Chapter 18
Luke Skywalker observed his father receiving a new set of cybernetic hands with the help of R2-D2 on the Millennium Falcon in the same spot where Obi-Wan sat almost four years ago. Anakin clearly knew all there was to know about the specifications of his suit and was enthusiastic to work with Artoo on his hands.
"I wanted to talk about our duel," Anakin said after he flexed his new cybernetic limbs.
"What about it?" Luke asked him.
"The way you reacted when I used a Force push on Mara Jade," Anakin said. "I just didn't expect that from you. I thought you would be following the Jedi Code a little closer than I did."
"I'm not sure what you're getting at," Luke admitted.
"How are the hands coming?" Mara asked after poking her head in the cabin.
Anakin pulled gloves over his hands. "Good as new," he told her.
"I'll leave you two alone," Mara said.
Luke watched his apprentice go, staring at the spot where she was standing only moments before.
"Oh, this is interesting," Anakin told his son. "You don't even realize it."
"What?" Luke asked. He returned his gaze to his father before understanding what the former Sith Lord was hinting. "What? No! Mara is my apprentice. There's nothing going on."
"Why don't you pay more attention, Luke?" Anakin asked. "You should see the way she looks at you."
"I guess I just wasn't paying attention," Luke said. "I did form a bond with her during training. That could be why I brushed the dark side in our duel."
"If you keep telling yourself it's the bond, you're not being honest," the man formerly known as Darth Vader said.
"Honest about what?" Kyle asked as he stepped into the cabin. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
Luke glanced to Kyle, but took a moment to respond. "No," he replied. "What's going on?"
"Well, we're about to exit hyperspace," Kyle said. "Han would have told you himself but he's grumpy right now."
"What's wrong with Han?" Luke inquired.
"I'm the reason why Captain Solo is grumpy," Anakin answered.
Artoo warbled and beeped.
"Oh, I know I shouldn't blame myself for everything, Artoo," Anakin told the astromech. "But I still do. You were there at Mustafar. You saw what happened to me."
"Wait, are you telling me Artoo was your droid?" Luke asked.
"He was my wife's," Anakin replied. "Threepio was mine. I built him when I was a kid. I think they must have given him a memory wipe."
Artoo beeped.
"Yeah, we got into plenty of situations together," Anakin told the droid.
Kyle shook his head. "It's a small galaxy after all," he remarked.
The Millennium Falcon approached Ziost and entered the planet's atmosphere. The cruiser touched down on the landing pad outside the Rebel base. The Jedi, followed by C-3PO and R2-D2 descended the access ramp.
"Here we are," Kyle told his comrades.
Artoo beeped.
"Oh, I don't know what the Jedi Council would be doing here, Artoo," Threepio said to the astromech.
Artoo warbled and beeped.
"Quiet," Luke told the droids.
Kyle took a seat outside the temple. "We all must meditate together for this to work," he told them.
"Come Kyp," Vima told her young apprentice. "Just do like I taught you."
"Okay," Kyp said.
Vima and Kyp took seats next to Kyle. Luke and Mara followed. Hesitantly, Anakin sat with the Jedi. The group completed a circle.
Anakin meditated on the light side of the Force for the first time in decades. He felt carried with the rest of the group to a faraway land. When he opened his eyes, Anakin saw a field similar to one he knew on Naboo.
But there were twelve seats. Force ghosts appeared before the Jedi and took their council seats.
"Master Windu," Kyle said.
"It is good to see you again, Kyle," Mace told him.
"Yoda!" Luke exclaimed. "Ben!"
"Luke, it is good to see you again," Obi-Wan said. "And it is also good to see you again, old friend."
"Obi-Wan, I don't know what to say," Anakin told his first mentor.
Another Force ghost appeared, one that only Anakin recognized. "Say nothing, Anakin," Qui-Gon Jinn said. "You have been brought before the Jedi Council for judgment."
"Anakin Skywalker, your crimes against the Jedi Order are severe," Mace said. "I was there when you betrayed the Order in Palpatine's office. Why did you do it?"
"I turned to the dark side to save my wife," Anakin said.
"Ah, but grave consequences, your choice had," Yoda told him. "Save your wife, you did not."
"Your actions condemned the galaxy to decades of suffering," Ki-Ad-Mundi told the former Sith Lord.
"I know this, Masters," Anakin told the Council. "Qui-Gon Jinn sits in my seat because I failed myself. I wish there was a way I could make it up to you, but I can't."
"You cannot escape your destiny, Anakin," Obi-Wan told his former apprentice. "You have sensed it. I believe when we are finished, you can share your knowledge with the other Jedi."
"Destroy the Sith, you must," Yoda stated.
"But I'm a broken man," Anakin argued. "I'm not strong enough to face the Sith anymore."
"Heal you, we can," Yoda said. "Within the power of the council it is."
"But you must forsake the darkness in you or you will never be free of Darth Vader," Kit Fisto told him.
"I understand," Anakin said.
The Jedi Masters began focusing on the Force, concentrating their energies on Anakin. At that moment, Anakin felt as if he were being torn apart to face the dragon that cursed him so long ago. He fell to his knees and clenched his teeth. White light clouded his vision and he screamed.
And for the first time in years, Anakin heard his own voice. He opened his eyes and saw the world around him. Looking at his limbs, he saw flesh restored where machine was once grafted. The Jedi robes he wore so long ago once again covered his body.
Anakin stood slowly. "Masters, I thank you," he told them.
"Go and fulfill your destiny, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "But first, there is someone that wants to see you."
A woman dressed in blue robes stepped past the members of the Jedi Council. "Anakin, you've aged," she told him.
Anakin smiled. "You haven't aged a day," he told his wife before rushing to embrace her. "Oh, how I missed you, Padmé. When Palpatine told me you were dead, I slipped so far into the dark side that I forgot your face. I'm so sorry."
Padmé held her husband close. "Don't apologize, Anakin," she told him. "I'm the one who should apologize for not being able to go back with you."
"Mother?" Luke said as he walked towards the woman his father was holding.
"Luke?" Padmé asked before breaking away from Anakin. She hurriedly embraced her son. "Oh, you've grown!"
"Mother…you're my mother," Luke said as he hugged the woman who brought him into the galaxy.
"If only your sister were here, it'd be even better," Padmé told Luke before releasing her son. "You can't let her remain in darkness, Luke. You brought your father back and you can bring Leia back."
"I tried that," Kyle said awkwardly. "She wasn't exactly receptive."
Mara elbowed Kyle to make him be silent.
"Hey, that hurts!" he said.
"Can't you tell this is a family reunion?" Mara asked.
Padmé chuckled. "You're friends are certainly interesting, Luke," she said.
"Padmé, we'll do what we can to bring Leia back," he told his wife. "You have my word."
"I'm afraid you won't be able to remain here much longer," Obi-Wan said.
Padmé reached inside her robes and pulled out an orange crystal. "This is from me," she told Anakin. "Use it in your lightsaber so I will always be at your side."
Anakin took the crystal in his right hand. "Goodbye, my angel," he told her before they shared one last kiss.
"Into the hands of Luke Skywalker, I entrust the Jedi Order," Yoda said. "Go now and may the Force be with you."
Suddenly, the Jedi were back in the circle on Ziost. Anakin opened his hand to find the crystal his wife gave him still there.
Anakin worked alone in the Millennium Falcon as he worked on his lightsaber. He now wore his hair in a ponytail and he noticed a few strands of gray were making appearances. He was not used to an entirely human body anymore, but he would have to learn all over again.
The red crystal he used as Darth Vader rested on the worktable and he never intended to use it again. The orange crystal his wife gave him was cut perfectly for use in his weapon. He put the crystal in the correct place and reassembled his lightsaber.
Standing from the worktable, Anakin activated his weapon. An orange blade emerged from the hilt with a snap-hiss.
"We're almost back to Dantooine," Luke told his father before he looked at the completed lightsaber. "You know, I have something for you."
Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and attached it to his belt. "What's that?" he asked his son.
Luke activated a lightsaber with a blue blade. "Obi-Wan gave this to me," he told his father. "He said it was yours."
"So he kept it, didn't he?" Anakin asked. "I'm not surprised. Obi-Wan was always a bit sentimental even though he tried to hide it."
Luke closed the energy blade and handed the weapon to his father.
Anakin shook his head in refusal. "You keep it," he said. "You earned it."
"So, what are we going to do next?" Luke asked him.
"Isn't that your decision?" Anakin asked. "Yoda made you a Jedi Master on Ziost in case you never noticed."
"But you know more about the Force than I ever could," Luke argued. "I want to know what you think should be done."
"Well, I was going to have to tell you about this soon enough," Anakin said. He paused before revealing, "Darth Sidious still lives."
+
Darth Apostas stood next to Darth Sidious as they overlooked Coruscant from the Imperial Palace. They were not ready to announce the return of the Emperor, but it would come soon. Then the Rebellion would not last much longer.
Apostas looked to her new master before staring into the sky. She could sense her father from the bond they once shared as master and apprentice. Vader was stronger than ever and he would not rest until the Sith were destroyed.
It would take their combined efforts to destroy Darth Vader and end the Jedi threat once and for all.
END ACT II
