Summary:
An accident reveals an old deception, and Darth Vader must make a decision that will change not only his life.
***
Chapter 24
Waiting out the Storm
Sorry I've been so tardy lately - Real Life (TM) had me by the throat.
A close relative of mine was diagnosed with lung cancer (before you ask: he doesn't smoke) a few weeks ago, a coworker quit, causing my vacation to be cancelled, my harddrive died... it's been quite a hectic time. So here's just a short chapter to tide you over until we get to the good stuff! :-)
***
Anakin laughed at Solo's sour face, the first, full-hearted laughter any of the others ever heard from him.
"I have it on good authority that he is perfect", he said after he caught his breath again.
"Yes, perfect for driving me insane", Solo muttered.
"You built C-3PO?" Leia interjected, incredulous.
"I did. He was a gift for my mother. Of course, I was only nine years old", Anakin replied, again with that far-away look in his eyes.
Leia studied the former Dark Lord; she had never before thought of Darth Vader having a mother, or having been a child at some time. It was hard to imagine that the man-machine she had grown to hate had once been a little boy, had once been an innocent kid playing games in the back alleys of a small town on Tattooine.
It was Jixton who interrupted the moment by throwing a small jar at Vader, who caught it effortlessly.
"Here. Thought you might need this, Uncle Dee", the scruffy- looking Correllian announced.
Vader looked at the jar. It contained a sunburn ointment. Indeed just the thing he needed now. He opened it and smeared a liberal amount on his face and scalp, sighing with relief as the itching and burning stopped almost immediately.
"Thank you, Jixton."
"Nice shiner, by the way", Jix commented, pointing at the Jedi's black eye. On his expectant gaze, Anakin shrugged and said: "Captain Solo and I have been discussing my former political affiliation."
This gave Jixton pause; he regarded Solo with new respect.
"Sir, allow me to shake your hand", he finally addressed Han. "I've been trying to sneak up on him for months. He's simply too good for me."
Han tried valiantly to keep a straight face.
"Forget the sneaking up part", he advised. "Full frontal attack when he doesn't expect it, that's the trick."
Jixton nodded sagely. "Ah, yes," he replied. "That's the difficulty – he always expects an attack."
Anakin looked from one Correllian to the other, and threw his arms up in mock disgust.
"Are you two through comparing notes?" he huffed. "I don't know why I put up with this..."
"Perhaps because we put up with you?" Han asked, grinning a lopsided grin.
***
The sandstorm continued throughout the afternoon, even growing stronger as the hours passed, and the group shared a quiet meal in the safety of the Lars farm, Anakin commenting on Veers' unexpected domestic qualities, much to the General's embarrassment. Otherwise the conversation was sparse during mealtime. Except Jixton and Piett, none of them had had a full nights' sleep lately, and they were starting to feel it.
Stifling a yawn, Anakin rose from his seat. He had not fully adapted to local time yet, and the few hours of rest snatched between plotting courses and waiting for the right time to move during the past days had barely been enough.
"I think I'll call it a day", he announced. "Where can I bunk down?"
"You can have my old room, father", Luke replied, giving Veers and Jixton a questioning glance, "provided it's not taken yet?"
"The one across the master bedroom? No, but it's empty." Jixton shrugged. "I'm afraid the Sandpeople and the Jawas didn't leave much of the furniture behind when they looted the place."
Anakin nodded. "That's alright. I've grown accustomed to sleeping on the floor lately."
"I'll show you where it is..." Jixton jumped to his feet, but Anakin held up his hand.
"I know the place, Jix, thank you. " He smiled. "This farm once belonged to my stepfather, after all."
He turned and, yawning, made his way to the room he had once shared with his stepbrother Owen on his infrequent visits to his home planet, after becoming a Jedi Padawan. The room was indeed empty, and yet, it still seemed so much smaller than it used to, even without Owen taking up most of the space.
Anakin never knew what Owen hated more about him, the fact that he came to visit, or the fact that he would always leave again while he, Owen, was stuck on this Force-forsaken dustball to follow in his father's footsteps and become a moisture farmer. Anakin had had many arguments about it with Owen, but only one with the elder Lars. `You are not my father´ he had shouted at the man when Lars had once to often ordered him around and treated him like one of the helpers on the farm. He had not been welcome anymore after that outburst.
Settling down on the floor, Anakin tried not to recall his mother's face when Lars told him to leave with his "wizard friends". It was the last time he had seen her alive.
That night, the nightmares returned.
***
To be continued...