Chapter 4: Vader's Search and a Missing Child

Vader walked around his ship when the general came to him. "Lord Vader, we already searched through Naboo, Alderaan, and Coruscant, whatever you may be looking for isn't there," he informed. Vader sighed being very irritated.

"If they aren't there, where could they possibly be?" He thought to himself.

"My lord, may I please know what you are looking for? It would be easier to know what you are searching for," the general pointed out.

Vader spun around to look at the general. "That is none of your concern. The only thing you should know is that I am searching for a woman and a child. That is it," he snapped. The general bowed quickly before hurrying off. Vader looked out at the stars while thinking of Padmè and the thought of his child. He remembered that Padmè spoke about having children, but he never even thought about it actually happening. He thought about what his child looked like. A boy with his hair and his eyes or a beautiful girl with Padm's hair and eyes. Then he knew what he had to do to get Obi-Wan's attention, he felt a disturbance in the Force, a child, at first he thought it was his child, but this one wasn't as strong. His child would be very strong, he knew this very well. A former Jedi Knight, he could still tell when a newly Force sensitive child was born. He knew about Obi-Wan and Sab's secret marriage. Now that his former master had a child, he took it as an advantage.

"Lord Vader, the Emperor is trying to contact you," a commander informed.

Vader walked out of the room to speak to his master.

Darth Sidious came through a hologram projector and began to speak to his apprentice. "Lord Vader, I sense that you are on a mission that I haven't even assigned you on," he pointed out.

"My master, I have been searching for...Obi-Wan Kenobi's child," Vader assured.

"A child...a powerful one?"

"Very powerful. The child's parents are Obi-Wan Kenobi and my wife's old decoy, Sabè Maberrie. The girl may not be a Jedi, but she has very good fighting skills. I saw it when I was a boy. My master, I am asking to take the child and bring it to you. You can train him or her to be on our side, to defeat the rest of the rebels."

Sidious was thinking about it and nodded. "You are right, Lord Vader. Another child that is Force sensitive, a great tool against the rebels. Well done, Lord Vader. The next time we meet, hopefully you'll have the child with you," Sidious ordered.

"Yes, my master," Vader agreed.

He then stood up and left the room.

"Lord Vader, we have a reading of a child on Tatooine," a captain informed.

"Get a ship ready. I know where the child is," he ordered.

The captain nodded and then Vader took a ship down to Tatooine.

When he got off his ship, he made sure that it was far away so no one could spot him. He looked at the Lars' home on screen and watched as everyone was busy. He saw Padmè was working when two young children ran over to her. They looked like they were four or five. Padmè took the children into her arms and held the boy's hand while having the girl sit on her hip. "My children," he whispered surprised. His wife had given birth to twins. He had a mission and that was to take Obi-Wan's precious jewel. A little girl maybe around two or three ran over to Obi-Wan, who was working on a broken down droid. "Daddy," the girl giggled. Obi-Wan picked the girl up with a smile when Sabè walked over to him.

"There she is," he whispered.

The girl giggled as Obi-Wan tickled her. "The child that my master wants. She will be the perfect tool for my master," he whispered. He sat back and looked at Padmè as she played with the twins. "Another time, my love, we'll be together another time," he murmured.

That night, Vader got off his ship and since he knew where the sensors were, he was able to disconnect them before entering the farm. He used the Force to get Mara Jade into his arms. The child didn't wake when she entered his arms, she just continued on sleeping. "I am sorry, my old master," he whispered. Then he got into his ship and flew off into space.

The next morning, everyone was awake when Sabè screamed. Padmè jumped out of her bed and ran to see what was wrong.

Obi-Wan and Padmè both came to Mara Jade's room at the same time to see Sabè on the floor with a stuffed bantha and a blanket in her arms. "She was just here last night. I remember putting her into her bed. I wake up this morning and her bed is empty," she whispered. She looked at her husband and best friend with tears in her eyes. "Obi-Wan, someone stole our baby," she bawled. He went down on his knees and took her into his arms. "Someone took her, they took our baby," she cried into his shoulder. Obi-Wan looked at Padmè before trying to comfort his wife.

"How could someone have taken her? What about the sensors?" She asked.

Owen came into the room with a broken sensor in hand. "Someone broke our sensors to get in," he answered. Sabè cried even harder into her husband's robes.

"I know who did this," he mumbled.

Sabè looked at him with teary eyes. "Who did this, Obi-Wan, who took our daughter?" She asked.

"Vader," was his only answer.

Padmè collapsed to the floor. Beru hurried over and tried to comfort her. "No, no, he should've taken me instead. Why would he take an innocent child?" She questioned. Obi-Wan shook his head and sighed as he held his wife.

Vader came back to his base and heard a wail. "MOMMY, DADDY!" She screamed. Vader looked over to see the young child standing there. Mara gasped and ran into a corner to cower away from the man that kidnapped her. "Who are you?" She asked. Vader walked over and kneeled in front of the girl.

"Do not worry, young child, I'm going to take you to a better place," he replied.

"I want to go home," Mara whimpered.

"You'll go home soon, I promise," he vowed.

Mara stayed in her corner and then when they came to the ship, she was holding onto Vader's robes. He led her over to a room that was close to his. "You can stay here. What's your name?" He asked.

"Mara Jade Kenobi," she replied.

"Hi, Mara," he greeted.

He watched as she sat on her bed holding her doll and closed her door. "Keep an eye on her, I'm the only one who could enter this room," he ordered.

"Yes, milord," the guard agreed.

Then he went to the control room to see where they were heading.