Chapter 34
(Tapani Sector, Tallaan)
"All bomber squadrons, proceed to begin planetary attack runs!" Admiral Kinti commanded into the coms station while the Valiant IV shook once more as was common with the battle taking place. Exar Kun stood at the viewport and staring out to the carnage that had been waging for about an hour now. Their ship was being guarded by vast amounts of TIE fighters and interceptors, and several Victory or Imperial Class Stardestroyers as well. The battle for Tallaan was proceeding as foreseen by Kun and Grand Admiral Grant back on Coruscant. Immediately after jumping out of hyperspace the Imperial fleet was met with the sight of a Moff-Freeworlds allied fleet numbering at least one hundred and twenty ships in total ranging from capital to frigate. The common fleet of the Freeworlds was nothing to get excited about, but still they maintained a fleet of outdated Republic-Era warships from the Clone Wars, and several even older models with a few outdated Imperial class vessels, and Kun thought he saw maybe one Victory-Class Stardestroyer with the Freeworlds insignia plastered onto it. They were fortunately however, the bulk of the allied fleet above Tallaan, and that made their job all the more easier. As the Moffs had foolishly left Tallaan guarded by a skeleton Imperial-styled fleet containing but a few Victory, Imperial, and Acclamator class Imperial vessels spread thinly within the Freeworlds feet.
"My lord Kun, I have a report." Kinti said coming up behind the Sith who didn't turn to face him immediately and maintained his gaze toward the intense space battle taking place before them as squadrons of TIE fighters screeched closely to the viewport.
"Then speak admiral." Kun retorted with no hint of anger or aggression but still Kinti swallowed down a fearful lump in his throat as the dark lord tended to make all the men slightly uncomfortable simply by being in a league like lord Vader.
"The enemy fleet has reformed and been pushed back, and away from the world. As you may have heard I have rerouted all bomber squadrons to their preassigned bombing objectives planet-side. I would recommend we begin landing troops on the outskirts of all major cities and begin forming up ground units on the plains of Tallaan."
"Not yet admiral." Kun turned to face the man as a massive blast was heard outside the ship. "I don't want to begin wasting what manpower we do have on attempting to breach the Moff and Freeworlds defenses and feet which is still very much active in the system. NO, we punch a whole in the defenses of the ground units of Tallaan proper, and mop up all remaining enemy naval forces, and when we are secure in orbital position and power, and only then, shall we begin landing troops to the planet. Understood admiral?"
"Unmistakeably, my lord." Kinti bowed and looked to his officer staff and silently bid them to follow Kun's order and he returned to the coms station leaving Kun to once more return to using and watching.
When the fleet had jumped out of hyperspace and Exar was confronted with the enemy fleet he ordered the Imperial fleet to concentrate all primary fire on the Imperial vessels in the fleet. An initial push of Victory and Tartan vessels, backed up by covering fire from Broadside cruisers and heavy battery attacks from all Imperial class Stardestroyers as well. It had been a glorious explosion and wave of red and blue and even green turbolaser that flooded forth from his fleet and it had made Kun visibly grin as he from afar could sense his enemies already begin to die, and he allowed that to feed his power in the dark side. Even greater still had been the great meeting of the starfighter squads. TIE's on both sides met one another in the central gap between both fleets and entered into a mighty engagement that saw Kun's TIE units come out on top. Especially when this TIE interceptors were given leeway to hunt down and destroy stray Moff fighters of severely outdated Freeworlds fighters.
What had broken the enemy fleet was when the continuous fire of his fleet, turbolaser and rocket batteries pounded into and destroyed all Imperial-made vessels on the enemy's side and all Victory class ships on Kun's side made a breach in the orbital defense around Tallaan. Now the enemy fleet was moving away from the planet to no doubt regroup with Freeworlds vessels and leadership and attempt to hold back the Imperial tide under Exar Kun, and he would not set a single Imperial boot down on Tallaan until all enemy ships were blasted into dust.
"Admiral Kinti!"
"Yes my lord?" Exar turned back to the man. His gray eyes seeming to be darker than ever before and giving Kun a chillingly cold look unseen before.
"Move a third of the fleet into synchronous orbit around Tallaan including the Valiant IV. The other two thirds are to chase and hunt down the retreating fleet of the Freeworlds! I want all frigates and corvettes leading the charge, and a Victory class line laying down covering fire. Move up three Stardestroyers as command units, and continue to monitor and relay all pertinent orders to and from our instructions admiral. Tallaan is within our grasp and I will not hand it over to the Moffs so soon after having an opening."
"Yes, of course my lord, but may I ask why we are moving a third of the fleet into synchronous orbit? The planetary shields are still up and orbital bombardment is useless unless we bring the whole ship into the atmosphere my lord."
Exar nodded to himself. "I am aware admiral how orbital shielding works. However, you must have realized by now that the fleet above Tallaan is not exactly what we expected, correct?"
"Yes lord Kun."
"Good. Then we can infer that the Moff forces we believed to be here are either, moving to intercept our other attacks at Don II or Achillea, or they are on patrol and have been recalled. No matter the situation, it is imperative we hold Tallaan. We are now in the precarious situation of being both attacker and defender admiral. So do as I commanded and mop up the remnants of this pathetic fleet, and get ready to defend our gains. I want updates from the bombers at once as well."
"Yes, of course lord Kun. At once." Kinti was quick to begin relaying the orders to the coms officer and getting the bomber updates for lord Kun as well. For on Tallaan the bombers were beginning their attack run and the Moffs were making ready for a bloody ground defense.
(Tallaan, Surface, Moff Military Command)
"I have three squadrons moving up fast!" One officer yelled and general Leonhard looked through his binoculars at the oncoming squads of bombers as they screeched past the cloud cover and toward his base and the capital center of Tallaan.
"Ready all anti-air emplacements, and light the skies officer Kelter, and teach the Empire a lesson."
"Aye general Leonhard, sir! All anti-aircraft batteries you may engage Imperial TIE units at will!" The officer commanded into a wide-band coms console and as the TIE's screeched over the command center, Leonhard tracked them as they begin dropping bomb payloads onto secondary military installations but not the command center which made him furrow his brow in confusion.
"Batteries are commencing fire now general!" The officer called out as his fellow officers ran about the room reading and updating commands and messages as Leonhard watched massive anti-air cannons extend from their main emplacements and automatically target flying TIE units.
They began firing with a loud crack before firing in succession and massive bolts of red or green energy flew into the air in seemingly haphazard fashion, but were really tracking the fast moving enemy targets, and when they were hit the general watched transfixed as the TIE's would be hit and explode in a brilliant flash or get clipped by a stray shot and lose a wing or section and go careening into the city or forests or even plains of Tallaan.
As the world of Tallaan erupted in a mesh of booms and continuous bombing and shooting as smoke billowed and civilians screamed and Moff soldier ran about Leonhard watched on as the glory of a true war came to his doorstep, and he could almost taste it, and its addicting miasma.
"General Leonhard sir, we have a transmission coming in from general Morlin from Mrlsst." Leonhard quickly spun around as the bombs and AA guns went off behind him, and TIE's screeched overhead. He looked mildly shocked but nodded and silently strode over to a free holo-terminal. Which was rare seeing as his officers were running all over the command room trying to assess situation by the minute.
"Patch it through." Leonhard ordered and straightened his collar, and clasped his hands behind his back taking a very Imperial look that was still expected of Moff officers and commanders. The image of the hardened and elder general came into view and he looked extremely cool for a commander trying to fight of the Galactic Empire in but a small region of space.
"General Morlin. It is a great pleasure to see you. Circumstances set aside that is."
"Spare me the inane pleasantries general Leonhard." Morlin commanded with his own hands clasped behind his back and taking an almost regal look to his tall and masculine figure even in his more advanced age.
"I have been informed that Tallaan is under heavy Imperial attack in orbit but we have not received an update from the naval forces in some twenty minutes time, and therefore I assume proper chain of command has broken down. Can you verify?"
"Uh, yes general Morlin. We received word and scanned orbit a few moments ago and found that all vessels of Imperial make are in fact destroyed and we now assume the Freeworlds common navy is trying to hold back the tide." Morlin frowned but seemed to look off screen and was momentarily occupied.
"I see. Then what is your current ground situation?" Leonhard cleared his throat before speaking as nervousness seemed to creep into his demeanor. For general Morlin was a very intimidating man when he wished to be.
"Despite the decay of the orbital situation sir, the Imperials have not landed a single ground troop, but we are seeing a bombing offensive take place all across the world. However, AA-batteries are proving effective at stemming the tide. I do not believe this threat to be too serious sir."
"You are highly ill-advising yourself then general Leonhard." Morlin retorted with a brisk and cool vice causing Leonhard to snap his mouth shut and listen.
"Tallaan is not the only world under attack by Imperial forces. Imperial Center by command of the Emperor has sent a new commander to attempt a reconquest of Tapani. Sources indicate that it is the latest addition to the inner circles of the Emperor, lord Exar Kun. There are two further attacks taking place on both Achillea and Don II by a newly christened grand admiral by the name of Octavian Grant, a man born and of Tapani who is attacking Don II, and another local loyalist admiral named Ulan is attacking Achillea. Your world was the most well protected and managed, but as you may or may not know the bulk of your Moff assigned defensive fleet was rerouted to bolster the defenses of both these worlds, and now we believe Exar Kun himself is leading the battle above your world." Morlin informed with all the tact coolness expected of a general like him.
"It is highly likely the other two worlds are possible acceptable losses for lord Kun, and Tallaan is the world he most desires. We cannot reroute your ships back to you in time to reach you but a patrol fleet designated Tapani Task Force Twenty is being routed to push the Imperials back out of Tallaan space. You must hold back the tide as long as possible until we can rectify the situation in space. The moment Imperial boots are on the ground you will have lost critical time and ability. You are doing fine for the moment general, but I expect you to hold Tallaan to the last. Am I clear Leonhard?"
"Perfectly general Morlin, sir." Leonhard replied with a bow of his head, and Morlin silently studied him before nodding his approval.
"Good. Keep the course, and keep us update with your situation general, and if need be I will provide what advice I can. Until then general, you have your orders."
"Yes general Morlin sir. Of course." Once more Leonhard bowed as a massive explosion rocked outside and he did his best to ignore it until Morlin was away, and when the general did sign off, and Leonhard allowed himself to breath. He made his way over to the viewport and looked out to see an entire TIE bomber air-fleet flooding over the capital and dropping successive payloads on key power plants, and communication relay stations.
"Damn it! Kelter, status report now!" Leonhard barked and the younger officer was looking over the shoulder of a fellow officer and reading a terminal when he snapped his attention to the returned general and rushed to his own terminal. Sweat and anxiety was clear upon his features, but the boy was pretty good at keeping his cool.
"Yes general sir. The Imperial bomber squads are redoubling their strikes. AA-batteries are trying to keep them back and off key installations, but we are receiving reports that they are concentrating on civilian oriented power stations and communication hubs. We are of mind that they are attempting to cut off our main power supply and force us onto backup power. If that is so we will be self-sufficient for at least a three days, but after that we will require either more fuel to run these temporary generators, which by our latest report all fuel stations are being attacked as well, or we will need the power stations reactivated."
Leonhard ran his right hand through his hair and then sighed under his breath as to not show impropriety. Looking out to the growing devastation Leonhard could not believe that this was his life right now. Sure the euphoria of war still hung heavy in the air and he loved it, but it was still a shocking thing. War that is, and right now he had to admit. With the Imperial loyalists in command of the skies they, and of course he was at a major disadvantage, and soon the Empire's troopers would be flooding Tallaan and then it would definitely be too late.
So for now, under the bombing of the TIE's of the loyalists, and the turbolaser fire from the AA-batteries that created heaps of flak in the air even, Tallaan burned in the fires of war.
(Coruscant, Vader's Palace)
"Good. Real good. I think you are getting the hang of you saber skills at an excellent rate." Luke beamed a big grin befitting of the farm-boy as his black armor clad father praised his burgeoning lightsaber skills. Vader watched as Luke quickly darted his red training saber to block a very weak and slow paced strike from Starkiller. Who Vader had employed as a personal aid in beginning the training of his children. Although in actuality he was training Luke, as Leia, as usual was sitting off to the side watching but not doing any training herself. No matter what Vader tried to do the girl didn't budge on not wanting to train for who know why, and it was driving Vader slightly insane with her stubbornness.
"Move your feet Luke. Standing in one position and one spot is usually not a sound strategy. Even against blasters and droid, it is always best to keep moving, and direct attacks aimed at you back to your unsuspecting and foolish opponent." Luke nodded once as he trained his eyes on Starkiller who smirked at Luke. The two were for some days now beginning to form a much more friendly even brotherly like friendship, and though it was in the early stages, it was clear to Vader at least that the two boys were beginning to form a strong bond of friendship. Now Vader may not approve of the term 'friend,' so he rather called it a close working partnership. Though deep down he knew he was only lying to himself, but he could not bring himself to order his son to not make friends with Starkiller...if only he could do that for Leia and get her to interact with him!
"Come on Luke, take a strike at me." Starkiller provoked and Luke snorted. "Yeah right, so you can embarrass me in front of my father and sister? No thanks."
"Your father is my master as well Luke. I wouldn't do anything too serious." Starkiller joked and again slashed at Luke. This time aiming for his right, but Luke blocked and pushed his saber back, but Starkiller wasn't truly trying this was still just the basics, and Vader looked on very much so pleased.
Vader also noted that since Tatooine, Starkiller had become far more open with speaking. Less tight lipped and more loose, but when Vader addressed him he was quick to fall back into full seriousness, and Vader found himself allowing some leeway for his apprentice for now. After all he did bring Luke back to him when he thought him gone. By Kenobi's doing...
'I have two masters in need of destruction. You shall be the first one to fall Obi-Wan and then I shall destroy you my master.' An image of Palpatine flashed in his mind and Vader grit his teeth in rage. 'You will both rue the day you caused me all the pain, misery, and annoyance, and then it will ALL finally be mine, and now, yours as well my children.' Vader thought resolutely, and once more looked between his twin son and daughter and silently marveled. Though, as usual he would never admit to such.
However, looking over to Leia once more and seeing her staring off toward a wall rather than even watching Luke learn to use a saber made Vader, curious. She was an enigma to the Sith lord. He didn't understand how a minute the girl was seemingly growing adjusted to him, but the next she was pushing him away and becoming far more introverted.
So Vader decided he was going to attempt and...'bond,' with her a little and maybe get on her good side. Vader was not beyond trying to get on the good side of a thirteen year old girl, but behind his mask he did groan a bit. He couldn't imagine how embarrassing this could be.
"Tell me Leia, what is it that has your attention to caught?" The girl snapped her head up to look at Vader who had somehow silently strode over to her. He had his hands clasped to his belt and he was staring his ominously black helmeted-head down at her.
"Nothing you would be interested in hearing, or care about for that matter." Her cool and collected voice did not hide the venom being spat at him and Vader had to repress a very irritable sigh from escaping his lips.
"Try me then, and we shall see for sure whether or not I am interested in your thoughts." Vader retorted with equal cool, but it was hard fr Leia to tell with his augmented voice because of his mask. Something she hated having to look at all the time.
"Fine." She almost spat back at him with a narrowing of her brown eyes. "I was just thinking about little things about having to live here with you now is all." She sounded almost accusatory when mentioning the fact she had to live with him, but again Vader suppressed a very annoying shiver of irritation from rising to the surface. He wanted to win his children over after all...no matter how hard one of them made it.
"Care to elaborate?"
"You know clothes for one thing. I only brought some from Alderaan with me. I didn't think I would be staying here after all." She retorted in a matter-of-factly manner, and Vader cocked his head to the side, as he numbly registered Luke laughing behind him for what he knew not.
"That is an easy fix. I can acquire for you any and all clothing and other needs you may need. All you needed to do was inform me of such needs and they would have been easily taken care of." She raised a skeptical brow and Vader didn't know why, and in fact it irritated how hard this mere girl was to read!
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"It's just that...you're not the most approachable person...father." The very small acknowledgment was appreciated but her 'revelation,' made Vader frown deeper.
"That is a fact I am well aware of. Tell me, would I as Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy and subsequently the Armed Forces be able to get anything done if any and every fool out there in the galaxy found me an approachable and likable person?" Leia frowned but then seemed to give the question thought and inclined her head to the side in a very minor form of understanding.
"Indeed, it is far easier to have most people dislike you as the supreme commander. It makes all the tough, and seemingly pointless and bloody decisions you must make easier. You need not worry about the pettiness of public opinion, and civilian drivel that comes with a need to be, 'popular,' with the common citizens of the galaxy."
"Okay, okay I get it. You don't need to lecture me for an hour about something I got the first time round'!" She looked even more annoyed than before and Vader nodded his understanding, but only after he realized how alike he and she were.
After all, Vader remembered a time when he too begged his master not to lecture him, after he had indeed heard him the first time around, but then again Vader rarely did learn from those lectures.
Looking at his daughter again Vader could see she had lessened in anger and now just looked uncomfortable and crestfallen. He cats a glance back at Luke and Starkiller who was showing Luke how to properly hold his saber up in a blocking position before a thought once more crossed Vader's mind, and he jumped at the idea.
"Come with me Leia, we are going to get you some new clothing at once." She wasn't looking at Vader, but when he said that she slowly craned her neck up to look him in the eyes with a look of shock crossing her face.
"Right now?" Vader nodded. "Why?"
"Because, it has your mind occupied while you should begin your training, and I suppose I also wish to begin making you and your brother's existence as my children a bit more public. Let us kill two Mynock's with one stone so to speak." She still had a face scrunched in a place between shock, and maybe even horror, but seeing no way to wiggle out of the proposition she huffed a sigh and nodded before standing and waiting for Vader to lead.
"Apprentice!" Vader called and Starkiller spun around to face his master while Luke looked at him too.
"You and Luke stay here and continue your training. I shall be taking Leia to acquire more clothing. Perhaps some new clothing for you as well is in order my son." Vader commented and Luke looked down to his training tunic but then remembered he did only have his old Tatooine tunic and frowned, but nodded all the same.
"I shall return shortly, but if not by two hours time, clean yourselves up and rest." Vader ordered and Starkiller bowed. "Yes, my master." While Luke merely smiled and nodded before raising up his saber once more in anticipation of Starkiller returning his attention to him, and Vader could only shake his head lightly at how oddly well Luke seemed to be taking everything, and how almost exactly opposite Leia was.
Turning with a whip of his cape and robes Vader began to stride toward the door and commanded Leia to follow with a wave of his hand, and they silently made for the shuttle hanger where they were quickly joined by Cahrir and Kohr. Who didn't even need to be commanded to follow and fell into guarding step behind Vader and young lady Vader as they called her. At the hanger Vader went with a simple air-speeder that was colored black, of course, and was capable of holding four people. Forcing Leia to sit next to Vader as he drove the thing into the air.
Which he did when everyone got in, and to say the least he drove like a madman. Vader held no fears in his flying abilities and once the speeder lifted off the metal floor of the hanger he slammed down on the acceleration and the speeder sped out like a bolt of lightning and Leia cringed as she pushed herself back into her seat as they entered into the always bust skyline of Coruscant.
"Can you slow down! You're going to kill somebody!" Leia cried as Vader looked over to her, and then back to the skies as he, quite blatantly, dove the speeder downward and swerved past several speeders and flew under a spire connecting walkway that had Leia screaming and despite himself Vader smirked behind his mask.
"What is wrong with you?!" She demanded as he leveled the speeder and eased up a bit, and Vader turned to her again. She was panting and looking at him like he was a three-armed Wookiee. "Nothing at all. I was merely flying."
"You call that flying?! That was flirtation with suicide for Force sakes!"
"What you define as suicidal antics I think of as, testing my limits." Vader retorted and again Leia looked shocked. Not just at his Force-horrid driving, but the fact that he just admitted to...what? Actually enjoying something?
'Vader enjoying something? What a revelation...' She thought with a laugh to herself as she shook her head and released a shaky breath.
"Whatever you wanna call it, please don't do that again." Vader inclined his head and returned his face forward as he drove toward no doubt, a shopping district, and Leia cast a look back to see both Noghri guards seemed totally calm and unfazed and she scrunched her face.
'Well I guess I just don't have a stomach for this kind of flying.' A bit annoyed by everyone's calmness Leia folded her arms across her chest and watched the Coruscant skyline in silence until they arrived at their destination.
Vader flew the speeder at 'relatively,' good speeds from then on out and Leia could safely say she didn't get sick as often, but still she found herself going white knuckled at a few zooming twists and violent turns. Oddly enough Leia could almost sense an odd feeling of...amusement coming off Vader, and that merely made her purse her lips further into a frown more.
When they reached what Leia saw to be their destination she couldn't help but look a bit confused as they landed at a speeder lot, but the shopping district Vader took her to was more open. Shopping kiosks, and carts lining the walkways as speeders flew nearby and overhead, and then shops also lined the walkway and were situated in spire or oddly small buildings next to the towers of Coruscant.
'Vader wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to make my existence known was he?' She went a bit pail at the idea, ad swallowed a lump in her throat. She couldn't imagine what the reaction on Alderaan would be, let alone the whole galaxy when the thirteen year old princess of Alderaan was seen shopping alongside the most terrifying men in the galaxy. Though in consolation, she supposed the public relations ministry of the Empire would be having a long and maybe even bad day at her expense. To that idea she smirked a bit, and descended from her speeder followed by her two Noghri.
Vader stepped onto the walkaway and placed his hands along his belt and looked out to the wandering about crowds, and awaited the inevitable, and smirked even in anticipation.
Then it happened, as Leia gazed around at the towering spires and her Noghri came up right behind her, Vader caught sight of a meandering Duros who was walking about with a smile plastered on its stupid face before he turned and inclined his head in friendly greetings to Vader who almost laughed, as he kept walking, suddenly stopped dead cold in his tracks and turned slowly back to look at Vader with horror in his big alien eyes.
"Greetings." Vader spoke and the Duros opened its mouth and began shaking before bowing deeply and spitting what were no doubt praises as it backed away from him slowly, and he caught the attention of everyone else who looked and saw the dark lord of the Sith standing among them and everyone now froze.
Leia on the other hand clasped a hand over her eyes, and mumbled something along the lines of, 'just great,' and Vader once more almost laughed.
"Come Leia. Pay no mind to these fools." Vader commanded and gestured for her to come nearer to him before he began walking toward the shops and past the mumbling and fear captivated citizens of Coruscant. Leia shuffled uncomfortably over to his side and glanced up at his towering figure; a look of extreme discomfort on her face, and Vader merely motioned her on.
They meandered shops and sellers; all of them too afraid to speak at times, and Leia grew more and more introverted. Vader often forcing her to loo for the clothing she needed, or she would glance over some shops.
It didn't last too long however, until Vader was forcing Cahrir to hold several shopping bags full o goods. Clothing, and amenities like toothbrushes and hairbrushes. Simple things that Leia would snap and declare needing.
Vader had at a point directed Leia into a shop, more clothing ware, and hung by the entrance while Kohr stayed outside and blocked anyone else from entering, and Cahrir followed Leia around. The girl had a light in her eyes when shopping that was for sure. Looking at clothes seemed to be a thing women enjoyed and Vader for the life of him never understood this gender disposition and merely shook his head as she would gasp at some clothing and squeal in delight. It was odd for the Sith lord to say the least. Especially when she held up certain pieces to her body and asked for HIS opinion!
"What about...this one!" Vader looked back at her as she held up another Force-forsaken white shirt with long sleeves that exposed her shoulders and hung low. Vader frowned beneath his mask at the mental image of her wearing it. No daughter of his!
"That seems rather inappropriate do you not think?"
"What's wrong with it?" She demanded with a heightening of her chin in defiance. A quirk Vader noticed she had whenever she wanted to be defiant.
"It exposes far too much of a young woman's shoulders, and speaks of ill-propriety. I will not approve of such clothing."
"It's not that bad! I've seen far more important or wealthy people wear worse!"
"Then it speaks ill of their character." Vader retorted as she wrinkled her nose in anger, and Vader saw that usual reddening of her cheeks.
"Fine. Have it your way, father." She seethed and placed the article back on the rack with a huff, and turned away from Vader to look at another rack. Vader for his part merely shook his head again.
'She'll come around... In time... She must. For her own sake.' Vader mentally thought before glancing at a younger male clothing rack and immediately remembered Luke. Walking to it he picked at a piece of, gray, shirts that looked like they would've fit on his son.
"Do you believe this would fit upon your brother?" Vader held up the shirt and Leia turned back around with a huff, but then recoiled at the sight.
"That's too small for him, and I don't think gray is more his color."
"What's the difference? A shirt is a shirt no matter its color." Vader reasoned and he found his daughter rolling her eyes and approaching and she, daringly, snatched the shirt from his gloved hand and put it back before placing a hand to her chin and looking around.
"Ah! This will do it!" She practically skipped over to a black long sleeved shirt with a small collar that would fit snugly around ones neck.
"Luke, I think, would look good in black! Besides you Imperials and your gray is too monotonous for my liking. A little flavor would do the whole Empire good actually."
"A uniform is an integral part of maintaining order in an orderless galaxy, Leia. However, I can see...wisdom in your reasoning." Vader conceded and Leia beamed.
"So, I shall allow you to choose some clothing for your brother, so long as it is nothing I do not approve of." She again squealed in delight and Vader now rolled his blue eyes behind his mask, but did, despite himself, smirk at her reaction as she flew into the boys section in a frenzy.
By the end of the 'ordeal,' Vader swore took three hours, but in reality only half of one, Leia had Cahrir holding four bags from other stores and draping several heaps of clothing over his gray alien arms and he looked like he was frowning.
"Mistress, I shall do all you ask of me, but I must admit I am...uncomfortable carrying all this clothing around." Vader remembered the Noghri guard saying as Leia piled on another shirt and slacks for Luke, and she giggled.
"Why, Cahrir? This beneath you and your skills?"
"Never when it is a service to you and lord Vader mistress, but it limits my capacity to protect you!" He declared and Leia could only snicker and roll her eyes once more while Vader found the Noghri's logic reasonable, but remained silent.
'Perhaps we should have brought 3PO to carry all of this.' Vader had thought as the Noghri looked more and more embarrassed. Something Vader didn't know he would ever see a Noghri express.
When Leia had brought everything up to the checkout counter the petrified blonde female human attendant shakily priced everything and looked horrified when she told Leia it would be over three-thousand total in price. Vader had after all nudged her toward the more expensive shops, and this one was a tad pricier than others.
"Price is not an issue." Vader had spoken up and picked up lazily a credit chip worth five-thousand, and handed it to Leia, who in turn smirked and handed it to the worker, who had laughed nervously.
"Come Leia." Vader commanded after the clothing was bagged.
"Wait, your change!" The woman called, and Vader waved her of without looking. "Credits are not of any importance to me. Keep it for yourself." Leia looked back at her slightly apologetic for Vader's attitude but followed with Cahrir now waddling after her with ten bags total along his stout but strong arms.
"Now, I believe this is adequate for your and Luke's clothing and apparel needs for now." Leia looked at Cahrir when they exited the store and Kohr too looked to his fellow Noghri and she swore she saw him snicker.
"Yeah, I guess that's fine for now..."
"You guess?!" Vader repeated and looked to the Noghri, and sighed behind his mask. Vader made for the speeder and the other three followed him in silence as they went through the shopping district again and Vader all but ran for the speeder again to end this shopping which he had thought was a good idea at first. Now it was torment, utter and complete torment.
"Oh!" Vader stopped dead when he heard Leia get once more enraptured in something and he spun around to see her run over to a very cheap looking kiosk stand that had a slimy looking Skrilling, with its normal gray skin and breathing tubes. It hunched itself lower at the sight of Vader when he trained his black helmeted eyes on him, but Leia went over whatever t was the alien had for sale with great fascination.
Vader heaved a great sigh and went over to the stand by Leia who picked up a piece of jewelry, a necklace. A simple cheap gold band, with an even cheaper looking but still real, Vader supposed, emerald green colored jewel in an oval pendant.
"Can I buy this, please?" She held it up with a smile and glint in her eyes that spoke of great wish to buy the cheap piece of jewelry.
"You are a princess of the Galactic Empire. You can be bought the most expensive of jewels and rarest of gold bands. You will not wear a cheap knockoff like this." The girls eyes lowered and she looked down at her feet as something happened between father and daughter. Something Vader didn't get as she sighed great sigh and placed the piece back down.
"I can buy you the best of jewelry if you so desire. Now come." Vader turned to leave and began walking but caught what Leia said under her breath.
"I wanted this one though..." It made the Sith lord stop again, and turn to her. She still looked down at her shoes as she began walking toward the speeders direction again, and using his senses Vader could sense great...sadness coming from her?
'Why? I brought her out here to get fine clothing, and promise her the greatest of jewels ever bought, but for this one knockoff she gets upset?' Vader furrowed his brow as he couldn't understand what was going on between he and Leia. Did it really mean that much to her? This one meaningless piece?
Vader growled and balled his fists before turning and stomping over to the seller as Leia stopped and turned around to see her father do this.
"How much?" Vader demanded of the alien, and it shrunk lower but told Vader a measly fifty credits, and Vader knew Force-damn well that was a ripoff. However, for Leia, and he didn't know why he was doing it at all, he pulled out another credit chip, valued at two-hundred and slammed it down on the kiosk.
"Keep this, and know I can see a bad deal when one is presented before me. I suggest you fix your grossly overpriced system." Vader warned with a pointed finger and the alien dumbly nodded and Vader stormed off back toward Leia with necklace in hand.
"Here." Vader shoved his hand out toward her with the necklace hanging off his gloved hand and she looked up to his mask again with a confused look in her brown eyes, before she smiled a very small but growing smile and took it from the Sith lord, and immediately began wearing it.
"Thank you...father." Vader sighed, and oddly felt...good on the whole matter, and inclined his head again.
"Come." he commanded more lightly and she followed. As father and daughter made for the speeder and returned to the Imperial palace. A very small bond now being formed by a simple act of giving from a father to daughter.
Of course the Palace was called within seconds of Vader being seen in public with a young girl and the Emperor was given one of the biggest migraines of all time coming up with the right words to have the public relations ministry say. By the end of the day the whole of the Empire, and the galaxy knew, that lord Vader had children. Twin children, and all was different once more.
Authors Note: Hey everyone! I just wanted to get one more chapter posted over the weekend, and it's not as long as previous chapters, but I can't always post 9000 plus worded chapters right? I hope my little cutesy moments between Vader and Leia are not too bad. I think these two characters were nerfed in real canon and I'm a sucker for the father/daughter relationships between these two, so forgive my cheese. :-)
So tell me what you think, and as usual please point out or excuse any and all grammatical errors, and enjoy! :D