The air is thick with heat, fumes sting my eyes, scorch my throat. Yet neither the fumes nor the heat can stop my relentless attack upon who was once my master. The master who has betrayed me, stolen everything from me, including my beloved wife…
"This is the end for you, my master," I tell him as I approach him, my
Lightsaber poised above my head. He manages to reach the shore of the molten river, infuriating me even further.
"It's over, Anakin," he gloats. "I have the higher ground."
"Don't underestimate my powers," I retort, preparing to leap to the shore.
"Don't try it," he warns me, but I do not listen. I jump into the air, but before I can land, am engulfed in searing agony…Kenobi has sliced though my legs, my arms…the pain is suffocating, and I tumble to the ground, half a man, a useless thing now, lying in agony at his feet, forced to listen to his lies…
"I loved you! You were my brother!" I barely hear him, the pain is so overwhelming…and then I feel the flames begin to consume me…
I wake up, my heart pounding in my chest so hard I'm afraid it will burst. I sit up, my breath ragged, my body bathed in sweat…I close my eyes again, calm, be calm I tell myself, entering the meditative serenity that I learned as a young boy, but had never quite managed to master. I can feel my heart starting to resume its normal pace, as I force myself to take deep slow breaths. I bend my knees, and prop my elbows upon them, my face in my hands. Running my hands through my hair I try to push the images of my dream from my mind. It is certainly not the first time I have relived that horrible moment, but it has been months since I have, since before my rebirth. Why now? I cannot help but wonder anxiously. Why are these visions revisiting me now?
I get out of the bed, not wishing to disturb my wife, and go to the 'fresher. I stand before the mirror and stare at myself for a long time. I look like I did on that day so long ago, but inside I am utterly changed. I know that I have eradicated the Darkness from my soul, so why are these memories returning? Is this a warning? Should I put aside the ruse of being Darth Vader before I am drawn into it completely? I turn away from the mirror and walk to the doorway of the 'fresher, leaning against the doorway, looking at my wife. She is sound asleep, a look of peace on her beautiful face. Do I tell her about this? I wonder anxiously. Or will it only give her yet another reason to worry? I know that Padmé has suffered as much as I have because of what happened at Mustafar, her wounds, although not visible, just as deep as mine. She is just now starting to heal, as her love and trust of me starts to flourish once again…what would happen to that trust if I told her of my dark dream? I sigh and lean my head back against the door frame. If only I could just live in peace with my family…if only the fate of the galaxy didn't rest on my shoulders...again...But I am the Chosen One after all; this is my destiny, whether I like it or not.
Realizing that I will not sleep any more tonight, I have a shower and get dressed, leaving my wife sleeping alone in our bed. I head for the bridge, anxious to tackle the puzzle of the Endeavour's seeming disappearance.
"Report," I announce as I enter the bridge.
All eyes turn to me, as each of them straightens in their seat, anxious to appear efficient and busy. Piett approaches me.
"We have calculated several possible trajectories, my lord," he tells me. "And have contacted ships in the sectors where we believe she may be. As of yet, no one has reported having seen her."
I frown under my mask. Obviously these men aren't up to the task; I had almost forgotten the rampant incompetence aboard most destroyers.
"What information do we have on Malz?" I ask, taking a different approach. Perhaps if I learn all I can about this man, the Force will guide me and enable me to anticipate his moves and understand his motives.
"I will call it up at once," Piett tells me. I stand behind him as his hands fly over the computer console. I look at the screen in front of him, puzzled by the paucity of information on my quarry.
"This is most irregular," Piett mutters, reminding me ever more of his late uncle in the tone of his voice. "There is virtually nothing, my lord."
"How can that be?" I ask, as perplexed as he is. "The Empire keeps extensive records on all its personal. If he holds the rank of admiral then there should be extensive files on him."
"Yes, that is definitely true," he concurs. He looks over his shoulder at me, and I can see in his eyes the trepidation he feels at telling me what he knows I don't want to hear. "But I'm afraid there isn't, Lord Vader. The records on him go back less than one standard year."
One year? That's impossible...
"There must be an error," I tell him. "Let me have a look."
Piett stands up immediately and I take the seat at the console. I quickly scan over the information, looking for anything that I can cross reference. There is so little to go on, that I have difficulty finding more than a few key words, and even they yield nothing. It is as though this man didn't exist one year ago…
"Something is going on," I announce at last as I stand up. "Something very strange, and I intend to find out what it is."
"How, Lord Vader?" asks Piett. "We cannot even find where he is."
I contemplate his question for a moment before responding, all the while staring at the small image of the elusive Malz that I have pulled up on the screen. The more I study it, the more I am struck with a sense of familiarity. Do I know this man? Did he serve me at some point? If so, then why don't the records show that?
"What trajectories are left that have not been accounted for?" I ask Piett without taking my eyes off of the screen.
He walks over to the navi-computer to retrieve the information. "There are many, my lord," he regretfully informs me. "We are severely undermanned, as you know, having much of the fleet in the Battle of the Endor Moon. Many sectors do not have an imperial presence any more."
I nod my understanding. "Prepare a list of the remaining possible trajectories," I command him. "And the sectors that need to be investigated. If need be, we will search each sector one by one until he is found."
"Right away, Lord Vader," he replies, getting started at once.
So much like his uncle...the same efficiency, the same intelligence…even the same soulful eyes…Suddenly a thought strikes me, almost too wild to give consideration to. Those eyes…
I call up the information on Malz again, and study the image. The eyes are the same. How can this be? Could this be Firmus Piett that I am looking at? He died, surely he perished during the Battle of the Endor Moon…or did he? But if he is alive, why is he acting like a traitor? Why is he ignoring my commands? There is only one way to find out if my suspicions are correct, one way to answer these questions; I must find the Endeavour and discover the true identity of its commanding officer, though deep down inside I feel as though I already know.
What are you up to, old friend? I think to myself as I stare at the image on the screen. What is your plan?
"The list, my lord," Piett says, handing me a data pad. He wasn't exaggerating when he said there were many sectors; there are at least 20 on the list.
"I will study this," I tell him. "The Force will help me find him. It will show me the way."
"Of course," Piett wisely replies. "I shall await your orders, Lord Vader."
I leave the bridge, the data pad in my hand. I will find you, Piett...make no mistake about that.
