Dynasty: Chunk Thirty-Nine

by Valerie Vancollie and Rebecca Thomson

"Absolutely not," Mon Mothma declared several months later as General Ragorsh outlined his latest plan.

"Why not?" Ragorsh demanded. "It's a perfect plan and will get us weapons."

"Just like all of your other plans that we have denied you the right to carry out, it is simply too bloody. Just look at the raid you did during Sky- I mean Vader's wedding!" General Rieekan declared as he shot the man a look. "This one in particular will have too much blood as there is a great possibility of having huge numbers of civilian casualties."

"The Imperial press would have a field day with it," Mon Mothma agreed. "And that is one thing we cannot afford at the present."

"What we cannot afford to do is simply sit around and let them get us!" General Ragorsh stated angrily. "Look at us, this Council is a perfect example of how we will lose the war if we don't start doing things different. First Princess Leia was killed, then General Xa'sstresh, then Admiral Dl'os left, and now, just recently, General Dodonna died in that Imperial attack. If we don't do something and quickly it would be just the same as sending the Imps a message and telling them where all our cells are located."

"That is not true," Rieekan retorted. "You would destroy us by giving the Imperial press the perfect means by which to kill us. Namely to stop people from joining us. We get our recruits from people who hate the Empire and believe that this body of leadership is capable of fighting it without resorting to their methods."

"No, they wish to see the Empire fall, no matter what the means," Ragorsh countered. "Besides, do you have a better idea?"

"Actually we do," Mon Mothma replied as she put a datachip into the holoplayer installed in the table they were seated at. "This man's name is Treish," she said as a holo of an overweight man appeared before them. "After a little investigating we've learned that he seems to be pro-Empire, but anti-Sith."

"Seems to be?" Ragorsh demanded.

"Yes," Rieekan confirmed. "We can't be too sure as most of our spies have either been captured or they deserted. We're down to a few and most that are left aren't able to access information that is highly classified."

"So what's your brilliant scheme?" Ragorsh inquired as he leaned back in his chair.

"We want to send in several of our own to see if we can push the man towards starting a movement against the Vaders," Mon Mothma explained. "There are bound to be several others like him and if we can get enough people to join him then we stand a chance of being a able to trigger a political movement against the two. If so, then Palpatine might not make Darth Vader his heir."

"As if that would stop the Vaders from taking the throne after Palpatine's death," Ragorsh snapped. "Indeed, I'm only surprised that they haven't taken it already. The only fact that is probably stopping them is that Palpatine is the founder of the Empire and it would look bad to take the throne from him and kill him."

"I'm not saying that it would stop them," Mon Mothma answered. "I'm simply saying that the political confusion that would follow would give us a chance to get things back together again. The Vaders can't focus their attention on two things at once. We just need some Imperials to slowly start a political movement against them."

"How can you agree to this Rieekan?" Ragorsh inquired as he turned to face the other general. "You were the one who kept saying that we should stay away from Skywalker as he was turned into such a folk hero. The fact that he's now called Vader doesn't make any difference, his popularity has only gone up since he got married and returned from his honeymoon."

"True," Rieekan agreed. "However the way we plan to have our people approach the problem would be in a way that his hero status wouldn't matter as it would be a court matter. Besides, if we make sure that the courtiers don't do anything rash, then the Vaders will be unable to make any moves against them without calling bad press to themselves."

"If you can control the courtiers," Ragorsh stated.

"Don't worry about that," Mon Mothma said. "All this Treish would need is even the thought that this could end with the Vaders not getting the throne and he'll play along."

"I think that its time to let Vladimir off the hook," Vader stated as he finished his lunch and looked over to his son and daughter-in-law. Although at first he had been reluctant to talk politics around her, he had quickly found that Anjaleen understood whatever they did as far as court was concerned. Indeed, when both he and Luke were away on missions it was Anja who got the information about the court events that his father couldn't get. "Not forgive him for all he did like we forgave Buchanan, but simply not ignore him anymore."

"Agreed," Luke said. "He'd end up doing something rash."

"Him or Elizabeth," Anja stated. "She seems to be doing all she can to get back into the good graces of the rest of the court, but they've been following your example. Especially Ra'chealla. Probably paying her back for what she did in the past."

"Speaking of Ra'chealla," Luke said as he looked at his wife. "Have you seen that guy she's been spending time with?"

"Yes," Anja responded as she laughed. "He's got to be at least twelve years older than her, and he's way too skinny. I think she truly hates him."

"But he does have her status and that seems to be all she used to care about," Luke replied as he smirked. "She deserves him though, after all that she tried to do."

"Yes," Anja agreed as he smile faded briefly but then returned at the thought of how funny the couple looked, especially with Ra'chealla being taller than Davron. "At least that's over and done with. When did you say you have to leave on your next mission?"

"Next week," Luke replied before he looked at his father. "You going anywhere soon?"

"No," Vader replied. "Father wants me to start spending some more time at court as he's thinking of announcing our relationship soon."

"Won't you be having fun?" Luke teased knowing how his father disliked court even though he was pretty good at politics. How he had handled the talks about the human child labor instantly came to mind.

"Tons," Vader replied dryly.

"I've been thinking about what to say when we finally take off your mask, Lord Vader," the Emperor said, sitting on his throne in the deserted room, only the three of them in attendance.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"I was thinking of saying that you had taken some strange Sith vow. The people know so little of Sith beliefs, they will accept anything we tell them. And it is better for them to think that than the truth."

Darth Vader and Luke Vader nodded, both mentally going over possible conditions for this 'vow'.

"Think about it and tell me what you come up with for the exact wording of the vow." The Emperor hissed. "I had a vision, and you may need to have a cover story soon."

Darth Vader bowed, followed closely by his son.

Anjaleen smiled at her friend Nastalia as she walked onto the patio at the castle. "Nastalia! I'm so glad you could come to lunch, I've been so busy lately!"

"My pleasure. After all, how could I turn down an invitation to eat in private with Lady Vader?" she playfully replied.

Anjaleen laughed, motioning her friend to sit. "I don't know, but I am still glad you came. I haven't had a regular conversation about clothes or gossip in ages. Those two are all politics and military."

"I never thought you'd mind. I thought you liked hearing what the men-folk were doing."

"Yes, but all the time? It does actually get old."

"I can imagine." She held her hand over her wine glass and spoke to the servant. "No wine, please. Perhaps some fruit juice?"

"Of course, Ma'am." The man bowed, motioning to another servant.

Anjaleen's eyes danced. "So, does this mean that you're expecting a new MacNelly?"

Nastalia looked innocent. "Whatever do you mean, Anjaleen?"

"No wine. You're pregnant, aren't you? You look fabulous you know."

Nastalia laughed. "Yes, I am. But don't tell the whole court."

"Congratulations. And I'll keep your secret. Luke taught me how. And speaking of my husband, he's going to be in the same system as the Conqueror in two days. You might want to give your husband a heads up."

"If you want me to. Why will he be there?"

"They don't tell me everything. Checking on some leads on the last of the Rebel cells, I imagine. They aren't very big anymore, but the Rebels have gotten a lot more ruthless. Did you see the reports on their last few attacks? They're focusing on civilian ports, they aren't guarded as well as the Naval Yards."

"I know. Nathaniel's just sick about it. Especially after he had to help clean up after that last attack. The local hospital was burned down, so the medical section of his ship was full of burned children, I saw it on the news, it was horrible. They had them on cots in the halls."

"Just terrible."

Treish paced the floor with nervous energy. He bit his lips, thinking about his last secret meeting. There were others. Others like him, who despised the Sith, and didn't want to be ruled by inhuman magicians. He knew they were out there, and he was glad that they had approached him, pledging support. They had even offered him sanctuary, if everything went wrong.

There was a knock on his study, and he sighed. "Come in."

Kristen entered, her hair pulled back in a simple braid. "Father," she shyly asked, "have you thought about it?"

"Yes, and you may not."

"But-"

"No buts. I haven't even introduced you to court yet. Perhaps you will meet someone else that you like better there-"

"I'll never love anyone as much as-"

"Silence." He growled, and she quieted. "And you're still young, his worth still unproven. I'm not saying no, but I want you to be older before you get married." He waved her off, watching her go. That young man was worthless, but it wasn't worth fighting about. His head was full of loyalty to the Empire, which was acceptable, but the boy didn't mind who might be sitting on the throne if nothing was done.

Treish sighed. Kristen better find someone more worthwhile when he introduced her to court life. He had put it off, taking her to court. He couldn't afford it yet. A women's court dresses were amazingly expensive. And with everyone trying to outdo Lord and Lady Vader's outfits, he was struggling to keep himself in appropriate apparel.

He slowly smiled. At least his wife had died. Suspicious circumstances, to be sure, but everyone suspected his enemies, so who cared? Court was ruthless, and she had never fully supported him, or understood his ideals. Just spent his money. His father may have arranged their marriage with her father, but he hadn't carefully looked at the woman, just at what alliances the marriage would bring. It was a mistake he didn't plan on making with his own children.

But first, he had to prepare for the galaxy they would live in. Make the arrangements for them to live in an Empire free of the Sith. Drastic steps, but history would thank him.

The young Sith walked off the shuttle from the Star Destroyer, Revenge, and into the hangar bay of the Conqueror. He nodded to Admiral MacNelly and his escort as they bowed back. Young Lord Vader had made arrangements to 'inspect' the ship while he was in the same system.

"Admiral, I wish to discuss matters with you in private." Luke said, voice serious, but Nathaniel could see a twinkle in his eyes.

"Of course, my Lord. This way." They walked quietly, up the turbolifts and to the Admiral's private quarters.

They entered, the door swishing shut behind them. Nathaniel turned to see Luke holding up a blue bottle. "Apparently," the Sith said, dropping his serious manner like a cloak, "Nastalia is going to bear you a child."

Nathaniel smiled, "Yes, she is." Luke sat down, tugging at the bottle. "I'm on duty Luke."

"Not if I say you're not. Now sit down."

Nathaniel sighed in mock agony. "I'm not drinking as much as last time."

"Neither am I. But this does call for a celebration."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" Nathaniel walked to the wall, getting two glasses as he began to whistle. "So, when are you planning on starting your family?"

Luke sighed. "In about ten years, maybe less. It depends on other things."

"Oh?" Nathaniel held out the glasses and Luke poured.

"Yes." Luke took his glass, setting the bottle down. He held his glass up, and the two clinked them together. "To our future sons, may they prosper."

Captain Bruick pounded on his Admiral's door, wincing. He knew that Nathaniel did not want to be disturbed, but this was an emergency. The door opened, and Bruick stepped through.

"This better be important, Captain." The young Sith said, back to the door. Nathaniel was across from him, glass in hand.

"Yes, my Lord. There is someone on the holo-net for you, my Lord. He has a very high security clearance, and he keeps insisting."

"Who?"

"I... I don't know who he is. I've never seen him before." The Captain trailed off.

The young Lord Vader stood, cape flaring out as he walked past the Captain. Bruick looked apologetically at his Admiral, who was carefully putting his glass back down on the table. Bruick's eyes widened at the sight of two glasses and the opened bottle. Nathaniel gave his second a small smile as he walked past. "Tressel Liquor, rather good, actually."

Captain Bruick gave a nervous sigh as he followed his Admiral to the bridge. He critically noted that Nathaniel seemed to have an ever so slight waver to his walk.

They entered, and the young Lord Vader was speaking to an oversized holo-image of an older man's face. Light brown hair framed impossibly pale features punctuated by piercing blue eyes.

The man spoke. "I want his entire family, every last one that bears his name brought to me. Immediately. The rest of his family has fled to Zelk, and you WILL find them. I will not let him or his get away with forcing me to break my vow. Understand?"

"Of course," the young Sith humbly said, bowing. "We will leave immediately." The crew watched in awe- who could make a Sith so respectful?

"Good." The line went dead.

The young Lord spat the order into the air. "Zelk. Now. ALL possible speed. And tell the Revenge to follow." Someone replied 'yes my Lord,' and the Sith turned to Admiral MacNelly, smiling sourly. "Treish, the courtier, figured that a bottle of acid would eat through my father's suit- destroying his respirator and killing him. He didn't realize that my father had just taken a vow to live in darkness until he had victory over the Rebels."

"A vow?" Nathaniel breathed, looking at the blank screen. "To live in darkness?"

"Yes. To never see the sun, or touch anything, or even breathe the air of a normal man while visible to anyone not sworn to him personally. It is rather drastic, but the ancient Sith beliefs hold that such devotion strengthens your power."

"A vow." Nathaniel stated, still staring at the screen. He sighed, then turned back to the young Lord. "Shall we continue our discussion?"

"Very well."

The crew could hear their Admiral as the two exited the bridge. "You mean he's been healthy all this time? My Lord?"

"Yes." As the turbolift doors closed, the crew broke out in whispers about the striking resemblance of the mysterious man to the young lord, and who it had been.

Nathaniel watched Luke pace his quarters, face a mask of frustration. "My father is- was- this close to getting named the official heir." Luke held up a hand, showing a small gap between two fingers. "They had even set a tentative date for the announcement. And I do not want the Emperor to put off the ceremony. And it will be a public relations catastrophe if I have to drag back a brig full of women and children for his revenge."

"What are you going to do?" Nathaniel asked.

"All I have to do is not find anyone bearing the name Treish on the planet."

The Admiral winced. "That may be difficult."

"Not really, but I will need your help." Luke held up a hand against Nathaniel's protests. "All you have to do is say a few things, drop a few pieces of advice. Things I cannot say, without making it too obvious."

"I thought you could control him," General Ragorsh said as soon as he entered the Council room and found Mon Mothma and General Rieekan waiting for him.

"He never gave any indication that he was planning on doing something like this," Mon Mothma replied. "Our spies didn't see any indications."

"So much for your little plan," Ragorsh stated. "While you have been wasting your time I got more medical supplies and weapons."

"And you burnt down a hospital in the process!" Rieekan accused. "Did you see the holos of those poor children?"

"They were Imperial children."

"They were children nonetheless," Mon Mothma remarked. "And all is not lost with what we did. Indeed, we might have gotten part of our desired effect."

"Oh yeah?" Ragorsh questioned. "And what would that be? From what I heard Treish is dead and now nobody will dare stand up against the Vaders now."

"That's not necessarily true," Rieekan responded. "Although I must say that it makes me feel good that we were the reason why the Sith was cut off from the galaxy for over twenty years."

"Yes," Mon Mothma agreed. "Anyway, it seems Vader Senior has ordered his son to track down all people bearing the name Treish, and to bring them back to Coruscant for him to have his revenge. If handled correctly we can use this situation to make him look bad. After all, since Treish's only brother died several years ago and his wife only a few months ago, that leaves only his children who bear his name."

"And if Vader harms them we can throw the bad press you brought us with the hospital fire, back into Vader's face," Rieekan concluded. "It would make Palpatine look heartless if he were to select Darth Vader as his heir then. The news will also be used by the rivals of both Vaders and we might yet be able to cause political trouble."

"It won't work," Ragorsh stated. "Vader isn't stupid."

"No, but he's furious right now," Mon Mothma explained. "And anger tends to over cloud one's better judgment."

"What about young Vader?" Ragorsh questioned. "I doubt that he'll be so blinded."

"It'll work," Rieekan stated confidently.

"We'll see."

"What do we have Admiral?" Luke demanded as soon as he descended the shuttle ramp on Zelk.

"Treish had a total of four children," Nathaniel began, pleased with the plan Luke had come up with to get the small children out of harms way. With him becoming a father so soon, he had felt his heart sink when Darth Vader had first given the orders. "Two boys and two girls. All but the oldest daughter are under eighteen and can thus be adopted by Zelkian law."

"Good," Luke stated as he entered the Treish home. "And since it's a daughter that is too old to be adopted, she can be married off and her name shall be changed."

"We do have one small problem however," Nathaniel said sadly.

"What?" Luke demanded as he faced the other man.

"Although the oldest daughter, Kristen, at first refused to let her two youngest siblings be put up for adoption, them being four and five, she eventually agreed," Nathaniel explained. "However, Didier, the oldest son who is seventeen, refuses to be adopted. Says he's his father heir and will not allow himself to be cheated out of what is rightfully his."

"That is a problem," Luke agreed even as he winced at what his father would do to the boy if he didn't change his mind. "Where is he?"

"In the waiting room with his sister," Nathaniel said, relieved that the matter would be taken out of his hands. "This way."

Luke sighed as he followed his friend. He knew why his father wanted revenge, and he too wanted to punish the man who had dared attack his father like that, but what his father wanted to do would only cause trouble. Besides, the Treish children couldn't help what their father had done and with him being dead already nothing useful would be achieved by killing them as well. He just hoped that his father wouldn't be too mad at him when he found out that he had returned empty handed. However he knew that in time his father would see why he had done what he was doing now.

"Here we are," Nathaniel said before he opened a set of doors and walked into a sitting room.

Luke heard the slight intake of breath as he entered the room and he felt the fear that began to radiate from the occupants when they caught sight of him. "Who is he?" he demanded as he caught sight of a young man in the room.

"A friend of the family," Nathaniel informed him. "He was here when I arrived and I thought it better to keep him here until we were done."

"Yes," Luke agreed before he turned his attention to the boy standing next to the window. "Didier, I assume."

"Yes," Didier replied as he proudly raised his head even as Luke could sense his fear. "I won't be adopted."

"So I hear," Luke said as he approached the man even as Kristen stiffened in her chair and nearly got to her feet only to be stopped by the young man next to her. "Do you realize the consequences of your decision?"

"Yes," Didier declared. "I shall become my father's heir and take what is rightfully mine."

"No," Luke corrected him. "You would be taken up to the Revenge by stormtroopers and locked in the brig until I return to Coruscant. Once there you would be brought before my father and painfully executed for your father's crimes."

"No!" Kristen pleaded as she fought the grasp the young man held her in. "No! Don't hurt him, please. He's still a child! Have mercy!"

"I'm not a child," Didier stated even as the blood left his face and slight tremors cursed through his body.

"Indeed you aren't," Luke said, knowing it was better to humor the boy. "And I am showing mercy," he continued as he looked at Kristen. "The choice is his. My orders were to bring back anyone bearing the name Treish. If he were to be adopted, however, he would no longer bear that name."

"And what of Kristen?" Didier demanded, clearly thorn between wanting to live and the responsibilities he felt he had.

"A good question," Luke agreed as he moved towards the young woman who had now calmed down somewhat. "You are too old to be adopted thus that option is out."

"Marriage," the young man next to her suddenly stated. "A marriage would change her name."

"It would," Luke agreed.

"I can get the clergyman here in two days," the young man said as he looked at Kristen before looking back to Luke. "Mr. Treish was the only reason we didn't wed sooner."

"Two days is too long," Luke declared before he turned to face Nathaniel and raised an eyebrow at which the other man nodded. Turning back to the young couple he saw that the young man understood what he meant. "Didier?"

"Okay," Didier replied reluctantly, fearing what Darth Vader would do to him. "I'll accept adoption."

"Good," Luke said before he left the room, knowing that Nathaniel would handle things. He would do it himself, but the more he was involved the angrier his father would be and it was he, not Nathaniel, who was living under the same roof as him.

"Just when I think that we know all there is to know about those two Sith, WHAM, they hit us with something else," Buchanan stated before he took a sip of his wine.

"There seems to be no end to their secrets," Davron agreed. "And who knows when we were to learn of Darth Vader's perfect health if Treish hadn't attempted to assassinate him? He really was an idiot. Not only did he attack a Sith, but he did so within the Palace walls as well."

"True," Buchanan stated. "If he had, miraculously, managed to kill Darth Vader, then he still would have been executed for disobeying the Emperor's law. I wonder what he was trying to achieve."

"Rumor has it that, while he was a loyal Imperial, he was an extremist," Davron said. "Seems he has always been against the Sith and felt that they had no right to be part of the Imperial government, much less be the next rulers."

"Could be," Buchanan replied carefully. "I also heard that his wife's death was suspicious. Sure, he has enemies who could have done it, but their relationship was known to be strained before she died and some people suspect he was behind it."

"Suspicious," Davron stated. "All in all, I think the court is better off without him. He was a time bomb just waiting to go off."

"Yes."

Anjaleen frowned as she looked into the sitting room and saw that it was empty. She had a few questions she needed to ask her father-in-law, but so far she had no luck in locating him. She knew that he was in the castle as he hadn't left since the incident three days ago, but she couldn't find him. Shaking her head, she headed for the gardens remembering how Luke liked to go there when he was frustrated. Something about the plant life helped him to meditate better.

"Mark," she said as she saw the servant sitting in one of the chairs on the patio.

"Yes, my Lady?" he questioned as he began to rise but stopped when she motioned him back.

"Have you seen Darth?" Anja questioned, remembering her father's shocked face when she had first called her father-in-law that before him. In retrospect he understood that it was normal that she use his first name, it was just that nobody had ever called the Dark Lord that in public before.

"He headed in that direction," Mark said as he indicated the left path that led away from the patio.

"Okay," Anja said as headed in the indicated direction.

As she looked around the gardens, Anjaleen wondered how angry Vader would still be. Although she had found that it was best to give Luke and Darth some time if they were extremely angry with something, she had learned that other than a few clipped responses they never took their anger out on her. Spotting her father-in-law sitting on a bench, her mind went back to that faithful court session.

She had been talking with her parents when suddenly a woman's scream had pierced the relative calm of the gathering. She had turned around just in time to see Treish hurling the contents of a bottle at Vader. The sizzling sound and the light smoke that had appeared upon the liquid's contact with the Dark Lord's armor had caused her to swallow in fear before she had moved in his direction. During the split second she had frozen, the Imperial Sovereign Protectors had moved forward and had captured Treish who had tried to get away. Reaching Vader's side, she could smell the burning of plastic and metal just as the respirator stopped and the lights on the armor died.

A deadly silence had fallen over the room and Anja had known that half the people expected Vader to simply drop to the floor; dead. Instead he had reached up and pulled his gloves off, handing them to her as someone gasped and an older woman fainted. She could still remember the look of pure terror and horror on Treish's face as Vader had taken of his helmet and finally his mask, handing both to her before he stepped towards Treish, eyes ablaze with anger and hate. As soon as the gasps and startled exclamations in the room had quieted down, Vader had slowly killed Treish before taking his things from her and leaving the room.

"Darth," Anja said as she approached him and sat down on the bench he was sitting on.

"Yes?" Vader questioned as he turned to look at her.

"I was wondering," Anjaleen began. "Why didn't the Force warn you?"

"It didn't warn me as I wasn't in any real danger," Vader explained. "If I had actually needed the respirator to remain alive, then I would have been alerted to what Treish was planning to do. Since I didn't need it, it didn't warn me."

"I see," Anja replied. She had been trying to understand more of the Force since her wedding as she knew that one day her own child would most likely have it and she wished to know what he could do and how the Force worked. "There is one more thing," she said and continued when Vader nodded. "When do you want me to get the tailor to come?"

"The tailor?" Vader questioned.

"Well, I doubt you'll want to go to court dressed in that," Anja said with a smile as she indicated the robes he wore.

As he looked at his clothes, Vader saw that she was correct. All that he had were either the robes he used when he was at home and his armor. Neither would do for court now that everyone knew he no longer needed the armor. Funny how he hadn't thought of that before. It wasn't really that he had forgotten, but simply that he had somewhere along the line given that chore over to his daughter-in-law without realizing it. Somehow he had handed all those types of chores over to Anjaleen without consciously deciding it nor telling her of it and she had simply picked them up. The transition had gone so smoothly that he hadn't even seen that it had happened until now. And there were other things. Whenever Anjaleen had invited friends over to keep her company, she had always made sure that he was either off planet or elsewhere for the day so that he wouldn't have to wear his armor in his home or stay away from where they were. They were really small matters, but things that made life easier and allowed him to relax more when he was at home.

"Have him come tomorrow morning," Vader stated at which Anjaleen nodded before heading back inside.

Vader laughed softly as he watched her go. He had no doubt that, come tomorrow, she would have a list of the necessary outfits he would need Van Kallen to make for him. It was good to know that he didn't need to focus on every last detail anymore and, judging from how smoothly things had run since Luke and Anja had returned from their honeymoon, he knew that he could trust Anjaleen to take care of matters here if he was ever pressed for time. His son had chosen well indeed, the young woman was very capable.

"Everything has been taken care of, my Lord." Nathaniel said, entering Luke's quarters aboard the Revenge. The door shut behind him.

"Good." Luke said, sitting at a desk, thumbing through reports.

"I also took the liberty to have Treish's estate divided and re-distributed. All family owned corporations bearing that name are in the process of changing their names, and the absolute loyalty of the families that took in the three children has been confirmed. Along with the young lady's new husband." Nathaniel did not add that he had taken the liberty of giving a large portion of the estate to the families who had taken in the children. It had been hard to get anyone who would take them, because their father had fallen so far in Imperial favor by his actions. The Admiral considered it nothing more than a bribe anyway, since there was no guarantee that the children would actually inherit any of the divided estate.

"Good." The young Lord pulled out a report, looked at it, and made a note on the data-screen with a stylus.

Nathaniel sighed. "It wasn't what I envisioned as the first wedding I would perform, however. I am supposed to officiate at the wedding of one of my bridge officers later this year, I thought I had plenty of time to practice. It didn't go nearly as smooth as I had hoped."

"You saved her life." The Sith was paging through the reports again, still not looking up.

Nathaniel smiled, "There is that. And Luke?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Luke tried to look innocent. "For what?"

"Risking your father's wrath for those children."

The Sith sighed, bowing his head. "I know. And I can't even call Anja and warn her, because my father will want to know how I am doing, and it would be better if we are long gone from here before he knows."

Nathaniel nodded, then excused himself. He could take a hint. He would call his wife, she was on Coruscant with her family. She should invite Lady Vader over for dinner anyway. Preferably right when Luke would be reporting to his father.

And he did want to tell his father-in-law what Luke had said, that naming the elder Lord Vader as the Imperial Heir was arranged, it was only a matter of time.

"YOU WHAT?!?" Darth Vader screamed at his son as the young man knelt at the foot of the Emperor's throne. The room was empty, except for them and the Emperor and a few of the Imperial Guard. He took large steps to his son's side, fury radiating from every pore. "I ORDERED you to bring me every last Treish on the planet, and you bring me nothing!?!"

"There are no more Treish." Came the reply.

"There were more Treish. He had a family."

"Yes, but his daughter married and his children were adopted. His corporations have been divided and renamed, even strangers who bear the same name by chance have chosen to change their names to honor your decision. There are no more Treish."

"YOU have disobeyed me?!?" Lord Vader fumed, stunned, "and for what?!? A few worthless children who have been brought up to hate me?!?"

His son shifted, but remained kneeling, looking at the floor. "Killing children would be a public relations nightmare."

"PUBLIC RELATIONS?!? I am a Sith Lord! Not a courtier! Revenge is my birthright!" Lord Vader grabbed his son, hauling him up. "And you deny me, just so we don't offend some weak-hearted fools?" His voice took on a dangerous hiss.

Luke was refusing to show any fear, even if it was trickling into the Force. "There are things scheduled that I thought you would not want to reschedule. I did not want his Majesty to have to wait for the public uproar to die down." His father shoved him roughly away.

"You didn't want his Majesty to have to wait!?! I've waited twenty years, I can wait another." Lord Vader began to pace, his black jeweled outfit catching the dim light.

"It is not in your best interests-" Luke began.

"SILENCE!" Darth Vader shouted, hand swinging out unthinkingly to backhand Luke across the jaw. There was a snap as he connected, and then the two stood staring at each other in the stunned silence. Darth took a step back, watching his son. Luke just stood stone still, almost afraid to move, afraid he would do something he would regret later. A small trickle of blood began to drip from his lip.

Vader looked away, flexing his hand. He sucked in a breath from the sudden pain and looked down. He had broken a bone in his hand. Broken a bone. Hitting Luke. His son. Because he had let his fury cloud his thinking.

The silence stretched, and then Luke moved. He bowed to the Emperor, then to his father, then took quick steps towards the hidden exit, winding his way back to the castle.

It was quiet again. Vader sighed. "I'm surprised you didn't stop me, your Majesty. I have broken your rule about no arguing between us."

A soft rustle of fabric from atop the throne, "I won't be here to mediate between you forever. You need to learn how to work these things out on your own."

"Yes. I suppose you are right. And if you will excuse me, I need to go apologize to someone."

The Emperor waved a dismissal, and Lord Vader left.

He found Luke in his bedroom in a small healing trance, sitting in a chair overlooking the sea. He could tell from the way that the Force was swirling around Luke that he must have at least knocked a couple of teeth loose, if not cracked his jaw.

Darth quietly walked over to Luke, sitting in a chair some distance away. Luke stopped the trance, looking at him. The elder Vader sighed. "If you meditate on something that makes you angry too much, you start to obsess about it. The Dark Side will do that to you, warp your thinking. I've been spending the last week here in the castle with nothing to do but meditate and fill out paperwork. I am sorry, I should not have done that to you. And you are right, what you did is the best solution."

Luke gave him a small smile. "It's okay."

Vader sighed. "I just wish I would have had enough forethought to bring Treish back here and take my time about it. No one would have blamed me for that."

Luke laughed, then cut short, hand touching his jaw. Darth Vader growled to himself. "I broke it, didn't I? Dark Side gives me far too much strength sometimes."

"It's not that bad. I'm half done, it will be fixed before Anja gets home."

Darth sighed. "I should have known something was up when she went to dinner at the Bel-Zessa's. You probably had that Admiral tell his wife to warn her."

"Not in so many words, no."

Darth wryly smiled. "You should be careful you do not use your Admiral too much. He has already used his closeness to you for his own status."

"At least he deserves it, unlike others. And I will be careful."

Vader sighed, looking over the sea. "Good." He leaned back. "Do you want any help with that?" He motioned to his son's jaw.

"It's nothing, I can get it."

"Very well." Darth Vader got up, heading back to his study to work on his own hand.

Anjaleen wondered just what had happened the night before as she sat on the patio. Upon learning from Nathaniel that they had come back empty handed from the mission, she had known that there would be trouble considering her father-in-law's mood ever since the incident. It also hadn't taken her long to figure out that there was probably more to her eating with the Bel-Zessas that particular evening than simple coincidence. However, upon returning to the castle, she was unable to detect friction of any kind between father and son. Indeed, Vader's anger seemed to have evaporated.

Anja dismissed the thoughts with a shake of her head. No matter what had happened, the situation seemed to have been resolved and she knew she had to be thankful for that. She could only image what it would be like to have Luke and Darth angry at each other, their anger at someone else was enough to make her shiver at times. And she was glad that she hadn't been here to see whatever had taken place as something must have. There was no way Vader's anger would simply have gone away.

"Anything wrong?" Luke inquired as he stepped out onto the patio and saw his wife's thoughtful look.

"No," Anja replied as she smiled at him. "I do have a question for you though."

"And that would be?" Luke asked as he seated himself next to her.

"Can I ask my parents over for dinner with you and Darth sometime soon?" Anja questioned, knowing how delicate matters could be when it came to her mother. "My parents have been asking questions about your father's health and I think it would be easiest to settle things by having them come over."

"Very well," Luke finally said, knowing his father wasn't going to like it at all, but knowing that since they were now part of the family he couldn't keep them in the dark.

"What will Darth say when he learns?" Anjaleen inquired, knowing that her father-in-law disliked her mother's constant talking.

"He won't be overjoyed," Luke admitted before he smiled. "But right now he owes me one."

"Whatever you say," Anja replied, knowing better than to question what her husband meant.

"How was last night for you?"

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Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail Rebecca or me at valeriev84@hotmail.com