The Death Star 20 years later
Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader to everyone else) felt very uneasy at this moment in time, his reputation was very confusing to the whole galaxy as he never allowed himself to show any confidence in his work, he was always seen on the bridge of his ship brooding, a popular theory was that the Jedi he'd confronted were sent into the unknown regions instead of killed, his star destroyer crew though were a safe haven whenever he was with them as he'd partake in Sabaac games, help out technicians and mechanics and even oversee trooper training that went on during the periods on his ship, his Admirals compared him to a Jedi General from the Clone Wars rather than the right hand of the most ruthless leader the galaxy has seen since Emperor Valkorion. On top of that he has just captured his eldest daughter Leia Organa and would soon be stuck in a conference room with arrogant sycophants although he would evacuate half of the station's men to keep an edge in the Empire even after he left for good. He stood in the suit he no longer needed and hadn't needed it for nearly seventeen years, he smiled as he flashbacked to that moment often with Padmé at his side slowly waking him up after his reconstructive surgery…
Flashback 17 years ago, Polis Massa
"Ani? Ani, can you hear me?" Padmé's soft soothing voice tried to wake her sleeping husband.
Anakin stirred slightly and tried to open his heavy eyelids and when he did, he was greeted by the smiling face of his wife.
"Padmé," Anakin began saying but he noticed his voice was different, "What? How?" he asked in awe. Padmé chuckled at his reaction and took his large human hands in her own.
"You're healed sweetie," she explained, a big smile on her face, Anakin grinned ear to ear and pulled Padmé in for an embrace that nearly crushed her, when he pulled back he smiled sheepishly at her glare.
"Sorry darling, I had to do that," Anakin apologised, Padmé's glare faded into a loving smile.
"Want a walk?" Padmé asked lovingly offering her hand, he took it and slowly got up onto his feet. Padmé took in his new appearance, Anakin looked mostly the same as he did previously however now he was taller at 7'0, his hair went down his back in the same manner as Padmé's and he had a Qui Gon Jinn style beard that Padmé stroked lovingly.
End Flashback
Anakin's memories were broken by Cassio Tagge yelling.
"The rebellion will continue to gain support in the Imperial Senate…"
"The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us, I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently, the last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away," Grand Moff Tarkin interjected as he made his grand entrance, Anakin slowly walking in behind.
"That's impossible! How will the Emperor maintain control of the bureaucracy?" Tagge asked incredulously, Tarkin smiled evilly and arrogantly, an expression Anakin grew to hate very quickly in his time.
"The Regional Governors now have direct control over their territories, fear will keep the local systems in line, fear of this battle station," Tarkin explained confidently, Anakin had to hold in a disgusted snort at the man's arrogance.
"And what of the Rebellion?" Tagge persisted, Tarkin and Admiral Motti rolled their eyes and the latter was about to speak but Anakin held up his hand and stepped forward.
"I agree with Tagge, the good General makes a valid argument, the Rebellion has constantly gained support and what have we done? Placed almost all our resources into a station that has wrought constant delays, wasted valuable resources and manpower, has caused genocide on innocent systems and condoned the use of slave labour. Does that sound like the 'safe and secure society' that the Emperor promised us?" Anakin asked rhetorically, no one had an answer and he shook his head in disgust and slammed his fist down on the table.
"I've had enough of this, Colonel Yularen and General Tagge with me immediately," Anakin commanded as the two men he named walked out behind him, trying to keep up with his storming pace.
"My Lord? Where are we going exactly?" Yularen asked curiously with Anakin coming to a halt allowing the two men to catch their breath.
"Admiral, you and Tagge will evacuate as many men from this station as possible, send them to the Resolute, the Exactor, the Executor and the Devastator whilst you two take temporary command of the Resolute, am I clear?" Anakin asked, both Tagge and Yularen nodded and hurried to carry out the orders of Lord Vader while he walked towards the detention block. He ignited his sapphire blade and cut down the men overseeing the records, so none could incriminate him and got to Leia's cell opening the door for her, she looked up bewildered but happy to see Vader.
"Lord Vader!" Leia exclaimed running out of her cell to give him a fierce hug, they got along very well during the few times Anakin had attended the Imperial Senate meetings and during the last one was where Leia revealed that she thought of him as a second Father, they smiled as they recalled that day…
Flashback 6 months ago, Imperial Senate building, Leia Organa's office
"Mistress Leia?" C3P0 called, Leia looked up and glanced at the droid.
"Yes Threepio?" Leia asked.
"Lord Vader is here for the meeting you called for," he replied, Leia smiled and nodded.
"Show him in," Leia ordered, the droid opened the door to reveal Darth Vader, a secret Rebel spy from what she learned as he went by the Angel as a codename and she was the only one who knew that Vader was a Rebel, he strode in and bowed politely.
"Senator Organa," Vader greeted, Leia stood up and returned the gesture.
"Lord Vader, please sit down," Leia offered, Vader took a seat in front of her desk as she sat behind it.
"So, how did your speech to the Alderaani people a year ago go?" Vader asked curiously, Leia smiled.
"It went very well actually; did you watch it at all?" Leia asked her friend, Vader nodded.
"I did, your speech reminded me of Queen Padmé Amidala, she was a dear friend of mine," he replied, his tone was tinged with pride and sadness, Leia sighed.
"I wish I could've met her," she replied softly, Vader nodded.
"You would've gotten along wonderfully," Vader replied as he sought to bring this to the topic at hand.
"What of the reports you had to do for the Emperor? Are they completed?" Vader asked, Leia groaned.
"I was hoping that he'd be a lot more active as it's clear he doesn't do that much work himself and since his toadies do all his work, why can't he do this?" Leia asked angrily while Vader slowly placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, think of it like this, as soon as you get it done, you'd be able to go home, think like that and get it done," Vader encouraged, Leia's anger faded as she smiled at Vader.
"I've come to a realisation as of late concerning my feelings for you Lord Vader," Leia said, Vader looked at her, slightly confused.
"Oh? What do you mean?" Vader asked curiously, Leia stood up and walked over to him, slowly wrapping her arms around him.
"I think of you as a second father, Lord Vader," she confessed, Vader was stunned but hugged her back.
End Flashback
"I'm happy to see you too Princess but come on we've got to get out of here, quickly," Anakin said, Leia nodded as Anakin took them to the weapons facility within to disable the laser's firing capabilities so Alderaan was safe. They were on their way to the hangar when legion of troopers blocked their way, Anakin took a blaster and handed it to Leia as he deflected the bolts with his sapphire blade to defend both himself and his unsuspecting daughter on their way to the hangar, as they got there they were both less than impressed to see a Corellian YT 1300 freighter parked in the hangar.
"Piece of junk," Leia whispered.
Anakin said nothing as he felt four presences aboard the ship, one familiar, one akin to Padmé's and two others he doesn't know of.
"Commander, allow me to check the ship," Anakin ordered.
"As you wish my lord," the commander replied as both Anakin and Leia walked up the ramp as Leia hid in a storage room, Anakin was pretending to search the ship, he was about to walk down the ramp when he heard a faintly familiar voice.
"Shit, I recognise that breathing anywhere,"
Lieutenant Han Solo? Anakin thought incredulously. What was an ex Lieutenant of his doing on board junk like this? He followed the direction of the voice and opened a floor compartment finding the same dark haired Corellian he picked out personally years ago in the Imperial Academy on Corellia, but he also found a blonde haired young man 19 if I'm not mistaken he thought and a Wookie who was growling angrily, Anakin silenced him.
"Relax, your captain and I know one another well and I want to speak with him," Anakin assured the wookie who nodded reluctantly but the younger man stayed and glared at Anakin.
"Kid, try kill him later if you want but I think talking to him is better than nothing," Han Solo advised, Luke looked reluctant but nodded and went into the main cabin.
"So, your lordship, care to tell me what this conversation is about?" Han asked, Anakin nodded.
"I do, I want to know why you were kicked out of the Imperial military all those years ago and what caused you to change your views," Anakin stated, Han nodded.
"Well, I was aboard a slavers vessel, I have bad issues with slavery seeing as I was nearly sold into it as a young kid and when I saw my first mate Chewbacca on that vessel nearly dead, I turned on my commanding officer and freed Chewie and we became smugglers since." Han explained, Anakin nodded.
"Understandable, I was once a slave myself to both the Hutts and a Toydarian named Watto until I was freed by a Jedi Master, so I understand your doubts and hate of slavery in general," Anakin replied, Han was surprised and decided to ask the question.
"Apparently you captured a princess of some kind, where is she?" Han asked, Anakin was about to respond when a female voice answered.
"Who called for me?"
Han turned seeing the petite princess exit a storage room looking up to see him and Anakin. She wore white princess attire and her hair was in the style of Corellian bread, she had dark brown eyes and hair, but she also seemed lacking in patience as she tapped her foot waiting for a response.
"I'm waiting," Leia said impatiently, Han rolled his eyes.
"Sorry your worshipfulness, but I was the one who called you out here, these droids want to see you," Han explained pointing to the blue and white astromech and the golden protocol droid in the main cabin when they all heard a banging sound that was coming from the back of the ship and a snap hiss with the blue blade of a lightsaber igniting. Han was stunned to see the old man from earlier try to fight Vader, but oddly enough Vader just stood with his arms folded.
As for Anakin, he was stunned to see his old master so well old as he noted that his hair had been greyed out, he was sunburned, and his force abilities had weakened big time from what he sensed.
"Obi Wan?" Anakin asked incredulously, Obi Wan looked at him angrily before becoming coldly amused.
"Don't recognise me Vader? I sure look rather different from the time you tried to kill me," Kenobi replied coldly before he brought his blade up in a defensive posture.
Only to deflect a lone blaster bolt from the princess and hitting the wall, Obi Wan was amazed but slightly worried at the princess's angry glare.
"General Kenobi! Put your weapon down!" Leia commanded, Obi Wan looked hesitant but did so, Leia addressed him coolly.
"General, I have Lord Vader to thank for getting me out of my cell and here now let's get out of here quickly!" Leia exclaimed before Anakin rolled his eyes behind his mask.
"Tractor beam," he muttered, Leia looked up.
"What was that?" Leia asked.
"Tractor beam," he repeated slightly louder, "I'm going to disable it now," he said, and he left to see the face of the commander, but he brushed past him and went to the location of the tractor beam to disable it. He did so and stormed back to the falcon, sat down strapped in and waited for Solo to take off.
"Captain," Anakin called, Han looked up.
"Yes?" he asked, Anakin smiled warmly behind his mask.
"Make for Naboo, I have family there waiting for me," he replied.
"As you wish," Han replied as he set course for Naboo.