A/N: A double update! Believe it or not, this chapter and the next started out as a single continuous piece, but I kept adding bits and pieces here and there and before I knew it I had this 17,000 word giant. O.O So, to make it a little less strainful on the eyes ( and to avoid posting problems ) I split the monster up into chapters 9 and 10. That's part of the reason it took me so long to update. The other part is that I kept getting writer's block and constantly changing my mind about how I wanted this to unfold. In places I must've done three or four different re-writes. I care a great deal about the quality of my work and have a habit of being extremely critical of myself.

Another thing you will notice is that I changed the rating of this fic from K plus to T. This is just to be on the safe side, since I feel that some of my descriptions of injury and violence may be a bit more than what some parents would feel comfortable having their younger children read about. It's also because of emotional content, which from this point on will definitely be more geared for teenagers.

Thankies for all the lovely reviews last chapter! (does happy little dance) Yay! I would love to thank everyone who read and reviewed personally with a little note heading each new chappy, but to save on time and space I have decided to just thank everyone in one breath, and, when you review, if you WANT a personal response from me in the next chapter, just say so and I'll make sure I do that! ( Btw, dmitchell, your questions get answered next chapter. Nice attention to details! )

Okay, I know you're all raring to get on with the story now, but just one last note. Since Anakin and Luke are the main focus of this story, I try to give them both equal "screen-time" for lack of a better word. Since situations vary sometimes it's more appropriate to delve more into one character's head than the other. For instance, I would have had this chapter focus a lot more than what it does on Anakin's thoughts and feelings, but given the circumstances I couldn't do this without being repetitive. Don't worry--next chapter is more Anakin-centric and you'll finally get a nice little insight into his self. (winks)

Chapter 9

" Do you think maybe we should have told them that we're Jedi? " Luke asked Anakin quietly once the congregation had dissolved and they were wandering aimlessly down the cluttered Mos Espa street. It was a question that had been on his mind since before Dwayno's sad tale, but something--instinct, perhaps--had cautioned him to hold back on that little revelation.

After the happy news that 'Lord Vulcanus' might actually have a conscience, the beaten and worn locals had split their separate ways to take care of their own and had not been very forthcoming. They didn't ask what business these strangers had in the area. They didn't question Luke's strong resemblance to Vulcanus. They didn't ask for any help or offer any ideas on how to defeat the Sith Lords--in fact they very much acted like they were afraid even mere talk of freeing themselves from tyranny would bring the wrath of a thousand gods down upon them. They just left. They were far too busy picking up the pieces of their shattered lives to concern themselves with things like that.

Not that either Skywalker blamed them. They'd just been through a living Hell--who could blame them for wanting to take care of their wounded and scrounge for food and supplies as opposed to siding up with a pair of rebels who hadn't even known anything about their plight prior to half an hour ago? From their point of view it probably seemed like a suicidal fool's errand to try and change things, even for the better.

Anakin shook his head, keeping his steely gaze locked firmly on the path ahead. " No. It would have just gotten their hopes up. This isn't our battle. Even if it were, we'd lose."

Luke snorted. " You sound like that hot-headed Telsepian."

" He did have a point, Luke." Anakin tossed his son a this-is-hopeless look, " Maybe we just oughta…you know, do what we came here to do."

" And just leave these people to suffer? " Luke countered, disgusted at the thought. Alternate universe or no, Jedi just didn't abandon those in need of their help like that. " We have to do something! "

" Alright, fine." Anakin agreed sardonically, " While you're getting Jabberwocked, I'll be getting the Cindray. It was nice knowing you." He turned his attention back on the road, as if all were settled.

Luke wasn't convinced. " Oh? Going to storm the place, are you? And what will you do when Darth Vader finds you? "

Anakin felt his blood turn to ice. He hadn't considered that. " Um…talk him into letting me have it? " He offered lamely. Ok, so maybe his plan wasn't perfect. Luke didn't need to go pointing it out

" I rest my case."

" Yeah, well what's your plan? Get these people killed instead of rescue your friends and save our realities? No wonder your father was so disappointed in you. You haven't even been born yet in my reality, and already I'm disappointed in you."

" Oh you're disappointed in me? " Luke threw back with equal passion, " Let's talk about Darth Vader, shall we? And I don't mean the one that co-rules the Empire with Vulcanus." His voice took on a deep, guttural sound, like maybe he had a severe case of asthma and had been trying to cure it by gargling with gravel for the past fifty years, " Luke, I am your father. Turn to the dark side with me and we'll both be good little pets for Palpatine. It is pointless to resist. Rawr! "

" Hey! " Anakin returned somewhat indignantly, inwardly flinching at yet another reference to his future self, " I didn't sound like that! " The words were out of his mouth before he even had time to think about them. Automatic defense.

" How do you know? You've never met your future self."

" Well I don't sound like that."

" Maybe not now." Luke looked away.

" What makes you think I'm still headed down that path? " Anakin's words were as much to convince himself as Luke, " You said it yourself. Maybe I'm here because I have a chance to change things." He stepped over a lifeless farming machine, " Do you honestly think that, after hearing all you've told me, I still want to turn Sith? Believe me, I am going to do everything in my power to avoid the fate you mentioned. I can resist the dark side. I can."

Luke kept his vision elsewhere. Pretended to be deeply interested in a group of scraggily children following a pair of adults inside a large nondescript building that had somehow remained intact. I shouldn't have done that. He thought sadly.

Here they were supposed to be working as a team and all he could do was bash Anakin's spirits by constantly reminding him of a bleak future that was so horrible he himself was trying to forget it. Sure, he did it in a joking, light-hearted manner--and a lot of words tended to slip out before he'd had time to think them through--but what if, deep down, it really was getting to Anakin? Neither one of them wanted that future to happen, so why was he constantly acting like it was an inescapable destiny? Maybe because I'm afraid of how different things would be if…things were different.

Anakin not turning to the dark side would change everything. Everything.

Was he prepared to deal with the possibilities?

Not now. Not at this moment.

" I really hope you can." He murmured softly in reply to Anakin's statement, his voice faint and far away.

They came to a stop near what would have been a bustling street corner had Vulcanus not decided to tear the place apart.

" Alright." Anakin kicked his foot in the sand, knocked aside a piece of charred debris that he sincerely hoped wasn't someone's limb. The action didn't relieve as much of his stress as he would've liked. " Do you have a plan? Much as I hate to admit it, I don't."

" Working on it." Luke said without much certainty, the shakiest foundations of a plan taking form in his mind, " We need to get into that base. I say we sneak in. Vader and Vulcanus can't do anything to us if they don't know we're there."

" Are you out of your mind? " Anakin struggled to keep the bite out of his voice, " Of course they're going to know we're there! Vulcanus is even expecting us! If nothing else, they'll be able to sense us through the Force."

" Well then what would you suggest? "

" A distraction would be nice. Draw them away from the lair long enough for us to make our move." Anakin thought that sounded like a good plan. Actually, anything involving Vader and Vulcanus being gone when they went after the Cindray sounded like a good plan. The guards and death traps he was sure they could handle, but if either Sith showed up they were doomed. And if these little tales of horror are anything to go by, my evil twin is a lot less understanding I am.

A hot wind blew up, carrying with it the stench of death and decay. There were still a few more hours to go before sunset would finally arrive and at last relieve the scorched land.

Is it just me, or is it hotter than usual here? The heat was starting to get to Anakin, which kinda surprised him since he'd been born and partially raised on this planet. He didn't see how his and Luke's doppelgangers could put up with living in a volcano, air-conditioning or no. They had to be hardier than banthas.

Luke traced a figure in the sand with the toe of his boot, deep in thought. " That could work…question is, how do we lure them away? And once we do, how do we keep them away? I mean, based on what we've been hearing, our Sith doubles are the top bosses around here, and they have the entire galaxy at their feet. A little thing pops up, they'd probably just send some lackies in to handle it. It's going to take something pretty major to draw both of them out of the lair."

" Unless they're bored." Anakin observed, leaning back against the one good wall of a destroyed building. It was always a possibility.

Luke went over to a large pile of rubble and collapsed in the deepest part of the shade--right where the two shadows cast by the double suns overlapped.

This wasn't looking good. They needed a sturdy, solid plan: one that didn't rely heavily on Vader and Vulcanus being bored and one with at least some degree of backup should things start getting hairy.

His sister and friends were out there somewhere--probably the volcano base--enduring lord only knew what. While it seemed unlikely that Darth Vulcanus would hurt them, they were still being held somewhere against their will. How would they cope?

He mulled the situation over in his head.

Leia was a clever girl, and by now knew that the Luke that had her wasn't her brother; assuming Vulcanus hadn't told her outright. She was as intelligent as she was defiant--a true rebel down to the core. She would never put up with Vulcanus's flak. Once she learned what was going on she would defy him to the end.

Han, on the other hand, was a rebellious, quick-witted, and sharp-tongued ex-smuggler who could at times be selfish but always came through in the end. He'd saved Luke's life back on Hoth--for which Luke would always be grateful--and he'd played an instrumental role in the fall of the Empire. If there was anyone who could make the most out of a sticky situation, it was him.

Then there was Chewbacca, who was, well, Chewbacca. He was an intelligent and loyal companion who would gladly lay down his life for a friend.

Whatever Vulcanus had planned for the trio, you could bet that they would weather the storm and hold on to the last.

But just what did Vulcanus want with those three? Had he kidnapped them for a specific reason, or just because he could? Did he know that Leia was his sister? Did this Luke even know that he had a sister?

The volume of unanswered questions kept steadily piling up.

If Vulcanus knew who Leia was, the whole group would be much safer.

If he didn't…well…Luke didn't want to travel down that path. Didn't want to think about what this twisted, cold-hearted version of him might do to his friends if they happened to anger him.

And Vader…deep worms, he'd almost forgotten about Vader!

Without even consciously realizing it, Luke broke out into a sweat and turned a shade paler than normal.

Here was the real danger, the single thing most likely to lead to the others' deaths.

The Darth Vader in this reality was the definition of evil: the fact that he murdered kids where even Vulcanus wouldn't said a great deal about his morality. Anyone who could do that would surely have no problem putting down anyone who so much as burped wrong.

Assuming Vader knew who Leia was, she might be at least reasonably safe, since, obviously, if Vader had been in the habit of killing his own kids he would never have allowed Vulcanus to grow up. But what reason would Vader have to care about Han and Chewie? If he wouldn't listen to his own son, why would he listen to the pleas of another universe's Leia should he decide to eliminate them?

'They're in good hands.' Sure, Vulc. You keep telling yourself that. I wish I had as much faith as you.

Then again, Luke imagined he'd feel pretty confident too if he could Jabberwock.

" Luke? You alright? "

Luke almost jumped. Whipping his head sharply to the left, he startled Anakin, who had silently slipped over to join him and was now sitting at his side with his back against the wall of rubble and his knees hunched up.

" Oh. Sorry. Didn't hear you come up." Luke frowned, and Anakin could read the anxiety in his not-so-hopeful blue eyes.

Being pessimistic himself, he could relate. " Seems pretty hopeless, doesn't it? " He let out a weary sigh.

Luke shook his head and reached down to pick up a small pebble. " Nothing's ever hopeless." He said in possibly the gloomiest tone imaginable.

Anakin gave him a funny look. " Are you sure? Because you don't sound--or look--as if you believe that." Now it was his turn to frown. " You really don't have a plan, do you? "

Luke fingered the pebble absently out of nervous habit. " Beyond King Kid Killer and the Prince of Darkness being away before we infiltrate their volcano? No. It's a nice start, but it needs work. I still can't imagine what would draw their interest enough to personally investigate and stay gone for the amount of time it's going to take us."

Anakin shrugged. " Maybe we could divide our efforts. One of us creates a distraction elsewhere while the other tackles the volcano."

" But Rajad said to stick together," Luke reminded his young father, " she chose you to accompany me for a reason. She seemed pretty adamant about us not getting separated." He reached up and lightly massaged his aching temple with two fingers. " Besides, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to face my doppelganger alone, much less both our doppelgangers alone. Not to sound all pessimistic here, but we don't even know that this idea will work. I mean, something as important as the Cindray--they're not just going to walk off and leave it unguarded where anyone can get it, especially if they know we want it. They probably don't even trust their most loyal troops around it. It's small and portable--maybe one of them keeps it with him at all times."

Anakin felt his spirits sink even farther down the metaphorical toilet. " I hate to point this out, but if that's the case what are we going to do about it? "

Luke shook his head and threw the pebble he'd been playing with at the remains of a home. " I don't know. I just…don't." This little trip through space-time was turning out to be harder than he ever could have imagined.

Again, his gaze swept the ruined city, searching for…what? Signs of hope? Answers? Those were in lacking supply.

All around them the living were mourning their losses; preparing the dearly deceased for burial, or cremation, or however they chose to lay them to rest. For the most part, they were ignoring Luke and Anakin. Every once in a while a nervous eye would twitch their way, but that was the extent of it.

Alarming how many bodies had nasty burns. Apparently Vader wasn't the only Sith in these parts that could throw fire. Sad.

" Anakin, can I ask you a question? "

Anakin didn't know why, but something about the way Luke asked that made him feel a little better about this whole mess. For the first time since arriving in this warped universe, the ghost of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. " Sure, Son."

Luke blinked in surprise; this was the first time an Anakin not wearing a black body suite had called him 'Son'. Lifting his chin, he met Anakin's gaze. " You just called me 'Son'."

Anakin waved it aside as if it were no big deal. " Just trying it on. Don't get used to it. Now, what were you going to ask me? "

Luke smiled faintly. Perhaps there really was hope for this Anakin. " Ok, just for the sake of pretending, pretend that you're Darth Vader. This universe's Darth Vader, and not the one I was telling you about earlier back on the better Tatooine. You're stronger than Vulcanus…"

Anakin's smile broadened. " I'm already liking this."

" …and you can do everything we heard about. But you're also very evil and will kill someone for so much as burping wrong. Now let's pretend that Vulcanus, for whatever reason, has captured three prisoners: a man, a woman, and a wookie. None of them are being very cooperative, and you are not pleased. You're thinking about killing them, but then you learn the woman is your daughter, so, naturally, you change your mind about her. The other two are really rubbing you the wrong way though. Do you go ahead and kill them? "

" Sure," Anakin answered without missing a beat, " I Jabberwock them! "

" What is your fixation with Jabberwocking? "

Anakin's smile changed into a smirk. " I just think it would be nice, that's all."

" You didn't seem to like it when Vulcanus did it."

" I don't like it thrown at me, but I'd like to be able to do it." His humor faded. " I bet the other me Jabberwocks all the time." He muttered darkly, reminding Luke of the child that always complains when it's sibling gets to do something it doesn't.

Luke let it go. He didn't have anything to say to that, and he couldn't argue that the ability to Jabberwock would be a major plus as far as succeeding in their mission went.

" So you really would kill them? " He pried, changing the subject back to Han and Chewie's imagined predicament, " I mean, even if you knew it would break your daughter's heart? "

" Hey, you said I was evil, remember? " Anakin's voice was the verbal equivalent of a shrug.

Luke started to say something in reply, and was cut off by a soft, feminine voice. " Believe me, you're nowhere near evil."

Out from behind the toppled earthen wall of the ruined building next door emerged a creature neither Skywalker had ever seen before. About the size of a jawa, it resembled a feline standing upright on it's two hind legs. From the tips of it's large triangular ears to the tip of it's extremely bushy tail it was completely covered in long, glossy white fur that shone with a golden glean in direct sunlight. Each of it's four slender limbs ended in paws with five toes; four up front, one in the back. Two sparkling black, almond-shaped eyes, a tiny pink nose, and a delicately curved mouth adorned a face that was shaped something akin to a triangle without the sharp edges.

Whatever species she was, most would agree that the newcomer was an extremely beautiful creature. Even the way she carried herself spoke of a special kind of elegance and grace that were rare to come by. Her sudden appearance made Anakin and Luke spring to their feet.

" Who are you? " The credit for asking the first question went to Anakin. He was curious about this strange new being that somehow knew enough about him to have a solid opinion on whether or not he was evil, but also skeptical. You never knew who you could trust these days.

The stranger's quiet voice was as soft as silken lace and very pleasing to the ear. " Forgive my interruption, my name is Maya." She whipped her overly-fluffy tail up in front of her nose playfully. " I'm a Senttian."

Luke brightened. " A Senttian? Then you know about the Cindray… "

"…and who we are? " Anakin finished.

The Senttian who had revealed herself as Maya took a step forward, but she needn't have bothered. Anakin and Luke were already covering the distance between them; stepping over and around the hot chunks of blasted sand, splintered wood, and twisted metal wreckage littering the area. A battered landspeeder stuck halfway out from under a huge section of crumbling wall; it's crushed, dented plating reflecting brightly in the sunlight. So brightly, in fact, that Luke had to shield his eyes. Sleek, swept-back handles jutted out feebly from the wreckage, and Anakin thought it a shame that such a fine example of desert transportation was reduced to scrap metal.

" Yes on both counts." Maya answered once her company was within comfortable conversational range. " I know all about the Cindray and what's happened to it. I also know quite a bit about you, Anakin and Luke Skywalker. You're not from this universe. Who, may I ask, sent you here? "

" A Senttian called Rajad." Luke explained readily, " She told us all about the disappearance of the Cindray, said she'd specifically chosen us to go on a mission to retrieve it. Long story short, we accepted, touched a fragment of the Cindray, and ended up here."

" Ah, Rajad." Maya's tone was laden with the utmost respect. " She's a wise mentor, much wiser than I. May I see the Cindray splinter? "

" Sure. It's power is all used up though." Luke shoved his hand into his pocket and produced the shard of Cindray he and Anakin had used to make their trip. He handed it over to Maya. For a creature with paws instead of hands, her digits were surprisingly dexterous. She had no problem keeping the slim slice of crystal from slipping out of her grasp.

Maya studied the item for a bit; it's washed-out, pink image reflecting in both eyes. Then she fixed her sights back on the two young Jedi standing before her. " The situation is indeed critical, my friends. Two years ago I used the crystal to travel to this universe, but since I planned on staying more than a few days I took a companion and had him travel back to our own reality, as is the procedure for extended stays. He was supposed to come back and retrieve me a month ago, but he never did. That's when I discovered that the crystal had fallen into dangerous hands. As you may have figured out, Vulcanus and Vader have the Cindray, and they will not part with it voluntarily."

" Then they will have to do it involuntarily." Anakin proclaimed boldly, sounding a heck of a lot braver than he felt.

Maya shook her head sadly. " You have much spirit, young one, but spirit alone will not defeat your Sith counterparts. I can help you with some information, but first I must know exactly who it is I'm speaking to. I'm sure Rajad has already explained that we Senttians are an inquisitive species, eager to learn and observe. As individuals, we travel afar, searching for the answers to age-old questions and studying that which fascinates us. Whenever we get together, we share our findings and engage in philosophical conversations." She paused, let that sink in.

When neither Skywalker appeared lost or offered any comment, she continued. " As it just so happens, my field of expertise is the Skywalker family, especially you two. I've been captivated by them ever since I first came upon Anakin as a Jedi Knight and witnessed Luke and his rebel friends defeat the Empire. From that point on, I studied them with a keen passion, traveling back and forth and even sideways in time. So far, I've observed and recorded the Anakins and Lukes of four different universes, this one included. I know there are tons more out there, but my goal to catalog and chronicle as many as I can is still in it's preliminary stages. If you can both tell me a bit about yourselves, I'll better know what advice to give you"

" Where do I start? " Anakin sounded almost exhausted, " All I know for sure is that I'm from his past…" he inclined his head towards Luke, " and that I'm nowhere near as evil or powerful as this universe's Darth Vader. Oh, and I really hate Darth Vulcanus."

" Me too." Luke murmered quietly.

Maya gave the pair a sympathetic nod. " Ok, Anakin. Before you got tangled up in this mess, what were the most major recent events that happened to you? "

Anakin frowned. " My mother died, and I was fighting Count Dooku when suddenly, just as I was getting the better of him, poof! I'm talking to Luke in the future." Alright, so he hadn't been getting the best of Dooku, but being trounced by an AU version of his own son was embarrassing enough. Maya didn't need to know all the little specifics, now did she?

" How would you describe your relationship with Palpatine? "

Anakin's head jerked back in surprise at the unexpected question. He gave Maya an odd look. " My….relationship…with Palpatine? " He repeated slowly, not quite sure he'd heard right.

" Yes."

" Well it's…fine." An uneasy feeling settled over him like a dark cloud, " I mean, I don't love him or anything, but he's a good friend."

" Careful who you call a friend. " Luke warned, but said nothing more.

Anakin looked away.

Maya closed her paw over the Cindray shard, and when she opened it a fraction of an instant later it was gone. Shifting those ever-inquisitive eyes back to Anakin, she pried deeper. " Anakin? What has Luke told you about the future? "

" Quite a bit." Anakin admitted grimly, that heavy feeling of melancholy he always got when imagining Luke's morbid future weighing down on him like a ton of bricks, " I know that I turn to the Dark Side and kill Obi-Wan, that I become Darth Vader, and that I die right after turning back to the light. I also know that Padmé dies and that I apparently never even got to see my kids until after they were already grown up, and only then because they were part of the rebellion, which I was trying to destroy…"

" You cut off my hand," Luke interrupted, holding his right hand up into the air and pulling his sleeve down just enough to reveal the faint pinkish scar encircling his wrist. Rather than serious or resentful, his tone was actually a cheerful contrast to the situation. " Don't leave that out--story just wouldn't have the same punch."

Anakin smiled in spite of himself. " Hey, I'm sure you had it coming." He teased, then turned his attention back to Maya. " I think that's everything." He raised a questioning eyebrow at Luke. " Isn't it? "

" Not unless you want to hear about my less-than-glorifying trip through the trash compactor. Or how I nearly froze to death on Hoth. Or how you tried to freeze me in carbonite."

Maya snickered softly, obsidian eyes glittering with amusement. " Alright, now I definitely know who I'm dealing with!" She nodded her head gently towards Anakin, " Padawan Anakin." The gesture was cloned for Luke, " I Will Not Fight You Luke."

" Hey! " Luke's protest was in good humor, " ' I Will Not Fight You ' Luke? What's that supposed to mean? "

" Means you don't fight." Anakin chuckled, happy for the chance to have something to laugh at.

Luke's face was a comical mix of surprise and confusion. " That's ridiculous, of course I…" He paused, his accusing eyes narrowing on Maya, " You know our universe, don't you? It's one of the ones you studied."

Maya smiled--an odd feature to see on a creature with a crooked mouth that so strongly resembled a feline's. " Indeed it is." Whereas her tone had been something very close to somber before, it now took on a lighter, happier note, " When one travels to other universes, it helps if one doesn't confuse a person with their AU doppelganger. So that I know who I'm talking about when I record my observations, I tag whichever version of the person I happen to be studying at the time with a sort of 'nickname' to help me remember them. That way I can compare and contrast that version with other versions freely and without confusion." She shifted a guilty look to Luke, " Sorry, but that incident where you wouldn't fight your father back on the second Death Star kinda stuck with me. I thought it was the perfect description of your character."

" What, the other mes all fight? " Luke laughed, though he knew the idea wasn't so far-fetched.

Maya was thoughtful. " Actually, all the ones I've seen so far have. I've even heard Vulcanus say he'd fight to the death. Granted, that was for the last Sedda-muffin at a popular diner, but he's definitely more violent than you."

" The last Sedda-muffin? " Anakin echoed.

" Yes. He and Vader both put their hands on it at the same time. There was a brief argument, then Vader tricked Vulcanus into looking the other way while he snatched the muffin. You see, there was a sign by the door that read 'Shoes are required to eat in this establishment.' Vulcanus couldn't control his urge to go up and scribble' Socks can eat wherever they want' beneath it."

Both Skywalkers and Maya had a good laugh at that.

A few passerby gave them an odd stare before continuing on their way.

" This is crazy," Anakin shook his head, his grin threatening to burst into another chuckle at any moment, " As Sith, Luke and I fight over muffins? "

" Among other things." Maya said, but now her smile faded.

Luke felt much of his own humor die away as he followed the Senttian's gaze off to the side where a distraught and dispossessed family were combing through the remnants of their former home. His voice became serious. " I don't understand, Maya. If Vulcanus is merely a twisted version of me, how could he do something like this? I could never…"

" Of course you couldn't," Maya agreed even before he had a chance to finish, " that's part of what makes you you. You were raised on your aunt and uncle's moisture farm. They were kind, caring people. They taught you most of your morals, values, and other important life-lessons. You were a product of your upbringing, and you turned out good. Your sense of right and wrong and empathy for others are especially well developed.

" Now, you may not believe this, but Vulcanus isn't just a 'warped' you, he is you; it is the same soul existing simultaneously in all universes. The same applies to the relationship between Anakin and his AU doppelgangers and every soul that has ever or will ever exist. The thing that separates you both from your Sith counterparts--other than the fact that they're a lot stronger than you with the Force--is the different life experiences you've all had. In Vulcanus's case, he was raised exclusively by Vader from the age of four. For this reason, he lacks many of the ethics and valuable lessons this Luke learned from his uncle and aunt. Vader never taught them to him.

"Instead, Vader taught Vulcanus that might is right, even when it's wrong. He was taught that it was okay to kill anyone he didn't like. He was taught that he and Vader were the all-powerful lords of the galaxy, and that virtually every other living creature was not only inferior, unfeeling, and undeserving of sympathy, but also meaningless. As a child he was constantly told that he was better than everyone else and spoiled beyond belief.

"As a result of all these influences Vulcanus grew up to be very arrogant and sure of himself. He knows no humility. He's used to getting everything he wants and winning every challenge he faces. His worldviews are so warped that he doesn't really understand the concepts of 'good' and 'evil'. To him they are just meaningless adjectives people slap on things to try and confuse him. Had he been raised on the farm exactly as you were, Luke, he would've literally been another you, only more powerful."

Anakin snorted. " Why is it our Sith counterparts are so much stronger than us? I know Vader's a lot older than me, and if Vulcanus was trained by him then it would make sense for him to be stronger than Luke, but from everything I've seen and heard these guys are more powerful than me, Luke, Obi-Wan, and the entire Jedi Council all put together. How did that happen? "

Maya turned and headed towards a short, squat building; one of the few that had managed to survive Vulcanus's wrath. Perhaps it's proximity to the ground had made it less of a target than it's taller cousins. It was a comfy little pub that had no doubt seen shiploads of onworlders and offworlders alike cross it's sandy threshold. " Come. Let us get out of this heat, and I will explain."

Anakin and Luke were only too happy to comply.