— - - —

Chapter 12:

— - - —

He took a moment... just a brief second of respite from everything. In the cockpit of the fighter provided to him by Vader, Luke clutched the remains of his fallen comrade's weapon. A prized possession for the young Sith. A gift from his Master for completing his training.

Luke could hear the stories they would tell of Starkiller. The tales of Galen Marek; The Starkiller. Executor of the Empire's will. A hero, the spearhead of Emperor Darth Vader's mighty Empire. A man who worked tirelessly to bring peace to the Galaxy, ideals inherited from his Master.

A relentless warrior, brutal and unmatched in combat. His battles would be told as legend. His mercilessness toward his enemies and the fear he struck into their hearts, but also the confidence and hope he inspired in his allies. In Imperial citizens.

A passionate man and a brilliant leader.

He wouldn't be forgotten.

His voice would always be in Luke's head, advising him and keeping him in balance.

Luke Skywalker needed that now more than ever. The darkness was creeping in. Suffocating him with whispers of revenge and hatred. Preying on his uncertainty and unstable emotions.

He glanced out of the viewport at the shuttle. Luke wondered if he'd made a terrible mistake bringing Leia to Vader. His emotions tore him from seeing things as they were. And to think, he boasted about his ability to make decisions objectively. Ironically to Leia.

Sister.

It still felt so unbelievable. But undeniable.

Leia's presence was bright and hard to miss. She was a Jedi. Her ideals were strong. She was fiercely passionate. She was a Rebel.

Starkiller was right. She'd never join the Empire. Luke had indeed let her cloud his judgement.

But what was he supposed to do? He could never kill her. The mere thought enraged him. What alternative was there? Imprison her and make her hate him? That's not what he wanted.

It felt like the weight of the Galaxy had fallen on his shoulders. This was how it felt to be the Prince of the Empire. That weight would only get heavier and heavier once he was Emperor. And he had nobody to split the burden with anymore.

He wished Leia could be the person he could lean on for support. Somehow, he didn't see that happening.

He wondered what his father had planned for Leia. He wondered if he'd decided her fate. Princess, daughter or prisoner?

Luke wondered if he could stand to watch.

"Keep your focus where it belongs, Luke." His father startled him out of his reverie. "Now is not the time to ponder the future."

Luke took a calming breath, easing his nervous heart. His father was right, it wasn't the time for this. He nodded. "Understood." The only thing that mattered was keeping Leia safe.

And destroying these traitors.

This was a battle for the ages, that much he was sure of.

He studied the controls of this new ship and smiled softly at just how... Darth Vader everything was. Luke's father valued speed and defense more than damage output like Luke did. A sign of maturity. This prototype TIE/wk. Stalker was a machine of purity. Of balance. It was packed into a sleek, menacing design that complimented its capabilities.

Reminiscent of a TIE/IN Interceptor, it took inspiration from other projects Vader had overseen and innovative technology from other ships.

Its central cockpit was larger, it's engine array was modeled after a ship called the Scimitar. One of a kind.

It's flawless, premium design aspects taken from Naboo cruisers. It's hull carefully constructed to look menacing and graceful at the same time.

Even the color had a purpose to blend into the darkness of space. A pseudo stealth craft.

Its hull was constructed of light but incredibly durable synthetic metals. Matte black in color but areas coated with a layer of diamond boron to reinforce its overall structure.

The TIE Stalker, for all the care put into making a seamless craft, didn't lack in firepower.

Two HS-44.2 solar ionization cannons molded into the two, sharp solar panels on each side. Short range but capable of bypassing shields and melting right through the thickest of hulls.

Two Lb-13 dual barrel heavy laser turrets on the tips of all four panels. A newer, more efficient variant of the turrets on Luke's Defender.

On the inside all four, slightly curved panels were ST5 concussion missile launchers on the top two and two mag pulse warhead launchers on the bottom two, molded as part of the ship like the other weapons, but only held a payload of four plus one pre-loaded in all four launchers. A far cry from the 20 in all six launchers on Luke's old ship.

But Vader's design, while based on the TIE series, wasn't a TIE in the same respect.

TIE stood for Twin Ion Engine array.

Vader's stood for Triple Ion Engine array.

With hundreds of sensors, manually adjusting thrusters, a slot for an astromech inside the cockpit to help manage the ship... the TIE Stalker was a speed demon. It could lap Luke's Defender in a race around Coruscant's orbit with ease. It's power generators were slimmed down but capable of more than triple the output of standard generators. Its shields were rated two points higher than Luke's, and even one point was a massive step up. The Stalker's single core shield generator were on par with that of Tartan Cruisers.

With a Class .6 hyperdrive, it was a feat of engineering.

Luke was astounded. Blown away even.

It took his mind from the situation. He couldn't wait to test it out.

And to do so as his father's wingman made the experience so much more.

He primed the engines, reveling in the low hum and the incredible smoothness of the ship. No vibration or shaking. It felt like a luxury ship.

Though it was strange to have an R-9 unit providing diagnostics.

Even stranger for Vader to trust an R-2 unit to manage his ship...

Behind the two Stalkers, the four members of Ethereal Squad in their TIE/sc fighters lifted as well, and the menacing looking Andromeda-class shuttle carrying Leia hovered.

Vader and Luke took point, flying out of the hangar as one into the volatile atmosphere of Mustafar.

The escort rounded the Fortress and Luke dare not look at the destroyed portion where Starkiller's body lay.

Instead, he searched the dogfights in the atmosphere for the man responsible.

C-28.

He swore that if he saw that shuttle, he'd-

"He is not our objective." Vader's voice reprimanded.

Luke bit his tongue.

The entourage skirted around the battle.

"All squads form up behind me." Vader spoke fleet wide.

Luke questioned the order silently. Without air defense, the Fortress was a sitting duck.

But it was a sight to see dozens of ships break off and tail the Dark Lord and his son at full speed. The enemies, disoriented, scrambled to chase.

They all flew up and soared into the clouds. Again, Luke was surprised at how smooth flying through the thick, ashen clouds was.

Through the Force, Luke could sense reinforcements from space. He couldn't see them, but he felt over a hundred fighters come down and weave through the retreating fighters.

A series of low beeps caught Luke's ears and suddenly, the viewport darkened and showed a detailed HUD. Ally fighters were now visible in digital form as sensors and scanners worked in perfect tandem to provide accurate, real time displays. On one portion of the display, a rear view showed the enemy fighters chasing after them suddenly being bombarded by the reinforcements. Luke could only assume they had the same HUD as he had which made it so easy to overwhelm the enemy in the blinding, black clouds.

Vader and his forces pierced through the clouds and soared into space.

Alongside the 501'st were five dagger shaped Battlecruisers doubling the size of the Imperial II-classes that made up the accompaniment for the Executor. The First Order fleet's Reaver-class Battlecruisers.

Two large cannons were mounted on the underside of each massive cruiser.

Luke watched as one fired an almost instant, blue beam at the enemy fleet. It drew a molten line across two ships before that line detonated in a trail of violent, flaming explosions.

But the Ark struck back, targeting one of the new cruisers and firing its main cannon and casting bright red across the hulls of the vessels. The cruiser was reduced to a burnt husk, floating aimlessly.

"That dreadnaught is tearing us apart." Luke scowled. "Even with the battlecruisers aiding us."

"Not for long." Vader darkly replied. "Nether Squad, escort the VIP to sector 12. Luke, you and I are boarding Gallius Rax's ship."

Luke grinned at the opportunity.

He noted that his father had primed the Stalker's weapons and did the same.

"All fighters engage the enemy." Vader ordered. "Obliterate all resistance."

Luke felt the massive presence of his father flood space. The Dark Side empowered the pilots with enhanced senses and reflexes.

Luke and Vader broke from the formation, their nimble fighters searing toward the enemy in smears of black trailing red.

"We stay together." Vader spoke to Luke. "Free up our fighters before we make way to the ship."

Luke flipped a switch and his shields came up. "Understood."

Vader's fighter sped up with Luke's trailing closely.

On the screen in front of him, Luke saw several targets that would've been ants in actual view. Red circles outlined them and automatically adjusted the weapons for maximum damage.

The enemy fighters picking off friendlies in heated dogfights.

Luke followed his father into the thick of it. The Shadow Council's TIE fighters flew toward them, laying down a quick burst of fire before breaking away.

Vader opened fire at the next pair and with just two shots, coming down an enemy interceptor it detonated. In that incredibly short time span, the Emperor has already found his next target.

His ship broke hard left, coming on the next one's tail and destroying it with a burst fire of emerald.

The excitement pounded in Luke's chest now as he watched his father tear the enemies to shreds while they could do nothing.

A group of three had formed up on Vader's tail.

Luke speared toward them and squeezed the trigger. Green lasers trailed for a moment before smacking into one, then another who spun out of control and crashed against the third.

Luke pulled up to keep pace with his father strafing along the length of one of the Shadow Council's Destroyers. Two blue mag pulse warheads rocketed from Vader's Stalker, taking out two turrets in the process before pulling up.

Luke followed his lead, locking onto a turret as well as a turbolaser. Blue missiles screamed forward, smashing against the targets while Luke soared through the fire and smoke.

Both pulled up and away from the Destroyer.

Luke's R-9 unit beeped and whirred. Luke eyed the new scans. "Two squads on both flanks."

He recognized the model.

Dark Troopers in their TIE/sk like fighters.

"Split."

Vader's fighter tore to the right, Luke's to the left right toward the oncoming Interceptors. Five of them.

"R-9, route power to the solar ionization cannons." He had to admit, the automatic adjustments saved precious seconds in situations like this.

Luke let his anger flood into him. The painful wound of the recent happenings served as fuel.

They were in range first.

Luke's ship spiraled quickly, his deflector shields absorbing those shots that would've hit. He locked on to one directly ahead.

Space lit up with nearly blinding green that fired like a chain gun.

His target was mulch when he flew through the wreckage.

R-9 automatically switched back to the laser turrets while the ionization cannons cooled.

Lesson learned. Don't hold the trigger.

The other four split off in groups of two, turning around in a wide arc.

They were on his tail.

Luke dipped low, racing alongside a Destroyer while their turrets tried in vain to get a lock on the speeding vessel. He easily pulled further and further ahead.

The Dark Trooper's shots missed by what seemed like miles.

The astromech sounded again. A read out of the Destroyer came up and calculated a potential path through its trenches.

Luke grinned.

The Triple Ion Engine array howled as it gained more speed. The droid kept track of the enemies struggling to catch up.

There was an opening near the Destroyer's stern.

The Stalker eased to the left and disappeared from the Dark Trooper's view into the gap.

The droid spoke up and Luke read the transcript. -Several priority targets located-

A communications array.

An external power generator.

A single shield generator core.

Luke piloted the ship through the Destroyer and appeared out of its opposite side. It nimbly curved around and re-entered the gap, flying straight into its tip.

-Concussion missiles armed-

Luke slowed the ship and locked onto the communications array. The missiles flew out at blistering speeds, leaving trails of gray smoke and red sparks.

The missiles exploded, and the array collapsed with another explosion triggering within.

-Direct hit-

The Stalker nimbly evaded debris and dipped low and briskly cleared an exit leading to the underside of the ship.

The power generator came into view. A slight dome shaped protrusion.

-Solar cannons primed-

Luke purposefully held the trigger this time. The rapid-fire beams speared into the dome leaving smoking, bright orange holes.

-Damage critical. Concussion missiles armed-

Two more rockets flew forward at full throttle.

Luke's fighter dipped slightly to avoid the resulting eruption of fire.

-Direct hit. Shield core straight ahead-

The single core generator was protected by the ship's hull. "Arm the mag pulse torpedoes."

-Mag pulse torpedoes locked and loaded-

Luke sped up to get in range.

-Warning! Warning! Incoming fighters-

The Dark Troopers came in from both left and right.

Following them were around a dozen or so fighters.

Luke quickly flipped a few switches. "Route power to the engines. Weapon power to the shields."

The enemies closed in.

-Incoming missiles-

Luke cursed.

-Flares deployed-

An array of bright, hot flares spewed out as Luke's Stalker surged forward along the belly of the Star Destroyer. A few of the missiles veered off course.

"Alright..." Luke settled into his seat. "Let's see how fast this thing really is."

The next moment, the ship lurched forward, putting distance between the missiles and him.

"Oh jeeze!" Luke's focus doubled down on controlling the nimble fighter at such high speeds.

-Engines overheating! Warning! Warning!- R-9 whistled loudly.

"Shut it, droid!" Luke snapped.

The TIE speared down, peeling away from the Destroyer.

Luke cursed at the sensors still blaring. Missiles still had a lock on him. "Persistent..."

The Force suddenly whispered in his ear.

A new darkness had entered the battle.

Rage overcame the Prince. "R-9, take control for a sec."

The droid whistled it's affirmative.

Channeling his darkness, Luke gripped the remaining missiles in his mind's eye, and squeezed them until space satisfyingly lit up with their detonations.

He took back over the controls.

His mission was then at the back of his mind. Consequences not even registering. Instead of staying in the area to converge with his father, Luke veered off, racing toward his nemesis.

R-9 whistled its objections but they were completely ignored. He let revenge guide him.

"Luke, stay on target!"

Skywalker hissed angrily. "I'm taking him down."

The comm was silent for a moment while Luke piloted the fighter, searching for the surge of power he sensed.

A shuttle...

Luke smirked. C-28 was on board. And he sensed Luke.

"So be it." Vader's tone was more than displeased, but he knew he wouldn't be able to stop his son. Not now. "Pray your revenge is worth the punishment."

Luke's vision tunneled in, ignoring the ships behind him.

"It is."

He squeezed the triggers.

— - - —

Moments like this were ones to be savored. To see the enemy in shambles, to know victory is secure. It was rather intoxicating.

"Your end will be swift and painless... or you may have a new beginning and face your destiny at my side."

The choice Emperor Palpatine had given the young "Galli" so many years ago seemed straightforward at the time. Live or die. He was too narrow minded as a child to understand destiny. He was just happy to have a chance at life. And a life by the Galactic Emperor's side no less. If he were to go back, he would've chosen life... but for the more complex reasons.

This is what the Emperor saw in him. His destiny. He was on a path toward nowhere when he stowed away on that Imperial ship so long ago, merely wasted potential. Palpatine placed him on a path toward greatness.

Rebels fell at his feet, either dead or, in the Sacred Way's case, in subjugation. Great warriors stood no chance against him. Not even the great Grand Admiral Thrawn saw the extent of Gallius Rax's might. Everything he'd created alongside his Emperor; every accomplishment spoke toward that destiny.

It all culminated in this moment.

"What are your orders?"

"My treacherous apprentice is nearly ready to make his move."

"Lord Vader?" Rax had been stunned by the accusation.

"Indeed." Palpatine scowled. "He is a cunning warrior. His resourcefulness and tenacity makes him deadlier than even I could've predicted."

"You're saying Lord Vader is going to betray you?"

"He already has, Fleet Admiral." The Sith Lord's eyes narrowed in pure rage at the mere thought. "He already has..."

"He will fall in line once the Death Star is complete." Rax felt more assured by his statement, and then less assured by the Emperor's lack of response.

"Darth Vader is becoming impossible to control." Palpatine even seemed disappointed. But not entirely.

"We must plan to counter his threats!" Rax scrambled to grab a datapad. "What do you know of his plans?"

Palpatine's sickly eyes merely followed the man as he gathered documents and data to compile and begin forming contingencies.

Rax gave his Emperor a confused tilt of his head. "Your Highness?"

"Your loyalty is commendable, Gallius Rax."

Praise from Emperor Palpatine was few and far between. It warranted justified pride.

"A trait you must never forget."

And Gallius Rax did not forget.

He had a vision for the Empire. A vision that may have clashed in some ways with Palpatine's, but perhaps that is why he was chosen to lead the Shadow Council. He was never afraid to voice his opinions, and even after hearing his vision, Emperor Palpatine still passed his legacy on to him.

But for his dream to become reality, he first had to destroy the obstacles in front of him.

Darth Vader, his son; the Imperial Prince, his prodigy; the Supreme Commander, his advisors; the Grand Admiral and the Grand Moff and with them, the entire Empire.

But Vader was resourceful like Palpatine had said...

Seven years ago, Vader showcased this talent. A decade's worth of planning and manipulating came to a head. Vader had used his enemies as tools. He anonymously provoked Galen Erso into sabotaging the Emperor's ultimate weapon's integrity. He handed the plans over to the Rebels through this proxy. He gave a Rebel Cell the location of the incomplete Death Star, and while they attacked it, he made his move and killed two birds with one stone. Both the Rebel Cell and the Emperor were lead into a trap orchestrated by Vader. He let Palpatine's Death Star be crippled by the Rebels, came in with the 501'st and annihilated them. And then he turned his fleet on the Death Star and delivered the final blow.

Vader took the Empire by the throat and somehow convinced the masses that it was really Palpatine who was the traitor. He dismantled Palpatine-era legislation and made speeches condemning the man's methodology and ideals - the ideals that the Empire was built on! Ideals Vader himself once followed!

The further into Vader's rule it got, the more Rax despised the man. It was such a sweet taste, that of revenge. Seeing Darth Vader's feared, brutal fleet cowering and his Fortress under siege was near perfection. But with the addition of Vader's First Order vessels making such a small impact... well that was the cherry on top.

Gallius Rax smiled. "Even with your new ships, you stand no chance, Emperor." He sneered to himself.

The last ship forming the protective barrier around the Super Star Destroyer was felled in a ball of fire. The Executor was now defenseless. Not even it could withstand a direct hit.

"Admiral. The Weapon is at full capacity." An officer spoke, standing next to him.

"Perfect." Rax cracked his neck, his sickly smile widening. "It's time to show the Galaxy just how powerless the Empire has become under its ruler. Destroy the symbol of Darth Vader's might."

The officer stepped to the side to relay the orders.

In a display of twisted irony, the man noticed something. Well, it was impossible not to notice it. "Sir, there may be a problem with the scanners."

Rax's eyebrow twitched. "And what might that problem be, Captain?"

The Captain studied the readout. "I... don't know..." he focused I. "An... impossibility is heading straight for us from hyperspace."

Rax sighed, expelling his urge to strangle someone. The readout populated on a screen near the viewport.

And indeed, there was an impossibility on display. An object... a massive object. Rax hadn't seen these kinds of readings since...

...Since the Death Star.

Cold realization descended on him. "It can't be..."

"It's coming." The Captain stared at the viewport with eyes wide as the moon.

Rax watched with bated breath.

A Battlecruiser morphed into real space, followed by another. And another, and another until seven of them were formed around the Executor. And then, yet another ship; a Super Star Destroyer form up next to her sister vessel.

What followed was a Destroyer Rax had trouble describing as a ship. It was a battle station! A single, combat ready vessel.

And it utterly eclipsed anything else on the front.

With a wingspan that more than tripled the length of Vader's Executor and the height of Rax's Ark, this vessel floated above the formed-up Battlecruisers and the Super Star Destroyers and still managed to overshoot the whole fleet by at least a kilometer in each direction.

Behind Rax, the bridge was silent in stunned terror.

Even the Fleet Admiral himself was paralyzed.

An image fizzed into view on the screen. Governor Tarkin stood poised as ever, his cold, sharp eyes cutting through Rax's exterior. "Gallius Rax. I'm sure I needn't explain your crimes to you, so I will skip straight to the punishment."

Rax gulped.

"You and your fleet are to be destroyed per Galactic Emperor Darth Vader's command. We will not be accepting surrender or prisoners."

Gallius's mouth was too dry to respond.

"That is, unless you can convince him otherwise. The Emperor is due for a surprise visit, I suggest you begin preparations for his arrival. It may help curb his rage."

With a self-satisfied gaze lingering for a moment, Governor Tarkin's image faded away.

Gallius Rax stumbled over his own thoughts. Self-preservation crashing against perseverance. Fear against duty.

The men around him were shouting back and forth. The Captain begging for orders before foregoing the command chain and issuing them himself.

In just a mere moment, his uncontested victory turned into crushing defeat.

It was a trap.

"Of course it was a trap, you idiot!" Rax sneered to himself, enraged at his own arrogance. It stung even worse because he realized that Warlord Tiess had been spot on with his warnings.

No. He wouldn't be defeated here! There was no honor in dying at the expense of his arrogance!

The voices around him registered again.

"Sir!" The Captain angrily shouted. "What are your orders!?"

Rax glanced at the man. "Retreat." He simply said.

The Captain instantly spread the Order fleet-wide.

"An airlock has been breached on deck 95!"

Rax instantly snapped his attention toward that officer.

Nobody needed to be told why...

Deck 95 was right below the bridge.

"Reinforce the hallways!" Rax barked. "Lock down the bridge! Do not let anything get in here!"

— - - —

Loren Thiek's forehead and cheeks were moist with sweat just as his palms were when he readjusted his unsteady grip on his blaster rifle, even though peeling his fingers away from it was almost painful. His breathing was shallow as his back hunched over, kneeling and facing the darkness. The night-vision provided by his helmet was just as advanced as it had been before being issued the new one after joining the Shadow Council, but sealed entrance was still impossibly black. The sweat dripped in his eyes, but he dare not move, he felt as though if he did, the tension would snap like a stretched cord.

He and men around him didn't even know what they faced. They were only told to defend the airlock. After seeing the titanic ship Vader had brought, fighting the First Order seemed to be a terrifying prospect.

Loren gripped his weapon close to his chest.

A low, light rumble reached his ears, filtered through the helmet.

All around him, he heard blasters readying in a familiar clicking sound of safeties being released. Loren followed their lead.

"Steady..."

He felt the tingle, the absolute calm before the storm.

A feeling he couldn't fully process descended on him... hopelessness.

And then a sound he'd hoped never to ever hear hissed out. He flinched, he wanted to drop his gun and run for his life at the glowing red lighting the dark and the deadly hum of a lightsaber.

Darth Vader.

"Open fire!"

Loren squeezed. His rifle bucked.

The Emperor's lightsaber twirled. Blaster bolts ricocheted.

He walked forward, almost casually.

The Sith Lord swiftly shifted and avoided a shot while he came down on the first victim in a merciless hack. The wall behind the unfortunate man sparked and he dropped.

Vader gripped the saber with both hands and angled it. A shot smacked from it and disappeared into the helmet of another.

His hand extended.

In front of Loren, a soldier shot into the air like a missile, cracking against the ceiling.

Vader blocked two shots and casually killed the man as he walked beneath him. In one fluid motion, he flung his lightsaber out and it flew forward like a spear to pin and instantly kill a man behind Loren.

Vader held one hand out.

Bolts slapped against his palm in a hail of sparks, and then Loren's weapon, along with the remaining soldiers were ripped out of their grip. They hit the floor and slid behind the stalking Sith Lord as his saber flew back into his hand.

Loren and the others slowly backed away.

They seemed to accept their fate as Darth Vader came toward them.

Red was the last thing they saw.

The Dark Lord of the Sith stepped over the bodies as if they were some sort of macabre terrain to navigate through. His saber hummed a deadly tune.

Loud clanks sounded from the darkness he came from. Four obsidian armored soldiers stepped into the dim light, falling in step with Vader.

"Destroy their life support systems."

"Yes, my Lord."

Two soldiers hustled off and split at a forking hallway.

Vader pressed forward with the remaining two.

— - - —

Luke growled in complete frustration, slamming his fist into the console as his ship tore passed C-28's shuttle, unable to do any real damage while trying to outrun the squad of Death Troopers in their specialized Interceptors. The solar cannons had overheated once more. His missile payload had been exhausted save for a single round of mag pulses. He was running out of options and justification for continuing to chase the ship.

-Target entering red zone-

Luke's hold on the controls tightened. He wanted to rip them off with how frustrated he was. Edging on desperation, the instability the Dark Side brought with it pushed rationale aside in favor of revenge. "Keep that shuttle as the primary target!" Luke snapped.

-Incoming!-

The Interceptors has caught up and were right on his tail.

"Where's the shuttle!?" He barked as his ship smeared through the battlefield while masterfully evading fire.

-Target heading toward that Star Destroyer in sector 16-

The sector popped up on his HUD. He inwardly cursed. "We have to intercept it before it gets there."

His fighter rocked violently as a barrage of fire slapped across his shields. Luke hissed and flew the ship in a steep, downward angle beneath a Destroyer. Calculating the distance between his location and the shuttle's destination in the briefest moment of respite, a plan formulated. "R-9, take control of the rear cannons. Give me as much cover as you can."

The droid beeped it's affirmative.

"Lower the shields."

R-9 gave a nervous whir.

The TIE Stalker zoomed forward, underside, rear cannons taking pot shots at the Squad of Interceptors and at least a dozen fighters behind. On Luke's HUD, the surface cannons on the Destroyer C-28 was headed for were circled with red targeting reticles. When in range, they fired and Luke grinned. They had no love for their own men.

The Force flooded the cockpit with fiery concentration as Luke's grip tightened on the controls. His craft swerved between two well aimed shots from the surface cannons and the fighters behind slowed considerably to try and survive. Two more blistering shots heated the surface of Luke's fighter as they passed by much too close for R-9's comfort, but a satisfying explosion echoed behind the Stalker.

The reticle on the closest cannon blinked blue to signal he was in range. Luke waited.

It fired another series of shots.

Luke's fighter went sideways, his fists squeezed the trigger.

The blasts passed right between his cockpit and solar panels, so close that the energy rattled the vessel. Had the shields been up, they would have been destroyed by that shot, but instead they blazed by and smashed into two enemy interceptors trailing the Stalker.

Luke's barrage melted through the cannon's outer covering and it burst into a ball of flames.

"Shields up!"

Luke flew the ship alongside the Destroyer, much too close for the cannons on its vertical walls to target. With a sneer at each direct hit, Luke took them out one by one. The enemy fighters failed miserably to keep up with his brazen maneuvers while he blast through another explosion.

He flipped a switch. "Luke Skywalker to Supremacy."

"Ahh. Prince Skywalker. I thought I saw a trail of fire and explosions in your direction." Tarkin cheekily greeted.

Luke smirked. "Governor. I'm making an attack run on this Star Destroyer's main hangar bay. On my mark, fire the autocannons and destroy it."

"Autocannons at 81%. On your mark."

His fighter peeled away from the Destroyer.

His HUD blinked as his sensors kept track of C-28's shuttle. It was nearing hangar bay on the opposite side of the Destroyer.

"Torpedoes armed." He said to himself. His fighter made a tight loop-around.

The computers bleeped to signal the torpedoes were ready to launch at a moment's notice.

He sensed the panic inside of the hangar as they tried to evacuate once realizing his plan. C-28's shuttle had already begun re-routing away.

Luke zoomed toward the hangar, evading turret fire easily. He squeezed the trigger as his ship blurred inside. Two blue rockets blasted in, smashing into the hangar's floors, ships and occupants.

Fire chased him out of the opposite end while his grin widened.

-Target 45 degrees to the left-

Luke steered the ship in a sharp turn while the main hangar burned behind him.

-light speed preparations detected-

"What?" Luke growled. "Where!?"

-tracking now-

"Governor, fire!"

From Vader's fleet, the Super Star Destroyer beside the Executor speeded a barrage of four massive blasts from its cannons perched on the underside of its shell.

R-9 suddenly screeched alongside an alarm.

Luke had failed to notice a surface cannon had locked on. It fired.

Luke pulled up.

The blast pummeled through his shields and Luke whiplashed forward, his cockpit filled with smoke and sparks.

The shots fired from Vader's fleet tore into the offending Star Destroyer and ripped it apart. The shockwave slammed into Luke's fighter and C-28's shuttle.

Luke's vision blacked out for a moment before the various alarms and bells blaring brought him to.

Sharp pain sliced through the left side of his back and dizziness clouded his senses.

As if realizing the situation, Luke ignored the blinding pain. C-28's shuttle was preparing to escape.

R-9 was overloaded. The stolen coordinates were only half completed.

He was too disoriented to even attempt the impossible task of guessing where C-28 was headed, but as he scanned the systems in the area, the Force guided him to one place.

Not thinking, he chose it and let the onboard computer finish calculations.

C-28's shuttle shot off into the blackness.

Luke's followed a moment later.

— - - —

There was once a time when Gallius Rax could walk down a hallway in the Imperial Palace and men would salute to him. Some would ask questions about the legendary battles he'd commanded, they would wonder for what reason the Emperor had summoned him for; if they were planning the next glorious strike against the Rebel cells. It felt good to not just be in the Emperor's circle, but to also be looked up to and not have his status questioned like some of the men in that inner circle.

After the Emperor's betrayal, Rax was no longer part of any inner circle. He had lost the power he'd worked so hard to attain for the last several decades in Palpatine's service. That fact stung, but it stung even worse to know that to Vader, Rax was a mere piece in the Imperial machine. Expendable and easily replaced. Readily replaced, even. Rax was too smart to be cornered by the traps Darth Vader had laid for those men in his former master's good graces. Rax wasn't like Tarkin or Thrawn; he wasn't loyal to the Empire. Only it's Emperor. He was lucky that Palpatine covered the tracks of his Contingency so well.

Years of planning went unhindered. Decades of research and political maneuvering, all of it culminated in the birth of the Shadow Council and the resurgence of true Imperial ideals. A glorious display of power on Alderaan was supposed to be followed up by a majestic strike against Vader's fortress.

And yet... he was outplayed. Darth Vader was everything Palpatine had said he was, even if his brutish, ask-questions-later approach to governing the Galaxy was in stark contrast to the cunning, manipulative and deviousness Palpatine had warned Rax of.

Darth Vader was terrifying. Rax had always known this.

Perhaps he didn't understand what Vader was. He couldn't appreciate that terror if he didn't understand the man who wrought it. He'd always seen Vader as the brash, overzealous child that was Anakin Skywalker. The Hero With No Fear may have been a sign of hope and courage to those less intelligent beings, but in reality, it was a title of deprecation bestowed upon Skywalker by his Jedi Masters. Anakin was a dull blade that swung hard. Palpatine liked to remind Vader of this "truth".

Rax failed to understand the dynamic is Master and Student in this Sith Order. Palpatine liked to put Vader down, to belittle him in front of others and make him seem smaller and less capable. It was cruel... but not for the sake of cruelty. Darth Sidious didn't brush off his student. No. He taught him, he trained him and forged him from a dull blade into one that cut through matter itself. The sharp blade that was Darth Vader swung even harder than before.

Palpatine belittled Vader so that Vader would be forced to strike his own brand of fear in the hearts of those who felt bigger and stronger for holding the Emperor's favor. No matter who the man or woman was, each of them experienced the heart-striking fear of Darth Vader at one time or another.

And now...

Gallius Rax trembled.

Battle sounded outside of the bridge. Blasters firing frantically, men yelling in a panic and screaming pathetically to the hum of Emperor Darth Vader's lightsaber. Rax's men were cowering behind their stations, their standard issue pistols drawn toward the sealed blast doors.

Cover couldn't save them.

Blasters couldn't save them.

Nothing could save them.

Gallius Rax understood this fact, if any. Unlike his men, he would not show fear.

Before him, one of his prized Star Destroyers exploded in space, filtering in a short-lived flash of bright light onto the dark bridge of his Ark.

The fighting outside of the blast doors stopped.

Rax didn't flinch at the loud, ominous whine of the thick, metal doors buckling under some sort of pressure. As if they were being gripped from the edges and pulled open forcefully.

"Take aim!" Rax's second in command ordered the officers on the bridge.

Rax kept his back to the blast doors and his eyes on the battle in space. A battle that was shifting rapidly in Tarkin's favor.

A bellowing 'snap' made Rax flinch.

The bridge was alive with flashes of red as the officers fired on the now mangled, open blast doors.

Rax turned.

His training in the Imperial Military Academy came flooding back to him.

But his body failed to move. Like a bad dream he couldn't escape from, paralysis held him in place while his worst nightmare stalked forward wielding the legendary weapon that plagued all Imperial Officer's nightmares around, casually deflecting blaster bolts as if denying Rax's plea to any deity for one to slip passed Vader's defense and end him.

Alas, Darth Vader walked forth unscathed. Any chance of Rax's prayers being answered were snuffed out by the two shadowy commanders in their leader's company. Gallius Rax was forced to stand and watch as a bridge filled with twenty armed, trained men fell to the blasters of just two.

Gallius's second in command fell with a splash of sparks from his chest, and the last chance for Rax's prayers died when one of Vader's accompanying soldiers fired a lance of energy into the man's skull before stepping over his body.

Hatred burned in Rax's face.

Hatred burned in Vader's sulfuric eyes.

Rax's sidearm flew into the Emperor's hand and he tossed it aside. "Check for survivors." Vader ordered. "Kill them."

The two masked soldiers nodded and silently performed their duty.

Vader released Rax and put his weapon away. The Fleet Admiral stumbled to the ground, watching Vader's boots as he walked toward the viewport.

Lord Vader scanned the battle above the planet, eyes resting on the skeletal remains of one of Rax's ships. Two vessels tore into lightspeed one right after the other.

Vader's mood further soured.

"So."

The Emperor glanced at the Fleet Admiral as he unsteadily found his feet.

"This is it." Rax's arms opened for a moment before falling to his sides. "The pinnacle of Imperial strength."

The Emperor's attention fell back onto the battle as Rax stood beside him.

"What a disappointment." Gallius spat. "All these years... the planning and the steps so carefully taken... the efforts to guide the Galaxy into an age of enlightenment. An age of security." His lips formed into a sneer. "It culminates to this." His hand swept subtly across in front of him. "We could have had the Galaxy, Vader. If you had just stayed in your place, we could have had everything!" He hissed. "You've earned your victory. I am beaten. But this does not end with me. The Empire will fall."

The Emperor stayed silently gazing across the stars, feeling a surge of great satisfaction as another Destroyer fell victim to his army. "Perhaps."

Gallius' head tilted toward Vader.

"But not by your hand." The Dark Lord's thick cape fluttered as he spun on his heel.

Rax half turned to watch.

Vader's two soldiers blocked the doomed Admiral's view of the Emperor. Rax's chest seized when the men brought their weapons up.

Gallius Rax instinctively protected himself.

His white uniform stained black and brown, slightly burning but snuffed out when he fell to his face.

Darth Vader didn't pay the Admiral second mind. After all, Gallius Rax was just a tool. Always had been. Once Palpatine's tool for revenge, now Vader's tool to draw out the remainder of this coup.

Vader's men quickly moved to the Ark's primary terminal and set to work. "Course set for Ren." The soldiers turned to their leader for further orders.

"Remain here." Vader ordered. "Send a distress signal once you've reached the planet. Alert me when they've come to the rescue."

Victory was secured.

Darth Vader left the Ark for the Supremacy.

The battle was dying down. Rax's ship was the only surviving vessel.

Vader watched from the bridge of his ship alongside Governor Tarkin as hordes of 501'st TIE fighters swarmed toward the Ark and docked inside.

With the trap laid, the Ark shot off toward its destination.

All that remained before the First Order fleet was the destruction of its enemy.

And Vader couldn't help but feel the moment was robbed from him. By said enemy... and by his own son's thirst for vengeance.

His son, his right hand was off chasing the man who killed his apprentice, his left hand.

Starkiller. The boy with potential as big as Vader's own. The legacy of the Sith. Of the man known as Darth Vader... was dead.

Dead.

Vader hadn't felt his rage boil so hot over loss since he was still Anakin Skywalker. For all intents and purposes, Starkiller was Vader's son. He raised the boy! Fed him, clothed him, taught him, trained him. He rewarded Starkiller, punished him, berated him, praised him. He wasn't a tool as Vader once saw him. After the death of Palpatine, the Force showed Vader Starkiller's place at his side. At the side of the Prince. With their power combined, nothing could stop them! This was the future!

So why, then was it wrong?

"My Lord..."

Vader turned from his thoughts to the meek voiced man approaching. His glare was overbearing with demands as to why this man thought it was okay to interrupt his thoughts.

"Lord Vader, the Princess of Alderaan has been stabilized. She's been taken to recovery... I-I was told to alert you personally-"

"That will be all." Vader sharply said. "Notify me when she has awoken."

The cowering man nodded quickly and bowed.

"She's my sister."

Vader watched the man scurry off.

Sister.

No, the Force wasn't wrong. It was his interpretation of it that was wrong. It was Leia who would stand beside Luke. It was them who would be unstoppable. Starkiller's place had always been beside Darth Vader.

His children's place was beside each other.

And one of those children was in a coma while the other was Force knows where...

Governor Tarkin glanced at Vader as if to remind him of the situation.

Ironic how Vader could command and control battles. He could bend lives to his will and influence anything he touched.

But he couldn't keep track of his unruly son.

For now, he needed to put his trust in Luke. Trust to not only return...

But to avenge his fallen apprentice.

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Here it is! The final product. Hope I've put down interesting setup for part two of my story. Once more, thank you all for the kind words. Hope you enjoyed.

I'll put up a link here when I post the first chapter for the second part. Let me know what you think, reviews are awesome.

Rubies-In-My-Bloodstream, I stupidly replied to your review with a review... anyways I just want to address your concern with C-28. He's absolutely not an established character so don't worry. I won't lie, if I think I know who you may have thought he was, I may have toyed with the idea. But no, he's not established.

SilverDaye, I'm glad you're liking this story. It's not perfect but I put a lot of time into it so it means a lot to hear people enjoy it!

And Darth Onixia, that goes for you to. Hope you're alright. Noticed your profile disappeared.

ILDV, gosh you've been with me forever. Thanks for sticking through the storm my friend!

Morriganna, glad you caught that (not that I was trying to be subtle). Wise leaders do trust and listen to their subordinates. It's why they're in the position to begin with

Revliledpembroke, I can't stress to you how much I agree with the Kylo Ren/Rey fics. I love their characters just a much as the next person, but damn... can we tone them down a bit? Anyways, I'm glad you're enjoying and you have my promise that I will never devolve to writing Reylo fics :). But I guess I should give them credit where it's due... writing is very difficult and not a lot of people have even the patience to put their thoughts on paper, so more power to them.