Chapter 10: You are just like me
Darte Vader was on his imperial cruiser, leaving as quickly as possible to the coordinates of General Pryde's cruiser ship. With any luck he would manage to get Engel out of that place before his teacher arrived.
Hold on Engel, here I come... I hope my teacher doesn't see you, I must get there before him. Darth Vader thought with concern, he couldn't imagine what was going to happen if his teacher saw Engel... I would give my entire life to get Engel back... he is the only light I have left in my life...
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General Pryde in his office was reviewing old recordings of the Senate and Naboo events from the holonet in the times of the old republic. Remembering Engel's face, his doubts were clarified. Maybe it is possible... There is no doubt that you are identical to Chancellor Palpatine, you have his same face, his same smile... The resemblance is extraordinary. Pryde thought in his thoughts.
"General… Emperor Palpatine has just arrived in his imperial shuttle." One of the guards reported.
"They took the blood sample I requested from the rebel prisoner." Pryde asked.
"Yes sir, he resisted a little, but in the end we made it," the guard announced.
General Pryde went to the place where the Emperor was with a bow and greeted him. "His majesty honors me with his presence."
''Why did you make me come here, general? Ruling the galaxy takes up a lot of my time," Palpatine said with a stern tone.
"Your Majesty considers this matter necessary for you to deal with in person, we have captured a group of rebels, one in particular is very special, I realized that when I saw it with my own eyes," Pryde reported.
"Bring him to me, General Pryde," Palpatine ordered.
"Yes, his majesty," Pryde said, bowing before leaving along with a pair of Palpatine's red guards.
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Silently, the door opened and Engel gasped as two scarlet-clad Sovereign Protectors entered the room. Although he quickly wiped any emotion from his face, his mind was racing. Why were they here the Emperor's personal bodyguards? He actually had a pretty good idea why, but what she didn't know was why the Emperor wanted to see him.
He had never heard of any rebel pilots or prisoners brought before the Galactic Ruler, no matter what they had accomplished. In fact, only political and military leaders could be brought before him.
"Come," one of the two warriors ordered as he indicated the door through which they had entered.
For a moment, Engel hesitated, but then he looked at the stun poles they carried and reminded himself that only the best of the best had the "honor" of defending personally to the Emperor.
"Where we go?" Engel questioned as he stepped out into the hallway of the cruise ship.
"Silence," one of the guards responded as one walked in front of him and the other behind him.
They took Engel through the corridors of the ship, towards the room where the Emperor was.
"His majesty will see you now," Pryde said next to Engel. "You know the proper protocol right?"
Engel did not respond, as this was the first time he had met someone so important in the galaxy. Of course he had been in the company of Leia who was a princess. But this was different, soon he would be at the side of the Emperor of the entire galaxy...
General Pryde began to slow his pace to explain to Engel how he should behave in front of the Emperor. "If you approach him in the throne room a full bow is required until you are told to stand. Here a half bow will suffice. Don't talk until they talk to you... and above all don't try to lie to him about anything... He will know." Pryde informed as they walked, before reaching the doors of the throne room he gave her a warning. "I hope you follow all these recommendations for your own good… The Emperor is not as benevolent as Lord Vader."
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The Emperor was looking into space through the window, his great Vizier Mas Amedda was at his side.
"Today I feel… a little strange," said Palpatine, feeling those same sensations again.
"In what sense, Your Highness?" Amedda asked next to him.
"I don't know... I feel that same inexplicable feeling, I have a very strange feeling..." Palpatine said as he tried to calm down.
"Do you feel bad again, Your Highness? Do you feel pain again?" Amedda asked next to him.
"No… I don't feel pain or anguish. I feel something different, as if... he were very close to me..."
At that moment one of the red guards announced that the rebel prisoner had already arrived.
"What happened…" Palpatine ordered while he was still on his back looking at the window.
Engel entered the room with the guards, and saw the Emperor dressed in a black robe, now with his back turned to him, looking at the window.
"That will be all, general, you can retreat, guards leave us," Palpatine ordered.
General Pryde and the Red Guards left the room. But Mas Amedda remained silent and with his eyes open. Remembering what Sly Moore had told him months ago… so it was true? It's very strange... it looks a lot like his highness... they could be twins. Amedda thought with confusion.
"I admit that at General Pryde's demand, he was eager to meet you... and here you are, finally." Palpatine admitted with a malicious smile. "What's your name?" he asked curiously.
After a moment of hesitation, Engel complied with the older man's wish. At this point, defiance would achieve nothing but punishment. "My name is Engel, His Excellency." He wouldn't give out any information or anything that could harm the Alliance, but resisting uselessly over petty matters was meaningless.
Well... I knew you were smarter than to resist. Most of your rebel comrades are so stupid that they resist everything. Palpatine thought, crossing his hands.
When Palpatine turned to face Engel he could see that he was still bowing before him.
"Please look up." Palpatine said in a gentle voice.
Engel raised his gaze and came face to face with the Emperor. Engel stiffened, trying to overcome the shock he had received upon seeing the Emperor's appearance.
Palpatine, who was previously smiling kindly, his smile was immediately erased... his expression changed to one of surprise, he felt dazed, nervous and... stunned. You... are identical to me. Palpatine thought as he tried to calm down from the shock he got when he saw Engel's face.
Engel could feel the Emperor's hand gently touching his face… Engel could only see the old man in front of him was beyond old, his entire face seemed as if it was already decomposing, while his eyes were a bright yellow shade… those yellow eyes , he remembered seeing them once in his life, but couldn't remember where. I feel like I know you, from somewhere... Those eyes. Engel thought as he felt Palpatine's other hand on his other cheek.
Palpatine removed his hands from Engel's face, and began to feel dazed... he didn't feel well, suddenly everything began to spin.
"What's the matter, Your Majesty? Doesn't it feel good?" Amedda asked with concern.
"No... no, I mean no, I don't have anything," Palpatine said, taking a seat to relax but he still felt nervous about this situation... he was confused.
"You are distraught and confused…" Engel said, whispering softly.
"How do you know that?" Palpatine asked with a confused look.
"Why can I feel it, I feel your anguish, your confusion… I also got nervous when I was mistaken for someone else," Engel said with a compassionate look.
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A covert ship was approaching General Pryde's cruiser.
Luke used the force delicately to detect his friends... with sadness on his face he could not sense any presence... but he could detect Engel.
"Leia, everyone is dead, but…Engel is still alive…" Luke said with a smile and Chewie roared with happiness.
"Chewie, we'll go after Engel. You stay here in the falcon together with CP03, we will take off when we return with Engel" Han warned.
"I'm going with you too, R2D2 will help us find Engel's location" said Leia along with R2D2.
"Everyone is ready…" Luke said.
"Let's go, boy," Han said with a smile.
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"You told me they mistake you for someone else…" Palpatine said, trying to calm himself.
Palpatine already knew it, anyone seeing Engel's face could have mistaken him for him.
"Yes… However, he always spoke highly of Chancellor Palpatine. His name was Skywalker…Anakin Skywalker. When he saw me he confused me with him…" Engel said in a low voice.
This cannot be possible, Vader told me that he suffered from amnesia in his accident but he never told me that he encountered someone very similar to me... and that he mistook him for me believing that he was me. Palpatine thought surprised and stunned. "Tell me about yourself… I want to know, who was your family?" Where did you live? And above all, what do you know about Anakin Skywalker? Palpatine asked trying to compose himself, he needed to know everything from the beginning.
"Well... when I met Anakin he was very self-confident, very kind and respectful to me, but his character was only on the outside... I know him better than anyone, maybe better than he himself." Engel said with a soft smile.
"Keep telling me about yourself…" Palpatine said.
"I lived in a distant world… not located in the territories of the empire. In my town I lived with my parents before they died… but I was not his son, he was adopted." Engel said with a sad look.
"As? "Are you saying you were abandoned?" Palpatine asked in confusion.
"Yes, my adoptive parents found me when I was a baby in a slave market, and they came to the conclusion that maybe my real parents had abandoned me…" Engel said, trying to hide the tears that came from his face.
"Yes, you'll excuse me, I must leave…" Palpatine said, feeling dazed.
"How do you, your majesty? "So soon." Engel asked with confusion.
"Yes… it is necessary, with permission." Palpatine said running out of the room.
"Your Majesty, I waited…" Mas Amedda shouted but before that General Pryde at the doors gave him a briefcase with Engel's blood samples.
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Darth Vader had already arrived at General Pryde's cruiser ship.
"Lord Vader has finally arrived," Pryde said, bowing slightly.
"Has the Emperor arrived yet?" Vader asked.
"He arrived a few moments ago but he left as soon as he arrived… he didn't tell me the reasons, but he looked very distressed."
Oh no... Engel, don't tell me that, my master already met you. Vader thought worriedly. "Where is the rebel prisoner?"
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Engel was being escorted by stormtroopers, he felt guilty for getting Anakin into trouble with the Emperor. He knew Anakin's identity as Darth Vader and that he was the Emperor's right-hand man.
"Engel…?" He asked a voice that was very recognizable to Engel.
Engel, with a happy smile on his face, turned around to identify the voice that spoke to him, "Ani… how did you find me?" Engel asked.
"My master ordered me to come here because we were supposed to meet in this place… and what are you doing here?" Vader asked.
"I joined the rebel alliance…" Engel said delicately.
"You did what!?" Vader asked with a tone of annoyance in his voice. "Because you did!?".
"My friends needed me, Anakin," Engel said, a little annoyed by Anakin's attitude.
Behind his mask Anakin's eyes had turned yellow again, giving way to Darth Vader. "Since when are you friends with those terrorist scum?"
"Anakin listen to what you say! "They are not terrorists, they are just fighting to recover their freedom... which was denied to them by the empire," said Engel, trying to reason with Anakin.
"I don't want you to be together with them!" At that moment Vader grabs Engel's arms tightly, "I demand and forbid you to be on the side of those rebel scum!"
"Anakin… What are you doing? Let go! You are hurting me!" Engel said complaining and trying to free his arms from Vader's grip.
At that moment Luke arrived in the hallway and saw what was happening now... That was Darth Vader hurting Engel, remembering how Vader killed Ben.
Luke didn't hesitate to pull out his lightsaber. "What are you doing to Engel!? Let it go now!" Luke shouted with determination.
Vader, recognizing the face of the young man who destroyed the Death Star, draws his lightsaber to attack.
"Luke, no! "It's not what you think," Engel shouted, running to Luke's side to stop him.
"Engel, get out of the way!" Leia yelled at him and Luke pushed Engel using the force into Han's arms.
"No!" Engel shouted, trying to get out of Han's arms.
Luke and Vader fight using their lightsabers and the light and dark force.
Engel knew he had to stop this, before either of them did something they might regret. Han… you're going to let go of me now. Engel said using the force on his side.
Engel felt the grip of Han's arms, they softened and he let go. Engel ran towards Luke and Vader to stop this. "No! No! Do not hurt him!" Engel pleaded with Luke but Vader's red lightsaber grazed Engel's arm. "Ahhh" Engel screamed in pain grabbing his bleeding arm.
"Engel! No!" Luke shouted attacking Vader but the Sith Lord disarmed him by cutting off his opponent's hand.
"Not…!" Engel shouted with tears in his eyes.
"Luke!" Leia shouted worriedly, running to her friend's side.
"Engel, Luke!" Han shouted running to the side of the two.
At that moment Vader's eyes behind his mask had turned blue again. Realizing what he had done he looked at Engel and was badly hurt.
Engel... what have I done to you? I hurt you just like the others... I'm a monster. Anakin thought with remorse and guilt.
Engel felt this through the force. Anakin, you're not a monster, nothing happened... it was just a scratch. Engel said to Anakin through the force.
Anakin was horrified because he didn't want Engel to suffer the same fate as Obi-wan and Padme... He didn't want to lose control of his anger and kill him.
With tears in his eyes he ran from the place, getting lost in the sight of the others.
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Engel was next to Leia and Han was next to Luke helping him hold up.
"Chewie, get us out of here!" Han shouted desperately, the stormtroopers were coming towards them.
Chewie roared in agreement, and Han headed alongside Chewie to take off.
"We will get out of here at the speed of light… Hold on!" Han shouted at his companions.
The Millennium Falcon was traveling at the speed of light, Leia was tending to Luke's wound... she had lost his hand in the battle against Vader.
Engel approached Luke, and using the light force, began to lessen his pain... he was using the force to heal him.
Luke feels how Engel was weakening by using his power in the force. Chewie helped Engel lie down on the floor.
Luke couldn't understand how Engel could use the force like that, even to heal others. He had felt it when Engel used the persuasion of the force to break free from Han's grip. This is inexplicable... you have not been taught or trained in the ways of the Jedi, to use these abilities in the force... yet you did it, you are special Engel . You are very powerful in the force, but it's rare... the only person I felt this kind of power in was Emperor Palpatine. Luke thought curiously.
Engel opened his eyes and with an exhausted voice said, "Vader… it's your father, it's Anakin."
"What are you saying!? No… that's not true, it's impossible!" Luke said feeling horrified by this terrible truth.
"Luke… search your feelings, you know it's true. Your father is good… he is good, I know it" Engel said, closing his eyes.
"Don't worry, Luke... Engel will be fine, he's just tired, he needs to sleep..." Leia said as she disinfected Engel's wound and bandaged it, luckily the cut had not been deep.
"Han changes course to Dagobah, let's go see Master Yoda... I need answers." Luke said determinedly.
"R2D2 we will go to Dagobah.." said Han changing course to Dagobah.