Chapter 20: The Eternal Light, Part I

Padmé looked out of the large view port at the endless darkness.

It was as if the stars did not exist to give off any light, just to taunt the lonely. She felt a coldness move up her body and she clutched her dark grey cloak tighter about her slight figure. Warmth and light were too far away in a place like this.

Anakin had not come to visit her today.

He had not visited her for several days, leaving her in solitude and despair. At her brutal words, he had fled her presence. Her only outside contact were the droids, and they offered her no information whatsoever, only medication to kill the pain, which today she had refused.

Oddly enough, this day she was without pain. But she was not that surprised. She was feeling unnaturally well. It was as if her body was in one final full bloom before the flower died. She knew that her time was now very short. It was a parting gift from her body; a last flood of endorphins coursing through her to make the passing easier.

Tears welled up in her eyes and one trailed down her cheek. She barely noticed it.

Perhaps I will die without ever seeing him again.

Alone.

x x x x

Unbeknownst to Padmé, the Emperor was now on the Death Star.

Palpatine wanted to discuss the current lack of progress of the space station. Darth Vader had vowed that he would get them back on schedule and he was, as usual, successful.

Even if he had actually wanted to see her, Vader would still need stay as far away as possible from Padmé while the Emperor was on the nearly functional space station. As it was, he was glad to have to give her no explanation for his absence. She could make her own assumptions. He was still vexed with her. She had wounded him to the core. He cloaked his thoughts as he approached the Emperor.

Darth Vader formally greeted his Master on bended knee. The Emperor, pleased with Vader's show of respect, replied in his gravelly voice: "Rise my friend."

They walked together past hundreds of silent Imperial Stormtroopers as Vader gave the Emperor precisely the information the old despot wanted to hear. "The Death Star will be completed on schedule, my Master."

"You've done well, Lord Vader," he praised. Vader felt the pride swell in his chest. It still did not take away the sting of Padmé's words.

Then the wicked beast paused and cocked his head to scrutinize Vader with his cold, beady eyes.

"…And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker."

"Yes, my Master." Vader cursed himself for the slip; he had tried to keep that a secret wish.

"Patience, my friend. In time he will seek you out, and when he does, you must bring him before me. He has grown strong. Only together can we turn him to the Dark Side of the Force. "

"As you wish," the Sith apprentice responded.

"Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."

"He will come to me?" Vader kept his swirling emotions in check.

"I have foreseen it. His compassion for you will be his undoing. He will come to you and then you will bring him before me," the Emperor ordered.

"As you wish," came the deferential reply.

"We must be careful," the Emperor's reedy voice ground out. "He can destroy us!" Those words hissed from his twisted mouth.

"He will join us or die, my Master."

That was exactly the reply the Emperor desired and expected. He was now pleased. There was no doubt in his mind where Vader's loyalties were. At the thought of Luke Skywalker in his possession, his grin was one of pure evil. The hood left his repugnant gnarled face in shadow, but the billowing sleeves of the robe did nothing to hide the hideous clawed hands. Yes, the young Jedi would be in his possession soon.

x x x x

Her heart pounding in her chest, Padmé looked up from her data pad she clutched in her hands.

It was a mother's instinct that whispered to her that Luke was near. And she was extremely uneasy.

She also felt a growing terror that something truly horrible was going to happen and she was virtually powerless to change it. She had absolutely no idea that Luke had just surrendered himself to the Empire voluntarily. Or what lengths Luke would go through to save his father.

She began to restlessly pace her chamber.

Anakin, please... she pleaded silently.

x x x x

Luke had surrendered to the Imperial forces to get closer to his father.

The Stormtrooper was dismissed as soon as he has brought the Rebel to Lord Vader. Vader towered over Luke. He used his impressive height to intimidate, but he sensed no fear in his son. Luke was without fear, and Vader was quite impressed.

"The Emperor has been expecting you."

"I know, Father."

"So, you have accepted the truth?"

"I have accepted that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father.

Darth Vader turned to him angrily and spat, "That name no longer has any meaning for me!"

Despite the harsh words and the rage the radiated off the Sith Lord, Luke sensed goodness in him, and would do everything in his power to convince his Father to turn from the Dark Side. He would prove Old Ben and Leia wrong, or die trying.

After a few moments of silent deliberation, Vader disarmed him and brought Luke before the Emperor. As he gripped the lightsaber noted proudly that it was closely modeled after his old Jedi weapon.

"His lightsaber," Vader stated, as he handed the weapon to his Master.

The Emperor took the weapon and spoke to Luke in a condescending tone: "Ah, a Jedi's weapon, much like your father's. By now you must know that your father can never be turned from the Dark Side. So will it be with you."

Luke remained silent and looked toward his father.

The despicable voice continued, "I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call me master."

"You're gravely mistaken; you won't convert me as you did my father."

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

The Emperor was gloating at this point. He had everything to gloat about; he knew the Rebels were on Endor and the installation of Imperial Stormtroopers guarding the shield generator was ready to massacre the Rebels. They were both outnumbered and outgunned, and thoroughly unaware of the fact.

"Come, boy, see for yourself." An image came up on a huge screen showing where the Rebels were hiding. "From here, you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance and the end of your insignificant rebellion."

Luke's eyes went toward his lightsaber; he could not just sit back and watch Leia his friends die.

Grinning evilly, the Emperor gestured toward Luke's weapon. "You want this, don't you? The hate is swelling in you now. Take your Jedi weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your anger. With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant."

"No." Luke thought of Yoda's admonitions and knew that he could not give in to his anger. He could only defeat the Dark Side if he let go of his anger.

"It is unavoidable. It is your destiny." The Emperor was taunting him. "You, like your father, are now mine."

The Emperor sneered at him for his weakness for his Father. In anger, Luke compelled his weapon to his right hand and lunged at the Emperor with his lightsaber glowing blue, only to have and Vader step between them and deflect the fatal blow. The Emperor crowed in glee.

Vader now spoke to his son.

"Give yourself to the Dark Side. It is the only way you can save your friends. Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for...a sister."

Vader's paternal feelings rose in him for a brief moment, only to be quashed by his Dark Side rearing up. He felt an emotion akin to glee as he had finally found the way to get to Luke. And perhaps she, too, could be persuaded to join the Dark Side.

"So, you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her, too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the Dark Side... then perhaps she will ..."

Luke's saber arm moved in a swift offensive move at his father and he shouted: "Never!"

Luke, infuriated, launched a quick attack parry at Vader, quickly beating the Sith Lord back and cutting off his right hand. What was reveled to Luke made him pause in fear and loathing: not cauterized flesh, but the sizzling circuits of cybernetic limb, like his own right arm. Vader's lightsaber clattered away from them.

No! I will not be like him!

The Emperor cackled at Luke's realization that he had more in common with his father than he would like. He encouraged Luke to kill the prone Vader and join him in ruling the Empire.

"Strike him down! Strike down your father and take his place at my side."

"I will never join you."

Luke then let go of his anger and hatred, allowing the light of the Force flow through him. Calm washed over him. He threw down his weapon. "You have failed, your Highness."

Vader stood up, a mute witness to his son's pronouncement.

"I am a Jedi, as was my Father before me." Luke had stated this without pride or vanity. He had truly matured.

"Then, young Skywalker, you will die."

Strong bolts of Sith Force lightning shot out from the Emperor's contorted hands and engulfed Luke's body. He fell to the floor in complete agony, crying out to his father, as the Emperor's maniacal laughter sounded in his ears. The Sith lightning was draining his life force and Luke felt that he would surely die.

"Father," he called out to Vader. "Help me- please!"