a.n. Wow, one update each for two stories in two days. That's gotta be a record for me. Maybe I'll have another one tom...Anyways, I've finally updated this story after a long time. Sorry bout the delay, but only got two more chapters to go before this story is finished, so I hope to finish it soon. Let me know what you think.

Part IV

I was close; I knew it. The Rebels responsible were within my grasp and I felt the crew's fear as I boarded their ship.

The Death Star plans are not in the main computer.

Where are those transmissions you intercepted? What have you done with those plans?

We intercepted no transmissions. Aaah...This is a consular ship. Were on a diplomatic mission.

If this is a consular ship...where is the Ambassador?...Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans and bring me the Ambassador. I want her alive!

The soldier deserved to die; I knew he was lying. Of course it may appear to be a harmless, diplomatic ship, but of course appearances can be deceiving. I knew that somewhere on this ship those stolen plans were hidden and it would only be a matter of time before I laid my hands on them

When my troopers informed me that they had captured a prisoner, I immediately ordered her to be brought before me. I had faith that my search would prove fruitful and my questions would be answered.

Lord Vader, I should have known. Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit for this, when they hear you've attacked a diplomatic...

Don't play games with me, Your Highness. You weren't on any mercy mission this time. You passed directly through a restricted system. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you.

I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan...

You're a part of the Rebel Alliance...and a traitor. Take her away!

The stubborn Princess Leia, strong of will, brave of heart, and true to her convictions, she has been a thorn in the Empire's side. Hotheaded and impatient, she always sticks to her ideals, ideals that generally go against the Empire and all it stands for. Such fire in such a petite frame, she vehemently fights for what she believes and doesn't give up, not even in the face of oppression. Her determination and willingness to stand up to me has yet again reminded me of the same fierce devotion and fiery attitude that was embodied by my dearly departed Padmé.

Padmé. A name I have tried hard to forget these last eighteen years. A name that still leaves me in pain. A name that I know will stay with me until my very last breath. A name that taunts me, calling me out on my actions and past transgressions. It haunts me still to this day and I think about what I sacrificed for her, for our child, for us. I am what I am because I tried to save her and I failed. With her bright light suddenly gone from my otherwise dismal life, there was nothing else I felt I could live for. I thrust myself into my new lot in life, Palpatine's apprentice, Lord Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, and carried out my orders without questions. I didn't want to fail anyone else ever again, least of all my Master and tried to ease my pain from her death by inflicting it on others. Yet, no matter how hard I have tried, that pain sill remains with me and I fear it always will.

And, now Your Highness, we will discuss the location of your hidden Rebel base.

There had to be a way to get information of the princess. If I could only get her to tell me where the Rebel base was, I knew I would be able to find those stolen plans. As strong-willed and stubborn as she was, there was only one way to make her talk.

Her resistance to the mind probe is considerable. It will be some time before we can extract any information from her.

Perhaps she would respond to an alternative form of persuasion.

What do you mean?

I think it is time we demonstrate the full power of this station. Set your course for Princess Leia's home planet of Alderaan.

The Princess' strength of mind and resistance to the interrogation droid surprised me. Not many people are able to withstand that kind of torment on the mind without revealing their innermost thoughts and secrets. She would prove to be quite the formidable foe indeed.

I knew that Tarkin's plan of demonstrating just what the Death Star was capable of would prove to be an effective method of getting the information that we wanted. Fear is a great provoker and often makes people do things that they ordinarily would not. I know, for I have used the very same tactic many times in the past. I knew that the Princess would most likely give up the location of the hidden Rebel base to prevent the destruction of her home planet, a planet that harbors her loved ones and those near and dear to her heart. She seemed to be the type of person that would do anything to protect the ones she loved. Just as I tried to do once...

As I brought Princess Leia on board, I had a feeling that she would be as defiant and as determined as ever not to reveal the information we were looking for. Her steely exterior would be tough to crack, but there was a high chance that she would give in to this form of "persuasion".

Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.

Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life!

I surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself!

Princess Leia, before your execution I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now.

The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.

Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power...on your home planet of Alderaan.

No! Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You can't possibly...

You would prefer another target? A military target? Then name the system!...I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. Where is the Rebel base?

Dantooine. They're on Dantooine.

There. You see Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready.

What?

You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry. We will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough.

No!

Even after all that we put her through, the princess still refused to tell us the location of the hidden Rebel base. She had the strength and the conviction to stand strong under pressure and oppression, never wavering from what she thought was right, as I suspected she would do. But her time had run out and Tarkin had finally had enough of her.

She lied! She lied to us!

I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion.

Terminate her...immediately!

I had a feeling that the princess would come in handy and once that fugitive ship was located, I knew we were closer than ever to getting those stolen plans. But there was some strange presence onboard that ship, something elusive. Yet the presence felt similar, something I hadn't felt since Mustafar. Something stirred inside me and I knew I would soon come face to face with my past.

He is here...

Obi-Wan Kenobi! What makes you think so?

A tremor in the Force. The last time I felt it was in the presence of my old master.

Surely he must be dead by now.

Don't underestimate the power of the Force.

The Jedi are extinct, their fire has gone out of the universe. You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion.

Obi-Wan is here. The Force is with him.

If you're right, he must not be allowed to escape.

Escape is not his plan. I must face him alone.

I followed the sensation back to the hangar. There he is, my old master, the one responsible for me looking like this, the one who stole everything from me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master.

Only a master of evil, Darth.

Your powers are weak, old man.

You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

Our duel was reminiscent of the one on Mustafar year ago. Here, yet again, was Obi-Wan, facing off against me, blocking me, preventing me from my goal. Here was the noble Jedi Master, squaring off against a former student gone bad. How much more would he want to take from me; didn't he already take everything I held dear to me all those years ago? This time, I would make sure he would pay, I would have my revenge and make him suffer like I have for all these years.

Strike for strike, parry for parry, block for block. Our fight carried us well into view of the hangar bay and I could sense Obi-Wan was tiring, become weaker as our duel progressed. I knew he could not last much longer. For one moment, he was distracted and I took advantage of his momentary lapse in concentration to take a swipe at him. He just barely managed to block my saber from slicing through him. Soon, the troopers in the hangar made their way over to us, looking on in interest at the sight before them. Obi-Wan manages a glance over his shoulder and gives me the opportunity that I had been waiting for for nearly twenty years. He holds his lightsaber in front of him in a gesture of defeat, but I won't let this opportunity pass me by. I swing my weapon out in front of me, intending to cut him in half, but all I come into contact with is his empty cloak. Confused, I carefully prod the crumpled cloak on the ground before me, but a sudden cry distracts me and I look toward the hangar bay to see a young boy, no older than eighteen, standing there, staring at what used to be Obi-Wan.

No!

Swiftly, the troopers turn about and start firing at the boy, who overcame his shock long enough to fire back. He manages to hit the control panel and the door to the hangar begins to close as the troopers and I start forward to engage him. With the hangar bay entrance closed and no other way to get in, I head back towards the control room to monitor their escape.

Are they away?

They have just made the jump into hyperspace.

You're sure the homing beacon is secure aboard their ship? I'm taking an awful risk, Vader. This had better work.

I knew that whoever was onboard that ship when it arrived would try to rescue the princess and that they would try to escape, so I had a homing beacon placed aboard so we could track them to where the Rebels were hidden, knowing that the princess would be returning to the Rebel base to place the stolen plans in their hands.

The ploy worked and we easily followed the ship to the Yavin system. We slowly approached the fourth moon of the system, following the homing beacon's signal to the hidden Rebel base on that planet. Victory was close and it wouldn't be long now before the Rebellion was quashed, once and for all.

This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Kenobi and it will soon see the end of the Rebellion.

It was highly amusing to see those small Rebel fighters testing their firepower against such a formidable foe. Such small snubfighters were no match for a station of this caliber. But a few of the Rebels were putting up quite a good fight, managing to knock out some of the gun turrets firing at them. Once the TIE fighters began to engage them, many of the Rebel pilots were knocked out. I watched as some of their pilots suddenly broke off from the rest and I knew they were up to something. Quickly, I assessed that there might be some danger with those fighters, and I knew that I must do something to stop it.

Several fighters have broken off from the main group. Come with me!

The two fighters and I quickly pick off some of those Rebel pilots attempting a bombing run down one of the trenches. Another group of Rebel fighters replaces the ones lost and though they manage to get a hit, not without some casualties, it only causes some surface damage. A third group of fighters takes their place and I knew that the time was close and soon the Rebel base would be within range of the Death Star's laser. With one wingman disabled and gone and the other destroyed, only the leader of this group remained, and soon, he too, would be no more.

I suddenly feel a strange presence and reach out with the Force to determine where it is coming from and soon realize that the Force is emanating strongly from the pilot ahead of me.

The Force is strong with this one!

This pilot seems to have a strong Force presence and is full of raw, untrained potential. Perhaps I may be able to train him to use his untamed power and turn him into a deadly weapon for the Dark Side...

Not much longer now until the Rebel base is utterly destroyed and this young pilot is quickly running out of both the time and space needed to carry out an attack. I target and destroy his droid and the fighter is within my sights.

A bright flash from the side captures my attention as one of my wingmen goes up in a blaze of fire. What?

That Corellian freighter that escaped from the Death Star's hangar earlier is close behind me, attempting to help the Rebel pilot in his mission. My remaining wingman panics and flies erratically, smashing into me before he crashes into the trench and is destroyed. My fighter spins out of control with its damaged wing and as I am spinning through space, a bright explosion catches my eye. The Death Star is gone. That young pilot succeeded in his task and destroyed the Empire's ultimate weapon. Although this is a major setback for the Empire, I am not worried. We will meet again, of this I am sure.

For revenge is the way of the Sith.

And I will have mine.