Chapter 3
Anakin was awakened from his restless slumber in his quarters with the sound of rocking. Rocking so familiar to him now. It had been the same feeling when he'd been prepared to charge off to battle. For over three years now, Anakin wondered when would be the last time he would have seen Rex, seen the rest of the men in the 501st, before one of them collapsed on the battlefield. He'd liked to think that the men he'd bonded with the most would make it out of the war when it finally came to an end, but he knew deep down that was just fanciful thinking.
He was briefed about the situation by context clues from panicked beings. They were under attack by a Star Destroyer of some sort. Although the Corvette was the quicker of the two ships, it was obviously rivaled by the Star Destroyer in terms of firepower with each blast of the Star Destroyer's massive guns affecting the smaller ship hard as it desperately tried to get away.
Anakin ran down the corridors where he'd sensed the Princess. It didn't take much for him to determine that Organa was Force sensitive. He could see the Force shrouded over her. It was barely there, one almost couldn't see it. He wasn't blind, however, so he followed the allure of her presence, tracking her down remotely.
The bridge of the Corvette was a description of havoc, the crew had been forced to deactivate the main reactor when it was hit by a particularly hard blast from the enemy Star Destroyer. They were about to get into a battle, Anakin knew that much. And while he didn't know the difference between these people and the Empire, the mere fact that Palpatine betrayed him coerced him on their side. He couldn't make excuses because he sensed her sincerity. They would complete their mission if Anakin Skywalker had anything to say about it.
"What's going on?" Anakin asked as he rushed in behind the woman in her pretty white robes.
The Captain looked at him, still exasperated with obviously an earlier exchange, "The ship is only moments away from being boarded, sir, we need to secure both the Princess's safety and that of these plans."
"Captain, I can't just leave you and the crew to die," Leia argued. Oh, to have such a grip on morality. The morality Anakin had been forced to abandon as the Clone Wars continued and had given harsh commands like getting his men killed to achieve the objective.
"Your Highness, this is our duty. These plans need to stay out of the Empire's grasp."
"What are these plans? Why do you need them?" he questioned. "Why is the Empire attacking?"
Leia looked at the Captain for a moment before staring back at the Jedi General and summarized. "There is a tiny vulnerability, a way to get ordnance down into the core to trigger an explosion to the super weapon of the Empire known as the Death Star." A tremor shot down his body. He'd felt uneasy at the mere name alone. "To find that vulnerability, the Rebels needed the plans. Without the plans, they would have had no way to exploit the weakness. Without the weakness, they'd have had no idea what target to look for in the plans."
"Then there's that point," Anakin nodded, not understanding everything but getting the basics. "They need to confirm that they were either reclaimed or destroyed; they could have blasted your ship, but that might not have achieved this for certain. Plus, I'm assuming that they want to capture you, and other leaders, for interrogation about the location of your base."
"Exactly what I have been saying, sir, the Princess needs to leave before we will get boarded." Antilles fought on, glaring at the shorter woman.
The woman returned it with a firm glare of her own, "Mind your tongue, Captain, I have a backup plan that can fit both of our interests."
Anakin was reminded of his darling wife. Let it never be said that his wife was some helpless damsel in distress who took any threat without returning with some sort of counter on her own.
Antilles wasn't a pushover, however. Not like Typho and Panaka, he thought, would have been humorous if not for the thought of his now-dead wife. "You'll get yourself killed, Your Highness. You're too valuable to do that."
"A Princess goes down with her people," Leia snapped back.
Anakin felt a stirring in the Force. Unease settled in his gut and traveled up his entire body. Within the vast expanse of the Force, the being's presence was a maelstrom of darkness and turmoil. This... connection to the Force was defined by seething emotions and cold, unyielding power.
A Sith Lord, Anakin realized quickly.
Anakin dug deep...
Pain was a constant companion, a searing reminder of his physical wounds of some sort and emotional scars that went deep. This pain fueled his connection to the Dark Side, deepening his anger and hatred. These emotions were palpable, radiating from him like an oppressive aura. They gave him strength but also chained him to a perpetual cycle of suffering and rage.
This entity's sense of power and control was intoxicating. This darkness felt the Force as an extension of his will, a tool to impose their vision of order and domination. This mastery came with a cold, calculating detachment, allowing this being to harness the dark side's full potential without hesitation.
This presence was unmistakable. It was a dark star, a vortex of malevolence and might, casting a shadow that chilled even the bravest of Jedi.
Yet, it almost felt natural to Anakin. The darkness didn't terrify him. It was as if he was connected to it. Oh, it was... terrible indeed. Screams echoed in the back of his mind, cutting through his brain one by one. He'd heard massive amounts of breathing, the sounds of a lightsaber, and...
The galaxy spun around him for long singular moments, before he came back to the world, his blue eyes staring deeply in the dark vortex of space.
"I won't allow the Princess to be harmed," he said, snapping out of the fog, before he would have fallen victim to it. "I would protect her with my life."
"And who are you exactly?" Antilles inquired, his jaw clenched.
A lengthy silence passed. Right, no one knew about him.
"This is Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker," Leia said.
The man's eyes widened. "General Skywalker! B-but that doesn't make sense! He died at the e-"
Anakin nodded. "I know it's a little hard to believe, but I'm here to help."
The Captain was conflicted, looking at him skeptically. Anakin couldn't bring it within himself to blame him. He pressed the data disk containing the all-important plans into her hand before they continued on.
The ship trembled.
"Kriff!" Leia cursed under her breath, taking the plans. "They already got us locked in!"
"Everyone, take up positions!" The Captain barked, the soldiers doing just that, aiming their blaster rifles and pistols in the direction of the doors.
She looked at them solemnly. "Thank you..."
All of their faces softened. He was familiar with this. Knew it would be the last time she'd seen them. The few soldiers standing around him were eyeing him the same. He didn't have to be Force sensitive to know most of them believed he was nuts. A fan of Anakin Skywalker who took it above and beyond. They, however, didn't act baselessly on these conclusions. He could feel the call for justice and harmony blooming inside of the young woman, that expanded beyond them all.
"It's our duty, Your Highness," the Captain responded for them all, being met with sharp nods of agreement. "Just finish the mission." He looked at him, his eyebrows shot up. "Princess, are you sure about this?"
The Princess looked at him deeply for a moment before nodding. "I am. He's telling the truth. I can feel it."
Captain Antilles looked unhappy with such a simplistic answer but nodded. "Well, Master Skywalker-if that is who you are, make sure she gets back to the Rebel base. She can't be harmed."
He couldn't deny that a small part of him - the military man in him - wanted to stay behind and lead them on the front lines, but he already knew. They were dead. As more soldiers filed out, taking positions, Leia motioned for Anakin to follow her, which he did without argument. The ship shook some more as the Princess moved quickly. Anakin was beside her. The next second, the shuddering stopped, and blaster bolts shot down the hallways.
Down a secret passage in the lower levels, the Jedi found a sight. Even through his numbness, his heart bounced in joy as the remnants of who he was exclaimed.
"Artoo!" The little astromech beeped in excitement as he came next to him and pounced up and down before delivering a shock with irked exclamations. "Okay, okay, I deserve that!" The droid beeped angrily some more, but his statements caused Anakin to blink. "You last saw me on Mustafar. What are you talki-"
Artoo was clearly about to answer him when the Princess cut in. "Now is not the time," she interjected, "I need to deliver these plans to Ben Kenobi."
"Ben Kenobi?" The Force pulsated at those words. Obi-Wan! That was the co-name he'd used in the Clone Wars and when he was helping the Duchess of Mandalore! There wasn't another "Kenobi." It had to be him. He was still alive! And the Princess was apparently heading for him.
She bent down and uploaded them into the memory banks of the astromech droid.
Leia turned briefly to stare at the golden droid walking down, observing the scene.
"Threepio!" Anakin exclaimed. He should have seen that coming. Of course, he would be here too. Threepio and Artoo both cared about each other, no matter what happened.
The droid came closer. "Ah, greetings, sir, I am C-3PO, Human Cyborg-"
"I know who you are, Threepio," he interrupted.
Artoo beeped.
"He'd been mind-wiped?!" he exclaimed in fury. Righteous indignation burnt inside of him. He would find out whoever wiped Threepio's memory, and when he did, they better have a Force-damn good explanation.
That alerted the nearby... Clones? Their armor was a distinctive white plastoid body armor over a sealed black body glove worn. An upgrade. Huh, looked more like a downgrade to be honest. But it was nineteen years. Clones were dangerous no matter which armor they wore in Anakin's experience, and now he was standing on the opposite side.
"There's two. Set for stun." The lead trooper commanded, the rest of them doing so. "Hands above your heads now. This is your only chance."
"Stormtroopers," Leia snapped, glaring at Anakin whose bemusement was clear across his face. She calmed her rising anxiety and sighed, "They're the heart of the Imperial Navy. Palpatine's military."
With a snap-hiss, the Jedi Knight activated his lightsaber and positioned it at his side, his teeth bared as he glared at the poor troopers. Rage and anger housed deeply into Anakin Skywalker, he no longer denied the siren calls of the Dark Side. Nothing else mattered anymore. His soul broke with Padmé-with his child. The girl only lived because she served a use to him. These enemy troopers, however, did not.
"Is that a lightsaber?" One of the Stormtroopers wondered aloud.
"Can't be," another shook his head. "The last Jedi were wiped out when Marek fell."
Marek? Who was Marek? Part of Skywalker wondered. Unimportant, he figured. Was just another death.
"Well, clearly not," the first trooper gestured toward Anakin. "Lord Vader would love this..."
"Citizen," called the rightmost trooper, a tremor of fear in his voice. "You are in possession of an illegal weapon. Surrender it, or—"
"Why don't you take it from me?" he challenged.
"What do we do?" A trooper from the background asked.
"Blast him!" Commanded the rightmost.
He easily parried the shots that the troopers fired his way. He felt a surge of dark gratification as the men's eyes widened temporarily in fear behind their buckets as he approached the first one with momentum steps. The Stormtrooper took a few other shots, but he nonchalantly absorbed it.
He gripped his form and brought him to him with a dark sense of satisfaction, making all of them halt in surprise. "Who is Darth Vader? Tell me now." He didn't shout it, speaking monotone, darkly.
The helmet fell off, collapsing onto the ground with a loud thud,
"Who is Darth Vader?" he repeated sharply. "I won't ask you again..."
Eyes widening with fear and trepidation, the Stormtrooper managed, his hands reaching up desperately for breath as the hold around his throat tightened. "I-I don't know. He appeared one day and became the head of the military. That's all I know-honest! Please. Please don't kill-"
"Be grateful for my mercy." Sensing the sincerity in his words, the Jedi no longer had any use of him and snapped his windpipe, feeling the young woman's disapproval behind him.
He didn't halt as the man's body collapsed onto the ground. The other men were stuck in shock and horror, their blasters lethal. The Princess gripped her tiny pistol and fired as well, dropping the first on the left and another. Anakin absorbed all of the blaster bolts, finding it so pathetically easy to cut them down.
They moved down the hallway, darting down the corridors, preventing any fire from coming too near to him. The alarms were blaring, and the halls were lit in a flashing red light, still vibrant blaster bolts in the distance.
"Lead us to the hanger," Anakin instructed her, using the Force to slam the nearest row of Stormtroopers into the wall, cracking some of their helmets.
She chose the long way towards the hanger in hopes that she would meet with minimal resistance. He did not hesitate to strike down any of them. They'd represented the institution that Anakin unknowingly was helping to bring into power and was the enemy. He had no need for sentimentality in this den of traitors.
He didn't wait for a reply as he saw the blast doors to the hanger bay shut. He drove his saber into it, working hard to make a circle in it for them to escape. The process did not go as quickly as he would have liked. The faint sound of footsteps could be heard from behind.
A squad of troopers appeared as he neared the end. Leia fired her tiny blaster, taking down a few troopers.
"Any time now!" She snapped.
Anakin worked to make the process go faster. She crouched and fired, firing more bolts. He needed her! For some strange reason, he needed her!
Due to the unavailability of his lightsaber, he used the Force to pick up a trooper off his feet and brought him forward in front of the girl so that the blaster fire directed at the Princess would hit the trooper, causing him to continue to be riddled with bolts long after the unfortunate bastard was dead.
He gripped his lightsaber and tossed the now dead trooper at his comrades, along with the circular portion he had extracted, knocking them down. The Princess didn't allow surprise to overwhelm her, following behind without much convincing. The few troopers who were lucky enough to survive got back onto their feet and gave chase even further. As Threepio and Artoo darted back, Anakin cut them down with ease.
They moved down to the hanger with Threepio being the one that held them back in terms of speed. The Princess was no pushover, firing at the few troopers positioned down here. It was obvious they overestimated themselves, for the lack of patrols down here was outright pathetic. Nevertheless, the hanger's controls were off. The young woman moved over and began to type the codes, with the Jedi standing in front of her, allowing the big door to the hanger to open. When she was finished, he sliced the controls with his lightsaber, leaving that no longer a possibility for the Empire.
Unfortunately, reinforcements arrived. Stormtroopers were pouring in from all four doors, causing Anakin to bury himself in the Force. Drawing on its power to deflect the fire that was rapidly descending his way. The Jedi Knight drew on his momentum, cutting down Stormtroopers one by one. More and more reinforcements poured in, aiming their blasters at all within.
"We're not going to make it!" The Princess cried, holding out her hand to the ship. Few troopers abandoned their standard weapons and grasped their rockets and miniguns, tracing up the hangar toward them, almost catching the three in the barrage when Anakin extended his arms, allowing the Force to take control of the three and tossing them closer to the ship.
Once the three were at the ramp to the shuttle, Skywalker flipped in front of them, blocking blaster bolts as the Princess recovered and ran in. The hair on the back of his neck stood, detecting with his enhanced hearing the sound of the ship turning on. He deflected every bolt as he could back into the men. It appeared as if he was going to kill them all with their own ceaseless fire-he was the primary target. Rockets were fired, and Anakin was barely able to jump away from them.
However, their impact was enough to send him flying toward the edge of the hangar, and he would have descended off had it not been for his hand gripping the edge, feeling his body becoming cold with the black hole of space. With great effort, he managed to push himself back onto the platform, only to see the troopers coming close. The only way out barring absolute suicide was to jump.
"It's over, Jedi," one of the troopers said as they aimed. "Lord Vader will be pleased with your capture. Surrender, and your life may be spared yet."
"Tell Lord Vader he could go to hell," Skywalker mumbled.
He raised his lightsaber, ready to make a last stand due to the alternative being considerably worse. That was until he heard engines come up from behind. Tilting his head back, he saw the shuttle Leia had commandeered ascending out. The Princess stood on the ramp, firing at the troopers, actually catching a few-which was remarkable considering the distance.
"Come on!" she shouted, beckoning with her hand.
The troopers fired. Anakin deflected all of the bolts back at those who he could. With one final backlash of the Force, he leaped, guiding through the air, but his jump did not yield the distance he had hoped for. He missed the ramp of the shuttle and nearly fell when a hand gripped hold of his arm. Looking up, he found Leia holding on desperately, firing with her other hand.
"Come on, Skywalker, you can't die now," Leia said, bringing Anakin onto the ramp of the shuttle. Blaster bolts still chased them, and Anakin, steadied again, blocked, until he no longer had to, and deactivate his lightsaber.
Both moved to the cockpit as fast as they could, taking no time to strap in as they sent the ship tearing out. They were freed within seconds due to his piloting.
The sounds of piloting filled his ears, coming from the imposing Star Destroyer.
"Looks like you attracted some old friends," Leia quipped. "Hopefully, you won't crash land. That was one thing noted in the archives concerning you."
Anakin couldn't help but huff. If the Clone Wars were written from a biased standpoint, that was definitely due to Obi-Wan. "My landings are fine," he declared grumpily. "Don't believe everything said about the Clone Wars, Your Highness."
Enemy fighters chased after them. Anakin was thankful that this Rebellion had some mobile weapons. While not knowing all of the controls at first, the Jedi Knight was able to adapt quickly, piloting and firing at once, cutting them down with significant ease.
Soon, none remained. Only then did Leia collapse back in her seat. "Point taken," she confessed, finally breathing frantically, the adrenaline rush clearing from her lungs. "We need to make sure that these plans are delivered to Kenobi."
He didn't argue, instead descending the shuttle into Tatooine's orbit.
He needed to have a conversation with Obi-Wan quickly. Maybe the old man could explain what happened here.