Chapter 1
Darth Vader gritted his teeth behind his mask as he marched through the starship's corridors. While the Dark Lord would never admit it, this task with haunting down these insurgents who believed they could overthrow the Emperor grated on his nerves.
He looked at the Clone Commander in the 501st. Ridding the Clones after the Emperor no longer had a use for them was something that the Dark Lord disagreed with. The loyal Clones who were indoctrinated to follow orders and did their jobs well were preferable to the human recruits.
"Commander Cody," the Sith acknowledged.
The Clone formerly loyal to Kenobi saluted, now behind the X-skull Stormtrooper mask belonging to the Imperial Navy, the military of the Empire. "Sir."
Although tempting, the Sith decided not to kill the man for his past connection to Kenobi long ago. The Clone was competent, doing his job well. Additionally, the Emperor shown some public leniency with the Clones which increased his popularity and loyalty by demanding for the Kaminoans to produce a means to heal the accelerated aging.
Despite this, the Clones respected the Dark Lord who they'd worked alongside with. Their mental conditioning was something Vader had to work out of them long ago; afterwards he'd been pleased to understand that the Clones were more loyal to himself than the Emperor. The same couldn't be said for the military as a whole; but similar to the Stormtroopers, they did their utmost to sustain the well-being of the Empire, but it was the fact that the Dark Lord led them battle by battle and, unlike the foolish Jedi of old, didn't sacrificed his troopers to save a few extra lives.
"Speak."
"My men were able to locate the Princess of Alderaan," the Commander reported. "The vessel is cleared."
"Bring her to me."
The Commander nodded and gave the orders to his troopers. Imperial officer, Daine Jir, stood alongside him as they waited for them to bring the captive to him.
At last, he would finally be able to produce answers out of the captive and the Emperor could make it public knowledge about the leaders on Alderaan being loyal to this Rebellion.
Leia Organa.
The Princess walked up to him, her lips quirked in defiance, her stance full of confidence as she stood in front of one of the most dangerous individual in the galaxy. She didn't care that this individual could be the cause of her death, nor the brutal reputation that Vader was known for.
The Dark Lord planted his hands on his hips, prepared to interrogate her. The pomper little princess would spit out the results under his interrogation tactics. If necessary, the Organas would have to deal with the public execution of their daughter.
Something changed at that moment.
Vader felt a... disturbance through the Force. It was encouraging him to look closer. Her eyes held a boldness that reminded him of someone long dead. Vader felt himself going stiff behind the armor, not that anyone would notice sans for possibly a strong Force sensitive in proximity. Still, he couldn't help but felt an odd thought coming over him.
And if that wasn't it, she almost resembled...
Vader had seen the Princess for many times throughout the years, yet her family was supposedly on the same side as the Empire, at least until their treachery became known when they'd built this pathetic Rebellion under the family symbol of his failed apprentice, Galen Marek.
The Force pulsated around him, and Vader reached out to the girl, frowning when he felt something deeper. It was hidden, have been neutered. The girl mustn't have known she was Force sensitive, yet while her connection to the Force was almost unrecognizable, the Dark Lord still felt a slimmer of potential that could be brought out.
And those eyes.
Padmé had Handmaidens in the past, all of them that resembled her incredibly. The probability of them having children was a high possibility, yet this didn't felt right. There was a connection between them, like something dark within him should protect this girl.
It was a connection to a man as well. A powerful Jedi Knight before the Dark Lord murdered him along with the rest of the pathetic Jedi long ago.
"Darth Vader," the Princess spoke bravely, unknowing of his dilemma, "only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this. When they've hear you attacked a diplomatic..."
Still, it was unwise to have his subordinates grow wary of his sudden silence.
He interrupted her. "Don't act so surprised your Highness," he retorted sarcastically. "You weren't on any mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan!" Organa shouted, eyes burning with intensity and anger.
"You're part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor! Take her away!"
The Stormtroopers led her away, and the feeling receded but didn't fade. What was this? He'd finally eliminated the past when he killed Skywalker's Padawan on Malachor V. There was nothing left that connected him to Skywalker, but that girl had some sort of connection to him, something that he just couldn't explain.
The Dark Lord was walking while debating about this, trying to put the pieces together in his mind. He knew out of his own experience not to underestimate the Force.
Vader stormed away, not wishing to choke the insolent little brat due to her fraying his impatience.
"Holding her is dangerous," Jir cautioned, "if word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the Senate."
"I have traced the Rebel spies to her," Vader replied sharply. "Now she is my only link to finding their secret base."
"She'll die before she tells you anything," the officer replied, and Vader felt conflicting emotions traveling through him.
"Leave that to me," the Sith declared. "Send a distress signal and then inform the Senate that all aboard were killed."
Another officer approached. Commander Nahdonnis Praji in his proud black uniform of the Imperial Army.
"Lord Vader, the battle station plans are not aboard this ship and no transmissions were made. An escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting, but no lifeforms were aboard."
Vader turned to face Dip. He turned to his second in command. "She must have hidden the plans in the escape pod," he reasoned, turning back around to face Prajil. "Send a detachment down to retrieve them. See to it personally, Commander. There'll be no one to stop us this time."
"Yes, sir!"
The Dark Lord moved as if everything was normal. Still, he couldn't shake the thought from his mind. Her resistance was commendable, her ferocity reminding him of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala both. The Dark Lord felt his mind attempting to connect the pieces together. 'Padmé died, pregnant with our child...'
A memory of another man's past plagued him.
'I couldn't wait, Padmé. I had to see you.' He took her in his arms. 'Tonight is forever from now—how am I supposed to live that long without you?'
Her hand went from her chest to his. 'But we're in full view of a million people, and you're a very famous man. Let's go inside.'
He drew her back from the edge of the veranda, but made no move to enter the apartment. 'How are you feeling?'
Her smile was radiant as Tatooine's primary as she took his flesh hand and pressed it to the soft fullness of her belly. 'He keeps kicking.'
'He?' Anakin asked mildly. 'I thought you'd ordered your medical droid not to spoil the surprise.'
'Oh, I didn't get this from the Emdee. It's my...' Her smile went softly sly. '...motherly intuition.'
He felt a sudden pulse against his palm and laughed. 'Motherly intuition, huh? With a kick that hard? Definitely a girl.'
The memory faded, leaving the Dark Lord to ponder over the vergence. Was it the same child? Was his daughter still alive? Did Padmé live long enough to give birth to the child? Could his wife fought on for her child to be born after Mustafar?
These thoughts followed the Dark Lord as he attended the meeting on the technological terror known as the Death Star. Vader only half paid attention and ceased thinking when that irritating worm, Motti, dared question the power of the Force, receiving a Force choke for his efforts. What angered him further was Tarkin demanding he'd released the worm as if Vader was his pet.
Visiting the Princess in her cell after being given orders by the Moff to extract information, Vader felt the same sensation from earlier. If she was indeed his and Padmé's daughter, she mustn't be tortured. He would have to give her the tools needed to rival the Emperor, and they would break the Rule of Two once and for all, ruling as equals.
But firstly, he must receive an actual confirmation of his suspicions. Without such, Vader mustn't jumped to fanciful conclusions such as a man of the past would have. If they were incorrect, he would break through her mind and find the information he'd required.
"I'll interrogate her myself," Vader said icily, earning an arched eyebrow by the worm behind him.
"But sir, Governor Tarkin will-"
"Governor Tarkin's jurisdiction doesn't dictate my own," the Dark Lord snapped sharply, centering the Force around the fool's neck, daring him to protest further. The man swallowed, his lips pursing up at the unseen warning. Sweat coursed from his face, and his eyes bulged in fear.
"Yes, sir," the man turned on his heel and walked away, interrogation droid and guards following suit.
The Dark Lord walked inside her cell and stared down at her. In what was a surprising manner, he gripped her chin and observed her. Organa's eyes increased with anger.
"You think that you torturing me without your lackeys will produce baseless information, my Lord?" Organa spat, glaring at him. "You are as short-sighted as Tarkin if that is the case."
Vader didn't allowed her words to offend him. He stepped back, allowing his respirator to cycle. The girl would comply, or she would be destroyed...
He began asking questions, "Is Bail Organa your biological father?"
Leia's cheek throbbed. Indeed, protective over the man who raised her... "Why should I tell you?"
"Because I will kill your family if you don't," the Dark Lord replied simply. Something that may happen regardless depending on the circumstances. "I require information. Either comply or your family suffers."
Organa snarled and she lost composure, "You wouldn't dare! My father is an important member-"
"You forget that your father has been seen, aiding one Galen Marek, a known fugitive of the Empire. Now, if you wish to avert such an outcome, answer," the Dark Lord said in a warning tone, his right hand resting on his belt, right near his lightsaber.
Organa's jaw clenched, "No. I was adopted as a war child. That's all I know."
Truth.
"Who is your mother?"
Her expression didn't change as she replied tightly, "The woman who raised me, Breha Organa."
"You insolent girl," Vader snarled, "continue grating on my patience and that threat will be fulfilled."
Disgust flared around the girl as her eyes narrowed with distaste. "You are sick. You and the whole Empire," she replied.
"I do not require your respect, only your obedience..." for now, he added mentally. "Be cautious when you answer my questions. If you do attempt to deceive me, it'll not end well for your parents."
Killing them would certainly push her into the Dark Side. She would hate him at first, but he could use that as a way to twist it against the Emperor, and if that wasn't enough, the Jedi as well. The pawn would finally become the puppeteer.
The girl gritted her teeth. "I don't know who my mother is. Honest. All I ever knew was Breha Organa. I never met her. All I know is she died during childbirth." It was a half-truth. She had something else, but kept it aside.
Sensing it was unimportant, Vader pressed. "When were you born?"
She answered, and the Dark Lord felt his entire body go cold as he plotted both of the Organas demises. The date lined up with the time when Padmé was pregnant. She was clearly in her final days, and Vader had been informed that he'd killed her in his anger. Perhaps she have lived long enough.
If Vader's suspicions were correct, Organa was harboring private information. The Jedi no doubt was behind the conspirators, planning to use his child against him. The Jedi would pay for this, Vader promised that much internally, there was no other outcome than to find wherever Kenobi and Yoda was and end what he should have ended years ago.
The question was why didn't the Jedi raise Leia if that was the case? Prepping her up against Vader and the Emperor in public's eyes were a smart move on their part, yet that came with the risk of the girl being discovered, and even those two fools weren't that short-sighted.
Disregarding these thoughts for later, the Dark Lord gripped her arm, pulled a small needle on his belt, and jabbed her arm without asking for her approval. The girl obviously wanted to say something about his lack of consideration, yet the Dark Lord was out of the cell before she could have hurtled what would have most likely been an insult, focusing on the far more pressing matters.
Moving to the nearest Imperial database, he tapped into it. He typed in his identification code, pulling up the DNA test. The only ones who could access such information about him were himself and the Emperor. The latter lost interest in doing so long ago, yet Vader would guarantee that the Emperor doesn't find out about her if the girl was Skywalker's daughter.
There was only one outcome, and that would not be with the Emperor's inconceivable plan of turning another Skywalker.
He checked her blood with Padmé's first. When the answers came, something surged through him. Leia was Padmé's daughter! Doing the same for Anakin Skywalker, the answer was also positive.
The Force rang with joy around him as something cut through Darth Vader.
That meant there was only one option; turn Leia to the Dark Side and they would overthrow the Emperor, ruling the galaxy forever.
Walking back into her cell, the Dark Lord looked her in the eyes. He knew now for certain that the girl he'd just threatened was his daughter. The girl who Tarkin would have tortured if not for the Force swelling around him in warning. Presumably, it still followed Vader even after all of these years. Regardless, the Jedi's plans were foiled.
"Leia, you do not yet realize your importance. You have so much potential buried within you. Join me, and I'll show you your power. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."
"I'll never become a monster like you, Vader!" Leia shouted defiantly.
"If you only knew the power of the Dark Side. Organa never told you what happened to your biological father."
"More likely than not! You killed him in the Clone Wars or during the rise of the Empire!" she accused.
Stubborn child...
"No, I am your father."
Arthur's note: I always wanted to do a story with this plotline. Yet, I wanted to do it in a unique way. I finally found a way to do this.
It's mainly EU based except for a few things as obvious about Commander Cody's presence and the Clones still being here. Things like the Force Unleashed 2 aren't canon to this, nor events of Bad Batch such as Cody leaving the Empire. Also, there's no chips in my stories. The Clones followed Order 66 out of their own will in all of them.
May the Force be with you all always.