The Emperor's Talon

Epilogue

"Last night the excavation team at the Wayne Enterprises skyscraper in downtown Gotham City found Billionaire Bruce Wayne trapped in the building's collapsed basement bunker, almost a week after the bombing. He was severely injured during the attack and was taken to Gotham General Hospital where he is still recuperating. The nature of his injuries will, of course, not be released publicly, but the doctors have confirmed they are confident he will make a full recovery. On behalf of the people of Gotham, I'd like to wish Bruce Wayne a speedy recovery. This is Vicky Vale reporting for GCNB."

Alfred shut off the holoprojector screen and moved to take up the chair beside Bruce's hospital bed. "Well sir, now that the public has swallowed your cover-story, would you mind telling me exactly what happened on Coruscant?"

Bruce grunted. "There's not much to tell, Alfred."

"He means there's not much he wants to tell," said Dick helpfully. He was sitting on the edge of Bruce's bed, opposite Alfred and the monitors, twirling a baterang through his fingers.

Bruce grunted again.

"Still," said Alfred, "this old Jedi knows Sith alchemy when he sees it. So I'll ask you again, what happened."

"Bruce got zapped with some Sith sparklers, he went down, we still kicked butt, I saved the day. You know; the usual," said Dick.

Bruce swatted his ward upside the head with the hand not connected to the monitors. "Whelp. Get some rest while you can, cuz when I'm up and out of here we're going on a field trip."

Dick cocked his head and gave Bruce a calculating look. His eyes flashed gold for a minute. Then he grinned.

"What?" asked Bruce, curious to know what the boy was picking up on.

"You've got that look in your eye that says this is going to be a training field trip. Well, bring it on Old Man," said Dick with a smile. He stood from the bed and handed the batterang to Bruce. "Take good care of him will you, Alfie? I've got some…unfinished business to attend to."

"It will be my honor," said Alfred seriously. But his old eyes twinkled.

"Tell Barbra I said hi," said Bruce slyly as Dick reached the door. The former Talon threw another smile over his shoulder and left the hospital room.

When Dick was gone, Alfred turned his attention back to Bruce. "So, about this training mission."

"We're going to the old Jedi training course on Ragoon 6. I'm going to put him through the best we've got to offer," Bruce replied.

"Said like a true sadistic Jedi master," Alfred teased, "those training courses…"

"Sucked," Bruce finished, "they sucked horribly. Speaking of which, I think I may have finally passed mine. I fought Palpatine in the old Jedi Trial dojo. I can't say I beat him per-say," he winced as he remembered the pain, "but I beat my own worse self. There were times during that battle I almost gave in to the Darkside. Times when I was desperate enough that I almost slipped. But Dick…every time I teetered at the edge, I remembered him. I remembered everything he did to fight the darkness inside himself, and I realized I had to fight it too."

Alfred smiled. "Then, Master Wayne, I do believe you have passed your trials."

"Thanks to Dick."

The stately old Jedi teacher took up the hilt of his long un-used weapon and tapped the butt-end to Bruce's shoulders. "By the power vested in me, by the Jedi Order, and by the will of the Force, I bestow on you the rank of Jedi Knight. Arise Knight Wayne." Bruce tried to sit himself up better in bed, but Alfred put a hand on his good shoulder and pushed him back against the mattress. "That last part was a joke, sir."

The Imperial Palace on Coruscant:

Darth Vader stood pensively at the large window behind the Emperor's throne. The Bat and the Talon had not only gotten away, but had done considerable damage to the palace and stolen Palpatine's personal Sunderhead transport. His master had murdered men in cold blood for less and Vader was seriously considering taking a long vacation to his own fortress on Mustafar to get away from the inevitable punishment that would befall him.

While he would never admit as much, some things the Talon had said stuck in his mind. Perhaps the Talon would never be his proverbial ace in the hole, but that hardly meant he would stop looking for one. Because the boy was right about one thing; he was only a slave in Palpatine's plans. And Darth Vader had always wanted more.

He turned as sensed his master's presence. Vader was smarter than to speak first. Instead he kneeled and waited; cursing his own subservience.

Finally, Palpatine spoke. "This last failure of yours is one of epic proportion." Vader winced internally. "However, all is not lost. They may yet serve a greater purpose alive than they would dead."

Vader dared to raise his head and look up at the Emperor. "Forgive me my Master, but how?"

Palpatine held his peace. "A symbol once born cannot be destroyed. But tarnish it, and there is nothing left to reclaim. Release a statement to the propaganda administration. Tell them that Batman and Robin work for the Empire and are Imperially sanctioned law enforcement agents of Gotham City. Make them look like traitors to this freedom they hold so dearly. No one will rally under their tarnished banner."

Surprised and pleased to have escaped this meeting personally unscathed, Darth Vader bowed his head. "It shall be done my master."

"Good. Everything is exactly as I have foreseen it."

Crime Alley, Gotham City:

Dressed in his Robin suit, Dick landed catfooted on the roof of the apartment building where Willis Todd was murdered. He scanned to rooftop quickly. Ahead, near the edge of the roof beside the solar panels, stood two familiar figures. If he was being perfectly honest with himself, he was nervous. Fighting Sith and bounty hunters was one thing, but taking a gamble on people he would like to call friends was another. Could he even have friends with the life he lived?

Stop it Dick, he scolded himself, you can have as many friends as you bloody well like. They're probably pissed at you for throwing them off the roof though. Proceed with caution. Dick screwed up his courage and stepped out of the shadows.

"Hey, guys," he called.

Barbra Gordon and Jason Todd turned from the edge of the roof to greet him. Jason gave Barbra a childish smirk. "Told ya he'd find us here."

"Whatever," huffed Barbra. Turning her full attention to Dick, she added, "you're late." She strode forward to meet him half-way with purpose and confidence. He almost flinched back from her fiery eyes, but thought it better to stand his ground. Barbra slapped Dick across the face. "That's for pushing me out a fifty-first story window." Then suddenly she pulled him close and kissed him on the cheek. "And that's for braving two bounty hunters to save me."

Dick couldn't quite shake the shock and confusion from his face as he looked to Jason for help.

Jason turned away and waved a dismissive hand. "Don't look at me, I aint gonna' kiss ya."

Barbra flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "Boys." She turned and walked back to the edge of the roof where she had stashed a large silver picknick basket. Lifting the lid, she tossed them each a soda. She laid a blanket out on the rooftop and sat down. "All right you dorks, quit standing there and come watch the stars."

"Watch the what?" asked Dick.

"Stars," Jason supplied. He shrugged. "I think it's a girl thing."

"Oh," said Dick. He missed the death glare Barbra shot at Jason. "So what's this?" he held up the soda bottle.

"That's a bottle of pop, Dick," said Jason evidently pleased to have discovered some inside joke, "it's a…wait, why do you have the red one? Here, switch." He tossed his blue starberry soda to Dick and forced the swap.

"You'll like it," Barba promised, "now for goodness sake, sit down both of you!"

Dick and Jason followed her example and sat down on the blanket; Jason sprawled himself over almost half while Dick sat cross-legged beside Barbra. Jason pulled out a bottle opener, but Dick being the show-off he'd never been allowed to be, deftly popped the lids casually with the Force. That made Barbra laugh and Jason role his eyes.

"Cheers," said Barbra holding up her soda, "to Batman and Robin."

"And Dick," Jason added as they tapped their bottles together.

Barbra let out an exasperated sigh. "Why are you so obsessed with his name?"

"Don't know," answered Jason taking a sip, "maybe cuz I gotta take my jollies where I can find 'em."

Dick pulled the mask off the lower half of his face and allowed his eyes to turn bright blue. "So you both figured it out."

"Actually, I did," said Barbra proudly.

"Yeah but don't worry Dickster," said Jason, "your secret's safe with us."