Title: "Transcend Force"
Author: Shaitanah
Rating: PG-13
Timeline: Before ANH (Republic episodes – a month after AOTC)
Summary: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. + It's Vader's BIRTHDAY!; Vader departs; Anakin faces some demons.
Disclaimer: Star Wars belong to a genius, i.e. George Lucas. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)
A/N: I really hope you enjoy this story. Please, review. Reviews can save lives. I'm serious!
A/N2: "You are now married to the Dark Side of the Force. You need no other companion". – the quote comes from Dark Lord: Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno.
Chapter 5
BIRTHDAY CANDLE
Today.
In his meditation chamber the Dark Lord of the Sith battled the Force that crushed against his tortured soul in ranting waves. The day had come.
He tapped furiously, then resumed the sitting position and dipped back into the Force. He grasped that accursed memory of the shuttle starting, ceased it and tried to squeeze it into some chronological frame. But no realization came.
Sora knocked politely. Nothing. She peered into the darkened room where a single candle was burning sadly. The masked Sith Lord sat in front of it. Uncertain of her own bravery, Sora stepped in, ready to wait rather than disrupt a session of meditation.
A single shaft of light gleamed on the black helmet. The composition was awesome and fascinating.
"I am ready to hear you out, captain", Vader spoke. Unprepared, Sora shuddered.
"Your shuttle will be ready in a few days, my lord. Mechanics, unfortunately, lack several substantial parts like a hyperdrive–".
"Your planet does not want to let me go, don't you think so?"
Sora blinked. Rumor had it that travelers from off-world frequently had troubles getting out of Luki. Ships lost parts and broke down in that area of space precisely. Old wives' tales, Sora believed it. She moved carefully to the door, not willing to disturb Vader. Strange, but she no longer despised him. There was something very familiar about him, a warm feeling…
"Do you feel sorry for me?" Vader chuckled. Amplified by the vocoder, it was a frightening sound. It raised hair at the back of her neck. "What have I done to deserve such grace?"
She couldn't make out the difference between mocking and sincerity. Either way, she felt uncomfortable having this kind of conversation with this kind of person.
"I won't tell if you don't tell", she winked. "Hey, isn't it a birthday candle?"
She instantly regretted having said that. Vader's breath was like a hollow wind. Fear mounted inside of Sora once again.
"You mean to ask me if it is my birthday today? Do I look like someone who has a birthday to you?"
Sora blushed. Vader wondered what she actually thought about him now. She was attracted to him or rather his aura of power as he estimated it. "You are now married to the Dark Side of the Force", the Emperor told him soon after his transformation onto the monster. "You need no other companion". They always told him what to do, first the Jedi, then Darth Sidious. He needed none – they made him believe it. It was a team effort, and now he hated both Sidious and the Jedi.
He wanted to know how long that little platform had been there. According to Sora, it had been in use for almost forty years. Commander In Chief planned to close it to upgrade soon.
"Why do you think it is a birthday candle, captain?" Vader asked Sora before she left.
"Dunno, it just sort of hit me". She paused. "Probably because I do basically the same thing when it's my birthday: stare at the fire and wallow in memories".
I don't have that many memories, Vader thought.
How did she do that again, that Padme-like child who was afraid of the Force? How was she capable of reminding him the very worst of his past: Anakin, Amidala, Obi-Wan, the Jedi… the baby?.. His mind wandered back to the baby. What if it didn't die? Would Vader no longer be alone in the Universe?
In her room Sora leaned against the wall, cupping her face with her hands. Her pulse was so fast. It seemed her heart fluttered like a caged bird.
"Well-well, you've actually made friends with the monstrous Lord Vader!" Jass chuckled. She gave him a dirty look. "Are you close enough to make him stop squashing planets like bugs?"
"Sod off, Jass! He's just a very lonely man", she fired off a bit irrelevantly.
Kerrit checked if anyone was dogging him and slipped into the lab. The sign on the door said: 'Jass Apollo'.
Val had just gotten a very difficult assignment from the Alliance leaders: to steal the plans of the TF. If they deprived the Empire of two powerful installations at once, it would be a disaster.
He checked numerous computers only to make it clear most data was password-protected. Being an experienced programmer, he hacked a large part, all he needed eventually ended up copied to his data-chip. He sent an affirmative transmission to the local headquarters. It moved right after the last day's events, but he, having been given the codes, had no trouble finding its contact channel.
Later Val joined the scientists to have a cup of coffee. His title 'Everybody's Sweetheart' held true once again. The doctors' company was jolly and complex-free. They talked freely about anything up to criticizing the regime (though here Kerrit abstained). It was a breath of fresh air after brainwashed Imperial soldiers or revolution-crazed rebels.
Dr Apollo also proved to be a fine interlocutor and a fascinating speaker. To Val's excitement, he turned out to be even younger than himself, perhaps around 25 years old. He'd be a mere trainee on Coruscant at this age. Nevertheless, his topics were capacious and well-planned. His eyes gave away wit and sparkled mischievously every time someone managed to drag him into a hot discussion.
O'bar probably wouldn't like him. To make sure, Kerrit initiated a conversation about power plants and modern weapon.
"Of course, it's dangerous", Jass shrugged, lighting a cigarette. "All those acid rains, air and water pollution, greenhouse effect caused by tests and all that. Planets where modern rockets have been trialed are on the brink of extinction. The seas are filled with nuclear and industrial waste, chemical fertilizers. Large factories emit tons of harmful chemicals".
"So you admit you contaminate the Universe".
"Technically, yes. However, what we try to achieve is a whole new step in creating efficient defense units. Take the TF, for example". Val listened up eagerly. Carried away, Apollo skipped to the part he was most interested in. "It's partially organic. It also contains artificial neural network. Of course, it's still a lot simpler than human or even droid brain, though it's a grand step forward. It will be able to identify targets and strike with a detailed precision. It'll save a lot of effort to its operators".
"Isn't it reckless to let a machine decide who to kill?"
Jass chuckled softly. "We let military droids do it, don't we?"
"Not even a million of droids can take out a planet. How can you count on a rocket to be sensible or trustworthy enough and not to make a mistake that would cost life to a billion of people?"
Jass considered it for a moment, then made a serious face and said: "There is nothing so powerful that it could destroy a planet. That's impossible".
If only he knew how wrong he'd been! Val recalled the images of the Death Star he'd seen in Admiral Armin's personal archives: a shining globe as big as an average moon, probably armed with a destructive laser beam.
O'bar wouldn't like this one for sure!
Vader's helmeted head turned slowly away from the sight. Kerrit and Apollo were still chatting vividly. Something was wrong about it… dangerous. Vader thought that putting them together was reckless. It could lead to unwanted results.
He had just talked to Palpatine again. He didn't plan to reveal him all the details of the battle, but it turned out the Emperor had already been informed. Right after the conference Vader killed the spy supposed to keep an eye on the Dark Lord. This event thrilled him. He had never been that impulsive. Of course, he had much more freedom than young Skywalker because noone was there to put a hand on his shoulder at crucial moments and will him to control his anger. But he had displeased the Emperor who'd probably make him pay at least with another mission alike.
All ties were severed. Vader was truly isolated now. Somehow he doubted Kerrit would tell on him; no Imperial officer certainly would. He had enough time to deal with his memory. His shuttle was almost finished.
"You wanted to see me, my lord?" Sora bowed stiffly, hoping this wouldn't be a late reaction to 'a birthday candle'.
"I want you to keep an eye on adjutant Kerrit. You will report directly to me. Commander Moriarti has no need to know of that… assistance".
Sora withheld her comments. Great! Now he wants her to be a spy. She thought she could sink no lower.
"I am going away for a time", Vader went on. "I want your report at least half-ready by the time I come back".
"If I might, my lord, where are you going?"
Sora expected an explosion or another session of Force demonstration. Vader considered her question for a moment and replied thoughtfully: "To find an old friend".
Anakin lost track of Obi-Wan. It frightened him: they never quarreled that hard. He resisted the urge to call Padme to seek consolation. In fact, he wasn't sure he deserved it after he forgot his duties and practically crossed Padme out of his mind for another woman. Was it cheating? Was he unfaithful to his wife? It buzzed through his skull all night.
Anakin roared and hit the nighttable with his foot in despair. Everything was so incredibly wrong! He felt so exultant yesterday. Today he sobered. He had to go out there, to find Obi-Wan, to admit he was wrong and apologize. And then – learn from his mistakes. The reason might be his secret. Of course! Obi-Wan must have felt something but he was too well-bred to ask. A wall had grown between the Master and his apprentice since Geonosis. Stop! Anakin restrained himself. Don't think about Geonosis. Don't think about how Kenobi didn't want him to find your mother, how he looked at you knowing you'd been to Tatooine already. Don't remember how he ordered to leave Padme when she fell out of the aircraft's hatch!
Anakin relaxed and sank back into cooling meditation. Calm down… 'Many ways the Force has', Yoda used to say. 'But none of them the path of aggravation is'. Feel the Force coursing through you. Feel its gentle flow caressing your nerves. Act calmly, coolly, without incident.
Anakin opened his eyes. He felt ready to go.
The city ran ablaze with blooming tulips and dandelions. Various vehicles circled the flowerbeds. Occasionally a manly hand would shoot out of the window, pick a soft, vibrant flower and pass it into a woman's delicate hand. Laughter flitted over the streets. It was summer, the source of joy for local workaholics.
Anakin cooled down and let the Force lead him. It knew what it was doing better than the wanton Padawan. To his amazement, it brought him to the outskirts of the city. Obi-Wan seemed to be nowhere in sight. It was dark here, the air saturated with fear emanated the Dark Side itself. 'It's not necessarily dark on the Dark Side', Anakin remembered one funny saying, popular with Padawans. He ignited his lightsaber. The light thrown by the blade illuminated hardly more than a meter in his way. Anakin's heart made a weird clicking sound, beating faster and faster. What was it… fear?
As he pushed further, his eyes grew accustomed to the blackness. It enveloped him completely, yet it became transparent, allowing him to see through it. He caught his breath and continued to move forward. A squally gust of the wind almost pinned him to the ground and threw a distant cry in his face. Someone was calling for help. A woman… or a child, judging by the small voice. Anakin hurried towards the sound.
"…help me!.. Please, help!"
Something was intriguingly familiar about that. Anakin felt the space around him widen. He ventured deeper into what looked like a chamber. His breath came out in a series of hissing, venomous sounds that frightened him. He inhaled dust and moisture of that peculiar place.
The call for help repeated. Anakin shouted back, straining to understand where it came from.
"Help me! Please, get me out of here, I wanna go home!" the child (Anakin was certain of it) wailed.
"Don't be afraid, kid! I'm coming!" A stupid thing to say. The kid had no knowledge of him. He could mistake Anakin for a bad guy.
The chamber was filled with smoke so hot it scorched Anakin's skin. The youth hissed loudly.
Finally he saw the child. It was a little boy dressed in plain clothes, probably from off-world, tanned, sandy-haired and innocent. His image was vaguely familiar to Anakin. The Jedi approached cautiously and reached out for the boy. The kid glared at him, scared, and moved farther to the sticky wall.
"I'm here to help you", explained Anakin. "You can trust me, I'm a Jedi". (Now that's a reason!) "Let's go".
The boy hesitated but then crawled up to Anakin and grabbed his hand. The young Jedi ignited his sword once again, using it as a beacon. The boy looked at it, numb with admiration. Skywalker grinned: was his reaction different when he first saw a lightsaber attached to Qui-Gon's belt?
They treaded slowly through the dark. The boy clutched Anakin's hand nervously. Not a sound.
Then, a stunning hiss came and tore away the deafening silence. Anakin threw his lightsaber up and side-stepped the attack. An imposing figure was looming over him, a crimson blade at the ready. A Jedi? Or… a Sith? Darkness dissolved to reveal neither a man nor a cyborg, clad in heavy armor and black helmet. His face was completely disguised by a direful mask. Harsh synthesized breath was hears from it, amplified by a triangular breath screen. Anakin had never seen anything as frightening and equally astounding. Sacred horror coursed through his very soul.
The ghastly shape raised the saber, prepared to strike. Anakin rolled back, pulling the boy with him. He was the first priority. Ensure the kid's safety, then fight.
He could feel the black man chase them. The Force was extremely strong with that one. It swirled around him like a typhoon. He came closer. Anakin turned round a second before the crimson blade would crush down on his head. The sabers clashed. Anakin summoned the unifying power and Force-jumped forward, taking the child with him.
"It's alright", he stroked the boy's head. His eyes grew almost as wide as the kid's. "He can't have us".
He turned his head, petrified. The black man drew near, having almost caught up with them. His gloved hand reached for the prey.
Anakin sprang forward, determined to protect the boy at all costs. The black knight lunged at him with a forceful swing. His breath sounded malicious. Skywalker parried, confusing the opponent with tricky movements. Evading the erupting ray of the laser blade, he fought hard, panting and sweating. His heart pounded. The black man stumbled backwards under the series of Anakin's lunges. It wasn't so hard to prevail, Anakin decided.
He tilted his head to check if the kid was fine. So very unfortunate that he had to watch. Skywalker's heart sank. He recognized the kid. The little junk-yard slave from Tatooine. The daily sun of Shmee Skywalker. The boy was himself…
A powerful blow struck the back of Anakin's head. Everything started to melt. His vision became drained of colors. He fell down on his knees, the boy and the black man fusing into one being before his eyes. Incapable to think or act, he felt he stopped existing.
Anakin regained his consciousness after someone poured a strong stream of Force into him. It was like cold water. It woke up his reflexes, heightened his senses, and he dived out of his deep drowsiness to see Kenobi's worried face.
"M-master… Ho do you?.. What happened? That man… where is he!"
"What man? Anakin, you've been unconscious for a while. I found you out of the precincts of the town. You were ranting".
"Master, the man in black armor! He possessed a crimson blade. He fought like a Jedi!"
"Precisely", nodded Obi-Wan. "You keep talking about that man all the time. There was no man".
Anakin screwed up his eyes. The burning at the back of his head was unbearable.
The black man had gotten his hands on little Ani! It must have been a vision, a jest. Obi-Wan saw nothing. No, that boy couldn't… shouldn't have been Ani for real! It must have been some kind of warning.
"Why did you go there, to begin with?" Kenobi inquired.
"I… I wanted to apologize. I failed you, Master. I didn't mean to. You know you're like a father to me. Or a big brother".
Obi-Wan chuckled despite his aspiration to reprimand Anakin. The trace he left in the Force warmed up, lightened, refreshed. He no longer conceived of why he had snapped at his Padawan.
"Anakin", he said quietly. "I love you and I thank the Force every day for having you by my side. Of course, you can be a source of immense grief, but most of the time I'm very glad and proud of you".
That was what he felt. He didn't mean a single offensive word he had said before. He never meant to sadden or humiliate Anakin. He must have been sort of a Chosen One too – chosen to be Anakin's friend.
Skywalker smiled wryly. Mission accomplished.
Kerrit watched a lean green being separate from the wall. The alien was a chameleon. He blended in every background easily.
"Are you Woot?" Val asked carefully. A long head on a giraffe's neck rocked slightly.
"Do you have the data?" the alien asked in a raspy voice.
Val gave him the chip and strode away in silence. Now there was no turning back.
Sora followed him until he merged with a crowd of lab assistants flowing into the principal entrance of the base.