The Cave

The Vision

Qui-Gon sounded unusually stern, "You need to stop this. The last thing we need is Anakin blowing this whole cave up in the middle of a Force tantrum. I don't know what the existential results would be."

Older Luke cocked an eyebrow even as he stared at his father, who was standing rigidly, the prosthetic fists clenched, "Can he do that?"

Jinn shrugged, "I do not know, but I wouldn't care to test it. Anakin was always capable of more than anyone thought he was."

Luke forced himself to relax, "I'm sorry. You're right."

Jinn turned to him, his expression growing gentle, "I understand your distress, Younger Luke. Those visions obviously tapped into some deep seated fears and issues. It will no doubt be healthy for you to process them, but you should not antagonize Anakin unnecessarily."

Luke looked at Jinn and smiled wryly, "So do you have psychiatric training along with Jedi training in your background?"

Jinn grinned back at him, "Not at all, Luke. But I have one huge advantage over any living psychiatrist."

"Which is …?" Older Luke inquired.

"I'm already dead," Jinn replied promptly, "I really think even Anakin can't kill me since I'm already dead. A real live psychiatrist would be Force choked in about 30 seconds, and then his body would be dismembered into at least 20 pieces with a lightsaber. Anakin has some anger management issues and has not shown a marked desire to work through them."

There was a soft growl from the Older Vader, followed by, "That name no longer has any meaning for me!"

Older Luke groaned softly, opened his mouth, then closed it again firmly.

Jinn cast a thoughtful look at Vader then turned to Luke, "So let's start with you, shall we? How are you feeling right now emotionally?"

Luke sighed, looked down, looked up, and began pacing.

And then, to his surprise, found himself whining.

"I'm angry, and frustrated, and tired. I'm the youngest person around except for Leia, who is all of, what, 5 minutes younger? But I feel like I'm the one that has to keep it all together! Father is unstable and Yoda is ancient and set in his ways and I'm trying to be this bridge between them and I'm really stretched. And then you Force ghosts keep showing up and I have these weird and stressful visions. It's not fair!"

There was a pause, and Luke caught his Alter's wide eyed gaze.

"Please tell me I wasn't really that whiny 2 years ago," Older Luke said, finally.

Luke scowled, then smiled a little in spite of himself, "I'm much better than I was. 'But I was going into Tosche Station to get some power convertors, Uncle Owen!'"

Older Luke groaned, "I guess I really did sound like that, didn't I? Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru were saints to put up with me."

Another pause, and then Luke said softly, "I still miss them so much."

There was a sigh of agreement from his Alter, and Jinn said diplomatically, "It is natural for you to miss your adoptive parents, Luke."

Older Luke shook his head, "They were never my adopted parents."

"Which is odd, really," Luke chimed in.

"I mean, they were so good to me," Older Luke said.

"But … never a father, or a mother. Always an aunt and uncle. I don't know if that's why …" Luke added, before trailing off.

Alter Luke continued thoughtfully, "I think it is why. Maybe? I always felt this hunger for my father. Less so for my mother. Maybe because Aunt Beru was more motherly. Uncle Owen was a good man but we had so little in common."

Luke chimed in, "The odd thing is that the Jedi took little ones from their families. Did they have major parental hunger issues? If not, why am I so weird?"

Both Lukes looked at Jinn, whose head had been turning back and forth between them like a spectator in a highly exciting net-ball game.

"Ah," the Jedi said, "Well, that is truly an excellent question. I was myself taken as an infant into the Jedi Temple, so I have no memories of my parents. Of course, there were individuals who cared for the Force sensitive babies and toddlers in the Temple."

Older Luke stepped forward now to face the Jedi Master, who, to Luke's eyes, looked odd as a corporeal person instead of a luminous, shimmery, blue ghost. Not for the first time, Luke contemplated the peculiar nature of this cave.

"Did you miss your parents?" Older Luke asked solemnly.

Jinn stared back, looking surprised, "Truthfully, I have not thought of them for decades."

He began pacing, then looked gravely at both Lukes, "It is likely I have repressed my infantile distress over permanently losing my parents. But there is another aspect to this. A strong Force sensitive infant will, even though not yet trained, reach out through the Force for others of his or her kind. I was surrounded by Force sensitives in the temple. My caregivers, even if they did not love me as a parent, were trained to soothe the anxious fears of a young Force sensitive. You did not have that. The Lars were, I know, caring people, but they were not Force sensitives. Furthermore, you were separated from your twin at birth. There were few cases of twin Force sensitives so our knowledge of them is limited, but it must have been emotionally devastating, to a level I cannot articulate or fully understand, to be separated from the sister who shared the womb with you."

Luke sighed, "That does make sense. When we learned the truth about me and Leia, it felt like an important, vital piece of my life clicked into place. Still, Leia doesn't seem to have the same issues. She bonded very closely to the Organas, and I don't think they were Force sensitives at all."

"They were not," Alter Vader said coldly.

"But they were politicians," Older Luke chimed in, "And Leia is a politician, through and through. And you said our mother was a politician?"

Luke nodded, "Yes. She was …"

"Extraordinary," Other Vader broke in, his voice taking on a reverent tone, "One of the most gifted politicians the galaxy has ever seen. Strong, intelligent, articulate, compelling. Yet caring and honest. It has been generations since one of her like has been seen."

Alter Luke's eyes were wide, "She sounds amazing."

Luke said reassuringly, "We've been able to learn quite a bit about her. She was amazing. She was a wonderful person."

Other Luke smiled a little as they shared a thought.

At least their mother was fabulous.

"So," Luke said, turning back to Jinn, "Back to my problem. At some deep, semi-subconscious level, I am afraid that my father is going to betray me, or abandon me. How do I process that? How do I move forward confidently and do what needs to be done?"

The dead Jedi's eyes widened, "How would I know?"

Luke chuckled in spite of himself, "You're supposed to my psychiatrist, Master Jinn."

"Just pretending to be one, young Luke," Jinn returned with a wink, then grew more serious, "Truthfully, you have a difficult road. You are correct that your father is not entirely stable. He has progressed mightily toward the Light, but he still carries deep wounds."

"I would say he's inflicted far more wounds than he carries," Luke said softly.

"Wounded people often lash out at others. Unfortunately, your father has far more capability to cause destruction than an ordinary individual."

"You realize, Jinn, that I am standing right here," Other Vader growled, striding over to loom over the dead Jedi, "And I do not appreciate your implication that I am weak."

Jinn turned and lifted his head. He was relatively tall for a human male, but Vader loomed over him.

"You are very powerful in the Force, Anakin, and you always were. But don't you agree that the tragic loss of your mother, and the horrific tragedy of your wife's death, affect you even now?"

This Sith Lord stared at him for a long moment, hands clenched, posture rigid. Then the great head lowered, the body slumped, and the Dark Lord turned and strode out of the room.

"I guess that would be a yes," Older Luke said softly.

Jinn reached out and put one solid hand on each of the Lukes' shoulders, "Older Luke, and Younger Luke, I know that your father does care deeply about you. The Vader of your timeline, Younger Luke, has shifted a great deal toward the Light. Nevertheless, the upcoming confrontation with Sidious is fraught with potential emotional landmines. He will be facing the Sith Lord who held him in slavery for the last 20 odd years. He will be struggling with his fears for your safety, and his intense worry about his wife drove his turn to the Dark Side. The entire mission has the potential to be an unmitigated disaster."

Luke looked at him incredulously, "Well, that's very reassuring, Master Jinn."

"I'm not paid to be reassuring, Luke," Jinn said cheerfully, "Just honest. Actually, I'm not being paid at all."

He let go over the Other Luke's shoulder and turned to look gravely into Luke's eyes, "The best thing you can do is to be you. You are a kind person, a loving friend, and a loyal son. You and your sister need to be a moral compass for your father. Kill those who must be killed, destroy those who must be destroyed. That means Sidious, if you can. But never lose your heart of compassion. Remember that even Palpatine, who is one of the most evil sentients to ever exist, was an innocent child once. He has to be destroyed, but do not let hatred fill your heart."

Luke nodded, thoughtful, "I think I see what you mean."

/-/

1 day later

The Vengeance

In Orbit around Dagobah

Darth Vader's personal chambers

"And then I emerged from the vision. I went back to the shuttle, fell asleep, and had another Force vision in the Cave next to the Ocean. Alter Luke and Alter Vader and I discussed the vision in the Dark Side Cave and then Jinn showed up with some useful advice."

Vader was standing staring out the transparisteel window at Dagobah. He didn't dare to face his son right now, fearing disdain in those blue eyes.

"Kantil Caston," he said softly, "That was the first of the younglings I struck down. He looked quite a bit like I did at his age. I used to visit the younglings on occasion. We all did. I used to play tag with them in the Temple corridors."

He lowered his head, "I truly am a monster."

"Father, can you please look at me?" Luke asked gently.

Vader took a deep breath and turned around. Luke stepped forward and held out his hands to grasp Vader's much larger ones.

(Both had been extensively modified by the Wookie Chewbacca, and Vader was pleased with both their response and additional shielding to Force Lightning.)

"I am angry and horrified at what I saw in the Dark Side Cave," Luke said gravely as he stared straight into Vader's mask, "But I love you."

Vader froze, ran those words through his mind. His mouth opened and closed twice before he was able to speak.

"You love me? Luke, how can you? I'm a butcher, a fiend, I attacked your mother …"

"You murdered children," Luke finished, "I know. As I said, I hate and despise what you've done but I love you, and I will love you. You are my father."

Vader shook his head, so overwhelmed that for a brief moment the room seemed to spin. He steadied himself, lifted one hand and placed it on his much shorter son's shoulder, "I do not deserve your love, my son."

"You probably don't," Luke said with a rueful smile, "But it's my decision to love, not yours."

He sighed, then straightened, "We can talk more about the tragic muddle that is the Skywalker clan later, but I would like to discuss the vision which, I presume, is a possible future. I did see Palpatine dead, apparently at your hand. That seems good."

Vader nodded, forced himself to compartmentalize his own self-loathing so he could focus on the issue at hand, "Yes. Were there any clues about the locale of his death?"

Luke considered, "No, not really. I mean, the floor was an artificial surface, not a cave or field. So the floor of a building, or a room in a spaceship. And then there was the woman I saw, assuming she was a real woman."

"She is. Her name is Mara Jade. She is one of the Emperor's Hands."

Luke quirked a puzzled eyebrow, "Hands?"

His father nodded, "The Emperor is bound by the Sith code Rule of Two. There are always two Sith, the Master and the Apprentice. But he finds it convenient to have other Force Sensitive servants. None are fully trained in the ways of the Force. None are nearly as powerful as Palpatine is, or I am. He finds them as children and trains them up to serve him with mindless devotion. They are all trained to obey him without question and to willingly die for him."

Luke paled slightly, "That's horrible!"

Vader looked at him in surprise, and then felt a twinge of shame. It was horrible, he supposed. It was a form of slavery, but he had accepted it for so long. As he had accepted his own invisible slavery to his Master.

"Mara Jade," he continued after a moment, "Is one of the stronger Hands. She has significant Force sensitivity though as I said, her training has been limited. She also has been trained extensively in combat, and espionage. She is, in her own way, a formidable opponent. What was she wearing?"

Luke blinked, then closed his eyes to remember, "Uh, it was a fancy black dress. It was sleeveless, and reached to the floor, though there was a slit up one side so she could walk more easily."

"Not her typical assassin attire," Vader concluded, "So if that detail of the vision is correct, it is in line with our plan to destroy Palpatine at the Death Star celebrations when the Hands will be dressed to mingle with the fat, fawning masses of sycophants."

Luke looked startled, then chuckled, "I guess they aren't your favorite people, the Imperial retinue?"

"Pompous fools, most of them," his father grumbled, then added, "With a few exceptions. It is unwise to dismiss them all. As for Jade, she is genuinely dangerous. If she crosses your path, kill her immediately."

Luke looked shocked, "What? I'm not going to do that!"

Vader stared, "She is lethal, my son. Her devotion to Palpatine is absolute. She will kill you if she can. It is only sensible to …"

"You said she was taken as a child and brainwashed! She's basically a slave! Do you really think we should just cut down this poor woman who was taken as a child and fed lies her entire life? That can't be right."

Vader sighed, exasperated, "Son, we can't save everyone. Based on the vision, her loyalty to Sidious remains absolute and obsessive. Indeed, I would venture to guess that she looks on him as a father, or at least a father figure. She cannot be saved, Luke, and to attempt it would be to put your own life in danger."

Luke gazed at him, "So you are saying she is deeper in the Dark Side than you were?"

Vader gritted his teeth, "No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying …"

He turned away and walked to the transparisteel window again, "I'm saying, Luke, that she is dangerous. She could kill you. I can't lose you, son, or your sister. I can't."

There was a pause and then he felt his son's hand on his right arm.

He turned and looked at Luke, who was gazing at him with compassion.

"Father, you might lose me, or Leia," his son said gently, "We have a far greater purpose than to protect our own lives. We're bringing down Palpatine, and if I die in the process than I am at peace with that."

Horror filled Vader's soul, "You believe …"

He grasped Luke's shoulder, probably too tightly, "Was there more to the vision, my son? Did you see your death?"

Luke shook his head violently, "No! No, there was no indication I die, or Leia, or anyone I love. My point is that if I die, if Leia dies, if Han or Chewie die, it will be terrible and tragic and those left behind will mourn. But obviously this life isn't the end! We will be together at some point, Father. Look at Jinn! He seems quite happy with his life after death."

"Jinn," Vader growled in response, "I fully expect him to pop up one day and begin singing and dancing. The man, or specter, is insufferable."

Luke's grave face relaxed into a warm and genuine smile, "Father, I promise if I die, I won't sing and dance, but I will come back …"

"No," Vader roared.

He began pacing, his hands clenching, "I can't lose you, or your sister. I should have known that Yoda would fill you with his foolish beliefs about subjugating our love for others for the 'greater good'. He told me to let her go, your mother, to not mourn. He was wrong …"

"I didn't say that, Father," Luke interrupted indignantly, stepping right in front of Vader so the former Sith had to stop.

The boy looked directly into his eyes through the mask, his own blue eyes filled with determination, "Father, listen to me. I said before, and I say it again. Grieving and mourning are the right response when we lose someone we love. That's normal. It's healthy. But the reality is that this fight is bigger than me, or you, or Leia. We have such power, power we can use for good. And Leia and I will use the Force for good, whether you support us or not. I urge you to … to think about all the other people in this galaxy. There are so many fathers and mothers and children and pet anoobas that are beloved by others. We can destroy Palpatine and while that will not solve all the problems, it will push the course of galactic history toward a better future. And if I have to give up my life for that hope, I will!"

Vader felt a surge of emotion that would have resulted in tears if his ducts hadn't been destroyed on Mustafar, "How much like your mother you are, my son."

Luke smiled, his own eyes misty, "And that, I know, is a good thing."