VADER: MIA
Chapter 4
Vader made his way down
the long corridor to Emperor Palpatine's chamber.
Elaborately
decorated with paintings and sculptures from hundreds of
captured
worlds. Vader stopped to glance at certain pieces. Remembering
some
that he himself had confiscated, and the deaths that went
along with them
as they tried to stop him.
So many worlds pillaged
for the sake of decorating the corridor, he thought
to himself,
all the senseless deaths to protect these… things. Tearing his
gaze
from the artwork he stalked the short distance to the entrance of
his
masters chamber.
Nodding to the two
Imperial Guards, he tried to make his way into the chamber,
but
was stopped by one of the guards.
"State your business, and await to be announced," the guard barked.
"You know who I
am, and my business is my own, now step aside, I need
no
announcement."
"Allow him to
pass." The voice of Palpatine said coming from the
intercom
speaker above them.
Both guards nodded, but
Vader obviously angry that he needed to wait for
clearance, walked
pass without uttering a word, his cape brushing each guard
as he
passed by them.
"Ahh... my old
friend, I'm happy to see you have survived the destruction of
the
Death Star."
"Yes my master,
Vader said kneeling, "tough it might not have been, I have
found
a force sensitive pilot, I, as of yet have not found out his
name
but..."
"I will save you
the trouble my friend," the Emperor said interrupting
Vader,
"the pilot you seek is Luke Skywalker...he is... your son."
"My son, but I
have no children, my hope of a family died when Padame died all
those
years ago on Mustafar."
"I have had my
spies research this to no end, and they inform me that this
young
upstart hails from your home world of Tatooine. Where he lived
with
his Aunt and Uncle… a one Owen Lars, and…" he paused
looking through the
information on the
datpad in front of him, "yes here it is… Beru… I
believe
them to be your step brother and sister." the Emperor
explained getting a rise,
sensing the anger building in his
apprentice.
"All this time and
I never knew..."Vader uttered somewhat subdued at hearing
that
he had a family after all.
"Well it seems
that your old teachers have deceived you once again, letting
you...
and I… believe that your wife and child had died, and at your own
hands
no less, then hiding your child from you."
Standing there Vader
closed his eyes trying to remember the day that changed
his life
forever. With clenched fists he began twisting his head this way
and
that agonizing at the sight of his, what he thought then, dead wife.
His
breathing became erratic and faster; the longer he dwelled on
the memory, the
angrier he became. Emperor Palpatine sensing the
fury that was building in
him, smiled, then tried to ease his
pain.
"Do not dwell on
things you can not change my old friend. You have been
given
another chance, knowing that you now have a son. I have a mission for
you,
I have put fourth a plan in which you will lure your son to
me, where I can train him
in the ways of the
sith, and together the three of us will reign supreme… over
the
entire galaxy."
Finding no comfort in
that thought, Vader had no where to turn his anger, it
was like
the first time he'd heard that Padame had died, and his master
had
sealed him into this mobile prison he now wore. Something had
to feel his
anger, it needed a victim, and turning away from his
master he sent a wave
from the force down the corridor he'd just
come through. The two guards
standing out side the chamber door
never knew what hit them as their bodies
were sent flying down the
entire length of the corridor. Sculptures and
paintings ended in a
crumbled pile at the end of the hall, along with the
two lifeless
and broken bodies of the Emperors Imperial Guard.
"Enough! I will
not have you destroy my palace, your anger is useful, but
contain
it, and use it where it will best serve m... our needs."
Vader using calming
techniques he'd learned from his former Jedi master; one
of the
last remaining pieces of knowledge he still remembered, and used
from
time to time. Regaining most of his composure he turned to
face his master.
"Forgive me my
master," he apologized, again kneeling before him, "I am
not
worthy of your mercy."
"Lord Vader,"
the Emperor started trying to sound sympathetic, "even
my
teachings can not heal the deep wounds caused by the naive Jedi
order, so my
old friend there is nothing to forgive. Now come, we
have much to discuss if
we are to persuade your son to join us."
He said stepping up beside Vader
and placing his hand upon his
shoulder.
Luke having just
finished powering up his X-Wing was just about to ask for
departure
clearance when an incoming priority message came in.
"This is Luke, how
can I help you?" he asked before the person on the other
end
could identify themselves.
"This is a
priority message coming in from Mon Mothma," the voice started
to
say, "you are ordered to report to her ready room
immediately."
"R2 pace the ship
on stand by, hopefully this won't take very long," he
said
taking off his helmet and waiting for the ship canopy to
open.
Jumping from the ship
he ran the short distance to the turbo lift, activated
the call
switch and waited for it to arrive. Waiting, he ran several
things
through his mind trying to figure out what she could want
him for. The fore
most thought that kept popping into his mind was
what Leia had told him.
That they had granted his request and information about this Lord Vader had
come in.
Stepping onto the turbo lift he pressed the button for the command
center. The few moments it took to get there. When the door opened he stepped
out onto the command deck and looked for the deck officer; not sure who he was
looking for he started to wander around. Not getting very far Captain Sshoodahh had
noticed him enter the command center, stepping over he pointed to the ready room saying.
"She's waiting for you in there."
Nodding Luke walked over to the stairs leading to the command deck, stepping up to the
Door, he pressed the
alert switch letting who ever was inside
know that there was
someone there.
"Come in Luke," a voice said coming from the small speaker above the switch.
The opening rather
slowly from Luke's perception, the first sight that came
into view
was that of Admiral Ackbar, then of Mon Mothma herself.
"Come in Luke we
have much to discuss, please take a seat," she said pointing
to
one of the many chairs there.
"If you don't mind
I'd like to stand, after all we have an entire fleet about
to
depart for Hoth, and I'm needed for escort duty."
"You'll not be
doing any escort duty Luke, now if you would please take a
seat,"
Mon Mothma said again pointing to one of the seats there, "as I
said
we have much to discuss... if after all... you are going
after Darth
Vader."
"There's news
about Vader?" he asked with a surprised tone to his voice,
"I
didn't think news would come in this quick," finally
sitting in one of
the seats, "I mean I didn't even think you
had considered my request."
Mon Mothma sighing
heavily began, "Yes we have considered it, and with
much
discussion have decided to grant it, though, I do wish you to
know that it
was not a unanimous decision, there was one of us
that didn't you should go."
"Was it princess Leia?" he asked.
Mon Mothma looked towards Admiral Ackbar, who was sitting on her right,
chimed in saying, "No, it was me, for some reason the Princess thinks that you
might have a chance against Lord Vader, I on the other do not; I hand have dealt
with him many times and have seen what he can do without thought. I think it
foolish to waste such a valuable asset as well as a moral booster, that you have become."
Mon Mothma placing a
hand on the Admirals shoulder nodded for his silence
then
continued.
"Yes it is without
question what you have done to boost moral for the
Alliance, and
should something happen to you we think it would hurt the
Alliance
more than you could know."
"Princess Leia said pretty much the same thing, but as I told her I can handle
myself," Luke
started, "I need to do this I owe it Ben, if not for him I might
have
suffered the same fate as my Aunt and Uncle."
"You remind me of another young Jedi I knew long ago, he too was young like
you and full of energy" Mon Mothma thinking back to the days of the old
Republic just before
the Clone Wars, "he thought he was
capable of handling
himself... he was your father... Anakin Skywalker, and
he too went
after Darth Vader and ended up… dead."
"Please don't try
to talk me out of it, I need to do this, don't ask me why,
I don't
really know why, I just know I have to." Luke said trying
to
convince them.
"Luke please,"
Mon Mothma said trying to calm the situation," we are not
trying
to sway you from doing this we just want you to know who you'll
be
dealing with, he is a very evil man."
"Now with that
being said." Admiral Ackbar cautioned, "Here is why we
have
brought you here," sliding a datapad across the table to
Luke.
Picking it up he turned it so he could read the message:
...DARTH VADER MISSING IN ACTION
LAST KNOWN POSITION... HEADING TOWARDS
KESSEL... STATUS UNKNOWN...
PLEASE SEND HELP TO PREFORM SEARCH...
Looking first at Mon
Mothma then Admiral Ackbar he asked, "This is a
confirmed
message?"
"Yes the message
is confirmed it comes from a highly equipped listening post
called
LB452, the message itself is only a couple of days old and has
been
triple checked by the techs there and here."
"Then I haven't
any time," Luke said jumping up from the table, "if
this
message made it to the Imperial Palace there's no telling how
long before
they send help out there, they might already be on
there way."
"We don't think
so, we've asked LB452 to keep a special eye on where the
message
came from and where it was heading, and thus far nothing has
been
done." Admiral Ackbar continued, "We also think it
will be another few
days until they figure the message was
intercepted, and retransmit another."
"In all," Mon Mothma added, "we feel that you'll have at least two days when
you reach the last known position before the Empire figures out that the message
was intercepted."
"Two days… that should be just long enough to deal with Vader and be on my way
back to Hoth, before the Imperials show up." Luke said backing away from the table.
"Providing Darth Vader is as easily handled as you hope he is, again Luke he is a very
evil man and will show you no mercy… I hope you know what you are getting into."
she cautioned.
"We have just two demands before you take off on your mission, one is that you not
go alone… and two is that you observe, and take action only if you know it will result
in his death." Admiral Ackbar added.
"But I…" Luke started to say.
"There are no buts, these orders are NOT NEGOTIABLE, should you decide not to
take anyone you will not be allowed to go… IS THAT CLEAR." Mon Mothma ordered
sternly.
"Well if I have no choice in the matter then," pausing a few seconds to think, "I'll guess
I can ask Han or Wedge to go." Luke answered quite displeased with the order.
"Then Commander…"Admiral Ackbar added.
"I'm no Commander, "Luke grumbled still not happy about taking someone with him.
"You are on this mission," Admiral Ackbar continued, "So I suggest you get going. The
fleet leaves for Hoth with the hour, you have that much time to gather what, and who you
need together; once you disembark from the ship you and your partner will be completely
on your own… you are dismissed."
Luke still standing came to attention saluting both the Admiral and Mon Mothma, then
turned to leave, Mon Mothma starring with and optimistic look on her face gave Luke one
final message.
"Luke." she said in a subdued voice
"Yes mam." he answered looking over his shoulder.
"May the force be with you."
Smiling he just nodded as the door closed behind him.
"I hope he knows what he's doing." Admiral Ackbar said turning to face Mon Mothma.
"He'll be fine, if it's one thing I know about the Skywalkers it's that the are very resourceful,
Mon Mothma concluded"
"Let's hope he's more resourceful than Anakin was." Admiral Ackbar added.
