Disclaimer: For the last time, see first post.

Freetrader: By now, I suppose, you want to hunt down andcarbon-freeze me...You could do that, but it would prevent me from updating...

Part VII

Luke's POV

A couple more weeks had passed since Han's rescue. Two weeks I'd spent doing practically nothing but training and honing my Force skills. After all, I would need those to hold my own against two darksiders. No matter what they said, we all knew that the dark side was infinitely stronger and would always triumph as it had before. You're gonna get yourself killed! It was more than likely that I would; I had no doubt of that, but I was more than willing to sacrifice life for peace of mind. To have peace of mind I needed…him back.

No, I am your—

—That's not true, that's impossible…

…I am your—

It's true, you know it's true...Don't try to deny it, Wormie! You can't run forever.

…I am your father.

I sighed in resignation. Mere days ago I had seemed to accept, welcome, even, the fact that he was my father – That's not true, that's impossible – but now that I had surrendered and was on the shuttle on the way to Coruscant, to face Him… Your father, my wretched, spiteful other half added, amused at watching me try to deny it once again. The last thing I needed was inner conflict, not when I most needed to keep my confidence and stay true to myself. It's hard to stay true to oneself when you no longer know who you are. All I knew was what I had once been and what I could soon become.

It is time. There is no turning back, not now. I can almost hear his sinister breathing. Even before I hear the sound I know all too well, my blood has frozen in my very veins, my feet are nailed to the floor. Now I see him, too. All too soon he is back in my life – The embodiment of fear, death and pain.

"This is a rebel that surrendered to us. " Extending my lightsaber, "He was armed only with this." Even before he speaks, I already know the sound, a deep, ominous rumble.

"Good work, Commander. Leave us." He utters few words, but somehow they hold more meaning than the longest of speeches.

"Yes, my Lord." He motions for me to follow him, and I obey without question. It is useless to resist. This is self-imposed, is it not? After a long, painfully tense pause, he breaks the silence, if only to spite me.

"The Emperor has been expecting you."

"I know," Father, I add mentally, but the thought never leaves my mind. There it will stay.

"So, you have accepted the truth." I stiffen as my resolve hardens.

"I have accepted nothing," I grit out, stabbing him with a fierce glare, my last weapon against him. He seems almost amused.

/Yet you speak the word in your mind. / I bristle as I feel his icy black claws in my mind. The anger surfaces again, and I harness it, forcing the evil out of me. This only seems to give him more satisfaction, to my own frustration.

"I've accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father." Now it is my turn to spite him, and I can't help but relish it.

"That name no longer has any meaning to me." Oh, but it does, Father, my dear old dark Father, does it not? Does it not bring back the memories? Lies, Vader, lies. And I knew a lie when I saw one, for I knew lies well. Lies, my old friends, my old foes.

"It is the name of your true self. You've only forgotten. I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully. That is why you couldn't destroy me. That is why you won't take me to your Emperor now." I projected an image, but it too was a lie. Lies, my old friends. Inside Iam not so certain. What if all the good in him has already been vanquished? He seems to be nothing but abysmal darkness, despite my words. The fragile conversation dies.

"Come with me," This time I have nothing to hide. I sorely want him back, so much that I ache inside. I raise my eyes to meet black emptiness. Sith, how I want him back… And I feel the dark feelings crumble like a wall collapsing upon itself, replaced by deep, dark grief. The darkness cuts me and my vision blurs as my gaze is met by midnight ice. Come with me, Father, and we can end this. But he doesn't answer. I call, and he doesn't answer.

"Obi-Wan once thought as you do. You don't know the power of the Dark Side. I must obey my master."

"I will not turn, and you will be forced to kill me." A smile creeps across my face, a mockery of genuine happiness. Death awaits me, the pain laid to rest as I will be laid to rest. Would you grieve, father? Would you feel sorrow if I died in front of your very eyes? Or would you cast your gaze down for a moment, and once again succumb to the shadows, feeling only a curious emptiness? Would you even realize that something is missing, or would you move on without a second thought – another face in the crowd, another brick in the wall, another life spent, like so many others before me?

"If that is your destiny." Destiny : 1.Lies formulated to manipulate you into joining a cause you do not belong to. 2. Intense, unceasing, endless pain. 3. Doom…

…Lies, my old foes…

…It is your destiny…

…Lies…

…Your destiny…

"Search your feelings, Father. You can't do this. I feel the conflict within you, let go of your hate." Quite the hypocrite, aren't you, Skywalker?

"It is too late for me, Son. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now."

"Then my father is truly dead." As am I.

Shortly afterward, we entered a long, high-ceilinged chamber, the walls with intricately carved details. At the far end was a large window, covering the entire wall, and in front of it, the Emperor's throne. I shuddered in revulsion as he turned to face us. Not only did he radiate evil of such magnitude that I had to struggle not to flinch at his presence, but he also looked vile and gruesome, but no less than he deserved. Clad in a black, hooded cloak, he showed little skin, of which I was infinitely glad of. He was very pale, with thin, translucent, papery skin that hung off his bones as if it were rotting away by the minute. His fierce amber glare pierced me as viciously as a dagger would. I tried to tear my gaze off him, but was unsuccessful. Whenever you see something disgusting, you suddenly feel that morbid desire to take in every little detail.

"Welcome, Young Skywalker. I have been expecting you." I suppressed a shiver. He sure knew how to creep people out, but that was all he would accomplish.

"So I've heard." He only smiled at my acid reply, revealing grotesque, rotten teeth.

"You'll no longer need those." My binders opened and fell away, clattering to the floor. Oh, how I was tempted to reach out and choke the despot to death. His bitter cries would have been music to my ears. With a start, I pushed the thought away. That was the Dark Side speaking, I could not – would not – give into that. It was exactly what the living corpse wanted. But it was so easy…One time couldn't hurt. After all, wouldn't I be doing it for the greater good of the galaxy and the Force? Just one moment…After all, I would turn back immediately after I would have done my duty…would I not? No. I had to stay strong, no matter what. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me follow my dark father's path.

"Guards, leave us." As they left, he turned to me. "I am looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call me Master." I almost snorted at that. I'd rather strip my own flesh off my bones with a fork, Your All-High-And-Mighty Darkness. He chuckled aloud at that, only sparking my fury more.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Mind, you fiend." This only seemed to amuse the creature more. I pictured his blood and guts spattered on the floor, staining it a deep red. Palpatine's evil grin faded.

"Soon you will learn to respect your superiors." Yeah, and Hoth will melt, and banthas will grow wings and start flying…Keep dreaming. If it makes you feel better.

"You're gravely mistaken. You won't convert me as you did my father." He stepped off the throne, approaching me, coming much closer than I would ever want. Smoky blackness bled from him, seeping into everything, sparing nothing, not even my soul. This time, I could not suppress the shudder.

"Oh no, my young Jedi. You will find that it is you who are mistaken…about a great many things.

"His lightsaber," Vader said, handing him my saber.

"Ah, yes, a Jedi's weapon. Much like your father's. By now you must know your father can never be turned from the Dark Side. So it will be with you." That was the last straw. My mind exploded, transforming into one huge, white-hot fireball, the anger flaring, blinding me. This thing had killed my father. He would pay…He would pay dearly.

Using the Force, I ripped it from his grip and threw myself at him, turning into a veritable whirlwind of destructive power. I waited for my blade to pierce the despot's body, but my blows were matched by Vader's own, blood-red one. I tried to push forward, but, surprisingly, did not. I simply did not have the will to do so; I could not fight my own father, near-unredeemable as he was. But he had no qualms about attacking me. I found myself being driven back, and I knew that the duel was lost. I was backed against the hard, stone wall, with Vader's saber at my throat.

It was a bluff. I knew he wouldn't kill me, as the Emperor wanted me alive. Well, he wouldn't have me alive. I lifted my own blade to my temple. I smirked. There goes your plan for total domination. In that fleeting moment of overconfidence, the lightsaber was torn from my grip and sent flying across the room. I was met with Palpatine's dark scowl before being assaulted by a barrage of blue lightning. It set my very bones on fire, consuming me. My mind was a blurred spasm of pain until it too was devoured by shadows. Blissful unconsciousness settled upon me.