Chapter 14: You are still mine
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While Emperor Palpatine was investigating his brother Engel. Darth Vader secretly investigated what happened to Padme Amidala in the last moments of his life and now seeks revenge against the people who hid his son from him.
Darth Vader has passed each and every one of the Emperor's tests. Palpatine finally showed his apprentice a mere glimpse of his power on Exegol.
Once again he must kneel before his master, realizing the true extent of the Emperor's power, he decides to remain Palpatine's apprentice.
But Vader's son is a threat to the position he has just regained, and now he is ready to kill Luke Skywalker once and for all.
"Abrid stopped by for Lord Vader's return! Or for what is left of him." He ordered Palpatine into his medical facility on Coruscant.
"What does my Lord wish?" The medical droid asked.
"Restore him completely." Palpatine ordered. "I have shown my ambitious apprentice the power of Exegol, now he knows his place."
While Vader was being rebuilt, he remembered the last moments he spent on Byss. Discovering his teacher's plans...
Exegol's biggest secret... a fleet of a thousand star destroyers, each carrying a cannon that can destroy a planet... and there are hundreds of them! Anakin thought, having blue eyes again under his mask.
When Anakin began to open his eyes, he saw a very familiar face. "Engel… is that you?" He whispered with a soft smile.
However, it wasn't Engel... before Anakin woke up, Palpatine lowered the hood that covered his face.
"Wow Lord Vader... you are in pieces, but you completed my tests that is what matters, fear not my friend." Palpatine said with a smile.
Anakin's smile gently faded, but... what did Sidious do? Why did he decide to repair his deformed face overnight?
"What does this mean, Master? "Why is your face…?" Anakin asked confused. They are identical… he thought with concern and amazement.
Palpatine could sense Vader's thoughts... indeed. Well, there is no way for them to distinguish us, my apprentice. We are twins and the worst thing is that I already know everything. Palpatine thought with a wicked smile, "It's not something you need to know about, my friend."
"Are you trying to hide something from me?" Vader asked waiting for the answer.
"How fortunate I am to have an apprentice, who sees fit to question me."
As he said this, Palpatine let out a smile, bringing out all of his power before Anakin.
"Before I broke up old friend, but this… this is different, isn't it? Unlimited power, beyond anything you have ever experienced. "Everything in my hands."
Sidious's dark force was so powerful... he finally surrendered his entire identity to the dark side. Palpatine had never felt so powerful, he groaned sliding into the force deeper...losing the visual sight of him and gaining the eyes of darkness itself.
"Unlimited power, beyond anything you have ever experienced. "Everything in my hands."
Anakin resisted the urge to wallow in pain at the immense dark power that Sidious released from his body...
"You feel your body and mind burning… ready to incinerate in an instant. You already know that you can't fight my power. How can you claim it?
Anakin's blue eyes were beginning to bleed and turned yellow again. "Pain, fear, anger and power," Vader responded.
"It's the path you've chosen over and over again, but somehow you have to choose it over and over again. If you come with me, you will never escape this terrible pain. But only then, will you be able to share my power… Lord Vader, have you chosen?"
"Yes… my master," Vader said, bowing his face.
Sidious, the only person he has left now. He found him, he saved him. He remembers a lot of that... Crawling at the feet of his master, kneeling before his every whim, as he has done all his life and always will.
In the end, that's all there is. In the end, it's all he has the right to do, after what Sidious has given him. He gave her everything. He accepted it and he will always accept it. He owes him the same loyalty. The same dedication to the Empire.
Someone saw value in you, someone cared... and saved you, thanks to him you rose from the ashes to become what you are now. These were Vader's thoughts at the moment.
"Who did you swear allegiance to? Who's your master?". Palpatine questioned with a possessive smile.
"You… you are," Vader responded.
"Never forget my apprentice, you will always be mine… you belong to me." Palpatine said with a sinister smile. Mine, and nobody else's…
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Palpatine covered his face again with the black hood of his robe and left Vader in the bacta tank, after leaving the room he saw Sly Moore bowing before him.
"Sly Moore… Lord Vader has been restored… Aren't you pleased?" Palpatine asked, masking his displeasure.
"I accept your verdict. "You sent me to destroy Lord Vader… I failed."
"Of course you failed… Ha Ha Ha Ha!" Palpatine said, letting out a sinister laugh.
But at that moment Palpatine felt something... Is that Engel trying to speak through the force to Lord Vader? At that moment his dark joy transformed into cold, sharp anger… Who do you think you are? You are nothing! Very good Engel... it seems that you need someone to put you in your place. Palpatine thought contemptuously and angrily, re-entering Vader's room.
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Engel was in lightsaber practice with Luke.
"You have improved a lot Engel… your lightsaber combat is incredible." Luke said as he continued with lightsaber practice.
Engel only gave him a friendly smile... but at that moment he clutched his head in pain as he throbbed under a sudden, indescribable darkness.
Luke felt it too and struggled not to fall to the ground, but Engel was screaming in pain and fear… it was the power of the dark side.
Luke approached Engel worried, his friend was on the ground moaning in pain. "Engel please… resist."
"Anakin's hurt, I'm sorry." Engel said with concern and Luke helped him up.
"Luke, what's going on? I felt it too, it was something dark… it was surely the Emperor." Leia said worriedly and saw Engel that she was in deep meditation. Engel was using the force to try to communicate with Anakin.
Anakin, please answer... what's wrong, I know you can hear me, I'm worried about you... Engel said, waiting for an answer.
Engel, it's you... Anakin's voice responded.
Yes my boy, it's me... I'm very distressed for you. You have no idea how much I've missed you. Engel said, releasing tears of emotion and joy.
I miss you too Engel… I need you. To you and my son, I want my family with me again. Anakin said with a smile.
But at that moment Palpatine stormed into Anakin's room at the medical center and abruptly used the dark side with the bond he shared with Engel to speak to him through the force.
Listen to me carefully, you damned bastard, you are just a shadow of me and you have no rights, no matter how much it bothers you, I am still the only family Anakin has. And I don't want you near him, you're understanding me, you miserable imposter! Palpatine said furiously.
Engel did not respond, he was stupefied and horrified, his tears were no longer of joy but of sadness and offense.
Don't stay silent, answer! Was it clear to you? If I ever find you with my apprentice again, he swore that you will regret it for the rest of your life. Palpatine warned angrily.
"That wasn't necessary," Anakin said, rebuking his teacher's attitude.
"You're wrong, my apprentice." No matter how much I hate that guy, you're still mine and mine alone. And you will remain tied to me, until I decide, there is no way I am going to give you free passage to be next to him. Palpatine thought with hatred, "I'm glad I put that idiot in his place."
"Don't refer to Engel that way, because you may regret it," Anakin warned.
"Repent? For having yelled the truth about him? I even fell short, if I see him near you again I'm going to make him suffer... he swore to you." You won't want to mess with what belongs to me. Palpatine thought leaving the room where Anakin was.
"Engel, what happened? "What happened to my father?" Leia asked next to him.
Engel felt helpless and offended by the Emperor's petty attitude when speaking to him that way. "Anakin is with the Emperor…"
"What are you saying?" Leia asked worriedly.
"He interrupted me, he said horrible things to me," Engel said with annoyance.
"What did Engel tell you?" Leia asked.
"He insulted me, he threatened me. What's wrong with him!? That man has no rights... Anakin made it very clear, he doesn't love him anymore. He doesn't need him, he needs me! me!". Engel said wiping his tears and helplessly ran towards the hangar to leave for Coruscant.
"Engel, where do you think you're going?" Luke asked stopping Engel on the way.
"I have to be by Anakin's side, I have a place in Anakin's heart, it is the only thing that moves me and the only thing that matters to me." Engel said with determination.
"You're not going anywhere, you heard. The Emperor is next to him… I am not going to allow him to disrespect you or hurt you." Luke said stopping Engel.
"I don't care if he hurts me or not, your father no longer wants to be by the Emperor's side, he wants me by his side, he needs me. I have every right to be next to him, he is like my son." Engel said, releasing tears.
"But what are you talking about Engel!? You have no place in the path my father chose, that is not your place. As much as it pains us, he chose the Emperor, he is the one who has the rights, because he is his master." Leia said upset and outraged by the situation.
"Luke, Leia please leave me alone, if you want to come with me but if not, please get out of my way. My place is with my son… Anakin, I am going to defend the people I love." Engel said but at that moment he was grabbed by Chewie from his arms.
"You don't understand that you're not going! Chewie please take him to his room." Luke said agreeing with Leia.
"Engel is the best, we're going to be at the door of your room until you calm down," Leia said worriedly.
Engel is taken to his room and locked inside. "Let me out!" Engel asked but only received a response from Leia.
"We're going to be here, until you calm down…" Leia said, comforting Engel behind the door.
Engel decided to lie down on his bed, he couldn't hold back his tears anymore and just sobbed softly into the softness of the sheets.
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As Emperor Palpatine headed to his private chambers, he began to feel unwell, he felt like he was short of breath.
"His majesty, are you okay?" Mas Amedda asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, I just need space… I'm better now, I guess my brother calmed down too."
"Why do you say that?"
"Every time I feel something inexplicable it is because something is happening to him, anguish even physical pain. I'm bummed to share this with Engel." Palpatine said with contempt.
"That means that Engel is experiencing exactly the same thing as you with his anguish," Mas Amedda asked."I don't have any anxiety, I'm normal!" Palpatine said sharply angrily.
Anakin was in the bacta tank but hears and feels a presence next to him.
"Yoda teacher…". Anakin said in amazement.
"You have lost everyone young Skywalker, you lost Senator Amidala, your master Obi-wan... but you must not lose Engel." Master Yoda said disappearing from the room.
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Engel fell asleep after crying so much, Leia opened the door and saw him lying on his bed.
"My father's happiness is not at Emperor Palpatine's side... but at your side Engel." Leia said softly.
Why did you let your master insult me like that? Why did you allow it? Engel asked Anakin through the force.
I was also surprised, and I also argued with him about it. Anakin replied. I can't talk for long, I imagine how you must be feeling, I would have given my life to prevent you from this suffering. I miss you Engel and my son. You are like a father to me, I ask you to be patient, very soon we will be together again as a family. But don't look for me...
Anakin cut the communication and Engel just let out a soft smile, shedding one last tear on his pillow.
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The next morning, Engel with a smile and a cheerful attitude told Luke how Anakin communicated with him last night through the force.
"He loves me Luke, he loves me. He promised me that he would fight for us, for his family." Engel said with a smile.
"I'm glad to hear that Engel," Luke said with a friendly smile.
"The only thing he asked me is to be patient and not confront the Emperor." Engel said erasing his smile.
"And if the Emperor does not want to release my father from his side, I fear what he could do to him and I not be there with him."
"No Luke, that's not going to happen, Anakin promised me that he would return to us and that no one is going to stop him, not even his master." Engel said with a smiling expression.
"Because of the Emperor, my father, my sister and I have lost many years…" Luke said sadly.
"Don't worry, I understand how you feel, very soon you two will receive a hug from a father to his children. Anakin will come back to us, to the people he really loves." Engel said comforting his friend.