Really? My master had dared to show up here. My Death Star. My project. Mine. He'd joined the rebels. Of course. Lowlife son of a bantha. Bantha fodder for that matter. He had to be what? Sixty-five? I was close to forty. Forgot my life day. The real one. I was supposed to celebrate on Empire Day, for that was when Vader was truly born, but I told the Emperor I would rather celebrate my life day on a mission for the Empire. Real reason, though I would have never admitted it to anyone, was because it just didn't feel right, celebrating on Empire Day. It felt right on the 24th of Spring (but the months had all been changed since the Empire, even I didn't know my day anymore). Fighting him, fighting Obi-Wan. Why am I feeling such hesitation. Finally revenge. After twenty years of contemplating it. Suffering in this Force-cursed suit. Finally! I will bring balance to MY Force. Kill him, kill Obi-Wan...the desire for blood posessed me, much as it had on Mustafar. I didn't get it. Just a small part of me, didn't get it. Why did I want to kill him so badly. Maybe because he made me a cripple. Maybe because I deserved it. Maybe because I was fighting for my life, fighting for a beautiful princess...I couldn't remember, I didn't want to think of it oh HELL with all of it, I would fight him. End this confusion, this madness.
I ignited my lightsaber behind him. He turned. I began to walk toward him. His lightsaber lit up...blue in color. Surprise was the best technique. "I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner, now I am the master." I said my words slowly and deliberatly. I had learned to do so in my strange baretone.
"Only a master of evil, Darth..." He raised his saber to meet mine. We flung each other with Force. But he was weaker, and I wasn't my best. Each anticipated the other's movies, able to defend. Yet I sensed Obi-Wan fading. "Your powers are weak old man," I said with more confidence than I felt.
"You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."
You can't imagine, Obi-Wan! Never! Still we fought.
"You should NOT have come back." Because I had to kill him. If the Emperor found out any had escaped, this time he would kill me.
Still we were meeting each others moves, it was impossible for me to reach up far enough. He had severed my limbs, I would sever his head. Can't be unified with the Force with no head, can you, my master? But I knew I was decieving myself. My breath came short...I sensed him, who was he? The blonde haired kid....Obi-Wan looked at him, then me, and grinned??!! Now this really made no sense. My son? I DIDN'T KILL PADME? YOU TOOK MY SON?
He held his lightsaber up, and I...I can't tell you really what I was thinking, it was all a strange jumble of: You really did betray me? You saved my son! You'll fight! And I brought the sabre down across his shoulders, and he didn't drop to the floor...he disappeared...I stomped on the robe, but he was gone.
"Nooooo!" Son. My son. Mine. My own. My flesh and blood. Now I could win. A better half of me. "Come on, Luke!"
The princess was escaping. And I really didn't care. MY SON. MINE. LUKE. LUKE SKYWALKER, after the better half. I would NOT tell the Emperor about this. If he has such great Force Sense, let him find out...
Suddenly, for the first time...it had been twenty years...I was almost happy. Almost proud...almost felt hope.