Luke woke up slowly. His bed was soft, the blanket warm, and the thick air made him drowsy. He knew he would be up in seconds if imperials attacked, but for now he let himself sink deep into the warm bed. He worked hard to be his best, but what was one morning? Luke's sleep-clouded mind couldn't, or wouldn't, remember why, but last night had been much less than relaxing. Some time later, it could have been hours or seconds, he felt a hand shaking his shoulder.
"You should wake up now, it's getting late." Vader's voice was soft and gentile. He had let the boy sleep in, he deserved it and Vader had needed the time to think. He decided that his relationship with Luke would be different than any other he ever had. They were more than master and apprentice, more than Knight and padawan, they were father and son. Vader was slightly intimidated by the fact. He had never had a father or anyone that had come close to filling the position. Could he possibly pull off something he had had no experience in?
Luke sat up, remembering where he was and why. He looked up at his fathers scarred face. "I don't remember a lot of what happened last night." He admitted. His father sat down next to him and put his arm around Luke's shoulders. "I remember the dream, a bit too well, and running in here, but not much else." He looked down at his hands, realizing suddenly that he had run through the streets wearing his nightclothes.
"You came in crying. You told me about your dream and fell asleep. Are you alright?" It had taken a conscious effort to comfort Luke the night before, Vader hoped it would be easier today.
With their backs to the door, neither of the two men saw Rukh, a Noghri bodyguard assigned to Grand Admiral Thrawn, come in to announce his lord's arrival. "I'm alright. I guess that dream shook me up a little, it was a little too real for me."
"Fair enough, living through it changed my life." Vader squeezed his son close for a moment. "And it's good to know that you will come to me when you need help." A ripple of shock ran though the room, but it didn't come from Luke.
Suddenly Rukh found himself being stared at by four identical blue eyes. "Grand Admiral Thrawn has sent me to tell you of his arrival in the system and to communicate his surprise that…"
"Get out." Two voices told him. Rukh quickly decided that not delivering Thrawn's message would have lesser consequences than disobeying Lord Vader and whoever-it-was he was talking to, and left as fast as possible.
"I had your clothes brought here, I advise you put them on." Vader said as he got up and crossed the room to the small kettle on a heating pad. He took his time filling two cups of steaming brown liquid, so that Luke would be dressed when he was finished. Then he handed Luke his cup. "Here, drink this. We'll have to meet with Thrawn soon." Vader took a long sip, "I'd like to keep you in range in case you have a flashback."
Luke had a feeling there was more to his father's actions than that, but he probably wouldn't get an answer if he asked about it. "What is this anyway? It tastes great." Luke wasn't about to fall into that same uneasy silence again.
"Hot chocolate, it's not all that common anymore. Smugglers seem to snub anything without alcohol, and most bureaucrats think it's too common for them. It used to be very popular among Jedi."
"I've heard a lot about those officials. Obi-Wan used a Krayt Dragon call to scare away some sand people once. When I asked him how it was done he said it took a lot of wind and a set of well used vocal chords, and if I was an Imperial bureaucrat he'd be able to show me." The two laughed as they finished their drinks. Luke helped his father into his suit, then they headed toward a large building in the center of the village. It seemed the only thing Imperial built besides the small spaceport.
Luke was surprised by Admiral Thrawn's appearance. One of the biggest reasons the rebellion was formed was because non-humans where treated as second class citizens. Thrawn had light blue skin, dark blue hair, and bright glowing red eyes. One thing was certain: the only way he could have made it so high on the ranks was by being the best out there. Luke doubted that if Thrawn disagreed with whatever it was that his father was doing there wouldn't be much of a choice for what they would have to do.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn, what a pleasant surprise." This would be tricky, but Vader had a hunch it would work. If he could just pull it off long enough.
"Lord Vader, I heard you where coming to the rim, but I had not expected you to come out so far." His tone even, his manner casual, Thrawn did not betray any of his curiosity. Vader could see through all that with the force, but knew Luke had not yet learned to make sense of his alien mind.
"A small but important project," he said as he rested his hand on Luke's shoulder. "One that is rather overdue as it turns out." Vader laughed internally, 'rather overdue' didn't quite cover the twenty odd years of his son's life that he had missed. Wait, when was his birthday?
"Really, and may I ask who that is? I don't recall ever seeing anyone of discernable rank in the Imperial military that he even vaguely resembles." Ha! Knowing Thrawn, 'discernable rank' meant anyone from mechanics on up. The slight emphasis on 'Imperial' meant he knew about Luke's involvement in the rebellion. Yes… that would just about do it.
"He is not currently assigned to any rank in any military." Let's just make this as confusing as possible, I have to drag this out. Thrawn had an obsession for knowledge. Not being sure of himself and his information would be a strange situation for the man, he was used to being on top of things. He would view Luke as a no-name civilian on a military world who happens to be a pet project for a Dark Lord of the Sith and is obviously important enough to hide. There would be no way for Thrawn to turn away from this challenge until he figured out why I'm doing this. Not unless he gets a brain transplant or personality upgrade. Or suddenly becomes a master of the force.
"Why would you bring a civilian to a military planet so far from the mainstream Imperial worlds?"
Well, that was a lot more direct than I expected. "That is personal information. I'm sure your aware of how little of that I posses, and how important rare information is." One of Thrawn's dark eyebrows lifted, but Vader bowed out of the room before the question could be asked.
Luke was completely lost, and so he walked in silence until they reached Luke's quarters. "Mind telling me what that was about?" Luke asked as his father leafed through the Jedi book.
"Thrawn is an intelligent man. His greatest strength is his ability to collect and utilize information, but it is possible to use that against him. He thought he knew who you were, it's entirely possible that he was correct. All I did was make him second guess his information. I'd say that right now he's pouring over a computer screen somewhere trying to figure out what part of this whole mess I'm lying about. The problem is I'm not lying about anything. You are a no-name civilian on a military world who just happens to be a pet project for a Dark Lord of the Sith that is important enough to go to great lengths to hide. Of course he won't believe half of that. Hell, he won't believe any of that. I have no personal life, I do not have pet projects and do not go on side trips or vacations without being directly ordered to do so. I would never bring along some worthless civilian to a military world for no reason and do not hide things unless there is great risk involved. I have never in recent memory worked undercover or behind the collective back of the Imperial military, particularly the Emperor. I'm a stupid, loyal monster that does exactly what it's told without question. Erratic or creative behavior is beyond my capabilities, or so most believe." Luke seemed to take this all in stride.
"So you're stalling for time. Time for me to do whatever it is you need me to do before I turn to the dark side. You wouldn't mind telling me what it is you need me for would you?" The connection between the two of them seemed to have tripled in strength since last night. Luke didn't even need to try anymore.
"Here it is, read it for yourself." Vader offered Luke a page in the large leather-bound book. The words "The Art of Jedi healing" where written in decorative script across the top of the page. Luke started looking through the chapter. "This is what I need you to learn. I've got a plan, it's shaky, but it should work. It is a big risk, but we don't have any choices right now." Vader put his hands on his son's shoulders and looked the younger man strait in the eye. "I need this Luke. If I could do anything to get out of this suit I would in a heartbeat, but I can't. You have the power to heal me, to erase the scars left on me by Obi-Wan. I wasn't going to tell it to you this way, but that dream has changed things." There was a pause as Vader probed Luke's mind. "And it most certainly is not your fault." Luke squirmed.
"You were going after me…" Luke had barely started when he was cut off.
"You were three months old, what could you have possibly done? Don't say it, don't even think it. If you were never born than I'd be worse off than I am now, either completely insane or dead or good as dead." Vader smiled behind his mask despite the pain it caused him. "You remind me of myself, even in this."
"I wasn't thinking that. I do feel guilty about it, but only because I know I can't help." That's the past Father, when I thought I would never get off Tatooine, not now. You're looking too close.
Vader stepped back, putting up his hands in surrender. "I'm trying to be your father, I'll be the first to say I'm not the best at this job. And you can help. This chapter will explain everything you need to know about healing, and a lot of things you'll probably need in the near future. Once I'm in fighting condition again we can move on to the next step in the plan."
"What is this plan anyway?" All this secrecy didn't make sense.
It had to come out sooner or later, I would have picked later but… "We are going to kill someone." That should do it for now.
"The Emperor."
Looks like I spoke too soon. Well, if he guessed it he guessed it, no point in lying about it. No point in lying to him ever, the voice inside him added. "Yes, now you should start studying; we may not have a lot of time." Vader left Luke to his studies, and hoped for the best.
Thrawn sat pouring over a datapad and stack of datacards as Rukh watched. It was easy for Rukh, who had spent so much time around Thrawn, to see that he was frustrated. "Anything I can help with my Lord?"
"That boy. He must have some connection to Vader or the Imperial military, and yet he dose not. There is a rebel that could pass as his twin, but he is accounted for on some mission that there is no available information about. The worst thing about this is that Vader wants me to do this. He wants me to stay here and to try and figure this out. He presented me with a puzzle and expects me to solve it, but in due time. A truly frustrating position." Thrawn's even tone is that of a calm thinker, smooth and low. As if he was commenting on the weather in a library.
"Lord Vader said that the two of them are here on personal business. Dose that not mean that it is not for you to know?"
Thrawn dismissed the statement with a wave of his hand. "Lord Vader thinks personal business is anything not ordered by the Emperor. Whatever he is doing, he is doing it for the Imperial military."
Did he just insult Lord Vader? No, he just does not know him as well as the Noghri do…"Forgive me, but I must disagree with that. I saw Lord Vader talking to the younger man before he ordered me out of his chambers. I could not help but overhear their words. I do not think that Lord Vader is here for any reason besides that he wished to be left alone with his chosen company."
"Really? Please tell me what could have been so convincing." One dark eyebrow was lifted at this new source of information.
"Their words were those of good friends, spoken in confidence. It would not be my place to repeat them." Rukh bowed in respect and left, but was slightly puzzled as to why Thrawn was pleased with his answer. It doesn't matter though, It's good to be home. I have not had that much time at home since I entered the service of the empire, he thought. It seems I'll be here for some time, that's good. I enjoy serving my Lords, but it is nice to be with my clan.
Luke sat in his room. It was late at night, he needed sleep, but he couldn't. Han was out there, some ware. What could he do though? His X-wing was locked up tight in a hanger in the center of town, completely inaccessible. There was no real space traffic, so he couldn't jump a ship. R2 was locked up with the ship. More than anything though, he couldn't leave his father. He had spent four days with his father on Honoghr, and he couldn't leave. He had seen the scars on his father: the slash across his chest, the places where skin had been burnt off, the pain his father lived with every day.
And there was something more, something in the bond between them that held him there. He couldn't forgive his Father for what he had done to get him here, but he couldn't ignore his motives either. The ends don't ever justify the means, Luke. That is how the dark side thinks, and how it sucks you in. The voice sounded distant, it had since Luke arrived. "You lied to me Ben. You distorted my past and cost me more then either of us know. Are those means acceptable, or don't you apply that philosophy to yourself?" There was no answer.
Luke cut high, ducked the counter blow, and swung left at the Dark Lord. Vader chopped down to the right then brought his lightsaber around for a horizontal cut through Luke's stomach. Both were blocked, then Luke ducked under Vader's left arm and twirled around for a shot at the older man's back. Vader was around in a flash, and Luke's swipe was batted away. The two continued their dance, Vader using his strength and stamina, Luke using his speed and agility, until a small tone signaled the end of the mach.
"You're getting better. Only two hits, neither actually hit your body." Vader said as he shut down the training saber.
Luke studied his slightly crisped sleeve and warmed hair. If it hadn't been a training saber he would have had a haircut and a short-sleeve shirt. "Too close if you ask me. The arm I could replace, though I wouldn't want to, not my head."
"I didn't hit your arm or your head, just your shirt and hair." Vader saw an opening and decided to push it. "A haircut wouldn't kill you, you know."
"Wanna bet? See you'd have to kill me to make me sit still for it." Of all things his father had asked him, Luke would not cut his hair, it was an argument he had had with Aunt Beru, and Uncle Owen, and many rebellion officers and he wasn't going to change his mind now.
Vader sighed, noting how much less difficult it was to do so. Luke had begun to test his healing abilities, and wile still a long way from a master, Luke was coming along very well. The difference was there, and Luke had completely healed the cut on his shoulder that he got wile fighting Luke on Bespin.
Time was running out. twenty-two days had passed since Bespin, and in two more the Executor would finish it's mission and report to Coruscant. Another few days, maybe less, before the Emperor knows anything is amiss. Then six to twelve hours for him to put two and two together and get four. Optimistically, they had five days before the Emperor knew something was wrong, on the other hand he could already know by way of the force. Still, he could find out that Luke is with Vader on Honoghr and think that his loyal apprentice did not want to report failure or destroy such a valuable resource and was converting the boy or making him presentable. They had to be ready for any and all possibilities.
Luke soaked up information at a fantastic rate. Owen must have sheltered him more than Vader had first realized, the boy was starved for knowledge. It reminded Vader of another young man with sandy hair and blue eyes, nearly begging his master to present him with more and more challenges and ideas. The silence they were in now was only gained because Luke was caching his breath and reviewing his mistakes during their sparing mach. As if there were that many mistakes. Soon he would regain himself and continue learning.
"I finished the chapter this morning. I'd like to try something out."
"I'd say take a rest if I thought you would. We do have limited time though. Grab some dinner and bring the book with you, I'll be waiting." Luke shot ahead and to the left. Vader wished he had more time. Every day they grew stronger together. As Luke grew in the force, Vader's heath returned and soon they would be strong enough, but they still needed more time than they had. Not just for training, but for… other things… that were just as needed.
Ah, Thrawn is waiting outside my chambers. That man is positively glowing, I bet I can guess why without the force. "Back from yet another mystery trip to the plains? You do know he is a rebel don't you?"
'Mystery trip' is a bit melodramatic, now, I have been spending an absurd amount of time training Luke, but it is necessary. "I know he was a rebel." Come on, gloat a little, let the Noghri know what we do. Yes I know you wouldn't do that normally, you don't rub it in when you win. "Find anything else that is interesting?" Come on, just a little gloating.
Thrawn smiled. "Why do you insist on playing this game? I know what you're doing, you are stalling. You want me to know something but you want me to figure it out first."
"Right now all I want you to do is tell me if you found out anything interesting about the boy. His name perhaps?" Oh I know you hate this, being manipulated is not your favorite pastime. Too bad for you then, I'm not done yet… Leaping Jedi Masters! If Luke thinks he's going to get away with that he's got another think coming, because I'm going to ram into his head! Luke was walking up to the pair, a piece of red fruit in hand. "I thought I told you to eat something?"
Luke held up the fruit, showing a large bite out of it. "I did, see."
"You can't learn anything if your brain doesn't have anything to work with, and I meant some type of dinner. Taking the time to study is fine, skipping meals for it isn't." Vader sighed and pushed Luke toward the airlock. "Get in there."
"So he is your son." Thrawn said coolly. "His name is Luke Skywalker."
"Well done." Vader turned away.
"I thought you were going to tell me what is going on here." Thrawn's cool tone cracked just slightly. The smaller man had lost some of his confidence, if only his confidence in his source.
"I never said that." Vader shut the door, and could sense Thrawn walking away in a much worse mood than he had approached.
Luke took a deep breath as he gathered his cloak around him. The plan was ready. It had to be tonight. He didn't want to do this, but there wasn't any choice. Who else could they ask? He took another deep breath. No, there wasn't anyone they could ask; there wasn't anyone who could do it.
Luke stopped outside the hut and drew upon the Force. He leafed through all his childhood memories, slowly sifting through each until he found the perfect mixture…
The tears came softly at first. He walked, straight-backed and sure-footed, through the village. Slowly, as the memories became more vivid, the gentle tears became wracking sobs and the careful step a stumble. It was a relief to cry, to let out all the old feelings of loneliness, to be free of the pain of not having something that everyone had a right to have-that everyone he had known then did have.
There was one memory that stood out and hit him with more truth than any of the others. Luke had been young, three or four, when he got his first speeder bike. He had wanted one more than anything else, or so he had thought. He'd climbed onto it that afternoon after a day of learning the controls and sped off toward Beggar's Canyon. A few kilometers into the north pasture, he had run into some bad-tempered thugs. The thugs had demanded to know who his father was that would let such a young boy ride alone. He had said he was old enough to ride around his own farm, but they wanted to take his speeder -- and him too. He could remember their words still. "No father? Then none to miss you when you're gone."
Owen had arrived and chased off the thugs, but the damage had been done. He screamed, he cried, he kicked up more dirt than a sandstorm, and he did it until he fell down exhausted. He'd known then, as he knew now, that his father wasn't gone. Luke had always taken it as his own stubbornness that caused him to reject his father's death, but he knew now that he refused it because it was a lie. A lie, and he had known it without knowing it his entire life because of the Force.
The Force. It pulsed and throbbed like a living thing inside him. All control was forgotten as more and more of the Force poured into him. Despite the vast amount of emotion Luke could feel, it was the light side. He teetered on the edge of dark, but did not fall. If he fell it would kill him.
In his textbook, the Jedi trials had seemed gentle and kind compared to this rush. Anything, everything, that ever caused him pain or fear or hate in any amount was pushed through him again. It seemed a simple thing on paper. Walk two kilometers after a specific type of meditation. The point was to confront the force and accept it, and to let it accept him. He could feel the whole of the Force now, not just the little bits he used to do things normally. It was amazing, he felt as if he would both explode and float away at the same time. He couldn't possibly hold onto it for too long. He ran, still stumbling, as fast as he could go.
He turned a corner and slammed into something solid. Luke looked up to see Rukh looking down at him. Luke slowly staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on the wall of the building Rukh had come out of.
"What is wrong, sir?" the small alien asked.
"I…I'll be all right, thank you for asking. Just have to get to Lord Vader's chambers before…" Luke never finished. A wave of the Force slammed into him, and he doubled over with the shock. "Ugh."
"Are you all right, sir? Do you want anything?" Luke could focus the Force just enough to pick out the respect Rukh had for him.
"Your shoulder to start with," replied Luke. Before the bewildered Noghri could ask what that meant, Luke grabbed his shoulder and used him as a crutch to get back against the wall. Luke was glad Rukh was stronger than he looked. "Thank you. I'm not myself right now. I have to get to Lord Vader's chambers…I got a bit turned around in the dark."
"It is just over there; here, I will help." Rukh pointed down the street, then offered Luke his arm.
"I can walk, really I can." Rukh stayed near in case Luke fell again. "Sometimes the Force is more a burden than anything. A price for everything, I guess." A sudden flicker in the Force caused Luke to spin around and lose his balance. "Thrawn, please step back a bit I…I can't be near you right now."
Standing in the doorway, Thrawn spoke to him in his normal cool tone.
"You seem distracted. I've never heard of a Jedi getting lost on such a simple quest."
"Stay back, please stay there." Luke begged. Thrawn was an intelligent man, surely he would understand. "You have such strong thoughts. I can't filter the Force right now. It's bad enough where you are…I'm not good at explaining it," Luke admitted.
"Why do you let Rukh stand so close?" A simple question.
"Noghri minds are quiet, as a hunter's mind should be. Doesn't alert the senses. You think loudly; it's just the way you are. Your thoughts are stronger than mine are." Surely Thrawn would understand what it would mean if his thoughts were stronger. Luke was holding onto a thread as it was, he wouldn't be able to handle it. Besides, Thrawn would want his mind read.
It seemed as if he was right-Thrawn stepped back a bit.
"Well, we can't have that. Lord Vader will be able to help you?"
"No, he needs my help. We have a tight link." He did have to get to his father, but he had to stop the test himself. Then he had to put his father into what was hopefully his last healing trance. "We help each other. That is the way a Padawan should act." Not again…
"A what?" Thrawn inquired, but Luke was caught in another wave, sinking slowly to his knees.
"Excuse me, I have to get moving." Luke quickly finished his journey, leaning on the outer airlock door as he waited for the inner one to open. He still was having trouble, but it was getting easier to control the immense amount of power rushing through him. He could feel it cleaning him out, tuning his senses and teaching him to ignore the static. It was the purest form of learning - the rewriting of instincts. Luke would know how to touch the Force in its entirety and extract information for the rest of his life, and he would do it unconsciously. Thrawn would love something like this. A constant flow of information.
The door opened and Luke walked in swaying. "Hello, father. Ready?"
Vader looked at Luke a moment.
"The more appropriate question is: are you ready?" The boy looked like he'd been through a war in the past hour. Anakin stood and walked over to comfort him. No, wait! What am I doing? He stood in the center of the room.
"Father, I'm fine…what are you doing?" Luke stared at the man.
"Luke, can you give me your honest answer on something?" His son nodded and he continued, "I've been…I think I don't know who I am."
"Come again?"
Luke looks as shocked as whoever I am right now is. "I think I'd like some fresh air. Is that at all possible?" I am Lord Darth Vader…I've been Lord Vader for the past twenty years, close to half of my life.
"You can stay out for a little while, but no more than an hour, okay? And I'm coming too." Luke put his hand on the man's shoulder
. Anakin's shoulder? Yes, I am Anakin to him; I must be for him to do that. Anakin has compassion. "I want you to come." Anakin opened the air locks, and stepped out. He took a deep breath-the air smelled sweet, and so cold! He pulled his hood and cloak tight around him. "A bit chilly tonight."
Luke's hand was still on his shoulder. "You enjoy this. I'll be glad when you are completely healed, though, I worry."
"I know you do, and about more than me. I underestimated your friendship with Han and Leia; I've revised the plan to accommodate. The Emperor will present his own time to die, and I'm sure he has a plan for you. We just have to remember the thin line between hero and traitor-namely, that the hero did it right and the traitor screwed it up. The hero is the one that ends up breathing easily." He looked at Luke, who was in complete shock. Did that shadow just move?
"You're letting me go? I can just leave?" Luke asked.
Anakin thought a long moment. Rukh was listening in, and he had to word this well. "What you do when I am gone is up to you. However, I can pull some strings to make it easier for you, if you like."
"I didn't think you'd let me out of the Imperial military after this." Luke replied blandly.
"You certainly aren't going back into the Rebellion. That I will not have. At least, not in their navy. Now, if you would consider a nice desk job…"
"I'll take a desk job when I cut my hair, scrap my X-wing, and have a ysalamiri surgically implanted on my back." Luke smiled. "That being never, naturally."
"I'll have none of that tonight, we are running out of time and there are more important things to talk about. Things that Rukh shouldn't hear, so he should go to bed and get a good night's sleep like the rest of the village."
"Well said." Luke turned in Rukh's direction, and in a moment the small creature was gone. "Now what is this about who you are?"
"Vader is a Sith, and has all the personality traits that come with that. I only went by that name after I had turned to the dark side. Before then it was a code name, just like all the others I'd had during missions. I worked undercover a lot. Vader means "father," so you see I'd been hoping a lot. Anakin was before the mask, he… he has a different moral code, different priorities. The two are so different; you are about all they have in common besides appearance. And appearance isn't a very strong footing to base your personality on." It hurt to say it, but at least he wasn't lying to himself anymore. "I don't know who I am any more."
"Maybe you don't have to chose. No, listen a minute. Vader existed for half your life, as Anakin did; you can't forget what either of them is. They are both a large part of you. If you want to go by your first name then that's fine with me, and it could help since you've separated yourself like this. I've noticed the change, the way you are calm one moment and practically screaming the next, and then the rare moments in the middle. Has it ever occurred to you that you could combine the two? Try to stay in that middle ground instead of fighting the change on all sides." Luke was staring at Anakin.
"I'll need help," Anakin murmured quietly.
"If you didn't need help, I wouldn't be here, would I?"
"I guess not. How was the trial? Felt like a nova to me, and I wasn't the one going through it."
"A nova wouldn't be powerful enough." Luke said, shaking his head. "It felt like I was being cleaned out. Taken apart and put back together, and I just couldn't concentrate. I'm thankful Rukh had a quiet mind, but when Thrawn got near me…I already had too much information running through me."
"Did you retain much of that knowledge?"
"Retain it? I could hardly channel it!"
"That's how I felt when it happened to me, and a few days later I married your mother. I knew I would become a father, knew it because the Force had told me during my trial. It took me sometime to accept that, mostly because I took it as more hope than fact. I also picked up that your grandmother was sick, though that only took me a few hours to notice, and I almost missed my own wedding getting her freed from slavery. She died soon after, but she said that she was glad I came and got her -- even though it defied the temple. I wouldn't have gotten her back if it wasn't for my trial."
"You're expecting me to learn something that important?"
"Not really. Getting a vision that urgent is rare; in time, you'll figure out what you gained."
"I had some visions…" The reluctance in Luke's voice could have stopped an AT-AT. "It was from my past, about you." Anakin stopped walking. They were on the edge of the village.
"About me Vader or about me Anakin?"
"Back to that are we? I'd rather not talk about it. I don't think it's really that im-"
"If it wasn't important, you wouldn't have seen the vision during your trial. Nor would you be trying to get out of telling me about it."
Luke sighed. "I was…When I got my first speeder bike, I decided to do what all the older kids were doing and took it to Beggar's Canyon. Took me about six months to actually go. See I was about four, maybe three and a half, and it was a few kilometers away. I mean, all I had was a speeder bike."
"That doesn't sound like something that important."
"See? It doesn't matter at all. I…"
"You aren't telling me the important parts."
"Really, it was nothing."
"And you saw it in your trial? What is it, Luke? You can trust me with this."
"Some thugs were beating up on me,"
"And that was important because…"
"It was what he said that mattered." Anakin waited, but spoke when it became obvious Luke didn't plan on continuing.
"You said it was about me. Is that true?" Silence. "You really can trust me, son."
"He said that I was worthless without a father." Luke blurted out quickly, then spun around and started walking. Anakin followed and touched his shoulder.
"It hurt you. You thought I abandoned you."
"I was told you were dead…"
"But you didn't believe it." Anakin hugged his son close. "And it hurt you, then and now."
"No, not right now." Luke's voice was muffled as he returned his father's hug.
"Good." They continued walking then. Strange, how emotions came and went so quickly.
"We don't seem to be getting much peace tonight," Luke remarked, distantly.
Trula rearranged the small furniture in her tiny grass hut.
*I was chosen today, I'll work for Lord Vader himself!* she said in the language of the Noghri, moving one of her dolls to a chair. In a higher voice she said, *Oh, daddy, that is wonderful!* She moved a smaller doll around the hut, which was really a bunch of Klom grass she had bent over and tied.
When her mother called her in she could remove the tie and nothing would be left to show her special place. She didn't like other people in her special place, even though she knew it was selfish. Suddenly, she heard someone approach.
"Peace, indeed…a most elusive thing." Trula heard the Lord Vader sigh as she stood up straight then gave a Noghri bow. She wasn't tall enough to see or be seen above the grass, but knew Lord Vader had a mystical way of knowing when someone was around.
"I am tired, and I'm anxious to go to my rest." He paused, as though listening to someone, then gave a weak laugh. "I can't argue with that, I have definitely earned it."
Trula stood stock-still. If Lord Vader wanted to address her he would. If he cared about her listening, he would dismiss her. Vader spoke again.
"I'm too old, Luke…there is nothing left for me in this life. I've seen and dealt out more than my share of blood and death. Nothing can persuade me to change my mind. This night holds many endings, Luke, but I see beginnings as well. I can see one thing clearly, at least, and that is that the Jedi will again protect the galaxy. And I can see that you will lead them." Another pause, and Vader again responded with weariness.
"We've discussed this before, Luke. I'm old, ready to put down and stay there. I look forward to you burning that cursed atmosphere suit. Do it at sunrise, so the Noghri won't notice the light, and east of the village for the same reason."
Trula was shocked. No! Lord Vader can't die! He was too important to he Noghri. And why wouldn't he want them to honor him? For the first time she heard the other man's soft voice, and was able to see the top of his head.
"It's getting late. I have a lot to do in the morning." He stopped. "We've been overheard."
"We have?" Lord Vader sounded surprised. How could that be?
"Don't worry, child. You've done nothing wrong, we should have been looking to see if we were alone." The man, Luke, sounded kind. He turned away, she couldn't see Vader, but she supposed he turned to him. "Teach me to let my guard down." Luke suddenly lunged in Vader's direction, out of Trula's view. "Let's get you to bed." The two walked away.
Trula felt like she was in freefall. The bottom had dropped out of her life. Lord Vader would die tonight – if he hadn't just done so-- and she was the only one who knew. Who could she tell? She had to tell someone. The clan leaders? They wouldn't see her, she was too young. She needed someone in power that would listen to her. Thrawn! He listened to anyone as long as they had important information. If she talked to Rukh, he would tell Thrawn about Lord Vader.
Trula ran as fast as she could toward the Grand Admiral's offices. She'd almost made it to the door when Rukh stepped into her path.
*Lord Vader has fallen. I heard him talking, and he is dying! Now! Tonight!*
*What?* was Rukh's shocked reply. *Tonight? How do you know this? How are you sure?*
*I heard him and Luke talking. Then they told me good night and started to walk away. Vader fell and had to be picked up by Luke. I saw this while I was playing with my dolls.* Trula held up her doll, realizing she had left all her other toys in the field.
*We must tell the Grand Admiral.* Rukh opened the door and Trula walked up to Thrawn. She stuttered a bit, her basic wasn't the best and she had never spoken to such an important man before.
Thrawn looked at her as if she had handed him the keys to heaven.
"So now the truth is out. Thank you, Trula. He rose, then as an afterthought, "Isn't it a bit late for such a young girl to be out? Go to bed, child. It will not seem as bad in the morning. Rukh, I want to meet with Skywalker first thing tomorrow, and we can clear this up for good." Thrawn looked at her again. How could he be so unfeeling? "Now I'm just as sad as you are to hear this news, but he died in the manner and the place he wanted to. When I last saw him he seemed happy. Take comfort in that."
Luke kneeled beside his father. "It's time, we end this suffering tonight. Are you sure you are ready?"
"I am all too ready, Luke. I only hope I live through it. I've been dependent on Palpatine for so long, I wonder if I could function without it."
"I'm sure you can. Rely on the force, as you've told me so often. Rely on me if you're really desperate…"
"I already rely on you Luke. Lets do this before I lose my nerve."
Luke took his Father's hand and followed his Father's life force back through space. As he went along he could see the Emperor's Force energy twined around the thin thread like some parasitic creature sucking greedily on its host. Luke pulled and unwound the Emperor's hold on Anakin wile Anakin himself pulled away with all his strength. Hours past, but determination and healing won over Palpatine's greed and power.
Luke was exhausted when he finally collapsed beside his father. After a moments rest he scraped himself off the floor and gathered up what things he had left in his Father's room over the weeks and headed back to his own room to sleep. To the outside he looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders; inside he had never felt such wonderful triumph.
Sofia Dragon: So what do you all think? Be honest, I can take it!