Star Crossed

A New Hope

There was a Darkness spreading through the galaxy. It leaked in the spaces between the stars, between planets that have long since died and decayed. The Darkness was a tangible thing, spreading like a spider's web as it leeched to everything it touched. Its influence was draining, stealing life and hope from all those it affected. It was a disease manifesting and spreading, unfolding as it festered and grew. 

The Darkness was seductive with its power, commanding with its presence, and terrifying with its commanders. 

At the epicenter of the Darkness was one of its fiercest commanders, Darth Vader, Darkness personified, black-cladded, and encased with machines that forced breath into his lungs. 

He walked with a heavy presence sweeping over his shoulders. He carried it with him along with his black cloak dragging behind him. The hallway filled with his heavy breaths, like wild pants of a living machine. 

Darth Vader appeared more machine than man. More Darkness than human. As he walked, the air stilled around him. Everything settled into place as he moved through it. 

The Rebel Cruiser before him quieted as the power died. There was a low hum of draining power that sounded like music to Vader's ears. 

He walked up the ramp into the Cruiser with a line of Storm Troopers filing in behind him. 

The Rebel Cruiser was small with few amenities. Vader seemed large inside its walls, pressuring and looming as he cascaded through the space in search of Princess Leia Organa. 

There was a single Rebel Officer on the ground, struggling to find his breath as he crawled away from Vader. 

Vader stopped in the hallway as he watched the man pathetically try to escape him. His attempt was futile as he wheezed on his own pained breaths. 

Vader lifted a black-gloved hand, driving a powerful wave of invisible, intangible Force. It was like a stream of pure power, manipulated and used by Vader and Vader alone. His Force pushed out and wrapped around the Rebel Officer, pulling him up into the air as though strings attached to his ligaments and dragged him upright. The Force closed in around his neck as though Vader had his own hand gripping it. His neck locked, losing all air that tried to get through the windpipe. 

The Rebel Officer struggled as he lifted his hands to the invisible hold around his neck.

"Where are the plans?" Vader asked the struggling Officer. "I know they are here."

The Officer's feet swayed above the ground, kicking at nothing in an attempt to free himself from Vader. 

It wasn't the Rebel Officer who answered him, but an Imperial Officer who hesitantly stepped up to Vader's side. He clipped his hands behind his back as he looked up at the angry Sith Lord. "The Death Star plans are not in the main computer."

The news only angered Vader more. The lack of plans on the Rebel Cruiser meant they were somewhere else. Somewhere out of his reach. 

He tightened his grip on the traitor as he tried to will the truth out of him. "Where are those transmissions-" he stopped to pull in a long, mechanical breath. "-you intercepted?" His Force held an audible hum, like a low, menacing purr. He lifted his hand, suspending the Rebel Officer a few inches above the ground. "What have you done with those plans?" To aid the Rebel in his answer, Vader widened his grip to allow the man a breath. 

The Officer gulped down air that stole some of the red from his face. "We-" he wheezed on the small breath Vader allowed him. "we've intercepted no transmissions-" Vader tightened his grip, cutting the air off once more in retribution. Still, the officer persisted. "This is a- a consular ship. We're on a diplomatic mission."