Chapter 39: Vetus Morsus

Obi-wan watched Luke hungrily suck on the bottle and tipped it higher. Padmè sat across from him on the bed with Leia who was softly snoring on her lap. They were all thoroughly exhausted from the continual angst and uncertainty that came with being dragged aimlessly across the galaxy with no apparent end in sight. She'd kept her objections to herself when Anakin had announced they were to be staying here indefinitely but her resolve was weakening, he could sense her growing anxiety seeping into the air between them.

It probably didn't help with her handmaiden insisting on voicing her concerns constantly, but she had unexpectedly put her in her place. Luke suckled and slurped, finally finishing the remaining dribble of milk in his bottle. He carefully pried it from his fingers and placed it onto the table.

Jaina still hadn't returned and neither had Anakin, which only added to his concern. He had his own suspicions as to what was going on between them, the Force had been anything but silent in the last hour and a half during their absence. But what was he to do? The girl was obsessed with him, he'd known this since their sessions back on Tatooine. It was clear that should she decide to drift from her limited Jedi training and join the Sith, there was little he could do to prevent it. Perhaps he should've taken her on as his padawan. At least then he could've guided her away from the darkness he'd sensed lingering inside her.

Who was he kidding?

He couldn't protect Anakin when he had the chance. He'd failed him, and he would've undoubtedly failed her too. He wasn't cut out to be anyone's Master. He wasn't then, and he definitely wasn't now.

"You're focusing on the negative, Obi-wan. Be mindful of your thoughts."

His late master's voice echoed in his head. Of course, he would use those exact words now. The very same ones he'd said to Anakin back on Coruscant before all hell broke loose and the galaxy tore itself apart.

"I wish I knew what to do, Qui-gon," he thought back. "The Force isn't helping me to see the right path. I know I am losing her too, but I can't decide on whether to try and stop him from turning her, or to just allow destiny to play its hand and see where it takes us."

"I cannot tell you what to do. You must make that choice yourself."

"I think he is beginning to trust me, but it's a slow process. One that I'm not certain I'll have enough time to complete before we separate."

"You seem to have answered your own question. You already know what to do and are seeking confirmation."

"I know… it just goes against everything I have ever believed and stood for, Master. It goes against the Jedi Order… and the Council… and the Code."

"Trust in the Force, Obi-wan."

He sighed and leaned back in the chair. Padmè quietly stared at him, her eyes full of questions.

"Where do you think he is?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he said, dropping his gaze to the boy in his lap. He stroked his head absentmindedly, trying to avoid conversation.

"What happened between the two of you out there? Did you manage to talk?"

"We talked a little. But nothing too major. Suffice it to say, I believe we have reached ... oh, I don't know, Padmè ... an understanding of sorts, I guess." He sighed again. Was that what it was? Had they reached an understanding?

Truthfully, he wasn't sure. There was so much between them that remained unresolved. He still couldn't bring himself to trust him, after all, how could anyone, let alone a Jedi, trust a Sith when the very tenet of their core beliefs stemmed from lies and deceit?

"Well, at least he is speaking to you," Padmè said, wiping a tear from her eye. "I feel as though he has suddenly closed himself off from me altogether. Like he is trying to pull away."

"You need to talk to him about it, Padmè. I presume the two of you have had arguments before and sorted it out. This situation is no different."

Part of him ached, seeing her upset, but she couldn't have thought this course of action was going to be easy. Anakin had always been difficult to understand, even at the best of times. His emotional outbursts would frequently seem to appear out of nowhere and they were more often than not a challenge to diffuse. Only now, those behaviours were amplified, aggravated by the Dark Side and its apparent lack of restraint.

"Yes, I suppose you are right. I just miss him terribly, and I can't help but feel that Palpatine is going to try and tear us apart," she said.

He'd been struggling to stay focused on their conversation, but that last point had his attention. Hadn't Anakin said something along those lines, too? They had the same fears yet weren't discussing them with each other. He suddenly suspected what the Force wanted from him.

Anakin's love for Padmè and their children was keeping him tethered to the light. Without them he would complete his transition to the Dark Side, plunging the galaxy into chaos as he went about exacting his emotional rampage on anyone who stood before him.

It didn't matter what happened either side of this shatterpoint — as Mace would have called it — as long as the main connection held strong, the end result would remain the same. What that end result was to be, however... now that was the real mystery.

• • •

Vader strode up the staircase and into his main chamber. He left the wall open so his new apprentice could find her way out. Not that he expected her to emerge any time soon, it would take her body quite some time to metabolize his emergency serum shot. That was an experience he remembered all too vividly. He still shuddered at the thought.

Making his way to the command desk, he grabbed the black hard case propped on the floor and dropped it onto the top. He rummaged through the contents, pulled out the old leather-bound journal and holodisc and sat down. It was time to familiarize himself with Malgus's history and hopefully discover some useful information on the City itself.

Placing the holodisc into the player, he watched Malgus, Eleena and the Sith army ransack the Temple. He studied their lightsaber form and combat styles, paid attention to the way they fought independently, not as a unit like the Jedi. They were powerful but divided. Fighting for the same cause but not united. That was his first learning. His army would work together as one, that was the best strategy. Loyal to each other above all else.

But how would he promote that with Sith warriors? That kind of loyalty only came with brotherhood and trust. From what he knew and was only just beginning to understand, was that trust and the Sith simply did not go together. In-fact they were complete polar opposites.

His Master didn't trust him, and he sure as hell didn't trust him either.

"It all looks rather disjointed if you ask me."

Vader glanced up from the holo to see Obi-wan casually stroking his beard and watching the recording intently.

"They fight for themselves," Vader said, turning his attention back to the vision, "with no regard for each other."

Obi-wan nodded and leaned closer. "Yes... selfish."

"Selfish indeed..." Vader mused. He pointed at two warriors near each other. "You see here? The way they have opponents coming in from several angles?"

"What about it?"

"The perfect opportunity for back to back defence, yet they do not use it."

Obi-wan settled into the seat opposite him and folded his arms. "I see you are putting a great deal of thought into this," he said.

"I need to see where they went wrong," Vader said as he opened Malgus's journal and thumbed through the pages, looking for his entries on the Temple siege. "Everything I have learned so far, leads me to believe that the greatest enemy the Sith armies ever had, were the Sith themselves."

The last thing he wanted to do was create and train a battalion of powerful warriors only to have them turn against him and plot out his eventual demise. That was the reason for the implementation of Darth Bane's Rule of Two in the first place, to safeguard the Order and protect their legacy for future generations.

"It almost sounds as if you are planning to build an army of your own," Obi-wan said.

"I am."

"Is that why you suddenly decided to take Jaina and turn her to the Dark Side?"

Vader stiffened. He clenched his fists and rose to his full height. How dare he pretend to be interested in the padawan now. She was his! He'd had more than enough chances. "She came to me," he growled lowly.

"Oh, I have no doubt. The girl is obsessed with you, so it comes as no surprise."

He relaxed his fingers and folded his arms just below his chest plate. Kenobi was acting so cool, irritatingly so. He'd rocked back in the chair and propped his leg on his knee, in that annoying, condescending manner that he always did. Smug and in control. And he hated it. "If you are not surprised, then what is your point?"

"Well, correct me if I am wrong here... but even if you do train her, doesn't an army require more than just one person? I mean, thanks to you and your Master, you haven't exactly got a legion of force-sensitives left alive to choose from, have you?"

Yes, he'd considered this. He had even challenged Malgus on the exact same issue only hours ago. But there were survivors of Order 66, both him and Sidious were well aware of this. That was his primary mission after all, to seek out and eradicate all remaining Jedi he could find. At least this way, he could still be seen as fulfilling his mandate, only rather than killing any Jedi he found, he would instead try to turn them.

"Do not take me for a fool, Kenobi. I am aware there were survivors. Ferus, Caleb, Jaina and yourself are proof enough of that."

Obi-wan rose from his seat and turned his back to him. He knew him well enough to know that he was deep in thought on the issue. He huffed and spun around.

"So, let me get this straight..." he said, stroking his beard again. "Your plan is to hunt down the remaining Jedi and force them into joining the Dark Side? Do you honestly believe they are going to be quite so obliging? Considering everything you have done?"

That thought had entered his mind. Vader strode over to the glass doors and stared out over the City. This was the problem he was struggling to find a solution for. He needed loyalty, that was non-negotiable. Could he achieve this by forcing them to join him? It was highly unlikely. He sighed, the sound coming out distorted through the vocabulator. "With your ... help, they might be more agreeable."

"With my help? What is it you intend to do once you have gathered your so-called army, anyway?" Obi-wan asked.

"I have thought over many scenarios," he said. "The most likely for success being the gradual infiltration of the Imperial military, both Naval and Armed Forces. Once they are in-place, I would then head to Coruscant, confront Sidious and initiate the take-over."

"Providing you could defeat him, what would happen after that?"

He was still working on that part. All that mattered to him at present was ousting his Master and protecting his family, the rest would become clear in its own time. "On that, I am as of yet, undecided."

"Would you consider reinstating the Republic?"

Would he consider that? Padmè would be overjoyed if he did, since, in many ways it often felt as though she'd loved it more than she did him. But the chaos doing that would inherently create. The galaxy was still adjusting to Imperial rule at the moment, with many star systems struggling to assimilate. Changing things now would only make it worse. Possibly inciting yet another Galactic War. Only this time there would be no Jedi out there to oversee it.

"Perhaps... in time, I would consider it," Vader said non-committally. "But not straight away, it would destabilize the already strained governing bodies and potentially force us into another war."

Kenobi seemed to be considering his reasoning. He stroked his beard and circled the space between them, so much so he almost expected there to be a worn-out trench gouged in the floor. After several weighted breaths and a few contemplative sighs, he finally stopped and stared straight into the lenses of his mask. There was no hint of resolve on his face and his brow was cocked in hesitation.

"You have no idea how much I desperately want to be able to trust you, Anakin." He started to pace, shaking his head. "I do... I really do." He spun in place and stared again, his eyes suddenly glistening with tears. "But, how can I? Help me out here! You murdered everyone in the Temple! Including the younglings. You betrayed not only them, but, me as well! And for what? For him? For your beloved Chancellor Palpatine who it turned out had orchestrated the entire debacle? If I do help you with this, how do I know for sure you aren't going to do it again?"

Vader turned back to the City and braced his hand on the glass. "I... can only give you my word, Obi-wan," he said, his voice as close to a whisper as the modulator could replicate. "Not that it means much to you anymore."

A heavy silence hovered in the air between them.

"I need to meditate on this, Anakin," he said. "But do yourself a favour while I'm gone and talk to Padmè. She was rather upset when I left her."

Vader watched him leave, his thoughts immediately on his wife. He'd been so focused on Malgus and the City and the Army that he'd completely forgotten about the argument they'd had.

Hopefully Padmè would listen to him this time, because he knew one thing for certain ... this was going to be anything but a pleasant conversation.


YAVIN 4: THE GREAT TEMPLE: MASSASSI HEADQUARTERS

Meditation. Something that was supposed to bring harmony and peace to the self. But even now, he struggled with it. Too much was going on around them. Not that it seemed to bother Master Olin much. How the man, barely eleven years older than him, could manage to sit there with his eyes closed and block out the chaotic noise from outside was beyond him.

Caleb huffed and trudged to the open-air window. Leaning on the carved-out stone surround, he watched as the different ships pulled in and docked in the clearing. It wasn't that he didn't know how to meditate, back at the temple he had actually been very good at it. He just couldn't stand this waiting game.

The Viceroy seemed satisfied with the Massassi Group for now and if their strength combined with that of the Alderaanian Resistance was enough to make the Empire flinch, then all the better. But, he knew it wasn't any of this that was preventing him from his meditation.

It was Jaina.

Prior to them both deciding to focus on the unusual call they'd sensed through the Force, he'd tried to reach out to her only to come up short. Ferus had also tried to contact Master Kenobi when he too had failed. Of course his adoptive Master had dismissed it, speculating that they could have been too far out of range to secure a signal. But he wasn't convinced.

Something was wrong. He could feel it.

"Caleb, you are allowing your fears to consume you. Be mindful of your thoughts."

He climbed onto the ledge and bent his knees, securing himself in the window. "That's just it, Master. I am being mindful. I am aware that something is or rather has happened to her," he said.

"You don't know that for certain."

He sighed and leaned forward, bracing his folded arms on his knees. "And you don't know that I'm wrong."

"No... I don't," Ferus said, gently placing his hand on his shoulder. "But I am also not losing myself in the meantime."

His Master's eyes glistened down on him with compassion, but it did nothing to ease his concern. Caleb sighed and turned his attention to the stars, as if they concealed the answers he so desperately sought. He relaxed into the window and sighed again. "Master, do you think there are other survivors somewhere out there in the galaxy? Like us, hiding and waiting for the right moment?"

"Senator Organa seems to think so, and I hope on that he is right. He believes he has word on one in the Outer-rim but he has so far been unable to make contact."

"Does he have any idea where?" Caleb asked. "Perhaps we could go there and check it out. They might need our help."

"On the farming moon of Raada."

Both Jedi turned to see the Viceroy joining them in their quarters.

"Who is it?" Caleb asked.

Organa smiled and moved to meet them by the window. "You'll be able to ask them that soon enough."

"You have managed to make contact then, Bail?" Ferus asked, shooting his padawan a cautious glance.

"Yes, approximately one standard hour ago in-fact." The Viceroy folded his arms and gazed up at the sky. "The Jedi are the Galaxy's best hope, and I give you my word, Gentlemen... my men and I will do all that we can to preserve that hope."

Ferus smiled and tapped the Alderaanian Senator on the arm. "And we will do whatever we can to help, Viceroy."


ESSTRAN SECTOR: DROMUND KAAS: KAAS CITY

Vader stopped, folded his arms and leaned on the doorway, mesmerized by the sight before him. She was so... beautiful. Even now, he still struggled to believe she was alive. Their two miraculous children were fast asleep either side of her, and she was resting against the bedhead reading her datapad.

It was all so surreal... and so utterly heartbreaking.

He released the Force-hold on his respirator, announcing his presence. The instant her eyes found him he was speechless.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were coming back," Padmè whispered.

He dropped his gaze to the floor, a solitary tear trickling down his cheek. He wanted to rage and scream. To cry at her feet. To rip off his armour and bare all, begging for her to stay.

But instead he said nothing. Paralysed by pain and indecision. So un-sithlike. But then, was he ever truly a Sith? He wasn't a Jedi anymore; he knew that much. Were the Sith even allowed to love?

Both his Master and former Master had said that Sith were incapable of feeling such emotions. If that was indeed the case, then where did that leave him?

Again, he was lost.

"This isn't going to work if you won't talk to me, Anakin."

He sighed and walked over to the glass doors. Folding his arms, he stared out over the City and huffed. "What is it that you want me to say, Padmè?"

"I want you to be honest with me."

He sighed again. When had he ever been anything but honest with her? "I always have been."

"Lying by omission is still lying, Anakin."

Dropping his arms, he clenched his fists and turned to face her. How could she lecture him on not being honest when she herself was hiding the truth?

"You want to talk about being honest?" he said. "Then how about you starting first?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, slowly wriggling out from between the twins and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Demanding your own ship. Pretending it is so Viceroy Organa will not suspect you. I know you want to leave me. You have Kenobi and the twins now; you no longer need me."

"How can you say that? I reached out to you. I contacted you. Do you have any idea of what I did to get that message to you?"

Vader folded his arms and turned back to the window. "You could have called me, Padmè. You have Commander Appo's comm-unit."

"It went flat. I took Owen and Beru's land-speeder and drove to Mos Espa in the middle of the night. In the middle of the night on Tatooine, Anakin! I risked everything to contact you that night."

That was a brave but foolish move, even for her, but one he was grateful for. There is no way he would ever have gone looking for her on that wretched sand pit of a planet; not without a very convincing lead any way. He turned around. She had stood up now, arms folded and brows furrowed. It made him wonder how she got the message to his men without being questioned in the first place. Had Cody and his team not received the warrants?

"I have been meaning to ask you about that," he said. "Exactly how did you manage to get your message to my men without being apprehended?"

Padmè looked down for the first time since he'd come in. "You really do not want me to answer that," she whispered.

The hushed tone of her voice had alarm bells ringing in his head. Whatever she'd done, she obviously suspected that he wouldn't have approved. And knowing her, she was probably right. All sorts of horrid thoughts flashed about and he suddenly had to know... now. He moved closer and used his index finger to gently lift her chin up to look at him.

"What did you do?" he asked, as softly as the vocabulator permitted.

She stared at him in silence, tears creeping into the corners of her eyes. Her lips trembled. "I... I found Watto in a cantina and paid him to get it delivered to the Garrison stationed in Mos Espa."

Watto. The Junkyard. Memory after memory assaulted him. Flashbacks of a life long since gone. His mother. His pod racer. The Boonta Eve Classic. His friends. His Angel.

Then the memories went dark. Very dark. The Lars's. His mother. The sand people.

They're like animals! And I slaughtered them like animals! I HATE THEM!

The twins moved on the bed. Their tiny arms reaching out for each other across the blankets. He found himself staring at them, wondering how everything in his life had managed to go so horribly wrong. When he'd left his mother all those years ago, he never once thought this would be how he ended up. All of the nights spent staring at the stars, wishing he could free them from slavery. Naively believing that if he became a Jedi, he would be able to.

How wrong he was. The Jedi were just as corrupt and self-serving as every other power-hungry organization in the galaxy. Making him believe he was being freed, when in actuality he was simply being transferred from one owner to another. Only interested in 'rescuing' him from the only life he had ever known so they could use him to fulfil some damn religious prophecy. The 'Chosen One' they had called him, but his mother had already given him a name.

The thought twisted and churned inside him, ripping open festering wounds that were still far too raw. Padmè had been his guiding light throughout everything and as the years went on, she became his sole purpose, his reason for living. It was never the Jedi Order or the Council or their stupid prophecy. It was never even about the Republic.

The War warped his sense of attachment over time. Each confrontation saw him drift closer to the darkness he'd so unawaredly tapped into at Tatooine, even giving in to his anger and lashing out when there was no-one else around to witness it. His unshakable trust in Obi-wan had been shaken the moment he had ordered him to spy on the only other man he trusted in the galaxy.

"Ani? Are you alright?"

Vader pulled from his thoughts and looked to his wife. She was as precious to him now as she was the very first day he laid eyes on her. But her image was forever stained, tinted crimson through the lenses of his mask. Jaded by his imprisonment and threatened by his new allegiance to his Master and their Empire.

He took a step back and removed his helmet. Placing it on the bed, he lifted his naked head and stuttered in a shallow breath. He needed to remind himself of what she really looked like. Needed to see the warm chocolate hue of her eyes, the gentle pink flush of her cheeks, the luscious red curves of her lips.

Reaching out, he tucked a stray curl behind her ear and edged closer. She stared up at him, as if trying to see what he was thinking and feeling. Another tear slipped away and he fell hopelessly into her gaze. She cupped his cheek, the sensation of her warm skin on his setting off fireworks.

"Please, come back to me, Ani," she pleaded softly. "I miss you."

A lump rose in his throat and his chest clamped tight. "I am... right here, Angel," he whispered, moving forward and resting his forehead against hers. "I have always been here."

Her eyes went wide. She grabbed hold of his head with both hands, tugged him down and kissed him. The sudden forceful contact making him shiver. He let himself fall into her kiss, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. The passion was still there, just as strong as ever and he couldn't stop the tears from falling. They trickled along his jaw and between her silken fingers. He no longer doubted her intentions; the raw love and devotion he felt thrumming over their bond telling him all that he so desperately needed to know.

• • •

Obi-wan dragged his hand through his hair and slumped forward on the bed. The dark side clouded his vision. He wanted to trust Anakin so badly it hurt, and the Force seemed to be pushing them together. But he couldn't find it in himself to forgive him. So many of their brothers and sisters had been slain by his hand. So many good Jedi were gone.

And it was all his own fault. He could have stopped him. He could have stayed behind instead of going after Grievous, and helped to see him through his struggles. All of this could have been avoided, if he had simply said no to the Council, and suggested someone else go in his place.

Perhaps this was the Force giving him a chance to atone for his actions. At the very least it would keep him near the twins. Close enough, that should the situation suddenly take a turn for the worse, he could still protect them.

Pushing up from the bed, he took a deep breath and left his room. Walking in to Vader's empty chamber he stopped by the desk. The sound of Anakin's voice coming from the bedroom shook him to the core. He moved to the wall and listened, keeping his presence cloaked in the Force.

"I had to tell him, Padmè. It was the only way I could keep you safe. Our baby growing inside you, will keep him from hurting you. I hope."

"I just wish you would have spoken with me first, Ani. We talked about this. We must be able to trust each other, or he will tear us apart."

"I know... I know."

Obi-wan wiped a tear from his cheek. It had been so long since he'd heard that voice. Somehow, everything seemed so much more tragic now, especially hearing him speaking with her in the very same way he used to before he turned.

Another tear trickled down his face.

So, this was what Padmè meant when she said he was still in there. He could hear it himself now, could even imagine the pained expression on his face. Quickly drying his eyes, he centred himself. Even though they were having a moment, now seemed like the best time to tell him his answer. Force only knew how long his placid mood was going to last.

• • •

Jaina pushed to her feet and rubbed her head. Whatever Vader had injected her with, had given her one hell of a headache. But it was worth it. She finally had a Master. And not just any Master. Oh no. She'd bagged herself the former Chosen One. Sure, he was a Sith Lord now, but did that really matter in the grand scheme of things?

Dark Side. Light Side. What difference did it make any more?

No longer would she wonder why no-one wanted to train her. No longer would she ask late at night if there was something wrong with her.

She felt so alive. Well, besides the headache. But that would pass. She would endure one hundred more headaches if that's what it took to be his apprentice. Reaching into her hair, she undid the tie and released the braid. Fluffing it out, she let it fall loose over her shoulders and pulled her hood up.

A shimmer by the far wall caught her eye. She moved closer. It was his screwdriver, the one he'd launched across the room in a tantrum. She bent down and grabbed it. Turning it around, she noticed an intricate symbol carved into the Japoor handle. A symbol any Jedi would instantly recognise. Could her new Master be any more intriguing?

For some reason she knew he would want it back. Quickly stuffing it into her robe pocket, she turned and ran for the stairs.

• • •

"Someday... this will all be yours, my son," Vader said, cradling Luke in his arms on the balcony. "One day, when I have made the Galaxy safe enough for both you and your sister to live together in freedom."

Two weary blue eyes stared back at him, his chubby little hand stretching out and touching his chin. He smiled down adoringly. "I will keep you safe, young one. I promise you."

"He looks so much like you," Padmè said, walking up to stand alongside him with their daughter.

"I only hope I can give them a better life than the one I had," he said, watching as his son gripped hold of his finger and held it tight.

"I wish you wouldn't talk like that."

He sighed and met her stare. "It is the truth, Padmè. They deserve better than this. You all do."

Obi-wan stopped by the bed and put his hands on his hips. "Yes, you are right, Anakin. They do deserve better."

Vader slowly turned to face him, and it was then that he was able to see just how much their battle on Mustafar had truly changed him. Somehow, his imagination had managed to convince him that underneath all that black armour, he would still look the same. But the man he saw now, was so far from that. His hair was gone, replaced by barely healed scarred skin. Even his eyebrows hadn't survived the flames. He was thinner than he remembered – gaunt, even – with deep purple shadows seated below his sockets. His eyes were an ice-cold, glacial blue that simmered with malice. However, still not the burning Sith red-gold he was expecting.

Something dark suddenly swept over his face. He smirked and turned back to his wife, as if pretending to ignore him completely. Rasping in a ragged breath, he leaned forward, reached behind Padmè's head, pulled her face toward him and kissed her. Kissed her hard.

Still so arrogant. Obi-wan rolled his eyes and waited. And waited. And ... waited. Finally having enough, he cleared his throat. "If you are quite finished, Anakin," he groaned out, folding his arms with a huff. "I thought we might be able to continue with our previous conversation."

He withdrew from their kiss, leaving Padmè utterly breathless. "Nice to know I can still take your breath away, My Love," he said, gently brushing the hair from her face. "I almost wish we were back on Coruscant, so we could get more comfortable."

She blushed and playfully slapped his hand away. "Stop being a jerk, Anakin and go and talk to him."

"As you wish, Milady," he said, with a mock bow. He strode to the bed and laid Luke down. Retrieving his mask, he stared at it for a long moment before glancing up. "You wanted to talk, so talk. I'm listening."

"I was thinking about what you said earlier," Obi-wan said, watching the way he hesitated in putting the mask back on. If he wasn't mistaken, it looked as though he was afraid of it.

Luke wriggled forward and crawled to his helmet.

"No Luke, leave that alone," Vader growled, levitating it out of his son's reach. "So, Kenobi... you were saying?"

"I might wait for you to put your mask back on. Your constant wheezing is distracting."

"Fine!" he grunted, lifting it over his face. With a wave of his hand, the levitating helmet moved above him and he guided it down over his head. It hissed and clunked into position. A strange whistling sound permeated the air as the respirator suddenly re-engaged.

"On second thoughts ... I think I preferred the wheezing," Obi-wan quipped.

Vader snarled, folded his arms and puffed his chest. "I am glad that my suffering is amusing to you. Now, get on with it. Before I use my lightsaber to wipe that smug smirk off your face."

"My, we are in a bad mood now, aren't we?" Obi-wan chuckled to himself and sat down on the bed. "Any way, as I was saying. I have decided to help you." He turned to stare at Vader, pointing his finger. "But there is one condition."

Padmè hurried in from the balcony. "Help you, Anakin? Help you do what? What is going on?"

"Do not worry about it, Padmè," Vader said, waving his hand dismissively. "Condition? What condition?"

He looked between the two of them in shock. "Have you not told her about your plans?" he asked, jumping to his feet.

Vader suddenly charged. He grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him from the room, all but throwing him into the main chamber.

Stumbling forward, Obi-wan spun around to see him pacing back and forth with his fists clenched. "Was that really necessary?"

"Stop stalling and tell me your damned condition!" he snarled, whirling on his heel to face him.

"Fine," he barked back, folding his arms. "I will help you with the others, providing that wherever Luke and Leia go, I go with them."

"WHAT?" he roared indignantly.

They started to circle each other.

"You said it yourself, they deserve better than this. What if your plan fails? What if you get there and cannot defeat him? What happens if Palpatine ends up killing you?"

"I will not fail," Vader hissed, his cloak flapping behind as he continued to circle.

"What if you do?" Obi-wan insisted.

A green lightsaber ignited from behind the wall. "Master!" Jaina yelled, running forward.

Obi-wan spun around, just in time to see the young blonde padawan – now Sith Apprentice – rise into the air with her hands clutched at her throat. He looked to Vader only to see him standing still with his gloved hand extended and fingers clawed.

"Say I agree to your preposterous condition... hypothetically, what would you do with them, if that were indeed to happen?" he asked lowly, all the while keeping his new apprentice afloat.

Obi-wan walked up to him, keeping his eyes firmly locked on his mask. He placed his hand on his extended arm and took a deep breath. "I would take them some place far away. I would keep them safe, Anakin. Safe... and far away from him."

"Would you train them? Would you brainwash them and turn them into mindless, obedient little Jedi?" he asked.

"I would teach them how to control their abilities, yes. But not in the same way that I tried and failed to do with you. I have learned from that mistake."

The black mask repeatedly shifted between him and his choking apprentice. A low rumbling growl rattled from his vocoder. The lenses were back on him again and Obi-wan could've sworn he'd seen the briefest flash of his eyes behind them.

"Very well," Vader said, releasing his fingers and lowering his hand. "I... accept your condition, Obi-wan."

A loud thump echoed from behind, which he presumed to be Jaina landing on the floor. Vader pushed past him, holding his hand out and calling the fallen lightsaber into his palm. He stopped and loomed over his new apprentice, hooking his gloved fingers into his belt.

"KNEEL!" he ordered, his deep baritone command thundering in the chamber.

Jaina did as instructed, dropping her hooded head at his feet.

Obi-wan caught sight of Padmè standing in the doorway, the look of pure shock etched upon her face. He gave her a quick smile and gestured for her to stay put.

"You do not move until I tell you to move, is that understood?"

"Yes, My Master," Jaina answered, dropping even lower.

"Good. See to it that you don't." He spun in place and spotted Padmè, his body turning to stone.

"Anakin?" she said, slowly walking toward him.

He held his hand out to her and sighed. "Come, Padmè... and I will tell you everything."


CORUSCANT: IMPERIAL PALACE: EMPEROR'S THRONE ROOM

The sound of combat boots hitting marble echoed in the darkness, as one lone Officer approached the sweeping stair case. He knelt subserviently at the base, cradling a small package.

Darth Sidious broke from his meditation and dropped his hands in his lap. "Have you got it?" he asked.

"Yes, My Lord. It arrived only moments ago," the Officer replied.

"Bring it to me."

The man rose to his feet and ascended the many stairs to his Emperor's throne. With a bow, he placed the small package onto the obsidian command desk and stood to attention.

Gnarled fingers snatched at the secretive parcel and ripped off the protective packaging. A maniacal cackle tore from his twisted mouth and chorused in the air. He held the small black device up triumphantly, his glowing amber eyes burning with excitement.

Turning his attention to the obedient Officer, he placed his prized possession down between them and sneered. "Are they ready?" he asked.

"Ready as per your exact specifications, Your Highness," he said with a respectful nod. "Even one of our Heavy Artillery Tanks would struggle to break through those walls."

"Good... good," he sneered, picking his newest treasure up again and turning the throne to face his window. "For that is precisely what it needs to hold, Commander."

"Yes, Sire."

"You are dismissed. Leave me at once," he ordered with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, Sire. Thank you, Sire."

A sinister smile stretched across his face as he ran his fingers over the buttons on the small unit. His apprentice was going to learn a valuable lesson when he finally returned to him. With his dear little wife off playing the rebel with the Organas, he would complete his transition to the Dark Side ... by extreme force if necessary. He would see to it personally.

He chuckled to himself. By force. He rose to his feet and stood by the window, staring out over the City, suddenly feeling back in control of everything.

"Hurry back, Lord Vader," he said to the passing traffic. "Your Master has a... present for you."


ESSTRAN SECTOR: DROMUND KAAS: KAAS CITY

Several hours had passed. Padmè, now fully apprised of her husband's plans, kissed their twins goodnight and pulled tight on the belt of her dressing gown. She walked into the main chamber, stifling a yawn.

Vader and Obi-wan stood by the glass doors facing the City, both in their parade stance. It was a relief to see them standing side by side again, without trying to kill each other. They weren't close like before and they probably never would be again, but as Obi-wan had said; they had reached an understanding. It was a win in her book, no matter how small.

She walked up behind them and smiled as Vader turned and offered his hand. The instant she took it, he pulled her under his arm and draped his luxurious black cloak over her shoulder. She looked to Obi-wan. He simply smiled and nodded before looking back to the stars.

Despite the trying times lying ahead of them, Padmè felt more at ease knowing the two of them would once again be working together. Chasing the closeness and intimacy that she missed so much, she allowed her hand to travel over her husband's quilted suit, pausing on his chest. His gloved fingers made their way into her hair, gently toying and playing with the strands and stroking them away from her face.

She gazed up to see his mask tilted down to look at her. With a contented sigh, she nestled her head against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart.

"So, My Love... have you given any thought to the type of ship you would like?" he rumbled, the words coming out of his vocabulator like some sort of strange, hypnotic lullaby.

Rubbing his chest, Padmè traced her fingers around the edges of his control panel, completely lost in the surprisingly peaceful moment. "Well, it needs to be fast, with its own cloaking device. I guess, if I could pick any... it would be one of the Nubian Cruisers."

She joined them in staring up at the stars, seeing the glowing white-blue aura of the Exactor and the other three Star Destroyers hovering in orbit.

"Hmmm. Nubian," Vader said softly, rhythmically caressing her hair. "I think I can manage that."

FIN


AUTHOR'S NOTE

And that is the end of Carpe Tenebrae: Episode One.

I hope you enjoyed it. There will be an epilogue before we start rolling with Episode Two.

I would like to thank everyone for your kind words and support over the years, the FanFiction Community truly is amazing. If you have any ideas or suggestions please feel free to send me a message and I will respond to them as quickly as possible.

As for those of you asking if the Inquisitors will appear in this story, well, not in this Episode, but possibly in the next one. I like to draw on many different types of Star Wars Lore, both Legends and Canon. I find aspects of both to be quite interesting and inspiring. And the Inquisitors definitely have a bit of an edge to them that's for sure.

May the Force Be With You.

Always.