Chapter I: Deus Ex Machina
Vader felt momentarily disoriented. At one moment, he was facing Anakin Skywalker's former apprentice in the Temple at Malachor. The next, he was... he had hair, again? And it was hot. Too hot.
"It's over, Anakin!" Vader's eyes shot open, and he realized where he was. Mustafar. The... The Temple explosion. He'd sensed a disturbance in the Force, something that almost triggered a vision yet was brutally interrupted. Had... the Temple explosion reacted with something? Whatever it was that caused Tano to disappear? His pondering was interrupted, "I have the high ground!"
Regardless of how he had arrived at this moment in his life again, it seemed his shielding wasn't interrupted by the transfer. Had Kenobi even noticed, or was he, too, distracted by the heat of battle?
Not that it mattered, in the end. This time, things would be different. Vader would make sure of it.
"You underestimate the power of the Force, my former Master," Vader replied, easily suppressing his grimace at the sound of Skywalker's voice leaving his lips. Hopefully, his voice would deepen or change on its own over the next years. And then, with as much power as he could muster, Vader tore the Jedi's saber from him, vaulting it into the lava as it deactivated.
Kenobi's surprise was palpable. Vader lunged for him, and as he tried to vault away, Vader gathered up his hatred and - from more than a decade of experience on the receiving end and paying attention to what was done - launched Force lightning into Kenobi. A scream tore from the man's throat and he collapsed. Vader made sure to land next to him as he fell, and stabbed Kenobi through the chest.
Revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge. It may not have been his Kenobi, but that didn't matter. Because, now, Vader would have her. And his children. They would not die, this time. He would save them.
To ensure Kenobi's death, Vader threw this corpse into the lava lake. As hard as he could and as deep as he could. Pushing it into the fiery depths. It was gone, naught but ash - if even that remained.
Vader sighed in relief for the first time in a long time, feeling the air in his lungs, his heart pounding strongly in his chest.
Vader left the area of their fierce battle, returning to where Padme lay - unconscious. Possibly dying by his hand. He would hope that she could forgive him, that she would forgive him. He would do things right, this time.
Vader brought her aboard the shuttle, and set some coordinates. It was time to save her life.
"Master," Vader announced as he stood before Sidious. With the precision that he'd learned over his past decade, he kept his rage and hatred coiled and directed carefully. When Sidious motioned for him to speak, he did so, "Kenobi is dead, Master. I defeated him at Mustafar. And Padme... she's alive. She survived giving birth, to twins."
"Twins, you say?" Sidious smiled as his voice took almost a whimsical tone. The Emperor clapped his hands together, once, and chuckled mildly as he said, "what fortuitous news, Lord Vader! Is it not everything I promised you, my apprentice? Your destiny as a Sith will be a great one, I assure you."
"Just as yours is about to end," Vader replied as he ignited the saber he'd kept hidden in one of his sleeves. Sidious' shocked face told him all he needed to know, but as the Sith Lord died, his face slipped into an almost proud smile. Vader had already destroyed the recording devices in the room; nobody would disbelieve him.
Vader sheathed his saber, after disengaging it. Now, to claim the Empire for his family.
"Senators of the First Galactic Empire. You may know me as the Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker. However, unlike those Jedi who betrayed him, I stood alongside him. It was I who saved Palpatine from death at the hands of the Jedi Order. Unfortunately, when the Emperor informed me that Imperial Intelligence had discovered the location of the Separatist leadership, I was no longer able to protect him.
"A fact that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi took advantage of," Vader spoke with Skywalker's voice loudly and in front of the entire Imperial Senate. There were shocked murmurings among the Senate. Vader had long since dispatched of Sidious' advisers, or otherwise implanted them with loyalty and commands that they would not break free from anytime soon. Vader continued, "Thus, as I went to go end the Clone Wars personally, Kenobi - a man I once called friend - killed the Emperor in his sleep, as well as all of the Imperial Guardsmen in his way. I defeated Kenobi, promptly, upon my return - he is dead, and I have his saber to prove it.
"I have come to inform you all of this, and to ask you to elect me as the new Emperor: it is I who stood with our Emperor before his death, it is I who led the attacks on the Jedi Temple to rescue the younglings from the treachery of the Jedi Order, it is I who avenged our Emperor's death, and it is I who ended the Clone Wars with absolute certainty. I will not force this vote, but I ask you, as a friend and ally of the Emperor, to elect me. I will not hesitate to find the remaining traitorous Jedi - they will see me as an enemy, as they do all of you, as they did our Emperor. They will kill me, if given the chance. I assure you, I will not give it to them."
There were many things going on in the Imperial Senate at once, but Vader ignored them to focus on the Force. He encouraged the fears, the loyalties. He discouraged those emotions which were more proud of the Emperor's death. The vote was cast, but it was hardly a vote at all.
Vader stood before them all, as the newly crowned Emperor Anakin Skywalker, the Hero With No Fear, the Defeater of the Jedi, Palpatine's Friend and Ally, the One Loyal Jedi Knight, and he who ended the Clone Wars. He was beloved by the Senate, and by the galaxy at large.
A perfect mask for Vader to wear, really. At least, for now. When the time came, he would announce his new title. As it was, Anakin Skywalker would be a useful mask for a while yet.
Finally, the Empire was his. And he would use his knowledge of the future, of the Force, to ensure that this time, things would be done right.