A/N: So, I got this idea the other day when it hit me that this fic could easily be 80 chapters if I put everything in it that I want…and that just won't do. Ep. IV was about 28 chapters and this is already 37. So, we gotta trim back. Ergo, large sections of this fic will NOT be in here, only the stuff moving forward that most closely mirrors the film.

But, fear not my wonderful readers! You will still be getting the material that I cut out…in the form of "Tales from Jedi Assassin." I'm gonna finish Ep. V, VI and VII and then do a "Tales from" to fill in the blanks. I think it'll help, because right now Mara is doing things, Ghost is, Mace is…but we don't see it. But…if I put those chapters in and actually do them justice…we're gonna have an 80 chapter fic. Too long. I mean, I'm not done with my Aladdin fic yet and I think we're at chapter 116! So…yeah. Time to reign it in a bit. I might be able to fit some of this into Ep. VII as flashbacks, but we'll see. You're gonna get all the pieces, just not necessarily in 4 fics, so in the end what this comes down to is you're gonna get more fics.

I hope you're all ok with that…onward!

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SW Ep. V Jedi Assassin Ch. 37: Decisions

Vader did not stand long in the tattered remains of his vessel's reactor chamber before a stampeded of frantic footfalls announced his solitude would be quickly ended.

He lifted his helmeted head as a group of 25 men, blasters drawn swarmed into the chamber lead by none other than Admiral Piett himself.

Piett wasted no time in looking his commander up and down. "My lord—"

"I do not recall summoning you, Admiral; nor your…entourage."

Piett to his credit, did not gape in fear, but in shock. "My lord," he countered, "whatever took place here, we felt it all over the ship. It felt like…before," he was clearly reluctant to mention the last time, when he had sent men to ensure Vader had not been attacked or assassinated…and Vader had killed them.

Ah; no doubt that was why the Admiral was leading 'search and rescue,' now, himself. In the hopes of protecting the men from Vader's notorious temper.

Brave, considering his rank did not protect Ozzel.

"Are you injured, my lord?" Piett cautiously broke the silence.

Vader straightened, his annoyance curbed. No; he could not be irritated with Piett for following protocol and sending a team to ascertain the situation…nor going that extra parsec in taking personal risk and responsibility.

Very few admirals Vader had even been 'served' by would have taken such initiative—nor courage on behalf of the men.

"I am undamaged, Admiral," Vader replied evenly at length, "we were…infiltrated, but I have taken care of those involved. They are gone."

Piett only nodded, waved for his men to holster their weapons, which they did.

"As you can see, however," Vader went on, stepping towards them, "there is damage. See to it."

The party divided to let Vader pass—and gave him a great deal of room.

"I'll be in my chambers; do not disturb me," Vader said in conclusion. He had much to think on.

But an aide rushed around the corner before Vader could take more than three paces from the doorway—the youth nearly collided into him.

"Lieutenant!" Piett sharply rebuked, stepping between the boy and Vader, "Have some sense of dignity! You're on the Executor!"

The boy paled when his eyes locked onto Vader; he bowed low from the waste, clearly fearing for his life.

"F…forgive me, m…my lord, Admiral, but I was sent with a message for you b…both."

"Well?" Piett prompted before Vader could ask in his own fashion.

"It's…c…captain Needa. He's a…arrived with an…up…update on the rebel ship."

Vader marched for the bridge without a word, hearing the Admiral in a hushed voice tell the boy to calm down and pull himself together—that everything was all right.

In the next moment though; he caught Piett's footfalls rushing to catch up to him.

Vader did not slow down—and he knew it would not be necessary.

A few seconds later Piett was beside him.

"Shall I comm the bridge so Needa may update us now?" the Admiral inquired.

"No, I wish to hear it from the captain in person," Vader dismissed.

Because if Needa came himself, it may be because he had succeeded and wished to present that triumph to Vader face to face.

But…if he had failed, Vader would still 'reward' Needa…and it was difficult to strangle a man through a comlink.

Plus it was not nearly as gratifying.

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The first thing Luke realized as he came to was the moisture.

The air was thick to breathe in, like bantha stew; the ground he laid on felt soft and cushy—

That part he didn't mind.

Next came the noises, the barrage of creatures whose voices made a soft, but distinct symphony he didn't recognize.

He forced his heavy eyelids open; and was surprised that more light didn't greet him.

What did greet him was a blue and silver face with two angry round eyes boring into him.

Pert and probably sarcastic chirps and squawks cut through the backdrop.

Luke couldn't help but grin. "I know…I know; I made you worry again, Noc. I'm sorry."

Noc clanked his tongue in a: I don't believe you manner. Those furious little orb-like eyes added their own doubt too.

In his defense friend, you always apologize, and yet do it again anyways.

Luke turned his head, his neck incredibly stiff. "Not you too, Fade."

"Speak true, do you friends; wise counsel they give." A pause. "Wiser still, would you be if you took it."

Luke sought out the strange voice. It sounded old, yet full of life; somewhat grated, yet authoritative.

To his left, a small creature was putting bags back into a satchel. Luke caught a peculiar house standing behind his head, he could only see it in his peripherals, but it seemed constructed from the roots of a massive tree, as well as a cave.

Perfectly sized for their small visitor as well.

But there was no mistaking the powerful Force aura that radiated from the brown-robed alien as he approached.

Wizened eyes met Luke's and long green ears twitched in reproof when Luke attempted to sit up.

"Many injuries did you sustain; not able to rise yet are you."

Luke relented and laid back down; frankly he was too wiped to move anymore.

"How long will it take me to heal, Master Yoda?"

The green alien said nothing, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"You are Master Yoda; you're too powerful to be a Padawan."

Yoda nodded at his questioning tone. "Yoda, am I. Expected you to come to me in better health though; but clarified your friends have. Not sensible with your own well-being are you; paid for it often, it seems."

Luke pursed his lips together. "I do what I necessary; and I heal fast."

Yoda straightened. "Fast enough for the next 'job' perhaps. Fast enough to evade retaliation when worked alone did you…only you and your allies. Now…not so. Fast enough to battle the Sith, you are not. Not created to fight Sith out rightly were you. Different rules apply now; rules to which you must bend…or break. The only options you have, are these."

Luke nodded, realizing now what else Yoda was saying: if Yoda knew this, then Vader and the Emperor knew it too—or they would soon.

Luke had already foreseen the game was soon to change. He'd seen it on the Death Star, he'd seen it during every encounter with Vader. The fact was, Yoda was correct.

He hadn't been designed or trained for this…which is why he was here.

And Yoda surely was aware of that more than anyone else.

And so there was only one path to take.

"I'll do whatever you ask of me," Luke avowed.

Yoda nodded. "Good; rest for now. Set your wounds I have, and given you many healing elixirs. Time they will need to take full effect. Sleep your body requires to hasten them along. In the morning, training we will begin."

Luke couldn't imagine what sort of 'training' he could possibly do in this condition, but Kenobi and the other Jedi taught him long ago that the Jedi were more than to they seemed—and loved to work in unexpected ways.

So, "training" could mean a thousand things Luke would never think of on his own, no doubt.

But Yoda did not move, and Luke wondered if he was going to say more.

"Master?"

"Waiting for your acknowledgment, am I."

Translation, he was used to his 'Padawans' trying to duck around consent to his directions.

Luke felt himself grin, wondering if his father had been one of them. Yoda's expectant look implied that may have been the case. "Yes, of course master."

"Hungry are you?"

"No master." Then his stomach rumbled at the mention of food.

"Hmm," was all Yoda said, his mouth forming a tiny smile at Luke's reddened face.

Luke sighed. "I guess the rest of me is though, so 'yes, master.'"

"Made stew, have I," Yoda declared, and vanished into his little house."

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Han and Leia didn't make it out of the cockpit before Han caught the fleet beginning to break up in his peripherals.

He grabbed Leia's arm. "Fleet's beginning to break up."

Leia sat back down. "So?"

"Well, if they follow standard Imperial protocol they'll dump their garbage before they jump to hyperspace." Han grinned at her. "And then we just float away."

Leia nodded. "As part of the garbage." All right that made sense.

She tried to not feel unnerved at Han suddenly making sense. "Then what?"

Han reached for his Navi-computer. "Well, then we have to find a safe port someplace." He turned to her again. "Any ideas?"

Leia looked off. "Well, where are we?"

"The Anoat system."

She grimaced. "There's not much there."

"No, probably why the kid dumped us here to begin with."

Luke. Leia held back a sigh. She hoped he was all right.

She told herself that surely Fade and Noc had gotten him to somewhere safe by now. But she gnawed at the inside of her cheek all the same.

Han, apparently didn't notice her unease. He kept blipping through their options. "Oh, here's something; Lando."

Leia furrowed her brow. Now she was lost completely. "Lando system?"

Han rubbed his chin. "Lando's not a system he's a man: Lando Calrissian. He's a card player, gambler, smuggler," he winked at her, "scoundrel; you'd like him."

Leia rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

Han read over the dossier of his target. "Bespin; it's pretty far but I think we can make it."

Leia examined the readout Han had retrieved from the database. "A mining colony?"

She couldn't conceal her hesitation. A mining colony might not have the parts they need; and it was imperative they stay ahead of the Empire.

Ahead of Vader; Luke was counting on them.

Counting on her….

"Yeah," Han waved off her concerns, "it's a Tibanna gas mine." He leaned his head back, clearly flying down the memory sector. "Lando conned someone out of it. We go way back Lando and me."

That set off warning bells in Leia's head. Han only goes 'way back' with a certain type of people. "Can you trust him?" She tried to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

And succeeded—mostly.

Han didn't bother to conceal his. "Noooo," he replied, "but he has no love for the Empire, I can tell you that." He commed Chewie. "Okay, buddy, let go the landing claw."

And they were off.

Leia shook her head. "You do have your moments," she allowed, patting his shoulder, "not many of them…but you do have them."

Han only grinned at her backhanded wit as they floated off into space and watched the last destroyer jump into hyper.

Leia rose. "Okay, let's find Obi-Wan. We've got a conversation to finish."

Han shimmied out of the cockpit behind her. "Lead the way, Your Worship."

Leia turned to him, her face etched with worry.

Han stopped. "Something wrong?"

Leia let out a huffed breath. "Should I be nervous that you're actually making sense?"

Han opened his mouth to answer, but a sarcastic sounding harn echoed from around the corner.

Han folded his arms. "I heard that, Chewie!"

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A/N: All right…so instead of doing homework like I should have, I've gotten another chapter done. So…I expect some GOOD reviews for giving you guys double-updates! C'mon I want at least a 4 word review from some of you who I know have been reading, but not reviewing this fic! Pick any 4 words, I'll even settle for 3. Just put something on the review wall. I don't bite; promise, I won't haunt your house or stalk you or anything. Pinky swear Till next time!