Chapter 4

By the time Luke got back to his hut, it was early afternoon. He spent the next couple of hours making sure all he had packed was loaded in the ship and familiarizing himself with the layout of the controls. A deckhand at the shipyard had already helped him some, but he wanted to make sure he wouldn't have any problems.

While making his evening meal, he felt the familiar presence of his father.

'You know, I never cooked well in my youth. I guess I was too arrogant to learn.'

Luke shifted from the stove, staring at his father. "You never talk about your youth, or how you turned. Just that you did."

'It's not a pleasant story, I assure you. Perhaps one day I will tell you.'

"Luke, are you in there?" Leia said from the outside of his hut.

"Yeah, I'm here. Come on in." Luke glanced at Anakin who was starting to fade away. "Father, stay."

'If you think that's wise.'

"I just came over to…" Leia stopped in mid-sentence, staring at the ghost of their father.

"Leia, meet our father, Anakin Skywalker."

'Hello, Leia. I'm so happy to meet you this way. I have much to atone for with you, my daughter. I hope that you will let me try.'

Leia, ever the diplomat, put on her 'proper' face and stared back at him. "It is nice to meet you officially as well. I just came over to make sure Luke had everything he needed." She turned to Luke, though her eyes flitted back to Anakin. "Do you need any additional supplies? I can have them sent over."

Luke nodded to Anakin, who faded away with a small smile on his face. "I have what I need, thank you."

"How could I see him? I thought you needed to train me before that was possible?"

"I guess you are already strong enough to be able to do it on your own." Luke sat down looked up at her. "Your control of the Force is amazing, Leia. I'm impressed, and I know our Father is as well."

She made no comment in reply but glanced around the hut. "I really should be getting back. No telling how Han is doing with Ben on his own."

"Thank you for checking on me. I will contact you as soon as I have more information and know what's going on out there."

"Be safe."

Back in the pilot seat of a ship made Luke remember the Galactic War. He used to love to pilot, but now it just brought back memories that, at sometimes, he didn't care to remember. Since he was on his way to fight the Emperor again, the memories were even stronger. He tried to not let the terror get the best of him as he locked in the coordinates for Zanbar.

Once he was far enough outside of the atmosphere of Chandrila, and the coordinates to Zanbar were entered, Luke began his calculations for his jump to the Mandalore system. Making sure to be careful, he entered them into the computer and activated the hyperdrive. As the ship propelled him forward, he sat back for a few moments to just think and reflect.

He took his father's advice and focused on the plan. His power may not be as disciplined as the other Jedi, who had training for years before they became masters, but he will use the Force the best way that he can. Flying through the stars toward Mandalore, Luke went over and over the training he had received and focused on calming his mind.

In just a few short hours, he was coming out of hyperspace approaching the Mandalore system. There were many planets between the edge of the system and where he was going, so he had to make sure that he dropped out before getting to that point. Luke was an experienced pilot, but not often did he fly this far out. Having no idea what he would meet in an outer rim system, he felt caution was wise.

He passed the planet of Mandalore and wondered if there were any inhabitants any longer. There was so much that he didn't know of that creed, so much he didn't know about the galaxy really. His focus in life had always been elsewhere. Once the Emperor was taken care of, and he was able to start his school, he vowed to dive into the lore of the galaxy. That would aid him with many things, including teaching his younglings.

As he approached the moon, Luke felt a disturbance in the Force. His early predictions were right, something is here. The evil radiating off it was so strong he could almost taste it. The moon itself was just one big swampy mess, similar, he was told, to Dagobah in some places. Zanbar also had high sharp ridges, which would make landing difficult.

Using the computer, and reaching out with the Force, Luke was able to locate a mostly flat area of a former base that he could land. He sensed no one around for miles, which mean he should be safe enough. Landing was tricky, the closer he got to the surface, the harder it was to see. Zanbar either had very limited contact with this galaxy's sun, or just had an odd orbit, because it turned dark extremely fast.

The old base appeared to be mostly gone from battle. There were a few buildings here and there, but nothing large enough to conceal his ship. He walked outside of the ship, closing the ramp to ensure no indigenous life made its way on. There were at least two creatures he had heard about that lived here, neither of which he was interested in meeting. Both vicious carnivores waiting for something juicy to fall in their path. He'd rather come back to the ship knowing that he could get in safely.

He took a quick walk around the base just to get an idea of his surroundings. The cold, damp air of Zanbar was unpleasant. He pulled his cloak around him tighter as he continued his survey. There didn't appear to be many supplies available, most had either rotted, been eaten or were scattered about broken. It was a good thing that he was not in need of resupplying his ship at this time.

The moon itself was very dark, almost gray everywhere; like colors didn't exist here. It made sense to him now why there would have been a base of Sith on this planet. It seemed to be fed from the dark. The jagged edges of the mountains, the total lack of all vegetation in some places, and all the overabundance of dark and twisted trees and vines really just gave the place an ominous feeling.

'Evil, this place is.'

'This may just be one of the many stops on your journey, Luke. This place may not hold any answers, but it is most definitely evil.'

"I feel like I need to meditate. Something is off about this place, but I cannot tell what." Luke glanced around at the Jedi, who all had a look of concern on their faces. "Not to be rude, but let me concentrate for a few minutes."

When they had all quieted down, Luke sat down, leaning against a large rock formation, and closed his eyes. Feeling the Force around him, he inhaled deeply taking the Force into himself. The air around him began to stir and he could feel the murky depths of evil swirling up from the ground. Around the evil was a shroud of time, making it feel as though it was not a recent evil.

The past was hard to see unless you were in full meditation. Luke dove further into the Force, so that time seemed to circle around him. He chose to investigate the history of this planet, wondering why he felt the strong urge to come here when the Emperor and his guard were not here.

Seeing the past starting to form around him, he concentrated. The camp that he was near was occupied by Mandalorians. But, not those affiliated with the main government. They were a sect in hiding, exile. He saw a murky scene where a Sith was with them plotting against them but in the middle of the group.

Luke opened his eyes and stared up into the face of the Jedi. "There was a Sith here; years ago, but I cannot see when. I must have been pulled here because of his presence."

Obi-Wan nodded. 'Maul, if I'm correct. When he was aiding the renegaid Mandelorians exiled to the planet.'

"Could have saved me some time and meditation, Obi-Wan," Luke grimmaced as he stood, shaking the earth off of his robes.

'He has detected our plans,' Emperor roared. 'I told you to seek out a replacement for the boy.'

'Master, I have much bigger plans than just that. I will not just have one, I want many. The more Sith I train, the easier it will be to take over the entire galaxy!'

The Emperor laughed. 'Good. Good, my apprentice. Stay on Exegol for now with the Sith. Skywalker thinks I'm there, so when he shows, contain him. I will come once I know you have him.'

Luke stumbled back and sank to the ground. "He's on Exegol."

'Impossible. Knows that you have seen his future, does he. Why would he be there?'

"No, Master Yoda, not the Emperor, Snoke. Snoke and all the Sith are on Exegol. The Emperor thinks that's where I'm going and told Snoke to hold me. He would come once I am there."

'Curious, Luke. This is the third vision you have had regarding the Emperor. I would think after the first one he would hide himself away, close off his decisions and location so that you cannot see them.'

"I was thinking the same thing. This must be a trap, Obi-Wan. But I don't think it is the trap that he said it was." Luke stood up and began walking toward his ship. "I think the Emperor wants to divert me, or wants me to show up with the New Republic's entire army, just so he can defeat them. Something is not right; I can feel it."

'Difficult to see, the outcome is. Fluid the future is; unpredictable.' Yoda looked at Obi-Wan.

'Luke, let's try this again in a more focused manner. Sit down and close your eyes. Calm your mind.'

Without thinking, Luke followed his instruction. He was used to Obi-Wan teaching him, so he never really questioned it anymore.

'Focus on the Force around you until you can feel its power and knowledge. Now, without losing focus, look into the future. What do you see?'

Luke felt the air circle around him, just like when he was closing Ben off from the Force. It radiated around him like a windstorm.

"I see darkness, red armored soldiers with fire all around them. The Emperor is angry, electricity is cracking all around him. Two that are one battle the darkness surrounding them. The hum of the Force around the battle is almost too loud."

'Focus on the area around the battle. Landmarks, terrain.'

Luke concentrated. The death in the vision was palpable, but he pushed past that. Focusing on death would cause him to lose the vision and his concentration. Focusing on the sites around the battle was actually easier.

"I see mountains…surrounded by jungle. There is an abandoned castle to the side of one of the largest mountains; there was death here."

'Hmm, yes, a battle site. Obi-Wan, look familiar to you?'

'Teth; that was one of the battles during the Clone Wars. I believe I spent some time there.'

Luke opened his eyes and looked at the Jedi. "What experience do you have with Teth? Is there anything I need to know before going?"

'Was a long time ago, I'm afraid, and not very helpful to the current situation.'

'Changed, the planet is. Seek this out but be warned to stay out of sight. I sense the Emperor may be guarded.'

Back in the ship. Luke readied the coordinates for Teth, in the Baxel system. This would take longer than his last jump, so after he set the auto pilot, he settled into one of the small bunks and attempted to rest. His thoughts were consumed with all the visions of the future.

'You are worrying again, son.'

"Father, how is it that I went years through my life with only a handful of visions of the future, and now all of a sudden I'm getting them almost daily?"

'The Force works in ways that are hard to understand at times. There must be something very significant around what's happening.'

"This last vision was different than the others. It felt different."

'How so?'

"I can't explain it, just...well, it felt more real than the others I've had recently. More solid, even though I saw less." Luke put his hands to his eyes. "I don't know if that made any sense."

'Visions of the future can appear murky when the path is not set. Perhaps what you saw was a fork in the road already solidified. Perhaps what you saw will come to pass.'

"There was so much death, Father. That's not how I want this to be."

'Sometimes death is unavoidable.'

A/N: I hope you all are enjoying so far! Let me know your thoughts! Thanks again my fantastic beta Zombiefied 419!

Chapter Sources:

wiki/Hyperspace

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wiki/Zanbar_Death_Watch_camp

wiki/Teth

'Star Wars Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force 'by Ryder Windham