Vader's second chance
A Star wars story
Chapter 20
Disclaimer: Disney owns everything except my plot.
Hello there everyone and welcome to chapter 20 of the story! Before we begin, I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, as well as everyone who has added the story to their favorites, or is following me on FF. Now, about this chapter. This chapter is happening at the same time as chapter 19, but we get to see what Obi Wan and Luke have been up to. This "splitting one event in two parallel chapters" thing is something I've wanted to try out since forever, and something I would have done with AOTC had the dialogue on Naboo not been so cringy. Seriously, I'm saying this as a Star Wars fan, someone needs to teach poor Anakin how to flirt properly. Anyways, there won't be a duel in this chapter because Vader is fighting with Ahsoka and Anakin, and because Grievous is in space preparing to ambush the Republic fleet, but there will be plenty of action. The only unfortunate thing is that the weapons used today are quite "uncivilized", according to Obi Wan, that is. Enjoy the chapter you guys!
Mos Eisley, moments after Anakin and Ahsoka left, Luke's point of view:
After Anakin left with Ahsoka to go look for the Rebels Ben and I continued to fight the droids in the city, not that it was any more difficult than fighting Stormtroopers. We were fighting back-to-back and it was going quite well for us. Ben would deflect the shots and I would use the Force to throw crates at the droids. The fight was over sooner than either of us expected and after making sure that all droids were down, we took a moment to catch our breaths.
Obi Wan-Using the crates as weapons was a great idea Luke. Where did you learn that from?
Luke-Oh that. Father used the same move against me during one of our duels. I just copied what he did.
Obi Wan-Anakin showed you that? He never pays attention to anything that's happening around him.
Luke-Well, I guess time changed him.
Obi Wan-I suppose that everything changes eventually. Even your father's recklessness.
Luke-I guess. Hey, I just remembered something.
Obi Wan-What is it?
Luke-See that Cantina over there? That's where I met Han for the first time.
Obi Wan-Is it different than you remember?
Luke-Nope, it's exactly the same. I'm just revisiting some old memories.
Obi Wan-The past is the past Luke, and there is no way of changing it.
Luke-Ironic.
Obi Wan-Why? Oh yes, I suppose it is possible.
Luke-I mean, I'm doing it right now.
Obi Wan-Yes, you are.
Luke-You know, there's something I've always wanted to say as a teenager, but I never got off this planet to get that chance.
Obi Wan-What's that?
Luke-Well, I was hoping that if I left and ever came, I could say something a friend of mine told me once.
Obi Wan-What did your friend tell you?
Luke-He said, and I quote "Ah Tatooine, what a dump."
Obi Wan-I cannot say that I disagree. This planet is one that I'd never come back to if given the choice.
Luke-Same here Ben, same here.
Obi Wan-So, did you ever come back?
Luke-Yes, to rescue Han from Jabba. He had a bounty on his head because he owed the fat slug money and a bounty hunter named Boba Fett delivered him to Jabba.
Obi Wan-I suppose that he won't find himself in that situation again.
Luke-Well, Jabba is dead, so…
Obi Wan-…
Luke-I sense it too.
It seemed that Ben and I got the Force's warning just in time, because we would have been disintegrated by a detonator had we ran half a second later. After the detonator went off, the street was suddenly filled with thugs and mercenaries and they were all pointing their weapons at us.
Luke-Huh. I guess some things never change. I'll always attract a lot more trouble than I can handle.
Mercenary-Don't move Jedi!
Obi Wan-My friends I believe this is a mistake, a terrible mistake.
Bounty Droid-Shut up or I'll make you.
Luke-Dully noted.
Bounty hunter-Do you think these two are working with Vader?
Mercenary-I doubt it, but the Republic will pay a hefty ransom to get them back.
Mercenary 2-Yeah, and then we'll have the supplies to go after that asthmatic idiot.
Bounty hunter-And Tatooine will be our again!
Luke-They said there were Rebels here, not trigger happy mercenaries.
Obi Wan-Gentlemen, the Republic has sent us to assist you in eliminating any Separatists that are present on the planet. We have a common cause. There is no need to be enemies.
Bounty Droid-Didn't I tell you to shut up?
Luke-We both want Vader to leave the planet. We can work together.
Mercenary-We'll never work with Jedi scum! One of you bast***s killed my brother and I'll make sure to avenge him!
Obi Wan-Luke, do you have any other ideas?
Luke-Only one. Run!
R1WO34-The Rebels are here! Blast them!
R2OW8-Death to Jabba's dogs!
R345O-Fire! Fire!
As soon as the droids opened fire on the mercenaries Ben and I both ran for cover. After reaching a relatively safe spot I told Ben that we should let them fight with each other while we escape. Ben wasn't too enthusiastic about the plan, but he didn't have any better ideas so he reluctantly agreed. I peeked out from behind the bench we were using to hide and made sure the coast was clear. Ben and I made a break for it and successfully managed to escape both the Hunters and the Droids.
Obi Wan-It seems that this planet isn't Jedi-friendly.
Luke-Now, how could you say such a thing? Everyone here is totally not trying to kill us.
Obi Wan-I propose that we leave this area.
Luke-Agreed. The droids surely have more reinforcements on the way, so there's no question as to who's going to win.
Ben and I hoped on a nearby speeder and left the city of Mos Eisley behind us, while the screams of the dying bounty hunters could be heard behind us. We decided to head to the nearest town, which was about three hours away, and I drifted towards that direction. Ben mumbled something about hating flying a couple times during the trip, but was otherwise silent. About an hour and a half of speeding across the desert later I was lazily messing around with the controls to stop myself from getting bored. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only thing in the vicinity that was bored out of its mind. A sniper shot came out of nowhere and narrowly missed my head. Ben started looking around, trying to pinpoint where the shot had come from, but I already knew. We were close to a small formation of rocky hills, the perfect place for a pack of Sand People to set up an ambush. I stirred the speeder towards them and continuously moved my head and body around as much as I could after telling Ben to do the same. When the speeder was close to the Raiders Ben and I both jumped off and ignited our sabers. The Tuskens looked at them for a moment before backing away in fear. We waved our lightsabers around and the Raiders ran off almost immediately after, and one or two were smart enough to take a few pot shots at us while running away. I told Ben to keep his saber on because they could return in greater numbers, as he had once told me, and I examined the speeder. It looked undamaged, but after two more seconds of looking at it I realized that the fuel tank had been hit by a blaster bolt and was leaking. When I told Ben he didn't seem very happy about it.
Obi Wan-So, we are stranded in the middle of the dessert with a destroyed speeder and pack of Sand People hunting us?
Luke-Hey, you should be grateful the speeder didn't explode.
As if on cue, the speeder lit up and was consumed by a ball of flames, earning me a look of disappointment from Ben.
Obi Wan-It seems that bad luck runs is a Skywalker family trait.
Luke-Oh come on, I know this dessert like the back of my head. We'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?
Two hours later:
Anakin, Ahsoka, Ben and I were all sitting in a cell at a Separatist outpost in the middle of the dessert. They had just brought the other two in, but Ben and I had been here for about two hours already.
Obi Wan-I have to ask Anakin.
Anakin-You don't.
Obi Wan-Yes I do.
Anakin-What is it?
Obi Wan-How did you end up here?
Anakin-Well Master, I sensed you were in danger and we came to rescue you.
Obi Wan-Good job.
Luke-Is it just me, or has this happened to them before?
Ahsoka-Nope. Not just you.
Anakin-Huh. This has happened before.
Obi Wan-A Deja vu, then.
Anakin-Yup.
I closed my eyes for a second, trying to remember if Father had ever told me anything about this when I heard him coming.
Luke-Vader is coming.
Ahsoka-How do you know?
Luke-I can hear his theme music.
Anakin-His what?
Obi Wan-Unlike you Luke, I don't hear anything, but I do sense him.
Father approached the cell we were in, and the Imperial March was indeed playing in the background. I looked behind him and saw a B-1 battle droid carrying a small speaker. Nobody commented on it, not even Ben. Father waved his hand and the speaker turned off, taking the music with it.
Anakin-Lord Vader. Why would your lordship visit us here?
Vader-You are being released. Senator Padme Amidala and I have reached an understanding. After two hours of negotiations we finally agreed that I would let you go on the condition that Tatooine is not attacked by the Republic for the rest of the war. The Senator reluctantly agreed, so you are free to go. You will be escorted back to Mos Eisley and you can leave with the same ship you used to get here.
Luke-Thank the Force he's letting us go. I swear, I hate the Imperial March more than anything else in the galaxy, with the exception of sand.
Anakin-I don't like sand either.
Obi Wan-Anakin, we already know about that!
Ahsoka-What's the Imperial March?
I opened my eyes and saw that we were still in the cell. I saw that Father was standing in the doorway and then Ben told me that we were allowed to leave. Confused, I looked for the droid that should have been holding the speaker only to see that it was holding the keys to our cell. I didn't say anything until we were back at the ship. I told the others that I wanted to meditate and went to my room. I immediately searched for Father's presence and when I found it I allowed it to enter my mind, establishing a connection with him.
Luke-What the heck happened back there?
Vader-Oh, I'm sorry. I never got the chance to prank you until now.
Luke-What did you do?
Vader-Simple. I established a connection between us and used Force Projection to make you see and hear things that weren't really happening.
Luke-So that's why the others didn't react to it!
Vader-My apologies, but I couldn't resist pulling your leg!
Luke-It was funny, but just stick to puns from now on, okay?
Vader-Very well. I'm Luke-ing forward to our next meeting.
Luke-I swear you irritate me more than even Han!
Vader-Oh come on. I'm simply following your instructions.
Luke-That's it. I'm done. Goodbye dad.
Vader-May the Force be with you.
Luke-You too.
Father's presence went away and I sat on my bed for a minute, trying to figure out how I just allowed my Father to prank me like that…
So, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know that there wasn't much action, but I was trying to focus more on the interactions between the characters in this one. Also, did you guys find the ending funny? I could totally see dad Anakin do that to Luke. I just put it there because I couldn't resist making those four references and because I wanted to show that while Vader looks tough, Anakin is as playful as he used to be, but has a lot more control over when that happens. Besides, I got the chance to introduce Force Projection to the story, which means that we'll see it again very, very soon… Anyways, the next chapter will be a filler, but Rex will finally show up in the story, so I guess that's something to look forward to. I'll try to set the chapter around Rex investigating something with Cody to make it a little more serious than this one was, but until then, May the Force be with you!