Star Wars ~ Anakin Skywalker - What if

Chapter 8: The dark side is ruthless

Upon his return from Kessel, he brought the recruit to the Surgical Center on Coruscant for treatment of his injuries to train him to become an Inquisitor. For Vader, he went to his room to have his hand and helmet repaired by droids. After having his mechanical limbs and his helmet repaired, he joined Aldir who was in the same place where they had left him.

When he arrived, his operation had just ended. He opened the door using force, then entered.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, stopping next to him.

Aldir sat on the medical pod and looked at Vader.

"I feel better, yes" he replied nodding.

"... Master..." Vader mumbled to him.

"I feel better, Master" he corrected himself.

"Good, follow me." he said leaving the room as Winters follows him.

"For the little you did on Kessel, I was surprised by your hatred. You will be a very important ally to us in the future." Vader said.

"But to do what?" asked Aldir.

"Doing what you helped me do earlier. Killing Jedi," the Sith replied.

"What more will I learn from you?!" he said, raising his voice a little.

Vader stopped and clenched his fist to strangle the young Jedi. Aldir placed his hands on his throat to try to extricate himself from the chokehold, but there was nothing he could do.

"What more will you learn from me? Everything you need to know! You grew up with liars, and learned with liars, just like me. I felt your need to learn more, it is for that you wanted to kill me, to prove something." he said stopping to strangle him.

Aldir caught his breath putting a knee down.

"You are like me: powerful for such a young age. With me, you will learn the true power of the force, like the other Inquisitors you will soon become part of." he continued before walking again.

Aldir Winters followed him again."Yes, Master..." he answered before getting back on his feet to follow his new Master.

They soon arrived at the Industrial District of Coruscant, with the Inquisitors training together. Vader looked down at them as Aldir Winters came a couple of seconds after him. At first, he was afraid. All those double lightsabers spinning everywhere, clashing with the others. It was fast and dangerous, he could clearly see and knew who was teaching them.

His black cloak fluttered majestically behind him as Vader dropped down to the arena using the force to cushion his fall. When his feet touched the ground, all the Inquisitors, even the Grand Inquisitors stopped what they were doing and turned to face Darth Vader. The Sith looked up at Aldir like he was waiting for him. Just by seeing how Vader looked up at him, he immediately understood and dropped down near him, walking beside him. Vader maintained steady eye contact with the individual next to him and sighed beneath his helmet.

The other Inquisitors, clad in their dark armor, stood in formation before Vader. The tension was palpable in the room as everyone waited for the words of the Sith Lord. Aldir Winters' eyes, filled with anger and confusion, scanned the room, searching for potential allies or a glimmer of hope. Vader took his place in the center of the room, dominating with his intimidating presence. His commanding voice echoed through the air.

"Inquisitors. This is Aldir, former Jedi since now. After finishing his training, he will become one of us. One of you. I have yet to encounter such a passionate display of anger in him from anyone else. He is gifted. Rest assured that I will impart him with the same level of training that I have given to all others here and I have every confidence that you will maintain this standard of training in my absence." Vader explained to everyone before him.

Muffled whispers spread among the Inquisitors, some intrigued by this new recruit, others wondering if Aldir was really ready for such a role. But they all remained silent, obeying Darth Vader's will.

"I have seen how you fight against me, but exceptionally, you will not fight me this time," Vader told the future Inquisitor, glancing over his shoulder to look at him.

"Second Sister, Aldir, step forward. The others, come with me." Ordered the Sith.

The two adversaries faced each other, the tension was palpable between them. Aldir Winters couldn't help but feel a pang of excitement mixed with fear as the Second Sister flashed a cruel smile. The Grand Inquisitor, already understanding the situation, walked over to Darth Vader standing to his right, as the remaining members of the group joined them. 

"My Lord Vader, I must express my reservations about putting him up against the Second Sister at this time. She is known to be one of the toughest adversaries here." the Grand Inquisitor explained to him.

"Exactly" Vader nodded before talking again.

"I have faith in your abilities and eagerly anticipate seeing them in action. This battle will imperatively end when one of you two has the loss of a limb. Then, I will intervene"

The Grand Inquisitor, among the others, shocked by this extreme condition, spoke in a voice of concern:

"Master Vader, sorry to stop you, is this not too cruel a test? Is there really a need for such violence to determine Aldir's fitness to become an Inquisitor?"

Vader turned his dark gaze on the Grand Inquisitor, his eyes filled with relentless determination.

"The dark side is ruthless, Grand Inquisitor. We cannot afford to falter. This test will reveal Aldir's resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Only the strongest will survive." He spoke clearly.

The Grand Inquisitor looked down, realizing he couldn't reason with Vader. He bowed slightly, a sign of respect and acceptance of his will.

The Second Sister ignited her lightsaber, prompting Aldir to do the same soon after. Double red lightsaber on one side, single blue lightsaber on the other.

The fight between Aldir Winters and the Second Sister then began, in a ballet of painful lights and graceful movements. Lightsabers clashed, filling the room with flashes of blue and red. Both opponents were determined to prove their worth.

Meanwhile, Vader watched the duel with impassive interest, his face hidden behind his impenetrable mask. He was ready to make a crucial decision for the future of this tormented apprentice.

The fight was coming to a head, with the fate of Aldir Winters hanging in the balance. The Inquisitors held their breath, aware of the importance of this moment, as lightsaber blades hissed through the air.