The Skywalker Destiny (The Skywalker Dynasty): Chapter 4

"You KILLED her?" Luke gasped. "WHY? How?"

"I didn't mean to. She had come to save me, but I misread her in my rage and consumption with the dark side. I believed she had brought Obi Wan there to kill me, but, she didn't even know he was on board. Don't ask me how I know that, but my feelings told me, much later. I choked her, in my anger. I released her, but she...died. When I came out of my surgery after Mustafar, she was the first thing I asked for. When the Emperor told me I had killed her in my anger, I was devastated. I broke everything in the room with my rage and the dark side. I became from that point on the bad guy, Darth Vader. I felt so evil. If I had hurt the only thing I loved, I was the worst guy in the galaxy. So I had no sympathy for anyone. I choked people so they could feel the horror of not being able to breathe that I live with. I have tried to supress the memories, but I cannot."

Luke was still stunned. He could hardly look at his father. "Luke, I should never have told you this. Now things will never be right between us."

"I had to know." He was silent for awhile, then looked up from thought and asked: "Wait, father, how do you know you killed her? If she died there, how is it that Leia and I were born alive and healthy?"

Vader latched onto this. "I wonder too. Perhaps I didn't kill her, and The Emperor lied to me, to keep me in his cage."

"That's what I was thinking. He was a bad person, you know."

Vader's mind raced. Why had he not considered before the possibility that Palpatine had lied? He wished so much at that point he had believed Obi Wan when he had said "Chancellor Palpatine is evil." So much he wished he could go back and never hurt Padme. What could he do now, to make it right? Nothing, except to be the best father he could to their children. Luke looked very sad, but still supported his distraught father. "Father, I can see, and sense, your pain. I know you loved her, and would never have hurt her on purpose for the entire universe. We will find a way to find out what really happened." They embraced.

Far away, Han, Leia and Chewy were having problems with the Falcon. They thought the hyperdrive must have been damaged in the battle of Endor as it shot out of the exploding Death Star's flames. They contacted Lando, but he had no idea. Chewy and R2 went to work on it, but it was not looking good. "Oh, Han, how long will it take us to get to Coruscant like this?" Han rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't even say that. We won't live that long. It has to work, it has to."

Leia's mind was so full of questions and emotions she could not keep herself together."We have to get there, soon. We have to stop Luke from joining with Vader." She gazed out at the stars. "Han, when I am Senator again, helping to rebuild the republic, should I go by the name Leia Organa, in honor of my late adoptive father, or Leia Skywalker, my true family name?"

Han glanced at her with a sly grin. "I was hoping maybe you'd be going by the name Leia Solo."

She turned her head rapidly and stared at him. "Why, is that a proposal?"

"The best one you're gonna get, sweetheart."

She seemed miffed, but then again, it WAS Han. She played along. "That would solve my problem of which name to use, that way I will not be ditching the legacy of my family, or my home planet. It will be the name of my current self, I can use it. Senator Leia Solo, I like that."

"Should I consider that an acceptance?"

"The best one you're gonna get." She said without a smirk. Then they both started laughing, and they kissed. "So do you want to get married at one of those quickie places in Mos Eisley?"

Leia bent her head back and laughed. "Oh I don't think so!" Then she looked away, and said, "or we could have a secret ceremony like my parents did on Naboo.." her eyes looked up at the sky, then straight at Han: "Hey, how did I know that?"

Sitting in his chamber, Vader knew how fortunate he was yet again to be the beneficiary of Luke's compassion for him. Here, like on the Death Star, Luke could easily have struck him down. This made Luke a much better man than he, he did not harm him in anger as he had done Padme. This boy put him to shame. And he was feeling shame. But now, as they would rule together, Vader realized he again would not be the one in charge. This did bring bitterness and frustration to him. However, he considered himself lucky to be alive, and Luke had been merciful to him so far, so he trusted this would continue.

Vader pulled out an image, old and worn, and handed it to Luke face down. He did not look at it, he couldn't, he had not seen it in all those years. He knew what it was, but could not bring himself to look upon it.

"This, is your mother. Her name was Padme Amidala. She was a Senator and one time Queen of Naboo." Luke looked at it, studying it for several minutes. During this time, Vader looked away, afraid he might accidently catch a glimpse of her face, and it would hurt him too much.

"She was beautiful. You must have loved each other very much." Vader shook his head, his eyes closed. Luke continued: "I feel so much closer to her now, I can sense her. I feel this is not the first time I have seen her, or felt her, or her love. Thank you, father." Luke handed the picture back to Vader, but he did not want it. "I cannot, Luke, I cannot give it up, but I cannot bring myself to look at her. You take it with you, to your room tonight, and keep it safe."

"I will." He nodded, hoping someday he would get his father to face the picture, and its ghosts, again.

In the inner waves of the force, Yoda and Obi Wan felt the new disturbance. Disappointed in Luke they were. Though they did still not rule him out as hopeless, they knew they had to resort to their truly last hope- Leia.