Title: Anakin's Paradox, Part 6

Author: Jonathan Evans

Author email: noggins_evans@hotmail.com

Summary: Contains Episode II spoilers! During a fierce battle, Anakin
Skywalker finds himself in a future that he never expected in which
the galaxy is in a state of civil war and his teacher is now an old man

Disclaimer: George Lucas owns everything and I'm not making any
money off of thi nor do I intend to (I'd like to but that's not the
point). You can distribute this freely provided that it's
complete with this disclaimer.

Anakin's Paradox
Part 6 - Conclusions
by Noggins

The Imperial TIE fighters screamed overhead as the Y-Wings that were making the first attack run on the Death Star were blasted to pieces. Anakin covered his eyes as Red Leader's fighter separated into millions of shards of light that travelled far into space, driven by the force of the explosion. The young Jedi knew something was wrong. He could sense a familiar presence that was coming for them... for him.

"Something's coming. Look at your scanners. Mark one-two-zero-three." a voice echoed over the intercom. Anakin pressed several keys on his control panel and looked at the screen. Three more fighters had emerged from the Death Star. The one in the centre differed from the two flanking it and at that moment Anakin knew that this was what he was most dreading.

"What's the middle one?" he asked. "It's different."
"I hadn't noticed, Red Five," the original voice replied. "Looks like some kind of experimental craft. But who'd be flying it?"
"I think I know!" Anakin replied. "Continue the attack run. Don't come after me." He took one last look at the scanner then turned off the intercom. His gloved hands tightened over the control stick as he pulled it back hard, his X-Wing looping around and heading for the pursuing fighters.

He took one last look at Luke as he flew passed him in the opposite direction. Somewhere deep down he wished he could have got to know him more but the fact remained, if Darth Vader still existed here, the farmboy wasn't really his son. His Jedi training never dealt with things like this. Time and alternate dimensions and paradoxes had nothing to do with Force... at least he'd though so until Obi-Wan offered him a theory for his being here. The explosion of the dark side within him. But why hadn't it happened before? With the Tuskens?

His thoughts came back to the present as he headed towards the three fighters heading towards the Death Star trench. They'd noticed him just as he was within firing distance. Laserfire flew passed his cockpit, hitting one of the wings. On the top of the X-Wing, Artoo began to chirp hurriedly.

"I know, Artoo!" he exclaimed. "But I have to do this." More chirps. "You wanna do it?" Several loud bleeps. "You haven't changed." Anakin smiled. "Now, we just need to get rid of the other two."

He twisted the control stick quickly and the X-wing began to spin quickly, sending one of the TIEs that flanked Vader's out of the way. "Spinning," he grinned. "Always thought that was a good trick." Just as he turned around to come at the fighters from behind he sensed a sudden darkness that sent a shiver down his spine. This was it. This was his future. If he ever found a way back home, no matter what he could do this what he would become.

"Never," he whispered bitterly and set up for an attack run. "Not a chance..."

Vader and the two fighters had reformed and were now heading down towards the trench. Anakin let rip. He began to move as fast as he could towards the middle fighter. He wasn't going to turn into that. He wasn't. Obi-Wan was right. He had no control.

"You haven't learnt anything, Anakin!"

His master's words rang through his brain as it appeared that he hadn't been noticed. He had learnt something. Sacrifice.

He hit the trench at full speed just as a flash of light exploded overhead and another vessel appeared from hyperspace, colliding with one of the flanking fighters, sending Vader's spinning out of control into space. Anakin grabbed the controls one last time as he pulled back up hard. This was it. A manouvuer he hadn't pulled off since his podracing days but usually he didn't intend on crashing.

He shot forward, speed increasing more and more each second. He moved his right hand to his side and held the lightsaber that was there, taken from the body of another Jedi. He was a Jedi too. He wasn't afraid of death. He'd be just like all those he'd seen sacrifice themselves in the arena. He'd do this. He would...

He looked up once more. Vader hadn't seen him coming. The impact was just seconds away.

There is no death, only the Force.


END