Though it had been many years since he concerned himself with the well being of others, his recent actions on this technologically backward world notwithstanding, the former Jedi nevertheless felt a spark of pity enter his heavily stained soul as he watched his companions examine the heavily tortured woman.

His tenure at the Emperor's chief enforcer had ensured that he was intimately familiar with the ways of using pain to achieve what he wanted, but his decision to deploy such methods had always served a purpose.

Strengthening either his or his subordinate's connection to the Dark Side.

Forcing a prisoner to divulge valuable and time sensitive intel.

These had been acceptable excuses to justify the use of torture. But never once during his time as Sidious's apprentice had he used torture as a source of entertainment. Though his Sith Master lacked his aversion to such activities.

Which is why he always took great delight in punishing, if not out right killing those that derived perverse pleasure from the suffering of others.

For his sole remaining joy during his time in the Empire had been killing those that deserved it. And considering that these creatures had no qualms in making their female victims wish for death, Vader derived immense satisfaction whenever he had a chance to show them that there was no escape from his swift judgement.

However, while he could claim sole responsibility for this Goblin's death, he would take no part in providing aid to it's victim since his armor had been designed to be intimidating to those who were unlucky enough to draw his attention.

It was possible to get used to it if one was regularly in his presence, but the former Jedi sincerely doubted that the woman was in any state of mind to mistake him as a comforting presence.

Though that didn't meant that he couldn't observe the actions of his less threatening companions as they did their best to address the woman's injuries.

"Hmmm. Despite the state we found her in, I do believe that she is in no immediate danger of suffering the separation of her spirit from her body. However in order to ensure this, she needs immediate medical treatment. And considering the...nature of her captivity, I doubt that she is in any condition to accept our orally delivered medication. Do you perchance have any miracles that could aid this woman's healing"?

Listening with approval at the competence of the towering, yet surprisingly gentle reptile, Vader found his interest rising as he heard the slightly defeated tone of the youngest member of their group.

"I've been blessed with minor heal, but that won't be enough considering how hurt she is. If we could get her out of here, and deliver her to a more experienced healer, that would work. But if we do that...".

"We increase the chances of this sort of torture happening to other members of my people. And though it pains me to say it, we can't put them in danger just to save the life of one person".

Slightly inclining his head to show that he agreed with the female archer's reasoning, though his former self would have refused to even consider such an option even if it was the most tactically sound plan available, Vader found himself experiencing the rare emotion of astonishment as the feather wearing lizard decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Then it is a good thing that the Great Nagas have seen fit to bless me with the ability to provide us with an additional set of arms.

"O horns and claws of our father, Iguanodon, thy four limbs, become two legs to walk upon this earth"

Eye's widening as he watched the bone Lizard Priest had drawn morph into a full blown skeletal replica of its creator, for this was an ability that equaled the skills his former master had claimed had once belonged to the Sith of old, the former Jedi waited until the creature had disappeared into the darkness with it's 'prize' before seeking to give voice to his curiosity.

"Impressive ability you have there. Is this power limited to only skeletal constructs? Or can it be used to make puppets out of more...filled out materials"?

Though surprised by the sudden interest displayed by his less than talkative companion, Lizard Priest nevertheless answered the question without a hint of hesitation.

"I'm afraid that such abilities are beyond me, and will remain so long as I remain true to my quest to become a Great Naga. For to manipulate the flesh of the deceased instead of allowing it to rest is something that requires alignment with more...malevolent forces".

Unsure if he should feel annoyed or amused at the reptile's answer, for such an explanation was similar to the excuse the Jedi gave when refusing to partake in teachings that required one to touch the Dark Side, Vader was prevented from commenting further thanks to their bearded teammate.

"I don't see why a man like you would need to learn such a thing. Considering how you took out that Goblin without any effort, without an incantation to charge your spell I might add, I'd say that you could use your time doing something more productive".

Turning his helmet so that he could stare at the amused looking Dwarf, who obviously wanted him to explain how he was able to kill the deceased creature without using this world's 'magic', the former Jedi found himself agreeing with his companion's opinion.

"True. I've spent enough time combating mindless constructs that relearning how to make my own would be...tedious to say the least. Though the same can not be said for the girl's healing abilities".

His words causing Priestess to adopt an expression that was part pride part embarrassment, Vader was prevented from making further inquiries thanks to the man whose level of focus would have caused him to be praised by both the Jedi and the Sith.

"We need to keep moving. The longer we stay here, the greater the risk of our party being discovered".

Inclining his head forward to show that he agreed with this argument, the former Jedi fought to keep his temper as their bow using teammate proceeded to once again reveal that age did not equal wisdom.

"Considering the noise from the brooding statue here, I think that the chances of maintaining the element of surprise are already slim to nil. So unless you have some way to turn it off, I say let those monsters come".

Having no desire to weaken himself by turning off the shoddily designed respirator, for unlike his hunting trip with Tarkin there was no need to take such a gamble, Vader found his hidden eyes widening in slight surprise as the youngest member of their party raised her hand.

"Umm...I can't turn it off, but I can make sure that no one will be able to hear it. Though it might have the drawback of rendering you mute until it wears off...BUT I won't do it unless you say I can".

Crossing his arms as he considered Priestess's answer, for the temporary inability to speak was a small price to pay for achieving a tactical advantage, even if it was unneeded, Vader found himself nodding his head with the proposal.

If only because he recognized the benefit of creating a favorable impression with a girl who may perhaps possess the means to improve his physical condition.

"Very well. You have my permission to proceed.

...

Grateful that the towering adventurer hadn't been offended by her offer, and pleased at the slight approving nod Goblin Slayer had given when she made her request, Priestess took a deep breath as she prepared to be used as the earthly conduit for the miracles of the Earth Mother.

"O Earth Mother, abounding in mercy, grant us peace to accept all things".

Feeling the familiar rush of grace course through her soul before it was channeled to her intended target, Priestess allowed a small smile of satisfaction to cross her features as the chamber echoed with nothing but silence.

If Vader was shocked or displeased with this state of affairs, she couldn't say. But it was clear that this sudden silence was greeted with acceptance by not only Elf Archer, but also by the man who had saved her.

"That is sooo much better. Gotta remember to make a trip to the Temple to thank the Earth Mother for having a miracle like this".

"Indeed. Now we will be much harder for the Goblins to notice".

Smiling in annoyed amusement at Goblin Slayer's response, the blond cleric released a frightened yelp as her mind echoed with the voice of another.

"Nice to see that at least one of us is able to focused on the tactical applications of this...miracle. I trust that the rest of you have sufficiently enjoyed my...condition to carry on with our task"?

Staring in shock at the black armored adventurer, for he had once again proven that he could use magic without the proper incantations, Priestess was prevented from revealing Vader's rather useful, if frightening, ability thanks to the slightly teasing tone of their bearded teammate.

"Now that we've managed to ensure that we have the element of surprise on our side, shall we continue on? I don't know about you, but I'm feeling less than merciful towards those little green monsters".

Though she nodded her head to show that she was prepared for the next confrontation, the blond haired girl nevertheless frowned in concern as her fellow female responded to the Dwarf's suggestion in a manner that, while understandable, was nevertheless heartbreaking to witness.

"Good. For what those little...monsters did, they deserve everything that's coming to them. Isn't that right Goblin Slayer"?

Her words earning a brief, but nevertheless solemn nod from the focused adventurer, Elf Archer turned her glaring countenance towards the silently watching monolith that was Vader.

"And what about you Vader? Are you going to help out? Or are you going to act like a pouting little bi...hey did it just get colder in here"?

Shivering at the sudden drop of temperature, and rightfully suspecting the cause of it, Priestess kept her mouth shut as Vader pushed past the justifiably enraged elf and headed deeper into the fortress.

"Well, I think he just answered your question Long Ears. Though I think it might be wiser to hold your tongue. With a man like that, there's only so much you can say or do before his patience runs out".

Thought narrowing her eyes at the retreating back of the black armored adventurer, who had been wordlessly joined by the so called leader of their group, the green haired archer nevertheless nodded her head to show that she would respect the Dwarf's advice.

At least for the moment.

For it wasn't in her nature to leave things well enough alone. And she was determined to find out what made Vader act like the unfeeling prick he appeared to be.

...

Though enjoying the relatively novel experience of not having to listen to the grating sound of his respirator, Vader nevertheless was slightly irked at his current inability to speak, mental communication notwithstanding, as the group went over their plans to deal with the horde that rested beneath them.

Not because their strategy was flawed. But rather because his presence made such efforts unnecessary.

If one had a blaster in one hand, and a saber in another, the logical thing to do would be to kill one's enemies using a method that didn't deplete one's ability to respond to unseen threats.

The young girl had already used two of her four so called miracles, with only one of them being useful from a tactical standpoint. Though he did not begrudge the healing she had performed on the woman who had unfortunately been captured by creatures that were even more loathsome than the Tuskens.

The reptilian cleric had similarly used one of his limited supply of spells in aid of rescuing the tortured female from further harm. But considering that his species was gifted with both great strength and natural weapons, the former Jedi suspected that the scaled adventurer did not require the use of spells in order to be viewed as a formidable opponent.

The same could probably be said for the Dwarf For despite his short stature, and the fact that his...'energy' was perhaps greater than any of his teammates except perhaps the young girl, the bearded adventurer nevertheless appeared to have the skills to make an effective hand to hand fighter.

And as for the other 2, the annoying female whose age surpassed that of the former Grand Master of the Jedi Order was only proficient with her bow and arrows. And the one they called Goblin Slayer, while possessing a great deal of skill and knowledge when it came to the art of combat, at least when it came to Goblins, lacked the same augmenting abilities that most of his companions possessed.

If this had been the days where his only reason for living was the preservation and expansion of Sidious's Empire, Vader would have probably allowed his displeasure with this plan to be known with a quick Force Choke or two.

But since his son had managed to ignite the near non-existent spark of light that had remained within his tortured soul, the former Jedi decided to choose a less violent, but by no means less practical method of dealing with their Goblin foes.

Walking to the edge of the of the pit, and ignoring the silent cries of alarm from his so called teammates, Vader allowed his disgust for the creatures below to strengthen his connection to the Dark Side of the Force, and watched in satisfaction as they met their demise.

...

As a being who had lived for 2000 years, the High Elven Archer could honestly say that she had experienced many strange and peculiar sights over the years.

Learning that a hero of renown was nothing more than a Goblin obsessed human in grimy armor. That would have probably remained at the top of her list if it wasn't for the terrifying sight that was currently happening in front of her.

She had already been shocked that the living suit of armor she called a teammate was capable of using magic without speaking an incantation.

But to watch said teammate extend his hand and cause countless weapons to hover over the heads of their sleeping Goblin owners? She could honestly say that she was feeling more than a little scared at having failed to treat Vader with anything approaching respect.

A feeling that only grew as each of the hovering weapons suddenly, and swiftly embedded their blades in the skulls of each and every Goblin.

Doing her best to keep her eyes fixated on anything but the black armored figure, Elf Archer sputtered in indignation as her human teammate offered his opinion to the completed massacre.

"Hmmm…effective work".

Managing to regain the ability to form words, the green haired immortal shot Goblin Slayer a look that clearly expressed her feelings towards his statement.

"Effective work? That's all you have to say for...this"?

Her word's causing the armored human to tilt his helmet in what she presumed was a questioning manner, Elf Archer released a sigh of resignation as Goblin Slayer lived up to his reputation.

"The Goblins were killed without the use of any spell, miracle, or physical excursion on our part. So I would say that nothing more has to be said".

If no one else had voiced their approval for Vader's method of dealing with the Goblin threat, she probably would have been more willing to keep venting her unease at what she just witnessed. But sadly, apart from Priestess, whose expression seemed to be a mix of horrified fascination and relief, the remaining members of their group expressed their agreement with Goblin Slayer's observation.

"Goblin Slayer has a point Long Ears. Thanks to Vader, the risk of coming to harm were lessened, and we're still fresh enough to take on any opponent that still lives".

"Indeed. Though brutal, it cannot be said that our comrade's method in dealing with the Goblins wasn't efficient. A truly impressive display if ever there was one".

Seeing that the majority of the group supported the actions of their intimidating teammate, who was currently crossing his arms in a manner that she interpreted to be smug, the green haired archer reluctantly nodded her head.

"Fine. But please, next time you pull a stunt like that, can you maybe give us a heads up? I know your currently don't have the ability to talk, but you could have at least….LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU".

….

Ignoring the Archer's outrage at his perceived rudeness, Vader prepared himself for battle as he sensed the final, and most powerful creature that existed within this defiled fortress approach.

"I thought I had smelt something unpleasant enter my fortress. But to have you weaklings destroy the army the Demon Lord gave me? Do not think that you will survive against the likes of me. For you have proven yourself capable of destroying my Goblin soldiers, you shall all fall before the awesome might of an Ogre".

Smirking in amusement at this creature's declaration, if only because it possessed enough strength to provide a bit of a challenge for him, the former Jedi was unsure whether he should chuckle, or sigh at the dismissive tone of his fellow human.

"Oh. So your not a Goblin"?

Ignoring the exasperated reactions of his teammates at this comment, and sensing that Goblin Slayer's words had served to provoke the Ogre into attacking, Vader decided to end this confrontation before it began.

Clenching his fist, the former Jedi watched in dark satisfaction as the towering enemy extinguished the flame it had conjured into its hand, and proceeded to try and free itself from the invisible grip that was slowly chocking the life out of it.

However, unlike the vast majority of those who had found themselves on the wrong end of a Force Choke, the Orge possessed enough intelligence to recognize that the best way of freeing itself was to break the concentration of the one trying to kill it.

Halting the swing of the over sized club before it made contact with his body was simple enough.

Stopping a rather large and explosive fireball, not as much.

Fortunately, while his efforts to halt the Ogre's attack meant that he could no longer maintain his Force Choke, his teammates actions were sufficient to ensure that he wasn't knocked out of the fight.

"O Earth Mother, abounding in mercy, by the power of the land, grant safety to those who are weak".

...

ANNNND Thats enough for now XD Merry Christmas everyone XD

Apologises for the cliff hanger, but writers block/wanting to make sure that this was out by Christmas ensured that this is what i've come up with.

Tried my best to remain true to my version of a 'redeemed' Vader. And had great fun writing his interactions with Elf Archer. The idea has been suggested to ship the two, but as of right now, I have no idea how to do it.

Hopefully you all got a laugh at how the silence miracle was used on him. Orginal idea was to follow the canon plot (I.e. Dwarf drinking spell...with the incantation MAYBE coming from the abridged, and Priestess) but decided that it was unnecessary if Vader is going to kill every Goblin single handed.

Dont think using the Force to use the weapons of Goblins to kill them is too implausible. Clone Wars Villain comic shows Dooku threatening gangsters with floating blasters, Cartoon (the 2003 not the 2008 one) Old Republic trailers show Sith and Jedi using piles of debris as weapons. So Vader using the Force to lift dozens of small and basics weapons and having them drop (blade first) into the skulls of Goblins, is more or less believable…at least in my opinion lol.

As to why he simply didn't use his lightsaber to kill the ogre, and settled for a Force Choke, mostly its because I wanted Vader to be humbled a little bit. Still intend to have him deliver the finish blow, but also want him to get used to a team setting. Cause lets face it, Vader could kill every goblin in that fortress, plus the ogre, without the help of the characters. But then there wouldn't be too much of a plot XD.

Anywho, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter.

Reviews welcome. Flames not.

Til next time.