Desert Moon-A Star Wars Story ( discontinued )

II - Darkness Prevails

Vader had never felt more alive. He had pushed the deceitful memories out of his mind and was ruling the Empire with more force than he had in the past month. More and more systems subdued every day to Vader's wrath. The Emperor himself had praised his efforts in war, telling all of Coruscant and the Senate that he was the Emperor's most trusted loyalist. Vader had everything.

Yet he didn't feel proud of himself. 

There was still that deep emptiness that had filled him the day Ahsoka left the Order or the day he saw her leave on the shuttle with his most trusted soldier. The emptiness that filled him when Padme was upset at him or Obi-Wan was disappointed in him. He had thought that had all gone away the day Anakin Skywalker burned and Vader rose from his ashes. Vader was supposed to stop people from dying and save everyone he had ever loved. But he had only caused destruction where there was meant to be peace. Vader had assumed that for the past two weeks after the memory episode, it was Skywalker who had made him feel all this regret. But it wasn't. It was Vader. Just like the memory, Vader felt regret for everything he had done. But he shoved those feelings down, because he didn't want to be weak, he didn't want to be afraid. Fear lead to weakness. And Vader was not weak. 

The arrival of Grand Admiral Tarkin had provided some distraction to Vader's struggle. Not in a good way though. Tarkin kept changing things that Vader had in place for certain reasons. He didn't consult Vader before he did them and when Vader asked why he did them, Tarkin would always respond with, "The Emperor wishes it so." and walk away. It wasn't the answer Vader wanted, and frankly he didn't like it, but after about a week of the Emperor's wishes, he gave up trying to get Tarkin to answer. What annoyed him the most was when Tarkin would show up unannounced at his private chambers, wishing to speak with him. There was a reason they were private, and Vader intended to keep them that way. 

"Lord Vader," Tarkin said as Vader stormed onto the ship, his breathing fast and his mind whirling. Tarkin was the last thing he needed right now. "The Emperor wishes to speak with you."

"I already spoke with him," Vader growled, his voice hoarse from yelling and the air quality in the Star Destroyer. "Now leave me alone."

"He says it's urgent."

"Well I said I already spoke with him and he told me exactly what to do." Vader rounded on Tarkin, towering over him. Tarkin stayed rooted on the spot. Anakin remembered him vaguely from the Clone Wars, but Vader knew there was tension between them. After standing menacingly over Tarkin for a few seconds, he turned to his commanding officer. "Make the jump."

"Where too sir?"

"Coruscant," said Vader as he walked through the lines of stormtroopers. "The Emperor wishes to speak with me personally." He could feel Tarkin's glare on his back and he walked a little taller, knowing he had upset him. When he arrived on the bridge, he was just in time to watch the stars shoot past the large ship in an array of bright blue light. He was suddenly washed into a whirlpool of memories he never knew he had.

"That never happened," Ahsoka said, swinging her legs as she on the side of the hologram projector. "You're 100% making that up."

Anakin chuckled and twisted something into the wiring system. "Yes it did. He called me in and made me a Jedi Master." They were alone in the ship, their voices echoing across the deserted bridge. "I'm telling you it's true."

Ahsoka hopped down and sat next to him, levitating his lightsaber. "You don't just become a Master. You have to pass a test."

Anakin stopped what he was doing and gave her an 'are you serious?' look. "There's no test to become a Knight. It just happens."