Chapter 62- Still Good Inside
Vader left his shuttle as it landed on the platform where the shield generator was. Vader hoped it wouldn't be long before Luke and Lena came to him. He felt his heart quicken as he thought of his children being with him again. This time they would not be allowed to leave. They would be with their father as it should have been when they were born. Vader entered the observation tower as the door slid open at the other end. Vader felt a spike of anger as he saw Talon Orran standing in shackles with Luke and Lena. What was this kidnapper doing with Vader's boy and girl?
"These are the rebels that surrendered to us. Although they deny it, I believe there may be more of them and I request permission to conduct a further search of the area. They were armed only with these," the commander said, handing Vader three lightsabers.
Vader took his gaze from his son and daughter. "Good work, Commander. Leave us. Conduct your search and bring their companions to me," Vader said ominously, avoiding the look of consternation on Luke's, Lena's, and Talon's faces.
"Yes, my lord," the commander said, bowing and leaving Vader to walk with his children and Talon down the length of the room.
"The emperor has been expecting you," Vader said by way of starting the conversation. He felt his heart clench as he hoped that they had had time to process the fact that he was their father and would acknowledge it.
"We know, Father," Luke said just as conversationally.
"So, you have accepted the truth," Vader said, unable to keep the gloat out of his modulated voice.
"We've accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, our father," Lena said, with that Jedi calm that Vader had always hated when he was a Jedi and that obviously Talon Orran had taught her. Of course she also sounded like Padme, before Padme went into a senate debate. Padme always knew how to calm her voice down. But his daughter had to be corrected for thinking he was still Anakin Skywalker.
"That name no longer has any meaning for me," Vader said, pointing Luke's lightsaber at her like a disapproving parent's finger.
"It is the name of your true self. You've only forgotten, Anakin. We all know there is good in you. Padme believed it until she died. The emperor hasn't driven it from you fully," Talon said, his voice like steel as the three of them turned to the observation window. Vader felt anger rise that Talon Orran could say Padme's name as if he was friends with her. Vader had always been jealous of any man who had been friends with Padme. Padme would never have given Talon Orran a glance, but for the man to even mention her name was enough to boil what was left of Vader's blood. And to call him Anakin after he had just said the name had no meaning.
"I know what you did to the younglings at the Jedi temple on Coruscant and the Nemoidians on Mustafar. You hated it, didn't you. A man who loved our mother like you did couldn't have done something like that without feeling shame. That was why you couldn't destroy me and Luke. That's why won't bring us to your emperor now," Lena said as she and Luke turned to the window. Vader almost chuckled to himself. This girl of his had gotten more of Padme than her hair color. She had gotten a healthy dose of her personality. Lena would have given her mother quite a run for credits when it came to debating an issue.
Vader had to get his mind of Padme. He looked down at the lightsabers in his hands. He knew which one was Luke's as it looked newer than Lena's or Talon Orran's. He ignited it and noticed how Lena and Luke visibly flinched. They must have thought he was going to run them through. Vader felt the boiling rage as Talon went to Lena and rested his manacled hands on her shoulder. "Courage, Lena," Vader heard Talon whisper faintly.
"Yes, Papa," Lena whispered back.
"I see you have constructed a new lightsaber," Vader said, deciding to address the issue of Talon taking Vader's place as father to Luke and Lena later. Vader looked down at the blade and the craftsmanship Luke had used on it. "Your skills are complete. Indeed you and your sister are powerful as the emperor has foreseen," Vader said, powering down the saber and turning away. It was in that moment he realized that turning his children wouldn't be easy. Unlike him, they had more strength of character than he had had.
"Come with us," Luke said.
"Obi-Wan once thought as you do. You don't know the power of the dark side. I must obey my master," Vader said as he turned to face Luke.
"We will not turn and you'll be forced to kill me, Lena, and Uncle Talon," Luke said.
"If that is your destiny," Vader felt his insides writhe at the thought of even killing his children. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.
"Search your feelings, Father. You can't do this. We feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate," Lena said. "You're a good person. Don't do this," Padme's voice echoed after her daughter's and a deep sadness filled Vader's heart at the thought of having to kill what was left of Padme's good heart.
"It is too late for me, daughter. The emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now," Vader said, silently beckoning stormtroopers forward so they could take Luke, Talon, and Lena to his shuttle.
Luke nodded slowly as if this had confirmed something. "Then our father is truly dead," Luke said as the stormtroopers escorted the three of them to the lift.
"Yeah. You, Obi-Wan, and Yoda were right, Father," Lena said in a side whisper to Talon as the doors closed. Vader felt a deep sadness inside. He couldn't kill the children. He almost killed Padme in the heat of the moment on Mustafar, but he would never do that again to his son and daughter. He had to find a way to turn them. He couldn't use a Force suggestion as the longer a person used the Force, they were not going to fall for a Force suggestion. He had to figure out some way to make them turn.