Author's note: This fanfic is rated M now. And for good reason— There is a discussion of an implied past rape/sexual assault and light reference of romanticizing that in this chapter. On top of the general mention of sex.

I honestly felt like I was going rabid reading this over and over again.

Twenty thousands words is a lot for one chapter, and it took me about seven hours to carefully read it all the way through and make changes each time I wanted to spend another session editing to make sure it flows cohesively, arent any grammatical mistakes, and isnt too heavy handed

Chapter Summary: Perspectives

• Galen has a choice to make, break the Rebellion's morals and some of his own in order to gain the information he wants, or keep the Rebellion's trust and the perception of the good righteous person he is.

Or— he could adopt someone else's morals, and pretend he believes in them.

The meeting went about as well as you would expect a meeting about the discovery of a superweapon that was capable of destroying planets would go.

It was dreadful, stressful, and aggravating.

A few members appeared to be overly focused on Vader's involvement in the project, and how much more information on it he could give. Once they stared down that path they couldn't quite pull themselves out of it.

Galen however knew engineering was more of a side thing for Vader, and not his main job. He probably didn't know anything specific about the weapon, but he wasn't about to interrupt the argument.

"Vader is an engineer, is he not? I'm positive he made the TIE Advanced schematics. He's probably seen the ones for this superweapon." Said Ackbar. The main person pushing for this to be the main subject of his interrogations. And the man who's shown the most sympathy for Vader— as far as Galen was concerned.

"Even he couldn't draw the design for something he didn't make from memory, what's the point of mentioning this?" Mothma countered. The voice of reason and doubt.

The two of them continued to go back and forth for a short while before reaching a conclusion.

"At the very least he could tell us if it had any weak points."

"And what if it doesn't?"

"We have to try something, we have to at least ask."

"Right now, it would be best for the Alliance if we tried to gather information from Vader that could be useful. This superweapon— the alliance is not large enough to face a threat of that magnitude head on as of yet. If we continue to wait in the shadows, we'll have a better chance for survival. It would be rash of us to become focused on this when we can be offering relief to the people that need it."

"There might not be any people that need our help if the Empire uses that weapon."

He was pretty sure the only reason he, Kota and Fulcrum were here, was because it was a way to uphold Vader's end of the deal. That made being here worse. None of them had exactly contributed anything to this conversation.

Clear through the force was Kota's aggravation at this bureaucracy, Fulcrum on the other hand, held whatever emotions she was experiencing closed shut in her mind. Her face didn't exactly betray whatever she was thinking either.

"We might not be able to get anything else from him at all." Draven spoke up between the two of them, then passed a quick look a Galen. "But I'll try, I can give you that."

That was a weird moment.

Galen wasn't exactly sure why he had been given that look, seeing as he hadn't even made one comment throughout this meeting.

"We'll put it to a vote then. Arguing is quite unbecoming of us." Mothma said, drawing his attention away from his thoughts. "All in favor of continued information gathering, in the subject of this superweapon, raise your hand."

Easily, he could tell they held the majority without counting.

"Then it is settled." Mothma quickly declared, she must have seen they held the majority too. From the continued tone of her voice, and face he wouldn't have been able to tell she lost the vote. "Draven, try to get more information of this superweapon from him. This meeting is now over."

Finally, at least now how could stew alone with his thoughts in peace.

It was getting quite late, about twenty one hundred and he still hadn't had anything to eat.

But that was fine, he didn't need to go to the cafeteria to eat something, the rations on his ship would do just fine, and while he was there he could also spend some time with Juno. He had not been doing that as often as he would like as of recent.

"Any news on Vader from the holonet Proxy?" Galen asked as he entered his ship.

Disappointingly, Juno was nowhere in sight. He wonder where she could have gone off to. Her force presence was near, but not on the ship.

"None master." The droid responded in his permanently chipper tone.

Galen then wondered why Vader programmed him to always have that tone. His former master wasn't exactly the happy type and he doubted he wanted to hear that tone from his droids constantly.

"Thank you Proxy."

"Not a problem."

Efficiently he grabbed a nutrient bar from the small common area of the ship, and went to the cockpit to think.

It's been days and the Empire still hasn't announced Vader's capture. That could be because the Empire didn't want to ruin Vader's perfect look, or because the didn't even realize he was missing to begin with. He wondered, how long exactly could Darth Vader disappear somewhere before someone realized something went sour with the mission? He's definitely gone on month long missions before.

But, at the very least Vader's Master must realize something's wrong by now. Darth Vader wasn't exactly subtle in the force— and if they had some sort of force bond, then his disappearance in it must have been noticed and been an unpleasant feeling. Certainly Galen could never want to experience that kind of force blindness or a sudden broken force bond.

Whatever was happening out there, the Empire still hasn't found him yet. He doubted they ever would, the Rebellion's main base on Dantooine has been here for years and it's never been found.

The Emperor might not even care that Vader was gone now that he was thinking about it. He had after all encouraged Galen to kill Vader on that superweapon a year ago. Or the original Galen, he still wasn't sure on that. What he did know for a fact however, was that Vader's own Master didn't care if he was killed.

Although perhaps it was different if the Emperor didn't have a replacement for his pet right in front of him. He could be searching secretly. Sending the Inquisitors out and hoping they would find the Sith apprentice.

"Are you thinking of something again?" Juno asked putting her hand on the back of his chair. Her crisp core world accent bringing him out of his thoughts and surprising him for a moment.

He hadn't even sensed her approach.

"I'm always thinking of something." He responded with a smile.

She looked to the half eaten nutrient bar in his hand.

"Are you really eating in the cockpit again?"

"The cafeteria was closed." He shrugged.

"That's… not exactly what I meant. You could have eaten with me, I'm sure I could find something that wasn't these dreadful things to eat."

"Come on, they're not that bad."

"They are too. Really you should utilize the cafeteria with me more when it's open, maybe you're just too used to those things. You get cute like that sometimes."

Cute wasn't exactly a word Galen would use to describe himself, nor his habits— but things like that is what made Juno Juno.

"Maybe I will." He said, then added— because it was the type of thing people in relationships are supposed to do, "You're cute too."

Juno smiled at that.

"Come on." She gestured behind her with a move of her head and shoulder, then patted the back of his chair. "It's getting quite late. Shouldn't we be off to bed now?"

While it wasn't exactly that late, Galen picked up on the general idea that going to bed wasn't going to end with sleeping right away.

It didn't take long for Galen to finish the small food bar and follow her back further into the ship.

Galen slept well that night. Despite all that was uncertain about the future.

Training was a regular part of Galen's mornings.

It's always been for as long has he can remember. Usually he practiced his force skills and basic lightsaber combat positions in the early hours, but being on this base he mostly just stuck to force manipulation.

As Juno was asleep when he got up at the time of five hundred hours in the morning, he always decided against using the small training room they had onboard. That could cause a lot of noise and wake her up. He wouldn't want to interrupt her beauty sleep, as she liked to call it.

Lightning strikes and lightsaber moves were way too loud, dangerous and attention grabbing for a place like this. The field of parked ships in front of the base felt too crowded— just outside the back of the base worked well for a place for him to practice, even if it was far too open for his liking. It was a good thing not many people were out and about at this time of day.

Things were always peaceful in the morning.

Dantooine was a temperate planet, with songbirds and long thin grasses that were covered in small droplets of dew in the early hours. The planet's atmosphere accentuated that feeling of morning peace with its orange sunrise and cool air.

It was perfect for practicing his more light side oriented moves and meditating, although he preferred not to do light side meditation. No matter how much Kota insisted it was needed he rarely ever succeeded in it— and when he did sometimes after his dark side abilities failed him.

That was the nature of changing sides in the force. One of them always failed you in return. Although, he supposed it wouldn't matter now if that happened. It was not as if he was preparing for battle— even if his current assignment was to make sure Vader stays imprisoned. Galen doubted his former master would be able to escape despite his occasional worries.

The thought then came to him:

Perhaps he should speak with Darth Vader.

Maybe he'd be more forthcoming in the morning hours then the night. He's never spoken to him at this time before after all.

When Galen entered the cell he did not see Vader sitting on that cot as he always was.

Instead, Vader was well asleep, strangely enough. Laying on his side with his back to the wall and his legs bent together, his remaining arm against his middle, unmoving except for the rise of his chest.

Galen almost forgot Vader had to do human things like sleep.

He noted bandages wrapped around what had once been exposed dried rudish scrapes, and that his arms were uncuffed from one another.

Why would someone have taken those restrains off? He questioned in his mind. Was that supposed to be some kind of reward for barely even cooperating?

The Rebellion's council was far too soft on him.

Ultimately, he supposed having an arm loose wouldn't exactly be enough for him to escape. With arms undone he was still at a major disadvantage in those terms because of his partly missing one.

He still thinks it would have been easier to remove his cybernetic arms then to attempt to bind them together in the first place.

"Vader." Galen stated into the empty air.

He did not wake at the sound.

"Vader." He stated again, this time a bit louder.

Again he did not awaken.

Galen could wake Vader up by jostling him with the force, but it was probably for the best that he be left undisturbed if he was deep into the unconscious.

He wasn't exactly in the mood to find out if his former master was a morning person or not.

And because—

Vader almost looked peaceful like this, almost. White bandages, a split lip and a missing arm made him look more pitiful than anything else— along with his more general look of heavy scarring. It was surprising Vader didn't look dead as he slept.

He probably shouldn't care if he disturbed Vader's sleep, but he did. Even if he told himself it was because he didn't want to deal with the possibility of an unpleasant attitude.

It was a bit embarrassing. That there was a piece of Galen's heart carved out with an unknown emotion labeled simply with Darth Vader's name.

Galen Marek hated Vader for that.

He hated him for the moments when parents were mentioned, and for a fraction of a second he didn't think of his mother and father, but he thought of Vader. He hated how if Vader was a bit different he could have had a nice childhood and life. He hated how he was only ever used by Vader for his own gain, just a pawn in his plans.

He also hated him for making him feel bad at the idea of disturbing his peaceful sleep.

Galen left Vader's cell. Leaving his former master's sleep unbothered— and he didn't think of him any further.

It was thirty minutes past six hundred hours now.

The cafeteria should be open at this time.

It was hard to ignore the stares he got everywhere he went. Without the crowd of the afternoon he was able to pick out specific sentences people were saying. He heard the whispers as he walked past the few groups in the cafeteria speaking:

"That's him, one of the Jedi."

"I heard he used to be one of those Inquisitors."

"My friend said he faced down Darth Vader of all people and actually won."

"Shut up, there's no way he actually did that!"

"He doesn't look as friendly as the other two, not as elegant."

"Shush, what if he hears—"

Really, he wished this whole thing with Vader was over. It should have been over with days ago. They were hardly getting any information worth anything. No matter what Kota said, it would be best just to kill him now and be done with it.

Galen quickly picked whatever was first on the holo board above the open kitchen area to eat. He didn't exactly have an idea of what he would like. What he ended up getting was some kind of fluffy bread with a semi sweet fruit.

He sat at a small table alone and was thankful no one tried to approach him. One of the main reasons he never ate here was specifically to avoid people. It appeared that the morning crowd wasn't exactly the curious type although too talkative for his taste.

The food here was better than those nutrient bars. He would have eat here with Juno at some point in time before they left the base.

Later on in the afternoon Galen returned to the ship in order to actually spend time with Juno.

Today it appeared that she wanted to watch another one of those holos she loved— she said she found them to be empowering for women like her.

Galen figured without the force or being raised as he was, he probably would also gravitate towards things like that. Where the main action was about people and relationships and saving the day was a bit of a side task.

It was an alright holo— he was never really interested in things like that. What made it good, was that while watching it, he had been able to be with Juno.

She always loved taking about them to him, and he always did his best to listen.

I'll be guiding Vader to the interrogation room with you today instead of General Kota.

The message from Fulcrum on his comlink read.

Strange that Kota wouldn't tell him that himself, but he could ask the old man about it later.

Although there was still a standard hour left before Vader was scheduled to be transported, Galen decided to see him now. They always ended up talking—or he should say arguing, beforehand.

He really hoped when Fulcrum eventually showed up it wasn't another weird moment.

The evening when Galen Marek went to see Darth Vader, he decided to voice his opinion of his former master's treatment by the Alliance.

"So is that all it takes?" He began speaking without greeting. "And now what— the council decides you deserve a bit good treatment for that?"

"Organa's already visited me, save it Starkiller."

Again, with using his Sith name.

"You know, for someone who doesn't like using a certain name of yours, you sure love to call other people what they don't want to be called."

"Did you just come here just to yell at me?"

"Are you going to cry if I do?"

He visibly reacts to that. Leaning back and raising his upper lip in a sign of aggression before answering.

"No."

Galen kept speaking.

"What I came here for, was to ask if you were going to answer my previous question or not." He didn't need to tell Vader what that question was for him to know it. Almost every time he's seen him he has demanded for Vader to tell him if he was a clone or not.

"I've already answered it."

"If that's what you think an answer is, I seriously wonder how you ever got anything in the Empire done."

"Why exactly should I bother answering that question of yours, when it has to do with whether or not you actually like an individual, rather than any sense of self."

But to Galen, his question did have to do with a sense of self. To him his sense of self was tied entirely to the memories that may or may not have been his, he broke free of Vader's grasp because of those flashbacks to the past of Juno. He was here, right now on the side of the Rebellion, he beat Vader, because of her and the memories of what may or may not have happened between them a year ago.

He needed to know if those memories were really him, or someone else because of that, but Vader could never understand why.

"It doesn't have to do with just that. It not like you would understand it anyways."

"Should I rephrase then?" Vader patronized. Galen had a feeling he would be hearing it regardless of if he told Vader no or not. "Your feelings for her are not real because you are a clone, they aren't real because the two of you are not in love— is that what you wanted?"

There he went on again, about how his feelings were fake. Would Vader ever get tired of that argument? He wondered.

"No it isn't." He said, it felt like they had the same argument every day. "Why do you even care if I like Juno or not anyways."

"I've also already answered that question."

"No, you haven't."

"Perhaps not in any way you would understand."

"Then you haven't answered it at all really." Galen retorted. "I thought cryptic and useless sayings were supposed to be a Jedi thing?"

That poke however, was practically ineffective.

"My words are not useless unlike the Jedi's, you simply refuse to even try to understand them." Vader responded without hesitation.

The sharp and loud hiss of the cell's door sliding open ended that conversation, as the togruta stepped into the scene.

The argument was forgotten for now, but he doubted this would be the last he would be hearing of it. After all, it's the only reason he even bothered talking to Vader to begin with.

"You did get here early." Fulcrum stated. She sounded easy going despite being in the presence of Vader.

"Yeah. I have my own questions to ask him."

"Don't we all." She responded, putting a hand on her hip.

When Galen turned his attention back to Darth Vader it appeared that he had taken to staring at something on her belt.

Galen wondered: what could he possibly be looking at? He really didn't want to have another weird moment like what happened last time between the two of them, but he had a bad feeling that is exactly what was coming next.

"Where are your original lightsabers." Vader demanded.

"Are you… talking to me?" Fulcrum asked sounding genuinely confused and caught off guard by the intrusive question and stern tone.

"Yes. What happened to them." Vader asked as if that was supposed to be obvious and not sudden.

Fulcrum tilted her head, her lekku swaying with the movement.

"I've had these ones for years now they're not exactly new."

Galen was surprised she even answered him. He knows for a fact he wouldn't bother answering Vader's useless and random questions.

"They are not the same ones you used on Mandalore." Vader said out of nowhere.

"How do you know that?" She asked, this time accusatory and suspicious. "You have to have quite the eye to see the difference in those things."

Of course her own master would recognize the difference her lightsabers.

It would be a very Vader move to make, to almost reveal his identity just so he can get a word in.

Wait. Galen thought. He should probably stop this before Vader actually did that and they lost the only thing that could get him to speak.

"I don't think we should keep the others waiting over there forever for us." He interjected into their slowly spiraling conversation.

Fulcrum took a hard look at Galen before returning to glare at Vader.

Guess she wasn't exactly a fan of being told to hurry up or stop.

"... Why would it matter to you anyway." She asked him.

Vader took a moment to respond. Looking at his missing arm before speaking again, and not looking at her as he did.

"You wouldn't want to bring me in late, would you?"

Fulcrum opened her mouth in a quiet snarl, showing large canines, then must have thought better of whatever she was going to say, because she closed her mouth and addressed Galen instead.

"Deactivate the ray shield Knight Marek. We have places to be."

Despite the fact that she was angry, she always had this type of confident control. The force betrayed none of her feelings. That type of control was a bit scary. The only other person he's seen that type of control from was Vader.

Maybe Vader had actually taught it to her. Maybe he had actually been a good teacher to her, unlike how he was with him. Maybe he should at least try not to feel jealous about that realization.

Galen did as Fulcrum told.

"Fulcrum, so nice of you to join us on this fine evening." Draven said to the three of them, his hands folded nearly behind his back.

Ackbar also appeared to be in waiting for this one. He however, stood far off to the side of the entrance as to not intrude.

"I'm just doing my job." She responded.

"Galen, get Vader ready in there." Draven addressed him.

Wonderful. He sarcastically thought.

Whatever conversation Draven and Fulcrum were about to have would go unheard as Draven removed Galen from the picture.

He not so gently elbowed Vader in the back to get him moving into the inner questioning room. Disappointingly, his former master did not need to be told twice.

The clunk of the door behind them cut the conversation off.

Vader did not even attempt to struggle as Galen tied him to the metal chair. He would have pulled unnecessary tight on the bonds but seeing as his limbs are cybernetic he doubted that move would actually hurt or irritate him.

He looked as if he was thinking deeply about something. Lost in his own thoughts. Galen asked him such.

"What are you even thinking about?"

Vader looked up from where he had been staring blankly at some fixed point on the table his hand was tied to.

"Your job here is done." He responded, and while a sentence like that would usually be spoken in a patronizing, dismissive tone— the way Vader phrased it was anything but.

He said it as to mean, leave me alone, please, without saying those particular words. His face said as much as well.

"Fine."

Things always just had to get weird, when Fulcrum was around.

"Great to see you again, Lord Vader." Draven greeted the Sith Lord. Sarcasm was not evident in his tone although Galen felt like it should have been.

Vader, predictably did not respond to that small talk.

"You helped us out quite a bit with that information, but I think we both know you can go further with it. I'm sure you know the consequences if you don't give us anything new."

Truly, Galen didn't think the Rebellion was helped at all with that information. It was not as if they could do anything about it. Vader had not exactly been detailed in what he said.

"I suppose that is going to be held over my head permanently now." Vader responded. Draven smiled in response. "Unfortunately for you, I was never in charge of that project."

Galen believed that statement. Vader wasn't exactly the type of person put in charge of things like that. He was almost strictly in charge of battle planning. Otherwise he temporarily took the orders of a Moff.

"Then who is?" Draven asked.

"Krennic. The head engineer's name has slipped my mind."

"Are you sure?"

"I am not lying. I do not bother myself with getting involved with the Emperor's pet projects."

Draven appears to believe that one, Galen does not.

He wondered what Fulcrum was thinking. She was always so quiet and reserved. Outwards and in the force.

"I see, so you're saying you don't know anything else about this besides the fact that it exists."

"It's not completed yet."

Then Galen realizes this fact. Once Fulcrum knows of his identity it can no longer be used to make him give up information. Draven knows that too, Vader knows it, everyone does. So while theoretically Draven can use it against him, ultimately he'll be less inclined to actually do it.

The first time he did so was because he wasn't even sure if it would work at all— that immediate threat of her knowing now is what most likely pushed Vader to give something up— but eventually things will get to the point where the threat of his identity being revealed won't push him any further, and Fulcrum will know— or they won't tell her and Vader won't be moved by the threats at all because he knows they won't carry though on them. After that, they won't have anything against Vader to use at all.

It is tough situation.

Perhaps that is what the council's argument had truly been about. Mothma might have thought it wasn't possible to push him further using Fulcrum on this subject without risking losing the one thing they have that can make him talk.

"Do you know when—"

"I was never in charge of the project." Vader spoke over Draven's words. "As I had just stated. I don't know."

Draven sighed at that and crossed his arms.

"You're not making this easy for us, you must know that."

"Then talk about a different topic, as it appears you don't know how to do your job."

"Getting brave now are we?"

"Don't banter." Vader light shook his head.

Draven took a seat on the edge of the table that separated them.

"Really though, it is awful brave of you, seeing as how you get when you argue a bit too passionately."

Fulcrum suddenly moved from her place, and went to exit the room. The action jarred Galen from his focus on Draven and Vader.

"Where are you going?" Galen asked before she could leave.

"I just remembered something." She said without facing him, then looked back over her shoulder to say with a slight nod. "Hope he doesn't give you too much trouble." Before exiting the room.

Which was an odd thing for her to say, Galen thought. Although he didn't exactly know her well— she was quite mysterious, that kind of thing could be normal for her.

Now it was simply Galen and Ackbar watching this.

"I wonder what it was that made her leave." Galen said to him, hoping he had an idea.

"I haven't got the slightest idea." He responded in that guttural tone all his species had.

Apparently Galen must have missed something in the interrogation room, because Draven was going on a long rant about something completely different, and Vader had resigned himself to not speaking again.

Same old, same old.

Galen returned Vader to his cell alone. It wasn't exactly hard to do that, Vader appeared to be perfectly unaggressive in moving him from one place to another. But it was safety protocol for it to be him and Kota—or now that Fulcrum was here, he supposed it could be any combination of two of them— to bring him too and from his cell to the interrogation room down the end of the unoccupied hallway of the small prison block, now that Vader had free region of one arm.

"Where did Tano go?" Vader asked, taking his seemingly perpetual place of sitting down on that cot as soon as Galen brought him to the cell.

"Why'd you ask Fulcrum about her lightsabers?" Galen asked in kind, leaving the ray-shield deactivated for the moment.

His former master's eyes turned to the floor in front of him and he brought his left across his chest hand to grab the upper part of his right arm.

Galen supposed Vader wanted to cross his arms, But that wasn't exactly possible missing his right hand and most of its forearm.

"Skywalker had kept them for a year after she left the Jedi order, and had given them back to her later on." Vader continued looking vaguely away from Galen while he answered.

That was a weird way to say he kept them for a long time for her, and he was upset she wasn't using them anymore.

It wasn't the answer he had been expecting. Although he wasn't exactly sure what it was he thought he would hear instead, or what it was that he wanted to hear either.

"Okay whatever, you deal with that." He said and activated the ray-shield, the hum of it instantly filled the room.

Galen really didn't like dealing with his personal identity nonsense. He was sure there was some explanation for his usage of third person when talking about himself, but it really didn't matter.

He had other things to do.

With a tight move he turned on his heels and started to walk towards the door.

"Goodbye." Vader said, before he could exit the room.

Galen looked back at him over his shoulder.

That was a weird thing for him to say. He thought, but did not bother to wonder why. Today was filled with people saying strange things.

Galen Marek left the cell without a verbal acknowledgement.

Galen saw Kota the next morning in the cafeteria. The old Jedi had his arms laid crossed on the table and his head hung low. His long hair had not yet dried from what Galen assumed to be his morning shower.

"I'm surprised to see you here this early." Galen said to him, taking a seat across the table.

"Mmmm." The old Jedi responded with a grumble, hardly lifting his head up.

He's seen this attitude from the man before, although is been quite a while. Taking a large smell of the air, he could just barely get the hint of alcohol on him.

"Kota have you been… drinking again?" He asked.

His Jedi master responded nearly admittedly to that.

"Are you going to rag on me about that too?"

"Who else was getting on you about that?" Galen knitted his eyebrows in confusion. He was pretty sure he was the only person who very strongly was against his drinking.

It always messed with Kota's connection to the force.

"The person I least expected, hit me hard too, along with this hangover it made one hell of a morning."

He supposed Kota wasn't going to tell him then. The old Jedi could be quite stubborn at times.

"Did you at least eat today?"

"Why don't you go get me somethin' then."

Really, Galen mostly felt like reenacting their first meeting by kicking the table he was leaning on over instead of doing that. However he did give up that needlessly angry path he had been going down, and he didn't want to cause a scene before it was even seven hundred hours in the morning.

Galen sighed through his nose.

"I'll get you something."

This must have been the reason Fulcrum went with him yesterday then, because Kota had been a bit inebriated at the time. He wondered how she handled that situation.

He also wondered why Kota got into that situation to begin with.

As quickly as possible, Galen got something to eat and brought it back for him.

"Here." He said, putting the tray down in front of him with a clatter and not bothering to sit down again.

There were better things Galen could be doing right now then attending to his hungover Jedi Master.

"I'm going to go visit Juno." He said.

"Mmmm. Great boy, enjoy that."

As Galen was heading to visit Juno, he overheard the tail end of a semi-heated conversation.

"But father, I would just like to have a few words with him." A young woman's voice said, irritation present and clear in her voice.

"I know you would like that, but it is quite dangerous." Galen recognized this voice as belonging to Bail Organa. "Now, I do have things to do, go on back to the senate, we need you more there than here at this moment."

Now in his line of sight, he could see Bail and his daughter standing in the middle of the hall. Quickly though, Bail broke off and walked the opposite way down the hallway as Galen was.

He decided to approach her after he after disappeared from view.

"Princess Leia, greetings."

She was dressed in pure white from nearly head to toe as she always was. Standing nearly a foot under him, she still managed to hold this high regal air of elegance and confidence.

Galen had spoken to her before through holo a scare few times before. From what he understood she mostly dealt with the senate and offered relief missions to planets in need. He had no idea what could have brought her to here, a military base.

"Knight Marek. It is good to finally see you in person." The Princess curtly responded— that irritation she had a moment ago gone from her voice.

He supposed politicians were simply good at controlling their emotions like that.

"You too. I never expected to see you. I thought you were supposed to be busy handling things in the senate."

She sighed over-dramatically— breaking away from that schooled polite face. Her agitation was apparent in the force. It felt like her emotions were tapping him on the forehead.

He wouldn't have ever expected a princess to have such open and expressive expressions. Juno had taught him during one of of their many long hyperspace flights together, that princesses and queens were supposed to be calm, collected and elegant always. Leia defied that notion quite a bit.

But he supposed there were always outliers

"I just had some choice words for Lord Vader, I traveled all the way from Coruscant just to see him, but it appears that my father thinks it's too dangerous for me." She explained.

A father just being a bit too overprotective then.

Vader wasn't going anywhere, and he couldn't exactly hurt anyone with that force suppressor on, being behind a ray shield, missing his armor and missing an arm.

"Well it probably would be less dangerous if someone else was with you, I've seen him a few times now. You are cleared for this right? You look really young."

Although, it might have just been her short height that made her look younger than she was.

"Of course I do." She sounded insulted. "Believe it or not I am older than you are by over a full year, and I've assisted in countless operations, although they're not as flashy as yours they are important. And I am on the Alliance's council, in case you've somehow forgotten that fact."

Sometimes Galen forgets how young he really is. Certainly he doesn't feel that young. When this whole path towards the Rebellion of his started a year ago he was only seventeen.

"Then I don't see the problem with you accompanying me." He responded, he wouldn't really mind bringing her with him. Although in a very twisted manner, he knew what it was like not be allowed to do something he worked hard for and was ready for. "How long until you have to return to Coruscant?"

"I must be there by tomorrow evening. Not exactly a large window of time for planning a visit to the most valuable prisoner we have ever taken."

"Well, how about if you waited here for a little while or went with me to the Rogue Shadow, then went to see him with me- I was on my way over there right now. Afterwords I have to transport Vader to to the interrogation room, I usually get there a bit early for that."

"I think I'll do just fine with you. I wouldn't want anyone to see my just waiting around someplace."

Or get caught acting behind her father's back, is the more likely answer. Galen thought.

"Follow me then." He said, and continued on his way towards the landing bay where his ship was located.

"Greetings again today, Master Galen." Proxy greeted as they entered the ship together.

"Who is that?" Leia asked.

"This is Proxy, he's my droid." Galen introduced. Then added quickly. "And he's my friend."

Juno had found that strange. That the being he thought of as his best friend was a droid, and one that had originally been programmed to kill him at that. It was probably that second part that was the most off putting now that he was thinking about it.

The princess gave him a look that made him think she somehow knew of his awkwardness on the subject.

"I know about having mechanical friends, I have two droids I've known since I was born. I wouldn't trade either of them for anything."

"Really?" He wouldn't exactly have thought a Princess would need to have any droid companions, never mind for her to think so highly of them. "I've known Proxy for a long while too— I think I was about seven when he was given to me."

"I was originally programmed by Lord Vader to help Starkiller progress in his training by attempting to kill him, and he also programmed me to be his companion." Proxy elaborated.

Galen really wished Proxy didn't just say that.

Vader did not just program him a custom sparring droid. He gave him a unique personality and the ability to learn, not just attack patterns and how to keep up with him but social ques and his likes and dislikes.

He also programmed Proxy to kill him.

That had always been a bit confusing.

The fact that Darth Vader had made him however always seemed to put other people on edge. More so then the whole programmed to kill him part.

"He was reprogrammed not to kill you, right?" Leia asked a bit concerned at the droid's admission.

"Yes, of course he was. He's perfectly safe." Reassured Galen. It would be quite the tragedy if Proxy has to be destroyed because of his big mouth.

Speaking of the droid, he seemed content to wander off somewhere further into the ship then stay for this particular conversation.

"Well— that's good then. I had tried to get into droid programming when I was younger, but my father thought I would do best put to other subjects."

"Why's that?"

"It's just one of the many side effects of being royalty I suppose." The princess said then immediately moved on. "Did you reprogram your droid yourself?"

Then he heard Juno's voice calling out to him from further in the ship, before she appeared around the corner of the common room.

"Galen, who are you—" Juno's face dropped from her neutral smile at seeing them.

It was probably the surprise of a visitor, the only other person who's been on this ship was Kota. Galen wasn't exactly the type that made friends, although he wouldn't exactly consider the princess that.

"Senator?" Juno questioned, speaking again. "What are you doing here?"

"Knight Marek invited me over for a short while." Leia said avoiding the details, then explained further. "We've simply been talking of droids if you would like to join us."

Juno probably wouldn't, she wasn't that into droids, from what he could tell. Most of the time she used her free time to read stories and watch holos. Sometimes she had him join her in doing that. He enjoyed doing that with her even if the some of the holos did give him a bit of a weird feeling.

"He did?" Juno pushed her lips together. "Why would he do that."

"I'm sorry." Responded Leia, sounding sorry in voice, but in the force Galen felt that she very much was not sorry. "You don't exactly have clearance for that."

She technically didn't have clearance to know about Vader, but she was there when he had been first captured— so she obviously knew of him being on this base. The two of them had actually spoken over holo at Kamino after Vader had been subdued, so Leia knew that fact too.

Juno tutted at that.

Obviously she was not too happy at being told she didn't have clearance when she knew of everything already, and the princess knew that she knew.

"She is only teasing." Galen said to reassure her.

He figured the most likely reason Leia had said that was because she didn't want anyone to know she was disobeying her father's orders. Even though they technically were the same ranking in the Rebellion's council, the fact that he was her father changed things a little bit.

He would tell Juno this after Leia left, it wouldn't be a great idea to say that in her presence with the princess trying to hide it and all. While he was not the best at social cues, he did get this.

"And what do you know about teasing her?" Juno questioned in an accusatory tone.

That was a bad choice of words. Galen thought. He may have just accidentally started an incident with that one.

The Princess showed teeth in a confused smile and scrunched her eyebrows together at Juno's question, then looked quickly from Juno to Galen and back.

She wasn't too pleased with it either it appeared.

Really, Galen needed to get a better idea of how women worked, he believed.

While Vader had given him a few readings of physiological things, there was never one specifically on women.

His former master probably thought things like that weren't important. Another stupid thing he did— or didn't do, in Galen's opinion.

"Do I do something wrong? Or are you always like this?" The princess said, clearly irritated. "Marek is one of the most important members of the Rebellion on base, I'm just spending a moment talking with him, that's all."

"As long as that's all you do."

"I do hope you are not implying what I think you are."

"Fine, fine." She waved her hands, moving gently from foot to foot. "I'll just be going back to my room then."

"You don't have too—" Leia began to say, but stopped as soon as she realized Juno wasn't going to end her walk back to her room and listen to what she had to say.

Instead Leia turned to ask him:

"What was that all about?"

Juno was just being Juno again it appeared. Galen thought. She had given him a bit of cold shoulder after his missions that involved other girls too.

"Oh, you know how women get." He nonchalantly responded.

"What?" Loudly Leia asked.

Strangely Galen had to explain it to her. At least, Galen thought it was strange.

"You know, with the whole talking to other girls thing." He moved his wrist in a circle.

Juno was always the jealous type. At first he had been confused and weirded out by that, but she had explained to him that meant she loved him quite a lot. Because of his very, very limited experience with other people caused by Vader, she had to teach him simple things like that.

Leia however did not exactly appear to accept that explanation, and she went on further about her confusion.

"She doesn't let you speak to other women without acting like that?"

"I— yes?" He said, a bit confused at the feelings he could read from her.

Maybe things were different for members of royalty. That would make sense to him based on what he knew of princesses.

The Princess took a moment to think, crossing her arms and taking a few small steps away from him— Galen could quite literally feel the thoughts running through her head, although he couldn't read them.

What he could gather was a bit of concern and rushed thoughts. Why she was feeling that way and thinking that hard, he could only guess.

It was probably some other thing about women he didn't understand.

"Maybe you should date someone else, or no one at all."

Those words startled Galen because Vader, had expressed similar attitudes towards Juno.

What the hell was wrong with everyone. He thought.

Sure, the two of them didn't exactly have the best first few meetings, but he had learned to be a better person after that. They were good and nice to one another now— Galen had no idea why she would even say that to begin with, because she couldn't possibly know they had a bit of a rocky start.

Was Leia trying to put doubt in his mind to try to have him and date her instead of Juno? He asked himself, not understanding in the slightest what she was trying to explain— if anything at all.

"I'm sorry?" Galen questioned stepping a foot back.

But why was she suddenly saying this about her? The two of them seemed perfectly fine talking to each other after Vader had been subdued. She had no ill will toward her then.

Did Leia say that about everyone who got a little jealous? He wondered.

Maybe Leia was one of those people that only see things in black and white— or she indeed wanted to make a pass at him.

"You were sheltered pretty bad weren't you?" She asked him.

Of course he was, but Juno helped fix that. He knew all about the regulars lives of people and how relationships worked now. It's why he was so confused by her reaction to this.

"I was raised by Vader and Proxy."

Although he didn't indulge in media often— only being shown a scarce few things Vader had approved for most of his life, she had been the one to show him holos, and stories that taught him how other species and different types of romances, and how regular non-military people acted too. She thought showing him those kinds of things it would broaden his horizons a bit.

Even though he didn't exactly love watching all of them, and wouldn't do any of the things the some people did in the more explicit holos to 'spice up their sex life' as Juno had explained, they did indeed open his eyes to how other parts of the galaxy worked.

His knowledge of social things weren't just limited to what Vader taught him now.

Leia wanted to give a sassy retort to his response— that was easy to tell— but she quite literally bit her tongue and mushed her lips together instead.

He wondered why she was holding herself back from saying something this time. She did not exactly hold back from saying things before.

"That's not how women act." She sternly stated, and sounded quite positive of that fact.

But, he's seen a lot of holos, and had been told stories where women acted exactly like that.

"... No?" Galen questioned again. Juno had been the one who taught him how to act around women and how it was different from acting around men; things like not talking to her in bloody or ruined clothes, or have training sessions anywhere but the training room, and to not swear around her. "Juno taught me that was how they did."

Leia appear to be getting increasingly uncomfortable with this conversation, making eye contact less and less as it went on.

How could she have read the fact that Juno taught him things, as a bad thing? Galen wondered. Learning those subjects was always a good thing, even though it was pretty embarrassing he had to learn it at and older age.

Perhaps she was uncomfortable with the fact that he had to be taught these things when he had been nearly eighteen.

"That's just the problem, isn't it. Think about it." She said in this compelling tone. Then she quickly added. "Perhaps you should bring me to Lord Vader now."

That was fine. Galen was done with this conversation anyways.

To him, any opinion that was similar to Vader's was wrong, and he didn't want to end up getting mad at a Princess for something he thought she obviously didn't understand.

"Right. Let's be on our way again then."

Galen Marek thought he was smart enough to recognize what certain actions and reactions meant.

In silence, the two of them made their way to the small cell block of the base.

Although Galen was now used to the visage of Lord Vader out of his armor, Leia was startled from seeing his true form.

Her surprise was clear in the force and on her face.

"Lord Vader." She quickly stated putting on a politician smile, probably trying to quickly ease down her reaction.

Vader looked from the Princess to Galen.

"Who is this." Vader asked him.

"This is Princess Leia Organa." He introduced.

Vader frowned at that.

"Bail Organa's spawn." He distasteful elaborated on.

"I am a senator of the Empire. Your Empire." She said sternly. "And I am a Princess of Alderaan, a planet of the Galactic Empire."

"And what choice words do you have to share with me?" Vader asked, ignoring her retort. "I've been hearing quite a lot from everyone as of recent."

"Well, as long as you're asking," Leia said, it appeared that she had no problem with keeping up with Vader's banter while not letting him get herself worked up, "I was wondering about the new amendment to Coruscant's major lake and water supply and the reason behind the Emperor allowance of letting the senate decide for ourselves, it was started before your capture, everyone's been arguing about it for quite some time, so must know of it, the amendment—"

"Let me stop you there." Vader interrupted her long winded question. "I quite literally, cannot help you with your political problems. That is simply not what I do."

"That is a ridiculous notion, you are the second in command, the Emperor's right hand man, right? He's the one who is letting the senate decide for themselves, for once. You must have heard of it it will affect billions, everyone on the planet's quality and supply of water."

"I don't have political power." Simply stated Vader, to that.

"I'd have to be on Vader's side with this one, unfortunately." Galen interjected. "Vader's the apprentice of the Sith, the Emperor probably doesn't let him make decisions like that."

Leia's disappointment was prominent in the force. Despite not being force sensitive, she certainly knew how to project her feelings loud and clear. Clearly she believed his words.

"Well, if my father had told me that I would not have bothered with even coming here in the first place." Leia said. It must be complicated, being an adult and a major member of the Rebellion, but having an overprotective parent that tries to keep you out of things despite you being perfectly capable. "There are a lot of questions I'd like to ask you Lord Vader, but it appears your leash didn't extend far enough for you to reach them."

"How tasteful for a senator to say." Sarcastically he responded.

Really though, if felt as if these two were made to argue with one another. Galen thought. They also had hating Juno in common too. A weird coincidence. A cruder part of his consciousness said.

"Perhaps you should be getting along if he can't answer any of your questions Princess?" Galen suggested. "I am waiting for Kota to arrive, so I can bring him in for the formal questioning."

"Of course." She said, getting the idea that it probably wouldn't be great for someone else to see her here. "I shall be off to find my two droid companions then, Knight Marek. Threepio has this awful habit of wandering off into places he shouldn't be when left alone."

"Threepio?" Vader questioned.

But the Princess was already gone. She wasted no time in turning and quickly leaving the scene. Off to do whatever it was that Senators did.

Galen began to talk:

"Great, now that that's done—" But Vader had this weird look to his face. It made Galen lose track of his words for a few moments and wander off. He looked as if someone just slapped him, "... Now that that's... done, I guess we could sit here in silence or we could argue, like always."

"I'm thinking." Vader snapped at him, sharply turning his head towards him, before looking back down at the floor.

Rude.

"Silence it is then." Galen crossed his arms and leaned against the metal wall.

He wasn't as good at this as Leia was.

However that was fine, he wasn't exactly in the mood to hear Darth Vader basically repeat what Leia has just told him in a less formal and crude manner. He's had enough of people badmouthing Juno for today— and forever.

"Seeing as you have consistently maintain that you do not know further information about the superweapon, how about we talk trade routes." Draven asked, sitting on the table where Vader's remaining hand was locked to.

Monthma was watching with him and Kota today, most likely because she was the one who wanted to move on to different subjects than that superweapon to begin with.

"You think I know those from memory?" The Sith Lord responded.

"I think you know how to access them from memory."

Galen was getting pretty sick of standing here every night for an hour while approximately nothing happened.

Kota, for the most part, stood there with a hand on his chin deep in thought. Not exactly bored but not exactly paying attention to what was going on in the room in front of them.

Draven, Galen could feel was getting pretty irritated with Vader too, although he hid that fact a lot better on his face. He probably wouldn't want to accidentally cause another outburst. You couldn't exactly learn any new information when Vader was acting like that.

Nothing new was learned from this night.

Galen wishes he could say he was disappointed, but he hadn't exactly expected anything to be learned to begin with.

Besides, he really just wanted to talk to Juno again. This time without unexpected company.

"You're done talking to The Princess?" Juno asked as he entered the ship's common room, her blonde hair was down from its usual place of being tied neatly in the back of her head.

"Yeah, she's off back to the senate now." Galen said. At least she probably was, he figured. "What was all that about back there anyways?"

Of course he already knew—kind of, but he did know Juno liked to talk to him about these kinds of things, and perhaps he could learn something new from it as well.

"She dresses all the time in white." Juno said as if that answered his question with a raised eyebrow. Galen didn't really get what that meant, but Juno knew him enough by now to explain it a bit further. "You know what that means. That she's pure, and she thinks she's better than everyone else because of that."

That wasn't the impression Galen got of her through the force— or her words. At least in the beginning. Leia Organa was confident in her own abilities because she believed in herself, not because she thought other people were less than her. Maybe it was her attitude that gave Juno that impression. After all, she didn't have the insight of the force like he did.

Then again, Leia did dislike Juno for no reason, so maybe she was onto something.

"White also means death." He ended up responding with.

In most of the outer rim that's what it meant, while in the inner rim black was used to represent that. Then there was the meaning of color in the force. Dark meant emotion. Light meant peace. Vader had given him reading about culture sometimes, although very rarely. Usually when he did, it always had to do with his next mission, or something about the force.

Colors had different meaning everywhere, was what he had gathered for that, he was pretty sure of it.

"And who did you learn that from, Vader?" Juno said with a smile. Somehow, she knew. "Where it really matters, and what everyone really thinks when they see white, is purity and innocence."

Galen supposed peace and death were both tied to purity in some way. Although he couldn't quite articulate how. Innocence however, he was having a hard time of tying into the color white's meaning. The color or, lack of it, was stark and harsh to look at, on top of being attention grabbing. It didn't feel like innocence to look at, to him.

He wore white tabards now, on top of dark grey robes, and certainly he didn't mean to imply himself to have some type of innocence with that. It was meant to mean he was a dark and light side user, although he did also think the white looked nice standing out on top of all that warm dark grey underneath.

"Really?" He questioned. Unsure if that was true or not, wanting her further explanation of it.

"Of course, it's why everyone gets married in white, and why girls in romance holos wear white on dates— or when they travel somewhere scary. It's a pretty basic part of symbolism in cinematography, and I've taken classes on that as an extracurricular interest, so I know what I'm talking about."

Galen has never really taken formal classes on anything. And if that was something taught galaxy wide he supposed it must be true. Juno did believe wholeheartedly in what she was saying as well. That idea did also fit into the holos he's seen so far.

"So because Leia wears white all the time, you don't like her?" He clarified. Although he was sure that wasn't the only reason, Leia did act rude to her.

"It's more of me just reading in-between the lines, most people can't do that, I bet she said some mean things about me after I left too."

She did, but Galen didn't want to tell her that. It would upset her further.

"... No." Awkwardly he responded.

"It's fine Galen," Juno reassured, putting a hand on his thigh, "I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for hurting the Princess on part of my dignity. Even if the fantasy is nice, it's not worth the trouble you'd get into."

"Right." He hadn't even thought of hurting her.

"For a place that's supposed to be all— you know," she vaguely gestured with her hand. Galen didn't pick up on her meaning. "People are quite rude to sensible smart women like me."

"Is that why you prefer to stay in the ship?"

"Unfortunately." She sighed and crossed her arms. "Really I want to get away from this place— it's far better than the Empire here, but it's not what I've always dreamed of with you."

"Mind telling me those dreams of yours, maybe I'll be able to make one of them come true."

He always liked being able to do things for Juno— it was the least he could do for her after all she did for him.

"It's just women things." She began to explain to him. "I want to be able to wear something impractical and pretty and femmine, even though I don't think those kinds of things are for me, and you," she looked at him and genuinely smiled, "I want you in something dark and mysterious and masculine— like you used to wear."

For quite some time he hasn't worn anything he would describe as dark and mysterious. Only at the very beginning of their meetings had he done that.

He didn't exactly think of his outfits when he was Vader's apprentice were what she would have wanted to see him in. When they had first meant he wasn't the kindest to her. He remembered how rude he was, because he had been rude to every other pilot before her, but now he knew how to treat her. He was good now.

"Really— Like what? I'm not exactly a fashionista over here." Although he knew what kind of things he did and didn't like, and had always been given some freedom with that— he didn't think his idea of a sense of style, was like how Juno thought of a sense of style.

After all, she was always quite clear on the difference between men's and women's fashion. It would have been hard for him not to learn the difference.

"Or maybe I could be in something matching your dark outfits?" She suggested instead. "Something powerful looking thats black, and tight, and sleek and long with a cape or hood."

He didn't exactly have an opinion of what she wore, but he felt like these outfits she was described had a sort of special meaning to her.

"Whatever you'd like."

"Really Galen," she gave a short airy laugh, "Don't you want me to show off my long legs for you?"

"I wouldn't not like that." He told her.

She smiled at him in return.

The next morning passed by normally— Galen trained lightly in the morning, ate breakfast alone, then returned to the ship and talked to Juno for a short while.

The semi-regular pattern he had gotten into was broken by a meeting with Fulcrum.

He had sensed her approach in the hall of the base as he was going to visit Kota, but he had just assumed she would be passing by, until she began speaking to him.

"Greetings Knight Marek." She said, with a slight nod of her head.

"Fulcrum." He greeted in return.

"Mind joining me outside for a sparring session? I've heard you picked the same grip and double sabers as I did."

She has the exact same fighting style as him? That was one hell of a coincidence for both of Vader's apprentices to have the same style, seeing as that had been something Starkiller picked out himself.

Come to think of it, Vader had seemed a bit displeased at his choice at the time all those years ago. Galen never really got why his former master hadn't liked his choice.

Perhaps being reminded of his previous apprentice had upset him.

"Sure. I haven't trained with anyone recently." Galen answered her.

Not since Vader was first captured anyway. Kota's been a bit down lately for no better terms, and there wasn't exactly anyone else out there that he could train with besides Proxy, but he had outgrown the droid's programming a while ago.

"This way then."

As they walked through the hallways together Galen thought of the things that had transpired the night before.

Last night was still on his mind.

It was hard to get the memory of Princess Leia and what she said out of his thoughts. Even if he couldn't say he hated Leia, it was completely uncalled for, for her to say that they should break up out of nowhere— His opinion of her definitely faltered a bit because of that.

Perhaps he was showing a bit of protectiveness over Juno right now, he was sure she would like that even if she often insists she can take care of herself.

Fulcrum seemed sensible enough to talk about this.

"Do you happen to know why someone wouldn't want me to be with Juno?" He asked.

"Who's Juno?" Fulcrum questioned.

He supposed she wouldn't know her— he also supposed that meant she didn't really have the answer he was looking for, but it was a bit too late to stop now.

"I'm dating her." He said, because calling her his girlfriend always felt weird and childish.

"I see." She said and frowned. "Most likely that's someone who strongly believes in all the Jedi's rules. Before you were born, the Jedi Order did not allow its members any attachments of any kind. That meant no dating."

Galen had known that fact. Vader had taught him about the rules of the Jedi, although it was always to insult them.

"Would I even be considered a Jedi then?" He asked.

He was probably a sorry excuse for a Jedi in her eyes— he and Kota actually. Despite the fact that Fulcrum did not call herself a Jedi, she was more like one than the two of them. She was that calm and collected idea of a Jedi he always imagined— Strong in the light side of the force and even toned in voice and mind.

"The Jedi now are far different now than what the order stood for." Fulcrum told him, instead of saying he wasn't really a Jedi.

It was implied however. That much he understood.

"Sorry."

"It's a good change." She said, and did not elaborate further.

The outside air of Dantooine was warm, the sky was clouded with grey.

He hoped they wouldn't have an audience for this.

For now at least, it appeared that they would not. Most people were inside the base, or off near the shipyard— not wandering around outside the back empty fields.

"I assume you know not to actually try and kill me?" She asked in a lightly joking manner. "Or to use lighting?"

"Sure."

They stood apart, a few meters away from one another.

Fulcrum held her two lightsabers in her hands and took a short bow, then ignited her blades holding them in a defensive position— they were a colorless white.

He put one foot forward in a more aggressive stance and opened his own blue blades.

Despite standing at a defense, Fulcrum made the first move and rushed forward.

It was a hard duel, not similar at all to the ones he's had with Vader.

While Vader was pure untamed power, Fulcrum was quick moves and sudden changes of strategy. He could get in attacks on her, but she always appeared to have some kind of backup plan.

She also happened to play dirty.

What ended the battle was not a lightsaber move at all, but rather Fulcrum's foot hitting him in the stomach and throwing him off balance, sending him to the ground in one move.

"You did good." Fulcrum said to him, somehow quickly regaining her breath, and turning her sabers off.

"I lost." He panted, deactivating his own lightsabers and picking himself up off the ground.

"It's not all about winning or losing the fight." She responded.

That was a very Jedi thing to say. He thought. Although, now that he was thinking of it—

"You… rejected the Jedi, right?"

"I did." She didn't seem to be upset at that fact.

"Why?" It was a question he's always been meaning to ask. He never understood that— even if the Jedi in the past has a few distasteful rules, she's so much more like a Jedi then he and Kota are.

And Kota had seemed pretty upset at her admission of that, although he was a bit more understanding of it, somehow.

"As I said before, the Jedi used to be much different before now. What I have against the Jedi is nothing against you, nor any other of the Jedi that exist now."

Galen hadn't known Fulcrum had feelings of distaste towards the Jedi Order. Ones so strong that even now she refused to call herself one.

I had promised myself Starkiller, Vader had said to him days ago. That you would not become another Ahsoka Tano.

But what did that mean? Galen wondered. And why had Vader said that?

"Could you explain it further?" He asked her.

"Sit down, and I'll give you the short version," She began, and sat on the grass, Galen followed suit. Fulcrum took a few months to gather herself before she began. "The Jedi council thought I did something I didn't, when I was sixteen. I was on trial for execution and no one believed me. If it weren't for my master who spent days tracking down the real culprit— and stood by my side when no one else did— I would have died. I truly wanted to stay with him, he meant a lot to me, but I couldn't stand the Jedi Council and their agenda and arrogance, and the Jedi's rules. So I left."

This was a very different way of speaking of the Jedi that he's heard from Kota and Vader.

With Vader, he had nothing but bad words for everyone and everything; with Kota, he had nothing but good words, even for Vader himself. But Fulcrum— she was the middle ground it appeared. Or at least, she wasn't shoving her opinion down his throat, she was just telling him a story and letting him decide things for himself.

Galen looked down at the grass he was sitting on.

He wanted to say, sorry for your loss, but it was hard to grieve for someone that was very much still alive. It wouldn't be great if when he said sorry she felt him not meant it.

"You don't have to say anything. And if it makes you feel any better, the culprit ended up being my best friend."

How was that supposed to make him feel any better? He frantically thought.

She smiled at his reaction then said:

"My bad, I got my sense of humor from my late master too."

That did sound like a kind of humor Vader would like, if he was ever capable of liking such things.

"It's fine." He responded.

Her face suddenly dropped from that playful smile, she looked as if she was thinking deeply about something for a few moments before she spoke again.

"Do you want me to tell you about him?"

No— Was the obvious answer to that.

He really didn't want to hear about Vader any more. It felt like his life revolved around that man. But if he said no, he might look suspicious, somehow.

"If you want too." He said, because if he lied she would be able to pick up on that through the force.

She took that answer as an okay to proceed.

"He never wanted a padawan." It was a harsh beginning to a story. "Apparently he thought I was going to be his own master's new padawan, but the council had other ideas— they had also decided to send us on a mission to rescue Jabba's child, it didn't exactly put him in a good mood. And that was my first day with him, my first mission."

Piece by peace she let him slowly take everything in.

"I lived through the Jedi purge, because of his teachings. He didn't teach like the Jedi of the order should have. He was angry, impulsive, and reckless— nothing that a Jedi should be. I wouldn't have traded him for anyone else in the whole galaxy."

That sounded like Vader, but at the same time it didn't.

"One moment he was there, I saw him the day before the purge, there was an emergency on Coruscant he told me, he'd be back soon. Then he just— wasn't there anymore."

That sounded sudden. As if Vader hadn't even known the Jedi purge was going to happen.

Maybe now he was getting Why Kota was so very insistent of separating the time Vader had been a Jedi, from the present.

Galen actually felt bad, that she didn't know.

But some fates are worse than death.

Still, he did not know what it meant to be like her in Darth Vader's eyes.

"Thanks for sharing." He said.

Fulcrum blinked a few times, quickly getting rid of watery eyes.

"No problem."

It was in the late afternoon when his conlink beeped.

Meet me at conference room 2. Third floor.

The short message from Draven read. It offered no explanation for the reason of the order.

Galen had a strange feeling about this. Not necessarily a bad one, it wasn't a warning, it felt more akin to the thick air before the start of a lightning storm. Something important was about to happen.

The blue light of a holo map behind Draven framed his dark olive green jacket and pale face as Galen entered the small room. He didn't acknowledge his entrance immediately, because he was looking down intensely at a small group of papers.

Actual physical papers.

Galen's never seen them in person before. Mostly, these days they were used for the arts and not for practical reasons. However he had a good idea that this wasn't some art thing.

"Good afternoon Knight Marek." The General said, looking up from the papers he had on the table that separated them.

"Afternoon." Galen answered him, shutting the door behind him. "Why'd you call for me."

Draven neatly folded his hands behind his back.

"You know what I think?" He began, getting right to the point. "I think you could get something more out of Vader than I ever could. That information we got, don't get me wrong it was good. "But you got that," he gestured with his hand, "Thing going on with him like Fulcrum did."

This was about Vader then. It appeared that Draven must have held the same feeling of uselessness for the interrogations.

"You mean an apprenticeship? Trust me, that means nothing really." He could see how someone would think that, but he wasn't about to explain all the differences between a Sith and a Jedi padawan, and how they got trained. He hardly ever even saw Vader, while padawans usually always stuck to their master's side.

"You'd think that." Draven said with a nod of his head. "The Rebellion has a lotta rules about how we can handle prisoners and the like, of course a lot of them make sense and are there because their helpful, but really now, certain cases should get certain passes based on what we know about that person."

He was talking about breaking the rules to hurt Vader, most likely. Still he had to ask, assumptions no matter how likely could be dangerous.

"What's it you're getting at?"

"I can make things go off, for a little while, believe me when I say there's no one in the Rebellion that isn't willing to turn a blind eye for a second or two if it means Vader's going to be on the other end of it."

It was a tempting thing to even consider.

He probably shouldn't give into revenge but, he could learn what he wanted. If he was a clone or the original. Get that information, and perhaps a bit more, then act like he had been spending time with Juno if anyone asked where he was.

"I see you've got that look in your eye."

"I'm listening." He responded.

"That's what I like to hear Marek."

Galen's seen what Vader looked like, Dreven obviously has too. Pain isn't going to cause him to give up anything. There isn't anything he or anyone else can do to him that hasn't already happened before and left it's permanent mark.

"So, what— you think letting me in there to rough him up is going to do anything? Vader can take a lot. I might kill him before he gives up anything."

Not that he would mind killing Vader, but Galen spared his life to begin with to get information. It would be counterproductive at this point to take his life.

"No, not like that, not that particular rule. That would be noticeable. As I said before, the Rebellion's got these rules about treating prisoners, I'll just assume you know all them. It's not about physically hurting him— more about what you say to him." Dreven pushed the physical papers further across the table between them. "Not sure how many details about Vader's past you know, but I'm sure a few unkind dirty threats could go a long way in his case. Although it didn't exactly break our rules— using Fulcrum against him was a bit of a dirty trick. I figured other things like that could do it."

Galen pulled the papers to himself and looked through them.

It wasn't just filled with more specific details of Vader's past, but notes by Draven on how he could use them against him.

Most of them he immediately categorized in his head into the, pretend I did not read and never think about ever again place. Hutts were always so distasteful. Other things he could see might lead to places.

"What do you think?" Draven asked.

"I can't use all of this but—"

"Why not? If it'll make him talk and no one will ever know."

But there's a line you don't cross. Funny enough, it was in fact Vader that had taught him what that line was. It had been one moral subject he was quite strict in, besides things relating to the Empire and Sith, Everything else he usually let Starkiller think whatever he would like about it.

Perhaps he was already crossing a few moral lines by seriously considering breaking the Rebellion's rules while being one of their most trusted members but, the thought of threatening that or using it against even Vader was a bit stomach churning.

Maybe should cross that line specifically because Vader had taught him not to do so.

But was it worth it?

If Vader has taught him that it was wrong, and his former Master had been wrong about everything— could it possibly be that bad? It was bad, of course, but perhaps it was not as bad as his Master had drilled into his head.

He'd have to ask someone else to give their opinion of the subject, but it would be hard to do that. They would have to be someone he trusted.

"The aftermath of doing this. I'd be in a lot of trouble if anyone found out."

"Vader won't say anything. He's not that type. Not like anyone would exactly believe him if he did, nor does he know exactly what the Rebellion's rules are about treating people like him. So it's not like he'd bring it up anyway." The man expertly reassured all of Galen's concerns.

"Are you sure? This isn't something you can just be half positive of. I don't want to be a lackey caught in the middle of someone else's plan again."

Really, Galen wanted to do this, he needed to know if he were a clone or not, but there were a lot of ifs about the situation. There were a lot of things he still had to think about.

"Kid, listen to me, the dark lord over there didn't even bother to mention he couldn't eat anything were we giving him— he probably would have starved to death sooner— do you really think he's going to mention what could very easily just be another one of your little arguments turned sour?"

Galen hadn't known Vader was having any difficulty doing something as simple as eating. It was odd, to think Darth Vader even needed to do that to begin with.

It was also a bit exposing to think this man had heard every word of every conversation the two of them had ever had.

"When do you think you can get the blindspot open for me?" Galen asked.

"Anytime you'd like."

Despite basically agreeing to this, he still had questions. Still, he was unsure of the morals behind this action.

"Then I'll tell you when, if I decide to do this. There are some things I have to consider first."

"It's good to see you again, Galen." Juno greeted as Galen walked into the ship's common room, he had come here directly after his conversation with Draven.

"Sorry I just, am busy handling you know who and things related to that."

He hasn't been able to visit her as often as he would like, for as long as he'd like. Most of the time, they only saw one another late at night. In the mornings she was always asleep when he woke up. Then in the afternoons he spent time with Kota or Fulcrum— or trained in the ship's training room. And in the evenings he dealt with Vader.

Juno gestured for him to sit down on the rounded couch next to her.

"Oh. How's that going?" She asked.

He took that seat by her side.

"It's..." Usually Galen avoided talking about Vader with her. He had hurt her too— he tried to force choke her to death before their final battle, and he figured it would be for the best to keep her out of it because of that. But he decided to tell her the truth, this was important. "I just got a hard choice to make. I can probably get it out of Vader— if I'm a clone or not but, that would mean breaking a few of the Rebellion's rules, but there's a lot of people that wouldn't exactly mind that."

"Galen, this is Vader you're talking about. Neither of us are strangers towards how the Empire treats prisoners— or to how Vader is dreadful to his own people. You shouldn't feel bad for doing something that will give you answers, and if it will mean the two of us could leave all this behind together sooner..." She let the sentence's meaning hang.

"Yeah, there's just, some details that would be hard to use, it makes me feel weird." Deliberately he avoided telling her those details. He doesn't exactly how she would react to them, the subjects never been brought up before in this particular context— but just based on how she disliked him speaking of the more gruesome details of his missions, he figured she would feel the same about this.

She gently put her hand on his thigh.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, but you know I worry about how you get with him."

"This isn't some prisoners syndrome." He reassured her. Besides if something like that was happening Vader was the one on the other side of the equation now.

"Then, what is it exactly that's stopping you?"

The details— The uncertainty if this would even work, his own morals.

Galen had known basic things about Vader's past before, but the extra details of it made it seem worse. None of it excused Vader for what he did— nothing ever could, but it was still harsh to read. Or maybe it was harsh specifically because of what Draven had written in relation to it.

It would be hard to explain it to her, all things considered.

Juno didn't even like talking about these things ever and that made it all the more harder.

"Are you alright Galen? You have this look on your face."

"Don't worry," he reassured. "I'm fine."

He didn't like when Juno worried about him— she often liked to worry about him, although it kind of did feel nice to be someone another person was concerned about.

"Okay so, Vader he—" Then he suddenly stopped. He shouldn't be telling her this, he second guessed himself again. She doesn't like talking about these kinds of things.

Juno looked at him with raised eyebrows. It felt bad to disappoint her, but it was for her own comfort in the end.

"Sorry, I really, really shouldn't say." Galen told her.

"Top secret and all?"

There was a tinge of displeasure in the force.

Oh. He realized. She might be referencing what happened with senator Leia yesterday. He didn't want her to think it had anything to do with the princess dressed in white.

"No, just—bad. I think."

"You... think?"

Thinking more about it, some of Juno's favorite romance holos included that as a part of their romantic fantasy. More specifically, often it was included as a part of bringing a man and a woman together, it was a part of them learning to love someone they had previously hated. Or at least it was adjacent to that. If people fantasized about it— then that had to mean something. Although he could exactly articulate what.

Galen then thought that he was probably just overthinking everything. He was just getting the morals Vader taught him confused with the ones that actually mattered again.

And what really mattered was learning if he was a clone or not.

"Yeah. I think I got it all figured out now." He said, a bit more sure of himself.

Juno was right. Galen thought. He did get weird and confused when dealing with his former master, and now that was encroaching on the scarce few minutes he was able to spend with Juno nowadays. The love of his life. No matter what anyone said, that's what she was and what she would always be.

Juno gave a confused look at that response. Completely unaware of what was going on through Galen's head.

"Anyways, let's talk about something else."

"Sorry, yeah." He apologized, it would be for the best to move on. He was glad he didn't have to make the awkward subject transition himself. "So how's everything for you hanging out at the base?"

"It's a bit strange for me, being in the Rebellion after all those years in the Empire, but overall I definitely think I've been doing a lot better than before, especially now that you're here."

He smiled at that.

"Thanks I— same for you." He stumbled through his words. It was a bit awkward for him sometimes, doing things that couples were supposed to do.

"Now that we are together privately, and for once Proxy is nowhere to be seen..?"

Galen smiled back at her, getting her idea.

After all, she never liked explicitly voicing these types of things. And she didn't need to finish that sentence for him to understand, at this point into their relationship he got her meaning.

It was a bit soon after he was having an internal debate with himself, but this always made him feel better— or at least different. Juno always liked spending time together in this way after anything emotionally big happened. It brought them together more she felt.

Although they were in the common room right now, it was still a good time for it, Galen thought.

They kissed, and for a moment it was nice, then he had a notion in his head, a sudden dark intrusive thought he thought he had banished from his mind beforehand. He thought he had debated with himself enough and come to a conclusion on the subject, but the back of his mind had other ideas— as it said to him in what was supposed to be a moment just about Juno and him:

Vader did this too, was kissed, but it wasn't wanted.

Quickly he broke away mortified at that thought. But Juno moments after that went in for another kiss— he had to gently put his hands on her shoulders to prevent her from coming back in. She took to that suggestion easy enough, letting his hands stop her.

"Why are you stopping me?" Juno asked him.

He sensed her annoyance through the force, and apologized internally.

It was stupid that Vader was somehow even ruining his alone time with her.

"Maybe some other time— I'm sorry, just— not now."

She let out a sigh.

"This was supposed to be our time, but it's okay, I'm sure you just need some time for yourself before coming back to me."

"Sorry." He said, this time out loud— although it was far less sincere than he wanted it to sound.

"It's okay." Juno responded. "I just can't wait for all this to be over with."

"Then we can go wherever we want to." Galen said, ending the idea they've spoken about to one another time and time again.

"Yes." She smiled, but it looked false.

There was this uncomfortable silence between the two of them.

"Where's Proxy headed off to?" Galen asked her, hoping to break the tension. Usually he always has something to say in any situation.

"Oh, he appears to hang out with a group of these other droids, all different kinds."

"So he's made some friends?"

"I don't know Galen, I didn't really pay attention to it."

Through the force he could feel her aggravation. Her frustration. It might be for the best if he left her alone for the moment.

"I'll be meditating in the training room."

"Of course, you go do that."

Although nothing had changed between the two of them, the information Galen now knew about Darth Vader felt like it changed things, like he couldn't look at him the same.

His former master sat there on that cot, and didn't look at Galen when he entered.

"Hi, Vader." He said. Then instantly regretted it.

Immediately, despite not being able to use the force and not looking at Galen when he had spoken, Vader picked up on the fact that something was very off. He straightened his back and turned to face him.

"What happened." He started— sounding like half a demand and half a question.

"What? I didn't say anything except hi."

"You never say hi to me."

Galen simply stood there staring at Vader in response. He knew what he wanted to say, but he didn't want ask him any of it. Too many things right now were conflicting in his head for him to make sense of any of it.

"Why are you looking at me like that." Vader asked.

"No, it's nothing."

This was Darth Vader, he was thinking about— talking to, nothing changed that.

Galen took a deep breath before talking.

"I've just come here to ask what I ask every single time before I bring you in."

"... I see." Vader said looking away for a few moments before returning his gaze, he didn't look like he believed that.

"So?"

"I don't have an answer for you."

Really, he's not sure why he expected anything different.

Vader was still eyeing him suspiciously.

Even though Vader couldn't use the force, he felt like his former master could see directly into his head.

"I'm just… waiting for Kota. Now."

"Are you sure."

"Yes. I'm sure."

For a minute longer they were together in silence except for the hum of the ray shield and the much quieter breathing of whatever type of respirator Vader had on. The silence was broken by a question.

"How is Lady Tano?" Vader asked.

"She's fine."

Then the two returned to that uncomfortable nothingness.

If Kota noticed anything weird between the two of them, he did not voice it.

Nothing new was learned this time either. And Draven didn't push the threat of Fulcrum, for some reason.

Afterwards Kota and Galen returned him to his cell, as usual.

But unlike usual, it appeared that Kota wanted to share a few words with Vader. To Galen, they appeared to come out of nowhere.

"You stay there, and keep your mouth shut about the boy. He's had enough with you." Kota told Vader as he put him behind the ray shield.

"Still trying to fool my apprentice into believing he is a Jedi I see." Vader responded.

Where was this coming from all of a sudden? Galen thought.

"I am not your apprentice. I haven't been for a very long time." Galen said. Usually Vader didn't refer to him as his apprentice— unless that was something he did all the time around his back.

"You will never truly be a Jedi." Vader began to explain. "They think one drop of the dark side will corrupt and ruin you. One unpurged emotion will ruin your presence permanently. You are as much of a Jedi as I am. Both of you."

"That's not true." Kota replied shaking his head.

Kota had taught him about the Jedi— things that he had actually experienced in the order. And while Fulcrum did have the opinion that the Jedi were stricter in the past, that didn't mean he wasn't one now. Fulcrum had said as much about that.. The definition of groups sometimes change over time.

Galen was a Jedi. Maybe not like the old ones, but he was something new.

"Haven't you learned you can't win me over to your side yet? I'm no longer your slave that you can tell whatever lies you want." Galen stated.

"I would never own someone." Vader spoke with venom.

Perhaps that one was a poor choice of words on his part.

Especially after what he had learned in the more specific details of Vader's past. Vader would never think of him like that, but he wasn't exactly ever good or kind or fair to him ever.

"Fine. You wouldn't." He agreed to Vader's statement, but did not let up on his stern tone. "But you did use me for your own gain, to try and kill the Emperor, to destroy the Rebellion."

"That is simply what Sith do."

Vader was as irritating as ever. Excusing his actions with the fact that he's a Sith.

"And you wonder why he doesn't like you." Interjected Kota, crossing his arms.

"I'm sick of you. And your lies." Galen said.

How could he ever of been that person willing to do anything for Fulcrum. Helping her because it was the right thing to do and not because he wanted something in return.

Now Vader was overly possessive, cruel and hellbent on ripping every good thing Galen had away from him.

He couldn't even leave Juno alone because she had something to do with him.

"I was not lying when I said that is how the Sith operate."

"Not about that." He said, and began to pace. "About Juno— you and everyone else…"

He stopped pacing.

If he did what Draven asked, he could be done with Vader, and with everyone on the base. Vader will have lost, for once.

His former master was looking up at him, waiting for him to continue his sentence. Kota stood there with his arms crossed heavily leaning onto one foot in silence.

Galen left the cell.

The next morning, Galen informed Draven to do the blackout tonight.

He's made his choice.

It would be easiest, if it was before his usuals interrogation session, and if Kota and Fulcrum took him in for questioning after— he told Draven that.

At seven hundred hours then. The response message from Draven read. You have half a standard hour. Make it count.

"You're nervous about something." Fulcrum said to him, interrupting his morning meditation. "You should probably tell me about it."

"Why would I do that?" Galen looked up at her from the grassy ground where he sat.

"Because, it's how my master always made me feel better about things, I figured it would work for you too."

Now that didn't exactly encourage him. No matter how many stories of him being nice she told. Galen was done with him even if it meant making Fulcrum feel a bit bad.

"No thanks." He responded, trying to appear nice.

Galen wondered what Juno would think of him for spending so much time with Fulcrum. It really felt like he spent more time with her than with his own partner sometimes.

"Well, I'll just have to sit here and meditate with you then." She sat down on the ground across from him and crossed her legs. "The Jedi quite like doing it often, and it has merit, but it can't solve everything."

Obviously. But Kota had taught him light side meditation did help with calming emotions. It did the exact opposite as dark side meditating. Even if when he touched the light it felt overly cold and tingled his senses into static like pinpricks.

"I didn't think it did."

"I meant emotion wise. You should talk to someone. Or text— if it would be more comfortable you for you like that."

But he couldn't talk to anyone about this, or he would get in serious trouble. No matter how many people hated Vader, they followed and believed in the Rebellion's rules for a reason.

Galen has had anxiety before missions before. In the very early days, those feelings would eat him from the inside out and keep him awake for far too long. It felt similar to that. Just a bit more jittery. Likely because he knows he's going to be doing something he should not be doing. Going against orders always felt bad.

"I'll be dealing with it soon. After that I'll be fine." He said.

Very soon, he would have to make a choice.

There weren't any guards by the door.

Galen Marek stood there, looking at that stark white door, for far longer than he should have.

It was nerve racking, standing here having agreed that he would do it but, knowing if he did not, no one would exactly know. He could just say it didn't work, he didn't even have to visit Vader at all.

But he needed to know if he was a clone or not.

If not for his sake, then for Juno's. She had loved Galen so very much, helped him grow, she did everything for him. Even now unsure if he was the original, she treated him with kindness and love and admiration. Gave him the same respect she gave him at the chance he might be that first man she had learned to love over the course of a few weeks.

He loved her too— although he knew he probably shouldn't, not because Jedi shouldn't love, but because he might not be that man she was assigned to be a pilot that year ago. Even if at times it felt like he had known her forever.

She deserved to know. He was doing this for her.

It would not be the first time he broke some of his own beliefs and morals for her sake.

Galen entered the cell.

The sharp hiss of the door lifting announced his arrival.

Darth Vader did not turn to face him, still sitting on that cot as he always choose to do— seemingly unbothered by the noise of his entrance.

It felt wrong to be here.

The best way to start would probably be to argue as they always did. Although, this time he should put a bit more pressure on things.

It might even be easy to do.

"Skywalker." Galen addressed him.

Vader instantly turned his head at that. Galen's only ever called him that once before, and that had only been in response to Vader using Galen's Sith name.

"What's gotten into you this time." His former Master asked in an insulting tone.

Galen ignored that question.

Perhaps he should at least give Vader a chance first. Before he did this. To at least partly ease that part of his subconscious— the one who kept telling him how bad this all was, was going to be.

For Juno. He told himself.

"Am I the original?" He asked, at this point he hardly needed to finish the sentence for Vader to get his meaning.

"You already know what I am going to say to that."

And Vader fails that chance to avoid this.

Not that he even knew he had a chance to begin with. His mind hissed back.

This was a different feeling or wrong when he went against Vader's orders, from when Juno came back for him— when he first defied his master's orders— when he joined the Rebellion.

Galen took a deep breath.

Steady now.

It probably wouldn't be great if he caused another Vader incident— but what if Draven said worked? It would be worth it.

It had to be, or else.

"Alright. Let's see about that." Galen responded. Then he deactivated the ray-shield and approached the cot he always sat on.

Vader must have immediately read that move as a threatening action— he crossed his remaining arm across his chest, and sat all the way back against the wall. If it were not for that collar around his neck, he was sure Vader would have tucked his chin against his chest.

"Didn't your Jedi Master tell you to stay behind the ray shield?" Vader asked, voicing some of his discomfort with Galen's move.

"He's not exactly here right now." Galen said, taking a few more steps towards Vader. Then he told him, "I have another question for you."

Vader looked up at him, but did not verbally respond to that.

Galen looked down at Vader and thought—

I can't do this.

In the time before he was able to rationalize it, but now he couldn't.

He knew it was a moral taught by Vader, he knew it was stupid of him to put that above himself and Juno, he knew this might be the only chance to put more pressure on Vader in order to learn the truth. But— he simply couldn't.

Sorry Juno. He thought. The answer would just have to remain out of reach.

No matter how much he hated Vader. He couldn't possibly ever threaten too—

Galen took a few steps back from Vader, who was still looking up at him from where he sat.

He never really felt okay watching those holos.

"What was your question?" Vader asked him with knitted brows.

"I changed my mind." Galen answered.

"I see."

At the very least Vader didn't push on the subject like how he pushed with everything else. Perhaps he knew something was off.

He left, without saying another word.

Galen was far too weak sometimes.

At least, that is what he thought this was.

He didn't give me anything. Galen messaged Draven, lying.

Sorry kid, it was worth a shot. The man replied.

"Aren't you supposed to be handling Vader at this time?" Juno asked him when he entered the ship's common room far earlier than he usually did. It was hardly even the evening.

Galen really didn't want to talk about this now.

"Yeah, Kota and someone else are handling it today." He answered her.

"Isn't that a bit dangerous? You are after all the only person who can defeat him."

"It's fine. Vader hasn't tried anything."

"If you insist." She said in that crisp core world's accent. "Well now that we have an extra two hours or so to ourselves, how about we do something a bit more than usual and to make up for last night— if you know what I mean."

Disappointing her three times wasn't exactly on his list of things to do— even if one of those things wasn't something she knew about as of yet.

It would be the least he could do for her. For everything.

And it happened to feel quite nice as well.

"Sure." He responded.

Yesterday was awful.

Today at least couldn't be as bad as yesterday, and that was the only thing Galen could look forward to.

Instead of going out for morning training, he waited in the common room for Juno to wake up. He figured now would be a good time to actually have a breakfast with her seeing as he always wanted to do that but never waited for her before. It was also things that couples were supposed to do he was pretty sure.

And he figured this would be a nice romantic touch on the night they had before.

She wasn't exactly a late riser, getting up at around eight hundred hours, but it was late compared to the three hours earlier Galen usually woke up at.

There wasn't exactly anything to do on the ship at this time where Juno was asleep. It felt different to be in the ship where there was no noise.

Proxy must have been of doing whatever it was he does. Taking to his friends perhaps— Galen would like to speak with him about that one day. It was nice seeing his droid getting a little bit of independence. He was surprised Proxy's programming was capable of doing that.

"Hey there handsome." Juno greeted drawing him from his thoughts, still in her nightwear. "I'm surprised to see you here at this time."

"I just decided to wait for you to get up today. I wanted to eat breakfast with you."

Her face lit up at hearing that.

"Let me go change into something a bit more appropriate then I'll go out with you."

Breakfast was nice with her.

Galen entered Vader's cell later on in the day as he usually did.

"You weren't here yesterday." Immediately Vader told him.

Although it was not a question, it was obvious Vader wanted an answer.

"I was busy. My life doesn't revolve around you— no matter how much you think it does." He responded.

"That is not who I believe your life revolves around."

Galen furrowed his brows.

It was hard to think of who else Vader would think his life centered around. Certainly it wasn't the Emperor.

"Who?" Galen questioned.

"Do you really have to ask me that?"

It took only a moment for Galen to realize he meant Juno.

He let out a sigh through his nose, showing his exasperation.

"Can you just stop it with her already." Really, Galen was getting awful sick of him talking about her. Vader really sounded obsessed with her sometimes.

Galen shouldn't have showed up here early.

"Not until you are capable of understanding." Vader responded to him.

"Of understanding how you want to manipulate me into getting rid of my one true love so you can control me again." Galen further elaborated on.

"As long as she lives, you will never be under your own control."

Galen clenched his fists at that statement.

"I won't let you take away my love, and I'm done with this conversation." He told his former master through gritted teeth. Even with him behind that ray-shield and stripped of everything that made him Vader, his words were still threatening. They were worrisome to hear.

But it appeared that Vader had other ideas, and he took Galen's words as a cue to start monologuing. However he proceeded to turn into a much different direction then Galen had anticipated.

"If your relationship is made of nothing but performative affection, can you really call it love? If the only thing you two ever do alone is have—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Vader." Galen interrupted, not letting his former master speak any further. "How kriffing dare you even say that. Even think that!" He raised his voice— at a shout now.

The reaction to that, was immediate.

Vader didn't like it when people raised their voices. That much was obvious. From how he reacted to that in interrogation sessions to now. Ironic, seeing as he was a part of the Empire's military where shouting orders were all but uncommon.

The only time Galen's ever seen Vader himself shout in the decade he's known him, was a few days ago in the interrogation room— He had been a complete mess then.

"Fine." Vader backed down from his previous rant almost immediately.

But Vader's submission was not enough to dissipate Galen anger. He was still boiling over with steam.

He was upset at himself for not being able to get the information he wanted. For being too soft.

To hi it felt like everyone was always on his back about Juno it felt like. He was sick of it.

"What the hell is it with you." He continued, not wanting Vader to get another response in— and wanting to prove Vader wrong. "Why do you say bad things about Juno all of the time. She's the reason I'm such a better person, if it weren't for her— I would have never have joined the Rebellion, or went against your orders. Is that why you keep taking down about her—because you know she's the reason I fell into the light!?"

Vader fell into silence at that. His face turned away from his former apprentice voice.

More than anything else, Galen felt like Vader was shutting his mouth only because he didn't want to have another ridiculous breakdown in front of him.

Galen felt like he was running himself dry. His teeth and feelings were bared. His hands clenched into fists at his side. His anger was visible and palpable in the air around him.

And Vader refused to even look at him. His own apprentice.

The only noise that filled the room was the red ray-shield that separated the two, and Vader's uneven breath.

Breaking the tense quiet was Vader's unusually steady but quiet voice.

"You've killed thousands of innocents. And the Rebellion trusted you and forgave you." He said, apparently dropping their previous conversation.

Or— Galen thought, Vader was leading into something— trying to trap him with his own words.

But Galen would not let his former master get away with that this time.

"I earned that forgiveness, you made me into that monster. It was all your fault. How can you possibly blame me for what you made me do?" It was almost hard for Galen to hear his own voice over the pound of his angered heart.

"You've missed the point."

"And what exactly is that point, if it matters, how about you actually tell me for once?"

Vader took a moment before responding to that, when he spoke it was with slow, deliberate words.

Galen had to control himself from speaking over him.

"If I did exactly what you and the other Rebels wanted, if I gave up all the information I knew about the Empire, they would forgive me for everything I have done, just as they forgave you. You wouldn't get to kill me."

"No. They wouldn't." He half laughed at the ridiculousness of the statement, shaking his head. "You're nothing like me." He pointed down at the ground with his index finger. "You don't want to be a rebel and fight against the Empire, you don't want to make the galaxy better for everyone, you're just in it for yourself. All you want is power, just like the Emperor."

Now, Vader finally turned to look at him. His face was blotted unevenly with red.

"Didn't you just tell me— the reason you did all of that wasn't because you were good or wanted to do good. It wasn't because you wanted to help people. It was because you wanted to help Juno— and that was it?"

Galen unclenched his fists. Let his mouth open from its tense clench.

He did say that.

His anger was a bucket of boiling water, suddenly thrown into the open air on a freezing winter's night— frozen before it even hit the ground.

Vader continued:

"You think she's the brightest spot in your heart but, my spot of darkness was exactly that."

"What do you mean?"

"It's so funny." Spoke Vader in a tone that let him know he really didn't think it was funny. "That I was bad for doing what every single Jedi that escaped the purge ended up doing. I truly did fail you. Not because you turned against the Empire, but because you've become blind to your own actions and thoughts. You became someone else's fantasy and you don't even realize it."

"I am not blind." Galen retorted. He refused to let Vader confuse his emotions and thoughts— even if he had a fourth of a point. "If there's anyone who's blind it's you, the person who can't even talk about his past without it being in third person."

He could tell his former master wanted to give some sort of retort to that, but he kept his thoughts to himself with this matter.

"Perhaps you should stop speaking to me. Talk to someone else who isn't that pilot." Vader crossed his left arm over his chest and touched the right side of his face.

"I am not taking any advice from you." Galen stated.

"Then stand there in silence, and think for once."

Think about it. Leia told him.

"I'm thinking." He said even though he wasn't, and the two of them fell into a tense silence.

When Kota arrived to help bring Vader in. He looked like he could taste the tension in the air.

"You've gotta stop coming in here early boy." Kota said. "Not good for either of you."

General Draven told Darth Vader:

"Lucky for you, I have another new question today."

Vader did not look amused by that nor his fake cheerful attitude.

"The Black Sun, ever heard of it?" Draven asked.

"Yes." He cooperated.

Galen was surprised to hear that from him.

"Anything useful you would like to admit to knowing now, or should I start asking more specific questions."

Vader pressed his eyebrows together and grimised.

"I do not like him. Give me your questions."

Was all this in response to what he had told Vader before bringing him in? Galen wondered. Vader couldn't be serious about freely answering Draven's questions like that.

Even though this should be good, Galen couldn't help but feel uneasy considering the conversation they just had.

Would Vader really give up information just to try and prove a point?

"You just mentioned a him. Care to explain who that is?"

"Xizor. A Falleen man."

For the entire session Vader continued to give Draven answers.

Galen couldn't believe it. He literally could not. Vader had to be lying about what he was saying.

Apparently neither could the other people who were watching this go down.

"Can either of you sense if he's telling the truth?" Bail Organa asked him.

"No. Not with that collar on. It blocks out the force both ways." Kota explained. "Makes it hard for me to even know where Vader is most of the time."

Vader after all those years in a mask did a pretty bad job at hiding his emotions— Galen didn't look like he was lying based on that, but still. One could never be too certain.

"Do you think he's lying?" Gaken asked Bail.

Bail put a hand to his chin, looking down for a moment then back up at the scene continuing in front of him.

"When I had talked to him two days before, he didn't want to answer questions, and he didn't want my kindness. If he's telling the truth it's not because of any reward system on our part."

While he didn't know the details of whatever Bail and Vader spoke of, he assumed it was about as pleasant as the ones Galen had with him.

"Yeah. He's certainly the talking type, but not the type that gives information." Kota agreed.

There was a reason Vader was willingly giving up information now, and it wasn't just because he disliked something— or someone, as he had just said.

"He said you would forgive him." Galen stated.

"Excuse me?" Kota exclaimed at hearing that.

Bail remained silent.

"Vader, just before I came in here, he said if he cooperated you would forgive him for everything. if he did what he was told— you would just, not actually give him a trial."

Like how you forgave me; he didn't add, but let the implication linger.

"So he's doing this just to prove a point? How very like him." Bail said. The force betrayed none of his emotions— That, or he simply did not feel anything compelling at the admission. "This very much works to our advantage."

That wasn't an answer to his half question. It was possible Bail was ignoring it on purpose. The thought of what Vader saying actually being true made knots in his stomach.

There was no way, what Vader said could be true.

"Would you forgive him?" Galen asked.

Bail let out a breathy laugh.

"If by some miracle he actually wanted to help the Rebellion and rejected the Empire completely, and somehow proved it— then I don't see why we should refuse the help. But I can assure you, just based on the few conversations I've had with him that won't be happening ever."

Galen blanched at his words.

"But— but you can't possibly do that— even consider doing that?" His voice grew a bit higher as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to distress you Knight Marek."

"You couldn't possibly let someone like him into the Rebellion."

Bail took a moment to think before responding.

"Last I checked, you did not exactly want to be here so that shouldn't matter. And that hypothetical isn't about forgiveness, if that's what you're worried about. It's strategy."

What else was Vader right about. Galen wondered, over and over again.

If that ever happened, Galen would kill Vader himself. No matter what the consequences of that action were.

Darth Vader would never leave here alive.

"Boy." Kota said putting a hand on Galen's arm when they returned to Vader's cell. "You really gotta stop talking to him."

"I just have a question." He responded.

Vader on the other hand appeared content in letting this conversation play out without his interference.

"We all have questions, but it's obvious we're not going to get them from his like this and now."

Galen wondered, what questions Kota could have possibly had for Vader— What he might have asked him, and if Kota was going through this same push and pull as he was.

"I know Kota."

"I suppose I can't exactly stop you then." His Jedi Master let go of his arm, and left the two of them alone.

Vader appeared to be waiting for Galen to speak first.

"You were right." Galen stated, still feeling a bit sick at that fact.

"You don't have to tell me that."

"Why would you tell me that anyways. Wouldn't it work to your advantage to keep that to yourself?"

"I have no intentions of cooperating." Vader answered. "You've missed the point. Again."

"What's the point then."

Bail had mentioned it too— that Vader was trying to tell him something with that action. That it was very like him to give up information just to prove his point.

"Think, about what you've done, what you're doing, and why people treat you the way they do."

"That doesn't exactly sound like something a Sith would say to his apprentice, so— you'll have to forgive me for not believing it at surface value or exactly getting it."

"I am saying all of this for your own sake— not for winning you back."

"Well I'm am not your child, Vader. I don't need your life advice or… whatever it is you think you're doing. So stop acting like it."

Vader pressed his eyes closed tight together.

"I… would never think that." He responded.

Vader had hardly ever spoke to Galen more than what was necessary. He was always needlessly harsh and cruel. He betrayed him more times than he cared to count.

That response from him should be believable. But it wasn't.

I had promised myself Starkiller—

Vader had said to him, days ago.

"What am I to you?" Galen asked. Truly asked him— not demanded he answer in a stern tone.

"Why the sudden question?"

"Can you just answer me, for once."

"I suppose you are the same as Lady Tano."

—That you would not become another Ahsoka Tano.

But what did it mean?

"Your former padawan." Galen began to say. "The one that for some reason you see as betraying your Empire, a better option then her finding out who you are?"

"That is quite the convoluted explanation. Just the first three words worked fine."

"Alright." Galen stated. If Vader wanted to play that game. "What is Tano to you?"

Vader blinked a few times then grimised at that. He was thinking of something, he knew Galen was going somewhere to this and no retort could stop that or lead him off track.

"My former apprentice." Answered Vader.

"Or, maybe something more than just padawan or apprentice." Galen elaborated on.

Vader was starting to get that certain look to him. The one he had a few days ago when he had gotten angry and somehow ended up in tears. His breaths were shorter, his cheeks and eyes dotted with red and his mouth forced into a wavering frown.

Galen really didn't want to see that kind out outburst from him up close and personal. Not when he just realized something.

Swiftly he turned around on his heels, and began to head out of the cell.

"Where are you going." Vader said the hoarseness of his throat apparent in his voice. "Don't you want your answer?"

Galen responded to him without turning around.

"I already got it."

Author's Note: You ever read that Vader one-shot comic where that blonde nurse is obsessed with Vader and in her mind turns him into this fantasy? That's Juno, except Juno is half mixed with a Wattpad romance OC, and she got the man

I do hope I wasn't too heavy handed with it. At times I felt like I was punching the reader in the face with the meaning

It's really the only interpretation I could make with a character like Juno in order to make her interesting and a believable person without changing any of the cannon details of her and her story— unless I made Galen into the villain, and I do not want to do that.

A bit of a punch to nearly every single Juno/Galen story I've ever read— and to romances simmilar to that, and how their their actions are framed through the story. So their relationship was heavily inspired from many other stories ive read in a backhanded sort of manner

(shout out 2 Wattpad lol)

I had a bit of a debate with myself, if I should alternate between Galen and Vader's perspective, or keep their perspectives separate. In the end I loved the mystery of only seeing one side of the story at a time too much, besides over 20K words for one singular chapter is ENOUGH. Vader can have the next chapter 4 himself