Chapter III: A Silver Tongue and Crushing Fist

"What are you doing here?" Vader felt the need to ask, his voice somewhere between concerned and confused. He stared at Ahsoka, as she stood from his bed and walked toward him. She was much smaller than him, still, he realized. Then again, it'd only been... what, a few years at most? Well, for her, anyway. For him, it felt like only a few days. Malachor, and then... here he was. Making things as right as he could.

"What am I doing—" Ahsoka cut herself off, staring at Vader incredulously. She grabbed his shirt, staring him in the eyes as she yelled, "Let's start with how you never told me you and Padme were married! Or, I don't know, about the fact you're the Emperor, now? I'd even settle for an explanation on the Jedi Order's status as traitors to this... this EMPIRE that you apparently rule, now!"

Vader sensed her rage, her confusion, her frustration and indignation. But most of all, he felt the... the Force Bond. Of course, he held a strong Force Bond with her, still. He had been thrown into Skywalker's old body, when he was still evolving and freshly born. His bond with Sidious hadn't become absolute, nor had his bonds with... anyone else dissipated with time.

Ahsoka's was the freshest, the strongest remaining aside from the one that was fading ever since its owner died on Mustafar.

"Ahsoka, calm yourself. Breathe. Sit. I will explain to the best of my abilities," Vader replied. He repressed the strength he held with the Dark, though she'd probably still feel it and had probably noticed it in their bond - especially since arriving here. As he reached out through their bond with his Light, he coaxed her with comfort - reassurance. Her eyes widened at his, likely at the sense of the coiling Dark that was barely being suppressed by the Light.

But she did as she was told, at least, instead of attacking him. She inhaled and exhaled, a few times, before she sat in a chair across from him that he'd brought forth with the Force. Vader sighed, even as he walked over to a mirror. He stared into... Skywalker's face. His hair was cut short, as short as he'd allow it. His eyes were still crystalline blue, but he knew they could glitter with his Darkness - burn with the intensity of the fires of Mustafar.

"Palpatine was telling me his plans to establish the Empire. He explained it to me, in full detail; why it was necessary, how it would preserve stability after the war ended. It wouldn't do to thrust the responsibilities of maintaining peace, order, and unity upon an entirely new leadership that was totally unprepared for it, after all," Vader felt the lie pass from his lips smoothly, even as he turned to face Ahsoka. He pressed his lips into a line.

"What happened?" Ahsoka asked, and Vader could tell she believed him; trusted him, through their Force bond.

"I agreed," Vader answered her question, and then frowned as he continued, "the Jedi Council didn't. Windu led most of them in an attempt to assassinate him, leaving him horribly scarred and deformed. It was only through my intervention that he was saved. After the Councillors were dead, I... was nearly crushed by what I had done. I... only survived by clinging to the Dark Side of the Force. It was... necessary."

"Oh," Ahsoka sighed out, staring at him in awe, fear, understanding. So many emotions, and Vader could decipher each of them through their bond. Vader released a sigh, revealing his Sith eyes to her. Her eyes widened, and she looked conflicted.

"I am not Sith, Ahsoka, merely Fallen," Vader offered. It was not technically a lie, this time. Vader then continued on, "and when I explained what that meant to the Emperor, he agreed that the Jedi Council's treachery couldn't be forgiven. Not only that, but if the Jedi Order was allowed to rally under Grandmaster Yoda, a new war would begin against the Jedi, with them claiming that I and the Emperor were Sith Lords."

"That's... they wouldn't... would they?" Ahsoka grimaced and looked crestfallen when Vader gave her a soft shake of his head, and then he cloaked his Sith eyes once more.

"Remember why you left the Order, Ahsoka," Vader said, trying to keep his voice gentle. Ahsoka nodded, firmly, her face looking grim.

"And then the Emperor gave the Clone Army the order to kill the Jedi Knights, Masters, and older Padawan learners," Ahsoka guessed, her voice sounding as broken as it had when she said Skywalker's name. Vader answered with a simple nod.

"I led the march on the Temple, at the Emperor's behest. I had to kill every last Jedi there, excepting the younglings. I don't know what happened to them, beyond the fact that the troopers were to take them someplace elsewhere - safe, from the Order and from Yoda. I only recently discovered their location, but... not many survived. Many Fell, and many attempted to kill the Clones while in their custody - getting killed in the process," Vader let his voice take on a grief-stricken note.

"That's... terrible. And... what happened after the Temple?" Ahsoka was filled with dread at the question. Vader walked closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving a comforting squeeze.

"I was sent by the Emperor to kill or apprehend the Separatist leaders at Mustafar. And while I was away, Obi-Wan... he... he killed the Emperor, shortly after his proclamation. I only learned of his death when Obi-Wan tricked Padme into bringing him to Mustafar. He tried to kill me, and lied to her. He... was obviously apart of the Council's plot to remove Palpatine and to take over after usurping the Senate. Even if he wasn't, he wound up supporting it," Vader let himself sound like his voice was filled with a sob. He continued, voice almost breaking, "I had to kill him, Ahsoka. He forced my hand. He refused to believe me, to join me and prove that he wasn't apart of the Order's plot."

Ahsoka was speechless; in lieu of replying, she enveloped Vader in a hug. He returned the hug, fiercely clinging to her. He had her now. She was his, and this was another wrong that was now righted.

"I came back, and discovered the Emperor's fate. I... had to take over, Ahsoka. There was no other choice. Palpatine was right; there has to be order, balance... stability. I... also took over the remnants of the Jedi Order - those who joined me after I went to the Temple, those younglings who survived the Purges. They are the new Order of the Imperial Knights. Loyalists," Vader explained, making himself calm down slowly. Ahsoka nodded against him, even as she looked up at him. Vader whispered, voice quiet, "I - would like you to join me, Ahsoka. To join my Order. Please. It's the only way I can protect you from the Empire; they're bound to be suspicious of any surviving Jedi who aren't Imperial Knights, now."

"I... I... yes. I'll do it. You need me, and this is all... I can't believe any of this, but it makes sense. You're making sense and I can feel it in the Force Bond. I'll join you, Anakin," Ahsoka answered his plea. Vader smiled at her as he held her in the half-hug.

"Thank you. Would you... do me the honor of being my apprentice once more, Ahsoka?" Vader asked her, allowing hope to swell within him. A new apprentice would suit him; he could continue the Sith's ways, but through his will, his view of the Force. And he could have an apprentice he was already familiar with, as well.

"You think I'd choose someone else to be my Master?" Ahsoka asked him as though he'd grown a three new heads.

"Fair enough, my apprentice. Henceforth, you shall be the Grand Inquisitor of the Order, and shall only answer to me," Vader informed her. Her eyes widened, but she nodded, bowing her head.

"Thank you, Master Skywalker, for this great honor," Ahsoka sent her gratitude through the Force Bond.

Vader smiled. For now, this would do. She would be his Sith apprentice in time. Given his studies and the information he had discovered, it would be quite possible to rebuild the Sith Order of old. But this time, with his guidance, it would be done right - all under the guise of being Jedi that were loyal to his Empire.

Deciding to reward Ahsoka's gratitude, Vader felt that it would be prudent to allow the mask of Anakin Skywalker further strength; after all, if he wanted her to believe his lie for as long as he needed her to, his mask must hold under the utmost scrutiny.

"Welcome home, Snips," Vader whispered into her ears as he hugged her once more. He let his Light grant her affection, a sense of welcome and happiness. And while most of these emotions were Vader's, they were also largely Skywalker's. Vader felt like he was degrading himself, somewhat, by using that moniker for Ahsoka. Yet, needs must, he supposed.

"It's good to be home, Skyguy," Ahsoka returned, returning his feelings through their bond.

Perfect. It was just as planned.

"Thank you for coming, Tarkin," Vader spoke calmly to him, as well as the others who would eventually have formed Palpatine's top advisers and enforcers. Of these, Vader felt he could only trust the ones easy to manipulate. Vader then spoke coldly to them all, "you are hereby found guilty of treason against the Empire."

Before any of them could react, he killed them all with a twitch of his wrist - snapping their necks collectively. Vader left the conference room, turning to two of his Imperial Guards.

"One of you send in troopers to clean up the mess; inform them they were all traitors or corrupt, and tell them that traitorous and corrupt actions or thoughts will not be permitted in my Imperial Military," Vader commanded them, before adding, "and the other, send forth a message that Imperial High Command will soon be receiving new officers, one of whom will be my Grand Inquisitor. Also, send forth a notice that the Death Star project is to be suspended immediately, torn apart for scrap and the materials dedicated to fleets. The superlaser technologies are to be distributed into several flagships, instead."

The two Guards nodded, and left to commit to their orders. Vader walked away with the other Guardsmen. Grand Vizier Isard was handling the Imperial Senate, currently, and Vader would read his brief afterward. Isard was also being recorded, after all, and Vader would watch that recording to ensure it matched his brief. A simple endeavor, if there ever was one.

Vader decided to return to the Imperial Palace, which would also act as headquarters for his new Order. The reasons were twofold: it centralized all true power where he could feel it, see it, and oversee it; and it allowed him and his family the ultimate protection, beyond the Imperial Guards.

As Vader was taken to the Palace via Imperial Transport, he pondered what needed to be done next. He supposed he would speak with Padme, and figure out what should be done with Mothma, Organa, and others who were certain to be the more outspoken against the Empire, as well as likely candidates to fund the Rebellion which was certain to start in a few years if he didn't stop it fast enough.

With the new objective in mind, Vader walked at a brisk pace to the family room where he and his family had decided to stay together in the Palace; formerly, the Jedi Council chambers, but they were expanded immensely.

All was moving forward quite well, so far. But something itched at Vader's mind, though he couldn't tell what it was...