Author's Note: Thank you again to all my loyal readers and reviewers. So sorry for the delay in updating this story. I've had a slight case of writer's block with this one. But I think I've finally gotten passed that for now. There were a lot of different ways I wanted to take with this story and just needed to decide which was the best one. So I hope you enjoy this next update.

I hope you all survived the server implosion Fanfiction had over the last couple of weeks. Yikes! I'm still having problems with PM now. It was cutting off the ends of my sentences today. So if I reply to you in PM and it doesn't make coherent sense, it's not my fault...I swear! Ha Ha

Also on this same note, if you have been also a faithful reader of "Star Wars Episode VII: Return of the Chosen One" and didn't receive e-mail alerts for it due to the technical issues, I have updated that quite a few times. I hope you like the new updates for that story as well. :)

Ok...now on with this story...

Update as of 9/30/13: If you read this chapter before, I made a slight change to correct a problem with this chapter. So I don't give away too much to those who haven't read this chapter, I have made note of this correction at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 26

Rogue Shadow Somewhere Near Wayland

"Really, Master, I know you can do better than that." Proxy declared while mimicking the deep, mechanical voice of Darth Vader as he was fighting Starkiller while taking the Dark Lord's form.

Starkiller advanced towards Proxy with both of his sabers as he crossed his duel blue sabers with 'Vader's' red one and Proxy backed away as Starkiller pushed him back. "I'm not ready to give up yet, Proxy." He declared as he then continued to push the image of Vader back away from him.

"I still don't understand why you don't want to fight me as Anakin Skywalker." Proxy stated as he pushed forward, swinging his light saber madly in an attempt to push Starkiller away from him. "You wanted to when you first heard he was back and had been your Sith Master before his change of heart."

Starkiller continued to cross blades madly with the specter of his former master but was eventually able to distract Proxy long enough to Force push him away from him so he slammed up against the hull of the ship. He then extinguished his blue sabers as he tried to catch his breath and Proxy regained his balance. "I don't know. After talking to him as he is now, I just can't bring myself to fight him that way. This is the image of him that had brought so much misery into my life." He paused. "It just doesn't seem right to fight him as Anakin Skywalker."

Proxy then extinguished his own blade. "I understand, Master."

It was then that Juno entered the room. "Galen, General Kota is on approach and has news from Coruscant." She told him, using his true name.

Starkiller turned to Juno with a smile as he walked over to retrieve a towel from a nearby chair to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Good! Tell him I'll meet him at the airlock. We'll meet you in the common room in a few minutes."

Juno simply nodded and then turned to return to the cockpit.

Proxy, who had now returned to his true form of shiny black metal, approached Starkiller. "May I shut down for awhile, Master?" He asked while looking at him with his lighted circular eyes.

Starkiller nodded. "Of course, Proxy. If we need you, I'll reactivate you later."

"Thank you, Master." Proxy replied as he returned his light saber to its place on the wall before proceeding to plug himself into a nearby outlet

With a smile, Starkiller then walked off to the airlock to meet General Kota and arrived just as he heard his ship attach to the Rogue Shadow. He then made sure that both ships were locked in place from his side and watched in eager anticipation as he saw the door between their two ships open to reveal his friend and elder Jedi Master. "General Kota, it's so good to see you in person again."

Kota smiled warmly with even a slight sparkle in his vacant brown eyes. "Thank you, boy. It is good to sense you again as well. Anything new to report?" He asked as the two men shook hands.

"No, I'm afraid not." Starkiller replied. "There are still the same Imperial Star Destroyers around Wayland that were there before and there hasn't been any movement worth reporting. It's been rather quiet. Too quiet if you ask me." He paused as Kota nodded. "So what is this news from Coruscant?" Starkiller asked as the two men started walking down the hall towards the common room where they found Juno waiting for them.

"Well, as you already know, Darth Vader has returned and retaken his birth name of Anakin Skywalker." Kota began.

"Yes, I know." Starkiller told him. "And we've already spoken to him through Proxy."

Kota's eyebrow shot up. "Really?" He paused. "How did your conversation go?" He asked with caution as they all sat down around a table.

Starkiller sighed and couldn't help but smile weakly as he folded his arms on the table before him. He looked over to Kota who was sitting to his right. "Actually...a lot better than I ever thought it could." He paused. "He apologized to me and Juno and then proceeded to tell me that I'm not really a clone. Apparently, I had just been suffering from memory loss after my near death experience."

"That is good news?!" Kota exclaimed. "And did you sense his sincerity through the Force?"

Starkiller nodded. "Yes, he did seem sincere...amazingly so." But then he got a curious look on his face. "But you've spent time with him in person. Should I believe him? Has he really changed that much?"

Kota sighed. "I believe he has. He carries a lot of guilt inside him, but he has definitely returned to the Light Side of the Force once again. He is as I remember him...before the Dark Times."

"I'm sorry...I interrupted you. You were going to tell us what the news is from Coruscant." Starkiller stated.

"Yes." Kota started. "We have a new plan."

"A new plan? Was there something wrong with the old one?" Juno asked with confusion.

"Despite its brillance, it would have possibility continued the fighting for years to come and this new plan has a more peaceful solution." Kota explained.

"And how is that?" Starkiller asked with curiosity in his tone of voice.

"Anakin Skywalker is infiltrating the Empire as Darth Vader by claiming his rightful place as heir to the Imperial throne." Kota informed them both.

"What?!" Both Starkiller and Juno replied in horrified shock.

Meanwhile back on the Thunderflare...

"How many other Jedi are still alive?" Ahsoka asked sadly as she folded her arms on the table again.

Anakin also folded his hands on the table before him as he sadly looked down and then back up into Ahsoka's blue eyes. "Not too many...maybe 5 or 6 right now. Of the original order? Maybe 3." He then smiled warmly at her. "4 counting you."

Ahsoka smiled back at him. "So who is still alive from the original order besides you, me and Obi-Wan?" She asked him with curiosity.

"General Rahm Kota." Anakin informed her.

"Ohhh." Ahsoka replied as she put her right hand on her chin as she looked away in thought and then dropped her hand back to the table as she looked back at Anakin. "He was the paranoid one who didn't want any clones in his militia."

Anakin nodded. "Well...I wouldn't say that he was paranoid. He just didn't think they were fit for battle so his militia consisted of volunteers." He then paused in thought. "Maybe we all should have followed his lead on that one."

Ahsoka shook her head. "No...we all loved Rex and Cody...and they always came through for us."

"Cody didn't for Obi-Wan. He turned on him when Palpatine issued Order 66." Anakin informed her.

She gasped in disappointment. "Nooo...not Cody."

Anakin nodded as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking down and then up at his old padawan again. "Yes, even Cody. Rex was in the 501st so he stayed with me, even as Vader, until he was too old to serve as commander."

"Is he still alive?" Ahsoka asked with hope in her eyes.

Anakin shook his head. "I don't know. I lost contact with him after he left the 501st." He paused. "As Darth Vader, I wasn't exactly social and to follow up on the whereabouts of former clones under my command was very un-Sith-like."

Ahsoka let out a huff. "I don't doubt it."

Anakin then looked at her with curiosity. "So what have you been doing with yourself, Ahsoka? I never heard from you again after you left the Order."

Ahsoka smiled weakly back at her old master. "I-I went in search of Lux Bonteri. Do you remember him?"

Anakin nodded. "Yes, he was Mina Bonteri's son. The Separatist senator who wanted to bring a peaceful end to the Clone Wars and was killed for the effort."

Ahsoka nodded sadly. "Yes." She paused and then continued. "Because Count Dooku was behind his mother's death, he joined various rebel groups fighting against the Separatists."

"Yes, I remember him needing Jedi assistance when trying to retake the city of Iziz on his homeworld of Onderon." Anakin also added.

"Well...I went in search of him and joined his cause." Ahsoka explained. "And because I was no longer living under the restraints of the Jedi Order, even after denying our feelings for one another for so long, we finally realized how much we loved each other and were married 5 years later."

Anakin's face lit up. "You're married, Ships?! Congratulations! Any children?"

It was at this point that Ahsoka became very sad, trying to hold back the unshed tears that were forming in her eyes. "No, I couldn't have any children. I was told that because I almost died after contracting the Blue Shadow Virus that I became infertile. I simply had suffered from the virus for too long." She told him as she covered her eyes and started breaking down into tears.

Anakin immediately got to his feet and walked around the table so he could kneel down next to her. He reached out and pulled Ahsoka into a comforting embrace. "I'm so sorry, Ahsoka." But then he paused as a thought occurred to him. "Are you sure that it was the Blue Shadow Virus? Padme was able to conceive."

Ahsoka pulled back from their embrace, shaking her head as she wiped the tears from her eyes with her right hand. "I was infected for much longer than Padme and I'm a Togruta. It affected me differently."

Anakin looked at her with compassion. "I'm sorry...Ahsoka...that I brought it up."

Ahsoka shook her head again. "No, Anakin. You didn't know."

"And your husband, Lux? Was he with you when you were captured?" Anakin asked with concern.

Ahsoka shook her head once more. "I haven't seen him in 5 standard years. Not since after he went on a secret mission for the Rebel Alliance."

"Wait?! You were part of the Alliance?!" Anakin asked with shock.

"Well, indirectly, yes." Ahsoka explained. "With me being a former Jedi padawan, it wasn't exactly safe for me to work against the Empire openly. It would have brought too much attention to me."

"I understand." Anakin replied sadly.

"I was actually investigating a tip I had that he may be in an old Imperial prison on Derilyn when my hyperdrive died and those Imperial thugs found me." Ahsoka explained.

Anakin got to his feet and put his left hand on her shoulder causing her to look up at him. "Well, as luck would have it, I need to pay Governor Afren Hul a visit on Derilyn...as Vader of course." He said with a smirk. "Perhaps I can use my influence to gain the information you seek on Lux's whereabouts."

Ahsoka looked up at Anakin with a glimmer of hope shining in her big blue eyes as she stood up and gave him a great big hug. "Oh thank you, Anakin!" She exclaimed as Anakin returned her embrace.

"There's no guarantee that we will be able to find your husband or learn of his fate. But we can at least try." Anakin assured her as she nodded her head while her head was still up against his chest.

They were both so lost in their emotional discussion and embrace that they didn't notice that Piett had appeared in the interrogation room with the door shutting behind him. He put his right fist to his mouth and announced his presence. "Eh hem." They both looked at him with surprise as he weakly smiled at them. "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Anakin and Ahsoka immediately stepped back from one another as they both tried to regain their composure and Ahsoka wiped her tears from her eyes. "This isn't what it looks like." Anakin tried to explain.

Piett simply chuckled with amusement, realizing that Anakin thought Piett believed he was somehow cheating on his wife with Ahsoka. "I was standing here long enough to realize that, Sir."

"How long were you standing there, Piett?" Anakin asked with surprise.

Piett clasped his hands behind his back as he became serious. "Long enough to hear that your friend here needs to find out what happened to her husband and that we may be able to help her."

Both Anakin and Ahsoka let out a sigh of relief. "I assume you have something important to tell me or you wouldn't interrupted us." Anakin stated as Piett nodded.

Piett then reached into his pocket and pulled out a personal portable comm link. "You told me to inform you if your wife or Chancellor Mothma contacted you." He paused as he handed the comm link to Anakin and he took it. "Well, they have both contacted your comm link since you arrived back on the ship and wish to speak with you on your progress. They both are getting quite anxious to hear from you."

Anakin nodded as he crossed his arms in front of his chest with the comm link in his right hand. "Thank you, Piett." He replied with a grateful smile. "This is my former padawan learner from when I was a Jedi during the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano...Bonteri." He paused. "She left the Order before the purges." He explained.

Piett smiled and stepped forward, holding his right hand out in greeting. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Milady."

Ahsoka also stepped towards him, taking his pro-offered hand in hers and shook it. "And you are...?"

"Oh...I'm sorry Ahsoka. This is Admiral Firmus Piett. He's in on this little charade of ours." Anakin explained with a smile. "He actually served with me when I was Vader and defected shortly after the last Death Star was destroyed."

Ahsoka's eyes lit up like a light bulb as the realization and entire scope of the New Republic's plan was starting to form in her mind. "And he makes your claim to be Darth Vader even more believable because he served with Vader...plus he can watch your back?"

"That is exactly right, Milady." Piett answered her as he clasped his hands behind his back again.

"Um Piett...I-we have decided to add Ahsoka to this charade of ours by my taking her on as my 'Sith apprentice'." He informed him and paused as he winked at Piett. "If you get my meaning..."

"Ah yes." Piett replied and then smiled at Ahsoka. "Well...welcome...I will make sure proper quarters are arranged for you."

Ahsoka smiled at Piett, deciding she liked him as she replied. "Thank you, Admiral."

"So what shall we call you?" Piett asked as he looked from Ahsoka to Anakin and then back to Ahsoka. "I understand as a Sith Lord you would need to take on another identity."

Anakin got an evil smirk on his face, trying not to laugh, as he turned to look at Ahsoka. "How about Darth Snips?"

Ahsoka put her hands on her hips and glared up at her former Master. "I don't think so...Darth Skyguy!"

Anakin just started laughing as Piett just looked at them both in confusion. Noticing this, Anakin explained. "They are old nicknames we had for each other, Piett." He paused. "Well...without the Darth part that is."

"Ah, yes." Piett replied with a slight chuckle.

Ahsoka shook her head as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You have no imagination, Skyguy. None whatsoever."

"I wasn't being serious, Snips." Anakin admitted in his own defense.

Ahsoka laughed. "I know. Not even you could come up with a Sith name THAT lame." She told him as she smiled up at him, and he shook his head at her with a smirk on his face. Ahsoka then became serious as she put her right hand on her chin, looking away in thought, and then turned to look up at Anakin again. "How about Darth Luxess?"

"Too obvious, especially if we start asking questions about your husband." Anakin told her.

"You're right." Ahsoka agreed as she looked away in thought again.

"How about Darth Vonateus?" Anakin suggested.

Ahsoka crossed her arms in front of her chest again as she considered it. "Hmm. I like it." She declared as she nodded her head and smiled up at Anakin.

"Good!" Anakin stated with a smile but then became serious again. "Although, I'm afraid you will need to sleep in the brig for at least one night while I 'convince' you to join the 'Dark Side'". He informed her.

Ahsoka shook her head in disbelief. "Really? You're really going to make me sleep in the brig? That's no way of convincing me to join you."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Anakin retorted in a light manner.

"Might I suggest that we keep her under 'house arrest' in her new quarters?" Piett offered.

Anakin put his right hand on his chin as he contemplated Piett's suggestion and then nodded his head. "Yes, I think that is doable."

"Well...I certainly like that idea better." Ahsoka stated as she shook her head again at Anakin. "Geesh. The Brig...really?!"

Anakin just laughed but then became serious again as he remembered why Piett had arrived to interrupt them in the first place. "Well...I suppose I better comm my wife and Chancellor Mothma back." He then looked at Piett. "I will call Chancellor Mothma first so you can stay for that, but I wish to speak to my wife in private." Piett nodded as Anakin motioned with his right hand towards the table for him to join them. "Please sit down Piett...you too, Ahsoka." Anakin invited as he also sat down at the table again.

Ahsoka then sat back down in her seat and Piett sat in the empty chair to her left as Anakin made the connection to Chancellor Mothma's office. He set the comm link in the middle of the table, and it wasn't long before the chancellor's bluish holographic image appeared in front of them. "Anakin, thank you for returning my comm call so promptly. Admiral Piett told me things seem to be under control there, but I wished to hear your opinion on the matter as well."

Anakin nodded. "Of course, Chancellor." He paused. "Piett and I have gained control of the two star destroyers in the Elrood Sector that are not loyal to Isard as planned. Although..." He smiled over at Ahsoka. "...we have a new addition to our cause."

Mothma cocked her head to one side and looked back at Anakin with curiosity. "And who is that?"

"My former padawan learner from the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano. Do you remember her?" Anakin asked as Ahsoka got up from her chair to stand next to Anakin so Mothma could see her.

"Oh yes...I remember her." Mothma replied but then got a guilty look on her face as she looked at Ahsoka. "I am sorry for the part the Senate played in your trial, Ahsoka."

"It's alright, Chancellor. It's in the past now." Ahsoka assured her. "I've been able to move on since then."

Mothma smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

"She is going to join us as my 'Sith apprentice'." Anakin informed Mothma as she looked at Anakin with surprise.

"Are you sure that is wise, Anakin? She may be recognized." Mothma asked with concern in her voice.

"I was betrayed by the Jedi. What better reason to go Dark Side?" Ahsoka interjected with a smirk as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Mothma couldn't help but chuckle. "Very well...if you think you can pull it off without raising any suspicion, I certainly would feel better knowing another Jedi is involved in this mission."

"As do we." Anakin replied as he smiled up at Ahsoka and she smiled back at him. "She will be known as Darth Vonateus."

Mothma nodded. "Very well. Do you plan on approaching Governor Hul soon?"

"Yes." Anakin told her. "In fact, he may know the whereabouts of Ahsoka's husband, Lux Bonteri."

Mothma looked back in shock. "Lux Bonteri? Mina Bonteri's son? I remember hearing he disappeared about 5 years ago while on a mission for the Alliance, but I had no idea he was married."

Both Anakin and Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, I lost contact with him 5 years ago. We kept our marriage a secret in case it was discovered that I had been a Jedi. It would have been safer for Lux if it was believed he had no romantic connection to me."

Mothma nodded sadly. "I understand." She paused. "Well, please continue to keep me apprised. I wish to know how your meeting with Governor Hul goes." Mothma requested more than ordered. "And I hope that you find the information you are looking for, Ahsoka."

Anakin nodded his head in agreement. "Of course, Chancellor."

"Thank you, Chancellor." Ahsoka added.

"May the Force be with you." Mothma told them all.

"And with you, Chancellor." Anakin replied and then Mothma's image was gone.

Anakin looked over at Piett who took this as a sign that he should leave the room. "I will be on the bridge, Sir...and will inform you when 'Darth Vonateus' quarters are ready." He told them with a wink.

"Thank you, Piett." Anakin replied with a smile as Piett just nodded and left the interrogation room, shutting the door behind him as he went.

Anakin then looked over at Ahsoka. "Now are you ready to talk to Padme again?" He asked her with a smile.

Ahsoka's face lit up as she nodded and smiled. "Yes." She then paused as she became reflective. "I was saddened to hear of her death and so happy to hear that she is actually still alive. She was always a good friend to me, almost like an older sister."

"Padme always thought of you as a little sister too." Anakin told her with a warm smile. "She will be excited to see you again." Ahsoka couldn't help but tear up at that sentiment as Anakin then used the comm to call Padme next.

"Ahh, Master Anakin. It is so good to see you." 3PO answered as his holographic image appeared before them. Ahsoka couldn't help but smile at the sight of Anakin and Padme's snooty, old protocol droid.

"3PO, is that Anakin?" They could hear Padme's voice ask in the background.

"Yes, Mistress Padme." 3PO replied as Padme came up beside him and then turned to the gold plated protocol droid.

"That is all, 3PO. You may leave now." Padme instructed as she tried to shoo him away from the comm station with both of her hands.

"Yes, Mistress Padme." 3PO acquiested as he finally waddled away, leaving only the image of Padme's blue, holographic image flickering before them.

"Anakin! I'm so glad you're ok. How is everything going so far?" Padme asked with anticipation. "I've been worried sick about you."

Anakin beamed and relaxed at the sight of his beautiful wife who was now looking back at him with love and relief written all over her face. He smiled and returned her loving gaze with his own. "I'm fine, Padme...and it's going great so far...better than great!" He then looked up at Ahsoka and pointed his left hand over to her signaling her to come closer. Anakin then turned back to look at Padme with a look of excitement and happiness on his face as Ahsoka moved closer to Anakin so Padme could see her. "Look who we found!" Anakin exclaimed.

Padme's face lit up with pleasant surprise as she gasped and put both of her hands over her mouth. She then dropped her hands to her lap. "Ahsoka?!"

Author's Note: Correction made to this chapter. It was brought to my attention by one of my reviewers, Jedi Alex Colbent (Thank you!), that perhaps that online Darth Name Generator I used to come up with a Sith name for Ahsoka was pulling names from all of Star Wars history instead of actually creating different names at random like some name generators do. The one it gave me apparently is a character from the Old Republic era, and I was unaware of this until doing a search on the name. I have since come up with my own Sith name for Ahsoka and have replaced the previous Sith name I gave her. My apologies.