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Chapter Text

She had never hated the Hutt more so than in this moment. He was always rough with her, but today he seemed extra determined to choke her to death. She huffed, annoyed as Jabba pulled the chain that connected to the collar around her neck towards him, pulling her flush against his large bulk. Her mostly bare skin rubbed against the rough texture of his skin, and she gritted her teeth as the collar choked her. Jabba petted her head, and ran a hand along her arm, causing goose bumps to rise on her skin even in the warm and balmy climate.

She hated when he touched her. His attention was thankfully seemingly diverted from the feel of her skin as his majordomo, Bib Fortuna, entered the throne room hurriedly. Jabba gestured towards Bib Fortuna as he approached and yanked her neck around once more. When the Twi’lek reached his side, he at last let a little slack on the chain, giving her a chance to breath properly. She looked curiously at the Twi'lek as he whispered into Jabba’s ear, wondering what he was saying. She turned back just as a hush fell over the room as Darth kriffing Vader walked into the throne room throwing its inhabitants into uneasy silence. She stared at him slack jawed. She had heard many a tale of the masked right fist of the Emperor, but to see him in person was a whole new experience.

Firstly because he was huge and imposing, at least over 6 feet tall. She felt like a dwarf in comparison. Second, the power radiating from the man was almost overwhelming. It felt like she was standing next to a large cold black sun full of evil intent. She shivered instinctively, half-closing her eyes. The temperature in the room had definitely dropped a few degrees. Her attention refocused on Vader as he came to stop in the center of the throne room, his black cape swirling and his thumbs hooked on his belt. Stormtroopers marched in silently behind him and lined up around the room, also blocking the main exit.

"Jabba," his rich baritone rang out into the silence punctuated only by the steady rasp of his respirator. 

"Lord Vader," Jabba acknowledged him in turn. Both of them clearly radiated the displeasure of the others presence. 

~~~

Darth Vader stared around the throne room in disgust. It reeked of filth and was crowded with the lowest scum of the galaxy. Perfect for the home of the notorious gangster Jabba the Hutt. He saw a few serving slaves peppered amongst the guests, and his stomach twisted. Slavery was one of the many reasons he hated this planet and the Hutts in general.

His gaze refocused on Jabba as he greeted him. His eyes flickered down as Jabba pulled on the chain of a dancing slave girl’s collar who was resting on the dais against him. He was about to pull his attention back to Jabba when he felt a strong surge of displeasure emanate through the Force from the girl. He looked at her with renewed interest. The girl was a Force sensitive, and a moderately powerful one at that. It was surprising that he or the Inquisitors had missed her, but then again this was Tatooine and Hutt space. The Empire hadn’t made a lot of groundwork out in the Outer Rim, especially where the Hutts were concerned. Not that he cared overly much. He had sworn never to set foot on this planet ever again, and yet here he was on his master’s commands. He was ripped from his contemplation of her Force signature and her unshielded emotions as Jabba spoke once again in Huttese.

“And what can I do for the great Lord Vader?” he asked mockingly, his majordomo, some shifty-eyed Twi’lek, translating though Vader understood Jabba perfectly.

“The Emperor sent me to discuss the matter of some trade disputes between your hired smugglers and Empire merchants.”

“And he sent you personally?”

“He wanted the matter to be quickly resolved, and didn’t fancy adding another ambassador to the death toll.”

Jabba let out a rumbling laugh. “I can’t help it if he keeps sending little puppies to yap at me. It’s fun to watch them get eaten. Though I commend him for letting his big guard dog off the leash. He might just gain my respect this time.”

Bib Fortuna chose wisely not to translate that statement, instead amending it to praise Vader and remark on the misfortune of misunderstandings.

Vader clenched his fist as the audacity of the Hutt, but channeled his rage into his next volley of words. “Let us dispense with the pleasantries and conduct our business so that I can leave without having to kill everyone in the system.”

Jabba let out another booming laugh that was echoed by some of the braver scum in the room. “You amuse me Vader. Yes, yes I agree. Let us conduct our business in an orderly fashion before any unwarranted death occurs.”

~~~

"Please stay for the celebration, my Lord," Jabba said, with the Twi'lek translating, after their “negotiations” came to close. "I'm sure you will enjoy my dancing girl." 

 Layna stiffened. While she was used to dancing for Jabba and his general scum of a court, dancing for the Dark Lord seemed preposterous.

Vader seemed to second her sentiment. "As pleasant as your invitation sounds Jabba, I have many matters concerning the general upkeep of the Empire to attend to, and the enjoyment of watching dancing girls is not very high on my extensive list."

Layna stared at Vader in surprise. Was that sarcasm? A small smile escaped her lips and she quickly turned her head to avoid anyone noticing.

Jabba interrupted her musings as the Twi'lek spoke once again for him, "at least one dance Lord Vader, I would not want to deprive you of anything that holds place on your to-do list."

Before Vader could reply to that comment, Jabba sharply pulled the chain connected to her collar and yanked her up towards him. Pressed up against his rough scaly skin, she tried not to gag. 

"Dance for me," he ordered her in Huttese.

He then slacked his grip on her chain, and she clambered off him and onto the floor. As the music started up, she began dancing in slow sensual movements. She could feel Jabba’s pleasure rising as he watched her barely clothed body move about the sandy floor, as well as the rest of the scum in the room. Her fury radiated. As her humiliation at her degrading place in life grew, she felt Vader's eyes come to rest upon her, and then focus in intensity.

It made her uncomfortable, the way she could feel him regarding her. Not in a sexual way as everyone else in the room was watching her, but rather in a calculating way, as if he saw something in her that he wanted to use, or exploit. She felt chilled under his intense gaze, and her anger melted into fear. She just wanted this to be over, and she wanted Vader to stop looking at her.

Finally, the music drew to a close, and she bowed shakily before making her way back to the dais. She hopped back up and rested back against some cushions as she waited for Vader to leave and stop looking at her.

He didn't however.

Instead, he stalked forward towards the dais, stopping at the edge. She shrank back into Jabba as he approached, trepid of his intent but also, somehow intrigued. Vader focused his gaze on her, his helmet tilted towards her. He regarded her for several moments before speaking. 

"What is your name, child?" 

She blinked, that was not what she had been expecting. 

"Well?" His baritone thundered out.

She flinched, and then hardened her resolve. This man would not cow her, no matter who he might be elsewhere in the galaxy.

Straightening her spine, she answered him, "Layna…Layna Skywalker." 

Chapter Text

Darth Vader stared in shock at the small dancing girl as unbidden memories of long ago rose up in him. His beloved Padme’s face swam to the front of his conscious.

Ani, I’m pregnant.

That one sentence, that one accursed sentence that had haunted him for 19 years rose in his thoughts. He believed he had killed his child along with Padme, and yet here sitting before him, on the one planet he never suspected, in the most unlikely of places, around the same age the child would have been, with a strong Force presence, was a child bearing the name Skywalker.

Skywalker? He questioned himself. How many people in the galaxy had the name of Skywalker? It wasn’t like it was a very popular name. He had made sure of that. Any trace of Anakin Skywalker or relation to that name had been wiped out by him personally.

And her first name, Layna. Layna was one of the names he and Padme had discussed if it turned out to be a girl. Could it possibly be?

No.

He had seen the holopictures; he had watched the funeral. His master had said… His master had said…

Vader sunk into the force and searched for the answers to this confusing conundrum placed before him. The force sang back with a clarity he had rarely experienced before, ringing with the truth of her statement, and her relation to him.

Appraising her with fresh eyes, he saw the striking resemblance to both him and Padme. She had Padme’s gorgeous long brown hair and stature, while retaining what he assumed through the red lens of his mask, his bright blue eyes and facial features. She was a perfect mix of the two of them. Yes, he could see it now. Sitting before him was his own flesh and blood. His daughter. He clenched his fist tightly, the leather creaking.

  His master would pay for his lies.

~~~

Layna stared at Vader in defiance as he made the impressive imitation of a black statue. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, she shifted, causing the chain connected to her collar to rattle. The sound seemed to snap Vader out of whatever trance he had fallen into and he suddenly swept forward.

Layna jerked back as he advanced, throwing out his hand. She was confused by the action until she heard Jabba start to gurgle behind her. She turned around and watched in mounting horror as Jabba’s round and bulging body rose into the air, his short arms waving around and clutching at his throat.

“How dare you,” Vader hissed. “You will most certainly die for this.”

Jabba hung there for several more moments, his tail twitching madly until at last his eyes glazed over and his gurgling stopped. The rest of the throne room silently stared at Vader in a mixture of fear and awe.

Layna couldn’t deny the flash of satisfaction and delight that ran through her at his grisly death. Her master was dead. Even though she still wasn’t technically free, she no longer had to fear his touch or his eventual loss of interest and her subsequent death at the jaws of the rancor.

Throwing Jabba aside, Vader turned his reptilian like mask towards her. She gulped.

As his hand reached towards her, she closed her eyes and prayed for a quick death, preferably not by strangulation.

She was surprised however, when his gloved fingers brushed her face instead, running down the side of her cheek and taking her chin gently in his palm. He turned her face from side to side, and smoothed a stray hair away from her eyes. She sat as still as possible, unsure how to act or what to do. Darth Vader was touching her, and he wasn’t killing or hurting her. His actions seemed almost protective in a way.

That’s crazy, she scoffed to herself. Vader doesn’t care about anyone, except maybe the Emperor, and that’s only cause he was the only man more powerful than he.

“How old are you?” If she were confused by his actions so far, this question would only be the icing on the cake.

“W-what?” she stammered.

“How old are you?” he repeated, his voice short, brokering against any arguments.

She raised her head (or at least tried to in his strong grip), and spat out the answer.

“Eighteen, I’m eighteen. What does it matter to you anyhow? Just want to know if I’m legal or not?” She finished scathingly.

After slavers had killed her godfather Ben and had taken Layna away, she had continuously been around men leering or desiring her for her body; Jabba had just been the one to nick her as his plaything in the end. Vader seemed to have a keen interest in her, and that never amounted to anything good where she was concerned.

She was surprised by him once again when he slightly jerked at her question, as if it morally offended him.

Her eyes stared into his visor, searching for the alleged man behind the mask and his motivations, which was why she didn’t see what he did next. All of a sudden, he grabbed her around the waist, throwing her over his shoulder. Her bare stomach thudded into his hard armored shoulder and she grunted as the cold metal hit her skin. She felt his arms wrap delicately, but firmly around her knees. She stared disbelievingly at the wide expanse of black cloth that filled her vision.

“Hey! Put me down!” She finally found her voice, beating his back with her fists. The chain from her collar swung back and forth with her actions, but the dark Lord seemed unmoved by her protests.

He said nothing as he swung around, and strode away. She tried to pull herself up to see what was happening, but couldn’t find the right leverage. She struggled against his grip again, only to be stilled by his booming baritone.

“Would you like to stay and continue in your line of work? If not, then I suggest you stop squirming.”

Layna stopped struggling at that statement and thought, what does that mean? Was he actually, force forbid, rescuing her?

~~~

“Kill the rest. Leave no trace of this despicable creature or his affects behind. And that includes everyone on the premises,” Vader ordered the commander of the squadron.

He started forward once more before stopping and going back. “Leave the slaves.”

He strode down the long hall towards the main doors with his lost child firmly secured in his grasp as he began to hear the sound of blaster fire behind him. His squadron would take care of Jabba and his filth.

As he walked, his thoughts seethed in a boiling cloud of anger and fury. How dare his Master lie to him? How dare he take away any hope for his future, his last memento of his dear Padme? His own child? He would show him, he would return with his child and finally claim the Empire for himself. His daughter would stand at his side, fully trained, and they would rule this galaxy. Everything that had been denied her would be returned and given to her tenfold. She would want for nothing.

He strode forward down the long corridor, his mind churning. He regarded her force signature, probing at the small sun that was his daughter. She wasn’t as strong as he would have expected given her genes, but still was a small bright supernova of light. She was still bright enough to need training and a place to hide in the meantime.

But where to hide her? He would have to keep her safe, train her so she could protect herself against any of the Emperor’s agents. He would have to plan this carefully. If his master caught wind of any of this, they would both be finished. He needed to get rid of all evidence pertaining to her existence, starting with Jabba. They would be but a small sacrifice in his greater scheme. He wouldn’t lose her again. Not ever again.

Chapter Text

Layna was in a state of perpetual shock, as she lay draped over Vader’s shoulder. She felt adrift from her own body, unsure of what exactly was happening. Her eyes focused on the chain attached to her neck dragging through the sand behind her, leaving a dusty tail in their wake. She watched the rusty loops, her eyes unfocused as memories assaulted her. Memories of Jabba touching her body and keeping her chained by the neck like a dog.

She hated the constant threat of death, which started to be more appealing each day, and the humiliation of having to dance for the pleasure of men. She hated her life, and she hated the fact that she had been taken away from all she knew and loved. The next minute rage overtook her.

She wanted that chain gone. Now.

She wanted it off her neck and out of her life. She wanted to never see another chain in her life again. She twisted and bucked around on Vader’s shoulder, panic starting to set in as her ability to move was limited. A low keening noise came from her throat.

“STOP! STOP! Please, I need to stop, I h-have to get it off of me! I NEED IT OFF RIGHT NOW.” She started beating Vader’s back with her tiny fists, her breath coming in short gasps.

Vader stopped in the long entryway, and set her down, leaning her up against the side of the wall. “What do you need off, my child?” He said, a strange softness in his tone.

Layna looked up confused, her panic slowly being overtaken by curiosity, her breathing slightly evening out. Her breath still came in short bursts, but she managed to get enough air to ask the burning question she had been dying for him to answer. “Why did you save me?”

Vader loomed forward, menace in his stance, though not towards her (she could somehow sense that) but towards the throne room behind them. “Because such innocence and light does not deserve to be in a place as dark and vile as that.”

Innocence and light? Is that what he thinks of me? She hadn’t been innocent since slavers killed Ben and took her.

Her eyes half-lidded as the memory of coming home to Ben’s comatose body lying in a bloody heap upon the ground and being jumped by slavers reined its head in her mind. It had only been two years since that moment, and she still felt that loss keenly every day. She missed her friend Luke suddenly in that moment as well. He was the only one who ever said she had the potential for innocence and light besides Ben. Everyone else thought she was too bitter and too drawn to the darker things of the universe. Pushing aside the image of Luke’s smiling face in her mind, she answered Vader.

“I don’t think innocence and light are apt descriptions of me. I would say there’s more darkness. My soul was swallowed by it years ago.”

“No.” his voice was flat and crisp. “You have no true darkness touching your soul. At least not yet. The darkness you feel is simply the product of your environment. But you yourself are not darkness. You are light. And I will bring you into the brightness of the day.”

Layna stared up at him. Daylight? She had been a prisoner of the dark for so long, she could barely even remember what the sun felt like on her skin. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply, regaining control of her breathing. Who’d have thought that Lord Vader of all people would be the one to offer her freedom?

“I would like the see the sun again,” she whispered, longing in her voice. “But I want to do it free, without this damn chain around my neck as a reminder of him. I want it gone.”

Vader said nothing for several moments, but then she heard and felt the chain unlocking itself. It fell from her neck onto the sandy floor. She stared at it, memories swirling. Shooting to her feet, she started to run towards the entrance, the phantoms of her past nipping at her feet.

Her breath came in short pants, and her eyes started to tear up as the massive door came into view. Anger and the feeling of injustice swirled within her, and she barely thought about wanting those doors open before they suddenly were. She barely even stopped to think about how they were opened before she ran outside and skidded to a stop.

The desert stretched out before her, sand covered dunes as far as her eyes could see. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and tilting her head back. Throwing her arms open wide, she soaked in the hot rays of the binary suns. She had never felt more alive. She had been a ghost all those years in the palace behind her, and now she was free, no longer a phantom just existing another day. She never wanted this feeling to end.

~~~

Vader was startled as his child suddenly leaped to her feet and took off towards the front entrance after he had unlocked her chain with the force. He hurried after her, walking fast (Sith Lords did not run, he reminded himself). He stopped in the entryway, watching her barrel towards the doors. He was surprised as he felt a dark surge from the Force emanate from her, shoving the doors wide open. He had thought her force powers weren’t has strong as they should have been considering her lineage, but he was proven wrong in that moment. Her powers truly were magnificent.

She had Force pushed open the door subconsciously, and, as he lightly probed her mind, she didn’t even realize she was the one who had done it. She was going to need some serious training if he was to keep the Emperor unaware of her existence.

He stayed in the shade of the entryway, shrouded in the shadows as he watched her embrace the sunlight. The Force swirled around her, boosting her and giving her strength. He smiled as he noticed the dark tendrils of the dark side twirling around her. While her core remained pure light, the dark side surrounded her as well, pressing in. His eyes slightly glazed over as his vision wavered, overlaying Layna’s figure with with another…

Padme.

He saw Padme in his child, and he knew that she was the perfect combination of his hatred and her love.

He watched her for several more moments before striding up to rest directly behind her, his crossed arms across his chest nearly touching her back. A slight breeze whistled on top of the dune the palace rested upon. It picked up the edge of his cloak and flapped it around, nearly wrapping itself completely around her legs. She sighed as the wind caressed her face, blowing several strands away from her eyes. Leaning subconsciously back into his massive bulk, he remained still, unable to break the moment.

After several moments of leaning against him, she let out another sigh and pushed herself forward. Turning around, she looked him in the lenses.

“What now?” she asked. “What happens to me?”

“You will remain with me for the time being. Until I can find a suitable place for you.” To hide you.

She nodded, unsure, but accepting of the situation. Uncrossing his arms, he stepped around her and began walking towards his personal Lambda shuttle he had taken down. He felt her force signature fluctuate rapidly as she stayed still for several moments, contemplating the palace before finally turning her back on it forever and following him. He strode forward to the cockpit, and began the startup sequence. He knew his troops would go to the Star Destroyer when they were finished with their task. But he and Layna would not be returning with them. Letting out a Force tendril, he followed Layna’s progress, stretching out his senses to keep an eye, so to speak, on her.

~~~

Layna entered the shuttle after him, looking around curiously. She had never been in a shuttle like this before, or any shuttle really. It had a strange design, and she entertained herself by taking a look around.

“Strap yourself in.” Vader’s voice drifted from the cockpit, “we are about to take off.”

Layna sat down in the seating area, and strapped the crash webbing around her. Feeling the rumbling of the engines surrounding her, she wondered what would happen now. She was alone with Vader on a shuttle to who knows where. All she knew was that he hadn’t hurt her yet, in fact, he was almost overly protective of her. She could feel his presence from where she sat. It was like a cold sun, its rays covering her and everything else for several miles.

As she sat there, she could almost sense that black sun turning its focus towards her, seeming to possessively wrap its cold rays around her body. She shivered from the coldness of space, not from the feeling of being hugged and assessed by those cold tendrils. She leaned back in her seat closing her eyes, enjoying the sensation of being held.

Chapter Text

Layna jolted awake as she felt the shuttle land on a hard surface. Sitting up, she scrubbed sleep from her eyes and peered around blearily. She didn’t even remember falling asleep.

She felt warmer than she would have expected to be given her attire and the coldness of space, but looking down, she saw that Vader must have placed a blanket over her sometime in the flight. She smiled softly to herself. Everything about the man seemed to be a conundrum. The rumors about him spoke only of death and destruction, and yet here he was, being considerate enough to cover her with a blanket while she slept.

Glancing over at the closed cockpit, she wondered where Vader had taken her and what was going to happen now. He said she was going to remain with him until he found a suitable place for her, whatever that meant. Either way, her fate was in his hands. She wasn’t sure how that made her feel.

She had heard stories of his brutality and the way he had wiped out armies almost single-handedly. He was certainly not a man to be trifled with. She would have to tread carefully, especially if she was going to be with him for the foreseeable future. And yet…he had freed her from slavery and had cared enough to cover her immodesty.

She didn’t know what to think.

Layna straightened up in her seat, undoing the crash webbing and readjusting the blanket to cover her once more as she heard the hiss of the cockpit door opening. Vader strode forth towards her, his presence overwhelming in the smallness of the shuttle. She shrunk back slightly in despite of herself. He came to a stop in front of her and then stooped down on one knee to be at her eye level.

“How are you feeling, young one?”

She assessed him curiously, confused by his concern. She decided to be honest with him. For whatever reason, maybe it was instinct or inherent gratitude…she trusted his intentions to a certain degree.

“Confused, slightly scared… curious.”

He was silent for several beats. “All will soon be revealed, child.” Holding out his hand he said, “Come now, its time you meet your new home for the time being.”

Hesitantly, she placed her small hand in the palm of his large black glove. Holding the blanket tightly around her with the other hand, she let him pull herself up to her feet. She clutched the blanket even more tightly to herself as she let go of his hand quickly. She was a little unnerved by his attentiveness. It made her suspicious of him, except for the whispering in her heart that told her to trust him. Once again, she felt confused and didn’t know what to think about it all.

Following him down the ramp, she looked around in surprise as she found herself in a large underground hanger filled with numerous different types of ships. There were even quite a few from the Clone Wars era. She was filled with appreciation for the many different kinds and models. She wanted to look at them all.

Looking behind her, her attention was grabbed by something even grander. Through the large open doors of the hanger, there was a heavy rainfall storming against a protective shield. Subconsciously, she started towards the rainfall. Layna had never seen rain in her entire life. Living on a desert planet tended to rob you of such luxuries. She reached the opening and started stretching out her hand…just to touch it, to feel it, see if it was real.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Vader’s voice rang out behind her, stopping her forward motion. He strode towards her, stopping just behind her back. She glanced at him dropping her arm, and then turned back towards the rain.

“Why not?”

“It’s acid rain. These shields protect this place, but you don’t want to go running out in it or touching it.”

Layna turned fully towards him. “Why would you ever want to live in a place that has acid rain?”

“It provides protection, as well as keeping unwelcome guests out.” Vader was silent for a moment before adding as an afterthought, though much more quietly, “I also just enjoy the sound of rain.”

Layna mulled over that tidbit of information. It was clear that Vader hadn’t really intended to say that out loud, but she appreciated the small flash of humanity it gave her of him. She felt the same to him in that regard. The sound of the rain beating against the shields really was soothing. It was so perfectly unlike Tatooine.

Smiling to herself, she asked, “Does it ever stop raining?”

“Not often.”

As much as Layna loved the sound of rain, she was expecting it to cease sooner or later. She couldn’t deny the small fearful tinge that gripped her gut at that statement. If she couldn’t go out into the acid rain, then she was essentially trapped here until Vader decided to take her elsewhere.

“Do not worry, young one. You are safe here. No harm will come to you.”

“That better be true, Lord Vader. I will not be a slave again, I would rather die first,” she replied, a dark anger stirring in her heart. She would never be subjected to another’s whims ever again.

He was quiet for several moments. “I promise you your own free will. You will never be enslaved again by my hand nor any other.”

She stared him down for a minute. She was utterly fearless in that moment. She felt a strange feeling come over her, seemingly from Vader. It felt like a dark shadow emanated from him and rested on her shoulders. It reassured her of his intentions and promise.

Layna relaxed. She had trusted these strange feelings so far, and they hadn’t led her astray.

“So, where am I?”

“You are in my personal castle, on the planet Bast.”

Layna mulled that statement over. His personal castle? She had never really thought about it, but it would make sense that he would have a personal residence somewhere. And being on a planet constantly being covered in acid rain seemed to fit in perfectly with Vader’s persona. It suited him.

“Well then, what now?”

“I will show you to where you will be staying and after you’ve settled in, we will discuss things.”

Layna cocked her head at his words. For whatever reason, that last statement had caused a feeling of profound importance. She felt…she didn’t know. Like that conversation was going to change the fate of the universe and her personal destiny.

That’s stupid, she thought to herself, I have no destiny. She pushed the feeling aside, and set off after Vader.

~~~

Vader assessed his daughter’s psyche as they stood in the turbolift heading up to the guest suite. He would have to notify the staff that he had a guest. No matter how much of Anakin disappeared under the mask of Vader, he still couldn’t shake the bonds he had forged with the clones during the war. After Order 66, he saved as many as he could and brought them to work for him in undercover operations and as his personal guard. Many of the clones were older now, and mostly in retirement. Bast was a sanctuary for them, and one that he was willing to provide.

He had also already contacted Admiral Piett and informed him that he would be unavailable for the next several days and would not be returning to the fleet presently. He trusted Piett, the man was competent and would be able to run everything in his absence.

Layna let out a huff next to him, clutching the blanket he had found for her in the storage compartment of the shuttle closer to her. The action drew him from his thoughts. She would need new clothing immediately. He could feel her discomfort blaring through the force. It was a good thing he had called ahead to his Chief of Staff to have the closet prepped with a selection of clothing.

He could also feel her turmoil of emotions leaking out towards him. She had little to no shielding, which would present a problem. Her emotions had been all over the place, ranging from delight at seeing the rain to pure rage over the idea of being enslaved again. Her tendencies towards darkness were slightly troubling to the small part of Anakin that had somehow resurfaced with her discovery.

The rest of him, Vader, reveled in the fact that his daughter was already so tipped over to the dark side. With just a few nudges, she would become an excellent Sith. With her by his side, he could finally get rid of Palpatine for good. But could he live with himself, knowing that he had pushed his child to the dark side? To the throes of anger and hate? He shook his head minutely. The Force wills all. Her fate is in the Force’s hands now. He will just sit back and see what happens.

A chime interrupted him from his musings, and he strode forward immediately as the doors whooshed open. Layna had to quickstep to catch up with him. Falling in step beside him, they made their way to the door at the end of the short corridor.

“These will be your rooms for the time being,” Vader rumbled softly. “Make yourself at home, and I will come see in a few hours to discuss your future.”

~~~

Vader pushed the controls and the door slid open. Layna walked in alone with Vader remaining in the corridor. She surveyed the room. It was simple, yet tasteful, decorated in neutral tones of black and gray. There were two doors leading further into the suite; she assumed they lead to the bedroom and perhaps a refresher.

She felt her lips curl upward into a smile. She had never seen such clean elegance and luxuries before. She was used to rough sandstone and dingy spaces. Walking into the room, she felt unsettled; she wasn’t worthy to be in such a space. She was just an ex-slave girl from a backward desert planet in the Outer Rim. This all felt so unreal. How could she be here?

“This is what you should have been born into,” Vader said softly behind her. “You are worthy of it.”

She whirled around, her eyebrows arched suspiciously. Had he just read her mind?

She had heard rumors of Vader’s supposed ability to read minds, but she hadn’t believed them. But now…

“All will be explained, my child. Rest, recuperate. You have had a whirlwind of a day. Take some time to yourself.” With that, he closed the door and Layna was left alone.

Chapter Text

Layna took the time after Vader left to explore her new room. She ran her fingers along the smooth walls and tried the couch’s softness. It was firm, yet yielding. Hopping up, she peeked into the two doors that led deeper into the suite. The first one she had expected to be a refresher turned out to be some sort of office with a desk and a Holonet hookup. She closed that door and went to the other one. This door led into a large bedroom.

Layna was shocked by how big the room was. There was a large round bed against the far wall of the room and an enormous viewport dominating one of the walls. She was instantly drawn to it as she watched the acid rain pound the shields. She instinctively drew the blanket closer around her as the raw power of the elements exhilarated and yet calmed her. She felt mesmerized by the falling raindrops.

After who knows how long, she shook her head, dispelling the trance she had fallen into. There would be time later to sit and contemplate the rain and her luck in life. Tired of wearing her revealing slave outfit, she decided to explore the rest of the suite and see if she could find some clothes. After some exploring, she found a closet across the room, which contained multiple outfits for a whole range of occasions.

She was stunned by their softness and the amount of clothing in the closet. She had never had such access to luxuries like this. She supposed it made sense Vader would have access to luxury as heir to the Empire and the emperor’s right hand, but seeing it in person was strange. Sure, Jabba was rich, but everything he had was always slightly worn by the sand and the harsh elements of Tatooine. But everything here felt smooth and polished. It was like a whole new world. 

Picking out a simple outfit of black trousers, a blue flowing shirt, a black vest and a pair of black boots, she touted her selection to the other door she had sighted, which finally led into the refresher. She was also overwhelmed by the size of the refresher. It even had a water shower! She had never seen one in person; Jabba didn’t care too much about cleanliness. She had been forced cleaned by the droids in Jabba’s palace once or twice, but to have the ability to shower on her own time and willpower was intoxicating.

She took her time in the shower, adjusting the temperature and the spray and taking the time to pamper herself. With such luxury around her, she figured Vader could afford the water usage.

Finally, long after her fingers had wrinkled, she dragged herself out of the shower and put on the clothes she had picked. She marveled over the feel of the material against her skin. She hadn’t been this modestly covered since the day that Ben had died and slavers had taken her. She sent up a quick prayer to wherever Ben was, telling him that she was ok and now safe.

She missed him terribly. He had been her only real constant for as long as she could remember. Parents dead, left only with her godfather living in the Jundland Wastes. No other companionship except the rare trip into Anchorhead and the occasional visits to Ben’s friends, the Lars, and their nephew Luke. He was her only real friend. They had both shared the similar experience of being orphans and desiring more with their lives. But as they both grew older, the more he became focused on leaving and going into the Academy, and while she shared his sentiments, she could never leave Ben. He was too broken to leave on his own. He needed her.

Ben never wanted her or Luke to leave Tatooine either. He was always scared of them going off into the galaxy or heck, even of Layna going into Anchorhead by herself. It took her until she was 14 to convince him to let her go alone. And it was during one of those trips that the slavers had attacked. She had taken longer than normal, wanting to just submerse herself into the bustle of the town, and was late in getting back. The image of walking into the home with Ben’s bloody body lying there on the ground rose up once more in her mind…

She shook her head, dispelling the memory once more. She had relived it enough times. Her thoughts wandered towards Luke. She hoped he was doing well, and that his uncle had finally relented to let him go to the Academy. Ever since she had met him, all Luke had wanted to do was fly. The love of it was deep in his very bones. She smiled softly to herself, holding the image of Luke’s smiling face in her mind as she toweled her hair dry. Sufficiently cleaned, she wandered back out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.

Picking up a cushion from the bed, she dragged it over to the window seat beneath the viewport and sat down clutching it, settling in to wait. For what, she wasn’t totally sure, but she had a good idea. She knew Vader would be back sooner or later, and she knew it would be a conversation that would change her entire life.

~~~

After Vader had led Layna to her new room, he had gone back to his hyperbaric chamber to do some meditation and planning. As the mask lifted off and he could finally breath air on his own again, he felt himself let go and just contemplate the events of the last few days.

He had a child. A daughter.

His own flesh and blood found after years of thinking his child lost. Vader didn’t know exactly what his final plans would be, but he knew the overall goal. With his child now found, he could finally get rid of Palpatine and his tyrannical ways and bring peace to the galaxy. The right way.

He reached into the Force, searching out for the tendrils that linked him to the future, to the future he would have once he trained her and they took over the galaxy. His eyesight wavered as a vision came upon him.

Vader’s eyes opened to a dark stone cavern. The only thing within the large area was an elaborately carved obsidian throne. The cavern seemed empty, but Vader could feel the cold chill of danger as he slowly walked forward to the throne. When he arrived before its base, he climbed the steps and reached toward the arm of the throne. Was this vision about his future? About his desires to destroy Palpatine and assume the throne for himself? Was Layna the key to finally achieving his dream? Upon touching the throne’s arm, a loud evil chuckle filled the space around him. Turning swiftly, he pulled out his lightsaber assessing the area for the threat. His eyes alighted upon a hooded and cloaked figure standing below him. At the figure’s feet was himself, his body broken and still.

  He snarled angrily at the sight. “Who are you?”

  The figure slowly lowered their hood. It was Layna. Her eyes were yellow, ringed with red. There was only hatred and rage written on her face.

  He slowly lowered his lightsaber. “What is this?”

  She laughed. “This is all you. You did this to me. Blinded by your anger as you always have been, you sacrificed my choice and my attachment to the light to gain ultimate power. But you forgot something. The Dark Side has a will of its own and will twist you in ways you do not expect. You pushed me to become this. To become hatred itself. And so, I hated you. Together we killed Palpatine, and then I turned and killed you. The cycle of the apprentice killing the master continuing.”

  “That won’t happen. I’m your father. We have a bond no one can break. This will not be the future.”

  “You think you have control over the future? Haven’t you already been down this road before?”

  “It’s different this time.”

  “Is it? If you destroy Palpatine, you will destroy yourself and me in the process. I will wreck more havoc than you ever have. I will raze planets and bring civilizations to their knees.”

 "N ever! We will rule together.”

  “Watch Vader, watch and see what your choices will wrought upon this galaxy.”

Vader stumbled back a step as the room around him blurred and changed. He found himself on a war-torn planet surrounded by blood and death. He looked around and saw Layna. She was in the middle of an epic rampage. He tried to call out to her, but he had no voice. He tried to move, but his legs were stuck. He could only watch. Watch as Layna destroyed homes and villages, laying waste everywhere she went. Her thirst for destruction was insatiable. And he had driven her to this. He had caused this change in her. He had always thought the Dark Side was powerful, strong, something to bend to his will, and his will alone. But now…watching her, he could only see how truly weak he had been under its sway. He had never controlled the Dark Side. It had controlled him as it now controlled her. She had spent her whole life trying to escape being controlled by others, and here she was, under ultimate control and it was all his fault. He had pushed her to the Dark Side, he had encouraged it. And now he could see the reaping of what he sowed.

Vader pulled himself out of the Force vision, overcome by what he had seen. If he trained her in the dark side as he had intended, or if force forbid, Palpatine got hold of her, her light would be dimmed, shorted out forever. She would turn into that…that creature that killed him.

Yes, he wanted to rule and yes he believed the Dark Side to be the only true way forward, but could he really allow the cycle continue? Could he really see Layna turning into something unrecognizable and killing him?

He had only known her for such a short period of time and already he felt possessive and protective of her. To think that she would ever turn against him was unthinkable. It would not do.

Would you really allow that to happen to Padme’s child? A quiet voice he knew was the remnants of Anakin Skywalker asked him. He knew the answer. No. He couldn’t let that happen, not to Padme’s child. He owed her that much.

Hardening his resolve, he shoved aside his plans of training her in the Dark Side. He still believed Palpatine needed to be removed and Layna would help him do so, but not in the way he originally intended. He would have to train her as neutrally as he could. That was the only true way to succeed and gain what was rightfully theirs.

Having made his decision, Vader sank back into meditation, letting the Force flow through him. He felt strangely at peace with his decision. He wouldn’t deny Layna the Dark Side, but he wouldn’t push it upon her. After a while, he re-surfaced from his contemplations and pressed the button to place his helmet back on. When he was fully suited up once more, he exited the chamber and headed towards Layna’s room.

Chapter Text

As he strode down the hallway towards his Layna’s room, he mulled over the concept of having a daughter. It felt strange to him to even think that word.

Daughter.

He had a daughter. He still had no idea how exactly he was going to go about telling her the truth of who he was or even be able to answer her questions. He was still reeling from the revelation and the Force vision. During the flight, he had had time to think more deeply on the matter while she slept and he stayed in the cockpit. He had ventured out once when he felt her discomfort through the force and went to fetch her a blanket. When he had laid the blanket over her, he marveled once more at her features, finally being able to look closely and without interference. She looked so much like Padme with her rich brown hair and small stature. But she had his eyes. He just knew it. He had brushed a finger against her cheek, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

She was beautiful, and she was his. His flesh and blood. His lost child. Found and within his grasp. He felt whole and complete for the first time since he had fallen to the Dark Side. Here was the living embodiment of his love for Padme, and he was determined to never let her go. He felt fierce rage and possessiveness as well as protectiveness overcome him as he thought about where he had found her in the clutches of that horrid Hutt. His death had been too merciful.

Layna had shifted in her sleep, dispelling him from his contemplation. He had swiftly stood up and retreated back to the cockpit, not wanting to disturb her any longer.

Now, as Vader strode down the corridor to her rooms, where he could sense her waiting in anticipation on the other side, he felt those same feelings rear their heads, as well as a sickly feeling of nervousness coiling around his gut. What if she rejected him? He was Darth Vader, the Emperor’s Right Hand Man. He had done horribly unspeakable things. Would she accept him?

He shook his head. He was a Sith Lord for kriff’s sake. He was not prey to these types of insecurities. Of course she would accept him. He was her father after all. They would rule the galaxy together.

He stopped before the door, bringing up his hand to knock soundly.

Her voice rang out faintly from within, “You may enter.”

He pushed the buttons controlling the door and it swished open. Striding through the living area, he went into the bedroom to see Layna curled up resting in front of the viewport. Somehow it didn’t surprise him one bit to find her there. She was drawn to the rain same as him.

“Are you feeling better and more rested young one?” He asked as he came up to her.

“Yes,” she said, turning and smiling at him. “The water shower was amazing and these clothes…” she ran her hand over the sleeve of the simple midnight blue shirt she wore, “they are exquisite. I’ve never felt material such as this.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He paused, feeling a tad awkward at how to proceed. “May I sit?” he finally settled on.

“Of course,” she scooted over a little to make room for his bulk. She wrapped her arms tighter around the cushion she had taken and turned to stare back out the viewport. “Now what?” She whispered quietly. “Where do I go from here?”

“Do you know what the Force is?” Vader asked instead.

She turned to look at him quizzically. “What? The Force?” She paused, “Sorry, I don’t.”

“The Force is an energy field that surrounds us and penetrates us. It flows through all living creatures. It manifests itself in certain individuals called Force sensitives. They are able to use the Force and harness its power.”

“Are you able to use this Force power?”

“Yes. It happens to be abnormally strong in me.”

“Is that how you were able to kill Jabba without touching him?”

“Yes. The Force can be used in a variety of ways, though not all are lethal to others. There is also the ability for healing.”

Layna paused in contemplation, considering him. “Why are you telling me this?”

Vader breathed in and out one cycle before continuing, “Once you are immersed in the Force, you are able to sense it manifesting in others.”

“Is that why you saved me?” She asked in a small voice. “Could you sense…this feeling inside me, and that’s the Force?"

“Yes…and for one other reason.”

She turned to look at him fully. She could feel something, maybe this Force circling around her. She knew that whatever Vader was going to say next was going to change her entire world.

“When you said your name, your full name, I recognized you for who you truly were.” He paused, the air in the room turning to glass.

“You are my daughter.”

The glass shattered. Shocked, she could only stare wide-eyed at him.

“What?” She breathed.

“Yes, listen to the Force, that feeling inside of you. You are my daughter, and that same strength that flows in me lives on in you. You have the capacity for greatness and a destiny far beyond your imagination. Join me and be by my side. It is your rightful place.”

~~~

Layna was in shock. She didn’t know what to think or believe. Here was Darth Vader, scourge of the Empire, telling her that he was her father. It was almost too much to even comprehend. And yet…that same strange feeling that had been within her since he had first entered Jabba’s throne room swirled with the rightness of his words. It was as if she just knew in her very soul that he was telling the truth.

“I brought a blood test to offer physical proof.” Vader’s words roused her from the whirlpool of her thoughts.

“If you believe that’s best,” she replied, slightly dazed. “I guess I would like 100% biological proof of what you’re saying is to be true.”

Vader motioned over the medical droid who had entered in behind him while they were talking, who then carefully pricked Layna’s trembling extended finger. The droid quickly swabbed the drop of blood, and then gave her a small cotton pad to hold to her finger. Vader’s was a much harder task. He had to carefully remove a piece of his armor and suit to get to his upper shoulder. Layna could only see a brief glimpse of sickly pale skin beneath the suit. Finally, the droid was able to draw blood from him as well. Injecting both vials into the analyzer, Layna waited with bated breath for confirmation about what she already knew to be true.

The machine beeped in confirmation thirty seconds after the vials were injected. Layna let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding as the light flashed green and a flimsy printed out displaying the results. She only had to read the first line to know the truth – 99% chance of parent relation.

She was Vader’s daughter.

She had a father. He was alive and real, standing before her. She felt a hot tear escape from her eye. Surprised, she felt it run down her face and fall off her chin towards the ground.

She didn’t even realize she had started crying.

“You’re my Father?” she whispered softly. “You’re alive?”

“Yes, my child. You are mine, my daughter, my flesh and blood.”

Before she could even register what she was doing, she launched herself up and threw herself into his arms. Sobbing uncontrollably now, she clutched him to her like her life depended on it.

“I always wanted to believe you were alive. That you were off in the galaxy somewhere trying your hardest to get back to me.”

“I was, my child. I just didn’t realize it until I was standing in front of you at Jabba’s palace.”

She pulled away from him, trying to regain her composure. Questions started to swirl through her. She didn’t know what to ask first.

“Why didn’t you come find me? Why did Ben tell me you were dead?”

Vader made a strange hissing noise from his vibrator. “I thought you were dead. That you had died with your mother.” He paused. “It nearly destroyed me losing you both.”

“Oh…” Layna leaned back and looked up into his mask. “That’s not what Ben always told me.”

“Who is this Ben you speak of? Is he the man who raised you?”

“Yes, Ben Kenobi. He was my godfather. He died two years ago…when I was captured by slavers and later brought to Jabba’s palace.” Layna sniffed and wiped away a tear. “I miss him terribly everyday. I thought you would know him…he was my godfather after all. Anyway, he had always told me that both of my parents died in the Clone Wars and that my mother managed to give birth to me right before she died, begging him to take me with him to safety before she passed. So he took me as a newborn babe and went to Tatooine and stayed there. We were happy together, just the two of us. He said you and him were the best of friends, like brothers and that you served together as generals in the Clone Wars.”

Layna paused before continuing somewhat hesitantly, “Ben never liked talking about you, except to tell me the bare necessities after I wouldn’t stop nagging him. He would always get this sad look in his eyes whenever he mentioned your name…although he said your name was Anakin Skywalker, not Darth kriffing Vader.”

~~~

Vader clenched his fist as Layna rambled. How dare he. That miserable old man would dare to take his child and hide her from him. On the one planet he detested above all others. Oh, Kenobi was clever, he would give him that, but this act of betrayal was worse than any other he had wrought upon Anakin. It was a pity the old fool was already dead. He would have liked to wring his neck himself.

But looking at Layna’s face as she continued to talk animatedly about her childhood, his fist slowly unclenched. It was clear his daughter had a strong love and affection for the old man. Vader would have to tread carefully to ensure that he didn’t alienate her.

After she had reached an end point, he spoke once more. “Your godfather and I had a…complicated history. I knew him as Obi-Wan Kenobi, not Ben. He didn’t understand the new direction I had to undertake, and he acted drastically. We had a…falling out so to speak, and he told your mother only his side of the story. I never got the chance to tell her mine. They both turned against me, and in my temper I lost them both. I thought your mother had died that night and you along with her. It’s why I never came looking for you. I guess Kenobi thought I was too dangerous, and decided to take you away for your own safety.”

His voice deepened in anger and his fists clenched once more, the air darkening and the temperature plummeting in response. “He was wrong though. You should have been with me, you belong with me. You are my child! Not his. He robbed me of my fatherhood and any chance for me to get to watch and see you grow up. I’ve missed so much…” His voice softened at the end.

Layna had shrunk back initially when he first started speaking, in response to the change in the air, but now she leaned forward, resting her hands upon Vader’s clenched ones.

“I’m here now. You don’t have to miss any more moments. You are my father, and I am excited to get to spend the rest of my life getting to know you more.”

Vader looked down at Layna’s small hands covering his own. He looked up and saw the image of Padme cross over Layna’s face. He could see the fiery passion that existed within them both, and the possessiveness within him flared up in response.

He would never miss another moment again.