Officer's Recreation Room
The Executor
In orbit around Imperial Center
0630 hours the next day
Admiral Firmus Piett stepped into the well appointed officer's rec room and then halted in surprise. He had expected the room to be empty at this hour but no, a very familiar individual sat on a chair facing the door, frowning down at a holopad.
"General Veers," Piett said, saluting rather blearily
"Piett!" Veers replied with a smile, "No need to be formal at this insane hour of the morning, is there?"
Piett allowed himself a returning grin, "I guess not."
He and General Veers had been colleagues for some time. What had started out as cautious civility had morphed into respect and finally into friendship. Both men had served, and survived, as high ranking officers under Darth Vader for some years, which put them in a very rare class of individuals indeed.
Piett lowered himself onto another chair with a sigh and took a long swig of the caf in his hand. Veers, apparently sensing his mood, returned to perusing the datapad.
After a minute of silence and stimulant coursing through his veins, Piett felt up to some conversation.
"When did you get back, Maximilian?"
"A couple of hours ago," the other man answered, "Aboard the Avenger. We were in the midst of AT-AT training exercises when the Emperor's death was announced. We rushed back as quickly as possible, but we were on Tatooine so it took quite a while."
The admiral frowned, "Tatooine?"
"Yes, northern hemisphere. Hot and sandy. Quite a challenge for the AT-ATs."
Piett nodded, "I can well imagine. Worse than the snows of Hoth?"
Veers nodded wearily, "We've made adjustments since Hoth but yes, sand is very tricky. So what brings you here this early, Piett?"
It sounded like a banal question, but Piett knew there was significant curiosity in those intelligent eyes.
"My sister-in-law, niece, and nephew are staying in my quarters," he responded truthfully. "And my niece is 8 years old and noisy. I'm escaping."
There was a broad chuckle from the other man, "I heard you had your family in residence, which is truly bizarre. A child on the Executor? I presume her mother has not trained her well?"
Piett frowned as he thought this over, "No, Raina is actually well disciplined. But she is intensely curious and everything new that strikes her young eyes provokes question upon question. Thankfully, she sleeps well at night but she started asking rapid fire questions 30 minutes ago while gulping down her convor eggs and after 20 minutes, I fled. My brain is still recovering. I'm not accustomed to children."
Veers smiled and typed a few characters into his holopad, then looked up, his face now serious.
"So what is he like?"
Piett did not pretend to misunderstand, "Young, relatively short, good looking, and death unleashed."
Veers lifted an eyebrow, "And yet I understand our casualties during his capture were minimal?"
The admiral snorted, "Because he wasn't fighting us. He was focused on taking down the Yakoska Pirates, and did so very thoroughly with my nephew's help, as it happens. The base was a smoking ruin when they were done."
Veers's expression changed from curious to cold, and Piett explained hastily, "My nephew is not a Rebel, Maximilian. He believed that Skywalker was an Imperial Dark Ops agent and assisted him in destroying the base."
"And Lord Vader concurs with your assessment?"
Piett's eyes grew hard, "If Max was a Rebel, he would either be dead or languishing in one of the Executor's cells."
Veers nodded, his face relaxing.
"His name is Max? Should I be flattered?"
Firmus shook his head, "I was away on a six month training session when Maximus was born. I don't know why Tractus and Denorah gave him that name ..."
He was a quiet for a moment, "I've missed most of my niece and nephew's lives, regrettably."
"It is an inevitable aspect of our career path, Firmus," Veers responded, his eyes glittering with anger and something that might have been grief. "It is regrettable that the young do not understand the necessity for family sacrifice due to military demands."
"You aren't the only Imperial officer to have a son defect to the Rebel Alliance," Piett responded compassionately.
"Zevulon is no longer my son," the general said, his face blank. "He is dead to me."
Piett nodded, wisely keeping his mouth shut.
"And Firmus," Veers added, looking down, "while some of the rank and file may have relatives on the other side, none of high rank do. Name one other, if you can."
Piett gritted his teeth before replying, "I cannot."
(Because he'd find himself permanently short of breath if he betrayed his Lord, and his Lord's son.)
"So," Veers asked, clearly wishing to change the subject, "I presume Skywalker is being held under very strict security here on the Executor?"
Piett shook his head, "He's on planet with Lord Vader."
He spoke honestly, but he was wrong. At that moment, the door slid open, and the sounds of rhythmic respirations caused both men to leap abruptly to their feet.
Darth Vader strode into the room with four individuals following him. All four were relatively young. One was Luke Skywalker, another was the Rebel Princess Leia Organa, another was a red haired beauty Piett did not recognize. The 4th individual looked especially menacing to Piett. She was a Togruta, tall, with blue and white montrals, and twin lightsabers hanging at her waist.
At least the three humans only had one lightsaber each.
Sands of Jakku.
"Very plush!" Skywalker said in an admiring tone, spinning around slowly to admire the decorating.
"Is that an Alderaanian moss painting?" Leia Organa asked in a surprised tone.
Vader turned to gaze at the art work in question, "I ... am not sure. I have only been in here once or twice ..."
The princess abruptly looked forlorn and rather child-like, "It is beautiful ..."
"It is yours," the Dark Lord replied promptly.
There was a long, bewildered pause from the two Imperial officers, and then Skywalker stepped forward.
"General Veers? I'm Luke Skywalker."
"I recognize you," Veers responded with ice in his voice. Clearly angered, the general turned to his master now, "May I ask, Lord Vader, what these traitors are doing wandering the Executor both unrestrained and armed?"
"You may not," Vader snarled, one hand rising.
Veers grabbed at his throat, his face taking on the dreadful hue of one suddenly deprived of oxygen.
Piett cringed in sorrow and dismay. Veers was a friend, yes, but when Vader was enraged, to attempt to calm his wrath was suicidal ...
A moment later, Skywalker and Organa had lifted their own hands. Veers suddenly gasped as oxygen filled his lungs, even as the diminutive princess turned to glare at the Dark Lord of the Sith.
"Seriously? You just choke your men for reasonable questions?"
Vader glared back, "There can be no military cohesiveness or order without immediate obedience."
"Fa ... Lord Vader," Skywalker said, "this isn't a question of disobeying an order. General Veers is asking a reasonable and pertinent question."
"The former Emperor's penchant for autocratic rule and blind obedience was a significant factor in his destruction," the princess chimed in. "Communication is important for both superior and underling."
There was a startled pause by the officers, who waited for an explosion from the Sith.
Instead, the Dark Lord looked first at one Rebel, then the other, and gestured with one gauntleted hand.
"Very well, communicate if you wish," he suggested sarcastically.
"Thank you," Skywalker said earnestly, and turned back to the officers.
"General Veers, I realize this situation is indeed confusing to you. The most important fact, previously a secret, is that I am Lord Vader's son."
There was a long incredulous pause. Piett's eyes flicked over to Veers, who was literally reeling in disbelief.
"Your father?" asked Veers in blank tone, "As in ..."
The young Jedi's eyebrows arched, "As in, Lord Vader was married to my mother and she conceived a child."
"She conceived twins, actually," Leia Organa continued firmly. "Luke and me. I am Luke's twin sister and Lord Vader's biological daughter."
Now Piett reeled with Veers. Leia Organa of Alderaan was Vader's mysterious daughter?
"And a few days ago, while my brother was distracting Lord Vader and the Emperor, I infiltrated the Throne Room on the Imperial Palace and plunged my lightsaber into Palpatine's chest, killing him."
Veers stood very still for a long moment, his face pale.
"It's rather a shock, I know," Skywalker said in a sympathetic tone. "Feel free to sit down if you like. It's been a crazy week for all of us, but we've had more time to assimilate it. By the way, I just saw your son Zev a few weeks ago. He's doing well, if that is any encouragement."
"My son is dead to me," Veers said, sitting down with a thump which indicated he didn't have complete control of his limbs.
"And why is that?" Organa demanded.
"Because he ..." the general began, then trailed off.
"Defected to the Alliance, General Veers?" the woman continued, her eyes alight with mischief. "Well, your Lord, soon to be your Emperor, has two Rebel scum as children. Maybe you and Zevulon can work something out."
"Luke darling?" the red haired woman had plugged into a nearby com network and was staring intently at the screen. "Can you convince your father to come over here and bypass this stupid security protocol? I need access to the system files to find all the Rebels in custody on Imperial Center and in the local fleet, plus I want to run that mouse droid spy program, just to test it ..."
Luke darling?
Piett slugged down the last of his now lukewarm caf. He could tell it was going to be a thoroughly exhausting day.
/-
Imperial Holonet Network Studio A
Imperial City
Imperial Center
6 hours later
"This is Cray Shifton of the Imperial Holonet Network. Two hours ago, Darth Vader was crowned Emperor of the known galaxy. It was a private ceremony with only the highest ranking Imperials and members of the Imperial Council present. A source, who does not wish to be named, stated that the observance was solemn and inspiring. Relinka, your thoughts?"
The woman with flowing magenta hair turned a serious face to the holocam, "Cray, I am sure I speak for all of us here on Imperial Center and across the worlds in wishing his Highness the very best. We are thankful to have such a great man leading us as Emperor, one who can maintain order in the aftershocks of Emperor Palpatine's tragic assassination."
"Indeed," Cray said a trifle absently as he read his holoreader, "citizens of the galaxy, I have truly exciting news! In exactly four hours, his Royal Highness, Emperor Vader, will be here at this studio for a personal interview with Relinka and me. What an honor! And since we need to prepare, we will turn the rest of this broadcast over to our reporter Kenton Sizt, who will describe, in detail, the monument being erected for Emperor Palpatine's tomb."
He signed off and turned to Relinka, who promptly burst into noisy tears.
"Relinka?" he demanded, aghast, "What's wrong?"
"I can't do this," she whimpered. "I'm afraid of him!"
Cray took several deep, calming breaths. Emperor Vader was terrifying, and his co-host melting down was not at all helpful.
"It will be fine," he said in a reassuring tone meant for both of them.
"No, it won't!" she shot back. "He's tall and has that dark armor and scary breathing and he is going to kill me! I'm bubbly and have funky hair. Most sentients like me this way! But I don't think the Emperor likes bubbles!"
"Relinka," Cray sighed, then tilted his head, "you have four hours. Why don't you at least change your hair? Sith black, perhaps?"
/-
Holocall between Mon Mothma of the Rebel Alliance and Leia Organa
"This is crazy, Leia! You can't just announce to the galaxy that you are Darth Vader's daughter!"
"I most certainly can, Mon, and I will. Why shouldn't I? I am not responsible for the disaster that is his life. Luke and I are innocent victims."
"But Leia," the red haired leader of the Alliance sighed deeply, "you are one of the heroes of the Rebellion, as is your brother. What do you think will happen when our allies, our troops, learn that Skywalker and Organa are the children of their greatest enemy?"
"And what do you think will happen to the Imperial enthusiasts when the Emperor of the galaxy announces that his two children are notable Rebels?"
There was a pause as Mon Mothma considered this, "I don't know. My first thought is that they'll assume you and Luke have given up your rebellious tendencies because you want the power and glory of the Imperial throne."
Leia gazed in shock at her friend and mentor, and then began laughing, "Ok, we will make it clear that is not happening."
"Vader may not give you an option, Leia."
The last princess of Alderaan sighed, "Mon, I hate Vader, I do. But ... at some level he really cares about Luke and me. I would say in many ways, in most ways, in all ways really, he is obsessed with our welfare. Not that that is healthy, but I assure you he will not attack us in the middle of a live interview in the official Imperial Holonet studio. We're going to talk it out, live. We're going to argue. It's going to be messy. I'm going to have fun."
Mothma was now looking befuddled, "You are going to argue with Darth Vader in a galaxy wide broadcast?"
"Oh yes," Leia responded with a wicked smile. "And there might be some gratuitous displays of public affection too. Han just got in and he will be joining us. That will freak our precious father out."
"This sounds like a terrible idea, Leia! The man is not stable! You can't just challenge him publicly and not expect a strong reaction!"
"Well, if it comes to that," Leia responded reasonably enough, "we're not entirely stable either. Don't worry. The reality is that Luke is nearly as strong as Vader, and I'm no slouch with a lightsaber either. And we have Ahsoka and Mara in the wings, so to speak. We're a tough bunch."
The woman shot one last beaming smile at Mothma, "Don't worry, Mon, it will be fine. I need to go now. Organa out."
In the Rebel ship Liberty, in orbit around Sullust, Mon Mothma leaned back in her chair and shook her head. This upcoming interview would be epic, but whether an epic triumph or disaster remained to be seen.
/-
Darth Vader's palace
Imperial City
Imperial Center
Darth Vader turned on the last holo as his daughter's brisk steps marched toward the open door, then stopped. A moment later, she walked into the room and froze in disbelief.
Vader waited with more anxiety than was perhaps warranted. He hoped she liked it ...
"It is times like these," she said finally, "that I realize just how odd you are."
"What is odd, Princess Leia?" he asked with genuine curiosity, "I have been separated from you most of your life, and our previous interactions were regrettably entirely negative. I am completely to blame for that, I know. I wish to have more positive images of you in my home."
Leia sighed and looked around at the Leia Shrine. There were holos from her time as Princess of Alderaan, images from various missions where holocams had caught sight of her. Even an image from the Imperial Throne Room; while Mara had managed to blank the holocams during the assassination of the Emperor, Vader had obviously managed to track down a stored copy somewhere. Front and center in this room was a holo of Leia, hand outstretched, with a brilliant blue lightsaber thrust into Palpatine's chest.
"Incredible," Leia muttered.
Author Note: Many thanks for your continued encouragement, readers and reviewers!
