Chapter 9

Leia Organa meditated in one of her father's training chambers, hovering above the durasteel floor through use of the Force. She was seated in a lotus position, opening herself to the mystical energy field introduced to her by Darth Vader. Dressed in a black TIE pilot's uniform, Leia was no longer uncomfortable in Bast Castle. As per Vader's orders, servants did her bidding.

It almost felt like she were a princess on Alderaan again.

The memory gripped Leia's heart like a razor sharp vice. The inhumanity of Palpatine's Empire was always apparent to Leia, but Tarkin's demonstration of the Death Star on her beloved world became the focal point of her drive to destroy the Empire.

Some part of Leia accepted that Darth Vader was her father. The man was nothing if not honest with her and a good teacher. The politician in her taught wariness towards powerful men bearing gifts. Vader wanted Leia to take part in his scheme to overthrow the Emperor and bring order to the galaxy.

It was a tempting offer. Palpatine was the embodiment of evil, but Vader was also his enforcer. That Darth Vader sought to overthrow him was nothing but a continuation of Sith tradition: the student must overthrow the master to keep the Order from decaying. To Leia, the Sith represented nothing but treachery. Only the ideals of the Republic could restore true order to the galaxy.

Leia shifted her perception outward. Leia's growth in the Force was prodigious. Her prowess with a lightsaber was still amateurish, but growing more refined through frequent drills. Her attunement to the dark side granted Leia powers she never dreamed existed. Unknown to Vader, Leia had unwittingly discovered the secret of creating lightning in an independent training session.

A little nudge from the Sith holocron was all that Leia needed to learn how to channel the lightning. When she would be prepared, Boba Fett would not stand a chance against her. She did not need Chewbacca to care for her as Han requested. With her power, she could save Han herself.

Darth Vader's TIE fighter landed near what the Dark Lord perceived to be a bright spot in the Force: the residual presence of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Like Dark Jedi, Jedi left their mark on locations. The signature was always faint, but could be sensed by one strong enough in the Force.

Vader climbed out of his fighter, realizing how Obi-Wan was able to hide from him so easily. He could sense a powerful dark side taint resonating from the Dune Sea. Even after four millennia, the Star Map discovered by Darth Revan before the Jedi Civil War still broadcasted a powerful dark side aura.

Walking up to the hut, Vader opened the door with a nudge from the Force. From what he could observe, another Jedi recently occupied it.

"Luke," Vader said. Despite his initial plan to destroy his son, sadness crept into his voice. His son had eluded him again.

Out of a strange sense of reverence, Vader left Obi-Wan's hut. He closed the door with the Force and probed for something familiar. He planned to pay a visit to the Lars Homestead, but needed to find his bearings. All he needed to do was focus on the painful memories of his past and the Force would tell him what he needed to know.

Vader walked towards his fighter, leaving the home of his former master.

+

Luke Skywalker piloted his X-Wing towards Home One in quite possibly the most uncomfortable position of his life. Yoda rode on Luke's lap, somehow amused by Luke's discomfort.

"Eager to meet the Rebels, I have been," Yoda said.

"The Rebellion could use you, Master," Luke said, thinking of nothing more than getting out of his fighter.

"Perhaps," Yoda said. "Told me why I had to leave Dagobah, the Force did not. Dangerous, this path is."

Luke nodded before transmitting his identification codes to the fleet. When the controller confirmed acceptance, Luke flew into one of the many hangar bays of Home One.

Moments later, Master and Knight climbed from an X-Wing onto a Rebel cruiser. Waiting for them were Admiral Ackbar, General Crix Madine and Mon Mothma, the political heart of the Rebel Alliance.

Mon Mothma, former Senator of Candrilla, stood in shock as Master Yoda approached her. "Master Yoda, we thought you were dead!" she said.

"My death, willed not by the Force it was," Yoda said before placing both hands on his gimer stick. The elderly Jedi Master balanced himself on the cane.

"And Commander Skywalker," Crix said. "Captain Antilles gave me the report of your whereabouts. Expect a thorough debriefing soon."

"We are pleased that you have returned to us, Commander Skywalker," Ackbar told the Jedi Knight. "We can at last lay the rumors of your death to rest."

"I wouldn't have left if didn't have to," Luke said in his own defense.

"Perhaps we should move this meeting to a more comfortable setting," Mon proposed. "We all have much to discuss."

"I agree," Yoda said.

The Rebels gathered in a small conference room near Ackbar's quarters. Yoda sat comfortably on a chair while Luke stood. Mon Mothma, Crix Madine and Ackbar all sat behind a desk.

"The Rebellion has been slowly regrouping after the disaster at Hoth," Madine began. "We were lucky in the fact that we were able to evacuate most of our personnel before the Empire took control of the base."

"But the absence of Leia Organa has cast a shadow over the Alliance," Mon said. "Han Solo evacuated her on the Millenium Falcon, but they were never seen again."

"They're alive," Luke said.

"If they are alive, why have they not returned to us?" Ackbar inquired.

"Captured by Darth Vader, Leia has been," Yoda said.

"This is grave news," Mon said. "If the Empire executes her, the Alliance will move on, but we will have lost an important symbol."

"Commander Skywalker, tell us of the events that transpired after the Battle of Hoth," Crix requested.

"Before the battle, I received a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi through the Force," Luke explained. "He requested that I go to Dagobah and train under Master Yoda. After the battle, I followed his advice. I hoped to follow in the footsteps of my father and become a Jedi Knight."

"Yoda tested me before continuing where Obi-Wan left me in my training. I then journeyed to Ossus and then Tatooine to gather the components to assemble a new lightsaber. I fought one of the Emperor's Dark Jedi in the Jundland Wastes."

"We have the Dark Jedi in custody," Crix said. "We've had to keep her sedated because she is very resistant to our interrogation techniques. We're not the Empire. We can't execute her, but letting her go free would be a disaster to the cause."

"Speak to this Dark Jedi, I will," Yoda volunteered.

"Very well," Crix said. "I can arrange the meeting."

"Continue, Commander Skywalker," Ackbar requested.

"After leaving Tatooine, I returned to Dagobah," Luke recounted. "Yoda promoted me to Jedi Knight and we rejoined the fleet."

"The Rebellion is in dire need of Jedi Knights," Mon Mothma said. "Bail Organa told me of the betrayal he witnessed the day the Empire was born. It was the day that hope died. I know the Jedi Order is not what it once was, but will you help us?"

"To stop the Sith, the mission of the Jedi is," Yoda said. "Changed, that has not."

"General Skywalker, are you willing to continue the struggle to defeat the Empire?" Mon asked.

Luke was shocked to hear his elevation of rank, but then remembered Yoda saying that Jedi Knights were generals in the days of the Clone Wars. "Of course," he replied.

"May the Force be with us," Admiral Ackbar said, closing the meeting.

Vader's ebony cape whipped in the wind as he approached the ruins of the Lars Homestead. The obvious signs of Jawa scavenging were present, but the gravesites were untouched. Unknown to his stepbrother, Vader had already avenged his death. The Stormtroopers responsible for the slaughter died by the Dark Lord's hand.

It was on Tatooine that Vader started on the path to the dark side. The memories of his mother's death resurfaced once again, forcing the Dark Lord to remember his vow. He promised that he would not fail again.

For the first time in decades, a tear streamed down Vader's face. He would fail his mother three years later when he could not save his wife. His master's manipulations ensured that he would lose her, despite promises of power.

Vader clenched his gloved fists and swallowed his tears. The dark side flooded his consciousness. Darth Sidious was growing weak. He was becoming overconfident, losing his edge. Sidious had underestimated Vader for the last time.

"I won't fail this time," Vader said as he walked away from his mother's grave. "I promise."