Vader twisted in the Emperor's Force lightning. He could hear himself screaming. Under his own agonized howls, he could hear his daughter sobbing. He tried to reach out in the Force to calm her, but it didn't work.
Finally, the Emperor stopped and Vader lay still. Laasya ran to her father and slipped her arms around him.
"I hope that you have learned the price of failure, Lord Vader. I would hate to have to hurt your daughter." Palpatine sneered down at his servant.
Vader fought to sit up, "Yes, Master."
Laasya put her head on her father's chest silently. Vader cradled her close and managed to stand, weakly. "It won't happen again."
"You may go, Lord Vader."
Vader limped out of his master's throne room, leading his daughter.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Laasya." Vader longed to pick her up and cuddle her like he had when he had found her, but he just wasn't strong enough.
"Why does he hurt you when he sends you on a stupid mission?"
Vader sighed. His daughter was so open about her opinion. He had to agree that trying to eliminate the entire Rebel Alliance with just his lightsaber had been a really, really bad idea.
"My Master has a different opinion of 'stupid', Laasya. Of course, he wouldn't try that himself, but I am his servant."
"More like a slave sometimes." Laasya said, frowning at the floor.
Vader froze, and then knelt in front of her, "Laasya. Do you know the difference between a slave and a servant?"
"No." Laasya shook her head seriously.
"A servant is paid and can leave if they want. A slave is unpaid and can't leave. I am my Master's servant."
"But you call him Master. Slaves call their owners "Master". Servants don't, do they?"
"Servants don't have owners, they have employers. This topic is not open for debate." Vader marched up the ramp of his ship and started to pilot it back to his castle.
Laasya sat in the co-pilot's chair and stared at her hands. "Then why don't you just leave?"
"I told you this topic wasn't up for discussion." Vader gritted his teeth.
As soon as they got home, Vader sent his daughter off to play and went to bed. Moving itself hurt, but he didn't want her to be scared. After lying as still as possible, the weight of the blankets on his chest too heavy, he finally fell asleep.