When Lord Vader's damaged Tie came into view of the Devastator, a tractor beam took 
hold on it and pulled it in one of the large hangar bays. Admiral Jon Ogival stood at ready as 
Darth Vader pulled himself out of his small ship. 

"My Lord, we feared the worst, then we learned of the Death Star's fate," he intoned in a subdued way. 
"The Emperor demands, that you contact him immediately." he further informed the Dark Lord. 

"Did his Highness gave order, where to head next?" Vader walked out of the hangar, starting towards his 
chambers. 

"Yes my Lord." The admiral fell in step with him. "We are ordered back to Imperial Center as quick as 
possible." 

"Good. Get the Devastator ready for hyperspace at once." Vader ordered. "I will report to the Emperor 
from my quarters." 

"Yes, My Lord." Ogival bowed to him and quickly headed back to the bridge. 

*** 

The Falcon landed in the Temple. Immediately, Han strode off of the ship in order to report back. 
He also had to tell High Command that Chewie and he would bear with them, but plan to stay independent. 

High Command wasn't very happy with that decision, but was relieved that such a good pilot and his fast 
freighter would be at hand for them. 

After that last meeting ended, Han asked Leia to come with the Falcon instead one of the last small 
carriers. Leia didn't approve first, but Han insisted. He promised to have an eye on her and that 
the Falcon was faster and had better weapons, so she reluctantly gave in. 

And so, the last few members of the base left the system mere hours before the Imperial Fleet jumped 
out of lightspeed near Yavin IV. 

***

While the Imperials left the Yavin system, yet again without any success of finding a trace where the 
Alliance had left for, Luke came out of hyperspace above Dagobah. Luke couldn't get a clear reading 
about the planet, cause by interference he could not identify. 

But it was a sure thing that there were no technology or settlements to find, but a lot of life energy. 

Artoo-Detoo beeped a question. 

" No Artoo, I'm not sure that this is the right planet myself, but the Force let me here. 
We'll try it," answered Luke after reading the astromech's question from his screen. 

"What could happen to us? There seemed to be no one down there," Luke added as an afterthought. 

R2 gave a skeptical beeping and prepared to find a landing spot. 

----- 

The Emperor had been furious about the loss of the Death Star and letting the Princess and the 
Rebellion escape. Vader would most certainly be heavily punished as soon as they reach Imperial Center. 
But he pushed that thought aside, there was no use in thinking about that, as he can't do anything 
about it. He knew that he would live trough it, because Palpatine still needed him. He was his most 
trusted servant even if that trust went no farther than his master could Force-throw him. 

No better to use the time to center himself and shield as best he could, for he did not want 
the Emperor to know that Leia was his daughter or the fact that the pilot was Force-sensitiv at all. 

So he was sitting in his closed meditation chamber to ponder what to do with his new knowledge and how 
to use it to his advantage. No one would dare to disturb him when it was sealed, except for an 
emergency situation. 


While sitting in his chamber, Vader tried to wrap his mind around the undeniable fact Leia was his 
daughter. Why he hadn't seen it before? 

He still vividly remembered his fight against Obi-Wan at the lava-pit. Indeed almost every time he 
really slept, he dreamed of it again and again in slow motion. That was one of the reasons if not the 
reason he avoided sleep at all. 
He tried to refresh his energy in deep meditation instead. 

He was told that Amidala's and his child was stillborn. But during the fight he had seen that this 
information was not true. In Obi-Wan's mind he had seen that they had a son, who was alive. He has to 
give credit to his former Master' trickery. Kenobi had obviously protected the full truth by projecting 
the image of a boy in his mind, instead of a girl. 

The Dark Lord had never told his Master about the revelation that his child was still alive. By 
instinct he had let Palpatine believe that his 'son' was dead. And the Emperor has never requested that 
information, in turn. After he had been put into that hateful suite and had learned how to use his 
artificial limps, he had decided to search for his son as soon as the starting Rebellion was put to an 
end. It hadn't come to his mind that the Rebellion would last for now two decades. 

Nevertheless he had always wondered how he could go looking for his child without letting the Emperor 
be aware of it. He wanted to train his "son" in secret in the hopes that he could take his Master's 
place and be rid of him for good. 

Now it seemed that at least a part of the problem solved itself. First, Palpatine expected his child 
to be male. So he would not get suspicious on Leia. Second, he could believably pretend to search for 
her, his "official" reasons being he wanted revenge for his own failures and Leia's assassination 
attempt on him at La'a zum. The third advantage was that Leia was not easily felt through the Force, 
because she was strongly shielded. Of course killing Obi-Wan gave the benefit that there was no one, 
who could train her in the Jedi-ways, now. 

His original problem has reduced itself to find and train Leia, without letting his Master know about 
that activity. But he had a new dilemma instead. Sooner or later, Palpatine was sure to find out that 
Leia had destroyed his pet project and would want her dead for such an insult. 

How to protect her from being the Emperor's sole aim for revenge?