23. On The Wastes
It was as if he was being guided by the Force. He made quick work of the preliminary tour- to which he paid little (and much noticed) attention. The encampments highest-ranking general personally guided and deposited a wordless Vader into his private quarters after the tour.
As soon as he sensed the general was out of range, he wandered out into the hall. Randomly, he made turns and took lifts downwards, until he found himself in a hanger – a massive structure with a grand view of the desert wastes out of its large bays.
It seemed to call to him – that open expanse of sand and rock. He sought our a small but fast hover-bike, and zipped out of the hanger without a single soul seeing him. With the sunset at his back, he headed randomly along until he reached an outcropping of rock, then decided to continue from there by foot.
For a moment, he felt liberated of the fear he held for his home planet. The death of his mother, the slaughter of the Sand People, it was all far in the back of his mind as his eyes swept over the dusty landscape ahead of him. As soon as a smile reached his lips, he felt a warm glow enveloping him, like an old, familiar, much loved glove.
He knew this glove. It was a feeling he had not felt in years. It was a feeling that he never though he would experience ever again. Never. No one could create this unique sense – no one, save for one man.
As he climbed over the small rocks to stand atop them, in the distance he saw a man on a large plateau like rock formation rise to his feet and turn in his direction.
All at once, it hit him like a punch to the gut as he gazed through the haze towards the man on the rock tower. There was no doubt in his mind who it was. There was also no doubt in his mind that the man knew who he was as well, though he was greatly surprised to feel his open force signature, to have a bond prodded at that hadn't been active in ages.
Now – Vader had to decide what to do. Sidious would be pleased to see the man captured; delighted to see the man tortured by Vaders own hands. A few months ago, he would have heavily considered those options, but after the past few weeks, he began to question everything again. How twisted exactly was his memory? How twisted was his view? How much had he been lied to? And, finally, had he betrayed the one soul who would have given his own life for him?
It was time to finally, once again, come face to face with Obi-Wan Kenobi, his formerly beloved and then hated Master.