Stories of the Renegade Sith Lord spread across the galaxy. Laying low at the homestead for a while, Vader finally said goodbye to Luke. Kneeling down to look at him straight on, Vader focused on his son's blue eyes, unlike his mother's or Vader's own.
"I must leave you here, my son." He said, voice wavering. "You will be safe here. We may not meet again my son. Take this." Vader removed a charm necklace from around his neck, placing it in his son's hand. "I made this for your mother when I was just a boy. Remember us, and remember that we loved you."
Beru and Owen stood with the boy outside the homestead as Vader and Ahsoka departed. He wiped the tears from his eyes staring down at the charm on his neck. As the Sith and Jedi sped off to Mos Eisley, Ahsoka noticed Vader had begun to tear up as well, making the excuse that sand had gotten in his eyes.
Ditching the recognizable landspeeder near the outskirts of the city, the pair made their way to the cantina. There the would find passage to Vjun, one of Vader's stronghold worlds. Entering the Cantina, Vader and Ahsoka made sure to keep their hoods up as they milled about, looking for a captain. At the bar, they were approached by a Wookiee. He barked a greeting, then growled his business at them in hushed tones.
Vader did not understand Shriiwook, so Ahsoka translated.
He said that he was formerly a slave in the camp they liberated, and he swore a life-debt to them in return for his freedom. When asked his name, he responded with Chewbacca.
Vader nodded his head, a smirk appearing on his face.
"Are you a warrior, Chewbacca?" He asked. Chewbacca nodded. "Good, I have a great need for those. Now, Can you help us find a ship that will take two passengers to Vjun?"
Chewbacca growled worriedly, clearly wary of having to travel that far into Imperial space. He said that he knew of a ship that may be able to take them, offering to set up a meeting with its captain. Ahsoka graciously accepted for them.
Chewbacca made the call, and much to Vader's surprise a young man, maybe 19 or 20 years old met with them, claiming to be the captain of a ship that could take them.
"I'm Han Solo" He said. "Chewie here tells me you saved him from the slave camp, and you're looking for transport deep into Imperial territory. That'll cost you a little extra. 10,000, half in advance."
"Ten thousand?" Vader scoffed. "We could buy our own ship for that much."
"Yeah? And Who'd fly it?" Han asked. "You?"
"Don't underestimate me, boy." Vader seethed.
"Look, if you wanna get things through Imperial territories, I'm your guy. But if you wanna go at it yourself, be my guest."
"We'll pay you when we reach our destination." Vader said, coating his words with the power of the Force.
Solo flinched, then nodded.
"Docking bay D24. We'd better leave soon. Seems someone's interested in your handiwork."
Han pointed to a group of stormtroopers who came into the bar, asking questions about the Renegade Sith Lord and his apprentice.
"Ahsoka, go with them. Leave the troopers to me."
Ahsoka nodded, leaving with Han and Chewie while Vader rose, putting on his mask and flipping up his hood, and moved towards the side of the cantina where the troopers were questioning the patrons. Moving through the group, he purposely bumped one of them, causing the trooper to grab his shoulder.
Vader grabbed the trooper's arm, throwing him over his shoulder and slamming him on the floor. Smashing the white helmet with his boot, Vader turned to the rest of the group, igniting his crimson blade.
The panicked troopers raised their blasters at him, and it was clear they did not expect to actually encounter him.
"It's Vader!" One of them shouted, "Blast him!"
They opened fire, flashes of red streaking through the cantina as Vader deflected the bolts, quickly counterattacking each trooper with a heavy strike to the chest or neck. Within moments, the troopers were all dead, and Vader closed his blade. Looking around, he calmly proceeded out the door, removing his mask as he went, leaving the frightened patrons with a squad of dead stormtroopers.
Arriving at the D24 docking bay, Vader was greeted to the sight of a rusty, beaten up Corellian freighter.
"This is what we are paying ten thousand for!?" he yelled.
"It'll go .5 past lightspeed. She's old, but she has a few tricks up her sleeves. She's called the Millennium Falcon. Now if we could please get aboard, it's best if we…"
"SOLO!" An angry looking old man screamed as he stormed up to the Falcon. "I told you I didn't want to see you anywhere my ship again!"
"Well, uh. You see Captain Brennagh" Han stuttered.
"I'LL TURN YOU IN TO THE IMPERIALS FOR THIS!" The Captain screamed.
Vader, tired of the man's yelling and wary of the attention he would attract, attempted to calm the Captain down. When he would not cease his bellowing, Vader ignited his saber and cut Captain Brennagh down.
Han jumped back towards the Falcon in shock, before Vader grabbed him by the collar and threw him off the ramp.
"I can fly this ship myself." Vader said to him. "Whatever you've done, the Imperials will not stop hunting you."
"Wait!" Han said. "I know this ship better than anyone! I can help you fly it! Please, take me with you!"
Chewie howled his preference for Han coming along.
Ahsoka turned to him, silently pleading with him to not leave the boy behind.
"Fine." Vader said. "I suppose you could be useful."
The group embarked on the Falcon, leaving the planet's orbit and leaving Luke behind. Ahsoka felt Vader pushing down his sadness at leaving his son. As he moved into the cockpit, taking pilot's seat from Solo, Ahsoka couldn't help but feel sympathy for her former master.
They encountered no resistance as they left the system. Setting a course for Vjun, Vader followed Solo's guidance on how to take the Falcon into hyperspace. Once they were away, Vader had Solo take him around the ship, explaining the way it worked.
"I worked on this ship as the mechanic for years. I've repaired her more times than you can count. Made a few special modifications as well." He explained, as he walked the renegade Sith Lord around the ship.
"It seems your employment was terminated on very unfriendly terms." Vader said.
"He found out about my trouble with the Empire." Han explained, scratching the back of his head.
"What trouble would that be?" Vader asked.
"Chewie said he swore a life debt to you, right? He's got one to me too. I saved his hide a few years back, and he got recaptured on Tatooine. The Captain and I had a disagreement on trying to bust him out. Now I guess we're all on the run."
Vader nodded, "Let us return to the cockpit."
As they approached Vjun, Vader explained to Ahsoka why it was so important that they reach that planet.
"My stronghold there, Bast Castle, it has many things that are useful to us. Credits, supplies, weapons. There are fabrication facilities there. I used the world as my own workshop. Once we are there, we can repair and reinforce it into something worth flying. It almost reminds me of that old ship we flew during the war. What was it called?"
"The Twilight." Ahsoka responded, as they dropped out of hyperspace within the Vjun star system.
"Once we are there," Vader said, crossing is arms and stiffening, "I need you to contact several people for me. If my suspicions are correct, they will already be working together. Chief among them is Bail Organa."
"A Senator? Why do you want to talk to him?" Ahsoka asked.
"He is one of the Emperor's strongest opponents. He, Mon Mothma, and…" Vader paused, taking a deep breath to say the final name, "Padmé; they were all part of a political opposition to Palpatine's rise. They will not hear me out, but you are a different story. Now that I am a public enemy of the Empire, I have a plan to get my daughter back."
Ahsoka nodded, moving to the cockpit, where Solo informed her that they were making their landing approach.
The barren, acid-rain soaked world came up to meet them, as Han and Chewie brought the Falcon down onto one of the landing pads of the massive castle. The rain would not eat away at the hull of the old ship, but it would burn through flesh. The two smugglers and the fallen Jedi moved swiftly under the canopies, but Vader moved at a slow deliberate pace, not seeming to care as the rain burned his clothes. Once he was under, Vader flipped a switch on a control panel, bringing the Falcon down into the belly of the castle.
Vader opened the doors for them, entering the castle, moving much more swiftly now, his coat swishing behind him like a cape. Han, Chewie and Ahsoka jogged to catch up to the Sith Lord, as he maneuvered through the corridors of the massive castle. Finally, he stopped inside a large, well-furnished room turning to the two smugglers.
"Now, Captain Solo, you have two options." Vader said. "You can either stay here and aid us in our plans, of find yourself some way off this planet. I have taken ownership of the Millennium Falcon, and can fly it myself. I can assure you payment if you join up with me."
Solo considered his options. He had a hushed conversation with Chewbacca. Turning to the Sith Lord, putting on a façade of bravado in an attempt to mask his fear, he counteroffered.
"Let me be captain of the Falcon, and you've got a deal." He said, crossing his arms in an attempt to project finality.
Vader chuckled at the young man's attempt to hide his fear, and found himself admiring his bravery.
"That is fair enough, Captain Solo." Vader said, his voice filter sending a chill down Han's spine.
"Yes, my Lord" Han said, sarcastically.
The sound of clacking metal feet made the captain turn. A protocol droid with a gold finish approached them.
"Greetings, I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations. I have been instructed to show you to your quarters, if you will follow me, please, Captain Solo, Chewbacca."
The two former smugglers followed the gold-plated droid out of the room, and Vader allowed himself to relax a bit, plopping down on one of the couches and removing his mask.
"It's been a hectic few days, huh?" Ahsoka asked, sitting down on a couch opposite to him.
Vader rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. "We can catch our breath for a while. I will need to begin massing forces. It will not be easy to challenge the Emperor."
Ahsoka nodded. "First I want some answers. I want to know about Luke and Leia, and… I want to know why you betrayed the Jedi."
Vader sighed, hanging his head. He told her about Padme, his visions, and Palpatine's offer. He told her about how the Jedi asked him to spy on the Chancellor, and how he turned against them. He did not mention it to her, but the resentment he felt over the Council's harsh treatment of her was one of the things that led to his betrayal.
"Now that you know, will you still help me?" Vader asked, his yellow eyes searching hers for sympathy he knew he didn't deserve. With a sigh, Ahsoka nodded her head, deciding that her former master still had some good left in him, otherwise he wouldn't regret his actions.
"Good. Would you like me to show you to your quarters?" Vader asked.
"I most certainly would. Sleeping in a real bed is something I have been looking forward to for a long time." Ahsoka said.
"Then that it what you can do. If you will follow me, I will show you your chambers."
Ahsoka followed Vader, who surprisingly did not put his mask back on, down the hall.
Her chamber, she found, was twice the size of any sleeping quarter at the Jedi Temple. She was amazed by how large and well-furnished the room was. As she stepped into the room, Vader said from behind her.
"Get some rest, we begin training in the morning."
Vader left the room, and Ahsoka settled in and meditated before going to sleep. Calling Solo and Chewbacca to the command center, Vader began to work out his plan.