Chapter 60

Super Star Destroyer Executor

"Well," Piett said as the chatter finally wound down amidst the officers. "Obviously this is quite an unprecedented series of events. But I believe that things happen for a reason. Anakin Skywalker's path has crossed ours at this particular point in time for a reason; he is the leader we need in order to turn the tide in our favor."

"But what of the Rebellion?" Captain Riley asked. "If they find out that Skywalker was Darth Vader not so long ago, they will want nothing to do with any of this. I don't need to remind anyone of the ruthless manner in which Vader pursued the Rebellion over the past twenty years. I don't think we can simply assume that the name of Skywalker will be enough to gain their support, no matter who he was twenty years ago."

"I agree," Captain Stronick spoke up. "The Rebellion would not have survived this long without strong, intelligent leaders. They are very cautious, very shrewd."

"But you are forgetting about the influence of Skywalker's family," Lieutenant Vandergraff spoke up. "Padmé Amidala has been held in high esteem for many years, and was a staunch supporter of the Republic and a founder of the Rebellion. Their children have both been heroes in the Rebellion. That cannot be ignored."

"No, it cannot," Piett spoke up. "The bottom line is, the Alliance will not defeat the Empire so long as they continue the sort of guerilla warfare they have been waging for the past two decades, the Empire is simply too strong. If they can see that, if they are willing to admit that they need our help, then perhaps they will accept it. I think Anakin Skywalker is the key, my friends. He was called the Hero with No Fear during the Clone Wars, and is a man of singular abilities. He alone has the power to turn the tide of this conflict. We need him, gentlemen. That is the bottom line."

Murmurs went around the table, as each of the men considered Piett's words. None could deny the potential that an alliance with the Skywalker family represented. None could deny that Anakin Skywalker's vision and brilliance were unparalleled in the galaxy.

"Assuming that we are willing to go along with Skywalker's plan," Stronick spoke up. "What happens if the Alliance wants nothing to do with us? With him? What then, Admiral?"

Piett could see that he was making headway with the men, and if gave him hope. "I think we ought to cross that bridge when we get to it, Captain," he replied. "And allow Leia Skywalker to speak to her comrades in the Alliance. She is a gifted young woman, and if anyone can make the Alliance see reason, it is her."

The officers looked at one another, satisfied for the moment. "Very well," Riley spoke up. "We will allow her to try. I don't think any of us can deny the impact that Anakin Skywalker can have on the future of all of us sitting here."

"Does that mean that you are willing to follow him?" Piett asked. "And accept him as the commander of this ship?"

"Yes," Riley replied. "No one here would be fool enough to deny Skywalker's abilities. And if you are convinced of his trustworthiness, then that is good enough for me."

"And me," spoke up several others. It soon became obvious that the men unanimously trusted Piett's opinion and accepted Anakin as their leader. Their only fears lie in the decisions of the Rebel Alliance.

"It's settled then," Piett said, pleased that the men were wise enough to realize that Skywalker was the logical choice to lead their crusade. "I shall go to Skywalker and let him know what we've decided."

Anakin had been quiet and contemplative as they headed back to Bespin. Being on board a star destroyer again had been more unnerving than he had anticipated. The fact that he had helped design the enormous vessel, and that it very likely would have been his to command made it more so. That was another life time, he reflected. I can hardly fathom living that way now, he realized, thinking of his family. He could scarcely imagine how he had existed so long without them in his life.

Leia had noted her father's pensive mood, and waited for an opportune moment to approach him. That opportunity came when they were back in their suite in the cloud city. She found Anakin standing at the large picture window, watching twilight's descent upon the city.

"Where's Mother?"

Anakin turned and looked at his daughter. "She's talking to your grandmother," he told her. "She should be back soon."

Leia nodded. "And Luke is still training with Obi-Wan?"

"Yes I believe so," Anakin replied. "Something I can help you with?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Leia replied with a smile. "You okay, Dad?"

Anakin smiled and touched her face gently. "Yes," he said. "I'm just thinking about how much my life has changed in the past few months. Being on a star destroyer again was rather….surreal."

Leia nodded. "I'm sure," she replied.

"If I had continued to live as Darth Vader, that ship would have been mine," he told her. "Rather ironic, isn't it?"

"Yes, very much so," she replied. "But it's perfect, though, don't you think?"

"Well, it certainly will strengthen our cause," he agreed. He smiled. "Part of me would very much like to surprise those rebel leaders by just showing up on their doorstep in the Executor. Can you imagine the look on Dodonna's face if it just appeared out of hyperspace?"

Leia laughed. "I don't think his heart could take it," she replied.

"Perhaps not," Anakin replied. "What do you plan on telling them?"

"I haven't figured that out yet," she admitted. "I was hoping you'd have an idea."

"I'm not the diplomat of the family, Leia," he reminded her. "That's your mother's area of expertise, not mine."

Leia nodded. "That's true," she replied. "Perhaps she and I can formulate a plan together that the rebel leaders will accept."

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to bring one of Piett's men with you," Anakin suggested. "As a gesture of goodwill."

"That's a great idea," Leia responded with a smile. "And you said you weren't a diplomat."

Anakin chuckled. "I'm not," he said. "But I've been around long enough to have a good idea once in a while."

"Please," Leia replied. "You're a brilliant man, Dad, the most amazing man I know."

Anakin was taken aback by his daughter's words, her praise leaving him speechless for a moment. "I don't know what to say to something like that," he admitted. "Thank you, Leia. You know how much your opinion means to me."

Leia nodded. "I do," she replied. "That's why I wish you would learn to like Han."

Anakin groaned inwardly. "Leia, do we have to go there right now?" he asked.

"No, we don't have to," she replied. "But you know I'm every bit as stubborn as you are, Daddy."

Anakin laughed. "Yes, so I've noticed," he said. "It scares me."

Leia laughed. "Just promise me you won't scare Han when you see him again."

Anakin raised his eyebrows. "I scare him?" he asked innocently. "Aren't you exaggerating just a little?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about," she replied. "I witnessed that little exchange you had at breakfast, remember? What was it you said to him? Mark my words, Captain…I will be watching. Don't you think that's maybe just a little bit…intimidating?"

Anakin merely smiled. "You think so?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "Uh, yeah, I do," she replied. "Just try not to scare him, okay? Please? For me?"

That is so unfair, he thought as she looked up at him with her big brown eyes. How am I supposed to refuse her when she looks at me like that?

"I suppose so," he said at last. "But it's not my fault if he's faint of heart."

Leia was about to reply but she saw the twinkle in her father's eyes, and realized that he was teasing her. "You're terrible," she said, shaking her head.

Anakin laughed. "Yes, I know," he said. He put an arm around her shoulders. "You're mother's been telling me that for years."

"Telling you what?" Padmé asked as she entered the room.

Leia and Anakin turned to her. "Dad was just teasing me," Leia told her mother. "Does he ever do that to you?"

Padmé's eyes widened and she looked at Anakin. "Does he ever tease me?" she asked, trying to control her laughter. "You might say so, yes."

Anakin laughed. "I only do so as a sign of deepest affection," he told them both.

Leia and Padmé looked at one another. "Oh, is that it," Leia quipped rolling her eyes.

Padmé laughed. "Any word from Piett?" she asked Anakin.

Anakin shook his head. "No, not yet," he said. "I don't have a good feeling about this," he added. "The longer we wait, the smaller the likelihood that this plan of mine will work."

"It will work, Ani," Padmé said, taking his hand. "They are not fools. They will realize that you are their only hope of making this insurrection go anywhere."

"I agree," Leia said. "But I think we need to start thinking about what we're going to say to Mon Mothma and the others," she added. "They will be the really difficult ones to convince."

"Yes, no doubt of that," Anakin said. "I will let the two diplomats of the family deal with them," he said. "I'm going to take a walk to clear my mind."

"You're going to contact Piett, aren't you?" Padmé asked as he walked away from them.

"Yes," he said without turning back.

Padmé smiled. "We'll be here," she called to him.

Leia smiled too, loving the closeness her parents so obviously shared.

"Well now," Padmé said, turning back to Leia. "Looks like we have some work to do, don't we?"

Leia nodded. "Yes, we sure do. Let's get started."

As Anakin was walking through the corridors of Cloud City, he happened upon Han Solo, who was engaged in a rather animated conversation with Lando Calrissian. Realizing that Han had not yet noticed his presence, Anakin hung back in order to listen to the conversation undetected.

"Han, I just don't have that kind of money," Calrissian was saying. "Most of my assets are tied up in property, or stocks. Putting together an amount that big would be next to impossible in the short time you're asking."

"Lando, you owe me," Han retorted angrily. "You sold me and Leia out to those imperial bastards," he reminded his friend. "You stood by while they tortured me, and forced Leia to watch!"

"Do you think I had a choice?" Lando returned hotly. "You don't just say no to a squadron of stormtroopers and a Sith Lord! They arrived before you, they knew you were coming! What was I supposed to do? If I'd refused to cooperate they would have just killed me and done what they wanted anyway. I know you're mad, Han, but you must be able to see that."

Han could see it, but that didn't make his friend's betrayal any easier. Not only that, Jabba the Hutt had an enormous bounty on his head, a fact that Han could not ignore. Jabba was not someone who tolerated betrayal; his ruthlessness was legendary, particularly when it came to matters of a monetary nature.

"Yeah, I see it," Han replied at last. "You're too busy looking after your own ass to give a shit about saving a friend's. That's okay, Lando. I'm sure Jabba will understand when I tell him I don't have the money I owe him. You know how forgiving and compassionate the Hutts are." With that Han strode away from his friend, muttering a number of curses under his breath.

Anakin was startled by the mention of the notorious Hutts. So Solo owes Jabba money, he thought, his opinion of the young pilot dropping several more notches. A smuggler and a fool, very impressive. But then the image of his daughter's face came to his mind as she implored him to give Han a fair chance, to try to accept him for her sake. Despite what his own opinion of Solo was, Anakin knew that Leia cared very deeply for the man. The thought of Leia being afraid for the man she loved was too much for Anakin to bear. So this is what it's like to be a father, he reflected as he followed Han, wrapped around my daughter's little finger.