This was pathetic. These miserable worms did not deserved his attention. He was Vader. Darth Vader, Emperor of the Galaxy. He willingly stepped into battles. Afterall, he alone could change the whole tide of a battle. Of a war. But this . . . this collection of scum on Sullust that had his son . . . these rats were not worth his time.

Vader walked through the hallways of the gang's hideout. His steps were strong and determined. So far it had been an easy slaughter though he was expecting more. When he arrived at Sullust, he at once contacted his apprentice Galen through their Force bond. Galen explained he had Luke, who was unconscious, but the gang members were now using flamethrowers.

It wasn't surprising that there were those who were now forming methods against fighting a Sith. Fighting against him. They were fools. No matter what they thought could help, nothing would be a match for the Force. Though fire was a good choice when fighting against a Force user. Fire was explosive, volatile, and fast. Thus made it hard to control. Despite that, Vader did expect his apprentice to be able to handle a flamethrower or two. The boy surely wasn't that weak. But at the same time, Galen was playing it safe. He was on the defense as he protected Luke and . . . a girl.

The prince is secured, my master, Galen had reported through the Force. He is unconscious. Drugged, but no other known side effects. I have a girl with me. I believe she may be the girl you told me to secure.

You believe? Vader asked. It was only after the words left that he himself knew nothing of his daughter. He only knew he had one and that it was possible she was with Luke. She could still be with Kenobi.

She is a strong Force Sensitive. Clearly trained. A padawan though, Galen explained.

Describe her appearance.

Human. Fair skin. Small. Brown hair. Brown eyes.

The thought came to Vader at once. Padmé. That description fit Padmé. Did her daughter look like her? A beautiful petite woman with brown curls and brown eyes?

Keep her secured, Vader ordered. There was no way to confirm who the girl was until he saw her.

Galen had to protect Luke and this girl. He was right to hole down and wait for support. While Galen's own troops were here, and they were good troops, Vader had come personally with a squad of his own elite troops. The only reason he was here was to get his son and finally get him home where Vader could keep him safe.

Vader's troops were well trained. They knew to let him move alone unless commanded otherwise. He preferred to move alone. He didn't have to worry about anyone else. He made his way through the compound towards Galen's Force signature. Slowly, he was able to sense someone else near him. It wasn't Luke as his signature was unmistakable to Vader, but it was similar. Bright and loud. It was a beacon in the Force. It was light.

A daughter. His daughter. What would she be like? Would she be like her mother? Fierce and determined, but also lovely and soft? Or would she be more like her father? Reckless and eager with a sharp edge to her? Or would she be neither? Would she be someone he didn't even recognize? Someone who was more of a Jedi? Someone distant and unattached?

He turned a corner and came to the back of the group pinning Galen in. They were so focused on trying to get into Galen's room, they weren't focused on their back. Perhaps the rear gang members thought they'd hear any approaching troops. It mattered not to Vader. Even if they had been ready, expecting, and on guard, it would have given them no extra time.

He had already slain four of them, when the rest of the group turned and noticed him. His red blade slashed through their bodies with ease. Their blaster bolts were deflected back into the shooter or into the other gang members. A few little rats were blown into the wall with the Force, their necks quickly snapped. Vader didn't have time to take things slow. He was so close.

The two gang members in front with the flamethrowers were taking aim at Vader. He pulled his arm back and threw his saber forward. It spun in a tight circle and cut through both members and their flamethrowers. Vader summoned the blade back to him. He did pause at the bodies of the two in front. The guns were leaking fuel and smelled. A glance was all he sparred for them, before his eyes focused on the door.

The door was blackened and warped and scratched. The struggle to break into the room was obvious. At least this gang was competent in doing at least one thing well. Picking a place made of sturdy materials. He wasted no time in stabbing his saber through the door. He started to slowly cut a good sized rectangle in the door. Once the saber had completed the shape, Vader grabbed the metal with the Force and jerked it back into the hall. It slammed into the far wall with a loud clang then fell on the floor on top of some gang members' corpses.

Vader deactivated his lightsaber, clipped it to his belt, and walked into the room. He barely registered Galen bowing to a knee and muttering a greeting at him. Vader's eyes were at once on the far wall where a form laid on a metal bench.

Luke!

Vader was there at once. He knelt down. He ignored the pain in his legs from where his flesh met the prosthetics. His only thoughts were of his son. His Luke. He finally had his precious boy. Luke lay heavily asleep. There was a bruise forming on his face where he had been hit. Vader brought a glove hand and gently traced Luke's cheek.

How long had it been since he had last seen his child? Truly seen him? Tatooine and the dream were but mere glimpses of the boy. Two months? It felt like years to Vader. He had never been able to stand being away from Luke for long. If Vader was forced to be away from Imperial Center for long periods, he sent for Luke to join him. He just couldn't do it. It was too hard to be away from his boy for too long. It was too painful. He worried too much. It was too lonely . . .

Vader took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Force, this boy had captured Vader's heart the moment Vader had seen him swaddled in a white blanket in his mother's arms. He was absolutely Vader's weakness. Vader would do anything to keep this child safe. Thus to have him back, to be able to touch him, protect him, a part of Vader, a tenseness inside of him, finally relaxed. Luke was here with his father and could be kept safe and loved.

A soft sound drew Vader's attention away from Luke. He looked over his shoulder and saw her. Without taking his eyes away, he stood and fully faced her. There was no doubt. This was his daughter. The daughter of Padmé.

The girl looked just like her mother. Petite. Brown hair that was currently in a messy braid. Brown eyes that glared at him. There was a hesitancy to her gaze, but also a fearlessness. A fire. A spark that Padmé had.

Slowly Vader approached her. At first she flinched a bit, but otherwise she held her ground. He saw her square her jaw and tilt her chin up at him. She was not going to shrink in front of him. A small smile spread on Vader's lips. She may look like Padmé, but she was also his daughter as well. There was a note of defiance in her.

He now stood directly in front her. Their eyes were locked. His ice blue eyes stared down into her warm brown eyes. Brown eyes he hadn't seen in seventeen years. The last time he had seen them were when they were watery and unfocused. Vader bit back his anger. This wasn't the time to lose himself in the past or to grieve over his wife. Not here. Not now.

"You," he said softly. "You're . . ."

"Leia," she said.

" . . . Leia?"

"Leia Naberrie."

He paused as he considered her words. He could sense the truth to her words. The Force hummed contentedly. It fit. It matched Luke. Leia. Yes. This was the child's name. The name given to her by Padmé. "A good name," he said. "One you have a right to claim, but not your real name."

"Leia is the name my mother gave," she said.

"I was speaking of your last name."

"It was my mother's name."

Which was why he said it was a name she had a right to, but still not her true name. She could have been Leia Amidala or even Leia Skywalker. But what she would be from now is Leia Vader. She would be the princess of his Empire. It was her rightful spot at her father's side, just like it was her brother's spot.

"But not her only name," Vader replied. His words heavy with a dark weight. She glared up at him. He wondered if she would continue to fight him on this, but she held her tongue. "So you know who I am," Vader said breaking the silence.

"Of course. Master Kenobi and Master Yoda kept me well informed," the girl said and tilted her head up a little bit.

"Well informed on lies no doubt," Vader hissed.

"They have done no such thing! At least they were truthful with me about what really happened to my mother-"

He moved without thinking. He closed the distance between them. One gloved hand came to grip her chin tightly. The other hand grabbed at her arm.

"How truthful was Kenobi?" Vader said in a low voice. "Did he tell you how he snuck aboard your mother's ship? Fed her lies to turn her against me? Did he tell tell you how he ripped you out of her arms while she cried and pleaded to have her baby back?"

Her body trembled. Her gaze wavered briefly. "He did what he had to do," she whispered. "To protect me."

"Was it really to protect you? Why not take both of you? Why only take one?"

Her eyes widened as she thought on his words. Clearly she had never questioned the Jedi's truth. Why had Obi-Wan thought to only take one child? Surely Obi-Wan didn't know Padmé would fail in her dying breaths to mention she had two children to Vader. If Obi-Wan really wanted to keep the second child a secret . . . why not kill Padmé? Or why not just take both of them? If Padmé was going to tell Vader, Obi-Wan could have taken both children as it wouldn't have mattered. Vader would hunt down his missing children no matter what. The only reason he had never looked for Leia was because he hadn't known.

So why did he only take Leia? Not even Vader knew the answer, but whatever reason Obi-Wan had, it was nothing good. It didn't matter now. The girl was with Vader, but he was cautious. He feared this may be a trick from Kenobi. Why would the girl be here willingly? But she was here with her father now, and she would not be leaving his side. Neither would Luke. He finally had both his children, and Vader was determined not to lose them again.

"Come," he said as let his hand fall from her face. He kept his grip tight on her arm as he pulled her.

Vader's and Galen's troops had arrived. They had brought a holo stretcher for Luke. Galen stood with his arms crossed as he watched the troops place the prince on the stretcher. His gaze kept flickering from Luke to Leia. Vader could all too easily read Galen's dislike for Leia. He saw her as an enemy. A Jedi. Granted, that was how Vader had raised and trained his apprentice. Plus it wasn't Galen he needed to change in this situation. It was Leia. She would never become a Jedi.