Anakin paced in his chambers, looking up at the clock on the wall from time to time. He felt, strange, ever since he had talked to Padme. He could feel her worry and fear, but above all, her hope. The hope that Leia would return.

Part of him snarled inside his mind. Find the girl and kill her, it hissed. She means nothing to you.

Anakin shoved these thoughts out of his head. She was still his daughter.

The hologram flickered to life and Darth Vader kneeled before his master.

"You are troubled, my young apprentice," he said. Vader looked up.

"It is nothing, master," Vader said, looking back down.

"You must learn to let go of the past," Sidious hissed. "Anakin Skywalker was weak."

The Emperor leaned back a little, his face less imposing as his hood slipped slightly lower.

"I have a task for you."

Darth Vader stood up slowly.

"Find the girl and bring her to me."


Bail looked at Leia in surprise.

"The Jedi don't marry," he said, shaking his head. He stopped however, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"But that being said," he shrugged, "Anakin never followed the rules."

"You knew him?" Leia asked.

"I was close to Padme as a senator, so I knew what was going on. I sometimes accompanied her on missions during the Clone Wars. Anakin was always there. Back when the Jedi Order existed." Bail paused and stared into space.

"He was a great warrior and a brilliant starfighter. Despite his skill, he was kind and always looked out for his friends and squad. That was, until the Empire. Then he disappeared. Now, we know that he is a Sith lord."

"I will save him," Leia said, standing and placing the chip back into the hologram table. "And my brother and mother. There is still good in him. I can feel it."

"Be careful," Bail warned, standing to leave. "The odds of you being able to infiltrate the Empire now with all that security…"

"Never tell me the odds," Leia grinned.

Anakin flipped the controls on the TIE fighter and adjusted the saber on his belt to settle comfortable on his side. He felt strange. Usually he could do these retrieval missions without much guilt or emotion. He wasn't harming them, and they knew he was coming. But this time was different. Anakin knew that if he brought Leia to the Emperor, she would be killed or turned to the dark side and what would happen then? Padme-

Anakin's thoughts stopped. Padme. He was interrupted by the crackle of the com.

"Ready, sir."

Anakin wrapped his gloved hands around the handles and pushed forward, shooting off the star destroyer.