Chapter 18: Gathering of the Fleet

Vader stood again before the triangular viewports of the Executor staring out not at the deep recesses of space, but at the half finished Death Star where two hours ago he had called any available Imperial star ships to him in order to take Coruscant. Instead of the original fleet of ten he had, he now had a fleet of twenty. That included his ship though. This was more than enough force to take Coruscant, but the Emperor was obsessed with security and power. He had many bases, military centers and anything you could imagine on Coruscant. Old senatorial apartments had been transformed into security and prison towers with a legion of troopers posted in every single one. They could spend days there just battling it out with the Emperor's army.

That would not be a good thing, Vader had reports of only two traitor ships to him, both of which were destroyed, almost the whole Imperial fleet was on his side. In fact the whole one, except for the four ships in the middle of the black hole cluster near Kessel, than in record did not exist. The ground bases on various planets may be different. Some would be happy to follow Vader into a new Republic. Most would die for the Emperor and if those ones were not completely wiped away Vader would have to worry about many attacks. Most probably would be hit and run type things or perhaps some guerilla tactics. Those worried Vader above all else, guerilla attacks by Imperial forces would be potentially devastating.

As much as they would try they were not above those things. Trying with one hand to restore a Republic and with the other trying to fend of ruthless Imperial attackers would be hard. Vader had originally planned to become Chancellor himself since he was the Emperor's successor. Now he considered giving the post up to someone who had worked to fight for it long before he did. Mon Mothma, or Bail Organa. Hopefully Mon Mothma was still alive; Sidious would have posted it all over the HoloNet if she did die but still….

"Lord Vader." Piett said approaching him from behind.

"Yes Admiral, what is it?" Vader asked turning. Piett stood, hands clasped behind his back in front of Vader, not the least bit nervous in any way at all about the storm that was about to come.

"The fleet understands what we are going to do and will jump to lightspeed when ready. It is your call when we jump."

"You made sure there were no traitors? You made sure no one contacted any other Imperial force loyal to the Emperor?"

"Yes, the only outgoing or incoming transmissions we have had were from the Death Star."

"And you are sure they did not send word?"

"No outgoing transmissions to Coruscant from the Death Star have been made for three months milord. Everything checks out."

"Even comm channels of storm troopers and commanders?"

"No one sir."

"Alright, you may make the jump to lightspeed when ready."

XxX

"There are dark places in the galaxy where few tread. Ancient centers of learning, of knowledge. But I did not walk alone. To be united by hatred if a fragile alliance at best. But my will was not law. There were disagreements, ambition… and hunger for power. There are techniques within the Force against which there is no defense. I was cast down, stripped of my power, exiled. I suffered indignities, and fell into darkness."

"So you were a Sith?"

"I have told you, though you do not remember nor will you remember this consciously. I have merely come to you again so I can be sure you are not united by hatred."

"I am not; well I think I used to be. But not anymore."

"Good, hatred is fragile; it is like a red burning candle. It can be extinguished, put out. But love, love can not be thrown away so easily. Love is not a candle, it is a fire, and love can ignite the stars. You are now united by love."

"Yes, but why do you even care. What do you have to gain?"

"Everything, everything I was. There was once a Darth Traya. And that she cast aside that role, was exiled, and found a new purpose. But there must always be a Darth Traya, one that holds the knowledge of betrayal. Who has been betrayed in their heart, and will betray in turn. That is what I have to gain. My old life in a new world. "

"Padmé?"

Padmé's eyes fluttered open as Vader's voice sounded. She could not remember what she had just been doing, meditating, in the briefing room she thought. Vader spoke again, this time using her Sith name.

"Amidala."

"What?" She asked, looking to him.

"Xen, Piett, Qui-gon, Yoda, and I are coming in to discuss the battle plans. No more mediation for right now."

"Of course not."

"Good, we cannot have you meditating while we talk of the battle."

He sat down next to her as Piett, Yoda, Xen, and Qui-gon entered the room. The Jedi and Piett sat right across from Vader and Padmé, but Xen, wanting nothing to do with Qui-gon sat at the very far side of the table.

"What is it you called us for milord?" Piett asked.

"When we reach Coruscant Piett, I want you to deploy our troops immediately. Surprise is our best weapon here. I will be going down in my shuttle with Qui-gon, Yoda and Padmé. I have gathered a strike team of twenty dark troopers. Each has DC-87 shotgun with charge capabilities and a jump pack. Their armor is efficient enough to take one minor hit from a lightsaber so they are ideal to kill the storm troopers there. I estimate three may die."

"Excellent plan." Xen said. "But where do Piett and I fit into all of this?"

"You two are to command the battle from space. If any other Imperial ship comes with range I want it blown to bits. I am sure you can handle it…"

"To be united by hatred if a fragile alliance at best." Padmé heard a voice say inside her head. Who's was it? Well, it didn't matter.

"Do we all have a clear idea of what is going to happen?" Vader asked.

"Yes." They all replied.

"Good. Now there are several places I want razed to the ground right away. First is the military base by the Imperial palace. Piett blast it out from orbit and have the troops take the training academy…"

XxX

It was exactly ten at night when Vader's fleet shot out of hyperspace above Coruscant's night side. Imperial city. The planet looked as if it was made entirely out of durasteel. It had little glittering lights everywhere. Signs, or lights from windows. It lit up the planet like a jewel. Tonight however, the view of these lights was ruined by dark swirling clouds in the skies of Coruscant. Vader looked down at it from inside the hanger bay aboard his Lambda class shuttle. Padmé sat next to him and Qui-gon and Yoda behind. A wavering hologram of Piett stood at attention on the control board waiting for the order to send out the transports. Vader looked down at the hologram and smiled.

"Ready, Admiral?"

"Ready milord."

"Send them in."

"Yes milord. Sending the message now. Piett out."

The hologram flickered and turned to static lines, then disappeared completely. Vader started his engines up and raised the ramp, just as he heard the twenty troop transports in that hanger do. He had no idea how many were being sent from the Executor itself. He would estimate two or three hundred since it was so big. In fact he could probably take Coruscant, or at least enough to control it, with just the army of the Executor but if he wanted to occupy the entire planet and dispose of all Imperial remnants on it he needed back up.

He kicked the engines into gear and out they shot, the wings lowered and Vader sped up headed for Coruscant and headed to make a new Republic.

XxX

Piett watched from the triangular viewports of the Executor's bridge as the swarm of transports shot out of nearby star destroyers. Space was so thick with them there was no way this could be a surprise attack.

"Locate the targeted military base and prepare for bombardment. Shields up, they defiantly have space craft and they will use it. Divide the power, half to our turbo lasers and half to the shields." Piett said.

"Yes sir."

Piett watched more closely, the ships were getting farther and farther away, going to secure freedom from the Empire.

"Sir! We have an incoming message from Coruscant." The comm officer cried.

"Patch it in."

This time an image, not of Vader, but of an Imperial uniformed general appeared.

"Admiral Piett." The image said. "So nice to see you again. I am the administrator of Coruscant's defense army. Please explain why you are sending down so many troop transports. You have five minutes to call them back. I am sure it is just a simple mistake."

"Not so administrator. It is no mistake. We are taking Coruscant on Lord Vader's orders. Prepare for ground assault. Surrender or be destroyed." Piett said.

"Never, treason! Traitor!"

"Sir we are in position for bombardment." An officer said.

"Fire!"

And seconds later the image went to static.