Chapter Three

The Empire

The Imperials were shooting at them. Anakin's little fight had been noticed and they all hurried onboard the Millinum Falcon. Anakin sat down in the co-pilot chair and Chewie frowned and growled before taking a seat near Three-pio.

"Our last master was Captain Antilles..." Three-pio was saying. Anakin rolled his eyes, he really had made him a little annoying, he said chuckling. He had been lonely and and had wanted a friend as well as someone to help his mom so she would have more time for the things she loved, it was bad enough the way Watto worked her. He wasn't so bad a master, Anakin supposed, better than Grudella the Hutt, the Hutts were always known to be nasty, and Anakin had been glad that she had lost them. He had been kind to Anakin when they first met, when he put them in a new him all of their own, when the restraining bolt had been changed and put into place, he had only been three, but he had remembered the brief feeling of freedom. Anakin shook away thoughts of the past and concentrated on the battle ahead.

"Don't worry kid, " Han said, "It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsels," he said, but Anakin sensed he was worried.

"Don't worry, Solo," Anakin said, "I've done things that are supposed to be impossible. O:only human ever to podrace."

"You podrace?" Luke exclaimed, "That's not possible."

"I assure you it is. I won the Booneta Eve Race," Anakin replied.

"Anakin, while you are busy talking. They are gaining on us," Obi-Wan said, staring out the window at the Imperials.

"Once we make the jump to lightspeed, we'll be fine, This is where the fun begins." Han Solo said.

"Then do it, already."

"I have to wait for the coordinates. I can't just put her down anywhere. We could come in at an astro field or through a moon and that would be the end of us, kid."

Anakin flipped a switch and angled the deflector sheild.

"Why don't you outrun them? I thought you said this thing was fast?"

"Watch your mouth kid, or you'll be floating him," Han Solo snapped and though Anakin would have loved to take Luke's side, he would have made the same reply if anyone had questioned his piloting of the Azure Angel, Anakin's personal starfighter.

"How long before you make the jump to lightspeed," Obi-Wan asked as Han Solo put them in.

"Now," he said as everyone felt the jump. "I know a few tricks," he said with a smile.

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Anakin sighed as they had lost him. They weren't much different they Separatist, but Anakin wasn't in charge. He had to concede to Han Solo, "You are a hell of a pilot," Anakin told Han Solo.

"I know," came the cocky reply Anakin laughed and slapped him on the back, and gazed at Chewie and Artoo who were playing a game as Three-pio gave advice to Artoo. They really had gotten close Anakin mused. While he had been musing Obi-Wan had been instructing Luke on the ways of the Force. Why was it he hadn't learned before now.

"A Jedi can feel the force flowing through him."

"You mean it controls your actions."

"Partially, it also obeys your commands."

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a blaster at your side."

"You don't believe in the Force do you?"

"Skywalker, I've flown from one side of the galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange things, but I've never seen anything to make me belive there's one all powerful force. There's nothing controlling my destiny. It's all a bunch of tricks."

Anakin frowned. "What if I told you my being here was the will of the force."

"I would call you crazy."

"Try it again, Luke with the blaster down," Obi-Wan commanded.

"But I won't be able to see anything."

"Let go of your conscious self. Your eyes deceive you, don't trust them." They watched in silence as Luke deflected them.

"I call it luck," Han Solo said and Anakin smirked knowing Obi-Wan's answer.

"In my experience there's no such thing as luck."

"My name is Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight. The Hero with No Fear, they once called me," Anakin said softly.

Luke looked up, taking off the helmet. "You are Anakin Skywalker, my father."

"I'm still getting used to the idea. I didn't even know Padme was pregnant."

"Do you want me to call you Dad."

"Anakin. It would be too odd when we are the same age, son," Anakin bit his tongue, that had slipped out so naturally.

"What are you doing here?"

"The will of the Force. Obviously there's something I'm suppose to learn before I can be sent back to my time."

"I don't want you to go. I've only just met you."

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Han Solo stared at him. There weren't many holos of him left since he had been a Jedi. Darth Vader had tried to erase everything about the Jedi from the galaxy. Han however had been alive when the Jedi existence. He had been about five when the Empire rose and came into power. He remembered very well hearing about the pilot Anakin had been. That was the only thing that had been left, he remembered his daring stunts and he had idolized the pilot. "You are the Hero with no Fear. The same man who landed a ship that wasn't meant for landing."

"The same," Obi-Wan said, knowing that hadn't happened yet. Anakin and Obi-Wan suddenly groaned in pain.

"It feels like...a million life forms cried out in pain and were snuffed out at once."

"We're coming up on Alderaan, " Han said after a beep. "There's no Alderaan, the coordinates are right. There's a Imperial fighter. Flip the deflector on kid," He told the younger Skywalker.

"It followed us."

"No, it a short-range," Anakin said recognizing the type.

"It's out of range," Obi-Wan said.

"Not for long. He's almost in range."

"There are alternatives to fighting."

"He's headed for that moon, "Anakin commented.

"That's no moon. It's a space station," Obi-Wan said.

"It's too small to be a space station," Anakin said.

"Lock in auxiliary power," Han told Anakin.

"I can't," Anakin said with a frown. "It's got us locked in some kind of tracking beam."

"Hurry," Han Solo said opening his smuggling hatch. "Droids, Inside now."

"But Master..."

"Do it," Anakin screamed, as he jumped in himself. He closed the hatch behind Han as they all waited. The Imperials came in looking.

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"Lord Vader said to such every hatch," they heard as they heard other compartments opening and shutting. Luckily, these were secret compartments.

"Lucky you have these," Luke exclaimed.

"They are for smuggling. I never dreamed I would be smuggling myself."

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"How are we going to get out of here?" Luke asked

"I have a plan," Anakin replied softly. "If they are anything like the Separatists they will be guarding the Falcon but there won't be many of them. We have to blend in. We need an Imperial uniform."

"I hate to break it to you but the kid's a little short," Han Solo said.

"With a little persuasion, they won't even notice," Anakin said assuringly. He took off his Jedi cape so he would be able to fit into the Imperial uniform

"This is ridiculous, even if we could take off we'd never get past the tractor beam."

"Leave that to me," Obi-Wan said.

"I just knew you were going to say that."

"Whose more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?" Obi-Wan said and Anakin had to crack a grin as he headed out.

"Hey, you down there. Can I use a hand with this?"

The Imperials came on board and Chewie knocked them out. Han and Luke quickly put on a uniform. There were only two and Anakin had to protect Luke. Using the Force Anakin cloaked his presence from the Empire.

"I'm going, May the Force be with you, Luke. Anakin."

"But Master," Anakin protested.

"Your destiny lies along a different destiny than mine."

"Master."

"Anakin, you have to return to your own time, or Luke will never be born."

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"Where did you dig up that old fossil?"

"Obi-wan is a great man," Anakin defended.

"Great at getting us in too trouble," Han mumbled.

"I can't dispute that. I'm not just going to sit around."

"Excuse me, Master Luke but Artoo's found the princess."

Anakin grinned, "Where?"

"Cell block AA-23. She's scheduled to be terminated."

"The old man wants us to wait here."

"Suit yourself," Anakin said and smiled as he saw them follow.

"Wait, we need a plan," said Luke. "What about a captured Chewie. Put these on him," he told Han.

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Anakin reached the detention block while Luke and Han dealt with the distractions. As soon as he rescued her, he was going to find Obi-Wan order, or not. He was a Jedi Knight, not a padawan.He pressed a button and found her laid down. He reached her and picked her up with a smile. "I always wanted to rescue a dismal in distress."

"Put me down. I can take care of myself just fine," she snapped and Anakin pressed a kiss to one cheek and slid her to the floor. "Are you okay? What did they do to you? A mind probe no doubt."

"If that's what that thing was," she said staunchly. "I didn't ask to be rescued."

"Saucy little thing, aren't you?"

She looked down her nose at him instead of replying, and he laughed. "Don't worry, I know when to quit arguing."

"Who are you?"

"Anakin Skywalker, I'm here with Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"You mean Ben?"

"If that's what he's calling himself."

Anakin stared at the girl. She looked like Padme, the resemblance was uncanny. Maybe she had been one of her handmaidens, her decoys. Padme always hired hands who looked like her. He smiled at her, "So you are part of the Rebellion. As long as I'm here, I'd like to join. Obi-Wan and Luke have told me a little.

"Luke, Princess Leia. Princess, these are my friends, Luke and Han Solo. Now I must see what kin do trouble Obi-Wan has gotten himself into now," he said using the force to find him.

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Darth Vader, dark Lord of the Sith felt the tremor in the Force. He searched out with the Force. Obi-Wan Kenobi, he was still alive. Well, that would soon be remedied. He would pay for all he had stolen from him, he would pay dearly. There were three force sensitives with Obi-Wan, one he recognized as the princess. No wonder she had resisted his mind probe. She could make for a good apprentice, then he would be able to overthrow the Emperor, he thought with a smile. He could feel Obi-Wan shutting down the tractor beam, he turned and walked the other way, waiting until the tracking device was planted on the starship, he would soon learn of the location of the Rebel base. He felt someone who had the Force with them came upon Obi-Wan and he turned and headed in that direction.

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"Master, the princess is safe. I left her with Luke and Han."

"You should be with them not me."

"When I could miss saving your butt again."

Obi-Wan smiled slightly, "You don't want to run into Darth Vader. He's a Sith Lord."

"So what? You killed that one on Naboo, and I'm not leaving you to fight him alone."

"Oh, Anakin."

Anakin ignited his lightsaber after sensing the darkness. He looked up and saw the figure of Darth Vader. Darth Vader's crimson lightsaber was ignited as well. "I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. When I left you I was but the learner, now I am the Master."

"You are only a Master of evil, Darth."

"Your powers are weak old man. You should not have come back."

"If you strike me down I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

"But that's not going to happen," Anakin added entering the fray. He and Obi-Wan complimented each other. Anakin noticed that around them everyone was watching. How long had it been since anyone had seen a lightsaber duel, he wondered, falling into h is favorite form, Form V. All of his weaknesses were Obi-Wan's strengths, and all Obi-Wan's weaknesses were Anakin's strengths.

"Your presence here is a supervise, Skywalker. Stay out of this, it's between me and the Jedi."

"I AM a Jedi," Anakin stated. "You will have to get through me to get to him," he said parrying Darth Vader easily.

"Foolish Jedi," Vader said felling the anger increase. There was no way he would lose to himself. "Obi-Wan never told you what became of you, did he?" Darth Vader asked blocking another attack from Skywalker and jumping to come close to Kenobi's blade. He remembered this fight all too well. The fight against Dooku, only he was Dooku. He had to get one of them out of the way.

"He told me enough. He told you betrayed and murdered me, and Padme."

"Ah, Padme. She betrayed you."

"Never."

"She was on the delegation of two thousand. She sided against Palpatine, trying to overthrow him."

"She trusts Palpatine. He was her advisor on her reign as the Queen of Naboo."

"Nonetheless, she betrayed you."

"So you killed her. A defenseless woman."

"A defenseless pregnant woman," Vader corrected regaining his composure and taking the lead in the fight.

"You MURDERER!!"

"Yes, use your anger. Only with your anger can you defeat me."

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan who war tiring, he had to get Obi-Wan out of here. "You will live to breathe another day," Anakin said contemptibly.

"I am you, Skywalker."

"Impossible."

"Search your feelings."

"You lying Sithpile of scum," Anakin cursed.

"Soon you will find there are worse things that death." Anakin felt rather than saw the ractor being shot and he wasted no time in getting Obi-Wan onto his back and using the Force he jumped to the Millinum Falcon.

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"You've changed my destiny, Anakin. My destiny was to end right there."

"Not as long as I'm alive. What he said was it true?"

"I'm so sorry, Anakin."

"Does Luke know?"

"Do I know what?"

"Nothing," Anakin replied, moodily.

"Hey what's with him?" Han asked as Anakin stormed off and Leia gave the coordinates for the Rebel base.