An Imperial battle group was sent into First Order territory to test the strength of their potential rival. They were not strong enough to challenge the Empire yet, but they wanted to make sure that never would happen. Darth Vader himself was in command of the operation with Adm. Thrawn second in command of the operation.
"Lord Vader we're detecting several vessels coming out of hyperspace.", an Imperial Officer said informing Vader.
The Finalizer and what looked like many other vessels the First Order could get their hands on surrounded the Imperial 501st battle group, and started firing. The Battle group would hold their ground inflicting heavy casualties on the First Order's quickly put together fleet. Something was off to Thrawn however. It felt like a test.
Eventually the Finalizer would break off its attack and retreat with a few other ships, but not before a single fighter would leave the ship and land on the planet near by.
"Lord Vader?", Thrawn said turning to Vader.
"I see it Admiral. I sense something about the pilot of that fighter. I am going to investigate. I am leaving you in charge of the fleet."
"Very well. I will not fail you Lord Vader."
"Unlike many others, considering your record, I actually believe it when you say it.", as he turned heading for his Starfighter.
Darth Vader took his TIE Advanced to the surface into a forest. It was reminiscent of when he faced Asajj Ventress on Yavin IV back when he was Anakin Skywalker. He made his way through the forest occasionally cutting through branches with his lightsaber or brushing them aside with the Force. He eventually came to a small clearing where the pilot of the other starfighter waited.
"Darth Vader... If it really is you, then it pains me to do this, but... Supreme Leader Snoke says you must be destroyed as you will stand in the way of his vision."
The pilot was a Force sensitive no doubt, Vader Sensed how powerful he was. The pilot in questions name was Kylo Ren who then used the Force to freeze Vader in place, but after a few seconds Vader clinched his hands into fists and broke free. Kylo tried again, but to no avail.
"Impressive.", Darth Vader told him activating his lightsaber and taking a Djem So stance.
"But you'll need to do more, and better than that."
Kylo Ren seemed surprised quickly grabbing his saber activating it. He had never had anyone actually break free of his Force paralysis before. Thoughts raced through his head as Vader got closer and he took a clumsy Soresu stance. Was this actually Darth Vader he was fighting? Plenty of evidence to back that up considering the merge, but he still couldn't believe it.
He started believing it however when he was slammed through a tree trunk. He was back on his feet in moments through, railing wildly against Vader's stonewall defense.
Vader was, of course, the much more skilled on a technical level. But the sheer rage and anger of Kylo's assault actually managed to drive him back, up until Vader blasted him away with his Force powers again
Kylo got back to his feet, but took one wide eyed look at Vader and switched his Lightsaber off.
"It is you..." He said breathlessly. "It's really you, grandfather!"
"Grandfather?" Vader asked, pausing.
"Yes: I... I'm Kylo Ren, the son of your daughter." Kylo said. "I've tried to follow your ways my entire life, done everything to devote myself to the Dark side, just like you. I've lived to honor your memory and your greatness, grandfather."
Vader stared at him for a second.
"Then you are a fool" He suddenly roared, striding up to Kylo, lifting him with one hand and slamming him into the ground, all in one fluid motion.
"You know nothing of the Dark Side!" He hissed angrily. "It's power comes from sacrifice, a quick and easy route that will cost you everything you ever loved! The Dark is only for the weak, the foolish! And so help me worm, if you've done anything to hurt my daughter..."
He was cut off by a thunderous roar overhead. They both looked up to see the form of a badly damaged Imperial Star Destroyer slowly burning up as it plummeted through orbit. It was impossible to tell if it was First Order or 501st, so they immediately jumped on their com, calling their admirals.
"Thrawn, report!" Vader demanded.
"As I predicted, they have returned" Came the Chiss's calm drawl. "In significantly greater force. Their technology is... advanced, much more advanced than ours. It'd be like one of our fleets fighting one from the Clone Wars."
"Is that a problem?" Vader demanded.
"Please, with these tactics?" Thrawn scoffed. "I could defeat them with a fleet from the Old Republic's Golden Age! I'll keep you posted, Lord Vader."
He had almost switched the comm off when the Chiss admiral remembered something else.
"Oh, but I suppose I should say, there might be a problem for you, Lord Vader. A number of drop-ships have changed course and are approaching your position. You could be facing a few hundred troops: let me know if you require reinforcements."
Both dark siders finished their calls at the same time, rounding on each other again. But will Vader raised his weapon, Kylo humbly knelled.
"There is a large force of First Order troops on their way" He said. "Please Grandfather, let me fight them at your side! It's all I've ever wanted."
Darth Vader slashed Kylo Ren across the face, knocking off his helmet and leaving another mark that would turn into a scar on his face. The scars seemed to form an 'X' as he laid on the ground unconscious. Darth Vader then thought to himself for a moment.
A daughter? He had a daughter? He had twins. He had fought Luke on Bespin back before the merge or The Convergence as it was beginning to be called by many, but he never thought... He was going to have a talk with the Emperor, or...
He looked at Kylo Ren. Was he telling the truth? There was some resemblance to himself at that age when he was Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps... Perhaps he could use him. Using a cable to from his TIE Advanced, he restrained Kylo Ren.
However it wasn't long after that the First Order forces found him.
"Wait. Is that-?", A First Order Storm Trooper said surprised at the sight of Vader.
"Stay focused!", The Platoon Leader said barking at trooper.
Vader activated his saber, he did not raise it to defend himself from the first line of troopers however, he flicked his finger. When they tried to fire they found their weapons were jammed. Before they could do anything else the last they saw was a red blur as Vader threw his saber at the first line of troops dropping and killing them all.
The second line of troops got to fire some, but didn't do much better. Vader blocked all the incoming blaster shots, and they all heard some type of beeping. They all looked back to see their grenades on their backs about to go off. They panicked and tried to get them off but it was too late and the grenades exploded taking the soldiers with them. The grenades also took out a few in the third and final wave that was now demoralized, but knowing they would be killed if they failed this mission in particular they charged forward to have Vader bring down a tree on most of them, and then he cut down or choked out the rest.
After a moment he looked back at Kylo Ren. He decided it would be best to question him. Vader then turned on his communicator.
"Admiral Thrawn. I have a prisoner for pick up. Can you spare a shuttle and something to restrain a Force sensitive?"
-------
Later….
The battle was still going on, but it was obvious the tide had turned in favor of Adm. Thrawn, and thanks to his superior tactics he had ultimately won the day for the original Galactic Empire: The First Order Star Destroyers either retreated, or were destroyed, save one which was boarded and captured. It was not a total victory however: contact was lost with the shuttle transporting Kylo between the planet and Vader's flagship.
"We can't find a single trace of either the Dark Warrior, are men or the ship." Thrawn told Vader, as the Sith Lord stared out the bridge's viewscreen. "Do you believe they were destroyed in the fighting?"
"... No" Vader said after a moment's thought.
"Neither do I." Thrawn agreed. "There were trace particles in the atmosphere matching those left behind when a ship enters Hyperspace. The men, of course, think it's nothing, but I believe your... 'grandson' broke free and stole our ship."
"You haven't informed the crew?" Vader asked.
"I assumed, due to it's personal nature, you would want to keep this quiet" Thrawn said matter-of-factly. "And this is personal, Lord Vader. I saw the battle on your fighter's holo-recorder: that boy is is related to you, be it by blood or some other method."
"I know." Vader growled. "The Merge has clouded the Force, Dark and Light. Many things that once seemed impossible are now all too real. Only a Skywalker or the Emperor could break free on that Shuttle, it was designed to contain powerful Jedi Masters."
"Powerful," Agreed Thrawn. "but unskilled. He hasn't been trained properly."
"He was conflicted" Vader explained. "Torn between the Light and the Dark. He has anger and hate and fear, and draws on them constantly, but without purpose or talent. He's a Jedi at heart, but that knowledge is driving him to be worse than any Sith."
"So what do you plan to do about him?" Thrawn prodded. "I could likely extrapolate his trajectory from the particles. We could have an entire fleet pursuing him, perhaps straight to the First Order's doorstep. Or..."
The Chiss lowered his voice and stepped closer to the Sith. "You could take a Fighter and chase him yourself."
"That could be considered treason." Vader pointed out.
"So could not telling the Emperor about this encounter." Thrawn admitted. "And yet, I don't particularly care to inform him at this moment. Do you?"
Vader said nothing. Abruptly, he spun on his heels and marched off the bridge.
"You, the entire fleet, is to stay here and exclaim the captured vessel" He ordered the crew over his shoulder. "I have business to attend too... elsewhere."
The Grand Admiral smirked.
Darth Vader got to his TIE Advanced prepping it for take off leaving Thrawn in charge of the fleet once more, and followed the hyperspace trail. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
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