Every imperial officer who he Darth Vader met on the way to the hangar bay were almost frightened to death as he flew by them like a raging storm, looking like he was ready to rip someone's head off. I'm the Empire's lethal weapon, not a politician, he wanted to shout out loud. If the Emperor thought he could treat him like his little pet, always willing to do anything for him, he was wrong. But you do anything he bids, don't you? a treacherous voice very similar to that of his dead wife asked in his head.
He almost stopped in his step as he realized the truth - I am his pet. Practically a slave. And the only power I have is the power I've gotten from him.
His anger had boiled down to a simmering as he reached the hangar bay. The thoughts swirling around in his head had slowed down by the feelings of resignation and acceptance he now felt, because he had realized that there was no point in trying to change his situation - he was doomed to always remain a slave - never the Master. As a child, as a Jedi or as a Sith - it didn't matter - he had never been free. Except with her, he reminisced. When they were together, they were equals.
He grunted, frustrated that today, his mind seemed willing to lead every train of thought to thoughts of her. Something that caused the dagger embedded in his heart to twist and simultaneously break off a bit of the thick walls surrounding it, the walls he had built up over the 5 years that had passed since his rebirth as Darth Vader.
But he was not going to disappoint the Emperor this time. The unbearable pain that happened as a result of his last failure was etched into his memory, always reminding him of the Emperor's control over him. But I don't deserve freedom either, he thought self deprecatingly.
He boarded his shuttle, sat down and started the engine. If it was one thing that grounded him, it was flying. It was also one of the last remains left of Anakin Skywalker in him.
He set course for Alderaan and after a short journey, he was finally there - looking down on the planet. Alderaan. Bail Organa. Suppressed memories of him talking to Bail Organa, after the mission to rescue the Chancellor, came to the surface of his mind. Right before I found out about... He stopped his mind from going any further since it would only cause him pain. But what also bothered him was that there was a chance of Bail knowing who he was. That's why he had hoped that this meeting would never occur.
His thoughts were disrupted when he landed on the landing platform outside of the homestead of the Royal Family. With his cape flowing behind him he strode forward - without an ounce of hesitation. Like a dark cloud ominously fleeting over the bridge between the landing platform and the house.
Bail Organa, who sat in his office, in a meeting with Mon Mothma was suddenly interrupted when his wife Breha came rushing through the door. She was still breathing heavily and her eyes were wide of fear. He had never seen her so upset before and a feeling of dread crept into his body, paralyzing him in his seat.
"It's...It's him. He's here.", Breha managed to get out.
"Who?", Bail asked while feeling the panic starting to rise within him.
"Darth Vader", she said and visibly shivered.
He swallowed and felt his heart beating fast. He had thought that the sith lord would want to sever all connections with those who had known him before he became Darth Vader. But if he's coming here, there was only one possible explanation. Leia.
At that moment, he heard a knock on the door. He wanted to run away, take Leia and run away to the edge of the galaxy - but he also knew how determined Darth Vader could be. He could chase someone across the galaxy if he wanted to. And, it was already too late. He was already here.
