The Past Returns
Chapter Nine
-The Duel -
Adi Galla stood in the medical center in the Jedi Temple. She sat still as Malkan Huun, a Jedi trained in healing, put bacta patches on the cuts that Adi Galla had received at the hands of the Dark Jedi.
She looked over at the bacta tank where her Padawan was lying. "Will she be alright?" Adi Galla asked, looking at Malkan.
"She should be fine in a couple of days. She received quite a beating. It's surprising that she survived that," Malkan said, walking over to the monitor beside the bacta tank. She punched a few buttons and then walked back over to Adi Galla. "You received quite a beating yourself. What happened?"
"We ran into a man who was very powerful in the dark side."
"So, my brother has struck yet again," a voice said coldly. Adi Galla looked over at the doorway that had just swished open. Damon stood there. He walked over to Adi Galla. "At least you two survived. How are you feeling?"
"I've felt better," Adi Galla said, managing a smile.
Damon nodded, a sad look on his face. He looked down. "I don't know what to do about my brother."
"In time, I think you will know," Adi Galla said.
* * *
Ben sat in the middle of a dark chamber, the temperature well below freezing. He shuddered in the intense cold. He heard a screeching to his right and barely managed to defend himself as a creature hurled itself at him. He had already received several gashes and bruises from these creatures, but it was designed to teach him a lesson. Not to fail against the Jedi. His master had not been pleased when Ben had brought him the news. He had taken the dark energy, but he had put Ben in this chamber. There Ben would stay for several days. In the darkness he would reflect on why he had failed and learn from it. Another creature hurled itself at him, scratching a long gash on his arm. He winced but bit down on his lip to keep from crying in pain. This was how he learned.
Journal Entry 14: "I have just been allowed to leave the cold chamber. My master believes that I have learned my lesson but he says that the next time I fail, he won't be as kind. I believe him. I should have killed those Jedi on Ambria. I was foolish to stall. Next time I come up against the Jedi, I won't fail. These next couple of years I will keep myself hidden, away from the prying eyes of the nosy Jedi. Then I will be ready for Damon. At that point in time, I will get rid of his remaining son."
* * *
Two years later, after further training and helping train Darth Maul, who was now eleven, Ben was finally ready to confront Damon. Damon had been training his son, Obi-Wan, who was now nine, in the ways of the Force. Obi- Wan was training in the Jedi Temple with the other students there. Ben knew Damon was away for awhile and Darth Sidious had prompted Ben to go now.
Soon he was walking through the arched corridors of the Jedi Temple, his robe swirling around him. It was mid-afternoon, and the sun streamed in through the large windows. He had specifically donned a dark brown robe, so as to match the other Jedi Masters. His lightsaber hung in plain view now. Jedi Masters ignored him, going about their daily business. Using the Force, he shielded his dark energy and disguised his scars. He was so well-connected with the Force that the shielding skill came easily to him.
Ben walked into the Temple Library and spotted Obi-Wan sitting in one of the chairs, looking at a holo-file. Obi-Wan was dressed just like all the other young Jedi, in a brown tunic and with the recognizable haircut. Ben walked over to him and waited until Obi-Wan looked up at him. "Can I help you?" he asked.
Ben smiled. "I would like to show you something, Obi-Wan."
"Who are you?" he asked, not moving. Good, the kid is smart.
"No need to be afraid. I'm a friend of Damon, your father," Ben said slowly, his voice dripping with the Force.
"Oh," Obi-Wan said. He stood, facing Ben.
"I think that you'd really like what I have."
"Are you a Jedi Master?"
"Yes, in a manner of speaking. I'm usually off-world, which would explain why you haven't seen me." Obi-Wan took a hesitant step forwards and then stopped. "What is it?"
"I'm supposed to stay here. My father will be angry if I'm not here when he comes back from his meeting with the Jedi Council."
"I'll have you back way before he comes back, I promise."
"Okay," he said hesitantly. He walked up to Ben. Ben let a small smile creep across him face. All too easy. Should have taught your kid more caution Damon. You never know who will come by. They began walking through the corridors. "What's your name?"
"Ben." Ben quickly changed the subject. "So, Obi-Wan, have you constructed a lightsaber yet?"
"Master Yoda says I'm not ready. I still have three more years."
"You know, I once trained like you are now."
"You did?" Obi-Wan asked, curious.
"Yes. And I got my lightsaber when I was eight."
"Really?"
"Of course, I had a different teacher. But Master Yoda is right. You'll get it soon enough."
They took a turbo-lift down a couple of stories and then walked out a large door onto a landing platform. Obi-Wan looked around. "What are we doing out here?" Obi-Wan pointed to the sleek starship that was docked a short distance away. "Is that yours?"
Ben nodded. "Very observant."
"Why are we here?" Obi-Wan repeated.
Ben smiled. "I can't very well be showing you this in front of all the Jedi, now can I?" Ben asked. Ben unhooked his lightsaber from his belt and held it out to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan stared at it and then reached out slowly and took it in his hands.
His face lit up as he turned it over in his hands. "Wow," he whispered. Ben took it from him. Ben activated his lightsaber, fire-colored blades leaping out from each end. "A double bladed lightsaber! I've never seen one of those."
Ben deactivated it and held it back out to Obi-Wan. "Try it."
Obi-Wan reached for it and then stopped. "I-I can't. I've got to go."
He turned and began running towards the entrance back into the Temple.
"Obi-Wan," Ben said. He stopped, not turning around. "Don't tell your father about our little excursion. You may get more than you bargained for."
Obi-Wan ran into the Temple. Ben smiled and pulled down the hood of his cloak. He clipped his lightsaber back on his belt and headed towards his starship.
* * *
Damon walked into the Temple library and over to his son, who was sitting in one of the chairs, looking at a holo-file. Damon smiled. "Busy, I see," Damon said. Obi-Wan looked up and nodded, not saying anything. Damon furrowed his eyebrows. It was very unusual for Obi-Wan to be so quiet. There had to be something wrong. Damon crouched next to the chair. "What's wrong, son?"
"Nothing," Obi-Wan said, looking at his holo-file.
"Are you sure? You know you can talk to me."
"It's nothing. I just don't feel good."
"Let's go back to our quarters, then. I'll get you something to make you feel better." Obi-Wan finally looked up at him. He didn't move for a few moments and then slowly nodded, standing. Damon stood and, after Obi-Wan returned the holo-vile, they went to their quarters.
* * *
Damon lay on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. Obi-Wan slept peacefully in the bed across the room. Dim light from the never-sleeping Coruscant filtered through the window. There were blinds on it to keep out the majority of the light, but some still got in. The walls and transparansteel were soundproof, so that the sounds from the city would not bother the people that slept. The only sound was the sound of Obi-Wan's breathing. Damon turned his head to look at his son. There has to be something else that he's not saying. This worried him. He hadn't heard from Ben in years but that didn't mean that he was not still out there, scheming to try to get Obi-Wan. Damon didn't think that he could get into the Temple, but he had this unsettling feeling in his stomach. Something major was going to happen, he just don't know what.
* * *
One year later, after having been in hiding the entire time, focusing his dark energy, Ben was ready to confront Damon. He was now thirty-three. He sent an unsigned holo-file to Damon, telling him to meet him on landing platform Three, that evening. He knew that Damon would know who had sent it.
Ben docked his ship on a nearby landing platform and walked the distance to number Three. Ben waited in the shadow of the Temple. Ben wore his usual black cloak and he didn't conceal his scars. The sun had just begun to set and lights were going on all over Coruscant. The flying lanes bustled with speeders going about their daily business. Soon darkness had fallen. Small lights came on at the edges of the platform.
Ben heard the swish of a door and looked over to his right at the entrance into the Jedi Temple. Damon moved from the darkness and into the light shed from the moving advertisements from another building. Ben stepped out of the shadows to face him. "Ben. I knew it was you," Damon said, the warmth gone from his voice.
"So, you've finally come to realize that you're never going to turn me."
"I've accepted it, yes, but I won't give up. Just like Luke did with his father, I still believe that there has to be something good left in you, even in the smallest measurement."
"I didn't come here for you to lecture me, Damon. I came here to battle. My final test, for when I beat you, I will have become a Sith Lord and finally excelled over you in something, brother." Ben said the word brother with disdain.
"So, you know."
"Why shouldn't I? Another thing you kept hidden."
"I didn't know either."
"I don't care about what you knew or whatever." He pulled off his cloak and threw it off to one side. Damon did the same with his Jedi cloak. Ben unhooked his lightsaber, his black gloved hands holding it out in front of him. He ignited both ends and was pleased when he saw a look of momentary shock cross Damon's face. Ben spun it around, waiting. Damon reluctantly ignited his green, purple and blue blade. "So, you've constructed a multi- crystal lightsaber. Impressive, but it'll be no match for me." Ben laughed and swung his lightsaber in a long arc.
Damon barely blocked Ben's attack. Ben attacked with both ends, swiping at Damon with one end and then the other, simultaneously. Ben flipped backwards, drawing Damon closer towards the edge of the platform. They whipped their blades around at blinding speeds, their blades making fiery arcs in the air. Ben knew the edge of the platform was behind him so he jumped up, somersaulting over Damon and landing, spinning to face him. Damon spun and attacked, Ben deflecting his attacks easily. Ben drew out the dark energy that was contained inside of him, stepping his attacks up a notch, pushing Damon closer to the edge.
"There's still good in you, I know it," Damon said, blocking one of Ben's attacks.
"Still going on about that? You're so pathetic. I don't know why I didn't realize it earlier. Maybe, if I had been smarter, I would never have brought you along with me." Ben grinned. "But then I'd never get the joy out of killing you." Damon's eyes went wide as Ben spun and lashed out, flipping and attacking. Then he faked to his right and swung one end of his lightsaber at Damon's unprotected side. Damon blocked it, barely, but it threw him off balance and he tumbled backwards off of the landing platform, his lightsaber flying from his hand. Ben deactivated his lightsaber and returned it to his side. "Weakling."
Ben felt a presence and turned to see Obi-Wan standing a little distance away. Ben took a step towards him. "Y-You killed my father," Obi-Wan said, tears welling up in his eyes. "Who are you?"
Ben smiled. "Now, is that any way to treat your uncle?"
"You're not my uncle!"
"Wanna bet? Your father never mentioned anything about your uncle Ben?" Obi-Wan's eyes went wide and he began backing up. Ben walked towards him, bringing out his lightsaber. He ignited one end. "Now I get to get rid of the last remnant of my so-called brother. I will enjoy this."
Obi-Wan backed up against a wall and Ben came closer.
* * *
Damon hung on the edge of a platform, his feet swinging above the air lanes. Damon looked down into the seemingly endless darkness. Speeders flew by all around him. Damon looked up at the landing platform that he had fallen off of. Luckily for him, there had been a smaller platform under it and Damon had just barely managed to grab hold of the edge.
Damon swung his other hand up and hauled himself up onto the smaller platform. He spotted his lightsaber lying a few feet away. Using the Force, he brought it to him. Damon looked up at the landing platform, high above him. Suddenly he felt a tremor of fear through the Force. His son! Obi-Wan! He's in trouble. Damon closed his eyes, reaching out with the Force. Damon knew he had to act fast.
Using the Force, he leapt up onto the landing platform, bringing his ignited lightsaber around in front of him. As if in slow motion, he saw Ben spin, his lightsaber held up. Damon tried to deactivate the lightsaber, but he wasn't quick enough. He watched as Ben spun into the blade, the energy stabbing through Ben's mid-section. Damon's deactivated lightsaber fell from his hands as he watched Ben stagger back, his face taking on a look of astonishment, his hands over the hole in his stomach. He looked at Damon in shock. "D-Damon," Ben stammered and fell to his knees.
Damon rushed towards Ben as he collapsed face first onto the ground. "No!" Damon cried, kneeling beside Ben. He turned him over and supported Ben's head in the crook of his left arm. Ben's arms fell to his sides as he shuddered, looking up at Damon's tear streaked face. Out of the corner of his eye, Damon saw his son run towards the entrance back into the Temple. He couldn't lose Ben. Damon knew that their battle had been for the death and Ben could have killed Damon, but Damon couldn't believe that he was losing him. Damon looked into Ben's face, now contorted with pain. "Ben," Damon whispered.
"Damon," Ben said, between gasps of pain. "I- I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that I hurt you; that I turned on you. You have always been kind to me and taken care of me. I didn't know what I was saying in the woods. You're the best friend and brother a guy could ever have." Ben took Damon's right hand in his left hand and pressed their palms together. They drew their hands out so that their fingertips touched and then they intertwined their fingers, pressing their hands together again. It was their friendship oath.
"You don't have to apologize, Ben," Damon said, the coldness gone from his voice. He couldn't let Ben die. He cared about him too much. Even though Ben had turned to the dark side, he was coming back to the light side. Damon couldn't lose Ben. He was the only family Damon had left, except for Obi-Wan.
"Yes, I do. I was selfish and stubborn. I didn't think when I made that decision to train under Palpatine, my anger controlled me. You don't know what it's like . . . being under Palpatine's power. There's no resisting him. I tried at first, but I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the dark side and it's so hard . . . so hard to climb back out. I thought I could handle it, but now I realize that I was just being foolish. I didn't think how my choice would affect others, I just cared about me. I'm sorry that we couldn't have both become Jedi Knights. You know, that's what I've always dreamed of."
"I know," Damon said in a choked voice, full of tears.
"Promise me one thing."
"Anything."
"Promise me that you'll make Obi-Wan a great Jedi and tell Qui-Gon how much I've always looked up to him. And promise me that you'll become a great Jedi Knight, Damon. Then, and only then, will I be happy."
"I promise."
"Thank you." Ben gasped in pain, feeling his chest constrict, making it harder to breath.
"You can still come back, Obi-Wan," Damon said, using Ben's childhood name. Damon summoned the Force, trying to heal Ben's wound, but it was no use.
Ben tried to smile, but his face contorted in pain as his chest shuddered. Damon was losing him. "It's too late for me."
"No, it isn't. Darth Vader came back."
"Yes, but he gave up his life to do so."
"You're not going to die, and you are going to come back to the light side."
"He died because he saved Luke's life. I'm going to die because of my own selfishness and arrogance." Ben gritted his teeth in pain. "I-I killed millions of people Damon. Ruthlessly. I didn't even care. I killed your wife and your son. I can't be forgiven for that. I deserve to die for what I did."
"No, Ben. Please, don't go. I forgive you."
Ben smiled and his face took on a look of peace and hope. Ben sighed. "You're the best brother I could ever have . . ." his voice trailed off as his hand went limp, slipping from Damon's grip.
"No," Damon whispered as Ben's eyes closed.
Ben slumped in Damon's arms, his face looking peaceful for the first time in many years. He looked younger at that moment, as if the dark side hadn't tainted him. Damon buried his head in Ben's tunic, tears flowing down his cheeks. Damon hugged Ben to him. His brother. No. Why did it have to be Ben? Why couldn't it have been him? Damon thought back to all the happy memories that they had shared back on Earth. Why couldn't time just go back there? When they were all happy. Ben. Fresh tears filled Damon's eyes. He was gone. There had to be a way to still save Ben. Maybe one of the Jedi healers could do something. Damon lifted his head, looking at Ben. He looks so peaceful. Damon wiped the tears from his eyes and stood. He wouldn't give up. Ben was going to live.
Damon headed towards the Temple to get a healer, but when he came back out, Ben was gone.
Chapter Nine
-The Duel -
Adi Galla stood in the medical center in the Jedi Temple. She sat still as Malkan Huun, a Jedi trained in healing, put bacta patches on the cuts that Adi Galla had received at the hands of the Dark Jedi.
She looked over at the bacta tank where her Padawan was lying. "Will she be alright?" Adi Galla asked, looking at Malkan.
"She should be fine in a couple of days. She received quite a beating. It's surprising that she survived that," Malkan said, walking over to the monitor beside the bacta tank. She punched a few buttons and then walked back over to Adi Galla. "You received quite a beating yourself. What happened?"
"We ran into a man who was very powerful in the dark side."
"So, my brother has struck yet again," a voice said coldly. Adi Galla looked over at the doorway that had just swished open. Damon stood there. He walked over to Adi Galla. "At least you two survived. How are you feeling?"
"I've felt better," Adi Galla said, managing a smile.
Damon nodded, a sad look on his face. He looked down. "I don't know what to do about my brother."
"In time, I think you will know," Adi Galla said.
* * *
Ben sat in the middle of a dark chamber, the temperature well below freezing. He shuddered in the intense cold. He heard a screeching to his right and barely managed to defend himself as a creature hurled itself at him. He had already received several gashes and bruises from these creatures, but it was designed to teach him a lesson. Not to fail against the Jedi. His master had not been pleased when Ben had brought him the news. He had taken the dark energy, but he had put Ben in this chamber. There Ben would stay for several days. In the darkness he would reflect on why he had failed and learn from it. Another creature hurled itself at him, scratching a long gash on his arm. He winced but bit down on his lip to keep from crying in pain. This was how he learned.
Journal Entry 14: "I have just been allowed to leave the cold chamber. My master believes that I have learned my lesson but he says that the next time I fail, he won't be as kind. I believe him. I should have killed those Jedi on Ambria. I was foolish to stall. Next time I come up against the Jedi, I won't fail. These next couple of years I will keep myself hidden, away from the prying eyes of the nosy Jedi. Then I will be ready for Damon. At that point in time, I will get rid of his remaining son."
* * *
Two years later, after further training and helping train Darth Maul, who was now eleven, Ben was finally ready to confront Damon. Damon had been training his son, Obi-Wan, who was now nine, in the ways of the Force. Obi- Wan was training in the Jedi Temple with the other students there. Ben knew Damon was away for awhile and Darth Sidious had prompted Ben to go now.
Soon he was walking through the arched corridors of the Jedi Temple, his robe swirling around him. It was mid-afternoon, and the sun streamed in through the large windows. He had specifically donned a dark brown robe, so as to match the other Jedi Masters. His lightsaber hung in plain view now. Jedi Masters ignored him, going about their daily business. Using the Force, he shielded his dark energy and disguised his scars. He was so well-connected with the Force that the shielding skill came easily to him.
Ben walked into the Temple Library and spotted Obi-Wan sitting in one of the chairs, looking at a holo-file. Obi-Wan was dressed just like all the other young Jedi, in a brown tunic and with the recognizable haircut. Ben walked over to him and waited until Obi-Wan looked up at him. "Can I help you?" he asked.
Ben smiled. "I would like to show you something, Obi-Wan."
"Who are you?" he asked, not moving. Good, the kid is smart.
"No need to be afraid. I'm a friend of Damon, your father," Ben said slowly, his voice dripping with the Force.
"Oh," Obi-Wan said. He stood, facing Ben.
"I think that you'd really like what I have."
"Are you a Jedi Master?"
"Yes, in a manner of speaking. I'm usually off-world, which would explain why you haven't seen me." Obi-Wan took a hesitant step forwards and then stopped. "What is it?"
"I'm supposed to stay here. My father will be angry if I'm not here when he comes back from his meeting with the Jedi Council."
"I'll have you back way before he comes back, I promise."
"Okay," he said hesitantly. He walked up to Ben. Ben let a small smile creep across him face. All too easy. Should have taught your kid more caution Damon. You never know who will come by. They began walking through the corridors. "What's your name?"
"Ben." Ben quickly changed the subject. "So, Obi-Wan, have you constructed a lightsaber yet?"
"Master Yoda says I'm not ready. I still have three more years."
"You know, I once trained like you are now."
"You did?" Obi-Wan asked, curious.
"Yes. And I got my lightsaber when I was eight."
"Really?"
"Of course, I had a different teacher. But Master Yoda is right. You'll get it soon enough."
They took a turbo-lift down a couple of stories and then walked out a large door onto a landing platform. Obi-Wan looked around. "What are we doing out here?" Obi-Wan pointed to the sleek starship that was docked a short distance away. "Is that yours?"
Ben nodded. "Very observant."
"Why are we here?" Obi-Wan repeated.
Ben smiled. "I can't very well be showing you this in front of all the Jedi, now can I?" Ben asked. Ben unhooked his lightsaber from his belt and held it out to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan stared at it and then reached out slowly and took it in his hands.
His face lit up as he turned it over in his hands. "Wow," he whispered. Ben took it from him. Ben activated his lightsaber, fire-colored blades leaping out from each end. "A double bladed lightsaber! I've never seen one of those."
Ben deactivated it and held it back out to Obi-Wan. "Try it."
Obi-Wan reached for it and then stopped. "I-I can't. I've got to go."
He turned and began running towards the entrance back into the Temple.
"Obi-Wan," Ben said. He stopped, not turning around. "Don't tell your father about our little excursion. You may get more than you bargained for."
Obi-Wan ran into the Temple. Ben smiled and pulled down the hood of his cloak. He clipped his lightsaber back on his belt and headed towards his starship.
* * *
Damon walked into the Temple library and over to his son, who was sitting in one of the chairs, looking at a holo-file. Damon smiled. "Busy, I see," Damon said. Obi-Wan looked up and nodded, not saying anything. Damon furrowed his eyebrows. It was very unusual for Obi-Wan to be so quiet. There had to be something wrong. Damon crouched next to the chair. "What's wrong, son?"
"Nothing," Obi-Wan said, looking at his holo-file.
"Are you sure? You know you can talk to me."
"It's nothing. I just don't feel good."
"Let's go back to our quarters, then. I'll get you something to make you feel better." Obi-Wan finally looked up at him. He didn't move for a few moments and then slowly nodded, standing. Damon stood and, after Obi-Wan returned the holo-vile, they went to their quarters.
* * *
Damon lay on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. Obi-Wan slept peacefully in the bed across the room. Dim light from the never-sleeping Coruscant filtered through the window. There were blinds on it to keep out the majority of the light, but some still got in. The walls and transparansteel were soundproof, so that the sounds from the city would not bother the people that slept. The only sound was the sound of Obi-Wan's breathing. Damon turned his head to look at his son. There has to be something else that he's not saying. This worried him. He hadn't heard from Ben in years but that didn't mean that he was not still out there, scheming to try to get Obi-Wan. Damon didn't think that he could get into the Temple, but he had this unsettling feeling in his stomach. Something major was going to happen, he just don't know what.
* * *
One year later, after having been in hiding the entire time, focusing his dark energy, Ben was ready to confront Damon. He was now thirty-three. He sent an unsigned holo-file to Damon, telling him to meet him on landing platform Three, that evening. He knew that Damon would know who had sent it.
Ben docked his ship on a nearby landing platform and walked the distance to number Three. Ben waited in the shadow of the Temple. Ben wore his usual black cloak and he didn't conceal his scars. The sun had just begun to set and lights were going on all over Coruscant. The flying lanes bustled with speeders going about their daily business. Soon darkness had fallen. Small lights came on at the edges of the platform.
Ben heard the swish of a door and looked over to his right at the entrance into the Jedi Temple. Damon moved from the darkness and into the light shed from the moving advertisements from another building. Ben stepped out of the shadows to face him. "Ben. I knew it was you," Damon said, the warmth gone from his voice.
"So, you've finally come to realize that you're never going to turn me."
"I've accepted it, yes, but I won't give up. Just like Luke did with his father, I still believe that there has to be something good left in you, even in the smallest measurement."
"I didn't come here for you to lecture me, Damon. I came here to battle. My final test, for when I beat you, I will have become a Sith Lord and finally excelled over you in something, brother." Ben said the word brother with disdain.
"So, you know."
"Why shouldn't I? Another thing you kept hidden."
"I didn't know either."
"I don't care about what you knew or whatever." He pulled off his cloak and threw it off to one side. Damon did the same with his Jedi cloak. Ben unhooked his lightsaber, his black gloved hands holding it out in front of him. He ignited both ends and was pleased when he saw a look of momentary shock cross Damon's face. Ben spun it around, waiting. Damon reluctantly ignited his green, purple and blue blade. "So, you've constructed a multi- crystal lightsaber. Impressive, but it'll be no match for me." Ben laughed and swung his lightsaber in a long arc.
Damon barely blocked Ben's attack. Ben attacked with both ends, swiping at Damon with one end and then the other, simultaneously. Ben flipped backwards, drawing Damon closer towards the edge of the platform. They whipped their blades around at blinding speeds, their blades making fiery arcs in the air. Ben knew the edge of the platform was behind him so he jumped up, somersaulting over Damon and landing, spinning to face him. Damon spun and attacked, Ben deflecting his attacks easily. Ben drew out the dark energy that was contained inside of him, stepping his attacks up a notch, pushing Damon closer to the edge.
"There's still good in you, I know it," Damon said, blocking one of Ben's attacks.
"Still going on about that? You're so pathetic. I don't know why I didn't realize it earlier. Maybe, if I had been smarter, I would never have brought you along with me." Ben grinned. "But then I'd never get the joy out of killing you." Damon's eyes went wide as Ben spun and lashed out, flipping and attacking. Then he faked to his right and swung one end of his lightsaber at Damon's unprotected side. Damon blocked it, barely, but it threw him off balance and he tumbled backwards off of the landing platform, his lightsaber flying from his hand. Ben deactivated his lightsaber and returned it to his side. "Weakling."
Ben felt a presence and turned to see Obi-Wan standing a little distance away. Ben took a step towards him. "Y-You killed my father," Obi-Wan said, tears welling up in his eyes. "Who are you?"
Ben smiled. "Now, is that any way to treat your uncle?"
"You're not my uncle!"
"Wanna bet? Your father never mentioned anything about your uncle Ben?" Obi-Wan's eyes went wide and he began backing up. Ben walked towards him, bringing out his lightsaber. He ignited one end. "Now I get to get rid of the last remnant of my so-called brother. I will enjoy this."
Obi-Wan backed up against a wall and Ben came closer.
* * *
Damon hung on the edge of a platform, his feet swinging above the air lanes. Damon looked down into the seemingly endless darkness. Speeders flew by all around him. Damon looked up at the landing platform that he had fallen off of. Luckily for him, there had been a smaller platform under it and Damon had just barely managed to grab hold of the edge.
Damon swung his other hand up and hauled himself up onto the smaller platform. He spotted his lightsaber lying a few feet away. Using the Force, he brought it to him. Damon looked up at the landing platform, high above him. Suddenly he felt a tremor of fear through the Force. His son! Obi-Wan! He's in trouble. Damon closed his eyes, reaching out with the Force. Damon knew he had to act fast.
Using the Force, he leapt up onto the landing platform, bringing his ignited lightsaber around in front of him. As if in slow motion, he saw Ben spin, his lightsaber held up. Damon tried to deactivate the lightsaber, but he wasn't quick enough. He watched as Ben spun into the blade, the energy stabbing through Ben's mid-section. Damon's deactivated lightsaber fell from his hands as he watched Ben stagger back, his face taking on a look of astonishment, his hands over the hole in his stomach. He looked at Damon in shock. "D-Damon," Ben stammered and fell to his knees.
Damon rushed towards Ben as he collapsed face first onto the ground. "No!" Damon cried, kneeling beside Ben. He turned him over and supported Ben's head in the crook of his left arm. Ben's arms fell to his sides as he shuddered, looking up at Damon's tear streaked face. Out of the corner of his eye, Damon saw his son run towards the entrance back into the Temple. He couldn't lose Ben. Damon knew that their battle had been for the death and Ben could have killed Damon, but Damon couldn't believe that he was losing him. Damon looked into Ben's face, now contorted with pain. "Ben," Damon whispered.
"Damon," Ben said, between gasps of pain. "I- I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that I hurt you; that I turned on you. You have always been kind to me and taken care of me. I didn't know what I was saying in the woods. You're the best friend and brother a guy could ever have." Ben took Damon's right hand in his left hand and pressed their palms together. They drew their hands out so that their fingertips touched and then they intertwined their fingers, pressing their hands together again. It was their friendship oath.
"You don't have to apologize, Ben," Damon said, the coldness gone from his voice. He couldn't let Ben die. He cared about him too much. Even though Ben had turned to the dark side, he was coming back to the light side. Damon couldn't lose Ben. He was the only family Damon had left, except for Obi-Wan.
"Yes, I do. I was selfish and stubborn. I didn't think when I made that decision to train under Palpatine, my anger controlled me. You don't know what it's like . . . being under Palpatine's power. There's no resisting him. I tried at first, but I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the dark side and it's so hard . . . so hard to climb back out. I thought I could handle it, but now I realize that I was just being foolish. I didn't think how my choice would affect others, I just cared about me. I'm sorry that we couldn't have both become Jedi Knights. You know, that's what I've always dreamed of."
"I know," Damon said in a choked voice, full of tears.
"Promise me one thing."
"Anything."
"Promise me that you'll make Obi-Wan a great Jedi and tell Qui-Gon how much I've always looked up to him. And promise me that you'll become a great Jedi Knight, Damon. Then, and only then, will I be happy."
"I promise."
"Thank you." Ben gasped in pain, feeling his chest constrict, making it harder to breath.
"You can still come back, Obi-Wan," Damon said, using Ben's childhood name. Damon summoned the Force, trying to heal Ben's wound, but it was no use.
Ben tried to smile, but his face contorted in pain as his chest shuddered. Damon was losing him. "It's too late for me."
"No, it isn't. Darth Vader came back."
"Yes, but he gave up his life to do so."
"You're not going to die, and you are going to come back to the light side."
"He died because he saved Luke's life. I'm going to die because of my own selfishness and arrogance." Ben gritted his teeth in pain. "I-I killed millions of people Damon. Ruthlessly. I didn't even care. I killed your wife and your son. I can't be forgiven for that. I deserve to die for what I did."
"No, Ben. Please, don't go. I forgive you."
Ben smiled and his face took on a look of peace and hope. Ben sighed. "You're the best brother I could ever have . . ." his voice trailed off as his hand went limp, slipping from Damon's grip.
"No," Damon whispered as Ben's eyes closed.
Ben slumped in Damon's arms, his face looking peaceful for the first time in many years. He looked younger at that moment, as if the dark side hadn't tainted him. Damon buried his head in Ben's tunic, tears flowing down his cheeks. Damon hugged Ben to him. His brother. No. Why did it have to be Ben? Why couldn't it have been him? Damon thought back to all the happy memories that they had shared back on Earth. Why couldn't time just go back there? When they were all happy. Ben. Fresh tears filled Damon's eyes. He was gone. There had to be a way to still save Ben. Maybe one of the Jedi healers could do something. Damon lifted his head, looking at Ben. He looks so peaceful. Damon wiped the tears from his eyes and stood. He wouldn't give up. Ben was going to live.
Damon headed towards the Temple to get a healer, but when he came back out, Ben was gone.