Chapter 83

The next twenty-four hours were busy ones for the crew of the Executor. While the ship made its way to the Imperial capital, Anakin and his children worked feverishly to finish their lightsabers. The tension was thick as the confrontation drew closer. Anakin had devised a plan that was as daring as it was brilliant.

"I don't know, it all sounds rather dangerous," Ylla said as she and Luke sat together in the ship's vast observation deck.

"Maybe," Luke concurred. "But there's no need to worry. I'm confident my father knows what he's doing."

"I'm sure he does," she replied. "But aren't you afraid, Luke? I know I would be."

Luke shrugged as he looked up at the vast expanse of stars above them. "Maybe a little," he said. "But I'm pretty good at taking care of myself."

"Don't be so modest," Ylla said, putting a hand on his arm. "I can't believe you're training to be a Jedi! That is so amazing!"

Luke smiled. "Yeah, it is pretty cool," he admitted. "I never dreamed I would get a chance to be a Jedi."

"My father told me that your father was a great Jedi hero in the Clone Wars," Ylla said.

"He was," Luke replied. "I'm very proud to call him my father."

"I'm sure," she responded. "Just as I'm sure he must be proud of you as his son," she added with a smile.

Luke fought hard not to blush, but he couldn't help it. Little did he know that it only made him more adorable in Ylla's eyes.

"Luke, are you blushing?" she teased.

"No," Luke said, only blushing more. "Jedi don't blush."

Ylla laughed. "I see," she said. She leaned over and planted a quick kiss on Luke's pink cheek. "Luke Skywalker, you are simply adorable," she told him softly.

Luke turned and looked at her with a smile. "Thanks," he said. "I mean, I'm glad you think so, uh, I mean…oh forget it," he said, leaning toward her and kissing her softly.

The sick bay hummed quietly with the sound of machinery as Anakin entered the intensive care wing.

"May I help you, Lord Vader?" the medi-droid in attendance asked.

"How is General Kenobi?" Anakin asked. "Has there been any change in his condition today?"

"Actually yes, sir," the droid replied. "His vital signs are considerably stronger today. We expect to take him off life support within the next twenty hours."

Anakin smiled. "That is fantastic," he said. "So he is expected to make a full recovery then?"

"We expect so, my lord, yes," the droid replied.

Anakin nodded. "Excellent," he said, feeling a huge weight lifted from his heart. "Continue to monitor him closely."

"Of course, sir."

Imperial Center- Coruscant

Palpatine had watched the progression of the Executor from the moment it had entered the system. He had done his utmost to establish a psychic link with his one time apprentice, but Vader's mind was closed to him. That is because he is no longer Vader, he reasoned. And he has the arrogance to think he can fool me.

"Sire, there is a message coming in from the Executor," one of Palpatine's guards informed him.

"Put it through," Palpatine said, turning in his throne to view the incoming message. Within a few seconds a small holograph of Vader appeared. To Palpatine's surprise, Vader's wife was at his side.

"My master, we have entered the Coruscant System and will be arriving at Imperial Center within three hours," Vader reported.

Palpatine nodded. "Excellent," he replied. "I am looking forward to seeing you both very soon."

Vader did not reply, but merely bowed as the transmission faded out. Palpatine turned in his seat. "I'm looking forward to it most eagerly," he said with a smile.

Admiral Piett stood on the bridge watching as the shuttle drew closer to the planet below. He could not help but feel nervous about what was about to take place. Piett knew the emperor well enough to realize the potential danger that faced Anakin, for despite appearances to the contrary it was entirely possible that the emperor knew of Anakin's ruse. Piett had come to greatly admire Anakin and his family; the thought that they could be walking in to a trap filled him with a cold sense of dread.

"How long before we hear from them?"

Piett turned to see his eldest daughter standing beside him.

"Ylla, you shouldn't be here," Firmus told her.

"I know," Ylla replied. "I'm just worried, Dad," she added quietly.

Piett nodded. "I know you are," he said gently. "Everything will be fine. Have faith, Ylla."

Ylla crossed her arms over her chest, doing her best not to be afraid. "It's not easy to have faith when someone you care about is in danger."

Putting an arm around his daughter's shoulders, Piett turned his attention back to the view screen, where the shuttle had now disappeared from sight.

Palpatine sat in his throne room, the place where he felt the most omnipotent, and waited for his apprentice to arrive. He smiled to himself, smug in the knowledge that he had outsmarted Vader once and for all.

Closing his eyes, he focused on the distinctive Force presence of his one time protégé, confident that he would be able to predict the precise moment he arrived, and set his plan in motion. He did sense something as he sat in mediation, but it was not the aura of Vader, it was the shock and terror of the dozens of guards who acted as sentry in his palace. Not understanding what the source of their fear was, he opened his eyes in alarm, only to find that the room had been cast into compete darkness. Standing up shakily, he moved cautiously forward, trying to adjust his ancient eyes to the utterly lightless room.

"Guards!" he called out, "what the devil is going on? Guards!!"

He received no response. It was then that he too began to grow afraid.

Slowly the emperor made his way over to the door, using the Force to guide his way. Reaching the door, he opened it, only to find the way blocked by the seemingly dead bodies of the two guards who had been standing sentry mere moments ago. He looked down at them in shock, and then slowly up as he spied a pair of black boots on the floor before him. Looking up slowly, he next saw the glowing blue blade of a lightsaber, pointed at him.

"You'll be pleased to know that I have found my children, my master."

Palpatine looked up into the glacial blue eyes of Anakin Skywalker, fully redeemed, his aura brilliant as the blue blade his held at his master's throat.

"Traitor," spat Palpatine as he straightened up, glancing behind Anakin briefly, where he saw a clone trooper and an elaborately costumed woman.

"You brought your wife to witness your treachery?" he added.

"I thank you for the compliment," she said, and then pulled out a lightsaber to join her father's. "But my mother was unable to make it. She sends her deepest regrets."

"My daughter bears a remarkable resemblance to her mother, wouldn't you say?" Anakin asked.

Palpatine stared in shock at the young woman, astonished at how much she looked like her mother. And then he reacted.

"You! Trooper! Shoot them now! I command you!" Palpatine shrieked at the clone at Anakin's back.

The clone did not comply, but merely removed his helmet. Under it was a young man who looked startlingly like Anakin had at the age of nineteen.

"I'm afraid you have it all wrong your majesty," Luke said, producing his own lightsaber.

"You have underestimated me for the last time, Lord Sidious," Anakin said, stepping closer to the emperor. "You never dreamed I would see through your lies, did you Master?" he asked acrimoniously. "You never imagined that I would learn the truth about my wife, about my injuries. Well I have, and now I mean to make you pay for all the wrongs you have done my family."

"You traitor," Palpatine said again. "You dare to challenge me?? You are an enemy of the Empire! A cowardly traitor that is what you are! Just like your pathetic offspring!"

That was all it took for Anakin to lash out, force pushing the emperor against the doors.

"You are the coward, Palpatine," Leia said, removing the cumbersome cape she had clasped around her neck. "Using our father to do your dirty work, preying on his fears to make him your slave!"

Palpatine shot a look of utter malice at Leia as he regained his balance. "How touching," he sneered. "The twins have been reunited with their long lost father, the father who nearly killed them before they were born, the father who tried to choke their mother to death while she was carrying them within her."

"That was not our father," Luke countered, doing his best to remain calm. "But the monster you created with your lies and deceit. He is not your slave anymore, Sidious. He is a Jedi once again, just as my sister and I are."

Palpatine looked at Luke next. "Fools," he spat. "Your weak, Jedi skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side!" He punctuated his sentence with a blast of Sith lightning which sent Luke stumbling back, the armor he wore having absorbed the brunt of the energy.

"You will not attack my brother again!" Leia cried, rushing forward to attack the emperor. Palpatine raised his hand to her next, only to have Anakin block the bolt of energy with the blade of his lightsaber.

"Your feeble skills no longer intimidate me, Sidious," Anakin said, forcing the energy back at Palpatine. "I am redeemed, I am whole," he told him. "And now I will make you pay for the years of Hell you've put this family through," he concluded, drawing closer. "If you intend on defending yourself, do so quickly, for I have no qualms about killing you where you stand."

"So be it, Jedi," Palpatine replied coldly as he withdrew his own weapon from under his cloak. He moved towards Anakin with remarkable speed, his forward thrust being parried easily by Anakin's far more powerful blade. Palpatine grew frustrated, and pushed forward again. His efforts were thwarted again, this time by the blade of Anakin's son.

Anakin watched anxiously as Luke battled the emperor, doing his best to keep him at bay. Palpatine, however, could sense the young man's inexperience and pushed him back, forcing Luke to back peddle. Anakin did not want to give the Sith a chance to advance any further upon his son, and brought his own blade to the red blade of his former master.

"Luke, Leia, get out of here," he said without taking his eyes from Palpatine's.

"I'm not going anywhere," Leia said.

"Neither am I," Luke agreed.

Anakin frowned, growing frustrated that his children were not following the plan that they had discussed. He glanced at them briefly. "Go!" he shouted. "Do it!"

Palpatine took advantage of Anakin's momentary distraction to repel his blade and deliver a blow that glanced Anakin's shoulder. Leia moved in quickly and sliced through the emperor's arm. Palpatine screamed in pain as his lightsaber hit the floor. Anakin moved forward with his son, biting back the pain in his shoulder.

"Go," he said to his children, "do it now before it's too late."

"What about you?" Leia cried.

"I'll be right behind you," Anakin replied. "Now do it!"

Luke and Leia looked at one another and then ran from the room, knowing that time was of the essence.

Anakin looked at the emperor who stood slumped to one side, looking every day of his many years.

"I've waited a long time for this," Anakin said. "Die now with the knowledge that your Empire will die with you," he said, and then drove his blade through the emperor's body. Palpatine's eyes bulged momentarily as he mouthed a silent curse at his one time apprentice, and then fell forward dead.

Anakin stood looking at the dead body for a moment, to ensure that he truly was dead, and then turned and bolted from the room.

Han Solo and Chewbacca stood waiting in the corridor, blasters held ready. When they heard the sound of someone running towards them, they stood ready. Seeing who it was, they relaxed.

"About time!" Han declared as he hugged Leia tightly. He didn't have to say anything else, for she knew just how scared he was. He kissed her quickly and then looked up. "Where's your father?"

"He's right behind us," Luke said. "How long do we have?"

Chewbacca barked an answer. Two minutes.

Leia grew anxious. "We can't leave without him!" she declared. "I won't leave without him!"

"Sweetheart, you know what your dad told you on the way here," Han reminded her gently. "This whole thing will be for nothing if we all get blown to Hell."

Luke and Leia looked at one another anxiously. "We should have stayed with him," Leia said. "What if he's hurt? What if…"

"Let's go," Anakin said as he joined them, not even stopping. "Time Solo?"

"Less than a minute now sir," Han replied as they all started running.

"It's going to be close," Anakin replied. "Let's move!!"

Running as fast as they could, the five of them raced through the corridors of the palace towards the landing platform.

"Get us out of here Chewie!" Han yelled as they raced on board.

Chewbacca hit the controls and the shuttle lifted off, just as the entire palace exploded in a giant ball of fire.

On board the Executor the explosion was observed by the bridge crew. Piett looked back at Padmé.

"They made it, didn't they Firmus?" Padmé asked quietly, her entire body rigid with fear.

"Try to raise them," Piett said tersely.

The communication officer complied at once. "I can't make contact, sir," he replied. "There's no response."