Chapter 77

Luke stood in the turbolift, heading for the Executor's recreation level. Of course, it had not been designated as such when the mighty ship had been under Imperial control. During those dark days it had been referred to as the PTF – Physical Training Facility. The facilities were excellent, providing state of the art fitness equipment and programming, several gymnasiums and swimming pools. Luke and his sister had spent many hours in the gymnasiums sparring with one another and engaging in the vigorous physical training that was a huge part of their Jedi training.

The door opened and Anakin joined Luke in the lift.

"Good morning Dad," Luke said.

"Morning Luke," Anakin replied. "You're up early. Where have you been?"

Luke shrugged. "No where special," he replied. "I'm on my way to the gym."

Anakin smiled. Luke was simply too easy to read. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had been out roaming the vast ship in the hopes of seeing a certain Miss Ylla Piett again. "I see," he said at last. "I'm heading there myself. I like to start each day with a workout."

"Me too," Luke replied. "I don't suppose you brought your lightsaber with you?" he asked with a grin.

Anakin smiled as he pulled back his cloak to reveal his lightsaber clipped to his belt. "Master Obi-Wan used to scold me terribly if I went anywhere without it," he explained. "I suppose old habits die hard."

Luke laughed. "I guess so."

The turbolift stopped, and father and son stepped off and proceeded down the corridor.

"I'd like you to be present when Leia and I begin construction on our lightsabers," Anakin told his son as they entered one of the enormous gymnasiums. "You haven't had the chance to go through that experience."

Luke nodded. "I'd l like that," he replied. "In fact, I'd like to build one myself if that's okay. This one is yours, after all."

Anakin considered his son's words for a moment. He wasn't sure that he wanted to use the saber he'd owned when he first became Darth Vader. How much innocent blood was shed with that weapon? How many younglings were slaughtered by that blade? He thought as he watched Luke take the saber from his belt. I tried to kill my best friend, my brother with that saber..

"Dad? You okay?"

Anakin averted his eyes from the saber and met those of his son. "Yes," he replied. "Just…remembering," he said quietly. "I like your idea, Luke," he said, forcing himself to push the dark memories from his mind. "You should make your own lightsaber. It is an integral part of your training, for your weapon ought to be a reflection of you. Even the color has significance."

"I didn't know that," Luke replied, looking down at the weapon in his hand. "I…"he stopped as out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of someone enter the gymnasium on the opposite side of the room.

Anakin could sense Luke's heart rate accelerate in a matter of moments, and looked over to where Luke's attention had been diverted only to see Ylla Piett.

"She's quite pretty, isn't she?" Anakin commented.

Luke turned to his father. "Sorry?"

Anakin smiled. "You've got it bad, don't you son?"

Luke's face turned a bright shade of red. "I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled.

Anakin put a hand on his son's shoulder. "I've been there," he said. "I know the signs, Luke. Why don't you go and talk to her?"

"N-no…that's okay," Luke replied. "Come on, let's go."

Anakin removed his lightsaber from his belt. "As you wish," he said. "Let's begin."

As they sparred, Anakin felt as though his son's attention was divided between the mock duel he was engaged in and the door where Ylla had exited the room. It surprised Anakin that Luke was so distracted by a girl after only meeting her once, for he had always figured Luke to be the more serious minded of his two children. He's your son, though, remember? Are you really surprised he'd react this way?

Taking advantage of Luke's distraction, Anakin easily disarmed his son and held out his hand, bringing the lightsaber to it effortlessly.

"Now, go talk to her," he told his son. "Because believe me, it will only get worse if you try to deny how you feel."

Luke was about to offer another denial, but reasoned that it was pointless to do so. It was obvious that he father knew him far too well and was able to read his moods as well as his very thoughts easily. Trying to hide his feeling from him was futile.

"What do I say to her?" Luke asked at last.

Anakin smiled. "You'll think of something," he assured him.

"I doubt that," Luke muttered. "I couldn't even speak when I met her. She probably thinks I'm a complete loser."

Anakin laughed. "Women do have that affect on us sometimes," he commented.

"What did you say to Mom the first time you met her?" Luke asked.

Anakin smiled as he remembered that incredible day so long ago, the day that had changed his life forever.

"I asked her if she was an angel," Anakin told his son. "I'd never seen anyone so beautiful in my whole life."

Luke nodded, not surprised that his father had managed to be charming even from their first meeting.

"And what did Mom say?"

"She called me a strange little boy," Anakin replied with a smile.

Luke laughed. "Oh yeah, you two were just kids when you met, weren't you?"

Anakin nodded. "Yes, I was nine; your mother was barely fourteen. Yet somehow I knew even at that young age that we were destined to be together. When we met again ten years later I was a nervous wreck."

"Were you?" Luke asked. "You?"

"Yes," Anakin replied. "I remember riding up the lift to her apartment. Obi-Wan was laughing at me for being so nervous. I was sweating and jittery, and when she and I met face to face again after so long, I tried so hard to be smooth." Anakin smiled at the memory. "Your mother had me tied up in knots from day one, Luke. Trying to ignore the way I felt about her only made things worse."

Luke thought about his father's words. "I just wish I could think of something to say to her that won't make me sound like a complete idiot."

Anakin smiled at his son, and put an arm around his shoulder. "Just be yourself, Luke," he said. "That's all I can tell you. Women respect honesty and sincerity."

Luke nodded. "Okay," he said, suddenly feeling very nervous. "I'll do it."

"Good luck," Anakin said as Luke started walking across the floor.

Luke turned and looked back at his father. "In my experience there's no such thing as luck," he said, imitating Obi-Wan perfectly.

Anakin laughed. "Don't be so sure about that," he called back. He watched as Luke walked away, hoping that his son would not lose courage at the last minute. His thoughts were interrupted by his com link.

"Yes?"

"Ani, it's me."

"Good morning," Anakin said, walking towards the exit. "Miss me already?" he asked with a smile.

Padmé laughed. "Of course. But right now I think you should get up to the bridge. They've been looking for you."

"Okay, I'm on my way," he replied. "Meet me there?"

"Of course. I'll see you soon."

Anakin left the fitness facilities and headed for the lift, hoping that whatever it was that required his attention was not bad news.

Padmé looked up from the comm screen as she saw Anakin enter the bridge. He wore his under tunic and a towel around his neck, his hair still sweaty from the work out.

"Did I interrupt something?" Padmé asked, smiling up at him.

Anakin smiled. "Well, not really," he replied. "I just finished kicking Luke's behind."

Padmé raised her eyebrows. "Oh?" she asked. "Not literally I hope."

Anakin laughed. "Well, his mind was elsewhere," he replied, sitting beside his wife. "Miss Ylla Piett is far more interesting than fighting a mock duel with his old man."

Padmé smiled. "She was in the gym too?"

"Only briefly," Anakin told her, taking one corner of the towel and wiping a trickle of sweat from his face. "She was only in the room for a moment or two, but that was enough to send Luke's mind into a tail spin. I was finally able to convince him he needed to go find her and talk to her."

"Good," Padmé replied. "I hope they hit it off," she added. "It would be wonderful for Luke to have someone special in his life."

"Yes, it would," Anakin replied. "So what was the big emergency?" he asked.

"A message from the Alliance," Padmé said, keying in the message they had received earlier. "I thought you should see this."

Anakin turned his attention to the screen where the face of Mon Mothma appeared.

We have lost contact with the planet Alderaan, she began. Viceroy Organa had been unable to make contact with his assistant for more than twenty four hours, and so we sent scouts to the Alderaan System. The planet is currently under blockade, with at least four destroyers in orbit. Please contact us as soon as you are able- Alderaan needs our help.

The transmission ended.

"The emperor has been looking to find a way to punish Alderaan for a long time," Anakin said at last. "He was thwarted in his attempt to destroy it with the first Death Star; no doubt he was hoping to succeed somehow with the second."

"Do you think he knows about what happened in the Endor System yet?" Padmé asked.

"I doubt it," Anakin replied. "We left no one there to send a report. Eventually he will realize what has happened, once communications from the Death Star have gone silent for longer than normal."

"Perhaps he has already learned what happened and thinks Alderaan is somehow responsible," suggested Piett. "It could explain this sudden and rather drastic action."

Anakin nodded. "Palpatine never does anything without a reason. Having said that, however, we are not simply going to allow him to bully Alderaan either." He turned to the communications officer. "Hail the rebel command ship," he ordered. "We need to make a plan."

"At once, sir."

Imperial City- Coruscant

Emperor Palpatine sat in deep meditation, swathed in the Darkness that had been the essence of his existence for most of his life. Something is not right, he thought darkly. Something is off…He could not put into words what it was he sensed; but he felt certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was something amiss in the galaxy…his galaxy.

Old age was a cruel beast, and even the Sith were not immune to its ravages. Palpatine himself was not even certain how old he was anymore; but there was one thing he was certain of: he was tired. I need my apprentice, he thought peevishly. I need Vader.

Ordinarily it was Vader who did the investigating, the tracking, the hunting down of traitors; he was good at it and he never failed. Even now Vader was hunting down his own offspring to make as an offering to the Dark Side, and Palpatine had no doubt that he would succeed in finding them. Vader was, after all, nothing if not relentless. And what if he doesn't want to surrender them to me? What if they refuse to join the Dark Side? Will he side with them against me? Me against three of them??

Within the black heart that beat in Palpatine's withered, ancient frame, something had begun to blossom that even he would not name. It was something that he had seldom felt, something he hated in others, and refused to accept in himself; but since he had come face to face with a whole and strong Darth Vader, he could not deny it any longer. For the first time in a very very long time, Palpatine was afraid.

Anakin Skywalker had been the greatest Jedi who ever lived, his strength and mastery of the Force was unmatched, his medichlorian count off the chart. Had Skywalker not turned to the Dark Side, he would have proven a formidable enemy. After Mustafar, some of the strength that Skywalker had been born with had been lost, along with much of his body. Palpatine had made sure that those injuries that Vader had incurred on Mustafar were not attended to properly; keeping his servant in a half human state in order to keep him subservient. Palpatine was no fool; he knew that so long as Vader remained half human, his diminished strength posed little threat to him. But now….

Palpatine stood up and began pacing about in his chamber. Vader was no longer half machine. He was whole, and fully human, and his strength had been restored, perhaps even augmented - even in the brief communication with Vader he had sensed that. Should Vader decide to turn against me, he would be unstoppable, Palpatine reflected as the cold feeling of fear began to spread throughout him. I must ensure that never happens…I must take measures to protect myself.

"Your majesty, still no response from the Endor System," one of his guards reported, interrupting Palpatine's broodings.

The emperor looked up. "Send a ship there at once," he said. "I will have Jerjerrod's head mounted on my wall for this," he snapped.

"At once, sire."