The stormy grey sky seemed to reflect Luke's mood and he raked a hand through his hair. His Father had been reluctant to comply with Luke's wish to visit Tatooine. Luke wanted to see what had happened to Owen and Beru—whether they had a funeral or if they even had graves.

When The Dauntless landed, Luke silently opened the door.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" His Father asked once again. Luke nodded determinedly.

"I have to see. I must know." Luke glanced back his Father.

"I shall wait here. I trust you can find your way back?" Luke nodded; he knew that part of Tatooine like the back of his hand.

The Lars Homestead was still there, it looked as if it had hardly changed; the Moisturisers—(though a little rusty—was still raking in all the moisture from the air. Luke opened the case and watched as the water spilled out onto the sand.

And then he saw it: two graves in the distance. He walked numbly over, and crouched down, looking at the names.

Owen and Beru Lars. Luke sighed and closed his eyes, the tears threatening to overspill. It was hard for him to think back to a time when he had been working on the Farm…Owen yelling at him to get out of the Fresher…Beru preparing everyone's dinner…

"I'm sorry I didn't behave myself sometimes, and that I always brought sound into the house Aunt Beru…I'm sorry that I argued with you so much Uncle Owen, and I'm so sorry for your deaths. This is all my fault! If it wasn't for me, you would still be alive—" Luke's voice cracked, and a few tears leaked down his face.

And once the tears came, they wouldn't stop. Luke didn't even register the pale blue figure that was whispering kind words to him.

"Rejoice Luke, for now they are in a better place." And Luke was reminded of the time he thought there was a ghost in the room. He felt the ghostly touch of something brush past his shoulder.

Vader went to rub his forehead, and remembered bitterly that his mask prevented him from doing so. He glanced at the time; it had been 15 minutes since Luke had left. Perhaps he had gotten lost? Or those damn Tusken Raiders had gotten to him again—

Luke's feeling seeped into him, a deep sorrow. Vader frowned and hesitantly stepped foot on the dustball of a planet that was known as Tatooine. He closed his eyes and could almost imagine the sand slipping through his fingers.

He had never even liked the sand anyway.

He walked towards the Farm, and spotted a hunched up Luke. With closer inspection he realised with a start that he was crying. He stopped a ways back, carefully thinking over what he should do.

Was that a twinge of regret? Did he regret killing the Lars? He admitted, with some reluctance, that their deaths were indeed unnecessary. He had been lost in the moment, and perhaps seeing Owen had brought up some of Anakin Skywalkers bitter feelings. Owen had been partly raised by his own Mother, when Anakin had been denied the right to ever see her again.

By the Jedi. He thought angrily, and he marched closer to his son.

"Luke, it is not good to dwell on the past." Vader urged, gently pulling Luke away.

"B-but they r-raised m-me." Luke glanced back at the graves, and only saw a wavering mass of colours. In his effort to stop crying, the tears had pooled up.

"Do not worry Young One." Vader tried to soften his voice, but that is generally difficult task to do when your voice comes out mechanical.

He put Luke in a Force-induced sleep, and easily caught the boy in his arms. He prayed that no one saw them, for it was rather unbefitting for a Sith Lord to be cradling a child.

I would never live it down. Vader thought.

Once Vader had settled Luke back into The Dauntless, he set auto-pilot for Coruscant. Luke stirred, and opened bleary eyes. His Father's breathing was oddly comforting; he had grown used to it over the year that they had been living together.

A low beeping noise indicated that someone was trying to contact them. Vader switched on the large viewing screen and the face of one of Vader's General's filled the screen.

"What is it?" Vader asked, his voice once again harsh and cold.

"M'lord," the man bowed before continuing, "Once you return to Coruscant, you are required to be at a meeting with His Majesty Xiao, from the planet Jadis." Vader absolutely loathed Xiao. In his opinion, Xiao was not worthy to lead a whole planet.

"What does he want?" Vader snarled, looming in front of the screen. He must've been intimidating the man because he began to shake.

"I do not wish to hear any more of this incomprehensible babble that is coming from your mouth. I asked you a question!" Vader slammed his hand down on the control panel, and Luke winced. He didn't want his Father wrecking the ship in some sort of hissy fit.

"Ah, M'lord, he w-was rather angry—uh, he wouldn't tell anyone anything, h-he just barged in and now he won't leave—ack—" Vader curled his hand around the air, and the man began to desperately clutch at his throat.

"Father!" Luke was appalled! Vader had no right to choke the man, he hadn't done anything wrong! Luke pulled at Vader's arm and finally, after the man nearly collapsed due to lack of air, Vader stopped. He turned the monitor off and glared at Luke.

"Silence. Do not interrupt me while I am in the middle of doing something important!" Vader lifted the infamous index finger to point at Luke.

"But Father—" Luke protested, ready to defend his actions.

"Silence." Vader hissed. The rest of the ride was spent in an angry silence.

In the Imperial Palace…

Xiao paced around impatiently, his long purple fur robe trailing behind him on the floor.

"Where is he?" he snapped into the empty conference room. This particular room though, was three floors above Vader's personal living space. Xiao liked it for the magnificent view over Coruscant the large window offered.

"I am here." Vader hissed, stepping through the threshold. Many men would be intimidated, but Xiao didn't even bat an eye. He thought that because he was King of a planet, he was untouchable.

"Took you long enough." Xiao snapped.

"Do not test my patience." Vader snapped, watching irritably as Xiao sat himself down.

"Now listen here! Your Imperial rabble have been destroying all the hard-work I've put into my Weapons facility! And now I catch wind that one of your Imperial General scum is plotting to assassinate me!" Xiao slammed his fist down onto the glass table, and glared up at Vader.

"Take up the trivial matter of your Weapons Facilities with General Hazdan. And who, may I enquire, told you about a plot to assassinate you?" Vader wanted this man out of his presence before he did something regrettable.

"I have my sources. Now I want you to give me the best protection available—" it all seemed too happened in slow motion—(though it really only took a couple of seconds)—: there was a quick rumble, and then suddenly a flash of orange and yellow. Xiao was thrown against the window, leaving a noticeable crack. Vader found himself flying through the air for a brief moment before slamming painfully into a wall.

His vision swam slightly, and he wondered what had happened. Perhaps another failed attempt on his life? Those were quite frequent. Or maybe Xiao hadn't been exaggerating about an assassin on the loose. His last conscious thoughts drifted to Luke, and he lazily wondered if he was OK.

Luke was startled at the explosion he heard, and he darted out of his room, worrying for his Father.