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Chapter II: An Offer You Can't Refuse
There were few things that could faze Yoda, being Grand Master of the Jedi Order would do that to a being's state of mind. He had steered the order through many a crisis from the wars against the Mandalorians and Kaleesh to the blockade of Naboo to the current war raging even now. When even the stoutest Jedi Knights began to falter, even if the entire galaxy seemed to be against them, Yoda was always there to lay a reassuring and firm hand on their shoulder (metaphorically speaking anyway) and guide them through the troubles.
Yet even he had to take pause at what he had felt entering their plain of existence.
A Sith Lord. Not that pale imitation that had killed Qui-gon, and certainly not Dooku's fledgling prancing about like she was a Sith Lord herself, but the genuine item. A being of great power and great darkness from what Yoda could sense.
None of the other Jedi had sensed it yet, but Yoda's abilities were far beyond theirs and allowed him to cast his consciousness far and wide over whole swathes of planets and stars. So far only he had found what was causing himself to feel trepidation. He needed to inform the other Masters, and he would, but first it was best to meditate and think on this dilemma. Before the idea that the Sith were resurgent had only been a theory, speculation put forth by Qui-gon before his death and only slightly verified by Dooku's rebellion. But with this there was no longer any question.
The Dark Side was casting its shadow over the galaxy once more.
Even with all the mystery surrounding this Sith, Yoda still felt that there was more to it than a simple return of the old enemy. He still felt beyond a shadow of a doubt that this Sith would soon find their way into the arms of the separatists and thus against them, but he did not sense the usual maleficence associated with the Darksiders. Certainly, the Dark Side of the Force hovered around this new figure like a thick blanket, but there seemed to be a… disconnect, for lack of a better word. Yoda did not know how to describe it. The Dark Side wanted to rally to this new champion, but did not know how. As if it was meeting an old friend gone for years, only to not recognize them at all.
It was a strange situation, for sure.
Troubling this is… he thought to himself. Yet more pressing concerns there are. Stop for one being, the war does not.
That was a sad and true statement, no matter how much he wished it were otherwise. While Yoda would have liked nothing more than to sit in his chambers and think on this indefinitely as he would have other problems, war had a way of interfering with such activities. For a being with a lifespan such as his it was somewhat jarring dealing with these issues at such a hasty pace, but needs must.
At least the current generation was rising to meet the challenge, the diminutive Jedi thought with no small amount of pride, guilty as it may have been. There were few feelings quite like that of a teacher seeing his students finally coming into their own, even if he wished they had been able to do so in more peaceful times. One Jedi in particular had already made a rather large name for himself.
An energetic one, young Skywalker certainly is, he thought with amusement curling around him. Humans were by nature active and energetic beings, given their shorter lifespans, but Skywalker was on an entirely different level. Practically flitting across the galaxy to wherever the war seemed to be at its most intense, The Hero With No Fear had become a poster boy for the Republic's war effort. Rhen Var, Muunilinst, Jabiim, Christophsis, Skywalker had proven himself an able tactician and leader of men in every battle he participated in. Republic citizens praised him, clone troopers respected and admired him, and the separatists feared and loathed him.
While Yoda was as proud of Skywalker for his accomplishments as he was of any other young Jedi, there was also cause for worry. The Jedi were by their nature humble and not usually taken with the limelight. There was good reason for this, because as they say, pride cometh before the fall. And Skywalker had a great deal of pride.
It was almost uncanny, the similarities between him and an ancient Jedi named Revan. Both young Knights coming into their own as the galaxy was thrown into turmoil. Both rising up to the occasion to defend the Republic with all their might. Both winning great victories and the admiration of the masses.
Would Skywalker also fall to the sway of the Dark Side, as Revan had done? It was a question Yoda could not answer, much to his frustration.
"Hmph, wisdom. Much good it does me not, when most it is needed."
There was not much that could be done about Yoda's concern, other than to have faith. Skywalker was good at heart, and despite his recklessness he only wanted what was best for his fellow being. While there was disdain for certain aspects of democracy (much to Yoda's concern) and how the Republic was run, there was also a strong desire to see justice done no matter the odds. Given time and proper guidance, Obi-wan's pupil would become a fine Jedi Master one day. Perhaps even his replacement, Yoda thought wryly.
"Ah, pardon me Master Yoda. I did not see you."
The old Master turned at the voice to see young Obi-wan standing there, and he realized that in his musings he had almost bumped into the newly minted Jedi Master. He had come far in the last ten years. While Qui-gon's death would always sadden Yoda, in a twisted way it had finally allowed Kenobi to grow into his own man.
Once again, a Jedi Yoda was proud of while wishing he had been able to rise in more peaceful times.
"Worry not, Master Kenobi," he said with a grin. "An old being stuck in his thoughts, I am. Wish to walk with me, do you?"
"Of course, Master," Obi-wan said with a grin of his own. Even if Yoda was the most powerful Jedi currently in existence, he still felt like the grandfather Obi-wan never had.
For a while they walked in silence, embracing the feeling of tranquility that permeated the temple. The halls were emptier than they had been but a few months ago with the demands of the war, but the two Jedi firmly resolved to ignore the way it troubled them.
They eventually found themselves in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and after a moment of further silence Yoda finally spoke.
"Troubled you are, Master Kenobi. Speak, do you good it might."
Obi-wan blinked at the statement, but didn't bother questioning how Yoda knew what was on his mind. He was Grand Master of the Order for a reason after all.
"It's the war, Master," Obi-wan eventually said with a thoughtful frown. "We've already dealt the separatists several crushing blows, but if anything they seem more motivated than ever. The battle droids seem to keep coming without an end in sight, and separatist shipyards are building ships almost faster than they can crew them. For a bunch of supposedly disorganized Outer Rim worlds and corporations they have been remarkably resilient."
Yoda hummed thoughtfully, seeing that Kenobi's thoughts echoed some of his own views on this war. What truly rankled the old Jedi Master was how quickly things seemed to have gotten out of hand. Similar crises involving possible secession and civil war had occurred before, some even under his tenure as Grand Master, but they had never come to a head so quickly and with such lack of forewarning.
It reeked of an unknown influence.
"At work, a hidden player is. Of this I have no doubt," Yoda said in way of reply. "Too cowardly to act on their own, most of the separatist leaders are. Given assurances of victory and riches they have been."
"Do you think it's the Sith, Master Yoda?" Obi-wan asked in way of reply, his tone taking on both dread and curiosity. "The warrior who I and Qui-gon fought at Naboo certainly felt like a Dark Sider, and he was skilled too."
"Possible it is. But not a certainty. Many Dark Jedi there have been, and many more there will be," he said, and before Obi-wan could reply he continued. "But strong the Sith Order is. Several times they have been destroyed, and several times returned they have. Explain the clouding of my foresight it would, for only the Sith possess such power."
"Should we warn the Senate and the Chancellor about this?" Obi-wan asked. "If the Sith have returned, then we are all in grave danger."
The short Jedi shook his head, brow furrowed in what could be construed as frustration. "Nothing to warn them of there is. Only feelings and assumptions. Long is the memory of our Order, but not so for the rest of the Republic. See a pale ghost they would, where we would see an old enemy again returned. Wait we must, until concrete proof presents itself. As for the Chancellor… great is his presence in Jedi affairs already. Interfered with several campaigns he has, particularly with Skywalker, yes?"
Obi-wan grimaced, knowing exactly what Yoda was talking about. "You're right. Sometimes I almost find myself suspicious of how close Anakin and Palpatine are together. It makes me feel as if I'm a paranoid warden, but all the same…"
"Share your concerns I do, Master Kenobi," Yoda said as reassurance. "Unusual, the Chancellor's interest in your former student is. Right to be cautious you are. However, mistrust him you should not. A good Jedi, young Skywalker is. Find the right way, he will."
With that Yoda began hobbling away, they rhythmic clack of his walking stick echoing through the room. "Find young Skywalker you should, hmm? Deployed soon, you both will be."
Obi-wan bowed to Yoda's retreating form, answering an affirmative and walking off in a separate direction. The old Jedi sensed that while he had not assuaged Obi-wan's worries, he had at least reaffirmed his faith in Skywalker.
Dark times these are, he thought to himself as he left the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Stand united we must, if we are to survive.
"The latest petition, Chancellor."
Nodding his head in thanks Sheev Palpatine accepted the datapad from his secretary, giving it a cursory glance. On the outside he was thoughtful, every inch appearing the concerned grandfather that the citizens of the Republic loved and trusted.
In reality he wanted nothing more than to douse this petition, and whomever had sent it, in so much of his Lightning that the storms of Kamino looked tame by comparison.
But it would be unseemly as the Chancellor of the Republic to engage in such questionable activities, so he simply skimmed the datapad before setting it off to the side, possibly to be read later.
"It would seem that Fondor is once again requesting an increase in our grain exports to them. Do set up a meeting with the head of the Department of Agriculture for later my dear, I believe 4:00 in the afternoon should suffice."
The secretary, a twenty something human girl from Kuat whose name he hadn't bothered to remember yet nodded and went to make the arrangements. This allowed Palpatine a few blessed moments of solitude. He sighed explosively when the door was closed.
Never had he thought toppling the Republic from within its highest office could be so tedious.
It honestly surprised him even after ten years in office just inefficient and frivolous the Republic's government truly was. Even with the war and his responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief there were few moments of excitement. Most of his time was spent pretending to care about the bureaucratic red tape (no wonder the Jedi were so hated in the Outer Rim, if they considered something as truly ridiculous as the Department of Extracurricular Intercultural Exchange something worth defending) and the insignificant lives of the Republic's citizens.
Still, it was rather interesting directing two opposite sides of a war. Much like playing Djarik with oneself, if Djarik involved the death of millions on a weekly basis. On that note…
Informing his secretary that no one was to disturb him until he said otherwise and locking the office's door for good measure, Palpatine pulled up the most recent reports on the progress of the war from his hidden black drive. On the holographic screen there was a truly mindboggling number of files, all of them containing the various battles, skirmishes, troop deployments and locations of important figures, and scores of plans relating to every single one.
Master Yoda thought he had a heavy hand in military affairs did he? The little alien was quite mistaken on that; he didn't just have a heavy interest, he was pulling every facet of this war along with puppet strings, and the best part was everyone believed their actions were their own.
He knew he would have to change the pattern soon. He had insured that the Republic won several victories that were great enough to boost morale and confidence but not enough to truly put the Confederacy on the back foot. It would not do for the war to end too quickly; this affair needed to be as bloody as possible before he could enact the final revenge of the Sith. Perhaps a sudden counter offensive near Muunilinst would suffice, and he knew that an invasion of Kashyyyk would need to take place soon. The Force swirled around that planet with heavy intent; it would become a center of events somewhere down the line, he could see it.
Should he place Skywalker there when the time came? He felt that he had already been a bit too heavy handed with his favoritism of that boy; perhaps it would be best to relax his pressure slightly and let the Jedi Council have their way with how the boy was used in the war. Then again, perhaps he wouldn't have to exert as much pressure but still be able to achieve the same results anyway. After all, it wouldn't do if the Hero with No Fear wasn't leading the Republic's clone armies to victory now would it?
Though perhaps not a certain victory, he thought to himself as he began viewing his files on one figure in particular. It was almost entirely empty, consisting of nothing else aside from a name, a picture, and a note to add more information as it became available.
Darth Vader, Palpatine mused as he leaned back in his chair. Of all the things that had ended up in his lap these past few months, this man in particular continued to hold his attention. It was only natural though; not many beings would openly claim to be a Sith Lord, what with the near total obliteration of the order over a thousand years ago. On the one hand he was weary of this Darth Vader, as the Sith always tended to end up fighting each other just as much as they fought the Jedi. But on the other, if this self-proclaimed Sith could be swayed to join the separatist cause then he would be yet another weapon to use against the Jedi.
Though that was entirely dependent on whether or not this figure was actually useful; over the past few months the Sith in disguise had been quite surprised at the sheer lack of military acumen displayed by both the Jedi and some of his apprentice's erstwhile followers. One of the reasons Skywalker was considered a war hero was his incredible string of improbable victories and tactical daring. As far as leading soldiers was concerned, few generals could hold a candle to him at the moment.
It was therefore easy to understand Sidious' reluctance to simply throw Vader onto the board.
Perhaps a test of sufficiently minor scale was in order. Yes, he nodded to himself, it would be the safest way of gauging the worth of this Darth Vader. If he succeeded, then Sidious gained a new piece on the board. If Vader failed, then it was of no great consequence, and he could get on with the plans which actually mattered.
Briefly he used his foresight to gauge the likelihood of either outcome. It was not what he saw which surprised him, but rather the lack of any concrete image which grabbed the majority of his attention.
Interesting, the flow of time has only ever been this turbulent around Skywalker. Perhaps this Vader is more important than I first thought.
It could of course be a fluke; the art of reading the future was an untested one at best, and anomalies were common if his experience was anything to go by. He'd seen timelines where a simple farm boy was able to destroy a space station the size of a moon! Still, the old Sith lord had a feeling that this turbulence in Vader's future pointed to the Sith being more than just an ordinary being. Something momentous lay in store for him.
Sidious shook himself out of his thoughts. Further plans could wait for the evening. For now, he thought with a wrinkled nose, he had to look through these bills and petitions.
Truly, the worst lot was that of the high-ranking bureaucrat.
So that is Raxus, Vader thought as his shuttle began the slow descent towards the planet's surface. It is beautiful.
Indeed, the continents which he could see were vast and verdant fields, indicating a healthy ecosystem. Where there was settlement Vader could see the slate gray typical of cities, but they were far smaller compared to the former environ. This pleased him immensely. Less settlement meant less sentients to deal with.
The world's oceans were a similar sight, consisting of huge swaths of bright blue sprinkled with white and puffy clouds. The Sith thought he could see a hurricane forming over the middle of one of larger seas, though fortunately it was far from land.
If this is what they have to defend, then it is no wonder the Confederates have bloodied the Republic's nose, he thought with a small grin. Compared to Coruscant this was a paradise.
He frowned at the thought. On reflection it was an example of his rather peculiar case. He could remember living on the planet called Coruscant, he could even scrounge up images of a stately apartment, but he had no idea why. Things became fuzzy and indistinguishable if he tried to focus beyond the basics.
This proved to be the rule for the majority of memories of this nature. Most places were clear, but as far as people and any past exploits, he was lucky to get a fleeting glimpse. The Sith counted himself lucky that this had not applied to basic skills such as speaking and writing, as things would have been much more difficult otherwise.
I was without doubt a warrior, he thought, his mind going to his lightsaber and the knowledge of how to use it. Aside from that I know little. Why did I fight? Did I have comrades?
What could have happened that I ended up in this prison of a suit?
Questions without answers, and yet he couldn't help but ask them. The Sith lord shook his head in frustration. Not for the first time he reminded himself that it was useless to dwell on problems that couldn't be solved; the present and future waited on no one after all.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the speakers coming on. "Attention all passengers," the droid said, even though he was the only passenger on board. "We are making our final approach."
He once again looked out the window, and sure enough the shuttle had passed through the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Where before his view had encompassed the entire hemisphere, now it was limited to the sight of rolling fields interspersed with small forests. Streams crisscrossed this way and that between the various woods, and Vader also caught sight of a herd of creatures similar to gazelles hopping across the verdant landscape.
As he continued to gaze out the viewport a structure caught his attention. It was without doubt some kind of estate, built after the Alderaanian fashion. Its walls spoke of wealth and elegance, and ever slight condescension. Even from here Vader's admittedly untrained eyes could tell the structure was made of fine materials, undoubtedly shaped by the most skilled hands available. He gazed at the growing structure with distaste. The slicing edges of a warship appealed far more to him, he decided after a moment of thought.
With leisurely slowness the shuttle touched down at a landing pad, which quickly descended into an underground hangar. The hangar had a far more functional appearance than the manor, which told Vader that his host, while clearly favoring the more exquisite things in life, knew when to do away with finery and focus on what needed to be done.
When the descent finally came to a halt he rose from his seat and made his way to the exit. At the foot of the shuttle's ramp stood a protocol droid, its casing colored a meticulously polished silver. It gave him a shallow bow before gesturing with its arm. "This way please. Count Dooku is expecting you."
With little delay the droid led him to a normal sized elevator at the end of the hangar, which quickly took them back above ground and into the manor proper. From the floor counter Vader could tell that they were at the top of the building, most likely where Count Dooku kept his office and quarters. Once the elevator stopped they disembarked, the droid leading him down a couple of stately corridors adorned with various paintings and busts. The floor was clothed in rich crimson carpet and the walls paneled with the highest quality of Wroshyr wood. Once again, he longed for the halls of a warship, which even if he couldn't remember much felt like home. For him a place such as this would be worthless.
At the end of the last corridor was a pair of gilded doors, which the droid help open for him. "The Count will see you now," it said, before shutting the doors behind him. It would have been ominous if not for the fact that the droid was so unintimidating.
He took a quick glance at his new surroundings. The droid had led him to a spacious study, which appeared to be the size of a small library on its own. Dominating the far side was a floor to ceiling window which gave a pleasant view of the manor grounds and the fields beyond. Immediately under the window was a desk made from more Wroshyr wood. Idly Vader wondered how the Confederacy's head of state had gotten all of the wood, considering that Kashyyyk had declared itself in favor of the Republic and was embargoing any planet which sided with the C.I.S. Perhaps the estate was older than he had first thought.
Sitting at the desk was a man. Immediately Vader sensed the Force curling around him in the way it did with Force sensitives, and he also detected the heavy cloak of the Dark Side. As far as appearances went he played the part of a nobleman well. His hair, while white with age, was well kept, and the beard he sported was trimmed meticulously. The tunic and cape the man wore were black and brown respectively, and their simple yet well-made look gave him an air of tasteful luxury. His eyes held a bright shine, giving evidence to the sharp mind he was reputed to contain. A glass of wine sat on the desk next to him, and Vader heard the scratching of a stylus coming from the desk. A glance at the man's hands showed he was indeed holding said instrument, and was using it to write something down.
All in all, Count Dooku, the leader of the rebellious Confederacy of Independent Systems, was exactly the man one would expect to be leading a war for freedom against the Republic. Or so he appeared.
The Count continued to work, seeming to not notice Vader even with his rather obvious presence. For his part the cyborg simply stood where he was, refusing to be annoyed. It was a universal truth that politicians loved their power games, big or small.
After a minute or two Dooku finally decided to relent. "Please, do sit," he said as he appeared to sign the document with a flourish, setting it off to the side. "We have much to discuss."
Vader accepted the offer, the fine leather chair creaking slightly under his weight. It was slightly awkward due to the bulkiness of his suit, but Vader ignored it. A gout of magma flashed in his memories. He had dealt with worse, he knew.
There was another moment of relative silence, with Vader's breath seeming to punctuate its intensity. Both Force users were sizing the other up, attempting to determine who the stronger was. He did not let Dooku's age or apparent wealth fool him; those eyes held the steel look of a warrior. His opinion of the old Count improved when he realized this fact. Many politicians loved to talk about fighting the good fight, while few actually translated their words into actions. It seemed Dooku was one of those few.
The Count appeared satisfied by his own search as well, for a whimsical grin appeared under his beard. He took a sip of his wine before speaking. His voice was deep and regimented, and the Sith lord knew that each word was handpicked to achieve maximum benefit. If Vader had to give a comparison, he would say that Dooku's voice was like a mountain river; strong, flowing, and carrying multiple hidden currents.
"I must admit I was surprised when I heard about you," he said. "All of the eyewitnesses reported that you simply appeared out of thin air right in front of them. There was no flash, no great forewarning. One moment you weren't, the next you were. I had too see the security recordings before I gave any actual credence to this incident. Though it still doesn't answer the question of why you are here."
"I must admit that the circumstances of my… arrival are a mystery to me as well," Vader said after a moment's thought. "My memory becomes hazy at best before I found myself in your base. Though it is fortunate that your soldiers decided to ask questions before firing."
Vader knew it was rather risky to be so open with his amnesia, but he was not suited for deceit. Better that he simply tell the truth than risk any deception he concoct be exposed later on.
"Indeed," Dooku replied with humor. "If I am being honest I can see why. Not many would claim to be what most of the galaxy considers a relic of ancient history. Especially with the Jedi having their ears to the ground."
Vader nodded. "Perhaps, but it is the truth nonetheless."
That had been one of the first things he had done when given access to a terminal. He knew he was Sith and he knew his Sith name, but not much else. Were there other Sith in the galaxy? If so could he get to them for help? Should he try and call for their help? In the end it had turned out to be a moot point. The last time there had been a considerable number of Sith in the galaxy, according to the history he had looked up, was a little over a thousand years ago. Many considered the Sith extinct. That raised even more questions about his circumstances. Was he an ancient Sith, flung forward in time through some unknown means? Perhaps he had been a member of the last incarnation of the Sith Order, and in its last days he had been volunteered in some sort of ritual designed to insure the Sith would have revenge for their destruction?
Dooku continued, oblivious (or pretending to be) to his thoughts. "In my line of work I have found it is so easy to make truly remarkable claims, yet so few have the ability to actually measure up to them. Why should I believe anything you say? Why should I even help you?"
Vader kept a stony façade. This was all part of the game. Dooku had something he needed, which was in this case the ability to provide support against the Jedi, who would come for him. The trick was to convince the old Count that any partnership they entered into would be just as beneficial for him as it would be for Vader. It certainly didn't take him long to get to the point, the cyborg thought wryly.
"You are involved in a war against the Republic," he began at length. "And while it has apparently not had a military for quite some time it has still managed to revamp its war making capabilities remarkably quickly. While this on its own would not be a problem for you considering the Confederacy's own resources, the Republic has an asset you have no truly effective counter for: the Jedi Order."
Dooku stared in silence, and while Vader knew he had more work to do he had the old man's attention. "I did not spend the entirety of my time merely trying to piece together my identity, Count. Your Confederacy of worlds has kicked up a hornets' nest, and it has found itself improperly prepared for it. Entire armies wiped out within the first six months alone, vital worlds such as Muunilinst and Geonosis lost to the clone legions, and all the while your incompetent officers have humiliated you with their impotent flailing and failures against the Jedi. The Jedi, who despite their inexperience continue to learn more of the arts of war alongside their clone soldiers every day. The Jedi, whose connection to the Force has proven to be a larger factor than you accounted for. The worlds which flocked to your banner enthusiastically not six months ago now already clamor for an armistice, with some gutlessly calling for surrender. At this rate, you will be lucky if the war lasts two years."
Through it all Dooku did not flinch, maintaining an air of silent attention throughout the listing of his newly created country's various challenges and failures. It told Vader that he had heard all of this before, and instead of agonizing over it was instead attempting to find a solution to the problem.
"You make very valid points, Lord Vader," the Count replied, using his name (and title, he noted) for the first time. "The Confederacy finds itself in dire straits, and while our resources are still vast they are constantly being challenged by the ever-growing strength of the Republic. By that logic however we must be cautious with how we spend our resources, and who we put in charge of them. As you quite correctly pointed out, my generals have proven largely incompetent aside from a few examples. What makes you so different from them?"
Darth Vader paused as he considered his next words. He had cast his net, it was time to pull it in.
"You know that I am an amnesiac, with very little memory of who I am," he began, pausing only for Dooku to nod. "That does not, however, mean that I have forgotten what I am; a warrior. I remember decades of service to an empire, leadings its forces to victory after victory. I may not remember my past identity, but I do remember how to organize ships of the line, insure the proper running of logistics, and how to conduct a lengthy campaign when a short one was expected. Give me a legion of your droids and I will see a Republic world razed to the ground and the corpse of a Jedi thrown at your feet, if it so pleases you."
It was grandiose, and not to his taste at all, but Vader had studied the man whom he sought to make his benefactor. Dooku was above all a man of rhetoric, and was more liable to listen to well-crafted arguments detailing multiple points and how they related to one another.
So much like a politician, he thought with mild distaste.
For his part Dooku quirked his lips in a slight smile. "Your confidence is inspiring. But confidence alone does not make a great general. Having said that, you have convinced me to allow you an… audition. There are many minor theaters where you will be able to prove yourself as a valuable asset to my cause."
"A test, then," Vader replied. Part of him was relieved. Immediate acceptance of his proposal would have meant these Confederates were in more dire straits than they had suggested. A test meant that he wasn't joining a sinking ship.
The Count nodded before he grabbed a datapad, flicking his finger over the screen as he appeared to search for a particular item. "Indeed. It is only reasonable, as I'm sure you'll agree. Now, let us discuss the terms of your test…"
Author's Note: I will admit, most of this chapter has been written within the past few weeks. Last semester was a particularly busy and important one, so this was moved to the bottom of my priorities.
To those of you who are here, I thank you for your patience, and I am sorry that what I have at the moment doesn't have any action, which I'm sure you're all looking forward too. To that I have good news; the next chapter will be decidedly more action packed.
I do hope I am portraying Vader's amnesia with at least some accuracy. I know someone who lost their memory on several occasions, but I never asked them too many in depth questions about it out of respect for their privacy. Do let me know if there's anything I should be doing differently in regards to that.
Anyway, a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you all, and I hope 2018 gives you each new opportunities.
Til next time.