"Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?" - Emperor Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker
The Executor, Darth Vader's behemothic Imperial flagship flew over the forest moon of Endor. Inside, Vader stared into the distance from the bridge. The glass separating him from an airless void of space. Vader remained still, although being vexed by a cautious presence not felt by him before.
"The Chosen One...At lasst we s-speak" The voice whispered as if inside Darth Vader's helmet.
Suddenly, as if being transported, all of the men inside the bridge disappeared into nothing. He was alone, with this voice. This presence he could not describe.
"The Force is strong with you, whatever you may be." Vader could feel it. Even through the suit it felt as though static filled the air.
"I've alwayss been here. Watching your progresssss." The voice hissed.
"Identify yourself ancient specter." Vader commanded, unintimidated.
"A story you heard. Decades ago, never repeated after. A tragic tale of one such sith Lord."
"You speak of Darth Plagueis...What of him?"
"He iss not dead. He iss more alive than you could know. I am Darth Plagueis."
"Impossible. My Master destroyed you."
"So misguided...To think I could ssave others and not myself..The Dark Side has many unnatural offerings…"
Darth Vader's strength was commendable, but could not resist satisfying his curiosity.
"Indeed your are powerful. But the Emperor. He must be aware of your survival."
Amused, the voice eerily laughed. "Your Master has underestimated me for the final time….Hisss mind is clouded by common occurrences...allowing me to avoid his detection - Altogether."
Darth Vader took a longer inhalation, a stare down at his boot, thinking. He then raised his heavy head again to speak. "What has brought you to me?"
Darth Plagueis' voice and breathing paused, the whole conversation was purely improvisational. "The Emperor had turned againssst me….You will suffer the s-same fate as me once he has the boy. Your child."
"That is my mission. I must obey my Master. If that is what the Force wills it, then that is my destiny."
Darth Plagueis roared. "No!"
Plagueis continued. "Sidiousss has defiled my Empire. He is a wound in the Force. - an enemy. It has alwaysss been your destiny to bring…" The voice replenished its wasted breath very slowly, so Vader continued for him.
"Balance to the Force." Vader said, with some form of guilt deepening his tone.
"Yesss…."
"The Force truly wills the Emperor's destruction, and my survival?"
"No. The Emperor's destruction. Your survival…" Plagueis groaned in frustration. "..Is uncertain to me...The Force contained within you, bends even my senses. Use this to defeat my former apprentice."
"So the prophecy will be fulfilled…?"
"When you destroyed the mass numbers of Jedi, you balanced the scales between the Light and the Dark...It was your destiny. Now the Light side must be able to recover."
Darth Vader was stuck in thought, infinite confliction. "What of Anakin Skywalker's offspring?"
"Your offspring?
Vader shook his head, hesitantly saying "That name no longer has any meaning for me."
"Your children...Will live a life of chaos as to be expected in this Galaxy, but will do the Skywalker legacy justicce. Do your legacy justice."
Darth Vader, behind his eyepieces blinked in relief to hear his children's destiny was to be saved. "But I am not the Jedi I was."
"You are not the arrogant fool that I observed, getting so eassily defeated on Mustafar. With all your physical feats, you would not have been able to defeat the Emperor. Now, he feels complete control over you. Surprise him. He will not feel your thoughts of confliction or betrayal."
"You were said to be able to manipulate the midi-chlorians into creating, life." Darth Vader spoke candidly.
"The only thing your Masster ever said that wasss true. I wissh I were alive to have taught you what I knew, to indeed save your lover...But remember who took away that chance when you kill him…"
Darth Vader had never been confronted with such hard, bitter-sweet logic. It was true, he realised. If the Emperor had not betrayed Plagueis, at least not so early on, then he would have been able to save Padme using Plagueis' life restoration techniques...His reason, for all of this.
"It will be done."
"May the forccee be with you, Anakin Skywalker…"
And suddenly, the voice was gone once again and the officers on deck reappeared. Darth Vader stood stiffly, that name ringing in his ears constantly.
"Lord Vader, the Death Star approaches. The Emperor is ready to receive you and the prisoner."
The towering Darth Vader turned slowly, looking down at the small, insignificant officer. After a gulping down the lump in his throat, he commanded. "Bring me my shuttle, Admiral."