CHAPTER 10
VADER
In the pre-dawn light, Luke stirred. Before waking completely, he was aware of a feeling of happiness and well-being that filled him in a way he had not known before. Unconsciously his arms tightened and he became aware of the warm yielding body he held against his chest.
He opened his eyes to find Amethyst's bright lavender eyes watching him. He smiled.
"Good morning."
She returned his smile and gave him a brief kiss of greeting.
"Now this is how every morning should begin. I think we will have to be married very soon." His arms drew her closer to him and they exchanged a kiss that began softly but soon took on the passion that had been building between them since the prison.
He pulled away slightly. "If I don't go now," he said in an unsteady voice, "I'll not be able to leave."
Her answer was to press her body against him and draw his head down so she could kiss him again.
"Are you sure you understand what you're doing?" he questioned, his lips buried in the hollow of her shoulder.
He raised his head and looked into her face. Her passion was so plainly visible in her eyes that he realized that she must be seeing the same thing in his.
For a long time, as the dawn made the room lighter and lighter, Luke and Amethyst explored each others body, using all of their senses to learn what they had longed to know since they had first seen each other.
Finally, he shifted so he could enter her. Abruptly he pulled back. An unusual mixture of feelings that included pain and fear reached him, through the Force, from her. Her eyes flew open in surprise as he pulled away from her. He studied her face, looking for a clue to the strange jumble of feelings he was experiencing. Suddenly he smiled and he comprehended everything.
He stroked her cheek. "We don't have to do this now," he whispered.
Her answer was a smile that assured him of her love and desire. He kissed her again and felt her relax in his embrace. Seductively he again began to arouse her to the heightened emotions they had previous known.
His hands moved to support her hips and he entered her again, firmly, gently – completely. Through the Force he felt the uneasiness she felt facing the unknown, the slight pain his entrance caused and the sensation of ecstasy his total penetration produced. Through the Force, she knew the love he was feeling for her, his enjoyment of her body and his intense desire to initiate her to the pleasures of physical love.
He held back his own release until he felt all of her apprehensions and anxieties dissolve into a climax of passion so violent she could only cling to him in absolute abandonment. Their final moment was so all-encompassing that afterwards, they could simply hold each other, breathing in deep, ragged breaths.
He had made love to women before and enjoyed it physically. There had even been Callista with whom he felt a deep emotional bond. But there had never been a woman who fulfilled his emotional and physical desires as well as engendering a strong spiritual response from him through the Force. As planet dawn broke, he cradled her gently against him, feeling a peace that he had never known.
"I'm sorry, sir," the young ensign newly assigned to Luke's staff said to Han. "I have not seen the Star Marshall yet today."
"It's noon!"
"I am aware of that, sir."
"Do you have any idea where he is?"
"No, sir."
Han looked at the young ensign with suspicion. "Would you tell me if you did?"
The young man opened his mouth to answer.
"If he'd told you not to?" Han added.
A slow smile forced itself onto the ensign's face. "No, sir."
Han grinned at him. "That's what I thought!"
"Honestly, sir, I have no idea. I'd expected him in this morning as usual but I haven't heard from him all day."
"Aren't you concerned about where he is?"
The ensign shook his head. "I checked to make sure that he hadn't left the base. We're not at war. I assume he had something else come up." He paused a moment. "Would you like to leave a message if I hear from him?"
"No, I'll find him," Han said with a wave as he went out the door.
Han went down the hallway and up the staircase. He hesitated at the top of the stairs trying to decide whether to go to his own suite or to Luke's. He decided to go see if Leia knew where Luke had gone.
Leia and the kids were in the living room. Anakin was on Leia's lap reading one of his books to her. Jana and Jason sat on the floor with their heads together on a project of their own. Han stopped to look over their shoulders a moment, decided he had no idea what they were scheming and went to sit on the sofa beside Leia and Anakin.
"Hi, buddy," he said as he ruffled the baby's hair. "What are you reading to mommy?"
"How Uncle Luke killed Grandpa."
"Nice stuff, honey," he said drolly to Leia.
"What are you doing here at this time of day?" she asked.
"I was looking for Luke but his ensign trainee hasn't seen him all day and I don't know where Hodges is. Do you have any idea what he's up to?"
She paused a moment as if concentrating.
"Uncle Luke is really happy," Jason said.
"Almost more than happy," Jana added.
Leia smiled at the twins.
"What does that mean?" Han asked.
"I'm not sure," Leia admitted, "but they're right. He's close, and he's happy. I don't feel anything bothering him. Maybe he just took a day off."
"Luke?" Han asked incredulously. "The last of the good time boys?"
Leia chuckled. "Just because he doesn't consider recreation to be a major aspect of life – like some people of my acquaintance –"
Han rewarded her jibe with an exaggerated look of injured pride.
"... that doesn't mean," she continued, "that he can't relax once in a while."
"Okay, well, I'd better see if I can find him."
Leia studied Han for a moment. "What is it, Han? Has something happened?"
"No, of course not," he announced. "I'm in charge of this base. What could possibly go wrong?" he blustered as he noticed that the children were watching their parents. "I'll tell you what," he continued, "let's take the kids back to Winter then you and I'll go down to see what brother Luke is up to."
Leia hesitated a fraction of a second, just enough for the kids to realize that they were being excluded from an adult thing that could potentially be exciting.
"We want to go see Uncle Luke!" Jana exclaimed.
"Yes, we do," Jason clamored.
"Uncle Luke, Uncle Luke!" Anakin chimed in.
Leia smiled at Han. "Is there any reason why we can't take them with us?"
"Well ..." Han drawled slowly.
"Yeah!!" the children all yelled.
Luke set up suddenly. Amethyst looked at him dreamily, a question on her face.
"Get dressed," he said rising from the bed.
She grabbed his hand, smiled at him as he turned back toward her and shook her head.
With a laugh, Luke jumped back on the bed beside her, took her in his arms and kissed her deeply.
"Yes," he insisted as he stood up again. "Leia and the kids are on their way here." He laughed at her expression. "They'll love you. Just get dressed."
Amethyst hesitantly opened the door and looked into the living area. Han and Leia were sitting on the sofa watching Luke who was on the floor wrestling with all three of the children. Someone kicked one of the tables and the lamp and the statue that sat on top of the end table went sailing into the air as it toppled. Suddenly all three pieces froze in mid-air. The four wrestlers stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the three room accessories as they hung above the floor.
"I've got the lamp," Luke said. "Who has the table?"
"We do," Jason answered for the twins.
"Put it back," he instructed.
Using the Force, the twins slowly returned the table to its correct position.
"Now put the statue back," he told the littlest Jedi.
Slowly, and just a bit wobbly, the statue returned to its correct position. Then Luke caused the lamp to settle beside it. He turned back to look at the kids.
"And now, there's someone I want you to meet," he said standing up.
The kids turned to look at Amethyst as she stood in the doorway between the two areas. Luke held out his hand to her and led her over to a large chair. She sat down and Luke perched on the arm beside her.
"Kids, this is Amethyst. She's going to be your Aunt." He waited a moment for the kids to get up on their feet and stand in front of the chair. "Amethyst, these are the twins, Jason and Jana. And this is my father's name sake, Anakin."
Amethyst stared at the little boy and then turned frightened eyes toward Luke.
"Why is the pretty lady thinking about Grandpa?" Anakin asked.
Amethyst surged to her feet and backed away from the child as if he were a dangerous creature.
"Amethyst, what's the problem?" Luke asked as he started toward her.
She pulled away from him as he reached out to take hold of her hand.
The twins ran over to their parents and climbed up onto their laps as if afraid.
"Why doesn't she like us?" Jason asked.
"Of course she likes you," Leia told him although Han could hear the uncertainty in her voice.
"No, she doesn't!" Jana insisted emphatically.
Anakin placed his little hand into his uncle's hand, as if for reassurance.
Amethyst stared at the family, her face becoming paler and paler. She sagged against the door jam as her legs weakened. Luke took a step towards her. With a cry of terror, she fell backwards into the sleeping area, slamming the door shut behind her.
Everyone in the living area stared at each other. The children, who were use to everyone making over them, were stunned by someone who didn't like them – who actually seemed to fear them. The adults were shocked into silence.
Finally, picking Jana up in his arms, Han stood up from the couch. "Well, that was interesting. I think I'll take these dangerous creatures back to their nanny. I assume you two would like to talk." He took Jason's hand and helped him off his mother's lap. "Take Anakin's hand," he instructed as he walked past Luke. "I'll be back to talk to you about what we came for," he told Luke, "as soon as I get the kids settled."
Luke gave each of the kids a kiss on the cheek and smiled at them. "Don't be upset, kids," he told them. "Amethyst has been through a lot. I don't know why she reacted the way she did."
"She did what she did because she hates ..." Jason stopped as Jana leaned down to touch the top of his head.
"No, Jana, I want to know. Tell me, honey," Luke encouraged her.
She put her forefinger in her mouth a moment and looked from her uncle to her mother. Leia nodded. Jana looked back at Luke and removed her finger.
She spoke softly. "She hates you."
Luke looked stricken. "Why? Do you know why?" His voice was hoarse and his throat sounded dry.
She looked at her twin.
"It's something about Grandpa," Jason continued for the little girl.
"When she looked at you just before she left the room," Jana stated, suddenly sounding very adult, "she didn't see you."
"I'm sorry, Jana. I don't understand," Luke said after thinking a moment.
"She saw you dressed like Grandpa," Jason said flatly as he turned and lead his little brother and his father from the room.
Luke stood staring at Leia as she sat on the sofa. For a long time neither one of the older twins spoke.
"What are you thinking?" she asked hesitantly.
He gave her a sad smile. "Actually, right this second, I was thinking how I wish you and I had been able to grow up together like Jana and Jason."
She went to Luke and put her arms around him. They stood holding each other for a long time. Then Leia took a step back and looked up at Luke.
"What about Amethyst?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I don't know. She seemed to know all about me – she even knew my name. I had no idea that she might not know ... everything."
"What are you going to do?"
He shrugged. "I've ..."
There was a knock on the front door of the suite. Luke smiled at her as he opened the door.
"I've summoned Ralph," he continued as he revealed Dr. Brenner standing in the hallway.
"What happened?" Ralph asked as he came into the suite.
"I'm not sure really," Luke confessed. "It appears that Amethyst didn't realize who my father was – and just found out."
"Where is she?"
"She's in the sleeping area," Leia told him. "I don't think she'll let you in this way. Come through by the balcony," she suggested as she led Ralph through the French doors.
Luke was staring at the door of the sleeping area when Leia returned.
"Did he get in?" Luke asked.
Leia nodded. They were quiet while they waited for Ralph to emerge from the sleeping area. He looked upset when he finally opened the door.
Luke started forward. "How is she? I've got to see her. Will she see me?"
Ralph shook his head as he shut the door. "I had to knock her out completely. She's ..." He stopped and looked at Luke. "I'm sorry, Luke. She was completely hysterical. I don't know what – or how – to help her."
"What do you ... think I should do?" Luke asked.
"I really don't know, Luke. But if you can't come to some kind of understanding with her, I'll have to remove her from here."
Luke nodded in understanding. "Give me until tomorrow morning."
Ralph nodded in agreement. "Okay, but I'll be here right after breakfast. If she won't have anything to do with you, I think we'd better move her out."
Leia let Ralph out of the suite then turned to Luke.
"Can you sense anything from her? Is that why you asked the children what they felt?" she asked.
"I asked them because my senses were overpowered by one emotion."
"What was that."
"She feels that I've deceived her. That's all I am feeling from her – betrayal."
TBC
