Anakin's Fear

The meal was wonderful, Anakin licked the last of it off his lips. And the facility caught fire, he smelled smoke and he began doing what Anakin Skywalker was born to do he began rescuing people, Until he saw the huge flames. And he was frozen. The nurse in his arms scrambled to the exit but Anakin was frozen in fear, the memories of Mustafar coming up to engulf him. Obi-Wan saw him freeze and he saw the fear in Anakin's eyes, fear he hadn't seen since Anakin was a child. Anakin was much taller than he was, but with the help of the Force he pushed him out the door. Padme thew her arms around him, but he didn't respond.

"Ani," she whispered but all that happened was he sank to his knees and continued staring. Obi-Wan shook him.

"Anakin, snap out of this. Everything's fine." Suddenly, he blinked rapidly and looked at his limbs.

"What happened?"

"It was the fire. It was just like Mustafar," he mumbled starting to calm down,"I must get back, Piett may be in danger, I won't allow him to take the fall."

Anakin and Padme boarded the starship, much to Anakin's displeasure. Soon they were back and Padme helped Anakin back into the horrid suit.

"Fimus, you need to get away," Padme told him, "You need to tell the men they will be on vacation."

"Yes, milady." Anakin prepared reports for the Emperor, he signed off on their vacation, however suspicious it looked and was contacted by the Emperor.

"Vader," came the cool voice.

Anakin was already back in his suit and in his kneeling position. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I believe that an attack on the Death Star is imminent."

"Then why are the 501st being reassigned?"

"For their protection, my master."

"For...their...protection," the Emperor repeated slowly. "I want them there to protect my project."

"With all due respect, my Master, these are my mine. I will not have them sacrificed."

"You dare defy me."

"Of course not, Master. You surround me with imbeciles and I will not go through and train new men. You have given me command of the Military while you rule from Imperial Center, I only ask that you allow me to do the job you assigned me. You are a skilled position, I am a military tactician. I know that an attack is imminent and I will not lose our best men," his voice raised as he slammed his hand on the ground."

"Do you dare defy me?"

"Of course not, you are the master, I am merely the apprentice."

"You may rise, my friend." This time, Anakin was ready for him, he reached out into the Force and ignited his crimson lightsaber, deflecting the electricity.

"You dare defy me! Do you wish to become the master?"

"I am not ready...yet," he allowed the darkness to creep into his voice, as he tightened his mental shields, while allowing his darker thoughts to be gently probed by the Emperor, satisfied he wouldn't reach further.

"But soon, you will overthrow me?"

"As you did your master."

"I sense something different about you, my friend."

"My newest paramour has been on my mind as of late," Anakin admitted, "she is pleasing to me," he stated slowly, "She is only a distraction, my master."

"I have no use of such distractions."

"She was recently apart of the Rebel Alliance. It is how I become aware of the Rebel attack."

"Very well, Lord Vader. We shall see each other soon. I demand your present on Imperial Center. You will attend with me, you will give a speech on how our military stands against the pitiful Rebellion."

"As you wish. I will set a course immediately," he replied. The connection was cut off and Anakin sighed as he took off the mask, it was as if the suit was perpetuated in darkness, as if it seeped through the suit and into his skin, if it wasn't for Padme...he didn't want to think where he would be, or what he would be, he would be that monster. And he didn't want that. He didn't want his children to know him as that monster, yet, he would never lie to them. If they asked him he would tell them. He sighed as his wife gave the signal and he was alerted to a attack on the Death Star. "So it begins," he stated slipping the suit back on as he nodded to his wife and two of his pilots and he led his wife to his personal fighter. "This is where the fun begins," he stated with a smile after switching off the vocabulator he no longer needed. He closed his eyes and searched for the Force presences, and he felt them like two burning stars he felt them, the force presences so similar to his own. He could feel Luke, his son, his bright star shooting through space, the excitement rushing through his veins, the slight twinge of fear at this being his first major attack against the enemy, his nervousness of possibility capturing Lord Vader, a chuckle emitted from the Dark Lord, and Luke was confused but he shook his head and concentrated, wondering why security was lax. He switched on the vocabulator.

"I suggest you evacuate the Death Star," Anakin stated, giving him one word of warning.

"At our moment of triumph, no thank you. Don't be absurd."

"As you wish," he stated, cutting the connection, he felt sorry for the soldiers Tarkin was sentencing to death, but he had done all he could. He waited and made himself a good target as Luke aimed and took him out. He crash landed to the world of Vjun and surveyed his ship. He hated that he had to keep the suit on as he waited for Luke to capture him. He began surveying the damage. Looked like the right wing had clipped a few trees. He helped his wife out, and teased her. "Sure you wouldn't rather hold me captive. I will submit to your every wish, you every demand, you every desire."

"Ani, not here. We are waiting for Luke. After what seemed like forever Luke and five Rebel officers came upon them.

"I am Commander Skywalker, with the Rebel Alliance, and you are under arrest for indignities against the Galaxy."

"I've been accused of worse," he stated, wiping the grease off his hands.

"I am prepared to fight you," he stated, holding the blaster steady. "One wrong move and I'll..."

"Even the Empire gives its prisoners a chance to surrender, son."

"I'm not your son."

"Indeed."

"Are you saying that you are willing to surrender."

"I will surrender to you. Do you have your orders? Do you know where you are carrying me?"

"Yes, sir, I have my orders."

"Then let's get on with it."

"Padme, are you alright?"

"This man would never hurt me," she stated, slightly offended. She watched as Luke stood behind his father with a blaster pointed to the back of his head.

"Son," Anakin spoke again, "When you arrest a prisoner, you should compensate their weapons or..." his lightsaber sprang easily to his hand as he sliced Luke's blaster in half. In half an instant, Luke's lightsaber, or rather Anakin's old lightsaber sprang to his hands. Anakin considered re-surrendering but his curiosity won out, he engaged in a lighsaber battle with his son as he deflected the Rebels clumsy blasts away from both him and his son. "Why have you not made your own lightsaber?"

"I don't need it. I have my father's."

"Indeed. However, son, you do need your own. If the original owner return he could easily have your lightsaber. A Jedi's relationship to his lightsaber is like no other. You are not a Jedi yet."

"And you ceased to be one long ago," Luke replied, anger flashing in his blue eyes, so like his own. Anakin felt a warning from the Force, and deflecting a blaster blow off-aimed at his son's heart his sliced through Luke's wrist. Sithspit, he cursed internally, he reached out for Luke who back away from him.

"Obi-Wan never told you about your father."

"He told me enough. He told me you destroyed him."

"No, I am your father," he stated although he hated stated it aloud, he had lowered his sheilds momentarily and allowed the words to slip through. He saw the shock on Luke's face as he shook his face back and forth.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed and Anakin reached toward the boy who was cupping his hand. Anakin turned on the incompetent Rebels.

"You have your orders, now get me to Bast Castle!" he barked and the men jumped to. He had capable med droids and a bacca tank there, he would get Luke to safety and sadly replace Luke's wrist with a mechanical one. In saving his son's life from the incompetent Rebels he had caused him to loathe him.