Vader was once more on the planet Kamino.
It had been three months since the previous visit. Samalander and his followers had put up a much more spirited defense than he had expected. He had been forced to call in an additional fifteen legions and the losses had been extremely high.
In the end though there had never been any doubt as to the final result.
With the last hold outs on Ivotsk now exterminated and all the factories destroyed he had returned here on his flagship Invincible. He was once more alone without any guards or assistants. He was within the research facility standing in front of a two way mirror. On the other side was a small rather spartan domicile. There was a sleeping mat, a child sized table with matching chair. Sitting at the table with a holoviewer calmly looking at the images was what appeared to be a child of five with light blond hair and chestnut eyes.
He has my hair and his mother's eyes, Vader thought with a sudden bitter pang of regret.
XXX
Four Months Earlier
Vader waited in the wings as his master was giving a speech on the necessity for higher taxes in order to fund reconstruction following all the damage from the war. As soon as the Emperor had stopped speaking there was loud cheering and deafening applause. The clapping continued nonstop for five minutes until a chime sounded through the senate chamber and people at last ended their mindless cheers.
It had become necessary to provide a signal for concluding the applause. The senators were all afraid to be the first ones to stop. It was not wise to show any signs of a lack of enthusiasm for the Emperor.
It was not much of a surprise when it was announced the new tax legislation had been passed by unanimous vote.
Not much later the Emperor arrived in the corridor with a squad of stormtroopers accompanying him. His master intended to create an elite Imperial Guard to provide his personal security. Like much else though those plans would have to wait for now, there was simply too much to do and never enough time in which to do it.
Darth Vader immediately fell to one knee and lowered his face. "My master."
"Rise and accompany me Lord Vader." The Emperor dismissed his guards with the wave of a hand.
Rising to his feet Vader took his place at his master's side. The two Dark Lords of the Sith walked along the corridor back towards the Emperor's private offices. They spoke without any concern of being overheard. There were spies everywhere and treason was always underfoot; but a Sith Lord was never afraid.
"Have you discovered the source of those combat droids yet?" The Emperor asked. "The last thing we need is a new separatist movement."
"Not yet," Vader admitted. "However my agents are making good progress. I assure you it will not be long before we find them."
"I want the manufacturers exterminated, that is the highest priority." The Emperor stated grimly.
"Whoever they are they will be killed to the last man."
The Emperor gave a slight nod. When his apprentice promised something he always delivered. "What of the rebel Jedi? There are at least two hundred still unaccounted for."
"I have confirmed that Tarl Ngyot has been terminated by bounty hunter droid BX – 176. The termination has been verified by DNA sample and I have had the standard bounty of one million credits paid out. We will continue to use bounty hunters and platoons of storm troopers to track them down. Those who prove particularly difficult I will deal with personally."
A slight smile touched the Emperor's lips. "Any word of your former master or of our little green friend?"
"No," Vader grunted.
"Those two are worth more than all the others combined. If you do find them proceed cautiously, I would not want you to put yourself in unnecessary danger."
Vader did not miss the subtle reminder that he was no longer as powerful as he'd once been. "Yes my master."
"Tell me my apprentice, what did you think of my speech?"
"What is the point? Why not simply tell them what you want and have it done? Why go through the pretense of having the Senate vote? Why bother with the Galactic Senate at all?"
"My dear apprentice," the Emperor spoke a bit condescendingly. "You are quite skilled in matters of the Force and of war, but you are politically naïve. Each and every Senator is a person of importance on their homeworld. Summoning them to hear me speak and allowing them to go through the motions of making law makes them feel like they are vital to our new empire and binds them to me. In time I will use imperial governors to rule directly, but for now using the senate will help me firm my hold."
"They are all nothing but cowards."
The Emperor laughed happily. "Of course they are! That is what makes them so useful. It's the brave ones we need to be rid of."
Vader dearly wished that were not so.
When he was still a Jedi serving the republic he had worked with men like Obi Won. Individuals with courage and conviction who were ready to fight and die for their ideals. He had come to despise those ideals; but he had only respect for those who were ready to sacrifice all for them.
Since becoming a Sith Lord he'd been forced to deal with the lowest of the low. Criminals, informants, spies, bounty hunters; these were the sort of people the empire needed right now. His master was correct that the ones with the courage of their convictions were usually the trouble makers. They needed the services of people who would do what they were told without question.
Darth Vader hoped this would change once the empire was firmly in place and all these minor plots were snuffed out. He imagined a galaxy at peace and running efficiently. A place with perfect order where even the spacecraft on Tatooine ran on schedule.
What could be better than that?
Surely once such order was established there would be men of conviction who would believe in it. A class of brave Imperialists who would serve the empire with devotion as so many had once served he republic.
That was the kind of galaxy Vader intended to make one day.
When that time came there would be no place for criminals and other scum. Until then though he used the tools he had.
Arriving at his office the Emperor seated himself. Darth Vader remained standing rigidly before him.
"Well now me dear apprentice. What was the reason you wished to come and speak to me in person?"
Vader had never been one for subtlety. He believed in dealing with issues directly and firmly. "When I joined you it was because you promised me you could save Padmé."
Those were very dangerous words and the strident tone used by Vader did nothing to diminish the possible threat in them. In this very same office Supreme Chancellor Palpatine had been threatened by four Jedi Masters. Though the fight had left him scarred and disfigured he had killed them. If his apprentice threatened him Vader would die here as well.
"I remember the promise. I did not break it. You were the one who killed Padmé. I am not to blame."
Vader dipped his head. "I understand that my master, however would you not agree that you have an obligation to me?"
"An obligation?" The Emperor tasted the words and found them not at all to his liking. "I made you a Dark Lord of the Sith and have given you a place above all others. What more do you feel you are owed?"
"A son."
He knows! For just an instant Darth Sidious felt fear. His instinct was to lash out and kill. He only just contained himself.
When Padmé's body had been found it was discovered she had given birth prior to her death. There was no information about the child, it was not even certain it had survived the birth. Fearing the unpredictable reaction if Darth Vader were to learn the truth he had swiftly had those who had discovered Padmé's corpse executed and had perpetrated the illusion that she had died with child.
So far as he knew no one else was aware of this child's possible existence. If Vader was somehow aware of the truth would he try to get revenge on him for the deceit? Vader was incredibly useful and there was, literally no one to take his place. He needed Vader's support to stamp out all these rebellions and enforce his will upon an unwilling galaxy. A Sith Lord could do things even an entire fleet or army could not. He wanted Vader at his side until he had an acceptable replacement; but if he was any sort of threat he would have to die.
"How am I to provide you with a son?" The Emperor asked cautiously. He watched Vader's reaction for any hint of betrayal.
"Allow me to use the facilities on Kamino to recover the child Padmé and I were always meant to have. It is not enough, but it would be a way to keep at least a part of her alive."
"You wish to create a male clone with your wife's DNA?" The Emperor relaxed slightly.
"I intend to use her DNA and mine."
"Your son would be able to use the Force." The Emperor objected.
"Yes master, I would train him in the ways of the dark side. He will grow up to be a powerful ally."
"Two there should be; no more, no less. One to embody power, the other to crave it." Darth Sidious said slowly quoting the Sith Rule of Two.
"He would be able to aid in our work without being made a Sith Lord. At least not until another was required."
"And which of us would he eventually replace?" The Emperor asked curiously.
"Whichever proves to be the weaker. Is that not the way of the Sith?"
It was and the method had proved its worth for thousands of years.
Sidious said nothing for a long moment as he considered. "Very well," he said at last. "I agree that you may have a son. I will watch him very carefully and with great interest."
Vader bowed. "Thank you my master."
The Emperor said nothing more as Vader left. It would take many years for this child to come of age.
All sorts of things could happen in the meantime.
XXX
"Are you pleased Lord Vader?" Head Researcher Taun We asked. "As per your instructions the subject was aged the equivalent of five years and has had a great deal of information transferred into his neural net. He has shown an excellent grasp of history, language, mathematics and other subjects. He has a photographic memory and an exceedingly high level of curiosity. Learning comes easily to him and he possesses a natural penchant for logic and problem solving. He is a prodigy." Taun We gave a pleased sigh. "Our very best work."
"Can he use the Force?" Vader asked without taking his eyes away from his son.
"Oh yes, would you like to see an example Lord Vader?"
"I would."
Taun We reached into a pocket and drew out a simple bronze coin. She then pressed a button on an intercom.
"Alpha?"
"Yes?" The boy answered without looking up from his viewer. "Are we doing another test?"
"That is correct Alpha. Please tell me what side of the coin is shown following each toss." Taun We flipped the coin into the air and caught it with her slim fingers.
"Heads." The boy answered as soon as the coin was caught.
Taun We displayed the coin to Vader so he could confirm that it was indeed head side up. Following Vader's nod the researcher again flipped the coin without telling the boy he was doing so.
"Tails."
"Tails."
"Heads."
Each time the boy revealed what side the coin had come up as soon as it was caught. Each time he was correct. After ten successful tosses Taun We was about to shut off the intercom.
"Director?" The boy asked still not looking up.
"Yes Alpha?"
"Who is the man standing next to you? It feels like I should know him, I feel that very strongly."
The researcher looked at Vader in surprise. "There is no way he could have found out about your presence my Lord."
"The Force is strong in him," Vader said almost to himself. He turned to the researcher. "Take me to him."
"Yes my Lord."
