I awoke and felt every blister on my body. When I tried to open my eyes, I found that I couldn't. When I tried to move, my muscles wouldn't respond. I felt someone near me, but I couldn't tell who it was.

Finally, the person spoke. "I see you are conscious again, my boy."

I tried to speak, but my mouth wouldn't open, and I felt that if it could, no sound would come out.

So I tried thinking my questions.

Master, what happened?

Palpatine's steely voice entered my ears. "Your friend, Master Kenobi, threw you into a lava pit, then he immediately retreated the planet. Luckily I had come to Terrigna right after and saved you. I pulled you from the lava and took you immediately to a medicenter. You have sustained burns on ninety-eight percent of your body and all of your hair is gone. They say you will live with the aid of a full-body life support suit. When you are able, you and I will help them design it, for it will be the last suit you ever put on. But for now, just relax and get plenty of rest. Worry your mind not. You are well taken care of."

And Padmé?

"Oh, um," he hesitated. "I'm sorry to say that while you and I were gone from Coruscant, she was taken from her room, along with her few belongings. The authorities say that they do not have any leads on who took her or why, but I have a pretty good idea, as I'm sure you do."

Obi-Wan . . .

"Yes, that was my guess also, but do not worry. She will be back in our custody soon enough. We will wait until you are functional again, however. Now rest, my boy."

With that, I felt a punch of sleep-inducing drugs enter my system and I lost consciousness again.

After a few weeks of bedrest, I was able to leave the room, with the aid of many machines that kept me breathing and my heart beating. They showed us many models of full-body life support suits of varying designs and colors. However, only one color fit how I felt inside: black. I now had no more room for weaknesses like love. I was in total control of my destiny, and no woman was going to take that from me.

About a month after the duel with Obi-Wan, Palpatine told me that he had finally uncovered where the Jedi had hidden Padmé and the child.

"The fools!" came my deep, voice between the raspy breaths. "They believe that we would not think to look on Naboo?"

"Do not underestimate the power of the Force, my friend. Now, I need you to go to Naboo and retrieve the child. I'm sure that she has had it by now. Leave as soon as you can."

"I am prepared as soon as the ship is."

He stood up from behind the desk, his black cloak rustling as he came around the desk to lead me out of the office.

Since the duel, Palpatine had dropped the fancy robes of Supreme Chancellor and donned his hooded black cloak. He had said that in order to be an Emperor, one had to look the part.

"Vader," he said, resting his pale, gnarled hand on my shoulder, "I feel that the time has come to finally rid the galaxy of their kind. The Jedi will not acquiesce to our demands for too much longer, and I feel that is it best to dispose of them before they rebel. Don't you agree, Lord Vader?"

I looked down at him and said, "You mean, kill them all? Do you have any idea how many Jedi there are in the galaxy? And how spread out they are?"

"Yes, my friend, but where are the core of them centralized?"

My eyes glittered devilishly behind the mask. "As you wish, my Master. I can assure you, I will track down every last one and dispose of them."

His lips curled in a hideous smile. "Good! You can begin with Master Kenobi. I have word that he is stationed on Naboo, personally guarding Senator Amidala. Dispose of him and the senator and whoever gets in your way, but bring the child, unharmed, back here to me."

I bowed. "Yes, my Master. I will bring him to you if it's the last thing I ever do. I will leave immediately."

***

When my ship landed on Naboo, I wasn't surprised to see many confused, questioning, and frightened faces on the guards. I smirked and strode past them all with great authority. Not too surprisingly, the only confrontation I had was with Sabé.

She looked up at me, seemingly unimpressed, and asked, "May I ask your name and business with the senator?"

"You may ask, Sabé, though you may not require an answer."

Her eyes widened slightly as she thought, Anakin . . .

I let out a slight chuckle and said, "Yes and no. May I see my wife now?"

She was too speechless to respond, so I stepped around her and punched in the entry code to get into Padmé's chambers.

Before I could get very far into the front room, Obi-Wan stepped in front of me.

"What are you doing here?"

"Step aside, old man," I commanded and took a step to my right to go around him.

He sidestepped me and inquired again.

"I said, 'What are you doing here?' "

"I heard you, Kenobi. I am here to see my wife and child. Now, step aside, old man."

He gestured toward Padmé's door with his hand. "As you wish."

I gave him a wary look and stepped around him. I went through the door to Padmé's bedroom and saw her asleep in the bed. Obi-Wan stepped in behind me and stood to the side of the open door, watching me.

As I stared at the sleeping woman, I could tell by her pallor and the dark circles under her eyes that she was very sick and near death. My heart was telling me that I loved her, but my brain was saying, You have no room for love. Find the child and leave.

My loud breathing must have awoken her because she stirred and slowly opened her eyes. As soon as she saw me, there was a glint of fear in her eyes, which she quickly hid. She looked askance at Obi-Wan. He just nodded, so she sat up, somewhat laboriously, and pulled a robe from a chair beside the bed. She tied it around her tiny waist as she slowly stood from the bed, supporting herself by holding onto the chair, and addressed me with a slight weakness in her voice.

"What is your business on Naboo, Lord Vader?"

I stepped forward and said, "Don't play games with me, Senator. Where is the child?"

She folded her hands in front of her flat stomach, swaying slightly, seemingly unintimidated. She did not speak.

I felt the heat of my anger starting to fill the suit. "Where is my child, woman?" I asked, more threateningly.

Padmé glanced behind me quickly, then looked back to me. With conviction making her voice stronger, she said, "Vader, I cannot let you take my child. I will not allow you to corrupt him as Palpatine did to you."

I pondered the word him. "So it was a boy then?"

She nodded, glancing behind me again.

Staring to get suspicious, I looked behind me and saw that Obi-Wan was gone. I swiftly turned around and started running, mentally kicking myself.

How could you let him get away? He must have the child. That old fool . . .

Halfway down the corridor, I heard a baby giggle behind a closed door. I stopped abruptly and listened more intently.

After a few more gurgling noises and the sound of a woman humming softly, I entered the room. Inside was another of Padmé's handmaidens, of whom I didn't know the name. She looked up from the child she was holding and stared at me, fear evident in her eyes.

My eyes darted between her and the baby, who had chestnut hair and deep brown eyes. This isn't him. This is a female.

Grunting a slight apology, I exited the room and continued following Obi-Wan's presence, which led me to the Theed hangar.

***

A hunched, shadowed figure was running toward a star cruiser as its sublight engines roared to life.

"Kenobi!" I yelled before the figure was halfway to the ship. He stopped in his tracks and remained motionless.

I strode toward him as he slowly turned around, his cloak wrapped tightly around his form, hood covering his longish hair.

He looked up at me as I came to a stop before him, standing commandingly at my full height.

"Where are you going with my child, Kenobi?"

He gave me a feigned puzzled look. "What makes you think I have the child?" he asked quietly.

"Don't play games with me, old man. Hand over the child. He is coming with me."

"I cannot allow that, Vader."

Again, I felt the anger welling up inside. "Is it so much for a man to want to hold his only child!?" I roared.

My voice must have frightened the baby, because a shrill cry from inside Obi-Wan's cloak pierced the air. He looked down and pulled the cloak back, revealing a small bundle in his arms. He shhed the child, trying to comfort him.

"Hey, Luke, it's all right. Shh, you're okay, Luke."

I forced the anger from my voice and quietly said, "His name is Luke?"

Obi-Wan's bright blue eyes looked back up to me, and he nodded.

I gazed at the small, wriggling bundle in the Jedi's arms. As I examined his features, I thought, Padmé was right. . . . His crystal-clear blue eyes, still filled with tears, darted between Obi-Wan and me, and a tuft of dark blonde hair crowned his head.

I extended a black-gloved hand and gently touched his cheek and hair. His eyes set something off in me. For that short time, I forgot about Palpatine and my mission. When I asked Obi-Wan if I could hold the child, he resisted a little but reluctantly placed him in my arms.

Time stood still as I stared into Luke's perfect face. I felt such a strength in this small being, and I knew that one day, we would be together in a less-than-hostile situation. I knew that his destiny did not lie with the Emperor and me. This boy was destined for greatness.

I handed him back to Obi-Wan and said, "Take him away and hide him from me. Do not tell him that his father is who he is. Tell him the good things about me, about before I turned into" -- I gestured broadly at myself -- "this. And, when he is old enough . . . " I unclipped the blue-bladed lightsaber from my belt and placed it in Obi-Wan's free hand. "When he is old enough, give him this and train him to be a Jedi, like his father before him."

A tear pricked at Obi-Wan's eye as he nodded determinedly. "I will, Anakin. I will." With that, he pulled the cloak over the child and lightsaber and ran to the awaiting ship. I watched as the hatch closed and as the ship lifted from the ground and into the air.

All of a sudden, I felt a strange sensation inside, in the small part of me that still clung to the Light Side. I knew immediately that Padmé had just passed away.

As the ship disappeared from sight, I felt the last small fragment of my former life, of my Light, slip away, leaving just the darkness.

That boy is my only hope. . . .