The Impossible III: Empire at War
By
Nicole
Disclaimer: I dont own the Star Wars Trilogy. I just own the fan fiction plot and the characters who dont exist in the actual storyline. Summary: With little time to spare a ship carrying vital plans for the Empire's Secret Weapon is being chaced by an Imperial Star Destroyer. Will help come in time, or will it be up to two droids to save the day?
The Impossible III: Empire at War
Chapter 1: Rescue on the Death Star
The conference on the Rebellion Flagship, Freedom, was bustling with energy as the allied leaders were all having different conversations at once. The door opened and Padmé walked into the room.
Her hair was done in a twist to the side of her head with a silver clip holding her hair together. She had on a flowing pale blue dress that had an empire waist and embroidered flowers along the torso. Around her waist was as dark purple belt that had the Nabooian symbol on the front.
Standing beside her was now seventeen-year-old Leia, who had her hair braided and tied into a bun at the base of her head and A-line skirt gown with a silver belt around her waist with the same symbol.
Padmé stood in front of the conference table. "Do we have any news on the Alderaan Star or The Spy?" she asked.
"The ship is on it's way to Lehon with the ultimate weapon's readouts," Bail informed.
Padmé nodded her head slowly. "What of the spies that were sent to obtain this information?" Anakin asked as he walked in with Luke behind him, both dressed in their Paladin attire. The hologram senators glanced at each other.
"The spies that have been sent on this mission were unable to escape alive," Mon Mothma said solemnly.
Anakin nodded his head slowly. "Whether or not bodies bodies have been retrieved, they will receive the honorable burial they deserve for their bravery," he informed. They nodded as they stood in silence.
"Do we know where The Spy is now?" Leia asked.
"Right now it is a parsec away from Ord Mantell," Ackbar informed.
Anakin rubbed his chin as he looked at the signal coming from the ship in question. Luke was also glancing at the map when he noticed that something was off. "Something's wrong. Viceroy Organa, were you able to make contact with The Spy?" he asked.
"We thought it would be safer if we kept our communication to a minimum so the Empire wouldn't become suspicious," Bail informed.
Anakin glanced at his son. "The ship's signal is now sitting over Ord Mantell," Luke informed. Anakin nodded his head slowly when the senators looked at their own maps. Luke glanced over at his twin, speaking to each other telepathically. A second later, they heard a distress signal coming from the controls beside them.
"This is the Spy contacting Freedom, Spy to Freedom, the Empire has found us. We are under attack," they heard a familiar voice say over the speakers.
"That's Amara," Padmé said quietly.
"If you can hear me, the package is safe. I repeat the package is…" Amara started to say when her communication was cut off.
They heard a fist slam on the table and looked over at Tyr standing there. "I told you letting her go alone was a ridiculous idea!" he snapped.
"Calm yourself Tyr getting upset won't solve anything," Obi-Wan answered.
Padmé looked at Bail to see the panicked expression on his face. "Don't worry Bail, we'll get her back," she assured her friend.
"What is your idea for a course of action then?" Bail asked as he looked at the two Generals.
Anakin let out a sigh as he looked at the map. "I'll head to Ord Mantell to retrieve the plans. Luke, I want you to use Princess Amara's tracking signal to find her," he informed, pointing at the pink dot that was now appearing on the screen.
"Alone?" Padmé asked.
Anakin looked at his wife. "He's ready," he told her.
"This isn't a time for Paladin training tests!" Tyr snapped.
"Tyr, enough, we will get Amara back before the Empire can do anything to her," Anakin told him.
"Easy for you to say, your wife is standing right beside you while mine is being held captive by the Empire!" Tyr hissed.
Luke looked at his father. "Thank you for entrusting me with this mission, but alone father?" he asked. Anakin nodded.
"We all have our assignments, let's go to it," Anakin told them before they ended the meeting.
Anakin was in his and Padmé's room, putting on his utility belt when he heard banging on the door. "General Skywalker!" Tyr called on the other end.
"You may enter Commander Dakar," Anakin answered.
Tyr entered the room. "I want to go with you," he informed. Anakin turned around as he pulled on his cloak.
"I don't think that is a smart idea, Tyr. You were taught to express your anger, but now you're using too much of that feeling. You'd be too easy for the Emperor to want to turn you," he informed.
"That's a little hypocritical talk isn't it General?" Tyr demanded, "didn't you once join the Dark Side because of you own family?"
"My situation is different than yours," Anakin answered, "mine was due to the Emperor's manipulations."
Padmé, who was sitting in the room listening, stood up and rested her hand on her husband's arm. "Anakin, whether you tell him yes or no, he's going to come with you. So you might as well let him go with Luke," she told him. Letting out a sigh, Anakin nodded his head slowly.
"Alright, you will go with Luke to where Amara is being taken. Help Luke when it is truly needed, Tyr. I'm trusting this in my son's hands as one his tests to being a Paladin as well, keep that in mind," Anakin answered.
"I'm grateful to know that my wife's kidnapping can be used to your son's advantage," Tyr told him with a glare.
Anakin sighed, shaking his head slowly. "Where's Rowan? I want him to accompany me on this mission. Since Luke's training is almost complete, it's time Rowan took his more seriously now," he told her.
"He's waiting by the ship, he knew you would say that," Padmé answered, smiling softly.
Anakin sighed, shaking his head slowly. "These children will be the death of me," he quipped. She laughed, hugging him around the waist.
"Rowan is just like you, anxious, can't wait to learn," she answered.
"Yes but unfortunately he acts too much like how I was," he told her as they left the room heading to the docking bay.
"Yes, he is as impulsive as you, which can be dangerous to us all," Obi-Wan quipped as he walked with them down the hall.
"At least now you can't blame me for your graying head," Anakin teased.
Obi-Wan shook his head slowly, chuckling when they walked over to the ship. Tyr and Luke boarded the ship when they noticed Rowan standing by the ramp.
He had chin-length light brown hair, brown eyes, and was wearing his own Paladin robes. Being only fifteen he hadn't finished completely growing and was almost as tall as Luke. Standing in front of him was a young girl just about his age. She had shoulder-length dark brown hair, blue eyes, wearing the matching Paladin robes. The two of them were obviously in a deep conversation.
Anakin chuckled lightly when he saw his former Master's eyes grow wide. "Something startling you Master?" he quipped. Obi-Wan glanced at his friend with a small glare before looking back at the girl.
"Valaria, come here please, they're going to be leaving," Obi-Wan told his daughter.
Valaria glanced at her father before she stood up on her tiptoes, kissing Rowan's cheek, holding onto his hands as she did so. Rowan kissed Valaria's forehead before letting her go. He bowed to Obi-Wan. "General Kenobi," he greeted. Obi-Wan returned the gesture before wrapping his arm around his daughter's shoulders. Anakin chuckled lightly.
"Careful, that might be Leia or Helena," Padmé answered quietly.
"Helena's only ten so I don't have to worry about that. Leia is too wrapped up in her political work to think about that," Anakin told her.
Padmé hugged her husband with a sigh when Leia walked over. Anakin smiled as he took his oldest daughter into his free arm. "Help your mother take care of things around here," he told her.
"I will," she answered.
"Dad!" a voice called when Anakin suddenly felt someone hug him tightly around the waist.
Looking down, he saw his and Padmé's youngest child, Helena, there. She had long blond hair that almost reached her waist and brown eyes. She wore black boots with tan pants and a long-sleeved tan tunic. "Dad, I want to come with you," she insisted. He shook his head yet.
"Not yet, Helena. You're too young," he insisted.
"You were on these missions when you were my age," Helena answered.
"My upbringing was different from yours. No, you will stay here with your mother and sister," he told her.
She let out a sigh and Anakin leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead before the boys went to embrace their mother and sisters before leaving. "May the Force be with you Anakin," Obi-Wan called out.
"May the Force be with you Obi-Wan," Anakin answered before climbing aboard.
Once everyone was on the ship, Anakin let out a deep breath as he had the ship lift up off the ground and flew off into space. "When we reach Ord Mantell, Luke I want you to take the ship and track down Princess Amara's signal," he ordered.
"What are you doing father?" Luke asked.
"Rowan and I are going to Ord Mantell to search for Threepio and Artoo. Most likely she put the plans into Artoo before she was captured," Anakin replied.
"How do you know the Stormtroopers aren't there already searching?" Luke asked.
"I don't, but we need those plans son," Anakin replied.
Anakin let out a deep breath. "Luke, just be careful while you're rescuing the princess. Sidious has been too quiet over the last ten years. I don't like it son, he's up to something," he informed.
"I will father, don't worry," Luke answered.
"Father, all we're doing is searching for the droids?" Rowan asked.
"Yes, Rowan, we're just searching for the droids," Anakin answered.
"That isn't as exciting as the assignment you gave Luke? How come he gets to do the life saving and I'm just searching for two buckets of bolts," Rowan muttered.
"Rowan, enough. Those droids have done a lot for this family they deserve more respect than that," Anakin answered.
Rowan was silent, sitting back in his seat. Shaking his head slowly, Anakin let out a sigh. "Rowan, you're not ready for that kind of assignment yet," he answered.
"I am ready father! I am! I have been training really hard!" Rowan insisted.
"Luke's almost done with his training, that's why he's going," Anakina answered.
"But I am ready," Rowan persisted.
"No, Rowan, you're not. You're too confident in your skills. That was my problem and look what my overconfidence got me," Anakin answered.
Rowan looked at the glove on his father's arm and sat back in his seat. "I don't think it's fair you're comparing me to how you were when you were younger," he muttered. Anakin glanced at his youngest son.
"Then son, listen to me and do not second guess my decisions because you know that I do things that in your best interest in your training and in keeping you safe," he answered.
Rowan crossed his arms over his chest with a huff, not liking his mission at all.
When they arrived at Ord Mantell, Anakin got up from the pilot's chair. "Luke, take the controls. Your brother and I will meet up with you as soon as possible," he informed.
"How are you going to do that without a ship?" Tyr asked.
"Father has his ways," Luke answered.
Anakin smiled, resting his hand on his son's shoulder. "May the Force be with you Luke," he told him.
"May the Force be with you father, Rowan," he answered.
Rowan nodded before they went over to the escape pod that was on the ship to head down to the planet.
Once their pod landed, Anakin got out and looked around. "This is just a huge junkyard!" Rowan exclaimed as he stood beside his father.
"Exactly why it would be hard for the Stormtroopers to find the droids. Perfect hiding place," Anakin answered.
Rowan looked around as Anakin began his search. "This can take hours," Rowan told him.
"Rowan, stop and just help me look for them," Anakin answered.
"Why not use that comlink thing that you gave Artoo?" Rowan asked.
"Too risky, we don't know if there's Stormtroopers here yet," he replied.
"Why would they leave behind their own Stormtroopers?" Rowan asked.
Anakin let out a sigh as he turned over a pile of rubble, to find nothing underneath it. "Emperor likes his victims whether droid or living being to feel secure before taking them," he informed.
"Is that what happened to you?" Rowan asked.
The former Sith Lord stopped, letting out a sigh. "Yes, son, it is exactly what happened to me. He gained my trust, made me believe whatever he wanted me to believe," he answered. Rowan walked over to a broken down ship and looked inside to find nothing. "Rowan, you have to be careful when it comes to the Empire. The Emperor is manipulative, he can take your greatest fears and make them become a reality," he informed.
"What does that have to do with me?" Rowan asked.
"Force forbid you ever have to come face to face with the Emperor, but if it ever happens, you need to keep your mind clear. Shield your mind from his tricks. He can easily put in a vision that doesn't exist into your mind. For example, he could put in a fake vision into your mind, playing out your worse fears," he explained.
Rowan looked over at his father. "Father…" he started.
"Some day, Rowan, you'll truly understand why I am protective of all of you when it comes to dealing with the Emperor. I had blood on my hands from innocent people I senselessly murdered in my past. I have gotten past it, but son, listen to me. It is a burden I don't want any of you to have to carry, ever," he explained.
Standing in silence, Rowan nodded his head slowly before they continued searching for the droids.
As they were searching around the junkyard, Rowan couldn't help but contemplate what his father had said. He once again looked at the glove on his father's arm. He remembered as a child when he walked into his parents' room and his father hadn't put the glove on his arm yet. Seeing the mechanical arm instead of a real arm is startling for a young child to see.
Now that he was older, he heard the story of his father losing his arm when he was a Jedi Padawan learner, too confident in his training to fight against a Sith Lord. He also knew his father talked about how unhappy he was being a Jedi because he knew at one point he was going to have to, sometime down the road of his life, choose between his family or his career. He never knew his father as Vader, but he heard the stories the Senators would talk about Vader. How evil Vader, how cruel he was.
Hearing the evil stories he heard what his father had done when he was Vader, made him not want to become something like that. He knew his father didn't want to become something like that, to be put in that position. Rowan wasn't completely sure of what happened that made his father become so evil, but he was going to be sure he was never in the position to become a Sith Lord like him.
Anakin let out a sigh when he saw the contemplative look on the boy's face. "Rowan," he called to him. Rowan looked over at him. "You are a great apprentice, a fast learner. Don't get me wrong, I am proud of you," he told his son. Rowan nodded with a small smile.
"Thank you, father," he answered.
"You still have much to learn, so please just trust me when I give you certain missions," Anakin told him.
Rowan nodded his head again. They continued with their search when they heard series of beeping noises. "This planet is the worse one we have ever been on I don't know why they chose this planet to send us too," they heard a familiar droid voice say. Anakin chuckled lightly. They heard Artoo let out another series of beeps. "Oh switch off you rolling tin can," Threepio snapped.
"Some things never change," Anakin commented standing up.
"Father, why did you build Threepio with this kind of personality?" Rowan asked.
"I was nine and still experimenting," he replied.
They walked over to the two droids. "Master Ani thank the Maker," the droid said relieved.
"Are you two alright?" Rowan asked.
"Yes," Threepio replied.
"Well, we should find a way to get off this planet now," Anakin commented.
Rowan looked at his father. "You mean you don't have a plan?" he asked.
"I plan as I go," Anakin replied as he started searching for a ship he could put back on track to get them off the planet.