Your Skills Are Complete
by epithree

~Entry Ten~

Luke Skywalker, the last of the Jedi Knights, turned to look at Darth Vader. He was quite surprised that Vader had joined the eerie conversation. Immediately, Luke began to replay the words of the dark lord within his head. 'It is pointless to resist, *Luke*.' The timbre of Vader's voice was stamped with absolution, and it drained Luke of much hope.

Still, Darth Vader had specifically addressed Luke, with no permission from his mighty Emperor. And the way Vader had accentuated the name 'Luke' made it all the more awkward. The boy thought hard about this. 'Why would Lord Vader reach out to me? Why would he give me advice?'

The name was spoken in a soothing fashion, and the deep resonance of Vader's stylized articulation had a calming affect upon Luke. The boy was utterly baffled. How could such a brief statement demolish hope and invoke calmness all at once? This throne room encounter had certainly become strange.

Luke thought back to his exchange with Darth Vader at the Endor bunker. The dark lord had spoken a line with similar despair in his voice. 'It is too late for me, Luke.' At the time, it was the only instance in which Luke had detected a tinge of sadness from the dark lord.

Until now.

Yes, Luke Skywalker had once again felt that raw emotion spilling from the dark lord's countenance. The boy decided that this would be an ideal time to probe the nub of Darth Vader's mind. As he reached out with the force, Luke still felt the block of impressive mental shielding. However, Luke *did* feel some information leaking through.

Something had changed in recent minutes. A substantial shift had occurred within the dark lord's psyche. He was thinking about… the past. A man. A woman. These people had abandoned him.

Empathy surged outward from Luke, for he could feel the emotion as if it belonged to him. The boy hadn't felt such despair since his vision of the lava world. He wanted the agony to stop now. Luke cleared his head as best he could, and centering himself through the force, turned his attention back to the Emperor.

Darth Vader ignored every bit of Luke's sympathy, which had flowed from the boy's consciousness like a steady river.

Now Luke focused upon his disdain for Palpatine once again. The Emperor was suspiciously eyeing his apprentice from behind his drooping hood. Apparently, Palpatine had become aware of Vader's strange behavior. He tugged the invisible leash connecting his hand to Vader's neck. Then, feeling the pull of the force-tug, Darth Vader allowed the dark side to consume him again, satiating his Emperor.

Pleased by Vader's compliance, the Emperor now stared at young Luke with intense scorn. Then, the gleeful smirk returned to his spoiled face as he prepared to speak. Luke remained stoic and expected Palpatine's next statement to be disturbing. The boy was right.

"Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design." The Emperor could feel what was left of Luke's hope slowly being crushed. He relished the sensation by opening his grotesque mouth. Palpatine looked like he was about to drink finely aged ale. Truly he savored every moment of Luke's desolation.

Suppressing a burning hatred for the wretched man before him, Luke thought about his last mentor, Jedi Master Yoda. The wise Dagobah inhabitant had told the boy much about Palpatine. One particular fact was striking a chord with Luke. He remembered that the Emperor was a strategic genius. Yoda had told the boy that Palpatine was responsible for the Clone Wars, orchestrating the three-year conflict from behind the scenes. Could he be at it again? Shocked, Luke could feel the stinging truth of the Emperor's statement.

The boy knew where this was going.

Sure enough, Palpatine walked over to the circular mosaic of transparisteel viewports behind his empty throne. He pointed at the gleaming blue-green orb that was Endor. The forest world dominated the view from the cavernous throne room. Luke somehow knew what the Emperor was going to explain, so he looked off to the distant backdrop of stars. Gazing at Endor itself would be too painful.

Palpatine could feel Luke's hatred as he proceeded to elucidate. "Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon are walking into a trap."

Luke's mind reeled. He thought about the droids. Then Han and Chewie. Then… Leia.

Yes, Leia.

If only he could talk to her again. She didn't understand why he felt such empathy for Darth Vader.

Luke was so consumed by his own thoughts that he barely heard Palpatine's next line.

"As is your Rebel fleet!" The Emperor turned from Endor back to Luke. His glorious delight, accentuated by a creepy grin, was enough to make the boy nauseous. Palpatine would savor every last drop of his despicable concoction.

Now Luke mused about Wedge and Lando.

The Emperor continued to explicate the situation. "It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator." Palpatine spoke each word like a true artist. He could not restrain his satisfaction.

'No,' Luke thought. 'This can't be.' The words played in his mind, but he knew the horrible truth. All of the knowledge that Yoda had bestowed upon him rang true. Now he wished that he'd never learned about the Emperor's deceitful ways, for if he didn't *believe* Palpatine, then at least he would be more hopeful.

Luke's despondency just fueled Palpatine's glee. The speech continued.

"It is quite safe from your pitiful little band." The last three words were spat out with condescension.

This was misery, and Luke's hope was nearly extinguished. The last of the Jedi was broken. There was no way to help, or even warn his friends. Unless… unless he could somehow contact Leia. He had done so at Bespin, but the circumstances were quite different. If he wanted to make the attempt, then it would have to wait. Right now, the Emperor was finishing his oration.

"An entire legion of my best troops awaits them." Palpatine's conclusive statement charged the intensity of Luke's burning hatred. All was proceeding as the Emperor had foreseen.

Luke was struggling mentally, but he would not give in to the Emperor. He had to regain control, so he turned to the wisdom of Obi-Wan. 'Use the force,' Luke reminded himself. That's all he needed to remember.

Suddenly, the teachings of Yoda came to mind. He had taught Luke to always leave strength in reserve, and now the boy would utilize it.

Luke mustered up some energy by restating his vow. 'I shall not become a Sith!' The light side of the force had wrapped itself around the boy, telling him what to do next.

Allowing the force to guide him, Luke was surprised by his next move. He looked straight at Darth Vader, reaching out to the dark lord with his last glimmer of hope.

His breathing ominous, Darth Vader did not return Luke's glare. However, the dark lord actually sent the boy a telepathic message.

Luke was stunned. Darth Vader had not communicated with him in this way since the escape from Bespin. 'Take your weapon.' The suggestion was clear in Luke's mind, and it was accompanied by a mental image. Luke saw a vision of his newly constructed lightsaber.

The boy had nearly forgotten about his weapon. It was still possessed by the Emperor, so Luke didn't believe that reclaiming the device was an option.

Was Darth Vader suggesting that he pull the weapon from Palpatine's grasp?

'No,' Luke decided. 'That couldn't be it.'

Perhaps it was all a ploy cooked up by Palpatine. There was no way that Luke could trust the dark lord. Besides, the boy's telekinetic powers might not be strong enough.

Luke risked a glance at his weapon, and Vader took notice. The Emperor was holding it tightly with his gnarled hand. Then, Darth Vader also looked at the saber, and Luke noticed.

Both Luke and Vader were sure to make their glimpses brief. Palpatine was oblivious, for he continued to pontificate.

"Oh… I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive." Using a tone that mocked young Luke, the Emperor spoke the words slowly.

Luke and Vader both glued their eyes to Palpatine as a long, uncomfortable silence began.

~tbc