Saga Within the Shadows - AU OT

Title: Within the Shadows
Genres: Alternate Universe; Drama; Jedi Philosophy; Political Intrigue; Sith Philosophy
Time Period: Original Trilogy
Primary Characters: Darth Vader; Leia Organa; Luke Skywalker; Palpatine

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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

STAR WARS

EPISODE IV: WITHIN THE SHADOWS

It is a time of uncertainty in the galaxy. Although the GALACTIC EMPIRE has succeeded in defeating the small band of terrorists seeking to restore the Old Republic, all is not well within the Empire's ranks.

No longer content to serve his master, Lord Darth Vader has openly rebelled against the Empire. Aided by his two children, Vader has amassed an army of ships and troops capable of bringing down the Emperor, allowing him to claim the throne for himself.

The Emperor Palpatine, fearing that he may lose all that he worked for, has secretly begun construction of a devestating weapon known as the DEATH STAR. If completed, this device means the end of Vader's revolt, and loss of the chance to finally restore order to the galaxy.

 

Looks good! More please!

~*Mariana*~

 

Darth Vader scowled behind his mask. If his former master was up to something, he was covering his tracks well. None of the reports submitted by Vader's intelligence operatives contained any information regarding the location of Palpatine's fleet, nor did they provide any more clues about the mysterious battle station the Empire was constructing.

During his time as Palpatine's right-hand, Vader had been made aware of plans for the creation of a deadly space station known as the Death Star. This device was equipped with several turbolasers and ion cannons, but even these weapons paled in comparison to the space station's primary weapon. Vader had never seen any of the Death Star schematics, but he had learned that the enormous battle station also possessed a superlaser powerful enough to destroy an entire planet. Vader suppressed a slight shudder. He had been a Dark Lord of the Sith for nearly half of his life, but even for a servant of the Dark Side, there were atrocities that went too far.

Palpatine believed that if the rest of the galaxy could be made to fear the consequences of disobeying him, its inhabitants would eventually fall in line, not wanting to risk angering their Emepror any further. But Vader knew that his former mentor's thinking was flawed. To rule by fear meant to rule without honor or wisdom. To use a weapon such as the Death Star would not convince the people to follow Palpatine. It would only motivate them to commit further acts of rebellion, just as Vader himself had done. In order to maintain order in the galaxy, it was necessary that the people saw the benefits of a strong government. Committing acts of violence that resulted in the deaths of millions of innocent people would not accomplish this aim. In his arrogance, Palpatine had failed to realize this. Palpatine has always been prone to overconfidence, Vader thought to himself, and overconfidence can lead to one's demise. Perhaps I will teach him this lesson when next we meet.

Reaching toward small console to his left, Vader activated the communication system within his meditation chamber. An image of Captain Piett appeared on a view screen just above Vader's head. "Have you anything to report, Captain?"

"I'm afraid not, my lord. None of our ships have detected any activity from Palpatine's fleet. I am prepared to launch a series of probes, unless you would prefer otherwise."

"You may proceed, Captain. Perhaps the probes will prove more successful than our previous attempts."

"As you wish, my lord."

With that, Piett's image disappeared. Vader regarded the blank screen for a moment before coming to a decision. Rising to his feet, he keyed the switch to open his meditation chamber. As he strode from the small compartment, a small smile began to form on Vader's face. Palpatine was succesfully hiding from him, but that would not last. The Emperor was a man of the shadows, but even a shadow could be seen under the right circumstances. Vader resolved to determine exactly what those circumstances were, as his mind raced with thoughts of how to destroy his former master.

 

Palpy and Vader fighting against each other. This should be good.

 

Battle of the Siths!

~*Mariana*~

 

This looks quite promising indeed, AND well written

 

"And that, your excellency, was the last time we were able to get a fix on Lord Vader's fleet. It appears as though they have become as good at hiding from us as we have from them, your highness."

"So, it would seem," said Emperor Palpatine. The Sith Lord withdrew deeper into his black, voluminous hood. His yellow eyes focused on the view screen in front of him as he contemplated his next move. What the admiral said was true. Both sides had become quite adept at hiding from each other, but Palpatine knew that neither side would gain control of the Empire by continuing to behave in such a manner. To achieve victory meant to annihilate one's opponents, be they politcally or militarily based. Returning his attention to officer standing next to him, Palpatine spoke once more. "I have another task for you, Admiral Ozzel. You are to take what remains of our fleet to the forest moon of Endor. You will receive further instructions once you have completed your journey."

"May I ask why I am to proceed to Endor, your highness?" asked Ozzel.

"No, you may not," responded Palpatine. "As I said, you will be given further instructions once the fleet arrives in orbit." Turning to look directly at Ozzel, Palpatine's voice became dangerously quiet. "This mission is of vital importance to the Empire. Do not fail me, Admiral. You are but a small cog in the government I have created, and like many small cogs, you can be replaced. Am I understood?"

"Perfectly, your highness."

"You are dismissed, Admiral."

Admiral Ozzel quickly departed, leaving Palpatine to sit quietly upon his throne. The galactic ruler turned his gaze outward, towards the night sky of Imperial Center, the capital of the Empire. As his eyes scanned the millions of stars within his field of vision, Palpatine's mouth twisted into a malevolent scowl. The next words out of his mouth were spoken with such intensity that even a non-Force-sensitive being would have no difficulty feeling the power and hatred behind them. "You cannot evade me forever, Lord Vader. Soon, you will understand what it truly means to wield the power of the Dark Side."

********************

As he boarded the Imperial shuttle that was to return him to his ship, the Iron Will, Admiral Ozzel allowed himself a moment to smile. Everything was going exactly as planned. As he had expected, Palpatine had grown tired of waiting for Vader to make his move. Now, Ozzel was on his way to the forest moon of Endor, where he was certain the space station known as the Death Star awaited him. Palpatine had never mentioned the station by name, but Ozzel knew of its existence, and he also knew what it was capable of doing. Anyone who possessed the power to lay waste to an entire planet had an opportunity to rule the galaxy. Palpatine was sending Ozzel and the fleet to Endor because he wanted go after Vader. What the old fool didn't realize was that Ozzel had no intention of obeying his orders. While the Emperor sat on his throne, Admiral Ozzel, commander of the Imperial fleet, was going to sieze power for himself, and he was going to use the Death Star to do it.

After several minutes, Ozzel received word from the shuttle cockpit that his ship at had docked with the Iron Will. As he exited the small craft, Ozzel was greeted by the ship's captain, Maximalian Veers. "Welcome aboard, Admiral. The fleet stands ready and awaits your orders."

"The fleet is proceed to Endor at once," Ozzel said, "By order of the Emperor himself."

The two officers quickly left the shuttle bay, as both men were intent upon returning to their duties. In their haste to leave, niether men noticed that one of the Stormtroopers serving as part of the honor guard was somewhat shorter than the rest of its companions. The trooper quietly followed after the two officers, determined to find out exactly what they were up to.

 

I wonder who that short stormtrooper is?

 

Hmm, me too.

~*Mariana*~

 

Interesting AU, I like this sort Short stormtrooper only means....!!! I'll shut up now.

 

As a boy, Darth Vader had dreamed of traveling amongst the stars. For as long as he could remember, he had posessed a strong desire to explore the unknown, to venture out into the galaxy, to gain a greater understanding of the universe, and to gain a greater understanding of himself. Luke Skywalker, Vader's son, shared these dreams. And so, it came as no surprise to Vader that Luke often chose to pass the time in much the same way he did- standing before the his ship's main viewport, gazing out into the far reaches of space.

As the bridge of the Executor worked dilligently around them, father and son stood side-by-side, looking out at the various stars that comprised the galaxy in which they lived. Although the two men were not communicating verbally, the strength of their bond was such that speaking to each other through the Force served as a more than suitable alternative whenever they wished to have conversation they didn't want others to hear. The previous morning's conversation had been about the benefits of outfitting TIE fighters with shields and hyperspace-capable engines. Today's converstation, however, focused on a much more serious topic.

Shouldn't we have heard from Leia by now, father? Luke sent. The younger Skywalker's bond with his father was overshadowed only by that which he shared with his twin, Leia. Their bond was so strong that each knew what the other twin was thinking at any given moment. This had occasionally caused embarrassment for one or both of the twins, but more often than not, their unique relationship had enabled them to work effectively as a team on numerous missions.

That was not the case now, however. Leia had been dispatched on a solo mission three days ago. Luke had tried to convince their father to allow him to accompany her, but Vader had refused to change his mind, saying that the mission in question was "better suited for one individual." Luke had disagreed further, but he knew enough to know that arguing with his father was not a wise course of action. Besides, it wasn't so much that Leia was on a mission alone, but the fact that Luke didn't know where his twin was.

After a few moments, Vader responded. You need not concern yourself with your sister, my son. Leia has been well-trained. I am confident that she will successfully complete this mission.

But why haven't you told me where she is? If I could...

No, Vader answered. There are other matters that require your attention, Luke. Your knowledge of Leia's whereabouts would only serve to distract you.

Are you sure she's not in any danger? Luke asked.

Your bond with your sister is strong, Luke. If she were in danger, you would be aware of it.

Satisfied, Luke continued to gaze out at the stars surrounding the Executor. Occasionally, he would notice the launch of yet another probe droid. His father had authorized their use just prior to Leia's departure. Luke knew what they were for. His father was hoping to locate Palpatine's fleet, or at the very least, one of the many bases that the despot had established since Vader and his children had chosen to move out from under the tyrant's boot.

But the young man was somewhat puzzeled by his father's decision. Luke had always found probe droids to be unreliable, primarily because they were extremely easy to spot once they entered the atmosphere of a habitable planet. Anyone who saw them would immediately know that someone with access to Imperial technology was nearby. Luke also realized that overthrowing Palpatine would require much more... secretive tactics. Alerting the Emperor of his movements would only mean defeat for Vader and his forces. Surely his father was...

With startling clarity, the pieces suddenly began to fall into place within Luke's mind. The probes were just a deversion. Whatever his father really had planned for Palpatine was being carried out within the shadows, where the galactic ruler wouldn't notice.

Picking up on his son's train of thought, Vader inclined his h

 

Seems I guessed the wrong twin. No matter.

I wonder what Vader has in store for Palpy...

 

Wrong twin! And Vader's pretty sneaky!

More please!

~*Mariana*~

 

More than half a galaxy away, another of the game's participants worked dilligently to complete the task her father had given her. As she finished changing into the uniform of an Imperial pilot, Leia Skywalker took a moment to consider her situation. For the past twelve hours, she had been aboard the ISD Iron Will, the flagship of Palpatine's fleet. Because her mission required her to keep a low profile, Leia had not yet been able to visit the ships bridge, and so, she had no idea where the ship was headed, nor did she know when she would be able to pass along any significant information to her father.

What Leia did know, however, gave her more than enough cause for concern. Based on the conversation Ozzel and Veers had earlier, Leia was aware of the fact that the Imperial fleet had been mobilized. Over thirty ships were now in the vicinity of Palpatine's flagship. That meant one of two things- either the Emperor was planning to strike against her father's fleet, or... the rumors about the Death Star were true. This last thought disturbed Leia for reasons she couldn't explain.

When Vader had first approached her about determining the location of a superweapon that had only been rumored to exist, Leia had agreed to be the one to find the answers her father sought. She did not find the mission difficult, as covert survalance was not at all beyond the scope of her abilities. For some reason, however, Leia now dealt with strong feelings of unease about her assignment. Perhaps her anxiety was related to the dream she had the night before her mission began. Thinking about the dream now sent chills up the young woman's spine. The events of the nightmare had deeply troubled her, so much so that a part of her wished she had never taken the assignment.

The images of the dream were extremely vivid. Leia was aboard what she assumed to be the main bridge of the Death Star. Her father was there, as was one of Palpatine's chief advisors, the Grand Moff Tarkin. Tarkin seemed to be as irritating in her dream as he was in reality. He was saying something about Leia's reluctance to reveal the location of a hidden Rebel base. Leia couldn't even begin to fathom why Tarkin would associate her with that pittiful band of so-called freedom fighters. That, however, wasn't what disturbed her so deeply about the dream. The reason for Leia's fear was much worse.

Tarkin turned toward the Death Star's primary view screen and informed Leia that he intended to use the Death Star on her home planet of Alderaan. Leia didn't understand this, either. She had visited Alderaan several times, but never once did she refer to the planet as her home. In the dream, Leia had loudly protested when hearing Tarkin's statement. The fear in her eyes was obvious. It was almost as if she was worried about losing someone close to her, someone whom she cared about more than anyone else. This feeling made no sense to her now, but it had made sense while she was dreaming. Of that much, she was certain. Tarkin again asked for the location of the Rebel base. When she supplied a false answer, Tarkin gave the order to fire the Death Star's primary weapon. In a few short moments, Alderaan, a planet whose people Leia greatly respected and admired, was gone as if it had never existed.

As Leia pondered the events of the dream, she found that she had so many questions, some of which she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to. Why had Tarkin accused her of being a Rebel? Why had he given the order to destroy an entire world, killing billions of innocent people? And, perhaps most important, why had her father done nothing to stop him? Leia was not a naive person. She knew that her father was an extremely dangerous man. He had killed before, and would likely kill again. But Leia knew that Darth Vader was also a man of honor. He would not condone the murder of innocent people any more than he condoned poor table manners. Something about his behavior in the dream filled her with a horrible sense of dread. It was as though the man she had seen

 

Very strange that Leia had a dream of the life that she would have had if she wasn't with Vader and Luke.

Good post!

~*Mariana*~

 

There is no peace; there is anger.
There is no fear; there is power.
There is no death; there is immortality.
There is no weakness; there is the Dark Side.

I am the heart of darkness.
I know no fear, but rather, I instill it in my enemies.
I am the destoyer of worlds.
I know the power of the Dark Side.
I am the fire of hate.
All the Universe bows before me.
I pledge myself to the Darkness.
For I have found true life,
In the death of the light.

As he repeated these words, Darth Vader felt the raw, untamed energies of the Dark Side flow through him. The Dark Side of the Force was a vast resevoir filled with incredible power. As he allowed the emotions of anger and hatred to overwhelm him, Vader was able to serve as a conduit for that power. The Dark Lord's pulse quickened, and his body tensed as more of the power filled him. Now, reaching out with the power he held in his grasp, Vader allowed his mind to stretch outward from his meditation chamber, beyond the confines of his living quarters, beyond the hull of the Eexecutor, beyond the nearby star systems and planets.

Where are you hiding from me? he thought. Have you not the courage to show your face, even at this distance? Surely the Emperor is not afraid of mere slave.

As the last thought registered in his mind, Darth Vader released his hold on the power of the Dark Side. No longer contained, that power flowed out from him much as water flows when unhindered by a damn. The first part of the ship to fall victim to the vast tidal wave of Force energy was the cargo storage area, one level below his location. Vader allowed a satisfied smile to play across his features as he became aware of glass shattering, wood splintering, and objects flying in all directions. Next came the mess hall, as various trays and pieces of silverware littered the spacious dinning area. Vader was slightly amused by the idea that a trained officers would cower in fear of being impaled by a spoon, but such was the case when the power of the Force was on display.

He had been trying to locate Palpatine through the Force for weeks now, and not once had he managed to succeed to learning of his former master's whereabouts. He was, however, pleased to note that his powers had grown in strength since he had taken the Emperor's leave. The old man would most definitely be surprised to learn of his former pupil's growth once the two finally met face to face. And that day was coming. Vader was certain of it.

Rising to his feet, Vader exited his meditation chamber and started for the main bridge, where his son was no doubt waiting for him. As he entered the command center, Vader immediately felt the spikes of intense fear that always accompanied his arrival in a populated area. As expected, Luke was waiting for him. Vader's son stood near the ship's main viewport. Once again, the Dark Lord found himself smiling in satisfaction.

Not long after his defection from the Jedi Order, when he had discovered the existence of his two children, Vader had been spent countless hours debating with himself about which of the children would follow in his footsteps and become the next Dark Lord of the Sith. Initially, Vader had believed that Leia would be the one to carry on his legacy, but that had changed following an incident between the twins just prior to their tenth birthday.

Vader had returned home after a day at the Imperial Palace to find much of his house in disarray. When he had questioned C-3PO about the mess, the droid had frantically stated something about "the boy losing his temper." That had sealed it in Vader's mind. Anyone capable of using his anger to guide his actions would make an excellent apprentice. Although both twins would continue to train in the ways of the Dark Side, Luke would be his apprentice, and eventually, his heir.

As Vader approached, his son spoke to him. "Any luck?" he asked.

"It has been my experience," Vader said, "that there is no such thing as luck, my son. Nothing happens without reason. The location of t

 

Ah, so the twins have been with him since they were younger. I liked Leia's vision of what could have been.

 

"I am pleased to report, your highness, that the fleet has arrived at Endor. I shall visit the Death Star short. Governor Tarkin has agreed to receive my shuttle there within moments."

"This pleases me, Admiral Ozzel," said Emperor Palpatine. "You have done well."

"Thank you, your excellency. I wish only to serve the true leader of the Empire."

Ignoring Ozzel's remark, Palpatine continued, "I suspect that Lord Vader has learned of the station's existence by now. You may proceed with your inspection of my battle station, and once that is complete, you are to use the Death Star to lay waste to the forest moon of Endor. I want everyone to know what they will come against should they be so foolish as to challenge me."

"As you wish, your highness."

"End transmission."

As the image of Admiral Ozzel vanished from the viewscreen, Palpatine pressed a small button on the right armrest of his throne. Within minutes, a young woman appeared through one of the room's side enterances. Palpatine smiled as Mara Jade, his Hand and new apprentice, stepped into his field of vision. As dangerous as she was beautfiul, Jade's cold gaze nearly matched the Emperor's in intensity as she knelt before her master.

"How may I serve your highness?" Jade asked, keeping her head bowed as sign of respect for her mentor.

"You may rise, my young apprentice," Palpatine replied.

Jade slowly straightened to her full height, revealing the figure of a well-built individual. A lightsaber hung from her belt, as did a small blaster. Although Mara aspired to become the next Dark Lord of the Sith, she had been trained in many forms of combat during her service to the Empire. Her master saw no reason why she shouldn't continue to use the other skills she had accquired just because she was training to become a Sith.

Continuing, Palpatine turned his gaze towards the windows lining the south wall of the throne room. "I have mission for you, Mara Jade. As you are aware, Admiral Ozzel has taken the fleet to Endor, where the Death Star is undergoing final modifications to its weapons systems. The admiral says that he is loyal to me, but I have reason to believe that he plans to use my space station for himself. I want you go to Endor and... observe him."

"Yes, my master."

"You must be my eyes, my friend. If Ozzel is as trecherous as I suspect, he may try to move against us when he thinks we are not watching. You must be ready to act if he does."

"As you wish, master. Do you require anything further?"

"Only that you do not fail me, child. You know the price of dissapointing me. Now go, and carry out my orders."

Jade bowed deeply before turning to leave. As she left the throne room, Mara could hear the malevolent cackle of her master echoing off the walls of the spacious compartment. She didn't know what to make of his behavior, but she reasoned that his amusement must somehow be related to challenges he was now facing. After all, one couldn't help but find humor in the fact that many were trying to destroy the most powerful man in the galaxy.

********************

"Lord Vader."

Putting his thoughts aside, Darth Vader turned to regard Captain Piett, as the commander of the Executor quickly approached him.

"My lord," he said, "we have just received a message that has been coded for you. Shall I route the message to your private chambers?"

"Yes, Captain," Vader said. The Dark Lord was already on his way towards his meditation chamber, eagerly anticpating the content of the message he had just received. But, just before he entering his spacious living quarters, Vader turned back towards Piett. "And Captain," he said, "in the future, you would be wise to assume that any message coded for myself should be immediately forwarded to my personal communcations database. Inefficiency of any sort is not acceptable."

"Yes, my lord," Piett replied.

Entering his private chambers, Vader quickly closed the distance between the door and his Holonet terminal. He keyed in his personal entry c

 

So, the twins have been with him since they were little, huh. And Vader with a picture of Padmé? Very strange. And Mara's training to be a Sith, I loved that.

Good post!

~*Mariana*~

 

Up. The next post will be up soon.

 

Up.

 

Very interesting story! I will watch for more.

 

Yay! New post!

~*Mariana*~