Chapter 15 – The Gambit

Again, Vader found himself on one knee with his head bowed. His eyes were closed, dancing back and forth behind his lids.

His body was tense. Muscles flexed, jaw clenched. Metal hands were balled into fists. To say that he was angry would be a colossal understatement.

Identifying the target of his ire was challenging, however. At first, he thought his master was to blame. He always seemed to choose the most inopportune times to demand that Vader make contact with him. Yet upon deeper reflection, Vader wondered if it wasn't the Emperor who he was mad with, but himself.

It would be a new experience, if that were the case. Vader despised himself, certainly, but it was different altogether to be disappointed in himself. He was shameless, or, far more accurately, entirely resigned. He was who he was. He had come to terms with his monstrosity years ago.

Yet Vader now sensed it was true: He was upset with himself. More than that, even. He was furious at himself! Why? It was pointless to feel this way. Because it suggested he could be better, that he could become someone who he couldn't possibly be. But all the same, he yearned for it. He wished he could have been better, that he could have acted differently.

Why hadn't he told her? He had wanted to. Had he been afraid? Yes. He had been. He still was. How would she react? He knew the answer. She would be horrified. She would be repulsed. And worst of all, she would be devastated. How could he be her father? She idolized that man, that mythical figment. She cherished his lightsaber, clutching it in her hands as if it were a hallowed relic rather than a brutal weapon responsible for countless acts of senseless violence. She thought she knew who her father was. But she was wrong.

And so he hadn't told her. Not directly, at least. He had dropped hints. More than hints, really. He had done everything short of telling her the truth. Would she figure it out? Was she beginning to piece it together already? In all likelihood, she was. She was a bright girl.

What was that? A swelling of pride? Vader quickly suppressed it. Who was he to feel anything for this girl? She did not want anything to do with him. She hated him, surely.

Surely.

Darth Vader did not dare to hope. Not for nearly twenty years. But he thought he felt something stirring within him. A single ember burning in his core. Could it be? Did he have hope? Was he being a fool?

The answer to both of those questions very well might be yes.

Hence the anger. He knew where this might lead. To hurt, to misery, to horrific consequence. When he last had hope, when he last looked to the future… look at where it had led him.

Never again.

The blue lights of the holoprojector rippled. Vader looked up to see an enormous and repugnant face come into focus. His master, the Emperor.

"Lord Vader," he said.

"Master," Vader replied.

There was a pause. Palpatine's eyes, tinged blue yet Vader knew them to be a sickly yellow, were narrowed and searching. There was nothing for him to see, nothing for him to find. Vader was expressionless. His suit might as well be empty.

Except that was not quite true. He was an expert at suppressing his emotions, yet some emotion was too strong to tamp down. That ember burned too bright. Vader needed to stamp it out. He of all people knew the devastation which fire could cause.

"I have heard word of the Rebels' brazen attack on Scarif," the Emperor said.

His voice was harsh. There was an undercurrent of frustration, which sounded caustic to the ear, as if he were gargling salt water in the back of his throat. Things were not proceeding as planned, and for Palpatine, the great master of plans, that was a cause for great concern. And for Vader, a subject of great intrigue. So here was a shred of proof that Palpatine was not all knowing. He could be deceived. It was possible to surprise him.

"Yes," Vader said, calmly, deliberately. "Their intention was to steal the Death Star plans which were held in the archives at the Imperial facility on the planet."

"So I've heard," Palpatine said.

"They were thwarted."

"Indeed."

Vader hesitated. He heard no approbation in his master's voice, nor in his expression which remained cool and staid.

"I wonder," Palpatine began, "why you have taken so long to make contact with me?"

"I can explain," Vader said.

"Yes," Palpatine said. "You can. And you will. To me personally on Coruscant."

"On Coruscant, Master?"

"As soon as you can."

"But why?"

"Must I give a reason to summon my loyal apprentice?"

Vader was silent. Unease wormed its way into his stomach. Could it be that Palpatine suspected Vader of subordination? How could he possibly have such a suspicion?

"The Force is in flux," Palpatine said. "I know you can sense it. The darkness is…" He trailed off, searching for the word. "Paling," he settled on. "The source of our strength is diminishing."

"I disagree," Vader said. "I have never felt stronger."

Palpatine considered this statement. Vader himself considered it. What had compelled him to say such a thing? Was it even true?

"You are strong, Lord Vader," his master said. "Look within yourself. What is it which empowers you? What is it which emboldens you? Is it my teaching?"

"Of course, Master," Vader said by rote.

Except that was a lie. Palpatine had never empowered or emboldened him. He had only ever kept him down. He repressed him, constrained him, deflated him. Vader was weak because of him.

But he felt strong now. It was true, he could sense it. Darth Vader was growing stronger. Palpatine knew it. And he was afraid. That was why he was summoning him to Coruscant. To reign him in. Except Vader didn't want to be on his leash anymore.

"The girl," Palpatine said. The word hung in the air for a moment. Vader's breathing apparatus hitched. "Have you any word on her whereabouts?"

Far too quickly, Vader replied, "No, my Master. She could be anywhere in the galaxy by now."

"Most unfortunate," Palpatine said. "But we will find her soon enough. The Children of the Force have few places to hide from the Empire."

"Yes, my Master," Vader intoned.

"Come to Coruscant," Palpatine said. "I expect your arrival within a standard day."

The projection flickered out. Vader stood.

What would he do? Obviously, he had to depart for Coruscant immediately. He couldn't defy his master in such a blatant fashion. But what of the girl? And what of the Jedi he had captured? Would he bring them to him?

They were two separate questions entirely. For the former, Vader had already made his decision. He had lied to his master. He had just told him the girl was gone. But she was in his possession. He could not risk taking her to Coruscant. If the Emperor found out he had lied to him… Vader shuddered at what might happen.

But the young Jedi was a different matter. He could present him to his master. He would be commended for his efforts, surely. But was that truly wise? Vader had seen and sensed the Jedi's potential. The Emperor would instantly recognize it as well. He would seek to train him. That posed a threat to Vader. His position as the Emperor's apprentice was not fixed in stone. On the contrary, he could become easily replaceable if this boy realized his enormous potential.

For both of them, the girl and the boy, Vader did not want to let them out of his sights. The girl had slipped away from him first on Palaam and then on Tatooine. She was wily. If Vader was not there to keep an eye on her, she might wriggle away from his grasp for a third time. As for the Jedi, he may be in prison now, but powerful Force sensitives had a knack for escaping confinement. Vader would know about that very well.

With so few choices available to him, Vader had to ask himself what was most important.

He thought about it. It was an impossible question.

It was the simplest in the world.

The girl was what mattered. Of course. She was all that mattered. He had not gone through all this effort just to squander her to Palpatine. His master would not get his hands on her. Vader would not allow them to be within a parsec of each other, if he could help it.

Palpatine would not corrupt the girl like he had corrupted her father.

And so he had but one choice. Yet Vader did not wish to do it. He had to let the girl go.

It was an absurd proposition. He had spent so much effort to regain her. But it was the only option that made any sense. If he brought her to Coruscant with him, his master would no doubt sense her presence. He could send her to Mustafar and have his steward Vaneé keep a close eye on her, but that was too much of a risk as well. He trusted no one. All it took was one to let slip that the girl was there, and his master would learn of Vader's perfidy.

The girl had to go. But where would he send her? And how would he ever find her again?

Vader shut his eyes and pondered. No answers presented themselves to him. He wished he could retire to one of his meditation chambers. The enclosed space and enriched oxygen always served to clear his mind, and, while minutely, lessen some of the pain with which he was perpetually afflicted. But no meditation chamber had been installed for him on the Prerogative. He would have to come up with an answer here and now.

He keyed the button on his chest panel activating his comlink. At once, Commodore Bose answered.

"Yes, my lord?"

"To Coruscant, immediately," he ordered.

"Yes, my lord. Anything else, my lord?"

Vader paused. He looked down at his gauntleted fist. Slowly, he allowed the fingers to unfurl.

"Yes," he said. "Send someone to the admiral's quarters. I want Galen Erso and the young woman accompanying him to be directed to the brig."

"Should we open up a cell for them, my lord?"

"No," Vader said. "I will meet them there myself."

"Very well. It will be done, my lord."

Vader severed the connection. He looked at his hand.

Once again, she was out of his grasp.

Δ Δ Δ

Leia walked beside Galen down the sleek hallways of the Star Destroyer. A curt officer had come to the admiral's quarters to herd them away. When asked where he was taking us, the man simply said, "Elsewhere."

"Isn't this the way we went to get to the brig?" Leia said, speaking out of the side of her mouth.

Galen shot her a glance. "Yes," he said. "I believe it was."

"You don't think –"

"No," Galen said.

"But –"

"I know even less than you do, dear," Galen said. Leia blinked a couple times at that. She couldn't tell whether it was endearing or patronizing. Maybe when she made up her mind on whether she actually liked Galen she'd be able to answer that. "What did Vader tell you when you were alone?"

"Not much," Leia said, although her voice tailed off. Not much? More like too much. And she hadn't been able to make sense of it. "It was… confusing."

"How so?"

Leia shook her head. "I can't explain."

"Do you know where he went?"

Leia nodded. At least she knew the answer to that. "He was summoned by the Emperor."

Galen swallowed visibly. "Ah," he said.

Leia shared the sentiment. They were certainly headed to the brig now. The officer had shepherded them into a turbolift and they were now descending into the bowels of the enormous ship.

"I can assure you this," Galen said, speaking even softer now that the officer was in such close quarters. "Vader will not hurt you."

"How do you know?" Leia asked.

"I just do."

The turbolift door slid open. Leia and Galen followed the officer out into the corridor which led to the brig.

"You are to wait here," the officer said. "Lord Vader will be with you shortly."

"You mean you're not tossing us into a cell?" Leia asked.

The officer considered her coolly. "Those are not my orders."

Leia averted her eyes. The officer looked at them both a moment longer before departing through the turbolift.

"A strange fellow," Galen said, exhaling.

They waited. Leia felt her hand drift to the lightsaber on her belt. It used to give her a semblance of comfort. Now it felt cold, different. She could not explain it.

She could not understand.

"Vader," she began, looking to Galen, "he was trying to tell me… something."

"Yes, I'd imagine he was," Galen replied.

"You know what it is, don't you?"

Galen looked rather uncomfortable. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Leia would have pushed him for answer, but she was interrupted by the sound of the turbolift returning. She turned to see the door slide open. Darth Vader appeared.

"Leia," he said. "Erso."

"My lord," Galen said.

"With me," Vader said, marching past them down the corridor. Galen and Leia traded looks before scurrying after him.

"What's going on?" Leia called.

Vader did not reply. A set of blast doors opened to the brig's command center. The two black-uniformed officers on duty dutifully saluted at Vader's arrival.

"My lord," they said in unison.

"Cell 1405," Vader said. "Is it occupied?"

One of the men tapped at a panel. "No, my lord," he said. "It was made empty at your request."

"1405?" Galen said. "That was –"

Vader shot him a look. Galen went quiet abruptly.

"Have the two Rebel prisoners brought to that cell," Vader ordered the officers. "I will interrogate them there."

"Very well, my lord."

The officers glanced beyond Vader to Leia.

"Do not look at her," Vader barked. He said it so vehemently, the officers' faces blanched white with fear. "I gave you orders."

"Yes, my lord. Apologies, my lord." The one officer nervously leaned over another panel and keyed a button. "DL-5510, this is command. Requesting transfer of Prisoner 6714-CA from Cell 1401 to 1405 and Prisoner 6399-FJ from Cell 1417 to 1405. Please confirm."

"Lord Vader –" Galen attempted.

"When we are alone," Vader said, "I will explain myself."

Galen nodded.

A few minutes later they were waiting in Cell 1405. Leia waited on the bench, kicking the backs of her legs against it impatiently. She jumped to her feet when the door opened. Jyn and Cassian were each being roughly handled by a pair of Imperial officers.

"Let me go," Jyn snarled. She kicked viciously at one of the officers, striking his shin, causing him to wail in pain.

"Hey!" his counterpart barked, producing a handheld taser.

"Enough," Vader said, raising a hand. The officer froze. "Leave us."

"Yes my lord," he said.

The four officers left, the injured one hopping on his gimpy leg.

"We won't talk," Cassian said when they were alone. "I know what you want from us."

"The location of the Rebel Base," Vader said.

"You'll never find it."

"I have no interest in finding it."

Cassian blinked. "You don't?"

"None whatsoever."

There was silence for a few beats. An incredulous Cassian looked at Jyn.

"Then what do you want?" she asked.

"To release you," Vader said. He waved his hand, and the binders on Jyn and Cassian's wrists fell to the ground. "How is your arm?" Vader asked Cassian.

"It's, um… I've dealt with worse," Cassian said, stammering.

"Can you handle a blaster with your other hand?"

"Yes, of course."

"Good." Vader reached into his cape and produced two pistols. He tossed one to Cassian and the other to Jyn.

"What is going on?" Jyn asked, clutching the blaster tightly. "Why are you helping us?"

"Your task is to look after my…" Vader stopped himself. "You will protect Leia and Erso with your lives. Is that understood?"

"No," Cassian said. "Why are you –"

"I will not tolerate questions," Vader said. "I am releasing the four of you. You must make sure that Leia and Erso make it safely to the Rebel Base."

"Hold on," Jyn said. "He's trying to track us, isn't he? He'll let us escape but not before he puts a honing beacon on our ship."

"I do not wish to learn the location of the Rebel Base," Vader said, exasperation seeping into his voice. "I want you to escape so that you can destroy the Death Star."

The stunned silence this time was even louder than the last. Cassian's mouth opened and closed several times before he managed to get any words out. "Did you just say –"

"You heard me perfectly well, Andor," Vader said. "You may have failed to retrieve the plans from Scarif, but you have the next best thing."

"And what is that?" Cassian asked.

"The man who built it." Vader turned to Erso. "You know how to destroy it."

"Of course I do," Galen said. "I designed the critical flaw."

"Then you must tell the Rebels how to take advantage of it."

"I will," Galen said. "Thank you, my lord. You are a hero."

"I will not be the hero," Vader said. Now he turned to Leia. "You will be."

"Me?" Leia said.

"You are the only one who can do this," Vader said. "You are a better pilot than anyone in the Rebellion."

Leia was struck by an uncharacteristic surge of humility. "No I'm not," she insisted. "I have no experience in an actual battle."

"You have the Force." Vader stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Trust in it, and you will not fail."

Leia looked at his hand. Why was it that she felt no fear? It was made of metal, she could feel it digging into her bone. But Leia knew that he himself was more than that. He was more than a machine. He was a person. She could sense it.

And just like that, she understood.

"Go now," Vader said. "I will do what I can to assist your escape."

"You're not coming with us?" Leia asked.

"I cannot," Vader said.

"Yes you can," Leia said. "You must! You've made your choice. Leave the Empire! Help us fight! Help me!"

"I will help," Vader said. "But this is where I must be. I can keep you safe this way."

"Keep me safe from what?"

Vader shook his head. "Go now," he said. "Do not delay."

"You heard him," Cassian said. "Leia, let's go." He and Jyn were no doubt still incredulous, but they weren't going to let the opportunity pass. They hurried to the door, Galen quick on their heels. Leia did not follow.

"Wait," she said. "What about Luke?"

She could feel Vader's grip on her shoulder tighten ever so slightly. "He will stay with me," he said.

"No way!" Leia protested.

"From what I understand, he is concussed and still unconscious," Vader said. "You will not be able to escape with him in tow."

Leia looked to Cassian and Jyn.

"I'm sorry, Leia," Cassian said.

"I can't leave him," she said.

"No harm will come to him," Vader assured her. "I will protect him."

"Promise?" Leia said.

Vader hesitated. "Why do you care so much for him?" he asked.

"He's my friend," Leia said at once. "I look out for my friends." Starting now, at least. She had failed Val. She had failed Biggs. She could not fail Luke too.

"I will protect him," Vader said. "I promise."

"Leia!" Jyn hissed. "Come on."

Leia wasn't entirely satisfied, but she supposed it was the best arrangement she could get considering the circumstances. Part of her wondered why Vader had turned around so quickly. Just a few hours ago he had broken Cassian's arm and knocked Luke unconscious. Now he was aiding their escape and committing treason against the Empire. But there was no time to ask. Besides, she doubted she would get anything remotely like a straight answer out of him.

"Go ahead," Leia told Jyn with her eyes still fixed on Vader. "I'll be right behind you."

Jyn and Cassian both shrugged before heading out into the hallway. Galen followed, and the door closed.

"I know what you were trying to tell me earlier," Leia said.

"Do you?" Vader said.

Leia nodded. She placed her hand atop Vader's on her shoulder. "I will not fail you," she said. "Father."