Wow, thanks for all the very gracious reviews! Glad you're all enjoying this. A few more chapters to come... and then I've got a fun finale planned!

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

Chapter 29: War Room

Obi-Wan laughed to himself. He'd seen a lot the past few days. He'd seen the Lars homestead charred to a crisp, Anakin's body and soul restored to health, and the Lars very much alive in a suite on the fiftieth floor of his palace. Yet somehow it all paled next to a Rodian billiards table in the middle of the former Darth Vader's rec room.

"You actually entertained here?" Obi-Wan grazed the polished frame with his fingertips, trying to imagine Darth Vader sharpening his cue stick.

"Occasionally, if the company was right," Anakin answered while removing his upper armor piece by piece. "It's more a status symbol than anything else."

"Status symbol indeed, don't these tables cost around a hundred thousand credits?"

"Something like that. But I didn't bring you here to show off. This room just has the clearest projector system."

"I'm eager to see the show."

"Don't be. It's not pretty."

Obi-Wan found an overstuffed leather armchair, waiting while Anakin flipped a series of buttons and switches. The lights dimmed slightly and a red-tinged image came into focus on the screen in front of them. At first, it looked like a diagram of a thermal detonator, rotating slowly to reveal intricate patterns on its surface. But as Obi-Wan looked closer, he realized the scale was different. Vastly different.

"This is what Palpatine and I have been working on the past five years," Anakin announced without pride. "We call it the Death Star."

Leaning forward in the chair, Obi-Wan squinted. "Am I seeing that right? The scale is…"

"One foot per kilometer."

"That's massive!"

"Yes. And its construction has already begun."

"How haven't I heard of this? Even in exile, I had Holonet connections and news sources!"

"Palpatine wants to reveal it once it's half completed. He doesn't want to risk sabotage," said Anakin ruefully.

Obi-Wan stared through the Death Star outline. "And how do you suggest we go about doing just that?"

Anakin drew a breath, unsure how to answer.

Instead of using the breath to speak, he held it when his comlink started buzzing.

The look on his and Obi-Wan's face made it clear they both knew who was calling.

"Hide behind the table!" Anakin directed Obi-Wan, racing to put his armor and helmet back in place.

Obi-Wan dove from sight just as Anakin clicked on his mask and the comlink. The older Jedi could hear Palpatine's sinister voice hiss a greeting.

"Vader, you're still alive!"

"Yes… master," Anakin forced the word out.

"After hearing nothing from you in so long, I was beginning to wonder if you'd met an untimely end!"

"Not at all. But the same can't be said of quite a few Jedi."

"Exactly what I hoped to hear," Palpatine grinned crookedly. "I want the report."

"Report?" Anakin hesitated.

"Yes! An itemized list of each and every Jedi scum you eliminated over the past two months! And I expect it to be rather lengthy, given all the time you've had!"

Anakin's throat ran dry. "Yes… of course. The report. You'll have it in a day or two."

"I'll have it first thing tomorrow morning!" screeched Palpatine, whose fuse seemed even shorter than usual. "I've waited long enough, Vader! I've been more than patient letting you gallivant around the galaxy at whim!"

"Patient indeed, master, and I appreciate –"

"You will thank me by being in my war room at exactly 0700 hours tomorrow, not one minute later! Xizor will be back from an off-world errand and join us," Palpatine licked his lips. "This meeting is not optional, Vader. If you're tardy, you forfeit your entire share in the Death Star to Xizor. If you miss it, I will seize your palace and retreat! Have I made myself clear?"

"Absolutely," Anakin swallowed.

"Good. I will not tolerate any further horseplay. The time has come to present a strong, united face to the galaxy when we reveal the Death Star!"

"An announcement already? We've only just begun construction!"

Palpatine cackled with glee. "I know. I rather like surprises, don't you?"

These days, it depends... "The galaxy will certainly be surprised."

"How it shall! You, Xizor and I will broadcast the news tomorrow evening. We'll finalize the details at our meeting. I look forward to having you with us again, Vader."

Anakin swallowed a bit of bile. "As do I, master."

With a slippery smile and cursory nod, Sidious cut the transmission, leaving Anakin more than a little shaken and speechless.

Obi-Wan crawled out from under the table, brow furrowed. "That was unsettling!"

"You're telling me," Anakin said through his teeth. "I didn't see it coming."

"I certainly didn't either! What are you going to do?"

"I have no choice… I have to be at that meeting. It's a dealbreaker."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Just be here when I get back," sighed Anakin, lifting his helmet as if it weighed a hundred pounds.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere until Padmé and the twins are back safe and sound."

"Have I told you lately how infinitely grateful I am that you're helping me?"

Obi-Wan smiled thinly. "You don't have to. It goes without saying."

Sinking into an armchair, Anakin stared blankly at the rotating Death Star. Its spherical shape, its curved contours kept spinning into each other… it seemed a metaphor of the endless trouble and suffering he'd brought upon himself and those he loved. He'd set it all spinning in motion five years ago. And it felt like all the power in the universe might not be enough to stop it.

"So Palpatine has you tomorrow first thing," Obi-Wan sat down beside his friend.

Anakin nodded despondently.

"That means we have over twelve hours to cover everything you know about this Death Star," the elder Jedi stated. "And anything you throw in on Xizor would be a bonus."

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

"Ugh – two thousand credits definitely ain't worth this!" Han tugged his boot free of an extra sticky puddle of mud, almost falling off balance. He wiped condensation off his scanner screen for the hundredth time since landing on Dagobah.

He'd walked a good two miles in the direction his equipment indicated. Still no sign of the purportedly short "friend" of Anakin and Obi-Wan's.

Just when he started to think this was just a hoax to strand him on his own prison planet, he spotted a dim light between the vines. Not a minute too soon, as dusk was rapidly falling over the murky swamps.

When at last he reached the dwelling, he had to laugh. Its roof came up only to his shoulders.

"Those guys weren't joking," he chuckled to himself, stooping to rap on the door.

There was some scuffling. Quite a bit of scuffling, actually. As if whoever was inside was rapidly stashing some things away and rearranging others.

"Hello?" Han called uncertainly. "Hey, sorry to just drop by, but I've got a message from Obi-Wan Kenobi."

The scuffling stopped. A long, tenuous minute passed before a high-pitched voice responded.

"What say, did you?"

"Huh?" Han leaned forward, thinking something was wrong with his hearing.

"Sent you, who did?"

Han shook his head, perplexed by the syntax. "Um, I think I know what you're askin'… Obi-Wan Kenobi sent me. Well, that ain't completely true," he amended. "Darth Vader sent me, technically. But he an' Obi-Wan both wanted me to come get ya. Who are ya, by the way?"

A high-energy buzzing noise suddenly reached his ears. Then a pair of long, pointed green ears popped up in the window, a brilliant green blade held between them.

"Coerced Obi-Wan into revealing my location, Vader must have!" squealed the creature, the likes of which Han had never seen before. "Prepared to fight, I hope you are! Not taking me without a fight are you! Wield your lightsaber!"

Han was beyond confused. "Whoa, calm down! I didn't come to fight! An' I don't even have a blaster, much less a lightsaber!"

Yoda's jaw tightened as he scrutinized the boy. "Hmm. Not much of an adversary did Vader send me. You are very weak in the Force."

"Yeah, I am!" Han agreed heartily.

Closing his eyes, Yoda focused intently on Han's mind. His grip on the lightsaber finally relaxed.

"Enter may you," he shuffled to the door. "But one false move and finished will you be."

Han ducked inside and quickly found that crawling on his hands and knees was easiest. He marveled at the quaint, miniature furnishings. A tiny tableware set was laid out for dinner.

"Hungry, are you?" Yoda headed for the stove, keeping a keen eye on Han.

"Uh, sure. I mean, yes please, thanks."

Silently ladling stew into a bowl, Yoda carried it to his guest and watched, without blinking, as Han ate.

"This is pretty good," Han complimented awkwardly. "So, what's your name?"

Yoda's expression changed. "My name, they did not tell you?"

"Nope. Didn't tell me nothin' except that you're short," he slurped a spoonful. "Sorry – didn't mean that the wrong way."

Minute by minute, this boy was certainly turning out to be nothing like Yoda expected. Of all the people Vader could have chosen to send…

"No offense taken," Yoda replied. "Yoda my name is."

"Yoda," Han nodded. An odd name befitting an odd-looking individual. "Pleased to meet ya."

"And yours?"

"Han Solo. 'Riginally from Corellia, but I'm kinda from all over now."

"Where and when in Vader's service did you find yourself?"

Han choked on his soup. "Well, see, I sorta stole a shuttle with his stuff in it… then I went to prison an' ran into him there. Met his wife an' kids there too! He almost killed me, then he almost killed them, then they all disappeared for a while. Then this Obi-Wan guy showed up an' Vader said they were friends. They both wanted to send me here to bring ya back to Imperial Center."

Yoda nearly dropped the pot of soup he was carrying to the table. "Vader's wife and children, you say you met?"

"Yeah. Nice folks. Really surprised me, ya know, considering how he is."

"Almost killed them, said you? Still alive are they?"

"Far as I know. Guess he stopped the execution when the kids did somethin' crazy."

Yoda sat down, head starting to spin. "A message from Obi-Wan, have you?"

"Uh-huh," Han dug through his pockets for the holo transmitter. "Here it is."

"Watch this in private, I will," Yoda announced, leaving Han to finish his meal alone.

Half an hour passed. Han helped himself to another serving of stew, feeling like an oversized rat in a cage. Half of him wished he could watch the recording with this strange fellow. But the other half trusted everything would come to light sooner or later. He had a feeling Obi-Wan's message was too juicy to remain secret for long.

The Yoda that emerged was not the same as before dinner. His green eyes shone with wonder and awe instead of suspicion. He looked at Han with the countenance of someone who'd just been released from prison.

"Know about this, did you?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Han quickly swallowed a cheekful of bread. "Beg your pardon, but all I know is I'm supposed to bring ya back to your friends. I've got no clue what Obi-Wan had to say."

"Amazing," breathed Yoda, reflecting on everything he'd seen and heard. "A shift in the Force, I do recall feeling recently. Never could I have imagined…"

"So it's good news?" guessed Han.

"Unequivocally. Honored would I be to return with you."

"Great! Let's get outta here," Han rushed to stand up and banged his head.

Eyes twinkling, Yoda's heart surged with warmth. Han was the biggest proof of all that Obi-Wan's message was true. If Han was Vader's – no, Anakin's – representative, he truly had changed from Sith to Jedi.

Five years of exile were over. In the cockpit of Han's shuttle, Yoda flew through stars that shone brighter than he remembered, toward a horizon overflowing with hope.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

Hope was far away from the room shared by Palpatine, Xizor and Anakin the next morning. Anakin's head throbbed beneath his helmet. Between his nerves and strategizing with Obi-Wan, he'd barely slept two hours the night before. He glowered at the two menaces before him. They both appeared lively and well-rested.

Palpatine, especially, was grinning broader than usual.

"Vader, may I say how impressed I am that you arrived on time!"

"It was not difficult."

"A little bit of extortion goes a long way with you, doesn't it?"

Xizor couldn't help but interject. "Oh, that it does!" he laughed all too knowingly.

"In any case, it's grand to have you back with us, Vader. Now how about that Jedi death roster?"

Anakin kept his hands from shaking as he held forth a datapad. "Here, master. All thirty names are listed."

"Thirty?" Palpatine raised his eyebrows. "Quite impressive! That leaves very few, am I correct?"

"Very few, yes. The hunt is nearly over for good."

"My, my… almost over. What will you do with your time then, Vader?" prodded Xizor.

The Prince was riding Anakin's last nerve. He could have strangled the Falleen right then and there.

"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll find something to keep busy," he warned.

Xizor smiled more smugly than ever. "I'm sure you will. But if you ever find yourself with time on your hands, you know I'll always have a few favors that need doing."

"How generous of you to think of me," Anakin's voice dripped resentment.

Palpatine scrolled through the list, licking his lips. "I can't believe my eyes, Vader! Obi-Wan Kenobi? You really found and killed him?"

"That's what I wrote, isn't it?"

"Yes, I see that. It just seems strange you aren't reveling in it more."

"Sometimes the longer you wait for something, the less rewarding it is when it finally happens."

"Hm, I suppose," the wrinkles on Sidious' face rearranged themselves oddly. "But what a victory nonetheless! With him gone, only Yoda remains as a viable threat. And I strongly doubt he'll dare to reemerge after all these years."

Anakin kept firm control over his thoughts. "Doubtful indeed, master."

"Now, having begun with such good news, let us discuss the Death Star," invited Palpatine greedily. "As you both know, I have moved our announcement up by several months. Tonight at 1700 standard hours it will be broadcast throughout the galaxy on all Holonet channels!"

"1700 hours?" Xizor replied uneasily. "I was under the impression it'd be later in the evening. I'd scheduled a cortosis ore delivery for that time."

"Eh? Cortosis ore?"

"For lining the reactor core conduits," reminded Vader.

"Ah yes. Well, the delivery will have to be rescheduled. 1700 hours is prime viewing time. I won't delay our announcement for a supplies delivery!"

"Very well," Xizor swiftly typed a message into his datapad. "Tomorrow at noon will be the new time."

"Fine. Here are your scripted lines for tonight," Palpatine handed them both a datapad.

Xizor skimmed it briefly, frowning. "I've been given all of ten words!"

"I have no more than you do," Anakin dismissed. "Don't take it personally."

"Pardon me, but I think I have a right to! I've funded the lion's share of this project, and all I get is the line, 'Public tours of the Death Star will be offered soon!'" the Prince scoffed.

"You are a Prince, not Emperor," Sidious counterpointed sharply. "If you feel you're being treated unfairly, perhaps you'd like to retract your partnership?"

Breathing heavily, Xizor decided to choose his battles. "No."

"And you Vader, any complaints?"

Hardly. The fewer words he had to say alongside Sidious, the better. "None, master."

"Good. Are there any further questions?"

Anakin could see the wheels were turning in Xizor's sly mind.

"Just one request, your majesty. May Guri join us for the transmission?"

"Your assistant?"

"I couldn't have managed Black Sun and this project without her help. She deserves to be there as much as any of us, though she wouldn't have to say anything. And a female face might help the message be better received."

Palpatine tilted his head, considering this. "All right, Xizor. She can be present. But you promise, not a word from her."

"She'll be a silent partner."

"Then I'll see the three of you tonight at 1700 hours," Sidious concluded. "Enjoy your day, gentlemen. Tonight we truly establish our rule over the galaxy!"

As Palpatine departed, cackling, Xizor moved to block Anakin's exit.

"Pity that your female companion can't join us for tonight's broadcast, Vader!"

Taking Xizor's bait would accomplish nothing. Anakin flipped a mental switch that blocked Xizor's taunts. A minute spent retorting was a minute wasted with Obi-Wan.

Anakin shoved past the Prince without a word. He stalked out of Imperial Palace, sensing Xizor on his heels but hearing no further barbs from behind. His tunnel vision was focused on his own palace a few blocks down.

Something crossed his line of sight. A female figure rounded the corner and squared her shoulders when she spotted him. Her blue eyes glared viciously at him as she balled her fists. Yet while she shot daggers at him, she seemed to be looking past him at…

"Xizor!" she hailed.

The Prince sauntered past Vader, more smug than ever.

"Guri, my darling! There you are, right on time to escort me to my next meeting."

"Is he coming with us?" Guri flicked her petulant gaze to Anakin.

"Heavens no! Vader and I were just coming from a meeting of our own, but we're parting ways – for now," he added with a knowing smirk.

Soon it had better be permanently, Anakin vowed to himself.

Xizor linked his arm flirtatiously in Guri's. "See you tonight Vader. Say hi to the family for me in the meantime! Oh wait, it's the other way around, isn't it? I almost forgot!"

Anakin forced himself not to look at Xizor's arrogant sneer. It actually wasn't too difficult with Guri to preoccupy him. Her features screamed intense hatred, yet she emitted no emotion whatsoever. It was unnerving and unnatural.

It was also familiar, he realized when she threw one last glare over her shoulder.

She was the one who infiltrated his lakeside retreat. The one Padmé had told him about – the one with no appetite and bizarrely cold skin. The one who'd managed to escape from a third-story bedroom window without harm.

His boots cracked the sidewalk in places as he ran at top speed back to Obi-Wan.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

"A human replica droid?" Obi-Wan repeated, frowning.

"Everything points to it," Anakin paced. "No emotions, doesn't eat, cold skin… she's like no organic lifeform I've ever encountered."

"Me either," Obi-Wan admitted. "But I've heard things about such droids over the years. If half of what I've heard is true, they're quite formidable."

"At least one of us has heard something. I've only caught a few rumors here and there, and until now I didn't believe them."

"Who can blame you? These droids are hardly common. I hear to design one costs ten million credits alone, and the construction is even more!"

Anakin huffed. "Leave it to Xizor to go for the priciest status symbol in the entire universe!"

"Oh, I'm sure Guri's much more than that," Obi-Wan warned.

"The question is, how much more?"

"If he trusts her with running the Black Sun while he's engaged in other affairs, you can bet she's not just a trophy."

Anakin continued to pace. "She certainly was pivotal in my family's capture," he lamented.

"Whatever we do, we mustn't underestimate her."

Nodding, Anakin took a few more steps and then paused.

Underestimate…

Obi-Wan sensed Anakin's mind wheeling. "What is it?"

"What if Xizor does some underestimating of his own?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Everything he's ever said about the Jedi leads me to believe he underestimates our powers," Anakin thought out loud. "He trivializes us, doesn't see us as a true threat in the grand scheme of things. He fears and respects Sidious not because he's a Sith, but because Sidious has supreme power and wealth. No one but Xizor would be willing to risk Sith lightning for a share of that."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. "And he figures if you have turned against Palpatine, you've already killed most, if not all of your former allies. He assumes you're all alone and more vulnerable than ever."

"Right! Little does he know I have you in my camp. No matter what angle he looks at it, he perceives having the upper hand."

"And we know what happens to those who fly high on hubris," Obi-Wan squinted at Anakin, who caught his meaning with a rueful look.

"Acting without thinking," Anakin acknowledged, looking down. "They make critical errors."

Both Jedi knew they weren't just talking about Xizor at this point. Obi-Wan nodded, satisfied with Anakin's self-awareness.

"So the more confident Xizor becomes, the closer he gets to making a critical error," concluded Obi-Wan.

"One would hope."

"Now let's think, where might Xizor be most likely to make that error? Perhaps with the person he trusts the most?" Obi-Wan rubbed his chin.

"Guri?" Anakin inferred.

"Precisely. Out of all the pawns involved in his game, she's the last suspect when it comes to sabotage."

"Sabotage? What do you have in mind?"

"You told me Xizor is delivering a cortosis ore shipment to the Death Star tomorrow morning," replied Obi-Wan. "And I know a thing or two about how cortosis ore reacts with the alloy used in sophisticated droids."

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o