Author's Note: Since the accident, I've been laid up with a bad shoulder and a bad neck. I'm getting better, but I'm getting so tired from having to still go to work through all of this. I do what I can.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

At RebelCorp, C3PO went into Yoh Da's office with Da's morning coffee and the newspaper. Da was a much better person to work for than Darth Vader, because Da was so much more even-tempered. Da never yelled; he just stated things calmly, even when there was trouble.

Vader had growled, yelled, and threatened everyone's lives. Hardly a day went by at RebelCorp when someone wasn't running from his presence, but everyone at RebelCorp had to admit that Vader was an excellent vice president. He got things done.

"C3PO," Da stated in his calm voice as soon as the droid served him his coffee, "I want you to call a meeting of all executive staff for ten o' clock this morning. I have confidential police information to share on Darth Vader."

"Yes, sir, Master Da."

Da's confidential information was devastating; the general public had trouble believing the evidence that Da had presented to the police. Most average people did not believe in magic, the so-called Force, or placing a chokehold on someone without actually being in the room. There was only circumstantial evidence in Darth's case, and no hard-core forensic fact. As a result, a grand jury had voted that there was not enough evidence to mount a case against Vader, and he would be released from prison that day.

Da had made the decision to place him on paid leave. He didn't want any more negative attention drawn to RebelCorp.

But what Darth intended to do now that he was free remained to be seen, and Da had to admit that he was frightened.

Luke had just turned one. He was playing in his playpen, wearing a white t-shirt and blue polyester overalls. His mother plucked him out of his playpen and placed him on Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's living room carpet.

"Luke," Mommy said gently, "we're going to practice walking, okay? Now, Mommy's going to help, because Mommy knows you can't balance on two feet yet. So let me take your hands, and we're going to walk to Uncle Owen."

"Come on, Luke! Move those little legs!" Uncle Owen cheered from across the living room. Luke was grinning with his mouth wide open, the way only a baby could. He eventually toddled his way across the room and stumbled into Uncle Owen's waiting arms.

Uncle Owen happily lifted Luke into his arms. "We made it! We walked! Yay!" Uncle Owen cheered and raised Luke's little arm into the air. Luke just laughed.

Zzzzzz…

Luke was four. It was a few months before the accident, and Daddy was sitting at the kitchen table, one hand holding up a spoon and the other touching his temple. He was staring at the spoon.

"Anakin, what on earth are you doing?" Mommy asked.

"Bending the spoon with my mind, Padme. I'm reading a book that's teaching me how to use the powers of my mind."

"That's impossible. No one can do that."

"Yes, they can, and this book proves it. Once I master this, I'm going to teach the kids."

Later, Luke climbed up onto the kitchen counter. He held his hand out towards the cookie jar. He was going to use the powers of his mind to lift the top off the cookie jar and get a cookie.

Luke never could do it, and neither could Daddy...

Zzzzz….

Luke had had a horrible night. He kept dreaming of sweet memories from his early childhood, memories that solidified that his parents had always been there for him. He felt depressed that his mother was gone, and even more depressed that his father was gone. Sure, he had nothing but pleasant memories of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, but they had never allowed Luke and Leia to pounce on their bed, or sit through EmpireCorp board meetings sipping juice while everyone else guzzled down coffee, or use R2D2 as a ride down the hall. Only Dad had done that.

Luke had ended up bursting into tears, trying hastily to dry his eyes, and then went into his aunt and uncle's bedroom. He turned on the light beside Aunt Beru and told her that he felt he was having a breakdown.

"Come into bed, sweetheart," Aunt Beru yawned. "Come on, just slip in. Everything'll look better in the morning, Luke, honey."

Luke snuggled in between his aunt and uncle, and fell asleep quickly in the cool bedroom. He woke up in the morning, stretched, and yawned. Uncle Owen was out milking, and Aunt Beru was fixing breakfast.

Today was the fifth day since Luke had been released from the hospital. Was it getting easier? A little, but there were still some bumps in the road.

Leia was coming to visit today. Uncle Owen had said so last night at dinner. "Luke, would you like your sister to come for a visit tomorrow?" he had asked. "Would that cheer you up?"

Luke shrugged. "I guess so. I don't know."

Beru nodded. "If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out," she agreed. "Let's have her over just for one afternoon and see."

Luke wondered back to his own bedroom and reached for his thin cotton robe. He had to be fed and bathed before Leia arrived with her godmother at eleven.

Darth Sidious was the president of the Sith-Lord Group. The name was an acronym—S.I.T.H.L.O.R.D. stood for the Sidious Integrated Technology Holding of the Latest Organization of Robots and Droids. S.I.T.H.L.O.R.D. was a wholesaler for robot and droid parts. They even sold to companies like RebelCorp and EmpireCorp.

Sidious was about seventy-five years old, but he wasn't married, and he had no children. The Sith-Lord Group was his baby, and he vowed to work until the he died. He had begun the company only five years ago when his brother, the then-president and CEO of EmpireCorp, complained that all of the tech wholesalers were trying to rip him off.

"I'd never rip off my brother," had been Sidious' reply, and had set up the company pronto.

Presently, Sidious was looking for a new technology buyer. The first résumé he happened to pick up was Darth Vader's.

Sidious perked up. His own name was Darth, and his assistant's name was also Darth. Was this a good sign?

Vader had an excellent résumé. He had worked for two major technology corporations! He had written in his cover letter that he was looking for a change after working for the same type of corporation for so long. He was also willing to relocate to Naboo, Nevada, which was where the Sith-Lord Group was based.

Sidious called up his assistant. "Darth, this is Darth," he said, chuckling at his little joke. "Get this guy Vader on the line. We need to schedule an interview!"

Up Next: Leia Comes to Visit