Thanks sodorland, WeylandCorp 4, TheeFirstEvil, Silence Dogood II, Guest (no name? ;-;) and just finished (Guest) for reviewing on the last chapter! I hope this one will not disappoint and will give you a good impression on what tone I want this story to have. Please enjoy and leave a review after finishing to tell me what you think.


- CHAPTER ONE -

"I don't think he'll be coming anymore…"

"He's still alive; I know it. He just needs a bit more time."

"The Empire has crowded the area. He's lost. We need to rendezvous with the fleet. Our mission is too important to risk any further just to look of one of our own. If he's still alive, he'll find his way back eventually."

The pilot nodded sadly.

.

.

Before it was deemed habitable, the Tatoo system had once been an anomaly to many researchers. With the sand planet of Tatooine orbiting its two stars, Tatoo I and Tatoo II, it had left such a reflection, that it almost seemed like a sun itself. While two stars had been an anomaly in itself, three would have been unthinkable.

However, once humans tried to colonize the system, they discovered the truth. The planet, scorched by the heat its twin suns radiated, was completely removed of its water and nature, until only the sand and rocks remained. For a long time, it had been habited by few, merely a few animals and unintelligent creatures who drowned in the heat as if it was a part of them.

This was until some humans became determined to take on the challenge that was laid down before them and started taking the planet as if it was their own, using the moisture in the air as a method to collect the water and the meat and milk of the animals so they would not starve.

It was a truth many youths were told during their first years at school and one Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin only remembered the basics of. It was one that he had always deemed lacking to others that set more of an example of how the Empire should be.

Yet know, when he stood on the bridge of the ISD Executrix and felt the heat reaching his skin and sweat run down his neck, did Tarkin realize just how much his young self had misinterpreted the meaning of the story.

That it was a story of survival, determination and above all, the superiority of mankind.

It reminded him of his time at the Carrion Plateau back at his home planet of Eriadu, where he had learned lessons that he took with him even now, many years later.

Seeing the reflection of one of his officers in the window in front of him, Tarkin turned his shoulders and nodded at him in acknowledgement.

"The shuttle has been docked successfully, Governor", Admiral Dayne told him. "The Rebel prisoner has been transferred into his cell on the lower levels."

"And Skywalker?"

"We were unsure where to take the Rebel conspirator so put him in a cell as well."

"I will decide whether he should be classed as such or not, Admiral", Tarkin reprimanded him. "He is to be taken to my quarters. I will meet with him there."

The Admiral shifted his feet together and nodded. Recognizing the dismissal, Dayne turned and walked away.

"Admiral."

The man stopped and turned around again.

"No harm is to be done to him without my jurisdiction, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Watching the man leave, Tarkin allowed himself to smile. Admiral Dayne had been a loyal officer ever since he had come into his service together with the Executrix. He had been a mere Deck Officer back then, though a pilot at heart. His strategic insight and leadership was exceptional, yet because he was from Alderaan, a planet already suspected of conspiracy against the Empire, he would never have had the opportunity to rise up the ranks as much as Tarkin had allowed him.

And the Admiral had proved himself capable many times, now completely loyal to Tarkin—and in effect, the Emperor—in every sense of the word.

He turned to his current Deck Officer. "Tell the Annihilator to rendezvous with the rest of the fleet at Scarif. Our forces have been divided for too long. We'll handle the situation from here."

After the Rebel attack on Fondor, various Star Destroyers had been dispatched to take care of the remaining Rebel freighters. The ISD Annihilator was one of them, yet had been unable to bring their pursuit to a successful end. The MC80 Star Cruiser had fled their grasp, leaving only a few Rebel ships behind.

And even those few ships they hadn't been able to catch, at least not without calling for an extra supply of ground troops to take care of the Rebels on Tatooine.

Needless to say, Admiral Kev, who had been the commanding officer on the Annihilator, was now honorably discharged for his failure here today. He would be transferred to the Seswenna sector, where he was given the jurisdiction to supervise the Rimma Trade Route as it had been crawling with smugglers lately.

It was a waste. Yet, Tarkin mused, incompetence did not belong in Emperor Palpatine's Empire and if it had been the SSD Executor that had come to their aid, Admiral Kev—now Captain Kev—would have been long dead by now.

Of course, Darth Vader would never bother to catch a few rogue Rebels—and under normal circumstances, neither would Grand Moff Tarkin.

This was not a normal circumstance, however, as Tarkin knew from Kev's report that they had picked up something peculiar on their scanners while pursuing the Rebel freighter; that one of those Rebel fighters carried a device transmitting Imperial codes. Tarkin suspected that this device was why the Rebels attacked Fondor in the first place.

The device had stopped transmitting once the Rebels arrived on the planet, but now that they had one of them in captivity, they would have no trouble finding the others.

It was a welcoming addition that he got to find out about Anakin Skywalker's son as well, or so he suspected.

Just the name Skywalker hadn't been enough to raise his suspicions; anyone in the galaxy could have been named the same. This was however not anywhere in the galaxy. It was Tatooine. Anakin Skywalker's home planet.

It was something the Jedi Knight had told him once, when they had to work together during the Clone Wars. That he grew up in a desert planet in the Outer Rim, so that he knew what it was like to live on a planet that didn't want you to live on it.

It didn't take Tarkin long to find out which planet this actually was, even if all information about the Jedi was removed from public knowledge, any detail released strictly supervised by the Emperor.

It had been the photo that did the trick though.

It showed a teenage boy whose skin was tanned by the sun, not as much as Anakin Skywalker's had been. Yet the shape of his face, the eyes, the chin… It all screamed Anakin Skywalker to him.

So now, as Tarkin walked towards his quarters where he was about to meet the boy, he couldn't help but think about what he'd do if the boy was truly related to Anakin Skywalker and in effect, also Darth Vader.

Yes… a welcoming addition indeed.

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.

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Luke Skywalker couldn't help but look around as he was being walked through the hallways of the Star Destroyer. He had never been on one before, only having seen them on the HoloNet. However, the fact that he was being escorted by stormtroopers because he was suspected of treason against the Empire—and rightfully so—kind of took away the experience.

"Where are we going?", Luke couldn't help but ask the man that was walking in front of him. He was unmistakably an officer, from the way he walked to the clothing that he had, so very different from the white armor of a stormtrooper.

There was something about him that made Luke want to talk with him. Perhaps it was the long brown hair that was hidden underneath his cap, tied together into a tail with a few strands of hair escaping its tight grasp. It gave away something unruly-Luke could deal with a little bit of unruly. It had a delicate contrast with the behavior of the stormtroopers around him.

Left... Right... Left... Right...

He sighed when he realized the answer to his question wouldn't come. Perhaps he had assessed the officer in front of him wrongly.

Luke glanced at a stormtrooper to his right, trying to find a piece of skin or something. There was nothing.

Are they even human?

He remembered when he first saw them, only a day or two ago-he didn't know exactly how much time had passed since then. Somehow they had found out about the Rebel. It was the only logical reason he could think of, judging from the matter they had searched through the station.

As if they knew where to find him.

Biggs had cursed Tank, saying that he must have contacted the Empire. That he betrayed them.

Luke hadn't known what to think. Looking back, the teen knew that Tank would have been the most likely to give them away. Everything that he'd said pointed that way.

Though for some reason, Luke couldn't bring himself to blame him. Luke had thought that what he had done was right, even if it was at the cost of others. How could he judge Tank for doing the exact same thing?

Still, it hurt to think his friend would do such a thing, who knew fully well what the consequences would be. They were captured by the Empire-all of them. In fact, Luke didn't even know if the others were still alive; he hadn't seen them since they were all taken to different cells on Tatooine. Had they been transferred to this Star Destroyer too?

He bit his lip from the uncertainty that overtook him. Luke had always wished for an adventure to happen to him, yet now that it was finally here, it scared him. He wanted his friends. He needed his friends.

Yet they were nowhere to be seen.

"Grand Moff Tarkin will see you now", Luke looked up to look the officer in front of him in the eyes. They had stopped. "If you want to address him, you will do so as Governor at first and then Sir. Answer his questions accurately and truthfully and I'm sure he won't keep you in there for too long."

The officer gave Luke a small smile and the teen couldn't help but return it.

A stormtrooper opened the door and they went in. The room felt out of place to Luke. It looked like a living room—scratch that, a very luxurious living room. Almost all the walls were littered with paintings, while one wall was completely covered with books, carefully placed and neatly sorted. One large painting stuck out before the rest, conveniently placed so that anyone that'd enter the room couldn't help but look at it.

The yellow eyes of the Emperor stared back at him, piercing his soul with all that he was worth. On the right side of his throne was the man who Luke recognized as Darth Vader. He faintly remembered the looks on his Aunt and Uncle's faces whenever he would be shown on the HoloNet; one of care and terror, as if they had a fear that something would happen, but it never did.

On the Emperor's left was a man wearing the same uniform as the officer that had escorted Luke: dark green with puffed pants, black boots and a straight collar. Obviously a higher rank than the other officer in this room, the man held his position with pride and dignity as was clear from both his stance on the portrait and his stance right now, as he was standing in front of them with his hands clasped together behind him and his back straightened.

Grand Moff Tarkin and the enforcer of the well-known Tarkin Doctrine turned his head to Luke and spoke. "Good evening. We have much to discuss." He gestured to the table in the middle of the room that took up half its space (which was quite the feat). "Sit."

Luke swallowed and knew that he didn't have much choice, so he did what he was told, for now. He watched as Tarkin went to sit down as well, never losing his posture. All Luke could think of was just how powerful this man must be. His presence was much different from anyone else he'd ever met.

.

Tarkin looked up from the boy's eyes, breaking his gaze to look at Admiral Dayne. "Leave us. Two troopers will be more than sufficient."

Dayne nodded tightly, clasping his heels together and left. Two stormtroopers were left to guard the door in case something went wrong, yet Tarkin had the feeling it wouldn't be. The boy, Skywalker, looked like an animal trapped into a corner.

"Do you know why you're here?"

Skywalker swallowed and nodded.

"Let me specify, do you know why you're here, in this room?"

The boy hesitated. "I don't, Sir—Governor", he corrected quickly. "Where are we, exactly?"

Tarkin gave him a thin smile. "If you don't mind, I'll be asking the questions here. After all, you are convicted of treason against the Empire."

"Am I?"

"You are", Tarkin confirmed. Skywalker straightened his back. "Is that news to you?"

"Yes... but not really surprising, I guess."

"It shouldn't be. Even on a planet as yours, anyone knows what the consequences of your actions would be." Tarkin granted him a few seconds of silence, leaving him to think about what he did. "But you were with others of course. And you are still young, easily manipulated. Perhaps you felt pressured to follow them?"

Skywalker's eyes snapped up at that. "No, I didn't. It was me that pushed them into the situation. They are not to blame."

Interesting... Tarkin leaned back in his chair, eyeing the boy. How very much like Anakin Skywalker, indeed. He'd only known Anakin for a short period during the Clone Wars, yet he'd grown a certain amount of respect towards the Jedi during that time, the same way how he'd grown to respect Darth Vader. His personality, to always protect the ones he cared for even if it meant to be politically incorrect, was what he also saw in the boy right now.

"Tell me, do you have a family?"

The teen nodded.

"Tell me about them."

"I live with my aunt and uncle on a moisture farm. We've always lived a quiet and secluded life there", Luke added as if it would prove his innocence.

"Your parents?"

"I... never knew them. Uncle Owen told me my mother died when I was born. My father was a navigator on a space freighter. I think he died as well; my uncle never told me what happened to him, but I think it's just to not make me feel bad."

"Do you know their names?"

Skywalker shook his head.

"I see." Tarkin couldn't help but think about what the boy just said. Anakin hadn't been a navigator, obviously, but it could have also just been a way for his aunt and uncle to keep his heritage a secret. He leaned back in his chair and raised his hand to his chin, in thought.

"I'm sorry, but... where are my friends?", Skywalker asked, filling the silence.

"Irrelevant."

"I won't answer any more questions until I've seen them."

Tarkin lifted his chin and stood up. "That will not be necessary." He turned to the stormtroopers standing at the door. "Get him back to his cell."

Luke seemed bothered by the thought, yet let himself get taken away. Tarkin realized that once he'd know about his friends' fate, Luke would be much less complying. At least, that was if what he was saying was true. That he had no affiliation with his father whatsoever. That he in fact believed him to be dead.

And then there was the risk of not knowing whether Vader knew about the boy or not.

Tarkin thought it unlikely that he didn't. The Sith Lord had countless of resources now, build up over the years. That he did not know about his own son, was almost unthinkable.

The Grand Moff picked up his cup of caf and took a sip. If Vader knew about his son, then why would he hide him? On a godforsaken planet like this, much less? Did the Emperor know?

"I wonder..."

If the Emperor did not know, then Vader was hiding it from him. Hiding something, anything from the Emperor was a form of treason. The knowledge that Tarkin had now would be a leverage then. A way to control the Sith more than he could now.

It was a grand opportunity yet, Tarkin knew, absolutely out of question when there were so many risks in play.

.

But what if the Sith Lord truly did not know of Luke, however unlikely it was?

Talking to Vader would be a lost opportunity then, completely compromising both his knowledge and his intentions, both to the Sith Lord and the Emperor. No, he could not allow himself to falter now, not when his plan was finally almost realized. Not when he was on the verge of gaining grand power, one that earlier generations of his lineage could only dream of.

Tarkin thought back to his time at the Carrion Spike and the lessons he had learned beforehand. He thought back to the decision he made back then and the decision he had to make now, and concluded with an odd sense of satisfaction that his plan would have to be both the same and vastly different.

And that if he were to play his cards right, he would end up a victorious in a way that he never had before.

But first, he would have to know the players.

.

Admiral Dayne was reading dispatches when he received the comm. "Dayne", he answered.

"Admiral", the voice of Grand Moff Tarkin ran through the device, "send knowledge to our troops on the planet. Tell them to hide any word from the Rebel's accomplices from public knowledge."

"But sir, I thought they would be used as an example?"

"The plan has been changed, Admiral."

Dayne breathed in sharply, having a good idea why. "Yes sir."

"Send officer Wright to Tatooine with a decent escort. I have a special case for him that I'd like him to execute. He will send him the knowledge he needs personally. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir. Shall I remove the transmission from the logs?"

"You are sharp as ever, Admiral. But no, an absence in the logs would bring more questions than it would remove them. The transmission will be coded and set on a high level clearance. I will rely on you to make sure any questions will be cared for."

"What would you like me to tell them?"

"The truth, Admiral. As you would see it."

Admiral Dayne smiled. He knew the Governor well enough to know that he was being tested, as any officer was who worked under his command. This one would be no different than the others. "Understood sir. I will not disappoint."

.

.

.

"Yes... No, I haven't seen Luke either. He told me they were going out racing. My husband has already searched through Beggar's Canyon but no sight of them", Beru Lars sighed and blinked when she heard the answer over her comlink. "What, Tosche Station? Have you found anything there?"

She swallowed. "I see. Do you think it might be the Sandpeople? Yeah no, that doesn't sound like them. Imperials? In Anchorhead?" Beru glanced at Owen, who had stopped his pacing and was looking at her now with panic in his eyes. "If there are any arrests, word should have gotten out by now. We cannot think—"

"What?"' Beru snapped. "And Old Sam told you that?" She pursed her lips. "I know, but it makes no sense. Why wouldn't they report the arrest unless they've got something to hide...", she trailed off.

Realization overtook her.

"I—I got to go. I'll talk to you later." Beru quickly pressed a button and cut off the transmission. She put down the comlink with shaking hands and breathed out.

"What?", Owen pressed. "What happened?"

"I just spoke to Jaina Darklighter and she told me her son was missing as well. Turns out Old Sam told them that they were trying to take care of a wounded man back in Tosche Station. So they went there and found the place completely trashed. They think the Empire is behind it. Oh Owen, what if they found out about Luke and went looking for him?"

"That doesn't even matter. If he's caught, they'll find out one way or another", Owen clenched his jaw. "But I do not believe the Empire is behind this. We would have known. Must be the Sandpeople or the Hutts or—or—I'll look for him. I promise, I'll find him eventually."

"But what if it is? What if Darth Vader has finally found him?"

"It would be over if he did", Owen snapped, the sharpness in his eyes holding Beru back. "I will not believe him lost. I refuse to believe it."

"It doesn't have to be… Obi-wan will know what to do. He can get him back."

"We do not need his help. He will only compromise Luke's safety."

"That safety already is compromised!"

"You don't know that!", Owen yelled. Beru held her tongue, stepping back a little. The tense silence between them said it all. Her husband breathed in. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I will find him, I promise."

Beru couldn't bring herself to say anything when he left.

Ever since Luke had gone missing, the tension between them had become unbearable. It had been a long-time fear that the Empire—Vader would find him, but now that the moment was finally here, Owen refused to believe it. It was a stubbornness he got from his father, Beru knew.

He was wasting his time trying to find their nephew or son, as they have long since seen him as, in these wastelands. If he truly was out there, Luke would've been able to find his way back a long time ago. No, if there were Imperials patrolling in Anchorhead, close to the trashed Tosche Station, like Jaina told her, then Beru could only assume the worst.

If Owen could not bring himself to act upon it, then she would have no choice but to do it in his stead.

She drank the last bit of Bantha Milk from her cup and left the kitchen. With Owen having taken their Landspeeder, Beru took their old speeder bike that was catching dust in the repair room. It had been ages since she'd last driven it. She hoped she hadn't outlearned it.

Beru dragged the speeder bike to the surface and wiped off the dust so she could see the controls. The energy levels read should have been able to make it to the edges of the Dune Sea and back. Although she didn't know exactly where Ben Kenobi's house was located, she had a good idea of it.

.

It took her a good twenty minutes to reach the secluded Jedi's hut. It would have taken her less, if she had known the exact location and hadn't driven past it the first time. Beru sighed and stepped off the speeder, her back stiff from the position she'd been in. She stretched; her old age was betraying her.

She saw a robed figure leaving the hut and breathed out in relief. At least she knew now that she was at the right place.

"Miss Lars?", Ben Kenobi asked, confused by her presence.

"Ben, it's Luke… We need your help."

"What? What happened?"

"He's taken by the Empire."

Ben Kenobi frowned and rubbed his bearded chin, in thought. "Are you sure?"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here." Beru glanced around. His reaction was odd to say the least. "Please, Obi-Wan," using his real name to tell him how serious she really was, "you have to help him. If Vader has found out about him, everything would be lost."

"If Vader has found out, I would have felt it, I'm sure. It hasn't come to that, not yet at least." The old Jedi eyed her. "If Luke is taken by the Empire, they don't know of his heritage yet. We'd be able to retrieve him."

That took all of Beru's attention. "Are you able to get him back?"

"If we can locate him, then perhaps. Do you know where he is now?"

Beru shook her head sadly. "No, but there's a Star Destroyer orbiting the planet right now. It arrived here the day before yesterday. It came with extra Stormtroopers that are patrolling through Anchorhead right now. They might have set up a camp somewhere in Mos Eisley. If they would have a prison, it'd be there. Either that or in the Destroyer itself, but they never do that unless the person is proven guilty", she reasoned, combining both her gathered knowledge and the knowledge given by the Empire's protocols that were well-known to the public.

One of the things about protocols was that it could be turned against you; it made you predictable.

"Then I will investigate there first. Do you have any idea why he was taken?"

"I don't know", she trailed off before thinking of what Jaina Darklighter had told her. "I was told he and his friends were looking after a wounded man and that that was the reason why the Imperials raided Tosche Station. Do you think that man might be a criminal?"

"A Rebel, more likely." Ben stroked his beard. "If I won't be able to find Luke on Tatooine, I'll contact the Alliance. Maybe they have more information."

"You are in contact with the Rebel Alliance?"

"Haven't been for a very long time. Let's hope they still remember me", there was a glint in his eyes, full of amusement. Beru knew it was to soothe her a little, but she couldn't afford to give in just yet. Not until she knew her adoptive son was alright.

"Thank you", she said, meaning it with all her heart.

Ben nodded his head respectfully.

"I'll go home now. I have been away for too long." After all, if Luke wasn't actually caught, there was always a chance for him to come home again. It was a hope that still lingered in her heart, even if her mind was telling her differently. "Good luck, Master Jedi."

The look Ben gave her back was one of great sadness and remorse.

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To be continued.