As some of you realized, I deleted everything up to Chapter 2. I plan on rewriting from that point on and I didn't want people reading the old chapters and getting confused with the new.
Chapter 3: Truth Revealed
I have accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father.
It is pointless to resist, my son.
Good...I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon; strike me down with all of your hatred, and your journey towards the Dark Side will be complete.
Luke gasped, bolting straight up, shoulder throbbing at the motion. He was uncomfortably hot and clammy and ran a shaky hand through his hair. He glanced confusedly at his surroundings before the events prior came back to him.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he took note of his condition. His back and neck were sore from the inadvisable sleeping position. He twisted himself in a half circle and listened as his back released a series of satisfying pops. He turned his head so his neck did the same. He then shuffled around so he was facing the ray shield and leaned back against the wall.
His stomach growled hungrily and he wondered if food would be delivered. How long had he been asleep? There was no chrono within his cell and he found himself curious about the time.
To distract himself from his hunger, Luke took this opportunity to meditate. He crossed his legs beneath him and closed his eyes, reaching for the enveloping light of the Force. It responded immediately, warm and welcoming. But...something was wrong. His connection to the Force felt impeded, as if something was blocking him. The Force seemed to slip through his fingers and was not at all what he was used to feeling.
Nevertheless, he didn't let it deter him from meditating. Eventually his mind started to drift. He thought about the others, and wondered how they were handling themselves. Have they succeeded in destroying the shield generator? Did they even realize he was missing? Leia's face flashed across his mind and he couldn't help but smile. Leia, his newly found twin sister. It's a novel experience to know that he has a living relative besides Vader. He grinned when he pictured what Han's reaction would be like.
The sound of the ray shield lowering startled him just as two guards entered the cell. Luke quickly rose to his feet.
"Come with us," one of them said curtly.
Luke swallowed back his trepidation and stepped out into the corridor, flanked by the guards. They led him into a turbolift, which took them back to the cavernous main hall and into yet another turbolift.
When the doors slid open, they arrived at the same circular room as before. The assortment of faces greeted him with blank expressions and he again resisted the urge to fidget. Their prying eyes were unnerving.
Luke was directed toward the center and his eyes skipped nervously between each face before settling on Yoda, who spoke as soon as their gazes met.
"Luke, is it?"
He inclined his head in agreement.
"Understand, do you, why brought here, you were?"
"You wish to ask me about the Sith," Luke guessed. The Force seemed to tremble at his implicit admission. The Jedi shared wary glances.
"We do not take the threat of the Sith lightly," the bald man said coolly. He leaned back in his seat. "Yet eight hours ago you were seen conspiring with one and in possession of a Jedi lightsaber."
Eight hours? He absorbed that information, blinking in surprise. Has it really only been a few hours? However, that wasn't what grabbed his attention. If they could tell from just his lightsaber that he was a Jedi, what does that make him? Yoda had said he needed no more training, but he wasn't comfortable labeling himself a Jedi Knight. At this same moment, he realized what the bald man was insinuating.
"I'm no Sith," he assured them. He caught Yoda's gaze briefly and saw a twinkle in his green-gold irises.
"Your words are contradictory. The Force does not lie; you share a connection," an Iktotchi Jedi said.
His brows furrowed. Could they be talking about his bond with Vader? He almost acknowledges it out loud, but something stops him—a feeling, a thought, he doesn't know. Whatever it is makes him realize that admitting he shares a Force bond with a Sith would not help his case.
"I can promise you it's not what you think," he says instead.
"Can you explain this connection then?" a Kel Dor Jedi asked.
Luke hesitated. This was the tricky part. How does one explain the possibility of a paradoxical theory that he doesn't know if it's true or not? What could he say to convince them? He was silent for a long moment but the Jedi before him seemed content to wait.
While he meditated he prepared himself for something like this. He knew there would be questions, especially about Vader. If his theory is true, he doesn't know how much he can reveal, if anything at all. What choice does he have: face their verdict or risk divulging the truth? Even if he did tell them, what would he say?
He was standing on the precipice of something larger than himself, and whatever he decided now would alter fate. When you put it like that, Luke supposes the choice is easy. It could not have been a simple accident that this happened. He was brought to this time for a reason, and what other reason is there if not to stop Palpatine's rise to power and protect his father from the Dark Side?
The scale tipped and the Force sang.
As with all things, he started from the beginning. He began by explaining an abridged version of the events following the Clone Wars, how the Galactic Republic was transformed into the Empire. He told them about the Rebel Alliance and the war. He briefly explained that Vader is his father, and they're correct in their assumption of him being a Sith Lord. To avoid any undue...complications, he deliberately withheld information about the Emperor and the annihilation of the Jedi Order, not wanting to unveil that just yet.
Once he finished speaking, the room lapsed into stunned silence. They seemed to be processing all that he's said. Luke suddenly felt tense, uncertain if they believed him or thought him insane. He worried they would ask for evidence, none of which he didn't have.
The bald man leaned forward so his elbows rested on the armrests and his hands folded together. He stared at Luke with cold dark eyes, skepticism written on his face. "You mean to tell us that you...time traveled?"
He winced at the phrasing of the question; it sounded better in his head. However, he could not deny the truth, no matter how ridiculous it seemed.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," he replied earnestly.
The Jedi gave dubious looks to one another, whispering conspiratorially.
"Are we going to listen to this nonsense?" a Quermian Jedi grunted. "The boy is clearly delusional."
"It's a ploy of the Sith," another said.
"Lies! It's all lies!"
Their voices grew louder until they were bickering with one another. Yoda slammed his gimer stick hard enough to make several people jump, the room quieting. He wore an austere expression, as if unimpressed with his brethren's behavior.
"Of Sith lineage, he may be. But Sith, he is not," he said, his tone clipped. "Allow temporary residency, until a permanent solution is decided, I do."
Soft murmurs erupted and the Force twinged with unease. The other Jedi were clearly dismayed by such a proposition, but none dared to challenge Yoda. The bald man and Yoda shared a look, silent communication passing between them.
Almost reluctantly, the bald man spoke. "We will provide housing for the duration of your stay. You're allowed access to any of the facilities within the temple, but you must stay within the parameters." His lips were pressed tight, and Luke could see the disapproval clearly. He obviously didn't like the idea of a "Sith collaborator" wandering without supervision.
The two guards stepped forwards and Luke nearly flinched at their sudden appearance. He had forgotten they were still there.
"Until we have prepared your accommodations, you will need to remain in the detention center," the bald man continued. He nodded toward the guards and they each grabbed an arm, escorting Luke from the room.
"Ice planet or desert?"
"What kind of question is that? Ice, obviously."
"A thousand B1 battle droids or a hundred gundarks?"
"...battle droids."
Lying horizontally across the couch, Anakin fiddled with leftover parts of machinery. He twisted them one way then connected them and twisted them again. He wasn't really trying to build anything, just something to keep his hands occupied.
Ahsoka lay on the couch opposite of him, tapping away on a datapad and occasionally asking random questions. After the disaster at the Citadel, Master Piell's funeral allowed for a two-week shore leave on Coruscant, and Anakin planned to enjoy it to the fullest. It was the first time in months he's gotten a break and he knew just how he wanted to spend it.
With his beautiful wife.
"Tooka or scrap rat?"
"Tooka."
There was no purpose for these questions, but he indulged her anyway. The door to their apartment suddenly opened and Obi-Wan entered. His brows were furrowed in a way that meant he was thinking hard. Anakin knew that look, having seen it every time he returns from a Council meeting.
"How'd it go?" he asked.
Obi-Wan immediately went for the kitchenette, where he proceeded to grab the necessities to make tea. Anakin watched him hustle with filling the kettle and setting aside a tea bag and a mug. He glanced over at Ahsoka, who was watching Obi-Wan as well. Their eyes met and she gave a bemused shrug.
The kettle started whistling and Obi-Wan methodically poured the hot water into the mug and dipped the tea bag in. He then reached for the sugar and added three scoops, stirred it twice, and finally turned to face them. He settled against the counter with his hands around his newly made tea.
"It was a very enlightening discussion," he said. He then launched into an explanation. He told them how Luke, the suspect they apprehended in the lower levels, claimed to be a time traveler and the masked Sith was also one. Most shockingly, Luke was the son of said Sith.
"What do they plan to do with him?" Anakin asked.
Obi-Wan released a heavy sigh, raising his tea to take a sip. "Master Yoda had granted him permission to stay within the temple."
At this, Anakin and Ahsoka glanced at each other wide eyed. Master Yoda did what?
"The Council is letting him stay?" Anakin couldn't help the incredulity in his voice.
"It would appear so. Master Windu is preparing quarters for him as we speak."
Anakin was so shocked he didn't know what to say. He couldn't believe the Council would do something so...stupid. Wait. Actually yes, he can believe that.
"What about the Sith?" Ahsoka wondered.
A beat of silence.
Then—"It has not yet been decided what measures need to be taken." That was basically code for The-Council-Doesn't-Know.
"They don't actually believe the kid is a time traveler, right?" he asked. He needed to know if the Council would be so naive as to believe something like this. They were in the throes of war; the Separatists could be using Luke to keep the Council distracted. He could be a spy sent to infiltrate the temple. Anakin knew better than to believe such foolishness.
"That remains to be seen."
He blinked. Was Obi-Wan admitting the Council did believe that Luke was a time traveler? "You're kidding?" he asked in all seriousness.
Obi-Wan set his tea on the counter with a soft clunk. "It's not so much that we believe him, but rather his connection to the Sith is profoundly strong. There is a possibility he may know the identity of the Sith Master."
Despite the ridiculousness of the situation, it hadn't occurred to him that the kid might have vital information. If what Obi-Wan says is true, they were one step closer to ending the war.
"Isn't it a little suspicious? I mean, it's been two rotations since Master Piell's funeral and a Sith randomly appears," Ahsoka pointed out.
"The Council thought so too. Which is why they requested you two to keep an eye on him for the duration of our leave," Obi-Wan replied smoothly.
Anakin actually sat up at that news. "They what?"
"If he does happen to know the Sith Master's identity, we need to gain his trust if he is to tell us what he knows. They are convinced since you are closer in age to him, he would feel more...comfortable sharing his knowledge."
"So what? We're supposed to just pretend to be friends and hope he'll tell us something useful?"
Obi-Wan cracked a smile. "Use that charisma you always say you have. I'm sure it'll come in handy."
Anakin glared unamused while Ahsoka laughed at him.
