Sith Redemption

Star Wars V

The Prince's Revelation

ABY 3

Captain Needa's shuttle departed from his Star Destroyer and docked at the Executor. Needa walked on the Executor's bridge to apologize to Lord Vader. Anakin and Piett were at the sensor station still looking for the ship.

"Captain Needa," Anakin addressed not pleased.

"I apologize for loosing them. I take full responsibility," Needa said respectfully.

Anakin stared at his officer with sunken eyes. "Apology accepted Captain Needa," Anakin said. Needa sighed with relief. "When you make mistakes, tell me and redeem yourself," Anakin instructed the officers present. "Return to the Avenger and continue to scan for the Falcon," Anakin ordered.

"Yes my Lord," Needa said walking away.

"If the Falcon went in hyperspace it could be on the other side of the galaxy by now," Piett told Anakin.

"Alert all commands. Don't fail me again….Admiral," Anakin said walking off.

Luke concentrated using the Force to send several equipment boxes into the air. "Good," Yoda said as Luke manipulating the boxes.

"How does this help me," Luke said impatient.

"A dark past you have, be at peace," Yoda said.

Luke relaxed meditating. The equipment boxes rotated around him. Suddenly the boxes crumbled under extreme pressure as Luke force crushed them.

"Learn control," Yoda lectured.

Luke got up glaring at Yoda. "I sense something," he said taking his attention off his recent failure.

"The dark side of the Force, confront it you must," Yoda said.

Luke took his utility belt that included his light sabers. "Your weapons, you won't need them," Yoda said.

Luke ignored Yoda and went ahead into the swamp. Yoda shook his head at Luke's defiance.

Luke went inside a cave filled with snakes and other swamp like creatures. As he approached an opening he saw a dark figure approach him. "Stop right there," Luke said taking his light saber.

The figure continued to walk towards Luke taking his own light saber. Luke ignited his blue light saber to confront the figure. The dark figure ignited his own red light saber. Luke stared at the figure. A second Luke with a devilish grin on his face stared at him. "Time to end the struggle," the second Luke chuckled.

Luke frightened by the image saw his pale face, his red rimmed, and blood shot eyes. As the second Luke walked the roots and animal life suddenly died. "Who are you?" Luke asked.

"I'm you, your true self," the second Luke grinned.

Luke stared into the other Luke's eyes. The Death Star exploding Alderaan, the rebel fighters exploding over the surface of the Death Star, his ruthless slaying of Obiwan and Glen, the killing of Imperial officers and rebel prisoners flashed through his mind.

Luke fell to his knees clutching his head. "What am I?" Luke shouted as terrible images flashed through his mind.

"You are fulfilling your destiny," the second Luke said.

"No, you're not me," Luke said trying to shake the images out of his head.

"Do not reject yourself," the second Luke said.

"No!" Luke shouted taking his light saber. He clashed with the second Luke. "Yes, give into your hate, it's the only way to destroy me," the second Luke said. "I will kill you," Luke said determined whirling his light saber. The second Luke laughed and swung at Luke. Luke dodged the attack and sliced the second's Luke throat.

The second Luke clutched his neck. "I am still in you, I will be with you always," the second Luke croaked. He suddenly dissolved and went into Luke. Luke fell to the ground unable to move.

"The fleet is beginning to break up. Go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claw," Han ordered noticing the Star Destroyers move about. The Falcon was attached to the back of a Star Destroyer bridge.

"What did you have in mind for your next move?" Leia asked somewhat impressed that Han was able to pull off another escape.

"Well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to light-speed, then we just float away," Han said.

"With the rest of the garbage. Then what?" Leia asked.

"Then we've got to find a safe port somewhere around here. Got any ideas?" Han said open to suggestions.

"No. Where are we?" Leia wondered.

"The Anoat system," Han said checking his instruments.

"Anoat system. There's not much there," Leia considered.

"No. Well, wait. This is interesting. Lando," Han said starting to remember something important.

"Lando system?" Leia asked uncertain.

"Lando's not a system, he's a man. Lando Calrissian. He's a card player, gambler, and scoundrel. You'd like him," Han said.

"Thanks," Leia replied not appreciating the joke.

"Bespin. It's pretty far, but I think we can make it," Han said thinking.

"A mining colony?" Leia said after looking at the computer.

"Yeah, a Tibanna gas mine. Lando conned somebody out of it. We go back a long way, Lando and me," Han said remembering years past.

"Do you trust him?" Leia asked. She had concerns for anyone who would be Han's friend.

"No, but he has no love for the empire," Han replied. "It looks like our best bet," Han said.

The Falcon detached from the Star Destroyer and floated away with the garbage. The Falcon looked all too similar to the pieces of scrap the Star Destroyer dumped. Boba Fett observed carefully the Falcon as it floated away. Learning from his father's mistake with Obiwan he expected such a maneuver by Solo. Piloting his Slave I he followed after Solo.

Luke got back to his feet leaning on the walls of the cave as he made it back to Yoda's camp. He could barely concentrate, his demons attacking his senses. Yoda looked at Luke concerned.

"What have you done to me?" Luke gasped.

"Only what you have done to yourself," Yoda said as Luke stumbled nearer to him.

"Take the voices away," Luke demanded clutching his head.

"Listen to those you have killed, suffer you must," Yoda said.

"So many. Can't think," Luke said falling to the ground in pain.

"Relieve you I could, but you must forsake the dark side," Yoda said.

"Anything," Luke said in agony.

"Be at peace, calm your mind," Yoda instructed.

"I'll kill you Jedi," Luke glared at Yoda taking his pistol.

Yoda watched in amazement as Luke battled the dark side within him.

Luke let go of the pistol. "That's it, trust in the Force," Yoda said.

The Force energy around Luke began to gather at one source. Yoda watched stunned as the energy flowed through Luke. "I can see her," Luke said his eyes began to tear up.

"Calm your mind," Yoda soothed.

Luke saw his mother on Chandrila. Styke came from behind and sliced through her back. The vision faded from Luke's mind. "What have I done?" Luke cried out. The water in the swamp began to sway, the trees bended away from Luke, the ground shook.

Luke saw Padme come towards him walking past Yoda. Yoda watched in amazement as she appeared before him. "Luke, my son," she said warmly.

"Mother," Luke said trying to touch her.

"Leia is in great danger. I will show you the way," Padme said. Luke saw a vision of Cloud City on Bespin.

"Don't leave me," Luke said as she began to fade.

"I will always be with you," Padme said fading from his sight.

"Have the Executor go to Bespin, I don't want them to know we're coming," Anakin said upon receiving new information from Boba Fett.

"I will take a shuttle to Bespin with a small compliment of troops," Anakin informed Piett

"What would you have me do Lord?" Piett asked.

"Have your men disable the hyperdrive on the Millennium Falcon," Anakin ordered Piett

Anakin took an Imperial Shuttle to Cloud City. "Lord Vader requests the administrator's presence when he arrives," the pilots informed Cloud City officials.

Anakin walked onto the Cloud City landing pad, storm troopers emptied out the shuttle and formed lines around Anakin. Lando Calrissian with his security forces walked towards Anakin. "Lord Vader….this is unexpected," Lando said nervously.

"Consider yourself fortunate that I haven't made this operation imperial jurisdiction," Anakin reminded him.

"Of course, as you know all taxes from our private enterprises go to the Imperial treasury…" Lando began.

"That does not concern me. A ship is expected to arrive, I want them to be taken alive back to my ship," Anakin said.

"There are many ships in our hangers from people all over the galaxy," Lando said.

"I want the Millennium Falcon, I trust you can recognize it," Anakin cut him off.

"The Falcon, I lost that ship to…" Lando considered.

"Captain Han Solo, he is to be arrested along with the woman with him," Anakin said declining to state the identity of the woman.

Lando's face fell as he heard Han's name. "Han and I go way back….," Lando protested.

"Good, you will be able to gain his trust and deliver him to me. If you follow through your operations and everyone on the city will be untouched by the empire," Anakin told him.

"You mean, we would be completely independent of the empire," Lando said stunned.

"That is correct, fail me and I will implement new management. Do you understand?" Anakin asked.

"Completely," Lando said as Anakin stared at him.

"You have a chance to redeem yourself, do not hesitate," Anakin said walking into the city with his troops.

The Millennium Falcon was escorted by Cloud City security. After some misunderstanding the Falcon landed on the city. The city itself floated above the gas giant Bespin. Although a mining facility it was also a casino, hotel, entertainment center, and a refuge for those wanting to hide from the empire.

Han, Leia, Chewie, and C3PO walked out of the Falcon and waited for Lando to welcome them. Lando finally opened the door and walked towards Han.

"See? My friend," Han said to Leia. "Keep your eyes open, okay?" Han told Chewie.

Lando with some Bespin guards approached Han. "You've got a lot of guts coming here, after what you pulled," Lando said seriously.

"Me?" Han said innocently. Lando stared at Han threateningly but suddenly changed his tone.

"How you doing? So good to see you! I never thought I'd catch up with you again. Where you been?" Lando suddenly turned cheerfully embracing his old friend. Lobat turned back into the city with the other guards as Lando pushed a small button on his wrist. Han's arrival would be sent to Anakin who had taken residence in the city.

"Well, he seems very friendly," C3PO observed.

"Yeah…very friendly," Leia said warily.

"What are you doing here?" Lando asked.

"Ahh...repairs. I thought you could help me out," Han said hoping the trip wasn't for nothing.

"What have you done to my ship?" Lando asked with mocked seriousness.

"Your ship? Hey, I won her fair and square and you still owe me from that last shipment you tried to get through," Han said. Years ago Han allowed Lando to pass Imperial security for a percent of the valuable cargo Lando had onboard. With the cargo Lando was able to buy enough bets to make it possible to win Cloud City.

"Hello. What have we here? Welcome. I'm Lando Calrissian. I'm the administrator of this facility, and who might you be?" Lando asked not recognizing the woman he would later send to Anakin.

"Leia," Leia said not giving her last name.

"Welcome, Leia," Lando said cheerfully. He bowed before her and kissed her hand in respect. As he did he saw Leia's light saber attached to her belt.

"All right, all right, you old smoothie," Han jealousy split them up.

Han took Leia's hand as they walked toward the interior of the city. "What's wrong with the Falcon?" Lando asked.

"Hyperdrive," Han said.

"I'll have my best mechanics work on it right away," Lando said.

"You know, that ship saved my life quite a few times. She's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy," Lando said to Leia remembering his past adventures with the Falcon.

Inside the city the windows allowed Han and Leia to see elevators rise and fall, patrol ships fly by, and many well to do guests going about their business.

"How's the gas mine? Is it paying off for you?" Han asked.

"Oh, not as well as I'd like. We're a small outpost and not very self-sufficient. And I've had supply problems of every kind. I've had labor difficulties..." Lando began to explain.

Leia looked around feeling a sense of dread from the city. "What's so funny?" Lando asked Han as he caught him smiling.

"You. Listen to you -- you sound like a businessman, a responsible leader. Who'd have thought that, huh?" Han said.

"I guess I am responsible these days, it's the price one pays for being successful," Lando said reflecting.

As they walked they lost track of C3PO. Lando graciously gave Han, Chewie, and Leia elite rooms for them to stay until his mechanics were done working with the Falcon. Han relaxed, feeling for the first time in a long time some peace and comfort.

Author's Note: Many Imperial officers were resentful of the Jedi who at times would manipulate and report them. As a result some Imperial officers found it beneficial to learn to count cards or calculate math problems in their heads to fight off the Jedi mind read. One of which was captain Han Solo, this practice allowed him to beat Lando gaining him a unique freighter. The next chapter will conclude Star Wars V.