Title: Up From Slavery
Author: Liz Skywalker
E-Mail: lizskywalker@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.geocities.com/lizskywalker
Feedback: Yes. Constructive criticism only. Flames will be given in as homework
assignments.
Category: AU
Spoilers: Original Trilogy, Thrawn Trilogy.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Shame isn't it?
Posting: Ask and, behold!, it will be.
Summery: Luke's a slave on Tatooine.
"HOO HOO HOO!" The laugh broke through the confusion that Owen was being
dizzied with. What was Jabba doing here? And more importantly, Owen thought
wildly, why was Luke outside near him??? Indeed, there was young Luke, jumping
around Jabba's men like he had no care in the world. Luke should have something
to worry about, Owen thought frustrated. He should have to worry about the crops
coming in, about whether there will be enough moisture for them to drink, have
to worry about VADER, for Sith's sake. But Owen quieted himself. Luke was just a
boy, barely 5 Standard, he shouldn't have to have the weight of the galaxy on
his shoulders. After all, that was what he was preventing by sending Obi-Wan
away time after time.
"Lars," Jabba's majordomo, Posey, began with disgust as he approached.
"You are in major trouble. You owe Jabba money, big time."
"Look, Posey, I can get you the money by next season. I just don't have
the money now." Owen said nervously.
"It's too late, Lars. Jabba will have to find another way to get his
money." Posey looked around the farm disapprovingly, eyes finally settling on
Luke. "Jabba will take him as a slave to pay off your debt." He said finally.
Owen was desperate. "No, anything but him. I'll go, Posey, just don't take
him! He's the world to me and to Beru! She can't live without him!"
"Then you'll learn to pay on time." Posey turned and snapped his fingers
at one of the beings hanging around. "Get the boy! We don't have all day!" They
complied. Luke looked back as they picked him up and waved sadly. He understood
what was going on. He also understood that no matter how hard he thought his
last life to be, this was going to be much harder.
Owen heard someone approaching from behind him. Beru. "He's gone, isn't
he?" She asked, sadly.
"Yes." Owen stated as unemotionally as possible.
"Why do you have to be so proud, Owen? Why won't you go to Obi-Wan? Even
now, I can tell you won't go. Why, Owen? For Luke's sake."
"You know how much more trouble Luke'll be in if that old hermit gets his
hands on him? No, Beru, I'll find a way to get Luke away from Jabba by myself. I
don't need that mythical force to help me!" Owen spun on his heel and marched
back into the homestead, Beru following silently behind him.
That night:
A silent, dark figure slipped through the shadows around the giant
fortress. The figure glided up to the back where all the garbage was thrown.
'Well, that commando training finally came in handy,' the figure thought
ironically. He crept along the perimeter, slowly coming in closer to the
building. It took a standard hour for him to get to the back entrance of Jabba's
Palace.
Owen took out a laser rifle and pushed a code. It hummed to life. Beru had
always wondered why he had kept his commando uniform and weapons from the clone
wars. He had always answered that it might come in handy some day. Well, this
was that day. He hadn't seen much action during the wars, so everything was
still in top condition, if a little old. There was only one tool missing. Owen
couldn't even remember what it had been for. If he had, maybe he would've
succeeded that night in recapturing Luke. As it was, he was lucky to get away
with his life.
As he crossed an unseen line, silent alarms went off all over the palace.
Guards ran to their posts, grumbling that the best time for drills was NOT in
the middle of the night. Jabba himself didn't deign to wake up, feeling safe in
the knowledge that no one could get past his defenses. Boba Fett, at the palace
to pick up a bounty, immediately came alert, his scanners penetrating the walls,
searching for an adversary. But down in the slaves' quarters, little Luke
Skywalker didn't stir, having been worn out from his first day as a slave.
Owen was thirty paces in when he felt it, a tension in the air. Spinning
around, he came face to face with a Gamorean. A sinking feeling came over him.
When there's one, there's always more, a lot more. Owen took a step backwards.
As more and more Gamoreans came out of the darkness, he turned and ran.
Sprinting, he made the door before it was closed.
He leaned against the wall outside, panting. He wasn't in as much shape as
he had thought he was, and it still was a bit to get to his speeder. He looked
around. Speeders were coming. And so was dawn. Owen sighed. No matter what it
took, he'd get Luke out of there. But for the life of him, he couldn't figure
out how.
Over the next few months, Jabba's fortress was nightly breeched until
Jabba got fed up and installed a new security system. Owen was forced to stop
his nightly rescue attempts, but was still too proud to tell Obi-Wan about Luke.
As for Luke, he had settled in as a slave, and after a few weeks of labor, could
hardly remember what his former life was like save that he had one.
And on far off Coruscant, Vader found out he had a son. But all his
meditations couldn't breach the deep shields Obi-Wan had placed around Luke as a
newborn. But he kept trying. He knew that one day it would pay off, that he
would be united with his son.
A Few Years Later:
Luke looked up from the hyperdrive he was fixing. In one hour, he would have some free time. He couldn't wait to get started on his new pod. He had
never tried to make one before and was excited to begin this challenge. He had
build a speeder, a transfer, and blaster, and other things, but they had all
been found and taken away. The supervisor had called him 'Little Skywalker' and
tousled his hair before confiscating them. Slaves weren't allowed any hobbies.
Luke sometimes wondered what they were supposed to do in their free hour
if they weren't allowed to have hobbies. But like all his other questions, it
was never asked. Questions were frowned upon, he learned that quickly.
He had learned a lot as a slave. He had learned never to be seen by the
Master, to never be seen by the Supervisor, to basically stay out of sight and
to do his jobs. His jobs were always hard. No matter how tough the last one had
been, the next one was always more difficult. It sometimes seemed that they
wanted him to fail. And he did, frequently. But he never failed at a mechanics
job. He had heard a Supervisor chuckle over his name. He said that mechanics
were in Skywalkers' blood. Luke was too scared to ask what that meant.
But he could fix anything, he found out quickly. But finishing something
too quickly made the Supervisors notice him, so he went as slow as he could. He
hoped that his hiding place for the pod was good. He didn't want it taken away
like the other hobbies were. He was scared at what would happen if it was found
out. He could still feel the punishment when the speeder he had been working on
was found. It wasn't the only punishment that had left scars on his back, but it
had left the most scars and it had kept him in bed for a month. He didn't want
that to happen again.
Luke's life was filled with fear. Fear of being whipped, fear of having
his hobbies taken away, fear of the Lottery, fear in general. The Supervisors
cultivated it. They said that scared slaves were good slaves. And the boys were
especially scared of The Lottery. The Lottery was something all the slave boys
feared, but no one knew exactly what it was for. All their names were in it.
Every few months, a name would be picked and that boy would leave, never to
return. No one knew where the boys went. Some said that they were sent to the
god Sarlacc who lived in the desert. Others believed that the boys were sent to
the Master's pleasure galleries. Still more said they were tortured for show.
But the boys chosen tried to delude themselves that they went to freedom, but
underneath their gallantry was pure terror. They all lived in fear of the
Lottery.
Luke looked around. Good, there was no one near him. His stuff was
carefully marked 'Luke Skywalker'. It was the only thing he knew how to write,
and he was proud of it. It doubly set him above his peers. The first that he
could write, the second that he had a first name. True, everyone called him
'Skywalker', but he knew he had a first name. It meant that he had had a life
before slavery. Slaves born in the Hold were given only one name. It was a
status symbol to have two names. He quickly shot a glance over at his stuff as
the bell rang, signaling the end of shift.
He returned to the slave quarters, being very careful to stay in the
shadows. As he opened the door to the boys' room, the Supervisor was there
waiting for him. He held up the curtain in front of Luke's pod. "What's this,
Skywalker?" He asked in Huttese, teeth showing. Luke gulped.
"A pod, sir."
"And why were you building a pod, Skywalker?" His voice was low,
dangerous. "I told you before, Skywalker. The next thing I find you building,
I'll do what to you?"
"Take me before the Master." Luke mumbled.
"What?"
"Take me before the Master." Luke said louder.
"Yes." The Supervisor smiled. It wasn't a kind smile, Luke thought. "And
that's what I'm going to do. Come with me."
Luke followed him silently through the corridors to the Throne room. When
they reached it, Luke looked around wildly, trying to absorb everything. If this
was to be his last day alive, he wanted to take as much experience as he could
with him. As they approached the dais, Luke's eyes were riveted on the form
before him. The Master was huge, bigger than almost anything Luke had ever seen
before. He was holding the chain to a slave girl, who was struggling to get away
from him. Luke could've sworn that he recognized her; she looked like one of the
older girl slaves that had been taken out of the girls' room a few seasons ago.
But as his eyes met hers, Luke was taken aback. There was nothing in them but
desperation. 'Get me out of here!' Her eyes screamed at him. 'I can't!' Luke
willed his eyes to tell her, and to his surprise, she nodded, as if receiving
his message. How did he do that, Luke wondered. But he didn't wonder long. The
Master had started speaking.
"What is it, Supervisor?"
"Master," the supervisor bowed, "this is Skywalker. He has been building
things in his spare time. I caught him today building a pod."
"A pod? Ho Ho Ho!! And tell me, Skywalker, why were you building a pod?"
"Master, I wanted to build it because I wanted to fly it, Master."
"You think you can fly a pod? No mere human can. It is a sign of one of
the many weaknesses of your species."
"I know I can." Luke was adamant.
"Supervisor, put him in a pod. If he can fly it, he lives. If he
can't...well, he'll die in the attempt anyway."
"Yes Master." The Supervisor bowed and left the room, Luke trailing after
him.
A Few Months Later:
Vader's consol blinked. He turned to it in surprise. He had set this
consol to give him any galactic news from Tatooine. That old mothball was still
home, no matter how much he hated it, and he couldn't resist knowing what was
going on. He pulled it up and set the reader to 'loud'.
"RECORD SET, SECOND HUMAN PODRACER EVER!" The reader said. Vader looked up
sharply. "Luke Skywalker, age 8 in human years, became the second human podracer
in the history of the galaxy. Skywalker, a slave of Jabba the Hutt, started
training as a podracer in just the last few months. The first human podracer, as
we all know, was Anakin Skywalker. According to the boy's closest relations,
Owen and Beru Lars, there is no relation between Anakin and Luke Skywalker.
After Anakin Skywalker won the Boonta Eve, many parents resolved to name their
children after him, they explain. Skywalker will be competing in this year's
Boonta Eve Race..." Vader smashed the consol angrily. HOW IN ALL THE JEDI HELLS
COULD *HIS* SON BE A SLAVE? It was inconceivable! He didn't believe that Bantha-
dung for a second. Lars...he was Obi-Wan's brother! How could Lars dare sell
Vader's son as a slave?! It didn't matter, Vader decided. He would go to
Tatooine and buy Luke himself. And then they would be together, father and son.
As it should have been from the beginning.
Luke jumped out of the podracer and bowed to the Master, who had been
watching.
"Good, Skywalker. But if you do not win..." Jabba trailed off.
Luke understood. "Yes, Master."
"Then run along, Skywalker."
Luke bowed and left the ring. It had been six months since he had been
tried out on the pod and only two days since the article had come out on him. He
hadn't met Owen and Beru Lars, hadn't heard that they had commented on him,
didn't even remember who they were, in fact. He was excited. The Boonta Eve was
coming up and then he was going to show everyone that you didn't have to be a
stinking alien to fly! He wasn't fazed by the fact that the last human flyer had
stopped after winning only one race. Luke wasn't even scared. He knew he could
win.
Luke heard someone coming and dodged into a corner. Two aliens passed by
him, talking loudly and completely ignoring him. Stupid aliens, Luke thought
angrily. They could at least pretend he was important! At least pretend he was
alive! Humans didn't snub him like that! True, they did tend to beat him or hit
him when they did see him, but at least it was acknowledgement!
Suddenly Luke spun around. He could have sworn someone was calling his
name. But there was no one there and there was no sound in the hall way. But
there it was again! 'What's going on?' He asked himself.
'Luke.' There it was again! What was going on? Luke wondered. 'I'll be
there soon. Stay safe.'
"What in all the hells of Iego is going on?" Luke yelled. On, on, on
echoed off the walls, but he received no answer. "Who are you?!" You, you, you,
mixed with the on's echoing off the walls.
'Wait for me.' The sound said again. Luke yelled silently in his brain at
the fleeting voice. 'Huh? How did I know the voice was leaving?' Luke asked
himself. But there was no answer.
Luke shrugged uneasily and continued back to the boys quarters slowly,
hoping that the voice would speak again. The voice had been full of an emotion
Luke couldn't place, but it felt warm and nice, like something that would be out
of place here. It felt like affection...like that thing that the new boys were
always talking about. What was it called? It annoyed Luke that he couldn't
remember. What was it called? What was this mysterious emotion that this
mysterious voice held?
Vader looked out the window out into the Tattoo System. He had to do this
quietly. Palpatine didn't know about Luke, and if Vader had his way, he never
would. He wouldn't know about Luke until it was too late. Vader knew he wasn't
as strong in the Force as Palpatine, not in his present state anyway. Even Luke
wasn't as powerful as Palpatine. But Luke could be. He was still at an age when
his brain was still growing, still at an age when the Dark Side would work
extremely well on him. So, in his need for secrecy, he had sent the fleet to a
few systems over and trekked the way here himself. The head officers who knew of
this would be dead in days anyway. That was the good thing about his reputation.
It could cover so many little nuisances. Not that his son was nuisance.
As he looked down on the planet speeding towards him, Vader's thoughts
turned to the last time he was down here. He had been 17 and had learned that
his mother had died. Even then he hadn't felt much emotion. He hadn't started
his Dark Side training yet, but he never felt sad over her death. Obi-Wan was
surprised and angry that he hadn't and Vader had hated himself for a while for
not feeling anything. Then Palpatine came along and told him it was because he
had been conceived by the Force that he hadn't felt anything. Actually,
Palpatine had said he was conceived by the Dark Side, but Vader knew that that
was impossible. He knew where he came from and knew that the Dark Side was his heritage, not his parent. He knew that things did not touch him as they did others and dismissed it as his birthright.
The shuttle touched down on Tatooine with hardly a sound. The local Jawas
came scurrying out to get a better look and were thrown away from the ship by
the power of the Dark Side. Chattering to themselves, they went on into the
desert.
"Now, to find this Hutt." Vader spoke aloud to himself, taking out a
speeder from his ship.
The door to the Lars' moisture farm banged open and Obi-Wan Kenobi, former
Jedi Knight, came running in.
"Vader's here. On Tatooine. Where's Luke?" He panted.
"Why? What do you want with him?" Owen stood up.
"He isn't here, is he?" Obi-Wan's senses flared. "He isn't anywhere near
here. Owen, what happened to him?"
"It's none of your business, old man. Luke is mine, you said so yourself."
"Don't play with me, Owen! Where's Luke?!" Obi-wan was growing desperate.
"Don't you understand? Vader. Is. Here. For. His. Son. What is so hard to
understand about this?"
"Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe that's where Luke belongs? With
his father?"
"Owen, you don't mean that and you know it."
"You still can't have him. And that's final."
"Owen, all I want to know is where he is." Obi-Wan forced himself to be
calm.
"Owen! Tell him." Beru urged him from across the kitchen table.
Owen looked from one of them to the other and said three words. "Jabba has
Luke."
"What?!" Obi-wan couldn't ever remember a time when he was closer to the
Dark Side. "And you didn't think to tell me."
Owen sighed and began to tell the whole story to his brother.
"Lord Vader, a pleasure to meet you." Majordomo Posey met him at the door.
"I doubt it very much, Majordomo." Vader walked right past him.
"I'm afraid I must ask you what your business is, m'lord."
Vader glared at him. "I'm here to buy myself a slave. I heard that Jabba
has the best anywhere." Vader snarled under his hood. Imagine, a former slave
wishing to buy a slave! How foolish could these fools be? Vader still couldn't
stand the idea of slavery, but that was a battle that he had lost a while ago
with the Emperor. It was best not to dwell on that thought.
"Yes, m'lord. Jabba has the best slaves. What kind of slave does my lord
want?"
"A young human male." Indeed, that was all Vader knew for certain about
his son. He guessed blonde hair and blue eyes, but the holo hadn't been very
clear.
"Yes, Jabba has many of those. I will show you a selection." The majordomo
made a motion as if the convey Vader to a different room. The later chose to
ignore the gesture.
"I know which slave I want, majordomo. I did not come here to look at some
half-starved boys."
"Uh, yes sir." The majordomo sweated in fear. His throat was constricting
in on itself. Abruptly, it was released from the grip. "Which slave?"
"Skywalker."
"He isn't for sale." The majordomo said evenly. The master wouldn't sell a
slave that has personal value to him. It was a matter of policy.
"He is now." Vader reached out and touched Posey's mind.
"He is now." Posey repeated. "He is, though, worth a lot."
"I will pay a thousand credits for him." Luke was worth much more than
that, Vader knew. But Posey didn't need to know that.
"A thousand, m'lord? If he wins the race, he is worth much more than
that."
"Well, we don't have to worry about him racing at all. I'm taking him now,
majordomo, whether your master likes it or not. Am I clear?" Vader growled,
accompanying this threat by applying more pressure on Posey's neck.
"YES M'LORD!" Posey snapped. He rubbed his neck fearfully. The fact that
Jabba would probably kill him for this hadn't hit him yet and Vader was counting
on that fact that Vader's presence banished those thoughts. Once he left
though...
"What are you waiting for?" Vader asked. The majordomo nodded and ran off
to the slaves' quarters, leaving Vader waiting by the door. It was a shame
really, that he couldn't kill that slimy Hutt, but that would have gotten back
to Palpatine, raising unwanted questions. But one day, Vader swore, he would
come back and kill Jabba for daring to sell HIS son. Or better yet, he would
send Luke. That would be delicious. It was also a shame he would have to erase
Posey's memory of this meeting, making it seem like Posey had let Skywalker
escape. He would have relished the thought of Posey being punished, yelling the
name Vader all the way through and knowing that no one could help him. Vader
sighed. The things he would give up to be able to rule.
"SKYWALKER!" The shout came while Luke was tinkering with a hyperdrive,
making him jump.
"Kretch!" Luke swore harshly. His jumping had made him drop a part into
the wrong place. He wondered what the Supervisors wanted now.
"SKYWALKER!" The cry came again.
Sighing, Luke got up. He pushed back the tattered curtain that separated
the boys quarters from the girls. "What?!"
"There you are. Get your stuff together. You've been sold."
Luke was shocked. Sold? It happened a lot, but usually there was a viewing
before the sale. Even then, the rumor was passed down who had been sold. He was
small for his age and not very handsome. He had always thought he wouldn't be
sold. No one would want him. Now, apparently, somebody did. Some one important
also, to make the Master sell him right before the race and the Master had no
other racers lined up.
"Sold, sir?"
"You heard me! Now get your stuff!"
'What stuff?' Luke felt like asking. He looked around his bed. He didn't
really own anything. His spare tunic and some boots. That was about it. He took
a small bag from another boy's bed and stuffed his tunic and spare boots in.
"Ready, sir."
"Good. Follow me." The Supervisor walked off to the front door, Luke
trailing after him.
The front door came quicker than Luke expected. He really hadn't known
what to expect. He had never been allowed near the front door, but had heard
stories of it. A meter thick durasteel with a seeing eye, one of the stories
went. Every telling made the wall thicker and stronger. It was an icon,
something they could never get past. And now here he was, going through it. His
new master stood next to Master Posey by the front door. Luke quickly scanned
the new master. His years of being a slave had given him an eye to read masters,
if they abuse their slaves, if they're nice to them, things like that. But this
new master he couldn't read at all. It scared him a little.
The new master turned to him, staring at him from beneath the hood. "This
is Skywalker?" He asked Master Posey.
"Yes m'lord." Master Posey bowed.
"Good. I'll take him now. Here's the money." The new master handed Master
Posey are credit chit. Luke did his best not to stare and to look down. Masters
liked it when you were invisible. "Come, boy."
Luke trotted dutifully after him, never looking back. After they were out
of scope range of Jabba's fortress, the new master looked down at him.
"What shall I call you?" The new master asked.
"I am called Skywalker, Mas-" The end of Luke's sentence was lost as the
roar of a speeder overtook them. The speeder halted and a figure jumped out. The
figure started walking towards them.
"Go hide, Luke." The new master ordered him quietly. "Stay safe." Luke
obeyed.
As Obi-wan walked towards Vader, he had an acute sense of déjà vu. Almost
this same exact thing had happened almost 10 years ago, on the fire planet of
Aish. Obi-Wan had lured the other man there with rumors of Jedi activity. Obi-
Wan had chosen to confront Vader by a fire pit, to show him the futility of
anger, but instead, Vader had chosen to duel. It was a hard battle and, though
Vader kept trying to cut of his former master's head, Obi-Wan could not bring
himself to kill his former apprentice. It had almost been a fatal mistake. Vader
had had no such qualms about killing Obi-Wan and, in a moment of strength, had
pushed Obi-Wan's lightsaber away with the Force and had kicked his former master
of the edge into the fire pit. Vader had then turned and left, leaving Obi-Wan
for dead. But he hadn't died. A sympathetic onlooker had hefted him out and
healed him. It had taken over a year, and by then, Amidala was in her 6th month,
and Luke was in need to hiding. Tatooine had seemed like such a good idea. If
only his brother, Owen, had had the sense to tell him about Luke in the first
place! Then this whole situation could have been avoided.
He walked up to Vader. "Been a long time, Anakin." He attempted to smile
and failed miserably.
"Stop with the familiarities, Obi-Wan. You cannot have Luke."
"Anakin. Don't you see what the dark side will do to him...?" Obi-Wan
trailed off as Vader ignited his lightsaber.
"Obi-Wan, you had him for years and then you had him sold as a slave! It
was almost like you were baiting fate. Well, fate took the hook and now I know
about Luke. You cannot have him."
"You would fight me for him?" Obi-Wan asked sadly.
"Yes." Vader answered, accompanying that monosyllable with a thrust to
Obi-Wan's neck, which was parried as the later brought his saber out half-
heartedly.
Luke watched fascinated as they spared. His master was clearly the better
one, even to his inexperienced eyes. The other man kept pressing his master
back, but the master kept pressing him back. They moved so quickly, Luke
couldn't follow. After a bit, he lost interest and started thinking over what
the master had told him to do. 'Stay safe.' It was almost an echo of that
imagined voice, or was it really imagined? He had a feeling his new master could
answer that.
As Obi-Wan sparred, he reached out to touch the Force, which Vader had
been blocking from him. It slammed into him forcibly and he stumbled away from
Vader. In that second a vision came to him.
A big room, royally decorated, with a throne in the back. A multitude of
people, standing around, as if waiting for something. Coruscant's skyline, Star
Destroyers in orbit. A figure surrounded by an entourage enters, the throng of
people standing around kneel. The entourage keeps following the figure, who Obi-
Wan was starting to see quite clearly. He had short, close cut blonde hair with
a golden wreath around his head. He wore a regal outfit, for there were no other
words to describe it. A cape of black set off the purple clothing. With a start,
Obi-Wan realized it was Anakin. Anakin reached the stairs going up to the throne
and mounted them, leaving his entourage behind. All stay put at the foot of the
stairs, kneeling, except for one youth who follows Anakin up the stairs. As
Anakin sits down in the throne, the figure kneels quickly and puts his head down
in a sharp motion, like this is only courtesy, but with much respect and thanks.
Puzzled, Obi-Wan studied the youth intensely.
'Rise,' Anakin says quietly and the youth glides up, as if the word was
meant for him alone. Walking purposefully, the youth walks to Anakin's right and
turns around, staring out over the gathering. Obi-Wan took in the youth's blond
hair and blue eyes, along with the gold circlet parting the golden hair, before
he realized with a shock who the youth was. It was Luke.
Thrown out the vision by shock, Obi-Wan had just enough time to block
Vader's would-be killing blow. Angered by what he had seen, Obi-Wan attacked his
former apprentice with a vengeance. But the vision wasn't as over as he thought
it was. The Jedi Master was thrown into the vision world again. This time all he
could see was a dark room, but he could hear a lot more. Sounds made way to
words, which made way to sentences. One of the voices was Anakin's, he was sure
of that. The other, he could only guess was Luke's.
'Kneel before your lord and master.'
'Do you want something, Master?'
'Huh?'
'Tell me a story.'
The voice changed and Obi-Wan realized with a lurch that the all that he
had really heard had been Luke's voice. Luke said that? But Anakin was talking
now.
'Come, my son.'
'Foolish child.'
The words were, in themselves, harsh, but the tone was full of something
else. Affection, love even. And in that moment, Obi-Wan doubted the rightness of
what he was doing. Would he be able to give Luke all that? He didn't think so.
He kept going back to what Owen had said. Was it really so bad if Vader got
Luke? Obi-Wan wasn't so sure anymore.
That moment of hesitation proved fatal as Vader's blade struck through
Obi-Wan's middle, killing him. As his essence fled into the Force, he was still
wondering if Vader having Luke was really a bad idea after all.
Vader straightened. It was a pity, really, that Obi-Wan hadn't been
susceptible to the Dark Side. He would have made a good Sith. But, alas, his
precious Light had clung to him and now it was too late. Oh well, no use crying
over spilt blood. He had caught a glimpse of the end Obi-Wan's vision and had
been very pleased with it. It had given him an idea.
Hearing movement, Vader spun. Owen Lars stood there with his brother's
lightsaber activated in his hands, a murderous expression on his face.
"Owen Lars. Been a long time."
"Anakin Vader. Not long enough." Owen smiled warmly, but then checked
himself. "Why Anakin?"
"Why did I kill your brother? Because he was going to kill me. He just
didn't know it yet."
"You could always read him better than I could, Ani." Owen shook his head
sadly. "I wanted Luke back, and I still do."
"What makes you think he still remembers you?"
"Yeah," Owen sighed. "He probably doesn't. But I could give him happiness
and a family."
"And I couldn't?!" Vader asked, starting to get angry.
"Calm down, friend. I never said you couldn't. Just that with the Emperor
around...you know what I'm talking about."
"You talk of treason, Owen. I'm not sure I like it. But what I do here is
also treason. But you and your brother's presence here have given me a reason
for being here."
"You mean the Emperor doesn't know about Luke?" Owen asked hopefully.
"He neither does nor shall, if I have anything to say about it. But,"
Vader added quickly, "that doesn't mean I won't train him."
"I didn't let Obi-wan train him. What makes you think I'll let you?"
"You don't have much of a choice, old friend. We once were close, I'd hate
to have to kill you know, especially in front of my son."
"Anakin, the love I once felt for you can't be put into words. We were
more than friends; we were brothers. Then the Jedi came."
"One of the Jedi was your own brother."
Owen was already shaking his head. "I disowned him even then for leaving
my family to poverty while going off to be a rich Jedi."
"And did you disown me for leaving to become a rich Jedi?" Vader asked
softly.
"For a bit, yeah. Then I talked to your mom. She told me that you didn't
really have a choice. It was either go or go. Your mom was nice, giving me the
news you sent back to her. I got the impression like it was another slavery that
you'd been sold into."
"It was." Vader said hoarsely, remembering his time at the Temple. "It was
like being sold into a zoo."
"Yeah." Owen shifted awkwardly, not used to having a lightsaber in his
hands.
"Are you really going to attack me with that, or is it just for show?"
Vader asked dryly.
"This?" Owen hefted the saber. "Ani, you know I don't know anything about
these things."
"So why are you holding it?"
Owen shrugged. "Why not?"
"Owen, it's been real nice talking with you, but is there a reason you are
keeping me here?"
"Very blunt Vader. I told you, I want Luke."
Vader let emotion set into his face. "Owen, you're married. Beru can have
more children. Luke is all I have."
"I understand." Owen looked like he was blinking back tears. "Take him."
Owen shut down the saber. "What are you going to do to me?"
"Do to you?" Vader seemed taken aback by that question. "Why, I wasn't
planning on anything. Just leaving you here, I guess."
"Now that's the Anakin I know!" Owen smiled dryly. "Well, my lord, I'll
just stay here and mind my own business until I have the grace to die. If
there's nothing else...?" Owen started back to his speeder and got into it.
"Owen. Wait." The words were torn from Vader. "If and when...it...happens,
I'll contact you. See if there's anything I can do."
Owen nodded. "Then I suggest you hurry. And, don't worry Anakin, I
understand your problem. I was in the clone wars, fighting against the Emperor's
side. You know my number." And with that, Owen vanished from Vader's view. The
later took one last look to where his old friend had gone to and turned back to
his son, who, now that Vader thought about it, had heard and seen way too much
than what was good.
Luke just stared. He knew it was impolite, but he couldn't absorb
everything quickly enough. The new master looked down on him kindly.
"You have questions?" The new master asked softly.
"Yes Master." Luke was startled. Slaves were never allowed to ask
questions, were always supposed to just take it in and never voice anything, and
here the new master was, telling him to ask! Luke tried to talk, but he was too
frightened and surprised. Nothing came out.
"You want me to explain everything?" Luke nodded. "Okay, I'll give you a
short version and tell you everything later. That's alright with you?"
"Yes...yes master!"
"Alright, you know about the Jedi?" Luke shook his head. "There isn't time
to explain them now, but I'll just say that they were very bad. I was once one
of them, but I changed. The first man, the one I killed, had trained me to be a
Jedi. The second man had been a good friend of mine when I was growing up and he
is the brother of the man I killed. That good enough?"
"Yes Master." Would this strangeness ever end? Luke asked himself
silently.
To his surprise, the new master answered him. "It will end when you get
used to it, Luke."
"What?! How did you know...?" Luke realized what he was doing and stopped
talking abruptly.
Vader's heart ached for his son. To know such a life...a life where
questions were forbidden and the punishment...No, he wouldn't think about it. It
was over. He had Luke and would never lose him again.
"Luke."
"Yes Master?" Luke gulped visibly.
"Call me Father. Not the new master. Just call me Father." Vader hoped
that Luke wouldn't know exactly what that word meant. If he was anything like
his father, he wouldn't want to call anyone that but his real father, and now
was not a good time to tell Luke about his parentage. Not at good time at all.
He had to be back on his flagship soon and he needed Luke with him. And, unlike
the last with Owen, he was loath to use a Force-suggestion on his son.
"Yes...Father."
Vader smiled under his hood. "Then, follow me, Luke and we'll get out of
here." Thus spoken, Vader started walking, making sure Luke was keeping up. His
hopes soared. He had his son back!
Across the galaxy, Emperor Palpatine looked up sharply. There was a grave
disturbance, almost as if a Jedi had died. But his apprentice had killed all of
them already...or had that been a lie to save his few Jedi friends? It had only
been 10 years since the purge, the galaxy was still recovering. But he would not
give them more time to recuperate. It is the nature of Empires to expand and, by
the Force; Palpatine was going to do just that. Expanding meant conquering meant
warships and personnel, which meant a draft. It is impossible to draft an
undisciplined galaxy, this Palpatine knew from his time in the senate. It is
also impossible to restrain a rogue Sith without killing him, and Vader was a
good enough Sith. He was also quite powerful. Palpatine knew that if Vader ever
took an apprentice, they would be a threat to him. Which brought his mental
musings to Mara Jade. She was a girl, true, but that would ensure that no one
would suspect her. She would be his hand, his second. But she would not be
trained as a Sith. Of this Palpatine was adamant. They should die with the last
of their line, with their dark prince, Vader. So he had to make sure Vader never
took an apprentice. But he was unaware of Vader's son, unaware of the danger
surrounding his life. But even if he had known, it wouldn't have helped.
As the shuttle neared the huge Star Destroyer, Luke's eyes widened even
more. Everything was just happening too fast. He could hardly believe that just
5 hours ago he was a slave with no thought of ever getting out of Jabba's, that
was what Father insisted he called the old Master, clutches. Now he was with his
new master who insisted on being called Father. Luke wasn't as stupid not to
know what a Father was. It meant someone with a biological relationship to
another person. But Luke in his short life had met many creatures, some of which
didn't know the Basic translations of certain terms and Luke had no way of
knowing if Father really was human. He had seen him, but Luke had learned
quickly that you couldn't let your eyes be the judges of things like that. It
wasn't healthful.
Luke looked up at Father and opened his mouth to ask a question. Before he
could get the words out, a voice said in his head *Yes, I am human*. Luke's eyes
were like saucers and his mouth gaped open. "What?" He blurted out.
*Communicate this way*
"How? And what are you doing???????"
*I am talking with you through a mind-link. All you have to do is think in
a certain way like this*
"Like *this*?"
*Smart boy. Exactly. I am going to have to hide your presence on the ship
and to do that; you need to always be silent. I know how hard it is for young
boys to be quiet, so if you have any questions, ask them this way*
*I know how to be silent*
The voice was silent for a little while. *I know you do and I am sorry you
had to learn so early.*
Luke didn't know what to say to that. It was so open, so honest. It didn't
fit in with his mental picture of a Master.
*I am not your Master in that sense, young one, but am in another way. And
I told you not to call me Master*
*Yes Father. Can I ask you something?*
*Go ahead*
*Why do you want me to call you Father*?
*Do you know what a Father is?*
*Of course. It is someone who gave 23 chromosomes to a child*
*That's a quite literal definition, Luke. Where did you learn that?*
*New boys were always talking about them and another thing, I can't
remember the name of it. It's like affection and I sense it in you somehow. I
don't know how*
*You sense it through a thing called the Force. I will teach you how to
use it* Vader let his parental love flow through their bond.
*That's it!! How'd you do that sir?*
*I let Love flow over the mind-link*
Luke was silent, deep in thought, for the rest of the flight to the
Executor.
Admiral Kittaning was the first to greet Dark Lord Vader on his return
from the desert planet. The Admiral had no idea what Vader's agenda had been and
he had the sickening feeling that he wouldn't live long enough to see his family
again. Whenever the Dark Lord did something that was meant to be secret, heads
rolled. It was how he had made it to the position of Admiral. Admirals didn't
have very long life expectancies, he had found out quickly, on Vader's flagship.
Kittaning was a good Imperial, possessed of a strong mind and quick reflexes. He
had gone through the Imperial Academy on a scholarship and, at 25, was the
youngest Admiral ever, even counting the damned Old Republic of Stars. He was
the only imperial on the Executor that didn't fight on the Emperor's side during
the Clone Wars. He was only 10 at the time. He had grown up while Palpatine was
consolidating his power, raised on the ideals of the Empire.
The shuttle landed and the Dark Lord stepped out. Kittaning could have
sworn that there was someone following the Dark Lord off the shuttle, but for
the life of him, he couldn't see anyone. It scared him out of his wits.
Vader walked by him. "Admiral."
"Yes, milord?" Kittaning gulped.
"Set course for Imperial Center."
"Yes, milord." Being dismissed, Kittaning performed a perfect about face
and marched away, glad to be rid of the pressure gripping his neck.
*That's why I wanted you to be silent. I do not want anyone knowing you
are here, Luke. Now, just be quiet until we reach my quarters, and then I will
explain everything* With that, Vader strode from the shuttle bay, his cloaked
son scrambling to keep up with the Dark Lord's pace.
Finally, the pair reached the Dark Lord's chambers. Vader walked through
the first room, keying a pad to open a hidden door.
"Welcome to your temporary home," Vader said. Luke looked up. "Go on,
explore. We can talk later."
Luke needed no more encouragement and started into the room beyond. He
walked slowly, trying to absorb everything as he went along. The white wall, the
black carpet with red highlights mixed in with dashes of yellow and purple. The
plush nerf-hide couch with a data table before it, a few chairs that looked very
inviting. Looking back to Father and receiving a nod, he went over to the chairs
and sat down in one. Luke gave a yelp as it changed shape to accommodate his
small body. "Hey!"
"They are called Forming Chairs and are pretty new." Vader didn't even try
to hide his amusement.
"Oh." Luke looked down. "Hey, there's feet! Cool!"
Vader just smiled. "I think you're going to like it here."
"I KNOW I'm going to like it here!"
Vader stood back and watched his secret son climb over the furniture. He
had missed something in his life, he had felt a hole for a while, but he had
never dreamed it would be filled by this little bundle of energy. It made him
appreciate the irony of the situation.
There was a crash. Luke stood over a broken data pad. His face was deathly
white and his hands shook uncontrollably.
"I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry, F-f-father! I d-d-didn't mean to!" Luke lowered his
head and dropped to his knees.
Vader stepped back out of instinct. He was horrified. "What happened?"
"I-I-I was looking at it when it f-f-fell out of my h-h-hands and broke,
F-f-father!" Luke didn't lift his head.
Vader closed his eyes and considered his next words carefully. Torturing
Jabba until the end of time would not atone for this crime. Softly, Vader walked
over to the kneeling form of his son and knelt down in front of him. "Get up
Luke. Come on," he started quietly. "Let's sit here and we can talk. Okay?"
Luke lifted his head and Vader could see the fear in his eyes. Jedi! Vader
swore in his head. He was so close to breaking through Luke's slave mentality
and now this had to happen! "You aren't going to punish me?"
"Luke, these things happen. Data pads can be replaced. I'm not going to
punish you. Understand?"
"Really?" Luke's eyes brightened.
"Really." Vader confirmed. "Now, let's get up and we can talk."
"Okay." Luke smiled.
"I'm sure you have lots of questions," Vader began. "So let me start from
the beginning. I was born on the planet Ossus, a legendary place. Most people
don't even know it exists. My mother was a granddaughter of a Sith, my father
was the ruler of Ossus. When I was three, bounty hunters came and stole my
mother and myself away and sold us to Gardulla the Hutt. She lost us to a
junkyard chief named Watto. I worked for him for a few years.
"My name is Anakin Vader, but my mother worried that the Jedi would
recognize the name and kill me, so she changed it to Skywalker." Luke started
visibly. "Yes, Skywalker."
"My name is Skywalker."
"I know. Luke, I don't know how to say this. I am your father."
"My father." Luke was silent. "You saved me. You got me away from Master
Jabba. I believe you."
"Then believe me when I tell you that I am sorry for what you had to go
through. I did not know where you were until a short time ago. I tried to find
you for years, but I couldn't find you. Luke, I want to be your father."
"You are." Luke snuggled up to his newfound father. "Father, will you
teach me things?"
"Of course Luke. Anything you want me to."
"That's good." Luke relaxed on the couch and within seconds, was asleep.
Vader couldn't stop his smile from growing. Who said love wasn't of the dark
side?
Luke woke up panicked. Where was he? What was going on? He tried to stand
up but found that there was something on top of him. Opening his eyes, Luke saw
that it was a blanket of some kind. But it was heavy! Struggling, he managed to
get the blanket off of him and stood. He could barely see, the lights were very
dim. But the lights were always on bright in the boys' quarters...what was going
on?
He spun around quickly. There was someone standing in the doorway.
"It's alright, Luke. It's okay." The words came to him. Luke's breathing
quickened.
"Who are you? What's going on?"
"I'm your father, Luke. You had a bad dream and woke up quickly. Do you
remember what happened yesterday?"
His father's words brought Luke back to the present. "I was sold. You
killed someone and then talked to someone else for a bit about...something that
was real confusing...yeah. Who did you kill?"
"A Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"What's a Jedi?"
"Someone who uses just the light side of the Force and doesn't like anyone
who uses anything else."
"The Force?" Luke asked sleepily.
"An energy field that binds the universe together. Some people, like you
and me, can use the Force. Now, I think you should go back to sleep."
"Okay, Father."
His father walked over and pulled the blanket over him. "Sweet dreams,
Luke."
Several days passed. Luke slowly came out of his slave mentality and
developed a hero worship toward his Father. Vader was amused at this and the
next few days were spent trying to get rid of the hero worship. Vader finally
explained to Luke everything he wanted to know. Palpatine sensed a small flare
in the Force, but put it off to some Force-sensitive being born. His days were
numbered. Vader had finally come up with a plan to dispose with the tyrant
Palpatine.
"Luke, can you come in here for a minute?"
"Sure thing, Father!" Luke came jumping in.
"We're getting close to Imperial Center now. As you know, I'm going to
kill the Emperor. But I need your help. I need you to open your mind to me. Can
you do that?"
The question caught Luke off guard. "I...I think."
"Try. Think of your mind as an open data pad." Luke closed his eyes and
opened his mind. "Good, Luke. I just need you to do that when I send you a
signal."
"Okay. I can do that."
"That's good." Vader smiled, but inside he was worried. If Luke didn't
open his mind, then Vader would be up the creek without a paddle, so to speak.
He didn't like having to rely on a 9 year old to save his life. Didn't like it
at all.
Palpatine leaned back in his Throne. Vader was due back today. He better
have a good excuse, Palpatine decided. Jade was growing stronger, in a few years
Vader would not be needed anymore. It brought a smile to his wrinkled face.
Anakin Skywalker, now Anakin Vader, had been very easy to turn. Palpatine had
always wondered at Anakin's choice of name. Vader. It meant 'Prince' in the old
language of the Sith. But two years ago, Palpatine had received a short message
from Ossus. It told him that if he ever harmed Anakin, he would be dead shortly
after. It had clicked things in Palpatine's mind. Anakin was the lost prince of
the Sith. The irony of it was not lost on the Emperor. He had tried to turn the
Dark Side's prince to the Dark Side! He was sure Anakin had been very amused at
the time. Palpatine had sent a short message back to Ossus. Of course he
wouldn't think of harming the Vader, why would the Master even think he would?
He had never showed Vader that message, perhaps out of cruelty. As the
Vader, Anakin could remember his entire life from the second he was born and
Palpatine knew he wondered about his Father. And Palpatine knew that the news
that his Father was alive and well might make Vader decide to betray his
'master' and return to Ossus. The Emperor didn't care for the threat of an old
Master. He was more powerful than any Sith, even the Master of Ossus. He was
powerful enough to have taken the galaxy away from the Jedi, powerful enough to
have the Vader of Ossus under his thumb, powerful enough for anything.
But little did Palpatine know that there was a force more powerful than
anything he could even dream of.
It was with much anxiety did Lord Anakin Vader approach his 'master' in
the Throne room of the Imperial Palace. He knew how much was riding on this
meeting. He had to be quick. Palpatine's guards were quite good, though none of
them were as good as he. But if he was weakened by the Sith's lightening...or if
Luke didn't open his mind to him...No, he wouldn't think of that. He couldn't
think of that. With a whirl, Palpatine's throne turned and Anakin faced his
nemesis.
"Lord Vader. There has been a disturbance in the Force."
"I know. I killed Kenobi."
"Really?"
"Yes, Master."
Palpatine turned his throne. "Come here, my old friend."
Vader walked over the Palpatine's side. *Luke, open your mind*. Vader took
a breath and dulled Palpatine's senses while igniting his saber. Too late, he
realized that Luke's mind wasn't open.
*Luke, open your mind* When Luke heard that, he reached for the same place
where he had gone the last time his father had told him to do it. But it
wouldn't open! He tried again, concentrating hard. What had his father said to
do? He felt a wash of pain from his father. His father was hurting and it was
all his fault! Through angry tears, he tried again. And his mind flew open.
The Master of Ossus was pleased. He had been worried for almost 20 years
over his heir, his first-born. Then during the clone wars, Hero Anakin Skywalker
was all over the news vids. It had been a breath of fresh air for the old man.
But then it had come out that Hero Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi. Enraged, the
Master of Ossus had created a force storm and had caused a sun to burst in a
nearby system. His son, the Vader, a Jedi! It was inconceivable and could not be
allowed. So he had sent out contacts, trying to find his mate, Shmi. And he had
found her, a slave, dying, on the planet Tatooine. She had told him how she had
changed their names for safety and hadn't dared to stop the Jedi from taking
Anakin. It would have thrown a lot of suspicion on she and Anakin, Shmi told
him. So she had let Anakin go. But Shmi had given the Master hope, too. She had
promised her love before she died that no son of hers would ever think of being
a lightsider, she was sure that Anakin was putting an elaborate charade.
So he had bided his time, sending a small force suggestion to the Sith
Master in exile, Sidious. Sidious had bent to his will and tried to turn Anakin
to the dark side. The Master of Ossus was pleased when he found that it was very
simple for Sidious to do. Privately, The Master of Ossus didn't hold Sidious in
high esteem. He had always been meaning to replace him, but no Sith wished to
leave Ossus. The Master didn't blame them. The galaxy outside Ossus was crude
and backward. Only on Ossus were the customs observed. Sons followed Fathers,
and all served the Master. Maybe, The Master thought, maybe Anakin would wish to
be the Sith Master in Exile. After all, he seemed fond of that life. Of course,
that would only be until the Master died. Then the Vader would come home once
again and rule as he was meant to from the beginning.
Luke shyly entered the small playroom. His father, the new Emperor, had
told him that he could play in here if he wanted. Luke had never had a room to
play in before and was very intimidated by the thought.
There was a girl sitting facing a computer screen.
"Hi." Luke said. "I'm Luke Skywalker."
"Hello, Skywalker." She turned to him, revealing her green eyes. "I'm Mara
Jade."
Finis
Author: Liz Skywalker
E-Mail: lizskywalker@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.geocities.com/lizskywalker
Feedback: Yes. Constructive criticism only. Flames will be given in as homework
assignments.
Category: AU
Spoilers: Original Trilogy, Thrawn Trilogy.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Shame isn't it?
Posting: Ask and, behold!, it will be.
Summery: Luke's a slave on Tatooine.
"HOO HOO HOO!" The laugh broke through the confusion that Owen was being
dizzied with. What was Jabba doing here? And more importantly, Owen thought
wildly, why was Luke outside near him??? Indeed, there was young Luke, jumping
around Jabba's men like he had no care in the world. Luke should have something
to worry about, Owen thought frustrated. He should have to worry about the crops
coming in, about whether there will be enough moisture for them to drink, have
to worry about VADER, for Sith's sake. But Owen quieted himself. Luke was just a
boy, barely 5 Standard, he shouldn't have to have the weight of the galaxy on
his shoulders. After all, that was what he was preventing by sending Obi-Wan
away time after time.
"Lars," Jabba's majordomo, Posey, began with disgust as he approached.
"You are in major trouble. You owe Jabba money, big time."
"Look, Posey, I can get you the money by next season. I just don't have
the money now." Owen said nervously.
"It's too late, Lars. Jabba will have to find another way to get his
money." Posey looked around the farm disapprovingly, eyes finally settling on
Luke. "Jabba will take him as a slave to pay off your debt." He said finally.
Owen was desperate. "No, anything but him. I'll go, Posey, just don't take
him! He's the world to me and to Beru! She can't live without him!"
"Then you'll learn to pay on time." Posey turned and snapped his fingers
at one of the beings hanging around. "Get the boy! We don't have all day!" They
complied. Luke looked back as they picked him up and waved sadly. He understood
what was going on. He also understood that no matter how hard he thought his
last life to be, this was going to be much harder.
Owen heard someone approaching from behind him. Beru. "He's gone, isn't
he?" She asked, sadly.
"Yes." Owen stated as unemotionally as possible.
"Why do you have to be so proud, Owen? Why won't you go to Obi-Wan? Even
now, I can tell you won't go. Why, Owen? For Luke's sake."
"You know how much more trouble Luke'll be in if that old hermit gets his
hands on him? No, Beru, I'll find a way to get Luke away from Jabba by myself. I
don't need that mythical force to help me!" Owen spun on his heel and marched
back into the homestead, Beru following silently behind him.
That night:
A silent, dark figure slipped through the shadows around the giant
fortress. The figure glided up to the back where all the garbage was thrown.
'Well, that commando training finally came in handy,' the figure thought
ironically. He crept along the perimeter, slowly coming in closer to the
building. It took a standard hour for him to get to the back entrance of Jabba's
Palace.
Owen took out a laser rifle and pushed a code. It hummed to life. Beru had
always wondered why he had kept his commando uniform and weapons from the clone
wars. He had always answered that it might come in handy some day. Well, this
was that day. He hadn't seen much action during the wars, so everything was
still in top condition, if a little old. There was only one tool missing. Owen
couldn't even remember what it had been for. If he had, maybe he would've
succeeded that night in recapturing Luke. As it was, he was lucky to get away
with his life.
As he crossed an unseen line, silent alarms went off all over the palace.
Guards ran to their posts, grumbling that the best time for drills was NOT in
the middle of the night. Jabba himself didn't deign to wake up, feeling safe in
the knowledge that no one could get past his defenses. Boba Fett, at the palace
to pick up a bounty, immediately came alert, his scanners penetrating the walls,
searching for an adversary. But down in the slaves' quarters, little Luke
Skywalker didn't stir, having been worn out from his first day as a slave.
Owen was thirty paces in when he felt it, a tension in the air. Spinning
around, he came face to face with a Gamorean. A sinking feeling came over him.
When there's one, there's always more, a lot more. Owen took a step backwards.
As more and more Gamoreans came out of the darkness, he turned and ran.
Sprinting, he made the door before it was closed.
He leaned against the wall outside, panting. He wasn't in as much shape as
he had thought he was, and it still was a bit to get to his speeder. He looked
around. Speeders were coming. And so was dawn. Owen sighed. No matter what it
took, he'd get Luke out of there. But for the life of him, he couldn't figure
out how.
Over the next few months, Jabba's fortress was nightly breeched until
Jabba got fed up and installed a new security system. Owen was forced to stop
his nightly rescue attempts, but was still too proud to tell Obi-Wan about Luke.
As for Luke, he had settled in as a slave, and after a few weeks of labor, could
hardly remember what his former life was like save that he had one.
And on far off Coruscant, Vader found out he had a son. But all his
meditations couldn't breach the deep shields Obi-Wan had placed around Luke as a
newborn. But he kept trying. He knew that one day it would pay off, that he
would be united with his son.
A Few Years Later:
Luke looked up from the hyperdrive he was fixing. In one hour, he would have some free time. He couldn't wait to get started on his new pod. He had
never tried to make one before and was excited to begin this challenge. He had
build a speeder, a transfer, and blaster, and other things, but they had all
been found and taken away. The supervisor had called him 'Little Skywalker' and
tousled his hair before confiscating them. Slaves weren't allowed any hobbies.
Luke sometimes wondered what they were supposed to do in their free hour
if they weren't allowed to have hobbies. But like all his other questions, it
was never asked. Questions were frowned upon, he learned that quickly.
He had learned a lot as a slave. He had learned never to be seen by the
Master, to never be seen by the Supervisor, to basically stay out of sight and
to do his jobs. His jobs were always hard. No matter how tough the last one had
been, the next one was always more difficult. It sometimes seemed that they
wanted him to fail. And he did, frequently. But he never failed at a mechanics
job. He had heard a Supervisor chuckle over his name. He said that mechanics
were in Skywalkers' blood. Luke was too scared to ask what that meant.
But he could fix anything, he found out quickly. But finishing something
too quickly made the Supervisors notice him, so he went as slow as he could. He
hoped that his hiding place for the pod was good. He didn't want it taken away
like the other hobbies were. He was scared at what would happen if it was found
out. He could still feel the punishment when the speeder he had been working on
was found. It wasn't the only punishment that had left scars on his back, but it
had left the most scars and it had kept him in bed for a month. He didn't want
that to happen again.
Luke's life was filled with fear. Fear of being whipped, fear of having
his hobbies taken away, fear of the Lottery, fear in general. The Supervisors
cultivated it. They said that scared slaves were good slaves. And the boys were
especially scared of The Lottery. The Lottery was something all the slave boys
feared, but no one knew exactly what it was for. All their names were in it.
Every few months, a name would be picked and that boy would leave, never to
return. No one knew where the boys went. Some said that they were sent to the
god Sarlacc who lived in the desert. Others believed that the boys were sent to
the Master's pleasure galleries. Still more said they were tortured for show.
But the boys chosen tried to delude themselves that they went to freedom, but
underneath their gallantry was pure terror. They all lived in fear of the
Lottery.
Luke looked around. Good, there was no one near him. His stuff was
carefully marked 'Luke Skywalker'. It was the only thing he knew how to write,
and he was proud of it. It doubly set him above his peers. The first that he
could write, the second that he had a first name. True, everyone called him
'Skywalker', but he knew he had a first name. It meant that he had had a life
before slavery. Slaves born in the Hold were given only one name. It was a
status symbol to have two names. He quickly shot a glance over at his stuff as
the bell rang, signaling the end of shift.
He returned to the slave quarters, being very careful to stay in the
shadows. As he opened the door to the boys' room, the Supervisor was there
waiting for him. He held up the curtain in front of Luke's pod. "What's this,
Skywalker?" He asked in Huttese, teeth showing. Luke gulped.
"A pod, sir."
"And why were you building a pod, Skywalker?" His voice was low,
dangerous. "I told you before, Skywalker. The next thing I find you building,
I'll do what to you?"
"Take me before the Master." Luke mumbled.
"What?"
"Take me before the Master." Luke said louder.
"Yes." The Supervisor smiled. It wasn't a kind smile, Luke thought. "And
that's what I'm going to do. Come with me."
Luke followed him silently through the corridors to the Throne room. When
they reached it, Luke looked around wildly, trying to absorb everything. If this
was to be his last day alive, he wanted to take as much experience as he could
with him. As they approached the dais, Luke's eyes were riveted on the form
before him. The Master was huge, bigger than almost anything Luke had ever seen
before. He was holding the chain to a slave girl, who was struggling to get away
from him. Luke could've sworn that he recognized her; she looked like one of the
older girl slaves that had been taken out of the girls' room a few seasons ago.
But as his eyes met hers, Luke was taken aback. There was nothing in them but
desperation. 'Get me out of here!' Her eyes screamed at him. 'I can't!' Luke
willed his eyes to tell her, and to his surprise, she nodded, as if receiving
his message. How did he do that, Luke wondered. But he didn't wonder long. The
Master had started speaking.
"What is it, Supervisor?"
"Master," the supervisor bowed, "this is Skywalker. He has been building
things in his spare time. I caught him today building a pod."
"A pod? Ho Ho Ho!! And tell me, Skywalker, why were you building a pod?"
"Master, I wanted to build it because I wanted to fly it, Master."
"You think you can fly a pod? No mere human can. It is a sign of one of
the many weaknesses of your species."
"I know I can." Luke was adamant.
"Supervisor, put him in a pod. If he can fly it, he lives. If he
can't...well, he'll die in the attempt anyway."
"Yes Master." The Supervisor bowed and left the room, Luke trailing after
him.
A Few Months Later:
Vader's consol blinked. He turned to it in surprise. He had set this
consol to give him any galactic news from Tatooine. That old mothball was still
home, no matter how much he hated it, and he couldn't resist knowing what was
going on. He pulled it up and set the reader to 'loud'.
"RECORD SET, SECOND HUMAN PODRACER EVER!" The reader said. Vader looked up
sharply. "Luke Skywalker, age 8 in human years, became the second human podracer
in the history of the galaxy. Skywalker, a slave of Jabba the Hutt, started
training as a podracer in just the last few months. The first human podracer, as
we all know, was Anakin Skywalker. According to the boy's closest relations,
Owen and Beru Lars, there is no relation between Anakin and Luke Skywalker.
After Anakin Skywalker won the Boonta Eve, many parents resolved to name their
children after him, they explain. Skywalker will be competing in this year's
Boonta Eve Race..." Vader smashed the consol angrily. HOW IN ALL THE JEDI HELLS
COULD *HIS* SON BE A SLAVE? It was inconceivable! He didn't believe that Bantha-
dung for a second. Lars...he was Obi-Wan's brother! How could Lars dare sell
Vader's son as a slave?! It didn't matter, Vader decided. He would go to
Tatooine and buy Luke himself. And then they would be together, father and son.
As it should have been from the beginning.
Luke jumped out of the podracer and bowed to the Master, who had been
watching.
"Good, Skywalker. But if you do not win..." Jabba trailed off.
Luke understood. "Yes, Master."
"Then run along, Skywalker."
Luke bowed and left the ring. It had been six months since he had been
tried out on the pod and only two days since the article had come out on him. He
hadn't met Owen and Beru Lars, hadn't heard that they had commented on him,
didn't even remember who they were, in fact. He was excited. The Boonta Eve was
coming up and then he was going to show everyone that you didn't have to be a
stinking alien to fly! He wasn't fazed by the fact that the last human flyer had
stopped after winning only one race. Luke wasn't even scared. He knew he could
win.
Luke heard someone coming and dodged into a corner. Two aliens passed by
him, talking loudly and completely ignoring him. Stupid aliens, Luke thought
angrily. They could at least pretend he was important! At least pretend he was
alive! Humans didn't snub him like that! True, they did tend to beat him or hit
him when they did see him, but at least it was acknowledgement!
Suddenly Luke spun around. He could have sworn someone was calling his
name. But there was no one there and there was no sound in the hall way. But
there it was again! 'What's going on?' He asked himself.
'Luke.' There it was again! What was going on? Luke wondered. 'I'll be
there soon. Stay safe.'
"What in all the hells of Iego is going on?" Luke yelled. On, on, on
echoed off the walls, but he received no answer. "Who are you?!" You, you, you,
mixed with the on's echoing off the walls.
'Wait for me.' The sound said again. Luke yelled silently in his brain at
the fleeting voice. 'Huh? How did I know the voice was leaving?' Luke asked
himself. But there was no answer.
Luke shrugged uneasily and continued back to the boys quarters slowly,
hoping that the voice would speak again. The voice had been full of an emotion
Luke couldn't place, but it felt warm and nice, like something that would be out
of place here. It felt like affection...like that thing that the new boys were
always talking about. What was it called? It annoyed Luke that he couldn't
remember. What was it called? What was this mysterious emotion that this
mysterious voice held?
Vader looked out the window out into the Tattoo System. He had to do this
quietly. Palpatine didn't know about Luke, and if Vader had his way, he never
would. He wouldn't know about Luke until it was too late. Vader knew he wasn't
as strong in the Force as Palpatine, not in his present state anyway. Even Luke
wasn't as powerful as Palpatine. But Luke could be. He was still at an age when
his brain was still growing, still at an age when the Dark Side would work
extremely well on him. So, in his need for secrecy, he had sent the fleet to a
few systems over and trekked the way here himself. The head officers who knew of
this would be dead in days anyway. That was the good thing about his reputation.
It could cover so many little nuisances. Not that his son was nuisance.
As he looked down on the planet speeding towards him, Vader's thoughts
turned to the last time he was down here. He had been 17 and had learned that
his mother had died. Even then he hadn't felt much emotion. He hadn't started
his Dark Side training yet, but he never felt sad over her death. Obi-Wan was
surprised and angry that he hadn't and Vader had hated himself for a while for
not feeling anything. Then Palpatine came along and told him it was because he
had been conceived by the Force that he hadn't felt anything. Actually,
Palpatine had said he was conceived by the Dark Side, but Vader knew that that
was impossible. He knew where he came from and knew that the Dark Side was his heritage, not his parent. He knew that things did not touch him as they did others and dismissed it as his birthright.
The shuttle touched down on Tatooine with hardly a sound. The local Jawas
came scurrying out to get a better look and were thrown away from the ship by
the power of the Dark Side. Chattering to themselves, they went on into the
desert.
"Now, to find this Hutt." Vader spoke aloud to himself, taking out a
speeder from his ship.
The door to the Lars' moisture farm banged open and Obi-Wan Kenobi, former
Jedi Knight, came running in.
"Vader's here. On Tatooine. Where's Luke?" He panted.
"Why? What do you want with him?" Owen stood up.
"He isn't here, is he?" Obi-Wan's senses flared. "He isn't anywhere near
here. Owen, what happened to him?"
"It's none of your business, old man. Luke is mine, you said so yourself."
"Don't play with me, Owen! Where's Luke?!" Obi-wan was growing desperate.
"Don't you understand? Vader. Is. Here. For. His. Son. What is so hard to
understand about this?"
"Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe that's where Luke belongs? With
his father?"
"Owen, you don't mean that and you know it."
"You still can't have him. And that's final."
"Owen, all I want to know is where he is." Obi-Wan forced himself to be
calm.
"Owen! Tell him." Beru urged him from across the kitchen table.
Owen looked from one of them to the other and said three words. "Jabba has
Luke."
"What?!" Obi-wan couldn't ever remember a time when he was closer to the
Dark Side. "And you didn't think to tell me."
Owen sighed and began to tell the whole story to his brother.
"Lord Vader, a pleasure to meet you." Majordomo Posey met him at the door.
"I doubt it very much, Majordomo." Vader walked right past him.
"I'm afraid I must ask you what your business is, m'lord."
Vader glared at him. "I'm here to buy myself a slave. I heard that Jabba
has the best anywhere." Vader snarled under his hood. Imagine, a former slave
wishing to buy a slave! How foolish could these fools be? Vader still couldn't
stand the idea of slavery, but that was a battle that he had lost a while ago
with the Emperor. It was best not to dwell on that thought.
"Yes, m'lord. Jabba has the best slaves. What kind of slave does my lord
want?"
"A young human male." Indeed, that was all Vader knew for certain about
his son. He guessed blonde hair and blue eyes, but the holo hadn't been very
clear.
"Yes, Jabba has many of those. I will show you a selection." The majordomo
made a motion as if the convey Vader to a different room. The later chose to
ignore the gesture.
"I know which slave I want, majordomo. I did not come here to look at some
half-starved boys."
"Uh, yes sir." The majordomo sweated in fear. His throat was constricting
in on itself. Abruptly, it was released from the grip. "Which slave?"
"Skywalker."
"He isn't for sale." The majordomo said evenly. The master wouldn't sell a
slave that has personal value to him. It was a matter of policy.
"He is now." Vader reached out and touched Posey's mind.
"He is now." Posey repeated. "He is, though, worth a lot."
"I will pay a thousand credits for him." Luke was worth much more than
that, Vader knew. But Posey didn't need to know that.
"A thousand, m'lord? If he wins the race, he is worth much more than
that."
"Well, we don't have to worry about him racing at all. I'm taking him now,
majordomo, whether your master likes it or not. Am I clear?" Vader growled,
accompanying this threat by applying more pressure on Posey's neck.
"YES M'LORD!" Posey snapped. He rubbed his neck fearfully. The fact that
Jabba would probably kill him for this hadn't hit him yet and Vader was counting
on that fact that Vader's presence banished those thoughts. Once he left
though...
"What are you waiting for?" Vader asked. The majordomo nodded and ran off
to the slaves' quarters, leaving Vader waiting by the door. It was a shame
really, that he couldn't kill that slimy Hutt, but that would have gotten back
to Palpatine, raising unwanted questions. But one day, Vader swore, he would
come back and kill Jabba for daring to sell HIS son. Or better yet, he would
send Luke. That would be delicious. It was also a shame he would have to erase
Posey's memory of this meeting, making it seem like Posey had let Skywalker
escape. He would have relished the thought of Posey being punished, yelling the
name Vader all the way through and knowing that no one could help him. Vader
sighed. The things he would give up to be able to rule.
"SKYWALKER!" The shout came while Luke was tinkering with a hyperdrive,
making him jump.
"Kretch!" Luke swore harshly. His jumping had made him drop a part into
the wrong place. He wondered what the Supervisors wanted now.
"SKYWALKER!" The cry came again.
Sighing, Luke got up. He pushed back the tattered curtain that separated
the boys quarters from the girls. "What?!"
"There you are. Get your stuff together. You've been sold."
Luke was shocked. Sold? It happened a lot, but usually there was a viewing
before the sale. Even then, the rumor was passed down who had been sold. He was
small for his age and not very handsome. He had always thought he wouldn't be
sold. No one would want him. Now, apparently, somebody did. Some one important
also, to make the Master sell him right before the race and the Master had no
other racers lined up.
"Sold, sir?"
"You heard me! Now get your stuff!"
'What stuff?' Luke felt like asking. He looked around his bed. He didn't
really own anything. His spare tunic and some boots. That was about it. He took
a small bag from another boy's bed and stuffed his tunic and spare boots in.
"Ready, sir."
"Good. Follow me." The Supervisor walked off to the front door, Luke
trailing after him.
The front door came quicker than Luke expected. He really hadn't known
what to expect. He had never been allowed near the front door, but had heard
stories of it. A meter thick durasteel with a seeing eye, one of the stories
went. Every telling made the wall thicker and stronger. It was an icon,
something they could never get past. And now here he was, going through it. His
new master stood next to Master Posey by the front door. Luke quickly scanned
the new master. His years of being a slave had given him an eye to read masters,
if they abuse their slaves, if they're nice to them, things like that. But this
new master he couldn't read at all. It scared him a little.
The new master turned to him, staring at him from beneath the hood. "This
is Skywalker?" He asked Master Posey.
"Yes m'lord." Master Posey bowed.
"Good. I'll take him now. Here's the money." The new master handed Master
Posey are credit chit. Luke did his best not to stare and to look down. Masters
liked it when you were invisible. "Come, boy."
Luke trotted dutifully after him, never looking back. After they were out
of scope range of Jabba's fortress, the new master looked down at him.
"What shall I call you?" The new master asked.
"I am called Skywalker, Mas-" The end of Luke's sentence was lost as the
roar of a speeder overtook them. The speeder halted and a figure jumped out. The
figure started walking towards them.
"Go hide, Luke." The new master ordered him quietly. "Stay safe." Luke
obeyed.
As Obi-wan walked towards Vader, he had an acute sense of déjà vu. Almost
this same exact thing had happened almost 10 years ago, on the fire planet of
Aish. Obi-Wan had lured the other man there with rumors of Jedi activity. Obi-
Wan had chosen to confront Vader by a fire pit, to show him the futility of
anger, but instead, Vader had chosen to duel. It was a hard battle and, though
Vader kept trying to cut of his former master's head, Obi-Wan could not bring
himself to kill his former apprentice. It had almost been a fatal mistake. Vader
had had no such qualms about killing Obi-Wan and, in a moment of strength, had
pushed Obi-Wan's lightsaber away with the Force and had kicked his former master
of the edge into the fire pit. Vader had then turned and left, leaving Obi-Wan
for dead. But he hadn't died. A sympathetic onlooker had hefted him out and
healed him. It had taken over a year, and by then, Amidala was in her 6th month,
and Luke was in need to hiding. Tatooine had seemed like such a good idea. If
only his brother, Owen, had had the sense to tell him about Luke in the first
place! Then this whole situation could have been avoided.
He walked up to Vader. "Been a long time, Anakin." He attempted to smile
and failed miserably.
"Stop with the familiarities, Obi-Wan. You cannot have Luke."
"Anakin. Don't you see what the dark side will do to him...?" Obi-Wan
trailed off as Vader ignited his lightsaber.
"Obi-Wan, you had him for years and then you had him sold as a slave! It
was almost like you were baiting fate. Well, fate took the hook and now I know
about Luke. You cannot have him."
"You would fight me for him?" Obi-Wan asked sadly.
"Yes." Vader answered, accompanying that monosyllable with a thrust to
Obi-Wan's neck, which was parried as the later brought his saber out half-
heartedly.
Luke watched fascinated as they spared. His master was clearly the better
one, even to his inexperienced eyes. The other man kept pressing his master
back, but the master kept pressing him back. They moved so quickly, Luke
couldn't follow. After a bit, he lost interest and started thinking over what
the master had told him to do. 'Stay safe.' It was almost an echo of that
imagined voice, or was it really imagined? He had a feeling his new master could
answer that.
As Obi-Wan sparred, he reached out to touch the Force, which Vader had
been blocking from him. It slammed into him forcibly and he stumbled away from
Vader. In that second a vision came to him.
A big room, royally decorated, with a throne in the back. A multitude of
people, standing around, as if waiting for something. Coruscant's skyline, Star
Destroyers in orbit. A figure surrounded by an entourage enters, the throng of
people standing around kneel. The entourage keeps following the figure, who Obi-
Wan was starting to see quite clearly. He had short, close cut blonde hair with
a golden wreath around his head. He wore a regal outfit, for there were no other
words to describe it. A cape of black set off the purple clothing. With a start,
Obi-Wan realized it was Anakin. Anakin reached the stairs going up to the throne
and mounted them, leaving his entourage behind. All stay put at the foot of the
stairs, kneeling, except for one youth who follows Anakin up the stairs. As
Anakin sits down in the throne, the figure kneels quickly and puts his head down
in a sharp motion, like this is only courtesy, but with much respect and thanks.
Puzzled, Obi-Wan studied the youth intensely.
'Rise,' Anakin says quietly and the youth glides up, as if the word was
meant for him alone. Walking purposefully, the youth walks to Anakin's right and
turns around, staring out over the gathering. Obi-Wan took in the youth's blond
hair and blue eyes, along with the gold circlet parting the golden hair, before
he realized with a shock who the youth was. It was Luke.
Thrown out the vision by shock, Obi-Wan had just enough time to block
Vader's would-be killing blow. Angered by what he had seen, Obi-Wan attacked his
former apprentice with a vengeance. But the vision wasn't as over as he thought
it was. The Jedi Master was thrown into the vision world again. This time all he
could see was a dark room, but he could hear a lot more. Sounds made way to
words, which made way to sentences. One of the voices was Anakin's, he was sure
of that. The other, he could only guess was Luke's.
'Kneel before your lord and master.'
'Do you want something, Master?'
'Huh?'
'Tell me a story.'
The voice changed and Obi-Wan realized with a lurch that the all that he
had really heard had been Luke's voice. Luke said that? But Anakin was talking
now.
'Come, my son.'
'Foolish child.'
The words were, in themselves, harsh, but the tone was full of something
else. Affection, love even. And in that moment, Obi-Wan doubted the rightness of
what he was doing. Would he be able to give Luke all that? He didn't think so.
He kept going back to what Owen had said. Was it really so bad if Vader got
Luke? Obi-Wan wasn't so sure anymore.
That moment of hesitation proved fatal as Vader's blade struck through
Obi-Wan's middle, killing him. As his essence fled into the Force, he was still
wondering if Vader having Luke was really a bad idea after all.
Vader straightened. It was a pity, really, that Obi-Wan hadn't been
susceptible to the Dark Side. He would have made a good Sith. But, alas, his
precious Light had clung to him and now it was too late. Oh well, no use crying
over spilt blood. He had caught a glimpse of the end Obi-Wan's vision and had
been very pleased with it. It had given him an idea.
Hearing movement, Vader spun. Owen Lars stood there with his brother's
lightsaber activated in his hands, a murderous expression on his face.
"Owen Lars. Been a long time."
"Anakin Vader. Not long enough." Owen smiled warmly, but then checked
himself. "Why Anakin?"
"Why did I kill your brother? Because he was going to kill me. He just
didn't know it yet."
"You could always read him better than I could, Ani." Owen shook his head
sadly. "I wanted Luke back, and I still do."
"What makes you think he still remembers you?"
"Yeah," Owen sighed. "He probably doesn't. But I could give him happiness
and a family."
"And I couldn't?!" Vader asked, starting to get angry.
"Calm down, friend. I never said you couldn't. Just that with the Emperor
around...you know what I'm talking about."
"You talk of treason, Owen. I'm not sure I like it. But what I do here is
also treason. But you and your brother's presence here have given me a reason
for being here."
"You mean the Emperor doesn't know about Luke?" Owen asked hopefully.
"He neither does nor shall, if I have anything to say about it. But,"
Vader added quickly, "that doesn't mean I won't train him."
"I didn't let Obi-wan train him. What makes you think I'll let you?"
"You don't have much of a choice, old friend. We once were close, I'd hate
to have to kill you know, especially in front of my son."
"Anakin, the love I once felt for you can't be put into words. We were
more than friends; we were brothers. Then the Jedi came."
"One of the Jedi was your own brother."
Owen was already shaking his head. "I disowned him even then for leaving
my family to poverty while going off to be a rich Jedi."
"And did you disown me for leaving to become a rich Jedi?" Vader asked
softly.
"For a bit, yeah. Then I talked to your mom. She told me that you didn't
really have a choice. It was either go or go. Your mom was nice, giving me the
news you sent back to her. I got the impression like it was another slavery that
you'd been sold into."
"It was." Vader said hoarsely, remembering his time at the Temple. "It was
like being sold into a zoo."
"Yeah." Owen shifted awkwardly, not used to having a lightsaber in his
hands.
"Are you really going to attack me with that, or is it just for show?"
Vader asked dryly.
"This?" Owen hefted the saber. "Ani, you know I don't know anything about
these things."
"So why are you holding it?"
Owen shrugged. "Why not?"
"Owen, it's been real nice talking with you, but is there a reason you are
keeping me here?"
"Very blunt Vader. I told you, I want Luke."
Vader let emotion set into his face. "Owen, you're married. Beru can have
more children. Luke is all I have."
"I understand." Owen looked like he was blinking back tears. "Take him."
Owen shut down the saber. "What are you going to do to me?"
"Do to you?" Vader seemed taken aback by that question. "Why, I wasn't
planning on anything. Just leaving you here, I guess."
"Now that's the Anakin I know!" Owen smiled dryly. "Well, my lord, I'll
just stay here and mind my own business until I have the grace to die. If
there's nothing else...?" Owen started back to his speeder and got into it.
"Owen. Wait." The words were torn from Vader. "If and when...it...happens,
I'll contact you. See if there's anything I can do."
Owen nodded. "Then I suggest you hurry. And, don't worry Anakin, I
understand your problem. I was in the clone wars, fighting against the Emperor's
side. You know my number." And with that, Owen vanished from Vader's view. The
later took one last look to where his old friend had gone to and turned back to
his son, who, now that Vader thought about it, had heard and seen way too much
than what was good.
Luke just stared. He knew it was impolite, but he couldn't absorb
everything quickly enough. The new master looked down on him kindly.
"You have questions?" The new master asked softly.
"Yes Master." Luke was startled. Slaves were never allowed to ask
questions, were always supposed to just take it in and never voice anything, and
here the new master was, telling him to ask! Luke tried to talk, but he was too
frightened and surprised. Nothing came out.
"You want me to explain everything?" Luke nodded. "Okay, I'll give you a
short version and tell you everything later. That's alright with you?"
"Yes...yes master!"
"Alright, you know about the Jedi?" Luke shook his head. "There isn't time
to explain them now, but I'll just say that they were very bad. I was once one
of them, but I changed. The first man, the one I killed, had trained me to be a
Jedi. The second man had been a good friend of mine when I was growing up and he
is the brother of the man I killed. That good enough?"
"Yes Master." Would this strangeness ever end? Luke asked himself
silently.
To his surprise, the new master answered him. "It will end when you get
used to it, Luke."
"What?! How did you know...?" Luke realized what he was doing and stopped
talking abruptly.
Vader's heart ached for his son. To know such a life...a life where
questions were forbidden and the punishment...No, he wouldn't think about it. It
was over. He had Luke and would never lose him again.
"Luke."
"Yes Master?" Luke gulped visibly.
"Call me Father. Not the new master. Just call me Father." Vader hoped
that Luke wouldn't know exactly what that word meant. If he was anything like
his father, he wouldn't want to call anyone that but his real father, and now
was not a good time to tell Luke about his parentage. Not at good time at all.
He had to be back on his flagship soon and he needed Luke with him. And, unlike
the last with Owen, he was loath to use a Force-suggestion on his son.
"Yes...Father."
Vader smiled under his hood. "Then, follow me, Luke and we'll get out of
here." Thus spoken, Vader started walking, making sure Luke was keeping up. His
hopes soared. He had his son back!
Across the galaxy, Emperor Palpatine looked up sharply. There was a grave
disturbance, almost as if a Jedi had died. But his apprentice had killed all of
them already...or had that been a lie to save his few Jedi friends? It had only
been 10 years since the purge, the galaxy was still recovering. But he would not
give them more time to recuperate. It is the nature of Empires to expand and, by
the Force; Palpatine was going to do just that. Expanding meant conquering meant
warships and personnel, which meant a draft. It is impossible to draft an
undisciplined galaxy, this Palpatine knew from his time in the senate. It is
also impossible to restrain a rogue Sith without killing him, and Vader was a
good enough Sith. He was also quite powerful. Palpatine knew that if Vader ever
took an apprentice, they would be a threat to him. Which brought his mental
musings to Mara Jade. She was a girl, true, but that would ensure that no one
would suspect her. She would be his hand, his second. But she would not be
trained as a Sith. Of this Palpatine was adamant. They should die with the last
of their line, with their dark prince, Vader. So he had to make sure Vader never
took an apprentice. But he was unaware of Vader's son, unaware of the danger
surrounding his life. But even if he had known, it wouldn't have helped.
As the shuttle neared the huge Star Destroyer, Luke's eyes widened even
more. Everything was just happening too fast. He could hardly believe that just
5 hours ago he was a slave with no thought of ever getting out of Jabba's, that
was what Father insisted he called the old Master, clutches. Now he was with his
new master who insisted on being called Father. Luke wasn't as stupid not to
know what a Father was. It meant someone with a biological relationship to
another person. But Luke in his short life had met many creatures, some of which
didn't know the Basic translations of certain terms and Luke had no way of
knowing if Father really was human. He had seen him, but Luke had learned
quickly that you couldn't let your eyes be the judges of things like that. It
wasn't healthful.
Luke looked up at Father and opened his mouth to ask a question. Before he
could get the words out, a voice said in his head *Yes, I am human*. Luke's eyes
were like saucers and his mouth gaped open. "What?" He blurted out.
*Communicate this way*
"How? And what are you doing???????"
*I am talking with you through a mind-link. All you have to do is think in
a certain way like this*
"Like *this*?"
*Smart boy. Exactly. I am going to have to hide your presence on the ship
and to do that; you need to always be silent. I know how hard it is for young
boys to be quiet, so if you have any questions, ask them this way*
*I know how to be silent*
The voice was silent for a little while. *I know you do and I am sorry you
had to learn so early.*
Luke didn't know what to say to that. It was so open, so honest. It didn't
fit in with his mental picture of a Master.
*I am not your Master in that sense, young one, but am in another way. And
I told you not to call me Master*
*Yes Father. Can I ask you something?*
*Go ahead*
*Why do you want me to call you Father*?
*Do you know what a Father is?*
*Of course. It is someone who gave 23 chromosomes to a child*
*That's a quite literal definition, Luke. Where did you learn that?*
*New boys were always talking about them and another thing, I can't
remember the name of it. It's like affection and I sense it in you somehow. I
don't know how*
*You sense it through a thing called the Force. I will teach you how to
use it* Vader let his parental love flow through their bond.
*That's it!! How'd you do that sir?*
*I let Love flow over the mind-link*
Luke was silent, deep in thought, for the rest of the flight to the
Executor.
Admiral Kittaning was the first to greet Dark Lord Vader on his return
from the desert planet. The Admiral had no idea what Vader's agenda had been and
he had the sickening feeling that he wouldn't live long enough to see his family
again. Whenever the Dark Lord did something that was meant to be secret, heads
rolled. It was how he had made it to the position of Admiral. Admirals didn't
have very long life expectancies, he had found out quickly, on Vader's flagship.
Kittaning was a good Imperial, possessed of a strong mind and quick reflexes. He
had gone through the Imperial Academy on a scholarship and, at 25, was the
youngest Admiral ever, even counting the damned Old Republic of Stars. He was
the only imperial on the Executor that didn't fight on the Emperor's side during
the Clone Wars. He was only 10 at the time. He had grown up while Palpatine was
consolidating his power, raised on the ideals of the Empire.
The shuttle landed and the Dark Lord stepped out. Kittaning could have
sworn that there was someone following the Dark Lord off the shuttle, but for
the life of him, he couldn't see anyone. It scared him out of his wits.
Vader walked by him. "Admiral."
"Yes, milord?" Kittaning gulped.
"Set course for Imperial Center."
"Yes, milord." Being dismissed, Kittaning performed a perfect about face
and marched away, glad to be rid of the pressure gripping his neck.
*That's why I wanted you to be silent. I do not want anyone knowing you
are here, Luke. Now, just be quiet until we reach my quarters, and then I will
explain everything* With that, Vader strode from the shuttle bay, his cloaked
son scrambling to keep up with the Dark Lord's pace.
Finally, the pair reached the Dark Lord's chambers. Vader walked through
the first room, keying a pad to open a hidden door.
"Welcome to your temporary home," Vader said. Luke looked up. "Go on,
explore. We can talk later."
Luke needed no more encouragement and started into the room beyond. He
walked slowly, trying to absorb everything as he went along. The white wall, the
black carpet with red highlights mixed in with dashes of yellow and purple. The
plush nerf-hide couch with a data table before it, a few chairs that looked very
inviting. Looking back to Father and receiving a nod, he went over to the chairs
and sat down in one. Luke gave a yelp as it changed shape to accommodate his
small body. "Hey!"
"They are called Forming Chairs and are pretty new." Vader didn't even try
to hide his amusement.
"Oh." Luke looked down. "Hey, there's feet! Cool!"
Vader just smiled. "I think you're going to like it here."
"I KNOW I'm going to like it here!"
Vader stood back and watched his secret son climb over the furniture. He
had missed something in his life, he had felt a hole for a while, but he had
never dreamed it would be filled by this little bundle of energy. It made him
appreciate the irony of the situation.
There was a crash. Luke stood over a broken data pad. His face was deathly
white and his hands shook uncontrollably.
"I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry, F-f-father! I d-d-didn't mean to!" Luke lowered his
head and dropped to his knees.
Vader stepped back out of instinct. He was horrified. "What happened?"
"I-I-I was looking at it when it f-f-fell out of my h-h-hands and broke,
F-f-father!" Luke didn't lift his head.
Vader closed his eyes and considered his next words carefully. Torturing
Jabba until the end of time would not atone for this crime. Softly, Vader walked
over to the kneeling form of his son and knelt down in front of him. "Get up
Luke. Come on," he started quietly. "Let's sit here and we can talk. Okay?"
Luke lifted his head and Vader could see the fear in his eyes. Jedi! Vader
swore in his head. He was so close to breaking through Luke's slave mentality
and now this had to happen! "You aren't going to punish me?"
"Luke, these things happen. Data pads can be replaced. I'm not going to
punish you. Understand?"
"Really?" Luke's eyes brightened.
"Really." Vader confirmed. "Now, let's get up and we can talk."
"Okay." Luke smiled.
"I'm sure you have lots of questions," Vader began. "So let me start from
the beginning. I was born on the planet Ossus, a legendary place. Most people
don't even know it exists. My mother was a granddaughter of a Sith, my father
was the ruler of Ossus. When I was three, bounty hunters came and stole my
mother and myself away and sold us to Gardulla the Hutt. She lost us to a
junkyard chief named Watto. I worked for him for a few years.
"My name is Anakin Vader, but my mother worried that the Jedi would
recognize the name and kill me, so she changed it to Skywalker." Luke started
visibly. "Yes, Skywalker."
"My name is Skywalker."
"I know. Luke, I don't know how to say this. I am your father."
"My father." Luke was silent. "You saved me. You got me away from Master
Jabba. I believe you."
"Then believe me when I tell you that I am sorry for what you had to go
through. I did not know where you were until a short time ago. I tried to find
you for years, but I couldn't find you. Luke, I want to be your father."
"You are." Luke snuggled up to his newfound father. "Father, will you
teach me things?"
"Of course Luke. Anything you want me to."
"That's good." Luke relaxed on the couch and within seconds, was asleep.
Vader couldn't stop his smile from growing. Who said love wasn't of the dark
side?
Luke woke up panicked. Where was he? What was going on? He tried to stand
up but found that there was something on top of him. Opening his eyes, Luke saw
that it was a blanket of some kind. But it was heavy! Struggling, he managed to
get the blanket off of him and stood. He could barely see, the lights were very
dim. But the lights were always on bright in the boys' quarters...what was going
on?
He spun around quickly. There was someone standing in the doorway.
"It's alright, Luke. It's okay." The words came to him. Luke's breathing
quickened.
"Who are you? What's going on?"
"I'm your father, Luke. You had a bad dream and woke up quickly. Do you
remember what happened yesterday?"
His father's words brought Luke back to the present. "I was sold. You
killed someone and then talked to someone else for a bit about...something that
was real confusing...yeah. Who did you kill?"
"A Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"What's a Jedi?"
"Someone who uses just the light side of the Force and doesn't like anyone
who uses anything else."
"The Force?" Luke asked sleepily.
"An energy field that binds the universe together. Some people, like you
and me, can use the Force. Now, I think you should go back to sleep."
"Okay, Father."
His father walked over and pulled the blanket over him. "Sweet dreams,
Luke."
Several days passed. Luke slowly came out of his slave mentality and
developed a hero worship toward his Father. Vader was amused at this and the
next few days were spent trying to get rid of the hero worship. Vader finally
explained to Luke everything he wanted to know. Palpatine sensed a small flare
in the Force, but put it off to some Force-sensitive being born. His days were
numbered. Vader had finally come up with a plan to dispose with the tyrant
Palpatine.
"Luke, can you come in here for a minute?"
"Sure thing, Father!" Luke came jumping in.
"We're getting close to Imperial Center now. As you know, I'm going to
kill the Emperor. But I need your help. I need you to open your mind to me. Can
you do that?"
The question caught Luke off guard. "I...I think."
"Try. Think of your mind as an open data pad." Luke closed his eyes and
opened his mind. "Good, Luke. I just need you to do that when I send you a
signal."
"Okay. I can do that."
"That's good." Vader smiled, but inside he was worried. If Luke didn't
open his mind, then Vader would be up the creek without a paddle, so to speak.
He didn't like having to rely on a 9 year old to save his life. Didn't like it
at all.
Palpatine leaned back in his Throne. Vader was due back today. He better
have a good excuse, Palpatine decided. Jade was growing stronger, in a few years
Vader would not be needed anymore. It brought a smile to his wrinkled face.
Anakin Skywalker, now Anakin Vader, had been very easy to turn. Palpatine had
always wondered at Anakin's choice of name. Vader. It meant 'Prince' in the old
language of the Sith. But two years ago, Palpatine had received a short message
from Ossus. It told him that if he ever harmed Anakin, he would be dead shortly
after. It had clicked things in Palpatine's mind. Anakin was the lost prince of
the Sith. The irony of it was not lost on the Emperor. He had tried to turn the
Dark Side's prince to the Dark Side! He was sure Anakin had been very amused at
the time. Palpatine had sent a short message back to Ossus. Of course he
wouldn't think of harming the Vader, why would the Master even think he would?
He had never showed Vader that message, perhaps out of cruelty. As the
Vader, Anakin could remember his entire life from the second he was born and
Palpatine knew he wondered about his Father. And Palpatine knew that the news
that his Father was alive and well might make Vader decide to betray his
'master' and return to Ossus. The Emperor didn't care for the threat of an old
Master. He was more powerful than any Sith, even the Master of Ossus. He was
powerful enough to have taken the galaxy away from the Jedi, powerful enough to
have the Vader of Ossus under his thumb, powerful enough for anything.
But little did Palpatine know that there was a force more powerful than
anything he could even dream of.
It was with much anxiety did Lord Anakin Vader approach his 'master' in
the Throne room of the Imperial Palace. He knew how much was riding on this
meeting. He had to be quick. Palpatine's guards were quite good, though none of
them were as good as he. But if he was weakened by the Sith's lightening...or if
Luke didn't open his mind to him...No, he wouldn't think of that. He couldn't
think of that. With a whirl, Palpatine's throne turned and Anakin faced his
nemesis.
"Lord Vader. There has been a disturbance in the Force."
"I know. I killed Kenobi."
"Really?"
"Yes, Master."
Palpatine turned his throne. "Come here, my old friend."
Vader walked over the Palpatine's side. *Luke, open your mind*. Vader took
a breath and dulled Palpatine's senses while igniting his saber. Too late, he
realized that Luke's mind wasn't open.
*Luke, open your mind* When Luke heard that, he reached for the same place
where he had gone the last time his father had told him to do it. But it
wouldn't open! He tried again, concentrating hard. What had his father said to
do? He felt a wash of pain from his father. His father was hurting and it was
all his fault! Through angry tears, he tried again. And his mind flew open.
The Master of Ossus was pleased. He had been worried for almost 20 years
over his heir, his first-born. Then during the clone wars, Hero Anakin Skywalker
was all over the news vids. It had been a breath of fresh air for the old man.
But then it had come out that Hero Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi. Enraged, the
Master of Ossus had created a force storm and had caused a sun to burst in a
nearby system. His son, the Vader, a Jedi! It was inconceivable and could not be
allowed. So he had sent out contacts, trying to find his mate, Shmi. And he had
found her, a slave, dying, on the planet Tatooine. She had told him how she had
changed their names for safety and hadn't dared to stop the Jedi from taking
Anakin. It would have thrown a lot of suspicion on she and Anakin, Shmi told
him. So she had let Anakin go. But Shmi had given the Master hope, too. She had
promised her love before she died that no son of hers would ever think of being
a lightsider, she was sure that Anakin was putting an elaborate charade.
So he had bided his time, sending a small force suggestion to the Sith
Master in exile, Sidious. Sidious had bent to his will and tried to turn Anakin
to the dark side. The Master of Ossus was pleased when he found that it was very
simple for Sidious to do. Privately, The Master of Ossus didn't hold Sidious in
high esteem. He had always been meaning to replace him, but no Sith wished to
leave Ossus. The Master didn't blame them. The galaxy outside Ossus was crude
and backward. Only on Ossus were the customs observed. Sons followed Fathers,
and all served the Master. Maybe, The Master thought, maybe Anakin would wish to
be the Sith Master in Exile. After all, he seemed fond of that life. Of course,
that would only be until the Master died. Then the Vader would come home once
again and rule as he was meant to from the beginning.
Luke shyly entered the small playroom. His father, the new Emperor, had
told him that he could play in here if he wanted. Luke had never had a room to
play in before and was very intimidated by the thought.
There was a girl sitting facing a computer screen.
"Hi." Luke said. "I'm Luke Skywalker."
"Hello, Skywalker." She turned to him, revealing her green eyes. "I'm Mara
Jade."
Finis