Chapter One
Vader's Ascension; Destiny Fulfilled
Writer's Note:
The Battle of Endor as seen in 1983's Return of the Jedi was a pivotal event in galactic history, it not only saw the defeat of the Empire and Rebel victory, but the demise of Emperor Palpatine and the redemption of Darth Vader.
However, while Vader destroyed his Sith Master to save Luke, what if events happened differently and the former Jedi eliminated his master right before the Battle of Endor and took command of the Empire? How would it affect the Galactic Civil War?
In an alternate universe, we are about to see something play out so unimaginable, it will nearly change everything forever. May the Force be with us...
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
STAR WARS
VADER: DARK ORDER
It is an important time of darkness as the Empire reigns over the galaxy and the Rebel Alliance struggles to overthrow its rule and restore freedom. For years, since the fall of the Galactic Republic, Darth Vader has served his master and his devotion to the Dark Side is strong as ever.
While the Jedi Order has been destroyed, its surviving remnants persist and have been aiding the Rebels for quite some time, among them is none other than Vader's son Luke Skywalker, who has been training in the ways of the Force since his time with the late Obi Wan Kenobi.
As the Rebels regroup and prepare themselves for their most important offensive that may deliver a crippling and decisive blow to the Imperial regime, Vader decides that the time has come to fulfill his destiny...
Emperor Palpatine sat upon his throne within his chamber on the Death Star, looking out the window at the vastness of space and seeing the forest moon of Endor below. Soon, everything would be proceeding as he had planned. It would be a day long remembered.
But little did the Emperor know that fate would have different plans for him, even as something in the Force tried to warn him that his apprentice was about to betray him. 'Never.' Palpatine thought, he was invincible and Vader was loyal to him.
Not one single Stormtrooper and officer, Moff or guard even dared to think of betraying and overthrowing their leader, traitors paid the price if they attempted to do so. Yet, many of the Rebels were defected Imperials, those traitors would soon pay for their treachery.
The Second Death Star was nearing completion and the shield generator on the sanctuary moon was functioning perfectly. Nothing would ruin Palpatine's plan, even if someone figured out how to ruin it. At this point, after so long, he saw himself as the greatest mastermind in the galaxy.
If only Darth Bane or the late Darth Plaguies could see the Galactic Emperor now, Palpatine almost regretted that he destroyed his own master. Then again, if Plaguies had lived longer, that would've caused many complications as the first rule of the Sith dictated there could only be two.
Palpatine would have never trained Maul or tried to lure Anakin to the dark side. Even Dooku had been an important asset in the creation of the clone army and masterminding the Clone Wars. In the end, destroying Plaguies had been necessary in order for the Sith's grand plan to advance.
He heard the elevator doors opening and sensed the presence of his apprentice as Darth Vader stepped into the throne room. Palpatine turned his throne around to face his servant while failing to detect a disturbance in the Force as ominous energy clouded the Emperor's senses.
"You summoned me, my master?" Vader asked.
"Lord Vader," Palpatine said, "The time is drawing nearer. I can sense some... confidence in you. Are you prepared for what is to come? Are you prepared for when Skywalker comes to us and when the Alliance launches its feeble attack?"
"Yes, master. It won't be long now for we will soon fulfill our destiny."
"I sense fate is in our favor, may it be a day long remembered."
Vader decided that it was time to act and looked at the man he'd served for years. "Yes, it will." He said. Those were the last words that Palpatine heard from his apprentice as the armored Sith reached out with the Force and began choking the frail and yellow eyed Emperor.
Without hesitation, Vader ignited his lightsaber and pulled his helpless master towards him. He drove the red blade through Palpatine's heart and impaled him instantly. "Ahhhhhh!" The Emperor cried out, taken by surprise by the betrayal of his own apprentice.
Not taking any chances and making sure the job was done, Vader deactivated his lightsaber and lifted up Palpatine with the Force before throwing him across the room and over the railing that overlooked the reactor shaft of the Death Star.
Darth Sidious cried his last as he fell, his life essence draining away from him. Up above, Vader watched and stepped back when a massive explosion of Force energy went off, a gust of wind blew through the room with a roar until all was silent.
A cold smile formed under Vader's mask as he took his former master's throne. At long last, his destiny was fulfilled. But there were a few more details left before all was said and done for now, two Royal Guards surged towards the new Sith Emperor with their spears prepared.
'Fools!' Vader thought, he channeled the Dark Side and levitated the guards up into the air as he choked the life out of them. The red-robed elite stormtrooper cadets struggled and gasped while their pikes clattered to the ground, Vader clenched his fists and...
SNAP! The two guards slumped over; their necks broken. The Sith Lord released them and what remained of Palpatine's guards dropped to the floor, dead and unmoving. Vader moved his hand in a sweeping motion and an unseen force swept the corpses aside.
'One more detail to take care of.' The new Galactic Emperor tapped a button on the throne's armchair and activated the intercom, allowing him to contact with an important individual. "Lieutenant Renz..." Vader said firmly, "Destroy the shield generator as soon as possible."
"What?!" Renz replied with shock on the other end, "Lord Vader, what madness is this? Where's the Emperor? Everything must go according to plan, who gave you the authority to demand that we leave ourselves vulnerable to..."
"Emperor Palpatine is dead and is no longer in command, he was killed by two of his own guards. I have taken care of the traitors, from this point forward, you are taking orders from me. If you do not do as you are told, there will be dire consequences."
"Y-Yes, my lord. Long live the Empire."
The channel went blank and Vader contacted with Fleet Admiral Piett, "Admiral Piett, I have orders for you: Move the fleet away from the other side of the forest moon, position yourselves around the battle station in preparation for the Rebels' attack and disable your shields."
"Lord Vader?" Piett's voice stammered, "What's going on?"
"You have your orders; the game has changed and I am in charge of the Empire now."
"Very well, my lord. Your order will be carried out."
The com went blank again and Vader cusped his hands together, flexing his palms and fingers as an even colder smile engulfed his masked face. The first minutes of taking command had been easy for him, just a bit longer and the coming battle would be worth the wait.
Vader's plan was simple; He would allow the Rebels to destroy the station and deal the Empire a crippling defeat. Once word spread throughout the galaxy that Emperor Palpatine had gone down during the battle over Endor, the spectacle would be a sight to behold.
After all these years, Darth Vader had gotten to where he needed to be. The Sith Lord had learned all that he had been able to learn and had waited for the time to strike, Vader had struck when Palpatine's guard was down and now he was the Emperor.
It wasn't long now; Vader received the report from Lt. Renz that the shield generator had been destroyed and further orders were being awaited. Willing to give the Rebel forces a false sense of confidence, Vader gave the command for half the Imperial legion on Endor to pull out.
Right after he gave the order, an Imperial notified Vader that the Rebel fleet arrived and he looked outside to see fighters and ships drop out of hyperspace. He rose from his throne, eagerly anticipating the battle. Within seconds, X-Wings and Tie Fighters were engaged in battle.
Enemy cruisers moved in as Imperial Star Destroyers opened fire, an A-wing blasted the bridge of the Executor and the structure went up in flames, what was left of Vader's own Destroyer lost flight and crashed into the Death Star. An explosion rocked the station, triggering alarms.
Deciding that it was time to leave as he sensed that the reactor would soon be targeted, Vader strode out of the throne room and took the elevator. He made his way to the hanger as troops, officers and pilots were scrambling, the Dark Lord had to leave before the station exploded.
Two stormtroopers guarding Vader's shuttle saluted as he approached, the newly-appointed Emperor gave the order for the pilot to start up the engines and take flight immediately. Vader grasped his lightsaber, making sure it was at his side as he took his seat.
"Head to Coruscant and inform the guard that Emperor Palpatine perished in the battle." The Sith instructed firmly, "That is an order, do not fail it or you will not walk away." His shuttle cleared the hanger no sooner than it had taken off, its engines thrumming with power.
Explosions shook the Death Star and rattled the shuttle as it was leaving, the Rebels had hit the reactor and the attack was setting off a chain reaction that would soon obliterate the station, Vader ordered the pilots to jump to lightspeed once they were at a reasonable distance.
More explosions went off and laser fire screamed wildly. A B-wing flew in to intercept the shuttle, but a lone TIE took care of the matter. "Jumping to hyperspace..." The pilot anxiously announced, "...in three, two, one! PUNCH IT NOW!"
He threw the lever and the hyperdrive activated, the engines powered up and the shuttle jumped to lightspeed, leaving the area behind. Shortly after, the Death Star exploded in a massive fireball that engulfed the Imperial Star Destroyers near it along with several TIE Fighters and a few unfortunate Rebel ships.
On Endor below, Ewoks and Rebel forces, who were just mopping up Imperials, saw the explosion and cheered wildly. Everyone was feeling exuberant over today's victory, all except Luke Skywalker. "Hey, kid?" Han asked, "What's the matter? We beat 'em, you should be happy."
"Vader." Luke replied, "Vader's fled and is out there, I sense a disturbance in the Force."
"Don't worry about him for now." His sister Leia said in a calm manner as she hugged him.
'Maybe you're right.' Luke replied and hugged Leia back with Han joined in. Little did they know that, while the Empire had lost again, challenging times were looming. Whatever happened next, a new dark order was looming and the endgame of the war was a long way off...
