Time Travel Redemption
By: wertman25
A/N: Just keep in mind that this is A/U and the characters aren't 100% like in the movie, but I don't plan on changing it that much!
Background: Weeks after the Battle of Endor, Han, Leia, and Luke find themselves on another journey, only this time it is the greatest journey of them all. This time, they find themselves alone in the middle of space, being sucked through a black hole. At first, it seems like a sudden freak of nature, but soon, the trio learns it is anything but. Darth Sidious always has a "Plan B" and when the trio wakes up in the past with Darth Vader by their side, they know something has gone terribly wrong.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Star Wars…. Or Anakin Skywalker… Which is a pity…
2nd Disclaimer: For this particular chapter I used a line or two from "Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – Return of the Jedi", which was written by James Kahn.
Author's Note: Well everyone, it's finally happened and I want to thank you all for being so patient. I have received a MASSIVE amount of messages recently begging for me to continue TTR, and although I can't promise to update regularly, I can promise that I will at least start to rewrite. You've waited a long time for me to go back to this story and I have decided to rewrite completely. I cannot continue on with a story that I am not happy with, so I hope you are still willing to read, as I am willing to rewrite. So whether you are a new reader or an older follower of the story… I hope you enjoy the new take.
"Now go, my son." His father breathed, even weaker than before– almost inaudible. "Leave me."
Luke's heart stopped within his chest. He couldn't believe what his father was asking. Leave him? He would never leave him– never again. "No." Luke said, tears building within his eyes as he pushed himself towards his dying father. In that moment, it didn't matter what his father looked like. It didn't matter what his father had done. He forgot about the terrible deeds and the monstrous dark suit. The man before him was Anakin Skywalker. He was his father, and he would save him "You're coming with me. I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you."
"You already have, Luke." His father whispered, bright blue eyes meeting his– the same eyes that he had.
Sadness ached through his body, shooting through him like a giant cannon. Luke's heart was ready to burst within his chest, the sadness and pain overwhelming him. He heard his father's words, but he didn't believe him. It couldn't really be the end. His father wouldn't– couldn't die. He had just got his father back. He had dreamed of this moment for far too long for it to disappear right before his eyes. He didn't know the man behind the mask and he had so many questions that only he could answer. He wanted to know more than just the monster– more than just the scarred, pale face.
"Father." Luke protested, hearing his father's words, but not accepting them. "I won't leave you.
But it was already too late. His father had already closed his eyes and fallen back, taking his final breath. With that, Darth Vader– Anakin Skywalker died, leaving a mourning Luke completely alone with the failing Death Star.
The Death Star shook madly beneath Luke's feet as the bay itself began to break apart, but Luke hardly noticed. His eyes stayed locked on his father, the man that had gave him life and that had saved him, but he would never really know. Explosions jarred the docking bay and a tremendous explosion filled the back of the bay with fire, knocking Luke the ground.
Luke's eyes flashed open as his body mashed into the ground below, and for a moment he was utterly confused. He felt the ground beneath him shake intensely and sirens echoing deafeningly into his ears. He didn't move; his gaze remained glued to the ceiling above him while he stayed silent on the floor. He frowned slightly as his mind continued to fight to make sense of the situation. His mind told him that he was on the Death Star, but his eyes said differently. It was a dream. He told himself… but it had felt so real… because it had been real. It had happened, but it was in the past, he had continued on. It was only then that Luke realized that he was in fact, not on the shattering Death Star, but in the Millennium Falcon. He had been on the exploding Death Star, but now it was the Falcon that shook beneath him.
His confusion quickly turned to panic as he pushed himself off the floor and ran towards the sounds of the wailing sirens. He raced through the halls until he reached the cockpit of the Falcon; there he was greeted with the strange sight of his friend working hastily over the controls. The Falcon shrieked around him, smoke escaping from nearly ever corner and lights flashing on ever console.
"What's happening?" Luke asked, taking a step into the cockpit and looking towards the vast amount of space before them. "Are we under attack?"
He didn't see any attackers, but over the course of the past few years, it was the only thing he could think of. It was a fair guess anyways; the shaking of the ship told him there was something out there, even if he didn't see it. It had all happened before.
Han opened his mouth to answer but was silenced when Leia joined them in the cockpit. "Is it the Empire?" She asked, her gaze also moving towards the blackness in search for Imperial ships. It was sad that it had come to this. Always fearing that the Empire would return– thinking the deed would never truly be done.
"I wish!" Han growled, pulling another lever that only increased the sound of the sirens and caused a reaction of lights to flash around the cockpit. "We are being sucked into a black hole." He jumped up on his chair, pushing more buttons that were scattered along the wall. "Everything is over heated and I don't have a co-pilot to steer us out of this."
"What?" Leia snapped, her face full of panic. "Can't you get us out of this?"
"Listen, sweetheart!" Han snapped; turning back to swing a finger in Leia's face. "It wasn't my idea to fly off without my co-pilot. I was over ruled by a committee!"
Leia slapped his hand away, her face only growing in anger. "I am not a committee!"
It was true though. Han had been against leaving Chewbacca behind, but everyone believed it was safe, especially Leia. They had left Chewbacca, Lando, R2, and 3PO with the Fleet, believing that it would have been a steady ride to Coruscant after the destruction of the Empire heads. Who was there left to fear? Vader and the Emperor were gone, and soon the rest of the Empire would follow.
As Han and Leia continued to argue, Luke took a step forward, trying to be of some assistance. "Let me help." He said, trying to take the controls, only to fall backwards upon a heavy jolt of the spacecraft.
"No good, kid!" Han screamed over the alarms, the ship shaking even more wildly. "Grab onto something! It's sucking us in!"
With that, everything turned to darkness and the Millennium Falcon disappeared into the dark hole... Never to be seen by the trio again.
When Luke finally began to open his eyes, he didn't know how much time had passed. His head was pounding and his chest felt like there was a hundred pound nerf sitting on top of it. The world around was blurry– almost as if it was spinning around him at a rapid speed. Acting out on instinct, he reached out into the Force in an attempt to find answers. He found none; instead, he found only darkness. It was as if he had been cut off from the galaxy around him. He shook his head, unable to believe it. He tried again, focusing all his energy onto the single task, only to receive the same outcome. He felt nothing. No Leia. No Han. No galaxy. There was nothing.
The feeling made Luke's stomach drop and he instantly began to panic. He tried to push up from the ground but stumbled within seconds. He fell to the ground painfully, his mind rattling against his skull. He was lost. He was alone. He was helpless. He felt as if his world was beginning to melt away, like there was nothing left. At the new feeling, his heart began to beat wildly in his chest and the air traveling to his lungs became thick.
"Leia!" He screamed, "Han! Where are you?"
There was no response.
He feared the idea that no one would return his call. What would he do? What could he do? He was blind. He was lost and alone without a clue in the galaxy of where he was. And where were Han and Leia? Where could they possibly be? Dead? On the other side of the galaxy? He didn't know. It was an uneasy feeling, not knowing. It caused his nerves to rattle his body and the sweat to pour down from his head.
They have to be here. They have to be alive.
"Leia!" He repeated, his voice higher and more desperate than before. "Han! Are you there?"
Please. Please be here.
"Luke!" Han screamed back, the voice coming from somewhere behind him. "I'm here!"
Relief spread through Luke faster than he could imagine, and upon hearing Han's voice, he began to push himself in the direction in which it had resonated. His eyes did not allow him to fully see, but he could make out the shape of Han, or at least what he hoped was Han, laying a few feet in front of him. He could see the figure trying, and failing to push itself up from the ground. Still, the figure tried again.
Yep, that's Solo. Luke thought happily.
He knew it had to be, no one was as stubborn as Han. He would try to do the impossible, until he achieved the impossible, especially if the impossible was only trying to stand. It was a simple act that felt impossible. Luke was sure Han would be able to get it, but still, he didn't want Han to risk injuring himself.
"Stay there!" Luke commanded, inching closer and closer to his friend. "I'll help you."
Han didn't respond, but he stopped his failing attempts of trying to rise. As he pushed and tugged himself, Luke took the opportunity to try to get answers. Squinting his eyes, he looked at his surroundings as he crawled. Although, it was obvious they weren't in the Falcon, there were no clues to where they were. The room was too big and too bright to be the Falcon, but also too small to be a bay. The fact was, however, they should still be in the Falcon.
This doesn't make any sense.
None of it made any sense. One moment they were safe and together, than they were being pulled into a black hole, and now this? Where could they possibly be besides the Falcon? It had to have something to do with the black hole, but where exactly had it them? He didn't know, and that made him even more flustered. He may not be alone, but they were still blind and lost.
"Han," Luke whispered, as he reached down and grabbed his friend, pulling him up into a sitting position. "Are you alright?"
"I think so, kid." Han replied, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "I can't see worth shit though, and I haven't felt this hung-over since I was a kid." He paused as if laughing at a memory before realizing their missing member, "Where's Leia?"
At Han's question, Luke's stomach dropped again and his blood turned cold. He had been so relieved upon hearing Han's voice that he had completely forgotten about Leia. Where was she? Where was his sister? The feeling of being sick washed over him again and he silently cursed the Force for not reaching out to him. He had lost all of his family. He had lost everyone. He couldn't lose her too.
"Leia!" Luke screamed, the fear making him feel as if he was drowning.
Please be alive. Please be alive.
"Leia!" Han joined in, their voices becoming louder with each passing second that she did not respond.
"I'm here!" Leia finally screamed, "I'm fine!"
Her voice had echoed throughout the room, giving no real answer to her true location and Luke groaned again in frustration, feeling as if his hand had been taken all over again. He felt handicapped and useless. What good was a Jedi without the Force? What good was hearing her if he could not see her?
"Where are you?" Luke asked, turning his head in all directions but only seeing the blurriness of the light.
"I'm crawling towards you." She announced, before her voice became lower. "I think."
The boys waited patiently, listening to the movement of Leia's body grinding against the metal of the floor. Both Luke and Han felt helpless, each for different reasons, but regardless, Leia reached them unharmed. Luke felt her as she neared, and the group immediately embraced tightly when she reached them. The hug lasted forever, as if letting go meant they might lose one another in their blindness. They refused to let go, fearing for what came next.
Han was the first to finally pull away, laughing lightly as he did. "Why does this always seem to happen to us?"
Luke gave a small chuckle in return, releasing his sister from his grasp. "No idea," He said, trying to open his eyes but still unable to take the light. He tried to recall what he had learned about black holes when training to be a pilot, but the topic came up blank. He thought perhaps a more experience pilot would have an idea– like Han. "Do you have any idea where we are?"
"You don't know?" Han asked, hiding his nerves with another laugh that fooled no one. "That's shocking. Can't you use the Force or something?"
Luke frowned. "I can't." He admitted, unable to hide his frustration. "It's like I've been cutoff somehow. When I reach out, I feel nothing. Its like nothing exists."
"That's convenient." Han hissed, throwing his head back in annoyance. "Without actually seeing, I have no idea, kid; but if we are going by what I think, we could be anywhere. Black holes swallow ships all the time, and they are never heard of again. No one really understands them, which is why ships make it a priority to stay away from them..." He paused, his voice becoming angry. "Unless they come out of no where like our's did."
"It just appeared?" Leia asked, her voice shocked and confused.
"Yep." Han replied, as if not actually believing it himself. "The Falcon came out of hyperspace and it just appeared right in our tracks."
"That make no sense." Luke argued, "The ship should have calculated the correct path before we went into light speed. It should have stayed away from it."
"That's what I'm telling you, kid." Han growled, "It wasn't there. It appeared out of thin air, sucked us in, and dropped us off in– wherever we are now." He paused, pushing himself forward with a cocky movement. "And I would just like to point out that we are, indeed, not on my ship. So I have no idea where we are or how we got here."
"Well, let's not panic." Leia said, grabbing onto both Luke and Han's hands. "We are together, and that's enough. As long as we are together, everything is going to be fine."
Leia's words soothed Luke, and he was sure they soothed Han as well. She spoke them so confidently that it was impossible not to believe her. He believed her– but only for a moment.
His confidence was shaken when a cold, evil laugh broke the silence, sending chills down his spine.
"Oh, I wouldn't count on that, Princess Organa." The voice seethed and immediately, Luke's blood ran cold, the memory of the old man resurfacing in his mind.
"That's impossible." Luke whispered in disbelief, causing the laugh to only grow. "The Emperor is dead."
"Not impossible, young Skywalker." The Emperor disagreed, "Surely you did not think that you had seen the last of me?"
Luke opened his mouth to speak, but found no words. He couldn't think. He couldn't breath. His mind told him it was impossible, but his ears heard otherwise. The man's voice was unforgettable and unmistakable. Somehow– Someway the Emperor was alive and standing before him, even without the Force he could feel it. It was a fact that not only chilled Luke to the bone, but also angered him, because if the Emperor was alive, then his father had died for nothing.
Leia turned toward the voice, her eyes filled with fire even though she could not see; "I don't believe this."
"It's a joke, Luke!" Han agreed, trying to get to his feet but failing miserably. "It's some smart bastard that has blinded us to play a cruel prank."
Luke neither agreed nor disagreed. He just listened as the Emperor walked around them, surrounding them like a wild animal did to its prey. "Your eye sight will return in time." He announced, "I'm afraid time travel does have some side effects."
The world stopped. The galaxy froze. Luke's blood dropped from cold to freezing in a single second upon hearing the Emperor's words. Time travel? He heard the words but he could not believe them.
"You can't be serious!" He pressed, turning in the direction he heard the Emperor pause.
However, the Emperor did not respond, instead, a cold, hard sound of mechanical breathing echoed throughout the room. The familiar noise filled the chamber with an echo that was also unforgettable. Almost instantly, Luke's eyes snapped open, recognizing the noise. It was a sound that Luke never thought he would hear again. It was a sound that millions of people feared, but now, only brought him joy. It was the sound of his father. A wave of joy swashed through Luke, practically making him tumble over his friends as he searched for his father. He couldn't see, but he willed himself to focus– willed himself to see. He moved towards the sound of the breathing, despite his friends' protests, looking like a flopping bird as he pushed. His heart fluttered as his eyes came across a black mass that lay upon the floor, far across the room. Luke tried to push himself farther from the group and closer to his father, but Leia and Han's hands restrained him in place.
"Ah," The Emperor mused, "It seems that your– Vader has arrived on schedule." The Emperor wasted no time as he crossed the room to the fallen Sith, standing above him in a show of respect. "Come now, Vader." He called, kicking the Sith's armor with his foot. "Wake up."
"Don't touch him!" Luke growled, finally finding the strength to stand and fling himself at the man that stood above his father.
The old man moved faster than anyone could have predicted. Before Luke could ever reach him, he found himself flying backwards, the Emperor using the Force to throw him back at his friends like a ragdoll. Luke landed with a loud hump and harsh cough on top of Han and Leia, who held onto him in protection.
"Don't be stupid, Luke." Han whispered, "Stay down!"
"Don't test me boy." The Emperor threatened, "You have no power in this time. I will do whatever I want with Vader. Darth Vader is my property and I am the only one that controls him.
Luke frowned trying to raise his head, fighting against his friends' restraints. "You don't control him. He is stronger than you will ever be!"
The Emperor laughed, motioning to someone that had stepped forward. "Take them to their holding cell. I need to teach Vader some respect."
"Roger. Roger." A mechanical voice answered, but Luke had hardly heard it.
He was already charge the Emperor again, his mind beyond thinking straight. "No!" He screamed, but all turned to darkness before he reached his father's side. Everything turned to black and Luke fell to the floor unconscious.
It was hours before Luke, Leia, or Han woke up again, having been stunned by the blasters that were held by their mystery captures. Leia and Han had already awoken and had started a full-fledged war by the time Luke came around. He opened his eyes slowly, his head already aching from the sounds of their screams. His eyes moved around the cell, taking in the huge room that was around them. The cell itself was small, old fashioned even, but there were a dozen cells within the room itself. It was dark and dingy, but undeniably a section of holding cells on a ship.
Well at least that answers one question.
They were on a ship. The Emperor was on a ship. His father was on a ship. His father. Luke's heart lifted at the thought of his father being alive, but he also knew the grave danger he was in. It had been his father to kill the Emperor in the first place. His father had gone against his master and that only meant pain for him. Luke couldn't even think about the terrible things that the Emperor might inflict upon his father– about the pain his father was probably going through.
"Luke!"
Upon hearing his name, Luke's whole body snapped towards the direction of which he was being called. As he did, he was greeted with two strange pairs of eyes that belonged to Leia and Han. His friends looked upon as if they had been speaking to him and he had missed it completely. Which was probably exactly what had happened.
Luke raised an eyebrow at his friends, not sure what else to say. "What?"
Leia and Han exchanged a look, one that Luke didn't fully understand. Han raised an eyebrow, and Leia responded with a shake of her head before turning back to her brother. It was an exchange of question, and it made Luke frown. How much had he missed?
"What do you think is happening?" Leia asked, coming and sitting beside him.
Luke looked down to the floor, the feeling of hopelessness washing over him again. "I have no idea." He answered honestly, trying to hide the small amount of happiness in his voice. "I didn't believe it at first, but then I heard Father breath and I knew it was–"
Leia moved fast, but not fast enough. Her hand slapped across Luke's face, covering his mouth and stopping his words, causing a large frown to form over his features. He looked towards his sister in question and was greeted by a pair of wide brown eyes. It took him a few moments to realize his mistake, but when he did, his eyes widened as well.
Oh, kriff.
Ever so slowly, Luke and Leia turned to look at Han, not entirely prepared for how he would react. Han watched them both as they turned, a small frown on his face as he obviously replayed Luke's words within his mind.
"Father?" Han repeated, his void of emotion, as he tested the words against his lips, trying to make sense of Luke's sentence.
Luke cursed himself silently as Leia nails dug into his skin. He hadn't meant for Han to figure out the truth this way. He had been so worried– so happy about his father that he had actually forgotten that Han had no idea. They had never revealed their secret to Han, upon Leia's wishes. She wanted to come to terms with the fact first before revealing it to anyone else. Luke hadn't agreed, but he respected her wishes.
"Father!" Han yelled again, breaking the silence as his face became hard, the words finally making sense within his mind. "Darth Vader is your father?"
Luke opened his mouth, but Leia threw herself at Han before he could speak.
She wrapped her arms around Han's body tightly, pushing her face into his chest. "I'm so sorry." She sobbed, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want you to know. I haven't accepted it myself. I haven't accepted I'm the offspring of a monster."
For the first time, Han's face softened. He looked down at Leia and put two fingers under her chin so she would look up at him. She did so slowly, chocking back tears as she raised her face to look up at him. Her eyes were still filled with tears and running down her face, her makeup smearing under her eyes.
Han shook his head, smiling at Leia while his eyes remained angry. "There is no way in Sith's hell that you are related to that– that THING! You are not a product of that monster!"
Leia sobbed again, "But I am! I am!"
Han was about to protest, but Luke spoke first.
"He's not a monster!" Luke spoke up, pushing up from the bed and walking towards his friends. "He's our father! He's the only reason I'm alive! He saved me from the Emperor!"
Han's face hardened again and he shoved Leia away as he took a large step toward Luke, "One good thing doesn't make up for a million bad ones, kid!"
"Han." Leia protested in an attempt to protect her brother. "I dislike Vader just as much as you, but if I give him any credit, it is because he did save–"
"No!" Han barked, his face turning back to Leia with pure rage. "Don't turn this around like I'm not happy Luke is alive. I am, but Darth Vader is a monster." He paused, turning back to Luke, looking down at him as if he was a child. "Are you forgetting who caused all of our problems? Who caused all of the galaxy's problems? He enslaved and killed millions. Ad on a personal level, he froze me in carbonite, he tortured Leia, and he cut off your hand, but now we are happy he is alive? For the past, how many years, we have been running and trying to kill this guy, but now you're telling me that he is your father?" Han let out a wicked laugh, the information overwhelming him. "Oh, let's just give him the best daddy award!"
Luke opened his mouth, again finding that words were escaping him. But what was the point anyways? Han would never understand and so, Luke let it go. He waved his hand and turned his back on Han, looking out the cell to the hallway, "Ah, you don't understand."
"Let's talk about it, Luke." Leia whispered, her hand grabbing onto his shoulder. Her voice was soft, filled with sorrow; sorrow that he would not read without the Force. "Han is just upset and confused." Leia continued, "We both are."
Luke shook his head, hiding the tears that were streaming down his face. "You won't understand." He repeated, "You both won't understand."
He didn't want to confess that he didn't even understand. He knew how they felt. He couldn't blame them for hating him or not accepting the fact. He had never had a father. Leia had. He had always dreamed of Anakin Skywalker, when Leia grew up only knowing the love of her parent. She didn't want another father, especially one that would shame her own father's name. She had grown up with a loyal and loving one already– Vader was no match. But she was also angry to be the child of a monster, but who could blame her? When Luke first learned that Vader was his father, he had been angry too. He was angry at everything and everyone one. He was angry with his father for becoming a monster. He was angry at Obi-Wan and Yoda for lying to him. He was even angry with himself for believing the lies and being a creation of the beast… but he had learned that Anakin was still there. He had felt the goodness inside of him– if only she would have felt it too.
"Then make us understand." Leia whispered, pulling Luke around and revealing his tear filled face. It was a sight that silently shocked Leia and Han. They have never seen Luke like this, and it lightened them completely.
"I can't." Luke whispered, "I don't know how."
"Tell me the story." Leia pressed, pulling him back towards the beds that were against the side of the cell. "The one that you said Vader told you to tell me."
He shook his head again. They didn't understand. He didn't know. He didn't know the man before the suit. He didn't know the secrets or the story. He didn't know anything. His father had, with his last dying breath, asked him to tell Leia that he was right: that there was still good inside of him. He knew the story of his father's redemption, not his fall. He knew the man with the pale face and scarred head, not the one Jedi Knight that stood for peace and justice. He couldn't tell a story that he didn't know. He could just tell of what he knew– of what he was told– of what he felt– of what he experienced.
"I don't know the whole story." He confessed sadly, "I hardly even knew him."
"Well then, tell us what you know." Han said, surprising Luke as he sat down on top of the bed and waited for them to join him. "Tell us how your father saved you."
"See." Leia smiled, grabbing Luke's hand and pulling him towards Han. "We both want to understand… for your sake." She paused, a sad smile washing over her features. "And for mine. I truly want to know something that will make me hate my birth f– father less."
Luke smiled, wiping away his tears and pushing away his pain. He sat beside Leia on the bed, looking directly at her and Han before he began. They waited patiently, Han unreadable, while Leia smiled in encouragement.
It's now or never. Luke thought, before he took a deep breath.
For a moment, nothing else mattered. It didn't matter that they were in a cell. It didn't matter that they didn't know where they were. For a moment, it was just them together, while the rest of the galaxy stopped. And so, as Leia and Han listened intently, Luke began the story about how his father, Anakin Skywalker, redeemed himself, and saved his son's life in the process.
Author's Note: Well, Chapter 1 is done. Not perfect, but way better than before. Review, please. Also, please note, I don't know when the next update will be.