Chapter 5
"Tatooine! Have you lost your mind?!" One of the Queens handmaidens demands.
Vader crosses his arms across his chest, staring between the Jedi and the Naboo party. Many of the handmaidens are obviously angry with the Jedi for their lack of better ideas while the Jedi are doing a proficient job at remaining composed and calm like what it is expected of them.
"Well unless you have a better idea, we're all ears," Obi-Wan replies sarcastically, surprising Vader since he cannot remember the old man being a snippy one.
"This is not just reckless or impulsive but borderline dangerous!" Padmé exclaims, obviously agreeing with her handmaiden about this situation.
"Vader, what is your opinion on this?" Sabé queries, seeing Padmé nod from the corner of her eyes. Hmm, Padmé is hoping to gain one supporter among the Force Users.
Understandable. It is impressive the ladies wasn't enslaved in the previous timeline especially since their ship more likely than not drawn unwanted attention especially on somewhere like Tatooine. Beautiful young ladies would definitely serve as pleasure hounds for the Hutts.
"Tatooine is a barren wasteland," Vader replies neutrally, "it is a crime world populated by the hutts. It is dangerous and full of crime and slavery. However, this ship would eventually go down and we could potentially land on a planet such as Nar Shaddaa which is crime invested and populated with nothing but Hutts and their hounds."
Many of the native young ladies' eyes go wide with immense terror.
"Nar Shaddaa?" Padmé adds, face going pale. "Isn't that ran by a Hutt Empire?"
"Yes," Vader replies, narrowing his cerulean eyes towards Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "Ask our Jedi friends why we have avoided the crime of slavery for thousands of years."
Qui-Gon, seeing that the Queen is slowly wavering to believe Vader more and more, decides to interject: "We merely could not interfere. We don't wish to start another war with the Hutts."
Vader smirks. "Be prepared, your highness, they are going to do the same to your homeworld. Be glad if Naboo does not become full of crime and terrorism."
"Why should we rely on them at this point?!" Eirtaé snaps, her piercing eyes staring over at Sabé and Padmé.
"We have little choice as of now," Sabé replies, her own scowl showing her personal feelings but she vows to play the role of Queen perfectly, "but I severely hope my faith in the Jedi is not unfounded and that Vader is incorrect."
Good, he has shaken their conviction.
Vader smiles. If he wins the people of Naboo over, that could be beneficial to his plans. Kriff, he needs time to think.
Vader stares out the viewport, thinking about what to do. He is trapped in the past... with the woman who he could have killed, the man who died too early to train him... someone who helped him become one with the Force... and the women who he wouldn't have hesitated to eliminate during his time as the Emperor's Enforcer.
He knows, as of now, Sidious is superior. His rise to power was much earlier than Geonosis. Palpatine have for some time been making the rules of the senate very complicated, such that the body was paralyzed by its own bureaucracy. This have to be done subtly. This was the rope with which he'd hang Valorum's career. Then he have to wait for a suitably-naive queen to come along. Once the rules that would stymie any action against them were in place and a suitably pliable queen was in charge, he coerced the Trade Federation into blockading the Naboo system, which was a questionably legal maneuver; blockades historically have been acts of war. The queen, being young and naive, went to the senate hoping to resolve the attack then and there, only to be met with frustration. From there, it was easy to convince her to call for a vote of no confidence, ousting chancellor Valorum and installing Palpatine.
But that wasn't enough to make him Emperor. He needed a crisis. And since the Trade Federation had already fired shots, he is on the dawning of having his apprentice, Count Dooku, seduce or coerce several guilds and systems into supporting a breakaway movement.
Jar Jar Binks was then a godsend for Palpatine as he was a straight up gullible clown. He was aiming for emergency powers and Palpatine was on a bender. Every time he didn't have enough power, it was Jar Jar Binks who stood up for him.
But the key here is an instigating incident. The Trade Federation fired the first shots of the Clone War. Without the Invasion of Naboo, the Clone Wars would have taken much longer to kick off, if it ever beginning was even possible.
Thinking about it this way. If Palpatine, the public persona of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, was the Senator of Alderaan, Chandrila, Corellia, Kashyyk, or Kuat, then this invasion would involve the Invasion of those said planets.
"Lord Vader, the Queen wishes a word with you," a handmaiden who Vader for the love of the Force doesn't know the name of declares.
"Oh, your weapon please," another asks, outstretching her hand to him.
He knows there are handmaidens who are on this ship that Vader doesn't know like Sabé, Rabé, and Eirtaé. That is due to not forming as close a connection with them as he did with others during the original timeline or having never interact with them before.
Somewhat begrudgingly, the former Sith Lord hands his lightsaber towards the handmaiden.
Vader knew this has been coming; likely Padmé is behind this. He can understand though. Vader know this have been coming; likely Padmé is behind this. He can understand though. His present is quite a fearsome one to behold.
Vader impassively stares at Sabé as she stands next to Eirtaé and Rabé who offers him gentle smiles. They are polite handmaidens if memories serve him correctly. Most of them are always like that except Dané and Fé of course.
He can feel their eyes on him. He can sense them attempting to probe their mysterious visitor. The security guards are working fanatically so figuratively they are the only protection in here.
There is also Saché and Yané connected through a Hologram on a nearby desk, undoubtedly a safety measure, to ensure that if he is a threat that those of the Naboo can be informed and they rally up against him.
Unlike his younger self, he wouldn't be shuffling awkwardly. Sabé and the others use to tease him about him growing outright awkward and nervous in the presence of Padmé. It eventually passed since his time as Dark Lord but that childish part of him wants nothing more but to budge nervously, a notion quickly silenced.
"So I would like to know more about you, Vader. Where did you come from?" Sabé queries.
"Why do you need to know?" Vader retorts.
The mask slips away slightly.
"Just for protection. My apologies if I offend you in any way."
She is not asking for only Padmé but for everyone in the room.
"Let's play a gamble shall we?"
"A gamble?" Sabé replies.
Vader smirks. "I am probably going to have a death mark on me by the Trade Federation, and I need time to think of a plan so I could save your planet." Vader replies sharply, sarcasm obvious in his tone.
Frustration, entertainment, and uncertainty ring through the Force. The handmaidens stare at each other, mentally asking Padmé should they trust the ambassadors of the Supreme Chancellor or the hooded, mysterious man, whose description is unknown. Is he even human?
Vader spot Padmé observing him over. She is just so much like their future daughter.
"Um, the Queen means can you provide some background. We know the Jedi are the ambassadors for the Senate but the Jedi nearly attacked you." Rabé speaks first, though it didn't sound like she believes that he is a threat. She always is welcoming; in fact, if memory serves him right, she was the second handmaiden who acquainted him in the former timeline, first being Sabé since they had to work together quite frequently when it came to Padmé's protection.
"I was a Sith," Vader replies, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Oh," Sabé says as if she suddenly realize something about him before her face become calm, her eyebrows raising. "What's a Sith?"
Vader admittedly has to pause for a moment to describe the Order he served for two decades since he never give a proper description to a human before. Even most of the underlings who serve him under the time of the Empire didn't appear to know what he was talking about.
"Virgin bright, dark and fearsome, increasingly powerful, incredibly ancient, once mighty, many lesser, long dead, hal, fearsome, green, embattled, unwitting, fairer, uneasy, ancient, decrepit, demonic, thin, devastating, purest, illegal, lesser, hasty, legendary, evil."
Sabé's eyes flash in concern. "We are letting an evil man on board?"
"Evil is a relative term? I am man who shall assist you," Vader retorts. "Last time I check, the Jedi have no intentions to help you."
"Good and evil clash since the beginning of the galaxy," Sabé replies, repeating old saying from books she probably hear from no doubt.
"Good thing you are not actually a Jedi at that rate," Vader responds nonchalantly. "The last thing I need to deal with is more Jedi glaring at me."
Sabé's eyes become cold as daggers. "Why should we trust you if you're evil?"
"Because I'm telling you this," Vader replies without much concern. "A true Sith wouldn't have told you this much. Alas I'm not a true Sith not anymore nor will I ever be again after witnessing what that path leads me down. But regardless of your belief, know you shall not receive nothing else."
Sabé scowls. "Can we at least get some evidence you are on our side?"
"Not yet," Vader replies.
"What do you mean not yet?" Sabé presses, staring at him as if he suddenly grew a second head.
"Because you are not telling me things either," Vader replies, noticing them shifting slightly in anxiousness as his eyes connect on the form of Padmé. "We are going to a waste of a planet. The least I could do is protect one of you if you're captured." Vader replies pointedly, knowing that the timeline can change entirely and that could mean landing close to one of the Tusken villages. "The most evidence you shall receive now is that I'm not killing you nor bringing you before the Trade Federation."
Rabé crosses her arms across her chest, "How do we know they will not track us down by information presented by you?"
"You don't," Vader replies, "but perhaps information presented to you next will answer that particular question." His head snaps towards Padmé. He cannot maintain the truth less she will be in danger. Sidious played the cards and now it's Vader turn. "For the safety of the Queen, we must be careful and cautious of this Hutt populated world... it would be a shame if the Queen of Naboo is damaged..."
Vader smirks as Padmé's surprised expression comes across her face. She is the first to figure out he knows who she is. Likewise, Sabé figures out in three standard seconds.
"You... you know," Sabé speaks, putting the pieces together fairly quickly as well.
"Yes... decoy."
A shock silence fills the chambers for a moment. Vader knows that they are beginning to consider their options and what to do as fear and rage begin to direct at him. He can see what's coming-
Believing that he is a threat to the operation, they all tear out their blasters, yet Vader anticipates this; he raises his right robotic hand and their guns go onto the ceiling, raising his eyebrows in their direction.
"I-I would surrender to you but don't hurt them," Padmé pleads in a firm voice but there is a sense of insufficiency in her tone, not wanting to see her closest allies die.
"Command them not to attack me again and they will remain safely unscathed," Vader states, watching each handmaiden through the Force, knowing they have tricks due to their training and can catch him off guard as it did when he visited Naboo after Cloud City.
Padmé nods at the handmaidens who back down, each giving Vader a glare or a distrusting look.
"It's obvious you are not a friend to the Republic," Padmé now growls frustrated. "Are you a spy for the Trade Federation? Are you going to kill us all?"
"No," Vader replies. "The Trade Federation is beneath me."
The handmaidens recover, shrugging themselves off as they glare at Vader, undercurrents of fear vibrating through the Force, fear for their home planet.
"How did you know?" Eirtaé asks, a tremble in her body.
"Your Auras are evident to me," Vader replies. "The Force is a powerful ally; it tells me your signatures as easily as you are able to speak. The only reason why the Jedi haven't found out is because their senses are dulled by rivals out of view. Additionally, I observed on Naboo how a certain handmaiden was giving a decoy a commanding look in the eye that I have seen for many years. Handmaidens and monarchs are not authorized to speak in such a manner unless she would have been thoroughly punished."
That is the truth albeit twisted.
Padmé facepalms. She should have known and should have had another handmaiden tell Sabé to go to Naboo. In permitting it, she have freely exposed herself to the last man she wanted to not discovered.
"What do you want as compensation then to keep your mouth shut?" Rabé asks grimly, crossing her arms across her chest.
"What makes you think that I want money, handmaiden?" Vader asks, receiving a frown in response. "Especially if I could have gotten money from the Trade Federation if I arranged for you to be captured or killed."
"Then what else do you want?!" Eirtaé shouts, grasping her hair nervously. "Do you want Naboo as a planet for you to rule?! What is it?!"
Vader grins. "I am willing to help you so you free your world. In reality, you need me to free Naboo or get you off this planet and I need you to keep those Jedi at bay. Any attempts to leave me behind will result in failure so that option is not a possibility."
Even when Sabé have the Queen mask on her face, her look screams "Oh perfect." Padmé looks seconds away from tearing her hair out.
Vader notices each of the ladies feeling a bad feeling crawling up their guts. "I just have a few... necessities that would be required. And you each have just willingly accepted it." Vader replies, amusement clipping his tone. "But I will not back out of my deal. I will help you liberate Naboo and save your people."
"So you are willing to waste earning lots of money from either the Republic and from the Trade Federation for saving the people of Naboo?" Surprise flickers across the face of Padmé. Why isn't he turning them in when he could easily kill all on board and drag them back to Naboo?
"Yes," Vader responds sharply. "I'm not heartless, after all. If I was, most of you would have been dead the second you drawn your weapons on me." He scrutinizes the ladies of Naboo. "Money is just a sham. It comes and goes."
"What do you want in return then?" Yané demands through the Hologram she is connected to, though her tone is less fierce than the others. Vader remembers her distinctly from his few interactions with her. She just can't be a rough-spoken person. It is against everything she is.
"That's not for me to tell," Vader replies in what they can recognize as amusement, causing the handmaidens to frown furiously. He could sense he is grating on their nerves, and in all honesty, this moment is just... hilarious.
The handmaidens scowls, hating how they are being left in the dark no doubt due to being fiercely overprotective of Padmé. Perhaps the most notable of handmaidens are these specific ones because Padmé always had a closeness with these ones than she have with the ones years later.
"Fine," Padmé relinquishes bluntly. "If I agree with you helping Naboo, I want an explanation of how you know who I am and we are going to have words about this. I have enough of your trickery." It is that classic Padmé's voice which Vader have longed for for two decades.
"As you wish, your highness," Vader acknowledges with a bow.
"Drop the pleasantries," Padmé snaps.
"You're a hypocrite," she spat darkly, hoping she could offend his ego.
Vader smiles from ear to ear smugly, sensing her thoughts, "No, my journey here is more alive then I have been for decades. Besides, what are your chances of liberating your world? The Jedi only shall become involved if the Sith is involved to perpetuate their amateurish and incompetent power over the galaxy."
For the first time, Padmé is shocked silent yet concerning thoughts overwhelm her senses. The handmaidens share similar thoughts. What if Vader is correct? Who will free Naboo if not the Jedi? What would happen to Naboo, their home, if the Jedi Council choose not to help them?
"Now, if you will cease speaking, I will help you..." Vader declares before suddenly a power comes crashing down upon them, causing each of them to groan at the intense attack on their thoughts, distorted. What has Vader done?! "Not to worry. It is always painful at first but your presences will be shielded from the Jedi. The cloud will only lift when you reveal the truth to the others on board."
His lightsaber hilt flies from the handmaiden who collected it beforehand and land into his hand.
The ladies combine what they know about this individual. He is obviously male, athletic, and has a hatred for the Republic and dislikes the Jedi Order. He is also probably more skilled than every single person onboard combined so ultimately he could kill them all even with the Jedi on their side.
Vader walks out, the doors shutting behind him. In his defense of exposing the truth, he would have likely had exposed his knowledge sooner so it would have been for nothing. At the very least, Vader is in control of the situation and has far more experience than Padmé.
Back in the room, Padmé is obviously conflicted, the other handmaidens immediately talking about what they can do now in these dark time.
The best thing she could do is follow his commands with her trusted handmaidens friends. It is obvious he knows them all because he has addressed them by their names without them even introducing themselves. He must have heard about them before or ran into them in the past - they had used to walk and train around in the fields of Naboo.
Part of Padmé has to admit that part of her childish side wants to learn more about Vader.
Admittedly, Obi-Wan didn't want to be on this Naboo ship for long. The light side and the dark side surrounding their new ally deeply disturb him and Master Yoda had advised each of the students since birth that one cannot return from the dark side. The Sith are selfish and are dangerous; Vader would kill them all at under a moment's notice when their backs are turned.
As he walks out, he notices one of the Queen's handmaiden sitting alone on the couch, obviously at odds with something
"Um, hi," he greets politely.
"Hello," she replies, staring up at him for a moment, her eyes telling emotions that Kenobi cannot read.
Obi-Wan stares down at the girl for what feels like hours, beginning to zoom out.
"Never seen a girl relaxing?" She tantalizes, smirking up at him and snapping him out of his thoughts.
"It's not that. It's just Vader. I don't trust him. The Queen shouldn't have allowed him on board." Obi-Wan replies, staring at the corridor where he senses Vader ruefully resides to emphasize his point.
"He kinda joined us willingly instead of us bringing him onboard." The girl frowns, almost as if intimidated to bring the subject up, "He did save us on Naboo. I propose I understand why you might not trust him, yet the Queen obviously believes he should be given a chance." The girl hesitates for a moment, eyes lingering elsewhere.
Obi-Wan squirms restlessly. "I still don't like it. I just want to be as far away from him as possible."
She frowns before grabbing his hand and walking to the back. Kenobi and the girl enters the Queen Chambers, and much to his anxiousness, it is a room full of girls. Besides Siri and Brent, he didn't like to spark a conversation with women, most lesser, being in a room alone with them.
"Okay, Kenobi, this is Handmaiden Sabé, Rabé, and Eirtaé," she introduces, pointing at each one.
"Padmé, we are practicing with our double-bladed staffs," Sabé declares, attempting to not look at Kenobi, her cheeks slightly reddening. She is just naturally a flirt.
"Perhaps Kenobi could join?" Padmé offers.
"Sure, always want to kick a Jedi to his rump," the woman declares, throwing a double-bladed staff to Kenobi.
He instinctively catches the staff in a clumsy way.
"Now wait a minute! I never agree to this!" He exclaims, suddenly regretting his choice of following the young lady.
Sabé didn't even give him a chance to end this before it could have began. She swipes at him. Holding the double-bladed staff in what he assumes as a pathetic posing, the Jedi Padawan blocks the blow, staggering some. Rotating his staff in a clumsy movement, Obi-Wan counters another blow before his opponent manages to catch him in the side. The girl from earlier is smirking and the others are watching in interest.
"Ow!" He cries. Force, it's been barely five seconds and he is already being badly beaten. Precisely why he had never accepted the double-bladed style.
Suddenly, his opponent manages to fake a downer blow which he naturally swipes almost just in time. Seconds later, Kenobi is nicked in the arm.
Annoyed, he begins making cocky movements, swiping up and down at his opponent and catching his opponent in the spine. Part of him has to admit to be arrogant, which proven to be a mistake as he is suddenly jabbed in the stomach, and his legs give out from underneath him and his back appears to suffer damage.
"Ever heard it's not nice to hit a girl?"
To say Obi-Wan is surprised is an extreme understatement but when he was knocked to his back by a kriffing staff is beyond embarrassing. Him! A trained Padawan losing against a lady of Naboo! If Yoda was here...
The handmaidens giggle simultaneously. They were so.. fun... so not serious. He had thought they were stern and believe themselves obliged to follow orders especially since they had been on Naboo but how they acting now is far from said expectations. They are teenagers and are unlike the Jedi in the Temple.
Most notably, the handmaidens weren't wearing their makeup and it was true; they all are younger than they appeared with it on.
"Wow, what do you know? A Jedi Padawan being bested by a teenager?" The one who Obi-Wan recalls named Rabé taunts smugly. "How embarrassing. How embarrassing."
"Oh shut up," Obi-Wan growls, humiliation brushing off the Jedi Padawan.
"I think someone is a little embarrassed," the other handmaiden who he remembers called Eirtaé states teasingly, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Want to do actual physical training next?" Padmé states more than inquires, receiving immediate acceptance of acknowledgments by her fellow handmaidens.
And thus, Obi-Wan Kenobi knew this would be a very long day.
Given that the shuttle is damaged, Vader is aware that it would take four days at most for them to arrive on Tatooine. Thankfully, the hyperdrive isn't broken, it is damaged. Somehow, has managed get this party to a nearby system before - that being Tatooine -, yet Vader feel a slight feeling of anxiousness at being on the ship where events change.
Despite being given a second chance, Vader long since came to the understanding that things can change; some shall live and others shall die rather by his hand or not. There are problematic issues in time travel such examples potentially being Anakin Skywalker losing in the Pod Race and Kenobi and Jinn dying at the same time.
Kriff, he mentally sighs. Why does it has to be him?
Vader sneers at Panaka; he had kept his personal feelings towards Panaka clear which is very difficult due to Panaka betraying both him and Padmé. Sometime later after the Clone Wars had broken out, he learned of the marriage between Amidala and Skywalker. Panaka informed Palpatine, who used this information to his advantage when turning Anakin to the dark side. The ramifications of Panaka's choice would eventually lead to the Imperialization of the galaxy, a change that would work to his advantage. As Palpatine installed himself as Galactic Emperor, Panaka remained extremely loyal to him. The only reason he didn't annihilate Panaka when he had discovered the truth is the same reason why he didn't Tarkin: He had Palpatine's protection.
This time, there is no protection for him, and it is only a matter of time before all of Palpatine's followers shall be bend to his will or destroyed. They have to be for the safety of the entire galaxy.
He didn't relish in killing flesh blood but is willing for the galaxy to be saved at long last.
"Hey, Vader," I have a question," Qui-Gon speaks. "How did you know mine and my Padawan's name on Naboo?"
Vader mentally curses. That is a mistake on his part but he can amend it with a half-truth.
"I know of each of the Jedi," he declares, hoping he isn't sounding too defensive. "Your Order's members are not a matter of secrecy suffice to say."
Vader turns his attention elsewhere, as the Jedi Master appears to be accepting this explanation, especially with gaining information currently.
"Guard, lead me to private quarters where I shall not be summoned until our arrival," Vader demands to a female security guard who, by the Force of him, he can't remember the name of.
The security guard stares at the former Sith with a sharp scowl though Vader could have been blind and would have sensed the fear surrounding her.
"Yes, Vader." Come her begrudgingly reply.
"I require tools of my own to fix my damaged armor," he declares.
"Of course," she replies roughly.
Vader can sense her slight greed directed to him. She too has witnessed his skill and wishes to use him as a weapon. Slight manipulation but he can't blame them at all.
Although he had no intentions to fully concealed his face as he had done in the time of the Empire, Vader wants to improve his lower mask. He had rather be hooded in this time instead of viewed as a machine. He had missed the pleasantries of being hooded in black instead of the machine in black.
Once led to empty quarters in the back, Vader enters, sensing the guard who accompanies him leave as the door closes, allowing him to approach the mirror. His cloak and cape are attached to his damaged armor.
Placing those thoughts behind him, Vader walks up to the security cameras and disables them with the Force, not wishing for his appearance to be learned by anyone. Additionally, he wishes to remain himself, eating and meditating without interruption less the situation requires it.
He also has a wrench and other tool supplies where he could make it comfortable and still not pushing against his skin. To prevent being costly, the suit needs to be removed and repair completely with upgraded technology.
Darth Vader's armor better known as a serial number: E-3778Q-1 was designed to maintain and protect the young Sith apprentice's charred body while exuding an air of intimidation and control. His suit followed an ancient Sith tradition, in which the warriors of the dark side of the Force would adorn themselves in heavy armor. The suit's construction incorporated Sith alchemy to augment Vader's severely diminished physical strength and vitality.
The suit provided a suite of life-support systems and gave Vader relatively free movement without having to use a hoverchair. It was damaged or broken several times during its use, necessitating upgrades and repairs. The suit was finally irreparably broken when Vader absorbed Palpatine's powerful Force lightning in his face aboard the second Death Star to save his son from certain death. After Vader's death, Luke ceremonially cremated his father along with the armor on the forest moon of Endor.
The armor encased Vader completely, creating a seal to protect his charred skin and lungs. It was also uncomfortable to wear. Vader slowly learned to live with the isolation and anonymity that the suit imposed on him. Vader had to change his lightsaber style to compensate for the weight, bulk, and inflexibility of his armor. The electronics of the suit were sensitive to electrical discharges, though Vader added a limited amount of insulation to the suit after discovering this. To escape the armor's claustrophobic nature, Vader had several pressurized meditation chambers built where he could remove his mask and suit and still survive. Vader longed to be less dependent on his armor and tried at times to function without it, but he labored in vain.
Despite the weaknesses imparted by the suit, it also provided a number of strengths. These included greatly enhanced durability and stamina, numerous sensory enhancements, and protection from extremely inhospitable environments and biological weaponry.
Since Vader has no need for the suit, he is inspired by it. Darth Vader wore the armor for over two decades, until his redemption and death. He initially hated the armor, but after living with it for five years, he embraced how it isolated him from the rest of the galaxy, allowing him to concentrate on becoming a pure instrument of the dark side.
Even though he was in constant pain with the suit being uncomfortable and purposefully so since Palpatine never wanted Vader to reach his full potential.
Considering Anakin Skywalker would grow to wear the robes he is now wearing, the armor and mask shall protect his identity from Skywalker, along with tapping into the dark side to blind his presence.
Vader wrenches the bolt in his armored leg, loosening up its containment of him along with his arm, realizing with a scowl that his armor has limited him far too long. He then stares down at his broken mask, eyes narrowing as he morphs designs in his head, thinking the benefits of both thoroughly. Two designs; one where he repairs the mask completely similar to his time as the Dark Lord and abandons the robes he is currently wearing while rebuilding the armor into similar armor but much better and have it be exactly like the 2.0 armor the Emperor had planned for him to wear in due time, and another design where he wears these robes along with his armor, but still masking himself completely. He have to force himself to speak deeply, pathetically attempting to mask the wheeze to appear just as frighteningly and imitating. Ultimately, the second design is the better choice, though the first one can be a potential idea later.
So the second design is created.
For once, ever since he'd traveled through time, he disregards the armor and commences with extracting features to his armor, mentally formulating a plan.
At the very least, the new now repaired suit provides him a much more of a comfortable suit, the chest piece of shrapnels of ancient Sith and Jedi in place of where his control panels had been given he has the choice to improve the suit he once wears due to the form of Anakin Skywalker also having its cons, the alternation required for far more mobility and to protect his vital lungs all the while allowing him to twist his body and contort without opportunity of him being hindered or uncomfortable in midst of the battle. Better be safe than sorry, especially since his body is no longer of those consisting of a cyborg but a human who is capable of being killed in spite of all of his power.
Vader grips the lower part of his mask which is now rebuilt, sticking his tongue out slightly as he grabs a screwdriver and begins twisting the damaged bolt, placing on the mask and attempting to speak only for it to come out as a squeak, making the child-like Anakin within him to nearly scream in frustration but the maturity of Vader who overran Skywalker opts to remain calm, all the whilst wishing he has access to Sarrassian iron. As he twists the bolt once again, he places it on, speaking, it coming out as it did like his time throughout the era of the Empire which means it will no longer be a requirement to call off the dark side due to his damaged mask that came with him once he came back in time after the Emperor fried the blasted respirator now receiving a complete rebuild.
Placing the mask to the side, Vader grabs the cloak that once belonged to his Jedi counterpart before grabbing a nearby paint brush and darkening the cloak until he is satisfied and that it no longer featured the one the Jedi wear, less the Jedi would begin noting the similarities, especially on Coruscant, and questions will be asked. The cloak wraps around his form, concealing his armor nearly entirely along with the cape that goes down his back which will be helpful throughout the remainder of the future and the aftermath.
He pulls his hands out of the leather gloves, staring down at his bared hands for a second before clenching them up into fists, still having to remember that the man he once was is dead and replaced by a newer and improved Darth Vader. He was use to the sounds of being trapped in the suit, and without it... it just felt cold. Once, the gauntlet's value as a symbol was of little use to the three-eyed mutant, but its potential for use as a weapon was considered to be incalculable. It was his belief that the glove was actually a mystical relic that gave its wearer the ability to telekinetically attack others from a distance. Perhaps he still can but in a fresh atmosphere. All he has to do is loosen them up and improve them so he can exploit his other abilities without limitations. The last thing he needs in battle is for his Force Powers that he has accomplished and still accomplishing proving to be unworthy in the midst of confrontation.
He disregards the collar and chooses to keep the belt the same as it did serve its uses. Once, the belt-mounted function box housed the respiratory sensor matrix responsible for controlling Vader's breathing, but it will no longer house that role and position.
Now that the armor is rebuilt and connected to each other much like his former armor, Vader sits down on the bunk, pouring both the light and dark side in the armor with the Force, taking in dark amusement of the Jedi and especially the Sith to sense someone who goes against all of their teachings is now striding the galaxy. Once the process is finished, the former Dark Lord calls off the Force to see if the process is successful, not disappointed. He did it with his armor during the beginning of the Empire, but that has been a time of great loss and anger whereas he has a better grip of his emotions now.
Eventually, Vader wears the newly constructed armor with a rare smile at the mirror before raising his hood over his head, an impressive demonstration of his work if he does say so himself. Now that he is capable of being suitless, he has the luxury of removing the armor instead of forcing himself to wear it, viewed by everyone as a cold monster in black, being unable to sleep or eat or enjoy the luxuries of a normal human. Even as a Sith Lord, he, unfortunately, had been required to eat with tubes and such, but now those days are over with a new era now awaiting the former Sith Lord and for the galaxy.
He uses the Force to call over his lightsaber and activate it, the crimson blade shooting out and reflecting off of his upper form before taking a quick swing before another and five others, unable to resist smirking in jest at nothing belonging of his armor falling off of of it. He deactivates the lightsaber and plants it on his right belt.
A tempting thought did cross his mind to cut his hair and even his eyebrows and peel his skin, but Vader resists the urge, not willing to allow himself to be painted as a monster. He will not self-harm himself and cause any further pain, excluding pain he harbors emotionally, on his body. Perhaps when he trains himself once more, he will acquire more scars but this is a new era for the galaxy's once ruled Sith Lord and he won't allow his power to be decreased less his chances to overthrow Sidious will decrease massively until the point where he would have to rely on others.
Truthfully, the veteran side of Vader wanted to test it out on the battlefield. The opportunity may be allowed soon. No matter how Vader may be able to pull the strings from within the Senate after getting as much as he is able, undoubtedly, the war of Naboo shall occur. And along with the Naboo, Vader would be the first to apply in order to save the people and bring peace. It would never amend his mistakes but at least he would be able to prove he is not going to waste this second chance.
If only his son is with him, if only his son is able to see him in the flesh like this, if only he could show him who he truly is; however, he never will be able to, even if he can speak with him through the Force. He proposes that is a consequence of his actions and harm across the galaxy. He will perhaps never see his son in the flesh ever again. That's what pressing too much in the dark side can do; it can take away everything you have.
He removes his hood and now repair mask and runs his hand through his hair before discarding his garments and then removing his lightsaber from his belt and laying it down next to him. Now exposed, Vader begins meditating in both the light side and the dark side, ensuring the door is lock completely so no guard, handmaiden, Jedi, or for Force's sake, Padmé doesn't walk in. The last thing he needs is for his younger self to grow up and people to note the similarities between the two.
The pieces in his armor not used are scattered across the ground so he can perhaps create a backup armor on a later date. The smallest pieces can be useful in the near future.
Vader allows himself to be succumbed by the Force, to feel every single being across the galaxy, to feel both chaos on Naboo and the peace on Corellia, to call off the waterfalls and the remaining peace in the galaxy.
Peace is what he needs now for what is to come next.
Arthur's note: Many stories tend to have Padmé or the handmaidens be treated coldly or outright being mean to one another so naturally, I decided to amend it. In fact, there's probably going to be Vader, Padmé, and handmaidens massively bantering.
I'm also tired of all these time travel stories having Obi-Wan bashing too. In my opinion, Vader and Kenobi were both wrongs in the lava hills of Mustafar. Vader unjustly Force Choke his wife, slaughtered innocent children, and doesn't even hear her side of the story while Kenobi wouldn't back away and kept provoking him.
May the Force be with you all always.