PART 3: Dividing Paths -New mission

3BBY Death Squadron

Luke let out his breath slowly and opened his eyes. He could still feel the Force humming around him even as he woke from his meditation. Dusting off his clothes he stood and made his way to the door, pondering over the vision the Force had shown him. It had happened again. While he'd been meditating, collecting his thoughts and just enjoying the flow of the energy, he'd felt a presence. The presence of a Jedi.

When he'd first started his journey into the light side, this had occurred maybe twice a year or so. The Empire said there were no more Jedi; that they had all been wiped out but that was a lie. There were Jedi, hidden everywhere in the galaxy and while traveling around with Death Squadron, Luke had felt their presence.

He knew he should tell his father about them but he found he just couldn't. Most of them were just hiding, doing their best not to draw attention to themselves. They were desperate, depressed and without hope but above all they were no threat to the Empire and while sharing a connection with them, Luke couldn't bring himself to betray them.

There were exceptions. Sometimes he got a glimpse of a Jedi causing trouble, one that planned an assault on the Empire or rallied others to fight with him. Such actions would endanger both Imperial soldiers as well as civilians with barely any fighting experience to speak of and Luke could not allow that.

This latest vision belonged to the latter. Luke had seen it – the army. He'd seen how the Jedi had trained the beings to withstand the Force and even use it on their own, not trying to build up the old order but raising an army of creatures barely more than animals, caught in a Force rage. His father had to learn about this.

Luke raised his hand to knock at his father's door but before he could do so, it swung open on its own. His father was sitting behind his desk, filing in reports. When Luke entered he looked up, regarding him closely.

"You look troubled, my son."

"I have another one", Luke answered and closed the door behind him. "Master Shaak Ti. She's raising an army on Felucia."

"Felucia? I see... The Felucians are known to be naturally Force-sensitive. However they are neither strong enough for Jedi training nor are they suited for it as their minds are composed differently than most. They are little more than animals."

"We have to go there, we have to put an end to this madness", Luke urged him. He'd seen the worship the Togruta Jedi got from her pawns, the religion that had been built around her. He had no doubt that she planned a large attack on the Empire and the Stormtroopers would be massacred by the savage beasts she had raised.

"Have you seen her target?", Vader wanted to know.

"No... But the longer we wait, the stronger her army will become."

"Do not worry about the army. It will fall apart once the Jedi is dead."

"Then you will kill her?"

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

Over the last couple of years, Luke had given his father five names. Five names of Jedi that he had located through the Force. Two of them had been killed by Vader but three others, including Shaak Ti as it now seemed, had been spared and Luke did not understand why. He had found many more Jedi but those five he had considered too dangerous to be left alone. It had hurt him to tell on them and somehow seeing his father dismiss the danger only worsened this hurt.

"Master Rahm Kota, attacking an Imperial TIE-fighter facility at Nar Shaddaa. Kazdan Paratus, a mad Jedi hiding on Raxus Prime. Shaak Ti, raising an army on Felucia. You want to know why I haven't killed any of them yet."

Luke nodded mutely.

"The facility at Nar Shaddaa has my people on it. No attack took place there during the last two years and reports are coming in regularly."

"But I felt his presence when we passed through the sector", Luke objected. And not only the presence, through he didn't voice that out loud. He'd felt the intent – Kota wanted to kill his father. The attacks were merely a trap to draw him out.

"I believe you. However, I think what you saw during your meditation was nothing set in the present."

"You mean... a vision?"

"That's right. I have the place monitored extensively and once Kota attacks, I will know it and take care of him."

"What about Paratus?"

"The drones I sent have found no trace of him on Raxus Prime either. He might already hide there but it is an entire planet to search. You said that you have seen him falling into madness. If so he might crawl out of his hole soon. Now about Shaak Ti. This report is alarming. Knowing that Kota's attack was likely a vision of the future, you tell me if what you saw on Felucia is as well – or if immediate action is in order."

Luke thought about that.

"Well... it doesn't really matter, does it? If all three have been visions we will likely have to face them in the order I saw them, meaning we can't do anything until Kota and Paratus are dead. If that's the case going to Felucia now would not only be a waste, but once the Jedi gets there she might sense that you were there and flee. If we wait however and Felucia wasn't a vision of the future but of the present then Shaak Ti will still be there after you defeat Kota. She might have a larger army but that will also mean she is less likely to flee. And since preventing the Jedi from getting away is the first priority, we will act as if it was a vision."

"That is correct. With time you will learn to tell the present from the future but in the meantime you will have to look at it strategically."

"We could still at least send some droids to check out Felucia", Luke tried.

Vader scowled at him a bit. "You are unusually eager to see these Jedi dead."

Luke looked flustered. "I'm not. It's just, well… Empire Day is coming up again and as morbid as it sounds, I'd rather spend my birthday planning a battle with you then having to attend the festivities on Imperial Center."

"I know you would. Believe me, I feel the same. But Sidious has been rather put out the last time I rebuked his invitation and I fear he might soon take matters into his own hands. Your will be sixteen years old soon. In Imperial Center, this means you are no longer a child. While not as important as the 20th birthday where you'd be recognized as an adult, it is still a meaningful number."

"I don't think you can throw me in with the typical teenagers", Luke muttered. Truly his training and constant interaction with his father had him grow up faster than normal, though not nearly as fast as he might have if he'd had to study the Sith arts.

"While that is correct, remember that the Emperor does not know of your training and must never find out. You have drawn the eye of the public, shrouding you in mystery too much could make him suspicious."

"No, you have drawn the eye of the public. I'm just famous for being your son", Luke disagreed.

At the beginning of the Empire, Darth Vader's role had been undefined at best. Nobody knew what position he had except that he could apparently get away with doing pretty much whatever he wanted. In the eyes of many people that were already antagonizing the Empire, he became the symbol of corruption and instability, proof that the Empire could not control such a monster, proof that the Emperor did not care. This was rather ironic as Vader fought for order and peace, even as he tried to bring it with sometimes cruel means. The military, in particular the Stormtroopers and Navy command, realized the truth first. Vader had proved that he was an exceptional commander, cold and efficient but slowly shaping Death Squadron into the elite, the best of the best and his men admired him for it.

With time even his political opponents, Moffs and senators and independent rulers, came to see the change he brought. On first glance the devastation he brought looked random, the determination with which he hunted down the Jedi ridiculous but the consequences could be felt all over the galaxy. Nobody dared to oppose the Empire and crime and corruption was at an all time low. When Darth Vader gave a command, people followed it without question and that was very important for when Vader at last claimed the throne for himself. It was useless if people only followed him because of his title, he didn't want to spend years of civil war on the question of whether or not he was a strong ruler and could hold the throne. No, when the Emperor declared him heir – or when he killed Sidious and took the throne by force, whichever came first – he wanted there to be no doubt in the minds of his people, he wanted there to be no hope in using the confusion about the change in government to spark any thoughts of rebellion because essentially, there would be no change. At least, not a very noticeable one because Vader was already essentially ruling the Empire, at least the militarist part of it. And since the Empire was essentially a militarist dictatorship, that was a very important part.

Yes, Vader had firmly established himself as a prominent figure. He had even worked to broaden his influence into the political field even though he despised most of the politicians. However he'd still done it. At first it had been solely because of Luke. His son would never become a Sith Lord and while he was a fabulous pilot, he was still too squishy about killing people to ever be a capable soldier let alone commander. Though it was disappointing, Vader had accepted that his son's future probably didn't lie in the military and thus he'd made sure his education encompassed other fields as well, including the political one. He just thanked the Force there was no chance of him becoming a blasted senator as those were planet-bound and Luke had no connection to any planet, not even his home world anymore. Still Vader had started taking him to some of the political functions that he was always invited but rarely went to just so that he'd learn how to handle himself. Also he hadn't thought the news of him having a son could stay secret for much longer and he'd wanted to reveal it on his conditions.

Whatever Luke would chose to do with his life later on, the Emperor was sure to keep an eye on him. Vader had been very careful in choosing the moment on when to introduce Luke to the Emperor, knowing that doing so was expected of him. Therefore he'd first taken Luke with him to Imperial Center after he'd heard rumors about a major rebellion on Callus. The news had been far more troubling and important for Sidious than Luke and thus the boy had gotten away without being subjected to any mind games. After that if Vader was being called to his Master he left Luke on the ship in orbit.

While his son's safety was Vader's first priority, whenever he was on Imperial Center he kept his senses sharp, trying to sense the other child he'd spent years raising. It had taken Luke an awful long time to get over Starkiller's loss and Vader too had been forced to put any plans about overthrowing his Master on ice, at least until he was sure Luke could defend himself. He was pretty certain Starkiller was being trained to kill both of them. It wasn't just the necessity of watching out in case the kid came jumping at him trying to murder him. A part of him, the one that knew how much Luke yearned for a sibling, someone his age to connect to, the part that remembered that he'd done his first fledgling steps into fatherhood with that child, that part of him simply wanted to see him again. To have a chance to speak to him and maybe find a way to make it up to him.

But if Starkiller was ever aware of his presence, he didn't show himself and though sometimes Vader was sure that he was around, he could never sense his presence clearly enough to find him.

Now Luke was turning sixteen and the Emperor had officially invited them both by name to the festivities. It was a command Vader could not ignore but he dreaded the day almost as much as Luke, though he didn't show it. The Force whispered to him of past shadows coming back to haunt him. Starkiller would be eighteen by now, old enough for his training to have been completed. He was still lacking the experience to take on Vader but he couldn't help but think that if he were to try an attack on Luke, this would be the best time.

XxX

Galen gasped, holding his side where a lightsaber had burned through his armor, meeting the flesh underneath. He had been defeated yet again… and looking up at Sidious' burning yellow eyes, he was not sure he would survive this time.

For the last year, whenever Sidious gave him a 'lesson' in dueling, Galen had always come at him with the intent to kill. He'd always given everything in the hope that one day it would be enough and he'd off the old bastard. Every time he'd been defeated.

Against his fear, the Emperor's blade vanished, though he didn't let go of the hilt.

"Your hatred is strong", the old man hissed. "But you are a fool to think you are ready to measure up against me."

Galen was kneeling on the ground, his weak legs unable to support his weight anymore. Still he glared up at the Emperor challenging. He was getting closer, he knew it. The smell of burned flesh didn't only come from Galen and he could see in the slight falter of his steps as he moved back to his throne that Sidious was exhausted. Yes, Galen had been defeated but if he lived through the night, he would be fighting again in the morning. Sidious however would need longer to get back to full strength. He was getting closer to his goal with every day. Time was working to his advantage. Sidious was old and he was only just reaching his prime. Just a little longer…

"I have a new mission for you. I believe you shall like this one."

Galen was not surprised at the sudden change of subject. If Sidious had heard his treacherous thoughts, he didn't say anything. What would be the use of that? Any punishment inflicted on him would kill him in his current state of injury and he had obviously decided to keep Galen. Just a little longer.

"What is thy bidding, my Master?", Galen asked between clenched teeth. It was hard to fight down his rage. He had tried to kill Sidious not a minute ago, tried to finally free himself. He always went all out on his so called training sessions with the Emperor and it was always hard to swallow his pride after defeat and go back to being submissive. That he managed this at all might be the only reason he was still alive.

"Empire Day is approaching and my apprentice has finally decided to honor us with the presence of his precious son."

Another rush of anger went through Galen both at the thought of Vader and the reminder that despite everything he'd done, Galen was still not considered an official Sith apprentice. Vader was and Galen would not gain any recognition until he killed him.

"Lord Vader has become… complacent in his role as a father. The way he is holding onto that untalented boy is ridiculous and shows weakness. You are to kill Skywalker, preferably without drawing attention to yourself. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master", Galen replied immediately. Already he could feel a heap of mixed emotions rising in him but he fought them down violently to be figured out later. Right now he must not show any weakness. A single lightning bolt form Sidious' fingertips could end his life. Now this explained why the old man had called for a 'training session' before telling him what he wanted.

Galen was dismissed and left for the med center.

Empire Day was in two days. In two days, he would see Vader again. The Sith Lord had come to Imperial Center several times before while Galen was planetside. He had kept to the shadows then, knowing he was not ready to take on the Sith Lord yet. He was not entirely sure he was ready now. His latest defeat by Sidious' hands made him careful. Vader was not old and neither was he weak. But if he followed his Master's directive, if he killed that boy then Vader would be on his heels and a confrontation would be unavoidable.

Again Galen felt a rush of emotions threatening to overcome him at the thought and this time, he allowed it.

Luke Skywalker… The boy had been the first friend he'd ever had and really, compared to the cowards, spies and bootlickers that he now had to deal with, he might've been his best friend. No, his only true friend. It was a memory not even Sidious had been able to blemish, though he'd tried.

Yes, Galen was jealous of the family bond Luke had with his Master. He envied him for the warmth and safety he had received from his family during his childhood and he loathed him for taking the position of Vader's right hand, as his son and heir. He hated him for standing next to Vader openly, recognized by the whole galaxy while Galen had to stay hidden in the shadows.

But he didn't hate him. He didn't hate Luke as a person because let's face it, that was impossible for anyone to do. None of what happened was Luke's fault. He had only ever been nice to Galen and tried to support him. That is why all of Galen's hatred focused solely on Vader and he had consciously worked to except Luke from all his thoughts, had tried his best to forget about him because if he didn't… it hurt. It hurt him to remember the good times they had because they would never come back again. Galen could just imagine his disappointment, his loathing when he killed his father. His desire to make the fight a public display of his superiority fought with his wish to keep the deed a secret from Luke so that the boy wouldn't look at him with those big blue eyes of his, devastated and so lost…

Now his Master had commanded him to kill Luke. Immediately that thought summoned an image of Galen standing over the body of that child, mercilessly chasing the light out of those blue eyes with his lightsaber and he felt sick. Of course Luke was no longer a child, the young Sith reminded himself. Though Sidious had said that Luke had remained untalented, Galen wouldn't put it past his Master to further train Luke in the Force. If he had found a way to finally connect him with the dark side, he wouldn't tell the Emperor about it. Sidious probably suspected this as well. This mission wasn't meant as a punishment for Vader but as a test for Galen. It was the final showdown that had been waiting to happen ever since Luke revealed his parentage. A part of Galen wanted this showdown to happen; he wanted to prove once and for all that he was more powerful than Luke. Another part of him though didn't want to kill his best friend.

Galen groaned and pressed his palms against his eyes, trying to get the swirling maelstrom of emotions within him under control. Concentrate.

He had to kill Luke. He was ordered to do it and refusing could potentially trigger a final confrontation with Sidious. While Galen never shied away from those, he knew he was not ready to defeat the Emperor yet. It was too early. Killing Luke would satisfy that burning jealously within him and maybe even help him to get over the fact that he'd been abandoned. It would be another pain off his soul. Plus it would weaken Vader, which was essential for when Galen exacted his revenge on him. Yes there many reasons, good reasons to kill Luke.

But deep within, that's not what Galen wanted. He did not believe that Luke had managed to connect to the dark side, at least not enough to match up against Galen. He did not believe the boy would prove to be a challenge and thus any fight with him would be unfair. He'd made a promise once to that boy, that he wouldn't kill him before he had killed Sidious. At that time he had seriously considered running away from Vader if he was forced into this fight. But years hunting down and eliminating enemies of the Empire had taught Galen one thing: Whatever there was in terms of resistance against the Empire that he might be able to hide with was pathetically weak. There were a few brave people that called themselves 'rebels', their leaders annoyingly anonymous but they were scattered around the whole galaxy in tiny cells of three to ten people, doing little more than attacking random Imperial transports. They were a pest, organized enough to stay alive but no more than an annoyance to the Empire. They had no army, no fleet and no plan. Sometimes a Jedi would spring up from his hiding to lead a major attack or two but they'd be put down by Vader or the Inquisition faster than they could blink.

No, there was no place for Galen to run or hide at, no outside help that he could get. He would not be getting out of this.

He did not want to kill Luke. It would not be fair, it would not be right and he didn't want to.

But what he wanted rarely ever mattered. This wasn't about what was right but about what was necessary. It had to be done, not for the good of many, not for the good for the Empire but only for his own good, for his self-preservation. Because that was the way of the Sith, you always had to put yourself first. Nobody else would care about you.

That's what it came down to. Was he Sith enough to kill his best friend?

The thought left him feeling terribly hollow and sad because he knew the answer was yes. He was no longer the silly boy yearning for a family. He was a true assassin now, a monster born from many nightmares. What did Luke even mean to him? He'd known the kid for one meager year. That was so little compared to the five he'd spent training under Sidious or the seven years before that in Vader's service. His friendship with Luke defined only a small fraction of his life. It might've been the happiest fraction he could remember but it was still nothing in the grand scheme. He would be able to kill him. He just didn't want to.

XxX

AN: While SK training under Sidious was never planned, it does fit surprisingly well into my grand plan. Not only that it doesn't disrupt it significatly but it actually makes it easier for me to reach some of my goals in a way that makes sense.

Okay now my dear readers, I woud like to know your position on this. Do you actually look forward to a big showdown fight between SK and Luke or would you like them to just hug and make up? I won't make the outcome of the story dependant on that (I do have a plan after all) but I coud build in a scene.

at Jileine: I do not think I ever mentioned any desire of SK's to take the title of Emperor for himself. He just wants to kill Vader, he is not interested in ruling the Empire. He could become the most wanted man in the galaxy and be hunted down by everyone for kiling Vader and he wouldn't care. After all, if he DOES become powerful enough to replace Vader as an apprentice, then Sidious wants to keep him around for a while and being overly ambitious would not be to his advantage. Of course SK keeps his hatred focussed mainly on Vader when around Sidious so the Emperor does not know that SK actually wants to kill Sidious first and Vader only second.

at StarLord: Sk and Leia will eventually meet. In the beginning I even thought about making a love triangle arond the three. I might still do that but I think too many people would interfere with that. First and foremost Vader and (SPOILER WARNING!) Juno. Yes, she is going to appear.