This is how Lord and Lady Vader got involved in Swoop Bike Racing.

This one takes place between the first and second chapters of Dark Angel.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the entertainment area of his private residence Vader held his two and a half year old daughter on his lap as they watched the recordings of all the races he had participated in when he was younger.

He smiled when he saw the awe and excitement in her eyes as she watched the pods race across the desert. She gasped and screamed in indignation every time she saw Sebulba pull a dirty trick that either ended with a pod crashing or the death of a racer.

She shrieked with joy and clapped with delight when she saw him cross the finish line in first place in the Boonta Eve Classic.

She settled a bit more while she watched him race in the illegal swoop bike races in the 'underbelly' of Coruscant but she still watched them with wide eyes.

"Daddy, can we race?" she asked when one of the swoop bike races ended.

He blinked; surprised by her request. He didn't know how to react to his daughter's request. Padme had never been a fan of races and neither had his mother but while Padme wasn't mechanically inclined his mother was a very competent mechanic and had taught him and his little angel was mechanically inclined and enjoyed doing repairs on speeders and ships with him.

"What do you want to race?" he asked; he would have rather been burned alive than take her pod racing.

Smiling she pointed at the holodisplay where another swoop bike race was being set up.

He guessed he could arrange getting them involved in swoop bike racing.

xxxxxxxx

Marc Rodes was standing behind a low table near a bank of holodisplays in a small club in the lower levels of Coruscant by the name of the Insane Pilot watching a young human male with burn scars on his reading the stats boards for some of the racers while holding a female human youngling in his arms. Some beings might call them gangs but they were really beings trying to forget about life for a few hours. As far as he knew there was no initiation, special signs or vandalizing.

Marc had noted that the young human male appeared to be in his mid-twenties and the young child wasn't any older that two or so standard years old holding a Tooka Doll. He was curious as to why the man was there and what he wanted.

After another minute the man came over to him. Marc noted that despite the disfiguring burns the man was quite handsome and he wondered why the man never got them repaired.

"Is there a way to meet some of the racers? I would like to compete in a few races." The man asked.

Marc blinked; startled that a stranger was asking for such information. He was slightly wary but curious to know why this young man wanted to compete in some races.

"You in law enforcement?" Marc asked; warily.

The man laughed and shook his head.

"I used to race back when I was younger and want to take it back up. Something to share with my daughter." He explained.

'Ah, so you just want to build some happy memories with your daughter centered on racing." Marc commented. It seemed a little far-fetched but if the guy was really here to cause trouble be doubted that he would have brought a two or three year old child with him.

Discreetly Marc signaled some of the swoop bike racers and Chausiku, Xolani and Zola headed over.

"This fine gentleman says he's a racer and wants to show us his stuff." Marc explained to the racers.

The man nodded politely at Chausiku, Xolani and Zola.

"So, you're a racer?" Zola asked; not sounding impressed.

"I raced in my youth but it has been several years since I have had time to race." The man corrected.

"Show us your stuff." Xolani demanded.

The man nodded and gently sat his daughter in a chair. "Wait here Angel while I show them how well Daddy handles a swoop bike." He told the girl, Angel as he set some sort of toy in front of her.

He then looked into a shadowed corner and nodded slightly. Turning to the corner Marc noted a short alien standing there and guessed that it was some kind of bodyguard.

Once again his curiosity was piqued and he wondered just who Angel and her father were.

Marc watched as the man left for the track with Chausiku, Xolani and Zola.

Without much thought Marc flipped the feed of one of the holodisplays to the club's personal swoop track. He watched as the man selected one of the swoops and after a few moments later he started it up and started around the track.

He watched as Zola and Chausiku also joined the man on the race track. The man was good Marc admitted to himself; perhaps better than Zola. After a few laps it was very apparent who was the better pilot; the stranger.

"Go, daddy, go!" Angel cried excitedly from her spot at the table.

The race came to an end and almost all the racers rushed off to speak to the man.

Marc smiled. If the man stayed he could bring in some crowds when he raced on the club's track.

The group came back in the room talking about the man's talent and asking him all sorts of questions that Marc would be asking if he was there and important enough to be asking them.

Angel leaped off her chair and with her Tooka Doll in hand ran to her father's side happily squealing 'daddy'. He bent down and scooped her up, laughing the entire time.

Finally the group came to where Marc was standing.

"So what's your name?" Quara asked.

The man smiled warmly.

"You may call me 'Ani'." He told them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I know Vader might be OOC but when you don't have to scare the living daylights out of beings you can afford to let loose, have fun and be normal for a few hours.