Hiya, guys! Just fixing some previously uncaught errors with fluctuating verb tenses!
Hope you like the new, streamlined chapter!
(Remember, Vader's POV the "Words" are bold, and thoughts are underlined)
(Anakin's POV the actions are bold, and the "Words" are not)
Anywho! Enjoy!
Chapter 2
I am surrounded by darkness.
Everywhere I turn, )it is there, suffocating and thick. Far above me, I see a glimmer of light, brilliant against the velvet blackness.
I must get out.
Tentatively, I reach out towards the single star in my universe. Suddenly, it is much nearer, and my hand closes around it.
The darkness shatters.
Around me now is bathed in a breathtaking light, beautiful beyond words, I can't help but stare in awe.
"Amazing, isn't it?" A soft voice comes up behind me.
Spinning around, I meet the owner of said voice, only to find...
Myself.
Whole and beautiful, he resembles a freshly knighted Anakin Skywalker.
"Yes," I find myself replying, still gazing in wonder at the young man before me. A comfortable silence settles over us.
"I am Anakin Skywalker," My younger copy introduces himself, holding out a hand, "Who are you?" He inquires, his brilliant blue eyes glowing with a childlike curiosity.
Who am I?
The question strikes a chord within me... It has been so long. Can I truly call myself Anakin anymore?
Looking down, I catch sight of my hands.
Black clad and mechanical, they are the unfeeling prosthetics of a Sith, and do nothing, save it mar the purity of this place.
"I am the darkness."
With these words, a red haze seals over my vision, and the hiss of a respirator shatters the peace.
Alarmed, Anakin jumps back, igniting a sword of blue fire.
"You are a Sith!" He challenged, brandishing the weapon before me.
"Yes."
I make no move to grab my scarlet blade.
A Sith?! Here?!
I stand ready with my azure saber before this creature of darkness. What once appeared to be a man has become a monster, it's droid-like appearance and insectoid eyes chilling me almost as much as its hissing death rattle of what I assume is its breath.
"Why are you here?" Surely this Darksider had a reason for invading my dreams...
"I know not the reason why I am here..." The Dark Lord turns away, as if ashamed, "I suppose it is yet another form of punishment from my master. Seeing things as they once were, and yet could never be..."
As they once were?
"Do I know you then?" I lower my blade, seeing as the creature before me makes no move, his harsh breath the only sound aside from the deadly hum of my lightsaber.
"I hope you never have to."
"Anakin?" A calloused hand shook a shoulder gently, "Anakin get up..." A little rougher this time, but his mind refused to pull out of the limbo between sleep and awareness. "Anakin! We're here! Get UP!"
With this last command, the young Jedi's cloak, used as an impromptu blanket, was yanked out from under the dozing warrior, nearly sending him to the floor in the process.
"Gah! What? Who?" The newly minted knight squawked loudly as he stumbled to his feet. "What's going on?!"
The Jedi Master just shook his head in familiar exasperation.
"We have rejoined the Republic Fleet over Coruscant. Master Windu has requested our presence in the council chambers."
"Great," Anakin looked over, sarcasm lacing his voice as he put his cloak on properly this time, "Another venture to some war ridden cesspool I take it..."
"Most likely," Obi-Wan smirked, clapping his partner on the back, "But we'll have to go and see, won't we?"
Why is space so dark if it's filled with stars?
Silently, I stand at the great viewport aboard Executor. Pondering. The universe seems so.. Uncertain for some odd reason, the Force being unusually skittish as well... And that dream, it's haunting likeness of me has etched itself in the front of my mind with the finality of a gravestone.
"Lord Vader!" A sharp voice grabs my attention, "The Emperor requests your presence immediately!" It is none other than Captain Piett that dared to show his face, Ozzel no doubt sent him up to do the dangerous job of disturbing my typical stance on the bridge.
"Very well, you have the bridge, Captain," with this, I march off to the dragon's lair of my personal quarters, cape billowing behind me like velvet wings.
"You called for me my Master?" I speak respectfully, after the Death Star fiasco I've been walking on eggshells when dealing with the Emperor.
"Yes Lord Vader," Palpatine's enormous projection flickers slightly as he adjusted his position, "As you are aware, your failure at the Death Star has not put us on the best of terms..."
Silent, I cringe, like a dog to its master after getting caught mangling a pair of prized slippers.
"However," the monarch continues, seemingly unaware of the turmoil still within me from my failure, "Intelligence has come to my attention regarding a disturbance on Ilum."
"Ilum?" I inquire, surely I must've heard wrong, "The only thing of worth left on that rock are the Crystal Caves..."
"Exactly my friend." The Emperor purrs, "It seems to have attracted some Jedi attention as of late. They appear to believe that the Empire has forgotten about that icy little globe. Now, I want you to immediately head for the Crystal Caves and destroy them." Palpatine leans back smugly, "Only then, can the sting of your complete failure begin to fade..."
Finally! A chance to redeem myself!
"It will be done at once my Master," I lift my head enthusiastically, "Any other circumstances I must be aware of?"
The Emperor's melted face contorts into a semblance of a smirk, "Just one Lord Vader. Go alone. No one, loyal Imperial or Rebel spy alike, shall know of your destination. Do not fail me again, apprentice!"
"Your will is my bidding, my Master." I manage to reply before he cuts the transmission.
"We've been assigned to Ilum?!" Leaving the council chambers, Anakin now voiced his opinion on the situation. "There's nothing there but the Crystal Caves. Why would the Separatists care, or even know, about them?"
Stroking his beard thoughtfully, Obi-Wan observed his fuming former Padawan before replying in his signature accent, "The only reason I can think of is Dooku. He was once a Jedi, and would know that the destruction of the caves would be detrimental to the Order in keeping us from getting the crystals we need to power our lightsabers."
Silenced by the logic of his former Master's argument, Anakin turned to one of the few balconies in the large hallway. Surveying the vista of Coruscant, he could just make out the glimmer of 500 Republica out in the distance.
Padme.
I'm sorry love, but it seems we will be separated once again by this horrid war...
Solemnly, he remembered the dream he had on his trip home.
After remaining in silence for several minutes, the soft wind tousling his curly hair, and Obi-Wan closing his eyes; meditating most likely, Anakin lifted his head, eyes level with the glowing horizon as the first traces of sunset began to appear.
"Obi-Wan?" He asked softly, looking over to his friend's war hardened face.
"Hm?" The Negotiator opened his eyes and settled next to him on the guardrail.
"Can I talk to you about something?"
"Anything Anakin, what's bothering you?"
The Hero With No Fear glanced away once more, uncertain.
"I-I had a dream on our way home."
"Like the ones about your mother? Anakin, you mustn't do this to yourself..." Obi-Wan placed a comforting hand on his young companion's shoulder, "What happened was not your fault."
Frustrated, Anakin shook his head, the sunlight catching his eyes, giving them a yellow sheen for a second.
"No, this dream was different... At first, I was standing in front of what looked like an obsidian box, surrounded on all sides with a brilliant light..." Meeting the Jedi Master's concerned gaze once again, he continued:
"What is this place?" Slowly I cast my gaze around this unfamiliar dreamscape. I'd never dreamed of anything so surreal before. Before me stood a great ebony cube, black as the depths of space itself.
"It was beautiful Obi-Wan... I couldn't keep away from it... But when I walked over and touched it, it exploded suddenly in a burst of energy!"
Enchanted by this mysterious monolith, I shuffle over and lay a hand on it. Almost instantly, I am met with a silent explosion. Shards of obsidian fly in all directions, and several barely manage to miss me.
"...After the shadows had dispersed, I saw a figure standing a ways off, where the center of the cube once was. His back was to me, and his hood up. Curious, I ran up to him and introduced myself."
"What did this man look like Anakin?" Obi-Wan put a hand to his chin, obviously worried, "When you faced him?"
Exhaustion beginning to take its toll, Anakin put a gloved hand to his face. Rubbing his temples, he replied slowly, "I didn't see much of his face, but he was very tall, taller than me even, and his face was hidden deep within his hood. The only things I could see were his crystalline eyes. That wasn't the part of the dream that worried me though..."
"I am Anakin Skywalker. Who are you?" The stranger before me sends sparks leaping down my spine. He is so familiar, yet different at the same time.
After a moment of silence, the figure begins to change. His eyes flashing an unholy yellow, I can only watch in shock as the dark brown robe is overshadowed in black and begins to melt. The sleeves of the garment liquefy and run over the once bare hands, leaving sinister leather gauntlets in their wake. Still, the figure stands stalk still, as if he does not notice what is happening.
Suddenly, a glint of silver catches my attention as large shoulder armor and control panel seem to emerge from his body, accompanied by a bulky utility belt and ebon lightsaber hilt. Now the only remnant of his original garb is the black hood, but even that begins to melt into something horrifying. From the shadows of what used to be a cowl, a triangular vent appears, the corners tipped in silver also.
"I am the darkness."
"It was terrifying, right before my eyes, I watched this robed figure morph into a monster!"
These words seemed to complete the transformation, for immediately following, his molten hood hardened into a slick black helmet that flared around the creature's 'face,' the yellow eyes were glazed over with bulbous lenses. Now there was no mistaking the raw aura of the Dark Side that clung to this being. It seemed to roll off of him, much like the voluminous raven cape that now adorned him in place of a robe.
"Master..." Anakin gasped, wrapping himself, trembling, around the older man, seeking comfort as a child would from his father, "He spoke of terrible things! He said I was a vision of how things once were for him. He spoke as if he knew me! I'm scared Obi-Wan!"
Startled somewhat by this sudden display of fear from his young companion, the Jedi Master held his traumatized form close to him. Obviously there was some great meaning to what he had seen. Right now though, was not the time to be picking it apart.
"Come on Anakin," he reminded softly after his brother had ceased shaking, "We need to get to the Crystal Caves. Maybe there we can discover the meaning behind your dream. For now though, just release your fears into the Force."
Smiling sadly, Anakin pulled back and wiped away the unshed tears welling up in his vision.
"I'm sorry Obi-Wan, that was rather un Jedi-like for me to do, wasn't it..."
"A little bit," the older Jedi teased, wrapping his arm around the shoulders of his taller companion,"Let's go get a ship for the journey."
Of all the things this suit is good for, stealth isn't one of them.
It's not the first time this particular thought has crossed my mind today, as I crouch behind several crates in the hangar, my ship in view. Luckily, it is near the changing of shifts for the lunch hour and due to my reputation, most people have the sense to steer clear of my ship.
Well, besides a certain mechanic, I should be fine...
Right in the immediate vicinity of my ship, is my overly eccentric head mechanic, polishing the solar panels.
Again.
Does this kid ever leave that ship alone?
Impatient, and short of breath from the silencer I had activated on my respirator, I simply convince the young man, with a healthy dose of the Force, to find another machine to fixate on. One that just happens to be on the other end of the dreadnaught. If I had the ability to sigh, I would have as he turned away from the ship and trotted off.
Satisfied he's left, I lope over to my Angel, and with the grace of a panther, leap into the cockpit before anything else could delay my departure. Once I clear the hangar opening, I set course for Ilum and settle in for a long trip.
Oh, but will it be worth it!
I count the minutes left in my voyage until my saber can taste its first Jedi blood since the Death Star. Even now, they are probably holed away, deep within the depths of the caverns of Ilum. Thinking they are safe. That there is a place in the galaxy I will not purge of their presence.
They won't know what hit them.
Prepare yourselves Jedi, I anticipate a good fight.
