Chapter 14: A Father-Son Camping Trip
Two weeks after his son had first picked up a saber, Luke had gained skills at a rate that surprised even Vader. He embraced the art of the lightsaber with an enthusiasm similar to that he displayed when piloting. It was thrilling for Vader to witness. He'd been doing this himself for so long, he had forgotten the novelty and excitement he'd felt in his youth.
After an especially exhausting bout, Luke leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
"Your last parry was a fraction too low," Vader remarked. "Aim higher on your opponent's blade."
"What's a parry again?" Luke asked, getting back into position.
"The defensive movement."
"Oh." Luke was silent for a moment, looking blank. "So what's a feint?"
Vader ignited his blade, and made a sudden swipe at Luke. His son turned on his own blade in shock, and hurried to parry. Halfway through the movement, Vader changed the direction of his attack, and ended up with his blade at Luke's throat. Luke froze.
"That was a feint," Vader said, holding the blade steady for a few seconds longer, before switching it off.
"Got it," Luke said, eyeing him warily. "I've had it. I'm going to go get cleaned up."
"Very well. You may have an hour's rest, then we will resume your telekinetic exercises."
Luke nodded, and wandered off towards the dueling room doors. Vader watched him leave, thinking over the progress he'd made. Although his son did not realize it, all this lightsaber training was further advancing his attunement to the Force. A week ago he would only have lasted two hours, now he had lasted four. It was satisfying to watch, to the point where he wished there was someone to whom he could boast about his son's abilities.
Luke was going to be everything he had wanted to be in his own youth. There was no Obi-Wan around to stop his son from realizing his full potential. Nothing would stand in their way.
After showering and changing his clothes, Luke settled down on his bunk with the portable holoprojector, looking forward to getting through another batch of messages. He'd had to steal minutes between training sessions while keeping a careful watch on his father's presence in the Force, but it was worth it. Over the last two weeks, he'd learned more about his father's past than he had during the entire five years of living with him.
Some things he could have guessed on his own—like his father's most preferred command position was as the head of a flight squad. Others were surprising. Whether or not Obi-Wan had been telling the truth when he said he loved his father like a brother, it was clear his father felt that way about Obi-Wan. He'd often repeat some of the things he'd said that day, some of which sounded like things Luke had heard from his father.
Then there were all the emotional declarations of undying love, some of which went on so long, Luke quickly had to skip forward. There was one message where his father said things were quiet at the front, so he was going to take the time to list all the things he missed about Luke's mother, and it went on for more than five minutes. The list had included such ridiculous things as 'the way your hair shifts in the wind' and 'the way the light reflects in your eyes'.
The idea of his stoic, serious father ever being this open about his feelings was part amusing, part disturbing. It had been difficult to avoid saying anything to his father about all this ... or even giving him a hint that he was spending his free time listening to some of his most intimate thoughts. But fortunately, his father seemed too distracted with the task of training him to worry about what he was doing.
Today's message was a continuation of one he'd listened to last night. His father was stationed on some humid, rainy planet called Seedum, and they'd been defending some city from a growing Seperatist army on the borders. His father was pacing up and down, passing in and out of the recording field, and he appeared soaked with rain.
"I don't know where to begin with today, Padmé. Echo and Fives got into a fight over a game of dejarik and somehow the entire company is taking sides. Rex told me he'd sort it out but I'm not hopeful."
Rex was the captain of the company of clone soldiers, and his father frequently spoke about him like he was a friend. Nothing like how he spoke about the Imperial officers now. It was impossible to imagine this man being so angry as to choke the guy if he made a mistake.
"Snips says it's gonna take some time." His father smiled and then added, "She still hasn't recovered from losing at sabacc to me last week."
Luke sat up, taking note. His father knew how to play sabacc. He'd brought a set of cards and tried to convince the droids to play, without much success so far. And he'd played with this 'Snips' who seemed to be another Jedi named Ahsoka, not a clone. One thing was clear, his father had a lot of friends back then.
"All this downtime has me thinking about you constantly," his father said, stopping mid-pace. Luke hovered his finger over the fast-forward button, anticipating more mushy talk.
"It's our anniversary next week. There's so much I want to give you, but most of all, an end to this war." His father paused, and then added, "There's talk of Dooku being sighted on Saleucami. It could all be over if we capture him, but Obi-Wan said we have a job to do here. I know he's right, but when I think about all the Jedi that Sith traitor has killed it's difficult not to think of revenge. An eternity of oblivion in the Dark Side of the Force is too good an end for him."
Luke stared in surprise. The Dark Side. It was true. And clearly his father was no fan of the Sith at this stage in his life. So what changed? Clearly the Emperor was involved, but it was hard to believe his father had completely changed his entire outlook overnight.
"But revenge is not the Jedi way."
In the background, a new person wandered into the frame, and his father quickly turned around, now with his back to the camera. Luke leaned closer in curiosity when the newcomer's face was revealed. It was a much younger Obi-Wan.
"Were you speaking with the admiral?" Obi-Wan asked.
"No, just … talking with Artoo," his father said. He made a hand sign behind him, and Artoo must have cut off the recording. The sudden silence made Luke aware of boot steps on the ship's ramp and he quickly hit the power button on the projector. A moment later, his father came around the corner.
"What are you doing?" he asked, looking from Luke to the projector.
"Uh … just … talking to Artoo," Luke said, and then immediately cringed at the obvious lie.
"Artoo is not here," his father said.
A string of beeps and whistles came from the cargo hold, and Artoo rolled out to the corridor.
"Yes, he is," Luke said, grinning.
"I suspect you are indulging in mindless entertainment," his father said, pointing at him. "Come. We will resume your training."
"Didn't you ever enjoy mindless entertainment when you were my age?" Luke suggested, dropping down to the deck to follow his father.
"The Jedi led simple lives. We were not encouraged to indulge in entertainment."
"Like tunnel racing?" Luke suggested, grinning up at his father as they walked through into the main hall.
"I can see I will regret telling you that."
Luke looked down, feeling a pang in his heart. His tone sounded exactly the same as the younger man in the holos, even if the voice was completely different. It had long felt like his father was wearing not just a life support suit, but an entire disguise, and everything he'd seen in those recordings supported this.
"Well, everyone regrets things, right," Luke said carefully. "Like I regret that time I played hooky from the Empire Day ceremonies because I wanted to fly my new speeder."
"So do I, young one."
"Do you regret anything from when you were my age?" Luke asked. "Or even when you were older?"
"It would be quicker to list everything I don't regret." His father opened the doors to the room adjacent to the one they'd been using for dueling practice.
Luke was about to ask further questions, but he was distracted by the sight before him. It was filled with various pieces of furniture, haphazardly arranged down one end. The other half of the room was empty.
"Redecorating?" Luke asked.
"Winning a contest of power with another Force user isn't only a matter of your skill with a lightsaber," his father said. "All your abilities will be required. Today you will learn how to engage in a telekinetic attack."
"Is this like when you throw tools at me because I swear in Huttese?" Luke asked.
"Yes, but I will not give you time to move out of the way. You need to block them by redirection, or generate a Force shield. Stand there."
His father pointed to the empty half of the room, and Luke went to stand in front of him, feeling a little unsettled. This feeling only increased when his father gestured at a table, which obediently rose off the floor.
"Can you please start with something smaller?!"
"You could easily block it if you concentrate," his father said. But he let the table fall with a crash and lifted up a chair instead. Then he flung it towards Luke at a speed that made him instantly jump out of its way and raise his arms. But it swerved to follow him, and Luke desperately tried to push it away with the Force. He only managed to send it slightly off course, but his father intervened and the chair landed on the ground in front of him.
"Now lift it up and push it back towards me."
Luke stared at it, and then raised his arm. He only managed to shove it across the floor, at a slow pace. Then he found his father was already tossing two books at him, and he jumped back in surprise.
"You need to control your fear," his father said, letting the books fall. "Focus."
Luke slumped, feeling dejected. He could already tell this wasn't going to go as easily as the Force jump and the dueling lessons.
Over the next two hours, his father alternated between terrifying him with multiple speeding projectiles, and attempting a more careful approach, with only one slow object at a time. When neither method seemed to work, he resorted to blindfolding him, which only made things worse. The table he'd managed to slide across the room earlier wouldn't budge with the blindfold on. His father was beginning to get frustrated.
"You are not focused."
"I'm trying," Luke sighed, ripping off the blindfold.
"What did you say?!"
"I said I'm ... thinking about other things," Luke amended.
"Nothing is more important than this. Now, sit down and complete the mental exercises I taught you last week. Then we will continue."
"Let me give it another go," Luke said, hastily stretching out a hand towards the table and closing his eyes. Anything to avoid mental exercises.
Then he felt himself flying back and landing on one of the chairs.
"Hey!" Luke protested.
"I am showing you how it is done," his father said, sounding amused.
Luke frowned for a moment, and then smiled, glad his father wasn't angry with him, despite his lack of progress. He raised a hand, but his father easily blocked his attempt to push him.
"Better. But I still want you to meditate."
"I'm getting hungry," Luke said. "And thirsty. We've been at this for hours."
"I will ask the droid to bring you some food. When you have regained your focus, continue your practice. Turn your frustration into pathways through which the Force can flow. Remember—you are in control of the Force, not the other way. Make it do your bidding."
Luke nodded. "Where are you going?"
"Outside."
"Sanity maintenance?" Luke enquired.
He didn't reply, and Luke watched until the last thread of his cape had floated out the door. Then he slumped back with a groan.
"Things not going your way?"
Luke started, and then looked across at an adjacent armchair. Ghost Obi-Wan was sitting there, glowing transparent fingers clasped in front of him.
For a second, Luke considered calling his father back, but the idea quickly faded. He needed answers to a few more questions, and he wasn't going to get them while his father was around.
"What do you want from me?" Luke asked.
"Your forgiveness."
Luke raised an eyebrow, wondering if a ghost could be senile. "What?"
"I was unfair to you. Time passes differently in this realm, and I forget how long you have been with your father. I should not have been so insensitive."
Luke looked down, fidgeting with the blindfold. "You really were his friend, weren't you? I've been watching some recordings he made when you were fighting in the Clone Wars. He talks about you a lot."
Obi-Wan smiled. "What does he say?"
"Among other things, that you reined him in when he got too impulsive."
Obi-Wan laughed. "I certainly tried." A look of deep sadness came over his face then. "Yes, our bond was as strong as two brothers. I trusted him with my life, as he trusted me with his. But I failed him. I failed your mother. Then I failed to keep you safe on Tatooine. Now you are in grave danger."
"I'm all right," Luke said. "You may think my father is now a monster, but he's more like your friend than you realize."
Obi-Wan shook his head. "It's all an act, Luke. He has attempted to be a father for your benefit. But now that you are growing into a young adult, this will change. He knows the two of you cannot continue to be together unless you also turn to the Dark Side. The Emperor will not allow you to live any other way, and the nature of the Dark Side compels your father to obey his master. He imagines the two of you can destroy the Emperor together one day, but he is blind to what will happen to you if you fall into the pit of the Dark Side."
Luke remembered his future visions, and he shuddered, feeling cold. "I'm not going to turn to the Dark Side. I've already resisted the Emperor's attempt to turn me."
"Do not underestimate the temptation. You will only continue to resist if you go far away from the Emperor."
"I can't hide from him. If you and the entire Jedi Order couldn't defeat him, what hope do I have? If my father thinks we have a chance if we team up, then maybe that's not such a bad idea. He won't force me to turn to the Dark Side if I don't want to."
"Oh, Luke." Obi-Wan was shaking his head. "You must find your own path, of course. But I fear you will be disappointed if you place your faith in Darth Vader. He is a servant of the Dark Side."
"There's good in him," Luke insisted. "He is my father."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, looking particularly pained. "Padmé felt the same way. Then he broke her heart when he turned on her. Your mother, Luke. Anakin loved her so much, he would have given up everything for her. Vader saw her only as a possession. I fear he sees you the same way."
"You're wrong," Luke insisted. "Maybe if the Jedi had supported him more, this wouldn't have happened. Maybe if you'd tried to help him after it happened, instead of fighting him, he wouldn't have ended up nearly dead and needing a respirator to breathe. Maybe he could have been with my mother when she gave birth to me, and she would have survived."
Obi-Wan didn't reply. He had a haunted look in his eyes.
"Listen, I don't want to argue about what anyone did in the past," Luke said, deciding he wouldn't get anywhere with this. "I know he did some terrible things. Maybe if I understood why he turned to the Dark Side, then I might understand how to avoid it myself."
The ghost looked away. "I asked myself that more times than you can possibly imagine."
"You weren't there?"
"No. Palpatine made sure of that."
"The last time you saw him, did he seem stressed about anything?"
Obi-Wan sighed. "It was a difficult time. His relationship with the Jedi Council had become very strained. They had asked him to spy on Palpatine and report back. I suspect Palpatine had asked him to report on the Jedi Council. He was attempting to test or divide his loyalties. I also realized later he must have been dealing with the knowledge that Padmé was pregnant, and knowing he would have to leave the Jedi Order."
"Leave? Why?"
"Jedi were not permitted to have spouses and children."
"Really? He never told me this," Luke said, feeling a sudden twist in his guts. "He said he was married to my mother for years."
"We always acted like I didn't know, but it was more than obvious to anyone close to him. He wasn't the only Jedi to have a secret relationship." Obi-Wan looked distant, lost in memories. "His happiness meant everything to me. So I didn't bring it up."
Luke rubbed his face, feeling an uncomfortable idea beginning to form. If his father knew he was about to be kicked out of the Jedi Order for fathering a child, then perhaps he felt he had nothing to lose by turning to the Dark Side and joining the Emperor. The thought made him feel both guilty at being the cause, even unknowingly, and also some resentment. How could his father ally himself with someone so evil, when he knew his wife and son needed him?
He stared at the door, imagining what his father's reaction would be if he confronted him about all this. It didn't bear thinking about. None of it did.
"He'll return soon," Luke said. "I'm supposed to be doing mental exercises."
Obi-Wan smiled. "Your father never enjoyed those either."
Luke stared at the ghost, curiously. "You taught my father to use the Force, right? Everything he knows, just about?"
Obi-Wan nodded.
"Did he ever struggle to push a table across the room?"
"Your father rarely struggled with anything. Apart from controlling his reckless impulses."
"I feel like there's something I'm just not getting."
"Well, you have only been learning for a few weeks. I taught your father for ten years. But perhaps you are going about it the wrong way. It is all in the perception. Our point of view greatly influences what we can achieve."
"What do you mean?"
"Your logical mind sees the size and weight of the table, and convinces you that it will require great exertion to be moved. You need to learn a whole new way of thinking. The Force does not require great physical effort. Close your eyes, let go of your conscious self, and let the Force move the table. You are only a conduit."
"You make it sound so easy," Luke said, closing his eyes.
"It is easy. Believe it. Imagine yourself doing it, and then do it."
Luke visualized himself shoving the table into the wall. His father would be proud of him if he managed to do this. His good mood would make their inevitable discussion about the Dark Side easier.
The Force began to swirl around him, in response to his call. Remember, he thought, it's not me moving the table. It is the Force. I'm just a pathway.
His heart began to beat faster, so he leaned back and breathed deeply. He wasn't supposed to be exerting any effort. All he had to do was lift his hand, and imagine the table bouncing into the wall, and—
The crash echoed in Luke's ears, and he jumped to his feet.
"I did it! Did you see that?"
"See what, Master Luke?"
Luke glanced from the now vacant armchair to the doorway, where Jaytee had arrived carrying a tray.
"This," Luke said, stretching out an arm towards the droid. The tray rose into the air. "I think I'm getting the hang of it."
Jaytee took a few hasty steps backward.
When Vader returned to the training room, he found Luke was sitting at the table with Jaytee, while Artoo and Threepio stood watch. He was playing cards. And not just any card game, but the staple of gamblers and con-artists the galaxy over. Sabacc. He stood a few meters behind Luke and folded his arms, waiting to see how long it would take his son to notice his presence.
"Your move," Luke said.
Jaytee placed a card on the stack. Artoo made a warning whistle.
"Is that it?" Luke asked, sounding slightly incredulous.
"That is my choice, Master Luke."
"Okay ... if you say so," Luke said, slowly and deliberately.
Vader made a quick analysis of Luke's cards, noting he had a very good hand. He could easily win this. Instead, he sat staring at Jaytee, tapping his fingers on the table.
"I believe it is your turn, Master Luke," Jaytee said.
"Arg!" Luke said, standing up and tossing his cards down. "She's worse at this than you two combined."
Artoo made a rude beep.
"I did tell you that sabacc was not in my specified functions, Master Luke."
Luke groaned in annoyance, and then turned around. His frown quickly turned into a slightly guilty looking smile.
"Uh ... hi!"
"Sabacc?" Vader enquired.
"Just a short break," Luke explained.
"So I take it you are now a master of telekinesis, that you can afford to waste time?"
"Well, I have made a lot of progress," Luke said, turning around. He pushed the table off to the side to demonstrate.
"Oh my," Threepio said, while Artoo whistled in amazement.
Despite his annoyance, Vader was impressed. Luke had done that with the ease of a far more experienced Force-adept.
"Good. Now we will resume your blocking lessons."
"All right," Luke sighed. "You droids better get clear."
The two protocol droids moved for the door immediately, but Artoo remained, whistling and beeping in Vader's direction.
"Go on," Vader said, pointing at the door.
Artoo made a few more beeps, and then did as asked.
The second half of the lesson went far more smoothly, and soon Luke was able to easily block smaller objects. The tables and chairs required more work, but he was at least able to implement a twisting Force jump to avoid them. Most importantly, his attitude had improved, and he now seemed more confident in his own abilities.
The evening found them back in the dueling room, and Luke wearing a helmet with the blast shield down while he practiced deflecting stun bolts from multiple training drones. Vader watched with pride while he integrated some of the skills he'd learned in the telekinetic training, pushing a stun bolt away with the Force when he couldn't block it in time. He wasn't quite ready to block live blaster bolts, but it wouldn't be much longer.
After he'd gone through ten training remotes, Luke took off his helmet and looked at Vader in anticipation.
"You have done well today," he confirmed.
"Thanks for being patient," Luke said, smiling as he looked down.
"I believe you have earned some time to indulge in mindless entertainment. Tomorrow, you will rise at dawn and practice your telekinesis."
"Okay," Luke mumbled.
As Vader turned to leave, Luke said, "Um … Father?"
"What is it?"
Luke stared at him with a slightly pained expression, and then said, "Never mind. I … I'm going to go eat."
He left the room quickly then.
Luke had set an alarm for dawn, but he found it was unnecessary. His sleep had been broken with strange dreams he couldn't quite remember. His father had definitely been in them, and the ghost of Obi-Wan. And, for some reason, his younger, unmasked father as well. He had a vague feeling all three of them had been fighting over something.
Practicing his force jumps and falls did little to budge the deep feeling of unease that had settled in overnight. He couldn't keep delaying this. His connection to the Force was growing, and he could feel so much more now. See so much more. He was wary of meditation lest he find himself completely lost in the sensation of all the life on the island. And surrounding it all, a darkness that seemed to be calling to him. That seemed to want something from him.
When his father found him, he was sitting in the dining room, idly pushing his spoon into a bowl of porridge and attempting to eat some of it. Artoo sat nearby, making the odd concerned beep.
"Have you been practicing your telekinesis?" his father asked, standing opposite.
Luke started to nod, and then realized he wouldn't get away with that lie. "No," he amended. "I've been running through the obstacle course outside."
"You have mastered that already. You need to focus on your weak points. Hurry up and finish eating, and then join me."
Luke sighed, having a strong feeling he was in for another day of being pushed to his limits and then some.
He wasn't wrong. After a few hours of trying and mostly failing to block every last object his father tossed at him, Luke found himself lying flat on his back, pinned under a metal stool, and wishing he was allowed to have his lightsaber.
"Ow!" he complained, as his father moved to stand over him.
"You could easily have blocked that," his father said, pointing at him. He waved his hand, and the stool flew off and crashed into the wall. "What is wrong with you today?"
"Nothing," Luke said, standing up and brushing himself off.
"You are distracted."
"I'm not, I'm … maybe I should learn something else."
"No. You need to center yourself in the Force. You haven't been meditating."
Luke quickly raised his hands. "Let's go again. Please."
His father regarded him silently, while Luke tried to meet his gaze. Then he relented.
"Very well."
The thought of being made to meditate was really good motivation, and Luke closed his eyes and gathered as much of the Force as he could. Obi-Wan's advice about letting go of his conscious self filled his mind, and he began to feel everything slowing down as another chair spun through the air. He succeeded in throwing it back this time, but his father responded by sending a shelf flying towards him, even faster.
After successfully blocking ten objects in a row, his father finally gave him a rest.
"Good. You are learning how to focus. We will return to lightsaber practice this afternoon."
Luke brightened at this. He enjoyed that far more than blocking furniture missiles. But then his father added, "After you have eaten, you will go and meditate. Half an hour."
"Do I have to?" Luke said, putting his face in his hands.
"Yes. Do not argue."
"But can't I—"
"An hour."
"Okay, okay," Luke said. "Meditation. Why not."
Knowing his son as well as he did, Vader expected there was about a fifty percent chance of actually finding Luke meditating after he'd eaten his lunch. He had intended to check up on him earlier, but a fleet report from IMH had distracted him, and it was mid-afternoon by the time he left the ship. Still, even he was surprised to find his son in the library, now attempting to play sabacc with Artoo and Threepio. The droids were arguing with each other over the rules, and then Threepio started at his appearance, and dropped the cards on the floor, revealing the hand to Luke.
"Oh, stars," Luke said, covering his face.
"I'm sorry, Master Luke. These cards were not designed for—"
"Leave us," Vader said, pointing at the droids. Threepio quickly moved towards the exit. Artoo beeped a few remarks but followed.
When they were alone, Vader stared at Luke until his son began to feel nervous.
"I did meditate," Luke insisted.
"For an hour?"
Luke was quiet.
"You are not treating this with the level of importance it requires."
Luke frowned. "Fine, I'll try again." He dropped down to his knees to pick up the cards, but Vader pulled him back up.
"Use the Force."
"That's going to take forever," Luke said, floating one card into the air.
"It will if you do it one at a time. Focus. You can lift them all if you set your mind to it."
Luke closed his eyes, and managed to raise about ten of them into the air. Five of them made it to the table, but the rest fluttered back down. He tried again, but Vader could feel his frustration rising. After the fifth attempt, he turned away in a sulk.
"It's impossible."
"Impossible is now on the banned word list," his father said. "Go again, and this time, concentrate."
"Let's see you do it, oh exalted Lord of the Force," Luke said, in a tone Vader hadn't heard in a while.
His son turned back and folded his arms in anticipation.
"Very well," Vader said, deciding they could be here for another hour if he forced the issue. He stretched out a hand, and the cards swirled into the air like a mini-whirlwind. The structure fluttered up towards the table, and then Vader guided them into a neat pack.
"Show off," Luke mumbled, while pretending to clear his throat.
"What is this mood about?" Vader asked, choosing to ignore the childish rudeness.
Luke turned away. "Nothing."
"Then we will proceed to the dueling room. I believe you are ready to fight a duelling droid today."
Luke looked up, his interest piqued. "Really?"
"If you can beat one, I may let you play another game of cards with the droids."
"Is that punishment or a reward?" Luke asked, following him into the corridor. "How about if you play sabacc with me?"
"That is a game for gamblers and criminals," Vader said, derisively.
"Are you telling me you don't remember how to play?" Luke asked, sounding amused.
"Of course—" Vader paused outside the entrance to the duelling room, considering. Luke was staring up at him in anticipation. "Very well. If you beat the duelling droid, I will play one game of sabacc with you."
"Is this a deal? One that you're not going to alter?"
"You will have to wait and see," Vader said, enjoying Luke's pained expression.
After a few warm-up bouts, Vader moved over to the droid storage crate. Luke paced up and down in the center of the room, and Vader could sense him taking measures to stay calm. Luke's biggest problem was his fear—an irrational fear of the droid that had damaged him as a child. If only he could channel that fear into power ...
"I will intervene if you get into difficulty," Vader said, switching a droid into ready mode. It clanked forward slowly, and Vader moved to the side of the room. "Once you switch on your lightsaber, it will start attacking you."
"I remember that part," Luke said. His voice sounded strained. He hesitated for a few seconds, and then raised his blade. The blue light glowed across his face, reflecting in his eyes.
The droid immediately switched on its own blade and assumed an attack stance.
The first few minutes passed with little incident. Luke circled the droid, only using his blade to parry the droid's simple attacks. It was set to the lowest skill level, so its manoeuvres were easy to predict. His son was displaying good footwork and blocking, but little else.
"You will not defeat the droid by evading it," Vader said, finally. "It will not wear out like a living opponent."
"I know!" Luke said.
He made an attempt to strike the droid's arm, but it was blocked easily. Instead of following up, Luke stepped back, and the circling resumed.
There was a stark difference between this and Luke's behavior when he was duelling with him. Then, his son behaved like Fode chasing after a bone, throwing himself into it with passion and recklessness.
After another five minutes, Luke began to grow in confidence, seeming to realize he wasn't about to lose another hand. He traded a few more blows with the droid, and then executed a well-aimed strike at the droid's right knee.
He missed, but blocked the droid's follow up attack, and then took a risk by making a sudden swipe at its head. He missed again, leaving his shoulder wide open in the process.
"Careful," Vader said, stepping forward with concern.
Luke dodged the droid's attack, and glanced at him in annoyance.
"I can handle it!"
The old circling resumed. Luke appeared to have lost some confidence at his failed attempt at a quick defeat. The droid began to advance, and Luke moved backwards towards the far end of the room.
Vader shifted to keep up with him, just in time to see the droid take a swipe at Luke's left side. His son parried, and then followed up with a quick riposte. It would have succeeded, but he had not stepped forward far enough.
"You're distracting me," Luke said, after circling the droid once again. "Do you have to analyse my every move?"
"I am merely standing here."
"You're judging me!"
"Focus on your opponent, not on me."
Luke ducked to avoid another attack by the droid, and then took several steps backward. The droid followed and executed a series of textbook attacks. Luke blocked them easily, but still did not follow up.
"We will be here until sundown unless you stop assuming the defensive," Vader said. "The droid is in complete control of this duel."
Anger filled his son's Force presence, and Vader was pleased to see him reaching for it, channelling it into an attack. The defensive hesitation had gone, replaced with determined aggression. The droid began to falter as Luke forced it back with one attack after another. It made a hasty violent strike at Luke's chest, which only provoked his son further. Vader watched in fascination as his son flipped over its head, and then wildly hacked at the droid, slicing through its left arm. The appendage was left dangling uselessly, and the droid instantly compensated, wielding its weapon one-handed.
"Ha!" Luke said. "How does it feel when you lose an arm?!"
The droid responded with more attacks, which Luke parried easily. He then took one hand off his lightsaber and pointed at the severed droid arm, flinging it at the droid's right shoulder. As it turned, distracted by the object, Luke swung the saber back over his left shoulder and sliced off its head in a single fluid movement. He jumped back as the droid fell forward, impaling itself on its own lightsaber.
"Good," Vader said, moving forward to retrieve the droid's lightsaber, which was sticking dangerously out of its back.
Luke quickly whirled around, his saber brandished in a threatening position. Out of pure reflex, Vader reached for his own weapon. His hand fell back halfway there, and he stared at Luke in surprise. The cold anger in his blue eyes was starkly out of place. He didn't look right, not like his usual self.
"Son?" Vader said, calmly.
Luke shook his head as if waking up from a dream. He glanced down at his blade, staring at it curiously for a moment, and then switched it off.
"That wasn't so hard," he said, rubbing his head.
"You did well," Vader said, studying Luke. He appeared pale. "Are you feeling all right?"
Luke appeared pained for a moment, as if struggling with some internal conflict. Vader reached out, attempting to link, but Luke brushed him off.
"I'm fine." He grinned, and some of the light returned to his eyes. "You owe me a sabacc game!"
The setting sun was streaming in through the library windows, bathing all the wall carvings in a gentle orange glow. It was a pleasant atmosphere to have a game of cards, and Luke was relieved to be doing something that didn't involve having furniture flying through the air or killer droids. How often did they have the opportunity to do something like this on Coruscant? Almost never. Even if they tried, there would always be the Empire interrupting.
Luke studied his cards, seeing he had a fairly good hand. He glanced at his father, wondering if his cards were better or worse. Something was telling him his father had a set of two pairs. Maybe he should pick up first, and see if he could beat that.
"Wait a second," Luke said, suddenly realizing something. "You can't tell what my cards are, can you?"
"Only as far as you can see mine," his father said, rearranging them.
Luke groaned, dumping his cards on the table. "Why didn't I think of this?"
"It is of no importance," his father said.
"Yes it is. There's no point playing now ... you've got two pair. You'll win easily."
"If winning is that important to you, I will allow you to win."
"You're worse than Jaytee!" Luke complained. "It's not the winning, it's the competition."
"Why don't we deal again?" Vader suggested, gathering up the cards. "This time, do not use the Force. If you concentrate on your own cards, we will not have this problem."
"That's the first time you've told me not to use the Force since we got here," Luke said, grinning.
The new game proceeded with few problems, and Luke won the first round with little effort. As he dealt the second round, Luke began to wonder if now was a good time to bring up the Dark Side. His father was in a good mood, by his standards, and it would be easy enough to change the subject if things didn't go well. Maybe he should start with the relatively less weighty subject of the Death Star.
"I was feeling frustrated before," Luke said, selecting a card.
"I noticed."
"The truth is, there has been a lot on my mind. We've been too busy with the training to really talk about things."
"I have given you several opportunities."
"I know, but …" Luke stared at his cards, and then realized he just had to quit stalling and get to the point. "Could I ask you something about the Empire?"
"Proceed."
"Well, I've been hearing about this project. I was wondering how you felt about it."
"Which project?"
"A battle station that can destroy planets," Luke said, casually.
His father stared at him blankly for a few moments, and then put down his cards.
"Where did you hear about that?"
His tone was a mix of surprise and annoyance.
"Forget it," Luke said, quickly.
"No. Tell me."
Luke waved a hand. "Everybody knows."
"Everybody does not know. It is a highly secret project. Who told you about it?"
"I don't remember. I probably overheard it mentioned at the palace. Anyway, it's your turn."
His father was tapping his fingers against the table. "Senator Organa," he said, ominously.
"Senators have a right to know if the Emperor is going to start destroying their planets," Luke said, annoyed. "How can you let him build something like that? It's terrible."
"It is not my decision to make. And you would be wise to keep your opinions about it to yourself, young one."
"I'm not going to pretend that I like it! We're talking about something that could kill billions and billions of innocent people. I hope the Rebels destroy it."
"Such comments are likely to get you killed, should the Emperor hear of them," his father said, pointing at him.
"That's another thing," Luke continued. "No one has any freedom. He wants the entire galaxy to obey him without question. He orders you and the military to destroy anyone who doesn't instantly comply. No wonder there's a Rebellion."
"And this is what Senator Organa has been feeding you?"
"This has nothing to do with her," Luke said. "This is my opinion."
"Then your opinion will have to change. When we return to Coruscant, the Emperor will be completing your training. If you give him any reason to doubt your loyalty, your life will come to a very quick end."
Luke was silent, trying to get his head around what he'd just heard. The Emperor ... completing his training? No, his father couldn't be serious.
"If you cannot keep your idealism in check, then you must learn to feign loyalty, at least."
Luke met his father's gaze for a moment, and then stared fixedly down at the table surface.
"He's a monster," Luke said, finally. "He's already attacked me once. You're going to ask me to be loyal to someone who will electrocute me if I don't do what he says?"
"I do not have a choice."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Luke said, standing up and shoving his chair aside. "He was right. He's been trying to warn me, and I defended you, but this whole time, he was right. You've been lying to me since we met!"
Luke stormed off towards the balcony, not knowing if he could stand to hear any more. Even the thought of spending time with the Emperor was making him nauseous. How could his father do this to him? The man he trusted ... the man he'd defended when Obi-Wan tried to tell him the truth.
Luke gripped the balcony railing, glaring at the distant ocean. He should have had this conversation earlier. He should have confronted his father as soon as Obi-Wan told him. Now he'd let things drag on ... and he'd used his anger to channel the Force again, despite his best efforts to avoid it.
"Are you going to enlighten me as to what I have supposedly lied to you about?"
Luke glanced up, surprised to find his father had joined him.
"Does the Dark Side sound familiar?" Luke asked.
His father stared at him in silence for a few moments. Luke stared back, waiting for an answer.
"Where did you hear that term?" he asked, sounding like he was struggling very hard to stay calm.
"Obi-Wan."
"Obi-Wan is dead!"
"He can appear as a ghost."
"A ghost?! Are you insane?"
"He said there are two sides to the Force. Anger leads to the Dark Side, and once you choose it, there's no going back. You were trying to make me use it without telling me what the consequences were!"
"Don't believe one word he says," his father said, pointing at him. "He is a liar!"
"He told me the truth!"
"So you hear one viewpoint and think it is the truth?"
"So there's no such thing as the Dark Side? It's all the same?"
"No. There are two sides to the Force. One is a weak side and one is a powerful side. That is the only difference."
"Well, thanks all the same, but I'm sticking with the weak side," Luke said. "At least that doesn't involve selling my soul to the Emperor!"
"Then the Emperor will kill you."
"While you stand by and watch?!"
"I am not powerful enough to protect you! Obi-Wan saw to that."
"No, you just won't disobey him," Luke said. "You're his slave!"
His father loomed over him like a black cloud, blocking out the sun. The Force flared with his anger.
"How dare you call me that."
"Obi-Wan was right to hide me! My life would be better if I'd never left—"
He choked on the last word. He couldn't breathe. His chest muscles strained against the obstruction, but only a faint cry came out of his throat.
His hands automatically reached for his neck, and he looked up at his father in wide-eyed shock.
A second later, his father released him, and Luke fell back against the wall, gasping in air as quickly as his sore throat could take it. Then there were gloved hands on his arms, dragging him upright. He shoved them away and sprinted for the exit, using the Force to enhance his speed.
Nothing was left standing in the library and the droids had long since taken refuge in the basement, but still his anger wasn't spent. Vader paced up and down amid the remains of the table, cursing himself for losing his temper. From the day Luke had moved in, he had sworn he would never harm his son. He couldn't even keep a promise to himself. There was nothing he despised more than failure, and this was a failure of galactic proportions.
How was he going to remedy this situation? An apology wasn't anywhere near enough. Buying him a personal Star Destroyer wouldn't be nearly enough. Luke was one of the most forgiving people in the galaxy, but what he'd done was beyond forgiveness. Their relationship could be finished for good.
It was all Obi-Wan's fault. Ghost or not, he was going to pay for this. How dare he talk to his son behind his back? Turning him against his own father ... teaching him to fear the Dark Side. Corrupting him with Jedi teachings!
In a moment, he was wandering the rooms, searching for any hint of an abnormality in the Force. But how did one find a ghost? Until today, he didn't even know this was possible. More secrets the Jedi had purposely kept from him.
When he entered the vast entrance hall, he stopped, hearing a noise.
"Obi-Wan ..."
He followed the sound, but it only revealed Fode and Beed, sleeping together in a fading ray of sun. Fode glanced up at his arrival, and then went back to sleep, head resting against Beed's flank. Gentle snores resumed.
How pleasant to be a dumb animal, oblivious to the drama going on here this afternoon. There were few times he'd envied his pets more.
A tremor in the Force caused Vader to turn around. A pale blue form stood against the far wall, clearer than a hologram. Obi-Wan, but younger than he'd last seen him.
"You! How dare you fill my son's head with your lies?!"
Obi-Wan didn't reply.
"You turned him against me!"
"No one could ever do that. He loves you. More than you do him, if today is any judge."
"I have done a better job of protecting him than you ever did!"
"You are planning to hand him over to Palpatine. You know what he will do to him. Is that what you truly want?"
"If I don't, he will kill him. I am saving his life. Once Luke is strong enough, he and I will kill Palpatine, and rule the galaxy together! We will achieve galactic order and peace."
"Do you really believe that? Have you learned nothing after all these years of war? You will never have peace while your Empire of oppression still rules with an iron fist."
"You never did have any faith in me, Obi-Wan."
"Listen to me, Ana—whatever your name is now. If you feel anything for your son—even the smallest spark of love—then you must realize you cannot do this. He is an innocent boy! Not a tool to satisfy your lust for power. You must take him as far away from Palpatine as you can."
"So you can train him to kill me? I see through your Jedi hypocrisy, Obi-Wan. The only reason you ever showed interest in my son was because you intended to use his power as a weapon against me."
"And why do you imagine Palpatine has allowed you to train Luke? So you can all be one big happy Sith family?"
"He underestimates my son if he believes Luke will side with him."
"Or perhaps you underestimate what the Dark Side will do to Luke. You think he'll still love you after spending time with Palpatine? Lest we forget, you cared for me once. You once loved his mother."
"And I still did!"
"That's not how I recall your final moments together."
Vader snarled with anger and reached for his lightsaber. Halfway through the gesture, he realized it wouldn't do any good. Would the suffering the Jedi inflicted on him never end?!
"If you still imagine turning to the Dark Side won't change Luke, consider this," Obi-Wan said, turning to stare out a nearby window. "The Anakin we both knew would have died rather than see his son hurt. He placed his life at risk to save the sons of people he'd never met. You don't even know where Luke is now."
"He is no concern of yours! Never speak to him again."
"Do you know where he is?"
"Stop talking about my son!"
"Not that you ever listened to me, but if I were you, I would start thinking about where he is."
Vader was about to reply, but Obi-Wan had gone. What was he talking about? Luke would be sulking in his bunk, feeling angry and afraid over what happened. Or maybe he was hiding in the basement with the droids.
The mechanical buzz of droid gears filled the room, and he turned to find Artoo and Threepio coming out of the stairwell. Artoo launched into a flurry of accusatory beeps.
"Have you seen Luke?!" Vader demanded.
"I'm afraid that's what we've come to tell you, sir," Threepio said. "He ran off towards the jungle, and we have not seen him return."
Vader stretched out, testing the droid's story. It was indeed true. Of all the stupid, reckless things to do ... and so Skywalkingly typical.
Artoo chirped and whistled and began rolling towards the exit.
"No, wait here," Vader said, pulling him back. "You and Threepio will alert me if he returns. I will go and find him."
Luke sat down on a rotting tree branch, trying to untangle some vine from his boot. Far behind, there was a soggy expanse that almost put Tatooine's Dune Sea to shame for sheer barrenness. Now, he was at the edge of a thick forest and the retreat had disappeared behind a rocky outcrop long ago. Where to now? He turned around, squinting between the shadowy trees. The forest looked far from inviting, but where else was he going to go?
He rubbed his sore neck angrily.
"Why is my life so crazy?" he said to the air. "And why, out of all the fathers in the galaxy, did I have to end up with him?!"
The only answer was a chilling, hissing noise from the branches of an overhead tree. He stood up in fright, moving quickly forwards into the forest. He didn't want to know exactly what creature was making that noise.
As he made his way through the dense and thorny undergrowth, he began to wonder if Fode and Beed had any wild relatives. So far he had only seen them hunt at night, which meant he was safe for now. Before it grew dark, he would find a cave to spend the night.
After another twenty minutes of fighting through vines, Luke collapsed under a tree with exhaustion. The earlier fight with the dueling droid had already drained him, not to mention the stress of arguing with his father. He needed rest. And a drink. But he hadn't thought to bring any water, and this dark jungle had yet to reveal any streams. He'd been so angry he hadn't thought to bring anything. Not the best decision he'd ever made.
Luke closed his eyes and leaned back against a tree trunk. The ground under his fingers was sandy, and it reminded him of Tatooine. Maybe he'd gone mad with thirst, but he'd give anything to be there right now.
A scuffling noise put an end to his brief rest, and he stood up, quickly scanning the nearby undergrowth. It was getting dark, and he couldn't see anything. Maybe he should try using the Force.
As soon as he reached for the energy field, he was met with such a tide of sensory input he quickly drew back. These trees were teeming with life.
The rustling noise sounded again, and this time Luke pinpointed the location. A lifeform shaped like a dinner plate came scuttling out from under a nearby bush. It had millions of tiny feet underneath, making it appear to float along the ground. A long, snake-like neck protruded from the center, with a narrow jawed mouth on the end.
Luke smirked. "Hello," he said. "You're not so dangerous, are you? You're almost cute, in a really weird way."
It made the same hissing noise he'd heard earlier. The wide-open mouth gave Luke a good look at its teeth. Definitely not a herbivore. Maybe he should move on.
He took one step to move around it, and it quickly scuttled sideways to block his path. Luke tried to step backwards, but it suddenly launched through the air, ending up clinging to his chest.
"Ah!"
He tripped backwards in his haste to pry it off, but three extra heads came twisting out from underneath the shell. All four mouths were drooling in anticipation of a meal.
One of the heads thrust forward, and he brought his arm up to protect his face. The next thing he felt was a pair of jaws clamping down on his wrist.
"Arg!"
The pain grew worse as he struggled to tear it free. Another mouth came twisting around, reaching for his throat. Luke desperately thumped it with his left fist, as hard as he could. He must have caught the creature in a vulnerable spot, because it let go, momentarily. Luke crawled to his feet, grabbing a nearby stick.
The thing had recovered quickly, and was now crouching down as if it was going to jump again. It shuffled left and right, trying to get around his stick, before finally grabbing it in one of its mouths and ripping it from his hand.
Luke was about to turn and run for his life, but he felt a sudden grip on his ankle. He kicked out in fear, and found another thing dangling from his left boot. This one was even bigger than the first. More hissing filled the air behind him, and Luke felt something land on his back, even as the one on his foot managed to crawl up his leg.
He sunk to his knees, trying to crush it into the ground, while desperately trying to use a Force push on the one on his back. The only result was another bite to his right arm. Another two things were rushing out of the bushes in front of him, and he jumped back, only to trip over the discarded stick. They were immediately on top of him, waving mouths, feet, snake-like necks and fangs everywhere.
This was bad.
Snap-hiss!
Before his heart had finished another panicked beat, the creatures had vanished. He sat up in surprise. They were all lying nearby, millions of fibrous feet waving uselessly in the air. Two black boots stepped into view, followed by the edge of a black cape. Luke lifted his gaze and found a glowing red saber was moving determinedly towards the creatures.
He turned his head away at the last minute, but was still treated to the sounds of the resulting dissection.
When his father had finished, he switched off his lightsaber, and gestured back towards the bushes he'd emerged from. A survival pack came floating through the air and stopped to rest beside him. Luke hastily struggled to his feet, as his father began to walk towards him.
"Go away," Luke said. His head became dizzy and he fell back into a sitting position.
"You are injured," his father said, crouching down beside his badly mauled arm.
"So what," Luke said, looking away and cradling his arm close to his body. "Leave me alone!"
"What in the galaxy possessed you to venture out into this dangerous environment?!" his father said, extracting a medical kit from the survival pack. "If I had arrived one minute later, you would have become a permanent part of the ecosystem."
"If I had stayed inside one minute longer I would have been unconscious!" Luke found himself shaking at the memory. "You tried to kill me!"
"If I had tried to kill you, you would be dead," his father reasoned, taking out a roll of bandages and disinfectant.
"I'm fine," Luke said, attempting to shuffle away. The movement jolted his arm however, and his father clearly didn't miss his wince of pain.
"We have no time for your stubbornness. The sun has nearly set and we must return inside before nightfall."
"I would rather remain here than stay there with you," Luke said.
"I think not," his father said, finally winning the tug-of-war with the injured arm. "The Four-Jawed Lygun Crab eats its prey alive. From the inside out."
"Better than putting up with you," Luke said, cringing as his father wrapped the bandage tightly around his wound.
"I see it was foolish of me to expect you to remain civilized for an entire month."
"It wasn't me who tried to strangle you," Luke protested.
His father chose not to reply. He merely sealed the bandage, and then stood, returning the medical pack to the survival kit.
"Come, we must hurry. We can discuss this properly when we have reached safety."
Luke struggled to his feet, and then sunk down again as his vision became blurry. His father grabbed him under the arms, supporting him.
"Can you walk?" he asked, sounding almost concerned.
"I'm fine," Luke said, angrily. "Just tired. It's none of your business, anyway. Have you got any water?"
"You didn't even bring water?"
His father produced a canteen from the survival pack, and Luke drank until it was empty. Who knew water could taste so wonderful? His father took back the empty flask, and Luke moved on quickly. He could hear his father following behind.
They walked in silence for ten minutes. Luke finally stopped when he sensed his father was no longer behind him. The realization caused a sudden surge of fear, and he turned around, squinting back through the trees. It was now twilight, and the light was fading fast. The thought of being out here at night was too much for Luke, despite his earlier words.
"Father!" he called.
In a few seconds, his father's black form emerged from the undergrowth, illuminated by the blade of his lightsaber.
"What was it?!"
"A gargoyle. Out for an early hunt. We must hurry."
Luke nodded, continuing his journey forward. There was a strange noise in the distance, which stirred his curiosity. It sounded like wind rushing through a canyon. It grew louder the further they walked.
"What is that noise?" Luke asked, eventually.
"Follow me, and we will walk up onto the ridge." His father turned sideways, hacking a path through the vines with his lightsaber.
Luke struggled up the steep incline, drawing on his last reserves of energy. At the top, he rested on a nearby rock, struggling to see through the dim light. The forest ended after another fifty meters, giving rise to the pale white sands of the beach. Beyond that ... water! The noise he had heard—it was the sea!
"Are we lost?" Luke asked. "I never passed the sea! I remember passing over a wide stretch of soggy ground."
"The sea bed," his father explained. "The tide has come in and we have been cut off from the retreat."
Luke stood up and saw that his father was right. "Can't we build a raft? It isn't that far across."
"The sea is rough through the channel, and even a spray of water would burn your skin."
"What are we going to do then? " Luke asked. He'd never known his father to be lost for ideas.
"We will have to remain here," his father said, sounding very weary. "It appears you will have your father-son camping trip."
Despite his still sore neck, Luke couldn't resist baiting his father. He grinned up at the dark silhouette beside him. "Can we toast survival rations over a fire?"
"Now is not the time for your optimism," his father said, pointing at him. "We must find a suitable location."
The loud moan of something dying came from the jungle below, and Luke shivered. "How about down on the beach?" he suggested. "That way it will be easier to spot approaching predators."
"Very well," his father agreed.
They made their way down from the ridge, and Luke stayed close to his father. It was growing darker by the minute and it was pitch black down under the canopy. Luke wanted to use a light he'd found in the survival kit, but his father explained it would only attract curious predators. They soon emerged out onto the beach, and Luke gathered some driftwood. His father found a suitable camping spot between two washed up logs, twenty meters from the high tide mark.
Luke gladly climbed down into the sand. The violent ocean winds were cutting right through his tunic and making him shiver with cold. Fortunately he found an insulating blanket in the survival pack, along with a laser light. His father scoured the beach for any danger, and then joined Luke at the campsite.
"This wood won't stay lit!" Luke said, tossing the laser light aside in frustration.
"Not surprising, in such wind. It is unnecessary, let it go."
"This isn't a camp unless we have a campfire," Luke said, glaring at the wood in frustration. As if in response, it suddenly flared up.
"Now, where are the survival rations?" Luke said. "I'm starving!"
"Such things tend to happen when you venture outdoors without food or water," his father said, sitting down cross-legged on the other side of the fire.
Luke chose not to respond. He munched on a bland, rectangular biscuit, drawing the blanket tightly around his body. He was just beginning to feel drowsy, when another low moan wailed through the night air.
"Do you think that legend about Darth whatsisname's ghost is true?" Luke asked, quietly.
"I do not wish to talk about ghosts, real or otherwise," his father said, darkly.
"I wonder what it's like," Luke said, after a moment of silence.
"What?"
"Being a ghost. I'd love to come back as a ghost."
"Why?"
"Think of all the things you could do ... all the people you could haunt. Would you ever come back as a ghost?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I do not see the point."
"You have no sense of fun," Luke said, rolling his eyes.
"You will have to forgive me if my sense of fun is absent. I must have left it back in civilization."
"It could be a lot worse, you know," Luke said, staring at the small flame dancing in the middle of the campfire.
"I do not see how our situation could possibly be worse."
Ominously, the wind dropped, causing his father's words to echo into the night air.
"Don't say that," Luke said, taking another bite of his food. "Or something's going to happen."
"I do not believe in such foolish superstitions."
The first spit of rain caused the fire to flicker and die immediately.
"This is all your fault!" Luke said, glaring at the steady drizzle.
They had abandoned their camp for a nearby cave. Though it was not so much a cave, in Vader's opinion, but a crack in a cliff wall. It had two walls that drew together at a sharp angle, and a rocky, uneven roof. There was barely enough room for the two of them and the survival pack.
"I was not the one who recklessly ventured out into this environment in the first place," Vader replied.
"It was your idea to come here," Luke countered. "You never told me it was a hellhole of a death-trap planet."
"Where exactly did you expect a Sith retreat to be located?"
"And this is the order you want me to join," Luke said, derisively.
"It is not a matter of wanting. It is your destiny."
"I don't believe in destiny," Luke said, turning around to face him. "I believe in choices. If you cared about me, you would let me make my own decisions, no matter what the Emperor says."
"It is because I ... it is because of that, I insist that you obey the Emperor. I do not want you to be killed."
"Sure," Luke said, sarcastically.
Vader felt his patience wear thin. He struggled to calm himself; he did not want a repeat of that afternoon's accident.
"Luke," he said, keeping his voice steady, "we are stuck in this confined space for the entire night. I am not going to spend that time arguing with you. Unless you have anything intelligent to say, don't say it."
"Or what?" Luke said, taking a step backwards. "You'll choke me again? I'm safer out in the rain."
Luke began to leave, but Vader stepped forward and pulled him back. In a typical fashion, his son fought against his grip, but Vader pinned him against the cave wall.
"Stop it," Vader said. "Before your stubbornness gets you killed. You cannot spend the night in the rain. You will die from exposure."
The rain became heavier, and it became impossible to see out the cave entrance. Certain he was no longer going to leave, Vader released Luke and sat down against the wall. His son also sat down, but as close to the cave exit as he could manage without getting wet. He sat with his back to Vader, staring out at the rain, head resting on his hand.
Vader watched him in silence. He was struck by the thought that this might be the last time he would ever spend time alone with Luke like this. After they returned to Coruscant, they would both be too busy for quiet time together. How typical of their relationship that they were spending this last opportunity stewing over their latest conflict.
Perhaps he should say something.
"Luke."
There was no response. Vader reached out along their bond, being careful to mask his presence. He wouldn't be able to spy on his son's feelings for much longer, given the rate Luke's Force abilities were growing, so he might as well make the most of it. Emotions began to pour over their bond, and Vader quickly drew back, but not before receiving a large dose of Luke's troubled mind. Lingering resentment ... betrayal mixed with humiliation ... and fear. Stars, what had he done? He had hurt his own son ... their child he had sworn to protect.
But there was a voice in his mind that always argued whenever he felt anything resembling guilt.
He shouldn't have called you a slave.
It was a surprisingly weak argument from a voice that was usually so unfailingly logical. How could Luke have known? It was something he had never planned to burden him with. But now, it had to be said, and he only had himself to blame.
"Son, there is something I must tell you. However, it is not an easy thing to say."
Luke glanced over his shoulder, at last appearing semi-interested. "You're admitting to finding something difficult? What?"
Vader was silent, trying to decide how to phrase his thoughts. It was hard to say this without seeming like he was trying to justify his violence towards Luke. That would only make the situation worse, if that were possible.
"Is this about your plans for my future again?" Luke asked, suspicious.
"No. It is about my past. You know I spent the first ten years of my life on Tatooine?"
"Yes. With your mother."
"We were slaves."
Luke quickly shuffled around until he was facing him. Vader met his surprised gaze, waiting for his response. It never came. His son only stared with his mouth hanging slightly open, clearly in a state of disbelief.
"Slavery was rife on Tatooine in those days," Vader continued. "The Hutts thrived on the slave trade and other criminal activities. They were a powerful force in the Outer Rim. My mother was kidnapped by pirates at a young age and sold into slavery. A few years after I was born, we were sold to Gardulla the Hutt. She lost us some time later to a Toydarian junk dealer. I was freed after meeting a Jedi named Qui-Gon Jinn, who brought me to Coruscant."
After another few moments of silence, Luke spoke up.
"And your mother?"
"She was freed a few years after I left, by your Uncle Owen's father."
Luke dropped his gaze, and began fidgeting with the rocks on the cave floor. "I'm sorry," he said, eventually. "I didn't know any of this ... I would never have said, what I said, had I known."
"It was no excuse for losing my temper," Vader said. "For that, I am sorry. I do not expect you to forgive me ... I don't deserve your forgiveness. I only want you to know that I regret it."
"Well ..." A smile suddenly lit up Luke's face. "I always knew I'd push you over the edge one day."
"It was not your fault!"
He had spoken harshly without meaning to, and Luke's smile faded. He continued fidgeting awkwardly with the rocks, stacking them up on top of each other.
"The last thing I wish is for you to blame yourself for my weaknesses," Vader added, making an effort to remain calm. "And there are many ... far more than you know. If I was stronger, you would not have to obey Palpatine. You and I would be ruling the galaxy—together. But all is not lost yet ... it only requires your temporary pretence at loyalty to the Emperor. Then, once your skills are complete, we can finally be rid of him. We will bring a new era of order to the galaxy. Everything will be how we want it to be."
"I don't want to rule the galaxy," Luke said, quietly.
"You want to see it continue under Palpatine? You called him a monster."
"No! But not me ... I'm not cut out for this. I want a normal life. I don't want to be responsible for a quadrillion people. I've got a better idea ... why don't we leave all this behind? We could go somewhere where he'd never find us."
"You know that is not possible. It is your burden and your privilege, Son, to never have a normal life. Do not try to fight against the Force."
For once, Luke didn't give him the disparaging look that usually followed any mention of higher things. His gaze became blank for a moment, and then he suddenly stood up, brushing off the sand from the cave floor.
"You're right. I was just being selfish. I'll pretend to be loyal to the Emperor if that's what you want. It will be hard, but it's my responsibility. No one else will ever have a chance at defeating him."
"It is not what I want," Vader said, feeling a stirring of parental pride at Luke's bravery. He could only hope he would find the same strength when the time came to present his newly trained son to his master as an apprentice. He could only hope he had taught him enough to protect himself.
"It is an unfortunate necessity," he continued, staring blankly into the pouring rain. "Due to my past failures. I am sorry, Luke. You were right when you said your life would be better if we'd never met. It is a cruel reality that has given you me for a father."
"What?!" Luke sat down beside him, staring in disbelief. "Don't say that! It doesn't matter to me—it doesn't matter what mistakes you've made. I'm proud to be your son. I'd still be proud if you were still a slave."
"The rain is starting to ease," Vader said, deciding it was time to change the subject. Luke had a knack for saying things that disturbed him.
Luke glanced at the cave entrance. "I don't see any difference," he said.
There was a peaceful silence for a while, and Vader began to feel more comfortable. Perhaps he should suggest it was time Luke went to sleep. A sleeping son could not stir up memories of someone else who had been far too forgiving.
He was about to make his proposal, when Luke began talking again.
"I wish we had always been together. Sure, I loved Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, but my uncle never really understood me. He never understood why I wanted to fly, or why I didn't want to be a farmer for the rest of my life."
Vader watched as Luke drew patterns in the sand, recalling similar frustrations in his own youth. Until Luke had come along, he'd never imagined meeting someone who understood the joy of that first post-modification test flight. He was on the verge of sharing the thought with Luke, but his son was again speaking. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Father?"
"What?"
"Why did you choose the Dark Side?"
Vader was caught off guard by the unexpected question. More of Obi-Wan's doing, that his son would ask such a thing. But it was too late to change it now.
"What did Obi-Wan tell you?"
"That he blames himself for leaving you alone with Palpatine."
"Obi-Wan is not to be trusted."
Luke was quiet for a moment, but he didn't look away. "You tried to explain this to me once before, but I was too young to really understand. Now I'm not. You can tell me the truth, even if it will hurt me."
When Vader didn't answer, Luke looked down. "You said you needed new powers to protect me and my mother. Was the Emperor threatening us?"
"You should be more cautious, Son. Once you hear something, it cannot be unheard."
"I want to know the truth."
After another long silence, Vader spoke. "Anakin Skywalker was not a cautious young man either. He heard a story which couldn't be unheard. It told of a Sith Lord who could save people from death."
"Was there someone he needed to save?" Luke asked, glancing up.
"Yes. His pregnant wife. There were premonitions of her death in the Force."
Luke looked pained. Already, this was hurting him. But he nodded. "Go on."
"A friend and mentor he had trusted since childhood revealed himself as a Sith Lord. He promised he would help the young man save his wife. But the young Jedi did his duty and reported the Sith Lord to the Jedi. He was ordered to remain at the temple and not assist with the arrest."
"Why?"
"They didn't trust him. The Jedi remained in the temple and contemplated his dilemma until he could stand it no longer, and disobeyed his orders. If the Sith Lord was killed, any chance of saving his wife would be lost."
"But … the Sith Lord had killed all the Jedi by the time he got there?"
"No. One remained. Skywalker urged him to arrest the Sith Lord, as their code required. But he insisted on killing him. The two Jedi fought, and a moment later, only one Jedi was left alive. But he now had a Jedi's blood on his hands and there was no other path for him now. His destiny was unavoidable."
Luke frowned. "His destiny?"
"He offered himself to the Dark Side in exchange for his wife. But he had underestimated its power. Before the night was over, the Jedi named Anakin Skywalker was destroyed and I was born in his place."
Luke was clenching his fists, clearly chilled by his words. Then he stared at him, the grief clear in his eyes.
"You're wrong. I know he's still alive. He's done his best to be a father to me, despite being poisoned by the Dark Side. The Emperor wants you to think he's dead so you think you don't have any other choice but to serve him. It's not true."
"Luke—"
"No, you can reject him. I know you can. Please."
There was a desperation in his voice that was painful to hear.
"Son." He spoke the word as gently as he could manage. "It is too late for me."
Luke slumped in defeat. He traced a finger through the sand once again, and then whispered, "And for me?"
There was a long silence between them, in which Vader fought the urge to simply lie to Luke, and tell him everything would be all right. There was no guarantee of that. He would train his son to control the Dark Side as best he could, but he understood better than anyone how overwhelming it could be.
"Son, if there was any other way ..."
Luke nodded. "I understand."
He wiped his finger across his right eye, and Vader realized he was crying. It was rare for his son to show such emotion in front of him. Before he could stop himself, he reached out to put his hand on Luke's shoulder. His son surprised him by immediately leaning over and embracing him as much as their positions would allow.
His son's unrestrained compassion was almost unbearable, yet he couldn't shift away. For Luke's sake, he could pretend to be the father he so desperately wanted. Wanted so much, that his son would forgive him anything in the faint hope he would no longer be the person he had become. Just for the moment, he could pretend to be Anakin.
He stretched his arm around Luke, returning the embrace. They stayed that way for a long while, until his son became drowsy. After adjusting his position, he quickly fell into a light doze, rising up and down gently, almost in sync with Vader's own breathing.
It was a long, silent night.