HEROES AND VILLAINS By Kondoru.

Alternative ending to RotJ

Standard Disclaimers.

Thanks to Budgie for Beating.


Dirtkid; I must say a big thank you for your reviews…Sadly I am not an Anakin apologist, and things are going to go downhill for Darth Vader before they improve.


Chapter 18; Anakin is on his own, now.

The next few days Anakin and his grumpy daughter were busily doing research for their exams. It was an entertaining change from their rather dull political work.

Anakin had had very few opportunities during his over active life to do actual study. The old Sith had long ago sussed that his version of the Citizenship test was extra difficult. This he had expected. Actually he was pleased at the challenge.

Both of them had been given as long as they pleased to study, then arrange a time for their exam. "I am going to do it when I am pardoned." Leia had told him.

"Won't you be charged with `Annoying Darth Vader`?" Anakin asked mildly. "Your guilt is not going to be questioned." He gave a wry smile. "You are a really unfilial daughter you know."

Leia did not rise to that one. Both knew it would end up with her in isolation.


Again the red draped hall was packed. Again it was for a trial.

This time it was Leia Organa in the dock.

The Princess of Alderaan stepped forwards briskly, flanked by her guards and Mr Varro.

Leia had changed, just a bit, her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail and she wore brown Jedi robes, instead of her trademark white dress that everyone was expecting. There was a lot of interested comment on that. Had their Princess decided to become a Jedi herself?

Of course, she was not the centre of attention in the hall.

Her father was.

Anakin Skywalker was much changed himself. Though he was now limbless his skin was restored, and he was now growing drab sandy hair. Nor seemingly did he need any help with breathing. The elder Skywalker was in much improved health, though he was still thin and pale. He too wore his Jedi robes, that and a smarmy smile. Anakin loved attention.

Mon Mothma was wearing her white dress, that and a `here we go again` expression. She gave sharp glances towards the media gallery, led, as usual by a too cheery Etsi Yanadai, who yet again was covering Skywalker and Jedi antics.

The trial went very simply.

Governor Norran, Ashoka Tano, Mr Varro, and her many psychologists all testified to Leia's impeccable character, her willingness to reform and her ability to get on with Anakin Skywalker, a man, who it must be said, was pleasingly amiable to forgive his errant daughter, that and teach her how to use the Force.

Truly Anakin was himself a reformed character.

Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker beamed.

Luke Skywalker stood up. He also was wearing his brown robes and lightsabre. As was his Togruta companion...There seemed to be a lot of the mythical Jedi around these days. "My sister has managed to overcome her destructive urges concerning our father, she has seen that he himself is capable of reform, and indeed is devoting his life to good works."

Last of all was Anakin Skywalker.

"I forgive my daughter." He said sadly. It had been the only thing he said during his daughter's trial. The notorious man was playing it very cool; it helped to add to his aura of mystique. Etsi had questioned him on his own reform; Anakin had shaken his head sadly by way of pushing her off.

"That's it, we are taking no further action." Mon Mothma said grouchily. Everyone nodded in agreement. "Now everyone out before I charge you all with contempt of court."

"kotswinot itsu." Said Leia thoughtfully "Ja'ak, ja'ak."(1)

Anakin shook his head in amusement at that. He knew that the Force binds.

So, as expected, Leia Organa walked free.

"Are you going to miss me?" Asked Anakin sadly.

"I suppose you will be missing me?" She replied curtly.

"Yes, I will a bit...But I am very busy of late."

"You have a lot of work to do...Putting the Galaxy to rights." She told him. "But isn't that a Jedi's job?"

Anakin gave a sad smile.


And now Anakin Skywalker was alone. True, he had Zasti and Rene to tend to him, but mostly he spent his time alone with his work.

He missed Leia, having enjoyed the time with her,-true, a lot of that period had been spent snapping at each other.

He missed the fights.

He even missed her unnecessarily rough washes.

Leia did not visit him. Somehow Anakin had expected this. He was still Darth Vader, her arch enemy.

Luke and Ashoka did visit him, but not as often as he wanted. They were busy looking for Force sensitives. "And I am just a Forceless burden." Anakin said sadly to himself.

One day, about four months after her trial, Leia came. She was dressed like a spacer in brown jeans and a dinged up nerf leather jacket…Evidently she was on some informal business trip for Han or Mon and the Shard happened to be on the route. Of course she had not made a special effort.

Leia was healthy and her hair well groomed. (Chewbacca had done a neat braid). In spite of her too casual dress, her demeanour was of a princess. She was no longer the timid jailbird, though he noted she did eye Governor Norran warily.

Anakin said nothing. He just knew his daughter was here to deliver some smug cosmic slamdown.

Leia gave him a big Akul smile. "I see you are still healing." She said.

"I see you are still one big attitude problem." Anakin said in as non-aggressive a way as possible.

"Well, speak for yourself! I have good news."

Anakin could think of several responses to that but they all might result in the Governors switch, so he waited for her reply.

"Me and Luke now have Naboo citizenship." She said proudly.

"As is your birth right." Her father replied.

"No thanks to you…" Leia growled. "I have bad news too." The grim princess said firmly.

"Oh."

"The Naberries have had a big family debate and they have decided to disown you."

Anakins face fell. Somehow he had expected this. Part of him wanted to be accepted by his wife's family. He never had a family of his own.

Anakin looked very miserable. "I understand. I would not want to associate with someone guilty of Crimes Against Civilisation either."

"And I am disowning you as well." Leia said grimly. "Yes, I have accepted your teachings, but I don't want you as a father."

"Leia!" Anakin cried. "I love you!"

She shook her head sadly. "You've made too many mistakes to be permitted that. You loved Palpatine too, did you not?"

This was a cruel jab. Tears ran down Anakins rejuvenated face. "I will work hard at reforming, something that I know will take the rest of my life, and I hope one day you forgive me and accept me back into your hearts."

Leia shook her head. "I'm sorry, Anakin, that day will never come. I know you were prepared to leave the Jedi order so that you could be a father, but you changed. You threw away all your ideals, you became Darth Vader…the Antifather."

"I did it to save you all!" Anakin wailed.

"You lost yourself." Leia told him. "You betrayed everyone, even the Force…"

"Do you think that the Dark side is an invalid use of the Force?" Anakin had been careful to teach his daughter the Sith view as well as the Jedi's.

"Killing an entire generation of Force users certainly is!" Leia spat.

Anakin cringed back into his seat. She was right, of course.

She looked grim. "I would be prepared to love you…But I do not believe this unconditional love stuff is very good for you."

"You may have a point" he conceded.

"You are Darth Vader, the monster who tortured me, not once but twice, and who held me while Tarkin gave the order for Alderaan to be destroyed, and along with it all I have ever loved." She reminded him yet again.

"Luke loves me. He forgave me." Anakin protested.

"I'm not the forgiving sort." Leia told him. "In many a way I was glad to live with you in the Shard…it gave me a chance to see you heal, to prove that there is a human underneath Darth Vaders armour. I've come to understand why you did such terrible things, I have come to admire you, for your survival in the face of the Dark Side and I have come to respect you for your efforts to reform…No." She shook her head. "If the Alliance decide to pardon you, I won't do anything to stop them, I promise." Leia said. "But this is goodbye."

She got up and walked out the door.

Anakin lay down and wept quietly. He did not stop for a very long time.


"My chains are broken. I am free, I am free." (Sith Language)