Death Star:

Luke slipped on the black Imperial Uniform as he noticed Han dressing in a similar uniform. Ben walked into the room and looked at him as he spoke, "I will deactivate the tractor beam. I have a map from R2 of where we need to go. The droids will remain here in the shuttle. It will be our command center."

"And us?" Han asked.

"Luke must use the force to find his mother. Just follow him and keep him in line," Ben said.

Luke reached out with the Force as he closed his eyes. Ben looked at the young pilot as he spoke, "Try to avoid any unnecessary confrontations until you have found the general."

Chewbacca let out a roar as he entered the room with a pair of binders in his hands. Han approached the wookiee and then proceeded to bind his hands. Chewbacca then let out a roar, "Don't forget to let me loose when it is time to blow our cover."

"Don't worry pal," Han replied.

Han placed a hand on Luke's shoulder as the young Jedi looked at him.

"I'm ready Han."

The trio left Ben without a word. Han looked at Luke as he spoke, "Well what do you sense?"

Luke took in a deep breath as they walked into the hallway.

Han and Chewie followed Luke as they heard an arrogant man yelling, "I want that cargo unloaded within eighteen hours. I don't care if you have to pull in an additional squadron commander. We have another payload on the way and the Governor could have the location of the Rebel Base from Lord Vader any day."

"Because Vader is using his sorcery?" asked the man.

"Yes," the arrogant officer yelled.

Luke could tell that the man was high ranking based on his uniform insignia. As the man stormed towards the turbolift he moved his procession towards the turbolift.

The doors closed as Luke spoke, "Where is the location of Lord Vader's quarters?" The man looked down at Luke for a moment as he spoke, "That is some costume boy. Who's son are you? Are you playing dress up? I won't be taken for a fool."

Luke smirked at the man as he raised his hand. The Officer felt himself being flung backwards against the durasteel wall.

"I will show you sorcery. I will show you the Force. I will pry the information that I seek from your mind like Vader would."

"Vader hasn't succeeded in doing so with his current prisoner that stuff is all a..."

Luke raised his hand as he pushed into Conan Motti's mind.

"What level of the station must we proceed to?"

Motti spat at Luke in defiance as the young Jedi let loose a second attack.

"Luke don't..."

Han's words trailed off as Luke spoke, "Level forty seven. Wing E, room forty two."

Han shivered as he noticed that their hostage had passed out. He bent over and felt a pulse. He glanced at Luke as he let loose a shiver. Something had seemed far from right. Luke had done something wrong. He knew nothing about the force but what Luke had done hadn't seemed like something a Jedi or any practitioner of the light would do.

Luke looked at him as he spoke, "Han please don't tell my mom. She would tell Ben if she knew that I did that."

"That was one of those mind probe tricks. Like the ones that Vader is so famous for was it not?" Han asked.

Luke lowered his head as he looked down at his victim. He sighed as he spoke, "Yes."

"I thought that shit was a myth," Han said.

"No but it isn't the Jedi way. I swear here and now that I will never do it again. Please just don't tell my mom."

Han smiled, "Kid she is a special lady. I know that and if this gets her back it was worth it. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thanks Han," Luke replied.

"But if you ever ever do that again, I will tell your mom. Do you understand?"

Luke lowered his gaze as he spoke, "Yes."

Padme opened the door of Vader's chambers after almost an hour of tinkering with the wires of the security system. Two stunned young Imperial Officers looked upon her when she walked through the doorway. She fired one shot at the young boy that was closest to her and killed him. He fell to the ground and she dove towards his counterpart. She soon found herself in the hallway wrestling with the young man as he tried to subdue her. He was likely stronger than her. He was bigger than she was but he lacked the experience that she had from years of combat training. Both of these men were half of her age or less. Padme could have birthed them they were so young. She soon had the boy in a chokehold and strangled him until his eyes closed. She placed a finger on his pulse and was awarded with one faint beat. She looked upon the sandy haired boy that she had shot with a look of pity as she stood up and took his blaster. He was so young he could have not been a day over twenty. Did he know that the regime he had chosen to give his life for was evil? Did either of these young boys truly believe in the lies of the Empire? Or were they as corrupt as their leaders on the individual level? She turned to walk away as she heard footsteps.

She raised her blaster and prepared to pull the trigger as three all too familiar individuals came into view. She gasped in shock as she yelled, "Luke? What the hell are you and Solo doing here?"

"A rescue mission," Luke replied.

Padme looked past Han at Chewbacca who shrugged his shoulders as he turned his head. She shook her head in disbelief, "With Chewie you are sticking out like a sore thumb. How the hell have they not gotten onto you yet?"

Luke shrugged as Padme looked down at the ground, "Get those bodies into that doorway. We need to get off of this ship while Vader is incapacitated."

"You have some explaining to do," Luke said as he pointed his finger at her.

"Now is not the time and place and you know that," Padme sternly countered.

Luke defiantly stared back at his mother as she looked towards Han. She looked back at her son and noticed him drawing his lightsaber and nodding his head.

"It won't be long before Motti recovers either."

Luke led his mother past the unconscious form of Admiral Conan Motti. Padme

knelt down beside Motti's body and placed a hand on his neck as she felt for a pulse. She felt a faint pulse and turned back to her son. Han looked at her with a smile, "Don't worry General I wouldn't let him kill anyone unnecessarily."

"That is reassuring Han," Padme replied.

Padme then turned to her son, "And I trust that you didn't resort to any radical methods to find me."

"Of course not," Luke replied.

Padme stood up as she slapped her son's cheek, "I do not like it when my children lie to me. If you mind probed him I will be furious and I will be having a talk with Ben."

Obi-Wan climbed into the large terminal that hovered over a large shaft. He had to make sure that any and all tractor beams were inactive during their escape. There was the potential chance that they would leave in a rush as he sensed that Luke and Han would soon be discovered. He was relieved that he couldn't sense Anakin's presence approaching or pursuing. For whatever reason his former padawan hadn't noticed their presence.

"I have her master," he heard Luke whisper through the Force.

Ben smiled at his padawan's efficiency as he spoke, "Come back to the hanger. The tractor beam is disabled. Vader will be after us soon."

Admiral Conan Motti struggled to stand up. He felt his head throbbing in pain. He struggled as he remembered the last thing that he had seen and felt. The boy in the Imperial uniform. The boy that had used the sorcery. He shivered in horror as he realized what had happened. He activated his comlink as he spoke, "Security report to the doorway of Lord Vader's chambers. We have intruders."

"You're a little bit late in this game Admiral they are well away from here."

Motti looked at the Sith Lord in disbelief as he noticed that the man was unhooded and appeared to be slightly drugged.

He shivered as he spoke, "What happened to you?"

"I was ambushed and they escaped," Vader cooly said.

"You know that mind probe stuff that you do? Your crazy sorcery?"

Vader looked back at Motti with a raised eyebrow, "You can kill someone with that stuff." "It's happened before," Vader darkly replied.

Vader looked back at Motti in disbelief as he spoke, "He used it on you? The boy mind probed you?"

"So that he could find your chambers. What is going on? Is he a Jedi or something?" Motti pried.

"A Jedi assassin who came here to assassinate me," Vader lied.

"We had better catch him Lord Vader," said Motti.

Motti felt invisible talons gripping his throat as Vader passed him. He fell to the floor as Vader spoke, "You couldn't stand up to a Jedi youngling if your legs were made of Durasteel Admiral."

Motti stared at the Dark Lord in horror as he raised his hood and stormed off down the hallway. He rubbed his throat as he wondered just how he had survived. He had never believed in the Force until the last few days that he had been tormented by Lord Vader and the mysterious Jedi child.

Governor Tarkin activated his comlink as he spoke, "Yes?"

"We have confirmed intruders onboard the Death Star. They were discovered on Level forty seven but we have troops reporting engagement on level thirty. Reports indicate that one of them has a laser sword."

"You mean a lightsaber!" Tarkin sneered.

"I guess," Tarkin heard the officer reply on the other end.

"Inform Lord Vader although he probably is already aware of the situation. And put all systems on alert!"

Stormtrooper corpses littered the ground. Luke's blue blade flashed as he cut down any who dared to stand in his way. Han, Padme and Chewie ran behind him firing their blasters. They had been working to escape for around twenty minutes. Luke could sense his father on their tail and they knew that they had to expedite their escape. He was wise enough to know that he did not have the skill level to defeat his father in a one on one duel and Obi-Wan was getting too old to win any confrontation. As Han and Chewie separated from mother and son to pursue a squad of stormtroopers Luke and his mother rushed into an open corridor that opened over a large shaft.

The pair managed to catch themselves before they fell into the depths of the station.

"I think we took a wrong turn," Luke stated as the door closed behind them.

Padme sighed, "There's no lock. Find the controls that extend the bridge."

Luke sighed as he pointed towards a fried terminal, "I think we fried them in the firefight that we fought to get here."

Padme sighed as she looked above her head at several durasteel beams. Luke followed her direction and understood. He drew his grappling hook from his utility belt and hooked it around the durasteel post. He tested the grip as his mother wrapped her arms around his body. She kissed his cheek as she spoke, "For luck son."

The pair made the daring swing across the shaft while a half dozen stormtroopers fired upon them in vain. They failed to realize who else was watching them.

Darth Vader shook his head as he watched his son and his estranged wife successfully fleeing across the open shaft. Only a Skywalker would make such a jump, he mused. He found himself wondering where Leia was as he realized that he couldn't sense her presence. Perhaps she was waiting in a clean ship for them once they escaped. An idea that made him turn towards Motti as he spoke, "Are the hangers on lockdown?"

"No Sir, but we have the one they are heading to blocked."

Vader reached out for his former master's presence as a young officer approached him.

"We think they split up. We think that the man and Wookiee are on level eighteen and that the other two are on..."

"Level thirteen I just saw them," Vader stated with a smile as he entered the elevator.

"Lockdown all hangers and order additional troops to level eighteen."

Padme felt her son holding her hand as she looked towards the elevator. He pulled her back as he drew his lightsaber, "He's here."

The doors opened as her husband stepped off of the elevator. She shivered as her husband spoke, "Well well Luke, we meet again. Have you asked your mother to explain why she lied to you yet? Or did Kenobi already answer your questions for you? I think she has some explaining to do while we are here as a family. Where is your sister?"

Padme stepped forward as she spoke, "Do not use our children in this fight Anakin."

Vader glared at his wife as he spoke, "You have the nerve to ask anything of me when you are running away from me. You are my wife your place is here with me at my side and our children should stand with us."

"This weapon that we are standing on has too much power for any man to possess. No one should be allowed to destroy an entire world. I am going to destroy this weapon you had best get off of it before I do," Padme stated.

"You sedated me in our bedroom and attacked me. I cannot believe that you did that to me."

Padme raised an eyebrow as she spoke, "I did what I had to do. The Alliance will fail without my leadership. And I must make sure that this weapon is destroyed before it is used to destroy another planet."

"You had best know what you need to target if you are going to do that," Vader countered.

Vader turned to his son as he spoke, "Are you planning to fly in the assault? Surely the Alliance realizes that the only way to penetrate the defenses is with a starfighter. Will you fly in the attack?"

"Yes," Luke replied.

Vader clasped his hands together as he spoke, "My son destroying this needless technological terror would make me a very proud father. Especially if Tarkin is blown away."

Vader lowered his arms to his sides. He took in a deep breathe as he looked at his wife for a moment before looking back at his son. He made a gesture towards the lightsaber blade as he spoke, "Put that away before you hurt somebody and listen to me so that you can destroy this dam thing."

Luke looked at his father with hesitation. He glanced at his mother who nodded her head, "Focus on the thermal exhaust port. If you use the Force you can alter the trajectory of your proton torpedoes so that they pass the ray shields and precisely hit the port. That will cause the chain reaction that you will need to destroy the station."

Padme looked at her husband in disbelief, "You cannot be serious? You are telling us how to destroy it?"

"This station and Tarkin are both a thorn in my side. The Alliance and you will both be doing me a favor. Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind."

Vader then turned and walked past Padme and Luke as the elevator doors of the secondary elevator opened to reveal Han and Chewie.

Luke felt Obi-Wan's presence as he saw the old Jedi Master strolling into the corridor with his lightsaber in hand. The old man looked at him in disbelief. He approached the group as Luke spoke, "Why is he helping us?"

"I am pretty sure that we are helping him," Padme replied.

"In what way?" Han asked as he stepped closer to the group.

"Anakin doesn't plan to be subservient to Palpatine forever. He needs to insure that those who would threaten his incoming reign are eliminated. If he destroys this station he destroys Tarkin and Tarkin has aspired to obtain Galactic Dominance in secret since the days of the Old Republic."

"She's right," Obi-Wan said.

"Hanger bay eleven is down that way. It is virtually empty. I already told R2 to board the shuttle that is down that way," Luke said.

Obi-Wan frowned, "It's a trap there is a homing beacon onboard that shuttle."

"Of course there is. But Tarkin will be the one walking into the trap now that I know how to destroy this battle station Ben. It has all worked out. We will lead them back to Yavin, prepare the pilots for the assault and prepare the base for evacuation. Fight them destroy the Death Star and then leave the system and find a new base," Padme said.

"But then as you said we are playing into his game and giving him one less rival so that he can take control of the Empire," Han interjected.

Padme shrugged, "I think what matters most is destroying this monstrosity. If it means being a pawn in my evil husband's agenda than so be it. My agenda is freeing this Galaxy of oppression. I will find a way to deal with Anakin when the time is right. There is still good in him. I have no doubt of that now."

Padme looked at Obi-Wan as she finished her statement.

Obi-Wan looked at Padme with a questioning look as she walked past him. He fell into step alongside her as Han, Luke and Chewie took places behind them.

As they walked he thought of what Anakin had just done. He had let them go. He shook his head, "I would never have expected Anakin to allow us to destroy this thing without an agenda."

Padme looked back at him and nodded her head in agreement, "He knows what he is doing. Moff Jade is gone Tarkin is gone. The only other potentially Pro Tarkin or Palpatine Moff who isn't onboard this station that I can name is Panaka."

Ben sighed as he looked at his padawan. Luke looked back at him as he spoke, "Does he not need an apprentice first?"

"Oh believe me he does need an apprentice but he also needs to squash those who would oppose him in a convenient manner. With that said it makes more sense to help him eliminate Tarkin as the man is far more evil than he is."

"And Tarkin thinks that his goals will succeed with the power that he is competing against," Han interjected.

"Of course he does. He does have to rid the Galaxy of all Sith and Jedi before he can achieve that goal though," Obi-Wan stated.

"That is going to work really well with how you guys can read minds," Han said with a laugh.

"There are other Imperials who feel the same way," Padme said.

"Brendol Hux, Moff Jade, Moff Panaka and I'm willing to bet that even some of Palpatine's so called cronies," Padme added.

As the group walked down the hallway they heard heavy footsteps of a squad of stormtroopers. Obi-Wan pointed to an open doorway, "Inside! Quickly!"

The group rushed inside of a large conference room that contained a large table.

Padme pushed two of the chairs aside and quickly crawled under. Chewbacca reluctantly followed along with Luke, Han and Ben.

Vader had finished securing the homing beacon to the shuttle in hanger bay eleven. Wilhuff Tarkin looked at him as he walked down the boarding ramp, "Are you sure this is their planned escape route?"

"Their droid is right onboard. It is working out perfectly for us," Vader said.

Tarkin sighed as he spoke, "I'm taking an awful risk Lord Vader in letting them escape. This had better work."

"Trust me it will work," Vader replied as he gestured for the slimy man to follow him out of the hanger bay.

As Tarkin and Vader strolled down the hallway, the two men passed a dark conference room where five figures were hiding under a large table within the room.

Vader could sense the presence of his former master as well as a silent call from the old man.

He turned away from Tarkin and entered the room. He used the Force to close the door and raise the lights.

"You wanted to speak to me old man."

Obi-Wan emerged from the table as every other member of the rescue team followed.

Padme was the last to climb out.

"Why did you kill your stepbrother and his wife?" Obi-Wan asked. Vader skeptically looked at Han and Chewbacca as Luke spoke, "They know everything."

Padme turned towards her son with an angry glare as Vader lowered his hood. Vader was silent for a moment as though he was confused. He looked back at Obi-Wan as he spoke, "Owen and Beru Lars are dead?"

"Well who else wears a black robe with a hood and wields a red lightsaber blade and roams around the galaxy inquiring about the location of Luke Skywalker?" Obi-Wan asked.

"They didn't even know about Luke and Leia's existence Anakin. Even my parents are in the dark. They think that I'm dead and that the child I was carrying died with me."

Vader looked back at Obi-Wan before looking at his wife.

"I was not aware of Luke or Leia until last week. I did not kill them," Vader stated.

"Then who did?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Perhaps he was an agent of the Emperor's. I just do not know how the Emperor would know when I didn't know. I even checked on Naboo for the possibility of the baby surviving."

Luke looked at his father as he spoke, "What reason do we have to believe you?"

"How would lying about killing them benefit me? How would killing them or interrogating them have benefited me? Killing them and having rumors float around would have alerted the Emperor to your existence," Vader replied.

Obi-Wan frowned as he spoke, "This is troubling news if you were not involved."

Vader shrugged, "I am going to look into it as soon as this monstrosity is destroyed. I have agents of my own that I can trust."

Vader then turned and left the group as he spoke, "Leave."

Padme, Luke, Han, Chewie and Ben all boarded the small shuttle craft with no major resistance. A squad of eight stormtroopers were the immediate and unfortunate additional victims of their escape They flew the shuttle craft out of the hanger bay as four tie fighters were released to pursue them.

Luke looked out of the viewport with a laugh, "Four tie fighters. This is an obvious trap mom."

"Yes but like you said we can destroy the station for sure."

Luke smirked as he left the cockpit and accessed the controls for the rear laser cannons. It wasn't long before all four tie fighters were space dust. The shuttle made the jump into hyperspace moments later.