- - - Chapter Ten: The Father - - -

The room was thick with smoke as the men around the room puffed on their pipes. There was a steady murmur of voices as they talked. One man stood alone by the windows. His arms were clasped behind his back. He was looking at the small park across the street.

"Lord Skywalker?"

The man at the window turned. His blue eyes at once settled on the young man who had walked up to him.

"I thought about your proposal," the man, barely out of boyhood, said. "I agree to endorse your company as it expands to America."

Lord Skywalker gave a small smile and nodded his head. He held out his hand, and the young man eagerly took and shook it vigorously.

"I shall have the papers drawn up," Skywalker said.

"Thank you."

Skywalker nodded his head and started to walk towards the exit. The young man fell in step behind him. Davidson was his name, Lord Skywalker who was also known as Darth Vader, remembered.

"I am very excited to see where this will go," Davidson said. "When you first approached me, I was a bit apprehensive. My father even warned me away from you. But . . . After you took over the Naberrie estate and fortune, you have done amazingly well. Even my father grudgingly agrees, though he still believes in those old rumors."

Vader nodded his head. Yes, he was aware of the rumors surrounding him. After the marchioness disappeared for several months, all a sudden some man with a baby popped up claiming to be her husband and child. Meanwhile, the marchioness was oddly absent. If it weren't for Duke Palpatine's very vocal support, it was doubtful Vader would have gotten far in the world of English nobility.

Vader and Davidson had made it to the door. They shook hands again, and Vader went downstairs and out in the bright sunlight. It was shortly past noon and it was a beautiful day. It was a rarity as the past few weeks had been overcast with grey clouds and rain. The sun was shining warmly, and many people were outside enjoying the weather.

Vader walked across the street to the small park. His eyes scanned the paved paths.

"Lord Skywalker"

Vader bit back a groan. He stopped to see a group of men walking towards them. They were all dressed in fine black suits and top hats. A few carried canes.

"We were just talking about you and new your new business venture," one man said.

"I've found great success with business in the American markets," another man said. "I am sure you and Duke Palpatine will meet with the same success."

"Thank you," Vader said.

"How is his grace doing?" a third man asked taking a step closer. "Is his illness improving?"

Everyone had heard of the duke's strange disease that kept him confined to his home.

"He is doing well. He is in overall good health," Skywalker replied. "But the doctors recommend he stay indoors."

The men nodded. One leaned into another an whispered, "At the opera last night, I overheard Baron Ozzel had met with the duke. Said he looked dreadful. His skin was like molten wax."

Skywalker ignored the comment. He returned to examining the park when he heard little steps running up to him.

"Papa!" cried a little voice.

A large smile instantly spread across Vader's face as he turned around to see a small blonde-headed boy running up to him with his arms wide open. He was dressed in shorts and a jacket. He did a little hop as he reached Vader then wrapped his arms around Vader's legs.

"Hello, Luke," Vader said to his son. He put a gloved hand on top of his son's soft blond hair.

The group of men passed by the father and son. A few gave the boy a scornful look. One or two even dared to give Vader a displeased look. Only one of the men smile and nodded at the boy. Vader took note of their reactions, but he knew the rumors circulating about him. About how Marquess Skywalker brought his son around with him. Why didn't he employ a nanny and governess for such things?

He did have them, or well Padmé's maids took on the roles as needed. But he had never shied away from raising his son. He had been there for it all. From late-night feedings, messy diaper changes, the tantrums, the vomiting, and runny noses to the hugs and kisses and giggles and 'I love you's.' Vader wanted to be a part of his son's life. He didn't want to designate that to someone else while he continued on with his own life.

Luke was his life.

Luke and Padmé.

His heart squeezed in pain as he thought of his wife. The wife he had been unable to find. No matter how hard and far he looked, he couldn't find her. He had read through every record and book detailing the Order's breeding program. He had personally interrogated so many different Jedi. He felt like he knew the program as well as the Jedi masters who ran it, but none of it had lead to finding Padmé. But he hadn't given up. He would find her. And when he finally returned her home, finally reunited mother and son, she would be so proud of her little boy. Vader would be able to tell her about everything she missed. He was experiencing everything about parenthood for both of them.

"Come along, Luke," Vader said as he took his son's hand and they headed down the path. "Did you have fun in the park?"

"Yes!" Luke said excitedly. "I saw flowers!"

"Oh?"

"Red ones!"

Vader laughed. "Was that all?"

"And white ones! And . . . and . . . pink ones!" Luke said. "But I didn't see any ducks."

"There's no pond in this park for the ducks," Vader said.

"There should be a pond," Luke grumbled. But then his face lit up. "I also saw a puppy!"

Vader couldn't help but stiffen. He knew where this was going.

"Papa," Luke said. His eyes were so big and large and blue. "Papa, can I have a puppy?"

Vader sighed. "No," he said. "No dogs. No cats. No birds."

"Awww," Luke said.

This was not a new conversation. Luke loved animals and really wanted a pet, but Vader was not keen on having one. Vader led his small son to a nearby waiting carriage. He picked up the little boy as he stepped inside. He set Luke on his lap as the coachman closed the door and the carriage lurched forward.

"When I'm older can I have a puppy?" Luke asked.

Vader sighed again. "I will consider it."

"Yipee!"

Vader couldn't help but smile. Luke always brought warmth and happiness to Vader. The carriage rolled to a stop. Luke slipped out of Vader's lap and bounced to the door. The coachman opened the door and Luke hesitated. He looked over his shoulder with a small frown.

"Go on," Vader said gently pushing against Luke's back.

Luke took the coachman's hand and jumped out of the carriage. Vader followed behind his son. Once out, Luke quickly leaned against his father's leg and looked up at him with a large frown.

"Luke," Vader said softly. "Do not let his grace see that expression on your face." The little boy looked at the ground. He did not like Duke Palpatine. He said he looked and smelled bad. "Let's go."

The two walked up to the large house. A servant opened the door.

"Welcome Marquess Skywalker," the servant said with a small bow. "And welcome Master Luke."

"Th- thank you," Luke replied shyly.

Vader sighed. Luke didn't need to speak back to the serving class, but he didn't want to chastise the boy publicly.

"His grace is waiting for you in the back parlor room," the servant said taking Vader's hat.

Vader and Luke walked through the house to a room in the back. Large windows overlooked the garden, or would if there weren't heavy curtains drawn completely blocking all sunlight. It wouldn't kill Palpatine outright, but it would hurt him after a while.

"Ah Anakin! And young Luke! Welcome!" Sidious said putting on his act of the kindly old duke.

Vader bowed. "Your grace," he said.

Luke bowed as well. "Your grace," he said in a small voice.

"Come, come," Sidious said waving a hand. "Let me get a good look at you, boy."

Luke looked up at his father, and Vader nodded. Slowly, a bit reluctantly, Luke walked over to Sidious. The fight against Mace Windu had left Sidious permanently scarred. His face did indeed look like melted candle wax. It was white and drooped heavily in places. Luke stopped right in front of the duke, who put a bony hand on the little boy.

"Look how big you've gotten," Sidious said. "How old are you now?"

"Four," Luke said in a soft voice. He held out four fingers.

Sidious smiled. His teeth were yellow and crooked. He looked up at a maid. "Take young Luke to the kitchen and see if you can find him a treat."

The maid stepped forward silently, took Luke's hand, and led him out leaving Vader and Sidious alone. Vader took a seat opposite of Sidious.

"I feel your mood from here," Sidious said. "Those fools didn't agree?"

"Half of them did," Vader said. "Another quarter are still deciding, while the last quarter has declined."

Sidious narrowed his eyes. "You know what you must do," he hissed.

Vader nodded. He would command them to agree using his powers as a Sith. He already had tasted each of their blood. He had gotten quite good at discreetly getting samples of blood over the years.

"Now then, let's talk about America," Sidious said as he leaned back in his plush chair. He grabbed a wine glass from a table sitting next to his chair and took a long sip of the dark red liquid. Most likely it was a mix of wine and blood. "Tarkin has been busy preparing for your arrival. He's been arranging meetings with the best businessmen: John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, John Spreckels, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Andrew Carnegie if he can commit to a time and date. These men are very powerful and rich. They are essential to our Shadow Empire."

To your empire, Vader commented to himself.

Sidious rambled on, "With their connections, you could secure more and more blood samples. Perhaps even get an invite to the White House. America has so much fertile land, unlike Russia . . ."

Vader stopped paying attention. He had grown tired of Sidious' greedy fantasy ramblings. He had to sit through them every time he visited the old man.

"You seem uninterested, Anakin," Sidious said. His eyes narrowed.

Vader stiffened. It was an insult to call him Anakin when the two were alone. Sidious smiled and casually waved his hand as if dismissing the comment.

"I know what ails you," Sidious said taking another sip of his drink. "What has always ailed you," he sneered this time. "Your thoughts are on your wife."

"It's been four years," Vader said bitterly. "I've tracked down every lead. Hunted every surviving member of the Order I can find, and I've found nothing on Padmé. I refuse to believe she's dead. I know she's alive and those damned Jedi have her."

Sidious nodded his head knowingly. "I know it pains you, my boy. But my intel has reported a large group of Jedi gathering in America, especially out in the western part where there isn't as much law. This is why you need to go to America. Expand our Empire, hunt down the Jedi, and find your wife."

Vader looked uncomfortably away. He didn't want to go to America. He personally didn't believe Padmé was there despite Sidious' constant reassuring in intelligence reports, Vader had never seen these reports first hand. It only came from Sidious' mouth. Vader's own intelligence hinted nothing that Padmé had been taken to America.

But where else was there to look? He had scoured all of Britain personally in a bloody path of revenge against the Order. Most of Europe had been looked over as well. He had sent agents to the Chinese and Russian Empire. Still nothing. But even then there were still a lot of places he hadn't looked including America.

"I've already prepared everything," Sidious said. "In a month the SS Adriatic will leave from Liverpool to New York. I have booked a first-class cabin for you. Tarkin will meet you in New York where he has made all the arrangements-"

Vader heard giggling and running in the garden. He stood up and walked over the large windows. He carefully pulled a curtain to the side, careful that none of the sunlight should hit Sidious. It was only open a small sliver, but it was enough to see a small blonde-hair boy rush by.

"Are you paying attention?" Sidious snapped.

"Yes, my master," came Vader's automatic response as he let the curtain fall shut.

"You are far too distracted," Sidious said. "Perhaps you should look over the list of boarding schools I sent to you. Luke would be well taken care of-"

"No," Vader barked. "No. Luke stays with me."

"Surely you don't mean to bring the boy with you to America?"

"Yes. If I go, he goes."

"My boy, be sensible. If you do not wish to board Luke, he can stay here. I can bring on new staff that will care for him."

"No," Vader said again. "I am not leaving my son behind."

Sidious sighed and took another sip of his drink. This was not a new argument for them. Sidious disliked how attached Vader was to his son. Everyone seemed to think that. Damn them, Vader hissed to himself. He didn't care.

A child's scream came from outside. Vader wasted no time barreling out of the room, into the hall, and out into the garden. Luke was over by some decorative rocks, sitting in the grass, sobbing loudly with two maids hovering around him. Vader rushed over, and as soon as Luke saw him he put his little hands into the air.

"Papa! Papa!" the boy cried.

Vader kneeled beside his son. Luke must have been playing on the rocks and slipped. The pant leg on one of his knees was ripped open showing a large bloodied scrape.

"I can handle this," Vader said to the maids. "Leave."

They were smart enough to follow his orders. Luke's crying had calmed now that his father was here. Vader smiled and put a gloved hand on Luke's head.

"Luke, it's ok," Vader said softly.

Luke hiccuped and looked at his father with large watery blue eyes. Vader wiped the blood with his sleeves completely ruining his coat. The smell of blood was heavy in the air. His fangs were slowly but steadily growing longer. With most of the blood cleaned up, he slipped his normal flesh hand out of its glove. Then he wiped some blood up. Luke watched as Vader stuck his bloodied fingers into his mouth.

Oh, it tasted so good. His fangs were at their full length. He was so tempted to let himself go and to enjoy this feast right in front of him . . . There was a small sob followed by a whimper. What was he thinking? He would never hurt his son. Never. He pushed his hunger to the side and closed his eyes. He focused on the fresh blood and the renewed connection it created between him and Luke.

Over the past four years, Vader had vastly improved his skills. Most of it was at the urging of Sidious and his many years, possibly centuries, of reading old manuscripts and tomes about the Sith and their powers. Not all Sith seemed to share the same abilities, but Sidious was very interested to learn which ones Vader did have. This was especially so with healing.

Vader could heal, but only in small amounts such as healing a cut on his son's leg. It was simple to push beyond the conscious mind into the very core of the body. - Heal, - he commanded the broken skin and blood. Slowly, the cut stopped bleeding, the red started to fade as the skin started to grow back together, and eventually, the cut was completely gone.

However, Vader couldn't do much beyond a healing a simple cut or mild illness, much to Sidious' annoyance. Vader knew what Sidious was really after. He wanted to be cured of his deformities.

Luke looked at his knee.

"See?" Vader said. "All better."

There was still a bloodied rip in the pant leg. Luke held out his arms, Vader picked him up, and Luke cuddled closer to his father.

"Sleepy?" Vader whispered into Luke's downy hair. Luke only nodded. He would be getting tired. The connection and command consumed Vader's energy, but the healing was all done on Luke's part. It had left Luke very tired, and the little boy was asleep in Vader's arms by the time they made it back to the parlor room.

Sidious looked annoyed. "Crisis averted I see," he said drily. "Have you ever considered commanding the boy to behave better?"

Vader only glared at Sidious. He had never told him the truth about Luke. Vader couldn't command his son. At least he couldn't command his will. Healing was a different matter. It didn't fight against the conscious mind. And Luke's mind was one that no matter what Vader tried, he couldn't control. Perhaps it was because Luke was his son and thus shared the same blood as Vader.

It would have made things so much easier to be able to command his little son to do things. So many incidents could have been made shorter or not happened at all. When Luke was a toddler, he found a leaf while they were on a walk. He crushed the leaf in his palm and then proceeded to cry that it was squished. He fell to the ground and screamed and kicked for a good twenty minutes about the leaf.

Then there was another time Luke had run off at full speed and jumped into a lake. He didn't know how to swim and Vader had to jump after him. Vader swore he nearly died that day seeing his son go under the water. Luke later said he jumped into the lake to play with the ducks and fishies.

Yes, it would make Vader's life would much easier if Luke actually listened to him. But that was his business, not Sidoius'. And he was going to keep it that way, so he had never revealed to the old vampire that Vader wasn't capable of commanding Luke.

"Send word to Tarkin," Vader said in a low voice as not to wake up Luke, "to make sure he has made arrangements for my son."

"Very well," Sidious said. He waved his hand in dismissal. "Go."

Vader bobbed his head and left.

It was a tradition that after evening meal Vader and Luke would both sit in the drawing room together. They still lived in Padmé's house, and it was the same room that Vader and Padmé had shared many romantic rendezvous. The room was very similar to how Padmé had had it. There were only a few minor changes. Some furniture had been replaced due to age. More books had been added, but overall Vader still felt Padmé here. He loved spending time with Luke here.

Originally, Vader had wanted an after-meal activity that would be calming. Luke was such an energetic child. One of the maids had mentioned that she had heard that Lord Organa read the Bible to his family after dinner. Vader wasn't going to read from that. Instead, he just picked up one of Padmé's books. He wasn't sure how much Luke understood, especially when they first started.

Now Luke listened attentively as he sat in his father's lap with Vader holding the book in front of them. The book was about an explorer going deep into the wilds of Africa looking for lost ancient cities filled with riches. It was marketed as a nonfiction story, but Vader believed some parts had been embellished if not outright made up. In another life, he had been on missions to Africa a few times when hunting down vampires. Even more recently hunting down a Jedi and their padawans.

However, Luke loved the story. Vader thought it was due to all the animals and exciting adventures. He would snuggle close to his father and listen attentively. Occasionally he would ask for clarification on what a word meant.

Vader read aloud. "The native village, exactly resembling those of the Gaboon, was near the strip of fine white sand which forms the shore, and upon the sweet water channels which cut deep into the limestones. It was infested with rats, against whose depredations the mango trees must be protected with tin ruffs; there are six kinds of reptilia upon the island, including the common black snake and cobras, from six to seven feet long: these animals, aided by the dogs, which also persecute the iguanas, constantly plagued the village and their livestock."

"Are they going to get rid of all the snakes?" Luke asked as he wiggled in Vader's lap. "And save the village?"

"I don't know. We'll have to keep reading to find out," Vader said warmly. He left a small kiss on Luke's head as the boy settled back down. "Entering from the west-"

A loud knock stopped Vader. It was coming from the front door on the ground level just below them. Luke looked at his father. Vader clenched his teeth. Who was visiting him at this hour? He was not to be disturbed. He heard the door opening and the sound of voices carrying up the stairs.

"Papa? Who's that?" Luke asked.

Vader sighed as he gently moved Luke on to the couch. "Wait here," he said. As he entered the hallway, his face fell into a scowl. Whoever it was who decided to call upon him, had yet to be shooed away by the house staff. He met one of the maids on the stairway.

"My lord," she said. "You have a visitor. A-"

"Send him away," Vader barked. "I am not receiving visitors at this hour."

"I know that, but he is quite insistent to speak with you."

Vader stormed past her and marched down the ground floor hallway. A man in a long gray coat, clutching his hat, stood by the still-open doorway. Upon seeing Vader, his eyebrows shot up.

"Lord Skywalker! Forgive me for this intrusion! But I must speak with you at once," the man said.

Vader noted he was clutching his hat tightly. So the man was at least smart enough to fear Vader, but was able to keep his voice calm and even when addressing him. Vader jerked his head sharply to the front parlor room that stood directly next to the main entrance. The man followed Vader inside. One of the servants wisely closed the door to give the two privacy.

"Speak," Vader demanded. His hand slid into his pocket where he felt one of the thin long needles he always carried. He was always ready to draw and taste a bit of blood if needed.

"My name is Firmus Piett, my lord," the man said. "I work for Baron Ozzel, who is . . . who is . . ."

"A vampire," Vader finished.

Piett nodded. "Yes, sir. I uh . . . please, sir, with what I'm about to tell you, I must ask for protection against the baron and . . . others I may anger in telling you this."

"Others? That depends on the worth of what it is you have to tell me. I will not aid you in escaping from petty squabbles that do not concern me."

"Ah. Yes. Understandable. But this does concern you." Piett had said it with such confidence, such conviction. He truly believed this matter was important to Vader.

Interesting.

Vader nodded his head for Piett to continue.

Piett took a deep breath before speaking again. "Then I will get straight to the heart of the matter. Lord Ozzel has been tasked by a vampire called Darth Sidious in the confinement of a vampiress by the name of Lady Amidala."

Vader wasn't even looking at Piett. He had been looking at the hands on a clock. He was aware of each second he was away from Luke. When Piett mentioned Padmé's name, everything froze. The ticking and movement of the clock hands. Vader's breathing. His own heart. For an indescribable moment, everything was still.

It all came rushing back to him. The clock jumped to catch back up with the real time. Piett shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other as he waited for Vader's response. Vader turned and faced him. He closed the distance between them and raised a hand and pointed a finger at him.

"Lady Amidala?" Vader growled. "Are you certain?"

Piett raised his chin. "I am, sir," he said. "Or at the very least, that is what Lord Ozzel and Darth Sidious call her."

"Have you . . . have you seen her?"

"Yes. A lovely woman. Petite with brown curls and brown eyes."

It sounded like Padmé, but it sounded like a lot of other women as well.

"And why would she be confined by Ozzel?" Vader asked. "She was taken by the Jedi!"

"His lordship recently . . . had a bit too much liquor. His tongue was, shall we say, too loose? In this state, he revealed to me that Lady Amidala had been captured by the Jedi during a raid on Darth Sidious' coven. During the attack of the Jedi Temple, vampires loyal to Sidious found her and secreted her out of the temple. Lord Ozzel was then tasked with her imprisonment."

Vader turned sharply on his heels and marched over to the window. Was Piett telling the truth? Had Sidious . . . had Sidious always known where Padmé was these four years?

"Where?" Vader asked still looking out of the window.

"It's very remote, sir. A wasteland known as Tatooine."

Vader couldn't stop the sharp intake of breath. That was too coincidental. He turned around and walked back over to Piett.

"Hold out your hand," Vader said.

Piett looked confused, so Vader repeated his request. Slowly, Piett raised his hand up. Vader grabbed it and with a well-practiced movement, he withdrew the needle from his pocket, struck Piett's hand, and then slid the needle into his mouth. Piett let out a small yelp and snatched his hand back. Confusion was clear on his face.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"I need to know if you are telling me the truth," Vader said. "Now then, - tell me the truth about Lady Amidala. -"