Disclaimer: Still not mine

Chapter 35

Luke read the intelligence report, frowning. Daala had been found, her fleet decimated, and Imperial agents were hot on her trail. That wasn't what had him frowning. There had been no sign of Isard since she vanished. The galaxy was a big place but not so big that it should be this easy to hide an Executor-class ship with not even as whisper.

He glanced out of the window of the newly renovated office, it had taken a lot of work to strip away everything of Sidious from the room but now it was a lot less ostentatious, watching as the never-ending traffic zoomed past. Life on the planet had finally truly settled back to normal which was good, people relaxing as Luke and Leia's reign grew in strength without using the army as a way to keep the people under control. They were working hard to strip the most draconian laws from the book first. Slavery was once again outlawed even as the Jedi were made legal again. The Senate was beginning to fill again, as nothing happened more of the non-human Senators returned. The Senate would have more power than they did under Sidious but not as much as it had during the Republic. Regional Governors and Moff's were being stripped of their control over the sectors, giving proper rule back to the planets.

Training of cadets for all sections of the armed forces had been put on hold as training methods were overhauled and returned to something far more humane, removing the sever indoctrination that had become standard. Psychologists were working with the current ranks to try and help them get passed the torturous training and the chance to resign with full pension was being offered to any who wished to leave. Without the need to suppress various planets they could afford the loss of manpower should it happen. Plus, their ranks were slowly being supported by the Rebel soldiers, some were ex-Imperials which meant they knew how to fit in. pardons had been given to all members of the Rebel Alliance who had agreed to peace. Unsurprisingly, Draven had refused, taking those who would follow him into hiding, another worry.

Slowly, Sidious' influence was being weeded out and the galaxy was starting to realise they were free from the brutal Sith regime.

He turned and smiled as the door opened, allowing in one of the people who had permanent access to the office. "Hello Pooja," Luke stood to greet her.

"Your Majesty," she curtsied and then grinned impishly, and he rolled his eyes.

They took a seat on the couches and Luke was happy to take his mind of grimmer matters. "Have you heard from the family?"

"Yes, and you'll be happy to know Owen and Beru are settling in well, though they're still shocked by the abundance of water."

"Good," Luke smiled, he felt bad for not contacting his Aunt and Uncle himself, but he hadn't seen them in so long that he wasn't sure how to. He'd just up and vanished with Ben in the middle of the night, okay so he'd actually been kidnapped with no say in it, but he wasn't that kid anymore. He didn't know how to reach out to them. So, he'd arranged for them to receive a continual payment and the chance to leave Tatooine, he was just glad they'd taken it, though he had a feeling it was his Aunt's doing. it was good to know they were settling in.

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Cassian stepped into the office, looking around, it was very different to the holo's he'd seen of it in the Rebellion. Then he spotted the young Emperor over at one of the smaller windows. He wasn't sure what to do, did he salute, bow…it wasn't like he had a job at the moment.

"I hear you are at something of a loose end Captain," Luke turned to Cassian and smiled, waving at the couch and Cassian sat on the edge.

"I'm not really a Captain anymore…Sir."

Luke sat opposite him and put a datapad down on the table between them. "General Draven has gone rogue from the Alliance, were you aware?"

"There was a rumour he'd disappeared." He wasn't really in the loop anymore; Alliance Command didn't really exist anymore as they either moved into civilian life or were absorbed into the Imperial forces. He had simply been drifting, unsure what to do with himself, although he couldn't help staying near Jyn, not that she seemed to mind. He'd bene fighting all his life, first against the Republic and then to restore it, he wasn't sure what to do now.

"He was your commanding officer for many years, it is safe to say you know him well?"

Cassian nodded slowly, he supposed he knew Draven as well as any officer who had served under him.

"I am offering you a position with Imperial Intelligence with a promotion to Commander. Your first assignment would be to track down Draven and those who followed him. As long as they aren't doing something illegal or that could put the government at risk then leave them along, otherwise bring them in. After that I'd like you to help the hunt for ex-Director Isard and the Lusankya."

This was not what Cassian had expected at all. A Commander in Imperial Intelligence, the work he was used to but for those he had once worked against. Did he believe the Emperor that Draven would be left alone if he wasn't making trouble? So far, the man had done everything he said he would, and the Empress was definitely working on things that Alderaan had always supported. He glanced down at the datapad and it slid closer to him, so he picked it up, reading over the official offer and explanations. "I'll do it."

Luke smiled and offered his hand. "Welcome, Commander Andor."

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Yoda walked into the new Palace, seeing the far more simplistic style, in fact it reminded him a lot of Naboo and Alderaan in architecture and decoration. He kept his presence hidden as he approached a room, watching as two older men circled, lightsabers visibly set in training mode as they clashed. Obi-Wan looked older than a human his age should but the other man…he looked nothing like Darth Vader and much more like an older Anakin Skywalker. He no longer used a red lightsaber which was interesting, even more shocking was the lack of anger in him. He had always been taught and believed that once you succumbed to the Dark Side there was no way back. The son had only touched the edges so his not being a servant of the Dark was much easier to accept.

He'd been watching from a distance as the Empire changed under the leadership of the Emperor and Empress, seeing it become more democratic, much more humane. It was not the Republic, but it was distancing itself from Sidious' Empire well. It had been nice for the law against the Jedi to be repealed and interesting to see Obi-Wan himself crown the couple. The boy had been their last hope and it appeared that his being found by his Father had not been the end of that hope that they had assumed it would be.

Yoda stepped into the room and the two fighters stopped, turning to face him. Obi-Wan offered a very shallow bow but he had been a fellow Council Member, Vader did not bow at all, watching him warily and Yoda could admit, they had made many mistakes with Anakin Skywalker, he personally had made many. Things had been said right from the start in the child's presence that should not have been. "Still sharp your lightsaber skill they are."

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Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin, gauging his emotions as Yoda approached. The younger man was pushing against his rage which was good, and he gently helped his old Padawan. Their relationship had come along in leaps and bounds since the surgery, it was different to what they had once had, but better too. There were no secrets now, no hidden resentment, no power imbalance. He would not let Yoda push Anakin back into the Dark. "Master Yoda, it is good to see you well. Luke told me you had come to see him and Ahsoka."

"See what sort of man new Emperor is, I needed to," Yoda answered. "A good man young Skywalker is. The best of his parents inherited he has."

Well, that was unexpected, but it did help Anakin relax a bit. "Why are you here?" Anakin asked.

"See you, needed I did." Yoda looked straight at him. "No longer Sith you are, impossible believed to be. Acknowledge I do, well the Jedi did not in dealing with you."

Obi-Wan was thankful for the beard that hid his dropped jaw. He had never expected to hear that from Yoda. He and Anakin had spoken in depth of their own errors over the years. Obi-Wan had admitted he had taken Anakin on at first out of duty, that he had been too young and not ready. Anakin had admitted to being a very moody teenager and they both acknowledged that Sidious had done a lot to drive them apart.

"To Ossus I am going, rebuild the old Temple. To teach what students the Force guides there I will. Much knowledge lost it has been, hidden much of Ossus' library was, find it I shall."

"I wish you well with your endeavours, Master."

"Welcome you will be, if wish to come you do." Yoda left as silently as he had come/

"Well, that went well," Obi-Wan offered.

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Luke lay on his side, watching Leia as she moved around their room, getting ready for the day. For once he had nothing on this morning, letting him have a lay in but he had woken when Leia slipped from their bed, she had a meeting with several Senators and then a luncheon.

She slipped on a slightly more casual gown in a light blue and began braiding her hair. "You can stop staring." She turned and smiled at him and Luke sat up, sheets pooling in his lap. She turned, not wanting to be distracted by the sight of all that nicely muscled skin. She heard her husband chuckle, obviously sensing why she had turned and then his arms were around her waist.

""I love you," he murmured, and she turned in his arms to kiss him.

"I love you too." She reached up to brush his hair back. "I am going to be late," she warned so he turned her around and finished braiding her hair for her. He'd gotten good at it since they had begun courting.

"There, you look radiant."

"Thank you." She pulled away and Luke followed her out of the bedroom, dressed only in loose sleep pants. He kissed her goodbye and she left for her meeting, so Luke reached out, finding his Father awake in his own apartment within the Palace. He got dressed and went to spend some time with him.

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He ran a hand through the slowly growing fuzz on his head, staring at his clothing options. One option was a uniform, something he had never worn before, or he could go with something like Luke wore or even something closer to his old robes. It was a relief to finally being cleared to go back to work, but he had also enjoyed the rest, he hadn't really had a vacation since ending up in the suite.

It had been good to spend time with his son, daughter-in-law, Ahsoka and even his old Master. Since Luke had been given his own command, they hadn't gotten a lot of off duty time together. He liked Leia, she was a strong woman and a good match for Luke. She was also an excellent Empress. She reminded him much of Sabé and Padme, but also of the woman who had raised her.

He had also needed the time to settle within himself. Since Sidious had died, he had been changing, even more so since the surgery. He had finally gone to Ahsoka who had worked with Luke to go through his mind and remove every bit of manipulation, every mental trap. It had been shocking just how many there had been. Worried for Luke they had then scanned his mind where they had found broken attempts at such things. He'd felt ashamed until Luke had pointed out a few facts, Anakin had been far younger and completely untrained when he met Sidious, he'd been eager for a friendly face and praise. Luke had been a teenager with training from Obi-Wan behind him as well as an already well-formed dislike and mistrust for Sidious, making it harder for any manipulations to stick. Luke wouldn't have been able to fight off a full force attempt, but Sidious had been going for subtle and he did wonder why instead of killing Luke, that hadn't been attempted that day. Unless Luke's shields had been too strong even when suffering from Fore lightning.

He shook off his memories and thoughts and grabbed clothes to dress for his first day back on duty. He smiled when he settled his new code cylinders and id, it had felt strange, but he had taken back the name his Mother had given him, he was Anakin Skywalker again.

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Cody sat down opposite his Emperor, his General, unsure why he had been called. He'd been very busy since they had returned from hunting Tarkin, helping get the troops through the various examinations and the addition of the ex-Rebel soldiers.

"Relax Cody," Luke smiled at the man who had been his right hand and protector.

Cody offered a wry smile but leant back in the seat. "Sorry Sir, habit."

"How are the men?" Luke missed being with the 212th.

"Getting restless with the inactivity," he admitted, his General would understand and sure enough he was nodding.

"I'm assigning the Eclipse to Commander Andor for the search for Draven and then Isard, that should help give them something to do."

Andor… one of the Rebels they'd picked up on Eadu. "It will be odd going without you."

"I miss it," Luke admitted, leaning back in his seat. "I never wanted to be Emperor."

"I know," Cody wished Luke could have had a life of freedom instead of obligation and responsibility.

"I need to appoint a replacement as head of the army…it's yours if you want it."

Cody froze, eyes wide. "Me? Sir…Luke…I…"

Luke bit back a chuckle at his reaction. "That a yes or a no?"

"Why me?"

"Cody, you've been a solider longer than I've been alive. You care about your men and always do the best you can for them. Your plans work the majority of the time and when they don't you adapt. Those are excellent qualifications."

Cody just stared at him, mind spinning. He knew his General appreciated him, considered him a friend…he wasn't getting any younger. He was too old for the field, they bit knew it. "Sir, I would prefer to remain at your side," he finally admitted. He'd gotten used to having needs and expressing them to his General and it made it easier to do that to think of Luke as his General rather than Emperor.

Luke couldn't help smiling. "Alright. Think the boys would mind taking up a permanent position here?"

"No Sir," he answered immediately, none of the 212th would want to leave Luke, and he would have to drag Jesse and his group from the Princess' side. And it also meant they got to see their first General as well. The first time Cody had seen Obi-Wan had been awkward, he'd felt so guilty for ordering his men to fire on him. He'd barely recognised the man at first, he had aged so much, age gained in watching over Luke, or surviving the deaths of everyone he knew. Obi-Wan had been quick to absolve him of any guilt, knowing he had been unable to disobey, and Cody had admitted he had tried and failed.

"Alright then, suggestions for the position?" he pulled up the possibilities and they settled in to discuss them.

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Biggs grinned as he spotted his oldest friend approaching, feeling Wedge and Wes stiffen slightly. "Hey Luke," he called since Luke was dressed in a flight suit.

"Hey Biggs, up for some flying?" Luke asked, sensing the slight nervousness from Bigg's old Academy friends. "Two on two?" he offered and Biggs grinned.

"I'm in, I'll take Wes for my wingman."

Luke nodded, knowing what Biggs was doing. He looked at Wedge and grinned. "Up to flying with me."

"Ah, yes Sir."

"Great," the began walking to the simulators and Luke began drawing them into conversation, comparing various spacecraft capabilities.

TBC…