Chapter 7: Training Begins and Sidious' Plan
The next morning, Hope was standing and walking on her own without support. But to her amazement, her father was already up and meditating. "Hope, you should be resting still, the sun has not yet risen." Anakin stated as he looked at her. "I know father, but I wanted to see the sun rise. Besides mother would be very proud of all of us." Hope spoke as she tried to sit next to her father. Anakin was very proud of her though at the moment, she made him turn away from the Darkside of the Force and reunited the whole Skywalker family. "Indeed she would young one. But I'm very proud of you at the moment Hope. Also you are my daughter and heir to my throne, so soon we will have to make an announcement to the whole Universe—where we came from anyways." Anakin smiled as Hope had many questions about being Princess of the Galactic Empire.
"Father since I'm the Princess, what is Luke and Leia ranks within the Empire?" Hope asked as she saw the sun rising making the sky look so beautiful. "Easy. Luke's is an assassin/Sith in training, and Leia's is a part of the Politician of the Empire. While you are the sole heir to the throne. But if something happens to me, they will be your guards." Anakin explained as he felt his son's presence nearby. "Hello father, Hope. How are you feeling today little sis?" Luke asked as he sat down next to her. "I'm feeling alright, but getting a little bit jittery to do some training though." Hope said as both Anakin and Luke were laughing in full understanding. Then the others woke up and saw Hope talking with her father and brother. "Optimus, I want what's best for Hope. Soon she will have to make a choice to stay here on Earth with us, or go with them." June said as the Autobot leader understands her.
Jack also understood his mother but he did not want his sister to leave them just yet or in the next twenty years. Miko came out of the base and saw a ship coming toward them. "Umm, Jack. What is that and why is it heading toward us?" asked Miko as he saw it too. "That would be some of my crew from the Executor young Miko." Anakin stated startling them. Just as the shuttle lands, Leia comes running out to greet her father. "Hello Leia, how are you?" Anakin asked his daughter as Luke and Hope come over as well. "Alright but there was a weird ship hovering nearby. It looks like a face at the front of it (that is the truth alright, I mean it dose!) and has these jets on them." Leia answered her father. Hope understands what she is talking about though. "I think you mean the Decepticon ship Nemesis." Hope spoke up as Jack also understood the description of the ship as well.
Optimus Prime knew that Megatron will not rest until he captured Hope and forced her to be his human slave gathering Energon for him, but he forgot that she also has Energon flowing threw her veins. Meaning only one thing: Megatron will use her for experiments as well. "Anakin, I must warn you, the Decepticons will stop at nothing to get Hope. For if they end up capturing her they could do some horrible experiments on her or keep her as a pet slave." Optimus stated as Anakin's blood was boiling. 'They would dare do that to my daughter?! If I see any Decepticons soon I will kill them!' thought Anakin as a bit of Darth Vader was creeping back in. Unfortunately Anakin dose not realize that his former self was slowly creeping back into his life, but later that night he will understand and pay the ultimate price for it as well. Right now though, he thought of training Hope so that she will be prepared to fight. "Now Hope, I want you to focus on me and block Luke's attacks. Alright?" Anakin asked as she nodded at him. Raf was looking at the Imperial technology as an Imperial was walking by. "So you like our tech? Well let me give you this then" the Imperial said as he gave Raf a small data chip. Raf was very surprised about the new chip and asked what it does. "Easy: it allows you to communicate through the Black Hole separating our universes. And you also have Hope's frequency as well." the Imperial said as Raf thanked him for the chip.
Meanwhile Megatron was told by Darth Sidious' Force-spirit to capture Hope Skywalker and use his instruments of torture, then Darth Vader will return to the galaxy and Sidious can take over his body. But Starscream was just eager to fight the Autobots only. "Lord Megatron is it wise to let him fight off the Autobots alone?" asked Knock Out as Megatron only smiled. "It will be fine Knock Out, besides our goal to get the Skywalker child we caught before." Megatron explained as he laughed while Sidious' spirit was also laughing. Now the plan was all set and ready to go, the Decepticons prepared for battle and Megatron got the torture room ready. Knock Out was already to go with his part of the plan, but something came across his mind: why and how is Sidious still able to talk to them?
"Lord Megatron how is he able to communicate to us if he's dead?" asked Knock Out as Sidious' Force spirit laughed at him. "I'm not officially dead yet, you see as long as my soul remains intact I still exist. Also Knock Out I need you to do me a favor, when the time comes you must make Hope think that her father is normal. For I shall merge into the body of Anakin Skywalker and "be" her father then later on I will kill her myself." Sidious explained as the Decepticons present were happy about this plan. "I won't let you harm my family Darth Sidious!" Padame stated very clearly as her Force spirit showed up. "You think that you can stop me Padame Skywalker?" Sidious laughed as a new voice spoke. "I can though Sidious, because I'm alive and I can warn them of your plan!" the new voice said as he stepped out of the shadows.
Meanwhile Anakin, Luke, Leia, and Hope were training very hard. "Father can I take a break?" asked Hope as her father nodded to her. Then Optimus came out to talk to Anakin about Hope's future. "Anakin I need to know what you're planning to do and if Hope will be a part of it." Optimus asked as Anakin thought about the situation. "I understand Optimus, but I just found my daughter and I want to raise her. But the Darby's are her family too. Hmm, give me some time to meditate on it." Anakin said as Optimus nodded in full understanding. Then Arcee came up to Hope and talked to her. "Hope are you up to a ride?" Arcee asked as Hope said alright to her. Then Arcee and Hope left the safety of the base and went for a nice ride, to talk about their future together—as a part of the Darby family.
"Arcee, I love my family here on Earth, but I also love my real family too. Hey, maybe I can talk to my father and see if you can come with us!" Hope suggested as they were entering the city of Jasper to get some lunch. They pulled up to the place Jack works at and ordered some food, and then they went to a wonderful spot to eat not noticing that a few Decepticons were there. Hope was very happy to be with Arcee and away from the others at the moment. 'Now to relax a bit before thinking of my future and training. Besides my father will understand if I choose to stay here, right?' thought Hope as she fell asleep with the sun warming her.
Meanwhile, the two Decepticons that are around them contacted Megatron and awaited orders. "Wait until Arcee leaves her, then strike!" Megatron ordered as the Decepticons waited very patiently to capture her. But within a few hours, Arcee thought she heard something and went to go check it out leaving Hope alone and unprotected. The two Decepticons made their move and caught an unsuspecting Hope. "Let go of me! Arcee! Arcee!" Hope shouted as she saw a small glimpse of Arcee as the two vehicles took off with her. "Arcee to base, we have a situation. Hope has been taken by two Decepticons, I repeat: Hope has been taken by two Decepticons!" Arcee spoke as Optimus and the others heard her. Luke looked at his father and knew that they must rescue her again, but something was off this time though—Luke can sense it.
At the Nemesis, Hope was being welcomed back by Megatron himself. "How nice of you to re-join us Hope Skywalker. For we have a very special event for you and your father." Megatron smiled as Hope understood that she was bait for her father. 'Father, don't come! It's a trap meant for you!' Hope cried out to him through the Force as Anakin responded to her. 'Still Hope, I'm coming to help you with your brother.' Anakin sent back to her as they were near the Decepticon Warship. Then the other Skywalker's showed up right on time too. "So you and your son came to get Hope back? Well, to no avail though. Hope will suffer to death Anakin at your own hands!" Megatron laughed as Sidious' Force-spirit revealed himself.
"Darth Sidious, you will fail." Anakin stated as he walked over to his daughter to protect her. "No Anakin, you will. I have this brilliant plan you see: to make Darth Vader return to the Universe and when that occurs, I shall take over your body killing Hope off forever!" Sidious' spirit said as the same man stepped into the light. "Forget it Sidious! You may have tortured me, but I will stay firm with my brother Anakin!" Obi-Wan Kinobi stated very clearly as Anakin was very shocked about the turn of events. "Father, who is that?" Hope asked as Obi looked at Anakin and nodded to him. Then he tried to free Hope when disaster struck: Sidious was edging Anakin on to become Darth Vader again, but he was doing it through a way no one expected by their mental link.
'Stay out of my head Sidious1 I will never allow you to take over my body and harm my daughter!' thought Anakin as the Sith Lord only laughed at him. 'You will surrender to me or I shall harm your wife on this end Vader.' Sidious responded as he saw Anakin getting angry. Hope saw the conflict with her father and Sidious when she thought of a plan. 'Sidious, take over my body instead!' Hope shouted through the Force as Sidious' Force-spirit looked at Anakin then to her with an evil grin on his face. "Hope, no! Don't do this!" Obi pleaded as he saw the Sith Lord's spirit over her body. "Well it looks like Hope wishes to pay the price of having her body taken over by me, Anakin Skywalker. Why should I disappoint her?" Sidious laughed as he was about to merge into the body. Hope was very afraid of this plan of hers, but deep down she knows that her father will be spared.
Then she experienced pain like no other as Sidious merged into her taking over her body. Anakin felt her pain and looked at his daughter with pure horror written on his face. 'NO! I will not lose my daughter!' thought Anakin as he tried to help Hope but to no avail. It was far too late: Hope was gone and Sidious remained and alive now. "This is very weird and interesting though, being in a female's body. But now to make you suffer Anakin Skywalker!" Sidious spoke using Hope's voice as Obi was very sad right now. Just as the Sith Lord said would happen Anakin was suffering a lot now that his daughter is no more, but now Sidious plans to take it a step further: by erasing her from existence!
'Sidious, I will not allow you to do that do me! It was my plan to make you take my body, now you shall see just how powerful I can become!' Hope said within herself as Sidious was very shocked about this. Hope then gathered all her strength and attacked him kicking him out of her body and nearly erased him from existence! "Hope, please respond! Hope!" Anakin pleaded as he saw her open her sky-blue eyes. "Father?" Hope said very weak as he nodded to her. But their victory was short lived, Sidious had come back for more! "I…see now. Your plan…was to…spare you father…right Hope? But now…you're to…weak to stop…me from taking…over your body…again!" Sidious weakly said as Hope knew that he was right. Anakin was to afraid for his daughter's safety and requested the Autobots to help. "Say good-bye…to your daughter…Anakin Skywalker!" Sidious laughed as he prepared to take over Hope's body once again and to kill her soul…
