Pensively, Luke stared quietly out the viewport, his blue eyes as fuzzy as one's view after awakening from a deep sleep. Everything was different now...He was different now.
On the one hand, it was a beneficial change. On the other...
The young man flexed his artificial limb, reminding himself exactly who had severed the flesh and bone from his body. Now, his hand was never to be rejoined to its rightful place...As he was never to rejoin with the Republic.
Yes, he mused, his father should be known as Darth Severer rather than Darth Vader. It seemed that the man had spent his entire life severing people's ties on that which they held dear.
Frowning as a thought struck him with the force of a charging bantha, Luke cast his eyes down on the cold, metallic floor. He was no longer the simple farmboy known as Luke Skywalker. He was more mature, wiser, merely a shade of his former self.
He needed a new name...Deserved a new name.
Yes. He would take on a new name as his father had, for he was going to learn as much as he could from Darth Vader about the ways of the Sith.
And from then on he would be known as...His eyes slitted, glinting, as a malicious smile tugged the corners of his mouth slowly up.
Darth Evenger.
He would get even with all and avenge all the wrongs done to him. No matter what the consequences may be.
"The ways of the Sith are not to be taken lightly, Son," Darth Vader advised the young man next to him.
"No, father."
"It is a lifelong commitment, not to be reneged on," the Sith Lord tilted his helmet. "Ever."
"I know, father." Luke was impatient, ready to learn everything quickly. He frowned as he thought he saw a streak of color flash by him, but when he lifted his head and brought his eyes to what he thought was the origin of the motion, he saw nothing.
"The first thing you are to know is that there are always, and can only be, two Sith—the master and the apprentice."
Luke nodded eagerly; then he frowned as Darth Vader began walking over to the exit. "Where are you going?"
"That was your first lesson. Remember it well." Darth Vader disappeared.
Wondering if his father had begun to sense his feelings of rebellion, Luke Skywalker plopped down in a chair, sitting in deep contemplation.
"What are you up to, farmboy?" a low voice asked from behind the pondering Skywalker, who jumped a few inches out of his chair.
"How did you get in here?"
"I have my ways," she answered ambiguously. Mara Jade gave him a hard stare with her emerald eyes. "You shouldn't plot against your father, you know."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "So you're on his side now?"
"Lord Vader is my master."
He gave the former Emperor's Hand a long, calculating glance, sensing nothing that showed that she was his ally in any way.
As a sort of test, he reached out his hand and delicately moved a finger across the bare shoulder that was exposed by a green tank top, only to have it coldly removed by Mara, whose eyes flashed warningly.
"I guess I have truly started a new life, where allies become enemies and enemies become allies," Luke whispered, his chilling blue eyes looking at his female companion with mock-wistfulness.
"You made your decision, Skywalker. Now live with it."
She disappeared into the shadows, a dark wraith dissipating into nothingness. He stared after her long after she had gone, frozen in place. It was quite some time before he finally thawed.
Training to be a Sith was not how Luke would have expected it to be. Sometimes, he would be given exercises that pushed him past his limits, while at other times, he would receive mysterious lessons that left him scratching his head quite a while after his father had given them.
But the monotony or habitualness of life can only remain interrupted for so long. One day, just like on any other day, ships docked on and left the Star Destroyer, no single ship of any seeming importance. But on that day, one vessel brought with it a passenger which would disturb the routine of the massive ship forever.
Its occupant was received calmly, not a soul distressed or concerned about its arrival—that is, until Darth Vader sensed the person's presence.
He and his son were quietly meditating side by side, both attuned with the Force, neither expecting anything of any import to shatter their day.
But then the Sith Lord noticed her, and his whole world was shattered. His meditation was completely ruined, all peaceful thoughts had flown out the hatch, and anxiety and fear had set in.
It wasn't long before Luke noticed that something was wrong with his father. When he did, he was puzzled. "What is it?"
Darth Vader ignored him, paralyzed in place, waiting for her to come. Inwardly shrugging, the younger man did the same, not knowing what was to happen.
She came soon, as the Sith Lord knew she would. She was still very beautiful, if perhaps a bit worn by the years. A tinge of bitterness and sorrow showed about her eyes, and her mouth was a little bit tighter than it had once been. But still her spirit shined through her mortal body, not completely broken, wanting so desperately to forget the years of pain and sadness.
"Padmé," Vader somehow breathed, the heart-felt word sounding strangely out of place with the harsh noise of his respirator.
"Ani," she returned quietly. But she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at their son.
Their son. No longer a whimpering baby to be cooed at, Luke Skywalker, whom she had not seen in what felt like an eternity, had grown into a man. He had changed much inwardly and outwardly since she had held him in her arms that last time, dreading giving him away but knowing that she must.
It was always for the greater good that she did things, never for herself. She had wanted to stay back on Dagobah, far away from and protected from the man she had once called husband. But she had known that to do so would have been to bring the entire galaxy in on itself and let chaos reign over all. And so she'd come.
Luke Skywalker stared at her, not comprehending who she was or what she was doing in their meditation room, but almost knowing...Almost able to figure it out...
"Luke..." Padmé whispered the name as she moved closer to him, still taking his differences in. He looked so cruel and unkind, not at all like the naïve, caring farmboy that Obi-Wan had told her about. Yet she felt he still had a glint of his old self hidden somewhere in the depths of his heart...As she felt Anakin Skywalker still possessed, no matter what Master Yoda said.
"Why are you here?" Vader finally bit out when his senses kicked in. She was part of his old life, part of the life of that weaker man that he no longer had any connections to. He felt nothing for her...
Felt nothing.
"I think you know."
"What's going on?" Luke interjected.
"You should not be here," the Sith Lord insisted.
"Who are you?" the young Skywalker inquired doggedly.
"I do not wish to be here, but I must be here," Padmé softly sighed.
Luke was getting angry. "Who is she?"
"Luke," Vader said heavily, finally giving in, "this is your mother."