Jedi Empire: Interregnum [7-18-08]

[Stuart Mackey]

It might make sense. But I am not reading this for debate or practicality, I am reading this story because it is awesome, and having a very large gun capable of destroying planets will make it more awesome.

Phht, you need a dose of Aristotle and Plato (guaranteed insomnia cure) or Locke etc, big guns, hah!

[Solauren]

Or he feels so damn quilty about the past 20 years, he can't muster alot of anger at this point, especially towards people that are right.

That, and he can probably sense the warm and fuzzies his daughter and Han have for each other, and doesn't want to aggravate the relationship issues he's going to have with his daughter.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Or he feels so damn quilty about the past 20 years, he can't muster alot of anger at this point, especially towards people that are right.

That, and he can probably sense the warm and fuzzies his daughter and Han have for each other, and doesn't want to aggravate the relationship issues he's going to have with his daughter.

Its probably the QUILTY feeling that's giving him all the warm fuzzies.

[Darth Fanboy]

Its probably the QUILTY feeling that's giving him all the warm fuzzies.

Sidious knitted him that quilt the day he completed one of the phases of his Sith training! Vader wanted to use it as a cape but it looked ridiculous with the pair of cuddly Banthas on the back.

[Solauren]

Sorry, the GUILTY feeling.

The Quilty feeling is what he had when he was able to wear regular clothing.

So let's stop spamming an AMAZING Fan-Fic now?

[JME2]

Very nice, Darth Raptor. Very interesting divergence from ROTJ; I eagerly look forward to future installments.

[Darth Raptor]

That, and he can probably sense the warm and fuzzies his daughter and Han have for each other, and doesn't want to aggravate the relationship issues he's going to have with his daughter.

A winner is you. Have some more story.

*****

The Death Star's command bridge. It was sickeningly familiar, a scene right out of her worst nightmares. Indeed, the recurring dream and its central setting had plagued her sleep for the last three years. In a rare fit of lucidity, Leia realized that this was a dream and that her detached, disembodied frame of reference was not the only difference. Tarkin was gone. In his place stood a woman, infinitely regal in her resplendent purple robes and elaborate, bejeweled headdress.

An Imperial her mind told her was Jerjerrod, now a Grand Moff, approached the woman and gave the customary short, deferential bow. “We've entered the Eriadu System,” he announced.

Soon thereafter, a pair of Naval Security troopers escorted a female prisoner onto the bridge. She was pretty; about Leia's age with long, red hair and an unfamiliar military uniform. Her composure was proudly defiant as she was brought before Tarkin's replacement. “Princess Leia,” she blustered. “I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash.” Her grin grew vicious, “I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.”

Leia turned to the woman and matched her smile. “Charming, to the last,” she crooned. Then, grabbing the woman's chin and examining her like a specimen, “You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life.”

“I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself!”

“Corporal Daala, before your execution, I should like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make my coronation effective.” Leia gestured grandly to the gathered technicians, hard at work taming the power to annihilate worlds. “No petty warlord will dare oppose my Empire now.”

“The more you tighten your grip Organa, the more holdouts will rise up against you.”

Leia raised a correcting finger, “Not after I've demonstrated the strength of my resolve. In a way, you've determined the choice of the planet to be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with access to the Maw, I have decided to make my intentions clear to the people of Eriadu.”

As the Death Star rotated on its axis, a planet was centered in the viewscreen. It was an ugly gray ball of barren rock and lifeless machinery. Only the dense space traffic and glittering night side suggested habitation.

Daala's proud front immediately collapsed. “No! Eriadu is neutral, its weapons are too important, you can't possibly-!”

“You prefer another target? A less ironic target? Then give me the coordinates!” Leia closed to an uncomfortable, almost intimate distance. “I grow tired of asking this, so it will be the last time: How do you enter the Maw?”

Daala gazed at the planet in the viewscreen for a moment, tears welling in her eyes and then, like clockwork, she gave in. She offered a set of tri-dimensional coordinates and the appropriate approach vector.

Leia smiled in self-satisfied triumph. “There, you see father? She can be reasonable. Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready.”

“What!?”

“You're far too trusting,” Leia chided. “Eriadu is a bastion of New Order sympathy and a linchpin of the Loyalist insurgence. But don't worry, we will have the Sun Crusher soon enough. And Alderaan will have its revenge.”

“No!” Daala exclaimed, helpless in Vader's unyielding bionic grip.

Moments later, a bright green ray lanced out and struck the planet's shield, which collapsed instantaneously. In the blink of an eye Eriadu and its billions of inhabitants were obliterated.

***

Leia awoke with a gasp in what she realized to her great relief was her cabin aboard the Home One. A glance at the chrono beside her bed told her she had only four minutes before the alarm, so she decided to get up. The sensors detected her feet touch the floor and the room's computer gradually began raising the ambient lighting and temperature. She preempted the alarm before heading to the refresher. As reality forced its way into her mind the surreal, ephemeral dream was forced out and soon forgotten.

Han was, in his paradoxically infuriating and endearing way, waiting for her outside her cabin. He was wearing his general's dress uniform for a change. Something she idly wished he would do more often, as he looked absolutely stunning.

"Well, don't we look respectable?" she mused, slipping her arm inside his as they proceeded down the passageway.

"Yeah, we do. I haven't seen you that dolled up since-"

"Cloud City?"

"I was going to say Jabba's Palace."

She punched him on the shoulder, but leaned in and said quietly, "I still have that outfit, you know." Before he could recover from that and pursue the tangent she jumped tracks, gesturing to her robes, "This was Mon's idea."

"Oh really?"

"She thinks I'll make a better impression if I emphasize my nobility. Knowing them better than she does, I'm inclined to agree."

"Yeah, she made it clear that this is a formal occasion. I just assumed you put her up to it. I hate formal occasions. High society. Respectable company."

"So you go after a princess."

"And you go after a scoundrel," he countered, tapping the switch to call the turbolift.

"I thought you quit being a scoundrel."

"I thought you quit being a princess."

"I thought so too," she answered, her voice suddenly quiet.

The turbolift arrived and its doors parted. The pair stepped aside to let a labor droid out before they went in. As soon as the doors closed Han took her by the shoulders, turning her to face him, "Hey, you going to be alright?" he asked. "You're not getting cold feet, are you?"

"They've always been cold. But no, I talked it over with the Chief of State and we agreed that it couldn't hurt to have a Rebel on The Throne. It's just- I think she trusts me more than I trust myself."

"I hear you," said Han, punching a button on the panel. "You know what they say about absolute power. There's probably a few things I'd do if I could get away with it. With authority like that..."

"It won't be absolute," Leia insisted. "When- if I become Empress, the first thing I'll do is bring back the Senate, bring back the courts and put real limits on the monarch's authority. It may not be a republic, but a constitutional monarchy wouldn't be so bad. Something like Hapes or Naboo or-"

"Alderaan?"

"Yes!" Then, she added darkly, "Han, just what are you suggesting?"

"Only that you try and keep your head on straight, that's all." The turbolift came to a stop and its doors parted. "If- when you become Empress, you should do what's right, not what's politically correct."

"And you would trust me with that kind of power? With absolute power?"

"It doesn't have to be absolute," he reminded her. "But it doesn't need to be thrown away either." He turned to her. "And yes," he said earnestly. "I trust you. I trust you completely."

***

They met up with the rest of the delegation in the Home One's hangar bay. Mon Mothma was joined by numerous prominent leaders of the Alliance, both civil and military. In addition to the Advisory Council and Cabinet more than a few Intelligence officers were also present. On the military side it was a veritable who's who of Rebel heroes.

"Talk about a target-rich environment," Han muttered.

"We can't go around suspecting our allies," said Leia.

"Since when?"

"Point, but we're about to sign a treaty that will formally end the Rebellion. We can't afford to show anything but the best of good faith right now." Despite what she said, the delegation was noticeably splitting up and embarking on several separate shuttles.

Han sighed, "I just wish we could take the Falcon."

"We're trying to look respectable, remember?"

"I think the Empire respects her by now, don't you?"

Leia smiled at that. The common adage of 'don't judge by appearances' was never more true than in the case of the Millennium Falcon. The old, ugly YT-1300 freighter had been extensively (and illegally) modified over its many years of service to become what would be the fastest ship in its class, were it not for her defying all attempts at classification. She had the sublight acceleration of a recon fighter, the firepower of a gunboat and the defensive shielding of a transport ten times her mass. Her centerpiece was a Class 0.5 hyperdrive, almost never seen outside the military. She was every bit as wild, dangerous and unpredictable as her captain, but without the substantial aesthetic appeal. That was the main sticking point against flying her to the Death Star for anything but an attack.

“Why don't we leave her here where she's safe,” Leia suggested diplomatically.

The pair made their way to the throng of dignitaries and made their introductions. The Chief of State and her Cabinet were clean and well-dressed, but they had the haggard look of beings who neglected their night's sleep. Unsurprising, as there was undoubtedly much to discuss and more to plan, even for a polity that had been on a perpetual war footing since its inception.

“Good morning Princess, General,” her voice was weary, but cheerful. “I do hope you slept well.”

“So you can live vicariously through us, no doubt,” Leia replied.

“Even stims have their limits,” Mothma nodded. “I estimate it's somewhere around the seventy-two hour mark.”

“The legal ones anyway,” Han informed her.

“So long as you're well-rested, Leia. That's what's important. You are to be the guest of honor at today's ceremony. The symbol of unity between the Alliance and the Empire. At least between the Alliance and your father's piece of the Empire.”

“That bad, huh?” asked Han.

“Well, it's not good at any rate. We've been told that the Grand Vizier has made a contending claim of limited regency and for now the government on Coruscant is behind him. Fortunately, that seems to be the extent of their solidarity. Although the Moffs answer to the Privy Council, most seem to be sitting this out for now.”

“Until they know which swoop to bet on.”

“Precisely. Lord Vader has the nominal support of the Army and the Navy. There have been defections among the stormtroopers and Imperial Intelligence but the military is, for the most part, behind him.”

“I never imagined him to be that popular,” Han said dryly.

“He isn't,” she confirmed. “We are apparently seeing the Tarkin Doctrine at work here. The military may not like Vader, but they still fear and respect him; especially so long as he has the Death Star. It helps that the matter of the Emperor's succession is in legal limbo. Vader and Pestage can accuse each other of treason and the judges will simply shake their heads and shrug their shoulders. We're the main thing hurting him now.”

“We are?” asked Han.

“The Emperor's death,” said Leia.

“Yes, but that's not the whole of it. There are rumors, but the Emperor's death hasn't been made public yet. Not officially. Furthermore, the only recording of the incident was made by the Imperial Guard and while they're sorely fractured right now, the ones in-system are loyal to Vader. He assures us the recording has been destroyed.”

“Still,” said Han. “Who's going to believe that his death was an accident?”

“That isn't our top concern right now. What's more damaging to Vader's position is the treaty we're about to sign. Even the military is most displeased with what they see as the appeasement of Rebels, though they won't say it to his face. That, and the reforms Vader has promised to enact have thoroughly alienated the ideologues.”

“You mean COMPNOR,” Leia growled.

“And their Imperial Security Bureau. I think it's safe to say we shouldn't count on their support.”

“It's safer to say we don't want their support,” Leia countered icily.

“If they were on our side, I'd be having second thoughts,” Han agreed. “At least more than I'm having already.”

“Be that as it may, the war may not be over. In fact, it could very well escalate. Still, for the first time we have what appears to be the upper hand.”

“What about our end?” asked Leia. “How is the Alliance leadership reacting to all this?”

“As well as can be expected. They're not thrilled with the prospect of amnesty for known war criminals and mass murderers, but the list of reforms has them pretty well mollified.”

“And the rank and file?”

“That I can't tell you. You know how diverse our membership is. There are Republican loyalists, neo-Separatists, ex-Imperials and everything else in the Alliance. Some will obviously be more amenable to this development than others, but I can't give you anything concrete.” She gave a nervous glance to the side, “We were actually hoping that they rally around you and yours.”

“Gee, no pressure,” Leia deadpanned. “So what's going to become of the Alliance?”

“By a strict interpretation of the Declaration of Rebellion we can make a truce without losing face, what with the Emperor dead. The treaty we're about to sign will change our name to the Alliance of Free Planets and will make us nominal allies of the Galactic Empire. We're going to become an independent, associated state along the lines of Hutt Space or the Corporate Sector.”

“What are our territorial holdings?”

“Undefined as of yet but I wouldn't expect more than a dozen sectors on the Outer Rim. The capital will be Mon Calamari.”

“Nothing Coreward?”

“The Corellian Sector looks promising as it's semi-autonomous anyway, but anything beyond that is unlikely.”

“You really expect them to join?” asked Han.

“Perhaps not. More likely they'll declare independence and then neutrality. The shipwrights can make more money that way. Do forgive me, but this exchange grows overlong. The full text of the treaty will be made available and I can offer further details as I have them. If you'll excuse me.” With that, she disappeared into her crowd of advisors which were being funneled aboard the Tyderium.

“Huh, things are actually better than I expected,” Han peered up over the sea of heads in an effort to locate Chewbacca. It wasn't hard. “Hey, Chewie!”

“I'm not sure if that's a good sign or not,” Leia mused as they approached the shuttle where Chewbacca, Lando and the droids were waiting.

“Would you quit worrying?” Han scolded her.

“Who's worried?”

***

The meeting on the Sanctuary Moon had only been a prelude, and an abortive one at that. Not long after Vader revealed his plans for Leia both he and Luke were recalled to the Death Star to deal with unrest among elements of the stormtroopers and the Guard. Later, in a bizarre bit of unrelated sabotage, a program trap had infected an essential computer core, which had to be replaced. While the process took several hours and a not-insignificant number of lives, the Death Star was eventually secured and was once again the safest place in the galaxy. Thus, it was to be the location of the formal signing of the Treaty of Endor.

To Leia's surprise, while returning to the Home One, Mothma confided in her that she believed Vader's reformation to be genuine and that the benefits of having a Republican partisan on The Throne far outweighed any risk that this was an elaborate farce on the part of Vader and his newfound son. Leia agreed in principle, but that did little to pacify her anxieties about succeeding the worst tyrant in history or with getting to know the runner-up personally.

Those anxieties only intensified as the Theta-class shuttle folded its wings and was swallowed by one of the Death Star's colossal hangar bays. There was a slight jolt, a hiss of decompressing gas and the groan of the lowering ramp. She clutched Han's hand tightly as he led her down the ramp and back into her nightmare; made worse by the visceral reality of it all. To be sure, it was different this time. One could call her a guest and it would be literally true and not a sadistic euphemism. A quartet of Royal Guards, assorted personnel of all branches and rank after white, plasteel-armored rank of stormtrooper had assembled to greet her personally. While it was an honor guard, ostensibly for her own protection, after years of conditioning she would have felt more at ease had the hangar been empty. It was so surreal and yet so physically, oppressively true that she couldn't deny the reality of it all.

Han put words to her thoughts, "Well, this is quite the change."

Another pair of Guards entered the bay, flanking a hooded, dark-robed figure. For an instant Leia's blood ran cold as she thought it was the Emperor reborn, but as the trio approached she realized it was Luke. They knelt before her, Luke doffing his hood and grinning as he did so. "Your highness," he could barely contain his bemusement. He had affected the resemblance on purpose.

"Luke! Don't scare me like that! I thought you were-" Her face reddened.

Luke rose to his feet, but the Guards maintained their kneel. After an awkward moment, Luke nodded to her and back to them with faux impatience.

"Oh! Uh, rise! Rise!”

They rose, turned and fell into step with the four assigned to guard Leia. All together now, the procession walked down the parted sea of stormtroopers toward the exit.

“The Death Star will be completed on schedule,” Luke announced.

“Wonderful,” her voice made it clear it was Opposite Day.

“I understand how you feel, but this station is essential to our plan. It's the most important military asset we have right now.”

“And just what is our plan, Luke? What plan could we have that requires a Death Star? By all rights this monstrosity should be scuttled.”

“This one will be used to save lives, not destroy them. Billions could die in a conventional siege of Imperial Center. With the Death Star, we can avoid that.”

“You're going to turn this thing on Coruscant?” she was horrified.

“Well, yes.” He clarified before she could interject, “Specifically, we're going to fire a series of low-power blasts to batter down the shields. If the Councils still resist by then, we can take the capital in an amphibious landing.”

“Is that safe?” asked Lando. “Couldn't you accidentally destroy the planet?”

“It's surprisingly safe,” Luke reassured them. “The precision with which the weapon's output can be adjusted and to which a planet's shield can be analyzed would amaze you. I'm no engineer, but I've looked over the reports myself and the risk is negligible.”

“How about a worst case scenario?” prompted Han.

“Worst case, they drop the shields just as we fire. That would be bad, but the devastation would still be localized. A blast at that yield wouldn't be powerful enough to destroy the planet.”

“Just powerful enough to take out a continent-sized city?”

“Consider the alternative Han,” Luke said, a touch of exasperation in his voice. “A pitched fleet battle with conventional forces followed by a siege that could last days, maybe even weeks. After that a full-scale surface attack until we finally take the second strongest citadel in the whole Empire. Can you imagine the death toll?”

“But isn't this station still vulnerable?” asked Lando, apparently in command of the coolest head. “There are still those big, gaping holes in the superstructure. Once we leave Endor what's stopping them from flying fighters in and lighting this whole place up?”

“That,” said Luke as the bay doors opened to admit them. “Is our real problem. At present rates, it will be another six weeks before the station is battle-ready, but the construction crews are already working way past their limits. I finally convinced father to push the schedule ahead,” he said, horror in his voice. “They were killing those men.”

“No doubt,” said Han. “Where is The Bionic Dad, anyway?”

“He's in briefing with the admiralty now, why?”

“Just thought he might want to see his daughter,” Han's voice was neutral, but the implication was not.

“He's avoiding me,” said Leia.

“Yes,” Luke admitted. “He is. After what he- what we both felt from you yesterday, we decided it would be best if he kept his distance. He doesn't want to put any undue stress on you. Especially not now. If you're up to it, we can meet after the signing, just the three of us. But for now, he thinks he should just leave you alone. It helps that he's been extremely busy.”

R2 chirped something in Droidspeak. To the organics it was just noise, but it stopped 3PO dead in his tracks.

“What did you say?” 3PO demanded. It was purely rhetorical, for his electronic ears had registered the sentence flawlessly.

The astromech humored his companion and repeated himself.

“R2-D2! You have no right to make such an outlandish request!”

“What's he saying?” asked Luke.

“I'm terribly sorry, Master Luke,” 3PO gave a dismissive wave of his arm. “But he had the audacity to ask if we might accompany you when you and Mistress Leia meet with Lord Vader!”

“Why?” Luke was genuinely curious.

3PO listened to the chittering response, shook his head in disbelief and translated. “He says that we were once the property of Anakin Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader, and it would please him to see us. I assure you sir, I have no idea what he's talking about!”

R2 gave another series of beeps.

“They did what to me!?”

“Woah, woah, woah, easy.” Luke knelt down in front of the short robot, “Are you serious? You knew my father? Back during-”

Without warning, R2's head swivelled and he began projecting a holographic image into the corridor. Luke knew what his father looked like before the incident that transformed him into Darth Vader twenty-three years ago. He had watched old Republic propaganda from the Clone Wars. The man climbing into the fighter's cockpit alongside the imager- alongside R2- was definitely him. "R2," said the voice of Anakin Skywalker. "Fire up the converters."

“I don't believe it,” Luke whispered.

“Small galaxy,” mused Lando.

***

It was an affair befitting the grandeur of its pretensions. The auditorium was positively enormous, with seating for at least a thousand witnesses. Said witnesses were already present, most being Imperial military officers or high-ranking civilian functionaries, but a noticeable minority of Alliance personnel were also there. In the center was a large, round table with a gleaming black finish. Leia counted thirty chairs of equal size along its circumference, half filled by Alliance delegates, half by Imperial officials. Considering the chamber's radial symmetry there didn't appear to be an appropriate (or inappropriate) place for her to sit, so she simply made for the nearest cluster of empty seats. Han took the seat to her right, Lando to his right, Chewbacca to her left. Between the two, she felt secure at last, even though her rational mind knew there was nothing they could do to protect her if things got bad.

The last to arrive was Vader himself. No presiding official called for order. A deathly pall fell over the chamber and everyone, Rebel and Imperial alike, quickly became silent of their own accord. As the regent took his seat the only sounds that didn't emanate from him came from the station itself. "Citizens of the Empire," his voice was terribly loud. "We are gathered here today to witness the end of a pointless war; a useless conflict of ideals. Today begins a new era, an era of cooperation and reconciliation. As regent to The Throne I have made it my mission to sue for peace with the Rebel Alliance, and in a gesture of good faith they have agreed to treat with us. In exchange for a number of political and territorial concessions, they have agreed to lay down their arms. The Rebellion is over."

There was applause at this, which Vader allowed to subside before continuing, "Two sides, bitter enemies the day before, now stand united with the common goal of restoring peace, order and justice to the galaxy. The Emperor may be gone, but the principles for which he stood remain."

Pandering, Leia thought. Still, I suppose it's necessary. The Emperor was enormously popular, even in his final years. Few know what he really was...

"Until today, those principles were endangered. An alarming amount of corruption has infected the Empire, all the way to the highest tiers of its central government. This corruption is a far greater threat to galactic security than the Rebellion ever was. It is this very corruption to which the Alliance is opposed. Their grievances are legitimate, their requests are reasonable, and they will be honored. In my doing this, they have recognized that their enemy is not the Empire, but those within that ruthlessly oppress and exploit the people of the galaxy. In this conflict, the real conflict of our time, the Alliance and the Empire stand as allies against a common foe."

More applause, albeit subdued. The Imperials responded to the neo-Separatist pandering about as well as the Rebels took the Emperor-worship. The former greatly outnumbered the latter. However, nothing Vader said was particularly objectionable to anyone who considered themselves a loyal Imperial citizen. In fact, the dissatisfaction with what everyone believed was a hopelessly corrupt state was universal. What distinguished the loyal Imperial from the Rebel was a continued respect for the Emperor himself and a belief that the Empire's problems did not justify revolution. Vader's words spoke to that average Imperial citizen, and the rhetoric was such that a Rebel could also find it palatable. The only ones who wouldn't...

"But while the Rebellion may be over, our struggle is just beginning. Those who profit from the cancer that is killing the Empire are legion, and they are loath to hand the reigns of power to those more worthy than themselves. Even now the petty, self-serving bureaucrats on Imperial Center are resisting my rule and dangerous, misguided fanatics are moving against us. They must not be allowed to prevail. Make no mistake, I am heir to The Throne and I will not tolerate what, in his sickness and old age, His Majesty could not resist."

"But know this: While I am custodian to The Throne, I am not your Emperor. While I will lead the Empire at war, I am unworthy to rule a galaxy at peace. And the Empire needs a monarch. One with the combination of political skills and moral convictions that will best serve the people of the galaxy. A successor to Palpatine in spirit, if not in blood. That woman is the Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan."

Spotlights and imager remotes converged on her, and Leia stood to polite, yet decidedly cautious applause. "Thank you," she began. "Thank you, everyone. I am both honored and humbled by the opportunity offered to me by Lord Vader. There is little to be said that he hasn't already, other than that I am thoroughly committed to doing what I can to foster the unity and healing he spoke of. As your future Empress it is my solemn oath that I will do the absolute best for the Empire to the absolute best of my abilities. To those ends I will succeed or die trying, but even as Empress I am nothing without all of you," she turned where she stood, gesturing to everyone assembled. "You are what makes the Empire truly great, and I will accomplish nothing without your support. So I ask you: Join me, and let us work together to create an Empire we can all be proud of! Thank you again."

More applause, with a bit more enthusiasm than before. As she took her seat, the actual signing- Mon Mothma presiding- began. You're getting rusty, she berated herself silently. Her part in the ceremony finished, she paid little mind to the rest. Could you get any more hackneyed? You sound like an Apprentice Legislator! And then, 'A successor to Palpatine in spirit'? 'What makes the Empire truly great'? Ugh, I need shower.

Once the brief yet ostentatious affair had ended, the audience began an orderly and efficient withdrawal from the auditorium. Not so for the officials who had rated a seat at the table. While a few left the room immediately (most noticeably Vader and Skywalker), the majority remained behind to mingle and schmooze with the upper crust of the Reconciliation, as it was already being called. The short, impromptu speech had been the extent of her official role, but Leia knew that engaging the leaders of the Empire in idle conversation was just as important, if not more so. Thus, smothering her distaste with her best smile, she dutifully made her rounds of the gathered tyrants, war criminals and xenophobes. Her motivation was the knowledge that the longer she engaged in idle banter with Grand Admirals and Moff governors, the longer she could put off facing Vader- her father, reminded herself.

It was then that she felt a peculiar emotion toward the man behind the breath mask, one so unexpected it took a moment to identify: Pity. She remembered Luke saying they could feel her emotions the day before. At the time she could only feel patronized by their decision to shelter her like some fragile little girl, but recalling her mood on the Sanctuary Moon, she suddenly felt ashamed. To Jedi (even fallen Jedi), a person's emotions were an open book, and while she still felt justified in hating Vader- her father she mentally insisted- Leia regretted not shielding her thoughts better in his presence. Suddenly, she felt a powerful, inexplicable urge to run to him, to tell him she was sorry and ask for his forgiveness. It was patently absurd, and yet it was there just the same. There was no point in denying it. Fortunately, Chewbacca's presence kept the xenophobes at bay and her grasp of Han's arm kept the would-be suitors away. So she managed to make her way gradually and politely toward the exit.

Once they were clear, she turned to the Royal Guard accompanying her, "Could you take me to Lord Vader, please?"

"At once, Your Highness."

"R2, 3PO, come with me. Han, Chewie-"

"You don't need to say it," Han laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We know. Family time. The three of us will take a look around." Han glanced up and down a corridor so long it had a horizon. "We'll try not to get lost."

The walk was surprisingly short; a couple hundred meters to the turbolift and again to the doors of what Leia assumed was Vader's cabin. Two Guardsmen were stationed to either side of the doors, which parted to admit her and the droids, but her own Guard went no further. The apartment was cold and gray, like everything else on the station, but it was slightly darker than the corridor outside. 'Spartan' couldn't describe it, as that would imply some furnishings. There was nothing in the room but decks, bulkheads, light fixtures and a lone terminal. And Luke.

"We've been expecting you," he said. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Then come," the door behind him opened. "All of you, follow me."

The next room was much larger than the first, but it was just as dark and every bit as empty. Its greater volume only emphasized its emptiness, and Leia couldn't help but shiver in the stark desolation. At the end were three short steps leading up to a raised section of the deck. Sitting on the 'stage' was a large, metal pod of some kind. With a hiss and a mechanical whir the pod cracked open like an egg to reveal a reclining chair in the midst of what resembled an office. The chair rotated, bringing her face to mask with Darth Vader once again.

"Welcome Leia," he said. "I thank you for coming to see me."

"F- I- I don't know what to say," she finally managed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked, puzzled.

"For letting my emotions overcome me yesterday. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"I see. Yes, your anger and hatred toward me is strong indeed, but it's for your sake they be avoided, not mine."

"Those are dark emotions Leia," Luke explained. "If you're to learn the ways of the Force you must learn to reject them."

"So what? You expect me to just forget everything that's happened?" She turned to Vader, tears welling in her eyes. "To forget everything you've done?"

"No," his synthetic voice was quiet. "But if you cling to your anger and hate, you risk making the same mistakes I did. If you give in to the dark side, you could repeat my crimes."

"I am nothing like you," she seethed.

"You're wrong, Leia," Luke interceded gently. "The dark side can corrupt anyone. It transforms you. Even the greatest Jedi, the best Jedi, can fall."

"Anger, fear, hatred," said Vader. "They will rule you, consume you, until they are all that remain. Eventually, all you can feel is rage. All you can do is hate."

"Then I don't want to become a Jedi," Leia said defiantly. "If the Force can do that then I want nothing to do with it!"

"That is your decision to make," Vader admitted. "Perhaps it is a wise one."

"Nevertheless," Luke wasn't ready to give up. "The Force is strong in you, Leia. With the proper training you could become a truly great Jedi."

"And where am I going to find the time for that, Luke? Or did you forget I just inherited an entire galaxy?"

"You can take all the time you need," he assured her. "It doesn't need to be done all at once. It just needs to be done right. As Empress of the galaxy, knowledge of the Force would serve you well."

"You don't need to decide right away," said Vader.

"He's right," said Luke. "But please, just remember what we've told you about anger and hate and try to keep an open mind."

"Alright," she agreed, more to abandon the topic than anything.

"I see you brought your droids with you. Why?"

"R2 wanted to see his old master," Luke replied with a smile.

Leia stepped aside to give Vader a clear view of the robots. He was silent as he studied them for a moment "...I thought they were merely the same make and model. That alone was quite the coincidence but... R2-D2? C-3PO, is that really you?"

R2 beeped an affirmative. 3PO seemed to be on the verge of a mental freeze-out. "Uh, yes, I, er, am. Lord Vader. My counterpart informs me that I've been subjected to memory wipes and have no recollection of my service to you. I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience."

"Amazing," said Vader. "I built him, you know."

"Which one?" asked Luke. "3PO?"

"When I was just a boy. I assembled him from a kit someone had thrown away. He was nearly complete when I left to be trained as a Jedi. R2..." he grew sullen. "Belonged to your mother. I flew with him during the Wars."

"He's an excellent astromech."

"That he is. For these droids to end up in your... Simply incredible. It must be the will of the Force."

The three were silent for a time, until Luke prompted further conversation. "That was a great speech you gave, Leia."

"No, it really wasn't. My speeches are terrible when I don't mean them and I'm out of practice. I haven't been that insincere since my days in the Senate. I seem to have forgotten how to pay lip service to the Empire."

"You made a good impression with everyone."

"How do you-? Forget I asked. Anyway, I had a tough act to follow." She turned to Vader, "I never knew you were such an orator."

"I'm not," Vader tapped a photoreceptor with his index finger. "Heads Up Display."

"Ah, I can see how that would be useful."

"Useful," he growled bitterly. "This armor is my punishment, my eternal reminder. To look on you with my own eyes... would you allow it?"

"I don't understand."

"The images I see are rendered holographically. While the range of visible light is greater, it never seems quite right. If you can bear to see my face, I can remove this helmet."

"I... I suppose. But won't you-!" Without warning, Leia's ears popped and she grew dizzy as the air pressure and oxygen content in the room soared. A mechanical arm descended from the apex of the chamber and grasped Vader's helmet and face mask. With a hissing squeak and a disturbing sucking noise both were pulled away and Anakin Skywalker was revealed. What remained of him, anyway. Leia was speechless. She knew the nature and origin of her father's injuries, or at least she thought she did, but that did little to prepare her for the horrible sight. Anakin was bald, scarred and pallid. Bulbous scar tissue and synthflesh grafts were everywhere. Still, he had spoken the truth. Somehow he still had natural eyes with fully functional lids, and they were welling with tears.

"You look so much like your mother," his voice was soft, quiet, weak. Human.

Leia was choking back her own tears. For the first time in her life, she saw the man called Darth Vader as a human being. Oh, she knew he was human, but it was on an abstract, intellectual level. Viscerally, he had always made the impression of a machine. An unstoppable, malevolent cyborg like General Grievous. Now she was acutely aware that her father was really, truly alive under all that wicked machinery. Letting her feelings guide her, she embraced him. His shoulders were every bit as hard and unyielding as she expected, but she didn't care. She had a family again.

Anakin hesitated before reciprocating, almost as if he couldn't believe what was happening. But after a moment, he held his daughter as tightly as he could without making her uncomfortable. "I'm so glad you're alive," he whispered to her. "We're all together now. And I'll never hurt you again, I promise."

Sirens sounded throughout the station. The wailing, blaring klaxon disrupting the Skywalker reunion. Leia backed away as she felt his anger. It welled up quickly, but was even more rapidly quashed. The arm descended and reattached his helmet and breath mask. "Pestage is making his move," his vocabulator boomed. He was Darth Vader again.

[LadyTevar]

Leia needed to see the Human side. I think that, above all, will help her heal.

[Darth Nostril]

This is just seven layers of awesome
Anakin looking upon his children with his own eyes over twenty years after he thought he had lost them .... priceless

[Gerald Tarrant]

"How do you-? Forget I asked. Anyway, I had a tough act to follow." She turned to Vader, "I never knew you were such an orator."

"I'm not," Vader tapped a photoreceptor with his index finger. "Heads Up Display."

So many awesome little touches. Great Fic.

[Darth Fanboy]

Pestage you rat bastard! Now you will know the power of the uhhh....light side? Doesn't quite have the same ring to it!

An excellent second chapter following in the footsteps of the first. Doesn't take any Force powers to see that this one will rack up the views.

[Spice Runner]

I'll echo. That was a very nicely done reunion scene there. Plus Vader/Anakin meeting 3po and r2d2 again. Nice touch.

[Stuart Mackey]

Ohh, that was excellent. I hope Leia will now understand the significance of that dream...Corporal Daala indeed!

[CaptainChewbacca]

Nice. Is Vader going to get his armor done in a new style or color?

[Darth Yoshi]

The meeting on the Sanctuary Moon had only been a prelude, and an abortive one at that. Not long after Vader revealed his plans for Leia both he and Luke were recalled to the Death Star to deal with unrest among elements of the stormtroopers and the Guard. Later, in a bizarre bit of unrelated sabotage, a program trap had infected an essential computer core, which had to be replaced. While the process took several hours and a not-insignificant number of lives, the Death Star was eventually secured and was once again the safest place in the galaxy. Thus, it was to be the location of the formal signing of the Treaty of Endor.

IG-88?

[Raesene]

That's a great story in the making. Leia's nightmare, the unease on both sides - and now a fleet battle in the making.

[Darth Raptor]

Yeah, make sure to have Boys Into Battle queued up for next week's installment.

Nice. Is Vader going to get his armor done in a new style or color?

No, and aside from his behavior, he's not going to change his public persona at all. While he sees his armor as a mobile prison, it's a punishment he believes he deserves. He won't even consider getting something better/prettier until he thinks he's paid his debt; a feat he believes is impossible (and he's most likely correct). Even if the whole galaxy forgives him, he'll probably never forgive himself.

IG-88?

Yep.

[Fyrwulf]

I have to say that normally I wouldn't read a 'Trek or 'Wars fanfic, but the title just reeled me in. I also have to say that not only am I not disappointed in having read the first couple chapters, I'm freaking delighted. This story is epic.

[NecronLord]

Pestage you rat bastard! Now you will know the power of th

...is fully armed and operational battle station!

I wonder if Pestage et al knew the Death Star was operational? I'd guess not.

[Darth Fanboy]

Pestage you rat bastard! Now you will know the power of th

...is fully armed and operational battle station!

I wonder if Pestage et al knew the Death Star was operational? I'd guess not.

I used to think that he did, because I thought that he had appeared in RoTJ for a brief moment in the scene where Palps meets his advisors (apparently leaving the Death Star prior to the Battle of Endor) but Chee says this is not the case. So now I have to wonder how much the Inner Circle actually knew. Either Pestage doesn't know it works, or he doesn't think that it is enough of a threat to his Imperial fleet.

If Vader commands the loyalty of the military though, how many of Pestage's forces are going to be willing to go up against the Dark Lord?

[Darth Fanboy]

A question to the author. Now that Vader has been redeemed vby his son, is he going to be able to use the healing power he demonstrated in Shadows of the Empire? Or are there still parts of him that will always be touched by his own hate and anger and thus prevent him from ever fully healing himself with the Force?

[Darth Yoshi]

I'm surprised that Yoda and Obi-wan haven't popped in yet to say, "shit, you were right." Unless they did and we didn't see.

[Darth Raptor]

A question to the author. Now that Vader has been redeemed vby his son, is he going to be able to use the healing power he demonstrated in Shadows of the Empire? Or are there still parts of him that will always be touched by his own hate and anger and thus prevent him from ever fully healing himself with the Force?

He still has serious psychological issues that need to be resolved. Chief among them is the fact that his motives are still entirely selfish. He's doing what's best for the galaxy not as an end in itself, but because it's what his family wants. And while they're keeping him in the light, should something happen to them the game is over, as the galaxy can burn for all he cares. He's going to need to learn some actual ethics he never quite had even as a Jedi. For Anakin, family has *always* come first and until he can learn to let go a full redemption will continue to elude him.

Furthermore, most of what he learned as a Sith Lord is unusable (or at least, only usable at great peril) as it's catalyzed by dark emotions. He's basically back down to where he was just before his fall. While he's not going to ditch the suit, he will gain greater independence but that will come mainly from technology at first.

[JME2]

Very good, very touching, and very kick-ass...

[Darkdrium]

Now this is a fic I'll definitly have to keep track of.

Personally, I'm more interested in how Luke and Co. will find out that Vader killed his wife himself. I think it will a deep impact on how the relationship between Vader and his children will play out.