His personal shuttle began the descent to the planet's surface.

"We should be arriving in six minutes my lord." The pilot stated.

Darth Vader, the second most powerful man in the newly formed Galactic Empire did not respond. There were still many things to be done. Hundreds of Jedi had survived the purge and had scattered all across the galaxy. They would have to be hunted down and exterminated before they could foment rebellion. Grand master Yoda and his old teacher were at the very top of that list.

Vader instinctively opened and closed his right hand as he thought of his old friend and master Obi Wan. With the cybernetic connections to his nervous system he could still 'feel' his arms and legs. They functioned as well as his old ones had, at least as far as basic motor functions were concerned. He could walk and move about and wield a light saber. Even now he had no doubts he could easily deal with any of the rebel Jedi save for Yoda and his old teacher.

He could not however pretend to be anything more than a fraction of what he had once been.

With so much of his original body destroyed he could not call upon anywhere near as much of the force as he once had. He could not even survive more than a few minutes outside of a sterilized environment. He was still powerful, but he knew he would never be a match for the Emperor now. He would always be relegated to a submissive role from this point forward.

Few would regard being the second most powerful man in the entire galaxy as deficient. Yet to Vader all this personal authority meant nothing. He had not betrayed the Jedi Order and the Republic in order to rule. He had done it for Padmé's sake.

All of it had been to save her.

Now that she was gone the honors and titles the Emperor had heaped upon him meant nothing.

Yes, his greatness had finally been acknowledged. He stood higher than any single Jedi had ever dared to. He had more real power than the entire Jedi Council had ever had. A single word from him could exterminate entire races or leave whole planets barren and lifeless. He could act without the self-imposed limits of their outdated and hypocritical philosophy.

But without Padmé it meant nothing to him.

Vader glanced at the tiny unadorned wooden box in the seat beside him. I can still salvage something at least.

XXX

It had been many years since he had visited planet Kamino. The stormy weather that greeted him was just as it had been back then and seemed fitting given his mood.

"Remain here," Vader commanded as he stood to exit the shuttle. Held carefully in his right hand was the precious box.

"But my Lord…" Captain Horano of the Imperial guard spoke up. He had brought a company of elite soldiers to escort and protect Lord Vader.

Vader turned his masked face in the captain's direction and that alone was enough to silence him.

"Remain here." Vader repeated and exited the shuttle.

"Yes my Lord," he quietly answered.

Darth Vader strode out into the rain and storm. Patiently waiting for him out on the landing pad was the planet's Prime Minister Lama Su. Indifferent to the foul weather Lama Su gracefully bent his long neck.

"How may I be of service to you and to the empire Lord Vader?"

Vader approached him and held out the box. "Within you will find a comb with strands of a woman's hair along with a small sample of my blood. Combine the DNA of both and give me a son."