Disclaimer: All of the characters, except Cari, are not my own in any way, shape or form, and I do not claim them as such.
Chapter 3: Chance For Redemption
Vader swept through the corridor of the partially completed Death Star, heading for his quarters. One part of the station that was completed, along with the actual weapon of the station, and the Emperor's "throne room". Vader growled in disgust, thinking of that particular piece of conceit. He was less and less tolerant of his master, as time went by, although it had become a lot worse since Cloud City...
He shook his head in disgust. A lot of things had changed since then, him most of all. He'd gone with the intention of capturing the boy, most likely without even revealing Luke's heritage. Instead, they'd fought, and he'd been impressed despite himself by the boy's skill. If he wanted to admit it to himself, he was impressed, proud, nostalgic for his own growing abilities as a trainee, and more than a little regretful that he'd cut the boy's hand off. He of all people should know something about that, he reflected, staring at his own right hand. It was becoming more and more difficult to banish these kind of thoughts, to hide his dissatisfaction with his life and situation, a dissatisfaction that could be lethal when one was serving the Emperor.
He frowned, thinking about his son. He was certain that the Emperor was setting something up, something to do with this battle station, and with his son. Another attempt to turn Luke? He wished he actually had someone to discuss his thoughts with - being a dark lord wasn't conducive to gaining confidants, but it was with some shock that he realised he was wishing that Luke's mother was around, or even Qui-gon. It had taken him a long time to appreciate his original benefactor's wisdom. Angrily, he dismissed the thoughts and finally swept into his quarters.
Which were already lit. The faint nagging tingle he'd been feeling through the Force abruptly swelled into full blown concern, and his hand dropped to his lightsaber...
"Oh, relax" a surprisingly good-natured voice called from the side, and he completed his half-begun surveillance of the room to see the Emperor's daughter, Cari leaning against the wall. Vader frowned.
"I had not been informed of your presence".
"That's because no one knows." She shrugged, then qualified "Oh, a couple of people know that an Imperial shuttle landed a short while ago, and someone might vaguely remember that there was a messenger on board." She grinned. "Useful thing, the Force."
Vader examined her carefully. She looked exhausted, and as if she'd lost weight over the last few days. She was mostly successful at blocking him out of her mind, but he caught a vague glimpse of swirling confusion. "Why are you here?"
"The Emperor's sent one of his agents to Tatooine".
Vader frowned. The Emperor? He'd not spoken to the girl in several months now, but he used to converse with her quite regularly, and would swear she usually called the Emperor 'father'. Secondly, she seemed unusually light-hearted in manner, despite her obvious exhaustion. Thirdly... "Tatooine?"
She eyed him carefully, then smiled mockingly and said "You really have been out of it on here haven't you?" Patiently she explained "Captain Han Solo was taken to the Hutt on Tatooine after you'd finished with him, and his companions will be going after him - Leia Organa and..."
"Luke!" Vader interrupted, his mind working furiously. "The Emperor has sent someone to capture him."
"No"
Vader scowled at her flippant response, although the effect was somewhat mitigated by his breathing mask. "What do you mean?"
"Not capture. Kill. It seems he's pretty worried about Skywalker."
Vader stood frozen for a moment, then spun with a swirl of black cloak, heading towards the door. If he reached his ship, he might be able to ...
"Fortunately," the already forgotten girl's voice said, " the agent won't get there. I've arranged for her to be intercepted. If she lives through that, she won't reach Tatooine in time to do anything."
Vader spun back again. "Why?" he demanded, taking several menacing steps towards the girl. If she was playing on the Emperor's games...
The girl smiled, shrugged, "Because" she answered mockingly. Then as Vader took another step closer, the facade disappeared, leaving the girl's face set with icy resolution. "Because," she said again softly, "what we are doing is wrong, and I've finally decided to do something about it." She took a step away from the wall, towards Vader, her dark eyes earnest. "My father is evil. Pure, unadulterated evil, and so is this Empire of his. And anything to do with it - me, you, this station. The destruction of Alderaan cannot be justified, and that's just one example of a thousand atrocities that have been permitted during my father's reign. It stops here, and I'm going to stop it. But I'm going to give you a chance."
Vader looked thoughtfully at her. He ought to act, report her to the Emperor, challenge her accusations... "What kind of chance?"
Cari smiled again. "Your son." She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Looking past Vader, staring at the blank wall, she began. "The Emperor has a plan. The Rebellion know about this battle station, and that he will shortly be visiting here. They don't know that the weapons part of the station is complete, they think it's non-operational. They're going to attack here, and when they do, he's going to destroy them. End of Rebellion."
"So?" Vader inquired. This didn't really have anything to do with him.
"So" the girl replied "If your son doesn't die on Tatooine, he'll come here, along with the rest of the Rebellion. And the Emperor will use you as bait. He knows that your son, if given the chance, will come to you. And, if he has your son in front of him, he will try to turn him."
Vader shrugged. "My son will survive Tatooine, and when he comes to us, we will turn him. I don't see..."
He broke off in shock as the girl hit him. Her fist drove his shoulder back, even as she kicked out, driving his feet out from beneath him. He hit the floor, and before he could react, her lightsaber hummed at his throat. "You don't see" she echoed sarcastically, face twisted into a mask of bitter rage. "You're going to condemn your son to the kind of life you've had, the future that I would have if I hadn't managed to break away?" She spat a curse at him which a younger part of Vader's mind recognised and appreciated. The rest of him, however, became angry. But before he could counter her accusation, she lifted the saber and deactivated it, replacing it at her hip.
Enraged, Vader surged to his feet and reached out through the Force, gripping her throat. He would just kill her now, before she destroyed the Empire that he'd served...
"Besides," the girl said, calm despite her choking gasps, "if your son turns, you won't be around to see it."
Vader tightened his grip angrily ... then released it.
She smiled at him. "One has to ask oneself how my father plans to turn Jedi Skywalker. Threats? Persuasion? Asking nicely? No, as far as he's concerned, the best way to turn your son to the Dark side, and also bind Skywalker to him is for your son to kill you."
Vader stumbled away from the girl, shaking his head. "No. No, he wouldn't. I have served him well,"
"and this will be your reward." She shrugged. "Still, I suppose it depends on whether you're willing to die for your Master or not."
Vader shook his head mechanically, trying to deny it. "Luke couldn't kill me".
"Perhaps not. You might kill him instead, if that's what you want. But, I wouldn't recommend it, for a number of reasons."
Vader reached out and touched the wall, leaning against it for reassurance. He looked at the girl, and realised that she was standing at the edge of insanity. Her bitter hatred of her father warring with other emotions just as strong, and the conflict was tearing at her. "What is your alternative?" he asked quietly.
"I will arrange a meeting with your son for you. On Endor. While the rest of the Rebellion destroy the Death Star. You and he can talk. Properly, and come to some kind of decision. Try and turn each other, try and kill each other, I don't really care. But my father's not going to be any part of it. You stand or fall alone."
"And what will you be doing?"
The girl smiled. An evil, cold smile. "My father and I should talk. Briefly. The Rebellion will be allowed to destroy the battle station - I'll make sure of it. If you confront your son on the planet, you'll probably survive."
Vader stood in silence, looking at the equally silent girl. He'd thought earlier, about killing the Emperor, ruling with his son, but decided that Luke needed the Emperor's training as well, at least at first. But if the Emperor was going to have him killed anyway... It might all be a trick on Cari's part, or even a plot of the Emperor's. Essentially, he had to determine who he was willing to trust, the Emperor, or the Emperor's daughter.
"Can you really arrange a meeting with my son?"
Cari smiled. "Count on it."
The room was silent, except for Vader's breathing. For a long moment the two confronted each other, then Vader extended his hand. Cari smiled again, and reached out, sealing the bargain.
On Dagobah, Cari got her first look at Luke Skywalker. Fairly tall, with dark blond hair, he stood in the swamp, surrounded by his astromech droid, his X-wing ship (obviously a new one) and what appeared to be the ghost of an old man. Cari frowned, not quite sure what to make of that one. She smiled cheerfully at the young man, who appeared to be only a few years older than her. She'd had a few bad moments on Tatooine, arriving too late to see the ships depart after the rescue of Captain Solo. But several sources on the ground (smugglers and information sellers) confirmed that the Millennium Falcon and the X-wing had gone off in different directions, and she'd determined where she could find Skywalker to make her bargain. So, back once again to Dagobah...
He looked at her, raising his eyebrows, and asked cautiously "Who are you?"
Cari smiled, and told him. Ignoring the amazed whistle of the astromech droid, and the concerned comment of the blue imaged ghostly figure she began to tell him exactly why she was there, and, in time, a bargain was struck.