Chapter 12 – Alderaan
DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P
Author's Note: Vader finally gets to meet his daughter! :D
~ Amina Gila
Obi-Wan lets Vader remain in the healing trance until they exit from hyperspace above Alderaan. Seeing the severe condition his body is in, the longer he's under, the better it will be. He awakens his brother by gently touching his mind, silently urging it to come out of the trance. The only sign that he's awake is the brightening of his Force presence, but he doesn't move. "We'll be landing shortly," Obi-Wan tells him. "How do you feel?"
For a moment, only the rasping of the respirator answers him. "Better," Vader replies curtly, pushing himself to a sitting position and standing up. "Thank you," he adds after one respirator cycle has passed.
Under other circumstances, he probably would have made a joke about the obvious reluctance in Anakin's voice, but he knows how much saying the words would have cost him. Instead, he settles on nodding, conveying as much understanding as he can into the simple gesture. Vader stalks out of the cabin, entering the main hold. Obi-Wan follows, glancing at Vader as he moves to a viewport and stands looking out, hands clasped behind his back.
His emotions are completely shielded, and Obi-Wan never realized how much he relied on seeing Anakin's face to gauge his emotional state until now. The silence is almost unbearable, and he's reminded again how much everything has changed. Ahsoka had commented on it also when she mentioned that Vader is very indisposed towards speaking. He prefers being a silent lurking presence, though that can probably be attributed to his emotional state.
What will it take to bring him out of his shell? Obi-Wan has asked himself that question repeatedly over the past several hours, but he hasn't found a satisfying answer yet. He moves to stand next to Vader, not quite touching him, staring out the viewport as Alderaan draws closer. Bail will be waiting and so will Leia. Force, he hopes she's been told the truth. Hopefully, she'll take it with her mother's grace and not show her father any negative feelings.
There's also the question of Luke. He's still on Tatooine, and someone needs to bring him here. Obi-Wan ought to go, but he's reluctant to leave Anakin's side. Maybe he can send Ahsoka or wait until Anakin is in surgery. One of them should stay here on Alderaan to be with him, but he's not sure who. Asking might be the best option.
"Only Leia is here." Obi-Wan keeps his voice quiet, but he knows that Vader can hear him. "Luke is on Tatooine with your step-brother."
"Tatooine?" Vader echoes, his distaste somehow being conveyed through his vocoder.
"Yes," Obi-Wan confirms. "I was in no position to raise a child, and the Lars were the best option. Besides, I knew that neither you nor the Emperor would go there, so he would be safe."
"And this same concern did not extend to Leia?" Vader questions, turning his head to look directly at Obi-Wan. He forces himself to look into the mask which conceals his brother's face.
"She did not resemble you as closely," Obi-Wan explains, "And our options were limited. Placing her on Naboo would not have been safe for Sidious would surely have found her there. It wouldn't have been as likely for him to realize that the Organa's adopted daughter is yours, because she has been in plain sight all these years."
Vader doesn't reply, and Obi-Wan again wishes he had a way to know what the other man is thinking. His shielding is so strong that Obi-Wan can't even catch the faintest emotion without actively probing, something he doubts would be well received. After a few seconds, Vader turns away, crossing his arms as he resumes looking out the viewport as Ahsoka lands the shuttle. On the platform ahead, Obi-Wan can sense Bail and Leia waiting. Best to get this over with.
"Come," he says quietly, resting a hand on Vader's right arm as he turns towards the ramp. Ahsoka joins them, and together, they walk down the ramp onto the surface of Alderaan.
"Welcome to Alderaan," Bail greets them with a courteous smile. Outwardly, he's welcoming, but Obi-Wan can sense a faint trace of uneasiness. It's to be expected. He's had encounters – generally unpleasant ones – with Vader over the years.
Behind him, Leia steps closer, her brown eyes studying each of them in turn. Her chestnut hair is pulled back into an elaborate bun. She looks so much like Padme it's almost unnerving. "Master Kenobi, I'm so happy to meet you," she tells him, expression brightening. "I've heard much about you."
"I'm pleased to see you," Obi-Wan replies. "You look so much like your mother. I'm sure you'll be an excellent politician just like she was."
Leia grins at him as she turns to Ahsoka next. "Fulcrum, I'm glad to see you alive."
"Good to see you, Princess," Ahsoka nods, bowing her head slightly.
Finally, Leia's gaze drifts to Vader, and she studies him without any overt hostility. Obi-Wan can almost see her trying to find an appropriate greeting before settling on one. "Lord Vader," Leia murmurs, staring fearlessly at his mask. Just as he'd expected, Vader doesn't answer. If not for the respirator, Obi-Wan might have thought he'd vanished.
"We have a couple physicians here to take a look at you, Lord Vader," Bail addresses him.
Vader finally inclines his head in acknowledgement. "I do not believe there is much that can be repaired," he announces. "My lungs were severely damaged on Mustafar, and they have never recovered."
"Let them at least have a look, Anakin," Ahsoka urges. "Technology has changed a lot, so I'm sure they can do something."
"Come. Follow me." Bail motions to them, turning towards the palace with Leia right beside him. "Leia can show you around when there's more time," he adds as an afterthought.
"Bail, we need to bring Luke here," Obi-Wan reminds him, moving to walk beside him. "Once we know what the situation will be with Anakin, either Ahsoka or I could go."
"We can talk about this later," Bail answers. "It's imperative that he be healed enough that the suit no longer be necessary. The Empire has spies everywhere, and he's easily recognizable."
"Do you suspect anyone in the palace?" Obi-Wan asks with concern.
"I can look around if you think it's necessary," Ahsoka adds.
"No, I don't think so." Bail shakes his head. "I am convinced everyone here is trustworthy."
"There are no spies here," Anakin declares from where he's walking in the back. "The Emperor has expressed to me numerous times his frustration at being unable to obtain reliable information when he is certain Alderaan supports the rebels."
Bail offers a tight-lipped smile. "We have been forced to remain vigilant." It's all he says, but the implication is clear. He's a secret supporter of the alliance, something which Obi-Wan already knew, of course. Vader doesn't miss a stride, so obviously the revelation is nothing new.
"You play a dangerous game, Viceroy," Vader warns finally. "Consider yourself fortunate that you offered more benefits alive than dead to the Emperor."
"I am well aware of the risks," Bail answers, pausing outside a door. "The physicians are in here. They are expecting you. Would you like to speak to them alone?"
There's a pause of silence, and Obi-Wan thinks he can almost feel Anakin's eyes on him before he nods. "I would." He seems hesitant as he steps forward sweeping through the door. It closes behind him, leaving everyone standing quietly.
"We will know when they are done," Bail informs them. "We can wait nearby." He motions for them to join him. They follow him and Leia to a nearby room and take seats on a couch.
Obi-Wan finds that he can't shake the feeling that he should be there with Anakin. He wants to be. The damage is his fault, after all. He saw how much his brother had suffered, but he still doesn't know the extent of his injuries. Will he ever be able to live as a man, or is he forever doomed to a life trapped inside a life-support suit? The question is too unsettling, and the implications even more so. He pushes it aside, forcing himself to find a distraction.
"How have you been, Princess?" Ahsoka asks, the question giving him someone else to focus on.
"Fine," Leia responds courteously.
"Does she know the truth?" Obi-Wan questions Bail in a hushed tone. He nods silently.
"I know everything," Leia tells him, "But I don't know how I feel about it yet."
"That's to be expected," he replies with a gentle smile. "I know this is all very sudden, and to be honest, I'm still trying to accept it myself."
"I don't –" Leia begins, cutting herself off mid-sentence. "How should I act towards him? I mean, he's my biological father, but he never raised me. Besides, he's part of the Empire. Everyone knows what he's done. How can he not be evil?"
"The situation is very complex," Obi-Wan murmurs at last, stroking his beard. "Anakin is not evil. He was misled." He settles back against the chair, sighing deeply as he dredges up the recollections of what he saw in his brother's mind. "Family has always been important to him," Obi-Wan explains, meeting Ahsoka's eyes. She's watching him with a hint of sadness. "He thought your mother was going to die, and he turned to Palpatine, who had already driven a wedge between him and everyone else who might have cared for him."
Leia looks at him with wide eyes. "He wanted to save my mother?" she inquires softly with something like wonder – and surprise – in her voice.
Obi-Wan nods. Even Bail seems somewhat stunned by the revelation. "She wasn't in danger, but he didn't know that. He is – not well. He needs our help and support now more than ever." Despite being only ten, Leia appears to grasp the meaning in his words because she nods vigorously, silently promising to do her part.