A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
It is four years after the turn of the Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker, and he has become more powerful than he could ever have imagined. Just one thing stands in his path to complete control, Palpatine. As he is sent to the under city in search of a Rebel spy, he finds the most unlikely of things...
Chapter 1Darth Vader kneeled before his master, Lord Sidious. Sidious was his oldest friend, yet he was the man Vader despised most in the galaxy.
"What is thy bidding, my Master?" Lord Vader asked, annoyance building up within him after every word.
"Ah, Lord Vader. Our spies have located the Rebels' top agent. She goes by the name of Elina Vagren and lives in the under city. Find her, interrogate her and then kill her. Be wary, my apprentice. I sense a disturbance in the Force. You are dismissed."
The off-hand way the Emperor said the last sentence caused Vader's anger to flare. He left the room asking himself why he hadn't killed his master when he had the chance.
Flashback"He's a traitor!" Palpatine yelled as he sent a wave of lightning at Mace Windu.
"He's the traitor!" Windu countered as he blocked the storm.
"No! He must live!" Anakin pleaded, "I need him!"
He ran towards Windu, lightsaber activated, and sliced off the other Jedi's arm.
Windu looked at him in shock. Palpatine shot another blast at Windu, who could not block the attack, causing him to fall into the city beneath.
"What have I done?" Anakin asked in despair.
End of Flashback
But if he had killed Palpatine then, would he have had all of these new powers?
No. Instead he would not have had to live in the suit and his Angel, Padmé Amidala, would still be alive.
Taking a squad to the lower levels, Vader sensed the disturbance his master had mentioned. He shrugged it off and spoke to his men,
"You are to go inside and bring me the woman. If she is killed, you will pay the price,"
The men nodded and rushed inside. The sound of blasters firing quickly drowned out all other sound. Elina was brought before Vader unconcious, but alive.
Just as he was about to leave, he heard a muffled sound coming from inside the apartment. Listening closely, he could make out the sound of someone crying. Curious, he went back inside, moving towards the noise.
The crying was much louder now that he was next to a small door. Walking into the room, he saw a small bed for someone slightly older than a toddler and there were many toys strewn across the floor. The photos on the wall caught his attention and he gasped as he saw the face of a young girl smiling in the prints. She was almost exactly like his Angel with her brown hair and facial structure. But she had blue eyes, the very same colour as his eyes before he wore the suit.
Had his child survived? But Palpatine had told him that he had killed Padmé. If she had died, how could his child be alive? Was Padmé alive?
His mind wandered back to the silent crying. There was silence now, as if they had sensed him near. Tapping into the Force, he moved towards a small closet.
As he opened the door, he heard a small gasp come from inside and a young girl who couldn't have been any older than five stared up at him with terror in her eyes.
"What is your name, child?" he asked as the girl continued to stare.
"Kellia Vagren, my Lord." she replied quickly, not wanting to anger the dark man in front of her.
Vader froze. Kellia was the second name he and his Angel had selected if their child had been a girl.
"Come with me," he ordered.
Kellia obliged, half from fear and half from curiosity.
Vader could sense confusion from the troops' minds as he and Kellia approached.
"Not a word," he told them as he led his daughter into the shuttle. The men saluted and followed them in.
"Lord Vader," Palpatine noted as Vader once again knelt before him. "I trust that the spy is in your custody?"
"Yes, my Master," Vader replied, silently cursing himself for the uneasiness was practically screaming from his mind.
"I sense something is troubling you, my Apprentice. Do share,"
Vader hesitated. Should he tell Palpatine of Kellia? She would be all right for now. Jixton was babysitting and there was no one he trusted more than Jixton.
"Yes, my Master. I have found my daughter."
Palpatine feigned shock.
"Why, Lord Vader, that is wonderful news. You simply must bring her to meet me,"
Vader knew that, although it sounded like a request, he had no choice in it; he had to bring Kellia before the Emperor.
Muttering angrily to himself, Vader exited the room and headed towards his daughter's temporary rooms. He had ordered only the best for her because she was, after all, an Imperial Princess.
Kellia was sleeping when he arrived. Using the Force, he managed to wake her without disturbing her too much.
"Um...hello, my Lord,"
Vader made a sound as close to a sigh as he could. "You are to call me 'father', understood?"
Kellia nodded slowly.
"Come with me," Vader continued, "My master wishes to meet you,"
Kellia hid behind her father when they entered the throne room.
"Welcome, young Skywalker," the Emperor told her. She gave Vader a confused look,
"Skywalker?"
"It was my name before I was known as Darth Vader," he replied.
"Oh," the girl said as she turned towards the Emperor, "It is nice to meet you, your Majesty."
Palpatine smiled, "While we are here, child, you may address me as 'Master'.
Kellia nodded in understanding while Vader gritted his teeth.
"If I may speak, Master," Vader cut in as Palpatine nodded for him to continue, "I wish to take my daughter to Bast Castle on Vjun to raise her,"
Palpatine nodded, "I assume you will be training her, she is force-sensitive, is she not?"
"Yes, my Master," he replied, not wanting to anger the Emperor by lying to him.
"Gooood," Palpatine croaked, pleased, "She will make a valuable asset for us. Very well, take her to Vjun. She may return in another twelve years. Is this suitable?"
"Yes, Master." Vader replied. Twelve years was plenty of time. He placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder and led her out of the room.
"Are we leaving, father?" she asked.
"Yes, my child," Vader answered, not slowing down, "I will be taking you to my palace on the planet Vjun to train and raise you,"
"Will Jix be coming?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes. He will look after you while I am attending to business off-planet."
Kellia smiled slightly, she liked her father's assassin.
"Uncle D!" they heard a voice calling from behind. Vader stopped and turned.
"I told you, Jixton, not to call me that in public."
Jix put on a guilty look, "Oops, sorry Boss. I guess you're not the only one who's shocked about your kid."
Vader hardly listened, "Jixton, you are to pack your bags and meet us in hanger bay 49. We are leaving for Vjun."
"Sure thing, Boss," Jix replied as he gave Vader a mock salute. Kellia giggled at the man in front of her, "Hi, Jix." she said quietly.
"Heya, Kell. I guess I'll see you in a few then," he replied as he turned to go back to his quarters.
"Come," Vader told his daughter, "You must pack."
Kellia followed quietly. There wasn't much for her to pack, anyway. Just a second set of clothes and a fluffy bantha that she had salvaged from her old home behind Vader's back. He had tried to convince her to leave everything behind, as he didn't want her to have any link to her life with her traitorous foster mother.
"I thought I told you to leave that," Vader growled.
Kellia started to weep. Vader stiffened, not knowing if he should console her or silence her. His daughter hugged the bantha tighter, not wanting to leave it behind. It was easy for Vader to use the Force to pry it out of her arms.
"No!" she cried, reaching for the soft toy.
Vader sighed. Even if she were well mannered and intelligent for her age, it would be hard to break her out of her childish behaviour.
He passed it back to her. She could keep it, for now.
Kellia clutched it, possessively, never wanting to let the toy out of her sight again.