Revealed Identities
Chapter 20: Skywalkers to the Rescue
General Nekem slumped dead to the floor as the Emperor's blue lightning faded back into the Force.
"Pity, of course." The Emperor softly chuckled maniacally to himself. "How are those pathetic band of Rebels supposed to find out any information from you now? Too bad your usefulness ran out. Tut, tut." Palpatine motioned for one of his red guards to come and take the body from his throne room.
The Emperor felt uneasy as he looked out among the stars from the giant window opposite his throne. His apprentice was up to something, and the Force had closed itself off to him. The light side blocked his hold on the Force. It cleansed the anger and hatred that he needed to manipulate the Force.
'I am waiting for you, my apprentice. You have not detached yourself from me completely. You think that you have gone heroic on me: do not kid yourself. You're a monster. I created you, remember? Do you think they will accept you with open arms in the Rebellion? You will be executed, and your son will go through unimaginable pain trying to save you. Is that what you want? Come back, and I will be lenient with you.'
Anakin heard his former master's voice in his head taunting him. The words were intoxicating, and a part of him wanted to go back to his former ways...the easy path where there was no such thing as pain. Only a cold heart to keep all of those annoying emotions at bay.
Yet a larger part, the stronger part, knew that he could never leave his son or daughter to a fate so horrendous. He looked over at his son who was sleeping peacefully. It had taken them long, strenuous hours to prepare the ship and plan to rescue his daughter and her friends.
Although there was one thing that nagged Anakin in the back of his mind. Palpatine was right about one thing: Luke and Leia would never be able to live a normal life with him around. Anakin looked at Luke and sighed. He had hoped to be able to train Luke in the ways of the Jedi and prepare him for the enormous task he would take on, but he knew now that things never went as planned.
"Jallishka, Opregash" Anakin called. The form of the two Noghri appeared from the shadows.
"Yes Lord Vader." They answered in unison. Anakin dismissed the title.
"If everything is prepared, I am ready for my part of the task." Anakin looked over at Luke. "You are to take care of him, and my daughter once she is rescued."
"Everything is ready, but what about you? Surely you will want to take care of them?" Opregash suggested.
"It is too inconvenient for me to return with them. Do you have any idea what that will do to my children? I cannot force such a thing upon their lives. Leia despises me, and I will only end up hurting Luke more if I stay. It's better if I do not return. Let's leave before he wakes up. I have never been able to handle loss well, nor good-byes." Anakin walked to Luke's sleeping form and dropped a data pad gently in his hand. Luke clutched in reflexively in his sleep.
"I'm sorry Luke. I love you, and your sister." Anakin whispered before abruptly turning and heading to the hangar bay, Jallishka stayed with Luke, but Opresgash followed in his wake. Luke's eyes fluttered opened.
"I'm not going to let you leave without a fight, father." He whispered so quietly that even the trained ears of the Noghri did not see or hear him move.
Han felt something soft and warm next to him.
"Leia? Come closer princess..." Han muttered in his sleep.
A sharp Wookie paw across his face woke him up. He grunted.
"What's the big idea?" Han snapped at his friend. Chewie roared at him.
"What do you mean I was talking in my sleep? I was not! And where the hell are we?" Han looked around as images started to flash through his mind. "Oh, yeah." Han muttered. Chewie yelled at him.
"Well how was I supposed to know they'd actually learn their lesson and check the compartments?" More Wookie roars. "I know I said trust me-" Chewie put a Wookie paw on Han's mouth as they heard footsteps coming towards the room. They waited until they heard the footsteps pass by and fade away.
"Where's Leia?" Han whispered, realizing she wasn't there.
"And Nekem and the droids?" Han panicked. Chewie answered him.
"Well that's great! If you and I were both unconscious that could mean that anything happened to them. Do you think that they're okay?" Han mumbled, trying his best not to sound like a pirate gone soft. Chewie didn't answer, and Han knew that that meant that he didn't think that they were okay. It made Han's worry increase ten fold.
Leia sat in her cell, ready to bang her head against the wall. She couldn't believe that she was going to be rescued by Darth Vader. The idea was utterly ludicrous, but Luke had assured her that he was no longer Darth Vader but Anakin Skywalker. Her head jolted up as she heard approaching footsteps. They didn't pass her cell like they had for Han and Chewie's, but rather stopped. The door opened and Leia was anything but thrilled to see three storm-troopers standing there with blasters aimed at her.
"The Emperor wishes to see you." Leia felt fear grip her, but she stood up and walked toward them. She glared at each one of them, an icy glare that hid her true feelings.
Anakin gripped the syringe in his left hand and jammed it into his right arm, making it look like he had been forced to take the drug. He slumped back in the co-pilot's seat as Opregash came in range with the Super-Star Destroyer.
"This is the Death Saber co-captain Reven. Report your Imperial code and explain your business or you shall be fired upon at will."
"This is pilot Yana of the Galaxy's Rim. I'm transmitting my code through 5GT frequency at this time. An insane Imperial was found on Gefoga claiming to be Lord Vader. He was trying to choke people by means of the Force and ranting and raving when nothing happened. Local security captured him and we wish to return him to Imperial custody. He wears insignia of C-Class. We have confiscated his weapon and sedated him." Opregash rattled off their cover story.
Anakin felt the hesitation of the captain. He had to hold himself back from using his Force powers to manipulate the captain's mind or else the Emperor would feel his presence much sooner that he wanted him too.
"Galaxy Rim's clearance accepted. You may land at hangar 38 Level J. An escort will come and relieve you of the man in your charge. It is most likely that he is nothing but an insane thief who needs to be ah...reprimanded...for his blasphemy against the Empire and Lord Vader. As you are aware, Lord Vader was assassinated not long ago. We grieve his loss." Anakin was surprised. The man had actually admired, but obviously feared, him. "You are free to leave once we have him in our custody."
"Thank you sir." Opregash turned off their channel and turned towards Anakin. He sensed that she had a question.
"What is your question Opregash?" Anakin asked. He wished that people would just ask him questions. He did not want to be feared any longer. It wasn't like he was going to choke her to death if she asked him something that he didn't want to hear. He sighed.
Then again, he really couldn't blame anyone for being wary when it came to dealing with him. He had yet to truly prove that his reputation meant nothing to him now. How was he supposed to explain that he had had an immense change of heart over night?
"Are you sure this is wise my lord?" Opregash asked. "You will be sedated for a long period of time and you shall have very little energy." Anakin's eyes already began to droop.
"Too late now." He slurred, the drug already beginning to kick in. Opregash nodded and maneuvered the craft to the designated hangar. "Thank you for your help Opregash. And thank Jallishka as well. I probably won't be seeing you again." He rose from his seat and strategically placed Imperial cuffs on his hands behind his back, despite his sluggish movements.
Anakin walked to the back of the ship to the small room with a lock. He locked himself in and slumped against the wall waiting for the Imperials to come and take him.
"How much longer do we have until Opregash and my father land?" Luke asked Jallishka.
"They should have landed by now. They have already accepted my story that I am a bounty hunter that wishes to collect money on your capture." Jallshika explained. "We will be landing shortly as well."
Luke looked at the data pad his father had given him. He was somewhat afraid to look at the contents inside.
"I heard what my father said to you and Opregash." Luke said suddenly. Jallishka sighed.
"Your father would not be pleased to hear that."
"I wasn't pleased to hear what he had to say!" Luke countered.
"This is not the time or place to speak of it son of Vader." Jallishka warned. Luke nodded. He knew that he needed to focus on his part of their plan. He just wished he knew how to talk to his father before they left the Star Destroyer.
Anakin could dazedly feel the Imperials lifting him from his spot from the ship. By all rights, the amount of sedative that he had injected to his system should have knocked him unconscious, but the Force was with him and it only slowed his reactions. However, he wanted them to think that he was unconscious. They kicked him in the midriff, but he did not move.
"Take this one to the medic wing. Take an analysis of his blood to see what he was shot with and give him the antidote. I want him fully able to answer all of our questions." One of the men ordered.
Anakin was dragged mercilessly to the medic wing. The medics drew blood from his system. He tried to keep a smirk off his face as he mentally pushed the medics to check and see if this raving lunatic might not actually be Lord Vader. He couldn't wait to see their reaction when the test came up positive.
"Hello Princess Leia." The Emperor hissed. Leia cringed as she heard the voice. She did not respond. Palpatine peered out into space, his back toward her.
"My, my. Where are your manners? Not even saying hello." He taunted. Leia did not take the bait. Palpatine laughed softly, cruelly.
Leia peered around the throne room, not looking directly at what was left of the rotting corpse of the most powerful man in the galaxy, but she didn't turn her back on him either. She was so angry that she forgot to be afraid of him. She forgot to be hurt that her father was Darth Vader. She just wished that the Emperor would die.
"What kind of reputation are you presenting of your precious Rebellion if you hang around with smugglers and scum like General Nekem?" The Emperor finally turned to look at her. His yellow eyes made him look so sickly and old that Leia wondered if her wish would come true and that he would drop dead. Now she knew why they called him the rotting corpse. He really was one. "Leave us." Leia jumped as the storm-troopers holding her let go. She had forgotten their presence completely.
"What are you doing here little Princess?" He demanded. Leia lifted her chin, but she did not answer. "Ah, yes. I remember Lord Vader telling me that you had quite a spirit." Leia flinched at the name: fortunately the Emperor misinterpreted why. "I will only ask you nicely one more time. Now, what are you doing here?" Leia again refused to answer. The Emperor smiled. "I was hoping you would choose the difficult way." He raised his hands and blue lightning crackled around them.
"Your Highness. A shuttle has just landed-" The Red-Guard that had re-entered the room was jolted to the floor with the blue electricity from the Emperor's hands.
"Never interrupt me!" The Emperor hissed. The Red-Guard rose from the ground.
"But your highness, this is very important." The Red-Guard gasped for breath. He looked at Leia.
"Troopers!" The Emperor hissed as the three high-ranking storm-troopers re-entered the room. "Take her back to her cell." The Emperor hissed. The three were quick to follow orders as they led Leia out of the room. The Emperor waited for Leia to be out of range before he continued.
"Now, what is it?" Palpatine demanded.
"We have reason to believe that Lord Vader is alive, and on the ship." The Red-Guard explained. Whatever reaction the guard had expected from the Emperor, anger, suspicion, or disbelief, he hadn't expected his reaction.
"Interesting."
Next part...You Sure That's Vader?