Mondays child is fair of face,

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"'Truth', said jesting Pilate, 'what is Truth?'" and would not stay for an answer. ~ Francis Bacon

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…nothing left. The Jedi's eyes flashed with pain, and then the awareness within them vanished with her presence in the Force. He twisted, allowing the copse to fall next to her companion.

Death, fear it do not, murmured Yoda. Vader knew the truth. Death was nothing to rejoice in, nothing to welcome. Death took and took and took, leaving you with nothing but shallow graves and empty arms. There were two Jedi on the scuffed, metal floor now. This was a triumph already. Yet he was still in a towering fury as he turned his attention to the remaining three. He heard rumors his old, treasonous master would be here, but couldn't sense the man anywhere. Another false lead it seemed, but just in case…

"Escaped I see, leaving you behind. Tell me, was Kenobi unable to face me himself?" he attempted to use people's emotions against them as his master tried to teach him. But after only a few moments of sullen, scornful silence he lost his notoriously loose grip on his temper and hissed out his next words, "where is he? Where are you hiding him? Where is Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

Calmly, infuriatingly so, the Mon Calamari, the oldest Jedi, only watched him and did not even touch her saber in response to his lighted one. A younger Jedi, a Kajain'sa'Nikto, sneered, "even if we knew we wouldn't never tell you."

"Even now, in hiding, he inspires sacrifice he does not deserve. Bravely spoken words – wasted on a coward who is not worthy them or any other form of loyalty. I wonder, will you now offer to lay down your lives as well?" he attempted to sound mocking but the mask could not pick up the inflection.

Parents tell children stories: lessons and legends. Some are true, some contain truth, some lead to truth, and some hold no truth at all. Once upon a time there were two brothers. There was the responsible, serious, older brother, quick to advise and tease in equal measure, and the reckless, brave, younger brother, careless and immortal in the way of the young and the legends. They were best friends and loved each other dearly. Then one betrayed the other. Do you know who the traitor was?

"To die as bravely as my brethren and join them in the Force is the greatest of honors," this was the youngest now, speaking words he must have repeated to himself endlessly, practicing until they came out scripted.

"Is that so? And how do you know they died bravely? I assure you many died begging," a parody of a smile began to stretch across his hidden face, but he stopped midway in pain. His hatred flared and he saw the two males flinch. He took a step forward, using his presence in the Force for its full intimidation value. His hatred grew as there was sharp pain in his legs that he still hadn't gotten used to, all these years removed from Musafar. And worse still he felt how weak he was in the Force. Once he was the Son of Suns and his power filled the skies, but now–

"Of course they didn't!" cried the youngest. Vader focused his attention on the boy. The human trembled under the weight of his regard. He swallowed, throat dry, trying to continue but faltering. Then he drew courage from some memory, "Skywalker. I remember him from when I was a youngling. I knew him, we all knew him. Skywalker died heroically and that's the truth."

"Naïve child," the mask would not let him chuckle any more either, "tell me, where have you been tucked away that the cruelty of the universe has not revealed itself to you? You who speak of legends and know nothing of truth."

"Darkness deceives" the woman spoke for the first time. All three males turned their attention to her. "Remember Palpatine. People are tempted because evil appears beautiful. A monster may seek to terrify, but a demon comes wearing a fair face."

Easygoing Anakin: laughing, charming, and seeping power. A perfect mask in the ballroom of Deryvian snakes. Fervent Anakin: cocky, clever, and brazenly honest. Why should his new master watch him warily, as if he was a bizarre new creature he could not quite understand? Submissive Anakin: eyes downcast, vulnerable, and too valuable to kill or even permanently damage. Let the masters see what they wanted, just get through the day, live to see the next sunrise. Lord Vader: seeping power, too valuable to kill, brazenly honest. Because he was and had no reason to pretend otherwise.

Charismatic, deceptive, light, Anakin. Scarred, honest, dark, Vader. Once upon a time there was a handsome knight, a noble queen whom he served, and a bloody monster that was feared throughout the land. Do you know which one killed her? What? No guesses?

Eenie. Meenie. Minie. Moe. Catch a Wookie by the toe. No? Why not? It's as likely to give you the true answer as a Stih would.

"Pray Jedi, when have I deceived him?" Vader questioned. "Why should I bother? He has deceived himself with pretty stories without my help."

The woman was too deep in the light to be touched by words. The Kajain'sa'Nikto was spared a bit of awareness, too angry to hear him, just angry enough to crack and attack. But he insured the youngest felt the return of his attention. The conversation was between them now; the Dark Lord and the young one who was so different than Anakin but so obviously idolized him.

"I wonder, do they comfort you, those stories? Give you purpose? Do they give you friends when you're alone? Idols when the universe is ugly? Are they soft and tame, gold-tinted memories of better times? Or are they bright and fierce, to combat the darkness where nightmares stalk?" he breathed, "I will tell you the truth, child, if only to destroy you."

Of course Anakin was not known for his eloquence, anyone could testify to that. But he was once the apprentice of The Negotiator, was currently the apprentice of Sidious, and was always Her husband. He was known to be a fast learner, was it so surprising he learned?

Not unexpectedly, the Kajain'sa'Nikto snapped and attacked. The fight was quick and brutal, the Dark Lord drinking deeply of the man's rage. The Kajain'sa'Nikto was taught to release it, not use it and was unprepared. Vader beheaded the Jedi with one quick twist. He used the Force to toss the body next to the other empty shells and send the head to land at the boy's feet. "Overdramatic much?" murmured Obi-Wan's memory.

Darth Vader switched off his saber, hooking it to his suit in a fluid motion. He pointed at the head.

"Education. The likes of which you would not learn in the Temple among those who preferred empty platitudes. That is hollow death, not "becoming one with the Force". There is nothing left. He's gone, just like so many others. I know death well enough to know it is final," he cut at the boy who so adored Anakin. "His death is reality. His death is truth. Stories contain the monsters. Stories calm the doubters. Stories create and recreate the heroes. Stories end happily ever after. Truth can only ever just be."

Clearly the boy was ready to break. Vader moved forward only to find himself blocked as the woman stood between them.

"Enough," she said. Vader turned his attention to her, but she did not flinch under the mask's empty black eyes. Moments crept by, the only sound were breaths; Vader's rhythmic woosh and the boys labored pants.

"Padwan," she broke the pause without inflection, "go," and the boy fled. Vader didn't bother pursuing him. Admiral Okins was insuring no one would get away. He turned to the woman, arms crossed, amused.

"The boy will not escape."

"I know," she met his mask eyes calmly, "but better dead than broken. Better dead than fallen."

"Old Jedi fairy tales. I can see through your lies."

"No lies have I knowingly spoken to you, Servant of Darkness" she replied, voice proud. Perhaps sensing his sneer as he prepared to speak, she changed tactics; saying softly, almost motherly, "tell me then, was it truth that caused your fall Son of Suns?"

Darth Vader's breath would have caught, if he still breathed as other men. Instead the woosh continued. They watched each other, neither reacting to the sound of shots outside nor the cry in the Force as the boy died. Vader noted for no particular reason he had not even bothered to find out his name. Speaking of names he searched his memory for the woman before him and finally came up with…

"Eerin Bant"

"Correct" she answered simply. One of Kenobi's old friends so there was a chance she knew…

"Eerin where is Obi-Wan?" he smirked, taking pleasure in dropping "knight" from her name, a jab of sorts against his old master. She merely watched him silently in response. Of course he never really believed that she would just tell him, even if she knew.

"Perhaps there is something you want? Something I can offer you to betray him?" he asked, not really thinking it would work but knowing that threats had even less of a chance.

"There is nothing you can offer me that I desire." He raised a hidden, hairless eyebrow at her words. Her refusal was expected, but he had also expected her to repeat her suspicions.

"Indeed. I admit I'm surprised, Jedi. Not that you refused, no. Rather that you trust a Sith would speak the truth."

"Oh the Darkness deceives, certainly, but I knew you when you were still called Anakin. You were always honest. You are not the deceiver, you are the deceived."

Now he moved, striking as suddenly and decisively as ever. She crumpled at his feet, never moving to touch her saber. Vader stood over the body. If not for his suit his chest would be heaving with emotion. There was a beeping from his communicator.

"Divisional General," he answered.

"Ensign Cede reported in my lord. They have killed the escaping Jedi traitor."

"Clear way his body and the bodies of the four in here. Inform the Emperor the Jedi have been defeated."

"Excellent my lord. It will be done," he responded and the conversation ended. Vader turned to go. Jedi traitor – lie. The man didn't believe the Jedi were traitors whatever his duties. Lord Vader could sense when people lied. He knew, whatever the Jedi tried to trick him into believing. Like a game he played as a child. Sitting in a circle, one walking around touching heads and chanting:

Podracer / Podracer / Landspeeder!

Truth / Truth / Lie.

"I love you," Padme cried. /"He will not let me down. He never has," stated Obi-Wan. /"Once more the Sith will rule the Galaxy. And we shall have… peace," Palpatine drawled.

Okrzyknięty kłamcą. Lazljivac. Bugiardo. Liar. Leugenaar. Valehtelija. Menteur. Lügner. Gillau

No. He knew which of them was telling the truth. He had to. Otherwise he was living a lie. Anakin could do so with a wink and a smile. But Vader could do none of the above. Once upon a time there was a valiant hero who lied and a despicable villain who told the truth. "Mirror, Mirror on the wall…