9 BBY
THE SPIRE, STYGEON PRIME
Ahsoka and Obi-Wan didn't have to travel far after leaving the hangar to pick up on Luke's path. Circles cut in the durasteel doors still smoldered as they passed through, making their way to the side of the prison they'd broken into. Luke was on the ship waiting for them, an excited mess.
He was running on pure adrenaline, riding the high of both escaping the prison and providing their means of escape. Luke had done well, all things considered.
Neither of his seniors had any energy behind their responses. They were silent in the cockpit until Luke either picked up on something bothering them, or was genuinely tired enough to sleep the way to Rebel Command. Both were just as likely as the other.
"I should have stayed," she said emptily, just as soon as the door had closed behind Luke..
"No," he said after a pause. "Your place is with Luke, with the-"
"Instead of going to Mandalore," she specified. That tumultuous few days had always been present before now in her mind.
He held a troubled expression. "It is easy to dwell upon what could have been, given the present we have arrived at. Such endeavors are worthless, though. There is no way to alter time, and so we must deal with the hand we have been dealt."
Her temper flared. "How can you say that? Just spout wisdom like some-"
"I once thought as you did, Ahsoka. Then I met him on Mustafar. He tried to kill me immediately after choking Padme, his own wife, unconscious," he explained. "He was not in the right mind. The Dark Side had corrupted him, and I thought no semblance of Anakin remained."
She stayed silent, completely haunted. The Anakin she knew… Eventually she mustered some courage. "What happened to him?"
"I am not sure there was a singular defining moment. I have come to learn that Sidious- Palpatine… Had been preparing-"
"Him as his new apprentice," she finished for him, breathlessly. Words from Mandalore came to her mind- words she didn't want to hear. Maul had been right all along.
"Precisely. It, of course, did not help that the Jedi and their moral compass had been deteriorating. Nearly every decision they- no, we- made in the waning days of the Clone Wars surely eroded his faith. I… do not know everything that happened that night, and I'm not sure I could stomach it," he said.
She steeled herself. "Then… tell me what you do know, and why you didn't tell me, Obi-Wan."
"I was afraid," he said, eyes kind. "That you wouldn't be able to handle what had happened to him. I've been living with it since and I can barely stomach it. I believe it goes without saying that we do not tell Luke until his thoughts cannot be used against him."
Although she knew the answer, she asked her next question to probe him. "Why not reunite him with his father? His… sister appears to be healthy enough."
He stroked his beard. "There is no telling what he or the Emperor would do given another impressionable and strong Force user. It is impossible to tell what he would do. Forgetting the violence he has committed against Jedi and other innocents, he harmed the person he loved most in the Galaxy. Despite what we've seen, I still doubt that he hasn't corrupted her in an unseen way. There are too many… unknowns here."
"What happened to you?" she asked quietly. "To him. The day the Order fell."
He looked her in the eyes with an expression she had never seen from him before. "I had just killed General Grievous on Utapau when Cody and the clones turned on me. I managed to escape and was picked up by Bail Organa and Yoda. From there, Yoda and I infiltrated the temple, but… we were far too late. Anakin and the 501st hadn't left anyone alive at the Temple. Not even the younglings…"
By then, Ahsoka watched through teary eyes at the husk that was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Negative feelings practically prickled against her skin.
"Yoda and I parted ways after resetting the council's beacon- he faced the Emperor and I Anakin. I went to Padme's apartment and stowed away on her ship while she went to Mustafar to confront Anakin. She… tried her best to convince him to come back from his path, but when he saw me, he lashed out at her. She died giving birth to the twins," he explained. "I fought him and injured him to a point I thought he would pose no danger. I left him to die because I could not stand to do the deed myself. Seeing what he has become..."
Hearing that, she felt satisfied. No need to press further, she decided. Ahsoka didn't want to hear any more right now. "Do you think what he told you about that superweapon is true?"
"Do you? I am still unfamiliar with the galaxy's current state of affairs," he said.
"I do," she said without hesitation. "The Navy's expenses have been steadily increasing but the amount of starships have stayed relatively the same. I think we know why."
"Then you'd best prepare a report for High Command," he suggested. "But before that, we must answer Luke's questions without raising any that could be used against him…"
THE SPIRE, STYGEON PRIME
The command center was exactly as Vader expected. All of the officers and soldiers on deck lay at their feet, cause of death varying, but the one responsible was the same. Kenobi wouldn't cause this kind of carnage just trying to get here.
Maul was sitting on the floor holding the halves of his lightsaber. "I believe he is open to an alliance. Kenobi."
"Yes. I have provided him with information that cannot be traced to me," he explained, folding his arms. The existence of the Death Star was one thing. It's entire history, however, was a much more complicated and restricted secret.
"I never thought I could forget my hate for him, let alone put it aside temporarily, but…" he said, pausing, looking for words to express himself.
"The enemy of my enemy is an ally," he said, giving a slight nod. "We must part ways now, but I will provide you with a secure frequency with which we can communicate."
"I've allied myself with Jedi before, but never Sith," he said, getting onto his feet.
Vader considered the Zabrak carefully. "Then what has this been?"
"Fruitless… but not without its seeds," he said devilishly.
The distinct impression that Maul had seriously set out to kill him set in. "Move quickly. We have not much time before something even I cannot cover up is discovered," Vader said, and it was the truth. He didn't think he'd have much fun explaining to Palpatine why he was in league with a traitorous disgraced apprentice.
THE PROFUNDITY, HYPERSPACE
"You have something on your mind," Ahsoka noted, her calm tone gaining Luke's attention. She set down her utensils, staring until Luke did the same. It had taken a few tries to get him to make a coherent response.
"I just don't feel like breakfast," he said.
Ahsoka didn't stop. "You have questions, I'm sure."
"What exactly was that guy? I felt so… cold," he said fearfully, touching his lightsaber absent-mindedly..
"Darth Vader. A Sith Lord," she said, voice bereft of emotion, taking notice of the gesture.
His face shifted to a more serious one at the mention of that name. "What exactly is a Sith Lord?"
She sighed, choosing her words carefully. "A Sith is a Jedi's opposite. While we use the Light Side of the Force, they use the Dark. We use the Force for the pursuit of peace and defense, they use it to sow chaos and gain power."
"Can't have one without the other," he supposed.
"The Dark Side is fearsome, but don't be afraid of it. Fear is what leads to the dark side's costly and treacherous road. Like you said- It's natural that you can't have Light without Dark," she said.
Luke considered her words. "Well what about you? You're not a Jedi."
"The Light Side isn't exclusively for the Jedi, just like not all users of the Dark Side are Sith. The Force has existed long before sentients could use it."
Luke poked around at his breakfast. "That makes sense."
"Just don't worry, alright? Do the right thing as much as you can, be as selfless as you can, and you'll be just fine, Luke."
He smiled. "That's how I was raised."
"Well, you haven't been entirely raised yet, if you're still touching that saber when you're nervous," she said, to his embarrassment. "Speaking of, we need to get you a new one. That hilt is too… recognizable. I didn't think it was a problem until we ran into Vader. If he sees it, he'll definitely notice it."
"I'm a Jedi, won't he just kill me anyway?"
She hoped he wouldn't inquire further. "Your father is someone the Empire would rather forget… I need you to trust me on this one, Skyguy."
"Alright," he said, clearly unsatisfied, returning to his meal.
THE DEVASTATOR, HYPERSPACE
Leia almost immediately flung herself on her bed after they got back from taking Maul to Dathomir. To say she was exhausted would be an understatement of epic proportions. She just about screamed when her door whoosed open and her father began to breathe in her space.
"You should have stayed here on the ship, after all," Vader said. "That is what you're thinking, isn't it?"
Leia folded her pillow over her face. "Get out of my head, father."
"I understand you're going through a lot of changes right now, but my counsel is sound. You would benefit from listening to me, rather than rebelling," Vader said.
Leia groaned. "I wasn't trying to put myself in danger, and I certainly wasn't trying to disobey you. The idea of meeting that mysterious man excited me, and I guess I was spoiled by our excursions to Tatooine."
"Spoiled in what way?" Vader asked, and it was in the condescending way he sometimes spoke.
Leia scoffed. "After that I realized just how boring it was to be cooped up on this ship all day! I'm supposed to be the Emperor's Hand now!"
"I do not mean to limit your freedoms, but everything I have ever done has been for your protection."
"From what?" she asked exasperatedly. "You're the most terrifying man in the universe! I'm hardly a weakness to the average criminal. I am almost certain you've killed enough people to scare off anyone stupid enough to harm me. The risk I took was calculated!"
"Calculated?" Vader asked with a level of sass to match her own "If that was calculated, then perhaps I should get you a new tutor. There have been countless attempts on your life, even in the past year. Although scum grows and spreads, it does not learn," Vader countered.
"Well maybe I wouldn't need you protecting me if I could defend myself! How am I supposed to take out attackers with five stances from one form?!"
Vader folded his arms, a sure sign that he was losing his patience. Good. She'd help him find it. "I have taught you all you need to know for the time being. The basic forms are what all children begin with. You seem to forget that you are a child."
"You seem to forget that I'm a child too! You treat me like some glass doll!" Leia glared at him, her mouth trembling. "If your mother had acted like you, you never would have left Tatooine!"
"If I had acted like you, I would have died on Naboo…" he said. Why, of all times, was this all coming out now?
"That means nothing to me! I know your history! You destroyed that droid control ship and freed Naboo! You acted way more reckless that one day than I ever have!"
"Lower your voice. I am reaching the end of my patience," he sternly warned.
"So am I! This is no way to live, cooped up on a starship, never taking risks! I hate you! Get out of here!"
The atmosphere in the room was almost audible as it was destroyed. "Very well," Vader said in a clipped tone, not caring to deflect the pillow that hit his back as he was leaving.
He got her message.
OxOxO
Vader dejectedly entered his quarters, and finally the barometric chamber within. After all of the hissing and pressurization had finished, he sank into his chair, holding a gloved hand to the forehead of his mask. He slowly removed the helmet, repeating his action on flesh.
The files he'd read on loss and parenting lied to him. It really didn't get easier as time went on. Unfortunately, no one made guides to being a single Sith father who regretted almost every action he had taken in the past decade. And now he was conspiring with his enemies to topple a common one…. He drew soft breaths before letting out a long and drawn out sigh.
He felt around underneath the chair, opening the drawers used for maintenance and spare parts. His hands soon found an aged lightsaber, holding it out to inspect it. Vader closed his eyes, focusing on the weapon of his old Padawan.
He'd found it and her perceived grave years ago.
A part of him had always chastised himself for clinging to the old weapon, and the possibilities it presented. Suspiciously absent was a Togruta's body at the crash site he'd found it at. None of that mattered now that the nagging voice in his head was proven right. Ahsoka Tano lived, without a shadow of a doubt, and she knew who he was. He'd been there, and still he hardly believed she hadn't run her sabers through him right then and there.
She should have.
Vader opened his eyes as he took in every detail of the weapon. Her new lightsabers had been different. She'd outgrown the designs, and a part of him wondered if she'd outgrown him too.
The strength she required to survive this long, the skills necessary to survive… Their seeds were planted by him, and had far exceeded any growth he expected. He'd held high hopes for her and her training, but hardly anyone had come out of the Purge unscathed. Not even the so-called victors.
He should have been proud of her, but dread filled his being instead. Ahsoka had become strong, and that meant she was a threat to the Empire. If the Emperor became aware of this undermining, of her survival…
He wasn't sure what lengths he would go to in order to keep Leia secure, and the possibility of ending Ahsoka sickened him. Unfortunately, the one who had the answer to seemingly every problem he ever had was gone. It was all up to him now, he realized with grim acceptance.
Then a nagging voice crept up on the edge of his mind.
He deserved no forgiveness, he realized, as an air of sorrow suffocated the entire wing. "Padme…" he said hoarsely.
AUREK WATCHSTATION, WOBANI
"You're not supposed to-" a stormtrooper said before his plastoid helmet crashed into the durasteel wall.
Ahsoka seemed distant lately, Luke noticed. While her overall demeanor was usually serene and composed, she always had time to crack a joke. Not this time, he made note of. He'd have said something, but he didn't think it was his place to ask if anything was bothering her.
She was currently skimming through a supply manifest when her communicator beeped. Ahsoka answered it immediately. "Fulcrum here."
"The recon team has landed. It's looking promising. Er- regarding something Imperial happening here. There's… nothing left alive on the surface. The natives have all been wiped out," her lieutenant said.
Glancing at Luke, Ahsoka's brow crinkled with worry. "Nothing at all? Even fauna? Non-sentients?"
"Some things here and there, but no insects of any kind," he answered. "Something big happened here, that's what we're sure of. We'll keep reporting. How goes the search for those leads?"
"No luck on the trail, but we've been raiding Imperial outposts for supplies. Given that we're in the boondocks, most of it's contraband luxury items and alcohol. Nothing really worth stealing…" Ahsoka reported. "Report back to Rebel Command. If we don't hear back from you, it'll be an even surer sign of something. I find it hard to believe an entire species can just disappear."
"Will do, but… we don't think they've disappeared. We've found numerous devices containing traces of pesticides."
Ahsoka stopped dead in her tracks. "Are you telling me the Empire relocated or killed off a hundred billion people?"
"That's the way it looks, Commander."
"That's… troubling. However, the Empire would probably only go to such lengths to eliminate witnesses if there was something important to hide," Ahsoka said. "Keep looking, and document those bug bombs."
The transmission cut, leaving silence in the barracks. "Sounds like your informant was telling the truth. They are building something," Luke said.
"I can't believe it… I never knew a good Geonosian, but a hundred billion didn't deserve to die," she said, recalling her experiences on the red planet.
"Hopefully we'll find the next clue soon," he offered, upset by the amount of deaths.
Ahsoka went to leave the room. "Me too. Whatever is worth hiding that much to the Empire has to be destroyed. We have to be missing something. We'll be the ones to find it, right?"
"Right," he said, his mind elsewhere. Jedi life was a lot scarier than he thought it would be.
THE DEVASTATOR, MUSTAFAR
The door opened with a hiss, and was soon overtaken by Darth Vader's rhythmic breathing. Silence fell across the officer's lounge. "Captain Tonda. I must speak with you."
Tonda nodded, standing up and following Vader out. "You require my counsel, my lord?"
"I'm afraid so," he began. "When your daughter reached the age of eleven, was she… difficult?"
"Yes," he said, distantly recalling. "I commanded an Imperial Star Destroyer, and she would barely give me the time of day… It's only normal for that age, I think, to be rebellious. I know I was, and you probably were too."
"Hmm," Vader mused aloud. "Today, when I thought I understood what was troubling her, Leia told me she hated me."
"So it's escalated… I received quite a few of those from my daughter after what she described as an invasion of privacy. However, I have also received many apologies in the past years," Tonda chuckled. "She probably doesn't know how to express complicated emotions, no matter the sharpness of her tongue."
Darth Vader continued his steady gait, but wasn't focused on where he was going. The words of the captain enthralled him.
He sensed anxiety from the man, and he was sure of what was to come. "We've discussed it, but… As much as it may pain you, my Lord, it may be best to consider another partner?" he said. "For Leia."
His response came almost immediately. Only the original would suffice. "No."
Tonda's face drained of color, but his composure remained steady. "I meant no disrespect, it's just- Our postings have been increasing, and she would do well with someone in your absence. A nanny- A droid- Something."
"A droid would suffice…" he mused aloud, running through several concepts in his head.
Vader would take no chances with a person. He would never consider another love, and he had gone through several caretakers he believed insufficient before he first came to the Captain for counsel. A droid, however, would be made entirely up to his standards. Overprotective as he was, he realized that his daughter had some needs he didn't think he could provide.
"If that is your wish, I am more than willing to assist," Tonda said genuinely. The man always was. There never were ulterior motives within him.
Waving a hand, Vader stopped. "That will not be necessary, Captain. I've taken you from your offtime for long enough. Enjoy your drink, and look forward to extra leave with your family."
Captain Tonda nodded curtly. "Do not hesitate to request my presence. Thank you, my Lord," Tonda began to walk away, but stopped. "Oh! You know she doesn't hate you, right? Anger is a much more different beast."
He considered himself to be quite versed in anger and hate. That was precisely why he'd strayed away from teaching her about such things. Unfortunately, he realized, that included ways to deal with such natural emotions. Ways that didn't result in the destruction of his world.
Vader resolved to speak with her once the situation had cooled down. Perhaps, he thought, that she would even seek him out.
They parted ways, and the father immediately made a beeline for his quarters. Ideas were already running through his mind. He'd designed C-3PO at nine, so he was certain he could come up with something superior decades later. Perhaps some concealed weapons, and added dexterity so it could do Leia's hair when she didn't feel like asking Vader. He ran into R2-D2, who was to Vader's surprise still sticking around without the restraining bolt.
"Come with me, Artoo. We have much work to do…"
The droid interrupted him, informing him that he had an incoming message from Coruscant. Vader's blood ran cold as he rushed to his quarters, kneeling before the projected form of the Emperor.
Sidious' face was troubled. That was a sure sign that this was an important job, not a lesson or the standard taunting. "There you are, my apprentice. I have a task for you, an urgent one at that…"
"What is your bidding, my master?" Vader asked, bowing his head. Already he had to quiet his thoughts about whether or not it was soon enough to sabotage this order.
"It would appear Director Krennic does not yet understand the meaning of subtlety. Several rebel agents were discovered snooping around on Geonosis… Ensure that Krennic learns his lesson this time. Inform him of his final chance," the Emperor instructed.
Too soon, he realized. "Yes, my master…"
When the transmission cut, he immediately stood up and made a call. There were few ways he saw the situation playing out that didn't end catastrophically. He didn't expect them to follow up on this lead so soon, or fail so miserably. "Contact Director Orson Krennic. Summon him here…"
FORTRESS VADER, MUSTAFAR
Vader needed only wait a few standard hours before the Director came bursting into the empty observatory. He stood with his back to him, watching the stars. "Director…"
"Lord Vader," Orson immediately replied, seeming nauseous.
The Dark Lord turned around, his artificial thumbs hooked on his belt. "You seem troubled," he said, skirting around the issue, relishing the squirming Director.
Krennic swallowed. "I am. A great deal of troubling things have occurred recently."
"Are you referring to how you allowed a group of rebels to enter a restricted area? A restricted area related to the Empire's most important project?" he asked, closing the distance between the two. "Or… is it something else?"
He blanched, stuttering. "Uh- well, yes. It will not happen again."
"It does not need to happen again. The Rebellion certainly knows something on Geonosis is worth hiding… You are lucky the quick thinking of Moff Tarkin moved evidence of the Torpedo Sphere Project testing facilities there…" Vader said.
Impatience flooded Krennic's thoughts. "Moff Tarkin is after my position, surely you can see that. I'm certain he leaked information to the rebels, to replace me!"
"You overestimate your importance," Vader said, sticking a finger at Krennic. "Where is your proof?"
"Well, there is none- yet! I've begun an investigation-"
"Tarkin has sacrificed Imperial secrets to save a greater one, one you have been tasked with guarding," he said. "There will be no investigation."
His face turned red. "Tarkin-"
Darth Vader summoned Krennic's esophagus to him, clamping his mechno hand around his throat. "Do not make me repeat myself. You are not as important as you believe… This project is about the stability of the Empire, not you…"
Krennic was released, sputtering for breath on the floor. Vader waited while he regained his breath and stopped coughing. "Are you quite finished, Director?"
"Yes… my Lord… I will double my efforts. The station will be completed on time, with no more problems."
He hoped he was true. The sabotage of the station was near impossible with Tarkin at the helm. "A promise from you has proven to mean nothing. The Emperor and I will believe it when we see it."
Krennic stood up, dusting his white uniform off, still gasping. "I'm sorry it has come to this, truly."
"One more thing, Director," he said, approaching the man. "Which is your dominant hand?"
Krennic raised an eyebrow. "My left."
In one swift stroke, Vader activated his lightsaber and sliced Krennic's right hand off in the middle of his forearm. Krennic writhed on the floor, nursing the wound. Such a baby, Vader thought. He'd only taken one.
He deactivated his saber. "I know how adverse you are to replacement… For now, just your arm..."
He seethed, kneeling in front of the dark lord. "I already promised you!"
"Yes, and I made a promise to you that your failure would not be tolerated… Next time I take your life. Leave here…"
OxOxO
He was hard at work on the third iteration of a nanny droid to his likings when the chime came. Vader swatted the droid core off of his workbench furiously, standing to answer it. He froze shortly after, realizing he had never heard such a sound before.
He gave sideways glances around the room before realizing where it came from. The Fulcrum drawer was practically alive with the frequency of the alert tone. Given that it steadily became louder, faster, and less regularly, he had reason to believe every single one of his communicators was picking up a signal.
Vader glanced at Artoo before opening the drawer and grabbing one of the buzzing communicators. Never before had he been contacted… "Order the command center to perform a complete communications reset. A drill, on my order."
Artoo complied, and when he felt no one would be able to listen in, despite the hyper-secure frequency, he answered. At the very least, he opened the channel, judging by the lack of a cacophonous drawer symphony gracing his audio-receptors.
A garbled voice came through after a few moments. "This is… Snips. I'm seeking contact with a Fulcrum who knows me by that name."
He didn't know how to feel.