a Jedi. Even if I was, I’m definitely not ready to do something like that,” she refuted, seemingly losing her cool facade for the first time. All he could see was that bright-eyed apprentice on Christophsis as she became embarassed.

“You seem to forget that he is no Jedi either,” Obi-Wan countered. “No master is ever truly ready for an apprentice. When I took on Anakin, my master had just been slain. When he took you on, he wasn’t so ready himself, was he?”

The ghost of a smile appeared on her face. “No.”

“Being someone’s teacher is more than just teaching them. In some ways, it is more of a learning experience for the master than the apprentice. It will better you.”

Luke considered all of this. “Not that I’m not excited to work with my dad’s apprentice, but, Ben, does this mean you’d be leaving us?”

“Yeah. Where are you going, Obi-Wan?”

“Nowhere, my young friends. I’m just getting too old to prance around the galaxy crusading against the Empire,” he said cheekily. “Besides, both Anakin and I trained apprentices- it wouldn’t be fair of me to hog the only Padawan in the Galaxy.”

“Fair enough,” Ahsoka said, smiling in turn. “Okay, I’ll do it. That is, if you’ll allow me to train you, Luke Skywalker.”

After a moment of consideration, he nodded his head.

“Alright, Skyguy. First lesson? Don’t fiddle with your lightsaber when you’re nervous. You’re not going to be inconspicuous when everyone with a sharp eye thinks you’ve got a blaster at your hip.”

THEED ROYAL PALACE, NABOO

“Naboo is a very beautiful planet,” Leia mused, breaking the silence.

Vader concurred, running his hand along a stone rail. It wasn’t just the rolling hills, somehow lush swamps, and cascading waterfalls. Even a city on Naboo, which on any other planet would be a crowded scum filled hive, was gorgeous. The people of Naboo were a rarity. Almost every citizen cared about the wellbeing of every other, and their democracy thrived, on the surface at least. Being the Emperor’s home planet, it was heavily monitored, which made him glad his daughter couldn’t see the strings attached.

“Simply breathtaking.”

“I was unaware you were such a tourist,” Vader teased.

She whipped around, pointing at her father with her shuura ice cream. “I am not a tourist. By law, I qualify for citizenship here!”

“By Imperial law, you qualify for citizenship on all planets under our control. Finish your treat. I have a new lead on Kenobi,” he said, thoroughly changing the subject.

Leia sighed. “We just visited mother’s grave an hour ago, and you’re already seeking to leave? Is it really such a tragedy if he gets a day further from you?”

He felt like losing himself in his work. “Yes, it is the most heartbreaking tragedy imaginable,” he sarcastically droned. “I was fortunate to receive a lead on his location months after our last encounter, let alone a decade.”

“Well the last two times you fought him, you lost. What makes you think the next time will be any different?” Leia said after a pause.

The cyborg scoffed. “You are forgetting that… I- Kenobi- No one...”

Leia looked at him expectantly. “I never thought I’d be telling you this, but you’re not ready. What if he drops something bigger on you?”

Vader clenched his fist, reminded of his most recent defeat. “That business on Tatooine was not a true battle. If that coward had not endangered you, I would have repaid Mustafar tenfold!”

When Leia shoved off his cold, he came to his senses. She shouldn’t be so used to this.

“No… I apologize for my outburst. I acted childishly. Kenobi can wait,” he said softly. He spoke again when she didn’t. “We haven't met your mother’s family.”

Family was the reason they were here. Both his mother’s journal and his step-family’s homestead at large made him realize he was keeping many opportunities from his daughter.

She appreciated the situation, clearly aware of the power she possessed. “Well, they can wait. I can wait. You passed the test, so I’ll allow you a reward.”

“Are you certain?” he asked.

“Maybe the third time's the charm,” she said teasingly, flashing a smirk.

He poked his finger in her direction, unable to find a witty retort. Vader’s communicator signaled him of an incoming transmission just as they felt the presence of his Master.

TWILIGHT II, HYPERSPACE

Space was timeless, but the inhabitants of the Twilight II agreed unanimously it was nighttime. Luke and the Larses fast asleep, and the two veterans sat in the cockpit, eager to voice their private thoughts. The eagerness was mostly delegated to Tano, however.

“Thanks for dropping an apprenticeship on me, Obi-Wan,” she said, voice full of sarcastic excitement. He smiled at that.

“I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t believe it to be right. You and Luke suit each other far better than I could have hoped for. I’m not worthy to train another apprentice.”

She dared not ask why, and for that he was thankful. “You’ve been training him for half a year now? And he’s this good? Was Anakin like him?” Ahsoka asked exasperatedly. She herself was considered a prodigy.

Obi-Wan took no time to consider it. “Anakin was a fast learner as well, but for every skill he learned, so did his arrogance increase. Luke is more open to be humbled by his failures than his father. He frequently doubts himself.”

“Don’t worry: I won’t butter him up.”

They shared a laugh before she spoke again. “I’m not a Jedi, Obi-Wan. Not anymore.”

He felt a tinge of pain in his heart. “No one truly is, anymore. You are the best possible teacher for him, Ahsoka. You have been wronged by the Jedi and yet uphold their ideals so well.”

“I said I’d do it,” she said.

Kenobi broke the following silence. “So who leads this crusade against the Empire we are going so valiantly to join?”

“A few senators and other politicians are the faces. We recruited some militia commanders too, and I spearhead the intelligence division. It’s my job to follow leads regarding allies, friendly cells, and well, surviving Jedi,” she explained. “We’re pretty far reaching for such a ragtag gang of misfits. Cham Syndulla and the Free Ryloth Movement took down the Emperor’s Star Destroyer while he was in orbit a few years ago, and we haven’t ever met them.”

Obi-Wan stroked his beard, as he often did. “Impressive.”

“You look surprised. Have a little faith, Kenobi.”

A question burned at the forefront of his mind. “Is Bail Organa part of this rebellion by any chance?”

Ahsoka raised a brow. “What rock have you been living under?”

“Tatooine,” he quipped.

She rolled her eyes. “The Empire killed him almost ten years ago. He was an open opponent, so they made an example of him.”

“What of his family?”

“Them too.”

Not good. Obi-Wan tried his hardest to soothe himself with the force.

“What’s wrong? Were you close or something? You look like you saw a Starweird.”

“Bail Organa assisted me in escaping Order 66. I was simply taken by surprise, is all. I was hoping to thank him…”

That news didn’t bode well. It was unlikely Organa's daughter was actually dead. Vader surely possessed Leia, he realized, and it was most likely too late to save her from the dark. For now, he decided he would wait to encounter Skywalker’s daughter and put all his effort into training Luke in the meantime. He didn’t sense nearly the same potential in her all those years ago, and he wondered why he sensed nothing if Vader had found her.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan met glances, and when she smiled, he did so in turn, hiding the knowledge he was cursed with.

THEED ROYAL PALACE, NABOO

Her father went through the procedural warnings she always received before they met with the Emperor. Leia was so used to them, she didn’t pay any attention. She was too distracted by the quiet storm brewing on the planet. At least her father’s presence was blunt. It suffocated you with no tricks, no games. Palpatine’s slowly crept into one’s every pore, as invasively as possible.

They entered the Royal Palace’s main chamber, and she had no patience to admire the artwork they’d seen before. All of her distractions went away when the Emperor flashed both his burning yellow eyes and a decayed smile their way.

“Ah, Leia, Lord Vader, how good it is to see you both,” he said, standing up from the elaborate throne. Naboo’s Queen stood nearby, internally panicking. The Red Guards almost telekinetically moved in sync with him, making way.

“My Master,” her father said, kneeling.

She offered a simple bow, not wanting to be reminded by Palpatine yet again that such formalities were unnecessary. He had to realize such gestures provided the opposite effect, and only continued to give them to make her uneasy. Of course, he had to know that she knew that too, and at that point she decided to stop thinking about it.

“Rise,” he offered before turning to his guards. “Leave us,” he commanded sharply. “You as well,” he told the Queen shortly after.

The guards slowly exited, and Naboo’s monarch couldn’t have moved any more quickly. It was a small power move to make a Queen leave her own throne room, but effective. Leia had the idea something serious was happening.

“What is thy bidding?” Vader asked.

“Nothing you need concern yourself with yet,” Sidious smiled amicably. “Tell me: How are your studies coming along?”

Leia resisted cocking an eyebrow. “I’m several years ahead of my peers, except in mathematics,” she reported, feeling a little bit proud of herself.

“No,” Palpatine began, and a chill ran down her spine for seemingly no reason. “I am referring to your studies in the Force.”

“As per your instructions, I have taught her nothing,” Father said, interjecting.

“I know this. You would do nothing to jeopardize her,” His wrinkles shifted into a macabre smirk. “I, in that case, must be referring to your personal studies, Leia. Even the most untrained Force-sensitive craves knowledge of the power they possess.”

“Then I suppose I know as much as the average force adept,” she countered.

He gave her a nod. “That changes today. The Empire is in need of your innate talent. It must not be stagnated. I permit you to begin training under your father,” he declared.

Leia was sure she looked visibly confused. She glanced to her father for advice, but he seemed equally puzzled. “I’m flattered, but…”

“You wish to decline this offer? Live vulnerably with the rest of the populace?”

Vader stood taciturnly. She wished he would say something, but he probably had good reason.

“What about the Rule of Two?” she asked.

Sidious chuckled. “It seems your father has taught you more than nothing. That will only speed things along,” he segued. “Lower roles have always existed since the time of Bane. The Inquisitors are a living example. But, you, Leia? You will be below a Sith Lord, and far above the Inquisitorius. You will be my Hand, eventually third in command to the entire Empire.”

That sounded a lot more comfortable than being forced to kill her father. “What changes?”

“Your skillset, as long as your loyalty continues,” he answered casually. “You are a shining example of the Empire’s youth.”

She pursed her lips. “Do I get a fortress too?”

Sidious laughed heartily. “You were entitled to your every desire far before this summons. What is it you desire? Here, perhaps?” he asked, patting the throne. “At your request, I can dissolve the local government.”

The thought of that much power frightened her. She slowly shook her head. “No. I have no suitable place in mind.”

“Dwell on it, then,” he said absentmindedly. “Your answer? Can I count on you, my young friend?”

Leia averted her eyes before looking to Sidious. Vader sent encouraging thoughts through the Force. It wasn’t as if she had a choice. “I accept.”

Chapter Text

9 BBY

FORTRESS VADER, MUSTAFAR

Normally, he was accustomed to her incessant pestering. Now, however, that the promise of training loomed over her, it seemed he couldn’t get even a moment’s respite. He had been looking over reports of Outer Rim conquests when she wandered in. It seemed the list of Separatist holdouts was beginning to dwindle.

“So, what shall we learn today?” she asked casually, hopping on his desk. He didn’t look up, despite her expectancy.

“I am still determining your curriculum,” he said in one breath. His thoughts were drawn back to the promise he had made with Breha all those years ago. He desired for her to grow stronger, to be able to defend herself, but not be corrupted. Vader just wished he had a duracrete answer.

She let out a long sigh of boredom. “Can it really take this long? I thought that Sith training is unstructured. I’ve never seen The Emperor teach you anything.”

“The Emperor,” he said bitterly, “has put me in a difficult position. I will not train you in the ways of the Sith,” he bluntly said.

“What? Why not?” she asked, frustration mounting. “Did you keep me waiting this long just for that?”

“Your future is no small matter to me,” he said. “The Dark Side is a fire. It is powerful. Destructive. However, it requires much to keep it fueled, and yet it will never be sated. I refuse to burden you with it as I have been.”

She prepared her next question carefully. “Why don’t you just stop using it, then?”

“I cannot,” he said absolutely. He could no longer protect her from the Emperor if he did that. “You will focus on your training, instead of me.”

“Well, then what can you teach me?” she asked slowly, confused.

“If you should learn only one thing from me, do not follow my path. Do not trust the Emperor,” he said. Regret of the highest caliber weighed him down.

She smiled at him, taking his hands. “I understand. He’s only made me his Hand to make me complacent- or something. I won’t lower my guard.”

Although she clearly did not understand every implication, he was prideful nonetheless. He was struck with the unavoidable idea that he was undeserving of her, so he turned his back to her, unable to face her. “The only similarities your training shares with the Sith methods is that they will be largely self-study. I will lay down the groundwork, and you will build yourself up from there.”

“Where should I start?”

Vader was glad that no matter which avenue he took, the starting point was the same. “A lightsaber.”

“Can’t you just give me one? Let me keep the loaner?”

“No. A lightsaber whose crystal is not yours will never be able to be wielded to its full potential. Whether you find it or it finds you is irrelevant,” he explained. “It must choose you, forcefully or otherwise.”

“Where can I do that?”

“That is up to you,” he said, much to her annoyance. He knew the fun of being cryptic now.

She pursed her lips, taking a moment to consider it. “Well, the Jedi gathered their crystals from that one ice planet, right? I think I should start there.”

“Tell me what you feel, not what you think.,” he said, folding his arms. Ilum was probably not the best place for her to go as the planet was currently being strip-mined for its Kyber. It was supposed to be top-secret, and he felt like doing no paperwork or providing explanations.

She reached out to the Force as she was told, begging for an answer. A desert heat warmed the room, only for a moment. “Tatooine,” she said immediately.

Vader grimaced, but trusted her instincts nonetheless.

He stood up, folding his arms. “Very well. You shall return to Tatooine until you can uncover the conceivable reason anyone should feel compelled to return there,” he said, disdain dropping from every spoken syllable.

“Wait, what about you?”

He began walking out of the room, sparing no time. “I will accompany you to the planet only to drop you off. Artoo-Detoo shall be your only companion as I wait for your return.”

He sensed her defeat from behind him. Leia was hoping for some more support, obviously, but this was what she wanted. If she succeeded, she would come out confident and capable. Failure would drive her to being more cautious at his side until she learned confidence another way. Regardless, she would learn much and not be in any true danger.

He spoke before her anxieties reached their limits. “This will be a trial for me as much as it is for you,” he said, coming to a direct halt. “Artoo, do not let her out of your sight.”

The astromech trilled in sarcastic acknowledgement, rolling off toward the hangar. Leia’s uneasiness fueled more uneasiness as she followed the droid. He would have to teach her to send those feelings away into the Force.

LARS HOMESTEAD, TATOOINE

Her frustration steadily built as she kicked a pile of sand near the burnt ruins of the Lars Homestead. She’d been there in the hot suns for nearly half a standard hour waiting for something to happen. Leia sat down with a harrumph next to an old moisture vaporator, still possessing no inclination to move. Following her instincts was boring, she decided.

Tatooine had probably just come to mind on a whim because of how much she had been reading about the planet. This wasn’t the work of the Force but her stupid subconscious.

Before she exclaimed in frustration once more, something on the horizon caught her attention. She pulled out her macrobinoculars, spying as hard as she could. Leia thought she recognized them as Bantha just as a transmission came from Artoo about lifeforms approaching.

She sighed, zooming in on the handful of listing Bantha. “Yeah, I can-“

Danger screamed at her as two rounded eyeholes met her own through the binocs, and a hoarse war cry filled the air. She gasped instinctually as fear filled her. Leia dropped her macrobinoculars, calling the lightsaber at her belt to her hands- just in time to cut an incoming Gaderffi stick in half. The warrior managed to redirect the blunt end into her gut, knocking the wind out of her.

Leia leapt backwards and raised the weapon defensively, signaling to no less than six Sandpeople that she was not afraid to cut more than their weapons in half. While maintaining what she could best describe as eye contact, her would-be assailant dropped what remained of his weapon to the ground, saying something as gently as someone speaking Tusken could.

Her guard did not lower, even as the other five brought their own weapons down. She sensed some kind of fear radiating around the lightsaber she held.

The one closest to her slowly moved his hands, an attempt at a signed language. Unfortunately, she understood none of the sort. “I don’t understand you, but I understand your fear towards this,” she said, raising the blade high. The Sand People all recoiled. “I won’t harm you if you don’t harm me,” she said, extinguishing the weapon.

The Sand People slowly came back to their full heights. Reluctance and caution filled the air. That doubled when Artoo came up from the burnt homestead, arc welder sparking. “Hold it,” she ordered both groups. “Artoo, I don’t suppose you speak their language?”

His head swiveled back and forth. Tensions remained high and palpable.

“Do you know anything about them?”

Artoo beeped something soberly before mentioning water. She was grateful she’d been brushing up on her binary.

“Then go get some. A peace offering,” she said, handing it over as soon as the droid brought some in a flask.

Their leader cautiously accepted it, before looking inside, most likely to confirm the contents. He grunted excitedly. The others seemed not to share his sentiment. Shortly, he poured the water into his own flask before returning Leia’s.

Leia looked up at the Tusken, who seemed to be regarding her with more curiosity than caution. His compatriots clearly did not agree. The Sandperson conversed with his companions, seemingly defending her as he motioned back and forth.

“Is there anyone in your tribe who speaks basic? I’m looking for something,” she asked, elongating her sentence for emphasis. “Basic?”

The Sand People stopped, their leader beckoning her forward. Leia cautiously approached just as their Bantha caught up. Artoo wheeled along behind her, muttering atrocities. She was urged to follow, and did so optimistically. Something was to be found in the sand, and if anyone could help her find it, it would be the people living in it.

Even for their size, the Bantha had quite the smell. It wasn’t bad, but distinctly one of livestock. All but the Tusken nearest her hopped up on their mounts. Leia was helped onto the leader’s Bantha, Artoo tied snugly to the side of the creature.

They began their trek single file, just as the second sun blazed overhead.

MOS ESPA, TATOOINE

While Vader had great confidence in his daughter, it was no easy task for him to send her out on her own. Especially if her destination was Tatooine. At the very least he was on the planet, ready to pick her up if she fell, which he constantly told himself in order to not worry.

As fortune would have had it, he already had reason to come here. Obi-Wan had been here for years, and surely someone would have information regarding that. He marched into the palace of Jabba the Hutt, anger filling him as usual. It went without saying that as a former slave, he detested the filthy slugs. Not much was keeping him from flying to Nal Hutta and making them extinct.

The death in his wake was no more than usual, he grimly supposed. He’d been forced to kill two guards, and needless to say, the jovial music stopped when he entered the audience chamber.

Jabba curled his lip at the Sith. /Lord Vader. Why have you come here?/

The slime-caked protocol droid next to him lit up. “The mighty Jabba-”

He deactivated the droid with a wave of his hand, unwilling to stand the needless flattering. Simply put, he had no respect for Jabba. “I have come for information. You will give it to me if the Empire is to continue to turn a blind eye to your kind.”

/Big talk for the Emperor’s lapdog. Everything has a price, even-/ Jabba stopped as an invisible hand tightened itself around his windpipe.

Weapons clicked in his direction, and murmurs broke out through the crowd of ruffians.

“Your life will be sufficient payment. With such a precious resource waning, I will not waste any of your time,” he said, vice grip still enacted. “You will tell me every rumor you’ve heard about any Jedi survivors.”

He released Jabba only to hear his answer, waiting patiently as the Hutt gasped for air. /Why didn’t you say so before? I’ve heard of many unexplainable things in the desert. Most recently, someone altered with the memories of my enforcers while collecting my water tax./

“Water tax?” he asked absentmindedly. No such thing existed in his childhood.

Jabba latched onto that. /Why has that caught your interest? Water is a precious resource here, and thus I tax it during this time of drought./

“No matter,” he said, fuming. “How recently did this occur?”

/Months ago. I recognize a Jedi mind trick when I hear of one,/ Jabba explained.

“You will provide me with a bounty hunter. Your best,” Vader commanded. “It is my mission to hunt down this Jedi.”

Jabba motioned sharply with one of his vestigial arms, and a voice he’d heard in a thousand men rang out behind him. “That would be me.”

Vader turned around, seeing a man in green Mandalorian Beskar. “Boba Fett.”

“What’s the job?” the hunter asked, an air of professionality around him.

“I have heard a great many things about your methods. I wish to deal with this Jedi myself, not his ashes,” Vader said.

Fett showed great initiative in approaching the dark lord. “You pay me enough and I’ll follow any and all special instructions to the letter.”

“Very well,” Vader said, motioning for the hunter to follow. They walked out of the palace at a leisurely pace, stepping over the guards.

“You think my methods are extreme?” he quipped, dodging a puddle of Gamorrean blood. He didn’t actually expect an answer, but his fear spiked slightly.

“Are you familiar with Obi-Wan Kenobi?” Vader asked as they stepped near the Firespray that Fett called home.

“You could say that,” the bounty hunter said, distant. “Where was his last position?”

“A homestead in the Jundland Wastes. I believe he intends to join the Rebellion. You should be able to make do with that, given your reputation. I would not like to be dissapointed,” Vader told him.

Fett nodded his helmet. “A Jedi goes for five times my usual rate.”

“Ten times. Your discretion is required.”

Vader watched as the bounty hunter departed, arms crossed.

DEEP DUNE SEA, TATOOINE

It was hours before they approached what she presumed to be the village. Despite her thoroughness in covering up, she could feel a sunburn manifesting upon her cheeks. They arrived near a cluster of drab hide domes, and it seemed nearly everyone had come out to anticipate their arrival.

The confusion, displeasure, and fear were palpable, especially as she hopped down to the ground, not as a prisoner.

A large Tusken with an elaborate headdress approached the rider of the Bantha she’d rode in on. They had a back and forth, with warriors backing both men up. Something was said, causing fear to dominate the atmosphere. A smaller, high pitched voice broke in, causing anger to fill the dry air.

Several hoarse cries filled the air as a Tusken her height was thrust forward through the crowd. They nervously barked something to the elders through the slit in their facial mask.

“Basic?” Leia thought they asked. It was difficult to decipher due to the speaker’s presumed tendency to forcefully push all the air out of their lungs by the end of each sentence.

“Yes, I speak that,” she replied.

The child looked to the elder, conversing presumably to gather sentences to translate. “You’re too young to be the Demon Outlander, but you have a fire sword.”

“I don’t know about that,” she said, brandishing her deactivated weapon. “This is a lightsaber, and I’m not the only one to wield one.”

“Why come here if not to punish?”

Leia sighed, tired of their fear. “I’m looking for a crystal of some kind. A gem, you know.”

The child translated for the chief once more. “We will help you. You are welcome to stay. Don’t want to anger the Demon Outlander.”

“Who exactly is this Demon Outlander?”

“A neighboring tribe was killed in the night many years ago by an angry demon with a fire sword. The biggest murder of our people since the Builders,” they explained. “Every so often, he returns. We have a shrine.”

Her attention was directed to a wooden effigy in the center of the village depicting none other than her father. Temporarily disturbed, she dismissed it. Perhaps her father had modeled his armor after a Tatooine legend. He did grow up here. That seemed to be the most sensible conclusion, so she resolved to get back to asking questions.

Leia raised an eyebrow along with her next question. “Why do you speak Basic so well?”

The child seemed to become nervous for the first time, despite speaking to someone with a weapon used to exterminate a clan. “I… sneak away often. To trade and talk to outlanders in town. It is good fortune you do not speak the Hutt tongue. I am not so good at that one.”

“Well, I’m thankful for your hospitality,” she said. The child cocked their head, as if awaiting an explanation. “Hospitality. It’s treating your guests well. I’m Leia, by the way.”

“Reiren,” they responded. The chief barked something. “Ahk’Rei wishes to speak with you.”

“Alright,” she said, keeping her guard up as she followed the chief and the child into a large tent.

Ahk’Rei roared, gesticulating as he urged the girl to sit. Leia and Reiren did so. The latter turned to the former. “Why do you need this crystal, he asks. For glory?”

Leia took out her lightsaber, trying her best to replicate what her father had done in meditation. The weapon came apart, the blue crystal in full view. The two were gobsmacked by the display of sorcery. “This is borrowed. I need to make one of my own. The crystal… powers it.”

Considering it after Reiren translated the message, he spoke again. “Does shape matter? Ahk’Rei knows where you can find a round one.”

Leia opened her mouth before shortly closing it. She raised a brow. “I’m unsure. As long as light can pass through it, it should do.”

Ahk’Rei produced a pearl from his robes, black and translucent in color. “Will this do?” Reiren asked in his stead.

As the pearl wasn’t Kyber in nature, she knew it wouldn’t do. However, something about it felt right. “That one specifically won’t, it’s not connected to the Force,” she demonstrated, putting the weapon back together. “Where did you get that? I have a feeling I can get one that’ll work.”

“A… Krayt Dragon that he killed in his youth. He killed it and took it from its stomach. It’s our coming-of-age ritual, to take a Dragon’s gizzard stones,” Reiren explained without waiting for the chief to speak.

That didn’t sound good, especially since she was drawn to this method. “Krayt Dragon? Is that as bad as it sounds?” she asked for confirmation. Of course, given the size of the gastrolith, she was fearing for her life already.

“Yes,” Reiren said. “We can take you to the graveyard if you wish, although those bones have been picked clean. He doubts you can take on the challenge yourself, even for one with a fire sword.”

She considered her options. “That would be a nice place to start, this graveyard. Do you leave their remains there?”

“Sometimes we do. Sometimes they do. The old ones,” Reiren explained.

Leia stood up. It sounded as if they were unlikely to encounter a live one, and even then, any Krayt they ran into would be going there to die. It wasn’t too bad of an idea, she decided, but she’d omit details to her father. “I’d like to go there.”

Ahk’Rei stood in turn. “He will gather warriors,” she was told.

THE PROFUNDITY, HYPERSPACE

Needless to say, three Jedi walking down a hallway casually caught the attention of most aboard the Profundity. Not even Luke minded, as he was more interested in how magnificent the bulkhead was. Mon Calamari ships were works of art first, cities second, and ships third, as the saying went. The walk to the command bridge was relatively speedy, though.

All eyes were on them even after they arrived. Mon Mothma smiled. “Commander Tano, you’ve done well.”

“Senator Mothma, it is good to see you,” Obi-Wan said.

She chuckled. “I can’t imagine seeing me alive is as fortunate as seeing you, General Kenobi. With you on our side, morale and support for the cause will increase exponentially. An added bonus is of course a reunion with the great Negotiator. I wish you had come to more Republic events. Your company was finer than most.”

“I might as well act like I'm deserving of the accent,” Obi-Wan said with a smile. “There will be more opportunities to socialize, I’m sure, when the Empire is gone.”

“Forgive me for going off track. I’m not sure I’m familiar with your young friend.”

“This is Luke Skywalker,” Obi-Wan said, motioning to him.

Luke nodded and smiled. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

Mon Mothma clearly recognized the implications of such a surname. “Likewise. Are you training to be a Jedi?”

“Just like my father,” he answered.

She smiled. “I’m glad to see the Jedi didn’t end like the Empire hoped. If you become even half the Jedi Anakin Skywalker was, there’s no more reason to be concerned for your order’s survival.

Obi-Wan would have preferred her inspirational words to not be so charged. Luke already had quite the reputation to live up to, and it seemed everyone they met was more than eager to add to the burden. He had his faith in the boy’s humility, though.

“No pressure, huh?” Ahsoka said with a smirk. Luke was standing flabbergasted.

Mon Mothma nodded. “I apologize for bombarding you with such a loaded question, General Kenobi, but are there any other surviving Jedi?”

“I’m unaware of any others, I’m afraid. I entered exile in order to watch over Luke almost immediately,” he lied. He didn’t think it polite to reveal Master Yoda’s survival to anyone here.

“If they’re out there, we’ll find them,” Ahsoka declared.

Mon Mothma nodded. “Let me find someone to give you a tour of the ship.”

He decided that was in order. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to back these rebels, if they were so organized.

KRAYT DRAGON GRAVEYARD, TATOOINE

Gather warriors, they did. Only four or so accompanied Reiren and Leia, including the chief, and she was glad for it. A small part of her wished more had come as they approached the graveyard. The force was incredibly strong there, calling for all those remotely sensitive to it, like a beacon. A sense of unease was present, and only increased as the silence did.

A canyon was where they had come, one with deep valleys and craggy hills. They passed through a gnarled section of what she thought were dead trees, realizing they were in fact within the ribcage of a massive creature. Then Leia noticed a skull bigger than her father. And another. And another, until they were fully within the heart of this garden of bones.

“The warriors will keep watch while you search,” Reiren explained after an exchange with the chief.

Leia sighed and hopped off the chief’s Bantha, the sand absorbing most of her momentum. She went to a skeleton she thought was suitable and began to clear sand away where she believed the belly of the beast was. Of course, she found a few stones, but none remotely brilliant, let alone connected to the Force.

“How will you know you’ve found it?” Reiren asked, nearly startling her.

She shrugged. “The Force, I suppose. It’s got to be able to let light pass through it, for sure. Like this,” she said, demonstrating by flashing her lightsaber hilt.

“What does it feel like? The Force?”

It was such a natural part of her life that she had difficulty explaining it. “It’s… like a calling. Like gravity. It draws me to things, and warns me of danger.”

“Like me?” Reiren asked.

She shrugged. “I suppose. What are the odds I’d find the only Sandperson that speaks Basic on this whole planet?”

“You are like me.”

“Hm?” she asked, a puzzled look on her face.

“I can feel how your weapon is alive. I see things before they happen too. I’m the best fighter among the children,” she said. “But I am a girl,” Reiren whispered, almost scandalously. “Do not tell anyone before my coming-of-age.”

Leia reached out with the Force, feeling her presence, and indeed, the Force did favor the Tusken too. It was far from the strongest she’d felt, and she supposed that being around such powerhouses as her father dampened her ability to identify Force-sensitives. “You really are. Wow.”

Reiren leaned in closer. “Take me with you, to the Outland. Teach me to control this power.”

“I can’t teach you- I’m learning myself,” she explained. “I know who might be able to, but what about your family?”

“They hate me. I am… future thinking. They are mad I learned the language of outlanders, and can fight well,” she explained. Looking over her shoulder for the warriors. “But it saved them from you.”

If her father said, no, there was always the Inquisitorius. “If you truly believe your life is beyond Tatooine, I can try my best.”

“My gratitude,” Reiren said. “How do you reach out? I felt you touch me, but your hands stayed still.”

Leia held out her hand, deciding to demonstrate. “I just… try my best to fill the surroundings. To stretch myself without moving.”

Reiren attempted to do so, immediately recoiling. “Feel that?”

Leia widened her vision, and soon, her eyes. “That’s my crystal.”

“No, the thing moving!” Reiren exclaimed, first in basic, then in Tusken.

On second thought, it was mildly alarming that her future Kyber was moving towards them, navigating through the canyon walls. Then, she came to the realization that the gastrolith she’d come for was in a living Krayt Dragon speeding toward them. Leia stood up, pressing the Lightsaber’s activator. Nothing happened.

The Force screamed at her to get it as far away from it as she could, so she threw it, directly into the face of a behemoth reptile she could only assume was a Krayt Dragon. On impact, the weapon exploded, causing the beast a great deal of pain as it roared in anger. Leia had never heard a sound as intimidating before. The cry penetrated her very being, sending the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end.

“Your fire sword!” Reiren said as the two cowered behind a rock. The Dragon made a short meal of one of the Bantha, and the four warriors barked and hollered as they fought the creature. “Canyon Krayt.”

“Is that bad?”

“All Krayts are dangerous.”

Leia resisted scoffing as she turned around. The Dragon had two presences, though one was clearly organic and the creature itself. “How do you kill one? I need that crystal!”

“Like any creature. Hitting it until it is dead,” Reiren said. “Can you use force somehow?”

“The Force,” she corrected, “and it’s not like I can just-”

A gruesome realization hit her. She didn’t necessarily need to kill the Krayt, she just needed access to the gizzard stones.

“What?”

“Tell them to run,” she said, standing up on the rock they were using as cover.

She closed her eyes and opened her mind, reaching out for the inorganic life within the beast. When she had located it, she called it to her as forcefully as she could. The Krayt bellowed in agony just as Reiren gave the order, a bulge on its wounded stomach starting to form. Leia pulled as hard as she could, an organic squelch ringing out through the canyon.

An object sailed through the viscera, arriving in her outstretched hands just before the blood did. Red splashed on her, obstructing her vision. She still had enough sense to jump down, the other stones in the stomach crashing against the cavern wall. The Krayt Dragon let out a harrowing yelp of pain and desperation. Despite her current visual impairment, she could tell it was fleeing.

“Will it die?” she asked, breathing heavily as she wiped the gore from her face.

“I do not think so. They have multiple stomachs,” she explained, her own nerves calming. “That was impressive. Are you really that untrained?”

“Believe it or not,” she laughed, remembering to open her hands. Inside she found an aquamarine pearl, perfectly rounded by time. It sang to her, glad to be free of the monster’s stomach. “Now my training can begin.”

DEEP DUNE SEA, TATOOINE

Vader received the message from Artoo sooner than he thought. While she was his own progeny, he had expected her to be out until at least the next day. She wasn’t giving in, judging by the droid’s lack of sarcasm.

All of his pride melted away as he approached the rendezvous coordinates. He recognized the style of housing of the village he landed next to, and he was furious. A thousand possibilities ran through his mind, and as he exited the shuttle with his lightsaber at the ready, confusion was all he felt.

Leia stood triumphantly next to Artoo, a village of Sand People behind her. Panic was soon sent throughout the force as most of the savages dropped to the ground, prostrating themselves before him.

The child next to Leia surprisingly spoke in basic before dropping to her knees. “The Demon Outlander! H- He is real!”

“Tell them to rise, child. I am not here to deliver vengeance on this day,” Vader said authoritatively, visibly confusing his daughter.

The Tusken child did as she was commanded, and shortly, all of them were up and terrified.

“How-”

“It is best to play along with the delusions of these… primitive savages…” Vader told her spitefully.

“Take… Take me with you!” the child cried hoarsely, somehow the most courageous yet fearful of them all.

Vader cocked his head. It had learned to imitate the speech of men. “Why should I do that?”

“She’s-”

“Let it speak, Leia,” he said, more furious than he had ever let her hear him. Despite all of her ferocity, she was speechless.

“I am connected to the Force, like her!” she said, motioning to his daughter. “I can tell them you demand sacrifice. Take me with you, and teach me!”

He felt it was true. “Why?” was his only word, let alone question.

She seemed taken aback. “I do not belong here. I- I can serve you, like my people once did for the Builders!”

Perhaps Tuskens were not entirely without sentience. “Your myths are not baseless. I performed every deed you recite around campfires and more. You still wish to follow me? Are you not afraid?”

“I am,” the child responded immediately. “But I should face it.”

Vader ignited his lightsaber, and suddenly panic flooded the mind of every Tusken. They all fell down, scrambled for cover, or readied themselves to fight. All except the child. He extinguished his lightsaber. “Tell them I demand your life in exchange for their safety.”

She once again did as she was told. The Tuskens seemed more than eager to be rid of her, and he could feel her negative emotions building. She was clearly unprepared for such an enthusiastic response.

“Let us leave, before I make another myth,” Vader said, turning around and marching up the ramp of the Lambda.

Leia, Artoo, and the Tusken child followed him. “My gratitude,” the Tusken said.

“Do you have a name?” he asked.

“Reiren,” she answered quietly.

“You are now a servant of the Empire. My daughter will catch you up to speed while I fly. Before that, go beyond those doors to the passenger lounge,” he said, motioning for the far wall.

“Why are you being so hostile to her?” Leia asked as soon as the door closed.

“We will not speak of that,” he said sternly. He had spoken little of his mother to her, and she could not write in her journal while imprisoned. “I trust you found more than desert vermin out there?”

She produced a Kyber, holding it up high and observing how the light passed through with one eye closed. “I found this.”

“A Krayt Dragon Pearl?” he mused aloud. “No… That is a Kyber rounded by the ages.”

“Does that mean it ate a Jedi? Will it work like this?” she asked.

“It will, although you have just made your task much more difficult. A round crystal produces a more powerful blade. Powerful but unstable…”

“Great…” she sighed. “You’ll be there to make sure I don’t blow myself up, right? Speaking of, I may have… accidentally destroyed the loaner you gave me.”

If he wasn’t before, he would now. “Yes, I will.”

“I’d better go talk to Reiren,” Leia said, leaving to go to the Tusken.

“Wait,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her. He had felt her terror and wished to quell it. “You have done well.”

Leia smiled at him, easily tripling the pride he was previously experiencing. “Say, why do they have a statue of you in their town?”

The pride fizzled.

“Go to the lounge.”

Chapter Text

9 BBY

FORTRESS INQUISITORIUS, NUR

Their trip to Nur, home of Fortress Inquisitorius, was multifaceted. The first was to procure parts for Leia’s new lightsaber. Second to that was arranging training for the Tusken. While they had dropped her off on Arkanis, it had been a while since the children there were old enough for actual training. They were due for a stop in the Mustafar system anyway.

Leia found herself near the dojo, in the repair room. The walls were covered in drawers filled to the brim with catalogued lightsaber parts. A good deal of them, she’d heard, had been taken from a Jedi vessel that routinely traveled with younglings getting their own Kyber. The rest were the same standard issue parts that an Inquisitor used.

“Good to see ya, Boss Junior. Thought I’d heard something about him bringing you along,” a gruff voice said from behind her.

She turned to see the hulking Dowutin she’d become acquaintances with. “Ninth Sister, hello.”

“So I take it you aren’t getting parts for a lost limb?”

Leia showed Ninth her Kyber, to which the woman grinned. “My father really only keeps parts for his lightsaber on the Devastator. They’re mostly too big for my hands.”

“Well if you need any help, I’m nothing but free,” she said.

“Yeah, where do they keep the old Padawan parts?” Leia asked, turning to the walls.

The Ninth Sister walked up to the far wall, taking a drawer out near the ceiling. She looked inside to check the contents. “Here I think,” she said, setting the thing down on a workbench.

“Thank you,” she said, beginning to dig through it.

“Say, why haven’t you bled that thing yet?”

“Father says it's unstable as it is. It’s a Kyber rounded by the digestive system of a Krayt Dragon,” she explained.

Ninth shook her head. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you managed to kill one- you’re Vader’s spawn after all…”

She felt a tinge of self-doubt. People always assumed she was a few steps behind him in terms of power. “I didn’t kill it. It was an old one waiting to die anyway.”

The Dowutin picked up on her feelings, taking a gentler approach. “Still. You managed to walk away from one of the most fierce beasts in the entire Outer Rim…” the Sister said breathlessly. “Not even sure I could do that.”

Leia shrugged, taking a glance at the Inquisitor. The Ninth Sister was practically the only one of her order who gave her the time of day. “Why do you treat me so pleasantly? The others hate my father and I.”

“Maybe ‘cause I’ve got vision. Things were a lot different before he found you. Plenty of stuff I was sure he’d kill me for, he didn’t, because you were close enough to notice. I see no reason to be on his or your bad side,” she said.

“So you’re just looking out for yourself?”

“Maybe,” she chuckled. “You’re pleasant enough company when you aren’t interrogating me, kid.”

Leia averted her eyes. “Sorry. It’s just… I was just made The Emperor’s Hand. I’m trying to figure out the politics of this all.”

“Well you got me as an ally, honest. I got no ambitions besides living, and I’d rather not get on the boss’s bad side. You probably shouldn’t go asking the others. They ain’t exactly trustworthy. Hell, neither am I.”

“I do trust you, though,” she said, sensing the pure intentions through the force. “I wouldn’t dream of asking the others.”

“Ah, you flatterer.”

Their attention was pulled to the hydraulic door opening, but the hissing did not stop. “Ninth Sister…”

As embarrassed as she was by his clinginess, it wasn’t entirely unfounded. The Inquisitors were former Jedi turned to the Empire, so they were probably familiar with manipulating impressionable force users. She just wished he’d give the loyal ones a chance, at least to ease the strain she had with them. Leia could sense their jealousy.

“Just happened to be here getting replacement arm parts, Lord Vader. Honest,” she said seriously, holding up her sparking hand.

“As you were,” he said, approaching his daughter impatiently. “Have you selected a material for the chassis?”

“No, but I was thinking maybe copper or a nice bro-”

He waved his hand dismissively. “That will not withstand the heat generated by your crystal.” “I suppose something pretty like chromium or aurodium would be off the table?”

“Neither of those should be used near the emitter on even a standard lightsaber. Dolovite would be the ideal. It is heat resistant and plentiful on Mustafar,” he explained.

“Why don’t you just make the whole thing for me?” she asked exasperatedly. “If we’re going for purely utility, why not duranium, or that Mandalorian stuff?”

“Not so easily shaped or obtained,” he said dismissively.

She gave him a sideways glance. Not easily meant little to someone like him, or someone with his resources. “If you feel so strongly about dolovite, then…”

He folded his arms in response to her dramatic response. “It is unlikely this will be your last lightsaber you construct. You already have destroyed two over the years.”

Leia deflated, taking on a not-so-happy face.

“Worth mentioning is your heritage. I have gone through five or so over the years,” he lied. The number was far greater, and she knew for a fact. Artoo had told her as much.

That statement proved worthy enough to return the smile to her face. “You might have a point.”

“I should hope so. There is still much you can do stylistically,” he said, turning his back to her. “The dolovite is near the floor.”

By the time Leia had chosen several maroon pieces so dark they appeared black, her father had set all of the parts standard in a lightsaber. The veritable buffet of tech brought her great excitement, although she recognized none of it. She set hers down, eagerly scooping up the power cell.

“Hey!” she cried when he stole it from her with the Force.

With his free hand he summoned a diagram from the workbench, lighting up the room with its projection. “Caution would be best, should you wish to avoid vaporization. Study this before you cause me to change my mind.”

She sheepishly did so, her cheeks redder than his lightsaber. Leia took the rest of the parts, fitting them together with the Force as the diagram instructed. It was no sooner than she took out her crystal that her father gave his nod of approval. “You are a quick learner. Now do it with the force.”

“I’ve never moved that many different objects at once. It’s impossible!” she exclaimed. There were only five or so moving pieces when she had shown off with the lightsaber to the Sandpeople, and even then, it had exploded.

He waved a finger at her. “Only because you make it so. Remove any doubt you have from your mind.”

Leia gave a quick roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. If it was that simple, she’d be the strongest Force user of all time. She took it apart, setting the parts on the bench once more. Vader placed the cell nearby. Closing her eyes, she began to focus on the task at hand. Imagining each individual part in her mind, they levitated one by one, and once she felt them come together, the crystal at the heart of it all, her focus was shattered.

“No!” Vader shouted, causing them all to drop with a clatter in all directions. “The emitter was reversed. Do it again.”

Her heart raced.

“Next time, just stop it! You scared me half to death!” she cried in reply, picking the pieces back up, finding it much easier than she had previously conceived.

This time, she approached it carefully, over the course of several minutes. Leia brought it together much more slowly, using hand gestures, so any exclamations from her father wouldn’t put a wrench in her creative process. It all clicked eventually, even through the force. As her eyes opened, so did her connection to the weapon.

Leia carefully grasped it from where it floated before her, standing ready to activate it. The hilt was rather straightforward, completely a cylinder save for the grip, activator, and wide emitter shroud.

“Proceed.”

The sound of the blade springing to life was much louder than her father’s- more intense. It reminded her of the Krayt she had taken the pearl from. The natural hum was similarly audible, although there were no physical differences to any blue lightsaber she had ever seen or used.

“You have done well,” he said. “Now you can begin to move forward.”

Leia turned to inquire further, only to instinctively bring the blade up to block her father’s. The combination of her blade’s intensity and her father’s saber being set to a training mode deactivated his blade.

“Impressive. Most impressive,” he said.

Her blade soon flickered out, extinguished of its previous vibrancy. “What?”

Something more ominous than anything she’d ever felt filled her being as her father spoke next.

“I have always doubted the quality of Czerka batteries,” he said, folding his arms.

She had just openly given her father an invitation to shop talk. While she was decently competent with machinery due to her upbringing, she loathed talking about it with her father.

Sometimes her father was the mouthiest being in the Galaxy.

TWILIGHT II, OUTER RIM

Kenobi was not so deep in a meditative trance when Ahsoka entered his quarters. He’d been deeply troubled as of late, and he supposed she had caught on. He had been debating as to whether or not he should burden her with the knowledge of Anakin’s fate. So far, he’d been unsuccessful in contacting Master Yoda through the force to ask for his counsel.

“What’s been going on, Obi-Wan?”

“Hopefully nothing. Truthfully, I have been trying to commune with Yoda to no avail,” he said, stroking his beard.

She put a hand to her own chin, sitting across from him cross legged. “So he survived. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I didn’t feel it was appropriate. He has gone into exile, not hiding,” he said.

She seemed troubled by that, just as he was. Yoda had taken most of the blame for himself regarding the end of the Jedi. It was a sad fate for the old Jedi. “I’ll trust that he’s the only one you know of. What changed?’

That trust was misplaced from a certain point of view.

“I am unsure. I doubt if anything has happened to him. This must be a test- some sort of way to get me to stop relying on him,” he guessed.

“You’re already plenty wise without him. Maybe… he wants you to go to him?”

Obi-Wan considered that, a twinkle in his eye. “I can say the same for you, Ahsoka. Perhaps that wouldn’t be the worst idea. However, you must promise to-”

“I know, Obi-Wan. We’re all fugitives.”

He smiled. “We should depart as soon as possible, then.”

THE DEVASTATOR, MUSTAFAR

“Do you ever get tired of putting down these silly insurrections?” Leia asked, trotting behind her irate father toward his quarters.

Vader challenged her words without stopping. “Do you ever tire of endangering yourself by insisting upon being my shadow?”

“I guess I just want to prove that shadows can have shadows. It’s a very important scientific discovery,” Leia chided. She sensed agner, but couldn’t pinpoint the source.

Vader threw open his doors with a toss of his hand, sending creaks and metallic groans throughout the wing. “I’m not in the mood for your antics.”

“What’s going on?” she asked, entering the chambers and closing the door in the intended way.

“If you must know, rebellious activity is at an all time high. The Emperor believes the week we spent on Nur is to blame. He is somehow ignorant to the fact that his terroristic toadies have done that,” Vader vented, fully using his sharp tongue. “Increasing pressure with no way for it to release is a sure way to cause an explosion.”

She felt a tinge of guilt because it was she who recruited Reiren, the Sister-in-training. Leia felt it prudent to redirect his frustration.

“I’ve looked over the data, and a lot of the treasonous acts committed by these rebels begin as unauthorized relief missions… Why does the Emperor want his people to starve? You were a slave. Why do you let people go through that?”

Vader ignored her question, his tone becoming sharp. “I am going to meditate. Go prepare for your lessons.”

Leia sighed, walking to one of his workbenches. Sometimes he was just closed off. It just wasn’t a day he would be free with information. “Do you have anything interesting to tell me about here?”

“I am restoring a podracer in my spare time. Do not tamper with those power couplings.”

Leia rolled her eyes. Vader had almost no spare time, and this was probably the fifth restoration he began this month. “What’s in this box?” she asked, picking up a sealed plasteel parcel.

Vader glanced over, his patience visibly thinning. She intended to press on. “There are many boxes here.”

“This one,” Leia specified, lifting it up. “Feels kind of heavy.”

He turned back to his chamber. “Do not touch it.”

That was merely a suggestion to her, and she ignored it.

It came open with a hiss. “It’s a lightsaber and a commlink...”

Vader whipped back around. “Leia!”

“What? It didn’t blow up,” she refuted, holding up the curved lightsaber. “How’s this supposed to be held?”

Vader stole it from her with the Force, igniting the blue blade.

“I wasn’t finished looking at that, father.”

“I often wonder if you subsist entirely off of my frustration.” he said, walking towards her and the box. Vader picked up the communicator, activating it. It looked simple enough to be a one-way connection. “Step away. Now.”

She got the distinct idea that she may have perhaps gone a teensy weensy little bit too far. Leia obeyed, shuffling just out of sight right as a hooded figure appeared in her father’s hand.

“Lord Vader. I’m glad my gift was able to attract your attention…” the creepy figure said.

“The lightsaber of a Jedi is not something easily come by in this age,” he said, casually turning the weapon around to inspect it.

The creepy man made a sound of acknowledgement. “You’ve made sure of that, haven’t you?”

Vader scrutinized the picture, both of them unable to recognize the man. “Yes. Now that you have my attention, what is it exactly that you plan on doing with it? My time is a precious resource.”

“You mince no words. An appreciated trait in my field.”

Leia couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Her father definitely had to be the most dramatic man she knew. Whether or not he realized it, his penchant for one-liners, making memorable entrances, and overall presence would make him a great character on a holo. They wouldn’t have to embellish his true self when making documentaries a century from now.

“By whom?” Vader droned.

“Do you always find it prudent to insult your allies?” the figure asked offendedly, showing off the dark marks on his chin.

The realization hit him, and not soon enough. Leia’s curiosity was burning and she yearned for him to share whatever he found.

“My only ally is the Force,” Vader explained. “That is something you should have become part of long ago, Maul.”

Leia’s brow shot up in surprise. She recognized that name as Darth Sidious’ first apprentice, before Tyranus and her father.. He was supposed to have died a long time ago.

“Good. That puts us on the same page.”

Hardly. Leia knew she wasn’t intended to be in the audience, but Maul had done a poor job of explaining things to the uninitiated like her. The way of the Sith was treachery, so this transparency was confusing to her. It had to be a trick, but her father knew that well. “I’m afraid my imagination fails me. Why would my disgraced predecessor be contacting me amicably?”

“Because we share a common enemy, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend…”

“I do not follow…” Vader said, but Leia didn’t think that was true.

“I’m not ignorant. I have noticed the bounty for Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Maul spat venomously, “has been steadily increasing over the years. No other Jedi bounty shares that trait, not even Yoda’s. He is by all means not as powerful or dangerous as their former Grandmaster, so why? Why the desperation to find him..?”

Vader’s silence answered all the questions Maul had. Leia just had more.

“Your desire to find him is personal… Like mine…”

Vader folded his arms. “Your intuition serves you correctly. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a blight to the both of us. He has taken more than you can know from me. You wish to make a competition out of hunting him, then?”

Maul shook his head. “I know I have no chance of defeating you single handedly. In exchange for my assistance and transparency in finding Kenobi, I would ask for the chance to exact my revenge.”

“You wish to eliminate two enemies at once?”

“You are not my enemy,” Maul said with conviction.

“Forgive me if I have trouble believing that. Why would you wish to share the satisfaction of ending him?” Vader said as dryly as he could. “There is little you can provide me.”

“I’ve already located him,” Maul said frustratedly. “My actions will speak louder than my words.”

“That remains to be seen. My sources have narrowed his location down as well,” he reported.

“He’s no longer on Taris, if that is what you mean.”

He paused for a moment. “Is that so? I had assumed as much...”

Darth Vader began to consider an alliance, judging by the intense annoyance radiating from him. That sounded exciting.

Maul smiled amicably. “See? My reputation has already increased in your mind. The fact you’ve let these negotiations go on after ascertaining my identity proves you are open to this partnership.”

Vader nodded. “Very well… You are no threat to me, and your underworld resources possess a certain… subtlety the Empire lacks.”

“Meet me on Dathomir. There, we will conspire to have our revenge…”

Dathomir was hardly a friendly place. Part of her education regarding the Force was the various wielders in the Galaxy. The Nighsisters were an interesting footnote in history, but notorious nonetheless.

Her father shook his head slightly, letting out a sigh of anger. “Expect me presently,” he said, deactivating and crushing the communicator.

After a brief silence, Leia spoke up. “Who was that? Was it really Darth Maul?”

“Perhaps the only man in the galaxy that hates Obi-Wan Kenobi more than I do. It was indeed Maul, my master’s first apprentice,” he explained.

“What did he do that was worse than what he did to you?”

Vader turned to her. “You know only that he was my predecessor’s predecessor. He was a cunning assassin some twenty years ago. Kenobi cut him in half on Naboo, robbing him of his chance of being at the Emperor’s side. Of my position. The singular hatred he feels toward Kenobi is perhaps the only thing keeping him alive.”

Leia absentmindedly touched her waist, appreciating that she still had legs. “Just how many of the Emperor’s apprentices has Obi-Wan Kenobi dismembered?”

“Most of them,” Vader said dryly.

His daughter awkwardly giggled at the morbid subject. “So... when are we leaving?”

Her father’s ‘happy’ attitude soured. “We are not going anywhere. I am going immediately.”

She knew this was coming… “But-“

Darth Vader folded his arms. “There will be no negotiations. While Maul presents no threat to me, he could easily kill you or worse in order to exploit my attachment to you.”

She looked up at him as innocently as possible. “But dad-“

“Besides the obvious threat Maul poses, Dathomir is filled to the brim with witches, ghosts, and other creatures of unimaginable terror. This is no vacation.”

Formal approach, then. “Father-“

“End of discussion,” Vader said firmly. “Unless you would like to negotiate the number of Stormtroopers I leave to babysit you?”

Her cheeks reddened.

“Have a nice trip to Dathomir, father,” Leia conceded with a defeated sigh. “I hope your revenge goes well…”

Vader rested his hand on her shoulder. “Your cooperation is noted.”

A devilish smile crept onto Leia’s face when her father made his way to the door.

TWILIGHT II, HYPERSPACE

“Ow!” Luke cried, being hit by the training remote for the fifth time.

Ahsoka smirked as she fondly remembered her identical struggles. “The objective is to hit the blasts with your lightsaber, not your body.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said in a huff. “I just can’t do it, Ahsoka. I can’t predict where it’s gonna go!”

“You can’t, but the Force can,” she explained, folding her arms. “Close your eyes, and give it another shot.”

Luke nodded, closing his eyes and holding his lightsaber in front of him. He jerked and jittered, anticipating the blast that never came. Ahsoka idly wondered if she ever looked this ridiculous.

“Let the Force flow through you. Trust that it’ll take care of you if you need it to. Act on the Force’s instinct, and it will become your instinct.”

He took a deep breath, centering himself. The next time the remote fired, Luke’s lightsaber moved to hit the fired bolt, dissipating it. The next bolt was dispersed even quicker. Before he knew it, he was no longer being guided by the Force, but utilizing it of his own volition. His eyes were open, and the Force was with him. Ahsoka felt pride.

“Very good,” Ahsoka said, deactivating the remote with a wave of her hand. Obi-Wan wasn’t kidding. The kid was a fast study, and that was coming from someone who was to be knighted at sixteen. “Remember that trusting in the Force doesn’t just apply to this.”

“Got it,” Luke nodded.

“You keep at it, and we’ll be at Dagobah before you know it.”

Luke gave a thumbs up, closing his eyes and activating the training remote with the force.

THE DEVASTATOR, MUSTAFAR

Leia finished affixing her hair up in two buns, pinning her still-brand new lightsaber carefully to her belt. She grabbed her rucksack from her bed, moving to leave. Something stopped her, in the form of a blue and white astromech droid. She looked to him, pursing her lips.

“You’re going to contact father if I leave, aren’t you,” Leia stated more than asked.

R2-D2 beeped once to signify yes, as he’d been accustomed to in order to pass their language barrier.

Leia walked over to him, staring him down. “Can’t you pretend you didn’t see me?”

He beeped twice, then uttered a string of binary words Leia couldn’t comprehend after a pause. Something about a scrap heap. What a frustrating little thing.

She sighed at the passive droid. “Can’t you get around your programming like that time you showed me the wedding holo?”

Artoo swiveled his dome back and forth, whistling and beeping something complex that once again, she couldn’t fully understand. At her expectant look, he beeped loudly, swiveling around to show her a short and small cylinder on the back of his head.

Leia’s eyes lit up. “Restraining bolt! If I take it off, that’ll turn off your tattling protocol?”

One whistle was followed by a string of excited binary.

She smirked, activating the lightsaber in her hands. Artoo chimed nervously as she moved to strike the bolt off. With surgical precision, the bolt soon fell to the ground.

R2-D2 wasted no time testing his new freedom, wheeling along in circles. Leia smiled, putting her weapon back at her hip. The astro droid bumped into her, pushing her toward the door.

“Woah, woah! I’m going!” she exclaimed, picking up her pace. “You’re more lively than I expected.”

Expletives she couldn't understand filled the recycled air as Artoo trudged on ahead of her. Leia jogged to keep up. “Cut it out! I’ve got a plan, you know, and it doesn’t involve you rolling over the deck officer’s feet.”

He sighed as best as a rolling trash can could. Then he turned around, impatiently following Leia and clipping at her heels. She wondered if he had always been this impatient, or if her father had rubbed off on him. The walk to the hangar bay wasn’t a fun one, but it was quick.

Leia approached the deck officer as he seemed to be counting Nerf.

“Lieutenant Kurn, did you sleep well? May I ask why my ship hasn’t been prepared?”

He snapped to attention. “Miss Leia, my apologies! I was just…” he said, scanning his data pad. “I… am afraid no such request has been received. Nor do you have authorization for such a request,” he explained, waking up enough to grow a backbone.

Unfortunately, her father had unofficial power over any act she took as the Emperor’s Hand. That included ordering the crew aboard the Devastator and any other ships in the fleet to treat her exactly as before: as an occasional troublemaker. What the heck was the use of it if nothing changed?

“My father requested my presence on his trip. The order should have come from him. I was able to receive his message informing me of such a request, so there are no excuses as to why you shouldn’t have received it,” she said as primly as she could, holding her arms behind her back.

Kurn scanned the pad once more. “Is this another one of your pranks? Lord Vader’s transmissions are of high priority.”

Leia mentally smirked. Just where she wanted him. “Would you like to contact him and find out? Is your curiosity that burning?”

The lieutenant stared her down for what seemed like ages before he caved. “Blast… Take whichever one you fancy…”

“Your cooperation is noted. So long, Lieutenant!” she exclaimed, jogging to the nearest

“TIE fighters don’t have hyperdrives!” he called after her.

Leia embarrassedly changed her path. Her cheeks flushed as what she could only assume was the droid equivalent of laughing rang out behind her. They boarded a completely overkill and conspicuous Lambda-class shuttle. Artoo had enough of her fumbling with the controls, plugging himself into the flight computer.

“I’m not used to flying something so large…” she said in her defense. She sat back, wondering if this was maybe worse of an idea than she had previously thought.

Artoo laughed at her once again, taking the shuttle out of the destroyer.

NIGHTSISTER FORTRESS, DATHOMIR

He arrived on Dathomir with disdain. Vader had only been here a few times while going by his old identity as Anakin Skywalker, and he wasn’t sure he enjoyed it any more devoid of life. The crimson sky, flora, and ground were no different, he imagined, beneath his tinted lenses. Maul’s presence was not that well hidden, because he didn’t need it to be. Vader had no trouble finding the abandoned Nightsister lair.

Before he had even left his TIE Advanced, Maul left the entrance to the cave, welcoming his visitor with open arms. It just so happened that in one of those arms was a cane doubling as a lightsaber. Vader bit the slug, leaping out of his ship and to the red ground.

“Welcome, Lord Vader. I am glad you didn’t stand me up.”

Darth Vader surveyed the long abandoned grounds. “If you are as credible as you claim, I would be a fool to pass this chance up. That lightsaber…”

Maul brandished it to Vader. “Yes, I have killed several of your Inquisitors. They sought to kill me for your favor…”

“I am aware, and it was no loss. Hunting hounds can be easily replaced. I am referring to the lightsaber you gifted me,” he explained. “How did you come into possession of it?”

Maul raised a brow. “I give you the chance for revenge and you’re focused on the lightsaber of some long-gone relic?”

“It is important to be aware of how many surviving Jedi roam the galaxy,” Vader said.

“She was an old Jedi whose path crossed mine several years ago. Perhaps she believed that orchestrating raids against my organization would somehow restore the Light to the Galaxy?” he explained. “I killed her. Does that satisfy your census?”

“Yes,” he droned. “Exactly what resources do you possess now? The Shadow Collective you refer to was destroyed years ago, and we are the only two souls here,” Vader said, unimpressed.

Maul smirked aloofly. “I said nothing of the Collective. Surely your Empire is aware of an organization called the Crimson Dawn?”

If he recalled correctly, that had been part of the Shadow Collective, in the waning days of the Clone Wars. “I am. They recently had a change in leadership, did they not?”

Maul chuckled again. “No. I have been, and continue to pull strings from the shadows.”

Just as Sidious had, and the Empire was proof of his success. Sith and the shadows got along like Mimbanites and mud. “My master was wrong to let you roam free.”

“Darth Sidious has been wrong about many things…” Maul spat with venom.

“I will not dispute that…”

“You and I are more alike than I would care to admit. We are focused singularly on our hatred. Betrayal does not suit us,” Maul said. “That will make our partnership even stronger.”

Vader said nothing on the matter, spying Maul’s prosthetic legs. “So, where is Kenobi?”

“All over. Are you aware he pledged his allegiance to the Rebellion?” Maul asked, smirking.

“I had no confirmation,” Vader droned, folding his arms in concern. “Finding him would allow me to crush the fledgling Rebellion in addition…”

“Should you, though? Surely allowing them to sow chaos would allow you to usurp the throne of Master…”

Vader put his arms at his side. The thought had certainly crossed his mind. “I have no such ambition. Sidious has become too powerful…”

“Then all the more reason to kill him.”

He pointed a finger at the Nightbrother. “Killing my master is my concern, and mine alone. We should focus on the task at hand, Maul.”

“Very well,” Maul sighed, turning around to enter the sanctum. “Follow me, and we will check in with my informants.”

Vader followed him with long strides, but both men suddenly stopped when the roaring of a ship filled the atmosphere. Maul whipped around, pointing his lightsaber at Vader’s neck from a low angle. “A man as cautious as you would not be as careless as to let himself be followed… Who is that?”

It was time to show Maul who wore the pants over their mechanical limbs, he decided. Vader activated the other end of Maul’s saber with a wave of his hand, piercing his right leg. Maul collapsed under the weight of his robotic legs, sprawling out on the red dirt. Vader unleashed his swirling dark presence all over the planet.

Vader stood lordly above him. He relished intimidation far more than killing. “When killing you comes so easily, I have no reason to deceive. My wrath will be open and swift.”

He felt a sliver of fear slip through Maul’s facade. “So then that means we have an uninvited visitor… One from your Empire,” Maul spat, pulling himself together and forcing himself to stand with the Force. “Who would follow you here? One of your dogs?”

“None of them would be so clumsy or foolish. Only-“ he explained, reaching out. A familiar presence tapped against his, causing Vader to mentally sigh. “That would be my apprentice…” he said, holding a hand to his helmet. The air he had set upon himself had no doubt dissipated.

Maul glared at Vader. “You could’ve said so, rather than stabbing me. I thought you were without ambition?”

“She is a special case. Wasting her potential would be a mistake. I believe my reasoning for not bringing her to you goes without saying.”

“Your teachings lack subtlety,” Maul said, watching the ship come down on several trees.

Vader shook his head. “And yours lacks students.”

Maul walked toward the shuttle, nodding his head. “Your sharp tongue is something I will have to watch out for. Don’t bother sending her back. If you trust her, I do. Imagine the humiliation if Kenobi is killed by a learner…”

Vader said nothing, following. He was extremely disappointed in his daughter, but hardly surprised. This was exactly her avenue. Leia was always getting into trouble she didn’t fully comprehend. He wished she could understand why he didn’t want a vulnerable Force user anywhere near a manipulative and disgraced Sith Lord, but evidently that was too much to ask. There was no danger if he could help it, but he would have to be incredibly steadfast.

DAGOBAH

Luke stepped off of Twilight II into the muck. Dagobah was nearly everything Tatooine wasn’t. It was loud, alive with the sounds of croaking amphibians and other creatures living beneath the water. The air was damp, humidity already making him feel stuffy. A dense fog had set in on the planet, rendering him unable to see past a few dozen meters.

“Where are we?” he asked, his own voice lost in the choir of life. It was surreal to him, like something out of a dream he’d had while sick. Being on Dagobah was like being lightheaded with none of the ill effects.

“Dagobah,” Obi-Wan said, not answering a single question.

He paused, a few moments feeling like years. “I know that. What is this place? It feels so familiar…”

“It is a nexus in the Force. It is especially strong here. Can you feel it?’ Obi-Wan asked.

“Yes,” he answered immediately. He felt empowered. Warm even without the humidity. Like he could stay here safely forever. “What are we here for?”

“I must speak with someone here.”

Ahsoka broke the silence she seemed to be engrossed within. “Do we know them?”

“Perhaps. I think I shall stay here and relax while you two find him.”

Master and apprentice wordlessly left the comfort of the ship, trudging through the murky bog at the whim of their Jedi instincts. They spoke sparingly, as it seemed as if such an act would be seen as irreverent. Luke could feel Ahsoka’s near identical sense of wonder as they explored the swamp. Minutes quickly turned to hours as they blazed their path to nowhere.

“It feels like we’re walking in place,” Luke said, breaking the loud silence. He stopped, looking at his surroundings. Both of them were covered head to toe in bog gunk.

“We’ve got to be going somewhere,” Ahsoka declared.

A nearby tree caught his attention. Something orange was wrapped around it.“Hey, I think I’ve seen that snake before. On that branch.”

She looked to confirm it, her optimism escaping. “Never say that, Skyguy. You may be right, though. It’s not exactly like we can see where we’re going.”

“Let’s contact Obi-Wan. It’s getting dark.”

Ahsoka nodded, pulling out her communicator. It was then that she discovered it had become compromised by the steady rain. “Oh, that’s just great.”

“Assistance, do you require?” a voice asked from seemingly everywhere.

Luke whipped around, activating his lightsaber in the direction of a small, green creature in robes. “Ahsoka!” he called out, glancing at his master. His second look in her direction was his last as he spotted that she seemed unperturbed by the stranger’s appearance.

“Lost, you seem, hm?” it croaked.

“Yes,” Ahsoka said calmly. “Do you know the way?”

“To where?” he asked.

“I think to your home, Master Yoda.”

“Too early, you are. No time to tidy, there was!” he exclaimed, laughing to himself.

“Wait- Master Yoda? What’s a Jedi Master like you doing here?” he asked, turning his saber off. He actually wasn’t too out of place, being a strange green creature in a swamp. Maybe it was his home planet.

He raised a green brow. “A suitable place for retirement this is, hmm?”

Luke burst out laughing. Ahsoka couldn’t help the smile that grew on her own face. “I’m glad you’re okay, Master Yoda.”

“Likewise. Good to see you as well, young Skywalker.”

“How did you…”

“Known you longer than most I have, Luke Skywalker. My idea it was, to send you to Tatooine. For that, apologize I do,” he said, smirking faintly.

“Well it kept me hidden for a decade, so… Thanks.” he said genuinely. He wasn’t mad at all about that. Tatooine lasted longer as a haven than anywhere he thought of now, and even then it was compromised by pure chance.

“Yes… Foresee the Sith finding you this early, I did not. Much we have to discuss. To Obi-Wan, we should go, hmm?” he announced, waddling through the swamp.

In less than a minute they arrived back at the freighter, Obi-Wan meditating expectantly.

Ahsoka folded her arms and raised a brow. “Wait, that’s not… We’ve been away for so long.”

“Not always ahead, the path is, hmm..?”

Luke listened intently, wishing he had a datapad or something to take notes with. He wanted to take it seriously. Yoda was someone with a lot to teach and he was someone with a lot to learn.

“Master Yoda, I wish to speak with you privately,” Obi-Wan said as he stood up.

The green Jedi’s demeanor changed entirely. He grew more distant, more serious. “Without saying that goes.”

Ahsoka glanced at Luke, walking away. The apprentice shortly followed.

“Do not become lost this time, hmm?” Yoda called after them.

OxOxO

“The bantha in the room, we must discuss.”

Obi-Wan stroked his beard. “I have recently come to know that Bail Organa was slain long ago.” “I know this.”

Obi-Wan, if he had less control, would have been frustrated by Yoda’s flippancy. However, he’d known the Master long enough to know there was definitely a good reason he seemed unperturbed. It still wouldn’t hurt to inquire further, though, he decided. “He surely has her.” “Yes. She is lost, but know nothing do we. Clouded by the Dark Side, the details are. Save concern we will for certainty, Obi-Wan. Powerful, her bloodline is, but sensed the boy’s potential in her, have you?”

“No.”

“The balance of the Force is unchanged. Right about Vader, Padmé could have been. Although no warnings do I sense, we must remain cautious. Seek him out to determine Leia’s fate, you will. Imperative it is, that we discover what became of her.”

Obi-Wan stroked his beard, troubled. “If she was wrong, and he has corrupted her…”

Yoda closed his eyes. “Then lost, she is, and more difficult Luke’s journey will be. He… is our last hope.”

It was a very pensive moment before he spoke. “Very well, Master. Will you come with us?”

“Here, my place is. My duty it is, to wait. Unsure I am, though, for what.”

They exchanged bows, Yoda leaving and passing by Ahsoka and Luke. “It goes without saying that Yoda’s location is to be kept secret.”

“Are we leaving, then?”

“Yes. Ahsoka, I believe it would be best for me to assume your role and investigate surviving Jedi.”

NIGHTSISTER FORTRESS, DATHOMIR

Leia took a deep breath before lowering the ramp. She had seen the horned man standing next to her father, and his chaotically evil presence unnerved her. Granted, her father’s was more vast, but it wasn’t foreign, and never directed toward her. She shut herself off, walking down onto the red planet.

“To whom do I owe the pleasure?” Maul asked with a decayed smile.

Leia put on her best polite air. “I am Leia Vader, second heir to the Empire.”

Vader seemed a bit more upset than she anticipated. The moisture in the air seemed to disappear. “You are not supposed to be here…”

Leia felt a chill down her spine, giving her the idea she probably should’ve stayed on the ship. It was too late now. “My apologies, but I couldn’t pass up the chance.”

“I felt a similar eagerness to slay Jedi when I was young. I don't blame you. Welcome to Dathomir, milady.”

“Dispense with the formalities. She is the heir only in name. Sidious has no intentions of relinquishing his throne. Leave, or come with us.”

Leia deflated slightly.

Maul turned around, entering the sanctum. “Let’s check in with my informants, shall we? At this rate, we will hardly have time to scheme against him.”

Chapter Text

9 BBY

NIGHTSISTER FORTRESS, DATHOMIR

Maul’s informant hid her fear well. She barely trembled as Maul and Vader grilled her. She was a scumrat from Corellia, as he understood it. “Their fleet is somewhere in position near the Iridonia system.”

“We will not catch them there. Find them and follow them,” Vader commanded, pointing at the hologram. “Chase them until a pattern can be found. We cannot fail.”

Maul came into frame. “Listen to Lord Vader, Qi’ra. If you must go there yourself to locate them, then do it. Finding the Rebellion will bring us the Empire’s favor.”

“It will be done, I promise you. I will spare no expense,” Qi’ra said, signing off.

Vader folded his arms, openly expressing his doubt. “I hope this scum is as trustworthy as you claim.”

“She is. If not out of competence, out of fear. I will say she is far less ambitious than her predecessor. We are unlikely to be crossed,” Maul explained.

“She seemed nice. I think we can trust she’ll find them,” Leia chimed in.

Vader put his hand on the stone table in the crypt they stood in. “She has already narrowed our search,” he said, though he was loath to admit it. “They went to Iridonia chasing leads on a Jedi I killed years ago,” he said.

Every second of destroying Eeth Koth and his family flashed before his eyes. In the name of the Emperor he’d killed the couple in order to steal their child. Often he wondered if he would’ve done anything different to the ex-Jedi if he’d appealed to his sense of fatherhood. Vader realized that Leia had softened him, but hardly cared. With or without her, only one was more powerful than him.

Besides- there were too many Inquisitors present at the time to have done anything about it.

Maul broke the silence. “Where else have you laid traps for the Jedi?”

He turned to Maul without missing a beat. “Next I estimate they will go to Stygeon Prime chasing rumors of Luminara Unduli’s imprisonment.”

“The Spire?” Maul asked, his tone hostile. He had been there years ago, during the Clone War, as a prisoner of Sidious, and his tenure was less than ideal. That was as Vader understood it, at least.

“Yes. Hopefully this visit will be more pleasant for you than the last,” Vader taunted. “Unduli’s remains are kept there in order to lure Jedi survivors.”

“It is awfully out of the way, but If the pattern points there we will go,” Maul said.

Agreement filled the room. “I will station an Inquisitor there to ensure rumors are circulating.”

Leia idly fiddled with her lightsaber as a lull fell upon the room. To say she was feeling left out would have been an understatement, but Vader imagined that she reluctantly accepted she didn’t have much to bring to the table.

THE PROFUNDITY, IRIDONIA

“You said you wanted in on the next Jedi investigation, right? I’ve got a lead,” Ahsoka said, sitting across from the man in the mess hall.

Obi-Wan finished chewing his rations, trying his best not to choke. “I’m sorry?”

“I’ve got a lead. You in?” “Well yes, but-”

She folded her arms. “Time is ticking.”

“If they’ve survived this long, I doubt a few moments will make any difference. Patience,” he requested. “We don’t want to be caught in a trap,” he said, fully intending to spring any laid before them. That was more his style, and knowingly walking into a trap was often better than walking confidently with no traps.

“I’ve seen the footage, reviewed the schematics. Master Unduli is being kept on Stygeon Prime as we speak,” she said, presenting the holo to him. It certainly looked legitimate, but something nagged at him.

“You’ve certainly looked into it,” he said, looking past her to where the Larses and Luke were seated, enjoying their breakfast. “Do you intend on bringing along Luke?”

“Of course. A rescue mission is practically a Jedi rite of passage, especially if it goes wrong. This won’t be nearly as difficult as the Citadel mission. It’s practically begging to be broken into,” she said.

He stroked his beard. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Don’t be. A few Stormtroopers won’t stop us. Come on, we leave soon,” she declared, walking away.

Taking his time to stand, he prepared himself, soothing his worries with the Force. Dread was at the forefront of his mind, but he never allowed it to consume him.

NIGHTSISTER FORTRESS, DATHOMIR

Maul scrutinized Leia when he thought she wasn’t looking for the thousandth time, and she had enough. “It’s not polite to stare,”

Maul made a noise of amusement. “You show no signs of embracing the Dark Side, despite your father’s immense immersion,” Maul said truthfully, gaining the ire of her father..

Vader sat perched upon a fallen monolith like some kind of gargoyle. “Unless you wish to find out just how much of you can be replaced before you die, I suggest you stop harassing my daughter with needless questions.”

“I’ve never heard of a Sith with a happy ending,” Leia said. “No offense.”

She really was naive, throwing a fit when he didn't want to train her as a Sith. in hindsight, it was embarassing. She really just wanted her father to train her.

Maul chuckled before fully blowing up with laughter. “Yes, well, as long as you’re against Sidious, I could care less about your alignment. Good and evil, light and dark. They are merely points of view.”

She considered something during the ensuing pause. “Can I ask a question? I believe it’s only fair.”

“Very well,” Maul conceded.

“Why do you hate Kenobi so much?” she asked, her father standing up.

Maul raised a hand toward Vader, his furious expression betraying the air of calm he attempted to put on. “He cut me in half, to begin. Need I say any more?”

She shrugged. Leia was already in hot water, and she doubted her punishment could be any worse than it would already be. “I’ve heard about the Invasion of Naboo. Any Jedi could have been there, you know.”

“I am fully aware of that fact, but it is useless to dwell on. The Force is much too cruel for anything to be an accident, so I have no choice but to accept that he is a challenge placed before me. Overcoming him by any means has been my life’s ambition since longer than I can remember,” he admitted.

“What was your ambition before?”

Maul glanced at Vader. “What all those who were or are Sith crave, I suppose. I have since moved away from those ideals. The Sith took everything from me, just as they have from you, Vader,” he said somberly, rage building.

Leia gave him a look of pity mixed with confusion. There was much he wasn’t saying and much she didn’t understand. The Force only ever made her feel warm when she used it.

Her father crashed to the ground from his perch, throwing up red dust. “I tire of hearing this conversation. Contact your enforcer,” Vader commanded.

Maul simply entered the frequency, approaching the comm table. “An update, Qi’ra.”

The hologram flickered to life, and the subject got right to the point.

“We've calculated an approximate path of every ship leaving the system.”

“Any of them toward the Nuiri sector?” Vader asked, approaching the transmitter.

“One,” she replied after a pause.

“Continue your search,” Maul said, cutting the connection. “Your bait was taken, then.”

“We’d better get moving,” Leia suggested. How exciting. Missions were coming one after another now.

THE SPIRE, STYGEON PRIME

They arrived moments before the guard changed at one of the lesser landing platforms, right on schedule. After Ahsoka easily sliced the door open, they slinked in and split up. Obi-Wan left to obtain a list of all prisoners while Luke and Ahsoka went to get Luminara Unduli.

So far, at least on their end, it had gone smoothly. Ahsoka silently knocked out the first officer they’d seen in minutes after Luke distracted him, gaining them access to the database, and by extension the location of Unduli’s cell.

“What’s she like?” Luke asked at a low volume, slinking across one of the many intersections of their current level.

“She was extremely patient. Kind, too,” Ahsoka explained, stowing the officer in a locker. “I got along with her apprentice fairly well before she tried to frame me for murder.”

“That sounds complicated.”

Ahsoka nodded. “Mhm. You missed a lot.”

“Well I wasn’t born,” he protested.

She raised a brow. “Just teasing, Skyguy. Sometimes you’re too easy.”

They continued through the halls, finding the nearest lift and taking it to the cell block where Unduli was being held. Two stormtroopers stood guard making idle conversation.

“I just can’t believe she said no,” one said.

“Quit talking- We’re on the chrono,” he said. He glanced around, probably to ensure no one could hear. When he was certain, he turned back, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s alright. I mean-“

Ahsoka swiped her hand to the side, and both men shot across the hall and slammed into the wall. They collapsed and didn’t stir. Luke got an ill feeling. His master approached, stabbing her lightsaber into the control panel. The door hissed open, so they stepped in and down the stairs, finding the Mirialan Master sitting in an orange jumpsuit.

“Master Unduli!” Luke exclaimed. “We’re here to rescue you.”

Ahsoka stopped Luke from going to undo her cuffs. Unduli got up and walked into the wall, revealing that she was a hologram. The actual Luminara Unduli lay dead in a stasis chamber, thoroughly decayed.

“It’s a trap…” Ahsoka said.

“And you’ve sprung it,” a voice said from behind them. A man in armor stepped into the room, igniting his red lightsaber. “I am an In-“

“Inquisitor, yeah I know. You’re going to fight us, waste our time, lose, and then cry to your master. I’ve fought half a dozen of you,” Ahsoka interrupted, igniting her white lightsabers.

“Then we’re on the same page,” he said, closing the door and springing into action.

Luke ignited his lightsaber just in time to block a blow aimed at his neck. Ahsoka struck at the red blade, diverting attention toward herself. While she kept up the offensive and sent the overconfident Inquisitor on the defensive, her protege went for the door, slashing at the panel and sending the door open once more. He was quite frankly surprised it worked this time.

Ahsoka hit the Inquisitor’s saber with both of hers powerfully, causing the man to trip over the cell’s bench. A Force push ensured he stayed down while the two escaped the cell. Luke thrust his saber into the door’s panel once more, and it locked for good.

“You made that guy look worse than me!” Luke exclaimed.

“He is, from a certain point of view. They’re kept untrained on purpose so they don’t rebel. Step away from the door.”

Luke had no sooner opened his mouth to question why before a crimson blade came protruding from the door before slowly cutting through it vertically. “Oh right.”

“Lightsabers,. Jedi’s best friend,” she remarked before putting away her sabers and pulling out her comlink. “Obi-Wan, come in,” she said to static. “Blast, I figured they were jamming comms, but it was worth a try.”

All of a sudden, sirens blared, and all of the blast doors began to close. “Run!” Luke cried before following Ahsoka.

“This was a disaster, but at least we know for sure what happened to Master Unduli. It’s a shame…” Ahsoka said.

“Yeah, and we’ll get a prisoner list,” Luke added.

Ahsoka stopped the doors ahead of them with the Force. “In situations like these, we’d always head for the main hangar and improvise a ship offworld. I trust Obi-Wan is thinking the same.”

Luke nodded, going along with his Master.

As they rounded a corner to the hangar, they noticed the massive doors were already shut. “Blast!” Ahsoka exclaimed, just as the durasteel slammed shut behind them. “Alright, I’ll need your help. Just trust the force to help unlock the mechanism.”

They both came to a stop, lifting a hand to raise the door. After a few moments, they were successful. However, as the massive gate lifted, something was clearly and inexplicably wrong. From the moment even a molecule of air could pass through the gap, a deep and dark cold seeped from under it, increasing in overwhelming presence by the moment. It was familiar to both in a twisted, corrupted way.

“What is that?” Luke asked, terrified. It felt like someone had replaced his spine with ice.

Just as he began to instinctively back up, a field of red energy filled the doorway, sealing Ahsoka in the hangar with the darksiders.

OxOxO

“Run, Luke!” Ahsoka said, whipping her head around to see through the haze. She trusted that he would find Obi-Wan. The sound of his lightsaber igniting gave her small comfort.

A girl and what could only be described as the most foreboding and ominous presence Ahsoka had ever seen stood alone on the platform. They were blocking any chance of escape. However, the sense of intimidation slowly faded as the dark behemoth spoke.

“Ahsoka…” he said, more familiar than she was comfortable with. The child next to him lit up with wonder. “I thought you died after Mandalore.”

A chill ran down her spine at the mention of her own name. These Imperials seemed to be doing their history homework. Ahsoka immediately ignited her sabers, damning herself for even suggesting this crazy mission. “Glad to be recognized by a fan.”

OxOxO

The control level stank of death, Obi-Wan noticed almost immediately. Unfortunately, Vader’s style seemed to be one uncaring of casualties. His former apprentice’s presence was incredibly strong all of a sudden, making it difficult to mask his own. That raised a question, however.

What had caused this slaughter, if Vader was levels below them? He found his answer when he opened the doors to the records room.

“I see time has not been kind to you, Kenobi. Look at what has become of you…” Maul spat venomously, pacing back and forth among the dead.

Obi-Wan knew this moment was bound to come. There would probably be another given Maul’s infuriating habit of refusing to stay dead. His old adversary was looking worse for wear, and he took time to appraise him. “Something far worse has happened to you.”

He grimaced. “I have purpose. That is something you have lacked until now. Why else would you come out of hiding? What makes now the time to collect the pitiful leftovers of your long dead order? The dust is far from settled.”

Kenobi narrowed his eyes.

Maul searched for answers in the Force. Depending upon his findings his fate was sealed. “No… you do have a driving force… Have you found something?” he asked. “Someone..?”

Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber, holding it defensively. “I cannot allow you to jeopardize the future. Whatever Vader has promised you, you should leave far behind.”

Baring his fangs, he held his lightsaber steady. The first one to act would be the first one to die. “I am not leaving without my revenge…”

“Then you will never leave here,” Kenobi countered.

Maul savagely approached, feinting with one side of his saber and attacking with the other. Obi-Wan blocked it and the next strike, countering in the third attempt. His sapphire blade cut through the middle of Maul’s hodgepodge lightsaber. Kenobi kicked his sternum for good measure, wishing he hadn’t. His hips weren’t what they once were.

“Augh!” The former Darth Maul let the halves of his weapon clatter to the ground shortly before he himself did. He splayed against a terminal. “Why..?” he asked pitifully, lip trembling. “Why can I not BEAT you?!” he screamed frantically. “If I don’t have your life, I have nothing!” he cried.

“I cannot allow that to happen before my apprentice is trained. I am sorry.”

“Sorry?!” he spat incredulously. “I have taken so much from you, and yet you apologize? Jedi arrogance.” Maul’s eyes darted around as he tried to piece such an unfamiliar concept together.

What could not realize was that he was not sorry for doing anything he had done. Kenobi mourned that Maul never had anyone to truly care for him, as he had Qui-Gon.

“Do you remember what I told you on Mandalore?” he asked quietly, his eyes sad. “I do not blame you for the path Sidious chose for you. Not anymore.”

That day haunted him if the look in his eyes was anything to go off of. “I remember,” he spitefully said.

“You have a choice, a choice to turn back on the path laid before you,” he said. “I hold the belief that there is a certain point of no return. I desperately want to be wrong.”

“The one you protect. Is it the Chosen One?” he asked, almost too quietly to hear.

“Yes,” he said with conviction.

He sat, considering these revelations thoughtfully. Strangely, he felt little anger coming from the Zabrak. He felt… hopeful. “Go. I will have my revenge another day. When Sidious is destroyed.”

“Thank you,” he said, turning his back to the man as he left.

Maul caught the gesture of faith, seemingly unsure of what to do. “Beware of Vader. Pray you do not cross his path,” he said, his gaze downward. “There is something he loathes even more than you, something that makes him infinitely more dangerous.”

Kenobi stopped in his tracks, quieting his fear. The thought of something worse than Mustafar sent a chill down his spine. “What could that be?”

The Nightbrother locked eyes with the Jedi. “…Himself.”

OxOxO

Never did he expect Tano to be alive, let alone show up here. He didn’t think his training would have been sufficient for her to survive the chaos years ago. It made sense now, that the spy network he was a part of was based after one of his old frequencies. He always assumed Gerrera or one of the other fighters he had helped to train had done it. Now that he considered it, Saw Gerrera was far too blunt for deception on the level that he had been a part of.

He paused for a moment, seemingly realizing the gravity. How he wished he could have gone back and denied Maul’s offer to trap Kenobi. It complicated things. “We need not be adversaries,” Vader suggested, making no move to draw his lightsaber. “This trap was not intended for you, but for Kenobi.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” she countered, clearly trying to place where she knew this mysterious Force user from. She did not falter for an instant, despite his attempt to show he meant no harm. He felt pride in her lack of openings.

Darth Vader said nothing, considering her words. Judging by her probing presence, she was still attempting desperately to divine his identity, his recognition of her putting fear behind her presence. He wasn’t sure if he preferred for her to not know what he had become. Either way, this caused him to doubt himself more than he had since discovering Leia. Nothing felt right. He was wholly unprepared for this.

“Do you know who I am?”

“You’re a Sith Lord- Sidious’ apprentice. That’s all I need to know,” she said, lightsabers still humming. “What game are you trying to play?”

The Sith was aware she would not strike first. His shoulders sagged as shame filled his person. “It would have been easier had you died.”

“How can you say that?!” the girl next to him exploded, taking them both off guard. Vader had forgotten she was here. His shoulders rose once more.

“Control yourself,” he warned sternly, not turning away from Ahsoka. Her loss had weighed heavily on him. She was one of the deciding factors that he had no other path than the one Sidious had laid for him, yet here she stood, alive and stronger than ever. The arrival of his daughter had shaken his faith already, but perhaps this meant he wasn’t as alone as once thought.

“No, she’s Ahsoka. Ahsoka Tano, right? I read about her. Your-” she stopped, noticing the quizzical eyes on her. “Father, it shouldn’t come from me.”

He wished it could.

She narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on? I thought you Sith are more direct with their prey.”

“You are the one behind the Fulcrum network,” Vader stated, holding a hand to silence Leia.

Ahsoka raised her sabers defensively, clearly not picking up what he was laying down. “I don’t know how you know about that frequency, but I won’t surrender any information willingly! You’ll find I have that in common with my master…”

Vader stood silent for a few moments before standing tall and folding his arms. He wanted to do everything but admit it. However, he felt his daughter’s eyes drilling holes in the back of his helmet. “The frequency the network is based upon is derived from one I created.”

Her brow unfurrowed as her face relaxed, utterly shocked. “No…” she said. “That’s not possible- The Anakin I knew would never-” she said, utterly haunted. “You- You killed him.”

“Search your feelings,” he suggested somberly. “You know it to be true…”

She closed her eyes, both to briefly meditate and quell the tears in her eyes.

Vader glanced at Leia before focusing on his old apprentice. “There has not been a single day in the past ten years that I haven’t felt regret.”

“Then come back- the Rebellion- we could-”

“On Dantooine, the Thune graze peacefully,” he said, silencing her. “I am doing what I can, but my daughter is my first priority. The Emperor is inescapable.”

A ghastly expression painted her orange face as she examined Leia. “I won’t leave you again.”

It drove deep into his heart.

Vader turned his head slightly as he sensed a presence. The one he intended to draw here in the first place. “You must. Your place is not repairing the mess in my wake. Besides… do you not have prior engagements?”

The attention of everyone not Vader was taken to the hangar’s exit when a cerulean blade poked through the door. It melted through it until the wielder hit the sweet spot, causing the blast door to open with a whoosh.

Frigid darkness clashed with overwhelming warmth as Vader recognized his old master. They stood apart, merely looking at one another for a few moments. Rage refilled his body.

“Obi-Wan, wait,” Ahsoka said, only to be ignored.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again at last,” Vader said, silencing the room. Cold fury burned within him. The anger he felt overrode any of the tumultuous feelings he had before.

“I see you’ve prepared no ships for me to crash this time,” the old man remarked, a twinkle in his eye.

Kenobi’s arrogance angered him even further. Vader was still utterly unsure of what was to become of this reunion.

“No attempts to goad me will work. When you left me on Mustafar to burn, I was but the learner. Now, I am the master.”

“Only a master of evil, Darth,” Kenobi retorted.

Vader shot forward, trading blows with the old master. Obi-Wan, either feigning or due to his lack of proper practice, struggled to block each strike. “Your powers are weak, old man…”

He pushed the old man backwards, holding his saber high for a strong strike. Kenobi gave a knowing smile to his companion, holding his lightsaber parallel to his face. “Don’t try it.”

So Vader didn’t. He stood defensively, not ready to fall for the old man’s tricks any longer.

“Put your lightsabers away!” Leia cried. “Stop!”

Obi-Wan was visibly confused, before he glanced at the girl. No doubt he was shocked by how dissimilar they were. “I was wrong about you, Vader.”

“You were wrong about a great many things, you old fool...” he said snidely, taking advantage of the lull. Vader slashed at Kenobi, his blow deflected into a stray crate.

Kenobi held his saber defensively, smiling distantly. “It’s not too late to atone for your sins, old friend. You have shown me what you are capable of.”

Darth Vader paused for a moment, ceasing his planned attack midswing. If it were that easy, it would have been done. Mistakes were made. “It is. The Emperor is currently too powerful. For both me and for your Rebellion.”

“You always were stubborn…” Obi-Wan sighed. “The Rebellion will succeed. You are forgetting that even the dimmest flame can quell darkness. Historically, the Sith never prevailed for long. Please.”

Something about those foolish, narrow-minded ideals resonated within him. They were wrong, but he detected a hint of… lecturing within his old master’s tone. He actually felt wrong for disappointing Kenobi. A part of the light coaxed him to reconsider killing the man.

Vader took a moment to consider this impulse, extinguishing his lightsaber and hooking it to his belt. He brought his voice low enough that he thought Leia incapable of hearing. “Very well. Listen closely, as I do not wish to repeat myself. The Empire is developing a technological terror beyond all comprehension. The trail begins on Geonosis. Leave and tell your Rebel friends.”

Kenobi smiled and approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder and speaking quietly. “Thank you, my old friend. I’m sorry about Leia, but at the time-”

He bristled, gripping the man’s wrist with his mechnohand.

“Do not touch me. We are far from familiarity,” he said bitterly, slapping Obi-Wan’s hand away and jabbing a finger toward his chest. “Leave.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi gave his former apprentice a half smile with eyes full of sadness. He soon broke away, beckoning for Ahsoka to follow. She no doubt had dozens of questions, but probably realized there was no time. He wished he had time to explain- to apologize. To atone.

There was little time or place for that, no matter how much he realized he cared for them.

Vader folded his arms, turning around. “Go with your lives and count your blessings. I will cover your trail. The next time we cross paths, however, do not expect the same mercy.”

Vader didn’t wait to watch them leave before exiting the platform himself. His daughter confusedly followed him through the hallway with melted doors. They nearly crashed into the Inquisitor assigned to the prison as they rounded a corner.

The Inquisitor kneeled before his master. “Lord Vader, my apologies.”

“It is quite alright, Inquisitor. I did not expect you to be able to best Tano. Rise,” he commanded with a wave of his wrist.

As soon as he complied, Vader activated and drove his lightsaber through the Inquisitor’s stomach, causing his daughter to flinch. He wished he could have put the death off, but it was too big a risk. The Dark Side adept slumped forward when Vader reactivated his weapon, dying utterly confused and insulted.

“I’ve had enough, father! What happened on that landing platform, and why did you just kill him?!”

He felt a sense of ambition. A rogue and challenging feeling that he had not felt in some time.

“We must leave no witnesses to what has transpired today. This Inquisitor undoubtedly felt Maul’s presence,” he said.

This seemed to placate her. It… wasn’t her first time witnessing death, regrettably. “Is Maul dead? He went after Kenobi, and obviously he’s alive.”

Vader began moving, opening the lift doors. “I have my doubts, but I imagine we will discover him either way.”

“Will you really kill them the next time we see them?” she asked quietly.

Truthfully he hadn’t the foggiest.

“Not Tano,” he said, avoiding the question. “You have not formed a complete opinion of her, and I believe she could be a useful ally.”

“I hope you don’t have to kill them.”

He didn’t either. “Let’s clean our hands of this incident.”

Chapter Text

9 BBY

THE SPIRE, STYGEON PRIME

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan didn't have to travel far after leaving the hangar to pick up on Luke's path. Circles cut in the durasteel doors still smoldered as they passed through, making their way to the side of the prison they'd broken into. Luke was on the ship waiting for them, an excited mess.

He was running on pure adrenaline, riding the high of both escaping the prison and providing their means of escape. Luke had done well, all things considered.

Neither of his seniors had any energy behind their responses. They were silent in the cockpit until Luke either picked up on something bothering them, or was genuinely tired enough to sleep the way to Rebel Command. Both were just as likely as the other.

"I should have stayed," she said emptily, just as soon as the door had closed behind Luke..

"No," he said after a pause. "Your place is with Luke, with the-"

"Instead of going to Mandalore," she specified. That tumultuous few days had always been present before now in her mind.

He held a troubled expression. "It is easy to dwell upon what could have been, given the present we have arrived at. Such endeavors are worthless, though. There is no way to alter time, and so we must deal with the hand we have been dealt."

Her temper flared. "How can you say that? Just spout wisdom like some-"

"I once thought as you did, Ahsoka. Then I met him on Mustafar. He tried to kill me immediately after choking Padme, his own wife, unconscious," he explained. "He was not in the right mind. The Dark Side had corrupted him, and I thought no semblance of Anakin remained."

She stayed silent, completely haunted. The Anakin she knew… Eventually she mustered some courage. "What happened to him?"

"I am not sure there was a singular defining moment. I have come to learn that Sidious- Palpatine… Had been preparing-"

"Him as his new apprentice," she finished for him, breathlessly. Words from Mandalore came to her mind- words she didn't want to hear. Maul had been right all along.

"Precisely. It, of course, did not help that the Jedi and their moral compass had been deteriorating. Nearly every decision they- no, we- made in the waning days of the Clone Wars surely eroded his faith. I… do not know everything that happened that night, and I'm not sure I could stomach it," he said.

She steeled herself. "Then… tell me what you do know, and why you didn't tell me, Obi-Wan."

"I was afraid," he said, eyes kind. "That you wouldn't be able to handle what had happened to him. I’ve been living with it since and I can barely stomach it. I believe it goes without saying that we do not tell Luke until his thoughts cannot be used against him."

Although she knew the answer, she asked her next question to probe him. "Why not reunite him with his father? His… sister appears to be healthy enough."

He stroked his beard. "There is no telling what he or the Emperor would do given another impressionable and strong Force user. It is impossible to tell what he would do. Forgetting the violence he has committed against Jedi and other innocents, he harmed the person he loved most in the Galaxy. Despite what we've seen, I still doubt that he hasn't corrupted her in an unseen way. There are too many… unknowns here."

"What happened to you?" she asked quietly. "To him. The day the Order fell."

He looked her in the eyes with an expression she had never seen from him before. "I had just killed General Grievous on Utapau when Cody and the clones turned on me. I managed to escape and was picked up by Bail Organa and Yoda. From there, Yoda and I infiltrated the temple, but… we were far too late. Anakin and the 501st hadn't left anyone alive at the Temple. Not even the younglings…"

By then, Ahsoka watched through teary eyes at the husk that was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Negative feelings practically prickled against her skin.

"Yoda and I parted ways after resetting the council's beacon- he faced the Emperor and I Anakin. I went to Padme's apartment and stowed away on her ship while she went to Mustafar to confront Anakin. She… tried her best to convince him to come back from his path, but when he saw me, he lashed out at her. She died giving birth to the twins," he explained. "I fought him and injured him to a point I thought he would pose no danger. I left him to die because I could not stand to do the deed myself. Seeing what he has become..."

Hearing that, she felt satisfied. No need to press further, she decided. Ahsoka didn’t want to hear any more right now. "Do you think what he told you about that superweapon is true?"

"Do you? I am still unfamiliar with the galaxy's current state of affairs," he said.

"I do," she said without hesitation. "The Navy's expenses have been steadily increasing but the amount of starships have stayed relatively the same. I think we know why."

"Then you'd best prepare a report for High Command," he suggested. "But before that, we must answer Luke's questions without raising any that could be used against him…"

THE SPIRE, STYGEON PRIME

The command center was exactly as Vader expected. All of the officers and soldiers on deck lay at their feet, cause of death varying, but the one responsible was the same. Kenobi wouldn't cause this kind of carnage just trying to get here.

Maul was sitting on the floor holding the halves of his lightsaber. "I believe he is open to an alliance. Kenobi."

"Yes. I have provided him with information that cannot be traced to me," he explained, folding his arms. The existence of the Death Star was one thing. It's entire history, however, was a much more complicated and restricted secret.

"I never thought I could forget my hate for him, let alone put it aside temporarily, but…" he said, pausing, looking for words to express himself.

"The enemy of my enemy is an ally," he said, giving a slight nod. "We must part ways now, but I will provide you with a secure frequency with which we can communicate."

"I've allied myself with Jedi before, but never Sith," he said, getting onto his feet.

Vader considered the Zabrak carefully. "Then what has this been?"

"Fruitless… but not without its seeds," he said devilishly.

The distinct impression that Maul had seriously set out to kill him set in. "Move quickly. We have not much time before something even I cannot cover up is discovered," Vader said, and it was the truth. He didn't think he'd have much fun explaining to Palpatine why he was in league with a traitorous disgraced apprentice.

THE PROFUNDITY, HYPERSPACE

"You have something on your mind," Ahsoka noted, her calm tone gaining Luke's attention. She set down her utensils, staring until Luke did the same. It had taken a few tries to get him to make a coherent response.

"I just don't feel like breakfast," he said.

Ahsoka didn't stop. "You have questions, I'm sure."

"What exactly was that guy? I felt so… cold," he said fearfully, touching his lightsaber absent-mindedly..

"Darth Vader. A Sith Lord," she said, voice bereft of emotion, taking notice of the gesture.

His face shifted to a more serious one at the mention of that name. "What exactly is a Sith Lord?"

She sighed, choosing her words carefully. "A Sith is a Jedi's opposite. While we use the Light Side of the Force, they use the Dark. We use the Force for the pursuit of peace and defense, they use it to sow chaos and gain power."

"Can’t have one without the other," he supposed.

"The Dark Side is fearsome, but don't be afraid of it. Fear is what leads to the dark side's costly and treacherous road. Like you said- It's natural that you can't have Light without Dark," she said.

Luke considered her words. "Well what about you? You're not a Jedi."

"The Light Side isn't exclusively for the Jedi, just like not all users of the Dark Side are Sith. The Force has existed long before sentients could use it."

Luke poked around at his breakfast. "That makes sense."

"Just don't worry, alright? Do the right thing as much as you can, be as selfless as you can, and you'll be just fine, Luke."

He smiled. "That's how I was raised."

"Well, you haven't been entirely raised yet, if you're still touching that saber when you're nervous," she said, to his embarrassment. "Speaking of, we need to get you a new one. That hilt is too… recognizable. I didn't think it was a problem until we ran into Vader. If he sees it, he'll definitely notice it."

"I'm a Jedi, won't he just kill me anyway?"

She hoped he wouldn't inquire further. "Your father is someone the Empire would rather forget… I need you to trust me on this one, Skyguy."

"Alright," he said, clearly unsatisfied, returning to his meal.

THE DEVASTATOR, HYPERSPACE

Leia almost immediately flung herself on her bed after they got back from taking Maul to Dathomir. To say she was exhausted would be an understatement of epic proportions. She just about screamed when her door whoosed open and her father began to breathe in her space.

"You should have stayed here on the ship, after all," Vader said. "That is what you're thinking, isn't it?"

Leia folded her pillow over her face. "Get out of my head, father."

"I understand you're going through a lot of changes right now, but my counsel is sound. You would benefit from listening to me, rather than rebelling," Vader said.

Leia groaned. "I wasn't trying to put myself in danger, and I certainly wasn't trying to disobey you. The idea of meeting that mysterious man excited me, and I guess I was spoiled by our excursions to Tatooine."

"Spoiled in what way?" Vader asked, and it was in the condescending way he sometimes spoke.

Leia scoffed. "After that I realized just how boring it was to be cooped up on this ship all day! I'm supposed to be the Emperor's Hand now!"

"I do not mean to limit your freedoms, but everything I have ever done has been for your protection."

"From what?" she asked exasperatedly. "You're the most terrifying man in the universe! I'm hardly a weakness to the average criminal. I am almost certain you've killed enough people to scare off anyone stupid enough to harm me. The risk I took was calculated!"

"Calculated?" Vader asked with a level of sass to match her own "If that was calculated, then perhaps I should get you a new tutor. There have been countless attempts on your life, even in the past year. Although scum grows and spreads, it does not learn," Vader countered.

"Well maybe I wouldn't need you protecting me if I could defend myself! How am I supposed to take out attackers with five stances from one form?!"

Vader folded his arms, a sure sign that he was losing his patience. Good. She’d help him find it. "I have taught you all you need to know for the time being. The basic forms are what all children begin with. You seem to forget that you are a child."

"You seem to forget that I'm a child too! You treat me like some glass doll!" Leia glared at him, her mouth trembling. "If your mother had acted like you, you never would have left Tatooine!"

"If I had acted like you, I would have died on Naboo…" he said. Why, of all times, was this all coming out now?

"That means nothing to me! I know your history! You destroyed that droid control ship and freed Naboo! You acted way more reckless that one day than I ever have!"

"Lower your voice. I am reaching the end of my patience," he sternly warned.

"So am I! This is no way to live, cooped up on a starship, never taking risks! I hate you! Get out of here!"

The atmosphere in the room was almost audible as it was destroyed. "Very well," Vader said in a clipped tone, not caring to deflect the pillow that hit his back as he was leaving.

He got her message.

OxOxO

Vader dejectedly entered his quarters, and finally the barometric chamber within. After all of the hissing and pressurization had finished, he sank into his chair, holding a gloved hand to the forehead of his mask. He slowly removed the helmet, repeating his action on flesh.

The files he'd read on loss and parenting lied to him. It really didn't get easier as time went on. Unfortunately, no one made guides to being a single Sith father who regretted almost every action he had taken in the past decade. And now he was conspiring with his enemies to topple a common one…. He drew soft breaths before letting out a long and drawn out sigh.

He felt around underneath the chair, opening the drawers used for maintenance and spare parts. His hands soon found an aged lightsaber, holding it out to inspect it. Vader closed his eyes, focusing on the weapon of his old Padawan.

He'd found it and her perceived grave years ago.

A part of him had always chastised himself for clinging to the old weapon, and the possibilities it presented. Suspiciously absent was a Togruta's body at the crash site he'd found it at. None of that mattered now that the nagging voice in his head was proven right. Ahsoka Tano lived, without a shadow of a doubt, and she knew who he was. He'd been there, and still he hardly believed she hadn't run her sabers through him right then and there.

She should have.

Vader opened his eyes as he took in every detail of the weapon. Her new lightsabers had been different. She'd outgrown the designs, and a part of him wondered if she'd outgrown him too.

The strength she required to survive this long, the skills necessary to survive… Their seeds were planted by him, and had far exceeded any growth he expected. He'd held high hopes for her and her training, but hardly anyone had come out of the Purge unscathed. Not even the so-called victors.

He should have been proud of her, but dread filled his being instead. Ahsoka had become strong, and that meant she was a threat to the Empire. If the Emperor became aware of this undermining, of her survival…

He wasn't sure what lengths he would go to in order to keep Leia secure, and the possibility of ending Ahsoka sickened him. Unfortunately, the one who had the answer to seemingly every problem he ever had was gone. It was all up to him now, he realized with grim acceptance.

Then a nagging voice crept up on the edge of his mind.

He deserved no forgiveness, he realized, as an air of sorrow suffocated the entire wing. "Padme…" he said hoarsely.

AUREK WATCHSTATION, WOBANI

"You're not supposed to-" a stormtrooper said before his plastoid helmet crashed into the durasteel wall.

Ahsoka seemed distant lately, Luke noticed. While her overall demeanor was usually serene and composed, she always had time to crack a joke. Not this time, he made note of. He'd have said something, but he didn't think it was his place to ask if anything was bothering her.

She was currently skimming through a supply manifest when her communicator beeped. Ahsoka answered it immediately. "Fulcrum here."

"The recon team has landed. It's looking promising. Er- regarding something Imperial happening here. There's… nothing left alive on the surface. The natives have all been wiped out," her lieutenant said.

Glancing at Luke, Ahsoka's brow crinkled with worry. "Nothing at all? Even fauna? Non-sentients?"

"Some things here and there, but no insects of any kind," he answered. "Something big happened here, that's what we're sure of. We'll keep reporting. How goes the search for those leads?"

"No luck on the trail, but we've been raiding Imperial outposts for supplies. Given that we're in the boondocks, most of it’s contraband luxury items and alcohol. Nothing really worth stealing…" Ahsoka reported. "Report back to Rebel Command. If we don't hear back from you, it'll be an even surer sign of something. I find it hard to believe an entire species can just disappear."

"Will do, but… we don't think they've disappeared. We've found numerous devices containing traces of pesticides."

Ahsoka stopped dead in her tracks. "Are you telling me the Empire relocated or killed off a hundred billion people?"

"That's the way it looks, Commander."

"That's… troubling. However, the Empire would probably only go to such lengths to eliminate witnesses if there was something important to hide," Ahsoka said. "Keep looking, and document those bug bombs."

The transmission cut, leaving silence in the barracks. "Sounds like your informant was telling the truth. They are building something," Luke said.

"I can't believe it… I never knew a good Geonosian, but a hundred billion didn't deserve to die," she said, recalling her experiences on the red planet.

"Hopefully we'll find the next clue soon," he offered, upset by the amount of deaths.

Ahsoka went to leave the room. "Me too. Whatever is worth hiding that much to the Empire has to be destroyed. We have to be missing something. We'll be the ones to find it, right?"

"Right," he said, his mind elsewhere. Jedi life was a lot scarier than he thought it would be.

THE DEVASTATOR, MUSTAFAR

The door opened with a hiss, and was soon overtaken by Darth Vader's rhythmic breathing. Silence fell across the officer’s lounge. "Captain Tonda. I must speak with you."

Tonda nodded, standing up and following Vader out. "You require my counsel, my lord?"

"I'm afraid so," he began. "When your daughter reached the age of eleven, was she… difficult?"

"Yes," he said, distantly recalling. "I commanded an Imperial Star Destroyer, and she would barely give me the time of day… It's only normal for that age, I think, to be rebellious. I know I was, and you probably were too."

"Hmm," Vader mused aloud. "Today, when I thought I understood what was troubling her, Leia told me she hated me."

"So it's escalated… I received quite a few of those from my daughter after what she described as an invasion of privacy. However, I have also received many apologies in the past years," Tonda chuckled. "She probably doesn't know how to express complicated emotions, no matter the sharpness of her tongue."

Darth Vader continued his steady gait, but wasn't focused on where he was going. The words of the captain enthralled him.

He sensed anxiety from the man, and he was sure of what was to come. "We've discussed it, but… As much as it may pain you, my Lord, it may be best to consider another partner?" he said. "For Leia."

His response came almost immediately. Only the original would suffice. "No."

Tonda's face drained of color, but his composure remained steady. "I meant no disrespect, it's just- Our postings have been increasing, and she would do well with someone in your absence. A nanny- A droid- Something."

"A droid would suffice…" he mused aloud, running through several concepts in his head.

Vader would take no chances with a person. He would never consider another love, and he had gone through several caretakers he believed insufficient before he first came to the Captain for counsel. A droid, however, would be made entirely up to his standards. Overprotective as he was, he realized that his daughter had some needs he didn't think he could provide.

"If that is your wish, I am more than willing to assist," Tonda said genuinely. The man always was. There never were ulterior motives within him.

Waving a hand, Vader stopped. "That will not be necessary, Captain. I've taken you from your offtime for long enough. Enjoy your drink, and look forward to extra leave with your family."

Captain Tonda nodded curtly. "Do not hesitate to request my presence. Thank you, my Lord," Tonda began to walk away, but stopped. "Oh! You know she doesn't hate you, right? Anger is a much more different beast."

He considered himself to be quite versed in anger and hate. That was precisely why he'd strayed away from teaching her about such things. Unfortunately, he realized, that included ways to deal with such natural emotions. Ways that didn't result in the destruction of his world.

Vader resolved to speak with her once the situation had cooled down. Perhaps, he thought, that she would even seek him out.

They parted ways, and the father immediately made a beeline for his quarters. Ideas were already running through his mind. He'd designed C-3PO at nine, so he was certain he could come up with something superior decades later. Perhaps some concealed weapons, and added dexterity so it could do Leia's hair when she didn't feel like asking Vader. He ran into R2-D2, who was to Vader's surprise still sticking around without the restraining bolt.

"Come with me, Artoo. We have much work to do…"

The droid interrupted him, informing him that he had an incoming message from Coruscant. Vader's blood ran cold as he rushed to his quarters, kneeling before the projected form of the Emperor.

Sidious' face was troubled. That was a sure sign that this was an important job, not a lesson or the standard taunting. "There you are, my apprentice. I have a task for you, an urgent one at that…"

"What is your bidding, my master?" Vader asked, bowing his head. Already he had to quiet his thoughts about whether or not it was soon enough to sabotage this order.

"It would appear Director Krennic does not yet understand the meaning of subtlety. Several rebel agents were discovered snooping around on Geonosis… Ensure that Krennic learns his lesson this time. Inform him of his final chance," the Emperor instructed.

Too soon, he realized. "Yes, my master…"

When the transmission cut, he immediately stood up and made a call. There were few ways he saw the situation playing out that didn't end catastrophically. He didn't expect them to follow up on this lead so soon, or fail so miserably. "Contact Director Orson Krennic. Summon him here…"

FORTRESS VADER, MUSTAFAR

Vader needed only wait a few standard hours before the Director came bursting into the empty observatory. He stood with his back to him, watching the stars. "Director…"

"Lord Vader," Orson immediately replied, seeming nauseous.

The Dark Lord turned around, his artificial thumbs hooked on his belt. "You seem troubled," he said, skirting around the issue, relishing the squirming Director.

Krennic swallowed. "I am. A great deal of troubling things have occurred recently."

"Are you referring to how you allowed a group of rebels to enter a restricted area? A restricted area related to the Empire's most important project?" he asked, closing the distance between the two. "Or… is it something else?"

He blanched, stuttering. "Uh- well, yes. It will not happen again."

"It does not need to happen again. The Rebellion certainly knows something on Geonosis is worth hiding… You are lucky the quick thinking of Moff Tarkin moved evidence of the Torpedo Sphere Project testing facilities there…" Vader said.

Impatience flooded Krennic's thoughts. "Moff Tarkin is after my position, surely you can see that. I'm certain he leaked information to the rebels, to replace me!"

"You overestimate your importance," Vader said, sticking a finger at Krennic. "Where is your proof?"

"Well, there is none- yet! I've begun an investigation-"

"Tarkin has sacrificed Imperial secrets to save a greater one, one you have been tasked with guarding," he said. "There will be no investigation."

His face turned red. "Tarkin-"

Darth Vader summoned Krennic's esophagus to him, clamping his mechno hand around his throat. "Do not make me repeat myself. You are not as important as you believe… This project is about the stability of the Empire, not you…"

Krennic was released, sputtering for breath on the floor. Vader waited while he regained his breath and stopped coughing. "Are you quite finished, Director?"

"Yes… my Lord… I will double my efforts. The station will be completed on time, with no more problems."

He hoped he was true. The sabotage of the station was near impossible with Tarkin at the helm. "A promise from you has proven to mean nothing. The Emperor and I will believe it when we see it."

Krennic stood up, dusting his white uniform off, still gasping. "I'm sorry it has come to this, truly."

"One more thing, Director," he said, approaching the man. "Which is your dominant hand?"

Krennic raised an eyebrow. "My left."

In one swift stroke, Vader activated his lightsaber and sliced Krennic's right hand off in the middle of his forearm. Krennic writhed on the floor, nursing the wound. Such a baby, Vader thought. He'd only taken one.

He deactivated his saber. "I know how adverse you are to replacement… For now, just your arm..."

He seethed, kneeling in front of the dark lord. "I already promised you!"

"Yes, and I made a promise to you that your failure would not be tolerated… Next time I take your life. Leave here…"

OxOxO

He was hard at work on the third iteration of a nanny droid to his likings when the chime came. Vader swatted the droid core off of his workbench furiously, standing to answer it. He froze shortly after, realizing he had never heard such a sound before.

He gave sideways glances around the room before realizing where it came from. The Fulcrum drawer was practically alive with the frequency of the alert tone. Given that it steadily became louder, faster, and less regularly, he had reason to believe every single one of his communicators was picking up a signal.

Vader glanced at Artoo before opening the drawer and grabbing one of the buzzing communicators. Never before had he been contacted… "Order the command center to perform a complete communications reset. A drill, on my order."

Artoo complied, and when he felt no one would be able to listen in, despite the hyper-secure frequency, he answered. At the very least, he opened the channel, judging by the lack of a cacophonous drawer symphony gracing his audio-receptors.

A garbled voice came through after a few moments. "This is… Snips. I'm seeking contact with a Fulcrum who knows me by that name."

He didn't know how to feel.

Chapter Text

9 BBY

FORTRESS VADER, MUSTAFAR

If his life functions weren’t dependent on the suit he was in, his heart would have stopped. At the least fluttered. Snips could only be one person, he realized, clinging to all of his doubt. There was no conceivable way that Ahsoka could be seeking to contact him, not after what he did…

Nothing about it felt real, but he ruled out a dream. Sleep was anything but restful for him. Silence hung in the air, making itself more overt the longer it continued.

“This is far from orthodox, I know, but if you aren’t the person I’m looking for, please end the frequency or respond. It’s urgent,” Snips said.

It became more agreeable that this was a dream. “This is Lars Quell,” Vader said awkwardly. It was the only name he could think of, and surely a longshot that-

“It’s you,” she said, almost surprised.

“Were you the first? Or was it the freedom fighter?” he asked almost immediately. The irony of them exchanging information for years struck him with a strange feeling- something between relief and wistful humor. The circumstances quashed any enjoyment he found in the interaction.

“I was the first agent, but the network itself was sponsored by someone more connected.”

He’d joined the network shortly after he’d tracked the grave of the 332nd down. Perhaps he had offered information to Ahsoka while in the process of grieving her. “I am not naive enough to believe this contact has no purpose.”

Ahsoka sighed on the other end. “What exactly happened? In the place you sent us.” “An extermination in order to leave no witness,” he said. It served as a terrifying reminder of the power of the Empire. Of the unknown.. “You couldn’t stop it somehow?”

Not that he cared, but in hindsight, there hadn’t been a way. The severity of the situation sent his mind reeling, for the Emperor was not someone to be entangled with. His wrath even less so. “I suggest you inquire no further. This contact… will be the only of its kind. Information shall come as anonymously and irregularly as before. Continue pursuing that lead.”

Something vaguely resembling a sigh sounded out through the transceiver. Her disappointment cut deeper than any wound he’d received thus far. “I understand. It’s not just your skin you’re trying to save,” she said.

“Unfortunately I cannot actively preserve both of my legacies, and this one is ill-prepared compared to you.”

There was a significant pause, but Vader never checked to ensure the connection was there. Neither knew what to say.

“You know,” she began slowly, “You’re in a position unique to any other defector I’ve spoken to.”

Defector? It seemed a tad committal for his taste. “You mistake my compliance for sympathy to your cause. I care only for the destruction of the Emperor.”

“I see,” she said, disappointment stabbing him deeper.

“I fear this transmission has gone on long enough. For our individual safeties, do not contact me again,” he declared, barely waiting for her reply.

“Goodbye, then, Lars Quell.” “For your sake, do not delude yourself.” He crushed the transmitter as he always had, though that hardly satisfied him. “Jettison this scrap,” he bitterly ordered to Artoo, crushing the remaining comlinks with the force.

Her faith in him was completely unfounded, even in the face of the barriers he was attempting to put between them. Vader dreaded letting her down so royally again, but contact for the silly sake of catching up was an unnecessary risk. Despite his powers, distance did a great deal to avoid the ever-growing web of the Emperor. For her safety, he wished nothing more than for her to become embittered by the Rebellion, and let those willing to throw away their lives do so.

Why couldn’t she run away to a remote moon like a smart Purge survivor? Vader wasn’t sure he could mourn her again.

He crashed back down at his workbench, levitating the droid processing core he’d been working on previously to him. Suddenly he was filled with frustration and crushed it without a second thought. Artoo stopped in the doorway, beeping something or other. He stopped listening when garbage droids were mentioned.

“Just dispose of it. Take it to a star if you must. I trust no one else with such a task,” he said, moving to leave. The droid had no choice but to hurry on his way.

Vader had barely made it to the doorway when R2-D2 was replaced with Leia. His daughter looked up at him, wringing her hands nervously. Perhaps patience was the true answer after all.

She took a deep breath as Vader ushered her in. “Father, I’ve been considering what I said to you and I wish to-” “I’m sorry,” Vader said, unable to let her say anything incriminating. “I understand that you do not hate me.” “I apologize too, dad,” she said, approaching him.

Vader moved to one knee, embracing her at her height. When he felt it was sufficient, he towered over her like it had never happened.

She no doubt had questions, so he elected to ask a few of his own. “What do you know of Ahsoka Tano?”

Confusion quickly turned to excitement on her face. “Just what I’ve heard. She’s- was your Padawan during the Clone Wars, but she defected before the betrayal at the end. One of the only Jedi to not betray the Republic.”

“Your knowledge is far from incomplete,” he said.

“It’s really too bad she decided to join the Rebels in the end. She was spared from the Jedi Purge, after all,” she said naively.

“I was incorrect, it seems. In the meantime, I wish to shorten my leash on you.”

“What do you mean?”

He hooked his thumbs into his belt. “You are becoming quite capable. I will allow you more freedoms should you not abuse them. I am only concerned with your safety.”

She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. “So what does that entail?”

A chance for her to strike her own path. Starting small appealed to him, though. “If memory serves, there is soon to be a party commemorating graduates of the Imperial Academy on Coruscant. We have received invites, should you wish to attend.”

“Will the Emperor be there?” she asked, though she wasn’t fearful.

“My presence is enough for him to find attending unnecessary,” he said, “I will, of course, be forced to give the commencement, but that is a sacrifice I’m willing to make for you.”

“Thank you for giving that up, father,” she said, rolling her eyes.

He turned away, clasping his hands behind him militaristically. “Your snark has returned full-force. Am I to assume you wish to attend this event?”

“Of course!” she beamed.

TWILIGHT II, HYPERSPACE

It took all of her strength to maintain her composure as she set down her comlink. Here she stood again, wracked with feelings of guiltiness about leaving Anakin.

Despite all of the evidence, all of the confirmations she’d received, the fact that Anakin Skywalker had become Darth Vader still did not want to register. It felt numbing to have one of the selfless people she knew become so selfish. Someone with so much soul so soulless. He was the best of the Jedi, and if he had fallen…

Ahsoka wanted to damn him for not answering her questions, but found herself unable to. All of the atrocity, and she was still willing to defend him, even in the confines of her mind. There was still good in him, she hoped, but that’s all it was. Hope that she would one day stop hearing stories about how vile he had become.

She could try to forgive him until the day she died, but never in her life would she forget. The Galaxy wasn’t soon to forget. Judging by his own reactions to what he had done, he wasn’t either.

In her life, she had learned that even the most powerful Force users were open to learning more about their gifts, but she was unsure that of the vast wealth of knowledge to be gained, anything could prepare her for what was to come.

Above all else. She did not want to do it alone. Unfortunately, the end of the Clone Wars signalled the end of many friends and allies. Not all, she hoped, as she entered the cockpit of the Twilight II.

Luke seemed unsettled, but made no mention of it. “Good timing. Just made it to Seelos.”

“I’m going to need you to trust me,” she said, thankful tears hadn’t left their mark. “And trust who we might meet, no matter what.”

He swiveled around, confused. “What do you mean by that?”

She folded her arms. “The end of the Clone War was… chaotic. Its mark has had a lasting effect on the Galaxy. Especially on those who fought in it.”

His face painted one of confusion. “You think this friend of yours might turn out to be… unfriendly?”

“I hope not. I haven’t seen him in a few years,” she explained. In fact, she didn’t even know if he was alive, let alone still here.

She held out faith, all things considered. If there was one thing she refused to do, it was giving up on friends. She’d done enough of that. Soon a faint beeping caught her attention.

Ahsoka slid into the seat adjacent to him, in front of a monitor. “Looks like we got a lock on one of his old signals. Head there,” she said, sending the data to the navicomputer.

They skimmed over the salt flats toward a billowing column of smoke, but neither were concerned about a fire somewhere so inflammable. As they approached, they discovered a scavenged monument to the Clone Wars chugging along at a lazy pace. It came to a stop as they halted their own speed.

They brought the ship down at the tail of the old walker. Luke lingered behind for a moment seeing the figures that emerged onto the makeshift patio of the AT-TE. Ahsoka took no such time, as she knew these two. It almost seemed normal that the one with the graying sideburns pointed a rifle at her. She grimaced.

“Wolffe, put it down!” the bald clone in the undershirt said, cautiously approaching him.

“She’s- Here for revenge!” Wolffe shouted desperately.

Ahsoka put her hands up, glancing at Luke to signal him to do the same. “I promise that’s not the case. I’m just here to check on Rex. He hasn’t answered any of my messages.”

Wolffe swallowed, lowering his blaster. “Yeah… I- I know.”

Ahsoka had a bad feeling about how he’d said that. “I don’t like the sound of that. Is he alright, Gregor?”

“As far as I know!” Gregor said, awkwardly laughing. He seemed nervous, and that contributed to Ahsoka’s unsettling feeling.

“You weren’t supposed to come here,” Wolffe said, guilt overcoming him. “He never got your messages… I’ve been keeping them from him.”

Gregor looked at his fellow clone. “What?”

“To protect him! And you! The less contact the better! If the Empire found out how complicit we were with traitors to it…” he frantically said. Vader came to mind, and she looked away for a moment.

Ahsoka put her arms down, as his words stung. It was best to simply move forward. “It’s okay. I understand, but that’s not important right now. I just need to talk to him.”

The clones looked at one another, and that did nothing to lessen her sinking feeling.

“He’s uh- Not exactly here,” Gregor admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “Of course, the one day you come to visit, it’s his turn to get supplies!”

“When will he be back?” she asked. She’d wait as long as it took, and the clones seemed to get that picture.

Wolffe tapped a mechanism with his boot, and a ladder fell before them. “Around nightfall.”

No words were exchanged as they took up their silent offer.

THE DEVASTATOR, CORUSCANT

It stunned Vader just how much Leia resembled his late wife. Her mother, he remembered, as he stood in the hall watching her exit her quarters. With her elaborate dress and hair tied up extravagantly in loops behind her, she wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Senate Building.

“How do I look?” she asked from the passenger seat of the speeder.

“Wonderful,” he admitted after a pause.

Judging by how she was playing with her fashionable cloak, he was hiding his anguish well. Vader was just glad he’d lasted this long before she began to become more fashion-conscious. It painful enough when he saw his mother’s ghost on her face, now Padmé’s was there too more and more.

She furrowed her brow. He averted his gaze from her defiant, Padme-like behavior. “Is that an unbiased opinion, or..?”

“I will never not hold bias toward you,” he said, sure to eliminate doubt. That was simply impossible. “Your choice in clothing is fitting, and that is what concerns me…”

“Black is a nice color,” she said, fluttering her mantle. “I’m biased too, after all.”

“Remember-,” he said, for what probably seemed like to her the millionth time. She rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, I know!” she said, adjusting her hair. “Don’t get too friendly, and be aware of my lightsaber. I doubt that’ll be a problem with everyone wondering why I’ve got a hydro-cylinder at my hip.”

“Are you sure that is what you wish to wear?” he asked.

She looked down at the folds of her black dress, smoothing the frills down. “Of course. It’ll distract from the deadly weapon I’m carrying. Not to mention that people will take me seriously! I hope.”

“Is the mantle absolutely necessary? I am unsure if bringing attention to you as my daughter is a wise decision…” he said, remaining steady at the controls of their speeder.

“No one’s going to do anything stupid in the heart of the Empire. Why are you wanting me to convince you? If you really thought this was too bad of an idea-”

”Perhaps I hoped you would fare wiser than I.”

PALACE PRECINCT, CORUSCANT

By her calculations, they only had a few moments before arriving at the palace. She could see it in the skyline, standing out among the rest of the ecumenopolis. Everytime she came here, she found something new to appreciate about the city planet. On this occasion, it seemed the sunset had elicited her appreciation.

Her father had sped past the valets, bringing their speeder down at a speed she had begrudgingly come to accept.

Leia could sense her father’s mixed feelings about this hangar. She probed her surroundings, as she had recently learned, and came to an abrupt stop. Leia gripped her shoulders, resisting the urge to shiver. Something was distinctly off, and it certainly wasn’t Sidious.

An urge to flee filled her body.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stopping ahead.

“It’s so cold. Something… bad happened here. I wonder why I’ve never felt it before?” she said, wishing she’d brought some more layers or something. She looked off into the distance briefly, swearing she’d seen something in her peripheral.

“Recently, you have become more conscious of the Force. More aware of your surroundings. The Emperor is not here to cloud your vision with his presence,” he said. She was unsatisfied. “Were you under the impression that the Jedi surrendered this place willingly..?”

“No. A lot of life was lost here,” she realized. The Jedi had been all wiped out, and she suddenly became aware of how young the training began.

“Focus on the present,” he said, beginning to walk.

Leia came after him shortly. “Right…”

In the main chamber, the party was in full swing. She shortly discovered a new horror here.

Somehow, this seemed just as bad as Mos Eisley had been, but on a different scale. She felt small, and that had nothing to do with her lower than average height. It seemed everyone had joined a flock and was accordingly mingling. Everyone here was made up, untouchably fancy like in some holovid. No one was wearing black, she quickly noticed, not even the uniformed officers.

Vader stopped this time, surprising her. “The Emperor is here.”

She just couldn’t place it. “Why would he..?”

She recognized the slight quirk in his breathing that occurred when he found something difficult to explain. “He has merely subdued his presence. Panic in the crowd is less useful than fear,” he declared. “Remain steady.”

Anger began to stew within her father, and it was palpable.

“Let’s just get this over with,” she said.

Her father wordlessly agreed. They soon waded through the crowd, turning heads as they went. Luckily, it seemed most everyone was more than willing to make way for her father. Hardly anyone noticed the small girl trailing after him.

After a short walk up a staircase and into some kind of sitting room above the proceedings, they found the Emperor. He was conversing with several old men less decrepit than himself. Few, if any of them expressed anything but indifference at her father.

Vader lowered his head slightly.

“Welcome, my friends,” Sidious said, acknowledging them. “I trust you are enjoying the party?” “We just arrived,” her father said.

He made something resembling a displeased face. “Feel no obligation to me tonight. This celebration merely takes place here.”

“Very well, my Master.”

Leia next said something she probably should not have, but it immediately came to mind. “Why build your palace out of the old Jedi Temple? Can’t you feel the death? Doesn’t it bother you?”

Eyes in his entourage went wide. Her father wordlessly inclined his head toward her.

Sidious let out a chilling laugh that echoed throughout the room. He made a vague motion with his hands that resulted in his red guard leading the rest of the old men out of the room.

“She knows not of what she speaks, Master,” Vader said, sending a bad feeling into her gut.

“Then all the more reason to educate her. The lives taken here fuel the Dark Side Nexus deep beneath this Temple. Yes, I’m afraid the Jedi, in their arrogance, built their greatest hub above a Sith Shrine stolen from us millenia ago,” he said. “Of course, reclaiming it was an excellent outcome of their betrayal.”

Leia’s anxiety quickly dissipated, but the usual uneasiness from breathing the same air as him remained. Really, with the way her father talked about him, she was expecting to be electrocuted. “Why couldn’t you have reclaimed it… peacefully? Surely there was some use for the Jedi.”

“Before their betrayal, I assume you mean? While not an illegal practice, being Sith was frowned upon,” he said. “I assume that is why they believed they could forcibly remove me, a lawfully elected official, with little to no repercussions.”

While she appreciated these bits of history, she felt it was leading up to yet another explanation of the Empire’s founding. He seemed to sense her apprehension as he waved his hand.

“I have taken you from the celebration for much too long. I know your father allows himself no such frivolities, but what use is youth if it isn’t being used to be youthful?” Sidious asked, ushering them toward the door.

Vader and Leia were exchanged for Palpatine’s aides, and found themselves above the crowd. “That was foolish of you,” he said to his daughter.

“Maybe, but what’s he going to do to me?” she asked, leaning on the railing.

Her father was silent far longer than she liked. “Exercise caution or you will suffer. Do not become complacent.”

Leia swallowed. “Alright, I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Make an effort,” he said. After a pause, the mood shifted considerably. “Why do you remain? Did you not come here to make friends?”

She rolled her eyes. “Putting it like that sounds childish. I’m here to socialize! Network!”

“Yet here you stand, above the proceedings,” Vader said.

“Okay, then I’m going!” she said, making her way down the stairs without looking back.

The crowd at large didn’t seem to take notice. At the very least they lost track of her, however, after a short while, a teenager in an elaborate blue gown approached her, nose turned in self importance. Leia didn’t want to fall victim to the age-old adage of judging a holobook by its cover, but by the Force she came close.

“Forgive me if I may be so bold, but what is your name?” she asked, making no effort to conceal her brown nose.

Leia raised a brow. “It’s Leia. I don’t see how that would be offensive.”

That seemed to give her some comfort. The young woman’s demeanor seemed to shift to something a bit more smug, if that was possible.

“It’s the polite thing to say. I’ve never seen you at any event, yet there you were, in good favor with both the Emperor and his chief enforcer. Indulge my curiosity?”

“I’m his daughter,” she said. “Vader’s,” she amended, shortly after the girl’s went ghostly pale. That seemed to bring some of the panic to a manageable level.

After composing herself, she spoke. “I was unaware Lord Vader had a daughter.”

That wasn’t surprising to her at this point. “Less assassins when he isn’t flaunting me around.”

“Quite,” she admitted. “My mother is just a planetary governor, which makes her just high up enough to not be targeted.”

There existed a brief and awkward moment where she had nothing to say. “Oh, forgive me. I forgot to ask for your name,” Leia said.

“Dena Lerrax,” she replied, relieved. She made a curt bow that Leia returned. “So where did you get your hair done? Dek Slivek’s Salon did mine. With those arms, it’s as if Besalisks were created with hairdressing in mind.”

Leia reached a hand to her hair. “I did it mostly myself, but I have a droid to help.”

Dena’s face curled into disgust. “You’d let a droid that close to your head?”

“Yes?” she asked in confusion. The Clone Wars were a recent memory for the Galaxy, but she figured someone in the upper echelons of society would recognize the difference between the droid classes. Then again, her father was a total gearhead.

“That’s what aliens are for. Or poor people,” Dena explained. ‘Don’t you have servants too?”

“No,” As if a switch had been flipped, all of Leia’s interest left the conversation. Instead, disgust welled up within her, barely showing on her face. She did a mental double take to ensure she’d heard right. “I’m not familiar with high Imperial society. Is that how… most people here think?”

“Yes, of course. We’re all human, aren’t we? I will admit that at least a droid won’t attempt to steal your valuables, but that’s hardly a price to pay for automated destruction.”

Leia briefly closed her eyes, exhaling to quiet herself. “Excuse me,” she said, not waiting for a reply. She walked to a far corner where she could still see Dena through the crowd. The Moff’s daughter now had a cup in her hand and seemed to be fraternizing with some other attendees her age.

It didn’t take much effort at all to upturn the glass with the Force, spilling whatever beverage onto her dress. Admittedly she felt no better or less disgusted as Dena frantically tried to get the giant stain off of her. Maybe she wouldn’t worry about a servant stealing it now.

“You have the Force,” someone said.

She whipped around to see a girl wearing far too many colors for her taste coming from behind a pillar. “Uh…”

“Amilyn Holdo, and your secret is safe with me,” she said, nodding matter-of-factly.

Leia avoided eye contact as if it were a plague. Instead she focused on the girl’s pink hair. “Well, it's not really a secret, but… I probably shouldn’t have done that.”

“Dena is in the Legislative Youth Program with me, and she’s a jerk. Is that a lightsaber?” she asked.

This Amilyn was eccentric, and that was just her first impression. Leia was stunned by her boldness, though the girl probably didn't even know it was bold. “Yeah, actually. I’m surprised anyone born after the Empire could recognize it.”

“It’s obviously not a hydro-cylinder. We’re at a party in the Imperial Palace- there’s plenty to drink here,” she said matter-of-factly. “So what color is it?”

Leia blinked a few times in disbelief, but Amilyn continued smiling expectantly. “Blue.”

“You know, if you are a Jedi, you don’t have to tell me. I’m from Gatalenta, and we haven’t forgotten them,” she said conspiratorially, adding a wink for extra effect.

That admission earned Amilyn another visual inspection from Leia. She was under the impression Gatalentans were drab people, and the one before her was dressed in colors offensive to the eye. “You’re Gatalentan? But you’re so… colorful!”

“Says the girl dressed for a funeral,” Amilyn said with a laugh. Leia couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m kind of short if you hadn’t noticed. I figured the black would make me look older. You know, more serious,” she admitted.

She shrugged. “You have a name?”

“Leia Vader.”

“Wait…” Amilyn said. Leia began to write their friendship off as a loss. “Vader as in… Oh…” she pieced together.

Leia cringed expectantly. “Yeah…”

“I bet you aren’t scared of anything, then,” she said, and Leia was once more gobsmacked.

“Not of stuff like kidnappers,” she said after a pause.

Amilyn took a moment to absorb her answer as seriously as possible. “Is he a droid?”

Leia had to process that question for longer than she liked.

“No.”

TUURENBO SALT PLAINS, SEELOS

Luke didn’t know exactly what to think about the clones. Specifically, Wolffe. Even to the admittedly untrained boy, he seemed too jumpy. It freaked him out. Ahsoka had told him that war left scars on everyone, sometimes invisible ones.

Gregor’s were more visible. He was fun, if a bit unhinged. He’d been in some kind of accident near the end of the Clone War. The clone had just finished teaching him the controls for the AT-TE’s cannon, but he couldn’t find himself able to get into the mood.

“What’s the problem?”

“A big cannon is cool and all, but flying is more my style,” he said with a smirk. The sky called to him. It was his namesake.

“Get your head out of your cockpit and live a little! I would’ve done anything to fire a bad boy like this when I was a cadet!” he said.

Luke whipped around. “Fire?”

Gregor nodded after a laugh. “Just find a spot out in the wastes and fire. Not like we have anything to use the ammo on. Off-season for hunting, you know!”

He shrugged. The ability to blow something sky high wasn’t exclusive to a ship. Luke angled the cannon, deciding to eyeball a target before using the targeting screen.

“There’s something coming at us!” he realized as he saw a dust cloud rapidly approaching.

The old clone hopped up onto the cannon, using a hand to block the sun. “Rex is back! Sorry, no explosions today, or he’ll have my hide!”

Luke returned to the default forward position before hopping off. “Let’s get Ahsoka.”

His mind raced as they entered the tank proper. Ahsoka had spoken sparingly of her old friend before. Given the reverence she’d given him, he always assumed Rex was dead. Then again, he supposed, she might not have been sure until today.

Ahsoka was waiting with Wolffe inside, and both made a move for the rear. They’d detected their old friend and new ally probably sooner than he had visually. They all stood on the balcony, watching Rex’s speeder become larger and larger.

“Gregor!” he shouted from a distance. “Get down here and give me a hand with-“

His master and her friend made eye contact as he came to a stop behind the vehicle. Ahsoka wasted no time in slipping under the railing and to the ground below. “Rex.”

“Commander,” the old clone said, pleasantly surprised. “Is there a-“

Ahsoka embraced him tightly, and Luke got the distinct idea that this was going to turn out alright.

“I’m glad you’re still alive,” he said quietly.

“You too,” she replied, breaking away and putting her hands on his shoulders.

Wolffe and Gregor dispersed back into the AT-TE, and he was about to before Rex stopped him.

“Who’s the youngling?”

“Come say hello, Luke,” Ahsoka said, folding her arms. “Captain Rex of the Grand Army of the Republic.”

He definitely picked up on her lack of his last name. Ahsoka had mentioned going by a fake name, Lars, because his own was too recognizable. Just like his lightsaber. Luke got the idea she would tell him later, when the others weren’t around to even possibly eavesdrop, but he wasn’t sure.

He was almost embarrassed with how much he had thrown his name around back on base. Luckily most members of their cell just saw him as that Jedi kid, only some of the higher ups knew him as more than Luke.

A small part of him was shameful regarding hiding his history.

Rex thoroughly scrutinized him as he climbed down the ladder. “Hello,” he said. “I’m Ahsoka’s apprentice.”

His eyes went straight to Luke’s hip. “That lightsaber…”

Luke unclipped it, holding it out to allow for further examination. Rex traced a finger over one of the scuffs. Their omission of a surname was definitely for the other clones. It was not curiosity that lit up Rex’s face as he examined the weapon. It was recognition. Luke was at least sure of that.

“I need your help, Rex. We never should have split up,” Ahsoka said, and he was curious as to how this would go. The clone seemed to be looking through him.

“I know,” he said. “We’re in danger just being alive.”

There were… definite gaps in the old stories he’d heard. Rex, his father, and the others took center stage in some, and suddenly just Ahsoka in others. That made it easy to make a timeline. He couldn’t blame her though. There was a good reason she didn’t talk about the end of the Clone War. Several, really.

Rex handed him back the lightsaber, giving him a knowing smile. Still, his eyes were distant. Pained. “So what’s the mission?”

“Same as usual,” she offered with a smile. “Love to have you watching my back.”

The clone looked back at the walker. “Of course, Commander.”

SENATE DISTRICT, CORUSCANT

“Did you find the festivities to be enjoyable?” Vader asked during a lull in Coruscanti traffic. He didn’t have to do anything but stand, which was much to his liking.

“Only at the end. It feels like I met one good person in the entire building,” she said. No doubt the colorful girl he'd seen her conversing with before he decided they’d be leaving.

Vader was even more satisfied with that. “Politicians and those they fraternize with are often untrustworthy. Rarely you will find friendship”

“It’s like they live in a different universe,” she remarked. “But then again, so do I…”

He tipped his head toward her. He was glad she seemed to see that politics were a waste of time under a dictatorship. “What is your meaning?”

“My home planet is a volcanic hellscape. I’ve spent most of my life in space,” she said.

He gripped the yoke tightly. Necessary sacrifices for her safety. “Unfortunately you were never destined to live a normal life.”

“Well, at least you’ve always been there,” she admitted. “That counts for a lot.”

“It is important to keep those you love close,” he said.

She sighed deeply, turning away from his sight.

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

Vader turned his head to her. What was visible of her face painted a picture of nervousness. “Why?”

“I want to go to school here,” she said, biting her lip.

“Is that so?” he said. Logistics aside, he was genuinely curious.

Leia took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I really don’t have any friends my age. Or at all. Artoo doesn’t count. I want to learn more about the Galaxy. I felt like a total rube tonight. I know nothing.”

He’d protest about how close she’d be to Palpatine, but he knew distance hardly mattered when you were actively in the sights of such a powerful man. Coruscant was an excellent place for humans in the ruling class, but he had no doubt his daughter would be able to find trouble.

“You are certain about this?”

“Yes.”

Vader waited a few breath cycles before laying down his verdict. “Very well, I will arrange for you to begin schooling here under certain conditions.”

“Yes!” she exclaimed. “What are they?”

“I will increase the difficulty of your training. When I deem you ready to defend yourself I will allow you to live here.”

“Okay,” she said, a little less excited.

“I will not show bias in judging your progress. Your life will be at stake.”

“Uh…”

“Not to mention you will have a caretaker while I am away, and a security detail,” he said, imagining a group similar to the one his wife traveled with. Handmaidens and body doubles just seemed obvious.

“Is that really necessary?” she said, no doubt imagining several babysitting Stormtroopers following her around.

How shortsighted she was. A Skywalker trait. “Absolutely. Just by being born you have many enemies.”

“Can’t I just take Artoo?”

He slightly inclined his head toward her. “I would concern yourself with meeting my requirements instead of negotiating conditions.”

She drew a long sigh, sliding down in her seat. “So, they’ll eventually be open for discussion?”

Vader paused for a few seconds.

“No.”

“I figured.”

Chapter Text

9 BBY

TWILIGHT II, HYPERSPACE

It felt like old times in the past day that he’d been around Ahsoka again. It was something like a dream. The differences were there, sure, but at its core, he was traveling around with a Jedi and an apprentice. It took him back to Christophsis, though Luke was certainly more well-behaved than Ahsoka had been.

He had been happy to go through the motions, but there were questions burning in his mind.

Rex was afraid that he already knew the answers to what he wanted to ask. Surely, if General Skywalker was alive, he would have been here. Ahsoka would have found him again sooner. If this boy were the General’s, then someone would have said something.

“I’m not going to skirt around it any longer. Is he still around?” Rex asked. He was apprehensive.

“Who?” Luke asked.

Ahsoka stopped in her tracks.

Rex cleared his throat. “General Skywalker.”

“Oh,” Luke said in embarrassment. “My dad’s not around.”

Rex couldn’t fight his slight smile. It was true, then. This was Anakin’s son.

“I’m sorry, son. It’s a damn shame. Anakin Skywalker was among the finest of the Jedi. It’s my greatest honor to have served with him and Ahsoka during the war.”

Ahsoka laid a hand on the doorway to the cockpit.

“That’s what everyone says. I really wish I could have met him,” Luke said, eyes full of wonder, she was sure.

“I’m sorry, Rex. I should have said something sooner. I just… didn’t know how to tell you. Obi-Wan is alive too,” she said.

“That’s a relief. “He let out a chuckle. He was no better than her, after all. He’d struggle to get it out too, he imagined. “Is anyone else..?”

“Everyone else is gone. I only recently confirmed the deaths of Masters Plo and Unduli. Oh, and the icing on top? Maul’s alive.”

“So he went back to his Master?” Rex asked, displeasure written on his face.

“No, he’s still a rogue element. Obi-Wan and I encountered Sidious’ apprentice. Darth Vader,” Ahsoka said.

Luke scowled at the name.

“Great. Still three of them,” Rex said.

“Not to mention the Inquisitors,” Luke chimed in. “But they’re chumps compared to Sith.” “Somehow, I think we’ll manage,” Ahsoka said. “We’ve come this far.”

And he’d be with them the entire journey.

8 BBY

FORTRESS VADER, MUSTAFAR

Several weeks had gone by, and he was pleasantly surprised with her progress. Leia was determined to shatter his expectations and move to Coruscant for schooling, that much was clear. Vader was slightly perturbed about her desire to get it done quickly, but her impatience went hand in hand with her youth.

It wasn’t as if he’d been any less foolhardy.

Vader looked down at her from the walkway above the training room, watching her like a Nexu. Leia was blindfolded, concentrating on the scenario before her. Despite his biases he was impressed. Even the distraction of the Mustafarian heat didn’t stop her from sending every bolt of energy back at the remotes firing at her. Perhaps it was skill, perhaps she had merely grown complacent.

“Leia,” he said, prompting her to turn up to look at him. No sooner had she flipped up her blindfold than the training droid landed a shot at her back.

“Ow!” she cried, slicing the droid in half.

“Do not focus anywhere but the battlefield,” he said, folding his arms. Complacency it was, then.

She scoffed frustratedly in his direction, circling around the two remaining. The target she aimed for when redirecting the bolt was not the remote, but him.

A simple wave of his hand directed it to the wall next to his shoulder.

Leia dashed forward, taking the remotes out with a single stroke. “If you can move it, you can move out of the way.”

“Far less impressive,” he said. For what was the purpose of something if not to use it?

She rolled her eyes defiantly, wiping her forehead free of sweat. “So do I pass yet?”

“No,” he said, mostly to antagonize her.

“What?!” she screeched. “That’s the tenth time today you’ve made me do that drill! And it’s been that way for a week.”

Unbeknownst to her, she would have passed had she not allowed for a lapse in her concentration. The time before that she paused to wipe sweat from her face. Two drills ago she caught her boot on a seam between durasteel panels. Clumsiness to be eradicated.

“It won’t be the last time, either,” he said, motioning forward with his hand. Three more remotes came from the wall. “Again.”

As soon as she blinded herself again, he used the Force to move the remotes behind her. Leia still advanced forward, ignorant of the droids behind her. Then, she corrected it. He would have been most disappointed had she not seen right through it and turned around.

The remotes jerked forward at her command, and the closest was caught by a wild lightsaber swing. A second remote was downed by a deflected shot from the third one, which she was able to identify and destroy quickly by the next two shots.

She was lucky that the first one didn’t rocket into her forehead. Timing was important. A second later or sooner with the swing and she’d be nursing a bruise.

“Adequate,” was his appraisal. “While yours is… rudimentary, creative thinking can make up for a lack of brute strength.”

“Well what was wrong this time?” she asked, pulling her blindfold up.

Vader merely pointed beyond her, to a remote he had discretely activated moments prior.

Leia effortlessly deflected its blasts, turning back to him. “Nice try, but I didn’t sense it.”

Vader made a fist, crushing the remote to bits. “You are correct. Your intuition serves you well, Leia.”

“Does that mean I’m ready?” she carefully asked.

He allowed her a moment to catch her breath.

“You have been,” he said, much to her chagrin. “I see little in you that repetition will not fix. Not to mention that arrangements do not materialize out of thin air.”

She extinguished her saber, leaping up to the platform. Her aim was not the best, and she was forced to accept his hand in pulling her over the railing. “So, what, this is all part of a routine? One that I’m to maintain?”

Vader began to walk, marching them to the castle’s hangar. “Yes. Of course, I will make adjustments to your training over time. This is your final chance to back out.”

He could sense her grin due to the tone of her voice. “No way!”

He smirked under the mask. “Good. I have arranged for an interview at the Galactic Youth Academy- the child you befriended attends there. They will no doubt accept you,” he said.

Her footsteps slowed to a crawl behind him. “Oh, already? This is moving kind of quickly.”

“I would think you would be pleased with the speed of these events, given how incessantly you have been reminding me of them,” he said, pausing for a moment. “The apartment awaits.”

Leia jogged in front of him, walking backwards to stare at him with a raised eyebrow. “And the security detail? Is it just Artoo?”

They arrived in the hangar, and he hoped she would be able to answer that question on her own. A detachment of Death Troopers guarded the black J-Type 327 Nubian he kept here. His wife’s ship. He’d spent the better part of ten years modifying it. Restoring was a more accurate word, as he’d practically destroyed in-atmosphere it the first time he’d been back to Mustafar since his duel. A regrettable choice, in hindsight.

“Seriously? Deathtroopers? I can’t even understand them,” she protested.

He ignored her protests, boarding the ship. It wasn’t as if they were speaking anything but garbled basic- which could be easily turned off. Leia and the troopers followed suit, though only his daughter followed to the cockpit.

“Captain Natha will serve as your aide and chief of security,” he said, motioning to the uniformed woman at the controls.

She immediately stood up and saluted. “It’s an honor to have you in my care.”

“You can sit down- you don’t need to tiptoe around me,” Leia said, sitting down next to her. “I get that my father can be intimidating.”

And that was how he liked it. His appearance alone could keep those lacking a backbone away.

“Yes, milady.”

“Just Leia,” she offered with a warm smile.

Vader set a hand on each of the seats. “I did not choose you at random. Continue to perform at or above your current level, and you have nothing to fear,” he said, mostly for Leia.

He’d already grilled and vetted the officer extensively, coming to the conclusion she could be trusted. He’d indirectly saved her life on a mission leading to a degree of respectful loyalty. Loyalty that would triumph that she felt to the Emperor.

For her sake.

SENATE APARTMENT COMPLEX, CORUSCANT

“Well, I’m pretty sure this is it,” Leia said, stopping halfway down the exit ramp. Vader continued taciturnly toward the sculpture of his late wife’s face obstructing the landing platform entrance to their former apartment. It was a detailed likeness.

There was a great deal he was suppressing for her sake. “Hm,” was his simple response.

She concentrated with the Force, sliding the emplacement out and away from the doorway, more to impress him than for the sake of convenience. If excessive praise wouldn’t have gone to her head, he’d have been the most vocally supportive parent in the universe. Unfortunately she was a Skywalker. Leia waited for the dust to settle in order to enter.

Vader followed shortly after, at his own pace. The Deathtroopers accompanying them stopped at the entrance to guard it. Although everything had a dust cover placed over it, he could recognize every piece of it. He realized the last time he’d been here, he’d been fresh from the Purge at the Jedi Temple, on his way to Mustafar. Funny, he thought, how they had just come from there.

Fate was as funny as it was cruel.

Leia took her time appraising the living room, framing several spots with her fingers from a distance.

She nodded. “I think the place suits me. What do you think?”

“It will make an excellent staging ground to and from the Academy, and nothing else,” he said sternly.

It went without saying that he was uneasy regarding this bout of independence, no doubt caused by knowledge of what her mother had been doing at her age. He could admit he’d stifled her, but not without reason. Now he was powerful enough to protect her, even if he wasn’t there. Not to mention the strides she’d been taking in her training.

Vader followed her, running his hand over a counter, lines being drawn through the dust. Distant memories long past came to the forefront of his mind, and they stayed there.

“You called this… home,” Padmé’s voice echoed. A whisper of the past.

He felt alone here, despite the people around him. It took all of his effort to bottle his feelings so Leia would remain unaware.

“I’m actually liking the furniture,” Leia said, uncovering one of the sofas.

More and more flashes of memories came to his mind. A kiss shared here, an embrace there. He blinked a few times as his eyes burned. It was difficult to distinguish them from reality, a stormy sea of recollections crashing over him.

“Redecorating will be no issue,” he muttered. He wasn’t sure he could make a habit of returning here if the objects that had been imprinted stayed.

She poked her head into the bedroom. “I don’t know, father. This bed looks especially comfy. Is this Convor down?!”

“Yes, but,” He whipped his head to her, holding out a hand to shut the door with the Force. “That must go.”

Leia turned around and began to prod at him remotely. Vader averted his gaze as she caught on. “Is there something wrong?”

Vader approached her, guiding her to the bedroom with a hand on her shoulder. With his free hand he gestured vaguely to the bed. “Do you feel anything here?”

She hesitated for a moment and looked at him before reaching out a hand to channel the Force. Leia immediately recoiled and backed up into his arms. She turned up to look at him with horror. “It’s so cold… It’s like the room has feelings, and they’re hurt.”

Those were his feelings a time ago. “It is not uncommon for impressions to be left by Force users on their environment. When I last slept in this bed I was plagued with terrible nightmares. Ones that… altered my fate and the fate of the Galaxy. We will replace the furniture to mitigate the echoes.”

Leia agreed with a stern nod. “I’ll request that the Captain summons a decorator.”

Vader helped her to her feet, giving an approving nod as they returned to the sitting room. By then, though, he’d lost her attention. He was glad her reaction hadn’t been more severe. Although, he had no idea exactly what she’d experienced.

Surely she would have said something if it was worse than that. If she saw his dreams.

She nodded absentmindedly, engrossed with how she could make the place hers. He took advantage of the lull, stopping Captain Natha on the veranda. “I am soon to depart. Do not make yourselves comfortable. Send for a scanning crew to ensure the security of the apartment.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

Vader decided to focus on his mission, idly speeding through Coruscant traffic at speeds anyone lesser would have been dead going. It was a mix of wanting to get back to his daughter and in the pursuit of thrills. He did, however, exercise much more caution as he brought the speeder down in a lot.

Completely uncaring of the terror of the citizens around him, he stormed to the entrance of the Galactic Youth Academy. It was considered to be among the greatest preparatory schools for students not on military career paths. At least, that was what the holonet and his men told him. Palpatine hadn’t been consulted. Vader was unwilling to let the Sith guide her path as much as he had.

He came to a stop in front of the gates, where the Stormtrooper standing vigilant outside saluted him. There was a slight tremble to the man.

He folded his arms. “You guard this facility. What can you say of the students it produces?” he asked.. If anyone had an… unfavorable opinion of the school, it would be the faceless ones who kept the inhabitants safe. The thankless workers.

He drilled holes into his boots while preparing his thoughts. “Uh… Well- It produces a lot of thinkers. Y’know, everything from doctors to lawyers. The ones who people like us keep safe,” he said. “Uh- forgive me-”

He waved a hand. “No, we are alike in that aspect. Tell me of the undesirable aspects.” The trooper exhaled deeply. “I don’t think it has anything worse to it than any other private school. You know,” he shrugged. “Kids of higher class politicians or officers think they own the place. Lord it over the ones who didn’t pay to get here, like the scholarship students.”

“Speak freely.”

The Stormtrooper looked around before leaning slightly closer. “The dean is pretty much at the whim of the richer parents.”

Vader tilted his helmet in acknowledgement. “Thank you, trooper.”

“Yes sir,” he said, nodding. Vader stood there expectantly. “Oh!” he cried, opening the gate for the Dark Lord. “My apologies.”

He merely waved it away. His tendency to strike fear and awe into the hearts of practically anyone he encountered happened often enough that he was used to it hindering him in certain situations. While he was no stranger to violence, he had standards for when such brutality was necessary. He certainly took no joy in it.

Vader had the sense to mask his presence as he entered the swarming hive of children and their educators. It, like most of the Empire, was dull and gray like a storm cloud. Although, it lacked certain prefabricated elements standard in post-Republic architecture.

The receptionist didn’t look up from her typing as he came to a stop in front of her window. “I’ll be with you in a moment. If this is about a tuition or meal allowance payment, please come tomorrow.”

“I wish to transfer a student here. Is the dean present?”

“You’re going to need an-” she froze, seemingly noticing the black mass in front of her. She looked up, eyes wide. “D- Darth- Darth Vader?” she asked, utterly confused.

“The dean,” he reiterated.

“Yep. Yes. Uh- he’s,” she pointed, the words failing her. “At the end of the- uh…” “The hall,” he supplied, taking a turn into the administrative wing and heading to the door at the end of the hall. Dean Altmun occupied this room, if the sign to the right was any indication. Rather than barging in, he opted to politely rap on the durasteel.

His mechanical limbs made a louder sound than expected, if the reply was anything to go by. “Come in!” a man said impatiently.

Vader did as he was told, inviting himself into the office. Awards and family holos adorned the shelves filled with books. The color in Altmun’s round face drained. “You’re not the librarian.”

“That is correct.”

The man paused before looking down at his shirt, smoothing the wrinkles, and standing up. “It’s an honor, Lord Vader. I thought you’d be coming at the beginning of the next semester. No offense, it’s just, we could have had a ceremony, a proper-”

Vader stopped him with a hand. “That would be unnecessary. I am only here to oversee a transfer.”

The man raised his brow. “That’s the thing- I thought this would regard enrollment, not a transfer. Although, I suppose my surprise is entirely my fault- I didn’t discuss the date! We don’t allow transfers this late into the semester.”

“There is a first time for everything,” Vader countered.

Altmun seemed to be getting the picture Vader was painting. “That’s right, my Lord,” he said quickly. “I’ll get the forms in order. Ah- You didn’t mention who would be joining us.”

Vader raised a hand, ensuring the door was locked. “My daughter. I expect I will find you… accommodating.”

The dean looked as if he would be sick. His hair was thinning, but by the end of this conversation, surely he would be completely bald. “Of course,” he said after a pause, his voice distant.

“You have no reason to fear, so long as you do not endanger her,” he said, the color returning to Altmun’s face. “I have heard rumors about your allegiances and how easily they can be swayed…” “If the school is to remain funded, I have no choice but to bend to the will of donors,” he said truthfully. Vader detected a tinge of anguish.

Observing the walls, he found many certificates and awards for feats in education. “I wish only the best for my daughter, and that includes her education. This establishment can and will be improved. Become impartial to the children of these donors, and I will match any lost funds. From now on, I am your primary ally, Dean Altmun.”

Altmun didn’t appear opposed to the idea. “Is there anything else you want me to do? Accelerate her-”

“No,” he said, ending the man’s thought. “She is already entitled to much. Other than her transfer, I require one additional privilege to be allowed.”

“Anything,” the man said, all too experienced in bending to the wills of parents.

Vader turned his lightsaber over in his hands. “You will allow her to carry her lightsaber on school grounds. It is part of our religion.”

The dean looked as if he was going to die of an ulcer then and there. “Is that… negotiable, Lord Vader?”

“No. I expect her to never use it, but the possibility of assassination remains.”

Altmun sighed, shaking his head. “We have security, and-”

“Your security is inadequate for those who truly wish harm. I was able to bypass your checks with no clearance merely because of my status,” Vader said.

Altmun slowly nodded. “You’re right. Alright, if it’s for religious purposes…”

“Very good, Dean Altmun. Shall we begin the transfer process?”

“Yes, take a seat.”

Vader didn’t.

“Uh…”

OxOxO

“A scout transmitter…” Vader said, holding the small disc between his thumb and forefinger.

That was precisely the last thing he expected a security sweep to find. Why exactly someone would wish to bug his deceased wife’s apartment eluded him.

“Yes, sir. I’ve taken the liberty of looping some ambient noise to the feed. Whomever it reports to won’t be aware it's been found until you’ve crashed down their door, I imagine,” Captain Natha reported. “And that’s not all. All of the security footage which should have been archived is gone.”

Perhaps he should have been more involved in the proceedings following his wife’s death. Clearly some of her friends were invested in her passing. She was a beloved woman, after all. The monument outside was one of numerous testaments to that. A bit flashy, but caring just the same.

“Have you traced its origin?” he asked, a storm brewing within his mind.

“The Naboo system, sir,” she said, keeping it brief. He was certain she could feel the air drop several degrees in temperature.

Of course.

The vase on the nearby caf table cracked just short of breaking.

“Father, did it go well?” Leia asked, and the room returned to normal.

Vader turned to her in the doorway, the thoughts and tumultuous feelings quieting. “Yes.” he said, which brought a new problem. Vader couldn’t be in two places at once. He gave the transmitter back to the Captain. “How long will it take for them to notice your tampering?”

“Perhaps half a day, assuming they reviewed the feed from before I discovered it. It is an older model, sir, so I wouldn’t discount the possibility that whomever placed it is long since interested in listening.”

It would have been the middle of the night on Naboo, assuming they weren’t on one of the moons.

“Forgive me. I will not be here tomorrow morning,” he said to Leia.

“Hm?” she mumbled. “That’s fine. It’s just school.”

But it was her first day. Something to be celebrated, something that all sentients went through, that all parents experienced. And then he realized the mundanity of it all. How he should’ve been free of the mask, of the Dark Side, sharing the moment with Padmé.

The vase fully crumbled.

She laughed in an awkward attempt to diffuse the situation. “I hated that vase anyway. Is something wrong?”

He paused for a few breath cycles, looking for the best way to phrase it. Eventually he realized it mattered little as long as the point got across, but he didn’t want to disappoint her all the same.

“I must track down a security threat,” Vader gave a datastick to Captain Natha. “This contains the pertinent details for her transition.”

“Well, good luck, and thank you,” Leia said.

He barely looked back to say goodbye, leaving through the main entrance rather than the platform with Padme’s ship. Vader made his way to one of the shared platforms where a shuttle had been brought to him. Artoo rolled down the ramp just as Vader passed without a word. The droid did not appreciate that, spouting curses to get him to stop.

/DON’T THANK ME OR ANYTHING,/ the droid beeped.

As useful as the droid was, he had certainly begun to wear down Vader’s patience. His enjoyment of such things had hardened over the years. “Any droid could prepare the ship for flight.”

/NOT EVERY DROID COULD DETECT A LISTENING DEVICE BEFORE A TRAINED SCANNING CREW./

So that was him, then. The droid had many unfavorable quirks but untruthfulness was not among them. “You have my thanks, then…”

/I’M FLATTERED,/ he beeped, rolling to the door. Vader set up the ramp before the droid stopped him again. /FETT HAILED YOU WHILE YOU WERE GONE./

“I would have guessed your programming would have prioritized that over shameless narcissism,” he said.

Artoo said something particularly unfavorable before continuing on. Vader did the same, eagerly approaching the comms unit. He stopped himself short of returning the call. Perhaps it would be best to get into space, he supposed. A small corner of his mind recognized it as an attempt to stall. He hadn’t heard from the bounty hunter since a report he’d narrowly missed them on Taris some time ago.

It was a mix of responsibility to Leia and his recognition of an inability to control himself should the news be unsavory

Vader had been negligent. Now he was reaping the rewards. In the panic to escape Tatooine, he’d overlooked the report from the Inquisitor stating that Obi-Wan had been with a child. There were a multitude of possibilities that were laid before him. Although, the most reasonable explanation was that it was difficult to find an apprentice in these times, and he’d simply made do with desert trash.

Reasonable was not satisfying. There was something he was missing.

It ate at him..

Like he had done numerous times before, he allowed himself to ponder.

Although unlikely, the child could have been Kenobi’s. The Mandalorian Duchess Satine had died long before the fall of the Jedi, and no one else had elicited that sort of attention from his old Master. That explanation didn’t answer the question of why he had chosen to hide with his step-family. Protection didn’t seem as likely. He’d indulged the possibility that Owen and Beru had a force-sensitive child since he’d seen them, some dozen years ago when his mother had died.

The console beeped at him and he let go of the yoke, unaware he’d been grasping so tightly.

Carefully he extended an arm to answer it, looking down at Boba Fett’s projection. “You have news, then?”

“Not much. Kenobi’s been laying low with the Rebellion lately. Got some names associated with the farmers he was staying with. Owen, Beru, and Luke Lars. That last one- the boy- is travelling around with some Togruta Jedi,” Fett reported.

Perhaps Kenobi felt some responsibility to keep them safe, given their connection to him. Still, it didn’t sit well. “Is this everything?”

“So far. Information gathering isn’t usually my style,” he said.

“That is all I have paid you to do,” Vader said. “Your contract is finished, bounty hunter. I will deal with them myself.”

“You sure you don’t want to get rid of some pocket change?”

“Quite,” he said, ending the transmission.

Now he just felt silly. All that time stewing for some insignificant boy. Obsessing once again over something that in reality turned out to be a waste of time.

He flew to Naboo, full of shame and loathing.

Chapter Text

8 BBY

SENATE APARTMENT COMPLEX, CORUSCANT

Highly trained commandos outside her room didn’t make her feel secure. Sure, they were to be trusted given that her father had chosen them, but what they were defending her against chilled her. The fact they were necessary terrified her. Someone coming to take her life was a real possibility now. Granted, she wouldn’t go down easy, but it was quite frightening to consider.

Then again, her father wouldn’t have allowed this song and dance if he wasn’t sure of her ability to at least defend herself. She hoped this wasn’t one of those times where his love for her blinded him.

After she’d gone about her waking routine, most of the thoughts that had kept her up were gone. Until she realized they were gone, of course, which began a cycle of remembering and forgetting.

Leia elected to forego her training until after school as a result. She was tired as it was. After showering she climbed sleepily into her new uniform. The tunic was long sleeved with a funnel collar, and the pants she tucked it into were equally mundane. Stripes ran down the sides of the sleeves and pants, the number denoting her year, she guessed. She almost forgot the lighter vest that went over the ensemble after mistaking it for a pillowcase. The only splash of color on the gray uniform was the school’s insignia above the code cylinder pockets- a blue bird.

She was infinitely grateful to all the higher powers of the universe that her favorite boots complied with the dress code- a dark maroon pair of fire-resistant lava eelskin boots from home. They were a gift from her father from some time ago, and perhaps she had chosen them because he was so far away. Leia was embarrassed to admit that she missed him already.

Captain Natha was raring to go, standing a reasonable distance from the door but waiting just the same. “Good morning, mi- Leia.”

“Good morning,” she yawned.

“Here you are,” she said, handing a code cylinder to her. “The droid just finished your breakfast. We should leave in half a standard hour.”

Leia eyed the thing before putting it in her pocket. “What’s this for?”

“It’s your dispensation. For your lightsaber,” she answered.

She grabbed her lightsaber from her hip in disbelief. “I wasn’t planning on taking this. It’s a dangerous weapon!”

Natha bowed her head. “Lord Vader predicted you’d say that. I am to keep you from attending if you don’t take it with you.”

Well, not using it went along with not bringing it. She’d just put it in her satchel and forget about it, then. Although she was certain that she’d never be able to stop thinking about it. “I’ll take it…”

“Very good,” she said. Leia could feel the stress building within the young woman.

She took a seat at the dining table where a simple breakfast of gartro eggs, assorted fruit, and a slice of bread. Leia mumbled gratitude to the housekeeping droid and began to scarf it down. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Yes, thank you,” she said, resigning herself to observe the Coruscanti traffic.

“Are you from the Core?” she asked after sipping from her glass of water.

The Captain turned to her after a pause. As if she hadn’t heard her. “Goodness, no. I’m from Bespin, in the Outer Rim.”

“What’s that like? Anything like here?”

“No, it’s a gas giant, so we live above the clouds in a habitable zone. Everything there is made of white synthstone and so very sleek. It’s a modern take on Alderaanian architecture,” she explained.

“Sounds beautiful,” she said dreamily. Even though it was the site she’s been held after her initial kidnapping, Alderaan held a place in her heart. When they came to her attention, she could spend hours looking at images of the snowy mountains, the graceful fauna, and just how elegant even the simplest building was.

“It is.”

Artoo came from one of the guest rooms, already trilling his usual greetings. He wasted no time in rolling up to the droid in the kitchen. Captain Natha’s ears went red as she averted her eyes from the two.

“These working conditions are outside my comfort parameters,” the droid said. Seeing a reprogrammed BX-Series Commando Droid being bullied by Artoo was nothing short of hilarious to her.

Leia couldn’t wipe the stupid and curious smirk off of her face. “What did he say?”

“Something… incredibly vulgar about 4A-J0’s inferiority to a ‘C-3PO.’ I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with a droid of that designation.”

“That doesn’t sound familiar to me either,” she said, wolfing down the rest of her meal. Artoo didn’t regularly get his memory wiped like other droids, to her knowledge. Of course, that wasn’t counting the year or so he’d erased himself. The year she’d been out of her father’s possession.

Artoo swiveled toward the captain, beeping slowly. “He says that’s for the best?”

“I guess I’ll never know.”

“Are you quite finished, Leia?” the droid asked.

She raised from her seat and handed her dishes to the droid. All the signs pointed that this would be a good day. It was a new beginning, and nothing would ruin it, despite the mynocks in her stomach.

NABOO

It wasn’t to be a pleasant experience. That much was evident from the moment he dropped out of hyperspace. The beacon was directing him to Naboo itself, not an orbiting body like Rori or Veruna.

The Force was being… uncooperative. Only flashes and feelings of what was to come came to him when he sought guidance. They all showed pain. If not for his daughter’s security, he might have called off the mission, sending only troopers to deal with the potential threat.

Wishful thinking, he realized as he honed in on the signal. He was coming upon a set of mountains housing a large valley. He hesitated to confirm it as the Lake Country, but eventually he could stomach it. Vader passed over an expansive waterfall, observing the Shaak grazing with disdain. All reminders of now bloodstained happy times.

As he approached the shore of one of the bigger, more familiar lakes, his sinking feeling increased. Still, he approached. In the name of his daughter’s safety. Dread nevertheless filled him as he came into proximity with the source of the signal- Varykino- the Naberrie family retreat among… other things.

Vader stabilized his TIE Advanced over the beach before climbing out and leaping feet first in the sand.

The place had become dilapidated, he realized, taking in the exterior’s state. It was crumbling as a result of its abandonment. Plantlife had made its home over the walls and through one of the broken windows. Even the beach was littered with driftwood and other debris. Time had not been kind to it. He wouldn’t either, he decided, storming to one of the entrances. He sent what was left of a door crashing to the opposite wall.

All of his momentum faltered when he arrived in the dining area. Though it was covered in moss, the dining table brought more than a few memories to his mind.

He found himself unable to quell his own recollections. Though he never had talent with psychometry, the Force echoed to him as he ran a hand over the table.

“Aggressive negotiations? What’s that?” Padmé giggled.

He recoiled as if it were poisonous, returning his hand to his side immediately. Out came his datapad, and he waved it around in an attempt to divulge the location of the scout transmitter.

It led him to the sitting room. The hearth hadn’t been lit for a lifetime. Vader brushed against the couch as he followed the signal.

“We can’t… it’s just not… possible,” she lamented. Another echo.

“Mn,” a grunt escaped his vocoder. It was almost painful how much he didn’t want to reminisce. His head throbbed.

When he was certain the room was clear, he absentmindedly followed the signal outside to a balcony. The balcony he’d been betrothed on. Vader accepted he was being distracted by his feelings, but he did not care. They merely fueled the dark fire within him. He reached out his hands to the railing slowly, as if they’d burn him.

Although the sun was far from setting, he was drawn to a time when it had been. When things were simpler. When he had been a foolish boy in love.

“Hands up,” a familiar voice said, although he was certain it was no vision or trick of the mind. Even the Force was not so cruel.

Unconcerned and optimistic, he cocked his head slowly and turned to see Her. “Padmé?” was his immediate reply.

Disbelief filled him as he observed her all-too familiar features. It was her in all capacities but the Force. Maybe, if she had lived, she would have changed, like he had, but-

It wasn’t possible.

She raised her blaster, brow furrowing and rage brewing. “What did you just call me?”

Vader took a few breaths before taking a step toward her. She opened fire and he nonchalantly dispersed the blast in his palm, tossing her rifle to the wall. The not-so-stranger remained stone faced. Diplomatic and all-too familiar.

“Who are you..?” he asked after a pregnant pause. There was no conceivable way She could be standing before him. Still, a part of him begged to believe it was true.

She narrowed her eyes in a way he’d seen many times before. But… it was off. “You said it yourself. I am Padmé Amidala. Queen… Senator… Daughter of Naboo… Back from the dead to haunt you to your grave,” she said.

Vader went from seeing his angel to seeing red.

She began to asphyxiate as he raised his hand. He’d seen that face struggle for breath before. On Mustafar.

“Let her down!” someone cried.

Vader did as commanded as soon as he was back in reality, but his mind remained elsewhere. He flexed his mechnohand a few times while looking at it. At least she didn’t go limp as he released her. He hung his head shamefully. “Who are you?” he begged to know.

She scrambled to the wall where her blaster had landed, aiming it at him once again. “You’re in no position to ask that question,” she said, and he became aware of two other blasters trained at his back.

“Tell me,” he begged. “Don’t be afraid.”

She scoffed. “I’m not afraid,” she said, memories of when those words had been said to him on Geonosis. “I’m angry.”

Vader scrutinized her further, noticing that despite her age, there were subtle differences to his wife. Miniscule ones. Ones so small he doubted himself even as his accusations were given form in his mind.

“I see it now,” he said solemnly. “Padmé is dead. But you wear her face. Speak with her voice.” He pointed at her. “You’re the Queen’s Shadow. A handmaiden.”

They stood in silence for a few moments as he engrossed himself in the Dark Side to confirm his suspicions. Although she could not see, he closed his eyes.

“Years ago, on Coruscant, you broke into Padmé’s quarters. You wanted to find out what happened to her. What did you learn?” he said, hoping she was just as in the dark.

“What kind of game is this? Padmé fell… and the Emperor ascended,” she said spitefully. “He killed her, didn’t he?

Vader trained his gaze to a spot on the floor. “That is certainly a possibility I have entertained.”

Sometimes when he dreamed he vaguely recalled taking his first breaths through the mask while feeling Padmé’s stop.

“Who are you?” she asked again gently.

“A mourner- the same as you,” he said, turning to see a man with an eyepatch and another who didn’t stand out. He somewhat was familiar too, he thought, as he turned to the handmaiden once more. “I discovered your transmitter in her quarters.”

“You’re Darth Vader…”

He cocked his head. “And you are Gregar Typho, correct?”

“Yeah,” he said disdainfully.

“Why do you care so much?” the Shadow asked. “Why does the Empire care so much if Palpatine killed her?”

“I alone care for this matter. Despite what I’ve learned, the exact circumstances are still unclear,” he said.

The man he couldn’t place spoke up. “The Emperor might have killed her?”

“Did he or did he not. What evidence do you have?” the handmaiden asked. “If not him, then who?”

“You all served her. Walked at her procession. I imagine her pregnancy was known to you before the funeral,” Vader said. He hadn’t exactly been the most discrete around her security. On more than a few occasions they had been caught in compromising situations by staff members.

“Yes…” she said carefully.

“The health of both her and the child were never in question. And yet… I have it from reputable sources that she died in childbirth,” he said. Perhaps these Naboo could be his allies. Discover the mystery that had deprived him of peace.

“That’s what was reported,” Typho said. “Anyone who knew her could realize that was a lie. No way someone as strong as her would up and die of complications.”

Unfortunately that was wishful thinking. The Galaxy was highly unfair.

“In that deception there lies another,” he began, and the room chilled. “Her unborn child was said to have perished as well. However, I know that to be untrue. Her daughter lives.”

The handmaiden lowered her blaster, eyes wide. “What?”

“Perhaps that is enough of my generosity for now,” he said, folding his arms. “What do you know?”

They were thirsty for knowledge as he was, but seemed to concede that to be fair. Perhaps the Naboo had come to realize the benefits of a partnership.

Typho broke the long silence that followed. “The… The last time I saw her was on Coruscant. Just after the Clone Troopers burned down the Jedi Temple. She insisted on flying to Mustafar alone…”

“Alone?” he said quietly.

But… Kenobi had been with her. He sensed no deception from the man even after much probing. The entire reason he’d lashed out at her…

Vader clenched his fists.

Typho lowered his head. “She insisted it was personal. I never should have let her go…”

“Mustafar is your domain, isn’t it?” the handmaiden asked accusatorily.

Avoiding eye contact by staring beyond them, he raised a hand to object. “I understand your suspicion, but I took control of that world… Some time after her death,” he said.

The three exchanged glances and firm nods.

“If we assist you further… You must promise that you’ll use it to avenge her, if there truly is someone to blame…” the handmaiden said.

Vader didn’t consider himself one for bargaining, but he lowered his head. It was still possible that some amount of foul play occurred. “You have my word,” he said, even if it was himself.

“We stole security footage from her apartment. The recordings store nothing you didn’t already know. Nothing Typho hasn’t said,” she admitted. “It’s evidence of a pact we and some others took to avenge Padmé.”

Vader turned to the unfamiliar man, jabbing a finger in his direction. “And you? What do you know? What is your relationship to her?”

“My turn, then?” he asked dryly. “Tonra. I was in the Security Force until shortly after the Invasion of Naboo,” he said.

“And then what?” he asked, semi-impatiently. Why was he here, then?

“She… entrusted me with an undercover mission. I don’t see how it’s relevant, though.”

Flashes of a desert planet with twin suns went through the man’s head. “Tatooine…” Vader deduced, much to the man’s shock. “One of the Jedi present at Mustafar went into hiding there.”

The Naboo perked up. “Anakin Skywalker?” the Queen’s Shadow asked.

“No, Obi-Wan Kenobi. How is Tatooine relevant to your mutual history with the late senator?”

“Padmé sent Sabé and I to Tatooine,” Tonra said, motioning to the handmaiden.

“When… was this?”

“Just after she became senator,” he explained. For now, at least, they were unrelated to Kenobi’s presence there. “Skywalker… He was important to the senator. She never forgot that his mother had been left in slavery.”

“She sent us to find her,” Sabé added.

His heart warmed at that kindness he never knew of. “And… did you?”

“No offense, but does this really pertain to what happened?” Typho asked.

“No,” he realized. It didn’t. They didn’t- and his mother had died. “All you can tell me is that she went to Mustafar alone?”

“You mentioned Kenobi made it off Mustafar- What of Skywalker? Does he live?” Sabé said inquisitively. As if she were waiting to read his mask’s facial expressions.

The Dark Side swirled around him, coming to comfort him. They shouldn’t care. The lives he had touched as a Jedi persisted even now, just to spite him it seemed. “...Perhaps. I don’t know for certain.”

“It isn’t much, but we did tell you what we know. At least, that's what comes to mind now. I’ll get the recordings for you, and anything else I think may help,” Tonra offered. “This… daughter you mentioned.”

Fair was fair. “She is safe. I discovered your beacon during a security sweep. In preparation of transferring ownership of the apartment to her.”

“You’ve taken an interest in her well-being, then?” Sabé asked carefully.

“Protecting her from the Emperor. The identity of her ancestors has left her in jeopardy…” he offered just as thoughtfully.

Sabé narrowed her eyes, glowering up at him.

“You know, you never specified your connection to Her… To them,” Typho added.

Vader felt something that could easily become killing intent from those around him. He took a few moments to compose his thoughts. The situation could quickly turn dicey without his transparency. Perhaps their loyalty to Amidala was a good thing- not just an expertly crafted act to annoy him.

“I am her father.”

GALACTIC YOUTH ACADEMY, CORUSCANT

Leia was grateful for her connection to the force as she entered the Academy. She was able to easily center herself in the Universe, easing the solitary feeling she had. People swirled everywhere, rushing to and fro, not unlike the halls of a Star Destroyer. Thankfully, due to the sheer volume of students, she didn’t get any looks until she entered her first class of the day.

Though she was loath to admit, her lack of height probably helped.

After triple checking that she had the right room she walked in. It probably wasn’t wise to have spent so much time standing there, because in her hesitation she’d become the last one in. The conversation didn’t end in the classroom, but she felt the stares as she approached the instructor. Attention was on her.

“Good morning. I’m new here. You’re Mrs. Brakk, correct?” she said.

“Ah, yes! I’m Mrs. Brakk,” the old woman said, standing up. She smelled strongly of flowery perfume, and not the expensive kind. “Attention! Before we begin, I must introduce you to your new homeroom classmate.”

Leia blushed as the one cliche she’d seen in holovids came true. She stood next to the woman, giving a wave of acknowledgement. “Hello,” she said, thankful her voice hadn’t cracked or gotten caught in her throat. Maybe she should have bowed...

“Her name is Leia Vader,” she said, and surprise exploded through minds in the lecture room. “I expect nothing but the utmost respect toward her! Make her feel welcome. Anything to add?”

“Nice to meet you all,” she said, feeling smaller than ever.

“Alright. Now…” the woman said, checking the chrono. “We’ll be doing progress appointments this morning, so please work quietly while you wait for me to call you.”

She cleared her throat politely to get Brakk’s attention. “Where shall I…?”

“Over there, the empty seat by Harp,” she said, motioning to a taller girl who was staring off into space. Behind her sat a familiar face in Amilyn Holdo. She sighed in relief as she approached them and took her seat.

Amilyn tapped her on her shoulder before she could turn around. “Did you bring your lightsaber?”

“No!” she said a little louder and panicked than she should have. “Look, Amilyn, you might give people the wrong idea saying that.”

“Um,” the girl to her right said. She looked more nervous than Leia herself. In enthusiasm, though, Leia was beaten. “It’s nice to meet you! I’m Harp Allor.”

She opened her mouth to speak her own name but elected to nod. “Likewise.”

“So… Uh… Amilyn told me something about your father, and well- with your surname... I think she might be teasing me, though…”

Tooka had to come out of the bag sometime. “Darth Vader is my dad, yeah,” she admitted. Conversation she hadn’t noticed around them halted.

“It’s true,” Amilyn said rather self-righteously. “I saw them together at the recent commemoration.”

A long-haired boy with dark skin scoffed. For an instant her blood boiled. “I’ve seen Lord Vader at hundreds of functions and never once seen anyone with him.”

“I don’t usually accompany him to those sorts of things,” she said assertively.

He lowered his head. “I meant no disrespect. Merely questioning Amilyn. She’s quite the storyteller, you know. Chassellon Stevis.”

“Well, Chassellon, we did meet there. That was somewhat of a debut for me socially,” she said. She was glad she’d held out so long if the company was so infuriating.

“Well I look forward to your continued company,” Chassellon offered. She didn’t share his sentiment.

His smug aura set her off. Chassellon’s words had only slime behind them, just like every other cutthroat Core Worlder she’d met. They weren’t necessarily cruel, just indicative that he passively and unconsciously considered himself better than everyone. In another life, perhaps, she’d have been hoodwinked by his empty charms and gone along with condemning oddballs like Amilyn. Not now, when she was so aware of the feelings being sent out by other sentients.

“So what is it you do in your spare time?” he asked, and she detected a bit of genuine intent there.

“Yeah, let’s break the ice!” Harp added tentatively. “What’s your hobby?”

That was a good question, in her opinion. At least one that caused her to think. Most of the activities she did often were solitary ones like reading, studying obscure history her family had been a part of, and generally milling about. That would be boring to them, she thought. “I... train.”

Amilyn giggled. Leia went red.

“For fun?” he asked dryly.

“Kind of…”

Harp shrugged. “Well, what do you enjoy, then?”

“Storms?” she blurted, and her cheeks darkened. “There’s not any weather aboard ships or rain on my home planet.”

“I like astrology. Meteorology counts!” Harp insisted.

Chassellon raised a brow. “Train in what exactly?”

Leia flashed the emptiest smile she’d ever given in her life. “Self defense. Weapons and… other things.”

Amilyn sat up straight and glanced at Leia conspiratorily. “Say, don’t you have experience with swordplay, Leia? Chassellon has a lightfoil, you know.”

“Is that right?” the boy asked with a flip of his hair.

“Oh, not much…” Leia said, glaring at Amilyn.

The girl in front next to her was practically ready to explode. “So, what’s your home planet like? I’m from Chandrila here in the core. Very temperate and pleasant. Some of the most beautiful constellations in the Galaxy are visible there,” Harp said.

“Mustafar,” she said, much to their confusion. “It’s a volcanic world in the Outer Rim.”

Their enthusiasm seemed to dissipate when they realized Darth Vader lived on such a scary planet. Leia hoped that wouldn’t damper any further interactions. She was optimistic.

VARYKINO, NABOO

“That’s not possible,” Typho said through grit teeth, his weapon pointed at the Sith Lord.

Tonra’s blaster was prepped for a killing blow as well, though the man found himself speechless.

Sabé observed him carefully, and he made no move. Not even for his lightsaber. He was in no danger whatsoever, but informing them of that wasn’t the polite thing to do. Hopefully they accepted his word. He was hopeful. In fact, for the first time in quite a while.

Vader had… lashed out at Padmé shortly before her death, but something told him- maybe his own delusions- that it wasn’t him that did her in. He required clarity, even if what he discovered wasn’t something favorable.

“I refuse to believe she’d have anything to do with a monster like you!” Typho roared.

But she did. Long before his turn. It still surprised him that he was so lucky. That she was so foolish.

“I desire revenge as well...“ he said darkly. More, even, but they could never know.

Sabé glared at him with spite he was more than familiar with. “You’re him. Skywalker. You carry yourself the exact same way.”

Vader stood breathing for a moment. He was strangely numb to her conclusion. Not many were privy to his secret, but he doubted the few had desensitized him. “Perhaps I was. Who would believe you?” Sometimes even he didn’t.

Typho threw his blaster to the ground, clenching his fists. He marched up to the Sith Lord and leered into his lifeless eyes. “How can you stand with the Empire? You were a Jedi!”

“There is much you do not- and cannot understand,” he said, jabbing Typho’s chest. That enough stopped his approach, but he continued. “Palpatine is behind everything. He cannot be defeated through conventional means. My choice was to join him or die with the rest of the Jedi. To defy him is to die, and should I, my daughter will fall into his grasp.”

“He didn’t mean to imply anything. Your circumstances are… I cannot pretend that you are no monster, but he is a far larger one,” Sabé said.

“All I do is for my daughter,” he said. “Above anything in the Galaxy.”

Sabé looked him up and down. “You’re definitely our best shot at revenge.”

Typho glared. “We don’t even know this daughter exists! That she’s his or even safe! How are you-“

Sabé raised a hand to shut him up. “Gregar, I know how close they were… If even one thing he’s told us was true, then she will be avenged,” she said, looking to Vader. “I don’t like this at all, but someone has to deliver justice.”

Vader gave a simple nod, letting the sound of his respirator fill the lull. “You and any other sympathizers should take up arms with the Rebellion.”

“The Rebellion?” Tonra asked.

“Unrest has existed since the beginning. There is a larger, more organized movement the Empire is attempting to suppress,” he said, fully intending to refer them to Fulcrum. “Make yourselves known, and they will reach out to you long before the Empire takes action.”

They all came to their agreements silently. Typho was still filled with anger, and Tonra was more confused than anything.

Sabé spoke up first. “Very well. Making a difference will be a welcome change from chasing shadows. But, Vader…”

“Yes?'' he asked after she did not continue.

“I think there’s something we should do in Theed. New questions have arisen from old answers...”

Chapter Text

8 BBY

SENATE APARTMENT COMPLEX, CORUSCANT

Before she had become aware of it, she was awake and gasping for air. Leia sat straight up in bed, taking stock of the room around her. First, though, she sucked in exorbitant amounts of air to replenish her oxygen supply. The bedroom was completely dark, devoid of any intruders. Artoo was shut off in the corner, light gleaming off of his dome from the city traffic outside.

She lifted a hand to clean her forehead free of sweat, suddenly becoming aware of how damp she was. To her recollection, she’d never sweated this much. Not even on the hottest days of Mustafarian summer, where she had to be careful not to leave anything with a low melting point outside of the controlled climate of her father’s castle.

Hunched over, she sat in bed for a while longer. At least her breathing had calmed considerably. Collecting her thoughts became her next priority. They were far too scattered and blood-chilling for her taste. She closed her eyes for a while, trying to clear her mind with the Force. Leia returned to the source of the panic…

Vague recollections and glimpses of a dream filled her mind. Flashes, really. It was a nightmare.

A beautiful face contorted in pain, her desperate calls for help drowned out by the wailing of an infant getting used to the open air. It was her mother, she realized. Leia rubbed her eyes and glanced at the chrono as her chest tingled with dread. Barely 0300. Suffice to say, she wasn’t planning on going back to sleep anytime soon.

It was like a vivid horror holo- just grounded enough to seem realistic. As if it were no accident or mere trick of the mind.

Suffice to say, she didn’t want to see anymore. Not ever again. It was as muddied as it was real, and it left her with an unshakable feeling of unsettlement. Like the shadows in the room would jump at her if she took her eyes from them for even a moment. Leia blinked a few times in the darkness before sliding off the warmth of her blanket and rising to her feet.

Stumbling to the refresher, she closed her eyes before turning on the lights. Her eyes opened to find their image reflected in the mirror, stained with tears and bloodied from crying. She rubbed her itchy eyes a few times while reaching for the faucet. A few splashes to the face seemed to do her good enough.

Physically, at least. Mentally, she couldn’t stop watching her mother die. Or- give birth and then die. It was in her best interest to lie awake and stare at the ceiling until her father returned, she decided firmly.

She flipped off the light and went back to her bed, stopping just short of climbing in. Something slithered over her hand, eliciting a shriek of terror from her. With both hands she used the Force, turning on the lights with her left and calling her lightsaber with her right.

A long and multi-legged arthropod crawled on her bed like it owned the place, disappearing as soon as she blinked. Leia exasperatedly groaned as she realized she’d lost sight of it.

“What’s going on?” came the muffled voice of a Deathtrooper from outside her door.

Leia tentatively grabbed her blanket and pumped it, hoping to send whatever it was flying in the opposite direction. She flung it from the bed when nothing came free. All traces of that… thing were gone. It was probably already underneath her bed waiting to strike when she was asleep.

DT-D39 burst into her room, weapon drawn. “What happened?” she asked.

Leia backed up toward the doorway and raised a hand to her temples to massage them. “I don't know. There was-”

A sudden crash came from the living room. Her lightsaber howled to life as she peered past the trooper. A handsome man with yellow tattoos on his forehead lay in a crumpled pile between two halves of the caf table. Leia gasped. He was gone before she knew it, her furniture intact.

The trooper turned around confused. She heard nothing, saw nothing. Leia deactivated her saber, holding out a hand to the guard who had two fingers pressed to the side of her helmet.

“Don’t call anyone. There’s no danger,” she said, her frustration mounting.

“Lord Vader would have my head if I didn’t report this.”

She sighed and shook her head exhaustedly. “I just had a dream. A nightmare. I’m jumpy. I’ll tell him myself.”

Of course she had no intention of bothering her father. Not at this hour- assuming it wasn’t midnight or something where he was. Regardless of anything she didn’t think some stupid ghostly Force thingies were too dangerous. Just vastly annoying. No matter how much she wanted to talk to him.

A curt nod was sent in her direction. DT-D39 observed her through her green visor. “I’ll double security for the night, just in case.” “That’s fine,” she yawned. “Thank you.”

Leia retreated to her room, locking the door for good measure. Artoo’s head was swiveling lazily. She brought him out of low-power mode with a wave of her hand. “Hey buddy. Could, uh, could you do a lifeform sweep of the room?”

That bug was still making her skin crawl. What good was the Force if all it did was cost her sleep with past terrors?

He beeped enthusiastically as a blue light was projected from him, sweeping over the room slowly. Leia eyed the dark corners of her bedroom breathlessly before the sweep was finished. “Find anything?”

The droid trilled negatorily. Leia nodded in self-satisfaction, putting a hand to her chin. The apartment’s furnishings were all-new, but still, it tormented her. Her father’s steps to ensure against catastrophe had failed. Despite her lack of experience, she was confident something related to the Force was definitely going on in her apartment.

“I’m never going to be able to sleep ever again,” she realized aloud.

Just as she picked up her comforter, something incredibly painful struck her for an instant. Like a splitting and equally fleeting headache- like someone had replaced her nervous system with ice. In an instant, exhaustion overcame her, like she’d been freely climbing a mountain for the entire day with no rest.

Leia collapsed toward the floor, landing on her palms and knees as the immense sinking feeling refused to stop. Her chest heaved to get enough air. Artoo rolled toward her, beeping in concern. What exactly occurred, she knew not. Only one thing was certain to her:

Far, far across the Galaxy, something was deeply wrong with her father.

TAKODANA CASTLE, TAKODANA

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s role in the burgeoning Rebellion was multi-faceted. For the most part, he had picked up Ahsoka’s former duties. She was teaching the boy because he realized that a new-fashioned approach was required in these turbulent times. Granted, he did provide wisdom on occasion, but he thought himself to not be all that credible.

He was responsible for the creation of Darth Vader in multiple ways, after all. Obi-Wan was unsure as to how one would come to terms with something like that.

So he had thrust himself into work he was more familiar with. Making alliances and stitching together smaller cells to their own. They were awfully relaxing missions, rarely requiring the use of either sort of force. He was considering himself shaken free of rust and ready to get back into the fold. Jedi fought and died in the Clone War older than he was now.

A lovely side objective to the trips he took were leads on Jedi survivors and artifacts. None had panned out thus far, but it gave him hope that the Jedi weren’t gone from the mind of the populace. Whispers were all that remained of the Order, but that was better than silence. It was a mission that had led him to Takodana, but it was the promise of rebuilding the Jedi Order that made him stay.

It was a beautifully green planet, and home to smugglers from across the Galaxy- a wonderful place to hide.

Thus far he’d just picked up some precious cargo in the ancient woods surrounding the castle, and once that was secure he ventured within. It was livelier than most of the other less reputable places of the Galaxy. All were welcome so long as civility was followed, and he was more than eager to oblige. Keeping one’s head down was simply the way of the Jedi now. Never would he find a more honorable hive of scum and villainy.

It was dim within the palace, despite it being far from dusk. Such was the fate of a structure as fortified and ancient as this one. Delicacies from hundreds of worlds were being cooked and consumed. Loud music blared, leaving little breathing room. All in all, it made it quite easy to conceal oneself. Though, not from the owner of the palace, Maz Kanata, the pirate queen of Takodana.

The diminutive barkeep lowered the goggles from her wrinkled forehead to her pinprick eyes. “I was wondering if I’d ever see you here.”

“You know me?” he asked. Kenobi sensed it was more than just recognition from wartime news reports. She was attuned to the Force.

“No, but I knew your Master. He wasn’t a stranger to the Galaxy’s underbelly. But you already knew that.”

He’d be lying if he said that it had been a while since he’d thought about Qui-Gon Jinn. Not a day went by that he didn’t look to his guidance and teachings. Contact with the man from beyond was sparse. Such was the nature of being a disembodied presence speaking from the Netherworld of the Force.

Obi-Wan raised a brow. “Are you a friend, then?”

Kanata glanced around to determine there were no prying ears or eyes before leaning forward. “Provided you have not lost your way. I will always be a friend to the Jedi. There is always a place here for you, until this great imbalance is restored.”

Obi-Wan stroked his beard as she returned to behind the counter. “I will keep that in mind. It is Jedi business that brings me here.”

She sighed dramatically. “Always business. Never just for a drink, even before the Clone War.”

“There will be time for revelry in excess soon enough,” he replied.

She studied him carefully, adjusting her goggles. “True enough, o’ Negotiator. So what is it that you’ve come for?”

He elected it wouldn’t do to spend Rebellion credits on a drink for the sake of winning over someone already friendly. Obi-Wan did his best to make himself comfortable on the stool, though. Perhaps he’d grab a bite to eat. After his business, of course. “I’m looking for a pirate named Hondo Ohnaka.”

Maz rolled her eyes. “That troublemaker?”

One word hardly did him justice. Finally, though, someone was used to his acquired taste.

“I heard a rumor that he was harboring a survivor,” he explained. A former youngling, at that.

“I’ve heard that too,” she said with a sigh. “Though I've seen neither hide nor hair.”

Maz prodded him with the Force, an indirect way to tell him she’d felt no traces of the Force in the pirate’s company. “Well, as much as I’d prefer to take your word, it simply wouldn’t do to leave a lead unchased. Do you know where I might find him?”

She flashed him a smirk. “He comes through here regularly enough to have a tab that he never pays. Saw him last week.”

Kenobi brought his hands back into his cloak. “Is he sympathetic enough for the rumor to have credence?”

She nodded. “He hasn’t sold me out at least. He’s no friend to the Empire, either. They really cracked down on his gang a while back. Ohnaka runs solo now, as far as I’m aware.”

“Well, then tell him that I was looking for him, and for him to contact me on this frequency if you see him. Of course, you are entitled to it as well should you encounter any negotiations that require a more aggressive touch,” he said, handing her a datastick.

She accepted it with one hand and wagged a finger on her other, her bracelets jingling. “You’re not planning on leaving already, are you?”

He gazed at her in slight confusion. It wasn’t his intention to offend. “Well, I-”

“I said nothing of rumors that do hold truth, ones not pertaining to that pirate,” she said in a low voice. She beckoned him with a hand.

Obi-Wan stood up and followed her into the basement, passing several tough-looking armored bodyguards. After she unlocked a door, Maz led him into a storeroom filled with trinkets from every age of the past millennia. She went to the end of the room, opening a curio box filled with precious memories to deposit the datastick.

“You know of other survivors?”

“A few,” she said, hopping onto a chest to take a seat.

“Better than none.” Kanata nodded. “The Empire wasn’t as thorough as it wanted to be. Several have slipped past the cracks.”

But they were thorough. All who had survived had done so through the whim of the Force- not skill or chance. Even himself. Obi-Wan sobered at the thought, centering himself with the Force before any more survivor's guilt crept upon him.

She handed him a holoprojector that showed him names of familiar Jedi, among them his own. Coleman Kcaj, Oppo Rancisis, Quinlan Vos, and Yoda at a glance. “High priority targets...”

“From an Inquisitor. At least a decade old, I’m afraid. But you’ve survived thus far,” she offered. “I’ve also added anyone I know of, including rumors, and they are marked as such- though there are not many.”

“Yoda survived too,” he added. She was to be trusted, but as to how far he was unsure. The Jedi Council had historically been in good with her, to his recollection. That didn’t change the fact that she was lauded as the pirate among pirates.

“And how is he? He used to be quite handsome, you know,” she said with a smile.

“I don’t doubt that,” he chuckled. Then he sobered. “He’s alive, but he is very distant. During the war, he was… saddened. Now, I’m afraid it’s even worse.”

Maz offered him a warm smile and touch to the shoulder. “He’s always had that weight on his shoulders. Your youth blinded you, I’m sure. Send him my way sometime.”

“Naturally. I expect you to do the same should any of these appear,” he said, gesturing with the holoprojector.

“Of course, Master Kenobi.”

“Obi-Wan,” he said. Surprisingly, it was easier to find those sympathetic to the Jedi when there were none. He opened his mouth to offer more pleasantries, but something was wrong.

Maz Kanata’s eyes went wide as a ripple in the Force crashed into them. Obi-Wan felt something so chilling about it made the hairs on his neck stand on end. A Dark he hadn’t experienced as intensely in almost eleven years came across the Galaxy.

“Did you feel that?” she asked.

Obi-Wan stroked his beard in a vain attempt to settle himself. “Yes.”

TWILIGHT II, HYPERSPACE

“So where are we headed next?” Rex asked, probably hopeful that their series of side errands was over. They hadn’t had much contact with the other Rebels as they flew around picking up supplies and leads. He was always ready to jump into the fray, and that saddened her. Ahsoka was technically older than him, but he looked far from it. The years had made twice a mark as the war.

She sat in the pilot’s chair, offering him the one opposite from her. “One more stop before we get to base. I’ve been monitoring Mustafar’s transmissions in a vain effort to discover more about the Sith- that system is one of their strongholds. I’ve found nothing regarding the Sith, but I have discovered more about their Inquisitors. They hunt the last of the Jedi, but they have a secondary mission to make retrievals.”

Rex smiled. “There’s enough left to hunt down, eh?”

“Yes,” she said. “I’m always keeping an eye out for Jedi. There are enough whispers that I hold hope.”

“So... we’re going to disrupt their retrievals?” Luke asked.

“I’d like to figure out what exactly they’re retrieving first. I’ve managed to decode a set of coordinates not far from here, and we’re going to check it out before getting back to base. Hopefully Obi-Wan will be finished with his mission by then.”

Rex clapped a hand on her shoulder. “You should get off your feet. Plug in those coordinates and let the kid and I take the wheel.”

She nodded, thinking it was for the best.

Then, suddenly, something in the Force itself screamed. An incredible cold washed over the entire Galaxy for an instant. Luke felt the disturbance too, judging by the way he nearly collapsed to the floor.

“Anakin…” she muttered.

THEED, NABOO

Commodex Tahn had just slipped into his bed when a sudden chill came over him. He sighed and grumbled absently. Those temperate nights he’d moved to Theed for had just turned into chilly nuisances as he’d grown older. Not that he considered himself old, just… well-versed in living. He didn’t have as much insulation as he used to. Nevertheless, he endeavored to change his discomfort- he was at least capable of that.

He rose and donned his slippers, slinking out into the darkness of his home. It wasn’t the new moon as far as he recalled, but still the halls seemed darker than they ever had before. As he thought about it, there was no breeze, no draft. Merely a dry cold. It was peculiar.

He sniffled and walked to the climate control unit, turning the dial to the right. His blood froze when he turned around.

Something from his deepest, most horrific nightmares stood in front of the hearth, slowly and audibly breathing. It was taller than any man he had ever seen, though not as tall as a Wookiee. Even in the darkness he could tell the figure was jet-black- so black that it seemed to devour the light around it with its mere presence. The figure craned his head toward him, giving him a moment to fully appreciate the skeletal visage of the helmet he was donning. That is, assuming it wasn’t some sort of carapaced creature. When he blinked, just before his eyes closed, he swore he saw his cape fluttering like some sort of dark miasma.

He released a breath that he was unaware he was holding. Or perhaps, the figure was holding it for him. Something was permeable about his presence, threatening to drown him.

“Commodex Tahn. You were the mortician who prepared Padmé Amidala’s body for burial,” he said. His deep and commanding voice left no room for interpretation.

It was true, but he had no idea how this monster would know. He attempted to refute it but his voice caught in his throat. Every cell in his body was filled with fear- the urge to flee. “I’m not- Who are you?”

“Unimportant. You will answer my questions or you will suffer,” he said.

Commodex knew it to be true. Taken aback, he swallowed to regain his fleeting nerves. He thought of Falumpasets in order to mask his thoughts.

He flinched when the shadow pointed a cautionary finger at him. Through him. “Do not deny me. This is my final offering for a peaceful resolution.”

He shook his head resolutely, though he was equally terrified. Something compelled him to stand his ground. “Whatever it is, I won’t-”

He clutched at his chest, feeling as though someone had plunged their hand into it and grabbed tightly. Suddenly, the biological rhythm he’d grown numb to disappeared. His vision grew narrower and dimmer, and his light head led him to a nearby chair. Somehow, his heart stopped. Just as quickly it resumed, though it felt eons in the moment. “What... Did you just do?”

“Remain true to my word. You will answer my questions, or I will return what I do to you tenfold on anyone you have ever met,” he promised, producing a holo that ought to have been on his desk. It depicted his closest friends and family.

“Alright, I get the picture!” he shouted. His heart was pounding rapidly, but he welcomed the feeling of something after the brief nothing.

“Good. Your cooperation is vastly preferred,” The shadow allowed him to regain his breath. “She was made to look pregnant- by you. You and I are among the few in the Galaxy who know the truth. She gave birth to a daughter who was taken by the Jedi.”

Nothing in the Galaxy could have made him any less surprised. No preparation. No training.

“Yes… I feel your surprise. Your fear. She was a great Queen, but your thoughts betray her…”

“The greatest. I’m sorry, my Queen”, he said, engrossing himself in his shock. Anything to distract.

This man was using the Force on him- a twisted and perverted version of what the Jedi of old used. From what he knew of the Force, it didn’t allow one free reign to another’s mind. Just the ability to pick up impressions. Images. Feelings. As long as he didn’t dwell on what was unnecessary, the secrets he knew would remain safe.

“Were you able to determine the cause of death?” he asked.

Commodex looked up at the monster. He almost… faltered. “What?”

“...How did she die?”

Suddenly his terror was quenched. At least held at bay by his confusion. “Childbirth?”

“You are unsure,” he deduced.

“I’m not an examiner, just a mortician,“ he said steadily

The shadow paused to shake his head. “It will not require a medical examiner to conclude your head was removed from your shoulders. Just… imagination.”

He paused because his life depended on it. “The only external cosmetic work I did was to mask some bruises to her neck, certainly nonlethal. It may have forced her into labor early, leading to complications. She was intact, she must have just bled out or something.”

“There were no wounds? No trauma?” he asked. If he wasn’t so scared he’d have guessed the monster was desperate.

“I’m telling you- no. And that’s what the report said- destroyed after I had the pertinent information. Most of it was redacted anyway,” he reaffirmed. “From all that I know, she tragically died as the result of complications from delivering premature twins-“

He gasped in realization just as the shadow restricted his airway.

Primal terror washed over him as he felt an immense bloodlust emanating from the shadows. Commodex was in far too much pain to begin blaming himself. The shadow craned his head, a hollow groan escaping his mask.

“Twins?”

Chapter Text

8 BBY

THEED, NABOO

Numbness. That was most of what Vader felt other than confused. What was left of his extremities began to tingle. Even as Commodex spilled out of his seat to the floor, and even as everything remotely fragile in the vicinity splintered, he remained strangely serene. Not calm, though- just still. He suddenly wasn’t getting enough air for comfort, and his respirator was quickening to compensate for his mild case of hyperventilation.

He took a few moments to analyze the man’s slip. Surely… Surely he had misspoken. Or- his audioreceptors were malfunctioning.

Twins.

Commodex gasped for air when Vader was cognitive enough to release him. “No, no, I didn’t-”

The servos in Vader’s hands creaked and whined as he clenched his trembling fist harder than was probably recommended. “There is another?”

He coughed in protest against the immense pressure on his lungs. “I don’t-” he spluttered.

“Don’t lie to me,” he spat, not even checking the man’s intentions with the Force. It felt as natural as it did foreign.

“Twins- that’s all I remember. She was too big for just one premature baby! It was pertinent to making her look pregnant- a- and- and the information was destroyed!” he said in a tizzy, taking deep, gasping breaths and clutching his chest. “It had to be twins!”

Vader’s mechanical legs went to jelly. He crashed down onto the sofa across from Tahn. “You are certain there was another?” he said hollowly. Vader knew it to be true in his heart, but his anxieties wouldn’t allow him to fully accept it.

“Yes! Yes!”

It was like he was a passenger in his own body and only his thoughts were his own. He felt lightheaded and detached from reality. “Where- is this child?”

“I swear to all of the higher powers in this universe, I have no idea! I only know there had to be two!” he cried.

The doubt in his mind had all but crumbled away. Dread filled the pit of Vader’s stomach as he briefly thought of how wide his search would be.

Vader’s grip slackened, sending Tahn to the floor as his body attempted to return to normal. “Who gave you the task?”

“I don’t know exactly…” he moaned. “I promise. It was an anonymous commission by a friend of hers- and she had many.”

True enough. Padmé was sociable, even for a senator. Those who weren’t her opposition practically worshiped her. She was more than worthy of their praise, but now there was no more to offer. He had destroyed her along with himself years ago.

“How may I start a further search?” he said absentmindedly. He could probably figure it out with enough time, but there was too much on his mind. It practically pained him to focus. He had splintered and destroyed his own family. His own happiness.

The broken men stared at one another. A fire ignited in Commodex’s eyes, and Vader knew some tired and worn-out speech was to come. “I won’t-“

Vader’s patience, which was currently as thin as the breaths of the pathetic man before him, snapped. The defiance sent him into a rage and onto his feet. Vader brought Tahn’s body to his left hand with the Force, drawing the air out of his diaphragm with his right. Commodex clawed at his hand’s mechanical grip as he dug his fingers into the man’s increasingly-purple neck. His eyes bulged and reddened as the blood vessels within burst. Vader trembled with rage.

“My patience is through!” He spat. His chest was aflame with frustration. “If you are not informed, then who or what is?!”

He wrenched the man forward, sending him to crash through a display cabinet. Vader closed the distance, turning his head down toward the man at his boots.

Vader had enough sense to let him catch his breath, but not too much. He was itching to reach for his lightsaber and unleash his ire. Commodex Tahn took a frantic moment to study him- his armor- when he unfolded himself from his pile. “M- Medical waste! If there was anything left in her from the facility that treated her, it’s sure to be traceable! Even that life support suit you’re wearing has serial numbers!”

Vader was satisfied for now- there was no question he considered that wouldn’t result in something he’d heard already. He stood above the man, reaching out toward a nearby blaster mounted on the wall. He armed it, thanking his lucky stars it was a Clone War model he was familiar with. The color in Tahn’s face drained save for his bruises. “Where are your valuables?”

“You’re going to make it look like I was robbed?” he asked in a gasp.

“Your injuries would not support a suicide,” he said impatiently. Although it was an uncivilized method, he had enough sense to at least attempt to absolve himself. “There are far worse men in the Galaxy than I.”

Tahn let out a long sigh. “There’s a safe in the bedroom. Just, please don’t hurt anyone else… I beg you.”

“Very well. Do you believe in the Force?” he asked.

He nodded a few times. “Yes.”

“Make your peace with it now,” he said. He waited for Tahn to whisper to himself before pulling the DC-15’s trigger. The man slumped to the floor, a smoking hole in his chest

Vader unleashed his fury for a moment, upturning everything not fastened down. He threw the blaster at the dead man’s feet, making way to the bedroom. He ripped everything from the walls as he went, busting open the safe with the Force. Vader crushed the pistol within, taking the heirlooms and jewelry for himself.

The door flew out into the yard with little prompting from him. He tossed the spoils of his false robbery into the nearby canal.

When he’d reached the street from the outside of the courtyard he crumbled to the curb, hands over his knees as he attempted to figure it all out. Assuming the man was telling the truth… But Vader was certain it was no slip of the tongue. Unfortunately, he had no leads. No name. No location. Not even the sex of the child. Not one speck of information other than the fact there was another. The clouds overheard rumbled, lit by occasional flashes of distant lightning.

“I heard the commotion. Did you kill him?” Sabé asked coldly. He hadn’t noticed her approach. That was unbecoming of a Sith Lord. “His insight must have been worth it.”

“Tahn was a liability. I was able to easily… coerce him. The Empire would have been able to learn what we know. He knew of the existence of Amidala’s… child,” he said. It sounded foreign to him. “As you predicted.”

“And the cause of death? Were you able to narrow it down?”

“No, but I have a lead,” he said. It mattered little. At the end of the day, he was responsible in even the most minuscule way. Their life and happiness was jeopardized and stolen away by him. Something icy crept into his chest.

“Then we got what we came for,” she said. “Where next?”

He couldn’t agree more. There was simply too much on the table to worry over what he could not know. What he was certain of was that losing control wouldn’t help now. Vader stood unsurely. “Her tomb. Once I uncover what I want from there, we will part ways.”

“What are you hoping to find?” she asked carefully.

“Evidence,” he said quickly. Vader was in no mind to be treading carefully.

“Now, Vader-“

He raised a hand, not in the mood for an argument. “You are already too involved. A liability…” he said slowly.

“You think I don’t know that? You think we’re all unaware of the massive commitment we’ve made?” she roared, unwavering in the face of his threat.

He stewed in the following silence. Her defiance… Vader couldn’t look at her. “It is not your life that I am concerned about, handmaiden. Your very thoughts can be made to work against you.”

Sabé narrowed her eyes. “So, are you going to kill me too?”

He glared at her, and she flinched despite not being able to see his eyes. “If necessary. No one will endanger my daughter. You are no stranger to such devotion.”

But it was a lie.

He couldn’t watch that face die again.

They stared at one another in silent and solemn agreement until his comlink began to chime. He fumbled for it, answering it as soon as he could. “Leia,” he said breathily.

“-What’s wrong? I need to make sure you’re okay!” she cried. It was relieving to hear her.

Of course, his knee-jerk reaction was to tell her of what troubled him, but that was his burden to bear. “...I am quite alright. Why are you awake? It’s the middle of the night locally.”

“I couldn’t sleep- I felt something,” she said. “That you were in trouble. It wasn’t a good feeling.”

He raised a hand to his helmet’s brow. If she had felt it, no doubt many others had too, including his Master… He’d been too careless in his grief- especially if this second child was to remain untainted. “It is nothing you need concern yourself with. I have received some… rather surprising information.”

“What-“

“Leia, now is not the time. Please… I will spare no detail as soon as there is something to tell. Trust in the Force, and trust that I will uncover this plot.”

“What plot?”

That was right- it was just a security threat to her. He had to pull himself together, lest everything fall apart. Too much had slipped, and the anxiety was beginning to build. “Cease your probing. I suggest that you sleep. Rest assured that this is no concern of yours.”

“Okay... Stay safe. I want to talk to you when you get back,” she said. She hesitated. Obviously she wanted to say more. He only hoped that he wasn’t driving a wedge between them as he had done with Obi-Wan so many years ago.

Though he resented the man, he yearned for the comfort of friends to rely upon. Leia was all he had as of now.

“You have permission to entertain your friends at the apartment should you require further… distraction,” he mused. “Your connection to the Force allows you greater vision than most. I fear… more of these incidents occurring in the near future.”

“Alright, dad.”

Vader cut the connection when he realized that there was another who could be concerned about him- calling him father. “Hnnn…” was the sound that escaped him as he clenched his fist.

“So that was her?”

“You are observant,” Vader said sarcastically. “Forget what you have heard.”

“Sure,” she said dismissively.

“Lead the way,” he growled.

TOMB OF PADMÉ AMIDALA, NABOO

It was just as dark inside as the last time he was here. Darker, even, given the circumstances. Lightning from the outside storm was just beginning to pick up it’s pace. Flashes illuminated the area rather than just the sky. It was as if the planet were as conflicted as he was.

He resisted tracing the carvings on her coffin. Vader glanced at the wall to compose himself just as thunder crashed, lightning not far behind. A glass display case he was unaware of reflected the flash toward him. Shock overcame him as he realized what was within.

Without a second thought he shattered the glass with the Force, calling his wife’s japor snippet to his hand from its resting place on a decorative pillow. He was dumbfounded as to how he hadn’t noticed it on previous trips.

He ran a thumb over it, uncaring of Sabé’s protests. Vader was once more haunted by brief visions of the past.

“It’s beautiful… But I don’t need this to remember you by…” he remembered Her saying.

“Now, explain what part of your plan is dependent on desecrating a grave?” she asked.

“It was I who gave it to her… It’s a Tatooinian fortune charm. It doesn’t deserve to lay here in disuse. Luck means nothing to the dead,” he said.

She grimaced. “You dragged us all the way out here for a piece of jewelry? I admire the commitment to your daughter, but-“

Vader waved a hand, and the coffin’s lid slid off slightly. He stopped when flashes of what her decayed beauty could now resemble came to him Intermixed with the last expression he’d seen on her face. Instead, he turned his back, holding a scanner out to Sabé.

Pity was sent his way.

“What am I scanning for?” She asked coldly, swiping it from him.

“It’s already set to my parameters,” he said.

Sabé scoffed, taking the handheld device into the coffin proper. Soon, a notification appeared on his heads-up display in the form of a medical implant, serial number and all. He committed it to memory before stealing back the device, crushing it in his hand.

She slid the lid back on. “So you got what you came for, I take it?”

“No, but it is a start,” he said. Something came over him. “Our cooperation is finished.”

They stood at odds for a few beats, both unrelenting. Eventually though, she broke eye contact and made for the exit.

“Fine. I’ll go,” she said. He was glad she had picked up on his need to be alone. “What’s... her name, again?”

He hesitated for a moment. “Leia,” he said, as if it was the first time he had said it. “I am told that naming her was among Padmé’s final acts.”

“It’s a fine name. Should you ever require help protecting her…”

“I will seek you out,” he lied.

Sabé nodded, leaving slowly. Vader lingered for a few more moments to unleash his sorrow and pay his respects.

POLIS MASSA BASE, POLIS MASSA

Polis Massa. That was where the implant originated from, and that was where he found himself soon. It was a research facility far in the Outer Rim composed of several habitable asteroids. The base wasn’t abandoned, but it was thoroughly destroyed. Corpses of Kallidahns and various aliens in field gear were strewn about the place. His frustration mounted as he realized Imperial Forces had been the ones to wipe them out. Perhaps he had even approved the order himself.

The thought frightened him.

The doors to the spaceport crumpled before him. He strode into the control tower, booting up a fried computer there to answer his questions. The occasional flickering of the display indicated to him the computer had probably barely survived the attack.

Vader gently hit the monitor at an odd angle, and soon the image was stable. He went about searches for arrival and departures around eleven years back. Thankfully, the station had little in the way of visitors, so he was able to deduce he’d found the right log as soon as a hologram of a J-type Nubian Star Skiff came up.

Sure enough, an Obi-Wan Kenobi had come here with an injured Padmé Amidala and two droids. His rage brought him back to when Kenobi had strutted down the landing ramp of that ship on Mustafar before him and Padmé.

He attempted to access patient records to no avail. Although that displeased him, it made sense. The medcenter was across the way.

His lightsaber hissed to life, slicing through the computer’s memory banks. Afterwards, he strolled to the blasted out medcenter, taking his sweet time.

He was fearful of what he’d find. If the records were particularly extensive...

Vader let his instincts guide him until he found himself in the maternity ward. A certain room caught his attention. Although he knew why he was drawn there, he could not explain how. Slowly, he walked into the room, laying a hand on the examination table.

The Force suggested this was the place. He opened an access panel to restore power to the computers that may contain patient logs. If he was lucky, security footage. Nothing happened no matter what he tried- it was fried. The core was destroyed, most likely in the attack that had depopulated this facility.

Vader’s anger swelled. He brought his fist down on the table. It gave way for his mechnohand, though the prosthetics had not escaped unscathed. His little finger in particular was sticking, as the chassis was busy crushing the internals.

As he observed the creaking fruits of his hubris, something beyond his vision caught his eye. It was a medical droid of some kind. Badly damaged or not, the memory bank was more or less intact. Vader kneeled down, fiddling with restoring enough power to project its last active moments. He didn’t think many births would be occurring here for the midwife droid to witness.

A hologram flickered to life before him. Padmé lay on the table behind him, and she was fading fast. His heart fell past his boots.

“Obi-Wan…” she muttered weakly. She was dying. “There’s still good in him… I know… I know there’s… still…”

She went still. Vader gave the droid a tap, thinking it had paused. A second tap caused a pit in his stomach. The recording soon flickered away, leaving him with the realization he had watched his wife’s final moments.

As much as he didn’t want to, he had to see it again. However, the droid went dark. He tried once more to summon the recording to no results. Vader seethed, tearing the head from the droid.

“No!” he roared into the dead air.

His anger was soon replaced with grief. Grief that she was gone. Grief that she may be right, that there was Light in him yet. But it was more than futile. It was too late to turn away from his path. He’d committed far too much to Sidious, and committed too many unspeakable acts to be accepted back to the Light.

The Light wouldn’t allow him to protect Leia.

He was a broken shadow of his former self, and it stung to know how avoidable this path was. Hindsight seemed to be his second greatest enemy, himself being the first.

And then he remembered his objective. There was no mention of any child from her, not even Leia.

“Bah!” he exclaimed, putting his fist through a terminal.

He’d come away empty- in both senses of the word.

GALACTIC YOUTH ACADEMY, CORUSCANT

Leia had been delighted when she felt her father had returned to Coruscant, but that all disappeared when the school day was over. Captain Natha was nowhere to be seen- not even Artoo. Several of the Imperial Red Guard were waiting for her, escorting her to a shuttle and informing her that the Emperor required her presence.

That certainly would be fun to explain to her classmates the next day. They were already whispering behind her.

Leia never did like dealing with the Royal Guard. Undoubtedly they wouldn’t harm her- they had no reason to- but their presences were off. There was always something to remind her that they were unflinchingly loyal to the Emperor first and foremost. They wouldn’t even chance small talk unless instructed to, and Leia did value mindless chatter in an uncomfortable vacuum. Not even a glance was spared in her direction.

She arrived at the palace with uncertainty. Something was fishy about the situation, and her gut suggested faking illness or something similar to avoid the situation. Her stomach was certainly churning. They nevertheless ushered her into the throne room.

Palpatine sat as he always did, commanding the attention of the entire room from his throne.

“Ah, Leia, my dear. I apologize for the short notice, but I wish you present to learn the lesson I am to teach my apprentice today.”

She tentatively looked toward her father, who stood at the foot of the dais with his head down.

“Lord Vader, your business concerning your late wife,” he said, and Leia perked up. “Is it finished?”

“Yes, Master,” her father said. He was lying. Something stirred within him. He didn’t seem himself at all, like he was ill or something. His presence was fuzzier and uncertain when she examined it closely. But- her father had never been sick in all her years. She didn’t think it was possible with how sealed-off he was to the Galaxy from his armor.

Sidious stood up. “Really?” he asked with a dismissive chuckle. His glowing gaze turned to her in an instant. “Leia, tell me: what do you know of fear?”

Her father’s focus seemed to return.

Leia raised a brow and craned her neck. “The Sith interpretation is that it leads to anger, which leads to hate, which leads to strength.”

“Ah, so you can recite the words of the Code. However, it seems both you and your father are presently ignorant of it in practice,” he said, and Leia’s stomach sank. “Perhaps I have allowed you too much leeway, my friend. Your hate has led to nothing but grief as of late… Your feelings for your child’s mother are consuming you. You are wallowing in it even to this moment…”

“Can that not lead to the Dark Side?” Leia asked slowly.

“To lead to and to channel are entirely separate matters, dear Leia,” he said. “It is time your father begins anew. With fear…” he said, his fingertips arcing with lightning.

Vader raised his head, and Leia flinched.

Sidious’ Force Lightning crackled over her father’s body, to no effect. Sidious was pleasantly surprised but terrifyingly enough disappointed in some way. “So you have grounded your armor? I am glad to see you are not so far gone as to forego defending yourself…”

“Yes, Master,” he said, kneeling to the Sith. “I thought it wise to eliminate such a weakness in myself.”

Sidious raised his left hand, and her father’s head perked up. The hiss of his respirator ceased, replaced by a mechanical hitching as his life support tried and failed to give him air.

“Perhaps in yourself, but it remains a weakness. Unfortunate,” Sidious said. Everything screamed danger to Leia as his right hand crackled with conjured electricity. “One that will strengthen you…”

Her father attempted to spring to action but was jerked back and off the ground. His respirator groaned as a metallic squeaking sound filled the air.

Then came the crack.

The energy was released in her direction and she dropped to the ground, shielding her head. The lightning raced around her, finding its home in the wall. Her heart pounded as if she had been hit, but she was still in one non-crispy piece. At least that she could tell.

Metal ground against metal as the filtered sound of breath being torn from a body filled the air.

Her father stood and threw his hands outward, shaking free of Sidious’ grip. He ignited his lightsaber and she could merely watch. The Sith Master cackled as her father moved to block her from any further attack.

Even though her every instinct called for her to flee, as her heart pounded, she could not move. Fear consumed her.

“Goooood,” Sidious said, stretching, relishing in the pronunciation.

“Why?” Her father roared, his chest heaving. His body sparked occasionally, a sure sign that his mechanical parts had been damaged. “What is the meaning of this?!”

“You had forgotten your strength…” Sidious said slowly. “Your hatred… I do not wish to refresh you again, Lord Vader, but I will. As many times as it takes. Although I suspect after today your resolve will remain true… You are a mighty Sith, my old friend. Do not do the name injustice…”

Leia couldn’t keep her breathing regular. She looked into her father’s obscured eyes as pathetically as she could in order to emphasize how strongly she wished she wasn’t there.

“Yes… Master,” her father growled, lowering his head and extinguishing his saber. Intense and stifling hatred emitted from him in all directions. The Dark Side had been rekindled within her father.

“Now, it is time for your next task. No doubt you are aware that multiple Jedi who were known associates of Anakin Skywalker have crawled out of their hiding places,” he said.

She fumed wordlessly. How they could go from almost killing each other- killing her- to business as usual was beyond her. Her trembling prevented her from doing anything but biting her tongue. Leia could barely consider she might let something important slip.

Leia and Vader knew this was hardly the time for a confrontation. That- and the fact that her throat refused to produce sound and her knees were made of gelatin.

“I have felt it,” her father said through grit teeth. She could tell due to the breathy quality of his vocoded words.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano- should you encounter them, take care to not kill them unless necessary,” Sidious said.

Her father looked at the Emperor, and she could feel his rage turning to slight confusion. Even she could admit to calming down a smidge. She tried to keep her thoughts as blank as possible. Focusing on her outrage at the situation helped, she thought.

Sidious raised a hand. “They are symbols of a bygone age- surviving Jedi will rally behind them. We will allow them to consolidate. To become complacent at their perceived notion of hope... And when they have gathered, it will be their undoing, just as it was at the Temple.”

“And the Inquisitorius?” Vader asked.

Sidious waved away his concerns. “They are to continue operating as usual. I doubt even the Grand Inquisitor could best Skywalker’s apprentice… What meager prey they are unable to seize will fall to your judgement.”

Her father glanced at her. “And what of the children they delude into becoming Jedi?”

The Emperor raised a brow, staring daggers at Leia. “We possess strong candidates for the next generation already. They will join us or die, like the rest.”

“As you wish, Master,” he said stiffly. He turned his back on the Emperor, beckoning for Leia to follow.

She bent over to rest on her knees when she heard the telltale hiss of the door behind him. Her father stood in front of her to catch her if she fell. He looked like he would fall apart at any moment himself. His life support suit was severely damaged upon closer examination. His chest box had exposed wiring, and his breath hitched often.

“I have warned you time and time again,” he said sternly, nevertheless taking her carefully by the shoulders.

“I know!” she screamed shrilly. That came out far louder than intended. She immediately regretted such an action, but the embarrassment was hidden by the frantic flush on her face.

“Lower your voice! I am not intending to belittle you- Are you alright?“

“I know!” she exclaimed. “I’ve been… not good recently.”

Her father paused, gently turning her face up to his. He embraced her gingerly, ensuring he was doing her no harm. “You were off before the Emperor threatened you. What happened to disturb you so?”

She shook her head dismissively, pulling back. “I keep having… visions in the apartment.”

He hung his head low, as he often did when measuring his response. “I apologize for my carelessness. I have often found myself… shortsighted… when it comes to the safety of a loved one. Why didn’t you contact me? You can always do so.”

She avoided eye contact with his faceplate. “You were busy. I didn’t want to worry you…”

“Impossible,” her father said absolutely. “I will never not worry about your wellbeing.”

Leia nodded slowly in acknowledgment, his mentioning of shortsightedness at the forefront of her mind. “What were you even doing for so long?”

Vader took a few deep breaths, offering a hand to her. Her anxiety built. “We shall discuss it back at the apartment.”

That meant it was serious. She quelled any thoughts she had of pressing further for the time being. Her adrenaline was beginning to return to normal levels, and terror kept her silent.

Leia made a sound of acknowledgment before they separated in order to leave.

Chapter Text

8 BBY

SENATE APARTMENT COMPLEX, CORUSCANT

Vader could sense the echoes when they arrived. Something or someone had drawn them out, and he was not discounting the fact it could have been his wakes on Naboo. A disturbance in the Force had been generated by him, judging by what Leia had described to him and what Sidious knew. There was little sign she’d done as he’d suggested and distracted herself with friends- just stayed cooped up and restless.

Alone. He knew how that felt.

Captain Natha was there to receive them, and was worse for wear. Her eyes were wide and panicked. “Leia! You’re alright.”

Her concern for her charge above himself cemented that he’d made the correct choice. She would prove a valuable asset.

“The Emperor’s men wouldn’t tell us anything,” she said, suddenly becoming aware of him. She made contact with a small chip in one of his lenses and quickly focused her eyes on a spot on his brow. “My Lord, do you require-“

“Leia is my primary concern. As should yours be,” he said, jabbing a finger in her direction. A stray spark from his chest flew high and nearly hit the officer’s face. He was tempted to kill her just for mentioning the Emperor, but there would be no use in that. It would accomplish nothing more than temporarily sating his eternal anger.

She remained steadfast. “Very well. Is there anything you require?”

“No,” he said suddenly. He gave her a wave of his hand. “Secure the area.”

Leia turned to him when the Captain retired to her quarters. She hid her impatience well. “Can we talk? You promised.”

He conceded that. “Perhaps it would be best to speak while you rest?”

Leia blinked her undoubtedly sore eyes a few times before nodding. “That’s fair,” she said, homing in on her bed. “Where did you go?”

He set his weight on the foot of her bed as she crawled in. “You had visions while I was away? Are you certain they were distinct from mere dreams?”

If they were dreams, they had to have been nightmares. It was not counting Nerf that had upset her so. “I dreamt of mom. Her… death, I think.”

He could only think of a few things worse than that.

Vader’s breathing quickened slightly- only someone who had known him for years would have noticed it. Leia no doubt did. Not to mention the brief dread that escaped him before he was able to put a stopper on it. “...I see. You are certain?”

“She was in a lot of pain, crying for help, and that sort of thing. And… I think I heard myself crying. As a baby. I really don’t know what else it could have been,” she admitted.

Her bed creaked as the father shifted his weight. “I suspected this might happen as you matured. I thought changing the furniture would mitigate it, but... It was a vision… My vision. It plagued me in the days before her death.”

She widened her eyes. “You mean it was real?”

Vader bowed his head, taking a few breaths before he leaned forward and away from her.

“Yes, in all senses of the word. They began just after the Battle of Coruscant, when your mother informed me of her pregnancy…” he said.

“You… knew mom was going to die before it happened?” She shivered.

That struck his heart at an odd angle. He supposed that was technically true, but he hardly saw it that way. “In a way.”

“I wonder…” she said. “That… obviously came true... I’ve had some other visions too- while I was awake. Of bugs in my bed, a man breaking the caf table, and odd things like that. Have you always had visions? Bad ones?”

The kouhuns in Padmé’s room and his altercation with Rush Clovis flashed in his memory. “That was the past. I have often received premonitions, but a scarce few were like the one I had about your mother. I had a similar one before my own mother died. I didn’t act upon that one soon enough, and she was killed,” he said.

She scoffed. “What good are visions if you can’t even do anything about them?”

“With hindsight, they would have been. If not for the first, then…”

“Then what?”

He reined in his feelings and decided to measure his words. It was useless to dwell upon yet he always did. “Then perhaps the second one wouldn’t have come true.”

She remained silent for a moment. Leia didn’t seem to press the matter further. “What exactly happened out there?”

He had to tread carefully. “A listening device was planted here by Rebels from Naboo. I tracked them down and made sure they were no threat to you.”

“That sounds like a good thing, but… not the sort of thing that the Emperor would get mad about. Or the sort of thing that made your presence as distant as it was.”

So she had picked up on that? Perhaps he should make more of an effort to not trouble her. He drew upon all of his strength. “I discovered the place where you were born. Where your mother died. The Polis Massa Asteroid Field.”

“Oh,” she said. “Did… you find out exactly when?”

He smirked under the mask, reaching to squeeze her hand. “You are younger than the Empire by two days. We were not far off.”

They hadn’t originally celebrated at all. He thought such festivity was frivolous until his daughter was old enough to ask why the other children looked forward to their birthday. It made him recall his childhood on Tatooine, when small celebrations like that were treasured. It reminded him of his mother. Then it had become a time-honored and beloved celebration.

Given the Emperor’s lies, it was difficult to narrow down her birthday beyond the broad window between when he had last seen her on Mustafar and her funeral. He had hoped Artoo would provide them with a date, but the period between the Empire’s rise and his discovery of Leia were expunged from the droid’s memory banks. As far as he knew, it was the only time the droid had been subjected to that since the Battle of Naboo. But as it turned out- Padmé had died when the Emperor said. His omnipresence was terrifying, provided he hadn’t merely guessed. Although, there was no such thing as coincidence with Sheev Palpatine. He did not discount the fact that Palptine may have killed her in some mysterious way.

“As much as I liked loosely celebrating my birthday for a week, I think I prefer certainty…”

He nodded. Something else was burning at the back of his mind. Leia was staring through the back of his helmet. “Your powers of perception continue to grow.”

“So there is something else?”

He took a moment to measure his words. No word could reveal a thing.

“I realize I have told you this frequently lately, but I cannot tell you. The information would be in jeopardy in your unprotected mind.”

She leaned forward with determination. “If it’s so weak, teach me to protect it.”

“Relatively, Leia. Even I will have difficulty keeping this from the Emperor…” he admitted, slumping forward. “You do not know how deeply I wish to share this with you.”

A chill went down his spine. “Is it that bad?” she asked in a quiet voice. She never seemed so small.

“Yes,” he admitted.

“Worse than you telling your old Jedi friends about the Death Star?”

Vader flinched, a sense of genuine surprise jolting through his body. He had entirely forgotten that she was present for that. Meeting Ahsoka again had been quite a significant distraction.

“Do not ever mention that again, but… Worse than that.” He looked to her with his own eyes, savoring the sight of her unharmed. He was unable to see anything but the terror after Palpatine’s threat. “For him...”

“That sounds… treasonous,” she said slowly.

“Only if I am not triumphant,” he said. “But he will pay for what he did today. I will destroy him.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it, it seemed. Leia’s feathers were still ruffled, and he could feel her suppressing it.

“Trust that this will pass. And you have no reason to fear.”

“I do,” she said.

Something swelled within him as they sat in silence. “The Emperor was out of line today.”

“He’s the Emperor. Can he really step out of line?” she asked snappily.

“Never again shall you hold back on contacting me, Leia. He is a dangerous man if you are on the receiving end of his wrath,” he explained.

She seemed to shrink in bed. “I know.”

Leia seemed so fragile in this state.

“I will protect you until my last breath,” he said, squeezing her hand.

She offered a smile, but was still shaken. He had to do something. First, though, he began to project his feelings openly.

“Tell me a story?” his daughter asked.

He smiled under the mask. “A bedtime story? Are you not too old for one of those, little one?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah, maybe for fairytales. I want you to tell me a real one. About mom. To calm my nerves.”

“I suppose I am capable of that,” he offered.

“Well, just one won’t hurt, right? Something you’ve never told me before,” she said, challenging him.

Vader moved to sit at the seat in front of her vanity. A story for a child…“As you wish. Have I ever told you of the time your mother and I were taken hostage in the Senate Building?”

“No,” she said, looking like someone far from sleep.

“It began when I was attempting to coax your mother into going on vacation with me…”

OxOxO

Leia’s fear was all he felt for the entire night. It was a restless one for Darth Vader, and he was furious. The time he hadn’t spent meditating he had spent pacing around the apartment, trying his best to contain his feelings, lest they disturb Leia. Unfortunately that task was akin to containing water in a woven basket- it eventually spilled.

He had a second child. Coming to that realization was just as surprising the fiftieth time as it was the first. Vader longed desperately to tell her. To find the child. But… perhaps it was for the best. He already struggled enough with keeping one child from the Emperor, and he had told him about her anyway.

A cold feeling set into his chest as he realized that his own child was safest far away from him- just like Obi-Wan intended. He let out a long breath. Before now, he had understood why Kenobi had kept his child away from him. Vader had set out to Tatooine to prove him wrong. He had been so prideful and arrogant and smug. Now, however, he fully appreciated Obi-Wan’s meddling. Moreover, he felt like a fool for being so angry. The selfish part of him was being defeated by the reasonable side, and his self-loathing only increased.

He just couldn’t help being his own worst enemy.

The Dark Side came to his side to comfort him, swirling around like his cape in the wind. He needed to move quickly in order to take steps against the Emperor. The sooner they happened, the less the old Sith would suspect anything.

His thoughts came to a halt as a Deathtrooper intercepted him in one of the hallways. “Grand Moff Tarkin has requested your attention.”

Vader took the holoprojector from the trooper and entered the office room, setting it on the table. The blue projection of Wilhuff Tarkin appeared before him from the table’s larger projector.

“Lord Vader. Thank you for answering my call,” Tarkin said.

“I have no time for idle chat,” he said.

“Naturally- and neither do I. I would like to request a favor from you,” he said.

Vader folded his arms. He bitterly regretted how he had called in the previous favor he was owed. In hindsight, seeing if Tarkin could kill him was hardly a good use of that. It reaffirmed that he had not lost his fire- but nothing more. A dangerous mission could have done that. At the very least he had taught Tarkin that he was not someone to be trifled with…

“Very well,” he said.

Tarkin gave him a slight nod. “Orson Krennic’s project has begun to produce significant results once more. We recaptured the scientist Galen Erso last month. I wish for you to meet them on Eadu and ensure Project Stardust remains on the uptrack.”

That did not bode well. Years ago, in an attempt to sabotage Tarkin’s project, Vader tipped off Galen’s wife Lyra. Their disappearance came shortly after he revealed the nature of the project they were working on to them. Remotely- of course. Just as untraceable as his Fulcrum work. If anything, more helpful. Even still after that, he had sent another droid to warn them just before Krennic closed in on their Lah’mu farmstead.

It troubled him that this recapture escaped his notice, but he passed it off. He couldn’t be everywhere. It was unlikely to be a conspiracy. Sidious could not possibly be onto him. His arrogance in thinking Vader an unthinking brute was a weakness he had been aware of for some time.

It seemed that this was a fortunate opportunity for Vader to test his new theory that squeezing tighter only increased the struggle. “They will cooperate or die.”

Preferably cooperate with him. Krennic’s incompetence spoke for itself, but Erso… Erso could be directed. The two of them needed to remain on the project to ensure its delay. The pause on construction that it would take for Tarkin to find replacements would dwarf what could be not accomplished under these two.

“I would rather they live as long as possible. I am far too needed elsewhere to drop everything to clean up after Krennic. And he seems to insist Galen’s absence is what has caused these delays… A supposed lack of momentum.” Tarkin said with irritation.

“I will leave immediately,” Vader said, ending the transmission.

It seemed his testing would have to wait. Eadu took priority in the long run. He would have to leave Leia alone eventually- best to rip the bacta patch off now. However, while he could only be in one place, he had certain… avenues to get gears turning.

He entered another frequency into his communicator, routing it to the projector.

“Hm…” Maul mused, his voice recognizable enough without a projected image. “I was wondering when you would contact me next, my new friend.”

“I have a need for untraceable income,” Vader said.

Maul made a ponderous sound. “I assume this pertains to undermining our shared enemy?”

“Naturally.”

“Then you shall have it.”

OxOxO

“Good morning, father,” she said as she sat at the dining room table. His hands were clasped behind his back.

“I trust you slept well?” he asked, seeming upset.

“No more dreams,” she said. Then she spotted what was out of place on the table. “Where did this candle come from?”

She picked the waxy thing up and attempted to look for a seal or something identifying on the bottom

Vader waved a hand, and the wick caught fire, steadily burning in front of her.

“How did you do that?” she asked quickly, her sleepiness disappearing. Leia set the thing on the table.

“With-“

“The Force,” she interrupted. “Because all things are possible through the Force. What did you do with the Force to do that?”

“I applied my control of the Force to basic molecular concepts,” he said, and she felt her attention waning. “The Force is the greatest applicator of an imagination.”

What with the mention of molecular concepts, it had to be rather literal. She recalled her basic survival training. Particularly on how to make fire.

“Is it… friction?” she asked.

“Good,” he said, and the flame disappeared. “Your turn.”

Leia held out a hand and poured the Force into the object. No matter how long she chanted friction within her mind, nothing happened but the occasional rattle of it clattering on the table. “Give me a new angle,” she suggested.

“Imagine your concept of a molecule. Excite it within the candle, and produce a flame,” he said.

She pictured the small model spheres that her tutors had used, and began shaking them in her mind like they were in an infant’s rattle.

A puff of smoke emitted from the side of the wick, but no flame. It wasn’t as if she was expecting a roaring one, but her training at least afforded a spark!

“Work on that while I am gone. Try to use only your mind- no gestures. It will help your focus,” her father said.

She whipped her head toward him. “Gone? You’re going?”

“I cannot always be near you,” Vader said.

She waved a hand. “I know- and we’re hardly far from contact. You just got back!”

“Governor Tarkin has requested my aid. I cannot refuse him. He is too close to the Emperor,” he asserted.

Leia’s face sobered. She nodded a few times. “Okay, don’t worry then. I’ll get the hang of this.”

Vader turned to Artoo. “Ensure that your fire suppressants are at maximum capacity.”

OxOxO

It did not take long for him to begin spiraling into anxiety. He barely broke Coruscant’s atmosphere when it set in. He sensed no danger, and the rational part of him was at ease. The primal part of him that worried for his offspring unconditionally was terrified for her safety. Unfortunately, he couldn’t be in two places at once.

He resigned himself to put his faith in Leia’s resilience. It was unlikely she would be swayed by Sidious, and even less likely he would try something again so soon. Not while they were still on edge. Striking when complacency settled in was more Sidious’ style.

Not to mention, as he told himself, he would have to leave her side eventually. Vader was thinking more about the near future. And then his thoughts drifted to her raising a family of her own, and he shut it down.

He spent the rest of his trip channeling his hatred for his Master. His defection was no longer a matter of if, but when. He would kill Sidious for all that he had done, even at the cost of himself.

His arrival Eadu had done little to minimize his desire to simply get it over with. There was a heavy downpour when he touched down on the landing pad. Rainwater was spilling off the sides.

It was a small thing to create a barrier around himself to block the rain, but Krennic’s mystified reaction to the water sliding avoiding him made his job that much easier.

“Lord Vader. Welcome to Eadu,” the director said, his hands clasped in front of him. Vader took note that his mechanical hand was the one on bottom.

Vader made a brief noise of annoyed acknowledgment before being led into the facility. “Show me to Galen Erso.”

“I’m sorry?” the director asked. “Governor Tarkin said you would only be here for an inspection.”

Such things were for a lesser officer. “He escaped once. I will assure his obedience.”

Krennic seemed annoyed. “He wasn’t really a prisoner then. I am confident in our abilities to confine him and get him to cooperate, my Lord.”

Vader stopped. “Perhaps you will,” he said, opening the door to the workshop with his hand, stepping through the doorway and between the shocked guards. “Perhaps not.”

All of the members of Erso’s teams stopped dead in their tracks. He could not blame them for their cowardice. Galen stood from his station, shutting off a hologram he seemed to have been manipulating.

“Director. Lord Vader. To what do we owe the pleasure?” he asked. The man looked worse for wear. Weary, and afraid for his team. Not himself. He could admire the man’s backbone. That made him ideal to work with. Though he couldn’t show his hand just yet.

“Lord Vader-“

“Your work with the Kyber is exemplary for someone lacking the ability to use the Force,” he admitted, floating one of the blue crystals on the man’s desk to his hand. It was a small, runtish pebble of a thing.

It barely resisted when he poured the Dark into it, turning it blood-red within his closed hand. He sent it floating back to the desk.

“I… have always held respect for it,” Galen said, not taking his eyes off of the crystal.

“A shame it has been put to use on this,” Vader said. He strode toward the man and his desk, picking up a holographic blueprint. “This is the latest version of the schematics?”

Galen began to radiate with fear. “Yes. I… made changes to the ones made in my absence.”

Darth Vader could hardly believe what he was seeing. He had seen the plans before on Scarif, years ago, and they were much different from the ones before his eyes. The exhaust had gone from numerous smaller vents into a single one along the hemisphere. This change was cited as being due to the need for more living space on board. Krennic had signed off on the changes and rearranged the quarters himself.

He had come prepared to pressure him into doing something similar or to help with another escape. Factors outside of the team’s control and thus culpability were practically nonexistent so long as the Rebel Alliance had nothing to say of Geonosis. He had begun to lose faith in stopping the Death Star when Tarkin was designated Krennic’s mess cleaner. Instead, Galen had already begun to sabotage the station, and he had been back for hardly a month, according to Tarkin. And Krennic had helped him, no doubt unwittingly.

The man Vader intended to use to clean his hands had cleaned his own with no prompting. Vader looked back toward the man.

Vader’s vigor was renewed and his confidence in overthrowing his Master was restored. Above all else, he was impressed.

“I detest this station and the problems it creates perhaps as much as you,” Vader decided on saying.

Krennic’s anger flared. “When it is operational, Lord Vader, you’ll reconsider, I’m sure.” He meant it not as a threat. Krennic was an ambitious fool, but he desired not to rule the Galaxy. An insult to the station was an insult to him, his greatest creation.

“Should the day ever come,” he said.

The man was certainly going red behind him. Time to break away for certain.

“Walk with me,” Vader said to Erso. Death troopers came to their side and he waved them away. Galen Erso worked up the nerve to accompany the Sith Lord, and together they entered an adjoining room. It was an observational auditorium separated from workers with Kyber crystals beyond a transparisteel wall.

Erso looked through the window with him for a while before becoming unnerved by the silence.“Is there something you want from me?”

“Your file said you have a daughter,” Vader said. It had also stated that Lyra, his wife, had been put down by the arresting troopers.

Galen’s fear reached its peak before descending into despair. “I did, yes.”

“Do not give up hope yet. I believed my daughter to be dead for nearly a year before I discovered her.” Vader said.

“You... have a child. Lord Vader?” he asked. The fear turned into genuine curiosity.

He turned to the man. “Yes. Younger than yours. I understand your adverse feelings toward the station. However, you must continue your work on it, or someone else will.”

Vader extended a finger to the man, sending the image of the exhaust port to his relatively unshielded mind. Galen flinched at the invasion to his imagination, but seemed to realize the implications. He bowed his head, gratitude and understanding radiating from him.

“I… think I understand,” he said, putting a hand on top of his head.

Vader folded his arms against his chest. “Good.”

Perhaps not everything was ruined in his life. If Galen stayed in the project, he hardly need worry about the Death Star.

GALACTIC YOUTH ACADEMY, CORUSCANT

As exciting as going to an actual school was, it still had some of the problems she encountered with her tutors. The teachers were all afraid of her- she could feel it. As for the students, they too strayed away from her for the most part. At least they differed from the instructors in their reasoning.

A good half of the attendees of the school thought themselves better than everyone. Except her, that was. No matter how they treated anyone else, they were either afraid of her or going out of their way to avoid who they thought she was. Leia discovered quite rapidly that there were people expecting her to be two meters tall and covered in armor like her dad. Someone had stopped her earlier that day asking if she knew what Darth Vader’s daughter looked like.

She was just glad the day was over.

“I’ve never seen you this expressive,” Amilyn said, pushing her face in front of Leia. They both stopped walking. “What are you thinking about?”

Leia’s face grew warm. “Nothing. What do you mean by expressive?”

“Usually your facial expressions don’t really change all that much. Just a twitch here or there. I heard one of the boys saying he thought you were a droid, like your dad,” she said nonchalantly.

Leia covered her face. “I’m expressive! And my dad isn’t a droid!”

“Maybe to you. I’m betting you’re mimicking your father without knowing.”

That was probably true. Between her father and droids, she didn’t have much childhood experience with facial emoting other than what was ingrained within all humans. “I’ve never actually needed to see his face, Amilyn. I can read people just as well with the Force now.”

She leaned forward. “What am I thinking about now?”

“A lot of things- like usual. I can’t actually read your thoughts, though,” she said. Amilyn easily jumped from one train of thought to another, and if Leia wasn’t making an effort to mute it, it would become just as distracting as the rest of the planet.

Chassellon walked up to them at some point, waiting for them to finish. “Hello, Leia. Amilyn.”

“Hello,” Leia said.

“You haven’t been looking too well today. Perhaps you’d like to blow off some steam?”

Leia craned her neck. Was everyone able to pick up on her misery? “How do you mean?”

“Harp said you dabbled in the lightfoil. Would you like a few bouts? I already sent her to the gymnasium.”

She was out of practice anyway. “Sure,” she said, and Amilyn followed her and Chassellon.

The gymnasium was empty at the time. Grav-Ball practice didn’t start for another hour, according to Harp, so they had the expansive paneled gray box to themselves. Chassellon had gone to a back room to get some training staves, leaving her with Amilyn and Harp.

Amilyn began swinging an imaginary blade and making whooshing noises.“Are you gonna use your-”

“No, Amilyn,” Leia said curtly. She’d beat him without her lightsaber.

Chassellon jogged from the storeroom with two collapsible sticks, his long curls bouncing. “It’s not too late to back out.”

“He’s trained with a lightfoil!” Harp said for the fourth time. “You know, the weapon of the Jedi.”

Leia shook her head at the nonsense, just in time to catch the makeshift blade Chassellon had thrown at her. Absently she hoped that her eyes had been open for the catch, but she couldn’t recall. She pressed the button near the bottom, extending the collapsible rod to what she thought was about the length of her saber.

Chassellon looked at her in bewilderment as she took a two-handed grip and did a few test swings. The weight was all off, but that probably didn’t matter.

“First lesson, don’t hold it that way. It’s barbaric,” he said, demonstrating his one-handed grip. It was fairly similar to what she had seen of the second lightsaber formi. She was no expert, but it was a perversion of it, really.

“So this is a lesson now?” She shook her head. “Even if we take blasters out of the equation, a common thug with a blade isn’t going to follow any rules.”

“Very well,” he said. “I just don’t want to injure you.”

Leia’s instincts immediately gave her the way to beat him. The longer they waited, the more sure she was that it would work. She would make it work out of pure spite to him.

“You’ve certainly got the fire in your eyes,” Chassellon said, unaware of the storm. “I’ll let you take the first swing.”

Leia nodded, giving a sweet smile. “How gentlemanly.”

Leia immediately twirled her weapon around his, disarming the boy and sending his sword careening. She’d noticed his poor grip before it even started, and as her father had taught her, that was usually when a battle was decided. It was a scant few altercations that were anyone’s game until the end, but that did not mean a guard should ever be lowered.

Unfortunately that little number wasn’t liable to work a second time.

“You’re hustling me,” was his conclusion.

She shrugged dramatically. “Would you buy beginner’s luck?”

“No, you’re way too good. Why didn’t you say something?”

“You never asked. You just assumed,” she said, and she could not help herself from having fun. “You don’t get to grow up under my father and not pick up a few things.”

His cheeks flushed. “Let’s go again, I was just taking it easy on you.”

She twirled her practice blade around a few times in response. Rather than displaying her Force abilities, she elected to allow him to retrieve his own weapon. His pride was to remain intact that way.

He caught her off guard with his first strike, but she doubted it had anything to do with a hustle of his own. Chassellon most likely was taking it easy the first time, which lulled her inadvertently into a false sense of security.

By the second Leia treated him seriously. There was no third as she forced him onto the defensive. Eventually when he was too focused on her blade and not her footwork, she swept his legs out from under him with her own.

“Come on, when are you going to use the Force?” Amilyn asked exasperatedly.

She whipped around to glare at her. “It’s not a toy,” she said, realizing that was somewhat hypocritical of her. She used it to turn off lights sometimes when she was too lazy to get up.

“Don’t encourage her, Leia. We all know the Force is a myth,” Chassellon asserted sorely.

Leia raised a brow at him. “It’s real.”

“Look, I understand that you’re new here, but we’re all young adults here. The up-and-comers of the Empire. We should make an effort to act like it,” he said, standing and crossing his arms. “Your father probably wouldn’t want you indulging this type of company.”

“I’m capable of making decisions without him,” she said through grit teeth. Shame and frustration filled her. “I was born two days after everyone decided to pretend the Force didn’t exist.”

Chassellon flashed her a look of pity, and she had enough. When he was back on his feet fully she stole the stick he was resting on with the Force. He stumbled a bit before realizing it had floated to her with little to no effort. Leia tossed it into the air and broke it in half with her mind.

Leia tossed both ends of the stick in opposite directions. “The Force is real, and powerful. That’s why the Jedi were wiped out. They were a threat! I’m a-”

“Hey.” Amilyn grabbed her by the shoulder, and she shook free. “Leia,” she said, in a tone she had never heard from the girl. “You should stop before you say something you can’t take back.”

Leia looked back at the girl, seeing that she was showing an uncharacteristic amount of seriousness on her face. She looked back at Chassellon who was still in confused awe. His face never looked stupid-er.

“I’m out of here,” she declared. Captain Natha was probably worrying about her, and she didn't want her to get into any trouble. Fat chance of that happening, though.

The last week had just been terrible.

Chapter Text

8 BBY

TWILIGHT II, HYPERSPACE

Ahsoka had been quiet since she and the boy collapsed. He wasn’t stupid, and he sure as hell wasnt deaf. She’d said ‘Anakin’ after they felt that disturbance.

It reminded him of how haunted she had been when Order 66 had dropped, just before the chip took control of him. She didn’t know what was going on, but she kept moving on.

Something related to General Skywalker was going on. He hated being out of the loop, but he trusted his friend with his life. It was either nothing or there was nothing to report.

He took his focus from the swirling vacuum of hyperspace, glancing at Luke. He was curled up into a ball on his seat. He hardly looked like the General now. “So… you grew up on Tatooine?”

“Yeah,” he said, letting his foot down. “It’s not that different from Seelos. Have you ever been there?”

“No, Hutt Space wasn’t as hotly contested near the end of the war. The real fighting never made it out there . ‘Least not the Five-Oh-First. The General rarely spoke of it, but it was never good.”

“I thought I didn’t like it until I left. Now I can’t go back.”

He knew how that felt. The facilities on Kamino had been destroyed completely a decade ago as the Empire started switching from cloned soldiers. Hearing about that was not easy. “I’m from Kamino. Rainiest place in the Galaxy, and I hated it. Then I deployed and thought the air was too dry everywhere. My soldiers used to make fun of me for it.”

Of course, going from Kamino to Geonosis would make anybody wish for more precipitation.

“It’s the opposite for me. Everywhere seems so humid- too much water in the air,” Luke said. “I never imagined in a million years that would be a problem for anyone in the Galaxy!”

Rex laughed. The boy was such a moisture farmer it was nearly unfunny. “Well, this Galaxy has a lot to offer. You’ll see a lot of it, I imagine. The people in your family just can’t sit idle.”

He scoffed. “Yeah, except for my aunt and uncle…”

“All I got are brothers. A whole lot of them, too.”

“I’ve never met a clone before you, I think.” He spoke tentatively at first, becoming more confident as his thoughts went on. Then he began to stumble again. “I’ve never felt anything like that.”

“Neither have I.”

Luke seemed to analyze that. “It was cold. I mean, I’ve felt that kind of cold before- when Obi-Wan and Ahsoka fought a Sith Lord on Stygeon Prime. But… it wasn’t that bad. It was just something to adapt to. Like rain.”

The kid was putting on a show for him, he realized quickly. The slight tremble and the way he avoided eye contact while saying it cemented that. He was a worse liar than a clone, that much was sure. However, it wasn’t a byproduct of loyalty engineering in Luke, just… a boy wearing his heart on his sleeve.

“It was worse this time?”

“By far,” he said, the words spilling out of his mouth.

Rex was mortified at the possibilities of such a disturbance. He’d never seen Ahsoka so disturbed either. She’d been able to power through Order 66. He didn’t even entertain the possibility that she’d gotten weaker somehow.

He wasn’t all that full of hope.

LARINN CITY SPACEPORT, LARINN

Larinn was an interesting planet to Luke. It was one big jungle, barely separated by oceans, inhospitable to all but the natives. They had landed in a bio dome that was considerably less humid and way more noisy.

“This is a strange place,” Ahsoka said after she bribed the customs official.

“I know what you mean,” Rex said.

Luke didn’t, and so kept his mouth shut. Probably something to do with the War, and that wasn’t attention they wanted right now. For now, they were meeting with Ben to check the coordinates they received.

They left the confines of the complex, and a sprawling yet contained cityscape laid before them, courtyards and walkways stretching high and low in perfectly symmetrical asymmetry. It reminded Luke of some of the messy wiring he’d seen in lower-end droids. It was as if a contradiction was a place.

Ahsoka glanced at her wrist-com, making a noise of acknowledgement. “Looks like it’s not too far from here. Let’s not wait on Obi-Wan.”

“You think it’s some sort of shipment?” Rex asked.

“I’m doubtful. Artifacts of interest to our adversaries would have been ancient trophies confiscated years ago,” she said.

The Inquisitors wouldn’t be interested in conventional weapons or supplies, he thought, unless they were demoted. Put on busywork like he had been when he misbehaved at the farm.That was unlikely because there were still Jedi around, though.

“Well, there’s only a few things I could think they’d come all this way for,” Rex said.

Ahsoka nodded as they melted into the crowd. “I’m just hoping my instincts aren’t right. Something about this seems too familiar.”

Excitement swelled within Luke as he worked out what they meant. The prospect of another surviving Jedi excited him- more stories and wisdom to learn from. He jogged up to Ahsoka’s side as they entered the city proper. It was only a few moments of walking before she made a right turn toward some apartment complexes. She stopped dead in her tracks at the frantic cooing of a bird.

A little green convor flew down from one of the gutters and onto Ahsoka’s outstretched forearm. He didn’t know she was good with birds.

“We’re going to have company,” Ahsoka said, turning her head back at them both. Rex’s pistols clicked. “Whatever they’re here for, it must be worth it.”

He nodded and became aware of his saber. “Who’s he?” Luke asked, still on guard.

“She’s a friend,” she said, lifting her arm and propelling the creature into flight. “And I was beginning to think I wouldn’t see her again.”

He decided not to ask, instead keeping an eye out for Inquisitors or other Imperials. Well, more than that, he was trusting in the Force.

“There it is,” Ahsoka said, nodding toward one of the more unassuming buildings.

She straightened up, Rex doing the same and hugging a wall. He followed closely and ducked behind a manicured shrub. Peeking through the foliage he saw a large alien woman clad in the dark armor of the Inquisitorius. He’d never seen an alien like her before, with the horns on her chin. Not to mention her sheer size. She was a tall and broad woman. At least- he thought she was a woman.

Ahsoka motioned at him and Rex with two fingers to wait patiently. It seemed they hadn’t quite yet entered the building. Not to mention- they seemed empty handed.

Luke thought they probably weren’t waiting for Ben at all anymore.

“Alright. This should be the place, little sister,” the big inquisitor said. When he strained his neck to the right, he saw that there was indeed a smaller Inquisitor, and the sight of her made his heart jump.

She was wearing a mask he had seen only in cautionary examples. It was the striking mask of a Tusken Raider, unmistakable with the presence of a gaffi stick on her back. The larger Inquisitor snapped her head in his direction.

She let out an amused scoff.

“I’ll give you credit, kid. Anyone but me wouldn’t have been able to tell you were concealing your fear. Muting it instead of outright trapping it within. Hiding it in plain sight. Handy trick. Wonder who taught you that,” she said, and he knew he had been compromised.

But not Ahsoka and Rex. He stood tall, instead entirely hiding his fear from their awareness. “Nobody.”

“Nobody! Really? I have trouble believing that. Are you sure it wasn’t your little Jedi friend inside?” she asked expectantly.

He craned his head. “I didn’t know there was a Jedi in there.”

“But you know what a Jedi is,” she said. Luke flinched. The big Inquisitor crossed her large arms and looked him up and down. “Hmm… You’re honest. I appreciate that. Reminds me of someone else I know. She’s about your size, too. But you’re way more puny.”

His face went red.

A whispery voice emanated from beside her. “Jedi inside or not, he does not travel alone,” she said, leaving Luke even more shocked. He didn’t even know Sandpeople could speak! Assuming that she even was one, which he was beginning to doubt.

“You’re probably right. He’s too young to have survived the Purge, not to mention, someone had to teach him how to camouflage his thoughts! Someone more skilled than the Padawan,” the big one said. “So where are they?”

An orange blur sped down from one of the rooftops, connecting with the large Inquisitor's head. Ahsoka kicked off of her shoulders and landed opposite the two Inquisitors just as the big one crashed to the ground.

“There’s no reason this needs to get any uglier, does it?” Ahsoka asked the small Inquisitor. The other one didn’t seem to be conscious.

The Tusken glanced between Luke and Ahsoka, unsure of her decision until Rex came out from behind the bushes. “You are dangerous prey. I cannot defeat you.”

Ahsoka angled her lightsaber away. “You don’t sound concerned about that.”

“Jedi will not attack first. This is the way of things,” the tiny Tusken said.

“Tell us why you’re here.” Ahsoka said. The Tusken did not reply. “You’re a child, right? You can come with us- we’ll free you from the Empire.”

“I chose to join. They treat me better than my kin. Darth Vader himself recruited me,” she insisted.

Ahsoka faltered for a moment, and that was all it took. She dropped to the ground.

The large Inquisitor had grabbed her shin with an evidently mechanical hand, squeezing and refusing to let go for dear life. Her other hand ignited a lightsaber that was aimed at her neck. Luke’s heart sank. “Should have aimed for my neck, Tano!”

Rex fired a series of shots at the woman that were blocked by the small Inquisitor. He took one of the blasts to the shoulder, immediately making a run for Luke when he bounced back. The measly crowd scattered and screamed upon realizing that this was no mere scuffle.

“Looks like we’re going nowhere!” the gruff woman exclaimed. “A good old Gamorrean standoff!”

Luke ignited his lightsaber.

“Finish him and the clone off, sister, then call in reinforcements. Lord Vader will be much more pleased with Tano than the target,” she said.

Ahsoka took a deep breath, and the large woman’s lightsaber turned off. It was just the distraction she needed.

“What the-“ she exclaimed, her grip slackening enough for Ahsoka to escape with a groan.

She rolled over and took a low stance, both sabers active.

Luke took the opportunity and gave a mighty push with the Force, knocking the small Inquisitor over. Rex shot at the deactivated lightsaber, causing it to shoot sparks in all directions.

“Okay, change of plans,” the large Inquisitor said, dropping the destroyed saber.

“Answer my questions and I won’t have my friend shoot you.”

“I’m dead anyway. Lord Vader won’t let this failure slide,” the big one said.

“You forget that your failure doesn’t end here. I could make it so much worse,” Ahsoka growled.

“Fair enough,” the Inquisitor grumbled. “You asked why we were here. Padawan got a little too heroic, someone noticed. Probably long gone.”

“Which room?”

“Like I said- probably long-“

“That’s not what I asked,” Ahsoka asserted, moving her saber closer to her neck.

“Apartment 329,” she grumbled.

Ahsoka nodded. “Thank you. Rex?”

Two stun shots struck their targets, and the imperial personnel folded.

“Come on,” Ahsoka said, extinguishing her saber. “She’s probably right, but we have to check before their friends show up.”

Luke stood behind for a moment, staring at the two Inquisitors. He followed suit on sprinting into the building, up two flights of stairs. A sign indicated that 329 would be at the end of the hall to their left, just before 330. Ahsoka approached the keypad, but it was for nothing. The door opened as soon as she approached it.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Luke said, near automatically. Rex shot him a glance before switching the safety on his blasters off of stun. “We were all thinking it,” Luke said.

Ahsoka ignited her lightsaber after discovering the power was out, lifting it to bathe the area in white light. Luke followed them close as they crossed the threshold into the apartment.

What struck him first was the glowing magenta eyes in the darkness. As he adjusted to it, he noticed that while the woman the eyes belonged to had blonde hair, her skin was far too pale to be human- it was nearing gray.

“W- white blades? Jedi?” the woman said.

“We are. Are you the one the Inquisitors are searching for?” Ahsoka asked, extinguishing her saber. Rex lowered his blasters.

The woman shook her head. “Our- My son. He’s got It.”

She looked too young to have any children older than Luke…

“Grab him, then. We don’t have much time,” Ahsoka said. “We can help you get into hiding.”

Luke piped in because he felt he was being unhelpful. “Can I help with anything?” he asked.

The woman snapped into action and pointed at a bag on the caf table. “Grab that. I’ll get Kalluo,” she said, ducking into a back room.

Luke did as he was told, looking to see Rex watching the doorway.

“Is there anyone else we need to relocate?” Ahsoka asked.

“No,” the woman said, emerging with an infant in her arms. “If you’re asking about the father, Merj ran out on us the second he sensed the Inquisitors.”

A sleemo, in Luke’s opinion, Jedi or not.

“His loss, then,” Ahsoka said, motioning for Rex to fall further into the apartment. “We’re leaving through the window. They might be coming around soon.”

“Coming around? You mean you didn’t kill them?”

“It’s better not to. They’re like Gizka. Get rid of one and two take its place. We can handle these ones just fine for now,” Ahsoka said. Then she swallowed. “Stormtroopers.”

Luke peeked out and saw them running down the street.

“Get away from the window,” Rex said, sticking his head out it. “Hey!” he shouted. “They went that way!”

Rex pulled away from the window and Luke looked out, seeing the troopers diverting and running down the street away from the building.

“Wow,” Luke exclaimed. “I can’t believe that worked.”

“I'll take it,” Rex said. “Now lets go!”

OxOxO

Obi-Wan had been at the rendezvous point for around half a standard hour. Because it was Ahsoka, he wasn’t all that concerned. For one- he felt no danger in the Force- the one thing he could always trust in.

The main reason for his lack of concern was because as mature and reserved as Ahsoka had become, she still showed signs of being trained by Anakin. Timeframes and appointments were mere suggestions to the likes of her. If he wasn’t fortunate, Luke would pick up on that habit too.

He was seated on the landing ramp of his freighter when he saw them approaching. Ahsoka was in the lead, followed by an unknown Kage woman and Luke. They were in quite the hurry.

Obi-Wan stood and ushered them aboard. “Welcome,” he said to the woman, who he now realized was carrying an infant.

Then he saw the flash of white speeding towards them from the tree line, blasters drawn. Obi-Wan was ashamed to say he froze, and he just watched as the danger he thought he was in waltzed up the ramp.

“General,” the clone said, and he realized it was Rex- Anakin’s second-in-command.

“What are you-” he said absently, closing the ramp behind them.

“It’s fine,” Ahsoka said.

“Twilight II is compromised,” Rex said. “Came as quick as I could.”

“It’s not the first Twilight II,” Ahsoka said.

Obi-Wan stared at her, wondering just why she would bring a clone here. But she hadn’t survived by being stupid. “I believe I’ve been left out of the loop,” he decided.

Rex’s head fell for a moment. “Did you… not know I’d be here, General?”

“That… that doesn’t matter. If Ahsoka trusts you, I trust you,” he said, making for the cockpit. “We’ve got to get airborne.”

Ahsoka met him there and strapped in. “Sorry. I just didn’t know how you’d take it.”

“I’ll admit it was a shock. I haven’t seen a clone trooper since… well, you know.”

“He doesn’t have a chip.”

Obi-Wan raised a brow. “Chip?”

Ahsoka shook her head as if she thought he was ridiculous for not being privy. “Later. We found out what the Inquisitors are retrieving.”

“We did?” Luke asked, poking his head from the back seat.

Kenobi looked back at the presumable mother. “Force-Sensitive children,” he said, hardly believing it himself.

“He almost pulled it off during the Clone War. Now He’s got an Empire- has for years,” Ahsoka said.

Obi-Wan put a hand over his mouth. How many children had been abducted by the Empire? Too many, regardless of the number, he realized. And then he realized that Leia had been found. Was Vader actively looking for her, or had it been a mission similar to this?

“We’re going to need to take up Seeker duties,” Ahsoka said.

“Agreed,” Obi-Wan said.

“What’s a Seeker?” Luke asked.

“Jedi that patrolled the Galaxy looking for Force-sensitives. Sometimes they brought them back for training. We’re going to need to find those who stand out before the Empire does, or no one else will,” Ahsoka said.

Obi-Wan was still processing… everything.

“So,” Ahsoka asked, lifting them. He must have been taking too long. “Did you feel that too?”

The disturbance centered around their old friend. “Yes”

“Does it mean trouble?”

“I don’t know. It wouldn’t surprise me if every Force-Sensitive in the Galaxy heard that cry,” Obi-Wan said.

“I did,” Luke said.

He tightened his jaw and gave a nod.

“You would have.”

OxOxO

Ahsoka cornered Obi-Wan in the ship the second he was alone. “Consider Rex payback for the Padawan. Oh, and I’m planning on retrieving Arseven by Luke’s birthday. So there’s that.”

Obi-Wan smiled. “I’m not worried about a droid. I… I hoped somewhere in my heart that not all Clones turned on the Jedi.”

She was about to explain that entire ordeal when her Fulcrum receiver began to chime. “Hold that thought,” she said, accepting the subspace transmission.

“Snips,” the garbled voice said, and the color drained from her face.

“You said we wouldn’t speak again.”

“I was wrong. I have news,” he said. “The quest I set upon you is no longer needed. Focus resources elsewhere. I will handle it myself.”

Ahsoka felt ugly feelings rise up. “You caused quite a stir, you know. Everyone felt it.”

“...Focus your resources elsewhere.”

And just like that, the transmission was over.

Obi-Wan narrowed his brow. “Tell me that wasn’t-”

“It was, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan rose. “Then him telling us to abandon the Geonosis lead- it must be a trick.”

“No. He’s been with the network since the beginning. I just didn’t know until Stygeon.”

“Wha-” Obi-wan huffed, hand on his beard.

“Who he was and what he has done are irrelevant,” Ahsoka decided. “He’s an ally now, and a valuable source of information. If he says to abandon Geonosis, we will. I trust him, somehow.”

“I… I know the feeling.”

Ahsoka’s feelings toward her old Master and his deeds would just have to wait for the Republic to be restored. She resolved to ignore them until then. Somehow, she knew that resolve would crumble.