A/N: Hello all; here we go again! Things have been pretty crazy this last week. About eight days ago I became an auntie! Yay! And last Monday I started a new job in a corporate office. So, since I don't get any days off next week (as I'm keeping my last job part time) I'm determined to upload a chapter before diving into more madness! LOL.
Also I got a comment from 'guest' that asked why Vader still doesn't know who Luke is. I must admit the way the comment was phrased implies to me this is really about impatience. Granted if you go by the EU universe Vader seemed to uncover it somewhere in the Star Wars comic series as they were evacuating Yavin 4 and Executor had just begun hunting them, but this is an AU. So the reason he hasn't found out yet is very simple: it's not in my storyboard to happen that way. So, please bear in mind this is AU, if it's not an AU that suits your taste, that's fine; there are over 30,000 SW fics on this site alone for you to read, but please; no more snippy comments. Those aren't reviews, that's trolling. There is a difference.
Anyhow, without further ado; onward!
**Star Wars still isn't mine; this is still just for fun and I hope y'all are enjoying this as much as I am! Happy belated 4th to my fellow Americans and to everyone out there who loves and believes in freedom! Onward!
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SW Ep. V: Jedi Assassin Ch. 26- Inevitable
When Vader detected the Specter's presence on board his ship, he could not have been more pleased.
The Force had once again summoned the boy to him, cementing further Vader's conviction the boy was destined to be his apprentice.
It took no effort to quietly lure the assassin into his meditation chamber; the Force was no doubt influencing the boy to follow him.
Yes; they were fated to rule together, Vader grew more certain of it by the moment.
When he confronted the child once the doors were sealed, the Specter was as calm and determined—and defiant- as usual.
Defiance could be stemmed though; and Vader now wielded the perfect ammunition.
When he addressed the child by his name, Luke's reaction was priceless.
That split second of shock, it was all Vader knew he could hope for; Specter's reputation for flawless self-control was well-known.
But Vader sensed it lent him a certain power; the dark side whispered in his ear that only a select few called the assassin by his real name. Not even the majority of his constituents did that.
To them he was Specter; or 'Spek' as Vader had been informed by his agents.
No; this was a momentous step forward, now including himself in that limited group.
But, the boy's focus was admirable; after that fleeting lapse, the child cast off all else and fully embraced his determination anew.
Commendable; well deserving of his respect.
And Vader respected a precious few individuals.
Enough though; it was time to claim his new right hand.
But Luke continued to maneuver around his assaults. It was no surprise; he'd known for some time the boy was wily—and cunning.
And so he allowed the youth to 'trick' Vader into yielding some on his attack—and could only smile in gratification when the cagey child thrust him into the far wall.
His skill and power were increasing; excellent.
The child was also so fixated on deceiving Vader and focusing on his on tactics he did not sense Vader subtly collecting the dark side to attack his mind.
When Vader rose whilst the child's washed out presence writhed in agony on the floor, the dark lord was thoroughly convinced he'd won.
Finally; the child was his—Luke was his.
Now; the final step: to fully uncover his identity, to ensure the boy understood that there would be chance of escape, no place to flee once the dark lord knew—
No; it could not be.
It could not possibly be Kenobi standing gravely before him.
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When Luke turned on his side to see whom Vader was speaking, he did not expect Ben.
How…how had the Jedi gotten here?
But no; Kenobi's presence was transparent, as Luke's; however, the aged Jedi had discernable features, he was recognizable as Kenobi, unlike Luke who was a ghostly imprint.
Kenobi stood there, unspeaking, as Vader's breaths came out as enraged hisses.
"I see you lack the courage to face me in the flesh," Vader snarled at length.
"I lacked the time; hardly the courage," Kenobi evenly replied.
Vader shook his head. "You will not always be able to protect him, you will fail—as you failed to protect the Republic, as you failed to preserve your own pathetic Order—your powers are weak, old man."
Kenobi flinched at that.
Vader saw and lifted his chin. "You know this to be true, Obi-Wan," he prodded with amusement, "your kind helped me to end your obsolete way of life; you did as much to drive yourselves to extinction as I, with your unnatural laws and unwillingness to fight." He waved down towards Luke. "And now you hope to redeem yourselves by grooming this child to take up your mantle." A cold chuckle. "But surely you realize the child is not your salvation. With each passing day, the Empire destroys more and more of your rebellion; more of the remnant Jedi. Even if you conceal the boy; even if you continue to hide, each new death will accumulate until it becomes a mountain—a mountain I promise to bury you beneath, Kenobi."
Luke didn't anticipate Kenobi's thin smile. "You can't win Vader; if you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
Vader snickered. "Give me the boy, Kenobi, and I may allow your mewling rebellion to survive the ice world another day."
Something shadowed Ben's face, Luke couldn't pinpoint what. Something like grief, or remorse, or sadness. Perhaps all of them.
"You took my last apprentice from me, Vader," Ben gravely declared, "you won't take this one as well."
With that, he and the boy vanished.
Luke heard Vader's enraged howl as they slipped away from his vessel and to wherever Obi-Wan was shepherding them.
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Luke's return to the waking world was much like surfacing from deep water. He gasped and pitched his torso upward, barely aware he was dripping cold sweat.
He gulped air and glanced around. On his left, Ben moaned softly as he came to, on his right—
"Kid! Kid! You're okay!"
Han.
Luke groaned in pain as Han tried to scoop him up in a relieved –though poorly thought through—embrace. Hastily the captain laid him back down.
Luke could smell the blood—his blood—everywhere. After his vision focused enough, he appraised his injuries as Ben rose to a sitting position.
His abdomen was savagely torn up and the bandages holding him together where blood-soaked. His face burned, and he could feel the dried blood caked to it; another bandage wound around his brow, holding partly adhesive bandages to his ripped face. His limbs—thankfully all still present—were equally cleaned and bound; his one leg and arm splinted as well. The smell of salves and healing ointments thickly scented their refuge.
His pulse was racing fast enough to betray he'd lost most of his blood; but at least his arm and legs –and head—were still attached and hopefully he'd lost none of his organs.
Past jobs he could not always boast so much success, especially in the early days when he'd still been perfecting his…skill set.
"How do ya feel, junior?"
Han.
"Alive." It was all he could think of to say that wouldn't worry his friend more.
Ben placed a hand to Luke's brow as Han twisted open a canteen; he put it to Luke's lips.
Luke leaned away. "Han, your crazy concoctions"—
"This is the craziest thing I've had yet, kid," Han dryly retorted, "it's called…water."
"Regular water?"
A sigh. "There's no Corellian brandy in it junior-unfortunately. We could use it on a night like this."
Luke huffed a half-hearted sigh of agreement and took a sip from the container. Han offered more but Luke shook his head. He noted their surroundings: some sort of cave.
They must have found him then; he'd vaguely recalled a set of caves nearby before passing out….
Wait.
"Where's Fade?" he urgently asked.
Han nodded to his right. Luke craned his neck and glimpsed a very vague impression of her.
She was clearly unconscious; Luke didn't want to think of how much energy she'd depleted herself of to keep him alive.
Wonderful, loyal friend that she was. What would he do without her?
Thankfully he'd never have to find out.
Han leaned back. "So now what? Do I even want to know what you two were doing in…Force-wherever-it-was?" He waved, frustrated.
Ben planted his hands on his knees. "Luke is safe from Vader, captain; for the time being, that's all that matters."
Luke didn't like the ashen pallor that seized Han's face. He fixed his gaze on Luke. "So, it's true then? Kid, you were really on his ship?" He lifted his eyes to the snowy ceiling. "What in the Nine Sith hells were you-?"
"I didn't go by choice, Han," Luke returned, reflexively trying to sit up until the other two men prevented him, "it just happened."
Before Han could nose-dive into another tangent, Luke rounded his attention onto Obi-Wan. "It's past time you told me the truth—all of it."
The fact that Ben suddenly appeared so wary told Luke a great deal.
"The truth-?" Ben carefully echoed.
"Vader knows we're here, on Hoth," Luke professed.
Han waved in an 'oh, great' fashion.
"What is he really after? Because it's not the rebels."
Luke let his tone brook no opposition. He saw Ben catch that.
"'Really after'?" Han asked, bemused.
Ben let out a soft sigh, shifted his position so he was sitting on his legs. "Vader is after you; only you."
It was strange, how Luke's body reacted. He expected that his insides would wind in knots once Ben confirmed that Vader had not been lying to him—which it did- that was not surprising.
What he didn't foresee was how his shoulders and chest loosened…as if something within him were now appeased.
He pushed the sensation away; unable to explain it to himself.
No; later, he'd worry about that. Not now.
"He said he still wants me to be his apprentice," he softly confessed.
Ben grimly nodded while Han gaped in shock.
"I know," Ben gravely replied, "you proved to Vader's satisfaction—albeit surprise—that you are worthy to be his right hand—and once Vader sets his mind to something there is no dissuading him, ever."
Han shook his head slowly, clearly trying to come to terms with this news. "The kid?" he carefully asked, pointing at Luke as if he weren't the only 'kid' present. "I mean we all remember he told the kid to join him back at Yavin; but after everything the kid's done to the Empire these last few months." Han shook his head in disbelief. "I thought Vader would have changed his mind by now."
Luke couldn't help but smile, despite the pain. "Thanks, Han," he quipped.
Solo impaled him with a look. "You know what I mean, junior, this makes about as much sense as"—
Ben waved it off. "Captain, what it comes down to is this: Vader did not set out to recruit Luke; on the Death Star, he initially had every intention of killing Luke along with the rest of us. But," he shrugged helplessly, "Luke surprised him. He surprised Vader with firstly, his Force sensitivity, and then his skill, his courage, and the fact that he carries the greatest Force potential in the history of the galaxy."
Han reacted by pulling out a smaller canteen and taking a deep swill of it. From the smell, this one did not contain water.
Luke swallowed hard. It would be impossible now; to continue living in the shadows. True, he had already taken his first steps out of obscurity, out of invisibility; but now? He could practically see the enormous target sign plastered across his body.
He'd planned to come into the open on his timetable, on his terms; this changed everything.
He'd been hunted before, but that was as an assassin, as the Forceless Specter. Somehow, as a Force user, as…this.
It was different. Everything was different. Vader's timetable was moving faster than his it seemed; there was only one thing to do: speed up his own timetable.
He needed more information about who was hunting him.
And he needed to know who he could trust. He met Ben's gaze stonily.
"Vader knows my name; he called me Luke."
Ben visibly paled. Han groaned.
"I should never have suggested that fake persona, kid," Han apologetically began.
Luke shrugged his shoulders. "He didn't learn it from those counterfeit files we made; he didn't call me Luke Solo. He dismissed those—if he ever even saw them at all—for what they were: fake." He didn't filter the suspicion from his tone when he faced Kenobi again. "He said that the Jedi betrayed me: they told him."
Han dropped his canteen; rounded on Kenobi—
The Jedi put up his hands, his face grim. "I knew nothing of this, captain," he tonelessly said.
"But it is true then," Luke verified aloud, "the Force said as much."
Kenobi exhaled a centering breath, his face pinched with anguish. "He—Vader—would have targeted a younger Jedi: a Padawan; a learner. A full-fledged Knight would never have"—
"Vader implied differently," Luke cut in, and Kenobi's eyes widened at Luke's unspoken accusation.
"Surely, Luke, you do not believe Vader, he"—
"Has a great deal to gain from lying to me," Luke aloofly agreed, "except the Jedi do too. For instance, you know more about Vader than you've let on. You and he have a history. His hatred of you is too…personal; and it's a different kind of hatred from what he feels towards the other Jedi." Luke gestured dismissively when Ben opened his mouth to no doubt explain it away. "I've been hired to kill because the person hiring me hated the target. Believe me; I'm well-acquainted with every sort of hatred this exists in this universe; he hates you with a grudge. So…." He let the sentence hang there, curious to see what Ben did with it.
Han's mouth tightened into a thin line. "You know who Vader is."
Ben's face was a survey in misery. "Yes."
They waited.
"He was once…my pupil."
Han's body jarred in an "I knew it," sort of way. He planted a hand on his knee. "Your student? You taught Darth Vader?"
Ben dourly nodded, the color gone from his pallor. "The crimes I've committed against the galaxy from doing so I doubt can ever be forgiven." He spoke to the icy floor near Luke's boots; unable to meet their eyes.
Luke moaned, distraught, rubbed his brow. So much made sense now; Vader's gloat that the Jedi were 'so desperate as to train him,' of course.
Ben was driven by a need to make up for what he helped unleash on the galaxy by mentoring Vader.
Ben blamed himself for every last bit of the dark lord's grotesque carnage; every last death Ben believed he shared in the guilt.
"What happened?" Luke stonily asked. He had been taught by Dromerick; Luke was a monster, but he'd been made by a monster. Ben seemed so virtuous, so saintly by comparison.
How could a man like that have created Lord Vader?
Obi-Wan lifted his gaze, staring towards the shored up entrance as the wind continued to howl and blare. Despite the raging storm, it somehow seemed very hushed in the cave.
Fade continued to lay curled up, unmoving.
"Long ago, when I was but an apprentice myself," the older Jedi somberly, quietly began, "my master and I, a Jedi named Qui-Gon Jinn, were on a mission for the Old Republic; a mission which led us to a very isolated world where we found ourselves stranded." His fingers unconsciously reached back to touch the hilt of his lightsaber, as if remembering a far-gone battle. "A boy we met offered aid to us; to help us get off world and back to the Chancellor, who then was still Valorum. He was a slave, born into it; yet he also possessed a strength of Force sensitivity that we'd not seen before; power that surpassed even our Grand Master, Yoda."
"Vader," Han ground out.
Ben nodded. "My master, Qui-Gon insisted that we free the boy, which we did and take him back to the Jedi Temple. Even though Vader was too old to be trained, Qui-Gon demanded that the Council of Jedi Elders make an exception for him."
"Great," Han interjected.
Ben gave him a sober look which revealed something to Luke.
"You didn't agree with your master."
A head shake. "Something felt…wrong about breaking our traditions to let the boy in." Ben raised his eyes to the ceiling thoughtfully. "Yoda, the wisest of us all, especially disapproved. But the others were so over-awed by his potential they ignored the dangers and agreed. When a Sith later appeared and killed Master Jinn, his dying wish was that the boy be trained. So Yoda capitulated to honor my old master's memory."
Han sighed. "And we all paid for it."
Ben pinched the bridge of his nose. "Captain, my old master believed that Vader fulfilled an ancient prophecy"—
Han groaned in annoyance. Luke knew the smuggler didn't believe in any of "that stuff."
He only believed in his blaster and his ship.
Ben pressed on. "The prophecy spoke of a one who would come out of obscurity, out of oppression and would destroy the Sith Order. This person would have a ghastly past, but would use it to liberate the galaxy of the dark side forever."
"Yeah," Han pertly retorted, "and your Jedi buddies read that one real good; didn't they?"
Ben could only shake his head wretchedly. "I make no excuses, captain; our failure is a catastrophic one. Mine the worst of them all."
"So you trained him because it's what your old master wanted," Luke pointed out neutrally.
"Yes. He fully believed Vader would end the Sith forever."
Han only made a sputtering noise.
"So what went wrong?" Luke inquired, focusing now on only understanding, collecting facts.
In order to complete any mission successfully, all research was stringently done before the job even began; in this case, he was catching up.
How disappointed Dromerick would be.
"The Emperor," Ben gravely professed, "he sensed Vader's power and lured him into the dark side." A heavy breath. "After the deaths of his two prior servants: Darth Maul and Darth Tyrannus, the Emperor sought another protégé. Vader impressed him for obvious reasons."
Luke heard what went unspoken. "But there was something else," he tightly put in.
No; the Jedi would hide facts from him no longer. If he wanted any chance at victory, he needed all the information; not just the snippets Ben was willing to share.
That haunted look flitted in Ben's eyes again. "Yes," he conceded, "the Emperor knew Vader since he was a child. He knew that Vader carried with him a great deal of pain from his past." A sigh. "Pain that left him very open and exposed to the dark side."
Han threw Ben a viciously skeptical look. "What kind of pain?" was the sarcastic inquiry.
And Ben proceeded to tell them.
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Vader gazed out the viewport as Ozzel strode up to him.
Vader repressed a sigh; the 'Admiral's' chest was thrust so forward it was a wonder his buttons hadn't flown off and impaled the other officers.
Soon, Vader promised himself. Soon he'd have enough reason to end Ozzel and place Piett solely in charge of—
Ah; of course. Vader silently reminded himself he'd yet to name his vessel.
"My lord," Ozzel haughtily began, "I have placed our top engineers in charge of"-
"How long until the repairs are completed, Admiral," Vader cut in impatiently.
He had no time for foolish exposes; only results.
Ozzel cleared his throat nervously. "Er, in approximately 18 hours, my lord."
"I want it done in twelve."
Ozzel's eyes bugged. "But"—
Vader rounded on him, but said nothing.
The message was clear enough.
"Yes, my lord," Ozzel quickly amended.
Vader watched as the bald man bowed hastily and made his retreat.
Well, at least he was sensible enough to do that, Vader appraised. He returned to his stargazing.
Of all the glimmering entities which danced before his eyes, only one star interested him.
And it was not even a physical star; but the Specter's glowing Force signature, a raging celestial inferno of power Vader had witnessed grow with each passing day.
Its brilliance now easily engulfed Vader's vision, the endless black of space consumed by the opal-colored light-storm.
The Specter, Luke, had been within his grasp—until Kenobi.
Vader retrained the hiss. That blasted old meddler. His time would come.
But, it was more apparent now than ever that Kenobi was protecting the boy—the strange Force creature had not arrived to rescue Luke; Obi-Wan had.
But…why had the creature not come? It had done so on the Death Star, phasing the boy through the floor just as Vader was about the claim him.
So, why not now? Had the creature been destroyed?
No; that could not be the reason. Even now, Vader could sense flickers of it in the Force. But, they were faint.
Had the creature been injured; drained somehow?
Vader bared his teeth at the thought. It was possible; and definitely a welcome prospect. It meant the creature had limits, and while Vader had discerned as much from his battle with Luke over the Death Star, where the entity had tried to block him, it raised Vader's hopes that the creature could not, would not, be always able to shield Luke from him.
Luke. His name was something Vader could not put behind him.
Why 'Luke,' the name Padme had wanted for their child, the child she was convinced—rightly—would be a son?
Was the Force showing him something? That perhaps this boy was compensation for the loss of his own child? That this boy was meant to replace him?
It was likely. Granted, Luke was a common enough name that surely there were billions of beings out there carrying some rendition of it; still it gnawed at Vader's intuition for reasons unknown.
And Kenobi; why lavish the assassin with such care, such fatherly concern? Vader could not recall a single time he'd ever seen the his former master smother another person with so much compassion, it was—
No; that wasn't entirely true, Vader knew of one person.
Anakin Skywalker.
And 'Luke,' was now receiving the same paternal-like care and guidance Obi-Wan had once given Anakin.
Places Vader was certain were now cybernetic twisted in all sorts of knots that surely only flesh should be capable of.
No; he had to be wrong, it was not possible. After all, Doctor Moray had examined the blood.
And he'd killed Padme himself; there was no time for her to have given birth.
And she was buried still showing.
Vader thrust the thought aside for the insanity it was; it was pathetic, such weak, wishful thinking.
Not befitting a One of the Two.
It was fortunate Palpatine was now so far away; he'd've surely punished him for such a display of frailty.
There is no weakness where strength lies.
Vader seized his thoughts in a dura-steel grip and forced them back into focus. He had no time for such flawed, emotional—
No; enough.
The boy though; his mental focus was admirable.
And his defiance; his brave, unrelenting opposition to Vader.
Vader snickered; he had no doubt the boy would make good on his promise.
I will let the dark lord go down with the ship.
He had all but sworn to kill Vader if it was the last thing he ever did; Vader grinned. The boy would do so too; if such a thing were possible. He would hunt Vader, and physically stand between him and the rebellion.
I won't let this ship become the rebels' executor.
Vader let out a low chuckle. Such fire in the boy; a pity Vader would make this ship—
And then epiphany struck.
"Admiral Piett," Vader said.
The tall, slender man was immediately at his side. "My lord."
"I have decided on a name for my vessel; have the name plate read: Executor."
He'd have to remember to thank the boy when next they met.
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The storm raged beyond the mostly sealed cave; several hours had passed since Kenobi slowly, painfully offered up the details of Vader's past.
Luke had no doubt it was far from complete, yet it was frankly more than he'd ever expected to know.
Han somehow managed to fall asleep, Luke briefly wondered if Ben had helped that along, since Han had been far from understanding as Ben laid out the tale.
Vader and he it seemed had much in common, Luke reflected wryly, as Vader had once been a slave himself.
It now made sense how Vader had realized that when they'd met on Vjun. He'd seen the same signs in Luke he saw in himself, no doubt.
Moreover, Vader blamed the Jedi for the death of the only family he'd ever had: his mother.
Apparently, from what Ben had said, his mother had birthed him into slavery, but Qui-Gon Jinn had freed and taken him from…wherever to join the Jedi Order.
However, it had involved leaving his mother behind. But, when he'd been able to find her again, years later, it was after she'd been mutilated by nomads who'd attacked her home.
Vader had held her while she breathed her last.
Luke rubbed his brow. It had to have been traumatic; and Palpatine, Ben explained, used it during the war to turn Vader against the Jedi, playing up the Jedi Code that forbade attachments. They had kept Vader from tracing his mother sooner and perhaps from saving her life.
Surely the power Palpatine had held out to him must have been tempting, Luke thought, power he surely promised would give Vader the ability to control the universe to control everything.
And to a great degree, Luke realized, the Emperor had delivered. After all, Vader was the second most powerful man in the galaxy, only Palpatine's authority eclipsing his own.
But Vader had not concealed his plans to change that.
Luke let out a breath and shifted his body a bit to get more comfortable. Curled up around his legs, Fade's washed out form was regaining color. She was recovering then.
Relief loosened his bunched up muscles; let him breathe a bit easier.
"You should sleep, Luke," Ben murmured from beside him.
Luke shook his head a bit, rustling the pillow. "I have too much to think about."
"You'll need your strength for what's coming."
"I did a lot of damage to that ship; they'll be delayed."
"Briefly," Ben quietly admonished. "Vader never lets anything—or anyone—come between him and what he wants. Not for long, in any case."
Luke knew there was no arguing that point.
"Vader was right, wasn't he? That the Jedi are banking on me to stop the Sith now."
Ben had been lying on his back; he turned onto his side to face Luke. That dire expression had returned as his gaze met Luke's. "Luke, before I answer that, I'd like to ask a favor."
Luke waited.
"Before you pass judgment, please hear me out first—in full."
A conversation from long ago was dredged up by those words. "I will," he soberly replied, "you did the same for me once, after all."
Ben's mouth twitched in a small, appreciative smile. He took a breath and began.
"When we realized at the end of the war how we'd been used and deceived, of course we Jedi decided to fight back. We'd taken an oath to protect the galaxy; it was our duty. But," a resigning sigh, "Palpatine had studied us too thoroughly. It disturbs me, even now, how well he knows us. He must have spent his life studying the Jedi Order, examining Jedi, how the Knights behave, think; what motivates us. How to manipulate and maneuver us." He released a part frustrated, part defeated breath. "The very sad truth of it is Luke," He desolately confessed, "is that we no longer fit this era; this war. Our time is past."
Luke wanted to contest his words, give the Jedi some sort of hopeful encouragement, but no words came. He only could watch the sorrow shadow Kenobi's face more and more.
"Luke, Vader knows us; he was once a Jedi. And we Jedi know that none of our number are powerful enough to stop him. We've tried over the years; more attempts have been made to destroy him than any of us can recall—but to no avail. Vader cannot be beaten by a Jedi."
Luke was relieved Han was asleep. By now he'd be jumping in bellowing at Kenobi that Luke wasn't going to be their pawn to fix their screw up with the Sith Lords. That he was going to take Luke someplace Vader would never get his claws on him.
Good old, loyal Han; loud but constant as the blazing comet.
"It makes sense," Luke allowed after a while, "but if it's someone Vader has never fought before that has to stop him; he's already fought and bettered me."
"Only as an assassin," Ben gently countered, "if you were fully trained, it'd be different."
Luke raised a brow. "As a Jedi? Wouldn't that put us where we started?"
Ben nodded. "Under normal circumstances, yes. But Vader was trained by me." A forlorn look. "I want someone else to train you."
Luke tilted his head to one side. "Who? Windu? Luminara?"
Another head shake. "Master Yoda."
Luke's free shoulder dropped along with his jaw. "Your Grand Master?" he whispered in amazement. "He's still alive?"
"Yes; when this is all over, I want you to go to Dagobah. There you'll learn from him." A small smile. "The Jedi Master who instructed me."
"I can take my skiff and bring him here."
Ben gestured. "It would be better if we divided up Luke," he reasoned, "Vader is aware Master Windu and I are with you. But, if the three of us were to go separate ways, it would throw him off. He'll assume you're with me, or Master Windu; he won't foresee us letting you go off alone."
Luke couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face at how Ben phrased it.
"'Letting me go off alone'?"
Ben blushed slightly at how he sounded. "Forgive me, young Luke," he said, reaching out and combing his fingers through Luke's golden hair, away from his face, "it's just…I couldn't save your father; I…wasn't there when he needed me. I won't let the same be true of you."
He sounded so tormented, Luke couldn't not feel for him. "Is that what you meant, when you told Vader 'you took my last apprentice'? You were referring to my father, weren't you?"
Ben's face was somehow empty and miserable at the same time. "I don't believe it a coincidence that Vader appeared at the Emperor's right hand right after your father's disappearance. To be a true Sith Lord, you must kill someone you love, someone who's close to you. Someone who has played a large role in your life."
"And you think he killed my father?"
"I would not be surprised by it, no. Vader was close to a very few people, that leaves few to be the Sacrifice."
Luke had read about the Sith ritual in the records Noc hacked from the Temple. To prove one's devotion to the Sith teachings, they had to be willing to kill anyone who might rival their hunger to become the One who Embodied the Power.
Anyone. Luke stilled.
What ideal assassins Sith would make. After all, if he replaced the goal of embodying power with the goal of successfully completing the job, were assassins and Sith Lords so different?
Luke couldn't see any stark contrasts.
He swallowed. "Are you sure I'm destined to stop them?" he couldn't ignore how tired his voice sounded.
Ben nodded, his eyes overflowing with certainty that was hard to ignore. "That is why you were allowed to live such a harsh life, Luke; to prepare you for this. Everything you've endured was to prepare you for this moment, this path. You will be an opponent Vader has never known before. When he fully realizes who he stands against, he won't know how to overcome the obstacle you present. That will be his undoing."
Luke thought back to all the simulations, operations and training he endured. Somehow this though, seemed so much worse.
"And if I fail?"
Ben's head shake was almost imperceptible. "Then the Sith Empire will go on uncontested, forever."
Luke let out a centering breath. This was a job; a job like any other he'd been given.
And he never quit; not until the job was done.
"Then I can't fail," he said.
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"My lord."
Vader didn't need to turn, it was Piett. "Yes, Admiral."
"Our engineers have completed infrastructure repairs sufficient to reactivate the ship's engines. They say they can complete the remaining repairs while we are in hyperspace."
Vader smiled. The dark side was with him. "Good; proceed then, Admiral."
Piett bowed and walked away. Behind him, Vader heard the orders given.
He reached out as the stars blurred and melted into platinum streaks of light. He felt the other ships of the Death Squadron leap into hyper behind them.
His warrior's instinct lifted its head, smelled for prey.
But no; the rebel base was still hours away, Vader soothed his bloodlust and promised it satiation was coming.
It lowered its head, appeased, for now.
He would do his master's bidding and kill a goodly amount of the rebels. But now, thanks to Specter, they knew the enemy was coming. He and Kenobi already had evac operations underway.
But…the Specter and Jedi would remain, leaving last, along with the foot-soldiers and seasoned officers; that foolish rebel sentiment compelling them to send the weak off to safety first.
But Vader hardly minded; just so long as the rebellion continued to grow and fester, like gangrene, it served his purpose. Even on his own ship, where only the best were sent—save Ozzel of course—his master's ability to govern was questioned thanks to the rebellion.
And while Palpatine lounged at Imperial Center, fawned over by courtiers and supplicants, the entire galaxy knew it was Vader who fought on the front lines, Vader who stove for peace and stability, not the Emperor.
And more and more that rubbed the Imperial citizens the wrong way.
After all, everyone remembered Palpatine justified creating the Empire by promising it would craft a safe and secure society.
So, the galaxy now wondered, where was it?
Vader smiled. So, it easy, and once he had the Specter under his control, it would prove even easier.
And once he sat the Emperor's throne, the rebellion would no longer be needed. He'd have them destroyed of course.
He considered having the Specter do it for him. After all, in order to cement the boy's loyalty to the dark side, he'd have to kill his friends in order to drive him too far into the dark side to ever have hope of finding his way back. And in so doing, the rebels would serve him one more time. Of course, the Specter would never willingly betray his friends, but if Vader promised to say, spare half of them if he destroyed the other half? He would of course double-cross the boy and kill them himself, treachery was the way of the Sith; but the boy's despair at being deceived and his hatred at Vader for doing so would seal his fate. And, such anger later would compel him to kill Vader once he himself was fully trained as the Apprentice.
Vader had no fear of death; deep down, he longed for it. An end to his life of pain, an end to his imprisonment in the damnable suit, the ceaseless sound of his inhuman breathing; of…everything.
And he'd be with Padme again, in the next life—and his son. He'd have all eternity to earn their forgiveness.
Before him, unmarred by the blinding streaks of hyperspace, lay the star-fire blaze of the Specter.
Drawing ever closer.
Soon, Specter, soon you shall be mine.
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Han pressed his bare hand to Luke' head again.
Still burning.
He let out a frustrated growl.
The sun had finally risen, but no sign of the rebel search parties—yet.
Kenobi was outside the cave, trying to use their comm equipment to call for help.
Luke had taken a turn for the worse in the night, fever seizing him out of nowhere. Now, the kid was writhing around, muttering nonsense and dripping cold sweat.
"Ben, Ben," He deliriously moaned.
The Jedi chose that moment to re-enter the cave. Han stood.
"I fear captain the comm system is not working," Kenobi grimly said, "let me take care of Luke. You seem to have greater expertise than I in machines."
Han opened his mouth and then closed it. No; he was sure some kind of snippy remark about his ship was tucked in there somewhere, but this was not the time.
"Dagobah system," Luke babbled, "Dagobah."
Unfortunately, Fade was still mainly incoherent herself.
Blast it all to Kessel anyways.
"I'm gonna try," Han said as he hoisted himself out of the cave.
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Biggs grumbled as he flew the snow-speeder across Hoth's glaring landscape.
Two hours past dawn and still nothing.
For what seemed like the thousandth time, he asked the other pilots if their scanners caught anything.
One of the men, Hobbie, commed in that no, nothing, but then corrected himself.
"Echo base," he added to the communication, "I've got something; not much but it might be a life form."
A life form; one. Biggs shifted nervously in his seat.
He didn't want to entertain the notion only one of them survived the night.
And then, it mercifully happened:
"Good morning," Han's cocky voice sounded over all their comms, "nice of you to drop by."
Biggs slumped back in his seat. Han; he never thought it possible but he was actually relieved to hear that smart-mouth gambler's voice.
And he sounded sarcastic; which could only mean they were alive and everything was okay.
Hobbie came over the comm next.
"Echo base, we've found them, repeat, we've found them."
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Turned out, Biggs' assumption was only part correct.
When the speeders landed near a blood-covered area with caves nearby, Kenobi and Solo were standing there waiting for them.
Solo was holding a bundle in his arms; when Biggs ran to him, he saw Luke's mangled form wrapped in blankets.
"Forget about us," Solo snapped at them, "just get the kid back quick! You can come back later for us."
Kenobi added his urgent agreement.
So Biggs packed Luke into his speeder and rushed him back to base.
All the way back he reminded both him and Luke the med bay was on standby.
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When Luke was lowered into the bacta, everyone in the adjoining room let out a collective sigh of relief.
Biggs watched anxiously as Luke thrashed in the gel-like compound, raving about monsters, Jedi and nightmarish things he'd never tell Luke later on that he'd said—things from before.
Beside him, the princess pursed her lips until they were colorless.
The captain reflexively put an arm around her. "Stiff upper lip, Your Worship; remember who the kid is."
The princess nodded, clearly trying to hope the best.
The situation was too dire for Biggs to needle Han about being 'soft.' Later; when Luke was out of danger.
When the red light on Luke's med capsule shifted from red to green, signaling that he was no longer in life-threatening peril, Biggs slouched against the glass in relief.
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Luke came to slowly this time, as if he were swimming through sludge to reach the surface of where the waking world lay.
It was Leia's face that greeted him. Her soft hand brushed his cheek. "Luke."
"Leia. Where are we?"
"The med center. How do you feel?"
The truth was, his head swam from the drugs they'd no doubt administered for pain. He recognized the chalky taste they left on his tongue. He wanted to laugh. Pain drugs had never been used on him before; Dromerick considered them a waste of time.
And he'd told Luke pain would be a constant companion. Best get used to it, boy, he'd warned.
The rebels and their compassion never ceased to astonish him.
He tried to sit up just as the door beside them hissed open and Han ambled in with Chewie—who carried Noc and Fade.
Both flew into his arms, Noc practically plastering himself to Luke's front.
Luke laughed this time.
"He was so worried," Leia told him.
Luke petted his head as Noc chirped rebukes at him. "I know buddy, I'm sorry; you know I don't mean to worry you."
Noc clanked his tongue at that, Luke smiled in return.
"Well," Han interrupted, sitting on the edge of Luke's bed. "You don't look so bad to me; look strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark."
Luke grinned. "I know; thanks to Fade."
Han mock gaped at that. "What about me? I saved you yet again, junior."
Luke laughed. "I'm surprised you came so prepared; since when do you do that?"
Leia and Chewie chuckled at that.
"What do you mean?" Han dramatically replied, gesturing wide, "I always"—
Luke threw him a look.
"Okay! Okay! So Kenobi came prepared; he just dragged me along for the ride." He sputtered. "He must have picked that up from you."
Luke laughed at that. "I can't let you be the only bad influence."
Han stood up. "Well, you'll never beat my ship; that's for sure."
Luke made a noise. "Only because that's one contest I wouldn't want to win."
"Uh huh," Han returned, glancing over at Leia, "so, Your Worship, I heard you managed to keep me around for a little while longer."
"Ugh, Han," Luke groaned. "Not again."
"I had nothing to do with it," Leia retorted, "General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for more ships to leave with the Empire en route until we have the shield generator fully up and functioning."
"A likely story," Han refuted, "I just think you can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight."
"Han," Luke said.
Leia shook her head. "I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brains."
Fade, Noc and Chewie busted up, Noc rolling around on the bed.
Han leapt to his feet. "Laugh it up, fuzz balls," he snapped with a theatrical gesture, "but you didn't see"—
The door opened; Biggs and Mace entering.
Han clamped his mouth shut. Leia shot him a triumphant look.
"They've found a strange signal emanating near the base," Mace informed them as Biggs rushed to check on Luke. "Captain Solo, General Bel-Iblis is wondering if you'd be willing to check it out."
Han nodded. "Sure, c'mon Chewie."
The pair left with Mace after he nodded politely to Leia.
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"Not much left," Han reported in a few minutes later.
"What was it?" Master Windu asked over the comm.
"Probe droid; I think it was mapping out our base. I didn't hit it that hard; must have had some kind of self-destruct."
Beside the chair where Mace sat, Ben let out a breath. "It is safe to say it had time to transmit the layout of our base to the Empire."
To his right, Rieekan nodded. "We'd better speed up the evac." He leaned forward and pulled a switch. "Good work, Solo; return to base."
Mace glanced over to the other general. "How long till the shield is up?"
"About four hours."
"We have to make it quicker than that," Ben put in.
Rieekan retrieved his personal comm and spoke into it. "I want the shield up in three hours, no more. Do whatever you must."
"Yessir," came the return.
Mace rose. "Obi-Wan, we have to speak; meet me in the hanger in a few minutes."
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Luke sent Noc off to help Han get his ship functional so they could actually fall back with the rest of the rebellion. Fade was still not herself; she slumbered on Luke's bed after he rose, Leia protesting as he made his way to a drawer where he knew flight suits were waiting for him.
He was too quiet; too withdrawn, even for him. Leia remembered what Han told her about assassins and their isolated way of life.
But, something kept drawing her to Luke, kept her from allowing him to hold her at arm's length.
"Luke, what's wrong?" she heard herself ask.
Luke appeared from behind a privacy curtain wearing a grey fatigues. "Leia,"—
No; she recognized that pacifying tone from her parents. Instinct would not let her be put off.
Her face must have said so because he stopped dead in his tracks when his gaze met hers. But, his mien emptied of all emotion which told her he wouldn't open up without a fight.
"Didn't I keep my word?" she gently challenged, "When did I ever, even once, betray your trust?"
Luke flinched as if struck. He shook his head. "Never," he softly confessed, "but that's not why, Leia. I…," he put his head down, "I don't know what's coming,"—
Leia grasped he wasn't referring to Vader.
-"but I won't let it get any of you. I have to face it…alone." He reached for another drawer and pulled out his weapons.
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A/N: Ok, so we're almost to the Battle of Hoth! Yay! I've been soooo excited for that sequence for so long, and we're almost there! I hope you all like this extra-long chapter! Take care and please leave a review!