A little early gift for all Star Wars fans out there who enjoy fanfiction.

Star Wars

Twin Suns Early Rise

Chapter 10: Plans

It was the first time in Ben Kenobi's years of exile on Tatooine that his old hut had received a guest. One not barging in and demanding that the hermit stay away from his nephew no less. Instead, an old friend who sat politely in his tiny living quarters and drank some water offered to him as the two caught up on stuff such as how they each faced Order 66. When retelling his side, Rex revealed how it was organic chips implanted into the clones that caused them to turn against the Jedi and that how only after Ahsoka removed his that the former commander was able to defy Darth Sidioius' orders.

"After we buried my brothers, Ahsoka and I parted ways for a time in an attempt to avoid the new Empire," Rex went on. "I eventually took shelter with a couple of other clones who also managed to remove their control chips."

"Was one of them Cody?" Obi-Wan asked, failing to hide the hope he felt at the thought of reuniting his second in command.

"No," Rex said with reluctance. If there was anyone who missed the 322nd commander other than Kenobi, it was Rex. "I met up with Commander Wolffe and Captain Gregor; though I haven't heard from Cody since Yerbanna. Rumour has it that he became an instructor at an imperial academy for the new generations of non-clone soldiers."

Obi-Wan was disappointed to hear this. Yet at the same time, he wasn't surprised one bit. What with that chip in his head making him blindly loyal to a villainous Emperor, combined with his commander's already strong sense of duty and devotion to the military.

However, Cody aside, the Jedi master had some other questions for his old friend.

"So what brought you out of exile?"

"Commander Tano made some new friends, including a Jedi survivor named Kanan Jarrus and his young apprentice Ezra Bridger," Rex revealed.

A surviving Jedi, that surprised Kenobi, but in a good way nonetheless. "Kanan Jarrus? I'm not familiar with that name. Nor do I recall an Ezra Bridger."

"I expect you wouldn't. Ezra was born on the same day Palpatine declared himself emperor after ordering the execution of all the Jedi Knights in the galaxy. As for Kanan, well from my understanding he was a padawan when Order 66 was issued and after escaping he changed his name to avoid the Empire. Can't blame him. He did mention on one or two occasions that his master was Depa Billaba who I think you knew back in the day."

Rex was right. Memoires began appearing in Kenobi's mind when the clone mentioned the former member of the Jedi Council who he'd ended up replacing during the first year of the war. He also recalled a "troublesome" youngling who she ended up taking on as an apprentice in the war's final months. "Ah, Caleb Dume. Yes, I remember that boy. Always asking questions nonstop. Had a habit of annoying both teachers and students in the temple alike because of it."

"Well, he doesn't ask questions anymore," Rex grinned. "His apprentice does that for him." This caused the two former military comrades to burst into laughter.

When they calmed down, Kenobi started asking questions again as he got more serious, "Now tell me, why have you come here to Tatooine? And how did you know I was here? Actually, how did you know I was alive in the first place?"

Rex didn't respond right away. Instead, he sipped at his drink for a minute or two as he was, from what Kenobi could tell, trying to figure out how best to respond. When he finally spoke again, his answer shocked the Jedi Master. "Senator Bail Organa. He sent me here. He told me everything. About you. Anakin. His twins. Everything."

"Did he now?" Obi-Wan said. "And why did he tell you all this? What does he want?" he asked with caution.

"Two reasons. One, Leia discovered the truth about her biological relatives including that she had a twin brother who was living here on Tatooine."

"WHAT?!" Kenobi blurted out, practically jumping out of his seat in shock. He couldn't help it. Senator Organa had agreed with him and Master Yoda that neither twin would learn of each other's existence until after the Emperor was defeated to prevent further risks of him getting either Skywalker.

"I'm afraid so," Rex said in response. "What's more, she's has come out here to meet him. Senator Organa was unable to stop her from leaving, nor could he come to pick her up himself due to the Empire tightening its grip on Alderaan right after she left. That's why he went to me. Don't worry, I've already sworn not to tell anyone about what I know, not even Kanan or Ezra. Despite what he may have become, in my book Darth Vader is not the general I served under during the Clone Wars."

"Nor is he the boy I trained," Kenobi added, the words bringing back more memories of a time from so long ago. To this day, the thought of seeing Anakin killing younglings, or strangling Padme through the force, or watching him burning alive on Mustatar's lava shores still hurt him his heart badly, more so than he would like to admit. However, speaking of Anakin and his loved ones brought further questions into the Jedi Master's mind. "What about Ahsoka? Why didn't Senator Organa send her after Leia? No offence to you but why wouldn't Organa send Anakin's former apprentice after his kids? Didn't you say she joined the rebellion?"

"She did," Rex replied. "It's just..." he appeared to be hesitating as he tried to continue talking. Something had happened to Ahsoka, Kenobi could feel it. "It's a long story, but in short, Ahoska's either dead, captured, or otherwise missing. And both Darth Maul and Darth Vader had a massive role to play in it."

Kenobi could feel the anger seeping from Rex when he mentioned the two sith. He too felt a sense of pain at the mention of Ahsoka's possible death involving the monster that was once the togruta's master.

"Exactly how did Leia find out about her family? Or that Luke was on Tatooine?" he eventually asked.

"From my understanding, she came across a recording made by Bail himself should he not be around to tell her in person," Rex explained. "After that our old droid friend R2-D2 jumped in and guided her here."

"R2?" Obi-Wan said while rubbing his eyes in frustration. "Augh. Should've wiped his memory a long time ago. He was quite the troublesome droid like his owners."

"He's also been a big help," Rex defended. "R2's hero, and droid or not, you can always trust him to do the right thing. Besides I betcha if anything he helped bring Leia Tatooine to protect her and make sure she didn't get into any more serious trouble than she would have without proper guidance. You have to admit that the droid cares about his friends, just like his owners did."

Kenobi couldn't deny that Rex was right about that. The droid had gotten himself blown up once trying to save the Republic fleet during the Clone Wars. And he'd saved Anakin, Padmé, Ahsoka, 3PO, and even himself countless other times in the past. "So what's your other reason for coming here, besides retrieving Leia?" he asked. "You mentioned two reasons. What's the second?"

Again Rex paused for a moment to think before answering. "The time has come to bring you out of exile General," he said. "The rebellion is growing more and more each day but we're still vastly outnumbered and outgunned. We need more empierced leaders and warriors like yourself to join us; as well as recruits like Luke to take up where the older generations like us will leave off in the future."

This shouldn't have come as a surprise to Kenobi. He knew the time would come when his lightsaber would need to be drawn again to fight the dark side, though he'd hoped to have at least begun Luke's training beforehand. Instead, Rex had shown up out of the blue while Luke didn't even know about his powers. It put the Jedi Master in a tight crack under the rocks.

"I cannot go," he said in response. My place is here. Luke's not ready to fight the Empire. He hasn't learned of his heritage yet and has much to learn before he can become a Jedi."

"Well if Leia finds Luke before we find her, I bet you anything she's gonna tell Luke all she knows. And even if we were to reach her first, I doubt she'll leave without meeting her brother first; which will still lead to him learning the truth about his heritage."

"It's too dangerous bringing him into a war without the proper training. Yes, I admit he's already become quite a good pilot, but he knows nothing of the force, or of how to properly manage his emotions; and from what I've heard his mind is in an unbalanced state right now. This'll make him far more dangerous, reckless, venerable to the dark side. I won't let him fall down the same dark path as his father."

"Then he needs to begin his training now," Rex argued. "The war's already difficult enough. But it'll be far worse for all of us, including Luke if the Empire continues to grow at the rate they are. They've increased their fleet a hundred times over since the Clone Wars, along with an endless supply of stormtroopers and artillery at their disposal. Not to mention they're creating newer, more dangerous weapons all the time; which are being used to massacre entire civilizations. Rumour has it there's been a massive weapon in the works since the Clone Wars that not even the Jedi knew about; one far larger than anything ever seen before and that can bring a swift end to the rebellion.

"I know you're concerned that Luke might fall to the dark side, believe me, I am too. But the truth is what happened to Anakin can happen to anyone of us, even Luke. Dooku, Krell, Barris were all proof of that.

"Despite your best efforts, only Luke himself alone can choose what path to follow. All you can do is help guide him down the proper path and trust him to make the right choices. It's something Kanan had to go through with his apprentice after we lost Ahsoka and Ezra started using a Sith Holocron he recovered. It caused the kid to use the dark side, slowly turning him against us. But eventually, Ezra managed to return to the light, thanks to the efforts of Kanan and his teachings. My point being is that all Jedi face these dark obstacles throughout their lives in different forms. It's what you guys train yourselves to overcome. It'll be something Luke will have to do someday, regardless of who his father is. War or no war, if Luke is to become a Jedi, then he needs to begin his training now. Might as well start while there's still some light left in the galaxy."

Obi-Wan had to admit Rex did have a point. He couldn't stop Anakin from becoming Darth Vader, nor would be able to save Luke should he fall as well. All he could do was what he planned to do from the beginning, what he did for Anakin, train him to the best of his abilities. To show him the importance of the light side of the force, of self-restraint and to not allow his emotions to consume him.

In hindsight, like his father, Luke did possess the same recklessness and desire for adventure that Anakin had, but also a strong heart that motivated him to stand by his loved ones when needed.

Besides, Yoda and Qui-Gon had warned Obi-Wan of the dangers in training Luke, especially at such an older age, but if anyone could train a Skywalker it was him. He had been getting ready to begin training Luke's anyway, perhaps this war would be exactly what he needed. Training during the Clone Wars had certainly made some Jedi like Ahsoka into much better force wielders than many Jedi at the time. True while Ahsoka had ended up leaving the order, she remained loyal to the light long afterwards.

"Very well. We'll go to Luke's family farm tomorrow morning and speak to him and his aunt and uncle. But don't expect a warm welcome from his uncle. He hates my guts."

"Pah!" Rex snorted. "That never stopped you whenever you faced off against the Separatists or the countless other enemies you and General Skywalker fought before the war. What difference will one cranky farmer be?"

"True indeed captain," Kenobi chuckled. "True indeed."

The dark side: the powers of the force comprised of greed, fear, anger, hate, pain, and suffering. To embrace the dark side was like merging your soul with the very essence of misery itself. As a result, it had the potential to provide beings with unimaginable powers like no other. Powers that could unlock many abilities only thought possible in dreams. Such abilities included being able to defy death itself or control hundreds of thousands of living beings with a mere thought. The Jedi had taught their students that such powers were immoral, and the suffering it caused was not worth the benefits. Thus the light siders devoted themselves to resisting the dark side like a drug and fought against those such as the Sith who embraced it with open arms.

Darth Vader, like the other sith who preceded him, saw the Jedi's inability to use the dark side as a fatal weakness that prevented them from truly mastering the force. It was through the dark side that had allowed Vader to conquer death on Mustafar. That allowed him to defeat hundreds of fully trained Jedi Knights and Masters while toppling their failed order. It was also the powers of the dark side that had allowed his master and other sith to hide in plain sight from the Jedi for over a thousand years as they worked towards dismantling the Republic and making way for the Empire that the Sith, through the dark side, now ruled over. To Vader, the dark side of the force was more essential to his survival than the very life support suit he needed every day simply to breathe. The one he wore as he stood before a miniature hologram of Grand Moff Tarkin, a man who Vader knew would have fully embraced the dark side if he possessed the ability to touch the force as Vader did.

"Lord Vader," Tarkin's hologram greeted.

"Grand Moff Tarkin," Vader responded in the same cold, metallic tone of voice he used around everyone, except for his master.

"Your suspicions were justified. Princess Leia has indeed left Alderaan, and according to my sources, was seen looking for a passage to Tatooine on the smuggler's moon of Nar Shaddaa."

Tatooine. The planet was a backwater, sand-covered world within the Outer Rim territories with little to no value, except for hiding. Yet it managed to trigger something inside the Dark Lord's poisoned heart. Like a lightning bolt striking a dried-up grass field, Vader's insides were set ablaze at the mention of the desert world. The fact that this planet was connected to a princess who was also linked, somehow, to the memory of someone loved by Vader's past self, couldn't be a mere coincidence.

"What is her interest in Tatooine?" Vader demanded.

"Unknown. But I have also confirmed that the princess managed to secure passage via the assistance of a known smuggler and an imperial deserter named Han Solo. ISB has had some run-ins with him and his Wookiee partner in the past. It is also worth noting that the Princess was accompanied by an astromech droid while on Nar Shaddaa; a blue and white R2 unit I'm told."

Another faint memory from the past, Vader could feel it. Which only further fueled his interest in Alderaan's heir.

"Lord Vader, I believe she could be meeting with a rebel cell or a potential ally on Tatooine. No better place to hide than that filthy rock."

"It would not be the first time we have discovered our enemies hiding on unless worlds such as Tatooine," Vader agreed.

"Indeed. And with more cells uniting to challenge the Empire, we could use this opportunity to strike a massive blow to these potential rebels before they can do any serious damage. At the very least, by proving the Princess' involvement with the rebellion we could finally take Alderaan out of the picture. Thus tearing away another relic of the old Republic, and further showing the galaxy that no one can defy-"

"NO! This is beyond hunting down measly rebel cells governor," Vader shouted, his voice vibrating throughout his quarters.

Tarkin at first appeared shocked by Vader's outburst. But that shock quickly turned to anger, as Vader knew that Tarkin didn't like to be talked down to by anyone, not even the Emperor. It was something the Dark Lord knew needed to be fixed. "See here Lord Vader, I…" Tarkin didn't get to finish his sentence as Vader stuck his hand out and began using the force to squeeze the air out of the Grand Moff's lungs from lightyears away. Time and time again Vader had been reminded by his master about how powerful and important Tarkin was. Yet all his Sith teachings had told him that no being who couldn't possess the ability to touch the dark side of the force was worthy of being considered a true wielder of power.

"The Emperor may hold you in high regard, but remember it is I who wields his power. You are but a tool that remains valuable only as long you cooperate and do as you are told. Am. I. Clear. Grand Moff?"

Even from across the stars Vader could sense something within the Moff. Something that showed clearly on his face that probably no one else in the galaxy had ever seen from him, genuine fear.

Unable to speak due to his lack of oxygen, Tarkin could barely even mumble. Instead, the outer rim governor simply nodded his head weakly as the life was being drained out of him. Satisfied, Vader released his invisible grip, causing Tarkin to collapse to the ground.

"Keep me informed of what you learn, but do nothing else," Vader instructed while the Grand Moff filled his lungs with much-needed air. "No one other you and I are to know of this knowledge, and you are especially not permitted to make a move on the Princess unless I say so."

Without another word, Vader ended the transmission, not waiting for a response from Tarkin. He then set in another frequency into his holoprojector, and within moments a new hologram appeared before the dark lord of a much younger imperial officer in his early thirties, "My lord," the officer saluted.

"Captain Corssin have the Devastator set course for Tatooine at once," Vader commanded.

Fortunately, the new captain of Vader's flagship was a competent officer who knew better than to question the dark lord's command. It helped that Corssin had witnessed the execution of Captain Ligar, one of the Devastator's previous captains, by Lord Vader's hand for questioning him. "Yes my lord," the captain responded.

"Once we are underway, have my private shuttle prepared with a squad of my top death troopers onboard," Vader further instructed. "When we reach Tatooine dispatch, several squads of fighters surround the planet and do not let any ship leave the system. If any try, order our pilots to disable but do not destroy them. I want all crew and passengers captured and alive, droids included."

"Understood my lord," Corssin saluted before ending the transmission.

Once the imperial captain's image faded, Darth Vader sealed his meditation chamber and removed his helmet, releasing his face from the prison that was his mask. Afterwards, the Sith Lord let his mind devel deep into the memories he felt when speaking to Tarkin. The memories of times filled with anger, hate, pain, and loss. A time when he could have easily have challenged the Emperor and been able to take the throne for himself before being robbed of that chance by a man whose name only intensified Vader's anger. It allowed the darkness he felt to grow stronger; giving him a sense of power he had not felt since Malachor. Whatever was on Tatooine was far more important than originally imagined. It was something that Vader knew he needed to have, and he wouldn't let Tarkin, rebels, or the Emperor stand in his way. By the will of the force, Vader swore that what was rightfully his would be his at all cost.

Following his transmission with Darth Vader, Tarkin sat in his private office on board his Star Destroyer, the Resurrection, contemplating how best to proceed with these changes in events. Not the events regarding the Princess of Alderaan precisely, but the part when Vader went so far as to use his mystical powers on him, nearly choking him to death like he was some mere underling. An underling!

As he rubbed his still sore throat Tarkin recalled how while he'd come close to feeling Vader's wrath in the past, the favour he held with Emperor Palpatine had always held the dark lord back. So when he felt Vader's invisible grip around his neck, nearly forcing the life out of him, Tarkin had been unprepared and failed to hide the fear he felt right as death had begun calling to him.

No, he couldn't allow this to happen again. Everything he'd done in his life was to obtain power and what good was that power if he was dead. He considered going to the Emperor about this. If anyone could handle Vader it was him.

However, he realized Vader would no doubt find out if he reported this to the Emperor and make sure he regretted it. Not to mention he'd be making himself look weak in front of the most powerful being in the galaxy. Emperor Palpatine was known for not tolerating his high-ranking officials going to him the moment when they were having a personal problem and begging him for help. He might go so far as to punish the Grand Moff. Perhaps even demote him. Such an act would shatter his reputation, and turn him into a laughing stock in the Empire.

There was also the fact that the Emperor probably might not be fully aware of what was going on between him and Vader involving the princess. If the Emperor did not approve of what they were doing, it could lead to a downfall far worse than humiliation or even being choked to death by Vader.

Thinking it over, Tarkin decided that for now, he'd do as he was told and keep a close eye on the Princess' actions; but not just her, Vader as well. He had no idea what Vader desired from the Princess, but whatever it was he knew it was important; more so than the entire rebellion. He would watch carefully, gather his intel, slowly put together the pieces, and continue to report to Vader, while monitoring the dark lord's reaction each time they spoke. When he figured out what was going on he'd come up with a plan. Whether it be confronting Vader, reporting to the Emperor himself, or withholding the information from both completely; Tarkin would devise a strategy that best furthered his ends and guaranteed his future with the Empire.

Tarkin would not let himself be a pawn in the Sith's game. He would rise to a state of power far greater than he currently had, one that would give him control over even Vader. Just as he had with all his previous rivals before, Tarkin would make an example of Vader and show the galaxy that no one could dare oppose him without feeling his wrath.

Happy Holidays and a may the force be with you on the upcoming new year: )