Darth Vader stood on the bridge, his arms folded over his chest and an invisible scowl gracing his lips as he stared down at the debris field that was currently orbiting the planet below. This was all that was left of the Space Station and the Relentless, which had broken up into pieces in the atmosphere before finally completely disintegrating.
The other two Starships had managed to escape the Rebel attack, but not without sustaining heavy damage, which ultimately put one out of commission completely and the other the one needed to be sent to the Naval Yard for extreme maintenance.
Vader had received news of the attack a few days ago but had only just arrived on the Executor a few hours prior and in a horribly foul mood and an urge to strangle whoever was responsible for the detonation of the bomb, and Vader was almost completely positive that it had been that pesky Jedi from Ben'we.
It had been weeks since that strange and mysterious Jedi had escaped his grasp on Ben'we with his son and that incorrigible Princess and still, Vader did not know the identity of that boy. He had issued rewards and warrants all throughout the galaxy in hopes that someone would be able to come forward and give him any information pertaining to his identity, but he still knew nothing. But that would not be the case for much longer, that was if everything went according to plan. He just needed to be patient and wait for his spy to report in.
But even then, he could still sense that bright, shining and pesky presence that was so familiar and yet foreign at the same time. It was faint, but still, present and pulsing through the Force.
It was slowly driving him mad with the need to know who this boy was and where he was.
He knew that that Jedi had been here, as well as his son but he still could not sense where they were in the vast galaxy, only a remnant of their presence that was slowly fading away from him with every passing hour.
Vader stared down at the carnage for a few more seconds before he felt a flash of pain in his lower extremities that seemed to get worse with every passing second. His mechanical limbs often times did this to him, causing him pain every day due to the poorly installed nerve receptors that he was never able to fix or take out.
It left him in constant pain that he had learned to manage over time, but sometimes it was too much for him to handle all at once.
This was Palpatine's way of controlling of him. Keep him in pain and in constant need of medical facilities that only the Empire could provide. And there was not a single thing he could do about that…
Vader winced under his mask as a painful breath was forced into his aching lungs before the air was ripped out of him and repeated. He couldn't even control his breathing, the cybernetic trachea that had been wired into his throat along with the life support apparatus in his suit controlled his breathing.
He needed to get to his Hyperbaric Chambers if he was to relieve any of this pain before it became too intolerable.
"Milord, is everything alright?" came Piett's voice from behind him as he observed the imposing Sith Lord with his arms folded neatly behind his back and an eyebrow raised in a curious and perceptive manner.
Vader had not realized it, but he had been groaning from the pain, which his suit had garbled and distorted for everybody around him to hear.
"I am fine," he forced out as he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, waiting for the wave of agony to dissipate.
No such luck.
"I will be in my quarters. Do not disturb me unless it is of dire importance," he bit out as he began to walk away, every step agonizing and more painful than the last.
I'll gut Palpatine for this one day, and I won't be merciful either. He will experience the pain that I do on a daily basis and I will enjoy his screams of agony as I run my lightsaber-
His commlink beeped at his side as the Emperor attempted to contact him, but Vader ignored it as he made his way out of the turbolift and towards his quarters where his Hyperbaric Chambers and his medical equipment would be waiting for him.
Officers and ship personnel quickly side-stepped out of his way while muttering formal greetings to him, all of which he ignored until he finally reached his quarters and slipped inside. He quickly stepped into the Chambers and waited patiently for the medical droids to remove his armor, or at least what could be removed.
He breathed a sigh of relief once his helmet was off, allowing the cool fresh air to touch his pale and scarred face as he breathed in a greedy breath of air, completely controlled by him and not a breathing apparatus.
He closed his eyes as he leaned back in his chair before reaching out in the Force and allowed his mind to enter into a semi-healing trance, which dulled his physical senses until he could almost feel no pain at all, a welcomed reprieve from the torment his body had been subjected to only moments before.
He allowed the Force to flow through and around him as he reached out gently to probe the tendrils around him that connected him to the rest of the galaxy. A small, almost indiscernible smile crossed his faced when he felt the familiar presence of his son, bright and shining somewhere out in the vast expanse of the galaxy.
Vader's smile soon turned sour when he felt that pesky, familiar presence belonging to that mysterious Jedi from Ben'we near his son, mingling with the boy's presence and so familiar. Vader felt as though he ought to know who this Jedi was, but the Force was obscuring him from Vader.
Only a veil, light and thin but impenetrable, barely allowing bits and pieces to be revealed to the Sith Lord, whose patience was starting to wear extremely thin at that point.
It was absolutely maddening to feel something so familiar yet foreign at the same time, obscured by the Force in such a way that still allowed Vader to feel it, but not understand it.
Just who was this Jedi from Ben'we? And why was the Force so adamant in protecting him?
They had been here with the Alliance, but the Force would not tell him anything more and it was taunting, to say the least. He could sense the Force was laughing at him, taunting him and driving him mad as he desperately searched for anything that could lead him to his son and that Jedi.
His need for his son was starting to overwhelm him, his patience starting to wear thin as the months drew on and on, causing his mind to become frenzied with the desire to possess the boy. Only then, could Vader finally get rid of his Master for good and rule the galaxy with his son at his side, as it was always meant to be.
His mother had rejected his offer to rule, but Luke would not.
"Are you sure about that?" Came Kenobi's soft yet taunting voice from the reaches of his mind.
Vader fought back a snarl as his fists clenched even tighter, the mechanical wiring in his hand straining from the pressure that was building inside of him.
"Get out of my head, Kenobi," he thought as his lips curled back to reveal his gritted teeth beneath his mask.
The ghost of Kenobi continued to haunt him even beyond the grave, and Vader could never seem to fully push him out completely. Kenobi was relentless and in death, he had truly become more powerful than Vader had ever imagined, and there was no way to keep him at bay, no matter how hard he tried to block his mind from the dead Jedi.
"You can never get rid of me, Vader. I'll always be with you, just like Padme."
The Force flared dangerously around him as he rose out his chair and let out an anguished roar before he sent a few of the medical Droids around him flying through the air until they hit the wall, but it was not enough to satisfy his pulsing rage.
"Do not say her name!" he hissed as the Force started to swirl dangerously around him like a wild animal getting ready to pounce on its prey. He could feel his eyes start to turn from their natural blue to yellow, the color of pure anger.
Kenobi had no right to even mention her name, not after what he had done in facilitating her death.
"Your words mean nothing to me," he hissed through the Force. "I will not be weakened by the likes of you!"
"If they meant nothing, my dear former Padawan. Then why did you take such offense to them?" whispered Kenobi idly. "Is it because you know they are true?"
"No," thought Vader. "It is because I have put such weaknesses behind me. I am stronger than Anakin ever was and I will not allow myself to be preyed upon by such weak sentiments. There is nothing left of the man you knew, your attempts to try and reawaken him with thoughts of her will not work. You have failed."
"Have I?" asked Kenobi simply, as if he knew something that Vader did not know.
"I am done playing games with you," thought Vader as he slumped back into his chair. "You have destroyed enough of my life already, why can't you just leave me be?"
"You know as well as I Vader that we would not be speaking now unless some part of you wanted us to be. I used to think that Anakin was dead, but now I can feel him inside of you, weakened and buried by your anger and your hate, but still alive and trying to fight back. Even now he calls to me and so long as he does, I will never leave you alone, Vader. You are no longer capable of even recognizing the goodness inside of you, and that is your weakness."
The Force started to converge in on itself until the blue outline of the deceased Jedi became visible to Vader, who simply stared at the image of his former Master with nothing but contempt. How he wanted so badly to just reach out and drain the life out of that bastard he had once called a friend, but he was only capable of destroying droids and medical equipment. Nothing he did would enable him to reach Kenobi, who was beyond the bounds of the physical world.
He would remain safe in the Force and free to taunt and goad him all he wanted, and Vader could not do a thing about it.
Obi-Wan simply stared at Vader with nothing more than pity and perhaps sadness. Vader couldn't be quite sure just what was going on through the old Masters head, but he knew what pity looked like and he would not allow himself to be subjected to such petty sentiments. He was better than that.
"Come to see your handiwork?" he asked bitterly as he stared at Kenobi, the pain in his limbs and the heavy cybernetic implants suddenly weighing him down as he glared over at the Jedi.
Kenobi shook his head as he looked down at Vader with sad, vacant eyes. "No, I have not."
"Then why are you here?" Vader bit out. "Why must you torment me? You've already won, Kenobi. You've taken everything you possibly can from me. So why come now? Is it forgiveness you seek?"
"Yes," said Kenobi simply, much to the surprise of Vader.
Vader stared up at Kenobi for a few moments before a bitter smile crossed his face and he let out a humorless laugh.
"How humbling of you. Tell me, what is it you wish forgiveness for? For turning my wife against me? For destroying my body? Or is it for taking my child away from me and letting me believe that he was dead for nineteen years?"
"That is not why I seek your forgiveness," said Kenobi as he shook his head. "I failed you, Anakin. And for that, I am truly sorry. This was never how it was supposed to be."
"That name no longer holds any meaning to me," hissed Vader as he balled his hands together into a fist. "Anakin Skywalker died twenty-two years ago at your hands when you left him to burn on that shore. There is nothing left of him to save."
"That's where you are mistaken," said Kenobi as a hopeful smile spread across his lips. "Anakin Skywalker is still alive and they both shall be your undoing."
Vader scowled as he used to Force to throw the nearest object he could reach at the blue apparition, which disappeared as the medical scanner passed through the non-corporeal figure.
"Just you wait, Vader. Your time is almost up," came his formers Master's voice from inside of his head.
"Your threats are meaningless!" yelled Vader into thin, empty air. Kenobi had finally left, leaving Vader to himself once again.
Vader scowled as he ran an agitated hand over his scarred face with his mechanical fingers, trying his best to understand what Kenobi had just told him. It made no sense and he was almost positively certain that the old geyser was starting to finally lose it.
Both Anakin Skywalkers? What in siths hell was that supposed to mean?
Anakin Skywalker was dead and gone at that point. But then again, Kenobi had seemed so sure-
Forget it. Kenobi was nothing more than a crazy hermit who had been living in isolation for the last two decades. Surely all that loneliness had gotten to him at some point.
Gibberish. That's all it had been.
His commlink beeped yet again and he knew that he could not put off talking with the Emperor any longer unless he wanted to suffer the consequences.
He quickly lowered the helmet back over his face until he felt the familiar hiss as it sealed shut, trapping him in his prison of red once again.
It was time to see what the Emperor wanted from him now.
Anakin did not understand Luke. He had tried to, and he had almost succeeded in his attempts to learn more about the older Jedi, who he now knew to be his future son. But every time that Anakin thought he was starting to understand his antics, Luke went and did something that threw him off guard.
It was unnerving, to say the least, and it left Anakin feeling perplexed and confused.
He couldn't help but wonder how Luke, who had been hurt and tormented by Vader, could ever look at Anakin and see something good. The way that Luke looked at him made Anakin feel as though he had never done anything wrong in his entire life, and he didn't like that.
Anakin hated himself, Leia hated him, Padme had probably hated him for what he had done to her, so why didn't Luke? How could the older Jedi even bear to look at Anakin without feeling shame and disgust?
Force, why did Luke have to be so kind to him?
"This would all be so much easier if Luke just hated me," thought Anakin bitterly as he set his hydrospanner down on the floor with the rest of his tools before he turned to look at the engine in front of him.
It was funny how he could make sense of a piece of machinery better than he could actual people, which was probably why he tended to spend more time with Droids and machines than he did with others. Kenobi had always scolded him for doing so because apparently, human interaction was more important than mechanics.
Anakin knew it was only because his Master wanted him to be able to interact with people and make friends, a trait which he had mastered when he was older, but when he had first arrived at the Temple, not even Kenobi could pull him away from his Droids and his machines.
And even to this day, working on power relays and manifolds brought him peace that he hardly ever achieved elsewhere, not even in meditation. He understood Droids and machinery better than he did people.
Better than you do your own son…
Anakin frowned inwardly as he shoved his tools away, the atmosphere around him suddenly turning sour as he rose to his feet and looked around the hangar with a steady eye. He could feel someone watching him from afar and he had a pretty good feeling he knew who the somebody was.
He turned around slowly until he could see Leia, who was across the room and staring at him as if she was waiting for him to do something. He didn't need to use the Force to know what she was feeling in that moment, and neither did she need to justify those emotions.
But nevertheless, he could them through the bond that they shared, which was not obvious but still present and still powerful enough to connect them through the Force. He had not felt their bond like he had his and Luke's, but now there was no denying that it existed, and he knew for a fact that if she had any previous training, then any sensations would've been more pronounced.
Perhaps it was a blessing that she was untrained.
Her expression turned surly once they made eye-contact and her eyes bore down on him, but Anakin stood his ground. He wasn't trying to defend himself, he was just in shock.
He had never realized how much she looked like his mother before. Even with her glaring at him, he could not deny the resemblance between his mother and his daughter. And not only that, but Leia also resembled Padme not only in looks but in stature and likeness.
With a kick like that? Must be a girl, the Force echoed.
He finally managed to blink and internally cursed when he realized how much of an idiot he probably looked like staring at her, especially when her stare was anything but kind or welcoming.
It seemed as though hours had passed between the two before she finally tore her gaze away from him and promptly made her way out of the hangar.
Anakin watched her leave before he lowered his head in shame to stare at the floor beneath his feet. He had a half a mind to chase after her, but he had no idea what to say to her.
I'm so sorry my future self is an ass- came to mind, but he quickly dismissed that idea as soon as it entered his mind.
Perhaps it was best if he didn't say anything to her at all. She wouldn't want to talk to him anyway, so why waste his time?
He exhaled deeply before he shoved his toolbox to the side with his feet and slipped the hull plating back on the manifolds he had been working on before he too made his way out of the hangar. It was time for the debriefing and although he did not want to see Luke or Leia, or anyone else for that fact, there was no escaping it.
Luke was leaning against one of the bulkheads in the corridor outside the Council Room when he arrived, no doubt having been there waiting for him as he pushed himself away and came to stand next to Anakin.
"The quicker we get this done, the better," muttered Anakin under his breath as he gave Luke a long, pointed stare.
"I would have to agree with you on that," seconded Luke as he observed the younger man. "Just tell them what happened and be honest. They'll try to grill you, but don't let them get to you. They're just doing their job."
"I'm a Jedi, I know what an interrogation entails," said Anakin bitterly.
Luke raised an eyebrow. "Then I'm sure you'll have nothing to worry about."
"I wish that were true," mumbled Anakin under his breath as he started to make his way over to the door before he was stopped by Luke's hand on his shoulder.
"I talked to Obi-Wan earlier," he began softly. "He says that it might be best if we went to see Yoda on Dagobah and see what he has to say about all of this."
"Yoda?" asked Anakin with a raised eyebrow. "Does he even know that I am here?"
"I am sure Obi-Wan has already informed him of the situation," said Luke. "He's probably waiting for us right now."
"But does he even want to talk to me? I can only assume that we didn't part on such good terms," mumbled Anakin nervously. He wasn't so sure that he could even bear to look at Yoda after everything that he had done.
"Master Yoda is wise," said Luke earnestly. "I have faith that he knows the reason why you are here and how to help you."
"You seem so sure that Yoda holds all the answers," began Anakin softly, "but if that was truly the case, then why didn't he help me when I needed it most?"
Luke looked as though he wanted to say something, but Anakin was not finished.
"I may not know the whole story of how I turned or what was going through my mind when I did," he began as he turned away from Luke to stare at the bulkhead. "But it sounds like I needed help, and the Jedi were unable to prevent it. And that's why I turned to Palpatine."
"He manipulated you," interjected Luke. "He was only pretending to care about you until he had you under his control, and then his cordiality ended."
"I know that now," said Anakin as he shook his head. "There was once a time when I admired him as both a mentor and a father-figure. He made me believe he was my friend and I believed him, and never once did I question his kindness. But looking back now and seeing what has happened has made me come to the realization that I trusted him more than I did the Jedi."
He exhaled deeply, as if preparing to say something that was bitter and true at the same time.
"I had visions of my mother's death before it even happened, and when I went to Kenobi, he did not help me then. I know that I would not have sought his help again, and I know that I would not have been able to explain the entire situation to Master Yoda without giving away my secret. There would've only been one person who I would've turned to for help at that point."
"You're afraid that the Jedi will not be able to help you this time either, and that's understandable," began Luke as he looked over at the distressed Padawan. "But time changes people. Don't give up on people just because they failed you once."
Anakin stared silently at Luke as he processed the meaning behind Luke's words before nodding numbly in agreement. He knew that Luke was right, the Jedi were flawed individuals who made mistakes. They were not perfect, but they were people too and they deserved to be seen as such.
It only made sense that over the years, the Jedi who were left had learned to adapt and live life outside of the Code. Not to mention the fact that twenty-two years was a long time to reflect on one's mistakes, and learn from them.
"Okay," he said as he nodded his head, "I will come with you to see Master Yoda."
Luke nodded but remained silent as he waited for the door to the Council Room to open and remained in the sensor field so it would stay open for the Padawan before he too followed Anakin in. The room was bustling with people who were going to and from their stations, filing data or going over star maps and schematics.
No one bothered to look up as Anakin and Luke made their way through the room until they reached Mon Mothma's private office, where she, Leia, Dodonna, and Captain Rex were seated around the table conversing among themselves. The Clone Captain's presence was unexpected but not surprising seeing how it had been his Division which had been responsible for the infiltration of the Ordun Station, and so it made sense for him to be here.
Upon entering, all eyes turned upon the two Jedi who were standing at the door, and not all of their gazes held the same level of kindness as others. Captain Rex seemed excited to see the both of them while Dodonna greeted them with a nod. Mothma's eyes were wary as she stared at Anakin, but she managed to remain as composed and regal as ever as she stood up to greet the two Jedi with an authentic smile.
Leia as well managed to remain professional and composed as she sent Luke a tight smile while completely ignoring the teenaged boy standing next to him. It was obvious that she didn't even want to look at Anakin, much less address him.
"Greetings Commander Skywalker, Anakin," she said as she motioned to the two empty chairs at either side of the table. "Please, have a seat and we shall begin."
Luke took the seat next to Leia, much to the Padawan's relief as he too took his seat next to the older Clone, who according to Artoo, had served under him during the Clone Wars. It was strange to be seated next to someone who had known the future Anakin Skywalker, and it was obvious that Rex had known him well judging from the look he was giving the youth.
They must've been good friends in the future, but it was also obvious that this man did not know the true fate of his Jedi comrade.
"Hello," said Captain Rex as he extended his hand for the boy to shake. "I'm Captain Rex. I don't think we've been properly introduced before."
Anakin shook his hand. "Luke already told me about you, Captain Rex. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Anakin, but I think you already knew that."
Rex caught onto Anakin's meaning immediately and gave Anakin a friendly, but pained smile before leaning in and whispering under his breath so that no one else at the table could hear. "It's good to see you again, General."
Anakin nodded but said nothing further as he leaned back in his seat and turned his attention to the three people who were staring at him. He decided to focus on Mothma and Dodonna, who were at least looking at him with a semblance of rationality and lack of bias, more so than he could say for Leia, but he felt as though she was entitled to her outward expression of her disdain for him.
"Shall we begin?" he said as he put on his best fake smile while clasping his hands in his lap.
Mothma shot both Luke and Leia a nervous look that Anakin understood perfectly. She knew who he was, and she feared him. Only Rex and Dodonna remained wholly ignorant of the tense situation at hand, which permeated the air around them.
"Before we commence with the mission report, would you please state your full name for the official record?" asked Dodonna as he leaned forward in his seat to address the young man.
"Anakin Skywalker," he said as he threw out his real name, not bothering to come up with an alias. He could very easily say that he and Luke were distant cousins from Tatooine, and something told him that there were probably not that many official records pertaining to him in the galaxy.
It was a pretty good bet that a lot of history had been destroyed, and if anybody did happen to make the connection between him and his past self, then he could say that he was named for Luke's father, who was his distant relative as well.
Besides, he was done hiding behind Luke and pretending that he was someone he was not. He was Anakin Skywalker and it was about time he owned up to that.
As soon as the words were out his mouth, Luke's head shot up and he looked over at Anakin with confusion and surprise in his eyes, but it was too late to take the words back.
"Skywalker?" asked Dodonna as he looked at Anakin and Luke as if he was finally seeing the uncanny resemblance between the two Jedi. "You two related or something?"
"Cousins," said Anakin swiftly before Luke could even open his mouth, "distant cousins, that is."
"Huh," said Dodonna with a curt nod as he logged the information onto the data-file before looking up at Anakin with an encouraging nod to continue.
"Would you please recount for us what happened after your Squadron arrived at Ordun?" asked Mothma as she clasped her hands together and waited for Anakin to answer the question.
"Once we arrived at the Ordun Station, we began with the assault as planned until the TIE Fighters were deployed. Everything was going according to plan until Torren's X-Wing was hit by a TIE," began Anakin as he recalled it all from memory, which was still vivid for him.
He could've sworn he could hear Torren's frantic voice over the com as his ship spiraled out of control and hit that X-Wing, and then smoke and fire-
He closed his eyes and exhaled as he did his best to control the emotions that he had come to associate with the memory. It was still so vivid that he could still smell the smoke in his nostrils and the rock of his ship as the debris from the explosion ravaged it.
It wasn't that he couldn't handle it, it was just so fresh.
"His ship spiraled out of control and hit another nearby X-Wing. The explosion from that subjected my ship to heavy, irreparable damage that I could not control. My ship was too heavily damaged, and I had to put her down somewhere."
"He communicated the situation to me and I was able to open the hangar bay door to allow him access to the Ordun Station. It was the only place available and I knew he would be able to handle himself," said Luke as he addressed Mothma and Dodonna.
"That was a risky thing to do, Commander Skywalker," said Leia as she leaned forward in her seat to look at Luke. "You knew the objective of that mission was to destroy the Ordun Station, yet you allowed one of your Squadron Pilots to land there. What was your contingency plan for getting him out of there before the mission was ultimately completed?"
Both Mothma and Dodonna nodded their heads in agreement while Captain Rex leaned forward in his chair to address them.
"It sounds to me as though allowing Anakin to land in the hangar was the best option at the time. Besides, I'm sure Commander Skywalker had faith in Anakin's abilities," he referred to Anakin's Jedi Status.
"Rex is right," said Luke in agreement. "I knew Anakin could take care of himself."
"So, then what happened next?" asked Mothma as she looked over at Anakin with curiosity.
"I found a Lambda-Class shuttle in the hangar and was about to commandeer it when I felt the Force call out to me to save the hostages," said Anakin truthfully. He was a Jedi and he had an active relationship with the Force that not many understood, and whether or not Dodonna or Mothma accepted that was up to them.
"The Force told you to save them?" asked Mothma as she shot Dodonna an uneasy look.
"I am a Jedi," said Anakin earnestly, "I have sworn my life to following the will of the Force. Whatever it calls me to do, I shall do it."
They couldn't really argue with the Force, now could they?
"I found the informants locked in the cell block. They had both been beaten, but Lt. Barra was in worse shape than the Captain was. He told me that they had tortured her to try and get him to talk, but he refused to because he knew that she would never forgive him if he did. I managed to get them out and I told the Captain to take her and get out of there before I went in search of the laboratories where they were keeping the weapons."
"So that's when you planted the detonators?" asked Leia, unable to hide her curiosity.
"I could tell that these were extremely advanced weapons and that they could potentially do some real damage. Plus, I wasn't about to let the Empire have that type of technology," he said as he leaned back in his seat.
"So, I planted them and got the Kriff out of there. Once I was away from the station and I had notified Alliance Control, I detonated them, and the rest is history."
"Quite the story, Skywalker," said Dodonna as he set the file down. "I am amazed by the fact that you are even here now to tell the tale, but then again the Jedi never cease to amaze me."
"It is the quite the story," said Mothma in agreement as she gave Anakin a true smile. "And I must commend you for your bravery in the face of certain death. If not for you, we would not have those weapons, Captain Kaipov would be dead, and the Empire would still have that technology at their disposal."
"I agree that what you did was undoubtedly an act of heroism for which you should be commended," said Leia tersely as she nodded to Anakin, "but for future reference, I will have to ask that you refrain from deviating from the given mission. That day could've ended very differently for all those who were present and I will not have any more lives put at risk by any one person's refusal to follow orders, is that clear?"
Her tone was laced with passive aggressiveness down to the core and he knew that she was not fooling around with him. She meant every word she said it would probably be best if took it to heart.
"Crystal clear, your Highness."
"I'm glad we've come to an agreement, Anakin," she said as she rose from her seat as he did the same. "I am looking forward to working together again in the future, and with your cooperation, I'm sure we'll be able to defeat the Empire and all those who helped create it."
Passive aggressive was really the only word that Anakin could use to describe her tone, which although sounded polite and sincere, was meant to cut at Anakin. He knew that if there were not people around them, her tone would be even more hostile.
Luke gave her a hard stare as he lightly touched her arm, as if to warn her to stop before she went too far with her jabs and barbs, and she seemed to catch on to what Luke meant and turned her gaze down to her shoes with shame before she quickly hardened her gaze.
"I would like nothing more, Princess, than to help the Rebellion in its mission to restore the Republic. I have seen the destruction and suffering that the Empire has brought to this galaxy and I want nothing more than for it to end and for justice to be served," he said as he bowed his head in respect to her.
She stared at him silently for a few heavy seconds, her face blank as she searched his face for any sign of dishonesty, but found none. She took an involuntary step back before she quickly composed herself in the manner of a well-trained Politician.
"Then it seems you and I share the same sentiment, at least for now that is," she said stiffly as she looked up into his eyes, which still held mistrust and apprehension in them. "But I do not think that will last for long."
"Perhaps," said Anakin with slight bitterness in his voice as Luke placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Well, this has been- enlightening, to say the least," said Mothma as she looked at the young Jedi and the Princess with weariness before she looked over at a confounded Luke. "Anakin, thank you for appearing here today and sharing with us your testimony of what happened on the Ordun Station. You are free to go now."
Anakin nodded solemnly before making his way over to the door with Luke following close behind him when Mothma's cool voice called after them.
"Not you, Luke. There are a few things I must discuss with you and Leia if you don't mind."
Both Anakin and Luke shared a look before Luke nodded and made his way back over to where Mothma and Leia were seated. Dodonna had already left the room to return to his duties and it was obvious that Mothma only wished to talk to Luke and Leia as she too gave the Clone Captain permission to return to his duties as well.
Anakin made his way out of the room along with Rex, who was trailing after the young boy as if Anakin was the leader among the two of them. It was strange, the level of respect that this older man bore for him, as if he was nothing more than a soldier under Anakin's command.
And once upon a time, he had been under his command, and it seemed as though that habit had yet to be broken. Just how much more did this man know about Anakin then Anakin did?
As soon as they were out of the Council Room and alone in the corridor, Anakin turned around to face the older man with unhindered curiosity glistening in his eyes. It was obvious at that point that they both knew the truth and so now, perhaps they could be completely open with one another.
"You and I knew each other during the Clone Wars," he stated softly, unsure of what else he could possibly say to the Clone.
Rex paused for a few seconds before nodding in confirmation as he looked at the young Padawan in front of him. So much like the Jedi he had known and fought with, but at the same time not.
"We did," he said softly as a sad smile spread across his lips. "I was your second in command over the 501st Clone Trooper Battalion. We fought together for the duration of the Clone Wars along with General Kenobi and Commander Tano."
"Commander Tano? I don't think I know who that is," said Anakin as they began to walk down the length of the corridor together.
"I didn't think you would," said Rex an expression of sadness flitted across his face, as if remembering something painful. "Ahsoka Tano was your Padawan that Master Yoda assigned to you at the beginning of the war."
Anakin stopped, "I had a Padawan? Luke never told me anything about that- "
"I doubt he even knows," said Rex sadly. "Near the end of the war, she ended up leaving the Order because of a- misunderstanding. You tried to get her to stay, but she ended up leaving anyways and I don't think you ever really got over it. The two of you were very close, you know."
"Did she die in the Purges?" asked Anakin numbly. What he really wanted to know was whether she had died and if it had been by his hand.
"No, no she survived and ended up working for the Alliance under the code-name Fulcrum. But I don't know whether she's alive or dead anymore. The last time anyone saw her, she was on Malachor with Vader," he said with anger lacing his voice at the mention of the infamous Sith.
Anakin's stomach dropped and the nausea that had plagued him earlier that day came back full swing as he controlled the urge to vomit right then and there. He hadn't even met this woman yet, and already he mourned her. She was probably dead by Vader's hand.
"I probably shouldn't have told you that," said Rex after a few moments of silence as he stared at the green-faced Padawan beside him.
"No," Anakin bit out as he inhaled deeply. "You don't need to keep anything from me. I'm glad you told me about her and I'm glad she survived the Purges. I just- I wasn't really expecting that bit of information."
"Well, it was quite a surprise for you even then. I don't think you were expecting to be assigned a Padawan so soon after being Knighted, but apparently, Master Yoda thought you two would make a great pair, and he wasn't wrong. Although, I do think she ended up driving you up the wall a few times," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "According to Master Kenobi, she was the female version of you, but I think he was just happy she was assigned to you and not him."
Anakin couldn't help but snort at that. Kenobi had probably laughed his kriffing arse off at the prospect of him becoming the legal guardian and teacher to a Padawan who was as bad as him.
It was ironic how his Master had always told him that he hoped his Padawan would be just as bad as him so that he could have a taste of his own medicine. To that, Anakin had always just shrugged, not really believing at the time that he ever would have a Padawan of his own. But now he was not surprised at the prospect. In fact, it was probably the least shocking thing he had heard in the past few days.
Anakin wanted to ask more about Ahsoka out of pure curiosity before he stopped himself. Perhaps it was best not think about her, a girl who was most likely dead because of him. He didn't want to think about all the people he had hurt and killed as Vader. Force, he could barely look at Obi-Wan anymore knowing that he had murdered him. It was even worse when he thought about Padme, which is why he had done his best not to in these past few hours.
He didn't want to think about her. He didn't even want to acknowledge her because the thought of her only brought him even more feelings of guilt and self-hatred. He may not have been the one to kill her, but his actions had brought upon her death.
And that was enough to make him want to fall on a lightsaber.
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "What about you? If I'm not mistaken, it was the Clones who carried out Order 66. Were you not among them?"
Rex shook his head, "no, never. When we were created, we had inhibitor chips installed in our heads to ensure that Order 66 would be carried out, but I and a few others had ours removed before the Order was issued. We were spared from partaking in the massacre, but our comrades were not so lucky."
"What happened to the Clones afterward?" asked Anakin as he turned to look at despondent Rex.
"Those that were still alive became known as Stormtroopers, but over time they had to replaced with human recruits. All Clone productions came to an end because of how expensive it was, and the Emperor didn't feel like putting any money into the Project."
Anakin wouldn't say it, but he felt bad for the Clones. They had been created and forced to serve as an army and once they had fulfilled their purpose, they had been tossed away and left to deal with everything by themselves. Forced to obey because of a piece of machinery in their heads, much like a slave chip.
He hated how relatable it all was to him.
They were silent for a few seconds as the air around them grew heavy and thick with an awkward silence that neither one of them was sure how to fill. There was so much that Anakin wanted to ask, but he just couldn't bring himself to form the words and it left him feeling confused and nervous. Maybe it was best if Captain Rex did not tell him anything else about his future. He had already learned that ignorance was bliss and he was not too keen on learning more.
"I can sense that you miss him greatly," he said gently, "your General, that is. Did you ever find out what happened to him?"
"Sadly, no. The last time I saw him was near the end of the war. He had gone off the save the Chancellor from the Separatists and it was only a few days later that the Order was issued. I never knew what happened to him until I met Luke, who told me that his father had been killed by Vader, but I'm sure you already know that."
"I did," he stated somberly.
"But, things will be different, right? You're obviously here for a reason, Skywalker. You can go back and change things."
"I hope so," said Anakin, "or else this would've all been for nothing."
"I'm sure you'll figure out a way," said Rex as he clasped his hand on the Padawan's shoulder. "You always do."
Anakin smiled at the Clone, but it didn't quite reach his eyes as he watched Rex turn to leave before calling out after him.
"Thank you for being honest with me, Rex."
He could appreciate and respect someone who was straight with him instead of feeding him lies and half-truths like Luke and Master Kenobi had been these past few weeks. He knew they had their reasons, but it had still hurt all the same. Rex, however, had held nothing back when he had been talking. He hadn't even skirted around the topic of his supposed death, which even though know he knew not to be true, was still hard to think about.
He could see why Rex and his future counterpart had been good friends.
Rex nodded, "you're welcome, Skywalker."
Anakin watched him disappear down the corridor before he too turned and made his way back to his own quarters. He knew he should probably grab something to eat before getting some rest, but his appetite had yet to return and he didn't feel much like interacting with any more people that day.
He just needed a little bit of peace and quiet and possibly even some time to meditate on everything that had happened in just the past day. He needed more time to come to terms with everything before he even talked to Yoda, a prospect which still frightened him more than it probably should have.
He had no idea what the little green Master would have to say to him, but he feared it nonetheless.
Anakin sighed as he sat down on the floor with his legs crossed beneath him as he allowed his mind to reach out into the Force around him.
It was only a few seconds later that the visions came, but Anakin was too tired to try and even hold them off as they flooded into his mind.
AN: Thanks for reading!