Are you an Angel? Vader saw the silhouette of Padme- all those years ago. Vader's vision became clearer; the Tatooine suns' light shined through Padme's hair. Vader turned to face himself… a slave boy. Vader's surroundings crumbled around him- then rebuilt. Master Qui-Gon, has anyone visited all the stars? The Jedi Master gazed at the small boy,
No, I don't think so.
Well I'm gonna be the first one! The small boy's face lit up with excitement. Vader felt his anger surging through him. The vision changed, magma and lava surrounded him. Obi-Wan stood on the boarding ramp of the Naboo transport. Padme gasped for air- clutching her throat; her eyes filled with tears as she begged Anakin. You turned her against me?! The young man exclaimed,
Your anger and your lust for power have already done that. Vader shut his eyes, refusing to look any longer,
"Lord Vader? My Lord?" Tarkin gripped Vader's arm.
"Yes Grand Moff?" Vader shook Tarkin's hand off,
"We've arrived on Coruscant- the Emperor awaits you." Tarkin stepped from the shuttle and onto the landing bay. Vader followed behind Tarkin, lost in thought. "Vader, you understand the Emperor will not be pleased." Vader looked up to meet Tarkin's eyes- blue and filled with hate.
"My Master will be pleased- the more Jedi dead; the better." Vader continued to stride beside Tarkin.
"No My Lord, he instructed you to obtain information from Vilrori and you murdered her." Tarkin picked at his fingernails,
"I tried obtaining the information my Master required- she would not succumb. Therefore I killed her." Vader snared. The two walked through the Senate building, in complete silence. Tarkin sped up to enter the Emperor's office first. Vader felt a vein twinge in his forehead. I will kill him. Vader thought. The Emperor sat in his chair facing the massive window that overlooked Coruscant's downtown area.
"My Lord- we have arrived back from Balmorra. We-"
"Enough Governor. I wish to speak to my Apprentice." The Emperor swiveled in his chair to face the two men. Tarkin looked flustered, "Have I not made myself clear? Leave us!" Palpatine rose to his feet, Tarkin bowed, turned and exited the room. Vader got onto one knee,
"My Master, Vilrori and Quinlan Vos are dead. They knew of my identity."
"Vilrori was one of the Order's most renown telepaths- this should not worry you Lord Vader. Rise my Apprentice." The Emperor motioned his hand. Palpatine glided through his office- Vader followed him. "I have a new task for you Lord Vader. I want you to meet my new hand- Mara Jade." The Emperor waved his hand, a woman with fire red hair dropped from the ceiling, landing in front of Vader.
"Hello Lord Vader." Mara ran her hand across Vader's chestpiece. Vader grabbed her hand,
"The next time you do that, is the last time you will have this hand… Am I clear?" Vader released her hand.
"Play nice you two- the both of you will have to learn to trust one another." The Emperor sat back down in his chair, "I'm sending you two to Kamino. Governor Enduri will instruct you from there."
"My Master- I would prefer to handle this situation on my own." Vader took a step further.
"This hulking brute will slow me down. MY Master, I must go alone. I'm faster and less of a failure than Lord Vader." Vader ignited his lightsaber,
"If I am such a failure- then it will be easier for you to strike me down!"
"Enough of this! I have changed my mind… Mara- you will proceed with the mission; alone. And Vader, you will head to Bimmiel to assist Commander Thrawn with a special package that I want. Now go." The Emperor swiveled his chair. Vader and Mara Jade walked out of the office.
"Your arrogance will get you killed young one." Vader scolded,
"Your failure will do the same." Mara walked off. Vader walked down to his shuttle, Lieutenant Sacho was waiting at the boarding ramp.
"You have failed me Lieutenant... " Vader looked up at him.
"How my Lord? How have I failed?" Sacho descended from the ramp to Vader's level. Vader grabbed Sacho by the throat,
"By allowing Tarkin to know that I wanted the Jedi dead! You have lost my trust Lieutenant!" Vader slowly crushed the Lieutenant's windpipe. Vader felt the air leave Sacho, his life slowly fading away. Then suddenly- a loud cracking sound, and the Lieutenant fell dead in Vader's hand.
The glaring sun glistened against the snow and ice. A wicked wind whipped snow drifts about the flat wasteland. The sound of a landing ship sounded through barren ice world.
"What is it sir?" A stationed stormtrooper asked.
"I don't know, contact Lord Vader of this, ask for advice. I will not lose Bimmiel to this unknown force."
"Yes Admiral Thrawn." The trooper said as he marched back into the base. The ship was huge, it looked as if it were alive, moving while in motion. As it landed the ground shook. AT-ST's marched around to the front of the base. Thrawn looked closely at the ship, a huge boarding ramp lowered and sunk into the snow, insect-like beasts trampled out from the ship.
"Attack it, attack it, and attack it!" Thrawn shouted as he ran back inside the base. The base turrets fired upon the ship, a volley of bolts hit a barrier before they hit the ship, an invisible force absorbed the bolts. The beetle-like insects marched across the icy landscape, taking every shot as if it were nothing. "Fire all batteries! And get the scientists' ship ready, and prepare my ship and tell them to get the body!" Thrawn commanded a trooper. The base shook as the insects marched. Blaster fire riddled the insect convoy, bouncing off of their natural armor.
"Sir, Lord Vader on comm link." A stormtrooper said. A small holographic image of Darth Vader appeared from a small metal disk.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn, I expect the body in Imperial space before the Emperor gives his speech to the Imperial Senate. Do not fail me." He finished,
"My Lord, we have encountered extra-galactic aliens, they seem to be after planetary conquest, shall we hold them until reinforcements arrive? Or shall we just take the body and leave?" Thrawn asked while dodging a falling piece of debris.
"Bring the body, we cannot afford forces on a small ice world in the far reaches of the outer rim." Vader said. The communication closed, suddenly an alarm sounded throughout the base,
"Intruder alert, this is not a drill!" The intercom said. Thrawn raced through the hallways, he stopped dead in his track when he saw a squad of them marching down the alley. They aimed their weapons at him, he drew his blaster pistol and dropped it on the floor.
"Come, our Supreme Overlord must see you." The Alien said. Thrawn was guided back outside, four other officers and some troops were kept in a circle, surrounded by alien soldiers and the beetle -like giants. One stood proud above the others, adorning a black cape, a large sword and a terrifying helmet. Their armor moved with them, not normally, but as if it were moving independently. They pushed Thrawn into the snow and made him kneel to the proud one.
"I am supposing you are their leader, I am here for a new world, I am here for conquest." He said.
"Leave, for you are in Imperial space, and you will be tried in an Imperial court before our Emperor." Thrawn responded. The alien drew his sword, a curved blade with saw-like edge. He put it to Thrawn's neck.
"You defy me even now as I stand here before you and threaten your life now y"- suddenly two star fighters shot down at the surface, killing a beetle. Darth Vader leaped from his ship onto a bug and crushed it's head with the Force, Thrawn looked to his left and saw an entire Imperial force marching toward his position. AT-AT's pounded away at the ice. Vader leaped from bug to bug, deflecting blaster shots and killing every bug. He then proceeded to jump down and slice the sword in two. He held all other soldiers in a tight force grip and choked them to death. He turned back to their leader, ignited his lightsaber and hacked away. The leader dodged and blocked almost all of Vader's blows with his armor.
"Your skills are impressive, most impressive." Vader mocked in a dark tone. The leader leaped over him, Vader spun and cut him in two. At that moment, the colossal ship retracted the boarding ramp and slowly lifted itself into the sky. He retracted his blade and undid the Imperial officer's shackles. "Where is the body?" Vader asked Thrawn.
"It's in the transport ship Lord Vader." He responded.
"Good, bring the body to the Death Star, I'll have our best scientists examine it." Darth Vader said as he walked away.
"Wait Lord Vader, why did you come for us, you told me you were not to come here?" Thrawn asked. Vader turned around. For a couple seconds the only noise was Vader's breathing,
"The Emperor demanded I come, he said we must retrieve the body." Vader said finally as he walked away…