Warning: Anne gets recaptured by our favorite villain, Darth Sidious; so a few of the passages will be dark and angst filled. If such things disturb you email me and I will give you the g-rated version. Thanks for reading, Darth Gladiator45
Anne finished healing Lord Vader's lung capacity to pre-Mustafar levels, the Dark Lord was pleased. He trained almost exclusively with the young Jedi healer as Mara Jade and Luke continued to work together through their Jedi calisthenics and swordplay.
Lord Vader removed his helmet and mask and his entire suit and entered the shower. After showering, he pulled on a black robe and sat on in his recliner, putting his feet up.
"Greetings, Chosen One." Qui-Gon appeared to him.
Lord Vader sighed deeply and rolled his eyes, "Do not call me that, Qui-Gon."
Qui-Gon ignored Lord Vader's indignation as he continued to describe the next part of Luke and Mara Jade's training should involve Master Yoda.
"You want me to send my son and Mara Jade to that closed-minded, arrogant, green troll? Are you crazy?"
"No, consider it a final trial for their knighthood."
"Yoda never approved my training what makes you think he would approve of the job I've done with both my son and Mara Jade? He would merely tell them that they aren't good enough to be considered Jedi Knights and crush both of their spirits."
"Master Yoda wouldn't do that, Anakin. He has realized the errors of his ways; he knew that he failed not only you but Obi-Wan as well. They put too much of a burden on your young shoulders while at the same time distrusting you to do the right thing. It was something that Darth Sidious knew and that's why he would always be there for you, in his own sick, perverted way. That's why it was so easy to turn you from an honorable, Jedi Knight to an honorable Sith Lord. If honor can be used in the same sentence as a Sith which I believe in your case it fits. Trust in the Force, Anakin." Qui-Gon faded into the Force.
What to do about his daughter, Anne? If he did send Luke and Mara Jade to seek Yoda out, he couldn't very well send her with them.
Anne was dreaming of a pleasant field of flowers and gorgeous waterfalls. She felt free from all burdens and though she couldn't talk in reality, in her dreams and mediations she could hear the dulcet tones of her own voice. She was sitting amongst the flowers and was weaving a wreath of flowers. Her dress was a dark purple and made of a fine silk. As she placed the wreath on her head she felt a dark, cold, foreboding presence shatter her dream.
"There you are my slave; how is Lord Vader treating his daughter?" Emperor Palpatine taunted he approached the young girl and when Anne looked down she was wearing a shabby black dress and there were no shoes on her feet. Palpatine laughed gleefully as Anne remembered her place and quickly prostrated herself.
"Yes you do remember your place don't you, young one. That is good. The beatings won't be as severe if you do remember who owns you."
Anne didn't respond she didn't even cry out as he mentally attacked her ripping out her pleasant memories and instead replacing them with dark sinister memories of being the Emperor's slave. "Now, go to Lord Vader and order that he surrender you to me or else I will destroy you in the most painfully way possible. You will suffer greatly for your insolence and death will not touch you until I'm ready to send it your way. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my master."
"Good girl. I hope you remember your lashings and the pain I loved so inflicting on you." Anne awoke and her sheets were soaking wet with sweat from her vivid nightmare. She knew that Lord Vader would never surrender her to the Emperor voluntarily. Anne wrote a long letter to Lord Vader, her father, thanking him for all that he taught her. She wrapped herself up in his cloak and disappeared, there was a storm trooper guarding the hanger bay; she mind-tricked the guard to take her to the Imperial Center to surrender.
"Bye, father; I love you." Anne cried as the shuttle entered hyperspace.
Lord Vader was startled out of his meditation as the bond that he had with Anne was gone. He quickly left his quarters, not caring that he was only wearing his black silk pajamas and robe. He ran to Anne's quarters and saw a neatly made bed; her favorite teddy bear was missing as was his cloak that she told him kept away nightmares. He saw a piece of parchment written in her fine handwriting.
Father,
By the time you get this I will be gone. The Emperor has requested my presence. I must go before him or you will lose everything including Luke. I will always remember the warm feelings of affection, the wonderful food, and the softness of your touch even when you had to discipline me. I love you and once the Emperor has properly seen to my punishment for treason and for running away, I'm sure I will see you on the other side; Proud to be your daughter, always. Anne-Marie Skywalker.
Lord Vader felt the prickling of tears start in his eyes and even though it had been several years since he's had a full cry. He fell to his knees and sobbed loudly and sent waves of despair through the Force so strong that even non-force sensitives felt it. Luke and Mara Jade burst through Anne's bedroom to find Lord Vader holding the letter. Both of them read it and at the same time said, "We will get her back."
xXx
Anne's ship landed at the Imperial Palace and she shuddered in fear and cold as the red robed guard escorted her to the Emperor. It was a dark stormy night with rain thoroughly drenching her. He was seated in his chair as the lone slave approached him and quickly prostrated herself at his chair.
"Welcome home, I've been expecting you."
Anne didn't respond even when the Emperor squatted next to her, touching her head. "You seem very healthy and you've grown very powerful as a Jedi healer. It's a shame that you cannot heal yourself of your own particular infirmity." Anne felt the familiar fingers of evil in her mind, wanting to desperately pluck out her thoughts.
"Your shields are very strong, lower them, now."
Anne refused; her thoughts of her father would remain sealed. She cried as she felt the familiar Dark Force Lightning stinging her with pure hatred and anger.
She eventually passed out from the agony and was taken to her all too familiar cell. Anne awoke the next morning and immediately pulled out her diary and quickly wrote all her memories of her father and training to serve as a permanent record of her happy times. She knew that now as the Emperor's slave, there would only be despair, anger, hatred, beatings, chores, and minimal food. She quickly hid the diary as she felt the Emperor's majordomo approach her cell. Anne was grabbed and tears flowed easily as her arm began to bruise. She prostrated to the Emperor and allowed him full access to her memories of her father. "Good girl, now I shall remove these pleasant memories of your father and you will earn new memories of anguish as you are publicly whipped for treason. You might be able to earn your right to live, if you survive."
"You mean the right to merely exist, my master; for I fully lived when I was with my father."
Anne was taken to the Imperial arena and felt the pure hatred of all those surrounding her as she was chained between two posts. After the Emperor's announcement of his edict the whipping was carried out. For each lash, the Anne lost one precious memory as the Emperor was using the whipping as a distraction to pull all of Anne's memories out of her psyche. She cried and though she had no voice screams was heard as Force echoes. The memories being ripped out of her head hurt worse than the beating itself.
xXx
Luke and Mara Jade were sent to Dagobah even after arguing with Lord Vader desperately.
"You two aren't ready to face down the Emperor he is more powerful than you realize. I will take care of this if I have to I will contact the Rebellion. Now get going!" Lord Vader bellowed.
xXx
Ascaron arranged the meeting with Dr. Koth and the surgery went off without a hitch. Lord Vader had a new arm and two new legs that were more aesthetically pleasing. He had kept his original arm that he had rebuilt after the Clone Wars he was rather attached to it; he pulled on a long black leather glove.
"Please stay healthy, Anakin." Dr. Koth smiled.
"Thank you Dr. Koth for everything." Lord Vader gave him a credit slip worth more than one million credits, "If you need references, let me know."
"Thank you."
xXx
Anne awoke the next morning, laying flat on her stomach. "He taught me a good lesson, I won't run away again." Anne cried. Her stomach rumbled as her hunger had not been sated in at least four days. She did drink large quantities of water.
The Emperor smiled most evilly as he realized not only did he remove all her former memories of her life with Lord Vader, but actually managed to remove her identity as well. She didn't even remember her name, it was almost too perfect. Anne pulled the black cloak around her tiny frame as well as her teddy bear. "I'm hungry, bear. Maybe if I'm good master will feed me. I try to please him, but it's hard."
Anne saw her door open and she folded the cloak and put it under the black slab that served as her bed. She entered the Emperor's chambers and saw he was eating breakfast. She immediately prostrated, "So faithful and loyal and yet incredibly unworthy. What is your name, child?"
Anne struggled to answer to even remember, but no answer was forthcoming.
"Slaves have no names, milord. We have no identities; we exist to serve those more powerful than ourselves."
"That's a good answer, if only I could believe you."
"Please, please, believe me milord. I'll do anything you ask." Anne desperately pleaded.
xXx
The Red Guard who worked with Lord Vader secretly tended the young girl's wounds and gave her a bit of warm soup loaded with protein and vegetables. The Emperor would be leaving for his trip to newest Death Star construction site and left Anne behind after giving her another brutal beating that would take weeks for her to fully recover. Lord Vader had sent Ascaron to announce his eminent arrival to the Rebellion.
"Do you remember how to read, young one?" the Red Guard asked.
"No, I don't know how to read or write. I can scrub floors real good though and take my beatings without crying."
The Red Guard healed Anne's multiple wounds with bacta and gently changed her dressings.
"Do you remember Lord Vader?"
"No, who's that? Do I serve him too?"
The Red Guard sighed, "No." Anne finished eating her soup and curled up on the floor.
"You need to sleep on the bed, dear."
"I ain't worthy." Anne replied.
The Red Guard lifted her onto the bed and the second her head hit the pillow she was asleep. He contacted Lord Vader via an old Jedi transmission code.
"Meet me on Executor near Sullust, bring the child. Do not fail me." The Red Guard had slipped a bit of tranquilizer into her soup. He packed in a small knapsack of clothing and Anne's private effects including her diary and her bear.
xXx
Luke and Mara Jade watched as the venerable Master Yoda died and became one with the Force. They immediately contacted Lord Vader and he told him to come to Sullust for a first time meeting between the Rebellion and the Empire. Both sides agreed that the Death Star must be destroyed and with it the Emperor. Mon Mothma and Leia were incredibly skeptical when they saw Lord Vader approach them waving a white flag.
"What is he up to? I don't trust him as far as I can pick him up and fling him." Leia whispered.
"You are correct Princess Leia; in my experience trust is something that is earned not given." Lord Vader replied.
He then looked at Ascaron, and the whole room was shocked to the core as Lord Vader removed his helmet and his mask and stood before them as Anakin Skywalker.
"The Hero with No Fear." Mon Mothma was speechless.
Author's Note: Hope you liked this chapter; thanks for all the great reviews and suggestions, this tale hasn't ended as of yet.--Darth Gladiator45.