Darth Dad

by Katana-Geldar

What would have happened if Luke and Leia were not separated and were brought up together on Alderaan? This story explores this theme, with a few laughs along the way.

Darth Dad

Ever wondered what would have happened if Padmé, Luke and Leia lived on Alderaan?

"Commander, Lord Vader demands an update on your search," said Captain Raldeg into the communicator, it was a louder than usual but there was the fact that Lord Vader himself was standing behind him, snorting and wheezing like a breath mask. "Commander Cimon?" he repeated, louder still. "COMMANDER?"

His shout echoed all over the bridge of the star destroyer, for a moment there was a silence as the entire crew paused in their work and stared at him. When the ordeal was over Raldeg could have sworn he heard Vader chuckle at his misfortune, if such a thing could be possible.

"Yes, Captain," said the impatient voice of Commander Cimon. "You don't have to shout, I heard you the first time but I was receiving reports from my squad. We haven't found anything of the sort."

"Lord Vader..." he paused; he could feel his voice choking him. "...had the impression that you would have...completed your search by now."

"I repeat, we have not found anything," said Cimon. "Do I have to make myself clearer?"

"Perhaps you should," said Vader.

"Lord Vader," stammered Cimon. "I am honoured and flattered to be speaking with you, I assure you that I am making all efforts in the search for your..."

"I do not have time, Commander, for incompetence," Vader interrupted. "You have had several months; this is more than adequate time for results. I explained to you that you had my utmost confidence you would succeed."

"My lord, we will be successful," Cimon said. "We need more time."

"How much time?" Vader demanded. "You will contact me within one standard week, Commander; if your search is unproductive still you will personally answer for it."

"Yes, my lord," Cimon replied. "And I thankyou for your lenience and utmost gen..."

With a gloved finger Lord Darth Vader abruptly ended the communication. Raldeg smiled tightly and tried to keep his composure as Vader looked down at him for a few seconds. The Sith Lord then left the bridge in high dudgeon and the Captain wiped sweat that was building up at the back of his neck and loosened his collar.

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A five year old boy ran along the sidewalk of Aldera, Alderaan's capital city. His hair was sand-coloured and looked as if it needed cutting; he wore a grey vest with matching trousers and a blue shirt that matched his eyes.

"Luke!" Called his mother and the boy stopped and looked back.

His mother, a woman with long brown hair that she wore in an elaborate style was carrying a few shopping bags. Accompanying her was a gold protocol droid and a blue and white astromech. Trailing behind them on a deliberately slow pace was his twin sister, she wore a white dress that appeared too long by the state of the hem and her hair was secured either side of her head in buns.

"Can we get an ice cream, Threepio?" She asked the protocol droid.

"You will have to ask your mother, Mistress Leia," answered the droid rather stiffly, he was carrying the bulk of the shopping.

But the twins' mother was several steps ahead of them dragging a rather red-faced Luke back to the group.

"No running off, please," she admonished. "We're going home soon after we get the droid maintenance to look at Threepio's right leg."

The astromech droid chirped and trilled an additional comment.

"I beg your pardon?" Threepio turned to his counterpart in surprise, even though his face was perpetually wearing that expression. "You are saying that there are other parts that need maintenance too? Well, I never! If you knew..."

"Please Threepio," Padmé pleaded, it had been a long day. "Leia dear, stop standing in the middle of the pavement, people need to walk past. And Luke, please stop putting stones in your mouth."

"They taste good," he protested and grinned up at her.

"We'll have some lunch when we get back home," she promised wearily. "Threepio, could hold Leia's hand please? I don't want her to get lost. Luke, stay close please."

Before this Padmé had thought sorting out the intrigues of the Senate was difficult, and she had thought her and Anakin's secret marriage during the Clone Wars was heartrending. As they approached the droid repair shop Padmé wondered if having a family was more trouble than it was worth.

"Kids, sit here while I go and talk to the nice man," Padmé instructed. "Artoo, stay with them. Come on Threepio."

"I'll need to get a good look at the leg," the assistant said. "Could he get up on the workbench?"

"Oh my!" Threepio said suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Padmé asked. "I didn't know you were afraid of heights."

"It's not that, Mistress Padmé," he replied. "Luke and Leia are missing."

"They..." the words died in Padmé's throat as she turned and looked at the bench where she had left the twins. Empty, and no sign of Artoo.

"You'll have to excuse me," she said to the assistant, leaving the shop just as her panic was escalating. "Luke?" She called out, looking frantically around. "Leia?" Nowhere in sight.

Padmé felt her stomach clench, and her knees turn to jelly. Could Anakin –no– could Vader have...? She ran along the arcade looking in shops and finding naught, where could they be? Ignoring glances from passers by, Threepio calling for her somewhere around and the fact that her shopping was slipping out her hand and on to the ground she ran the length of the street. Then she turned.

Luke was sitting in one of those kid's rides out the front of a toy shop pretending to pilot it with included blasting noises, as she neared the shop she could see Leia inside examining a doll. Luke saw her and gave her no more than a smile but was a bit surprised at her rough grip as she pulled him off the ride and into the shop.

"Mom!" he protested. "Not so rough!"

But it didn't do any good, Leia got the same treatment.

"I told you to stay on that seat!" She scolded. "I was worried sick, and where's Artoo?"

The little droid rolled up chirping innocently as he did. He was quickly silenced by Padmé's hard look.

"We are going home," she said, noticing that Threepio was coming up behind them with the shopping.

"But Mom!" Leia whined as she was pulled along the pavement. "You said..."

"I said we are going home," Padmé repeated, her tone was neither mean nor sharp but had a hint of durasteel behind it.

Defeated, Leia sulked all the way back to the speeder and a good distance of the way home. But

Luke was lost in his own world, imagining what he would do if he had his own starship.

-------------------------------------

"Well, I don't really like kids," said the figure in the hologram.

"You would be doing me a personal service," Vader explained.

Boba Fett paused, through his helmet it was impossible to know whether he was thinking or just stalling him, but Darth Vader could wait. Finally he spoke again.

"What's the amount?" Fett asked, Vader named the figure and the bounty hunter paused again. "I'll take it, but only for that amount.

"The conditions are he is unharmed," Vader reminded. "Unharmed, that is. Not a scratch or you'll suffer my displeasure."

"You get what you pay for," Fett replied. "Are there any other conditions?"

"I also want this to be quiet," Vader said. "Tell no one who you are after, least of all other bounty hunters."

"I see," Fett said. "I'll get your son." And the transmission ended.

--------------------------

About a week later on Alderaan the twins were in the garden of their apartment. Luke was having a mock battle with toy starfighters while Leia patiently brushed the hair of a doll.

"Could you help me?" Her brother asked. "I need someone to play Empire; I have enough time with trying to move the Jedi around."

"Jedi wouldn't fight the Empire," Leia said. "Mom said so, there aren't any more around."

"Why not?" Luke asked her. "They're so astral, those lightsabers they have. Woosh! Schoom!" He waved his hand wildly around trying to have a mock battle with an invisible opponent.

"I don't know why there aren't any more," his sister replied. "Mom was saying it when she told us about Dad, she gets very sad. And I'm not playing with you." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Okay," he said and picked up a long silver barrel off the ground that probably dropped off one of the garden droids. "How about I pretend to be a Jedi and I can pretend to rescue you?"

"Only if I can be a princess," she said.

"Fine," he said, and making the required noises he 'activated' his lightsaber and stood beside her. "I'll save you Le- I mean your Highness from..." he looked at her in askance. "What do I save you from?"

"I'm being held prisoner," she said, putting her arms around her knees as if she was in an enclosed cell. "Help me, Jedi, save me!"

"But wait!" Luke faked an expression of surprise. "It's the evil Jedi! He's got a red lightsaber!"

"No, he's escaping!" Leia said. "He's coming to hurt me, save me!"

Luke pulled her off the ground and together they ran to the other side of the yard and hid behind a bush.

"What now?" Leia asked.

"The evil Jedi wants to fight," Luke said, coming out from the shadow. "Stay there, I'll save you."

"No he doesn't," said a voice and the twins turned.

"Who are you?" Luke asked as his sister crept behind him.

In front of them was Boba Fett, most beings in the galaxy could attach the face to the name and the name to the reputation, even as young as the bounty hunter was, but Luke and Leia didn't know any of these things. But Fett wasn't even wearing his helmet, as per Vader's instruction, so he was virtually unrecognisable. He had been watching the twins play for some time and had made his deductions, though he wasn't sure if Vader hadn't told him the whole story or he didn't know.

"My name is Fett," he said. "I'm not from around here. Is your mother at home?"

"Did you come in a starship?" Luke asked, ignoring the question.

"Yes," Fett replied.

"Wow!" Luke's eyes lit up like sublight engines. "Is it fast, Mr Fett?"

"Is it fast?" Fett cocked an eyebrow and turned to his sister. "Tell him that speed is everything to my ship, the Slave I."

"Mr Fett says..." But Boba cut her off quickly.

"Would you like to have a ride in my starship?" Fett asked.

Something in his voice made Leia cling at her brother and try to pull him away but Luke ignored her.

"Wow!" Luke said. "Really?"

"Luke, Mom was always saying stuff about stuff like this," she said. "We'll get in trouble..."

"But he has a starship!" Luke protested. "And he wants to take us for a ride in it."

"But Mom..." Leia pleaded.

"Mom's not here," Luke told the bounty hunter and pointed to Threepio who was standing stock-still in the middle of the garden, a few birds were resting on him. "She's not coming back for a few hours so she left Threepio in charge. I shut him down as he was talking too much."

"But Luke!" Leia insisted. "He's a stranger!"

"Well I told you my name and I know yours," Fett said, his patience was wearing thin. "Does that make us strangers?"

"Well..." Leia thought on this. "We'll have to be back before Mom gets home."

"I'll get you back in time," he promised.

"Ummmm...." Leia still hesitated despite the protests of her brother. "Okay."

The twins followed the bounty hunter down the road and into a speeder. When he got to the docking bay he put them in the cabin behind the cockpit and told them to stay there.

"And don't touch anything," he said as he got into the pilot's seat.

"Can I sit next to you?" Luke asked.

"No," Fett said firmly and Luke started to whimper.

They were flying over the city of Aldera and Fett was about to leave the planet when he'd had enough.

"Stop that noise!" He yelled, Luke started to cry, and then Leia burst into tears.

"You're mean!" Leia shouted through her tears. "I thought you were nice."

"I'm not nice," he said and pressed the button to shut the door between the cockpit and the cabin behind it. "Kids," he said as he activated his repulsor engines.

Slave I was just clearing the planet when he heard a large thumping on the door behind him. He turned and saw Luke's face pressed up against the window. He mouthed the word refresher.

"This better be worth it," he said as he opened the door again.

"I need to use the refresher," Luke said, and from his voice he sounded desperate. "And my sister says...Wow, where are we?"

"We're just coming off Alderaan," Fett replied. "I'll take you to the 'fresher once we're in hyperspace."

"But you said that we wouldn't be long," Leia protested, her lip was starting to wobble. "You said you wouldn't get us into trouble."

"Kids, let me tell you that this is my ship, so what I say goes," Fett said. "Don't ask questions, for I'm not telling you anything."

"But you said..." Leia whined.

"I need to go-oh-oh," Luke said, jumping up and down frantically. "I can't hold on!"

"Wait five more minutes, I need to refine the coordinates," Fett said sharply. "Go sit down and think of something else. Like what your mother would do if she found out where you are."

"You're very very very very very very very very very very mean Mr Fett," Leia pouted and went back to her seat to sulk.

"Mr Fett," said Luke in a rather high voice. "I think I had an accident."

It was a looong trip.

--------------------------

"Yes Commander," Vader said, he had his hand behind his back and if it were not for his mask he'd look very pleased with himself. "Have you found my son yet?"

"Ummm, no my lord," said Cimon. "I assure you that every measure is being taken..."

"My lord," said Raldeg. "We have a priority message from the Slave I."

"Put it through," Vader said. "Await my convenience, Commander."

"Yes, my lord," Cimon said.

"I want double," Fett said over the com.

"What?!" Vader exclaimed. "I negotiated the bounty with you, it will not be revoked."

"Listen," Fett said. "When I tell you I've had to deal with tantrums, accidents, drinks of water and inane questions asked over and over..."

"You have," Vader interrupted. "So my son is on board your ship?"

"Yes," the bounty hunter replied. "And...DON'T YOU TOUCH THAT!" Fett's voice faded into the background as he yelled at someone on board his ship.

"Bounty hunter," Vader's voice cut in through the shouting and crying coming over the com. "I do not have time for this; I am sending you the coordinates. Bring my son here unharmed and you will get your bounty. That will be all." He cut the transmission quickly.

"My lord?" Cimon asked.

-----------------------------

"Luke? Leia!" Padmé called as she got out of the landspeeder. "Luke? Leia?"

She noticed the toy starfighters on the path and Leia's doll leaning against the doorstep. Could they be hiding? As she was walking towards the apartment she noticed Threepio standing in the middle or the garden. As she neared him about then bird flew away revealing a coat of white excrement.

"Threepio?" She reached around the back of the droid's head and activated him.

"Master Luke, don't do that!" Threepio said walking back a few steps, and then he looked around. "My...Mistress Padmé, have you seen the children? They were just here."

"I was going to ask you that question," Padmé said hotly. "I left you in charge Threepio; can you tell me what happened?"

"Well, Mistress Padmé, I'm not very good at telling stories," Threepio replied. "I was standing here and..."

------------------------------------

About half an hour later Padmé was sitting with a hot drink in front of her at a table, next to her was Bail Organa and around the table were members of his entourage. After a long period of silence Bail's comlink buzzed and he answered it.

"Yes?" He asked and there was a pause. "What...are you sure? That's a positive ID?" Another pause. "Yes, thank you. You've been of great assistance, thank you."

"What was that?" Padmé asked. "Does he have them?"

"That was the port authority," Bail said. "The Slave I landed and took off less than an hour ago. And I'm sorry to say Padmé that Luke and Leia were seen boarding with Boba Fett." Padmé turned very white. "I think it's time we called our old friend," he reassured and pressed a button on his comlink.

---------------------------------

"Why do we have to wear handcuffs?" Leia asked Boba Fett.

"Because I said so," Fett replied surlily.

"Why do you have to lead us on a chain?" Luke asked.

"Oh shut up!" Fett shouted causing some passers by to stare at him.

They continued to walk in silence along the corridor of the star destroyer, cuffed so their hands were behind their backs they walked ahead of the bounty hunter dragging a chain behind them which he held. Fett admitted to himself that it was an extreme measure, but he'd had enough. He had never liked kids but now thought they were an outright menace. They never sat still, they never stopped talking, they wanted stories and explanations for the simplest of things and worst of all got cranky if they missed at naptime.

Once he got through with this job he'd make himself be more choosy, it was only the credits and the fact that work was slim at the moment that had made him agree in the first place.

"Ready? Go!" Luke shouted.

Before he was ready the twins ran off in opposite directions, within a few minutes they were lost to sight. Great, he thought, I'm not within ten steps of Lord Vader and I lose them.

"Bounty hunter?" Fett turned around and felt his stomach sink. "Don't tell me you were lying."

"I wasn't," Fett said to the Sith. "I was just about to hand them over when they ran off."

"They?" Vader asked. "You speak as if there is more than one."

"There is another Skywalker," Fett replied. "A girl."

"A girl?" Vader pondered this. "Are you sure?"

"I think I would know by now," Fett said. "With all do respect, my lord, can I get the credits and go? I have to clean out my ship after the mess they made in hyperspace."

"Very well," Vader said, dismissing him with the wave of a hand. "The credits will be transferred into your account."

As Fett made his normally than fast getaway Vader thought again on these new facts. He had intended to teach his son the ways of the dark side. But this...this girl complicated matters. He got out his comlink.

"I want all areas watching for two children, a boy and a girl," he said on a frequency the entire ship could hear. "If found bring them to me unharmed."

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Luke had found the weapons cache, after making short work of the handcuffs he ogled the large array of blaster pistols; rifles force pikes and other weapons. But no lightsaber, he thought sadly but he took a pistol down and examined it, maybe he could pretend to be a space pirate instead. He held the pistol out in front of him and turned around; a man in a blue uniform was approaching.

"Kid, put the gun down!" The man ordered. "I mean it! I have one too and I could hurt you."

"Who are you?" Luke asked, but he didn't lower his weapon.

"It doesn't matter, I've been sent to look for you," the man said.

"Am I on another starship?" Luke asked.

"You are on an Imperial star destroyer," replied the man rather grandly. "The queen of starships!"

"Can you tell me how you fly her?" Luke asked, he placed the gun on the ground.

"Come with me," the man said and he took Luke's hand and led him to the bridge.

-----------------------------

Leia thought she had found the best hiding place. She sat in a cupboard close to the floor completely hidden from those who went by. She had tied a cable to a pole in front of her and held the other end in her hands. She heard footsteps approaching, she pulled the cable tight.

BANG! An Imperial officer landed flat on his face on the floor. He got up, dusted himself off and looked around. Leia held her breath; she couldn't be seen unless he looked straight at her. Giving up he left and his footsteps faded.

Three more officers went by one by one, the same thing happened. But the best was when four lines of four storm troopers walked past and she raised the cable just as the last row past. They all fell at the same time knocking the row in front of them over until all of them sprawled on the floor.

"Having fun?" Someone asked and Leia noticed a man in a blue uniform scowling at her. "Get out of there." He ordered and she obeyed, then he got hold of her arm tight and he pulled her along the corridor.

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"Do you know who I am?" Vader asked Luke.

"I...don't... know," Luke said, he looked positively terrified. "You have a lightsaber on your belt, are you a Jedi or something?"

Nobody would have believed it was possible, but Vader laughed. The astonished crew stopped work for a few minutes until Vader looked up. He inclined his head again towards Luke.

"Did your mother ever tell you about...your father? The Sith Lord asked.

"She did!" Leia said as Raldeg dragged her forward. "She told me you killed him!"

"What?" Luke asked. "Leia, you've seen...him?" He gestured at Vader.

"It was a holo Mom wouldn't let me finish watching," Leia replied. "But she told me then, and now I know."

"Yeah," Luke said and they both looked at Vader with contempt.

"No," Vader said. "I am your father."

Two very different reactions took place, Leia looked utterly shocked, then revolted, and then scared and she stepped close to her brother. Luke looked shocked, but then he smiled and looked up at Vader in awe.

"Wow!" He said, obviously impressed. "I have a famous father!"

"Luke, I want to go home," Leia whimpered, hugging him. "Please, I want to go home!"

Darth Vader looked from his daughter to his son and then back again, it was not what you would call an auspicious start.

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"Thank you for coming, General Kenobi," Bail Organa said, leading him to the table. "Will you have something?"

"It's not 'General'," the Jedi said gently. "And this is hardly a social call." He looked for Padmé and noticed she was staring out the window not paying attention to anything. "Senator?"

"I'm not a senator any more," she said a bit harshly, blinking away a few tears. "I just...want them back. If what's happened what we feared..." she burst into tears and Obi-Wan put his arm around her.

Bail dismissed his entourage so they were alone in the room but he deliberately kept back as Padmé cried on the Jedi's shoulder. He hadn't seen her fall apart like this, not even in the Senate when the Empire was declared. After a few minutes she consoled herself and they sat down.

"Normally we'd handle such things ourselves," Bail said pouring Padmé another drink. "But since it was Fett we'd have to assume they were handed over to the Empire." He looked at Padmé but she didn't flinch so he continued. "Threepio knows nothing, but after this I wouldn't trust him to watch paint dry, what do you think?" He asked Obi-Wan.

"I'm going to have to go in there and get them once we find out where they are," the Jedi answered.

"You are putting yourself at an unnecessary risk..." Bail objected but Obi-Wan held up a hand.

"This is something that only I can do," he explained. "The only unnecessary risk is that if I don't go alone. I'll just need a transport, where he is taking them is obvious."

"Coruscant," Padmé said and she bit her lip until blood came.

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"My lord, I am not a nursemaid," Raldeg said to Vader. "Suppose we run into trouble?"

"The chances of that are slim, Captain," Vader replied. "All you have to do is make sure she sits still and doesn't touch anything."

"Fat chance of that," Raldeg said as Vader flew off the bridge. "My daughter's her age and she's a handful..." he looked at Leia, she was sitting in a chair off to one side, her hands were primly in her lap and she smiled at the captain, she looked like a cherub. "Then again..." he said and then went back to his panel. "What's our status?"

"Very good, Captain," answered a Lieutenant.

"Set our coordinates for Imperial Centre," Raldeg said, looking back to see if Leia was still there, she wasn't.

"What's this do?" A small voice asked and a chubby hand moved over the control panel.

"Don't touch anything!" Raldeg barked. "Go and sit down!"

"You're mean," Leia said to him.

"I don't care," Raldeg snapped. "You go and sit down and stay there."

Leia started to cry, Raldeg ignored her. She cried louder, her sobs echoed all over the bridge and she raised her voice so it was practically a scream. Raldeg was trying to make calculations but he snapped the electronic pencil he was holding in half and turned around.

"Sit down," he said coldly, Leia stopped crying suddenly. "You be quiet and stay there."

She obeyed, but not willingly. Raldeg tuned back to his panel with a smile, then looked back at a few seconds later. The chair was empty.

--------------------------

"How am I supposed to see?" Luke asked.

"You don't need to see," Vader replied. "Feel the Force, feel the anger, the hatred."

"I don't know," Luke said, pulling the blindfold up to look at his father. "I don't like being angry."

Vader counted to ten, it had been trying but they had made some progress. Vader had found a remote droid and a small lightsaber, red of course, for the boy to practice with. After giving his father nasty burn on the leg, dissecting the Sith Lord's desk, filing cabinet and the water cooler Luke had started to deflect the blaster bolts. He was progressing nicely for a few more minutes before his comlink buzzed.

"Turn off the lightsaber, Luke," Vader said and he used the Force to deactivate the remote. "What is it Captain?"

"My lord, the Emperor commands you to contact him immediately," Raldeg said.

"I'll take it in my chamber," Vader replied.

"There is something else, my lord," Raldeg said. "Your daughter is missing."

"Missing?" Vader asked. "I left her in your care, Capatin. Find her or I'll hold you personally responsible for anything that happens."

"Yes, my lord," Raldeg said, remembering the strangled cries of Commander Cimon over the communicator.

"Stay here, I'll be back soon," Vader said and he started up the holoprojector. "You can watch Galactic Adventures."

"What's that?" Luke asked, wide-eyed.

"It's a show for kids about Jedi causing mayhem and getting their heads cut off by bounty hunters and storm troopers," Vader replied as he left the room.

Within a few minutes after Vader left, the door opened and Leia walked in. Luke barely looked up as he watched the holodrama.

"Oh, I was wondering where you were," Luke said distractedly. "Come and watch this, it's really astral."

"I want to go home, Luke," Leia said. "I want Mom, she'll be angry with us."

"But it's not as if we're with strangers," Luke pointed out. "He said he was our dad."

"But he's scary," Leia said. "Mom said our dad wasn't scary, she said he was a handsome Jedi who was killed."

Luke shrugged his shoulders.

"I want to go home," Leia repeated and tugged her brother's sleeve. "Come on, Luke. Let's go home."

"We're not going to get very far," Luke said. "All those men in blue shirts will stop us. Sit and watch this with me, Dad said he'd be back soon."

Reluctantly Leia said beside her brother, and then shut her eyes tight when a battle scene started.

"Tell me when it's over," she told Luke.

"It's over," he said just as a Jedi was getting his head cut off.

Leia screamed.

-------------------------------

"This complicates matters," Palpatine said, reaching up to his forehead and pushing the excess skin on his brow away from his eyes. "Are you sure on this, Lord Vader?"

"I am certain, my Master," Vader replied to the hologram.

"Very well," the Emperor said and he thought again. "Knight to E5."

Vader made the move on the chessboard. "Queen to D7," he said, moving his piece. "Checkmate."

"Very good," Palpatine said. "Now to business, you have found your son, Lord Vader?"

"Yes, my Master," Vader answered. "But there was a slight hitch."

"What do you mean, Vader?" Palpatine asked, moving another waddle of skin that blocked his vision.

"I have a daughter as well," Vader said.

"Surely you jest," Palpatine said.

"I don't, and don't call me Shirley," Vader replied. "I am at loss what to do with her; I don't think it exactly...proper...to teach her the ways of the dark side."

"Well," Palpatine rubbed his chin disturbing move loose skin and killing a few black bugs that crawled on his face. "I never had the thought of having children myself...I suggest boarding school, and an arranged marriage."

"I shall think about it," Vader said.

"I'll see you soon," Palpatine said. "And I owe you a rematch; you're not such a sook at losing like Tyrannus was."

"I shall await that," Vader said and he inclined his head in submission.

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"She can't have disappeared into thin air," Raldeg said. "Have you searched the ship thoroughly?"

"Yes, sir," the Lieutenant said. "All except Lord Vader's apartments and she wouldn't be there, we'd know."

"Search again," Raldeg said briskly. "We haven't had anything leave the ship so she must be still on board."

"Yes, sir," said the Lieutenant and they dispensed the stormtroopers accordingly.

--------------------------------

Vader came back to find his office a mess, flimsies were everywhere covered with crayon drawings, someone had gotten his computer to sing an Alderaanian pop song and Luke and Leia were fighting over the holoprojector remote.

"I want to watch the Little Killik Show!" Leia shouted. "You've had your turn!"

"We both watched Galactic Adventures," Luke protested. "I want to watch podracing now!"

"Podracing is dumb," Leia said, pulling on the remote and sticking out her tongue.

"You're dumb," Luke said, mimicking the gesture.

"Children," Vader said in a voice that could have torn the hull of a star destroyer. "Leia, you were supposed to stay with Captain Raldeg, half the ship is looking for you. Luke, I told you to sit still and not touch anything."

"It's her fault," Luke protested and pointed at his sister.

"No it isn't," Leia said, batting his hand away from her.

"It is too!" Luke said.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"IS NOT!"

"IS TOO!"

"Children!" Vader thundered, this time his voice would not only have taken apart a star destroyer plate by plate but caused everyone on board to die of shock. "It's time you were in bed," he got out his comlink. "Corporal Lyre will take you to the 'fresher and I'll get Raldeg to make up one of the officers cabins for you." He looked from one to the other then back again. "No more arguing, whining, whinging or crying and I might but you something when we get to Coruscant." He pressed a button on his comlink. "Captain, get Corporal Lyre up here and vacate your quarters."

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For the first time since receiving his commission Raldeg thought about jumping ship. First he was told to baby-sit a petulant five year old girl and he couldn't give her a good hiding when she needed it or her father would have his head for his next meal. Then he was ticked off again for being incompetent by letting her get away from him, now he was being told to clear out his cabin to make room for the children when he'd sooner put them both, and their father, out the nearest airlock.

Leia walked in the room wearing an officer's shirt for a nightie that went all the way down to her knees, she trailed a blanket behind her and sucked her thumb. She grinned at Raldeg and he could feel his anger subsiding.

"Can you tell me a story, Raldeg?" She asked, jumping up on the bed he had pushed in from another room. "Pleeeeeeeassssssssse? I'll be very good, promise."

"A story?" Luke walked in garbed similarly to his sister. "Please? Tell us a story Raldeg." He jumped on the other bed and wriggled underneath the covers. "Mom always tucks us in and tells us a story before we go to bed."

"All right," Raldeg said and sat on the bed, not really knowing why he was agreeing as he was tired himself but it would be several hours before his shift would be over.

"Yay!" Cried the twins and they snuggled down underneath the covers.

Raldeg started telling them about his first battle; he outlined details, especially the space battles and how he had to make a split-second repair to his shuttle after it had crashed. After a while he could see the twins gradually get drowsy and he was surprised to find his own eyelids were drooping. Within a few minutes his head slumped onto his shoulder and he was sound asleep.

Luke cautiously opened an eye and watched Raldeg for a few seconds, still not moving. Then he reached across to his sister's bed and tapped her on the arm.

"He's asleep," he told his sister.

"Let's find where that lady left out clothes," Leia said standing on her bed.

The crept out the door and leaned against the wall near the corner. They could hear people talking in the distance.

"Lord Vader wants these incinerated," they could hear a lady say. "He's got new clothes for them for when they reach Coruscant."

"I've had it up to hear with them," said a man. "I don't minds kids, but not on here. It's not the place for children, if Lord Vader keeps getting Raldeg to look after them the guy's days are numbered."

"Come on," Luke said and he pulled his sister across the corridor and down another passage.

They arrived in the hangar where Luke could see TIE fighters on their racks and several shuttles being worked on by mechanics. He walked up to a large ship, like a TIE but bigger than all the others and it clearly had its own hyperdrive. Luke ran his hands over the body, obviously impressed.

"Come on Luke," his sister said, pulling his hand. "This is boring, let's do something else."

"You're boring," he told her. "This is exciting, I want a ride."

"Hey little one, what are you going here?" Asked a pilot.

Luke turned around and looked up at the TIE pilot; he held his black helmet in once hand.

"Don't call me little," he retorted.

"Sorry," the pilot said. "It's that Lord Vader doesn't like anyone touching his ship. What's your name?"

"Luke Skywalker," he answered. "This is my sister, Leia."

"Luke," Leia pointed at the running figure of Raldeg and they took off down the hanger.

"Hmm," the pilot said as he watched the twins run off followed by Raldeg. "Are they his?" He asked Corporal Lyre who had just walked onto the bridge.

"They're Lord Vader's," she replied. "And they're a handful."

"Kids are at that age," the pilot said. "I've got three myself; my wife has grey hairs now."

Lyre and Raldeg dragged a crying and screaming Luke and Leia back to their room, outside the door was Lord Vader.

"You need to be firmer, Raldeg," the Sith Lord said. "This is your last warning."

Raldeg cursed in several languages as he put the twins back in bed and locked the door behind him. He then heard a timid knock, reluctantly he opened it.

"Raldeg," said Leia in a small voice. "I need to use the 'fresher."

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Vader was extremely pleased with himself, Luke and Leia sat in the speeder behind him and didn't squirm, fidget or ask to go to the 'fresher. Leia was in a red embroidered gown and her hair in two braids while Luke wore a black tunic with matching trousers and boots. His hair was cut shorter, much to his protests but Vader didn't want his son looking scruffy in front of the Emperor. Though Vader tried not to think of all the promises he's made to get the twins docile.

He tried not to look at Leia much, she looked too much like Padmé and Vader tried not to think about Padmé much. It wasn't good for him to anyway, opened up too many emotions that he'd rather suppress.

"Get out," he instructed the children when the speeder stopped outside the Emperor's reception room. "Follow me, keep up, and don't dawdle." The red guards opened the door for them and one followed him up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs on an over-sized throne before a large hexagonal window sat Emperor Palpatine. Vader bowed low to his master and instructed the twins to do the same. They obeyed but by their wide eyes and forced smiles they looked like they wanted to run away.

"First we have important business," Palpatine said, he waved his hands and a girl about a year younger than Luke and Leia appeared. She wore clothes similar to Luke and her red hair was pulled back from her face. "Take them away while we talk, Mara." He said and pressed a button on his throne.

Without a word Luke and Leia followed the red-haired girl to a room off the throne room. Mara shut the door behind them, locked it and sat in the corner facing the wall.

"What's wrong?" Leia asked her.

"I had a nice thought," she told them. "I liked you, I have to be punished."

Leia looked at her brother who shrugged.

--------------------------------

In the garb of a diplomat Obi-Wan walked through the Imperial palace, accompanied by Threepio he was ignored by those he passed, and the Jedi tried to ignore the protocol droids inane chatter. He knew Senator Organa was following him, he had insisted that Kenobi use his official transport and the Jedi had conceded to a point. But he went off on his own to search for the twins, not risking anyone least of all Padmé.

He stopped and appeared to consult a datapad but he reached out with the Force to try and find the twins, this was risky but he knew there would be nothing about their arrival on any computer. Satisfied he walked up to the Emperor's reception room, paused outside to clarify and walked quickly way.

"Begging your pardon, sir," Threepio asked as they stood outside the palace. "What do we do now?"

"We wait, Threepio," Obi-Wan answered, trying to look inconspicuous as he stretched out with his senses.

"I'm not very patient, sir," Threepio replied.

"Try to be," the Jedi answered closing his eyes.

-----------------------------------

Vader was about to beat Palpatine again when something made him look up and towards the door. He tried the concentrate and isolate the sensation. Could it be him? Surely he must be dead. It was impossible.

"Is there something troubling you, Lord Vader?" Palpatine asked as Vader got out of his seat and walked towards the door. "Surely you can wait until you've had you move?"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi is here," Vader said. "Padmé sent him to get the twins, I am sure of it."

"See that he doesn't get in here," Palpatine said distractedly. "Check to see how they are and get back quickly, I want to get another game in before we talk."

Vader left the room and was back in a few minutes pushing the purple-garbed acolylte like a shopping trolley. Palpatine was just about to get into some sort of interrogation but he needn't have. Vader cleched his fist around the mans throat and held him up as far as his arm would let.

"What happened?" He thundered. "Where have they gone?"

"They took me by surprise, my lord," the man choked out. "I had turned my back for a minute and they broke the window and escaped."

"Why didn't you go after them?" Vader insisted.

"I'm....terrfied of heights my lord," the man stammered,. his face turning purple, and Vader would have thrown him across the room if Palpatine

"Put all sections on high alert," Palpatine ordered Vader. "See that Obi-Wan never meets them."

"Yes, my master," Vader said.

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Obi-Wan was walking very fast, something had happened and he had to get out quick. Then a group of security officers stopped him.

"Let me see your identification," one of them said.

Obi-Wan fumbled in his robes and pondered using the Force to talk his way through, but there al least half a dozen and he wasn't sure if he could affect them all. But something saved him, two somethings in fact. Two small, running five-year-old somethings.

"It's them," said one of the officers and Luke and Leia stopped suddenly as they raised their blaster pistols.

"Don't shoot us," Luke said in a frightened voice.

"We're only kids," Leia said, hiding behind her brother.

"We just want to go home," they chorused.

"We've got orders," said the security officer. "Sorry kids, you're going to have to come with me."

They started to cry and the officer hesitated. This was all the time needed for Leia to kick the man in the shins and for Luke to knee him in the groin. Doubled over in pain, the other security officers congregated around their leader as the twins ran off.

"Go after them you idiots!" The man said, holding back cries of pain.

The security officers raced after Luke and Leia and drew their blasters. In a blur of motion Obi-Wan was between them and the children, he drew his lightsaber and deflected the blaster bolts with it.

"WOW!" Chorused the twins and they stopped running to watch.

"Run towards the entrance," Obi-Wan told them. "Threepio is there." He used the Force to throw the guards back then raced after them.

"Are you a Jedi?" Luke asked Obi-Wan as they ran.

"I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I'm here to rescue you," he answered.

"You're who?" the twins chorused.

"Yes, I am a Jedi," Kenobi said.

"Wow, that's so astral!" Luke said and he looked over his shoulder and winked at Obi-Wan.

"I can explain everything later," Obi-Wan said. "Right now I have to get you safe, your mother sent me to rescue you."

"Is she angry?" Leia asked.

"Well..." the Jedi paused, Padmé had looked a lot of emotions since the twins had gone missing and angry wasn't one of them. "She was worried, especially after she heard about the bounty hunter."

Threepio was waiting for them with an airspeeder, but as Obi-Wan was helping Leia get inside a dark shadow emerged from the Imperial Palace. Obi-Wan looked up, then wished he didn't.

"So..." Vader looked at Obi-Wan, at the speeder, Threepio and then back to Obi-Wan.

"I am taking the children out of here," Obi-Wan said after seeing they were safe in the speeder. "I'm not going to let you have them."

"Your wrong," Vader said. "Only one of us is going to walk away from here and it better not be me. Wait," he pasued for a moment. "That came out wrong. Enough talk." He ignited his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan looked back, Luke and Leia were plastered against the window in awe. He sighed and got out his weapon.

Obi-Wan stood still, eyeing the dark lord, his lightsaber in a classic defensive position. Vader cricled menacingly, making several times as if to strike but feinting that the last moment. This continued for several minutes.

Then at once both of them raised their weapons to strike, the blades colliding and crckling with the intesity of the pressure. Through the Force Obi-Wan could feel Vader's hatred. It was overpowering, so much so that the Jedi raised the defences on his mind. As he did this he stepped back, turning in a circle and holding his lightsaber to the blade protruded in front of him.

"That's not going to work," he said shortly.

Vader slashed savagely. Strong, fast stokes that had Obi-Wan on the defensive, side stepping the powerful blows until he was almost on the edge of the ledge. Vader lunged again and Obi-Wan almost lost his balance. To his surprise Vader pulled him back.

"Not that way," Vader said.

Obi-Wan didn't answer, he turned his head and looked back at the speeder. Luke and Leia were against the back window, they smiled and waved reassuringly and the Jedi felt a lump falling into his throat. He couldn't fail them, that much he knew, but he was completely defensles as Vader was right up against him blocking any move he could make.

"Now..." Vader started to raise his weapon, and to do that he had to step back.

But Obi-Wan smiled. He brought his knee up with the speed of a military class hyperdrive into Darth Vader's black armour. To his surprise Vader staggered back, doubling over in pain. Perhaps he is not all machine, Obi-Wan mused as he jumoed into the speeder.

As much as he hated flying he pushed the vehicle up to its maximum speed once he made sure Luke and Leia were strapped securely.

"WOW" Luke said, his eyes were shining with swe and admiration. "Can you show me how to do that?"

"Umm, okay," Obi-Wan had a million things on his mind at once, negotiating Coruscant traffic, holding down his breakfast and checking the mirrors for a possible pursuit. "Don't do what I did though, it's dirty and unfair."

"What's unfair?" Leia asked.

"Don't worry, I'll explain later," the Jedi reassured and there was silence.

"I'm tired," Luke announced and he closed his eyes and slumped in his seat.

"I'm tired too," Leia said and she leaned against her brother.

Obi-Wan smiled as he took the 'speeder through Coruscant, perhaps there were, as Padmé had said, things in life that he had yet to experience.

-------------------------------

"So Obi-Wan managed to best you?" Palpatine asked.

"Yes, my Masterm" Vader replied glumly.

"May I ask how, Lord Vader?" Palpatine asked

"I'd rather not say, my Master," Vader replied.

Palpatine paused, and if the Sith Lord felt any fear from his master's hesitation he didn't show it in his actions. He waited until finally Palpatine clasped his hands and looked at Vader.

"You said you wouldn't be long," Palpatine said reproachfully. "It's still your move."

------------------------------

"Mr Jedi," Leia said timidly to Obi-Wan once they were safely in hyperspace. "Darth Vader said he was our father, is that true?"

This subject was the last one that Obi-Wan wanted to talk about, but when he looked at Luke and Leia's collective pleading stares he gave in.

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied and he watched their expressions sadden. "Listen, what happened to your father was my fault. Your mother told you your father was a Jedi, didn't she?"

"Yes," they chorused.

"That's true, from a certain point of view," he told them. "Just before you were born something happened to your father, he...went bad, I can't really explain it. But he loved your mother, and he was looking forward to when you would be born, though Leia was a bit of a surprise."

"I was a surprise?" Leia asked.

"Nobody really knew until you would be born that there would be two of you," Obi-Wan said, he was smiling now. "Your father was a great friend of mine, you remind me of him Luke."

"What about me?" Leia demanded.

"Take a good look at your mother," Obi-Wan said. "And speaking of her you two have a lot of explaining to do when you get back home."

FINIS!