Chapter 4 – Vader

Author's Note: In which Anakin makes an appearance... and things get bad. :')

~ Amina Gila


He opens his eyes slowly, taking in his surroundings with confusion. Where... is he? He – he can't remember anything. Who is he? Panic surges upwards, threatening to devour him in its hungry embrace, but he forces it back and sits up. He seems to be in a medical facility of some sort, based on his surroundings, but that answers almost nothing. He looks down at himself, recognizing that his right arm is a prosthetic, and he wishes he remembered how it happened. He wishes he could remember something at least.

Memories dance just beyond his grasp, and the more he reaches for them, the more they evade him. Groaning with frustration he drops back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Overall, he feels sore, as if he overexerted himself too much, but he doesn't sense anything which might have led to his amnesia. Force, he hopes it's not permanent.

Danger, insists something, some deeply ingrained instinct, and he automatically tenses, body coiled for a fight as the door opens. Icy cold rushes in, and he shudders, unsure how he can feel it when it's not physical, but he can. Two hooded figures step inside, and he looks between them, wondering if he could get past them and flee.

"Ah, you're awake," the one on the right – the shorter one – declares pleasantly, and something in the man's voice makes him want to relax, because it triggers memories he cannot consciously remember of safety and acceptance. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," he answers slowly, voice rasping as if he hasn't used it in a while, "But I can't remember anything. Where am I? Who – who am I?" His voice shakes on the question because this is something he needs to know. Why can't he remember anything?

"Oh dear, I had thought..." The man sighs, sounding despairing. "I had hoped that the injury wouldn't lead to this, but they said that was a possible complication." When he moves closer, his grandfatherly expression becomes more apparent.

"What... what happened?" he whispers, not looking away from the eyes filled with concern, even though he's still hyperaware of the other mysterious person in the room who has yet to say a word.

"There was a terrible accident," the elder man explains. "You were on a Star Destroyer when it crashed onto the planet because of the Jedi's carelessness. We rescued you before they could kill you and brought you here where you would be safe. I had hoped you'd remember who was responsible."

He swallows, throat suddenly very dry. Something seems wrong about the words, but he can't quite place what it is. "What's my name? Please, can you tell me?"

"Of course," the elder smiles gently. "You are... Vader. Darth Vader."

It's strange, and some part of his memories screams at the wrongness of the name, but he mouths it anyways, turning it over in his mind. It does fit him, even though he can't say why or how. "I am Darth Vader," he repeats slowly, trying to force his mind to accept the name. His name is the most important part of him, and he doesn't want to lose it.

"I am your master, Darth Sidious," continues the older man.

Something about the word master triggers something in him. Vader can't quite recall anything about the word or the person who carried it, but he remembers being accepted and loved. He remembers feeling as if he was home. "I wish I could remember," he murmurs. "This amnesia... is it permanent?"

"I don't know, my boy. I really don't know," admits Sidious, sounding sad.

Vader wishes he could remember why this man is so important to him. He knows something is amiss, but until he learns more, he'll have to trust his master to tell him what he needs to know. "What will we do now?"

Sidious gives him a small smile. "We will avenge ourselves upon the Jedi," he answers simply.

Something cold – almost like dread – slithers into Vader's gut and embeds itself there, but he pushes it aside. These... Jedi, they wanted to kill him. Why wouldn't he want revenge for that? "Of course," he agrees, straightening, despite the uneasiness inside of him. "I'm ready."

**w**

"Do you remember how to hold your lightsaber?" asks Tyrannus – another one of Sidious' apprentices, Vader was told. He accepts the proffered hilt, turning it over in his hands. It feels strange, as if he can feel something in it crying out in pain. Why? That doesn't even make sense. He buries the rising surge of bitterness at his inability to remember.

"I don't know," he admits, igniting the ruby blade. For some reason, he had expected the color to be different, something... his mind drifts off, lost as he tries to pull forth a comparison. He can't remember, like everything else.

Tyrannus frowns. "The muscle memory of your lightsaber form should be easy, but we might have to work on your footwork a bit," he declares.

Vader holds the blade loosely in front of himself. "Do you think I will remember how to use it, or did the amnesia affect that to?"

The older man smiles, a bit sardonically, for some reason. "Well, there's only one way to find out." Without any warning, he leaps forwards, a red blade hissing to life in his hand as he swings towards Vader's head. He lets out a rather undignified yelp of shock as he brings up his own lightsaber to block it.

"Are you trying to kill me?" he hisses almost hysterically as he pulls back, swinging at Tyrannus in a return attack.

"Sloppy," Tyrannus declares coldly, totally ignoring the question. "You were better than this. Show me how well you can fight, Sk – Vader," he orders. "Use your anger, your hatred, your fear. Use your emotions."

Vader responds obediently, unsure why that command sends a prickle of unease down his spine. His master wants him to be effective, so he can help when they avenge themselves upon the Jedi for the destruction they wrought on the hapless civilians on the planet and the galaxy as a whole – they started the war and have only been needlessly prolonging it since. Vader reaches out for his darkest emotions, letting them course through him. The power is thrilling, heady almost, and he lunges forwards with a single-minded focus on defeating Tyrannus. If he can prove himself against a fellow Sith, the Jedi will fall before him like insects.

Their lightsabers are a blur of red as they lunge, block, and parry blows. Vader loses himself to the Force, to the power rushing through his body. Somehow it manages to be both soothing and devouring at once, and he wonders if he's doing it right. Tyrannus stumbles, recovering himself quickly as he pushes Vader backwards with the Force. There's something almost like fear in his eyes, and for some reason, it gives Vader a vicious satisfaction. Good. Tyrannus should fear him, even if he doesn't quite know why.

"That's enough," Tyrannus barks, stepping back gracefully.

Vader obediently extinguishes the lightsaber, and Tyrannus follows suit. "How did I do?" he questions curiously. He felt powerful in that moment, in the end. He felt invincible.

"Good. You did good," Tyrannus tells him approvingly, and Vader can't quite hide his surge of pleasure at the words.

"When you get back into battle, your amnesia will not affect your ability to fight efficiently," the Sith Lord adds, sounding pleased. "I shall inform Lord Sidious immediately. We will be able to proceed with our plan."

As he leaves the room, Vader reflects on their duel. He might not be able to remember, but at least it's only a small, temporary setback. More than anything, though, he wants to remember. He wants to be able to know his life, what brought him to this point. He wants to recall the names and faces of the people who were closest to him. He's missing something, someone, multiple someone's probably, and he wishes he knew who and what. Anger burns inside him as he recalls his master's words. This is the Jedi's fault, and he will make them pay for it.

**w**

It's been a week since Maul was returned to Coruscant as a prisoner. In that time, Obi-Wan has struggled to adjust to the sudden changes – namely, a life without Anakin. It helps that Ahsoka is there, hovering nearby him for hours at a time before disappearing. She doesn't volunteer where she went, and he doesn't ask, but he suspects that she's spending time in Anakin's apartment, the one she shared with him when he was... here.

By now, the entirety of the Council is fed up with the Chancellor's continual refusals to declare the war over, much less returning his emergency powers to the Senate, insisting that they do not have enough evidence of Dooku's death yet. He maintains that they must finish searching the site of the crash before jumping to "hasty" conclusions.

The war has died down somewhat, but there are still a few skirmishes going on in various places. It's as if neither side knows what to do or how to react, each one waiting for the other to make a move first. And the Jedi have been waiting long enough. It's time to move on from the war and deal with the aftermath. Obi-Wan has no delusions that repairing the damage done to the galaxy will take many, many years. It would help, of course, if they could locate the Sith Master, but they have no leads. All they can do now is keep moving and trust in the Force.

The Council has finally decided to put an end to Palpatine's stalling by sending a few Jedi Masters to the Senate and demanding that he return his emergency powers to the Senate and step down. It's long past time for his term to end, and in the event he refuses... well, the Council is prepared to use force, if necessary.

And so, that is why Obi-Wan is accompanying Windu and Yoda to the Senate. The ride is quiet, the atmosphere tense. They all know that their actions could be perceived as treasonous, but they're doing this for the good of the Republic. It's not as if they have any other, more viable alternatives. They're ushered into the Chancellor's office when they arrive, and Windu and Yoda immediately get to the point, stating their demands, though Windu does most of the talking.

"This is not the first time you have asked this of me," Palpatine replies, visibly unimpressed. "I have already told you that I am awaiting the reports after the crash has been searched."

"Your Excellency, if Dooku were still alive, he would have made his move already," Windu points out. "It's been over a week already. He is dead. There is no other alternative. It is time for you to return your emergency powers and leave office."

Palpatine only raises an eyebrow. "Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?" he asks coolly, and something clenches inside of Obi-Wan, the stirrings of unease in his gut growing stronger.

"Should I be?" Windu returns, equally unimpressed. "Are you willing to leave office or not? Democracy is not true democracy unless the voice of the people is being followed. And the people, the Senate, did not elect you to be a dictator."

The corner of Palpatine's mouth twitches. "Not yet, perhaps," he concedes, something malicious in his eyes. Obi-Wan wonders how he never saw it before, wonders how he could ever have let Anakin spend time with this willy politician.

Windu's hand falls to the hilt of his lightsaber, determination radiating into the Force. "In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor. The Senate will decide your fate."

The Chancellor's expression darkens. "I am the Senate!" Then, his face becomes resolute. "It's treason then." He doesn't move except to push a communicator on his desk. Obi-Wan reaches for his own lightsaber as the Force practically screams a warning at him. "Commander Fox, execute Order 66. Spread the word."

"Yes, sir," the clone replies as the connection breaks.

Yoda staggers a step backwards, and for a moment, nothing happens. Then suddenly, all at once, Obi-Wan can feel the tumult in the Force, the screams of pain and of death, and he understands. The inhibitor chips. The clones were always meant to be an army of the Sith... and Palpatine is Sidious.

Final Notes: If you want to join our Discord to receive updates or just hang out, here's the invite link, and please delete the spaces! :) discord . gg / nqSxuz2

We also have a tumblr account (and delete the spaces): fanfictasia . tumblr . com

And! We have a YT channel for tributes! Please delete the spaces in the link. :D youtube channel / UC_g1M5rSCxJUzQCRS29B6pA

Finally, if you're interested, you can submit a SW gift fic request via the following form (delete the spaces): forms . gle / rmXWtRomMMaULuPa6