Where Am I Going To?
Part Two
Chapter Eight
A.N.: All of you – go read my latest little chapter for "Where You Were Going To," entitled Mistrust and Danger. Not for the stories' sake (nothing you need to know to understand this), but 1. I like it, and 2. I need you to read the disclaimer there. Thank you!
Prince Xizor had finally been allowed in to see His Majesty, Emperor Palpatine, only to be brushed off yet again. The day was already bad, and the black, sulky mood he was in was only making it far worse. Thus, he was not exactly delighted when Palpatine informed him he had to wait because he was expecting a holo. From Vader.
Xizor hated him. No, it was more than hate. It was….all consuming to the point of being beyond hate. The Falleen's personal vendetta against the Dark Lord had not changed in twenty years. He still wanted him to die a horrible painful death. No, death was too good for him. He wanted him to suffer, and suffer unimaginable amounts of pain, the type of pain that ate at Xizor's soul night and day and gave no rest. Even that was merciful. He wanted him to burn.
He was not quite aware that he already had.
"What is thy bidding, my master?"
Xizor was brought out of his dark stupor by the voice of that which he reviled, and found himself glaring at the hologram, clenching and unclenching his fine green fists.
"There is a great disturbance in the Force," Palpatine said vaguely, his hands tucked into his overly long sleeves.
At great length, the Sith Lord admitted, "I have felt it."
"Something is happening with your son. I believe he is continuing his training to become a Jedi. I sense something else, but it is unclear."
Skywalker's alive?
Xizor nearly chocked, his eyes widening. When had this happened? The boy was supposed to have been dead for two years! Unless Vader had another son that no one else knew about, but he highly doubted that. Well did the Falleen remember Darth Vader's obsessive protectiveness over the boy, especially in the presence of the leader of Black Sun. Subtle jabs aimed at wounding the Dark Lord had occasional been directed at the child, but as the Imperial Prince tended to nervously skirt the elegant lizard, these moments were few and far between.
"Yes, my master."
Pause for effect. "He could destroy us." Another pause as Vader seemed to stiffen.
"He's just a boy." Wrong, he was a grown up boy, one that apparently had abandoned daddy dearest – to the immense heart ache of Vader – and had gone Jedi and Rebel. Xizor could feel a wide grin spread across his mouth, his lavender eyes twinkling in the dim light of the Coruscant throne room. "Obi-Wan can no longer help him."
"The Force is strong with him, he must not become a Jedi."
Vader paused almost guiltily for a moment, and Xizor knew exactly what that meant – Vader would have to kill the very thing he'd so lovingly protected for eighteen years to keep it from destroying him. Oh, what radiant happiness fate had bestowed!
"If he could be turned…He cannot escape the Dark Side forever. And you did agree, my master, that I would have some time in tracking him down."
"You've had a year."
"I need just a little longer, a month, maybe less. We are in pursuit of bait which he could never resist."
That seemed to please the emperor, for he smiled, displaying yellowed teeth. "Very good, Lord Vader. See to it that it is done."
So, Vader thought to turn the boy. Well, that was something Xizor must insure never came to fruition. Not only would the death of his only son plague Vader constantly, it would put him in a bad light with Palpatine. The Falleen briefly rubbed his scaly hands in anticipation, his soul filled with elation. Oh, this was so much better than physical torture. This was something that went beyond the destruction of Lord Vader.
…
The rain pounded heavily against the little hut, and Luke was glad to be in out of it. Of course, he did feel slightly bad for poor R2D2, but the hut was crowded enough without the droid. Besides, maybe he'd get a little cleaner this way. Resting his head on one hand, Luke sighed, staring out at the wall. After what seemed like a millennia, the swamp creature paused in his busy work to hop over and poke at the….whatever….bubbling away in a pot. Nodding satisfied, he pointed at it, and declared, "Time to eat, yes?" He then went back to his busy work, and Luke grimaced.
"Um, I'm really not-"
"Good food, good, yes!"
"Look, I'm sure it's delicious, but I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda now!"
"Patience!" the small creature demanded, glaring. "For the Jedi it is time to eat to."
Not for this one….
Just to please, Luke spooned some of the homemade crud into a dish, nervously tasting.
Urgh…This is going to do nothing for my stomach.
"How far is Yoda, will it take us long to get to him?"
"Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. Soon, you will be with him." The green swamp thing hopped over, spooning some of the stew into his own dish while Luke moved out of the way. "Tell me, why must you become Jedi?"
Luke paused, almost guiltily. Even I'm not sure why…
"Well," he sighed, trying to think about it. "Mostly it's because of Master Obi-Wan, I guess."
"Oooh, Obi-Wan, powerful Jedi was he."
Luke blinked, and finally shook his head. "Oh, come on, you don't even know who I am, how could you know Master Obi-Wan?" Finally, the frustration, the rage, the deep depression at the mere thought of Obi-Wan was too much, and he angrily shoved his bowl away. "I don't even know what I'm doing here, we're wasting our time!"
It was like a dark pallor had settled over the hut, and Luke uncrossed his arms, blinking and looking around.
To himself, or to someone else, the creature said, "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."
Luke's head spun momentarily as he stared. Wait…what?
And then, reverberating throughout the tiny hut: He will learn patience.
Obi-Wan!
"Master!" Luke could not contain the cry, trying to stand only to bonk his head on the low ceiling. Nursing the wound, he sat back down, searching the room wildly with his eyes. "Master Obi-Wan, where are you, please, let me see you! Don't go away again!"
The thing seemed to study him with great scrutiny for a moment before continuing to speak. "Mmmm… Much anger in him. Like his father."
Like…my father? But, no! Luke was nothing like him, he'd sworn he'd get past that! Was he still unsuccessful after two years of trying?
Was I any different when you taught me?
I'm sure you weren't like me, Luke vehemently swore. I'm sure you were pure and perfect and so much better than I ever could be.
"Hah." The creature shook his head. "He is not ready."
Wait…this was….Yoda….
Well….bloody…hell….
"Yoda…I am ready! I…Master Obi-Wan, tell him! Tell him I am ready. I can be a Jedi!"
"Ready are you? What know you of ready?" The open disdain with which the creature – Yoda – spoke, made Luke sink down to the ground. "For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own council will I keep on who is to be trained!" But…but he needed this. "A Jedi must have the deepest commitment. The most serious mind." Yoda indicated Luke to the invisible Jedi master, causing the boy to look around again. "This one for a long time I have watched. Ambitious, even as a child. Mmmm…" He shook his green head disapprovingly. "Power, sought he. Greed, a path to the Dark Side."
"Well, can you blame me?" Luke had shot foreword, caring nothing that he was arguing with the ultimate Jedi Master. "Will you blame me? For events which I had no control over? Will you condemn me for being raised by my father, trained by the emperor? My entire life I was surrounded by the Dark Side! Isn't it enough that I am of the Light now, struggling to become a Jedi?"
Yoda shook his head. "Of the Light you are not."
"But I am, I-"
"Once touched, the Dark Side taints."
Luke felt defeated, and he looked away again. "Then…I am doomed to return to the emperor…" He closed his eyes to keep them from misting up in pain.
Master….
No reply. It wasn't fair…
Yoda, however, seemed touched, and continued his conversation with Obi-Wan. "He is too old. Too old to begin the training."
Yoda's voice had softened, and Luke looked up again, blinking. Finally, he pleaded, "But I've learned so much, and there's so much more I want to know…"
Yoda shook his head again, sighing. "But will he finish what he begins?"
Luke leaned in again, still as determined as ever. "I won't fail you." Yoda gave him a piercing stare, but still the boy did not back down. "I am not afraid."
"But you are…." Luke blinked. "Great fear I sense in you, great unrest. Same as your father, when brought before me, he was. A danger to the Jedi, I proclaimed, and still young Skywalker was trained. All too true…my words became…." Did he sense….regret? It was fleeting, and Luke felt as thought they were emotions he was not truly privy to. Yoda turned back to the next Skywalker, staring him down. "Tell me, what fear you?" Now it was Luke's turn to look down. "Great nightmares have you had…yes…ever since you were a boy."
Luke paused, astounded. "But how do you-"
"Know much, I do. Teach you I can, but….Your fears, your ambitions, your attachments…Leave them behind, you must, or blind shall you remain."
Luke hesitated for an instant. "Can you save me from the Dark Side?"
The small, old Jedi shook his head. "That you must do yourself."
To Be Continued…
Hold on, people, because here's where the fun begins. Oh, and, SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE Read SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE my SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE fic SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE "Where You Were Going To: Mistrust and Danger"
xInuyashaxangelx: You know, he'd probably start bashing his head against the wall if he knew.
doreenthatshot: Thanks!
PrincessSkywalkerOrgana: Not since Tatooine. And he's used to a cooler climate, since it's bound to be a little bit chilly on a starship what with it being in the vacuum of space and all.
Stephanie C: Neither can Luke
Sleepwalker: Yeah! –snuggle- I'm really glad you liked it! And I hope you'll keep reading. Have fun on HL
Cookiemunster: -snork- Ah, you rock so hard core
TorontoBatFan: Yeah! You're back! Happy dance. Be careful about the cave though. Oh, such fun planned for that scene! What lil' Lukie fears most is not his papa, but…well…I won't spoil the surprise.