Author's notes: Behold: the final chapter! And actually on time! Who-hoo! I fulfilled my promise! Ha! And I bet you guys thought I would forget about you!
Annmarie Aspasia – heh, most people do it on purpose, true. I myself hate cliffhangers… but I couldn't help myself this time. Anyways, thanks and here you go.
TriGemini – here you go, many thanks & read on!
lightman – thanks so much!
Urazz – I know, I'm evil… and damned proud of it! Hehe. Here you go!
Pandora-Moo – heh, I'm not evil, I'm just misunderstood. And sarcastic. Here you go!
Amylion – Life's not fair… but here's the chapter!
X X X
Chapter XVII
X X X
This was my lifelong dream, my mind screamed at me. Was… or is?
I wanted to achieve this through my own skill and with my own power. But that final statement, that triumphant sentence betrayed the Emperor. Before, he held my loyalty. But after that, I found myself wavering.
He would give me the place at his side only because Vader and Skywalker were failures, not because I was a success. I would always be compared to those two. There would always be that unreachable standard for which I would be hounded and scolded, like a disobedient pet.
I would always be second best.
Unacceptable.
I turned away from Skywalker and backed away from the Emperor, for the first time not afraid to continue staring into the hungry golden eyes.
"Not while I'm here to save them, they're not." I spat, finally stopping about three steps ahead of Skywalker.
Palpatine, who seemed to be underneath his mask of satisfaction, now let his true feelings show on his face.
"So, this is how you reward the years I have wasted taking care of you?" he hissed at me, "This is how you reward all that I have given you?"
"You have given me nothing… except my own hatred." Was my reply, strangely calm. "I would give you a chance for redemption, you don't deserve it."
He laughed. "And you do?"
"I am not redeemed. I am only breaking your chains. I am your servant no longer."
"Embracing what was forced into your mind, Mara?" the eerie whisper was full of venom, "Then perhaps the old fool has also perceptive enough to prepare you for this."
The bony hands were suddenly raised. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized that even without a lightsaber, even outnumbered, a Sith Lord is not to be underestimated. And this gesture, swift and direct, reminded me of something… and how to defend myself against it.
My hands also flew up, lightsabers gripped tightly as the impact of energy hit them. It was as if a very strong swordsman was battling me, using all his strength to push my blades out of the way. But I held my ground, even though I could feel pain when a spark flied too far and touched the skin of my hands.
It stopped. "How refreshing to see that you remember how to use the Jedi toys. But while you might be able to defend yourself…" he smiled most evilly, "not all have the benefit of knowledge."
I didn't realize that Skywalker was stupid enough to take a few steps back to his father. Just then, the lightning resumed, a dosage great enough to keep me pinned aimed at me, but the maximum voltage was for Skywalker.
He saw it coming and tried to deflect it. At first he was half successful, but after a moment the bolts of energy were coming with such speed and power he shrunk before them, his knees buckling. I couldn't see much, but I noticed that the wounded Vader struggled to his feet, and moved to stand at his master's side.
"Young fool...only now, at the end, do you understand." I cannot be sure to whom the words were directed. All I knew was that I have to hold the blades tightly, unless I wanted to be a fried meatbag. "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side. You have paid the price for your lack of vision."
Skywalker writhed on the floor in unbearable pain, reaching weakly up where Vader was standing, watching.
"Father, please. Help me." if the lightning would keep up, he wouldn't be able to last much longer.
There was silence… and then, the Emperor spoke once more. "Now, young Skywalker...you will die."
Although it would not have seemed possible, the outpouring of bolts from the Emperor's fingers actually increases in intensity, sound screaming through the room.
I had no idea what happened at first, but then, the lightning stopped and I could only watched, stunned.
Vader was fighting for control of the robed figure over the Emperor, whom he held high above his head. The Emperor struggled in this strange embrace, his bolt-shooting hands now lifted high, away from us. Now the white lightning arcs were striking at Vader. He stumbled with his load as the sparks rained off his helmet and flew down over his black cape. He held Palpatine high over his head and walked to the edge of the abyss at the central core of the throne room. With one final burst of his once awesome strength, Darth Vader hurled the Emperor's body into the bottomless shaft.
I couldn't see what happened in the shaft, but I could hear ear-piercing screaming. Then, with a large explosion, I knew that the Emperor was no more.
Vader's cape was whipped by the wind and he staggered, and collapsed toward the bottomless hole. I saw Skywalker crawl towards him and drag him to safety. It was then that the Death Star shook for the first time.
My head shot up and I quickly holstered the lightsabers, rushing to the pair lying on the ground.
"No time for family reunions, we have to go, now. I know the way to the hangar, we can make it."
"Mara… help me carry him." I don't know how he managed to get Vader's seemingly lifeless body from the floor when he himself seemed to be ready to faint, but I nodded and helped Skywalker.
Supporting Vader from both sides, we dragged him along the corridors. Fortunately, the hangar was near and since there were two of us, it took far shorter than I would have expected. Skywalker, unable to go further, was panting heavily as I helped both of them to the loading ramp of the lambda shuttle.
"Luke, help me take this mask off." Never before did Vader's voice sound so soft, so caring… so human. It was weird. Not bad weird, just weird.
"But you'll die." Jedi Obvious Skywalker protested.
"Nothing can stop that now. " Vader breathed, "Just for once...let me look on you with my own eyes."
Slowly, hesitantly, Skywalker removed the mask from his father's face. I was expecting many things underneath, many faces… but not the one I saw. Underneath was a dying man. But what a man it was! His scars ran deep, both physical and mental, I could see, yet there was much emotion in his eyes, not least of all gentleness.
This was not Darth Vader. This was Anakin Skywalker. The Anakin Skywalker I remembered.
Very weak, but obviously content, Anakin smiled. "Now...go, my son. Leave me."
"No. You're coming with us. I can't leave you here. I've got to save you."
"You already have, Luke. You were right about me. Tell your sister...you were right." I wasn't expecting him to notice me at all – this wasn't about me. Yet he did. "Jade… Mara. You did… what I should have done." And he smiled at me. As strange as it was, he smiled at me. Though I wouldn't admit it to myself, I could feel tears on my cheeks. Because of the smile.
"Father...I won't leave you."
But the Force, cruel yet merciful as it is, decided to claim its greatest creation this day and at last, with a final exhale, the soul of Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, became one with the soul of the universe.
I found myself putting a hand on Skywalker´s shoulder as he bowed his head, on the verge of sobbing. Maybe he expected me to say that there would be a time for grief later, but I was silent, so we simply took Vader's… Anakin´s body, boarded the ship and combining our piloting skills in a way that ought to make Anakin Skywalker proud, we escaped the station conveniently at the last possible second.
