Force of Destiny
Summary:
An accident reveals an old deception, and Darth Vader
must make a decision that will change not only his life.
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Chapter 18
Contact
The Death Star floated serenely in space, its finished half softly illuminated by the light reflected from the lush green moon of Endor. The unfinished half was jagged metal and open cavities yawning in the endless night of space.
Although unfinished, the space station was far from defenseless. An invisible deflector shield stretched from the moon it orbited, wrapping itself around the Death Star, protecting the station from anything that might attack it before it was completed.
Yet no-one aboard the station felt secure today, for the Emperor himself was on his way to inspect his newest weapon.
The Emperor's personal shuttle was rapidly approaching the Death Star's main hangar bay. Petty Officers hurried to confirm the security code before deactivating the deflector shield, lest the Emperor's shuttle be caught in its web, while an honor guard of officers and troops gathered in the hangar.
Moff Jerjerrod was at the center of the honor guard, nervously awaiting his Majesty. There was no question as to why the Emperor was coming here. Completion of the Death Star had fallen behind schedule. Jerjerrod had been facing all kinds of problems during the past months. There had been delays in delivery of crucial parts, and poor quality of materials. Accidents had cost several lives and put work behind schedule even more.
And now the Emperor was coming to put them back on schedule. The Commander wondered why his Majesty undertook the task himself. There were several in his court who had the knowledge and authority. Personally, Jerjerrod would have preferred any of them over Palpatine himself, even the dreaded Lord Darth Vader.
The shuttle set down smoothly, and Jerjerrod remembered to drop down on one knee to greet his Emperor.
Preceded by his red robed guards, the shriveled form of Palpatine disembarked from the shuttle. Jerjerrod carefully kept his gaze cast downward until spoken to.
"Rise, Commander", the Emperor ordered. "We are most displeased with your apparent lack of progress."
"I beg your forgiveness, your Majesty, but I need more men." Jerjerrod's voice was coarse with fear. He cleared his throat and continued: "We are doing the best we can, but there are only so many hours in the day..."
"Then I suggest you use them, Commander." The Emperor's voice lashed out like a whip. "This station must be operational as planned." Palpatine paused, for the first time looking directly at the tall, thin man in front of him. "We can soon expect an attack by the Rebel Alliance on this facility, Commander. You better have it fully operational by then."
Jerjerrod gulped. "We shall double our efforts", he hurried to assure his Emperor.
"I hope so, Commander. For your sake."
-----
"And you really expect me to believe this?" Han Solo asked incredulously when Anakin had finished his tale. "Let me give you some advice: Don't start a career as a holo drama writer."
"Damn you, Solo!" Anakin growled. "I did not make this up." He grabbed Han's hand and pressed it to his face. "Did you think I was wearing that mask for fun?"
Han Solo grew quiet as the implications of what Anakin had told him sank in. Damn, he was used to hating Darth Vader. And now he was sitting in the same cell with him, and Vader – Vader! – had been spilling his guts for the past hours, telling him the story of his life. Not all of it, obviously, but enough to make the Correllian understand. Han tried to hold on to his hatred, but found it slowly slipping away, being replaced by... what? Pity? Anakin would not want pity. Compassion? That sounded better. Compassion was acceptable. Han found he also felt a grudging admiration for the Sith. If only half of Anakin's tale was true, the man had been through hell and back.
"Alright, let's say I believe you", he finally allowed. "What do you want with me, then? We're not exactly best buddies."
"I am responsible for your predicament, Solo."
"So what? Are you trying to make amends? Well, I'm honored to be the first on your list, but excuse me If I don't believe that's all there is to it."
Anakin sighed. "You are correct", he admitted. "I do have an ulterior motive." "And that would be?" Solo prompted when Anakin did not continue, not really expecting him to answer the question.
"I wish to join the Alliance. I was hoping that rescuing you would open a door for me."
"Oh, wonderful", Solo commented. "Now I'm a bargaining chip."
"More like a peace offering", Anakin corrected, a bit lamely.
"Yeah", Solo sighed, and changed the subject. "Think we can leave this dump now?"
"No." Anakin slowly shook his head. He had a strong feeling that the time was not right yet. "They are still too alert, and your eyesight could be better. I suggest you get some rest while I meditate."
"Oh, sure", Han mumbled. "As if I could sleep with you in the same room."
Anakin chuckled. "I assure you, Captain, my intentions toward you do not go beyond rescuing you from Jabba and bringing you back to your friends." He smiled evilly before dropping the other shoe. "Besides, your princess would neuter me if I tried anything funny."
It was quite satisfying to see Solo's eyes widen. "Glad we understand each other", the Correllian croaked and settled down on the floor, as far away from the Sith as he could. There was no way he was going to be able to sleep now.
Anakin relaxed his mind and body. Although he was getting tired, he, too, was not going to sleep. He needed to meditate, to let his mind be receptive to the ebb and flow of thought around them, to tell when it was safe for them to leave. He closed his eyes, stretching out with his feelings, allowing his mind to flow through the palace. He gently touched an alien consciousness here, a dream there, until he suddenly encountered another searching mind. His eyes snapped open.
"Luke!" he gasped.
Solo was on his feet the next moment. "Luke? Where?" he demanded.
Anakin shot the Correllian an irritated glance.
"Not here. I felt him through the Force", was his tight reply.
"Oh. Well, can you talk to him?"
"I might be able to communicate, if you can keep your mouth shut long enough", Anakin snapped, and silently added: And if Luke will allow the contact.
"Alright, alright. Just tell him to stay the hell out of here, okay? We don't need to have to rescue the kid as well."
Anakin rolled his eyes. "Don't you trust my son's abilities?" he asked.
"Listen, your Lordship, I like Luke. I like him a lot. He's my friend. But he has this tendency to rush in head first and think about getting out of the detention area again later. Speaking of which... you're starting to remind me a lot of him."
Anakin did not answer, but reached out again, and was pleasantly surprised to find Luke's presence eagerly waiting for the contact.
Father...
Son...
A wealth of emotion passed between them. Anakin could clearly feel his son's desperate longing for a father, any father, and felt ashamed.
I should have been there for you... I'm sorry, son.
You didn't know.
He could feel Luke's calm acceptance of the past, of him, even of what he had been, and it was a like a soothing balm for his soul.
Where are you, father?
Sharing a cell with your friend Solo in Jabba's palace. We'll break out as soon as things are calm enough around here.
Anakin could sense a wave of pride coming from Luke. Pride in him.
I sensed your distress, father. I knew you would come back. How is Han?
Anakin's response was tinged with guilt. At laying his problems on Luke, and at having caused Solo's condition. At the time, Solo had just been a means to an end. Now Anakin realized his cruelty, not only to Solo himself, but to his friends as well. To Luke.
Suffering from hibernation sickness. He's temporarily blind, but he'll recover. Quite a character, your friend. He says to tell you to stay the hell out of here.
A low chuckle was Luke's answer to that. And not give Jabba the opportunity to get himself killed?
You have a plan? Anakin thought back. Getting Solo out alive was his priority, but putting an end to that slime Jabba would be much more satisfying.
I do. Stay put, we are coming for you.
The contact ended as suddenly as it had begun, and for a moment, Anakin felt very alone. He took solace in the knowledge that it would not be for long. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he leaned his head back against the cold stone wall.
"What did he say?" Solo demanded.
"They're coming for us. We're to stay put." Anakin tried to keep his voice steady. His son accepted him. It felt good. It felt like... like coming home! He stretched out on the floor and was sound asleep moments later.
"Wonderful", Han grumbled when he heard the first soft snores emanate from Anakin. "Not only am I stuck in Jabba's palace with Darth Vader, who turns out to be my friend's dad, who, by the way, is going to get us all killed any time now, no, to top it all off, the guy just has to snore!"
-----
Luke opened his eyes and allowed his senses to let the outside world in again, one by one. He had made progress with his meditations, but still needed to shut out distractions in order to meditate properly. Tonight, he had almost lost his concentration for the first time in months, but not because of outside distractions. He had prepared for the mind-to-mind contact with his father since he first sensed him approaching Tattooine, but what he felt from the elder Skywalker still left his mind reeling.
The barrage of emotions from his father was nearly overwhelming. A deep loneliness and fear of rejection were first, then shame at not being the kind of father Luke deserved, and, finally, unabashed joy when he sensed Luke's acceptance of him. It was too much to take in all at once, so Luke shoved the emotions to the back of his mind, intending to analyze and assimilate them all later. Right now, he needed to focus.
Untangling his limbs from the lotus position, he stood and stretched. Dawn was approaching fast. He would send Leia and Chewie in today.
-----
Tomas Piett smoothed down the front of his uniform jacket for what seemed the hundredth time as his shuttle made its final approach to Home One. He wished Veers was here. He wished Lord Vader was here. Damn, why was he so nervous? Things looked a lot better than when he resigned his commission.
Let's be honest, he thought. When you defected.
At least the Rebel Alliance was not shooting at him. Yet. But would they believe the evidence he brought? They had every reason not to trust a former Imperial officer.
The shuttle landed with barely a jolt. Piett got up, wiped sweaty palms on his trouser legs, and gathered up his reports and holo cubes.
-----
Several people were waiting for Piett outside the shuttle. An armed guard, naturally. A tall, stately woman with short red hair. Piett recognized her as Mon Mothma, elected leader of the Rebel Alliance. Next to her stood another familiar figure, General Crix Madine. He, too, was a former Imperial officer. Madine had defected when his assignments with Special Forces became too much even for him to stomach. At least that was what the rumors said. Standing on Mothma's other side was Admiral Ackbar. Of him, Piett knew very little, except that he had been Grand Moff Tarkin's slave before making a name for himself as one of the Alliance's best military leaders.
Piett covered the distance with quick strides, noticing Rebel pilots and technicians gather in small groups, watching him. Additional security, or lack of discipline? He could not tell. The Alliance certainly functioned differently from the Imperial military. For starters, all these men and women were volunteers. There were no conscripts in the Alliance. And while the Imperial military was made up almost exclusively of Human males, the Alliance seemed to have quite a share of females and non-Humans among their ranks. Piett briefly wondered how his crew would fit in with this motley group.
"Admiral Piett. It is a pleasure to meet you", Mon Mothma greeted him.
Piett bowed. "The pleasure is all mine, Madam." Turning to Ackbar, he added: "I was looking forward to finally meeting you in person, Admiral. I have been studying your tactics."
Ackbar inclined his head in acknowledgement. "I could say the same, Admiral. I believe we had the same teacher in Lord Vader."
Piett smiled. "Yes. I recognized the maneuver you adapted in the battle of Kintan from the reports. Lord Vader used a similar tactic several years ago."
"It's as well that neither he nor you commanded the Imperial forces that day. We would have been hard pressed against anyone who could surmise what we were planning."
"Admiral, a conference room on this level has been readied. If you would follow us, we can discuss your surrender in a less public setting", Madine interjected.
"I did not come to surrender, General", Piett corrected him, "but to offer my services and those of my ship and crew."
Before Madine could answer, Mothma laid a hand on his arm. "That is what we are going to discuss. And, of course, the current whereabouts of Lord Vader."
"Of course."
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