Here's Judge; providing you with entertainment during your COVID-19 lockdowns. Stay safe, everybody!

Thanks to Spectre6 for the Feedback!

Spectre6: I can understand that. The 'rescuing one character only to have another be captured' is never as well liked as other story arcs. But, it is all building up to something, and I hope you will like where it all leads.

So, it feels like a hundred chapters ago I said I had a clear end point to this story. Unfortunately, that end point is no longer clear. See, the original plan was to end it with Ezra disappearing after defeating Kei, then coming back twenty or so years later during the conflict with the First Order. But then Fallen Order came out, and I could not resist. Maybe I'll make that ending to be an April Fools chapter or something down the line, because this story keeps going.

Enjoy!

. . . . . . . . . .

Ezra groaned and slowly opened his eye, staring into the soulless lenses of Vader's mask. "I take it you don't talk first."

What's our plan of attack, Sir?

Underneath the mask, Vader scowled. "You risked your life for Skywalker, yet ultimately he died. How does that make you feel, Jedi?"

Follow me.

Ezra grinned toothily. "Kept him from you for that much longer. Worth it."

You…are the Chosen One. You…have brought balance to this world. Stay down this path…and you will do it again…for the Galaxy.

But beware your heart.

Impassively, Vader folded his arms, noting the slight flinch Bridger gave. "You fear me."

The boy nodded. "Most people do."

I don't fear you.

Then you will die braver than most.

Vader stepped aside, and an IT-O droid floated in behind him. Ezra visibly cringed. "There's-there's no need for such crude implements here!"

Vader started, a distant memory from The Jedi finding its way out of the cage.

There is no use for such crude implements here. I have a gift for you.

I've had enough of your trickery!

With the wave of his hand, Vader sent the droid back out of the room, letting The Jedi out of his cage for once. On Mustafar, a thousand memories burned within him, but this wasn't one of them.

Oh, but you will like this one, I promise.

A quick, but highly reluctant, search of The Jedi confirmed that this wasn't either of their memories. So what…?

What if I could show you the future?

A small part of Vader was aware of Bridger staring at him, but the Jedi was the furthest thing from his mind. Whose memories where these?

Know yourself! Know what you will become!

Without any further word, Vader left the interrogation chamber, leaving the Jedi alone in the dark.

I will do such terrible things!

Yes. But it doesn't have to be that way. The choice is still yours to make.

Will we bring peace?

. . . . . . . . . .

Sabine glared at Cal. "My husband is in there with Vader, and you want to hold off on rescuing him?"

The Jedi sighed. "Sabine, it doesn't feel right. I'm afraid that, if we go in, something worse will happen."

Sabine set her jaw. "So you're abandoning him?" She scoffed. "Well, I won't." She looked towards the cockpit. "Cere!"

The pilot sighed. "Sabine, I agree with Cal. If he says the Force is against this, then I think we should hold off. At least for right now, just until we get a better handle on things."

Glaring at the wall, Sabine reluctantly sat down in the commons, and Cal turned to the former Jedi. "I can't be certain, the Dark Side is too thick here, but something seems to be happening in Vader's Castle."

Cere frowned. "Something good?"

Cal shrugged. "I'm not sure. All I can do is trust the Force."

. . . . . . . . . .

Ezra shuddered, feeling the Dark Side in this place tear at his soul. The number of Jedi slain here called out to him, asking him to join them, or at the very least, for vengeance.

He turned his head to the side. "Sabine…I'm sorry."

A wave of dark energy lingered at his throat for a moment before, abruptly, his shackles were released, and Ezra dropped to the floor with a groan, picking himself up and rolling to the wall closest to the door in the same motion. Narrowing his eye, Ezra stretched out his senses, feeling for how many guards were between him and an exit.

None.

Concentrating harder, Ezra tried to locate Vader, but found nothing. No Dark Presence, nothing at all. Opening his eye, he stared at his hands. "Is this a vision?"

A simple command came to him, floating down from the Force: Run

. . . . . . . . . .

Smiling, Cal opened his eyes. "Greez, we can head down now!" Heading to the cockpit, he stopped to sit beside Sabine, who was staring intently at the holoprojector. "We're going to get him, Sabine."

She looked up, anger still in her eyes. "You had better hope it's not too late."

Cal nodded and slipped into the cockpit, taking his seat next to Greez. Agitated, the pilot turned to him. "Mustafar twice in one day? Even I know that's bad odds, Cal."

Behind them, Cere smiled. "Well, you'd know about bad odds, wouldn't you?"

Before the two could get into another bickering contest, Cal held out his hands to placate the pilot. "I'm just following the Force, Greez."

The Lateron scoffed. "Right. Last time you followed the Force, I nearly got cut in half by an angry Dathomirian!"

From the commons, Merrin's voice came over the comms. "I would appreciate it if you did not link my people with Maul. We are not the same."

Greez sighed. "Sorry, Merrin." He looked at Cal. "I'm just saying, Maul was bad enough. But Vader?"

Seeing the Castle in the distance, Cal stood. "Just trust me, Greez." He patted the pilot on the shoulder. "I'd like to think I've earned it by now."

Stopping beside the landing gear, Cal was surprised to find Sabine next to him, blasters primed. "You realize there's a chance we might not make it out of there?"

She nodded, slipping her helmet on. "I'm not going to abandon Ezra. I'm coming with you."

As the landing gear retracted, Cal ignited his lightsaber. "Fair enough."

. . . . . . . . . .

Ezra flattened himself against the wall as the sounds of a TIE Fighter passed overhead, but continued as the sound slowly faded. Hoping it was just a standard patrol, he slowly opened the door that led outside-to be met by a blue lightsaber blade.

He took a sharp step back, looking into the faces of Cal Kestis and Sabine. "Hey, guys."

Running to him, Sabine enveloped him in a hug. "I was so worried."

Smiling, Ezra pressed a kiss to the lining of her neck. "I'm glad you came." He nodded to Cal. "Thank you."

Cal returned his lightsaber to his belt. "We had reports of a TIE Advanced leaving the system. That would have been Vader's TIE. I'd like to get out of here while we still can."

Ezra nodded, accepting his lightsaber from Sabine. "Then let's go."

. . . . . . . . . .

The TIE Advanced left hyperspace, and Vader stared at the watery world of Kamino, a torrent of memories from Anakin finding their way.

Master, the battle is up here, not down there.

You weren't planning on leaving without saying hello, were you?

Actually, I plan to let the clones executer you.

Landing the TIE on the single-ship landing platform, Vader strode in to Tipoca City, rain falling off his helmet as he entered the Cloning Facility. Prime Minister Lama Su smiled nervously. The last time Vader had been here, the cloning facilities had been shut down. "My Lord?"

"Prime Minister." Vader's voice, while sounding the same due to the built-in moderator his helmet carried, lacked it usual bite. Lama Su was all the more frightened because of it. "I have need of your services."

Lama Su frowned. "My Lord?" He gestured to the nearby chairs, and watched nervously as Vader sat. "How can I assist you?"

Vader was silent for a few moments before beginning. "Are your cloning facilities still operational?" At Lama Su's nod, he continued. "If you were given genetic material, could you grow a clone?"

The Prime Minister almost scoffed, but thought better of it. "My Lord, if you want, we could grow thousands of clones in a matter of days. Twenty years with no one needing our services have granted us time to refine our process."

Vader stood. "Just the one. Unaltered." He handed over a pressure canister. "This is one of the few genetic samples of the host I could locate."

Lama Su studied the inscription on the canister and frowned. "Anakin Skywalker?" He studied Vader for a moment. "Why have you brought this to me?"

Once again, Vader was silent for a moment before answering the question. "I am Anakin Skywalker." He admitted. "And I wish to be free of this suit."

. . . . . . . . . .

Chapter Notes!

I). Truthfully, I do wonder if, had Anakin remembered the visions he had on Mortis, how might things have changed. And, ultimately, that's what this fic is, how one action changes everything. Is it realistic that, had Ezra Bridger utter similar words to the Son Anakin would have been reborn? Maybe not, but that's the fun of this story, right?

II). Hopefully, Spectre6, you like this ending better than the previous. If not, then, I am sorry. There's an arc involving a dark Ezra and KotOR content coming up, if you want something along those lines?

III). Now, the chapter title being Redemption Story should give you something to chew on. Vader won't become Anakin right away, nor will he earn the trust of the Rebels right away. Which is where Avatar: The Last Airbender really comes in. Think of Ezra as Aang, Sabine as Katara, and Anakin as Zuko, for those familiar with the show.

Thanks for reading!

Judge