Summary: Five years after Mustafar, Darth Vader is but a shadow of the powerful Sith Lord he should be. To the point where the emperor must use the apprentice bond to force Vader to act. But why?

Chalk it up to two undaunted women who will not let even death stop them from saving the soul of the man they both loved.

Based on StarWarrior72's "The strength to do for his child"

Force-Speech

^Flash-back^

*Thoughts*

Disclaimer - I neither own copyright nor receive money for anything. I write to improve my ability and for enjoyment.

We all need something to fight for:

Chapter 18 : Negotiations - Diplomatic and Agressive

Diplomatic:

Piett blinked at the supposite non-squetir, but realizing he had relaxed slightly stiffen back up at proper attention. And Anakin wasn't the only one who noticed. Father, why is he so scared of you? Did he do something that you would have been nasty to him before you found me? Luke asked as he looked up at his father's towering form. Anakin restrained himself from giving another sigh out loud as he answered, No Luke, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time a while ago. And because of what he did, he's expecting to be punished. "At ease, Lieutenant. I'm not about to forget that you've seen what's left of me before," Anakin said out loud. He had been hoping that this would calm the poor man down. However, his words had the exact opposite effect. Piett's skin took on a ashen hue and he began shuddering. A shuddering that was echoed suddenly by Luke, who stared at him with his own terror echoed back from wild blue eyes. "Echuta!" Anakin muttered explosively under his breath as he bent down to pick Luke up. "Firmus, please. You're terrified for no reason. And it's scaring my son." Piett suddenly froze in shock, all terror forgotten in his utter surprise. "Y-your son, Lord Vader?" Even as he spoke his mind flashed back to the day that had changed his world. To the event 6 months ago that he thought had marked him as a dead man.

^Flash-Back - 6 months previous^

While it was not unusual for the Sith Lord known as Darth Vader to retire to his quarters after a mission, the fact that he had not been heard from for a full three days had become worrisome. Add to it that the Emperor had contacted Vader as soon as they left orbit around Mandalore and was now contacting the Eradicator again was down right terrifiying. Captain Torreck prided himself on showing no fear to anything, but right now it was all he could do to hold himself at attention. Having the Emperor's holographic head glare down at him at twice life-size wasn't helping matters.

"And you say that you have had no communication from Lord Vader since 'I' last contacted him? Tell me Captain, would you not consider this important enough to have checked with him? Especially since it was 'yesterday' that you received new orders!" The Emperor spat at Torreck as he started sweating. Piett was watching the exchange out of the corner of his eye as he went about his duties. So he was close enough to hear the Captain's response. "Your Majasety, Lord Vader has told us never to disturb him.. " "You will disturb him now, Captain Torreck. Do I make myself clear?" Torreck gulped, his Adam's-apple moving like a deadweight in his throat. "Of course your majasty! Forgive my tardiness."

The holo of Emperor Palpatine winked out of exsistance and Torreck let out a huge sigh of relief, slumping against the console and starting to shake. Piett glanced over at his superior and went back to his work, shaking his head. Torreck was a pompus buffon in his eyes, one who was always able to slink out of the Dark Lord's direct path of destruction. Somehow he always managed to evade the Sith's ire simply by letting his subordinates take his fall. He had kept himself isolated from Darth Vader, and had his lower officers deal with the 'black beast'.

The only reason he got away with it was because the Emperor allowed him this. Vader had seldom taken an interest in the ship's day to day function. Only when crew died by mishap did his imfamous 'killing sprees' start up. One only had one chance with Lord Vader. If you caused others to die by your laziness or incompatence, you were doomed. Even being disturbed by the outside world while meditating didn't arouse the Dark Lord's anger as strongly as incompetence. And yet Torreck was the only one immune from the Dark Lord's wrath. The length of life he would have left if the Emperor withdrew his 'protection', would be measured by how long he was able to keep the news from Vader.

Piett was wondering who was going to be the sacrifice to the Sith's unending anger this time. If he had seen that Torreck had noticed his 'disrespectful' behavior, he would have started praying instead. Torreck had indeed spotted Piett turning away in disgust at his 'laspe of control'. And since the Lieutanant was no longer looking.. A predatory smile flashed over the Captain's face as he moved to stand behind Piett. It was a complete shock to the younger man when the Captain spoke up from behind him. "You've been a fine officer, Lieutenant. So far you've managed each assignment with ease," Torreck smiled down at him. It was a unusual friendly gesture from the Captain who considered officers that were always sucessful to be 'ambitious'.

Piett already knew that the Captain was up to something. Even so he was still caught by shock as Torreck changed his voice to what he thought of as a 'command tone'. It was a screechy whine that sounded like durasteel ripping in half. "Lieutanant Piett I want you to go down to Vader's quarters and find out what our illustrious commander is up to. If he does not respond you are authorized to enter his quarters by any means. Do you understand?" Piett found his mind going numb as he rose and gave the Captain a sharp salute. "Yes sir!" He turned and walked to the lift, his back ram-rod straight and his face expressionless. The trip down to the officers' wing was a blur in his memory and it was only as he started towards the isolated part of the wing that housed the Dark Lord that he realized what was happening. He had just been ordered to disturb Lord Vader, a task that become a painful form of excution for any man under Captain Torreck's displeasure.

*I'm dead. I'm dead and I just haven't realized it!* Piett thought as he stopped just shy of Darth Vader's training area. A demolished seeker droid gave mute testimony to the deadliness of the being he was about to contact. He moved over to the corridor railing and rested his head against the wall. *I could... no, no one else will take my place. Torreck wants to get rid of me and he's as bloodthristy as a rancor. If I desert, those under me will be slaughtered. Not to mention that he'll make certain that Lord Vader knows I was a traitor. There is nothing he hates more.* Piett then straighten his shoulders and calmly walked the rest of the way to what seemed to be certain death.

He paused outside the door to Dark Lord's lair, only to note with some surprise that the door was off of it's tracking. Suddenly wary, he looked around for any weapon available and finally found a discarded force-pike. *It will have to do* Piett thought grimly. "Lord Vader?" he called out as he pushed the jammed door open. A weak moan was his only answer and Piett fought down sudden panic. If someone had attacked Darth Vader in his own quarters and had managed to harm him badly then it would be a miracle for Piett to hold them off.

He stepped into the darkend room and noted that the walls were scorched and battered as if someone had been throwing a large doll around. In a sense, they had been. No longer wearing his customary armor and lying nearly limp in a corner had to be Vader himself. Piett stood in absolute shock for a moment, unable to comprehend the sight. Then his professional training took over. "Help is on the way, Mi lord." Piett assured him as he grabbed what was left of Vader's cloak and covered the shaking form. Only to be grabbed by a naked metal hand. "Nnoo! Nno medical bay! Medical droids.. activate the medical droidsss." Vader managed to rasp out.

^End Flash-back^

"If it hadn't been for you sticking your neck out like you did Firmus, I might have died that night. Or worse ended as a a vegetable. Not only that but you gave Torreck the silent treatment about what you saw. I respected that then and am deeply grateful for it now." Anakin told the younger man. Luke had calmed down as well and was looking at his father with a smile on his face, as if to say "I know what you're going to do next." Anakin looked down and smirked back at his son then raised his head to stare Piett in the eyes. "Can you bring yourself to go back to that pompous fool of a so-called Captain who only wants to see you dead. To an Empire that is as callous and dark as the Sith who holds the stings of power? Or would you rather stand with me as I do what I must to set this situation right?"

Piett suddenly saluted. "Sir with all due respect, the Emperor lost my loyalty the night I found you barely alive after completeing a tricky assingment. That and the fact that I knew who you had been right there. I never thought I would be fortunate enough that I could call General Anakin Skywalker my commander. It will be my honor and pleasure." Despite his facial scars, Anakin's face lit up in a broad smile. "Well then Lieutenant, shall we go and make sure the troops get back safetly?"

Aggressive:

"There is no way in space I'm letting my nephew go with that monster, period! And you've got one minute to clear out of here before I blow you to the sands, you crazy wizard!" Owen Lars yelled at the top of his lungs. His grip on Luke was like iron and he shook his other fist at the Jedi and ex-Sith standing in front of him. Luke's face was covered in sweat and his expression was of pain and fright. It was all Anakin could do to keep himself from butting in and taking over, preferably by taking Owen's head off at the same time.

The minute the Lars had been brought back to the home-stead, Owen had stumbled out of the speeder and ripped Luke out of his father's protective hold. Anakin barely kept enough calm to order the clones to move back and form a protective perimeter around the place. Obi-wan instantly stepped in to try and calm Owen down but the situation was deteriorating fast. By the look on Luke's face alone, his uncle's anger and aggresion were hurting the boy worse then the painful hold on his shoulder. "Owen, you have to realize that Anakin is only trying to protect Luke. He is the boy's father after all," Obi-wan said soothingly. "The bastard gave up every right to the boy a long time ago, Kenobi! I'll not have my nephew be turned into a monster!" Owen shouted. Beru was standing next to her husband, yet she looked torn.

Whatever else Owen was going to say was interrupted by Luke's outburst. "My father needs me, Uncle Owen. I'm going to go with him! Even if you don't like it!" Owen snarled and let go of his nephew's shoulder, balling his hands into fists. "Why you ungrateful little brat! You'll stay here and never mention that damned monster to me again!" As he pulled his fist back to strike at Luke, the swoosh-buzz of a lightsaber igniting could be heard. Anakin glared down at his stepbrother from his position in front of his son. "I've heard more then enough out of you. Even if I could leave Luke with you for safety's sake, I wouldn't do so now. I know you care deeply for him Owen, but beating him just because he reminds you of me is something I won't tolerate."

Anakin disengaged his saber and turned to pick up his son. "You seem to forget that I had plenty of my own share of beatings as a child, Owen. None of which were called for but I ended up receiving because I was a slave." He turned back to the Lars couple and took a deep breath. "By taking Luke with me, I'm keeping what remains of my family safe. How long do you think it will be before Palpatine learns of Luke if Obi-wan and I aren't here to shield him, hm? Think on that for a minute. Would you rather have Luke's last memory of you be that of being shot down in his defense?"

Beru stepped forward at that moment. "Anakin's right, Owen. If Ben's been worried that Anakin would sense Luke if he ever came to Tatooine then how much more likely that the Emperor would find him too?" She turned towards father and son and simply asked, "Can we at least have some time to say goodbye?"

"Of course Beru. And it's not goodbye. We will be back."Anakin promised.