AN- Okay, I know I haven't updated or written anything in a while, and for that, I apologize. To say things have been busy would be about half the truth, another part would be that my laptop decided to conveniently die on the last week of exam time, lucky me. So a lot of complications arose and I just finally got a new one just a few weeks ago. anyway enough about my lack of updates and unfortunate luck, the new fict that I'm writing had been in my head for quite awhile. I just didn't know how to write it in a appealing way so now I'm going to try it out.

shadow of regrets

prologue

Silence surrounded the imposing figure above. He stance tall, confident, and full of authority. Encased in all black, this man was not one to be trifled with. The dark lord Vader, Sith apprentice, and right hand man to the emperor instilled fear across the galaxy with his presence alone.

In the dim corridors of the massive ship Exactor, the lone Sith stood absently starring out into the vast emptiness of space; It was somehow calming to him. Being in such silence and emptiness was rare these days. Such times always made the Sith brood to himself of thoughts he admittingly did not want to remember. Memories and feeling of places and moments that existed in a different life time, with a different man.

It had been fifteen years since the rise of the empire that he had helped to create. Fifteen long, painful and lonely years. The different emotions welling up inside the Sith frustrated him, as he shook away all lingering thoughts away. It was painful enough to remember such heartache, even more so, the vicious way he attacked his beloved...his angel. such times as these always made him think what if...they also reminded him all too well of his teaching and punishments as the way of the Sith.

"these thoughts and feeling, lord Vader are a sign of weakness" the Sith master spat. "you'd best rid yourself of such patheticness. A Sith only knows anger, pain, fear! love and regret are not ways of the Sith, it makes you weak!" a deadly bolt of Sith lightning then struck the bowed figure in front of his master. "A Sith will never regret their actions, what we do is absolute! remember that Lord Vader."

"yes...my master" the wounded man gasped in pain.

Forcing back such emotions and memories, Vader composed himself once more into the cool and collected figure he was deemed to be. He had a meeting to make, and like all other appointments, he did not want to be late. Turning to the face the end of the corridor, he set a brisk walk towards the conference room.

As he passed by the various sectors of the ship, many officers eyes widened and tried their best to stay out of the Sith's way. Vader could sense their fear oozing out when his presence was announced. After fifteen years of such behavior, he was use to this reaction by the men. In fact, it encourage him, for it gave him more power from the dark side to be surrounded by those who hated and feared you.

As Vader walked into the conference room, other men from different governing sectors were already assembling inside. Judging by the people present he could tell this was not going to be a pleasant meeting, but then again when was there anything pleasant these days?

It took all of Vader's inner strength not to throw the arrogant man as hard as he could against the wall, be it manually or via the force.

How could this be! it was not fair! it was him who was the one who had managed to thwart the persistent rebellion, it was him who was the right hand man, second most powerful in the galaxy next to the emperor, and this was the treatment he was getting! It should have been him who should have gotten control of the Death Star, but no, oh no; it was that damn arrogant, insufferable Tarkin who had gotten the mantle for such power.

What is the emperor thinking! Vader fumed. Thoughts of killing Tarkin erupted through Vader's mind once again. Oh, Vader did not have a problem at all with killing people, he had even earned a reputation for it; it was because that damn man was favored by the emperor that stopped him in his tracks at the last moment.

He wanted to contact the emperor immediately, but knew that a session such as that would not favor him one bit. Fuming, the Sith headed towards his private sanctuary.

By now, the officers on board knew the man called Vader to be an enigma, but they knew him well enough to know not to be anywhere within a five meter radius if he was angry, and boy was he pissed.

Heading for his hyperbaric chamber, Vader was glad to have a lone moment to himself without the blasted mask on. Breathing in the oxygen enriched environment, Vader finally let himself succumb to the weary, tired man he was, not the Sith lord who always stood proud and attentive. Sighing once more, Vader proceeded to check his messages and was frustrated to see one from the emperor himself. Scanning over the details, Vader was sent into an even darker mood by the upcoming news.

The emperor himself was coming for the inspection of the Death star and demanded Vader's presence to meet him there within the next day, at o'eleven hundred hours. checking the time, Vader's already sour mood plummeted, threatening him to break any object available within reach. It would be almost impossible to reach the Death star before the emperor arrived.

The blasted man can never send a message in advance...always doing what the hell he wants, whenever he wants...But he was the emperor, and unfortunately, there was no one who could put a stop to that.

Sighing even longer this time, Vader set his helmet back on before heading towards the bridge where he then barked the command of the ship's next destination at full speed.

We had better get there on time thought Vader darkly. Still left frustrated with the assignment of the death Star and the arrival of the emperor, the thought of tormenting the ship's crew members was an inviting one, but decided against it at the last moment. The men were under enough pressure after being given the newest set of orders; the last thing he wanted was to have a lack of efficiency because of himself.

With another inward sigh, Vader looked out towards the vast space beyond the ship's glass once more to calm himself.

Anakin...

Vader tilted his head ever so slightly to the side wondering if her had heard correctly.

Anakin...

This time Vader spun around and scanned his surroundings, only to see the normalcy of his working men trying their best not to catch the Sith's attention. Aside from the men in the bridge, there was nothing in particular that seemed out of place.

All this blasted stress is making me delusional Vader cursed inwardly.

Thinking through, he finally decided that a bit of rest wouldn't hurt as he once again headed towards his hyperbaric chamber. Upon entering the room where his chamber laid, Vader immediately noticed a man in the room. More specifically, a man wearing traditional Jedi robes.

At once Vader's lightsaber was in his hand, and activated within moments.

"How did one such as you get inside, Jedi?" Vader demanded, his voice reaching a menacing growl.

the man at first did not respond which made Vader very tempted to just cut him down on the spot, but then he did turn, shocking Vader to the core.

"Qui-Gon?"

The one time master of the Sith, from many years ago looked at Vader and gave a small, sad smile.

"Hello, Anakin."

"How? Why are you here?" then Vader's stature stood a little taller as his voice took a new tone "what trick is this, jedi? you cannot fool me, with your petty, little mind games. The man you disguised yourself has been long dead, and you shall soon join him."

Raising his weapon high above his head, Vader slashed down at the figure, then just stared.

The attack did nothing to the man, in fact, it passed right through him. it was then that Vader finally noticed that the man was a bit...off. There was a light blue hue surround the him, and from what Vader could tell, there was no living presence he felt earlier, nor now.

"As you can see, this is no trick" Qui-Gon gestured with a sway of his hands quite calmly.

'Wha-" Vader began.

"I am dead, or more specifically, am not bound to this world anymore. And yes, I am Qui-Gon Jin, the jedi you met so many years ago."

"Then how?" questioned Vader at once. The Sith was becoming more and more agitated and confused by the second.

"The force" the celestial Jedi stated simply. "I have learnt the way to be one with the force, and it has granted me a chance to speak with you."

Both men then stood opposite of each other in silence, one patiently waiting, the other trying to rationalize the situation. Finally, after a long pregnant silence, Vader spoke slowly.

"it seems that you have proven yourself, otherwise." Vader said while thinking back to how his blade passed through the man.

The ethereal jedi nodded the slightest bit. " I assume you have many questions on this matter."

"Only one, why me, a Sith? Shouldn't you be trying to save the remaining pitiful jedi that are left?" Vader replied sardonically. Then a thought hit him. "Don't tell me your trying to convince me to seek the light, or abandon the dark side. If you are, you're just wasting your time."

"Are you really happy with the dark side?" asked Qui-Gon.

A sound close to that of a snort emitted from Vader. "happiness does not matter, compared to the power I possess."

"And are you satisfied with all this power" Qui-Gon questioned again.

"yes" replied Vader curtly. "are you quite done."

"Have you ever regretted your choice to of being a Sith?"

At those words, Vader's heart began to throb with dull remorse. His mind so very close to thinking what ifs

NO he thought. A Sith deals in absolutes...

"A Sith regrets nothing". Growing tired of all the pointless questioning, Vader snapped " If the force has granted you power to visit the world of the living, is asking me petty questions all that is left of you?"

The jedi did not say a thing, but just stood and closed his eyes as if in meditation. Growing tired of such a fruitless conversation, Vader turned towards his chamber once more. Only then did Qui-Gon speak, his word so unexpected, that they froze Vader on the spot.

"Do you miss her?"

"I do not know who you are talking about." Vader stated in a tone that demanded silence.

"Padme, your wife." The jedi said as he opened his eyes. At once memories the Sith tried so hard to suppress came gushing forth, nearly crippled him. "Or is she not worth of remembrance, just as how you had casted aside the jedi and your former life? If that is so, I am disappointed, Anakin, I thought she meant more to you."

Anger radiated through every pore of the Sith, as fury blinded him. Already dead or not, Vader did not care. The man deserved to die for saying such a thing. The nerve! How could he even suggest it.

Turning around with vehemence, Vader seethed "How dare you! First you invade my private sanctuary, then you hinder me with worthless questions, but to have audacity to say such a thing..." the room slowly began to shake. "you can insult me all you want, but don't you dare degrade Padme! she was everything to me, my life, my soul...my angel. How could you even suggest such a thing!"

"So you do regret your choice" Qui-Gon said simply.

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW!" Vader screamed. The room started to shake more violently.

"calm down Anakin. I was merely asking you a question. I am not degrading Padme in any way. I just wanted to know the truth."

"What truth?" Vader scorned.

"About how you truly feel"

"I-" Vader began, but was cut off.

"If you had a choice to undo all that has passed these fifteen years, would you?"

"It does not matter if I want to or not" The Sith said bitterly. "What is done is done. There is no undoing of anything of any kind...I will forever live with the choice that I have made, whether it was right or wrong."

"There is a choice, Anakin."

A bitter laugh escaped from Vader " No there isn't, there never was."

Qui-Gon smiled sadly "there is always a choice"

"Then it is apparent that I made the wrong one...as I have always had."

"it is still not too late-"

"Enough! I have had it with your insistent questioning. Leave. Now."

"Anak-"

"NOW!"

The Jedi just looked sadly at the Sith, then disappeared.

Exhaling loudly, Vader stood for a moment, then turned and headed back into his chamber. Try as hard as he may, the Dark Lord could not rid himself of the Jedi's last few words.

it is not too late...

AN-Ah finally! This chapter took me way longer than I had hope. life has really been busy and all, plus I found this chapter quite difficult to write, it didn't turn out as good as I had hope it to be, but I do hope you guys enjoyed it. Most probably the chapters after will be a lot better.

People please review, it's a great motivational tool to write more and update more frequently!