Vader's Lost Daughter{Old Draft}

Chapter 25

I was running away, feet slapping against the ground, the darkness everywhere. Something snagged the edge of my cloak, snatching it away. I looked down and saw I was wearing the robes of a Jedi. I stopped running, laying my hands on my knees, panting. What was going on? Where was I? I looked up and spotted a reflection of myself, my image dancing between the Sith version of me with yellow eyes and dark cloak, and the Jedi version of me with light robes and blue eyes. I whirled around as the images pressed in on me, confining me, taunting me. Who am I? A Sith? A Jedi? It's not possible to be both. I have to choose a side.

I jerked awake, panting. I closed my eyes, trying to will the nightmare away, but it clung to me like a second skin. I sighed and pulled myself from the bed and threw on my cloak and boots before gently easing out of my room.

I then began to wander aimlessly through the sleek, spotless halls of the Star Destroyer. I expected the halls to be silent like a tomb, but the halls echoed with the sounds of whirling machinery and the evenly paced thumps of stormtrooper boots.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed as I heard the familiar laboured breathing seep out of my father's mask.

"The Emperor wishes to speak with you about the Rebel situation." I turned and trailed after him, thinking. Why would the Emperor never come to me himself? I honestly felt like a third wheel to my father and his master; just a lowly apprentice. I really needed to prove myself to the Emperor. But how?

I was lost in thought and only a slight ripple in the Force allowed me to sense the approach of the mighty Emperor himself. He melted out of the shadows, wrapped in his black cloak.

"Ah, young Tytar. The plans are on the desert planet of Tatooine, and I need you to retrieve them." I scowled at him.

"Do I have to do everything for you? Don't you have an army of stormtroopers to do your bidding?" Sidious glowered at me.

"We need you to retrieve the plans. Do not question my authority. Skylar." I frowned at the mention of my name. He glared at me until I spun on my heel and stalked away, anger simmering as I headed for my ship. Again.

I settled into the cockpit, fuming. I wasn't sure where the anger had come from, or why it was surfacing now, but it was close to boiling over. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts, but I heard the Emperor whispering softly.

"Yes, use your anger, and together we will conquer the galaxy!" I closed my eyes, gathered my strength, and shoved. I watched as the Emperor flew back, not expecting an attack, especially not through the Force. I smirked as I saw him smack into a wall with a starltled grunt.

"I will not be a pawn in your games. Your Highness." With a satisfied smile, I set the coordinates for Tatooine and left the Star Destroyer behind.

__________________________________________

Two hours later, I was finally on Tatooine and on the trail of the two droids that had somehow taken the Death Star plans and evaded the squadron of stormtroopers that the Emperor himself had selected to retrieve the plans.

The squad and I came to a fork in the ways we could go. One trail continued through the sandy dunes of the planet while the other veered up onto a rocky path. I stretched out my senses and saw that the droids had spilt up when the reached this point. The R2 had headed on the rocks and the other droid had headed out into the desert. I knew the R2 droid was the one we needed.

"It went this way," I said, pointing to the rocky path.

"With all due respect," started the squad leader. I turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "One of the droids is an R2 unit. Surly their treads couldn't handle the rocks, and plus, one is a protocol droid. There are foot prints heading in that direction."

"So he continued on the sand, which, I'm no expert, but, surly his treads couldn't handle the sand very well either." It was a comment, not a question. He seemed flustered when he spoke again.

"Well, I don't know, but. . ." I waved a hand.

"If you believe the droids went that way, then we can spilt up. Cover more ground." He mulled it over as I felt waves of fear roll off of his troops. They knew that he was arguing with a Sith. And not only a Sith, but the daughter of Darth Vader himself. Finally, he made up his mind.

"All right, miss. I'll take my squad and we'll go this way." I glowered at being called "miss", but I nodded.

"Okay, whatever you say, Captain." I turned away and started off, my black cloak swirling around my ankles.

I picked my way around the rocks, eyes narrowed into slits as I followed the droid. It had crossed through here not that long ago. If I hurried, I could catch it before nightfall. I edged my way into a canyon, the rocks towered on either side of me.

Up ahead, I heard the whistle of a droid. I perked up and moved quickly, catching sight of a little R2 droid. The R2 whistled sadly as I crept up behind him. But then I froze. I heard skittering, and low mumbles. I melted back into the shadows, watching intently. Suddenly, a blast of blue energy caught him. He screeched loudly, before falling over with a crash.

A dozen small beings scuttled out of the shallow caves that dotted the hills. I watched, dumbfounded as they picked up the droid and carted him away into the fading light. I shook myself and ran after them, footsteps quiet against the shifting sands.
__________________________

I followed the small creatures all night as they loaded the R2 droid into a large vehicle modified for travelling through the sands of this desolate desert planet. I watched as the sandcrawler sucked up a golden protocol droid and continued on it's way.

Finally, as the twin suns reached their peak, the crawler stopped outside a settlement. I scrambled to a hiding place as an older man and a sandy haired teenager headed towards the crawler. I watched as they exchanged words and as the golden droid and a red and white droid followed the teenager.

But then, the little droid began to smoke as the older man turned back to the creatures and waved his arms. He then pointed the R2 unit and the two followed the boy down into the settlement. I groaned. Now there were civilians involved, and I didn't want their blood on my hands. I stopped in my tracks. That was a very Jedi like thought. I was a Sith now, so why should I care if innocents were harmed?

I stumbled after the boy, mind darting back to my dream. I could feel my conflicting emotions, and I thought that turning away from the light and embracing my heritage would stop my confusion on who I am, but it continues even as a Sith. Will I ever escape this?

I shoved the thoughts away, burying them deep as I focused on the task ahead. I had to retrieve the plans from the droid, and if push came to shove, I could just steal the droid and return to the Emperor. I crouched down and threw off my cloak, cursing the twin suns that threw relentless heat onto my back, watching as the boy began to clean the droids. Suddenly, the boy leapt backwards as a flickering, blue hologram of a young woman appeared. I leaned closer as she began to speak.

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." There was a slight pause, then," Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." I sat back on my heels, blindsided. How did this girl know my Obi-Wan? Who was she? I looked closer as the boy talked with the droids. I know! She was the Alderaanian princess I had met on the fourth moon of Yavin, Leia. But again I asked, how did she know my Obi-Wan?

I leaned back in as the boy asked the R2 droid if there was any more to the recording. The droid seemed to shy away from the question as the other droid and the boy pestered him. I grinned knowingly. There was more to the message. All I had to do was find it.

____________________________________________________
A/N
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! More coming soon. May the Force be with you <3