Chapter 20
Vader looked up at his son, who stood watching the emotional scene before him. Vader could feel the young man's confusion and uncertainty.
"Why doesn't she remember anything?" Luke asked.
Vader released Leia, and she looked up at him expectantly, waiting for his reply.
"Your mother had a very difficult time when you were born," he told them. "The doctor told me that she feared your mother would die. She was traumatized, both physically and emotionally by all that had happened, and slipped into a coma. She was unconscious for almost two weeks, and when she woke up, she had no memories of her previous life."
"That's why she left this behind," Leia said, touching the japor snippet in her father's hand. "She did not feel any connection to it anymore."
Vader shook his head. "No," he said softly, staring down at the pendant. "I carved this for her when I was nine years old," he told his children. "I was a slave, and she was a queen." He looked up at them. "And yet it meant more to her than any of the fine trappings of royalty."
Luke and Leia were silent, both full of questions, and yet overwhelmed by all that they had learned and needed yet to learn.
Luke turned his eyes to his father's. He could see the sincerity in them, and it only served to intensify his confusion. How could he reconcile the man standing before him with the monster Obi-Wan had described? The man before him wanted desperately to heal the family that his actions had torn apart; and yet the past could not be ignored. Darth Vader had murdered hundreds, many of them younglings; he had turned on his own pregnant wife and attacked her viciously. And yet Luke could feel the pain that his father carried, the guilt and the shame of what he had done to the one he loved more than anyone. Did love that great merit a second chance?
"I will find your mother," Vader told his children. "And somehow we will help her to come back to us."
"I want to go with you," Luke said at last. "Leia does too, don't you?"
Vader looked down at his daughter. "Yes, I do," she replied.
"No," Vader stated flatly. "Out of the question."
"Why?" Luke argued. "We want to find her as much as you do!"
"I am not questioning that," Vader replied. "It is simply too dangerous. You are far safer with the Rebel Alliance where you will be well hidden."
"We don't need to be hidden," Leia countered. "Why is it alright for you to risk danger and not us?"
"The emperor has undoubtedly come to realize who you are," he told his daughter. "And now that he knows, he will not rest until he finds you."
"How could he know?" Leia replied. "I was raised by the Organa family, what connection could he possibly make to you?"
"My actions while you were on board the Death Star were most….irregular," he replied. "The emperor has no doubt been given a full report on these actions. It would not take him long to put it together. He did, after all, know of my marriage and of your mother's pregnancy. I will not allow him to find you, Leia. I will not allow him to bring you harm." He turned to his son. "Nor you, Luke. It is only a matter of time before he learns the name of the rebel who destroyed his beloved Death Star. And when he hears the name Skywalker, he will know exactly who you are. And when that happens, he will hunt you down, not stopping until he has found you."
"Your father is right," Obi-Wan said from the doorway. He looked directly at Vader. "It is good to see you, old friend."
Vader merely nodded in response.
"But it won't be enough merely to keep them hidden," Obi-Wan continued. "They must also be trained, should a confrontation with Palpatine become inevitable."
"And who will train them, you?" Vader asked pointedly.
"Will the two of you stop talking as though Luke and I are invisible?" Leia said hotly. "I think both of us are perfectly capable of defending ourselves."
"You don't understand, Leia," Vader replied, turning to his daughter. "Palpatine is a powerful Sith! Do not let his age and feeble appearance fool you. He is very strong, very powerful; neither you nor Luke would stand a chance against him without some rudimentary training."
"Father is right," Luke said. "From the little training I did receive, I know that much." He looked at Obi-Wan. "Ben can train us," he said. "He's already begun training me."
"No master can train two apprentices," Vader stated, folding his arms over his chest. "Especially when those apprentices are so old."
"Old?" Leia replied. "I'm not even twenty! Since when is that old?"
Vader smiled at his daughter. "I was rejected by the Jedi Council when I was nine because they said I was too old."
"Most Jedi start their training as infants, Leia," Obi-Wan told her. "But considering that the two of you are the children of the Chosen One, I think a little leeway can be permitted."
"The Chosen One?" Luke asked.
"The greatest of all the Jedi, the one who will bring balance to the Force and destroy the Sith," Leia informed him, looking at her father with a smile.
Luke looked up at his father. "Is that you?"
Vader shrugged. "Perhaps," he said. "Some seemed to think so."
"No perhaps about it," Obi-Wan put in. "There is no doubt that your father is the one spoken of in Jedi prophecy; at least not in my mind."
"The Jedi Council, however, did not always share your convictions, Obi-Wan," Vader pointed out.
"That is true, but many did," Obi-Wan replied. "Besides, when did you ever care what the Jedi Council thought?" he added.
"Quite true," Vader acknowledged. "But all this discussion is superfluous. We have more pressing matters at hand."
"Yes, of course," Obi-Wan said, looking back at the twins. "I think I know of a solution." He paused for a moment, a small part of him unsure if he ought to divulge the secret he had kept for twenty years of the only other living Jedi. But if I don't, the New Order may never stand a chance…
"What is it?" Vader asked.
"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied, looking at Vader. "He is alive."
Vader registered surprise at hearing this. "Indeed? I had no idea he had survived. Where is he?"
Again Obi-Wan hesitated, and Vader sensed it, as well as the reason why he did so.
"I assure you I have no ill intent towards him," Vader assured him. "If he is alive, he would be a most fitting choice to train either Luke or Leia." He looked at his children. "But I suppose perhaps they ought to be consulted," he said, remembering his daughter's protests earlier. "They are adults, after all. The choice should be theirs."
Luke and Leia looked at their father, appreciating his words. But was there even a choice to be made? It was clear that as the children of Anakin Skywalker, they would be targets for his greatest enemy, the galactic emperor Palpatine. It was no secret that Palpatine was obsessed with power, almost to the point of madness. If he could use the children of the Chosen One to bring him more, then he would stop at nothing to see that happen. Clearly they were no match for him untrained. But trained, that was a different story.
"I want to continue my apprenticeship," Luke said at last. "I want to learn the ways of the Force, and become a Jedi, like my father," he added, looking at Vader.
Vader smiled at his son, immense pride filling his heart.
"And so do I," Leia added. "I never imagined that I could be a Jedi; but if you think I have the ability to do so, then I have an obligation to follow that path."
Vader nodded, pleased with his daughter's sense of honor. He put a hand on one of Luke's shoulders, and the other on one of Leia's. "Palpatine will be no match for the two of you," he told them.
Imperial City-Coruscant
True to his word, Vyrr Zhar-Khan returned to the Imperial palace with news for the emperor. Palpatine had been waiting anxiously for Zhar-Khan's return for what seemed to him like an eternity; yet he had faith in the heartless mercenary, for Zhar-Khan had never let him down before.
"He's here," one of the royal guards announced to the emperor who was dining in the solitude of his sumptuous bed chamber.
Palpatine looked up. "Yes I know," he replied. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and pushed himself away from the table. "Show him in."
The sentry bowed deeply and left the emperor's presence. Moments later, the large imposing figure of Vyrr Zhar-Khan filled the doorway.
"You have some information?" Palpatine asked without preamble.
Zhar-Khan nodded, strolling into the room with an air of self satisfaction.
"Well? Out with it then," snapped Palpatine, annoyed by the young man's arrogance.
"Skywalker," Zhar-Khan said simply. "Luke Skywalker."
Palpatine rose slowly to his feet. "Are you sure?" he demanded.
"Since when do I screw up?" Zhar-Khan replied with a smirk.
The next thing he knew he was slammed up against the far wall, a jolt of energy surging through him briefly.
"Save your sarcasm for the whores and other miscreants whose company you keep," Palpatine snarled as he approached the stunned young man. "I asked you a question!"
Zhar-Khan struggled to his feet, shocked by the old man's unexpected attack.
"Yes, yes I'm sure," Zhar-Khan replied at last as he slowly stood up. "My source is completely reliable. Luke Skywalker is without a doubt the rebel who destroyed the Death Star."
Palpatine nodded as the implications of this information sunk in. Amidala bore twins...so much the better… He looked at the young man before him. "I have a proposition for you, Zhar-Khan," he said, his tone less menacing. "That is, if you are interested."
"I'm not sure," Zhar-Khan replied warily. "What sort of proposition are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about becoming my right hand," Palpatine replied. "You are strong with the Force, Zhar-Khan. With training, you could become a powerful Sith."
Zhar-Khan was intrigued. "You mean, like Vader? Like you?"
Palpatine smiled slowly. "Don't flatter yourself," he snapped. "Does that interest you? It would bring you great powers, Zhar-Khan, not to mention the...monetary benefits."
"You don't say?" Zhar-Khan replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well then I am interested, very interested."
Palpatine nodded. He will never be another Vader, but he's young, and easily manipulated…he will do…
"A strong Sith you will make," Palpatine told him. "From now on you shall be known as ….Darth Ferreus."
Zhar-Khan felt himself being forced to his knees in a gesture of featly. "Thank you, Master."