Disclaimer :
Anyway, I'm not making any money out of SW. *grin* my fics aren't good enough to be sold anyway =p
This story is in progress at the JC, under the name 'From the depths of his heart' (which title is better, by the way ? what do you think ?)
Dedication :
Summary :
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He feinted before he struck again. He stared longly at Kenobi's eyes, letting his anger flow through him. 'Anger feeds the Dark Side' he thought, 'and the Dark Side makes me stronger. This time I will not fall. This time I will not fail'. Vader's anger seemed to be endless. He was attacking his former Master, his former friend, again and again, oblivious to their surroundings. His mind was screaming in rage, and Obi-Wan could not stand hearing the accusation. 'You did that to me 'Master' ; YOU did that to me ! I had a wife, I had a life, and you took it all away from me ! I trusted you though ; I trusted you...'
The words echoed in Kenobi's mind, accusing. The pain was deeper since he knew Anakin had also lost his children. But that was not his fault ; the only thing he had done wrong had happened seventeen years ago, when he had promised his dying Master he would train Anakin Skywalker. He was not ready to have a Padawan. Yet the Coucil had agreed. Despite Master Yoda's advice, and despite Obi-Wan's own fears. The worst had happened, but nothing would change that now. Anakin was lost. He was a Sith Lord, and his physical condition did not let any hope for a redemption. Obi-Wan could not think of anything that would give his friend a reason to come back. Padmé's love was the Jedi's last hope, and Padmé was dead. Darth Vader would never feel love again.
Mos Espa market was deserted. A very few things could provide fear to Mos Espa's cosmopolitan population, and Darth Vader holding a lightsaber was definitely one of them. The town had not changed much since Anakin Skywalker had left Tatooine all those years ago, but Vader did not notice. His attention still focused on Obi-Wan, he was striking and cutting without stopping. And Obi-Wan, whose guilt prevented from concentrating enough, knew he was going to die. He hoped that at least Luke was safe. Almost uncousciously, he reached out through the Force and touched the child's mind.
All the people who saw Obi-Wan Kenobi's corpse remained struck by the astonished expression on his features. As if he was surprised by his own death. Though it was a well-know fact that Darth Vader had never been beaten by a Jedi. None of those people ever tought that Kenobi's surprise would come from something else ; something linked to the unexpected presence of a little boy in the town of Mos Espa this very day...
Vader's anger had been endless while he was facing Kenobi, but now it was his surprise that was endless. Who was the child Kenobi's mind had touched before he died ? and why did he have such a strange feeling about this child ?
He used the Force to touch him, somehow hoping that the child was Kenobi's son, which would provide a good explanation for the Jedi's care for him. His link with the boy was so strong that he could see what he was seeing. He was looking up at Owen Lars, and Vader felt his anger coming back. He really hated the man, even if his reasons for hating him belonged to another person, a teenager jaleous of the one his mother had raised. Still Vader hated Owen Lars, and his hate was stronger than anything else.
Well, almost stronger than anything else.
Curiousity flew through him as he realised he should not be able to see through anybody's mind when not trying to do so. The Force had to be strong with the boy ; this would explain Kenobi's fear for him. The former Jedi dug deep into the defenceless mind, until he was able to see the child's few memories of his mother.
She was none of the Jedi Anakin had expected her to be.
The expression Darth Vader's face took at this moment was strangely similar to the one Obi-Wan Kenobi's own face wore when he died.
Pure astonishment.
It couldn't be ! He couldn't be her son ! he couldn't be... his... Yet he had to aknowledge the idea. It was possible. But he wasn't sure at all of his feelings towards the idea that, maybe... he had a son. A whirl of antagonistic feelings invaded his mind. He was still there, in the middle of the street, his hand holding his lightsaber. The street was still so empty. But no longer was his heart.
'And what if it is untrue ? What if I am wrong ?' Never did he wonder what he would do if the child was his child. The part of Anakin Skywalker that craved for love had been awoken again. 'No' he thought, 'I can't be this man anymore. I will kill Lars, and the boy... whatever. He will not be the first orphan to grow up on Tatooine.' *But if I kill Lars because of the anger Anakin Skywalker holds against him, then who will I be ?*
Anyway, ignoring the whole situation was no longer an option. He had to know _why_ Obi-Wan had chosen Tatooine. Somehow he felt it was really important. And more, he had to know who the boy was. Even if he was to let him alone on the planet, he had to know if anybody could, someday, use the child against him. He _would not_ allow that. *Why would that happen anyway ? why would I care if the child died ? I don't know him he is your soul the only thing I have to prevent is his being trained in the ways of the Force by an enemy. No one will ever use my son's Force against me. My son...*
It was a strange day. He had been so happy this morning when Uncle Owen had taken him to Mos Espa ! Sure, he had been in awe when he had seen all the strange beings wandering in the streets, but it was still funny. Then something had changed. The crowd was whispering something about someone, and the all of them seemed to be afraid. Uncle Owen obviously wanted to know what had happened, but he was afraid someone would hurt Luke if he asked. Luke was afraid. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
Then something very strange had happened. He had felt... well, he had felt somebody *touching* him. But the fact was that he was still with Uncle Owen, and nobody else had even brushed him. Yet he had felt a wramth. And he had felt... light.
His four year old brain was deeply confused. Light is not something you can feel, it is something you see. He looked up at Uncle Owen, wanting to ask him what had just happened, when he froze. He had felt light before, but now he was experiencing... a deep grey. What had happened to the light ? And why was he so... cold... The grey was so deep it would seem black to almost everybody. Yet somehow Luke knew it wasn't all black. There was a bit of light in this grey. Just a bit, but this bit of light calmed the child. He would be okay.
You'll be okay sweetheart, don't cry it will be okay A woman's voice. The kindest voice he had ever heard. A woman's face. The saddest face he had ever seen. She broadcasted love. And pain, oh, so much pain. Luke could not remember why. There was only one thing he could remember.
The woman was his mother.
And his mother was... gone...
He pulled Uncle Owen't sleeve, trying to catch his attention. He wanted, he _needed_ to ask him what was going on. And he wanted to go away. He had the feeling something horrible would happen. Something... the word was huge. He often used it because the word had so many different meanings. And he felt he didn't want to know what meant the 'something' that might happen. It was as if a voice was talking into his mind Run, Luke, run ! and he had no choice but obeying, because the voice was speaking the Truth. But still he hadn't caught Uncle Owen's attention. He still hadn't told him to go away.
And a black giant appeared at the corner of a street.
Silence. Why was everything suddendly so silent ? And why did he have the feeling the man was looking for him...
Silence everywhere. He was getting used to it. Silence around him and a grotesque breathing sound from him. Silence in the Force apart from the mind of a little boy. A little child ; *his* child. Fear. Fear attracts the fearful *I have to come to him, I have to soothe him, and I have to kill the damned farmer*
Vader was very aware of the contradiction within his mind, but he decided to ignore it. Somehow, he believed that what was to happen was the will of the Force. He believed that no one, no Jedi, no Sith, could have any influence upon the events to come. These events... They would change three people's lives. He smirked under his mask. The most radical change would be the end of Lars' life.
He approached the man and the boy, slowly, with mesured steps. Nobody would get on his way and soon the place was empty too. Though Lars was still there. He wanted to talk to the one in front of him but he found he couldn't. Something was preventing him from talking.
'Something ?' Luke's little voice asked.
That was the first time Vader ever heard the sound of his son's voice. And oddly enough, he was deeply moved. What was thrilling was the accent, *his* accent -- Anakin's. The shortness of the word could not prevent the attentive man from hearing it. That was an accent pulled out of the past, an accent coming from the depths of another life, a life burried in the depths of his heart. The accent of a Tatooine slave are you an angel who was no longer allowed to exist.
The boy he had been was alive in the other boy. The sandy blonde hair, the blue eyes, they were all his. Despite his will, Skywalker was still there, embodied by the seed he was unaware he had sown. And Darth Vader felt relieved Skywalker was still alive somewhere. He stopped himself before his thoughts went too far and called the Dark Side of the Force to him.
Luke looked up at the man when the strange feeling came back and felt Uncle Owen letting go of his hand. He turned his little face towards his guardian, then looked at Vader again once the strange feeling had left. The Dark Lord knelt down beside him.
'Will you come with me little one ?'
Many different feelings reached Luke's mind, so much different feelings that his head was dizzy. But it was good, and pleasant ; he smiled up at the man.
'Yes. I will come with you'.
The shock of what Luke said made Owen Lars find his voice back : 'What ! Luke, you can't...'
Vader resumed his hold on Lars' throat. He had been strangling the man through the Force, he had even meant to kill him, but something had gone wrong. Could it be the child ?
No, it obviously was not.
'You are dead, Kenobi. You do not really hope you can hold my powers, do you ?'
He found that it was hard to talk to an empty space. However, as his grip on Lars weakened once more, he understood his guessing wasn't too far from reality. The Force presence of his old master was filling his senses. It threatened to take once more Luke away from him. No, he would not let that happen.
Owen had somehow managed to free himself during Vader's inner talk. His first move had been to catch Luke's hand back, and to pull the boy behind him. He wouldn't be safer that way, but it still made Owen feel better. He did have to talk with Vader though, else the boy would never be safe again.
'Anakin, listen...'
Vader's head jumped up. Not only had the man broken his grip once more, but he had also _dared_ calling him...
Meaning to end the discussion as quickly as possible, Vader called the Dark Side once more. He suddendly realized why he had to struggle so much to use the Force.
The bastard...
'This anchor to my son will not last long Obi-Wan, believe me. I will take care of it'.
'So you can still take care of something ?'
Vader's anger rose to no end. How could his master accuse him of... Of what ? Why was he angry by the way ? because his _former_ master had stated out loud the fact that, as a Dark Sider, he didn't care ? I care His anger fell and he felt he had all wrong. Why, being angry at the statement would be an implicit acceptance that he had at least _wanted_ to care. Though remaining calm would prevent him from using the Force, and hence destroying the anchor. Both ways Kenobi won.
'You cannot destroy that anchor, Darth'.
That was everything Vader needed to hear. He called he Dark Side again and this time he did manage to break the anchor -- or so he thought. He also killed Owen. Luke looked at his guardian, dumbfounded.
'Dya still come with me ?'
Falling back into the old Tatooine accent, he mused. Would get rid of that later.
Luke found his voice back to ask saddly 'W-w-what does he have ?'
'Nothing. He's asleep, but will soon wake up *in another realm*. C'mon'.
He started his way back to the shuttle and turned on his heels when he realized Luke was not following him. *You will forget him soon, child.*
'Come on !'
The child was still trying to make up his mind and take a decision.
'Do you really want to remain stuck on this dustball of a planet forever ?'
Luke thought about it for a while and he found that he didn't. He also found that he did trust the man in black. He then realized all the implications of the man's words : he was leaving Tatooine ! He would see what a spaceship was like, he would fly among the stars ! A sky walker...
Eager to see the ship, he ran to the man and reached for his hand. Vader hesitated before taking it, then resumed his way back to the shuttle.
Life came back into Mos Espa's streets. People of all species started wandering again here and there. Fights resumed, the strongs still praying upon the weaks. The way it had always been. Later that evening, a woman cried her dead husband and her missing child.
The doctors who examined Owen Lars' corpse could not find what he was dead of. No one was to know what had happened of his adoptive child before a long, long time.
