Luke was taken with Mara Jade's beauty and her intelligence. Mara Jade's assignment was to protect Luke Skywalker and when the time was right to kidnap him from the Rebel Alliance. She noted that Luke had the same blue eyes that Lord Vader had that split second she saw them. Luke was only 5'-6", though he was short for a guy, he was not weak by any stretch of the imagination. They had many long conversations about the Empire and in particular the Emperor. Mara came up with the name farm boy after he told her about his life on Tatooine. Luke couldn't sense any deceit in Mara Jade, but knew that she was hiding a very important secret. It didn't help that Leia didn't like or trust Mara Jade, her past was just too convenient. She couldn't believe that Mara really supported the views of the Rebellion; Leia knew that she had a hidden agenda and so did Ascaron, but until she had proof she kept her mouth shut.
Mara was incredulous over the amount of anger and seemingly hatred that Luke had for Lord Vader, especially when all she had seen of the Dark Lord was a strange sense of compassion and honor. Not to say he was docile, he wasn't but he was lighter in his darkness than the pure black heart of the Emperor. Mara knew she couldn't defend Lord Vader or else her new rebel friends would banish her. She didn't want to report that she had failed to Lord Vader, he would be 'disappointed' and that was something she wanted to avoid at all possible costs.
xXx
Anne was meditating when she felt Lord Vader come into her bedroom; he sat across from her and joined her. In her visions she always saw him as fully human with long blond hair and bright blue eyes; he wore black of course and his long black glove. "I miss Ascaron and Mara, father."
"I know, young one. I'm sorry that I have been distant."
"Its okay, it's tough being the leader of the Imperial fleet."
"The only two officers I trust are Admiral Piett and General Veers."
"They are good men, father. I do not like Admiral Ozzel."
Lord Vader sighed, "Does anyone?"
"No. He brings the junior officers down with his inane orders; they hate it when he is on shift. Admiral Piett is the favorite as is General Veers amongst the men. They even rather have you on the bridge than Admiral Ozzel."
After meditating, Anne crawled into Lord Vader's lap, "I think he means to betray you father."
Lord Vader thought on that for a moment and knew almost instantly that her intuitive feelings were probably accurate. Anne not only had a special ability to heal physical ailments, and emotional turmoil, but also had an innate sense about people. She had already informed him that Admiral Piett and General Veers followed Lord Vader unswervingly, they weren't really interested in the Empire as a whole. They worked hard and went above the call of duty many times over the course of their careers and had even made hard choices, but Lord Vader wasn't really certain about the entire crew of the Executor. He knew who he could trust amongst his officers and leaders, but were the rest of the crew as loyal? Lord Vader's own 501st were very loyal to him, but were the rest? It was something that he needed to know. He decided to call an important meeting that evening after Anne had been put to bed.
Admiral Piett had just been relieved of his watch by Admiral Ozzel, "Any luck finding the rebels?"
"No, sir; we have probe droids scattered throughout the galaxy, it does take time."
"Lord Vader seems to be running low on patience, Admiral Piett. You better see to it first thing in the morning, I'd hate to lose you to another one of his tirades. He already took out Lt. Hoskins, for supposedly dereliction of duty or some such nonsense."
"Lt. Hoskins had probably shown up intoxicated again; we all know that Lord Vader has very little tolerance of such behavior, Admiral Ozzel."
"Yes, but why is this temperamental Sith Lord in charge of the entire fleet? It's not like he's ever fought in a war and we could all do without his managerial style."
"Admiral Ozzel, you are talking treason." Admiral Piett warned.
"Oh, yea? So who are you loyal to Admiral Piett, Lord Vader or the Emperor?"'
Admiral Piett looked Admiral Ozzel in the eye as he calmly stated, "You cannot have one without the other, Admiral." Admiral Piett saluted and left the bridge to go to his quarters. No sooner than he sat and took a sip of his Corellian Whisky did his commlink ring. "Admiral Piett, here."
"Come to my conference room, Admiral and bring General Veers with you."
"Yes, Milord."
Lord Vader signed off and sat at the head of the large black conference table. General Veers entered the room with Admiral Piett there was a large crystal decanter full of whisky with two crystal glasses.
"Have a seat." Lord Vader motioned with his hand.
While General Veers, Admiral Piett, and Lord Vader discussed their plans for the Rebellion; Admiral Kendall Ozzel received an important message from the Emperor to take the young girl Anne away from Lord Vader and send her back to him, without failure.
Once Lord Vader finished the meeting he had a true sense of his comrades and knew that he could trust them. Anne was sleeping when she saw a man enter her bedroom, she knew it wasn't Lord Vader as there was no respirator sounds or the heavy breathing that always accompanied him.
Anne sent out a cry in the Force that Lord Vader felt and ran down the corridor to Anne's private quarters to find Admiral Ozzel manhandling his daughter.
"Let her go, Ozzel."
"Lord Vader!" Ozzel was shocked as he was lifted in the air and felt his throat closing. Anne ran to Lord Vader despite feeling his cold presence and clung dearly to his leg.
"You have failed me for the last time, Admiral." Lord Vader crushed Ozzel's throat and the man was flung and crashed into the wall, dead.
Anne was too frightened to stay in her room as Lord Vader carried the child to his bedroom and lay her down on the black silk sheets.
"Father?"
"Yes, young one?"
"Admiral Ozzel was ordered by the Emperor to capture me. The Emperor wants me to return as his slave."
"I will not let that happen, young one. I promise."
"Yes I know; let me heal you, please. I love you and you can only protect me fully human."
"Sleep, little one; Do not concern yourself." Lord Vader implanted the strong Force suggestion and from the earlier trauma from nearly being kidnapped allowed her to go to sleep.
xXx
Yoda was meditating when Qui-Gon appeared to him, "Master Yoda."
"Qui-Gon, come to see me you have, more news have you?"
"Yes. Anakin's spirit is returning from the dark vestiges of Darth Vader; his daughter Anne is bringing about this change."
"Trust him you do?" Yoda asked doubting.
"I trust Anakin to do the right thing; his darkness is lifting."
"Doubt this I do, never heard of a Sith returning to the light."
"The only reason Anakin turned to the Dark Side was to protect his wife from death, he sacrificed the only thing he had left, his soul."
"Allowed to be a Jedi again, this I cannot allow, betrayed us all he has." Yoda staunchly replied.
"Master Yoda as much respect I have for you, this is not your decision."
"Nine hundred years old I am; seen much more than you ever had. Seen Republics fall, Sith Empires rise and fall. More knowledge I have on such matters."
"Yes and if we as Jedi have allowed change to take place within our ranks and had not remained arrogant, aloof, and unfeeling; Emperor Palpatine would have been crushed into dust by the Chosen One. Instead we remained stuck in our own complacency, while the Sith were changing and adapting, waiting patiently for the right set of circumstances to resume full control of the galaxy once again. We are as much to blame for Anakin's descent into the darkness as he is."
"Disagree with you I do!" Yoda vehemently stated.
"That's not surprising, Master Yoda. You are very resistant to change and whether you want to admit it you aren't very forgiving, either." Qui-Gon scolded.
"Mediate on this I will; attempt to find Anakin's spirit in Darth Vader I will." Yoda replied as he sighed.
Author's Note: Thanks again for all your kind reviews and I hope you are enjoying this story. I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters, places therein.--Darth Gladiator45