The Trace Which Remains

Sorry for the long delay! I hope to have more up soon.

Chapter 24: ... return to battle...

"WOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Anakin hollered as he performed a spiraling barrel roll, enjoying the feel of raw G-force pressing him into his seat.

The com crackled to life. "Rogue X, please fall into formation. I promise, flying'll be MUCH more fun AFTER we save the galaxy." Anakin couldn't miss the amusement in his son's voice, and he reluctantly swerved in beside the boy, flashing a thumbs-up through the void.

"Copy that, Rogue Leader. Ready to shoot the blue."

"Shoot the blue?"

"Oops. Old term for entering hyperspace."

Luke laughed through the com. "I guess I forgot that you're twenty years older than me."

"Would you rather I looked my age?"

"You're perfect as you are, Father. Now cut the chitchat and let's get the hell out of here."

****

"Are you sure you're okay?" Leia asked Myka as he limped alongside her and Han.

He shrugged, and winced at the wound on his shoulder. "I'll be fine. I'll slip into a trance on my way, and be ready to fight the moment I get back to realspace." He smirked. "Besides... it's better to have as many ships as possible."

They were escorting him to his ship, which he called "the perfect stealthfighter." And when they entered the docking bay where his tiny one-man ship sat, Leia could immediately see why.

"There she is. The _Python._"

Jet black. So small that Anakin wouldn't be able to fit inside the cockpit. Han let out a low whistle.

"Definitely... Sith, if nothin' else."

Myka laughed. "And that claptrap ship of yours could sneak out of Coruscant's sky without attracting attention?"

Han returned the laugh. "I guess you're right. My ship IS distinguished, after all."

"If you say so."

Han shook his head. "Kid, you're sure that you wanna go solo?"

Myka smirked. "Sorry... you're not my type."

Leia watched Han mentally kick himself for leaving himself open for a pun like that.

With a nod, Myka opened the _Python's_ hatch and pulled out a black jumpsuit. Han laughed again. "Is that your only color, kid?"

Myka shrugged. "It's really the only color I think of wearing, other than my scrubs."

"We've gotta get you a change of wardrobe. People'll think you're Vader or Luke or something."

Leia looked appraisingly at the young Sith. "Definitely Luke. Far too short for Father."

"Too tall for Luke, though."

"Could we just go, please?" Leia could see the faint blush on Myka's face, and she pinched his cheek in a motherly way.

"Just take care of yourself, okay? We don't need more trouble than we already have."

Rolling his eyes, Myka returned, "Isn't that the truth?"

****

Rogue Squadron exited hyperspace near Duro, to finalize group coordinates and regroup. Luke hailed the team on his com.

"Everyone ready for this?"

All of his squadron-mates replied with their affirmative, Anakin last. "Let's finish this damn war."

"Now, we're gonna be fighting the MOMENT we snap back, boys, so keep on your toes. I don't wanna see anyone vaped today. I'll see you at Coruscant."

And streaking into the sky, they blasted into hyperspace, leaving nothing but exhaust behind.

****

Nix Two-Five was having a relatively good day. Today, like every other day, he patrolled the north-eastern hemisphere of Coruscant, but unlike other days, he had plans this evening; plans which involved a ticket to a classy "lady show."

But the ladies would never receive any of the hundreds of credits he planned on tipping them, credits he had won from a couple of squadron-mates that morning.

Nix Two-Five didn't even see the ship. Or the blast it fired.

All he saw was white, and then black.

****

The rest of Nix squadron two weren't caught quite as off-guard as their voyeuristic comrade, so they at least had time to scatter as Anakin Skywalker, paired with Tycho Celchu, roared onto the scene, guns blazing.

Anakin frowned. This would be difficult. These were men he had trained, flown alongside for years. They were some of the most elite pilots in the Empire.

Biting his lip, he reached out with the Force towards the nearest TIE Annihilator.

Its guns crumpled into useless twists of metal.

Smiling in satisfaction, Anakin veered away from the disabled craft. Switching on the com, he hailed Luke.

"Try to crush their guns- I'd like to see as few of them dead as possible."

"Copy, Rogue X."

Letting the Force steer his fighter, Anakin dodged through the hail of blast-fire and began using not his weaponry, but his mind.

****

The _Millennium Falcon_ exited hyperspace to find a raging battle below them. Leia, in the bottom gun turret, watched as TIE after TIE ceased fire. Instinctively, she knew her father's tactic.

"Han, get us right in the heat of things."

"Already doing, sweetheart."

She followed her link with her family, and allowed her senses to teach her what had to be done.

The next TIE that passed them didn't stand a chance.

****

"MAN, I hate piloting!" Myka Severeth swore as he careened through what seemed like forty TIE fighters, all of them firing at once. A blast grazed his wingtip, and Myka ground his teeth.

"Wonderful place to drop into realspace. Fraggin' navicomp." He glanced at his scanners, and after confirming that there were no friendly forces nearby, he let his own lasers loose.

This was the hardest part. He was a good pilot, and a good aim... but his senses were far too tuned to the life-forces of others.

As the first TIE to run into his fire vaporized, Myka nearly lost concentration. Death always made him queasy, especially when he knew it was his fault.

He scowled. T'Ay's death had been his fault.

He drew upon that self-directed anger, now, to help him focus beyond the death.

****

"Luke, reinforcements!" The tinny transmitted voice of Wedge Antilles came a fraction of a second after Luke noticed the second wave of fighters rush into the battle.

"I see 'em! Rogues, attack formation Niner-krayt! Father, Tycho, take claw position!"

"Copy, Luke." Luke watched Anakin slip into the right slot, and Tycho took left. The rest of the squadron formed a narrow double V, one under the other, with Luke and Wedge in the back, at the V-tips.

Anakin and Tycho would reach as the claws of the krayt dragon, forcing oncoming forces into the "teeth" of the rest of the ships.

They had knocked out eight ships this way when Rogue 11 hailed Luke. "Rogue Leader, behind us! Destroyers!"

Luke looked over his shoulder, and cursed. Three _Imperial_ class, two _Victory_ class Star Destroyers were approaching them from behind. Luke couldn't see from that distance, but he was certain that they would sic their fighters on them.

"Boys, we're about to have over 200 more guests. Any ideas?"

****

Anakin pressed his lips together in a grim line, before he switched on his com.

"Trust me on this, son."

****

Luke cringed. Although he knew Anakin wouldn't do anything to jeapordize their mission, he knew that Anakin was well known for reckless maneuvering.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the faint glimmer of the fleet returning to realspace, staying well back from Coruscant.

He really hoped that they could end this fight quickly.

****

Mon Mothma stared through the viewport at the planet she hadn't seen since the Senate was dissolved.

She had hoped never again to see its skies ravaged by war. With a wistful smile, she mused that as long as Coruscant remained important politically, it would be a target for violence.

"How are our pilots doing?" She asked Admiral Ackbar.

"Not good. They're badly outnumbered." He sighed. "They've been outnumbered many times before... but if my scanners are reading correctly, they have at least a 40-to-1 ratio out there. I think it's a wonder and a miracle they're still alive."

Sadly, Mon Mothma nodded. "It is indeed a miracle any of us are alive... and it will be more so if we survive this day without losing our best men."

"Should I call for retreat?"

Looking up at Coruscant's larger moon, she shook her head. "I believe that this is the true test of the Alliance."

****

Imperial Admiral Prittick watched the rebels impressive maneuvering with a good deal of grudging respect. A shame that they had to die.

A junior tech officer briskly marched up to Prittick, and he turned to the officer. "Sir... we've received a communication which matches Lord Vader's personal code."

Sharply, Prittick's head turned to face the officer. "Vader? I thought he died at Endor!"

The tech officer was clearly nervous. "Sir... should we accept the transmission?"

Grinding his teeth, Prittick hesitated before nodding. "If it is Vader... then it would not be wise to ignore him."

****

Leia heard the transmission through her headphones.

****

Luke heard the transmission through his com.

****

Mon Mothma heard the transmission through the loudspeakers of Home One.

****

"Attention Imperial forces. This is Darth Vader."

****

Immediately, Mon Mothma tensed up. Had he betrayed them? Had he used them to be reunited with the Empire?

She vaguely noticed Crix Madine holler into the com, "Kill him, Skywalker!"

****

"Kill him, Skywalker!"

Luke's hands froze on the yoke of his X-wing, and a cold sweat slipped down his back.

No.

There had to be a mistake.

There HAD to be.

****

Myka, engrossed in his own battle, growled in irritation.

He had thought better of Anakin.

Somehow... the man's betrayal hurt.

****

"What the fuck is he thinking?" Leia heard Han raving all the way from the cockpit.

Shaking her head in a semi-daze, she murmured, "It's not what they think..."

****

Admiral Prittick swallowed hard. The voice definitely had the tones of Vader, although in a slightly higher register... and the code checked out.

"Y-yes, Lord Vader? The Imperial fleet is at your disposal."

****

Angrily, Anakin took great care in modulating his voice. "You will cease fire against the Alliance immediately. Failure to do so will be construed as treason."

****

Luke felt his heartrate drop vastly as he heard his father's words.

He knew it.

But it troubled him that his mind had still doubted Anakin.

****

Leia smirked as Han swore again. "Damn that Anakin, getting everyone all worked up!"

****

Myka scoffed. He didn't need to feel as relieved as he did.

Fucking emotions. He was getting far too attached to the Skywalkers.

****

"Oh, thank the Force!" Mon Mothma exclaimed, smashing her fist against the arm of her seat.

Ackbar shook his head. "I've had enough of these close calls."

"Same here." She watched Madine storm over to a bulkhead, and begin bashing his head against the durasteel.

She could swear that he was saying, "Fuggin' Vader! Gonna kill me of a heart attack yet!"

****

"An honor to serve you again, m'lord." Nix Two-One greeted as he fell into formation alongside Anakin and Tycho. Anakin smiled.

"This is likely to be the last time for me. I still need to face proper trial."

He could hear the shock in the TIE pilot's voice. "Trial? For what? Doing your job?"

Anakin sighed. "We were suckered- we all were. But that doesn't excuse my behavior. I accept responsibility for my own actions. And I am ready to deal with the consequences."

"If I may say so, m'lord... the pilots and troops will stand by you. And so will many of our officers."

"That means a great deal to me... but you no longer need to call me 'm'lord.' My true name is Anakin."

"You'll be our Lord no matter what name you go by. You're the only reason we've believed the Empire could change the galaxy for the better."

"If I am still free, then I plan on taking a more active... but less public... role in protecting the people. I'm sick of the politics and the petty squabbles of power-mad morons."

"You and me both, m'lord."

****

The endless city of Coruscant. Myka Severeth breathed in the recycled air, remembering the slightly acrid smell the planet always had. Millions of mechanical and chemical air scrubbers couldn't erase the smell of billions of vehicles, factories, and power plants.

It was decidedly odd to be home.

He stretched as he squirmed out from the tiny cockpit, watching the Rogues and the _Millennium Falcon_ land on the platform they had been escorted to.

Good thing Anakin had decided to invoke Vader's authority. Morata was going to be bad enough. They didn't need the Empire slamming them as well.

Myka's stomach was still trying to tie itself into one of the Princess's convoluted hairstyles, and he clutched his gut in pain. Breathing through his teeth, he leaned against his fighter, still hot from entry.

"Y'okay, kid?" Han Solo was the first to notice him, and Myka gave a thin smile.

"I'm not a fighter. I can survive... but death drains me like hell."

Solo nodded gravely. "Kid... if it didn't, I'd think you weren't right in the head."

Anakin was the next to join them. "Myka... you know where Morata is?"

Myka nodded. "That abandoned pyamid-thing."

With a rueful nod, Anakin explained, "It used to be the Jedi temple."

***********************

If you don't have an AFF account, you can reach me at the_skywolves@yahoo.com. I would love to hear what you think!