Chapter Four: Fate
Vader had sent Trip away as soon as he had arrived at the medical bay; earlier on he had commed Doctor Darkrose and had ordered an immediate blood test between himself and Luke. He didn't need science to confirm their relationship; the Force all but screamed it out to him, and if not the Force then their physical similarities were clue enough. Still, having the proof on paper made it all the more real.
"He is your son, Lord Vader." Darkrose announced in a heavy voice. His hands trembled lightly as he held the data pad. Would Lord Vader allow him to live now that he was aware of their relationship?
Vader let out a long breath; he had delayed his meeting with the Emperor, and he would be in a bad mood when the time came for Vader to face him.
"Who is the boy's Mother?" It was an innocent question enough; but when the Dark Lord turned to face the shorter man, his posture conveying his anger, the doctor knew it had been the wrong question to ask.
"You are to keep this information to yourself—tell no one." Vader ordered, deciding that the doctor was too valuable to kill. The man nearly collapsed he was so nervous.
"I...of course M'Lord. Ah, would you like perhaps a book on parenting...?" his voice trailed off, leaving only Vader's constant harsh breathing to fill the air.
Imbecile, implying that I cannot look after my own offspring! I am in command thousands of armies, I have made the strongest of men crumble and weep at my feet—I can handle one mere child.
"I will leave you to tell him, Lord Vader." Darkrose bowed as low as he could before he escaped from the confines of his office. Vader inhaled deeply, flexing his fingers as he did so. He purposefully walked towards Luke who was sitting cross-legged on the bed.
"What's going on? Where'd Trip go?" Luke asked, having forgotten his previous shyness.
"I have something important that I must tell you. Your Father is not dead—"
"What?" Luke's startled gasp cut through Vader's sentence. The various implications ran through Luke's head as he mulled over what the Dark Lord had said. His heart thumped wildly as adrenaline coursed through him.
"If you allow me to finish," Vader stressed the word tersely, "your Father is not dead because I am your Father." The Sith had prepared himself for perhaps a hysterical scream of 'no!', or for the boy to faint. Instead, much to his confusion, Luke did neither of those things.
"Is this a joke?" Luke asked, although his voice had no traces of humour in it. He reached out a small hand to the data pad that Vader offered him. It confirmed that what Vader said was the truth; a thousand different dreams shattered in Luke's mind.
Darth Vader is my Father.
"It is no joke." Father and son stared at each other in silence, an awkward silence springing up between them. Luke didn't know which question he wanted to ask first—he had so many!
"My Lord! A summons from the Emperor!" Vader turned to see one of Palpatine's royal aides at the door way. Vader waved the aide away, acknowledging the summons.
"You will be escorted to your new quarters; I shall find you once I am done." Vader swiftly left the room, trying his very hardest to ignore the rolls of hurt that radiated off of Luke.
"Rise, Lord Vader." Palpatine watched with yellow eyes as his apprentice stood up. "It was a success, I presume?"
"Yes, Master. The weapons facility has been eradicated." Leaning forwards, Palpatine glared down at Vader.
"I sense that something troubles you, Lord Vader." He leaned back and waited for the younger man to reveal what was on his mind.
"Whilst on Tatooine, I discovered that Obi-Wan Kenobi was on planet; he had been hiding there for the last ten years. He is now dead." Vader let a small amount of vicious pleasure enter his voice.
"Why, then this is cause for celebration, is it not? Something else troubles you." Palpatine was very interested in why the Dark Lord seemed to be having trouble getting his words out.
Vader steeled himself for what he was about to say; he would gauge his Master's first reaction, for that would determine the likelihood of Luke's survival.
"It seemed that I had unearthed Kenobi's final betrayal," Vader paused, heart beating erratically, "he had hidden my son on Tatooine, and I discovered him." Palpatine let the shock show on his face for a second before quickly returning to his poker face. The surprise remained in his voice though when he spoke.
"And where is Skywalker's offspring now?" Vader noted that he purposefully said 'Skywalker' and not 'your'.
"I had him moved to the medical bay where I had a blood test conducted; I then had him moved to the spare quarters near mine." The Emperor cackled lowly, the sound sent imperceptible shivers up and down Vader's spine.
"Surely you do not wish for the boy to live with you?" He gleefully cackled, a dark smile on his face. "You think that you could provide for the boy? Care for the boy?" in an instant all traces of humour left Palpatine.
"Master—"
"You are a Sith," Palpatine spat dangerously, "the boy should be killed." Those words made Vader's blood run ice cold; with determination he stood as upright as he could, staring Palpatine straight in the face.
Palpatine recognised that stance; Anakin Skywalker adopted it often when he was stubbornly set on an idea. Exhaling from his nose, Palpatine fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"He is extremely powerful in Force; he would be a valuable asset to the Empire when he becomes older. With the right training he would be a very useful, deadly tool." Vader knew better than to try and use Force persuasion with his Master, no matter how subtle he was about it.
"You are aware, Lord Vader, that there may only be two Sith at any one given time?" Narrowing his eyes, Palpatine smiled nastily.
So he wishes to overthrow me when the boy is of age? I will take young Skywalker and mould him to suit my needs in secret then, and he will replace his Father. I can already sense the attachment Vader has to the boy.
"Very well, he may stay. You will only train him when I see it fit, and I will regularly check on his progress." Palpatine sneered, ire radiating off of his very person. "You disappoint me, Lord Vader." He waved dismissively and Vader bowed much more lowly than he normally would and left.
"My own 'fresher!" Luke hollered, skittering into his bathroom. Trip scratched his head bemusedly as Luke exclaimed loudly about how he had fresh, unlimited water.
"Tatooine must have been rough." Trip murmured, watching as Luke finally came back into his bedroom.
"My own ensuit bathroom!" Luke jumped onto his new bed, ecstatic with his new bedroom. Trip laughed quietly and perched on the edge of Luke's bed.
"Happy?" He asked smirking.
"That's an understatement! I can't believe Vader's my Father though, I mean its—"
"What?" Trip coughed violently as he choked on air, his eyes watering as Luke slapped him on the back in alarm.
"Trip? What's wrong?" dawning shone on Luke's face as his cheeks turned pale pink in colour. "Was that supposed to be secret?" he asked vaguely.
Lord Vader's son! Was all Trip could think. He massaged his temples and closed his eyes, evening out his breathing.
"I only found out today and so did he." Luke commented, settling down against his pillows more comfortably. He fiddled with the edge of his shirt; he suddenly felt homesick, the smell of dry sand still lingered on his clothing and he longed for his Aunt Beru.
"I've got to go now squirt, see you around." Trip fondly ruffled Luke's hair, trying to cheer the kid up. Luke smiled without it reaching his eyes and he slid under his covers. Trip paused at the doorway, worrying his lower lip before he vanished, leaving Luke Skywalker on his own.
Vader strode into Luke's room but stopped short when he spied the small lump hidden under the covers.
"Luke." He stretched out a large, leather clad hand and used the Force to pull the covers back. Quickly scrubbing his face with his hand, Luke sat up trying to look composed.
They stared at each other, until Vader broke the eye contact and looked away. He paced around the room, gathering his thoughts. Whirling round to face Luke, he cleared his throat.
"I trust the room is to your liking?" Vader asked. His son nodded his head meekly; his eyelashes were clumped together, indicating that he had been crying.
"Where were you?"
"I was speaking with the Emperor." Vader answered, misinterpreting the question. Luke shook his head, a frown marring his face.
"No, where were you all my life? How come you only found me now? Why?" Although Vader didn't outwardly move, he was startled with the sudden questions.
"I was led to believe that you were dead, I discovered you by mere chance. In fact, it was the will of the Force that we met. Fate." Vader declared, opting that to be the simplest answer he could provide for now.
"The Force?" Luke asked, his nose scrunching up the way Padme's would when she was confused—
"That is a discussion for another time." Vader's throat had nearly closed up, the unwanted memories of Padme flooding his mind. He nearly fled from the room, to rid himself of Luke's presence.
"Who was my Mother?" Luke asked softly. Vader clenched his hands angrily.
"Your Mother was called Padme; she was the former Queen of Naboo, and then she became Senator," Luke opened his mouth, but Vader cut across him, already anticipating what his next few questions would be. "I met her on I was a boy, and then I went and trained to become a Jedi."
"Jedi?" Luke asked excitedly. His eyes shone with questions and Vader was not inclined to answer all of them in one sitting.
"I then learned of their lies and treachery and I became a Sith, and changed my name to Darth Vader." Chewing on his lip, Luke frowned in intense concentration.
"So your real name is Anakin Skywalker?"
"Yes, but I have disregarded everything to do with that life and name. You will not bring up anything of my past again as it is irrelevant for you to know." He swept from Luke's room, his cape making an impressive arc behind him. Luke stared open mouthed as his Father left him alone.
His tummy clenched into nervous knots and he almost ran after him; no, I'm a big boy now. He won't want me if I cry all the time. Glancing to the panel in the wall, he remembered Trip's short lesson on which button did what, and ordered some food.
Luke hadn't had chocolate in a long time.