Vader felt a slight shiver as he realized that their convoy was being approached or watched by someone somewhere.
He turned his head as he heard the sound of a quadlaser cannon. He heard the sounds of an explosion and screams. His speeder shook and he jumped from it just as a fire ignited. He activated his lightsaber as he noticed the convoy continuing to move in formation.
Luke and Leia both exchanged glances as they knew what they had to do. They had both worked quietly to remove each others binders while the stormtrooper that sat with them was distracted by the attacking Millennium Falcon. They pushed him out of his seat as they turned upon the driver of their speeder.
Leia seized a blaster and started to fire upon the troop transport as Luke took the driver's seat after shoving the unconscious driver out of the speeder.
"Let's get alongside the Falcon!" Luke stated.
Captain Firmus Piett rolled out of his burning speeder as he recovered from the crash. He stood up and moved away from the increasing heat of the destroyed speeder. His eyes took in his surroundings as he noticed the corpse of a nearby stormtrooper. He picked up the stormtrooper's sniper rifle as he knew he had to do whatever he could to help Lord Vader. He looked at the rifle for a moment as he thought of Vader's orders. Without a second thought, he switched the rifle's settings to stun.
"You two aren't going anywhere," Vader stated as he jumped onto Luke and Leia's speeder.
The twins looked at their father in horror as Leia noticed the lightsabers that hung on his belt. She called both her own lightsaber and her brother's to her hands and activated both blades. Vader raised his own red blade as he heard an additional explosion. He blocked his daughter's double strike as he turned just in time to see the ramp of the YT-1300 corellian freighter lowering. On the ramp, stood his wife with a drawn blaster. He was shocked, force she still looked so young although she was half of a decade older than he was. With her chestnut eyes and dark hair, his angel was still as beautiful as she was the day that he had married her. In the midst of his shock, Padme fired one single volley that slammed into his left arm. His lightsaber fell from his hand as he dropped to his knees. He reached with his mechanical arm and gripped onto the speeder as Padme spoke, "Luke and Leia, Hurry! Get to the Cockpit and tell Han to get us out of here!"
Leia boarded the ship first with a graceful force Jump. Luke jumped out of the speeder as Vader realized that the speeder was now driverless and bound to crash. He jumped up as he attempted to follow his wife. The ship was starting to ascend as he looked into the eyes of his wife. She fired her blaster at him and he was forced to jump to avoid her shot. He was unarmed. Suddenly a blue bolt of energy slammed into Padme and she dropped from the ramp. Vader used the force to take control of the speeder as he reached out with the force for his wife. Padme landed in his arms unconscious as he used the force to slow the landspeeder down while keeping his eyes on the escaping ship.
Chewbacca took the ship out of the atmosphere as Luke rushed into the cockpit, "We made it!" He turned to see his sister at his side. He looked past his sister and noticed that his mother was absent from sight.
"Mom where are you?" Luke called out. He turned to the doorway as
Han entered the cockpit. Han had a grim look on his face as he spoke, "Vader has her."
Luke looked at his friend in horror, "We have to go back Commander! We cannot let him have her!"
Chewbacca let out a roar as Han looked towards the scanners. "Three Star Destroyers closing in. Chewie any course take us out of here!"
"Han we have to rescue her! We cannot let that monster have her! Turn the ship around!" Luke screamed.
Han turned to the young teen and placed a hand on each of his shoulders.
"We will regroup at base and go back. I promise you that we will not let her down. But we have to get to safety. The old man will help us create a feasible rescue plan."
The falcon shook as Luke found himself regaining control of his emotions. They had to complete their mission. Han was right, and he could sense Han's sincerity. Han meant what he said, they would go back.
"Han just turn the ship around now! Or I will!" Leia screamed.
Luke shook his head as he spoke, "Han is right, we will have to plan a rescue mission on a different day Leia."
Leia stormed towards Han in defiance. She moved towards the pilot's seat as she screamed, "We cannot leave her to him! Not after what we found out. You know she is in danger of his wrath. He is known for his temper."
Luke attempted to block his sister as Han stood up and pushed him aside, "Come to your senses Leia what would your mother do if she was in your position?"
Leia took in a deep breath as she looked up at him in anger. She looked down at her feet before looking back at Han. She breathed in a second time as she spoke, "She would do her duty."
"Duty first and making sure that the Princess got the plans to Alderaan safely is our first priority. Once they are at Yavin IV with Bail we will find her. If I have to violate the orders of the high council to conduct a rescue mission I will do it."
Leia reluctantly sat down in the seat behind Han as Luke offered her a comforting embrace. The Millennium Falcon lurched into hyperspace carrying the grief stricken twins away from their father's reach.
Vader watched as Padme opened her eyes. He had removed his cloak and had already self treated the minor blaster wound on his arm. A small part of his cloak had been used as a bandage for his arm. He tossed the tattered cloak to the ground as Padme looked at him in anger. He awarded her with a cold glare as he spoke, "You have some explaining to do my love."
Padme defiantly looked into her husband's eyes as she spoke, "I think that you owe me an apology. You almost killed me and our twins when we last parted. You apologize, I explain. You don't apologize, I don't explain."
Vader looked into her eyes as he thought back to the tragic night of Mustafar. He closed his eyes for a moment before he spoke, "Not a day goes by that I wish that that day had been differently."
Padme stood up as she slapped her husband, "You accused me of cheating on you. Did it ever occur to you that maybe Obi-Wan had snuck onboard my ship without my knowledge?"
She slammed her fist into his gut as he took a step back. "I asked you to run away with me. You were so insecure and so power hungry that all you could think about was keeping me alive and us ruling the Galaxy together. You could have spent the last fourteen years with Luke and Leia instead of terrorizing the galaxy. Your children don't know you. You don't know them and you have never been there because of your decision. You rejected me that night. Do you have any idea how much you hurt me with the decision you made?"
"Rejected you? You are the one that refused me! I cannot believe that you have the nerve to talk about rejection and not being a part of the lives of the twins when you kept them from me. How dare you?"
Padme clenched her teeth as she spoke, "I don't want my son or my daughter to become mass murderers. I don't want my son's blue eyes to turn yellow like yours. I don't want my daughter's brown eyes to turn yellow. I don't want the darkness that destroyed the man that I love to destroy my babies. They are all I have. I will do whatever I must to protect our children."
"Including lying to them? You told them that I killed their father. I am their father. You lied to my son and my daughter. You taught them to hate me from birth and they do hate me. They rejected me the moment I tried to form a relationship with them because of how you raised them!" Vader yelled.
"I guess handcuffing your children and having them under guard is the ideal way of trying to know them. Remind me to take my children prisoners next time I want to improve my relationship with them," Padme sarcastically replied.
Vader said nothing as he seized his wife's wrist. He pushed her as he spoke, "Regardless of how you feel you are my wife. You belong to me and you are also a rebel in uniform. You are a prisoner now," Vader stated as he walked towards the corpse of a stormtrooper. He immediately found a pair of binders which he used to secure his wife.
"Don't talk to me like I'm some kind of possession because if you think I am going to comply with you think again."
Vader said nothing as he noticed an Imperial Officer approaching with five exhausted stormtroopers. At least two were wounded. The officer was carrying a sniper rife in one hand and his lightsaber in the second. He bowed as he spoke, "Lord Vader, I recovered your weapon. I have a shuttle on its way to take us back to ship."
Vader took a look at his surroundings as he noticed the destroyed troop transport, the burning speeders and the long debris trail which consisted of both corpses and ships.
"Are we all thats left?" Vader asked.
"Yes Milord. I barely survived. Everyone else in my speeder is gone. Most of the stormtroopers are gone."
"How did you find my lightsaber?" Vader asked as he clipped it to his belt.
"There was a boulder that the speeder flew over when the rebel shot you Milord. I used the bolder as a landmark and found it just a couple of yards away from it."
Vader nodded as he turned to Padme, "And who made the shot on stun that subdued her?"
"I did, Milord."
Vader regarded the man a second time as he spoke, "What is your name Captain?"
"Piett sir, Captain Firmus Piett."
"Why are you not in command of a better vessel than the Devastator?"
"It's complicated sir."
Vader shook his head, "It doesn't matter. You are too good for your ship. Loose the black uniform once we get back to the ship and put on a green uniform. Then pack your bags and report to the Executor. The Executor is your new post. I need competent people and you will serve on my senior staff from this day forward."
"Yes sir!" The shocked officer replied.
Vader turned his head as he noticed the approaching shuttle. He motioned to two stormtroopers as he gestured to Padme, "She doesn't leave my sight until we board. I will also require personal accommodations for her detention."
Padme narrowed her eyes as she stared at her estranged husband.
Death Star:
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin stood in the conference room of the now complete battle station as he contemplated the latest report that Lord Vader had sent him. Vader had one prisoner for interrogation. Vader was going to arrive at the Death Star as soon as the damaged Devastator was completely repaired. Vader had not pursued the Princess of Alderaan after his engagement above Tatooine. The damage to the Devastator had given her too much time to escape. He knew based on footage from spies that the Princess had returned to her father with the Death Star plans that the mysterious Jedi Knights from Tatooine had managed to save from interception. Vader seemed to be missing the beat. He had the Princess trapped in her palace with her father yet Vader was failing to arrive on Alderaan so that the siege of the royal palace could be brought to a closing. No matter, he didn't need Vader to obtain the plans to the Death Star. Once Vader had the location of the Rebel Base they were going to crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke. Then Tarkin would ascend in the public eye in prominence. He pushed the button of the holocom and watched as an image of a middle aged man came to life. The man had flaming red hair and emerald eyes. The man that he was facing was one of his closest and most trusted friends.
"Moff Jade you could have your fleet blockade Alderaan within a few hours could you not?"
"I could be there quickly myself Governor. What is going on?"
"The plans and the Princess are at the palace. I had the local garrison lay siege to the palace. They also established a no fly zone over the capital city. I still fear that their numbers will not be sufficient against Organa's security and the disloyal people of the city. I want you to take an additional battalion. Make an example of the Viceroy and his daughter once you have the plans. Make an example of the city and Alderaan. Use your brutality as you always enjoy doing my friend. More importantly show the Galaxy that it doesn't take a sorcerer like Vader to get the job done."
"With Pleasure. Are the Jedi involved?"
"They may be," Tarkin replied.
"Good, I long to test my combat skills against them. It will be my pleasure to add a lightsaber to my trophy room."
Tarkin gave a wryly smile to his friend. He knew Jade all too well. Many who knew the two men would have said they were so close because of how similar they were. Jade was around twenty years younger than Tarkin. He had gotten to know Tarkin when he had started his career in the military as a young man. Tarkin had taken a liking to the ruthless young soldier who became Moff Jade. It was because of Tarkin that Jade had become the successful Moff that he was. Jade had also taken part in the execution of Order Sixty-Six with pleasure. Tarkin knew that Jade hated the Jedi and would be more than pleased to slay one if given the opportunity. Tarkin also knew that the typical Jedi Knight had combat skills that were above ordinary.
"Just don't underestimate them my friend."
Tarkin hated the thought of Jade dying needlessly in combat against a Jedi Knight.
"I won't and I won't fail you Governor," He heard Jade replying with confidence.
Yavin IV:
A hologram of Bail Organa materialized in the center of the conference room. Mon Mothma stood at the round table. She was flanked by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. At Obi-Wan's side stood General Jan Dodonna. On Mon's side stood Admiral Ackbar and Corellian Senator Garm Bel Iblis. "My daughter has just arrived with the Death Star plans. I have chosen to send her straight to Yavin as soon as possible. Grand Moff Tarkin has already sent a task force to blockade Alderaan. The vessels are under the command of Moff Jade. The worst part is that the local garrison has surrounded the Palace we have no way out."
"How soon will Jade's vessels be there?" Mon asked.
"A few hours," Bail replied.
"The Millennium Falcon made their first jump into hyperspace just hours ago. They are going to contact us when they revert to sublight before they resume their trajectory towards the base. We will have them rescue you and run the blockade," General Dodonna interjected.
"That is our only option," Mon said.
"They are contacting us now," stated a young officer who stood at the edge of the room.
"Add them to the conference," Mon stated.
An image of Commander Han Solo materialized directly alongside Organa. The room appeared to be shocked that Han was the one on the com and not Padme.
"Lady Mothma, General Skywalker was captured. We barely escaped Vader with the twins."
Gasps of horror were heard in the room as Mon looked towards her colleagues. She sighed as she spoke, "We have another problem, Bail is trapped in his palace with his daughter and the Death Star plans. Imperials are on their way to blockade the planet. We need you to rescue the Viceroy and the Princess and the plans."
Han clenched his teeth as he spoke, "You're telling me that I have to take the twins and ask them to give more than they already have? They have already given everything today."
Senator Iblis was the first to speak, "We all must make sacrifices so we can continue the fight."
Obi-Wan then spoke, "Tell the twins that the success of destroying the Death Star depends upon this. We cannot let this opportunity go."
"Understood," Han replied with a sigh.
Alright that is it for now. Thank you for reading and reviewing. If you haven't go see the Force Awakens. I relatively enjoyed it. I don't want to talk spoilers although if you want to talk about it feel free to pm me. I enjoyed it tremendously hopefully Episode VIII is still good without JJ Abrams in the picture as director. I will be using EU/Legends characters for this fic. SO don't expect to see Kylo Ren, or Rey or Finn or Poe Dameron in this fic. I personally liked all of those said characters and Kylo Ren suited who he was meant to appear as. An entitled self serving punk who chose to forsake the values of his family and destroy all he was given for the sake of power. I also personally enjoyed the character of General Hux. To me he seemed like a younger version of Wilhuff Tarkin.
-Fallen Jedi 79