Saga The Emergence of Vader (Post ROTS)

The Dark Side has a will of its own, not merely moving pieces in its eternal war against the Light, but molding them as well, re-shaping them to its own purposes. In this way, the essence of a promising sentient can be altered, submerging those traits which the Dark Side deems not useful, and bringing to the surface those which will further it's design. Thus are Jedi transformed into Sith, and the shroud of the Dark Side draped across the galaxy...

The eight Venator Class Star Destroyers dropped out of light speed in the Ablus system within sight of Ablus I, a planet known for it's heavy industrial resources. Orbiting the planet, as expected was a fleet of ships, four Trade Federation Battleships and six Commerce Guild Destroyers. It was one of the last remaining pockets of resistance among the former Confederacy of Independent States, forces that had refused to shut down their droid units when ordered to do so and which had intended to carry on the fight despite the losses of Count Dooku and General Grievous.

It was two weeks after the events on Mustafar, and a task force under Lord Vader had been dispatched by the Emperor after clone intelligence had reported it, and now they were about to experience the might of the new Galactic Empire.

"Lord Vader?"

"Yes, Admiral."

"We are moving to engage the enemy fleet and are launching fighters."

"Very well. Ready my ship and inform the squadron commanders I will be joining the attack," the figure in black said.

"Yes, My Lord, as you wish." The admiral spun on his heels and began to bark commands down to the crew in the pit.

Darth Vader turned his gaze from out the viewscreen and began to walk down the length of the bridge toward the turbolift. It was the one thing he had in common with Anakin, he was never truly in his environment unless he was in the cockpit of a starfighter. But as he made his way to the hangar, his mind was elsewhere.

Vader's mind, of course, not Anakin Skywalker's. Anakin was gone, having vanished somewhere in that surgical room high above Coruscant where he'd been fitted with the black armor that Vader now wore permanently. But he'd begun vanishing long before that as if had been his destiny to do so. It had started with that moment when his mother had died in his arms on Tatooine, when the Dark side had overcome him, offered the power to get revenge. But it had taken control completely and had not relinquished it's control until the deed was done. Until the entire village was slain. That was the way of the Dark side, he discovered even as a Jedi padawan. It brought power beyond what the Jedi way could offer, but also a touch of madness. Madness was the usual term people used, particularly when they wanted to separate themselves from their actions. The question was did he want to separate himself from his actions?

Certainly not when he'd killed Count Dooku. Oh, he'd felt guilty about that afterward, just as he had about the Sandpeople, but it was in the moment when all things truly counted. Five minutes after was a safe spot, but in the moment, that was when decisions were made, action taken and consequences brought about. Things in that desert village and onboard the Invisible Hand had went as he had intended them to.

But the incident in Palpatine's Office, the killing of Mace Windu was where he felt Anakin leave almost completely. Anakin hadn't really intended to cut off Mace's hand. As that purple blade came slicing down at Palpatine, for the briefest of moments, he could visualize Padme lying there, screaming, "Help me, Anakin" just like she had in the dream. Just long enough to spur him into action, and that action lasted only long enough for Palpatine to kill him. Then there'd been a rush of emotions with Anakin, stronger than he could contain. Fear and despair mingled until Palpatine called Vader forth. Until then, he'd had no name, had simply been there to do what must be done when Anakin could not. Anakin retreated somewhere then, and Vader took charge once again handling the threat that the Jedi Temple represent

 

I like it a lot. I like the insight to the character. Very interesting, indeed.

 

Thanks. Anakin is a complex character. Tough to do.

 

This drew me in from the first sentence! And you've written about my favorite character, too!

Loved it!