"R2, you're sure everything is cleared on the ship?" Anakin asked as they left the surface of Albingi.
Qui-Gon guided the ship into space, glancing briefly at his Padawan.
R2 beeped back in a manner that was both assuring and mildly exasperated.
"Right, right, sorry," Anakin said as he took a seat near the cockpit.
"You are worried someone tried to bug or sabotage our ship?" Qui-Gon asked curiously. "You're not one to suspect Vader."
Anakin looked to his teacher with a frown. "It's not Vader I'm worried about, Master Jinn."
That got his attention entirely, turning on the autopilot as he turned to face his student fully. "What is it, Anakin?"
Anakin took a deep breath before answering. "... Hego Damask is a Dark Sider."
Meanwhile
The hyperspace travel to D'Qar was relatively peaceful.
"I like the other ship more. It had more room," Farmile remarked idly.
Vader didn't even turn to face the boy. "Are you referring to the Executor?"
"What? No. I mean, obviously it has a lot more room, but that's a city," Farmile said, as if he found Vader's reply strange. "I mean that white round one that Lynn is flying."
"It is a light freighter. It is intended to transport a sizable amount of cargo or passengers," Vader retorted simply.
"And this one is only a large ship that was made just for you?" Farmile summarized.
"It is better armed than most ships," Vader explained.
Farmile was silent for a moment of confusion. "Why wouldn't ships be well armed?"
It was interesting to ponder how little Farmile knew about the galaxy. He had no idea what the Republic even was. Tatooine was a place most of the galaxy forgot existed, but even there, information like this was relatively common. Farmile's planet, however, had been utterly cut off from the wider space-faring community, with their technology degrading from a never-ending civil war.
Vader didn't deign to continue the conversation as they exited Hyperspace. As the blurring lights came to a halt, Farmile made a quick trip to expel his guts.
D'Qar was just as the Sith Lord had last left it, save for the fact that the Executor was now in orbit around the planet.
It was a minor victory, but one Vader savored for the moment. The flagship was his once more. It would take much effort and resources to repair it, but it was better than many other alternatives. The prospect of finding the crashed remains of the superstar destroyer on some remote planet had occurred to him more than once. For right now, the manpower alone was a boon, despite all the casualties of Ozzel's "civil war" aboard the craft.
"Is this your home?" Farmile asked as he came to the front again.
Vader noted the boy overcame that bout of hyperjump sickness quicker than before. "It is our home base currently, yes."
Farmile looked at the grey-green planet, the space filled with the asteroids of its wide planetary ring. "Anything dangerous down there besides your Whitehelms?"
"There are an abundance of dangerous predators," Vader answered flatly. "Not least of which is the Creepervines."
"Creeper...vines?" Farmile repeated with a furrowed brow.
"A form of carnivorous plants, whose vines will drag you away to be devoured," Vader admitted.
"A plant that eats people?" Farmile repeated, smiling a bit. "You're joking, aren't you?"
Vader's silent stare slowly melted the smile from Farmile's face.
"Oh, you're not joking," Farmile said nervously.
"Calm your dread, we have exterminated such things within the parameters of the on-planet base," Vader informed flatly.
"Look, I've dealt with a lot of things. I've never even known plants could try to eat people!" Farmile defended himself before rushing over to where he had placed his pack.
Vader did not question the boy, merely watching as the child eventually found the object of his search.
From the pack, Farmile pulled out a single knife, wrapped in a makeshift sheath of cloth. "Okay, this should cut through anything that grabs me."
Some part of Vader was genuinely surprised this survivalist of a boy had that weapon stored away instead of on his person at all times.
The Dark Lord flew the ship down to the surface, heading towards the ship-turned base that was the grounded Avenger.
"Oh, you turned a ship into a base. Did it crash here?" Farmile asked curiously as he saw the marooned craft.
"No. It was merely not worth repairing at the time," Vader answered idly as he landed his craft. "Do not attempt to kill anyone. I have already weeded out the disloyalty from these troopers."
"If you say so," Farmile said as he put his backpack on once more, following after Vader as he headed for the opening ramp.
Vader didn't find it too unexpected to find the figure of Firmus Piett greeting him at the landing pad. "Captain Piett."
"Welcome back, Lord," Piett greeted with a nod.
"I take it things are proceeding without issue?" Vader asked pointedly.
"As well as they can be, Sir. All members of the Executor with injuries or long-term issues are receiving treatment," Piett said, moving his false foot meaningfully. "I am somewhat putting off getting my leg checked. I imagine they'll want me to get a new prosthetic right when I am growing accustomed to this one."
Vader understood that in ways Piett might never understand. Still, Vader just stared at the officer, knowing he did not come for such advice.
Piett cleared his throat and got to the point. "Apologies, My Lord, but I was there when you entered this system, and I couldn't help the urge to ask you something. The other ship that arrived with you-"
"It is exactly what you think it is, Captain," Vader answered honestly.
"What are the bloody odds?" Piett murmured to himself. "Well, that aside, I am happy to report there have been no more issues. But we're not sure what to do with the surviving nutters, those that have proved less dangerous."
"Remove some from the ship for now, to test if their sanity recovers in any amount," Vader instructed. "That said, you're coming here is fortunate. I have a task for you."
"Does it involve the child following you, My Lord?" Piett asked curiously.
"Hello," Farmile greeted politely. Piett awkwardly returned the greeting with a nod.
"Yes," Vader answered. "Take him to the main hangar of this ship. It has been remade into a logistical department of sorts."
"I see," Piett said, his tone indicating that he, in fact, did not see but had no intention of questioning it. He looked at Farmile. "I am Captain Piett, child. Your name?"
"Drewmar Farmile," he answered, tilting his head. "Vader, I'll try not to let him die if your Whitehelms attack me again."
Piett raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Vader said nothing as he departed and left the pair. He had other business to take care of.
Meanwhile
Despite everything, there was rarely a time when Qui-Gon Jinn was truly shocked. The trip back to Coruscant had been one of those times.
"You sound certain of this, Anakin."
"I am, Master. I don't know if he's a Sith or not, but he is definitely strong in the Force, in the Dark Side, and is hiding it," Anakin said firmly. "But it slipped. When Vader arrived. He didn't notice it, but he lost control for a split second."
Qui-Gon frowned. That was troubling. A man like Hego Damask had plenty of connections and resources, and he was in a position that could make him very dangerous to the people of Albingi. "Why didn't you mention this before we left, really?"
"Because I don't think he's involved in this plot. He tried to hide his connection to the Force, but he was genuinely surprised and fascinated by the virus. I doubt he cares about Albingi, but he's saving the planet to keep his cover and because finding the cure intrigues him," Anakin said with a sigh. "That said, I don't know...anything about him, really. I was worried that if I gave away my suspicions, he'd decide to make the situation worse out of spite," Anakin said ominously.
Qui-Gon furrowed his brow as he realized the predicament his Padawan had been in. In the company of an unknown dark sider who was possibly this world's only chance for a cure to their pandemic. "You were wise to not confront him, Anakin. Nor can I fault you for being wary of who might overhear," Qui-Gon said, stroking his beard. "This is troubling, though. With the assassin, this means there were two dark siders on Albingi."
"Vader has a fleet. The council will be unhappy about that confirmation, let alone that he might have trained more than one person," Anakin said with a furrowed brow. "Unless..."
"Unless one of them is connected to Darth Plagueis instead," Qui-Gon said grimly. "If so, it's possible that both Sith Lords were at Albingi."
That was mildly unsettling for Anakin. He had encounters with Vader since joining the order, but never Plagueis…at least, none that he knew of. It was rather alarming to think about, a Sith with powers of illusions that could fool many Jedi Masters.
Anakin took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face. "Plagueis or Vader, the one that killed those human agents was obviously an assassin sent by one of them."
"It was definitely someone strong in the Dark Side, yes," Qui-Gon agreed partially, crossing his arms within his sleeves. "And Vader's arrival and aid indicate that he is indeed somehow tied to this plot, indirectly or directly."
"For right now, I'm assuming Vader wasn't part of this convoluted plan to extort or genocide an entire race," Anakin said with a dry, half-hearted smirk. "He prefers much more straightforward methods."
Qui-Gon nodded with a frown. Anakin's "trust" in Vader was a complicated thing sometimes. But even if one should be wary of trusting a Sith in most manners, Qui-Gon trusted Vader to do things in his preferred manner. "Plagueis, on the other hand..."
Anakin grimaced; the man who trained Darth Sidious…by all accounts, this was definitely something he would do. "As far as we know, Vader and Plagueis are... "
Qui-Gon smiled wryly as Anakin trailed off in search of a good term. "Not-enemies, shall we say?"
"That, yes," Anakin agreed. "And given what happened when Vader went against Sidious, I think we'd know it if those two were suddenly at odds."
Qui-Gon hummed; that was a rather good point. Someone would have sensed a battle between those two. "Let's assume this isn't some form of Cold War between them. What do you think happened on Albingi?"
"I have an idea, but I'm not sure my reasoning is sound," Anakin admitted as he leaned back in his seat. Qui-Gon nodded for him to continue. "The people who did this, who the assassin killed? I think they worked for Vader and went rogue against him."
"What draws you to that conclusion?" Qui-Gon asked, not unapprovingly.
"His arrival, the fact that he helped at all," Anakin admitted as he looked down in thought. "Even if it's not obvious, Vader always has a reason for getting involved wherever he goes. This planet has nothing important for him, and the plot doesn't seem like something he'd bother with. That just leaves the human conspirators, and whoever they were working for- if anyone."
"And if Vader's ire was with some unseen mastermind, he would have gone after them instead of just thwarting this scheme," Qui-Gon finished in understanding. "Given the assassin went after the human conspirators and not the Albingi they were manipulating, that does paint an interesting picture. They did something to earn Vader's anger, and betraying him would surely be a way to do so. Granted, that Vader has people such as these under his command is worrying in itself, if you are correct."
"I think I am," Anakin said, yet still silently acknowledging that he might be wrong. "Of course, that just leaves the one thing we can't explain."
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow, almost amused.
Anakin put his face in his hands and groaned. "That ship! Wizards and stars, how does someone make a ship that big!? That was more like a city than a spaceship! And the damages, what in the deepest pits of Coruscant could do that much damage?!"
"Anakin," Qui-Gon spoke up firmly, halting his Padawan. "Breathe, and calm."
Anakin did as instructed. "Sorry, Master, but...it just-"
"I know, Anakin. It boggles the mind," Qui-Gon admitted with a headshake. "I'm not sure how I'll be able to properly convey the magnitude of its size to the council, or anyone. Something that massive is almost too surreal for many to believe without seeing. Or even then. I heard many of the Albingi who saw it or recordings of it were already doubting what they were seeing, rationalizing the other ships as being much smaller."
Anakin wasn't surprised by that. He almost doubted his own eyes a few times.
"Still, you are correct. This will be...interesting to report to the counsel," Qui-Gon remarked.
End Flashback
"A Dark Sider, your Padawan believes, this magister is?" Yoda summarized, Qui-Gon sitting across from him in a meditation room of the Jedi Temple.
Qui-Gon nodded absently, "Sith or not, he's certain that Muun is powerful in the Dark Side."
Yoda hummed, stroking his chin with a troubled look. "Hidden, the full reach of the Order of Bane, still remains. In his nature, this scheme would be, for Darth Plagueis. But others too, it may be."
"All we really know is that the mystery plotters gained Vader's attention, and his ire," Qui-Gon mused. "I don't like the idea of leaving the Albingi situation in Damask's hands, knowing what we know, but..."
"Save the planet, he may. If cornered, he surely will not," Yoda agreed sagely. "Watch the situation closely, your replacement will."
"...Might I suggest Master Poof?" Qui-Gon offered.
"No need, there is. My thoughts, the same they are," Yoda said with a frown. "Your mission, strange happenings. Revealed his hand, Vader has. Unwillingly, perhaps."
"Windu and many others will not be happy to hear this," Qui-Gon muttered.
Yoda shook his head. "A fleet of his own, long suspected, we all have. A surprise it would be, if an apprentice taken, he had not. A mere rumor, however, this great ship has been."
Qui-Gon looked to the Grandmaster in consideration. "Not to change the subject, Grandmaster, but..."
"My travels, you would inquire," Yoda predicted with an old smile.
"I heard you were seeking answers about our...adventure on that moon," Qui-Gon said, pausing as he shook his head. "We're still sorting through all the sets of memories we have from that day."
Yoda hummed. "To the H'drachi, I ventured. With the Seer of M'haeli, meditated, I did. "
Qui-Gon's eyes widened slightly, but he supposed that he shouldn't be surprised. If there was a matter related to time, there were few better options than the Seers of M'haeli.
"Strange truths, I have learned. Changed his fate, Vader has. Altered, time was, unexpectantly. Adapting, we believe, time is," Yoda remarked.
Qui-Gon furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure I understand."
"Barely, do I," Yoda admitted, glancing down in thought. "Ripple, normally, the future does. Shattered, it has become. For the better, I yet believe."
Qui-Hon was surprised by that. Yoda might have been one of the Jedi willing to give peace with Vader a chance, but even he didn't believe the Dark Lord had purely good intentions. "What did you see?"
"The shatterpoint," Yoda answered grimly. "Succeeded, Sidious would have, without Vader's action. Into darkness, fallen, the Galaxy would have. A servant of Sidious, Vader would have become."
That made sense to Qui-Gon, more than he expected. Vader had all but confirmed he was once a slave himself. It was no wonder that he would do everything to "shatter" a future that left him at the bidding of one like Sidious. Why this change had such an effect on time itself, Qui-Gon couldn't dare to ask. Perhaps Vader had obtained the knowledge through something darker and more dangerous than merely meditating on the future.
"But how does that explain what happened on that moon?" he asked curiously.
Yoda nodded. "Theory, I have. That moon, travel to, Vader would one day. Cause its destruction, perhaps. Rippled back, events of that future, when events are similar."
Qui-Gon frowned. "That planet didn't seem particularly important to Vader. So even if he could foresee all the events of that would-be future, I don't see how there is a way to tell what events would trigger these temporal events."
Yoda nodded solemnly. "For Vader to deal with, I fear, these matters must remain."
Qui-Gon had no worry about Vader overcoming such obstacles. He just hoped it didn't drag too many others into the crossfire when they happened again.
"Rest, you should, before your official report, you give," Yoda said wryly. "Send your Padawan in. Speak with him, I would like."
"As you wish, Master Yoda," Qui-Gon answered, nodding in respect to the ancient Jedi before leaving.
Yoda sat and began to meditate as he waited for the child to arrive. After a short while, he remained in meditation even as Anakin entered the room and took a seat where his Master had been.
"You wanted to speak with me, Master Yoda?" Anakin asked curiously. He half expected Yoda to keep mediating, which would be a prompt to join him.
But Yoda did respond, opening one eye to look at the Padawan. "Interesting time, you have had, I believe, Young Skywalker."
Anakin took a breath. ""Interesting" is a word for realizing a man like Hego Damask is probably a Sith, or working for them. Among other things."
"True, this is, but what I speak of, it is not," Yoda said, opening both eyes to give Anakin an amused look.
The young Jedi felt as though he had just been discovered with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, and he had not a single idea why. "Oh? What do you mean then, Grandmaster?"
Yoda chuckled mirthfully. "Your time, I mean, with your son."