After the Battle of Hoth was over, Luke Skywalker raced to Cloud City to save his friends. Little did he know, it was a trap.
During a fierce light saber duel, Darth Vader cut off Luke's hand, then more devastatingly, revealed to the young man "I am your father." Preferring death over ruling the galaxy with an evil Sith, Luke let go of the metal structure he was precariously balanced on.
"Son! Noooo!" said Darth Vader.
The Emperor appeared behind Vader. "Lord Vader, you have a…visitor. He is unknown to me," said the Emperor.
Vader was not paying attention; he was looking at the place where his son last stood. The stranger neared, his features hidden by the hood pulled over his head.
"Lord Vader."
Vader's blood ran cold. Every muscle in his body tensed and he gripped his saber tightly. "Tarkin." He slowly turned and the Emperor stepped aside.
"Yes my Lord, it is I." Fire scarred hands reached up, pulling back the thick material, revealing a disfigured mess.
He wasn't sure how it was possible, but Vader thought he smelt burning flesh. "How did you survive?"
"It was with no thanks to you. You left me to die!"
"I was trying to stop the Rebels from destroying the Death Star!"
Tarkin pulled a blaster from beneath his robe and pointing it at Vader yelled. "It took my body a year to heal!"
"But your anger hasn't," said the Emperor. Startled, Tarkin spun on his heel to face the Sith lord. "That is an asset for the Empire," Palpatine continued.
"I care not for the Empire," spat Tarkin, before turning once more back to Vader, the blaster aimed at a point in the middle of his chest. "I care only to see you dead."
While Vader was slow to react, the Emperor wasn't. His Force lightning enveloped Tarkin, causing the man's body to jerk and shudder in its intensity.
When it was over, Palpatine stepped over the smoking pile of robes and charred flesh on the walkway. "You would be best not to dwell on the fate of your son," he said, moving close to Vader. Earlier he had stayed in the shadows, witnessing the battle between Vader and Luke. "Emotions make you weak. This time, they almost cost you your life."
Palpatine walked away, leaving Vader standing alone. When the Emperor disappeared through the door, Vader turned back to the railing, looking down the gaping chasm at the center of Cloud City.
"My son," he said quietly.